China Buying GM IPO

My Way News - China's SAIC buys nearly 1 percent stake in GM:

"SHANGHAI (AP) - General Motors Co. (GM)'s main joint venture partner in China, SAIC Motor Corp., says it has bought a nearly 1 percent stake in the American automaker through its initial public offering.

SAIC, which is owned by the Shanghai city government, said Thursday it paid $33 a share for about 0.97 percent of GM at a total cost of nearly $500 million.

GM's stock offer is worth potentially $23 billion and will end the U.S. government's role as a majority shareholder after the automaker entered bankruptcy protection in June 2009.

The long-standing partnership between GM and SAIC - GM could not sell cars in China without a local partner - includes the U.S. automaker's flagship China joint venture, one of 10 ranging from research and design to manufacturing and finance.

The companies said the share purchase is meant to enhance their cooperation in the world's biggest auto market.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Airport Security

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Government Employees Owe Billions in Delinquent Taxes - CNBC

Government Employees Owe Billions in Delinquent Taxes - CNBC: "Deficit cutters struggling to make ends meet in Washington are eyeballing an unusual pot of potential revenue: back taxes owed to the government by federal employees themselves.

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Bond Market Defies Fed - WSJ.com

Bond Market Defies Fed - WSJ.com: "Bucking the Federal Reserve's efforts to push interest rates lower, investors are selling off U.S. government debt, driving rates in many cases to their highest levels in more than three months.

The Fed's $600 billion program to buy Treasury bonds began late last week and is kicking into high gear this week, with the central bank buying up tens of billions of dollars of debt.

Bucking the Fed's efforts to push down interest rates, investors are selling off U.S. Treasurys, driving some rates to their highest levels in months. Michael Casey and Emma Moody discuss. Also, Jon Hilsenrath talks about Fed officials, including Janet Yellen and Bill Dudley, who say the stimulus plan is an attempt to boost U.S. growth, not weaken the dollar or raise inflation above 2%.

That should have driven prices up on those bonds and lowered their interest rates, or yields, which move opposite to the price. Instead, yields on almost every Treasury have been rising.

The trend is a potential problem for the economy and the Fed. Rates had fallen sharply for months in anticipation of a Fed buying program, and in a short time much of that effect has been lost, spelling an unwelcome rise in borrowing costs throughout the economy.

That could throw a wrench in what the Fed is trying to accomplish: to use low rates to encourage more borrowing and risk-taking by consumers, businesses and investors, thereby reviving growth.

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Rangel found guilty of 11 ethics violations - Yahoo! News

Rangel found guilty of 11 ethics violations - Yahoo! News: "A House Ethics subcommittee announced Tuesday that it has found New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel guilty of 11 ethics violations.

The panel's chairwoman, California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren said the committee rolled two charges together, meaning that Rangel was ultimately charged with 12, not 13 charges as originally stated. She added the committee was split on one of the remaining 12 counts-- a charge of harming the credibility of Congress.

Rangel walked out of his House trial yesterday in protest claiming that the drawn-out proceedings had left him unable to afford legal representation. Charges included improperly soliciting donations for his center and New York's City College, a failure to provide complete financial disclosure information, and improper use of a rent-controlled apartment for campaign purposes.

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The big disconnect: D.C. elites think Obama will be reelected, but the public doubts it - Mark Penn - POLITICO.com

The big disconnect: D.C. elites think Obama will be reelected, but the public doubts it - Mark Penn - POLITICO.com: "The midterms not only dealt a big shock to Democrats but also sent a message to President Barack Obama. According to the new POLITICO Power and the People poll, only 26 percent of the public believes he will be reelected as president in 2012.

This difference in expectations could mislead the president if he is listening to the Beltway chatter — right here in D.C., he may just find a lot of comfort in this assessment by insiders, and that may lead to actions that don’t fully adjust for the sea change that has occurred among the general public. (See also Poll: D.C. Sees Midterms Differently)

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CNBC's Fast Money: Secret Walmart Survey Shows Inflation Already Here - CNBC

CNBC's Fast Money: Secret Walmart Survey Shows Inflation Already Here - CNBC: "There might not have been a second round of quantitative easing, if Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke shopped at Walmart.

A new pricing survey of products sold at the world’s largest retailer [WMT 54.25 0.12 (+0.22%) ] showed a 0.6 percent price increase in just the last two months, according to MKM Partners. At that rate, prices would be close to four percent higher a year from now, double the Fed’s mandate.

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Bobby Jindal for President

Bobby Jindal seen as potential candidate for 2012 presidential polls: "The experience of 39-year-old Bobby Jindal, the Indian origin Governor of Louisiana, is being viewed by many as his biggest selling point as one of the 12 potential Republican candidates looking at the 2012 presidential polls, according to Fox News.

Special Report with Bret Baier is launching a 12-day series on the topic called '12 in 12' that each day will feature a profile of one of 12 Republicans who may launch presidential bids for the 2012 race.

If Jindal were to run for President in 2012 and win the election, he would reportedly be the youngest president in history.

'He's always been talked about as a future star of the Republican Party. He comes off as a competent and effective governor,' National Public Radio (NPR) correspondent Mara Liasson, said.

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Analysis: German tempers fray as U.S. policy gulf widens | Reuters

Analysis: German tempers fray as U.S. policy gulf widens | Reuters: "(Reuters) - Germany's undiplomatic outbursts against U.S. policy, calling it 'clueless' before a G20 summit, show growing estrangement on economics as America's focus shifts away from transatlantic ties to domestic challenges and Asia.

'The Atlantic is getting wider,' said Anton Boerner, head of Germany's Foreign Trade Association, who spoke of a 'creeping alienation' between America and Europe, which has been exacerbated by the global financial crisis.

Germany and the United States often criticize each other's approaches to aiding economic recovery, with U.S. calls for more expansive policy falling on deaf ears in fiscally disciplined Germany. But Berlin has taken the rhetoric to a new level.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, 68, said last week that the U.S. Federal Reserve decision to buy $600 billion of government bonds undermined U.S. credibility and was 'clueless.' There was no point, he said, in pumping money into the markets.

China and Brazil were among those echoing his comments but U.S. officials were particularly stung by Schaeuble and German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle saying the Fed move amounted to 'indirect manipulation' of the dollar to boost exports; this at a time when Washington is criticizing China for exactly the same kind of strategy.

'It's not acceptable for the Americans to criticize China for currency manipulation then slyly help the dollar by printing at the Federal Reserve,' Schaeuble told Der Spiegel magazine.

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Pat Buchanan : Personal Finance : The Fed Trashes the Dollar - Townhall.com

Pat Buchanan : Personal Finance : The Fed Trashes the Dollar - Townhall.com:

"If it is the first responsibility of the Federal Reserve to protect the dollars that Americans earn and save, is it not dereliction of duty for the Fed to pursue a policy to bleed value from those dollars? For that is what Chairman Ben Bernanke is up to with his QE2, or 'quantitative easing.'

Translation: The Fed is committed to buy $600 billion in bonds from banks and pay for them by printing money that will then be deposited in those banks. The more dollars that flood into the economy, the less every one of them is worth.

Bernanke is not just risking inflation. He is inducing inflation.

He is reducing the value of the dollar to make U.S. exports more competitive and imports more expensive, so that we will consume fewer imports. He is trying to eliminate the U.S. trade deficit by treating the once universally respected dollar like the peso of a banana republic.

Sarah Palin has nailed cold what Bernanke is about:

'We shouldn't be playing around with inflation. It's not for nothing Reagan called it 'as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.'

'The Fed's pump-priming addiction has got our small businesses running scared and our allies worried. The German finance minister called the Fed's proposals 'clueless.' When Germany, a country that knows a thing or two about the dangers of inflation, warns us to think again, maybe it's time for Chairman Bernanke to cease and desist.

'We don't want temporary, artificial economic growth bought at the expense of permanently higher inflation which will erode the value of our incomes and our savings.'

Egging Ben on is the Nobel-prize winning New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Fed policy is too timid, says Krugman.

When Bernanke said we are not 'going to try to raise inflation to a super-normal level,' he blew it, says Krugman, and 'there goes the best chance the Fed's plan might actually work.'

What the Fed should do, he says, is change expectations 'by leading people to believe that we will have somewhat above-normal inflation ... which would reduce the incentive to sit on cash.'

But 'sit on cash' is a definition of saving. Is saving bad? Once, Americans were taught that saving was a good thing.

Not to Krugman. He wants to panic the public into believing the money they have put into savings accounts and CDs will be rapidly eaten up by Fed-created inflation, so they will run out and spend that money now to get the economy moving again.

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To the Left!

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Quanitative Easing

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

US, South Korea trade accord not a done deal - The Boston Globe

US, South Korea trade accord not a done deal - The Boston Globe: "President Obama’s hopes of emerging from his Asia trip with the twin victories of a free trade agreement with South Korea and a unified approach to spurring global economic growth ran into resistance on all fronts yesterday, putting Obama at odds with his key allies and largest trading partners.

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President Obama can't close deals at G-20 summit - Carol E. Lee and John Maggs - POLITICO.com

President Obama can't close deals at G-20 summit - Carol E. Lee and John Maggs - POLITICO.com: "SEOUL - President Barack Obama failed to reach agreement on two international deals to help spur the U.S. economy, unexpected setbacks on an Asia trip that was supposed to emphasize his stature abroad and change the subject from last week’s electoral drubbing.

Obama was unable to achieve a free trade agreement with South Korea, vowing to keep talking to get a better deal for U.S. auto makers. And after meeting with the leaders of Germany and China, he continued to meet resistance from the two countries about reducing their trade surpluses with the U.S. to give a boost to American manufacturing, putting the best face on a compromise that only calls for the goal of lowering them.

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FT.com / China - China tees up G20 showdown with US

FT.com / China - China tees up G20 showdown with US: "China has curtly dismissed a US proposal to address global economic imbalances, setting the stage for a potential showdown at next week’s G20 meeting in Seoul.

Cui Tiankai, a deputy foreign minister and one of China’s lead negotiators at the G20, said on Friday that the US plan for limiting current account surpluses and deficits to 4 per cent of gross domestic product harked back “to the days of planned economies”.


“We believe a discussion about a current account target misses the whole point,” he added, in the first official comment by a senior Chinese official on the subject. “If you look at the global economy, there are many issues that merit more attention – for example, the question of quantitative easing.”

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Obama visit criticised for 'over-the-top' spending - World News - IBNLive

Obama visit criticised for 'over-the-top' spending - World News - IBNLive: "About 3,000 people including Secret Service agents, US government officials and journalists would accompany the President. Several officials from the White House and US security agencies are already in Mumbai for the past one week with helicopters, a ship and high-end security instruments.

Unprecedented security has been put in place both in Mumbai and New delhi.

'We have never seen this sort of an entourage going with the president before. And I think this is an example the massive overspending that we've seen - not only just in the last 2 years, really in the last four,' Bachmann said.

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Fannie, Freddie bailout could double, regulator says

Fannie, Freddie bailout could double, regulator says: "Fannie and Freddie, the federally controlled mortgage finance giants, probably will need at least another $73 billion and perhaps as much as $215 billion from taxpayers in the next three years to meet their financial obligations, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said, but much of that money would automatically be returned to the government.

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Government Licensing Internet News Report

Government Licensing Internet News Report: "New offer from Microsoft executives would open the door for state licenses to access the Internet, authorities have the power to block individual computers connecting to the world wide web under the pretext of preventing malicious attacks.

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Panel: Gov't thwarted worst-case scenario on spill - Yahoo! News

Panel: Gov't thwarted worst-case scenario on spill - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON – The White House blocked efforts by federal scientists to tell the public just how bad the Gulf oil spill could have been.

That finding comes from a panel appointed by President Barack Obama to investigate the worst offshore oil spill in history.

In documents released Wednesday, the national oil spill commission reveals that in late April or early May the White House budget office denied a request from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to make public the worst-case discharge from the blown-out well.

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Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment at 10.1% in September

Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment at 10.1% in September: "PRINCETON, NJ -- Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, increased to 10.1% in September -- up sharply from 9.3% in August and 8.9% in July. Much of this increase came during the second half of the month -- the unemployment rate was 9.4% in mid-September -- and therefore is unlikely to be picked up in the government's unemployment report on Friday.

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THE HARD TRUTH: BLACKS HATE WHITE PEOPLE | Angry White Dude

THE HARD TRUTH: BLACKS HATE WHITE PEOPLE | Angry White Dude: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"


I believe that race relations are hitting a new low. Articles like this are showing up more and more and it further divides Americans. I would really appreciate any comments you might have about the contents and tone of this article. Where is America heading?


Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

The Bill of Rights - Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Study: Cap and Trade Could Cost 1.9 Million Jobs

Study: Cap and Trade Could Cost 1.9 Million Jobs

Please read this. It is important to consider for the future of everyone in the USA.

Fixing America: Vote Them Out!

Fixing America: Vote Them Out!

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Global Governance Is at Critical Juncture

Global Governance Is at Critical Juncture: "The report defines global governance as the collective management of common problems at the international level. While there have been many successes since the end of World War II, “the growing number of issues on the international agenda, and their complexity, is outpacing the ability of international organizations and national governments to cope,” the report said.

Political power not only is shifting from established powers to rising countries and to a certain degree to the developing world, it is also shifting to nonstate entities — which include multinational businesses, nongovernmental organizations, civil-society groups, churches and faith-based organizations, and special-interest groups. Complicating the ability to effectively govern is both diverse perspectives and suspicions about global governance, which is often regarded as a Western concept that is alien to local and regional customs. This makes mastering the challenges even more difficult, the report said.

While many nonstate entities are contributing to global governance to resolve issues, a few groups such as international criminal organizations and terrorist groups that are empowered by technology can pose serious threats, the report said.

The authors note that global governance does not mean “world government.” The reason it does not mean a single global governing body is that nations are unlikely to abandon national sovereignty. In addition, there are multiple divergent interests and there continues to be deep-seated concerns about the effectiveness of current international institutions, the report said.


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Super-rich investors buy gold by ton | Reuters

Super-rich investors buy gold by ton | Reuters:

"Fears of a double-dip downturn have boosted the appetite for physical bullion as well as for mining company shares and exchange-traded funds, UBS executive Josef Stadler told the Reuters Global Private Banking Summit.

'They don't only buy ETFs or futures; they buy physical gold,' said Stadler, who runs the Swiss bank's services for clients with assets of at least $50 million to invest.

UBS is recommending top-tier clients hold 7-10 percent of their assets in precious metals like gold, which is on course for its tenth consecutive yearly gain and traded at around $1,314.50 an ounce on Monday, near the record level reached last week.

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LECTURES!

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Townhall - The Obliteration of a Generation of Democrats

Townhall - The Obliteration of a Generation of Democrats:

"Currently, according to published polls, Republicans are leading in 54 Democratic House districts and, in 19 more, the incumbent congressman is under 50 percent of the vote and his GOP challenger is within five points. That makes 73 seats where victory is within easy grasp for the Republican Party. The only reason the list is not longer is that there are 160 Democratic House districts that were considered so strongly blue that there is no recent polling available.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Dismantling America - by Thomas Sowell

 "'We the people' are the familiar opening words of the Constitution of the United States-- the framework for a self-governing people, free from the arbitrary edicts of rulers. It was the blueprint for America, and the success of America made that blueprint something that other nations sought to follow.

At the time when it was written, however, the Constitution was a radical departure from the autocratic governments of the 18th century. Since it was something so new and different, the reasons for the Constitution's provisions were spelled out in 'The Federalist,' a book written by three of the writers of the Constitution, as a sort of instruction guide to a new product.

The Constitution was not only a challenge to the despotic governments of its time, it has been a continuing challenge-- to this day-- to all those who think that ordinary people should be ruled by their betters, whether an elite of blood, or of books or of whatever else gives people a puffed-up sense of importance.

While the kings of old have faded into the mists of history, the principle of the divine rights of kings to impose whatever they wish on the masses lives on today in the rampaging presumptions of those who consider themselves anointed to impose their notions on others.

The Constitution of the United States is the biggest single obstacle to the carrying out of such rampaging presumptions, so it is not surprising that those with such presumptions have led the way in denigrating, undermining and evading the Constitution.

While various political leaders have, over the centuries, done things that violated either the spirit or the letter of the Constitution, few dared to openly say that the Constitution was wrong and that what they wanted was right.

It was the Progressives of a hundred years ago who began saying that the Constitution needed to be subordinated to whatever they chose to call 'the needs of the times.' Nor were they content to say that the Constitution needed more Amendments, for that would have meant that the much disdained masses would have something to say about whether, or what kind, of Amendments were needed.

The agenda then, as now, has been for our betters to decide among themselves which Constitutional safeguards against arbitrary government power should be disregarded, in the name of meeting 'the needs of the times'-- as they choose to define those needs.

The first open attack on the Constitution by a President of the United States was made by our only president with a Ph.D., Woodrow Wilson. Virtually all the arguments as to why judges should not take the Constitution as meaning what its words plainly say, but 'interpret' it to mean whatever it ought to mean, in order to meet 'the needs of the times,' were made by Woodrow Wilson.

It is no coincidence that those who imagine themselves so much wiser and nobler than the rest of us should be in the forefront of those who seek to erode Constitutional restrictions on the arbitrary powers of government. How can our betters impose their superior wisdom and virtue on us, when the Constitution gets in the way at every turn, with all its provisions to safeguard a system based on a self-governing people?

To get their way, the elites must erode or dismantle the Constitution, bit by bit, in one way or another. What that means is that they must dismantle America. This has been going on piecemeal over the years but now we have an administration in Washington that circumvents the Constitution wholesale, with its laws passed so fast that the public cannot know what is in them, its appointment of 'czars' wielding greater power than Cabinet members, without having to be exposed to pubic scrutiny by going through the confirmation process prescribed by the Constitution for Cabinet members.

Now there is leaked news of plans to change the immigration laws by administrative fiat, rather than Congressional legislation, presumably because Congress might be unduly influenced by those pesky voters-- with their Constitutional rights-- who have shown clearly that they do not want amnesty and open borders, despite however much our betters do. If the Obama administration gets away with this, and can add a few million illegals to the voting rolls in time for the 2012 elections, that can mean reelection, and with it a continuing and accelerating dismantling of America.

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Obama Stimulus Made Economic Crisis Worse, `Black Swan' Author Taleb Says - Bloomberg

Obama Stimulus Made Economic Crisis Worse, `Black Swan' Author Taleb Says - Bloomberg: "U.S. President Barack Obama and his administration weakened the country’s economy by seeking to foster growth instead of paying down the federal debt, said Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of “The Black Swan.”

“Obama did exactly the opposite of what should have been done,” Taleb said yesterday in Montreal in a speech as part of Canada’s Salon Speakers series. “He surrounded himself with people who exacerbated the problem. You have a person who has cancer and instead of removing the cancer, you give him tranquilizers. When you give tranquilizers to a cancer patient, they feel better but the cancer gets worse.”

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Taxes!

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

We have bugs!

 

Our Constitution

Our Constitution

 

The constitution of the United States was written to control the political appetites of our Federal government – not directed towards the States or the people.

 

Our constitution, a creation of James Madison, prevents the majority from imposing tyranny over the minority.  Our constitution proscribes negative prohibitions for our federal government to thwart tyranny, autocratic rule, theocracy, dictatorship, or any undemocratic activity.  All authority not specifically given to the federal government was intended to reside in the State and/or the people. 

 

The House of Representatives provides 435 representatives on the basis of population size by direct vote of the citizens.  The Senate was designed to provide 2 senators for each state in the union and originally appointed by each state legislature. 

 

Question about The Senate:

Why do we now popularly elect Senators?  Is there been any unintended consequences as a result of this change? 

Are the States no longer represented in Congress because Senators are popularly elected?

 

Senate deals blow to proposed 'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal in 56-43 vote - TheHill.com

Senate deals blow to proposed 'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal in 56-43 vote - TheHill.com: "The Senate on Tuesday dealt a significant blow to the Obama administration’s efforts to repeal the ban on openly gay people serving in the military.

In a 56-43 vote, Senate Democratic leaders fell short of the 60 votes they needed to proceed to the 2011 defense authorization bill, which included language to repeal the Clinton-era “Don’t ask, don’t tell” law. Every Senate Republican present and three Democrats voted to block debate on the bill.

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Bob Woodward book details Obama battles with advisers over exit plan for Afghan war

Bob Woodward book details Obama battles with advisers over exit plan for Afghan war: "Woodward's book portrays Obama and the White House as barraged by warnings about the threat of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and confronted with the difficulty in preventing them. During an interview with Woodward in July, the president said, 'We can absorb a terrorist attack. We'll do everything we can to prevent it, but even a 9/11, even the biggest attack ever . . . we absorbed it and we are stronger.'

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Woodward Book Says Afghanistan Divided White House - NYTimes.com

Woodward Book Says Afghanistan Divided White House - NYTimes.com: "WASHINGTON — Some of the critical players in President Obama’s national security team doubt his strategy in Afghanistan will succeed and have spent much of the last 20 months quarreling with one another over policy, personalities and turf, according to a new book.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Good News!

--

Larry Henson
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Congressmen Weiner and Waxman Set Gold Hearing -- Seeking Alpha

Congressmen Weiner and Waxman Set Gold Hearing -- Seeking Alpha: "Just as the government is trying to prevent people from investing in anything other than T-Bills by raising taxes on taxable interest and dividends to confiscatory levels, it's also trying to prevent you from parking your wealth in assets, like gold, that compete with the paper dollars issued by the Federal Reserve and the Treasury. A press release from Rep. Anthony Weiner, Democrat of New York, not yet (as of this instant) posted on Mr. Weiner's Web site, announces that a September 23 hearing of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection (a subcommittee of Rep. Henry Waxman's Commerce Committee) will focus on 'legislation that would regulate gold-selling companies, an industry who's [sic] relentless advertising is now staple of cable television.'

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Tea Party Republican has big lead in Florida | Reuters

Tea Party Republican has big lead in Florida | Reuters: "The conservative Tea Party roiled Republican politics when a little-known candidate backed by the movement beat a veteran lawmaker in Delaware on Tuesday in the race to decide the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in November.

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Real Estate: Foreclosures Rise; Repossessions Set Record - CNBC

Real Estate: Foreclosures Rise; Repossessions Set Record - CNBC: "US foreclosure activity rose in August from the previous month, and banks and lenders took ownership from homeowners at a record pace, according to a new report released Thursday.

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Senate rejects amendment to strip out IRS reporting requirement in new health care law | Washington Examiner

Senate rejects amendment to strip out IRS reporting requirement in new health care law | Washington Examiner: "Partisanship is already dominating the final work week in the Senate. While both Republicans and Democrats agree that a new tax reporting requirement in the health care law should be scaled back, each party defeated the other side’s proposal to accomplish that goal.

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Our Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, delegates analyzed, argued and debated the new Constitution. George Mason, a Virginian, pleaded with the fifty-five delegates for a list of guaranteed rights. Mason (sometimes referred to as the "Father" of the Bill of Rights) wanted the new Constitution to guarantee freedom of speech, press, and religion, and the right to a fair jury trial. He also wanted to include the freedom to vote. Earlier in his career, Mason had worked hard at the Virginia Assembly to help write a state constitution along with sixteen human rights. Other colonies liked this idea and added rights to their own state constitutions. By 1783, all thirteen colonies had some version of a bill of rights. On September 17, 1787, Mason proposed that a bill of rights be add to the Constitution, but the idea was voted down. George Mason, along with Patrick Henry, John Hancock, and other Anti-Federalists opposed ratifying the Constitution. However, upon the promise from George Washington and other Federalists to add a bill of rights, the Constitution was ratified by nine of the thirteen states. The states sent 189 suggested changes for the Constitution. James Madison narrowed them down to seventeen amendments. Congress approved twelve and the states rejected two. Finally, the ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights was adopted.

Christians in Gaza Fear for Their Lives as Muslims Burn Bibles and Destroy Crosses - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Christians in Gaza Fear for Their Lives as Muslims Burn Bibles and Destroy Crosses - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com: "Father Manuel Musallem, head of Gaza's Latin church, told the AP that Muslims have ransacked, burned and looted a school and convent that are part of the Gaza Strip's small Romany Catholic community. He told the AP that crosses were broken, damage was done to a statue of Jesus, and at the Rosary Sister School and nearby convent, prayer books were burned.

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HUGO Black

Freedom of speech means that you shall not do something to people either for the views they have, or the views they express, or the words they speak or write.

Inaugural Address

It is only when the People become ignorant and corrupt, they they degenerate into a populace, that they are incapable of exercising their sovereignty.  Let us, by all wise and constitutional measures, promote intelligence among the People, as the best means of preserving our liberties.

-- President James Monroe

USDA knew of problems at farm behind egg recall: report - Yahoo! News

USDA knew of problems at farm behind egg recall: report - Yahoo! News: "BANGALORE (Reuters) – U.S. Department of Agriculture experts knew about sanitary problems at one of the two Iowa farms at the center of a massive nationwide egg recall, but did not notify health authorities, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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Credit card use plunges as hard times drag on, debit use rises - USATODAY.com

Credit card use plunges as hard times drag on, debit use rises - USATODAY.com: "Enlarge image Enlarge By Elaine Thompson, AP
As credit card usage declines, debit card purchases are on the rise.

THE CREDIT TRAP
Part 1: How rising home values, easy credit put your finances at risk
Part 2: Why banks are boosting credit card interest rates and fees
Part 3: Credit cards' soaring rates bite consumers
Part 4: Sliding economy raises questions about credit scores
Part 5 : Checking accounts are targets as banks find ways to boost fees
Part 6: Banks' 'courtesy' loans at soaring rates irk consumers
More


o
Americans have sharply reduced their use of credit cards, and some analysts believe the trend will continue even after the economy has fully recovered.

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Obama Taps Goolsbee as Top White House Economist - CNBC

Obama Taps Goolsbee as Top White House Economist - CNBC: "President Obama on Friday will promote a longtime economic adviser, Austan D. Goolsbee, to chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers, signaling continuity even as a high unemployment rate has left much of the public dissatisfied with administration policies.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Why The Federal Reserve Is Responsible For the Mortgage Loan Meltdown | The Personal Finance Program

Why The Federal Reserve Is Responsible For the Mortgage Loan Meltdown | The Personal Finance Program: "It was the Federal Reserve Bank, and only the Federal Reserve, that was responsible for increasing the ratio between how much money a bank had on deposit and how much it could lend to 30-1. Did you see Jon Stewart hammer Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC’s Mad Money, on who did this? Well, the answer is, the Federal Reserve Bank did it. President Barack Obama’s failure to replace Ben Bernake at Treasury and the failure of Congress to set about replacing the Federal Reserve Banking System are unconscionable.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Economists cut U.S. growth forecast again - Yahoo! Finance

Economists cut U.S. growth forecast again - Yahoo! Finance: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Projected U.S. economic growth for the rest of this year and next was revised down for a third month in a row by a panel of about 50 economists.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Debt, financial crisis hurt U.S. competitiveness

Debt, financial crisis hurt U.S. competitiveness: "The United States slipped from second to fourth in the survey, behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore. It had fallen from first place the year before.

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Random Pat-Downs Turn PATCO Into Police State | NBC Philadelphia

Random Pat-Downs Turn PATCO Into Police State | NBC Philadelphia:

"“We can conduct any kind of search we want,' said McClintock. 'We could ask TSA to bring wands or X-ray machines like they have in airports, though we don't think that's appropriate for PATCO riders at this time.'

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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Obama channels Hendrix on critics: ‘They talk about me like a dog’ | The Upshot Yahoo! News - Yahoo! News

Obama channels Hendrix on critics: ‘They talk about me like a dog’ The Upshot Yahoo! News - Yahoo! News: "Has President Obama been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix lately? With just under two months to go before Election Day, Obama kicked off the fall campaign season Monday with an aggressive speech targeting Republicans. But it was an off-script moment in the speech that's attracted the most attention, as Obama accused his GOP critics of talking about him 'like a dog.'"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Top Iran cleric rejects Holocaust as 'superstition'

Top Iran cleric rejects Holocaust as 'superstition':

"A senior Iranian cleric, Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, dismissed the Nazi Holocaust of Jews during World War II as a new 'superstition' for the West, media reported on Saturday.
'The Holocaust is nothing but superstition, but Zionists say that people of the world should be forced to accept this,' he was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.
'Americans and Westerners are affected by newly appeared superstitions such as the Holocaust,' he said according to ISNA news agency."

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness

Afghans protest U.S. church's plans to torch Koran - Yahoo! News UK

Afghans protest U.S. church's plans to torch Koran - Yahoo! News UK: "The protesters, mostly students from religious schools, gathered outside Kabul's Milad ul-Nabi mosque to condemn plans by the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Centre to burn copies of the Koran to mark the ninth anniversary of the attacks against the United States."

Labor Protests - Commuters Walloped by Strikes in France, London - CNBC

Labor Protests - Commuters Walloped by Strikes in France, London - CNBC

French unions challenged unpopular President Nicolas Sarkozy with a major nationwide strike over plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62, shutting down trains, planes, buses, subways, post offices and schools.

‘Machete’ producers lied about racist bloodbath

‘Machete’ producers lied about racist bloodbath:

"What’s inflammatory?
- Opening scene where pregnant mother trying to cross the border is killed by DeNiro and border vigilantes to ‘prevent another anchor baby’
- A phony campaign ad for DeNiro’s Senator McLaughlin depicts hundreds of crawling worms and cockroaches while decrying the “parasite” immigrant “terrorists” crossing the border.
- ‘The Network’ of Latinos was continually virtuous while the Freedom Force, a vigilante group cast with caricatures of hillbilly trash, neo-Nazi types and fat slobs, repeatedly use terms like “wetbacks,” “cucarachas,” “parasites,” “beaners” and more.
- Freedom Fighter vigilantes regularly go out on adventures to snipe at illegals near the border and film their exploits
- A Catholic priest played by Cheech Marin is crucified by the character “Booth” who slings racist insults while nailing him to the cross
- A scene in a hospital where it is declared that illegal immigrants are usually refused emergency care, but Machete is lucky that ‘The Network’ is there to help him this time. (In reality, the cost of health care for undocumented illegal immigrants, for both emergency care, births, public education and beyond is burdensome to every Southern border state, as well as in many other areas.)"

POLITICO Live: - POLITICO.com

POLITICO Live: - POLITICO.com: "I wouldn’t raise anyone’s taxes. The recovery is just too fragile to take that chance,” Zandi said. “These aren’t normal times. High-income households are very, very fragile.”"

YouTube - Democrats on Iraq + WMD's (Weapons of Mass Destruction)

YouTube - Democrats on Iraq + WMD's (Weapons of Mass Destruction)

These are great clips.

Analysts: White House Panicking Over Elections - Face The Nation - CBS News

Analysts: White House Panicking Over Elections - Face The Nation - CBS News: "CBS Congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes said the Democrats are distancing themselves from President Obama.

'Not only are they running away from President Obama, they're running away from being Democrats in some cases. In some races you actually see the Democratic candidates not really mentioning that they're a Democrat in their campaign ads,' Cordes said."

Jamie Stiehm - Oval Office rug gets history wrong

Jamie Stiehm - Oval Office rug gets history wrong: "A mistake has been made in the Oval Office makeover that goes beyond the beige."

Globalist Soros Launches Frontal Assault Against Tea Party

Globalist Soros Launches Frontal Assault Against Tea Party: "Soros and the foundation left have launched a website designed to go after the growing Tea Party movement. Teapartytracker.org will post video interviews and blog entries gathered by folks on the false left who never grow weary of demonstrating their outrage over the very idea of a grassroots political effort overthrowing establishment Democrats and Republicans in the district of corporate criminals."

My Way News - Obama calling for more infrastructure spending

My Way News - Obama calling for more infrastructure spending: "Vowing to find new ways to stimulate the sputtering economy, President Barack Obama will call for long-term investments in the nation's roads, railways and runways that would cost at least $50 billion."

DOW COULD FALL TO 8,500

Malcolm Berko wrote a column September 5, 2010 that really caught my attention.  He was responding to a question about the Elliott Wave Theory and its prognostication that the Dow would fall to 1000.  His response was concise and seemed to grasp all the worries and concerns about our economy. ..."I do agree that most of use are living 20 to 25 years ahead of ourselves, and we are being forced to lower our standard of living.  Wages will decline, taxes will increase, personal consumption will decline, housing prices will continue to drop, the national debt will worsen, the health care bill will crater federal and state budgets and unemployment will grow. And across the pond, Europeans are reducing their budgets, lowering their pension payouts, raising taxes and locking their treasuries.  Their imports will decline and our exports will decline, causing the loss of more U.S. jobs.  Europe's standard of living will fall, unemployment will increase and their wages will fall. Oh, it won't happen today or next week... but it is happening now, sort of like a death from a thousand cuts". This from someone that has given people investment advice for years and has a good grasp of economics.  I believe these words are a prediction of where things are headed right now. Larry Henson

TheRightFieldLine: White House hostility so bad business is moving back to GOP

TheRightFieldLine: White House hostility so bad business is moving back to GOP

The Obama administration has the least corporate executive experience of any White House in decades.

Former Car Czar Rattner Rats on Obama | Foxnews.com

Former Car Czar Rattner Rats on Obama | Foxnews.com: "Former Obama administration car czar Steven Rattner is coming out with a new book that depicts him swashbuckling through the financial crisis and also shows Obama as 'out to get' the car companies and the administration making political decisions about how to deal with bankrupt automakers GM and Chrysler.

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Employment Situation Summary

Employment Situation Summary: "Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult men (9.8 per- cent), adult women (8.0 percent), teenagers (26.3 percent), whites (8.7 per- cent), blacks (16.3 percent), and Hispanics (12.0 percent) showed little change in August. The jobless rate for Asians was 7.2 percent, not season- ally adjusted.

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Reuters AlertNet - Russian police raid opposition magazine

Reuters AlertNet - Russian police raid opposition magazine: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Weak auto sales are latest sign of sluggish U.S. economy - Sep. 1, 2010

Weak auto sales are latest sign of sluggish U.S. economy - Sep. 1, 2010: "NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The nation's top automakers reported disappointing sales Wednesday, resulting in the worst August for industrywide auto sales in 27 years.

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Signs in Arizona warn of smuggler dangers - Washington Times

Signs in Arizona warn of smuggler dangers - Washington Times: "The federal government has posted signs along a major interstate highway in Arizona, more than 100 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, warning travelers the area is unsafe because of drug and alien smugglers, and a local sheriff says Mexican drug cartels now control some parts of the state.

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, whose county lies at the center of major drug and alien smuggling routes to Phoenix and cities east and west, attests to the violence. He said his deputies are outmanned and outgunned by drug traffickers in the rough-hewn desert stretches of his own county.
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This is a disgrace by any standard.

dont-get-fooled-by-bernanke: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

dont-get-fooled-by-bernanke: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance: "Bernanke knows that the real problem with the economy is a lack of demand. 'Fiscal impetus and the inventory cycle can drive recovery only temporarily,' he says. For a sustained recovery, he says, 'growth in private final demand — notably consumer spending and business fixed investment — must ultimately take the lead.'

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Cramer: Obama’s Stimulus is a Joke

Cramer: Obama’s Stimulus is a Joke

This is quite an admission from Jim Cramer. Apparently we spent money without any positive results.

Who Is The Man Behind The Ground Zero Mosque? « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

Who Is The Man Behind The Ground Zero Mosque? « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

I believe the public has every right to know as much as possible about his motives and background.

Wealthy lawmakers increased their riches as U.S. economy sputtered in '09 - TheHill.com

Wealthy lawmakers increased their riches as U.S. economy sputtered in '09 - TheHill.com: "The wealthiest members of Congress grew richer in 2009 even as the economy struggled to recover from a deep recession.

The 50 wealthiest lawmakers were worth almost $1.4 billion in 2009, about $85.1 million more than 12 months earlier, according to The Hill’s annual review of lawmakers’ financial disclosure forms.

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It is disgraceful for any elected official to become wealthier while conducting business for the people. You know they received inside information, preferential treatment, and benefits that the average citizen would never be able to attain. They should be ashamed.

U.S. Auto Sales May Hit 28-Year Low as Discounts Flop - Bloomberg

U.S. Auto Sales May Hit 28-Year Low as Discounts Flop - Bloomberg: "“Home sales are way down, the stock market is way down, the unemployment report is very disappointing and consumer confidence is sputtering,” Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends at TrueCar.com, said in an interview. “People just don’t want to make big-ticket purchases because they’re uncertain about their jobs and the value of their homes.”

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Ignoring Glenn Beck — And Us - IBD - Investors.com

Ignoring Glenn Beck — And Us - IBD - Investors.com

Grass Roots: The president says he didn't watch any of Glenn Beck's "Restore Honor" rally on the National Mall. That's not surprising. Democrats and the White House haven't been listening to the people for awhile.

U.N. Human Wrongs - IBD - Investors.com

U.N. Human Wrongs - IBD - Investors.com

United Nations: The U.S. State Department is holding up Arizona as America's human rights problem, fishing for applause from the likes of Cuba and Libya. But Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer isn't taking it lying down.

U.N. Human Wrongs - IBD - Investors.com

U.N. Human Wrongs - IBD - Investors.com

United Nations: The U.S. State Department is holding up Arizona as America's human rights problem, fishing for applause from the likes of Cuba and Libya. But Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer isn't taking it lying down.

Wall Street Strategies

Wall Street Strategies: "It's an amazing feat to get people to fight tooth and nail for crumbs. It all begins by getting them to have no shame in living off the benevolence of others, or even despising the very sources of the money. The government is the conduit, but it's only because there is prosperity in pockets of the economy that we could support 41 million people on food stamps.

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Glenn Beck’s Rally | FrontPage Magazine

Glenn Beck’s Rally | FrontPage Magazine: "There is no figure on the public scene who has done more to educate millions of Americans as to the nature of this neo-communist left than the leader of Saturday’s demonstration: Glenn Beck. It is because of his exposure of the Democrats as progressive wolves in “liberal” sheep’s clothing that Glenn Beck is at top of the liberal hate lists; it is for the same reason that hundreds of thousands of conservatives across the country answered his call. That is the political dimension of what transpired on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

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Political Wisdom: Glenn Beck’s Rally - Capital Journal - WSJ

Political Wisdom: Glenn Beck’s Rally - Capital Journal - WSJ: "While Beck’s rally emphasized belief in God, Obama’s generally emphasized himself as a savior of the American people. This, I believe, was the contrast the talk radio and television personality was trying to achieve. Beck’s rally, and the speakers who addressed the crowd, were continually thanking God and Beck for bringing such an inspiring crowd together.

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Print Story: Brewer condemns report to UN mentioning Ariz. law - Yahoo! News

Print Story: Brewer condemns report to UN mentioning Ariz. law - Yahoo! News: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Talk about tawdry behavior by the Obama Administration.........

Economy edges closer to stalling, government says - Yahoo! Finance

Economy edges closer to stalling, government says - Yahoo! Finance: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

It's the ECONOMY stupid!

I believe those were the words of Bill Clinton and it should be the words of voters November 2, 2010!

Mexican massacre investigator found dead | World news | The Guardian

Mexican massacre investigator found dead | World news | The Guardian: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

With death and violence just across our border why are we wasting time debating about securing our border? Isn't this a national security issue?

Bad statistics for summer employment for youth | McClatchy

Bad statistics for summer employment for youth | McClatchy: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Maybe more debate about "Minimum wage" would be helpful.

The Most Fiscally Irresponsible Government in U.S. History - US News and World Report

The Most Fiscally Irresponsible Government in U.S. History - US News and World Report: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

If the American people are either unable or unwilling to make some dramatic changes in Congress then this Republic will indeed become a second tier economic power. China will become the dominate economic and polical super-power sooner rather than later and our standard of living will fall.

Every American generation has said they want their children to be better off than themselves. The Baby Boomer generaion may be unable to make that claim if we do not do some political house-cleaning - and soon.

Jackson Hole Debate on Recession Risk Shows Bernanke Challenge - Bloomberg

Jackson Hole Debate on Recession Risk Shows Bernanke Challenge - Bloomberg: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

With the economy struggling it should be apparent that the debate should continue vigorously about how we will "successfully" exit the current problems. Our politicians have screwed up the economy and we should now listen more to business leaders. Anyone who writes paychecks and hires and fires people should have more input about our economic conditions than should some stupid politician.

Term limits for congress would be a great place to start making some needed changes. I hope someone is listening to the concerns of the people.

Traders Freaking Out Over WSJ Report On The Fed: Heres Why: Tech Ticker, Yahoo! Finance

Traders Freaking Out Over WSJ Report On The Fed: Heres Why: Tech Ticker, Yahoo! Finance: "The Fed is still way behind the curve in terms of how bad the economy is. It's paralyzed.

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jimmy rogers is right! teach your children mandarin damien hoffman says: Tech Ticker, Yahoo! Finance

jimmy rogers is right! teach your children mandarin damien hoffman says: Tech Ticker, Yahoo! Finance: "Hoffman worries a disappearing middle class and a compromised currency 'doesn't bode well' for living standards in America. He warns that unless we fundamentally fix our economic imbalances it'll be wise to teach our children Mandarin -- one of the prime reasons famed investor Jimmy Rogers says he moved his family to Singapore more-than three years ago.

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Yahoo! Finance - Business Finance, Stock Market, Quotes, News

Yahoo! Finance - Business Finance, Stock Market, Quotes, News: "Sales of previously owned U.S. homes dropped more steeply than expected in July to their lowest pace in 15 years, an industry group said on Tuesday, implying further loss of momentum in the economic recovery. The National Association of Realtors said sales dropped a record 27.2 percent from June to an annual rate of 3.83 million units, the lowest level since May 1995. June's sales pace was revised down to a 5.26 million-unit pace.

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American Thinker Blog: Obama, Black Liberation Theology and Karl Marx...Revisited

American Thinker Blog: Obama, Black Liberation Theology and Karl Marx...Revisited: "If Obama had not himself made such a big deal of his faith during the campaign, I doubt seriously that this would still be an issue. However, since Barack Obama made closing the God-gap one of his primary missions in campaign '08, it hardly seems fair to now put his faith out of bounds for earnest public discussion.

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Dr. Alveda King to Address the Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial August 28 - Christian Newswire

Dr. Alveda King to Address the Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial August 28 - Christian Newswire: "ATLANTA, Aug. 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Alveda King, Director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, issued the following statement today on her upcoming appearance at the August 28th Restoring Honor Rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial organized by commentator Glenn Beck.

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The Spoof : Glenn Beck's Wife Mowed Down by Angry Connecticut Motorist funny satire story

The Spoof : Glenn Beck's Wife Mowed Down by Angry Connecticut Motorist funny satire story: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

You might really find this offensive!

Stolen Legacy - The Tea Party's March on Washington

Stolen Legacy - The Tea Party's March on Washington: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"


I think Glenn Beck has hit a nerve!

CBO sees difficult economic times ahead - Yahoo! News

CBO sees difficult economic times ahead - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. economy faces even more difficult times ahead with chronic high unemployment rates and slow manufacturing growth hurting the recovery, Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf said on Thursday.


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Wall Street Strategies

Wall Street Strategies: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

After all the bailouts and easy money, it turns out banks have only recently begun easing lending standards for would-be homebuyers and businesses. With demand in the gutter, banks (who are actually in business to lend money when not getting freebies from the government) have to fight for business, and that's great news. With the kind of money on the sidelines that will eventually seek returns, banks understand they must make it easier to seduce reluctant borrowers-in-waiting into the mix. It's only a trickle right now, but banks are lowering standards, and at some point will make getting loans more attractive.

Media Miss Cartels' War In U.S. - IBD - Investors.com

Media Miss Cartels' War In U.S. - IBD - Investors.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Los Angeles and its suburbs are in grave danger of becoming outposts for Mexican drug- and immigrant-smuggling cartels, according to local law enforcement officials.

Freeing Up Trade - IBD - Investors.com

Freeing Up Trade - IBD - Investors.com: "The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly widened by a record $7.9 billion to $49.9 billion, with U.S. shipments abroad tumbling the most since October 2008. The reason that sticks out is President Obama's failure to open a single new market to U.S. exports in the 18 months of his presidency.

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