Thunder Pig

Republicans Debate in Florida One Last Time

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:34:00 +0000

Last night, the candidates running for the nomination of the Republican party met for the last time in a forum in Jacksonville, Florida.

Republicans will go to the polls this coming Tuesday and this is a must win for Newt Gingrich.

This may have been the most important debate of the primary cycle and the full video of the engagement is below.

Here are links to the previous debates, arranged by date:

Jan 23

Jan 19

Jan. 16

Jan. 8

Jan. 7

Dec. 15

Dec. 10

Nov. 22

Nov. 12

Nov. 9

Oct. 18

Oct. 11

Sept. 22

Sept. 12

Sept. 7

Aug. 11

June 13

May 5

International Holocaust Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

January 27 marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly designated this day as International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD), an annual day of commemoration to honor the victims of the Nazi era. Every member nation of the U.N. has an obligation to honor the memory of Holocaust victims and develop educational programs as part of an international resolve to help prevent future acts of genocide. The U.N. resolution that created IHRD rejects denial of the Holocaust, and condemns discrimination and violence based on religion or ethnicity.

Here is my own feeble attempt to memorialize those who died during the Holocaust:

From the video description:

Compositions by Leonard Bernstein "Kaddish Symphony" during the Extraordinary Kaddish Concert in All Saints Church, dedicated to the memory of six million murdered Jews and the Righteous Among the Nations. It was the most important and momentous event VII Festival of Jewish Culture Center.

Starring: John Axelrod - conductor, Kelley Nassief-soprano, Samuel Pisar-narrator, the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Opera and Philharmonic Choir Choir Podlaskiej. Preparation: Violetta Bielecka and Krzysztof Kusiel-Moroz, Maciej Tworek - co-conductor.

The following film is in the FDR Presidential Library.

WARNING: Graphic and disturbing evidence of the Nazi genocide is presented in this video.

As the Allies reached Germany, General Eisenhower ordered George Stevens to film the concentration camps. The camps are filmed and survivors interviewed. This film was evidence at the Nuremburg Trials.

Contacted by Sol's son for help, staff at the Holocaust Museum discovered the date and place of Sol's father's death. They also discovered that, unlike most Holocaust victims, Sol's father had received a proper burial.

The story doesn't end there. After learning that Sol had no photos of his father, our staff searched further and found an identification card bearing his picture. Watch this video to see Sol's reaction to the discovery of the photo.

By participating in the World Memory Project, you can help make information from documents about the Holocaust searchable online so more families can discover what happened to loved ones during World War II.

Holocaust survivors from Plonsk, Poland, describe the liquidation of the Plonsk Ghetto; the selection, and the transport to Auschwitz.

The video is part of the exhibition "The Story of the Jewish Community in Plonsk" on the Yad Vashem website.

This exhibition was prepared with the support of The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

A fictional dramatization of Jews being gassed by the Nazis Auschwitz as portrayed in "War and Remembrance"...

More Information:

Yad Vashem

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

For as long as man exists, may we NEVER FORGET what happened during the Holocaust.

Newt Gingrich Exposed, Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:41:00 +0000

Matt Drudge has finally picked up on the stuff that has been swirling around the Internet the past few weeks regarding Newt Gingrich and his somewhat less than faithful recall of his personal history.

Here is a list of links posted on Drudge and a list of links to other stuff that has yet to be posted on Drudge regarding Caligula Gingrich:

Recently Posted on Drudge

GINGRICH NOW: I SUPPORTED GOLDWATER...

GINGRICH FLASHBACK: I SUPPORTED ROCKEFELLER OVER GOLDWATER...

NEWT THREAT TO PULL OUT OF DEBATES IF AUDIENCE CAN'T CHEER (What is he, a Gladiator or a Roman Emperor who needs to hear the bloodlust of the crowds?)

Marco Rubio Defends Romney From Gingrich Attack...

THE REAL NEWT AND RONNIE...

RUBIO RIPS TEAM GINGRICH...

INSIDER: GINGRICH REPEATEDLY INSULTED REAGAN

NEWT FLASHBACK 1983: REAGAN RESPONSIBLE FOR NATIONAL 'DECAY'...

NEWT 1986: 'The Reagan administration has failed, is failing... President Reagan is clearly failing'...

NEWT 1988: 'If Bush runs as continuation of Reaganism he will lose'...
VIDEO...

CNN: Gingrich admits his ABC claim was false during debate...

Gingrich tells UNIVISION: No perjury during my divorce depositions...

Marianne Gingrich lawyer: 'He was never deposed'...

My Newt Links (or, it gets worse)

After the outrageous lie Newt told at the Tampa Bay debate, I posted a video of Newt saying the opposite thing in 1989, that he supported Rockefeller over Goldwater and served as a chairman for Rockefeller. Folks, you can't be more of a Rockefeller Republican than by serving as a committee chairman to get the man elected.

I realize that many of you have a lot invested in Newt. So, might I add, does a certain casino-owning billionaire in Las Vegas. Many people in the Tea Party see Newt as a fighter, as someone who will fight for them. What they don't realize is that the only person Newt ever fights for is himself and his over-sized ego.

Here are some links I posted on Facebook during a conversation about Newt with several people:

These are just what I found in less than an hour of digging. Don't take my word for it, read the links and do some investigating for yourself.

A blogger mulls four reasons not to support Newt:http://meetsarahpalin.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-am-reconsidering-my-support-for-newt.html

The Phony Right-Wing & Who is Selling Us Down the River? – Part 1: Newt Gingrich
http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/the-phony-right-wing-who-is-selling-us-down-the-river-part-1-newt-gingrich/

Newt Gingrich's support for the near-Communist philosophy of the "Third Wave" thinking promulgated by Alvin and Heidi Toffler http://thereaganwing.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/the-phony-right-wing-part-2-newt-gingrich-the-third-wave/

1987 He supported and voted for a bill to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine (while Reagan was still in office) http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d100%3AHR01934%3A%40%40%40P:..http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA445.html

However, in 2007, he spoke out against it http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/06/newt_gingrich_on_fairness_doct.html

1989
Cosponsored Climate Change Bill With Pelosi that included provisions for funding abortions around the world
http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/10117-gingrich-co-sponsored-1989-climate-change-bill-with-pelosi
http://www.jillstanek.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Gingrich-Pelosi_Record_on_Abortion-2.pdf

1994
Ann Coulter takes us back and reminds us what Newt did then
http://townhall.com/columnists/anncoulter/2011/12/07/newt_presents_a_fresh_new_virtual_face/page/full/

2006
Newt isn't sure, but he wants to reduce carbon emissions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnKRuEPnhRE

2007
During a debate with John Kerry, he said global warming is real, that humans have contributed to it and that "we should address it very actively."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/10/AR2007041001457.html

He praised Cap and Trade and criticized Bush for backing off from it in 2000 http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/dec/07/newt-gingrich/gingrich-claims-he-never-favored-cap-and-trade/ And then he lied about it in 2011

"The Evidence is Sufficient" on Global Warming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upphPTRr_PE

2008
Newt and Nancy on Global Warming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVOFjfUQpCs

I know he recently said it was a mistake since his Presidential bid gained traction. However, as recently as January 2011, he said "I meant exactly what I said in that commercial."
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jan/23/newt-wantsto-bring-gopback-to-nature/

2011
Climate depot has more info on Newt and presents evidence that newt has never really backed away from supporting Global warming and has another book due out on the subject, currently delayed until 2013
http://climatedepot.com/a/14164/Climate-Depot-on-Gingrichs-Global-Warming-Views-Newt-never-left-Pelosis-love-seat-Cosponsored-1989-climate-bill-with-Pelosi--Teams-up-with-Warmist-Evangelical-Prof-for-new-book

Outro

Now, I am by no means a master Internet researcher. If I can come up with these links in the span of an hour, what can a real Opposition Researcher come up with over the course of a few weeks of digging around?

I have a lot more links, but I have yet to vet those, and will post them later. Some of them are even more damning than what has already been posted. I've sent some of those to Drudge, hoping that he'll give them the wider exposure they need.

Please, Republican primary voters, reject Newt Gingrich. If you cannot bring yourself to vote for Romney, then vote for Rick Santorum or (gag) Ron Paul.

It is my opinion that Mitt Romeny will prove to be more Reaganesque than you believe. I'm sure that, if you're like Newt, you'll be telling your grandchildren in a few years how you supported Romney from the very beginning.

xxxx

Newt Responds to the State of the Union

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:28:00 +0000

Newt Gingrich has released his response to the state of the Union. There is no video available. The transcript of his remarks is below:

Coral Gables, FL – Newt Gingrich released the following statement responding to President Obama’s State of the Union address:

We have a crisis of work in this country and tonight President Obama proposed nothing in the way of policy changes that will get us to robust job creation and dramatic economic growth.

Instead, the president described his conviction that his big government is built to last and should be paid for with higher taxes.

But bigger government and higher taxes will not lead to jobs and growth. Bigger government and higher taxes will instead lead to more people on food stamps, a situation which the President and his party defend as a fair outcome.

Here we have to confront the truth about President Obama. Economic growth and prosperity is not really at the top of his agenda. He will always prefer a food stamp economy to a paycheck economy and call it fair.

For the president and a large part of the political class, it’s about their power, their right to rule. They just want to take money from Joe the Plumber – the small business people who makes over 90 per cent of the new jobs -- and redistribute it to the government bureaucracy and their political friends and allies. That’s why so much of that nearly trillion-dollar stimulus didn’t create jobs but just went into the pockets of special interests who support President Obama and the leadership of the Democratic Party.

No better example of this exists than in the crisis of American energy. President Obama and his political allies – not of few of whom love living in energy inefficient houses or driving gas-guzzling luxury vehicles – openly admit they want gas prices to remain high so that the rest of America will learn to live more modestly. They think it’s good for rest of us. Only recently, the president canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline that would have created countless new jobs and helped America on the way to energy independence because he wanted to appease the far left of his party. And yet not a single word on the Keystone XL pipeline tonight.

To create jobs and growth in this country, we must start with dramatic tax reform that lowers taxes and maximizes capital investment and job creation. We must return to a dollar as good as gold whose purchasing power is the same in thirty years as it is today. We must dramatically expand American energy production. We must have smarter regulation at the same time we abolish destructive and costly regulatory systems beginning with Obamacare,Dodd-Franks, and Sarbanes-Oxley. And finally, unlike the current administration, we must have faith in job creators.

With these policies the state of the union will be much better. They will create an explosion in job creation and lead to robust economic growth and a return to prosperity. Furthermore, a paycheck economy will put us on a path to balanced budgets and paying down our national debt.

Mitt Romney Prebuttal to State of the Union

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:23:00 +0000

Republican candidate for President Mitt Romney delivered prebuttal remarks to the President's State of the union address. The transcript is below. There is no video of the delivery.

Mitt Romney today delivered prebuttal remarks to President Obama’s State of the Union Address in Tampa, Florida. The following remarks were prepared for delivery:

Thank you. It’s good to be in the Sunshine State. It breaks my heart to visit plants like this one.

In 2008, this plant closed because of the economic downturn. In a normal recovery under strong leadership, it could now be full of workers.

Here in Florida, people used to wake up and look forward to a hard day’s work and a good, honest wage. The money they earned helped support families and build communities. Today too many factory floors are silent, warehouses are deserted, corporate offices are empty, and real estate endeavors are abandoned. Floridians are struggling to find a job, keep a home, and raise a family.

As I’ve traveled across America, I’ve heard similar stories in virtually every corner of this country. High unemployment and record home foreclosures. Debt that’s too high and opportunities that are too few. This is the real state of our union. But you won’t hear stories like these in President Obama’s address tonight. The unemployed don’t get invitations to sit with the First Lady.

Instead, tonight, the President will do what he does best. He will give a nice speech with a lot of memorable phrases. But he won’t give you the hard numbers.

Like 9.9 – that’s the unemployment rate in this state.

Or 25 percent – that’s the percentage of foreclosed homes in America that are right here in Florida.

Or $15 trillion – that’s the size of our national debt.

Instead, tonight, President Obama will make the opening argument in his campaign against a “Do Nothing Congress.” But, we shouldn’t forget that for two years, this President had a Congress that could do everything he wanted.

With huge Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, President Obama was free to pursue any policy he pleased.

Did he fix the economy?

Did he tackle the housing crisis?

Did he get Americans back to work?

No.

He spent $787 billion on a stimulus bill and put us on track to borrow and spend $5 trillion in just his first term.

He forced through Obamacare – a trillion-dollar entitlement we don’t want and can’t afford.

He took over auto companies and student loans.

He stacked the National Labor Relations Board with union yes-men who, in turn, did favors for his campaign contributors and favorite friends.

When we needed stability and solvency, he gave us Solyndra.

When we needed a climate for private investment, he gave us Cash for Clunkers.

When we needed more domestic energy to keep prices low and create jobs, he imposed bans on oil drilling and turned his EPA regulators loose to slow our development of natural gas.

He’s spearheaded one of the largest expansions of government in American history. And he’s paying for it with money borrowed from China.

Three years ago, we measured Candidate Obama by his hopeful promises and slogans.

Today, President Obama has amassed an actual record of debt, decline, and disappointment.

This President’s agenda made these troubled times last longer. He and his allies made it harder for the economy to recover.

Instead of solving the housing crisis and getting Americans back to work, President Obama has been building a European-style welfare state. He has pushed for a second stimulus and deep cuts to our national defense. He’s asking the American people for another trillion dollars – and another term in office.

He keeps telling people, “We can’t wait.” To which I say, “Yes, we can.”

Tonight, the President will deliver his State of the Union. But make no mistake: What he’s really offering are partisan planks for his re-election campaign.

The President has been telling people that his agenda will create an economy that's “built to last.”

Well, let’s talk about what has lasted.

What has lasted is unemployment above 8% for 35 straight months. What will last is almost as much debt in four years as all the prior presidents combined. What will last are home values that are too low and foreclosure rates that are too high. And a legacy of debt that will imperil future generations.

What is critical is that we make today Barack Obama’s last State of the Union.

The President’s agenda sounds less like “built to last” and more like doomed to fail. What he’s proposing is more of the same: more taxes, more spending, and more regulation. And all of his proposals involve “big” government and “big” price tags.

Tonight, we’ll also be treated to more divisive rhetoric from a desperate campaigner-in-chief. It’s shameful for a President to use the State of the Union to divide our nation. And someone ought to tell him: In order for the economy to truly “work for everyone,” everyone needs to be working.

But more than anything, I expect the President will take this opportunity to take another victory lap. In big speeches, he tends to tell tall tales about an America that’s thriving on his watch.

In 2010, he announced that “the worst of this economic storm has passed.” I know the people of Tampa don’t believe that. Today, 24 million Americans are struggling for work. 2.8 million Americans have lost their homes. But President Obama believes he ranks among the four best presidents in history.

Here in Florida, you know better. You know that this President has run out of ideas. He’s run out of excuses. And, with your help, 2012 will be the year he runs out of time.

If tonight were the first message to Congress in a Romney administration, I’d have the courage to tell the American people how it is and tell Congress what we really need to do. I wouldn’t spend my time blaming others for how we got in this mess; I’d explain how we’re going to get out of it. I’d use the State of the Union to lay out an agenda that will get our country back on track and get our fiscal house in order.

My agenda would make government simpler, smaller, and smarter.

As President, I will repeal unnecessary regulations and restore our good credit rating.

I will reduce tax rates and simplify the tax code, especially for middle-income Americans.

I will streamline regulation, ensure the prompt review of projects, and order agencies to focus on economic growth. The Keystone Pipeline is a real “shovel-ready” project that would put 20,000 Americans back to work. Three years of review is long enough. The President was wrong to reject it. I will approve it.

I will open up new markets for American goods, and open up our lands so that we can finally develop our energy resources. A revolution in drilling for natural gas has opened up new supplies that will create American jobs, provide affordable energy, and offer our manufacturers a competitive edge. My administration will support the development of these resources, not find excuses to stand in the way.

If I were speaking to Congress tonight, I’d note that it’s now been one thousand days since the Senate last passed a budget. That’s irresponsible. It’s unacceptable. And, as President, I will cut spending, cap spending, and finally balance the budget.

I would pledge to do all that a President can to get America working again. When it comes to the economy, my highest priority would be worrying about your job, not saving my own.

As President, I will reverse the Obama-era defense cuts. I believe a strong America must – and will – lead the future. I will insist on a military so powerful that no one would ever think of challenging it.

That is the State of the Union I would deliver tonight. My plans protect our freedom and preserve opportunity. They reflect common-sense solutions and conservative values. And, over the past seven months, that agenda has rallied millions of Americans to our cause.

Our campaign is about more than replacing a President; it is about saving the soul of America. This election is a choice between two very different destinies.

President Obama wants to “fundamentally transform” America. We want to restore America to the founding principles that made this country great.

This President puts his faith in government. We put our faith in the American people.

Ours is the party of free enterprise, free markets, and consumer choice. The Republican Party stands for personal responsibility and equal opportunity. We don’t demonize prosperity. We celebrate success.

That’s the difference between our party and this President. He leads the party of big government. He believes in ever-expanding entitlement.

He’s wrong. We’re right. And this is a battle we cannot lose.

During my 25 years in business, I helped companies like Staples and the Sports Authority grow from start-ups to international enterprises. I turned around companies, a state government, and an Olympics. And I am passionate about our economic liberty because I have seen it reward the hard work of many – and create prosperity for all.

I have the experience to get America back to work. I have the judgment we need in the White House. And I will offer a real choice in the coming campaign.

Tonight will mark another chapter in the misguided policies of the last three years – and the failed leadership of one man. But Americans know that our future is brighter and better than these troubled times.

We still believe in the hope, the promise, and the dream of America. We still believe in that shining city on a hill.

A year from now a President will be giving another State of the Union address. The choice before us is clear.

Do we want a president who will try to explain again why his policies haven’t worked?

Do we want a president who will keep promising that this time he will get it right?

Do we want a president who keep telling us why he’s right and why we’re wrong?

Or do we want the sense of excitement that comes with a new beginning?

We are Americans and Americans don’t have to settle for a president who argues that things could be worse. We know that things can – and must – be better.

If you want to make this election about restoring American greatness, then I hope you will join us.

If you believe the disappointments of the last few years are a detour, not our destiny, then I am asking for your support.

If you share my belief that we need to scale back government so that we can expand prosperity, then I need your vote.

Thank you. And God bless the United States of America.

Republican Response to 2012 State of the Union Address

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:04:00 +0000

This is the Republican response that was delivered by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.

Greetings from the home of Super Bowl XLVI.

The status of loyal opposition imposes on those out of power some serious responsibilities: to show respect for the presidency and its occupant, to express agreement where it exists.
Republicans tonight salute our president, for instance, for his aggressive pursuit of the murderers of 9/11 and for bravely backing long overdue changes in public education. I personally would add to that list admiration for the strong family commitment that he and the first lady have displayed to a nation sorely needing such examples.

On these evenings, presidents naturally seek to find the sunny side of our national condition. But when President Obama claims that the state of our union is anything but grave, he must know in his heart that this is not true.

The president did not cause the economic and fiscal crises that continue in America tonight, but he was elected on a promise to fix them, and he cannot claim that the last three years have made things anything but worse. The percentage of Americans with a job is at the lowest in decades. One in five men of prime working age and nearly half of all persons under 30 did not go to work today.

In three short years, an unprecedented explosion of spending, with borrowed money, has added trillions to an already unaffordable national debt. And yet the president has put us on a course to make it radically worse in the years ahead.

The federal government now spends one of every four dollars in the entire economy. It borrows one of every three dollars it spends. No nation, no entity, large or small, public or private, can thrive, or survive intact, with debts as huge as ours.

The president's grand experiment in trickle-down government has held back rather than sped economic recovery. He seems to sincerely believe we can build a middle class out of government jobs paid for with borrowed dollars. In fact, it works the other way: A government as big and bossy as this one is maintained on the backs of the middle class and those who hope to join it.
Those punished most by the wrong turns of the last three years are those unemployed or underemployed tonight and those so discouraged they've abandoned the search for work altogether. And no one's been more tragically harmed than the young people of this country, the first generation in memory to face a future less promising than their parents did.

As Republicans, our first concern is for those waiting tonight to begin or resume the climb up life's ladder. We do not accept that ours will ever be a nation of haves and have-nots. We must always be a nation of haves and soon-to-haves.

In our economic stagnation and indebtedness, we're only a short distance behind Greece, Spain, and other European countries now facing economic catastrophe. But ours is a fortunate land. Because the world uses our dollar for trade, we have a short grace period to deal with our dangers. But time is running out if we're to avoid the fate of Europe and those once-great nations of history that fell from the position of world leadership.

So 2012 is a year of true opportunity, maybe our last, to restore an America of hope and upward mobility and greater equality. The challenges aren't matters of ideology or party preference. The problems are simply mathematical, and the answers are purely practical.

An opposition that would earn its way back to leadership must offer not just criticism of failures that anyone can see, but a positive and credible plan to make life better, particularly for those aspiring to make a better life for themselves. Republicans accept this duty gratefully.

The routes back to an America of promise and to a solvent America that can pay its bills and protect its vulnerable start in the same place. The only way up for those suffering tonight, and the only way out of the dead end of debt into which we've driven, is a private economy that begins to grow and create jobs, real jobs, at a much faster rate than today. Contrary to the president's constant disparagement of people in business, it's one of the noblest of human pursuits. The late Steve Jobs -- what a fitting name he had -- created more of them than all those stimulus dollars the president borrowed and blew.

Out here in Indiana, when a businessperson asks me what he can do for our state, I say, "First, make money. Be successful. If you make a profit, you'll have something left to hire someone else, and some to donate to the good causes we love."

The extremism that stifles the development of homegrown energy, or cancels a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands, or jacks up consumer utility bills for no improvement in either human health or world temperature, is a pro-poverty policy. It must be replaced by a passionate pro-growth approach that breaks all ties and calls all close ones in favor of private-sector jobs that restore opportunity for all and generate the public revenues to pay our bills.
That means a dramatically simpler tax system of fewer loopholes and lower rates, a pause in the mindless piling on of expensive new regulations that devour dollars that otherwise could be used to hire somebody. It means maximizing on the new domestic energy technologies that are the best break our economy has gotten in years.

There's a second item on our national must-do list: We must unite to save the safety net. Medicare and Social Security have served us well, and that must continue. But after half and three- quarters of a century, respectively, it's not surprising they need some repairs. We can preserve them unchanged and untouched for those now in or near retirement, but we must fashion a new, affordable safety net so future Americans are protected, too.

Decades ago, for instance, we could afford to send millionaires pension checks and pay medical bills for even the wealthiest among us. Now, we can't, so the dollars we have should be devoted to those who need them most.

The mortal enemies of Social Security and Medicare are those who, in contempt of the plain arithmetic, continue to mislead Americans that we should change nothing. Listening to them much longer will mean that these proud programs implode, and take the American economy with them. It'll mean that coming generations are denied the jobs they need in their youth and the protection they deserve in their later years.

It's absolutely so that everyone should contribute to our national recovery, including of course the most affluent among us. There are smart ways and dumb ways to do this: The dumb way is to raise rates in a broken, grossly complex tax system, choking off growth without bringing in the revenues we need to meet our debts. The better course is to stop sending the wealthy benefits they do not need, and stop providing them so many tax preferences that distort our economy and do little or nothing to foster growth.

It's not fair and it's not true for the president to attack Republicans in Congress as obstacles on these questions. They and they alone have passed bills to reduce borrowing, reform entitlements, and encourage new job creation, only to be shot down time and time again by the president and his Democratic Senate allies.

This year, it falls to Republicans to level with our fellow citizens about this reality: If we fail to act to grow the private sector and save the safety net, nothing else will matter much. But to make such action happen, we also must work, in ways we Republicans have not always practiced, to bring Americans together.

No feature of the Obama presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others.

As in previous moments of national danger, we Americans are all in the same boat. If we drift, quarreling and paralyzed, over a Niagara of debt, we will all suffer, regardless of income, race, gender, or other category. If we fail to shift to a pro-jobs, pro- growth economic policy, there'll never be enough public revenue to pay for our safety net, national security, or whatever size government we decide to have.

As a loyal opposition, who put patriotism and national success ahead of party or ideology or any self-interest, we say that anyone who will join us in the cause of growth and solvency is our ally, and our friend. We will speak the language of unity. Let us rebuild our finances, and the safety net, and reopen the door to the stairway upward; any other disagreements we may have can wait.

You know, the most troubling contention in our national life these days isn't about economics, or policy at all. It's about us, as a free people. In two alarming ways, that contention is that we Americans just can't cut it anymore.

In word and deed, the president and his allies tell us that we just cannot handle ourselves in this complex, perilous world without their benevolent protection. Left to ourselves, we might pick the wrong health insurance, the wrong mortgage, the wrong school for our kids; why, unless they stop us, we might pick the wrong light bulb.

A second view, which I'll admit some Republicans also seem to hold, is that we Americans are no longer up to the job of self- government. We can't do the simple math that proves the unaffordability of today's safety net programs, or all the government we now have. We will fall for the con job that says we can just plow ahead and someone else will pick up the tab. We will allow ourselves to be pitted one against the other, blaming our neighbor for troubles worldwide trends or our own government has caused.

2012 must be the year we prove the doubters wrong. The year we strike out boldly not merely to avert national bankruptcy, but to say to a new generation that America is still the world's premier land of opportunity. Republicans will speak for those who believe in the dignity and capacity of the individual citizen; who believe that government is meant to serve the people rather than supervise them; who trust Americans enough to tell them the plain truth about the fix we are in, and to lay before them a specific, credible program of change big enough to meet the emergency we are facing.

We will advance our positive suggestions with confidence, because we know that Americans are still a people born to liberty. There is nothing wrong with the state of our union that the American people, addressed as free-born, mature citizens, cannot set right. Republicans in 2012 welcome all our countrymen to a program of renewal that rebuilds the dream for all, and makes our "city on a hill" shine once again.

The 2012 State of the Union Address

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:34:00 +0000

Last night, President Obama delivered the 2012 State of the Union address. I have b both the regular and enhanced versions. The enhanced version displays supporting documents on screen concurrent with the remarks of the president.

Here are the remarks of the President of the United States of America as prepared for delivery and provided by the White House:

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought - and several thousand gave their lives.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda's top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban's momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America's Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They're not consumed with personal ambition. They don't obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we're in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren't so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

We can do this. I know we can, because we've done it before. At the end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. My grandfather, a veteran of Patton's Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.

The two of them shared the optimism of a Nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism. They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share - the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What's at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.

Let's remember how we got here. Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores. Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren't, and personal debt that kept piling up.

In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn't afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people's money. Regulators had looked the other way, or didn't have the authority to stop the bad behavior.

It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hard-working Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly four million jobs. And we lost another four million before our policies were in full effect.

Those are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than three million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005. American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s. Together, we've agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we've put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like that never happens again.

The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we've come too far to turn back now. As long as I'm President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that's built to last - an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.

This blueprint begins with American manufacturing.

On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We got workers and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry to retool and restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the world's number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.

We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry is back.

What's happening in Detroit can happen in other industries. It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We can't bring back every job that's left our shores. But right now, it's getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive. A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home. Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock's unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.

So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back. But we have to seize it. Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.
We should start with our tax code. Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it.
So let's change it. First, if you're a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn't get a tax deduction for doing it. That money should be used to cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring jobs home.

Second, no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas. From now on, every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax. And every penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here.

Third, if you're an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut. If you're a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products here. And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

My message is simple. It's time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America. Send me these tax reforms, and I'll sign them right away.

We're also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years. With the bipartisan trade agreements I signed into law, we are on track to meet that goal - ahead of schedule. Soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea. Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.
I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products. And I will not stand by when our competitors don't play by the rules. We've brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration - and it's made a difference. Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It's not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It's not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they're heavily subsidized.
Tonight, I'm announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China. There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders. And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing finance or new markets like Russia. Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you - America will always win.

I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but can't find workers with the right skills. Growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job. Think about that - openings at a time when millions of Americans are looking for work.

That's inexcusable. And we know how to fix it.

Jackie Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off from her job as a mechanic. Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte, and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. The company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training. It paid Jackie's tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.

I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie did. Join me in a national commitment to train two million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job. My Administration has already lined up more companies that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, Orlando, and Louisville are up and running. Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers - places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that from now on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for all the information and help they need. It's time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system that puts people to work.

These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.
For less than one percent of what our Nation spends on education each year, we've convinced nearly every State in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning - the first time that's happened in a generation.

But challenges remain. And we know how to solve them.

At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced States to lay off thousands of teachers. We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000. A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies - just to make a difference.

Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let's offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. In return, grant schools flexibility: To teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren't helping kids learn.

We also know that when students aren't allowed to walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. So tonight, I call on every State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn eighteen.

When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July. Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves middle-class families thousands of dollars. And give more young people the chance to earn their way through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.
Of course, it's not enough for us to increase student aid. We can't just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we'll run out of money. States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down. Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who've done just that. Some schools re-design courses to help students finish more quickly. Some use better technology. The point is, it's possible. So let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can't stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down. Higher education can't be a luxury - it's an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

Let's also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking students in this country face another challenge: The fact that they aren't yet American citizens. Many were brought here as small children, are American through and through, yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. Others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else.

That doesn't make sense.

I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That's why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. That's why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.

The opponents of action are out of excuses. We should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now. But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let's at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and defend this country. Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it right away.

You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal pay for equal work. It means we should support everyone who's willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.

After all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are created in start-ups and small businesses. So let's pass an agenda that helps them succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow. Expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs. Both parties agree on these ideas. So put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year.

Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don't gut these investments in our budget. Don't let other countries win the race for the future. Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.

Nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy. Over the last three years, we've opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I'm directing my Administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. Right now, American oil production is the highest that it's been in eight years. That's right - eight years. Not only that - last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past sixteen years.

But with only 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, oil isn't enough. This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy - a strategy that's cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.

We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years, and my Administration will take every possible action to safely develop this energy. Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade. And I'm requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use. America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk.
The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don't have to choose between our environment and our economy. And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of thirty years, that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock - reminding us that Government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.
What's true for natural gas is true for clean energy. In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world's leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled. And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.

When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found work at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before the recession, the factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it's hiring workers like Bryan, who said, "I'm proud to be working in the industry of the future."
Our experience with shale gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments don't always come right away. Some technologies don't pan out; some companies fail. But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away from workers like Bryan. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here. We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That's long enough. It's time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that's never been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.

We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there's no reason why Congress shouldn't at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far, you haven't acted. Well tonight, I will. I'm directing my Administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power three million homes. And I'm proud to announce that the Department of Defense, the world's largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history - with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.

Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy. So here's another proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs.

Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America's infrastructure. So much of America needs to be rebuilt. We've got crumbling roads and bridges. A power grid that wastes too much energy. An incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world.
During the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. After World War II, we connected our States with a system of highways. Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.

In the next few weeks, I will sign an Executive Order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund these projects. Take the money we're no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.

There's never been a better time to build, especially since the construction industry was one of the hardest-hit when the housing bubble burst. Of course, construction workers weren't the only ones hurt. So were millions of innocent Americans who've seen their home values decline. And while Government can't fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn't have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief.

That's why I'm sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low interest rates. No more red tape. No more runaround from the banks. A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won't add to the deficit, and will give banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.

Let's never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a Government and a financial system that do the same. It's time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.

We've all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people who couldn't afford them, and buyers who knew they couldn't afford them. That's why we need smart regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior. Rules to prevent financial fraud, or toxic dumping, or faulty medical devices, don't destroy the free market. They make the free market work better.
There is no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or too costly. In fact, I've approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his. I've ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don't make sense. We've already announced over 500 reforms, and just a fraction of them will save business and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years. We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill - because milk was somehow classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess it was worth crying over spilled milk.

I'm confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency looking over his shoulder. But I will not back down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago. I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury pollution, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean. I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women differently from men.

And I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play by its own set of rules. The new rules we passed restore what should be any financial system's core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home, start a business, or send a kid to college.

So if you're a big bank or financial institution, you are no longer allowed to make risky bets with your customers' deposits. You're required to write out a "living will" that details exactly how you'll pay the bills if you fail - because the rest of us aren't bailing you out ever again. And if you're a mortgage lender or a payday lender or a credit card company, the days of signing people up for products they can't afford with confusing forms and deceptive practices are over. Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard Cordray with one job: To look out for them.

We will also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people's investments. Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there's no real penalty for being a repeat offender. That's bad for consumers, and it's bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing. So pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud count.

And tonight, I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.

A return to the American values of fair play and shared responsibility will help us protect our people and our economy. But it should also guide us as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our future.

Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile. People cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year. There are plenty of ways to get this done. So let's agree right here, right now: No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay.

When it comes to the deficit, we've already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts and savings. But we need to do more, and that means making choices. Right now, we're poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else - like education and medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we're serious about paying down our debt, we can't do both.
The American people know what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I'm prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you're earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn't get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn't go up. You're the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You're the ones who need relief.

Now, you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.

We don't begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it's not because they envy the rich. It's because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don't need and the country can't afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference - like a senior on a fixed income; or a student trying to get through school; or a family trying to make ends meet. That's not right. Americans know it's not right. They know that this generation's success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to their country's future, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared responsibility. That's how we'll reduce our deficit. That's an America built to last.

I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt; energy and health care. But no matter what party they belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right now: Nothing will get done this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington is broken.

Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?

The greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn't come from events beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that fiasco?

I've talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad - and it seems to get worse every year.

Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics. So together, let's take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans insider trading by Members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow. Let's limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. Let's make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can't lobby Congress, and vice versa - an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.
Some of what's broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything - even routine business - passed through the Senate. Neither party has been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end to it. For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it's inefficient, outdated and remote. That's why I've asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.

Finally, none of these reforms can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town. We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common sense ideas.

I'm a Democrat. But I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed: That Government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more. That's why my education reform offers more competition, and more control for schools and States. That's why we're getting rid of regulations that don't work. That's why our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a Government program.

On the other hand, even my Republican friends who complain the most about Government spending have supported federally-financed roads, and clean energy projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.

The point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective Government. And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress. With or without this Congress, I will keep taking actions that help the economy grow. But I can do a whole lot more with your help. Because when we act together, there is nothing the United States of America can't achieve.

That is the lesson we've learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.
Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies. From Pakistan to Yemen, the al Qaeda operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing that they can't escape the reach of the United States of America.

From this position of strength, we've begun to wind down the war in Afghanistan. Ten thousand of our troops have come home. Twenty-three thousand more will leave by the end of this summer. This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against America.

As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana'a to Tripoli. A year ago, Qadhafi was one of the world's longest-serving dictators - a murderer with American blood on his hands. Today, he is gone. And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change can't be reversed, and that human dignity can't be denied.

How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain. But we have a huge stake in the outcome. And while it is ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well. We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings - men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

And we will safeguard America's own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran's nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.

The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the Americas are deeper. Our iron-clad commitment to Israel's security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history. We've made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new hope. From the coalitions we've built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we've led against hunger and disease; from the blows we've dealt to our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn't know what they're talking about. That's not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to work with us. That's not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin; from Cape Town to Rio; where opinions of America are higher than they've been in years. Yes, the world is changing; no, we can't control every event. But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs - and as long as I'm President, I intend to keep it that way.

That's why, working with our military leaders, I have proposed a new defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. To stay one step ahead of our adversaries, I have already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing danger of cyber-threats.
Above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it. As they come home, we must serve them as well as they served us. That includes giving them the care and benefits they have earned - which is why we've increased annual VA spending every year I've been President. And it means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our Nation.

With the bipartisan support of this Congress, we are providing new tax credits to companies that hire vets. Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families. And tonight, I'm proposing a Veterans Job Corps that will help our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that America is as strong as those who defend her.

Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who've been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops. When you put on that uniform, it doesn't matter if you're black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight. When you're marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails. When you're in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.

One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn't matter. Just like it didn't matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates - a man who was George Bush's defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against me for president.

All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn't deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job - the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other - because you can't charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there's someone behind you, watching your back.

So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I'm reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other's backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we're joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.

Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

New Gingrich: Political Chameleon

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:07:00 +0000

Newt Gingrich is a Liar and a Political Chameleon.

In the past, he has said that he was a state chairman in the effort to get Rockefeller elected and supported Rockefeller over Goldwater.

In last night's debate, he dropped Goldwater's name in order to give everyone the impression that he supported him and to appear attractive to Tea Party activists and conservative voters.

When are you people going to realize that this guy is a charlatan?

Here is video of him claiming to have been for Rockefeller over Goldwater, then name-dropping Goldwater to give the implication that he supported Goldwater early on:

Newt Gingrich implies he supported Barry Goldwater.

In this video from some time ago, he claims that he was a Rockefeller Republican, that, in fact...he was the state chairman to get Rockefeller elected over Barry Goldwater.

Here are more links for your consideration:

Newt Gingrich in 1989, the pro-Rockefeller Republican

Newt Gingrich: Romney is a Rockefeller Republican

Republicans Debate in Tampa Bay

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:53:00 +0000

The candidates for the Republican nomination met in Tampa Bay last night, and this is the video of that forum.

Here are links to video of the previous debates in this cycle:

Jan 19

Jan. 16

Jan. 8

Jan. 7

Dec. 15

Dec. 10

Nov. 22

Nov. 12

Nov. 9

Oct. 18

Oct. 11

Sept. 22

Sept. 12

Sept. 7

Aug. 11

June 13

May 5

South Carolina Primary Results

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:27:00 +0000

Image Source:Google Elections

Last week at this time, Mitt Romney was the candidate conventional wisdom said would win. After a week-long assault on him by the media, his numbers started to slip. When an attack by the media on Newt Gingrich was foiled ahead of time by Matt Drudge, Gingrich was able to turn the attack around and made it about the media and the politics of personal destruction. Republicans in South Carolina responded very well to seeing Newt verbally skewer a Lefty Reporter on a spit at a debate on Thursday [see video].

Here is a table of the results:

Candidate	Votes	Percent	Percent Behind Leader
Newt Gingrich	243,153	40.4	0.0
Mitt Romney	167,279	27.8	-12.6
Rick Santorum	102,055	17.0	-23.4
Ron Paul	77,993	13.0	-27.4

Who got how many delegates varies according to which website you visit. The Green Papers estimates that Gingrich will get twenty three and Romney will get two, and that assessment is, I think, a reasonable assumption at this point.

The estimated total delegate count so far is as follows:

31 Romney
26 Gingrich
10 Paul
08 Santorum

Before you watch the speeches, check out a précis on the Florida primary, the first primary in which only registered Republicans will be voting. I'm expecting a different dynamic in this state.

Speeches

Newt Gingrich, who finished first with 40.4% of the vote.

Mitt Romney, who finished second with 27.8% of the vote.

Rick Santorum, who finished third with 17.0% of the vote.

Ron Paul, who finished fourth with 13.0% of the vote.

The next primary is Florida, which will happen on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Due to the the unfriendly voter demographics and the limited nature of Ron Paul's war chest, he will not be campaigning heavily here and will move on to the caucus states that are coming up in February and March before the March 6th Super Tuesday, when the nomination will likely become more or less evident.

Republicans Debate in Charleston, South Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:10:00 +0000

The Republican candidates met in Charleston, South Carolina for "The Southern Republican Leadership/Tea Party Patriots Debate" after one of the wildest days in the campaign so far. Rick Perry dropped out, a Ron Paul guerrilla campaign balloon was cited for improper lane use near I-85, Rick Santorum was certified as the winner of the Iowa Caucuses and the Drudge Report leaked info that ABC News was sitting on an explosive interview with Newt Gingrich's ex-wife that included information that he had wanted to have an open marriage with her so he could sleep with the then Callista Bisek as well as his wife.

Here is a list of links to videos of previous debates should you wish to go back and see what the candidates have said in previous engagements:

Jan. 16

Jan. 8

Jan. 7

Dec. 15

Dec. 10

Nov. 22

Nov. 12

Nov. 9

Oct. 18

Oct. 11

Sept. 22

Sept. 12

Sept. 7

Aug. 11

June 13

May 5

Senator Jim Davis January 2012 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:09:00 +0000

Reprinted from e-mail:

Sen Jim Davis January 2012 Newsletter

Contact Info:

2111 Legislative Building

Phone: (919) 733-5875

Email: Jim.Davis@ncleg.net

Email for Legislative Assistant: davisjla@ncleg.net

Legislative Mailing Address:

NC Senate

16 W. Jones Street, Room 2111

Raleigh, NC 27601-2808

District: 50

Counties Represented: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania

District Address: 37 Georgia Road, Franklin, NC 28734

District Phone: (828) 342-4483

REVENUE COLLECTIONS UP FOR FIRST HALF OF YEAR

The following information was provided by Barry Boardman, PhD, Economist, Fiscal Research Division, North Carolina General Assembly (January 10, 2012)

For the first half of the fiscal year General Fund collections are $150 million ahead of the budget target of $9.4 billion. Although collections are currently higher than anticipated, Fiscal Research Division is still cautious about the forecast for the remaining fiscal year.

Despite the current target surplus, concerns persist with respect to the overall revenue outlook. There are several reasons for this:

First, the current budget surplus is mostly attributable to a surplus in personal income tax collections. While key economic drivers, employment and income, have improved slightly, the more aggressive personal income budget targets scheduled for the rest of the year put a lot of pressure on continued improvement of these key data points.

Second, when considering the volatile personal and corporate income tax collections in April, along with the more aggressive budget targets scheduled for the second half of the fiscal year, most of the risk resides in the second half. Given the more aggressive budget targets ahead, the usual risks are compounded.

Finally, it is unclear whether the economy has garnered enough momentum to keep moving in a strong, positive direction. Most economists are expecting a slowdown for the first quarter of 2012. Moreover, without a lot of strong-growth signals on the immediate horizon the overall economy is more fragile and susceptible to commodity price shocks (energy, food) and global downturns such as the one underway in the Eurozone.

Therefore, Fiscal Research Division remains cautious towards the prospects of revenues continuing to meet, or exceed, the revenue forecast. Clearly, having a $150 million surplus after the first half of the fiscal year is a bonus, but Fiscal Research Division is not prepared to say that because of this surplus the overall revenue outlook for the second half of the fiscal year has improved.

RHETORIC AND REALITY

On January 5, 2012 the North Carolina General Assembly successfully overrode Gov. Perdue’s veto of SB 727 – No Dues Check off for School Employees. The legislation ends the practice of the state collecting dues check off payments for members of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE). Their reaction was strong and swift, but ignored many relevant facts. Read more.

NC LEGISLATORS EDUCATION RETREAT

On January 9-10 I had the privilege of attending the 9^th Annual North Carolina Legislators Retreat. It was well worth the long drive. The following describes the Sessions I attended:

· Effective Teaching/Accurate Measures and Strong Support - Teacher quality is the most important school-based factor in boosting student achievement, yet identifying the characteristics of the most effective teachers remains a challenge. Legislators and experts tackled the importance of new approaches to evaluating teacher effectiveness as well as focused feedback and support for teachers.

· Teacher Compensation/What’s it Worth? Alternative teacher compensation plans can be one component of a comprehensive plan to improve teacher effectiveness. Experts highlighted key components of performance-based pay systems and presented a range of examples that demonstrate how student achievement can be considered in teacher compensation plans.

· About Face/Turning Around Low-Performing Schools - Our lowest-performing schools are in desperate need for proven strategies that increase student performance, and innovative publically and privately funded programs are bringing fresh ideas to schools across the nation. Several districts have found success in turning around their lowest-performing schools and the barriers and challenges to bringing that success to scale.

· Improving Postsecondary Transitions - Only one-third of North Carolina students who took the ACT in 2011 tested at the college-ready level. At a time when postsecondary education has never been more important for future success, many students struggle with basic college coursework. Resource experts shared successful efforts that improve the transition from high school to postsecondary education through early identification of readiness and opportunities for students to improve during their high school years.

· Literacy in the Early Years - A recent study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation indicates that students who are not proficient in reading by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school than their proficient peers. Strategies for improving early literacy ensure that all students are on a path towards future academic success.

· Adolescent Literacy/Reading Readiness – Students who have not mastered basic literacy skills in elementary school are likely to falter as they progress through middle and high school, and secondary teachers often lack the training or expertise to teach those skills. Of the students who do persist to graduation, many are likely to need remediation in reading and writing upon entering a postsecondary program. New approaches to literacy instruction and learning help adolescent readers to improve.

Note the new “Education Resources” in “Helpful Links” near the bottom of this newsletter.

ENCORE – GOT CASH?

I was surprised to receive only ONE request for the unclaimed property database. This is not a scam. It is real and you or someone you know may be on the list for CASH. I personally know someone who found over $3,000 the state owed them. Ask for your county’s list and take a look.

NC Cash Unclaimed Property Program

The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer holds nearly $400 million in unclaimed property. With two million properties in the database and nine million North Carolinians, there is almost a one in four chance that a North Carolina citizen has a claim. In the past year, the total number of claims paid was 38,583, totaling over $48 million in unclaimed property that has been returned. There are constituents from the eight counties I serve whose names are on the unclaimed property list. If you want to see if you (or someone you know) is on the list, click GOT CASH for information provided by the NC Department of State Treasurer. If you would like a copy of an EXCEL spreadsheet listing names, please e-mail davisjla@ncleg.net.

BERGER, TILLIS STATEMENT ON CHANGES TO JOBLESS BENEFITS

Raleigh, N.C., January 11, 2012 – Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and House Speaker Thom Tillis on Wednesday responded to questions about changes to federal unemployment benefits.

The state budget approved in June extended long-term unemployment benefits in North Carolina until the federal deadline of Dec. 31, 2011. But the U.S. Congress recently extended those benefits for an extra two months, requiring a change in state unemployment law to comply with the new federal law.

Below is a joint statement from Berger (R-Rockingham) and Tillis (R-Mecklenburg):

“The General Assembly is ready to work with Gov. Perdue to resolve this issue. If Gov. Perdue believes an immediate fix is required, then we encourage her to take the appropriate action and call the General Assembly back for a special session.”

THIRD WORST IN THE NATION, BUT…

North Carolina’s $2.6 billion Unemployment Insurance debt is third worst in the nation. That debt generates both interest payments and federally mandated tax increases. Even after three years of insolvency, state legislators have failed to make any reforms, and the outlook of this fund continues to deteriorate.

But it doesn’t have to remain that way. Recently, North Carolina legislators highlighted their concern with subpoenaed questioning of the chief of the Division of Employment Security. If they proceed to take action and tighten the state’s UI belts in the coming session, the state could repay its trust fund balance of negative $2.6 billion within seven years. Click on the link below to read more.

NC Unemployment Insurance Debt

REDISTRICTING

Lawyers are arguing over the redistricting case’s future. Attorneys defending new North Carolina political boundaries asked a panel of judges to throw out lawsuits challenging them on grounds of racial gerrymandering, arguing while the boundaries could be different, they comply with the new rules of redistricting.

Special Deputy Attorney General Alec Peters said lawmakers followed the guidelines set by the state Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court over the past decade in drawing the lines. Democrats and supporting groups submitted plans that don't follow those rules while creating maps that don't look too different from the maps enacted by the General Assembly last year, Peters contends. Click on the link below to read more.

Redistricting Case’s Future

LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING SESSIONS

I received a few e-mails from constituents unhappy with the House’s and Senate’s recent late night/early morning sessions. Some claimed “lack of transparency” in government when they woke to learn about these sessions. While most may have been sleeping, NC legislators were continuing their work. These sessions were, as always, open to the public with access to the Legislature’s House and Senate galleries or by linking to the real time audio from the General Assembly’s home page (see link near the bottom of this update).

Although Republicans now hold the majority in both the House and Senate, Democrats are not immune to criticism about early morning votes. The 2005-2006 sessions run by House Speaker Jim Black and Senate leader Marc Basnight, both Democrats, accounted for 44 percent of the total votes taken in the early morning hours - the most of any session. And when Black split power in the 2003-2004 sessions with Republican Richard Morgan, the House and Senate held four dozen votes after midnight, the second most for any session. Many of the early morning votes came in sessions that stretched until breakfast. In 2005, the Senate held two votes at 6:21 and 6:23 a.m. - the latest votes for any overnight session - on preventing methamphetamine labs and on legislative studies.

Copy and paste this link to read more:http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/13/1774354/lawmakers-set-a-precedent-with.html#storylink=cpy

IN THE DISTRICT

It is no secret that the 2010 election brought a wave of new state legislators for the new term. Because of the tremendous amount of change in the legislative session, it is especially important for you to acquaint yourself with your new representatives, learn where they stand on significant issues and how they approach their office and responsibilities.

· I continue to schedule Town Hall meetings in each of the eight counties I serve. My purpose for Town Halls is to listen. I want to hear your questions, concerns, and suggestions. Notices of Town Hall meetings will be placed in area newspapers, my Senate Updates, and also via other communication forums. Cherokee and Macon Town Hall meetings were held in November. Haywood County’s Town Hall is scheduled for January 26, 2012 and Transylvania’s for February 21⁽see notices below). Other counties will be scheduled for early 2012. I encourage you to attend your county’s Town Hall and invite others to join you. Town Halls are designed as mutually respectful,non-partisan events. Please call or e-mail me if you have questions.

Haywood County Town Hall

January 26, 2012

7pm-9pm

HAYWOOD COUNTY COURTROOM of the HISTORIC COURTHOUSE

215 N. Main Street, Waynesville

Transylvania County Town Hall

February 21, 2012

5pm-9pm

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY LIBRARY

212 South Gaston Street, Brevard

Clay County Town Hall

Plans are underway for February. When plans are finalized, notification will be sent in my second January Senate Update.

· On January 6, it was my pleasure to join Franklin High School’s Advanced Placement Government Class taught by Bob Kuppers. I talked to the students about our state’s and government’s federal debt obligation and my impressions from serving as a NC Senator. I shared with them the difficulty of balancing and prioritizing needs when budget cuts, including cuts to education, were necessary to balance our budget. The student’s asked some thoughtful questions and my answers were based on facts, rather than rhetoric.

*Remember that you can listen to the Senate and House (when in session), committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s website at www.ncleg.net. From the Home page click on the “Calendars” tab to view scheduled sessions and meetings. The "Audio" tab will allow you to select Senate Chamber, House Chamber, Finance Committee Room, Appropriations Committee Room or Press Conference Room to listen in.

The Republican Debates So Far

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:51:00 +0000

I found an interesting table this morning that shows the estimated number of people who watched each of the Republican Primary debates and decided to post it here...embedding links into it that lead to full videos of each of them.

Click on the date in order to watch the full debate.

Debate	Network	Total Viewers	A25-54
Jan. 16	Fox News	5,475,000	1,573,000
Jan. 8	NBC/MSNBC	4,715,000	1,649,000
Jan. 7	ABC	6,250,000	1,730,000
Dec. 15	Fox News	6,713,000	1,865,000
Dec. 10	ABC	7,630,000	2,100,000
Nov. 22	CNN	3,599,000	1,041,000
Nov. 12	CBS	5,480,000	1,520,000
Nov. 9	CNBC	3,332,000	993,000
Oct. 18	CNN	5,468,000	1,651,000
Oct. 11	Bloomberg	NA	NA
Sept. 22	Fox News	6,107,000	1,701,000
Sept. 12	CNN	3,600,000	1,100,000
Sept. 7	MSNBC	5,411,000	1,728,000
Aug. 11	Fox News	5,053,000	1,430,000
June 13	CNN	3,162,000	918,000
May 5	Fox News	3,258,000	854,000

Source for table: Media Bistro

I was very disappointed in the low numbers that watched each debate. Such is the nature of our society, every one complains about politics, but no one really pays any attention to it in any detail.

Republican Candidates Debate in Myrtle Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:43:00 +0000

Here is the full video of the forum that took place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last night. All five of the remaining candidates for the Republican nomination participated in the event.

Huntsman to Drop Out and Endorse Romney

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:04:00 +0000

Jon Huntsman will be dropping out of the race for the Republican 2012 nomination today in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and will be endorsing Mitt Romney.

Huntsman is currently 6th in the national and South Carolina polls.

The current shape of the Republican primary polling is as follows:

Nationally

Candidate	Percent Support	Points Behind
Mitt Romney	29.4%	0
Newt Gingrich	16.4%	-13.0%
Rick Santorum	14.4%	-15.0%
Ron Paul	13.0%	-16.4%
Rick Perry	6.6%	-22.8%
Jon Huntsman	3.2%	-26.2%

South Carolina

Candidate	Percent Support	Points Behind
Mitt Romney	29.7%	0
Newt Gingrich	22.0%	-7.7%
Ron Paul	15.0%	-14.7%
Rick Santorum	14.3%	-15.4%
Rick Perry	5.7%	-24.0%
Jon Huntsman	5.3%	-24.4%

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Jon Huntsman will drop out of the Republican presidential race and endorse Mitt Romney at a press conference here on Monday, RCP has confirmed.

Huntsman had vowed to continue his longshot candidacy after his third-place finish in the New Hampshire primary last week and had spent the last couple of days campaigning in South Carolina, including a retail stop in Charleston on Sunday.

But after failing to improve his position as barely a blip in the polls and with no conceivable path to the GOP nomination, the former Utah governor -- who had attempted to run as a moderate pragmatist in a GOP environment that did not appear to be yearning for one -- made the final determination that he had no feasible path forward.

A campaign official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told RCP that while Huntsman and his family were encouraged by the candidate’s finish in New Hampshire, where he had been mired in fifth-place before a late surge in the days before the primary, they became more realistic upon moving on to South Carolina, where there was little appetite for his candidacy.

Source: Real Clear Politics

Stand Against Chaos and Old Night

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:25:00 +0000

Addenda: A short 11 minute piece from the John Batchelor Show in defense of capitalism against the wolves at the door.
Download an MP3 and share with people so they can understand the utter ignorance of those attacking Bain Capital.

No wonder the Republican Party is so fractured with factions. People have forgotten what conservatism really is or where it came from (some have been so clueless as to look in a dictionary instead to Burke or Kirk) and have no clue about what capitalism looks like. They think jobs are a sinecure & an employer should never reduce the number of employees or change the way they do things in order to become more efficient and that buying out the competition is sacrilegious. They fail to see [Facebook Link] that capitalism is basically survival of the fittest and that government intervention in the market (and Wall Street) has distorted market forces and businesses have had to pay out bribes and to politicians and special interest groups...both on the Left and the Right...banks have been forced to give loans to people that should never have gotten loans to begin with and that led to a whole cascade of problems that we still have yet to recover from as illustrated in the video below:

We are in a race between education and catastrophe...

If you dare call yourself a conservative, then you should read "The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot" (Amazon Link) to more fully understand what conservatism is and what it means and how you should apply it in your life. You may decide after reading it that this is not what you are and you have been led astray by other people who were just using conservatism as a buzz word without really knowing what they were saying or allying themselves with.

This book is also chock full of references to conservative thinkers and books they have written. When you read it, keep a notepad handy to write down names, books and ideas. If you wish to preserve our traditions, to stand against the forces of chaos and old night...this book is the best place to get you started on that path.

"In essence, the conservative person is simply one who finds the permanent things more pleasing than Chaos and Old Night." ~Russell Kirk

And, if I may, I'd suggest that knowing where we came from is very important. David McCullough says it far better than I can, so I'll post a link to a talk he gave at Hillsdale College in February of 2005, an excerpt of that is below:

We are raising a generation of young Americans who are by-and-large historically illiterate. And it’s not their fault. There have been innumerable studies, and there’s no denying it. I’ve experienced it myself again and again. I had a young woman come up to me after a talk one morning at the University of Missouri to tell me that she was glad she came to hear me speak, and I said I was pleased she had shown up. She said, ”Yes, I’m very pleased, because until now I never understood that all of the 13 colonies —the original 13 colonies—were on the east coast.“ Now you hear that and you think: What in the world have we done? How could this young lady, this wonderful young American, become a student at a fine university and not know that? I taught a seminar at Dartmouth of seniors majoring in history, honor students, 25 of them. The first morning we sat down and I said, ”How many of you know who George Marshall was?“ Not one. There was a long silence and finally one young man asked, ”Did he have, maybe, something to do with the Marshall Plan?“ And I said yes, he certainly did, and that’s a good place to begin talking about George Marshall.

We have to do several things. First of all we have to get across the idea that we have to know who we were if we’re to know who we are and where we’re headed. This is essential. We have to value what our forebears—and not just in the 18th century, but our own parents and grandparents—did for us, or we’re not going to take it very seriously, and it can slip away. If you don’t care about it—if you’ve inherited some great work of art that is worth a fortune and you don’t know that it’s worth a fortune, you don’t even know that it’s a great work of art and you’re not interested in it—you’re going to lose it.

Source: Imprimus

Don't take my word for it. Investigate for yourself. Make up your own mind.

Mitt Romney Wins the 2012 New Hampshire Primary

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:01:00 +0000

The New Hampshire Primary was yesterday and the results were pretty evident early on as Mitt Romney made it 2-0 so far this campaign cycle. On the strength of Independent and Democratic voters, Ron Paul finished second and Jon Huntsman third. Gingrich squeaked out a fourth place over Rick Santorum's fifth place finish.

Here are the speeches the candidates gave last night.

Next week is the South Carolina primary, where Mitt Romney is also favored to win.

Mitt Romney's Victory Speech

Ron Paul's Speech on finishing in second place

Jon Huntsman on finishing in third place

Newt Gingrich on finishing in fourth place

Rick Santorum on finishing in fifth place

There were no videos of Rick Perry's remarks on his finish in New Hampshire.

Macon County Commissioners 01-10-2012 Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:08:00 +0000

**Jan 16th 3.41am** Here is the video of this three plus hour meeting of the Macon County Commissioners:

**9.26am Jan 11th** Here is the audio from last night's three hours plus marathon meeting of the Macon County Commissioners:

Right Click to Download MP3

It may be another 24 hours before I can get the video out. I apologize for the delay.

The Macon County commissioners will be meeting tonight at 6pm. There will be a service award presentation to county employees and a reception for those employees and newly minted county commissioner James Tate prior to the regular meeting at 5:30pm.

I will be at both events and will cover the meeting via my @ThunderPig twitter account [ http://twitter.com/ThunderPig ] you can follow the meeting via the previous link or on the widget below the agenda. I will have audio available tonight a couple of hours after the meeting and hope to have the video edited and uploaded by late tomorrow afternoon.

The agenda and other meeting documents are below:

MACON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

JANUARY 10, 2012

AGENDA

5:30 p.m. Presentation of county service awards per Attachment #1 and reception for service award recipients and Commissioner Tate

Call to order and welcome at 6 p.m. by Chairman Corbin

Announcements

Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

Public Hearing (6:00 p.m.) – Proposed Macon County Community Transportation Program Application

Public Comment Period

Adjustments to and approval of the agenda

Reports/Presentations

Update on Smoky Mountain Center – Shelly Foreman, Director
Macon County Community Foundation United Gift Fund – Louise Henry
Update on dialysis center – Commissioner Beale
Board member committee assignments – Chairman Corbin

Old Business

New Business

Community Transportation Program Resolution – Kim Angel – Macon County Transit Director
Community Transformation Grant Application – Jim Bruckner and Becky Barr with Macon County Public Health
Right-of-way Agreement with Duke Energy – County Manager
Funding for local match for airport paving project – County Manager
Improvements to Small Business Development Center (incubator building) – County Manager
Improvements to new Sheriff’s Department office space – County Manager
Barrett Building elevator construction project – County Manager
NC Department of Transportation proposal regarding McCoy Bridge – County Manager

Consent Agenda – Attachment #11

All items below are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion. No separate discussion will be held except on request of a member of the Board of Commissioners.

Minutes
Budget Amendments
Tax Releases
NC 2-1-1

Appointments

Planning Board (2 seats)

Closed session – Per G.S. 143-381.11(5), with regard to property acquisition

Adjournment/Recess

Here is info regarding a public hearing scheduled tonight:

A couple of bid proposals (image file then PDF of bid form (including download link):

BIDNO4375-02

RFP02-4375p

NBC News-Facebook Republican Debate Stream Begins at 9am Full Video of Debate Available

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:23:00 +0000

As if we haven't seen enough debates during the Republican primary, here is another that will be streamed from 9am to 10:30 am this morning. Since I am not going to church this morning *cough cough*, I might as well watch it, too.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And here is an archived video playlist of the debate for you to watch. If someone uploads it as a single video, I will embed it here, too.

**January 9, 2012 at 6.09am** Here it is in one video:

Full Video of Republican Debate at Saint Anselm College

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:47:00 +0000

Here is the Republican forum that was hosted by ABC News and Yahoo! at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire last night.

Here is an alternate video in case the other one gets removed.

US Senator Rubio Sends Letter to President Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:22:00 +0000

In a scathing letter to President Obama, US Senator Rick Rubio has told told the President "I will oppose your request to continue borrowing and spending recklessly." The full letter is below.

In my opinion, this signifies that Rubio is interested in becoming the running mate of who ever wins the Republican Nomination this year.

Hat Tip to The Drudge Report and Human Events.

Obama Debt Ceiling Letter - FINAL

Daily Briefing for January 6, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:07:00 +0000

Here is a morning linkfest, or "Daily Briefing" of what's going on that I've found interesting during my early morning prowl of the Internet.

The Republican Nomination

[C-SPAN] Newt Gingrich Takes Questions From NH Tea Party Voters

Mitt Romney 27%
Newt Gingrich 19%
Ron Paul 13%
Rick Santorum 11%
Rick Perry 6%
Jon Huntsman 2%

[The Argo Journal] Gallup 2012 Republican Nomination Daily Tracking Survey

TAMPA — After months of behind-the-scenes planning but little in-front-of-the-microphones discussion, Tampa officials Thursday provided a better glimpse of security plans for the Republican National Convention.

No word yet on where the secure perimeter around the convention will go, but officials plan to have 3,000 to 4,000 police officers on duty each day of the event, scheduled for Aug. 27-30.

[Tampa Bay Times] Tampa City Council approves police upgrades for 2012 GOP National Convention

[National Journal] Santorum & the GOP's Changing Coalition

[Newsbusters] NBC's Curry: Santorum About to Go Through 'Meat Grinder;'

[Washington Examiner] Romney wins the battle, but can he win the war?

[Red State] Another Awkward Rick Santorum Vote

So Jon Huntsman can speak Mandarin and also he adopted a little Chinese girl who was abandoned in a market. Providing us with yet more evidence that they are mostly liberal Democrats who are mad that Obama has governed too far to the right, Ron Paul supporters decided this was a good reason to produce a video putting Huntsman in a Mao hat and jacket, complete with what is I guess supposed to be a Chinese version of blackface.
[Red State] You Stay Classy, Ron Paul Supporters

[Race 4 2012] Romney vs. Santorum on Economics

[Real Clear Politics] America's Five Political Parties

[Boston Globe] For vision and national unity, Huntsman for GOP nominee

[The Caucus] Gingrich Campaign Defends Remarks on Food Stamps

[Daily Paul] Vote Fraud, Power, and Privilege in Small Town Iowa

Miscellaneous

Irredeemably or not, has America become a fascist state? How many products can you buy, services hire, or activities perform that are still utterly free from the hand of government? Where has law permitted state intrusion of dubious constitutionality, and in how many realms has law been abandoned to bureaucratic whim?

[The Imaginative Conservative] The Bill of Reichs: Is America Fascist?

[Independent Political Report] Cindy Sheehan: The Anti-war movement was co-opted by the Democrats

The Libertarian Party Platform Committee met in December in Las Vegas. It adopted 16 proposals, two of which include "pending amendments". (A pending amendment is subject to an initial majority vote by the convention delegates before the proposal it amends receives its usual up-or-down 2/3 vote.)

[Libertarian Intelligence] Libertarian Party Platform Committee Adopts Report

[Political Pistachio] National Defense Authorization Act Became More Sinister For Obama

World War IV

Kyle, the recipient of five Bronze Stars and two Silver Stars, revealed to O’Reilly why he punched former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, knocking him to the floor. Kyle said that he encountered Ventura at a bar while attending the wake of a fallen SEAL, and that Ventura started bad-mouthing America, then-President Bush, and the Iraq war. When Kyle asked him to tone it down so as not to upset the family, Ventura said, “You [the Navy SEALs] deserve to lose a few guys.” Kyle then punched him and took off running!

[Fox News] American's Most Lethal Navy SEAL Sniper Tells Gripping Tale About Killing 'Savages'

The al Qaeda-linked Ansar al Islam released a statement announcing the name of its new leader. The Iraqi terror group also announced that it would fly a new flag.

In a statement released on jihadist websites yesterday, Ansar al Islam named Abu Hashim Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman al Ibrahim as its leader. The brief statement, which was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, is dated Dec. 15, 2011 and was signed by the "Command of Ansar al Islam."

[The Long War Journal] Ansar al Islam names new leader

The new military strategy includes $487 billion in cuts over the next decade. An additional $500 billion in cuts could be coming if Congress follows through on plans for deeper reductions. The announcement comes weeks after the U.S. officially ended the Iraq War and after a decade of increased defense spending in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

[American Power] Obama Slashes Pentagon Budget Amid Growing International Danger

Mark Whittington argues that the upcoming joint exercise between the US and Israel constitutes a change in policy by the Obama administration.
The exercise represents a change in Obama administration strategy, made necessary by the failure of the old one. The Obama administration had made it a point to put distance between it and the government of Israel, going so far as to deliberately slight its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. At the same time it attempted an policy of engagement with America's enemies in the Middle East, particularly Iran. It also supported regime change in Egypt and in Libya, the latter with military force.

[Israel Matzav] Does the US-Israel joint missile exercise represent a change in US policy?

Bharti, A 15 year-old, is the 18th Hindu girl to have been reportedly abducted, forced to convert to Islam, and forced to marry a Muslim man, in the Lyari area of Karachi, a city in the south of Pakistan, the Express Tribune of India reported yesterday. The real number is probably much higher. In 2009, in the province of Sindh 18 Hindu girls had also been kidnapped.

The family of the teenage girl filed a complaint with Bhagdadi police station, and a court hearing has begun. On the first day of the hearing Bharti -- who has been renamed Ayesha, apparently after the favorite wife of Islam's prophet Mohammed -- appeared "clad in a black 'abaya' " and hardly acknowledged her parent's presence.

[People of Shambhala] Abductions of Hindu girls, forced conversions to Islam, on the rise in Pakistan

[Atlas shrugs] 19-Year Anniversary of Massacre of Serbs by Bosnian Muslim Forces

Latin American Dictators in the News

Hugo Chavez has a new theory: that the US has developed a secret technology and is using it to give cancer to left wing Latin American rulers that we don’t like. After all, Fidel Castro, the Hero of Venezuela himself, the president of Paraguay, the current and former presidents of Brazil and now Cristina Kirchner of Argentina have all come down with (quite different) cancers.

[The American Interest] Chavez Falls Off The Edge of the World

(Reuters) - Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Thursday the world was on an "inexorable march toward the abyss," which he blamed in part on the discovery and exploitation of vast reserves of so-called "shale gas" around the world.

Shale gas is natural gas locked in rock formations that in the past decade has been found in great abundance around the world and is now considered a top source of future energy.

Castro, 85, wrote in one of his occasional columns published in Cuban state media that "numerous dangers threaten us, but two of them - nuclear war and climate change - are decisive and both are ever further from approaching a solution."

[Reuters] Fidel Castro says world marching into abyss with shale gas

That's all I had time for this morning. I hope you enjoyed the links and clicked on through to the websites to read the full articles.

The John Batchelor Show for January 4, 2012 Monitoring and Commenting Upon World Events

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:33:00 +0000

The John Batchelor Show is an essential tool for understanding the new order in the 21st Century. The world is now facing a dangerous and fanatical enemy determined to destroy Western civilization on both political and military fronts. In this, the first great ideological battle of the new millennium, it is imperative to know the major players and the theaters in which they operate.

The John Batchelor Show features a multitude of distinctive elements. John's themes cover every detail - from military battles, presidential campaigns, planetary exploration, and Hollywood politicos to his own international travel. John has broadcast from many corners of the world and in his program he calls out to all points, including New York, Jerusalem, Des Moines, Kazakhstan, Orlando, Manchester, Morocco, Boston, Taipei, Washington, and Baghdad.

What follows is an example of the most recent show that aired last night and early this morning.
I have swiped the show notes and audio and have re-posted them here to whet your interest in the show:

Hour One, 9pm to 10pm
Co-host: Gordon Chang, The Daily and Forbes.com

Wednesday 905P Eastern Time (605P Pacific Time): Victor Shih, Northwestern, in re: Gordon Chang today was named by the Peoples Daily as "an enemy of the state." Congratulations are pouring in from all over the world. VS: Central Bank of China minting bushels of new money; slowed rate slightly in 2011: bankruptcies among smaller firms; fundamentals of economy are that it's highly addicted to money minted by the central bank. Borrowers are localities, don't generate enough cash to pay even the owed interest, let alone the principal. Borrowers cannot replay the state-issued loans; many defaults. Liquidity trap. People speculating in garlic, ginger. Rich are moving money overseas; significant putflows. M2 in China in November was 134% of US M2 - even though the total Chinese economy is less than half of the US. Only England and Switzerland are higher. Reforms run into huge resistance from vested interests: whose bosses often sit on the Central Committee. Bonds coming due this year from Beijing Olympics; govt estimate is 10 trillion RMB. Meanwhile, land sales - main way that local authorities raise money to repay - are now slowed. Beijing probably will just issue new bonds to replace the old ones- playing Monopoly. Caveat emptor.

Wednesday 920P Eastern Time (620P Pacific Time): Nury Turkel, past president of Uyghur-American Assn, in re: Radio Free Asia said that four of the people detained after the confrontation in Xinjiang were children, and that they had been part of a group trying to flee the country. Several dead - children and their mothers. Increased volatility day by day because the govt is growing more repressive; govt fighting local Muslim celebrations, also Rebiya Khadeer. Uyghurs are refused passports (as are Tibetans). Han Chinese get passports within two weeks. Beijing claims that the children were "being kidnapped to be trained in jihad." "Terrorism: was never part of the terminology historically; now used with abandone, as they even call HH the Dalai Lama that. Fifteen Uyghurs fleeing; intercepted in a village, authorities open fire and kill seven, then capture the children. "Punishment on the spot"policy: anyone with a Uyghur or Tibetan name will be shot on the spot. Pakistan helps China by jailing and deporting Uyghurs back to China - horrible track record, as do many of China's neighbors. Ethnic cleansing.

Wednesday 935P Eastern Time (635P Pacific Time): Hotel Mars. David Livingston, The Space Show, in re: On 23 Dec, unmanned Soyuz launch failed. Russia appointed a hard-liner, Deputy PM Dmitri Rogozin, to investigate and fix Russian rocket problems. Will use "harsh criminal penalties" vs those associaed with hardware failres. The Russians state "This [whether Rogozin succeeds or not] is not an academic question. The United States and its international partners are solely dependent upon Russia for access to the International Space Station. The American government should seriously consider ways of accelerating its schedule for fielding replacement vehicles to end that dependency." Russia has now blocked outsiders from seeing Russian space sites. Also: Republican candidates for the presidencey: What would a Pres Romney do about the space program? During one debate, all the candidates said "no such expenditures." Gingrich favors commercial space; Romney attacked him therefor. Safety: Soyuz isn't certified by anyone as it's totally Russian. We put astronauts on whatever the Russians put up.

Wednesday 950P Eastern Time (650P Pacific Time): Henry Miller, Hoover, in re: H5N1

Hour Two, 10pm to 11pm
Wednesday 1005P Eastern (705P Pacific Time): Naomi Rovnick, freelance journalist in Taiwan, in re: Taiwanese elections, 14 January.

Wednesday 1020P Eastern (720P Pacific Time): Bruce Bechtol, San Angelo State, in re: Lee Myung-bak willing to "open the door" but says North Korea's Kim Jong-un must be "sincere" and eschew provocation.

Wednesday 1035P Eastern (735P Pacific Time): Arif Rafiq, Pakistan Policy blog, in re: Taliban to open Qatari office in a step toward formal talks.

Wednesday 1050P Eastern (750P Pacific Time): Joseph Sternberg, business editor, Asia Wall Street Journal, in re: No foreign investment in Chinese car mfrg. Unfortunately, Chinese companies don't yet know how to bld cars as well yet as some foreigners do. "Lot rot" in 2009-2010, Beijing forced state enterprises and localities to buy huge numbers of cars - which hey couldn't use, so they just parked them in lots, where they sit and decay. Beijing can;t fathom 1.4 billion people making individual decisions. Gili bought Volvo; will have to make mountains of Volvos and then park them somewhere. Can we buy these cheap and move 'em out of China? Typical Chinese market distortion.

"Some foreign businesses have complained over the past year or two that the business environment in China has become less friendly. And now it might appear as though the auto industry is the latest addition to the 'not welcome' list. Beijing's National Development and Reform Commission, responsible for economic planning, recently announced it would stop supporting foreign investment in car manufacturing. But appearances can be deceiving. This is really a story of how, while the investment climate might not become 'better' or 'worse,' it does become different, and foreigners will have to adapt."

Hour 3, 11pm to midnight
Wednesday 1105P Eastern (805P Pacific Time): Adam Nossiter, NYT, in re: famine in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Wednesday 1120P Eastern (820P Pacific Time): Bret Stephens, WSJ, in re; European Union eurozone fail; lessons to be learned for the US.

Wednesday 1135P Eastern (835P Pacific Time): Aaron Klein, WABC, in re: Hamas aggression in Cairo, Iranian aggression in the Middle East.

Wednesday 1150P Eastern (850P Pacific Time): Reza Kahlili, author, in re: Iran threatens the Fifth Fleet; turmoil in the IRGC.

Hour 4, Midnight to 1am
Wednesday/Thurs 1205A Eastern (905 Pacific Time):

Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton, 1 of 2

Wednesday/Thurs 1220A Eastern (920 Pacific Time):

Eisenhower: The White House Years by Jim Newton, 2 of 2

Wednesday/Thurs 1235A Eastern (935P Pacific Time): Hotel Mars. David Livingston, The Space Show, in re: On 23 Dec, unmanned Soyuz launch failed. Russia appointed a hard-liner, Deputy PM Dmitri Rogozin, to investigate and fix Russian rocket problems. Will use "harsh criminal penalties" vs those associaed with hardware failres. The Russians state "This [whether Rogozin succeeds or not] is not an academic question. The United States and its international partners are solely dependent upon Russia for access to the International Space Station. The American government should seriously consider ways of accelerating its schedule for fielding replacement vehicles to end that dependency." Russia has now blocked outsiders from seeing Russian space sites. Also: Republican candidates for the presidencey: What would a Pres Romney do about the space program? During one debate, all the candidates said "no such expenditures." Gingrich favors commercial space; Romney attacked him therefor. Safety: Soyuz isn't certified by anyone as it's totally Russian. We put astronauts on whatever the Russians put up.

Wednesday/Thurs 1250A Eastern (950P Pacific Time): Exeunt. Julie Jargon, WSJ, in re: fast food in China and Egypt.

For more information on The John Batchelor Show, please visit the following websites:

Listen Live on WABC Radio from 9pm to 1am 7 nights a week

The John Batchelor Show website

The WABC Radio Podcast webpage (you can download the show yourself, as I do every morning)

Wikipedia Article on John Batchelor

Facebook Page (for fans)

Twitter Account

My previous articles on the show

NC General Assembly Calendar for 01-05-2012

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:06:00 +0000

The North Carolina General Assembly convened today in accordance with the Adjournment Resolution. There are also a some committees meeting today, and sessions of the NC Senate and the NC House were scheduled for shortly after midnight. Read more about that at WRAL or the News-Record. In short, after the NC Senate overturned the governor's veto of SB-9 by a vote of 31-19, the legislature recessed and reconvened after midnight in order to overturn another gubernatorial veto. The governor vetoed SB 727 and the NC House overrode the veto by a vote of 69-45.

If you cannot listen to these meetings live, check back later to see if I have. If I do, I'll post the audio (and a download link) for the meeting at the top of this page. You can also follow what is happening in the NC General Assembly by keeping an eye on the hashtag #ncga on Twitter.

If I haven't been able to listen, please check with Voter Radio. You should already be subscribing to their podcasts anyway. I do.

Link for audio webcasts by room. The old linking system no longer works.

Here is the legislative calendar with more details:

12:01 AM	Session Convenes (House)	House
12:15 AM	Session Convenes (Senate)	Senate
9:00 AM	Economic Development & Global Engagement Oversight Committee, Joint Legislative Committee Website	544 LOB
9:00 AM	House Select Committee on Early Childhood Education Development Committee Website	643 LOB
1:00 PM	Information Technology, Jt Leg Oversight Comm. Committee Website	1027/1128 LB
1:00 PM	Marine Fisheries Committee (LRC)(2011) Committee Website	643 LOB

Help Make Obama a One Term President

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Candidate Obama had these words to say when running for the office of President of the United States of America.

If you think that President Obama has done a good job and should be re-elected, do nothing.

If you think that President Obama has not done a good job and should be replaced, then you should get off your behind (and away from the keyboard) and get involved in replacing him.

If you have a favorite candidate for President in the Republican party, you should donate money and time to help that campaign win the nomination. If your candidate does not win the nomination, you can either join the winning campaign or (if your ego prevents that) get involved with the local Republican party efforts to Get Out The Votes during the early election period and on election day.