Ben Carson, March 20th, 5:30 PM (Conestoga Christian School), Shady Maple Banquets, East Earl, PA: TICKETS – $150.00
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DVw5gdM0ahyr8cNtF4PzN7Ldv57f-RmbkM1EllHkK6g/viewform
CONTENTS
DelCo Action . . .
WALKER – CPAC: JOHNSON – Walker scores!; FOX – CPAC wooed; BATCHELOR/CROWLEY – Walker; HANNITY – CPAC updates.
LEADS: REUTERS – China’s subs; HELDERMAN & HAMBURGER – Hillary’s gifts; BEDARD – Bullets ban; KIM – Lynch clears committee.
INTERNET: HATTEM & TRUJILLO – Historic new rules?; CLELAND, FCC fiasco; RON PAUL – RIP; FUND – Comrades for neutrality; DRUDGE LINKS.
HEALTH CARE: KLEIN – $3BN paid w/o authorization;
IRS: CIARAMELLA – Lerner’s bonuses.
AMNESTY: McCARTHY – States betrayed; HALPER – Beatings for defiance/neglect.
IRAN: KRAUTHAMMER – Flawed deal; HARSANYI – BO’s obsession.
PA: KNEPPER – Taxpayer protection; STAUB – Wolf’s sales taxes; GROSSMAN – SRC sues teachers.
END NOTES: MITCHELL – Isllamas?; MARK LEVIN NOTES.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: March 10th – CFL/West Chester TEA; March 20th – Ben Carson @ Shady Maple ($150)
Recommended: www.Lucianne.com; JANET – Track the RINOs
:
“Barack Obama has successfully moved his party to the left but has failed utterly to bring the rest of the country with him.”
Josh Krashauer, National Journal
http://townhall.com/columnists/jonahgoldberg/2015/02/27/is-liberalism-exhausted-n1963023
“I will always choose to focus on what matters to the American people, not what matters to the media.” Scott Walker
ACTION – DelCo Patriots, No Child Left Behind
Thx Jo!
A C T I O N A L E R T ! Hmmm! Wouldn’t our Education System be better off if Congress would just simply abolish the Federal Department of Education?
Today, Friday February 27th, the House is expected to vote on HR 5 – ‘THE STUDENT SUCCESS ACT’ This bill reauthorizes ESEA / NCLB Elementary & Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Educational expert Dr. Sandra Slotsky – among others – urges us to contact our Representatives for a “NO” vote. She has written 10 point/counterpoint reasons in this article: “10 Things NCLB/ESEA Supporters Want You to Think About the Student Success“
http://www.educationviews.org/10-nclbesea-supporters-student-success/
Here is her preamble to the article: Fictional Purposes: This week, the House is set to vote on the Student Success Act, legislation to replace No Child Left Behind and expand opportunity in education so that every student can get ahead – no matter where they’re from. Read the text here, and a fact sheet from the Education & the Workforce Committee here. This measure contains a number of conservative reforms to reduce the federal footprint, restore local control, and empower parents and local leaders to hold schools accountable.
Actual Purposes: HR 5 deliberately takes away most authority by parents and locally elected school boards, makes departments of education the conduits for federal policy, and does not require states to seek standards that prepare students for a STEM* career.
*STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. SO HERE ARE A FEW BASIC PROBLEMS WITH THIS BILL …
HR5 denigrates parental rights and seizes state sovereignty.
HR5 does nothing to relieve children from No Child Left Behind’s oppressive testing requirements.
Feds will effectively direct state education policy through enhanced continuation of heavy-handed NCLB policies.
Increases federal data collection to control curriculum*. Read more here …
* Federal control of curriculum is forbidden by The Constitution and federal statutes.
Take Action Now!
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE IMMEDIATELY!
FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE’S CONTACT INFORMATION . . .
Access the web site: https://www.votervoice.net/FRCA/Address
Type in your zip code, click on CONTINUE, and you will be led to a site that asks you to type in your address.
Type in your address and click on CONTINUE and you will be led to a site that displays all of your federal and state legislators.
or…Call the Congressional Switchboard at (866) 338-1015 and ask to be connected to your Representative.
Take Additional Action – If you have time! CLICK HERE
https://www.facebook.com/SpeakerJohnBoehner/posts/937506302956695 to comment on Speaker Boehner’s Facebook HR5 page.
WALKER . . .
Andrew Johnson, NRO: “Walker Thrills a Packed House at CPAC”
“Scott Walker hit all the right notes when he took the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday to address a standing-room-only crowd — even gamely handling a heckler. Walker was talking up Republicans’ push to pass a right-to-work law in Wisconsin, a measure to weaken labor unions, when a heckler stood up and began shouting in the packed ballroom. What he said wasn’t clear, but Walker handled it like a pro: He quipped, ‘Apparently the protesters come [here] from Wisconsin as well.’
“The governor, considered a top contender in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, got a quick standing ovation for his response — one of a number he got during his address. “After spending some time touting his strong domestic record as governor of Wisconsin, Walker sharply criticized the Obama administration for its ineffective strategy in the fight against the Islamic State, and its disapproval of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address before Congress. Looking to shore up his own bona fides on foreign policy, Walker went out of his way to tell the audience that, as governor, he receives FBI briefings about potential threats to his state. And he pointed to his 2011 face-off with public-employee unions as preparing him for these sorts of situations. ‘If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world,’ he said. . .” http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/414510/walker-thrills-packed-house-cpac-andrew-johnson
Lauren Fox, National Journal: “Scott Walker Is Trying to Woo CPAC. And It’s Working.”
“February 26, 2015 Scott Walker found his stride in a rowdy Conservative Polical Action Conference crowd Thursday during a speech aggressively touting his record as Wisconsin governor to offer evidence for why he’s ready to take on the White House in 2016.
“‘If we can do it in Wisconsin, we can do it across America,’ Walker said.
“After refusing to answer questions about whether President Obama was Christian and declining to clearly outline his position on evolution in recent weeks, Walker did not shy away from some contentious social issues, such as abortion, that have become stumbling blocks for him. Before an eager crowd, Walker continued his campaign to prove he is both pragmatic and conservative enough to win the Republican presidential nomination. He mentioned lower property taxes, the expansion of Second Amendment rights, and defunding Planned Parenthood—all to prove that he can “fight and win” in Wisconsin, a state where a Republican presidential candidate has not won for 30 years.
“The crowd ate up Walker’s one-liners as he made the case that it was time for Washington to get off the backs of the taxpayer. He called D.C. ‘68 square miles surrounded by reality.’
“‘Here in America there is a reason we celebrate the Fourth of July and not April 15th,’ Walker said. ‘Because in America, we celebrate our independence from the government, not our dependence on it.’ . . .”
John Batchelor/Monica Crowley – Walker
Hour Three Wednesday 25 February 2015 / Hour 3, Block A: Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re: 1. Scott Walker, “liberal enemy no. 1” says the WaPo. The left made Scott Walker a candidate, the press is turning him into a force Increasingly, Scott Walker’s influence is fraying nerves among those in the political … Scott Walker Got Gotcha-ed ; 3. The Left vs. Walker Scott Walker’s economic mess: How worker wages were gutted in … Scott Walker of eviscerated collective bargaining protections, unions and their allies brought hundreds of thousands of workers into the streets … ‘It’s Heartbreaking’: Already Down, Wisconsin Unions Reckon with … Wednesday 25 February 2015 / Hour 3, Block B: Monica Crowley, Fox, & Washington Times Online opinion editor; in re: 2. Walker vs the field Scott Walker hires Iowa political operative The wordsmith and 20-year political operative Eric Woolson has signed on with the likely presidential candidate Scott Walker’s team. Walker, the … ; Scott Walker hires another Iowa campaign veteran Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog)
http://johnbatchelorshow.com/schedules/wednesday-25-february-2015
CPAC Up-Dates (2/26/15)
Expect more for the 27th & 28th
“Today’s show features guests who are a part of CPAC 2015. Sean talks to these political leaders about their hopes for the future and what they see as the solutions for today’s problems and moving toward a strong America. 4:05pm EST – Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana 4:30pm EST – Speaker Newt Gingrich 5:05pm EST – Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin 5:30pm EST – Congressman Louie Gohmert of Texas http://www.hannity.com/articles/shows-472046/radio-show-recap-feb-26th-13294614
LEADS . . .
Reuters: “China submarines outnumber U.S. fleet: U.S. admiral”
“(Reuters) – China is building some “fairly amazing submarines” and now has more diesel- and nuclear-powered vessels than the United States, a top U.S. Navy admiral told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday, although he said their quality was inferior.
“Vice Admiral Joseph Mulloy, deputy chief of naval operations for capabilities and resources, told the House Armed Services Committee’s seapower subcommittee that China was also expanding the geographic areas of operation for its submarines, and their length of deployment.
“For instance, China had carried out three deployments in the Indian Ocean, and had kept vessels out at sea for 95 days, Mulloy said.
“‘We know they are out experimenting and looking at operating and clearly want to be in this world of advanced submarines,’ Mulloy told the committee.
“U.S. military officials in recent months have grown increasingly vocal about China’s military buildup and launched a major push to ensure that U.S. military technology stays ahead of rapid advances by China and Russia.
“Mulloy said the quality of China’s submarines was lower than those built by the United States, but the size of its undersea fleet had now surpassed that of the U.S. fleet. A spokeswoman said the U.S. Navy had 71 commissioned U.S. submarines.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/25/us-usa-china-submarines-idUSKBN0LT2NE20150225
Rosalind S. Helderman and Tom Hamburger, WaPo: “Foreign governments gave millions to foundation while Clinton was at State Dept.”
“The Clinton Foundation accepted millions of dollars from seven foreign governments during Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state, including one donation that violated its ethics agreement with the Obama administration, foundation officials disclosed Wednesday.
“Most of the contributions were possible because of exceptions written into the foundation’s 2008 agreement, which included limits on foreign-government donations.
“The agreement, reached before Clinton’s nomination amid concerns that countries could use foundation donations to gain favor with a Clinton-led State Department, allowed governments that had previously donated money to continue making contributions at similar levels.
“The new disclosures, provided in response to questions from The Washington Post, make clear that the 2008 agreement did not prohibit foreign countries with interests before the U.S. government from giving money to the charity closely linked to the secretary of state. . .”
Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner: “Obama to ban bullets by executive action, threatens top-selling AR-15 rifle”
“. . . As promised, President Obama is using executive actions to impose gun control on the nation, targeting the top-selling rifle in the country, the AR-15 style semi-automatic, with a ban on one of the most-used AR bullets by sportsmen and target shooters.
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives this month revealed that it is proposing to put the ban on 5.56 mm ammo on a fast track, immediately driving up the price of the bullets and prompting retailers, including the huge outdoors company Cabela‘s, to urge sportsmen to urge Congress to stop the president.
Wednesday night, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, stepped in with a critical letter to the bureau demanding it explain the surprise and abrupt bullet ban. The letter is shown below.
The National Rifle Association, which is working with Goodlatte to gather co-signers, told Secrets that30 House members have already co-signed the letter and Goodlatte and the NRA are hoping to get a total of 100 fast.
“‘The Obama administration was unable to ban America’s most popular sporting rifle through the legislative process, so now it’s trying to ban commonly owned and used ammunition through regulation,’ said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA-ILA, the group’s policy and lobby shop. ‘The NRA and our tens of millions of supporters across the country will fight to stop President Obama’s latest attack on our Second Amendment freedoms.’
At issue is so-called ‘armor-piercing’ ammunition, an exemption for those bullets mostly used for sport by AR-15 owners, and the recent popularity of pistol-style ARs that use the ammo. . .”
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2560750
Seung Min Kim, Politico: “Lynch clears committee with three GOP votes”
“. . . The vote was 12-8. The three Republicans who backed her nomination, along with all committee Democrats, were Orrin Hatch of Utah, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona.
“The next battle is on the Senate floor, where the federal prosecutor from Brooklyn is still expected to have enough GOP backing to be confirmed. But the controversy over President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration have overshadowed her nomination — particularly after her confirmation hearing last month, where she testified that those unilateral moves are legal. . .”
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/loretta-lynch-attorney-general-committee-vote-115539.html
INTERNET . . .
Julian Hattem and Mario Trujillo, TheHill: “Historic vote set for Internet rules”
“. . . the FCC will take the controversial step of reclassifying broadband Internet service so it can be treated similarly to a utility, like traditional phone service. For GOP critics, that’s a gross expansion of the agency’s powers that troublingly echoes a proposal advanced by President Obama, despite the FCC being an independent agency.
“The vote — which is expected to fall 3-2 along party lines — will usher in the next stage of the decadelong war over rules for people’s access to the Internet.
“In coming months, that new fight will play out in the court of public opinion as well as the halls of Congress and the nation’s judicial system.
“Congressional Republicans have already unveiled legislation to replace the rules, and that effort is likely to continue in coming weeks, when they hope the momentum will shift back in their favor.
“Lawmakers have also raised concerns about improper coordination between the White House and the FCC. Major cable companies have already said they are nearly certain to sue over the rules.
“‘Tomorrow’s commission vote does not signal the end of this debate,’ House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said during Wednesday’s hearing. ‘Rather, it is just the beginning.’
“‘If the FCC tries to move forward with this net nonsense, it isn’t going to stand,’ pledged Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas). ‘The courts won’t allow it; Congress won’t allow it.’
“First up, the issue is all but certain to meet a legal challenge.
“Major phone and Internet companies have long made clear their intentions to file suit, which could drag the issue through the courts for years . . .”
http://thehill.com/policy/technology/233898-historic-vote-set-for-net-neutrality-rules
Scott Cleland, Daily Caller: “The FCC’s Predictable Fiasco Of Internet Utility Regulation”
“. . . In the coming months, there is a coin toss chance the FCC order will be stayed in court. In 12-24 months, there is a coin toss chance the FCC will be overturned in court. In 21 months, there is a coin toss chance of a Republican being elected president and then a Republican-led FCC reversing this FCC order in 2017. In 30-48 months there is a coin toss chance of the Supreme Court overturning the FCC’s order.
Over time, the predictable “radioactive” fallout will be serious.
“When the dust settles, it will become clearer how far and wide the Title II fallout has spread.
“That’s because this partisan FCC decision is an abrupt, complete reversal of a highly successful bipartisan Internet policy foundation, on top of which the Internet economy has been built for the last twenty years.
“This policy foundation U-turn predictably will set in motion a chaotic cascade of other supporting policy U-turns over time.
“Concerning taxes, FCC Title II regulation authorizes the imposition of billions of dollars in new federal and state taxes and fees in direct conflict with Congress’ longstanding Internet tax moratorium.
“Higher FCC broadband taxes and fees make broadband less affordable, prompting the need for more universal service taxes and subsidies, which in turn again makes broadband less affordable, fueling an ongoing perverse tax and fee increase spiral.
“Concerning competition, the FCC’s assertion of 1934 Title II price regulation authority is at war with current law. . .”
http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/23/the-fccs-predictable-fiasco-of-internet-utility-regulation/
Ron Paul, RPI: “Internet, RIP?”
“. . . The adoption of these FCC rules on the Internet represents the largest regulatory power grab in recent history. The FCC’s newly adopted rule takes the most dynamic means of communication and imposes the regulatory structure designed for public utilities. Federal regulation could also open the door to de facto censorship of ideas perceived as threatening to the political class – ideas like the troops should be brought home, the PATRIOT Act should be repealed, military spending and corporate welfare should be cut, and the Federal Reserve should be audited and ended. . .” http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/peace-and-prosperity/2015/february/26/internet-rip/
John Fund, NRO: “Comrades for Net Neutrality”
“Back in the 1990s, the Clinton administration teamed up with Internet pioneers to promote a hands-off approach to the new industry and keep it free from discriminatory taxation. Many still prefer that policy. Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Lab and the charity One Laptop Per Child, says that net neutrality ‘doesn’t make sense’ because ‘the truth is, not all bits [of data] are created equal.’ Will Marshall, head of the Progressive Policy Institute (which was once a favorite think tank of Clinton Democrats), issued a statement that net neutrality ‘endorses a backward-looking policy that would apply the brakes to the most dynamic sector of America’s economy.’ But such voices have been drowned out by left-wing activists who want to manage the Internet to achieve their political objectives. The most influential of these congregate around the deceptively named Free Press, a liberal lobby co-founded in 2002 by Robert McChesney, a University of Illinois communications professor. “His goals have always been clear. ‘At the moment, the battle over network neutrality is not to completely eliminate the telephone and cable companies,’ he told the website SocialistProject in 2009. ‘But the ultimate goal is to get rid of the media capitalists in the phone and cable companies and to divest them from control.’ Earlier in 2000, he told the Marxist magazine Monthly Review: ‘Our job is to make media reform part of our broader struggle for democracy, social justice, and, dare we say it, socialism.’ . . .” http://www.nationalreview.com/article/414483/comrades-net-neutrality-john-fund
Drudge Links (2/26/15)
FCC CHAIR REFUSES TO APPEAR BEFORE CONGRESS AHEAD OF INTERNET TAKEOVER… LEFT GROUPS NOW FEAR: GOV’T NET GRAB GOING TOO FAR! Plan Could Lead to UN Takeover of Internet… SOROS CASH BEHIND PUSH… Commisioner: ‘Independence of agency has been compromised’… Lawless? ‘Net neutrality’ tweeked after GOOGLE push… Historic vote set for today…
HEALTHCARE . . .
Philip Klein, Washington Examiner: “Treasury won’t explain decision to make $3 billion in Obamacare payments”
“The U.S. Treasury Department has rebuffed a request by House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., to explain $3 billion in payments that were made to health insurers even though Congress never authorized the spending through annual appropriations.
“At issue are payments to insurers known as cost-sharing subsidies. These payments come about because President Obama’s healthcare law forces insurers to limit out-of-pocket costs for certain low income individuals by capping consumer expenses, such as deductibles and co-payments, in insurance policies. In exchange for capping these charges, insurers are supposed to receive compensation.
“What’s tricky is that Congress never authorized any money to make such payments to insurers in its annual appropriations, but the Department of Health and Human Services, with the cooperation of the U.S. Treasury, made them anyway. . .”
IRS . . .
CJ Ciaramella, Free Beacon: “Lois Lerner Received $129K in Bonuses”
“Bonus suspended in 2012 when she exceeded $230,700, federal limit for the calendar year
“Former IRS official Lois Lerner received $129,300 in bonuses between 2010 and 2013, records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show.
“Over a three-year period, Lerner, the head of the tax-exempt division at the heart of the IRS targeting scandal, received a 25 percent retention bonus—averaging $43,000 a year—on top of her regular salary.
“The federal government uses retention bonuses to incentivize valuable employees who are considering retirement or private sector jobs to stay at their agencies.
“Former acting IRS commissioner Steven T. Miller recommended Lerner for a $42,000 retention bonus in December 2009, when she first became eligible for retirement. . .”
http://freebeacon.com/issues/lois-lerner-received-129k-in-bonuses/
AMNESTY . . .
Andrew McCarthy, PJM: “GOP Surrender on Obama’s Lawless Amnesty for Illegal Aliens Would Be a Profound Betrayal of the States”
“With the Republican surrender on President Obama’s amnesty decree that I predicted over a month ago now taking shape, an appeal to duty may be futile. Nevertheless, it is still worth being blunt about this. The Beltway GOP’s retreat would be a profound dereliction of duty – specifically, the duty that Congress owes to the states.
“The federal government, very much including Republican lawmakers and conservative judges, has systematically disarmed the states of their capacity for self-defense. The power to defend one’s territory – including the power to remove aliens who have no legal right to be present – is an ineliminable component of sovereignty. The preservation of state sovereignty, in turn, is part of the core guarantee that induced the states to ratify the Constitution.
“At a minimum, then, federal law – made in Congress, where the states are represented – must preserve the sovereign right of states to protect themselves. Obama’s executive action not only bypasses Congress; it undoes and countermands congressional laws designed to fulfill the federal government’s duty to protect the states. The president does not merely purport to establish enforcement priorities, as any president must do. He rewrites federal law under the guise of ‘prosecutorial discretion.’ More blatant, he presumes to confer a de facto amnesty – an adjustment of status from deportable to non-deportable – as well as other legal benefits that the Constitution empowers only Congress to grant – e.g., work permits and Social Security numbers.
“Of course, as I explain in Faithless Execution, such actions flout the president’s oath and duty to execute the laws faithfully. But that is not the half of it. Congress, too, is derelict if lawmakers agree – reluctantly or not – to fund Obama’s lawlessness. . .”
http://pjmedia.com/andrewmccarthy/2015/02/26/gop-surrender-on-obamas-amnesty/
Daniel Halper, Weekly Std: “Obama: ‘Consequences’ for ICE Officials Who Don’t Follow Executive Amnesty”
“According to the White House pool report, President Obama was asked for reassurance that people wouldn’t be deported as the legal battle over the executive amnesty plays out in the courts.
“‘Until we pass a law through Congress, the executive actions we’ve taken are not going to be permanent; they are temporary. There are going to be some jurisdictions and there may be individual ICE official or Border Control agent not paying attention to our new directives. But they’re going to be answerable to the head of Homeland Security because he’s been very clear about what our priorities will be,’ Obama said, according to a partial transcript provided by the pool reporter.
“‘Not only are we going to have to win this legal fight.. but ultimately we’re still going to pass a law through Congress. The bottom line is I’m using all the legal power invested in me in order to solve this problem.’
“‘If somebody’s working for ICE … and they don’t follow the policy, there’s going to be consequences to it.’ . . .”
IRAN . . .
Charles Krauthammer, NRO: “The Fatal Flaw in the Iran Deal” A sunset clause? The news from the nuclear talks with Iran was already troubling. Iran was being granted the “right to enrich.” It would be allowed to retain and spin thousands of centrifuges. It could continue construction of the Arak plutonium reactor. Yet so thoroughly was Iran stonewalling International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors that just last Thursday the IAEA reported its concern “about the possible existence in Iran of undisclosed . . . development of a nuclear payload for a missile.” Bad enough. Then it got worse: News leaked Monday of the “sunset clause.” President Obama had accepted the Iranian demand that any restrictions on its program be time-limited. After which, the mullahs can crank up their nuclear program at will and produce as much enriched uranium as they want. Sanctions lifted. Restrictions gone. Nuclear development legitimized. Iran would re-enter the international community, as Obama suggested in an interview last December, as “a very successful regional power.” A few years — probably around ten — of good behavior and Iran would be home free. . .” http://www.nationalreview.com/article/414515/fatal-flaw-iran-deal-charles-krauthammer
David Harsanyi, NRO: “Obama’s Iran Obsession”
“The Obama administration values a future relationship with Iran more than it values the historic relationship it has with Israel. Unless there’s a reversal in the reported deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran, all the superficial talk about this extraordinary friendship between Israel and the United States isn’t going to mean much. And the histrionics surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned speech in front of a joint session of Congress only confirm that there are plenty of people who are happy about it.
“First, Americans were supposed to be outraged because Netanyahu engaged in a breach of protocol. Then we were supposed to be outraged because the speech would be given too close to the upcoming Israeli elections. (Senator Tim Kaine [D., Va.] is still using this excuse for his own boycott.) But if the Israeli elections — and President Barack Obama has done about everything possible to weaken Netanyahu’s position — are so problematic, then the controversy should be centered on the behavior of the prime minister, not the substance of his argument. But that’s not the case, is it?
“Administration mouthpieces warn us that the once-special relationship between the nations will collapse under the weight of a single speech — and some of those warnings have come with a hint of anticipation. The real victims of Netanyahu? American Jews. Critics suggest that challenging the president while he is in the middle of foreign policy deal-making is both a bit unpatriotic and dangerously partisan.
“But the problem isn’t protocol, Israeli elections, patriotism, or partisanship. It’s the fact that Netanyahu is going to make a powerful argument against enabling Iran to become a nuclear power. Many Americans will hear it — or hear of it. Many Americans will agree. . .” http://www.nationalreview.com/article/414523/obamas-iran-obsession-david-harsanyi?target=author&tid=900961
PA . . .
Leo Knepper, CAP: “Taxpayer Protection Act is Long Overdue”
“Pennsylvania taxpayers now face the 10th highest state and local tax burden in the country in order to pay for the unencumbered spending growth. Unlike thirty other states, there are no restrictions on how much the Pennsylvania state spending can grow from year to year and taxpayers have paid a hefty price. According to the Commonwealth Foundation, if Pennsylvania had a Taxpayer Protection Act in place it would have meant $28.7 billion less in spending over the past decade.
“On Monday, Senators Camera Bartolotta and Mike Folmer introduced the Taxpayer Protection Act. It is also worth noting that the Senators were flanked by leadership of the House and Senate. Leadership’s interest in this issue comes at a perfect time. Rumor has it that Governor Wolf is going to propose a $10 billion tax hike to pay for his public policy wish list.
“Instead of enacting reforms that would unleash private sector job growth, it sounds like Wolf is going to pursue the same types of failed centrally planned economic policies foisted on the people by Washington, DC. . .”
http://www.empowerpa.org/taxpayer-protection-act-is-long-overdue/
Andrew Staub, PA Independent: “Report: Wolf considering sales tax increase”
“HARRISBURG, Pa. — Just days before Gov. Tom Wolf gives his budget address, Pennsylvanians are riding a seesaw of tax policy announcements and rumors.
“A report from KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh citing unnamed sources says Wolf wants to raise the state’s sales tax from 6 percent to 6.6 percent and the personal income tax from 3.07 percent to 4.07 percent to help offer property tax cuts. The news follows Wolf’s revelation he wants to cut the state’s 9.99 percent corporate net income tax in half over two years — a major policy move that could keep $1.25 billion back in businesses’ coffers. . .”
http://paindependent.com/2015/02/9023/
Evan Grossman, Watchdog: “SRC taking teachers to Pennsylvania Supreme Court”
“The School Reform Commission and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers are going back to court.
The SRC, which controls the cash-strapped School District of Philadelphia, will appeal a Commonwealth Court decision that blocked it from unilaterally terminating its teachers’ contract. In October, the SRC attempted to throw out the contract, which expired two years ago, in an effort to realize cost savings by having teachers contribute to their health benefits.
The union took the matter to court and won earlier this year. But the SRC isn’t accepting the decision and it’s taking the matter to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, arguing such actions are within its right during periods of fiscal distress. Philadelphia schools face an $80 million budget deficit this year.
“‘We remain convinced that the SRC had clear statutory authority when it acted last fall to redirect a projected $200 million in savings to our schools over the next four years,’ according to a statement from the commission.
“The SRC argues it was created specifically to stabilize the district’s finances and what it is attempting to do to the teachers’ contract falls under that jurisdiction. . .”
http://paindependent.com/2015/02/src-taking-teachers-to-pennsylvania-supreme-court/
END NOTES . . .
Garrett Mitchell, AZ Republic: “Arizona llama drama: Escape captures nation’s interest” Isllama?
Mark Levin Notes (2/26/15)
“On Thursday’s Mark Levin Show, America is no longer a Constitutional Republic or a Federal Republic. We live in an administrative state under a massive 4th branch of government that we have no influence on whatsoever. The FCC, under direction of President Obama and his specific demands, has taken control of the Internet through Net Neutrality despite having no authority to do so. The left will defend this action by saying it’s for equality and consumer rights; useless catchphrases that destroy the liberties of the people they claim to represent. This isn’t an issue of national security, but about a growing police state extending its control. Obama is doing more damage to the United States than all of our foreign enemies combined. Also, Dick Durbin has exposed himself and the Democrat party as tyrants, claiming that the Constitution is flawed. They don’t want to re-write the Constitution; they want to supplant it. Later, Obama’s immigration policies are intended to reshape American politics, confessing that his open-border policy is to change the racial makeup of our country.”
http://www.marklevinshow.com/common/page.php?pt=February+26%2C+2015&id=13472&is_corp=0
ANNOUNCEMENTS . . .
March 10th, West Chester TEA
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 7:00 pm, KING OF PRUSSIA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY
170 Allendale Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406
ATTENTION VALLEY FORGE PATRIOTS!!
IN LIEU OF THE VFP MARCH MEETING, WE INVITE OUR MEMBERS TO A JOINT MEETING WITH
CITIZEN’S FOR LIBERTY FOR THEIR 2nd AMENDMENT MEETING
The CFL announcement is as follows:
For our March meeting, Citizens for Liberty is honored to host our two expert guest speakers!
– Kim Stolfer, Chairman of Firearms Owners Against Crime and a combat Veteran (USMC) who served in Vietnam. Kim is very dedicated in fighting for our rights, and we bet after hearing him speak you’re going to want to find the nearest river and dump some tea! He is driving all the way from Pittsburgh to speak to us, so let’s give him a huge Southeast PA welcome!!
– Joshua Prince of Prince Law Offices & Firearms Industry Consulting Group. He has been instrumental in protecting citizen’s rights around the state. Recently, Joshua has sent letters to over 90 municipalities regarding their illegal firearms ordinances, and many have repealed these illegal ordinances because of it. He will also be giving us some valuable tips on our rights as firearm owners.
– Citizens for Liberty will also discuss what we’ve been up to, and we are excited to announce our new Leadership Team.
Mark your calendars now to attend! Open/Concealed carry is welcomed.
Whether you own a firearm or you’re just a 2nd Amendment supporter in general, this is one event you do not want to miss! Tom Wolf is planning to wage war against our God-given right to keep and bear arms; but NOT on our watch! Help us keep Second Amendment liberty in Pennsylvania second to none.
Come early to check out our information tables and to check out a book from our free Liberty Library collection!!
Doors open at 6:30 PM
“The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall NOT BE QUESTIONED.”
JOIN THE VFP MEMBERS AND CITIZENS FOR LIBERTY AND SUPPORT OUR 2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND LIBERTY.
Janet, galaxypwd@aol.com
Ben Carson: Founders Dinner, Conestoga Christian, Morgantown
Friday, March 20, 2015
“Plan ahead now to attend Conestoga Christian School’s first annual Founders Dinner. Tickets are already available for this special dinner at Shady Maple featuring renowned pediatric neuro-surgeon, Dr. Ben Carson. Find a ticket order form on our website on the Founders Dinner page. You can pur-chase individual tickets for $125 per ticket (August-November) or $150 per ticket (December-March) or you can purchase an exclusive table for $1,500 (an entire table right next to the stage with 8 seats). Exclusive tables are selling fast! Tickets can be purchased at a secure site online or by check.”
http://www.conestogachristian.net/Founders_Dinner.html
Strongly recommended: www.lucianne.com
Jonah Goldberg’s sister. . .
Janet: Track the RINOS
“If you would like to follow your Representative and our Senators, go to this link:
A good way to see what our Rino’s are doing in D.C.
Janet, galaxypwd@aol.com
Dead Cats & Clippings 