Fwd: Morning Bell: The Buck Stops Nowhere

05/24/2010 The Buck Stops Nowhere According to best estimates, the collapsed Deepwater Horizon oil rig is pumping about 210,000 gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico every day. But don't worry, President Barack Obama has appointed an "independent" commission to investigate the spill. Our federal government will post an estimated $1.5 trillion budget deficit this year, and our debt is projected to equal 140 percent of gross domestic product within two decades. But don't worry, President Obama has appointed a debt commission to solve the problem. Our nation's southern border has degenerated into a violent, lawless and lethal zone. But don't worry, Congress wants to empower a new commission to control the problem. And millions of Americans don't know whether or not their health plan will be exempted from Obamacare. But don't worry, faceless bureaucrats at the Department of Health and Human Services are already hard at work determining whether or not you will be allowed to keep your current health insurance. Is this any way to run a country? Should the President of the United States be passing off responsibility to "independent" commissions? Should Congress be passing off responsibility for securing our nation's borders to an unaccountable commission of experts? How is any of this consistent with our nation's First Principles or the United States Constitution? It's not. The authors of our Constitution never meant to create a federal government with the power to force you to buy health insurance, let alone one where it would be unelected bureaucrats who determine what type of health insurance you could buy.

Fwd: ?Obama White House Is Admitting That Their Health Care Plan Will Ration Health Care,? GOP Senator Says

Today's Headlines Monday, May 24, 2010

'Obama White House Is Admitting That Their Health Care Plan Will Ration Health Care,' GOP Senator Says (CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama's nominee to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is a strong supporter of the government-run health care system in Britain. In a 2009 interview about Comparative Effectiveness Research, Donald Berwick said, "The decision is not whether or not we will ration care – the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open." In choosing Berwick, the Obama administration is implicitly admitting that the health care law passed by the Democrats in March will lead to the rationing of health care, said Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.). Islamic Nations Praise Obama's Outreach and U.S. Plans to Close 'Islamophobia Prison' at Guantanamo (CNSNews.com) – President Obama's Cairo speech to Muslims, his plan to shut down the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and the dropping of language deemed offensive to Muslims are among the positive developments highlighted in the Organization of the Islamic Conference's new report on "Islamophobia." Areas requiring more work include winning the Obama administration over to the OIC-held position on the need for legal recourse to counter "religious defamation." Awlaki Not Among FBI's 'Most Wanted' Terrorists; No Reward Offered for His Capture (CNSNews.com) – Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born Islamic cleric who in a new video clip urges Muslims to kill American civilians, does not appear on the FBI's list of wanted terrorists and the government has yet to place a reward on his head. Likewise, no references to Awlaki could be found Monday on the Web site of the U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a. Brennan: U.S. Should Foster 'Moderate Elements' of the Terrorist Group Hezbollah (CNSNews.com) – President Obama's counterterrorism adviser John Brennan called Hezbollah a "very interesting organization" in remarks last week at a Washington think tank, and he said the United States needs to "build up the more moderate elements" of Hezbollah, which the State Department has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. DEA: No Comment on Drug Cartel Obtaining Intelligence Reports That DEA Provided to High-Level Mexican Authorities (CNSNews.com) - The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency declined to comment on reports that a drug cartel from the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa had access to documents detailing Mexico's counter-narcotics operations, including information that the DEA had provided to high-level officials in Mexico's Public Safety Department. Senate Passed Financial Bill Contains Debit Card Price Controls (CNSNews.com) – The recently passed financial regulatory bill contains a little-noticed provision allowing the government to set price controls on the fees banks charge retailers who accept debit cards. FCC Says It Has 'No Record' of Any Communication to or from Its Chairman Mentioning Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, Beck, Ingraham or Savage (CNSNews.com) – The Federal Communications Commission says it has "no records" of any communication either "to or from" its chairman that mentions Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham or Michael Savage. The FCC made the declaration in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by CNSNews.com that sought all its records reflecting communications from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski mentioning the popular radio hosts. Senate Democrats Pass Bill Allowing Gov't to Collect Addresses, ATM Records of Bank Customers (CNSNews.com) – Senate Democrats united to pass a financial regulatory bill that allows the government to collect data on any person operating in financial markets at any level. The bill would create the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and empower it to gather the names and addresses of account holders, ATM and other transaction records, and the amount of money kept in each customer's account. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said that Democrats who claim this new bureaucracy will protect consumers are misleading the public. Rep. Kennedy Says Mexican President 'Right On' in Criticizing Arizona Immigration Law Washington (CNSNews.com) - Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNSNews.com that Mexican President Felipe Calderon was wrong to criticize Arizona's anti-illegal immigration law, adding that Calderon had also "mischaracterized the law." Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), however, said that Calderon was "right on" in criticizing the new law. Obama's Comment That Nations Are Defined by Bonds, Not Borders, Called 'Wishful Thinking (CNSNews.com) – It is wishful thinking on the part of the president to imply that borders are no longer important, one policy analyst told CNSNews.com. CNSNEWS.COM VIDEO Sen. Rockefeller Tells Neil Armstrong: America's Drive to Explore is Not All 'Glorious' (CNSNews.com) - Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-W.V.) says he is "a substantial skeptic of human spaceflight" and that not all outlets for American exploration are "glorious." Rocker Dave Matthews on Energy Policy: 'Algae is the Future' (CNSNews.com) - Grammy Award-winning rock musician Dave Matthews said Thursday that he is confident his carbon footprint is "bigger than most people's" and suggested that people who do not need to travel as much as he does with his band "can take a bike" to help save the planet. OTHER CNSNEWS.COM HEADLINES Obama Seeks New Power to Eliminate Earmarks, Other Spending White House Mum on Whether Sestak Offered a Job Ahmadinejad's Speech Marred by Shouts From Crowd Hawaii's New U.S. Congressman, a Republican, Hopes for Quick Swearing-In Health Care, Financial Overhauls May Not Help Democrats at Polls, AP Reports New Financial Rules May Not Prevent Next Crisis, AP Reports Andrew Cuomo Announces He's Running for Governor of New York Obama Tells West Point Grads, Diplomacy and Military Must Work Together PETA Buying Stock to Gain Influence in Boardrooms Supreme Court Says Black Firefighter Lawsuit Can Proceed State of Emergency in Jamaica, As Drug Lord's Supporters Fight His Possible Extradition to U.S. Obama Backs South Korea's Response to Sinking of Warship BP Says It's Doing All It Can, As Interior Secretary Questions BP's Competence Clinton: Koreas Security Situation 'Precarious' Move Afoot in Congress to Ban Drop-Side Cribs White House Spokesman Says U.S. Is Hunting for Awlaki Donate Today! Please help CNSNews.com keep bringing you 'The Right News - Right Now!' Make a contribution to CNSNews.com today. It's fast, simple and secure. Help CNSNews.com and Donate Today!  NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP: Congressional Dems seek $23 billion in 'emergency' funding for public schools Arizona seeks to reassign heavily accented teachers Democrat lawmaker urges White House to release details on Sestak job offer Industrialized Midwest farmers said to be altering the region's climate Bipartisan Senate bill aims to take 'retarded' out of federal lexicon Healthccare law's tax credits encourage small businesses to stay small, not hire Mass. health insurers may slash rates to hospitals Health reform bill mandates firms create a space for moms who breastfeed Cuts to child care subsidy thwart more job seekers Palin highlights oil industry's financial contributions to Obama campaign Pro-life group fights disclosure law; Suit cites violation of free-speech rights Airlines add $10-$30 fees for peak travel days in summer COMMENTARY It's an Obama-Nation By Rich Galen According to Obama's most fervent defenders, his administration's reaction to the BP oil spill in the Gulf is an abomination. And if Barack Obama has lost James Carville, Chris Matthews, and Donna Brazile, then his presidency may be lost. Energy Policy? What Energy Policy? By Alan Caruba When the government controls the provision of energy, it controls the lives of all citizens and the growth or failure of the nation's economy. The administration is bent on reducing access to national energy resources, coal, oil and natural gas, combined with a bizarre emphasis on "alternative" or "renewable" sources in the form of wind and solar energy. European nations that went this course ended up with fewer jobs, insufficient energy for the money invested, and massive fraud in its carbon credits exchanges. The Obama energy policy can be summed up as no new energy, no new jobs, and a very dark future for America.