Hold On WA Felon Voter

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has put a temporary hold on its order that felons should be able to vote in Washington State...even if they are still in prison.

The Appeals Court granted a request for a stay from state officials while Washington asks the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case. The Supreme Court has not yet decided if it will.

20,000 No's on Taxes

by Amber Gunn


More than 20,000 citizens signed a petition to legislators asking them to balance the budget within existing revenues. Today, 20 concerned taxpayers and representatives of EFF, including CEO Lynn Harsh and myself, presented the signatures in person to Speaker Frank Chopp and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown. Or rather, we would have if they had made time to meet us. Unfortunately Speaker Chopp was “in a meeting” and Senator Brown was M.I.A. entirely. We called and emailed her office but received no responses from her staff.


So we did the best we could, and left the signatures with their legislative aides.

We collected the 20,000+ signatures in a 15-day petition drive. The idea came after more than 80 organizations and labor unions turned in 14,000 names of people who support what they call a “progressive” approach to balancing the budget, which includes increased taxes and fees. Leaders of this coalition were eagerly greeted by Governor Gregoire, Speaker Chopp and Senate Majority Leader Brown on the first day of session.

It sends a pretty clear message when the governor, senate majority leader and speaker go out of their way to meet with tax hikers on the first day of session, but won’t give concerned taxpayers the same courtesy. If they really wanted to, they could have made time. Obviously it wasn’t a priority.

The mantra of the left-wing coalition is “Cuts Not Kids,” but the reality is that truly protecting our kids, our jobs, our health and our environment means we must stop borrowing against the next generation and hobbling the productivity of the private sector. Why should our kids be bogged down under inherited debt from spending that lawmakers refused to get under control?

We’re never going to get out of this mess if government, which has none of its own money, continues to take more from the people who need it to create jobs, build solutions and meet pressing human needs.

Statist Quo

Everything changes except President Obama. His agenda doesn’t change.

He has had no second thoughts about the wisdom of his health-care policies, or any of his policies; resistance is always and only a reason for redoubling.

Also unchanging is the condescension with which he articulates his agenda: He faulted himself for not explaining health care well enough to the easily confused American public.

The same familiar strawmen dot the landscape of his rhetoric. (Republicans want to “maintain the status quo” on health care. This president is willing to listen to Republican ideas, just so long as he can then forget that he has ever done so.)

Narcissism, too, is a constant companion. The opening of the speech, and the end, invited us to regard Obama as the embodiment of the nation.

But it is not the country’s future that has suddenly come under doubt. It is his administration’s. It is not the country’s spirit that is in danger of breaking.

It is contemporary liberalism’s.

- NRO Editors

Imagine

Imagine that — letting the public see budget details before their representatives cast their all-important votes. Odd as it seems, that’s not the practice today.

The norm in a legislative session finds the House and Senate passing their own versions of the budget. Negotiators then go behind closed doors to work out the differences. Once a deal has been struck, the budget is rushed to the floor of both chambers and legislative leaders call for an immediate vote.

Legislators do not have time to read, let alone digest and react to the spending document. In the days when paper copies of the budget were circulated on the House and Senate floor, the bound pages were still warm to the touch from the copy machine when the vote was recorded.

As he has in the past, Rep. Alexander, R-Olympia, has introduced a bill to bring a halt to the rushed budget vote. House Bill 2872 would require a 72-hour waiting period before final adoption of the budget.

Alexander’s level-headed proposal makes sense. But the sad reality is it likely will be rejected by budget-writing Democrats in the House and Senate.

That’s unfortunate.

Excert from an editorial in The Olympian

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

These heartbreaking statistics from the The Liberty Counsel are a profound reminder of the devastating effect abortion has had on our country:

Since that time [the 37 years since Roe v. Wade], approximately 50 million innocent and helpless children have been killed by abortion. About 1 in 5, or 20 percent, of our nation’s youth have had their lives ended by abortion.

Minorities have also been hit hard by abortion. African-Americans account for about 12 percent of the population, but 37 percent of the 1.3 million abortions each year. Latinos make up about 15 percent of the population, yet account for about 22 percent of the annual number of abortions.

In all the wars in American history combined, from the Revolution to the War on Terror, we have lost approximately 910,000 people. However, in 37 years we have lost about 50 million children to abortion. We lose more children to abortion each day than we lost in all the tragedies on September 11, 2001.

About 98 percent of abortions are done for convenience unrelated to health. Less than 2 percent of abortions are done for serious health reasons, rape or incest.

The youth of our nation under the age of 35 are more pro-life than any other generation. A majority of all Americans oppose abortion.

Last Monday, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, about 15,000 people, mostly youth, gathered in Houston, Texas to protest Planned Parenthood’s 78,000 square-foot abortion facility scheduled to open in April in the midst of a minority community comprised of Hispanics and African-Americans. One of the youth held a sign saying, "We survived Roe. Roe will not survive us".

Randy Alcorn

Living Monuments

In Washington DC, a city of memorials, where barely an acre of public space remains that doesn't commemorate a famous person or event, thousands of Americans came today as living monuments to the war on the unborn.

In the 37 years since Roe v. Wade, the March for Life has led millions up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court--where the decision of seven unelected men has led to the largest loss of life in all of human history.

Every year, families travel over miles of wintery highways in the hope that one day this struggle will end. Undeterred by icy wind or rain, this generation of survivors will never let the nation forget the blood spilled in the name of "choice."

Democrats Target New Taxes, Republicans Target New Jobs

It seems Democrats in our state legislature just can't seem to think outside the box on the budget crisis they’ve made - at least outside the TAX box.

They do, however, hesitate to use the word "raise" next to the word "tax", instead choosing to cloak their ploy in kinder gentler terms like "tax changes" or “revenue enhancements”. Well, that will fool us!

Yesterday in his first meeting with the Capitol press this session House Speaker Frank Chopp had an opportunity to converse a bit about some of the Democrat tax targets.

First, taxing airplanes. They do admit there really aren't many to tax. Chopp thinks this is part of the tax fairness agenda the voters want.

Another option would be to rewriting a previous law (struck down last year by our state Supreme Court) regarding the state’s ability to tax companies that are based in other states with have distribution centers in our state. This is considered a loophole and likely tax target.

The other idea on the table is the frequently regurgitated idea of extending sales tax to bottled water, soda and candy. Chopp quipped that "most people don’t realize they don’t pay sales tax on bottled water". In other words, we can sneak this one in.

The one thing each of these taxes have in common is that they will be passed on, and we will pay.

Focused like a laser on jobs and not your paycheck Republicans put a bold proposal on the table calling for an exemption from the state Business and Occupation tax for all new businesses, and a three-year phase in after that for small businesses..

Now whose agenda is what the voters and taxpayers of Washington State want?

Legisature Warned on Raising Taxes

Legislators wrestling with our state's budget shortfall have been warned that raising taxes will hurt business and cost jobs.

Carl Gipson, Small Business Director for the Washington Policy Center predicts thousands of jobs would be at stake.

"Burdening small businesses with higher taxes today will lead to fewer jobs and lower economic output tomorrow," stated Gipson.

The economic impact of a sales tax increase would also cost jobs.

Washington Research Council’s new study, “The Economic Impact of Hiking Taxes to Close the Budget Gap” predicts a $1 billion sales tax increase would eliminate 14,759 jobs, and a $2.6 billion sales tax increase would eliminate 38,024 jobs.

“Washingtonians are already struggling in the worst economy since the 1930s. Lawmakers should not try to make balancing the budget easier by making people’s lives harder,” said Paul Guppy, the WPC’s Vice President for Research.

“To put the state on firm fiscal footing, any budget adopted must not raise taxes during a recession," said Jason Mercier, Government Reform Director for WPC. "Taking more money from businesses and cutting people’s take-home pay through higher taxes is not the solution.”

The People Want to Know

by Brett Davis

In a prelude to higher taxes, the word out of Olympia is that legislators are poised to suspend or modify Initiative 960, which requires a two-thirds legislative majority or voter approval for tax increases. I-960, which was approved by voters in November 2007, also requires the state Office of Financial Management to flag bills that would increase taxes or fees and to quantify how much those bills would cost taxpayers annually for 10 years.

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation recently asked legislators to go on record as answering the following two questions about I-960:

1) Do you support informing taxpayers about the cost of proposed legislation, and if so, will you vote to uphold I-960’s transparency provisions?

2) Do you agree with I-960 that two-thirds of the Legislature should agree before
passing tax increases?

The responses so far have ran the gamut—an enthusiastic “yes,” or two, to a definitive “no” that cited the Washington State Constitution, to canned responses that make us suspect the legislators in question didn’t even read the questions, to long-winded non-committal rejoinders (they are politicians, after all).

To see what your representatives and senators said on this issue, please check out the results so far here. We plan on updating the site once or twice a day, depending upon the volume of responses we receive.

If you find that your legislator or legislators haven’t responded, feel free to get in touch with lawmakers to ask ’em yourself. Let us know what they say.

Has It Only Been A Year?

Seriously, has it only been a year?

I just took CBS up on their offer to "grade Obama's first year in office". There are ten catagories for you to grade using the traditional A - F system.

But the best part was clicking "submit" and observing the results. So far he has 9-F's, and 1-C on Afganistan.

Economy - F
Foreign Policy - F
Health Care - F
Threat of Terrorism - F
Energy and the Environment - F
Social Issues - F
Bipartisanship - F
Overall job as President - F

It seems all his "hope and change" chickens are coming home to roost.

March for Life in Olympia

by Jerry Cornfield

At least 5,000 people squeezed onto the steps of the state Capitol for the annual March for Life.

Men, women, students and infants traveled from all parts of the state to participate in what is typically one of the largest ralllies - if not the largest - held during a legislative session.

Those attending cheered loudest for calls to end legal abortion and applauded warmly for state lawmakers, most of whom began their remarks by describing themselves as unashamedly pro-life.

Several lawmakers urged the crowd into action against Senate Bill 6452 and a companion bill in the House dealing with information provided by workers of crisis pregnancy centers to women considering abortion.

The legislation restricts what information can be collected from and shared with women who come to the centers and lays out penalties for violations. Sponsors have said their intent is to stop the flow of medically inaccurate information to those who come to the centers.

State Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, was one of several lawmakers decrying the bill as an attempt to put the centers out of existence.

"We must stop this legislation," she said.

It's Only the Beginning

“What happened here can happen all over America!” - Scott Brown

The Headlines

Obama Suffers Devestating Loss in Mass. Senate Upset - Newsmax
Do You Believe in Miracles? Yes! - NRO
The Scott Heard Around the World - WND
Epic Upset, GOP's Brown Wins Mass. Senate Race - Townhall
Pigs Fly, Hell Freezes Over... and GOP Wins Mass. Senate Seat - Orbusmax
Dems brace for more 2010 fallout - Politico
------------------

In terms of political symbolism, it’s hard to top Republican Scott Brown’s winning Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat in the midst of a raging national health-care debate. In truth, Brown’s win is so fantastically improbable that, as with many earlier moments in American history, it’s hard not to see something of Providence in it.

- Jeffrey H. Anderson

The Boston Tea Party...

52% SCOTT BROWN (R) 0,920,427
47% MARTHA COAKLEY (D)D: 0,819,589

The People's Seat

I just wanted to let you know a little about that sign. I am 41 years old and have never in my life helped out in a political campaign. I was so repulsed by the behind the scenes dealing with the terrifying health care bill that I simply had to act.

When I heard about the Nebraska Medicaid deal, I immediately contacted Scott Brown’s campaign and volunteered to make phone calls. Scott Brown seems to be a smart, rational, even keeled person who will represent our state well in Washington. I am enthusiastically waiting for the polls to close!

Since his campaign ran out of printed signs (due to high demand), we made our own! If those in Washington are concerned about what happened in Massachusetts, they can thank Sen. Nelson.

Nancy, Massachusetts citizen and sign maker extraordinaire

WA Legislature Prepares to Gut Initiative 960

Rumblings out of Olympia indicate that the Legislature will soon move to gut Initiative 960, paving the way for tax increases and removing our ability to track the cost of proposed tax hikes.

Passed by a majority of voters in November 2007, I-960 sets a two-thirds threshold for the Legislature to raise taxes and requires the Office of Financial Management to calculate the 10-year cost of every revenue-raising bill introduced.

If legislators straight-up suspend I-960, then taxpayers will no longer have a means of determining the cost of proposed tax and fee increase bills.

Amber Gunn

Business of Abortion

Houston, Texas is the site of the largest abortion center in the Western Hemisphere and it opens today, January 18, 2010.

A 78,000 square foot facility, the abortion center, a Planned Parenthood facility, will be the largest abortion center in the United States, and the second largest in the world.

The center will serve as a regional headquarters for Planned Parenthood and an abortion clinic for second trimester abortions.

The six-story, 78,000 square foot building will include a surgical floor equipped to commit late-term abortions.

Continuing to target low income, minority families Planned Parenthood has strategically located the new clinic in the middle of Hispanic and African-American neighborhoods and directly across the street from the University of Houston.

Brown Leads in the Race the Whole Nation is Watching

How quickly has this race turned around?

In November, Coakley was beating Brown by 31 percentage points. Now, Brown is up by 4% -- a change of 35% in two months.

If -- repeat if -- Scott Brown wins next Tuesday, it is no exaggeration to say he will change the world of politics as we know it.

Andy Hiller

Release the People's Money

"Every dollar released from taxation that is spent or invested will help create a new job and a new salary. ..."

- John F. Kennedy

The "Simple Majority" Plot to Raise Your Taxes

She has values! In fact,our Governor believes it is her moral duty to raise your taxes to fill the gap left by unrestrained Democrat spending.

The only problem is the people, took the government in their own hands by the initiative process and tied the Democrats to the weight of a 2/3 majority vote to raise taxes with I-960.

What's a Governor and her Democrat majority in Olympia to do? Well, they have a plan. Of course they do:

Governor Gregoire released her initial balanced budget that closed the $2.6 billion budget gap facing the state last month as she was legally obligated. However, she said she would have problems following through with cuts that would impact health and social services and student financial aid, among other things.

She aims to buy back $750 million worth of programs with new revenues.

“The revenue will come from new federal dollars, new taxes or both,” Gregoire said during her state-of-the-state address Tuesday. “Like you, I do not want taxes to harm the economic recovery of our families or our businesses. But I also cannot abandon my values, eliminate the safety net for our most needy and cripple our economic future.”

The governor is expected to detail how she plans to bring back programs in a tax package that will be released later this week.

Republicans have said they won’t support any budget that calls on tax increases.

A two-thirds vote would be required to pass a tax increase, but Democrats have discussed suspending the initiative requiring a two-thirds vote so a simple majority would pass any new taxes.
By Marqise Allen

How D's Are Negotiating Health Care

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) issued a blunt, angry statement on Wednesday, accusing the Senate of conducting negotiations with the House while holding "a gun to our head."

"The House has shown deference to the Senate in this process. But I am tired of hearing how hard it was to get 60 votes in the Senate — getting 218 votes to pass our healthcare bill in the House wasn’t easy," said Weiner, who has taken an increasingly prominent role during the healthcare debate.

"We don’t like negotiating with a gun to our head," he added.

Democratic leaders are working to reconcile the House and Senate bills, particularly a handful of issues — including a tax on "Cadillac plans" and restrictions on abortion funding — that have the two chambers at loggerheads.

"The House healthcare bill is better for the American people," Weiner said. "It includes a public option that provides choice and competition and lower costs, Medicaid relief to all states — not just one — and doesn’t tax healthcare plans that many middle-class Americans have."

Andrew Zimmermann

Washington State Democrats M.O. for this Legislative Session

First day of our state's legislative session and Democrats are sticking by what appears to be their modus operandi for this session: call a new tax anything but a tax - a bond, a fee - then wrap in neatly in some pleasant words about "creating thousands of jobs" and the people will not even catch that it's really a tax.

Yesterday Democrat House Speaker Frank Chopp called our state's business climate one of the best in the country, and then promoted an $850 million bond proposal for energy upgrades at schools claiming that would create thousands of jobs in Washington State.

Perhaps that would fly when citizens were not aware, but everything is different now at the grassroots level. Citizens are watching.

Not only are they watching but they are alert to the fact that the money in their paycheck is being eyed by Democrats who, having already overspent with their money, are now posturing for even more.

Cleverly disguising taxes will not work this session. We're on to you.

Lots of Stimulus....But No Jobs

If the 2.7 millions jobs that have been lost since the so-called stimulus was signed into the law did not convince you that government spending does not correlate into economic growth, take a look at this story from the Associated Press: Stimulus Cash Doesn't Create Local Jobs:

“A federal spending surge of more than $20 billion for roads and bridges in President Obama's first stimulus has had NO EFFECT on local unemployment rates, raising questions about his argument for billions more to address an ‘urgent need to accelerate job growth.’ An Associated Press analysis of stimulus spending found that it didn't matter if a lot of money was spent on highways or none at all: Local unemployment rates rose and fell regardless. And the stimulus spending only barely helped the beleaguered construction industry, the analysis showed.”

Yet, President Obama wants to pass a second stimulus calling for billions of dollars of more spending. When will the President and Democrat leadership learn that spending money we don’t have isn’t always the remedy to fix whatever problem confronts us? When will they get the hint? Republicans have put forth a better way to give our families the relief they need that will turn our economy around.

- Michele Bachmann

Go to www.pushbacknotax.com to sign the petition!

More than 80 state and national groups have signed onto a coalition that was formed explicitly for the purpose of raising taxes this legislative session in Washington state. From the website:

Rebuilding our Economic Future Coalition is an emerging broad-based, statewide coalition of organizations and individuals committed to securing the state's economic future by advocating for passage of a humane and sensible budget for 2010...The coalition supports a full dialogue toward a fair and humane budget that includes not just targeted cuts and reforms to make government more efficient, but a full discussion of potential revenue options as well.

Coalition partners:

•AARP Washington
•American Association of University Women - WA Chapter
•Addus Healthcare
•Alzheimer's Association - Western and Central Washington State Chapter
•Benton Franklin Parent Coalition
•Building Changes
•Cascade Chapter, Sierra Club
•Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
•Children's Alliance
•Chinese Information and Service Center
•Climate Solutions
•Community Health Center La Clinica
•Community Health Network of Washington
•Comprehensive Health Education Foundation
•Dynamic Organizations
•Earth Ministry
•Economic Opportunity Institute
•Elder and Adult Day Services
•ElderHealth Northwest
•Environment Washington
•Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims
•Family Alliance for Mental Health
•Family Resource, Education & Empowerment for Developmental Disabilities
•Food Lifeline
•Fuse
•Futurewise
•Head Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) Association
•HealthPoint
•Housing Development Consortium Seattle-King County
•Inland Empire Residential Resources
•Juan de Fuca Festival of Arts
•King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
•Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH)
•Lutheran Community Services Northwest
•Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State
•Minority Executive Directors Coalition
•NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
•National Association of Social Workers – WA Chapter
•New Futures
•Northwest Health Law Advocates
•Northwest Progressive Institute
•O.P.E.I.U. Local # 8
•Olympic Area Agency on Aging
•Olympic Community Action Programs
•OneAmerica
•Organizing for America
•Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)
•Pioneer Human Services
•Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington
•Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans
•Resolution Washington
•SEIU Healthcare 775NW
•Skagit Parent Coalition for Developmental Disabilities
•Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP)
•Sound Thinking
•Statewide Poverty Action Network
•The Lands Council
•The Washington Bus
•Transportation Choices Coalition
•WA Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics
•WA State Coalition Against DV
•WA State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
•Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging
•Washington Association of Churches
•Washington Community Action Network
•Washington Education Association
•Washington Eldercare Alliance
•Washington Environmental Council
•Washington Federation of State Employees
•Washington Home Care Coalition
•Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
•Washington State Coalition for the Homeless
•Washington State Hospital Association
•Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
•Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
•Washington State PTA
•Washington Student Association
•Washinton State Coalition for the Homeless
•Win/Win Network
•Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
•Washington State Labor Council

Each of these groups employs full-time individuals who are now dedicated to convincing legislators to reach into your pocket to pay for their priorities. They also have an army of paid lobbyists and employees (some of them receiving tax dollars) that can show up at legislative hearings to push for higher taxes.

The Freedom Foundation is one of a handful of groups standing in their way. Will you stand with us? Sign our petition, which asks legislators to budget OUR money the way we budget our money--by spending less! Go to www.pushbacknotax.com to sign the petition.

- Amber Gunn, Freedon Foundation

Democrats Ignore the People, Republicans and the Constitution

The House of Representatives returned to Washington this week to kick off the second session of the 111th Congress--after a first half that hardly left Americans begging for more.

Although the Senate isn't slated to return until next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will use these first few days to get a head start on the messy negotiations that await both chambers on the health care bill.

Before the leadership can put this controversial issue in its rearview mirror, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have to navigate through the touchy process of merging the two bills. And right now, that "process" isn't scheduled to include Republicans.

Instead of taking the legislation to conference, where members could iron out their differences in the open, a handful of Democrats have decided to hole up in the leader's office and hash out the $2.5 trillion plan on their own.

While the Democrats try to piece together the final health care overhaul legislation, they're ignoring people, procedures, and now the U.S. Constitution.

A number of scholars are claiming that both bills violate America 's guiding document. Three such experts--Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Family Research Council Senior Fellow Ken Blackwell, and Ken Klukowski of the American Civil Rights Union--outlined the problem in the Wall Street Journal.

As they point out in their op-ed, the Constitution doesn't give Congress the power to mandate that Americans purchase health insurance.

Secondly, the Senate version includes several deals to secure the votes of some undecided senators. This kind of selective spending, which targets certain states, runs afoul of the general welfare clause.

Lastly, the legislation cannot order that the states establish things like benefit exchanges. Otherwise, Congress is rendering states as nothing more than subdivisions of the federal government.

- Tony Perkins

Phantom Zip Codes Getting Stimulus Money

The news gets worse for Recovery.org.

In November, we learned that the government’s Web site that is supposed to track stimulus spending showed stimulus being spent in non-existent congressional districts, such as North Dakota’s 99th congressional district. North Dakota actually has only one congressional district.

A number of watchdog organizations now report that Recovery.org shows stimulus funds being spent in non-existent Zip codes.

NewMexico.Watchdog.org found that Zip codes reported for some of the projects in New Mexico don’t match any Zip code known to the U.S. Postal Service. The group also found a number of Zip codes for New Mexico projects that really belong to other states. NewMexico.Watchdog.org found hundreds of thousands of dollars of stimulus spending associated with incorrect Zip codes.

In West Virginia, meanwhile, $28 million in stimulus funds were spent in four unknown Zip codes, according to WestVirginia.Watchdog.org’s review of Recovery.org. The watchdog also reports that Recovery.org shows three Virginia Zip codes as receiving funds in West Virginia.

In Nebraska, $2.2 million in stimulus was spent in four zip codes that do not exist, according to Nebraska.Watchdog.org’s review of Recovery.org’s data. The Nebraska watchdog also found a Florida Zip code indicated as receiving stimulus funds in Nebraska.

And in Washington State, according to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, “Nearly $3.5 million in federal stimulus spending has been attributed to Zip Codes in Washington state that either belong somewhere else or don’t exist at all.”

If the government doesn’t know where stimulus funds are being spent, then how can it know whether the funds are being spent wisely? How can taxpayers know?

by Alex Adrianson

Democrats Stimulating Higher Unemployment

According to numbers released by the Labor Department this morning, our economy has lost another 85,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate remains a staggering 10%. A long way from where Democrat leadership said we would be after their $787 billion economic "stimulus" bill was signed into law last February.

Even still, Democrats in Congress continue to advance a financially reckless liberal agenda that includes higher taxes, more spending, more government bailouts and takeovers, and rising deficits and debt. For instance, Democrats are now meeting behind closed doors to negotiate a final health care bill, contemplating raising taxes on the middle-class.

This is not the formula for economic recovery and job creation. The Democrats’ plans have failed and we need a new direction and it starts with tax relief for working families and small businesses and fiscal discipline in Washington. Americans can no longer afford the status quo.

- Rep. Michelle Bachmann

Dying Is Tax Free in 2010

This year and this year only, dying is tax free. For the first time since 1916, there is no estate tax—assuming Congress doesn’t renew the tax retroactively.

However, in 2011 current law will reset the death tax to its 2001 level of 55 percent, with a $1 million exemption. In 2009, the estate tax was 45 percent with a 3.5 million exemption.

There is one certain way to avoid the estate tax: If you spend most of your money before you die, you won’t have to pay an estate tax.

But if you use your wealth to start a business and add to the economy, the estate tax penalizes you for that. It’s one perverse result of taxing some income twice.

According to a study by Douglas Holtz-Eakin and Cameron Smith, eliminating the estate tax permanently would raise employment by 1.5million.

In this video, an estate planner explains how the death tax hits small businesses particularly hard:

by Alex Adrianson

Promoting a Tax as a Job

How special is that?

Powerful environmentalist lobby groups have prepared their annual Olympia wish list of legislation. And while most of their effort will reportedly go towards defending money they've already swiped legislatively, they have come up with rather clever packaging for their bigger ticket item: just call the tax a job.

And so their bill would impose a "fee" (liberal code word for tax) on petroleum products - $1.50 per barrel!

In other words if you use gasoline, motor oil, or asphalt you're going to pay.

But no worries - they will spend your money to create a few jobs described as capitol projects and retrofits dealing with stormwater.

The bill is part of the legislative agenda being pushed in Olympia by Environmental Priorities Coalition, a group of 25 environmental organizations

Coalition member Washington Conservation Voters program director Brendon Cechovic calls it "part of the solution at a time when the legislature is clearly looking for solutions.”

He further describes it as kind of a statewide stimulus package of "shovel-ready projects all over the state, at a time when we desperately need more good-paying jobs.”

A tax that comes with it's own jobs program. Now isn't that worth more to you than you taking home what you earn?

Last year a similar bill passed in the House but not the Senate.

Listen up - a state desperate for revenue will impose as many "you earn, we take" taxes on their silent prey as they possibly can.

This is another opportunity for irate tax payers to take names on who actually supports this tax.

Take names, and then take them out at the ballot box in November.

It's Twenty - Ten people...let the revolution begin!

Oh No One Knows What Goes On Behind Closed Doors...

Another country song with words too real for comfort as Democrats seal the deal of their health care bill behind doors tightly closed to the American people:

The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves.

C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network.

"The C-SPAN networks will commit the necessary resources to covering all of the sessions LIVE and in their entirety," he wrote.

- Fox News

18,000 WA Felons to Vote

Incarcerated felons should be allowed to vote in Washington to ensure that racial minorities are protected under the Voting Rights Act, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The 2-1 ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means the more than 18,000 felons behind bars in the state could get back their right to vote - without having to wait until they are released from prison and are no longer on probation or parole.

- Seattle Times

Income Tax Bills Introduced In Washington State

True to form Senators Rosa Franklin (D-29) and Joe McDermott (D-34) have introduced SB 6250 and SJR 8219 which would amend our state Constitution to allow an income tax.

SB 6250 actually calls it "Providing fiscal reform." *gag*

Living on Food Stamps

The New York Times had a story up yesterday about the number of Americans living on nothing but food stamps.

In their state-by-state analysis, they show that Washington saw a 56 percent increase between June 2007 and June 2009 on those who subsist on food stamps without other income. See the chart here.

- Capitol Record

Obamas Plans "Non-Religious Christmas"

The Obamas were planning a "non-religious Christmas" and intended not to put the traditional White House créche scene on display.

White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers reportedly told a meeting of former secretaries that the Obamas did not intend to put the manger scene on display - a suggestion that was greeted by an "audible gasp" from her audience.

The White House confirmed that there had been discussion regarding whether to make Christmas more "inclusive."

Despite such discussions, the White House eventually bowed to tradition, reports the NY Times; the creche scene is now on display.

A Tenth Congressional Seat for Washington Possible

Washington state may get another voice in Congress, if projected Census numbers hold true.

The Washington Secretary of State's Office says Washington is in line to pick up a 10th congressional district. The allotment of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is based on Census population data.

According to a report by analysts at Election Data Services, Washington, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina and Utah are in line to gain a seat, while Texas would gain three.

Eight states would lose single seats. They include Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Ohio is projected to lose two seats.

The data shows that Washington's projected new seat almost went to Oregon, but the Evergreen state won out by a margin of less than 25,000 people.

This report is not official and the results could change when the final Census numbers come in next year.

It would be the first new district for Washington in 20 years.

The U.S. Senate has 100 seats, with each state automatically getting two members.



by KING5

Merry Christmas...Because of Jesus!

Joy to the world ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ the Lord is come ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let earth receive her King ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let every heart prepare Him room ♥ ♥ ♥ And Heaven and Nature sing ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ And Heaven and Nature sing ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪...And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing!♪♫•*¨*•..........¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Too Funny

"A clearly exhausted Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid mistakenly voted no...before changing his vote to yes."

Politico

A Bill of Bribery, Extortion, Secrecy, Fraud, and Corruption

It took a bunch of "sweet deals" made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to secure the 60 votes he needed for his health care bill.

Just when you thought secret deals with the industry, closed-door meetings and Chicago-style backroom politics couldn't get any worse... they did.

According to Reid, "A number of states are treated differently than other states. That's what legislation's all about: compromise".

Really? Rather than thoughtful policy, H.R. 3590 is the result of Democrat desperation and includes countless political handouts. In an effort to meet an artificial holiday deadline, the bill itself has come to look like a Christmas tree with goodies for all Democrat holdouts.

While over 10 states receive special deals, Senators from neglected states should be appalled, as their home state constituents will wind up paying for those "sweet deals" in other states, resulting in higher costs for their already-strapped Medicaid programs.

- RSC

Click here to read entire message.

Someone Doing Something - Call and Encourage Them!

When someone does something we should do all we can to encourage them.

As the Democrats give us "a gift that keeps on giving" - mandated healthcare - for Christmas, two Senators are raising serious Constitutional questions and need to hear the support of the American people. Here is their contact info and I hope you will contact them.

Sen DeMint - 202.224.6121
http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Sen Ensign - 202.224.6244
http://ensign.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

From RedState:

There are serious issues about the constitutionality of the individual mandate portion on the Health Care bill Democrats are about to pass.

The federal constitution sets forth the limited powers of the federal government and not one of those powers seems to suggest that the Congress of the United States can compel the citizens of the nation to buy certain products.

Senators Jim DeMint and John Ensign are going to force a vote on the issue. Democrats will be forced to take a position on whether or not the federal government can force individuals to buy products on pain of criminal penalty.

“I am incredibly concerned that the Democrats’ proposed individual mandate provision takes away too much freedom and choice from Americans across the country,” said Senator Ensign.

“As an American, I felt the obligation to stand up for the individual freedom of every citizen to make their own decision on this issue. I don’t believe Congress has the legal authority to force this mandate on its citizens.”

“Forcing every American to purchase a product is absolutely inconsistent with our Constitution and the freedoms our Founding Fathers hoped to protect,” said Senator DeMint.

“This is not at all like car insurance, you can choose not to drive but Americans will have no choice whether to buy government-approved insurance.

This is nothing more than a bailout and takeover of insurance companies. We’re forcing Americans to buy insurance under penalty of law and then Washington bureaucrats will then dictate what these companies can sell to Americans.

This is not liberty, it is the tyranny of good intentions by elites in Washington who think they can plan our lives better than we can.”

Democrat Switches to Republican

Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith announced Tuesday that he's switching parties – saying he can no longer align himself “with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives us further and further into debt.”

“Unfortunately there are those in the Democratic Leadership that continue to push an agenda focused on massive new spending, tax increases, bailouts and a health care bill that is bad for our healthcare system,” Griffith said in a statement.

“I have always considered myself to be an independent voice and I have tried to be that voice in Congress – but after watching this agenda firsthand I now believe that the differences in the two parties could not be more clear and that for me to be true to my core beliefs and values I must align myself with the Republican party and speak out clearly on these issues.

Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.

Politico

Dems Schedule Unpopular Obamacare Vote for Dead of Night

by Dan Spencer

The Senate version of the Democrats’ so-called health care reform is so unpopular, Nevada’s Harry Reid finds it necessary to vote on it at 1:00 a.m.

David M. Herszenhorn reports the Democrats must conduct six votes to pass their Obamacare — one of the crown jewels of Obamaism:

1 a.m. MONDAY – To end debate on “a manager’s package” that includes all the latest changes to the bill. 60 votes required.

7 a.m. TUESDAY – To approve the manager’s package. Simple majority required.

Also TUESDAY – To end debate on Mr. Reid’s original health care proposal, as amended by the manager’s package. 60 votes required.

1 p.m. WEDNESDAY – To approve Mr. Reid’s original proposal. Simple majority required.

Also WEDNESDAY – To end debate on the finalized health care legislation. 60 votes required.

7 p.m. THURSDAY, Christmas Eve (or anytime after the prior vote if all senators agree) – To approve the final bill. Simple majority required.

Reid’s 400 pages of changes to the Obamacare legislation the Democrats are rushing through the Senate were revealed only this morning, so vote the Democrats scheduled for the middle of the night will come less than 40 hours after the amendments were made available — well short of the 72 hours Democrats promised the bill would be available before any vote:

The Senator mentioned, I note, having in mind the managers’ amendment, which he has not seen and, frankly, this Senator has not seen either. I have some ideas what is in it, but I have not seen it myself. I think as a practical matter this will be available for 72 hours, as the Senator suggests. Why do I say that? I say that because it is my expectation that Senator Reid’s managers’ amendment will be filed very quickly, maybe in a day or two [emphasis added]. (Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Congressional Record, S.13289, 12/16/09)

Obamaism: Worse than socialism.

Nelson's Vote Has Been Bought

Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his caucus Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas.

"We're there," said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), as he headed into a special meeting to outline the deal.

Democratic leaders spent days trying to hammer out a deal with Nelson, and worked late Friday night with him on abortion coverage language that had proved the major stumbling block. Nelson also secured other favors for his home state.

Washington Post

How Cap and Trade Plans to Cripple Our Economy

By Vladimir at RedState

If you can’t understand conceptually why a Cap and Trade system is such a bad deal, how about a concrete example?

The European Union is a signatory of the Kyoto Protocols and have been dealing with a Carbon Cap and Trade system for several years. This article in today’s Wall Street Journal shows how the potential profit from the sale of carbon credits directly led to the loss of 1,700 jobs in a British steel plant.

Usually, we worry about the unintended consequences of new, far-reaching regulation. As the article makes clear, however, crippling the economies of the Western Democracies for the benefit of the “developing world” (read: China and India) is precisely the intent of Cap and Trade.

… Corus, Europe’s second-largest steel producer, is shuttering a giant U.K. steelmaking plant at Redcar, cutting 1,700 jobs. Corus blames the recession that has cut steel demand and says the British government hasn’t done enough to help it.

Whatever the truth of that, there’s little doubt that cap and trade made the closure much easier. The decline in steel production means European steelmakers have surplus carbon allowances. According to Carbon Market Data, a European research firm, in 2008 Corus had the second largest surplus of EU carbon allowances—7.5 million.

… By closing Redcar’s annual capacity of three million tons of steel, Corus will produce six million fewer tons of CO2. That means more carbon allowances, which could translate into about $300 million a year if credits hit $50. Corus is essentially being paid to lay off British workers. …

Corus was bought in 2007 by Tata, India’s largest steel company. The Indian steel industry is set to more than double production to some 124 million tons a year by 2011-2012. Were Corus to move production to a “clean” Indian factory, it could receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the Clean Development Fund.

The kicker is that none of this results in fewer carbon emissions. A Corus plant in India might be more efficient by Indian standards, but it will be no more efficient than Redcar. …

To summarize: Cap and trade is a scheme that would impose heavy carbon taxes and allowances on U.S. industries, which would then have an incentive to move overseas themselves, or to sell those allowances to overseas companies that could use them to become more competitive against U.S. companies. Like the 1,700 Brits at Redcar, American workers would be the big losers.

Falling...

by Peter Wallsten

Less than a year after Inauguration Day, support for the Democratic Party continues to slump, amid a difficult economy and a wave of public discontent, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

The findings underscored how dramatically the political landscape has changed during the Obama administration's first year. In January, despite the recession and financial crisis, voters expressed optimism about the future, the new president enjoyed soaring approval ratings, and congressional leaders promised to swiftly pass his ambitious agenda.

In December's survey, for the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing, marking a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors.

Also for the first time this year, the electorate was split when asked which party it wanted to see in charge after the 2010 elections. For months, a clear plurality favored Democratic control.

The survey suggests that public discontent with Mr. Obama and his party is being driven by an unusually grim view of the country's status and future prospects.

Democrats' problems seem in part linked to their ambitious health-care plan, billed as the signature achievement of Mr. Obama's first year. Now, for the first time, more people said they would prefer Congress did nothing on health care than who wanted to see the overhaul enacted.

"For Democrats, the red flags are flying at full mast," said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. "What we don't know for certain is: Have we reached a bottoming-out point?"

The biggest worry for Democrats is that the findings could set the stage for gains by Republican candidates in next year's elections. Support from independents for the president and his party continues to dwindle.

In addition, voters intending to back Republicans expressed far more interest in the 2010 races than those planning to vote for Democrats, illustrating how disappointment on the left over attempts by party leaders to compromise on health care and other issues is damping enthusiasm among core party voters.

Smoke Pot to Fight Substance Abuse

Six fearless Washington State Democrats have decided to take on the fight to treat and prevent substance abuse...by letting citizens smoke pot legally and become substance abusers. How twisted is that?

This came out in the news today:

Six House Democrats who have prefiled a bill legalize marijuana for those over age 21 want to use nearly all of the money raised for substance abuse treatment and prevention.

Still, the sponsors are a pretty mainstream bunch and there has been some movement in other states to stop treating pot use and possession as a criminal offense. The six are Mary Lou Dickerson and Scott White of Seattle, Roger Goodman of Kirkland, David Upthegrove of Des Moines, Sherry Appleton of Poulsbo and Mary Helen Roberts of Lynnwood.

House Bill 2401 is 78 pages long. But most of that is to find every reference to marijuana in state law and either remove it from criminal codes or add it to liquor laws. They also would regulate the farming, production and distribution. - The News Tribune

Personally, I think they've got way too much time on their hands, and perhaps have smoked a little to much themselves. They certainly are not up for the important job of representing Washington State citizens in our state legislature.

Mark their names people. It's time for us to join with millions of others across our nation who are tired of such nonsense and mobilizing to elect real leaders in 2010.

Democrats Gone Wild

By Leon H. Wolf

In addition to spending hundreds of billions (or trillions) of dollars on a government takeover of healthcare, and in addition to spending hundred of billions of dollars on failed economic stimulus programs, and in addition to implementing worthless environmental regulation that has the effect of a massive tax increase, the Democrats are still wildly in favor of massive increases in government spending on, well… everything!

Senate Democrats overcame a Republican filibuster to clear the way for a vote Sunday on a huge end-of-year $1.1 trillion spending bill that gives budget increases far exceeding inflation to much of the government.

The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 60-34 on Saturday to end the GOP filibuster that threatened to hold up the legislation. The final vote would send the measure to President Barack Obama.

The measure pays for Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and boosts spending for the Education Department, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and others.

Reid Isn't Making History--He's Making It Up!

Yesterday Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) stood on the Senate floor and compared health care opponents to the old supporters of slavery.

"Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all Republicans can come up with is this: slow down, stop everything, let's start over," Reid said.

"If you think you've heard these same excuses before, you're right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said slow down, it's too early, let's wait, things aren't bad enough."

Today, his office may have defended those remarks, but what they cannot defend is Sen. Reid's distortion of the facts.

It was his party--not the GOP--who stood in the way of American freedom.

Every vote against the Thirteenth Amendment to free the slaves was cast by a Democrat.

Every vote against Lincoln 's Emancipation Proclamation was cast by a Democrat.

In 1922, when Republicans tried to outlaw lynching, Senate Democrats filibustered the bill until it died and continued filibustering against it until it was approved in 1957.

When the great Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally passed, Republicans in the Senate backed it 23-6, but Democrats in the majority approved by only 44-23. Without the Republican Party, it wouldn't have become the law of the land.

Sen. Reid isn't making history--he's making it up!

If his party shows this much disregard for the past, then Americans should be terribly worried about their future. When the Majority Leader is willing to rewrite history to score cheap political points, how can we trust him with something as vital as health care? We can't.

Until then, I have a suggestion. Senators who want to be on the right side of history can start by supporting innocent human life.

And if anyone deserves to be freed, it's U.S. taxpayers who want no part of abortion's bloody business.

Tony Perkins

Climate Summit Defined

The Copenhagen Climate Summit - where world leaders and celebrities travel in private jets (more than 140 of them) to Denmark where they will be driven around in limos (more than 1200 of them) attending 12 days of meetings to develop a new global treaty on climate change...and decide how best to tax and regulate you into compliance.

Health Care's Poison Pill - Public Option

by Rick Scott

What are we up to now, six different names for the public option?

Let us count the ways desperate Democrats have tried to re-brand, re-tool, re-name or re-invent what is, by all accounts, a plot that will ultimately force millions of Americans into the waiting arms of government health care bureaucrats.

During the 2008 campaign, the public option was described as “government-run plan similar to Medicare.” Whoa…really? The same Medicare plan that cannot now meet its own financial obligations and is projected to be come up short by $38 trillion by the time the youngest Americans will need it? No wonder we haven’t heard that description much lately.

After the presidential inauguration, talk of the public option steadily picked up steam, reaching a fever pitch in August when senior citizens were shouting down their elected officials and canceling their AARP memberships in droves, and while Tea Party activists were getting their fingers bitten off at town hall meetings - all due to strong opposition against any form of government-run health care.

By late October, Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew it was a tough sell. She began slathering lipstick on the public option pig, calling it both the “consumer option” and the “competitive option.” It didn’t stick, and it didn’t matter, because a large number of House Democrats are hell-bent on getting the government’s foot in the door of private health care so they would have voted for it no matter what it was called.

But the Senate is a different ballgame, and that 60-vote hurdle is looming. To clear it, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has some serious sugar-coating to do before his colleagues will choke down any version of the public option. So far, it’s been floated as an “opt-out” public option, an “opt-in” public option, and a “trigger” public option.

Next week, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) will, as he says, attempt to “thread the needle” by recasting the public option yet again. Thus far he’s been tight-lipped about his plans, but it really doesn’t matter.

A bait-and-switch can only work when it takes the victim by surprise, an opportunity Sen. Carper and the Democrats lost months ago. Even House Finance Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has admitted that the public option will lead to government-run health care and may even be the best way to get there.

They can sugar-coat the public option all they want, but it’s still a poison pill.

Not the Change Americans Were Hoping For

by RedState

A new study shows Obama has fewer advisors who’ve made a living in the private sector than any other American President in the last 108 years — since the turn of the 20th century when the business of America became business.

This is not to say that the Chief Executive should have private sector experience. And this is not to say that the Chief Executive should employ only people from the private sector.

But it is to say that we should not trust a Chief Executive to know how to fix the private sector or “create competition” in health care when there is hardly a person near him who knows anything about job creation.

That is the key. More Americans than every before are on government handouts and the Democrats intend to take over 1/6th of the American economy — health care.

This is an administration that has no understanding of and no commitment to the free market and the private sector, both of which are, at best, academic studies to ninety percent of Obama’s top advisors.

The American people, at the end of the day, believe in, work in, and want to support the private sector. The American people do not want to be dependent on the government for their food, health care, or income.

But that is Obama’s solution.

To every problem, Obama offers government. He can offer no other because he has surrounded himself with no job creators, no producers, no captains of industry, and no free market champions. That’s not the change the American people were hoping for.