Today's Conservative News

Federal Judge Strikes a Blow Against Regulatory Fascism by RedState (2012-02-22 18:41:16, 3)
Via the (.pdf) we are informed that a Federal Judge (the same judge who ruled in 2010 that DADT was unconstitutional and ordered an openly gay service member reinstated to the military) has Washington state pharmacy regulations that can only accurately be described as fascistic. The regulations in question declared that no pharmacy in the State of Washington was permitted to refuse to dispense Plan B on conscience grounds. That’s it; no requirement that the pharmacy be state funded (pharmacies, unlike hospitals, generally manage just fine without nurturing from the government teat), just a blanket law that you cannot refuse to dispense Plan B on conscience grounds. Keep in mind, you can refuse to dispense it because of business reasons (it’s not profitable, no reliable source of supply), just not for conscience ones. The Becket Fund notes concerning the regulations:

Romney is the anti-establishment candidate by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 18:40:57, 2)
Bizarrely, the establishment is denouncing Mitt Romney as 'too establishment.'

Fired ESPN editor: Do my actions count for nothing in judging whether my motive was racist? by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 18:40:54, 3)
Intent.

The Effects of Dependency Programs: More Harm than Help by Big Government (2012-02-22 18:17:17, 2)
There's still no such thing as a free lunch, although under the Obama administration you may disagree. According to the 2012 Index of Dependence on Government, produced annually by The Heritage Foundation, they report more than 70 percent of all federal spending goes to dependency programs. And now with almost 50 percent of the population [...]

Poll: Romney on the rise in Arizona? by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 18:10:02, 2)
Looks like it.

Stories From The USMC Combat Helicopter Association by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 18:02:32, 2)
The Gunner’s Lot During my brief experiences as port .30 cal. machine gunner in VMO-2′s UH-1Es, HMM-363′s UH-34s and starboard 50 cal. machine gunner in HMM-161′s CH-46s, several thoughts occurred to me during my 1967 and 1968 assignments to III MAF as a combat artist serving in I Corps. As a Marine buck sergeant helicopter [...]

Sergeant Major Of The Marine Corps: Sergeant Major Thomas J. McHugh by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 18:00:00, 2)
Sergeant Major Thomas J. McHugh served as the 3rd Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 29 June 1962 until 16 July 1965. Sergeant Major McHugh was born 23 December 1919 in New York City, the son of the late Peter and Bridget Porter McHugh, immigrants from Scotland and Ireland, respectively. He grew up in [...]

Web Gives Voters PowerTo Nominate Candidates by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 17:58:56, 2)
Americans Elect allows voters to be delegates and nominate independent, third-party presidential candidates

MLB airbrushes own history with Astros throwback jerseys by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 17:48:45, 2)
Why the league is censoring Houston's 1962 uniforms.

Debate night: What to watch by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 17:47:19, 3)
Debate night: What to watch

Legally armed homeowner catches thief, is jailed for firing warning shot by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 17:46:08, 3)
Man faces felony reckless conduct charge: 'I fired into the ground, to the left of him'

TX Talk Show Host Blasts Local Media ‘Smear Campaign’ Over Hit-and-Run Allegations Outside Gay Bar by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 17:43:09, 3)
A conservative radio talk radio show host in Houston hit back at local media Tuesday over allegations that he was involved in a hit-and-run accident outside a gay night club. Michael Berry, a former Houston city councilman, said during his KTRH show he has been the victim of a smear campaign in a "hit piece" based on "rumors" and "unnamed sources." He went after local media outlets that he said have breathlessly reported that the alleged incident took place outside a gay bar. "Gay bar, gay bar, gay bar, gay bar. So many times in the story, I lost count," he said. "Saying gay bar and conservative talk host in one sentence repeatedly, oh that's too awesome for a news station to pass up." Berry, who said he was addressing the matter against the advice of his attorney, did not go into great detail about the Jan. 31 incident because of potential legal proceedings. According to the , a police department crash report said a car registered to Berry is suspected of backing into another vehicle outside TC's Showbar. He has not been charged in the incident.

Local media outlets have purporting to show Berry inside the club before the accident took place. Berry said the footage only shows that he ordered a beer and used the restroom, not that he committed any crime. He said he didn't go to TC's because it was a gay bar, but went for a beer and there were "gay people inside." "There was cold beer waiting inside," Berry said. "Is that a crime? The fact that I'm not afraid of the fact that some of the people inside may be gay? Makes it a bad thing? Would it be better if I was at a strip club? Or a Hooters?" He said he's never once bashed gay people on his show, despite the prevailing thought that "conservatives hate gays -- or so we're told. Conservatives are all gay-bashers apparently." "Really? I hate gay people? You jackass! You never listen to my show! Get your facts straight, you stupid fools," Berry said. "I don't have to bash gays to prove that I'm not one." Berry charged that local media outlets, particularly Houston's KPRC, are on a crusade against him to boost their ratings during sweeps week. He said he's cooperated with the police "100 percent" and denied he was engaging in any type of cover-up. Was it a cover up? Berry asked. No, it was a smear campaign. Channel 2, I've got my sights on you .You can smear my name without me but I'm not going down without a fight. Listen to Berry passionately address the issue on his show below:

Rick Santorum, food stamps and big-government conservatism by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 17:40:00, 3)
Aid.

Breitbart: David Brock twitchy and antisocial, in cahoots with HuffPo by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 17:39:23, 3)
'Something was clearly not right with this guy,' Breitbart recalls from a Christmas brunch in 1997

Debate Preview by The American Spectator and The Spectacle Blog (2012-02-22 17:36:00, 3)
Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul will be debating once again on CNN. It is the first Republican presidential debate of this month and it comes at a potentially pivotal point in the race. Romney is clinging to a narrow lead in Arizona and is eroding a similarly slim Santorum lead in Michigan, both states holding their primaries on Tuesday. Santorum has emerged as Romney's latest leading challenger and knockout wins on Tuesday could make him the frontrunner. Santorum has already leapfrogged Romney in most national polls. Similarly, if Romney holds on in Arizona and comes back in Michigan -- one of his home states -- it will give him a boost heading into Super Tuesday, perhaps rekindling talk that he is the inevitable nominee once again. One thing to watch will be Romney's stance toward Santorum in the debate. Will he be conservative, hoping to avoid a mistake that will stall his Michigan momentum and deal him an embarrassing loss, or will he take the aggressive approach that worked against Gingrich in Florida? Romney's attempts to paint Santorum as a fiscal liberal have floundered because both he and his congressional surrogates lack a clearly superior record on these issues. It is hard to see how he can directly go after Santorum on social issues without also bringing up his own liberal baggage from Massachusetts. An x factor in this debate, as usual, is Paul. Paul has gone up on the air with anti-Santorum negative ads in Michigan, where the Texas congressman is running ahead of Gingrich in the polls. Paul can more credibly attacks Santorum on issues like Medicare Part D, because he actually voted against the entitlement expansion.

Reality 2012: Even Obama Has Lower Expectations for Obama This Time Around by Big Government (2012-02-22 17:29:16, 2)
In 2008, while Republican crowds were chanting USA, USA, USA, during Sarah Palin's speeches, Democrats were chanting hope and change as Barack Obama talked about fundamentally transforming America. And to their shame, many of the people chanting hope and change actually believed Obama could deliver. Of course, by the end of 2009 the only significant [...]

Religious broadcasters group reportedly urges IRS review of Media Matters' status by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 17:27:35, 3)

Tesla Motors downplays threat of 'brick' problem by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 17:27:35, 2)

Report: Conyers' decrepit home drives up insurance by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 17:27:35, 3)

Atheist Leader Cites Founding Fathers While Defending Demand for Removal of 10 Commandments in N.C. by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 17:16:49, 3)
Earlier this month, about a drama unfolding between the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist and freethinking group based in Wisconsin, and a local government in North Carolina. The non-believing group is demanding that officials remove a Ten Commandments plaque that is hanging in the Newland Town Hall. () In an interview with the Avery Journal's Matthew Hundley, FFRF's co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor , claiming that the Ten Commandments plaque belongs in a church" or a private home.

So far, though, the town has not complied with the demand and is carefully reviewing the group's request. Currently, town officials are relying upon legal advice as they weigh the pros and cons associated with the plaque's presence in the public building. Upon the advice of the town's attorney we are not making any comments now, claims Newland Mayor Valerie Jaynes. When asked what would happen if the town refused to remove the plaque, Gaylor seemed more than confident.

"We are more optimistic than you. We are an educational group, a state/church watchdog," she said. "We find that often (all that is needed is) a little bit of a wake-up call or a letter to public officials who are unknowingly or unwittingly violating the Constitution." Then, she proceeded to express her group's stated successes at stripping Ten Commandments displays from public venues. We have had great success," Gaylor explained. "We have removed 10 Commandments all around the country."

Gaylor argues that McCreary County vs. ACLU, a 2005 Supreme Court case, already settled this matter in the atheists' favor (you can read more about this case ). The government has no business telling you what god to worship, how many gods to worship or whether to worship any god at all," she continued, railing against the presence of the religious document in the Newland Town Hall. "If you want to take the Lord's name in vain in your own home, then go ahead. The government can't tell you not to do that." Hundley, though, started getting into specifics. He asked Gaylor how she would feel if a religious item were present inside of a public employee's office rather than in a highly-visible area. In this case, the atheist leader said she may still be opposed. "That can be workplace discrimination if it is a government employee's office," she explained. "Sometimes, you see things like a tiny nativity scene on somebody's personal desk, but if they are dealing with the public or a lot of employees, that is still a no-no because that is still private property using the city to promote their viewpoint." Of course, she ended by claiming that the founding fathers would have never wanted such displays. "We have no Ten Commandments in our foundational documents, in our Constitution," she said. "Our founders did not want religion and government to mix." This interview follows a Feb. 7 letter that was written to the town by FFRF staff attorney Patrick Elliot. In it, he said, in part, I'm writing to urge you to immediately remove the Ten Commandments plaque from Newland Town Hall Anyone entering the building for necessary government business will be confronted by it. (H/T: )

Humbleflog by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 17:11:58, 2)
Eerie Prescience, Esquire Div.

Poll: Plurality prefers Christie to Palin or Jeb Bush as dark-horse nominee by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 17:05:31, 4)
Oh my.

We are Losing the Tax Debate Even Though We’re Right by RedState (2012-02-22 17:00:35, 2)
Let me get something out of the way first: I get it. I understand. I know that 47% of the country pays no income tax and I am fully aware that that is unfair. I’m part of that 53% of taxpayers and I find it infuriating as well. We exist in a system that allows half of the country to vote against the other half’s best interests. Half of the country can vote in ways to ensure that the other half pays bills that they don’t have to pay. It’s completely and utterly imbalanced and so far from what a free and just society would do as to be laughable. That said, I propose a simple hypothesis that I think most people would agree with: We only change this disparity by getting more people to agree with us than disagree with us. Accepting my hypothesis, let’s look for a moment at how we currently discuss taxes in America when the debate is between the left and the right. The left says we need to “pay our fair share” and we respond indignantly that “we already are! It’s you that aren’t!” The truth of our reply aside, our ability to get people to agree with us is not helped with this tactic. For one thing, we are accepting a premise from the outset: taxes are about “fairness.” I would submit that taxes are about fairness. Though taxation has in the last century been a tool for social engineering and inflation control, I’d like to believe that taxes exist ideally as a means through which government pays for its ability to exist. Certainly the government is required to apply all laws to all citizens equally, but this isn’t as simple as it sounds. For instance, someone who is under 18 does not in fact have the same rights as someone that is over 18. This isn’t an unfair application of the law however, since the person who is now over 18 was at one time under 18 and was therefore treated exactly the same. But more importantly, using the “fairness” rhetoric simply can’t work when there are opposing points of views about what constitutes fairness. Fairness is subjective and there can be a completely different standard from one person to the next. It doesn’t matter how reasoned a point of view you may have about fairness and equality, there simply will never be enough people willing to vote against what they perceived best interest to make the impact we need. I believe our problem is that we’re trying to convince this group of people that they are working against someone best interest instead of showing them how they are working against their own. We do this by being addicted to the income tax argument. We can scream all we want about how it’s unfair that the guy earning the bottom 20% of income earners doesn’t have to pay income taxes, but in the end, he’s looking at his monthly income and outgo and saying, “If you want to make this about fairness, I don’t think it’s fair that you want my kids to starve.” While it’s certainly an unreasonable standard for you or me to be responsible for another man’s ability to feed his children, I think it’s a mistake to continue believing we “win” simply by being aware of this truth. No, we can’t be responsible for every person that doesn’t earn enough money to pay for food. But we don’t win by knowing that. We don’t win by telling him that. Now, if it can be established that current income taxation is unfair but that that isn’t the primary concern of the government and that furthermore, crafting the argument around perception of fairness doesn’t work anyway or worse, works in the favor of our opposition, then what does work? How do we convince people to think differently? One way we do not do it is by adopting our own version of class warfare. The truth is, Barack Obama is not the only one who has been engaging in class warfare rhetoric. While “The 53%” movement feels good and feels justified, it’s essentially excluding the possibility that the 47% will want to be involved. It seems to accept the premise that we are enemies working against one another. Sure there will be principled members of that group that are willing to join even though they aren’t technically “in” the 53%. But by and large it’s an exclusionary slogan, born in response to the 99% movement. Basically we became so enraged at the 99% slogan that we created our own class warfare slogan. This simply cannot be the answer. It’s fun, it’s snarky, but it’s very “I’m rubber you’re glue.” It’s playing to base conservative instincts about individual responsibility but it’s applying group responsibility to the 47% that don’t pay taxes and in many cases, alienating them. I’ve long felt like the 53% movement is an elaborate way of simply giving up. What we’re essentially saying is that the income taxation model is unfair to 5.3 out of 10 of us and so we are going to stand toe to toe against the 4.7 other people and say that to them. And we don’t care if it alienates them because screw them, they aren’t paying taxes anyway and on top of that, we can win even if it’s only with 53% of the vote, so who needs ‘em? So far that point of view has not altered our seemingly unstoppable path to statism. While the left continually takes 2 steps forward and 1 step back, we take 1 step forward and 2 steps back. We aren’t winning. The question for me is, why have we separated income taxes from all other forms of taxation? Is there a reason to ignore other taxes and only focus on the most divisive one? Forget the 53%. Forget the 47%. I’m talking about the 100%. There are taxes that 100% of us pay every day and every single American would be more than happy to have go away. From gasoline taxes to sales taxes to telephone taxes to hidden taxes (for instance, property taxes which in turn are passed through to the renter) every person in America is paying for government. To be clear, the taxes shift from federal to state to municipal and of course some people get so much money out of the government that even paying all of their local and state taxes, they come out ahead. I know this. But once again, knowing this doesn’t change one mind. The Federalist debate is a debate to be had, certainly. The question of a state’s right to do something versus the federal government’s right to do supersede it, is probably going to be constant topic this election season considering the Romneycare vs Obamacare aspect of the campaigns. But lets not mix up our philosophical viewpoints here. Yes, a state’s right to do something without federal intervention is important but taxes and an individual’s monthly disposable income knows no borders. The guy trying to feed his kid doesn’t care if the tax he just paid to have a working telephone comes from Montana or from Washington. He just knows he has less money. Is it perhaps time to consider that there are masses of people who don’t understand how much money they are losing every month to taxation of all stripes? Watch this video, which is a disgusting display of the mindset of someone that is living off of the government dole: After recovering from your disgust, think about something other than his complete inability to understand that he’s spending other people’s money. The conclusion that I immediately drew from this is that he instinctually wants to keep as much money as possible to spend on himself. An obvious point, but an important one. What it tells me is that he’s reachable. He wants to keep “his” money and if he sees an opportunity to do so, he’ll take it. If he sees someone threatening to take it from him by increasing his taxes or even just saying it’s not fair that he doesn’t pay enough, he’ll undoubtedly shut down and be incapable of listening. The guy in this video infuriates me, but my life is better if he votes the way I do. As much as I think he’s a shiftless, lazy, man-child, the United States of America is better if he votes for the smaller government ticket. So what do I want? Do I want to scold him for not “getting it?” Or do I want to convince him to come to my way of thinking, something which would appear to be very simple to do since, like most normal human beings, he understands the value of being able to choose how to spend his money? The fundamental question for me is, “Do we believe that low taxes creates prosperity or not?” I know I do. And as such, even though I know there are tons of unmotivated people, we have over-extended unemployment checks going out weekly, there’s medicare fraud, and a number of other things that our tax dollars are being squandered on just so other people can be lazy, in spite of all that I still believe that a lower taxed society will bring about less of all of those negatives. I think there are millions of people that are on unemployment, have been on it for too long, but are still decent, hard working folks that just can’t find a job and have to feed their kids. Three years after their job loss, we shouldn’t be paying for their lives but what parent is going to opt to not feed their kids? I believe a lower taxed society will help that person. So while we squabble over the guys that are taking advantage of the system and how much they suck, we do nothing to convince that guy, or others, that they are better off keeping more of their own money, even if it’s at the state level, even if it’s money that they got because they’re cheating the system. The Democrats found a way to make taxes noble. So much so that some poor sap making a classic joke about lowering taxes by Vice President Biden. That’s because in the Democrat party, and in the 47% that we all get so angry about, taxes are . I think priority one needs to be convincing the general public, the poor, the old, those on welfare, those taking advantage of the system, everyone…that taxes are bad. We do this by, instead of constantly putting forth graphs that show the income tax disparity, instead show graphs about how much money is being spent by the lower income earners just to buy groceries. Create visual examples and stirring speeches about how many days a year a person spends working on behalf of their federal, state and local governments. Stop trying to convince people that aren’t paying one tax out of a bajillion that we are a “taxed versus untaxed” society. We’re just one society, and it’s all overtaxed and you could afford to do more if you kept more of the money that’s being taken from you. Make the people that aren’t paying income taxes aware of the amount of money they have every month but never see. Half of our culture no longer puts death and taxes next to each other, no longer understands that Uncle Sam taking your money is a bad thing, no longer understands what angered Robin Hood and what prompted the Boston Tea Party. This half of our culture has actually reached a point that they view taxes as a noble form of patriotism and charity. We need to start showing them how it’s affecting their lives on a daily basis. We must get people to hate taxes again and look at it as the absolutely minimal necessary evil that it’s intended to be. We don’t get there by scolding them. We get there by teaching them. We are the 100%.

Beware the Nullification Temptation by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation (2012-02-22 17:00:27, 3)
With state legislatures back in session, legislators are looking for options to reassert their legitimate role in the constitutional structure of federalism. Sadly, a few otherwise well-intentioned legislators are once again turning to the discredited and unconstitutional doctrine of nullification the claim that an individual state legislature has the authority to veto federal laws. Nullification may appear to offer a tempting silver bullet solution to the overexpansion of the federal government, but it is imperative that legislators reject this unconstitutional and unlawful doctrine. Heritage recently released a factsheet distilling the core …

Rand Paul says it would be an honor to be considered as Romney's veep (this explains a lot) by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 16:59:57, 3)
Rand Paul says 'it would be an honor to be considered' as Romney's veep (this explains a lot)

Affirmative action and diversiphilia return to the Supreme Court by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 16:50:57, 3)
Is affirmative action on its last legs?

Did Wisconsin Teacher Union President Mary Bell Tell a Lie? by Big Government (2012-02-22 16:44:02, 2)
MADISON Wisconsin Education Association Council President Mary Bell is a liar. That's according to a recent blog on BigGovernment.com by Collin Roth of Media Trackers. Roth looked into recent media reports that WEAC officials asked prospective gubernatorial candidates to promise to veto any budget that doesn't restore collective bargaining privileges for public sector unions. He was inspired [...]

Man's childhood comic collection fetches $3.5M by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 16:37:56, 3)

Virginia GOP Gov. Bob McDonnell Flip-Flops on Abortion Bill Libs Liken to ‘State-Sponsored Rape’ by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 16:31:30, 2)
RICHMOND, Va. (The Blaze/AP) -- Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell - facing outrage from women, national ridicule from television comedians and appeals from GOP moderates -- is opposing a Republican bill requiring vaginal probes of women seeking abortions. On The Blaze blog, Liz Klimas recently tackled in the bill:

McDonnell, a social conservative, appealed Wednesday for amendments to the bitterly contested bill to make a transvaginal ultrasound optional for women seeking abortions. In the procedure, a wand-like device is inserted and used to send out sound waves. His written statement came as the House's majority Republicans quarreled about how to handle the legislation minutes before it was to be debated. It , in part:

In January, he seemed supportive of the measure during a radio interview. , "to be able to have that information before making what most people would say is a very important, serious, life-changing decision I think is appropriate." "Up until last weekend, McDonnell and his aides had said the governor would sign the measure if it made it to his desk," the Washington Post . The bill had already won Senate passage. Opponents say it amounts to the state violating a woman's privacy. Last week ThinkProgress likened it to rape, :

Supporters say it is medically prudent to determine fetal gestational age and, perhaps, discourage abortions.

What Happens When People Hear Both Sides of the Debate? by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation (2012-02-22 16:30:36, 2)
On the morning of Tuesday, February 21, 2012, a debate took place at the World Bank, and the outcome was stunning. Heritage's David Kreutzer and Yale University economics professor Robert Mendelsohn debated Marianne Fay of the World Bank and Paul Ekins of the University College London. The proposition was Green Development is necessary, affordable, and urgent. The audience was the World Bank's Sustainable Development Network, whose initial preferences were no surprise. Polled before the debate, over two-thirds of the audience supported the proposition, and most of the others chose undecided. …

Bob McDonnell on Virginia ultrasound law: Let's talk about the budget by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 16:30:05, 2)
Deflection.

Stunned Doctor: Teen Basketball Player Continued Shooting Even While in a Coma! by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 16:28:07, 3)
Maggie Meier was a sharpshooter on an AAU basketball team that had won the national title. Her father Steve was the coach of this team. The Kansas City teen lived and breathed basketball, so it was only natural when she entered high school in 2008 that she would want to play. But she didn't end up on the court. Not because she wasn't good enough though: she was in a coma. Did that stop her from shooting around? Apparently not.

The Daily reports that , including seizures, that eventually led doctors to discover she had meningitis that caused swelling in the brain -- mycoplasma meningoencephalitis. She was in the hospital for 100 days and in a coma for two and a half months. Amazingly, when her parents moved her into a wheel chair and placed a beach ball in her hands, she began to shoot. But she would soon return to a comatose condition. The Kansas City Star reported Meier's mother as saying long enough to just hold the ball; other times she would shoot:

Here's more from The Daily on Meier:

The Daily reports that even though high school basketball was not in the cards for Meier her freshman year -- she had to relearn to walk, talk and read -- she made junior varsity her sophomore year and was a part-time starter as a senior on the varsity team this year.

When Meier graduates this spring, she'll be attending Benedictine College in Kansas where she plans to study special education. [H/T ]

Grand Funk GOP by CanadaFreePress.Com (2012-02-22 16:20:34, 3)
“In negotiation, ‘yes’ is the worst word. It just betrays a fear of failure and a fear of losing this deal, and it primes you to please the other side, to rush ahead, to compromise early and often to come to a deal, any deal. ‘No’ is the best word. It’s what you want to be prepared to say and to hear. ‘No’ will liberate you and protect you.”

Maher: Don't judge all pols by Newt, the biggest fattest turd from the 90s by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 16:17:42, 2)
HBO host makes late-night show appearance to gauge the Republican presidential field

Faster Than Light Failure by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 16:08:17, 3)

Washington Post Promotes “Bubbly” Communist by CanadaFreePress.Com (2012-02-22 16:00:40, 3)
A Washington Post on-line publication that is part of the same unit which publishes Slate magazine has become a cheerleader for communist causes and an outlet for Media Matters propaganda.

David Waldman of Daily Kos: Know-Nothing Bigot by RedState (2012-02-22 16:00:35, 3)
It’s time for Democratic politicians like Elizabeth Warren who are courting Catholic voters, or who – like Senator Bob Casey – profess the Catholic faith themselves, to distance themselves from Daily Kos over the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing bigotry of Contributing Editor . Waldman, , is one of the leading figures at Daily Kos, the largest left-wing blog; a , he’s a contributing editor and , runs the affiliated site , and his tweets are frequently quoted and retweeted by Markos Moulitsas. In an angry, profanity-laden tirade last night on Twitter over a flap between a local Virginia church and the Girl Scouts, Waldman unloaded his hatred of the Church, grasping for every anti-Catholic trope he could reach (examples: “Catholic Church: the ones we don’t rape, we’ll alienate by calling them communist b****es” or “Catholics are the next Shakers. No one under 35 will ever stay in this church”) and complaining that there are too many Catholics on the Supreme Court (“Oh that’s right. Six Catholics. Fantastic.”) Waldman’s vicious rant would have been right at home with the of the in its heyday, the Know-Nothings of the 1840s or the “Rum, Romanism and Rebellion” trope that cost James G. Blaine the 1884 presidential election. Waldman’s full outburst, in reverse chronological order, is below the fold; warning, it includes language we do not ordinarily permit on this website):

This Klan manifesto from 1923 – see Points 6-8 – seems positively restrained by comparison:

Politics ain’t beanbag, and Twitter is often not a place for the most thought-out opinions. But by any stretch, this is far over the line to simple hatemongering. It may not surprise us, but it should still offend us. And it should offend and embarrass Democratic officials that this is a loud voice in their coalition. It may seem unfair to ask public officials to anticipate that stoking the fires of anti-Catholicism will be seized upon by extremists like Waldman, but they can certainly denounce it – unless it’s precisely what they aim to accomplish. There is a long and dolorous history of anti-Catholicism in this country. The Know-Nothings’ anti-Catholicism and hatred of new Catholic immigrants were intertwined. Then House Speaker Blaine sponsored the anti-Catholic 1875 Blaine Amendment to the Constitution (defeated in the Senate but enacted in many states and still used as a sword by the public school teachers’ unions to this day) and lost the 1884 presidential election when he stood by as one of his surrogates branded the Democrats as the party of “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion”. The Klan was the leading voice against the Church in the 1920s, and as late as 1960, John F. Kennedy was forced to defend his faith against conspiratorial charges of papal control of the federal government. Catholicism has been the faith of many waves of immigrants to this country and strivers for upward social mobility – Irish and Italians and Poles, Filipinos and Hatians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans. There have always been those who find our faith threatening and seek to control it. And the Catholic Church has been in the Democrats’ crosshairs in this election season, moreso than in any election since at least 1960. It’s not hard to see why. The four remaining GOP presidential candidates include Rick Santorum, an outspokenly traditional Catholic who , and Newt Gingrich, a late-in-life Catholic convert. Catholics are prominent and rising in GOP ranks, including John Boehner, Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush (a convert), Bob McDonnell, Pat Toomey, Rudy Giuliani, Kelly Ayotte, Susan Collins, John Hoeven, Sam Brownback, Tom Corbett, Susanna Martinez, and Luis Fortuno. The six Catholics on the Supreme Court include all five Republican appointees: Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy and Alito. (The sixth is the first Hispanic Justice, Sonia Sotomayor). The Obama Administration has played wedge-issue politics against the Church for reasons of both policy and politics, most recently with the rule, enacted by the Department of Health and Human Services, requiring Catholic institutions to provide health care plans including coverage of contraception, in violation of the Church’s own position – , but which Democrats gleefully predict will be an electoral asset against the GOP precisely because defending the Church’s religious freedom is a point of principle on which neither the GOP nor the Church can bend. These moves are all about taking away the Church’s freedom, in its capacity as an employer, to follow its own conscience, and thus eliminating one of the last major institutions in this country not beholden to government. And the DSCC is using the confrontation in fundraising emails:

Will no one rid the Obama Administration of these meddlesome priests? The harder the Administration pushes the Church for political and financial gain and to achieve government dominance over social issues, the more the excitable followers of the Administration work themselves into lathers of Catholic-bashing. This is as good a time as any for Democrats to admit that this tactic has gone too far. (It’s a recurring issue – Evangelical Christians and Mormons have come in for the same treatment before and will again). Catholics are a majority in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania and over 40% of the population of in Massachusetts; Catholics are the largest religious denomination in 33 states, and in particular the predominant faith of Latinos in this country. We deserve to know that our elected leaders, regardless of party, will not encourage Waldman’s sort of bigotry. Catholic politicians like Bob Casey, Joe Biden, Patty Murray, Jack Reed, Nancy Pelosi and Dick Durbin – or politicians like Elizabeth Warren who are seeking the votes of Catholic voters – should think long and hard about associating themselves with Daily Kos as long as Waldman is part of it. But moreso, they have an obligation not to encourage the extremist bigots in their midsts.

This Is the ‘World’s Largest Rope Swing’ Video That Got 5 Million Hits in a Week by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 15:59:07, 3)
Brock Howell and his friends must have had quite the rope swing attached to a tree when they were little, because they sure graduated to swinging off bigger and better things. In a YouTube video titled "World's Largest Rope Swing" posted a week ago that already has more than 5.5 million hits on YouTube, Howell is filmed flinging himself off Corona Arch in Moab, Utah.

Watch the jaw-dropping footage:

KSL.com reports that jumps were a collaboration between Howell, who took the first plunge, climber Chad Hamilton, who came up with the idea in the first place and also swung around himself, and filmmaker Devin Graham who know the footage would "explode" if they could film it right. And explode it did:



According to KSL.com, Graham makes his living finding potentially viral treasures such as this. He has been contacted by companies such as Mountain Dew thanks to some of his viral videos working as marketing tools in his favor.

Watch the behind the scenes making of the viral video, which actually had several safety measures in place:

Idaho: A Super Tuesday Preview by Big Government (2012-02-22 15:57:32, 3)
Idaho's Republican contest is closed to non-Republlicans and will be held on March 6, 2012, otherwise known as Super Tuesday. Other primaries that day include Alaska, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. There are 32 delegates available in Idaho, a caucus state. The Idaho Secretary of State’s website is here. Newt Gingrich [...]

Girl Scouts promote homosexuality and abortion, lawmaker says by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 15:56:14, 2)
"My girls are no longer Girl Scouts. They're now going to join American Heritage Girls."

The Sceam could sell for $80 million at auction by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 15:55:35, 2)
The Edvard Munch painting inspired Kevin McAllister's famous 'Home Alone' moment

The CFPB is concerned that you don't know how to avoid an overdraft fee by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 15:55:26, 2)
Interference.

Live-tweeting the Arizona GOP debate by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 15:50:31, 3)
The Republican presidential contenders last took the debate stage in Florida. Since then, Mitt Romney won the Sunshine State, and the Maine and Nevada caucuses. Rick Santorum then surprised with victories in contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri. How will Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich make their mark on the race before next Tuesday’s Arizona [...]

Britain to Obama: More Proof that Taxing the Rich Is a Fool’s Errand by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation (2012-02-22 15:49:59, 3)
President Obama is insistent that taxes must go up to close the deficit. He says it's just common sense that taxes must go up, because the math says so. But if he gets his way, the numbers won't add up the way he says they will. President Obama wants to raise taxes on the rich. But the Treasury will never collect the revenue he says will come from such hikes, because the rich will change their behavior to escape the punitive levies. Case in point from Britain, where Parliament recently …

Governor Romney Teases New Tax Plan Prior to Arizona Debate by RedState (2012-02-22 15:30:31, 3)
Prepare yourselves, I am going to write something semi positive about policies that the Romney campaign happens to espouse today, at this hour*. Today the Romney Campaign is rolling out their new tax plan. Tonight could be a great night for Romney in the debate. While Santorum may get lost in the weeds and off message with the social issues, Romney will be making a push to talk about his new tax plan. If Mitt can change the focus to the economy and lay out the details of his new tax plan, he can leave Santorum stumbling just before AZ and MI vote. What . It isn’t a fundamental reform, but I think the whole package will probably look good and be pro growth for sure. To that point, I consulted , and it sounds pretty solid so far.

Children shocked as horror trailers shown at Puss in Boots screening by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 15:28:42, 5)
Parents shield their offspring's eyes when the screen at a UK movie theater lit up with a graphic trailer for 'The Devil Inside'

Episcopalians and Satan by The American Spectator and The Spectacle Blog (2012-02-22 15:25:00, 6)
I'm an Episcopalian. These days the national Episcopal Church is a hotbed of liberal asininity. But even the Episcopal Church, in its modern, liberal iteration, holds fast to the idea that Satan is real and that he is insidious and that he must be repeatedly renounced and rejected. Here is a key part of the current Episcopal liturgy for Holy Baptism:

Then the Celebrant asks the following questions of the candidates who
can speak for themselves, and of the parents and godparents who speak
on behalf of the infants and younger children

Question Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces
of wickedness that rebel against God?
Answer I renounce them.

Question Do you renounce the evil powers of this world
which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?
Answer I renounce them.

Question Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you
from the love of God?
Answer I renounce them.

Question Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your
Savior?
Answer I do.

Santorum to attend Ash Wednesday services, Gingrich to skip by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 15:22:00, 2)
'It's not a Holy Day of Obligation,' Gingrich tells media

Report: Dirty surgical tools used on hospital patients by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 15:21:13, 2)

Rasmussen poll shows Santorum up 43/22 in Oklahoma by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 15:20:39, 4)
Plus, Romney rolls out his new tax plan.

White House Senior Advisor: Unemployment Stimulates the Economy by Big Government (2012-02-22 15:15:45, 3)
Everybody worried about the economy needs to chill, Valerie Jarrett’s got this… White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett spoke at the Student Summit at North Carolina Central University and claimed unemployment stimulates the economy. Her reasoning behind this is people take their unemployment checks and “go out and spend it” which “help(s) stimulate the economy.” “Let’s face it, even though we [...]

Ariz. Bill Would Fire Teachers for Bringing ‘Partisan’ Opinions Into the Classroom by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 15:14:12, 4)
Teachers in Arizona would automatically be fired for bringing "partisan doctrine" into their classrooms under a bill pending before the state legislature. Arizona Senate bill 1202 is meant to ensure students get a balanced view of what they're taught in school, Capitol Media Services . In addition to firing teachers who bring partisanship into the classroom, school districts that allow it to happen would face losing state funding. The bill is being sponsored by state Sen. Lori Klein of Anthem, who said she has received complaints about "political indoctrination in the classroom," according to CMS. Klein, a Republican, is also sponsoring a separate measure that if passed would see teachers suspended or fired for using profanity in the classroom. SB 1202 passed out of the Arizona Senate Government Reform Committee last week and is now set to go before the full state Senate for a vote. It comes after the Tucson Unified School District after it was on the grounds the curriculum violated a newly-enacted state law specifically designed to target the program. State officials contended the program , and the law prohibits classes designed for a particular ethnic group or which promote resentment toward a race of class of people. Arizona GOP congressional candidate Gabriela Saucedo Mercer testified in favor of the bill, telling lawmakers: I have seen, firsthand, the damage done to our young students by partisans who pretend to be educators." I have seen young students who, through classroom indoctrination rather than instruction, were incited to threaten and harass anyone who disagrees with their position," she said, according to CMS. Mercer added that it's one thing when university professors bring politics into their teaching, but quite another when it's done in a classroom full of young students. When you are targeting young, impressionable minds, starting from kindergarten, these children get lost, she said. What exactly defines a "partisan" opinion was a point of contention for legislators, CMS reported, but Klein said the bill is simply to ensure one point of view isn't emphasized over another, regardless of ideology. It doesn't matter, she said. Republicans or conservatives should not be promoting their point of view. Liberals, socialists, Marxists should not be espousing their views in the classroom. The committee stripped the legislation of any penalty for using partisan books -- ones that a history teacher might assign about a U.S. president, for example -- but one lawmaker remained concerned the bill could stifle the learning environment. The language here is so broad that you're going to stifle the education environment and kids' ability to learn. Let's say they're talking in science [class] and a teacher throws out global warming.' That could be considered a partisan issue," Phoenix Democratic Sen. David Lujan said according to CMS, adding that it should be up to the students to decide whether they believe in the issue. Glendale Republican Sen. Rick Murphy said much of it comes down to context. As long as the teacher was tolerant of people having other views and not punitive towards them if they express those and try to persuade their classmates of that, and as long as its relevant, I don't see a problem with that, Murphy said. If they're talking about what's relevant to the class, I wouldn't see a problem with that. But if they're talking about it in math, I would have concerns.

Gallup: Unemployment Climbs to 9% in February by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 15:09:00, 2)
Unemployment in the U.S. rose to nine percent in mid-February, up from 8.3 percent a month earlier, according to a new Gallup survey. The polling company said this suggests that it is premature to assume the economy will not feature prominentl...

'Seinfeld' Actor Suicide Try by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 15:05:06, 6)

Are We Coddling Our Kids? by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 15:05:06, 6)

Obama the Tax Cutter? Think Again by RedState (2012-02-22 15:00:36, 2)

Second Amendment Quote Of The Day by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 15:00:00, 2)
“As a card-carrying member of the liberal media, producing this piece was an eye opening experience. I have to admit that I saw guns as inherently evil, violence begets violence, and so on.I have learned, however, that in trained hands, just the presence of a gun can be a real “man stopper.”I am sorry that [...]

Santorum aide: Why is Mormonism off limits? by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 14:45:56, 2)
GOP front-runner's campaign says 'if one candidate is asked about their faith, all of them should be'

Daily Links – February 22, 2012 by RedState (2012-02-22 14:45:01, 2)
Today is February 22nd. It was on this date in 1980 that the immortal “Miracle On Ice” occurred. A scrappy young American team brought down the long-undefeated Soviet team, 4-3, in what is undoubtedly one of the most famous hockey upsets in history. The American team won the gold two days later, taking out Finland 4-2. Also on this date in 1923, the first chinchilla farm in the United States opened, which was arguably less worthy of being dubbed a miracle. Lastly, today is . Nobody knows who invented the margarita, but one thing is certain, he had a wicked hangover the next day. Consider this an Open Thread. | Daily Caller “President Barack Obama's Federal Communications Commission demolished wireless broadband company LightSquared’s competition through a pattern of regulatory decisions apparently aimed at establishing an ‘open-access’ Internet in the United States.” | Washington Free Beacon “Local businessmen in the least-unionized state in the country are worried that organizers of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., are putting the Democratic Party's alliance with organized labor ahead of local businesses as well as state law.” | Defining Ideas “These days ‘nature fakery’ lives on in school curricula and popular culture, from Earth Day celebrations to Disney cartoons like Pocahontas. Only now this myth is renamed environmentalism and disguised with a patina of scientific authority.” | The Right Scoop “The mainstream media, they make me sick! They're hypocrites and we need to call them out on that!” Today’s Word of the Day comes via Merriam-Webster. nictitate: To wink.

What I'd love to see at tonight's debate: Ashes by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 14:45:00, 5)
It symbolizes something we all have in common.

Saul Alinsky-Affiliated Nonprofit Lands $56M Fed Loan by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 14:44:32, 3)
Here's an interesting development to keep an eye on. , a coalition of religious groups and other organizations, has been awarded a $56.4 million federal loan to start a nonprofit health insurer that would be run by its members, the reports. The money is part of $3.8 billion included federal health care reform to help start nonprofit health insurers, similar to cooperatives, to compete in the market for individuals and small businesses." The loans are meant to help nonprofit health insurers, known as CO-Ops (i.e. Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans ), with start-up costs and to help them meet and maintain the minimum reserves required by insurers to pay for claims. The loans for the start-up costs are to be repaid in 5 years and the loans for the minimum reserves in 15 years. The goal stated in the federal health care law is to fund one CO-OP in each state, the Sentinel reports. In fact, as of February, seven nonprofits offering coverage in eight states have been awarded a total of from the federal government. Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative, healthy fed loan in hand, plans to set up shop in southeastern Wisconsin, but the main goal is to expand throughout the state over the course of five years, according to a news release from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. So, where's this Alinsky connection? And by the way, who the heck Saul Alinsky? For Blaze readers unfamiliar with the name, Alinsky was a "" whose book, "," would be the subject of Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's , and whose message of social revolution through "organization" would play a major role in the life of . So, what does this have to do with Common Ground? Common Ground, which also includes some unions and a few small businesses, is the Milwaukee affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, founded in 1940 by Saul Alinsky, a well-known community organizer [emphasis added], the Sentinel reports. The organization, based in Chicago, bills itself as the oldest and largest community organizing network. Indeed, according to the non-profit site :

Furthermore, has detailed the nature of the Industrial Areas Foundation in the past:

Oh, and then there's , Common Ground's "," or, as puts it, a "professional organizer." According to the , Fraley "served as the first Lead Organizer for Action In Montgomery (AIM), one of the first suburban organizing projects of the IAF, from 1998 to 2005." It continues [emphasis added]:

Now, for a brief recap: Common Ground (the recipient of the multimillion dollar loan) is the explicit creation of Saul Alinsky. But it is an of the Alinsky-created Industrial Areas Foundation. Moreover, Common Ground a "coalition of religious groups" and, as Mr. Hallowell points out, religious coalitions are the type of organizations the "ultra-left" IAF seeks to work with. Lastly, this group is led by a "professional organizer" who has over 15 years of experience working with the Alinsky-created IAF. As stated in the very beginning of this article, this may be a development worth following. See William F. Buckley, the father of the modern conservative movement, briefly discuss with Saul Alinsky the primary purpose of the IAF:

(H/T: )

Catholics and Satan by The American Spectator and The Spectacle Blog (2012-02-22 14:39:00, 2)
All of this "Satan" talk is completely out of context. There is absolutely nothing wrong with somebody in a religious context talking about Satan being loose in the world. There is almost nothing that Rick Santorum said that wasn't in line with the fictional but theologically sound take on the forces of eveil that C.S. Lewis described in The Screwtape Letters. And there is absolutely nothing that isn't standard Catholic doctrine. Consider that for years every Catholic Church recited, ever week, the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, pasted below, and that many Catholic churches still do. This includes the Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA that is the home parish for a host of leading conservative Catholics in the DC area. Here is the prayer as regularly recited (the link above is to the long version and the history thereof):

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Obama: Lower Corporate Tax Rate Will Boost Job Creation by Big Government (2012-02-22 14:36:20, 2)
Sometimes, something is so obvious even the left has to admit it. US companies have long suffered under one the highest corporate income tax rates in the world. In April the disparity will get worse, as Japan is set to lower its corporate tax rate to below the U.S. Even Barack Obama recognizes this is a [...]

Bill seeks to criminalize alteration of fake guns by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 14:34:43, 3)

Divers pull 8 bodies from Costa Concordia wreckage by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 14:34:43, 4)

Threatening letters, powdery substance sent to congressional offices, Colbert and Stewart by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 14:34:43, 2)

Kremlin: Russia, Iran oppose foreign intervention in Syria by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 14:22:55, 2)
The leaders of both nations held a conference call following the U.S. opening the door to possibly arming Syrian rebels

Buchanan: Who is a bigger threat Iran or Israel? by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 14:18:22, 3)
Former MSNBC contributor says Israeli government, Israel lobby, neoconservatives, many Republicans want US at war with Iran

Ex-Evangelical Lib: Catholic Church Speaking on Sexual Morality ‘Is Like Being Lectured by the KKK on Race Relations’ by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 14:16:26, 3)
Frank Schaeffer (son of theologian and author Francis Schaeffer) is, perhaps, the nation's most critical ex-evangelical commentators, as he seeks to insult, debunk and take aim at conservative Christianity on a near-daily basis. Over the past year, some of his intense rhetoric. In a blog post published Tuesday, Schaeffer lambasted the Catholic Church and "evangelical Taliban" who he sees as villains in the current debate about religious freedom here in America.

Predictably, the piece dismisses Catholic angst over the Obama administration's contraceptive mandate and goes on to predominately target Robert George, a Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University. :

Throughout the piece, the ex-evangelical critic referred to those accepting George's Manhattan Declaration as "extremists." Schaeffer's attack on George, a Roman Catholic, devolved into a critique of the Catholic Church that is sure to infuriate many Christians. While arguing in his blog post that it is inappropriate for individuals to cast judgements on others' sex lives, Schaeffer said that this sentiment was specifically true for "the international pedophile ring otherwise known as the Roman Catholic Church." He :

But he wasn't done there. He also claimed that seeing Catholic bishops stand up and make proclamations about sexual morality "is like being lectured by the KKK on race relations." To corroborate this point, he went on to highlight cases of abuse that, in his view, apparently define the Catholic Church as a whole. Schaeffer was apparently very proud of these comments, as about the KKK and the Catholic Church following the publication of his blog post:

He concluded the piece by dismissing the contraceptive mandate and alluding to the fact that it isn't a religious liberty issue. Instead, he called it "the right to deny women choice and even contraceptives." Then, he called GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum a clone of George. On Tuesday evening, Schaeffer was also invited to appear on the Rev. Al Sharpton's "PoliticsNation" on MSNBC, where he spoke about the GOP and its purported misuse and abuse of the contraceptive mandate. Additionally, he commented about the purportedly calculated "attack" on Obama's faith. "This is a well-orchestrated campaign by the religious right that has infultrated the Republican Party," he said. During this interview he also targeted George and, once again, said that the Manhattan Declaration laid the groundwork for what he dubbed a "well-laid trap." "This whole religious freedom cry that's going up now didn't just suddenly happen," Schaeffer proclaimed. "They have been on a fishing expedition, trying to label this president first as a Muslim, then as a communist, then as a non-Christian, then as a secularist, and now all of the sudden he's anti-religious, because he's telling people that have insurance policies in this country that they have to give women contraceptives." Watch the appearance, below:

Despite overtly harsh commentary about Catholics and evangelicals, alike, MSNBC continues to invite the critic on-air to share his views. According to his Twitter feed, Schaeffer will appear on the "Martin Bashir" show today. column for yourself.

UFC in Japan: Just business as usual? by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 14:16:12, 2)
The Asian nation served an important role in the evolution of modern Mixed Martial Arts

The Ed Morrissey Show: Guy Benson, Kevin McCullough by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 14:10:49, 3)
3 pm ET!

Roemer to launch independent bid for President by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 14:10:24, 2)
Jazz Shaw hardest hit?

How low can you go? Whitney Houston's lifeless body covers National Enquirer by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 14:05:27, 2)
The tabloid says the cover image of the late singer in a casket before her funeral

Radical Animal Rights Activist Arrested for Soliciting Undercover Hitman ‘Willing to Kill Someone Wearing Fur’ by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 14:02:14, 3)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (The Blaze/AP) -- An Ohio woman who compared animal-welfare work to the liberation of World War II concentration camps has been charged with soliciting a hit man to fatally shoot or slit the throat of a random fur-wearer, federal authorities said. Meredith Lowell, 27, of Cleveland Heights, appeared Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, where a magistrate judge ordered her held by the U.S. Marshals Service pending a hearing next week, court records show. One of her defense attorneys, Walter Lucas, declined comment when reached by phone after the court appearance. Investigators say the FBI was notified in November of a Facebook page Lowell created under the alias Anne Lowery offering $830 to $850 for the hit and saying the ideal candidate would live in northeast Ohio, according to an filed with the court on Friday. Watch the local ABC news report:

The affidavit says an FBI employee posing as a possible hit man later began email correspondence with Lowell, and she offered him $730 in jewelry or cash for the killing of a victim of at least 12 years but "preferably 14 years old or older" outside a library near a playground in her hometown. Here's exactly according to the local ABC affiliate:

"You need to bring a gun that has a silencer on it and that can be easily concealed in your pants pocket or coat. ... If you do not want to risk the possibility of getting caught with a gun before the job, bring a sharp knife that is (at least) 4 inches long, it should be sharp enough to stab someone and/or slit their throat to kill them. I want the person to be dead in less than 2 minutes," says an email reprinted in the affidavit. She told the undercover employee she wanted to be on site when the slaying took place so she could distribute "papers" afterward, the affidavit says. She hoped to be arrested so she could call attention to her beliefs and to get out of the home she shared with her parents and brothers who eat meat and eggs and use fur, leather and wool, investigators said. Reprinted emails also say Lowell wrote that she sees nothing wrong with "liberating" animals from fur factory farms and laboratories since "soldiers liberated people from Nazi camps in World War 2." She also criticized a new aquarium in Cleveland -- saying "it is wrong for animals to be taken against their will and put into their (equivalent) of a bathtub" -- and research by the Cleveland Clinic, where she said animals should be "liberated and put somewhere where they are not tortured." Lowell faces a hearing next Tuesday to determine whether she will be given the opportunity to post bail or be detained without bond pending resolution of the case.

Two shot at Wal-Mart distribution center in Virginia by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 14:01:01, 3)

Al-Qaeda: Splintered, Scattered, but Still Dangerous by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation (2012-02-22 14:00:43, 2)
A recent report from the RAND Corporation on al-Qaeda's future says that the terrorist organization remains extremely dangerous and will demand America's continued attention for years to come, echoing points Heritage has been making for some time now. The report, Al Qaeda in Its Third Decade, by Brian Michael Jenkins, takes a step back from the political rhetoric surrounding ongoing U.S. counterterrorism efforts at home and abroad to critically assess al-Qaeda's current status and future prospects. RAND's report comes at a critical time, as last week saw the 45th attempted …

Dahlia Lithwick Hates Medical Research by RedState (2012-02-22 14:00:38, 2)
The utter is becoming . Last week she decided that a proposed Virginia law, one that the Republican governor has suddenly gone squishy on, is the equivalent of rape because it could conceivably require something be inserted into the vagina, and then moved around. Since then we’ve discovered that not only did Lithwick simply lie about what the law required and we’ve found that Virginia Planned Parenthood requires two ultrasounds with each abortion. Presumably to insure they only kill half their patients. To hear Lithwick tell it, a trans-vaginal ultrasound is a horror tool invented by rich, white, elderly Republicans to enslave and defile women who only want to be left in peace to dismember their unborn child. The truth is quite different, and in the context of this artificial kerfuffle, and quite ironic.

Apparently, in 2003 the reported on a survey conducted of abortion providers in the United States (). The finding, 99% of abortion providers either always or frequently used vaginal ultrasound for surgical abortions. 92% of the sites providing induced abortions did vaginal ultrasound. Based on the evidence thus far, the worst that can be said of the proposed Virginia law is that is recognizes the standard practice used in 99% of abortion facilities. The best that can be said about Lithwick is that she’s a mendacious know-nothing.  

Al Qaeda in Iraq Now in Syria! by The American Spectator and The Spectacle Blog (2012-02-22 13:59:00, 2)
Yesterday, I posted a brief piece for the Foreign Policy Association regarding the precipitous drop in violence localized in Iraq's Nineveh province. This decline in hostilities is notable for one very important reason: Nineveh has served as the informal headquarters for al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) since the insurgency moved to Mosul and Tal Afar following the Battle of Fallujah in 2004. Since that time, the region has experienced some of the worst, and most chronic, bloodshed in the country -- daily car bombs and IED explosions have proved a fact of life on terror's home turf. Yet now, while the rest of the country is enduring a steep uptick in violence since the end of the U.S. counterinsurgency, Nineveh is enjoying a relative calm. Certainly, this represents a breather for the Maliki government, which has been staggered by political fragility and sectarian violence reminiscent of pre-surge Iraq. So this is good news, right? Not really. Reports suggest that this comparative serenity is more likely indicative of AQI's physical relocation, as opposed to an indicator of combat fatigue or tactical adjustment. So where are they off to? Well, at the moment, Syria sounds like a pretty popular destination for battle-hardened, Kalashnikov-toting zealots taking their cues from al Qaeda's braintrust. Lest we forget -- last week, Osama bin Laden's right hand man and presumptive successor, Ayman al Zawahiri, released a video imploring Muslim radicals in neighboring countries to join the growing uprising against Syria's Assad government. AQI was sponsoring violence before this summons, but formal marching orders have prompted a dramatic increase in the number of fighters crossing the border into the embattled neighbor-state. With al Qaeda set to play an expanded role in the Syrian drama, it's worth considering where they fit in this increasingly bewildering regional conflagration. As it happens, they're simply the latest exogenous actor competing against (or alongside) a host of contenders including (but not limited to) our NATO ally Turkey, the Iranian menace and the region's leading Sunni power and oil spigot, Saudi Arabia. Not to be outdone, Senator McCain has suggested it's high time we arm the rebels:

I'm not calling for an invasion of Syria, but I am calling for practical measure which can be of assistance to them, which would break this stalemate, which would allow the Syrian people to achieve the aspiration that we hold for all people.

JW Sues Obama Department of Energy for Records Detailing $529 Million Loan to Failing Green Energy Car Manufacturer by Big Government (2012-02-22 13:51:37, 3)
As you may recall, Judicial Watch has been investigating Vice President Biden's role in securing a bailout for auto manufacturer Fisker Automotive, which opened a facility in V.P. Biden's home state of Delaware in 2009. Well, that investigation has taken a new turn now that Fisker's domestic operation is crumbling while funds and jobs promised [...]

Obama marks groundbreaking of black history museum by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 13:51:29, 2)
President Obama celebrated the groundbreaking of the new National Museum of African American History and Culture on Wednesday, saying it will remind all Americans of the ordeals and triumphs of blacks. "It should stand as proof that the most important ...

Oregon: CHL Confidentiality Bill Needs Your Immediate Help by NRA-ILA News (2012-02-22 13:42:00, 2)
State Senate President Peter Courtney (D-11) has assigned House Bill 4045, Concealed Handgun License confidentiality legislation sponsored by state Representative Kim Thatcher (R-25), to the state Senate Rules Committee. Immediate action by this Senate committee is needed in order to pass this important legislation by the fast approaching end of the session.

As rioting leads to deaths in Afghanistan, NATO officials apologize again for defiled Koran by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 13:39:06, 2)
As riots over the accidental improper disposal of the Koran led to seven deaths by Wednesday, two senior NATO military officials stressed that it was because of clandestine communications written into the Korans in the first place that a decision was'm...

Jay Carney: Republicans forced Obama to turn down Keystone XL, which he didn't do by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 13:37:23, 2)
Jay Carney: Republicans forced Obama to turn down Keystone XL, which he didn't do

Beyond the soundbites: Gingrich releases 30-minute energy ad by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 13:35:42, 2)
Set aside the time.

Obama's tax plan steps on Romney's tax plan by The Daily Caller (2012-02-22 13:31:47, 2)
President's campaign is trying to step on rollout of Romney's tax-plan

West Virginia: Apprentice Hunting Legislation Passes Unanimously in the Senate by NRA-ILA News (2012-02-22 13:30:00, 2)
Today, the state Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 478 by a 33 to 0 vote. This legislation would create an apprentice hunting license that is available to West Virginia residents and non-residents. This apprentice hunting legislation now goes to the House of Delegates for its consideration.

West Virginia: Apprentice Hunting Legislation Passes Unanimously in the Senate by NRA-ILA News (2012-02-22 13:30:00, 2)
Today, the state Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 478 by a 33 to 0 vote. This legislation would create an apprentice hunting license that is available to West Virginia residents and non-residents. This apprentice hunting legislation now goes to the House of Delegates for its consideration.

High court appears torn over law that bans lying about medals by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 13:23:17, 2)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appeared sharply divided Wednesday over a law that makes it a crime to lie about having been awarded top military honors. The justices engaged in spirited debate over the constitutionality of a 2006 law aimed a...

Pope marks Ash Wednesday by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 13:22:26, 2)

Remains confirmed as 'Speed Freak' victims by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 13:22:26, 3)

Why We're Hot for Brad by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 13:16:57, 3)

Georgia cops: 2 kids missing after helper drives off by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 13:07:58, 4)

Three Way Tie in Georgia: A Super Tuesday Preview by Big Government (2012-02-22 13:06:11, 3)
Georgia's Republican primary will be held on March 6, 2012, otherwise known as Super Tuesday. Other primaries that day include Alaska, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. The latest polling via the Atlanta Journal Constitution has things tied at the top among three candidates. Newt Gingrich, 26 percent; Mitt Romney, 24 percent; Rick Santorum, 23 [...]

On George Washington’s Birthday and Ash Wednesday Google Honors…Henrich Hertz — Wait, Who? by TheBlaze.com - Stories (2012-02-22 13:05:35, 3)
February 22 is the 280th birthday of our first president, George Washington, as well as the day 1.18 billion Catholics (and even some Protestants) worldwide celebrate Ash Wednesday. For Google, the world's most visited website, February 22 marks Heinrich Rudolf Hertz day. Google often adds effects to their homepage logo to recognize the significance of the date or current events, which the site calls Some memorable Doodles include the on the 96th birthday of the father of the electric guitar, Les Paul, the voting Doodle on the day of the the Doodle on the of Kate and William, and the So who is Google's February 22, 2012 Doodle honoree, Heinrich Hertz and why is he so important? He was a German physicist born in 1857 becoming the first person to conclusively prove their existence. This discovery opened the door for wireless telegraph, radio and eventually television. explains the story behind the squiggly, colorful line on Google's homepage today:

Hertz died young at 36 and despite global fame for his discoveries, CSM notes that Nazis tried to expunge Hertz's name from history for while he identified as a Lutheran, his father grew up a Jew. The first Google Doodle was on Thanksgiving 1998, and the Google Doodle really began to pick up pace in 2000. In the last 10 years George Washington, nor any other president, has been recognized in a Google Doodle. Perhaps 2013 will be the year for George who, as one of the nation's most respected Presidents, may provide a touch of political civility and patriotism, which few would argue against in these times.

Obama Corporate Tax Reform a Sugar-Coated, Harmful Tax Hike by The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation (2012-02-22 13:03:04, 3)
With his corporate tax reform framework, President Obama today added another element to his ultimately harmful economic agenda. Previously announced anti-growth policies include massive budget deficits, a huge tax hike on individuals and small businesses in 2013, and his proposal to nearly triple the dividend tax rate. His new proposal starts strong by reducing the federal corporate income tax rate to 28 percent from the current 35 percent. This is a good and long-overdue policy change. Regrettably, he marries rate reduction to a net corporate tax hike based in part …

Today In Marine Corps History: 22 February 1943 by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 13:01:33, 2)
The 3rd Raider Battalion consolidated positions on Pavuvu Island.

Tab Runs Whitney Casket Pic by FOXNews.com (2012-02-22 13:01:22, 3)

Hamas, Palestinian Authority meet in Cairo to form unity government by Hot Air Top Picks (2012-02-22 13:00:31, 3)
What happens next?

Is Hong Kong Becoming A “Real Headache” for Beijing? by RedState (2012-02-22 12:59:14, 4)
Like Beijing, Hong Kong faces a “leadership transition” this year. In the 15 years since control of the island passed from Great Britain to China, successive rulers have been chosen by a committee of officials–and while large for a committee (1,200 people), this body is only a fraction of Hong Kong’s 7.1 million inhabitants, who have no voice in their government. But that may be changing. The anointed candidate, Donald Tang, is embroiled in a political scandal that can only be called epic, a sort of caricature of the party boss with wine cellar and health spa–. But Mr. Tang’s corruption and flagrant disregard for the rules that control the lives of the vast majority has finally proven too much even for this authoritarian political structure, and the people of Hong Kong are demanding he step down and an alternate candidate be put forward. All this might be a tempest in a tea pot, if the People’s Republic of China were not also facing a “transition” of its own. America got its first look at Xi Jinping, the Chinese Vice President and heir apparent to Hu Jintao, last week. The unassuming Xi does not appear to have the endemic vices of Tang, but the fact is that he is slated to be the leader of 1.3 billion people–and they, too, have had no say in the matter. Most Americans, including the Obama administration, seem to accept this state of affairs as inevitable, even though it contributes to the strained economic and diplomatic relationship between the US and the PRC. Suddenly, Hong Kong is turning into a “” for Beijing: instead of the orderly passing of power in Hong Kong in March that would neatly presage the larger events scheduled for later this year, there is the threat of instability. Nothing could be more dangerous to the PRC than a successful demand for a free system of government where leaders are elected, not transitioned, into office. And unlike the provincial protests in China that rarely make it into the western media, Hong Kong is a much more high-profile case. The inclination of the PRC will be to impose Tang on Hong Kong and respond swiftly and harshly to dissent, but the publicity this might attract would hardly be in keeping with Xi's carefully groomed image as a western-friendly leader with ties to Iowa and a weakness for the NBA. On the other hand, giving into the demands for increased accountability from the government to the people could result in considerable unpleasantness in the north, if the Chinese people decide to take notice. The situation in Hong Kong could turn out to be something far more serious than a headache for the Communist party bosses–which might in turn present an opportunity to an American president eager to promote democratic change in China.

Obama calls for cut in corporate tax rate by American Conservative Daily (c) 2004-2012 (2012-02-22 12:42:00, 3)
Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner unveiled President Obama's plan to overhaul the country's corporate tax system Wednesday — a proposal that cuts overall tax rates for businesses while eliminating loopholes and special subsidies for certain ...