Social-justice protests sweep U.S. ... Several thousand neopatriots – some shouting “Give me liberty or give me death!” – took to the streets in over 30 US cities Friday, representing what some of them call the beginning of a new conservative counterculture in America. “The spark has been lit,” says Ben Mihalski, a “house husband” from Cobb County, Ga., one of at least 300 protesters who gathered in a hefty downpour outside the Georgia Capitol on Friday to protest what they see as profligate spending by Washington. Protesters with sign-slogans like “Pillage and plunder: At least the Vikings did it openly” fanned out across capitols and courthouses in cities from Nashville, Tenn., to Los Angeles, objecting to bailouts and policy changes since the inauguration of President Obama. The Tea Party USA movement also added some symbolic flourish, vowing to gather tens of thousands of tea bags to be dumped on the floor of the US Congress. In Atlanta, the brand was Luzianne. Many protesters expressed a sense that basic American freedoms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are threatened by new Washington policies seen by many as more socialistic than capitalistic. The proposed taxpayer bailout of homeowners who may have inflated their earnings in order to secure mortgages is one example, says Jeff Crawford, a protester from Dacula, Ga. “The first year after the Mayflower arrived, the colonists tried a communal method of storing and sharing food and it failed miserably,” says Mr. Crawford. “Why are things any different now?” Eighteenth-century symbolism was rife at the Atlanta event as speakers drew comparisons with the Boston patriots who dumped the King’s tea in Boston Harbor to protest taxation without representation, an act that began the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. Some kids at the Atlanta protest wore tri-cornered hats, and one held a sign that said, “When I grow up I want to be free.” In Tampa, two dozen protesters held handwritten signs with slogans like “Keep Your Bailout; I’ll Keep My Freedom.” About 300 people showed up in 25-degree weather in Wichita, Kansas, and someone brought a pig. In St. Louis, local media expected about 50 people to show up while actual turnout surged to over 1,000 people. (features.csmonitor.com)
Anti-Porkulists rally in St. Louis ... A large crowd braved chilly temperatures downtown today to protest President Barack Obama's stimulus program and to throw tea into the Mississippi River. The gathering was organized by several local conservatives, who estimated the showing at more than 1,000 people. There was no official crowd estimate, but the gathering filled roughly one fourth of the grand staircase from the Gateway Arch grounds down to the levee. Among the speakers was former football Cardinals tight end Jackie Smith, who took a bullhorn and said, "We are mad as hell and we need to stay mad as hell. Don't let up." Smith asked the crowd if this was their first protest rally, and most raised their hands. Bill Hennessy, said he got the idea for the tea party from comments made last week by CNBC business commentator Rick Santelli about the stimulus program. Santelli urged people to have another Boston tea party. Before the crowd went down to the Mississippi River, Hennessy urged everyone to rip open their tea bags and dump the tea without throwing the paper into the river. The group ended the 50-minute rally by lining up on the river's edge and doing as asked. (stltoday.com)We're AFSCME (PG-13 version)
It's time to start criticizing Big Government again ... In response to a Monday letter ("Name-calling shows lack of real ideas'') by Norman E. Gaines Jr. , who claims to be an independent voter, it has been my experience that the majority of those claiming to be independent voters vote Democrat. The problem with the terms "socialist," "totalitarian," "dictator" and "fascist" is that most people wouldn't know one if they saw one. I would like to add another two terms to the list, "liar" and "fool." All these terms mean a government that will be in your face 24/7. A prime example of this is calling a spending bill a stimulus bill. This is a joke. A rotten, dead fish could be called a rose but it is still a rotten, dead fish. (lohud.com)
Obama, Axelrod organize against domestic enemies ... The White House insisted at the time of her hiring that Miss Daly's work would be limited to legal research, like that of a paralegal, and wouldn't stray into political muckraking. David Axelrod, a senior White House adviser to Mr. Obama, had a hand in bringing Miss Daly to the campaign, and is thought to have been instrumental in bringing her to the White House. Mr. Axelrod was also involved in Brad Woodhouse's recent placement at the DNC as communications director, sources said. A Democratic operative whose hiring a month ago by the White House legal office raised conservative hackles is leaving to go back to work at the Democratic National Committee. Shauna Daly, 29, will be the DNC's research director, returning to the fast-paced realm of bare-knuckles politics that associates said suits her best. The White House has not decided whether to replace her, a spokesman said. Miss Daly's hiring by the White House was met with concern by some conservative lawyers, since she did not have a legal degree but had been placed in the office of legal counsel. Some questioned whether her research skills might be put to use helping President Obama's White House go after political enemies. (washingtontimes.com)
Progressive corruption: U.S. needs a check-up from the neck-up ... Only a month into Barack Obama's presidency, an acclaimed psychiatrist is warning that Americans are being slowly corrupted by socialism as Obama's policies intrude into their economic, social and political lives – a tactic he believes will secure future votes for the Democratic Party. "We have a desperate population, and it's feeling even more desperate than usual," Dr. Lyle Rossiter told WND. "People are really quite frightened. They're looking for magic, and they think they are going to find it in this man." Rossiter is a forensic psychiatrist and author of "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." In his book, he explains how the kind of liberalism being displayed by both Barack Obama and the Democratic Party can only be understood as a psychological disorder. He examines how modern liberal collectivism undermines the legal and moral foundations of ordered liberty. Rossiter warned that Obama, after only six weeks in office, is well on his way to institutionalizing a modern parental state – and his socialist programs will ultimately damage the moral fiber of the American people. "This is not a stimulus program that is going to work economically," Rossiter said. "In the meantime, the character of the people – virtues of self-reliance, self-direction, self-determination, altruistic concern for others, charitable care for others rather than government-mandated welfare programs, regulation and taxation – all the capacities that made this country great are being contaminated. "We are being corrupted by these programs." (worldnetdaily.com)U.S. discriminates against non-union work
Texas protesters rip Obama's typical 'straw man' rhetoric ... Carrying a sign that read "News flash: There is no money," Mindy Wood of Fort Worth said the far left was using the economic crisis as an opportunity to stage a "Marxist revolution" within the federal government. "I’ve been getting more and more frustrated as the days go by," Wood said. Those interviewed approved of Gov. Rick Perry’s recent declaration that Texas might not accept all of the stimulus money designated for the state. "This isn’t about Obama. This is about taxation," said Rick Ledoux, 50, of Fort Worth. "No one’s saying do nothing. That’s a straw man. We’re saying do the right thing." Many of the signs targeted Obama’s fiscal policy with words such as "Hope + Change = Fear + Debt" and "Taxpayers revolt against Gimme-mania." Some took aim at the president himself, with slogans such as "Obama is a damn liar" and "Obama 'bin Lyin’." Klick said signatures on petitions collected Friday will be sent to state and federal elected officials. Participants predicted that the rally was just the first step in a movement to vigorously oppose Obama’s policies. "We can’t allow this assault on the principles that make America great to succeed," former Arlington state Rep. Bill Zedler said. (star-telegram.com)
Union-backed, Porkulus-fed fraud group reshapes U.S. ... Heidelbaugh said ACORN’s massive voter registration drives are not to register voters, “It’s to tell their liberal funding sources they will register 1.5 million voters, and each of these massive foundations and support units will then send in massive amounts of money which go unaccounted for and are completely untraceable. It’s a complete subterfuge to get money into the organization. They don’t care whether people are registered or not; they want the numbers for their funders,” Heidelbaugh said. “There might be one thing worse than having Al Franken in the Senate,” Heidelbaugh quipped, “and that’s ACORN conducting the census." Hans von Spakovsky, a visiting legal scholar at The Heritage Foundation, pointed out the United States’ long history of voter fraud. “There [have] been so many examples of voter fraud documented throughout this nation’s history that it demonstrates not only that voter fraud is real, but that it could affect the outcome of a close election,” von Spakovsky said. “But liberals constantly deny that voter fraud exists. When prosecutions are started, they try everything they can to stop them. They also stop states from taking any steps through legislation or regulation that will prevent it.” Ken Blackwell of the Family Research Council, who also is a leading conservative and former Ohio Secretary of State, also warned of the dangers of the White House taking over the census. Blackwell says the Obama administration is simply exercising the basic rules of political power, which are, “Get it; use it; keep it; expand it." (newsmax.com)
Obama organizing plan would accelerate U.S. factory closings ... Employers would not have to be informed of the union organizing efforts. All employees would be subject to the pressure of acknowledging their support or opposition to the idea of union representation. Imagine if our national elections were run without secret ballots. "Free choice" or "forced choice?" If a majority of employees sign the cards, then the employer would be forced to agree to a contract within 120 days or binding arbitration would be mandated and a federal arbiter would dictate the terms of the contract. Does this legislation encourage entrepreneurs to form new businesses? Does this encourage businesses to hire more employees? Or does it encourage businesses to relocate to places outside the United States where union pressure doesn't exist? (timesunion.com)
We don't need no stinkin' non-union workplaces ... The “Employees Free Choice Act” now in the U. S. legislature is the biggest political fraud to be aimed at American citizens since Colorado’s TABOR. The name itself is a lie, because the act threatens the very free choice it claims to support. It would strip free employees who wish to remain free of big labor unions influence of that right. It would force anti-union employees to be union members against their will, and create “closed shops”, outlawed by Taft Hartley in 1974. A quick computer check of “efca” will indicate how fanatic unions and union sympathizers are. You’ll find pages of junk exhorting this monster, most of it with a spin that’ll leave you dizzy. The Unions know that our legislature is so busy with measures to combat the recession that they can’t possibly study every facet of every bill. That’s why many of the on-line entries are “summaries” that warp the facts, but are easily copied for politicians’ reading. I’ve dealt only with the basics of the bill. There are other, just as unconscionable, parts. I urge you to contact our Representatives and Senators and ask them to consider this bill very carefully before they vote on it. I have. (journal-advocate.com)
News Union hoodwinks, bamboozles readers ... The "card check" bill, sponsored by Democrats with the strong support of organized labor, is controversial mainly because it would eliminate workers' right to a secret ballot before a union is certified as representing workers. This issue is never explained in an article in the Feb. 22 Parade magazine. Instead, readers are invited to vote by e-mail on "whether America still needs labor unions." Unions are still needed, but only when a majority of employees vote for them by secret ballot in a Department of Labor supervised election. (timesunion.com)
Detention rule responsible for IAM picket line violence at Beechcraft ... Wisbey testified Thursday that he suffered muscle strains, scrapes and bruises when he rolled 10 to 15 feet after being struck. Witnesses said Friday that between 50 and 80 people were standing in the grassy areas on both sides of the plant entrance at 2044 Scanlan and across the street from the entrance that morning, some holding picket signs. Three people actually were on the picket line, a yellow line across the entrance which indicated the beginning of Hawker Beechcraft property and which strikers could not touch or cross, according to testimony. At the time, picketers were authorized to detain the vehicles of arriving workers for 30 seconds to three minutes while they attempted to convince them to join the strike instead of returning to work, witnesses said. However, attorney Julie McKenna, who represents Jones, said he had not received information about stopping for strikers that was given out to other plant workers, because he had been on vacation for a week. When he realized the Jeep was coming into the entrance, Eric Wisbey said, he moved out of its way and onto the grass. He said he didn't see his brother get hit, but he saw what happened immediately after the impact. "All I saw was my brother stumbling, almost flying off his feet backwards," he said. O'Shea testified that after the incident, plant and union officials agreed that strikers would no longer detain cars. (saljournal.com)News Union takes permanent dues hit in Denver ... Just 55 days shy of its 150th birthday, the Rocky Mountain News says farewell with a front page that harkens back to its founding in 1859. The website has retrospectives on its greatest stories, tributes from the community, staff memories and great front pages from the paper’s history. Each story ends with a macabre invitation to “Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News.” (newspaperdeathwatch.com)
International Collectivism
U.S. set to reward Cuban repression, intransigence ... Don’t expect major reforms in Cuba any time soon. President Raúl Castro seems to be backing away from initial attempts to loosen the government’s rigid control over the island. So says Brian Latell, an astute Cuba-watcher and former CIA intelligence officer. Raul has turned cautious since coming to power a year ago, Latell wrote in a report released today by the University of Miami's Cuba Transition Project. "Perhaps he realized that he was playing with fire, as hard line officials and his infirm brother (Fidel Castro) all but certainly were telling him," Latell wrote. "Cubans are no longer hearing the surprising promises Raul made until the middle of last year." Cuba’s direction and prospects for reform have taken on added importance in Washington as Congress debates a bill that would ease restrictions on Cuban-American travel to the island. Many members of Congress are eager to soften an embargo that has failed to force reforms for half a century. They had hoped Raul Castro would create an opening for closer engagement with the United States, which in turn would set off a chain-reaction of reforms. According to Latell, Raul "has been sounding a tougher, more intransigent line about relations with the United States." (sun-sentinel.com)
