Week in Review 5/8/10

House passes Puerto Rico bill

The House Thursday evening passed a bill which mandates that the citizens of Puerto Rico vote on their relationship with the United States. The Puerto Rican Democracy Act enjoyed bipartisan support and opposition, but passed 223-169 after a whole slew of amendments were debated and voted on.

The motion to recommit the legislation – a tactic meant to essentially kill a bill and send it back to committee – narrowly failed. But two of the most prominent Hispanic Democrats in Congress carried their all-out offensive to kill the bill late into the day Thursday. They took direct aim at their leadership.

Read More.

Pakistani Taliban claims NYC car bomb

CAIRO (AP)– The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility in a video posted on the Internet Sunday for the attempted car bomb attack in New York City’s Times Square, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

In the 1 minute, 11 second video allegedly released by the Pakistani Taliban, the militant group says the attack is revenge for the death of its leader, Baitullah Mehsud, and the recent slaying of al-Qaida in Iraq leaders Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who were killed by U.S. and Iraqi troops last month north of Baghdad.

SITE, a U.S.-based terrorist tracking organization, first uncovered the video on YouTube. The tape, which later appeared to have been removed from the website, makes no specific reference to the attack in New York, nor does it mention that the location or that it was a car bomb. Read more.

Republicans on Offense as Dems Slip

WASHINGTON — Republicans are on offense in scores of House and Senate races as persistent economic woes and lukewarm support for President Barack Obama continue to weaken Democrats’ hold on Congress.

The president and his party are determined to minimize the losses six months before the November elections. But Democrats privately acknowledge the economy and support for Obama must improve before then to avoid the defeats that could cost them control of the House and possibly the Senate.

Primaries in Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina on Tuesday kick off an intense eight weeks of contested elections. There also are two special House elections to fill vacant Democratic-held seats in Pennsylvania and Hawaii. The outcome could be a clear indicator of the political mood.

“I need your help once more,” Obama says in a video message to backers, a plea that underscores the troubles for Democrats. “This year, the stakes are higher than ever,” the president adds, warning that Republicans would “undo all that we have accomplished.” Read more.

Despite Ariz. Law, Illegals Vow to Keep Coming

NOGALES, Mexico (AP) — The line of Mexicans waiting to go shopping in Arizona snakes twice around the sun-drenched plaza, even as politicians nearby slap stickers on cars calling for a boycott of the U.S. state.

And the illegal migrants targeted by a tough new Arizona law dismiss it as just another obstacle that pales in comparison to the extortion, arrests and kidnappings they already risk to reach U.S. soil. They vow to keep on coming.

Resentment has erupted throughout Mexico over the immigration law in Arizona that is considered racist here. But crossing back and forth between the countries is so intrinsic to their lives that many Mexicans find it hard to give it up despite calls by immigration activists for a boycott of Arizona. Read more.

Holder: Car bomb suspect tried to fly to Dubai

WASHINGTON (AP) — Faisal Shahzad, the man arrested Monday in connection with the failed plot to detonate a car bomb in New York’s Times Square, was trying to board a flight to Dubai when he was apprehended, Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday. Holder said Shahzad, a U.S. citizen, was detained by agents from Customs and Border Protection at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The attorney general described the investigation as “multifaceted” and said federal, state and local authorities are continuing to pursue a number of leads. “As we move forward, we will focus on not just holding those responsible for it accountable, but also on obtaining any intelligence about terrorist organizations overseas,” he said. Read more.

Pacific Legal Foundation at the front lines in fight against Big Government

The fight against Big Government must now move to the courts. From coast to coast, impassioned rallies protest what many view as the rise of European-style socialism in America.

Marches in Washington, hundreds of “tea parties” around the country, contentious congressional town hall meetings and switchboard-swamping phone calls to Congress are rampant. People worry aloud that our children and grandchildren won’t enjoy the freedoms we’ve taken for granted. As a woman at the April 15 rally in Palm Desert told The Desert Sun, “The tea party movement isn’t about complaining. It’s about standing for something — and that’s our Constitution.” Read more.

Just How Involved In Our Lives Is North Carolina State Government?

In the constant, on-going debate between the political left and right about the proper role of government, this question is typically answered with a discussion that focuses on issues such as taxes, government spending, or healthcare. There are two items, however, that illustrate the size and scope of government control that often go unnoticed.

The first overlooked measure is the North Carolina State Government Fee Report. This document, produced by the Office of State Budget and Management, lists over 2,700 fees that are assessed each year by the State of North Carolina. Essentially, lawmakers and bureaucrats have come up with nearly 3,000 ways—in addition to taxes—to extract money from its citizens. And this number does not include fees assessed by the community college system or the University of North Carolina system. Excluding those fees, the state collected nearly $2 billion in fees during the 2007-08 fiscal year. By comparison, the state collected $1.2 billion in total corporate taxes that year. The $2 billion in fees was an increase of almost $63 million from the previous year, and an increase of more than $700 million from 2002-03. Read more.

Iran begins new military maneuvers in Persian Gulf

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Wednesday kicked off new war games and military maneuvers in the strategic Persian Gulf waters, the country’s second military show of force in less than a month.

The exercises reflect Iran’s desire to flex its military muscle at a time of a deepening standoff with the West over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. The war games, held annually since 2006, also act as a warning, should U.S. or Israel consider a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The new maneuvers, dubbed “Velayat 89,” are to last eight days in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman and cover about 97,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometers) of Iranian territorial waters, reported state TV. Read more.

Obama wants to begin work on immigration reform

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Wednesday he wants to begin work this year on legislation overhauling the nation’s immigration system, firming up his commitment on a key priority for Latino voters and lawmakers.

Obama’s comments at a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White House reaffirmed his long-held support for immigration reform. He went a step further than he has in the past by calling for the work to begin this year.

Latino groups have been calling for Obama to deliver on his campaign promise of making immigration reform a top priority, with some activists and lawmakers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus complaining he wasn’t doing enough.

Obama clouded the issue last week by saying “there may not be an appetite” in Congress to deal with another hot-button issue immediately after grueling fights over health care and financial regulation. Read more.

Obama biggest recipient of BP cash

While the BP oil geyser pumps millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, President Barack Obama and members of Congress may have to answer for the millions in campaign contributions they’ve taken from the oil and gas giant over the years.

BP and its employees have given more than $3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with the largest chunk of their money going to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Donations come from a mix of employees and the company’s political action committees — $2.89 million flowed to campaigns from BP-related PACs and about $638,000 came from individuals.

On top of that, the oil giant has spent millions each year on lobbying — including $15.9 million last year alone — as it has tried to influence energy policy. Read more.

Budget From Governor Relies on Gimmicks, Misses Opportunities

RALEIGH — Budget gimmicks help Gov. Bev Perdue avoid the tough decisions that would improve North Carolina state government’s finances and operations. That’s the assessment the John Locke Foundation’s top budget expert offers in a new Spotlight report.

“Gimmicks are at the core of the governor’s budget proposal for the new fiscal year that starts in July,” said Joseph Coletti, JLF Director of Health and Fiscal Policy Studies. “These gimmicks leave the state fundamentally unprepared for recovery. The governor’s budget proposal represents a missed opportunity.”

The primary gimmick is Perdue’s claim that her budget cuts $1 billion in state spending, Coletti said. “The press release tied to this budget plan crowed about $1 billion in cuts, but it ignored a key point,” he said. “More than half of the so-called cut — $578 million — is new federal stimulus money that replaces state dollars.” Read more.

Lindsey Graham wants to ‘pause’ on climate bill

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has gone from fence-sitting to urging Democrats to scrap climate change legislation before the midterms — saying the Gulf Oil spill warrants a pause in the effort.

“As I have previously indicated, a serious debate on energy legislation is significantly compromised with the cynical politics of comprehensive immigration reform hanging over the Senate,” Graham said in a statement Friday morning.

“In addition to immigration, we now have to deal with a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which creates new policy and political challenges not envisioned in our original discussions. In light of this, I believe it would be wise to pause the process and reassess where we stand.”

Graham’s statement came after senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced plans to push ahead with a climate bill Graham had previously signed off on.

The White House has become increasingly frustrated with Graham, who agreed to be a pivotal bipartisan bridge on energy, climate change and terror detention — but has yet to follow through on any of those issues.

Week in Review 04/24/10

Obama: Drop Bailout Fund

The Obama administration told Senate Democrats Friday to drop a proposed $50 billion fund designed to finance the liquidation of a big financial institution facing collapse, a victory for Senate Republicans opposed to government-supervised and government-funded corporate bailouts.

“The fund was not in our original proposal we announced almost a year ago and we don’t feel it is an essential part of final legislation,” a senior administration source told Fox. “The President will only sign a bill if it passes the test of putting an end to bailouts.”

President Obama also issued a veto threat on regulatory reform, saying he will reject legislation that “does not bring the derivatives market under control in some sort of regulatory framework.” Read more.

Gates Warns U.S. Lacks Strategy on Iran Nukes

WASHINGTON – A memo from Defense Secretary Robert Gates to the White House warned that the United States lacks a nimble long-term plan for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program, according to a published report.

Gates wrote the three-page memo in January and it set off efforts in the Pentagon, White House and intelligence agencies to come up with new options, including the use of the military, The New York Times said in its Sunday editions, quoting unnamed government officials.

White House officials Saturday night strongly disagreed with the comments that the memo caused a reconsideration of the administration’s approach to Iran. Read more.

Palin Taken Aback by Obama’s ‘Like It or Not’ Remark

Washington, Ill. (AP) – Sarah Palin criticized President Barack Obama on Saturday for saying America is a military superpower “whether we like it or not,” saying she was taken aback by his comment.

“I would hope that our leaders in Washington, D.C., understand we like to be a dominant superpower,” the former Alaska governor said. “I don’t understand a world view where we have to question whether we like it or not that America is powerful.”

Obama said earlier this week that the United States must do its best to resolve conflicts around the world before they grow too serious. Read more.

Ruffin Poole reaches plea deal

RALEIGH — Ruffin Poole, a longtime aide to former Gov. Mike Easley who is accused of 57 corruption counts, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors, court records say.

A hearing on the plea deal is set for 2 p.m. today before U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle.

The terms of the plea deal are not yet known.

Officials could not be reached or have declined to comment.

Boyle must accept the deal before it is considered final and, if past cases are an indication, he will question both side at today’s hearing.

The deal would avert a trial that was set to begin in just two weeks.

Perdue’s approval ratings slipping again

Gov. Bev Perdue’s approval ratings have tumbled backward after showing slight improvement during the first three months of the year, according to Public Policy Polling.

The Democratic polling firm found that 28 percent of those surveyed approve of the job Perdue is doing, while 52 percent disapprove. That’s down from a 32-47 split a month ago.

The anti-incumbent sentiment among voters remains strong, and Perdue, a Democrat, didn’t even break 50 percent approval within her own party: 44 percent of Democrats approve, while 33 percent disapprove.

“If Perdue’s numbers continue to be this poor, she’s likely to be a drag on Democratic legislative candidates this fall,” PPP Director Tom Jensen wrote.

The firm’s survey this month found voters preferring Republican legislative candidates 45 percent to 42 percent, thanks to a 47 percent-to-18 percent lead among independents.

OBAMA’S CZARS

Get to know the Czars who are making key decisions that affect your daily life and your future. Wake Up America! This is the backbone of our government who have not been elected, but self picked by Obama to “fundamentally change our Country.” These people are not for a free America, but a government run, socialistic redistribution of wealth. So far they run our banks, automotive industry, Healthcare, Wall Street, and Education. They are not going to stop until they takeover all of American industries. Read more.

2010 Primary Dates By State

Our Movement to rescue America from radical socialism and extreme liberalism starts with your votes. Here are the 2010 primary voting dates by state. Make sure you put these dates on your calendar and you are registered to vote. Then start to vote the liberals and socialists out of our Congress – Both State and Federal. See chart.

US and Europe rethink role of Cold War alliance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is heading to a meeting of NATO ministers in Estonia at a time when the 61-year-old organization is suffering from a kind of mid-life crisis.

Almost 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 28-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization is in the midst of an intense self-examination, trying to rethink its basic purpose.

NATO was founded to blunt the long-extinct threat of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.

Now it finds itself divided on many fronts: doubts among some members about its combat mission in Afghanistan, unease with the continuing presence of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe, prickly relations with Moscow and concerns about the wisdom of expanding NATO deeper into Russia’s backyard. Read more.

Illinois Democrat Pressures Obama to Tackle Immigration Legislation

Forget the Tea Parties. President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress have another rebellion on their hands — led by a fellow Democrat from Obama’s homestate.

Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez is turning up the volume on his already piercing criticism of the Obama administration for failing to tackle immigration reform and is now threatening to rally Hispanics to stay home on Election Day.

Gutierrez took his criticism a step further Tuesday, holding a news conference on Capitol Hill with other Latino lawmakers to slam a bill making its way toward the governor’s desk in Arizona that would give state officials broad new powers to arrest people suspected of being illegal immigrants — a bill Gutierrez blames in part on Obama. Read more.

Middle age: Earth Day hits 40

Forty years ago, when Sen. Gaylord Nelson launched the first Earth Day, the United States was an environmental disaster area.

Air pollution was unchecked — cars and factories filled our skies with toxic smoke. The same was true of waterways. Lake Erie was so polluted it was declared dead. The oil-slicked Cuyahoga River in Cleveland had caught fire a year earlier. Vehicle fuel efficiency was a novel idea.

That year, Republican President Richard Nixon signed into law the Clean Air Act and the National Environmental Policy Act and approved the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, all sent to him by a Democratic-Congress. Two years later, he signed the Clean Water Act. Read more.

Poole pleads guilty to tax evasion, will cooperate

RALEIGH — Ruffin Poole, an aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, pleaded guilty to a single count of income tax evasion Monday, sparing himself a trial on 57 counts related to corruption.

As part of his plea agreement, Poole will cooperate with investigators, suggesting that federal prosecutors have their sights firmly set on higher ranking members of Easley’s administration, possibly Easley himself.

“I trust that Mr. Poole’s cooperation will be valuable,” said U.S. Attorney George Holding just after the hearing. “I can promise that we will use the information. We will follow the evidence to wherever this investigation leads.”

U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle accepted the plea, and said he will suspend further proceedings in the case until the federal government has concluded its investigation. Read more.

Brown thinks Palin qualified, backs Romney now

WASHINGTON (AP)– Sen. Scott Brown says he thinks former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is qualified to be president but right now he’s supporting former Gov. Mitt Romney for the 2012 Republican nomination.

As for his own ambitions, he say “absolutely in 2012″ he’s ruling out any run for the presidency. And in an NBC interview Friday, Brown said “I’m not even going to jump” at a question about whether he would seek the presidency later on.

Brown said, “I’ve been here three months … and I’m very focused on doing my job.” Asked if he regretted bolting the Republican caucus recently to support Democrats on a jobs bill, he said, “I don’t really care. .. I’m going to be the independent person I have always been.”

Lindsey Graham: Immigration would kill climate bill

A top Senate negotiator on climate change believes that a sudden turn by Senate Democrats to immigration could “destroy” any hope of a major climate and energy bill this year.

“This comes out of left field,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), after hearing that Democratic leaders may now push immigration reform ahead of a climate bill. “I’m working as earnestly as I can to craft climate and energy independence, clean air and jobs, and now we’re being told that we’re going to immigration. We haven’t done anything to prepare the body of the country for immigration.”

“This destroys the ability to do something on energy and climate,” he added, questioning whether the Senate could take up both immigration and climate before November. Read more.

S.B. 1070 Is Now State Law

After much heated discussion, following lengthy protests and in the wake of both national and local support and criticism; Gov. Jan Brewer signed S.B.1070 into law just moments ago, referring to the new law as “another step forward in protecting the state of Arizona.” Governor Brewer also stated that the bill was the state’s only choice given the federal government’s failure to secure the nation’s borders.

In contention with Arizona’s new law on Immigration Enforcement is the constitutionality of the measure. The bill includes the authority of local police departments to directly inquire about citizenship, while further enabling police officers to stop suspect illegals under “reasonable suspicion.” The problem this poses is a simple one. In Arizona the overwhelming majority of those in the state illegally are Mexican. The fear is people of Mexican heritage that are in the state legally will be stopped solely to assess their citizenship based on profiling practices. Many in opposition to the bill stand against it solely for this one reason. Gov. Jan Brewer stated she will be signing an executive order to provide training to officers to avoid civil rights violations stating, ”I will not tolerate racial discrimination or racial profiling in the state of Arizona,” She also emphasized an amendment in the bill that prevents law enforcement personnel from using race as the only reason to implement the law. It is important to note in the arguments opposing this bill, this amendment within the bill is never referred to. Read more.

Week in Review 04/10/10

Obama takes on talkers

Barack Obama’s tongue-lashing of conservative talk-show titans Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck this week could prove a winner for both sides.

The president gets a boost with his base and may win over some independents by tying his political opponents to two of the nation’s most polarizing figures.

But the conservative talkers get presidential confirmation that they’re at the center of the political debate — together with a collection of sound bytes that will fuel their shows for days to come. Read more.

Republicans dispute course of financial overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) – End the public lifeline for large financial institutions, Republicans are demanding as they push back against Democratic efforts to set new rules for the financial industry.

The GOP is trying to fight many of the changes that President Barack Obama and majority Democrats want. Legislation would give the government authority to split up big financial companies and force the industry to pay for its most massive failures.

Republicans have offered alternative legislation that calls for new bankruptcy proceedings to dismantle failing institutions. Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, said that creating more federal agencies and putting taxpayers on the hook for more bailouts will not help revive the economy. Read more.

Hundreds show president their anger, frustration

Charlotte — President Barack Obama’s motorcade, headed to Charlotte’s airport Friday, passed through an American political divide that seemed as wide as six-lane Carowinds Boulevard.

On the corner anchored by the Tilted Kilt pub, a couple of hundred tea party protesters lined the street. “Throw them out! Throw them out!” they chanted, and stabbed thumbs down as the president passed. A hand-lettered sign, one of dozens, waved: “Somewhere in Kenya a village is missing its idiot.”

Across the boulevard, a largely black crowd sprinkled with the red, white and blue of a few Obama detractors squinted into the midday sun and shouted back: “Obama! Obama! Obama!” Read more.

Senate challenges signal deep unrest

How deep does the anti-Washington sentiment run? The number of senators in both parties facing serious primary challenges this year — a figure that has grown in the past six weeks — offers a clue.

Five senators, three Democrats and two Republicans, face the real prospect of being denied their party’s nomination this year: Sens. Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.).

In most cases, the incumbents are still the front-runners. But the mere fact that their challengers are within striking distance is notable, given the rarity of senators being denied renomination by their party. Read more.

White House Denies Charges of Caving to China on Currency

A prominent Democratic senator on Sunday suggested that the Obama administration was letting China slide on possible currency manipulation in exchange for help on Iran sanctions — something the White House flatly denied.

Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter, reacting to news that the White House was delaying its report to Congress on whether China is manipulating its currency, told “Fox News Sunday” he’s concerned the administration could be missing a chance to help U.S. workers get on a level playing field.

The report was originally scheduled for release by April 15, around the time Chinese President Hu Jintao is visiting Washington for nuclear talks. Read more.

US unveiling new, more restrictive nuclear policy

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration is unveiling a new nuclear weapons policy that seeks to narrow the circumstances under which the United States would use such weapons while preserving long-standing assurances of nuclear protection for allies, U.S. officials said.

It is a delicate balance that the administration will describe in a policy document, called a nuclear posture review, to be released Tuesday following a full year of deliberation led by the Pentagon in consultation with allied governments.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Joint Chiefs chairman Adm. Mike Mullen planned to unveil the new policy at a noon Pentagon briefing. Read more.

Berger’s Proposal

On Monday, Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger proposed a bill meant to expose patronage and misconduct in state government.

The state’s personnel law is among the most secretive in the country regarding disciplinary actions, hiring information and employment histories of public employees. North Carolina, for example, appears to be the only state that bars the public from learning pay raises and prior positions, a recent News & Observer series, Keeping Secrets, found.

The problems with the personnel law’s secrecy were exposed by investigations into the administration of former Gov. Mike Easley. N.C. State University officials, for example, cited the personnel law in not disclosing the governor’s efforts to create a job for his wife at N.C. State. The law also initially hid an improper pay deal given to NCSU Provost Larry Nielsen. Nielsen stepped down after controversy surrounded his hiring of Mary Easley. Read more.

North Carolina Candidates Gear Up in Swing Districts

RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly could look much different in 2011. At least, that’s what Republicans hope.

For the first time in over a century, the minority party has a shot at wresting control of the legislature from Democrats, and it’s banking on a string of competitive races to do it.

Retirements, resignations, and shifting political dynamics make 10 seats in the Senate and 20 in the House vulnerable to GOP challenges this year. Political experts say a sluggish economy, anger over health care reform in Congress, and corruption could propel Republican candidates into office. Read more.

Republicans Slam Obama Judicial Nominee Over 117 Omissions From Record

Senate Republicans on Tuesday slammed one of the Obama administration’s most controversial judicial nominees for failing to initially disclose more than 100 of his speeches, publications and other background materials — an omission the Republicans called unprecedented and a possible attempt to “hide his most controversial work.”

They said Goodwin Liu’s nomination to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is in “jeopardy” in light of the problem.

The complaint came after Liu, a Berkeley law professor, gave the Senate Judiciary Committee a bundle of supplemental material that contained 117 things he left out after his February nomination. Read more.

Obama Clash With Karzai Raises Concerns Ahead of Kandahar Offensive

WakeUpAmerica.com asks why President Obama is agitating and bullying the President of a country that has 30,000 US troops inside its country. Wake Up Obama. Your recent foreign policy actions have put Americans at a heightened state of risk – Israel, Russia, Iran, China, and now Afghanistan “ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS.”

Here is the story reported by Fox News.

Timing is everything. And for the out-in-the-open feud between President Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the timing is very, very bad. Read more.

Iran’s president attacks Obama on nuclear “threat”

(Reuters) – Iran’s president issued a scathing personal attack on U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday, calling him an “inexperienced amateur” who was quick to threaten to use nuclear weapons against U.S. enemies.

Commenting on new U.S. policy restrictions on the use of atomic weapons which sent a stern message to nuclear-defiant Iran that it remained a potential target, hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Obama that Iran would not yield to threats.

“Obama made these latest remarks because he is inexperienced and an amateur politician,” Ahmadinejad said on Iranian television. “American politicians are like cowboys. Whenever they have legal shortcomings, their hands go to their guns.”

Obama made a diplomatic overture to Tehran soon after taking office in 2009, urging it to “unclench its fist.” Read more.

Volcker on the VAT

Kudos for candor to Paul Volcker, the former Federal Reserve Chairman and current White House economic adviser, for admitting what other Democrats also know but don’t want to admit until after the November election: The political class is preparing to pass a European-style value-added tax. Read more.

Week in Review 02/06/10

Justice openly disagrees with Obama in speech

WASHINGTON – Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito didn’t like hearing President Barack Obama publicly criticize the high court’s ruling removing corporate campaign spending limits — and he didn’t try to hide it.

Alito made a dismissive face, shook his head repeatedly and appeared to mouth the words “not true” or possibly “simply not true” when Obama assailed the decision Wednesday night in his State of the Union address.

The president had taken the unusual step of publicly scolding the high court, with some of its members in robes seated before him in the House. “With all due deference to the separation of powers,” he said, the court last week “reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections.” Read more.

Deal sought with failed Detroit attack suspect

Authorities are inching toward an agreement that would secure cooperation from the suspect in the failed Detroit airliner attack, according to two sources familiar with the case, even as fresh details emerged about the intense and chaotic response to the Christmas Day incident.

Seizing on the near miss, GOP lawmakers have mounted a sustained attack on President Obama and the Justice Department, saying they may have lost out on valuable intelligence by charging Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in a federal court rather than under the military justice system.

But new details complicate that narrative, suggesting that Abdulmutallab, 23, clammed up even before he was informed of his right to remain silent — a warning that could have come later had he been placed in military custody. He continued to speak to authorities before undergoing treatment for second- and third-degree burns below the waist that occurred during a bid to detonate explosives on Northwest Flight 253. Read more.

Ayla Brown – “The Star-Spangled Banner” with the Boston Pops

Watchdog: Bank Bailouts Created More Risk in System

The government’s bailout of financial institutions deemed “too big to fail” has created a risk that the United States could face a worse fiscal meltdown in the future, an independent watchdog assigned to review the program told Congress on Sunday.

The Troubled Assets Relief Program, known as TARP, has not addressed the problems that led to the last crisis and in some case those problems have festered and are a bigger threat than before, warned Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general at the Treasury Department.

“Even if TARP saved our financial system from driving off a cliff back in 2008, absent meaningful reform, we are still driving on the same winding mountain road, but this time in a faster car,” Barofsky wrote. Read more.

Obama’s Amnesty Footnote

t the very end of his State of the Union address, President Obama said, “we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system -– to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.”

Like most Americans, I agree with those broad principles, and that is exactly why Obama was so vague in his speech. His claim that “jobs must be our number one focus in 2010” would be exposed as a complete fraud if he promoted giving amnesty for illegal immigration and importing hundreds of thousands of additional legal foreign workers in the same address.

The situation is already bad enough as it is. At least twelve million illegal immigrants are in this country and eight million illegal aliens are in the American workforce. Additionally, our government issues 75,000 permanent work visas and 50,000 temporary work permits to foreign workers every single month. A recent census study found that one out of every six workers in this country is foreign born. Read more.

Burr’s war chest dwarfs Democrats’

RALEIGH — Republican Sen. Richard Burr, benefiting from incumbency and strong business ties, starts the year with at least a 13-1 money advantage over each of his prospective Democratic challengers.

Burr had $4.3 million in his campaign treasury at the end of the year, compared with $303,175 for former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, $211,113 for Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, and $116,456 for Chapel Hill attorney Ken Lewis, according to campaign disclosure reports filed Monday with the Federal Elections Commission.

“There are only two ways to keep score until Election Day,” said Gary Pearce, a veteran Democratic strategist. “One is money, and one is polls. Burr is in a strong position, no doubt about it.” Read more.

Gates Urges Congress to Approve $768 Billion Defense Budget

WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates is urging Congress to approve the Obama administration’s $768.2 billion Pentagon budget request, saying America needs “a broad portfolio of military capabilities.”

Gates joined Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in outlining fiscal 2011 budget proposals to the Senate Armed Services Committee. Gates said the United States must “prepare for a much broader range of security challenges on the horizon.”

He said a continuing threat of terrorism from “nonstate groups,” is among the challenges. And Gates added that such 21st century threats “transcend the familiar contingencies that dominated U.S. planning after the Cold War.” He said the proposed budget justifiably exempts defense from spending freezes President Obama is seeking for other government agencies and activities.

Inquiries Take Toll on Easley Team

RALEIGH — When a federal grand jury indicted former Gov. Mike Easley’s legal counsel Ruffin Poole Jan. 21, it was just the latest setback for an Easley associate since the state’s media began investigating the former governor’s activities.

Poole’s indictment came nearly four years after Carolina Journal first reported that Easley bought a waterfront lot for a bargain price in the Cannonsgate community on Bogue Sound in Carteret County.

The former gubernatorial legal counsel was charged with 51 counts of corruption related to his involvement with a group of politically active coastal developers behind Cannonsgate. Read more.

Intelligence officials say al-Qaeda will try to attack U.S. in next 6 months

The Obama administration’s top intelligence officials on Tuesday described it as “certain” that al-Qaeda or its allies will try to attack the United States in the next six months, and they called for new flexibility in how U.S. officials detain and question terrorist suspects.

The officials, testifying before the Senate intelligence committee, also warned of increased risk of cyber-attacks in the coming months, saying that the recent China-based hacking of Google’s computers was both a “wake-up call” and a forerunner to future strikes aimed at businesses or intended to cause economic disruption.

“Al-Qaeda maintains its intent to attack the homeland — preferably with a large-scale operation that would cause mass casualties, harm the U.S. economy or both,” Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told the committee in a hearing convened to assess threats against the country. Read more.

Obama Backs Down After Anti-Vegas Remarks

LAS VEGAS — President Barack Obama is known for having a way with words, but some lawmakers from Nevada wish he would pipe down about trips to Sin City.

After sparking a firestorm of criticism from Nevada’s elected officials for suggesting that people saving money for college shouldn’t blow it in Las Vegas, Obama told U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in a letter that he wasn’t saying anything negative about Las Vegas.

It was the second time since taking office that Obama singled out Las Vegas as a potential example of spending excessively.

“I was making the simple point that families use vacation dollars, not college tuition money, to have fun,” Obama said, according to the letter released by Reid’s office. “There is no place better to have fun than Vegas, one of our country’s great destinations.” Read more.

Kissell Walks Tightrope on Health Care

RALEIGH — North Carolina Rep. Larry Kissell was one of three Tar Heel Democrats to break ranks with party leaders and vote against the House version of health care reform in November. Political observers say that vote could play a role in Kissell’s bid for re-election this year as he walks the fine line between pleasing Beltway Democrats and his constituents — many of whom are more conservative than his party’s leaders.

“[Kissell] took a position against his sitting president. It was pretty unpopular with the left,” said David McLennan, a political science professor at Peace College in Raleigh, in a telephone interview with Carolina Journal.

Kissell, who represents the state’s 8th Congressional District stretching from Charlotte to Fayetteville, joined 39 House Democrats in voting against the health care reform bill. It passed by five votes Nov. 7. Read More.

House faces tough vote on $1.9 trillion more debt

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a politically excruciating vote, House Democratic leaders are counting on new budget deficit curbs to help smooth the way for a bill allowing the government to go $1.9 trillion deeper into debt over the next year – or about $6,000 more for every U.S. resident.

The debt measure set for a House vote Thursday would raise the cap on federal borrowing to $14.3 trillion. That’s enough to keep Congress from having to vote again before the November elections on an issue that is feeding a sense among voters that the government is spending too much and putting future generations under a mountain of debt to do it.

Already, the accumulated debt amounts to $40,000 per person. And the debt is increasingly held by foreign nations such as China. Read more.

Newt Gingrich: Impeach judges – Crush and Replace the Left – 2012 “Victory or Death!”

ACORN’s Web of Connections in North Carolina

A Single Seed Grows Many Branches: ACORN’s Web of Connections in North Carolina

The Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) has woven itself into the fabric of the left in North Carolina. Listed below are short explanations of the ties between the groups.

Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN)

ACORN NC – ACORN’s North Carolina arm – has offices in Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte. ACORN NC is a member of Blueprint NC and partners with NC Housing Coalition, NC Policy Watch and the NC Justice Center, among others. Read more.

Depositions Could Pose Legal Peril for Easley Aides

RALEIGH — Several aides to former Gov. Mike Easley could be in legal jeopardy based on conflicting statements they gave in sworn depositions.

Former Press Secretary Renee Hoffman recalled separate orders from communications directors Cari Boyce and Sherri Johnson for public information officers to delete e-mails to and from Easley — who used a private e-mail account to conduct public business. Under oath, Boyce and Johnson denied such a blanket order was issued.

Raleigh attorney and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kieran Shanahan says these inconsistencies could pose problems. Read more.

Sen. Larry Shaw Becomes 7th Dem to Not Seek Re-Election for N.C. Senate

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Another veteran Democrat in the state Senate won't return after 2010 as Sen. Larry Shaw announced Thursday he won't seek an eighth two-year term. The decision means the Legislature will lose its only openly practicing Muslim.

Shaw, a Democrat from Cumberland County who also served a term in the House, brings to seven the number of Senate Democrats since last fall who have resigned or said they won't run for re-election. The candidate filing period begins Monday.

Shaw, 60, didn't give a specific reason for stepping aside, and he wasn't immediately available for comment Thursday, according to a person who answered the phone at his Fayetteville home. Shaw said in a news release he plans to keep working with the family business -- he's the owner of a food services company -- and "in the international faith communities." Read more.