Latest News!Written By Comment Count Comment Last Three December 25, 2009
Chuck Floyd
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all in the US and around the world.
We have much to be thankful for in the US. We want to bless our troops and others that protect us from terrorists and criminals around the world. Below is a Wish List for 2010: *Defeat terrorists *US economy recovers *US has lower taxes *US health care system is not fixed with the current recommendations *Our military can start coming back home *Congress stops spending borrowed money *Congress stops earmarks and unfunded mandates *Many members of Congress are replaced (need term limits) *Stop socialism and restart the free market system *Stop the growth of the federal government *Protect our borders and enforce our laws -
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December 25, 2009
Chuck Floyd
President Obama has issued an amendment to Executive Order 12425, designating the international law enforcement agency Interpol as a “public international organization,” thus extending diplomatic immunity to the law enforcement group The amendment to the Executive Order — which does not need to be put to the senatorial test of “advise and consent” — reads:
“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288), and in order to extend the appropriate privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), it is hereby ordered that Executive Order 12425 of June 16, 1983, as amended, is further amended by deleting from the first sentence the words “except those provided by Section 2(c), Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act” and the semicolon that immediately precedes them.” The text of Section 2(c), which now applies to Interpol states: “(c) Property and assets of international organizations, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall be immune from search, unless such immunity be expressly waived, and from confiscation. The archives of international organizations shall be inviolable.” Why Does Interpol Need Immunity from American Law? You just can't make up how brazen this crowd is. One week ago, President Obama quietly signed an executive order that makes an international police force immune from the restraints of American law. Interpol is the shorthand for the International Criminal Police Organization. It was established in 1923 and operates in about 188 countries. By executive order 12425, issued in 1983, President Reagan recognized Interpol as an international organization and gave it some of the privileges and immunities customarily extended to foreign diplomats. Interpol, however, is also an active law-enforcement agency, so critical privileges and immunities (set forth in Section 2(c) of the International Organizations Immunities Act) were withheld. Specifically, Interpol's property and assets remained subject to search and seizure, and its archived records remained subject to public scrutiny under provisions like the Freedom of Information Act. Being constrained by the Fourth Amendment, FOIA, and other limitations of the Constitution and federal law that protect the liberty and privacy of Americans is what prevents law-enforcement and its controlling government authority from becoming tyrannical. On Wednesday, however, for no apparent reason, President Obama issued an executive order removing the Reagan limitations. That is, Interpol's property and assets are no longer subject to search and confiscation, and its archives are now considered inviolable. This international police force (whose U.S. headquarters is in the Justice Department in Washington) will be unrestrained by the U.S. Constitution and American law while it operates in the United States and affects both Americans and American interests outside the United States. Interpol works closely with international tribunals (such as the International Criminal Court — which the United States has refused to join because of its sovereignty surrendering provisions, though top Obama officials want us in it). It also works closely with foreign courts and law-enforcement authorities (such as those in Europe that are investigating former Bush administration officials for purported war crimes — i.e., for actions taken in America's defense). Why would we elevate an international police force above American law? Why would we immunize an international police force from the limitations that constrain the FBI and other American law-enforcement agencies? Why is it suddenly necessary to have, within the Justice Department, a repository for stashing government files which, therefore, will be beyond the ability of Congress, American law-enforcement, the media, and the American people to scrutinize? This is yet another step of socialism and throwing our Constitution out of the window and becoming part of an international organization that will limit our “rights”. America--wake up to the motives of this administration. -
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December 20, 2009
Chuck Floyd
What does Copenhagen and Washington DC have in common? Both are very cold and there is no global warming. Again, this administration is trying to bankrupt America with another program that is not necessary. Cap and Trade, health care, TARP, and the list gets longer every day Congress is in session. This administration is trying to take total power from the people and the states and raise taxes so the free-market system cannot work.
Copenhagen was a cold town last week for the global-warming crowd. The expected reorganization of the world economy to fit the green template vanished amid blizzard conditions in a country that has had just seven white Christmases in the past century. God certainly has a sense of humor. President Obama showed up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference having been assured he would be able to make history, only to find that the proceedings were a flop. The promised treaty - billed with the characteristic understatement of the alarmist community as "the single most important piece of paper in the world today" - was an anticlimax. Earlier drafts conjured images of world government, command economies and a future free of the evils of greenhouse gasses. It promised a green utopia. However, as the conference neared, huge gaps in the treaty language persisted. The final three-page version was tossed together in the closing hours with little deliberation and wound up saying little. The much-ballyhooed treaty promises next to nothing, other than a $100 billion slush fund for Third World dictators to "adapt to climate change," which probably involves buying mansions in southern France. Why do we in the United States have to protect the world from terrorists, fund global warming programs, and tax our citizens more for liberal causes? Mr. Obama's speech reflected the general frustration of the hour and was uncharacteristically flat and angry. The president fumed that it was "not a time to talk but to act," but we wonder why he's in such a hurry. There is no particular crisis. The inflated gravitas of the event was punctured by the ongoing collapse of the scientific basis for global-warming theory in the wake of the scandal about fudged scientific research. The latest hit to climate-change credibility comes via an embarrassing revelation from Ben Santer, one of the lead authors of the 1995 U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group I report, which is one of the holy documents of global-warming theology. Mr. Santer admitted that he deleted sections of the document that stated that humans were not responsible for climate change. Also on Tuesday, the Institute of Economic Analysis in Moscow claimed that the influential Hadley Centre for Climate Change at the headquarters of the British Meteorological Office in Exeter, England, apparently had tampered with Russian climate data. According to the Russians, the Hadley Centre used numbers that showed temperatures rising and omitted data that did not support global-warming conclusions. We are witnessing the rolling collapse of one of history's great intellectual frauds. Global warming is turning out to be a lot of hot air. The Chinese seem to have been on the right side of this debate all along. China was viewed as the major stumbling block at the conference, and Mr. Obama met privately with Premier Wen Jiabao to try to iron out the wrinkles. It's ironic that dictatorial goons like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe blamed capitalism for the world's global-warming ills while China puts the brakes on monitoring emissions. Having weighed all the factors, Beijing would rather be an economic powerhouse. The only reason China gives lip service to the global-warming alarmist agenda is to hamper the competition - and our Democratic president is falling for the trap. Mr. Obama pledged that the United States would move forward with strict emissions limits whether or not the international community did the same. From Beijing's perspective, if the foolish Americans want to wreck their economy based on the misguided belief that they are saving polar bears, who is China to say no? Does this administration know how to create jobs? Does this administration care about our American way of life and our free-market system? Is this administration creating more government control? It is time for all American to stand up and stop this massive federal government take-over. -
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December 16, 2009
Chuck Floyd
Liberal Democrats are trying once again to give illegal aliens our American rights, just like the captured terrorists in our prison in Cuba. What is wrong with these liberal elected officials? Don't they understand our history, our rights under the Constitution, and our laws? We must fight these elected officials and stand up for our rights so they do not GIVE our rights to people who are not supposed to be in our country and cost us billions of dollars. House Democrats Massive Amnesty Bill Certain to Encounter Fierce Public Opposition, Predicts FAIR December 15, 2009 (Washington, D.C) The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) described the introduction of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP) as wholesale sell-out of the interests of the American people. The bill being introduced today by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and over 90 Democrats is certain to meet fierce public opposition. CIR ASAP would grant amnesty to virtually every illegal alien in the United States and vastly increase future flows of low-skilled, low-wage immigrants. The legislation focuses exclusively on satisfying the demands of illegal aliens, ethnic interest groups and cheap labor employers, while offering nothing that serves the interests of law-abiding Americans. "At a time when some 25 million Americans are either unemployed or relegated to part-time work, the last thing the Democratic majority ought to be focused on is a massive amnesty and immigration expansion bill," said Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "Legalizing millions of low-skill, low-wage workers who would depend heavily on government services is simply bad immigration policy at any point in time. When the federal government is running a $1.4 trillion deficit, and numerous state and local governments are facing fiscal crises, it represents the epitome of irresponsibility." In addition to granting amnesty to millions of immigration lawbreakers for the bargain basement price of $500, CIR ASAP would: ·Weaken immigration enforcement at the borders and in the interior of the country. ·Vastly expand the ability of illegal aliens to fight their removal from the U.S. (in many cases with U.S. taxpayers footing the bill). ·Preempt state laws that assist in immigration enforcement. ·Dramatically increase both employment-based and family-based immigration. ·Eliminate federal/local enforcement cooperation agreements. "CIR ASAP offers nothing to law-abiding Americans, except more competition for scare jobs, higher taxes, and more government deficits," Stein said. "While American families are feeling the pain of this deep and protracted recession, Rep. Gutierrez, with the backing of the Democratic leadership and the White House, seems to be focused on political payoffs for a narrow group of amnesty obsessed constituencies. "If congressional leaders were surprised by the intensity of public opposition to amnesty legislation in 2007, when unemployment hovered around 4.6 percent, they had better brace themselves for an even stronger reaction in 2010. CIR ASAP amounts to a fire sale on American citizenship and American jobs and the public will make its voice heard loudly again in 2010," predicted Stein. -
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December 13, 2009
Chuck Floyd
How does Congress think that our economy works?
Our Congress does not know how a market economy works since they keep printigng money, getting all of us deeper into debt, and push through more and more regulations. Congress does not know how to create jobs if it thinks more government is the answer. Below is a simple example of how the current Congress creates jobs and pays off debt. It's a slow day in a small Vermont town and streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody is living on credit. A rich tourist drives through town, stops at the motel, and lays a $100 bill on the desk saying he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs to pick one for the night. As soon as he walks upstairs, the owner grabs the bill and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher. The butcher takes the $100 and runs down the street to retire his debt to the pig farmer. The pig farmer takes the $100 and heads off to pay his bill to his supplier, the Farmer's Co-op. The guy at the Farmer's Co-op takes the $100 and runs to pay his debt to the local prostitute, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer her "services" on credit. The hooker rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill with the hotel owner. The hotel proprietor then places the $100 back on the counter so the rich traveler will not suspect anything. At that moment the traveler comes down the stairs, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, picks up the $100 bill and leaves town. No one produced anything. No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now out of debt and now looks to the future with a lot more optimism. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the United States Government is conducting business today. -
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December 11, 2009
Chuck Floyd
This Congress is fiscally irresponsible. Take the checkbook away from them. Where is the "most responsible" administration ever? Where are the adults who owe their loyality to the citizens and taxpayers of the United States? When you have career politicians in Congress who have never owned a business or met a payroll, this is what we get--an out of control, free spending Congress. Democrats are preparing to raise the federal debt ceiling by as much as $1.8 trillion before New Year’s rather than have to face the issue again prior to the 2010 elections. Have members of Congress ever taken a CPA or Econ 101 class? “We’ve incurred this debt. We have to pay our bills,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told POLITICO Wednesday. And the Maryland Democrat confirmed that the anticipated increase could be as high as $1.8 trillion — nearly twice what had been assumed in last spring’s budget resolution for the 2010 fiscal year. Congress has incurred this debt and now must CUT the budget and limit the federal government's spending. The leadership is betting that it’s better for the party to take its lumps now rather than risk further votes over the coming year. But the enormity of the number could create its own dynamic, much as another debt ceiling fight in 1985 gave rise to the Gramm-Rudman deficit reduction act mandating across-the-board spending cuts nearly 25 years ago. As introduced Wednesday, the legislation sets no specific targets for deficit reduction, but its 18-member task force — 16 of whom would come from Congress — is promised immense leverage to force change if they can first come together behind a plan. Members of Congress have the responsibility to control spending and if they cannot do their job, then they must be replaced. “This is a defining moment,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), one of the lead sponsors, and New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, the panel’s ranking Republican, is already maneuvering to try to add the legislation as an amendment to any bill tapped to carry the debt increase. As explained by Hoyer and other Democrats, that will almost certainly be a pending $636.4 billion Pentagon appropriations bill that includes $128.3 in contingency funds for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House leadership has held back the bill for weeks, saving it for this moment, but now appropriations clerks have been instructed to have a final package ready to go by Monday. Leadership staff stressed that nothing was yet final in what has become a year-end negotiation between top Democrats in the House and Senate. But the Senate appears to have been the first to put the $1.8 trillion number on the table. And Hoyer’s comments are the clearest yet on the scale of the increase and the expectation that it will be part of a larger year-end legislative train pulled along by the must-pass military bill. “It is December. We don’t really have a choice,” Obey told POLITICO. “The bill’s already been run up; the credit card has already been used. When you get the bill in the mail you need to pay it.” Congress must show leadership and not approve this rise in the degt ceiling since Congress is free-wheeling with the nation's credit card. Though Treasury can buy itself time by moving assets around, it is already coming close to the current debt ceiling of $12.1 trillion. Last spring, the Democratic-backed budget proposed to raise this to about $13 trillion, but given the current pace of borrowing, no one now expects that will be sufficient to get through 2010. In fact, fiscal year 2009 ended Sept. 30 with a $1.4 trillion deficit, which demanded higher-than-expected Treasury borrowing. Most of that was due to the downturn in the economy and spending commitments in place before Barack Obama took office. And as much as Republicans point to the president’s economic recovery bill last February as the culprit, only a small share of that $787 billion package was spent by Sept. 30. How will we the taxpayer pay for healthcare, cap and trade, and all of the other spending programs being pushed through Congress? For example, transportation and housing resources would grow by 12 percent, including $2.5 billion for high-speed-rail investments on top of the $8 billion already added by the White House to the giant stimulus bill in February. A $163.5 budget for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education would add an additional $8.6 billion to annual spending, and Veterans Health Administration spending would grow to $45.1 billion, a $4.1 billion increase. When will it stop? Our economic outlook is bleak with this type of free-spending Congress. All citizens should demand that members of Congress stop spending money that we do not have and putting these obligations on a national credit card that we cannot pay. Enough is enough. -
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December 09, 2009
Chuck Floyd
Below are just some of the outrageous items in the Healthcare Bill introduced by Democrats in Congress. All US citizens should be demanding that this costly bill is a threat to their healthcare and insurance policies. Read and enjoy....
Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all employers that self-insure!! Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill: THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get. Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!! Page 42 of HC Bill: The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC benefits for you. You have no choice! Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise. Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to individuals' finances & a 'National ID Health card' will be issued! Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for elective funds transfer. Page 65 Sec 164: Is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in unions & community organizations: (ACORN). Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the 'Exchange.' Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans -- The Govt will ration your health care! Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services. (Translation: illegal aliens.) Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups (i.e. ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan. Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. (AARP members - your health care WILL be rationed!) Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill: Medicaid eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. (No choice.) Page 124 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt monopoly. Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association - The Govt will tell YOU what salary you can make. Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto-enroll employees into public option plan. (NO choice!) Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part-time employees AND their families. (Employees shouldn't get excited about this as employers will be forced to reduce its work force, benefits, and wages/salaries to cover such a huge expense.) Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k & above who does not provide public option will pay 8% tax on all payroll! (See the last comment in parenthesis.) Page 150 Lines 9-13: A business with payroll between $251K & $401K who doesn't provide public option will pay 2-6% tax on all payroll. Page 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income. Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay.) Page 195 HC Bill: Office rs & employees of the GOVT HC Admin.. will have access to ALL Americans' finances and personal records. Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." (Yes, it really says that!) Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors. (Low-income and the poor are affected.) Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors: It doesn't matter what specialty you have trained yourself in ---you will all be paid the same! (Just TRY to tell me that's not Socialism!) Page 253 Line 10-18: The Govt sets the value of a doctor's time, profession, judgment, etc. (Literally-the value of humans.) Page 265 Sec 1131: The Govt mandates and controls productivity for "private" HC industries. Page 268 Sec 1141: The federal Govt regulates the rental and purchase of power driven wheelchairs. Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing! Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever the Govt deems preventable (i.e.re-admissions). Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors: If you treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission the Govt will penalize you. Page 317 L 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. (The Govt tells doctors what and how much they can own!) Page 317-318 lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion. (The Govt is mandating that hospitals cannot expand.) Page 321 2-13: Hospitals have the opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required. (Can you say ACORN?) Page 335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339: The Govt mandates establishment of=2 outcome-based measures. (HC the way they want -- rationing.) Page 341 Lines 3-9: The Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc. (Forcing people into the Govt plan) Page 354 Sec 1177: The Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of 'special needs people!' Page 379 Sec 1191: The Govt creates more bureaucracy via a "Tele-Health Advisory Committee." (Can you say HC by phone?) Page 425 Lines 4-12: The Govt mandates "Advance-Care Planning Consult." (Think senior citizens end-of-life patients.) Page 425 Lines 17-19: The Govt will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. (And it's mandatory!) Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: The Govt provides an "approved" list of end-of-life resources; & nbsp; guiding you in death. (Also called 'assisted suicide.') Page 427 Lines 15-24: The Govt mandates a program for orders on "end-of-life." (The Govt has a say in how your life ends!) Page 429 Lines 1-9: An "advanced-care planning consultant" will be used frequently as a patient's health deteriorates. Page 429 Lines 10-12: An "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. (AN ORDER TO DIE FROM THE GOVERNMENT?!?) Page 429 Lines 13-25: The GOVT will specify which doctors can write an end-of-life order. (I wouldn't want to stand before God after getting paid for THAT job!) Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end-of-life! (Again -- no choice!) Page 469: Community-Based Home Medical Services = Non-Profit Organizations. (Hello? ACORN Medical Services here!?!) Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover marriage and family therapy. (Which means Govt will insert itself into your marriage even.) Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, and rationing those services. -
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December 09, 2009
Chuck Floyd
Montgomery County and Maryland are a "safe-zone" for illegal aliens due to liberal Democrat elected officials' policy. Illegals cost the state of Maryland $1.4 Billion in taxpayer funds annually. This does not count the human suffering from ID theft, crime, and murder of Montgomery County citizens by illegal aliens. Even the police union is suing the county and Ike Leggett over its "hands-off" policy dealing with illegals. Leggett and the Police Chief have sent a clear message to all illegals---come to Montgomery County and we will NOT arrest you unless you commit murder (and if we arrest you, we will not report you to ICE). County, police union in showdown over illegal-immigration policy By: Alan Suderman Examiner Staff Writer December 7, 2009 Montgomery County and the Fraternal Order of Police union could be headed to court over the county police department's policy for handling illegal immigrants, according to the union's lawyer. FOP attorney Paul Stein said the county's policy was "unconstitutional" and dangerous to the county's police officers and residents. In a letter to County Attorney Leon Rodriguez, Stein asked for justification of the policy, which limits officers' ability to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Union officials have complained that the county's immigration policies are politically motivated and hamper efforts to gather information on suspected criminals. In February, the county changed its policy so ICE would be contacted when police arrested anyone, including illegal immigrants, in a violent or handgun-related crime. The policy came in response to a string of high-profile violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the county. In September, the police department sent out a memo to officers emphasizing that federal immigration authorities should not be contacted after arresting someone based on solely gang affiliation or immigration status. The September memo also indicated that officers needed to first get approval from the department before assisting ICE agents. That memo came after an illegal immigrant, who said he was a former gang member, accused police of assaulting him and turning him over to ICE after he complained about the department. Rodriguez told The Examiner he believed the county's policy was legal, but has not responded directly to the union. County Executive Ike Leggett and police department officials have said the policy helps foster a sense of trust between the police officers and the county's illegal immigrant population. Stein said the union wanted to avoid a legal showdown, but if there were issues that couldn't be resolved, then "a court might have to resolve it." He said his officers felt handcuffed in doing their jobs, which include regularly communicating with other government agencies. The policy "on its face and in application limits our police officers from communicating with ICE until some horrible or horrendous crime occurs, such as first-degree murder, multiple murders, abduction of a 16-year-old for immoral purposes, first-degree sex assault," Stein said. Stein also pointed out that federal law prohibited the county from "restricting communication" from its officers to ICE "regarding immigration status of any individual." -
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December 06, 2009
Chuck Floyd
Marriage is being attacked from all sides today.
Marriage is an institution for two individuals who want to be together, love each other, create new life, raise a family, and support each other on a daily basis. This time-tested relationship is between a man and a woman. Women and men bring certain qualities and natural abilities to the relationship. Women have a calming effect on men and help men to be better fathers. Men help women with focus and family support. Physically, men and women are created by God to be together for the creation of life. Today, both men and women work and need each other in the family, work, and emontional support categories. Without this mutual support, each would be over extended and stressed. Families need to work together and help with the education, religious, and maturity training of their children. The family is being attached by liberal thinking individuals and elected officials since so many government policies do not support a married family. The liberal-left would rather focus on single moms while keeping the husbands or fathers away. They also want to focus on "extra" rights for homosexuals or transgenders. Liberal Democrat elected officials in DC and other states are voting on gay marriage rights while over 65% of Americans want marriage to be between a man and a woman. Elections have critical results. Let's focus on the full support of families so we can have moms and dads support their kids with a good family rearing, education, religious standards and morals. -
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December 06, 2009
Chuck Floyd
Recently, Ken Cuccinelli won as Attorney General for Virginia. Congrats to Ken and the entire team of "conservative" Republicans. We see this team as the model for the rest of the nation. US citizens must be very afraid of the current administration and its socialist and Marist policies and ideas. Our nation is founded on Christian beliefs, individualism, and a restricted federal government. States must start challenging the federal government when it comes to bad policies and unfunded mandates for their citizens. Look at the states that are run by Democrats and the states that are run by Republicans. Which states have a poor economy, more welfare, more unions, and more social problems? Typical examples of states that are bankrupt because of liberal Democrats are CA and MI. Ken has stated that he will challenge the federal government, "If they're worried that I'm going to sue the federal government, their worry is well-placed. If we see an overreaching bill like card check, the president's signature won't be the last fight on that bill." This is good new for all Virginia and US citizens since the federal government is now spending beyond its means and creates energy, economic, healthcare, citizenship, and other policies or laws that are harmful to all American citizens. The US Congress and the President need a wake-up call and all American citizens must demand that elected officials live up to their oath of office. -
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December 01, 2009
Chuck Floyd
The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders
When the Governor and elected politicians ask us the tax-paying citizens to pay more taxes, to receive less state services, or pay more for a college education, why do they still spend our money on illegal aliens? Maryland has a fast growing illegal alien population of about a quarter million persons, more than quadrupling since 2000. Between 2000 and 2008, the state's foreign-born population has grown by 34.6 percent while its native-born population has increased by 3.3 percent. . Public school enrollment of students who require special instruction in English has soared even more, rising by 93.5 percent from 2000 to 2008 while overall enrollment declined slightly. This illegal alien population represents a major burden on the state budget and is borne by Maryland's taxpayers. The costs imposed on law-abiding Marylanders are unfair and unwelcome even in the best of times, but are especially burdensome at a time when the state has been cutting jobs and funding for schools and health care. Furthermore, the state is facing what the Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute projects will be a $2 billion deficit in the 2010 budget. In 2008, the foreign-born population in Maryland represented nearly one in every eight residents (12.4%), and illegal aliens constituted more than one-third of that immigrant population. This illegal immigrant population costs the state's taxpayers more than $1.4 billion per year for education, medical care and incarceration. The annual fiscal burden amounts to about $790 per Maryland household headed by a native-born resident. In addition to the fiscal cost estimates in this study, there are additional burdens caused by illegal aliens, i.e., foreign remittances that they sent abroad constitute a major drain on the state's economy. The Inter-American Development Bank estimated that remittances from Maryland just to Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to $921 million in 2006. If this amount had been earned by American workers, it would have been spent locally, and it would have generated sales, production and jobs in the state as well as increased tax collection. The more than $1.4 billion dollars in costs incurred by Maryland taxpayers annually result from outlays in the following areas: Education Based on estimates of the illegal immigrant population in Maryland and documented costs of K-12 schooling, Marylanders spend more than $966 million annually on education for an estimated 80,800 children of illegal aliens. An additional amount of nearly $250 million is spent on providing special English instruction to an estimated 35,000 children of illegal aliens. About 9.6 percent of the K-12 public school students in Maryland are children of illegal aliens. Health Care Taxpayer-funded, unreimbursed medical outlays for health care provided to the state's illegal alien population amount to about $167 million a year. Incarceration The cost of incarcerating illegal aliens in Maryland's state and county prisons amounts to about $29 million a year not including related law enforcement and judicial expenses or the monetary costs of the crimes that led to the incarceration. Some state and local taxes are received from illegal immigrants even from those working off the books. But, those same tax collections, or more likely an increased amount, would occur if the jobs were done by legal workers. So, unless it is illogically assumed that no legal U.S. or immigrant or foreign guestworker would do the jobs now done by illegal workers, it makes little sense to consider this a true offset to the tax burden. The estimated amount of the taxes currently collected from Maryland's illegal workers is about $204 million per year. These fiscal costs would be considerably higher if other cost areas such as assistance programs for needy families or welfare benefits for American workers displaced by illegal alien workers or resulting from depressed wages were included in the calculation. The current proposal to adopt an amnesty for the illegal aliens would not lessen the burden if enacted. Rather, it would increase the access of this population to additional social welfare benefits and allow them to legally apply for the state's reverse tax benefit known as the Earned Income Tax Credit. These costs are not inevitable. State and local policymakers have several means at their disposal to discourage settlement of illegal aliens. Maryland and some local jurisdictions, on the other hand, are permissive towards illegal immigration. Marylanders concerned about the impact on their state and local communities should demand an end to those policies. -
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