ARRA News Service

Chuck Schumer Says "We Are In Great Shape" - Oh Really?

2012-01-27T14:40:00.002-06:00

Today in Washington, D.C. - Jan. 27, 2011:
Congress is not in session today. Yesterday, Senate Democrats voted 44-52 to block H.J. Res. 98, the resolution of disapproval of President Obama’s latest debt ceiling increase, thereby allowing the debt ceiling increase to stand.

On Monday, at 5:30 p.m., the Senate is scheduled to vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 2083, the STOCK Act, which would prohibit Members of Congress from using nonpublic insider information for trading or personal gain.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), a key member of Senate Democrats’ leadership, took to the podium to criticize something Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN) said in his Republican Address the night before. Oh Really, we should believe New York liberal who has helped to ruin our economy.

The issue surrounded Gov. Daniels comment, “On these evenings, Presidents naturally seek to find the sunny side of our national condition. But when President Obama claims that the state of our union is anything but grave, he must know in his heart that this is not true.”

In response, Schumer said, “The Republican speaker last night, Mitch Daniels, talked about Americans must talk about the state of the union as grave. So, we think we are in great shape. We are in good shape.”

Schumer and the other Senate Democrats think “we are in great shape”?

Currently, over 13 million Americans are unemployed. There are fewer jobs in America than when President Obama took office in 2009, and the unemployment rate is still more than 8%. And Sen. Schumer thinks “we are in great shape”?

Yesterday, the AP reported, “Fewer people bought new homes in December. The decline made 2011 the worst year for new -homes sales on records dating back nearly half a century. The Commerce Department said Thursday new-home sales fell 2.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 307,000. The pace is less than half the 700,000 that economists say must be sold in a healthy economy. About 302,000 new homes were sold last year. That's less than the 323,000 sold in 2010, making last year's sales the worst on records dating back to 1963. And it coincides with a report last week that said 2011 was the weakest year for single-family home construction on record.” In December, Standard & Poor’s announced, “The Fourth Quarter Starts with Broad-based Declines in Home Prices”. And there have been 7.7 million foreclosure filings since President Obama took office. But Sen. Schumer thinks “we are in great shape”?

Today, National Journal writes, “Real Gross Domestic Product rose by just 1.7 percent in 2011, the Commerce Department reported on Friday. That's not great news for President Obama, who oversaw 3 percent GDP growth in 2010 and cannot use the latest GDP data to support a narrative of economic turnaround.” The AP notes, “The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy grew just 1.7 percent last year, roughly half of the growth in 2010 and the worst since the recession.” And University of Pennsylvania economist Justin Wolfers tells The New York Times, “At this rate, we’ll never reduce unemployment. . . . The recovery has been postponed, again.” But Sen. Schumer says “we are in great shape”?

Unfortunately, Schumer appears to have sold his soul to grievously lie about the actual state of the current economy and the present Obama legacy. Chuck Schumer is far more qualified to be president than the present White House incumbent and is a whole lot smarter than Senator Harry Reid. To summarize this fact, Schumer received a perfect score on his SAT in High School. He attended Harvard and completed both his undergraduate degree nd his law degree, passed the bar an ran for office and winning by the age of 23. Schumer was the youngest person ever elected to the NY State Assembly. he has been in elected office the majority of his life and has never lost an election. In 2010 Schumer easily won another 6 years. And unlike President Obama, we can confirm Schumer's academic, employment and residency records.

If we had Sen.Chuck Schumer and Gov. Mitch Daniels in the same room, we would find that we have two very very intellectually smart people. Fortunately, one is willing to speak the truth to his audience about the America's economic situation and to share his opinion, not dictates, on what must be done to restore our economy. However, the other does the opposite. Has Schumer become such an extreme liberal elitist that he joins the like of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in attacking the truth.

Schumer must know that America's future is more uncertain under the current president. As Sen.Mitch McConnell said Tuesday, “A better approach is to admit that [President Obama’s] three-year experiment in big-government has made our economy worse and our nation’s future more uncertain. And that it’s time for a different approach. That’s the message Americans delivered to the President in November 2010. They’re still waiting. . . .”

Tags: Chuck Schumer, Mitch Daniels, the economy, Washington, D.C., Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

CNN Debate: The Jacksonville Brawl

2012-01-27T09:40:00.000-06:00

CNN GOP Primary Debate, Jacksonville, FL

America's Best Choice -- Erick Erickson (Diary), RedState: I’m biased, but I think the real winner last night was CNN and I feel confident I’d say that even if they didn’t send me a paycheck. After that disastrous and embarrassing NBC debate, Wolf Blitzer held his own, did not get devoured by Newt Gingrich, and engaged in a lot of substance without a lot of random questions like . . . oh . . . say . . . should states ban birth control.

Let me tell you first who lost the debate because it was in a moment with Wolf Blitzer. There was a moment he asked Newt Gingrich about Romney’s tax returns and Newt tried to say the question was inconsequential. He tied his napkin around his neck, pulled up his fork and knife, and was just about to sink his teeth into Wolf when Wolf pushed again. The crowd heckled Blitzer. Gingrich drooled over the moderator he was about to consume. “Wanna try again,” he asked mischievously. Wolf Blitzer, instead of hopping on Newt’s plate pushed once more, pointing out Gingrich had, just this week, attacked Romney on these things. The crowd reacted a bit and Gingrich suddenly tried to get everyone on stage to call a truce. Romney had none of it, instead calling on Gingrich to, in effect, man up and say to Mitt’s face the things he says elsewhere.

The crowd turned on Newt. They laughed. They jeered. Blitzer, saved from the jowls of moderator eater, went straight in to a tax question based on Romney’s taxes and Newt’s tax plan with Newt still on defense from the prior question. The moderator ate Newt. Live by the debate, die by the debate, and Newt Gingrich died in some clever rhetoric, losing the crowd both in that instance and on Mitt Romney’s stock ownership.

Mitt Romney won the debate. He and Gingrich behaved like petulant children, but Romney got under Newt’s skin in a way Newt did not get under Romney’s skin and Newt came off looking the lesser of the two. Additionally, Mitt Romney finally offered up a bold and clear answer on his wealth with a strong defense of capitalism and self-made men. There was no apology and no defense. It was precisely what he needed to do.

Though he may have won, Rick Santorum had the best night of any candidate and though Romney won on points, Santorum won on style and substance. He offered up the strongest attack yet on Romneycare, pointing out how if Romney is the nominee we cede an important line of attack on Obamacare. He rattled Romney in a way Newt did not. He acted like the adult in the room. He got himself some supporters from Newt Gingrich I’m pretty sure.

Then there was Ron Paul. Many of us quickly dismiss Ron Paul, but his performance was stellar. He offered extremely sound responses on healthcare, education, border security, and more. Very few of the questions were on foreign policy, which is where he tends to go off the reservation. Last night he came off as warm, funny, and right on the mark. It was his best debate performance. Santorum and Paul benefited from Romney and Gingrich’s constant bickering.

But Romney did what he had to do. He stopped any swing back from Gingrich. His performance more likely than not helped him secure Florida unless Gingrich can pour in money and manpower in the next 24 hours.

Tags: CNN, Republican, Primary, debate, Jacksonville, Florida, election 2012, Erick Erikson To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Comedian-in-Chief Obama

2012-01-27T08:36:00.000-06:00

by William Warren:

Tags: SOTU, Barack Obama, comedian, Comedian-in-chief, William Warren, political cartoon To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Newt Vows to Establish a Moon Colony

2012-01-26T22:27:00.001-06:00

Newtville Moon Colony
Pix via Moon Colony News

COCOA, Fla. (AP) - Newt Gingrich is promising to establish a permanent base on the moon by 2020 if he's elected president. Gingrich, the former House speaker, told an overflow crowd gathered on Florida's space coast Wednesday that he wants to develop a robust commercial space industry in line with the airline boom of the 1930s. He also wants to expand exploration of Mars. . . . Read More

Ozark Guru: Anyone remember why and by whom Australia was settled? Maybe Newt's Moon Colony could be a "freedomist prison colony" with a GITMO wing for Muslim terrorists who would then be guarded by members of the other wings. Potentially, the other wings could include for starters a Jesus wing for overzealous pro-life Fundamentalist Christians and Conservative Catholics, a Mormon wing for the descendants of Romney, Beck and their supporters, and a Freedom wing for any Tea Party Patriots and Constitutionalists who are not already in the previous two wings. Am I having a Newt Dream or a nightmare? Better yet, just this once let's forget this Newtism. Hum, just a minute, what about a Mars colony?

Tags: Republican, presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich, Moon Colony, 2012, campaign rhetoric, review, satire, Ozark Guru To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

"Republican Candidates' Circular Firing Squad" - Is Anybody Serious?

2012-01-26T20:00:00.008-06:00

By Dr. Thomas Sowell, GOPUSA: The Republican candidates' circular firing squad now seems to be using machine guns. Whoever the eventual "last man standing" turns out to be, he may not be standing very tall or very steadily on his feet -- and he may be a pushover for Barack Obama in the general election, thanks to fellow Republicans.

Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or an independent, this is a very serious and historically crucial time for the United States of America. What Mitt Romney did or did not do when he was with Bain Capital, or what Newt Gingrich did or did not say to his ex-wife, are things that should be left for the tabloids. . . .

So much of what has been said by various Republican candidates, as well as by the media, has been in the nature of unsubstantiated, peripheral or irrelevant talking points for or against particular candidates, rather than serious statements about serious issues confronting the nation. . . .

"The politics of personal destruction" -- as Bill Clinton called it, and as he himself practiced it -- is not the way to solve the nation's problems. It has already poisoned the well of political discourse this season and claimed Herman Cain as its first victim, on the basis of unsubstantiated accusations by women with checkered pasts of their own. . . .

Poisoning the well of political discourse may be one of the reasons why we see such unsatisfactory sets of candidates for political office in both parties, not only this year but in previous election years as well.

Many able and decent people are understandably reluctant to subject themselves and their families to a mud-slinging contest or to media "gotcha" questions. The creeping acceptance of such practices is hardly a justification, but is itself part of the degeneration of our times.

The time is long overdue to get serious.

-------------
Dr. Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social commentator, and author of dozens of books. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago and degrees from Columbia University and Harvard University. He is a retired professor of Economic and presently is a Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow, The Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

Tags: Thomas Sowell, GOPUSA, GOP, 2012 primaries, Republican candidates, circular firing squad To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Another Stimulus Backed Energy Company Files for Bankruptcy

2012-01-26T16:31:00.037-06:00

After months of financial turmoil, an Energy Department-backed lithium
ion battery company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Lachlan Markay, Scribe Report: The company, Ener1, received a $118 million grant from DOE in 2010 as part of the president’s stimulus package. The money, which went to Ener1 subsidiary EnerDel, aimed to promote renewable energy storage battery technology for electrical grid use.

But despite generous federal support for the company, Ener1 was racked by problems last year. In October, NASDAQ delisted the company due to non-compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission filing requirements. A month later, the company’s president, chief executive, and top financial officer were fired.

On Thursday, Ener1 announced it will initiate a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan as part of an agreement to restructure the company’s debt obligations.

Ener1, Inc. (OTC: HEVV) (the “Company”) today announced that it has reached agreement with its primary investors and lenders on a restructuring plan that will significantly reduce its debt and provide up to $81 million to recapitalize the Company to support its long-term business objectives and strategic plan.
To implement this restructuring plan, the Company has voluntarily initiated a “pre-packaged” Chapter 11 case in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York, in which it is requesting that the Court confirm a pre-packaged Plan of Reorganization to implement the restructuring. The Company filed a proposed Disclosure Statement and Plan of Reorganization with the Court and anticipates completing the restructuring process in approximately 45 days…

The pre-packaged restructuring plan, which has been unanimously accepted by all of Ener1′s impaired creditors, provides for a restructuring of the Company’s long-term debt and the infusion of up to $81 million of equity funding, which will support the continued operation of Ener1′s subsidiaries and help ensure that the restructuring will not adversely impact their employees, customers and suppliers. Of this amount, a new debtor-in-possession (DIP) credit facility of up to $20 million will be available upon Court approval to support working capital needs during the restructuring. The balance, for a total of up to $81 million, will be available over the four years following Court approval of the restructuring plan and subject to the satisfaction of certain terms and conditions.

Ener1 is not the first energy storage technology company to file for Chapter 11 after receiving significant stimulus support. Beacon Power, which manufactures flywheel energy storage technology, received a $43 million loan guarantee from the same stimulus program that funded Solyndra. Despite having used $3 million marked for loan repayment to continue funding its daily operations, Beacon filed for Chapter 11 in November.

UPDATE: Vice President Biden lauded Ener1 as a stimulus success one year ago – to the day. The stimulus was, Biden claimed, “not just creating new jobs, but sparking whole new industries that will ensure our competitiveness for decades to come — industries like electric vehicle manufacturing.”He went on to single out Ener1 specifically.

Tags: Ener1, EnerDel, stimulus, DOE grant, Chapter 11, bankruptcy, Joe Biden, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Typical Voters

2012-01-26T15:42:00.001-06:00

A.F. "Tony" Branco:

Tags: Typical Voters, AF Branco, political cartoon, republicans, democrats, Obama supporters, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Senate Democrats Vote For Another Debt Ceiling Increase

2012-01-26T13:47:00.003-06:00

Today in Washington, D.C. - Jan 26, 2012:
The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and began consideration of the motion to proceed to H.J. Res. 98, the resolution of disapproval of President Obama’s latest debt ceiling increase. Shortly after noon, Senate Democrats voted 44-52 to block the resolution, thereby allowing the debt ceiling increase to stand.

The House is not in session today or tomorrow: Legislation Subject to a rule: HR 1173--CLASS Act repeal is still pending in the House. The below bills were passed this week.

H R 3801 was Unanimously passed yesterday.; This was noteworthy because it was sponsored by now former Rep Gabrielle Giffords. The bill cracks down on the use of lightweight planes to smuggle drugs across the border. Giffords cast the final vote before resigning for medical reasons.

Also passed:
House passed 373-1 the electronic duck stamp.
HR 290 (Voice vote) - War memorials' religious symbols
H.R.1022 (338 - 70) - Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks Study Act
H.R. 3630 (397 - 16) - Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011
H R 2070 (386 - 26) - World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2011
H RES 516 (410 - 1, 1 Present) - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the passage of a fiscal year 2013 Federal budget is of national importance.

Today, Senate Republicans brought to the floor the House-passed resolution to disapprove of (and block) President Obama’s latest request for a debt ceiling increase, yet Senate Democrats voted against the resolution, thus allowing the increase in the debt ceiling to proceed.

Recall in 2006, when Obama was a freshman senator, he said, “Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership.” Just a month after he was inaugurated as president, Obama declared, “The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last … the mountain of debt [our children] stand to inherit.”

And yet today, the national debt stands at $15.24 trillion – that’s $15,240,000,000,000. Two weeks ago, USA Today reported, “The soaring national debt has reached a symbolic tipping point: It’s now as big as the entire U.S. economy. The amount of money the federal government owes to its creditors, combined with IOUs to government retirement and other programs, now tops $15.23 trillion. That’s roughly equal to the value of all goods and services the U.S. economy produces in one year: $15.17 trillion as of September, the latest estimate. . . . Long-term projections suggest the debt will continue to grow faster than the economy, which would have to expand by at least 6% a year to keep pace. President Obama’s 2012 budget shows the debt soaring past $26 trillion a decade from now.”

$4.61 trillion of the current total has been added under the Obama administration. CBS’ Mark Knoller wrote last year that “[i]t’s the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president.”

Expressing his frustration with this state of affairs, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said this morning, “Washington needs to start spending less than it takes in. And our future will always be uncertain and our economy in danger as long as the President fails to lead on this crucial issue. President Obama’s record on this issue is clear. . . . More spending, more debt, fewer jobs: that’s what we’ve gotten from this administration. And now they want to make it worse. Look: we should be working together to lower the debt, not having votes to increase it. But the President must be willing to face this crisis head on. He must be willing to acknowledge how serious this issue is. Most Americans understand that we can’t keep spending money we don’t have on programs we don’t need. Unfortunately, this President doesn’t seem to be one of them. He’s got no plan to get this crisis under control. And he continues to act as if it isn’t a priority.”

He concluded, “Democrats have been in charge of the Senate and the White House for three years. They’ve had the time they need to figure this out. They’ve chosen the path of blame instead. They’ve had their chance. They’ve made it worse. We must do better.”

Tags: Washington, D.C., Us Senate, US House, debt ceiling, democrats, republicans To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Unconstitutional Recess Appointments

2012-01-25T20:18:00.000-06:00

by Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum: Barack Obama's latest unconstitutional action is his attempt to make four so-called recess appointments to high-level, well-paying jobs in the federal bureaucracy when the Senate was NOT in recess. He appointed three people to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), plus Richard Cordray to head the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even though the Senate had declined to confirm his nomination.

Article II gives the President power "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate" to appoint public officials and judges, and also "to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate." That provision was written to cover the long recesses that were common during the horse-and-buggy days, and was certainly not written to enable the President to defy the Senate and appoint persons whom the Senate would not confirm.

Obama's action is clearly an attempt to circumvent the U.S. Constitution because the Senate was not in recess when he made these appointments. According to the Constitution, the Senate could not have been in recess when the appointments were made because Article I of the Constitution states that neither House can "adjourn for more than three days without the consent" of the other House, and the House did not consent to a Senate recess.

It seems reasonable that the Senate should have the authority to say whether or not it is in recess. Apparently, President Obama wants to make that a presidential decision.

Obama claims he can call it a recess because the Senate is merely conducting pro forma sessions (i.e., having brief meetings and not doing anything important). In fact, the Senate did pass a bill on December 23 during one of those brief sessions and the President signed it into law, so it must have been important business.

Even if anyone accepts Obama's farfetched argument, that doesn't put him in compliance with the constitutional requirement that the Senate cannot be in recess unless the House has agreed. And the House absolutely did not agree to a recess.

We have a law on the books that requires the Attorney General to give the President legal advice on request. Funny thing, Obama won't say whether or not he asked the Justice Department for advice about the constitutional issue before making controversial recess appointments.

The head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, Virginia Seitz, issued a statement, dated two days after the appointments were made, that presumes to okay the recess appointments. However, it did not refute the case against the legality of the appointments, and Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) says this memo is "unconvincing."

The four positions that Obama filled with recess appointments are important and powerful jobs that should require Senate confirmation. Obama's actions should be struck down by the courts as unconstitutional when presented with legal challenges, and Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is considering whether the House should pursue its own legal action.

The National Federation of Independent Business, the National Right to Work Foundation and the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace have already filed a lawsuit challenging Obama's so-called recess appointments. These organizations argue that the men illegally appointed by Obama should not be permitted to issue regulations or take other regulatory actions.

When we had Republican Presidents, the Democrats were very solicitous to prevent them from abusing the power to make recess appointments. The late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) filed an amicus brief in 2004 with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals opposing President George W. Bush's appointment of Judge William Pryor Jr. to that court.

Kennedy's brief stated that the 10-day recess the Senate took for Presidents Day was not a recess sufficient to qualify under the Recess Appointments Clause in the Constitution.

Mark Levin summed up the Obama Administration when he told CNSNews, "I believe to a great extent we now live in a post-constitutional country, where much of the Constitution is ignored or evaded." It's no wonder Gallup reports that the majority of Americans believe our country is moving in the wrong direction.
Alert: Tell Congress to Condemn Obama's Unconstitutional Appointments!

Tags: Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum, Unconstitution Recess Appointments, no-recess, Congress, Barack Obama, National Labor Relations Board, (NLRB), Richard Cordray, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The Media Notes Obama's STOU Speech As A Campaign Kickoff

2012-01-25T20:06:00.001-06:00

Toon by A.F. Tony Branco

Mr. Obama Has Shifted Into Full-Bore Campaigning,’ ‘That’s What The Speech Was All About’

‘He Didn't Just Dip Into Campaign Speech; He Was Swimming In It The Whole Night’JOHN HARWOOD, The New York Times: “State of the Union? More Like State of the Campaign. Republicans have good reason to believe that President Obama’s goals in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night were more partisan than presidential. Mr. Obama has shifted into full-bore campaigning.” (“State Of The Union? More Like State Of The Campaign,” The New York Times, 1/24/12)

HARWOOD: “He didn't just dip into campaign speech; he was swimming in it the whole night. Look, that was a campaign speech.” (MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown,” 1/25/12)

JAKE TAPPER, ABC: “A very political State of the Union.” (ABC News, 1/24/12)

CHUCK TODD, NBC: “Obama signals re-elect message with State of the Union.” (NBC News’ “First Read,” 1/25/12)

DAVID GREGORY, NBC: “This was his pitch for re-election.” (NBC’s “Post State Of The Union Coverage,” 1/24/12)

SCOTT PELLEY, CBS: "And so ends the President's third State of the Union address. Might be considered an opening statement for the President's re-election campaign. Election Day just over 40 weeks from tonight." (CBS News, 1/24/12)

NORAH O’DONNELL, CBS: “Look, this was an election year State of the Union.” Ibid

RICK KLEIN, ABC: “Very clearly this was a political blueprint…” (Rick Klein, Twitter Feed, 1/24/12)

MICHAEL SCHERER, TIME: “If the speech has any lasting impact, it will likely be political. … the President laid out the central argument of his re-election campaign…” (“Obama’s State Of The Union: An Optimistic President Talks To A Pessimistic Nation,” Time, 1/25/12)

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: “Mr. Obama's laundry-list of initiatives… was aimed at buttressing a re-election message that posits him as defender of Americans beset by inequality in the tax code and broader economy.” (“Obama Makes Populist Pitch,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/25/12)

WASHINGTON POST: “Adding to the notion that the State of the Union address was, in effect, a campaign speech, Obama departs Wednesday morning on a three-day swing to five competitive states…” (“In State Of The Union Address, Obama Puts Focus On Economic Inequality,” The Washington Post, 1/24/12)

WASHINGTON POST: “In an election-year State of the Union message that will likely serve as the template for the months of campaigning ahead...” (“In State Of The Union, Obama Warns Economic Disparity Threatens Middle Class,” The Washington Post, 1/24/12)

HELENE COOPER, The New York Times: “his speech… served in many ways as a prime-time kickoff of his re-election campaign.” (“Obama Speech Makes Pitch For Economic Fairness,” The New York Times, 1/24/12)

JEANNE CUMMINGS, Bloomberg News: “It's the nature of the beast, it’s the launch of his re-election campaign, and that’s what the speech was all about.” (MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown,” 1/25/12)

WALL STREET JOURNAL: “President Obama delivered a State of the Union address Tuesday night that by the account of his own advisers is more campaign document than a plan for governing.” (“Editorial, The State of His Policies,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/25/12)

RON FOURNIER, National Journal: “In a veiled plea for reelection, President Obama presented his formal response to Republicans accusing him dividing the nation by economic class. His answer, delivered in a politically charged State of the Union address Tuesday night, amounted to this…” (“Obama: I Am Not A Class Warrior,” National Journal’s “2012 Decoded,” 1/24/12)

E.J. DIONNE JR., The Washington Post: “Much will be made, and properly so, of President Obama’s State of the Union address as a campaign message…” (“The Bipartisan Side Of A Campaign Speech,” The Washington Post’s “Post-Partisan” Blog, 1/24/12)

AP: “Obama speech puts him in campaign arena.” (“Analysis: Obama Speech Puts Him In Campaign Arena,” AP, 1/24/12)

THE HILL: “The address has been dubbed as the president’s first major stump speech of the year…” (“Obama Cranks Up Populist Pitch,” The Hill, 1/24/12)

Tags: Barack Obama, STOU, campaign speech, media, political cartoon, AF. Branco To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

A Shrinking Obama

2012-01-25T17:01:00.002-06:00

Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Is that all there is? Watching Obama deliver the State of the Union last night (with precautionary blood pressure medication at my side) I was struck by how diminished the “hope and change” President has become. Long gone is the candidate who told his supporters, “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Nowhere to be seen was the man who said his election would result in the “earth healing” and the “oceans stopping their rise.” Instead we got an hour of low expectations, distorted facts, divisive class warfare all wrapped up in the hope that the public has collective amnesia about what actually happened in the last three years while Obama was in charge.

Fact checking the speech would take all day. But we made a short video catching Obama on a few of his misstatements.

My first shoe hit the T.V. set when Obama asserted that our oil imports have fallen under his watch. Indeed they have, but Obama counts on you not knowing why they dropped. Oil imports always drop when the American economy isn’t growing and Obama’s policies have guaranteed slow to no growth. Fewer people employed means less gasoline used. Imports have also dropped because oil industry engineers have developed new drilling techniques that have increased our domestic oil production. Obama has done everything he can to stop that increase in production, including cutting drilling back on federal land and restricting off-shore drilling. The increased production has come on private land by oil companies that Obama regularly demonizes.

Did you notice his intentional distortions on the taxes paid by millionaires compared to average folks? Here is what Obama said: “Now you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as the secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.”

Yes that would be common sense if it were a factual description of reality. Instead it is an intentional effort to deceive. Obama is counting on Americans confusing tax rate with net taxes. Let’s say you are a worker making approximately $50,000 a year. You would be in the 25% tax bracket and you would pay approximately $8,600 in federal taxes. Now let’s say you are a millionaire and almost all of your income comes from dividends and capital gains. For years the U.S. has taxed that kind of investment income at 15% because we want to encourage the investment that creates jobs. So the $1 million in dividends times 15% would be $150,000 in federal taxes.

Yes the millionaire has a lower rate (15%) than the wage earner (25%), but the millionaire pays $150,000 compared to $8,600 for the worker. This is why, in spite all of Obama’s attempts to claim otherwise, the top 1% in America pay into the federal treasury 38% of all taxes collected. The bottom 50% of all Americans pay less than 3% of all taxes collected.

This is what is so disgusting about what Obama is doing. He wants you to be angry at and despise those who have done well in the hope you won’t notice how his policies are leading us down the road to European socialism and national bankruptcy. The man who campaigned in 2008 saying he would bring us together can only remain in power if he deeply divides us by class. Obama is a Hugo Chavez democrat.

Something else was obvious last night too. It was not only what he said but what he left out. There was no direct mention of Obamacare nor of the 3,000-page stimulus bill, both of which are politically toxic. Both issues should be a central part of the eventual GOP presidential nominee’s campaign. There was very little on job creation, and there were zero proposals to get our horrendous debt under control. This man must not be given a second term.

The GOP Response Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels gave the GOP response. It is a tough job to answer any President’s State of the Union, and Daniels did a reasonably good job, even if his passion seemed in short supply. This sentence jumped out at me: Speaking of the Obama Administration, Daniels said, “The extremism that stifles the development of homegrown energy or cancels a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands, or jacks up consumer utility bills for no improvement in either human health or world temperatures is a pro-poverty policy.”

Eureka! There it is. Obama is a left wing extremist. His policies will promote poverty, not growth. Every conservative in America needs to make that point every day – at work, over the back fence, at church, at school or around the dinner table. The GOP nominee has to drive it home. We can win. We must win!
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Gary Bauer is is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families.

Tags: Barack Obama, SOTU, comments, Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Wrapping Up Obama's Dead Fish Speech

2012-01-25T09:35:00.010-06:00

Bill Smith, Editor: It is morning and Obama "pre-campaign speech" served up as the SOTU speech is over. Well almost! Unfortunately for you the reader, the SOTU speeche will be used as a benchmarks for some time. However, it will be treated like a "dead fish" on the pier. No one likes the smell, everyone notices it, it is examined from a distance, government rules stop us from prodding or kicking it off the pier, and no one wishes to get too close to the stinky thing. Sort of like politics.

After-action comments by others:
Erick Erickson, RedState: There need not be 7000 words, the length of the President’s speech, to break it down for you. . . . Barack Obama’s State of the Union is all about letting you know that government is going to do everything for you and when it can’t keep its promises, it will take from the successful and give to you. . . . The first half of his speech was about centralized power in Washington and the second half was about devolving power to the states and deregulation — trying to be all things to all people. But his actual proposals were one size fits all federal fiat with sops to unionization and swing states. . . . his State of the Union address, was light on the details of his laundry list, but at essence embraced the title of Food Stamp President that Newt Gingrich has given him. He wants a public and business community dependent on Washington. He wants a devalued high school diploma and an over valued college degree priced out of reach of the average person except through government run programs and subsidies. . . .

Mike Brownfield, Morning Bell: President Barack Obama described the state of the Union as he sees it — strong and getting stronger, with future growth fueled by his pursuit of progressive policies and an expansion of government, all architected to bring about his brand of “fairness.” The President essentially redelivered his 2011 State of the Union address — complete with the same empty rhetoric, class warfare cloaked in “fairness,” and proposals for massive tax and spending increases. he speech was notable for the items he did not mention, including many of the failed spending programs and policies he undertook over the past three years, the foreign policy and defense challenges he has exacerbated, and the economic actions he failed to take that would have created jobs and spurred economic growth. . . .

Myron Ebell, Freedom Action: Obama's State of the Union speech provided further evidence that his policies are the biggest obstacle to restoring the United States economy to a path of long-term, robust growth. After three years, the President seems to have learned nothing from his mistakes. In particular, President Obama remains clueless about the disastrous impact of the long list of his policies and new EPA regulations that are raising energy prices and thereby making consumers poorer, scaring away investment, and killing jobs. On top of all of his regulations designed to raise energy prices, he now proposes to impose a "Clean Energy Standard" that will make gasoline and electricity even more expensive.

President Obama claimed in his speech to Congress that he approved fewer new regulations in the first three years of his term than did President George W. Bush in his first three years. While the Bush years were not an era of light-handed regulation, President Obama's statement is spectacularly false. The Obama Administration has finalized more than four times as many major regulations (those with an economic impact of more than $100 million annually) in its first three years as the Bush Administration did during its full eight years. The costs of President Obama's regulatory onslaught on the private sector are colossal.

Silvio Canto, a Texas internet radio show host and blogger: Gov Daniels made more sense in 15 minutes than Pres BO's "shameless 90 minute class warfare" speech. Pres BO delivered his 4th, and hopefully last, State of the Union address. It featured more of the same: Let's tax the rich and blame everybody else. In other words, "shameless class warfare" that divides us between rich and poor, black and white, Hispanic and non-Hispanic, boss and employees, etc. . . . Gov Daniels reminded us that the private sector creates jobs not government. He spoke eloquently about Pres BO's mistakes, such as tying up $787 billion in a stimulus that did not stimulate OR a very unpopular health care program that a majority (52%) wants to repeal. . . .

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference: What I heard from the President tonight was mostly a defense of his failed policies, and after three years of economic turmoil, that is no longer acceptable . . . . Instead of promising ‘more of the same,’ the President should have invited Congress to work with him on free market-solutions to revive our economy and put our fiscal house in order. So far, House Republicans have passed 27 jobs bills which take this ‘back to basics’ approach, but the Senate refuses to consider them and the President ignores them. That is not leadership. Last week, the President’s own Jobs Council released a report validating many Republican ideas on job creation – including tax reform, regulatory relief, and expanding domestic energy production. Those ideas can be the basis for bipartisan discussion and action. But as we saw with the recent Keystone decision and tonight’s speech, the President has decided that while jobs can wait, his campaign cannot.

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR): Facing high unemployment rates, rising gasoline costs and ever increasing regulatory burdens, Arkansans and all Americans, need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s time the President stop finger-pointing and reach-out to work together on common sense solutions to the problems and the challenges facing our country. Time and time again, the President’s rhetoric hasn’t matched his actions. His call for reducing our energy dependence comes on the heels of his rejection for a permit to build a pipeline that would decrease our need to rely on hostile regimes for fuel sources while simultaneously increasing jobs. President Obama spoke of an ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy on energy and noted it was American ingenuity, investment and hard work that built major infrastructure projects like the Hoover Dam and the interstate system. I’d remind the President that we could be building the Keystone Pipeline which would put 20,000 Americans to work and lower gas prices for us all. There is no reason for him to have denied this major infrastructure project from getting off the ground. We certainly need to reform the tax code, close loopholes and ensure that the middle class are not bearing the brunt of the tax burden. However, President Obama’s vision of ‘fairness’ is based on the idea that raising taxes on the American people and our small business owners can solve our economic problems. Washington doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ): After running up the three largest deficits in U.S. history, adding $4.6 trillion to the national debt and presiding over the worst economy since the Great Depression, it’s no wonder President Obama doesn’t want to discuss his record. Because the president cannot run on his record, he has no other choice but to play the blame game. While avoiding the issues and attacking House Republicans might be a convenient reelection strategy, it will do absolutely nothing to help restore the American people’s trust and confidence in their government. . . . Rather than vilify our attempts to cut spending and reform our debt-ridden safety net programs, he should join us as we work to balance the budget and preserve Medicare and Social Security for future generations. Instead of campaigning against us as the ‘do-nothing Congress,’ he should accept our invitations to work together to pass the more than two dozen House-passed jobs bills that have been stuck in the Democrat-controlled Senate for months. Time and again House Republicans have stood up to fulfill our pledge to America only to be attacked by President Obama every step of the way. From cutting spending to balancing the budget to removing barriers to job creation, House Republicans have delivered results for the American people; it’s time for President Obama to do the same.

Rep. Tim Griffin (AR-02): Sadly, President Obama has become a spectator to history when it comes to addressing our out-of-control spending and encouraging job creation. The time for talk has long passed; it’s time for him to lead or follow. I wish the President had offered a bold, real plan for balancing our budget – or pledged to work with us to get our spending under control. When the President talks about getting Americans back to work, it’s hard to take him seriously, one week after he killed thousands of new Keystone pipeline jobs. He needs to get real about job creation, and he can start by approving the pipeline, so hard working Arkansans – not Chinese – can benefit from these new jobs.

Tags: Barack Obama, SOTU, 2012, commentary To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Fact Checking President Obama's State of The Union

2012-01-24T22:10:00.013-06:00

Despite His Rhetoric About An ‘All Of The Above Strategy’ For Energy, President Obama Rejected The Keystone XL PipelinePRESIDENT OBAMA: “This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy… full of new jobs.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/24/12)

Even Democrats Were ‘Very Disappointed’ With Obama’s MoveSEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “President Obama’s decision on the Keystone XL pipeline is a major setback for the American economy, American workers and America's energy independence.” (Sen. Manchin, Statement on Administration’s Decision to Halt Keystone XL Pipeline, 1/18/12)

SEN. JON TESTER (D-MT): “I am disappointed in the president’s decision. ... I will continue to champion Montana’s role in securing America’s energy future…” (“Keystone Decision Hands GOP Ammo,” Roll Call, 1/19/12)

SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-AK): "disappointing and frustrating" “Begich -- Democrat from Alaska -- calls Obama's rejection of Keystone ‘disappointing and frustrating’” (Sen. Begich Statement, Manu Raju Twitter, 1/18/12)

SEN. MARK PRYOR (D-AR): "I strongly disagree with President Obama’s decision to postpone the Keystone pipeline project, which will sustain and create jobs." (Sen. Pryor Statement, Twitter, 1/18/12)

SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT): “There is absolutely no reason we cannot start putting Montanans to work on the Keystone XL pipeline right away…” (“Keystone Decision Hands GOP Ammo,” Roll Call, 1/19/12)

·    “An aide to powerful Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus of Montana said the senator would continue fighting ‘to get this project off the ground.’” (“Moderate Dems Question Keystone Decision,” Politico, 1/18/12)

REP. GENE GREEN (D-TX): “I am very disappointed in the President’s decision today.” (Rep. Gene Green, Press Release, 1/18/12)

REP. JASON ALTMIRE (D-PA): “… a missed opportunity to drastically turn this economy around.” (Rep. Altmire, Press Release, 1/18/12)

EDITORIALS: ‘Keystone should be approved. This is a good project’THE WASHINGTON POST: “…on the substance, there should be no question... clearly, constructing the pipeline would still result in job gains during a sluggish economic recovery.” (Editorial, “Obama’s Keystone Pipeline Rejection Is Hard To Accept,” The Washington Post, 1/19/12)

USA TODAY: “The Obama administration's kick-the-can decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline… leaves a confusing muddle that exemplifies the continuing fecklessness of U.S. energy policy.” (Editorial, “Editorial: Obama's Pipeline Decision Delays Energy Security,” USA Today, 1/19/12)

·    “The biggest loser in this game of political football is the national interest.” (Editorial, “Editorial: Obama's Pipeline Decision Delays Energy Security,” USA Today, 1/19/12)

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: “Keystone should be approved. This is a good project. It will give us energy and give us jobs. You want stimulus? This is a $7 billion deal to be done with private-sector funding.” (Editorial, “Pipeline Politics: Misguided Obama Blocks Keystone Pipeline,” The Chicago Tribune, 1/19/12)

·    “Obama made a decision that will cost the U.S. good jobs. He seems to think those jobs will still be there when he gets around to making a decision on the pipeline. But they may well be gone for good.” (Editorial, “Pipeline Politics: Misguided Obama Blocks Keystone Pipeline,” The Chicago Tribune, 1/19/12)

UNIONS: ‘Completely And Totally Disappointed’ LABORERS’ INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA: “Politics at its worst.” (Laborers’ International Union Of North America, Press Release, 1/18/12)

·    “The score is Job-Killers, two; American workers, zero. We are completely and totally disappointed… Blue collar construction workers across the U.S. will not forget this.” (Laborers’ International Union Of North America, Press Release, 1/18/12)

MARK AYERS, AFL-CIO: “… disappointed by an Administration unwilling to take its own words to heart and approve this vital project.” (Mark Ayers, Press Release, 1/18/12)

·    “With a national unemployment rate in construction at 16% nationally, it is beyond disappointing that President Obama placed a higher priority on politics rather than our nation's number one challenge: jobs.” Ibid

Manufacturers Are Skeptical, Mr. President They Call President Obama’s Rejection Of Keystone ‘Outrageous’ And Say His Tax Hike Proposals Are ‘Poison’THE WHITE HOUSE: “In his State of the Union Address, the president will lay out a blueprint for an economy that's built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing.” (White House, State Of The Union Talking Points, 1/24/12)

Manufacturers: President’s Keystone XL Decision ‘Outrageous’NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS: “It is unacceptable and outrageous that the Obama Administration has made a decision to prevent 118,000 jobs from being created. The Keystone XL pipeline is a shovel-ready project that must be approved. Manufacturers continue to face unprecedented challenges to their competitiveness, and it’s already 20 percent more expensive to manufacture in the U.S. compared to our major trade partners. Keystone XL will provide manufacturers access to an affordable source of energy, which is critically important because manufacturers use one-third of our nation’s energy supply. We strongly urge the Obama Administration to reverse its decision and approve Keystone XL without delay to put Americans back to work.” (NAM, Press Release, 11/10/11)

Manufacturers: ‘President Obama’s Call For Tax Increases… Is A Poison Pill’NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS: “President Obama’s call for tax increases on small businesses, individuals and investors is a poison pill for our economy. The bottom line is that manufacturers need policies that enable them to hire more workers, make capital investments and expand their businesses. More than 70 percent of manufacturers operate as S-corporations and pay income tax at the individual rate, so higher taxes on these job creators would be a devastating blow. The President’s proposal is short-sighted; we should not attempt to solve our nation’s fiscal ills on the backs of businesses striving to expand and add jobs.” (NAM, Press Release, 9/19/11)

Manufacturers: ‘Overregulation Is Harming Job Creation And Stifling Economic Growth’NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS: “Manufacturers have been saying for some time that overregulation is harming job creation and stifling economic growth. This is an opportunity for the President to demonstrate results by eliminating unnecessary regulations already in the pipeline or delaying poorly thought-out proposals that are costing jobs. ... We stand ready to assist in the President’s efforts to address an escalating problem and meaningfully reduce unnecessary burdens on manufacturers in America so they can get back to creating jobs.” (NAM, Press Release, 1/18/11)

Fewer Jobs - Fewer Americans Are Working Today Than When President Obama Took Office

1,663,000 Jobs Lost January, 2009 – December, 2011(U.S. Dept. Of Labor, “Employment, Hour, And Earnings From The Current Employment Statistics Survey (National),” Accessed 11/28/11)

13.1 Million Americans Are Currently Unemployed (BLS Household Survey)

Unemployment Rate: 8.5% Now Vs. 7.8% In January 2009(“The Unemployment Situation – December 2011,” Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 1/6/12)(BLS, Accessed 1/24/12)

Long-Term Unemployment Has More Than Doubled: December 2011: 5.6 Million Vs. January 2009: 2.7 Million. Ibid

Tags: fact checking, Barack Obama, 2012, SOTU, State of the Union To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Decline of the Union Address

2012-01-24T19:45:00.005-06:00

A.F. "Tony" Brano: Reflecting on President Obama's planned 2012 State of the Union Speech.

Tags: Barack Obama, State of the Union, SOTU, Decline of the Union, political cartoon, A.F. Branco To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Six Things Obama Probably Won't Say Tonight

2012-01-24T16:45:00.002-06:00

Six Things President Obama Has Mentioned In Previous State Of The Union Speeches That He Probably Won’t Repeat Tonight

A Reference To This Pledge2009 SPEECH: “Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office.” (President Obama, Remarks To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Because…The FY2011 deficit is $1.299 Trillion, the second highest in U.S. History. (Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11)

Faux Outrage Over Campaign Politics
2010 SPEECH: “…what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/27/10)

2009 SPEECH: “I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger, or yield to the politics of the moment.” (President Obama, Remarks To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Because…“Obama Speech Seeks to Frame Election.” (“Obama Speech Seeks To Frame Election,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/24/12)

·    “…nearly every aspect of daily life in his West Wing is influenced by a campaign mentality…” (“Obama's Big Campaign Speech: SOTU,” Politico, 1/23/12)

Praise For Solyndra2010 SPEECH: “You can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy… in the California business that will put a thousand people to work making solar panels.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/27/10)

Because…“Even with the federal help, Solyndra filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection… and laid off its 1,100 employees.”(“Obama Admin Reworked Solyndra Loan To Favor Donor,” The Associated Press, 9/16/11)

·    “Solyndra was the first company to be awarded a federal loan guarantee under the stimulus, worth $535 million. Taxpayers are likely to end up on the hook for much if not all of that amount, a highly embarrassing development for President Obama because he was among the company's biggest cheerleaders.” (Editorial, “Solyndra And The Stimulus,” The Los Angeles Times, 9/2/11)

Deference To His Fiscal Commission<2010 SPEECH: “…the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will continue to skyrocket. That's why I've called for a bipartisan fiscal commission… This can't be one of those Washington gimmicks that lets us pretend we solved a problem.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/27/10)

Because…President Obama’s “budget all but ignored the recommendations of Mr. Obama's bipartisan debt commission…” (“GOP Denounces Absence Of Entitlements Overhaul,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/15/11)

Promises To Close Guantanamo2009 SPEECH: “That is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay…” (President Obama, Remarks To Joint Session Of Congress, 2/24/09)

Because…“…strong bipartisan opposition in Congress.” (“Official: Closing Gitmo Prison Can Be Done By Jan.,” The Associated Press, 8/9/09)

This Is Our Sputnik Moment2011 SPEECH:“This is our generation’s Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race.” (President Obama, State Of The Union Address, 1/25/11)

Because…“Obama Bids Farewell to Space Shuttle as Florida to Lose Thousands of Jobs” (“Obama Bids Farewell To Space Shuttle As Florida To Lose Thousands Of Jobs,” Bloomberg, 4/29/11)

·    “Is Obama grounding JFK’s space legacy? …the voyage is over. John F. Kennedy would have been sorely disappointed.” (Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, And Gene Cernan , “Is Obama Grounding JFK's Space Legacy?,” USA Today, 5/24/2011)

Tags: Barack Obama, State of the Union, 2012, speech, Washington, D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The State of the "Middle Class" Under President Obama

2012-01-24T15:09:00.004-06:00

American Crossroads: View the following video to see the "real" state of the middle class under Obama's failed leadership:
2.6 million went into poverty
46.2 million total in poverty
13.1 million unemployed
46.2 million on food stamps
nearly 36 month of unemployment above 8%
1.1 fewer private sector jobs
than when Obama took office
Lower Middle Income down since 2009
1.5 Million personal bankruptcies
1 out of 4 mortgages underwater
Cost of medical care up 9.47%
Higher Federal salaries
The Middle Class Got Poorer under Barack Obama

President Obama has given countless speeches waxing eloquently on the middle class. But
his administration has produced a new form of class warfare: a nonstop barrage of economic
policies that enriched unions, empowered bureaucrats and invested billions in the business
schemes of Obama’s financial backers, but made America’s middle class smaller, poorer and
less stable than it was before Obama took office. For every time that Obama says “middle
class” on Tuesday night, we should recall the extreme distance between his beautiful rhetoric and the grubby reality of his record.

Tags: Barack Obama, Failed leadership, the facts, middle class, 2012, State of the Union, Democrats, Unemployment, Debt, Spending, Government To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Expectations For Obama's SOTU - "2012 Win The Next Campaign"

2012-01-24T11:46:00.003-06:00

Cloture Club Promotes "Lite" View to SOTU:
2012 State of the Union Drinking Game

Today in Washington, D.C. - Jan 24, 2012:
Yesterday, the Senate voted 74-16 to confirm John M. Gerrard to be United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska.

At 8:20, senators will gather in the chamber and then proceed to the House for a Joint Session of Congress. At 9 PM, President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union address the Joint Session of Congress.

Tim Phillips, President of Americans for Prosperity has shared his expectations of Obama remarks: "We know we can expect much of the usual rhetoric: lofty promises about creating jobs, governing with responsibility, and making everything fair. But the problem is, Obama's policies don't match his rhetoric. His policies have burdened small businesses with more regulations and government red tape. He has ignored his responsibilities as a leader - allowing the Senate to go 1,000 days without even passing a budget. And when the President talks of fairness, he really means government redistributing wealth, which goes directly against everything this country was founded on."

Representative Tim Griffin (R-AR-02) expressed his low expectations of the president being able to motive his own party in the US Senate, "For the past 1,000 days, Senate Democrats have failed to pass a budget, one of the most basic responsibilities of governing. They refuse to recognize what most Arkansas families know: Developing a budget forces you to make tough decisions and prioritize where you put your money. Last year, the House passed a budget, demonstrating that we’re serious about addressing our national debt and creating a pro-growth tax code. Show you’re serious: pass a budget."

Previewing what he expects from President Obama’s State of the Union address tonight, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell spoke on the floor this morning, saying, “[I]t’s hard not to feel a sense of disappointment even before tonight’s speech is delivered. Because while we don’t yet know all of the specifics, we do know the goal. Based on what the President’s aides have been telling reporters, the goal isn’t to conquer the nation’s problems. It’s to conquer Republicans. The goal isn’t to prevent gridlock, but to guarantee it.”

Leader McConnell elaborated, “Here’s how The New York Times summed up the President’s election-year strategy in a recent article entitled ‘Obama to Turn Up Attacks on Congress in Campaign.’ Quote: ‘In terms of the president’s relationship with Congress in 2012 … the president is no longer tied to Washington, D.C.’ . . . And here’s how a White House aide described the President’s election-year strategy just a couple of weeks ago, presumably just as tonight’s speech was being drafted. Referring to past displays of bipartisanship, he said, ‘[Then] we were in a position of legislative compromise by necessity. That phase is behind us…’ So, as I see it, the message from the White House is that the President’s basically given up. He got nearly everything he wanted from Congress for the first two years of his presidency. The results are in. It’s not good. So he’s decided to spend the rest of the year trying to convince folks that the results of the economic policies he put in place are Congress’s fault, not his.”

Indeed, there have been plenty of hints that tonight’s speech will be more about setting up contrasts for the president’s campaign than for looking for policies the parties can work together on. Just yesterday Politicodescribed President Obama’s State of the Union address: “The most important 2012 campaign event so far . . . will take place Tuesday night under the guise of a governing ritual. . . . Obama will appear on Capitol Hill as a president who is virtually wiping out the space, never wide to begin with, between politicking and governing in the West Wing as Election Day nears.” The story emphasized that “nearly every aspect of daily life in his West Wing is influenced by a campaign mentality.”

That President Obama is putting the rhetoric in high gear, emphasizing contrasts over any desire to get things done, is highlighted by an announcement from the White House today. According to Politico, “Billionaire Warren Buffett's longtime secretary will be joining first lady Michelle Obama in her box at tonight's State of the Union, White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer announced on Twitter. Debbie Bosanek, who has worked for Buffett for nearly two decades, has become a symbol in the White House's fight over the tax code and economic fairness. . . . ‘Warren Buffett's secretary shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than Warren Buffett,’ President Obama said in September, when he unveiled his American Jobs Act proposal. It's a trope that Buffett himself has repeated, as he has campaigned for higher taxes on investment income.”

Leader McConnell pointed to another piece of evidence of the White House’s campaign mentality in his remarks today. “Last week, the President had an opportunity to do something on his own about the ongoing jobs crisis. The only thing that stood in the way of the single-biggest shovel-ready infrastructure project in America was him. The Keystone pipeline was just the kind of project he’s been calling for in speeches for months. And he said no. That one could wait. Here was a project that he knew would create thousands of jobs instantly. He said no. A project that wouldn’t have cost the taxpayers a dime. He said no. . . . It all came down to one question: was the Keystone Pipeline in the national interest or not. He said no. As one columnist put it, his own standard wasn’t the national interest. It was his political interest. Americans want jobs. And this President is studying an election that took place 60 years ago to see how he can save his own. He sided with his liberal environmental base over the energy and security interests of the American people.”

As Leader McConnell summed it up, “[T]hat’s exactly what we’re now being told we can expect for the rest of the year. In last year’s state of the union, the President talked about how we need to ‘win the future.’ This year, he just wants to win the next campaign.”

For those wishing to twitter or to follow the twitter discussion using #ObamaForgets.

Tags: Washington, D.C., Barack Obama, SOTU, State of the Union Speech, Senate, no budget, 1000 days, confirmation, John M. Gerrard To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

In My View: Destroying a "Keystone" to Our Economy

2012-01-24T08:57:00.007-06:00

The below letter to the editor is by Robert "Bob" McDowell, Jr. He is a Professional Engineer and Geologist with over 50 years experience in creating drilling prospects, supervising drilling, well completion, production operation, and pipeline design for oil and gas including repair of problem wells. McDowell is a conservative and active in the Oklahoma Republican Assembly.

By Bob McDowell: Even those of us with only a modest understanding of how the business world operates, we are aware that to have a growing and healthy economy, it is critical to have available an abundant supply of moderate to low priced energy. Since the beginning of the machine age, commerce relied on water power, then coal, electricity, oil, and natural gas and economical and on a rapid means of getting this energy to its users. In the beginning, with the use of water power to turn the wheels of manufacturing, it was necessary to build the plants at the source, namely dams with water wheels.

Skipping ahead to my generation, during WWII, the Roosevelt administration instituted 'gas rationing' which severely limited the amount of driving that could be done by Americans. The story was that there was a shortage of gasoline and it was needed for the "war effort." In actuality, and this is first hand observation and information, there was an over-supply of gasoline in the center of the nation where the oil production was located. In fact, my Dad who was an oil company marketing director often stated that "the tanks at the refinery were running over," perhaps a slight exaggeration.

The actual reason for the rationing was that German U-Boats were sinking the tankers taking the material from the Gulf Coast to the East Coast where there was indeed a shortage. Because Mr. Roosevelt was from the New England (former New York Governor), he could not be tolerated for us in the center of the U.S. to have enough and for those elesewhere to be be suffering. In fairness, another excuse was to lower the wear on tires and the demand for for new tires. All our rubber came from tropical lands, many of which had been seized by the Japanese in the South Pacific.

Despite the need for steel in the war effort, a massive and emergency construction project was undertaken to construct a "big inch" pipeline from Oklahoma to the East Coast for both crude oil and products. Of course, such a project cannot be built in a few days. This project was 'ground breaking' since major pipelines had not been previously built across the major Eastern rivers such as the Mississippi and Ohio. The pipeline was built! And, it provided a shorter journey for the ouil products to be water shipped to the East coast and on to the European war zone. The route by sea around Florida from the Gulf of Mexico was no longer needed. It was said that "the war was won on a sea of US oil" and almost all of the oil was produced within our own borders.

Now, due to restrictions instituted by the Government, we import a large percentage of our crude oil, but not the finished products of gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, lubricants, etc. In fact, last year's official reports state that oil products were the largest amount, in dollars, of exports from our borders. This seems situation seems out of kilter. However, our Government through agencies like the EPA has placed huge amounts of land and sea off limits for oil and gas exploration and production. Unfortunately, the majority of the oil imported arrives in tanker ships, with the expense, delay, and possible disruption of supply at sea.

Actually, not a whole lot of this oil originates in the Middle East, but comes from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela (whose government hates us), and other Western Hemisphere nations. And now to the current situation, A Canadian company has plans that would build a major pipeline, aka, the Keystone XL Pipeline, from Canada across the US to Cushing OK and on then onto the Gulf Coast refineries which are equipped to refine the heavy 'tar sands' oil from Alberta. The Obama administration has not approved the route and the Canadian company has announced that it is considering plans to send their oil to British Columbia for shipment, by tanker to China.

These detrimental actions to continually delay or to even prevent the Keystone pipeline leads to the reasonable conclusion that it is the agenda of the present administration is to bring the U.S. economy to its knees and to turn our country into a third world nation. If this happens, we will no longer be free citizens but will be the slaves to this present and future elite dictatorial administrations.

Editorial Note: For more information on the Keystone XL pipeline, consider the following articles:

Tags: Bob McDowell, Oklahoma, letter to editor, history, oil, WWII pipeline, opinion, keystone, Keystone XL, pipeline, Obama administration To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Another Vacation

2012-01-23T22:27:00.022-06:00

by AF "Tony" Branco:

Tags: Barack Obama, Mickey Mouse, another vacation, Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Washington, D.C., vacation, big ears, don't know nothing, government , satire, political cartoon, AF Branco To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Fred Thompson Endorses Newt Gingrich

2012-01-23T22:00:00.015-06:00

Pix Via ARRA News Service Archives

Bill Smith, Editor: Tonight on the Sean Hannity show, former TV series "Law and Order" star and former Senator Fred Thompson endorsed Newt Gingrich for president. He said that Newt had the policies and experience to tackle the "colossal mess," And,"He's not afraid, he's tough,"

It is not know if Thompson's endorsement will have much an impact. Many conservatives rallied to Fred Thompson in 2007 when he announced his candidacy and the Arkansas Republican Assembly even endorsed him. Unfortunately, an unorganized low budget campaign was short lived. After dropping out as a candidate for the 2008 Republican nomination, Thompson endorsed ~~former Gov. Mike Huckabee~~ Senator John McCain who then ~~dropped out within a few months~~ lost to Barack Obama.

Since 2007, Thompson's star has faded and he is now best known for promoting TV Cable ads for government backed reverse home mortgages. It is unknown if his endorsement will have much leverage. [Above corrections: 1/24/2011]

Tags: Fred Thompson, endorsement, Newt Gingrich, 2012 election To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Stop Internet Censorship

2012-01-23T15:49:00.000-06:00

Ron Paul

Rep. Ron Paul: Although Congress was back in session for scarcely more than a day last week, private citizens across the country managed to cause an uproar felt across Capitol Hill. The uproar took the form of hundreds of thousands of phone calls to both Senators and Representatives, urging them to oppose two draconian new bills that threaten the free and unbridled flow of information on the internet.

On Wednesday last week, dozens of prominent websites like Wikipedia, Reddit, and Craigslist, were blacked out in protest of two bills known in DC jargon as SOPA and PIPA. SOPA is the House bill; PIPA is its Senate companion. These bills ostensibly will combat internet piracy, and of course we also are told they will help us wage the never ending "war on terror."

What these bills actually do is force website owners to police the internet; create entry barriers to the only relatively free and open medium of communication; and threaten to break the technological structure of the internet itself. They also violate our 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech and our 4th Amendment freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.

SOPA and PIPA have been drafted not only without respect for the Constitution, but also without an understanding of the how the internet works. These bills attack the very system upon which the entire orderly organization of the web depends. Search engines, internet service providers, advertising sites, and sites with user-generated content such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter--all magnificent creations of the market-- are directly threatened by these bills. They will be held responsible if even a single of their millions of users posts even one link to a website that a copyright holder claims is violating a copyright.

Note that under the bills as written, the Department of Justice or a copyright holder do not have to prove that their copyright was violated-- they simply have to claim copyright infringement and an entire site is shut down. The burden of these regulations on the internet will be enormous, shifting resources away from productivity and innovation and into monitoring and censoring. It turns internet companies into involuntary tools for Big Brother government, further eroding our Constitutional rights.

As is typical of so many bills in Congress, SOPA and PIPA were not crafted to make life better for the American people, but rather were written at the behest of big business trying to enlist the federal government as its strong-arm. For example, the Motion Picture Association of America spent more than $1.2 million so far lobbying for their passage.

But the internet community is fighting back effectively, not just with websites that went black but with millions of users who expressed their solidarity. Congressional sponsors of both bills have been jumping ship in response to the outrage. The House Judiciary Committee canceled the SOPA hearing they were planning to hold last Wednesday; the House leadership announced they have no intention of considering this bill; and at the end of the week Senator Reid announced he was postponing the vote until a "compromise" could be reached. The American people are speaking, and with their continued grassroots efforts the marketplace for free ideas and communication will prevail over government controls and censorship.
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Ron Paul is a US Representative (R-TX-14-Dist) and candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination.

Tags: Ron Paul, US, Representative, Texas, Internet Censorship, stop censorship, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Americans Rally For Life While Obama's Plans Campaign Speech Hiding Actions Which Destroy Life

2012-01-23T12:47:00.013-06:00

Today in Washington, D.C. - Jan 23, 2012, tens of thousands descended on Washington, D.C for the 39th March for Rally. However, the buzz related to the rally did not happen in Washington, D.C. but in Tennessee where one its scheduled Pro-Life speakers Senator Rand Paul (R-TN) was “detained” by TSA in Nashville. Paul was returning to Congress which is in session. TSA officials say they did they did not detain Senator Paul but did denied him access. Paul was able to book and to get on a later flight. TSA personnel either targeted the Senator or were ignorant of the U.S. Constitution - Article I, Section 6 states: "Senators and Representatives . . . shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place."

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) spoke at the 39th March for Life. He said, ... "I come before you as Speaker of the whole House of Representatives and leader of the bipartisan pro-life majority in Congress. With your help, this bipartisan majority is standing up for life and working to restore the damage of Roe v. Wade. We are heeding the voice of the people, who overwhelmingly oppose taxpayer funding of abortion. The House has passed bipartisan legislation to codify the Hyde Amendment across all federal programs. And we’ll continue to press the Senate for a vote.

"It’s an honor to serve with men and women committed to protecting the sanctity of life. We may disagree in other areas, sometimes starkly, but we are one and the same on this. Because human life is not a political or economic commodity. And defending life is not a matter of party … it’s about standing on principle. . . . I’ve never considered ‘pro-life’ to be a label or a position. It’s just who I am. It’s who I am, and it’s who we are as a people. If you’re like me, when you climb the steps on the other side of the Tidal Basin, you’re awed by Jefferson’s immortal words: ‘God who gave us life gave us liberty.’

“These two founding principles, life and liberty, are intertwined. Together, they form the core of our national character. They comprise the standard by which the world looks to us. When we affirm the dignity of life, we affirm our commitment to freedom. When we don’t affirm life … when life is cheapened or weakened, here or abroad, freedom itself is diminished.

“Here on this Mall, many solemn vows have been made in the long fight for freedom. America is an idea, and our duty is to preserve its blessings, the first and dearest of which is life. . . . "

In side the Capitol, both the House and Senate were meeting. Today, the Senate will take up the nomination of and also vote on John M. Gerrard to be United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska.

Republican Senators would like the Democrats leadership to take up a budget. As identified in another post, it will soon be 1000 Days without a passed Congressional Budget. The Dems love to hide behind massive Continuing Resolutions (CRs).

Tomorrow evening, President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union address to Congress. In reality, it is expected to be a campaign speech. Others agree. Politico writes today that it’s likely to be much more of a campaign speech than a serious attempt to move the country forward.

Politico writes, “The most important 2012 campaign event so far — and almost certainly the most important until the parties’ national conventions this summer — will take place Tuesday night under the guise of a governing ritual. . . . Obama will appear on Capitol Hill as a president who is virtually wiping out the space, never wide to begin with, between politicking and governing in the West Wing as Election Day nears.

“If there are deals to be cut, by this logic, they will come only if Obama wins a second term and greets a chastened opposition in 2013. In the meantime, nearly every aspect of daily life in his West Wing is influenced by a campaign mentality — never mind press secretary Jay Carney’s regular scolding of White House reporters to stop viewing everything the president does ‘through the prism of politics.’”

Further, Politico points out, “The president gave the first detailed look at Tuesday’s address in a video message Saturday dispatched through his campaign, not the White House, which is usually the origin for previews. Immediately after the speech, he will barnstorm five states that figure prominently in the campaign’s playbook for reaching 270 electoral votes: Iowa, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Michigan.”

With the president’s focus apparently on campaigning, it seems unlikely he’ll address the fact that tomorrow will mark 1,000 days since his fellow Democrats in the Senate have produced a budget. Noting this unfortunate milestone, ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee Jeff Sessions and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan write today, “Tomorrow will mark a sad milestone in the history of the United States Senate: the 1,000th day since Senate Democrats last offered a budget plan to the American people. Senate Democrats abandoned their official duty to prioritize Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars and tackle our nation’s most pressing economic challenges — dealing a painful blow to fiscal progress that may be felt for some time. . . . The president and his party’s leaders have yet to detail a credible budget plan to prevent the fiscal crisis that awaits us should we continue down the current path to debt, doubt, and decline. Such a crisis would threaten the economic security, health security, and retirement security of every American. If the president wishes to begin a genuine dialogue with the American people in tomorrow’s State of the Union address, then he must hold his own party accountable for its dogged refusal to produce a plan to prevent this crisis and lift this cloud of uncertainty from the economy. The president must also deliver what he has so far refused: serious reforms to change our debt course and prevent fiscal disaster.”

So will President Obama make tomorrow’s speech mostly a campaign event like politico suggests, or will he attempt to tackle some serious problems like the lack of “a credible budget plan,” as Sen. Sessions and Chairman Ryan point out?

Tags: Washington, DC. Pro-life rally, Rand Paul, John Boehner, state of the union, Barack Obama, Senate confirmation, judge, John M. Gerrard To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

COMING SOON: 1000 Days Without a Budget

2012-01-23T11:49:00.000-06:00

John Boehner: Read more and watch the State of the Union and the the GOP Address to the Nation on http://GOP.gov/SOTU. Democrats have blocked having a budget! Now the primary blockage in the Budget process are in the Senate led by Sneate majority Leader Harry Reid.

Tags: no budget, budget, blocked budget, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Slow Job Growth Means a Slow Economic Recovery

2012-01-22T16:27:00.000-06:00

by Rob Bluey, Heritage Foundation: President Obama will deliver his third State of the Union address on Tuesday night. According to a preview video released this weekend, the speech will outline Obama’s vision for improving the economy and creating jobs.

With an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent, there’s much work to be done. But after three years of Obama’s failed policies, it’s unclear if anything Obama says Tuesday night will differ from the Keynesian ideas he’s already proposed.

This week’s chart comes from Heritage’s analysis of the December unemployment report. The economy added 200,000 jobs last month. But even at that rate, it would take nearly five more years for the unemployment to return to around 5 percent.

Tags: Chart of the Week, employment, jobs, Keynes, Keynesian, President Obama, state of the union, State of the Union Address, unemployment rate, Rob Bluey, Heritage Foundation To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Gingrich Wins South Carolina Primary - Fox News Loses

2012-01-21T21:25:00.385-06:00

Bill Smith, Editor: With 100% of the precincts reported in the South Carolina primary, New Gingrich has won with 41% of the votes. The remaining totals: Romney 27%, Santorum 17%, Ron Paul 13%, and Herman Cain 1%. Gingrich responded to his victory by stating, "We proved here in South Carolina, people power, with the right ideas, beats money." He then addressed his actions to restore America after defeating Barack Obama.

Possibly the best summary of the results was offered by Rick Santorum, "Three states, three winners. What a great country." Santorum then went on to discuss his plans to restore America after defeating Barack Obama. Which permits us to consider that these first three primaries were not the normal type primaries that voters will be voting in in their states. Previous discussions have already addressed Iowa and New Hampshire. As for South Carolina, this GOP primary and the Democrat primary are not scheduled at the same time. The Democrat primary will be on Jan. 26th. Both are "open primaries." The voters in South Carolina don't register by party, and this Republican primary was open to all registered voter in South Carolina. This means everyone including democrats, socialists, independents, green party types, etc. were able to vote in this primary.

Obviously this factor skewed the results as to who voted for whom and why. Yes, Newt Gingrich does have a resurrected campaign. But who gave it to him? Was it the votes that would be willing to stand with him in November, or those who would be voting for the incumbent in November?

As for the other candidates, Mitt Romney congratulated Gingrich but then went on to detail his planned efforts to restore America after defeating Barack Obama. Romney is in no way cast down from being the most formidable top contender. His campaign has already committed the resources to future primaries in other states with the intent to compete through the May's Super Tuesday elections. Also, Romney and Paul will be the only tow top tier candidates on the Virginia Republican primary ballot.

Ron Paul expressed his commitment to continuing his campign based on principle and his message even if he loses every primary. With proportional delegates, Paul understands that he can still be a factor at the Republican National Convention. Paul in remarks to his supporters identified his intent to restore America after defeating Barack Obama.

Obviously, the four Republicans are still "all in" and the eventual winner "will seek the defeat of Barack Obama and to reform America." The issue still remaining is who will the Republicans, as a whole, choose to be their champion to restore America.

Pix Via Reference Story
by Rainier Ehrhard

It was also noted that former U.S. Rick Santorum received the distinct honor of being identified as the conservative candidate most feared by the Occupy leftist supporters of President Obama. MSNBC reported this evening that "Members of Occupy Charleston "glitter-bombed" Rick Santorum at the tail end of his speech here at the Citadel"

As noted previously, a crucial issue in an open primary is "crossover" voting, which can contribute to the victory of a nominee closer to the center or radically further away. It most often involves members of Party Y (especially when Party Y's nominee is a foregone conclusion) voting for the Party X candidate whose views are the most reconcilable with their own or for the candidate that they believe is most vulnerable to problems and issues which will make them easier to defeat.

Regardless, the South Carolina open Republican primary is over. However, the broader efforts of the National Republican process is far from over. It appears that Republicans in different states do not like other states telling them whom to choose and are willing to send a message that the race is far from over as in prior years.

In conclusions, one of the biggest disappointments of the evening was the arrogance of Fox News Network pundits declaring the projected winner immediately upon the closing of the polls. They did this before the last voter cast their vote within the polling places and long before the votes were counted and reported. This action by the Fox News Network evidences an arrogant attitude and a disrespect for the voters in South Carolina and for the Fox New's audience in general. Fox News failed to act with proper decorum and also relied on statistical exit polling to make an absolute declaration of victory. Maybe they would now like to declare the winner of the national elections.

Elections and the reporting of the voting results is not some type of American game show. Especially those where declarations of winners are made before actual winners are determined by their actions verses the "reporters." Also, Fox News seemed to take great effort to trot out liberals and Democrat operatives to give their opinions about the Republican primary and to offer their opinions as to the conclusions that the public should draw from the results. Fox News is giving license to biased reporting which demeans its credibility.

Based on observation, not statistical guessing of election results, the trotting out of current or past Democrat operatives definitely creates apoplexy for conservatives listening to these Obama pundits spinning the results of Republican primary. Most disappointingly, barring Guvuto, Hannity, The O'Reilly Factor and Fox News Sunday, the remainder of Fox News Network is well on the way to becoming America's greatest source of tabloid journalism.

Tags: South Carolina, Republican Primary, Newt Gingrich wins, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, glitter bombed, Occupy group, Ron Paul, Fox News, Fox News Network, tabloid journalism To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!