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2012 Presidential Race: Stunning Results for Young Americans

November 30, 2012/in News/by Dr. Rich Swier

Generation Opportunity, the nation’s largest social media and grassroots organization connecting with 18-29 year olds, released data and analysis on young voters and the 2012 election. Generation Opportunity has built a fan base of over 4 million on Facebook and has been in front of hundreds of thousands of young adults through direct contact at the grassroots level, raising awareness of and fostering a discussion on critical economic issues including overall and young adult unemployment, debt, and federal spending.

There was a stunning 11-point swing away from President Obama

President Barack Obama won 18-29 year olds by 34 points in 2008 (66%-32%). This year, he won them by 23 points (60%-37%). The youth vote swung 11 points away from President Obama, more than twice any other age demographic.

Age	2008	2012	Change
18-29	66-32 (D+34)	60-37 (D+23)	-11
30-44	52-46 (D+6)	52-45 (D+7)	+1
45-64	50-49 (D+1)	47-51 (R+4)	-5
65+	45-53 (R+8)	44-56 (R+12)	-4

Source: National Exit Polling, Edison Research via NY Times

Young voter turnout increased from 2008, defying conventional wisdom.

The conventional wisdom, which was advanced and shared by numerous news outlets and grassroots organizations, including the AP, Pew, and Huffington Post, was that young people would A) decrease in turnout compared to 2008 levels, and B) vote in just as strong of a margin for President Obama in 2012 as they did 2008. Yet, young adult turnout actually increased and swung 11 points away from President Obama.

Source: Brookings Institution

Generation Opportunity was heavily involved in reshaping both the terrain and the national dialogue with regard to the young adult vote going into the 2012 election. For 2013 and 2014, the organization will be further expanding its reach and following among young adults across the nation through social media and grassroots activity, executing an even more aggressive effort to fully engage young Americans at both the state and national level.

GENERATION OPPORTUNITY is the largest non-profit, non-partisan 501 (c)(4) organization in the United States engaging and mobilizing 18-29 year olds on important economic issues, such as high youth unemployment and the lack of meaningful, full-time jobs. The organization operates on a combined strategy of advanced social media tactics and grassroots field organizing to reach young Americans across the country. Follow us on Twitter @GenOpportunity .

Matthew Faraci – 202-997-1636 | EMAIL
David Pasch – 202-230-7947 | EMAIL

SOURCE Generation Opportunity

Web Site: http://generationopportunity.org/

Judge: Pinellas term limits case will proceed

November 30, 2012/in Featured, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

Courtesy of Philip Blumel from Florida Term Limits Blog:

Pinellas county commissioners who refuse to comply with Pinellas County’s voter-approved 8-year term limits law are in denial. They had hoped for a summary dismissal as the citizen’s case as ‘frivolous.’

But on Nov. 28, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge John A. Schaefer refused to dismiss the suit, suggesting that citizens may be correct that Commissioners Ken Welch, Susan Latvala, John Morroni and Karen Seel are serving on the Pinellas Commission in violation of the county charter.

In 1996, some 73 percent of Pinellas voters approved an 8-year term limits law which, according the Pinellas Charter, went into effect on Jan. 1, 1997. This gave commissioners an additional eight years in office before the term limit kicked in. However, commissioners refused to insert the term limits language into the charter and eight years later commissioners refused to leave.

Commissioners justified their rebellion by claiming county commission term limits are unconstitutional, citing a 2002 case in which the Supreme Court of Florida found term limits on constitutional officers to be unconstitutional. Relying on this interpretation, they simply ignored a local Pinellas court decision in 2000 to the contrary without even bothering to appeal it!

The only trouble with the constitutionality excuse is that the Supreme Court never ruled on the issue of county commission term limits and when it did, in May of this year, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that, yes, county commission term limits are constitutional and always were. The Supremes even went so far as to overturn their previous split decision on constitutional officers. Oops.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, three Pinellas residents connected with Save Pinellas filed a suit to compel compliance with the term limits provision in the charter.

In yesterday’s decision, the judge ruled that the Supervisor of Elections must be dropped from the suit and other minor changes, but that the core of the complaint had merit. It is unlikely there will be any resolution of this until at least Spring 2013.

If the lawsuit is successful, the governor would have to appoint four new people to fill the vacant seats until the next election.

ABOUT PHILIP BLUMEL:

Philip Blumel is president of U.S. Term Limits, a single-issue advocacy group based in Fairfax, VA, and a certified financial planner working out of downtown West Palm Beach, FL.

Egypt Sentences Florida Pastor Terry Jones To Death

November 29, 2012/in Hot Topics, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

Sarah El Deeb of the Huffington Post reports, “An Egyptian court convicted in absentia Wednesday seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor, sentencing them to death on charges linked to an anti-Islam film that had sparked riots in parts of the Muslim world.”

Deeb states, “The case was seen as largely symbolic because the defendants, most of whom live in the United States, are all outside Egypt and are thus unlikely to ever face the sentence.” However, Islamists tend to carry out these of kinds of sentences on foreign soil.

Notable examples happened after the cartoons of Mohammed were published in the Danish magazine Jyllands-Posten.

Numerous violent plots related to the cartoons have been discovered in the years since the main protests took place in early 2006. These have primarily targeted editor Fleming Rose, cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, the property or employees of Jyllands-Posten or other newspapers that had printed the cartoons, or representatives of the Danish state. Westergaard particularly has been the subject of several attacks or planned attacks and now lives under special police protection. On New Year’s Day 2010 police had to shoot a would be assassin in his home.

Deeb reports:

Florida-based Terry Jones, another of those sentenced, is the pastor of Dove World Outreach, a church of less than 50 members in Gainesville, Fla., not far from the University of Florida. He has said he was contacted by the filmmaker to promote the film, as well as Morris Sadek, a conservative Coptic Christian in the U.S. who posted the video clips on his website.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Jones said the ruling “shows the true face of Islam” – one that he views as intolerant of dissent and opposed to basic freedoms of speech and religion.

“We can speak out here in America,” Jones said. “That freedom means that we criticize government leadership, religion even at times. Islam is not a religion that tolerates any type of criticism.”

Some are concerned that the imprisonment of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the producer of the video, is a sign that freedom of speech is being limited by the Obama administration in order to appease Islamists. Some have called Nakoula a “political prisoner“. Pastor Jones had nothing to do with the creation of the video.

Sentencing Americans to death by Egyptian courts is problematic and not to be taken lightly.

Danger: There are more people who vote for a living than work for a living

November 29, 2012/in Economy, Must Read, News, Policy/by Dr. Rich Swier

Watchdog Wire has written numerous columns about the costs of dependence on government largesse. Government is defined as a “system of ruling or controlling”. Largesse is defined as, “the liberal giving (as of money) to or as if to an inferior.”

Government largess is ruling by the liberal giving of money to the governed.

The US Government, states, county and city governments are liberally giving money to the governed at an increasing rate. Republicans and Democrats alike have expanded the use of largesse in the hope of gaining popularity and thereby votes.

Powerline Blog shows how the United States is at the tipping point with ever more people dependent on government for their lively-hood than not. Powerline defines them as “makers” and “takers” stating, “Those who work for a living have been sold out by federal and state governments that have created a welfare system gone mad.”

ZeroHedge has the grim numbers:

[I]t is now more lucrative – in the form of actual disposable income – to sit, do nothing, and collect various welfare entitlements, than to work. This is graphically, and very painfully confirmed, in the below chart from Gary Alexander, Secretary of Public Welfare, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (a state best known for its broke capital Harrisburg). As quantified and explained by Alexander, “the single mom is better off earning gross income of $29,000 with $57,327 in net income & benefits than to earn gross income of $69,000 with net income and benefits of $57,045.“

Click on chart for larger view

Powerline Blog states, “In today’s America, it is reasonable to conclude that unless you make a great deal of money, you are a sucker if you work hard. And, in fact, a great many Americans have concluded exactly that. Check out these data, again from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. Each 1.25 Americans working in the private sector is supporting 1.0 welfare recipients and government employees–mostly welfare recipients:

Click on chart for larger view

Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the people.” It is now clear that in the US, “Government largess is the opiate of the people.”

BREAKING NEWS: THE GAZA BORDER IN TURMOIL

November 27, 2012/in News/by Dr. Rich Swier

From Shmuel HaLevi Watchdog Wire’s Israeli correspondent. Shmuel is a former Senior-Fellow Engineer US DoD military avionics programs and also Invited Consultant to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Shmuel just sent along this:

I wish I could avail to you better news but I do not spin the facts to cover reality.

Please visit this ARUTZ #7 INN report that includes pictures.

That is precisely the outcome of one of the most incredibly incompetent if not worse “operations” ever.

There are no words to describe other secondary effects we observe here in the Galil [Northern Israel. ed]. We live hundreds of meters away from three Arab villages and I will report that since the dismal GAZA flop the local Islamists grew in their drive against our town. It is outright dangerous now to even drive around.

Barak appears to have recognized that he has no chance to be elected to the Knesset. Yet, knowing those untrustworthy elements, I do not know if he does take responsibility or just wants to serve Netanyahu by assuming at least some of the pressure away from the later. There is photograph circulating including soldiers did that define it well. “LOSER”

It is not possible any longer to ignore the disastrous consequences of the Oslo retreats and concessions, “rubber bullet”, boulder bombings, later “paint ball rifles” and calibrated petards military tactics. Added to the ghastly reality as well that support to this day specially training our military to effect violent attacks against Jews. Including Pogroms/expulsions.

D9s Hold Drill Near Gaza Border (Courtesy IDF)

TODAY! Bulldozers tore down ULPANA building!

Yes! That whole scenario represents cowardice or high treason. Conclusively not military or political savvy.

Woe to all of us both here and in the Diaspora if we keep on trying to deny the facts.

And IRAN is home free. I lived for decades in military environments. We do not seem capable to do much against HAMAS and expect the same people to mix it up with the US Air Force, Russians, and others that will help Iran?

I could be wrong and I pray that I am, but judging from what I see, the IDF command, doctrines and more, are hopelessly inadequate to defend Israel at all.

After watching the Lebanon II debacle and the shameful flop in GAZA, does anyone believe that we have a worthy military command and doctrine?

The Gaza operation was a unadulterated disaster, with Lieberman part of it, like it or not.

I just read that there is a video by HAMAS promoting death to us.

A mother and her children barely escaped being slaughtered by a terrorist while the Israeli military was busy bulldozing an Ulpana home.

And, we may not even have time to effect corrective action.

Government Gone Wild: Law Against Distractions Coming to Florida?

November 27, 2012/in Must Read, News, Policy/by Dr. Rich Swier

Florida is known for doing things that make no sense like putting the treatment of pigs in the state Constitution. Well lawmakers are not immune to this senselessness. Case in point: regulating distractions.

Distraction is defined as, “The act of distracting or the condition of being distracted.”

Senator Nancy Detert (FL- District 23) is on a quest to make it illegal for Floridians to be distracted by “electronic devices” while driving, bicycling or walking. Senator Detert has been on this quest for five years. No, Detert is not a Democrat, rather she is a Republican. The primary donor for her election to the Florida Senate was the Florida Republican Party. You get what you pay for as the saying goes.

The bill is the “Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law” (SB 52) and states:

A person may not operate a motor vehicle while manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other characters into a wireless communications device or while sending or reading data in such a device for the purpose of non-voice interpersonal communication, including, but not limited to, communication methods known as texting, e-mailing, and instant messaging. As used in this section, the term “wireless communications device” means any device that is designed or intended to receive or transmit text or character-based messages, access or store data, or connect to the Internet or any communications service as defined in s. 812.15 and that allows text communications. A motor vehicle that is legally parked is not being operated and is not subject to the prohibition in this paragraph.

The bill exempts government employees for doing these things in the performance of their official duties. It also has a number of exemptions such as “Conducting wireless interpersonal communication that does not require reading text messages, except to activate, deactivate, or initiate a feature or function.” These exemptions make the legislation both impossible to enforce and difficult to understand by citizens.

The bill is not about reducing distractions it is about control and expanding government intrusion into one of the last bastions of individual privacy – our vehicles.

Vehicles, like homes, in Florida are subject to the castle doctrine. In Florida a person’s home and vehicle are considered sacrosanct and may be defended. Florida statute defines “vehicle” as a conveyance of any kind, whether or not motorized, which is designed to transport people or property.” Is this legislation a back door method of weakening the castle doctrine?

The more government intrudes into our castles, the more control it has over our personal lives.

What behaviors will be added to future iterations of this legislation should it be passed? While driving is a child in the back seat, a women putting on makeup or a passenger texting distractions? Will medical conditions, like dementia, be characterized as a distraction? Vehicles are becoming more sophisticated and in some cases turning into home entertainment centers complete with high speed internet connections, movie screens and surround sound. People are capable of multi-tasking. If a person has an accident, what ever the cause, it is bad and that person will pay for their negligence. That is how it works.

Laws against distraction are a distraction. Florida has many more pressing issues to deal with than this.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Morality cannot be legislated but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.” Would Dr. King define texting as heartless or just a distraction?

UPDATE: Black Friday For Israel (Video and Photos Added)

November 23, 2012/in Featured, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

It is Black Friday, November 23, 2012. While many are going shopping a group of Floridians will be gathering at 3:00 p.m. EST in Sarasota for the Solidarity Demonstration for Israel.

Among them will be Pastor Paul Scheele. Pastor Paul, Senior Pastor at Congregational United Church of Christ, has been serving congregations for over 30 years, the last 10 years in Bradenton. Florida. He was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and left there in 1960 to enroll in the U.S. Navel Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. While at the Navel Academy, Pastor Paul felt a powerful call to Christian Ministry and transferred to Lakeland College, a church related school in Wisconsin.

Pastor Scheele gave WDW an exclusive interview explaining why he supports Israel:

The Solidarity sponsor is the Sarasota/Manatee Jewish Federation (JFED). According to the JFED website, “Israel, like any other country in the world, has the right to self-defense in light of rocket attacks aimed at harming and killing innocent civilians in their homes, schools and hospitals.”

“For most of us, red is the color of roses, but for almost 13 years, Color Red is the code for danger for more than one million Israelis living near the Gaza Strip. It means you have 15 seconds to find a secure location before missiles hit”, notes the JFED Israel Advocacy website.

Howard Tevlowitz, Executive Director of the JFED, stated in a recent email, “As most of us sleep soundly in our beds in Sarasota, Bradenton, Longboat Key, Venice, Northport and Siesta Key – millions of Israelis are now regularly passing the hours of darkness in fear.”

Tevlowitz wrote, “If Hamas has the best interests of the Palestinian people at heart, why do they engage in terrorism that is only counterproductive to peace? The answer is simple. Hamas targets Israel because it refuses to accept Israel’s existence as the democratic nation state of the Jewish people.”

UPDATE: The crowd at the Solidarity event was estimated at 500 people. Below are photos taken at the event. There were no counter protesters and the event was held peacefully and without incident. Attendees were of all faith, secular, all races and from all political parties.

View from stage.

View from back at the rally facing the stage

Supporters with signs

The JFED provided the below graphic to emphasize how vulnerable Israel is to rocket attack:

Click on map for larger view

Tevlowitz concludes by stating, “No government should, or would, tolerate a situation where nearly a fifth of its people – over one million – live under a constant threat of fire, including Israel. Just like any other country, Israel has the inalienable right — indeed the obligation — to defend its citizens from attack. Yet, inexplicably, some still question it.”

Exclusive interviews with SE Florida residents courtesy of METV and the JFED:

Gaza Déjà Vu

November 23, 2012/in News/by Dr. Rich Swier

While everyone welcomes a cease fire between Hamas in Gaza and the Israelis, no one should expect it to last very long or that relations between the two will change. In point of fact, the Israelis struck a bargain with terrorists, not a nation-state.

Reflecting on the cease fire, David Singer, a lawyer, noted that “The document is not an Agreement, but merely an Understanding” and that “the parties to the Understanding are not specifically identified, nor has the document been signed by any parties that are supposed to be bound by the Understanding.” At best, the “Palestinian factions” who have the greatest interest in attacking Israel are not a party to the cease fire, nor is al Qaeda or Iran for whom Hamas is a proxy in Gaza as Hezbollah is one in Lebanon.

Israel has merely bought some time in which to determine what it will do next. Time is running out, not just in Gaza, but with regard to Iran’s nuclear program, deemed by observers to be mere months from being able to put a nuclear warhead on a missile and send it hurtling toward Israel to kill millions of its citizens and essentially destroying it as a viable nation.

If there is any good news out of the recent conflict, it is that its “iron Dome” defense system against rockets worked remarkably well. The bad news is that its enemies have learned that it can be overwhelmed if enough rockets are fired at the same time. Moreover, Iranian rockets have the capacity to hit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Daniel Pipes of the Middle East Forum had some reflections on the Hamas-Israel hostilities, noting that “The old Arab-Israeli wars were military clashes; the recent ones are political clashes. The wars of 1948-49, 1967, and 1973 were life-and-death struggles for the Jewish state. But the wars of 2006, 2008-09, and now 2012 are media events in which Israeli victory on the military battlefield is foreordained and the struggle is to win public opinion.”

In the U.S. evangelical Christians are the largest group of supporters for Israel. Among those with far less sympathy for Israel are a significant percentage of Democrats and the first term of the Obama administration made it clear that the President is no friend to Israel. At one point he called for a return to the 1967 borders and opposed housing construction in Jerusalem. Dispatching Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to engineer a cease fire ensured that the U.S. would not be drawn into the conflict.

Many have expressed surprise that Egypt would take a significant role as a mediator, but few missed the fact that the U.S. was in a position to withhold $1.5 billion in foreign aid to Egypt whose economy is in serious trouble. Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s president has been traveling far and wide in the Middle East to secure aid, including from the Saudis, a leader of the Sunni majority of Islam, and always the hidden hand influencing events in the region, as well as the nation most fearful of the Shiite nation Iran.

Morsi has been walking the thin edge of a sword and a November 21 New York Times article spelled It out:

”Both sides in the conflict appear to be testing Egypt’s new leader. Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, is wondering how much support it may draw from its ideological cousins now that they control the Egyptian state, while Israel’s hawkish leadership seem to probe the depth of Mr. Morsi’s stated commitment to the peace treaty as well.”

“For Mr. Morsi, the test is forcing him to reconcile conflicting elements of his own persona: as the Islamist firebrand who has denounced the Israelis as ‘vampires’ for killing Palestinian civilians and lauded Hamas for resisting an illegal occupation, but also as the newly elected president promising stability, economic revival and friendly relations with Israel’s Western allies.”

Despite the Times reference to “an illegal occupation”, the fact is that Israel withdrew from Gaza in a “land for peace” effort that has clearly failed. Israel does not illegally occupy land that is rooted in the millennia of its existance.

Dr. Pipes reflected on the timing of Hamas’s ramping up of rocket attacks on Israel that had been going on for months. He conjectured that the last attacks were to “test the waters in the aftermath of Barack Obama’s reelection”, to “rouse public opinion against Israel and make it pay a price internationally”, “refute accusations by Palestinian Islamic Jihad that it has abandoned resistance”, and remind the Palestinian Authority, as it seeks statehood at the United Nations, who controls Gaza.”

The effort of Fatah, based in the West Bank after having been driven out of Gaza, to secure statehood went nowhere in the U.N. Indeed, the so-called Palestinians have never had anything but rhetorical support and have been dependent on a U.N. refugee agency for actual support. They constitute the oldest unresolved refugee population in the world.

In August 2010, The New York Times reported on a survey by Al Arabiya television network in which “a staggering 71 percent of the Arabic respondents have no interest in Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.”

It noted that “For example, it was common knowledge that the May 1948 pan-Arab invasion of the nascent state of Israel was more a scramble for Palestinian territory than a fight for Palestinian national rights” and that “from 1948 to 1967, when Egypt and Jordan ruled the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Arab states failed to put these populations on the road to statehood.”

So, yes, while it’s a good thing that the rockets are not flying, the “Iron Dome” proved successful, and the Israeli Air Force was able to kill some of the militant leadership and degrade its arsenal and ability to proceed to some degree, the current cease fire is a largely meaningless “understanding.”
What remains to be understood is the unremitting hostility to Israel that exists throughout the Middle East and globally where anti-Semitism has existed for centuries. The Israelis have merely bought some time until the next attacks.

The wild card remains Israel’s need to attack Iran’s nuclear and military facilities. Only by inflicting major damage will Israel have any chance of survival. Long a nuclear nation, Israel must stop Iran from becoming one.

IDF Soldiers spell out Netanyahu as a ‘loser’ for not using ground forces in Gaza

November 22, 2012/in Featured, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

According to the Times of Israel, “The IDF Spokesman’s Office said Thursday it was looking into a photograph circulating widely on Facebook in which 16 IDF soldiers arranged their uniformed bodies on the sand, to spell out the Hebrew words “Bibi loser” — in a deft physical critique of Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu’s failure to send ground troops into Gaza during the just-ended Operation Pillar of Defense.” READ MORE…

The following was received by WDW from the Israeli Consul General in Miami:

Consul General Chaim Shacham

Main Message: Operation “Pillar of Defense” has improved the security of the State of Israel and the safety of its citizens. It has demonstrated the determination of Israel to defend its civilians against terrorist attack, while doing its utmost to avoid harm to the civilians of Gaza behind whom the terrorists were hiding.

Detailed Points:

1. Quiet will be answered with quite. If the quite is violated, Israel will respond with appropriate force. The understanding achieved is that the fire will be ceased as of 2100 (2PM EDT) and after 24 hours of calm, issues of concern to the parties can be discussed (though not directly).

2. The military operation was carried out according to plan and achieved many significant objectives: senior terrorist commanders were killed and most of the missiles aimed at the center of the country were disabled, as well as thousands of shorter range rockets.

3. The international community has expressed full support for Israel’s right to defend itself. Israel was able to put together an international coalition against Hamas, much like the international coalition formed against Iran.

4. Israel thanks the US for its support of the operation and the Iron Dome system, as well as its willingness to help prevent future arms smuggling into Gaza.

5. Israel also welcomes the contribution of Egypt to stopping rocket attacks against its civilians

6. Iron Dome has proven to be a strategic asset – it says lives strengthens the home front and reduces the enemy’s motivation to attack.

7. Israeli citizens demonstrated remarkable resilience.

8. As seen in the past, it may take time for the cease-fire to take hold.

9. The operation has provided leverage in the struggle against Iran, which has armed, financed and trained the terrorist organizations in Gaza.

10. Intelligence has shown that Hamas was surprised by the intensity of the reaction, and has regretted precipitating an Israeli reaction. It has lost the head of its military wing, its long-range missiles and much of its arsenal

11. Israel has re-established deterrence, and demonstrated to a turbulent region that it will not shy away from take action against threats to its citizens.

Consulate General of Israel to Florida & Puerto Rico

Chaim Shacham
Consul General
www.consulateisrael.com

Floridians brace for 5.21% Federal Tax Increase in 2013

November 22, 2012/in Economy, Must Read, News, Taxes/by Dr. Rich Swier

The Tax Foundation released its report “How Would the Fiscal Cliff Affect Typical Families in Each State?” According to the report author Nick Kasprak, “”With the election behind it, the 112th Congress has a couple of months during the lame duck session to turn its attention to pressing fiscal issues. Large changes to both taxes and spending are scheduled to take place at the end of the year unless Congress acts. On the tax side, the biggest potential change is the expiration of all Bush-era and Obama tax cuts.”

Kasprak notes, “Additionally, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) has yet to be patched for the current tax year, let alone next. Congress could pass a retroactive patch (which it has done in the past) that would apply to the current year as well as next year; however, if it does not, the AMT exemption level would revert to what it was twelve years ago, and certain credits (such as the Child Tax Credit) would no longer be allowed against AMT liability. If this were to happen, millions of middle-class taxpayers could see a substantial tax increase, which for some could be even larger than the change from the end of the Bush-era tax cuts.”

“Finally, the 2% temporary cut to employee-side social security payroll taxes is also scheduled to expire at the end of this year—a potential third tax increase that would affect the vast majority of taxpayers,” notes the report.

To illustrate the potential impact on typical families, we have used Census and IRS data to estimate income and deductions for the median two-child family in each of the fifty states. The Tax Foundation ran returns through its online tax calculator under two scenarios—2011 tax law (chosen because it is the latest year that an AMT patch was in effect), and 2013 law, assuming all Bush-era and Obama tax cuts expire and AMT remains un-patched. Here is how Floridians will be impacted:

Median Household Income for Four-Person Family (2011): $63,937
Total Itemized Deductions: $9,452*
AMT Disallowed Deductions: $1,770
AMT Allowed Deductions: $7,682
Tax Increase, 2011 to 2013: $3,331
From Child Tax Credit: $1,000**
From Other Bush Tax Cuts and Extenders:$1,052
From AMT: $0
From Payroll Tax: $1,279
Tax Increase as % of Income: 5.21%
Rank: 19

*Family would take the standard deduction in 2011 and also under 2013 current law

**Includes amounts from AMT changes that would prevent taking the credit against it. The amount purely from the Bush-era tax changes to the child tax credit is $1,000 for every state.

To calculate your personal tax increase please click here to use the Tax Foundations online tax calculator.

Click on map for larger view

Kasprak concludes. “While there are exceptions, the general pattern is median families in high-income and low-income states are more affected than those in middle-income states. Higher income families would be disproportionately affected by the imminent AMT changes—particularly those that owe higher than average state income tax, which is deductible under the ordinary tax system but not the AMT.”

The reports states, “At the opposite end, low-income states are disproportionately affected because three tax increases from the end of the Bush-era tax cuts—the reduction in the child tax credit, the elimination of the 10% bracket, and the reduced standard deduction for married filers—represent fixed increases that do not depend on income.”

Kasprak says, “Therefore, these increases, as a percentage of income, are largest for lower-income families.”

UPDATE: Below chart courtesy of CNN Money:

AP: FIGURES ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND DEBT – November 21, 2012

Allen West Concedes

November 20, 2012/in Hot Topics, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

Allen West released the following statement this morning:

For two weeks since Election Day, we have been working to ensure every vote is counted accurately and fairly. We have made progress towards that goal, thanks to the dedication of our supporters and their unrelenting efforts to protect the integrity of the democratic process. While many questions remain unanswered, today I am announcing that I will take no further action to contest the outcome of this election.

While there are certainly still inaccuracies in the results and the actions of the St. Lucie County and Palm Beach County Supervisors of Elections rightly raise questions in my mind and for many voters, after much analysis and yesterday’s recount in St. Lucie County, our legal team does not believe there are enough over-counted, under-counted or fraudulent votes to change the outcome of the election.

While a contest of the election results might have changed the vote totals, we do not have evidence that the outcome would change. Given the extremely high evidentiary hurdles involved in a successful challenge, I will not ask my generous supporters to help fund a drawn-out, expensive legal effort with little chance of success. Therefore, we will not contest the certification or challenge the seating of Congressman-Elect Murphy.

Serving the people in the House of Representatives has been among the highest honors of my life, but this seat does not belong to me, or for that matter, to any individual. It belongs to the people. I want to congratulate my opponent, Patrick Murphy, as the new Congressman from 18th Congressional District. I pray he will serve his constituents with honor and integrity, and put the interests of our nation before his own.

I must thank my wife Angela, and my daughters Aubrey and Austen for their support, patience, understanding and most of all, love. These are three of the toughest women I know. They have sent me off to defend our nation overseas at war and to Capitol Hill to serve our nation in the House of Representatives. They have all handled the challenges of these last few months, and the last many years, with amazing grace. I know they will be my side for whatever is our next chapter.

I must also thank my congressional and campaign staff for their service, and most importantly, I must thank you and our other tremendous supporters who provided their time and money to power our campaign. I am humbled by the dedication and perseverance of our supporters, and their commitment to a free and prosperous America. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done for our campaign, but most importantly, what they have done, and will continue to do for our country. None of us should let the outcome discourage us. We should only redouble our resolve.

Above all, I want to thank God for his blessings, and for blessing me with the opportunity to serve.

Only God knows what is in store for each of us. I have dedicated my life to serving this nation, and the results of this election will not change my purpose. Just as I did in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, just as I did on Capitol Hill, I will continue to fight for our Republic.

Our nation will not overcome our challenges overnight ,and the road ahead for each one of us will not be easy. But this nation would never have become that shining beacon of light if our founders had chosen the easy path 236 years ago. We all must proudly continue their legacy.

God bless you and God bless these United States of America.

Steadfast and Loyal,

Allen B. West

Petraeus asked socialite to stop Florida radio host planning to “deep fat fry” the Qur’an

November 18, 2012/in Featured, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

Courtesy of Jihad Watch:

Bubba the Love Sponge

Petraeus and Allen knew that if this happened, Muslims in Afghanistan and elsewhere would like start rioting and killing innocent people. And rather than stand up and say that it was madness to rampage and kill over a stunt by a man named Bubba the Love Sponge (or anyone else), they tried instead to stop the stunt from happening.

Petraeus and Allen thereby reinforced (yet again) the principle that violent intimidation and terrorism work, signaling to Islamic supremacists and jihadists that if they were willing to kill people to shut Americans up, rather than stand up for the freedom of expression they would work to shut Americans up as well.

“Petraeus asked socialite to avert anti-Islam stunt,” from AFP, November 17:

WASHINGTON — A Florida socialite at the heart of a scandal that brought down the CIA chief was once asked by him to stop a radio talk show host who was threatening to “deep fat fry” the Koran, US media reported early on Saturday.
That account, which comes from emails sent by socialite Jill Kelley, offers a new glimpse at her relationship with Petraeus and other senior military officials.

In March, a Florida radio talk show host named Todd Alan Clem but known as Bubba the Love Sponge said he was going to “deep fat fry” a copy of the Koran as a stunt, the reports said.

Gen. John Allen, commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, and CIA director David Petraeus, both asked Kelley, who lives in Tampa, to try to intervene and stop the radio host by contacting the city’s mayor, Bob Buckhorn.

“I have Petraeus and Allen both emailing me about getting this dealt with,” Kelley wrote to the mayor, according to NBC News.

The generals saw the “Bubba” announcement as a potential threat to the safety of US troops stationed in Islamic countries.

Defacing the Koran is forbidden in Islam and in the past plans to burn the Muslim holy book by a controversial Christian pastor in Florida sparked deadly protests across the Muslim world….

According to Examiner.com:

The Tampa based radio host and long time Howard Stern Show bro was named in a newly released series of emails between General David Petraeus’ scandal figure Jill Kelley and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. Kelley and Buckhorn exchanged emails about Bubba the Love Sponge in March 2012 after BTLS threatened to deep fat fry a Koran on air.

According to the emails, both Petraeus and General John Allen contacted Mayor Buckhorn directly asking him to intervene and stop the stunt for fear that U.S. troops could be endangered. Buckhorn turned to Kelley, a “Tampa socialite” who has experience smoothing over sticky situations, for help.

RELATED COLUMNS:

Islam indoctrination in U.S. textbooks

Petraeus’ Jill Kelley has history with Bubba the Love Sponge

SLEEPLESS SABBATH OVER THE SKY’S OF ISRAEL

November 18, 2012/in Must Read, National Security, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

Updates from Israel courtesy of Marc Kahlberg, Founder and Owner of MK International Security Consulting:

The Israel Air Force confirmed that they have surgically removed 85 terror targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Friday, putting a stop to the quiet usually heard in Israel over the Jewish Sabbath.

The “Code Red” early warning rocket alarm system is almost continuous in multiple communities throughout the South of Israel and many Israeli’s have opted to either move north or simply stay in sheltered areas.

Over and above the roar of Israeli air force jets throughout Friday night, the “Code Red” early warning rocket alarm system is fast becoming familiar in larger cities as far as Tel Aviv, Rishon Le Zion and Jerusalem.

An early Saturday morning barrage of Kassam rockets were fired at Sderot from the Gaza Strip Saturday morning, creating more trauma for those who are unfortunately already used to the terror attacks against them.

“Code Red” early warning rocket alarm system was sounded early Saturday morning in Beersheba jolting the city with extremely loud blasts and prompting a call from my eldest son who lives in the area; telling me that it was too close for comfort. Like others in the area he refuses to leave his home saying that this would amount to “giving in to Palestinian terror”.

Hamas deputy leader Abu Marzouq on Friday rejected the possibility of a ceasefire with Israel, according to Palestinian news agency Ma’an, saying “there are many calls for a truce but it will not be soon.” Terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula also launched rockets into Israel Friday night. The rockets fell near an Israeli village on the southern border, causing some damage, but no injuries.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed to the Palestinian news agency Ma’an Friday that the terror group had dismissed overtures from “several mediators” offering to broker an end to hostilities. Referring to the new Egyptian government, Yousef said that “The rules of the game have changed now. Things are different.”

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama called Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Friday to commend the country’s efforts to help calm the situation in Israel and Gaza and underscored his hope of restoring stability there, the White House said. Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, on a brief visit to the Gaza Strip on Friday, denounced Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian territory as aggression.

President Obama’s words where drowned and somewhat contradicted earlier Friday when Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kandil visited the Gaza Strip; (And despite Israel having agreed to a ceasefire during Kandil’s approximately three hour visit, dozens of Palestinian rockets rained down on the South of Israel while the Egyptian prime minister was still in Gaza) –

The Egyptian President Morsi then went on national Egyptian TV while visiting a Mosque in Cairo and warned Israel that “Israel would pay dearly and Egypt would not accept the Israeli aggression”: What he seemed to forget to say was that the Muslim Brotherhood of which he and his government lead in Egypt are funding and supporting the Hamas who are in fact an offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood. He also conveniently seemed to miss the fact that only this year over 1200 terror attacks have been launched at Israel from Gaza.

The Israeli cabinet approved Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s request for 75,000 reserve troops in preparation for a possible ground operation in Gaza.

The IDF said on Friday it was closing to civilian traffic three roads that lead to, or border the Gaza Strip, in an indication of a probable military build-up in the area.

In reports from several Israeli media sources, government officials have made it clear that this defensive Israeli mission should be a clear cut message to the Hezbollah and rebels in Syria that Israel will not tolerate any further aggression against Israeli civilians.

The Hamas has systematically fired over 12,000 rockets and missiles at the soft underbelly of Israeli citizens for the past 12 years and Israel’s patience has now worn thin. It should also be noted that the Muslim Brotherhood backed Hamas is also now supported by Iran and the Fajr -5 long range missile which is being fired towards Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This shows Iran’s intentions of provoking Israel and placing over 3.5 million Israeli’s at risk.

As I write this post there are Code Red sirens in several Israeli cities and towns and Israeli air force activity heard overhead.

The Hamas terror leader Ismael Hania in Gaza has also announced that the IDF bombing of the Hamas headquarters overnight will ” spark a response not seen in Israel before and the Hamas is stronger than ever”.

In a report just released by the IDF it has become clear that Iran has established a front line base in Gaza using the Hamas and other Islamic terror groups as they use the Hezbollah in Lebanon and perhaps the rebel troops that are close to Israel’s border with Syria.

The IDF has said that that they are determined to continue targeting sites that are used to carry out terror attacks against Israeli citizens.

As commendation and praise should be extended to the IDF and Israeli government for a brilliant intelligence motivated operation which has enabled the IDF to surgically pin point and target only terror related facilities and sites, many Israeli’s are hoping that this will not be “cosmetic” surgery but surgery that will put an end to the terror for years to come.

SURGICAL STRIKES – COSMETIC SOLUTION??

In an un-thought-of Muslim Brotherhood scenario, the Egyptian leader, Morsi has found himself brokering a peace deal between the terror faction of the Brotherhood, Hamas.

This comes as Red alert warning sirens signaling rocket attacks sounded in the Sdot Negev and Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council areas of Israel on Sunday morning.

It was not immediately clear where the rockets fell. No injuries or damage have been reported.

The sirens, which rang out just after 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning marked the first rocket activity since just after midnight.

While people all over the world are now protesting Israel’s decision to defend itself there is little or no reporting of the genocide that is taking place in Syria. Over 180 people were killed in Syria Saturday and the death toll there stands at over 35,000 with another 25, 000 missing and tens of thousands living in tents in other countries.

The IDF has struck more than 1,000 terror targets in the Gaza Strip since Operation Pillar of Defense began on Wednesday, air strikes and attacks from naval gunships continued overnight Saturday, with Israeli forces hitting dozens of targets reducing greatly the terrorists capabilities to fire at Israel.

All of this with minimum civilian casualties in the densely populated Gaza Strip where terror groups fire from homes, outside schools and hospitals and from areas surrounding foreign journalists hotels.

In a familiar round of not only “ping pong” tactics by the terrorists in Gaza and the IDF, only on a much larger scale, there is also a new round of “ping pong” political tactics going on between Israel and the United States President.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu assured US President Barack Obama on Friday that he does not plan to launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip unless Hamas escalates its rocket war, an America publication reported Saturday, citing two US officials briefed on the call.

The Israeli leadership at this point is leaning against a ground invasion which is politically clever but tactically a disaster all over again. With the Israeli elections scheduled for January, there is no doubt that political maneuvering is now the priority with Israel’s southern region only a distant second priority.

While no Israeli’s want a ground offensive into Gaza which will surely put lives at risk and escalate the casualties on both sides, Israeli’s feel that once again the “job” of thwarting the terror organizations capabilities and abilities to fire at will against Israeli soft targets is not complete and in only a matter of months the attacks will continue.

On another note Netanyahu has refused to give assurances that Israel would not unilaterally attack the Islamic Republic of Iran and the “softening up” of the Hamas, who have of late been the recipients of Iranian military generosity in the form of financial aid and long range missiles threatening Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, may be the first phase of a more complicated plan of action against an Iran, who is close to having a nuclear weapons capability which will be used against Israel as are their missiles.

In other related news that is not being openly reported globally, gunfire was directed at an IDF force near the border fence with Syria on Saturday night.

An IDF vehicle was damaged by bullets and an IDF artillery battery opened fire at the source of the fire. It seems that the fire may be deliberate and an attempt at “testing” the IDF reaction.

There are also reports that Hezbollah fighters have been seen training and carrying out maneuvers near a very sensitive Syrian chemical weapons depot which if correct must indeed provoke serious concern for the Israeli decision makers.

Congress Forces Israel to Negotiate With Terrorists

November 18, 2012/in Must Read, News, Opinion, Policy/by Dr. Rich Swier

Editor’s Note: I was a member of a Presidential committee that created the national security policy under President Reagan that the United States would not negotiate with terrorists. This lead to the Iran-Contra Affair where Congress accused the Reagan administration of trading arms for hostages held by terrorists in Lebanon.

This op-ed column was sent to me by Stanley Zir, author and creator of the NeverAgainIsNow.net website. Given events taking place in Israel and the Middle East it is worthy of consideration. The op-ed column is posted with the permission of the Mr. Zir:

House Votes Israel Negotiate with Terrorists

Introduction

This op-ed was written on July 16, 2011 exclusively for the membership at NAIN It was never published. We have wasted the last four years ignoring the fact that Congress like President Obama embraces a foreign policy towards Israel that gives equal consideration to terrorists. As a result the whole Islamic world now feels free to attack Israel with impunity, for they no longer fear America’s resolve. Even Iraq has joined this deadly exposition.

I am presenting this article, one among many I’ve written, about the Israel Palestinian dispute, because I refuse to spend another four years pontificating about the actions we must take to end this conflict, which is self – evident. . Liberty did not survived for over 200 years based on compromise with tyranny and fascism

Essay

It matters not that terrorists recognize Israel; it matters greatly that America never recognize terrorists. Members of Congress: How is it that you would take the liberty to curry support for an initiative that would require Israel to negotiate with people who elect and/or support terrorist organizations and agendas – based on promises signed on worthless pieces of paper – promises that you, yourselves, would never have the American people sign on to?

How can I, as an American, observe these acts of cowardice and betrayal? Am I supposed to sit here and watch everything our nation has stood for and fought against for more than 233 years be dishonored, desecrated, and defiled?

America: Israel is being consumed by the lie that the PLO and Fatah are partners for peace, when in fact they are known terrorists. It is our leaders who distorted the truth, insisting that reconciliation with the Islamic world through the establishment of a Palestine would ensure Israel’s safety, our economic security and prevent a third world war. Because of their absurd miscalculation, the whole world continues to turn a blind eye to the reality that peace cannot be achieved with populations who openly give their allegiance to religious tyrannical edicts.

As a result of their misstep, even as Israel, America’s greatest ally, faces the threat of Iranian nuclear attack and an imposed suicidal two-state FINAL solution, Congress still tries to convince us that America can avoid conflict and achieve peace with people who are willing to die to end our freedoms.

The representatives who signed the non-binding resolution ( H.RES.268) on July 7th, knowingly or not, embraced that position. Like President Obama, they have become nothing more than false prophets of peace, thus posing a far greater threat to Israel’s existence than we had ever envisioned

DAY OF BETRAYAL

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, July 7, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to reject a Palestinian pursuit of statehood through the UN with a non-binding resolution (H.RES.268). It also recommended the Obama administration consider suspending aid to the Palestinian Authority because of their alliance with Hamas, which is on the US State Department’s terrorist list

The resolution said the goal was two states, “a democratic Jewish State of Israel and a viable, democratic Palestinian state, living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition.” Republicans and Democrats alike signaled their strong support for Israel and a resumption of direct negotiations.

Who could argue with a resolution so artfully crafted, appearing to meet all the criteria to secure the safety of Israel and bring peace between two peoples?

But for one critical oversight, they might have succeeded in their good-faith exercise. With whom was Congress asking Israel to begin negotiations? A Fatah-Hamas terrorist alliance? Or one with Fatah who revealed they are part of a terrorist initiative? Is there yet another terrorist alliance they overlooked that would be more suited to “guarantee” peace through negotiations?

The reality is, Congress’s call for a resumption of direct negotiations with the Palestinians and Obama’s G8 resolution are cut from the same cloth – both place Israel in a most indefensible position, insisting she negotiate with terrorists. D

What the Jewish people require from Congress is a Binding Agreement that demands that peace pacts with nations that embrace hatred of the Jews and the destruction of Israel be rebuked – and further demands that America’s allies unite in opposition to all who sanction the insidious belief that terrorists, fascists and Israel are equal partners for peace.

The non-binding agreement that Congress proposed was nothing more than the proverbial crumb to AIPAC and supporters, to provide the semblance of sincerity while diminishing the audience’s fervor and vigilance needed to maintain Israel’s security. And the audience was duped again; Israel’s borders were to be squandered.

Whether it’s Hamas or Fatah, whether you label them religious terrorists or secular moderates, the DNA of hate and destruction is what binds both political parties to a common objective – their determination to create another terrorist Islamic state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The attacks that Israel is facing from her enemies today are in essence no different than those America faced from Japan and Germany during World War II, which were for the sole purpose of conquest and subjugation of the human spirit.

In Japan, acts of suicidal bombers appeared under the dictates of a religious totalitarian government. The rise of absolute power in the name of the Sacred was a cancer that consumed the Japanese and filled them with hatred and disdain for other people’s beliefs – thus resulting in some of the most egregious acts of torture and terrorism ever inflicted on humans.

Like the Japanese of that era, controlled by their emperor, the Palestinians of today, under the influence of imams, still do not give a second thought to committing similar atrocities against innocents, and like Japan, it will only take a force — more powerful than the tyrannical god they now worship that can convert them to civilized behavior — to end their reign of terror.

The time for America’s bending to the will of oil extortionists and bowing to their tribal chieftains must stop! Free people cannot serve two masters. As the champions of freedom’s cause, America must support the Sovereign State of Israel’s right to declare an Act of War against any group, people, or nation who actively pursues the destruction of the Jewish State, a right reserved for all sovereign nations.

Congress must stand up now. Israel can no longer wait – the time has come to evict the Arab-Palestinian terrorists and end their occupation of the land they use to launch attacks against Israel. The time has come to end any hope of the PLO, Fatah, or any other terrorist affiliates have of making Judea and Samaria their homeland.

So that there’s no longer any doubt in any nation in this world about the actions Israel must take to protect her sovereignty, so that there’s no longer any confusion among the Jewish People that sanctions can provide a viable solution to end the Iranian threat, in the name of the Holocaust victims as representatives of the Jewish People here and around the world, “We, the Living,” have a moral obligation to speak out for Jews in need and/or in peril. Ours must be a unified voice of compassion and justice. It must be an unequivocal voice of strength, reason and protection against the “two-state FINAL solution” that would lead to the destruction of the Jewish State from within, and a mighty call for Israel to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure now.

When facing the lethal combination of terrorism and tyranny, WAR, not negotiations, is the only agent of peace. Withdraw your support from those who lack the moral courage to act. The window of opportunity is small. Only with a unified voice and one purpose of mind, can we and will we be victorious.

Benghazi: A combination of “24”, “The Expendables” and “Sex in the City”

November 17, 2012/in Must Read, National Security, News/by Dr. Rich Swier

The media frenzy has now reached a fever pitch sparked by initial reports on Benghazi from bloggers (a.k.a. the alternate media). As more and more details become known there is the air of a Hollywood script combining the hits “24”, “The Expendables” and “Sex in the City”. Elements of each could be made into a new feature movie titled “The 24 Hours of Expendable Sex in the City of Tampa”. Truth is in fact stranger, and more sell-able, than fiction.

One story that has not gotten media attention is the ever growing number of changes made to senior military leaders since September 11, 2012.

One reporter who has taken this on is Ben Swann, prime-time anchor at WXIX Fox 19 in Cincinnati and writer, host and producer of Reality Check. Ben posted an investigative report video titled “Petraeus, Allen, Gaouette, Ham: The Benghazi Story The Media Isn’t Telling You” on his Facebook page. Swann reports on how three general officers and one admiral have been either fired or are under investigation since the Benghazi incident (sort of like the Oxbow Incident?).

Watch Ben Swann’s investigative report:

The Benghazi incident has all the elements of “24” in that the national command authority knew there were security issues in Libya well before the attack on 9/11/2012 yet its actions or inaction led to the deaths of four Americans including Ambassador Stevens who were “The Expendables”. Finally, we learn about “Sex in the City” of Tampa, Florida involving two women and two general officers.

Does it get any better than this?

Photos provided by Frances and Peter Rice taken of the Tampa home of Jill Kelly surrounded by the media: