Chris Dodd’s Wife, Jackie Clegg Dood was a director at AIG…
How the cookie crumbles. So much for the transparency and accountability that Barack Obama promised. It seems Chris Dodd’s wife, Jackie Clegg Dodd was a director at AIG. RCP No wonder Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn) went wobbly last week when asked about his February amendment ratifying hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses to executives at [...]
(Can you tell I'm going through my inbox?)
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Fighting Irish lawmakers mad over Obama's honor
Several Republican lawmakers who are Notre Dame alumni are strongly criticizing the school for inviting President Obama to give a commencement speech — and for giving the him an honorary degree.
> Read More
> Read More
House budget advanced on party-line vote
The House Budget Committee approved the Democratic budget resolution on a party-line vote Wednesday, sending the $3.55 trillion budget plan to the full House for consideration next week.
> Read More
> Read More
Monday, March 23, 2009
CatholicVote on BHO at Notre Dame
Dear CatholicVote.org Member,
Like many of you, we received the news last Friday that President Barack Obama will deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame this May.
In addition to delivering the address, the President will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. In short, one of our nation’s premier Catholic institutions will honor the President, and hold out him as an example to its students as someone worthy of emulation!
Given President Obama’s utterly shameful record on life, how could a Catholic university honor him?
The University could have politely and quietly told the White House that their standing invitation to the President of the United States was not available this year. Better yet, they could have said that while they would welcome his contributions to the public debate over how to solve our economic crisis, his regrettable policies in favor of a culture of death make it impossible for them to welcome him.
Notre Dame has regrettably hosted pro-abortion speakers in the past, but President Obama is a champion of the abortion cause.
Sadly, it is now indisputable that our President has become the world’s leading promoter of abortion, embryo-killing cloning and research, taxpayer-funded abortion, and a vigorous opponent of conscience protections for medical professionals. His campaign promises to find ‘common ground’ have sadly been ignored, or perhaps were simply lies.
And this Administration has only just begun.
Is there anything a president could do that would disqualify him or her from delivering such a prestigious address?
If there is such a threshold, Barack Obama has not disqualified himself with Notre Dame officials.
And so we must act.
We have spoken with professors, students, and leaders at Notre Dame over the past 48 hours and have concluded that a massive protest will be practically difficult, and even counterproductive. The University has a right as a private school to prevent all protestors from entering campus, and could legally arrest those who violate this rule. Secondly, a protest could create exactly the wrong impression.
Therefore, we are recommending four courses of action.
1) CatholicVote.org has partnered with the Cardinal Newman Society, a dynamic organization dedicated to the renewal of Catholic higher education in establishing www.NotreDameScandal.com. Together our aim is to collect thousands of signatures and present them to University officials. Sign the petition now.
2) Contact Notre Dame and charitably express your outrage. CatholicVote.org is large enough to have a major impact, and we urge you to contact Notre Dame President Father Jenkins at (574) 631-5000.
3) Join your fellow CatholicVote.org members in a prayer of reparation on May 17 from 2-4 PM. We encourage you to organize local groups to pray for mercy for the decision by Notre Dame, but also for our nation for continuing to permit the tragedy of abortion.
***If you live in the Midwest, or near Notre Dame University, we invite you to personally join us in prayer at the Grotto on the campus of Notre Dame from 2-4 PM on May 17, where we will be joined by several Notre Dame professors, alumni, and current students. The gathering will be a peaceful and prayerful.
4) Please forward this message to your family and friends. Let them know about Notre Dame's decision to honor the most pro-abortion President in American history. We must not remain silent over this scandal!
Sincerely,
Brian Burch, President
CatholicVote.org
Like many of you, we received the news last Friday that President Barack Obama will deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame this May.
In addition to delivering the address, the President will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. In short, one of our nation’s premier Catholic institutions will honor the President, and hold out him as an example to its students as someone worthy of emulation!
Given President Obama’s utterly shameful record on life, how could a Catholic university honor him?
The University could have politely and quietly told the White House that their standing invitation to the President of the United States was not available this year. Better yet, they could have said that while they would welcome his contributions to the public debate over how to solve our economic crisis, his regrettable policies in favor of a culture of death make it impossible for them to welcome him.
Notre Dame has regrettably hosted pro-abortion speakers in the past, but President Obama is a champion of the abortion cause.
Sadly, it is now indisputable that our President has become the world’s leading promoter of abortion, embryo-killing cloning and research, taxpayer-funded abortion, and a vigorous opponent of conscience protections for medical professionals. His campaign promises to find ‘common ground’ have sadly been ignored, or perhaps were simply lies.
And this Administration has only just begun.
Is there anything a president could do that would disqualify him or her from delivering such a prestigious address?
If there is such a threshold, Barack Obama has not disqualified himself with Notre Dame officials.
And so we must act.
We have spoken with professors, students, and leaders at Notre Dame over the past 48 hours and have concluded that a massive protest will be practically difficult, and even counterproductive. The University has a right as a private school to prevent all protestors from entering campus, and could legally arrest those who violate this rule. Secondly, a protest could create exactly the wrong impression.
Therefore, we are recommending four courses of action.
1) CatholicVote.org has partnered with the Cardinal Newman Society, a dynamic organization dedicated to the renewal of Catholic higher education in establishing www.NotreDameScandal.com. Together our aim is to collect thousands of signatures and present them to University officials. Sign the petition now.
2) Contact Notre Dame and charitably express your outrage. CatholicVote.org is large enough to have a major impact, and we urge you to contact Notre Dame President Father Jenkins at (574) 631-5000.
3) Join your fellow CatholicVote.org members in a prayer of reparation on May 17 from 2-4 PM. We encourage you to organize local groups to pray for mercy for the decision by Notre Dame, but also for our nation for continuing to permit the tragedy of abortion.
***If you live in the Midwest, or near Notre Dame University, we invite you to personally join us in prayer at the Grotto on the campus of Notre Dame from 2-4 PM on May 17, where we will be joined by several Notre Dame professors, alumni, and current students. The gathering will be a peaceful and prayerful.
4) Please forward this message to your family and friends. Let them know about Notre Dame's decision to honor the most pro-abortion President in American history. We must not remain silent over this scandal!
Sincerely,
Brian Burch, President
CatholicVote.org
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
U.S. Plan Would Send Hundreds More Civilians to Afghanistan
U.S. Plan Would Send Hundreds More Civilians to Afghanistan
Hundreds of additional U.S. diplomats and civilian officials would be deployed to Afghanistan as part of the new civil-military regional strategy that President Obama’s top national security advisers plan have prepared for his signature next week, according to administration officials.
For more information, visit washingtonpost.com
Hundreds of additional U.S. diplomats and civilian officials would be deployed to Afghanistan as part of the new civil-military regional strategy that President Obama’s top national security advisers plan have prepared for his signature next week, according to administration officials.
For more information, visit washingtonpost.com
White House Declines to Explain Plan to Make Veterans Pay for War Injuries
White House Declines to Explain Plan to Make Veterans Pay for War Injuries
White House (CNSNews.com) – White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs on Tuesday refused to "make the case for a decision that this administration hasn't made yet." Veterans’ groups and members of Congress, meanwhile, stepped up their criticism of the suggestion that the Department of Veterans Affairs might bill the private heath insurance of veterans for service-related injuries.
White House (CNSNews.com) – White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs on Tuesday refused to "make the case for a decision that this administration hasn't made yet." Veterans’ groups and members of Congress, meanwhile, stepped up their criticism of the suggestion that the Department of Veterans Affairs might bill the private heath insurance of veterans for service-related injuries.
Obama, Hispanic Dems to huddle on immigration
By Jared Allen
Hispanic Democrats will have their first West Wing meeting with President Obama on Wednesday morning to discuss immigration reform, according to Democratic sources.
> Read More
Above from yesterday's The Hill. Would guess the huddling is all over and we're on the road to open borders given Pelosi's comments aired on Fox News this morning. Our ICE guys are thugs? the immigration policy is going to change? It's un-American to boot out law-breaking illegal aliens? This woman is third, THIRD in line for the Presidency. Obama scares me. Biden stepping in would be like an old re-run of the Three Stooges. Pelosi in power? The borders would be open all the way to Chavez' doorstep.
Hispanic Democrats will have their first West Wing meeting with President Obama on Wednesday morning to discuss immigration reform, according to Democratic sources.
> Read More
Above from yesterday's The Hill. Would guess the huddling is all over and we're on the road to open borders given Pelosi's comments aired on Fox News this morning. Our ICE guys are thugs? the immigration policy is going to change? It's un-American to boot out law-breaking illegal aliens? This woman is third, THIRD in line for the Presidency. Obama scares me. Biden stepping in would be like an old re-run of the Three Stooges. Pelosi in power? The borders would be open all the way to Chavez' doorstep.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Michigan Tax Alert: Your state senator just proposed a tax increase!
What IS it with our fellow Republicans???? Are we trying to become obsolete? Stop already with the tax increases and big government. That said, I don't know the details on the following, the history or have any information that might justify the additional layer of government and taxes (a tax is a fee is a tax is a charge... it's money out of our pocket). It strikes me that if government workers did what they were supposed to do we could cut a lot of staff and costs. I'm going to add a bit more about that below the following alert (just in case you're only interested in the Michigan tax alert).
From Americans for Prosperity:
Bill Number: SB 45
Bill Sponsors: Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-24),
Sen. Jason Allen (R-37), Sen. John Pappageorge (R-13), Sen. Roger Kahn (R-32)
This bill creates a new government bureaucracy to oversee the ongoing inspections of septic tanks. Home and business owners would be responsible to pay the fee for these inspections. The cost of new construction would also increase as a result of the additional fee. The taxpayer would also be on the hook to pay for the newly created On-site Wastewater Treatment System Advisory Council and the Alternative System Technical Advisory Committee. Take Action! Tell your senator we don’t need another fee increase!
For more information see the Michigan Legislature Website or Michigan Votes.
Now, back to my story!
I used to work for a quasi-governmental agency. We were a strange mix of private and government. At some point in my career the company split and one half became pure government, the other completely private. I had just switched jobs and ended up on the government side.
Keep in mind I had been working for the company for ten years. I had been in numerous positions, always moving upward.
I enjoyed working and took pride in the job I did each day. We ran an efficient company and did well.
With the flick of a Presidential pen and the change of a job, all of a sudden working became something to be frowned upon. I was called into my bosses office and told to stop working so much as it made everyone else look bad. When I found a problem and worked overtime (I was salary, so no cost to government), I was told my solution was great but they didn't want me working extra hours or going above and beyond. It wasn't my "place" to take the initiative to improve things.
Requisitioning supplies was a nightmare. Everything had to be justified in triplicate, then the justification process had to be justified.
Overnight no one was responsible for anything. It was someone else's job. I would call someone in Washington with a question only to be told it wasn't their job. Period. No help on who else to call or how to find an answer unless I held them hostage on the phone. Very nice, but bored and unhelpful. The next person would often foist me off on someone else who'd shuffle me over to another person. At times I ended up with the same person I'd started with.
I started my own company, figured out a way to quit with a nice long severance and have been happily working 24/7 without the government hassles.
So, I am never, ever, in favor of more layers of government. I know first-hand how inefficient it can be. I can not say that all government employees are the same or that every agency runs as idiotically as the one I worked in. However, given my subsequent experiences with the IRS (don't get me started!) and other agencies, I'm inclined to think there are few, if any, exceptions.
One more thought - I understand that there is no incentive for government workers to be efficient. The harder and better they work, the less government employees it takes to do the job. Why should they work smarter when it could mean they lose their easy paycheck?
Whew, I love a good rant on a Monday morning. Clears the air and gets my feisty side honed!
From Americans for Prosperity:
Bill Number: SB 45
Bill Sponsors: Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-24),
Sen. Jason Allen (R-37), Sen. John Pappageorge (R-13), Sen. Roger Kahn (R-32)
This bill creates a new government bureaucracy to oversee the ongoing inspections of septic tanks. Home and business owners would be responsible to pay the fee for these inspections. The cost of new construction would also increase as a result of the additional fee. The taxpayer would also be on the hook to pay for the newly created On-site Wastewater Treatment System Advisory Council and the Alternative System Technical Advisory Committee. Take Action! Tell your senator we don’t need another fee increase!
For more information see the Michigan Legislature Website or Michigan Votes.
Now, back to my story!
I used to work for a quasi-governmental agency. We were a strange mix of private and government. At some point in my career the company split and one half became pure government, the other completely private. I had just switched jobs and ended up on the government side.
Keep in mind I had been working for the company for ten years. I had been in numerous positions, always moving upward.
I enjoyed working and took pride in the job I did each day. We ran an efficient company and did well.
With the flick of a Presidential pen and the change of a job, all of a sudden working became something to be frowned upon. I was called into my bosses office and told to stop working so much as it made everyone else look bad. When I found a problem and worked overtime (I was salary, so no cost to government), I was told my solution was great but they didn't want me working extra hours or going above and beyond. It wasn't my "place" to take the initiative to improve things.
Requisitioning supplies was a nightmare. Everything had to be justified in triplicate, then the justification process had to be justified.
Overnight no one was responsible for anything. It was someone else's job. I would call someone in Washington with a question only to be told it wasn't their job. Period. No help on who else to call or how to find an answer unless I held them hostage on the phone. Very nice, but bored and unhelpful. The next person would often foist me off on someone else who'd shuffle me over to another person. At times I ended up with the same person I'd started with.
I started my own company, figured out a way to quit with a nice long severance and have been happily working 24/7 without the government hassles.
So, I am never, ever, in favor of more layers of government. I know first-hand how inefficient it can be. I can not say that all government employees are the same or that every agency runs as idiotically as the one I worked in. However, given my subsequent experiences with the IRS (don't get me started!) and other agencies, I'm inclined to think there are few, if any, exceptions.
One more thought - I understand that there is no incentive for government workers to be efficient. The harder and better they work, the less government employees it takes to do the job. Why should they work smarter when it could mean they lose their easy paycheck?
Whew, I love a good rant on a Monday morning. Clears the air and gets my feisty side honed!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
More Liberal Dissent
They just mention Sarah Palin's name because they know it will attract attention. Cheesy, but typical. The use of Palin's name says a lot about her power, and quite a bit more about the left's need to have someone to flog.
The point is though, that here's another group who's starting to see the handwriting on the wall. Obama said whatever he needed to get elected. We saw him continually changing stripes during the election and now his true colors start to come through.
Yes, he's still way out left on the liberal measuring stick, but he has his own agenda and he's not afraid to step on anyone's toes.
As you read this op-ed, note they can't bring themselves to trash Obama completely. They have the obligatory caveats, yada yada, positive changes still afoot, yada yada. If you continue to read you'll see that this is one very unhappy wolf-loving group.
OPINION: We Expected Sarah Palin to Treat Wolves Like this, Not Obama
We knew Sarah Palin would be murder on wolves had she been elected, but we expected more of the Obama Administration and its political appointees.
While we have had some strong pronouncements for animal protection from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and there are many signs that positive changes are afoot more broadly within the Obama Administration, we’ve got our very first dose of awful news from the newly installed leaders in the executive branch.
More: http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-we-expected-sarah-palin-to-treat-wolves-like-this-not-obama
The point is though, that here's another group who's starting to see the handwriting on the wall. Obama said whatever he needed to get elected. We saw him continually changing stripes during the election and now his true colors start to come through.
Yes, he's still way out left on the liberal measuring stick, but he has his own agenda and he's not afraid to step on anyone's toes.
As you read this op-ed, note they can't bring themselves to trash Obama completely. They have the obligatory caveats, yada yada, positive changes still afoot, yada yada. If you continue to read you'll see that this is one very unhappy wolf-loving group.
OPINION: We Expected Sarah Palin to Treat Wolves Like this, Not Obama
We knew Sarah Palin would be murder on wolves had she been elected, but we expected more of the Obama Administration and its political appointees.
While we have had some strong pronouncements for animal protection from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and there are many signs that positive changes are afoot more broadly within the Obama Administration, we’ve got our very first dose of awful news from the newly installed leaders in the executive branch.
More: http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-we-expected-sarah-palin-to-treat-wolves-like-this-not-obama
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Blago Gets Six Figure Book Deal
Well, now Blago will be able to pay some of his legal bills... Do you think people are going to buy the book? I guess they will or the publisher wouldn't be handing out that kind of money. Given Blagojevich hasn't been convicted of the crimes, I can't quite put him in this category, BUT I sure wish that when some crook or sleezeball wrote a book the public would ignore it. I hate the idea that the slime in our society are able to sometimes rake in huge dollars by writing a book. Ah well, asking too much.
One this I hope this book DOES do is connect the dots between Blago, Rahm Emmanuel and the White House. Wouldn't that be a kicker? Although, if it does, and does it well, expect to start hearing rumblings about the "Fairness" Doctrine being extended to print media.
Blago Gets Six Figure Book Deal
By Don March 3, 2009
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signs a six figure book deal with an independent publisher.
From PR NewsChannel
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich today signed a six figure book deal with one of the largest independent book publishers in the U.S., the PR firm representing Blagojevich announced today.
Blagojevich, who vehemently denies he tried to sell President Obama's senate seat, will write about the discussions, the considerations and the factors involved in picking Obama's successor to the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich maintains he was hijacked from office because of politics. In the book, he will write about his journey that led up to the twice-elected governor and former congressman being ousted from office. He also plans on exposing the dark side of politics that he witnessed in both the state and national level.
http://www.aim.org/don-irvine-blog/blago-gets-six-figure-book-deal/
One this I hope this book DOES do is connect the dots between Blago, Rahm Emmanuel and the White House. Wouldn't that be a kicker? Although, if it does, and does it well, expect to start hearing rumblings about the "Fairness" Doctrine being extended to print media.
Blago Gets Six Figure Book Deal
By Don March 3, 2009
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signs a six figure book deal with an independent publisher.
From PR NewsChannel
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich today signed a six figure book deal with one of the largest independent book publishers in the U.S., the PR firm representing Blagojevich announced today.
Blagojevich, who vehemently denies he tried to sell President Obama's senate seat, will write about the discussions, the considerations and the factors involved in picking Obama's successor to the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich maintains he was hijacked from office because of politics. In the book, he will write about his journey that led up to the twice-elected governor and former congressman being ousted from office. He also plans on exposing the dark side of politics that he witnessed in both the state and national level.
http://www.aim.org/don-irvine-blog/blago-gets-six-figure-book-deal/
Justice for Victims of the Weather Underground
From the Accuracy in Media's newsletter:
Justice for Victims of the Weather Underground
By Cliff Kincaid March 3, 2009
A live version of “Forensic Files” hits Washington, D.C. on March 12, as pressure mounts for an expanded probe of Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, and their alleged roles in the 1970 bombing murder of a San Francisco policeman.
Justice for Victims of the Weather Underground
By Cliff Kincaid March 3, 2009
A live version of “Forensic Files” hits Washington, D.C. on March 12, as pressure mounts for an expanded probe of Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, and their alleged roles in the 1970 bombing murder of a San Francisco policeman.
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