Archive for June, 2011

Beck Tells It Like It Is–Videos

Posted on June 29, 2011. Filed under: Blogroll, Books, Business, Communications, Culture, Demographics, Diasters, Economics, Education, Employment, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, government, government spending, Inflation, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Monetary Policy, People, Philosophy, Politics, Rants, Raves, Strategy, Talk Radio, Taxes, Unemployment, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Glenn Beck |

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-A

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-B

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-C

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-D

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-E

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

A Personal Appeal From Ron Paul–Video

Posted on June 28, 2011. Filed under: American History, Banking, Blogroll, Communications, Economics, Employment, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, history, Immigration, Inflation, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Microeconomics, Monetary Policy, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Rants, Raves, Strategy, Talk Radio, Taxes, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: A Personal Appeal From Ron Paul, Ron Paul |

A Personal Appeal From Ron Paul

I know there are libertarian multi-millionaires and bilionaires that could write the checks.

Please support Ron Paul.

Give what you can of your time and money.

Campaign for Liberty.

Background Articles and Videos

Michele Bachmann is Interviewed by Chris Wallace (Fox News Sunday) – Pt. 1 of 2

Michele Bachmann is Interviewed by Chris Wallace (Fox News Sunday) – Pt. 2 of 2

Elitists Treat Bachmann the Same as Palin

Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 10:25 AM

By David Limbaugh

“…Indeed, there is an enormous elephant in the room of GOP presidential politics, which is that despite their individual popularity, both female contenders, Bachmann and Sarah Palin, are dismissed in many circles as cartoon characters.

I’m the last person who wants to inject identity politics into any equation, but I can’t help but wonder what role, if any, their gender may be playing here — not just that they’re females but also that they’re attractive ones.

Though I doubt these are major factors for most people, they are for some. In fact, a number of females have suggested that other women react negatively to Palin — and presumably to Bachmann, as well — specifically because they are women.

In other critics I detect a type of soft sexism leading to a stronger reaction to their gaffes than to, say, Obama’s. They regard their mistakes (or supposed mistakes) as disqualifying while casually overlooking far worse errors from the Harvard-educated Obama.

Bachmann and Palin are panned as inexperienced and lacking gravitas despite their records and accomplishments, and Obama is treated as a heavyweight despite his miserable record and voluminous verbal blunders.

But much bigger factors driving the media narrative against Palin and Bachmann than their female attractiveness are their common personal and ideological characteristics.

They are both fearless, combative, energizing, and unqualified conservatives. Don’t get me wrong; they are two very different people, but these shared qualities make them especially contemptible to the left and to certain elitists on the right.

Bachmann and Palin happen to be among the most conservative of the GOP field, and leftists and elitists routinely cast conservatives as a dozen fries short of a Happy Meal. They consider Reagan conservatives — just as they regarded Reagan in his day — dangerous extremists and insufficiently nuanced for prime time.

Those who pull no punches in challenging the Beltway dogma that got us into this calamity are quickly shunted aside by the elites. But they are adored by mainstream Americans, who are unencumbered by the numbing realities of Washington that prevent far too many career politicians from taking immediate action to reverse our nationally suicidal course.

Read more on Newsmax.com: Elitists Treat Bachmann the Same as Palin
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama’s Re-Election? Vote Here Now!

http://www.newsmax.com/Limbaugh/ChrisWallace-MicheleBachmann-SarahPalin-Reagan/2011/06/28/id/401708

Conversations With History – Michael Scheuer

Classic TYT Interview With Michael Scheuer 2-15-08

USAMA BIN LADEN / MICHAEL SCHEUER / NEW FILM !

Presidents Vs. Terrorists

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )

Cut, Cap, And Balance Pledge–The Washington D.C. Howdy Doody Debt Ceiling Show–“Say Kids What Time Is It?”–Howdy Doody Time–Fiscal Year 2020 Balanced Budget Time–Not Serious–Send In The Clowns–There Already There!– Videos

Posted on June 28, 2011. Filed under: American History, Banking, Blogroll, Business, Communications, Demographics, Economics, Education, Employment, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, history, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Microeconomics, Monetary Policy, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Raves, Regulations, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Balanced Budget, Debt Ceiling, Howdy Doody Show, Send In The Clown |

Pronk Pops Show 34:June 29, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 33:June 22, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 32:June 15, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 31:June 8, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 30:June 2, 2011

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 34-

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 30-33

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 27-29

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 22 (Part 2)-26

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 16-22 (Part 1)

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 10-15

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 1-9

Despite our nation’s staggering $14.4 trillion debt, there many Members of the U.S. House and Senate who want to raise our nation’s debt limit without making permanent reforms in our fiscal policies.

We believe that this is a fiscally irresponsible position that would place America on the Road to Ruin. At the same time, we believe that the current debate over raising the debt limit provides a historic opportunity to focus public attention, and then public policy, on a path to a balanced budget and paying down our debt.

We believe that the “Cut, Cap, Balance” plan for substantial spending cuts in FY 2012, a statutory spending cap, and Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution is the minimum necessary precondition to raising the debt limit. The ultimate goal is to get us back to a point where increases in the debt limit are no longer necessary.

If you agree, take the Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge! There are versions for elected officials, federal candidates and ordinary citizens.

THE PLEDGE

I pledge to urge my Senators and Member of the House of Representatives to oppose any debt limit increase unless all three of the following conditions have been met:

Cut – Substantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next year and thereafter.
Cap – Enforceable spending caps that will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget.
Balance – Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — but only if it includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancing revenues and expenses.

http://cutcapbalancepledge.com/

Sign the Pledge: Cut, Cap & Balance. Now.

Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge [FOX: 6-22-2011]

Senator Pat Toomey Explains That Failing To Raise Debt Limit Doesn’t Cause Default

Jim DeMint Balanced Budget Amendment and Republican Presidential Candidate’s

CNN: DeMint Discusses Cut, Cap & Balance Pledge

Brit Humes Commentary – Understanding Debt Crisis [FOX 6-28-2011]

Ron Paul on Bloomberg 6/3/11

Howdy Doody Show Opening Sequence and Theme

Buffalo Bob: Say kids, what time is it?

Kids: It’s Howdy Doody Time!

It’s Howdy Doody Time!

Bob Smith and Howdy do

Say Howdy Do to you.

Let’s give a rousing cheer,

Cause Howdy Doody’s here,

It’s time to start the show,

So kids let’s go!

U.S. National Debt Clock

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Paul Ryan As Howdy Doody

John Boehner as Buffalo Bob with Howdy Doody

Barack Obama As Phineas T. Bluster Marionette

Joe Biden As Clarabell

Judy Collins Send in the Clowns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States

Summary of Outlays, Revenues (Receipts), Deficits, Surpluses Fiscal Years 1980-2010(Nominal Dollars in Millions)
Fiscal Year	Outlays	Revenues (Receipts)	Deficits (-), Surpluses
1980	590,941	517,112	-73,830
1981	678,241	599,272	-78,968
1982	745,743	617,766	–127,977
1983	808,364	600,562	-207,802
1984	851,805	666,488	-185,367
1985	946,344	734,037	-212,308
1986	990,382	769,155	-221,277
1987	1,004,017	854,288	-149,730
1988	1,064,417	854,288	-155,178
1989	1,143,744	991,105	-152,639
1990	1,252,994	1,031,958	-221,036
1991	1,324,226	1,054,988	-269,238
1992	1,381,529	1,091,208	-290,321
1993	1,409,386	1,154,335	-255,051
1994	1,461,753	1,258,566	–203,186
1995	1,515,742	1,351,790	-163,392
1996	1,560,484	1,453,053	-107,431
1997	1,601,116	1,579,232	-21,884
1998	1,652,458	1,721,728	69,270
1999	1,701,842	1,827,452	125,610
2000	1,788,950	2,025,191	236,241
2001	1,862,846	1,991,082	128,236
2002	2,010,894	1,853,136	–157,758
2003	2,159,899	1,782,314	-377,585
2004	2,292,841	1,880,114	-412,727
2005	2,471,957	2,153,611	-318,346
2006	2,655,050	2,406,869	-248,181
2007	2,728,686	2,567,985	-160,701
2008	2,982,544	2,523,991	-458,553
2009	3,517,677	2,104,989	-1,412,688
2010	3,456,213	2,162,724	-1,293,489

Monthly Treasury Statement

                                      FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE
                                                  STAR - TREASURY FINANCIAL DATABASE
             TABLE 1.  SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS, OUTLAYS AND THE DEFICIT/SURPLUS BY MONTH OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT (IN MILLIONS)

                                                        ACCOUNTING DATE:  05/11

   PERIOD                                                                     RECEIPTS                OUTLAYS    DEFICIT/SURPLUS (-)
+  ____________________________________________________________  _____________________  _____________________  _____________________
   PRIOR YEAR

     OCTOBER                                                                   135,293                311,656                176,363
     NOVEMBER                                                                  133,563                253,850                120,287
     DECEMBER                                                                  218,919                310,329                 91,410
     JANUARY                                                                   205,239                247,873                 42,634
     FEBRUARY                                                                  107,520                328,429                220,909
     MARCH                                                                     153,358                218,745                 65,387
     APRIL                                                                     245,260                327,950                 82,689
     MAY                                                                       146,794                282,721                135,927
     JUNE                                                                      251,048                319,470                 68,422
     JULY                                                                      155,546                320,588                165,043
     AUGUST                                                                    163,998                254,524                 90,526
     SEPTEMBER                                                                 245,207                279,813                 34,607

       YEAR-TO-DATE                                                          2,161,746              3,455,949              1,294,204

   CURRENT YEAR

     OCTOBER                                                                   145,951                286,384                140,432
     NOVEMBER                                                                  148,970                299,364                150,394
     DECEMBER                                                                  236,875                315,009                 78,134
     JANUARY                                                                   226,550                276,346                 49,796
     FEBRUARY                                                                  110,656                333,163                222,507
     MARCH                                                                     150,894                339,047                188,153
     APRIL                                                                     289,543                329,929                 40,387
     MAY                                                                       174,911                232,551                 57,641

       YEAR-TO-DATE                                                          1,484,350              2,411,794                927,444

http://www.fms.treas.gov/mts/mts0511.txt

 BUREAU OF THE FISCAL SERVICE STAR - TREASURY FINANCIAL DATABASE TABLE 1.  SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS, OUTLAYS AND THE DEFICIT/SURPLUS BY

ACCOUNTING DATE:  09/14

PERIOD                                                                     RECEIPTS +  ____________________________________________________________  _____________________ PRIOR YEAR

OCTOBER                                                                   184,316 NOVEMBER                                                                  161,730 DECEMBER                                                                  269,508 JANUARY                                                                   272,225 FEBRUARY                                                                  122,815 MARCH                                                                     186,018 APRIL                                                                     406,723 MAY                                                                       197,182 JUNE                                                                      286,627 JULY                                                                      200,030 AUGUST                                                                    185,370 SEPTEMBER                                                                 301,469

YEAR-TO-DATE                                                          2,774,011

CURRENT YEAR

OCTOBER                                                                   198,927 NOVEMBER                                                                  182,453 DECEMBER                                                                  285,041 JANUARY                                                                   295,997 FEBRUARY                                                                  144,349 MARCH                                                                     215,846 APRIL                                                                     414,237 MAY                                                                       199,889 JUNE                                                                      323,646 JULY                                                                      214,493 AUGUST                                                                    194,248 SEPTEMBER                                                                 351,722

YEAR-TO-DATE                                                          3,020,848 http:/ -

Obama Spending

uncertain display: block;">

Cut, Cap, Balance: Sen Jim DeMint (R-SC)

ECONOMY: Blackburn On Cut Cap Balance

Don’t Be a Chicken

Super MariObama

Chairman Jordan: Cut, Cap, & Balance – That’s the Bottom Line

President restarts debt ceiling talks

Tom and the Judge talk Debt Limit

Obama, Dems Negotiation Failure On Spending Cuts

Amid ‘Serious Negotiations’ on Debt, Can Obama and GOP Find Common Ground?

Start Listening to Senator Paul:

3/09/11: Sen. Rand Paul on balancing the budget

03/17/11: Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Five-Year Balanced Budget Plan

S-1 FY2012 Senator Rand Paul (Nominal Dollars in Billions)
Fiscal Year	Outlays	Revenues	DeficitsSurplus	Debt Held By Public
2011	3,708	2,228	-1,480	10,430
2012	3,100	2,547	-553	11,051
2013	3,152	2,755	-397	11,532
2014	3,227	3,088	-139	11,748
2015	3,360	3,244	-116	11,942
2016	3,430	3,349	19	11,997
2012-2016	16,269	15,083	-1,188	n.a.

http://campaignforliberty.com/materials/RandBudget.pdf

4/14/11: Sen. Rand Paul Speaks Out Against the Continuing Resolution

Senator Lee explains the enforceability of a balanced budget amendment

Senator Pat Toomey Explains That Failing To Raise Debt Limit Doesn’t Cause Default

Neither the Republican Party nor Democratic Party Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposals are the road to peace and prosperity but a Tea Party budget with balanced budgets most definitely is:

Which Budgets Are Balanced And Living Within The Means of The American People?

4/5/11 Republican Leadership Press Conference

Republican Party Budget Proposals

S-1 FY2012 Chairman’s Markup (Nominal Dollars in Billions)
Fiscal Year	Outlays	Revenues	Deficits	Debt Held By Public
2011	3,618	2,230	-1,388	10,351
2012	3,529	2,533	-995	11,418
2013	3,559	2,860	-699	12,217
2014	3,586	3,094	-492	12,801
2015	3,671	3,237	-434	13,326
2016	3,858	3,377	-481	13,886
2017	3,998	3,589	-408	14,363
2018	4,123	3,745	-379	14,800
2019	4,352	3,939	-414	15,254
2020	4,544	4,142	-402	15,681
2021	4,739	4,354	-385	16,071
2012-2021	39,958	34,870	-5,088	n.a.

http://budget.house.gov/UploadedFiles/PathToProsperityFY2012.pdf

Sen. Toomey Unveils his FY 2012 Budget

Senator Pat Toomey Talks with Michael Medved about his Budget

S-1 FY2012 Senator Pat Toomey(Nominal Dollars in Billions)
Fiscal Year	Outlays	Revenues	DeficitsSurplus	Debt Held By Public
2011	3,625	2,230	-1,351	10,351
2012	3,477	2,538	-919	11,418
2013	3,485	2,964	-521	12,217
2014	3,509	3,216	-291	12,801
2015	3,623	3,391	-233	13,326
2016	3,765	3,524	-241	13,886
2017	3,853	3,736	-117	14,363
2018	3,955	3,916	-39	14,800
2019	4,140	4,108	-32	15,254
2020	4,302	4,325	23	15,681
2021	4,493	4,566	73	16,071
2012-2021	38,602	36,304	-2298	n.a.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/55116239/Restoring-Balance-Final

Democratic Party Budget Proposals

S-1 FY2012 President’s Budget (Nominal Dollars in Billions)
Fiscal Year	Outlays	Revenues	Deficits	Debt Held By Public
2011	3,819	2,174	-1,645	10,856
2012	3,729	2,627	-1,101	11,881
2013	3,771	3,003	-768	12,784
2014	3,977	3,333	-646	13,562
2015	4,190	3,583	-607	14,301
2016	4,468	3,819	-649	15,064
2017	4,669	4,042	-627	15,795
2018	4,876	4,257	-619	16,513
2019	5,154	4,473	-681	17,284
2020	5,442	4,686	-735	18,103
2021	5,697	4,923	-774	18,967
2012-2021	45,952	38,747	-7,205	n.a.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2012/assets/tables.pdf

Tea Party Budget Proposals

S-1 FY2012 Tea Party’s Balanced/Surplus Budget(Nominal Dollars in Billions)
Fiscal Year	Outlays	Revenues	Surpluses	Debt Held By Public
2012	2,500	2,500	0	10,900
2013	2,800	2,800	0	10,900
2014	3,000	3,000	0	10,900
2015	3,200	3,200	0	10,900
2016	3,300	3,300	0	10,900
2017	3,400	3,500	100	10,800
2018	3,500	3,700	200	10,600
2019	3,600	3,900	300	10,300
2020	3,700	4,000	300	10,000
2021	3,800	4,300	500	9,500
2012-2021	32,800	34,200	1,400	n.a.

Please sign the cut, cap and balance pledge by clicking on the link below.

http://cutcapbalancepledge.com/

This should put some pressure on your Senators and Representatives of both political parties that still believe that massive annual deficits of over $1000 billion can continue for years if not decades into the future.

The U. S. economy has two years or less to increase the growth rate from 1.9 to over 4.0% and reduce the official unemployment rate from 9.2 % to under 7%.

If the total U.S. Government Federal Government outlays are not significantly reduced and brought into balanced with tax revenues by 2013, the U.S. economy will enter another recession and the official unemployment rate or U-3 will exceed 10% with over 15 million unemployed Americans and with over 30 million Americans seeking full-time employment.

The total outlays (spending) and revenues (taxes) must be equal for the Fiscal Year 2014 U.S Federal Government budget and subsequent fiscal years; At most outlays or spending should be less than or equal to 18% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This is the only way to increase the U.S.’s economic growth rate of Gross Domestic Product to over a 5% and reduce unemployment rate to under 5%.

If this is not done the U.S. economy will first go into another recession followed by a long period of stagflation with little recovery in terms of jobs.

If your representatives refuse to sign the pledge, do not vote for them in the next election.

If your representatives votes for an increase in the national debt ceiling without the terms of the pledge being honored or met, do not vote for them in the next election.

Force the President of the United States to balance the budget in Fiscal Year 2012 by insisting the national debt ceiling not be increased.

Remember that the estimated deficit for Fiscal Year 2011 is $1,650 billion dollars. This is about equal to the total U.S. Federal Government budget in Fiscal Year 1998 when the budget was in surplus!

Through the end of June 2011 the actual deficit for Fiscal Year 2011 exceeds over $1,000 billion with three more months to go.

In other words tax revenues are estimated to be about $2,200 billion with outlays or spending to be over $3,800 billion.

The time has come for your Senators and Representatives to show some spine and fiscal discipline.

If they do not, find someone who will and vote for them in the next election!

Remember the Alamo

Background Articles and Videos

Grant Says New Regulations `Asphyxiating’ U.S. Banks

James Grant and James Turk discuss gold, the Fed and the fiscal situation of the USA

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 1/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 2/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 3/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 4/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 5/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 6/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 7/8

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 8/8

Bernanke Says Recovery to Pick Up in Coming Quarters

Fed Cuts US Growth Outlook

The Deficit Is Worse Than We Think

Normal interest rates would raise debt-service costs by $4.9 trillion over 10 years, dwarfing the savings from any currently contemplated budget deal.

By LAWRENCE B. LINDSEY

“…Washington is struggling to make a deal that will couple an increase in the debt ceiling with a long-term reduction in spending. There is no reason for the players to make their task seem even more Herculean than it already is. But we should be prepared for upward revisions in official deficit projections in the years ahead—even if a deal is struck. There are at least three major reasons for concern.

First, a normalization of interest rates would upend any budgetary deal if and when one should occur. At present, the average cost of Treasury borrowing is 2.5%. The average over the last two decades was 5.7%. Should we ramp up to the higher number, annual interest expenses would be roughly $420 billion higher in 2014 and $700 billion higher in 2020.

The 10-year rise in interest expense would be $4.9 trillion higher under “normalized” rates than under the current cost of borrowing. Compare that to the $2 trillion estimate of what the current talks about long-term deficit reduction may produce, and it becomes obvious that the gains from the current deficit-reduction efforts could be wiped out by normalization in the bond market. …”

“…The second reason for concern is that official growth forecasts are much higher than what the academic consensus believes we should expect after a financial crisis. That consensus holds that economies tend to return to trend growth of about 2.5%, without ever recapturing what was lost in the downturn.

But the president’s budget of February 2011 projects economic growth of 4% in 2012, 4.5% in 2013, and 4.2% in 2014. That budget also estimates that the 10-year budget cost of missing the growth estimate by just one point for one year is $750 billion. So, if we just grow at trend those three years, we will miss the president’s forecast by a cumulative 5.2 percentage points and—using the numbers provided in his budget—incur additional debt of $4 trillion. That is the equivalent of all of the 10-year savings in Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget, passed by the House in April, or in the Bowles-Simpson budget plan.

Third, it is increasingly clear that the long-run cost estimates of ObamaCare were well short of the mark because of the incentive that employers will have under that plan to end private coverage and put employees on the public system. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has already issued 1,400 waivers from the act’s regulations for employers as large as McDonald’s to stop them from dumping their employees’ coverage. …”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304657804576401883172498352.html

Michele Bachmann says Obama using “scare tactics” on debt ceiling

“…White House hopeful Michele Bachmann on Tuesday accused President Obama of using scare tactics to convince Congress to raise the statutory limit on how much money the United States can borrow to keep the government running.

“I think these are scare tactics by the Obama administration,” the Minnesota Republican Representative said in an interview on CBS’ “The Early Show,” referring to assertions that financial markets would be face turmoil if Congress does not raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by August 2.

“Until I see a legitimate, serious reduction in spending, I can’t give my vote” to raise the debt ceiling, Bachmann said, adding “we will be right back at it again a year and a half from now in a worse position than we are today.”

Bachmann noted that the debt ceiling would have to be increased by about $2.4 trillion to last through the end of next year.

She backed a controversial proposal from Sen. Pat Toomey, (R-Pa.) to give bondholders, including China, first dibs on the payments from the U.S. Treasury.

“The interest on the debt can easily be paid for and that would mean that we wouldn’t default,” she said. …”

“…Toomey’s proposal is popular among the conservative Tea Party wing of the Republican party, but has not been endorsed by the Republican leadership on Capitol Hill.

The Obama administration has warned against Toomey’s proposal, as has Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Earlier this month, Bernanke, who served as a top White House adviser to President George W. Bush before becoming Fed chief, said such a prioritization move would cause unnecessary concerns in the financial markets and would only buy a short amount of time.

“While debt-related payments might be met in this scenario, the fact that many other government payments would be delayed could still create serious concerns about the safety of Treasury securities among financial market participants,” Bernanke said in a speech earlier this month. …”

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20074952-503544.html

Howdy Doody – 1949 – (1/3)

Howdy Doody – 1949 – (2/3)

Howdy Doody – 1949 – (3/3)

Howdy Doody

“…Howdy Doody is an American children’s television program (with circus and frontier/Western themes) that was created and produced by E. Roger Muir^[1] and telecast on NBC in the United States from 1947 until 1960. It was a pioneer in children’s television programming and set the pattern for many similar shows. It was also a pioneer in early color production as NBC (at the time owned by TV maker RCA) used the show in part to sell color television sets in the 1950s.

Howdy Doody himself is a freckle-faced boy marionette with 48 freckles, one for each state of the union (up until January 3, 1959), and was originally voiced by Buffalo Bob Smith.^[2] The Howdy Doody show’s various marionettes were created and built by puppeteers Velma Wayne Dawson, Scott Brinker (the show’s prop man) and Rufus Rose throughout the show’s run.^[3] The redheaded Howdy marionette on the original show was operated with 11 strings: two heads, one mouth, one eye, two shoulders, one back, two hands and two knees. Three strings were added when the show returned—two elbows and one nose.

The original Howdy Doody marionette now resides at the Detroit Institute of Arts. There were duplicate Howdy Doody puppets, designed to be used expressly for off-the-air purposes (lighting rehearsals, personal appearances, etc.), although surviving kinescope recordings clearly show that these duplicate puppets were indeed used on the air occasionally. Double Doody was the Howdy stand-in puppet; now on permanent display at the Smithsonian.^[4] Photo Doody, is the near-stringless marionette that was used in personal appearances, photos, parades, and the famed NBC test pattern. He was sold by Leland’s Sports Auction House in 1997 for more than $113,000 to a private art collector, TJ Fisher.^[5] Other puppet characters included Heidi Doody (Howdy’s sister), Mayor Phineas T. Bluster, Dilly Dally, Inspector John J. Fadoozle (“America’s number 1 private eye”), Sandra the Witch, Princess Summerfall Winterspring, Capt. Windy Scuttlebut and the curious Flub-a-Dub (a combination of eight animals: a duck’s bill, a cat’s whiskers, a spaniel’s ears, a giraffe’s neck, a dachshund’s body, a seal’s flippers, a pig’s tail and an elephant’s memory). The show is also known for its animals like Hyde and Zeke the bears, Mambo the Elephant, Tizzy the dinosaur, Paddle the Gnu, and Tommy Turtle. Howdy Doody dolls were also sold commercially, as well as marionettes of Howdy Doody and Flub-a-dub.

In addition to the original vintage puppets, puppetmaker Alan Semok (at the request of Bob Smith in the early 1990s) created several exact replicas of Howdy, including (thanks to improved materials and new moulding techniques) a more exact marionette replica than had been produced in the past, as well as a new Photo Doody which Smith used in personal appearances until the time of his death. One of Semok’s marionette duplicates appears on a 2005 cover of TV Guide magazine as part of a series recreating classic covers from the magazine’s history. The cover featured Howdy with Conan O’Brien dressed as Buffalo Bob Smith. Another of the Semok duplicates resides in the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts, the private museum owned by renowned illusionist David Copperfield.

Bob Smith (November 27, 1917 – July 30, 1998), the show’s host, was dubbed “Buffalo Bob” early in the show’s run. Smith wore cowboy garb, and the name of the puppet “star” was derived from the Western United States greeting “howdy do”, a commonplace corruption of “How do you do?” (The straightforward use of that expression was also in the theme song’s lyrics.) Smith, who had gotten his start as a singing radio personality in Buffalo, New York, used music frequently in the program. Cast members Lew Anderson and Robert “Nick” Nicholson were both experienced jazz musicians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howdy_Doody

Background Articles and Video

Chairman Ron Paul on CNBC Kudlow Report 2/8/11

A Libertarian Republican Party?

Libertarians in the Presidential Race

Ron Paul on Where The Bailout Money Went… Foreign Banks and McDonalds?

Ron Paul on Freedom Watch: Obama Believes In One World Government , Not National Sovereignty

Ron Paul on Lou Dobbs radio 6/22/2011

DR. RON PAUL / JUDGE ANDREW NAPOLITANO 2012 WE CAN and MUST MAKE IT HAPPEN!

What Ever Happened to the Constitution? | Andrew Napolitano

Ron Paul: Bubble Economy

SA@TAC – Ron Paul’s Conservative Foreign Policy

Ron Paul on the Today Show: I’m not a Fringe Candidate – 6/20/2011

SA@TAC – Ron Paul People

Ron Paul: A New Hope

Background Articles and Videos

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 1 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 2 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 3 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 4 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 5 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 6 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 7 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 8 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 9 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 10 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 11 OF 12

TRUTH BE TOLLED (TTC) PART 12 OF 12

Background Articles and Videos

BBC Panorama – The War Party pt1/5

BBC Panorama – The War Party pt2/5

BBC Panorama – The War Party pt3/5

BBC Panorama – The War Party pt4/5

BBC Panorama – The War Party pt5/5

Isolationism

“…Isolationism is a foreign policy adopted by a nation in which the country refuses to enter into any alliances, foreign trade or economic commitments, or international agreements in hopes of focusing all of its resources into advancement within its own borders while remaining at peace with foreign countries by avoiding all entanglements of foreign agreements. In other words, it asserts both of the following:

Non-interventionism – Political rulers should avoid entangling alliances with other nations and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial differences (self-defense).
Protectionism – There should be legal barriers to control trade and cultural exchange with people in other states.

“Isolationism” has always been a debated political topic. Whether or not a country should be or should not be isolationist affects both living standards and the ability of political rulers to benefit favored firms and industries.

The policy or doctrine of trying to isolate one’s country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, and generally attempting to make one’s economy entirely self-reliant; seeking to devote the entire efforts of one’s country to its own advancement, both diplomatically and economically, while remaining in a state of peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities.^[1]

All the First World countries (the UK, United States, etc.) trade in a world economy, and experienced an expansion of the division of labor, which generally raised living standards. However, some characterize this as “a wage race to the bottom” in the manufacturing industries that should be curtailed by protectionism. Some argue that isolating a country from a global division of labor—i.e. employing protectionist trading policies—could be potentially helpful. The consensus amongst most economists is that such a policy is detrimental, and point to the mercantilism of the pre-industrial era as the classic example. Others argue that as the world’s biggest consumer, with its own natural resources, the U.S. can wisely dictate what conditions can apply to goods and services imported for U.S. consumption, misunderstanding the nature of prices and their emergent, non-centrally planned, nature. Countries and regions generally enjoy a comparative advantage over others in some area. Free trade between countries allows each country to do what it does best, and benefit from the products and services that others do best. But “best” too often means monetary, excluding human and ecological costs, due to firms externalizing costs as a result of inadequately defined property rights. Protectionism allegedly interferes in the market process, making people poorer than they would be otherwise. …”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolationism

Nonintervention

“…Nonintervention or non-interventionism is a foreign policy which holds that political rulers should avoid alliances with other nations, but still retain diplomacy, and avoid all wars not related to direct territorial self-defense. This is based on the grounds that a state should not interfere in the internal politics of another state, based upon the principles of state sovereignty and self-determination. A similar phrase is “strategic independence”.^[1] Historical examples of supporters of non-interventionism are US Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who both favored nonintervention in European Wars while maintaining free trade. Other proponents include United States Senator Robert Taft and United States Congressman Ron Paul.^[2]

Nonintervention is distinct from isolationism, the latter featuring economic nationalism (protectionism) and restrictive immigration. Proponents of non-interventionism distinguish their polices from isolationism through their advocacy of more open national relations, to include diplomacy and free trade. …”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-interventionism

United States Non-interventionism

“…Non-interventionism, the diplomatic policy whereby a nation seeks to avoid alliances with other nations in order to avoid being drawn into wars not related to direct territorial self-defense, has had a long history in the United States. It is a form of “realism”.

Non-interventionism on the part of the United States over the course of its foreign policy, is more of a want to aggressively protect the United States’ interests than a want to shun the rest of the world.

Non-intervention is similar to isolationism. While isolationism includes views on immigration and trade, non-interventionism refers exclusively to military alliances and policies.

Thomas Paine is generally credited with instilling the first non-interventionist ideas into the American body politic; his work Common Sense contains many arguments in favor of avoiding alliances. These ideas introduced by Paine took such a firm foothold that the Second Continental Congress struggled against forming an alliance with France and only agreed to do so when it was apparent that the American Revolutionary War could be won in no other manner.

George Washington’s farewell address is often cited as laying the foundation for a tradition of American non-interventionism:

The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.

John Adams followed George Washington’s ideas about non-interventionism by avoiding a very realistic possibility of war with France. Many Americans were clamoring for war and Adams refusal and persistence in seeking negotiation would lead his political rival Thomas Jefferson to take the presidency in the next election.^{[citation needed]}

No entangling alliances (19th century)

President Thomas Jefferson extended Washington’s ideas in his March 4, 1801 inaugural address: “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.” Jefferson’s phrase “entangling alliances” is, incidentally, sometimes incorrectly attributed to Washington.^[1]

In 1823, President James Monroe articulated what would come to be known as the Monroe Doctrine, which some have interpreted as non-interventionist in intent: “In the wars of the European powers, in matters relating to themselves, we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policy, so to do. It is only when our rights are invaded, or seriously menaced that we resent injuries, or make preparations for our defense.”

After Tsar Alexander II put down the 1863 January Uprising in Poland, French Emperor Napoleon III asked the United States to “join in a protest to the Tsar.”^[2] Secretary of State William H. Seward declined, “defending ‘our policy of non-intervention — straight, absolute, and peculiar as it may seem to other nations,'” and insisted that “[t]he American people must be content to recommend the cause of human progress by the wisdom with which they should exercise the powers of self-government, forbearing at all times, and in every way, from foreign alliances, intervention, and interference.”^[2]

The United States’ policy of non-intervention was maintained throughout most of the 19th century. The first significant foreign intervention by the US was the Spanish-American War, which saw the US occupy and control the Philippines.

20th century non-intervention

Theodore Roosevelt’s administration is credited with inciting the Panamanian Revolt against Colombia in order to secure construction rights for the Panama Canal (begun in 1904).

United States President Woodrow Wilson, after winning reelection with the slogan “He kept us out of war,” promptly, but reluctantly, intervened in World War I. Yet non-interventionist sentiment remained; the U.S. Congress refused to endorse the Treaty of Versailles or the League of Nations.

Protest march to prevent American involvement in World War II before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Isolationism Between the Two World Wars

In the wake of the First World War, the isolationist tendencies of US foreign policy were in full force. First, the United States Congress rejected president Woodrow Wilson’s most cherished condition of the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations. Many Americans felt that they did not need the rest of the world, and that they were fine making decisions concerning peace on their own.^[3] Even though ‘anti-League’ was the policy of the nation, private citizens and lower diplomats either supported or observed the League.^[4] This quasi-isolationism shows that the US was interested in foreign affairs, but was afraid that by pledging full support for the League, the United States would lose the ability to act on foreign policy as it pleased.

Although the United States was unwilling to commit to the League of Nations, they were willing to engage in foreign affairs on their own terms. In August 1928, fifteen nations signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, brainchild of American Secretary of State Frank Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand.^[5] This pact that was said to have outlawed war and showed the United States commitment to international peace had its semantic flaws.^[6] For example, it did not hold the United States to the conditions of any existing treaties, it still allowed European nations the right to self-defense, and it stated that if one nation broke the Pact, it would be up to the other signatories to enforce it.^[7] The Kellogg-Briand Pact was more of a sign of good intentions on the part of the US, rather than a legitimate step towards the sustenance of world peace.

Isolationism took a new turn after the Crash of 1929. With the economic hysteria, the US began to focus solely on fixing its economy within its borders and ignored the outside world. As the world’s democratic powers were busy fixing their economies within their borders, the fascist powers of Europe and Asia silently moved their armies into a position to start World War II. With military victory came the spoils of war – a very draconian pummeling of Germany into submission, via the Treaty of Versailles. This near-total humiliation of Germany in the wake of World War I – as the treaty placed sole blame for the war on the nation – laid the groundwork for a pride-hungry German people to embrace Adolf Hitler’s rise to power.

Isolationism Just Before WWII

As Europe moved closer and closer to war in the late 1930s, the United States Congress was doing everything it could to prevent it. Between 1936 and 1937, much to the dismay of the pro-Britain President Roosevelt, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts. These Acts did everything they could to delay U.S. entry into a European war. These Acts were not aimed at keeping America out of a modern world war, but the previous one.^[8] For example, in the final Neutrality Act, Americans could not sail on ships flying the flag of a belligerent nation or trade arms with warring nations, potential causes for U.S. entry into war.

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland; Britain and France subsequently declared war on Germany, marking the start of World War II. In an address to the American People two days later, President Roosevelt assured the nation that he would do all he could to keep them out of war.^[9] However, his words showed his true goals. “When peace has been broken anywhere, the peace of all countries everywhere is in danger,” Roosevelt said.^[10] Even though he was intent on neutrality as the official policy of the United States, he still echoed the dangers of staying out of this war. He also cautioned the American people to not let their wish to avoid war at all costs supersede the security of the nation.^[11]

The war in Europe split the American people into two distinct groups: isolationists and interventionists. The two sides argued over America’s involvement in this Second World War. The basic principle of the interventionist argument was fear of German invasion. By the summer of 1940, France had fallen to the Germans, and Britain was the only democratic stronghold between Germany and the United States.^[12] Interventionists feared that if Britain fell, their security as a nation would shrink immediately.^[13] They were also afraid of a world after this war, a world where they would have to coexist with the fascist power of Europe. In a 1940 speech, Roosevelt argued, “Some, indeed, still hold to the now somewhat obvious delusion that we … can safely permit the United States to become a lone island … in a world dominated by the philosophy of force.”^[14]

Ultimately, the ideological rift between the ideals of the United States and the goals of the fascist powers is what made the core of the interventionist argument. “How could we sit back as spectators of a war against ourselves?”^[15] writer Archibald MacLeish questioned. The reason why interventionists said we could not coexist with the fascist powers was not due to economic pressures or deficiencies in our armed forces but rather because it was the goal of fascist leaders to destroy the American ideology of democracy. In an address to the American people on December 29, 1940, President Roosevelt said, “…the Axis not merely admits but proclaims that there can be no ultimate peace between their philosophy of government and our philosophy of government.”^[16] It is not that the interventionists are war mongering and power hungry, it is that they are fearful for the preservation of the American way of life, after these years of war.

However, there were still many who held on to the age-old tenets of isolationism. Although a minority, they were well organized, and had a powerful presence in Congress.^[17] Isolationists rooted a significant portion of their arguments in historical precedent, citing events such as Washington’s farewell address and the failure of World War I.^[18] Ultimately, it came down to the moral and physical separation of the United States from the rest of the world. “If we have strong defenses and understand and believe in what we are defending, we need fear nobody in this world,” Robert Hutschins, President of the University of Chicago, wrote in a 1940 essay.^[19] Isolationists believed that our safety as a nation was more important than any foreign war.^[20] The interesting thing is that the arguments the isolationists used in 1940 echoed the themes of Washington and Jefferson. Charles Lindbergh’s words in a 1940 speech, “…those of us who believe in an independent American destiny must … organize for strength,”^[21] are not that different from Washington’s pleas for international isolation.

As 1940 became 1941, the actions of the Roosevelt administration made it more and more clear that the United States was on a course to war. This policy shift, driven by the President, came in two phases. The first came in 1939 with the passage of the Fourth Neutrality Act, which permitted the United States to trade arms with belligerent nations, as long as these nations came to America to retrieve the arms, and pay for them in cash.^[17] This policy was quickly dubbed, ‘Cash and Carry.’^[22] The second phase was the Lend-Lease Act of early 1941. This act allowed the President, “…to lend, lease, sell, or barter arms, ammunition, food, or any ‘defense article’ or any ‘defense information’ to ‘the government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States.’”^[23] He used these two programs to side economically with the British and the French in their fight against the Nazis. In doing so, he made the American economy dependent upon an allied victory. In terms of policy, the United States was on a path to war but the American people still wished to avoid it at all costs, a wish that would come untrue.

Overt Military intervention since 1945

Both Republican and Democratic presidents who, since the 1950s, have often considered used military intervention as a tactic of foreign policy, including in major cases: (in some cases the policies were continued by subsequent presidents.)^[24]

President Harry S. Truman’s 1947 decision to NOT intervene militarily in the Chinese Civil War.
President Harry S. Truman’s 1950 intervention in Korea to stop the Communist invasion of South Korea, at UN direction
President Dwight D. Eisenhower 1954 decision to NOT intervene to support the French in Vietnam.
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s intervention in Dominican Republic
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s intervention in Vietnam
President John F. Kennedy’s intervention in Cuba during the Bay of Pigs invasion.
President Ronald Reagan’s 1983 intervention in Grenada
President George H. W. Bush’s 1989 intervention in Panama to arrest General Manuel Noriega
President George H. W. Bush’s 1991 intervention in Kuwait to liberate it from Iraqi occupiers, at UN direction
President George H. W. Bush’s 1992 intervention in Somalia for humanitarian reasons, as directed by the UN Security Council
President Bill Clinton’s 1994 decision NOT to intervene in the Rwanda genocide
President Bill Clinton’s 1995 intervention in Bosnia, via NATO to prevent ethnic cleansing
President Bill Clinton’s 1999 intervention in Kosovo and attacks on Serbia with NATO involvement
President George W. Bush’s 2001 intervention in Afghanistan against the Taliban following the September 11 attacks.
President George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein
President Barack Obama’s involvement in enforcing the Libyan no-fly zone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_non-interventionism

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Three Cheers For Isolationism: What Is Wrong With Isolationism?–Absolutely Nothing–The American People Are Isolationists!–The Political Elites Are The Interventionists and Warmongers!–War–What is It Good For?–Absolutely Nothing!–Videos

Posted on June 23, 2011. Filed under: American History, Banking, Blogroll, Communications, Economics, Employment, Energy, European History, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, Health Care, history, Immigration, Inflation, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Microeconomics, Monetary Policy, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Rants, Raves, Religion, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Free Trade, Government Interventionism, Interventionists, Isolationists, Minding Ones Business, Progressives, Protectionists, War |

War (What Is It Good For?)

Are We Isolationists? Yes and No | by Frank Chodorov

When World War I broke out in 1914, the Chicago Tribune announced with considerable pride that it was sending a parcel of reporters to Europe to “cover” the battles and the capitals of the warring nations. This was something new in American journalism. What had constituted foreign news previously were reports of what royal families were doing, affairs in which peeresses were involved, or a “passion” murder. Most of these stories were taken bodily from the European press. In fact, my wife, before she was married, was engaged in getting up a European “letter” for a news agency with the aid of a pair of scissors and a paste pot. The New York Times, with some pretensions to internationalism even in those days, ran on an inside page a column entitled “Transatlantic Cable Dispatches to The New York Times”; it usually occupied about a half page and consisted of stories that could well have been lifted from European papers.

The American press did not go to the expense of sending correspondents to Europe because there was little public interest in European affairs, and as for Africa, Asia, and even Latin America, these were places one learned about in school geography. The country was isolationist. The people, judging from the front pages of the city newspapers, were interested in what went on with the neighbors, in local politics, in crop conditions and the weather. When Congress was in session, which was for a few months in the year, some of the debates were accorded prominence, but not too much; type for a three-column headline had not yet been invented.

The war, when we were finally drawn into it, was something of an adventure for most Americans. Three generations of Americans had come and gone since the country had experienced a full-fledged war; the Indian wars and a couple of “punitive” expeditions into Mexico and Central America were of interest only to the professional army, and the contest with Spain was in the nature of an opéra bouffe. The war in Europe was the real thing, brought into every home by means of the draft and involving a new instrument of war, the bond. Woodrow Wilson had glamorized the undertaking by dubbing it the “war to end all wars” and the “war to make the world safe for democracy”; this last phrase had all the earmarks of “manifest destiny,” of the duty of imposing our brand of democracy on the benighted peoples of Europe, and thus appealed to our missionary zeal. Yet, the general feeling was that once we had licked the kaiser we could return to our wonted ways which, in sum, meant isolationism.

After the war, as usual, disillusionment set in. It was soon realized that the conquest of Germany did not mean the end of wars, but was probably the prelude to yet another one, and that our brand of democracy did not sit well with other peoples. The opposition in the Senate to Wilson’s League of Nations reflected the attitude of the people who had had enough of involvement in the tangled mess of European diplomacy and wanted out. For 20 years thereafter pacifism was the ruling passion of the country; in novels, on the stage, in magazine articles and in college lecture halls the theme that war was inexcusable was repeated. The spirit of pacifism was reinforced by a resurgence of American isolationism, the feeling that nothing good could come to us from interfering in European internal matters, and that we would be better off minding our own business. It was this inbred isolationism that confronted Franklin D. Roosevelt when he set out to get us into World War II, and from which he was fortuitously delivered by Pearl Harbor.

Since then, isolationism has been turned (by our politicians, our bureaucracy, and their henchmen, the professorial idealists) into a bad word.

“Long before interventionism became a fixed policy of the government, American students went to Europe to complete their education and immigrants introduced their exotic foods to the American table. But these were voluntary adoptions…”

And yet, isolationism is inherent in the human makeup. It is in the nature of the human being to be interested first in himself and secondly in his neighbors. His primary concern is with his bread-and-butter problems, to begin with, and then in the other things that living implies: his health, his pleasures, the education of his children, wiping out the mortgage on the old homestead and getting along with his neighbors. If he has the time and inclination for it, he takes a hand in local charities and local politics. If something happens in his state capital that arouses his ire or his imagination he may talk to his neighbors about the necessity of reform — that is, if the reform happens to engage his interests. Taxation always interests him. But, events and movements that occur far away from his immediate circumstances or that affect him only tangentially (like inflation or debates in the UN) either pass him by completely or, if he reads about them in the newspapers, concern him only academically. A Minnesotan may take notice of a headline event in Florida, as a conversation piece, but he is vitally interested in what has happened in his community: a fire, a divorce case, or the new road that will pass through. How many people know the name of their congressman or take the slightest interest in how he votes on given issues?

It has become standard procedure for sociologists and politicians to take opinion polls and to deduce behavior patterns from such data. Yet it is a fact that the subject matters of these polls do not touch on matters in which the questionees are vitally interested but are topics in which the pollsters have a concern. Putting aside the possibility of so framing the questions as to elicit replies the pollsters want, the fact is that the pride of the questionees can well influence their answers. Thus, a housewife who has been asked for her opinion on South African apartheid, for instance, will feel flattered that she has been singled out for the honor and will feel impelled to give some answer, usually a predigested opinion taken from a newspaper editorial; she will not say honestly that she knows nothing about apartheid and cares less. On the other hand, if she were asked about the baking of an apple pie she would come up with an intelligent answer; but the sociologists are not interested in knowing how to bake an apple pie.

The scientist immersed in the laboratory will weigh carefully any question put to him regarding the subject matter of his science and will probably not come up with a yes-or-no answer; but, he is positive that the nation ought to recognize the Chinese communist regime, because he heard another scientist say so. The baseball fan who knows the batting average of every member of his team, on the other hand, will denounce the recognition of the regime because he has heard that the “reds” are no good. The student whose grades are just about passing will speak out boldly on the UN, reflecting the opinion of his professor on that organization. Everybody has opinions on international subjects, because the newspapers have opinions on them, and the readers like to be “in the swim.” That is to say, interventionism is a fad stimulated by the public press and, like a fad, has no real substance behind it. If a poll were to be taken on the subject, should we go to war, the probability is that very few would vote for the proposition; yet, war is the ultimate of interventionism, and the opposition to it is proof enough that we are isolationist in our sympathies. A poll on the subject of isolationism — something like “do you believe we ought to keep out of the politics of other nations and ought to let them work out their problems without our interference?” — might bring out some interesting conclusions; but the politicians and the energumens of interventionism would prefer not to conduct such a poll. Our “foreign-aid” program has never been subjected to a plebiscite.

Isolationism is not a political policy, it is a natural attitude of a people. It is adjustment to the prevailing culture within a country, and a feeling of security within that adjustment. The traditions, the political and social institutions and the moral values that obtain seem good, the people do not wish them to be disturbed by peoples with other backgrounds and, what is more, they do not feel any call to impose their own customs and values on strangers.

This does not mean that they will not voluntarily borrow from other cultures nor that they will surround themselves with parochial walls. Long before interventionism became a fixed policy of the government, American students went to Europe to complete their education and immigrants introduced their exotic foods to the American table. But these were voluntary adoptions, even as we welcomed German and Italian operas and applauded the British lecturers who came here to decry our lack of manners. We certainly enjoyed the bananas and coffee imported from Latin American countries, and, while we might deplore their habit of setting up dictatorships, we felt no obligation to inject ourselves into their political affairs; that was their business, not ours.

“One flaw in the America First program was a tendency toward protectionism; the anti-involvement became identified with “Buy American” slogans and with high tariffs — that is, with economic, rather than political, isolationism.”

This was the general attitude of the American people before the experiment in interventionism known as World War I. Before that event, Woodrow Wilson had taken leave of his senses in backing one revolutionary leader against another in Mexico, and had even sent the marines to support his choice; his excuse for opposing Huerta was that that leader had not been “democratically” elected, overlooking the fact that 80 percent of the Mexicans were simply incapable of making a choice, or of caring about it. From that interventionary exploit we garnered a mistrust of American intentions vis-à-vis Mexico which haunts us to this day. But, Wilson’s urgency to introduce “democracy” in Mexico was purely a personal idiosyncrasy, shared by his political entourage but not by the American people. We cared little about which brigand — Huerta or Carranza — got to the top, and were stirred up only by the fact that a number of American boys were killed in Mr. Wilson’s invasion.

When World War II got going in Europe and it became evident that Mr. Roosevelt was intent on getting us into it, a group of Americans organized the America First Committee for the purpose of arousing the native spirit of isolationism to the point of frustrating his intent. They were for keeping the nation neutral. For various reasons (particularly Pearl Harbor) their plan failed, even though at the beginning they gained the adherence of many Americans. One flaw in their program was a tendency toward protectionism; the anti-involvement became identified with “Buy American” slogans and with high tariffs — that is, with economic, rather than political, isolationism. Economic isolationism — tariffs, quotas, embargoes, and general governmental interference with international trade — is an irritant that can well lead to war, or political interventionism. To build a trade wall around a country is to invite reprisals, which in turn make for misunderstanding and mistrust. Besides, free trade carries with it an appreciation of the cultures of the trading countries, and a feeling of good will among the peoples engaged. Free trade is natural; protectionism is political.

The America First Committee’s opposition to our entry into the war was based on political and economic considerations. It is a well-known fact that during a war the State acquires powers that it does not relinquish when hostilities are over. When the enemy is at the city gates — or the illusion that he is coming can be put into people’s minds — the tendency is to turn over to the captain all the powers he deems necessary to keep the enemy away. Liberty is downgraded in favor of protection. But, when the enemy is driven away, the State finds reason enough to hold onto its acquired powers. Thus, conscription, which Mr. Roosevelt reintroduced at the beginning of the war, has become the permanent policy of the government; and militarism, which is the opposite of freedom, has been incorporated in our mores. Whether or not this eventuality was in Mr. Roosevelt’s mind is not germane; it is inherent in the character of the State. Taxes imposed ostensibly “for the duration,” have become permanent, the bureaucracy built up during the war has not been dismantled, and interventions in the economy necessary for the prosecution of war are now held to be necessary for the welfare of the people. This, plus the fact that we are now engaged in preparing for World War III, was the net result of our entry into World War II. Whichever side won, the American people were the losers.

“Free trade carries with it an appreciation of the cultures of the trading countries, and a feeling of good will among the peoples engaged. Free trade is natural; protectionism is political.”

Aside from this necessary political consequence of our involvement, there was the further fact that our economy would suffer. More important than the direct effect of increased taxation was the indirect effect of inflation resulting from the sale of government bonds. Political duplicity and dishonesty reached the heights when these bonds were advertised as anti-inflationary. The prospective buyers were assured that their purchases would (a) help win the war, (b) make them a profit, and (c) avoid inflation — a strange appeal to their patriotism, their cupidity and their ignorance. It is true that the “savings” bonds, which could not be sold or borrowed upon, would delay their inflationary effect. But when the government redeemed them, at the will of the holders or at maturity, and was unable to resell these bonds to “savers,” it would have to resort to borrowing from financial institutions, which would of course demand negotiable securities; these become inflationary. This result could have been anticipated by anyone with a grain of sense; but, during the war this grain was missing and the bonds sold. They sold in spite of an article called, “Don’t Buy Government Bonds,” which I published at the time. And the fiscal irresponsibility which the Roosevelt administration practiced before we got into the war was accelerated; it hasn’t abated yet.

As isolationism is a natural attitude of the people, so interventionism is a conceit of the political leader. There does not seem to be area enough in the world to satiate his desire to exercise his power or, at least, his influence. Just as the mayor of a town hopes to become governor of his state, a congressman, or even president, so does the president or king of a country deem it his duty to look beyond the immediate job of running his country. Necessity limits the interventionary inclination of the head of a small country, unless, indeed, he finds a neighboring small country incapable of resisting his advances. But given a nation opulent enough to maintain a sizeable military establishment and an adequate bureaucracy, his sights are lifted beyond the borders. To be sure, his interest is always the enlightenment or the betterment of the people over whom he seeks to extend his dominion or influence, never to exploit them. Thus, Alexander the Great offered the benefits of Hellenic civilization to the peoples of Asia; the Roman legions carried Pax Romana at the tip of their spears; Napoleon imposed French “liberté, fraternité, égalité” on the peoples of Europe, whether they wanted it or not. Hitler tried to extend the influence of Aryanism, and the late British empire was built on the premise that a taste of English civilization would do the natives good.

“Foreign policy” is the euphemism that covers up this inclination toward interventionism. About the only foreign policy consistent with the natural isolationism of a people would be one designed to prevent interference of a foreign power in the internal affairs of the country — that is, protection from invasion. But, that is too limited in scope to satisfy the cravings of the government of a powerful country. Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy was avowedly designed to spread among other peoples the benefits of American civilization — even at the end of a Big Stick. Without an income tax, he could do very little beyond the display of naval might to execute this purpose, and the job was undertaken by Woodrow Wilson. It is interesting to note that Mr. Wilson was by persuasion an antimilitarist and an isolationist; yet the exigencies of office induced him to lead the country into war and into the missionary purpose of spreading American democracy far and wide. He failed, partly because the peoples of the world were not willing to adopt the American tradition and partly because he could not break down American resistance to interventionism. It remained for Franklin D. Roosevelt, aided and abetted by a great depression and a great war, to do that. And now that a monstrous bureaucracy with a vested interest in interventionism is in control of our “foreign policy,” the nation is committed to a program of interference in the affairs of every country in the world.

“It is interesting to note that Mr. Wilson was by persuasion an antimilitarist and an isolationist; yet the exigencies of office induced him to lead the country into war and into the missionary purpose of spreading American democracy far and wide.”

Something new has been added to the technique of exporting our culture; instead of sending it abroad at the point of a bayonet, we (or rather our bureaucrats) are attempting to bribe the “underdeveloped” peoples into accepting it. But these peoples, accustomed as they are to their own traditions, their own customs, and their own institutions, seem to be unappreciative of our efforts, and the net result of our “foreign-aid” program (aside from supporting a free-spending bureaucracy) is to support the politicians of the recipient countries in a manner of living to which they are not accustomed. The current rationalization of this international dispensation of alms is that it is necessary to prevent the spread of communism. But communism is a way of life imposed on a people by their politicians; and if these, for their own purposes, choose communism, our “aid” simply enables them to make that choice. Meanwhile, the peoples of the world remain impervious to our brand of civilization; their loyalty to their own traditions is unimpaired by our largess; they remain isolationist. Adding insult to injury, they resent our intrusion into their manner of living, call us “imperialists,” and impolitely ask our agents to go home.

In short, they ask us to return to the isolationism that, for over a hundred years, prospered the nation and gained for us the respect and admiration of the world.

http://mises.org/daily/4920

Pete Seeger: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

Background Articles and Videos

Frank Chodorov on Communists, 1953

Chodorov 1953 Lecture for the Individual

Frank Chodorov on political change, 1953

Does the State Protect Us? | by Frank Chodorov

Frank Chodorov, Educator | by Jeff Riggenbach

Frank Chodorov

“…Frank Chodorov (February 15, 1887–1966) was an American member of the Old Right, a group of libertarian thinkers who were non-interventionist in foreign policy (opposing American entry into World War II) and anti–New Deal. Ralph Raico has called him “the last of the Old Right greats.”^[1]

Early life

Chodorov was born Fishel Chodorowsky on the Lower West Side of New York in 1887, the eleventh child of Russian immigrants. He graduated from Columbia University in 1907, then worked at a number of jobs around the country. While working in Chicago (1912–17), he read Henry George’s Progress and Poverty.^[2] Chodorov wrote that he “read the book several times, and each time I felt myself slipping into a cause.”^[3] According to Chodorov:

“

George is the apostle of individualism; he teaches the ethical basis of private property; he stresses the function of capital in an advancing civilization; he emphasizes the greater productivity of voluntary cooperation in a free market economy, the moral degeneration of a people subjected to state direction and socialistic conformity. His is the philosophy of free enterprise, free trade, free men.^[4]

”

Henry George School

In 1937, Chodorov became director of the Henry George School of Social Science in New York. There he established (with Will Lissner) and edited a school paper, The Freeman. It published articles by Albert Jay Nock (founder of an earlier journal also called The Freeman), as well as such leading figures of the day as John Dewey, George Bernard Shaw, Bertrand Russell, Lincoln Steffens and Thorsten Veblen. Chodorov used the magazine to express his anti-war views:

“

…war is caused by the conditions that bring about poverty; … no war is justified; … no war benefits the people; … war is an instrument whereby the haves increase their hold on the have-nots; … war destroys liberty.^[5]

”

With the coming of World War II such views were no longer tolerated: Chodorov was ousted from the school in 1942. “[I]t seemed to me then that the only thing for me to do was to blow my brains out,” wrote Chodorov, “which I might have done if I had not had Albert Jay Nock by my side.”^[6] Nock had weathered similar “war fever” during World War I when, as editor of the antiwar journal The Nation, he had seen that magazine banned from the U.S. mails by the Wilson administration.^[7]

Analysis

Chodorov published articles in a variety of magazines, including H.L. Mencken’s American Mercury, the Saturday Evening Post and Scribner’s.^[8] In 1944, he launched a four-page monthly broadsheet called analysis, described as “an individualistic publication—the only one of its kind in America.” Murray Rothbard called it “one of the best, though undoubtedly the most neglected, of the ‘little magazines’ that has ever been published in the United States.”^[9] Along with Nock’s works, Chodorov was influenced by Franz Oppenheimer’s The State: “[B]etween the state and the individual there is always a tug-of-war,” wrote Chodorov, “whatever power one acquires must be to the detriment of the other.”^[10] Attracting a modest subscriber base, the magazine merged with the conservative weekly Human Events in 1951, where Chodorov became an associate editor.

The Freeman

In 1954, Chodorov again became editor of The Freeman, in its new incarnation, revived under the auspices of Foundation for Economic Education. He engaged with William F. Buckley and Willi Schlamm on the question of whether individualists should support interventionism to aid people resisting Communist aggression. Chodorov continued to advocate non-intervention, but as the Cold War continued, he lost influence: the American conservative movement came to be a bastion of interventionist foreign policy in combating Soviet expansionism.

Intercollegiate Society of Individualists

In 1953, Chodorov founded the Intercollegiate Society of Individualists (ISI), with William F. Buckley, Jr. as president, becoming the first national conservative student organization, reaching 50,000 members by the end of the century. In later years, ISI became extremely influential as a clearinghouse of conservative publications and as a locus of the conservative intellectual movement in America. It later evolved into the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.

Chodorov was a major influence on many of those who would go on to lead the libertarian and conservative movements, including Buckley, M. Stanton Evans, Murray Rothbard, Edmund A. Opitz, and James J. Martin. Rothbard, an economist, wrote:

“

I shall never forget the profound thrill—a thrill of intellectual liberation—that ran through me when I first encountered the name of Frank Chodorov, months before we were to meet in person. As a young graduate student in economics, I had always believed in the free market, and had become increasingly libertarian over the years, but this sentiment was as nothing to the headline that burst forth in the title of a pamphlet that I chanced upon at the university bookstore: Taxation is Robbery, by Frank Chodorov. There it was; simple perhaps, but how many of us, let alone how many professors of the economics of taxation, have ever given utterance to this shattering and demolishing truth?^[11]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Chodorov

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Warmongers and Welfare Statists United In Defense of The Warfare & Welfare Economy and Tyrannical Bureaucracy vs. Peace & Prosperity Economy and Constitutional Republic

Posted on June 23, 2011. Filed under: Banking, Blogroll, Business, College, Communications, Economics, Education, Energy, Enivornment, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, government, government spending, history, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Microeconomics, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Private Sector, Public Sector, Raves, Unemployment, Unions, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Barack Obama, Classical Liberl, Founding Fathers, George Washington, John Kerry, John McCain, libertarian, Milton Friedman, Peace and Prosperity Economy, Ron Paul, Thomas Jefferson, Warfare and Welfare Economy, Warmonger, Welfare State, Welfare Statists |

“Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty. “

~George Washington

President Obama Afghanistan Withdrawal Speech (June 22, 2011)

Ron Paul: Bring ALL the troops home ABC 6/22/2011

Ron Paul: Is War Ever Justifiable?

Senators McCain & Kerry Move To Extend War In Libya For A Year!

“I Believe The President Did The Right Thing By Intervening In Libya!” Senator John McCain

“We Didn’t Choose This Fight! It Started With 9/11” John Kerry On Why We Must Fight Gaddafi pt.1

“We Didn’t Choose This Fight! It Started With 9/11” John Kerry On Why We Must Fight Gaddafi pt.2

We Can No longer Afford To Rebuild Afghanistan & America! We Must Choose & I Choose America! pt.1

We Can No longer Afford To Rebuild Afghanistan & America! We Must Choose & I Choose America! pt.2

Milton Friedman – Emergence of the modern welfare state

Responsibility to the Poor

Ron Paul: Leave Libya Alone!

Ron Paul’s Words of Warning From 1983 to 2008

Ron Paul warns of 9/11 like event in 1998 – RP2012

Ron Paul: It’s Time to Get out of Afghanistan!

Ron Paul – Current Conditions Or Just A Bad Dream ?

Ron Paul on the Deficit, Government Spending, and Military Industrial Complex (1988)

Eisenhower warns us of the military industrial complex

Military Industrial Complex Totally Out of Control!

Founding Fathers: The Threat of Tyranny

“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”

~George Washington

“Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.”

~Thomas Jefferson

The progressive government interventionists of both the Democratic and Republican parties are uniting in defense of the warfare and welfare economy and tyrannical bureaucracy.

Their goals are clear–perpetual never-ending war and cradle to grave welfare dependency on the state.

The American people oppose the warfare and welfare economy.

The American people want a peace and prosperity economy.

The American people want the troops to brought home.

The American people want the Federal Government to live within its means of the American people by permanently closing Federal Department including the following:

Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Labor
Department of Interior
Department of Transportation
Department of Veteran Affairs

Milton Friedman on Libertarianism (Part 4 of 4)

Paul & Stossel: Libertarians Talk

Ron Paul: Get Gov’t Out of Healthcare

Ron Paul on Constitutional Freedoms

Ron Paul on Freedom of Choice

Ron Paul on Illegal Immigration

Ron Paul – The Role of Government 1988! (Part 1/4)

Ron Paul – The Role of Government 1988! (Part 2/4)

Ron Paul – The Role of Government 1988! (Part 3/4)

Ron Paul – The Role of Government 1988! (Part 4/4)

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

The Next President Of The United States Tells Truth To Power At Republican Leadership Conference–Great Speech!

Posted on June 22, 2011. Filed under: Banking, Blogroll, Business, Communications, Demographics, Economics, Employment, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, Homes, Immigration, Inflation, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Microeconomics, Monetary Policy, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Raves, Strategy, Talk Radio, Taxes, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Republican Party Leadership Conference, Ron Paul |

Pronk Pops Show 33:June 22, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 32:June 15, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 31:June 8, 2011

Pronk Pops Show 30:June 2, 2011

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 30-33

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 27-29

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 22 (Part 2)-26

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 16-22 (Part 1)

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 10-15

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 1-9

Ron Paul Wins R.L.C. Straw Poll Overwhelmingly

June 13, 2011 – Ron Paul – CNN GOP Presidential Debate in New Hampshire

Background Articles and Videos

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 1 of 11

Speech given by Congressman Ron Paul on the House floor on July 10, 2003

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 2 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 3 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 4 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 5 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 6 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 7 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 8 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 9 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 10 of 11

Neo-CONNED! by Congressman Ron Paul – Part 11 of 11

Background Articles and Videos

Poll: 70 percent think US on wrong track

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Obama’s Command and Control Energy Policy Destroying American Jobs And Raising Energy Prices–Videos

Posted on June 21, 2011. Filed under: American History, Banking, Blogroll, Business, Communications, Economics, European History, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, history, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, Microeconomics, Monetary Policy, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Raves, Security, Strategy, Taxes, Technology, Unemployment, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Barack Obama, Destroying American Jobs, energy policy |

Glenn Beck 06 21 2011

Alex Jones: Criminal Hardcore Mafia Operatives

Background Articles and Videos

Texas Gov. Rick Perry on border security

Gov. Rick Perry on Sanctuary Cities

Governor Rick Perry on Bill Bennett’s Morning in America Part 1 of 3

KVUE Report On Perry’s Border Flip-Flop

14 Reasons Why Rick Perry Would Be A Really, Really Bad President

“…The following are 14 reasons why Rick Perry would be a really, really bad president….

#3 The total debt of the Texas government has more than doubled since Rick Perry became governor. So what would the U.S. national debt look like after four (or eight) years of Rick Perry?

#6 Even with the oil boom in Texas, 23 states have a lower unemployment rate than Texas does.

#7 Back in 1988, Rick Perry supported Al Gore for president. In fact, Rick Perry actually served as Al Gore’s campaign chairman in the state of Texas that year.

#8 Between December 2007 and April 2011, weekly wages in the U.S. increased by about 5 percent. In the state of Texas they increased by just 0.6% over that same time period.

#9 Texas now has one of the worst education systems in the nation. The following is from an opinion piece that was actually authored by Barbara Bush earlier this year….

• We rank 36th in the nation in high school graduation rates. An estimated 3.8 million Texans do not have a high school diploma.

• We rank 49th in verbal SAT scores, 47th in literacy and 46th in average math SAT scores.

• We rank 33rd in the nation on teacher salaries.

#10 Rick Perry attended the Bilderberg Group meetings in 2007. Associating himself with that organization should be a red flag for all American voters.

#11 Texas has the highest percentage of workers making minimum wage out of all 50 states.

#12 Rick Perry often gives speeches about illegal immigration, but when you look at the facts, he has been incredibly soft on the issue. If Rick Perry does not plan to secure the border, then he should not be president because illegal immigration is absolutely devastating many areas of the southwest United States.

#13 In 2007, 221,000 residents of Texas were making minimum wage or less. By 2010, that number had risen to 550,000.

Rick Perry has a record that should make all Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and Independents cringe. …”

http://www.prisonplanet.com/14-reasons-why-rick-perry-would-be-a-really-really-bad-president.html

Gov. Rick Perry Statement on Arizona, Immigration & Border Security

“…Gov. Rick Perry today issued the following statement regarding border security, the recent debate over immigration policy in Washington and what has been implemented in Arizona:

“Texas has a rich history with Mexico, our largest trading partner, and we share more than 1,200 miles of border, more than any other state. “As the debate on immigration reform intensifies, the focus must remain on border security and the federal government’s failure to adequately protect our borders. Securing our border is a federal responsibility, but it is a Texas problem, and it must be addressed before comprehensive immigration reform is discussed.

“Recently, there has been much debate over immigration policy in Washington and what has been implemented in Arizona. I fully recognize and support a state’s right and obligation to protect its citizens, but I have concerns with portions of the law passed in Arizona and believe it would not be the right direction for Texas.

“For example, some aspects of the law turn law enforcement officers into immigration officials by requiring them to determine immigration status during any lawful contact with a suspected alien, taking them away from their existing law enforcement duties, which are critical to keeping citizens safe. Our focus must continue to be on the criminal elements involved with conducting criminal acts against Texans and their property. I will continue to work with the legislative leadership to develop strategies that are appropriate for Texas.

“Securing the border has to be a top priority, which is why I have a standing request with the federal government for 1,000 Title 32 National Guardsmen who can support civilian law enforcement efforts to enhance border securityin Texas. I have also requested predator drones be based in and operate over the Texas-Mexico border to provide essential information about criminal activity to law enforcement on the ground.

“Until the federal government brings the necessary resources to bear, we will continue to commit state funding and resources for additional border security efforts in order to protect our communities and legitimate cross border trade and travel, while enforcing the laws already on the books.” …”

http://www.texasinsider.org/?p=26174

Rick Perry

“…James Richard “Rick” Perry (born March 4, 1950) is the 47th and current Governor of Texas, having held the office since December 2000. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998, he assumed office as governor in December 2000 when Governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010, an unprecedented feat in Texas political history. With a tenure in office to date of &000000000000001000000010 years, &0000000000000182000000182 days, Perry is the longest serving current U.S. governor, having succeeded North Dakota Governor John Hoeven who resigned on December 7, 2010 after being elected to the US Senate.

Perry served as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2008 (succeeding Sonny Perdue of Georgia), and in 2011 will once again serve as RGA Chairman.^[2]

Perry holds all records for Texas gubernatorial tenure, having broken both Allan Shivers’ consecutive service record of 7 1/2 years in June 2008 and Bill Clements’ total service record of eight years (over two non-consecutive terms) in December 2008. As a result, the Dallas Morning News reported in December 2008 that Perry has the distinction of being the only governor in modern Texas history to have appointed at least one person to every possible state office, board, or commission position which requires gubernatorial appointment (as well as to several elected offices to which the governor can appoint someone to fill an unexpired term, such as six of the nine current members of the Texas Supreme Court).

Perry won the 2010 Republican primary election, defeating U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison^[3]^[4] and former Wharton County Republican Party Chairwoman and businesswoman Debra Medina.^[5] In the 2010 Texas gubernatorial election, Perry won re-election to a third term, defeating former Houston mayor Bill White and Kathie Glass.^[6]

In response to questions about his political future, Perry has deflected suggestions that he should run for President, saying that he’s not been interested in seeking the office. In May 2011 however, Perry made his first public comment suggesting a possible change in direction when he said he would “think about” running for president after the close of the 2011 Texas legislative session but then quipped, “but I think about a lot of things”.^[7]

In June 2011, Perry made perhaps the clearest sign yet that he may be more serious about seeking the presidential office in 2012 when he appeared on the Fox News Channel and told host Neil Cavuto that he was “certainly giving it the appropriate thought process.” Referring to his previous statements about not being interested in running, Cavuto asked Perry what had changed. Perry responded, “Six weeks ago, this was not on my radar….” But since then, his wife and supporters have asked him “to give this a second thought” as “our country is in trouble.” ^[8]

Early life

A fifth-generation Texan, Perry was born in Paint Creek, about 60 miles (97 km) north of Abilene in West Texas, to ranchers Joseph Ray Perry and the former Amelia June Holt. His father, a Democrat, was a long-time Haskell County commissioner and school board member. Perry graduated from Paint Creek High School in 1968. As a child, Perry was in the Boy Scouts (BSA) and earned the rank of Eagle Scout; his son, Griffin, would also later become an Eagle Scout.^[9]^[10] The BSA honored Perry with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.^[11]

Perry attended Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and one of A&M’s five yell leaders (a popular Texas A&M tradition analogous to male cheerleaders).^[12] He interned with the Southwestern Company during the summer time as a door-to-door book salesman where he honed his communication skills.^[13] Perry graduated in 1972 with a degree in animal science. While at Texas A&M University Perry successfully completed a static line parachute jump at Ags Over Texas (a United States Parachute Association dropzone), the dropzone that was then in operation at Coulter Field (KCFD) in Bryan, Texas, just north of Texas A&M (in College Station, Texas).

Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force, completed pilot training and flew C-130 tactical airlift in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe until 1977. He left the Air Force with the rank of captain, returned to Texas and went into business farming cotton with his father.

In 1982, Perry married Anita Thigpen, his childhood sweetheart whom he had known since elementary school. They have two children, Griffin and Sydney. Anita Perry attended West Texas State University and earned a degree in nursing. She has spearheaded a number of health-related initiatives such as the Anita Thigpen Perry Endowment at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, which focuses on nutrition, cardiovascular disease, health education, and early childhood programming.

Perry has said that his interest in politics probably began in November 1961, when his father took him to the funeral of Sam Rayburn, who during his long public career served as speaker of the Texas House and the U.S. House of Representatives. Dignitaries from all over the nation came to the small town of Bonham, the seat of Fannin County, for the service.

Texas Legislature

In 1984, Perry was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat from a district (64) that included his home county of Haskell. He served on the House Appropriations and Calendars committees during his three two-year terms in office. He befriended fellow freshman state representative Lena Guerrero of Austin, a staunch liberal Democrat who endorsed Perry’s reelection bid in 2006 on personal, rather than philosophical, grounds. Perry was part of the “Pit Bulls”, a group of Appropriations members who sat on the lower dais in the committee room (or “pit”) who pushed for austere state budgets during the 1980s.

Perry supported Al Gore in the 1988 Democratic presidential primaries and was chairman of the Gore campaign in Texas.

In 1989, The Dallas Morning News named him one of the most effective legislators in the 71st Legislature.^{[citation needed]} That same year, Perry announced that he was joining the Republican Party.^[14]

Agriculture Commissioner

In 1990, he challenged incumbent Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower. Hightower had worked on behalf of Jesse Jackson for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, while Perry had supported U.S. Senator Al Gore of Tennessee. Perry narrowly unseated Hightower, even as the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Clayton Williams, went down to defeat at the hands of Ann Richards.^[15]

As Agriculture Commissioner, Perry was responsible for promoting the sale of Texas farm produce to other states and foreign nations and supervising the calibration of weights and measures, such as gasoline pumps and grocery store scales.

In 1994, Perry was reelected Agriculture Commissioner by a large margin, having polled 2,546,287 votes (61.92 percent) to Democrat Marvin Gregory’s 1,479,692 (35.98 percent). Libertarian Clyde L. Garland received the remaining 85,836 votes (2.08 percent).^[16]

Lieutenant governor

In 1998, Perry chose not to seek a third term as Agriculture Commissioner, running instead for Lieutenant Governor to succeed the retiring Democrat Bob Bullock. Perry polled 1,858,837 votes (50.04 percent) to the 1,790,106 (48.19 percent) cast for Democrat John Sharp of Victoria, who had relinquished the comptroller’s position after two terms to seek the lieutenant governorship. Libertarian Anthony Garcia polled another 65,150 votes (1.75 percent).^[16] Perry thus became the state’s first Republican lieutenant governor, taking office on January 19, 1999 until his ascension to the governorship on December 21, 2000 upon the resignation of then-Governor George W. Bush.

Governor

Perry assumed the office of Governor late in 2000 when George W. Bush resigned to prepare for his presidential inauguration, becoming the first Texas A&M graduate to serve as Governor.

Perry won the office in his own right in the 2002 gubernatorial election when he defeated Laredo businessman Tony Sanchez, polling 2,632,591 votes (57.80 percent) to Sanchez’s 1,819,798 (39.96 percent). Four minor candidates shared 2.21 percent of the vote.^[16]

The 2006 gubernatorial election proved to be a stiffer challenge. Though he easily defeated token opposition in the primary election, Perry faced a six-way race involving former Democratic Congressman Chris Bell, Libertarian candidate James Werner (a sales consultant); and three independent candidates – outgoing Republican state Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn (who chose not to face Perry in the primary race when early polling data suggested she would lose badly), well-known Texas country music singer Kinky Friedman, and write-in candidate James “Patriot” Dillon. Perry won the race in a plurality, polling 1,714,618 votes (39 percent) to Bell’s 1,309,774 (29.8 percent), Strayhorn’s 789,432 (18 percent), Friedman’s 553,327 (12.6 percent), and Werner’s 26,726 (0.6 percent). Dillon garnered a mere 718 votes. Perry became only the third governor in state history to have been elected by a plurality of less than 40 percent of votes cast (the 1853 and 1861 races also featured plurality winners carrying under 40 percent).

Late in the 2006 campaign, the Republican Governors Association received one million dollars from Houston businessman Bob Perry (no relation), and the association then contributed that amount to Rick Perry. Bell brought suit, contending that the Bob Perry donations had been improperly channeled through the association to conceal their source. In 2010, the Rick Perry campaign paid Bell $426,000 to settle the suit.^[17]^[18]

Perry is a member of the Republican Governors Association, the National Governors Association, the Western Governors Association, and the Southern Governors Association. Perry is currently serving as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association; he previously served as its Chairman in 2008.^[2]

Early in his term as Governor, Perry convinced the state Legislature to increase health funding by $6 billion.^{[citation needed]} Some of these programs have since faced funding reductions, and Perry has refused to resume funding to previous levels because of the additional financial burden he says it would place on the state, even though Federal Matching Funds for Healthcare above and beyond the amount dedicated by the legislature are available. He also increased school funding prior to the 2002 election and created new scholarship programs, including $300 million for the Texas GRANT Scholarship Program.^{[citation needed]} Some $9 billion was allocated to Texas public schools, colleges, and universities and combined with a new emphasis on accountability for both teachers and students.^{[citation needed]}

Perry’s campaigns for lieutenant governor and governor focused on a tough stance on crime. In June 2002, he vetoed a ban on the execution of mentally retarded inmates. He has also supported block grants for crime programs.

Perry has also supported tort reform to limit malpractice lawsuits against doctors, and as lieutenant governor he had tried and failed to limit class action awards and allowing plaintiffs to allocate liability awards among several defendants. In 2003, Perry sponsored a controversial state constitutional amendment to cap medical malpractice awards,^[19] which was narrowly approved by voters.

This legislation has resulted in a 30 percent decrease in malpractice insurance rates and a significant increase in the number of doctors seeking to practice in the state.^[20]

Recently, Perry has drawn attention for his criticism of the Obama administration’s handling of the recession, and for turning down approximately $555 million in stimulus money for unemployment insurance. Perry was lauded by the Texas Association of Business^[21] for this decision and his justification—that the funds and the mandatory changes to state law would have placed an enduring tax burden on employers. In September 2009, Perry declared that Texas was recession-proof: “As a matter of fact…someone had put a report out that the first state that’s coming out of the recession is going to be the state of Texas…I said, ‘We’re in one?'”^[22]

Paul Burka, senior executive editor of Texas Monthly, criticized Perry’s remarks, saying “You cannot be callous and cavalier when people are losing their jobs and their homes.”^[23]

Fiscal issues

Perry, a proclaimed proponent of fiscal conservatism, has often campaigned on tax reform and job growth. Perry resisted creating a Texas state income tax and increasing sales tax rates, choosing instead to increase user fees and debt, adding $2 billion for road bonds,^[24] ^[25] borrowing from the Federal Unemployment Trust Fund^[26] and adding surcharges to various traffic offenses, protected the state’s “Rainy Day fund”, balanced the state budget as required by state law, and was reelected on a platform to reduce property taxes that rose with the inflation of property values in the late 1990s and the 21st century. In early 2006, Perry signed legislation that delivered a $15.7 billion reduction in property taxes.^[27]

In early 2006 Perry angered some fiscal conservatives in his own party by supporting an increase in the state franchise tax alongside a property tax reform bill. Many organizations within the Republican Party itself condemned Perry’s tax bill, HB-3, and likened it to a “back door” state income tax.^[28] Perry claimed that the bill would save the average taxpayer $2,000 in property taxes. Critics contended that Perry inflated these numbers; the actual tax savings, they said, would average only $150 per family.^[29]

In 2003, Perry signed legislation that created the Texas Enterprise Fund to enhance the development of the Texas economy. In 2004, he authorized the fund to grant $20 million to Countrywide Financial in return for a promise “to create 7,500 new jobs in the state by 2010.” The grant (all of which are approved by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House) is one of the largest made from the fund in terms of the size and the number of jobs promised. In the fall of 2007, while slashing jobs and with its stock price plummeting, Countrywide assured Perry’s office that the company “believed” it would meet its 2010 commitment^[30] only to be acquired in a fire sale two months later by Bank of America. Thanks to the “claw-back” provisions in the program, grantees return funds to the state for jobs not created.

Scrutiny directed at his preference for tax cuts has been largely offset by the state’s comparative economic strength^[31] in the midst of a serious global economic downturn.

As lieutenant governor, he initially sponsored a controversial school voucher bill as an alternative to the “Robin Hood” school finance proposal. In 2004, Perry attacked the same “Robin Hood” plan as detrimental to the educational system and attempted to get the legislature to replace it with one that he said would encourage greater equity, cost less, hold down property and sales taxes, and foster job growth. Perry objected to the legalization of video lottery terminals at racetracks and on Indian reservations as well as increases in cigarette taxes.

In 2003, Perry called three consecutive special legislative sessions to procure a congressional redistricting plan he said would be more reflective of the state’s population. The plan finally adopted—supported by then U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Sugar Land—brought about a five-seat Republican gain in the delegation. In 2006, however, the five-seat edge was reduced to three seats. Thereafter, Republicans gained one seat in 2008 and an additional three seats in the 2010 election; they now hold a 23-9 majority.

A special session of the legislature was convened on June 21, 2005, to address education issues, but resistance developed from House Speaker Tom Craddick, a Republican from Midland. Perry’s proposal was attacked by members from property-poor districts and was rejected. During the session, Perry became involved in a heated debate with Comptroller Carole Strayhorn about the merits of his school finance proposal. Strayhorn initially planned to oppose Perry in the 2006 Republican primary, but she instead ran as an independent in the general election.^[32] Another special session was convened on July 21, 2005 after Perry vetoed all funding for public schools for the 2007-2008 biennium. He vowed not to “approve an education budget that shortchanges teacher salary increases, textbooks, education technology, and education reforms. And I cannot let $2 billion sit in some bank account when it can go directly to the classroom.”

Perry’s campaign office in 2006 declared that without the special session, some “$2 billion that had been intended for teacher pay raises, education reforms, and other school priorities would have gone unused because House Bill 2 [the public school reform package] didn’t pass.”^[33] The bill failed to pass in the first session, and was refiled in a second session, in which the bill was defeated 62-79, after 50 amendments were added without discussion or debate.^[34]

Late in 2005, to maximize the impact of a bipartisan education plan, Perry asked his former rival in the race for lieutenant governor, John Sharp, a former Texas State Comptroller and a member of the Texas Railroad Commission, Texas State Senate and Texas House of Representatives, to head an education task force charged with preparing a bipartisan education plan. Sharp accepted Perry’s offer and removed himself as a potential candidate for governor in 2006. The task force issued its final plan several months later, and the legislature adopted it.^[35] For his successful efforts, Sharp was later nominated by the Dallas Morning News for the “Texan of the Year” award.^[36]

In June 2010, Perry went on a 12-day trade mission to East Asia. The security detail for the trip cost $129,000 in state money. The Texas Government attempted to block the media’s scrutiny of the use of the funds as they contained information that could compromise the future security of the state’s senior executive. A member of White’s gubernatorial campaign stated that Perry should, “stop hiding the facts on fiscal issues like what he’s charging taxpayers for travel”. Perry’s campaign countered that the trip led to greater exposure for Texas business opportunities in Asia.^[37]^[38] In all, Perry made 23 foreign trips from 2004–2010, including a vacation on Grand Cayman and an education policy retreat in the Bahamas. The state paid only 1% of the travel expenses for these excursions, but security details for all trips combined cost over $1 million in state money. Perry’s chief of staff remarked that the trips were “good business sense” as they enhanced the profile of Texan goods and services in foreign markets. White’s campaign, however, accused Perry of staging the trips for self-promotion.^[39]

Repeal of the 16th Amendment

In Rick Perry’s 2010 book Fed Up!, he takes issue with the Federal government’s right to collect income tax. Rick considers “The 16th Amendment. If you want to know when Washington really got off the track, the 16th Amendment, giving them the opportunity to take your money with a personal income tax.”^[40]

Social policy

Perry is known for his opposition to gay rights, and he opposes all legal recognition of same sex marriages. He condemned the United States Supreme Court decision in Lawrence vs. Texas,^{[citation needed]} which struck down a Texas sodomy law and believed the law to be “appropriate”.^[41]

Perry is pro-life and opposes government funding for elective abortions. In 2005, Perry, a social conservative, signed a bill that limited late-term abortions and required girls under the age of 18 who procure abortions to notify their parents. Perry signed the bill in the gymnasium of Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Worth, an evangelical Christian school.

Christian religious beliefs

In what was described as a “God and country” sermon at the Cornerstone church in San Antonio, attended by Perry and other mostly Republican candidates, the Rev. John Hagee stated, “If you live your life and don’t confess your sins to God Almighty through the authority of Christ and His blood, I’m going to say this very plainly, you’re going straight to hell with a nonstop ticket.” Perry was asked if he agreed with those comments and said, “It is my faith, and I’m a believer of that.”^[42] Perry went on to say that there was nothing in the sermon that he took exception with. ^[43]

While visiting Israel in August 2009, Perry gave an interview to the Jerusalem Post in which he affirmed his support for Israel from his religious background, “I’m a big believer that this country was given to the people of Israel a long time ago, by God, and that’s ordained.”^[44]

Intelligent design

During the 2006 gubernatorial election campaign, Perry said he supported teaching intelligent design alongside evolution in Texas schools. A spokeswoman for Perry called intelligent design a “valid scientific theory”, an analysis that political commentator Rick Casey describes as “disputed by the scientific establishment”.^[45]

HPV vaccine

On February 2, 2007, Perry issued an executive order mandating that Texas girls receive HPV vaccine that protects against some strains of the human papilloma virus, a cause of cervical cancer. The order provided vaccination free of charge to those who were not covered by insurance.^[46] The order included an opt-out provision for parents. At the time of the order, Gardasil, a newly approved drug manufactured by Merck was the only FDA approved HPV vaccine. The move made national headlines,^[47] and apparent financial connections between Merck and Perry were reported by news outlets, such as a $6,000 campaign contribution and Merck’s hiring of former Perry Chief of Staff Mike Toomey to handle its Texas lobbying work.^[48]

Perry’s decision has been criticized by some social conservatives and parents due to concerns about possible moral implications of the vaccine and safety concerns. On February 22, 2007, a group of families sued in an attempt to block Perry’s executive order.^[49] Perry’s order has also been criticized for the price of the vaccine: approximately $360 in Texas.^[46]

On May 9, 2007, Perry allowed a bill to go into law that would undo his executive order.^[50]

Vetoes

Perry set a record in the 2001 legislative session for the use of the veto: he rejected legislation a total of 82 times, more than any other governor in any single legislative session in the history of the state since Reconstruction. Perry’s use of the veto drew criticism from some in the 2002 gubernatorial campaign, having used the veto only nine fewer times than preceding Governor George W. Bush had during three legislative sessions and 22 more than Ann Richards cast in two sessions.^[51] In the two legislative sessions following the 2001 session, Perry was more conservative in his use of the veto, employing it 51 times.^[52] As of 2011, he had used the veto 273 times, more than any other Texas governor.^[53]

Supreme Court Justice Steve Smith

Perry has made numerous appointments to the Texas courts, the Texas Railroad Commission, as secretary of state, and to other boards and commissions during his tenure as governor. Two of the three Railroad Commissioners, Victor G. Carrillo and Elizabeth Ames Jones, began their service as Perry appointees. The third, Michael L. Williams, started in 1999 under appointment from George W. Bush. He has named six short-term appointments as secretary of state, including two of his former legislative colleagues, Henry Cuellar and Gwyn Shea.

One of Perry’s first selections was the appointment of Xavier Rodriguez to succeed Greg Abbott on the Texas Supreme Court. Rodriguez, a self-proclaimed moderate, was quickly unseated in the 2002 Republican primary by conservative Steven Wayne Smith, the attorney in the Hopwood v. Texas suit in 1996, which successfully challenged affirmative action at the University of Texas Law School. Hopwood, however, was overturned in a 2003 decision stemming from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Steven Smith was elected by a comfortable margin over Democratic opposition in the 2002 general election.

Perry objected to Smith’s tenure on the court and refused to meet with the new justice when Smith attempted to mend fences with the governor. Perry encouraged Judge Paul Green to challenge Smith in the 2004 Republican primary. Perry raised funds for Green,^{[citation needed]} who defeated Smith in the primary and was then elected without opposition in the general election. Smith attempted a comeback in the 2006 Republican primary by challenging Justice Don Willett, another Perry appointee who was considered a conservative on the court. Smith polled 49.5 percent of the primary vote, but Willett narrowly prevailed.

Trans-Texas Corridor

In January 2001, Perry proposed the Trans-Texas Corridor, a $145+ billion-dollar project that would build multi-lane highways, rail lines and data lines from Oklahoma to Mexico, and from east to west in southern Texas. Instead of paying for the project with taxes, Perry proposed that it be partially financed, partially built and wholly operated by private contractors who, in exchange for a multi-billion dollar investment, would receive all toll proceeds, notably Cintra, a Spanish-owned company, and its minority partner, San Antonio-based Zachry Construction Corporation, one of Texas’ largest road construction companies.^[54] Some of the more controversial aspects of the project include tolls, private operation of toll collections (at rates set by local municipalities), and extensive use of eminent domain (or the option for landowners to maintain a lucrative equity stake in the project) to acquire property.

Opponents portrayed the proposal as a “land grab”, and criticized Perry for opposing the public release of the actual terms of the 50-year deal with Cintra to the public for fear they would chill the possibility of the company’s investment; Perry’s former liaison to the legislature, former State Senator Dan Shelly, returned to his consulting/lobbying work with Cintra after securing the TTC deal while on the state payroll. All of Perry’s gubernatorial opponents opposed the corridor project, as did the 2006 state party platforms of both the Democratic and Republicans parties.^[55]^[56] After much contentious debate between supporters and opponents, an official decision of “no action” was issued by the Federal Highway Administration on July 20, 2010, formally ending the project.

In 2001, Perry appointed Ric Williamson of Weatherford, an old friend and former legislative colleague, to the Texas Transportation Commission. Williamson became the commission chairman in 2004 and worked for the improvement of the state’s transportation infrastructure until his sudden death of a heart attack on December 30, 2007.

Death penalty

Perry supports the death penalty.^[57] On June 2, 2009, Texas carried out the 200th execution since Perry assumed the office of governor.^[58]

[Cameron Todd Willingham

Questions were raised in 2009 by a report from an investigator hired by the Texas Forensic Science Commission that an innocent person may have been executed in Texas while Perry was governor. The report concluded that a fire allegedly set by Cameron Todd Willingham in 1991 to murder his three daughters could not have been arson. Willingham said that he was asleep in his house when the fire started and denied that he deliberately killed his children.^[59] He was executed in Texas on February 17, 2004. Prior to his execution Dr. Gerald Hurst, an Austin scientist and fire investigator, reviewed the case and concluded there was “no evidence of arson, the same conclusion reached by other fire investigators. Hurst’s report was sent to Perry’s office as well as Board of Pardons and Paroles along with Willingham’s appeal for clemency.^[60] Neither responded to Willingham’s appeals. “The whole case was based on the purest form of junk science,” Hurst later said. “There was no item of evidence that indicated arson.”^[61]

The Texas Forensic Science Commission agreed to investigate in 2008 after defense attorneys claimed that Willingham was wrongfully convicted on the basis of flawed scientific evidence. Dr. Craig Beyler, a nationally recognized fire investigator in Baltimore, was commissioned by the state panel to conduct an independent review. He submitted a 55-page report, saying methods used in the investigation could not support a finding of arson.^[59] The report, written by Dr. Beyler, found that “a finding of arson could not be sustained”. Beyler said that key testimony from a fire marshal at Willingham’s trial was “hardly consistent with a scientific mind-set and is more characteristic of mystics or psychics.”.^[62]

Perry later expressed skepticism of findings by fire experts. He stated that regardless of findings by arson experts, court records showed evidence of Willingham’s guilt in charges that he intentionally killed his daughters in the fire. Perry is quoted in the report as stating of Willingham, “I’m familiar with the latter-day supposed experts on the arson side of it”, but court records provide “clear and compelling, overwhelming evidence that he was in fact the murderer of his children”, despite alleged scientific evidence to the contrary. He also noted that the defense team had ample opportunity to cross-examine the prosecution’s expert witnesses at the trial and to present their own expert witnesses, as well as to raise these issues when appealing the verdict and penalty in State and federal court ^[63]

Willingham’s wife, Stacy Kuykendall, has gone on record^[64] stating her firm belief that Willingham murdered her children.

On October 2009, Perry replaced three members of Texas Forensic Science Commission just two days before it was to hear from Dr. Beyler, the author of the latest of three reports to conclude that arson was not the likely cause of the 1991 fire. As a result, the hearing was postponed indefinitely, and critics of the governor accused him of trying to quash the Willingham probe.^[65] Perry said the commission’s inquiry will continue, saying that his decision to replace the three commission members was part of the normal appointments process.^[59]

Ousted head of the forensics panel, Samuel Bassett, has stated he felt pressure from Perry’s office and that they felt the Beyler report was a “waste of State money” and that the Willingham investigation should be a lower priority. He went on to say that they indicated they were not happy with the course of the Willingham investigation and hinted at reducing the commission’s funding.^[66]

Pardons and commutations

Under Texas law, the Governor is not permitted to grant pardon or parole, or to commute a death penalty sentence to life imprisonment, on his own initiative (the law was changed after former Governor James E. Ferguson was charged with selling pardons for political contributions). Instead, the Board of Pardons and Paroles will recommend to the Governor whether or not to grant such. If the Board recommends such, the Governor is free to reject the recommendation, but if the Board chooses not to recommend such, in the case of a death penalty sentence the Governor can only grant a one-time, 30-day reprieve.

In 2005, Frances Newton’s appeal for a commutation of her death penalty was declined. Her attorney had argued Newton was incapable of standing trial. The Board of Pardon and Parole did not recommend a commutation, and Perry chose not to grant the one-time reprieve. Newton was executed on September 14, 2005.

Tyrone Brown was an African-American who was sentenced to life in a Texas maximum security prison in 1990 for smoking marijuana while on probation. Texas Judge Keith Dean had originally placed Brown on probation, but changed the sentence after Brown tested positive for marijuana. After being defeated in the last Dallas election, Dean requested the governor pardon Brown. On March 9, 2007, Perry granted Brown a conditional pardon after receiving a recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.^[67]

On August 30, 2007, Perry commuted the death sentence of Kenneth Foster, an accomplice in a 1996 murder, doing so three hours before Foster was to die by lethal injection. Evidence had shown that while Foster was present at the scene of the crime (transporting the individual who actually committed the crime away from the scene in his car), he had nothing to do with the actual commission of the murder, and, for that matter, may not have even been aware that it had been taking place, as he was outside in his car at the time. Again, the Board of Pardon and Parole recommended the commutation, and Perry chose to accept the recommendation, thus converting the sentence to life in prison with a possibility of parole in 2037.^[68]

Environmental issues

Perry does not believe there is valid scientific proof of anthropogenic global warming. He has said several times that there is no scientific consensus on the issue.^[69] In a September 7, 2007, speech to California Republicans, Perry said, “Virtually every day another scientist leaves the global warming bandwagon. … But you won’t read about that in the press because they have already invested in one side of the story.”^[70]

Texas-based TXU had been planning a $10 billion investment in 11 new coal-fired power plants over the next several years, but drastically reduced those plans in 2007 under the terms of a buyout by a consortium of private equity firms.^[71] The Governor’s Clean Coal Technology Council^[72] continues to explore ways to generate clean energy with coal. After the 2009 legislative session, Perry signed House Bill 469^[73] which includes incentives^[74] for clean coal technology breakthroughs.

Perry opposes regulation of greenhouse gas emissions because he says it would have “devastating implications” for the Texas economy and energy industry. He has stated that he supports an “all of the above” energy strategy^[75] including oil, coal, nuclear, biofuels, hydroelectric, solar, and wind energy. Perry has collaborated with T. Boone Pickens, an alternative energy advocate and oil pioneer. Environmentalists have characterized his views on climate change as “shortsighted and overly alarmist”.^{[clarification needed]}^[76]

Education

In 2007, Perry vetoed health care for community college faculty due to revelations that schools had been using state funds to pay benefits for non-state employees. Funding for state-employed school personnel was restored in a joint agreement and funding re-allocation later that same year.^[77]

Perry, an Aggie himself, visited the newest Texas A&M University system campus in Texarkana, Texas in August 2010.^[78]

Inauguration concert controversy

Perry invited his friend, rock musician Ted Nugent, to perform at a black-tie gala hours after Perry’s second inauguration ceremony on January 16, 2007. Nugent appeared onstage during the inaugural ball wearing a cutoff T-shirt emblazoned with the Confederate flag and shouting derogatory remarks about non-English speakers, according to press reports.^[79] The NAACP condemned Nugent’s wearing the Confederate flag.^[80]

Fire at Texas Governor’s Mansion

On June 8, 2008, the 152-year-old historic state governor’s residence was swept by a fire the local authorities suspected was a result of arson. The mansion, which was undergoing planned maintenance, had no occupants at the time; Perry and his family had been living elsewhere since the previous fall. Because the fire occurred outside of working hours, no workers were inside, although much of the building was badly damaged.^[81] At the time of the fire, Perry himself was in Stockholm, Sweden, on an economic development tour to encourage investment in Texas.

Comments on the possible secession of Texas

In April 2009, Perry endorsed a resolution supporting state sovereignty, under the argument that such authority is reserved by the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.^[82] On April 9, 2009, Perry said, “I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our State. That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the States’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our State from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.”^[82]

After a tea party protest held on April 15, 2009, Perry responded to a reporter’s question about secession, saying, “Texas is a unique place. When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that… My hope is that America and Washington in particular pays attention. We’ve got a great union. There’s absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that.”^[83]^[84]^[85] In reference to Perry’s comments, a spokesperson said that Perry “never advocated seceding”.^[83] A Time magazine article shed light on the situation, with experts saying that Texas cannot legally secede but may split into five states.^[86] Nevertheless, in an op-ed piece distributed on May 17, 2009, Perry stated “I have never advocated for secession and never will.”^[87]

In response to Perry’s comments, the Amarillo Globe-News posted an editorial on April 19, writing that Perry “uttered some words that take that discussion to a level not heard since, oh, 1861—when Texas in fact did secede and joined the Confederate States of America. We all know what happened next.”^[88] U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) further reflected this understanding, “Well, I don’t think it’s particularly useful. The legal response is ‘You can’t do it.’ We fought a Civil War. You can’t do it… I think it’s a distraction. We have a lot of serious issues. This is not one of them.” Additionally, Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX) thought “the governor got carried away. You see posturing in preparation for the Republican primary. It serves no useful purpose.” However, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) said “I’m receptive to the principle of secession. You should have the right to leave.”.^[89]

Response to H1N1 influenza pandemic

Perry asked for federal assistance in fighting the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.^[90]

Immigration

Perry has opposed the creation of the Mexico – United States barrier, which is meant to keep out illegal aliens. Instead of barricading the border completely with a fence, Perry believes that the federal government should fulfill its responsibility to its citizens by securing the borders with “boots on the ground” and technology to improve safety while not harming trade with the state’s biggest trading partner, Mexico. ^[91] Perry said the Arizona immigration law SB 1070 “would not be the right direction for Texas” and would distract law enforcement from fighting other crimes.^[92]

Response to 2011 drought and wildfires

On April 21, Perry proclaimed a three-day period, from Friday to Sunday (coinciding with Easter), as Days of Prayer for Rain in the state.^[93]

2008 presidential endorsements

“Rudy GiulianiIn October 2007, despite their political differences on many social issues, Perry endorsed Rudy Giuliani for President. is the most prepared individual of either party to be the next President… I’m not talking about any mayor, I’m talking about America’s Mayor,” Perry said.^[94] Some conjectured that, if Giuliani were elected, Perry might have been considered for a position in the new President’s cabinet, or perhaps the Vice Presidency.^[95] However, Giuliani withdrew from the race on January 30, 2008 after failing to gain support in early primaries.

Both Giuliani and Perry immediately endorsed Arizona Senator John McCain for President.^[96] Shortly after Mitt Romney’s withdrawal from the race in early February, Perry reportedly^[97] called McCain rival Mike Huckabee and suggested that he withdraw as well to clear the way for McCain to secure the nomination. Huckabee declined this request and made it clear publicly that he would only abandon his presidential bid if McCain secured enough delegates. Huckabee withdrew his presidential bid on March 5, 2008 after John McCain won the Texas and Ohio primaries.

2010 Texas gubernatorial election

Main article: Texas gubernatorial election, 2010

In April 2008, Perry announced his intent to run for re-election.^[98] Perry defeated Senator Hutchison and Debra Medina in the March 2, 2010 primary election, becoming the Republican nominee. He faced Democratic nominee William Howard “Bill” White, the former mayor of Houston. Although nearly all polls indicated that Perry was ahead, one survey conducted by a Democratic-owned polling firm, showed a 43 – 43 tie. Perry refused to debate White until White released his tax returns from 1995, his last year as deputy energy secretary in the Clinton administration. White released his tax returns for his six years as mayor of Houston. According to his spokesperson, White had taxes withheld from his $133,000 salary in 1995, the amount of which was offset by losses in the starting of an energy business.^[99]

On November 2, 2010, Perry handily won re-election to an unprecedented third four-year term in the general election polling 2,733,784 votes and (54.97 percent) and White garnered 2,102,606 votes and (42.28 percent) and Perry also carried 226 out of 254 counties, resulting him in making history becoming the first Texas governor to be elected to three four-year terms and the fourth to serve three terms since Shivers, Price Daniel, and John Connally. Perry’s third term began on January 18, 2011.

Political future

Perry has persistently denied aspirations to higher office; he was originally included on the 2012 Presidential Straw Poll ballot at the Values Voter Summit in September 2009, but his name was removed at his own request.^[100] In April 2008 while appearing as a guest on CNBC’s Kudlow & Company, he specifically stated that he would not agree to serve as Vice President in a McCain administration, stating that he already had “the best job in the world” as Governor of Texas. Further, during a Republican gubernatorial debate in January 2010, when asked if he would commit to serving out his term if re-elected, he replied that “the place hasn’t been made yet” where he would rather serve than the Governor of Texas. In December 2010, when asked if he was a “definite maybe” to run for President in 2012, he replied, “a definite no, brother”.^[101]

On May 27, 2011, he said he is “going to think about” running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination after the close of the Texas legislative session.^[102] Perry said in a response to a question from a reporter, “but I think about a lot of things,” he added with a grin.^[7]

A “Draft Rick Perry for President” website has been started by California State Assemblyman Dan Logue^[103]

Publications

Rick Perry has written two books:

On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts are Worth Fighting For was published in February 2008.^[104] In his book, Perry celebrates the positive impact of the organization on the youth of America and criticizes the ACLU for its legal actions against the Boy Scouts of America.^[105]
His second book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington was published in November 2010.^[106] Perry’s second book discusses his support for limited central government.

Background Articles and Videos

“…Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. (born March 26, 1960) is an American politician who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.^[1]

Huntsman is the son of Jon Huntsman, Sr. and Karen Haight Huntsman, and was raised in Palo Alto, California. He participated in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) as a youth and earned the organization’s highest rank, Eagle Scout, at age 15. He served as a Mormon missionary for two years in Taiwan and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in international politics.

Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for Ronald Reagan, and he was appointed by George H.W. Bush as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and later as United States Ambassador to Singapore from 1992-1993. Huntsman served as Deputy United States Trade Representative under George W. Bush, launching global trade negotiations in Doha, Qatar in 2001 and guiding the accession of China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization.

Huntsman was elected Governor of Utah in 2004 and won re-election in 2008 with nearly 78% of the vote. During his tenure, Huntsman cut taxes by more than $400 million—the largest tax cut in the state’s history—and Utah was named the “Best Managed State in America” by Pew Research Center. While governor, he also served as chairman of the Western Governors Association and as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Governors Association. On August 11, 2009, he resigned as governor to accept appointment by Barack Obama as the United States Ambassador to China.

Huntsman has received six honorary doctorate degrees, and in 2007 he was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award by the BSA. He is a founding director of the Pacific Council on International Policy and has served on the boards of the Brookings Institute Asia Policy Board, the Asia Society in New York, and the National Bureau of Asian Research. Huntsman is married to Mary Kaye Huntsman, and they are the parents of seven children, including two adopted girls—one from China and the other from India. …”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.

Jon Huntsman Hits South Carolina

In the Hunt? Jon Huntsman on Health Care, the Economy… and REO Speedwagon

Jon Huntsman:: GOP Secret Weapon or Obama Trojan Horse?

Hunt on Debt-Reduction Talks, Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry

Jon Huntsman Official Presidential Campaign Announcement In New Hampshire

Jon Huntsman on his support for a health insurance mandate

2008: Jon Huntsman Extols the Virtues of Cap and Trade

Jon Huntsman Ask If His Mormonism Will Be An Issue If He Runs For President

Governor Jon Huntsman speaks about Sarah Palin

CUNY TV Special: America’s Mayor: John V. Lindsay and the Reinvention of New York (part 1 of 2)

Background Articles and Videos

Farrakhan Explains Why Western Powers Hate Gaddhafi and Libya

The shocking video Barack Obama does not want you to see!!

Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich on “Freedom Watch” talk Obama’s Illegal, Unconstituional Attack on Libya

Kucinich: Libya war unconstitutional

O’Reilly Factor: Rep. Dennis Kucinich On Libya Situation – 03/21/11

VIDEO: Minister Farrakhan: ‘That’s a Murderer in the White House”

By: Nsenga Burton

“…A YouTube video of Minister Louis Farrakhan taking President Obama to task over the war in Afghanistan and the bombing of Libya is making its way around the Web. In the video, Farrakhan admonishes the president for turning into someone else. Farrakhan says, “We voted for our brother Barack, a beautiful human being with a sweet heart, and now he’s an assassin. They turned him into them.”

He also raises the issue of killing Saddam Hussein over weapons of mass destruction and knowingly sending young men to fight a war based on lies. “You talk about a man killing his own people. When you lie to the American people saying that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. When you lie and then take innocent young men who come to serve their country, and send them to die in Iraq and Afghanistan, over lies, that’s a murderer in the White House.” Ouch.

Farrakhan is visibly angry at Obama’s leadership of America’s intervention in the crisis in Libya, particularly his focus on bringing down Muammar Qaddafi. He says that people do not know Qaddafi like he does, and he’s a decent man.

We find it interesting that this video from May is surfacing just as Farrakhan is set to address the United Nations. Nonetheless, the words used to describe the president are brutal. He raises important points, like questioning why we’re still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan if the intelligence proved false, and how a peacemaking mission to Libya turned into a bombing mission. …”

http://www.theroot.com/buzz/video-minister-farrakhanthats-murderer-white-house

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Republican Candidates For President Romney, Cain, and Johnson Refuse To Sign Pro-Life Citizen’s Pledge–While Sarah Palin’s Trig’s Creator E-Mail Moves Millions–Videos

Posted on June 18, 2011. Filed under: Babies, Blogroll, Business, Communications, Demographics, Diasters, Economics, government, government spending, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, People, Philosophy, Politics, Video, Wisdom | Tags: 2012 Presidential Elections, Gary Johnson, Governor Palin, Herman Cain, Marilyn Musgrave, Mitt Romney, Palin E-Mails, Paul/Palin Ticket, Planned Parenthood, pro life, Pro-Abortion Candidates, Pro-Life Candidates, Pro-Life Citizen's Pledge, Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin's Trig's Creator E-Mail Moves Millions, Susan B. Anthony LIst Pledge, Undefeated |

“Our Story” Susan B. Anthony List Beginnings

Stand up for Life! Will you take the 2012 Pro-Life Citizen’s Pledge?

I PLEDGE that I will only support candidates for President who are committed to protecting Life. I demand that any candidate I support commit to these positions:

FIRST, to nominate to the U.S. federal bench judges who are committed to restraint and applying the original meaning of the Constitution, not legislating from the bench;

SECOND, to select only pro-life appointees for relevant Cabinet and Executive Branch positions, in particular the head of National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health & Human Services;

THIRD, to advance pro-life legislation to permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion in all domestic and international spending programs, and defund Planned Parenthood and all other contractors and recipients of federal funds with affiliates that perform or fund abortions;

FOURTH, advance and sign into law a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion.

GOP Split on Abortion

Ron Paul Ad – Life

MSNBC: Romney Criticized for Refusal to Sign SBA List Pro-Life Pledge (6-20-2011)

The following candidates refused to sign the pledge: Herman Cain, Gov. Gary Johnson, Gov. Mitt Romney.

I simply will not vote for any candidate for any public office that refuses to sign the above pro-life Susan B. Anthony pledge.

By refusing to sign the pledge Romney and Johnson are no longer acceptable to me as candidates for President.

Herman Cain needs to sign the pledge and stop quibbling about the meaning of advanced–it is a pro-life citizen’s pledge.

Herman stop listening to the lawyers on your staff and show some common sense.

The following pro-life Republican candidates are still acceptable: Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, and Rick Santorium.

Should Sarah Palin decide to run, she is more than acceptable as a candidate for President.

UPDATED Januanry 9, 2011

The only remaining viable pro-life Republican candidate for President that is now acceptable is Ron Paul.

I will not support nor vote for Romney or Gingrich for president.

I will stay home before I vote for another neoconservative progressive Republican.

The lesser of two evils is still evil.

Rick Santorium simply does not have the money and organization needed to be nominated and he is a neoconservative progressive.

Romney, Cain Nix Anti-Abortion Pledge

“…Presidenial hopefuls Mitt Romney and Herman Cain have declined to sign a pledge that calls for White House hopefuls to push for anti-abortion goals if elected presdient, Politico reports. Five other candidates — Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum — have signed the pledge, written by the Susan B. Anthony List.

The pledge requires that candidates promise to nominate or appoint pro-life judges, Cabinet memebrs and administration officials. It also calls for zero taxpayer funding for abortion and the defunding of Planned Parenthood.

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/MittRomney-Abortion-2012PresidentialElection/2011/06/18/id/400502

Marilyn Musgrave Announces Pro-Life Presidential Pledge at RLC 2011 (Part 1)

Ron Paul on Abortion and Stem Cell Research

MSNBC: Pro-life Pledge Debate (06-18-2011)

Marilyn Musgrove on Planned Parenthood

Bachmann Defends Life on the House Floor

Funding Abortions With Your Tax Dollars

Herman Cain on Second Amendment and Abortion

Ron Paul VS. Barack Obama on Abortion

Louisville Right to Life banquet speaker, Rick Santorum 1

Louisville Right to Life banquet speaker, Rick Santorum 2

Louisville Right to Life banquet speaker, Rick Santorum 3

Rick Santorum Receives the Poverello

Gov. Sarah Palin Speech to Pro-Life Susan B. Anthony List (1 of 3)

Gov. Sarah Palin Speech to Pro-Life Susan B. Anthony List (2 of 3)

Gov. Sarah Palin Speech to Pro-Life Susan B. Anthony List (3 of 3)

Palin wrote letter from God [CNN: 6-16-2011]

Sarah Palin e-mail message written as though from God

By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor

“… Among the 24,000 pages of e-mail from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin released on Friday, one message stands out for its signature line. It’s signed by the “Creator” and “Your Heavenly Father.” In other words, God.

Palin sent the e-mail to family and friends in April 2008 in anticipation of the birth of her and her husband Todd’s fifth child, Trig. Palin knew her son would have Down syndrome, and the e-mail is a meditation on that knowledge and on how others should view him in light of the diagnosis.

“I am blessing you with this surprise baby because I only want the best for you,” the e-mail message begins. “I’ve heard your prayers that this baby will be happy and healthy, and I’ve answered them because I only want the best for you!”

Palin included most of the e-mail in her 2009 book Going Rogue.

“In my research on Down syndrome, I learned that these special kids most often bring joy into their family’s lives,” she wrote in that book, explaning her decision to pen a note in the voice of God. “While they had developmental challenges, they were also affectionate, generous, and cheerful. Rather than focus on what could be perceived as negative, I wanted our loved ones to focus on the fact that this baby, every baby, has purpose, and that not only would he learn from us, but we would learn from him.”

“I decided to write the letter as though it were from Trig’s Creator, the same Creator in whom I had put my trust more than thirty years before,” she continued in Going Rogue. “I hoped that even though this new baby would present challenges, we’d trust that God knew best, that He didn’t make mistakes.”

The e-mail message released last week includes lines that Palin edited out of her book. …”

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/15/sarah-palin-email-message-written-as-though-from-god/

SARAH PALIN’S COMPLETE LETTER TO HER FAMILY ABOUT TRIG

To the Sisters, Brother, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends of Trig Paxson Van Palin (or whatever you end up naming him!):

I am blessing you with this surprise baby because I only want the best for you. I’ve heard your prayers that this baby will be happy and healthy, and I’ve answered them because Ionly want the best for you!

I heard your heart when you hinted that another boy would fit best in the Palin family, to round it out and complete that starting five line-up. Though another girl would be so nice, you didn’t think you could ask for what you REALLY wanted, but I knew, so I gave you a boy because I only want the best for you!

Then, I put the idea in your hearts that his name should be “Trig”, because it’s so fitting, with two Norse meanings: “True” and “Brave Victory”. You also have a Bristol Bay relative with that name, so I knew it would be best for you!

Then, I let Trig’s mom have an exceptionally comfortable pregnancy so she could enjoy every minute of it, and I even seemed to rush it along so she could wait until near the end to surprise you with the news – that way Piper wouldn’t have so long to wait and count down so many days – just like Christmastime when you have to wait, impatiently, for that special day to finally open your gift? (Or the way the Palins look forward to birthday celebrations that go on for three, four days… you all really like cake .) I know you, I knew you’d be better off with just a short time to wait!

Then, finally, I let Trig’s mom and dad find out before he was born that this little boy will truly be a GIFT. They were told in early tests that Trig may provide more challenges, and more joy, than what they ever may have imagined or ever asked for. At first the news seemed unreal and sad and confusing . But I gave Trig’ s mom and dad lots of time to think about it because they needed lots of time to understand that everything will be OK, in fact, everything will be great, because I only want the best for you!

I‘ve given Trig’s mom and dad peace and joy as they wait to meet their new son. I gave them a happy anticipation because they asked me for that. I‘ll give all of you the same happy anticipation and strength to deal with Trig’s challenges, but I won’t impose on you…

I just need to know you want to receive my offer to be with all of you and help you everyday to make Trig’s life a great one.

This new person in your life can help everyone put things in perspective and bind us together and get everyone focused on what really matters . The baby will expand your world and let you see and feel things you haven’t experienced yet. He’ll show you what “true, brave victory“ really means as those who love him will think less about self and focus less on what the world tells you is ”normal“ or ”perfect”. You will grow and be blessed with greater understanding that will be born along with Trig.

Trig will be his dad‘s little buddy and he’ll wear Carhartts while he learns to tinker in the garage. He’ll love to be read to, he’ll want to play goalie, and he‘ll steal his mom’s heart just like Track, Bristol, Willow and Piper did. And Trig will be the cuddly, innocent, mischievous, dependent little brother that his siblings have been waiting for in fact Trig will – in some diagnostic ways – always be a mischievous, dependent little brother, because I created him a bit different than a lot of babies born into this world today.

Every child is created special, with awesome purpose and amazing potential. Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed up world you live in down there on earth. Trig is no different, except he has one extra chromosome. Doctors call it “Down’s Syndrome”, and Downs kids have challenges, but can bring you much delight and more love than you can ever imagine! Just wait and see, let me prove this, because I only want the best for you!

Some of the rest of the world may not want him, but take comfort in that because the world will not compete for him. Take care of him and he will always be yours!

Trig‘s mom and dad don’t want people to focus on the baby’s extra chromosome. They’re human, so they haven’t known how to explain this to people who are so caring and are interested in this new little Alaskan. Sarah and Todd want people to share in the joy of this gift I’m giving to the Palin family, and the greater Alaska family. Many people won’t understand… and I understand that. Some will think Trig should not be allowed to be born because they fear a Downs child won’t be considered “perfect” in your world. (But tell me, what do you earthlings consider “perfect” or even “normal” anyway? Have you peeked down any grocery store isle, or school hallway, or into your office lunchroom lately? Or considered the odd celebrities you celebrate as “perfect” on t.v.? Have you noticed I make `em all shapes and sizes? Believe me ,, there is no “perfect”!)

Many people will express sympathy, but you don’t want or need that, because Trig will be a joy. You will have to trust me on this.

I know it will take time to grasp this and come to accept that I only want the best for you, and I only give my best. Remember though: “My ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts… for as the heavens are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than yours!”

I wrote that all down for you in the Good Book ! Look it up! You claim that you believe me – now it’s time to live out that belief!

Please look to me as this new challenge and chapter of life unfolds in front of you. I promise to equip you. I won‘t give you anything you can’t handle. I am answering your prayers. Trig can’t wait to meet you. I’m giving you ONLY THE BEST!

Love,
Trig’s Creator , Your Heavenly Father

6/10/11 liberal media’s Palin derangement syndrome

Sarah Palin’s Alaskan Governor Email Records Finally Released

Liberal Media Upset,Sarah Palin Squeaky Clean

Background Articles and Video

Generation Zero: Intro: The Abyss

Generation Zero: The Crisis: “The Turnaround”

Speculation Surrounds New Palin Film

Hannity Exclusive: Sneak Peek of New Palin Film “The Undefeated”

Fire From The Heartland Trailer

Fire From The Heartland Discussion With Director Steve Bannon: The Rise Of Tea Party Women

‘The Undefeated’ – Stephen K. Bannon Interview

Monica Crowley Interviews Stephen Bannon about “The Undefeated”

Rita Crosby Interviews Stephen Bannon about his Palin film, “The Undefeated”

Mark Levin – I Strongly Recommend You See Sarah Palin’s New Movie Undefeated

Background Articles and Videos

Natalie Portman in “Léon”

the Allure of Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman Tribute

Natalie Portman Has Baby Boy; Oscar-Winning Actress Becomes a Mother

Leon

“…Léon (also known as The Professional and Léon: The Professional) is a 1994 thriller film written and directed by French director Luc Besson. It stars Jean Reno as a mob hitman, Gary Oldman as a corrupt DEA detective, and a young Natalie Portman, in her feature film debut, as a 12-year-old girl who is taken in by the hitman after her family is murdered by corrupt police agents.

Summary

Leone “Léon” Montana (Jean Reno) is a hitman (or “cleaner,” as he refers to himself) living a solitary life in New York City’s Little Italy. His work comes from a mafioso named Tony (Danny Aiello), who operates from the “Supreme Macaroni Company” restaurant. Léon spends his idle time engaging in calisthenics, nurturing a houseplant that early on he describes as his “best friend,”^[3] and (in one scene) watching old Gene Kelly musicals.

On a particular day, he meets Mathilda Lando (Natalie Portman), a twelve-year-old girl with a black eye and smoking a cigarette, living with her dysfunctional family in an apartment down the hallway. Her abusive father and self-involved mother have not even noticed that Mathilda has stopped attending class at her upscale school.

Mathilda’s father (Michael Badalucco) attracts the ire of corrupt DEA agents, who have been paying him to store cocaine in his residence, after they discover that he has been stealing some of the drugs for himself. A cadre of DEA agents storm the building, led by a sharp-suited and drug-addicted Norman “Stan” Stansfield (Gary Oldman), who murders Mathilda’s entire family, missing her only because she was out shopping when they arrived. When she returns and notices the carnage, she calmly continues down the hallway and receives sanctuary from a reluctant Léon.

Mathilda discovers that Léon is a hitman. She begs him to become her caretaker and to teach her his skills as a “cleaner;” she wants to avenge the murder of her four-year-old brother, claiming that he was the only member of her family she loved, though she clearly regrets the deaths of her other family members. Léon shows her how to use firearms, including a scoped rifle. In return, she offers her services as a maid and teacher, remedying Léon’s illiteracy. Mathilda tells Léon several times that she is falling in love with him, but he says nothing back.

After increasing her experience with firearms, Mathilda fills a shopping bag with guns from Léon’s collection and sets out to kill Stansfield. She bluffs her way into the DEA office by posing as a delivery person, only to be ambushed by Stansfield in a bathroom. Léon, discovering her intentions in a note left for him, rushes to rescue Mathilda, shooting two of Stansfield’s men in the process.

Stansfield is enraged that who he calls the “Italian hitman” has gone rogue. He beats Tony, forcing him to surrender Léon’s whereabouts. As soon as Mathilda returns home from grocery shopping, an NYPD ESU team, sent by Stansfield, takes her hostage and attempts to infiltrate Léon’s apartment. Léon ambushes the ESU team and barters one agent for Mathilda’s freedom. In the apartment, Léon creates a quick escape for Matilda by chopping a hole in a slender air shaft. He reassures her and tells her that he loves her, moments before the police come for him.

In the chaos that follows, Léon sneaks out of the apartment building disguised as a wounded ESU officer. He is unnoticed save for Stansfield, who recognizes the hitman and shoots him. Leon asks the shooter if he is Stansfield, and the police officer haughtily replies, “At your service”. Léon then places an object in Stansfield’s hands, which he explains is “from Mathilda,” then he dies. Opening his hands, Stansfield finds the pin from a grenade. He rips open Léon’s vest to discover several active grenades on his chest, right before a massive explosion kills him.

Mathilda heads to Tony’s place as she was instructed to do by Léon. Tony will not give Mathilda more than a small amount of the fortune Léon had amassed, which Tony was holding for him. He offers a monthly allowance and says school should be her priority for now. Mathilda asks Tony to give her a job, insisting that she can “clean” as Léon had. Tony sternly informs her that he “ain’t got no work for a 12-year-old kid!”

Having nowhere else to go, Mathilda makes her way to New Jersey in an attempt to return to school. After telling her and Léon’s story to the headmistress, and seemingly being readmitted, Mathilda walks into a field near the school with Léon’s houseplant in hand. She digs a hole and plants it, as she had told Léon he should, “to give it roots.” …”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9on_(film)

Natalie Portman

“…Natalie Hershlag^[1]^[2] (Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג‎; born June 9, 1981), better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.^[3] In 1999, she enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology while still working as an actress.^[4] She completed her bachelor’s degree in 2003.

In 2001, Portman opened in New York City’s Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull.^[3] In 2005, Portman received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for the drama Closer. She shaved her head and learned to speak with a British accent for her starring role in V for Vendetta (2006), for which she won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance, and a Saturn Award for Best Actress. She played leading roles in the historical dramas Goya’s Ghosts (2006) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). In May 2008, she served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury.^[5] Portman’s directorial debut, Eve, opened the 65th Venice International Film Festival’s shorts competition in 2008.^[6]

In 2011, Portman won the Academy Award, the Golden Globe Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, and the BAFTA Award for her lead performance as Nina in Black Swan. …”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fPLNu1kZWA&feature=related

Background Articles and Videos

NSA allies with Internet carriers to thwart cyber attacks against defense firms

By Ellen Nakashima,

“…The National Security Agency is working with Internet service providers to deploy a new generation of tools to scan e-mail and other digital traffic with the goal of thwarting cyberattacks against defense firms by foreign adversaries, senior defense and industry officials say.

The novel program, which began last month on a voluntary, trial basis, relies on sophisticated NSA data sets to identify malicious programs slipped into the vast stream of Internet data flowing to the nation’s largest defense firms. Such attacks, including one last month against Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin, are nearly constant as rival nations and terrorist groups seek access to U.S. military secrets.

“We hope the . . . cyber pilot can be the beginning of something bigger,” Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said at a global security conference in Paris on Thursday. “It could serve as a model that can be transported to other critical infrastructure sectors, under the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security.”

The prospect of a role for the NSA, the nation’s largest spy agency and a part of the Defense Department, in helping Internet service providers filter domestic Web traffic already had sparked concerns among privacy activists. Lynn’s suggestion that the program might be extended beyond the work of defense contractors threatened to raise the stakes. …”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/major-internet-service-providers-cooperating-with-nsa-on-monitoring-traffic/2011/06/07/AG2dukXH_story.html

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Austrian Business Cycle Theory–Videos

Posted on June 16, 2011. Filed under: Banking, Blogroll, Economics, Employment, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, government, government spending, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Money, People, Philosophy, Politics, Rants, Raves, Talk Radio, Taxes, Video, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Austrian Business Cycle Theory, Economics, fiscal policy, investment, monetary policy, Savings |

Austrian Business Cycle Theory

Austrian Theory of the Business Cycle

Austrian Business Cycle Theory in 10 Minutes

The Austrian Theory in Perspective | by Roger W. Garrison

The Austrian Theory: A Summary | by Roger W. Garrison

Austrian Theory of the Trade Cycle | Roger W. Garrison

Raymond Thomas Pronk’s Podcasts

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 30-32

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 27-29

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 22 (Part 2)-26

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 16-22 (Part 1)

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 10-15

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 1-9

Give it a listen!

Pronk Pops Show 32

June 15, 2011 03:10 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 32, June 15, 2011

Segment 0: Money, Organization, Message, Momentum, Ambition–MOMMA–You Need MOMMA To Win A Presidential Race!–Videos

For Additional Information and Videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/pronk-pops-show-32-june-15-2011-segment-0-money-organization-message-momentum-ambition-momma-you-need-momma-to-win-a-presidential-race-videos/?preview=true&preview_id=1173&preview_nonce=d056ccee9f

Segment 1: Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire June 13, 2011–American People The Winner–Obama The Loser–Videos

For Additional Information and Videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/pronk-pops-show-32-june-15-2011-segment-1-republican-presidential-debate-in-new-hampshire-june-13-2011%E2%80%93american-people-the-winner%E2%80%93obama-the-loser%E2%80%93videos/?preview=true&preview_id=1176&preview_nonce=0196810e90

Segment 2: The Political Issues of 2012 Elections: #1–Unemployment–Jobs, #2–Government Spending–Balanced Budgets, #3-Tax Reform–The FairTax, #4-Inflation–End The Fed, #5-Wars–Bring The Troops Home–Videos

For Additional Information and Videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/pronk-pops-show-32-june-15-2011-
segment-2-1-the-issues-unemployment-jobs-2-government-spending-balanced-budgets-3-tax-reform-the-fairtax-4-inflation-end-the-fed-5-wars-bring-the-t/?preview=true&preview_id=1183&preview_nonce=577da72775

Segment 3: Pronk Presidential Prediction–The Winner Is?–The American People!–Videos

For Additional Information and Videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/pronk-pops-show-32-june15-2011-segment-3-pronk-presidential-prediction-the-winner-is-the-american-people-videos/?preview=true&preview_id=1169&preview_nonce=52b4648eff

Pronk Pops Show 31

June 08, 2011 03:17 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 31: June 8, 2011

Segment 0: ENTJ–Know Thyself–This above all: to thine own self be true–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/pronk-pops-show-31-segment-0-entj%E2%80%93know-thyself%E2%80%93this-above-all-to-thine-own-self-be-true%E2%80%93videos/?preview=true&preview_id=1122&preview_nonce=938bb3c129

Segment 1: A Breach of Public Trust–Hound Dogs–Clinton, Weiner, and Obama–Notorious Habitual Liars–Wake Up–Start A Revolution–Ron Paul–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/pronk-pops-show-31-segment-1-a-breach-of-public-trust%E2%80%93hound-dogs%E2%80%93clinton-weiner-and-obama%E2%80%93notorious-habitual-liars%E2%80%93wake-up%E2%80%93start-a-revolution%E2%80%93ron-pa/

Segment 2: June 2011–Unemployment Situation Worsens–9.1% Official Unemployment Rate (U-3) with 13,900,000 Unemployed and 15.8% Total Unemployment Rate (U-6) With 24,283,000 Americans Looking For Full Time Jobs!–Great Obama Depression (GOD)!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/pronk-pops-show-31-segment-2-june-2011-unemployment-situation-worsens-9-1-official-unemployment-rate-u-3-with-13900000-unemployed-and-15-8-total-unemployment-rate-u-6-with-24283000-america/

Pronk Pops Show 30

June 02, 2011 01:26 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show, June 2, 2011

Segment 0: The Facebook Effect–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/pronk-pops-show-30-june-2-2011-segment-0-the-facebook-effect-videos/

Segment 2: Paul Allen–Idea Man: A Memoir By The Cofounder of Microsoft–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/pronk-pops-show-30-june-6-2011-segment-1-paul-allen%E2%80%93idea-man-a-memoir-by-the-cofounder-of-microsoft%E2%80%93videos/

Segment 3: Last Dance For Love–Congress Blocks Debt Limit Hike–For Now–Who Is The Political Class Fooling–Bring The Troops and Jobs Home and Send The Bureaucrats and Big Spenders Home–Save Medicare and Social Security–Hot Stuff–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/pronk-pops-show-30-june-2-2011-segment-3-last-dance-for-love%E2%80%93congress-blocks-debt-limit-hike%E2%80%93for-now%E2%80%93who-is-the-political-class-fooling%E2%80%93bring-the-troops-and-jobs-ho/

Pronk Pops Show 29

May 26, 2011 01:12 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 29, May 26, 2011

Segment 1: Herman Cain–The Tea Party Movement Candidate–Running On Cutting Spending, Opposing Higher Debt Ceiling, Enforcing Immigration Laws, Defunding Planned Parenthood, Nominating Pro Life Judges, And Passing The FairTax–Common Sense Solutions!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/pronk-pops-show-29-may-25-2011-segment-1-herman-cain-the-tea-party-movement-candidate-running-on-cutting-spending-opposing-higher-debt-ceiling-enforcing-immigration-laws-defunding-planned-pa/?preview=true&preview_id=1018&preview_nonce=3fac63d9d6

Segment 2: Taxman Obama’s Hidden Tax Increase On The Rich That Results In Fewer Jobs And Lower Economic Growth vs. Ryan’s Long and Winding Road To Economic Stagnation vs. Senators Lee, DeMint and Paul’s Stairway To Peace and Prosperity With A Balanced Budget!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/pronk-pops-show-29-may-25-2011-segment-2-taxman-obamas-hidden-tax-increase-on-the-rich-that-results-in-fewer-jobs-and-lower-economic-growth-vs-ryans-long-and-winding-road-to-economic-stagnat/

Segment 3: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Addresses Congress–A Lesson In Leadership–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/pronk-pops-show-29-may-25-2011-segment-3-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-addresses-congress-a-lesson-in-leadership-videos/

Segment 4: Memo To Washington Republican Party Establishment–You Are Not Listening To The American People–Read Our Lips–“Cut Spending and Balance The Budget Starting With Fiscal Year 2012”–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/pronk-pops-show-29-may-25-2011-segment-4-memo-to-washington-republican-party-establishment-you-are-not-listening-to-the-american-people-read-our-lips-cut-spending-and-balance-the-budget-start/

Pronk Pops Show 28

May 18, 2011 04:26 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 28, May 18, 2011

Segment 1: Segment 1: Newt Gingrich Running For President As A Big Government Interventionist Republican Progressive aka Green “Compassionate” Conservative?–Favors Individual Health Care Mandates While Attacking Paul Ryan As A Right Wing Radical Social Engineer For Proposing A Premium Support or $15,000 Voucher System To Save Medicare From Bankruptcy!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/pronk-pops-show-28-may-18-2011-segment-1-newt-gingrich-running-for-president-as-a-big-govenment-interventionist-republican-progressive-aka-green-compassionate-conservative-favors-individual/

Segment 2: Leave It To Beaver–Newt Gingrich–The Beaver Puppet of The Republican Washington D.C. Establishment Political Class With It Social Engineered Warfare and Welfare Economy with A $3,500 Billion Unbalanced Budget For Fiscal Year 2012 with Nearly $1,000 Billion In Deficit Spending!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/pronk-pops-show-28-may-18-2011-segment-2leave-it-to-beaver-newt-gingrich-the-beaver-puppet-of-the-republican-washington-d-c-establishment-political-class-with-it-social-engineered-warfare-and-w/

Segment 3: Ron Paul Running For President Of The United States in 2012–It Is Official–The Third Time Is The Charm!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/pronk-pops-show-28-may-28-2011-segment-3-ron-paul-running-for-president-of-the-united-states-in-2012-it-is-official-the-third-time-is-the-charm-videos/

Segment 4: Ron Paul Is Running For President of The United States In 2012!–The Third Time Is The Charm–A Man Of Integrity–A Candidate For Peace and Prosperity–Neither A Big Government Warfare Republican Nor A Massive Government Welfare Democrat–A Man Of And For The American People–A Tea Party Patriot–Ron Paul–Videos

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/pronk-pops-show-28-may-18-2011-segment-4-ron-paul-is-running-for-president-of-the-united-states-in-2012-the-third-time-is-the-charm-a-man-of-integrity-a-candidate-for-peace-and-prosperity-nei/

Pronk Pops Show 27

May 11, 2011 10:13 AM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 27, May 10, 2011

Segment 1: Bureau of Labor Statistics Official Unemployment Rate (U-3) Increased To 9.0% With 13.7 Million Americans Unemployed and Total Unemployment Rate (U-6) Increased To 15.9% With 24.4 Million Americans Seeking Full Time Job–Economy Adds 244,000 Jobs But Initial Unemployment Claims Hit Eight Month High of 474,000!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/pronk-pops-show-27-may-9-2011-segment-1-bureau-of-labor-statistics-offical-unemployment-rate-u-3-increased-to-9-0-with-13-7-million-americans-unemployed-and-total-unemployment-rate-u-6-increas/

Segment 2: OMI-Obama Misery Index–U.S. Misery Index Is Rising As Both The Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate Increase!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/pronk-pops-show-27-may-10-2011-segment-2-omi-obama-misery-index-u-s-misery-index-is-rising-as-both-the-unemployment-rate-and-inflation-rate-increase-vidoes/

Segment 3: Segment 3: Speaker Boehner’s Address to the Economic Club of New York on Jobs, Debt, Gas Prices–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/pronk-pops-show-27-may-10-2011-segment-3-speaker-boehners-address-to-the-economic-club-of-new-york-on-jobs-debt-gas-prices/

Pronk Pops Show 26

April 27, 2011 11:28 AM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 25, April 26, 2011

Segment 0: Eva Cassidy–A Singer’s Singer

Segment 1: Ron Paul Is Running For President of The United States In 2012!–The Third Time Is The Charm–A Man Of Integrity–A Candidate For Peace and Prosperity–Neither A Big Government Warfare Republican Nor A Massive Government Welfare Democrat–A Man Of And For The American People–A Tea Party Patriot–Ron Paul–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/pronk-pops-show-25-april-26-2011-segment-0-eva-cassidy-a-singers-singer-segment-1-ron-paul-is-running-for-president-of-the-united-states-in-2012%E2%80%93the-third-time-is-the-charm%E2%80%93a/?preview=true&preview_id=808&preview_nonce=d3d9842e9a

Segment 3: President Obama Is The Reason Your Gasoline Prices Are Going Up!–American People Favor Drilling For Oil and Gas!–Drill Baby Drill–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/pronk-pops-show-25-april-26-2011-segment-3-president-obama-is-the-reason-your-gasoline-prices-are-going-up-american-people-favor-drilling-for-oil-and-gas-drill-baby-drill-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 24

April 20, 2011 12:47 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 24: April 19, 2011

Segment 0: S&P Rating Outlook Changed From “Stable” To “Negative” For U.S. Treasury Debt–Videos

Segment 1: Who is John Galt? Who is Ayn Rand–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/pronk-pops-show-24-april-19-2011-segment-1-who-is-john-galt-who-is-ayn-rand-videos/

Segment 2: President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Speech Of April 13, 2011–Eat The Rich And Killing The American Dream Class Warfare–Cuts National Security Spending and Raise Taxes On The Rich–Produces Massive Deficits, National Debt, and Higher Unemployment For 12 More Years–Progressive Radical Socialist Economic Stagflation–Videos

For additional information and videos:
http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/pronk-pops-show-24-april-18-2011-segment-2-president-obamas-fiscal-year-2012-budget-speech-of-april-13-2011-eat-the-rich-and-killing-the-american-dream-class-warfare-cuts-national-security-sp/

Segment 3: The FairTax (National Consumption Sales Tax) vs. The Flat Tax (One Rate Federal Income Tax)–Who Pays The Most Federal Individual Income Tax? Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/pronk-pops-show-24-april-19-2011-segment-3-the-fairtax-national-consumption-sales-tax-vs-the-flat-tax-one-rate-federal-income-tax-who-pays-the-most-federal-individual-income-tax-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 23

April 13, 2011 10:31 AM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 23: April 12, 2011

Segment 0: Sidney Lumet–Rest In Peace–Videos

Segment 1: Tea Party Movement Demands Passage of Balanced Budget Amendment and The FairTax As The Price For Raising The National Statutory Debt Limit of $ 14,294,000,000 One Last Time By $1,000,000,000,000!–Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/tea-party-movement-demands-passage-of-balance-budget-amendment-and-balanced-budget-rule-as-the-price-for-raising-the-national-debt-ceiling-one-last-time-by-1000000000000-videos/?preview=true&preview_id=701&preview_nonce=5e679dbc1d

Segment 2: The FairTax (National Consumption Sales Tax) vs. The Flat Tax (One Rate Federal Income Tax)–Who Pays The Most Federal Individual Income Tax? Videos

For additional information and videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/pronk-pops-show-23-april-12-2011-segment-2the-fairtax-national-consumption-sales-tax-vs-the-flat-tax-one-rate-federal-income-tax-who-pays-the-most-federal-individual-income-tax-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 22 (Part 2)

April 08, 2011 11:16 AM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 22, April 7, 2011

Segment 1: 3,500,000 Million Americans Unemployed in March 2011 Still Exceeds Great Depression High of 13,000,000 In March 1933–The Obama Depressions Continues–Bureau of Labor Statistics: 8.8% Official Unemployment Rate (U-3) vs. Gallup Unemployment Rate of 10.0%–Nonfarm Payroll Increased By 216,000–The Government Makes The Depression Worse!–Videos

Segment 2: Obama’s Anti-American, Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Growth, Anti-Jobs, and Anti-Security Energy Policy–Videos

Segment 3: Republican Establishment Will Propose A Ten Year $6,200 Billion Cut In Spending Over Ten Years–The Problem Is It Does Not Balance The Budget For Another Five Years At The Earliest–Tea Party Movement Demands Balanced Budgets Starting In 2012 For The Next Ten Years!–A Jet Plane To Prosperity Not A Path To Prosperity–Videos

Segment 4: Just One More Thing Congressman Ryan: When Does The Republican’s Path To Prosperity Balance The Budget?–The Twelth of Never!–Videos

For additional information and videos on the above segments:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/pronk-pops-show-22-april-5-2011-segment-113500000-million-americans-unemployed-in-march-2011-still-exceeds-great-depression-high-of-13000000-in-march-1933%E2%80%93the-obama-depressions-contin/

Pronk Pops Show 22 (Part 1)

April 07, 2011 10:41 AM PDT

Pronk Pops: Show 22, April 7, 2011

Segment 0: Glenn Beck Ending His Show At Fox News

Segment 2: Obama’s Anti-American, Anti-Capitalist, Anti-Growth, Anti-Jobs, and Anti-Security Energy Policy–Videos

Segment 4: Just One More Thing Congressman Ryan: When Does The Republican’s Path To Prosperity Balance The Budget?–The Twelth of Never!–Videos

For additional information and videos on the above segments:

Pronk Pops Show 21

March 29, 2011 03:41 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 21, March 29, 2010

Segment 1: The Truth And Consequences About Undeclared Wars–Real Strange Bedfellows–Obama Allies U.S. with Libyan Rebels Including Islamic Jihadists, Moslem Brotherhood, and Al-Qaeda!–Give Peace A Chance–AC-130 Gunship–A-10 Warthogs–F-15E Strike Eagles and Special Operation Smash Squads

For Additional Information and Videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/pronk-pops-show-21-march-29-2011-the-truth-and-consequences-about-undeclared-wars%E2%80%93real-strange-bedfellows%E2%80%93obama-allies-u-s-with-libyan-rebels-including-islamic-jihadists-moslem-b/

Pronk Pops Show 20

March 23, 2011 12:02 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 20: March 22, 2011

Segment 1:F-15 Crashes In Libya

Segment 2ne Unconstitutional and Undeclared War Too Many: The Great Pretender, Peace Candidate And Noble Peace Prize Winner, President Barack Obama Undeclared War On Libya’s Muammar Ghaddafi In Defense Of Libyian Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) Rebels Linked To al-Qaeda and The BP Libyian Oil Deal Linked To Obama Campaign Contributions–A Political Payoff!–Obama Has To Go In 2012–Videos

Segment 3:Earthquake Damages Japanese Nuclear Plant At Fukushima Daiichi, Four Explosions and Four Nuclear Reactors Flooded With Seawater To Contain Release Of Radioactive Material and Plant Released Radioactive Materials To Stop Pressure Buildup–Partial Meltdown Of Nuclear Core Feared–Radioactive Material Escaping From Plant–Over 250,000 Ordered Evacuated From 20 Kilometer (12.4 Miles) Radius From Plant–Videos

For Additional Information and Videos:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/pronk-pops-show-20-march-22-2011-segment-1-f-15-crashes-in-libya-segment-2-videos/?preview=true&preview_id=569&preview_nonce=40500c814b

Pronk Pops Show 19

March 09, 2011 10:57 AM PST

Pronk Pops Show 19: March 8, 2011

Segment 1: The Washington Political Elites of Both Parties Are Not Serious About Balancing The Federal Budget And Funding Entitlement Liabilities–Send In The Clowns–Don’t Bother There Here–Videos

Segment 2, Gallup–U.S. Unemployment Hits 10.3% In February 2011 Vs. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) U.S. Unemployment Rate Declined By .1% To 8.9% in February 2011 With Job Creation of 192,000 In February 2011–Over 13.7 Million Americans Unemployed More Than Worse Month of Great Depression!

For more information and videos related to this show click on links below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/pronk-pops-show-19-march-8-2011segment-1-the-washington-political-elites-of-both-parties-are-not-serious-about-balancing-the-federal-budget-and-funding-entitlement-liabilities-send-in-the-clowns/

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/pronk-pops-show-19-march-8-2010-segment-2-gallup-u-s-unemployment-hits-10-3-in-february-2011-vs-bureau-of-labor-statistics-bls-u-s-unemployment-rate-declined-by-1-to-8-9-in-february-2011-wi/

Pronk Pops Show 18

March 03, 2011 03:35 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 18: March 3, 2011

Segment 1: Remembering The Brooklyn Dodgers and Duke Snider

Segment 2: The National Debt Will Hit $20,000,000,000,000 By 2020!

Segment 3 Public Sector Unions vs. The America People: Replacing The American Dream With The Socialist Union Nightmare

For additional information and videos on the above segments:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/pronk-pops-show-18-march-1-2011-remembering-the-brooklyn-dodgers-and-duke-snider-the-union-corruption-of-government-delusion-of-the-unconstrained-vision-of-unlimited-government-and-the-2000000/

Pronk Pop Show 17

February 22, 2011 03:47 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 17: February 22, 2011

Black History Month–Progressives–Eugenics–Black Population Control–Abortion–Black Genocide–Planned Parenthood–Barack Obama

For more information and videos relating to the show:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/pronk-pops-show-17-february-22-2011-black-history-month-progressives-eugenics-black-population-control-abortion-black-genocide-planned-parenthood-barack-obama-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 16

February 15, 2011 03:49 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 16: February 15, 2011

Conservative Political Action Conference 2011

President Obama’s Saint Valentine’s Massacre of The American People–Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Buster–Spending $3,729 Billion–Taxes $2,627 Billion–Deficit $1,101 Billion–Dead On Arrival–DOA– 3 Million Tea Party Patriots To March On Washington D.C. On Friday, April 15, 2011 In Protest!

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/pronk-pops-show-16-february-15-2011-conservative-political-action-conference-cpac-2011-and-president-obamas-saint-valentines-massacre-of-the-american-people-fiscal-year-2012-budget-buster-s/

Pronk Pops Show 15: Hour 3

February 10, 2011 03:32 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 15:February 8,2011, Hour 3

Lies, Damn Lies, Statistics, and Obama’s Unbelievable Unemployment Numbers

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/pronk-pops-show-15-february-8-2011-from-texas-snow-storm-to-washington-snow-job-lies-damn-lies-statistics-and-obamas-unbelievable-unemployment-numbers-obama-care-unconstitutional-and-void-pa-2/

Pronk Pops Show 15: Hour 2

February 10, 2011 03:23 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 15: February 8, 2011 Hour 2

Rolling Power Outages in Texas

Obama Care Declared Unconstitutional and Void By Federal Judge

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

Pronk Pops Show 15: Hour 1

February 10, 2011 03:10 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 15: February 8,2011, Hour 1

Super Storm and Super Bowl In Dallas, Texas

Man-Made Carbon Dioxide Emission and Global Warming–Science vs. Politics

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

Pronk Pops Show 14

January 28, 2011 02:10 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 14: January 27, 2011

The Big Lie and Free Speech

President Obama’s State of the Union Campaign Speech

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/pronk-pops-show-14-january-27-2011-the-big-lie-and-free-speech-and-president-obamas-state-of-the-union-campaign-speech-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 13

December 09, 2010 01:22 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 13: December 9, 2010

Pronk Pops Show 12

December 08, 2010 04:18 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 12: December 8, 2010

News Update On WikiLeaks and Julian Assange

The Chairman of The Federal Reserve and Quantitative Easing 2

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/pronk-pops-show-12-december-8-2010-news-update-on-julian-assange-wikileaks-ben-benanke-the-fed-barack-obama-tax-and-spend-democrats-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 11

December 03, 2010 02:18 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 11: December 3, 2010

News and Commentary On November 2010 Unemployment Rate and Level Statistics

WikiLeaks

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/pronk-pops-show-11-december-3-2010-news-unemployment-rate-up-to-9-8-with-over-15-million-unemployed-wikileaks-food-prices-rising-the-fairtax-videos-2/?preview=true&preview_id=245&preview_nonce=e49c7ff2d2

Pronk Pops Show 10

December 02, 2010 12:35 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 10: December 1, 2010

Update on new TSA Airport Screening Procedures

Portland, Oregon Terrorist Bomber Arrested by F.B.I.

WikiLeaks Posts Department of State Cables

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:
http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/pronk-pops-show-10-november-24-2010-food-prices-rising-fairtax-updates-on-tsa-and-quantitative-easing-money-printing-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 9

November 19, 2010 02:23 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 9: November 19, 2010

Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke Responds To Critics of Monetary Policy

Transportation Security Administration or TSA New Screening Procedures:
Full Body Scanners and Extended Pat-Downs

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/pronk-pops-show-9-november-17-2010-quantitative-easing-2-update-g-20-summit-a-bust-tsa-tyrants-scanning-americans-videos/

Pronk Pops Commentary 1

November 11, 2010 03:42 PM PST

Pronk Pops Commentary 1: November 11, 2010

Stop Federal Reserve Quantitative Easing or Money Printing

Pronk Pops Show 8

November 10, 2010 04:24 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 8: November 10, 2010

Tea Party Major Issues: Jobs, Spending, Deficits, Debt, Taxes, Health Care and Illegal Immigration

Tea Party Stars: Senators: Rand Paul and Marco Rubio

Republican Tea Party Test: Cutting Federal Spending By Over $1,000 Billion To Balance The Budget For Fiscal Years 2011, 2012, and 2013.

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/pronk-pops-show-8-november-10-2010-fiscal-policy-cut-spending-balanced-budgets-no-new-taxes-monetary-policy-no-quantitative-easing-or-printing-money-hidden-tax-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 7

November 09, 2010 02:45 PM PST

Pronk Pops Show 7: November 9, 2010

Unemployment News

Tea Party Effect On 2010 Elections

Key Issues: Federal Budget Deficits and National Debt

Cutting Federal Government Spending and Balancing The Federal Budget

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/pronk-pops-show-7-november-8-2010-the-tea-party-effect-what-is-next-and-update-on-feds-qe2/

Pronk Pops Show 6

November 03, 2010 03:58 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 6: November 3, 2010

Winning Elections With MOMMA (Money, Organization, Message, Momentum, Ambition) and The Tea Party Movement Effect

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/pronk-pops-show-6-november-3-2010-winning-elections-with-momma-money-organization-message-momentum-ambition-and-the-tea-party-movement-effect-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 5

October 28, 2010 03:49 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 5: October 27, 2010

Democratic Party’s National Attack Ad Campaign on Candidates and the Flat Tax

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/pronk-pops-show-5-october-27-2010-democratic-party-national-attack-ad-campaign-on-fairtax-videos/

Pronk Pops Show 4

October 28, 2010 03:43 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 4: October 20, 2010

Money, Quantitative Easing and Inflation in the United States Economy

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/pronk-pops-number-4-videosquantitive-easying-ii-printing-money-to-finance-federal-govenment/

Pronk Pops Show 3

October 28, 2010 03:32 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 3: October 14, 2010

Unemployment and inflation in the United States economy

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/pronk-pops-show-3-october-14-2010unemployment-and-inflation/

Pronk Pops Show 2

October 28, 2010 03:27 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 2: October 13, 2010

The 10:10 carbon emission ad campaign on climate change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wliC2Eiwoyw

http://www.1010global.org/uk

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton replacing Vice President Joseph Biden on the 2010 Democratic Party ticket

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/pronk-pops-number-2-october-6-2010-1010-campaign-the-progressive-radical-socialists-method-of-cutting-carbon-emissions-kill-those-who-disagree-with-you-no-pressure-your-choice-the-big-lie-v/

Pronk Pops Show 1

October 28, 2010 03:01 PM PDT

Pronk Pops Show 1: September 29, 2010

University of Texas at Austin shooting/suicide

The Tea Party Movement in the United States

For more information and videos related to this show click on link below:

http://pronkpops.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/pronk-pops-program-number-1-september-29-2010-clips-and-notes-videos/

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 30-32

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 27-29

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 22 (Part 2)-26

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 16-22 (Part 1)

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 10-15

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 1-9

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire June 13, 2011–American People The Winner–Obama The Loser–Videos

Posted on June 13, 2011. Filed under: American History, Blogroll, Communications, Economics, Employment, Federal Government, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, history, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Medicine, People, Philosophy, Politics, Raves, Taxes, Video, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Herman Cain, Michele Backmann, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Republican Presidential Debate in New Hampshire, Rick Santorium, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Videos |

What Are You Hoping To Hear At Tonight’s Republican Debate?

Political Checklist: Republicans Face Off in First Debate

Michele Bachmann: I’m Running for President

Ron Paul’s Answers at the CNN GOP Debate in New Hampshire – June 13, 2011

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.1

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.2

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.3

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.4

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.5

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.6

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.7

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.8

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.9

Republican Presidential Debate In New Hampshire pt.10

Luntz focus group: Romney wins New Hampshire debate

Gary Johnson On Why CNN Banned Him From Republican Debates

Good Morning America: Rep. Michele Bachmann ‘GMA’ Interview: ‘I Will

Glenn Beck-06/14/11-A

Glenn Beck-06/14/11-B

Glenn Beck-06/14/11-C

Shame on CNN for not including former New Mexico Governor Johnson.

Background Articles and Videos

Could Michele Bachmann Be The Republican Nominee?

Rep. Bachmann: Cut Spending to Avoid Tax Increases

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )

Progressive Radical Socialists Wrecking The U.S. Economy–More Deficits, More Inflation, More Ultimatums-The Road To Serfdom–The Miracle of Freedom–Videos

Posted on June 13, 2011. Filed under: Blogroll, Business, Communications, Demographics, Diasters, Economics, Employment, Energy, Federal Government, government, government spending, Health Care, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, People, Philosophy, Politics, Raves, Regulations, Security, Technology, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: 7 Tipping Points that Saved the World, Chris Stewart, deficits, inflation, Road to Serfdom, Ted Stewart, The Miracle of Freedom, Ultimatums |

Glenn Beck-06/13/11-A

Glenn Beck-06/13/11-B

Glenn Beck-06/13/11-C

Glenn Beck Interviews Miracle of Freedom Author

The Miracle of Freedom

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Setting The Stage For The Republican Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire–Videos

Posted on June 13, 2011. Filed under: American History, Blogroll, Business, Communications, Diasters, Economics, Education, Employment, Energy, Farming, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, Foreign Policy, government, government spending, Health Care, history, Homes, Immigration, Investments, Language, Law, liberty, Life, Links, media, Medicine, Monetary Policy, People, Philosophy, Politics, Rants, Raves, Regulations, Resources, Science, Security, Talk Radio, Technology, Unions, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Republican Candidates Debate In New Hampshire, Ron Paul, Videos |

Set ready for GOP debate [CNN: 6-13-2011]

Stage Set For Republican Debate

GOP Debate in New Hampshire

New Hampshire GOP Presidential Debate Trailer

Debate Questions Will Come From Panel, Voters

John King interviews Ron Paul on CNN

Republican contenders prepare for debate

Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )

Pronk Presidential Prediction–The Winner Is?–The American People!–Videos

Posted on June 13, 2011. Filed under: Blogroll, Business, Communications, Economics, Federal Government, Fiscal Policy, government, government spending, Language, Law, liberty, Life, media, Monetary Policy, People, Philosophy, Politics, Raves, Taxes, Video, War, Wealth, Wisdom | Tags: Michele Backmann, Pronk Presidential Prediction, Ron Paul |

Republican Constitutional Candidates for President in 2012

Texas Representative Ron Paul
Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann
Former Talk Radio Show Host Herman Cain
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
Former Speaker of The House of Representatives Newt Gingrich

Republican Establishment Candidates for President in 2012

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Texas Governor Rick Perry*
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin*
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie*
Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani*

Archive for June, 2011

Raymond T. Pronk

Email Subscription

Pages

RSS Links

Categories

Search

Search

Blog Stats

Calendar

Archives

Pages

Email Subscription

Search

Blogroll

WordPress

Archive for June, 2011

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-A

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-B

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-C

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-D

Glenn Beck-06-29-11-E

A Personal Appeal From Ron Paul

Related Posts On Pronk Palisades

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 34-

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 30-33

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 27-29

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 22 (Part 2)-26

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 16-22 (Part 1)

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 10-15

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 1-9

~Thomas Jefferson

Clinton refused to kill bin Laden

Clinton Administration failures precipitated 9/11

Chris Wallace Says Sorry To Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann: I Accept Chris Wallace’s Apology – 06/27/11

Fox News – Big Government is the Enemy

~Thomas Jefferson

Background Articles and Videos

Michele Bachmann is Interviewed by Chris Wallace (Fox News Sunday) – Pt. 1 of 2

Michele Bachmann is Interviewed by Chris Wallace (Fox News Sunday) – Pt. 2 of 2

Elitists Treat Bachmann the Same as Palin

Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 10:25 AM

By David Limbaugh

Classic TYT Interview With Michael Scheuer 2-15-08

USAMA BIN LADEN / MICHAEL SCHEUER / NEW FILM !

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 34-

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 30-33

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 27-29

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 22 (Part 2)-26

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 16-22 (Part 1)

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 10-15

Listen To Pronk Pops Podcast or Download Shows 1-9

Despite our nation’s staggering $14.4 trillion debt, there many Members of the U.S. House and Senate who want to raise our nation’s debt limit without making permanent reforms in our fiscal policies.

THE PLEDGE

Sign the Pledge: Cut, Cap & Balance. Now.

Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge [FOX: 6-22-2011]

Senator Pat Toomey Explains That Failing To Raise Debt Limit Doesn’t Cause Default

Jim DeMint Balanced Budget Amendment and Republican Presidential Candidate’s

CNN: DeMint Discusses Cut, Cap & Balance Pledge

Brit Humes Commentary – Understanding Debt Crisis [FOX 6-28-2011]

Ron Paul on Bloomberg 6/3/11

Howdy Doody Show Opening Sequence and Theme

U.S. National Debt Clock

Paul Ryan As Howdy Doody

Barack Obama As Phineas T. Bluster Marionette

Joe Biden As Clarabell

Judy Collins Send in the Clowns

Monthly Treasury Statement

Obama Spending

Cut, Cap, Balance: Sen Jim DeMint (R-SC)

ECONOMY: Blackburn On Cut Cap Balance

Don’t Be a Chicken

Super MariObama

Chairman Jordan: Cut, Cap, & Balance – That’s the Bottom Line

President restarts debt ceiling talks

Tom and the Judge talk Debt Limit

Obama, Dems Negotiation Failure On Spending Cuts

Amid ‘Serious Negotiations’ on Debt, Can Obama and GOP Find Common Ground?

3/09/11: Sen. Rand Paul on balancing the budget

03/17/11: Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Five-Year Balanced Budget Plan

4/14/11: Sen. Rand Paul Speaks Out Against the Continuing Resolution

Senator Lee explains the enforceability of a balanced budget amendment

Senator Pat Toomey Explains That Failing To Raise Debt Limit Doesn’t Cause Default

Which Budgets Are Balanced And Living Within The Means of The American People?

4/5/11 Republican Leadership Press Conference

Republican Party Budget Proposals

Sen. Toomey Unveils his FY 2012 Budget

Senator Pat Toomey Talks with Michael Medved about his Budget

Democratic Party Budget Proposals

Tea Party Budget Proposals

Remember the Alamo

Background Articles and Videos

Grant Says New Regulations `Asphyxiating’ U.S. Banks

James Grant and James Turk discuss gold, the Fed and the fiscal situation of the USA

Ron Paul’s Committee Hearing 3-17-11 Part 1/8