Mainstream: Girls with Guns in America

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Guns are no longer something icky you have to keep secret from your neighbors. They’re mainstream. – Iain Harrison, Editor of RECOIL Magazine.

Harrison writes, “During this past year we gun owners as a community have weathered one of the most serious threats to our proud heritage and way of life since the early ’90s. And we came out on top. Despite throwing enormous amounts of money and influence into passing firearms laws that would have done nothing apart from inconvenience the law-abiding, for the most part anti-gun politicians came away with the square root of bugger all to show for it.”

“The reasons for that are numerous, but one key difference between the Clinton era and the landscape today is that, in most of the nation, guns are no longer something icky you have to keep secret from your neighbors. They’re mainstream. When something becomes mainstream, it’s much harder to demonize,” notes Harrison.

I believe one of the major reasons gun ownership has become mainstream is because of American women. More women are buying, shooting and training to defend themselves with firearms. RECOIL Magazine has an entire section of their website titled “Girls with Guns“. If you Google the words “girls with guns” you will get 155 million links.

American women and men alike are now enjoying the camaraderie and friendships made at local shooting ranges.

I visit my local gun shop on a regular basis and recently met women there looking to purchase weapons for self-defense. This can be pepper spray guns to pistols, automatics, rifles and shotguns. One woman came in who lived in a minority neighborhood and I struck up a conversation with her. This wonderful black woman was there to purchase a handgun. I asked her what kind, sensing this was her first time in a gun shop. She said, “I don’t really know. Whatever my money can buy. I am really thinking of a .357 magnum.” I asked her why? She responded that she had lived in her minority neighborhood most of her life and for the first time she did not feel safe and wanted to protect herself. God bless her and the Second Amendment.

Women like Morgan Reese from Texas are outspoken about their love of guns and support for the Second Amendment. Morgan is pictured above in the featured photo for this column. Morgan reads books like American Sniper by Chris Kyle and Fearless by Eric Blehm. She is an American patriot and helping the cause in whatever way she can. Morgan was featured in RECOIL Magazine Issue #11.

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote:

“I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within it, nowhere does she enjoy a higher station. And if anyone asks me what I think the chief cause of the extraordinary prosperity and growing power of this nation, I should answer that it is due to the superiority of their women.”

Tocqueville once observed that it is easier for the world to accept a simple lie than a complex truth. The simple lie is guns are icky. The complex truth is men and women are buying guns is large numbers and guns are now mainstream.

One of the videos featured on the RECOIL website is the 2014 Magpul Calendar Shoot:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/gdK0y013mBc[/youtube]

Hey guys and girls, if this video does not get you down to your local gun shop I don’t know what will. Guys, girls, guns, motorcycles and fast cars. What else is there in life?

RELATED STORIES:

GUNS ON THE RISE: Federal Government’s Automated Weapon Registration System Swamped by Surge in Registration and Transfer of National Firearms Act Covered Weapons

Girls Just Wanna Have Guns: Gun Permits for Indiana Women Up 42%

Glenn Beck hammers national “toxic political system”

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Pitchfork Patriots reports, “Glenn Beck skewered the GOP while delivering the keynote address at a local Texas GOP’s Reagan Day dinner, contending the Republican Party hasn’t demonstrated through action that it actually believes the principles it espouses.”

“He then likened the current situation in Washington, D.C. to the nuclear disaster that occurred decades ago at Chernobyl in the Ukraine. Beck offered the solution he said was employed to end that catastrophe as a way to repair our toxic political system,” notes Pitchfork Patriots.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/k9uOtYGLhHo[/youtube]

Pitchfork Patriots writes:

Beck previously warned Republicans that if they embrace establishment politicians such as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), the party would eventually cease to exist.

“If the GOP wants to not just win, if the GOP expects to survive — if you embrace John McCain and John Boehner it will not happen,” he said. “If you embrace the Mike Lees and the Ted Cruzes, you win big time.”

Read more.

CBO says 2 million will lose jobs because of Obamacare and your government thinks that’s great news

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This week I’m in Washington DC and maybe you didn’t hear about it, but there was an earthquake here yesterday. It wasn’t a physical disaster but a political one and the epicenter was the White House.

Yesterday the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released a report stating that Obamacare will cause some 2 million Americans to lose their jobs. According to a report by Stephen Dinan of the Washington Times,

Obamacare will push the equivalent of about 2 million workers out of the labor market by 2017 as employees decide either to work fewer hours or drop out of the job market altogether, according to estimates released Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office.

The analysis set off a furious debate in Washington. The White House argued that the reduction is positive because it means Americans will forgo jobs or extra work to stay home with their children or strike out on their own as entrepreneurs.

Thanks to our friends at C-SPAN, you can view the video here.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/keKo6JyUxGM[/youtube]

This administration has more spin than a Maytag and endless weak stories to cover lies. But yesterday, watching Obama’s Chairman of his Economic Council try to explain it’s a good thing to lose your job or work less hours because you’ll be receiving more government subsidies or taxpayer largesse was unconscionable.

White House chief economic adviser Jason Furman said the health care law is about giving workers more choices and having more quality family time.

“Maybe a spouse who wanted to be part-time so they could spend more time with their family now is able to do that,” Mr. Furman told reporters. “Somebody else who wanted to start a business and become an entrepreneur and was terrified of doing it because they’d lose their health insurance, is now able to do that too, and switch and take a chance on creating jobs and growing the overall economy. So there’s a lot of new choices that this will facilitate.”

No Mr. Furman, Americans are fearful of starting a new business because of the horrific economic situation resulting from Obama administration policies and the regulatory environment that presents more obstacles than access to small business growth. And I don’t think any of the long-term unemployed would say they’re delighted to spend more time at home.

Americans were told Obamacare would create more jobs. That is a lie. Now Obama and his progressive socialist acolytes are working on “fundamentally transforming” the American work ethic.

Hard to believe the Democrats simply “misspoke” about this one. Nancy Pelosi said Obamacare would create nearly 4 million new jobs. President Obama stressed how this would be good for our economy and not add to our debt or deficit. So who is paying for the Obamacare ads?

You may recall our quick lesson on the Cloward-Piven strategy which is focused on ending poverty in America by overloading the welfare system to the point of collapse. The insane objective is to eradicate poverty by having the government provide direct income.

Sounds to me that’s exactly what the CBO has uncovered. The intent of the Obama administration is to force Americans into job loss or part-time employment and then provide government compensation. Obamacare is not a failure, sadly it’s doing exactly what it was intended to do, collapse the healthcare industry and health insurance markets.

The American people will not agree with an insurance bailout as written in the insurance corridor clause of Obamacare (I hope). Therefore, this nation will be forced into a single-payer system, Medicaid for all. And, that ladies and gentlemen, will just plain suck, regardless of what social utopian liberal progressives believe.

As Mr. Dinan reports, “The CBO said the number of workers dropping out of the labor force will grow from 2 million in 2017 to 2.5 million by 2024. Although part of those numbers are attributed to job cuts, the vast majority represent workers who decide it makes more sense to stay home or work fewer hours, weighing the higher taxes they pay in the workforce versus their qualifications for benefits if they drop out.

Welcome to Obama’s America where you choose government largesse over hard work. And as long as the progressives supply the government benefits, guess for whom those in this dependency state will vote? Of course voters will keep in power whoever feeds them. And that’s the insidious plan behind all of this. Power – over you, my friends.

We were told Obamacare would increase jobs and help the economy, not true. We were told we could keep our health insurance and doctors, not true. We were told it was meant to provide affordable health insurance, not true. We were told it would provide coverage to those without health insurance – but more people lost their insurance and most are just signing up for Medicaid. We were told it wouldn’t affect the debt or deficit, but the original cost of Obamacare in 2010 was $940 billion, and now it is over $1.7 trillion, and rising. We were told there would be a $2500 decrease in premiums, nah.

It all sounded good in theory, because liberal progressives are academics who don’t live in the world of reality and practical implementation — just like the “War on Poverty” which after $20 trillion has only expanded poverty.

Yep, an earthquake hit DC yesterday. But the real question is, will the tremors reverberate throughout the nation and shake people back to their senses?

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on AllenBWest.com.

High-Speed Rail Fiasco will Break the Bank!

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A national spider-web of high-speed rail is being pushed throughout America despite proof of “insolvency” and “never-ending subsidies.” Taxpayers need to know!

The fast-track towards US High-Speed-Rail was funded in the 2009 Stimulus, based on the President’s “80% High-Speed Rail 25-Year Plan,” even though the $10.1 Billion appropriate was quickly allocated, the high priority for deficit-reduction in the House of Representatives 2011 Budget, eliminated federal funds and High-Speed-Rail was derailed!

High Speed Rail Doomed: Too Expensive!

The Reason Foundation report forecasts U.S. High Speed Rail failure! European travel compared to America is apples-to-orange, because European rail transportation began pre-automobile, leading to the natural development of a full-service transportation system. This can’t be duplicated in America’s car-culture that provides cheaper and independent personalized travel. Reason.org reports the figures: Construction costs are $10 Million per mile and operational costs of $50,000 per seat, translating to $2.4 Billion for a 240-mile track that requires 6-to-9 million passengers to break even! The odds are against 25% of the country, as passenger ridership is concentrated in the highly populated New England corridor, monopolizing three-fourths of all US passengers, leaving all other projects scrambling for riders, subsidy-driven dollars and taxpayer obligations.
Treasure Coast Florida or New York’s Grand Central Terminal?

Similar to the Seven/50 Regional Planners in Florida, highly paid speculators pitch the Federal Railroad Administration and Department of Transportation goals for High-Speed-Rail to serve as a catalyst for growth, increase mobility, reduce national oil dependency, foster livable urban and rural communities, improve safety, maximize economic returns, environmental sustainability with US 33% greenhouse emissions.

On the other side of the fence! The International Energy Agency affirms that emissions in America are down to 1992 levels and California Air Resources Board recommends many more cost-effective ways to improve the air than through High-Speed-Rail! In truth, a massive train network will blast through America’s peaceful hometown communities: creating pollution, congestion, adding to higher density, enormous construction and funding costs while inflicting untold stress on overburdened economies!

Taxpayers Choose Savings: As Debt Rushes Towards $18 Trillion!

The ticket to rail success is selling tickets! On Amtrak’s Boston-Washington DC corridor, one-way tickets range from $146 – $420 per person, at $3.50 a gallon for the 438-mile trip, the $97.00 cost for car travel wins! Plus, the savings for door-to-door convenience, unlike train travel.

The Truth! There Are No High-Speed Trains in America!

In Ryan Holeywell’s 2013 article “Has High-Speed-Rail Been Derailed?” he emphasizes that High-Speed-Rail has not been achieved in America! The US Code defines high-speed as: “reasonably expected to reach sustained speeds of more than 125 miles per hour,” while Amtrak’s Acela Express, the only classified High-Speed-Rail, uses a flawed rating based on “sharing tracks with others trains.” Virtually the tracks alone create the need to average speeds, thus, preventing “sustained speeds of 125 miles per hour.” Travel speed times are easily distorted by adding, or dropping, train stops and, if the objective for HSR is to move people faster, High Speed Rail remains a fantasy!

California Budget-Busting High-Speed-Rail Boondoggle

While the California San Francisco-Los Angeles projects another $43 Billion from the Feds, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) argues that satisfying this obligation will be more than ALL national grants combined for subway, light-rail and bus transit. “Where is the money?”

California Congressman Jeff Denham, House Subcommittee on Rails, skeptical of the California business plan, forced transparency from Governor Jerry Brown who admitted his plan is to use Cap-and-Trade Pollution Trade Funds to match $2.5 Billion state obligation. This funding is highly controversial and Kathryn Phillips, Director of The Sierra Club, has aligned with the Tea Party against High-Speed-Rail. While the deadline for matching funds looms, the entire project hangs in balance, but Governor Brown aggressively pursues HSR!

Major problems are escalating in the first High-Speed rail state, even though Californians approved a $10 billion bond issue six years ago, they are now fraught with confusion and anger! Joe Nation, a public policy professor at Stanford University, reflected the frustration to the San Jose Mercury News “this could turn into a real nightmare.” Conflicts explode over imminent domain grabs, water issues delayed 20 years behind rail, inflated ridership projections and low ticket prices creating endless subsidies.

Yes Nevada’s Senator Harry Reid, presses to reactivate his $5.5 Billion stimulus monies cancelled when the supplier was revealed as the Canadian Bombardier Company, in direct violation of the Buy-America law.

All Aboard Florida – Private Industry Hijacks Taxpayers!

As soon as Florida turned down a federal grant for HSR, Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) conveniently introduced “All Aboard Florida” – the first private high-speed railway. Since FECI owns the rail corridor, and strategic building plots in Miami and Orlando, this will be profitable venture for their bottom line, but Treasure Coast taxpayers, with already-strained budgets, are required to pony-up millions to implement AAF’s private venture and then endure the environmental-assault of 35 round-trip “sort-of-high-speed trains” as they whiz through, once peaceful, beachside communities. No profit for Treasure Coast taxpayers!

Treasure Coast Vs. Grand Central Station?

Before “All Aboard Florida,” Florida Department of Transportation and Amtrak, were discussing new Miami-Orlando passenger service with seven new stations stops! If all of these projected plans eventuate, the lifestyle of paradise along the Treasure Coast will be transformed into the hectic pace of Grand Central Station! When tourism is Florida’s shining star, and money-maker, why would efforts continue to diminish this success?
Let Failure Be the Guide for the Wise!

Randal O’Toole of the Cato Institute in his article: “Defining Success, The Case Against Rail Transit,” outlines what All Aboard Florida could have in store for their bottom line! The Miami-West Palm 1989-debacle that cost the SE Florida Regional Transportation Authority (Tri-Rail) $53 million, with a $9 million return and $1 Billion capital improvement for double tracking of 71 miles, was projected to create 30,000 new riders and, astoundingly in 2008, resulted in a meager 13,000 new riders. Pretty steep fare at $76,923 per new customer! The good news is that sensible riders chose the $14.62 car travel instead! Failure still looms with Tri-Rail’s $30 million deficit!

The heroes in this grand-picture are Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Governor John Kasich of Ohio and Florida’s Governor Rick Scott – who used wise judgment to reject federal grants and put taxpayer concerns above speculation. Governor Scott saw the writing on the wall, when comparing the proposed ridership of 3 million, to the busy New York Acela’s real riders of 3.2 million, highlighting a highly unobtainable goal. Hopefully this story rings-a-bell for politicians rushing towards a doomed financial fiasco!

Taxpayer Loyalty Pays, While Breaking the Bank Does NOT Pay!

EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is courtesy of SignalPAD and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic. SignalPAD does not in any way  endorse this author or DrRichSwier.com and their use of SignalPAD’s original work.

The Gay Attack on American Values

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In societies around the world, homosexuals encounter not just resistance, but the threat of death for their sexual orientation. In the West we regard this as barbarian and it is. I concluded long ago that gays—using their own term—have no choice over this sexual aberration from the norm of heterosexuality.

In America, gays—male and female homosexuals—represent about 3% of the population. That leaves 97% in a majority and that majority is now under a full assault on their traditional values concerning marriage—intended only for the opposite sexes—and in some cases on their religious faith that deems homosexuality a sin.

In recent years we have seen gays achieve a legal status for same-sex marriage, thus undermining centuries of tradition that understands marriage to be for the purpose of procreation and as the keystone of society. We have a President who changed his mind from his 2008 political campaign and announced that he not only approved of gay marriage but that his administration, the Department of Justice, would not enforce the Defense of Marriage law passed by Congress.

The Obama administration has pressed hard to alter the military that went from “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” under the Clinton administration, to the present status that sees no problem in the close living conditions under which heterosexual and homosexual troops must live and work together. This was always regarded as a problem of unit cohesion in the long years leading up to the 1990s and it likely still is. In a similar fashion, the infusion of women into combat units poses problems that the military understandably avoided for most of the last two hundred and twenty-eight years of the nation’s history.

The passage of Obamacare has posed significant problems for religious groups that oppose abortion and related practices. It has particularly affected Catholic institutions and, most recently, the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of nuns who do not want to signal any concurrence with the law as it is written. The Supreme Court has granted that some respite, but their issue and others will surely have to be addressed by the Court at some point.

In Massachusetts, a homosexual legal group has filed papers to force a Catholic school to hire a man who is “married” to another man. As reported by MassResistance.org, “Back in July, Matthew Barrett of Dorchester applied for a job as the food service director at Fontbonne Academy, a Roman Catholic girls’ high school in Milton, Mass, and was subsequently offered the job. When he filled out a pre-employment form listing his ‘husband’ as an emergency contact the school told him that ‘the Catholic religion doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage. We cannot hire you.’”

“Barrett claimed to be shocked by the school’s action,” noted MassResistance, “But it appears that he was purposefully dishonest. He told the Boston Globe that he was raised a Catholic and that he was informed by school officials during the interview process that employees are expected to follow Catholic doctrine. However, he did not tell the school that he was openly involved with homosexual behavior and was in a ‘gay marriage.’”

MassResistance regards the case as “the beginning of the homosexual movement’s legal assault on conservative churches, particularly Catholic, that have steadfastly refused to modify their religious convictions and comply with the homosexual movement’s demands on society. Up until now they’ve been largely left alone. But that is about to change.”

As the Boston Globe noted, “Barrett’s complaint, which may be the first of its kind in the country, comes at a time when religion-based schools in the increasing number of states where gay marriage is legal have been scrutinizing hiring and firing practices to ensure they conform with the pillars of their faiths”

“School administrators,” the Globe reported, “have been fired from Catholic schools and universities in Arkansas, California, New York, and Washington, among other states, after marrying their same-sex partners or announcing plans to do so.”

Bennett Klein, the lawyer for the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, asserts that “Our laws carefully balance the important values of religious liberty and non-discrimination. When Fontbonne Academy fired Matt from a job that has nothing to do with religion, they came down on the wrong side of the law.” It has everything to do with the free practice of religion.

“We’re seeing religion-affiliated entities more and more trying to push the line toward discriminating against gay, lesbian, and transgendered people,” said Klein.

No, it is the homosexuals who are pushing the line against religious groups who believe that their belief in God and their faith precludes the destruction of the construct of marriage is a sin against mankind and society.

It is 3% of the population demanding that 97% toss aside their faith and their values to accommodate the aberration called homosexuality. And, yes, it is an aberration because homosexuality cannot be interpreted as “normal” in any species.

MassResistance correctly says “This is madness and should not have any legal leg to stand on.”

If the homosexual assault on values and practices that have existed for centuries in the Catholic Church and in other religious faiths succeeds, the whole of our society will suffer for it. The Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion—murder—has resulted in the deaths of millions of unborn children who had a right to life.

Now, in Massachusetts and other States where same-sex marriage is deemed to be legal, the whole of the nation’s defense of marriage is under assault.

© Alan Caruba, 2014

RELATED COLUMN: Questions You’re Asking About Cakes, Gays, and Religious Freedom

O’Reilly versus Obama: A Contentious Interview

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Syndicated columnist Dana Milbank penned a recent article lambasting Bill O’Reilly for being unfair to President Obama in the now-famous Super Bowl Day interview. Not surprising, and certainly subjective.

What Mr. Milbank failed to point out, is that good journalism strives to elicit truthful answers on important issues, and when the journalist is limited to a ten-minute time frame, it leaves no time for lengthy discussion about anything, which is why O’Reilly had a short list of pointed questions, some of which were left hanging unanswered.

The president’s forte’ is speechmaking. Knowing this, O’Reilly was in a position to present as many questions as possible without allowing a time-consuming filibuster.

It was necessary for O’Reilly to interrupt the president. For example, he asked a question like: “Why didn’t you fire Sebelius, the secretary in charge of this?” (Re: Obamacare website fiasco) Obama dodged the question completely.

“You know my main priority right now is to make sure that it delivers for the American people…”

So, O’Reilly interrupted again: “You’re not going to answer that?”

To which, the president cited a litany of enrollment numbers, but nothing about Mrs. Sebelius. The president could have been more honest had he simply said, “I like Mrs. Sebelius, period.” End of discussion. Instead, he rambled about items unrelated to the question. Obama was simply not going to answer.

The president also tap danced around the question of when he was first informed that the Benghazi attack was terror related. That question still remains unresolved. Fortunately Obama did not retort, “What difference does it make?”

The president dishonestly dodged another question, submitted by a citizen: “Mr. President, why do you feel it’s fundamentally necessary to transform the nation that has afforded you so much opportunity and success?”

[youtube]http://youtu.be/mjZFl5-2N_A[/youtube]

Answer: “I don’t think we have to fundamentally transform the nation.”

Pinocchio!

O’Reilly: “But those were your words.”

Fact:  Five days before the election of 2008, in Columbia, Missouri, Mr. Obama made a campaign speech which included:  “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”

The president never addressed the question

But the president did manage to get in his jab at Fox News about the IRS scandal: “These kinds of things keep surfacing, in part, because you and your TV station promote them.” (These are questions being asked by many millions of people Not a good time to be a cry baby.)

When asked about the IRS fiasco, the president sloughed it off to a few boneheaded decisions in the field, claiming there was no mass corruption. Adding, “Not even a smidgen of corruption.”

Really?

O’Reilly could have countered, “But it is still an on-going investigation, the answers are still unknown. How can you make such a conclusion?”

There were no softball questions, which other journalists are famous for. O’Reilly did his job well, considering his restraints. The columnist, Dana Milbank’s criticism should have been directed to the president for emulating Fred Astaire and wrongfully drawing conclusions about on-going investigations.

To his credit, the president did agree to the interview knowing it would be contentious.

To his credit, Bill O’Reilly was not intimidated by the president and did his job without backing down.

RELATED COLUMNS:

Bill O’Reilly’s Obama interview showed a nation still divided – The Washington Post

TRANSCRIPT: Bill O’Reilly interviews President Obama | Fox News

Jorge Bonilla Statement On Downgrade Of Puerto Rico’s Bond Rating

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Jorge-Bonilla

Jorge Bonilla

Republican Congressional candidate Jorge Bonilla has issued the following statement in response to Standard and Poor’s recent downgrade of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s bond rating to speculative, or “junk” status.

“Generations of fiscal mismanagement have finally caught up to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and its bond rating was cut to speculative (also known as “junk”) status. Unfortunately, Puerto Rico’s political class has scrambled to get their talking points out instead of coming together and focusing on the island’s deep structural problems.

Puerto Rico’s bond market problems are relevant to all of us for several reasons. Puerto Rico’s rate cut may have been the first, but there are also many cities and states on equally precarious footing. Additionally, our federal government keeps piling on debt like there is no tomorrow. We must enact reforms that address our ballooning debt and deficits at all levels of government.

Also, it’s no secret that many of the residents of the 9th Congressional District have deep ties to Puerto Rico, whether of blood, affection, or both.

Instead of pandering to the Puerto Rican community, our Congressional District’s Representative must have a deep understanding of the failed policies that have wrecked the island and forced the equivalent of three Mariel Boat Lifts over the past fifteen years, as well as the resolve to fight the implementation of those very policies stateside.”

CNBC reports:

S&P said it worried that Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island populated by 3.62 million people, has limited ability to sell more debt in the U.S.’s $3.7 trillion municipal bond market and faced possible cash shortages.

“We believe these liquidity constraints do not warrant an investment-grade rating,” S&P said in a commentary.

The move could also squeeze the island commonwealth’s cash reserves. S&P peer Moody’s, in a Dec. 23 report, said Puerto Rico could face up to $1 billion in collateral demands and note accelerations in the case of a one-notch downgrade by any of the ratings agencies.

The Politics of Common Core: FL State Board of Education Poised to approve Common Core 2/18/14 at Orlando Board meeting

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With breathtaking hubris, Governor Scott’s Education Commissioner, Pam Stewart, has ignored experts and citizens loud cries to stop the giant experiment called Common Core, which could damage a generation of children.  But this is not just a move born of benign ignorance, it is a political calculation.

The stakes in their games are enormous.  The Governorship and the Presidency could hang in the balance.  Early speculation comes from past experience.  Just what is happening behind the scenes?  It certainly doesn’t take a mental giant to see that Governor Scott is leaning on support from his predecessor, Jeb Bush and his new friends, who promised and delivered support and influence to win the last election.

The growing rift between the Republican Party groups and the Republican Party of Florida was nowhere more apparent than the recent annual state meeting.  County Executive Committees voted to oppose Common Core and were overruled in the end by the Executive Committee, Jeb Bush’s cabal, squeezing the grassroots out of the party in Florida.  They assert that we must blindly go along with Governor Scott’s adamant support of Common Core because we certainly don’t want a major rift in support to allow “Charlie Hippochrist” to steal the election.

Newsflash!  Charlie Christ is ahead of Scott in the polls and gaining.  Continuing his path of isolated decision making on this and other issues is not bolstering Scott’s campaign.  So WHY is he supporting this unpopular, anti-conservative position on Common Core?  Two words….Jeb Bush, and the promise his new support team will carry Scott over the finish line a winner.

You see, Jeb Bush is playing his own game here for yet a larger prize, the presidency, and this political calculation has worked for Jeb Bush before.  This interesting article from the St. Pete Times shows how Jeb Bush uses foundations to gather money and power to unleash a successful campaign.

When he narrowly lost his bid to be Governor, he needed a way to stay in the mix and build strength.  His foundation provided a way to collect money and support and it worked.  Flash forward, the conservative “education governor” of Florida embraces Common Core before the standards are even developed and his foundation gets $501,000 as a first installment.  He joins with Bill Gates Foundation, GE, Eli Broad Foundation, Pearson Education and many more multi-billion dollar groups who can provide as much money and power as he could ever need and a nationwide platform of education reform.

Just one problem, Common Core is a Trojan horse delivering poisonous messages to our children, not a “reform” at all.  His “team” includes unpopular multi-nationalist billionaires who stand to gain more money and power by “Transforming” America through the hearts and minds of the children.  The book recently written by Dr. Terrence Moore called “The Story-Killers” shows just how this is done.

Florida is ground zero for this high stakes game.  If Common Core collapses, his “money tree” coalition likely will suffer a similar fate.

This is all coming to a head as Anti-Common Core groups mobilize against this assault on their families and their future.  “Healthcare, concerns me.  But when they are contaminating the hearts and minds of our children, this is where we draw the line!”  Kathy Doan, co-founder of Stop Common Core FL,  said.

And she is joined by leaders from over 50 groups within Florida who are not fooled by the bait and switch maneuvers by this administration.  On the 18thof February, the State Board of Education plans to vote on changing the name of Common Core and adopting it in spite of huge opposition from parents, teachers, administrators and children.

A rally is planned for Feb 18th by these groups to demonstrate their disgust with the Department of Education, its Board, Governor Scott who appointed them, and Jeb Bush for promoting this campaign for his political gain.  For information, call Chris Quackenbush, 239-823-2980

We are also advertising on radio against Common Core and sharing our ads with others across the country to grow opposition everywhere. Tax deductible contributions may be made to www.ivbe.org to increase our ad coverage.

A Cereal Tweet Exposes Serial Unfairness

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MSNBC’s President Phil Griffin was forced to apologize last week for an incendiary and grossly unfair tweet about conservatives. This all got started with a simple TV commercial for Cheerios breakfast cereal.

The only thing that was noteworthy about the commercial, which ran during the Super Bowl on Sunday, was that it featured an interracial married couple (one man and one woman), with a beautiful bi-racial 6-year-old daughter. Some anonymous employee (MSNBC refuses to name the person) felt comfortable tweeting the following from MSNBC’s official twitter account:

“Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/biracial family.”

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus demanded an apology from Griffin and barred all RNC employees and surrogates from appearing on MSNBC. Priebus’ move forced Griffin to issue this apology: “The tweet last night (last Wednesday) was outrageous and unacceptable.

We immediately acknowledged that it was offensive and wrong, apologized, and deleted it. We have dismissed the person responsible for the tweet. I personally apologize to Mr. Priebus and to everyone offended. At [MSNBC] we believe in passionate, strong debate about the issues and we invite voices from all sides to participate. That will never change.”

Strangely, Griffin then sent one of his on air personalities to read the apology on the air on his behalf. Why didn’t he do it himself? Now juxtapose MSNBC’s response with that of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who happens to be a Republican.

Reporters in the media clamored for Christie to hold a press conference and answer all of their questions, which he did for almost two hours.

Consequently, we now know who Christie fired and why he fired them. Whether you liked his answers or not during his press conference, at least people were held accountable. Where is this same accountability demand for Griffin to stand before the public and do the same?

He claims to have fired the employee who wrote the tweet.

How do we know that since no name has been released from MSNBC?

How can we be sure that the tweet didn’t come from Griffin himself? We can’t be sure until Griffin stands before the news media, and answer every single question asked of him.

The first question should be whether Griffin sent the tweet. If not, he should name the person who did. Even more troubling is what practices or policies did Griffin have in place that would make an employee comfortable enough to send that type of tweet? I think MSNBC should have an outside panel investigate the work environment it has created for its employees.

As Ronald Reagan once said, “trust, but verify.”

Will MSNBC force all employees to undergo sensitivity training so this will not happen again (as conservatives are always implored to do)? Where is the righteous indignation from the sensitivity police – groups such as GLAAD (founded as Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), the Human Right Campaign, NAACP, the National Urban League, and Al Sharpton’s National Action Network?

On his TV show last week, Sharpton read some meandering statement about Coretta King that had absolutely nothing to do with the tweet in question. He didn’t have the guts to stand on principle and demand more accountability from Griffin, probably because Griffin personally hired him even over the objection of Black journalists who wanted a trained journalist in that seat. Had a White Tea Party member or Republican done the same thing, MSNBC would have wall-to-wall coverage of the issue.

That’s why it is critically important for the groups listed above, who claim they stand for equality for all, stand up for all. What these groups should finally state is that they only believe in equality if you agree with their point of view. It is embarrassing to see MSNBC’s Black hosts remain silent on this issue, but never miss an opportunity to criticize Republicans when they play the race card. How can anyone have respect for people such as Sharpton, Melissa Perry, Karen Finney, Tamron Hall, Joy Reid, etc.

I know you may enjoy the money, but at what price? Is it really too much to ask Black and White employees of MSNBC to be subjected to the Christie standard – full information, full accountability?

How Detroit rejected the Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy and self-Destructed

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I attended an event hosted by the James Madison Institute (JMI) in Sarasota, FL. The keynote speaker was Lawrence W. Reed from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Dr. Bob McClure, the President and CEO of JMI, introduced Larry Reed as a friend, mentor and guiding light in the movement to renew American exceptionalism.

2011_7principles_CoverSMLReed’s remarks dealt with what he calls the Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy. Reed was clear to point out each was not his own idea but he compiled them over the years to show the path to prosperity and happiness for those leaders in business, politics and policy who would embrace them all. One is not enough, all are necessary for any public policy to be successful.

What struck me is that Reed first introduced his seven principles at the Detroit Economic Club in 2001. It is prophetic that thirteen years later we see a Detroit that is an empty shell of its former self. While listening to Reed I came to understand why – for you see Detroit’s leaders had abandoned each and everyone of the seven principles of sound public policy.

I will not go into the details of each of these compelling principles but rather will just list them below:

One: Free people are not equal, and equal people are not free.

Two: What belongs to you, you tend to take care of; what belongs to no one or everyone tends to fall into disrepair.

Three: Sound policy requires that we consider long-run effects and all people, not simply short-run effects and a few people.

Four: If you encourage something, you get more of it; if you discourage something, you get less of it.

Five: Nobody spends somebody else’s money as carefully as he spends his own.

Six: Government has nothing to give anybody except what it first takes from somebody, and a government that’s big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you’ve got.

Seven: Liberty makes all the difference in the world. NOTE: Larry changed this principle to – Character makes all the difference in the world. Character is value based and without a core set of individual values liberty cannot survive.

Detroit is the poster child for ignoring these seven principles and by doing so, set itself on a path to self-destruction.

First, Detroit made it public policy to make everyone equal by promoting unsustainable social programs that bankrupted the entire city. Then the city took control of more of their citizens property (by taxation and seizing) and the city fell into disrepair. Over time multiple city administrations and political/policy leaders did not consider the long-run effects of their policies. Ultimately their programs to help the few, impoverished the many. Then the leaders of Detroit in desperation encouraged failure by further subsidizing it, rather than promoting the bedrocks of any community – family, neighborhood and work. They continued to spend the people’s money until both the people and the money left Detroit. They took from the few to give to the many and thereby started on the long painful road to perdition for all.

Perhaps most importantly Detroit lost its character, its moral compass if you will. Only if Detroit embraces these seven principles can it revive itself, by itself.

It was fitting and proper that JMI would host this event, at this time in Florida. As James Madison wrote, “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

Was Madison predicting what would happen in Detroit, MI? Is it happening in America?

EDITORS NOTE: If you wish to see Larry Reed’s full commentary on each of the seven principles please go to this link.

ABOUT THE JAMES MADISON INSTITUTE

The James Madison Institute is a Florida-based research and educational organization (501c3) engaged in the battle of ideas. The Institute’s ideas are rooted in a belief in the U.S. Constitution and such timeless ideals as limited government, economic freedom, federalism, and individual liberty coupled with individual responsibility.

The Institute’s mission is to keep the citizens of Florida informed about their government and to shape our state’s future through the advancement of practical free-market ideas on public policy issues.

The Institute achieves its mission through research, conferences and seminars, and a variety of publications.

Since its inception in 1987, the Institute has remained independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan. It makes no attempt to aid or hinder the passage of legislation, nor does it accept government funds or respond to special pleadings from any sector.

ABOUT THE MACKINAC CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Michigan citizens by promoting sound solutions to state and local policy questions. The Mackinac Center assists policy makers, scholars, business people, the media and the public by providing objective analysis of Michigan issues. The goal of all Center reports, commentaries and educational programs is to equip Michigan citizens and other decision makers to better evaluate policy options.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is broadening the debate on issues that has for many years been dominated by the belief that government intervention should be the standard solution. Center publications and programs, in contrast, offer an integrated and comprehensive approach that considers:

All Institutions. The Center examines the important role of voluntary associations, business, community and family, as well as government.

All People. Mackinac Center research recognizes the diversity of Michigan citizens and treats them as individuals with unique backgrounds, circumstances and goals.

All Disciplines. Center research incorporates the best understanding of economics, science, law, psychology, history and morality, moving beyond mechanical cost/benefit analysis.

All Times. Center research evaluates long-term consequences, not simply short-term impact.

RELATED ARTICLE: Their Legacy: The Race Riots Doomed Detroit Forever (Debbie Schlussel: Death Of Motown Alert)

Slavery, lynchings, segregation – thank the Dems

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February is Black History Month and today I am attending the Republican National Committee “Black Republican Trailblazers” luncheon at The Howard Theater in Washington DC.

I am proud not just this month, but every month of the accomplishments and achievements black Americans have contributed to these United States.

My own story is one connected to the legacy of the first black men to don the uniform of America, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, whose valor shined brilliantly at Fort Wagner during the Civil War. As well, prior to myself, the last black Republican Member of Congress from Florida was Rep. Josiah T. Walls. These are the stories we must continue to tell this month, and every day to our next generation of children and grandchildren so they may never forget the service and sacrifices that enable them to have the blessings of liberty and freedom.

At the same time, it is imperative for the Republican Party to tell its story, not just during this month alone, but to engage continuously with the black community.

The “Grand Ole Party” was established in 1854 in Ripon, Wisconsin for one single purpose: the abolition of slavery, a dark and heinous part of America’s history. The GOP was focused on the issue of individual freedom and ensuring the words of Thomas Jefferson came to fruition for America.

Sure, the start of the Civil War was not about the issue of slavery, but it was the first GOP president Abraham Lincoln, who realized after the stalemate victory at Antietam, that it had to be. The film “Lincoln” beautifully portrayed the dedication — and a little nefarious actions –of one man, of one party of men, to rectify a great wrong. They set in motion the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments that would begin to make our America a better country. The first black Members of Congress were Republicans. The first attempts to institute civil rights legislation came from Republicans.

The black community must never forget trailblazing men like Hiram Revels, Frederick Douglass, and Booker T. Washington. And today’s GOP needs to remember their history and connection to the black community as well.

Unfortunately, it was one person and one poor decision that altered the relationship between the black community and the GOP. That person was Richard Nixon. If Nixon had listened to prominent black Republicans such as Jackie Robinson rather than his coterie of white advisors, and supported Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as he had been jailed — history may have been a bit different.

Instead, for fear of upsetting white Southerners — mostly Democrats – Nixon did not reach out to King, while John Kennedy did. From then on, during that generation in the South, there were three pictures in black homes (including my own): Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., and President Kennedy. In that one moment, the bond, the connection of the GOP to the black community, was severed.

From then on, the black community has put all its political eggs in one basket. But let me ask, how many of you invest your hard-earned capital in only one account? I believe most people diversify their capital in several investment accounts.

So, why is it that the black community invested all its political capital in one party? Liberal progressive detractors will vehemently throw themselves into a tizzy about this, but clearly in America, the black community has become almost politically irrelevant to one party and taken for granted by the other, to whom they have given blind allegiance.

The history of the black community at the hands of the Democrat party has been one of slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, poll taxes and literacy tests. America’s first “progressive” President Woodrow Wilson even praised the racist film “Birth of a Nation.” Another American progressive president, Lyndon Johnson, put the black community on the road to decimation with the welfare nanny-state, and just look at the destruction of the black family.

The current progressive president, Barack Obama, cancelled the DC school voucher program in 2009 for deserving young black children, caving to pressure from the National Education Association, a Democrat teacher’s union. My liberal colleague at Fox News Channel, Juan Williams, called the decision to end the program, “Obama’s outrageous sin against our kids.”

So today we shall remember and honor the Black Republican Trailblazers of the past as we develop the Black Republican Pathfinders of the future. Those who will clear a new path for the black community to restore our inner cities, our families, our faith in God, and ring in the harmony of liberty. I am proud to be a black conservative Republican. Hate on me all you want, but my community has survived much worse from Democrats and progressives. And we shall persevere.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on AllenBWest.com under the title “Black History Month and the Republican legacy.” Featured image courtesy of Marie-Nacc Bez, Val de Marne, Ile de France, France.

Are “We The People” really members of “The Union”?

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Recently, in my court battle with the State of Florida, the lawyer for the State argued that, although I am the sole owner of and stockholder in my company, that I was not “personally injured” when the State of Florida forcibly removed money from my company bank account. He argued that “only the company was injured and that I suffered no injury”, and the judge agreed.

Sorry, but the money they took was headed straight for my pocket so I’m pretty sure, in some circles, that would be considered a mugging. That battle is continuing and I am going to have to reconfigure some paperwork so a jury can decide that, but it made me think something this judge and lawyer may regret later.

The preamble of The Constitution Of The United States starts out “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union……..” So, who exactly is a “member” of the Union and who is not? Does the administration of this “Union” have any power or authority over an individual or group that is not a “member” of this Union?

The answer to the second question should be easy, NO.

Here is an example: My brother is an electrician and a member of the electricians union. They can make him, under their agreement to be a member of the union, to pay dues (taxes) to support the union and to participate in the union’s retirement plan. They could also declare that immediate family members of the members of the union “shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities” that the members of the union receive, but it still would not have the authority to require those immediate family members to also pay dues and participate in the retirement plan, as they are not the actual members of the union.

The first question is the real big one; who exactly is a “member” of the Union and who is not?

Once you read and understand the document, or as I like to call it “The Contract”, that formed the Union, “The Constitution Of The United States” the simple answer is The States and only The States are the members of the Union. This is important because if this is the case, The Union and the Administration of The Union, can NOT impose anything on an individual that is not a member of The Union. Only the States, under the authority of their State Constitution, can impose anything upon an individual citizen of their State. One point to note is the pure abstract and limited authorities and boundaries of The Union, is the FACT that we are the only country on the planet that does not have boundaries that are legally defined. The States are the ones with legally defined boundaries and the borders of the country are defined by the joining of the boundaries of the States when they become members of The Union. The fact is that the borders of our country have changed several times by the act of States joining and seceding from The Union.

Here is how I came to this conclusion:

  • Article. VII. “done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States” This is the enacting clause of The Constitution. It was done with the “Consent of the States” not the consent of “The People”.
  • The signers who did so were sent by the legislatures of the States with the authority to act on behalf of The States, not The People.
  • Article I Section 2. “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers”. The direct taxation addressed is to the several States, not “The People” because it’s the States that are the members of the Union, not The People.

So I know what you are saying “What about the 16th Amendment smart guy?” Well let’s look at what the 16th Amendment ACTUALLY says: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” Does anyone see the words “direct taxes” in the 16 Amendment? Nope!

The 16th Amendment only gives Congress the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes from “Members of the Union”. It never gave Congress the authority to bypass the States and Directly tax “Citizens of the Member States” as the Citizens of the Member States are not themselves “Members of the Union”. We the People have been duped by a word game.

If Congress could actually tax people that are not actually members of the Union because this Amendment declares “from whatever source derived” then they could lay and collect taxes on people from Canada, Mexico and every place on the planet, so I demand these people start paying “THEIR FAIR SHARE!”

Now let’s continue with more supporting evidence that “The States” are the members of the Union and not “The People”:

  • Article. IV. Section. 2. “The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.” First note that if “The People” were the members of the Union, this section would have no reason to be written. Second “The People” are referred to as “The Citizens of each State” further indication that The People or The Citizens are not actually members of The Union.
  • Article I Section 8 declares that Congress shall have the power To “exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, Dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings”. Please note the “not exceeding ten Miles square” The Congress has no power or authority to “exercise exclusive Legislation” Outside of this ten square mile area. It only has the power and authority to exercise legislation on the Members of the Union, and only with the consent of the representatives of those members.

The last thing we are going to consider is how we elect a President.

As you know, we use a system known as the “Electoral College”. We don’t actually cast votes directly for the President. Instead we are casting votes for our “Preference” in candidates for President and those votes actually elect delegates to represent The State and its those delegates that actually cast the votes as “representatives of the State.” In addition, each State, through the legislature of that State, makes it’s own rules as to how the delegates are awarded. Some are “winner take all” and some are divided based on the percentage of votes cast for each candidate. In the end, the delegates, who are technically not bound to vote a certain way, cast the vote on behalf of the legislature of the State, not on behalf of the Citizens.

Some believe it was done this way to make it easier to count the votes for President in the days before modern electronics, but that is a false conclusion. It’s because we are a “Representative Republic”, not a Democracy and because The People are not the members of the Union, only the States. This process is a way to let their preference be known to the legislature, but the legislature is still not technically bound because The Citizens of the State are not members of the Union. This is also why changing the voting to count the popular vote of the citizens would be unconstitutional, as only members of the Union have standing in the process.

The final conclusion is this:

The People are not members of the Union, so the Administration of the Union cannot impose anything on The People. In addition, the Union was formed by The States and the Administration of the Union was created specifically to perform tasks outlined in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States.

Anything outside of these delegated powers is wholly unauthorized, but unfortunately exists because the States have taken their eye off the ball and allowed these actions to happen, partially from ignorance, but mostly from being co-conspirators with the administration of the Union, letting the Administration of the Union be the muscle to pilfer the coffers of The People and then accepting bribes and payoffs from the Administration of The Union to the legislature of the State to allow the pilfering to happen.

FL Rep. Dane Eagle Introduces HB 733 – Second Amendment Preservation Act

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Florida State Representative Dane Eagle (R-Cape Coral) introduced the Second Amendment Preservation Act, House Bill 733. The provisions of H.B. 733 are simple and easy to understand. Florida officials would be barred from enforcing federal gun control laws and would be fired if they did.

Gun Owners of America (GOA) in an email states, “Whatever the intent of the 1968 Gun Control Act, it has become a monstrosity. It has been used to strip more than 150,000 veterans of their constitutional rights without due process. The ATF is now using annual inspections to Xerox 4473’s and compile a national gun registry.”

“And the Obama administration is now setting the stage for using medical information to strip tens of millions of Americans of their constitutional rights — again, with no due process. This includes individuals with ADHD and PTSD — plus those with common anxiety disorders or Alzheimer’s. And while no one has been able to identify any ‘danger of gun violence’ posed by people with Alzheimer’s, many of them do have very large and valuable gun collections which they would like to pass on to their children,” reports GOA.

GOA warns, “Unfortunately, like prisoners who have come to identify with their captors — called the “Stockholm Syndrome” — a few gun owners have become addicted to federal infringements.”

GOA observes:

  1. Under the Supreme Court’s Printz decision, Florida has no obligation to be a regulatory lap dog for President Obama.
  2. Even without Federal Law, Florida has more than enough laws regulating firearms ownership.
  3. Contrary to promises, the Brady Act hasn’t worked particularly well, producing “false positives” in roughly 95% of the cases where gun owners are denied by the Brady Check. Not only that, the law sure hasn’t stopped calls for more gun control.

To those who have become addicted to having their constitutional rights taken away, we would say this: “You will get used to freedom, and you will really like it.”

GOA ACTION: Contact your State Representative. Tell our representative how you feel about House Bill 733.

HOW TO CONTACT-WRITE YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES:

  1. Go to http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/myrepresentative.aspxand type in your street name and city.
  2. Click on the “Full Detail” banner under the picture of your state representative.
  3. Click on the “Email Representative” banner.
  4. Once you are at your legislator’s webmail site, you can fill in your name and address, and then copy-n-paste the letter below.

GOA Pre-written letter:

Dear Representative:

Please cosponsor and support the Second Amendment Preservation Act (H.B. 733).

The provisions of this bill are simple and easy to understand. Florida officials would be barred from enforcing federal gun control laws and would be fired if they did.

Whatever the intent of the 1968 Gun Control Act, it has become a monstrosity. It has been used to strip more than 150,000 veterans of their constitutional rights without due process.

The ATF is now using annual inspections to Xerox 4473’s and compile a national gun registry.

And the Obama administration is now setting the stage for using medical information to strip tens of millions of Americans of their constitutional rights — again, with no due process. This includes individuals with ADHD and PTSD — plus those with common anxiety disorders or Alzheimer’s. And while no one has been able to identify any “danger of gun violence” posed by people with Alzheimer’s, many of them do have very large and valuable gun collections which they would like to pass on to their children.

Sincerely,

EDITORS NOTE: Kansas and Alaska have enacted Second Amendment Preservation Acts.

FL Rep. Keith Perry’s attack on term limits stirs controversy in his hometown

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In Sunday’s Gainesville Sun, I make the case in an op-ed that Rep. Keith Perry’s (R-Gainesville) bill to weaken Florida term limits from eight to 12 years is an effort to benefit legislators at the expense of citizens.

“The results during Florida’s term limits era have been good. Legislatures are like marriages, in that they are all dysfunctional in their own special way. But some are definitely better than others — and Florida’s is pretty good. In a 2013 ranking of states by their fiscal condition — an outcome highly influenced by government policy — the Mercatus Center at George Mason University ranked Florida as sixth in the nation. Incidentally, five of the top 10 states in this ranking have eight-year term limits on their legislatures. So, it must be asked again, why is Rep. Perry launching this attack on eight-year term limits?”

The answer isn’t flattering to Rep. Perry. Perry is a successful businessman who got the opportunity to run because Speaker Larry Cretul reached his 8-year limit in the House. Now, it appears Rep. Perry wants to cut the ladder off beneath him.

Perry rationalizes this in a straight piece in today’s Gainesville Sun.  He claims eight years isn’t sufficient to master the complexities of being a Florida legislator. Eight-year limits are, however, the most common in the United States from the president, to governors, to state legislatures, to county commissioners and mayors. He does not explain what makes being a Florida legislator so particularly daunting.

Hint: It isn’t.

Fortunately, I was provided a chance to respond. “Blumel said that when politicians say eight years is too short, people should keep in mind that the Florida Senate is made up of many former members of the state House of Representatives who possess considerable legislative experience, while the lower chamber has more political newcomers who provide better representation of the citizenry.”

Instead of focusing on the centerpiece of the legislation, the weakening of term limits, Perry instead focuses on the fact the bill also lengthens the terms themselves from two to four in the House and four to six in the Senate. But these are just window dressing. Legislators have tried to loosen their limits numerous times and continue to test new angles to slip this idea by voters.

Perhaps the best quote in the article isn’t by Rep. Perry or me. It is by Alachua County Democratic Party Chairman Robert Prather.

“We’re disappointed that Rep. Perry seems more interested in protecting jobs in Tallahassee… than … Gainesville, Alachua County and Dixie,” Prather said.

For the complete articles, see Blumel op-ed and Perry news article.

“IMPEACH OBAMA” T-Shirts and Displaying American Flag Deemed Illegal by Town

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The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Town of Campbell, Wisconsin’s ordinance which police are enforcing to prohibit citizens from displaying the American Flag and wearing t-Shirts which call for the impeachment of President Obama on the highway overpass managed by the Town. Joining TMLC as local co-counsel is La Crosse, WI lawyer Bernardo Cueto.

At issue is the enforcement of the Town of Campbell’s ordinance, 9.12, which prohibits the display of signs and flags on, or within 100 feet, of the only pedestrian overpass managed by the Town of Campbell. The Town enacted the ordinance on October 8, 2013 in response to some angry calls about the “Impeach Obama” expression on the t-shirts and the resulting media attention.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on behalf of La Crosse residents Gregory Luce and Nicholas Newman against the Town of Campbell, its police chief, and one of his officers. Luce and Newman were participating in a nationwide movement called “Overpasses for America.”

Click here to read entire Federal Lawsuit

Erin Mersino, a TMLC attorney handling the case, said, “Viewpoint discrimination is one of the most harmful threats to our freedom of speech. The answer to contempt of a certain viewpoint is not to silence that viewpoint, but to invite more speech and create a discourse. That is one of the most fundamental tenets of our Republic. The ordinance at issue turns the public sidewalk on the overpass, which is otherwise open to the public into a dead speech zone.”

The lawsuit claims that the Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly have been violated and that the Ordinance is unconstitutional on its face and as applied by the police. Because the Plaintiffs wish to continue their constitutionally protected speech, they asked the Court to enter a Preliminary Injunction banning further enforcement of the ordinance during the pendency of the lawsuit.

Gregory Luce is a Catholic who is pro-life and opposes President Obama for many reasons including the President’s actions in support of abortion. On October 24, 2013, Luce along with a few of his supporters appeared on the pedestrian overpass wearing t-shirts that collectively spelled out “IMPEACH” on one side and “OBAMA” on the backside. A Town of Campbell police officer confronted Luce and his supporters and ordered them to leave or receive citations. Luce and his supporters left as ordered. This police action also thwarted a similarly planned demonstration by Luce on public land 100 feet from the overpass in question, which was also prohibited by the challenged ordinance.

Plaintiff Nicholas Newman is a patriotic American. On October 27, 2013, Newman appeared on the overpass in question carrying an American Flag to express his pride for his country and the ideals on which it was founded. Police issued Newman a citation for displaying the American Flag in violation of the ordinance, which carries a fine of $139.00.

The pedestrian overpass consists of only a sidewalk with a fence on either side. Sidewalks are considered by the courts as traditional public forums.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “The Supreme Court has repeatedly stated that a bedrock principle of the First Amendment is that government cannot ban the expression of ideas just because some find it offensive. In fact, the Supreme Court has allowed the burning of the American Flag on the grounds that it is matter of free expression. So I’m astonished that the Town of Campbell and the police department think it can ban a citizen from displaying the American Flag.”