A Veterans Day Television Event

"The Surge: the Untold Story ...offers a look into the real story of the troop surge in Iraq, as told by top U.S. military commanders, policymakers, and troops on the ground. Never-before-seen interviews with General David Petraeus, General Raymond Odierno, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General Nasier Abadi (Iraq), among others, move the story beyond Washington politics to explore how a failing mission was transformed into one of the most successful military operations in a generation of war fighting. "

Art from MommyLife

Franklin D.Roosevelt's Radio Address on United Flag Day.  June 14, 1942 "...I am going to close by reading you a prayer that has been written for the United Nations on this Day:

"God of the free, we pledge our hearts and lives today to the cause of all free mankind."
Would a president say those things today?

US Marines Silent Drill Platoon

Marines.com  This is to wrap up this day, the USMC's 235th birthday.

Happy Birthday Marine Corps!  "Each year, the Marine Corps marks November 10th with a celebration of the brave spirit which compelled these men and thousands since to defend our country as United States Marines."

Our Muslim Friends Suffer, Too

Michael Yon "I am sorry to tell you that Sergeant Major Mohemmed al-Ahbab, of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force (ICTF) was killed during a mission.
"He was a warrior, a patriot, a friend and a frequent traveler with the Lion 7 crew. I will miss him, as I know you will. Please pass this to all those whose life he touched, but keep it from others as he still has family here.

"The fight continues."

Jesus, Christians and Politics

Townhall  "More violations of religious liberty are on the way from the people currently in charge. Lesbian activist Chai Feldbaum, who is a recess appointment by President Obama to the EEOC, recently said regarding the inevitable conflict between homosexuality and religious liberty, “I’m having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.” So much for tolerance. The people who say they’re fighting for tolerance are the most intolerant, totalitarian people in politics."
Frank Turek is the award-winning author or coauthor of three books including Correct, Not Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone and I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. His TV show airs Mondays at 8 pm ET on DirecTV, Channel 378. To learn more visit www.CrossExamined.org.
Hat tip to Jon Hodges, Texas.

What Americans Want "Arthur Brookes is the president of the American Enterprise Institute and author of The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America's Future. Paul Ryan is a representative from Wisconsin who is also the author of "A Roadmap for America's Future." Both have looked at polling data to understand what Americans want."  Kerby Anderson; Point of View radio program.

Legislated Laryngitis / Silencing the Church (from Sept 23, 2010) " ADF concluded that the Johnson Amendment is unconstitutional because it violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by requiring the government to excessively and pervasively monitor the speech of churches to ensure they are not in violation of the amendment. It violates the Free Speech clause of the same amendment since it requires the government to discriminate against speech based solely on its content and makes a tax exemption conditional on speech. Finally, it violates the Free Exercise Clause because it substantially burdens a church’s free exercise of religion."  Chuck Colson

How can Christians stop the abuse of the phrase 'separation of church and state'? 

Question: "For some 40 or so years, liberals have done everything they could to erase our Christian heritage, using the "separation of church and state" argument. Since it DOES NOT appear in our Constitution, I wonder why Christians can't do anything to stop the use of this statement. Groups like Alliance Defense Fund 'fight it' but no one really seems serious about do something to eliminate its use! Why not? "

Underappreciated: How Thoroughly Fox News Trounced CNN, MSNBC on Election Night

Newsbusters  "It looks like lots of viewers preferred their election coverage fair and balanced. After some of the Election Night shenanigans reported at NewsBusters relating to MSNBC, I can't say I blame them."

California: The Lindsay Lohan of States

WSJ  "Your government's run by a brothel of environmentalists, lawyers, public-sector unions and legislative bums. When they're not taxing or spending, they're creating regulations and commissions like the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and the California Blueberry Commission. Many businesses would leave if it weren't for your sunny climate. " ALLYSIA FINLEY
I saw this last night and bypassed it. Now the article has gone viral and the TW is behind the curve. As long as we're on this subject, here are two by Victor Davis Hanson:

America Just Checked into Rehab   "Republicans should be willing to be demagogued by a weakened Obama as heartless and cruel budget cutters — even if the president may well be the ultimate beneficiary by being able to run on the new theme of fiscal responsibility and a recovering economy in 2012."

What the Election Was Not About  "So naturally he is angry and has turned to almost everything in the past that worked: the race card, the get-out-the-minority vote card, the enemy Republican bad actors, the greedy rich takers, etc. But now none of the old “them” bogeymen work; the more that tactic is tried, the more the economy stalls and the people get angry. It’s that simple. He can talk all he wishes, but until he offers fiscal responsibility, private sector encouragement, reassurance of adhering to singular American capitalism, and pro-jobs tax policies, he will continue more of these Orwellian, thinking-out-loud press conferences."

Five Reasons Unilateral Declaration of a Palestinian State Will Haunt the West

Big Peace  "The U.S. cannot afford for its one complete act in the Middle East to be the creation of a violent failed state. The American missions in Iraq and Afghanistan are far too important, complex, and precarious to be tossed away by a petulant Mahmoud Abbas and a guilt ridden, enabling Western Europe."

Mandate Challenge Could Prevail

ILYA SOMIN | TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST   ""When 21 states and several private groups initiated lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Obama health care law earlier this year, critics denounced the suits as frivolous political grandstanding. But it is increasingly clear that the plaintiffs have a serious case with a real chance of victory.

"The suits focus primarily on challenges to the new law's "individual mandate," which requires most American citizens to purchase a government-approved health insurance plan by 2014 or pay a fine."

Soros Group Says Progressives Won Midterms, Wants Obama to Rule by Executive Order…

Weasel Zippers "It was progressives who won the mid-term elections, particularly incumbents in a socialist-founded congressional caucus that emerged from last week’s ballots virtually unscathed, boasted an article published by the George Soros-funded Institute for Policy Studies, a Marxist-oriented think-tank in Washington, D.C.

"The article recommends that President Obama govern from executive order to push through a progressive agenda."

Stopping Judicial Imperialism / If judges are going to act like politicians, then they should be voted out like politicians.

Thomas Sowell "That is ultimately a question of deciding what kind of country this is to be — one ruled by “we the people,” or one where the notions of an arrogant elite are to be imposed, whether the people agree or not."

Mileage Rules Prompt Backlash .

Wall Street Journal  ""If the economics for high fuel-economy vehicles is so overwhelming, why do so few consumers today choose to buy high fuel-economy vehicles?" the letter asks.
"The alliance added that at the very least, the price of a car would increase $4,448 under the 62-mpg rule.
"The National Automobile Dealers Association warned that the "economic risks associated with such speculation are simply too great," and that the proposal could lead to job losses."

For businesses, no more 'go along to get along'  "Extreme mileage standards, backdoor CO2 regulations and overpriced electric cars that no one wants are all reflected in Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood's desire to "coerce people out of their cars."
"The government claims the proposed new rules "could raise the price of a model-year 2025 car by between $770 and $3,500 but that consumers would buy them because they would recoup that added expense through fuel savings.""

Patriots Versus Hateful Westboro Baptist Church Funeral Protesters…..Patriots Win!

Gateway Pundit "Hundreds of residents in Weston, Mo. — as well as people as far away as California and Australia– rallied in support of Sgt. First Class C.J. Sadell, who died from injuries suffered during a surprise attack in Afghanistan.
"The residents sought to block Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., and his followers from picketing Sadell’s funeral, according to the station."
Where they plan to picket next: Picket schedule