Elkhart County’s VFW Post Visits Washington D.C.’s War Memorial for the First Time
For those who haven’t already seen the video, this is Elkhart County’s VFW Post’s first trip to Washington D.C. to see the War Memorials honoring them for their service. See how proud and excited they are. Sadly some are no longer with us. I tried to make sure that every veteran who participated in the trip is identified and included on the video.
Who with a heart would keep one of these brave men from SEEING THEIR MEMORIAL?
Out of the 46 GOP in the Senate, the following 25 Republicans stood shoulder to shoulder with Senator Harry Reid and President Obama to fund ObamaCare:
“You’d be amazed how much government you never miss.” ~ Mitch Daniels
TO BOTH Republicans and Democrats, let me ask you this — exactly WHO GETS HURT IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT DOWN?
What happens to the United States when the lights go out?
I’ve lived through five government shutdowns. There were three shutdowns during Ronald Reagan’s presidency and two government shutdowns while Bill Clinton was president. And, if I hadn’t read about the events in the newspaper, I literally would have had no reason to be aware the shutdowns were going on.
My husband’s memory of the impact of those government shutdowns is the same as mine. He ‘heard that it was happening’, BUT, nothing in his life changed.
Just in case my husband and I are dunces who wouldn’t notice if an atomic bomb hit Goshen, so long as ‘our own house was left standing’, I decided to interview others.
SURELY, if government shutdowns were the huge catastrophes the media is leading us to believe they are — people would remember the horrors.
Here are the results of my survey…
“I remember something being said on the news about a shutdown,” said 80-year-old Ann, “but during that time my husband and I were looking for a vacation home in Arizona. We were pretty busy.”
“I heard about the government being shut down,” said 80-something-year-old Al, “but it didn’t change my life in any way.”
A family member that has lived in Washington D.C. for several years said, “Once or twice a year D.C. gets clobbered with a winter storm. When that happens, the government issues an order for all ‘non-essential’ people to go home and the city empties out. The government is shut down — sometimes for a week at a time. And no one notices. I have always marveled at that migration and wondered: If these are ‘non-essential people’, then what are we paying them for?”
Which brings me back to the crux of the problem. Which is what Mitch Daniels said, ““You’d be amazed how much government you never miss.”” This especially becomes evident when 50% of government workers (described by the Obama administration as ‘nonessential’) can be furloughed and NOTHING changes for the majority of the country.
Republicans: you’ve been given a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME chance to match policy with your BOLD RHETORIC. The House of Representatives is where spending originates. House Republicans HAVE BEEN HANDED control to delay, defund or repeal Obamacare in concert with SERIOUS SHRINKAGE of the size of the federal government. Assuming what’s likely true, that President Obama and the Senate won’t go along with GOP plans, a Republican House in control of spending will get to starve Obama’s signature legislation, and then with a government shutdown that decidedly does not mean a shutdown of the federal government (Social Security checks will go out, the military will be funded through IOUs, the IRS will for good or bad remain functional), a happy realization gets forced upon the citizenry, that life goes on RATHER SWIMMINGLY without the Leviathan running on all cylinders.
To quote Dale Carnegie: “The person who goes the farthest is the one who is WILLING TO DO AND DARE. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.”
I’m going to be blunt, if the Republicans aren’t willing to do everything in their power to defund, delay, or repeal Obamacare — INCLUDING SHUTTING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT — voting Republican means no more than being a Bears’ fan instead of a Colts’ fan. You are voting for a ‘team name’ not for differences in basic ideology.
How will killing MORE civilians with bombs make Assad (or the Syrian Rebels) stop using chemical weapons?
It won’t. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that either.
So what’s going on? What is up with the “bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran Syria”? I think Greg Mannarino from traderschoice.net hits the nail straight on the head.
NOTE:Being an American in Egypt is risky, so I’ll refer to my friend, who lives in Egypt, asMC (Mr. Concerned). Egypt is beautiful beyond belief and MC is an outstanding photographer. I hope and pray that MC’s photographs and MC’s words, as he addresses the American people, will make American citizens more fully realize ALL that the world will lose, should MORE of ancient and exotic countries in the Middle East be destroyed, (blown into pieces), by American “helpfulness”.
Folks back home: Call on your Representatives to STAY OUT of this VERY SAD and unfortunate Civil War in Syria. The situation there is VERY complicated and the outcome for us in the UNITED STATES could and most probably WOULD be VERY BAD. There is NO GOOD outcome here unfortunately. We have NO business meddling in this. The US WILL most likely pay a HIGH PRICE if we start dropping bombs on Syria and things get out of hand. DO NOT AUTHORIZE THIS.
The consequences of the US getting entangled in this would be HORRIFIC. This in NOT our fight!
Obama decides to TAKE action against SYRIA; HOWEVER, Obama will wait until a VOTE is taken in Congress to AUTHORIZE this action so as to give the WILL of the people through their elected representatives the opportunity to make the FINAL decision. Very WISE move Mr. President! It would be even WISER if Congress DOES NOT authorize bombing Syria!
After the WEAK turn out of the fascist MB yesterday, and the Egyptian Security Forces increased ability to maintain control over the country; the curfew in Egypt has been lifted to 11PM daily (from 9PM), except Fridays which will remain at 7PM. Go EGYPT!
Unfortunately the followers of the Fascist Terrorists MB are out in the Mohandeseen part of Cairo, looking for trouble. Stay out of the Egyptian Security Forces way and let them do what’s needed when the time comes for ALL to be OUT of the streets at 7 PM. These people are burning tires and have already shot at two neighborhood bystanders in the area. Pray for Peace!
Good Morning Cairo! You look so calm and peaceful in the early morning, as you should be always and usually are.
Today, the Fascist Brotherhood is threatening violence once again. While a lot of people believe that due to yesterday’s arrests that things will not be as bad, PLEASE observe the voluntary curfew after Friday prayer and allow the Egyptian Security Forces to do what they need to in the event trouble rears its UGLY head. Be safe. Pray for a Peaceful Egypt.God bless you and God bless the Great people of Egypt. May God also bless the Great people of Syria and allow reason to prevail in their conflict before the world starts something that could get out of control VERY FAST!
Good Foggy Morning Cairo! Today is MLK’s Inspiring “I Have a Dream” speeches 50th anniversary.
Today is MLK’s Inspiring “I Have a Dream” speeches 50th anniversary. Well I also have a dream, that Egypt will become a beacon of stability, prosperity and democracy. Free of those who wish to harm it and filled with aspiring Egyptians from ALL walks of life who want to help it grow and prosper, providing opportunities for ALL of Egypt’s Great People.
Chemicals used in a chemical weapons attack against Syrian civilians in the Khan al-Asal district of Aleppo in March 2013, have been delivered to the insurgents by two Qatari military officers. Picture from story at above nsnbc international link.
Egyptians are VERY upset with the United States because of America’s ILLOGICAL stances in the Middle East.
FOR MY FRIENDS BACK HOME IN THE USA:
For Some reason the West seems to be hell bent on supporting and funding a group of people who call themselves “peaceful”, “pious”, and “victims”. They are the “Muslim” Brotherhood.
Now I want to make a distinction between their followers and their leadership because it seem that the followers (who are appropriately referred to here in Egypt as “sheep”) have all drank some kind of Kool Aid which has them under some sort of magic spell. They will follow BLINDLY without question and believe the MOST astonishing of lies even when they see it LIVE!
Make NO MISTAKE these people (the leadership) are EVIL in its DARKEST form. Once upon a time we in the US supported Osama Bin Laden, trained him, armed him and then paid the price on 911.
I encourage you to read this to REALLY understand what’s going on here. The West cannot afford to LOSE EGYPT. IT would have DISASTROUS ramifications for ALL of us in the West, the Middle East and the REST of the world. WAKE UP AMERICA!
Call your Congressmen and Congresswomen and tell them to back off and give Egypt the opportunity to take care of its INTERNAL AFFAIRS without interfering, unless of course you want to ultimately send American children, American armed forces, to as usual, CLEAN ANOTHER MESS created by AMERICAN INTERFERENCE at a HIGH human cost.
BTW, Egyptians are VERY upset with America for its ILLOGICAL stance towards what’s happening here. America has ENOUGH enemies around the world and the EGYPTIAN people have historically been our friends. Let’s NOT make them hate us too.
PLEASE SHARE MY POST! THANK YOU FOR READING…
IF YOU OPPOSE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST SYRIA CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS NOW!
Call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and leave a voicemail for your Representative to hear first thing before Congress convenes.
The U.S. government continues to say that it is not willing to arm the so called rebels in Syria despite calls by high profile Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
If that is the case, why are 300 marines now stationed along the Syrian border with Jordan?
The U.S. has located 300 Marines in northern Jordan near the border with Syria along with a Patriot anti-aircraft missile system. The U.S. military says those marines are only there as part of a military training exercise. Other than that, we know very little about the role of those marines other than the fact that they will remain there for at least several months.
So the big question, how long before the United States is involved in Syria?
The answer, we already are.
Last year when I talked one on one with President Obama, he told me that the United States was careful not to provide arms to these rebel groups. The President said that in response to a question I asked him about how the United States could support the Syrian rebels when so many of those so called rebels aren’t Syrian and many are al Qaeda fighters from Iraq.
In reality the United States has already provided millions in financial help to the FSA or the Free Syrian Army. We have also provided non lethal assistance to the FSA, satellite radios, as well as body armor.
But according to some like Republican Senator John McCain, that is not enough. On Memorial Day McCain made a secret trip to Syria to meet with the leader of the supreme military council of the Free Syrian Army, General Salem Idris. Senator McCain was asked for the U.S. to take the lead in a quote “ more serious manner”. More specifically, to provide heavy weapons directly to the FSA. He was asked for the U.S. to create a no fly zone for syrian war planes and for strategic bombings by the U.S. on the Syrian government.
So what is the problem here?
By the United States supporting the overthrow of Assad, without question, we will hand Syria over to al Qaeda and the slaughter of millions of Syrians including Syrian Christians, Jews, Alawites and Muslims will be on our hands.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2013
Statement by the Press Secretary on the Amash Amendment
WH:”We’re against Amash/Conyers amendment because it’s not an “OPEN” process”(unlike what the FISA court & NSA do in total secrecy.)
In light of the recent unauthorized disclosures, the President has said that he welcomes a debate about how best to simultaneously safeguard both our national security and the privacy of our citizens. The Administration has taken various proactive steps to advance this debate including the President’s meeting with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, his public statements on the disclosed programs, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s release of its own public statements, ODNI General Counsel Bob Litt’s speech at Brookings, and ODNI’s decision to declassify and disclose publicly that the Administration filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. We look forward to continuing to discuss these critical issues with the American people and the Congress.
However, we oppose the current effort in the House to hastily dismantle one of our Intelligence Community’s counter terrorism tools. This blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open, or deliberative process. We urge the House to reject the Amash Amendment, and instead move forward with an approach that appropriately takes into account the need for a reasoned review of what tools can best secure the nation.
(Presented without comment. Bold emphasis is mine.)
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.
What happened?
“We were hopeful when Obama came into office that some of what we had seen in the Bush years would be reversed,” said Gary Daniels of the ACLU. “Instead, not only has it continued but it has EXPANDED.”
Guardian Journalist, Glenn Greenwald, and whistle blower, Edward Snowden, recently revealed that Obama has, for years, been in charge of a ‘Big Brother’ surveillance state that would make Richard Nixon blush with envy. The FBI, the NSA, DHS, CIA, plus Federal, military and “privately contracted” agencies, more than you can count using every finger on both hands, has a database of all your iMessages, your photos, your videos, your e-mails, your music playlist, your web search history, your documents and connection logs and your cell phone text messages.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the top-secret world created to respond to the terrorist attacks has grown into an unwieldy enterprise spread over 10,000 U.S. locations
They have put your phone calls into their data base, including recordings of the contents and the ping triangulations — which can enable analysts to track your every movement of every day, even inside your home, if you are carrying your phone. Obama’s spy network has photocopied the front of every one of your snail mail envelopes. There’s evidence the federal government has collected information on your financial and credit card transactions in addition to your health records.
Obama’s spy agencies don’t just snoop on citizens.
Federal agencies used security badge access records to track the chief Washington correspondent for Fox News’, James Rosen’s, comings and goings from the State Department (court affidavit here). They traced the timing of his calls with a State Department security adviser suspected of sharing the classified report. They obtained a search warrant for Rosen’s personal e-mails.
Associated Press executives and First Amendment watchdogs ALSO have criticized the Justice Department for the broad scope of phone records it secretly subpoenaed from more than 20 phone lines of AP offices in Washington, Hartford, Conn., and New York.
Given the First Amendment’s protection of press freedom, is it ever legal for government to spy on, persecute or prosecute reporters doing their jobs? Just conducting an investigation is intimidating. According to Associated Press CEO Gary Pruit, “the message the government is now sending is — if you talk to the press we are going to go after you.”
To extend his executive power and oversight even further, Barack Obama has ordered federal employees to spy on their colleagues.
“See something, say something” appallingly has overreached into every nook and cranny of our personal lives.
But, if it keeps Americans safe what is the problem? Its not like any of us regular people are troublemakers who might, for example, do something rabble-rousing like doubt the “settled science of climate change” out-loud.
Why should we be concerned about surveillance if we have nothing to hide?
Here’s why…
Privacy isn’t simply the option to hide bad things. Privacy enables us to freely pursue the things that we enjoy, on our own terms. Privacy is your right to control the flow of information about yourself. You choose what details to share, when, where, and with whom. You may not be a terrorist, but there are details in everyone’s personal lives that they want to keep private. Privacy should be important to all who value freedom and the security of a comfortable voluntary lifestyle. It would be awkward to have your mother read through your every email and monitor your phone calls — forever. Let alone some stranger from the government.
Who hasn’t used the Internet to learn about and discuss political ideology? Which is something that the government is more likely to take a serious interest in than your embarrassing late night texts to your ex-boyfriend.
Should you trust government with the power to listen to private conversations—some undoubtedly concerning politics — whenever they want?
The answer should always be: no. Some Democrats are willing to defend the NSA-Verizon scandal because Barack Obama is in the Oval Office, just as some Republicans were willing to downplay wiretapping under George W. Bush.
That’s partisan political games.
The protection of civilian privacy is an issue far more important than red versus blue. No one should give any president, any power that they wouldn’t trust with their WORST enemy. A Democrat is POTUS today, but a future presidents could be Republican, Libertarian, from the Green Party or whatever. Parties have come and gone. So far, the Constitution has stood.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” ~4th Amendment
Our fourth amendment has been 100% compromised. As well as our first. Most of us did NOT consent. It was kept secret. When confronted by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), the Obama administration LIED. They denied what was going on.
Any individual courageous enough to inform the public about secret abuses of our rights risked being prosecuted at unprecedented levels under the Obama administration. Even the Nixon administration was wussy in comparison. Fear of repercussions and intimidation enabled America’s “top secret world” to become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work.
“Watch your back.”
Allowing it to go on and stand unchallenged does far more damage to the republic than any law breaking. It sets new boundaries and rules for our government. It confirms what Richard Nixon argued for: “When the president does it, that means it is not illegal.”
The sheer breadth of America’s behemoth “top secret world” confirms the inadequacy of secret courts. Courts exist to enforce our rights in the face of government abuses. That’s one of the central geniuses of the founding fathers and the system of checks and balances they constructed.
When the decisions are secret, they stop being judicial in character. Law is built on mutual references among courts. When the law can’t reference itself, it stops being law, and emerges as something very different: in this case, a rubber stamp allowing any manner of dragnet violations impacting law-abiding Americans and our fundamental rights.
MUST READ: Top Secret America: a Hidden World, Growing Beyond Control. I can’t recommend this Washington Post article enough. It’s about the scope and size of America’s domestic spying and is shocking. CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE — YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS
As we head to the Republican National Convention, polls across the country show a surge of support for the Republican ticket. The Romney-Ryan momentum is building, while the enthusiasm for Obama and Biden dwindles.
Republicans remain more enthusiastic than Democrats about this election, with 53% of Republicans in a new national USA Today / Gallup survey saying they are “more enthusiastic than usual about voting this year”, versus only 46% of Democrats. A new CBS/NYT/Quinnipiac survey reports even higher enthusiasm gaps in the battleground states of Florida (17 point GOP enthusiasm advantage), Ohio (11 point GOP enthusiasm advantage), and Wisconsin (16 point GOP enthusiasm advantage).
Nationally, the polls have tightened up this week. An average of the past five national polls shows the race tied. But the real news is in the battleground states, where Gov. Romney continues to close the polling gap. Perhaps the most stunning example is Wisconsin. All the latest polls agree: Wisconsin is a tossup. It’s a dramatic shift for a state Obama won by 14 points and where he was leading by 6 points less than a month ago. Now Chicago must be frantically redrawing their path to 270.
The RCP averages illustrate the tightening battleground races:
Ohio RCP average: Obama 47.2 / Romney 45.2
Florida RCP average: Obama 46.3 / Romney 46.3
Iowa RCP average: Obama 45.3 / Romney 44.3
Wisconsin RCP average: Obama 48.2 / Romney 46.8
The polls also capture frustration and disappointment with Obama and the economy:
WSJ/NBC poll: 6 in 10 believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.
WSJ/NBC poll: 54 percent disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economy.
AP-Gfk poll: Two-thirds describe economy as poor.
AP-Gfk poll: Nine in 10 voters say economy is “important” issue.
As Romney and Ryan fight to save Medicare, seniors are putting their trust in the GOP ticket:
In the latest Fox News poll, Romney has the edge among seniors 50-41 nationally.
In Florida, 48 percent of seniors say Romney would do a better job on Medicare according to Quinnipiac; 44 percent say Obama. In Ohio, Romney leads 49-43 with seniors on the issue.
A recap of the headlines highlighting the building GOP momentum follows:
56 Percent Of Swing State Voters Say They Aren’t Better Off Than They Were Four Years Ago, Compared To 40 Percent Who Say They Are Better Off. (Jeffrey M. Jones, “Swing-State Voters Say They Are No Better Off Than In 2008,” Gallup, 8/20/12)
Romney Is “Winning The Favor Of Small Business Owners… And It’s Not Even Close.” “Main Street has already proved an important battleground in the presidential election. So which candidate is winning the favor of small business owners? Mitt Romney, and it’s not even close, according to a new poll.”(J.D. Harrison, “Poll: Romney Widens Lead Among Small Business Voters,” The Washington Post, 8/21/12)
“The President’s Numbers Have Fallen Six Points Since May, While Mitt Romney Has Picked Up Four Points With Business Owners.” (J.D. Harrison, “Poll: Romney Widens Lead Among Small Business Voters,” The Washington Post, 8/21/12)
Nine In 10 Voters Say The Economy Is “Important” For Them, While Half Say It Is “Extremely Important. “The frail economy, with the unemployment rate hovering at 8.3 percent more than three years after the deep recession officially ended, remains the No. 1 issue. Nine in 10 call it important for them and half of voters say it is ‘extremely important,’ outpacing all other issues tested by at least 10 percentage points.” (Josh Lederman and Tom Raum, “AP-GfK Poll Shows White House Race Still Tight,” The Associated Press,8/21/12)
“Two-Thirds In The Poll Described The Economy As Poor.” (Josh Lederman and Tom Raum, “AP-GfK Poll Shows White House Race Still Tight,” The Associated Press,8/21/12)
41 Percent Of Independents Support Romney Compared To 30 Percent Who Back Obama. “Among true independents, those who say they do not lean toward either party, the share of undecided voters is declining, with each candidate picking up new support at about the same pace. However, Romney maintains a small advantage with the group, with the backing of 41 percent of independents to Obama’s 30 percent. Some 21 percent still say they support neither candidate.” (Josh Lederman and Tom Raum, “AP-GfK Poll Shows White House Race Still Tight,” The Associated Press,8/21/12)
“More Than Six In 10 Believe The Country Is Headed In The Wrong Direction, Which Is Essentially Unchanged From Last Month.” (Mark Murray, “NBC/WSJ Poll: Heading Into Conventions, Obama Has Four-Point Lead,” NBC News, 8/21/12)
The Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll: “Not Surprisingly, Romney Holds A Six-Point Advantage Over Obama (44 Percent To 38 Percent) On Which Candidate Has Better Ideas On How To Improve The Economy.” (Mark Murray, “NBC/WSJ Poll: Heading Into Conventions, Obama Has Four-Point Lead,” NBC News, 8/21/12)
The Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll: 54 Percent Of Voters Disapprove Of Obama’s Handling Of The Economy, While 44 Percent Approve. (NBC/The Wall Street Journal Poll, 1000 RV, MoE 3.1%, 8/16-20/12)
45 Percent Of Voters Say That Romney Has Better “Executive And Managerial Skills” Compared To 32 Percent Who Say Obama Does. (NBC/The Wall Street Journal Poll, 1000 RV, MoE 3.1%, 8/16-20/12)
37 Percent Of Voters Say Romney Would Be Better At “Changing Business As Usual In Washington” Compared To 31 Percent Who Say Obama Would Be Better. (NBC/The Wall Street Journal Poll, 1000 RV, MoE 3.1%, 8/16-20/12)
