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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Had Enough

The publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and president of Stephens Media, Sherman Frederick, explains why he's leaving the Democrat party:

I don't think I could have picked a worse time to go Republican. However, because KXNT-AM radio's Alan Stock revealed my party switch last week, I feel the need to explain.

First, I'm not trying to time anything. Enough was enough. Could stand no more. So, when it came time to renew my driver's license on June 9, I also gave the Democratic Party the pink slip.

I pushed the DMV clerk the paperwork. She shoved it back and said I didn't have to fill out that form if my address remained the same.

"No, I want to change party affiliation."

"Oh," she said. "Had enough of the president, have we?"

"Up to here. I quit."

Republicans offer our only hope in slowing the Obama "change" juggernaut before the America of unbridled optimism and opportunity goes the way of the buffalo. I don't want my great-grandchildren growing up in cradle-to-grave government care, where only the privileged few may afford a car, or own a home, or get non-rationed health care.

The only institution positioned to stop the progression of the Obama welfare state is the Republican Party, coupled with independent-minded Americans like me.

Frederick offers more reasons for his switch at the link. It's unfortunate for the country that he's right about the Republican party being our only realistic alternative to the Democrats. Too many Republicans actually don't see themselves as an alternative at all, but rather as Democrats-lite. Even so, the principles of the party - small government, low taxes, prudent spending, personal responsibility, individual freedom, adherence to the Constitution, respect for life, and caution in our foreign involvements - are still embraced by the majority of its members and are the only realistic hope for rescuing our nation from the serial irresponsibilities of the Obama administration.

RLC

The Stoning of Soraya M.

The same people who shoot young women to death in the streets of Iran have no qualms about stoning them to death either. One such victim of Islamic "justice" was Soraya M. Her story has been made into a film that is scheduled for release tomorrow. The film is titled The Stoning of Soraya M. Here's the trailer:

If it's showing near you, and you see it, let us know what you thought of it.

RLC

Taking Out the Taliban

Fox News showed this video yesterday morning. Note the caution exercised by everyone involved to avoid civilian casualties. Note, too, that being a Taliban is a tough way to make a living:

RLC

Cap and Trade Tomorrow

Congressman John Boehner, the House Minority Leader, has published the following fact sheet on the bill, sometimes referred to as "Cap and Trade," to be voted on in the House on Friday:

Democratic leaders have announced a so-called "deal" to bring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) national energy tax up for a House vote on Friday. Senior Democrats have already started to tout a number of trivial concessions and compromises that made this "deal" possible. But, the fact is, the consequences of this "deal" are no different from the consequences of the initial legislation introduced by Democrats earlier this year. It still amounts to jobs-killing policy that will increase costs for every American and will further harm our economy and American workers at a time when they can afford it least. Following are the Top 10 Facts about the House Democrats' so-called "deal" to bring Speaker Pelosi's national energy tax to the House floor later this week:

1. Speaker Pelosi's National Energy Tax Will Impose a National Energy Tax on Every Single American. If you drive a car, buy food or a product manufactured in America, or have the audacity to flip on a light switch, you'll pay more under Speaker Pelosi's national energy tax. Here's what Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) had to say about the tax: "Nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax. And it's a great big one." And of course, President Obama agrees, saying that electricity rates will "skyrocket" under this scheme.

2. Speaker Pelosi's National Energy Tax Will Cost American Jobs, Shipping Them Overseas to China & India. According to a study by the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Speaker Pelosi's national energy tax will cost 2.3 to 2.7 million jobs each year, even after the creation of new "green" jobs. It will impose tough new requirements and increased costs on American manufacturers - higher costs that they won't face overseas, in places like China, India, or Mexico. This will cost American jobs in two ways: either domestic manufacturers will move overseas directly, or American companies in energy-intensive industries will be driven out of business by overseas rivals that undercut their prices. These job losses, and their ripple effects throughout our economy, were excluded from an incomplete analysis recently completed by the Congressional Budget Office. The Brookings Institute recently released a report that confirmed a national energy tax would reduce economic growth, increase costs, and kill jobs.

3. Speaker Pelosi's National Energy Tax Will Cause Electricity Bills to "Skyrocket." Speaker Pelosi's national energy tax will increase electricity bills for every American and small business. President Obama even admitted that it would cause electricity rates to "necessarily skyrocket." And Duke Energy, a major utility company that would receive free allowances under the Democrats' plan, has already requested a rate hike of 13.5 percent in anticipation of the energy tax.

Read the rest at the link and contact your congressman. You may not have been aware that this bill was up for a vote tomorrow because the left is trying to focus our attention this week on other matters so that legislators don't have constituents putting pressure on them. Nevertheless, it's a terrible bill that will accomplish nothing except expand the power of government, diminish our freedom, and make us all poorer.

"Don't go gently into that dark night but rage, rage at the dying of the light." Dylan Thomas.

RLC