The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) has released its 2012 voter card comparing President Obama’s record and that of Governor Mitt Romney. The mission of the Conference is to, “Serve as liaison to state government on matters of concern to the Catholic Church in the seven dioceses of the Province of Miami, as a nonpartisan public policy voice on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Florida.”
The FCCB Voter Card covers a number of social policy issues including abortion, marriage, the death penalty and embryonic stem cell research. It also gives each candidates position on education choice, freedom of religion, heath care access for the uninsured, immigration and national security.
According to the Catholic Voter Card, “In keeping with its mission, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops aims to educate and inform Catholics about a wide range of issues. The information listed here has been compiled from policies, public statements, official and campaign websites and other resources to help voters inform their consciences before heading to the voting booth. The issues appear here in alphabetical order for informational purposes only and do not represent a complete list of issues that may be of importance to Catholics. The FCCB neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office. The underlined text below indicates a hyperlink to the source. Go to www.flaccb.org to view these links.”
To view the Catholic Bishops 2012 Voter Card click here.
The Huffington Post column “Michelle Obama’s Low-Calorie School Lunches Slammed By ‘Hungry’ High Schoolers” reports, “Michelle Obama’s childhood obesity initiative has been the subject of conservative criticism for some time, and now there’s another group joining in on the attack.”
The group that HuffPo is referring to are public school students, whose video titled “We Are Hungry” [watch below] about school lunches has gone viral.
The video beings with the statement – Active teens require between 2,000 and 5,000 calories a day to meet energy and growth needs (“A Guide to Eating for Sports“).
According to Beverly L. Girard, PhD, MBA, RD, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Sarasota County Florida Schools, “President Harry S. Truman signed the National School Lunch Act on June 4, 1946. Though school food service began long before 1946, the Act authorized the National School Lunch Program. The legislation came in response to claims that many American men had been rejected for World War II military service because of diet-related health problems [recruits were undernourished]. The federally assisted meal program was established as ‘a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities’.”
Upon signing the National School Lunch Program legislation President Truman stated, “Despite our capacity to produce food we have often failed to distribute it as well as we should … Congress has contributed immeasurably both to the welfare of our farmers and the health of our children.”
Have we met, if not surpassed, the initial legislative intent of Congress? Do we need government to be concerned about those volunteering for our military services having diet-related health problems? Do we need to be concerned about the redistribution of food given our nation wide system of grocery store chains? Is government the best determiner of a child’s eating habits? Do taxpayers need to provide welfare for farmers?
Many citizens are questioning governments expanding role in the free and reduced lunch program as amended by the Health and Hunger-Free Act of 2010. The new guidelines — the first major overhaul of school meals in 15 years — mandate public school cafeterias serve less fat and sodium and more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Taxpayers are also questioning the growing number of students on free and reduced lunches. Sarasota County, one of the wealthiest counties in Florida, has 50.37% of students in the district currently eligible for free or reduced price meals according to Dr. Girard.
Dr. Girard notes, “The determining body for the revised USDA meal pattern was the Institute of Medicine, chaired by Virginia Stallings, MD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania.” Why does one institution have such power in determining what and how much children should eat?
The lunch caloric ranges for students are: elementary students – 550-650 calories; middle school students – 600 to 700 calories and high school students – 750 to 850 calories. Dr. Girard states, “If a child eats lunch at school for the 180 days of the school year, they receive about 16.4% of the meals they eat in a year at school. Sarasota school lunches represent adequate portion size and nutritional balance.”
Michelle Obama is concerned about obesity in America. It appears that the free and reduced lunch program’s initial intent to address the diet-related health problems of our draftees is no longer needed. Perhaps it is time to reconsider the need for this federal program?
If obesity is a problem then is there an over redistribution of food in America?
Is this the the American version of Hunger Games?
“In a country where the sole employer is the State, opposition means death by slow starvation. The old principle: who does not work shall not eat, has been replaced by a new one: who does not obey shall not eat.” ― Leon Trotsky.
Leon Trotsky was a Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist. He was one of the leaders of the Russian October Revolution in 1917, second only to Vladimir Lenin. During the early days of the Soviet Union, he served first as People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs and later as the founder and commander of the Red Army and People’s Commissar of War. He was also among the first members of the Politburo.
https://drrichswier.com/wp-content/uploads/public-school-children.jpg297474Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-28 06:45:492014-01-21 04:18:08American Public School Students Going Hungry?
According to Scott Ferguson, Communications Specialist for the Sarasota County School Board, about 90 students from Riverview High School took a field trip to three houses of worship on Thursday, September 20, 2012. One was left off the list – a church.
The teacher who organized the field trip was Riverview High School Social Studies teacher Stephanie Simmons. Ferguson notes, “As always, parental permission was required for any students who attended.” According to Ferguson a fourth house of worship, the Taoist Tai Chi Society, listed on the permission form was not visited due to time constraints.
The public high school students visited Temple Emanuel, Kadampa Meditation Center (Buddhist) and Mosque Salaat.
Ferguson states, “The purpose of the field trip was to provide information about these religions to students in order to promote knowledge and understanding. Ms. Simmons felt that the students already were familiar with the teachings of Christianity so they would have a basis for comparison with the tenets of Judaism, Buddhism and Islam.” [My emphasis]
Bill Warner, a private investigator, reported in October 2009 that Muneer Kazem Arafat, a member of the Islamic Society of Sarasota/Bradenton (ISSB) raised funds for suicide bomber’s families. Mosque Salaat was being built at the time by ISSB. Warner reports, “Imam Muneer Arafat’s former mosque in Sarasota raised money for martyrs families – hosted terrorists Sami Al Arian, Mazen Al Najjar and Hussam Jubara. Muneer Arafat, revealed in court that he declined Sami Al Arian’s invitation to join Palestinian Islamic Jihad because he was a member of a different group!”
Sarasota Imam Muneer Arafat
According to Warner, “Islamic Society of Sarasota and Bradenton (ISSB) featured repeated guest appearances by Al-Arian terrorist colleagues Mazen Al-Najjar and Hussam Jubara. Al-Najjar, who was a Director of IAF, was deported from the United States in August of 2002.” Joe Kaufman, Chairman of Americans Against Hate, stated, “Given the fact that Al-Arian’s colleagues were heavily involved with ISSB, and given the fact that ISSB was raising money for the families of martyrs, it is imperative that law enforcement focus much of its efforts on ISSB.”
“The Department of Justice, on Saturday, November 24th, 2001, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) arrested Mazen Al Najjar, in Tampa, Florida. The arrest is based on a final order of deportation recently upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in Atlanta, Georgia. Mazen Al Najjar was ordered deported because he violated his visa. Mazen Al Najjar,” reports Warner.
Ms. Simmons reported that at Mosque Salaat a woman did most of the presentation to students. She showed slides of the architecture used in mosques and photos of mosques around the world. She pointed out several features of the mosque in Sarasota, including the dome, balcony, purification rooms, carpet and courtyard. The presenters talked about how the mosque was received by neighbors and the community and showed the students Arabic writing and the calligraphy used in artwork around the mosque.
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-26 10:17:312017-05-04 08:46:13Teacher Takes Students to Terrorist Linked Mosque But Not To A Church
The Center for Education reform has released its Parent Power Index. According to its website, “PARENT POWER means parents have access to quality educational options and are provided with good information to make smart decisions about their children’s education. The PARENT POWER INDEX gives parents an interactive tool to discover whether their state affords them power – and if not, what they can do to get it. ”
To see how your state ranks on the Parent Power Index click here.
According to the Center for Education reform, “Florida ranks consistently in the top ten for its charter laws. Florida also has been a leader in providing educational options for children with broad school choice programs. More than 22,000 children with special needs use private schools. Another 38,000 receive tax credits. Parents will find state websites easy to navigate to learn about their schools and the options available to them. Florida also is the top scorer on Digital Learning Now’s index for online learning opportunities. While there is no parent trigger available and much work still to be done, Florida ranks high in affording parents power.”
“Florida is leading the nation in transforming education for the digital age. Florida leads the nation in online course enrollments, with more than 250,000 course enrollments last year. Florida can improve by adding digital enrollments to its data collection, exploring innovative ways to provide students with Internet access devices, and creating a statewide website to provide a one-stop-shop for digital learning,” reports the Center for Education Reform.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION REFORM:
In the emerging landscape of education reform, the Center for Education Reform is the leading voice for structural and sustainable changes that can dramatically improve educational opportunities for decades to come. Our guiding purpose is to improve the accuracy and quality of discourse and decisions about education reform, leading to fundamental policy changes that make a difference long after news and election cycles have ended.
As part of our core mission, the Center works on three primary fronts:
Generating and sharing leading ideas and information
Supporting and enabling grassroots activism
Protecting and stimulating media coverage and issue accuracy
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-26 07:18:012012-09-26 07:18:01Florida Ranks 2nd On Parent Power Index
True The Vote (TTV), the nonpartisan election integrity organization, today released preliminary research findings that already show evidence of 31 cases of absentee ballot fraud in New York and Florida. The Office of Florida Secretary of State, the New York State Board of Elections and the U.S. Department of Justice were formally notified of ballots cast simultaneously in both states for federal elections.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” True The Vote President, Catherine Engelbrecht said. “This is further evidence of just how susceptible our election system is to voter fraud. Earlier this year, Pew Research found more than 2.75 million people nationwide are registered to vote in more than one state. These early findings put a name, face and potential motivation behind that startling statistic. True The Vote calls on Florida, New York and federal officials to investigate and confirm our citizen research.”
True The Vote began the process of identifying potential absentee voter fraud by accessing Florida’s complete voter registration roll and cross-referencing it against 10 percent of New York’s comprehensive list. Preliminary audits indicated more than one million Florida voters claimed New York mailing addresses. Over 1,700 people were found with voter registrations in both states. Today 31 voters were turned over to state and federal election authorities after being matched based on full name, birth date, reciprocal mailing addresses and voting history demonstrating ballots cast in both states during the same federal election cycle.
In each case, federal and state laws were potentially violated as a result of these activities. Both New York and Florida require voters to cast ballots corresponding with their permanent residential addresses. Federal law, specifically 42 U.S.C. § 1973i(e) clearly states that voters cannot cast more than one ballot in the same election.
“This should serve as a warning to any individual considering committing voter fraud in this year’s election,” Engelbrecht said. “True The Vote enjoys cooperative relationships with these states and many more. These findings are only the beginning of our effort. As today is National Voter Registration Day, it’s important to remember that no candidate or cause is worth a felony conviction.”
ABOUT TRUE THE VOTE
True The Vote (TTV) a nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization focused on preserving election integrity is operated by citizens for citizens, to inspire and equip volunteers for involvement at every stage of our electoral process. TTV empowers organizations and individuals across the nation to actively protect the rights of legitimate voters, regardless of their political party affiliation. For more information, please visit www.truethevote.org.
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-25 19:35:452012-09-25 19:35:45TRUE THE VOTE: NEW EVIDENCE OF CROSS-STATE ABSENTEE VOTER FRAUD
On Sunday, September 23, 2012 not far from Ground Zero where terrorists attacked the United States on 9/11, American Muslims were filmed calling for the end of freedom of speech and praising suicide bombings. These comments come just days after American Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three others, two former Navy SEALS, were murdered in Benghazi.
Democrat New York State Senator Tony Avello came face-to-face with Muslim speakers attacking America and he did something which few people have the courage to do. He left in protest.
After listening to several Muslim speakers condemning America and calling for an end to freedom of speech, Senator Avella got up from his seat as a VIP Marshall of the 27th Annual New York Muslim Day Parade and left the stage. Over one thousand Muslims in the audience and the large group of New York City Muslim community leaders appeared shocked that the Senator would walk off the stage just before it was his time to speak.
It appears Senator Avella had enough of the verbal attacks against America by “moderate” American Muslim dignitaries, which he afterwards characterized as “offensive”.
While these American Muslim speakers have the First Amendment right to condemn America, Senator Avella also has the right to exit the stage. New York Senator Avella took a very public stand on the freedom of speech issue just 12 days after the 11th Anniversary of 9/11.
Watch this video of two of the speakers at the 27th Annual New York Muslim Day Parade. The first calls for blasphemy laws and the second, an American Muslim woman, praises suicide bombings. Note Senator Avella leaving the stage and then captured on video saying he was “offended” by the remarks of these speakers:
Senator Tony Avella began his public career over 20 years ago as an aide to New York City Council Member Peter Vallone, Sr. Senator Avella later served as an aide to Mayors Koch and Dinkins and as Chief of Staff to the late State Senator Leonard Stavisky and to State Senator Toby Stavisky.
UPDATE:
Imam Shahbaz Chisti Sahib from the Coney Island Brooklyn Mosque and the Marshall of Muslim Day Parade 2012 leads crowd in Nazi Style salute Sunday, September 23, 2012 in New York, NY:
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-25 06:24:202012-09-25 06:24:20Senator Avella “offended” at Muslim Parade in NYC
David Hogberg from Investor’s Business Daily reports, “ObamaCare imposes major cuts on the popular Medicare Advantage program, and while the Obama administration has largely delayed them until after the election, Enrollees will lose an average $515 in benefits in 2013, according to an IBD analysis.”
“Some 14.4 million people are expected to enroll in Medicare Advantage in 2013, up from 13.1 million this year, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said Wednesday. Advantage plans are run by private firms, providing more benefits at a somewhat higher cost — usually 13% to 17% — to the government than traditional Medicare,” notes Hogberg.
eHealthMedicare.com provides the following statistics and facts about Medicare Advantage in the state of Florida.
Total Florida residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage: 1,065,247
Florida residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage HMOs: 762,528
FL residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage Local PPOs: 75,291
FL Medicare Advantage beneficiaries enrolled in Regional PPOs: 220,745
FL beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part C PFFS Plans: 6,254
Enrolled in Florida Medicare Part C Cost Plans: 0
Enrolled in Other Florida Medicare Part C Plans: 429
2010 to 2011 FL Medicare Advantage Enrollment Change: 9%
Florida seniors constitute 7.6% of all Medicare Advantage members. They will lose big in 2013 and beyond because they chose Medicare Advantage plans.
According to Hogberg, “ObamaCare is expected to cut $308 billion from Advantage plans from 2013-22, based on calculations of Congressional Budget Office data. That’s a huge share of the more than $700 billion in total Medicare cuts to help pay for the exchange subsidies and other parts of ObamaCare … ObamaCare is supposed to cut about $10.9 billion from Advantage plans next year, according to the CBO. That will drop to about $7.4 billion — or $515 per enrollee — with the demonstration project offset.”
UPDATE:
This video by My Brain Shark helps explain how Medicare Advantage will be impacted:
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-24 11:12:332012-09-24 11:12:33Over 1 Million Florida Medicare Advantage Enrollees Face Benefit Cuts
Occupy Wall Street’s pathetic first birthday last week confirmed that the longstanding reports of the movement’s death have not, in fact, been exaggerated. So why are we keeping it alive by talking incessantly about income inequality instead of focusing on what really matters — opportunity and upward mobility?
All this huffing and puffing about widening income gaps — coupled with strident calls for wealth redistribution — detracts from the urgent need to shore up our threatened American Dream and develop an opportunity agenda. The nation’s attention should be squarely focused on expanding everyone’s prospects — especially those at the bottom who most need a hand up and a way out.
What matters is not how much more those at the top earn in relation to those at the bottom — they are, after all, not in competition with one another — but rather the real needs of those at the bottom and the opportunities for advancement available to all Americans. And while government “spreading the wealth around” would surely equalize outcomes — the Left’s Dream — it would neither address the real causes of poverty nor expand the real opportunities and earned successes that define the American Dream.
A new Heritage report defends the American Dream from liberalism’s misguided attempts to redefine it along statist and egalitarian lines and explains why income inequality is not an obstacle to advancement in the United States. What really matters — and continues by and large to thrive — is upward mobility.
Rather than focus on those at the top of the ladder we should be concerned about the hurdles that threaten those struggling to achieve the American Dream. “Defending the Dream” draws attention to six factors that most threaten upward mobility:
Statism: The modern administrative state entangles businesses in a suffocating web of regulations and laws. All of this red tape takes a toll on the economy, which in turn leads to fewer jobs being created. And fewer jobs means fewer opportunities for those most in need of jobs.
The Collapse of the Family: The decline of marriage, especially among the poor, has devastating, long-lasting consequences on children and their prospects for success. When it comes to the American Dream, the family is not a tangential social or religious issue; it is a crucial economic one that is deeply intertwined with mobility.
The Dependency Fostered by the Welfare State: Far from eradicating poverty, the welfare state traps people in poverty by discouraging work and undermining the family.
The Erosion of our Culture of Work: By legitimizing indolence and devaluing hard work, our culture decreases the likelihood that the poor, who are most in need of sound cultural indicators, will take advantage of the opportunities America continues to offer.
The Failures of Public Education: Our failing public schools deny countless children the rudimentary skills they need to move ahead in the life.
The Looming Fiscal Crisis: Unless we change course, continued massive government spending and the surging public debt will destroy the foundations of our economy and put the American Dream beyond the reach of our children and grandchildren.
The rise in income inequality in recent decades has in no way contributed to these problems. They grow out of ill-conceived government policies, point to the complete failure of government to address some of our social problems and, in the case of the collapse of the family, are deep-seated cultural problems encouraged and made worse by governmental policies.
The United States must remain what it has always been: the Land of Opportunity. Misguided efforts to use government to transform it instead into the Land of Income Equality will inevitably leave us all worse off. Our first priority must therefore be to refocus the national conversation and our nation’s policies on the promise of upward mobility that is at the heart of the American Dream.
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-24 09:32:462012-09-24 09:32:46Heritage Foundation: Six Factors That Threaten The American Dream
September 11, 2012 may go down in history as the implosion of the main stream media. On that day the American consulate in Benghazi was over run and the US Ambassador and three others murdered. The initial narrative coming from the White House and spread by the major media outlets was elegantly simple: The violence Americans were witnessing across the Middle East was due to a fifteen minute film trailer on YouTube.
The official government narrative has been proven false. The media created “echo chamber” has been totally discredited.
A September 21st Gallup poll shows, “Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.”
The U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning the creators of the film trailer. Again, the media picked up on this narrative of blame the film maker and not those causing the violence so graphically seen by Americans on televisions and the Internet. The narrative was, and in some cases continues to be, deflect the blame away from rioting Muslims at any cost.
Here are the apology statements by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, which were aired as TV advertisements in the Middle East at American taxpayer expense:
Something similar happened decades ago when one person spoke out about what he saw happening across the Atlantic. Daniel Greenfield in his Front Page Magazine column “The Freedom to be Silenced” writes, “In March 1937, the State Department apologized on behalf of the United States to Adolf Hitler for comments made about him by the Mayor of New York City, Fiorello LaGuardia.”
“’In this country the right of freedom of speech is guaranteed by the constitution to every citizen and is cherished as a part of the national heritage,’ James C. Dunn of the State Department said. ‘This however does not lessen the regret of the government when utterances either by private citizens or by public officials speaking in an individual capacity give offense to a government with which we have official relations. I very earnestly deprecate the utterances which have thus given offense to the German government. They do not represent the attitude of this government toward the German government’,” notes Greenfield.
“Even in the face of the brutal murders of its own people, the State Department was relentlessly holding to the line that freedom of speech must take a backseat to respect for Islam,” writes Greenfield.
“To accuse the culture that is the victim of violence of incitement to violence against the perpetrators of the violence is willfully perverse, but it has nevertheless become commonplace in Europe and is crossing the cold depths of the Atlantic Ocean to the United States,” writes Greenfield.
Frank Gaffney, in his pamphlet “The Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama Administration“, states, ”Secretary of State Hillary Clinton helped the Organization of Islamic Cooperation assemble a blasphemy resolution. Resolution 16/18 of the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body whose members consist primarily of repressive dictatorships, was a revised version of the OIC’s usual ‘Blasphemy against Islam’ resolution ushered through with the support of Hillary Clinton and the Obama Administration.
As Congressman Allen West (FL-18) stated, “I think we have to understand when tolerance becomes a one-way street, it will lead to cultural suicide.”
Marimer Matos from Courthouse News Service reports, “Florida Power & Light fired a safety officer for shutting down a dangerously leaking nuclear reactor, because it cost $6 million to repair, the man claims in court.”
“Mark W. Hicks sued Florida Power & Light Co. in Port St. Lucie County Court, alleging whistleblower violations, intentional infliction of emotional distress, libel and fraud,” according to Matos.
“It was clear to Hicks that there was great potential peril, as a reactor which loses too much nuclear reactor coolant has a potential of causing core damage, which could ultimately lead to a nuclear meltdown at the power plant, putting the entire civilian population, which would be in proximity to the reactor, in danger,” the complaint states.
Matos reports, “In fact, the same type of coolant leak that Hicks observed at the St. Lucie power plant [pictured above] was what caused the partial nuclear core meltdown on March 28, 1979, known as the Three Mile Island Accident, in Middletown, Pennsylvania, which was the worst nuclear accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history …”
“At the time of the incident, Hicks was following the plant safety procedures outlined in FPL’s Technical Specification § 6.8, and from his own general safety knowledge regarding the procedures required to reduce the safety concern.”
Hicks adds: “Following protocol, Hicks reported to the head of the Nuclear Power Division of FPL and the Executive Vice President of FPL Manoochehr Nazar, who then shockingly and recklessly insisted that Hicks start up the reactor.”
“Despite Hicks’ evaluation of the situation, the obvious safety concerns, and the clear legal requirements which dictated that Hicks and FPL shut down the reactor, Nazar ordered Hicks to sign off on starting up the reactor without repairing the valves,” reports Matos.
“Nazar took the position he did, to startup the reactor, strictly from a position of greed. The bottom line is that he was willing to risk the health, well being, and even the lives of the citizens of Florida to avoid the loss of revenue, while the reactor was being repaired,” states Hicks.
The Port St. Lucie plant, pictured above, was built in 1976 and contains two nuclear reactors in separate containment buildings. St. Lucie Plant, Units 1 and 2 are located near Jensen Beach, FL (10 MI SE of Ft. Pierce, FL) in NRC Region II; Operator: Florida Power & Light Co.; More information on the NRC facility page link here and at this link.
FRC Action and CitizenLink released their Vote Scorecard for the First Session of the 112th Congress. This scorecard outlines votes on legislation and nominations that FRC Action and CitizenLink either supported or opposed. It provides voters with information about the way elected Representatives and Senators voted on key issues affecting the family.
This FRC looked at 10 votes in the House and 7 votes in the Senate. According to FRC, “The votes recorded here are only a part of our effort to protect the family. As we work to defend traditional, pro-family policies in Washington, we encourage you to stay engaged as informed and active constituents. Your involvement is a great asset in the battle to preserve the American family.”
According to the FRC/CitizenLink Score Card of the Florida Delegation: 70% voted pro-family (a score of 60% or higher). Democrats had an average score of 4.6%. Republicans had an average score of 89.6%.
MEMBERS FROM FLORIDA
SENATORS:
Marco Rubio (R) – 71%
Bill Nelson (D) – 0%
REPRESENTATIVES:
Jeff Miller (R) FL-1 – 100%
C. W. Bill Young (R) FL-10 – 83% *
Kathy Castor (D) FL-11 – 0%
Dennis Ross (R) FL-12 – 100%
Vern Buchanan (R) FL-13 – 100%
Connie Mack (R) FL-14 – 50% +
Bill Posey (R) FL-15 – 100%
Tom Rooney (R) FL-16 – 100%
Frederica Wilson (D) FL-17 – 0%
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) FL-18 – 66%
Ted Deutch (D) FL-19 – 0%
Steve Southerland (R) FL-2 – 100%
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) FL-20 – 16%
Mario Diaz-Balart (R) FL-21 – 83%
Allen West (R) FL-22 – 100%
Alcee Hastings (D) FL-23 – 0%
Sandra Adams (R) FL-24 – 100%
David Rivera (R) FL-25 – 83%
Corrine Brown (D) FL-3 – 16%
Ander Crenshaw (R) FL-4 – 66% +
Richard Nugent (R) FL-5 – 100%
Cliff Stearns (R) FL-6 – 100%
John Mica (R) FL-7 – 100%
Daniel Webster (R) FL-8 – 100%
Gus Bilirakis (R) FL-9 – 100%
+ VOTED WITH FRC ACTION
– VOTED AGAINST FRC ACTION
NV DID NOT VOTE
P VOTED PRESENT
I NOT IN OFFICES SPEAKER DID NOT VOTE
* ABSENT FOR FAMILY EMERGENCY
After his vote against H.J.Res.117, a short-term Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government for six months, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio issued the following statement:
“Today, the federal government once again left one of its most basic duties unfulfilled – the passage of an annual budget. After four consecutive years of trillion dollar deficits and a $16 trillion national debt, the American people deserve for their elected officials to come together with an action plan to reduce spending and encourage real growth. Instead, Congress passed a continuing resolution that merely extends federal spending at its current levels and punts away the responsibility of governing to another time.
“As I’ve done before, I voted against this short-term continuing resolution because I believe that times are too dire to continue this inaction. We are treading water while the water is boiling. Congress has a responsibility to move America out of this mess by charting a fiscally responsible path for the future, starting with a responsible and balanced budget.
“Instead of working with Republicans to address this issue a long time ago, President Obama merely proposed partisan budget plans that left his promise of deficit reduction behind and were so flawed not a single senator in either party voted for them. In order to move America forward, we need Washington to live within its means and stop borrowing money to support a bloated federal government. We can’t say that President Obama’s leadership has failed this time, because the truth is he hasn’t led at all.”
Florida Senator Nancy Detert (R-23) took the media to task at a rally in Sarasota, FL. Sarasota Patch provided the below video of her comments:
Senator Detert’s comments were made the day before the release of a Gallup poll showing, “Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.”
Charles Schelle, from Sarasota Patch, reports, “CBS was the only network to specifically cover the follow-up to the Libyan attack having a piece on Glen Doherty, American who died in Libyan attack, being laid to rest, then continued with reports of additional attacks in the Middle East. All the big three — NBC, ABC and CBS led with stories on Romney’s campaign, miscue or new poll numbers.”
Millions of National Rifle Association (NRA) members have received in the mail an evaluation of key US Senate races across America. One of those races is in Florida. According to Chris Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director, “In 1787, weeks after the Constitution was sent to the states for ratification, James Madison wrote that the Senate was ‘the great anchor of the Government’. The same is true today, for two reasons of special concern to gun owners.”
The two reasons laid out by Cox are: 1.) Only the Senate can confirm federal judges including Supreme Court justices and 2.) Treaties can only be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
The NRA has targeted Florida as one of seven US Senate races of interest to its members.
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
According to the Cox column, “Clear Choices: Key Races Will Determine Makeup of United States Senate”, “Senator Bill Nelson has served for 12 years in the Senate, and has voted many times against the interest of gun owners.” Cox notes that Senator Nelson voted against Right-to-Carry reciprocity; to ban most common rifle hunting ammunition; to gut the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of its most important provisions; and to renew the 1994 Clinton semi-automatic ban.
Cox notes, “If that weren’t enough he voted to confirm both Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. With the historic Heller and McDonald decisions riding on just one vote, one more anti-gun Supreme Court nominee supported by Nelson could be a fatal blow to the Second Amendment.”
FL Rep. Connie Mack
Cox and the NRA note, “His opponent, Connie Mack, has a strong pro-gun record as a member of the US House for the past eight years.”
According to Cox, Rep. Mack strongly supported the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Pact; voted for legislation to protect the rights of gun owners during states of emergency; and supported the Right-to-Carry reciprocity. Mack also voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the investigation into the deadly “Fast and Furious” scandal.
The NRA gives Mack an “A” rating, while Nelson earned an “F” rating from NRA-PVF.
00Dr. Rich Swierhttp://drrich.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/logo_264x69.pngDr. Rich Swier2012-09-21 08:38:552012-09-21 08:38:55Florida US Senate Race in NRA Cross-hairs
More than two-thirds — 69 percent — of Jewish voters in Florida say they will choose President Obama over Governor Romney, who will win 25 percent of the state’s Jewish vote, according to a new American Jewish Committee (AJC) survey.
Respondents self identified as follows: 16% REPUBLICAN, 25% INDEPENDENT, 57% DEMOCRAT, 1% OTHER and 1% DON’T KNOW/NO RESPONSE. Five percent of Jewish voters are undecided according to the AJC survey.
Ari Fleischer, former White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, was asked during a panel hosted by AIPAC in 2010 to make a prediction about the 2012 Presidential race. Fleischer predicted, “Repulicans will lose the Jewish vote by a margin of 3 to 1. If that happens Republicans will take the White House.”
This survey appears to be good news for Republicans in Florida, Republican US Senate candidate Connie Mack (who is Jewish) and Mitt Romney.
This is an 8% decline in support for President Obama. Obama won 76 percent of the Florida Jewish vote in 2008. Jews comprise about four percent of the voters in Florida, which is widely considered to be a key battleground state in the 2012 election.
“In a key state, to which both parties are devoting a great deal of time and attention, and where recent history is a reminder that the margin of victory can be razor-thin, the Jewish vote takes on added importance,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “This survey, the first of three on the Jewish political outlook in the build-up to November 6, will doubtless be of interest to all those following this year’s election.”
There are a number of oxymoronic replies in the survey.
Concerning the nuclear threat posed by Iran, 62 percent would support, and 27 percent oppose, U.S. military action against Iran if diplomacy and sanctions fail. However, 76 percent approve, and 22 percent disapprove, of the way President Obama is handling national security. On U.S.-Israel relations, 72 percent view Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the relationship favorably, while 21 percent see it unfavorably. For President Obama’s handling of U.S.-Israel relations, 61 percent approve and 33 percent disapprove. On prospects for Arab-Israeli peace, 7 percent said the chances have increased compared to a year ago, 33 percent said they decreased, and 56 percent said they stayed the same.
The economy by all measures is in a recession with deepening concerns that America is headed over a fiscal cliff. Even so, 64 percent of Florida Jewish voters approve, and 33 percent disapprove, of the way President Obama is handling the economy.
The American Jewish Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit, non-partisan organization that neither endorses nor opposes candidates for elected office. AJC has commissioned surveys of American Jews for many years on a range of key questions as a contribution to better understanding of the American Jewish community.
Florida Catholic Voter Card Released
/in Culture War, Featured, News, Politics/by Dr. Rich SwierThe FCCB Voter Card covers a number of social policy issues including abortion, marriage, the death penalty and embryonic stem cell research. It also gives each candidates position on education choice, freedom of religion, heath care access for the uninsured, immigration and national security.
According to the Catholic Voter Card, “In keeping with its mission, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops aims to educate and inform Catholics about a wide range of issues. The information listed here has been compiled from policies, public statements, official and campaign websites and other resources to help voters inform their consciences before heading to the voting booth. The issues appear here in alphabetical order for informational purposes only and do not represent a complete list of issues that may be of importance to Catholics. The FCCB neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office. The underlined text below indicates a hyperlink to the source. Go to www.flaccb.org to view these links.”
To view the Catholic Bishops 2012 Voter Card click here.
American Public School Students Going Hungry?
/in Education, Featured, Regulation, Science/by Dr. Rich SwierThe Huffington Post column “Michelle Obama’s Low-Calorie School Lunches Slammed By ‘Hungry’ High Schoolers” reports, “Michelle Obama’s childhood obesity initiative has been the subject of conservative criticism for some time, and now there’s another group joining in on the attack.”
The group that HuffPo is referring to are public school students, whose video titled “We Are Hungry” [watch below] about school lunches has gone viral.
The video beings with the statement – Active teens require between 2,000 and 5,000 calories a day to meet energy and growth needs (“A Guide to Eating for Sports“).
According to Beverly L. Girard, PhD, MBA, RD, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Sarasota County Florida Schools, “President Harry S. Truman signed the National School Lunch Act on June 4, 1946. Though school food service began long before 1946, the Act authorized the National School Lunch Program. The legislation came in response to claims that many American men had been rejected for World War II military service because of diet-related health problems [recruits were undernourished]. The federally assisted meal program was established as ‘a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities’.”
Upon signing the National School Lunch Program legislation President Truman stated, “Despite our capacity to produce food we have often failed to distribute it as well as we should … Congress has contributed immeasurably both to the welfare of our farmers and the health of our children.”
Have we met, if not surpassed, the initial legislative intent of Congress? Do we need government to be concerned about those volunteering for our military services having diet-related health problems? Do we need to be concerned about the redistribution of food given our nation wide system of grocery store chains? Is government the best determiner of a child’s eating habits? Do taxpayers need to provide welfare for farmers?
Taxpayers are also questioning the growing number of students on free and reduced lunches. Sarasota County, one of the wealthiest counties in Florida, has 50.37% of students in the district currently eligible for free or reduced price meals according to Dr. Girard.
Dr. Girard notes, “The determining body for the revised USDA meal pattern was the Institute of Medicine, chaired by Virginia Stallings, MD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania.” Why does one institution have such power in determining what and how much children should eat?
The lunch caloric ranges for students are: elementary students – 550-650 calories; middle school students – 600 to 700 calories and high school students – 750 to 850 calories. Dr. Girard states, “If a child eats lunch at school for the 180 days of the school year, they receive about 16.4% of the meals they eat in a year at school. Sarasota school lunches represent adequate portion size and nutritional balance.”
Michelle Obama is concerned about obesity in America. It appears that the free and reduced lunch program’s initial intent to address the diet-related health problems of our draftees is no longer needed. Perhaps it is time to reconsider the need for this federal program?
If obesity is a problem then is there an over redistribution of food in America?
“In a country where the sole employer is the State, opposition means death by slow starvation. The old principle: who does not work shall not eat, has been replaced by a new one: who does not obey shall not eat.” ― Leon Trotsky.
Leon Trotsky was a Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist. He was one of the leaders of the Russian October Revolution in 1917, second only to Vladimir Lenin. During the early days of the Soviet Union, he served first as People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs and later as the founder and commander of the Red Army and People’s Commissar of War. He was also among the first members of the Politburo.
RELATED VIDEO: “We Are Hungry” done by students from Wallace County High School in Sharon Springs,Kansas.
Teacher Takes Students to Terrorist Linked Mosque But Not To A Church
/in Education, Featured, News/by Dr. Rich SwierAccording to Scott Ferguson, Communications Specialist for the Sarasota County School Board, about 90 students from Riverview High School took a field trip to three houses of worship on Thursday, September 20, 2012. One was left off the list – a church.
The teacher who organized the field trip was Riverview High School Social Studies teacher Stephanie Simmons. Ferguson notes, “As always, parental permission was required for any students who attended.” According to Ferguson a fourth house of worship, the Taoist Tai Chi Society, listed on the permission form was not visited due to time constraints.
The public high school students visited Temple Emanuel, Kadampa Meditation Center (Buddhist) and Mosque Salaat.
Ferguson states, “The purpose of the field trip was to provide information about these religions to students in order to promote knowledge and understanding. Ms. Simmons felt that the students already were familiar with the teachings of Christianity so they would have a basis for comparison with the tenets of Judaism, Buddhism and Islam.” [My emphasis]
Bill Warner, a private investigator, reported in October 2009 that Muneer Kazem Arafat, a member of the Islamic Society of Sarasota/Bradenton (ISSB) raised funds for suicide bomber’s families. Mosque Salaat was being built at the time by ISSB. Warner reports, “Imam Muneer Arafat’s former mosque in Sarasota raised money for martyrs families – hosted terrorists Sami Al Arian, Mazen Al Najjar and Hussam Jubara. Muneer Arafat, revealed in court that he declined Sami Al Arian’s invitation to join Palestinian Islamic Jihad because he was a member of a different group!”
Sarasota Imam Muneer Arafat
According to Warner, “Islamic Society of Sarasota and Bradenton (ISSB) featured repeated guest appearances by Al-Arian terrorist colleagues Mazen Al-Najjar and Hussam Jubara. Al-Najjar, who was a Director of IAF, was deported from the United States in August of 2002.” Joe Kaufman, Chairman of Americans Against Hate, stated, “Given the fact that Al-Arian’s colleagues were heavily involved with ISSB, and given the fact that ISSB was raising money for the families of martyrs, it is imperative that law enforcement focus much of its efforts on ISSB.”
“The Department of Justice, on Saturday, November 24th, 2001, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) arrested Mazen Al Najjar, in Tampa, Florida. The arrest is based on a final order of deportation recently upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in Atlanta, Georgia. Mazen Al Najjar was ordered deported because he violated his visa. Mazen Al Najjar,” reports Warner.
Ms. Simmons reported that at Mosque Salaat a woman did most of the presentation to students. She showed slides of the architecture used in mosques and photos of mosques around the world. She pointed out several features of the mosque in Sarasota, including the dome, balcony, purification rooms, carpet and courtyard. The presenters talked about how the mosque was received by neighbors and the community and showed the students Arabic writing and the calligraphy used in artwork around the mosque.
Florida Ranks 2nd On Parent Power Index
/in Education, Featured/by Dr. Rich SwierThe Center for Education reform has released its Parent Power Index. According to its website, “PARENT POWER means parents have access to quality educational options and are provided with good information to make smart decisions about their children’s education. The PARENT POWER INDEX gives parents an interactive tool to discover whether their state affords them power – and if not, what they can do to get it. ”
The top ten states are:
INDIANA: #1 Overall PPI: 84.0%
FLORIDA: #2 Overall PPI: 83.0%
OHIO: #3 Overall PPI: 79.0%
ARIZONA: #4 Overall PPI: 78.0%
D.C.: #5 Overall PPI: 77.0%
LOUISIANA: #6 Overall PPI: 76.0%
PENNSYLVANIA: #7 Overall PPI: 75.5%
UTAH: #8 Overall PPI: 75.0%
MINNESOTA: #9 Overall PPI: 74.5%
WISCONSIN: #10 Overall PPI: 70%
To see how your state ranks on the Parent Power Index click here.
According to the Center for Education reform, “Florida ranks consistently in the top ten for its charter laws. Florida also has been a leader in providing educational options for children with broad school choice programs. More than 22,000 children with special needs use private schools. Another 38,000 receive tax credits. Parents will find state websites easy to navigate to learn about their schools and the options available to them. Florida also is the top scorer on Digital Learning Now’s index for online learning opportunities. While there is no parent trigger available and much work still to be done, Florida ranks high in affording parents power.”
“Florida is leading the nation in transforming education for the digital age. Florida leads the nation in online course enrollments, with more than 250,000 course enrollments last year. Florida can improve by adding digital enrollments to its data collection, exploring innovative ways to provide students with Internet access devices, and creating a statewide website to provide a one-stop-shop for digital learning,” reports the Center for Education Reform.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION REFORM:
In the emerging landscape of education reform, the Center for Education Reform is the leading voice for structural and sustainable changes that can dramatically improve educational opportunities for decades to come. Our guiding purpose is to improve the accuracy and quality of discourse and decisions about education reform, leading to fundamental policy changes that make a difference long after news and election cycles have ended.
As part of our core mission, the Center works on three primary fronts:
TRUE THE VOTE: NEW EVIDENCE OF CROSS-STATE ABSENTEE VOTER FRAUD
/in Elections, Waste, Fraud and Abuse/by Dr. Rich SwierTrue The Vote (TTV), the nonpartisan election integrity organization, today released preliminary research findings that already show evidence of 31 cases of absentee ballot fraud in New York and Florida. The Office of Florida Secretary of State, the New York State Board of Elections and the U.S. Department of Justice were formally notified of ballots cast simultaneously in both states for federal elections.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” True The Vote President, Catherine Engelbrecht said. “This is further evidence of just how susceptible our election system is to voter fraud. Earlier this year, Pew Research found more than 2.75 million people nationwide are registered to vote in more than one state. These early findings put a name, face and potential motivation behind that startling statistic. True The Vote calls on Florida, New York and federal officials to investigate and confirm our citizen research.”
True The Vote began the process of identifying potential absentee voter fraud by accessing Florida’s complete voter registration roll and cross-referencing it against 10 percent of New York’s comprehensive list. Preliminary audits indicated more than one million Florida voters claimed New York mailing addresses. Over 1,700 people were found with voter registrations in both states. Today 31 voters were turned over to state and federal election authorities after being matched based on full name, birth date, reciprocal mailing addresses and voting history demonstrating ballots cast in both states during the same federal election cycle.
In each case, federal and state laws were potentially violated as a result of these activities. Both New York and Florida require voters to cast ballots corresponding with their permanent residential addresses. Federal law, specifically 42 U.S.C. § 1973i(e) clearly states that voters cannot cast more than one ballot in the same election.
“This should serve as a warning to any individual considering committing voter fraud in this year’s election,” Engelbrecht said. “True The Vote enjoys cooperative relationships with these states and many more. These findings are only the beginning of our effort. As today is National Voter Registration Day, it’s important to remember that no candidate or cause is worth a felony conviction.”
ABOUT TRUE THE VOTE
True The Vote (TTV) a nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization focused on preserving election integrity is operated by citizens for citizens, to inspire and equip volunteers for involvement at every stage of our electoral process. TTV empowers organizations and individuals across the nation to actively protect the rights of legitimate voters, regardless of their political party affiliation. For more information, please visit www.truethevote.org.
Senator Avella “offended” at Muslim Parade in NYC
/in Featured, News/by Dr. Rich SwierNY State Senator Avella
On Sunday, September 23, 2012 not far from Ground Zero where terrorists attacked the United States on 9/11, American Muslims were filmed calling for the end of freedom of speech and praising suicide bombings. These comments come just days after American Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three others, two former Navy SEALS, were murdered in Benghazi.
Democrat New York State Senator Tony Avello came face-to-face with Muslim speakers attacking America and he did something which few people have the courage to do. He left in protest.
After listening to several Muslim speakers condemning America and calling for an end to freedom of speech, Senator Avella got up from his seat as a VIP Marshall of the 27th Annual New York Muslim Day Parade and left the stage. Over one thousand Muslims in the audience and the large group of New York City Muslim community leaders appeared shocked that the Senator would walk off the stage just before it was his time to speak.
It appears Senator Avella had enough of the verbal attacks against America by “moderate” American Muslim dignitaries, which he afterwards characterized as “offensive”.
While these American Muslim speakers have the First Amendment right to condemn America, Senator Avella also has the right to exit the stage. New York Senator Avella took a very public stand on the freedom of speech issue just 12 days after the 11th Anniversary of 9/11.
Watch this video of two of the speakers at the 27th Annual New York Muslim Day Parade. The first calls for blasphemy laws and the second, an American Muslim woman, praises suicide bombings. Note Senator Avella leaving the stage and then captured on video saying he was “offended” by the remarks of these speakers:
Senator Tony Avella began his public career over 20 years ago as an aide to New York City Council Member Peter Vallone, Sr. Senator Avella later served as an aide to Mayors Koch and Dinkins and as Chief of Staff to the late State Senator Leonard Stavisky and to State Senator Toby Stavisky.
UPDATE:
Imam Shahbaz Chisti Sahib from the Coney Island Brooklyn Mosque and the Marshall of Muslim Day Parade 2012 leads crowd in Nazi Style salute Sunday, September 23, 2012 in New York, NY:
Over 1 Million Florida Medicare Advantage Enrollees Face Benefit Cuts
/in Budget and Finance, Hot Topics/by Dr. Rich SwierDavid Hogberg from Investor’s Business Daily reports, “ObamaCare imposes major cuts on the popular Medicare Advantage program, and while the Obama administration has largely delayed them until after the election, Enrollees will lose an average $515 in benefits in 2013, according to an IBD analysis.”
“Some 14.4 million people are expected to enroll in Medicare Advantage in 2013, up from 13.1 million this year, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said Wednesday. Advantage plans are run by private firms, providing more benefits at a somewhat higher cost — usually 13% to 17% — to the government than traditional Medicare,” notes Hogberg.
eHealthMedicare.com provides the following statistics and facts about Medicare Advantage in the state of Florida.
Total Florida residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage: 1,065,247
Florida residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage HMOs: 762,528
FL residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage Local PPOs: 75,291
FL Medicare Advantage beneficiaries enrolled in Regional PPOs: 220,745
FL beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part C PFFS Plans: 6,254
Enrolled in Florida Medicare Part C Cost Plans: 0
Enrolled in Other Florida Medicare Part C Plans: 429
2010 to 2011 FL Medicare Advantage Enrollment Change: 9%
Florida seniors constitute 7.6% of all Medicare Advantage members. They will lose big in 2013 and beyond because they chose Medicare Advantage plans.
According to Hogberg, “ObamaCare is expected to cut $308 billion from Advantage plans from 2013-22, based on calculations of Congressional Budget Office data. That’s a huge share of the more than $700 billion in total Medicare cuts to help pay for the exchange subsidies and other parts of ObamaCare … ObamaCare is supposed to cut about $10.9 billion from Advantage plans next year, according to the CBO. That will drop to about $7.4 billion — or $515 per enrollee — with the demonstration project offset.”
UPDATE:
This video by My Brain Shark helps explain how Medicare Advantage will be impacted:
Heritage Foundation: Six Factors That Threaten The American Dream
/in Culture War, Economy, Featured/by Dr. Rich SwierCourtesy of the Heritage Foundation:
Occupy Wall Street’s pathetic first birthday last week confirmed that the longstanding reports of the movement’s death have not, in fact, been exaggerated. So why are we keeping it alive by talking incessantly about income inequality instead of focusing on what really matters — opportunity and upward mobility?
All this huffing and puffing about widening income gaps — coupled with strident calls for wealth redistribution — detracts from the urgent need to shore up our threatened American Dream and develop an opportunity agenda. The nation’s attention should be squarely focused on expanding everyone’s prospects — especially those at the bottom who most need a hand up and a way out.
What matters is not how much more those at the top earn in relation to those at the bottom — they are, after all, not in competition with one another — but rather the real needs of those at the bottom and the opportunities for advancement available to all Americans. And while government “spreading the wealth around” would surely equalize outcomes — the Left’s Dream — it would neither address the real causes of poverty nor expand the real opportunities and earned successes that define the American Dream.
A new Heritage report defends the American Dream from liberalism’s misguided attempts to redefine it along statist and egalitarian lines and explains why income inequality is not an obstacle to advancement in the United States. What really matters — and continues by and large to thrive — is upward mobility.
Rather than focus on those at the top of the ladder we should be concerned about the hurdles that threaten those struggling to achieve the American Dream. “Defending the Dream” draws attention to six factors that most threaten upward mobility:
Statism: The modern administrative state entangles businesses in a suffocating web of regulations and laws. All of this red tape takes a toll on the economy, which in turn leads to fewer jobs being created. And fewer jobs means fewer opportunities for those most in need of jobs.
The Collapse of the Family: The decline of marriage, especially among the poor, has devastating, long-lasting consequences on children and their prospects for success. When it comes to the American Dream, the family is not a tangential social or religious issue; it is a crucial economic one that is deeply intertwined with mobility.
The Dependency Fostered by the Welfare State: Far from eradicating poverty, the welfare state traps people in poverty by discouraging work and undermining the family.
The Erosion of our Culture of Work: By legitimizing indolence and devaluing hard work, our culture decreases the likelihood that the poor, who are most in need of sound cultural indicators, will take advantage of the opportunities America continues to offer.
The Failures of Public Education: Our failing public schools deny countless children the rudimentary skills they need to move ahead in the life.
The Looming Fiscal Crisis: Unless we change course, continued massive government spending and the surging public debt will destroy the foundations of our economy and put the American Dream beyond the reach of our children and grandchildren.
The rise in income inequality in recent decades has in no way contributed to these problems. They grow out of ill-conceived government policies, point to the complete failure of government to address some of our social problems and, in the case of the collapse of the family, are deep-seated cultural problems encouraged and made worse by governmental policies.
The United States must remain what it has always been: the Land of Opportunity. Misguided efforts to use government to transform it instead into the Land of Income Equality will inevitably leave us all worse off. Our first priority must therefore be to refocus the national conversation and our nation’s policies on the promise of upward mobility that is at the heart of the American Dream.
The Media’s Middle East Narrative Implodes
/in Hot Topics, News/by Dr. Rich SwierSeptember 11, 2012 may go down in history as the implosion of the main stream media. On that day the American consulate in Benghazi was over run and the US Ambassador and three others murdered. The initial narrative coming from the White House and spread by the major media outlets was elegantly simple: The violence Americans were witnessing across the Middle East was due to a fifteen minute film trailer on YouTube.
The official government narrative has been proven false. The media created “echo chamber” has been totally discredited.
A September 21st Gallup poll shows, “Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.”
The U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning the creators of the film trailer. Again, the media picked up on this narrative of blame the film maker and not those causing the violence so graphically seen by Americans on televisions and the Internet. The narrative was, and in some cases continues to be, deflect the blame away from rioting Muslims at any cost.
Here are the apology statements by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, which were aired as TV advertisements in the Middle East at American taxpayer expense:
Something similar happened decades ago when one person spoke out about what he saw happening across the Atlantic. Daniel Greenfield in his Front Page Magazine column “The Freedom to be Silenced” writes, “In March 1937, the State Department apologized on behalf of the United States to Adolf Hitler for comments made about him by the Mayor of New York City, Fiorello LaGuardia.”
“’In this country the right of freedom of speech is guaranteed by the constitution to every citizen and is cherished as a part of the national heritage,’ James C. Dunn of the State Department said. ‘This however does not lessen the regret of the government when utterances either by private citizens or by public officials speaking in an individual capacity give offense to a government with which we have official relations. I very earnestly deprecate the utterances which have thus given offense to the German government. They do not represent the attitude of this government toward the German government’,” notes Greenfield.
“Even in the face of the brutal murders of its own people, the State Department was relentlessly holding to the line that freedom of speech must take a backseat to respect for Islam,” writes Greenfield.
“To accuse the culture that is the victim of violence of incitement to violence against the perpetrators of the violence is willfully perverse, but it has nevertheless become commonplace in Europe and is crossing the cold depths of the Atlantic Ocean to the United States,” writes Greenfield.
Frank Gaffney, in his pamphlet “The Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama Administration“, states, ”Secretary of State Hillary Clinton helped the Organization of Islamic Cooperation assemble a blasphemy resolution. Resolution 16/18 of the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body whose members consist primarily of repressive dictatorships, was a revised version of the OIC’s usual ‘Blasphemy against Islam’ resolution ushered through with the support of Hillary Clinton and the Obama Administration.
As Congressman Allen West (FL-18) stated, “I think we have to understand when tolerance becomes a one-way street, it will lead to cultural suicide.”
RELATED COLUMNS:
Around the Halls: Has the Arab Spring Made the World a More Dangerous Place? – Brookings Institute
TALIBAN ATTACK RESULTS IN WORST AMERICAN AIRPOWER LOSS SINCE VIETNAM
VIDEO PROOF OF OBAMA’S EMBASSY ATTACK LIES…(WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT)
Cairo Embassy Marines Say State Department Denied Them Live Ammo
Florida Nuclear Plant Nearly Melts Down
/in Energy, Hot Topics, News/by Dr. Rich SwierMarimer Matos from Courthouse News Service reports, “Florida Power & Light fired a safety officer for shutting down a dangerously leaking nuclear reactor, because it cost $6 million to repair, the man claims in court.”
“Mark W. Hicks sued Florida Power & Light Co. in Port St. Lucie County Court, alleging whistleblower violations, intentional infliction of emotional distress, libel and fraud,” according to Matos.
“It was clear to Hicks that there was great potential peril, as a reactor which loses too much nuclear reactor coolant has a potential of causing core damage, which could ultimately lead to a nuclear meltdown at the power plant, putting the entire civilian population, which would be in proximity to the reactor, in danger,” the complaint states.
Matos reports, “In fact, the same type of coolant leak that Hicks observed at the St. Lucie power plant [pictured above] was what caused the partial nuclear core meltdown on March 28, 1979, known as the Three Mile Island Accident, in Middletown, Pennsylvania, which was the worst nuclear accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history …”
“At the time of the incident, Hicks was following the plant safety procedures outlined in FPL’s Technical Specification § 6.8, and from his own general safety knowledge regarding the procedures required to reduce the safety concern.”
Hicks adds: “Following protocol, Hicks reported to the head of the Nuclear Power Division of FPL and the Executive Vice President of FPL Manoochehr Nazar, who then shockingly and recklessly insisted that Hicks start up the reactor.”
“Despite Hicks’ evaluation of the situation, the obvious safety concerns, and the clear legal requirements which dictated that Hicks and FPL shut down the reactor, Nazar ordered Hicks to sign off on starting up the reactor without repairing the valves,” reports Matos.
“Nazar took the position he did, to startup the reactor, strictly from a position of greed. The bottom line is that he was willing to risk the health, well being, and even the lives of the citizens of Florida to avoid the loss of revenue, while the reactor was being repaired,” states Hicks.
The Port St. Lucie plant, pictured above, was built in 1976 and contains two nuclear reactors in separate containment buildings. St. Lucie Plant, Units 1 and 2 are located near Jensen Beach, FL (10 MI SE of Ft. Pierce, FL) in NRC Region II; Operator: Florida Power & Light Co.; More information on the NRC facility page link here and at this link.
Read more at Courthouse News Service.
RELATED COLUMNS:
St. Lucie Nuclear Plant not in danger of Japan-like meltdown, experts say
Man sues St. Lucie nuclear plant over job loss, claiming he was whistle-blower
FRC-Action Releases 112th Congress Pro-Family Score Card
/in Culture War, Featured, News/by Dr. Rich SwierFRC Action and CitizenLink released their Vote Scorecard for the First Session of the 112th Congress. This scorecard outlines votes on legislation and nominations that FRC Action and CitizenLink either supported or opposed. It provides voters with information about the way elected Representatives and Senators voted on key issues affecting the family.
This FRC looked at 10 votes in the House and 7 votes in the Senate. According to FRC, “The votes recorded here are only a part of our effort to protect the family. As we work to defend traditional, pro-family policies in Washington, we encourage you to stay engaged as informed and active constituents. Your involvement is a great asset in the battle to preserve the American family.”
According to the FRC/CitizenLink Score Card of the Florida Delegation: 70% voted pro-family (a score of 60% or higher). Democrats had an average score of 4.6%. Republicans had an average score of 89.6%.
MEMBERS FROM FLORIDA
SENATORS:
Marco Rubio (R) – 71%
Bill Nelson (D) – 0%
REPRESENTATIVES:
Jeff Miller (R) FL-1 – 100%
C. W. Bill Young (R) FL-10 – 83% *
Kathy Castor (D) FL-11 – 0%
Dennis Ross (R) FL-12 – 100%
Vern Buchanan (R) FL-13 – 100%
Connie Mack (R) FL-14 – 50% +
Bill Posey (R) FL-15 – 100%
Tom Rooney (R) FL-16 – 100%
Frederica Wilson (D) FL-17 – 0%
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) FL-18 – 66%
Ted Deutch (D) FL-19 – 0%
Steve Southerland (R) FL-2 – 100%
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) FL-20 – 16%
Mario Diaz-Balart (R) FL-21 – 83%
Allen West (R) FL-22 – 100%
Alcee Hastings (D) FL-23 – 0%
Sandra Adams (R) FL-24 – 100%
David Rivera (R) FL-25 – 83%
Corrine Brown (D) FL-3 – 16%
Ander Crenshaw (R) FL-4 – 66% +
Richard Nugent (R) FL-5 – 100%
Cliff Stearns (R) FL-6 – 100%
John Mica (R) FL-7 – 100%
Daniel Webster (R) FL-8 – 100%
Gus Bilirakis (R) FL-9 – 100%
+ VOTED WITH FRC ACTION
– VOTED AGAINST FRC ACTION
NV DID NOT VOTE
P VOTED PRESENT
I NOT IN OFFICES SPEAKER DID NOT VOTE
* ABSENT FOR FAMILY EMERGENCY
Rubio Votes Against Continuing Resolution
/in Budget and Finance, News/by Dr. Rich SwierAfter his vote against H.J.Res.117, a short-term Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government for six months, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio issued the following statement:
“Today, the federal government once again left one of its most basic duties unfulfilled – the passage of an annual budget. After four consecutive years of trillion dollar deficits and a $16 trillion national debt, the American people deserve for their elected officials to come together with an action plan to reduce spending and encourage real growth. Instead, Congress passed a continuing resolution that merely extends federal spending at its current levels and punts away the responsibility of governing to another time.
“As I’ve done before, I voted against this short-term continuing resolution because I believe that times are too dire to continue this inaction. We are treading water while the water is boiling. Congress has a responsibility to move America out of this mess by charting a fiscally responsible path for the future, starting with a responsible and balanced budget.
“Instead of working with Republicans to address this issue a long time ago, President Obama merely proposed partisan budget plans that left his promise of deficit reduction behind and were so flawed not a single senator in either party voted for them. In order to move America forward, we need Washington to live within its means and stop borrowing money to support a bloated federal government. We can’t say that President Obama’s leadership has failed this time, because the truth is he hasn’t led at all.”
Florida Senator Nancy Detert Slams Media
/in News, Politics/by Dr. Rich SwierFlorida Senator Nancy Detert (R-23) took the media to task at a rally in Sarasota, FL. Sarasota Patch provided the below video of her comments:
Senator Detert’s comments were made the day before the release of a Gallup poll showing, “Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.”
Charles Schelle, from Sarasota Patch, reports, “CBS was the only network to specifically cover the follow-up to the Libyan attack having a piece on Glen Doherty, American who died in Libyan attack, being laid to rest, then continued with reports of additional attacks in the Middle East. All the big three — NBC, ABC and CBS led with stories on Romney’s campaign, miscue or new poll numbers.”
RELATED COLUMN: Univision Shows Up Mainstream Media In Obama Interview
Florida US Senate Race in NRA Cross-hairs
/in Elections, Featured, News, Politics/by Dr. Rich SwierThe two reasons laid out by Cox are: 1.) Only the Senate can confirm federal judges including Supreme Court justices and 2.) Treaties can only be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
The NRA has targeted Florida as one of seven US Senate races of interest to its members.
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
According to the Cox column, “Clear Choices: Key Races Will Determine Makeup of United States Senate”, “Senator Bill Nelson has served for 12 years in the Senate, and has voted many times against the interest of gun owners.” Cox notes that Senator Nelson voted against Right-to-Carry reciprocity; to ban most common rifle hunting ammunition; to gut the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of its most important provisions; and to renew the 1994 Clinton semi-automatic ban.
Cox notes, “If that weren’t enough he voted to confirm both Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. With the historic Heller and McDonald decisions riding on just one vote, one more anti-gun Supreme Court nominee supported by Nelson could be a fatal blow to the Second Amendment.”
FL Rep. Connie Mack
Cox and the NRA note, “His opponent, Connie Mack, has a strong pro-gun record as a member of the US House for the past eight years.”
According to Cox, Rep. Mack strongly supported the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Pact; voted for legislation to protect the rights of gun owners during states of emergency; and supported the Right-to-Carry reciprocity. Mack also voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the investigation into the deadly “Fast and Furious” scandal.
The NRA gives Mack an “A” rating, while Nelson earned an “F” rating from NRA-PVF.
AJC Survey of Florida Jewish Voters
/in Featured, News, Politics/by Dr. Rich SwierMore than two-thirds — 69 percent — of Jewish voters in Florida say they will choose President Obama over Governor Romney, who will win 25 percent of the state’s Jewish vote, according to a new American Jewish Committee (AJC) survey.
Respondents self identified as follows: 16% REPUBLICAN, 25% INDEPENDENT, 57% DEMOCRAT, 1% OTHER and 1% DON’T KNOW/NO RESPONSE. Five percent of Jewish voters are undecided according to the AJC survey.
Ari Fleischer, former White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, was asked during a panel hosted by AIPAC in 2010 to make a prediction about the 2012 Presidential race. Fleischer predicted, “Repulicans will lose the Jewish vote by a margin of 3 to 1. If that happens Republicans will take the White House.”
This survey appears to be good news for Republicans in Florida, Republican US Senate candidate Connie Mack (who is Jewish) and Mitt Romney.
This is an 8% decline in support for President Obama. Obama won 76 percent of the Florida Jewish vote in 2008. Jews comprise about four percent of the voters in Florida, which is widely considered to be a key battleground state in the 2012 election.
“In a key state, to which both parties are devoting a great deal of time and attention, and where recent history is a reminder that the margin of victory can be razor-thin, the Jewish vote takes on added importance,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “This survey, the first of three on the Jewish political outlook in the build-up to November 6, will doubtless be of interest to all those following this year’s election.”
There are a number of oxymoronic replies in the survey.
Concerning the nuclear threat posed by Iran, 62 percent would support, and 27 percent oppose, U.S. military action against Iran if diplomacy and sanctions fail. However, 76 percent approve, and 22 percent disapprove, of the way President Obama is handling national security. On U.S.-Israel relations, 72 percent view Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the relationship favorably, while 21 percent see it unfavorably. For President Obama’s handling of U.S.-Israel relations, 61 percent approve and 33 percent disapprove. On prospects for Arab-Israeli peace, 7 percent said the chances have increased compared to a year ago, 33 percent said they decreased, and 56 percent said they stayed the same.
The economy by all measures is in a recession with deepening concerns that America is headed over a fiscal cliff. Even so, 64 percent of Florida Jewish voters approve, and 33 percent disapprove, of the way President Obama is handling the economy.
The American Jewish Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit, non-partisan organization that neither endorses nor opposes candidates for elected office. AJC has commissioned surveys of American Jews for many years on a range of key questions as a contribution to better understanding of the American Jewish community.