Scalia: Supreme Court should recognize U.S. religious heritage

NEW YORK (AP) - Justice Antonin Scalia has defended the Supreme Court's accommodation of religion in the public sphere in recent rulings, saying the founding fathers would want it that way.

Scalia told the Jewish newspaper Hamodia that it was never U.S. constitutional, social, or legal tradition to exclude religion. He said the First Amendment "certainly does not mean that government cannot accommodate religion, and indeed favor religion."

Scalia noted that the Supreme Court allowed the Ten Commandments to remain on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol, and suggested that the United States may enjoy God's protection "because we honor Him as a nation. We invoke Him in our country."

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=685812

Cantwell & Murray Vote

On the confirmation/nomination of Cass Sunstein (see 9.9.09 entry)-

Cantwell- Yes
Murray-Yes

On the confirmation/nomination of Sonia Sotomayor as Supreme Court Justice-

Cantwell-Yes
Murray- Yes

On the confirmation/nomination of Robert M. Groves as Director of the Census Bureau:

Cantwell- Yes
Murray- Yes

**Article about Groves: http://blog.heritage.org/2009/07/13/could-2010-census-include-make-believe-people/#more-10589

On the nomination of Harold Koh as Legal Adviser to the State Dept.

Cantwell- Yes
Murray- Yes

**Articles on Koh:http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/11/koh%e2%80%99s-goal-for-the-legal-trade-in-arms-ban-it/#more-6550

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/05/06/the-second-amendment-vs-international-law/#more-6316

You Wont Hear About It In The News

Heres an article you wont hear talked much about...

OWOSSO, Michigan, September 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A pro-life activist was shot multiple times and killed this morning in front of Owosso High School in Michigan while he was protesting abortion, according to local police cited in the Flint Journal newspaper.

Cantwell & Murray Vote

On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Cass R. Sunstein, to be Administrator of the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget )

Cantwell- Yes
Murray- Yes

Let me explain what this vote meant. Cass Sunstein was nominated by the President as Administrator of the Office of Regulatory Affairs (Regulatory Czar). He has to be voted on by the senate, but a republican senator tried to block it. The block requires a cloture vote that requires 60 votes to remove the block. This wasnt the actual vote for nomination- but just as bad. Here's why:

Cass Sunstein-
1. Author of "Animal Rights" & "Nudge"
2. Has said that "animals should be able to bring suit, with human beings as their representatives".
3. Takes a dim view of the 2nd amendment.
4. Wants to end the eating of meat.
5. Wants to require everyone to be an organ donor.
6. Believes you should not be able to remove rats from your home if it causes them pain.
7. Believes there is nothing special about human beings.
Just to name a few....


In his new position he will be deciding what the laws mean and how they should be enforced. He can use the USDA to take dairy and meat out of school lunch programs. He could use the Dept. of the Interior to stop hunting and fishing on federal lands. He could add animals to the endangered species list to cripple farmers (already being done). He has a strong and undeniable animal rights agenda and should NOT be confirmed.

Please write and call the two senators and ask them to vote NO on his confirmation!

State Senator Jim Kastama

Our State Senator, Jim Kastama has sent an open invitation to sit down and discuss “the state budget was difficult to balance this past legislative session. We are not, however, out of the woods yet. There is even discussion in Washington, DC about a “Stimulus II” Plan.”
“How should we manage this recession? What concerns do you have in your own life that you want your elected officials to know? Share these thoughts with me in a small gathering of your neighbors and friends.”

Senator Kastama has offered to meet to discuss these issues and any others that are on your/our minds. He has also made himself available in the evenings if this would be more convenient. He has been contacted and may be coming to my neighborhood on South Hill, Puyallup. Please call if you would be interested in attending. (206) 412-9554-Leah

Congress On Break

Sorry, not a lot to report, congress has convened for the summer and will return Sept. 7. Please be watching the two largest issues- the Health care Bill (no # yet) and H.R. 2454 (Cap & Trade) that already passed the House. If it passes the senate it will be the largest single tax increase in American History, so PLEASE call and write Cantwell & Murray (links provided to the right) and ask them to vote NO!

Planned Parenthood Spokane

Released Aug. 9 by the pro-life weblog Abortion in Washington (AIW) and based on an audit by the state’s Department of Social and Health Services – showed Planned Parenthood of Inland Washington billed Medicaid for oral contraceptives without prescriptions or with invalid ones; overbilled for condoms; billed Medicaid for post-abortion antibiotics under family planning, which is banned; billed office visits to receive a prescription or an injection as a consultation with a physician, which costs more, and billed for pregnancy tests on women when they were unnecessary.

Planned Parenthood was told to pay back $630,000 plus interest, according to AIW.
The audit of Planned Parenthood, which occurred from 2004 to 2007, was reported by the Spokane Spokesman-Review in May.

Planned Parenthood affiliates performed more than 305,000 abortions in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the national organization, received more than $349 million in government grants and contracts during the financial year of July 2007 to June 2008. The organization’s total revenue was $1.04 billion during that time period.

Planned Parenthood has been the target of an undercover investigation during the last year that has shown staff members circumventing the law. Employees at seven PPFA affiliates in five states – Alabama, Arizona, California, Indiana and Tennessee — have been caught on video seeking to cover up alleged child sexual abuse. Lila Rose, a UCLA student, has led the hidden-camera operation by posing as a minor with an adult boyfriend by whom she is pregnant.

In a different undercover investigation by Live Action, the organization Rose leads, Planned Parenthood workers in seven states were caught on audio tape agreeing to receive donations designated for abortions of African-American babies.

http://erlc.com/article/life-digest-planned-parenthood-fined-for-overbilling/

Cash For Clunkers?

As you may have heard- the cash for clunkers program was a wild "success" , if encouraging people to get more in debt can ever really be a success....

How I see it, encouraging people to get rid of cars that still work and are quite possibly paid off- to get new cars and new debt is a gross insult to common sense. Yea, my car with 130,000 miles is getting old and all dinged up- but it still works. It still serves the purpose for which I originally bought it- to get from point A to point B. So should I trade it in- get that SUV I've been coveting and rack up 30,000 in debt? Im no financial advisor- but I dont think that would be the wisest choice....

Health Care Bill 102

Here is the best info so far on what's really in the health care bill...at the end of the article it goes line by line through the bill to show what's actually in it. A must read:

http://www.morningstarministries.org/Articles/1000054411/MorningStar_Ministries/Media/Special_Bulletins/2009/Special_Bulletin_19.aspx

We Did It!!!

Saturday, July 25, 2009 - Was a very good day at the Capitol in Olympia with over 138,000 R-71 signatures turned in! The required number of signatures is 120,577. They had only 68 days- and they did it- it will now be put to the people on Nov. 4 !!!!

Referendum 71 Update

I saw a sad thing the other day...as you read below there is a movement here in WA to make marriage between a man and a woman- they have only a couple days left to get all the signatures they need to put it to a vote....

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday and a gentleman was standing at the door trying to collect signatures for this mission. I had already signed but I stood and talked to him for a minute. He had just had someone throw a grocery cart at him and he and he told me how he and his group had had to endure names, swear words and having their sign sheets torn up. I was appalled- I had no idea so many people out there were so bigoted about this issue. Aren't we all entitled to our own opinions? Would a conservative be able to get away with such vile behavior? I think not....

Another Reichert Dissapointment

Dave Reichert once again votes to enlarge the size of the federal government....Are we sure he's really a republican?? I think he's a donkey dressed in elephant clothing. He voted YES to the House ROAM Act...see details below.

Galloping to the aid of the nation's wild horses and burros, the House voted Friday to rescue them. But the effort may get penned up in the Senate. The bill passed the House, 239-185, with Republican opponents arguing that it underscored wrongheaded Democratic priorities by focusing on animals instead of people at a time when the nation's unemployment rate is approaching double digits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that enacting the Restore our American Mustangs Act would cost about $200 million over the next five years. Currently, the wild herds roam over about 33 million acres of Western land. To comply with the bill, the Bureau of Land Management would need to find an additional 20 million acres, primarily after 2013, at a cost of up to $500 million, according the CBO.

Health Care Bill 101

Here is just a sampling of what is contained in the Health Care bill:

1. The health care bill is 1,018 pages. But at least they gave us a full week to read it!

2. One troublesome provision calls for a home visitation program that would bring state workers into the homes of young families to improve “the well-being, health, and development of children”. Lawmakers intent on increasing the federal role in education into the preschool years have inserted the language into the mammoth health care bill.

3. Amendment #201- Based on this amendment, taxpayer dollars used to subsidize insurance for a low-income citizen, regardless of how he or she feels about abortion, can also be spent on an abortion obtained by someone else in the same insurance network. Moreover, under the Senate Committee bill, the federal government would determine the standard benefits that an insurance plan must include in order to exist on the market. In effect, as a result of the Mikulski amendment, all health plans would have to cover abortion services.

4. Amendment #205- Medicaid is a poorly performing welfare program. Ideally, it should be reformed, not expanded. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced this amendment to ensure that the Committee bill’s provisions do not expand Medicaid eligibility standards and attempt to increase the number of Medicaid enrollees.

5. Amendemnt #226- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) proposed an amendment that would require all members of Congress and their staffs to enroll in the newly created public health insurance plan. This means that they would be required to give up their private insurance coverage (nationwide there are 283 plans competing for federal employees’ dollars), which is today provided through the popular and successful Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).

6. Amendments set to prevent higher taxes and medical care rationing failed and could not be added to the bill!

Please use the links on this blog to email your representatives and tell them to vote no!!!

Washington State Referendum 71

Opponents of recognizing same-sex relationships plan to file a referendum that repeals the latest addition of rights to the state domestic partners registry. Senate Bill 5688 substantially expands the registry to include all state rights accorded to married couples, and it passed in this year’s Legislature.

It is the Legislature's intent that, for all purposes under state law, state registered domestic
partners shall be treated the same as married spouses. Any privilege, immunity, right,
benefit, or responsibility granted or imposed by statute, administrative or court rule, policy,
common law or any other law to a person because he or she is a spouse, shall also be granted
or imposed on equivalent terms, substantive and procedural, to a person because he or she is
in a state registered domestic partnership.

They will have until July 25 to gather 120,577 valid voter signatures to secure a place on the November 3 ballot. A yes vote on the referendum would be to sustain the Legislature; a no vote would overturn the law. The filing will temporarily suspend the new legislation, (Senate) Bill 5688, which was to take effect July 25, 90 days after adjournment of the Legislature.

I will keep you updated on how many signitures they have.....

Hate Crimes Legislation 101

The bills in questions are Senate S. 909 and House Bill 1913. The House bill already passed through the house and will need to be voted on by congress.

While it may sound good to have a "Hate Crimes" bill, I will list just a few reasons why it is not.
1. There is a provision in the bill that allows prosecution of "Hate speech" limiting your 1st amendment rights to free speech- in particular over the Internet, tv and radio. YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED.

2. It allows for double jeopardy- if convicted (or not) of a crime at a state level, the federal government (according to the bill) can charge you twice for the same crime!!!

3. All crime is hate crime- but according to this bill, some people are afforded special protection. Heres an example, say I am assaulted and the perpetrator is arrested and charged with aggravated assault. The next day and homosexual is assaulted IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER, not only can that perpetrator be charged with aggravated assault, but get a hate crimes enhancement tacked onto it. Shouldn't all crimes be treated fairly, and based solely upon the extent of the crime? How can the government know what's going on in someone elses heart and mind. You cant PROVE the man who assaults a homosexual or minority did it only out of targeted hate. But this bill allows the government to "assume" the motivation of someone's crime and give them a stiffer penalty because of it. Is this justice?

Now you know.....

Tea Partiers

I just wanted to say thank you once again, everyone who came and joined us for the July 4th Tea Party in Olympia. I know a couple of the speakers were long winded- that wont happen again. There were about 1000 of us, I estimate. And I met some really fine folks. Thanks again so much for taking time out of your special day- and sharing it with us. I will post future events here- and pictures- so come back again soon.

Passage of Cap & Tax Bill

To my great sadness, the Waxman-Markey Climate legislation passed today, narrowly 219-212. Eight Republicans voted yes- the decisive factor in this vote! To find out more about the Cap and Trade bill, and how it will destroy this country, please refer to blog entries below. Needless to say, the 1300 page bill (THAT NO ONE READ) is the largest single tax increase in American history, and everyone is too focused in the death of Micheal Jackson to care. I am very frustrated!

Below you will see how your representative voted, I am calling on everyone to not allow anyone who voted for this piece of legislation to be re-elected. I personally will be going door to door next election to ensure it. We have been sold out!

Brian Baird(D)- YES
Norman Dicks(D)- YES
Doc Hastings (R)- NO
Jay Inslee (D)- YES
Rick Larsen (D)- YES
James McDermott (D)- YES
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R)- NO
Dave Reichert (R)- YES
Adam Smith (D)- YES

Have They Lost Their Minds?

H.J.Res. 5 is a Constitutional amendment to remove the limit on the number of terms one may serve as President. It effectively would repeal the 22nd Amendment, which was approved by Congress in 1947 and ratified by the states in 1951. Over the past six congressional sessions, several members of Congress have introduced similar legislation, including Sen. Harry Reid in 1989 ( S.J.Res. 36). As is likely the case in the 111th Congress, the resolutions have never proceeded out of committee. Furthermore, given its past history, it is not likely that such resolutions have been or are currently tied to any specific presidential session.

Do the Representatives really have nothing better to do than write up such stupid resolutions? Even though it's unlikely to pass, aren't there more pressing issues. And this speaks volumes about their ideology and theories of the governments proper role!

H.R. 1256

Regarding H.R 1256, Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act:

Cantwell- Yes
Murray- Yes

Giving the FDA more power to regulate tobacco products.

Bad Press Better Than No Press

My awesome neighbor forwarded a very interesting article today from The Olympian regarding the July 4th Tea Party. It makes for interesting (and frustrating) reading:

http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/888282.html

But lets get something straight- it's not anti-Obama, it's anti-big, irresponsible, un-accountable government! Yes, there might be some anti-Obama signs, many of us disapprove of his policies- we just want to get back to the beliefs of our founding fathers. And each president has taken us farther and farther away from that.

Secondly, snide comments like "top state Democrat says he’s not yet worried about the effort to build a backlash movement against the new president." are completely unnecessary. My personal favorite is "The two Olympia-area men said they are not in competition." Well duh.
Or how about- "The right-of-center activists compare the administration to socialists." His policies are socialist- look it up in a dictionary!

Any ways...read it for yourself- and try not to throw things.

State Budget

Notes on the 2009-2011 State Budget Bob Williams, Senior Fellow for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, has been speaking to groups around the state about the 2009-2011 state budget, focusing on the behind-the-scene games played by the legislature to balance the budget. His findings are as follows.

The state budget was balanced by: Using $3 billion in federal stimulus money. These are one-time funds, so the lack of them will create a major hole in the next budget, in 2011;

A one-time raid of $252 million from other funds, creating another major hole in 2011. Some of these fund raids may be illegal without separate legislation to authorize them;

Raising nearly $500 million in new taxes and fees; and

Taking more than $448 million from the state pension system. The manner in which this fund was raided lowers the contributions by local government and state and local employees to the pension system, and will create an additional $1.2 billion hole in the pension system.

It's a great article- see full text at:
http://www.effwa.org/main/article.php?article_id=2842

Tea Party- July 4th

The July 4th Tea Party will be in Olympia at 11:30. Spread the word, and visit
//olympia.reteaparty.com
fo more info.....

Book Recomendation

I recently read a great book that I think everyone should read, "Green Hell" by Steven Milloy.

It was amazing, I couldn't put it down. He lists the ways environmentalists are trying to take away your civil liberties. For example, CA trying to regulate your thermostats from the electric company. In OR, they are working on a plan to tax you per mile you drive by installing a machine in your car that says where you go and how many miles you drive. Others have called for a personal carbon tax- think cap-and-trade but for individuals-that will allot you so many carbon credits to use each year and you must pay to use more. Thinking of going to Hawaii for family vacation? Forget it- it would use your entire years worth of carbon credits.

Everyone should read this book!

Your baby's Blood, cont....

Hello again,

I have done my research and have some new info on the article below entittled "Your Baby's Blood". I have confirmed with the State Dept. of Health that they are keeping your childs secimen for 21 years. But suprisingly we do have recourse. They have a form you can fill out to request that the specemin be destroyed.

You can contact the following person and ask to be sent the form.
Jessica Dolle, MPH Health Services Consultant
WA State Department of Health Newborn Screening
Phone: (206) 418-5534
Fax: (206) 418-5415

Governor approves taxpayer funds for union training

The governor, in signing the budget, approved funding for the Evergreen State College Labor Education and Research Center at a level of at least $200,000 over the next two years.

A recent audit found this center violated state ethics laws by aligning itself too closely with labor unions. By continuing the center's funding without mandating any changes in its operation, legislators and the governor show no concern for misuse of taxpayer funds.

Public education funds should not be used to finance the goals of special interest groups. Publicly funded schools should teach about history -- including the labor movement -- but should do so in an objective fashion, not as allies of and training grounds for organized labor.

http://www.libertylive.org/blog_main/index.php

In Our Prayers

Please be praying this weekend for California and the CA Supreme Court Justices who are deciding on the constitutionality of Propsition 8 (banning Gay marriage). They will make their decision on Teusday.

More on H.R. 2454

Ultimately, this bill would result in government-set caps on energy use that damage the economy and hobble growth--the very growth that supports investment and innovation. Analysis of the economic impact of Waxman-Markey projects that by 2035 the bill would:

Reduce aggregate gross domestic product (GDP) by $9.6 trillion;

Destroy 1,105,000 jobs on average, with peak years seeing unemployment rise by over 2,479,000 jobs;

Raise electricity rates 90 percent after adjusting for inflation;

Raise inflation-adjusted gasoline prices by 74 percent;

Raise residential natural gas prices by 55 percent;

Raise an average family's annual energy bill by $1,500; and

Increase inflation-adjusted federal debt by 26 percent, or $29,150 additional federal debt per person, again after adjusting for inflation.

Please write your representatives!!!!!

http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/wm2450.cfm

Write You Representatives- Tell Them "NO"

Please write your representatives and tell them to vote NO to H.R. 2454!!!!

American Clean Energy And Security Act of 2009-This is the Waxman-Markley comprehensive energy bill, known for short as "ACES," that includes a cap-and-trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020. Other provisions include new renewable requirements for utilities, studies and incentives regarding new carbon capture and sequestration technologies, energy efficiency incentives for homes and buildings, and grants for green jobs, among other things.

This TAX will raise the average annual energy bill by $ 3,000!!! We are approaching an energy crisis because no new energy resources has been added in 30 years and now they want to tax what energy we are using!!!

House Vote On Hate Crimes Bill

H.R. 1913

Brian Baird- Yes
Norman Dicks- Yes
Doc Hastings- No
Jay Inslee- Yes
Rick Larsen- Yes
James McDermott- Yes
Cathy Rodgers- No
Dave Reichert- Yes
Adam Smith- Yes

Please write your senators and ask them to vote NO!

"Alliance Defense Fund attorneys warn that the U.S. Senate should not pass H.R. 1913, the so-called ‘hate crimes’ bill. If it becomes law, ADF attorneys say the bill could severely impede Americans’ constitutional rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression while creating additional legal protections for those engaged in homosexual behavior that are not available to everyone else.“All violent crimes are hate crimes, and all crime victims deserve equal justice,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot. “So-called ‘hate crime’ laws actually serve only one purpose: The criminalization of citizens based on whatever thoughts, beliefs, and emotions they have that are not considered to be ‘politically correct.’ No one should fall for the idea that this bill does anything to bring about greater justice for Americans.”
http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/pressrelease.aspx?cid=4929

Cantwell & Murray

On the Nomination (Confirmation Kathleen Sebelius, of Kansas, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services )

Both Cantwell and Murray voted YES- to the most pro-abortion Secretary of Health & Human Services in American history. It is well know that she took money from late term abortion doctors!

Your Baby's Blood

If you are a parent or health professional you may be familiar with the practice of taking a newborn babies blood at birth to test for certain genetic disorders. As a mother, I remember being told that my childs blood would be drawn and it was necessary for her health. I don't remember being given a choice, and I didn't have the fore-thought to ask how long they could keep my childs blood or if it could be used for other purposes.

In Washington state, parental consent is NOT REQUIRED, for newborn screening. "They" keep the blood/DNA for 21 years. Blood taken is tested for 24 conditions.

Cases are coming to light of blood samples being used for further testing and research. Some people and govenment organizationans are calling for a government-wide DNA data bank.

I have a couple of problems with this. First, in WA state in 2008 out of 63,131 births, 98 came back positive with a genetic disorder. Im terrible at math, but that's a seriously low percentage. I bet the rate of infection caused by the needle stick was about the same percentage!!!! The tests are $60.90, thats $3, 844, 677. 90!!!!! For 98 positive results! The conditions being screened for occur in 1 in 1600 to 1 in 60,000 people (depending on the disorder being screened for). Am I really the only one who thinks this odd?

There are NO statistics that show this screening is any more effective at early diagnosis than asking family if disorders run in the family.

Second, how can we be sure the DNA won't be used for other purposes?Why, after the test comes back negative, don't they discard the sample? Unless of course, they have other plans. Plans they don't need your consent for.

Another question to ponder- why not test for even more. While they are at it maybe they should see if my child is predisposed to heart disease or Ahlzheimers? I bet there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of ultra rare genetic diseases in which they could add to the list. Why not screen for everything? Where do we draw the line- and more importantly than that- who decides where the line is drawn?

What guarantees in the future- that health insurance companies wont be allowed to deny health care to people showing pre-disposition of diseases?

I will be seeking to have my child's sample destroyed. Please stay in touch to see how that works out.

Leah B.

Another Tea Party

Check out the "Re-Tea Party" link here on my blog to stay up to date on the next tea party- July, 4 2009!!!!

Tea Bagging Rednecks???

Apperantly all of us tea party protesters are "Tea bagging rednecks" according to Janeane Garofalo! She went on to the Keith Olberman show -She went on to say that participants "will believe anything you tell them, as long as it’s not the truth." The truth, she claims, "confuses them."

She also said "this is about hating a black man in the White House. This is racism straight up."
But that's just the beginning, for what Olbermann and Garofalo engaged in Thursday evening is amongst the most vile, hate-filled attacks on average American citizens ever conveyed on national television by so-called journalists.

I had no idea people could be so hateful. The longer I do this the more I am shocked!

We Are Extremists?

The Department of Homeland Security recently published a report about right wing extremists.

"DHS has no specific information that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence, but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about
several emergent issues."

Do you qualify as an extremist?

You might be an extremist if....you care about the "possible passage of new restrictions on firearms".

You might be an extremist if...your a military veteran!

You might be an extremist if....you are "frustrated over a perceived lack of government action on illegal immigration"

It goes on and on....but are we really dometic terrorists? Is the American government ignoring islamic extremists now and watching us? Every American should read the report!

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/5410658/DHS-Report-on-Right-Wing-Extremism

Glenn Beck Coming to Seattle

EFF will be hosting a Glenn Beck Event in Seattle on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Lunch will be followed by a book signing for Glenn's soon-to-be-released book, "An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems."

http://www.effwa.org/main/page.php

Olympia Tea Party

I went to the Olympia Tea Party today. What a great group of folks! It's estimated that 5,000 people attended! How awsome!!

On another note, I watched King 5 news tonight to see their coverage of the event. We didn't even make the first segmant. Police officers in seattle schools even came before the tea party news! And when they did mention it they followed it with a story on how state legistlators plan on trying to raise the sales tax TOMORROW!!! Then they showed a bunch of sickly people and tugged at our heart strings, saying if taxes wern't raised these people would go without health care. KING 5 might as well have come out and called us all idiots! It's not the governments job to care for the needy. The framers of the constitution would agree!

Keep the fire burning!

Earmarks

House members had to post their earmark requests for fiscal year 2010 online this weekend; the original deadline was Friday, but that was extended to Saturday at 5 p.m., according to CNN.
Click on the link below to see the full excel spreadsheet.

http://realtime.sunlightprojects.org/2009/04/06/links-to-house-earmark-disclosures-in-one-database/

Dave Reichert- None found
Brian Baird- Listed on webpage (www.baird.house.gov) In Legislative Section
Norm Dicks- Listed on homepage (www.house.gov)
Doc Hastings- Couldn't Find
Jay Inslee- Listed on Homepage (www.house.gov)
Rick Larsen- Press Release on Homepage (www.house.gov)
Jim McDermott- Text on homepage (www.house.gov)

Write You Representatives- Tell Them "NO"

In light of our current debt-fueled economic crisis, Congress is looking at reforming one of the most predatory forms of lending—high-interest, short-term payday loans. But according to a range of consumer, community and civil rights groups the leading bill in Congress to deal with the issue, the Payday Loan Reform Act of 2009, would actually protect the “predatory payday loan business model and will stall or stop the significant progress that has been made at the state level to curb usurious lending.”

The section of the bill that has caught the attention of the payday loan reform advocates is 2(d), ironically entitled “Additional Protections for Consumers.” It reads:
It shall be unlawful for a payday lender to-
‘(1) require a consumer to pay interest and fees that, combined, total more than 15 cents for every dollar loaned in connection with a payday loan;

Upon first read, that doesn’t sound bad, but the groups that have come out against the bill explain that enders will be able to apply that rate for each pay cycle, meaning a 390 percent APR for typical payday loan borrowers.

Write You Representatives- Tell Them To Vote "NO"

Budget Votes

Senate Budget, Sen. Con. Res. 13- Obama's 3.6 Trillion (yes, Trillion with a "T") was passed by the senate.

Murray- Yes
Cantwell- Yes

House Budget- H. Con. Res. 85-Every republican voted no, along with 20 democrats, but it still passed.

Reichert- NO

Clean Dishes No More!!

There is a new ban in WA State on dishwasher detergent!! Go and stock up!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090328/ap_on_re_us/bootleg_detergent

Sign The Petition

You have strong convictions, but President Obama says that doesn’t matter. He’s ready to rescind the Conscience Clause.The Conscience Clause was implemented by former President George W. Bush to give physicians and nurses the choice to act according to their conscience — to not participate in abortion procedures if it conflicts with their personal convictions. If President Obama makes this damaging move, if he reverses the Conscience Clause, pro-life doctors and nurses will be forced into performing abortion procedures, despite their individual beliefs.

www.beheardproject.com

Future Bills

Please write your representatives on the following bills:

H.R. 1207- Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009
To amend title 31, United States Code, to reform the manner in which the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is audited by the Comptroller General of the United States and the manner in which such audits are reported, and for other purposes.

H.R. 875- Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes.
This will negatively impact small farms and place strangle like restrictions on the sale of fresh farm produce- think of our farmers' markets!!

GIVE ACT H.R. 1388

The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act would dramatically increase funding for AmeriCorps and other volunteer programs, including those for seniors and veterans. It also establishes a goal of expanding from 75,000 government-supported volunteers to 250,000, and would increase education funding and establish a summer service program for students, paying $500 (which would be applied to college costs) to high-school and middle-school student who participate.

Reichert: Voted Yes
Cantwell: Voted Yes
Murray: Voted Yes

There is some rumor that this will make youth in the future forced to volunteer. It also creates more federally funded jobs. You decide...I reserve my opinion on this one.

Quote

It is our duty to make the best of our misfortunes, and not to suffer passion to interfere with our interest and the public good.
-George Washington 1778

Quote

"Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government. "
-Thomas Jefferson 1789

AIG Bonus's

H.R. 1586- A direct response to the A.I.G. bonus scandal, this bill would levy a 90 percent tax on any bonuses from bailed-out firms (TARP recipients) paid out in 2009 to individuals with incomes over $250,000. The Senate will be taking up a similar bill (S. 651) soon that proposes a bailout bonus tax of 70 percent.

Rep. Dave Reichert voted "YES"

Shame on him!!! They knew about the bonuses a year ago, when they gave the banks the bailout money. In the instance of AIG, it was a part of his contract to get a bonus. If they wanted rules on the bailout money they should have placed them on the money when it was given out- not now!! And do we really want the IRS targeting specific individuals to clean up their mistake!!! The AIG executive took over AFTER the economy took a down turn- he's not responsible for their mistakes!!! I don't them getting all that bonus money either- but I was also apposed to the bailouts! Two wrongs don't make a right!!!!

Tea Party

Join us for a "tea party" at the Capitol Building in Olympia, WA on April 15, 2009 at noon. Taxpayers all over the nation are rallying to stop tax increases in their states. This will be a great way to show our politicians we are holding them accountable for the decisions they are making. Please come!!!