Today's Headlines Thursday, August 19, 2010
Nearly Half of United States Considering Arizona-Style Immigration Legislation
(CNSNews.com) – Twenty-two states are now in the process of drafting or seeking to pass legislation similar to Arizona's law against illegal immigration. This is occurring despite the fact that the Obama administration has filed a lawsuit against the Arizona law and a federal judge has ruled against portions of that law –- a ruling that is now being appealed.
EXCLUSIVE: Sheriff's Challenge to Obama: Give Me Half Hour, I'll Show You How to Secure Border
(CNSNews.com) - Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz., says if President Obama would simply spend a half hour with Babeu in Arizona, Babeu will convince the president he can successfully secure the border and thus make himself a hero who transcends partisan politics.
La Raza: Deporting 12 Million Illegal Aliens 'Not a Realistic Situation' and U.S. Should Stop Trying
(CNSNews.com) – "We have to recognize that our immigration system has been broken for 20 years and there are now 12 million people living and working and praying among us who are here without documents. Many have spouses who are citizens or children fighting for our country," a spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza told CNSNews.com last week. The group is calling for the termination of a federal program that allows ICE to work with local law enforcement to target illegal aliens for deportation.
Obama Administration Will Spend Almost $2 Billion in Stimulus Funds to Subsidize Broadband Internet Service in Poor, Rural Areas
(CNSNews.com) – One administration official described the subsidies as "investments." He said the taxpayer money would help build high-speed Internet networks in areas where the private sector had been "unwilling or unable" to do so.
Islamic Bloc Blames 'Global Warming' for Pakistan Flooding
(CNSNews.com) – 'We have to act instantly and decide on the best way forward to support Pakistan, which has been struck by the effects of global warming and climate change,' OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said at an emergency OIC meeting in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The bloc of 56 Islamic states has agreed to consider setting up an emergency fund to respond to future disasters like that one now unfolding in Pakistan.
Pakistan Disaster Apparently Not High on CAIR's Agenda
(CNSNews.com) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations' Web site opens with welcome screen inviting donations during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan to support CAIR's 'civil rights work,' to help it to 'challenge Islamophobia' and for the group's 'Share the Quran campaign.' But the welcome screen is silent on the disaster in Pakistan, and on CAIR's full Web site itself the issue gets scant attention.
Raelians Threaten Legal Action for 2010 'Go Topless Day'
(CNSNews.com) – For a third year, an organization started by a group that believes "extraterrestrials" scientifically engineered all life on Earth will stage "Go Topless Day" in several American cities to protest what it calls "a women's constitutional right to go bare-chested in public."
CNSNEWS.COM VIDEO
EXCLUSIVE: Arizona Sheriff: Border Patrol Has Retreated from Parts of Border Because It's 'Too Dangerous'
(CNSNews.com) - Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County, Ariz., one of four Arizona counties contiguous with the U.S-Mexico border, said Friday that the U.S. Border Patrol has pulled back from parts of the border in his and neighboring counties because manning those areas has become too dangerous. "And you frankly have Border Patrolmen--and I know this from talking to Border Patrol agents—who will not allow their agents to work on the border because it is too dangerous," Dever told CNSNews.com in a videotaped interview. "Now what kind of message is that for crying out loud?"
OTHER CNSNEWS.COM HEADLINES
Jobless Claims Rise to Highest Level in 9 Months
Budget Analysts See 2010 Deficit at $1.3 Trillion
Poll: Growing Number of Americans Call Obama Muslim
Mosque Debate Divides Democrats, Especially in New York
Muslims Pray Daily at Pentagon's 9/11 Crash Site (In a Nondenominational Chapel)
U.S., Already the Biggest Donor, Announces Aid Boost to Pakistan After Flooding
Goodbye Iraq: Last U.S. Combat Brigade Heads Home
CIA Forms New Center to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction
Modest Premium Increase Coming for Medicare Drug Plans
France to Send 93 Gypsies Back to Romania
Unguarded Foot Bridges at Border Lead Straight Into U.S.
More R&R Time for the Obamas on Martha's Vineyard
New Senators Want to Change How the Senate Works
Jackie O's 63-Year-Old Brother Pleads Guilty in Child Porn Case
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NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP
Federal initiative will offer food stamp discount for buying fresh produce
Archbishop offers to mediate Islamic Center controversy
U.S. to double civilian force in Iraq after combat troop withdrawal
Obama closure of Guantanamo Bay at least 6 months away, U.S. commander says
Bias? Federal judge writes book about being an 'unrepentant advocate' for women
Poll: Majority of N.J. voters approve of Gov. Chris Christie's job performance
ACLU files complaint against city's school-uniform policy
Teacher resigns over Facebook posting calling town's residents snobby
Rep. Barney Frank: Obama admin 'dumb' to predict no higher than 8% unemployment
Obama says Social Security is not in crisis
Obama's free-trade goal hits roadblock as Democrats give him little help
Survey: Big employers expect 2011 health cost hike
Nebraska won't defend law requiring health screenings before abortions
U.S. reviews options after Colombia court voids base agreement
Palin claims a 'cackle of rads' has hijacked the term 'feminist'
Federal appeals court rules against Utah memorial crosses along highway
COMMENTARY
Will Republicans Save Us?
By Walter E. Williams
The smart money suggests that there will be a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. The question is, what can liberty-minded Americans expect from a Republican majority? Maybe a good starting point for an answer might be to examine how Republicans have handled their majority in the past.
Liberal Claims to Altruism are Horsepucky
By Ben Shapiro
If there's one constant refrain to American politics, it's that liberals are more giving and conservatives are selfish and greedy. But if Democrats really were advocates for the poor, it would be nice if they would act like it rather than simply using the poor as a convenient political bloody flag.
Obama's Disapproval Rating and Disregard for Grassroots America
By Tim Phillips
Last week during fundraising speeches in Dallas and Austin, Tex., President Obama singled out for attack my organization, Americans for Prosperity. The president's shrill attack on our 1.2 million grassroots activists was stunning.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Fwd: Nearly Half of United States Considering Arizona-Style Immigration Legislation
Fwd: Obamacare: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare
This story originally appeared in The Washington Examiner.
Nothing is more important to Larry Patterson than his family. His four kids, who range from a 2-year-old to a college graduate, shape his outlook on life. They're one of the primary reasons he's concerned about the devastating consequences of Obamacare.
Patterson has good reason to be worried. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act diminishes family choice of coverage, limits parental involvement and strikes a blow for family values in health care.
The Scoop
Even with many of the new provisions years from implementation, Patterson is already bracing for the harsh realities of life under Obamacare.
The North Dallas businessman operates a franchise called the Glass Doctor, which repairs auto glass, windshields, windows and shower doors. He's fortunate to offer health insurance to his employees and enjoys good coverage for his family. But with uncertainties about rising health care costs and the outsize impact on small businesses, the future is bleak.
"I don't know so much that I'm afraid Obamacare would interfere with my doctor and our relationship, as much as I am certain that it will," Patterson said. "At some point, the doctor is going to have to decide whether he wants to follow the Hippocratic oath or the Obamacratic oath. When the interest of the patient and the doctor are not in alignment, how is he going to make a decision as to what is the right thing to do when faced with the realities of federal law that says something different?"
The question weighs on Patterson's mind. He wonders what it means for his own health care and the life facing his four children, Ashley, Jamie, Tatum and Willy.
At the heart of Obamacare is more government regulation. While it's true that more families will be covered under the law, the new entitlement comes with strings attached. Families that take advantage of the affordability tax credits won't have the option to purchase cheaper insurance plans across state lines and aren't allowed to buy family-friendly plans.
Patterson said the likely result means inferior care to what he and his family receive today.
"It's going to reduce choice because now we have politicians deciding upon who are the winners and the losers, what treatments doctors can perform and get paid for, and what treatments the government says, 'No, this is not a valid treatment and we're not going to pay for this,'" he said. "That's absolutely going to reduce choice — not just in the quantity of doctors, but in the available treatments."
He's seen the impact firsthand. His cousin, who is in his 50s, decided to retire early from the medical profession rather than face more government regulation. Patterson said the additional bureaucratic burden for him and his staff was just too much to take — even though his cousin had planned to work 15 more years.
Patterson's concerns extend beyond a reduced choice of doctors and treatments. He also fears the government will expand its role in the lives of his children, forcing him out of the equation.
"When I was growing up, my parents had absolute control over what I did, when I did it, and how I did it, until I reached the age of 18 and left the house and started taking care of myself," Patterson said. "If my daughter were 17 years old and became pregnant, the last thing I need is a government consultant telling her what to do."
Under the new health care law, that's exactly what could happen. Obamacare undermines the role of parents by encouraging contraception and abortion without respecting parental consent. School-based health centers will receive $50 million per year to promote such options as contraception and abortion. An additional $75 million per year funds Personal Responsibility Education grants to help states reduce pregnancies.
With the government taking on a greater role, where does that leave a parent like Patterson? He talks frequently about the law's consequences with his family and employees so they are fully aware of what it means. At home, it might result in less choice and greater regulation. At work, it could cause higher premiums and co-pays.
Policy issues aside, Patterson said he worries about how his children will view America differently under Obamacare. It's one of the reasons he's rooting for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to succeed in his lawsuit against Obamacare's individual mandate.
"This law sends a message to my children and future Americans that they're not competent, they can't take care of themselves, government has to step in to take care of them," Patterson said. "I look at this legislation as we are delegating basic moral responsibilities we have in our communities to take care of our aging parents, to take care of those that are less privileged in our communities. We're taking these basic moral obligations away from ourselves, from our churches, our synagogues, our civic organizations, and we're delegating these responsibilities to government. I don't understand that."
Patterson called himself the "most optimistic pessimist you'll find." It's one reason he's hopeful about the repeal of Obamacare and why he harbors a faith that his children's generation might be able to put the country back on track — restoring the principles of limited government, individual freedom and traditional values when it comes to health care.
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Many ObamaCare rules and regulations are going into effect, unleashing unintended consequences on the private health sector. Keep up with the latest changes by reading Heritage's constantly updated "Side Effects" blog. The Heritage Foundation -- 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC
Call us at 202-546-4400.
Experts: U.S. can no longer afford housing tax breaks - USATODAY.com
Experts: U.S. can no longer afford housing tax breaks
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Fwd: Morning Bell: The Age of Entitlements Must End
08/19/2010
The Age of Entitlements Must End
The latest Democracy Corps poll, performed by Democratic pollsters Stan Greenberg, James Carville and Bob Shrum, shows that by a 64% - 29% margin, the American people believe that things in this country "have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track." But nobody seems to have bothered to tell President Barack Obama who, on the second-to-last leg of a $4 million fundraising trip for Democrats, told a group of supporters in Columbus, Ohio: "Slowly but surely, we are moving in the right direction. We're on the right track." And that wasn't the most completely divorced-from-reality statement that the President made yesterday. Responding to a question about Social Security, the President insisted: "So here's the thing. Social Security is not in crisis." Oh yes it is.
The debate about whether Social Security needs to be fixed is over. The 2010 Social Security Trustees Report, released on August 5, shows that the program will run cash-flow deficits in both 2010 and 2011 due to the effects of the recession. Then in 2015, Social Security will begin to inflict massive permanent annual deficits on American taxpayers. And Social Security is just one of the Big Three entitlements (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid) that is set to bankrupt our country. Unless major reforms are made, spending on just these three programs alone will consume all federal government revenues by 2052. According to the International Monetary Fund, over the next 20 years the United States will experience the second highest projected increase of all the G20 countries in health care and pension spending as a share of GDP.
If we really want to get our nation back on track, one of our top priorities must be to end the age of entitlements. Under current law, Congress does not review and approve the level of funding for these programs annually or…ever. Rather, their expansion is on autopilot, fueled by demographic changes and rapidly rising health care costs. Unless major reforms are made, these entitlement programs will crowd out all of our other national priorities. The Heritage Foundation's Solutions for America chapter on The Entitlement Crisis recommends:
