Legislative Report: August 2010 Ann Corby
Legislative Report—August 2010
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not the time to sit back and observe what is happening to our country. Jobs and the economy are of course the most critical issues, but there are activities going on to undermine every right we have.
For example, I learned recently that President Obama is seriously considering granting blanket amnesty to all illegal immigrants by executive fiat, entirely by-passing Congress.
I learned about a 20 week extension to the 99 week unemployment benefits called –get this—The Americans Want to Work Act.
I learned that this administration is spending $10 million to train 3000 Sri Lankans, to become IT specialists in order to place them in U.S. companies abroad to take the jobs from U.S. workers who are already there. We are paying to train people to take away our jobs!
I learned that Obama is working on a plan to trash the 2nd Amendment and outlaw all private citizen’s guns.
I learned that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is behind the plans for the NYC mosque at Ground Zero, is on a religious outreach trip to the Middle East, paid for by our own State Dept., funded by the taxpayers’ money. His purpose is to promote religious tolerance, but he has stated in at least one interview that the U.S. is to blame for the 9/11 attacks, and that Hamas is not a terrorist group. NY Governor Patterson has offered to find state-owned property somewhere else in NYC if the Muslims are willing to move it. It doesn’t sound like it will happen, and anyway, I find it hard to understand why NY should have to give this group free land to make them do the right thing. The ACLU says the mosque represents the core of American diversity, and gives it their full support. Since when has the ACLU been worried about religious freedom? Remember the ACLU is a tax-payer funded charity.
I learned that one liberal judge in CA can overturn the votes of 7 million people who do not want same-sex marriage.
I learned from former UN Ambassador John Bolton that our president is seriously considering face-to-face talks with the leader of Iran.
I learned that the Massachusetts legislature has approved a new law intended to bypass the Electoral College system and ensure that the winner of the presidential election is determined by the national popular vote. Their 12 electoral votes will go to the popular vote winner in 2012. The goal is to get other states to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, and enact similar legislation. If they can get 270 electoral votes to go toward the popular winner that will be it. The Electoral College will be gone. They already have Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington state, and now Massachusetts. All blue states. Losing the Electoral College system would basically allow the major metropolitan areas to elect the president.
How many of you have heard of the Jefferson Manual? I learned that Thomas Jefferson wrote the rule book for Congressional members in 1812. It describes in great detail how Congress is to perform its duties, much like Roberts Rules of Order. One of the rules, and remember these were written to be mandatory, is that members will read every bill three times before it comes up for a vote. And every member must be present while the voting is taking place. They weren’t even allowed to be in the outhouse while the votes were being counted.
I learned that the Stolen Valor Act was struck down by the infamous 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and it is now okay to lie about receiving a military medal.
And finally, did you know one of the provisions in the 2000 page Healthcare Bill is a tax on the sale of gold coins? What does that have to do with healthcare? We have no idea what is in that bill.
Obviously this November election is critical to get conservative candidates into office on the way to getting a conservative into the White House in 2012. We can’t just hope and pray. We need to take action as well. Even if the election goes overwhelmingly our way, we must be prepared for what will happen in the lame duck session between November and January when the new Congress is sworn in. This administration will use every trick of smoke and mirrors and slight of hand to pass climate change legislation, amnesty, and who knows what else. Don’t be caught by surprise. Remember to act as if it were up to you, and pray as if it were up to Him.
Legislative Report---July 2010 Ann Corby
The most recent of President Obama’s big government bills is the Financial Reform Bill passed last week after Sen. Byrd’s replacement was quickly sworn in to get the 60 votes required to stop the Republican filibusters. This 2000 plus-page bill ignores the problems caused by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, considering those institutions “too big to fail”. According to NC Senator Richard Burr, it also breaks the promise to the American people that all unused and reimbursed funds from the TARP funds would be used to pay down our national debt. Instead, the bill, named for Chris Dodd and Barney Frank who are heavily responsible for the financial meltdown, uses that money to pay for the creation of new government agencies.
Let’s take a brief look at what has happened to our economy in the last three years: The last Republican budget in 2007 had a $161 billion deficit. In 2008, under a Democrat congress and before the recession, the deficit rose to $459 billion. In 2009 the deficit was up to $1.4 trillion. As of June 2010, the deficit is already over $1 trillion with three more months to go.
The Club for Growth Congressional Scorecard has published a listing of voting behavior for all members of the House and Senate. The rating examines legislative actions that affect our pro-economic growth policy goals, including lower tax rates, limited government spending, death tax repeal, free trade expansion, tort reform, regulatory reform, and social security reform. Here in NC, Rep. Virginia Foxx has a highest possible score of 100, with Rep. Sue Myrick close behind with an 88. By comparison, Walter B. Jones has a 66, Heath Shuler a 27, and Rep. Butterfield a 4.
On the Senate side, Richard Burr rates a 96, and Hagan a 6. Those with scores 90 and above are easily recognizable---OK Coburn and Inhofe, SC DeMint, AL Sessions, AZ McCain, GA Chambliss and Isakson, KS Brownback, KY Bunning and McConnell, NV Ensign, SD Thune, TX Cornyn and WY Barrasso and Enzi. Unfortunately they are outnumbered by many Democrats like Reid, Boxer, Kerry, Dodd, Durbin, Harkins, Levin, Udall, Casey, and Rockefeller, all of whom have a grade of 3! Outrageous!
On Dec. 31, the federal tax cuts passed between 2001 and 2003 are scheduled to expire. President Obama will tell us he will only be raising tax rates on the wealthy, but here are the facts. The increases include the return of the marriage penalty, the cutting in half of deductions for dependents, a return of the inheritance tax, and higher taxes on all savings and investments. Allowing these tax cuts to expire would constitute the largest tax increase in American history, and will impact each and every American citizen.
We learned a couple of days ago that President Obama actually supported the release of the terrorist Lockerbie bomber to Scotland. At the time, he expressed his outrage, but new White House memos have proven otherwise. We also know that he is pushing NASA to reach out to the Muslim nations. And even more telling, is the fact he has said nothing about building the mosque at Ground Zero. Here’s something to keep you awake at night-- the most popular name for baby boys in the U.S. is Jacob. The most popular in England is Mohammad.
NC Rep Sue Myrick, who I mentioned earlier, has sent a letter to Homeland Security Dept. Sec. Janet Napolitano asking her to establish a task force to gather intelligence on Hezbollah’s presence along our southern border. Hezbollah is recognized by the U.S. government as a designated terrorist organization. They are the equivalent of Iran’s proxy army, and operate around the world. Myrick’s letter lays out, in detail, mounting evidence suggesting that Hezbollah is on our border and could be working closely with drug cartels. The task force she asks for would investigate issues raised by former intelligence agents. She asks for a public report as well as an intelligence report with policy recommendations based on the findings.
The Charlotte Observer did a story on her request that revealed a troubling response from Napolitano. Specifically, a spokesman stated “At this time DHS has no credible information on terrorists groups operating along the Southwest border”.
Sounds like we need that report.
Dr. Donald Berwick is the new Administrator of Medicare and Medicaid. He was appointed by Obama during a Congressional recess so that hearings would not get in the way of his appointment. He has been quoted in the press as saying “I am romantic about Britain’s National Healthcare Service. I love it”. Bear in mind that 50,000 surgeries are cancelled each year in Britain because the patients become too sick for the operation while waiting in line. Their healthcare service is known for its long lines, government control of treatment, higher death rates for many cancers, massive bureaucracy, and government waste. This is British healthcare reality and Berwick finds it romantic. He is also quoted as saying “The decision is not whether we will ration care. It is whether we will ration with our eyes open.”
This man has been handed $800 billion of taxpayers money, and will be responsible for implementing many new policies in Obamacare. Cong. Steve King of Iowa, who by the way has a 98 in the economic growth ratings, has a discharge petition in the House that will force a vote of repeal, if a majority of House members sign it. Currently 109 have signed, all Republicans, but still 69 Republicans have not signed. There were 34 Democrats who originally voted against the healthcare takeover, so Cong. King is working on them. For more information on this you can go to Americansforprosperity.org.
One quick item of interest--NCGOP chairman Tom Fetzer is a new father to Thomas Harrison Fetzer III, who is planning to run for governor in 2032.
And lastly, new member Jan Gronowski sent me this take off on Dr. Seuss and his Green Eggs and Ham.
I do not like this Uncle Sam. I do not like his healthcare scam.
I do not like these dirty crooks, or how they lie and cook the books.
I do not like when Congress steals. I do not like their secret deals.
I do not like this Speaker Nan. I do not like this Yes we Can.
I do not like this spending spree. I’m smart, I know that nothing’s free.
I do not like your smug replies when I complain about your lies.
I do not like this kind of hope. I do not like it. Nope, nope, nope!
Legislative Report----May 2010 by Ann Corby
I’d like to go over a few important legislative items today that can hardly be ignored.
1) Cap and Trade, as introduced again by Senators Lieberman and Kerry, is no longer referred to as an environmental bill. That’s way too controversial. Instead of calling it a "gas tax", it now is a "linked fee", which will supposedly result is $7 billion strictly for infrastructure renewal. What will happen is it will create another slush fund for general use.
2)Then there’s immigration reform. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder was asked by reporters if the administration intended to sue the state of Arizona over its new law, even though it is merely enforcing the federal immigration law. He had the audacity to say he had not read the 10-page bill, nor had he been briefed on it, but he said the lawsuit is definitely an option being considered.
3) Senator Chris Dodd of CT, who is one of those responsible for the mortgage crisis, has been leading financial reform under the Dodd Banking Bill for regulatory reform. According to our Senator Burr, the legislation that passed a few days ago does not address the root causes of the economic crisis and fails to accomplish regulatory reform in a way that helps the average American.
Instead, it enables unlimited bailouts for the biggest banks at taxpayers’ expense, allows government bureaucrats to monitor credit card purchases, and does nothing to address Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The bill passed 59 to 39. Republican Senators Collins, Snowe, Grassley and Scott Brown voted with the Democrats, with Brown reversing course to end the debate and the Republican filibuster. The next step is for the bill to be reconciled with the House version.
4)Those in charge of the newly passed Healthcare legislation are admitting that their cost estimates were a little off, and now say it will cost $115 billion more, or approximately twice what we were told.
On the international front, President Obama has announced that we have 5113 nuclear weapons in our arsenal. This number has been classified since the days of the Cold War. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton says she thinks it’s important to be as transparent as we can about our nuclear program because it builds confidence among nations. Obama claims releasing the secret information will enhance the national security, but on the other hand, he argues in court that any release of the names of White House visitors will result in a security crisis. The obvious conclusion is that national security is merely a game for this White House.
On another front, what are we to think when a New York City zoning board gives unanimous approval to the erection of a 13-story, $100 million mosque to be built adjacent to ground zero? The plan is to break ground on 9/11/2011.
You may have heard some ads sponsored by the Insurance Federation of North Carolina concerning House bill 813. This bill changes the way accident and injury cases are handled in our state’s civil courts. The current system is "contributory negligence", and this bill changes the system to "comparative fault".
Currently under the present system, the plaintiff cannot recover damages if their own carelessness caused the accident or loss. The new system of "comparative fault" permits the plaintiff to split the damages with the defendant so long as his negligence does not exceed that of the defendant. In short, it just means more people are likely to sue, and all consumers will end up paying at least 5% more for homeowners and auto insurance. The ads suggest we go to dontraisemyinsurance.com, but I went directly to the Insurance Federation of NC and the bill was explained on their homepage. Ask Rep. Underhill and Sen. Preston to say no.
To close, this is an excerpt from an editorial written by Terrence P. Jeffrey, Editor in Chief at CNS News.
Our Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution to create a federal government that would primarily carry out functions state governments could not. Most importantly 1) defending the country against foreign enemies, 2) regulating commerce with foreign nations, 3) regulating commerce among the states,, and 4) regulating immigration. Today we have illegal immigrants hauling massive quantities of illegal drugs across our international border, engaging in firefights with U.S. law enforcement officers on our sovereign territory, and distributing their deadly contraband and destroying the lives of American teenagers in communities in every state of the Union. President Obama and Congress are failing in their most fundamental duties.
Here is a graph of our "out-of-control deficits". The first one is from 2007, the last year Republicans controlled Congress. This is the $163 billion amount that President Obama continually tells us he inherited. The second one is 2010’s $1.6 trillion deficit from our Democrat controlled Congress and White House. Do you think maybe it’s time to stop blaming Bush?
The following link will take you to an op-ed piece that appeared in the New Bern Sun Journal on July 11, 2010 from Pat McCrory concerning legislation in North Carolina. this informative piece shows the methods used in getting items passed before the public really knows what has happened.
http://www.newbernsj.com/articles/state-88889-taxpayers-bill.html