Southern Poverty Law Center Exposed!

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Joel Gehrke from the Washington Examiner reports:

Family Research Council (FRC) officials released [the below] video of federal investigators questioning convicted domestic terrorist Floyd Lee Corkins II, who explained that he attacked the group’s headquarters because the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) identified them as a “hate group” due to their traditional marriage views.

“Southern Poverty Law lists anti-gay groups,” Corkins tells interrogators in the video, which FRC obtained from the FBI. “I found them online, did a little research, went to the website, stuff like that.”

The Washington Examiner’s Paul Bedard reported that Corkins, who pleaded guilty to terrorism charges, said in court that he hoped to “kill as many as possible and smear the Chick-Fil-A sandwiches in victims’ faces, and kill the guard.” As Bedard explained, “the shooting occurred after an executive with Chick-Fil-A announced his support for traditional marriage, angering same-sex marriage proponents.”

Robert Spencer from Jihad Watch states, “The SPLC, the well-heeled propaganda machine that smears conservatives for cash, is an integral part of the ongoing Leftist effort to demonize and destroy legitimate conservative voices — like our American Freedom Defense Initiative, which they also classify as a “hate group” — by lumping them in with the likes of the KKK. The SPLC turns a blind eye to the real hate that comes from the Left and Islamic supremacists, and offers with its hate group listings not only an incitement to violence, but a handy tool that lazy Leftist mainstream media journalists use to try to intimidate people away from supporting our message of human rights. The SPLC richly deserves its place on AFDI’s Threats to Freedom Index.”

Tom Trento, well known SE Florida radio talk show host, did a five part series on the SPLC. Trento states, “The TrentoVision Team launches an investigation into the so-called, Southern “Poverty” Law Center to find out why the Obama Administration works so closely with this “filthy rich” front group for the radical left! Our special guest is Tony Perkins, President of the prestigious Family Research Council. August 2012, Tony was the target of a radical homosexual activist who wanted to kill him and 14 others at FRC. Throughout this five-part series we will look at the finances, pro-gay agenda, pro-Islamic jihad agenda and the all around anti-American activities of the SPLC.”

Below is part one with special guest Tony Perkins, Executive Director of the Family Research Council, of a five part series on the SPLC:

Watch the other four parts of the series:

Monday April 22 – SPLC overview, with Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI-Z1Y4G88Y

Tuesday, April 23 – Peter Sprigg, Homosexual Activism at the SPLC, Family Research Council

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_gHRA_0EwU

Wednesday April 24 – Gen. General Boykin, SPLC & the Muslim Brotherhood, Family Research Council

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6eI5kC6Y8E

Thursday April 25 – Charlotte Allen – SPLC finances – The Weekly Standard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eniTNIVlkTo

Friday April 26 – Ken Klukowski, FRC and Andrea Lafferty, Traditional Values Coalition, TOPIC?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9iOrvwzzqk

THE BOSTON BOMBINGS: HISTORICAL TIES TO JIHADISM IN MASSACHUSETTS

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A new Henry Jackson Society (HJS) analysis reveals over two decades of Massachusetts links to al Qaeda-inspired terrorism

DOWNLOAD THE ANALYSIS HERE

The alleged Boston bombers – Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev – are the latest in a broader pattern of militancy in the state of Massachusetts. 26 other individuals closely tied to jihadist activity have been based in Massachusetts, including 15 individuals who lived there, with offenses going back over 20 years.

Based on analysis from the new HJS report Al-Qaeda in the United States: A Complete Analysis of Terrorism Offenses, these individuals include:

  • Those who have fought jihad abroad – including a Boston cab driver ‘martyred’ fighting Lebanese forces in 2000
  • Those who have fundraised for jihad via Care International – a Boston-based charity  acting as a front group for the al-Kifah Refugee Center, itself the U.S. branch of Makhtab al-Khidamat – an organisation co-founded by Osama bin Laden and key jihadist ideologue Abdullah Azzam
  • Eleven of the 9/11 hijackers, who hijacked planes leaving from Boston Logan International Airport, used Boston as a base prior to their attack
  • Aafia Siddiqui, a female al-Qaeda associate who attempted to murder U.S. officers and employees in Afghanistan
  • Rezwan Fedarus, who plotted terrorist attacks using explosives on U.S. soil

Robin Simcox, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and co-author of Al-Qaeda in the United States, has commented:

While not previously the target of a terrorist attack, Boston – and Massachusetts more broadly – has been a hive of militant activity for over two decades. Al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda inspired operatives have used Massachusetts as a base from which to plan, finance and commit acts of terror.

The U.S. has been largely successful in degrading al-Qaeda’s capacity to commit coordinated, mass casualty acts of terrorism. However, there is a clear need to remain vigilant against those who have been radicalized in the U.S. and aspire to smaller – but still deadly – terrorist acts. The al-Qaeda inspired threat is ongoing, and should continue to be treated with the utmost seriousness.

The full analysis, Historical Ties to Jihadism in Massachusetts, can be read here.

Florida doctor loses license in botched abortion

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Esther Rachwal in an email to WDW states, “Here is the story of a Florida doctor that loses his license over a botched abortion. Ironically people are led to believe that abortion is safe and legal, but there have been dozens of women who have either died or developed severe medical problems from so called “legal” abortions. This information is rarely reported.”

“Even now with the Gosnell trial going on 5 weeks, with gruesome details, there is very little reporting. Yet in today’s paper (Monday), a Wildlife Sanctuary of NW Florida held a baby shower for young animals, as reported in the Pensacola News Journal. About 700 visitors brought various things and food donations to help care for the animals. And on April 7th, a large article reported on the abuses of farm animals which were video taped by animal rights activists. These tapes drew swift response from Federal prosecutors in Tennessee. Local authorities in Wyoming charged farm employees with cruelty to animals. So, can you imagine how media would have covered this Gosnell story if it were animals beheaded, and their spinal cords severed while alive?” notes Rachwal.

Cheryl Sullenger | Tallahassee, FL | LifeNews.com | 4/22/13 3:11 PM

The Florida Board of Medicine took action to suspend the medical license of late-term abortionist James Scott Pendergraft, IV on Friday after he failed to pay the board fines from a previous disciplinary action that totaled over $120,000.

The settlement agreement reached between the board and Pendergraft orders that his medical license “shall be indefinitely suspended until such time as [Pendergraft] complies” with the order to pay his fines.

This is the fifth time that Pendergraft’s medical license has been suspended by the Florida Board of Medicine. He continues to operate five abortion clinics in Florida, primarily in the Orlando area.

The fines resulted from a 2010 case where Pendergraft was heavily fined and placed on suspension related to a 2006 botched elective 19-week abortion.

Patient S.B went to Pendergraft for the second trimester abortion on Feb. 3, 2006. He prescribed doses of Cytotec, a drug that is known to cause severe and unpredictable uterine contractions and sent her home for three days to take the medication on her own. Pendergraft did not have a valid DEA number at the time.

When S.B. returned to the clinic, he further illegally administered doses of Cytotec, Demerol, and Phenergan. He attempted the abortion before the patient was adequately dilated, lacerating her cervix and sending her to the hospital where she underwent an emergency hysterectomy.

At the hospital, staff delivered the remains of S.B.’s baby and found that it was missing a lower limb. Efforts were made to locate the limb in the abdominal cavity to no avail. There were no indications on the patient’s chart. Later, it was discovered that the limb had been removed at the clinic. This lack of documentation caused issues in providing the patient with proper emergency care.

Pendergraft was suspended and ordered to pay fines in excess of $122,000. Pendergraft failed to pay, resulting in another disciplinary case attempting to seek payment. Finally, Friday’s action suspended his license until further notice.

Pendergraft has a long history of abortion abuses. An Operation Rescue undercover investigation discovered that he was working illegally in Maryland with another abortionist Harold O. Alexander, to offer late-term abortions while his license was under suspension in Florida and filed complaints. Alexander was later disciplined for destroying patient records related to his business with Pendergraft, closing down Pendergraft’s Maryland operation.

In 2011, Pendergraft was hit with a whopping civil medical malpractice judgment of $36,737,660.16 in compensatory and punitive damages in a case involving a botched 20 week abortion that resulted in the live birth of a child physically damaged by Pendergraft’s incompetent abortion process amid what was described as “third world conditions” with virtually no counseling.

Kermit Gosnell

“Pendergraft is a prime example of how an abortionist operating outside the law in a manner that is reminiscent of the Kermit Gosnell murder case. He is proof that Gosnell is not an outlier, but is a snapshot of degenerate nature of the abortion cartel in America today,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “Pendergraft belongs in prison just as much as Kermit Gosnell, but the reticence of the Board to revoke his license means he will be back to wrecking more havoc on women. People wonder how Gosnell continues to operate for so long, but the Pendergraft case explains it. Oversight agencies are just too slow to revoke abortion offenders.”

More about Pendergraft’s sordid background can be found at AbortionDocs.org.

LifeNews.com Note: Cheryl Sullenger is a leader of Operation Rescue, a Kansas-based pro-life that monitors abortion practitioners and exposes their illegal and unethical practices. The group is known for serving as a watchdog of Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses.

Video describes Boston mosque’s terrorist ties

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On May 22, 2010, Massachusetts Governor Patrick embraced Imam Abdullah Faarooq leader of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, the largest mosque in the NE. This is the mosque that Tamerlan Tsarnaev attended. It was in 2011 that Russia warned the United States about Tsarnaev.

According the the UK Mail Online:

Boston marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev was thrown out of his local mosque for ‘crazy’ behavior after getting involved a ‘shouting match’ with his imam according to one member of the congregation.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev was ejected from his Boston mosque for aggressive behavior after insulting Martin Luther King Jr. during a Friday prayer service three months agoTamerlan Tsarnaev was ejected from his Boston mosque for aggressive behavior after insulting Martin Luther King Jr. during a Friday prayer service three months ago.

Described as being full of rage by a worshiper who would give his name only as Muhammad, Tamerlan was ejected from the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center three months ago for claiming that Martin Luther King Jr. was not a man Muslims should look to emulate.

Imam Faarooq, as seen in the below video, told followers they must “pick up the gun and the sword” in response to the arrests of local Islamic extremist Aafia Siddiqui and terror suspect Tarek Mehanna.

After the Boston bombing some are again asking: Should Governor Patrick give back the money? Did the sensitivity training given to law enforcement officers have an impact on profiling the Boston Massacre bombers? Did the FBI drop the case due to “political correctness”?

Russia warned US about Chechen immigrants

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Russia Today reports:

The US may be shocked that the terrorist suspects behind the Boston bombings are Chechen natives, but Russia has long cautioned Washington about giving asylum to Islamists from the North Caucasus, political analyst Dmitry Babich told RT.

Two bombs exploded in Boston during the city’s Marathon on April 15, killing 3 people and injuring 176 others.

The suspects in the attack were identified as Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, and his brother Dzhokhar, 19, Chechen natives, who lived in the US for some time. The elder brother was killed in a stand-off with police on Thursday, while the younger one is still at large.

The Voice of Russia radio station’s political analyst, Dmitry Babich, believes that it’s time for the West to understand that the Islamist activity in the North Caucasus is a threat not only to Russia, but the US and Europe as well.

RT: Much is being made of the links of those men to the Caucasus where they briefly lived. How important a factor might this be?

Dmitry Babich: Well, I think that indeed it’s a surprise for many people that these two men happened to be out of North Caucasus. But I think it’s not very surprising because, actually, the Russian government has warned a lot about the kind of refugees, about the kind of immigrants that the US and Western European countries are ready to accept. I mean I didn’t interview these people in Europe or in the US, but read a lot of reports from Russian reporters and from Western reporters actually interviewing those people. And a lot of them didn’t change their convictions. A lot of them are die-hard Islamists. They didn’t change after leaving Russia and I can easily imagine that a lot of them consider both Russia and the US parts of the same western decadent civilization. In this situation they can wage their jihad not necessarily in a place like Syria or Iraq, but also in the US.

RT:Why would these men turn on a country which gave them asylum?

DB:Unfortunately, it happened in many countries that people, who got asylum in the West later turned against their hosts and against their benefactors. It’s enough to remember that Ayatollah Khamenei, the founder of modern Iran, was a political refugee in France before he came back as a victor to Iran. If you expect any kind of gratitude and thankful thinking from these people you’re dead wrong. Most of the jihadists are egotists in their convictions. They think that they have the right to ascertain their convictions, they have the right to commit violence acts if they feed their cause. And their cause is the creation of this Islamic State. Maybe it could be an Islamic State in the North Caucasus. It could be a universal Islamic Caliphate. But that’s their thinking and I’m afraid in Boston they are dealing with exactly that kind of thinking.

RT:How would you assess levels of home-grown terrorism in the US right now?

DB: It’s very hard for me to speak from Russia about the level of terrorism in the US, but I think that for many years it was clear that the foreign policy was, at least, strange. Although Russia never made any hostile moves towards the US since 1987, probably – since Gorbachev came to power – the US continues suspecting Russia of having different values. And it always supported groups, sometimes militant Islamic groups, which challenged Russia. I mean, of course, president Clinton didn’t support the Chechen separatists, but then if you read the American press of the time and if you read even certain articles, which appeared on the website of the New York Times today, you can see a lot of simplistic thinking about the so-called Chechen Uprising and the Islamist groups in the North Caucasus.

The American newspapers say that Russia is to blame for all of these terrorist activities. Well, I don’t agree with that. I think that Russia was actually fighting a genuine international Islamism threat in the North Caucasus, at least, during the second Chechen War (in 1999-2000). Obviously, this Islamist activity in the North Caucasus is not only a threat to Russia. It’s also a threat to the US. It’s also a threat to Europe, but somehow the Western countries just refuse to recognize it.

RELATED COLUMNS:

USA needs refuge from refugees

Boston’s Jihadi Terrorists & The Chechen Connection

Jihad comes to Boston

Jihad comes to Boston: The Chechnya Connection

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Fox News reports, “Ties between Islamic extremist groups and Chechnya well-documented. [C]ongressional researchers and foreign policy analysts have long tracked a connection between the Chechnya region and Islamic extremists with Al Qaeda and the Taliban. If the suspects are indeed Chechen, analysts told Fox News they may represent part of a jihadi network which has made its way to American soil. “The Chechen jihadi network is very extensive,” Middle East analyst Walid Phares said Friday. “They have a huge network inside Russia and Chechnya.”

Chris Kyle in his autobiography American Sniper wrote that during the 2006 battle of in Ramadi,  Iraq, “I saw a whole bunch of guys standing there in desert camouflage—the old brown chocolate-chip stuff from Desert Storm, the First Gulf War. They were all wearing gear. They were all Caucasian, including one or two with blond hair, obviously not Iraqis or Arabs… We looked at each other. Something flicked in my brain, and I flicked the trigger on the M-16, mowing them down. A half-second’s more hesitation, and I would have been the one bleeding out on the floor. They turned out to be Chechens, Muslims apparently recruited for a holy war against the West. (We found their passports after searching the house.)” [My emphasis]

Clare Lopez, former CIA  Operations officer and Russia expert, in a statement to WDW noted, “This attack is not about Russia. This is an act of jihad. As time goes on our best friends are the media who will get into the background of these two men and reveal the truth.”

Time/Yahoo News reports:

Tamerlan, who was killed in a shootout earlier today, appears to have been sympathetic to Islamist radicalism. Five months ago he appears to have created a channel on YouTube called “Terrorists.” The channel features videos from the one of the leaders of the insurgency in Dagestan who goes by the name Amir Abu Dudzhan. YouTube appears to have removed two of the videos but in a third features Dudzhan calling for jihad. Holding a Kalashnikov rifle, he says, “Jihad is the duty of every able-bodied Muslim.” Among the other videos on his channel is one of Timur Mutsuraev, the bard of the Chechen resistance in the 1990s; it features his song, “We will devote our lives to jihad.” See Tamerlan’s video list here.

Here is the video on  Tamerlan’s YouTube channel calling for jihad by Amir Abu Dujana Rabbanikaly:

Reuters reports:

“Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev posted links to Islamic websites and others calling for Chechen independence on what appears to be his page on a Russian language social networking site.

Abusive comments in Russian and English were flooding onto Tsarnaev’s page on VK, a Russian-language social media site, on Friday after he was identified as a suspect in the bombing of the Boston marathon.

Police launched a massive manhunt for Tsarnaev, 19, after killing his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a shootout overnight.”

Click on image for a larger view.

According to Reuters:

On the site, the younger Tsarnaev identifies himself as a 2011 graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, a public school in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

His “World view” is listed as “Islam” and his “Personal priority” is “career and money”.

He has posted links to videos of fighters in the Syrian civil war and to Islamic web pages with titles like “Salamworld, my religion is Islam” and “There is no God but Allah, let that ring out in our hearts”.

He also has links to pages calling for independence for Chechnya, a region of Russia that lost its bid for secession after two wars in the 1990s.

The page also reveals a sense of humor, around his identity as a member of a minority from southern Russia’s restive Caucasus, which includes Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and other predominately Muslim regions that have seen two decades of unrest since the fall of the Soviet Union.

A video labelled “tormenting my brother” shows a man resembling his dead brother Tamerlan laughing and imitating the accents of different Caucasian ethnic groups.

The Washington Post provides this background on Chechnya:

The Chechen conflict dates to the early 1990s. In the summer of 1999, fighters in the predominantly Muslim republic rose up in an attempt to throw off Russian domination. Vladimir Putin, then the Russian prime minister, responded quickly, firmly and brutally to put down the rebellion.

Later that summer, there were several explosions across Russia and Putin blamed Chechens. Putin sent the army back by force, which resulted in Western criticism of Russian tactics and human rights violations.

In the most dramatic episode, about 40 armed Chechen separatists took more than 900 hostages at a Moscow theater. After a two-day siege, Russian special police pumped a chemical agent into the theater’s ventilation system and raided the building. About 130 hostages died, and all of the Chechens were killed.

Though the war has officially ended, the Russians have maintained a tight grip on Chechnya, backing a strongman friendly to Moscow and maintaining a robust military presence. Efforts have also been underway in recent years to rebuild the shattered capital of Grozny.

Still, sporadic violence and kidnapping have continued in Chechnya and separatists retain a following. The years of fighting, crime and economic difficulties led tens of thousands of Chechens to leave their homes for other former Soviet republics.

The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men

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Not every election that is important is held in November of each year. There are many local races for public office and referendums that are voted on in out-of-cycle elections. There is a growing  concern that out-of-cycle elections ultimately suppress the vote. Cases in point are two elections being held in May 2013. One is in Sarasota, Florida and the other in Los Angeles, California.

PRNewswire reports, “Entravision Communications Corporation (NYSE: EVC), a diversified Spanish-language media company, today announced a multi-platform campaign to encourage Los Angeles Latino voters to participate in the upcoming runoff election for Mayor, being held May 21, 2013. With only 16% of registered voters turning out for the Primary Nominating Election that was held in March, Entravision is committed to using its radio and digital assets in Los Angeles to raise awareness of the upcoming election and instill the importance of participating in the democratic election process.” [My emphasis]

Sarasota Today, in an Editorial titled “Why I vote (even though I am apathetic)“, notes, “Ap·a·thy. lack of interest of concern. P·a·rty. a large group of people. This is the reason some people believe causes such a low turnout in our City Elections (which are held in March and May). Apathy is what takes us from a 75% voter turnout in November to a 17% voter turnout  four months later in March. Although I disagree with the premise, I am going to accept that this must be true (mostly because I am sick of fighting about it – and I just want to find a solution).” [My emphasis]

It appears citizens from Sarasota to Los Angeles are taking an interest.

PRNewswire reports:

“At Entravision, we believe that the Los Angeles Mayoral election is extremely important to the future of the city. As an active member of the community, it is our civic duty to encourage as many citizens as possible to exercise their right to vote,” said Walter F. Ulloa, Entravision’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “With this election being only the third time in the last 75 years that an incumbent mayoral candidate has not been on the ballot in Los Angeles, this election offers a unique opportunity for citizens to vote with their voice and help shape the future for the city. By leveraging Entravision’s multiple media properties in Los Angeles, we will provide a valuable service to the community and help encourage voter participation for this special election.”

Sarasota Today coined the phrase “Apathy Party”. The Sarasota Today editorial analyzes the impact of the Apathy Party:

So here is my attempt at giving specific examples of why you (assuming you don’t vote) should consider leaving the Apathy Party.

Reason 1: You are more likely to lose your job due a decision made by a City Commission, than by the President of the United States.

Here is my reasoning. If you are young and live in Sarasota most likely you are in the “service” industry. You probably work in hospitality, retail or the restaurant business. All three of these industries (which are the largest in the City) depend HEAVILY on tourism. So, if the City Commission votes to install parking meters or by chance bans live music – then the tourists will probably not come downtown anymore. So when tourists leave, revenue leaves – and businesses suffer. When business suffers – people lose jobs. The City Commission makes decisions each month that effect local businesses short term and long term. If you think voting in the national elections will change your life – you should really pay attention to local elections.

It’s math.

City makes “anti-business” decisions = Businesses fail = Jobs Lost = Bad Tourism Experience = Bad Economy.

City makes “smart business” decisions = Businesses grow = More Jobs = Good Tourism Experience = Healthy and Diverse Economy

Reason 2: Your wallet will be more effected by the policies supported by the City, than by the Federal Government.

I always hear that people “vote with their wallet”. If that is true, than you definitely want to reconsider voting in local elections. Everyone’s income has taken a hit due to a horrible economy. Although things are improving, we still need to find ways to save money month-to-month. Tax Loop Holes don’t help anyone except big corporations. So how does the local government help us save money? Let’s start with the big one – rent. If you are like most people, rent is your biggest expense (or if you are a home owner – you property taxes and loan payment). The City of Sarasota has had a “no-growth” policy that has back-fired on our economy and it is lowering property values and raising taxes – and thus it is making your rent higher. For example, our zoning code only allows a developer to build 50 units per acre for a 10-story building. If you do the math – you can quickly see that these are BIG EXPENSIVE units – which means BIG rent. These restrictions are everywhere throughout the city – even in deprived neighborhoods like Rosemary District.  Since it is close to impossible to build a 10-story building with 50 unites and make it financially work – nobody builds. When nobody builds – there is less taxes going into the City’s revenue base. So, the City has to raise taxes and the buildings that exist in downtown raise rent (because they can due to lack of inventory).

It’s math.

It is math. Historically, off-cycle elections have lower voter turnout. Lower voter turnout leads to the few dictating to the many. It is not time for the many to be heard?

The “Border Security, Economic Opportunity & Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” introduced

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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today joined Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL),  Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) to introduce S. 744, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.” The bill’s introduction marks a first step toward achieving the strongest border security and enforcement measures in U.S. history, modernizing the legal immigration system to encourage economic growth and job creation, and ending today’s de facto amnesty by dealing with the undocumented immigrant population in a tough but fair way that is directly linked to achieving several security triggers.

The legislation can be read here. A one page summary of the bill is available here. A frequently asked questions (FAQ) document is available here.

Following the bill’s introduction, Rubio issued the following statement:

“Our immigration system is broken, and the status quo of having 11 million undocumented people living under de facto amnesty will only continue if we do nothing to solve this problem. This bill marks the beginning of an important debate, and I believe it will fix our broken system by securing our borders, improving interior enforcement, modernizing our legal immigration to help create jobs and protect American workers, and dealing with our undocumented population in a tough but humane way that is fair to those trying to come here the right way and linked to achieving several security triggers.

“While I believe this legislation is a strong conservative effort that will accomplish all these things and tries to make the best of the imperfect reality we face, it’s not perfect. But I am also confident that an open and transparent process that welcomes public input is going to make it even better.

“This debate must engage the American people and every senator through open hearings, mark-ups and floor debate, as well as a robust, well-informed debate outside the walls of Congress through all the mediums available to us today. This kind of open debate will help the American people understand what’s in the bill, what it means for them and what it means for our future.

“I encourage people to read this bill and tell us what we can do to make it better. To ensure that immigration remains a source of America’s strength and exceptionalism, I invite Floridians and other interested parties to share their thoughts about it with me and submit ideas on ways we can improve it – through our website, Facebook and Twitter pages.”

Tax Collector answers questions about taxes in Florida

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Barbara Ford-Coates

April is National Tax Burden Month. WDW – Florida has asked a tax collector to answer some questions about taxes in Florida. We want to thank Barbara Ford-Coates, Florida Tax Collector serving Sarasota County, for providing answers to our tax questions. Since property taxes comprise the largest dollar amount collected, the below answers from Barbara Ford-Coates address those taxes.

1. What kind of role do you play in shaping or implementing Florida’s tax policy?

The Florida Legislature has the primary responsibility for the state’s tax policy. The Tax Collector’s role is to advise the State on the most efficient way to implement the final law. [E.G.  Florida Tax Collectors recently worked to give taxpayers the option of receiving their tax bill(s) electronically.]

2. What are some of the most common misconceptions citizens have about Florida state taxes?  What are some of the most common mistakes you see citizens make when filing their tax returns?

One misconception we hear about relates to the time period. Since Florida taxes are collected in arrears, taxpayers sometimes believe they are paying the following year’s taxes. As an example, the 2012 tax bills were mailed around November 1st of 2012 and were payable through March of 2013.   A taxpayer who paid the bill in March of 2013 may have thought they were paying the 2013, rather than 2012 tax bill. The most common mistake we see is sending the wrong amount.

3.  How do incentives work? Credits? Sales tax holidays? Do you think these help Florida?

Tax collectors have no involvement in incentives, credits or sales tax holidays.

4.  How can we make Florida’s tax code simpler and more citizen-friendly? What changes would you suggest?

I think the concept of a locally elected official (Tax Collector, Property Appraiser etc.) working to implement State tax laws provides the best opportunity for citizen-friendly administration.  As an elected official, I have both a duty to the state and the taxpayer. As such, I must always work to make paying taxes as simple and easy as possible for the taxpayer.  In that role I can and do advise the state how to improve the process.

5.  Is your agency doing all it can to collect the taxes it is owed?  What is the consequence for not paying Florida taxes on time?

Within a year of receiving the property tax roll from the Property Appraiser and the non-ad valorem districts, we collect over 99.5% of the roll. Of the remaining unpaid taxes, we continue our focused efforts (selling tax certificates, field visits) to collect the rest.

Failure to pay real estate taxes on time results in additional costs to the taxpayer. If the taxes remain unpaid two years after the date of delinquency, the taxpayer is at risk of losing their property. Delinquent real estate taxes are primarily collected through the sale of tax certificates (tax liens) to investors who pay the tax in exchange for having a lien on the property. Unpaid tangible taxes also result in additional penalties and interest to the taxpayer.  Delinquencies are collected through a variety of enforcement efforts that include the issuance of warrants, field visits, contacts by phone, email and correspondence, and the sale and seizure of assets.

The state agency that deals most with Florida taxes is the Department of Revenue.

WDW- Florida provided James McAdams, Director Property Tax Oversight, these same questions. Director McAdams provided this reply, “Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your article about tax administration. Since the Department of Revenue does not play a role in the development of tax policy your invitation would be more properly directed to members or staff of the Florida Legislature.”

A copy of this column has been sent to Governor Rick Scott, the Florida Cabinet and all Florida legislators.

Bring it on! Let’s talk fairness in tax policy (+ video)

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April is National Tax Burden Month. As part of the WDW – Florida campaign to educate you, the taxpayer, on issues surrounding the tax debate we provide this column on “tax fairness”.

What does fairness mean when applied to federal, state and local tax policy?

President Obama and those in the Occupy Wall Street movement have focused on “fairness” in federal tax policy. Fairness is a word with many meanings and was used to raise taxes on those making more than $450,000. But what is fair?

Recently AFP Foundation Director of Policy, James Valvo, had the opportunity to sit down with Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Brooks shared his insight and research on the moral argument of fairness, and why economic freedom and earned success is the most “fair” concept of all.

In the video below, Dr. Brooks demonstrates what a powerful impact taxpayers can have in framing the debate on tax fairness.

Dr. Brooks uses a human research test to determine fairness as a counter to the current class-warfare rhetoric.  He argues that based on research Americans believe in a system where hard work is valued and rewarded, and that this message can have a tremendous impact if presented in this “real fairness” light.

Watch the video interview with Dr.  Brooks from AEI:

ABOUT AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY:

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state, and federal levels. AFP grassroots activists advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint. To that end, AFP supports:

  • Cutting taxes and government spending in order to halt the encroachment of government in the economic lives of citizens by fighting proposed tax increases and pointing out evidence of waste, fraud, and abuse.
  • Removing unnecessary barriers to entrepreneurship and opportunity by sparking citizen involvement early in the regulatory process in order to reduce red tape.
  • Restoring fairness to our judicial system.

Read more: http://americansforprosperity.org/about/#ixzz2QF1dLBD2

ABOUT AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE:

The American Enterprise Institute is a community of scholars and supporters committed to expanding liberty, increasing individual opportunity and strengthening free enterprise. AEI pursues these unchanging ideals through independent thinking, open debate, reasoned argument, facts and the highest standards of research and exposition. Without regard for politics or prevailing fashion, we dedicate our work to a more prosperous, safer and more democratic nation and world.

AEI is a private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics and social welfare. Founded in 1938, AEI is home to some of America’s most accomplished public policy experts.

Read more: http://www.aei.org/about/

Illegal aliens receive $Billions Yearly via IRS Loophole

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As part of National Tax Burden Month WDW –  Florida presents this column with videos of well known and documented tax fraud.

NBC Eyewitness News 13 in Indiana reports on a massive IRS tax loophole which provides over $4 billion per year in tax credits to millions of illegal aliens. In many cases recipients of American taxpayers’ misused monies have never set foot in the United States.

Watch this exposé put together by News 13 investigative reporter Bob Segall. He spent three months looking into this tax loophole:

Indiana is approximately 1700 miles northeast of the Mexican border.

A device known as the Additional Child Tax Credit is being used to pay for children living in Mexico — who have never lived here. One illegal admitted through an interpreter that his address is being used to file tax returns for numerous children, including multiple nieces and nephews. “If the opportunity is there and they give it [to him] why not take advantage of it?” he asked in Spanish. As a stunning example, thousands in tax credits have been awarded to an illegal alien who claimed 20 children live in a single trailer, that actually housed just one little girl.

“Our tax code should not reward those who enter the country illegally,” said Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-13). “This is unacceptable, which is why last year I voted to immediately end the abuse of the Child Tax Credit by requiring those filing a claim to provide a Social Security number – a requirement that would save taxpayers $10 billion over the next decade.”

The IRS is aware of the magnitude of this fraud yet has done nothing to rectify it. In fact, this is the IRS website giving ten tips on how to apply. The application forms are easily downloadable.

J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration says report after report sent from his office has been ignored by the IRS. 

Watch the below video as the Honorable J. Russell George, Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, delivers his opening statement at an oversight hearing on Administration of the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. October 22, 2009.

Exposing Tax Filing Costs

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As part of National Taxpayer Burden Month, Watchdog Wire is presenting a series of interviews, columns and videos dealing with the current progressive income tax system. The current income tax was created 100 years ago with the passage of the Sixteen Amendment to the US Constitution.

As part of our National Tax Burden Month activities we are highlighting a series of videos produced by Kerry Bowers, the State Director for Nevada FairTax. For 13 years Bowers lived in Florida, the last 4 as the Panhandle Director for the Florida FairTax Educational Association.

According to the Fair Tax website:

The FairTax is a national sales tax that treats every person equally and allows American businesses to thrive, while generating the same tax revenue as the current four-million-word-plus word tax code. Under the FairTax, every person living in the United States pays a sales tax on purchases of new goods and services, excluding necessities due to the prebate. The FairTax rate after necessities is 23% and equal to the lowest current income tax bracket (15%) combined with employee payroll taxes (7.65%), both of which will be eliminated.

Bowers support to FFTEA and AFFT has been through legislative expertise specific to HR 25/S 122, computer presentations, and video productions. The following is a video presentation exposing the true tax filing costs born by every taxpayer.

To video more video presentations by Kerry Bowers go to his YouTube Channel.

RELATED COLUMNS:

When is your tax freedom day?

VIDEO: Buchanan Tax Reform panel raises disturbing future without major changes

Disclaimer: The author is on the Board of Directors of the Florida FairTax Educational Association

Who will be Governor Scott’s choice as a running mate? Maybe Allen West?

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Governor Rick Scott is running for reelection in 2014. Currently he does not have a running mate, as Jennifer Carroll resigned as Lieutenant Governor. Early indications are that former Governor, and former Republican, Charlie Crist and Senator Bill Nelson will run in the Democrat primary.

Who will Governor Scott pick to fill the Lieutenant Governor’s position?

Will his pick be a safe one or will it be a bold move that changes the game?

The WDW grapevine says the following are candidates being pushed by various groups to become the Lieutenant Governor.

Former Congressman Allen West

Allen West – West is the former Congressman from Florida District 18. West is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel. West joined the United States Army in 1982, a year before receiving a B.A. in political science. In 1986, West earned an M.A. in political science at Kansas State University.  Deployed for the Iraq War in 2003, West was involved in a controversial interrogation incident, which led to his resignation and retirement in 2004. After retiring, West moved to Florida. In 2010, West won the FL District 20 seat, coinciding with historic Republican gains in the 2010 midterm elections. On January 3, 2011, West took office as the first black Republican Congressman from Florida since Josiah T. Walls left office in 1876. In his brief congressional career, West served on the Armed Services and Small Business Committees. He was also a member of the Tea Party Caucus and has been referred to as one of the champions of the Tea Party movement.  He is currently the host of Next Generation TV with PJ Media. He is a nationally known figure who has been characterized as having gravitas.

Representative Doug Holder

Doug Holder – Representative Holder was first elected to office in 2006 and serves southern Sarasota County as the State Representative for Florida House District 74. As a small business owner, Holder is focused on economic development for his district and Florida. He believes in hard work, perseverance, and the value of good business practices from stories of his great grandfather who bartered to survive the Great Depression and from his father who became a successful business man using these same principles. Public service has been a part of Doug’s life since he was a teenager when he was active in student government as the Student Body President, and served as the Student Ambassador for George Herbert Walker Bush. Born in Marietta, Georgia, Doug is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in Art, Psychology and Public Relations. Representative Holder currently is a member of the Florida House Leadership Team and serves as Chairman of Regulatory Affairs Committee which oversees DBPR, Energy & Utilities and Insurance & Banking. In addition, he sits on the Rules & Calendar Committee as well as the Ethics & Elections Committee.

Senator Anitere Flores

Anitere Flores – Senator Flores has been representing District 37 since 2010. She previously served in the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 114th District from 2004-2010. She served as House Deputy Majority Leader. Senator Flores was named Senate Majority Whip while also serving as the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In addition, Senator Flores sits on the Budget Committee, Budget Subcommittee on Education PreK-12 Appropriations, Commerce and Tourism Committee, Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities Committee, Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee, Reapportionment Committee, and Rules Committee. In 2011, Senator Anitere Flores worked with her colleagues to introduce a Florida style immigration law focusing on ensuring that Florida has a legal workforce and working with the federal government to repatriate undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of crimes and are in prison. These 5,500 individuals cost the state of Florida over $100 million each year to incarcerate.

Raquel Regalado

Raquel Regalado

Raquel Regalado – Represents District 6 on the Miami-Dade School Board. District 6 encompasses the areas of Key Biscayne, the Roads, East Little Havana, Shenandoah, Silver Bluff, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami and Westchester. In the Board, Ms. Regalado is the Chair of the Facilities and Construction Reform Committee, and a member of the following committees: Instructional Excellence & Community Engagement, School Support & Accountability, and Innovation, Efficiency & Governmental Relations. Ms. Regalado is admitted to practice law in Florida state courts, as well as in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She is an active member of several bar associations, including the American Bar Association, the Cuban American Bar Association, and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Florida. She was also an Adjunct Professor of Business Law at Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus. Ms. Regalado was named a Rising Star in Intellectual Property Litigation by Florida Trend and in 2009, was ranked among the top 40 attorneys in Miami-Dade County under 40 years old by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

WDW will continue to monitor this process of the selection of a running mate for Governor Scott. If you have a tip on a candidate being considered send it to us.

RELATED COLUMN: Who Makes the Most Sense to Replace Jennifer Carroll?

Rubio puts the brakes on immigration reform

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David S. Addington from the Heritage Foundation defines amnesty as follows:

“The term “amnesty” is often used loosely with reference to aliens unlawfully in the United States. Sometimes it refers to converting the status of an alien from unlawful to lawful, either without conditions or on a condition such as a payment of a fee to the government. Sometimes it refers to granting lawful authority for an alien unlawfully in the U.S. to remain in the U.S., become a lawful permanent resident, or even acquire citizenship by naturalization, either without conditions or on a condition such as payment of a fee to the government or performance of particular types of work for specified periods.

Amnesty comes in many forms, but in all its variations, it discourages respect for the law, treats law-breaking aliens better than law-following aliens, and encourages future unlawful immigration into the United States.” [My emphasis]

Roy Beck from NumbersUSA notes, “The Senate Gang of Eight was doing high-fives all weekend about an agreement between business and labor lobbyists that supposedly would allow their comprehensive amnesty bill to be rushed to the Senate floor for a vote by May.”

“But suddenly, it was the Gang of Seven, with the wayward eighth member, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), talking about the need to let the other 92 Senators find out what is in the bill and study whether there might be better ways to reform our immigration system,” states Beck.

Rubio demanded something rather extraordinary Beck reports: hearings of experts, an open amendment process and a full debate before the television cameras:

“(T)he success of any major legislation depends on the acceptance and support of the American people. That support can only be earned through full and careful consideration of legislative language and an open process of amendments.”

Beck states, “The Gang of Seven has not embraced Rubio’s attempt to slow-down the fast-track process by which pro-amnesty supporters have planned to rush the still-secret bill through the Judiciary Committee in a couple of weeks and get a vote on the Senate floor within a month with little debate and amending.”

The fast-track approach always attempts to side-track the public while giant amnesties and immigration increases are created in secret and then hurried through the legislative process before most elected officials even know what is in the thick bills.

“Sen. Leahy (D-Vt.), the Judiciary Committee chairman, announced last week that he did not intend to hold any hearings on the Gang of Eight bill once he receives it and that he would not allow opponents to slow-down his plan to get it to the floor by May,” reports Beck.

So, the “process” is the big issue of the moment and maybe this entire week.

This is comforting news for those of us who oppose a bill that would further harm the 20 million Americans who can’t find a full-time job and the millions more whose wages are depressed by a labor market glutted with 26 million foreign-born workers.

Many Floridians who suffered through years of Marco Rubio killing immigration enforcement legislation when he was in the state legislature doubt their junior Senator’s sincerity in his flap with other amnesty supporters. Others believe he will hop off the amnesty train if his demands for an open process are not met.

Whichever Marco Rubio is at work here, he has provided a fantastic set of principles that you should be able to demand of your two Senators.

Sen. Rubio has at least temporarily broken with his fellow Gang members by sending an open letter to Chairman Leahy, who has not yet shown how he feels about a freshman suggesting how he should run his committee.

Rubio’s letter included this:

“I respectfully suggest that such a process must begin with a careful examination in the Committee including: hearings that explore multiple perspectives on the scope of the problems we face and the efficacy of the solutions we propose, markups in which a broad range of amendments can be considered, and a robust floor debate.”

“All of this, and any Conference Committee deliberations, should occur in the full view of the American people, broadcast on CSPAN, and streamed live on the internet.”

Chairman Leahy has already stated that he has held hearings on immigration over recent years and that he doesn’t need to do any more.

Rubio says about that claim:

“I am certain that those hearings deepened your knowledge of these issues and will guide much of your work this Congress. But they cannot be a substitute for fresh hearings to consider specific legislation as part of a national conversation.”

Beck asks, “If Chairman Leahy and Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-Nev.) refuse to hold these in-depth hearings, how can Rubio vote for the comprehensive amnesty bill? How can he remain in the Gang at all, if the other seven Senators refuse to step away from the fast track?”

RELATED COLUMN: Rubio Says Process Counts In Immigration Overhaul

Wealth is coming to Florida from guess where?

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Governor Rick Scott is working to make Florida business friendly. One part of what is happening, missed by the media, is the transfer of wealth from other states to the sunshine state.

The website HowMoneyWalks.com has an application that tracks how money moves between states and between counties within states. This is a great resource for anyone interested in how wealthy individuals literally vote with their feet, and bank accounts.

Below is the over view of the wealth gain for Florida from 1995-2010:

Florida

Wealth Migration 1995-2010

Gained $86.39 billion in annual AGI*

*AGI – adjusted gross income as defined by the IRS. For most people AGI is the starting point in calculating their taxable income.

Gained Wealth From:

$16.76 billion   New York
$10.20 billion   New Jersey
$6.22 billion   Illinois
$5.89 billion   Ohio
$5.68 billion   Pennsylvania

 

Lost Wealth To:

$1.38 billion   North Carolina
$710.67 million   Tennessee
$465.83 million   South Carolina
$413.47 million   Arizona
$345.49 million   Texas

 

Looking at the sixty-seven counties in Florida we find that Miami-Dade is the only county that has lost wealth between 1995-2010. Here is the view of wealth loss by Miami-Dade County, FL:

Miami-Dade County (FL)

Wealth Migration 1995-2010

Lost $2.18 billion in annual AGI*

AGI – adjusted gross income as defined by the IRS. For most people AGI is the starting point in calculating their taxable income.

Gained Wealth From:

$312.84 million   New York County, NY
$159.88 million   Queens County, NY
$105.37 million   Middlesex County, NJ
$88.39 million   Kings County, NY
$83.80 million   District Of Columbia, DC

 

Lost Wealth To:

$2.15 billion   Broward County, FL
$299.04 million   Palm Beach County, FL
$121.28 million   Orange County, FL
$107.22 million   Collier County, FL
$107.19 million   Hillsborough County, FL