Obama: Chains You Can Believe In

For your entertainment… another classic from Mark Fiore…

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Illinois: Land of Lincoln and Land of Corruption – Sen. Burris Must Resign

Given this new information the people of the State of Illinois should be demanding a special election to determine who should permanently replace Barack Obama as Senator. If this were baseball he should be checked for steroids. Too bad there isn’t a blood test yet to detect political corruption…

CHICAGO (AP) — Just as Illinois was moving past the agony and embarrassment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s ousting, the fellow Democrat whom Blagojevich appointed to the U.S. Senate was hearing calls for his own resignation Sunday amid allegations he lied to legislators.

Freshman Sen. Roland Burris released an affidavit on Saturday that contradicts his statements last month to a House committee investigating Blagojevich’s impeachment.

“I can’t believe anything that comes out of Mr. Burris at this point,” Rep. Jim Durkin, the impeachment committee’s ranking Republican, said at a news conference Sunday. “I think it would be in the best interest of the state if he resigned because I don’t think the state can stand this anymore.”

Gov. Pat Quinn, who advanced to the governor’s mansion after Blagojevich was ousted over corruption allegations last month, also called on Burris to explain the contradiction.

“My opinion is that he owes the people of Illinois a complete explanation,” Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said, according to Quinn spokesman Bob Reed.

Durkin, the impeachment committee’s ranking Republican, and House Republican Leader Tom Cross also wants an investigation of Burris for possible perjury.

It’s not clear what action state legislators could now take against Burris, said Northwestern University law professor and former Illinois Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch.

“I’m not aware that anything quite like this has happened in any state before,” she said.

Based on federal law, the state Senate could argue that Burris was a temporary appointment, then pass a bill calling for a special election to name a permanent senator, Netsch said. — A/P News

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Top 3 Banking Crisis Cartoons of the Week

Here are our top three political cartoons of the week. They all make the point rather painfully. Especially in light of the weak testimony given today to Congress from both Obama’s Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the confusing exchange of  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Even with the Senate passing their version of a questionable “stimulus” package being sent to the House, the Dow Jones still took it on the chin dropping down nearly 5% to close at 7888 for the day.  Yikes…. the market is testing the bottom again!

Investors are very concerned about the lack of specifics from the Treasury Secretary and the amount of politics and pork associated with this package.

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Anti-Terrorist Endorsement by Iraqi People

Bravo to the Iraqi people…!!

Most Americans will understand (but not all) that the blood of your countrymen mixed with that of our own young men and women fighting along side you was not spilled in vein.  Your struggle to secure your rights as a people to live free from tyranny and subjugation came at a great cost to our nation as well.  Yet let your courage, and now through your example, help pave the way to other peoples who are still struggling for their freedom and a hope for a democratic voice in government some day. America celebrates with you and hopefully our new administration will stand by your side against your enemies, both from within or from without, and if you should call on us for help as a new sovereign democratic nation.

(BAGHDAD) — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s allies swept to victory over Shiite religious parties during last weekend’s provincial elections in Iraq — a rousing endorsement of his crackdown on extremists, according to official results released Thursday.

The impressive showing, which must be certified by international and Iraqi observers, places al-Maliki in a strong position before parliamentary elections late this year and could bolster U.S. confidence that it can begin withdrawing more of its 140,000 troops.

The results were a major blow to Iraq’s biggest Shiite religious party — the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council — which trailed in every Shiite province including its base in the holy city of Najaf. — AP

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Obama’s Ethics Pledge Haunts Him

WASHINGTON: During almost two years on the campaign trail, Barack Obama vowed to slay the demons of Washington, bar lobbyists from his administration and usher in what he would later call in his Inaugural Address a “new era of responsibility.” What he did not talk much about were the asterisks.

The exceptions that went unmentioned now include a pair of cabinet nominees who did not pay all of their taxes. Then there is the lobbyist for a military contractor who is now slated to become the No. 2 official in the Pentagon. And there are the others brought into government from the influence industry even if not formally registered as lobbyists.

President Barack Obama said Monday that he was “absolutely” standing behind former Senator Tom Daschle, his nominee for health and human services secretary, and Daschle, who met late in the day with leading senators in an effort to keep his confirmation on track, said he had “no excuse” and wanted to “deeply apologize” for his failure to pay $128,000 in U.S. taxes.

But the episode has already shown how, when faced with the perennial clash between campaign rhetoric and Washington reality, Obama has proved willing to compromise. – Peter Baker/HT

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Pro Life Alert: Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA)

We normally stay out of the abortion Pro Choice / Pro Life debate on this site but in fairness to all readers we wanted to share some information with you in the event you want to contact your Senators or House Representative one way or the other.

A serious threat to pro-life policies is the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) that would create a right to abortion which state and federal government could not limit in the future. It may be put up for consideration in the 111th Congress this year.

Following the Supreme Court’s closely divided and bitter decision upholding the Federal Abortion Ban, it is clear that the right to choose is facing a new level of assault. That’s why the pro-choice community is working to guarantee the right to choose through the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) – a measure that will codify Roe v. Wade and guarantee the right to choose for future generations of women.— NARAL Pro Choice America

The words of President Obama back in July 2007…

“Freedom of Choice Act”

“The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing that I’d do.” — Senator Barack Obama, speaking to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, July 17, 2007 — NRLC – Find Full Text of Bill Here

STATUS: The bills were referred to the Judiciary Committees of their respective Houses. Neither bill received action in the 108th Congress. The bills were reintroduced in the 110th Congress, but like their predecessors, have been referred to committee without further action. As of January, 2009, the bill has not been introduced to the 111th Congress but it is just a matter of time.

Among other things, this act would force American taxpayers to pay for abortions and eliminate regulations that protect women from unsafe clinics. It would force states to allow partial birth abortions and strip parents of their right and responsibility to be involved in a minor daughter’s abortion decision.

If you believe that this proposed bill has crossed the line here are a few things you can do to be heard:

• Write to your Senators and House Representatives to oppose FOCA
• Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to your senators and representatives to express your concern (or support if so inclined – it’s your conscience). When the switchboard operator answers just ask for your Senator or Representatives office and you will be transfered.  Usually it will be answered by an assistant that will take down your concern and ask you for your name and address to be sure you are a constituent. VERY PAINLESS.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper; email your senators and representatives if you want to be more verbose !!
• Log into any of the links below to leave your comments for or against ON LINE

The following link will allow you to send an email to your Representatives and Senators on this issue through the NCHLA :
http://www.nchla.org

To write to the members of Congress DIRECTLY without association of any organization use the following information:

Senate Bill (S.1173)

The Honorable ___________
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

House Bill (H.R.1964)

The Honorable ___________
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

To write to your Senators DIRECTLY  ON LINE go to the following and reference the respective House and Senate bill numbers above:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

To write to your  House of Representatives DIRECTLY ON LINE follow this link:

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

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