You don't necessarily need to be a cat lover to sympathize with these animals.
It's OK to shed a tear!
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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
LEE'S BACK! AND WE THANK HIM FOR EXPRESSING OUR FEELINGS IN WORDS
Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He has a best selling book, 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?'.
Check out his latest rant. Just as true today as it was when his book first came out. He was, and still is, a brilliant businessman! Often we need to be reminded of Iacocca's words.
# # # # #
'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage with this so called president? We should be screaming bloody murder!
We've got a gang of tax cheating clueless leftists trying to steer our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even run a ridiculous cash-for-clunkers program without losing $26 billion of the taxpayers' money, much less build a hybrid car.
But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'trust me the economy is getting better ...'
Better? You've got to be kidding. This is America , not the damned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the Democrats out along with Obama!'
You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore ...
The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs ... While we're fiddling in Afghanistan, Iran is completing their nuclear bombs and missiles and nobody seems to know what to do.
And the liberal press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the 'America ' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?
I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.)
Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with thumb up your butt and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.
On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here's where we stand.
We're immersed in a bloody war now with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving ... But our soldiers are dying daily.
We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the world, and it's getting worse every day!
We've lost the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.
Gas prices are going to skyrocket again, and nobody in power has a lucid plan to open drilling to solve the problem. This country has the largest oil reserves in the WORLD, and we cannot drill for it because the politicians have been bought by the flea-hugging environmentalists.
Our schools are in a complete disaster because of the teachers union.
Our borders are like sieves and they want to give all illegal's amnesty and free health care.
The middle class is being squeezed to death every day.
These are times that cry out for leadership.
But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point..
Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?
We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.
Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping the government will make it better for them. Now, that's just crazy ... Deal with life.
Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, look what Obama did about it!
Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.
I have news for the Chicago gangsters in Congress. We didn't elect you to turn this country into a losing European Socialist state. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on NBC or CNN news will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?
Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America..
In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years since 9/11.
Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future.
Our future is at stake!! Vote everyone in office out!
Remember to vote in November ...
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Debt Has Increased $5 Trillion Since Speaker Pelosi Vowed, ‘No New Deficit Spending’
Monday, October 25, 2010
(CNSNews.com) - When Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be “no new deficit spending.” Since that day, the national debt has increased by $5 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
"After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending,” Pelosi said in her speech [2] from the speaker’s podium. “Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt."
Pelosi has served as speaker in the 110th and 111th Congresses.
At the close of business on Jan. 4, 2007, Pelosi’s first day as speaker, the national debt was $8,670,596,242,973.04 (8.67 trillion), according to the Bureau of the Public Debt [3], a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. At the close of business on Oct. 22, it stood at $13,667,983,325,978.31 (13.67 trillion), an increase of 4,997,387,083,005.27 (or approximately $5 trillion).
Pelosi, the 60th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has added more to the national debt than the first 57 House speakers combined.
The $4.997-trillion increase in the national debt since she took the gavel is more debt than the federal government amassed from the speakership of Rep. Frederick Muhlenberg [4] of Pennsylvania, who became the first speaker of the House on April 1, 1789, to the start of the speakership of Rep. Newt Gingrich [5] of Georgia, the 58th speaker, who took up the gavel on Jan. 4, 1995.
The national debt first topped $5 trillion on Feb. 23, 1996, more than a year into Gingrich’s speakership.
Gingrich served as speaker in the 104th and 105th Congresses, officially taking the office on Jan. 4, 1995 and leaving office on Jan. 3, 1999. During that period, according to the Treasury Department, the national debt increased $812.4 billion dollars ($812,423,595,162.98), rising from $4.8 trillion ($4,801,793,426,032.89) to $5.6 trillion ($5,614,217,021,195.87).
Rep. Dennis Hastert [6] (R-Ill.), the 59th speaker, who presided over the 106th, 107th, 108th and 109th Congresses (serving as speaker from Jan. 6, 1999 to Jan. 3, 2007), enjoys the distinction of having increased the debt more than any other speaker except Pelosi. During Hastert’s time, the national debt increased $3.1 trillion ($3,061,785,703,851.74).
Thus far (the 111th Congress will not be done until the end of the year), Pelosi has increased the debt by an average of $2.5 trillion for each Congress she has led as speaker. Hastert increased the debt by an average of about $785 billion per Congress, while Gingrich increased the debt by an average of $406 billion per Congress.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the federal government cannot spend any money that has not been approved by congressional appropriations; and, by congressional precedent, appropriations bills originate in the House.
"No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law," says Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7 [7] of the Constitution.
“By precedent, appropriations originate in the House, with the Senate following suit,” says the House Rules Committee in an explanation [8] of the appropriations process.
Annual federal expenditures have increased by about $730 billion in the Pelosi era, while annual deficits have increased almost 8 fold. In fiscal 2007, when Pelosi became speaker, the federal government spent $2.73 trillion and ran an annual deficit of $162.8 billion, according to the Treasury Department [9]. In fiscal 2009 [10], the federal government spent $3.52 trillion and ran an annual deficit of $1.4157 trillion. In fiscal 2010 [11], the federal government spent $3.46 trillion and ran an annual deficit of $1.2941 trillion.
“The 2010 deficit was equal to 8.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), CBO estimates, down from 10.0 percent in 2009 (based on the most current estimate of GDP),” the Congressional Budget Office said in its October Monthly Budget Review [12]. “The 2010 deficit was the second-highest shortfall—and 2009 the highest—since 1945, relative to the size of the economy.”
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(CNSNews.com) - When Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be “no new deficit spending.” Since that day, the national debt has increased by $5 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
"After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending,” Pelosi said in her speech [2] from the speaker’s podium. “Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt."
Pelosi has served as speaker in the 110th and 111th Congresses.
At the close of business on Jan. 4, 2007, Pelosi’s first day as speaker, the national debt was $8,670,596,242,973.04 (8.67 trillion), according to the Bureau of the Public Debt [3], a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. At the close of business on Oct. 22, it stood at $13,667,983,325,978.31 (13.67 trillion), an increase of 4,997,387,083,005.27 (or approximately $5 trillion).
Pelosi, the 60th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has added more to the national debt than the first 57 House speakers combined.
The $4.997-trillion increase in the national debt since she took the gavel is more debt than the federal government amassed from the speakership of Rep. Frederick Muhlenberg [4] of Pennsylvania, who became the first speaker of the House on April 1, 1789, to the start of the speakership of Rep. Newt Gingrich [5] of Georgia, the 58th speaker, who took up the gavel on Jan. 4, 1995.
The national debt first topped $5 trillion on Feb. 23, 1996, more than a year into Gingrich’s speakership.
Gingrich served as speaker in the 104th and 105th Congresses, officially taking the office on Jan. 4, 1995 and leaving office on Jan. 3, 1999. During that period, according to the Treasury Department, the national debt increased $812.4 billion dollars ($812,423,595,162.98), rising from $4.8 trillion ($4,801,793,426,032.89) to $5.6 trillion ($5,614,217,021,195.87).
Rep. Dennis Hastert [6] (R-Ill.), the 59th speaker, who presided over the 106th, 107th, 108th and 109th Congresses (serving as speaker from Jan. 6, 1999 to Jan. 3, 2007), enjoys the distinction of having increased the debt more than any other speaker except Pelosi. During Hastert’s time, the national debt increased $3.1 trillion ($3,061,785,703,851.74).
Thus far (the 111th Congress will not be done until the end of the year), Pelosi has increased the debt by an average of $2.5 trillion for each Congress she has led as speaker. Hastert increased the debt by an average of about $785 billion per Congress, while Gingrich increased the debt by an average of $406 billion per Congress.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the federal government cannot spend any money that has not been approved by congressional appropriations; and, by congressional precedent, appropriations bills originate in the House.
"No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law," says Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7 [7] of the Constitution.
“By precedent, appropriations originate in the House, with the Senate following suit,” says the House Rules Committee in an explanation [8] of the appropriations process.
Annual federal expenditures have increased by about $730 billion in the Pelosi era, while annual deficits have increased almost 8 fold. In fiscal 2007, when Pelosi became speaker, the federal government spent $2.73 trillion and ran an annual deficit of $162.8 billion, according to the Treasury Department [9]. In fiscal 2009 [10], the federal government spent $3.52 trillion and ran an annual deficit of $1.4157 trillion. In fiscal 2010 [11], the federal government spent $3.46 trillion and ran an annual deficit of $1.2941 trillion.
“The 2010 deficit was equal to 8.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), CBO estimates, down from 10.0 percent in 2009 (based on the most current estimate of GDP),” the Congressional Budget Office said in its October Monthly Budget Review [12]. “The 2010 deficit was the second-highest shortfall—and 2009 the highest—since 1945, relative to the size of the economy.”
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THANKS, NANCY, FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR US...AND OUR KIDS
...Thanks to Neal Boortz, the TalkMaster, for this acknowledgement to Princess Nancy
Princess Pelosi is upset. And I, of course, am upset that she's upset. She is upset that you have not bowed down and kissed the ground she walks upon, thanking her for everything she has done for this country. Pelosi says that "we haven't really gotten the credit for what we have done." By "we" she clearly means Democrats. Well how about we thank Nancy for this. In fact, why don't you go ahead and write a thank you note on behalf of your grandchildren ...
When Nancy Pelosi gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be "no new deficit spending." Since that day, the national debt has increased by $5 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Thank you so very much, Nancy, for the $5 trillion in debt our children and grandchildren are going to have to pay off. You deserve the credit.
Now ... let's see. Surely there are other things we can give Nancy credit for! How about that spectacular ObamaCare bill that we had to pass so we could find out what was in it? Princess Pelosi complains that "You have all those forces at work, pouring millions of millions of dollars into the media, and now into the campaigns to mischaracterize everything that we did." Well .. it's government accountants, not the evil media and the hated (but only as long as they're serving Republicans) "special interests," that are now telling us that Obama care is going to cost way more than you said, and that it will be adding to our deficits as early as next year.
Then there's the stimulus bill. Actually, Nancy, that one pretty much belongs to you. The Community Organizer wanted to spend some money to make it look to the American people like he was actually doing something ... so he came to you and told you to get a stimulus bill written. You then went to your House members and told them to get all of their spending bills written up in nice difficult to understand legislative language and sent to her office so she could put it into a nice stimulus package. So, if we can't thank you, we want to convey the thanks of those Siberians who are being taught with borrowed money - money our children will have to pay back - how to interact with their government ... in Moscow. Thanks also from that academic hack in Oklahoma who now has over $1 million of stimulus money to study grandparent interaction in Alaska. Oh ... and the turtles thank you for their turtle tunnel.
Mischaracterize? Don't think so, Madam Speaker. It's all there in black and white in the legislation you crammed down American throats. It's not real hard to mischaracterize a $5 trillion increase in national debt. Know what? I think that your real problem is that the American people understand all too well what you've really done. We recognize your accomplishments, and we look at our children and feel remorse for the idiotic votes we cast that gave you all this power.
Actually ... the American people DO want to thank you. They want you to know that they're so appreciative of the job you've done that they want you to go ahead and enjoy your hard-earned retirement. We're going to throw a little retirement party for you in ... say ... about one week. Maybe after all of the burdens of the speaker's office are removed from your shoulders you'll decide to just go ahead and retire. Trust me ... you've earned it.
Princess Pelosi is upset. And I, of course, am upset that she's upset. She is upset that you have not bowed down and kissed the ground she walks upon, thanking her for everything she has done for this country. Pelosi says that "we haven't really gotten the credit for what we have done." By "we" she clearly means Democrats. Well how about we thank Nancy for this. In fact, why don't you go ahead and write a thank you note on behalf of your grandchildren ...
When Nancy Pelosi gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be "no new deficit spending." Since that day, the national debt has increased by $5 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Thank you so very much, Nancy, for the $5 trillion in debt our children and grandchildren are going to have to pay off. You deserve the credit.
Now ... let's see. Surely there are other things we can give Nancy credit for! How about that spectacular ObamaCare bill that we had to pass so we could find out what was in it? Princess Pelosi complains that "You have all those forces at work, pouring millions of millions of dollars into the media, and now into the campaigns to mischaracterize everything that we did." Well .. it's government accountants, not the evil media and the hated (but only as long as they're serving Republicans) "special interests," that are now telling us that Obama care is going to cost way more than you said, and that it will be adding to our deficits as early as next year.
Then there's the stimulus bill. Actually, Nancy, that one pretty much belongs to you. The Community Organizer wanted to spend some money to make it look to the American people like he was actually doing something ... so he came to you and told you to get a stimulus bill written. You then went to your House members and told them to get all of their spending bills written up in nice difficult to understand legislative language and sent to her office so she could put it into a nice stimulus package. So, if we can't thank you, we want to convey the thanks of those Siberians who are being taught with borrowed money - money our children will have to pay back - how to interact with their government ... in Moscow. Thanks also from that academic hack in Oklahoma who now has over $1 million of stimulus money to study grandparent interaction in Alaska. Oh ... and the turtles thank you for their turtle tunnel.
Mischaracterize? Don't think so, Madam Speaker. It's all there in black and white in the legislation you crammed down American throats. It's not real hard to mischaracterize a $5 trillion increase in national debt. Know what? I think that your real problem is that the American people understand all too well what you've really done. We recognize your accomplishments, and we look at our children and feel remorse for the idiotic votes we cast that gave you all this power.
Actually ... the American people DO want to thank you. They want you to know that they're so appreciative of the job you've done that they want you to go ahead and enjoy your hard-earned retirement. We're going to throw a little retirement party for you in ... say ... about one week. Maybe after all of the burdens of the speaker's office are removed from your shoulders you'll decide to just go ahead and retire. Trust me ... you've earned it.
Monday, October 25, 2010
THIS IS OUR PRESIDENT ... IN HIS OWN WORDS!
From Audacity of Hope: "I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
Is anyone out there awake? 
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HEY, OBAMA, DON'T YOU GET IT YET?
"Socialism is the doctrine that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that his life and his work do not belong to him, but belong to society, that the only justification of his existence is his service to society, and that society may dispose of him in any way it pleases for the sake of whatever it deems to be its own tribal, collective good."
~Ayn Rand
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~Ayn Rand
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Saturday, October 23, 2010
CHINA IS ALREADY COUNTING IT'S CHICKENS
Our Government is selling us out..wake up America..this can be the Future if we don't get our Financial House in Order
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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Obama needs some scarce Hopium for the next election
As President Barack Obama returns home Thursday for some old-fashioned Chicago politics with his friends, let's make one thing perfectly clear.
America's Hopium farmers must increase production, because the nation's supply is dangerously low, and the November midterm elections are only weeks away.
Even my personal Obama Chia Heads don't produce as much Hopium as before. And this should worry the president.
Because as readers know, Hopium is the stuff that sends tingles up reporters' legs and keeps everybody, even taxpayers, feelin' all right.
If America has a Hopium deficit, we might have no way of altering political reality like we did a few years ago. And these days, reality bites.
................ John Kass, Chicago, Tribune
See entire article at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-obama-1007-20101007,0,7435344.column
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Hmm...that's right if you think about it.
"Many remaining members of the current administration are on the road during one of the earliest Congressional recesses of all time, talking about all they have done and patting themselves on the back. Their spin doctors tell us we have "turned the corner" on unemployment, "turned the corner" on the deficit, "turned the corner" in Iraq, and "turned the corner" on the economy. If my math is right, when you turn four corners you are right back where you started - which, in their case, is blaming Bush."
.................Ron Hart
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.................Ron Hart
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Monday, October 4, 2010
FINANCIAL TRANSACTION TAX?
You haven't heard about this? No surprise. There's an election coming you know. Democrats aren't fond of telegraphing their various tax schemes just before you go to the polls. My guess is that you'll hear plenty about this if the voters of this country somehow manage to leave the Democrats in power. Drudge did, however, run with a bit over the weekend wherein Nancy Pelosi indicated that the idea had merit. On December 4th of last year CNSnews.com ran with a story detailing Pelosi's endorsement of a "global" tax on stock trades and other financial transactions that she said at a news conference could bring in $150 billion annually.
So ... just in case you're actually thinking of voting, maybe this explanation will help you make up your mind.
A financial transaction tax would most likely start out at around 1%. If you made a $500 deposit into your savings account, $5 would go to Washington. If your employer automatically deposited you $1,845 paycheck into your account every two weeks, $18.45 would go to the federal government. That's what happens when your money goes INTO your account? But what about when it comes OUT? Well, that's another financial transaction, isn't it? Charge a $80 dinner for two to your Visa card, 80 cents to the government. Let's say your car payment is $390 per month. Every time you make that payment $3.90 goes to the government. Over 36 months this would amount to $140. Now remember .. you already paid income tax on this money ... and here comes another 1% going in, and 1% coming out.
Mention this to a Democrat ... and they will surely tell you that you are crazy, that they would never consider something like this. But hold on a minute ... you need to know that this idea of a financial transaction tax is very popular right now in Europe. Some have even proposed such a tax as a way to support the United Nations, and I've already told you about Pelosi's love for the idea. So ... do you feel lucky? Go ahead! Put your favorite Democrat back into office. Then you can react with amazement a few months down the road when the Democrats - still in power thanks to your efforts --- announce that something like a temporary transaction is going to be necessary to take care of our deficit. The truth, of course, is that if they got the tax it would not be used to cover the deficit ... it would just be more money for them to spend on their various vote-buying schemes. Temporary? Yeah, right. The only thing about this financial transaction tax that would be temporary would be the rate. Again ... how long would it take them to tell you that they just "had" to raise the rate to 2%, but just for a while, mind you .. just for a while until whatever crisis our dear leaders in Washington were dealing with passed.
Are you beginning to see what the stakes are here four weeks from tomorrow? We're not playing some video game here folks. The threat is real, and if you aren't on the front lines to fight these people I promise you that your children and grandchildren will damn you for walking away from this battle.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
FINALLY...A SENATOR HAS THE STONES TO ADMIT IT!
Coburn Report Shows Billions in Education Budget Spent on 'School House Pork'
Published September 30, 2010 | FoxNews.com
What do mariachi classes, wine studies and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have in common? They were all funded by federal Department of Education earmarks, according to an extensive new report released Thursday by Sen. Tom Coburn.
The Oklahoma Republican, in a study called "School House Pork," is urging the federal government to suspend these education "slush funds" after finding that lawmakers have secured 5,563 such earmarks, worth $2.3 billion over the past decade. While earmark advocates argue they're a way to ensure taxpayer money is going toward worthy projects, Coburn's report claims the recipients often were not "deserving or needy" of the extra funding.
The programs were "created by Congress to improve the American educational system, but have been compromised by political interests and are overrun with education pork," the report says.
Coburn's study focuses on two Education Department funds -- the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the Fund for the Improvement of Education. He told Fox News the Congress is not focusing on priorities in allocating the money.
"We're in tough times and we're still doing this kind of stupid stuff," Coburn said Thursday. "Everybody's thinking we have to raise taxes, the first thing we need to do is cut back waste."
The report, claiming money often went to the schools with the best lobbyists, drew attention to dozens of questionable earmarks. Here are some of the highlights:
-- A Las Vegas school district received a $25,000 earmark in 2005 for a mariachi music program.
-- Jackson State University benefited from a $478,941 earmark to look at studying a school of osteopathic medicine. However, a local newspaper reported that the commissioner of higher education in Mississippi had "no intention" of opening one.
-- Central Washington University received $191,593 in 2008 for "curriculum development," which included a curriculum based on local wines.
-- Lawmakers secured more than $181 million in earmarks over the past decade for programs and projects that would bear their name. This included $1.9 million in 2008 for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service; two earmarks over two years worth more than $19 million for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate; $2.4 million for the Lott Leadership Institute, named after former Sen. Trent Lott; and two earmarks worth $10 million for the Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center.
-- Fifteen earmarks worth $2.7 million went to zoos over the past decade. This included four earmarks totaling $1 million for the Philadelphia Zoo.
-- Several education earmarks funded local and national halls of fame. The National Baseball Hall of Fame got $450,000 in 2005, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame got $200,000 in 2002 and the National Aviation Hall of Fame got $400,000 in 2001 -- then another $200,000 earmark in 2005.
-- Lawmakers secured $273,000 for a program in Blue Springs, Mo., aimed at fighting Goth culture.
-- Through seven earmarks, more than $5 million went to the Andre Agassi College Prep Academy.
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Published September 30, 2010 | FoxNews.com
What do mariachi classes, wine studies and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have in common? They were all funded by federal Department of Education earmarks, according to an extensive new report released Thursday by Sen. Tom Coburn.
The Oklahoma Republican, in a study called "School House Pork," is urging the federal government to suspend these education "slush funds" after finding that lawmakers have secured 5,563 such earmarks, worth $2.3 billion over the past decade. While earmark advocates argue they're a way to ensure taxpayer money is going toward worthy projects, Coburn's report claims the recipients often were not "deserving or needy" of the extra funding.
The programs were "created by Congress to improve the American educational system, but have been compromised by political interests and are overrun with education pork," the report says.
Coburn's study focuses on two Education Department funds -- the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the Fund for the Improvement of Education. He told Fox News the Congress is not focusing on priorities in allocating the money.
"We're in tough times and we're still doing this kind of stupid stuff," Coburn said Thursday. "Everybody's thinking we have to raise taxes, the first thing we need to do is cut back waste."
The report, claiming money often went to the schools with the best lobbyists, drew attention to dozens of questionable earmarks. Here are some of the highlights:
-- A Las Vegas school district received a $25,000 earmark in 2005 for a mariachi music program.
-- Jackson State University benefited from a $478,941 earmark to look at studying a school of osteopathic medicine. However, a local newspaper reported that the commissioner of higher education in Mississippi had "no intention" of opening one.
-- Central Washington University received $191,593 in 2008 for "curriculum development," which included a curriculum based on local wines.
-- Lawmakers secured more than $181 million in earmarks over the past decade for programs and projects that would bear their name. This included $1.9 million in 2008 for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service; two earmarks over two years worth more than $19 million for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate; $2.4 million for the Lott Leadership Institute, named after former Sen. Trent Lott; and two earmarks worth $10 million for the Strom Thurmond Fitness and Wellness Center.
-- Fifteen earmarks worth $2.7 million went to zoos over the past decade. This included four earmarks totaling $1 million for the Philadelphia Zoo.
-- Several education earmarks funded local and national halls of fame. The National Baseball Hall of Fame got $450,000 in 2005, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame got $200,000 in 2002 and the National Aviation Hall of Fame got $400,000 in 2001 -- then another $200,000 earmark in 2005.
-- Lawmakers secured $273,000 for a program in Blue Springs, Mo., aimed at fighting Goth culture.
-- Through seven earmarks, more than $5 million went to the Andre Agassi College Prep Academy.
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Friday, October 1, 2010
Where are the war protesters now?
Remember during the Bush presidency how the news media heralded article after article about the death tolls in the Middle East? Why they salivated over each individual casualty that was reported.
Now, however, there is very little attention focused on these casualties by the Obama media. This certainly shows that the hypocritical media is biased toward the democrats...and, in my opinion, IT IS PART OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY!
Deadliest September Yet for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan; More Than One U.S. Soldier Dying Per Day on Obama’s Watch
Thursday, September 30, 2010
(CNSNews.com) - September 2010 has been the deadliest September yet for U.S. troops in the 9-year-long war in Afghanistan as U.S. troops continued to be killed at a pace of slightly higher than one a day during the Obama presidency. U.S. troops thus far have suffered 38 total casualties in September, with all but two of those being combat-related. Before now, September 2009 had been the deadliest September of the war with the U.S. suffering 37 total casualties in that month, 35 of which were combat related.
Since the beginning of the war in October 2001, 1,206 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan, according to CNSNews.com database of Afghanistan war casualties. 1,041 of those deaths have been combated-related. 2010 is already the deadliest year of the Afghan war for U.S. forces. So far, 354 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year compared to 303 in 2009, which was the second deadliest year of the war.
A total of 650 U.S. troops troops have been killed in Afghanistan since President Barack Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2010. During his presidential campaign, he vowed to shift the focus of U.S. military efforts overseas from Iraq to Afghanistan. The 650 U.S. casualties in Afghanistan since Obama’s inauguration equal almost 54 percent of all U.S. casualties for the entire duration of the war. Given that Obama has been president for 618 days, U.S. troops have been dying in Afghanistan at a rate of more than one a day since he took over as commander in chief.
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Now, however, there is very little attention focused on these casualties by the Obama media. This certainly shows that the hypocritical media is biased toward the democrats...and, in my opinion, IT IS PART OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY!
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Deadliest September Yet for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan; More Than One U.S. Soldier Dying Per Day on Obama’s Watch
Thursday, September 30, 2010
(CNSNews.com) - September 2010 has been the deadliest September yet for U.S. troops in the 9-year-long war in Afghanistan as U.S. troops continued to be killed at a pace of slightly higher than one a day during the Obama presidency. U.S. troops thus far have suffered 38 total casualties in September, with all but two of those being combat-related. Before now, September 2009 had been the deadliest September of the war with the U.S. suffering 37 total casualties in that month, 35 of which were combat related.
Since the beginning of the war in October 2001, 1,206 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan, according to CNSNews.com database of Afghanistan war casualties. 1,041 of those deaths have been combated-related. 2010 is already the deadliest year of the Afghan war for U.S. forces. So far, 354 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year compared to 303 in 2009, which was the second deadliest year of the war.
A total of 650 U.S. troops troops have been killed in Afghanistan since President Barack Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2010. During his presidential campaign, he vowed to shift the focus of U.S. military efforts overseas from Iraq to Afghanistan. The 650 U.S. casualties in Afghanistan since Obama’s inauguration equal almost 54 percent of all U.S. casualties for the entire duration of the war. Given that Obama has been president for 618 days, U.S. troops have been dying in Afghanistan at a rate of more than one a day since he took over as commander in chief.
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