What’s interesting in the news today?
First, the self-imposed media blackout of the Kermit Gosnell trial continues. From TheWashingtonTimes
“The trial details are nothing short of sensational: A doctor accused of killing seven newborns and a young woman at a filthy Philadelphia clinic strewn with body parts and described as a “slaughterhouse.”
It’s big news in Philadelphia, but nationally, not so much. The lack of coverage is a problem for a growing chorus of conservative and media critics, who allege that the scant national media attention can be attributed not to the courtroom drama but the politics of abortion.”
“MRC also reports that there has been no network coverage on ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, NPR or PBS, and just one brief mention on CNN.”
“Forbes columnist Mike Ozanian said that the controversy surrounding Rutgers University basketball coach Mike Rice, who was shown on video abusing players and using vulgar language during practice, had received far more national attention than the Gosnell trial.”
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Next, a question. Educating or indoctrinating? From FoxNewsRadio
“Boibeaux’s son is an eighth grader at Northeast Middle School. On Monday his social studies teacher gave students a worksheet titled, ‘The Second Amendment Today.’
“The courts have consistently determined that the Second Amendment does not ensure each individual the right to bear arms,” the worksheet states. “The courts have never found a law regulating the private ownership of weapons unconstitutional.
The worksheet, published by Instructional Fair, goes on to say that the Second Amendment is not incorporated against the states.
“This means that the rights of this amendment are not extended to the individual citizens of the states,” the worksheet reads. “So a person has no right to complain about a Second Amendment violation by state laws.”
According to the document, the Second Amendment “only provides the right of a state to keep an armed National Guard.”
Wow. Lies and misinformation sold as education.
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And we have another as well. This one’s not just for indoctrinating, it’s also got personal benefit for the “educator”. From CampusReform
“A professor at a public university in Texas is under investigation from school administrators for allegedly forcing students in her graphic design class to create anti-gun posters for a personal anti-gun campaign she had launched.
Midwestern State University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Betty Stewart confirmed to Campus Reform Friday the school has launched an investigation into professor Jennifer Yucus’ conduct after a student filed an official complaint on Thursday.
According to the complaint, obtained by Campus Reform, the professor compelled students in her graphic design class to create artwork opposing firearms on campus and opposing pro-gun legislation currently pending before the Texas state legislature.
The professor then used the artwork students created online to publicize an anti-gun petition entitled “MSU is anti-Concealed Carry on Campus” and on a now deleted Facebook page opposing firearms, says the complaint.
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Meanwhile, 15,000 people whose opinion should matter in the gun debate have responded to the proposed gun legislation. From DirectorBlue
“A March 2013 survey of 15,000 police officers covering proposed gun control legislation and attitudes about concealed carry laws had some surprising results:
The survey, which was conducted in early March 2013, received 15,000 responses from law enforcement professionals. It found that the overall attitude of law enforcement is strongly anti-gun legislation and pro-gun rights, with the belief that an armed citizenry is effective in stopping crime. Response percentages varied only slightly when analyzed by rank and department size. Among the results:
• 86 percent feel the currently proposed legislation would have no effect or a negative effect on improving officer safety
• Similarly, 92 percent feel that banning semi-automatic firearms, or “assault weapons,” would have no effect or a negative effect on reducing violent crime.
And 91% support concealed carry among non-felons. Now you know why Obama only uses the police for props, and doesn’t ask them to speak at his anti-gun events.
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The First Lady, who has no clue on such matters, takes her husband’s gun control show to the murder capital of the US. Yes, Chicago, the town her husband helped make what it is today with his failed democrat policies. From TheWashingtonTimes
“First Lady Michelle Obama will take the White House’s legislative push for gun control to her hometown of Chicago Wednesday where she will address a luncheon on youth violence.
Mrs. Obama’s remarks will focus on urging Chicago business leaders to invest in opportunities for youth across Chicago’s neighborhoods.”
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Our govt continues it’s not so thrifty, actually mostly wasteful spending.
From HotAir
“Those $85 billion in sequester cuts over which the Obama administration has been trying their darndest to whip everyone into a national freakout, insisting that employees will need to be furloughed, air traffic control towers are going to be shut down, and the White House can’t afford historical tours? Practically peanuts compared to the amount of money the federal government drops on redundant and wasteful spending according to the third annual installment of a Government Accountability Office report, says Sen. Tom Coburn:
These are among the findings in a new Government Accountability Office report that found 162 areas where services are duplicated or money is being wasted in the federal government. The annual cost of duplicative or wasteful programs is estimated at roughly $250 billion, according to fiscal hawk Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. …
“That’s 250 billion dollars a year, that’s three times what the sequester was,” Coburn said. “Just in waste, in duplication, in stupidity, and lack of efficiency and effectiveness by the federal government. (It) makes you want to pull your hair out.” …
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Since we’re on the subject of how taxpayer money is spent/wasted……..
Sequester? Sure. The Blue Angels are the next symbolic victim. From USAToday
“The Navy announced Tuesday that it was canceling the remaining Blue Angels 2013 performances, citing “budget realities.”
Blue Angels canceled. But don’t worry, the pretty people still get their 10th party on your dime. And it least us commoners get to watch this one. From WhiteHouseDossier
“Tonight’s special White House “celebration” of Memphis soul music marks the tenth time President and Mrs. Obama have been treated to an exclusive East Room “command performance” of American music featuring major stars, past and present.
While the performances are televised and celebrate the nation’s culture, some may wonder whether during an era of soaring deficits it is wise to stage what are also in effect private parties for the first couple.
And with this evening’s event, the performances are officially part of the “sequester-free zone” at the White House. As is well known, the daily White House tours did not make the cut.”
Like I keep saying, priorities.
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This one will make you go Hmmmm…… From TheWeeklyStandard
“The top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, is asking the feds to investigate whether a closed campaign meeting was illegally wiretapped by his political opponents. The issue arises after the liberal outlet Mother Jones published “A recording of a private meeting between the Senate GOP leader and campaign aides.”
In a statement to the press, McConnell’s campaign manager, Jesse Benton, says the feds are getting involved. “Senator McConnell’s campaign is working with the FBI and has notified the local U.S. Attorney in Louisville, per FBI request, about these recordings,” says Benton. “Obviously a recording device of some kind was placed in Senator McConnell’s campaign office without consent. By whom and how that was accomplished will presumably be the subject of a criminal investigation.”
The federal wiretapping law thought to have been violated reads, “It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person acting under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication, where such person is a party to the communication or one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to such interception.”
And surreptitious recording also violates Kentucky law, where this meeting took place:”
More from Politico
““Senator McConnell’s campaign is working with the FBI and has notified the local U.S. Attorney in Louisville, per FBI request, about these recordings,” McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton said in a statement. “Obviously a recording device of some kind was placed in Senator McConnell’s campaign office without consent. By whom and how that was accomplished presumably will be the subject of a criminal investigation.””
“On Tuesday morning, Mother Jones, a liberal magazine, published an audio recording of McConnell staffers discussing opposition research they could use against actress Ashley Judd, who was considering running against veteran senator in the 2014 Senate race. Judd announced last week that she would not make the race.”
“Someone on the tape is heard saying:
“She’s clearly, this sounds extreme, but she is emotionally unbalanced. I mean it’s been documented. Jesse can go in chapter and verse from her autobiography about, you know, she’s suffered some suicidal tendencies. She was hospitalized for 42 days when she had a mental breakdown in the ’90s.””
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Wandering Views 
I enjoyed this article written by a young intern who went into the lions’ den.
http://www.worldmag.com/2013/04/finding_hope_beyond_the_media_and_the_supreme_court
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Something new I noticed while I was in the car yesterday & listening to a radio discussion on same sex marriage … Instead of referring to the issue as “same sex” or “gay” marriage, proponents now are using the terminology of “marriage equality.”
Interesting to see how the language and terminology begin to, well, “evolve,” re-framing an issue to project a particular underlying view.
There was a similar war of terminology that emerged in the abortion debate, of course, with “pro-life” and “pro-choice.”
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Rush said the issue was lost when we agreed to add an adjective to “marriage”.
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An interesting read touching on gay marriage and the larger issue of Christians and “politics”:
heaquilareport.com/idiot-wind-a-response-to-barnabas-piper/
“Politics rightly understood is about living peaceably with our neighbors, seeking the common good, and pursuing, together with our neighbors, a shared vision of living well as human beings.
“Christianity has so much to offer in this pursuit. We know, for instance, that as human beings we all are made in the image of God, possessing intrinsic dignity and worth from conception to death, and that in between we are made to love and seek deep relationships with our fellow human beings and with God. …
“… Laws show what a community aspires to be. They seek to protect the community from perceived dangers to the realization of its ideal of full, authentic human life, and encourage conditions which make this ideal attainable for as many as possible. … “
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Sorry, the link to the full article was bad:
http://theaquilareport.com/idiot-wind-a-response-to-barnabas-piper/
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A bit more from the piece:
“If we’re to “seek the peace of the city” in which God has placed us, we must understand what is the common good–the political good–of the place we are in. We don’t have the luxury of abandoning our neighbors, their children, and future descendents to the destruction that is in the world because of sin. For one thing, “it is in its peace that you will find your peace.”
“… My Christian friends who put up an equals sign on Facebook are not going to hell. Nobody is saying that. Yet they are deeply confused about the nature and meaning of the public good of marriage, and they may be confusing showing love for individuals with endorsing a broad political agenda. But this agenda is perverse in that it explicitly contradicts and denies a truth that is necessary for the common good. … ”
Sorry for the fairly lengthy quotes, I try not to do that — but It’s a long article. 🙂
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Chas, that’s probably right.
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From Forbes via Drudge:
“President Obama’s long-awaited budget proposal, to be released today, does not come right out and say that intends to reduce contributions to charity—but that is almost certainly what would happen were it to become law. Here’s why. The White House has effectively doubled down on a tax change it has been pushing for four years that would limit the value of the charitable tax deduction. The Administration has, since 2009, pushed unsuccessfully to allow only 28 cents on a dollar donated to charity to be deducted—even though the top tax rate for the wealthy donors who make most use of the deduction has been 35 percent. In the budget released today, the President again proposes to cap the charitable deduction at 28 percent—despite the fact that the top rate on the highest earners has increased to 39.6 percent. Think of it this way: the White House proposal would raise the cost of giving to charity from 60 cents per dollar to 72 cents per dollar. That’s a 20 percent increase in what can be called the “charity tax.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/howardhusock/2013/04/10/the-obama-budget-proposal-new-tax-on-charity/
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So Chas, when do we get to say Obama and liberal Democrats are evil?
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Chas,
Not surprising at all. He’s been after this for awhile. He doesn’t want folks giving to charity. That’s more taxable dollars they could waste on pet projects. And there’s no need for charity in his Utopia, govt will take care of everyone. The fact that it would hurt churches and pro-life groups makes it a double bonus for libs like him. They want the govt deciding what’s charitable, and who’s worthy to recieve it, not us commoners. It’s for our own good I’m sure. 🙄
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Rand Paul is right on point:
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/1-rand-paul-america-needs-spiritual-cleansing-we-shouldnt-give-up-on-the-marriage-unit/politics/2013/04/10/64915
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“No! Trust us! We don’t want to take your guns or violate your rights. This is all about safety.”
This is just the beginning. Over and over we see what happens – if we give an inch, they will take a mile, and call that a good start:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/09/a-form-of-gun-confiscation-has-reportedly-begun-in-new-york-state-heres-the-justification-being-used/
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Donna J: Changing the language people use to discuss issues is significant. When I was in graduate school in social work, we were encouraged to use certain terminology. They said that changing the way people speak about things is the first step in changing people’s attitudes. Semantics are important. More important than I realized at the time.
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Donna – I, too, have noticed the change to “marriage equality”. 😦
This is a spiritual battle, as well as a political & moral battle, which is why I am so disturbed to see so many young Christians capitulating on this.
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AJ…this is weird but when I first opened this post everything was in wingding font…I went back and then forward and it was right…
The charity tax thing is disturbing, but to be honest, I give to give, the tax break is just gravy…
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I wonder if the Blues will still practice…they do so over my parents’ back yard. Free air shows! 🙂
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InButNotOf,
Agreed on the giving. But here’s the thing. There are tons of charitable donations given that have nothing to do with religous groups, and aren’t given as tithe. This will have a chilling effect on those type of charitable donations.
And from what I understand, there are presently like 23 squadrons grounded along with the Angels. Practice and training by them isn’t allowed right now. And yes, that will effect preparedness as well.
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This says 17, but I believe there are other non-combat ones as well.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130408/NEWS/304080035/Reduced-flying-hours-forces-grounding-17-USAF-combat-air-squadrons
“The Air Force will begin grounding combat air squadrons Tuesday in response to forced spending cuts that have eliminated more than 44,000 flying hours through September, according to internal documents obtained by Air Force Times.
The Air Force’s budget for flying hours was reduced by $591 million for the remainder of fiscal 2013, making it impossible to keep all squadrons ready for combat, according to an April 5 memo signed by Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon, director of operations for Air Combat Command. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect March 1 when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan.
Seventeen combat-coded squadrons will stand down effective Tuesday or upon their return from deployments, according to the documents.”
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The decadent British may not all appreciate Lady Thatcher, but my Chileans still appreciate her.
http://blog.heritage.org/2013/04/10/conservative-chileans-appreciated-margaret-thatcher/
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Instructional Fair is a commercial supplier of lesson and unit plans for teachers. Perhaps corporate elites like gun control.
Police opinion on gun control is usually geographically specific — they usually have the same opinion as the people they live with. In Canada the gun registry was supported in urban central Canada and opposed by the rural west, it had the same level of support with the police.
Interesting meme floating past my facebook news feed. “I would love to see some Arab Americans in traditional clothing go to a gun show and starting buying masses of rifles and ammunition. And listen to what is said about gun control then.”
From what I understand, areas with strict gun control have lower rates of gun related murder per capita. Overall murder rates may be different
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The religious right lost the marriage debate when no-fault divorce passed.
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All tax deductions in Canada are calculated on the basis of the lowest tax rate. Calculating tax deductions on the basis of the lowest rate is common sense. It makes deductions worth the same no matter what the income. And if your charity is based on the tax deduction your heart is in the wrong place.
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Ricky — Your article is written by an American reporter at the Heritage Institute. Not exactly representative of Chileans. Thatcher’s support (and Friendman’s) for the military dictator Pinochet and his coup of the democratically elected socialist regime of Allende is one of the reasons I have zero respect. Her respect for the murderous Pinochet regime is inexcusable.
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HRW, where do you get that the religios right had antthing to do the passing of no-fault divorce. We still dissprove of it you know. My church will not ordain a divorced man or a man married to a divorced woman.
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HRW, I had forgotten that Milton Friedman also supported Pinochet’s Chile. No wonder it turned out so well. I need to visit there this July or August. That is their ski season.
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