Fwd: U.S. Can?t Continue As Engine That Drives the Global Economy, Obama and Geithner Say

Today's Headlines Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Advertisement - Vote Now: Elena Kagan and the Supreme Court - Should Supreme Court justices base decisions on sympathy, or personal preference rather than facts and laws? The Heritage Foundation, America's leading conservative think tank, wants to know what you think. Take the poll on the Kagan nomination today. U.S. Can't Continue As Engine That Drives the Global Economy, Obama and Geithner Say Washington (CNSNews.com) – Citing the country's trade deficit, President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner each asserted last week that the United States cannot continue to lead the world economy. Kagan's Office Delays FOIA Response Because It Doesn't Know What the Meaning of 'The Administration's Health-Care Reform Plan' Is (CNSNews.com) - The office of Solicitor General Elena Kagan has delayed responding to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted by CNSNews.com that seeks records that might shed light on whether Kagan would need to recuse herself from certain cases if she is confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. Under 28 U.S.C. § 455, a former government employee who becomes a Supreme Court justice is required to recuse himself or herself from any case he or she expressed an opinion about while in government service. High Court's Gun Ruling Cites Intent of 14th Amendment (CNSNews.com) – In 1868, Republican Representative Thaddeus Stevens, who was directly involved in ratifying the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, was not ambiguous about whether the right to keep and bear arms applied to the states. And in Monday's Supreme Court ruling, Associate Justice Samuel Alito cited the Fourteenth Amendment, legal precedent, the framers, and the intent of Congress in writing the majority opinion that extends the individual right to keep and bear arms to the states. Gun Rights Group Challenges N.C. Law Allowing Gun Bans During States of Emergency (CNSNews.com) - The Second Amendment Foundation, the same group that successfully challenged Chicago's handgun ban at the U.S. Supreme Court, has now filed a federal lawsuit challenging a North Carolina law that bars private citizens from carrying firearms during declared states of emergency. Conservative Groups Blast Supreme Court's Erosion of Religious Liberty (CNSNews.com) – Conservative activists say the U.S. Supreme Court put political correctness above religious liberty in allowing nondiscrimination policies at state-funded schools to trump both freedom of religious speech and freedom of association. The court said state schools may deny funding to religious groups that require their officers and voting members to agree with certain religious beliefs. U.S. Has Paid $1.44 Million for Study on 'Social Milieu' of Male Prostitutes in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (CNSNews.com) - The National Institute on Drug Abuse, a component of the National Institutes of Health, has so far awarded $1.44 million in federal funds to a project that is examining the "social milieu" of male prostitutes in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. "This study seeks to address an important public health question: what is the impact of male sex work on the growing HIV epidemics in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam?" says the NIH abstract. It notes that "HIV rates in Vietnam are rapidly increasing." Arming of Terrorists, Attempt to Kill Defector Cited as Reasons to Return North Korea to Terror List (CNSNews.com) – The Obama administration says the sinking of a South Korean warship does not justify returning North Korea to the U.S. list of terror-sponsoring states, but experts believe there are other good reasons for the administration to do so, including shipments of weapons allegedly destined for terrorists in the Middle East. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said the process of reviewing North Korea's status was continuing and "never-ending." CNSNEWS.COM VIDEO Dr. Phil Backs Federal Funding to Combat Cyber Bullies (CNSNews.com) – Talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw, best known as "Dr. Phil," told CNSNews.com that the federal government must enact legislation to combat cyber bullying and fund "training protocols" for the people who work with students and children to educate them about Internet safety. OTHER CNSNEWS.COM HEADLINES Kagan Embraces Notion of Enduring Constitution; 'We Are All Originalists' Supreme Court Reaffirms 'Soft Money' Ban Consumer Confidence Tumbles in June Obama, Meeting Tuesday With Hispanic Lawmakers, Will Push for Immigration Reform Gen. Petraeus Vows Long-Term Commitment in Afghan War Robert Byrd to Lie in Repose in Senate Chamber Democrats Face New Obstacles in Passing Financial Regulations Despite Supreme Court Ruling, Chicago Mayor Says He'll Fight to Preserve City's Gun Ban Mexico Going Ahead with Election Despite Murder of Leading Candidate No Fall Election in West Virginia for Byrd's Senate Seat Petraeus Faces Questions From War-Weary Lawmakers Russian Spy Ring Ordered to Infiltrate U.S. Policy-Making Circles U.N. Vehicle Attacked in Afghan Capital U.S. Missile Strikes Target Militants in Pakistan Tuesday 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 Departure of illegal immigrants affecting Arizona's businesses Supreme Court to review Arizona law penalizing those who hire illegals Pain doctors want prescription drug tracking to curb abuse Thank Congress for new checking account fees House GOP threatens 'no' on war bill if spending projects are added U.S., Afghan forces launch major offensive along Pakistan border Joint Chiefs Chairman Mullen: Taliban leader could be part of Afghan settlement Report: U.S. overestimated ability of Afghans Governors criticize Obama's border security plan President Obama's political director failed to disclose $40K payout from union Cellphone industry attacks San Francisco's ruling on radiation labeling COMMENTARY Obama Makes Himself the Prisoner of Gen. Petraeus By Patrick J. Buchanan President Obama is being hailed for toughness in his firing of Gen. McChrystal and brilliance in his replacing him as Afghan field commander with Gen. David Petraeus. Herewith, a dissent. Obama should have left McChrystal to succeed or fail with the McChrystal Plan. Had he succeeded, Obama also would have succeeded. Had McChrystal failed, Obama would have been free to relieve him and bring the troops home. But now, McChrystal is off the hook. More critically, Obama just made himself hostage to the savvy Gen. David Petraeus, who is said to dream of one day holding Obama's office. Welfare That Works By Ed Feulner For decades, liberals have promoted welfare as a "hand up, not a hand out." Now, with the cost of American welfare programs pushing toward $1 trillion per year, it's time to make that slogan a reality.

Fwd: White House Misses Deadline for Creating High-Risk Pools

June 29, 2010 White House Misses Deadline for Creating High-Risk Pools We've all heard it before — the age-old saying "Better late than never." Well, get ready to hear it again, this time from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, regarding the creation of high-risk pools under Obamacare. The pools were supposed to provide coverage for individuals who cannot get health insurance because of chronic illness. Obamacare slated the establishment of the pools to occur no later than 90 days after the legislation passed on March 23. Last Monday (June 21) marked day 90, and the pools are nowhere to be found. Covering the uninsured and those who need it most was advertised as one of the top priorities for the congressional majority's health care agenda, so it's hard to understand how Sebelius could have overlooked such an important deadline. After all, it's her job to implement Obamacare. It gets worse. Not only has Sebelius failed to meet the high-risk pool deadline, but earlier this week the Congressional Budget Office found that the pools will be underfunded by $5 billion to $10 billion. This blunder could result in 500,000 people with pre-existing conditions not receiving the coverage they were promised. According to the White House, as many as 12 million people are currently denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. In its current form, the poorly designed, federal high-risk pool program will provide coverage to only a small fraction of these patients. Richard Foster, Medicare's chief actuary, claims the government will be able to do so for only one or two years before exhausting its allocated funding. At least 19 states, armed with this information, have declined joining these new high-risk pools. These mammoth mistakes have not gone unnoticed. Tuesday, Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) and 30 other Republicans sent a letter to Sebelius, reminding her of the missed deadline. The senators also had a few questions: When will the money for these high-risk pools be distributed to participating states? When will funding be provided for the 19 states that refused to participate in the federal program? And how many Americans will covered by these pools each year? Sebelius was asked to respond by June 30, but it's unlikely she will have any more luck in meeting this deadline than she did the previous one. More likely, she will follow the "better-late-than-never" mantra. It's becomes more clear that Americans would have been better off if Obamacare never passed. RECENT ENTRIES Bureaucracy in a Bind Obamacare Discourages Docs 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: Independence Forever: Why America Celebrates the Fourth of July

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New Common Sense Applying First Principles to the Issues of Today At Heritage Who is the only president to share a birthday with America?  All rise, for the Kagan confirmation hearings have begun. What are the key questions for this Supreme Court nominee? Around the Country Guess which president delivered the one of the best defenses of the Declaration of Independence against his contemporary progressive critics? The Center for Vision and Values has a hint: More thoughtful than silent, maybe this president was not all about business. Several governors have proclaimed days of prayer for the distress in the Gulf of Mexico. Can you guess which delegate suggested a prayer at the Constitutional Convention? Quick Thoughts Why is Progress so unpopular these days? Check out Michael Barone's article about why Americans relate to Founders, not to Progressives.  Empathy vs. the Constitution. A new survey has surprising results about what matters most when selecting judges. What We're Reading: James Madison and the Spirit of Republican Self-Government by Colleen A. Sheehan.   Independence Forever: Why America Celebrates the Fourth of July In a few days, America will celebrate its 234th birthday. Independence Day is an opportunity to celebrate our great country and also to reflect upon its meaning. America was born on July 4, 1776, with the passage of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration announced to the world that the American Colonies were free and independent states. But this alone does not make the document or America revolutionary. What is revolutionary about the Declaration of Independence is not that a particular group of Americans declared their independence under particular circumstances but that they did so by appealing to a universal standard of justice. What is revolutionary about America is that it is built upon a foundation of permanent principles not petty interests. The Declaration of Independence serves as a philosophical statement of America's first principles. Just read the second paragraph. It affirms that all men are equal, meaning that they share in a common human nature. By nature, men have a right to liberty that is inalienable, meaning it cannot be given up or taken away. And because individuals equally possess such inalienable rights, governments derive their just powers from the consent of those governed. The purpose of government is to secure these fundamental rights, and the people retain the right to alter or abolish a government that fails to do so. There is a finality to these principles. As one president remarked, "If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions." This Sunday, read the Declaration of Independence to your family, neighbors, and friends at your barbeque. Allow its memorable phrases to inspire you to strive for liberty and to vindicate the principles of self-government. Brace yourself, though, the Declaration of Independence is revolutionary, because its principles are true. Keep Reading about Why America Celebrates the Fourth of July                        Forward this message to a Friend!   Quote of the Week                            I have said that the Declaration of Independence is the ring-bolt to the chain of your nation's destiny; so, indeed, I regard it. The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost. ~ Frederick Douglass "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" For more quotes, visit westillholdthesetruths.org 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: Morning Bell: The Dodd-Frank Assault on Economic Recovery

06/29/2010 The Dodd-Frank Assault on Economic Recovery Following the release of the 2,000-page Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill last Friday, fixed-income portfolio manager Christine McConnell told Businessweek: "Clarity is good. [Once financial institutions] understand the rules of the road they'll be able to accommodate their business models." There is only one problem: passage of the Dodd-Frank bill doesn't provide any clarity. In fact, it does the exact opposite. The New York Times explains: "The bill, completed early Friday and expected to come up for a final vote this week, is basically a 2,000-page missive to federal agencies, instructing regulators to address subjects ranging from derivatives trading to document retention. But it is notably short on specifics, giving regulators significant power to determine its impact." In other words, this law is going to be continually rewritten by federal bureaucrats for years to come. And the continued uncertainty it will create is just the beginning of its faults: Permanent Bailout Authority: The Dodd-Frank bill creates an "orderly liquidation" process by which regulators are empowered to seize financial institutions that they believe are in danger of failing and liquidate them. While the lack of a broadly accepted process for closing down large financial institutions helped lead to the massive bailouts of 2008 and 2009, this liquidation process is problematic. Federal regulators are granted broad powers to seize private firms they feel are in danger of default, and these powers are subject to insufficient judicial review. Such governmental discretion to seize private property is constitutionally troubling.