Proud To Be A Republican (GOP)

[mick]

hi R.J. , i haven't got ya at the other jurnt yey. i will been really keeping track of a lot of business ideas too.

Cindy Sheehan ? she has lost everything. how could she beat anyone anymore?

[RJ Trotts]

LOL...I for one am NOT suprised!

[RJ Trotts]

CRAWFORD, Texas — Six weeks after announcing her departure from the peace movement, Cindy Sheehan said Sunday that she plans to run against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unless she introduces articles of impeachment against President Bush in the next two weeks.

Sheehan said she will run against the San Francisco Democrat in 2008 as an independent if Pelosi does not seek by July 23 to impeach Bush. That's when Sheehan and her supporters are to arrive in Washington, D.C., after a 13-day caravan and walking tour starting next week from the group's war protest site near Bush's Crawford ranch.

"Democrats and Americans feel betrayed by the Democratic leadership," Sheehan told The Associated Press. "We hired them to bring an end to the war. I'm not too far from San Francisco, so it wouldn't be too big of a move for me. I would give her a run for her money."

Messages left with Pelosi's staff were not immediately returned.

Sheehan announced in May that she was leaving the anti-war movement and selling her 5-acre Crawford lot. She said that she felt her efforts had been in vain and that she had endured smear tactics and hatred from the left, as well as the right.

She plans to make her official announcement Tuesday after what is expected to be her final weekend at the 5-acre Crawford lot, which she sold to California radio talk show host Bree Walker.

Sheehan first came to Crawford in August 2005 during Bush's vacation, demanding to talk to him about the war that claimed her son Casey's life in 2004.

Sheehan became the face of the anti-war movement during her 26-day roadside vigil that swelled to thousands. But it also drew counter protests of Bush supporters, many who said she was hurting troop morale.

Sheehan, who has never held political office, recently said that she was leaving the Democratic party because it "caved" into the president. Last week, she announced her caravan to Washington, D.C., which she calls the "people's accountability movement."

"I didn't expect to be back so soon, but the focus is different than it was before," Sheehan said Sunday. "Instead of talking and making accusations, we're going into communities and talking to the people who've been hurt by the Bush regime. We're finding out how we can help people.'

Sheehan said she lives in a Sacramento suburb but declined to disclose the city, citing safety reasons.

[joseywalestx]

GREAT NEWS

M HOME > POLITICS
Poll: Americans Give Democratic Congress All-Time Low Rating

Thursday, June 21, 2007

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* RESPOND TO EDITOR
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WASHINGTON — Democrats pledged to take Congress in a new direction when it won control in November 2006, but less than six months after taking the reins, Americans aren't pleased with the results, giving lawmakers an all-time low public confidence rating.

In a Gallup poll released Thursday, only 14 percent of Americans have a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in Congress, a Gallup poll reports.

The poll shows an all-time lowest confidence rating and one of the lowest ratings for any institution in 30 years. The lowest confidence rating for Congress was 18 percent during 1991 to 1994. In 1994, the House switched from a Democratic to Republican majority after 40 years of one-party rule.

• Click here to read the poll.

In the latest poll, the Supreme Court also received an all-time low rating of 34 percent while confidence has been at or above 50 percent over the last few decades.

Americans rank the most confidence in the military, with the least confidence in HMOs and Congress, when asked about 16 societal institutions.

The poll, conducted June 11-14, interviewed 1,007 national adults over the age of 18. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

(Story continues below)

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The poll gave the National Republican Senatorial Committee plenty of fodder to complain about congressional Democrats. The NRSC issued a statement saying the poll shows Americans don't like the job Democrats are doing.

"In six months, Democrat congressional leadership has managed to bring it all back to where they began — at the lowest congressional confidence levels in Gallup's history — at least we know Democrats can be successful at something," NRSC spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher said in a statement.

[RJ Trotts]

Nice to see you out and about...looking forward to your comments!

[mick]

hi sarshee, good afternoon. nicce comments. and some good thoughts for GOP ticket.

[sarshee]

Hello Board, been a while since I posted but keep this on my favorites. Being from TN, I have always liked Thompson. However, I really like Romney also. I would love to see a ticket with both of them. Let Thompson have it then pass it on to Romney. That article on Obama was really interesting. I will have to be sure to pass that along to a bunch of people. Well, just about time for happy hour on the porch with Browndawg. Ya'll have a good evening - I'll check in later.
Sarshee

[mick]

this is the earliest i think i saw persons move to be first in line for da oval.

[RJ Trotts]

Yeah EVERY day is important right now...AND W's term is still a LONG ways till we are done!

[mick]

i'm not sure how the party will go but he was on letterman and indicated no fooling around.

many issues need to be address even before G.W.B. term ends.



bloomberg entry is a waste of time and his dough. imho

independent run may help GOP nominated one.

[RJ Trotts]

Fred is coming on STRONG for sure!

[mick]

fred thomson isn't giving up law and order for health reasons.

[RJ Trotts]

Yeah that never helps our cause...we have some probs just like everyone else!

[daddyboo]

Of course here in SC the reps took a hit when our treasurer was released for cocaine and dist of same...oh well...

[RJ Trotts]

Yep another WIN for us Repubs!

[daddyboo]

takes the quess right out of it when you go str Rep

[RJ Trotts]

Yeah Daddy...very interesting for sure...and kinda scary! Makes you think Clinton is the answer...LOL

[daddyboo]

that post about Obama ben Soma was very interesting..

[RJ Trotts]

He is coming up FAST for sure!

[daddyboo]

Fred...Fred...he's our man

[RJ Trotts]

I agree with you...CLinton will be the Dems pick...BUT who will be the Repub...

[mick]

hi R.J. , this is an interesting article. like imho once a choice has been made like being assciated to communist party.

communist believe is part of their beliefs.

this would go the for obama. i can see the clinton's running with this soon.

it will be down and dirty from the nationalist democrat.
they have cuase so much chaos in our gov't since G.W.B. took the oval in 2000/2001.

[RJ Trotts]

An Email was sent my way...

Below is an article I received as a message on myspace.com from a friend who serves in the military as a Navy Seal. The information below is unfortunately true.

HERE'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS
WHO IS BARACK OBAMA?

Do you know who Barack Obama really is? We need to know.

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was
born in Honolulu , Hawaii , to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black
Muslim
from Nyangoma-Kogel , Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white atheist from
Wichita , Kansas .

Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii .

When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father
Returned to Kenya .

His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a radical Muslim From
Indonesia .

When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia .

Obama attended a Muslim school in Jakarta .

He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim.

He Is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that
he also attended Catholic school."

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that
Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this
influence was temporary at best.

In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya Soon after the
divorce, and never again had any direct influence over His son's
education.

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama' s mother, Ann Dunham,
introduced his stepson to Islam.

Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. Wahabism is
the radical teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are
now waging Jihad against the western world.

Since it is politically expedient to be a Christian when seeking
Major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has
joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.

Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out...

Obama a candidate??? No way!

[RJ Trotts]

Thanks for the link Sherman...

[RJ Trotts]

you are welcome...I enjoy reading the posts for sure!

[mick]

i don't think it has been tossed yet. bush going to senate to convince more on this terrible immigration bill.

need to stick to 14TH amendment.

[mick]

hi MMA, i don't see and i'm glad to see some got the message acrossed before it passed.

mccain and dems got together on this one.

can't see mccain getting a nod for this to go into the oval.
he for sure blew his chance on this one.

we need a strong candidate for 2008. i don't see a winner so far.

there are a lot of reads at rush da man's palace i did over the weekend.

[MMAFAN]

I wish George would man up with the immigration issue. This bill is just plain stupid and I pray this thing does not go through.

[joseywalestx]

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FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
Rising Test Scores Seen Under 'No Child Left Behind'

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

By Greg Simmons

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WASHINGTON — In Iowa, nationalized student achievement scores have been going up in recent years, and that's a good thing. But are kids learning better?

Steve Dunbar, a University of Iowa professor who directs the office monitoring public school testing in the state, says he doesn't know for sure, and that's one of of the rubs of standardized testing, which is more widespread and holds more consequence for schools since enactment of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act.

But that's why NCLB needs to be reauthorized this year, he said. From Dunbar's standpoint, the reauthorization would continue a needed national program to assess quality of education. In the process, reauthorization would need to offer more money to areas of the program that are underfunded, and some of the problems that have been identified would need to be fixed.

"I actually do believe that test scores can serve as an indicator for student achievement. They are not one in the same thing, but you need to have some general indicator. ... And I believe test scores are able to do that," Dunbar told FOXNews.com Wednesday in a telephone interview.

(Story continues below)

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While proponents stress the need for NCLB reauthorization in Congress, a number of plans introduced in the Senate and House seek to reform the act. Lawmakers intend to complete work on reauthorization by the end of this year, but without action by year's end, it is unlikely to get another look until 2009, after the next presidential and congressional elections.

Those pushing for reauthorization may have a new tool to prod fellow lawmakers. On Tuesday, the Center on Education Policy, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., think tank released its findings on one of the broadest assessments on the federally mandated tests scores under the No Child act, and what they found was encouraging to the bill's supporters.

Click here to read the Center on Education Policy's report.

In their study — which included data from all 50 states — the group found that most states were showing improvement in reading and math scores. The most gains were made in mathematics at the elementary school level — where 22 out of 25 states showed gains in the both ways they looked at the data.

But gains were made in middle and high schools also, for instance: reading scores improved in 20 out of 39 states; and high school reading improved in 16 out of 37. The study also pointed out that test scores show a narrowing of the achievement gap between white students and minorities, including black, Hispanic and low-income students.

The new study is a boost for reauthorization efforts, said a spokeswoman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate committee that is developing the reauthorization bill.

"It's helpful," said Kennedy spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner, adding that she believed the authorization could happen this year. "We're very hopeful. I think the senator wants to see the promises made five years ago made good."

The study notes that there's no way to tell whether the increases are because of NCLB policy, a point taken up by the American Federation of Teachers union president, Edward McElroy.

"Test results reflect the accumulation of many years’ work," McElroy said in a prepared statement.

"The upward trend dates from before the No Child Left Behind Act, and we believe it is likely that these results primarily reflect standards-based reforms put in place in the 1990s," he said, adding, "Our members tell us that the overemphasis on testing and test preparation, which has intensified since NCLB’s passage, has led to a narrowing of the curriculum.

"We urge Congress to take heart in these results but also to be thoughtful about what brought them about," McElroy said.

But Dunbar said it is good news to hear that numbers are trending positively for the achievement gap.

"It is really evidence of where this law, I think, was directed. ... It is where we should expect to see, we would hope to see, the greatest effects," Dunbar said.

One of the problems before NCLB, Dunbar said, is that some schools weren't taking steps to make sure all students were taking achievement tests, including minority groups that generally test at lower levels than white counterparts.

In a statement Tuesday, Kennedy said the study "proves that progress is possible in our public schools," but he pointed to data showing some states declined against national benchmarks. "Every student deserves an opportunity to learn at high standards, regardless of where they live or study," he said.

At least on the Senate side, Kennedy hopes to introduce the reauthorization later this summer and send it out of his committee by the end of August, preparing it for consideration on the floor by the end of the year.

Dunbar said he also hopes the reauthorization comes through.

"It would be premature to radically disrupt the work that states have done all over the country to try to develop testing programs that would satisfy the requirements," of NCLB, he said, adding: "I think they might miss the opportunity to nudge this legislation in a direction that would, I would say, improve student learning — as well as raise test scores."

[dcjr4107]

OK so who is everyones picks to run in 2008??

[dcjr4107]

RJ, Tanks for creating this board!!!

[joseywalestx]

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FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
Congressman William Jefferson Indicted on Bribery Charges

Monday, June 04, 2007

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AP

Dec. 9: U.S. Congressman William Jefferson D-New Orleans, with his wife Andrea Jefferson speaks to supporters in New Orleans.

WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury on Monday indicted Louisiana Democratic Rep. William Jefferson on 16 charges relating to a long-running investigation into bribery, racketeering, obstruction of justice and money laundering.

Calling it a "broad range of serious crimes," federal prosecutors called the case one about "greed, power and arrogance."

"The 16-count indictment alleges a pervasive pattern of self dealings, bribery and corruption by Mr. Jefferson, in violation of his oath of office, of his duty to the United States Congress in which he served, and of the duty to the citizens of the United States," said Chuck Rosenberg, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The officials said the investigation spanned from the United States to Africa and alleged it involved a number of occasions of criminal conduct by Jefferson, including bribing businessmen in a congressional building and promising a businessman that he would bribe a Nigerian official.

The chief prosecutor of the Justice Department's criminal division, Alice Fisher, said the case shows that the department is strongly pursuing corruption.

"Today's charges demonstrate that the Department of Justice will continue to enforce the public corruption laws that are designed to ensure the integrity of our government. The department will continue to hold accountable those public officials who will use their office and commit illegal acts such as the bribery schemes outlined in today's indictment," Fisher said.

(Story continues below)

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o FOX Facts: Rep. William Jefferson
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o Former Stockholder Files Lawsuit Against Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson
o Democrats Keep Rep. Jefferson Off Ways and Means Committee Amid Corruption Probe
o William Jefferson's Victory May Complicate Things for Nancy Pelosi

The inch-thick, 94-page indictment was handed up in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. If convicted on all charges, Jefferson could face a maximum prison term of 235 years.

Click here to read Rep. William Jefferson's indictment (pdf).

The high-profile case revolves around allegations that Jefferson used his political influence to gain leverage for himself and his family. He is accused of hiding $90,000 in cash in his freezer in 2005 and bribing Nigerian officials.

An FBI raid on Jefferson's Capitol Hill office last year became a constitutional showdown between Congress and the administration over whether the executive branch overstepped its boundary. The legality of the raid is still being argued on appeal.

Jefferson, 60, whose Louisiana district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case publicly but has maintained his innocence. He was re-elected last year despite the looming investigation.

Jefferson, in Louisiana on Monday, could not immediately be reached for comment, but his attorney spoke to reporters in Los Angeles.

"Congressman Jefferson is innocent. He plans to fight this indictment and clear his name," Jefferson Attorney Robert Trout said. Trout slammed the Justice Department for splashing news of the allegations of Monday's indictments and earlier leaks before trying the case in court, calling it an effort to sway public opinion.

Trout said that prosecutors have hounded Jefferson and his family, and lured the congressman into Virginia "so that they could secretly videotape him," but noted that the indictment doesn't say Jefferson promised any legislation, appropriations, earmarks or contracts.

"He's confident that when the facts are known, he will be vindicated," Trout said. "They picked the wrong congressman, and they picked the wrong facts."

Hearing of the indictment, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced he would offer a resolution to refer the indictment to the House ethics committee. The resolution, which could be voted on as early as Tuesday, will instruct the ethics panel to review the matter against Jefferson and report within 30 days on whether he should be expelled from the House.

Democrats will not oppose the resolution, a high-level Democratic aide told FOX News. Separately, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the charges "extremely serious."

"The charges in the indictment against Congressman Jefferson are extremely serious. While Mr. Jefferson, just as any other citizen, must be considered innocent until proven guilty, if these charges are proven true, they constitute an egregious and unacceptable abuse of public trust and power," Pelosi said in a statement.

Two of the congressman's associates who pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in the case agreed to work with investigators. One of those aides, Brett Pfeffer, admitted soliciting bribes on Jefferson's behalf and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

The other, Louisville, Ky., telecommunications executive Vernon Jackson, pleaded guilty to paying between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes to Jefferson in exchange for his assistance securing business deals in Nigeria and other African nations. Jackson was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Both Pfeffer and Jackson agreed to cooperate in the case against Jefferson in exchanges for their pleas.

The impact of the case even has roiled presidential politics in Nigeria. According to court records, Jefferson told associates that he needed cash to pay bribes to the country's vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar denied the allegations, which figured prominently in that country's presidential elections in April. Abubakar ran for the presidency and finished third.

In Lagos, Nigeria, Abubakar spokesman Garba Shehu said the former vice president "has always denied wrongdoing in the matter."

"He has only had official interaction with the congressman, who the vice president felt deserved a hearing because he was a ranking member of the U.S. Congress," Shehu said. "The vice president was in no way cited in this thing, so we feel vindicated."

Court records indicate that Jefferson was videotaped taking a $100,000 cash bribe from an FBI informant. Most of that money later turned up in a freezer in Jefferson's home.

The charges handed up Monday against Jefferson also include honest services wire fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and conspiracy.

Although the indictment will no doubt raise political pressures on him to step down, Jefferson does not face any official sanctions in Congress as a result of the indictment alone, according to House rules. But should he be convicted, Jefferson could face disciplinary action including being excluded from votes if he receives a prison sentence longer than two years.

FOX News' Ian McCaleb, Molly Hooper, Jim Mills and The Associated Press contributed to this re

[joseywalestx]

FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
House Democrats Sidestep Own Rules to Shield Lawmakers' Pork Barrel Projects

Sunday, June 03, 2007

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WASHINGTON — After promising unprecedented openness regarding Congress' pork barrel practices, House Democrats are moving in the opposite direction as they draw up spending bills for the upcoming budget year.

Democrats are sidestepping rules approved their first day in power in January to clearly identify "earmarks" — lawmakers' requests for specific projects and contracts for their states.

Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them.

• Keep an eye on your elected officials in FOXNews.com's House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Content Centers.

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., says those requests for dams, community grants and research contracts for favored universities or hospitals will be added to spending measures in the fall. That is when House and Senate negotiators assemble final bills.

(Story continues below)

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Such requests total billions of dollars.

As a result, most lawmakers will not get a chance to oppose specific projects as wasteful or questionable when the spending bills for various agencies get their first votes in the full House in June.

The House-Senate compromise bills due for final action in September cannot be amended and are subject to only one hour of debate, precluding challenges to individual projects.

Obey insists he is reluctantly taking the step because Appropriations Committee members and staff have not had enough time to fully review the 36,000 earmark requests that have flooded the committee.

What Obey is doing runs counter to new rules that Democrats promised would make such spending decisions more open.

Get complete coverage in FOXNews.com's House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Content Centers.

[joseywalestx]

I really hope that most of you know what today is...I hope that none of you take any of the freedoms that you have for granted Remember that it was American and and Canadian forces that that landed on the beaches of Normandy.. Many of them died so that we can do this.. I am not excluding our British and Polish folks that were there as well,ALSO LETS NOT FORGET THE OTHER WARS THAT OUR COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH AND THOSE THAT PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR OUR FREEDOMS

[straight talker]

Too late Mick, they're all printed off. You need to counsel him about slander and libel.

[joseywalestx]

THIS WILL RUIN A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE DEMOCRATS BITCHING MORE ABOUT THINGS THEY HAVE DONE
UNEMPLOYMENT WILL SKYROCKET

[joseywalestx]

ISNT THIS IS AS STUPID AS WE POSSIBLY CAN GET


XNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
Senate Approves Minimum Wage Hike in War Funding Bill

Thursday, May 24, 2007

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WASHINGTON — America's lowest-paid workers won a $2.10 raise Thursday, with Congress approving the first increase in the federal minimum wage in almost a decade.

President Bush was expected to sign the bill quickly, and workers who now make $5.15 an hour will see their paychecks go up by 70 cents per hour before the end of the summer. Another 70 cents will be added next year, and by summer 2009, all minimum-wage jobs will pay no less than $7.25 an hour.

For years, the idea of increasing the minimum wage has been stalled by partisan bickering between Republicans and Democrats.

That almost became the fate of this year's proposal. Democratic leaders attached the provision to the $120 billion Iraq war spending bill, which was vetoed by the GOP-controlled White House on May 1 because Democrats insisted on a pullout date for American troops.

But with the House passing a rewritten bill 280-142 and the Senate 80-14, the end is likely near for the longest stretch without the federal pay floor rising since the minimum wage was established in 1938.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., called the increase one of "the proudest achievements of this new Congress."

(Story continues below)

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o House Tax Writers Want to Attach Tax Breaks to Minimum Wage Bill

"We've overcome many obstacles — and faced every procedural trick in the book — to get this minimum-wage increase across the finish line," Kennedy said. "Democrats stood together, and stood firm, to say that no one who works hard for a living should have to live in poverty."

Bush announced earlier this year that he supported an increase in the minimum wage.

"We pushed for and very much prefer that it be paired with appropriate offsets for small businesses who would be disproportionately impacted by the minimum-wage increase," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. "Unfortunately, the offsets in this bill don't accomplish that."

This would be the first change since the minimum wage went from $4.75 to $5.15 on Sept. 1, 1997, under former President Clinton and a Republican-controlled Congress.

The liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute, a research group in Washington, estimates that 5.6 million workers — or 4 percent of the work force — earn less than $7.25.

"This is a great day for America's middle class," said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. "America's workers have been waiting for a raise for a long time."

Currently, a person working 40 hours per week at the current minimum wage of $5.15 makes about $10,700 a year. An increase to $7.25 would boost that to just over $15,000 a year.

The full increase, according to Miller, is enough to pay for 15 months of groceries for a family of three.

More than two dozen states and the District of Columbia already have minimum wages higher than the federal level. Minimum wage workers are typically young, single and female and are often black or Hispanic.

Raising the minimum wage was a key part of Democrats' midterm election platform. To help make it palatable for Republicans, they added $4.84 billion in tax relief for small businesses to help them hire new workers and offset any cost associated with an increase in the minimum wage.

Republicans had complained earlier that the tax cuts in the House and Senate bills that led up to the final agreement were insufficient, but the inclusion of the provisions in the Iraq war spending bill made it difficult for them to stop them.

"From a small-business standpoint, the House bill was a peanut shell, the Senate bill was peanuts, and the conference agreement is a single shriveled peanut. It is a missed opportunity," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

According to the National Restaurant Association, the last minimum wage increase cost the restaurant industry more than 146,000 jobs and restaurant owners put off plans to hire an additional 106,000 employees.

"A minimum-wage increase will cost our industry jobs, and the vital discussion of how to minimize this job loss is getting lost in the debate," said Peter Kilgore, the group's acting interim president and chief executive officer.

[shermann7]

How Will They Destroy Ron Paul?
Mike Whitney, ICH

"Whether the resistance against government tyrants is nonviolent or physically violent, the effort to overthrow state oppression qualifies as true patriotism". Rep. Ron Paul "On Patriotism"

May 24, 2007

How will the media destroy Ron Paul?

We all know the drill by now. Whenever a politician with character and principles throws his hat in the ring the media descends on him like feral hounds on a pork chop. It’ll be no different with Paul. The only difference is that we should all be aware of what’s really going on.

Did you see the Republican debates?

Paul won hands-down. He stood out in a crowd of colorless toadies and became an overnight sensation on the internet. In fact, an ABC survey showed that Paul won the first debate with an 85% majority; while C-SPAN showed him at 70%. Maybe the stats are just a fluke of internet voting, but it’s sure made the boys in the boardrooms nervous.

You see, it doesn’t matter if Paul wins or not. What matters is that he is delivering a message that is damaging to America’s biggest powerbrokers---and they don’t like it. They would rather he just shut up and go away. They’ve heard enough about the Military Commissions Act, and martial law, and the fraudulent war on terror. They’ve put a lot of energy into the new American police state and they aren’t about to let some "no account" libertarian destroy all their hard work.

Right now, the right wing think tanks are probably buzzing like a hornets nest. They have their work cut out for them. The sleeves are rolled up, the ash trays are full, and America’s best propagandists are working out the details for a full-blown assault on Ron Paul. They want to take him down now, before he can cause any more trouble.

My guess is that they will use a similar strategy to what they used on John Kerry, that is---keep it simple---attack on 3 fronts and repeat the charges from every soapbox in America. In Kerry’s case, the mantra was as follows:

1. Kerry "flip-flops"

2 He’s a Massachusetts liberal.

3 He faked his war injuries to look like a hero.

The effectiveness of this strategy depends on how often the charges are repeated and from how many outlets. The media will have to devise a saturation-campaign similar to the full-blown attack on Howard Dean in the 2004 Democratic primary. The infamous "Dean Scream" appeared over 900 times in the major media in the first 72 hours. Technicians isolated Dean’s holler from the background noise of a crowded convention hall, which made him look like he was emotionally unstable.

It worked like a charm. Dean’s star sunk overnight and the country was "spared" the prospect of an antiwar candidate.

Isn’t that what media is for---to obliterate the enemies of the corporate chieftains who enrich themselves through foreign wars?

My guess is that, sometime in the next 2 weeks, we’ll see a big push by to derail the Paul campaign. Already Sean Hannity, Glen Beck and FOX News have taken a few swipes at him, but they proved they are not up to the task. Its time to wheel out the heavy artillery and pound Paul into rubble.

But what is Paul saying that makes him such a threat to the corporate powerbrokers? Is it just because he stands out in a crowd of plaster-hair phonies--or is it because his campaign is focused on the traditional American values of liberty and non-intervention rather than demagoguery and torture?

This is how Paul summarized 9-11 and our misguided war in Iraq:

"They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years. We've been in the Middle East [for years]. I think Reagan was right. We don't understand the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics. Right now, we're building an embassy in Iraq that is bigger than the Vatican. We're building 14 permanent bases. What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? Would we be objecting?

Or this:

"I believe the CIA is correct when it warns us about blowback. We overthrew the Iranian government in 1953 and their taking the hostages was the reaction. This dynamic persists and we ignore it at our risk. They’re not attacking us because we’re rich and free, they’re attacking us because we’re over there."

The rest of the Republican candidates support the "official narrative" that Iraq is just a battleground in a larger war against Islamic fanaticism---the prevailing myth which is fueled by the media and assures decades of conflict.

Clearly, the bankers, neocons and weapons manufacturers are not sympathetic to Paul’s analysis nor do they want to pollute the public air-waves with his common sense alternatives.

Here’s what Paul has to say about the maneuverings of the Federal Reserve, the secretive cabal that controls our money:

"Congress created the Federal Reserve System in 1913. Between then and 1971 the principle of sound money was systematically undermined. Between 1913 and 1971, the Federal Reserve found it much easier to expand the money supply at will for financing war or manipulating the economy with little resistance from Congress-- while benefiting the special interests that influence government.

Since printing paper money is nothing short of counterfeiting, the issuer of the international currency must always be the country with the military might to guarantee control over the system. This magnificent scheme seems the perfect system for obtaining perpetual wealth for the country that issues the de facto world currency. The one problem, however, is that such a system destroys the character of the counterfeiting nation’s people-- just as was the case when gold was the currency and it was obtained by conquering other nations. And this destroys the incentive to save and produce, while encouraging debt and runaway welfare."

Do you really think that the board-members of the privately-owned Central Bank want the American people to know about the extortionist racket they’ve been running for the last 90 years in contravention of the US Constitution?

And, what do you think they’ll do to stop further embarrassing exposure?

Paul’s demand that we abolish the Federal Reserve is no different than his ideological ancestor Thomas Jefferson, who said:

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of our currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations that will grow up will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing of power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."

Isn’t that what is happening right now? Doesn’t the Fed inflate one massive equity bubble after the other so that working class people are lured in by low-interest rates and then lose their shirts when the bubble collapses? This is how the banking elites shift wealth from one class to another. It’s an old scam, but it never fails.

Paul is right. Free people cannot control their own destiny unless they control their own currency. The Federal Reserve must be abolished. And, as Paul says, "The sooner the better".

He’s also right about deficits when he says:

The greatest threat facing America today is not terrorism, or foreign economic competition, or illegal immigration. The greatest threat facing America today is the disastrous fiscal policies of our own government, marked by shameless deficit spending and Federal Reserve currency devaluation. It is this one-two punch – Congress spending more than it can tax or borrow, and the Fed printing money to make up the difference – that threatens to impoverish us by further destroying the value of our dollars".

The men who own the media don’t want this type of populism on the air-waves. After all, they love deficits. The trade deficits provide cheap capital for the stock market while the budget deficit borrows money from future generations for lavish tax cuts for Bush’s wealthy buddies.

No wonder they hate Paul!

Most of all, Paul is reviled for his defense of liberty and his rejection of Bush’s sweeping changes to the Constitution. He’s been an outspoken critic of the Military Commissions Act, which permits torture and arbitrary detention of American citizens or foreign nationals on the orders of the executive. He has also condemned warrantless wiretaps, presidential signings, extraordinary rendition, the Real ID Act, and the Orwellian-sounding "Enforcement of the Laws to Restore Public Order Act'' which allows Bush to declare martial law at his own discretion.

Ron Paul is a friend of personal freedom which makes him the de facto enemy of the White House brown-shirts. He has watched as our country has continued to slide towards military dictatorship. He has put himself on the firing-line to defend our way of life.

His candidacy is an act of patriotism which is why the Bush Throng will try to destroy him.

In a recent speech on the floor of the House Paul said:

"Patriotism is more closely linked to dissent than it is to conformity and a blind desire for safety and security. Understanding the magnificent rewards of a free society makes us unbashful in its promotion, fully realizing that maximum wealth is created and the greatest chance for peace comes from a society respectful of individual liberty".

Thanks for that, Mr. Paul. And, good luck.

http://uruknet.info/?p=m33145&s1=h1

[shermann7]

Nice Ron Paul Video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3330187011438423016&q=ron+paul

Shermann

[shermann7]

RON PAUL, CIA BIG, TO REBUT GIULIANI AT PRESS CONFAB, MAY 24

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - FreeMarketNews.com

Presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-TX) will be joined by Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA's Bin Laden Unit, to discuss flawed American foreign policy and its implications on terrorism, security and Iraq.

The press conference will be held at 9:30AM EST on Thursday, May 24 in the National Press Club Lisagor Room.

During the "First in South" GOP debate, earlier this month, Dr. Paul stated that 50 years of interventionism in the Middle East is a significant motivating tool for radical Islamists. Dr. Paul's position, though disparaged during the debate, has since received backing from numerous individuals, including others in the GOP, administration officials and - in excerpted reports - from the 9-11 Commission itself.

In the debate, Rudy Giuliani, a presidential candidate and well-known former Republican mayor of New York, called Dr. Paul's position "absurd." Giuliani is commonly characterized as a GOP "front-runner." He is also considered well-versed in foreign policy, given his supervision of the "international city" of New York and his position as its leader during 9/11. However, he stated that he had "never heard such an explanation" as Ron Paul's.

According to a limited-circulation release, Dr. Paul and Mr. Scheuer are expected to explain why Rudy Giuliani is wrong on security and foreign policy and provide documentation about the unintended consequences of interventionism - known to many in the intelligence (and Dr. Paul as well) as "blowback."
Staff Reports - Free-Market News Network

Web Address: http://www.FreeMarketNews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=41921

[joseywalestx]

Can you imagine if this was a republican... they would be screaming for his resignation

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,274600,00.html


FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
House Kills Reprimand of Rep. John Murtha

[joseywalestx]

this is funny

Why our country is in trouble!
A Washington, DC, airport ticket agent offers some examples of why our country is in trouble!
1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)
2. I got a call from a candidate's staffer, who wanted to go to Capetown.
I started to Explain the length of the flight and the passport information, then she interrupted me with, "I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts." Without trying to make her look stupid, I calmly explained, "Cape Cod is in Massachusetts, Capetown is in Africa."Her response - click.
3. A senior Vermont Congressman called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that's not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state.
He replied, "Don't lie to me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!" (OMG)
4. I got a call from a lawmaker's wife who asked, "Is it possible to see England from Canada?" I said, "No." She said, "But they look so close on the map." (OMG, again!)
5. An aide for a cabinet member once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas. When I pulled up the reservation, I noticed he had only a
1-hour layover in Dallas.
When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, "I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time." (Aghhhh)
6. An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at8:30 am got to Chicago at
8:33 am. I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois, but she couldn't understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.
7. A New York lawmaker called and asked, "Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?" I said, "No, why do you ask?" She replied, "Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight.
I think that's very rude!" After putting her on hold for a minute while I looked into it (I was laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno, CA is (FAT - Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.
8. A Senator's aide called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii.
After going over all the cost info, she asked, "Would it be cheaper to fly to California, and then take the train to Hawaii?"
9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, "How do I know which plane to get on?" I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, "I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them."
10. A lady Senator called and said, "I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola, Florida.
Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?" I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola, Fl. on a commuter plane. She said, "Yeah, whatever, smarty!"

11. A senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China. After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him that he needed a visa. "Oh, no I don't. I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those." I double checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this he said, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!"
12. A New Mexico Congress woman called to make reservations, "I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York ." I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, "Are you sure that's the name of the town?" "Yes, what flights do you have?" replied the lady. After some searching, I came back with, "I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a Rhino anywhere." The lady retorted, "Oh, don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!" So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, "You don't mean Buffalo, do you?" The reply?
"Whatever! I knew it was a big animal."
Now you know why the Government is in the shape that it's in!

[joseywalestx]

YOUR NOT A WELL MAN.... THAT IS FUNNY

[SkeBallLarry]

Well, that's the reason he entered into THAT Hedge-Fund, was to learn abo. Poverty ...

[joseywalestx]

Please tell me what that man knows about poverty Other than the fact that he heard about it from somebody

[SkeBallLarry]

It was a BIG laugh on Fox this a.m ....

[joseywalestx]

Isnt that about hypocritical as you can get

[SkeBallLarry]

th/Latest is .... Edwards spoke abo. ''Poverty'' and collected $50,000 for his speech ... No link .. was on Fox-News ...

[joseywalestx]

we already know the answers to that The politicians are going to sell our country out for the sake of votes That is a no brainer

[daddyboo]

prob not....more interesting is what the immigration bill and the dealing with china this week will bring...Michael