Category: Editorials

Mar 09 2010

North Carolina Seeing Red Rallies on March 11th

Organizing for America (http://my.barackobama.com) will be counterprotesting the Seeing Red Rallies on Thursday. Yes the link for Organizing for America is my.barackobama.com. Why would our President set up a direct confrontation with the As A Mom organization? Currently 23 are registered for the Raleigh protest to support the nationalization of health care. Help us draw a line in the sand on Thursday by supporting the very spirit of the United States. 

Red for our Health.  Red for the Debt.  Red for our Anger.

Despite a FULL YEAR of debate, town halls and grass roots protesting, the Obama Administration is set to defy the will of the American people and ram Health Care Reform through Congress using shady deals and parliamentary gimmickry. Finding no traditional means to pass the sweeping legislation, President Obama has called upon the Democrats to walk the political plank, break Senate decorum and use a Machiavellian – by any means necessary – procedure to finalize its approval.

We the people, have now been put on 2 Week’s Notice; the Administration has called for a final vote by March 18, 2010. Such utter disregard for the people whom Congress is supposed to represent must be met with and equal and FINAL push back.

It is well past the time for our Representatives to listen to the people. Let’s show them, in a bold move of solidarity all over the country, that we fully understand the legislation, that we reject it, that we are angry and that we are serious!

BE THERE! Read more »

Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
General news updates.
Mar 08 2010

This year, US public debt could reach end game

Thursday, March 4th 2010 at 10:14am by JoAnneMor

http://www.blogster.com/joannemor/this-year-us-public-debt-could-reach-end-game

Jo Anne is a friend of mine, posted with perissiom and one of the best researchers I’ve ever come across

Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke issues the warning. Asian nations, China and India first, are no longer willing to purchase securities issued by the US Treasury, which this year has about US$ two trillion short-term debt to refinance. Beijing is buying gold instead.

Milan (AsiaNews) – For at least four years, AsiaNews has sounded the alarm bells against the risks due to the huge size reached by speculative finance [1] . In 2008, we said that the attempt to save US banks could push the US debt beyond the point of solvency (see Maurizio d’Orlando, “ US debt approaches insolvency . . .,” in AsiaNews 19 December 2008) [2] . Back them it could appear a bitoverblown, but now even US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S Bernanke is warning the US Congress about the danger. In a statement before the House Financial Services Committee,[3] he said that the US public debt might no longer be sustainable very soon. Financial jargon aside, the subtitle of an article by The Washington Times —Stage is set in U.S. for a Greek tragedy—says it all. Interviewed for the article, Bernanke says the United States is likely to face a debt crisis like the one in Greece sooner than later, “not something that is 10 years away”.

 
In 2008, the size of the debt was such that it was quite clear that it was not sustainable. Now we have a timeframe to measure the likelihood of insolvency for the US public debt, and it is this year. The reason for that is described in an article whose title needs no explanation: “The bankruptcy of the United States is now certain”.[4]
 
The abyss of debt
 
By the end of 2010, the US Treasury will have to refinance US$ 2 trillion in short-term debt, plus additional deficit spending for this year, estimated to be around US$ 1.5 trillion (US$ 1.6 trillion today two months after the original article was published). Together, the US Treasury will need to borrow US$ 3.5 trillion (US$ 3.6 according to this writer) in just one year.
 
In 1999, two well-known economists—Alan Greenspan and Pablo Guidotti—published a formula in an academic paper. Kept secret for a long time, it is designed to predict with precision when a country’s public debt will lead it to be insolvent. Called the Greenspan-Guidotti rule, it says that to avoid a default, countries should maintain hard currency reserves equal to at least 100 per cent of their short-term foreign debt maturities.
 
According to the author, the United States holds 8,133.5 metric tonnes of gold (the world’s largest holder). At November 2009 dollar values, that is about U$ 300 billion. [5] The US strategic petroleum reserve shows a current total position of 725 million barrels. At current dollar prices, that is roughly US$ 58 billion worth of oil. According to the IMF, the US has US$ 136 billion in foreign currency reserves. Altogether, that is some US$ 500 billion in reserves (US$ 455.5 billion according to AsiaNews ).
 
Foreigners hold 44 per cent of US$ two trillion short-term US debt; that is US$ 880 billion. Total domestic savings in the United States are only around US$ 600 billion annually. If the United States needs to sell US$ 3.5 trillion (or US$ 3.6 trillion) in Treasury bills, and all domestic savings combined are put into US Treasury debt, the United States will still fall short by nearly US$ 3 trillion. Where is the rest of the money going to come from?
 
China ’s gold
 
Not China, nor India or any other Asian countries. Last year, China has in fact proportionately reduced its holdings in US Treasury bills in relation to rest of its reserves.
 
Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) put up 191.3 tonnes of gold for sale. Some analysts had earlier suggested that China might be interested in buying it. Assets in dollars are estimated to represent over 70 per cent of China’s US$ 2.4 trillion foreign exchange reserves. As of April 2009, China held 1,054 tonnes of gold or 1.2 per cent of its GDP. That falls well below the world average. Indeed, gold represents less than 10 per cent of China’s total reserves.
 
According to the China Daily [6] , a semi-official mouthpiece for the Communist Party of China, China is not likely to buy IMF gold because it might upset the market. However, some Chinese commentators believe that Beijing should increase its gold reserves to 1,800. Sources told AsiaNews that China’s real goal is 4,000 tonnes.
 
The same is true for other Asian countries. For instance, India, Mauritius and Sri Lanka have bought 212 tonnes sold by the IMF.
 
As for Japan, it is likely to continue avoiding open confrontation with the United States; but the real intentions of its top financial circles might be inferred from a mysterious and unsolved incident that occurred last summer when two officials from Japan’s central bank were caught at the Italian-Swiss border town of Chiasso carrying US Treasury bills with a nominal value of US$ 134.5 billion.
 
Since 1945, the US dollar has been the main international reserve currency. In theory, this gave the US Federal Reserve the power to issue debt securities at will, with the value of international trading assets. However, the Greenspan-Guidotti rule restricts this power.
 
Whenever US insolvency becomes self-evident, no one dare say they did not know. The Greenspan who came up with the aforementioned formula is the same Alan Greenspan who chaired the Federal Reserve for 18 years and allowed speculative. i.e. “structured” finance to expand (based on poorly tested mathematical algorithms).
 
This is the same Greenspan who in 1977 wrote a prophetic PhD dissertation (which was removed from his university at his request in 1987, when he became Fed chairman) on how financial bubbles develop in real estate and then burst. Not only was Greenspan aware of it, but so were US top financial circles. In other periods of history, this could lead to accusations of “treason”, but today our sense of personal and collective responsibility is more faded and faint than before. Alternatively, perhaps, there is a level of ultimate responsibility that is darker and runs deeper that the guilt of any one individual.[7]
 
 
[1] See also Maurizio d’Orlando, “ Clashes between US, China and Iran may account for record gold prices ,” in AsiaNews , 12 May 2006; ibid, “ War scenarios [. . .] and the collapse of the world’s financial system ” , in AsiaNews , 7 August 2006; ibid, “ Chinese stocks and the risk of economic crisis ,” in AsiaNews ,22 May 2007; see also other articles by AsiaNews on the subrime crisis, toxic securities, bank rescue , etc.
[2] See, by the same writer, “ Subprime lending to trigger world’s worst financial crisis since 1929 ,” in AsiaNews , 19 September 2007; ibid, “ Depth of the abyss of economic, social, political chaos ,” in AsiaNews , 30 September 2008; ibid, “ Paulson plan: useless and harmful to democracy ,” in AsiaNews , 6 October 2008; ibid, “ Theway out of the crisis is neither Left nor Right ,” in AsiaNews , 25/11/2008; ibid, “ Economic crisis: US, China and the coming monetary storm ,” in AsiaNews , 09/12/2008.
[3] See Patrice Hill, “ Bernanke delivers blunt warning on U.S. debt ,” in The Washington Times , 25 February 2010.
[4] See Porter Stansberry, “ The bankruptcy of the United States is now certain , in The Daily Crux , 24 November 2009.
[5] According to this writer’s calculations, the current estimated value is lower, US$ 261, 49 billion.

http://tinyurl.com/yjkjx2x

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UPDATE: WGC Says IMF Gold Sales Won’t Be ‘Disruptive’

   By Matt Whittaker
   Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–The World Gold Council, a mining industry body, said Thursday it does not anticipate that the remaining International Monetary Fund gold sales will disrupt markets.

“The successful first phase sale to central banks had no impact on the smooth functioning of the gold market, and the remaining sales to be undertaken in phase two of the program are also not anticipated to be disruptive,” the WGC said. “The sales by the IMF in phase two do not represent a net addition to supply because they will be accommodated under the Central Bank Gold Agreement.”

Since 1999, European central banks have been allowed to sell up to 500 tons of the precious metal a year under the CBGA.

Last year, the IMF earmarked 403.3 metric tons of gold for sale to raise funds for poorer nations. It has sold more than half to India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius but wasn’t able to find any more central bank buyers.

Late Wednesday, the IMF said it will soon begin to sell the remaining 191.3 tons of gold to the open market.

“In accordance with the priority of avoiding disruption of the gold market, the on-market sales will be conducted in a phased manner over time,” the IMF said Wednesday in a statement.

Gold futures prices sank to $1,098.10 an ounce in electronic afterhours trading following the announcement. But as the market digested the news, the metal has recouped losses during Thursday floor trading on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The most-active April futures were down $3.80, or 0.3%, at $1,116.30 an ounce in recent trading.

The “initial shock” of the IMF announcement was wearing off, said Frank Lesh, broker and futures analyst with FuturePath Trading. “It’ll be parsed out little by little.”

Carlos Sanchez, associate director of research with CPM Group believes central banks will continue buying gold, even though the IMF isn’t selling directly to the official sector this time.

While the IMF is making the gold available to the wider market, that “doesn’t mean that central banks won’t buy the gold,” Sanchez said, noting the announcement comes at a time of already reduced CBGA sales.

Since the agreement was struck, European central banks have consistently sold more than 300 tons a year, but last year the amount fell to 157 tons. Sanchez said that leaves room for the absorption of the IMF sales.

http://tinyurl.com/yjgbnqt

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Note: This article says gold sale to benefit poor countries.

Remember we already know our gold was transferred and laundered throughy Citi to IMF. (See my post, “Something is up”

Now it’s about to disappear altogether. BEWARE!


Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
General news updates.
Mar 07 2010

The Beginning of the Juggernaut Campaign

Bert Burnette from Oriental, NorthCarolina has come up with an ingenious plan guaranteed to get the attention of our politicians. The plan is simple and has a minimal cost associated with it: mail an empty milk jug to a politician with your message written on the outside. For our first North Carolina campaign, we want as many milk jugs sent to Sen. Kay Hagan at her Raleigh address. We have made it simple: download the PDF and follow the instructions. Read more »

Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
Mar 04 2010

Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2009

The White House is not .  . . pleased.

Washington, DC

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2009 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in alphabetical order, includes:

  1. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT): This marks two years in a row for Senator Dodd, who made the 2008 “Ten Most Corrupt” list for his corrupt relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and for accepting preferential treatment and loan terms from Countrywide Financial, a scandal which still dogs him. In 2009, the scandals kept coming for the Connecticut Democrat. In 2009, Judicial Watch filed a Senate ethics complaint against Dodd for undervaluing a property he owns in Ireland on his Senate Financial Disclosure forms. Judicial Watch’s complaint forced Dodd to amend the forms. However, press reports suggest the property to this day remains undervalued. Judicial Watch also alleges in the complaint that Dodd obtained a sweetheart deal for the property in exchange for his assistance in obtaining a presidential pardon (during the Clinton administration) and other favors for a long-time friend and business associate. The false financial disclosure forms were part of the cover-up. Dodd remains the head the Senate Banking Committee. 
  2. Senator John Ensign (R-NV): A number of scandals popped up in 2009 involving public officials who conducted illicit affairs, and then attempted to cover them up with hush payments and favors, an obvious abuse of power. The year’s worst offender might just be Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign. Ensign admitted in June to an extramarital affair with the wife of one of his staff members, who then allegedly obtained special favors from the Nevada Republican in exchange for his silence. According to The New York Times: “The Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee are expected to conduct preliminary inquiries into whether Senator John Ensign violated federal law or ethics rules as part of an effort to conceal an affair with the wife of an aide…” The former staffer, Douglas Hampton, began to lobby Mr. Ensign’s office immediately upon leaving his congressional job, despite the fact that he was subject to a one-year lobbying ban. Ensign seems to have ignored the law and allowed Hampton lobbying access to his office as a payment for his silence about the affair. (These are potentially criminal offenses.) It looks as if Ensign misused his public office (and taxpayer resources) to cover up his sexual shenanigans. 
  3. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA): Judicial Watch is investigating a $12 million TARP cash injection provided to the Boston-based OneUnited Bank at the urging of Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank. As reported in the January 22, 2009, edition of the Wall Street Journal, the Treasury Department indicated it would only provide funds to healthy banks to jump-start lending. Not only was OneUnited Bank in massive financial turmoil, but it was also “under attack from its regulators for allegations of poor lending practices and executive-pay abuses, including owning a Porsche for its executives’ use.” Rep. Frank admitted he spoke to a “federal regulator,” and Treasury granted the funds. (The bank continues to flounder despite Frank’s intervention for federal dollars.) Moreover, Judicial Watch uncovered documents in 2009 that showed that members of Congress for years were aware that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were playing fast and loose with accounting issues, risk assessment issues and executive compensation issues, even as liberals led by Rep. Frank continued to block attempts to rein in the two Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs). For example, during a hearing on September 10, 2003, before the House Committee on Financial Services considering a Bush administration proposal to further regulate Fannie and Freddie, Rep. Frank stated: “I want to begin by saying that I am glad to consider the legislation, but I do not think we are facing any kind of a crisis. That is, in my view, the two Government Sponsored Enterprises we are talking about here, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not in a crisis. We have recently had an accounting problem with Freddie Mac that has led to people being dismissed, as appears to be appropriate. I do not think at this point there is a problem with a threat to the Treasury.” Frank received $42,350 in campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac between 1989 and 2008. Frank also engaged in a relationship with a Fannie Mae Executive while serving on the House Banking Committee, which has jurisdiction over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 
  4. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner: In 2009, Obama Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner admitted that he failed to pay $34,000 in Social Security and Medicare taxes from 2001-2004 on his lucrative salary at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an organization with 185 member countries that oversees the global financial system. (Did we mention Geithner now runs the IRS?) It wasn’t until President Obama tapped Geithner to head the Treasury Department that he paid back most of the money, although the IRS kindly waived the hefty penalties. In March 2009, Geithner also came under fire for his handling of the AIG bonus scandal, where the company used $165 million of its bailout funds to pay out executive bonuses, resulting in a massive public backlash. Of course as head of the New York Federal Reserve, Geithner helped craft the AIG deal in September 2008. However, when the AIG scandal broke, Geithner claimed he knew nothing of the bonuses until March 10, 2009. The timing is important. According to CNN: “Although Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told congressional leaders on Tuesday that he learned of AIG’s impending $160 million bonus payments to members of its troubled financial-products unit on March 10, sources tell TIME that the New York Federal Reserve informed Treasury staff that the payments were imminent on Feb. 28. That is ten days before Treasury staffers say they first learned ‘full details’ of the bonus plan, and three days before the [Obama] Administration launched a new $30 billion infusion of cash for AIG.” Throw in another embarrassing disclosure in 2009 that Geithner employed “household help” ineligible to work in the United States, and it becomes clear why the Treasury Secretary has earned a spot on the “Ten Most Corrupt Politicians in Washington” list. 
  5. Attorney General Eric Holder: Tim Geithner can be sure he won’t be hounded about his tax-dodging by his colleague Eric Holder, US Attorney General. Judicial Watch strongly opposed Holder because of his terrible ethics record, which includes: obstructing an FBI investigation of the theft of nuclear secrets from Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory; rejecting multiple requests for an independent counsel to investigate alleged fundraising abuses by then-Vice President Al Gore in the Clinton White House; undermining the criminal investigation of President Clinton by Kenneth Starr in the midst of the Lewinsky investigation; and planning the violent raid to seize then-six-year-old Elian Gonzalez at gunpoint in order to return him to Castro’s Cuba. Moreover, there is his soft record on terrorism. Holder bypassed Justice Department procedures to push through Bill Clinton’s scandalous presidential pardons and commutations, including for 16 members of FALN, a violent Puerto Rican terrorist group that orchestrated approximately 120 bombings in the United States, killing at least six people and permanently maiming dozens of others, including law enforcement officers. His record in the current administration is no better. As he did during the Clinton administration, Holder continues to ignore serious incidents of corruption that could impact his political bosses at the White House. For example, Holder has refused to investigate charges that the Obama political machine traded VIP access to the White House in exchange for campaign contributions – a scheme eerily similar to one hatched by Holder’s former boss, Bill Clinton in the 1990s. The Holder Justice Department also came under fire for dropping a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party. On Election Day 2008, Black Panthers dressed in paramilitary garb threatened voters as they approached polling stations. Holder has also failed to initiate a comprehensive Justice investigation of the notorious organization ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), which is closely tied to President Obama. There were allegedly more than 400,000 fraudulent ACORN voter registrations in the 2008 campaign. And then there were the journalist videos catching ACORN Housing workers advising undercover reporters on how to evade tax, immigration, and child prostitution laws. Holder’s controversial decisions on new rights for terrorists and his attacks on previous efforts to combat terrorism remind many of the fact that his former law firm has provided and continues to provide pro bono representation to terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. Holder’s politicization of the Justice Department makes one long for the days of Alberto Gonzales. 
  6. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)/ Senator Roland Burris (D-IL): One of the most serious scandals of 2009 involved a scheme by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to sell President Obama’s then-vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. Two men caught smack dab in the middle of the scandal: Senator Roland Burris, who ultimately got the job, and Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, emissaries for Jesse Jackson Jr., named “Senate Candidate A” in the Blagojevich indictment, reportedly offered $1.5 million to Blagojevich during a fundraiser if he named Jackson Jr. to Obama’s seat. Three days later federal authorities arrested Blagojevich. Burris, for his part, apparently lied about his contacts with Blagojevich, who was arrested in December 2008 for trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat. According to Reuters: “Roland Burris came under fresh scrutiny…after disclosing he tried to raise money for the disgraced former Illinois governor who named him to the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama…In the latest of those admissions, Burris said he looked into mounting a fundraiser for Rod Blagojevich — later charged with trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat — at the same time he was expressing interest to the then-governor’s aides about his desire to be appointed.” Burris changed his story five times regarding his contacts with Blagojevich prior to the Illinois governor appointing him to the U.S. Senate. Three of those changing explanations came under oath. 
  7. President Barack Obama: During his presidential campaign, President Obama promised to run an ethical and transparent administration. However, in his first year in office, the President has delivered corruption and secrecy, bringing Chicago-style political corruption to the White House. Consider just a few Obama administration “lowlights” from year one: Even before President Obama was sworn into office, he was interviewed by the FBI for a criminal investigation of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s scheme to sell the President’s former Senate seat to the highest bidder. (Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and slumlord Valerie Jarrett, both from Chicago, are also tangled up in the Blagojevich scandal.) Moreover, the Obama administration made the startling claim that the Privacy Act does not apply to the White House. The Obama White House believes it can violate the privacy rights of American citizens without any legal consequences or accountability. President Obama boldly proclaimed that “transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency,” but his administration is addicted to secrecy, stonewalling far too many of Judicial Watch’s Freedom of Information Act requests and is refusing to make public White House visitor logs as federal law requires. The Obama administration turned the National Endowment of the Arts (as well as the agency that runs the AmeriCorps program) into propaganda machines, using tax dollars to persuade “artists” to promote the Obama agenda. According to documents uncovered by Judicial Watch, the idea emerged as a direct result of the Obama campaign and enjoyed White House approval and participation. President Obama has installed a record number of “czars” in positions of power. Too many of these individuals are leftist radicals who answer to no one but the president. And too many of the czars are not subject to Senate confirmation (which raises serious constitutional questions). Under the President’s bailout schemes, the federal government continues to appropriate or control — through fiat and threats — large sectors of the private economy, prompting conservative columnist George Will to write: “The administration’s central activity — the political allocation of wealth and opportunity — is not merely susceptible to corruption, it is corruption.” Government-run healthcare and car companies, White House coercion, uninvestigated ACORN corruption, debasing his office to help Chicago cronies, attacks on conservative media and the private sector, unprecedented and dangerous new rights for terrorists, perks for campaign donors — this is Obama’s “ethics” record — and we haven’t even gotten through the first year of his presidency. 
  8. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): At the heart of the corruption problem in Washington is a sense of entitlement. Politicians believe laws and rules (even the U.S. Constitution) apply to the rest of us but not to them. Case in point: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her excessive and boorish demands for military travel. Judicial Watch obtained documents from the Pentagon in 2009 that suggest Pelosi has been treating the Air Force like her own personal airline. These documents, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, include internal Pentagon email correspondence detailing attempts by Pentagon staff to accommodate Pelosi’s numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speaker’s 11th hour cancellations and changes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also came under fire in April 2009, when she claimed she was never briefed about the CIA’s use of the waterboarding technique during terrorism investigations. The CIA produced a report documenting a briefing with Pelosi on September 4, 2002, that suggests otherwise. Judicial Watch also obtained documents, including a CIA Inspector General report, which further confirmed that Congress was fully briefed on the enhanced interrogation techniques. Aside from her own personal transgressions, Nancy Pelosi has ignored serious incidents of corruption within her own party, including many of the individuals on this list. (See Rangel, Murtha, Jesse Jackson, Jr., etc.) 
  9. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) and the rest of the PMA Seven: Rep. John Murtha made headlines in 2009 for all the wrong reasons. The Pennsylvania congressman is under federal investigation for his corrupt relationship with the now-defunct defense lobbyist PMA Group. PMA, founded by a former Murtha associate, has been the congressman’s largest campaign contributor. Since 2002, Murtha has raised $1.7 million from PMA and its clients. And what did PMA and its clients receive from Murtha in return for their generosity? Earmarks — tens of millions of dollars in earmarks. In fact, even with all of the attention surrounding his alleged influence peddling, Murtha kept at it. Following an FBI raid of PMA’s offices earlier in 2009, Murtha continued to seek congressional earmarks for PMA clients, while also hitting them up for campaign contributions. According to The Hill, in April, “Murtha reported receiving contributions from three former PMA clients for whom he requested earmarks in the pending appropriations bills.” When it comes to the PMA scandal, Murtha is not alone. As many as six other Members of Congress are currently under scrutiny according to The Washington Post. They include: Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN.), James P. Moran Jr. (D-VA), Norm Dicks (D-WA.), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), C.W. Bill Young (R-FL.) and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS.). Of course rather than investigate this serious scandal, according to Roll Call House Democrats circled the wagons, “cobbling together a defense to offer political cover to their rank and file.” The Washington Post also reported in 2009 that Murtha’s nephew received $4 million in Defense Department no-bid contracts: “Newly obtained documents…show Robert Murtha mentioning his influential family connection as leverage in his business dealings and holding unusual power with the military.” 
  10. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY): Rangel, the man in charge of writing tax policy for the entire country, has yet to adequately explain how he could possibly “forget” to pay taxes on $75,000 in rental income he earned from his off-shore rental property. He also faces allegations that he improperly used his influence to maintain ownership of highly coveted rent-controlled apartments in Harlem, and misused his congressional office to fundraise for his private Rangel Center by preserving a tax loophole for an oil drilling company in exchange for funding. On top of all that, Rangel recently amended his financial disclosure reports, which doubled his reported wealth. (He somehow “forgot” about $1 million in assets.) And what did he do when the House Ethics Committee started looking into all of this? He apparently resorted to making “campaign contributions” to dig his way out of trouble. According to WCBS TV, a New York CBS affiliate: “The reigning member of Congress’ top tax committee is apparently ‘wrangling’ other politicos to get him out of his own financial and tax troubles…Since ethics probes began last year the 79-year-old congressman has given campaign donations to 119 members of Congress, including three of the five Democrats on the House Ethics Committee who are charged with investigating him.” Charlie Rangel should not be allowed to remain in Congress, let alone serve as Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, and he knows it. That’s why he felt the need to disburse campaign contributions to Ethics Committee members and other congressional colleagues.  
    http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/dec/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2009

 

NC Freedom does not show support or opposition to any bills discussed in this article. The author's opinion on the action that should be taken in regards to this bill may or may not reflect the view of NC Freedom.
Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
General news updates.
Mar 03 2010

Dick Armey of FreedomWorks Supports AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS

Dick Armey of Freedomworks supports AMNESTY for illegal aliens and
Armey says the Tea Party movement is about “Free Markets” aka NAFTA and
CAFTA. Obviously he believes in free labor and consumer markets across
OPEN BORDERS. Do you agree with Armey?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaqd1qY1KsM&feature=player_embedded

NC Freedom does not show support or opposition to any bills discussed in this article. The author's opinion on the action that should be taken in regards to this bill may or may not reflect the view of NC Freedom.
Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
General news updates.
Mar 02 2010

MSNBC Host blows up, walks off show while interviewing Mark Williams

If you have not seen Andrew Breitbart’s speech at the Tea Party Convention, I strongly encourage you to watch it. I don’t have to tell anyone that our country is on a precipice. Fear mongering, partisan politics and race baiting are only distractions to moving forward. Unfortunately these distractions make news and incite further division in the country. Ever wonder how the United States became the most powerful country in history? Look no further than the “United” in our name. Division, or the more commonly accepted term diversity, is what keeps us separated and weak. Read more »

Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
Mar 02 2010

Hands off my mail

posted with permission

by Dr Ada M Fisher

 

Now that he’s gone and done it, President Obama in equating health care reform to the postal service shows the fallacies of both.  If that is his model for health care, lord help us for the postal service faces constant demands for increase rates and is rationing its service to us in the face of competition.  The only way it seems that we can regain postal integrity is to put that agency back where constitutionally it belongs in the arms blogf the federal government.  

Why should we save the postal system? 

One reason to rescue the postal service is that it is still a good bargain for what is charged and is part and parcel of the government’s constitutional mandate to regulate commerce.  Businesses need to use the mail for not everyone has a computer and bills must be paid though fewer goods are being shipped this way.   

In Europe the cost of postage inflates beyond reason and there is often no telling when your letter will get there.  At one time and still for most mail sent first class, it will reach its destination within three days in this country.  Next day service requires an unreasonably high cost and some lame brain nut decided to let Federal Express and UPS have offices in some post offices where they are competing with them head to head at an often higher cost.  In the world of global competition the US Postal Service still rules in service even if not in customers.

The privatization of the postal service has not had the desired outsomes.  Unionization has had a somewhat negative effect though no politicians want to touch this.  Some are calling for outsourcing this service which would be a tragedy and might see a foreign entity underbid American companies for this privilege.     Federal Express and United Parcel Service are often more expensive than the post office for mailing.  Stopping the hemorrhaging from the mail service has seen often puzzling attempts in search of remedies:                                                                                                                                     

     -Stopping weekend mail (Saturday) for businesses while continuing it for customers may have the effect of limiting commercial undertakings which create jobs for others.  Why not stop it for general customers on Saturdays and keep it on that day only for businesses?                                                                                                                        

     -The elimination of post offices is being undertaken.  I hope that every one of the 3,145 county seats in this nation will still be allowed to keep a post office available to them.  This will hopefully help maintain their viability as a center of commerce and county seat for small towns, villages and cities of under 50,000 people.                                             

     -Would there be more practicality in 24 hour postal centers in at least every county seat rather than the hodgepodge of offerings of stations which can be difficult to find in some localities?                                                                                                              

     -Would it be more efficient to stop house to house deliveries and go to block boxes which unfortunately would be a better target for criminals or have a central box repository like those offered by mail box companies?   Somehow this seems to defeat the spirit imbued in the postal service’s creation.

Keep your eye on the mail for it to could be gone too soon if we lose sight of what is in the best interest of our citizens and why a postal service was thought a necessary constitutional mandate by our founding fathers.

Dr. Ada M. Fisher is  A Physician, Licensed Secondary Educator for Mathematics and Science, Previous County School Board Member and the NC Republican National Committee woman.  Contact her at P. O. Box 777; Salisbury, NC 28145; telephone               (704) 223-2321         (704) 223-2321; DrFisher@DrAdaMFisher.org =

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Mar 02 2010

Glenn Beck Exposes Obama and SEIU

photo taken by me in Durham at Congressman David Price Town Hall on Health care, check out SEIU union member checking us out LOL

If you happened to miss Glenn Beck tonight, it was one of the most important shows of his career.  He revealed why Obama is so compelled to pass Health Care Reform.

The whole reason is that the unions are obligated in their pensions to money they don’t have.
The union pensions are underfunded and if healthcare is passed, they will be off the hook for the health care portion of their contracted pensions.

That is why the SEIU union boss is the MOST Frequent visitor to the white house.

And  now we know  the rest of the story

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Mar 01 2010

Chatham County NC Declared Safe Haven for Illegal Immigration Without Citizen Input!

Above photos were taken by me, top photo is Commissioner Vanderburg and below is Commissioner Kost (sunglasses) protesting with morons.org in front of Sen Kay Hagan’s office in Raleigh for Obamacare.  This is just two of Chatham County Commissioners LOL.  These are Moonbats!

Our Chatham County Commissioners (all liberal democratic progressives) passed a resolution “without” public input that denies any local government to contract with immigration enforcements. The next week a photo of our Sheriff Webster shows up on the front page of the Que Pasa Newspaper declaring Chatham County a safe haven all over the county. Sheriff Webster sat quietly throughout this event.

WRAL news clip on this scandal

http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/video/4625851/

http://chatham.mync.com/site/Chatham/news/story/25946/controversy-over-immigration-resolution/

Photos of Sheriff Webster on Front page of Que Pasa Newspaper

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36497993@N06/3364049345/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36497993@N06/3364035059/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36497993@N06/3364831428/

Now get this, the author of this ICE Resolution that protests illegal immigrants in Chatham County is Esther Coleman. Ms. Coleman was hired by the County County BoC as the Human Relations Commissioner at a $80,000 a year salary to Chatham County tax payers.  When she was hired,  she still had a frivolous lawsuit that was struck down twice by a judge. Here’s the court documents

http://pacer.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinion.pdf/081312.U.pdf

Funny thing about this case, it was partially based on discrimination, but Ms. Coleman who is a black female and the  person she was suing was a black male. 

You can’t make this stuff up it’s so bad. Talk about corruption. To top it off, we went and found the minutes of the BoC regarding the passage and input of this Resolution.  The only input was from a representative from the ACLU, the La Raza Group, El Pueblo groups and and a HR director from Durham.  Not one person was from Chatham County.  I even contacted the States Attorneys office Narcisa Woods regarding violation of states open meeting laws.  She advised me we may have a case, but we have to get a attorney to take the case before a Judge, but eh! who has money for an attorney.

Documents of Chatham County Board of Commissioners minutes Re ICE Resolution, refer to page 14 bottom of page where it starts on Human relations, absolutely no public input from the citizens of Chatham County.

http://www.chathamnc.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8299

And summary of Chatham County HRC minutes, what a scam!

Summary of HRC meeting minutes that relate to the Resolution. Keep in mind the minutes take a couple months to be put up on the website.  I wasn’t looking for them last year though so I don’t know when they were actually put up. Complete minutes available here:
http://www.chathamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=948 January 22, 2008
The commission discussed the issue of local law enforcement and the enforcement of civil immigration law and policy. Esther Coleman provided copies of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program description. Martin Spritzer proposed researching other county resolutions against the 287G program and then draft a resolution to present to the commission.February 26, 2008
Commission members discussed the local law enforcement and the 287G U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program. HRC members expressed concerns about serious human relations implications with the 287G program such as profiling and sensitivity training needs.March 25, 2008
Commission members discussed a document written by Commissioner Martin Spritzer to generate ideas on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287G issue and a resolution adapted by Orange County. The CCHRC commission reviewed the Orange County resolution andwill write a draft resolution and recommend that Chatham County adopt a similar resolution.
Commissioner Heather Rodin suggested the commission work with a constituency to support the human relations resolution. Commissioner Martin Spritzer mentioned a need to build support for all the work of the Human Relations Commission. April 28, 2008
Director Esther Coleman presented the latest draft of the ICE Resolution. After several final revisions were offered, Commissioner Heather Rodin moved and Commissioner Jan Nichols seconded to approve the resolution as final given edits. The motion was approved unanimously.
Members then discussed the need to develop a strategy for moving forward with the resolution. It was suggested that HRC members should contact Representative Joe Hackney, members of the County Commission, and Orange County Commissioners. Director Esther Coleman agreed to research the HRC’s ability to lobby under NC law.

No meetings May and June due to lack of quorum

July 22, 2008
COMMENTS FROM CARL THOMPSON
Carl Thompson requested that the HRC and Esther provide an update to the Board of Commissioners on what the HRC and Esther have accomplished since January. He said that this needs to happen fairly soon. Margie said that the HRC was looking at requesting some time on the BOC in August for this.
He agreed to go with a group to meet with the Sheriff’s Office on the ICE resolution.

Meeting with Sheriff on ICE: Margie asked Heather and any others interested in going to meet with the Sheriff to stay after the meeting to pick a time to do this. Carl Thompson would go with them.

August 26, 2008
GUESTS: Ted Dunn (interested in ICE issues)
PUBLIC INPUT
Ted Dunn offered comments:
Would like to know the reason why Chatham County wants to get involved with the 287(g) program. He is opposed to this program and believes that there is a lack of adequate training, additional costs to implementing the program, creation of agitation in the community (e.g., less likely to report crimes or seek help for fear of getting involved in immigration problems). He does not believe it is a good investment for Chatham County.
Esther Coleman responded: Orange County Commissioners approved a resolution opposing implementation of the 287(g) program. It is the only county in NC to have done so.
Currently, the ICE resolution being put forth to the Chatham County Commissioners is under review and revision.
Martin Spritzer responded: He suggested that Mr. Dunn should be provided with a copy of the resolution and be invited to attend the County Commissioners’ meeting addressing this issue.
Heather Rodin responded: The ICE resolution is not ready for public distribution but could be provided when completed. Anna Schmalz (guest) offered her support for the ICE resolution andwillingness to attend the County Commissioners’ meeting. She would also like a copy of the resolution when it is available.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Meeting with Sheriff regarding ICE: Heather, Esther, Margie and Commissioner Thompson met with the Sheriff Richard Webster to discuss the ICE resolution. Aside from some revisions offered, there seemed to be agreement on the resolution albeit with some reservations.
Heather offered a motion to accept the revisions made to the ICE resolution. The motion was seconded by Roy Barnes. The motion was approved unanimously.
The Commission will suggest the County Commissioners’ 2nd meeting date in September for presentation of the ICE resolution. All Members will be asked to be present in addition to other community members who would support the resolution.

September 23, 2008
ICE – It was decided that technical corrections regarding the number of counties with contracts would be made to the resolution.

October – no quorum

November – no mention of resolution

When Esther Coleman gave her annual report to the commissioners at their Nov 3rd work session she made no mention of the Resolution. 
http://www.chathamnc.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7696

The Resolution was presented and approved at the January 5, 2009 BOC meeting
http://www.chathamnc.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8299

The actual document andall reference material is no longer on the county web site that20I can find.

Here are 4 of the 5 references they provided excerpts from, the fifth was an English translation of a Spanish language newspaper article about the first study:

http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411566_immigration_raids.pdf

http://www.majorcitieschiefs.org/pdfpublic/mcc_position_statement_revised_cef.pdf

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/27/MNGJIPGO341.DTL&hw=arrests+of+parents&sn=002&sc=919

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/llr/vol8/mucchetti.pdf

Here are two much better discussions of the issues involved with law enforcement and immigrants in general.  But these weren’t cited at all.

http://www.theiacp.org/Portals/0/pdfs/Publications/PoliceChiefsGuidetoImmigration.pdf

http://www.ncgccd.org/pdfs/pubs/hispanic_study.pdf

And a couple reports on what publicly funded benefits immigrants are eligible for:

http://www.sog%20%20..unc.edu/pubs/electronicversions/pdfs/lglb110.pdf

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/106160.pdf

 
 
NC Freedom does not show support or opposition to any bills discussed in this article. The author's opinion on the action that should be taken in regards to this bill may or may not reflect the view of NC Freedom.
Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.
General news updates.
Mar 01 2010

ALERT! Here Are the Personal Questions the Census Bureau Will Be Asking You

Undoubtedly some of you have already received a census survey Read more »

NC Freedom does not show support or opposition to any bills discussed in this article. The author's opinion on the action that should be taken in regards to this bill may or may not reflect the view of NC Freedom.
Opinion articles from NC Freedom members. The views expressed in Editorial articles published on NC Freedom are those of the authors alone. They may or may not represent the views or opinions of NC Freedom or those who volunteer to maintain the site.

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