Pakistan caves in to Taliban and implements sharia

The leaders of Pakistan don't have one quintillionth of judgment if they think making a deal with the Taliban for sharia is a good idea. They have agreed to end hostilities and implement sharia in the Malakand area of North Central Pakistan(yellow on map.) Don't they remember sports stadiums being used to stone women to death for minor transgressions? Don't they remember the al Qaeda training camps? The Taliban are religious fanatics and can not be expected to behave in a reasonable fashion. This is a move backwards in the war on terror.

Pakistan to end military operation and implement sharia in Malakand Division
By Bill RoggioFebruary 15, 2009 11:22 AM

The Pakistani government has negotiated an agreement with the Taliban in the war-torn district of Swat to end the fighting in exchange for the implementation of sharia, or Islamic law in a large region of the Northwest Frontier Province.

Negotiations on the five-point agreement have been conducted between the government of the insurgency-infested Northwest Frontier Province and Sufi Mohammed, the spiritual leader of the Movement for the Implementation of Mohammad's Sharia Law, and Mullah Fazlullah, the leader of the Swat Taliban and Sufi's son-in-law. (excerpted) read more at longwarjournal.org

The debate on the 'fairness doctrine' is heating up(audio)

American author, teacher, social critic and dissident feminist, Camille Paglia, blasts the democrats for wanting to re-institute the so called 'fairness doctrine'. She called them 'immature' and said they want to violate the 'essence' of free speech and the 'soul' of the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, former President Bill Clinton said we need something like the 'fairness doctrine' to provide 'balance'. Is he serious? We need to provide balance to the Main Stream Media, not political comment.

Here is what Camille Paglia said.

Link:

Here is what Bill Clinton said.

Link:

Gun ownership rights are under 'stealth' attack. Hide your guns.

Gun ownership rights are under 'stealth' attack. While Congress and the public have been obsessed with the 'Spendulus Bill', three things have occurred that should make every gun owner fearful. The items are H.R. 45 introduction, confirmation of Eric Holder as Attorney General and the government medical records data base that is mandated in the stimulus bill. Let me explain.

First, H.R. 45 was filed in the House of Representatives by Rep Rush, Bobby L.[IL] on January 6, 2009. This bill will impose severe restrictions for licensing on gun ownership. This anti gun bill requires that all new guns be licensed. The bill goes retroactive after two years. What this means is that two years after the passage of this bill, all firearms in your possession must be registered. This will not just apply to new gun purchases.

Second, Eric holder was confirmed as Attorney General. Eric Holder has a very anti gun record. He supported the District of Columbia’s handgun ban and has argued the second amendment to the Constitution does not protect an individual's right to firearm ownership. Also, Eric Holder has supported national handgun licensing and mandatory trigger locks.

Third, sections 13101 through 13434 of HR 1 will set up the infrastructure to computerize the medical records of all Americans in a government-coordinated database. This database will contain all records of medical and psychiatric treatment. This will include what drugs you have been prescribed. Why is this worrisome? Under the NICS Improvement Act, 150,000 veterans have already been unfairly stripped of their gun rights by the government. These rights were removed without a court hearing. Now, we will all be susceptible to this tactic.

UAW throws GM under the bus

Update: Sources say negotiations will resume Sunday afternoon. Let's hope the UAW have come to their senses.

The UAW walked out on concession negotiations, according to an AP news source. They are willing to throw GM under the bus to protect their bloated benefit and pay packages. UAW wages and benefits are almost $30 per hour higher than the Japanese transplants. Unless the UAW realizes the gravity of the situation, GM and Chrysler will be forced into bankruptcy. That is a better alternative for the taxpayers. Then, the bloated UAW contract can be reduced by a judge. Have you ever seen a UAW contract? See a UAW contract here. It weighs 22 pounds. The UAW is not known for reason. A UAW organized plant(Magna New Process Gear plant) recently refused concessions even though the plant would be closed without them. They preferred unemployment to working under a reduced contract. The vote wasn't even close. The UAW rejected the concessions with 76% voting no.

AP source: GM concession talks with UAW break down
Feb 14 06:58 PM US/Eastern
By TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) - Negotiators for the United Auto Workers walked out of concession talks with General Motors Corp. Friday night in a dispute over payments to a union-administered retiree health care fund, a person briefed on the talks said Saturday.

The breakdown comes at a critical time as GM races against a Tuesday deadline to submit a plan to the government showing how it can become viable.

The Detroit-based auto giant is living on $9.4 billion in government loans, and the Treasury Department must approve its viability plan for GM to get $4 billion more. Chrysler LLC, which has received $4 billion in government loans and wants an additional $3 billion, faces the same deadline.

At GM, UAW negotiators walked away because the company made demands that were "detrimental to retirees and the ability to provide health care," according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. breitbart.com

Democrats secretly gut welfare reform in stimulus bill

Democrats secretly gut welfare reform in stimulus bill. They inserted a provision that allows states to keep the number of welfare to work caseloads at the current level while they expand the number of people collecting welfare. That means there will be no requirement for these welfare benefit collectors to ever get a job. President Obama claims this bill will create almost 4 million new jobs. Why don't the democrats want people on welfare to take them? The reason is democrats have never really supported welfare reform and this is just the first strike in a battle to end it.

Are Dems Secretly Gutting Welfare Reform?

Is this the return of welfare wars?

The final compromise of the economic stimulus bill includes $5 billion for states that anticipate a larger than expected increase in welfare claims. But to give states maximum flexibility, Democrats have written in a provision that would allow states to increase the number of welfare caseloads while holding steady the percentage people getting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits that would be required to work or look for jobs.(excepted) read more at politics.theatlantic.com

Employee Free Choice Act (card check) is costing jobs now

The Employee Free Choice Act (card check) is costing jobs now. Many employers are facing the difficult task of what to do with their excess workforce in these slow economic times. Many are choosing to have a traditional layoff. My own company has been forced to have a layoff. However, fear of passage of the Employee Free Choice Act is forcing some companies to make the difficult decision to permanently fire employees. These fired employees will not have recall rights. If they are rehired, they will have to start all over for wages and benefits. Why is this? Fired employees can not be a part of a unionization campaign. If they have signed cards or sign cards in the future, these cards will not count under the EFCA. Most employers believe the 'card check' legislation will pass this year. President Obama supports this legislation and democrats control both houses of Congress. The House of Representatives has already passed this legislation. Employers are terrified of how easy it will be to unionize their workforces when this law passes. They are taking every step possible to prevent this from occurring. Unfortunately, this has a bad effect on employees who are being downsized. You can find information about what the Employees Free Choice Act(card check) is and how to fight back against 'card check' here.

Will stimulus bill compromise lower tax rebate to $8 per week?

Will the stimulus bill compromise lower your tax rebate to $8 per week? That appears to be true. The final version has not been passed, but reports indicate the $500 per year in reduced tax withholding has been reduced to $400 per individual and $800 per couple. That only comes to $8 per week for an individual and $16 for a couple. If they start the payments in June and make it retroactive to the beginning of the year, you will get $13 per week until next January. Then, your rebate would drop to the $8 per week level. Are you felling stimulated yet? In a stimulus bill of almost $1 trillion dollars, you would think President Obama would have more for the working class. Since the final bill has not passed, this number could change. We don't know what is in the bill because the democrats broke their promise to post it online 48 hours in advance.

Tax credit reduced in U.S. stimulus bill-sources

Wed, Feb 11 2009, 17:10 GMT
http://www.afxnews.com

WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Congressional negotiators working on a U.S. economic stimulus plan have scaled back some of the tax provisions, including a credit for workers championed by President Barack Obama, congressional sources said on Wednesday.

In an effort to reach a final deal on a package that could cost in the range of $789 billion to $800 billion, the sources said the tax credit for workers would now total $400 per individual and $800 per couple, down from a previous $500 and $1,000 respectively. (excerpted) read more at fxstreet.com

Sen. Judd Gregg withdraws nomination for commerce secretary

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg has withdrawn his nomination for U.S. commerce secretary. The stated reason is his disagreement with the Obama Administration over the stimulus bill. The real reason is probably the humiliation he has suffered over reports Obama is taking the 2010 census away from him. I am sure he disagrees with the stimulus and the partisan way it was rammed through the Senate. However, I doubt that is reason enough to withdraw. The stimulus bill does provide a good cover for his withdrawal over the census issue.

Sen. Gregg Withdraws as Commerce Secretary Nominee
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg has withdrawn his nomination for U.S. commerce secretary.

FOXNews.com

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Republican Sen. Judd Gregg withdrew his nomination to be President Obama's commerce secretary on Thursday, citing "irresolvable conflicts" over issues like the economic stimulus package and the census.

"It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the census there are irresolvable conflicts for me," Gregg of New Hampshire said in a written statement. foxnews.com