Governor Huckabee will appear on CBS "Early Show" Friday, October 31 at 7am Eastern time.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Must-See Obama Questionaire from Sep, 1996; Pro Tax-Payer Funding of Abortion, Anti Manufacture, Sale, and Possession of Handguns!
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM43_080328_obama_iviquestionaire_091096.html
See questions #24a, 24b and #35a for Barack Obama's answers to the above-mentioned questions.
Newspaper 'suppressing' Obama link to anti-Israel professor
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=302908
Newspaper 'suppressing' Obama link to anti-Israel professor
Newspaper 'suppressing' Obama link to anti-Israel professor
Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 10/29/2008 7:15:00 AM
Conservative author and counterterrorism expert Andy McCarthy is criticizing the Los Angeles Times for not releasing a 2003 videotape it obtained of Barack Obama giving a toast to an anti-Israel professor who formerly served as a spokesman for late PLO leader Yasser Arafat.
The LA Times is being accused of "suppressing" a 2003 tape of a farewell gathering in Chicago for then University of Chicago Mideast studies professor Rashid Khalidi, who is a longtime virulent critic of Israel and has justified Palestinian terrorist attacks against the Jewish state. Barack Obama paid a special tribute to Khalidi that night and noted that he and Michelle were frequent dinner companions of the Khalidis.
Former Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers and his wife Bernadine Dohrn were also in attendance at the Khalidi bash. While Obama and Ayers served on the board of the left-wing Woods Fund together, they underwrote the Arab-American Action Network (AAAN) to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. The anti-Israel group was started by Khalidi and his wife Mona.
Andy McCarthy, the chairman of the Center for Law and Counterterrorism at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the legal affairs editor at National Review, says it is obvious why the LA Times is not releasing the tape of the Khalidi bash.
"If either John McCain or Sarah Palin or another prominent Republican or prominent conservative had been at a party, basically in honor of somebody who is a terror apologist, at which terrorists were front and center in attendance, one can't even imagine the thought that the mainstream media, including the LA Times, would not only release that tape but actually fill us for days if not weeks with story after story about the gory details of it," McCarthy contends.
This is yet another example, according to McCarthy, of the mainstream press "covering up" an event that is embarrassing and difficult for Obama to explain.
Read McCarthy's column on National Review:
The LA Times suppresses Obama's Khalidi bash tape
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The comprehensive argument against Barack Obama
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/10/21/the-comprehensive-argument-against-barack-obama/
Undecided voters: Please check this out.
Team Obama acknowledges infanticide lie
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/08/18/team-obama-acknowledges-infanticide-lie/
Team Obama acknowledges infanticide lie
posted at 8:00 am on August 18, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Russell Berman reports in the New York Sun that the Barack Obama campaign has acknowledged that Obama himself lied about the bill he torpedoed in 2003 that would have required medical providers to give normal medical attention to infants born alive during an abortion. The admission comes with a new spin, as the campaign finally admits that the bill Obama defeated in committee was all but identical to the federal law that passed the Senate unanimously in 2002:
Indeed, Mr. Obama appeared to misstate his position in the CBN interview on Saturday when he said the federal version he supported “was not the bill that was presented at the state level.”
His campaign yesterday acknowledged that he had voted against an identical bill in the state Senate, and a spokesman, Hari Sevugan, said the senator and other lawmakers had concerns that even as worded, the legislation could have undermined existing Illinois abortion law. Those concerns did not exist for the federal bill, because there is no federal abortion law.
In 2005, the campaign noted, a “Born Alive” bill passed the Illinois Legislature after another clause had been added that explicitly stated that the legislation would have no effect on existing state abortion laws.
In this version, Obama finally acknowledges that the bill he shot down as committee chair had the neutrality clause, but now he voted against it because it would have had some deleterious effect on abortion law. As the NRLC points out to Berman, that’s flat-out untrue. The neutrality clause Obama now acknowledge existed in the law explicitly stated that the law had no intent on affecting abortions in which the fetus did not survive; that was the entire point of the neutrality clause. Even without it, in the language of the original bill, the law clearlt stated that it only applied to infants born alive.
So Obama lied, and in typical fashion for liars, lashed out at the people who exposed the lie before finally acknowledging it. He told David Brody in his CBN interview taped Saturday that he found it “offensive” that people pushed him on this issue, and 24 hours later the campaign folded on the point.
Infanticide is one act that most people, regardless of political bent or degree of religious faith, regard as evil. Obama had this to say about confronting evil:
“Evil does exist,” Obama began acknowledging the premise of the question as he ticked off the evils of genocide in Darfur, inner-city crime and child abuse. “I think it has to be confronted. It has to be confronted squarely and one of the things that I strongly believe is that, you know, we are not going to, as individuals erase evil from the world. That is God’s task. but we can be soldiers in that process and we can confront it when we see it.”
If child abuse is an evil that must be confronted, then infanticide is even more evil. What did Obama do when he saw this evil? Did he confront it, as one of God’s soldiers? Or did he facilitate it?
The answer now from the Obama campaign is clear. Obama facilitated evil in order to protect abortion on demand, which was never threatened by S.1082 in the first place. That much apparently wasn’t above his pay grade. (via Jill Stanek and Michelle Malkin)
Update: Don’t forget to read David Freddoso’s column on this topic from yesterday, which lays out the evidence to show exactly who was lying about Obama’s record. Hint: it wasn’t Obama’s critics.
Former White House Staff Economist and Budget Analyst Sees Obama Connection with Cloward-Piven Strategy of Manufactured Crisis
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/barack_obama_and_the_strategy.html
September 28, 2008
Barack Obama and the Strategy of Manufactured Crisis
By James SimpsonAmerica waits with bated breath while Washington struggles to bring the U.S. economy back from the brink of disaster. But many of those same politicians caused the crisis, and if left to their own devices will do so again.
Despite the mass media news blackout, a series of books, talk radio and the blogosphere have managed to expose Barack Obama's connections to his radical mentors -- Weather Underground bombers William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, Communist Party member Frank Marshall Davis and others. David Horowitz and his Discover the Networks.org have also contributed a wealth of information and have noted Obama's radical connections since the beginning.
Yet, no one to my knowledge has yet connected all the dots between Barack Obama and the Radical Left. When seen together, the influences on Obama's life comprise a who's who of the radical leftist movement, and it becomes painfully apparent that not only is Obama a willing participant in that movement, he has spent most of his adult life deeply immersed in it.
But even this doesn't fully describe the extreme nature of this candidate. He can be tied directly to a malevolent overarching strategy that has motivated many, if not all, of the most destructive radical leftist organizations in the United States since the 1960s.
The Cloward-Piven Strategy of Orchestrated Crisis
In an earlier post, I noted the liberal record of unmitigated legislative disasters, the latest of which is now being played out in the financial markets before our eyes. Before the 1994 Republican takeover, Democrats had sixty years of virtually unbroken power in Congress - with substantial majorities most of the time. Can a group of smart people, studying issue after issue for years on end, with virtually unlimited resources at their command, not come up with a single policy that works? Why are they chronically incapable?
Why?
One of two things must be true. Either the Democrats are unfathomable idiots, who ignorantly pursue ever more destructive policies despite decades of contrary evidence, or they understand the consequences of their actions and relentlessly carry on anyway because they somehow benefit.
I submit to you they understand the consequences. For many it is simply a practical matter of eliciting votes from a targeted constituency at taxpayer expense; we lose a little, they gain a lot, and the politician keeps his job. But for others, the goal is more malevolent - the failure is deliberate. Don't laugh. This method not only has its proponents, it has a name: the Cloward-Piven Strategy. It describes their agenda, tactics, and long-term strategy.
The Strategy was first elucidated in the May 2, 1966 issue of The Nation magazine by a pair of radical socialist Columbia University professors, Richard Andrew Cloward and Frances Fox Piven. David Horowitz summarizes it as:
The strategy of forcing political change through orchestrated crisis. The "Cloward-Piven Strategy" seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse.
Cloward and Piven were inspired by radical organizer [and Hillary Clinton mentor] Saul Alinsky:
"Make the enemy live up to their (sic) own book of rules," Alinsky wrote in his 1989 book Rules for Radicals. When pressed to honor every word of every law and statute, every Judeo-Christian moral tenet, and every implicit promise of the liberal social contract, human agencies inevitably fall short. The system's failure to "live up" to its rule book can then be used to discredit it altogether, and to replace the capitalist "rule book" with a socialist one. (Courtesy Discover the Networks.org)
Newsmax rounds out the picture:
Their strategy to create political, financial, and social chaos that would result in revolution blended Alinsky concepts with their more aggressive efforts at bringing about a change in U.S. government. To achieve their revolutionary change, Cloward and Piven sought to use a cadre of aggressive organizers assisted by friendly news media to force a re-distribution of the nation's wealth.
In their Nation article, Cloward and Piven were specific about the kind of "crisis" they were trying to create:
By crisis, we mean a publicly visible disruption in some institutional sphere. Crisis can occur spontaneously (e.g., riots) or as the intended result of tactics of demonstration and protest which either generate institutional disruption or bring unrecognized disruption to public attention.
No matter where the strategy is implemented, it shares the following features:
- The offensive organizes previously unorganized groups eligible for government benefits but not currently receiving all they can.
- The offensive seeks to identify new beneficiaries and/or create new benefits.
- The overarching aim is always to impose new stresses on target systems, with the ultimate goal of forcing their collapse.
Capitalizing on the racial unrest of the 1960s, Cloward and Piven saw the welfare system as their first target. They enlisted radical ...to read more, please click the link at the top (this is a very long article).
Soldier Helps Iraqi Girl with Congenital Heart Condition
To help Spc. Michael Kim in his efforts, he can be contacted at brotheryoga (at) hotmail.com
| Soldier Helps Iraqi Girl with Congenital Heart Condition |  |  |
| Tuesday, 28 October 2008 | |
| Army Spc. Michael Kim of New York City, a member of the 415th Civil Affairs Company, holds Rawan, a 5-year-old Iraqi girl with a congenital heart disease, during her visit to the civil-military operations center on Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Oct. 9, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret. From the color of her blue lips, she looked as though she might have savored one grape-flavored lollipop too many. She sang as she bounced, but her voice came out as wisps of air, as if she were playing a joke on her grandparents to force them to listen closely. Her skin is pale compared to the rich skin color of her grandfather and grandmother, who visited with U.S. Soldiers here to talk about her condition. Rawan has a congenital heart disease, an extreme condition that affects her pulmonary arteries and lungs, causing her to talk in soft rasps, limiting oxygen to her skin and causing the blue tint of her lips. Her family brought Rawan to the civil-military operations center in hopes of receiving help. Soldiers with the 415th Civil Affairs Company and the 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, have been working with Rawan’s family since June, when the mayor of Jabella approached one of their officers about her condition. “They’re showing everybody they are really great people who really care about humans; doesn’t matter if Iraqis or Americans,” Rawan’s grandfather, Ali Isa Amran, said of the Soldiers. “They do care about Iraqi [children] right here, and that’s showing a really good picture of America to all of the world.” Army Spc. Michael Kim has spearheaded the effort to find good medical care and raise money for an operation Rawan needs. “I feel that in America we try to help the poor, and I think that just because I’m here in Iraq, it shouldn’t stop me from being an American citizen and doing my duty to serve,” said Kim, a native of New York City’s Manhattan borough. “Not just as a Soldier, but as a citizen helping people, because back home I used to send people to the homeless shelters. I used to refer them to food pantries.” Kim said his drive to serve the people of Iraq comes from his faith and religious studies. He studied philosophy and religious psychology at Yale University, and carries those teachings with him wherever he goes. Kim is a former Marine reservist and works as a combat trauma specialist and psychoanalyst for a Veterans Affairs hospital in New York City. It had been 16 years since Kim had last put on a uniform as a servicemember before he deployed to Iraq. He decided to return to the military for a one-year commitment and volunteered for a deployment with the Army. He wanted to serve in a civil capacity, and meeting Rawan gave him exactly that opportunity. Kim sought the help of fellow Soldiers and groups back home to raise money for Rawan’s surgery. He spoke with Iraqi doctors at the National Iraqi Assistance Center in Baghdad to seek their help evaluating Rawan. He helped link Rawan with the Ibn al-Bitar Hospital in Baghdad to have her receive an echocardiogram to scan her heart. He then contacted medical institutions and hospitals throughout the United States to look at Rawan’s echo screening, which unfortunately revealed how severe her condition truly was. “Rawan’s cardiac condition has limited her quality of life, and she’s often tired,” Kim said. “Her heart defect has also affected her lungs, so she has trouble breathing. Because of all of this, it’s been a challenge to find help.” A group in the United States known as ‘Team Rawan’ has been able to raise $1,500 and plan on raising more. More friends in Daytona, Fla., held a party to raise awareness and money. Babylon University in Hillah, Iraq, also has offered to help, providing cardiac tomography imaging. For the operation, Kim is looking at options in India, where doctors are treating children from developing countries and leading the way in progressive medicine, he said. Kim admitted he’s faced doubt in trying to find a solution for Rawan. It is only because of the support he has received from people around the world that he has found the strength to keep going, he said. “Luckily, I’ve got Soldiers and concerned Americans and others and Iraqis who are very supportive,” he said. “Every morning I wake up and say, ‘I got people working with me, so everything’s OK.’” (By Army Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret, 3rd Infantry Division) |
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Cuyahoga County elections officials find more cases of potential fraud
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/10/cuyahoga_county_elections_offi_1.html
Cuyahoga County elections officials find more cases of potential fraud
Posted by Joe Guillen/Plain Dealer Reporter October 21, 2008 18:20PM
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has referred 14 more cases of possible voter fraud to the county prosecutor.CLEVELAND -- The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections referred 14 more cases of potential voter registration fraud to the county prosecutor Tuesday as part of an investigation of suspicious registration cards submitted by ACORN.
Each case is tied to a voter whose name appears on at least one card turned in by ACORN, a national group that led registration drives across the country. Those voters must vote provisionally on Election Day, the board decided. Unless board workers can prove the person's eligibility, their votes will not be counted.
The board voted on each case individually after reviewing copies of cards the registration department flagged as suspicious.
The problems on the cards reviewed Tuesday were consistent with others flagged previously in the investigation. Of about 72,000 cards ACORN turned in this year, election workers found batches of cards with the same name but different addresses, mismatched signatures or different Social Security numbers.
Of the cards ACORN turned in this year, more than 5,000 were missing information and could not be used. The board could not verify the address on 3,500 others. Those people will have to vote provisionally if they turn out at the polls.
The board referred four cases of potential registration fraud to the prosecutor last week. The county sheriff has subpoenaed employment records of 41 workers from ACORN's Cleveland office.
A spokesman for Prosecutor Bill Mason said the investigation is ongoing. Charges have not been filed.
After the board finished reviewing the questionable ACORN cards Tuesday, member Sandy McNair reminded the audience the cases don't endanger the presidential election because voter fraud is a different problem.
Representatives from ACORN were not at the meeting.
Ohio Absentee-Ballot Requests at 1.46 Million and Counting
Absentee-ballot requests at 1.46 million and counting
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 1:11 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A record 1.46 million Ohioans have requested absentee ballots so far for next Tuesday's election, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner announced yesterday.
That includes 221,368 Ohioans who have requested in-person absentee ballots and 1.2 million who asked for mail-in absentee ballots as of last Friday.
This is the first presidential election in Ohio since the law changed to allow "no-fault" absentee voting without having to provide a valid reason. Officials hope the push for early absentee voting will help ease lines at the polls.
Brunner is predicting an 80 percent turnout of the 8.3million Ohioans registered statewide, or 6.6 million voters, and officials hope a third of that total will come from absentee votes.
Applications for absentee ballots by mail must be received by county boards of elections by noon Saturday, and absentee ballots may be voted in person at the boards until the close of business hours Monday (7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial in Franklin County).
Judge rules Ohio homeless voters may list park benches as addresses
http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/28/ajudgerule.html?sid=101
Judge rules Ohio homeless voters may list park benches as addresses
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 1:32 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A federal judge in Ohio has ruled that counties must allow homeless voters to list park benches and other locations that aren't buildings as their addresses.
U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus also ruled that provisional ballots can't be invalidated because of poll worker errors.
Monday's ruling resolved the final two pieces of a settlement between the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
The coalition agreed to drop a constitutional challenge to Ohio's voter identification law until after the Nov. 4 election. In return, Brunner and the coalition agreed on procedures to verify provisional ballots across all Ohio counties.
The coalition was concerned that unequal treatment of provisional ballots would disenfranchise some voters.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Dana Murphy Explains the Difference Between Watchdog and Lapdog
October 22, 2008 - Special Edition
Dear Friends, for all of you wondering about the vicious personal attacks on me, I wanted to make sure that you had seen our latest press release and knew we had a press conference today. If anything has become more obvious about my opponent, it is his pattern of favors for his big money supporters and a desperate desire to stay on the government payroll. He is a lapdog for the special interests, certainly not a watchdog for Oklahomans. Thanks for standing strong with me and for your continued financial support which is needed more than ever to fight the big special interests! Dana
Murphy Says Opponent Resorting to Smear Campaign
(Oklahoma City, OK) Republican Corporation Commission candidate Dana Murphy says appointee Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth’s attempt to smear her name with accusations from a 15 year old divorce is nothing but good ole’ boy politics at its worst. Murphy says it’s being done with hundreds of thousands dollars of campaign contributions from his special interest friends inside and outside the state.
“As a career bureaucrat, he has relied on his powerful, special interest friends to get where he is today”, says Murphy. “He’s panicked because he won’t be able to deliver more favors for powerful friends if he is not elected to the job that was given to him.”
“Unlike everyday Oklahomans like me who have earned their way by hard work and persistence working in the real world, he has made his living by delivering favors to his powerful friends using tax dollars while a public official.”
My opponent is using this personal attack mudslinging to divert voters’ attention from the issues and who’s most qualified to serve on the Commission. As a geologist, energy attorney and former Commission administrative law judge, I have the education and real world experience to be the best Corporation Commissioner. He’s reverted to good old boy mudslinging in the hopes people will forget he has no qualifications for office and that he’s been acting like a lapdog for special interest groups since he was handed the job of Corporation Commissioner.”
Murphy says Oklahomans should demand answers from Roth about his ties to those donating to his campaigns for public office.
He is getting tens of thousands of dollars outside Oklahoma, from those in Georgia, Washington, D.C., Colorado, New York and California. Why?
He’s taken tens of thousands of dollars from officers and CEOs from the largest public utilities in Oklahoma who have regularly had cases in front of him. What are they paying for?
He’s received over a $100,000 in contributions that come from those at one large natural gas company. Didn’t the same company oppose the coal fired plant that Roth voted against, one that would have saved Oklahoma consumers billions of dollars?
Why did Mr. Roth, as a sitting Corporation Commissioner, take campaign contributions during a time when Oklahoma law expressly forbids sitting Commissioners from taking contributions?
Why as a County Commissioner did he sponsor the building of a road and bridge that runs to the tree farm of one of his campaign chairman?
Do Oklahomans really want to elect a lapdog for the special interests or do they want an everyday Oklahoman just like them to stand up as a watchdog, someone who is not afraid to stand up to the powerful special interests?
It’s time for Oklahomans to send the message that the Corporation Commission seat cannot be bought by special interest groups.
For more information about Murphy’s campaign for Corporation Commission, please visit www.danamurphy.com .
KOTV Newson6.com Story about Newberry / Riley State Senate Race
http://www.explorepolitics.com/areas/kotv/33168844.html
Senate Race Getting Dirty
Newson6.com
TULSA, OK -- We're less than two weeks away from Election Day and in some races, the campaigning is getting dirty. When it comes to the state senate race between Nancy Riley and challenger Dan Newberry the gloves are off.
He's a rookie with no experience in elected office. She's a practiced politician who made headlines for switching parties.
Two-term senator Nancy Riley is attacking her Republican opponent and his livelihood.
"Newberry personally profited from selling risky loans with excessive interest rates," said the Riley ad.
That claim is False. Court documents show many homeowners defaulted and had to foreclose, but the loans weren't risky.
Newberry lends at adjustable rates, some loans going from 10% up to 16%. But he says defaults are rare, and that a six-percent maximum increase isn't excessive.
Tulsa's Better Business Bureau calls his company satisfactory.
Newberry's camp is also in attack mode.
"Riley supports higher property taxes, taxpayer funded abortions," said the Newberry ad.
We'll put the True stamp on that one. Riley opposed lowering the property tax rate from five percent to three percent. She says lowering the cap would have actually created tax increases.
And the abortion bill aimed to end taxpayer-funded abortions except to save the mother's life. Riley says she supports exceptions for rape and incest victims which was not included in the original bill.
"She first ran as a conservative, and now is a liberal who stands with Barack Obama," said the Newberry ad.
That claim is half-true. Two years ago Riley switched parties in the middle of her term. She says she was dissatisfied with the GOP's continual effort to kill her bills, calling the Republican caucus hateful and vindictive. But Riley has never publicly supported or opposed either candidate for President.
Riley's campaign says she's got the experience and proven ability to work with both parties.
Newberry's camp says forget the spin, switching party's mid-stream was a stab in the back.
He's a rookie with no experience in elected office. She's a practiced politician who made headlines for switching parties.
Two-term senator Nancy Riley is attacking her Republican opponent and his livelihood.
"Newberry personally profited from selling risky loans with excessive interest rates," said the Riley ad.
That claim is False. Court documents show many homeowners defaulted and had to foreclose, but the loans weren't risky.
Newberry lends at adjustable rates, some loans going from 10% up to 16%. But he says defaults are rare, and that a six-percent maximum increase isn't excessive.
Tulsa's Better Business Bureau calls his company satisfactory.
Newberry's camp is also in attack mode.
"Riley supports higher property taxes, taxpayer funded abortions," said the Newberry ad.
We'll put the True stamp on that one. Riley opposed lowering the property tax rate from five percent to three percent. She says lowering the cap would have actually created tax increases.
And the abortion bill aimed to end taxpayer-funded abortions except to save the mother's life. Riley says she supports exceptions for rape and incest victims which was not included in the original bill.
"She first ran as a conservative, and now is a liberal who stands with Barack Obama," said the Newberry ad.
That claim is half-true. Two years ago Riley switched parties in the middle of her term. She says she was dissatisfied with the GOP's continual effort to kill her bills, calling the Republican caucus hateful and vindictive. But Riley has never publicly supported or opposed either candidate for President.
Riley's campaign says she's got the experience and proven ability to work with both parties.
Newberry's camp says forget the spin, switching party's mid-stream was a stab in the back.
HuckPAC's Oklahoma Endorsements
http://www.huckpac.com/?FuseAction=Candidates.Home
Oklahoma
Jim Inhofe - United States Senate
Oklahoma United States Senator Jim Inhofe is a solid conservative and a strong leader on national security and veterans issues. He has been one of the leaders of the fight within the Senate for real border security since his first day in Washington. To learn more about this outstanding United States Senator, please click here.
George Faught - State House of Representatives - District 14
George Faught is the Huck PAC endorsed candidate for the State House of Representatives in Oklahoma's House District 14. Mr. Faught shares the traditional family values of Huck PAC and he will continue to fight for integrity and responsibility in state government. He believes it is time for a common citizen to bring common sense to government. Learn more about George Faught by visiting his website.
3 Obama Jokes
"Everyone is so concerned now where all of the candidates are born. McCain was born on a military base in Panama. Hillary was born outside Chicago, and if you believe the media, Barack Obama was born in a manger." --Jay Leno
--------------------------------------------------------------------
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher, whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'. Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'.'
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face,
so he continued to explain. 'You know he didn't get up there by himself,
he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he is up there, and you just wonder what kind of a moron put him up there in the first place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Critics say that Presidential candidate Barack Obama tries to "be all things to all people" and that he makes too many "pie-in-the-sky" promises. At a recent political rally, Obama tried to overcome these criticisms by emphasizing his commitment to principles. Afterwards, audience members lined up at a microphone to ask Obama questions.
The first person at the microphone said, "I oppose the war in Iraq. If you are elected, what will you do about that?"
"I will end the war in Iraq within two weeks of taking office," answered Obama. "All our troops will come home, and I will simultaneously make sure the Iraqi government is functioning and secure."
The second person in line said, "I'm an illegal alien. What will you do for people like me?"
"If I am elected," answered Obama, "every illegal alien will receive U.S. citizenship, free health coverage, and a scholarship to the university of your choice."
The third person in line said, "I'm a conservative. If elected, what will you do for me?"
"I'll send that first guy to Iraq, and the second guy back to Mexico."
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Sen. Tom Coburn Special Guest for Dan Newberry Meet-N-Greet
You are cordially invited to a
meet-n-greet reception in support of
Dan Newberry
with special guest
U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D.
Also Attending
Congressman John Sullivan
Senate Co-President Glenn Coffee
Senator Mike Mazzei
Senator Brian Bingman
Representative Rex Duncan
Thursday, October 23, 2008
5:30 p.m.
Chastain's Cafe
122 N. Main Street
Sand Springs, OK
Contributions Greatly Appreciated
Please RSVP to Claudia at 918-830-7834
or email claudia@dannewberry.com
U.S. Senator Tom Coburn is not soliciting contributions from prohibited federal sources (corporations, labor unions, federal contractors or foreign nationals lacking permanent resident status) or in excess of federal contribution limits of $2,300 per election per individual.
Obama "Vault" Birth Certificate (Original Long Form) Court-Battle Rages On. FEC Files Motion to Dismiss after Obama Gets Diane Feinstein's Assistance
Here is where he officially adds Di-Fi (fellow Senator Diane Feinstein) to his team on Oct. 20th, 2008. No conflict of interest here at all, right? Just a clean-as-a-whistle operation going on at Capitol Hill. (See page 2)
http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2008cv04083/281573/20/
Plaintiff has added four new defendants: the Pennsylvania Bureau of
Commissions, Elections and Legislation; Pedro Cortes, the Secretary of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the United States Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration; and Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Chair of the U.S. Senate
Commission on Rules and Administration.
And here is where the FEC (Federal Elections Commission) filed a motion the next day, Oct 21st, 2008 to try to get the court to dismiss (throw out) the case based on procedural rules.
http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2008cv04083/281573/24/
Defendant Federal Election Commission ("FEC" or "Commission") moves to dismissWhat they are referring to is this:
the Complaint in this matter pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
12(b)(1) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Plaintiff’s Complaint does not
present an Article III case or controversy because plaintiff lacks standing to
raise the issue of a candidate’s constitutional eligibility. Moreover, even if
Berg had standing to raise the constitutional eligibility issue, the Commission
should be dismissed as a party to this case because it has no oversight over the
Constitution’s Presidential Qualifications Clause.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/Rule12.htm
(b) How to Present Defenses.
Every defense to a claim for relief in any pleading must be asserted in the responsive pleading if one is required. But a party may assert the following defenses by motion:
(1) lack of subject-matter jurisdiction;
(2) lack of personal jurisdiction;
(3) improper venue;
(4) insufficient process;
(5) insufficient service of process;
(6) failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted; and
(7) failure to join a party under Rule 19.
We can all follow (pretty much) the entire thing, as it unfolds, right here: http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-paedce/case_no-2:2008cv04083/case_id-281573/
(See: "Available Case Documents") Have fun E-mailing this to all of your friends...you can use the convenient "envelope" icon below to do that. It should be interesting to see how it all turns out.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Mike Huckabee Speaks at OCU (Oklahoma Christian University), Edmond, OK Oct. 23 (Thurs)
http://connect.oc.edu/news/18778/
Huckabee to deliver Distinguished Speaker address
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Former Republican presidential nomination hopeful and Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee will continue the Oklahoma Christian University (OC) tradition of intriguing and dynamic speakers at the next installment of the Hatton W. Sumners Distinguished Speaker series. Former Sumners Speakers have included Tony Snow, Judge Kenneth Starr and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. The dinner and lecture will take place on Thursday, October 23.
Huckabee will deliver an address on character and leadership. He will also be available following the lecture to sign books which will be available for purchase.
“We are very excited to have Gov. Huckabee and we hope that this gives the OC alumni another reason to visit campus,” stated Piper Johnson, Director of Development and Marketing at the Academy of Leadership & Liberty.
From 1996-2007, Huckabee served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas. When he left office on January 9, 2007, he set out on a nationwide tour to promote his fifth book, “From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 STOPS to Restoring America’s Greatness.” The book reveals his optimistic vision for what America can become with the right kind of leadership and a clear direction.
Huckabee became governor in July 1996 when his predecessor resigned. He was one of the youngest governors in the country at the time. Huckabee was elected to a full four-year term as governor in 1998, attracting the largest percentage of the vote ever received by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in Arkansas, and was re-elected to another four-year term in November 2002.
Huckabee first was elected lieutenant governor in a 1993 special election and was elected to a full four-year term in 1994. He was only the fourth Republican to be elected to statewide office since Reconstruction.
A significant part of his adult life was spent as a pastor and denominational leader. He became the youngest president ever of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, the largest denomination in Arkansas. Huckabee led rapidly growing congregations in Pine Bluff and Texarkana. He said those experiences gave him a deep sense of the problems faced by individuals and families.
Huckabee’s efforts to improve his own health have received national attention. Diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 2003, he lost 110 pounds. Barely two years later, he has completed four marathons: The 2005 and 2006 Little Rock Marathons, the Marine Corps Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon. As a result of his accomplishments, The Road Runners Club of America named him its ‘Southern Region Runner of the Year’ and USA Track & Field has named him their ‘Athlete of the Week’ for the country.
Continuing to call for a national emphasis on living a healthy lifestyle, Huckabee completed his fourth book, “Quit Digging Your Grave With A Knife and Fork.” This 12-stop program is a no-nonsense approach to managing one’s health through lifestyle change rather than a simple diet and exercise plan.
Huckabee, 52, enjoys playing bass guitar in his rock-n-roll band, Capitol Offense, which has opened for artists such as Willie Nelson and the Charlie Daniels Band, and has played the House of Blues in New Orleans, the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, CO and for two presidential inauguration balls.
The former governor and his wife, Janet, live in North Little Rock. They have three grown children: John Mark, David and Sarah.
Other highlights of the evening will include the presentation of the Pendleton Woods Distinguished Service Award to Barbara Green, co-founder of Hobby Lobby, and a performance by CMT “Can You Duet?” stars and OC alumni the Herndon Twins.
The event is being held on the OC campus and will start with a dinner in the Gaylord University Center at 6 p.m. followed by the lecture in Hardeman Auditorium at 7:30. Tickets are $35 for the dinner and the lecture or $15 for the lecture alone and can be purchased by contacting Jennifer Gill at 405-425-1065.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Connections: Obama and Socialist / Communist
If an Okie blogger can piece this together in less than an hour, why can't those who are highly educated in Journalism do the same thing in nearly 2 years time?
http://www.populist.com/11.96.Edit.html
(Progressive Populist Magazine, Nov. 1996, stated that Barack Obama was a member of the New Party.)
New Party members and supported candidates won 16 of 23 races, including an at-large race for the Little Rock, Ark., City Council, a seat on the county board for Little Rock and the school board for Prince George's County, Md. Chicago is sending the first New Party member to Congress, as Danny Davis, who ran as a Democrat, won an overwhelming 85% victory. New Party member Barack Obama was uncontested for a State Senate seat from Chicago.http://www.chicagodsa.org (This is from the Chicago DSA website's home-page)
The New Party also helped Carolyn McCarthy knock off freshman Republican Dan Frisa in a closely watched U.S. House seat in Long Island. Tom DiNapoli, the most progressive State Assemblyman on Long Island, handily won re-election as a Democratic Party/New Party fusion candidate. Progressive Milwaukee members affiliated with the New Party won a seat in the state Assembly and two seats in the state Senate.
Chicago DSA (Democratic Socialist of America)
Our mission is to establish democratic socialism as a political force in the United States and around the world by training and mobilizing socialist activists to participate in a vibrant and diverse socialist organization at both the local and the national level. DSA both educates the public about democratic socialist values and policies and builds progressive coalitions to win victories that move the U.S. and the world toward social democracy. In the near term, democratic socialists struggle for reforms that shift power and resources away from corporate elites and put them in the hands of ordinary citizens. In the long term, democratic socialists fight for a world in which all people share equally in the governing of the economic, political and cultural institutions and relationships that shape their lives.
http://www.chicagodsa.org/ngarchive/ng42.html#anchor792932
Chicago New Party Update (This is from the Chicago DSA website)
by Bruce Bentley
About 50 activists attended the Chicago New Party membership meeting in July. The purpose of the meeting was to update members on local activities and to hear appeals for NP support from four potential political candidates. The NP is being very active in organization building and politics. There are 300 members in Chicago. In order to build an organizational and financial base the NP is sponsoring house parties. Locally it has been successful both fiscally and in building a grassroots base. Nationwide it has resulted in 1000 people committed to monthly contributions. The NP's political strategy is to support progressive candidates in elections only if they have a concrete chance to "win". This has resulted in a winning ratio of 77 of 110 elections. Candidates must be approved via a NP political committee. Once approved, candidates must sign a contract with the NP. The contract mandates that they must have a visible and active relationship with the NP.
The political entourage included Alderman Michael Chandler, William Delgado, chief of staff for State Rep Miguel del Valle, and spokespersons for State Sen. Alice Palmer, Sonya Sanchez, chief of staff for State Sen. Jesse Garcia, who is running for State Rep in Garcia's District; and Barack Obama, chief of staff for State Sen. Alice Palmer. Obama is running for Palmer's vacant seat.
Indeed it was an exciting evening because the NP has two crucial components. First, the NP is a true "Rainbow Coalition" consisting of both young and aged African-Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians. Although ACORN and SEIU Local 880 were the harbingers of the NP there was a strong presence of CoC and DSA (15% DSA). Moreover a good 8% were younger Generation X'ers who are critically needed. A more diverse representation of Labor is missing. Secondly, the NP is taking "action." Four political candidates were "there" seeking NP support. The NP is strategically organizing via house parties and tactically entering only elections that they can win. Furthermore they are organizing a campaign on the "Living Wage Ordinance" in the Chicago City Council.
The NP has the following working committees: political, membership/fund-raising, public relations, and legal/finance. If you would be interested in participating in one of these committees or in helping out with any other New Party activities, contact Jeff Caveney at (312) 939-7490.
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/608/1/56/ (This is from Communist Party USA's website. YCL stands for Young Communist League)
Youth vote 2004: a whole new level
Report to the National Committee meeting of the Communist Party on November 20, 2004.
In Chicago YCL members were very active in the Youth for Obama efforts and one member worked with the United States Student Association and his student government to register over 1,000 new voters. New York YCLers worked on the election bid of Frank Barbaro in Brooklyn and to defeat Republican Olga Mendez in Upper Manhattan. In Buffalo, YCLers worked with Citizen Action and went to work in Ohio. In St. Louis and other places around the country YCLers worked with SEIU and other labor efforts.
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/858/1/39/(This is from Communist Party USA's website.)
Special District Meeting on African American Equality
Special District Meeting on African American Equality and Building the Communist Party and Young Communist League
Chicago, IL September 30, 2007
This was also reflected in the historic election of Barack Obama. Once again Obama’s campaign reflected the electoral voting unity of the African American community, but also the alliances built with several key trade unions, and forces in the Latino and white communities.
It also reflected a breakthrough among white voters. In the primary, Obama won 35% of the white vote and 7 north side wards, in a crowded field. During the general election he won every ward in the city and all the collar counties. This appeal has continued in his presidential run.
Slideshow of Gov. Huckabee's Visit to Oklahoma City, Feb. 1st, 2008
http://downloads.newsok.com/flash_video/theoklahoman/slideshows/huckabeeSS/
This event was held at Coaches Restaurant and Brewery in the Bricktown Ballpark.
Photos By: Chris Landsberger of The Oklahoman
Joe The Plumber On "Huckabee"
http://www.huckpac.com/?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=1943
October 16, 2008 - 07:56 AM
Joe The Plumber On "Huckabee"
by Mike Huckabee
If you saw the final debate, it was obvious that the real winner was neither John McCain nor Barak Obama, but Joe the Plumber. Joe will be my guest on this weekend’s “HUCKABEE” on the Fox News Channel at 8pm ET; 7pm CT on Saturday and repeating Sunday. You don’t want to miss this!
We’ll also have Rev. Al Sharpton, country superstar Aaron Tippin (along with the Little Rockers), and much more.
I was able to visit with Joe last night by phone and can’t wait to visit with him this weekend because he is the kind of person we ought to be listening to far more than the professional pundits and political spinners.
Please email all your family and friends—send notice to everyone on your email list and tell them to watch the man America is talking about---Joe the Plumber!
God bless,
Mike Huckabee
Obama's 1st act as President of the United States of America
Obama's policy of Death and his promise to do away with:
1) Parental Notification
2) Informed Consent
3) the Ban of Partial Birth Abortion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kri8G-lGYfg
Jones Calls on Democrats and Governor to Follow the Rules
http://www.okgop.com/NewsBack.aspx?guid=5d8bcff4-67bd-4719-b9f7-ace4721ef24b
10.07.2008
Jones Calls on Democrats and Governor to Follow the Rules
by Oklahoma Republican Party
Whether the Young Democrats Are Democrat Affiliates or Not, Henry's Contribution Was IllegalOklahoma City, Oklahoma: Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones today renewed his call to Ivan Holmes, Chairman of the Oklahoma Democrats, to join him in fighting ethical lapses in Oklahoma elections. "Earlier this year, I asked Chairman Ivan Holmes of the Oklahoma Democrats to join me and attend an ethics commission meeting in order to work together for Ethics Reform in Oklahoma Elections," Jones said. "Chairman Holmes agreed to attend, and in fact we attended the next meeting together." "Since that time Chairman Holmes has been more than eager to point out when he felt there were areas Oklahoma Republicans needed to be examined," Jones continued. "I appreciate Chairman Holmes keeping us on our toes and watching to make sure we follow the rules." "Since Chairman Holmes has taken seriously my request that rules be followed. I'm sure he and his party wouldn't intentionally break the rules," Jones asserted. Earlier this week, the Tulsa World reported that, in 2007, Governor Brad Henry made a $5000 transfer from his campaign to the Oklahoma Young Democrats; Ivan Holmes accused Representative Reynolds of not having his facts straight, arguing that because the Young Democrats are affiliated with the state party, the contributions are perfectly fine. "It's time for Chairman Holmes and the Democrats to understand they can't have it both ways," Jones declared. "If the Young Democrats are indeed an affiliate of the Oklahoma Democrats, then, coupled with his previous $5000 donation to the Oklahoma Democrats, Governor Henry exceeded the legal contribution limits. If the Oklahoma Young Democrats are not an affiliate of the Oklahoma Democrats, the contribution is illegal." "The same two questions apply to Bob Lemon, who gave $5000 to both organizations, and possibly others as well," Jones continued. "Chairman Holmes, I suggest that if you believe in Oklahoma's ethical campaign rules that you start with your organization and its affiliates. I would be happy to join you in asking for an Ethics Commission investigation into this situation," Jones concluded.CONTACT: Communications Director Patrick Moir (405) 528-3501 office patrick@okgop.com
Friday, October 17, 2008
Urgent Message about Jim Inhofe, By: Mike Huckabee
As someone that has proudly endorsed Jim Inhofe for Senate, I wanted to reach out to you with only hours to go before his campaign's midnight fundraising report deadline.
Jim's running as a strong conservative and a man of action.
Just days ago he stood up to politics-as-usual crowd in Washington and voted against the bailout of Wall Street. That took courage and was the right vote at the right time.
Jim didn't put his finger to the wind before he cast his vote, he listened to his heart and knew it was against everything anti-spending, anti-tax Republicans like you and me stand for. It was the right vote at the right time and it took courage.
He's done it before on immigration and climate change and I know he'll do it again if we help re-elect him on Election Day.
Today, we can take a step to make sure that Jim wins. I urge you to make an immediate contribution of $10 or more directly to his campaign. And if you can afford to contribute $50 or even $100 please do so immediately (we only have hours to go!).
Senators with courage to fight for what is right and stand up against what is wrong are few and far between these days. Let's make certain to support the good ones, principled conservatives like Jim Inhofe.
We can't afford to lose Jim's conservative voice and vote in the Senate. So let's do everything we can to make certain we reach this goal. My political action committee has already given, I urge you to make the maximum contribution you can afford.
Proud to stand with Jim,
Mike Huckabee
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Obama to amend report on $800,000 in spending
A nice-sized payment from Obama to Citizens Services Inc., which is headquartered at the same address as ACORN's national headquarters in New Orleans and shares it's Board of Directors with ACORN. Obama and his campaign would tell us, "Nothing to see here...Move along!"
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/08/22/acorn-%E2%80%93-csi-%E2%80%93-obama-someone-else-noticed/#more-4324
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/election/s_584284.html
Obama to amend report on $800,000 in spending
By David M. Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, August 22, 2008
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports.
An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in "get-out-the-vote" projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary.
FEC spokeswoman Mary Brandenberger said it is not unusual for campaigns to amend reports, even regarding large sums of money.
But, said Blair Latoff, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee: "Barack Obama's failure to accurately report his campaign's financial records is an incredibly suspicious situation that appears to be an attempt to hide his campaign's interaction with a left-wing organization previously convicted of voter fraud. For a candidate who claims to be practicing 'new' politics, his FEC reports look an awful lot like the 'old-style' Chicago politics of yesterday."
In response to the RNC's position, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said in an e-mail: "The RNC can concoct all of the outlandish conspiracy theories they want, but when we saw that our FEC report didn't accurately reflect the field work CSI was hired to perform we corrected it. It's pretty bold for the RNC to attack us for a clerical error after John McCain's campaign was just forced to return $50,000 raised by a foreign national through a number of contributors who weren't even supporting McCain."Melanie Sloan, executive director of the liberal-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said the campaign's error on FEC documents doesn't seem extraordinary, especially considering the huge amounts of money being spent.
"It's rare that people don't file any amended reports. If he has a pattern of lots and lots of amended reports, that would be more noteworthy than an occasional one," Sloan said.
Jim Terry, spokesman for a group that tracks ACORN, said Citizens Services Inc.'s involvement in the Obama campaign raises bigger questions.
"All of this just seems like an awful lot of money and time spent on political campaigning for an organization that purports to exist to help low-income consumers," said Terry, chief public advocate for Consumers Rights League, a Washington, D.C., advocacy outfit with a libertarian outlook.
"ACORN has a long and sordid history of employing convoluted Enron-style accounting to illegally use taxpayer funds for their own political gain," Terry claimed. "Now it looks like ACORN is using the same type of convoluted accounting scheme for Obama's political gain."
Obama is the CSI's first national candidate, although the company has worked for several regional candidates in recent years, said Jeff Robinson, CSI's executive vice president.
"Our contracts were relatively small for Obama," he said, declining to specify amounts because of "proprietary" rights of CSI's clients. The largest project for Obama was during the Ohio primary, he said.
"That was a very short-term contract for one week of work. In Ohio, they asked us to do canvasses in five cities statewide," Robinson said.
The Ohio primary was March 4. According to FEC records, the Obama campaign paid Citizens Services Inc. $832,598.29, from Feb. 25 to May 17.
A Trib analysis of campaign finance reports showed Obama paid CSI for services that stood out as unusual. For example, CSI received payments of $63,000 and $75,000 for advance work. Excluding the large payments to CSI, the average amount the Obama campaign spent with other organizations was $558.82 per check on more than 1,200 entries classified as advance work.
Citizens Services Inc. is headquartered at the same address as ACORN's national headquarters in New Orleans. Citizens Services was established in December 2004 to "assist persons and organizations who advance the interests of low- and moderate-income people," according to paperwork filed in Louisiana. In a 2006 ACORN publication, Citizen Services Inc. is described as "ACORN's campaign services entity."
ACORN describes itself as the nation's largest grass-roots community organization of low- and moderate-income people, operating in 110 cities across the country, including Pittsburgh.
Founded in Arkansas in 1970, ACORN long has been considered a political ally of the Democratic Party. It has received praise from leading Democrats, such as Howard Dean and former President Bill Clinton, for its community activism, especially regarding efforts to increase housing for low-income people and restoration work after Hurricane Katrina.
Early in his career, Obama worked as an organizer for Project Vote, an ACORN offshoot, and represented ACORN in legal actions, according to various published reports, including Associated Press articles. ACORN's political action committee endorsed Obama in the primary.
The organization has sparked controversy.
Accusations of voter fraud have followed ACORN's canvassing projects in about a dozen states. ACORN has dismissed the charges as politically motivated allegations from conservative groups, yet cases are pending and, in other cases, ACORN workers have entered guilty pleas. For example, three ACORN workers pleaded guilty to submitting phony voter registration forms in Washington, and eight ACORN employees pleaded guilty to federal election fraud in Missouri.
ACORN is at the center of a scandal involving a $1 million embezzlement by Dale Rathke, brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke. ACORN discovered the embezzlement in 2000 but did not alert law enforcement officials.
ACORN's management committee instead negotiated an agreement to have the Rathke family repay the stolen funds, according to a report in The New York Times. The Rathke brothers resigned from ACORN this summer after news reports disclosed the embezzlement. A donor agreed to repay the most of the money, the Times reported.
Sunday Alabi, an ACORN activist and spokesman in St. Paul, is one of CSI's three-person board of directors. Alabi described CSI as a nonprofit consulting firm related to ACORN.
"I do not know the day-to-day work of what they do. I'm on the board," Alabi said, referring other questions to Robinson, the executive vice president.
Robinson said CSI is a "not-for-profit political and campaign management firm, much like any political consulting firm."CSI is not tax-exempt under any IRS code, he said. Without tax-exempt status, the organization isn't bound by IRS restrictions for nonprofits on political activities.
"We have a wide range of clients. We provide political campaign management. We provide field services," Robinson said. "Our clients are typically considered liberal. Our clients are labor unions, liberal to progressive candidates, nonprofit organizations on the liberal side of the political spectrum."
In 2006, CSI collected all the signatures and managed successful statewide ballot measure campaigns in Missouri, Ohio, Colorado and Arizona to increase the minimum wage, he said. "We have a good reputation. We provide good services."
Regarding CSI's nonprofit status, Robinson said: "We are organized specifically not to make money, but we make money. There are no profits. We have a staff of 60 people around the country, and that eats up our entire profit. We're not a for-profit corporation, but we are not a group like a United Way."
CSI is a "separate organization entirely" from ACORN, he said.
"ACORN is a client of ours," Robinson said. "ACORN has a lot of different partner organizations. We are a partner, but we are separate."
Robinson is listed on several Web sites as national deputy political director for campaigns and elections at ACORN. He is also listed as political director at the nonprofit Communities Voting Together and as a consultant at Project Vote. He did not return phone calls or an e-mail request for a follow-up interview.
Money flows back and forth between ACORN, Citizens Services Inc., Project Vote and Communities Voting Together. ACORN posts job ads for Citizens Services and Project Vote. Communities Voting Together contributed $60,000 to Citizens Services Inc., for example, in November 2005, according to a posting on CampaignMoney.com. Project Vote has hired ACORN and CSI as its highest paid contractors, paying ACORN $4,649,037 in 2006 and CSI $779,016 in 2006, according to Terry of the Consumers Rights League.
David M. Brown can be reached at dbrown@tribweb.com or 412-380-5614.
Big-government fingerprints on murder weapon - by: former OK Congressman, Ernest Istook
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78124
Big-government fingerprints on murder weapon
Posted: October 16, 2008
1:00 am Eastern
© 2008
Whose fingerprints are on the weapon that murdered the U.S. economy?
Multiple culprits deserve blame, but the Clinton administration stands out as a ringleader for diverting billions of dollars into junk sub-prime mortgages. Those loans have fouled the economy and siphoned away the capital needed by businesses and families today.
Government created a quota system that required lending to people who lacked the ability to repay.
Clinton's HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) decreed that big chunks of mortgages must be issued to borrowers with poor finances. It started at 12 percent of all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages in 1996. By 2008, that proportion had more than doubled, to 28 percent.
Because Fannie and Freddie dominated the mortgage market, holding about $5 trillion in mortgages, they effectively dictated mortgage standards. The result: Their misguided practices rippled through lenders across the country. If banks made a sub-prime loan, they could re-sell it to Fannie and Freddie. And unless banks made those loans, there was a limit to other loans that would be bought.
As HUD wrote in a 2004 report, explaining its post-1996 quotas:
HUD's ... Regulation imposes no requirement for the total number of home purchase mortgages that a GSE [Government-Sponsored Enterprise] must buy. Rather, the rule provides that, however many home purchase loans in metropolitan areas the GSEs buy, a certain percentage must be in each goal category. For example, if a GSE buys 1 million home purchase mortgages in metropolitan areas in 2005, then 450,000 of these mortgages would need to be for low- and moderate-income families.
Under that scenario, for each million loans made in 2005 (when the "very low-income" goal was 22 percent), then 220,000 of those mortgages were required by federal regulation to be among the "special affordable" sub-prime group. Since Fannie and Freddie bought hundreds of billions in mortgages each year, this 22 percent quickly became a huge mandate to make poor-quality loans.
Lenders complied by creating the infamous zero-down loans and other loans that proved to be junk. This wasn't a failure to regulate. It was a failure by regulating too much!
Many motives were commendable, of course. The American dream of home ownership is common to all races, classes and income levels. But so, too, is the ability to get in over your head.
So how low was low-income to our government? "Very low-income," also called "special affordable loans," was defined as having less than 60 percent of an area's median income. Just being below the median alone put a household in the bottom half of income. Being in the bottom third of the bottom half was scraping along compared to most folks.
Local medians vary. Census numbers show a median range from $44,000 for a family of three in Arkansas to $81,000 for a family of three in Maryland. (These are 2008 dollars). Living on 60 percent of that would be $26,400 to $48,600, with all sorts of levels in-between, depending on locality.
Fannie and Freddie complied with HUD's requirements, increasing their sub-prime loans year after year. They didn't mind. Indeed, they and their congressional supporters bragged about it.
Protected by their political friends, especially in Congress, Fannie and Freddie not only met their quotas for backing home loans to people who couldn't afford houses, they surpassed them. In 2004, 24.2 percent of their mortgages went to very low-income families, beating the goal of 20 percent. The following year they bested the 22 percent goal, hitting 24.5 percent. In 2006 they smashed the 23 percent goal with 26.46 percent. A year later they slipped, but still exceeded the 25 percent goal with 25.65 percent.
Helping out was the controversial group ACORN, which joined other community organizations in channeling potential borrowers to banks that would make these special loans. Of course, ACORN and the other enablers received handsome fees for this effort.
But it wasn't a kindness to help poor people get into a house, only to be evicted because they couldn't pay. It was a setback to them.
So, what if Fannie and Freddie had balked, rather than happily complied? Ultimately, the law created penalties that could reach $25,000 each day if they were not aggressive enough in marketing mortgages to those who had limited ability to pay.
This quota system for mortgage loans began when Congress in 1992 created the requirement that Fannie and Freddie must back loans to very low-income persons. However, the legislation specified only that this goal must be "not less than 1 percent." Starting at 12 percent and scaling up to 28 percent, the Clinton administration went above and beyond this. And the Bush administration did not reverse that course.
The left is aggressively working to convince America that a "failure to regulate" made lenders go crazy and wreck our economy through greed. The truth is that our economy was legislated and regulated into this mess. Even if our economy isn't already regulated to death, it's still attempted murder.
Ernest Istook is recovering from serving 14 years in Congress and is now a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation.
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