Happy Memorial Day!

An important message from Col. North this Memorial Day.  The RC Blog is a proud supporter of Freedom Alliance and the great work they do for the families of our troops.  Happy Memorial Day!!!!

31 May, 2010

Dear Patriotic American,

Today, on this Memorial Day, let us remember that America's freedom is secured by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen and Marines who risk their lives in the service of our country.

Throughout our history, many of these heroes have made the ultimate sacrifice. This is a time to honor their memory.

Let me tell you about one of these American heroes and how we at Freedom Alliance have tried to honor his service.

His name was Robert Daniel, a Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force. In 1977, Robert enlisted in the Air Force, and during his 17 years of distinguished service, participated in Operation Urgent Fury, which rescued American citizens from the island of Grenada in 1983. In 1989 he participated in Operation Just Cause in Panama and flew combat missions in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq.

In 1994, Technical Sergeant Daniel was flying a mission to provide support to U.S. ground forces in Somalia when his plane crashed in the Indian Ocean. He was 35 years old, and left behind his wife and two little girls, Savanna and Tamra.

When it came time for his girls to go to college, Freedom Alliance provided them with scholarships to help them receive the college education that their parents always wanted for them. We are proud that we were able to help Savanna and Tamra Daniel with Freedom Alliance scholarships, and we are grateful that you and many other patriotic Americans made it possible with your support of Freedom Alliance.

In fact, Savannah received a scholarship from Freedom Alliance during each of her four years of college. And here is more good news...earlier this month, Savanna graduated from Park University in Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design.

Savanna told us: "My father was in the United States Air Force and he was killed in the line of duty when I was five. Honestly, I would rather have my Dad in my life again than having my college paid for, but I am greatly privileged to have a scholarship to fulfill my dreams."

This year, 201 students - each the son or daughter of an American hero - received a scholarship from Freedom Alliance. Our Scholarship Fund is a Living Memorial to America's military heroes, who have sacrificed life or limb in defense of our country.

You can help make education dreams come true for the hundreds of the sons and daughters of our brave defenders of freedom with your special Memorial Day gift to Freedom Alliance today.

In addition to the help we provide through our Scholarship Fund, Freedom Alliance helps and honors America's servicemembers all year round through our "Support Our Troops" program.

Freedom Alliance provides assistance to wounded troops recuperating at military hospitals and those serving on the frontlines of battle. Our goal is to make their rehabilitation or deployment just a little easier.

Throughout the year, we ship care packages - "Gifts From Home" - to troops deployed overseas. These parcels are filled with items that are not available to them in the desert, but make their time away from home a little more bearable. They are filled with items such as candy and snacks, books and magazines, music and movies, and special notes and greetings from caring Americans.

Last year, we shipped more than 14,000 pounds of "Gifts from Home" care packages, to our troops on the frontlines and have sent thousands more already this year.

These Gifts from Home care packages mean so much to our troops in the field. Cynthia, the mother of Army Staff Sergeant William, who was recently deployed to Afghanistan, sent Freedom Alliance this note of appreciation:

"I am writing to thank you from the bottom of my heart. My son is in Afghanistan and again received Freedom Alliance gift boxes and was so thrilled and thankful for everything you sent. There were enough boxes to share the items inside with his troops. Everyone was very grateful and excited about receiving these items from home. Thank you Freedom Alliance for all you do for our troops!"

It is our honor to help. Please know that your support makes it possible for Freedom Alliance to support our troops in this way and in the many other projects and programs that honor those who serve our nation in uniform.

Your special Memorial Day gift today to Freedom Alliance will provide funds for more "Gifts from Home" care packages to our troops and to help and honor our combat wounded service men and women recuperating in military hospitals around the country.

Having made many trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, I can tell you how much these "Gifts from Home" mean to our courageous men and women who are far away from home and their families.

So, I come to you today with an urgent appeal to open your heart with your most generous contribution to Freedom Alliance today. Please CLICK HERE to make your special gift.

As President Ronald Reagan said on May 26, 1986 at Arlington Cemetery: "Memorial Day is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes ...and for us to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others."

Will you join Freedom Alliance and me to pay tribute to our fallen heroes, our frontline warriors and their families? May we count on you, as together we honor and thank them for the sacrifices they have made for our country?

Semper Fidelis,

LtCol Oliver L. North, USMC (Ret.)
Founder and Honorary Chairman
Freedom Alliance

P.S. Please join me in commemorating Memorial Day by flying Old Glory and saying "Thank You" to a veteran who you know or a service man or woman who is serving our nation today. Please pray for our troops deployed overseas and for their families

Sestak Scandal Update

Here's the latest, as reported by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann:

The New York Times revealed this afternoon that anonymous sources have informed it that Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel asked former President Bill Clinton to offer Congressman Joe Sestak a high but unpaid advisory post in the Administration if he would drop out of the Senate race against Senator Arlen Specter. One post mentioned was service on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

The idea was to immunize Obama and Rahm from possible criminal prosecution by using Clinton, not a government employee, as a cut out and to keep the offer to an unpaid job in hopes of not running afoul of the federal bribery statute.

But these evasions will not blunt the force of the law. If Clinton acted at Emanuel's request, he was Rahm's agent and the Chief of Staff is still on the hook. And, an unpaid position is still "something of value" within the meaning of the bribery statute which prohibits the offering of something of value in return for a vote.

And, remember why they wanted Sestak out of the race. The White House needed Specter's vote to kill filibusters and could only get it if he would switch parties, a move he conditioned on getting Sestak to drop out and assure him a clear field for the nomination of his new party. So the bribe offer to Sestak was made by an agent of a government employee, it involved something of value, and it was to procure a vote in the Senate -- all the elements needed for a felony to have taken place.

$23 Billion for Teachers....

I nearly drove off the road the other night when I heard that Reid and Pelosi were spearheading some supplemental spending bills to get passed shortly, which includes $23 billion for NEA and teachers. 

Our country is nearing the point of no return in terms of debt-to-GDP (currently 89%) and we are sending more money to public school teachers.  Leading economists on both sides of the political spectrum agree that when that ratio hits 90%+, economic recovery is a complete impossiblity.  The Left just doesn't get it....

Check this unbelieveable story about a New Jersey public school teacher who was complaining to Governor Christie about her salary:  http://theblogprof.blogspot.com/2010/05/nj-teacher-who-complained-to-gov-chris.html

The Hostile Spiritual Takeover of Our Nation

Fantastic piece from Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President of Human Life International:

The Hostile Spiritual Takeover of Our Nation

Anyone who has watched national politics closely in the past year and a half has seen a panoply of aggressive political moves that are reported about in hostile terms. There are government "takeovers" of huge industries, public officials "moving against" businesses and individuals, court decisions "striking down" statutes and executive initiatives "attacking" fundamentally sane institutions and plans. Even in times of war, I don't think we have ever had such violent social and political maneuvering in our public life. The worst aspect of it is that all the rapaciousness is directed inward. If we were laying waste the enemies of the innocent citizens of our society in the same way we are consuming our own healthy institutions, how different our public life would be! The current hostile initiatives are nothing of the sort, however. They are essentially demonic takeovers of sacred institutions by the pagans who hold the reins of power.

Let me be clear: I am not saying that our public officials are demons. I am saying that they are acting like demons. Demons lie, cheat and steal - obsessively. It is their nature. Once the demons rejected God, they fell into a dark world devoid of love and dominated by the ethic of the survival of the fittest where "might is right". The human beings that serve them act in much the same way when they implement their agendas and policies. Whenever they are in control of institutions or governments, they lie, cheat and steal. In their minds, they are right because they have the might - and to the victors go the spoils.

But what did we expect, really? Our nation elected unabashedly pagan representatives who are possessed of a tapestry of unclean ideologies who have an almost religious fervor in advancing their control over greater sectors of our common life and economy. The sad part is that these people who govern us are simply being true to their convictions: before the election, they were not abashed in telling us how radical they are, and now we are reaping the fruits of the demonic agenda of the death and destruction that they have brought with them.

I would despair of this situation had I not met so many decent and God-fearing Americans who do not agree with the mainstreaming of paganism into our culture. I have met the virtuous side of America, and it is to these that I write these words of encouragement: be strong! We must be true to the core Christian principles that made this nation great! Be not afraid of the severe conflicts with the pagan world that we will have to endure in the very near future. We are not alone in this battle. There are many more moral and decent Americans than we realize. It's just that the good ones are busy about raising families and keeping the basic fabric of our society intact. They are not the hedonists and manipulators that strive obsessively to control public discourse and institutions. They are there in the background and form the true foundation of our society.

In time, the proper spiritual leadership will emerge which will bind us together and form us into a fighting force called the Church Militant - the only spiritual force that can truly resist the hostile spiritual takeover of our nation. Let us not forget, however, that we must get down on our knees and beg, plead, and implore God to restore our once-great nation to its grandeur. We will not see the dawn of a renewed nation without prayer and sacrifice. The momentum of righteousness, consisting of all the humble goodness taking place at the grass-roots level of the Church and society, will eventually build, and we will take back our nation - not only at the ballot box but above all in the hearts and minds of all those who love God and are doing their best to love their neighbor. We will then be able to cast out the unclean spirits that are destroying everything that we hold sacred, and society will once again be governed by righteous men. For such an end we place our deepest hope in Christ, our true and only Savior!

Get Your Free 'Liberal Media" Bumper Sticker!

Our friends at the Media Research Council are offering free "I Don't Believe the Liberal Media!" bumper stickers. 

Click here to get your sticker!

Human Life International Launches New Affiliate - HLI America

Big announcement late last week from Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, President of Human Life International:

The great founder of Human Life International, Fr. Paul Marx, said time and time again: "When you sow contraception, you reap abortion." The vast majority of Americans just don't get the connection. The truth of his prophetic words continues to unfold before our eyes in the epidemic of promiscuity and the ongoing slaughter of the innocents through abortion. Some of the inherent blindness of this mentality was on display recently when the new Miss USA, a Catholic-school-educated Lebanese American named Rima Fakih, said that she thinks birth control should be paid for by insurance companies. Unfortunately, Miss Fakih is not unique in her opinion at all. She represents what I call the "default mentality" of our age, which believes that contraception is both a "medication" (as Miss Fakih said) and a legitimate part of "healthcare."

Now, in memory of Fr. Marx who did everything he could to stem the tide of contraception, HLI is taking the extraordinary step of setting up an American affiliate known simply as HLI America. With affiliates and associates in over 100 countries, I have often been asked if HLI does any pro-life work in our own country. In answering this fair question I usually point to the hundreds of pro-life groups all around the country and the thousands of Pregnancy Care Centers and let people know that the bases are well-covered here, but not overseas. In fact, HLI literally is the pro-life movement in dozens of countries that would not have any organized opposition to the culture of death were it not for our presence.

However...

Very few pro-life groups in our country are dealing with the root cause of abortion, which is the Pernicious Pill and all other forms of contraception that have given the abortion industry its feeder system of contraceptive failures and the devaluing of women and children. "Sow contraception, reap abortion" is dead on. We might add that contraception also reaps infanticide of baby girls, male sexual irresponsibility, marital and family breakdown and a whole host of other evils that afflict our society today.

Our choice for heading up HLI America is the very dynamic Jenn Giroux who, as a Registered Nurse and a mother of nine, has a proven track record of fighting contraception. I have met a lot of people throughout the last million miles I have travelled, and, among them, very few stand out as being as authentic, committed and ready for battle as Jenn. She is someone I can fully endorse as part of the HLI mission. I am delighted to introduce Mrs. Giroux as Executive Director of HLI America to our Spirit & Life audience and let you know that she deserves our full support in this magnificent work she is undertaking.

What will HLI America do? We're going to fight the "big lie" of contraception head on and promote the value and beauty of large families. American culture desperately needs these twin witnesses! As part of this effort, HLI America will also be launching the Association of Large Families (ALFA) soon as a way of affirming the most degraded and despised institution in America after the Catholic Priesthood - the large family. Stay tuned for more information on this initiative in the future.

Please take a moment to look at the HLI America website and then join Jenn Giroux and HLI in this effort to attack the culture of death in America at its root: the culture of contraception. Our challenge is to take on this issue, and the overwhelming power and influence of the mass media, in order to stop its distortion of the truth regarding contraception. Otherwise, Miss USA and the men and women of this upcoming generation will continue to wallow in their ignorance and further promote the big lie, while families continue to suffer.

Two Key Victories for R.C. Blog Supported Candidates!

On Saturday, two candidates supported and endorsed by the R.C. Blog, captured key victories at GOP conventions. 

First, in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, Howie Lind captured the majority of the 823 delegates in attendance and was elected as the District's new GOP Chairman.  Here are a few of Lind's post-victory comments:

"I am humbled beyond words for the trust you have placed in my hands today. I pledge to you that I will exhaust every energy that I posses to return your confidence in me a hundred fold. For those of you who did not support me today, nonetheless I am your Chairman as well. And I pledge to you that I will work just as hard to earn your support in the future.

These are scary times. Our Republic, in my judgment at least, is in dangerous waters. I fear for our Virginia and our America. I don't want to be counted as one of those who saw great danger and did nothing. I don't think you do either.

What we are being called to do is stand on the barricades here - in the 10th District. And to do more that we ever thought we could. We hope and pray that others in other districts all across the Commonwealth and the nation are doing likewise. Perhaps some will see our example here and say, 'Yes - I can make a stand right where I am, just like those Virginians in the 10th District!'

In the end, we are called to defend our traditions and values by our very hard work in the upcoming years and by our votes. That's what we are called to - hard work and passionate commitment.

Again, you have my heartfelt gratitude and my thanks. And I ask Our Great God to bless this land and bless you and bless our families. And I ask Him, humbly, to bless our efforts for the preservation of His gift of Liberty."

In Wisconsin, GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker captured 91.3 percent of the delegate vote at the Wisconsin GOP convention in Milwaukee over rival and former congressman Mark Neuwmann. 

That gives Walker access to money, volunteers, voter and donor lists, and additional party resources to mount his campaign. Neumann will still appear on the primary ballot in September.

Walker got loud applause, ringing bells, and a lot of sign waving as he spoke to the crowd at the Frontier Airlines Center Saturday night. The winner of the Republican primary will likely face Democrat Tom Barrett in November.

Howie Lind for GOP Chairman of Virginia's 10th Congressional District

ReaganConservatives.us is proud to support and endorse Howie Lind for Virginia's 10th Congressional District GOP Chairman at tomorrow's GOP Convention in Warrenton, Va.  Howie has been a strong supporter over the years of Conservative values and beliefs and he is the true "Reagan Conservative" of this race!  He has done a remarkable job over the past two years on the State Central Committee representing the 10th District and has a wealth of personal and professional experiences, including serving as a Naval Officer for 20 years, Bush appointee, and now an industry executive, all of which make him the right candidate for the job.

Lind started considering a run for Chairman back in 2008.  "I looked around and realized after 2008 that if every one of us didn't pick up a tool and start rebuilding our Party and our nation, nothing would change," Lind told the RC Blog.  "This is in the true Reagan mold - we, the people need to be responsible. I saw this specific position as the place I could serve the most effectively."

He added, "We have many great challenges here in Virginia, but our greatest is to return to a 'narrative' of why Conservatism - the Constitution - matters to every American.  I will bring passion, honesty, and a willingness to work, work, work to elect Conservatives in the 10th District of Virginia."

In reflecting on what it means to be a "Reagan Conservative", Lind said, "Individual liberty and God ordained government - where every citizen is the captain of his or her future, and the state is a minimal intrusion. Freedom works! The great conservative agenda of Reagan is the continuing historic vision of our Founders."

ReaganConservatives.us Supports and Endorses Howie Lind for GOP Chairman of Virginia's 10th Congressional District! Paint the 10th Red!

Editor's Note:  The RC Blog has received a number of emails since last night about a Dave Schmidt email that was widely distributed to convention delegates from "ReaganConservatives".  Let me assure you that it did not come from my site or blog.  Mr. Schmidt sounds like a nice gentleman and family man who has been instrumental in the party out in the Leesburg area, but this site and its contributors have been in Howie's corner since the day he announced he was running. 

A reminder to convention delegates, you MUST attend and vote to be counted!  You must arrive at Fauquier High School in Warrenton (click here for map), before 10:00 a.m. and bring a picture ID with you for registration.  Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and you must be in registration line by 10:00 a.m. to be able to vote.

Cuccinelli Thrills Pro-Family NOVA Crowd on Monday

Nearly 100 grassroots activists, elected officials and candidates for office attended the Prince William and Manassas Family Alliance Gala dinner Monday evening where they were addressed by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

Cuccinelli gave an update on the lawsuit filed on behalf of the Commonwealth by his office concerning the recently passed federal health care legislation. Cuccinelli argues that the provision in the health care act that requires Americans to purchase health care insurance is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Interestingly, Cuccinelli referenced George Washington University Law School professor and oft quoted “legal expert” Jonathan Turley in his defense, saying that Turley has argued that the federal health care act could indeed be the final blow to the Founder’s vision of “federalism.” Should Cuccinelli’s suit, or the other suits being brought by other states, fail, Turley insinuates that there would then be very little left outside the control or influence of the federal government.

Cuccinelli added, if the government can compel its citizens to purchase one product (health insurance) there is nothing to stop it from purchasing another product (say, a car made by GM).

Essentially, Cuccinelli is arguing that individual citizens who do not have health insurance, and thus are not participating in the “interstate commerce” of health care insurance, cannot be compelled to purchase health insurance by the federal government under the interstate commerce clause of the federal constitution. Case law surrounding the interstate commerce clause is lengthy and confusing to say the least. However, there appears to be no other example where the courts have ruled economic inactivity to be interstate commerce (one exception being from 1792 when Congress compelled people to buy guns – really).

Ultimately, this case is likely to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Cuccinelli estimates that won’t take place until at least mid-2012. The individual mandate in the health care bill doesn’t take effect until 2014.

Currently, 21 states, including Virginia, are involved with some type of lawsuit against the federal government concerning the health care bill. The two primary suits are in Virginia and Florida. The Virginia General Assembly also passed the Health Care Freedom Act during this year’s session, legislation that protects Virginians from being forced to buy health insurance.

Cuccinelli urged the crowd Monday to take advantage of the times to educate and inform their friends and family, particularly their children, on the first principles of our nation’s founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Many people today do not know enough about our Founding or what those documents say to understand the implications of the federal government’s take over of what has always been a private enterprise.

Few disagree that there is need for some type of health reform in our nation. But few outside the beltway or among the academic left believe that the federal government is capable of managing our nation’s health care system wisely.

Source:  The Family Foundation

Reality Check

"I love numbers, and today the number from the Congressional Budget Office that this health insurance reform legislation will save $138 billion in the first 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years speaks very eloquently to the deficit reduction that is in our package."
-- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, March 18, 2010


The Reality: On May 11, 2010, the CBO reported that the health care reform legislation that was enacted in March could cost another $115 billion over the next 10 years in federal health care spending. The new estimates include up to $20 billion to enable federal agencies to implement the law, $34 billion for community health centers, and $39 billion for American Indian health care.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up...

After the signing of the Freedom of Press Act yesterday, President Obama declined to take any questions from the press.

During a pooled press event in the Oval Office, President Obama was asked if he would take a couple questions.

"You're certainly free to ask the question," Obama told the reporters in the room. "I won't be answering, I'm not doing a press conference today, but we'll be seeing you in the course of the week."

Again, this was at the Freedom of Press Act signing. Unbelievable...

Napolitano Admits She Hasn't Read Arizona Law But Says She Wouldn't Sign It

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano admits she hasn't read the Arizona immigration law, but passed judgment on it anyway. "That's not the kind of law I would have signed," she declared.

"I believe it's a bad law enforcement law. I believe it mandates and requires local enforcement and puts them in a position many do not want to be placed in," Napolitano said.

"When I was dealing with laws of that ilk, most of the law enforcement agencies in Arizona at that time were opposed to such legislation," she claimed.

Reagan Conservative Scott Walker Touts 'Brown Bag' Approach to Government in Wisconsin

Yesterday, ABC News.com ran the following piece on Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, the young Conservative who is the front-runner to get the GOP nomination in this year's gubernatorial race in Wisconsin.  The RC Blog provided its strong endorsement for Walker more than a year ago and is proud to have worked with him professionally over the past several years.  Not only is he a budding superstar in the national Conservative arena, he is genuinely one of the kindest and most sincere politicians we have ever encountered.  Walker is the quintessential Reagan Conservative...

Wisconsin Republicans have yet to nominate a candidate for governor. Indeed, the state's primary is not until Sept. 14. But two national GOP heavyweights -- former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich -- are bullish on the prospects of Scott Walker, the self-described, brown-bag-packing county executive of Milwaukee.

Two national GOP heavyweights -- former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich -- are bullish on the prospects of Walker, the self-described, brown-bag-packing county executive of Milwaukee.

"The guy is a fantastic candidate," Bush said. "The event that we did together, he gave a stump speech that sounded like it was the last three days of the campaign. I mean, he was on fire. It was, it was, he's the real deal."

The Wisconsin governor's race is one of the 2010 contests that could have implications in the 2012 White House race. Much more so than senators, governors tend to command the kind of state political machinery that can make a difference in a presidential contest.

Although President Obama carried the state by 14 points over John McCain in 2008, the state was a major battleground in 2004 when John Kerry won the state by 1 percent and in 2000 when Al Gore carried the state by less than 1 percent, a mere 5,708 votes.

Walker, 42, has put anecdotes about his personal frugality at the center of his campaign. In all his campaign messaging, he touts himself as someone who "drives a 1998 Saturn with 100,000 miles on it" and who "packs the same brown-bag lunch before heading to the office to save money: two ham and cheese sandwiches on wheat with mayo."

His first television ad touted that he has given back $370,000 in salary over eight years because he thought it was wrong for the county executive to be paid more than the state's governor.

"My wife was like, 'We're doing what?'" Walker said in his first television ad. "But we believe that government spends too much and that included my salary."

Making political hay out of the lunch that he packs for himself, Walker has branded his events around the state as part of a "Brown Bag Movement" that has three tenets: (1) "don't spend more than you have"; (2) "smaller government is better government"; and (3) "people create jobs, not government."

Walker's movement has a website that includes images of brown paper bags with pointed messages on them such as, "I'd be eating out if the government wasn't gobbling up all my money." Another message is, "We spent $780 billion on a stimulus plan and all I got was this brown bag."

During a recent fundraising trip to Washington, D.C., Walker talked to ABC News about the hands-on approach that Gingrich has taken toward his candidacy.

"Newt, my gosh, Newt must e-mail me like every other day, sometimes, I think, with new ideas," Walker said. "Sometimes, it's hard to digest it all."

One part of Walker's appeal to Republican bigwigs is his Milwaukee base. If Walker outperforms the typical Republican in Milwaukee, he said, he believes that traditional Republican strength in more rural parts of the state will power him to victory in November.

"The year I got 60 percent, Obama took two-thirds of the vote in my county," Walker said. "We're going to run to win in Milwaukee County, but if I get, say, 45 percent, it's over."

Another part of Walker's appeal to Republicans is his fiscal record in Milwaukee. The size of the government workforce is down 23 percent from where it was in 2002 and the county debt is down by 10 percent, he said.

Democrats have responded to Walker's "Brown Bag Movement" with their own "Bag Scott Walker" campaign. Walker's critics are eager to use Jeb Bush's support to tie the Wisconsin Republican to the economic record of Jeb Bush's brother, former President George W. Bush.

"Wisconsin cannot afford another Bush recession, which is just what Scott Walker would bring us," Michael Tate, the executive director of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, said.

Walker is also being criticized by Democrats for spending lavishly on the meals associated with campaign fundraising. A March analysis by the Associated Press ran under the headline, "Walker Meals Aren't Always 'Brown Bag.'"

"The campaign's bills for Walker's meals, campaign meetings that included meals for Walker, his staff and others, and food and drinks for fundraising events amount to at least $24,500 since mid-2008," the A.P. wrote.

"By contrast, the campaigns of his GOP primary rival Mark Neumann and Democratic opponent Tom Barrett spent some money on food and drinks for fundraisers but virtually nothing on meals for themselves and their campaign meetings. Both entered the race later than Walker."

Bush, who met Walker last year at a meeting of the Republican Governors Association in Sun Valley, Idaho, said he believes Walker's track record in Wisconsin's most populous county gives his "brown bag" message credibility.

"There are symbols in campaigns and then there are gimmicks," Bush said. "This is a symbol because he's proven he's a thrifty, frugal man. He lives his life in a way, in the way he's served as county executive. So, it's a good connection to how he would serve as governor because he's already done it."

Walker is one of five Republicans whom Bush is backing in competitive gubernatorial primaries: the others are former eBay CEO Meg Whitman in California, former state Sen. Bradley Byrne in Alabama, Attorney General Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania and Attorney General Bill McCollum in Florida.

When endorsing a gubernatorial candidate in a competitive GOP primary, Bush said he looks for someone who is committed to education reform. He also looks for conservative change agents.

"The duty of a leader is to change the way things work if they don't work," Bush said. "And a lot of things aren't working these days."

"Very Encouraging News..."

"And today, I'm happy to report that we received some very encouraging news... I should also note that the unemployment rate ticked up slightly from 9.7 to 9.9 [percent]." President Obama, May 7, 2010.

Unemployed More Than 6 Months

Median length of unemployment:

January 2009: 10.6 weeks
April 2010: 21.6 weeks
May 1983 (highest prior to April 2009): 12.3 weeks

Source: St. Louis Fed

Obama Nominates Pro-Abortion, Anti-Military, Non-Judge to Supreme Court

President Barack Obama has chosen Solicitor General Elena Kagan to join the U.S. Supreme Court as our next Justice, replacing the retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. Not only has Kagan never even been a judge, she has a record of being radically anti-military. She opposes the Soloman Act, signed into law by President Clinton, which states that in order to receive federal funding schools must allow recruiters on campus.

In addition, she hates ROTC programs. When she was Dean of Law at Harvard University she expelled military recruiters and ROTC from campus in defiance of The Soloman Act, which she has argued against in writing and speeches. She, along with 40 other law professors, argued to the Supreme Court against the Soloman Act, but her arguments were rejected by even the more liberal justices.

Former Attorney General Ed Meese released the following statement this morning on the Kagan nomination:

First and foremost, any nominee to a lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court must demonstrate a thorough fidelity to apply the Constitution as it was written, rather than as they would like to re-write it. Given Solicitor General Kagan’s complete lack of judicial experience, and, for that matter, very limited litigation experience, Senators must not be rushed in their deliberative process. Because they have no prior judicial opinions to look to, Senators must conduct a more searching inquiry to determine if Kagan will decide cases based upon what is required by the Constitution as it is actually written, or whether she will rule based upon her own policy preferences.

Though Ms. Kagan has not written extensively on the role of a judge, the little she has written is troubling. In a law review article, she expressed agreement with the idea that the Court primarily exists to look out for the “despised and disadvantaged.” The problem with this view—which sounds remarkably similar to President Obama’s frequent appeals to judges ruling on grounds other than law–is that it allows judges to favor whichever particular client they view as “despised and disadvantaged.” The judiciary is not to favor any one particular group, but to secure justice equally for all through impartial application of the Constitution and laws. Senators should vigorously question Ms. Kagan about such statements to determine whether she is truly committed to the rule of law. Nothing less should be expected from anyone appointed to a life-tenured position as one of the final arbiters of justice in our country.

Sadly, the Senate leadership and mainstream media will portray her as a “centrist” during her confirmation process and with the votes in the Senate, she will most likely get confirmed. The only good news out of this announcement is that she will replace another Liberal activist justice.

Cinco de Mayo Disgrace in California

Another floor has been reached in America this week, this time in Northern California.  Most have heard about the incident by this point, but for those who have not, here is the background story from Fox News:

California Students Sent Home for Wearing U.S. Flags on Cinco de Mayo

Administrators at a California high school sent five students home on Wednesday after they refused to remove their American flag T-shirts and bandannas -- garments the school officials deemed "incendiary" on Cinco de Mayo.

Administrators at a California high school sent five students home on Wednesday after they refused to remove their American flag T-shirts and bandannas -- garments the school officials deemed "incendiary" on Cinco de Mayo.

The five teens were sitting at a table outside Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday morning when Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez asked two of them to remove their American flag bandannas, one of their parents told FoxNews.com. The boys complied, but were asked to accompany Rodriguez to the principal's office.

The five students -- Daniel Galli, Austin Carvalho, Matt Dariano, Dominic Maciel and Clayton Howard -- were then told they must turn their T-shirts inside-out or be sent home, though it would not be considered a suspension. Rodriguez told the students he did not want any fights to break out between Mexican-American students celebrating their heritage and those wearing American flags.

Dariano's mother, Diana, told FoxNews.com she and parents of the other four students are now demanding an apology from officials and are considering a lawsuit.

"We want an apology," Diana Dariano said Thursday. "Who in the United States of America would have an issue with that? It's a sad, sad day."

Dariano said her son has at least four T-shirts with American flags that he wears often and did not try to cause any conflict at school.

"I'm more hurt than anything," she said. "It is so hurtful and disrespectful the way this has turned. These are American kids."

The boys told Rodriguez and Principal Nick Boden that turning their shirts inside-out was disrespectful, so their parents decided to take them home.

"I just couldn't believe it," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mother, told the Morgan Hill Times. "I'm an open-minded parent, but it's got to be on both sides. It can't be five kids singled out."

Galli told NBC Bay Area, "They said we could wear it on any other day, but today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it's supposed to be their holiday so we were not allowed to wear it."

In a statement released Thursday, Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Wesley Smith characterized the incident as "extremely unfortunate" and said the matter is under investigation.

"The Morgan Hill Unified School District does not prohibit nor do we discourage wearing patriotic clothing," Smith's statement read. "The incident on May 5 at Live Oak High School is extremely unfortunate. While campus safety is our primary concern and administrators made decisions yesterday in an attempt to ensure campus safety, students should not, and will not, be disciplined for wearing patriotic clothing. This matter is under investigation and appropriate action will be taken."

Officials at Live Oak High School did not return several messages seeking comment on Thursday. A secretary told the Morgan Hill Times that Boden and Rodriguez were unavailable for comment on Wednesday.

According to its website, Live Oak High School is a 1,300-student institution in the southern part of Santa Clara County, with most students residing in the nearby cities of Morgan Hill and San Jose.

"The student population reflects the rich ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of the community," the website reads.

More than 100 students were spotted wearing the colors of the Mexican flag -- red, white and green -- as they left school, including some who had the flag painted on their faces or arms, the Morgan Hill times reported.

While bandannas of any color are banned at the school, its dress code policy does not contain references to American flags.

"However, any clothing or decoration which detracts from the learning environment is prohibited," the policy reads. "The school has the right to request that any student dressing inappropriately for school will change into other clothes, be sent home to change, and/or be subject to disciplinary action."

Freshman Laura Ponce, who had a Mexican flag painted on her face and chest, told the Morgan Hill Times that Cinco de Mayo is the "only day" Mexican-American students can show their national pride.

"There was a lot of drama going on today," Ponce told the newspaper.

Some other Mexican-American students reportedly said their flags were taken away or asked to be put away, but no other students were sent home on Wednesday.

Eugene Volokh, a professor of law at the University of California-Los Angeles, said the students are protected under California Education Code 48950, which prohibits schools from enforcing a rule subjecting a high school student to disciplinary sanctions solely on the basis of conduct, that when engaged outside of campus, is protected by the First Amendment.

If the school could point to previous incidents sparked by students who wore garments with American flags, they could argue that the flag is likely to lead to "substantial disruption," Volokh said.

"If, for example, there had been fights over similar things at past events, if there had been specific threats made," he said. "But if [school officials] just say, 'Well, we think it might be offensive to people,' that's generally speaking not enough."

Volokh said the students and their parents likely have a winning case on their hands if they decide to take the matter to court.

"Oh yes, it's almost open and shut," he said.

Lis Wiehl, a former federal prosecutor and a Fox News legal analyst, said the incident appears to a "blatant" violation of the students' First Amendment right to free speech. She noted that inciting violence is an exception to a First Amendment legal defense, but Wiehl said she saw no indications that the students provoked anyone.

"Unless I'm missing something, this seems like a blatant violation of the First Amendment," said Wiehl, adding that uniforms are not required at the public school. "And they're wearing, of all horrific things, the American flag."

What a disgrace!  I hope the parents of these boys take the school officials, school district, and local jurisdiction to court.  I'm sure you all were as suprised as I was to hear that the ALCU has remained silent on this issue and did not jump at the chance to help and represent these five boys.  Where does this end?  We are being slowly turned into an America that none of us recognizes anymore.  Very sad...

So Much to Catch Up On....

Well, it took me more than just a few hours to finally get a window of time to get my thoughts together from the past few weeks.  This is a short recap of some key events and thoughts:

Bloomberg Blames the Tea Party for NYC Terrorist Attempt -- Taking the lead from the mainstream media, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg decided to immediately, without any information from authorities, take a "guess" at who left the SUV in Times Square in a failed terrorist attack earlier this week.  The TV networks insisted that the failed terrorist was "white".  Bloomberg decided that he needed to expand on that description and said that it was "probably someone who was upset with the government or with ObamaCare".  Of course, authorities have apprehended Faisal Shahzad (you guessed it, not white...), who is a nationalized citizen born in Pakistan.  The Left will stop at nothing to paint Conservatives and/or Tea Party Americans as racists and domestic terrorists.  We just went through this set of lies on the Left's part following the passage of ObamaCare.  All we heard from the John Lewis' of the world is that the n-word was used and they were spit on.  In a world where EVERYTHING gets captured on video via I-Phones, BlackBerries, and other mobile devices and is posted on the Internet in minutes, we are now nearly two months later and still no one can produce a video of these "incidents".  This is because it NEVER happened...

Heritage Foundation is Launching New 501(c)(4) Lobbying Subsidiary -- Attended the Spring 2010 President's Club meeting of the Heritage Foundation earlier this week and learned about their new advocacy organization -- Heritage Action for America.  Heritage Action will lobby for bills before Congress, but not for candidates (yet...).  Dr. Feulner, Heritage President and Mike Needham, CEO of Heritage Action penned an Op-Ed in the April 12 Wall Street Journal that details the creation of this new organization.  Exciting times at Heritage where membership has now reached nearly 650,000 members. 

Joe Bonamassa Show in Washington -- As RC Blog readers know, I'm a big fan of the Rock/Blues sound of Joe Bonamassa.  JB played at Lizner Auditorium on 4/26 before a near sold-out audience of 1,400.  During his 2 hour, 20 minute show, the crowd was treated to a special event.  Legendary Blues guitarist/songwriter Bobby Parker came on stage to play a few songs with Joe.  Parker, now 74, was legend in the U.S. and London during the late 60s and early 70s.  Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fell in love with Parker's sound and tried signing him to Led Zep's record label.  It was a great bonus to a great night of Joe.  Here's a video of JB and Parker at Lizner:



Dr. Lee Edwards Authors New Biography on William F. Buckley -- During my years of involvement with the Heritage Foundation, I have struck up a friendship with Dr. Lee Edwards, who has been a key voice in the Conservative movement for some time.  He had been telling me for the past two years about the biography he was writing on William F. Buckley.  It was released last week and I was able to get a copy from Dr. Edwards earlier this week in Washington.  Look for a review on the RC Blog in the next few weeks.  To order a copy of the book, click here...

Lack of Federal Response to Oil Spill -- Looks like the Obama Administration has a Katrina-like problem on their hands.  Nine days after the oil rig in the Mississippi began burning and eight days after it exploded and collapsed killing 11 workers, the Obama Administration finally began providing the appropriate attention to this disaster to human life and the environment.  This is the first real challenge that President Obama has dealt with and he hasn't been able to handle it.  Like most issues with President Obama, he tries to back-track on previous comments and like to "expand" the truth.  To say that the government was their on Day One because the U.S. Coast Guard immediately responded to the event is a weak and pathetic argument.  The Coast Guard would response immediately, with or without Obama's orders.  That's what they do for a living!  That's like giving a Governor credit because the state police immediately responded to a major car wreck on I-95. 

Mike Pence in 2012? -- As RC Blog readers know, our No. 1 Congressional member is Mike Pence of Indiana.  This guy has all the makings to become POTUS at some point and that chance may come as early as 2012.  We were disappointed that he did not go after the Bayh senate seat that is opening up this year, but he is No. 3 in the House right now and that is tough to give up.  He knows the issues, is an excellent communicator (best since Reagan), and has "the look".  Pence gave an excellent speech before the Heritage Foundation's President's Club earlier this week where we were in attendance and had a few moments to meet with him.  We were happy (and shocked...) to hear him say that he has been to the RC Blog!

Fairfax County Republican Committee Undergoes Significant Overhaul -- Kudos to Anthony Bedell who has done a remarkable job in taking a battered and beaten Fairfax County Republican Committee several years ago and built it into a strong and vibrant organization.  Bedell's energy and enthusiasm has gone a long way in weeding out the dead wood from the party and refilling the financial coffers of the Committee.  Just last night, a major overhaul of the entire organization and regional districts was announced.  RC Blog applauds Bedell and his office for this much-needed reorganization.

Pope Benedict Announces Some Immediate Reforms for Legionaries of Christ Order -- On May 1, the Vatican released a statement regarding the year-long apostolic visitation of the Legionaries of Christ order to determine its future, following the various well-known scandals involving its deceased founder.  As for immediate next steps, the Holy See will appoint a commissioner or delegate to run the Legion of Christ for the foreseeable future. The May 1 statement suggests that this delegate will have plenipotentiary powers, including making recommendations to the Pope about the future of the Legion of Christ—about which, it seems, all options remain on the table.  In addition, the Vatican commission will carefully examine the Legion’s constitutions.  The future of the Order remains in jeopardy, but I am thankful that it was not immediately disbanded following the report by the visitors.  In my six or seven years of interaction with various LC priests, they are all excellent leaders of our faith and have had a positive influence on my life.  I continue to pray for all of them as they go through this difficult time.

Been Away for Two Weeks

Sorry folks for the lack of blogging.  Been sick, on travel, and extremely busy.  I will post a recap of issues, events, and thoughts later today....