Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Congressional Report Casts Doubt on Constitutionality of Obamacare's Individual Mandate

CNS News "Published on October 15, the CRS report examines the arguments both for and against the constitutionality of the individual mandate, which requires every American to purchase government-approved health insurance or else pay a fine."....
"The CRS report finds that the two primary defenses of the mandate – that it is a tax and that Congress can impose it under the Commerce Clause – to be problematic."
The report:  To date, the Supreme Court has not articulated a fundamental right to health care.78 Indeed, the words “health” or “medical care” do not appear anywhere in the text of the Constitution. Thus, rights of individuals to health care services derive from statutory rights (with a few such rights also set forth in state constitutions) and have most often concerned the provision of medical care to poor persons. In challenging a health insurance mandate on due process grounds, it is possible that one could allege a fundamental right to be uninsured, or to not purchase health insurance.
"However, this is not a fundamental right that has been recognized by the Supreme Court".

The Left’s voter fraud whitewash

Michelle Malkin   "More cunningly, these organizations are seeking to marginalize complaints about election integrity by casting citizen watchdog efforts as racist “scare tactics.” Echoing President Obama’s message to the Democratic faithful on the campaign trail, they are accusing political opponents of suppressing the votes of minorities and the poor."

Voter fraud watch: They’re at it again  "In the meantime: Vigilance plus citizen media plus the willingness to be sued for blowing the whistle equals the best defense for voter fraud. We must all be voter fraud watchers now."

The New Black Panther Party Case: Cast of Characters "And yet, the NAACP can find no time at its convention to address the antics of the NBPP. Instead, they took great pains to go after the white devils that attend the tea party tax protests.
"Apparently, denouncing those who call for the killing of “crackers” and their babies does nothing to advance the cause of African-Americans." From the Comments section.

WikiLeaks’ Selective Morality

Victor Davis Hanson "Had the public known in real time from periodic media leaks about operational disasters surrounding the planning for the D-Day landings, intelligence failures at the Bulge or Okinawa, or G.I. treatment of some German and Japanese prisoners, the story of World War II might have been somewhat different. But then, in those paleolithic days FDR and Winston Churchill did not have to be flawless to be perceived as being far better than Adolf Hitler."

Iran training Taliban fighters to use surface-to-air missiles "Such intelligence is worrisome for U.S. and NATO officials. Surface-to air-missiles supplied covertly by the United States to mujahideen fighters in the 1980s played a crucial role in the defeat of Soviet forces in Afghanistan. Coalition forces are even more dependent on moving troops and supplies through the air than the Red Army was, experts said."


Negotiations with Taliban dismay troops "The Administration and some of our military commanders are “pandering to the enemy and giving a disorganized group of criminal insurgents a power they should never be granted – we’re not going to see this through and believe me we’re making a serious mistake,” said a military official in Afghanistan."

Halloween's Sexual Trend

Rebecca Hagelin, Townhall: "Well, brace yourself. Princesses look different these days. The pre-teen and teenage girls who show up are likely to be wearing trampy costumes that say “s-e-x,” rather than “trick or treat.” We all know that girls are being sexualized by the culture at younger and younger ages in their daily wear. But Halloween costumes have taken things to a new low, making our little girls into sex objects even midst what is supposed to be an evening of childhood fun. The sad reality is that we live in a pop culture that is obsessed with trying to make our boys and girls think about sex all the time."

More RESPECT for the President, Please!

 Ken Blackwell, Townhall:  "...the words of Adams’ prayer for the White House. FDR even had it carved into the mantle of the fireplace in the State Dining Room.: “"I pray to heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that hereafter inhabit it...May none but the honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."
"The Washington Post’s McGrory records that when McCullough got to the “wise and honest” part, all of Bill Clinton’s closest friends looked at their shoes.
"Yet, apparently, this year’s crop of candidates would rather have the jolly, gregarious Bill Clinton stumping for them than the White House’s current occupant. One thing you have to say for Bill Clinton: He never came off as “holier than Thou.” "
Chris Muir, Day by Day

Why Socialism Breeds Racism

Ben Shapiro, Townhall:  "I've been to a lot of arenas to watch NBA games and the Yankees, and I have never heard anyone have a go at a guy because he's from Puerto Rico or the Dominican or Africa or wherever," Henry marveled. "I can understand why people in America are kind of shocked [by European racism], because that doesn't happen in their sports."

Obama to ‘Daily Show’ as Campaign Nears End

NY Times   "Mr. Obama will sit down this afternoon with Jon Stewart, the comedian-turned-activist who hosts the show, in what White House officials concede is a blatant attempt to seek out young Democratic voters wherever they spend the most time. "

Californians: Vote a straight Republican ticket

Bookworm Room "This means California conservatives may be tempted to (a) sit this one out or (b) vote for a write-in or minor candidate. Those are luxuries of ordinary elections, though. In California, this election is not about a favored conservative candidate winning; it’s about making sure the Democratic candidate loses. And the only way to do that is with vast numbers of votes for the Republican, even if that requires some nose holding."

(Updated) While We’re At It, Let’s Defund Those National Endowment for the Arts’ Cowards

Big Hollywood  "That’s right: the tax-payer subsidized NEA, now basking in the attention it’s receiving from “ The Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals" has yet to proudly sponsor a piece of “art” that mis-characterizes Islam or depicts figures of various other religions (outside of Christianity), in a provocative, if not perverted, sexual posture.
"What’s up with this feigned bravery? This propounded art-above-all-else mentality that is actually nothing more than an assault directed at the one religion the NEA trusts won’t react violently?"

Museum Exhibit Portrays Jesus in Porn Pose   "The controversial piece is part of a 10-artist exhibit called, “The Legend of Bud Shark and His Indelible Ink.” The lithograph showing the son of God engaged in a sexual act is called, “The Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals,” and was created by Stanford University professor Enrique Chagoya ."

EPA: Red Tape Rising

Morning Bell  "Next January the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to issue new regulations on emissions from boilers used in facilities like oil refineries, paper mills, and shopping malls. The EPA claims their new regulations will only cost the economy $9.5 billion by 2013. But the American Chemistry Council says the cost will surpass $20 billion and kill 800,000 jobs. Who is right? We don’t know. But what we do know is that if you total up all of the new regulations already passed by the Obama administration last year, using their own cost estimates, fiscal 2010 saw the largest increase in regulatory burdens placed on the U.S. economy in the nation’s recorded regulatory history." Emphasis added.

EPA Funnels Taxpayer Money to Dozens of Liberal Community Activist Groups   "Environmental Protection Agency recently listed 76 community groups and government agencies that will share almost 2 million taxpayer dollars in the form of "Environmental Justice Grants ". "

U.S. Gives Liberal Activists Environmental Justice Grants "In a crusade to help minority and indigenous communities, the Obama Administration is doling out nearly $2 million in “environmental justice grants” to dozens of leftwing groups, including some dedicated to helping illegal immigrants."