ALERT - Supreme Court Case on Chicago Handgun Ban

From the Illinois State Rifle Association:

Yesterday the City of Chicago filed their brief in response in the US Supreme Court case brought by the Illinois State Rifle Association. The case, McDonald v Chicago, seeks to overturn Chicago's handgun ban and punitive registration process.

This is the most important case in U.S. history concerning the Second Amendment and it is the ISRA's case.  Can state and local governments take away your Second Amendment Rights? Or is the Right to Keep and Bear Arms so fundamental that it is protected by being incorporated against the states through the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution? Without going into a bunch of legal language, Chicago's brief is their attempt make sure that the handgun ban lives on.

These are the next steps in this case:

1. Our reply to what Chicago just submitted is due January 29.
2. Oral Arguments in the case have been scheduled for March 2.
3. The court is expected to deliver a decision near the end of June.

The outcome of this case is expected to affect the status of the Second Amendment across the nation. If we win, it does not mean that the fight is over, it means that next phase of the fight has begun.

The City of Chicago is using tax dollars pay for the defense in this case, in order to keep preventing its residents being able to have effective self-defense at home. Of course, no tax payer monies are being used to defend your Second Amendment rights! The legal effort behind the McDonald case is paid for privately.

The ISRA needs your support and your contributions to keep this case, and the inevitable follow-up cases, moving forward.

Now is the time. If you are an ISRA member, we need your continued support. Please make a donation on-line here, or over the phone at 815-635-3198. If you would like to mail or fax a donation, we have a printable form here.

Now is the time. If you're not an ISRA member, join NOW and ride with us into history. You'll be able to say "I was an ISRA member when WE overthrew the Chicago handgun ban and forever changed the gun control debate!" You can join on-line, or over the phone at 815-635-3198. You can download a printable application form here.

Post this alert to all internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you belong. Also, pass this alert on to your gun owning friends and fellow sporting club members. Ask them to forward this alert to their friend far and wide. Although the suit targets the local ordinance in Chicago, the implications of incorporation of the 2nd Amendment are national in scope.

-Bob

ISRA-PVF Alert: JIM RYAN DECLARES WAR ON LAW-ABIDING ILLINOIS GUN OWNERS

ISRA-PVF URGENT ALERT: JIM RYAN DECLARES WAR ON LAW-ABIDING ILLINOIS GUN OWNERS

In an Associated Press wire story released yesterday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan pledged to sign a ban on "Assault Weapons" and promised to veto any "Concealed Carry" legislation that reaches his desk. In making these pronouncements, Jim Ryan was very clear that he would wholeheartedly support legislation that would result in the ban and confiscation of most of the guns in your safe. You would have two choices – either surrender your banned firearms to the police, or the police will be kicking down your door to take them. Ryan could not have made the point any clearer. Ryan was equally clear about your right to defend yourself. By pledging to veto concealed carry legislation, Ryan is telling you that he would rather see you unarmed, being beaten and humiliated by a gang of hooligans than to see you with a gun in your hand. Ryan also has a message for your wife, your mother, your daughter, your girlfriend. That message is that he would rather see her laying dead in an alley with her pantyhose knotted around her neck than to see her with a gun in her hand. Ryan could not have made the point any clearer. Just as he did in the 2002 gubernatorial race, Jim Ryan has proven himself to be cut from the same cloth as Chicago Democrats such as Richie Daley, Barack Obama, and Rod Blagojevich. Any gun owner who would vote for Jim Ryan has to be out of his or her mind. Please forward this alert to all your gun owning friends. Please post this alert to any and all blogs or bulletin boards to which you belong. Please make a promise to yourself, right now, this moment, that you will not let yourself be pushed around and lied to by guys like Jim Ryan. Readers can find the AP wire story here. - - - The ISRA-PVF is a political action committee affiliated with the Illinois State Rifle Association. Donations to the ISRA-PVF are not tax deductible. A copy of our report may be obtained for a fee from the Illinois State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois. This alert paid for by the ISRA-PVF.

Merry Christmas!!

I will be making  a conscious effort to wish everyone A Merry Christmas this year ... My way of saying that I am celebrating The birth Of Jesus Christ. So I am asking my friends, family, and acquaintances, If you agree with me, To please do the same. And if you'll pass this on to Your email buddies, and so on... Maybe we can prevent one more American tradition from being lost in the sea of "Political Correctness". To one and All... Jesus is the reason for the season!

Sign the Petition Opposing the UN "Small Arms Treaty"

http://bit.ly/8IOu9Z

-Bob

A Brief History of the Right to Self-Defense

Originally from: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=34313

For the first 150-years of the existence of the U.S.A., the right of citizens to carry arms was so fundamental it was not considered worthy of debate. The Founders considered their right to keep and bear arms the ultimate and most fundamental guarantee of life and free-dom against crime, foreign invasion, and as a last resort, a despotic government. No knowledgeable American--from the founding of the United States through the mid-1950's--would have questioned that the Second Amendment to the Constitution meant exactly what it says, "… the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This was not a right of a Militia. The "Militia" was--and under current law still is--all able-bodied adults, who are expected to keep their privately-owned arms similar to what is used by the military at the time.

Nineteenth-century U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Joseph Story, called the American right to bear arms "the palladium of the liberties of the republic." Our Founders believed that in a free society good citizens must always be prepared to defend themselves and their country. Thomas Jefferson said, "The God who gave us life, gave us freedom to defend life." Being armed was more than a right. It was a moral obligation of citizenship. Twentieth-century history proves the wisdom of this philosophy:

In 1911, Turkey established gun-control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5-million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.


In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun-control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20-million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1938, Germany established gun-control. From 1939 to 1945, a total of 13-million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1935, China established gun-control. From 1948 to 1952, 20-million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1956, Cambodia established gun-control. From 1975 to 1977, 1.5-million 'educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1964, Guatemala established gun-control. From 1964 to 1981, over 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1970, Uganda established gun-control. From 1971 to 1979 over 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Australia: In the 21st Century, gun owners in Australia were forced to surrender 640,381 personal firearms --which were then destroyed by their own government. This program cost Australian taxpayers more than $500-million. Results the first year:

1. Australia-wide: Homicides up 3.2-percent.
2. Australia-wide: Assaults up 8.6-percent.
3. Australia-wide: Armed robberies up 44-percent - yes, 44-percent!
4. In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms went up 300-percent. One doesn't have to be a rocket-scientist to understand this. While the law-abiding citizens turned their guns in, the criminals did not. The illegal-gun trade thrives!
5. Australian criminal-data over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms. This has drastically changed upward, since criminals now are guaranteed their prey is unarmed.
6. There has also been a dramatic increase in home break-ins and assaults on the elderly.
7. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental efforts and expense were expended in successfully ridding Australian society--but not the criminals--of guns.
8. The Australian experience and the other historical facts leave no reasonable doubt. So called "gun-control" is harmful to freedom and public-safety.

Great Britain: At the beginning of the 20th Century, Great Britain had few "gun-control" laws as we now know them. Although there were different class-restrictions, guns were freely available to nearly anyone. While the American militia originated from traditional British rights, the British Crown was aware that the very existence of a civilian-militia denied the monarchy a monopoly of force. Over the decades, Britain used various threats of revolution, Irish-separatism, and two world wars, as a pretext to enact ever-increasing restrictions and controls of guns in private hands. Currently, legal acquisition of a gun is nearly impossible for law-abiding British subjects. Despite this, the British government and British police have been unable to show these restrictions have reduced crime. Today, there are far more illegal guns in Britain, and far more violent crime. "Hot burglaries" -- that is burglaries in which the criminal knows the home-owners are home -- are eight times more likely in Britain than in the U.S.. Tourists and natives alike are five times more likely to be victims of a violent crime in London than in New York.

United States: In all but two states of the U.S., law-abiding civilians who apply, submit to a police-check, and demonstrate reasonable firearms-proficiency and knowledge of the law, may receive a license to carry a concealed firearm. Contrary to threats by gun-control advocates, this has not resulted in "blood in the streets" or any increase of crime or gun-violence. In all U.S. jurisdictions where lawful concealed carry is possible, violence and violent crime has decreased significantly. Multiple criminological studies have demonstrated that in the U.S. each year over 2.5-million crimes are stopped or deterred by armed American civilians; most with no one being shot or harmed. On the other hand, in jurisdictions such as Washington, D.C., or Chicago, Illinois, where handguns are banned and long-guns must be disassembled and/or locked up, the homicide rate skyrocketed to eight times the national average.

Worldwide: The concept that free people have the right to defend themselves is as old as civilization. Under ancient Greek, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon law, the ceremony of freeing a slave included placing a weapon in his hands "as a symbol of his new rank." Aristotle wrote in Politics 68 that "true citizenship included the right to possess arms, and that armed tyrants disarmed the oppressed." So what results from our "more advanced" thinking of the 20th Century? Conservatively, in excess of 100-million defenseless unarmed-civilians were rounded up and exterminated by various governments. (See data.)

You won't see this data on the American evening news or hear our President, governors or other politicians disseminating this information. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property. Guns in the hands of honest citizens preserve freedom and dignity -- from both criminal and government predators. And, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens. The gun-control party is now in the majority in Congress. Take note before it's too late. The next time a politician talks in favor of gun-control, please remind all who are listening of the lesson of history. All credible scholarship indicates so-called "gun-control" laws never work, are dangerous to the rights of the law-abiding, and are inconsistent with the values on which the United States were founded. The Founders of America had it right. With guns, we are "citizens." Without them, we are "subjects." Please spread this civil-rights message -- the right to life -- to all of your friends, and especially all your government servants. You don't work for them. They work for you.

-Bob

First key vote on Senate ObamaCare Saturday

From the Desk of: Steve Elliott, President, Grassfire.org Alliance (modified by me to apply to a broader audience)

The first critical vote on Harry Reid's version of ObamaCare will take place tomorrow (Saturday).

Reid needs 60 votes in support of his "motion to proceed" to the floor debate on his ObamaCare bill. That means 60 Senators must vote with Reid even though they were shut
out of the process and have only been given a few days to look at this over 2,000-page monstrosity.

We have posted several resources on ResistNet, including the full bill text, the "top line facts," and an itemization of more than a half-trillion dollars in new taxes. Go here: http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=23183&RID=21411185

+ + Today's actions

Thanks to so many Grassfire friends who have already taken action, tens of thousands of personal letters are flooding Senate offices by fax and hand-delivery right now.

In fact, we cannot take any more fax orders before the vote on Saturday. So we're asking everyone to do two things:

+ + Action #1 -- Call your two Senators

Go to: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm to find your Senators' contact information.

Or, call the switchboard and ask for your Senator by name: 202-224-3121.

Be sure to tell your Senators that you live in their state or district.

+ + Action # 2 -- Forward this to your friends

The vote will take place on Saturday, scheduled for 8pm. This is the first key vote on Reid's ObamaCare bill -- the first high hurdle that Reid must cross.

Please alert your friends. Forward this message to them. Encourage them to access the resources at ResistNet and to call their Senators.

Again, in this first key Senate vote, clearly the odds are against us. But we must stand. Thanks for taking action.


Steve Elliott, President
Grassfire.org

Please take action now!

-Bob

Stop the Job-Killing Politicians

From American Solutions:

Unemployment currently stands at 10.2%, the highest in a quarter-century. The stimulus failed and now even more people are out of work.

Rather than creating jobs, the $787 billion pork-filled spending bill has created more debt and more deficits that every American citizen has to pay for in the middle of a recession.

Implicitly acknowledging the failure of the stimulus, the Obama administration has now announced a "Jobs Summit" on December 3rd.

For an administration actively promoting the adoption of job killing health, energy, and labor legislation, holding a "Jobs Summit" is more theater while millions of Americans struggle to find work.

Consider the record of the job killing politicians:

• They promised us that the $787 billion stimulus would keep unemployment below 8%, but unemployment has been above 8% since February.[1]
• They promised us the stimulus would "create immediate jobs,"[2] yet more than 4 million jobs have been "lost and dislocated" since President Obama signed it into law.[3]
• Without reading it, they rammed through a 1,400-page energy tax in the House,[4] which will cost each taxpayer thousands of dollars in higher energy costs and result in the loss of an estimated 1.1 million jobs per year.[5]
• Without reading it, they passed a 2,000-page tax and control bill in the House and called it "health care reform", which will lead to $557 billion[6] in higher taxes and a loss of millions of jobs.
• When faced with the failure to create jobs through the stimulus, they made up, yes made up, a new measurement of jobs "saved or created" that no economist takes seriously. As evidence of what they will do to deceive the public, they produced a "saved or created" report that invented congressional districts that do not exist as recipients of billions of taxpayer dollars[7] and distorted job creation numbers by tens of thousands, all to prove that th e stimulus is working.[8] David Obey (D-WI), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, even called this "outrageous" and described the mistakes as "ludicrous."[9]

This is the record of politicians who promise new jobs and then vote for job killing legislation, record deficits and excessive government control.

This week our General Chairman, Newt Gingrich, will be releasing an internal strategy memo outlining how we can stop these job-killing politicians before they cripple our economy for good and end America's global, economic, and political leadership. Speaker Gingrich will also outline a bold agenda for American job creation and prosperity.

We can't stop these job-killing politicians alone. We need your help. Thank you for fighting to save America.

Sincerely,

Dan Varroney
Chief Operating Officer
American Solutions

---

[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[2] White House, "Remarks by the President and Vice President at the Signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."

[3] American Solutions, "The Real Story Behind the Stimulus."

[4] American Solutions, "Pelosi's Crusade to Pass Cap and Trade."

[5] Heritage Foundation, "The Economic Consequences of Waxman-Markey: An Analysis of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009."

[6] http://jct.gov/publications.html?func=startdown&id=3619

[7] Watchdog.org, "$6.4 Billion Stimulus Goes to Phantom Districts."

[8] American Solutions, "Stimulus Jobs Distorted Coast to Coast."

[9] Washington Post, "Flawed Stimulus Numbers - Or a Flawed Promise to Provide Them?"

Haven't we had enough yet? It's time to stop being a Lemming and stand up to those that are working so hard to turn the USA into a socialist state...

-Bob

The Government wants to determine your health care choices

I have just signed a national grassroots-led petition opposing
Obama's socialist health care plan. If allowed to go unchecked
and unchallenged, Obama will steal away your right to choose
your health care options!

Don't give the Government control over our private and personal
health care decisions. Take a moment to join with me by adding
your name to Grassfire's national petition opposing Obama's
socialist plan.

Click here to add your name:


http://www.grassfire.org/122/petition.asp?PID=21411185&NID=1

-Bob

Let's stop Cap and Trade

From the Desk of: Steve Elliott, President, Grassfire.org Alliance

Robert,

Following closely on the heels of ObamaCare, the Boxer-Kerry Cap and Trade bill has been inconspicuously moving through the Senate with a stealth goal to pass the bill before the Copenhagen Summit this December!

During a heated debate last week Sen. Barbara Boxer, Chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works committee refused to release a full economic analysis of the bill, to which Inhofe bristled, "I can only conclude that they don't want the pubic to know how much money this thing is going to cost."

And cost it will...

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) said of the coming legislation, "This would be the largest tax increase in the history of America."

Analysts believe the increased taxes and fees will cost the average American household upwards of $1,600 to $3,000 or more each and every year!

Making matters worse, scientists suggest Cap and Trade would have no measurable benefit--except to the federal government.

Robert, when Cap and Trade first appeared on the national scene last year, you took stand with Grassfire, now I'm asking that you help me quickly rally and mobilize 100,000 citizen signers of our national petition opposing what may be the biggest government tax and grab scheme yet!

I fully anticipate liberal lawmakers will aggressively push this bill forward. That's why I must build a strong resistance over the next 10 days.

Please take immediate action by signing the Grassfire petition and take a stand against skyrocketing taxes and increased government control, by clicking here: http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?u=22874&PID=16196735

-Bob

Priceless

http://bit.ly/1Ma3kq
click image for source

-Bob

Politicians are destroying the dollar

Out-of-control government spending is bankrupting our nation. That's why I just signed a special petition to "Defend The Dollar" and our economic future against the rising tide of government debt. Please join me in signing by going here:

http://www.sounddollaraction.org/623/petition.asp?PID=22451151&NID=1

-Bob

This Halloween has tricks but no treats for small businesses

By Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.):

http://thehill.com/special-reports/healthcare-october-2009/61931-this-halloween-has-tricks-but-no-treats-for-small-businesses

-Bob

Pastor-silencing bill in Congress

Perhaps you heard about the effort in Congress to pass so-called "Hate Crimes" legislation that is a stepping-stone to regulating the speech of people who support family values.

I just signed a petition to stop such "hate speech" laws from going into effect. Congress is getting ready to vote on this issue and I understand this bill could be passed quickly unless citizens rise up.

Please join me. Go here to sign:

http://www.libertyaction.org/292/petition.asp?PID=17717056&P=1&NID=1

-Bob

ABC's John Stossel Destroys/Pulverizes/Crushes Obama's anti-American 'Health Care' Plan

Watch here:


-Bob

Not So Sure

Do you think you are ready for "Health care reform"? Watch these:






Vote for your favorite at NotSoSure.org

-Bob

Today's Question to the President

I made the "mistake" of checking out the WhiteHouse.gov "Health Insurance Reform Reality Check" web site today. While there, I noticed a misleading title: "Congress did not vote to exempt themselves from reform". Watching the video, it was clear, Linda Douglass is clearly trying to deceive the poor woman asking the question with very much a non-answer.

This lead me to post the following at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/contact today:

in "Congress did not vote to exempt themselves from reform" (http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/491) you counter with saying "... and there has not been any such vote". While that may be technically true, as the Health Care Bill has not yet been voted on, your response is very misleading.

In the Senate version of the Health Care Bill (http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf), you will find on page 115 lines 22 - 24 that "Members of Congress" are specifically excluded because they are covered by "Federal employees health benefits program" (http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/05C89.txt).

Given this, it is quite clear that Congress intends to exempt themselves from "reform". Can you not admit this? I challenge you to "come clean" on this issue.

Any time that Congress exempts themselves from a Bill, it is a clear admission that the Bill is flawed and should not be passed. Given that members of Congress are the employees of the people, Congress must not be exempt! If the Bill is good enough for the general public, it's good enough for the members of Congress!

-Bob

-Bob

Protect American Healthcare

From http://www.leagueofamericanvoters.com/:

-Bob

Questions for the president

Posted today to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

A few questions:

1. What guarantees will the president provide to provide that we aren't be lied to about "health insurance reform"? What recourse will we have if we are lied to? There exists much contridictory evidence to suggest that what this administration is saying may not be true. "Single Payer" being the one the most obvious.

2. If the "public option" is such a great plan, why is the Administration and Congress exempt from using it? This would imply that you are afraid to "eat your own dog food". This also indicates that the Administration has a distinct lack of confidence in the plan. Why should the people accept a plan you won't accept yourselves?

3. David Alexrod wrote in an e-mail from the White House today: "8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage". Each of these items impose restrictions on insurance companies that clearly, without question, increase their costs of providing coverage. Obviously, someone has to pay these costs. This means higher prices for everyone! How do your explain your way out of that?

4. You constantly claim that there is no rationing in this plan. Without rationing you imply a limitless supply of services. Obviously, the supply of services is not unlimited, therefor there must be rationing. Your health-policy adviser, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, clearly supports rationing. This is well documented in many places, including (http://www.nypost.com/seven/07242009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/deadly_doctors_180941.htm?&page=1) and (http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/Where_Civic_Republicanism_and_Deliberative_Democracy_Meet.pdf). How do you respond to this?

I challenge you to impress me and answer my questions honestly.

-Bob

Let's see if he chooses to answer. I'm not holding my breath.

-Bob

Hardball With Chris Matthews - 8/11/2009: Protester brings gun to town hall

Chris Matthews is completely without a clue. Why would anyone carry an unloaded gun? What would be the point?


-Bob

Conyers (D - MI) Sees No Point in Reading 1,000-Page Bill

Check out this video:


Clearly, John Conyers (D - MI) doesn't "get it". No congressman should ever vote for a bill that they didn't read and fully understand! He obviously isn't watching out for the best interests of constituents. Hopefully the people of Michigan's 14th congressional district will "get it" and replace him come election time.

Is there a way we can replace him even sooner? The people of Michigan should be outraged!

Read The Bill!

-Bob

Why Don’t Lawmakers Want the Public Option?

From Congressman Sam Graves' Straight Talk with Sam newsletter:

Congress has become very good at telling you what is good for you and your family. Earlier this year, Congress spent your money, because some lawmakers believed that you would not spend it on the “right” things.

When it comes to health care, once again Congress thinks they know what is best for you. That is why it was so telling last week when my colleague Roy Blunt offered an amendment to the health care bill in Committee. It would have required all federal elected officials, including the President, Vice-President, and the Congress, to join the government health care plan.

Not surprisingly, that amendment was defeated in Committee. If the government run health care plan is such a great deal, why not enroll all elected officials? If it is good enough for all Americans, it should be good enough for Members of Congress.

The answer is that these lawmakers know that a government run health care system will decrease the quality of your health care and theirs. It will lead to rationed care and bureaucrats would make decisions about your health care instead of you and your doctor. A government run health care system will also reduce your choice. In fact, it will become your only option.

I do not want a government bureaucrat making decisions for my family or for your family. That is why I oppose this bill. I believe that there are better solutions that are market-driven, increase the access for all Americans and can help bring down costs.

Sincerely,
Sam Graves

Good job Sam. I'm right there with you with you, if the government run heath care plan isn't good enough for our government officials, how can it possibly be good enough for the rest of us?

-Bob

What was he thinking? - Manzullo: Congress Should Expand "Cash for Clunkers" Program to Allow Vouchers for All Vehicle Purchases

Here's an excerpt from Don Manzullo's e-mail announcement:

[ROCKFORD] U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) today said the federal government should dramatically expand the popular “cash for clunkers” program by removing all conditions and giving vouchers to all Americans who buy a new vehicle. Such a program would energize our economy, re-start the auto manufacturing supply chain, and put Americans back to work, he said.

Manzullo voted Friday to shift an additional $2 billion in previously-approved federal funds to the original cash for clunkers program, which was frozen late Thursday after officials realized the original $1 billion appropriated for the program was exhausted after just a week in operation (it was scheduled to run until Nov. 1).

He goes on to claim:

The original program gives prospective car buyers up to a $4,500 voucher for trading in a gas guzzler (18 mpg or less) in exchange for a more fuel-efficient vehicle. According to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the initial $1 billion cost of the cash for clunkers program generated $5.5 billion in economic activity, including substantial tax revenue for state and local governments.

Working these numbers, the $1 billion is divided up into $4,500 vouchers, equaling a sales of 222,222 cars. These sales "generated $5.5 billion in economic activity" or, $24,750 per car. Let's continue with his e-mail:

Manzullo introduced legislation earlier this year to give Americans a $5,000 voucher to purchase a new vehicle, no strings attached. The New Automobile Voucher Act of 2009 (HR 1606) would have provided a one-time, $5,000 electronic voucher from the U.S. Treasury at the point of sale of a new vehicle through the end of 2009. It would have provided vouchers for 15 million new vehicles (original cash for clunkers bill covered 250,000 new vehicles).

Now, the bad math starts to show. $1 billion / $4,500 = 222,222 not 250,000. Now, he wants to provide $5,000 vouchers for 15,000,000 million new vehicles. Let see, $5,000 x 15,000,000 = $75,000,000,000 (yes, that's $75 billion)!

Of course, it keeps getting better:

Every one million in new vehicle sales has the following impact on the economy:

* Creates 60,000 jobs (10,000 at vehicle assembly plants; 50,000 at suppliers, auto dealers, and other businesses).
* Provides $750 million in tax revenue to the federal government.
* Provides $1.4 billion in sales tax revenue to states.
* Saves federal government $1.4 billion in unemployment payments, food stamps, job retraining and COBRA health subsidies.

So now we see what the results may be. For every 1 million cars there is:

• $750,000,000 in federal tax revenue.
• $1,400,000,000 in state sales taxes.
• $1,400,000,000 "saved" in unemployment payments, food stamps, job retraining and COBRA health subsidies.

The total of these is $3,550,000,000 ($3.55 billion). This where my seemingly simple mind gets lost. How is it a benefit to the tax payer to take $5,000,000,000 ($5 billion) in taxes ($5,000 x 1,000,000 cars) and have $1,450,000,000 ($1.45 billion) (or more) of that money just disappear?

How about this much simpler "Stimulus" plan: Declare that cars will be completely tax free for a certain period of time! Let's say, until 1/1/2010. Here's why:

• It will still greatly encourage car sales
• It will still "save" unemployment payments, food stamps, job retraining and COBRA health subsidies.
• No new taxes to "pay for it".
  
• All for less than half the cost - $2,150,000,000 ($2.15 billion) in "lost" tax revenue.

I don't know about you, but, I would certainly be much more likely to buy a car if it were tax free. Is that not stimulus enough? Even if you only sell half the number of cars, it looks to me like you (the people) are still ahead.

What am I missing here?

-Bob

Props to Sam Graves - H.R. 3435- Cash for Clunkers.

From Sam Graves' weekly "This Week in Washington" e-mail update:

4. H.R. 3435- Cash for Clunkers.

In less than one week, the Cash for Clunkers program exhausted the $1 billion dollars that had originally been budgeted for it. Did Congress review the problem to see if it was working as it was intended? Nope. Instead Washington quickly doubled down and approved another $2 billion dollars in less than 24 hours. It passed overwhelmingly 316-109. I voted against it, but I’m reminded of why many Americans do not want the government in charge of their health care.

Here is one of the very few Congressmen that should be given a pat of the back for "getting it". Clearly he understands that throwing our tax money at a problem rarely, if ever, helps. The 316 id10ts in Washington that voted for this clearly don't get. They must think that You’re just too dumb to spend your own money!

If our government representatives can't get "Cash for Clunkers" right, why would anyone assume that they can "fix" health care?

Thank you Sam for doing the right thing!

-Bob

Obama proposes ‘Indefinite Preventive Detention’ without trial

Isn't this worse than what he accuses the Bush administration of doing? Watch the video, it's from pMSNBC of all places:

For more of the story see: http://newcitizenship.net/?p=5510

-Bob

Help Stop Socialized Healthcare And $1.5 Trillion In New Taxes!

Please sign the petition opposing Government-Run, Socialized Health Care: http://www.grassfire.org/122/petition.asp?Ref_ID=2650&PID=21411185

Also, while there, please listen to the audio clip where Obama support rationing health care!

-Bob

Questions I Never Asked Obama

By Robert M. Goldberg:

Here is a list of questions that reporters wanted to ask President Obama about health care reform at Wednesday night's press conference but were afraid to ask:

Read the rest: http://spectator.org/archives/2009/07/24/questions-i-never-asked-obama

-Bob

What if I don't want health insurance?

By Becky Akers:

New York – I'm one of the nearly 50 million Americans who don't have health insurance. I don't want it, either.
But the bill the House of Representatives is debating would force me to buy it. How good can any product be if Congress compels me to purchase it?

Read the full article: http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0720/p09s01-coop.html

-Bob

What's in your wallet?

-Bob

Right ON Old man.

From my wife:
(click for larger image)

-Bob

$100

From my wife's friend Pat:

A Little boy wanted $100.00 very badly and prayed for weeks, but nothing happened.

Then he decided to write God a letter requesting the $100.00.

When the postal authorities received the letter to God, USA, they decided to send it to the President.

The president was so amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5.00 bill.

The president thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.

The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 bill and sat down to write a thank-you note to God, which read:

Dear God: Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you sent it through Washington D.C. and those assholes took $95.00 in taxes.

-Bob

LETTER FROM THE BOSS

Here's one to think about:

As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact that
Barrack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%. But since we cannot increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off sixty of our employees instead. This has really been bothering me, since I believe we are family here and I didn't know how to choose who would have to go. So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lots and found sixty 'Obama' bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will be the ones to let go. I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem. They voted for change, I gave it to them.


I will see the rest of you at the annual company picnic.

Have a wonderful day!

What would you do? How else could this be handled? Obviously those that voted for B. Hussein Obama were expecting "change". Why shouldn't the CEO honor their wishes?

-Bob

PATRIOTIC-The Finger - Marine Style

A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America for an amount of "up to and including my life."

That is Honor and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it!!

While this one may have been around for a while, it's always worth

repeating:

Leading the fight is Gunnery Sgt Michael Burghardt, known as 'Iron Mike' or just 'Gunny'. He is on his third tour in Iraq. He had become a legend in the bomb disposal world after winning the Bronze Star for disabling 64 IEDs and destroying 1,548 pieces of ordnance during his second tour.

Then, on September 19, he got blown up. He had arrived at a chaotic scene after a bomb had killed four US soldiers. He chose not to wear the bulky bomb protection suit. 'You can't react to any sniper fire and you get tunnel-vision,' he explains. So, protected by just a helmet and standard-issue flak jacket, he began what bomb disposal officers term 'the longest walk', stepping gingerly into a 5 foot deep and 8 foot wide crater.

The earth shifted slightly and he saw a Senao base station with a wire leading from it. He cut the wire and used his 7 inch knife to probe the ground. 'I found a piece of red detonating cord between my legs,' he says. 'That's when I knew I was screwed.' Realizing he had been sucked into a trap, Sgt Burghardt, 35, yelled at everyone to stay back. At that moment, an insurgent, probably watching through binoculars, pressed a button on his mobile phone to detonate the secondary device below the sergeant's feet 'A chill went up the back of my neck and then the bomb exploded,' he recalls. 'As I was in the air I remember thinking, 'I don't believe they got me.' I was just ticked off they were able to do it. Then I was lying on the road, not able to feel anything from the waist down'

His colleagues cut off his trousers to see how badly he was hurt. None could believe his legs were still there 'My dad's a Vietnam vet who's paralyzed from the waist down,' says Sgt Burghardt. 'I was lying there thinking I didn't want to be in a wheelchair next to my dad and for him to see me like that. They started to cut away my pants and I felt a real sharp pain and blood trickling down. Then I wiggled my toes and I thought, 'Good, I'm in business.' As a stretcher was brought over, adrenaline and anger kicked in. 'I decided to walk to the helicopter. I wasn't going to let my team-mates see me being carried away on a stretcher.' He stood and gave the insurgents who had blown him up a one-fingered salute. 'I flipped them one. It was like, 'OK, I lost that round but I'll be back next week.'

Copies of a photograph depicting his defiance, taken by Jeff Bundy for the Omaha World-Herald, adorn the walls of homes across America and that of Col John Gronski, the brigade commander in Ramadi, who has hailed the image as an exemplar of the warrior spirit.

Sgt Burghardt's injuries - burns and wounds to his legs and buttocks - kept him off duty for nearly a month and could have earned him a ticket home. But, like his father - who was awarded a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for being wounded in action in Vietnam - he stayed in Ramadi to engage in the battle against insurgents who are forever coming up with more ingenious ways of killing Americans.

Are you proud enough to send this on?

YOU BETCHA I AM

-Bob

Quote of the day 2009/06/10

Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it..
-Adolf Hitler

Sound familiar?

-Bob

"Obama Man" by Greg Morton

Canadian comedian Greg Morton weighs in on the current financial crisis and how President Obama plans to get us out of it.



-Bob

President Obama: No Amnesty for Illegal Aliens!

I have just signed a national grassroots-led petition opposing Obama's coming amnesty push. If allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, Obama will throw open the door for widespread amnesty--forcing you and I to pay for their benefits--benefits once reserved only for citizens and legal aliens!

Obama has promised the Hispanic community that he will make comprehensive immigration reform a frontline issue this year! Help stand against this coming invasion by adding your name to Grassfire's national petition opposing Obama's open border, amnesty agenda.

Click here to add your name: http://www.grassfire.org/117/petition.asp?PID=21039035&NID=1

-Bob

MEMORIAL DAY

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,  who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
 
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
 
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flag,  

It is the VETERAN who serves under the Flag, 


ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

I'd be EXTREMELY proud if this message reached as many as possible. We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.
God
Bless them all!!!

 

Makes you proud to be an AMERICAN!!!!

Happy Memorial Day

I GIVE MY LIFE

By Tena Bastian

www.tenabastian.com

 

I give my life for your life

I give my strength for your day today

My family goes on without me

So that yours can stand up and say...

I am proud to be an American

There is no other country where I would ever be

The sons and daughters, the sisters and brothers

Our sacrifice comes down to me

The soldier who fought for freedom

and the mother who sits alone

Holding in her hand, the letter

That says I did not make it home

 

I give my life for your life

I do this without regret

I only ask one thing of you

That none of you will ever forget

How priceless is this freedom

To young and old, rich and poor

That all of you live your life to it's fullest

And remember what were fighting for

Not just today but every day

Pause for a moment and bow your head

For those who stepped up and offered their service

And for the wounded and the dead.

 

I give my life for your life

As does every soldier in every war

On American soil or in a distant land

If I can ask just one thing more...

May God bless the wounded soldier

May he bless and keep those close to him now

May he watch over the ones who stand at arms

And help them find their way home somehow

May you keep them in your thoughts and prayers

May the fighting someday cease

Because I give my life for your life

But I also pray for peace.

 

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY. Please keep this going by forwarding it today to everyone in your life. In honor of those who fight for freedom and pray for peace, of their families who make the ultimate sacrifice, THANK YOU!

I'm a card-carrying Right-wing Extremist!

I am sick and tired of the attacks coming from the new congressional and executive leadership against law abiding citizens simply because of their faith or the values they hold. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) efforts to label you and me as "extremists" and "terror threats" are outrageous. 

I just requested a free "Right-wing Extremist" wallet card as my way of turning the tables on misguided DHS attempts to marginalize us and label us as extremists. If it is "extreme" to hold pro-life, pro-veteran, or pro-Second Amendment views, then I wear the term "Right-wing Extremist" as a badge of honor! If you would like to receive a free card, go here: 

http://www.libertyaction.org/305/petition.asp?PID=20997430&NID=1

-Bob

Pastor-silencing bill in Congress

Perhaps you heard about the effort in Congress to pass so-called "Hate Crimes" legislation that is a stepping-stone to regulating the speech of people who support family values.

I just signed a petition to stop such "hate speech" laws from going into effect. Congress is getting ready to vote on this issue and I understand this bill could be passed quickly unless citizens rise up. 

Please join me. Go here to sign: 

http://www.libertyaction.org/292/petition.asp?PID=17717056&P=1&NID=1

-Bob

Napolitano must go!

I just signed a petition demanding the resignation or removal of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. Napolitano’s Department of Homeland Security issued a report that profiled conservatives as a terror threat. The report even singled out pro-life citizens and those who oppose illegal immigration, in addition to members of the military.

Please join with me in signing by going here:

http://www.grassfire.org/114/petition.asp?PID=20717971&NID=1

-Bob

The Queen from California

Newt Gingrich, a Republican, served in the House from Georgia from 1978 and as House Minority Whip in 1989. He was Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999. During that time he never made use of military air craft.


Nancy Pelosi, Democrat from California, current Speaker of the House.

The Pentagon provides the House speaker with an Air Force plane large enough to accommodate her staff, family, supporters, and members of the California delegation when she travels around the country. But, Pelosi wants routine access to a larger plane. It includes 42 business class seats, a fully-enclosed state room, an entertainment center, a private bed, state-of-the-art communications system, and a crew of 16. Pelosi wanted "carte blanche for an aircraft any time," including weekend trips home to San Francisco. Pretty nice but very expensive perk! Her Air Force C-32 costs approximately $15,000 an hour or approximately $300,000 per trip home.


And she has the guts to confront the Big Three CEOs for flying their corporate jets to Washington !

YOU WOULD THINK, SHE ALONG WITH A HUSBAND WORTH AN ESTIMATED BILLION DOLLARS, WOULD LEASE OR BUY AND FLY THEIR OWN PLANE, OR FLY FIRST CLASS ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES LIKE OTHER RICH PEOPLE.

NANCY PELOSI FACTS:

• Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's home District includes San Francisco ...
• Star-Kist Tuna's headquarters are in San Francisco, Pelosi's home district.


• Star-Kist is owned by Del Monte Foods and is a Major contributor to Pelosi.


• Star-Kist is the major employer in American Samoa Employing 75% of the Samoan workforce.


• Paul Pelosi, Nancy 's husband, owns $17 million Dollars of Star-Kist stock.


• In January, 2007 when the minimum wage was increased from $5.15 to $7.25, Pelosi had American Samoa exempted from the increase so Del Monte would not have to pay the higher wage.


• Last week when the huge bailout bill was passed, Pelosi added an earmark to the final bill adding $33 Million dollars for an 'economic development credit in American Samoa'.

And Pelosi has called the Bush Administration "CORRUPT" ? ?

EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD SEE THIS!

-Bob

Obama's Katrina

Obama's Katrina - by Ted Nugent:

"America is being punked. That is the only way I can describe the clear cut case of self-inflicted grief and suffering at the hands of the Obama Masters of Ineptitude running the three-ring circus we call the American political insanity these days. Has logic been outlawed, or just temporarily suspended? Somebody wake me from this heartbreaking dream, quick."

Read the rest at: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31223

Maybe we can get Nugent to run in 2012 (or sooner, if possible)?

-Bob

Quotes of the day - 3/26/2009

"In a truly free country a citizen does not need permission to keep and bear arms" - Dick Heller at the 2009 SHOT show.

-Bob

Starbucks, Costco Throw You "Under The Bus" - Card Check Forced Unionism Bill

From the National Right to Work Committee:

This week, the CEOs of Costco, Whole Foods, and Starbucks plan to throw you and their employees "under the bus" to appease Big Labor, offering a so-called "compromise version" of Big Labor's top legislative priority: the "Card Check" Forced Unionism Bill.

...

That's why it's vital you sign this petition to the CEOs of these three misguided companies -- TODAY. I'll make sure it is delivered directly to their office and that the press knows.

As you know, the "Card Check" Forced Unionism Bill denies workers a secret ballot when voting on whether or not they want to be part of a union. A firestorm of union intimidation would rain down upon literally millions of employees who would be shoved into union collectives and forced to pay union dues.

I've signed the petition. Have you?

-Bob

ISRA Alert - Anti-gun radio debate

From the ISRA:

ANTI-GUN RADIO DEBATE – MARCH 26TH

Anti-gun Chicago talk show host Milt Rosenberg will be hosting a radio debate on the repeal of the 2nd Amendment to our Constitution on WGN Radio, AM 720, on Thursday March 26th.

Defending our Constitution will be Bob Levy, Chairman of the Cato Institute.

The debater who will be attacking our Constitution has not been named as of yet.

HERE IS WHAT YOU MUST DO TO DEFEND YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS:

1. Mark your calendar to listen to WGN Radio, AM 720, on Thursday, March 26, 2009 beginning at 9 PM. If you cannot receive WGN in your area, you can listen to the program live on the Internet at www.wgnradio.com
2. No matter where you live, please be sure to call the radio station's call in line at (312) 591-7200 and ask to speak your opinion on what has been said. It would be best if you voice support for the 2nd Amendment and Mr. Levy's statements rather than personally attacking whoever the antigunner is.
3. Please pass this alert on to all your gun-owning, freedom-loving friends, your gun club, and anyone else you know who would be interested in calling in to the radio show to defend our Constitution.
4. Please post this alert to any and all Internet bulletin boards or blogs to which you subscribe.

I'll be listening and calling. What about you?

-Bob

Stop The Spending!

From grassfire.net:

Robert,

We just got off the phone with some of our contacts on the Hill
and it is now clear that President Obama's budget -- complete
with over $1.6 trillion in new taxes including the new global
warming tax -- is now on a fast track in Congress.

The Senate could vote on approving the Obama budget as early as
next week with the House to follow shortly thereafter. Our
contacts tell us Congress could pass this budget before the
Easter break (which begins in less than three weeks).

+ + Immediate action needed

Already, over 130,000 citizens have joined you in signing our
"Stop The Spending" petition. Thank you so much for taking a stand!

I want to deliver at least 200,000 to the Senate before next week's
expected vote, and I need your help.

Please forward this message to your friends and ask them
to sign our "Stop The Spending" petition so that they can
be included in next week's petition delivery. Your friends
can go here to sign:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?u=17168&PID=19586979

Have you signed the petition yet?

-Bob

The Union Dues Extortion and Coercion Act (aka "Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)" or “Card Check”)

The liberals are at it again. From American Solutions:

The top legislative priority for organized labor and their allies in Congress is the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), also known as “Card Check.” EFCA is an enormous power grab by big labor bosses that would strip workers of their right to decide by private ballot whether to join a union, and their right to freely negotiate their contract. Instead of a secret ballot election, workers would be asked to publicly sign cards in front of union organizers, potentially subjecting them to harassment or intimidation.

This will also cause a loss of an additional 600,000 jobs in the first year alone. Dan Kotman writes:

According to a recent study by noted economist Dr. Anne Layne-Farrar, An Empirical Assessment of the Employee Free Choice Act: The Economic Implications, every three workers coerced into joining a union under Card Check, one job will be eliminated.

We need to prevent this bill from ever getting to the president's desk. B. Hussein Obama has already promised to pass 'Card Check'. Here's what he promised labor bosses yesterday:

President Barack Obama told AFL-CIO union leaders Tuesday in a videotaped address that the controversial Employee Free Choice Act will pass, signaling his full backing for legislation that makes union organizing easier.

"We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act," President Obama told more than 100 top labor officials in a closed-door meeting at the labor federation's winter gathering in Miami, according to people at the meeting.

The bill would make it easier for unions to recruit workers because it would let them join unions simply by signing cards rather than through secret-ballot elections in which companies can campaign against the union.

Do your part to stop this by signing the petition against the "The Union Dues Extortion and Coercion Act" (aka "Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)" or “Card Check”).


-Bob

Obama's payback for Planned Parenthood?

I just learned that Kathleen Sebelius -- President Obama's
nominee for HHS Secretary -- has close ties to Planned
Parenthood and also supported the notorious late-term abortionist,
George Tiller. I signed a petition strongly opposing this
nomination. Please go here to find out more and join me:


http://www.libertyaction.org/279/petition.asp?PID=19979526&NID=1

-Bob

The Cal Ripken President

A must read from Ann Coulter: The Cal Ripken President

Here are some notable quotes:

"As with the Clintons, Obama so earnestly believes in public school education that he sends his girls to ... an expensive private school. He demands that taxpayers support the very public schoolteachers he won't trust with his own children."

"Federal meddling in education has been an abject failure, so the Democrats' plan is to keep doing more of the same. If only there were some aphorism about people who fail to learn from history -- oh, well!"

-Bob

Suzanna Gratia-Hupp: What the Second Amendment is REALLY For

From Google Video:

Texas state representative, Suzanna Gratia-Hupp, whose parents were killed by an insane gunman while her gun was out in the car, gives very moving and bold testimony about the REAL reason that the second amendment was designed to protect our God-given right to keep and bear arms

-Bob

The big bail out

Young Chuck in Montana bought a horse from a farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. The next day he drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the horse died." Chuck replied, "Well, then just give me my money back." The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already." Chuck said, "Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse." The farmer asked, "What ya gonna do with him?" Chuck said, "I'm going to raffle him off." The farmer said, "'You can't raffle off a dead horse!" Chuck said, "Sure I can, Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."

A month later, the farmer met up with Chuck and asked, "What happened with that dead horse?" Chuck said, "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars a piece and made a profit of $998." The farmer said, "Didn't anyone complain?" Chuck said, "Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back."

Chuck grew up and works now for the government. He was the one who figured out how to "bail us out".

-Bob

500 Million Americans a month to lose their jobs...

Straight from the Speaker's mouth:


Since there are only 305,831,640 people in the US (http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html), how can we possibly lose 500,000,000 jobs a month? Since she appears to have said this on our before January 24th, 2009, doesn't that mean that as of February 11th, 2009 all of the jobs are gone now? What are we to do?

-Bob

Change is good?

Check out this video:


So, exactly what is Obama changing?

-Bob

CPSIA - The De-stimulus program

It appears that I'm little late in finding out about this one. It appears that back in August 2008 Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. This was sponsored by Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush and quickly signed into law by President Bush.

As is more and more typical of our government representatives, their good intentions often produce bad consequences. This is a prime example of good intentions gone wrong. It also a prime example of what happens when you vote on a bill that you didn't read. And, this one is only 63 pages long (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.pdf)!

As of yesterday (2/10/2009), what will now be know as National Bankruptcy Day, many children's products are now illegal. Common examples include ATVs, bicycles, and motorcycles. But it certainly doesn't stop there. Everything made for children is affected. New mandatory testing requirements (don't let 'em fool on this one) make even the resale of virtually all children's products nearly impossible.

I can't imagine a better way of de-stimulating the economy... Then again, there's that $1,000,000,000,000 "stimulus" plan that promises us a new job for every $225,000 that we spend on it. Now that's deal!

Back to the issue at hand. We need to take a stand and make the CPSIA go away. I signed at least three petitions today (http://www.tomself.com/), (http://www.petitiononline.com/BMXCPSC/petition.html), (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html). Tomorrow I call the id10ts that call themselves my representatives...

-Bob