News and commentary (News & Commentary) 

Thomas Sowell - "Senator John McCain could never convince me to vote for him. Only Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama can cause me to vote for McCain."  ...“Obama is being hailed as the newest and freshest face on the American political scene. But he is advocating some of the oldest fallacies, just as if it was the 1960s again, or as if he has learned nothing and forgotten nothing since then... But politics is not about facts. It is about what politicians can get people to believe.” 

Obama Pledges ‘Total Equality’ for Same-Sex Families (CNSNews.com) - Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who has studiously avoided coming out in full support of same-sex marriage, may have finally tipped his hand on how he really feels. In recent letters written to homosexual activist groups, he has said he wants to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and he has pledged his support for homosexual “families” as well as efforts to totally redefine marriage.

Political scientist doubtful of Obama 'Bible Belt' win An Alabama political scientist believes a surge in black voter registration in the state will not be enough to help Barack Obama pull off a "Bible Belt" victory in November.

On the Second Amendment, Don’t Believe Obama! The presidential primary season is finally over, and it is now time for gun owners to take a careful look at just where apparent nominee Barack Obama stands on issues related to the Second Amendment. During the primaries, Obama tried to hide behind vague statements of support for “sportsmen” or unfounded claims of general support for the right to keep and bear arms. But his real record, based on votes taken, political associations, and long standing positions, shows that Barack Obama is a serious threat to Second Amendment liberties. Don’t listen to his campaign rhetoric! Look instead to what he has said and done during his entire political career.

Pro-Obama Group Threatens Republican Donors A left-wing group plans a vicious attack campaign against private GOP donors who back support conservative organizations that criticize Barack Obama.

McCain Is the Radical on Health Reform By JOHN C. GOODMAN - Under the current system, every dollar in health-insurance premiums paid by an employer is excluded from employee income and payroll taxes. Take an employee in the 25% income-tax bracket. Throw in state and local income taxes, add the 15.3% (FICA) payroll tax, and the tax exclusion for a middle-income family is worth almost 50 cents on the dollar. To make things a little better, employees can often pay their share of the premium with pretax dollars as well.

But this system is extremely arbitrary. There is virtually no tax relief for people who work for the 40% of employers who do not provide insurance, for part-time workers or people not in the labor market, or for anyone else who for any reason must buy his own insurance. The self-employed get a slightly better deal: They can deduct 100% of their premiums, but they get no relief from the payroll tax.

According to the Lewin Group, a private health-care consulting firm, families earning $100,000 a year get four times as much tax relief as families earning $25,000. In other words, the biggest subsidy goes to those who least need it, and who probably would have purchased insurance anyway.

The system is also wasteful. People can always lower their taxes by spending more on health insurance, and there is no limit to how bloated a health plan can be.

Under the McCain plan, no longer would employers be able to buy insurance with pretax dollars. These payments would be taxable to the employee, just like wages. However, every individual would get a $2,500 credit (and every family would get $5,000) to be applied dollar-for-dollar against taxes owed.

The McCain plan does not raise taxes, nor does it lower them. Instead, it takes the existing system of tax subsidies and treats everyone alike, regardless of income or job status. All health insurance would be sold on a level playing field under the tax law, regardless of how it is purchased.

The impact would be enormous. For the first time, low- and moderate-income families would get just as much tax relief as the very rich when they purchase health insurance. People who must purchase their own insurance would get just as much tax relief as those who obtain it through an employer. Whereas Mr. Obama would continue the current practice of giving the vast bulk of federal help to the rich (through tax subsidies) and the poor (through spending programs), the McCain tax credit would give the most new tax relief to the middle class.

If you listen only to presidential campaign rhetoric, you might conclude that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama proposed bold new changes for our health-care system, while John McCain is offering only small improvements. If so, you are in for a surprise. Most health-policy analysts believe that Mr. McCain is proposing the most fundamental health-care reform.

Mortgage Bailout Bill Funds Eminent Domain - Included in the package is $3.9 billion for Community Development Block Grant funds. Those funds will allow cities and counties to take private properties and then sell them to private developers, thanks to the 2005 Supreme Court Kelo decision. The Senate made an attempt to protect property owners from greedy governments by inserting a clause stating, “No funds under this title may be used in conjunction with property taken by eminent domain unless eminent domain is employed for a public use.” But, that clause disappeared from the House version after House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson got their heads together. The new language allows bureaucrats to use the billions in federal grants to seize homes for general economic development, as provided under Kelo, and then pull the old “bait and switch” by creating a new project to sell the land to developers, likely not a violation of the House bill. “All in all,” writes Berlau, who writes the Open Markets blog for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, “this new language means that…there will be virtually nothing stopping states and localities from using the federal housing grants to help themselves to confiscate housing.”

What’s the Difference Between the Government and the Mob? A law school professor of mine once said the only major difference between the government and the mafia is that the government calls its bill collector the “IRS” and the mafia calls its bill collector “Big Louie.” While an exaggeration to make a rhetorical point, if the Senate dips below 41 Republican Senators this year, there will be one other difference between the government and mafia that goes out the window. Right now, workers in business, like voters, get to choose by secret ballot on whether they will be unionized. If the Democrats pass their “Employee Free Choice Act,” what opponents rightly call “card check,” any employee will be placed at the hands of a less than merciful union representative who knows precisely whether or not the employee is supportive of unions. Under card check, instead of employees voting to unionize by secret ballot, employees will submit cards with their choice. There will be no anonymity with their choice. Because the Republican Party has enough members present right now to filibuster the legislation, it has not gotten anywhere. If, however, the anti-Republican tide does sweep the GOP out to sea in November, there will be a serious danger in card check passing.

Obama Supports Union Ploy to Drop Secret Ballots by Donald Lambro - When Barack Obama was seeking AFL-CIO support in the primaries, he promised to sign a bill that would effectively deprive workers of a private-ballot vote in unionization drives. The bill, which is No. 1 on organized labor's wish list, is seen by union bosses as the only way to increase depleted membership rolls because it would be easier to unionize workplaces without the bother of the private ballot to protect workers in a free and democratic election. Obama doesn't talk about this issue much before general audiences, but it his No. 1 promise when he speaks to unions -- pledging that the so-called Employee Free Choice Act will become law in 2009 if he wins the presidency in November. "We're ready to play offense for organized labor. It's time we had a president who didn't choke saying the word 'union.' A president who strengthens our unions by letting them do what they do best: organize our workers," the freshman senator told the AFL-CIO in Philadelphia on April 2. "I will make it the law of the land when I'm president of the United States," he told the labor federation.

Drug Smuggler Gets Less Prison Time Than Border Agents (CNSNews.com) - The Mexican drug smuggler who testified against the two Border Patrol agents who shot him was sentenced Wednesday to nine and a half years in federal prison. That’s a shorter sentence than either of the agents received.

Are Family Haters Lurking in California Government Should government money and resources be used to harm families and children? In California shocking things are happening. It seems the government wants to take away protection of families and children so those who oppose families don't get offended.

First, Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to force homosexuality promotion upon California's children. Many believe these "laws" are the worse thing ever done in California history. Why? Imagine the consequences of a little boy trusting his "teacher" telling him that he may "be a girl". Years later, this lie leads the man to loneliness, guilt, a wrong focus and he never learns how to love a family. He may also have diseases and the woman who wanted to love him, can't. The school harmed society.

Today, California schools forbid saying anything negative about homosexuals. Many times boys use the girls' restroom and girls use the boys' restroom because of homosexual activism. How come the best country, the USA, didn't do this the last 232 years?

School money is wasted as textbooks are rewritten to remove references to "mother" and "father". Most people find that offensive. It is untruthful. Couldn't the money be used more wisely to build a field, pave the tennis courts, or improve math scores? Why do children go to school anyway?

Then there are the embarrassed government workers who forcefully had to participate in "gay" parades. Many government workers have families. Do you remember the abused San Diego firemen who were made to parade against their desires? They felt shame.

This raises more concerns. Like, why is government money used to promote homosexuality? Something many find offensive. Why - if the majority thinks differently? And how many California government workers could have kept their jobs instead of recently being laid off if money was not funneled away to discriminate against families?

Then there are the Supreme Court "judges" who try to force homosexual "marriage". Didn't Californians vote against homosexual "marriage"? Other states complained but they were ignored. Judges have not acted like this before. Where is right and wrong?

Jerry Brown, California Attorney General, decided to rewrite the marriage proposition to favor homosexuals. Not only is this unfair, it is against the 1.1 million voters who put Proposition 8 on the ballot.

If that is not enough, the public utility company, PG & E, and the Teacher's Association together gave $500,000 toward brainwashing people to say "no" to real marriage. Is that what public utilities and a teacher's association are supposed to do? How come electricity is so expensive? What about the teachers who are afraid to loose their jobs if they think differently than the Teacher's Association?

This is a shame for California, but it gets worse and shows the true colors of homosexual activism. The City of Oakland made it against the law to use the words "natural family", "marriage" and "family values". This went to the district court and the court agreed. So, if you use these words, you get fired. Is that fair? But you can talk about homosexuality.

What happened to free speech? Or, according to the voting record, are the Democrats generally trying to take free speech and American freedom away? Is this what the founders of America wanted? Of course not.

So, is discrimination against families the consequence of trying to take prayer out of schools and the Ten Commandments out of courtrooms?

How come the Bible was the first and only textbook in US schools? Why did George Washington say, "What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ" and "it is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible". This is American history.

Not too long ago people had lasting relationships. Most everyone had a mom and a dad.

I am glad I grew up with a mom and a dad. If you did, aren't you?

It is time to stop the corruption. Will the government start doing what is right and protect families and children?

There are four things you can do: First, remember the power of prayer. Pray this prayer sincerely: Father, we ask for a righteous government in California - a government who cares for families and children in Jesus' name. Second, refuse to vote for those who take away family rights. (Check out your candidate's voting record, not what they say.) Third, call each agency and tell them your free speech is being taken away with homosexual favoritism and you don't like it. And finally, urge every Californian to vote Yes on Proposition 8.

Steve Krotoski is the author of "The Kingdom: Experiencing Heaven on Earth", www.TheKingdomBook.com. Steve explains powerful truths through TV, radio, and the Internet, including how to walk closely with God and apply God's Kingdom laws.

Indoctrination: "Mainstream" Media & Education? - (Education?) The good, the bad, and the ugly...Without a Heritage every generation starts over  Will our descendants know moral virtue? The primary responsibility of education DOES NOT belong to schools.  (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

"A trained intelligence can do much, but there is no substitute for morality, character and religious conviction."  President Calvin Coolidge

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