Good Riddance to Arlen Specter, Takeovers Continue in Banking and Auto, Criminal TARP

1) Arlen Specter Leaves Democratic Party Veteran Sen. Arlen Specter announced Tuesday his intent to switch from the GOP to the Democratic Party, earning him the support of President Obama in next year's re-election campaign. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday Obama will raise money and campaign for Specter if asked. Despite winning election to the Senate five times as a Republican, Specter has jumped ship faced with the prospect of a strong challenge from conservative Pat Toomey in the GOP primary and Pennsylvania trending Democratic. "I have found myself increasingly at odds with the Republican philosophy and more in line with the philosophy of the Democratic Party," he said at a news conference, adding "I am not prepared to have my 29 years' record in the United States Senate decided by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate." The switch puts Democrats within one vote of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Democrats currently hold 56 seats in the Senate, and two independents typically vote with the party. Republicans have 41 seats.  Decided by the electorate? YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, SENATOR SPECTOR!!!!! YOUR RECORD BY DEFINITION IS DECIDED BY THE ELECTORATE!!! Good riddance to you sir.  See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/28/source-specter-intends-switch-political-parties/ 2) TARP, the Criminal Enterprise?  Is the whole TARP plan a criminal enterprise? Sounds farfetched, I suppose. But after reading about Special Inspector General Neil Barofsky’s report, it may well be that TARP is just one big criminal problem.  Listen to this: Barofsky’s investigators reported Monday that they have opened 20 criminal probes into possible securities fraud, tax-law violations, insider-trading, and mortgage-modification fraud related to TARP. Yup, those are criminal probes. Barofsky is the special IG overseeing the bailout program. And for some reason the mainstream media refuses to report this on the front pages where it belongs. …By the way, one of Barofsky’s recommendations is for Treasury to abandon its whole plan of buying toxic assets from banks and investors. The IG’s report also notes that what started last October as a single-purpose $750 billion effort to buy toxic securities has morphed into twelve separate programs that cover up to $3 trillion in direct spending, loans, and loan guarantees. In other words, TARP is nearly equal in size to the entire federal budget..” (emphasis mine) …Think about this: TARP, which is now linked to substantial criminal activity, has ballooned to the size of a second federal budget and represents the biggest government-directed intrusion into the economy in history — vastly bigger than the New Deal. And not only is there TARP for banks, insurance companies, and non-bank financial institutions, but also for GM, Chrysler, and various auto suppliers, and perhaps soon enough for credit cards, newspapers, and other sectors of the economy. This is why I believe the era of democratic free-market capitalism is coming to an end. It is being replaced by state-directed corporatism on a grand scale. This is central planning that goes way beyond the American tradition. See: http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2FjZWMyZDA2OGEyNWFmNWQ0OWFiZjQzMTcxNDYwZmM= 3) BofA, Citi may need to raise more capital The takeovers continue… WASHINGTON – Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. will need to raise more capital based on preliminary results of their government-run "stress tests" — unless they succeed in appealing the findings, according to two people familiar with the matter. The banks are making their arguments to regulators, said these people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they have been ordered not to discuss it. Among their points could be that regulators don't fully understand the banks' operations, they said. But the companies face an uphill battle in convincing Fed officials, who privately released the results Friday, that the results are wrong, analysts said. They noted that the tests are supposed to be rigorous enough for the results to be widely accepted. …Banks deemed to have enough capital may learn whether they'll be permitted to repay billions of dollars the government injected into them last fall, analysts and officials said. Most large banks have said they want to repay the money to escape executive compensation limits and other obligations (emphasis mine). Permitted to repay???? See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_bi_ge/us_banks_stress_tests 4) Takeover of Auto Industry… …Chrysler cleared a major hurdle over the weekend by reaching a new deal with the UAW that would give the union a 55 percent stake in the company. Chrysler will use equity instead of cash to fund at least 50 percent of its $10.6 billion obligation to a union-run health care trust, and the trust would get a seat on the board.

Yeah, that’ll work well. Give Chrysler to the unions.  

See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_bi_ge/us_chrysler

4a) See, I Told You So: Obama Gives UAW the Majority Stake in Chrysler RUSH: Today, ladies and gentlemen, the Wall Street Journal has the dirty details. Fifty-five percent of Chrysler owned by the United Auto Workers, 35% owned by President Obama, common shares, which means voting, 39% of General Motors owned by the United Auto Workers, the rest owned by President Obama. See: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_042809/content/01125108.guest.html 5) More bailouts…this time on second mortgages… Administration is set to expand housing aid plan See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_housing 6) FAA Memo: Feds Knew NYC Flyover Would Cause Panic Threatened Federal Sanctions Against NYPD, Secret Service, FBI & Mayor's Office If Secret Ever Got Out See: http://wcbstv.com/topstories/air.force.one.2.996457.html 7) Most Americans oppose interrogation probe: poll WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans oppose a U.S. congressional investigation into harsh interrogation methods used on terrorism suspects during the Bush administration, a poll said on Tuesday. A CBS News/New York Times poll found that 62 percent of Americans do not think Congress should hold hearings to investigate the treatment of detainees, about the same proportion as in a similar poll in February. See: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE53R4PC20090428?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true 8) Where Will the Swine Flu Go Next? Influenza viruses are unpredictable because they are able to mutate so rapidly. That capacity enables them to jump easily from species to species, infecting not only pigs and people but also horses, seals, cats, dogs, tigers and so on. An avian virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic jumped first from birds to humans, then from humans to swine (as well as other animals). Now, and not for the first time, pigs have given a virus back to humans. …Influenza pandemics have occurred as far back in history as we can look, but the four we know about in detail happened in 1889, 1918, 1957 and 1968. The mildest of these, the so-called Hong Kong flu in 1968, killed about 35,000 people in the United States and 700,000 worldwide. Ordinary seasonal influenza, in comparison, now kills 36,000 Americans a year, because the population has a higher proportion of elderly people and others with weak immune systems. (If a virus like the Hong Kong flu hit today, it would probably kill more people for the same reason.) See: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/opinion/28barry.html?_r=1

Former CIA Director Rails Against Dems Who 'Didn't Know' About Interrogation, Swine Flu, Planes in NY?

1) Security Before Politics This article is excellent and a must-read so I am going to post much of it here… Since leaving my post as CIA director almost three years ago, I have remained largely silent on the public stage. I am speaking out now because I feel our government has crossed the red line between properly protecting our national security and trying to gain partisan political advantage. We can't have a secret intelligence service if we keep giving away all the secrets. Americans have to decide now. A disturbing epidemic of amnesia seems to be plaguing my former colleagues on Capitol Hill. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, members of the committees charged with overseeing our nation's intelligence services had no higher priority than stopping al-Qaeda. In the fall of 2002, while I was chairman of the House intelligence committee, senior members of Congress were briefed on the CIA's "High Value Terrorist Program," including the development of "enhanced interrogation techniques" and what those techniques were. This was not a one-time briefing but an ongoing subject with lots of back and forth between those members and the briefers (emphasis mine). Let me be clear. It is my recollection that:  -- The chairs and the ranking minority members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, known as the Gang of Four, were briefed that the CIA was holding and interrogating high-value terrorists.  -- We understood what the CIA was doing.  -- We gave the CIA our bipartisan support.  -- We gave the CIA funding to carry out its activities.  -- On a bipartisan basis, we asked if the CIA needed more support from Congress to carry out its mission against al-Qaeda. …Circuses are not new in Washington, and I can see preparations being made for tents from the Capitol straight down Pennsylvania Avenue. The CIA has been pulled into the center ring before. The result this time will be the same: a hollowed-out service of diminished capabilities. After Sept. 11, the general outcry was, "Why don't we have better overseas capabilities?" I fear that in the years to come this refrain will be heard again: once a threat -- or God forbid, another successful attack -- captures our attention and sends the pendulum swinging back. There is only one person who can shut down this dangerous show: President Obama. …The suggestion that we are safer now because information about interrogation techniques is in the public domain conjures up images of unicorns and fairy dust. We have given our enemy invaluable information about the rules by which we operate. The terrorists captured by the CIA perfected the act of beheading innocents using dull knives. Khalid Sheik Mohammed boasted of the tactic of placing explosives high enough in a building to ensure that innocents trapped above would die if they tried to escape through windows. There is simply no comparison between our professionalism and their brutality (emphasis mine).  See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042403339.html 2) Swine flu epidemic enters dangerous new phase MEXICO CITY – The swine flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency. The suspected number of deaths rose to 149 in Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak with nearly 2,000 people believed to be infected. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu What makes me suspicious is that in early articles it was noted that this virus has avian, swine, and human genetic material. Now, that is no longer mentioned. It is merely referred to as the “swine flu.” Avian, swine, and human genetic components don’t just get together by happenstance. I suspect this is a designer virus. Others suspect terrorism also; see: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96299.  3) Quake jars already-nervous Mexico City residents See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090428/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_earthquake 4) Plane stupid: Mayor Bloomberg outraged over military photo-op involving low-flying presidential jet Juse plane dumb. A perfect storm of idiocy led to a frightening 9/11 flashback for thousands of New Yorkers Monday when a jumbo jet and an F-16 fighter jet buzzed lower Manhattan without warning.  A "furious" Mayor Bloomberg denounced the dunces who dreamed up the stunt - and the NYPD officials and bureaucrats who never told him about it.  By day's end, an obscure City Hall deputy named Marc Mugnos, who makes $60,000 a year, was taking the fall for not telling Bloomberg that the low-flying planes were coming. He was reprimanded.  But there was plenty of blame to go around. …"It's like someone coming up to you, sticking a gun to your head for 15 seconds, walking away and hearing 20 minutes later it was an undercover cop posing for a photo," said Wall Street worker Bill Privett. See: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/04/27/2009-04-27_plane_stupid_mayor_bloomberg_outraged_over_military_photoop_involving_lowflying_.html 5) Palestinians don't accept Israel as 'Jewish state' PA president issues harsh remarks days before meeting with Obama TEL AVIV, Israel – Just days before he is scheduled to meet President Obama in Washington, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas today declared his U.S.-backed organization will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.  "Jewish state, what is that supposed to mean?" Abbas asked in a speech before student delegates of his Fatah party.  "You can call yourselves as you like, but I don't accept it, and I say so publicly," he said. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96282

Dems Knew, Obama Legal Team Limiting Defendants Rights, Gov Takeover of GM, Rebellion Brewing

1) Hot doc: Cheney's request to declassify intel from 'torture' Former Vice President Dick Cheney is asking the Obama administration to declassify two documents on intelligence obtained from the so-called enhanced interrogation program that critics have decried as torture, according to a copy of his request obtained by POLITICO. See: http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/0409/Hot_doc_Cheneys_request_to_declassify_intel_from_torture_.html 1a) Democrats Supported CIA's 'Enhanced Interrogation' Techniques, Says House GOP Leader (CNSNews.com) – House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the “enhanced interrogation” techniques used on terror suspects--described in declassified Justice Department memos released by the Obama administration last week--had approval from congressional leaders in both parties.    Boehner also said that making the complete report public would show “the bigger picture” of how America was kept safe from terrorist attacks.   The memos that have been released reveal that only three top al Qaeda terror suspects, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM), were ever waterboarded. Information obtained from KSM, according to one of the memos, allowed the U.S. government to stop a planned terrorist attack in Los Angeles. See: http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47104 2) Obama legal team wants to limit defendants' rights WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is asking the Supreme Court to overrule a 23 year-old decision that stopped police from initiating questions unless a defendant's lawyer is present, the latest stance that has disappointed civil rights and civil liberties groups. While President Barack Obama has reversed many policies of his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush, the defendants' rights case is another stark example of the White House seeking to limit rather than expand rights. See: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gsdBeBfQ1PJTCFWgQGQw0vp6U30QD97ONB3G3 3) GM Is Becoming a Royal Debacle It's good to be the king -- until you start tripping over your own robe. So King Barack the Mild is finding as he tries to dictate the terms of what amounts to an out-of-court bankruptcy for Chrysler and GM. He wants Chrysler's secured lenders to give up their right to nearly full recovery in a bankruptcy in return for 15 cents on the dollar. They'd be crazy to do so, of course, except that these banks also happen to be beholden to the administration for TARP money. Kingly prerogative also conflicts with kingly prerogative in the case of GM's unsecured creditors, who are the sticking point in agreeing to a turnaround plan by the drop-dead date of June 1. His retainer, Steven Rattner, has delivered word that the king's pleasure is that these unsecured creditors give up 100% of their claims in return for GM stock. It may also be the king's pleasure, he advised, to convert at some point the government's own $13 billion in bailout loans into GM stock. …They've already seen that the rights and privileges of shareholders are not worth diddly when the king is throwing his prerogatives around. He dispensed with the services of GM chief Rick Wagoner, though the king owned not a single share of GM stock at the time. His minions communicated the king's pleasure that GM consider discontinuing its GMC brand, maker of pickups and SUVs that offendeth the royal eye -- though these vehicles earn GM's fattest profit margins. See: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124035637935940943.html 4) Barney Frank: Marijuana, Internet Gambling O.K. for Americans, but not ‘Total Freedom’ in Financial Matters (CNSNews.com) – Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told CNSNews.com Thursday that, if it were up to him, Americans would be completely free to smoke marijuana and gamble on the Internet -- but they shouldn’t be allowed “total freedom” in their financial decisions because those risky decisions might adversely affect others. Guess what, Barney??? Without economic freedom, there IS NO FREEDOM.  See: http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47107 5) In GOP base, a 'rebellion brewing' …But outside Washington, the reality is very different. Rank-and-file Republicans remain, by all indications, staunchly conservative, and they appear to have no desire to moderate their views. GOP activists and operatives say they hear intense anger at the White House and at the party’s own leaders on familiar issues – taxes, homosexuality, and immigration. Within the party, conservative groups have grown stronger absent the emergence of any organized moderate faction.  There is little appetite for compromise on what many see as core issues, and the road to the presidential nomination lies – as always – through a series of states where the conservative base holds sway, and where the anger appears to be, if anything, particularly intense.  "There is a sense of rebellion brewing," said Katon Dawson, the outgoing South Carolina Republican Party chairman, who cited unexpectedly high attendance at anti-tax “tea parties” last week.  That same sense is detectable in New Hampshire, where Union Leader publisher Joseph McQuaid – a stalwart of the base – warned in a column last weekend that the push for same-sex marriage in the state legislature was really about “forcing society to embrace and give positive reinforcement to their lifestyle and agenda in our schools and in every other area of public life imaginable.” See: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21677.html 6) Book Chavez Gave to Obama Is Used as Core Text on Many College Campuses Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wasn't the first to discover the book he gave to President Obama last week in an attempt to ease diplomatic tensions — college students in the U.S. have been turning its pages for years. The 317-page "Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent" has been identified on the syllabi of at least 20 U.S. colleges and universities since 2003, and it's been taught for decades on American campuses. The virulently anti-American book tells how for 500 years Europe and then the U.S. exploited Latin America, leaving it impoverished and governed by corrupt leaders. See: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517784,00.html 7) 100 days in office, coronated Messiah Arms outstretched, he wears crown of thorns on his brow On his 100th day in office, President Obama will be "crowned" in messianic imagery at New York City's Union Square.  Artist Michael D'Antuono's painting "The Truth" – featuring Obama with his arms outstretched and wearing a crown of thorns upon his head – will be unveiled on April 29 at the Square's South Plaza. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96138

Swine Flu, Chinese Muslims from Gitmo to Settle in US, Witch Hunt for 'Torturers', Cap-and-Trade Tax

1) Outbreak in Mexico, U.S. tied to new swine flu Source of unique virus a mystery; CDC announces additional case in Calif. The unique strain of swine flu found in California and Texas has been connected to the deadly flu that has broken out in Mexico, killing as many as 61 people, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has confirmed.  The strain has never been seen before and is raising fears of a possible pandemic across North America. …It first looked mostly like a swine virus but closer analysis showed it is a never-before-seen mixture of swine, human and avian viruses. …Mexico canceled classes for millions of children in its sprawling capital city and surrounding area on Friday. …The U.S. cases are a growing medical mystery because it's unclear how they caught the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said none of the eight people were in contact with pigs, which is how people usually catch swine flu. And only a few were in contact with each other. …Still, health officials said it's not a cause for public alarm. Worldwide, seasonal flu kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people in an average year. Plus, testing indicates some mainstream antiviral medications seem to work against the new swine virus. See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30386163/ 1a) Related: Travel advisory warns of severe respiratory illness in Mexico See: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/23/respiratory-illness-flu-mexico.html 2) U.S. plans to accept several Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo Reporting from Washington -- The Obama administration is preparing to admit into the United States as many as seven Chinese Muslims who have been imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay in the first release of any of the detainees into this country, according to current and former U.S. officials. See: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gitmo-release24-2009apr24,0,7979465.story 3) Conservative reps. want Napolitano out House Republicans are calling on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to step down or be fired in the wake of a controversial department memo that has sparked indignant battle cries from conservatives and some veterans.  “Singling out political opponents for working against the ruling party is precisely the tactic of every tyrannical government from Red China to Venezuela," said Texas Rep. John Carter, a member of the party's elected leadership who has organized an hour of floor speeches Wednesday night to call for Napolitano's ouster. “The first step in the process is creating unfounded public suspicion of political opponents, followed by arresting and jailing any who continue speaking against the regime.” See: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21606.html 3a) Homeland Security replacing intel official The head of the Homeland Security agency responsible for a controversial report that suggested veterans were being recruited to commit terrorist acts in the U.S. is being replaced by a former FBI and CIA official.  Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced in a statement late Thursday afternoon that the White House intends to nominate Philip Mudd as undersecretary for intelligence and analysis. Mr. Mudd is a 24-year career FBI official, who currently serves as the associate executive assistant director of the bureau's national security branch. …which is just symbolism over substance. Ultimately Napolitano should resign, but the report really came with Obama’s blessing. Don’t tell me he didn’t know what his DHS secretary was doing.   See: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/24/homeland-security-replaces-veterans-report-agency-/ 4) McCain: Torture Probe Will Be A "Witch Hunt" Sen. John McCain warned that a pursuit for charges against Bush administration officials who helped design harsh interrogation tactics used on terrorist suspects would turn into a "witch hunt." …On Wednesday, McCain and Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sent President Obama a letter expressing strong concern over his decision to leave the door open to the possible prosecution of officials who crafted controversial Bush administration policy on detainee interrogations.  "Pursuing such prosecutions would, we believe, have serious negative effects on the candor with which officials in any administration provide their best advice, and would take our country in a backward-looking direction at a time when our detainee-related challenges demand that we look forward," the letter said. See: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4963412.shtml 5) To get votes, Waxman offers cap-and-trade breaks Green says Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who heads the panel, is trying to entice him into voting for the bill by giving some refineries favorable treatment in the administration’s “cap and trade” system, which is expected to generate hundreds of billions of dollars over the coming years. Under the plan, companies would pay for the right to emit carbon dioxide, but Green and other lawmakers are angling to get a free pass for refineries in their districts. …While Shimkus acknowledged that closed-door negotiating was “just a way of doing business” in Congress, he said offering emission allowances for votes may take the process beyond ethical boundaries. See: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/To-get-votes-Waxman-offers-cap-and-trade-breaks_04_24-43592342.html 5a) Dingell grills Gore Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) didn't give his friend Al Gore a free pass when he questioned the former VP during his House testimony today. "Cap and trade is a tax, and it's a great big one," Dingell said.  He pushed Gore to explain why adopting cap-and-trade wouldn't lead to the same failures Europe encountered with such policies. And he pushed the former VP to explain why America should make such a sacrifice when other big polluters are not. See: http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/04/24/dingell-grills-gore/ 6) The slow takeover…Treasury lends $2 billion more to General Motors WASHINGTON – Taxpayers invested another $2 billion in General Motors Corp. this week as the struggling auto giant continued efforts to restructure and avoid bankruptcy cour See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_bi_ge/us_auto_bailout 7) Bank industry to hear results of 'stress tests' …When senior White House adviser David Axelrod was asked in an interview last week with The Associated Press about a separate plan to buy up banks' assets, he replied, "Let's see what happens once the stress tests are done and the capital needs of banks are determined."  A draft report from top regulators said the government may end up acquiring a significant ownership stake in banks, according to an article Friday in The Wall Street Journal. However, the draft report from the Financial Stability Oversight Board says U.S. ownership of individual firms "is not an objective," and that any such occurrence would be temporary, the Journal said. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_bi_ge/us_banks_stress_tests 8) Obama touts plan to change college loan system The administration has pushed for federal financial aid to go directly to students, not to banks that lend money to students. Obama said he wants to eliminate the "middle men" lenders that he says add inefficiency to the system — a move he said could open classrooms to 8.5 million more students. Let’s see. We’ve got the banks already. Yeah, let’s just take this sector over directly too. None of this middle man stuff.   See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090424/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_college_costs 9) China parades naval might BEIJING: China paraded its warships and nuclear submarines on Thursday in an unprecedented display of maritime might attended by 14 other nations to mark the 60th anniversary of its navy.  Fifty-six Chinese subs, destroyers, frigates, missile boats and planes were displayed off the eastern port city of Qingdao just weeks after tensions flared following a naval stand-off with the United States in the South China Sea.  The review -- only the fourth to take place since 1949 and the first on such a large and international scale -- was opened by two of China's nuclear-powered submarines, the first time in history they have been unveiled to the public. See: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4440663.cms 10) Defiant Taliban Forces Advance To Within 60 Miles of Islamabad ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, April 23 -- Taliban forces consolidated control of two northwestern Pakistan districts and sent patrols into a third Thursday, stepping up their defiance of a government peace deal and raising fears of further advances by violent Islamists who are now within 60 miles of this capital city. See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042200863.html 11) State threatens locals: Marry 'gays' – or else Attorney general: 'We must live by and follow what the courts decide' …However, a letter sent to county recorders by the Alliance Defense Fund says Miller is forgetting completely about "one of the most foundational rights and liberties we enjoy as Iowans" … "the right of conscience."  "This right is based upon the simple truth that it is wrong to force anyone to violate his or her conscience," said the letter, also from the Iowa Family Policy Council.  …"This policy allows an employee who does not wish to violate his or her own conscience by issuing a marriage license to a same-sex couple to abstain and allow the transaction to be performed by someone who is willing to do it," he said. "Forcing them to participate in offensive acts contrary to their deeply held beliefs in order to remain employed is unconstitutional. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95919 11a) Connecticut Gov. Rell Signs Gay Marriage Bill Both the House and the Senate spent hours yesterday debating Senate Bill 899, which passed only after an amendment was added that provides an exemption to groups who object to same-sex marriage on religious grounds. See: http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hcu-gaymarriage-0423,0,664738.story

Congress Knew About Interrogations, Freddie Mac Official Dead, Sebelius Stalled

1) CIA Confirms: Waterboarding 9/11 Mastermind Led to Info that Aborted 9/11-Style Attack on Los Angeles

(CNSNews.com) - The Central Intelligence Agency told CNSNews.com today that it stands by the assertion made in a May 30, 2005 Justice Department memo that the use of “enhanced techniques” of interrogation on al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) -- including the use of waterboarding -- caused KSM to reveal information that allowed the U.S. government to thwart a planned attack on Los Angeles.

See: http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=46949

1a) Hill Briefed on Waterboarding in 2002 In September 2002, four members of Congress met in secret for a first look at a unique CIA program designed to wring vital information from reticent terrorism suspects in U.S. custody. For more than an hour, the bipartisan group, which included current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), was given a virtual tour of the CIA's overseas detention sites and the harsh techniques interrogators had devised to try to make their prisoners talk.  Among the techniques described, said two officials present, was waterboarding, a practice that years later would be condemned as torture by Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill. But on that day, no objections were raised. Instead, at least two lawmakers in the room asked the CIA to push harder, two U.S. officials said.  "The briefer was specifically asked if the methods were tough enough," said a U.S. official who witnessed the exchange. See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801664.html And: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/23/boehner-cia-methods-no-secret-hill/ 1b) Congress Knew About the Interrogations Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair got it right last week when he noted how easy it is to condemn the enhanced interrogation program "on a bright sunny day in April 2009." Reactions to this former CIA program, which was used against senior al Qaeda suspects in 2002 and 2003, are demonstrating how little President Barack Obama and some Democratic members of Congress understand the dire threats to our nation. George Tenet, who served as CIA director under Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, believes the enhanced interrogations program saved lives. He told CBS's "60 Minutes" in April 2007: "I know this program alone is worth more than the FBI, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency put together have been able to tell us." …It was not necessary to release details of the enhanced interrogation techniques, because members of Congress from both parties have been fully aware of them since the program began in 2002. We believed it was something that had to be done in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to keep our nation safe. After many long and contentious debates, Congress repeatedly approved and funded this program on a bipartisan basis in both Republican and Democratic Congresses (emphasis mine). See: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124044188941045415.html 2) Police investigating death of Freddie Mac official VIENNA, VA. – The chief financial officer of Freddie Mac, one of the mortgage giants at the heart of the nation's financial meltdown, was found dead in his basement early Wednesday morning in what police said was an apparent suicide. David Kellermann, 41, apparently hanged himself in his suburban Washington home, said a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation. He asked not to be identified because the investigation was ongoing. …That relationship has been tense and stressful, with Kellermann working long hours, a colleague said. Freddie Mac executives recently battled with federal regulators over whether to disclose potential losses on mortgage securities tied to the Obama administration's housing plan, said a person familiar with the deliberations who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090422/ap_on_bi_ge/us_freddie_mac_official_dead 3) GOP Stymies Vote on Sebelius President Obama will have to wait a bit longer to round out his Cabinet. Senate Republicans refused today to allow a confirmation vote on his health secretary nominee Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kan.). She is the last Cabinet member awaiting Senate approval.  At the start of the session today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) proposed taking a vote after five hours of debate. But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) objected, arguing that lawmakers needed more time to consider her "fairly contentious" selection.  A handful of Republicans have complained about Sebelius' support for abortion rights and her failure to report the full extent of campaign contributions she received from a physician who performs abortions. See: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/04/23/gop_stymies_vote_on_sebelius.html And: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090423/ap_on_go_co/us_sebelius_hhs Indeed, “Sebelius received almost $40,000 in campaign contributions tied to Dr. George Tiller through 2002 — a figure she was forced to revise after Operation Rescue challenged her initial $12,400 total. Sebelius said it was an ‘inadvertent omission.’” See: http://www.sba-list.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=ddJBKJNsFqG&b=4186739&content_id={A1B3E441-E6AA-45EF-9BA3-51691B1F58EB}&notoc=1 4) Judiciary Committee greenlights 'hate crimes' Members refuse to protect Christian pastors from charges Members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee today rejected an opportunity to protect Christian pastors who preach the biblical condemnation of homosexuality and approved on a 15-12 vote a "hate crimes" bill that supporters admit could be used to bring charges against religious leaders.  The bill, H.R. 1913, now will be considered by the full House of Representatives. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95923 5) Fuzzy Math The GOP took some heat when they called out the $3,100 extra tax dollars per year American households would have to pay when Cap & Trade is implemented. The MIT professor who worked on the study said the GOP was lying -- predictably liberal bloggers and left media like Keith Olbermann picked up on this and made fun of the GOP by mocking them as mathematicians. Turns out it was the MIT professor who was the idiot, after admitting to a 'boneheaded excel spreadsheet' mistake, and wouldn't you know it---the actual number is even higher than the GOP's estimate. See: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/24433/ 6) Is Obama campaign cash quashing eligibility suits? FEC shows more than $1 million paid to top law firm since election President Obama may be using campaign funds to stomp out eligibility lawsuits brought by Americans, as his campaign has paid more than $1 million to his top lawyer since the election.  According to Federal Election Commission records, Obama For America paid $688,316.42 to international law firm Perkins Coie between January and March 2009. The campaign also compensated Perkins Coie for legal services between Oct. 16, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2008 – to the tune of $378,375.52.  Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie – top lawyer for Obama, Obama's presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee and Obama's Organizing for America – is the same Washington, D.C., lawyer defending President Obama in lawsuits challenging his eligibility to be president. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95772

More on "The Give Act", Torture Memos, Spending Cuts that are Not, More Obama Admin Corruption

1) Obama urges citizens to undertake national service WASHINGTON – Calling on Americans to volunteer, President Barack Obama signed a $5.7 billion national service bill Tuesday that triples the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years and expands ways for students to earn money for college. "What this legislation does, then, is to help harness this patriotism and connect deeds to needs," said Obama, a former community organizer in Chicago. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090422/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_national_service 1a) New law to 'manage' 8 million 'volunteers' WND reported when the bill began its quick trip through Congress, and its original language called for a study of how best to implement a mandatory national service program for citizens of the United States (emphasis mine).  Later the language was dropped from that bill, only to appear at the same time in another legislative proposal. That plan, H.R. 1444, now is in committee. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95674 2) Obama open to torture memos probe, prosecution WASHINGTON – Widening an explosive debate on torture, President Barack Obama on Tuesday opened the possibility of prosecution for Bush-era lawyers who authorized brutal interrogation of terror suspects and suggested Congress might order a full investigation. Less than a week after declaring it was time for the nation to move on rather than "laying blame for the past," Obama found himself describing what might be done next to investigate what he called the loss of "our moral bearings." See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090422/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_interrogation_memos 2a) Cheney: Release interrogation success stories Argues techniques such as waterboarding yielded crucial results for U.S. …"One of the things that I find a little bit disturbing about this recent disclosure is they put out the legal memos, the memos that the CIA got from the Office of Legal Counsel, but they didn't put out the memos that showed the success of the effort," Cheney said. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95730 And: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8009571.stm 3) Obama’s Spending vs Obama’s Spending Cuts — in Pictures See: http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/20/obamas-spending-vs-obamas-spending-cuts-in-pictures/ 4) Key Obama Climate Change Exchange Being Swayed by Top U.N. Officials A greenhouse gases trading system funded with the support of then-Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama, which is likely to play a major role in his $650 million cap-and-trade initiative, lists five present or former top-ranking U.N. officials on its advisory board who've had enormous influence over climate change matters -- including one who received $1 million from a convicted South Korean lobbyist. The most controversial figure of the five, Maurice Strong, was one of former Secretary General Kofi Annan's key aides at the U.N. for years until the Iraq Oil-for-Food scandal forced him to leave. Since then Strong has lived mostly in China. Calls to the exchange for comment about Strong's role, and that of other U.N. figures, were not returned. See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/20/key-obama-climate-change-exchange-swayed-officials/ 5) EXCLUSIVE: Senator's husband's firm cashes in on crisis On the day the new Congress convened this year, Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation to route $25 billion in taxpayer money to a government agency that had just awarded her husband's real estate firm a lucrative contract to sell foreclosed properties at compensation rates higher than the industry norms. See: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/21/senate-husbands-firm-cashes-in-on-crisis/ 6) Janet Napolitano said what? “And yes, when we find illegal workers, yes, appropriate action, some of which is criminal, most of that is civil, because crossing the border is not a crime per se. It is civil. But anyway, going after those as well.” ENTRY WITHOUT INSPECTION IS A CRIME: In fact, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1325, crossing the border illegally is a crime–a misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for the second and subsequent offenses. But of course, ignoring or mischaracterizing the law is a very convenient way for those in power to avoid the laws they find most inconvenient. Sadly, statements such as these are also a signal that Americans will have to wait a long time before their government articulates any credible immigration enforcement policy. See: http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/21/janet-napolitano-said-what/ 7) Obama chief Axelrod sells 'astroturfing' firm Inventor of artificial 'grassroots' efforts dismissed tea parties as fake White House senior adviser David Axelrod – who has dismissed the April 15 tea parties as "astroturf" rather than grassroots events" – stands to profit $3 million over the next five years from selling his interest in ASK Public Strategies, a Chicago public relations firm he created that many credit with having invented "astroturfing."  The term "astroturfing" refers to a practice in which a public relations firm or a corporation artificially creates an impression of grassroots support for a cause or concern. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95744 8) The Richer-Is-Greener Curve In my Findings column, I explain how researchers have discovered that, over the long term, being richer often translates into being greener. Many environmental problems get worse as a country first industrializes, but once it reaches a certain level of income, the trend often reverses, producing a curve shaped like an upside-down U. It’s called a Kuznets curve (in honor of the economist Simon Kuznets, who detected this pattern in trends of income inequality). See: http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/the-richer-is-greener-curve/ 9) Miss California: God was testing me Contestant loses pageant crown after answering 'gay' marriage question At Sunday night's Miss USA pageant, contestant Carrie Prejean was asked the one question she dreaded most, "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage; do you think every state should follow suit?" Her answer, which suddenly has made her the center of both praise and scorn, included the words, "In my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be – between a man and a woman." See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95656

Government Ownership of Banks Increases, Obama Used as Propaganda Tool, UN Walks Out on Iran

1) Bailout advisers shifting strategy Loans may be converted into banks' common stock WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's top economic advisers have determined that they can shore up the nation's banking system without having to ask Congress for more money any time soon, administration officials said.  In a significant shift, White House and Treasury Department officials say they can stretch what is left of the $700 billion financial bailout fund further than they had expected a few months ago, simply by converting the government's existing loans to the nation's 19 biggest banks into common stock (emphasis mine). Ummm…translation, they will now own the banks, in part or in whole.  Converting those loans to common shares would turn the government aid into available capital for a bank – and give the government a large equity stake in return. See: http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/apr/20/1n20bailout22378-bailout-advisers-shifting-strateg/?uniontrib 2) SPIN METER: Saving federal money the easy way WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cut a latte or two out of your annual budget and you've just done as much belt-tightening as President Barack Obama asked of his Cabinet on Monday. The thrifty measures Obama ordered for federal agencies are the equivalent of asking a family that spends $60,000 in a year to save $6. See: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SPIN-METER-Saving-federal-apf-14976290.html?.v=1 3) Glenn Beck: Obama used as propaganda tool HILLARY CLINTON: Well, I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I will promise a very vigorous diplomatic effort because I think that it is not that you promise a meeting with that high a level before you know what the intentions are. I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes. I don't want to make a situation even worse, but I certainly agree that we need to get back to diplomacy, which has been turned into a bad word by this administration, and I will pursue very vigorous diplomacy and I will use a lot of high level presidential envoys to test the waters, to feel the way. But certainly we're not going to just have our president meet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and, you know, the president of North Korea, Iran and Syria until we know better what the way forward would be. See: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/24282/ 4) 51% View Tea Parties Favorably, Political Class Strongly Disagrees Fifty-one percent (51%) of Americans have a favorable view of the “tea parties” held nationwide last week, including 32% who say their view of the events is Very favorable. See: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics2/51_view_tea_parties_favorably_political_class_strongly_disagrees 5) How Obama actually delayed pirate rescue SEAL team deployment stalled 36 hours, hampered by limited rules of engagement WASHINGTON – While Barack Obama is basking in praise for his "decisive" handling of the Somali pirate attack on a merchant ship in the India Ocean, reliable military sources close to the scene are painting a much different picture of the incident – accusing the president of employing restrictive rules of engagement that actually hampered the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips and extended the drama at sea for days.  Multiple opportunities to free the captain of the Maersk Alabama from three young pirates were missed, these sources say – all because a Navy SEAL team was not immediately ordered to the scene and then forced to operate under strict, non-lethal rules of engagement.  They say the response duty office at the Pentagon was initially unwilling to grant an order to use lethal force to rescue Phillips. They also report the White House refused to authorize deployment of a Navy SEAL team to the location for 36 hours, despite the recommendation of the on-scene commander. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95451 5a) Somali pirates fire on cargo ships in Gulf of Aden See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_re_af/piracy 6) Four CIA chiefs said 'don't reveal torture memos' Agency's ex-directors objected to interrogation techniques being revealed. But Barack Obama went ahead anyway. See: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/four-cia-chiefs-said-dont-reveal-torture-memos-1671068.html 7) Iran leader sparks walkout at UN over Israel GENEVA – Dozens of Western diplomats walked out of a U.N. conference and a pair of rainbow-wigged protesters threw clown noses at Iran's president Monday when the hard-line leader called Israel the "most cruel and repressive racist regime." …At the first mention of Israel, about 40 diplomats from Britain and France and other European Union countries exited the room. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_re_eu/un_un_racism_conference And: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517151,00.html 8) Minnesota's Missing Votes  Some Senate absentee ballots are more equal than others. …Case in point: the panel's dismal handling of absentee ballots. Early in the recount, the Franken team howled that some absentee votes had been erroneously rejected by local officials. We warned at the time that this was dangerous territory, designed to pressure election officials into accepting rejected ballots after the fact. Yet instead of shutting this Franken request down, or early on issuing a clear set of rules as to which absentees were valid, the state Supreme Court and the canvassing board oversaw a haphazard process by which some counties submitted new batches to be included in the tally, while other counties did not. The resulting additional 933 ballots were largely responsible for Mr. Franken's narrow lead. See: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124000875842430603.html

Government-Owned Media? Interrogation Memo Release: Consequences, Chavez, Israel/Iran

1) Obama Appointee Suggests ‘Direct Government Support for Public Media’ Influential Los Angeles Times columnist Rosa Brooks has hung up her journalistic hat and joined the Obama administration, but not before penning a public proposal calling for some radical ideas to help bail out the failing news industry. Brooks, who has taken up a post as an adviser at the Pentagon, advocated upping "direct government support for public media" and creating licenses to govern news operations. …"Since when did our Founding Fathers envision that ... you could exercise your right to freedom of speech provided you had a license from the federal government? This is the kind of stuff you have revolutions about," he told FOXNews.com (emphasis mine). See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/16/obama-appointee-suggests-radical-plan-newspaper-bailout/ 2) Former Bush Officials Warn Against Release of Legal Memos on Interrogation The ex-CIA director and the former homeland security secretary say the Obama administration runs great risks in revealing abandoned interrogation techniques against terror suspects. See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/04/17/bush-officials-warn-release-legal-memos-interrogation/ 3) Savage sues Napolitano for targeting vets DHS report 'would have admiration of any current or past dictator' Radio talk show host Michael Savage has teamed up with the Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor, Mich., to file a lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.  "It is a civil rights action brought under the First and Fifth Amendments to the United States Constitution, challenging the policy, practice, and custom of the United States Government that targets for disfavored treatment those individuals and groups that are considered to be 'rightwing extremists,'" the complaint announced today said. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95244 4) Obama, Venezuela's Chavez shake hands at summit "I greeted Bush with this hand eight years ago; I want to be your friend," Chavez told Obama, according to a Venezuelan presidential press office statement. See: http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN1736198420090417 4a) Chavez Gifts Obama With Book That Assails U.S. for Exploiting Latin America At President Obama's meeting with the heads of South American countries this morning, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stood, walked over to him, and presented him with a copy of "Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent" by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano.  Obama politely posed for a photograph with Chavez, shook his hand, and accepted the gift. The book, first published in Spanish in 1971, offers a critique of the consequences of 500 years of European and U.S. colonization of Latin America. See: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/chavez-gifts-ob.html 5) Lawyer: Iran convicts US journalist of spying TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - An American journalist jailed in Iran has been convicted of spying and sentenced to eight years in prison just days after she was tried behind closed doors, her lawyer said Saturday, dashing any hopes for her quick release. …In a speech, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was preparing new proposals aimed at breaking an impasse with the West over its nuclear program. But it was uncertain how Washington would react to Saberi's conviction. On Thursday, the State Department said Saberi's jailing was not helpful and that Iran would gain U.S. good will if it "responded in a positive way" to the case. See: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090418/D97KU00O0.html 6) Israel 'preparing massive strike on Iran' Defense officials say country holding drills to be ready within hours of OK to act TEL AVIV, Israel–The Israel Defense Forces is carrying out drills to practice for a possible massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities within days - or even hours - of being given the go-ahead by its new government, according to a report today in the Times of London.  "Israel wants to know that if its forces were given the green light they could strike at Iran in a matter of days, even hours. They are making preparations on every level for this eventuality. The message to Iran is that the threat is not just words," one unnamed senior defense official was quoted telling The Times. …That official added it was unlikely that Israel would carry out any attack without receiving at least tacit approval from the Obama administration, which has pushing for dialogue with Tehran. …"My concern is that until Obama finishes his learning curve of the subject, the Iranians are going to have maybe the first or even more nuclear bombs." See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95407 7) Obama will 'quickly' give Palestinians state Arab official says U.S. relayed message ahead of meeting with Abbas TEL AVIV, Israel – President Obama will move to create a Palestinian state "more quickly than anybody could imagine." At least that's the message the Palestinian Authority claims it received from the U.S. …Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, to outline the prime minister's approach to Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu reportedly told Mitchell he would condition future talks with the Palestinians on Palestinian leaders' first recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, a step that would be difficult should Hamas join a unity government. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95231

A New Foundation, CIA Memos (Stinging Caterpillars), Tea Party Extremism, China Chips in US Planes?

“And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” - The last sentence in The Declaration of Independence.  1) “A New Foundation” Franklin Roosevelt gave us the New Deal. John Kennedy gave us the New Frontier. In a major domestic policy address at Georgetown University this week, Barack Obama promised -- eight times -- a "New Foundation." For those too thick to have noticed this proclamation of a new era in American history, the White House Web site helpfully titled its speech excerpts "A New Foundation." …The Whopper: The boast that he had "identified $2 trillion in deficit reductions over the next decade." It takes audacity to repeat this after it had been so widely exposed as transparently phony. Most of this $2 trillion is conjured up by refraining from spending $180 billion a year for 10 more years of surges in Iraq. Hell, why not make the "deficit reductions" $10 trillion -- the extra $8 trillion coming from refraining from repeating the $787 billion stimulus package annually through 2019. See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603379.html 2) New pollution limits seen for cars, big plants …It was the first time the federal government had said it was ready to use the Clean Air Act to require power plants, cars and trucks to curtail their release of climate-changing pollution, especially carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090418/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/epa_climate 3) Morning Bell: What Works for Teachers Unions …The data is in. School choice works. And it significantly lower costs. Opportunity Scholarships offered through the program are worth $7,500. Since the participating private schools cannot charge scholarship students more than the amount of their scholarships, that amount is still less than half of the $15,315 that D.C. taxpayers spent per pupil in the 2004–05 school year. See: http://blog.heritage.org/2009/04/14/morning-bell-what-works-for-teachers-unions/ 4) The President Ties His Own Hands on Terror The release of these opinions was unnecessary as a legal matter, and is unsound as a matter of policy. Its effect will be to invite the kind of institutional timidity and fear of recrimination that weakened intelligence gathering in the past, and that we came sorely to regret on Sept. 11, 2001. See: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123993446103128041.html 4a) Obama Releases CIA Memos: If We Get Hit Again, He Owns It RUSH: You're going to come up with your own answer. Here you have memos -- and, by the way, if you look at what we are calling "torture," you have to laugh. For example, what was it? "Slapping...putting an insect in with a prisoner in a small confined area." There were 10 of these, but if you go through what are said to be the four worst, waterboarding, of course, which worked on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. I'm looking here for the details. Yeah, "sleep deprivation, facial slaps, placing one high-ranking al-Qaeda suspect," that would be Abu Zubaydah, "in a cramped box of what he was told was a stinging insect." This guy had a paranoia about stinging insects. They put him in with a caterpillar. CALLER: Oooo! RUSH: A caterpillar doesn't sting. See: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_041709/content/01125109.guest.html And: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aWdlo4rB9Uic&refer=us 5) Schakowsky: Tea parties 'despicable' Gotta love Illinois…why in the world do I live here? Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) blasted "tea party" protests yesterday, labeling the activities "despicable" and shameful." "The 'tea parties' being held today by groups of right-wing activists, and fueled by FOX News Channel, are an effort to mislead the public about the Obama economic plan that cuts taxes for 95 percent of Americans and creates 3.5 million jobs," Schakowsky said in a statement. You can’t cut taxes for people who aren’t paying them. The percentage of Americans paying no tax at all is 43%. Therefore, you cannot, by definition, cut taxes for 95% of Americans.    See: http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/04/16/schakowsky-tea-parties-despicable/ 5a) 1 million attend tea parties in 50 states 'Obama has awakened a sleeping giant' An estimated 1 million Americans participated in at least 1,000 tea parties, according to reports by organizers tabulating the nationwide numbers, with documented protests held in 50 states. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95230 5b) Glenn Beck: You Might Be an Extremist If... …But the one thing our government doesn't seem to understand anymore — and this was on display quite clearly on Wednesday — is that being concerned about your country doesn't make you an extremist. If you attended tea party, you were called — quote — "steeped in insanity" by The L.A. Times; "nutjobs" by The Washington Post; and your actions were seen as quote "not really family viewing," by CNN. And then you had the activists. Left-wing blogs like Daily Kos not only mocked the tea party attendees as GOP plants, they also spoke publicly about infiltrating the events along with groups like ACORN. They were adamant that us extremists would never be able to get together, but they were wrong — I haven't heard a single report of violence. Imagine that kind of peace at a Code Pink protest or a G20 summit? See: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/24165/ 6) Obama 'seeks a new beginning' with Cuba, talks PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Trading their warmest words in a half-century, the United States and Cuba built momentum toward renewed ties on Friday, with President Barack Obama declaring he "seeks a new beginning" — including direct talks — with the island's communist regime. As leaders of the Americas gathered for a summit in this Caribbean nation, the head of the Organization of American States even said he'll ask his group to invite Cuba back after 47 years. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090418/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_us_cuba 7) A 'Copper Standard' for the world's currency system? "China has woken up. The West is a black hole with all this money being printed. The Chinese are buying raw materials because it is a much better way to use their $1.9 trillion of reserves. They get ten times the impact, and can cover their infrastructure for 50 years." See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/5160120/A-Copper-Standard-for-the-worlds-currency-system.html 8) Chinese spies may have put chips in US planes WASHINGTON: The Chinese cyber spies have penetrated so deep into the US system — ranging from its secure defence network, banking system, electricity grid to putting spy chips into its defence planes — that it can cause serious damage to the US any time, a top US official on counter-intelligence has said. See: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-4412075,prtpage-1.cms

Texas secession, Tea Parties, Hatred of Conservatives, CNBC Sweats 'Obama-Bashing'

“Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. “…Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”  -Patrick Henry 1) Democrats: Texas gov should disavow secession talk AUSTIN, Texas – In a state that once was its own nation, a Republican governor who talked about secession without completely dismissing the idea has Democratic lawmakers in an uproar. Gov. Rick Perry, in comments following an anti-tax "tea party" Wednesday, never did advocate Texas breaking away from the United States but suggested that Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to leave the union. That was enough to feed opinions for and against secession on Web sites, cable TV and talk radio across the nation. At the Texas Capitol on Thursday, Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, joined by several fellow Texas House Democrats, said some people associate talk of secession with racial division and the Civil War and that Perry should disavow any notion of seceding. "Talk of secession is an attack on our country. It can be nothing else. It is the ultimate anti-American statement," Dunnam said at a news conference. Just how is TALK of secession an attack on our country???? Welcome to the upside down world of liberalism… See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090417/ap_on_re_us/perry_secession And: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D97J48IO2.html 2) DHS issued report on extremism despite concerns WASHINGTON – Civil liberties officials at the Homeland Security Department did not agree with some of the language in a controversial report on right-wing extremists, but the agency issued the report anyway. In the report, right-wing extremism was defined as hate-motivated groups and movements, such as hatred of certain religions, racial or ethnic groups. "It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the report said. Just how is opposition to abortion ‘hatred’ or ‘hate-motivated’? Killing unborn babies is a hateful act… See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090417/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/napolitano_right_wing_extremists 2a) Napolitano stands by controversial report Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that she was briefed before the release of a controversial intelligence assessment and that she stands by the report, which lists returning veterans among terrorist risks to the U.S.  But the top House Democrat with oversight of the Department of Homeland Security said in a letter to Ms. Napolitano that he was "dumbfounded" that such a report would be issued.  "This report appears to raise significant issues involving the privacy and civil liberties of many Americans - including war veterans," said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, in his letter sent Tuesday night. See: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/16/napolitano-stands-rightwing-extremism/ 2b) Why call Americans 'extremists?' DHS asked Freedom of Information Act request seeks 'basis' for report "This is not an intelligence report but a diatribe against those who oppose the policies of the Obama administration," said Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel for the organization.  "It is a declaration of war against the American people and our constitution. It is a prelude to extreme gun control legislation and hate speech laws targeting Christian churches and others who oppose abortion and same sex marriage," he continued. "The federal government should be focusing its attention on the 35 radical Muslim compounds in the U.S. training its followers on how to kidnap and kill Americans." See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95149 2c) CNN Smears 'Right Wing' As Nazis See: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mike-sargent/2009/04/15/cnn-smears-right-wing-nazis 2d) MSNBC Again Touts Right-Wing Threat of Violence; Features GOP Logo Speaking to Democratic strategist Bob Shrum, Brewer asked about a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report warning of "right-wing extremists." In a bewildered tone, she wondered, "...Is it just a leap to think that they're talking about Republicans? They didn't even mention conservatives in the report." See: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2009/04/15/msnbc-again-touts-right-wing-threat-violence-features-gop-logo 3) Md. Guard Issues Warning to Staff about Local TEA Party Protestors The document appears to treat protestors as potential terrorists. The Point of Contact is identified as "Antiterrorism Program Coordinator" and provides a redacted army.mil email address.  The verbiage in the document advises Guard personnel to prepare for the worst. "Commanders are encouraged to update alert rosters and review emergency evacuation plans/rally points. Ensure all facilities have emergency phone lists posted (i.e. FBI, FIRE, POLICE, HOSPITALS, EMS, ETC…). Be aware of and avoid local protests." See: http://somd.com/news/headlines/2009/9833.shtml 4) CNBC Asks Santelli to React to Tea Parties: 'I'm Pretty Proud of This' “I don’t know about cultural phenomenon, but I’ll tell you what,” Santelli said. “I think that this tea party phenomenon is steeped in American culture and steeped in American notion to get involved with what’s going on with our government. I haven’t organized. I’m going to have to work to pay my taxes, so I’m not going to be able to get away today. But, I have to tell you – I’m pretty proud of this.” See: http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2009/20090415092104.aspx 5) Coast-to-coast tea parties put lawmakers on notice Taxpayers descend upon politicians in numbers far beyond expectations SACRAMENTO – Americans took to the streets to protest wasteful government spending today – with estimated crowd sizes of 5,000 to 15,000 in Atlanta, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Olympia, Wash., Lansing, Mich., Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo., and Sacramento. …and about 2,000 in Lisle, Il, where my husband held a hand-made sign that read, “Lady Liberty and John Galt have packed their bags” on one side, and “America has lost its collective mind…is it 2010 yet?” on the other. See: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/15/anti-tax-tea-party-protests-expected/ And: http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/04/16/beck_alamo/ And: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95111 6) CNBC SWEATS 'OBAMA-BASHING' THE top suits and some of the on-air talent at CNBC were recently ordered to a top-secret meeting with General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker to discuss whether they've turned into the President Obama-bashing network, Page Six has learned.  "It was an intensive, three-hour dinner at 30 Rock which Zucker himself was behind," a source familiar with the powwow told us. "There was a long discussion about whether CNBC has become too conservative and is beating up on Obama too much. There's great concern that CNBC is now the anti-Obama network. The whole meeting was really kind of creepy." See: http://www.nypost.com/seven/04162009/gossip/pagesix/cnbc_sweats_obama_bashing_164608.htm 7) Officials Say U.S. Wiretaps Exceeded Law WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency intercepted private e-mail messages and phone calls of Americans in recent months on a scale that went beyond the broad legal limits established by Congress last year, government officials said in recent interviews. …The agency believed that the congressman, whose identity could not be determined, was in contact — as part of a Congressional delegation to the Middle East in 2005 or 2006 — with an extremist who had possible terrorist ties and was already under surveillance, the official said. The agency then sought to eavesdrop on the congressman’s conversations, the official said. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/16nsa.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1239937524-HL91quRGadq%20NWP%20HdbC3A 8) Obama's plan for Mideast peace: Strip Israel bare TEL AVIV, Israel – The Obama administration has decided to base its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on an Arab "peace" initiative, according to a source in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.  Defenders of Israel warn the so-called "Arab Peace Initiative" in its full form would leave the Jewish state with truncated, difficult-to-defend borders and could threaten Israel's Jewish character by compelling it to accept millions of foreign Arabs. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95171

More Pirate Attacks, Tax Breaks that are Not, Tea Parties, 'Spirituality' for Kids

"I get so tired of hearing people say, ‘The government gave me blah, blah, blah.’ Give me a break! Where do you think the government got the money? They got it from you. The government giving you something is like you giving yourself a transfusion from your right arm to your left arm, with 90 percent of your blood dripping out on the floor." John Hagee 1) French nab 11 pirates as threats mount on US ships MOMBASA, Kenya – A pirate gang that staged an abortive attack on a second U.S. ship loaded with food aid said Wednesday they were singling out American vessels and would kill their crews. French forces detained 11 other hijackers in a high-seas raid. Pirates fired grenades and automatic weapons at the cargo ship Liberty Sun, but its American crew successfully blockaded themselves inside the engine room. The ship was damaged in Tuesday's attack but escaped and was heading to Kenya under U.S. Navy guard. A pirate whose gang attacked the ship said Wednesday that his group was targeting American ships and sailors. "We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them," said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090415/ap_on_re_af/piracy 2) Anti-tax protesters turn out for dreaded April 15 FRANKFORT, Ky. – Protesters began gathering at state Capitols and in neighborhoods and town squares across the country Wednesday to kick off a series of tax-day protests designed to echo the rebellion of the Boston Tea Party. Demonstrators said they're steamed about government spending since President Barack Obama took office. The rallies were being held everywhere from Kentucky, which just passed tax increases on cigarettes and alcohol, to South Carolina, where the governor has repeatedly criticized the $787 billion economic stimulus package Congress passed earlier this year. Large protests also were expected in California and New York. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090415/ap_on_bi_ge/tax_day_protests 3) At tax time, cases like Geithner's raise pointed questions Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington -- The Treasury secretary, who oversees the IRS, initially didn't pay all his taxes. Neither did five other top nominees for the Obama administration or their spouses. Now, as tonight's tax deadline looms, some Americans are rhetorically asking: What would have happened to me if I had done the same thing? See: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-geithner-tax15-2009apr15,0,6763028.story 4) Pass the stimulus, and unemployment will never go above 8% …Yesterday he asked Robert Gibbs about a report that the Obama administration released in January—which showed what could happen to the unemployment rate if their world saving stimulus package was not passed (graph on page 5). Here are the highlights:  1) By their own estimation, the stimulus isn’t working as planned: The administration’s own estimates said that if the stimulus would pass, the unemployment rate would never rise above 8%. Its peak would be around 7.9% around the end of the year. Well…It’s at 8.5% already, and most economists seem to it’s getting worse before it gets better. See: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/stu/ 5) Obama extends tax relief to 'working families' President Obama announced a five-fold, tax-cut plan Wednesday and vowed to simplify the "monstrous" tax code that baffles most Americans.  "We start from the simple premise that we should reduce the tax burden on working people," said Mr. Obama, on the deadline day for filing 2008 tax returns.  Yeah, enjoy your $13, which will decrease to $8 in January… The president also likened himself to a typical U.S. worker, saying he will end tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans "so that folks like me are paying the same rates that the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans paid when Bill Clinton was president." Mr. Obama's salary as president is $400,000 a year. Yeah, people who make more than $400,000 don’t work for their money, do they?  See: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/15/obama-offer-relief-taxpayers/ 6) 'Spirituality for Kids' class draws fire "What does greater satisfaction bring?" she asks. Matthew replies: "Spiritual power!" Zucker asks him where the power comes from? "Your inner light," the boy answers. And where is that light found? "In your heart," he says. The exchange is part of "Spirituality for Kids," a class offered in several Los Angeles public elementary schools during the day or after school. Created by a leader of the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre International, a spiritual and educational organization, the program is promoted as a nondenominational effort to teach children to make wise choices. See: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schools-kabbalah14-2009apr14,0,3061945.story

Radicals on Right, Russian Citizen Has Seen this Movie Before, Iran, NK, Texas Gov

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” C.S. Lewis Don’t forget to attend a T.E.A. Party tomorrow! See http://taxdayteaparty.com/ 1) Federal agency warns of radicals on right A footnote attached to the report by the Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis defines "rightwing extremism in the United States" as including not just racist or hate groups, but also groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority.  "It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the warning says. See: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/14/federal-agency-warns-of-radicals-on-right/ And: http://www.thelibertypapers.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/hsa-rightwing-extremism-09-04-07.pdf 2) Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment I guess that would make him an extremist then… “I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.” See: http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/12227/ 3) Victor Saw This in Soviet Russia CALLER: Well, what concerns me, Mr. Limbaugh, is that, in my opinion, there's nothing less than essentially a takeover of the country. I've seen all of this before. I've seen the playbook. I actually have a Ph.D. in philosophy, and I started in college and Marxist and Leninist philosophy. And what's happening here, the left is playing by the same book of rules that the Soviet Socialist Republic has lived for nearly 80 years. And very, very few people in this country recognize what's actually taking place. See: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_041409/content/01125112.guest.html 4) Peres: Israel Prepared to Strike Iran “[Iranian president Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad recruits forces against us, but there are also forces against him,” Israeli President Shimon Peres warned Sunday, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post.  “What happened in Egypt created a fierce opposition and we must unify all his opponents -- the Sunnis and the Europeans, as well as those afraid of nuclear weapons and terror,” the Israeli leader said.  Peres tempered his saber-rattling remarks by adding that he hoped President Barack Obama’s call for dialogue with Ahmadinejad would be heeded.  More ominously, however, he advised that if such talks don’t soften the Iranian president’s approach, “we’ll strike him.” See: http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/peres_israel_iran/2009/04/13/202469.html 5) U.S. may drop key condition for talks with Iran WASHINGTON - The Obama administration and its European allies are preparing proposals that would shift strategy toward Iran by dropping a longstanding American insistence that Tehran rapidly shut down nuclear facilities during the early phases of negotiations over its atomic program, according to officials involved in the discussions. See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30202638/ 6) NKorea to quit talks, reopen nuclear plants SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea announced Tuesday it would quit six-nation nuclear disarmament talks and restart its atomic weapons programme in protest at the UN's condemnation of its rocket launch. The communist nation said Security Council discussion of the launch, which it insists sent a satellite into orbit, was "an unbearable insult" to its people. Hours later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its inspectors had been ordered to leave the country as Pyongyang prepared to reactivate its nuclear facilities. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090414/wl_asia_afp/unnkoreamissilenuclear;_ylt=AqMO8snt1p0.3P.IpDuGs4Z34T0D 7) Somali pirates seize two more ships Seems like a profitable business model, since no one is stopping them… See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090415/ts_nm/us_somalia_piracy;_ylt=AnQz0xavN2.BANFMYeIzO6l34T0D 8) NY Gov. Paterson to introduce gay marriage bill See: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grygnggpvdxoXHz6K6u0f9CUtsPQD97IFURO0

Somali Pirates are Muslims, DHS on Guard Against 'Right Wing Extremists', Traditional Values Over?

1) The Somali Pirates are Really Muslims, just as they were 200 years ago… The United States tried to play nice with the Barbary pirates and even inked a few treaties. That language, too, has a striking ring. The Barbary States were Muslim, as is Somalia.  …Eventually, though, Americans felt humiliated paying off a bunch of knife-sucking thugs in blousy pants. That’s what led to the Barbary Wars, first in 1801 when Jefferson became president, and again in 1815, when James Madison sent the United States Navy to shell the Barbary Coast. The battles became the stuff of legend — “the shores of Tripoli” in the Marine Hymn — and were critical in developing the nation’s young Navy. See: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/weekinreview/12gettleman.html?ref=africa 1a) Somali Insurgents Fire at U.S. Congressman During Visit to Mogadishu See: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,514935,00.html 2) Homeland Security on guard for 'right-wing extremists' Returning U.S. military veterans singled out as particular threats WASHINGTON – A newly unclassified Department of Homeland Security report warns against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94803 …So, if you disagree with Obama on amnesty for illegals or stand up for the Second Amendment, you are branded a "rightwing extremist" by the Department of Homeland Security and become the subject of scrutiny by some 850,000 local and state law enforcement personnel. See: http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94799 3) Ahmadinejad: Iran now has the ability to produce nuclear fuel Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that Iran now controls the entire cycle for producing nuclear fuel with the opening of a new facility to produce uranium pellets. See: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1077726.html 4) Obama officials working against Netanyahu? Rallying Congress for fear Israeli PM will bypass White House JERUSALEM – In anticipation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington next month, the Obama administration has been briefing Congress on its position regarding establishing a Palestinian state, according to informed Israeli diplomatic sources.  The sources said Obama's team fears Netanyahu may try to rally support in Congress against the president's policies, prompting the White House to act first by detailing for members of Congress Obama's positions regarding a Palestinian state and freezing Jewish construction in the West Bank. The White House is stressing that it holds Israel's security paramount but that Obama believes establishing a Palestinian state is crucial for Middle East peace. See: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94601 5) Critics say U.S. lawmakers erred by meeting with Castro brothers WASHINGTON -- Two former Cuban political prisoners and congressional backers of the U.S. embargo against Cuba Thursday lambasted a Congressional Black Caucus visit to Havana for overlooking the plight of dissidents on the island. Republican Reps. Chris Smith of New Jersey and Frank Wolf of Virginia said they've been trying to visit with political prisoners, but have twice been blocked from visiting Cuba by the Castro government. They were filing a third request Thursday. ''The Cuban government routinely denies lawmakers who have criticized its human rights record any access to the country itself,'' Smith told reporters. ``But for members of Congress who signal they will be docile, it rolls out the red carpet.'' See: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/992309.html 6) Glenn Beck - Schumer: traditional values are 'over' See: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/23945/ 7) Minn. court declares Franken leading vote-getter ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minnesota court confirmed Monday that Democrat Al Franken won the most votes in his 2008 Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman, who had already announced plans to appeal the decision. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090414/ap_on_go_co/minnesota_senate