Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan continued his college speaking tour on Monday night at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
While his address included many of the racially-charged elements we’ve heard in other related lectures, the minister added in some new comments about whites, his personal experience with using marijuana and he even showered some praise upon conservative commentator Pat Buchanan.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Six People You Need To Start A Revolution
Successful change movements run on diversity. Here are the essential skill sets no revolution can win without.
With the 99% Spring up and rolling and set to bring 100,000 new activists to the party this weekend, there's some increased friction between various progressive groups who are working to expand the movement this year.
It's a good time to remember that mass movements are — by design and necessity — big and diverse, encompassing lots of different kinds of people who bring all kinds of skills, resources, interests and priorities to the table. As progressives, we've always believed that that diversity is our most important strength.
There's not enough that can be said about the genius of Occupy at raising America's awareness of the corporatization of our culture, and defining and framing the predations of the 1 percent against the 99 percent as the defining conflict of our age. But now it's time to take the message out of the parks and streets and into the American mainstream. If the goal is to build a truly diverse nationwide movement that will change the foundations of the American economy, getting more established groups like MoveOn.org, Rebuild the Dream and the labor unions involved can only be a good thing.
For the revolution to spread, the Occupy protestors need to be joined by other people — very specific kinds of other people, in fact. Centuries of social change theorists going back to Marx and before have figured out that successful revolutions require certain recurring character types and skill sets. History tells us that the relationships between these very different groups are more often than not fractious and prickly -- and, in fact, revolutions (like the French Revolution) can very easily fail when they're seized and overwhelmed by vicious infighting between people who are nominally on the same side.
(A sober reminder: The Terror was, at its core, a purge against "co-optation": Robespierre was determined to preserve the purity of the revolution at all costs. A majority of the people who went to the guillotine, including, ultimately, Robespierre himself, were on the side of the revolution.)
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With the 99% Spring up and rolling and set to bring 100,000 new activists to the party this weekend, there's some increased friction between various progressive groups who are working to expand the movement this year.
It's a good time to remember that mass movements are — by design and necessity — big and diverse, encompassing lots of different kinds of people who bring all kinds of skills, resources, interests and priorities to the table. As progressives, we've always believed that that diversity is our most important strength.
There's not enough that can be said about the genius of Occupy at raising America's awareness of the corporatization of our culture, and defining and framing the predations of the 1 percent against the 99 percent as the defining conflict of our age. But now it's time to take the message out of the parks and streets and into the American mainstream. If the goal is to build a truly diverse nationwide movement that will change the foundations of the American economy, getting more established groups like MoveOn.org, Rebuild the Dream and the labor unions involved can only be a good thing.
For the revolution to spread, the Occupy protestors need to be joined by other people — very specific kinds of other people, in fact. Centuries of social change theorists going back to Marx and before have figured out that successful revolutions require certain recurring character types and skill sets. History tells us that the relationships between these very different groups are more often than not fractious and prickly -- and, in fact, revolutions (like the French Revolution) can very easily fail when they're seized and overwhelmed by vicious infighting between people who are nominally on the same side.
(A sober reminder: The Terror was, at its core, a purge against "co-optation": Robespierre was determined to preserve the purity of the revolution at all costs. A majority of the people who went to the guillotine, including, ultimately, Robespierre himself, were on the side of the revolution.)
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Precrime In America
The U.S. Department of Homeland security is working on a project called FAST [6], the Future Attribute Screening Technology. FAST will remotely monitor physiological and behavioural signals like elevated heart rate, eye movement, body temperature, facial patterns, and body language, and analyse these signals algorithmically for statistical aberrance in an attempt to identify people with criminal or terroristic intentions.
It’s useful to briefly talk about a few of the practical problems that such a system would face.
Firstly, the level of accuracy in remote monitoring. Is it possible to engineer a system that can remotely tell you the heart-rate of a hundred passengers passing through a TSA checkpoint? Yes. Is it possible to do so accurately? That is much, much harder. The obvious conclusion is that such a system, were it to be deployed in the wilds of airports (and presumably, other locations where our ever-benevolent technocratic overlords determine “terrorists” or “criminals” may be operating) would — given a large enough number of scans — produce a lot of false positives stemming from erroneous data.
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It’s useful to briefly talk about a few of the practical problems that such a system would face.
Firstly, the level of accuracy in remote monitoring. Is it possible to engineer a system that can remotely tell you the heart-rate of a hundred passengers passing through a TSA checkpoint? Yes. Is it possible to do so accurately? That is much, much harder. The obvious conclusion is that such a system, were it to be deployed in the wilds of airports (and presumably, other locations where our ever-benevolent technocratic overlords determine “terrorists” or “criminals” may be operating) would — given a large enough number of scans — produce a lot of false positives stemming from erroneous data.
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Mitt Romney Tells Rich Donors His Secret Plan To Cut Housing Assistance
During comments overheard by an NBC news reporter, Mitt Romney told a crowd at a private fundraiser last night that he might eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development, scale back the Department of Education, and eliminate some specific tax provisions. There are all details that he has refused to divulge on the campaign trail:
Romney went into a level of detail not usually seen by the public in the speech, which was overheard by reporters on a sidewalk below. One possibility floated by Romney included the elimination of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Cabinet-level agency once led by Romney’s father, George.
“I’m going to take a lot of departments in Washington, and agencies, and combine them. Some eliminate, but I’m probably not going to lay out just exactly which ones are going to go,” Romney said. “Things like Housing and Urban Development, which my dad was head of, that might not be around later.
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Romney went into a level of detail not usually seen by the public in the speech, which was overheard by reporters on a sidewalk below. One possibility floated by Romney included the elimination of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Cabinet-level agency once led by Romney’s father, George.
“I’m going to take a lot of departments in Washington, and agencies, and combine them. Some eliminate, but I’m probably not going to lay out just exactly which ones are going to go,” Romney said. “Things like Housing and Urban Development, which my dad was head of, that might not be around later.
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The Federal Reserve Turns Left
Washington is lost in a snarl of confusion, cowardice and wrongheaded ideological assumptions that threaten to keep the economy in a ditch for a long time. That prospect is not much discussed in the halls of Congress or the White House. It’s as though the crisis has been put on hold until after the presidential election.
As almost everyone understands, nothing substantial will be accomplished this year. President Obama is campaigning on warmed-over optimism and paper-thin policy proposals. Republicans propose to make things worse by drastically shrinking government spending, when the opposite is needed to foster a real recovery. The president, like the GOP, embraces large-scale deficit reduction. In these circumstances, it’s just as well that the two parties cannot reach agreement. After the election they may make a deal that splits the difference between bad and worse. In the worst case, they might inadvertently tip the economy back into recession.
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As almost everyone understands, nothing substantial will be accomplished this year. President Obama is campaigning on warmed-over optimism and paper-thin policy proposals. Republicans propose to make things worse by drastically shrinking government spending, when the opposite is needed to foster a real recovery. The president, like the GOP, embraces large-scale deficit reduction. In these circumstances, it’s just as well that the two parties cannot reach agreement. After the election they may make a deal that splits the difference between bad and worse. In the worst case, they might inadvertently tip the economy back into recession.
More
Joe Scarborough Loses It with Laughter After Learning Obama Admitted to Eating…Dog
No matter your thoughts on Joe Scarborough, this is a segment you will likely enjoy.
On Wednesday, panel member Willie Geist set his sights on Mitt Romney’s infamous dog-on-the-roof story for his segment “News You Can’t Use.” But before you go rolling your eyes thinking it’s just another anti-Romney piece in the media, just wait: Geist also introduced a far less known story about Obama’s own dog controversy. You remember, the time he admitted to eating dog.
Yes, Obama has eaten dog and admitted to it. In fact, the Daily Caller found it in Obama’s book, “Dreams From My Father”:
Taking Uncle Sam for a Ride: How Pakistan Makes Washington Pay For The Afghan War
The following ingredients should go a long way to produce a political thriller. Mr. M, a jihadist in an Asian state, has emerged as the mastermind of a terrorist attack in a neighboring country, which killed six Americans. After sifting through a vast cache of intelligence and obtaining a legal clearance, the State Department announces a $10 million bounty for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Mr. M promptly appears at a press conference and says, “I am here. America should give that reward money to me.”
A State Department spokesperson explains lamely that the reward is meant for incriminating evidence against Mr. M that would stand up in court. The prime minister of M’s home state condemns foreign interference in his country’s internal affairs. In the midst of this imbroglio, the United States decides to release $1.18 billion in aid to the cash-strapped government of the defiant prime minister to persuade him to reopen supply lines for U.S. and NATO forces bogged down in the hapless neighboring Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Alarmingly, this is anything but fiction or a plot for an upcoming international sitcom. It is a brief summary of the latest development in the fraught relations between the United States and Pakistan, two countries locked into an uneasy embrace since September 12, 2001.
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A State Department spokesperson explains lamely that the reward is meant for incriminating evidence against Mr. M that would stand up in court. The prime minister of M’s home state condemns foreign interference in his country’s internal affairs. In the midst of this imbroglio, the United States decides to release $1.18 billion in aid to the cash-strapped government of the defiant prime minister to persuade him to reopen supply lines for U.S. and NATO forces bogged down in the hapless neighboring Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Alarmingly, this is anything but fiction or a plot for an upcoming international sitcom. It is a brief summary of the latest development in the fraught relations between the United States and Pakistan, two countries locked into an uneasy embrace since September 12, 2001.
More
Iraq Vet Leads in Arizona GOP Primary for Giffords Seat
(Reuters) - An Iraq war veteran was leading a Republican primary in Arizona on Tuesday to pick a candidate for the seat of former Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was wounded in a shooting spree last year and later resigned.
Jesse Kelly, the leading Republican candidate, narrowly lost to Giffords in the 2010 race that saw her elected to her third term to represent southeast Arizona, including part of Tucson.
The winner of the primary held on Tuesday will compete in a June 12 special election against former Giffords aide Ronald Barber, who was also shot and wounded when a gunman opened fire on Giffords and killed six other people in January 2011.
Coach Busch: Profile Of The Powerful House Speaker As Hometown Family Man
As the longest serving speaker in Maryland history, he shares immense power with the governor. He is also a hometown family man who lives in a modest house on McKendree Avenue in the Homewood section of Annapolis and knows thousands of residents of the capital city from a quarter-century of knocking on their doors in election campaigns. (This feature profile of House Speaker Michael Busch by Len Lazarick is running in the May issue of the regional magazines What's Up Annapolis and What's Up Eastern Shore.)
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Meet GERONIMO
My name is samantha Valle. Im from Long island new york. The dog is GERONIMO and shes a 2 year old cattle dog mix. could be mixed with border collie or kelpie, who knows! I pulled her out of a pound in Missouri while I was performing there 2 summers ago. She was 3 months old. Mo's specialty is tricks. She loves to train tricks, but also has a knack for agility and frisbee. I have 7 dogs total, all mixes of herding dogs, which are my favorite.
Moody’s Says Budget Cuts, School Aid Mandate Could Lead To Downgrade Of Local Bonds
Moody’s Investor Services says Maryland counties could face a downgrade of their bond ratings due the state cuts in education aid and the new maintenance of effort law “limiting the ability of local governments to cut their own spending.”
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Secret Service Probing Ted Nugent’s Obama Comments After DNC Rep. Goes on 30-Tweet Rampage
First it was DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz who was awfully upset with Tea Partying rock star Ted Nugent for comments he made at the NRA’s national convention in St. Louis on Saturday.
Now it’s DNC Press Secretary Melanie Roussell’s turn to be shocked that Ted Nugent, nicknamed “The Motor City Madman,” made some controversial remarks.
“Our government is wiping it’s a– with the Constitution,” Nugent said before a gathering of NRA attendees this past weekend.
“We’ve got four Supreme Court justices who don’t believe in the Constitution. Does everyone here know that four of the Supreme Court justices not only determined you don’t have the right to keep and bear arms, four Supreme Court justices signed their name to a declaration that Americans have no fundamental right to self-defense?” Nugent asked.
Republicans Oppose Calling Special Session, As Unions Organize To Support One
Republican legislators and conservative groups are mounting a campaign against a special session of the legislature to raise taxes, as teachers and public employees advocates are organizing to bring the lawmakers back to Annapolis to do just that.
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BREAKING NEWS: 3 Leave Secret Service Amid Scandal
Secret Service announces at least three employees are leaving the agency in the wake of a prostitution scandal in Colombia.
From Fox News
From Fox News
Parents Spending Average of $1,078 on Prom Night
Visa reported yesterday that teenagers going to the prom are not taking just their clothes to the cleaners; they’re taking their parents. The average cost of the night that teens regard as the night they’ll always remember: $1,078. Last year Visa reported the average cost as $807.
The lower end of the economic spectrum apparently values the one-night fling more highly than those in the median range; the report stated that parents who make between $20,000 and $29,999 a year will spend more than $2,600, while those who earn more than $75,00 a year plan to spend between $700 and $1,000.
There were also regional differences in the US. Northeastern families plan to spend an average of $1,944, Southern families: $1,047, Western families: $744, Midwestern families: $696. The Visa survey estimated that the high-schoolers are covering 39% of the cost, while parents are covering 61%.
State Employees Unveil "Doomsday Clock" For Cuts
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Maryland state employees will be unveiling a "Doomsday Clock" to count down when a half a billion in budget cuts will take effect, unless a special session is called to change the budget.
The Maryland State Education Association is planning to show the clock on Wednesday at its Annapolis office.
MSEA says an educator, a member of the police department, librarian a parole and probation officer and others will attend the event.
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The Maryland State Education Association is planning to show the clock on Wednesday at its Annapolis office.
MSEA says an educator, a member of the police department, librarian a parole and probation officer and others will attend the event.
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Belief in God Grows as Mortality Nears, Survey Says
(Reuters) - Belief in God is highest among older people and increases with age, perhaps due to the growing realization that death is coming closer, University of Chicago researchers said on Wednesday.
Summarizing data from surveys performed in 1991, 1998 and 2008 in 30 countries from Chile to Japan, the university's National Opinion Research Center found that, on average, 43 percent of those aged 68 and older were certain that God exists.
By comparison, an average of 23 percent of people aged 27 and younger were firm believers in God, according to the report, which gathered data from the International Social Survey Program, a consortium of the world's leading opinion survey organizations.
Salisbury News Clears Rumors About Gun In School
Let me make this very clear. There was NO gun/hand gun found at Bennett High School.
There was a clear plastic BB gun found in Bennett Middle School today and that student involved has been reprimanded.
I know the text messages are going crazy about a gun at the High School and that just isn't true.
There was a clear plastic BB gun found in Bennett Middle School today and that student involved has been reprimanded.
I know the text messages are going crazy about a gun at the High School and that just isn't true.
Traffic Stop Suspect Hits Car, Killing Infant's Mother
Friends, Family Question Whether Baltimore Police Chased Car
BALTIMORE -- A new mother was killed after a car that police had attempted to pull over plowed into her vehicle Monday night in west Baltimore.
The incident happened at about 11 p.m., when officers from the Southwestern District noticed a car operating in an unsafe manner. Baltimore City officers began to follow the driver and attempted to pull him over near the 1800 block of Poplar Grove.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the officers were not chasing the suspect.
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BALTIMORE -- A new mother was killed after a car that police had attempted to pull over plowed into her vehicle Monday night in west Baltimore.
The incident happened at about 11 p.m., when officers from the Southwestern District noticed a car operating in an unsafe manner. Baltimore City officers began to follow the driver and attempted to pull him over near the 1800 block of Poplar Grove.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the officers were not chasing the suspect.
More
BREAKING NEWS: TV Icon Dick Clark Dies
Dick Clark, whose work spanned from 'American Bandstand' to his annual New Year's Eve specials, dies at 82.
Anti-Semitism At Occupy DC's 'Emancipation Day'
As #OccupyWallStreet prepares for their "spring offensive," MRCTV ran into an outspoken Jew-hater among #OccupyDC in Washington D.C.
Video Here
Video Here
Teens Unlikely To Speak Up Against Distracted Drivers
Everyone recognizes the dangers of texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, but results from a new federal safety study finds that teenagers won't stop others from driving while distracted—even if they're riding in the car with the distracted driver.
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More
Federal Workers Make Nearly Twice Private Sector Compensation
In their new book, Debacle: Obama's War on Jobs and Growth and What We Can Do Now to Regain Our Future, Grover Norquist and John Lott, Jr. explain just how bloated the pay and benefits of government workers have become.
According to Norquist and Lott, the average private sector worker in America earns $61,000 annually in pay, pension benefits, and health care benefits. That compares to state and local government workers who make $80,000 and federal workers who bag $120,000 taxpayer dollars in pay, pension, and benefits.
So how many government workers are there in America?
In Debacle, Norquist and Lott report that "there are 2.2 million federal civilian workers, 1.5 million active-duty members of the armed forces, 5 million state employees in the 50 states, and 14.1 million local employees."
Mobile Payments May Replace Cash, Credit By 2020, Experts Say
By 2020, mobile payments will have gained mainstream acceptance and could largely replace cash and credit for most online and in-store purchases, according to a new survey of technology experts and stakeholders by the Pew Internet & American Life Project released today.
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Taxmageddon Coming? Answer Could Cost Americans $500 Billion
As many Americans were scrambling to get this year's taxes done, analysts were warning about a bigger tax day -- what some call a tax Armageddon, or "Taxmageddon," to characterize its potential effect on the U.S. economy.
At the end of the year, some $500 billion in tax breaks expire all at once, hitting American households with an average tax increase of $3,800 -- if Congress doesn't act.
The potential increases include $165 billion more from taxpayers as a result of expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts, which would push taxes from a bottom rate of 10 percent and a top rate of 35 percent to a bottom rate of 15 percent and a top rate of 39.6 percent.
Obama Spending Helps Economy – in Kenya!
As Americans tightened their belts to pay federal taxes on time, the Obama administration is exploring what appears to be every way possible to use U.S. taxpayer dollars to stimulate the economy – in Kenya.
According to U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor, the White House has increased the flow of U.S. taxpayer dollars to Kenya, the land of his father’s birth.
“Kenyan businesses lately are increasingly becoming recipients of U.S. government largesse, as the Obama Administration, among pursuing other endeavors aims to expand ‘livestock-related economic opportunities’ in that nation,” the watchdog newsletter wrote April 14.
Amid the “spike of activity” in Kenya is a U.S. government contract committing to a five-year effort to “improve the inclusiveness and competitiveness” of the livestock industry in Marsabit and Garissa counties in Kenya.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAWYER HAS READ THE ENTIRE BILL
*The Truth About the Health Care Bills** - Michael Connelly, Ret. Constitutional Attorney *
*Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.*
*To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.*
*The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business, and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats, and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled by the government.*
*However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.*
*The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people, and the businesses they own.*
*The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with! I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.***
*This legislation also provides for access, by the appointees of the Obama administration, of all of your personal healthcare direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide...*
*If you decide not to have healthcare insurance, or if you have private insurance that is not deemed acceptable to the Health Choices Administrator appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a tax instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property
without the due process of law.*
*So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much, out the original ten in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law It doesn't stop there though.*
*The 9th Amendment that provides: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;*
*The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control.*
*I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights... Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to "be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution." If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it, without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway, I would hope the American people would hold me accountable.*
*For those who might doubt the nature of this threat, I suggest they consult the source, the US Constitution, and Bill of Rights. There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us.*
*Michael Connelly*
*Retired attorney,*
*Constitutional Law Instructor*
*Carrollton , Texas **
*Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard or expected.*
*To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.*
*The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business, and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats, and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled by the government.*
*However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated If this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.*
*The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people, and the businesses they own.*
*The irony is that the Congress doesn't have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with! I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.***
*This legislation also provides for access, by the appointees of the Obama administration, of all of your personal healthcare direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution information, your personal financial information, and the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide...*
*If you decide not to have healthcare insurance, or if you have private insurance that is not deemed acceptable to the Health Choices Administrator appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a tax instead of a fine because of the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment. However, that doesn't work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property
without the due process of law.*
*So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much, out the original ten in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law It doesn't stop there though.*
*The 9th Amendment that provides: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;*
*The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control.*
*I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights... Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to "be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution." If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it, without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway, I would hope the American people would hold me accountable.*
*For those who might doubt the nature of this threat, I suggest they consult the source, the US Constitution, and Bill of Rights. There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us.*
*Michael Connelly*
*Retired attorney,*
*Constitutional Law Instructor*
*Carrollton , Texas **
Michelle Obama: 'This President Has Brought Us Out of the Dark and Into the Light'
Michelle Obama made a remarkable claim when talking up her husband, President Barack Obama, at a campaign event earlier today in Nashville, Tennessee.
"I am so in," Michelle Obama said toward the end of her remarks. "I am going to be working so hard. We have an amazing story to tell. This president has brought us out of the dark and into the light."
"I am so in," Michelle Obama said toward the end of her remarks. "I am going to be working so hard. We have an amazing story to tell. This president has brought us out of the dark and into the light."
The crowd of nearly 450 folks applauded as the first lady likened her husband to a Jesus-like figure.
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Releases 4-18-12
On 04/15/2012 a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with an inoperable headlight in the area of Rt 50 and MD 90. K9 scan was conducted on the vehicle The K-9 alerted to a Controlled Dangerous substance in the vehicle. A juvenile male from Salisbury, MD was placed under arrest for possession of marihuana. The juvenile was under GPS monitoring for house arrest at the time of the arrest and was committed to the Lower Eastern Shore Children’s Center pending further action.
On 04/15/2012 a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for traveling 71 in a 55 mile per hour zone on RT 113 in the area of Lambertson Road. A search was conducted and the driver, identified as Kristine Baney 25 of Mendenhall PA. A Controlled Dangerous Substance was found and Ms. Baney was placed under arrest for possession of marihuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ms. Baney was released on her own recognizance pending trial.
On April 12, 2012 at approximately 1037 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Sean Travers Higgins of Ocean City, MD on a District Court warrant for failure to appear for court on the original charges of theft less than $1000 and unauthorized removal of property. Mr. Higgins was released on personal recognizance.
On April 11, 2012 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Latasha Renee Blake of Berlin, MD on a District Court warrant for failure to appear for court for the original charges of failure to obey a reasonable order. Ms. Blake was held at the Worcester County Jail on $2500 bond.
On April 11, 2012 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Antwan Deshay Freeman of Delaware on a fugitive warrant through Virginia on the charges of Conspiracy and Uttering. Mr. Freeman was held at the Worcester County Jail on no bond.
On April 5, 2012 at approximately 1558 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Matthew Edward Severe of Ocean City, MD on a Circuit Court Bench Warrant for violation of probation-failure to report. Mr. Severe was held at the Worcester County Jail on $10,000 bond.
On 04/15/2012 a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for traveling 71 in a 55 mile per hour zone on RT 113 in the area of Lambertson Road. A search was conducted and the driver, identified as Kristine Baney 25 of Mendenhall PA. A Controlled Dangerous Substance was found and Ms. Baney was placed under arrest for possession of marihuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ms. Baney was released on her own recognizance pending trial.
On April 12, 2012 at approximately 1037 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Sean Travers Higgins of Ocean City, MD on a District Court warrant for failure to appear for court on the original charges of theft less than $1000 and unauthorized removal of property. Mr. Higgins was released on personal recognizance.
On April 11, 2012 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Latasha Renee Blake of Berlin, MD on a District Court warrant for failure to appear for court for the original charges of failure to obey a reasonable order. Ms. Blake was held at the Worcester County Jail on $2500 bond.
On April 11, 2012 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Antwan Deshay Freeman of Delaware on a fugitive warrant through Virginia on the charges of Conspiracy and Uttering. Mr. Freeman was held at the Worcester County Jail on no bond.
On April 5, 2012 at approximately 1558 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested Matthew Edward Severe of Ocean City, MD on a Circuit Court Bench Warrant for violation of probation-failure to report. Mr. Severe was held at the Worcester County Jail on $10,000 bond.
This Day in History
Apr 18, 1775: Revere and Dawes warn of British attack
On this day in 1775, British troops march out of Boston on a mission to confiscate the American arsenal at Concord and to capture Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock, known to be hiding at Lexington. As the British departed, Boston Patriots Paul Revere and William Dawes set out on horseback from the city to warn Adams and Hancock and rouse the Minutemen.
By 1775, tensions between the American colonies and the British government had approached the breaking point, especially in Massachusetts, where Patriot leaders formed a shadow revolutionary government and trained militias to prepare for armed conflict with the British troops occupying Boston. In the spring of 1775, General Thomas Gage, the British governor of Massachusetts, received instructions from Great Britain to seize all stores of weapons and gunpowder accessible to the American insurgents. On April 18, he ordered British troops to march against Concord and Lexington.
Georgia Welfare Drug Test
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has passed a controversial law mandating a $17 drug test for every resident applying for welfare assistance, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Kristina Torres reports.
Deal joins a growing roster of state leaders looking for new ways to weed out unworthy candidates for government assistance. Nearly half the country's already pushing some sort of drug test legislation, and Florida was the first to pass the law in July. As a result, the state's welfare enrollment tanked to pre-recession levels.
A Florida judge blocked the law last year after the American Civil Liberties Union challenged it on grounds that it violates the Fourth amendment. Now it's only a matter of time before Georgia faces the same scrutiny as it's neighbor.
More
Deal joins a growing roster of state leaders looking for new ways to weed out unworthy candidates for government assistance. Nearly half the country's already pushing some sort of drug test legislation, and Florida was the first to pass the law in July. As a result, the state's welfare enrollment tanked to pre-recession levels.
A Florida judge blocked the law last year after the American Civil Liberties Union challenged it on grounds that it violates the Fourth amendment. Now it's only a matter of time before Georgia faces the same scrutiny as it's neighbor.
More
20 Fold Increase Required In Real Property Tax Rate To Make-Up For 14 Million Dollar Budget Shortfall: UPDATE
To meet the $14.4 million MOE gap the real property tax rate would have to go up $0.1994 (19.94 cents). That's an increase of 26%.
That's still huge. Imagine your rate going from $0.7690 (what it is now) to $0.9684!
That won't happen because HB 1412 (which allowed the council to override the cap) didn't pass the Senate. The only thing they can do now is raise the rate a little over seven cents.
Look at the last bulleted item on slide 12 in the attachment below. You will see that in order to fund the current 14 million dollar budget shortfall that Wicomico will have to raise the Real Property Tax Rate 20X. The slide shows that to make-up the 7 million dollar rebasing - it would require a 10 fold increase. So to make-up for a 14 million dollar shortfall would be double that rate.
Pollitt was out of order in trying to hush-up GA Harrison during his testimony when he alluded to the 7 million dollar budget amendment to HB1412 during the budget presentation at the Civic Center. GA's questioning of the budget amendment announcement regarding the 7 million MOE should have been explained more throughly by Pollitt.
http://www.wicomicocounty.org/news/2012_news/CountyExecutive_PublicMeeting041212.pdf
A receivership of some sort is certainly not out of the realm of reality and may be in very short order if a special session is not called or a waiver is not issued.
That's still huge. Imagine your rate going from $0.7690 (what it is now) to $0.9684!
That won't happen because HB 1412 (which allowed the council to override the cap) didn't pass the Senate. The only thing they can do now is raise the rate a little over seven cents.
Look at the last bulleted item on slide 12 in the attachment below. You will see that in order to fund the current 14 million dollar budget shortfall that Wicomico will have to raise the Real Property Tax Rate 20X. The slide shows that to make-up the 7 million dollar rebasing - it would require a 10 fold increase. So to make-up for a 14 million dollar shortfall would be double that rate.
Pollitt was out of order in trying to hush-up GA Harrison during his testimony when he alluded to the 7 million dollar budget amendment to HB1412 during the budget presentation at the Civic Center. GA's questioning of the budget amendment announcement regarding the 7 million MOE should have been explained more throughly by Pollitt.
http://www.wicomicocounty.org/news/2012_news/CountyExecutive_PublicMeeting041212.pdf
A receivership of some sort is certainly not out of the realm of reality and may be in very short order if a special session is not called or a waiver is not issued.
New Posts to fall below.
Companies to Pay $14.8M in FEMA Trailer Settlement
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Nearly two dozen companies that manufactured government-issued trailers for storm victims after Hurricane Katrina have agreed to pay $14.8 million in a proposed class-action settlement of claims that the temporary shelters exposed occupants to hazardous fumes.
Plaintiffs' attorney Gerald Meunier said Tuesday that the agreement could benefit tens of thousands of Gulf Coast residents who lived in travel trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
Meunier said 21 trailer makers or their insurers will pay to resolve the claims without any admission of wrongdoing.
COUNCILWOMAN SAMPLE-HUGHES SCHEDULES DISTRICT ONE CITIZENS’ FORUM FOR MAY 2ND
Wicomico County Councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes will hold the next District One Citizen’s Forum meeting on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. at Victoria Park at Sassafras Meadows Community Center.
The program will focus on the anticipated local effects of this year’s General Assembly session, public safety, the upcoming Fiscal Year 2013 budget, and pertinent county council matters.
Councilwoman Sample-Hughes will be joined by Delegate Rudy Cane, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis and Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt.
Wicomico County District One includes Delmar, Hebron, San Domingo, Salisbury-West Side and Mardela Springs. Mrs. Sample-Hughes said the over-all theme of the forums is “Creating Community Connections.” She commented that the purpose of the forums is to provide citizens with an opportunity to speak face-to-face with their elected officials. She further noted that this is the continuation of the fulfillment of her campaign promise to hold quarterly meetings throughout District One.
Mrs. Sample-Hughes has been hosting these forums since she was elected in 2006. Sample-Hughes commented, “I encourage as many of my constituents who possibly can to join us for this important meeting.”
For More Information, Please Contact Councilwoman Sample-Hughes at 443-366-5846 or 410-548-4696 or Via Email at ssamplehughes@wicomicocounty.org
The program will focus on the anticipated local effects of this year’s General Assembly session, public safety, the upcoming Fiscal Year 2013 budget, and pertinent county council matters.
Councilwoman Sample-Hughes will be joined by Delegate Rudy Cane, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis and Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt.
Wicomico County District One includes Delmar, Hebron, San Domingo, Salisbury-West Side and Mardela Springs. Mrs. Sample-Hughes said the over-all theme of the forums is “Creating Community Connections.” She commented that the purpose of the forums is to provide citizens with an opportunity to speak face-to-face with their elected officials. She further noted that this is the continuation of the fulfillment of her campaign promise to hold quarterly meetings throughout District One.
Mrs. Sample-Hughes has been hosting these forums since she was elected in 2006. Sample-Hughes commented, “I encourage as many of my constituents who possibly can to join us for this important meeting.”
For More Information, Please Contact Councilwoman Sample-Hughes at 443-366-5846 or 410-548-4696 or Via Email at ssamplehughes@wicomicocounty.org
Soldier Who Lost All Four Limbs Offered Custom 'Smart Home'
If Staff Sgt. Travis Mills will come, they will build it.
That’s the message for the Army soldier who lost his arms and legs to an IED in Afghanistan last week from two charities that build custom homes for injured veterans. John Hodge, director of operations for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, said homes built by his group and a foundation run by actor Gary Sinise feature such amenities as geo-thermal heating and cooling systems, iPad-controlled countertops, heated floors to facilitate blood circulation and oversized kitchens and bathrooms.
"Essentially, the houses work off of a computer," Hodge said. "It really is the latest in technology and energy efficiency."
Mills, of Vassar, Mich., was injured on April 10 when he stepped on an IED while serving with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. After undergoing surgery in Germany on Monday, Mills is scheduled to arrive at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Tuesday afternoon.
MISSING PERSON
The Salisbury Police are attempting to locate the following
subject:
Gary Lee Taylor
DOB: April18, 1974
5’10hgt-215wgt
LKA: Camden Ave, Salisbury/Wicomico County, MD
Taylor has not been seen by his family since April 8, 2012. Taylor needs to be located so that he can receive his prescribed medication. Taylor did miss a doctor’s appointment on April12, 2012. Information has been received that Taylor may be in the Wilmington, DE area but this has not been confirmed.
Anyone with any information concerning Taylor’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410.548.3165 or Crime Solvers at 410.548.1776.
subject:
Gary Lee Taylor
DOB: April18, 1974
5’10hgt-215wgt
LKA: Camden Ave, Salisbury/Wicomico County, MD
Taylor has not been seen by his family since April 8, 2012. Taylor needs to be located so that he can receive his prescribed medication. Taylor did miss a doctor’s appointment on April12, 2012. Information has been received that Taylor may be in the Wilmington, DE area but this has not been confirmed.
Anyone with any information concerning Taylor’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410.548.3165 or Crime Solvers at 410.548.1776.
Lost Dog Message
Joe, thank you for all your help with finding our beloved Jill. We were contacted last evening by a college student, Jake, who had seen our dog Jill on the side of the road looking lost and had picked her up to protect her and care for her until we found each other. I cannot express the depth of my gratitude to all the people who helped and sympathized in the search of my dear companion. Thank you and all the other kind souls who helped.
Jeanne Hall Vice
Jeanne Hall Vice
Troopers To Honor Cpl. LeRoy LeKites
Location: US 113 northbound, approximately two miles north of Selbyville, DE
Date of Occurrence: Thursday May 3, 2012 at 1:00 p.m.
Resume:
Selbyville, DE- On Thursday May 3, 2012, Troopers will converge upon US 113 northbound approximately two miles north of Selbyville, to pay tribute to Corporal LeRoy L. LeKites who was tragically killed in the line of duty on January 13, 1950. With the help of Delaware Department of Transportation, a memorial sign was erected at the location of the fatal crash scene honoring Cpl. LeKites.
Commuters should be made aware there will be lane restrictions in that area from 12:30 p.m. until approximately 1:30 p.m.
LeRoy L. LeKites
1914-1950
On January 13, 1950, a 31 year old Delaware State Trooper was killed instantly just north of Selbyville, Delaware as he assisted a second trooper who was investigating an accident. Corporal LeRoy LeKites of Georgetown was struck as he attempted to flag down a vehicle which was approaching “at a very high rate of speed.” Roy LeKites, a six year veteran, was pronounced dead upon his arrival at the hospital. Funeral services for Corporal LeKites were held at the Salem Methodist church in Selbyville on January 17, 1950. Burial took place at the Roxanna Cemetery and was attended by troopers from Delaware and Maryland. Also in attendance was a large group of faculty and students from the Selbyville schools as a tribute to Corporal LeKites and to console Margaret LeKites, who was one of their own. Corporal LeKites was survived by his wife, Margaret, two sons, Wilson and LeRoy Jr., and his parents. At the time of the tragedy, Margaret paid tribute to her husband and the Delaware State Police with the enclosed missive. (letter: I want you to know how very much I appreciate everything you and the Delaware State Police have done. I’m proud that Leroy was a Trooper and I’m so glad that he had those happy 6 years as one of such a wonderful group of men. The men’s closeness and loyalty to one another is most remarkable. I was so proud that they could be at Roy’s funeral. Sincerely yours, Mrs. LeRoy LeKites and the boys.)
Sociopathy Is Running The US - Part Two
I recently wrote an article [24] that addresses the subject of sociopaths and how they insinuate themselves into society. Although the subject doesn't speak directly to what stock you should buy or sell to increase your wealth, I think it's critical to success in the markets. It goes a long way towards explaining what goes on in the heads of people like Bernie Madoff and therefore how you can avoid being hurt by them.
But there's a lot more to the story. At this point, it seems as if society at large has been captured by Madoff clones. If that's true, the consequences can't be good. So what I want to do here is probe a little deeper into the realm of abnormal psychology and see how it relates to economics and where the world is heading.
If I'm correct in my assessment, it would imply that the prospects are dim for conventional investments – most stocks, bonds and real estate. Those things tend to do well when society is growing in prosperity. And prosperity is fostered by peace, low taxes, minimal regulation and a sound currency. It's also fostered by a cultural atmosphere where sociopaths are precluded from positions of power and intellectual and moral ideas promoting free minds and free markets rule. Unfortunately, it seems that doesn't describe the trend that the world at large and the US in particular are embarked upon.
In essence, we're headed towards economic and financial bankruptcy. But that's mostly because society has been largely intellectually and morally bankrupt for some time. I don't believe a society can rise to real prosperity without a sound intellectual and moral foundation – that's why the US was so uniquely prosperous for so long, because it had such a foundation. And it's also why societies like Saudi Arabia will collapse as soon as the exogenous things that support them are pulled away. It's why the USSR collapsed. It's the reason why countries everywhere across time reach a peak (if they ever do), then stagnate and decline.
More
But there's a lot more to the story. At this point, it seems as if society at large has been captured by Madoff clones. If that's true, the consequences can't be good. So what I want to do here is probe a little deeper into the realm of abnormal psychology and see how it relates to economics and where the world is heading.
If I'm correct in my assessment, it would imply that the prospects are dim for conventional investments – most stocks, bonds and real estate. Those things tend to do well when society is growing in prosperity. And prosperity is fostered by peace, low taxes, minimal regulation and a sound currency. It's also fostered by a cultural atmosphere where sociopaths are precluded from positions of power and intellectual and moral ideas promoting free minds and free markets rule. Unfortunately, it seems that doesn't describe the trend that the world at large and the US in particular are embarked upon.
In essence, we're headed towards economic and financial bankruptcy. But that's mostly because society has been largely intellectually and morally bankrupt for some time. I don't believe a society can rise to real prosperity without a sound intellectual and moral foundation – that's why the US was so uniquely prosperous for so long, because it had such a foundation. And it's also why societies like Saudi Arabia will collapse as soon as the exogenous things that support them are pulled away. It's why the USSR collapsed. It's the reason why countries everywhere across time reach a peak (if they ever do), then stagnate and decline.
More
Ripken Helping Tornado Victims
A Baseball Hall of Fame member who set the record for consecutive games played is headed to Joplin to help with tornado recovery efforts.
Cal Ripken Jr. spent 21 years with the Baltimore Orioles and holds the Major League Baseball record with 2,632 consecutive games played.
He plans to help Habitat for Humanity volunteers rebuild two homes Wednesday morning in a Joplin neighborhood damaged by the deadly May 2011 tornado.
"All Transactions To Be Conducted In The Presence Of A Tax Collector"
In the terminal collapse of the Roman Empire, there was perhaps no greater burden to the average citizen than the extreme taxes they were forced to pay.
The tax 'reforms' of Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century were so rigid and unwavering that many people were driven to starvation and bankruptcy. The state went so far as to chase around widows and children to collect taxes owed.
By the 4th century, the Roman economy and tax structure were so dismal that many farmers abandoned their lands in order to receive public entitlements.
At this point, the imperial government was spending the majority of the funds it collected on either the military or public entitlements. For a time, according to historian Joseph Tainter, "those who lived off the treasury were more numerous than those paying into it."
Sound familiar?
In the 5th century, tax riots and all-out rebellion were commonplace in the countryside among the few farmers who remained. The Roman government routinely had to dispatch its legions to stamp out peasant tax revolts.
But this did not stop their taxes from rising.
Valentinian III, who remarked in 444 AD that new taxes on landowners and merchants would be catastrophic, still imposed an additional 4% sales tax... and further decreed that all transactions be conducted in the presence of a tax collector.
More
The tax 'reforms' of Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century were so rigid and unwavering that many people were driven to starvation and bankruptcy. The state went so far as to chase around widows and children to collect taxes owed.
By the 4th century, the Roman economy and tax structure were so dismal that many farmers abandoned their lands in order to receive public entitlements.
At this point, the imperial government was spending the majority of the funds it collected on either the military or public entitlements. For a time, according to historian Joseph Tainter, "those who lived off the treasury were more numerous than those paying into it."
Sound familiar?
In the 5th century, tax riots and all-out rebellion were commonplace in the countryside among the few farmers who remained. The Roman government routinely had to dispatch its legions to stamp out peasant tax revolts.
But this did not stop their taxes from rising.
Valentinian III, who remarked in 444 AD that new taxes on landowners and merchants would be catastrophic, still imposed an additional 4% sales tax... and further decreed that all transactions be conducted in the presence of a tax collector.
More
Today's Survey Question 4-18-12
Wicomico County is raising taxes to the maximum level allowed by law. The City of Salisbury announced yesterday they too will attempt to raise taxes in the City. O'Malley has raised taxes, tolls and fees everywhere you can imagine. Property values have plummeted. Liberals seem to be fine with all of these increases. However, we'd like to know, are you OK with all of these tax increases and fees locally and throughout the state of Maryland?
Did US Expect Taliban Attacks?
Australian troops to leave Afghanistan a year earlier than planned, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said ... Australia expects to pull most of its troops out of Afghanistan nearly a year earlier than planned, the prime minister announced Tuesday, saying Australian soldiers have nearly completed their mission to transfer security responsibilities to Afghan forces in the decade-long war. Prime Minister Julia Gillard cited security improvements and the death of Osama bin Laden and many of al Qaeda's senior leaders among the reasons behind the accelerated withdrawal, which will likely see most troops home by the end of 2013. But one opposition lawmaker suggested the strategy was an attempt by Gillard to win over war-weary voters ahead of federal elections. – CBS
Dominant Social Theme: What the Taliban did is terrible. We didn't expect it.
Free-Market Analysis: The news today is all about Australia leaving Afghanistan earlier than planned, or so Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard says. But there are several crosscurrents taking place in this still-continuing war.
While "allies" are deserting NATO – others have already pulled out – the US remains invested in the current timetable, which calls for troops to leave in 2014.
Not only that, but there are suspicions that the "withdrawal" from Afghanistan is not any different than the US withdrawal from Iraq that has left a significant presence in that country as well as large US/NATO military bases.
In order to achieve this continued presence, there are those who believe the violence in Afghanistan is actively being encouraged by the US and NATO.
More
Dominant Social Theme: What the Taliban did is terrible. We didn't expect it.
Free-Market Analysis: The news today is all about Australia leaving Afghanistan earlier than planned, or so Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard says. But there are several crosscurrents taking place in this still-continuing war.
While "allies" are deserting NATO – others have already pulled out – the US remains invested in the current timetable, which calls for troops to leave in 2014.
Not only that, but there are suspicions that the "withdrawal" from Afghanistan is not any different than the US withdrawal from Iraq that has left a significant presence in that country as well as large US/NATO military bases.
In order to achieve this continued presence, there are those who believe the violence in Afghanistan is actively being encouraged by the US and NATO.
More
O'Malley Calls For Consensus On Special Session; Republicans Say It's "Unnecessary"
Gov. Martin O'Malley said Tuesday he will call a special session of the General Assembly to avert about $512 million in budget cuts as soon as the House and Senate can reach consensus on how to pass a revenue package needed to make up the money.
Asked when he would like to call a special session, O'Malley responded: "Yesterday."
Then he added, "I'm looking for consensus here. The second we have consensus, we'll have a session."
The governor spoke with reporters after meeting with senators for more than an hour, including Sens. Thomas V. Mike Miller, Edward Kasemeyer,. Richard Madaleno and Nathaniel McFadden, all Democrats.
Professor Obama Gets An F
Last week President Obama made some rather shocking comments at a press conference regarding the Supreme Court's deliberation on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. His comments belie a grasp of constitutional concepts so lacking that perhaps the University of Chicago Law School should offer a refund to any students "taught" constitutional law by then-Professor Obama!
He said, "Ultimately, I'm confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress." It almost sounds as if he believes the test of constitutionally is whether a majority approves of the bill, as opposed to whether the legislation lies within one of the express powers of the federal government. In fact, the very design of the Constitution, with power split amongst two branches of the legislature which write the laws, an executive who administers the laws and an independent judiciary which resolves disputes regarding meaning of the laws, was designed to thwart popular will and preserve liberty.
President Obama continued in his comments, "For years, what we've heard is the biggest problem on the bench was judicial activism or a lack of judicial restraint, that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law. Well, there's a good example, and I'm pretty confident that this court will recognize that and not take that step."
President Obama seems to misunderstand that the criticism of an activist judiciary is not that it is overturning unconstitutional federal laws, but instead that it is usurping the authority to intervene in areas, such as abortion, where the Constitution reserves authority to the states. In fact, upholding clearly unconstitutional laws such as Obamacare because the justices bowed to the "will of the people" or believed the individual mandate was good social policy could be considered an example of judicial activism.
More
He said, "Ultimately, I'm confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress." It almost sounds as if he believes the test of constitutionally is whether a majority approves of the bill, as opposed to whether the legislation lies within one of the express powers of the federal government. In fact, the very design of the Constitution, with power split amongst two branches of the legislature which write the laws, an executive who administers the laws and an independent judiciary which resolves disputes regarding meaning of the laws, was designed to thwart popular will and preserve liberty.
President Obama continued in his comments, "For years, what we've heard is the biggest problem on the bench was judicial activism or a lack of judicial restraint, that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law. Well, there's a good example, and I'm pretty confident that this court will recognize that and not take that step."
President Obama seems to misunderstand that the criticism of an activist judiciary is not that it is overturning unconstitutional federal laws, but instead that it is usurping the authority to intervene in areas, such as abortion, where the Constitution reserves authority to the states. In fact, upholding clearly unconstitutional laws such as Obamacare because the justices bowed to the "will of the people" or believed the individual mandate was good social policy could be considered an example of judicial activism.
More
Warren Buffett Says He Has Early Prostate Cancer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
Warren Buffett is telling shareholders in an open letter he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer.
The 81-year-old billionaire investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. says in the letter, released Tuesday, that his condition is "not remotely life-threatening" or debilitating.
Buffett's letter says he and his doctors have decided on a two-month treatment plan to begin in mid-July.
Forty-Eight Percent Of Chicken In Small Sample Has E. Coli
A recent test of packaged raw chicken products bought at grocery stores across the country found that roughly half of them were contaminated with the bacteria E. coli.
E. coli, which the study said was an indicator of fecal contamination, was found in 48 percent of 120 chicken products bought in 10 major cities by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit group that advocates a vegetarian diet among other things. The study results were released Wednesday.
"Most consumers do not realize that feces are in the chicken products they purchase," said Dr. Neal D. Barnard, president of the group. "Food labels discuss contamination as if it is simply the presence of bacteria, but people need to know that it means much more than that."
More
E. coli, which the study said was an indicator of fecal contamination, was found in 48 percent of 120 chicken products bought in 10 major cities by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit group that advocates a vegetarian diet among other things. The study results were released Wednesday.
"Most consumers do not realize that feces are in the chicken products they purchase," said Dr. Neal D. Barnard, president of the group. "Food labels discuss contamination as if it is simply the presence of bacteria, but people need to know that it means much more than that."
More
Dog Found: UPDATE
Hi Joe,
We found a small, female dachshund and chi-hua-hua mix near Dykes Road. She is brown with a little white sprinkeled on top of her head. She has a little white on her chest, she has a pink and green collar.
BERNANKE'S LEGACY
The Tragedy of Ben Bernanke
Sometimes a seminal event passes unnoticed. Subsequent developments and hindsight eventually place it in proper perspective. Just such an event may have happened or be in the process of playing out regarding Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Ben Bernanke’s Warning
Mr. Bernanke expressed the following regarding the precariousness of our economic and financial situation (my emboldening):
By definition, the unsustainable trajectories of deficits and debt that the CBO outlines cannot actually happen, because creditors would never be willing to lend to a government with debt, relative to national income, that is rising without limit. One way or the other, fiscal adjustments sufficient to stabilize the federal budget must occur at some point. The question is whether these adjustments will take place through a careful and deliberative process that weighs priorities and gives people adequate time to adjust to changes in government programs or tax policies, or whether the needed fiscal adjustments will come as a rapid and painful response to a looming or actual fiscal crisis.
This statement could have been issued by innumerable internet pundits. Warnings like these are commonplace from so-called internet whack-jobs. But this one came from Ben Bernanke in recent remarks to Congress. Gentle Ben is not one to exaggerate (unless it is toward the positive). His track record for forecasting has consistently erred on the side of optimism, whether it was the housing crisis, the spread of financial contagion or the condition of the economy.
More
Sometimes a seminal event passes unnoticed. Subsequent developments and hindsight eventually place it in proper perspective. Just such an event may have happened or be in the process of playing out regarding Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
Ben Bernanke’s Warning
Mr. Bernanke expressed the following regarding the precariousness of our economic and financial situation (my emboldening):
By definition, the unsustainable trajectories of deficits and debt that the CBO outlines cannot actually happen, because creditors would never be willing to lend to a government with debt, relative to national income, that is rising without limit. One way or the other, fiscal adjustments sufficient to stabilize the federal budget must occur at some point. The question is whether these adjustments will take place through a careful and deliberative process that weighs priorities and gives people adequate time to adjust to changes in government programs or tax policies, or whether the needed fiscal adjustments will come as a rapid and painful response to a looming or actual fiscal crisis.
This statement could have been issued by innumerable internet pundits. Warnings like these are commonplace from so-called internet whack-jobs. But this one came from Ben Bernanke in recent remarks to Congress. Gentle Ben is not one to exaggerate (unless it is toward the positive). His track record for forecasting has consistently erred on the side of optimism, whether it was the housing crisis, the spread of financial contagion or the condition of the economy.
More
Tax Day Doesn't Belong To The Tea Party Anymore
Over the past several years, few annual occasions have been more symbolic of the direction of political discussion in our country than Tax Day. This year, the IRS due date bears witness to the impact of the Occupy movement in American politics.
Back in 2009 and 2010, Tax Day protests were a high-water mark for the Tea Party; they were the mass actions that really put the right-wing movement on the map. But by 2011, as I wrote at the time, that was already changing. The Tea Party still had plenty to be happy about: it was coming off of midterm elections that gave Republicans control of the House, with a rabidly reactionary class of congressional freshmen. And through the summer the supposed imperative to cut back government spending—never mind the country’s ongoing crisis of joblessness—would dominate Washington debate.
Yet by Tax Day 2011, a shift had started. Tea Party leading light Glenn Beck was on his way out at Fox News, having been the subject of a boycott from the left. A group called US Uncut, modeled on a British counterpart, was getting great press by going after corporate tax cheats and businesses that had managed to avoid taxes altogether. (GE, in particular, was having a very bad PR month.) Protests taking place that April were as likely to be against draconian social service cuts as against “big government” tyranny.
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Back in 2009 and 2010, Tax Day protests were a high-water mark for the Tea Party; they were the mass actions that really put the right-wing movement on the map. But by 2011, as I wrote at the time, that was already changing. The Tea Party still had plenty to be happy about: it was coming off of midterm elections that gave Republicans control of the House, with a rabidly reactionary class of congressional freshmen. And through the summer the supposed imperative to cut back government spending—never mind the country’s ongoing crisis of joblessness—would dominate Washington debate.
Yet by Tax Day 2011, a shift had started. Tea Party leading light Glenn Beck was on his way out at Fox News, having been the subject of a boycott from the left. A group called US Uncut, modeled on a British counterpart, was getting great press by going after corporate tax cheats and businesses that had managed to avoid taxes altogether. (GE, in particular, was having a very bad PR month.) Protests taking place that April were as likely to be against draconian social service cuts as against “big government” tyranny.
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Prostitution Scandal ricochets through Washington
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Secret Service prostitution scandal escalated Tuesday with the disclosure that at least 20 women had been in hotel rooms with U.S. agents and military personnel just before President Barack Obama arrived for a summit with Latin American leaders. The head of the Secret Service said he had referred the matter to an independent government investigator.
Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan, shuttling between briefings for lawmakers on Capitol Hill, was peppered with questions about whether the women had access to sensitive information that could have jeopardized Obama's security.
Sullivan said the 11 Secret Service agents and 10 military personnel under investigation were telling different stories about who the women were. Sullivan has dispatched more investigators to Columbia to interview the women, said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
Senate Falls Short In Vote On “Buffett Rule” Millionaire Tax
Washington - The “Buffett Rule’’ — the Democratic-authored effort to impose a minimum tax on millionaires — is probably dead for awhile, fatally wounded by a largely partisan Senate vote Monday.
The 51-45 procedural vote failed by nine votes, since 60 are needed to cut off debate.
But both sides scored political points. Democrats painted the higher tax as a fairness issue. Republicans countered that higher taxes would stymie the already sluggish economy.
Monday’s drama, the day before the filing deadline for federal income tax returns, was the opening round of what promises to be a week of congressional maneuvering for advantage on the tax issue. The House of Representatives is expected to vote later this week on a Republican-backed plan to give small businesses a tax break.
No proposal, though, has been as incendiary as the “rule” named for Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who last year said his secretary pays taxes at a higher rate than he does.
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The 51-45 procedural vote failed by nine votes, since 60 are needed to cut off debate.
But both sides scored political points. Democrats painted the higher tax as a fairness issue. Republicans countered that higher taxes would stymie the already sluggish economy.
Monday’s drama, the day before the filing deadline for federal income tax returns, was the opening round of what promises to be a week of congressional maneuvering for advantage on the tax issue. The House of Representatives is expected to vote later this week on a Republican-backed plan to give small businesses a tax break.
No proposal, though, has been as incendiary as the “rule” named for Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who last year said his secretary pays taxes at a higher rate than he does.
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Why The Middle Class Is Doomed
The dwindling middle class, squeezed by higher taxes and costs, is losing its political voice.
The middle class is doomed by some very basic dynamics. Economic historian David Hackett Fischer laid out the fundamental dynamic in his book The Great Wave: Price Revolutions and the Rhythm of History [10].
By assembling price and wage data stretching back hundreds of years, Fischer found that cycles of economic growth spawned population growth, an expanding number of workers entering the market economy (as opposed to the non-market subsistence economy) and a demand-driven expansion of essential commodities such as grain and energy (wood, coal, oil, etc.).
In the initial phase, wages rise and commodity prices remain stable as supplies of essential goods expand and the demand for labor pushes up wages.
But this virtuous cycle reverses when the supply of essentials no longer keeps pace with rising population and demand: the price of essentials begin an inexorable rise even as an oversupply of labor drives down wages.
We like to think that modern economies have escaped this cycle, but that is hubris and denial, not reality, for the 20th and early 21st centuries have been characterized by inflation (the U.S. dollar has lost approximately 96% of its value since 1900) and wages have stagnated for the past 40 years: Soaring Poverty Casts Spotlight on ‘Lost Decade
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The middle class is doomed by some very basic dynamics. Economic historian David Hackett Fischer laid out the fundamental dynamic in his book The Great Wave: Price Revolutions and the Rhythm of History [10].
By assembling price and wage data stretching back hundreds of years, Fischer found that cycles of economic growth spawned population growth, an expanding number of workers entering the market economy (as opposed to the non-market subsistence economy) and a demand-driven expansion of essential commodities such as grain and energy (wood, coal, oil, etc.).
In the initial phase, wages rise and commodity prices remain stable as supplies of essential goods expand and the demand for labor pushes up wages.
But this virtuous cycle reverses when the supply of essentials no longer keeps pace with rising population and demand: the price of essentials begin an inexorable rise even as an oversupply of labor drives down wages.
We like to think that modern economies have escaped this cycle, but that is hubris and denial, not reality, for the 20th and early 21st centuries have been characterized by inflation (the U.S. dollar has lost approximately 96% of its value since 1900) and wages have stagnated for the past 40 years: Soaring Poverty Casts Spotlight on ‘Lost Decade
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GOP Wants to Cut Food Stamps in Deficit-Trim Drive
WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans controlling the House are eying big cuts to food stamps as they piece together legislation to trim $261 billion from the federal budget over the next decade, hoping to forestall major Pentagon cutbacks.
The cuts to food stamps would reduce the monthly benefit for a family of four by almost $60, repealing increases that were enacted three years ago as part of President Barack Obama's economic stimulus. The changes would also force up to 3 million people out of the program by tightening eligibility rules, the administration estimates.
The food stamp cuts would total $8 billion over the coming year and $34 billion over a decade. The program has been expanded greatly over the past few years _ enrollment tops 46 million nationwide, up from about 33 million in 2009 _ and now costs about $80 billion a year. The average monthly benefit for a family of four is about $500, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal research and advocacy group.
‘Obama Money’ Rumor Has People Lining Up in NYC… Again
Remember in the fall of 2009 when thousands turned out in Michigan try and get free “Obama money?” Well, it’s happened again — but this time it could be a scam.
Responding to a local rumor, people are standing in line for hours, turning over valuable personal information and expecting to receive a government handout in New York City. If this sounds familiar, it is. Back in the fall of 2009, thousands of people stood in line in Michigan expecting to be given some Obama money. It never arrived.
Fast forward two-and-a-half years. This time, people in NYC are lining up because they heard that people were getting a debit card loaded with as much as $1,000 of stimulus money. However, based on the latest information, there is no money to be given away. And yet people continue to line up and turn over their sensitive, personal information.
Muir Boda To Run For Congress
I wanted to take a moment and share with you some exciting news and also I wanted you to be aware of my political plans. I have been asked by the Chair of the Maryland Libertarian Party to consider seeking the Libertarian nomination for Congress in the 1st District of Maryland. After much prayer, talking with Dr. Richard Davis and and discussing it with my family, I have decided to seek the nomination. This is a couple years ahead of schedule on my political calendar, however the opportunity to represent my party and to be apart the debate on the direction of our country is an honor and a duty that would be a disservice to my country if I turned it down. As a Libertarian, we do not participate in the primary process, our candidates are selected by our Central Committee and we have the requirements: Declaration of Intent - Deadline #1 – Tuesday, June 29, 2012 by 5:00p.m. Statement of Organization - Deadline #2 – August 6, 2012 by 5:00p.m. I am currently planning to have my Statement of Organization paperwork to the State Board of Elections by the end of May if the Central Committee meets before then. In preparation for that I am diligently working on my website and meeting with people who have expressed interest in serving on my campaign. Like each of you, I am deeply concerned about the near future of our country. The National Debt, failed immigration policies, out of control government regulations, budget reform and tax reform are going to be the central focus of my campaign. I look forward to sharing and debating ideas by offering solutions. The focus and tone of my campaign will be much like my previous two City Council campaigns, positive and solution oriented. Once the campaign begins I will be issuing a regular campaign message that I will send to you. Thank you for time and I look forward to saving our country together.
In Liberty, Muir Boda
Chesapeake Bay gets D+ in New Report Card
BALTIMORE - Heavy rains and a hot summer harmed the Chesapeake Bay's health last year, earning it the second worst grade on a yearly report card issued Tuesday by the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science.
The center gave the bay a D+ in 2011, scoring only slightly better than in 2003, the worst year for bay health since the assessments began in 1986. Heavy spring and fall rains washed pollutants and sediments into the bay, and a hot, dry summer spurred algae blooms that lower oxygen levels.
Flood waters from Tropical Storm Lee brought up to an inch and a half of sediment into the upper bay. Water clarity, meanwhile, continued to decline along with losses in bay grasses. Only two regions _ the lower western shore of the bay, which got a C, and the Patapsco and Back Rivers improved, but still got a D-. The rest declined or remained the same.
USPS Warning
Postal groups are using tax day — today — to sound a warning. The American Postal Workers Union and National Mail Handlers Union have joined to spread word about potential cuts at the Postal Service. They're passing out flyers about planned post office closures and possible job cuts. USPS has announced plans to get rid of 3,600 post offices and consolidate more than 200 mail processing centers. The agency has racked up about $14 billion in red ink over the past two years. The Senate plans to take up postal reform legislation today.
6-Year-Old’s Lemonade Stand Raises $10,000 for Dad’s Cancer Treatment
Three months ago, Randy Cox was diagnosed with seminoma, a rare form of cancer. That's when his 6-year-old Drew decided to use his lemonade stand to help raise money for his father's medical bills.
"He is so important to me, we love to play with each other," Cox told Texas tv station KLTV. "Lots of times we like to play games."
At first, Drew's lemonade stand was a small operation. After all, how much could one small child really hope to raise toward paying for an expensive series of chemotherapy treatments? It was the thought that counted but not one that was likely to make a serious dent in Cox's mounting medical bills.
Lost Dog On Rt. 13: UPDATE
PLEASE HELP US FIND OUR BELOVED FAMILY PET. SHE WAS LAST SEEN NEAR THE VERIZON STORE ON HWY 13. SHE WAS WEARING A COLLAR WITH AN OUTDATED PHONE NUMBER AND HER NAME JILL. SHE IS 14 YEARS OLD AND CANNOT HEAR WELL SO SHE MAY NOT ANSWER IF YOU CALL HER. PLEASE CALL JEANNE ANYTIME WITH ANY INFORMATION YOU MIGHT HAVE:
The Real "Doomsday" For Marylanders
by Delegate Mike McDermott
Historically, there is no frame of reference for what happened in the Maryland General Assembly’s final day of the 2012 session. The budget that was passed is referred to by democratic leaders as the “Doomsday Budget”, but only a big spender equates increases of over a half a billion dollars to be the end of the world.
Fortunately, when democrats fail at their agenda, Marylander’s keep more money in their own wallets. As it sits, our taxpayers are $700 million to the good if we do not go back for a Special Session. They will lose all of that and more if we get the phone call to return. The real “Doomsday” is what the democratic budget proposals and new regulations will bring to all Marylanders in the coming year.
This year, local governments lost more of their autonomy through centralized building codes and the O’Malley-Brown septic provisions. These actions will have a chilling effect on future rural development as private property rights fall under the heel of Annapolis bureaucrats. Thanks to a bill sponsored by democrats, counties like Wicomico which have citizen sponsored Revenue/Tax Caps in place will be forced to ignore statutory limits when it comes to education spending or face mandated confiscation of tax revenues subsequently diverted to the local school board. Talk about a “Doomsday” scenario for local government!
Democratic legislators robbed the Bay Trust Fund of millions and then double the Flush Tax to make up the difference. They double tolls and demand tax increases so we can “maintain our infrastructure” while at the same time siphoning millions from the trust fund to cover other wants. They swap today’s dollars for tomorrow’s debt.
The folly of not drilling for natural gas (4cents per kilowatt hour) coupled with the governor’s demand for wind energy (24 cents per kilowatt hour) is tantamount to shooting ourselves in the foot. Our energy policy makes no sense as we continue our reputation of being an unfriendly state in which to conduct business. Cheap energy drives our economy and Maryland is the Saudi Arabia of natural gas. The failure to move forward with production has cost us tens of thousands of jobs.
New laws will burden farmers with additional regulations all done in the name of “preservation”. I find it disingenuous to say we want to “preserve” something when our very actions will result in its demise. It appears they will not be satisfied until rural Maryland is a distant memory and farming is what grandpa did, “back in the day”. When farmers have an attorney on speed dial, we must ask ourselves, “Why”?
Current policy and budgeting practices are what is leading us to “Doomsday”. Marylander’s, take back your state.