Fwd: Sen. DeMint (R-SC), Sec. Gates Clash Over Missile Defense During START Hearings

Sen. DeMint (R-SC), Sec. Gates Clash Over Missile Defense During First START Hearing On Tuesday, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) clashed head on with Obama administration officials in the first hearing over a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), a proposed nuclear arms control treaty that the White House has submitted to the Senate for ratification. Senator DeMint hammered home the point that the treaty would limit how future presidents could pursue missile defenses. Secretary Gates brushed off the concerns as did the Committee Chair Senator John Kerry (D-MA) dismissing the notion that the White House has come up with anything but the perfect missile defense plan.   Missile Defense News The State Department Can't Seem to Get Its "Fact Sheets" Straight on Missile Defense   America's Decline is Not Inevitable   Russia Agrees to Iran Sanctions   What Americans Need to Know About Missile Defense: We're Not There Yet   But others argue the White House plan is inadequate, furthermore in the future conditions and threats may change—why should the United States have to go back to Russia to get permission to defend itself. Senator Kerry has no problem seeking a permission slip from the Russians. As The New York Times reported, Senator DeMint thinks it is a terrible idea: "With his response, Senator Kerry proved why Americans have a hard time fully trusting the left to put American interests first in foreign affairs." In fact, the administration knows the proposed treaty limits future missile defense program. That's it why it rushed to rewrite the White House fact sheet which first claimed the treaty put no limits on missile defense. The rewrite suggests that treaty won't limit Obama's plans. Even that statement is cold comfort. Obama's plan does not look like it will be adequate to deal with an Iranian threat, let alone the likes of the Russian nuclear force. Under the government's own estimate Iran could have a long-range missile, three years before it gets a missile defense umbrella up and running in Europe. Get the FAQs on Missile Defense In an age where conflicts are no longer confined to battlefields, missile defense is crucial. We must continue developing and improving our ability to detect, track, intercept, and destroy the enemy's missiles, whether short-, medium-, or long-range. The Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA) has created a frequently-asked-questions guide to ballistic missile defense. Free of technical jargon, the guide helps the lay reader understand the state of our missile defense, the nature of threats around the world, and what is required for the future. For example, some Americans wonder if missile defense is too expensive. According to the IFPA: "Missile defense spending represents a small portion of the total U.S. defense budget: in 2010 just over $10 billion out of a total defense budget close to $700 billion. This means that missile defense comprises approximately one seventieth of what the nation is spending each year for defense. This amount pales in comparison to the devastating consequences of even a single successful nuclear missile attack against an American city. Even during the Reagan administration'sStrategic Defense Initiative emphasizing defenses against missile attacks, the fraction of the DOD budget devoted to missile defense never rose as high as 2 percent. The present investment level in defenses against missile attacks is also miniscule compared with the nearly $800 billion appropriated in the economic stimulus…It is impossible to calculate the cost of a devastating attack on one or more of our major cities that could be prevented by missile defense." The IFPA considers its guide a "living document," updated as the need arises. Technology is constantly changing, and Americans should be aware of the importance of our current and future ballistic missile defense capabilities. forward message visit 33minutes.com   The safety and security of our country has and will always be a top priority for all Americans. The Heritage Foundation's NationalSecurity.org provides accurate and timely information. Sign up for email updates.   Facebook Twitter YouTube The Heritage Foundation - 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC Call us at 202-546-4400

Fwd: MyHeritage.org: Does the Government consider you a criminal?

May 19, 2010 | By Amanda J. Reinecker Does the Government consider you a criminal? In an unusual joining of forces, The Heritage Foundation and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers recently conducted a major study, Without Intent: How Congress Is Eroding the Criminal Intent Requirement in Federal Law. Although our two organizations typically reside on the opposite ends of the political spectrum, we have found common ground in targeting the abuse of the criminal law. Their collaboration led to an event that is even rarer in today's Washington: a bipartisan press conference with Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX).  "One of the central purposes of the study," writes Heritage senior legal research fellow Brian Walsh, "was to understand how the federal legislative process is creating so many vague, overbroad criminal offenses that lack an adequate guilty-mind requirement." Dangerously flawed federal criminal laws are putting at risk average Americans who are doing their best to be respectable, law-abiding citizens, as this Heritage video explains.  Congress is criminalizing everyday conduct at a reckless pace, neglecting the special expertise of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees -- the designated arbiters of criminal law and justice -- and delegating its authority to pass criminal laws to unelected, barely accountable federal bureaucrats. For centuries, our law has required the government to prove a defendant acted with criminal intent (a guilty mind or, in legal terms, mens rea) before being punished as a criminal. But this requisite is quickly eroding. Without Intent reveals that of the 446 criminal offenses proposed by the 109th Congress, 57 percent lacked adequate guilty-mind requirements. Even worse, 23 of these offenses were enacted into law, increasing the risk of an individual being punished for a crime without knowing he committed one. The authors of the report outline key steps Congress should take to protect our civil liberties. Such recommendations include enacting statutes restoring the guilty-mind requirement and requiring adequate oversight by the House and Senate judiciary committees. "These reforms," Walsh argues, "would strengthen the protections against unjust conviction and prevent the dangerous proliferation of federal criminal law." How much is Washington willing to tax America? The Obama administration risks overseeing the largest tax increase in history if it allows the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to expire at the end of the year. Heritage's budget policy analyst Brian Reidl explains the facts: Low-income families will see their income tax rate jump five percentage points, while everyone else will see increases of three to 4.6 percentage points. Capital gains and dividends tax rates — currently 15 percent for most investors — will leap to 20 percent and 39.6 percent, respectively. The death tax, which is finally gone, will be re-imposed at a 55 percent rate. Not only would these increases hurt families during stable times, but they will further devastate our already-wobbling economy. Instead of raising taxes to previous high levels, which Reidl explains will do little to control the rising deficit, "lawmakers should tighten their belts and rein in spending."  Tax hikes only encourag more spending and higher deficits. > Other Heritage Work of Note Building upon suggestions made by Heritage energy policy analyst Jack Spencer, the Department of Commerce has created the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee. The new industry group is tasked with providing the Commerce Secretary with a strategy to open foreign markets to U.S. nuclear suppliers. Spencer worked directly with the Obama administration to develop a blueprint for what to do on nuclear energy. This is a long-awaited and tremendous success for Spencer and the other organizations that worked alongside him to make this happen. Read all Heritage research on nuclear energy. One week after David Cameron became Britain's new prime minister, the "Special Relationship" between the U.S. and the U.K. appears to be back on track, writes foreign affairs expert Nile Gardiner, who directs Heritage's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom  This partnership, which took a hiatus during Gordon Brown's premiership, is essential to success in Afghanistan and Iran. Gardiner acknowledges, however, that it is still early in the game and there may be "storm clouds ahead." He writes, "While the early signs are positive, there is no guarantee that David Cameron will strike up a successful partnership with the US president." Despite their differences, the two should look ahead and work to advance long-term preservation of the "Special Relationship." In a landmark case, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the constitutionality of life without parole (LWOP) for juvenile killers.And states can continue to sentence appropriate juvenile killers to LWOP. Heritage senior legal fellow Cully Stimson, who co-authored a report on the constitutionality and appropriately rare and judicious application of the LWOP sentence for the worst juvenile offenders, writes: The Court, by implication, adopted The Heritage Foundation's statistics regarding the number of jurisdictions that allow for juvenile LWOP; 44 states, the federal government, and the District of Columbia. In so doing, the Court soundly rejected the manufactured statistics of the anti-incarceration crowd. Though the Court misread the 8th Amendment and referenced foreign law to justify its position regarding non-homicide offenses, Stimson explains, the ruling is a step in the right direction toward preserving the constitutionality of this rare sentence for the most heinous juvenile killers. > In Other News Obamacare attempts to reduce the financial burdens on Medicare patients and increase their access to health care. But it pays for this new spending by issuing drastic cuts to doctor reimbursement rates, making the treatment of Medicare patients unaffordable for doctors. As a result, more and more doctors are opting out of the program, reducing care available to seniors. That which it seeks to fix, Obamacare has only made worse. Tuesday's primaries suggest the electorate is tired of business as usual in Washington. Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, who switched to the Democratic Party last year and received backing from the governor and the president, failed to secure his party's nomination. Meanwhile, in Kentucky, Tea Party favorite and political novice Rand Paul won the GOP's nod for November's Senate contest. And Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) faces a run-off election after failing to fully stave off a challenge from the left. The AFP reports, "A suicide car bomber attacked NATO troops in the Afghan capital on Tuesday, killing 18 people, including five US soldiers and 12 local civilians in one of the deadliest strikes on Kabul in more than a year." At least 208 NATO soldiers, 130 of them from the United States, have died in the war so far this year. Newt Gingrich predicts Republicans can gain between 40–70 seats in the house this November and possibly win control of the Senate. The former speaker announced a possibility that he will run for President. Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) has announced his resignation from Congress after admitting to an affair with a staffer. Amanda Reinecker is a writer for MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation. Nathaniel Ward, the Editor of MyHeritage.org, contributed to this report.  Donate    |   Heritage on Facebook

Fwd: American Idol Judge Ellen DeGeneres Asks Female Contestant to Sing Love Song to a Woman

Today's Headlines Wednesday, May 19, 2010

American Idol Judge Ellen DeGeneres Asks Female Contestant to Sing Love Song to a Woman (CNSNews.com) - American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres picked a love song written to be sung by a man to a woman for contestant Crystal Bowersox--a single mom with a boyfriend--to perform on the show's semifinal program on Tuesday night. The song, "Maybe I'm Amazed," written by Paul McCartney and dedicated to his now-deceased wife Linda McCartney, includes the repeated lyric "baby, I'm a man" in the chorus. Democrats' See A 'Significant Blow to the Republican Party' in Tuesday's Elections (CNSNews.com) – In their post-primary spin, Democrats say they won "the most significant election contest" of the day – the only race to pit a Republican against a Democrat. The Democrat Party's main talking point: "If the GOP couldn't win here, it's not going to have an easy time netting the 40 House seats in November it needs to retake the House." McCain: 'Insulting' for Obama State Department to 'Compare' Arizona Anti-Immigration Law to China's Human Rights 'Abuses' (CNSNews.com) - Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said it was "outrageous" for a top Obama administration State Department official to "compare" Arizona's anti-illegal immigration law with Communist China's "human rights abuses." He also told CNSNews.com that the official, who "did not read the law," reflects "the liberal elite" that does not know the difference between "a state acting in a constitutional fashion and a regime that's responsible for the deaths of millions of its citizens." McCain, Kyl Demand Top Obama State Dept. Official Retract Statement and Apologize for Likening AZ Immigration Law to Chinese Human Rights Violations (CNSNews.com) - Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) Tuesday called on the top Obama State Department official responsible for human rights issues to "retract and apologize" for telling officials of the Communist government of China that Arizona's new immigration-enforcement law is an example of a "troubling trend in our society" and for portraying Arizona as the moral equivalent of Communist China. At Previous Human Rights Session, U.S. Responded 'Forthrightly' to China's Concerns About U.S. Practices (CNSNews.com) – The Obama administration's approach to human rights dialogue with China – "an open discussion where you not only raise the other guy's problems, but you raise your own" – appears to contrast to that of its predecessor. The latest controversy involving remarks by Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner has focused attention on a forum that has long been dogged by Beijing's hypersensitivity to criticism of its rights record. Obama Urged to Issue Executive Order on Human Right to Ensure U.S. Compliance With U.N. Treaties (CNSNews.com) – The U.S. State Department is asking state and local human rights commissions to help it prepare an obligatory report to the United Nations on how the U.S. is advancing the human rights set forth in various treaties. Those state and local groups are now pressing President Obama to issue an executive order establishing a domestic human rights infrastructure that would help the U.S. meet its obligations to "respect, protect and fulfill human rights for all." Hoyer: No Plans Yet by Democrats To End Fannie, Freddie Bailouts (CNSNews.com) – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) could not say what action Democrats are planning to end the federal bailouts of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or when his party planned to take action. Hoyer, speaking to reporters on Tuesday at his weekly press briefing, said only that the House Financial Services Committee was "looking at" what to do with the failed mortgage giants that played a central role in the 2008 economic crisis. Congress Pushing for Unilateral Gasoline Sanctions Against Iran Despite Progress at U.N. (CNSNews.com) – "It is my expectation that Congress will soon send its own strong, targeted Iran sanctions bill to President Obama's desk," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), cosponsor of the Senate bill, said Congress would not "retreat" from its own sanctions initiative regardless of what the U.N. does. CNSNEWS.COM VIDEO Rachael Ray Backs 'Uniform,' 'Level Playing Ground' for Public School Cafeterias (CNSNews.com) - 'Some of the public schools I've been to, they're eating baked chicken and dark leafy greens and fresh fruits and vegetables, and then other schools, they don't even have the equipment, or the funds, or the ability to offer any of those products,' celebrity chef Rachel Ray told CNSNews.com. OTHER CNSNEWS.COM HEADLINES Primaries Results Reflect Anti-Washington, Anti-Establishment Mood AP: Obama Endorsements Don't Seem to Help Democrats Sestak, Toomey Race Will Be About Jobs, Economy Insurgents Attack U.S. Air Base in Afghanistan, One Day After Deadly Attack on NATO Convoy Immigration Reform Expected to Overshadow Drug Violence When Obama Meets With Calderone Report Says Nine Hurt in Latest China Knife Attack Rules Proposed for Avoiding Another 'Flash Crash' -- Before Cause of Crash Is Known Three Militia Members Released From Jail; Gov't Fighting to Keep Other Six Behind Bars FEMA Photographer Asked Church Volunteers Not to Wear Religious T-Shirts Bangkok Burning, As Army Moves Against Anti-Government Protesters Pakistani Court Orders Gov't to Block Facebook Because of 'Muhammad' Page Iran Rejects U.N. Sanctions Resolution Draft 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: With stimulus cash running low, Arne Duncan sounds alarm on education 'emergency' Head Start rife with enrollment fraud Senate vote on same-sex benefits for federal employees coming 'within weeks' Battle looms in Senate over Obama's pick to run Medicare and Medicaid Guatemalan handyman dies protecting family he worked for from home invaders Arizona official dares L.A. to stage boycott; City would give up 25% of its electricity Obama defends stimulus in Ohio despite high unemployment Police want to limit how long criminal records are accessible to the public Spy agencies faulted by Senate panel for missing Christmas Day bomb attempt New interrogation unit aids in questioning Times Square bomb suspect Pro-immigrant Rep. Luis Gutierrez not invited to state dinner for Mexican president Mexican town's police force quits after ambush Virginia wonders what to do with immigrant elk that wandered in from Kentucky Eradication of smallpox may have set the stage for HIV pandemic, study says Texas Board of Education will choose the next generation of history textbooks this week COMMENTARY Kagan Wants to Impose Her Values on Your Speech By Terence P. Jeffrey Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan has expended a great deal of intellectual energy searching for a rationalization that would preserve freedom of speech for viewpoints she likes while imposing government controls on speech she does not like. Democrats: Learn to Read By Ben Shapiro The literacy rate in the United States is 99 percent. That means that only 1 percent of people in the United States above the age of 15 are incapable of reading and writing. Apparently, all of them are members of the Obama administration. Attorney General Eric Holder admits that he has not read the Arizona immigration law, and neither has Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano or State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. But that did not stop any of them from criticizing the Arizona law. The Worst Kind of Lie By Rich Galen There is a theory in politics that the best attack is a third-party attack. The best third party is a grand jury. The next best third party is the New York Times. The second-best attacker attacked Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal – a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate -- by investigating his statements, inferences, suggestions, insinuations, and hints that he had served in Vietnam as a member of the United States Marine Corps. Turns out that Blumenthal, in his words, "misspoke." In my words, he "lied." The U.S. Department of Blame America First By Michelle Malkin Obama Democrats have mastered the treacherous art of the pre-emptive global apology. Foggy Bottom is crammed with so many 'human rights' zealots embarrassed by the country they serve that the State Department mission statement should be replaced with a condolence

 

Fwd: Morning Bell: "We’ve Come to Take Our Government Back"

05/19/2010 "We've Come to Take Our Government Back" Last month the Pew Research Center reported that only 22% of Americans trusted the government to do the right thing always or most of the time. And that was the good news for incumbents: Favorable ratings for both major parties, as well as for Congress, have reached record lows while opposition to congressional incumbents, already approaching an all-time high, continues to climb. Significantly, a majority of Americans (52%) see the members of Congress themselves as the source of their dissatisfaction. Only 38% attribute their frustration to "a broken political system." Last night's election results in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas seem to bear that out: In Kentucky, political newcomer Rand Paul trounced Secretary of State Trey Grayson. As a proxy for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Grayson had inadvertently become the Washington insider in the race despite never having been elected to federal office. And, as the son of libertarian presidential candidate Ron Paul, the younger Paul was also a proxy of sorts. He came to embody the desire of voters in the Bluegrass State to send the ultimate outsider to Washington. His mission? Shrink the federal behemoth, balance the budget and reduce the federal debt while exhibiting some long overdue humility from our public servants.

Fwd: Enterprise Update: Deal with Fannie & Freddie Now or We'll Pay Later

Enterprise Update Eliminating barriers to enterprise and innovation Recent Updates The Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee: The Wrong "Solution" Obama Plan Blows Secret Kisses to Wall Street How the Internet is Strengthening Democracy Financial Regulation: Small Business, Little Role NEW VIDEO: Heritage's Entry to the EPA Video Contest Effects of Unemployment Benefits Featured Research Deal with Fannie and Freddie Now or We'll Pay Later By David John and James Gattuso What's the main selling point for the financial regulation bill Congress is debating? That it would end taxpayer bailouts. The Senate even added an amendment directly noting that the bill is intended to "prohibit taxpayers from ever having to bail out the financial sector." But don't breathe a sigh of relief too quickly. Because the bill's many problems include this frequently overlooked fact: It does nothing to fix the problems with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, both of which A) played a major role in the meltdown of 2008 and B) are asking for more money. Ignoring Fannie and Freddie would be a huge mistake. More than a year after going into receivership, they still dominate the housing finance market by buying mortgages from lenders, packaging them into bond issues, and then reselling them to investors worldwide. Last year, the two financed or backed about 70% of single-family mortgage loans. They hold about $5 trillion in their investment portfolios. >> Click here to read the full report For more information, visit Heritage's Enterprise and Free Markets webpage, which features research, commentary, blog posts, charts and additional policy resources. Red Tape Rising The regulatory burden on Americans continued to surge during 2009, with record increases in costs thanks to both the Bush and Obama Administrations. Given ongoing regulatory initiatives at several agencies, it is very likely that this surge will continue. Click here for more information About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. The Heritage Foundation | 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 | 202.546.4400

Fwd: Small Businesses Still Left Empty-Handed

May 18, 2010 Small Businesses Still Left Empty-Handed One of the great promises of Obamacare, you'll recall, was that it would give folks working in small businesses better access to affordable care. "It works for small business owners," Nancy Pelosi announced, "providing access to affordable group rates and creating a tax credit for them to help them insure their employees." This sounded like it would be a huge help, because small firms struggle to find affordable coverage for their workers. Unfortunately, the Obamacare small-business tax credit just doesn't get the job done, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation's largest small-business advocacy group. NFIB reports that provisions aimed at expanding small-business-sponsored coverage will have little real impact—though their cost will be all too real. Dr. Bob Graboyes writes, "The new Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credit probably won't induce many businesses to offer insurance to their employees. Firms that qualify for the credit ought to take it, but most who do will be firms who were going to offer coverage anyway…" Qualifying for the credit is the real sticker. Maximum eligibility applies only to employers with 10 or fewer workers, whose average wages are less than $25,000 a year. For these firms, the credit would cover 35 percent of insurance premiums—but firms so small would likely struggle to cover the rest of the cost of offering health insurance even with this level of assistance. Further provisions whittle down eligibility for the credit.  Businesses must cover at least half of the premium costs. Otherwise, no credit. What if they add an 11th employee?  Bye-bye credit. Raise average wages above $25K… adios credit. Even offering better insurance policies than the average small firm would reduce the value of the tax credit received. Bottom line: qualifying for the small-business tax credit isn't easy. If you do qualify, you'll have to limit hiring and employee compensation to keep it. And, even then, the credit is only a temporary help. After six years, the business and its workers have to pick up the whole tab. When it comes to helping small business expand health coverage, Obamacare offers much less than meets the eye.  But the bill is still eye-popping. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the small-business credit will cost taxpayers $37 billion over the next 10 years. RECENT ENTRIES Fewer Flippin' Hamburgers at White Castle What's a Medical Expense? Higher Premiums from Adult "Children" on Parents' Health Plans Get Ready to Change Your Insurance  Share Today's Side Effects Facebook Myspace Digg Linkdin Twitter   Facebook Twitter YouTube Kindle Flickr Support our work by becoming a member with your gift of $25 or more. The Heritage Foundation 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002-4999 Call us at (202) 546-4400 Add newsletters@heritage.org to your address book to ensure that you receive emails from us.

Fwd: Obama Administration Commiserates With China About Human Rights Violations in Arizona

Today's Headlines Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Obama Administration Commiserates With China About Human Rights Violations in Arizona (CNSNews.com) - In a "candid and constructive" human rights dialogue with Chinese officials last week, Obama administration officials brought up Arizona's new immigration-enforcement law, telling the Chinese Communists it was an example of a "troubling trend" in the United States and an indication of "discrimination or potential discrimination" in American society. Ironically, the State Department's most recent report on human rights in China indicates that the government there restricts the internal travel of its own citizens. White House: Kagan Broke No Law Restricting Military Recruiters at Harvard Washington (CNSNews.com) – The White House will not explore whether Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan violated the law when she did not allow military recruiters at Harvard Law School. A conservative advocacy group, however, says Kagan's refusal to comply with federal law by cooperating with military recruiters at Harvard is reason enough for the Senate to reject her nomination as Supreme Court justice. If Confirmed to Supreme Court, Kagan May Have To Recuse Herself in Health Care Cases (CNSNews.com) – If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan may have to recuse herself if the health care reform law comes before the high court. That's because as solicitor general of the United States in the Obama administration, Kagan may have helped craft a legal defense of the law or given advice to Congress or the White House on how to draft the statute. Historically, Supreme Court justices recuse themselves from hearing cases in which they have previously been involved. White House Health Czar Repeats False Claim of Lower Health Costs (CNSNews.com) – White House health care czar Nancy-Anne Deparle repeated the claim that the health care reform law signed by President Obama will result in lower health care costs despite a well-known government report to the contrary. Kagan Advocated Campaign Restrictions While Serving as Clinton Adviser (CNSNews.com) – Before arguing to uphold government restrictions on campaign speech as U.S. solicitor general, Elena Kagan had advocated such limits while serving in the Clinton administration. Pelosi: Obama's Budget a 'Blueprint for Economic Stabilization' for America, Designed To 'Reduce the Deficit' (CNSNews.com) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) recently said that President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget of $3.6 trillion was a "blueprint for economic stabilization for our country." The Treasury Department, however, has reported that the United States posted a budget deficit for the month of April nearly four times the $20.91 billion shortfall registered in April 2009. Sen. Rockefeller Tells Neil Armstrong: 'I Am a Substantial Skeptic of Human Spaceflight' and America's Drive to Explore is Not All 'Glorious' (CNSNews.com) - Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation 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." Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, Gene Cernan: Obama's NASA Plan a 'Blueprint for a Mission to Nowhere' (CNSNews.com) - Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13, and Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man on the moon, have determined that President Barack Obama's plan to cut funding for NASA's Constellation manned space program is a "blueprint for a mission to nowhere" -- a message Armstrong and Cernan pointedly delivered in person to a Senate committee last week. Napolitano Admits She Hasn't Reviewed 'In Detail' Arizona Immigration Law She's Criticized (CNSNews.com) - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who has been a vocal critic of the new Arizona immigration law, told Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Monday that she had not reviewed the law in detail, but nevertheless repeated criticism she made in April on ABC's "Good Morning America" that the law is a "bad law enforcement law." Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder told a House panel he had not read the ten-page law, either. Fuel Swap Deal Does Not Address Core Issues of Iranian Nuclear Dispute (CNSNews.com) – Heritage Foundation senior research fellow James Phillips said the Obama administration must reject and denounce the nuclear fuel swap agreement signed in Tehran on Monday "as yet another Iranian ploy to stall efforts to impose further sanctions, without addressing the core problem of Iran's drive for nuclear weapons." Turkey-Brazil-Iran Nuke Deal May Put More Pressure on Israel (CNSNews.com) – Following his success in helping to broker a nuclear fuel swap agreement with Iran, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will likely add to the pressure currently facing Israel over its undeclared nuclear arsenal, according to a leading Turkish commentator. Israel, which has yet to respond formally to the agreement signed in Tehran on Monday, has long been troubled by Ankara's increasingly outspoken criticism of Israeli policies on one hand and its warming relations with Israel's foes – including Iran, Syria and Hamas – on the other. CNSNEWS.COM VIDEO Rachael Ray Backs 'Uniform,' 'Level Playing Ground' for Public School Cafeterias (CNSNews.com) - 'Some of the public schools I've been to, they're eating baked chicken and dark leafy greens and fresh fruits and vegetables, and then other schools, they don't even have the equipment, or the funds, or the ability to offer any of those products,' celebrity chef Rachel Ray told CNSNews.com. OTHER CNSNEWS.COM HEADLINES Social Security Needs Small 'Tweaks,' New Congressional Report Says White House Seeks Distance Between Obama and Newly Minted Democrat Arlen Specter U.S. Commerce Secretary Leads Trade Mission to China Obama Heads to Ohio on Economic PR Mission: Says Things Are Getting Better Kagan Courts Potential Republican Ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham Auto Dealers Fight to Avoid New Regulations Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of 'Must-Carry' Rule Ex-Obama Pastor Jeremiah Wright Says 'Obama Threw Me Under the Bus' Warmest April on Record, Climate Agency Reports Arizona Immigration Law Divides Police Across U.S. Obama Administration Faces Questions on Oil Spill Federal Government Begins Review of New Orleans Police Arab-Americans Delight in Miss USA Victory 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: Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) to resign over affair with female aide In San Francisco, a new attempt to let non-citizens vote Obama White House is limiting, if not blocking, access to the Kagan's family Texas doctors fleeing Medicare in droves; Frustrated by reimbursement cuts 'Smart' electricity grids prompt privacy concerns Afghan suicide bomb kills at least 18, including 5 Americans Conn. AG Richard Blumenthal, now running for U.S. Senate, never served in Vietnam FAA determines Cape Cod wind farm is 'no hazard'; Says project won't hamper radar White House seeks missing health bounce Amid concern, White House speeds up health care benefits Michelle Obama applauds food industry group's pledge to trim calories Mention of God on the Playseum Web site results in school canceling field trip Ex-Harvard student accused of living a lie, conning his way into university Restaurant tests human nature with donation boxes; No one has to pay for anything R.I. Health Dept. gets 15 applications to run marijuana 'compassion centers' COMMENTARY Will the PIGS Blow Up Europe? By Patrick J. Buchanan The European Union is imperiled. Forcing Europe's most indebted nations to surrender their economic independence or be expelled from the European Monetary Union, the PIGS—Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain—may rebel. Many have predicted that economic nationalism would one day tear apart the European Union. The hour may be at hand. A Well-Oiled Cycle By Ed Feulner It's highly doubtful that heaping more regulations on the oil industry is the only way—much less the best way—to prevent another accident. We need to develop more on-shore oil fields, including ANWR in Alaska and the shale oil deposits in Colorado. And we need to focus on safety while we keep developing offshore fields.

Fwd: Morning Bell: The New START Threat to Missile Defense

05/18/2010 The New START Threat to Missile Defense On March 26 the White House released a fact sheet on the New START Treaty. It claimed that the agreement signed by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev "does not contain any constraints on testing, development or deployment of current or planned U.S. missile defense programs." But the Russians seem to have a different interpretation of the document they signed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow on April 6th that Russia would exit the treaty if "the U.S.'s build-up of its missile defense strategic potential in numbers and quality begins to considerably affect the efficiency of Russian strategic nuclear forces. … Linkage to missile defense is clearly spelled out in the accord and is legally binding." So which is it? Does New START place limits on U.S. missile defense or not? While an April 8th State Department fact sheet on "Ballistic Missile Defense and New START Treaty" mirrored the March 26th language, an "updated" April 21st State Department fact sheet showed significant movement towards the Russian position. It says, "The New START Treaty does not constrain the United States from deploying the most effective missile defenses possible." Notice the change? The Obama administration has backtracked from "does not contain any constraints on testing, development or deployment of current or planned U.S. missile defense programs" to "does not constrain the United States from deploying the most effective missile defenses possible." So are only the "most effective missile defenses" allowed by New START? As determined by whom? By the Russians? By Obama's nominee to be Associate Director for the National Security and International Affairs, Office of Science and Technology Policy Philip Coyle? Coyle, by the way, has made a name for himself by questioning whether missile defense is technically possible, despite a proven track record of repeated successes by the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency. If a new U.S. President who actually believes in missile defense is elected, would that Commander in Chief be constrained by what President Obama and anti-missile defense advocates like Coyle thought qualified as "effective missile defense"?