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| Constitution Day
Event |
September 1, 2010 |
Digg This |
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You are cordially
invited to the
TWO
THOUSAND
TEN
CONSTITUTION
DAY
COMMEMORATION
and
PUBLIC
EVENT
SEPTEMBER
17, 2010, ARLINGTON,
VA
Celebrating September
17, 1787
when the Constitution of
the United States was
adopted.
FREE EVENT
|
Hyatt Arlington
Hotel
1325 Wilson
Boulevard
Arlington, VA
22209
7:00
- 8:30 pm |
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The
Agenda
Introductory
Remarks
by
Howard
Phillips,
Chairman
of The
Conservative
Caucus |
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Leading
Conservative
Delegate
in the
Virginia
Legislature
Bob
Marshall
(R-Prince
William
County)
Presentation
by
Howard
Phillips
of the
Andrew
Jackson
Champion
of
Liberty
Award. |
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Closing
Remarks |
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Dear
Friend of the Constitution:
I hope
you can join me in Arlington, VA on
September 17 to commemorate the two
hundred twenty second anniversary of
the completion of the Convention
that gave us our U.S. Constitution.
There is no admission fee, but
because attendance will be limited
by the size of the room, we must
know as soon as possible whether you
plan to attend. (If you read this
just prior to the event, please just
show up and we will try to find you
a seat)
Send an email to reserve YOUR seat
Or call 703-938-9626.
And please invite your friends too!
TCC is sponsoring
Constitution Day for the ninth
consecutive year, in cooperation
with The Conservative Caucus
Foundation and the U.S. Taxpayers
Alliance.
You will have the
opportunity to learn more about the
Constitution from a top champion in
the Virginia Legislature, Delegate
Bob Marshall.
I know that you and
I share a love and respect for the
Constitution, and that we each want
Constitution Day to have a powerful
impact.
That is why I hope
you will support this event with a
donation of $25, $50, $100 or more.
In fact, if you can send $1,000, you
will be listed as a Sponsor in the
Constitution Day program.
TCC cannot afford to
lose money on this event. We need to
receive enough donations, designated
for Constitution Day, to pay the
full cost.
That is why I am
asking you to help with a donation
of $25, $50, $100, or even a
Sponsor’s fee of $1,000 to make
TCC’s Constitution Day possible.
Click here to help with a donation
Whether or not you
provide financial support, I hope
you will be able to attend on
September 17. Since we will have to
stop accepting reservations once we
expect a full room, be sure to let
me know as soon as possible, so that
I can have your name added to the
attendance list.
Sincerely,
Howard Phillips
Chairman
P.S. If you
contribute $100 or more, you will be
listed in the program as a "Friend
of the Constitution", and a $1,000
gift makes you a Sponsor.
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A CONSERVATIVE COMPLIMENT FROM LEFT-WING
SCHORR
Daniel Schorr, the well-known Left-wing journalist, has died
at the age of 93.
My one direct contact with Schorr came in February, 1973
when, as Director of the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO),
I testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee
on Education and Labor.
Schorr paid me a high compliment, following my testimony and
my dialogue with Committee members and representatives of the
Black Caucus, saying to me that I was one of the most brilliant
young men he had ever observed. That may have been an
exaggeration, but, coming from Schorr, it was as memorable as it
was unexpected.
Nixon Appointed Judge Pushes Federal Benefits
for Homosexuals
When I make a mistake, it’s a doozy. In 1973, I intervened on
behalf of my then friend, Joe Tauro, to persuade President
Nixon’s legal counsel, Chuck Colson, to convince President Nixon
to appoint Joe to a Federal judgeship.
Tauro sought my help in his behalf, knowing that I was held
in high regard by key officials of the Nixon administration.
Now Judge Tauro has shown himself to be a big disappointment
to me and other conservatives.
As reported in The New York Times (7/9/10, pp. 1, A3),
"A federal judge in Massachusetts found Thursday that a law
barring the federal government from recognizing same-sex
marriage is unconstitutional, ruling that gay and lesbian
couples deserve the same federal benefits as heterosexual
couples.
"Judge Joseph L. Tauro of United States District Court in
Boston sided with the plaintiffs in two separate cases brought
by the state attorney general and a gay rights group. …
"If the rulings find their way to the Supreme Court and are
upheld there, they will put same-sex marriage within the
constitutional realm of protection, just as interracial marriage
has been for decades. Seeking that protection is at the heart of
both the Massachusetts cases and a federal case pending in
California over the legality of that state’s ban on same-sex
marriage.
"Tracy Schmaler, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department,
said federal officials were reviewing the decision and had no
further comment. But lawyers for the plaintiffs said they fully
expected the Obama administration to appeal. An appeal would be
heard by the First Circuit, which also includes Rhode Island,
Maine, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico.
"In the case brought by Attorney General Martha Coakley,
Judge Tauro found that the 1996 law, known as the Defense of
Marriage Act, or DOMA, compels Massachusetts to discriminate
against its own citizens in order to receive federal money for
certain programs.
"The other case, brought by Gay and Lesbian Advocates and
Defenders, focused more narrowly on equal protection as applied
to a handful of federal benefits. In that case, Judge Tauro
agreed that the federal law violated the equal protection clause
of the Constitution by denying benefits to one class of married
couples – gay men and lesbians – but not others.
"Neither suit challenged a separate provision of the Defense
of Marriage Act that says states do not have to recognize
same-sex marriages performed in other states. But if the cases
make their way to the Supreme Court and are upheld, gay and
lesbian couples in states that recognize same-sex marriage will
be eligible for federal benefits that are now granted only to
heterosexual married couples.
" ‘This court has determined that it is clearly within the
authority of the commonwealth to recognize same-sex marriages
among its residents, and to afford those individuals in same-sex
marriages any benefits, rights and privileges to which they are
entitled by virtue of their marital status,’ Judge Tauro wrote
in the case brought by Ms. Coakley. ‘The federal government, by
enacting and enforcing DOMA, plainly encroaches upon the firmly
entrenched province of the state.’ …
"Massachusetts has allowed same-sex couples to marry since
2004, and while more than 15,000 have done so, they are denied
federal benefits like Social Security survivors’ payments, the
right to file taxes jointly and guaranteed leave from work to
care for a sick spouse.
"In the Coakley case, the judge held that that federal
restrictions on funding for states that recognize same-sex
marriage violates the 10th Amendment, the part of the
Constitution that declares that rights not explicitly granted to
the federal government, or denied to the states, belong to the
states.
"The Obama administration’s Justice Department was in the
position of defending the Defense of Marriage Act even though
Barack Obama had called during the 2008 presidential campaign
for repealing it. Scott Simpson, when arguing the case on behalf
of the government in May, opened by acknowledging the
administration’s opposition to the act, but saying he was still
obliged to defend its constitutionality.
" ‘This presidential administration disagrees with DOMA as a
matter of policy,’ Mr. Simpson said at the time. ‘But that does
not affect its constitutionality.’
"Some constitutional scholars said they were surprised by
Judge Tauro’s opinions in the two cases.
" ‘What an amazing set of opinions,’ said Jack M. Balkin, a
professor at Yale Law School. ‘No chance they’ll be held up on
appeal.’
"Professor Balkin, who supports the right to same-sex
marriage, said the opinions ignored the federal government’s
longstanding involvement in marriage issues in areas like
welfare, tax policy, health care, Social Security and more. The
opinion in the advocacy group’s case applies the Constitution to
marriage rights, he said, undercutting the notion that the
marriage is not a federal concern.
" ‘These two opinions are at war with themselves," he said.
"The arguments concerning the 10th Amendment and the spending
clause, if upheld, would ‘take down a wide swath of programs –
you can’t even list the number of programs that would be
affected,’ he said.
"By citing the 10th Amendment and making what is essentially
a states’ rights argument, Professor Balkin said Judge Tauro was
‘attempting to hoist conservatives by their own petard, by
saying: "You like the 10th Amendment? I’ll give you the 10th
Amendment! I’ll strike down DOMA!" ’ "
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Spread Arizona's Immigration Law to YOUR State |
April 29, 2010 |
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Arizona’s Illegal Immigration Law is Worthy of
Emulation
Arizona is where Americans are beginning a brand new
movement: the states doing what the Feds refuse to do. Americans
are fed up with unlimited illegal immigration and the resulting
crime, murders, drug smuggling, human smuggling, Mexican drug
gangs, and illegals costing taxpayers billions of dollars in
health, welfare, police and other services.
Unemployed Americans are fed up with millions of illegal
immigrants taking their jobs and driving down American wages.
Because President Obama and Congress refuse to enforce
immigration laws and to complete the border fence, and are
determined to pass amnesty so millions more illegals will be
rewarded for walking across the open border; every
state--especially the other border states--must pass similar
legislation.
I'd also suggest Arizona start building a continuous border
fence with stimulus funds. The protests from illegal immigration
advocates prove they know the new law will effectively reduce
illegal immigration.
You can help by contacting your state legislators and
governor, and urging them to pass similar laws. Together, we can
stop illegal immigration regardless of the actions and inaction
in Washington.
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Repeal ObamaCare! New Website Launched |
April 16, 2010 |
Digg This |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
For further information: contact:
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Charles Orndorff: 703-938-9626
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Americans 'Send Them a Message' to
Repeal ObamaCare!
The Conservative Caucus (TCC) launched today the "Pledge to
Repeal ObamaCare" campaign at
www.SendThemAMessage.com.
Americans are urged to visit and print the Pledge to Repeal
ObamaCare and get their Senators, Representative and
candidates for the House and Senate to sign the pledge.
Howard Phillips, TCC’s Chairman, announced the new campaign
and the launch of www.SendThemAMessage.com, "This is a vital
step in repealing Obama’s Socialist medicine scheme, to help
keep the pressure on members of Congress to resist the influence
of special interests and liberals in both parties who will be
lobbying to avoid repealing ObamaCare.
Make no mistake, there are many powerful individuals and
companies who will quickly learn how to profit from health care
rationing and other elements of Socialist medicine; they will
fight efforts by Americans to repeal this dangerous scheme."
"We will post the signed pledges on
SendThemAmessage.com,
list who has refused or not signed, and, as the new Congress
convenes in 2011, post updates about signers' fulfillment of
their pledges," Mr. Phillips continued, inviting Americans to
pass the word to their friends; "As concerned citizens, your
action and that of your friends can make the difference, and I
invite you to visit SendThemAMessage.com now and send ‘them’ a
message."
In conclusion, Mr. Phillips noted the effectiveness of
videoing pledge signing and deliveries, "Under the scrutiny of a
video camera, you may find members of Congress and candidates
more willing to be courageous and sign the pledge to repeal
ObamaCare, than in the quiet of their office with special
interests looking over their shoulder."
The Conservative Caucus (TCC) is a grass roots action
organization, formed in 1974. It was active in opposing the
ObamaCare bill, defeating the SALT II Treaty, repealing the
Catastrophic Coverage Act, blocking the Clinton health-care
takeover, and impeaching President Clinton.
Watch the video:
Here's HOW
to Stop Obamacare Socialized Medicine
-- 30 --
THERE IS A PRICE FOR BETRAYAL
Congressman Bart Stupak portrayed himself as a leader of
pro-life Democrats. Yet when he had the opportunity to make a
difference and help kill the pro-abortion Obama Care socialized
medicine bill, Mr. Stupak sold out for a worthless executive
order and, even worse, encouraged other supposedly pro-life
Democrats to follow his misguided lead.
After no doubt reviewing polling data, Mr. Stupak has now
announced he will retire.
Americans are begging for statesmen loyal to principle, and
had he stood on principle and killed the bill, he would have
been a hero not only in his district but across America. Now,
Mr. Stupak’s career in Congress will be remembered only for his
betrayal.
This should be a powerful lesson to other Members of
Congress, as Obama will offer yet more deals to force through
more of his Socialist agenda this year, including amnesty, a
carbon tax, and a European-style VAT tax.
Please help repeal the bill which Bart Stupak helped pass. Go
to
www.SendThemAMessage.com and ask your members of Congress
and candidates to sign the pledge that they promise to repeal
the bill. Thank you.
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ACORN Goes Out Of Business |
March 26, 2010 |
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Good Riddance to ACORN
While serving in the Nixon Administration
in 1973 as Director of the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity,
I defunded ACORN and scores of other Left-wing radical
organizations which were fleecing taxpayers for the millions of
dollars which bankrolled their Socialist agenda.
Since our founding in 1974, one of the key missions of The
Conservative Caucus (TCC) has been to build grassroots support
for defunding the Left—indeed to stop taxpayer funding of all
policy action organizations.
Thomas Jefferson’s words on the subject ring true even after
two centuries: "To compel a man to furnish funds for the
propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and
tyrannical."
On this occasion, I wish to thank the intrepid journalists,
Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe, who by so effectively showing
the outrageous yet apparently routine activities of ACORN
chapters across the country, caused a tidal wave of citizen
anger at the abuse by ACORN of their taxes.
The reign of ACORN's taxpayer-funded Saul Alinsky-style
warfare may be officially ended, and for that, every American
should be thankful. However, taking a page from their
ideological soulmate, Barack Obama, we are seeing the "two steps
forward, one step back" strategy in play, for some ACORN
chapters have merely changed their names and will continue their
same activities without interruption. Many ACORN leaders and
activists will no doubt continue the same brand of radical
activities at new or different organizations; continuing to
consume taxpayer dollars to push their Socialist agenda.
President Obama, ACORN's most famous alumnus, continues to
use every possible rule for radicals in pushing his Socialist
agenda; so our work in defunding the Left is far from over.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
For further information, contact:
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Charles Orndorff, 703-938-9626
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CAMPAIGN TO REPEAL OBAMACARE TO BEGIN
IMMEDIATELY
President Obama's signing today of the healthcare reform bill
marks the beginning of a campaign to repeal the bill, says Howard
Phillips, Chairman of The Conservative Caucus (TCC).
This bill marks a giant step toward socialized medicine in
America", said Phillips. "Fortunately, much of the
bill will not take effect for several years, giving us time to
persuade the next Congress to repeal it."
Phillips pointed out that the bill increases government
spending and regulation regarding health care, and that poll after
poll has demonstrated that the American people opposed passage.
TCC was one of the leaders of the opposition, communicating its
opposition through the internet, a weekly TV show, and direct
mail.
"We almost defeated this bill in the House", said
Phillips, "and we believe that we can convince a majority in
the 112th Congress to vote for repeal. Phillips said that if
President Obama vetoed repeal, Congress could still refuse funding
for those provisions of the bill that go into effect during the
next two years.
The Conservative Caucus (TCC) is a grass roots action
organization, formed in 1974. It was active in defeating the
SALT II Treaty, repealing the Catastrophic Coverage Act, blocking
the Clinton health-care takeover, and impeaching President
Clinton.
-30-
Visit TCC's new Repeal
ObamaCare Action website:
www.SendThemAMessage.com
"Deemed Passed" Slaughters the Constitution
It’s outrageous that Congress is considering using the "Slaughter
Solution," to "deem passed" Obama’s unpopular socialized
medicine scheme.
I urge Members of Congress to carefully read the Constitution
to which they swore a solemn oath: "Every Bill which shall have
passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall,
before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the
United States... But in all such Cases the Votes of both
Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays." Two recent
Supreme Court decisions affirm such tricks are unconstitutional.
Congressional votes must not be determined by pretense or
dictate, but by actual votes. Prior uses by the GOP Congress
were no more Constitutional and no excuse for continued contempt
for the plain language of the Constitution.
If the House does not Constitutionally consider this
proposal, but pretends to instead have passed it without a
specific up or down vote; it is not a law, and The
Conservative Caucus (TCC) will urge the Supreme Court to declare
the supposed law null and void.
All Americans should let their U.S. Senators and
Representative know their objection to the use of this
unconstitutional scheme, especially as the White House has
refused to rule out using "deem passed" on future unpopular
bills, perhaps including amnesty and cap and trade.
AL HAIG WAS A GREAT MAN
Even though we were on opposite sides of numerous policy
battles, I always admired General Al Haig as a person and had
the privilege of enjoying his company on several occasions.
The following encomium by Arnaud de Borchgrave helps explain
why General Haig merits our approval:
"Alexander Haig missed World War II, graduating from West
Point in 1947, and then saw action in both the Korean War
(Inchon landing that turned the tide against North Korea) and
the Vietnam War where, as a battalion commander in the bloody
battle of An Loc he earned the Distinguished Service Cross,
second only to the Medal of Honor.
"Col. Haig's citation said his battalion (First Infantry
Division) was ‘pinned down by a Vietcong force that outnumbered
it three to one. To get an overall view of the terrain, Haig
took off by helicopter and landed in a hail of bullets. No
sooner off the ground than the helo was shot down. Two days of
hand-to-hand combat ensued. The enemy launched repeated
human-wave assaults on the camp. Heedless of the danger himself,
Col. Haig repeatedly braved hostile fire to survey the
battlefield. His personal courage and determination, and his
skillful employment of every defense and support tactic
possible, inspired his men with previously unimagined power.
Although outnumbered three to one, Col. Haig succeeded in
inflicting 592 casualties on the Vietcong.’
"Haig was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the
Purple Heart during his Vietnam tour.
"He first rose to national prominence as chief military aide
to National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger in the Nixon White
House. He quickly became President Nixon's principal military
adviser, not an official position, but the president liked him
and they talked frequently informally. Promoted [to] Brigadier
General, he rose quickly to Major General. …
"Nixon was so taken by Haig that he jumped him over 240
more-senior officers to the rank of four-star general as the
Army's Vice Chief of Staff. He was soon back at the White House
where Nixon wanted him close by as the Watergate scandal grew
legs. Haig then played a key role in the negotiations that led
to Nixon's resignation and to Gerald Ford's accession to the
presidency. Haig was soon rewarded for his efforts by his
elevation to SACEUR -- Supreme Allied Commander Europe -- or
NATOs top military commander, as well as EUCOM, the commander of
all U.S. forces in the European theater.
"A fierce anti-Soviet and staunch conservative, he was the
target of an assassination plot by Belgium's terrorist group
Fighting Communist Cells (CCC in French). An early IED blew a
small bridge near his SHAPE HQ in Belgium as his official car
and two security vehicles were passing. The explosion missed
Haig's car by a few feet. No sooner back at SHAPE than the word
had already reached Harold Brown, Jimmy Carters Defense
Secretary, at the Pentagon. He called Haig and deadpanned, ‘Al,
I just wanted you to know we didn't do it.’
"In private conversations, Haig never hid his contempt for
what he called the namby-pamby appeasement of President Carter.
He was the first to blow the whistle (in an interview with this
reporter) on the then-secret, one-per-week deployment of the
Soviet SS-20, a medium-range nuclear missile designed to change
the balance of power in Europe in Moscow's favor. The NATO
counter became known as ‘Euromissiles,’ and Communist-controlled
or influenced unions pulled out all the stops against their
deployment. Haig's forceful views prevailed and the Soviet SS-20
ploy was checkmated.
"In 1979, he retired from the army to become CEO of United
Technologies, a major defense firm that produced the Sikorsky
helicopter family. While there, he underwent quintuple heart
bypass surgery.
"Upon recovery, he also tested the waters for a run for the
White House and soon concluded he would rather back Ronald
Reagan, who also took a shine to Haig's strong conservative
views, tough anti-communist and anti-Soviet positions, links to
the Republican establishment, and made him his first Secretary
of State. His confirmation hearings were stormy. The ‘namby
pamby’ liberals once denounced by Haig seized the opportunity to
retaliate. Haig lasted only 18 months at the State Department.
An equally strong personality with strong views and an intense
dislike for the four-star general as Secretary of State was
Richard C. Allen, the new National Security Adviser, also a
hawk, but not a super hawk. Their turf battles were the stuff of
countless news articles. …
"Their running feud over turf with Dick Allen led to Haig
submitting his resignation to President Reagan once too often.
Reagan finally said, ‘Al, I accept your resignation,’ which
stunned Haig, according to Allen.
"After resigning as Secretary of State June 25, 1982, Haig
penned his memoirs – ‘Caveat: Realism, Reagan and Foreign
Policy,’ published two years later. He returned to politics
briefly to test the waters for a run at the White House in 1988,
but quickly concluded the support [wasn’t] there.
"As a consultant for United Technologies, he lobbied for
helicopter sales in many countries. He became one of the
founding investors in AOL, and made several hundred million
dollars from the gradual sale of his shares and stock options.
As a founding member of Sky Station International, he pushed the
idea of 250 small, inexpensive platforms suspended by
Hindenburg-like airships to beat competitors who were planning
to launch satellites in low orbit. His idea would have cost only
$800 million vs. the billions that would be spent on satellites.
Haig's venture never made it off the ground. …
"In the U.S., he commuted between Washington and his home in
Palm Beach. Recognized wherever he went, Haig hardened his views
as he grew older. Almost all public figures since left office
were assessed severely. His least known accomplishment was a
close working relationship with Irving Brown the AFL-CIO's
roving ambassador abroad. Together, at SHAPE HQ, Brown and Haig
got together to assist Poland's Lech Walesa as he led the Lenin
shipyard workers in Gdansk against their Communist overlords. It
was the beginning of the end of the Soviet empire. Irving Brown
received the Medal of Freedom for his efforts. Al Haig's
contribution to the same endeavor that changed the world and led
to the collapse of the Soviet Union was critical." Source:
The Washington Times, 2/20/10, Arnaud de Borchgrave
|
Charlie Wilson, the Patriot |
February 16, 2010 |
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CHARLIE WILSON WAS AN HEROIC AMERICAN PATRIOT
A great man has died. Charlie Wilson, with whom I worked
closely in his leadership effort to defeat the Soviet invasion
of Afghanistan, was one of the real anti-Communist heroes of the
20th century.
As reported in USA Today (2/11/10, Kathy Kiely),
"Charlie Wilson, a Texas congressman whose covert efforts to aid
Afghan fighters against Soviet invaders became the subject of a
movie, died Wednesday. He was 76.
"Wilson died at Memorial Medical Center in his hometown of
Lufkin, Texas. The preliminary cause of death was
cardiopulmonary arrest, hospital spokesman Yana Ogletree said.
"The Democrat’s good looks, deep voice and penchant for
dating beauty queens made Wilson of the most colorful characters
in Congress, where he served from 1973 through 1996. He was
nicknamed ‘Good Time Charlie’ and his almost all-female staff
was known as ‘Charlie's Angels.’
"The congressman's social life was notable because he
represented a district in the Bible Belt.
"Yet East Texas voters elected Wilson 12 times, a tribute to
his constituent service and, some colleagues said, the fact that
he didn't try to disguise who he was. …
"After the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union in
1979, Wilson became interested in the plight of the Afghan
guerrillas trying to retake their country. From his seat on the
House appropriations panel that oversees the Pentagon budget, he
created a secret fund for the Afghan warriors, funneled through
the Pakistani secret service. He provided the Afghans with
Stinger missiles that enabled them to shoot down Soviet
aircraft.
"Wilson's efforts, which helped turn the tide for the
Afghans, was chronicled in a book, Charlie Wilson's War.
That led to a movie in 2007 with actor Tom Hanks playing Wilson.
Hanks said Wilson roamed the movie set, a dog-eared copy of the
script in hand, to insist on accuracy.
"Wilson made multiple trips to Pakistan's treacherous North
West Frontier province to meet with the Afghan fighters. He once
boasted of having crossed the border into the war zone. ‘I want
to kill communists as painfully as possible,’ Wilson told the
Houston Post."
The New York Times (2/11/10, p. A25) reported,
"Charlie Wilson, a 12-term Texas congressman who was best known
for his playboy ways until he masterminded a covert effort to
funnel billions of dollars in arms to Afghan rebels fighting the
Soviets in the 1980s, died Wednesday in Lufkin, Tex. He was 76.
"Jack Gorden Jr., the mayor of Lufkin, confirmed the death.
Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin said the preliminary cause of
death was cardiopulmonary arrest. Mr. Wilson had a heart
transplant in 2007.
"Mr. Wilson’s exploits to provide as much as $5 billion in
arms to Afghan rebels were the subject of a book and the 2007
movie ‘Charlie Wilson’s War,’ directed by Mike Nichols.
Tom Hanks portrayed Mr. Wilson and Julia Roberts
played Joanne Herring, the conservative Houston socialite who
first interested Mr. Wilson, a Democrat, in aiding the Afghans.
"A former president of Pakistan, Gen. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq,
said it was hard to understate Mr. Wilson’s role. ‘All I can say
is, "Charlie did it,"’ he said on ‘60 Minutes’ in 1988.
"It was an unusual role for a congressman representing an
unworldly East Texas district. From 1973 to 1996, Mr. Wilson
kept his seat by balancing liberal views on many domestic issues
with a hawkish stance on foreign policy and paying close
attention to his constituents’ needs.
"Until his secret role in Afghanistan became the stuff
of Hollywood, Mr. Wilson’s fame was pretty much summed up by his
nickname, ‘Good Time Charlie.’ An article in Texas Monthly in
2004 said he gave his girlfriends nicknames like Snowflake,
Tornado and Firecracker.
"Mr. Wilson was able to help the Afghans from his seat on the
House Appropriations Committee and from another on its
subcommittee on foreign operations.
"The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan in 1979, invited by the
pro-Communist government there in the face of an insurgency.
"After he visited a refugee camp in Pakistan at the urging of
Ms. Herring and saw wounded and maimed Afghan guerrilla
fighters, Mr. Wilson vowed to help them and became a key figure
in Congress for doing so, overtly pushing for humanitarian aid
and covertly obtaining military help, a risky endeavor against a
rival superpower. He often gathered his colleagues’ support by
voting for military contracts that would serve their districts.
"From a few million dollars in the early 1980s, support for
the resistance grew to $750 million a year by the end of the
decade. The financing was funneled to Afghanistan in secret by
Mr. Wilson and other lawmakers.
"The help went beyond money. When the Soviets deliberately
killed camels and mules to cripple the Afghan fighters’ supply
lines, he flew in Tennessee mules. When the Central
Intelligence Agency refused to provide the guerrillas with
field radios for fear that mujahedeen transmissions would be
picked up by the Soviets, he sent an aide to Virginia to buy
$12,000 worth of walkie-talkies from a Radio Shack outlet.
"Particularly helpful were Stinger missiles from the United
States, which were used to shoot down Russian helicopters and
became what many consider a decisive factor in wearing down the
Soviets. By February 1989, the Soviets had withdrawn and the
United States ended its support.
"In later years Mr. Wilson insisted that the United States
had not made a mistake by supporting the Afghan rebels, among
them Osama bin Laden and the Islamists who would form the
Taliban regime. He said if the United States had helped
rebuild Afghanistan, it would have remained stable and not
become a safe haven for Al Qaeda.
"Charles Nesbitt Wilson was born in Trinity, Tex., where his
father was an accountant for a lumber company, on June 1, 1933.
He told about his first political experience in the book from
which the movie was made, ‘Charlie Wilson’s War: The
Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History’
(2003) by George Crile.
"Charlie was 13 when his dog strayed and a neighbor
apparently fed it something that contained crushed glass. The
boy first doused the man’s garden with gasoline and set it on
fire. He then realized that the neighbor was a City Council
member and used his learner’s permit to drive black voters to
the polls to vote against him. The neighbor lost his seat by 16
votes.
"Mr. Wilson attended the Naval Academy at Annapolis and
graduated in 1956. He served four years in the Navy and went
back to Texas, where he was elected to the State House of
Representatives and then to the State Senate.
"In 1972, he ran successfully for Congress, where he
outmaneuvered a fellow Texan for a seat on the Appropriations
Committee as well as a slot on its subcommittee on foreign
operations.
"Mr. Wilson is survived by his wife, the former Barbara
Alberstadt, and his sister, Sharon Allison.
"His rowdy behavior produced sensational headlines over the
years. There were at least two midnight car crashes. He was
investigated for cocaine use, and election-expenditure
irregularities resulted in a $90,000 fine.
"In an interview with Washingtonian magazine in 1996,
Mr. Wilson said Texas voters put up with his antics in part
because of the vicarious thrill they got in watching him. He
added that he did not lie or whine when caught.
" ‘I just say, "Well, yeah, I guess I goofed again" and go
about my business,’ he said. ‘Those good Christians, you know,
believe in the redemption of sin.’
"When he announced his resignation in 1995, saying the job
was not fun anymore, Mr. Wilson thanked his constituents for
their tolerance.
" ‘He was our favorite town character,’ Mayor Gorden said.
‘He was a rascal but our rascal.’"
|
Class Action Suits and the Constitution |
January 27, 2010 |
Digg This |
CLASS ACTION SUITS ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY
DUBIOUS
As Director of the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO),
one of my key objectives was to close down the radical Left-wing
Legal Services program. I even had a promise, confirmed by
Senator Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), Congressman Lamar Baker (R-Tenn.),
Senator Jim McClure (R-Idaho), and others that President Nixon
would veto a proposal to establish a Federal Legal Services
Corporation.
Unfortunately, then White House Chief of Staff Al Haig
succumbed to pressure from Senators Alan Cranston (D-Calif.),
Walter Mondale (D-Minn.), Jacob Javits (R-N.Y.), and Robert Taft
(R-Ohio) that, if Nixon did not sign the Legal Services
Corporation legislation, money for his Watergate lawyers would
be terminated.
The Legal Services program operated on a supposed mandate to
promote "group representation", "community education", and "law
reform". "Community education" meant the promotion of Saul
Alinsky-style, Marxist-Socialist propaganda, "law reform" meant
placing Left-wing lobbyists in virtually every state legislature
and "group representation" meant creating Left-wing activist
groups, promoting everything from homosexuality and abortion to
welfare rights.
A key element of the Legal Services agenda was the class
action suit. It is, therefore, interesting to note the
information which follows:
"For Martin Redish, it’s a constitutional travesty. The
longtime professor at Northwestern University School of Law, a
self-professed liberal Democrat, has caused a stir in academic
circles by suggesting that the class action as we know it
violates the U.S. Constitution. His reasoning is simple: Since
the right to sue belongs to the individual, only the individual
can choose to give it away.
"In a typical class action, lawyers sue on behalf of a group
of plaintiffs who theoretically hold the same claim – purchasers
of a stock that fell on bad news, say – and a judge approves
combining them into a single group. In some cases plaintiffs can
opt out of the class; in others the judge orders everybody in.
Usually the majority of ‘plaintiffs’ never even knew they were
involved. …
"This is an unpopular view with class action lawyers, who are
very well compensated for putting these cases together.
Securities class actions alone generated $3.1 billion in
settlements last year, according to Cornerstone Research, with
plaintiff lawyers probably collecting $600 million in fees. …
" ‘The class action mechanism is one of the most important
tools available to the public,’ says Stephen Garcia, a Long
Beach, Calif. lawyer who frequently sues on behalf of consumers.
‘All the meaningful social alterations of the past 20 years have
been accomplished through the class action or a similar legal
procedure.’
"Redish … says the process is illegitimate.
" ‘These are individually held rights,’ he says. ‘What a lot
of class action scholars and proponents have done – quite
cleverly, I must say – is engage in a sort of alchemy to
transform individual rights into collective rights.’ …
"More problematic are ‘settlement class actions,’ where
lawyers for the plaintiffs and defendant agree beforehand to
settle the case – as long as the judge approves a class that
ropes in all the potential plaintiffs. Redish argues these are
flat-out unconstitutional because there is no ‘case or
controversy,’ a constitutional requirement for making a federal
case out of something. Since the lawyers are all on the same
side, he says, the only losers are plaintiffs who are forever
barred from suing over the matter again. The Honda case was
settled before the class was certified, for example, and would
prohibit class members from participating in subsequent
regulatory proceedings. …
"None of this came out of the democratic process. Class
actions were pulled out of the ether by an unelected board of
legal experts appointed by the equally unelected chief justice
of the Supreme Court. Under a 1934 federal law the experts
created and Rules of Civil Procedure,
including Rule 23, covering class actions. In 1966 Harvard
professor Benjamin Kaplan pushed through a controversial change
that allowed judges to approve the aggregation of individual
claims into a single case, where previously such groups had to
have a legal relationship such as partnership." Source: Daniel
Fisher, Forbes Magazine, 2/08/10, pp. 20, 22
|
Sumner Whittier |
January 22, 2010 |
Digg This |
WHITTIER WAS ONE OF THE BEST BAY STATE
POLITICIANS
Sumner G. Whittier, who died recently at the age of 98, was
my friend when he was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts and,
subsequently, a candidate for Governor of the Bay State.
Whittier was a very fine man with the incredible gift for
memorizing dozens of names of people whom he had just met in
large gatherings. It is a tragedy that, when he ran for Governor
of the Commonwealth, he was defeated by Endicott "Chub" Peabody,
a very liberal Democrat and former Harvard All-American football
player.
MARION HURLEY WAS A STEADFAST LEADER
FOR CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES
My dear friend, Marion M. Hurley, died on September 15:
"Marion passed away peacefully at her home in Pasadena after
living in the San Marino area for over 60 years. She is survived
by her three children Alan (Mary of San Marino, Holly (Ron) of
Downey and Gail (Jim) of Fallbrook), five grand-children (Erik,
Stephen, Carrie, Robert and Wendy), and one great-grandchild
(Ember). She was preceded in death by her loving husband,
Clayton.
"Throughout her life she was a steadfast crusader for her
Christian faith, this country and righteousness. She did
everything in her power to educate all those around her to the
Bible and our great Constitution.
"She has been laid to rest with her beloved Clayton in the
Court of Freedom, Forest Lawn, Glendale. She is now with her
Lord and loved ones in Heaven.
"Her wish to all her friends at this time of year was to
always remember that Christ was born and died for us. Christmas
time is our chance to renew our faith to give us strength and
hope that with Christ all things are possible. This country was
born with Christian faith, and only with Christian faith will it
survive. It is our duty to teach this to all future generations.
"Memorial gifts may be made in her honor to: United
Republicans of California, P.S. Box 80575, San Marino, CA
91118."
Marion was a strong supporter of The Constitution Party and
my various Presidential candidacies.
DR. HURWITZ WAS A COURAGEOUS EDUCATOR
My beloved friend, Dr. Howard L. Hurwitz, "educator, author
and former principal of Long Island City H.S. died on September
23 at age 91 of natural causes.
"Hurwitz is best remembered for the controversy that swept
over his tenure as principal of the once-troubled school, where
his hard line tactics won him the admiration of parents and the
wrath of Board of Education and law enforcement officials.
"In his 1988 novel, The Last Angry Principal,
Hurwitz described his experiences as principal of Long
Island City H.S. including the day parents barricaded him in his
office to prevent him from being fired by the Board of
Education.
"A woman named Marge was 17-years old and in her senior year
at the school when Hurwitz arrived in 1976. She recalled how
Hurwitz' decision to discipline a troubled student lit a
firestorm of controversy that lasted for days ending when a
federal judge ordered his arrest. ‘The girl was always in
trouble,’ Marge said. ‘So we weren't surprised when he learned
that Dr. Hurwitz wanted to suspend her.’
"Records indicate the student became belligerent when asked
by administrators and Hurwitz to produce a hall pass. When
Hurwitz suspended the student, the Schools Chancellor ordered
him to reinstate her or be fired, Marge said. Hurwitz refused to
follow the Chancellor's order.
" ‘The next thing we knew, there were parents at all the
school entrances and they had barricaded Dr. Hurwitz in his
office,’ Marge said. ‘We were handed signs supporting Dr.
Hurwitz when we arrived at school and we were told to hold them
and picket outside to show support for the principal.’
"The standoff lasted several days, until a federal judge
ordered Hurwitz' arrest for his failure to produce data on
teachers and students at the school.
"Hurwitz later returned as principal of Long Island City H.S.,
where he remained for just over one year.
"Hurwitz penned four books, including his 1974 Dictionary
of American History and The Best of Hurwitz on
Education in 1991 and the life story of his developmentally
disabled son in his 1973 offering titled, Donald: A Man Who
Remains A Boy."
|
Home Schooling |
December 23, 2009 |
Digg This |
Recently I was asked "If you were going to homeschool your
own children today, what curriculum and method would you
choose?".
I am, in fact, helping to homeschool four of my
grandchildren, and my method is very simple: a) I share life
experiences with them, b) I give them books to read which I
think are of particular value and importance, c) I ask them to
write reports on each of those books, d) I emphasize vocabulary
and grammar, et cetera. So far, each of them is doing very well
on their College Board tests and college admissions.
My youngest son, Sam, was homeschooled, even while he resided
in his mother’s womb, and he was accepted at every college to
which he applied, including Hampden-Sydney, William and Mary,
Virginia Military Institute, Christendom College, and The
Citadel. In most cases, he was offered scholarships.
We had no fixed curriculum, but we made sure he was well
versed in the Constitution, the Bible, current events, history,
et cetera.
You also ask "If you were going to invest in career education
today, where would you place a bet on demand for the future?
What skills would you develop in order to be a viable worker in
the economy of the future?".
My answer is very simple. There will always be a demand for
integrity, energy, as well as verbal and written communication
skills.
Good men are hard to find, and they usually will have no
problem whatsoever in finding suitable opportunities.
Thanks for asking.
FAREWELL TO CAROL MADDOX
My dear friend, Carol Jean Groshell Maddox, died on November
20.
She was an extraordinary chronicler of the conservative
movement, and was one of my most faithful and encouraging
supporters.
|
Survey: Secure America's Borders |
December 8, 2009 |
Digg This |
|
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
For further information, contact:
Charles Orndorff, 703-938-9626 |
PUBLIC DEMANDS MORE EFFECTIVE BORDER
SECURITY
The American public expects the Federal government to
implement more effective measures to stop the flow of illegal
immigrants across the border with Mexico, according to a poll
conducted by The Conservative Caucus (TCC).
The goal of U.S. border policy should be a complete elimination
of illegal immigration, according to 95% of those questioned.
When asked about specifics, 93% favored a combination of
fencing, more Border Patrol agents, physical and electronic
surveillance, and deployment of the U.S. military. Concerning
the fence, 60% supported twin 15-foot high cyclone fences with
razor wire, motion sensors, and observation towers, with a
two-lane road between them.
A strong 89% wanted the 700-mile fence previously approved by
Congress to be completed promptly.
Amnesty for illegal aliens in the U.S. was supported by only 2%,
and opposed by 97%.
Respondents urged the government to encourage Mexico to do more
to help stem the flow of illegal immigration. Seventy-nine
percent favored a mix of diplomatic discussions, a letter of
protest, sanctions, and military action.
The poll was conducted by mail during the summer with about
2,500 responses.
The Conservative Caucus (TCC) is a grass roots action
organization, formed in 1974. It was active in defeating the
SALT II Treaty, repealing the Catastrophic Coverage Act,
blocking the Clinton health-care takeover, and impeaching
President Clinton.
-30-
|
Survey: Americans Against North American Union |
December 3, 2009 |
Digg This |
|
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
For further information, contact:
Charles Orndorff, 703-938-9626 |
U.S. CITIZENS OPPOSE NORTH AMERICAN UNION
Americans oppose merging the United States,
Mexico and Canada into a North American Union (NAU) similar to
the European Union, according to a poll conducted by The
Conservative Caucus (TCC). Political leaders from the three
governments have been working since 2005 through the “Security
and Prosperity Partnership (SPP)” to bring about what the
Mexican government has called a “major integration” of North
America.
All respondents opposed a North American Union.
Specific aspects of the NAU did little better at winning
support. A common currency (to be called the Amero) was opposed
by 98%, and the building of a NAFTA Superhighway by 94%.
Those responding to the poll did not believe that the president
has the Constitutional authority to carry out the creation of a
North American Union (100% no) without Congressional approval.
Ninety-two percent favored legislation to stop the NAU.
The poll was conducted by mail during the summer with more than
10,000 responses.
The Conservative Caucus (TCC) is a grass roots action
organization, formed in 1974. It was active in defeating the
SALT II Treaty, repealing the Catastrophic Coverage Act,
blocking the Clinton health-care takeover, and impeaching
President Clinton.
-30-
|
Remembering Dr. Krogdahl |
November 16, 2009 |
Digg This |
DR. KROGDAHL WAS A PRINCIPLED PIONEER
AGAINST THE DEMOREP MONOPOLY
I note the passing of my dear friend Dr. Wasley Krogdahl who
played an indispensable part in securing ballot access for the
Constitution Party in Kentucky year after year, beginning in
1992.
Dr. Krogdahl died on September 16, 2009 at the age of 90. A
native of Springfield, Illinois, he had been a Professor of
Astronomy at the University of Kentucky. He had a PhD in
Astrophysics, and was highly knowledgeable on economic affairs.
He was preceded in death by a son, John Anthony Krogdahl and
a brother, Paul Krogdahl. Survivors include his wife, Margaret
Kiess Krogdahl of Lexington, his daughter, Tina Krogdahl of
Lexington, his son, Matthew Wasley Krogdahl of Westwood New
Jersey, his grandson, Timothy Matthew Krogdahl, and his
sister-in-law, Norma Krogdahl of Corvallis, New Mexico.
Dr. Krogdahl was a great patriot and a dear friend.
|
Please Take Our Oil, Comrade! |
October 5, 2009 |
Digg This |
U.S. SURRENDERS FLORIDA OIL TO RUSSIA
"Energy: As Russian attack submarines patrol our eastern
seaboard, Moscow signs a deal to help Castro's Cuba drill for
oil off the Florida coast. In Moscow and Havana, the cry is
‘Drill, Comrade, Drill!’
"Two Russian nuclear attack submarines have taken up
positions along our East Coast in recent days, another sign of
renewed assertiveness by the former communist giant. The move
comes as Moscow inks a deal with the communist relic of Cuba to
drill for oil we refuse to go after.
"The submarines are of the Akula class, a counterpart to the
Los Angeles class attack subs of the U.S. Navy. ‘I don't think
they've put two first-line nuclear subs off the U.S. coast in
about 15 years,’ said Norman Polmar, a naval historian and
submarine warfare expert.
"The subs' appearance may be more symbolic than a real
threat. More interesting, perhaps, are the four contracts
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin signed in Havana
during his recent visit there.
"They allow Russia's Zarubezhneft oil concern to work with
the Cubanpetroleo monopoly to explore and develop the oil riches
of the North Cuban Basin off Florida.
"Havana imports more than half its oil, mostly at a
subsidized price from Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. Cuba's domestic
output is exclusively heavy oil with a high sulfur content. Its
offshore Gulf waters could contain large quantities of lighter,
sweet crude.
"Drilling will be done off America's coast soon enough. But
thanks to a treaty signed by President Carter, the new oil and
gas resources that will be discovered in the region will be
discovered by Russia and Cuba to their economic benefit.
"Normally, economic zones extend 200 miles off a country's
coastline. In some cases, conflicts can arise based on resources
and geography. In 1977, Carter signed a treaty with Cuba that
essentially split the difference and created for the communist
country an ‘exclusive economic zone’ extending from the western
tip of Cuba north virtually to Key West. Cuba has divided its
side of the Florida Straits into 59 parcels and put them up for
lease.
"Foreign countries, including China and India, had acquired
the rights to develop 16 of them.
" ‘This is the irony of ironies,’ complained Charles Drevna,
executive vice president of the National Petrochemical &
Refiners Association. ‘We have chosen to lock up our resources
and stand by to be spectators while these two come in and
benefit from things right in our own backyard.’
"Repsol-YPF, the Spanish oil company, has been active in Cuba
for more than five years. It drilled a test well off the coast
in 2004 and was set to start a second well when it postponed it
early last month. Now the Russians are coming.
"The U.S. Geological Survey recently estimated the North
Cuban Basin contains as much as 9 billion barrels of oil and 22
trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Pools of oil and natural gas
tend not to obey lines drawn on a map.
"It is certain that at least some of Cuba's wells will tap
oil pools that straddle the boundary separating our zone from
Cuba's. In other words, Havana will get oil that should be ours.
"The argument against Gulf drilling has been the potential
for oil leaks and spoiled beaches.
"Where are the environmentalists to protest this deal? Fact
is, more oil bubbles up naturally from the sea floor than has
ever leaked from oil platforms in the Gulf.
"And those platforms are prime spots for tourist fishing,
since they act as artificial reefs for sea life.
"The oil and gas resources of the Gulf of Mexico and the
Outer Continental Shelf could be fueling cars and heating homes
in America, not those in Beijing, Moscow, New Delhi or Havana.
"If Russia, Cuba and others can drill off the coast of
Florida, why can't we?" Source: Investor’s Business Daily,
8/6/09
|
A Great Patriot |
September 25, 2009 |
Digg This |
MARION HURLEY WAS A GREAT PATRIOT
A dear friend and great lady has passed to her Heavenly
reward:
Marion Hurley passed away in her home on Tuesday, September
15, 2009. She would have been 96 on her upcoming birthday,
December 4, 2009.
No truer patriot has been known since the days of the
Founding Fathers! She fought against bad legislation and fought
for the passage of good legislation. Senior Editor of The New
American magazine, William F. Jasper considered Marion a
mentor.
Her family has asked that instead of flowers, donations be
made to UROC, P.O. Box 80575, San Marino, CA 91118. Marion was
Co-Chairman of UROC for about 20 years.
|
Ungrateful Obama |
September 24, 2009 |
Digg This |
HONDURAS HELPS UNGRATEFUL OBAMA
"Allies: Tiny Honduras
last week handed over a Syrian death merchant to face justice in
the U.S. That's right: The same 'coup-government' the Obama
administration reviles is one of the very few helping us fight
terror.
"As shadowy moneymen in the terror underworld go, not many
are as unsavory as Jamal Yousef, an ex-Syrian military man
turned terrorist arms supplier. Three years ago in Honduras,
undercover U.S. agents caught him trying to sell 100 AR-15
assault rifles, 100 M-16 assault rifles, 10 M-60 machine guns,
C-4 explosives, 2,500 hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenades
and as many as 18 surface-to-air missiles to Colombia's FARC
Marxist narcoterrorists.
"His price? A ton of cocaine, something he knew how to
‘move.’
"Honduran cops put him away for petty charges, but he did
only three years in prison that ended this week.
"Instead of letting him walk, the Honduran government put him
on a plane bound for New York to stand trial on narcoterror
conspiracy charges, arriving there Wednesday. If convicted,
Yousef faces at least 20 years in one of our slammers.
"The extradition was noteworthy because Honduras has been
blasted by Obama administration officials over what it
claims is a coup around the Honduran Supreme Court's removal of
former President Mel Zelaya, a Chavista leftist who on June 28
illegally tried to extend his term in office.
"The Obama administration presumes to know Honduran law
better than the Honduran Supreme Court and has yanked visas of
Honduran officials, condemned the tiny country in the United
Nations and the Organization of American States, and refused to
recognize anyone in the current government.
"It could be worse — economic sanctions are also possible —
but it's bad enough.
"In light of how hard it is to get any nation — even a friend
— to extradite a criminal to the U.S., what Honduras did for a
nation that refuses to recognize its government was rather
remarkable.
"Mexico, by contrast, didn't start extraditing terrorists
until a couple of years ago, and other countries still refuse to
do so.
"Lest we forget, Americans have suffered at the hands of the
FARC. Three were held in the jungle as FARC hostages for six
years, during which 11 contractors and military personnel were
killed. Anyone who arms these barbarians has American as well as
Colombian blood on his hands.
"Yet in its press release, the Justice Department thanks
everyone and his brother for the fine police work that resulted
in this extradition — everyone, that is, except the Honduran
government.
"How ungrateful can we be?" Source: Investor’s Business
Daily, Opinion, 8/24/09
|
I Defunded ACORN in 1973 |
September 22, 2009 |
Digg This |
MY VETO WAS OVERRIDDEN
In 1970, my predecessor as Director of the U.S. Office of
Economic Opportunity (OEO), Frank Carlucci provided initial
taxpayer funding for ACORN.
When I became Director in 1973, I cut off all funding for
ACORN. Following my departure as head of the agency, ACORN
funding was restored and that rogue organization has been
milking the taxpayers ever since.
"The liberal activist group ACORN rakes in
millions of dollars in federal taxpayer dollars a year - at
least $53 million since 1994 for its housing programs alone …
"House Republican leaders also sent a letter Tuesday to the
Internal Revenue Service asking the agency to end its
partnership with ACORN for providing free tax preparation
services to low- and middle-income Americans. …
"It is difficult to determine exactly how much federal
funding ACORN collects because the organization and its more
than 300 affiliated groups, which often use the same accounting
firm and the same address in New Orleans, can vie for myriad
federal grants.
"For instance, ACORN and its affiliates are eligible for
millions of dollars in economic stimulus funds.
" ‘It's not very transparent. That's the problem,’ said Cleta
Mitchell, national co-chairman of the Republican National
Lawyers Association, which has called for a Justice Department
investigation of ACORN and its funding.
"The ACORN Housing Corp. last year took in about $27.8
million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
That same year, ACORN Institute got more than $486,000 from the
same agency, according to data compiled by Mr. Boehner's office.
"The data showed ACORN got more than $53.6 million from HUD
since 1994. That does not include money from other agencies or
money to affiliated groups, such as Citizen Services Inc., which
beyond taxpayer money took in more than $800,000 performing
get-out-the-vote work for President Obama's 2008 campaign for
the White House.
"The Obama administration canceled plans for ACORN to help
with the 2010 census and the Senate voted 83-7 to refuse the
group housing grants in upcoming appropriation bills for fiscal
2010. …
"The group touts itself as the nation's largest community
organization of low- and moderate-income families, campaigning
since 1970 on issues such as homeownership, living wages and
better public schools.
"Still, it came under fire during the presidential campaign
after investigations of voter fraud in several battleground
states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico and
Nevada.
"The group and its affiliates are currently the target of at
least 14 lawsuits related to voter fraud in the 2008 election
and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act
complaint filed by former ACORN members.
"ACORN leaders have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
"Last week, authorities in Florida's Miami-Dade County
accused 11 ACORN workers of falsifying hundreds of
voter-registration cards prior to the 2008 presidential
election, though ACORN officials took credit for alerting
authorities to the potential illegal activity by its hired
canvassers." Source: The Washington Times, S. A. Miller,
9/16/09, p. A3
|
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