Welcome to the Watcher’s Council, a blogging group consisting of some of the most incisive blogs in the ‘sphere, and the longest running group of its kind in existence. Every week, the members nominate two posts each, one written by themselves and one written by someone from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council.Then we vote on the best two posts, with the results appearing on Friday.
Historically, this is the time, between mid May and Memorial Day, when most Americans begin to perk up their eyes and ears, do a gut check and start to focus on presidential elections.
It’s early days, but I don’t think it’s any accident that a CBS/NY Times poll, no less, shows Mitt Romney slightly ahead of President Obama and ahead among women, a sign that the Democrat’s ‘War against Women’ campaign may have fallen flat.Considering how much polls from the alphabet network and the dinosaur media routinely oversample Democrats, this is an encouraging sign. Especially since Scott Rasmussen, a far more reliable pollster shows a similar result.
Again, the margin’s narrow, it’s very early days and this could very well be a temporary reaction to President Obama’s cynical endorsement of same sex marriage. Or it could be that Governor Romney is starting to pull ahead.Certainly confidence in the Obama economy remains low, and that still appears as though it’s going to be the main issue in this election.
Keep in mind that the polls in question might very well have been rigged the other way for an important reason – to scare and energize President Obama’s base with the idea he might not be re-elected.
You can, too! Want to see your work appear on the Watcher’s Council homepage in our weekly contest listing? Didn’t get nominated by a Council member? No worries.
Simply head over to Joshuapundit and post the title a link to the piece you want considered along with an e-mail address ( which won’t be published) in the comments section no later than Monday 6PM PST in order to be considered for our honorable mention category, and return the favor by creating a post on your site linking to the Watcher’s Council contest for the week.
It’s a great way of exposing your best work to Watcher’s Council readers and Council members. while grabbing the increased traffic and notoriety. And how good is that, eh?
Every year, over a million babies are aborted in the United States. These children are not just an unwanted collection of cells growing in the mother. They are the collective culmination of generations going back countless centuries. Each child has the genetic makeup of the parents, as well as uncles, aunts, grandparents, great-grandparents and on and on.
Each child has recognizable features like eyes, ears, hair and personality traits of those who came before him or her.
The mother is aborting her family tree. Bits of a dear departed grandmother, a favorite uncle, or a cousin are all in the DNA of this unique individual.
And what might have that tiny life have become, if he were allowed to live? What discoveries will the world never know?
And what will the soul of the aborted child think and see? A mother’s regret in later life? Or sooner?
Only God will know these children taken from the earth before they even had a chance.
I wrote this song and recorded it in my home “studio”. I will admit the words were hard to sing without getting choked up. A lot of emotion went into writing this.
I hope the Video and the music somehow conveys the sense of loss I feel for the millions of children our society throws away before they are even born.
And what must these poor souls think of us? And what does God think?
The lyrics:
A Million Souls up in Heaven
I got my Mama’s coal black hair, and my Daddy’s crooked grin
Got my Grandma’s funny ears and my Grandpa’s dimpled chin
I love to dance and kick my feet like my Uncle likes to do
My aunt loves her quiet time and sometimes I do too.
A hundred generations of two separate family trees
Brought together by my branch for all eternity.
You’d think they would all agree and everyone rejoice
But that ain’t what happens to the victims of pro choice
Chorus
But there’s a million souls up in Heaven
Looking down on earth below
There’s a million souls up in Heaven
That only God will ever know.
I might have been a Doctor and done a lot of good
Or maybe just a carpenter who makes things out of wood.
I might have been an Astronaut and soared high above the world
Or maybe just a normal boy or a normal little girl
I might have been a writer and made the world a better place
Or maybe just a preacher trying to save the human race
I might have been a singer writing songs about romance
I might have been a lot of things but I never had a chance
Chorus
But there’s a million souls up in Heaven
Looking down on earth below
There’s a million souls up in Heaven
That only God will ever know.
I never felt my Mama’s touch and I long for her embrace
And she tries to tell herself that I’m in a better place
One less son or daughter there to share her golden years
She cries herself to sleep sometimes, her pillow stained with tears
Everybody told her she had a right to choose.
But they never told her how much that she would lose.
The thing about decisions that can never be reversed
Instead of solving problems they can sometimes make them worse
The word I am getting is that Republicans in Richmond have made a deal with the devil – in this case Senator Donald McEachin – to allow a gay activist who wants to promote the radical gay agenda and will have no problem legislating from the bench – to a Virginia Court.
The Democrats have only two potential weapons since they lost last November and are now facing a tie in the Senate. They can hold up the budget process as thy already have, and they can hold up the appointment of judges. The Lt. Governor Bill Bolling is unable to cast a tie-breaking vote in either instance.
We have been unable to get the full details on this “deal” but it looks like Republicans are prepared to sell out Virginia’s family values. Who knows what they may be receiving in exchange, but it is not worth the price of appointing a radical homosexual to the bench.
We need good, strong judges who know and follow the Virginia Constitution as well as the US Constitution.
Victoria Cobb of the Family Foundation said:
It has come to our attention that one of the individuals that will be voted on by the General Assembly Monday as a nominee for a judgeship, Tracy Thorne-Begland, has a long history of political activism, has been at the forefront of repealing the federal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy and once served as a Board Member and Vice Chairman for Equality Virginia, the Commonwealth’s largest and most influential homosexual activism group. In fact, this nominee for Richmond’s 13th General District Court was with President Obama when he signed the repeal of DADT. Additionally, Mr. Thorne-Begland has lashed out, publicly, against Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli on a host of issues related to the homosexual agenda, saying, “He’s already stood in the way” in relation to Cuccinelli’s urging of public colleges and universities to follow state law when it comes to non-discrimination policies. Thorne-Begland also criticized Cuccinelli for being “against hate crime laws” and “employment discrimination” protections based on sexual behavior.
One statement he made in 2004 in particular stands out. In an interview with Richmond Magazine, Thorne-Begland said, “In Virginia, we’re seeing a different situation. The situation is so hostile to gay and lesbian interests, particularly the judicial system, a lot of gay and lesbians choose to leave.” It’s the “particularly the judicial system” statement that is especially concerning. Does he plan to use his position as a judge to accomplish his political agenda?
In 2004, Mr. Thorne-Begland was asked his opinion of the Marriage Affirmation Act, a law that was the model for Virginia’s marriage amendment, and Virginia’s climate toward homosexuals. Mr. Thorne-Begland signaled his optimism and said, “Perfect example: Virginia is the only state in the union that allows businesses to decide whether they can offer health care to gays and lesbians. When progressive representatives in the legislature sought to require businesses to extend domestic-partner benefits, laws are adopted that outright coerce Virginians to accept this way of thinking.” Mr. Thorne-Begland’s thoughts regarding the use of coercion to change minds and force private businesses to follow his agenda flies directly in the face of free market political principles.
Delegate Bob Marshall added:
MARSHALL SEEKS TO REMOVE HOMOSEXUAL ADVOCATE FROM JUDGESHIP LIST
Legislator Cites Nominee’s Long History as ‘Aggressive Activist for Pro-Homosexual Agenda’
Manassas, May 12 – Delegate Bob Marshall said today that he will seek to remove the name of a homosexual activist from a list of proposed District Court judicial appointments if the name remains on the list when it comes to a vote Monday in the Virginia General Assembly.
The judgeship nominee is Tracy Thorne-Begland, a Richmond attorney identified by Marshall (R., Manassas) as “an aggressive activist for the pro-homosexual agenda.”
“After more than a week of pleading by some Republican Caucus members,” Marshall said, “the House Republican leadership has so far declined to removed Mr. Thorne-Begland’s name from the block of nominees,” Marshall said. “If this situation remains unchanged, I will offer an amendment to remove his name.”
Marshall questioned whether Thorne-Begland can swear to the oath required of Virginia’s judges in which they pledge to abide by the state’s constitution “if he has already indicated by his past public actions that he does not support its provision ‘that only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivision.’”
Thorne-Begland lives with a ‘partner” with whom he has a formalized homosexual union, Marshall said, and they have two adopted children. Thorne-Begland has been active in the national homosexual advocacy group, Human Rights Campaign, and with Equality Virginia, of which he is a former board member.
Marshall pointed out that Thorne-Begland was serving as a Navy aviation lieutenant in 1992 when he went on national television to disclose his homosexuality, then was discharged under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military regulation on homosexuality then in force. Thorne-Begland sued the Defense Department, alleging that his right to free speech had been restricted, but he lost the case on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond.
“Mr. Throne-Begland joined the Navy under clear rules on homosexuality that he challenged when he sued the Department of Defense to change DADT,” Marshall said.
“Would Mr. Thorne-Begland also challenge rules that apply to Virginia courts? Can this candidate swear the required oath to support our state’ constitution if he has already indicated by his past actions that he does not support that section of our constitution barring same-sex legal relationships?
“While our judges and judicial candidates certainly have a right to free speech, they do not have the right to disregard the Virginia constitution”
Once again, Bishop E.W. Jackson came away from a Virginia Republican US Senate debate as the winner. His overall performance was perhaps a bit less stellar than the Roanoke Debate, but that was most likely a function of the questions asked, which were so similar that it was not easy to answer without repeating yourself. But Jackson’s closing hit the ball out of the park as you can see in the video below. Jackson’s oratory skills and ability to connect with the audience are an amazing gift, but the substance of his remarks are substantial as is his understanding of the problems facing America today.
George Allen turned in a solid performance with his focus on a positive message and clear understanding that defeating Tim Kaine is the ultimate goal of the Republican Party. As the front runner in this contest for the Republican nomination and the right to run against Democrat Tim Kaine, a steady and solid performance was what Allen needed and exactly what he delivered. Allen proved he has his hand on the pulse of Virginia and understands what the Federal Government is doing to our country and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Bob Marshall is undoubtedly the most knowledgeable of the minute details of an amazing number of bills and has been an effective legislator with enough foresight to pen the right bill at the right time to position Virginia in a way that makes federal intrusion into the Commonwealth fare more difficult on anything from ObamaCare to illegal immigration. The average voter, however, may fail to comprehend Bob Marshall and appreciate his technical prowess and “wonkish” understanding of the art of governance. Still, for fans and supporters of Bob Marshall, his performance at the debate was solid and he did nothing to hurt his campaign.
The big (and only loser) of the evening was Jamie Radtke. She spent nearly one forth of her time, not answering the questions posed, but instead, attacking George Allen over and over again in one of the most embarrassing and shameful instances of vitriolic and mean-spirited hatred I have witnessed in public. Radtke removed all doubt to anyone not sure before now that she has become the far right fringe of politics most voters would not touch with a ten foot pole. When the attacks began, which was in Radtke’s opening remarks, the audience groaned. But as they continued on and on ad nauseam all but a small cluster of her supporters sat in disbelief at what became a complete breakdown of acceptable behavior within thr Republican Party.
The most bizarre and irrational comment was Radtke’s statement blaming George Allen for ObamaCare because he lost the Senate seat in 2006.
In the writeup of the Roanoke debate a couple of weeks ago I wrote “ If this is the first time someone heard Radtke speak, they might have come away with the perception that she was not as “at ease” with the group and somewhat humorless, which is a complete misconception.”
After this performance, it seems that may not have been accurate. Perhaps a year and a half of full time campaigning and only managing to poll in the low single digits has pushed Radtke over the edge. But she is no longer the calm, rational person I met several years ago who was adamant on keeping the shrill attacks of the far right fringe out of the Richmond TEA Party in order to maintain the credibility of the movement. Radtke has become that fringe element.
The Jamie Radtke I knew when she was the head of the Richmond TEA Party would not even allow the Jamie Radtke that showed up in Virginia Beach to even speak at a RTP event.
It is expected that candidates in Primary battles will disagree with their fellow candidates on issues. It is also expected that Republicans point out these differences in a civil manner. While it became apparent a good while back that Radtke was not going to be able to unite those who preferred someone other than George Allen behind her candidacy, the honorable thing to do would have been to bow out. This “scorched earth” policy and her abhorrent behavior has not only failed to rally anyone to her cause, it has probably eliminated her from this any future run for political office at any level.
None of the candidates deserve the disrespectful treatment Radtke spewed in this debate. All are deserving of respect and Republican voters are sure to drive that message home on June 12.
At least Radtke has done one thing. She has narrowed the choices down to two for those not favoring Allen – Jackson and Marshall. The last thing Virginia Republicans want in Washington is an angry, bitter person unable to win people over with their ideas who feels the need to attack and blame others. We already have enough of that coming from the White House.
A lot of us had high hopes for Radtke and her campaign when she began. Now, she simply scares the hell out of most people. And before the Virginia Beach debate, there was a lot of concern that Radtke was only going to (intentionally) damage Allen and his chances to defeat Tim Kaine. After the debate, most realize that the exuberant “Tweets” from the Kaine campaign echoing every disparaging remark she made about Allen will do them no good in November as Radtke has completely marginalized herself as a fringe, far right candidate with an inexplicable grudge against Allen.
Radtke has expressed bewilderment that the TEA Party has not united behind her. But she has moved so far “out there” that she scares the hell out of them, too.
Radtke began her opening remarks by saying the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Her irrational attacks have not convinced Republicans that they should hire her to represent the party according to poll data.
Perhaps she should have taken her own advice as far as the attacks. She has attacked Allen over and over, yet her poll numbers continue to lag.
Below is a video of the attacks only and they include Bishop Jackson’s comments attempting to bring honor and respect back to the process. See for yourself.
Kudos to Bishop Jackson for his efforts on behalf of Republicans to keep this process civil.
The first two questions were dealing with helping small businesses grow and thrive.
Jackson wants to get government out of the way of businesses.
Allen has worked in small businesses and with them. He echoed the statements of Jackson about the regulations and red tape from local, state and federal government. Allen criticized Tim Kaine on his record of thwarting small businesses.
Marshall enumerated several bills he authored that helped protect small businesses avoid unnecessary regulation.
Radtke worked in small businesses and is a Mom. “We need a Mom in Washington.” She again attacked Allen and there was a moan from the audience. She accused Allen of taking money from Freddie and Fannie.
Next question – what can be done to save Social Security?
Radtke again attacks Allen for Fannie and Freddie and called him out for not answering the question she posed on the mortgage giants. However, the forum is not set up for that and Allen answered the question posed.
On the question of saving Medicare and Social Security, Jackson is the only candidate to urge the repeal of Obamacare. Jackson wants to cut the federal budget with an ax.
Next Question – Spending.
Marshall said we need a balanced budget. He would amend appropriations bills to force a vote on tying spending to revenue sources. He would hold the Senate accountable.
Radtke – we need to focus on spending. All revenue will be used to service the debt and pay entitlements. She spoke about her “My 2 Cents” plan.
Jackson said he respects his fellow candidates too much to attack them (an obvious jab at Radtke to stop the attacks.) He said that government has exceeded it’s authority to spend what they are spending.
Allen mentioned his time in the Senate and the attacks on 9/11. (He is obviously answering Radtke here.) He wants a balanced budget with line item veto. Spending the last 3 years has been out of control. National Defense a priority.
Next Question – College tuition processes out of control.
Radtke – we need to get the federal government out of education. Attacks Allen for spending. Accuses him of wasteful spending and dodging. Accused Allen of dodging.
Jackson – When government gets involved, prices go up. Get the feds out of Virginia’s business and enforce the 10th amendment. He worked his way through college.
Allen – agrees with Jackson. Constraints – line item veto – pay check reduction for Congress if they don’t do a budget. Tuition freeze. Trade schools.
Marshall paid his own way. Make the parents responsible for the student loans. He criticizes Radtke’s “My 2 Cents” and says it won’t work without tax increases. No easy way out.
Next Question – Businesses want to provide Health Care. Wants a small business shared risk pool.
Jackson – We need to allow businesses to have the freedom to aggregate health care leverage and get the government out of the way.
Allen – Repeal ObamaCare. Use Health Savings Accounts instead. Allows patients to know the prices – which will force prices down. Groups should be allowed across state lines.
Marshall – Has introduced legislation to buy insurance across state lines. Stop illegal aliens from coming into the US. Medical ethics.
Radtke – Has a $5,000 deductible. We need competition, not government control. HSA’s. Attacks Allen for losing in 2006 and running a bad campaign that allowed Democrats to win in 2006.
Next Question – Defense Cuts are a problem. How can we fix it?
Allen – No certainty on taxes, military spending and staffing and the cuts will devastate the military. We need a Republican president and Senate. Defense is the top job of the government. Get EPA out of the way and don’t cut Veteran benefits.
Marshall – Saw programs that were implemented only to provide jobs. Waste of money – we need to be smart with our defense dollars.
Radtke – grew up in a military family. Knows the sacrifice. Congress top priority is defense. Stop nation building. Stop getting into wars. Stop borrowing money from China.
Jackson – the only Veteran – USMC. He hates to see Veterans challenged on their benefits. Vets deserve every bit of our support.
Closing Statements:
Marshall – Attacks Allen on building an interchange with tax money and attacks Kaine on stimulus money. Never betrayed his oath. Will annoy Liberals in DC as much as he has in Richmond.
Allen – Optimistic. Freedoms are at risk from Federal high tax and high spending by Liberals. We must unleash our free enterprise system without government intervention. Use oil and gas off shore. No health care rationing. No forced unions.
Jackson – Cautions colleagues – WE CANNOT TEAR EACH OTHER APART. One of us must go up against Tim Kaine. Who is suited for the moment at hand? Who can reach blacks and Hispanics? Who can tell them we care? We muse beat Kaine and Obama. They drank Kool-Aid – he did not. Jackson got a standing ovation.
Radtke – Insanity – doing the same thing over and over again. As a Mom knows what it is like to see the government come into your home. Career politicians are destroying the nation. This is about saving people from Washington. We need to restore trust in the government.
Jamie Radtke opened the debate with her opening remarks and used most of the time to attack George Allen on his past votes and call for a smaller government.
Bishop Jackson’s opening remarks focused on the job losses in Hampton Roads and the military status of the area. Jackson lamented the lack of coverage for his campaign from the local media.
George Allen focused on small business and jobs. And the lack of jobs for young people. Allen envisions a better future through better policies that are pro growth. And he also mentioned his campaign cornerstone American Energy.
Bob Marshall focused on his record of never voting for a tax increase and has never been endorsed by the Washington Post. Marshall filed a lawsuit to stop Tim Kaine’s illegal taxes – and won. Filed the Health Care Freedom Act. Author of the Va. Marriage Act.
Welcome to the Watcher’s Council, a blogging group consisting of some of the most incisive blogs in the ‘sphere, and the longest running group of its kind in existence. Every week, the members nominate two posts each, one written by themselves and one written by someone from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council.Then we vote on the best two posts, with the results appearing on Friday.
The above is a photo of Harvard professor, self-styled ‘consumer activist’ and Massachusetts Democrat Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren in her secret minority Identity as Chief Spreading Bull.True to form, she’s dressed in the war bonnet of a Lakota rather than the tribe she *cough* claims to belong to, but then that’s part of the fun.
By now, most of you know that Princess Dances-With-Marxism has claimed to be a Native American throughout her career, taking advantage of ‘diversity’ to get affirmative action bennies at the University of Houston, Rutgers, and of course, Harvard University where she was eagerly hired as a professor..(‘Quick,let’s hire her…we don’t have one of those.’)
Oddly enough, no one ever asked Warren for proof until recently, and the best that our friend Minni-blah-blah was able to provide was an 1884 genealogical document that might prove that her great, great great grandmother was Cherokee. As the genealogist who found it said ‘This needs more research’.
If this document is accurate, that would make Elizabeth Warren all of 1/32nd Cherokee Indian. Based on that criteria, President Obama is an Arab Muslim and I’m the lost heir to the throne of Lithuania.
This week, RightTruth and The Pirate’s Cove took advantage of my generous offer of link whorage and earned honorable mention status with some killer pieces.
You can, too! Want to see your work appear on the Watcher’s Council homepage in our weekly contest listing? Didn’t get nominated by a Council member? No worries.
Simply head over to Joshuapundit and post the title a link to the piece you want considered along with an e-mail address ( which won’t be published) in the comments section no later than Monday 6PM PST in order to be considered for our honorable mention category, and return the favor by creating a post on your site linking to the Watcher’s Council contest for the week.
It’s a great way of exposing your best work to Watcher’s Council readers and Council members. while grabbing the increased traffic and notoriety. And how good is that, eh?
‘One In Three’ Underemployed, More Than Half ‘Disappointed,’ ‘Worried’ Or ‘Angry’ With The Obama Presidency
GALLUP: ‘A Disaster For… Younger Americans As A Group’
“Today’s slow economic growth is a disaster for those unemployed and underemployed as they look for jobs when so few new jobs are being created. For younger Americans as a group, this is a particularly acute issue.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
“Thirty-two percent of 18- to 29-year-olds in the U.S. workforce were underemployed in April, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment. This is up from 30.1% in March and is slightly higher than the 30.7% of a year ago.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
“More Now Than at Any Time in Past Year Working Part Time, Looking for Full-Time Job.Another 18.4% of young adults in the workforce were working part time but wanting to work full time in April. This is up from 17.5% in March and 17.1% in April a year ago, and is the highest percentage of part-time young employees looking for full-time work seen during the past year.” (“One In Three Young U.S. Workers Are Underemployed,” Gallup, 5/9/12)
More Than Half ‘Disappointed,’ ‘Worried’ Or ‘Angry’ With The Obama Presidency
UNIVERSITY STUDY: “In a study to be released Thursday, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that recent graduates are taking awhile to find work. Only 49% of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school…” (“For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
ABC NEWS: “A survey released Thursday showed that only 34 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds are ‘satisfied’ with the Obama presidency. More than half — 51 percent – said they were either ‘disappointed,’ ‘worried’ or ‘angry,’ according to the survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkeley Center.” (“Bad Economy Puts Obama In Tight Spot With Young Voters,” ABC News, 4/20/12)
“Nearly 25 million adults live at home with their parents because they’re unemployed or underemployed…”(TIME Magazine, 2/14/12)
Gallup finds today, “Thirty-two percent of 18- to 29-year-olds in the U.S. workforce were underemployed in April, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment. . . . Underemployment among 18- to 29-year-olds has hovered around 30% for most of the past year, showing no real improvement. . . . Young adults were more than twice as likely as those in older age groups to be underemployed in April. . . . Young adults continue to be much more likely than average to be unemployed . . . .”
Examining these results, Gallup writes, “Wall Street has generally viewed the government’s unemployment report for April as a negative for the U.S. economy. Gallup’s unemployment measures show that April has also brought gloomy job news for young Americans and underscores that this group has been struggling disproportionately for some time. Those aged 18 to 29 are more than twice as likely as those in any other age group to be underemployed. . . . Today’s slow economic growth is a disaster for those unemployed and underemployed as they look for jobs when so few new jobs are being created. For younger Americans as a group, this is a particularly acute issue. Nearly one in three young adults in the workforce are not now able to gain full-time job experience. This not only hurts them temporarily, but deprives them of the experience they need to get a better job in the future. It also deprives U.S. companies of the skilled and experienced workers they will need for their businesses to prosper in the years ahead.”
This news comes on top of recent reports that only half of graduates between 2009 and 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of leaving school, that last year over half of college graduates under 25 were unemployed or underemployed, and that “[n]early 25 million adults live at home with their parents because they’re unemployed or underemployed,” leaving The Atlantic to conclude, “It is, very simply, a tough time to be young.”
But instead of any real solutions, President Obama offers only campaign rhetoric designed at creating attacks on Republicans or excuses for why his policies have failed. Speaking on the Senate floor this morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “The cynicism here is breathtaking. Here’s a President who, in the morning, worked hand-in-hand with Senate Democrats to ensure that legislation to freeze interest rates on student loans wouldn’t pass– in the afternoon, giving a recycled speech in which he pleaded for an end to the very gridlock he was orchestrating. There’s perhaps no better illustration of how far this President has come from the heady days of his last campaign.”
He blasted Obama’s expand the government and shift the blame approach: “Let’s face it: there isn’t a problem we face that this President didn’t think government could solve. And despite all the evidence to the contrary, he still can’t seem to shake the idea that more government is the answer for what ails us. When the Stimulus failed, it wasn’t the government’s fault. It was the Republicans. When the health care bill caused health care costs to rise, same thing. When trillions are spent and the jobs don’t come, it’s ATM machines, it’s the weather, it’s bankers, it’s the rich, it’s Fox News. It’s anything other than the government.”
“The President,” Leader McConnell said, “seems to view government the way some parents view their children. It can do no wrong. So if there’s a problem to solve, a challenge to tackle, the solution is always the same: more government. And the results are always the same — a disappointment to be blamed on somebody, anybody, else.”
He asked, “Hasn’t the experience of the last three and a half years taught this President anything about the limitations of government action? Three and a half years and five trillion dollars later, there are nearly half a million fewer jobs in the country than the day the President took office. That’s not what most people would describe as a good return on investment. Yet that’s all we get: the same government-driven solutions he’s been pushing for three and a half years.”
Politico reports today, “Canadian oil executives this week are personally warning U.S. lawmakers that the delay in the Keystone XL pipeline has repercussions on U.S.-Canada trade relations. The CEOs of at least six Canadian oil companies or subsidiaries — in town on a regular annual visit ostensibly to talk about broader issues affecting Canadian oil production — will almost certainly end up predominately lobbying members of Congress and a diverse list of think tanks on Keystone. Their message will include pointing to expedited consideration in Canada of two proposed pipelines sending crude oil from Alberta oil sands to the West Coast for Asian export. ‘The snowball’s already rolling,’ Dave Collyer, president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, told POLITICO. ‘Canadian producers have always recognized that there’s some vulnerability in only having one market, that being the United States,’ Collyer said. ‘I think what the Keystone decision did was increase the awareness of that vulnerability and provide some impetus clearly … on the importance of diversifying that market.’ . . . ‘But in the face of a rather overwhelming set of facts, with this decision to be deferred that frankly raises some questions about the integrity of the process and whether we can have confidence in the regulatory review process’ for other projects, Collyer said.”
In other words, thanks to the unnecessary delays and political dodging on allowing the Keystone XL pipeline to move forward, our allies in Canada are saying that if the Obama administration continues this kind of treatment, they’ll look for other partners to do business with, particularly in Asia.
There’s simply no longer any excuse for President Obama to keep blocking the pipeline. Transcanada, the company that will build the pipeline, has worked with the state of Nebraska to approve a new route to avoid any environmentally sensitive areas and has now submitted a new application to the State Department. Labor leaders and Democrats in Congress have expressed support for building Keystone XL, since it would create tens of thousands of jobs and allow the U.S. to import more oil from Canada instead of the Middle East.
And yet President Obama is still blocking the pipeline from moving forward. As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “At a moment when tensions are rising in the Middle East, millions of Americans are struggling to find work and millions more are struggling with the rising cost of gas, the Obama administration’s opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline shows how deeply out of touch they are with the concerns of middle-class Americans. When it comes to delays over Keystone, anyone looking for a culprit should look no further than the Oval Office.”
In an op-ed for Politico today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell writes, “Few groups today are struggling more under the Obama economy than recent college graduates. More than half either can’t find work or can’t find work to match their skills, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Close to half, or 42 percent, of recent college graduates, a Pew Research Center study found, are back living with their parents.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, “In a study to be released Thursday, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that recent graduates are taking awhile to find work. Only 49% of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school . . . .” Further, “[T]he class of 2012 faces tougher competition thanks to what Carl Van Horn, director of the Heldrich Center, calls ‘the recession hangover.’ Young adults who graduated into the dire labor market of 2008 and 2009 and have been out of work or underemployed since are applying for the same jobs as new grads are. The same goes for earlier grads who were laid off during the recession.” And, the WSJ notes, “even when new graduates do find jobs, their starting salaries tend to be lower than those for their counterparts who graduated a decade earlier . . . .”
Last month the AP reported that “[a] weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed” and a recent Pew study found “the gap in employment between the young and all working-age adults—roughly 15 percentage points—is the widest in recorded history.”
As Sen. McConnell writes, “The president has been trying for weeks to convince college students that their struggles have less to do with him than with ‘some in Congress’ who stand in his way. And for weeks, Senate Democrats have echoed his taxpayer-funded distraction and misinformation tour. . . . Fearful that young people might start to realize the reason they need relief right now is because of the Obama economy, Democrats have turned the college loan issue into yet another fake election-year fight. The goal is to distract young people from the fact that they’re suffering disproportionately under this president’s policies.”
Speaking on the Senate floor this morning, Leader McConnell elaborated, “It’s not exactly a state secret that Senate Democrats have turned the Senate floor into an extension of the Obama campaign over the past few months. And that what happens here these days has a lot more to do with what some political consultant in Chicago thinks is good for the President’s reelection than what the American people think would be good for the country as a whole. . . . Today’s vote on student loan rates is a perfect example of this cynical election-year strategy in action. Rather than working with Republicans to help young people in this country weather the effects of the Obama Economy, Democrats have sought to distract them from it.”
He continued, “Here’s the real issue behind today’s vote: right now, more than half of college graduates can’t find a decent job. Close to half of them are back at home living with their parents. As a Wall Street Journal article from late last year put it, ‘the U.S. labor market may be in a malaise but young adults are in crisis.’ The real solution, of course, are pro-growth policies that make it easier for U.S. businesses to hire. . . . The real enemy of recent college graduates is this president’s economic policies. Until Democrats are ready to admit that, we’ll keep falling behind. And the real losers will be the young people we should be working together on a bipartisan basis to help.”
New Study: ‘Only 49% Of Graduates From The Classes Of 2009 To 2011 Had Found A Full-Time Job Within A Year Of Finishing School’
University Research: Grads ‘May Never Catch Up’
“In a study to be released Thursday, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University found that recent graduates are taking awhile to find work. Only 49% of graduates from the classes of 2009 to 2011 had found a full-time job within a year of finishing school…” (“For Most Graduates, Grueling Job Hunt Awaits,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/7/12)
· “Young adults hit hard by the recession…And the gap in employment between the young and all working-age adults—roughly 15 percentage points—is the widest in recorded history. In addition, young adults employed full time have experienced a greater drop in weekly earnings (down 6%) than any other age group over the past five years.” (Pew Research Center,2/9/12)
ABC NEWS: “A survey released Thursday showed that only 34 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds are ‘satisfied’ with the Obama presidency. More than half — 51 percent – said they were either ‘disappointed,’ ‘worried’ or ‘angry,’ according to the survey from the Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkeley Center.” (“Bad Economy Puts Obama In Tight Spot With Young Voters,” ABC News, 4/20/12)
PEW:“Roughly a quarter of adults ages 18 to 34 (24%) say that, due to economic conditions, they have moved back in with their parents in recent years after living on their own.Among those ages 25 to 29, the share moving back home rises to 34%.” (Pew Research Center,2/9/12)
MSNBC:“Their employment prospects are dim, their debt is high, their lives are on hold and a stunning number are living with their parents, even into their 30s. They are young adults, 18 to 34, struggling to begin their adult lives during the worst economy since the Great Depression, and they risk becoming a lost generation…” (MSNBC, 11/2/11)
The Hill reports today, “AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is backing construction of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline in comments that downplay divisions among unions in the labor federation over the controversial project. . . . ‘I think we are all unanimous by saying we should build the pipeline, but we have to do it consistent with all environmental standards, and I think we can work that out, I really do, and we are for that happening,’ Trumka said in [a C-SPAN] interview that aired Sunday.”
The story notes, “The comments could provide a political lift to advocates of the proposed pipeline to bring Canadian oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries, a project that has increasingly been at the center for election-year political battles over energy. . . . Trumka’s comments in recent months – including the weekend statement of support on C-SPAN – appear to go further than his remarks about the project in a January speech on energy and climate change. . . . Many unions including the Laborers’ International Union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Teamsters, the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and others strongly back construction of Keystone, calling it a way to create jobs.”
Meanwhile, yet another newspaper editorial board has said that President Obama is running out of excuses for his continued opposition to the pipeline. The Denver Post editors write, “The case for the pipeline has always been compelling if environmental concerns could be satisfied, and now that case is even stronger. If the president is re-elected this fall, it’s hard to see how his administration could be justified in again finding grounds to deny a permit for the project, as it did earlier this year.” Further, they admit that “Republicans . . . have the better arguments on the merits of the pipeline . . . .”
The state of Nebraska has worked with TransCanada to create a new route through the state that is designed to avoid environmentally sensitive areas, and the company has submitted a new permit to the State Department for approval. So even the minor issues the White House has given as excuses for blocking the pipeline are on their way to being resolved.
As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday, “With millions of Americans out of work in the Obama economy and a growing need for a stable supply of energy, the President turned his back on the Keystone XL pipeline that would have helped with both. The Obama administration cited a need for a new application from TransCanada and a new route in Nebraska. Now that he has both, what will his excuse be?
“At a moment when tensions are rising in the Middle East, millions of Americans are struggling to find work and millions more are struggling with the rising cost of gas, the Obama administration’s opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline shows how deeply out of touch they are with the concerns of middle-class Americans. When it comes to delays over Keystone, anyone looking for a culprit should look no further than the Oval Office.”
The following is a message from Virginia State Senator Obenshain on the Voter ID Bill.
An ongoing Virginia State Police investigation has resulted in charges against thirty-eight people for voter fraud, to which opponents of modest voter identification requirements-opponents who repeatedly insisted that voter fraud does not exist-responded, essentially, “Oh, that voter fraud.” And then changed the subject.
In the face of this latest news of voter fraud, the Richmond Times-Dispatch-which editorialized against voter ID laws like Senate Bill 1, calling them unnecessary-issued a mea culpa. No such turnabout would seem to be forthcoming from the bill’s Democratic foes, however, who are clamoring for the veto of legislation that does one thing, and one thing only: makes it harder to vote fraudulently.
I’m sure you’ve heard the arguments of those who disparage any form of voter identification requirement as “voter suppression.” Senator John Edwards (D-Roanoke) slammed Virginia’s Voter ID bill as “undercounting the ballots” of “the young, the poor, the disabled, and minorities.” Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) charges that the bill would “make it more difficult for older folks to vote, for lower-income Virginians to vote, for those with disabilities, and for African-Americans to vote.”
These are serious charges – but those making them never even try to back them up.
I would never support a bill that made it difficult for eligible voters to exercise their right to vote. As the co-patron of SB 1 (along with Senator Steve Martin, R-Chesterfield), I can state without reservation that this legislation does nothing of the sort – and I hope that it will be the Governor’s pleasure to sign it into law, despite the empty protestations of some on the left.
This past session, as the General Assembly considered the bill, Democratic press releases railed against its alleged photo identification requirement. There’s only one problem: the bill has no such requirement, and never did.
So what does SB 1 say? It says that, when you show up to vote, you have to show some form of identification, anything from a utility bill to a government check (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.) to a driver’s license to a work ID to the voter registration cards issued to every single registered voter in Virginia. Simply put, there’s not a single registered voter in the Commonwealth who lacks access to an acceptable form of identification, since every voter in Virginia is issued a voter registration card, and can request a new one if they lose it.
What’s more, the bill recognizes that sometimes, people simply forget. So if you show up at the polls without ID, all is not lost. You can still cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted so long as you send the registrar’s office a copy of your identification later. They call this “voter suppression”?
Legislation like SB 1 addresses a real problem. Earlier this year, South Carolina’s Attorney General reported 953 ballots “cast” by dead people. A Johns Hopkins University study identified 1,500 deceased Marylanders who had “voted” in recent elections, and a single county in New Mexico discovered seventy-five registrants at a single address. Right here in Virginia, campaign headquarters, vacant lots, and non-existent addresses have all been listed on many registration forms – sometimes on registrations for people who don’t actually exist.
And right now, there’s little anyone can do about it. Even if a registrar somehow discovered that a voter wasn’t who he claimed on Election Day, there’s nothing they could do. There is no way to find and remove a ballot even if it was later determined to be fraudulently cast.
The modest requirements of SB 1 will not prevent any eligible voter from exercising his or her right to vote. It will, however, provide a line of defense against those who would tamper with our elections. Because, make no mistake about it, votes are being suppressed right now – not by legislation like SB 1, but by fraudulent votes which dilute the impact of those cast lawfully.
Thirty-one states require some form of voter identification at the polling place, and many of them have far more stringent requirements than the ones proposed by SB 1. Virginia’s Voter ID bill is a fair solution, one that courts have routinely upheld and that the bipartisan Carter-Baker Commission, headed by former president Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, have strongly endorsed.
It’s a bill that meets Carter’s standard, one that “makes it easy to vote but tough to cheat.” Isn’t that something we should all be able to get behind?
Mark D. Obenshain
Virginia State Senator
‘It’s disappointing and, I can assure you, highly frustrating to see what happens here in Washington: More spending and debt and kicking tough decisions down the road… Despite every warning sign imaginable, we have no solutions from this Administration or Democratic leadership in the Senate. The President punts on almost every tough decision.’
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) delivers the Weekly Republican Address, calling for pro-growth tax reform to broaden the tax base, lower rates for everyone and provide Americans the opportunity to succeed. Senator Corker says “families and state governments are making tough decisions every day in order to make ends meet. And businesses are crying out for clarity on tax rates and regulation. This uncertainty is what’s weighing down the recovery and preventing the investment needed to create jobs…” The Weekly Republican Address is available in both audio and video format and is embargoed until 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, May 5, 2012. The audio of the address is available here, the video will be available here and you may download the address here. A full transcript of the address follows:
“I’m Bob Corker, and I’m proud to represent Tennessee in the United States Senate.
“When I was 25 years old, I saved $8,000 and started my own construction company. I worked hard, and my business expanded. Our country’s free enterprise system gave me the opportunity to earn success and to live the American Dream.
“I became involved in public service to help provide my neighbors with the opportunity to experience the American Dream themselves, and I came to Washington with the same goal.
“But I fear our country is moving to a place where politicians have lost sight of the value of earned success.
“Politicians are bankrupting our country by passing legislation without paying for it and abandoning the free market principles that give people the opportunity to succeed.
“It’s disappointing and, I can assure you, highly frustrating to see what happens here in Washington: More spending and debt and kicking tough decisions down the road, robbing – literally robbing – the next generation of the opportunity to pursue success and live their own American Dream.
“Last Sunday marked three years since the Senate has passed a budget. Three years. Think about that. The federal government, which spends more than $3.5 trillion a year, much of it borrowed from outside the United States, has no guideline for how that money is spent.
“The Democratic Leader of the Senate said it would be ‘foolish for us to do a budget at this stage,’ and he’s even refused to hold a vote.
“When the Democratic chairman of the Senate Budget Committee attempted to hold a markup on a budget, he was stopped at the last minute and pulled a vote from consideration.
“And what about our presidential leadership? President Obama’s budget failed to receive a single ‘yes’ vote in either House of Congress last year. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, this year’s presidential budget would actually decrease economic growth over the next decade.
“This kind of Washington mismanagement has put us in a place where over the last three years our debt has increased by more than $4 trillion.
“Failing to accomplish even the most basic responsibility of government is a total failure of leadership and represents everything the American people hate about Washington.
“Just last month, the trustees for Medicare and Social Security reiterated that the programs are on a path towards insolvency and in urgent need of reform.
“Despite every warning sign imaginable, we have no solutions from this Administration or Democratic leadership in the Senate.
“The President punts on almost every tough decision. In fact, as he appeals to college students, his Administration is robbing those same young people of their American inheritance, spending their money on my generation and engaging in nothing short of generational theft.
“Families and state governments are making tough decisions every day in order to make ends meet. And businesses are crying out for clarity on tax rates and regulation. This uncertainty is what’s weighing down the recovery and preventing the investment needed to create jobs in Tennessee and throughout the country. Washington’s lack of courage to deal with out-of-control spending is only adding to the sense of uncertainty among investors and potential small businesses owners.
“At present, our inability to deal with these issues is our greatest enemy. In other words, we are our greatest enemy. But I also believe it can be our greatest opportunity.
“We need pro-growth tax reform. This means simplifying the tax code and doing away with most, if not all, of the $1.2 trillion in loopholes and tax expenditures that Congress has created to try to drive your behavior. This would allow us to broaden the tax base and lower rates for everyone.
“This kind of tax reform combined with a long-term plan to reduce our debt and strengthen Social Security and Medicare so that they are solvent for the long haul would really cause our economy to just take off.
“Growing the private sector, not government, will ensure that we remain the strongest country in the world. Preserving the principles that have made this country great is the struggle of this generation—free enterprise, personal liberty and a society where everyone has the tools and the opportunity to earn success.
“Nothing makes people happier than earning success. Our Founding Fathers understood this and considered the ‘pursuit of happiness’ to be a God-given right. Let’s put in place policies that will enable future generations to earn success. It’s the American Dream.”
I am currently reading, for perhaps the 4th time in my life, the book written by the godfather of Community Organizers Saul Alinsky. The book, of course, is Rules for Radicals.
This time through, I am digesting the contents far more ravenously than my previous reads. The first time I read it it had a completely different contextual appeal. I was a young, long haired college kid at one of the most liberal universities in the country, Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU.
The year was 1972 and the Vietnam war was still on all the young hippie’s minds. Many of my friends were into the protest thing, but being the son of an 82nd Airborne Veteran, I had too much respect for the military to join the protests, but I was pretty sure that I was against war in general.
Several of my friends were reading the Alinsky book and one of them passed it on to me. I read it, and promptly forgot most (but not all) of it. But I knew as I read it I was no radical and the book was not written for me. So I passed it on to someone else.
But as I grew up and grew older and found that the Conservative tag fit me well, I began seeing some of the tactics that I remembered from R4R (Rules for Radicals). So I picked up the book and read it again. Suspicion confirmed. The Democrats were using some of the tactics Alinsky wrote about.
After the Bush-Kerry election went so wrong for the Democrats, the Progressives moved to the front of the pecking order thumping the Alinsky book like a bible. And I read the book again.
Having this book is a bit like the Washington Redskins being legally allowed to purchase the Dallas Cowboys playbook along with their signals right before the big game. It is an amazing asset.
And as I re-read R4R once again, it smacks you like a freight train that everything these Progressive “Democrats” do is right from the book.
I have asked a number of my Conservative friends if they have read the book. Few have. I guess they don’t see themselves as radicals.
But apparently someone at the Republican National Committee has read R4R. And it shows.
And even better, the Democrats are coming completely unglued. It is absolutely hilarious.
For example, the Obama campaign came out with a new slogan. “Forward.” And the RNC (and others) promptly began ridiculing the slogan. “Forward? – What, off the cliff?” And the numerous Photoshopped imitations have been everywhere.
And then there was Julia. RNC Chairman Priebus said “I don’t want my daughter to grow up like Julia.”
And the Daily Caller compiled the Top 10 ‘Julia’ tweets. A couple of my favorites:
7.) CaseyGeorge: #Juliadied at age 78. She voted Democrat until age 92
2.) David Burge: #Julia“at 37, Julia completes her Masters degree in Interactive Website Design. At 43, she gets a job pulling a solar powered rickshaw.”
And then there was this one that I call a “twofer”.
Not only did that ridicule Obama for the Julia effort, it also got in a dig at left wing candidate Elizabeth Warren getting caught claiming minority status as a “Native American” because her G-G-Grandfather had high cheek bones.
All funny stuff and the liberals are all wee-weed up about it.
Let’s check with Uncle Saul and his “Rules” to see what is going on here.
Alinsky wrote: “The Fifth Rule: Ridicule is mans most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.”
Bada-bing!
Almost impossible to counterattack. That says a bunch. How long has the left used tactic against us stogy, old humorless Republicans?
One lefty on a FoxNews spot today tried the “Well, at least we offer solutions, all you do is ridicule and offer nothing!”
Umm. Yea.
Kinda like the “Push Granny over the cliff” Paul Ryan Budget Plan?
That is a classic example of the left using humor – a tactic Alinsky says will allow people to accept something that they would not accept if it were presented in a serious discussion.
But they have no answer when you ridicule them, wait for the accusation and then bring up the 3 years since the Senate passed a budget.
And besides, it’s fun to ridicule the left and leave them in a sputtering, stuttering mass of blubber.
Which brings up Rule 6: A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. If your people are not having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic.
And most of us are enjoying the fact that the left has no answer to throwing their own playbook back in their face. That is almost as much fun as making the left the butt of these jokes.
So, should Republicans keep this up? Alinsky says yes!
The tenth rule: The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition. It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign. It should be remembered not only that the action is in the reaction but that action is itself the consequence of reaction and of reaction to the reaction, ad infinitum. The pressure produces the reaction, and constant pressure sustains action.
And on the heals of Obama “spiking the football” with bin Laden and watching his poll numbers slide, the pressure is definitely on. And we must keep it going. And it is important to consider the fact that Alinsky realized that you can use a tactic too long. Not the general style of the tactic, but the event that is the subject of the tactic.
Alinsky said “In a fight almost anything goes. It almost reaches the point where you stop to apologize if a chance blow lands above the belt.”
That is the mentality we are dealing with. Anything goes because the ends justify the means. These people are radicals and they are using radical tactics. Know the tactics and you can recognize them. And use their own tactics against them effectively.
In the beginning of his book, Alinsky cautioned that the Revolution, the change towards Socialism, must be slow and subtle or you risk a Counterrevolution. Obama, who is even more a narcissistic half-wit then Alinsky ignored that advice believing himself smarter than everyone. And he made a grave mistake.
The TEA Party is the Counterrevolution Alinsky feared. The Progressive left recognizes that now that it is too late. They tried to laugh us off with ridicule. They adopted the lies and below the belt tactics. They threw the book at us and we are still here.
Growing. Morphing. Changing. Learning.
We are learning to use their own words and tactics against them.
And it is working and it will continue to work.
Republicans cannot take the high ground and allow the left to dig out the foundation beneath our feet.
Indiana Senator Dick Lugar is Barack Obama’s favorite Republican. And Lugar has apparently caused Republican House MAjority Leader Eric Cantor’s heart to go pitter pat as Cantor’s PAC is begging Democrats to jump in and vote for Lugar in the Republican Primary.
Lugar has gone from 5 points down before Cantor’s support to 10 points down since.
Indiana voters are pretty rankled with Lugar after it was discovered he has not owned a home or lived in Indiana in years. And apparently, the Young Guns PAC is seen as meddling by big money from more out of state residents. I soke to a few Hoosiers who happen to be fellow Indy Colt’s fans. I have been assailed (in good humor, of course) about keeping my Virginia Congressman and his out of state money out of Indiana.
I told them it happens all the time. Local Senate Candidate Tim Kaine is getting tons of money from groups like “Majority PAC” who are doing exactly the same thing.
The down side of the out of state money is that it more or less ties the hands of Conservative Bloggers who would love to jump on Kaine for allowing all the out of state money to influence Virginia Politics. But with what is going on with Lugar, it seems that Cantor has pretty much tied our hands on that issue.
It would be hypocritical to jab Kaine and not respect the concerns of my fellow Colt fans.
So let me just, for the record, state that I have come down against out of state money being used to influence elections no matter whose pockets are involved.
Besides, it often backfires and makes the home crowd angry as it obviously has in Indiana.
Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) is 10 points behind his primary opponent, according to a new nonpartisan poll, making it highly unlikely he’ll win Tuesday’s contest.
Lugar trails Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock (R) 48 percent to 38, according to a poll released Friday from Howey Politics Indiana and DePauw University. That is Mourdock’s largest lead in any poll conducted of the race, including those by groups backing him.
This is the latest — and biggest — bad sign for the six-term incumbent: The poll is considered the most accurate in the state. Lugar already has seen a major outside group pull funding from his campaign, another sign that even allies of Lugar don’t think he can be saved at this point.
It would appear that Indiana voters have had enough of Lugar and his free spending, Obama supporting ways and are ready to send him home. Although he technically doesn’t have a home in Indiana to go to.
WHERE ARE ALL THE CLERGY? The 61st Annual local National Day of Prayer service was held at Historic Pole Green Park on Thursday May 3rd. On behalf of the Christian Community, I’d like to thank the clergy that were present and/or participated in the service. Clergy I noted were from Hanover Church of the Nazarene, Fellowship Community Church, Church of the Redeemer, Hospital Chaplains, and Independent Baptist affiliates. Sorry if I missed anyone.
Historic Pole green Church is the boyhood Church of Patrick Henry (remember “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”) and a bastion of Religious Freedom and Civil Liberties. So I have to ponder, why would the hundreds of local Clergy that were MIA not partake in this very powerful National Day of Prayer Service at such a deeply enriched site of religious history? The service was advertised all over social media, print media, via flyer or letter to the local Clergy, and even some phone calls to them. Were they “too busy”? Afraid of “losing their tax-exempt status”? (really the government’s way of keeping them silenced), holding prayer services in their own Churches? (Commendable), or just plain clueless?
America is facing crisis of epic proportions! Without more Clergy that will have the courage to get engaged in the community and come out, speak up, and get back to preaching and teaching about the downsides of the massive moral, financial, social, spiritual, and political decay we are experiencing, all hope is lost!
If your Clergy did not partake in the National Day of Prayer in any way or at least inform his or her parishioners about it, I would encourage you to ask them, WHY NOT? God Bless America, please!
CNN Money sums up today’s Labor Department report for April: “Hiring slowed in April and workers dropped out of the labor force in droves — not a good sign for the job market going forward.”
According to The New York Times, “The United States had another month of disappointing job growth in April. The nation’s employers produced a net gain of 115,000 positions, after adding 154,000 in March, the Labor Department said Friday. April’s job growth was less than economists had been predicting. . . . The unemployment rate ticked down to 8.1 percent in April, from 8.2 percent, but that was not because more unemployed workers found jobs; it was because workers dropped out of the labor force. The share of working-age Americans who are in the labor force, meaning they are either working or actively looking for a job, is now at its lowest level since 1981 — when far fewer women were doing paid work. The share of men taking part in the labor force fell to 70 percent, the lowest number since the Labor Department began collecting these data in 1948.”
And The Huffington Post, in an article titled, “Unemployment Rate Falls To 8.1 Percent As People Give Up On Looking For Work,” adds, “Unemployment fell to 8.1 percent in April, the lowest since January 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday morning. But the decline was mainly due to 342,000 people leaving the labor force, meaning the BLS had stopped counting them as unemployed. The number of employed people in the nation actually fell by 169,000. . . . About 12.5 million people are still unemployed, and a record 88.4 million people are considered ‘not in the labor force,’ according to the BLS. The labor-force participation rate — the percentage of the work-age population either working or looking for work — dropped to 63.6 percent, the lowest since December 1981. ‘It’s hard to see the good news here,’ David Semmens, senior U.S. economist at Standard Chartered, wrote in a research note.”
Recall that when President Obama and Democrats in Congress passed the nearly $1 trillion stimulus bill over three years ago, their economic advisors claimed that unemployment wouldn’t exceed 8%. And Vice President Joe Biden famously boasted that the stimulus would “create 3.5 million jobs … literally drop-kicks us out of this recession,” in only 18 months.
Politico’s Mike Allen reports that President Obama will be speaking to high school students in Arlington, Virginia today. There’s not a lot of good economic news for them, though. As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said last week, “So today, the President will bring his latest poll-tested message to . . . students . . . . And I’m sure he’ll give a very rousing speech, full of straw men and villains who stand in the way of their dreams. I’m sure he’ll also express his strong support for things that all of us agree on. But what he won’t talk about is the extent to which the decisions he’s made are limiting their opportunities in the years ahead.”
