An Open Letter to Dianne Edmondson, Denton County GOP Chair

Ms. Edmondson,

I am writing in regards to the update posted on your party's website, dentongop.org, on January 7, 2014. 

For reference, I'll post a copy of the main parts of the update (those interested can click on the link above to see the entire post):

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January 7, 2014

Happy New Year, Denton County Republicans!

  

Have you made your New Year’s Resolutions yet? I have made a few, many of them, unfortunately, retreads from years past! But there is one that I am making that I hope each of you can join me in trying to keep: Let’s make 2013 the Year of the GOP both nationally as we do everything possible to help elect at least 6 new Republican senators and take control of the US Senate, but also to do everything we can right here at home in Denton country to KEEP TEXAS RED! That would include continuing to hang on to each and every partisan elected office in our county, and also helping in other parts of Texas, such as the Konni Burton for State Senate race in Tarrant County in which strong candidate Burton is working to take back the Wendy Davis seat for the
GOP.

Speaking of Wendy Davis, I personally am concerned about the “super women” ticket of Abortion Barbie with Hispanic Sen Leticia Van De Putte as her running mate. We have our work cut out for us to dispute the Dems’ false accusations of a Republican “war on women.” GOP ladies, it’s up to us to speak out and speak up for the Republican Party and what its pro-life, pro-family, pro-jobs practices mean to women and their families!

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Several Write-in Candidates on March 4 Primary

We are really pleased that there is so much interest in serving as a DCRP leader among Republicans in our county. That is pretty unusual, so the Denton paper thought it was worth a recent front page story! Here is a link so that you can read it if you didn’t see it:
http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20140101-precinct-chairman-primary-races-heat-up.ece

There are still a few vacant precincts, so if YOU are interested in serving as the Republican leader in your neighborhood, please contact I and we will get you plugged in!Dianne@GOPgal.com

And to keep up with what Denton County GOP activists are talking about, please join our facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/429996277113727/

Lincoln Reagan Dinner Excitement Building

 Sen. Cruz 

                                   
    Sen. Nelson                                                        Mr. Cruz
The Feb.1st DCRP Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is known throughout the state for being among the largest, and best in the Lone Star state. And this year will be no different. In fact, it may be the best one we’ve ever had! It’s headlined by Texas Jr. US Senator,TED CRUZ  who will be introduced by his awesome father, RAFAEL CRUZ. Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening’s festivities will be Denton County’s own State Senator JANE NELSON

And there will be, as always, our legendary live and silent auctions. Again this year, we have some truly unique items including a one-hour ride in his antique World War II Stinson airplane with Land Commissioner (and candidate for Lt. Gov.)  JERRY PATTERSON. Another encore item is the specially crafted  AR 15 rifle  with the Texas state seal donated by Agriculture Commissioner (and candidate for Lt. Gov.) TODD STAPLES. New this year is a very unique, one-of-a-kind Life Quilt Designed by the mother of one of our Precinct Chairs, this quilt celebrates the success of the pro-life movement this year in Texas, and will be signed by the major pro-life players both n Washington and Austin. You don’t want to miss this dinner!

Once again, many candidates will be providing a “campaign headquarters” booth to meet voters, discuss issues and hand out literature. Clearly, this dinner at the DFW Hyatt Regency is THE place to be on Feb. 1. To register for the dinner and its accompanying VIP Reception, go here: http://dentongop.org/2014-lincoln-reagan-dinner/ or call HQ at940-321-2671.

Exciting New Prequel to 
Lincoln-Reagan Dinner! 

Congressman Louis Gohmert
We have added a really great prequel to the Dinner with Sen. Ted Cruz – a Conservative Victory and Strategy Session which will take place the day of the dinner at the same hotel. This conference  will begin at 9 a.m. and features the irrepressible CongressmanLOUIE GOHMERT as the luncheon speaker. Other featured panelists and speakers include actress Janine Turner and her daughter Juliette, author Karen Watson, Pastor Stephen Broden, Chairman Steve Munisteri, Craig James, Dr. Merrill Matthews, Tom Giovanetti and Rafael Cruz., Various topics of concern to conservatives will be discussed, from the culture war to our economy and energy. Most importantly, solutions will be discussed at the conference’s end.  The cost is only $50 (including lunch) and combo pricing of $125 with the dinner is available as well as special student rates of $35.  For more information or to register online, go here: http://dentongop.org/csandv-conference/ or call HQ at 940-321-2871. There also is special hotel room pricing for overnight stays. Don’t miss this fantastic educational and motivational day!

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Till next week,

Dianne Edmondson
County Chairman

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Now, I'd like to address one paragraph in particular:

"Speaking of Wendy Davis, I personally am concerned about the “super women” ticket of Abortion Barbie with Hispanic Sen Leticia Van De Putte as her running mate. We have our work cut out for us to dispute the Dems’ false accusations of a Republican “war on women.” GOP ladies, it’s up to us to speak out and speak up for the Republican Party and what its pro-life, pro-family, pro-jobs practices mean to women and their families!"

Where to begin? Let's start with the hypocrisy of calling Sen. Wendy Davis an "Abortion Barbie" while at the same time denying that there is any kind of GOP "war on women". And I must ask, do you usually introduce yourself as "Caucasian" Dianne Edmondson? If not, could you please explain why you felt the need to describe Sen. Leticia Can De Putte using her ethnicity? To me, that just perpetuates the racism problem that seems to be prevalent in your party right now.

As far as the GOP "war on women", you've highlighted Louis Gohmert in this update. Louis Gohmert, who told a woman who had a medically necessary late-term abortion that she "ripped her fetus apart". Louis Gohmert, who said that sex education "reminds him of Russian schools under the Soviet Union". He also said this about marriage equality (even though he was asked about gun control): "When you say it`s not a man and a woman anymore, then why not have three men and one woman, or four women and one man, or why not, you know, somebody has a love for an animal?" The same Louis Gohmert that said birth control was an offense to God? Or you have Ted Cruz, who called birth control "abortifacients". 

I could go on and on listing GOP members and their misguided and dangerous attempts to try to regulate birth control and abortion, based on their religious beliefs. Sadly, most of them are men. You do realize that these men have zero chance of becoming pregnant? 

Do you have children, Dianne? I do. Two daughters. They are still very young, but my thoughts are for their future. For all I know, one or both of them might turn out to be homosexual. And you know what? It wouldn't make me love them any less. You know what else? I will fight like hell to make sure they have the chance to be happy and have their lives and loves validated just like everyone else. Those in your party who complain that the "sanctity of marriage" will be destroyed if we allow gay marriage are failing at that argument. Funny, I don't ever see any of you protesting divorce. 

As far as abortion.......no one is FOR abortion. No one likes it. It's a terrible, tragic thing. But you know what else it is? NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. It is between a woman, her doctor, the baby's father, and her God, if she has one. This idea you people have that Sen. Wendy Davis will be giving out two-for-one coupons to abortion clinics is a little over the top, don't you agree? I want my daughters to have the choice should they ever have the need to use it. I would hope beyond hope that that never happens, but we can't predict the future. 

I'm going to copy and paste the First Amendment for you, because it seems you've forgotten what it says. Here it is:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Read that first part again. Please. Really let that sink in. Because what it says is that laws in this country cannot be made based on your religion. See? It doesn't matter what a two thousand year old book says, it matters what's right and fair. Personal liberty means the freedom freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc. Personal liberty means being able to live and believe as one chooses, not as others believe you should. Does this make sense to you? Because your party's platform talks all about liberty while at the same time trying to take it away from many of us. 

This is why your party is floundering. This is why so many young people are flocking to the other side. We all see your party heroes, like Paul Ryan, vowing to continue his fight to restrict personal liberties all while claiming it's for the betterment of this country. We see your party continually cow to corporations, leaving the working class in the dust. You've cut unemployment. You've cut welfare. You've cut food stamps. You've cut benefits for veterans. And you'll all claim it's the fault of President Obama. 

Here's some advice......stop watching Fox News. Stop believing every single thing that Ted Cruz says. Stop listening to Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Pat Robertson. These people couldn't care less about you. Their pockets are very full, thank you very much. Start broadening your horizons, listening and debating with people who have opposing viewpoints. You might learn something. They might learn something. But here's the deal.....you have to support your position with facts. You don't get to make stuff up. You also don't get to be completely disrespectful to those who might oppose your views, such as you did in your update. 

Finally, I'd like to remind you of something. Jesus said, "Love thy neighbor." He didn't say your white, wealthy, heterosexual, disease free, socially acceptable neighbor. There were no exceptions. Not one. Start practicing THAT little direction from the Bible, and we might get somewhere.

Sincerely, 

One Blunt Mom

Stop the insanity! -OR- How the spread of misinformation is tearing this country apart.

People, PLEASE......stop the insanity. Stop spreading misinformation. If you're unsure about something, ask. If you don't understand something, find the answer. If you disagree with someone, then argue your point.....WITHOUT name-calling, WITHOUT resorting to personal insults, and WITHOUT repeating the same inaccurate information over and over again. I am begging you. When you post and re-post without checking the validity of said post, you are doing nothing but perpetuating the paranoia and giving fodder to the sheep. 

Start sharing the truth. Here are some facts to get you started:

• Congress is not exempt from the Affordable Care Act. No, they're not. No really.....no, I'm not wrong, they really aren't. I promise.
• If you have insurance, you can keep your insurance. If your insurance has raised your premiums by outrageous amounts or if it has dropped your policy, that is the fault of your insurance company, NOT the ACA. Who do you think are some of the major backers of the fight against the ACA? Insurance companies. 
• Doctors who complain that the ACA costing their patients huge amounts of money, or costing them huge amounts of money, are using scare tactics. Plain and simple.  Doctors who tell you otherwise are more concerned about their pocketbook than your health. 
• We have all been supporting social medicine. It's called the emergency room. Now, people won't be able to use the emergency room as their free, personal general practitioners. 
• This nation was not founded on Christianity. It really wasn't. It doesn't take much research to learn that truth. Some of the first settlers came here to escape religious persecution. And, newsflash: religious freedom does not mean the freedom for you to make everyone believe what you believe. 
• Obama is NOT from Kenya. His ancestry is from Kenya. And unless you're 100% Native American, your ancestors weren't from here, either. 
• He is also not Muslim. And, brace yourselves......even if he were, that would not preclude him from being the President of the United States. 
• There was no voter fraud involved in the election of the President. He won fair and square. Those who oppose him love to use this falsehood to demonize him. In fact, read this: Voter Fraud Facts.
• A person's sexual orientation is no one else's business. If you're opposed to homosexuality, then stay heterosexual. It's that simple. 
• If you seriously think the earth is only 9000 years old, there's no help for you.
• One of the major backers of the Tea Party is the Ku Klux Klan. Still think they love this country? Some of them might, but they hate the President more. 
• It's ok to disagree with the President. It's ok to disagree with his policies. It's NOT ok to turn a blind eye to fact and reason simply because you dislike him. And if you dislike him only because of the color of his skin, well.......I have nothing else to say to you.
• There are many, many more. Do some research yourselves.

Why, as a mom, am I posting this? Because I want a better future for my daughters. I want them to know that there are good people out there who want what's best for them. I want them to know that even though they might disagree with someone or vice versa, there are ways to debate and argue points without resorting to insults. I want them to grow up knowing how to use their voices to affect real change, and how to stand up for what they believe is right. 

And I also want them to know that even if you disagree with him, we respect the President of the United States. We do not call him a "monkey", a "Kenyan imposter", a "dirty Muslim", a "terrorist", a "tyrant", an "imitator", or any of the other derogatory terms I've seen and heard people say about him. We do not EVER, and I mean NEVER......judge a person based on the color of their skin. Ever. 

So please read the President's speech. And please do so with an open mind. I'm asking you as a MOM.

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REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON THE REOPENING OF THE GOVERNMENT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat.

Well, last night, I signed legislation to reopen our government and pay America’s bills. Because Democrats and responsible Republicans came together, the first government shutdown in 17 years is now over. The first default in more than 200 years will not happen. These twin threats to our economy have now been lifted. And I want to thank those Democrats and Republicans for getting together and ultimately getting this job done.

Now, there’s been a lot of discussion lately of the politics of this shutdown. But let’s be clear: There are no winners here. These last few weeks have inflicted completely unnecessary damage on our economy. We don’t know yet the full scope of the damage, but every analyst out there believes it slowed our growth.

We know that families have gone without paychecks or services they depend on. We know that potential homebuyers have gotten fewer mortgages, and small business loans have been put on hold. We know that consumers have cut back on spending, and that half of all CEOs say that the shutdown and the threat of shutdown set back their plans to hire over the next six months. We know that just the threat of default -- of America not paying all the bills that we owe on time -- increased our borrowing costs, which adds to our deficit.

And, of course, we know that the American people’s frustration with what goes on in this town has never been higher. That's not a surprise that the American people are completely fed up with Washington. At a moment when our economic recovery demands more jobs, more momentum, we've got yet another self-inflicted crisis that set our economy back. And for what?

There was no economic rationale for all of this. Over the past four years, our economy has been growing, our businesses have been creating jobs, and our deficits have been cut in half. We hear some members who pushed for the shutdown say they were doing it to save the American economy -- but nothing has done more to undermine our economy these past three years than the kind of tactics that create these manufactured crises.

And you don’t have to take my word for it. The agency that put America’s credit rating on watch the other day explicitly cited all of this, saying that our economy “remains more dynamic and resilient” than other advanced economies, and that the only thing putting us at risk is -- and I'm quoting here -- “repeated brinksmanship.” That's what the credit rating agency said. That wasn’t a political statement; that was an analysis of what’s hurting our economy by people whose job it is to analyze these things.

That also happens to be the view of our diplomats who’ve been hearing from their counterparts internationally. Some of the same folks who pushed for the shutdown and threatened default claim their actions were needed to get America back on the right track, to make sure we're strong. But probably nothing has done more damage to America's credibility in the world, our standing with other countries, than the spectacle that we've seen these past several weeks. It's encouraged our enemies. It's emboldened our competitors. And it's depressed our friends who look to us for steady leadership.

Now, the good news is we'll bounce back from this. We always do. America is the bedrock of the global economy for a reason. We are the indispensable nation that the rest of the world looks to as the safest and most reliable place to invest -- something that’s made it easier for generations of Americans to invest in their own futures. We have earned that responsibility over more than two centuries because of the dynamism of our economy and our entrepreneurs, the productivity of our workers, but also because we keep our word and we meet our obligations. That’s what full faith and credit means -- you can count on us.

And today, I want our people and our businesses and the rest of the world to know that the full faith and credit of the United States remains unquestioned.

But to all my friends in Congress, understand that how business is done in this town has to change. Because we've all got a lot of work to do on behalf of the American people -- and that includes the hard work of regaining their trust. Our system of self-government doesn’t function without it. And now that the government is reopened, and this threat to our economy is removed, all of us need to stop focusing on the lobbyists and the bloggers and the talking heads on radio and the professional activists who profit from conflict, and focus on what the majority of Americans sent us here to do, and that’s grow this economy; create good jobs; strengthen the middle class; educate our kids; lay the foundation for broad-based prosperity and get our fiscal house in order for the long haul. That’s why we're here. That should be our focus.

Now, that won't be easy. We all know that we have divided government right now. There's a lot of noise out there, and the pressure from the extremes affect how a lot of members of Congress see the day-to-day work that’s supposed to be done here. And let's face it, the American people don’t see every issue the same way. But that doesn’t mean we can't make progress. And when we disagree, we don’t have to suggest that the other side doesn’t love this country or believe in free enterprise, or all the other rhetoric that seems to get worse every single year. If we disagree on something, we can move on and focus on the things we agree on, and get some stuff done.

Let me be specific about three places where I believe we can make progress right now. First, in the coming days and weeks, we should sit down and pursue a balanced approach to a responsible budget, a budget that grows our economy faster and shrinks our long-term deficits further.
At the beginning of this year, that’s what both Democrats and Republicans committed to doing. The Senate passed a budget; House passed a budget; they were supposed to come together and negotiate. And had one side not decided to pursue a strategy of brinksmanship, each side could have gotten together and figured out, how do we shape a budget that provides certainty to businesses and people who rely on government, provides certainty to investors in our economy, and we’d be growing faster right now.

Now, the good news is the legislation I signed yesterday now requires Congress to do exactly that -- what it could have been doing all along.

And we shouldn’t approach this process of creating a budget as an ideological exercise -- just cutting for the sake of cutting. The issue is not growth versus fiscal responsibility -- we need both. We need a budget that deals with the issues that most Americans are focused on: creating more good jobs that pay better wages.

And remember, the deficit is getting smaller, not bigger. It’s going down faster than it has in the last 50 years. The challenges we have right now are not short-term deficits; it’s the long-term obligations that we have around things like Medicare and Social Security. We want to make sure those are there for future generations.

So the key now is a budget that cuts out the things that we don’t need, closes corporate tax loopholes that don’t help create jobs, and frees up resources for the things that do help us grow -- like education and infrastructure and research. And these things historically have not been partisan. And this shouldn’t be as difficult as it’s been in past years because we already spend less than we did a few years ago. Our deficits are half of what they were a few years ago. The debt problems we have now are long term, and we can address them without shortchanging our kids, or shortchanging our grandkids, or weakening the security that current generations have earned from their hard work.

So that’s number one. Number two, we should finish fixing the job of -- let me say that again. Number two, we should finish the job of fixing our broken immigration system.

There's already a broad coalition across America that’s behind this effort of comprehensive immigration reform -- from business leaders to faith leaders to law enforcement. In fact, the Senate has already passed a bill with strong bipartisan support that would make the biggest commitment to border security in our history; would modernize our legal immigration system; make sure everyone plays by the same rules, makes sure that folks who came here illegally have to pay a fine, pay back taxes, meet their responsibilities. That bill has already passed the Senate. And economists estimate that if that bill becomes law, our economy would be 5 percent larger two decades from now. That’s $1.4 trillion in new economic growth.

The majority of Americans think this is the right thing to do. And it's sitting there waiting for the House to pass it. Now, if the House has ideas on how to improve the Senate bill, let's hear them. Let's start the negotiations. But let's not leave this problem to keep festering for another year, or two years, or three years. This can and should get done by the end of this year.
Number three, we should pass a farm bill, one that American farmers and ranchers can depend on; one that protects vulnerable children and adults in times of need; one that gives rural communities opportunities to grow and the long-term certainty that they deserve.

Again, the Senate has already passed a solid bipartisan bill. It's got support from Democrats and Republicans. It's sitting in the House waiting for passage. If House Republicans have ideas that they think would improve the farm bill, let's see them. Let's negotiate. What are we waiting for? Let's get this done.

So, passing a budget; immigration reform; farm bill. Those are three specific things that would make a huge difference in our economy right now. And we could get them done by the end of the year if our focus is on what's good for the American people. And that’s just the big stuff. There are all kinds of other things that we could be doing that don’t get as much attention.

I understand we will not suddenly agree on everything now that the cloud of crisis has passed. Democrats and Republicans are far apart on a lot of issues. And I recognize there are folks on the other side who think that my policies are misguided -- that’s putting it mildly. That’s okay. That’s democracy. That’s how it works. We can debate those differences vigorously, passionately, in good faith, through the normal democratic process.

And sometimes, we'll be just too far apart to forge an agreement. But that should not hold back our efforts in areas where we do agree. We shouldn’t fail to act on areas that we do agree or could agree just because we don’t think it's good politics; just because the extremes in our party don’t like the word “compromise.”

I will look for willing partners wherever I can to get important work done. And there's no good reason why we can't govern responsibly, despite our differences, without lurching from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. In fact, one of the things that I hope all of us have learned these past few weeks is that it turns out smart, effective government is important. It matters. I think the American people during this shutdown had a chance to get some idea of all the things, large and small, that government does that make a difference in people's lives.

We hear all the time about how government is the problem. Well, it turns out we rely on it in a whole lot of ways. Not only does it keep us strong through our military and our law enforcement, it plays a vital role in caring for our seniors and our veterans, educating our kids, making sure our workers are trained for the jobs that are being created, arming our businesses with the best science and technology so they can compete with companies from other countries. It plays a key role in keeping our food and our toys and our workplaces safe. It helps folks rebuild after a storm. It conserves our natural resources. It finances startups. It helps to sell our products overseas. It provides security to our diplomats abroad.

So let's work together to make government work better, instead of treating it like an enemy or purposely making it work worse. That’s not what the founders of this nation envisioned when they gave us the gift of self-government. You don’t like a particular policy or a particular president, then argue for your position. Go out there and win an election. Push to change it. But don’t break it. Don’t break what our predecessors spent over two centuries building. That's not being faithful to what this country is about.

And that brings me to one last point. I’ve got a simple message for all the dedicated and patriotic federal workers who’ve either worked without pay or been forced off the job without pay these past few weeks, including most of my own staff: Thank you. Thanks for your service. Welcome back. What you do is important. It matters.

You defend our country overseas. You deliver benefits to our troops who’ve earned them when they come home. You guard our borders. You protect our civil rights. You help businesses grow and gain footholds in overseas markets. You protect the air we breathe and the water our children drink. And you push the boundaries of science and space, and you guide hundreds of thousands of people each day through the glories of this country. Thank you. What you do is important. And don't let anybody else tell you different. Especially the young people who come to this city to serve -- believe that it matters. Well, you know what, you’re right. It does.

And those of us who have the privilege to serve this country have an obligation to do our job as best we can. We come from different parties, but we are Americans first. And that’s why disagreement cannot mean dysfunction. It can't degenerate into hatred. The American people’s hopes and dreams are what matters, not ours. Our obligations are to them. Our regard for them compels us all, Democrats and Republicans, to cooperate, and compromise, and act in the best interests of our nation –- one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thanks very much.

 — with Barack Obama.

Don't get spun by Internet rumors. (From www.factcheck.org)

Words cannot express how tired I am of the drama. Watching and listening to these politicians is worse than nails on a chalkboard. I am amazed that these right wing nutjobs claim to be pro-life, and yet many of the victims of this shutdown are children. The propaganda being spewed by those against the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT is mind-boggling. What's even worse is the number of people who actually believe most of it. And the birthers.....holy crap. Obama is not Kenyan, his ancestry is from Kenya. And unless you are 100% Native American, your ancestors weren't from here either. He is also not Muslim. And even if he were, that would not preclude him from being the President of the United States.

Seriously, people......the Koolaid is BEYOND tainted and you shouldn't be drinking it. And you look pretty silly in those tin foil hats.

Just sayin'.

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From www.factcheck.org:

Don’t get spun by Internet rumors.

Just because you read it on somebody’s blog or in an email from a friend or relative doesn’t mean it’s true. It’s probably not, as we advised in our special report “Is this chain e-mail true?” on March 18, 2008. On this page we feature a list of the false or misleading viral rumors we’re asked about most often, and a brief summary of the facts. But click on the links to read the full articles. There is a lot more detail in each answer. If you’re looking for articles about other viral claims, please use our search function.

Will doctors be required to ask patients questions about their sexual history under the Affordable Care Act?
No. A program created by the stimulus law – not Obamacare — encourages health professionals to use electronic records. But there is no requirement in the program to ask anything about sexual history.
Oct. 1, 2013

Does the health care law contain a “hidden” tax on hunting and fishing equipment?
No. There is a 2.3 percent excise tax on certain medical devices. Cabela’s, a Nebraska sporting goods company, applied the tax to some of its customers’ purchases by mistake.
Sep. 18, 2013

Will there be forced home inspections under the Affordable Care Act?
No. The law provides grants for state home-visiting programs for expectant and new parents. The programs are voluntary and participants can opt out any time.
Aug. 26, 2013

Is it true that there are bills in Congress that would exempt members and their staffs and families from buying into “Obamacare”?
No. Congress members and staffers will be required to buy insurance through the exchanges on Jan. 1.
May 3, 2013; Updated on Aug. 7, 2013

Do 11 states now have more people on welfare than they have employed?
A viral email making this claim is off base. It distorts a Forbes article that compares private-sector workers with those “dependent on the government,” including government workers and pensioners, and Medicaid recipients — not just “people on welfare.”
Jan. 11, 2013

Is President Obama honoring Jane Fonda as one of the women of the century?
No. That was done 11 years ago by Barbara Walters of ABC News.
Nov. 22, 2010

Did Muslim terrorists stage a “dry run” on AirTran flight 297?
The airline and an eyewitness say this e-mailed claim is “an urban legend” spread by persons who “live in a fantasy world.”
Dec. 14, 2009

Are Obama’s early records “sealed”?
No. Many records that presidential candidates don’t ordinarily release do remain confidential, but they are not “sealed” by a court. The 16 claims in a widely distributed graphic are mostly false or distorted.
July 31, 2012

Does the Obama administration intend to “force gun control and a complete ban on all weapons for U.S. citizens” through a United Nations treaty?
No. The administration plans to negotiate a treaty to regulate the international export and import of weapons. It says that it won’t support any treaty that regulates the domestic transfer or ownership of weapons, or that infringes on the Second Amendment.
June 27, 2012

Did Barack and Michelle Obama “surrender” their law licenses to avoid ethics charges?
No. A court official confirms that no public disciplinary proceeding has ever been brought against either of them, contrary to a false Internet rumor. By voluntarily inactivating their licenses, they avoid a requirement to take continuing education classes and pay hundreds of dollars in annual fees. Both could practice law again if they chose to do so.
June 14, 2012

Is it true that members of Congress, their staffers and their family members do not have to pay back their student loans?
Not true. Some congressional employees are eligible to have up to $60,000 of student loans repaid after several years — just like other federal workers. But that’s not the case for members of Congress or their families.
Jan. 6, 2011

Is there any truth in the e-mail claiming to give “a few highlights from the first 500 pages of the Healthcare bill”?
Barely. We examined all 48 claims, finding 26 of them to be false and 18 to be misleading, only partly true or half true. Only four are accurate.
Aug. 28, 2009

Will Muslim Americans be exempt from the mandate to have health insurance? 
The Muslim faith does not forbid purchasing health insurance, and no Muslim group has ever been considered exempt under the definitions used in the health care law.
May 20, 2010

What about the “Congressional Reform Act of 2011″?
A viral e-mail calls for fixing some abuses and excesses that don’t exist, repeating misinformed claims that we’ve addressed before.
March 18, 2011

Does Illinois pay a grandmother $1,500 per month per child to be the foster parent to her eight grandchildren?
No. State officials have no record of such a case, and state law would not allow it. This second-hand story spread by a Danville urologist isn’t true.
Dec. 10, 2010

Has President Obama canceled the May 6 National Day of Prayer?
No. This widely circulated falsehood echoes similar claims made last year when the president issued a pro-prayer-day proclamation but didn’t hold White House services as President Bush had done.
April 29, 2010

Is the ACLU suing to have cross-shaped headstones removed from military cemeteries?
The ACLU has filed no such suit, and it hasn’t sued to “end prayer from the military” either.
July 5, 2009

Has a “smoking gun” been found to prove Obama was not born a U.S. citizen? Did he attend Occidental College on a scholarship for foreign students?
This chain e-mail is a transparent April Fools’ Day hoax. It fabricates an AP news story about an nonexistent group, and makes false claims about Obama and the Fulbright program.
May 7, 2009

Is Congress about to give Social Security to illegal immigrants?
No. Congress hasn’t voted on any measure to pay benefits to illegal immigrants, and has no plans for any such vote.
March 1, 2009
(This long-standing falsehood was bandied about back in 2006 and again during the 2008 presidential election.)

Was Obama born in the U.S.A.?
Yes. We give you the truth about Obama’s birth certificate.
Aug. 21, 2008
Updated Nov. 1, 2008

Is there a connection between FactCheck.org and Barack Obama or Bill Ayers?
None, aside from benefiting at different times from the charity of the late publisher Walter Annenberg. We are a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and get funding from the Annenberg Foundation, created by Walter Annenberg in 1989. Ayers was one of three Chicago educators who applied for a grant from the Annenberg Foundation in 1995, which was one of 5,200 grants the foundation made during its first 15 years. That $49 million grant, plus additional funds raised locally, funded the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which sought to improve Chicago public schools. Obama was selected by Chicago officials (not Ayers) to chair the board set up to administer Annenberg Challenge funds, and he headed it until 1999. FactCheck.org came into being in late 2003. For other details see our Oct. 10, 2008, article about Obama and Ayers, which includes a sidebar: “FactCheck.org and the ‘Annenberg Challenge.’ “

A Priceless Response to a Conservative (Wish I Had Written It)

Hello friends........

I came across this amazingly well-written, painstakingly researched article the other day. It really is worth your time to read it, and please don’t skip over the links. I am asking you to really read this, think about it, and share it. The more people who know the truth, or at least move towards finding the truth for themselves, the better. 

This is a very scary time in our country, and there seem to be way too many people drinking the Kool Aid. They are not willing to find out the truth for themselves before believing every single negative thing said against our president. Look, I don’t agree with everything he’s done, but I think he is doing the best he can, especially when battling against a Republican party that refuses to cooperate in any way, shape, or form. But you know what? He is the President of the United States, duly elected by a majority of voters, whether you like it or not, and he deserves the respect due to him.

All of this talk of impeachment and treason, talk of him trashing the Constitution......please, tell me, exactly what has he done that would warrant impeachment? How has he committed treason? He may have made decisions that weren't popular, but what president hasn't? The biggest problem I have with most of this inane gibberish is that it stems from deep-seated racism on the part of many people. If you have a problem with his policies, that's one thing.....if you have a problem with him because of his skin color, that's quite another.

The hysteria, paranoia, and fear-mongering being perpetuated by the GOP lately is absolutely ridiculous. If you don’t believe that, you seriously need to crawl out from under your rock and take a look around. 

I have said before......I am an independent. I have views that are considered liberal, and I have views that are considered conservative. What I also have, that seems to be hugely lacking in so many public forums, is COMMON SENSE. I am sick of the "libtard" labels being thrown around, I am tired of the insults and vulgarity leveled at anyone who dares to question anything done by the Republican party. I especially love the term "racist" being thrown around when anyone disagrees with something Obama has done. "You don't like Obama? You must be racist!" PLEASE!! And the Tea Party? Good lord. They might as well just put on their pointed white hats and come out in the open. 

So again, please read this. Please share it. And if you don’t agree with it, well.....enjoy that Kool Aid you seem to be so fond of.

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My Reply to My Conservative Friend

August 26, 2012 at 4:22pm

Today I got an email from a conservative friend who implored me to go watch the movie “2016 Obama’s America.” Here is my response to her.

Marilyn, please bear with me. Here is my take on the history of what has happened to our country.

Back in 1971, a corporate lawyer by the name of Lewis Powell penned a document that is known as the “Powell Memorandum.” In this document, which was sent to his friend at the US Chamber of Commerce, Powell extolled the virtues of blending business interests with political interests…attacked the hard work of people like you and me who care about our environment, attacked the education system, arts and sciences, in that they impede business interests. That memorandum eventually spawned right wing “think tanks” and created a massive lobbying effort that we are paying for today. Literally. With our tax dollars.

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/powell_memo_lewis.html

In the later 70’s, the Republican party initiated an agenda that they called “Starve the Beast.” The purpose of the agenda was to intentionally run up the debt to a point where the cutting of social programs would be a necessity. Reagan bought in and ran up deficit and debt to previously unequaled levels. It would take a president and congress that subscribed to this doctrine to bring it to fruition. We lived that reality during the Bush tenure.  Massive tax cuts for the wealthy, a trillion dollar big pharma giveaway, and a couple of wars ensured that the beast would indeed be starved. The deficit accumulated under Republican “leadership” amounts to approximately $12 trillion dollars. Here’s proof: 

http://zfacts.com/p/1170.html 

Starve the Beast analysis:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/perspectives/paul-krugman-starve-the-beast-fiscal-calamity-is-the-gops-plan-to-shrink-government-234845/

Combined with the starve the beast mentality, came the part two of the double whammy - deregulation of the financial markets. During the first decade of the 21st century, we realized a fraud perpetrated against all the participants of Capitalism that dwarfs any fraud previously. Trillions of (non-existent) dollars were literally scooped up from the global public and created a breathtakingly unimaginable debt vacuum. Cheap credit, loans to anyone who could fog a mirror were made, and we (and nearly every Capitalist country on earth) are living the results of this mentality. State and local government who invested deeply are bankrupt. Ratings agencies rated these packaged bundles of garbage at triple A (why? Because they could) and everybody bought in.

By 2007, everything was in place. The US debt had run up into the multi-trillions. The financial markets were ready to implode. Then, it happened. The global recession, brought on by conservative economic and regulatory policies, hit with a force that we still reel from. State and local governments that invested heavily started to financially collapse. Millions of Americans who trusted in our economic system were left bankrupt from the fraud. State and local governments were left in a vacuum. International governments imploded from the financial toll.  Millions and millions of people are suffering from this outright fraud perpetrated against humanity.

When President Obama was elected, within the first days of his leadership, Mitch McConnell made it clear. The first thing on his agenda was not reversing the massive unemployment brought on by this fraud. It was not turning around a battered economy. It was to make President Obama a one term president. Republicans in Congress agreed. The evidence is there for all to see. The number of filibusters in Congress is unequaled. Nothing, repeat NOTHING the president has done to help our citizens has been embraced by the Republican party. The level of vile hatred generated against our president is absolutely unprecedented via unsubstantiated lies and repeated via chain email, and talking points. A record number of anti-citizen’s rights bills have been penned by Republicans at the state and federal levels. This information is all out there, Marilyn. Women’s reproductive rights, equal pay for equal work, gay equality.

I won’t even go into the fact that Republicans have made every effort to undermine our government from within. Unqualified appointments, making decisions against the best interests of the country to “prove” that “government doesn’t work.” It’s nothing but a corporate sell-out, with the blue-print being the Powell Memorandum. 

Needless to say, I am passionate about this. I am absolutely disgusted that America has come from being number one in the world on nearly every aspect, to trailing far behind other western countries. Health care, public education, the list is nearly endless. By every measure, our country has suffered from the conservative-corporate collusion. We are literally living the results of an agenda that has taken 40 years to complete.

I, for one, want to see the United States Republican party outlawed as a treasonous entity. Their successes have brought on the failure of the American institution. I am thoroughly disgusted with the lies, the hypocrisy, the outright fraud perpetrated against you, me and  every participant of Capitalism. Capitalism is a failure, Marilyn, it is a failure that was ensured by a deliberate stacking of the deck AGAINST the participants.

I will never support another Republican at any level of government. The Republican agenda is poison.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If feels good to finally get this off my chest in one sitting.

Bruce

(Written by Bruce Bacon, https://www.facebook.com/bruce.bacon01)

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Thanks for reading and sharing.

Sincerely,

One Blunt Mom