Chgo Reporter Attacked by Chgo Teachers Union Thugs at Rally

April 3, 2013 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Budget, Chicago, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Education, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Jesse Jackson, Liberals, Rights, Taxes, Teachers Unions, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Jeremy Segal was filming the protesting Chicago Teachers downtown on Monday trying to get a few questions in with Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis and agitator Rev. Jesse Jackson when operatives for the union began to push him, manhandle his video equipment and punch him in the chest.

Segal was filming for EAGnews,org when the assault occurred.

It was witnessed by a CTU supporter who was so unnerved by the violent treatment that she told police what she saw.

But even though the police gathered up the men that assaulted the reporter, they were later let go even though Segal told police he wanted to file charges.
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Twitter Agrees to Allow Vladimir Putin to Censor Russian Content

March 30, 2013 | Filed Under Communism, Computers, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Free Speech, Freedom, Government, Corruption, Inernet, Liberals, Liberty, Progressives, Regulation, Rights, Russia, Socialism, Technology, The Law, Twitter, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Twitter has bowed to pressure from Russian Czar Vladimir Putin to block all content blacklisted by Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision in Telecommunications, Information Technology and Mass Communications.

Putin’s government reports that since early March, Twitter has “actively been engaged in cooperation” with Russian authorities already. Twitter has already deleted pinpointed accounts and is restricting access on the basis of “five information materials” as determined by Russian authorities.

In a statement from the Kremlin, Twitter’s cooperation with the massive censorship policy was praised.
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Florida’s Thug Police Chief Eric Liff is Wrong About Everything

March 27, 2013 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Anti-Americanism, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Florida, Government, Corruption, Guns, Liberals, NRA, Progressives, Rights, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Former Cocoa, Florida police Chief Eric Liff is full of crapola when it comes to his wild-eyed beliefs about the National Rifle Association. Liff, however, is right about one thing: he shouldn’t be made to join the NRA against his will. Unfortunately for this grandstander, his point is moot because he isn’t in that position at all.

Liff is upset that the Seminole County Gun & Archery Association has a requirement for members. Before they can use the association’s facilities they must also become a member of the NRA.

Liff was fired as Cocoa’s police chief in the late 1990s and unsuccessfully attempted to sue the city to get his job back in 1999.
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Colt Firearms Threatens to Leave Connecticut Over Strict Gun Laws

March 26, 2013 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Anti-Americanism, Connecticut, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Gun Control, Guns, Law, Liberals, Progressives, Regulation, Rights, States Rights, Warner Todd Huston | No Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Continuing the trend of firearms related companies that have been contemplating moving their businesses out of states instituting strict gun control laws, Colt Manufacturing is now considering a move out of Connecticut after 175 years in business. This is due to the new gun bans being mulled by the state legislature and Democrat Governor Dannel Malloy.

Colt President and CEO Dennis Veilleux published an op ed in the Hartford Currant asking why it makes any sense that Colt Manufacturing stay in Connecticut.

Veilleux says that the “economic advantage” his company has brought to Hartford for the last 175 years “is in grave danger.”

“What’s most astounding.” Veilleux wrote, “is our advantage is not being taken away–it’s being given away.”
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Obama’s Economy Makes Criminals Out of Pennsylvania Family, Lose Their Children

November 30, 2012 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Business, Children, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Liberals, Nanny State, Policy, President, Progressives, Rights, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Obama’s unemployment rate is the worst continuously down trend seen since The Great Depression. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and, subsequently, lost their homes to foreclosure. One Pennsylvania family, faced with Obama’s destruction, tried to move to another state where they hoped to see a better life but instead of finding opportunity they had their children stolen from them by the state and were turned into criminals.

After losing their home to foreclosure, the Detjen family rented a moving truck, loaded their meager possessions on board, and decided to try and head west to greener pastures. Of course, the problem was that the tiny cab of the truck could not hold the couple and their seven children.

So, the Detjen’s bundled up five of their children in winter clothing and sat them in the cargo hold of the moving truck and then set out for California.

Some nosey citizen, however, called the jackboots on the Detjens because, as the law stands, having riders in the cargo hold of a moving truck is illegal.

Naturally, the cops swooped down on the Detjens as they plied one of Indiana’s highways on their way west. The couple’s belongings were impounded, the truck jacked to the police impound lot, and, naturally, their children were taken away from them by those oh-so-concerned drones from the department of Children and Family Services.

In that ages old American way, this beset upon family was trying desperately to start life anew by bundling up the family and moving to where they think might be greener pastures. But in this age of Obama, this family was instead turned them into criminals.
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Today’s Stealth Tax Story

November 18, 2012 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Liberals, Progressives, Regulation, Rights, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the many drags about owning a home in the suburbs rears its ugly head around this time a year. Raking leaves is awful drudgery, everyone knows, and here in the middle of November, I’ve already put it off for several weeks longer than I should have. But as I was raking I realized that I was living a stealth tax imposed on me by my local government.

You know how it goes, I’m sure. Fall arrives and those millions, no billions, of those darn leaves fall from their proper places on your trees’ outstretched branches and in their magnanimity lay there for you to rake up and dispose of.

In many towns across America these nuisance leaves are raked into piles and a match is put to them. Homeowners simply burn them to get rid of them. But in many towns, there is a law against disposing of your yard waste by burning. My town is one of the latter.

So, what are you required to do if you can’t burn them? You must spend hours raking your leaves into piles and then you must stuff them into large paper bags that can be bought at local stores.

And there is the hidden tax. It is an “unfunded mandate,” if you will. You see, my city has forced me to waste my money buying these big paper bags and, worse, waste my time stuffing leaves into them.
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After The Elections: Where Is America Now? It’s Dead, That’s Where

November 7, 2012 | Filed Under 1st Amendment, 2nd Amendment, Anti-Americanism, Communism, Congress, Conservatives, Constitution, Democracy, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Ethics, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Liberals, President, Progressives, Republicans, Rights, Senate, Socialism, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Due to the re-election of Barack Hussein Obama, the United States is officially a failed experiment. In fact, his election in the first place in 2008 signaled the end.

Because so few of you people out there know anything about history any more, I’ll have to explain that opening line above. You see, the founders considered the United States an experiment in self-government. As Ben Franklin is said to have remarked upon leaving the first Constitutional Convention, the founders had given us a republic “if you can keep it.”

By that, Franklin meant that it would be up to our citizens to a). learn what the United States means, b). come to understand it’s philosophy and governing systems, and c). vote accordingly. We have now officially come to an era where only the tiniest handful of Americans have this understanding and the bulk of those voting are uninformed. Worse, they aren’t just uninformed, they are uninterested.

Oh, Barack Obama isn’t the cause of America’s failure. But he is the ultimate result. He is the result of a citizenry that knows nothing about its own country. He is the result of citizens that no longer care about their country and only care about themselves.

Barack Obama is the ultimate example of how anti-American the Democrat Party is today. The Democrats oppose nearly every single truly American principle that the founders gave us.

Democrats oppose the supremacy of the U.S. Constitution
Democrats oppose personal responsibility
Democrats oppose free speech
Democrats oppose the Second Amendment
Democrats oppose morality and religion
Democrats oppose the rule of law and wish instead to rule by fiat
Democrats oppose the sanctity of life
Democrats oppose education and instead support indoctrination
Democrats oppose business
Democrats oppose liberty and freedom and support totalitarianism
Democrats oppose sovereignty and support international rule
Democrats oppose our national security

In short, Democrats think the United States is a cancer on humanity and they wish to damage it permanently.
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New York Woman Wins Right To Die Lawsuit, Then Changes Mind

October 10, 2012 | Filed Under Ethics, Health, Rights, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

A terminally ill patient, Grace Sung Eun Lee, 28, was awarded the right to chose to die by a New York court this month, but has now changed her mind and wants to live.

Miss Lee, once a financial manager, was felled by terminal brain cancer that left her paralyzed from the neck down and being fed through feeding tubes.

Lee was determined competent to make her own decisions and won the right to choose to turn off the machines keeping her alive over objections from her devoutly religious parents.

But now Lee reports that she has changed her mind about choosing death.
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Case Closed: If Moderate Voters See This Video, It’s Over for Obama

September 7, 2012 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Business, Democrats/Leftists, Earmarks, Elections, Entitlements, Ethics, Free Speech, Freedom, Government, Government, Corruption, Journalism, Liberals, Liberty, Media Bias, President, Progressives, Regulation, Rights, Socialism, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

Obama’s worst lies started out as earnest promises to “help” us…

National ID Card? First Stop Giving Inducements to Law Breaking

August 25, 2012 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Budget, Communism, Congress, Constitution, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Nanny State, Rights, Socialism, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Syndicated columnist Jonah Goldberg recently wrote a piece headlined, Arizona, immigration and the welfare state, in which he ruminated on the state’s never-ending desire to track its citizens, sometimes resulting in the implementation of a national ID card. Goldberg is, of course, against a national ID and laments that our government “bequeaths so many benefits” to citizens and non-citizens alike which might require such an effort.

Naturally the proper solution, the best way to prevent a national ID card, is to be rid of the “liberal welfare state,” the Tyranny of Clichés author notes.

After a summation of the history of intrusive, overbearing statism, Goldberg says that most conservatives aren’t necessarily against “large-scale immigration,” but the Arizona law reveals a serious flaw in our country nonetheless. He concludes with the following:
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NBC Uses Che Guevara-Loving Illegal Immigration Activist to Denounce Arizona

June 30, 2012 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Barack Obama, Communism, Congress, Constitution, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Immigration/Immigrants, Journalism, Liberals, Media, Media Bias, Mexico, NBC, President, Rights, Socialism, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

In a report on the recent Supreme Court decision reversing parts of Arizona’s immigration law, NBC’s Matt Taibbi gave extensive airtime to an activist for illegal immigration. The woman was shown sitting in a room prominently featuring a poster of Cuban communist, terrorist and murderer, Che Guevara, and among other activists wearing “Legalize Arizona” t-shirts. Yet, NBC labeled this woman a mere housewife and mother without noting her status as essentially a lobbyist against America’s immigration laws.

Taibbi sympathetically portrayed Mrs. Leticia Ramirez as “a mother” who just happens to have “been in this country illegally for over a decade,” and a woman just trying to be a good citizen.

Mrs. Ramirez, wearing an activist t-shirt that says “Arrest Arpaio, Not The People; End Police and ICE Collaboration,” said she is worried that the Supreme Court decision will cause fear in her illegal community.

It’s going to affect the whole community because they’re not going to be able to go out, have a normal life. They’re going to be afraid that if we go out they might – we might get stopped just for your color.

Of course, the fact is that laws governing immigration are supposed to do just that, make lawbreakers fear their status. Tougher laws are successful in making illegal entrants self deport. That is why they work.
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Fmr. Democratic Rep. Davis: Voter ID Laws DO NOT Disenfranchise Minorities

June 19, 2012 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Ethics, Government, Corruption, Law, Liberals, Rights, Vote Fraud, Voter ID, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

Democratic Party Defector and former Congressional Black Caucus member Artur Davis (Alabama) sounds off on state actions to combat vote fraud in Florida and beyond.

http://www.aim.org

CPAC Chicago, Wisconsin Praised, Obama Razed — Part One: Rick Santorum, Ron Johnson

June 10, 2012 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Bobby Jindal, Budget, Business, Capitalism, Chicago, Chris Christie, Christianity, Communism, Congress, Democracy, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Elections, Foreign Policy, GOP, Government, Corruption, Health, Herman Cain, House of Representatives, Illinois, Islam, Islamofascism, Jihad, Jobs, Joe Walsh, Koran, Liberals, Marco Rubio, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Obamacare, Peter Roskam, Politicians, President, Randy Hultgren, Redistricting, Regulation, Republicans, Rick Santorum, Rights, Senate, Socialism, Taxes, Terrorism, Unions, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston, Wisconsin | 6 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, Friday evening, June 8, 2012, we marked the end of the first CPAC event held in Chicago and what a great event it was. The triumph in Wisconsin was on everyone’s mind but so was Obama’s dismal record. Not just dismal, but according to several speakers, even dangerous. The economy and the election of Romney were focal points but so was foreign policy this day. One theme, though, was constant: Obama has to go.

Because of other things going on and the several press availability sessions, I didn’t catch every speaker in the main hall, but I did hear the speeches of (in this order) former Senator Rick Santorum, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, Indiana Senate Candidate Richard Mourdock, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Illinois Representative Peter Roskam, Minnesota Representative Michelle Bachmann, and Illinois Representatives Joe Walsh and Randy Hultgren. I also heard and recorded the press availability sessions of Herman Caine, Peter Roskam, and Michelle Bachmann and I caught most of Kansas Representative Tim Huelskamp’s.

Other notables whose speeches I missed were Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner, and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback.

The event was a great success with well over 2,000 participants, all seats filled for the most part during the speeches and some great groups like the United Republican Fund, the Illinois Policy Institute, the Heartland Institute, Champion News, and others hosting and participating.

I’ll say a few words about the speakers I did see in the order I saw them and I’ll do this in a few installments so that this won’t be one long, overly taxing post. Now, as each of these speakers appeared before us I live Tweeted their comments, so the following quotes are pulled from my Twitter feed.

But before I do that, each speaker was quite enthusiastic over the win of Governor Scott Walker who defeated an effort by the far left and their union overlords to recall him in Wisconsin. Each speaker praised Walker and crowed about the left’s loss in there. I won’t regurgitate the Wisconsin hunk of each speaker as they were pretty much all the same; exuberant. The essential point was that we are all cheeseheads now.

Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum on the main stage

Former Pennsylvania Senator and recent GOP Presidential candidate Rick Santorum gave one of his well-crafted, typically workman-like speeches. One of Santorum’s early points was that America is at a “tipping point” and we’d better be there to tip it in the right direction.
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The Movie Script and My Testimony before Congress

June 2, 2012 | Filed Under 1st Amendment, Computers, Crime, Government, Corruption, Law, Missouri, Paleo-Skeptic, Police, Rights, Society/Culture, Wisconsin | Comments Off

—by Paleo-Skeptic

I will be interviewed for Lawless America— The Movie, and give testimony to Congress as a part of that project coordinated by Government Reform & Integrity Now.

Here I would like to note that it was the Office of Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) that first got me to writing all of this stuff down. His Office has requested a full report with supporting documentation for the purpose of de-funding the illicit 501(c)(3) organization headed by an elected official. For many years, Sen. Blunt has been on the front lines of reducing wasteful spending, and restoring integrity in our government.

I had to come up with a three-minute script to submit to the producer. This is what I have, though it takes 324 seconds for me to read through it. They can edit it how they want for the movie, but my testimony before Congress will likely include all of the following (not blockquoted due to length):

Salon: Why Worry About Obama and Guns, America?

April 14, 2012 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Anti-Americanism, Barack Obama, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Guns, Journalism, Liberals, Media, Media Bias, Mitt Romney, President, Regulation, Republicans, Rights, The Law, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

When Barack Obama first won the White House, gun sales soared because supporters of the Constitution rightfully understood that Barack Obama is a gun-banner at heart. They feared he’d attack their Constitutional rights and begin a long trail of legislation or regulatory efforts to ban guns.

Everyone has been surprised — including Obama’s own supporters — that he has not done anything to advance the anti-gun issue. Even going so far as to line up in favor of some gun issues (such as allowing guns in national parks).

In fact, looking back through recent political history shows that Democrats have practically given up pushing their gun-banning ideas on the electorate. Proof of this is the fact that every state but one (Illinois) now has some sort of shall issue law on the books, Democrats having given up fighting to stop it all.
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A Visit to Title 18

January 27, 2012 | Filed Under 1st Amendment, Free Speech, Government, Corruption, Judges, Missouri, Paleo-Skeptic, Rights, The Law | 4 Comments

by Paleo-Skeptic

I plan on making good on every one of the claims that I made in my letter to the Senator.

For now, I want to take a look at the number of violations of federal law that 501 (c) (3) groups are allowed to get away with, simply on the basis that they happen to be “charitable organizations.”

In that letter to the Senator, I stated that there was:

• A government funding an NGO which operates to squelch constitutionally-protected political speech.

These would be some of the applicable federal laws:

§ 245. Federally protected activities

(b) Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, by force or threat of force willfully injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with—
   (1) any person because he is or has been, or in order to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from—
      (B) participating in or enjoying any benefit, service, privilege, program, facility, or activity provided or administered by the United States;

   (5) any citizen because he is or has been, or in order to intimidate such citizen or any other citizen from lawfully aiding or encouraging other persons to participate, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion or national origin, in any of the benefits or activities described in subparagraphs (1)(A) through (1)(E) or subparagraphs (2)(A) through (2)(F), or participating lawfully in speech or peaceful assembly opposing any denial of the opportunity to so participate—

This has to do with a man who had previously worked as a volunteer for two campaigns, one for governor and one for Congress, trying in vain to show the letters that he had received from those campaigns to a judge. The judge in this case was under the undue influence of an attorney from the 501 (c) (3) group, Ms. Katherine “Evidence Tampering” Wessling, who asserted on various occasions during the course of this same proceeding that this campaign volunteer was prohibited from engaging in Constitutionally-protected political speech.

Restoring American Exceptionalism – Chicago Townhall

January 24, 2012 | Filed Under Anti-Americanism, Budget, Chicago, Children, Congress, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, Education, Ethics, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Jobs, Liberals, President, Public Employees Unions, Radio, Republicans, Rights, School Choice, Senate, Talk Radio, Taxes, Teachers Unions, Unions, Vouchers, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

I just got back from a wonderful evening taking school choice at the Restoring American Exceptionalism, Chicago Townhall. In attendance were radio talk show host Michael Medved, Fox News contributor Juan Williams, and Dr. Paul Worfel, Director of Education of Trinity International University. The discussion was moderated by John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute.

The event was sponsored by National School Choice Week, an effort by Americans for Prosperity, and is one of many events being held across the country to encourage parents, legislators, and activists to work toward allowing parents a choice in their children’s education. Co-sponsors were Townhall.com, Salem Radio Networks, and Chicago’s WIND Radio, AM 560

Arriving at the sprawling campus of Trinity International University of Deerfield, Illinois, the biting cold outside was quickly forgotten by the warm reception all received by the event staff. The program started promptly with an introduction by local radio host Big John Howell of AM 560, WIND radio who turned the program over to John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute.

The night’s debate was nicely balanced from right, center and left with a panel featuring the conservative side of the debate on education represented by talk show host Michael Medved, the center represented by Fox News contributor Juan Williams, and the more traditional educrat’s position taken by Dr. Worfel.

I won’t repeat the whole discussion, but here are some of the more interesting (and some might say provocative) highlights.
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A Letter to the Senator

January 2, 2012 | Filed Under Government, Government, Corruption, Human Rights, Law, Missouri, Paleo-Skeptic, Rights | Comments Off

-By Paleo-Skeptic

On the 26th of December, I directed an electronic communication to the Office of Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri using the form available from his website, received on the 27th of December.

Here follows redacted texts of those communications.

Where Your Rights End and Mine Begin

December 9, 2011 | Filed Under Congress, Conservatives, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Free Speech, Freedom, GOP, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Liberty, Nancy Salvato, Republicans, Rights | 1 Comment

-By Nancy Salvato

As a child, I used to play with the neighbors across the street in one of the coolest sandboxes one could imagine. It was built into the landscape, with giant boulders lining the back and sides. Five kids could easily play in it, building sandcastles and manipulating bulldozers and dump trucks to their hearts content. Hours could go by before being called home to dinner. There was only one problem… neighborhood cats considered that magical place as their personal giant sized litter box. We were often told, sadly, that we could not play in it because of this ongoing problem.

These past few months, renting a home in a beach community has allowed my dog and I the opportunity to take a daily walk along the shore, where I hunt for shells, watch for porpoise, and occasionally exchange niceties with the fisherman who set up their poles in the sand, and with the locals who are also enjoying their surroundings. Every day, I thank my blessings that I’ve been given this chance to live in such surroundings but my happiness is often interrupted by dogs roaming the beach, unleashed, in violation of the rules which are clearly posted at each entrance. Not only do these dogs defecate on the sand but often they are not well behaved, running at leashed dogs, children, solitary walkers, and anyone within their proximity.
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Democrats, Sen. Schumer Shut Down Citizen’s Forum

November 22, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Chuck Schumer, Congress, Democracy, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, President, Republicans, Rights, Senate, Taxes, Tea Party, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

You know, it is unfortunate that the Democrat Party’s name has the word “democracy” as it root because the modern Democrat Party is 100% opposed to both democracy and our system of government. Senator Chuck “Hitman” Schumer just proved this to be true once again.

Last week Senator Mike Lee (R, Utah) had reserved a room in the Senate and invited a retinue of Tea Party representatives and the folks of Freedom Works to discuss the Tea Party Budget proposal drawn up by Freedom Works.

We Need Rules for Cyberwarfare Before a President Steals That Power, Too

October 19, 2011 | Filed Under Computers, Congress, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Foreign Policy, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Inernet, Liberals, Military, Patriot Act, President, Republicans, Rights, Security/Safety, Senate, State Department, Technology, Terrorism, Transparency, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

A recent New York Times article revealed that the Pentagon briefly considered engaging in cyberwarfare at the outset of the actions in Libya, but decided against it for a variety of reasons. This reminds us all that as a nation we really need to discuss the use of cyberwarfare. The first question asked must be: should a president be able to simply order such an attack on his own hook?

The Times noted that one of the concerns about the use of cyberwarfare is how it would be justified under the War Powers Resolution of 1973?

One unresolved concern was whether ordering a cyberattack on Libya might create domestic legal restrictions on war-making by the executive branch without Congressional permission. One question was whether the War Powers Resolution — which requires the executive to formally report to lawmakers when it has introduced forces into “hostilities” and sets a 60-day limit on such deployments if Congress does not authorize them to continue — would be required for an attack purely in cyberspace.

One would think that the answer to this would be somewhat obvious — though nothing seems obvious in Constitution-based discussions, sadly.

We know that the Founders vested in Congress the power to declare war not in the president. They wanted to avoid a repeat of the historical outrage of a King’s untrammeled powers to declare wars without the consent of the people and their duly elected representatives.
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John Fund on Why Voter ID Law is Good for Minorities

October 10, 2011 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Government, Corruption, Regulation, Rights, The Heritage Foundation, The Wall Street Journal, Vote Fraud, Voter ID, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

John Fund visited with Robert Bluey of the Heritage Foundation to discuss why voter ID laws are good in general but also good for minorities.

www.PubliusForum.com

Visit The Scribe for more info.
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How Obama Is Bypassing Democracy, Congress and YOU

October 10, 2011 | Filed Under Americans For Prosperity, Anti-Americanism, Barack Obama, Business, Capitalism, Congress, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, EPA, Financial Reform, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Jobs, Liberals, President, Regulation, Republicans, Rights, Senate, Socialism, Stimulus, Taxes, Transparency, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Phil Kerpen has a warning for you, America. He wants to alert you to the fact that Barack Obama is using his powers to create regulations to undermine Congress, ignore voters, and “radically transform America.” But Kerpen also has some good news. There’s a way to stop this left-wing assault on our country. You can find out what that something is in his new book, Democracy Denied: How Obama is Ignoring You and Bypassing Congress to Radically Transform America — and How to Stop Him.

For this book — his first if I am not mistaken — Kerpen, the Vice President for Policy at Americans for Prosperity, has decided no less than to save the Republic. Of course, it’s an uphill battle to beat back the war that has been launched against America for sure.

Why is it an uphill battle? Because the way our country is being torn down is happening in the most subtle way possible. Worse, it is all being done with such ersatz legality, a legitimacy so seemingly ironclad, that most Americans are completely unaware of what is happening. And when they are aware of it they imagine there is nothing wrong with it all.
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New Worry: RFID Tracking Chips in Firearms?

September 12, 2011 | Filed Under 2nd Amendment, Anti-Americanism, Business, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Guns, Italy, Liberals, Rights, Transparency, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Italians have caused an outrage among American firearms customers. A Italian company named Chiappa Firearms sent out a press release (in Italian) last week announcing that it will soon be putting inside each firearm it manufactures an RFID chip (Radio Frequency Identification) meant to track quality control, inventory, and shipping. American gun owners and consumers were whipped into a frenzy of suspicion and fear that government agents will be able to use these RFID chips to track their firearms. But what are the facts and will these RFID tags become common with all firearms manufacturers in the near future?

First of all there is a lot of fear about the capabilities of governments to use RFID chips for nefarious purposes. These are devices that can radio information to someone with a device as inexpensive as $250 and without any “approval” needed for the reading. These chips can relay all sorts of information from location, to detailed records of all sorts.

There are several different kinds of chips but most uses require non-powered chips that can only be read at short distances. In other words we are told that a satellite orbiting in space cannot read a non-powered RFID chip from that distance. Some chips can only be read for a few feet others a few meters.

Despite all the poo pooing that advocates of RFID chips release to ease people’s minds, this identification technology is far easier to misuse than any other ID technology ever invented. But that does not make RFID chips all bad, either.
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Honoring the Constitution with a Day of Training

August 19, 2011 | Filed Under Americans For Prosperity, Budget, Congress, Conservatives, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Liberals, President, Rights, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the Chicago Tea Party…

When Benjamin Franklin left the Pennsylvania State House after signing the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787, the wife of the mayor of Philadelphia approached him to ask what the new American government would be. Franklin replied, “A republic, madam. If you can keep it.” On Constitution Day 2011, we will continue the fight to keep it with the largest one-day training of conservative activists ever. American Majority will hold training in 13 states across the country, and we’ve been honored to have Chicago chosen as one of the locations. Join the Chicago Tea Party and American Majority for a day of training on Saturday, September 17, the 224th anniversary of the day the framers signed our nation’s founding document.

The principles of limited government and individual freedom are being challenged by an all too powerful federal government in Washington.. Understanding there is a problem is not enough. Protesting is not enough. For us to turn this country around, informed and engaged citizens must be equipped with the tools to bring about real change. There’s no better day than Constitution Day to bring thousands of Americans together to learn how they can ensure we continue to live in a free society.
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Union Member Fined $300K Just for Finding Work!

August 1, 2011 | Filed Under Business, Capitalism, Cook County, Democrats/Leftists, Free Speech, Illinois, Jobs, Labor Law, Liberals, Regulation, Rights, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

The lesson: if you are a union member, better to sit on your rear-end and do nothing than find gainful employment.

A poor Chicago-area carpenter who was sick and tired of waiting for his useless union to find him work struck out on his own and got a job with a non-union shop. Big mistake. Once the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters found out they tried to fine him $300,900 for having the gall to find work on his own.

Carpenter Nathaniel Musser is not sitting around and taking this outrageous treatment handed him by the feckless union, either. He’s filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the union with the National Labor Relations Board which will come up in mid-August.

If were Mr. Musser, though, I would not hold my breath that Obama’s union-sold NLRB will side with the poor, put upon worker here. This is the same regulatory board that extra-constitutionally decided that it had to power to prevent Boeing from opening up a new plant in any U.S. state it wanted to merely because the NLRB thought a few union jobs in Washington State might be at risk.
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Another Tale of Our Anti-Parent DCFS Establishment

July 28, 2011 | Filed Under Children, Constitution, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Nanny State, Rights, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is a sad truth that from coast to coast our departments of children and family service (DCFS) agencies are in disarray. All too often they ill serve the children they are supposed to be helping and they almost always step on the rights of parents without much bothering to give a good reading of the situation before action is taken. The travails of 13-year-old Chloe Faulkner is another such story. Taken from her parents, isolated in a world of faceless bureaucrats, used as a cash cow for state aide, abused, repeatedly raped, and eventually impregnated without her loving parents being given a chance to be heard, this tale is another DCFS/State intervention horror story.

In 2009 Chloe was a 13-year-old, home schooled, bright-eyed girl who had been diagnosed with the serious medical condition of Type 1 diabetes. Like many 13-year-olds she was in a rebellious stage, pushing back at a world of parental rules and the constrictions that her medical condition unfairly imposed upon her. And, like many rebelling teens, Chloe ran away one day, refusing to return home.

Her worried, loving parents involved the police because they feared that young Chloe’s medical condition would make her running away far more dangerous than it might for the average teen. The police found Chloe and brought her home with no incident.
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Pro-Life Group Thrown Out of Illinois July 4th Parade By Jaycees

July 2, 2011 | Filed Under Abortion, Anti-Americanism, Declaration of Independence, Democrats/Leftists, Education, Government, History, Illinois, Independence Day, Liberals, Rights, Uncategorized, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Apparently, when no one was looking, the Jaycees became a pro-Infanticide group. I wonder about this because the United States Junior Chamber Jaycees has thrown the Palatine Area Catholics Respect Life Group out of the Palatine, Illinois July Fourth parade, preventing them from participating in this year’s celebration.

The Jaycees claim that they have done so because the pro-life group has an “offensive” photo on the banner they planned to carry in the procession. Following is a photo of the banner as seen on the local Patch story:

“They decided that an unborn baby is too offensive,” said Martin Kelley, co-founder of Palatine Area Catholics Respect Life. “It’s an ultrasound photo. It’s not a picture of an aborted baby.”

So, how is an ultrasound photo of an in utero infant “offensive”? This isn’t a gruesome photo of an aborted fetus like many pro-life groups use to shock viewers — if it were I might agree with the claim that it is an offensive display. This is simply a live baby in the womb captured through the wonders of modern technology.
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Politically Correct Washington Supreme Court Overturns Murder Conviction

June 24, 2011 | Filed Under Canada, Civil Rights, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Hate Crimes, Judges, Law, Liberals, Nanny State, PCism, Race, Regulation, Rights, Selwyn Duke, Society/Culture, The Law, Western Civilization | Comments Off

-By Selwyn Duke

In 2007, Kevin L. Monday Jr. was convicted for the murder of Francisco Green and received 64 years in prison. The incident ad been caught on a 3-minute video recording shot by a street performer, and the footage clearly showed Monday coolly and calculatingly firing 11 shots at Green on a crowded Seattle, Washington, street corner. Thus, despite the reluctance of witnesses to testify, it was an open-and-shut case.

But now the Washington Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling, has overturned the conviction and a lower court that upheld it – thus forcing a retrial – claiming that the prosecutor used “racist” arguments. What is the supposed problem? While questioning witnesses, veteran King County deputy prosecutor James Konat cited a no-snitching street code in the black community and made references to the “PO-leese.” Writes Jennifer Sullivan of The Washington Times:
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Obama’s New EPA Rules Would Destroy Our Energy Sector

June 10, 2011 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Business, Capitalism, Coal, Communism, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Electric, Energy, EPA, Ethics, Government, Government, Corruption, Jobs, Labor Law, Liberals, Nanny State, President, Regulation, Rights, Socialism, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Half of America’s energy comes from coal-fired power plants but Obama’s new EPA rules would about destroy the coal industry driving our energy costs through the roof. That’s not all they would do, either.

Even Paul Bedard of USNews says that Obama’s new EPA rules will “slam the coal industry so hard that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost.”

Analysis by the National Economic Research Associates says that these two new EPA regulations would be “among the most expensive ever imposed by the agency on coal-fueled power plants, dramatically increasing electricity rates and natural gas prices and leading to substantial job losses,” and would cost the U.S. electric sector nearly $18 billion a year.
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