Tuesday, September 30, 2008

UNCLEAR FOREIGN MONEY FUNDING OBAMA

By: Kenneth R. Timmerman

More than half of the whopping $426.9 million Barack Obama has raised has come from small donors whose names the Obama campaign won't disclose.

And questions have arisen about millions more in foreign donations the Obama campaign has received that apparently have not been vetted as legitimate.

Obama has raised nearly twice that of John McCain's campaign, according to new campaign finance report.
But because of Obama’s high expenses during the hotly contested Democratic primary season and an early decision to forgo public campaign money and the spending limits it imposes, all that cash has not translated into a financial advantage — at least, not yet.

The Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee began September with $95 million in cash, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

The McCain camp and the Republican National Committee had $94 million, because of an influx of $84 million in public money.

But Obama easily could outpace McCain by $50 million to $100 million or more in new donations before Election Day, thanks to a legion of small contributors whose names and addresses have been kept secret.

Unlike the McCain campaign, which has made its complete donor database available online, the Obama campaign has not identified donors for nearly half the amount he has raised, according to the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP).

FULL STORY AT: CLICK HERE

Saturday, September 27, 2008

HERE WE GO AGAIN. DEMOCRATS PLAY DIRTY WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS

House GOP Fights to Remove ACORN Slush Fund from Economic Rescue Bill;

Poison-Pill Proposal Would Ask Taxpayers to Bankroll Group Accused of Voter Fraud Nationwide

Washington, Sep 27 - House Republicans have made clear that they will fight for an economic rescue package that protects the interests of families, seniors, small businesses, and all taxpayers.

And as discussions continue in order to forge an agreement that reflects these principles, the American people are taking note of a left-wing giveaway Democrats are pushing to force taxpayers to bankroll a slush fund for a discredited ally of the Democratic Party.

At issue is the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now – better known as ACORN – an organization fraught with controversy for, among other scandals, its fraudulent voter registration activities on behalf of Democratic candidates.

Here are just some examples of ACORN’s most recent scandals and unlawful activities:

- “ACORN is a long-time advocacy group with whom Obama was once associated. Recently, though, ACORN workers in two states have pleaded guilty to election fraud, an unlikely recipient of federal largess.” (Fox News Report, 9/26/08)

- “Seven ACORN workers were charged with ‘committing the biggest voter-registration fraud in [Washington] state history.’’ (The Seattle Times, 7/26/07)

- ACORN workers submitted “just over 1,800 new voter registration forms, but there was a problem. The names were made up – all but six of the 1,800 submissions were fakes…

The ACORN workers told state investigators that they went to the Seattle public library, sat at a table and filled out the voter registration forms. They made up names, addresses, and Social Security numbers and in some cases plucked names from the phone book.

One worker said it was a lot of hard work making up all those names and another said he would sit at home, smoke marijuana and fill out the forms.” (Fox News Channel, 5/02/08)

- “Late last year, a handful of Acorn canvassers in Washington state admitted that they had falsified voter registrations by illegally filling out hundreds of forms with names such as Dennis Hastert, Leon Spinks and Fruito Boy Crispila.” (Wall Street Journal, 7/31/08)

- “Eight workers for a get-out-the-vote effort in St. Louis city and county have pleaded guilty to federal election fraud for submitting false registration cards for the 2006 election, authorities said today.

The workers were employed by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), gathering voter registrations.” (Associated Press, 4/02/08)

- “Acorn has had a number of missteps. This month its founder, Wade Rathke, resigned after news emerged that his brother Dale had embezzled nearly $1 million from Acorn and affiliated groups eight years ago -- information the group kept from law-enforcement authorities and most members. Dale Rathke left the organization only last month.” (Wall Street Journal, 7/31/08)

So how exactly will ACORN be rewarded if the Democrats get their way? Very simple: behind closed doors, ACORN-friendly language was slipped into the Democratic economic rescue proposal by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA). Take a look:

TRANSFER OF A PERCENTAGE OF PROFITS.

1. DEPOSITS. Not less than 20 percent of any profit realized on the sale of each troubled asset purchased under this Act shall be deposited as provided in paragraph (2).

2. USE OF DEPOSITS. Of the amount referred to in paragraph (1)

1. 65 percent shall be deposited into the Housing Trust Fund established under section 1338 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Regulatory Reform Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4568); and

2. 35 percent shall be deposited into the Capital Magnet Fund established under section 1339 of that Act (12 U.S.C. 4569).

REMAINDER DEPOSITED IN THE TREASURY. All amounts remaining after payments under paragraph (1) shall be paid into the General Fund of the Treasury for reduction of the public debt.

What does this mean? The Wall Street Journal breaks it down in an editorial published today:

“What we have here essentially are a pair of government slush funds created in July as part of the Economic Recovery Act that pump tax dollars into the coffers of low-income housing advocacy groups, such as Acorn.”

“Acorn, one of America’s most militant left-wing ‘community activist groups,’ is spending $16 million this year to register Democrats to vote in November.

In the past several years, Acorn’s voter registration programs have come under investigation in Ohio, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri and Washington, while several of their employees have been convicted of voter fraud…”

That’s right. Rather than returning any profits made in the long-term from the economic rescue package, Democrats want to first reward their radical allies at ACORN for their help – often illegal help – in getting Democrats elected to office.

Families, seniors, small businesses, and all American taxpayers deserve better than what Democratic leaders are attempting to jam down their throats.

The rescue package should not become a “Christmas tree” for the Democratic Majority’s far-left wing political agenda that seeks to shower taxpayer dollars upon groups like ACORN.

On behalf of beleaguered taxpayers across the nation, House Republicans will continue to fight to remove the ACORN payback and any other Democratic poison pills from the economic rescue package.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

F.B.I. ROUNDUP NEWS

FBI Releases 2007 Crime Statistics
This information has recently been updated, and is now available.


ANNUAL DIGEST OF CRIME: Let the Analysis Begin
Our Annual Digest of Crime Let the Analysis Begin We've just published here our latest annual compilation of crime statistics. Did crime rates nationwide rise or fall in 2007? Find out


ISSUES OF THE DAY: From Anthrax to Attorney General Guidelines

Issues of the Day From Anthrax to Attorney General Guidelines Yesterday before the House and this morning before the Senate, the Director talked about key issues facing the FBI today. Story


175 Alleged Gulf Cartel Members and Associates Arrested in Massive International Law Enforcement Operation

This information has recently been updated, and is now available.


The Case of the Cuban Spy In the aftermath 9/11, the arrest of Ana Montes went largely unnoticed by the public, although her actions threatened national security.

History Stories
Foreign Counterintelligence Stories
Field Cases Stories


PROTECTING AMERICA: National Task Force Wages War on Terror

PROTECTING AMERICA: National Task Force Wages War on Terror Our National Joint Terrorism Task Force coordinates regional efforts to combat terrorism on a global scale.

Partnerships Stories
Counterterrorism Stories


CONNECTING THE DOTS:

Using New FBI Technology

Connecting the Dots Using New FBI Technology Our eGuardian system will enable near real-time tracking and sharing of terror information with our partners nationwide. Story


FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending September 19, 2008

Read about our Top Ten news stories of the week, including the arrest of 175 members and associates of a major drug cartel, the guilty plea of a former Tommy Hilfiger CFO to a $19 million fraud scheme, and the sentencing of a man for placing numerous 9-1-1 calls and making bomb threats. More

Saturday, September 13, 2008

IRAN'S MOLST USEFUL IDIOT?

Barack Obama may genuinely believe, as he promised in last week's acceptance speech, that he can prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

First, though, he'll have to overcome his running-mate's resistance. The Honorary Ayatollah Joe Biden.

Israel's Army Radio just reported that Sen. Joe Biden told Israeli leaders in 2005 that they would have to accept a nuclear Iran.

The report says Biden told the Israelis that he doubted economic sanctions would be effective against Tehran, "and I am against opening an additional military and diplomatic front."

Biden's camp yesterday termed the report "a lie."

But despite Biden's recent remarks that "Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapon would dramatically destabilize an already unstable region," the fact remains that the senator has long shown antipathy for getting tough with Tehran.

Indeed, according to a devastating profile in The New Republic in 2001, Biden suggested, in the wake of 9/11, that "this would be a good time to send, no strings attached, a check for $200 million to Iran." (Which this so-called foreign affairs expert termed as "Arab"!)

He even voted against a resolution designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization and calling for tough sanctions against it - one of only 22 senators to do so.

Biden has been pushing for "engagement" with Tehran - as opposed to sanctions - for more than a decade.

Yet, as a Teheran spokesman recently confessed, "During our negotiations, and so long as we were not subjected to sanctions, we could import technology."

And Biden opposes sanctions.

OBAMA PAYS HIS WOMEN STAFFERS LESS

Compensation figures for his legislative staff reveal that Obama pays women just 83 cents for every dollar his men make CLICK HERE.

Obama’s average male employee earned $54,397
Obama’s female employees [earned] $45,152, on average.

McCain’s male staffers averaging $53,936.
His female employees averaged $55,878.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

OBAMA LIES TO MINIMIZE PALIN

Obama’s answer on experience: But I’m such a great campaigner!

Update: McCain response — “Desperate, laughable

by Ed Morrissey

Anderson Cooper asked Barack Obama last night to answer the claim that Sarah Palin has more applicable experience than he does. In response, he completely ignores Palin’s status as governor, and then makes the claim that a campaign counts as executive experience:

AC: Some Republican critics say, you don’t have the experience to handle a situation like this [Hurricane Gustav]. They’ve in fact said that Governor Palin has more executive experience as mayor of a small town and as governor of a big state like Alaska. What’s your response?

BO: Well, you know, my understanding is that, uh, Governor Palin’s town of Wasilly [sic] has, uh, 50 employees, uh, uh, we’ve got 2500, uh, in this campaign.

I think their budget is maybe $12 million a year. Uh, uh, we have a budget of about three times that just for the month.

Uh, so I think that, uh, our ability to manage large systems, uh, and to, uh, execute, uh, I think has been made clear over the last couple of years.

Uh, and certainly, in terms of, uh, the legislation that I’ve passed just dealing with this issue post-Katrina, uh, of how we handle emergency management.

The fact that, uh, many of my recommendations were adopted and are being put in place, uh, as we speak indicates to extent to which we can provide the kinds of support and good service that the American people expect. (WHAT????)

Let’s take the last point first. Did Barack Obama pass legislation bearing his recommendations for emergency management?

A list of “actions” taken by Obama in the wake of Katrina compiled by a supporter doesn’t exactly lend itself to that conclusion.

Once one strips out all of the speeches, the actual legislative actions appear to mostly consist of adding his name as co-sponsor to the bills of others, and it’s unclear whether any of the bills Obama did introduce ever passed.

Even if they did, it gives him no experience at
managing disasters.

Governors and mayors have to manage disasters, and when they succeed, they save lives. When they fail, as we saw in Katrina, it costs lives.

Legislators have no role in disaster management itself, although honestly, disaster management isn’t usually a resumé point when voting for mayor, governor, or President.

Whatever impulse exists now to make it one stems from the irrational blame heaped on George Bush for the failures of Ray Nagin and Kathleen Blanco in Katrina, although FEMA certainly had its failures as well.

But the main point here is that Obama didn’t really answer the question, and he set up a straw man argument in response to Cooper. Governor Palin is, well, governor, and not currently the mayor of Wasila.

As Governor, Palin operates a $9 billion budget, and manages $13 billion in revenue. Furthermore, she runs a government that employs 25,000 people.

Obama blithely pretends that she’s still the mayor of “Wasilly” in order to boost himself.

However, running for office isn’t executive experience, for one good reason: Obama isn’t the campaign manager. He has a CEO actually running the campaign, handling the budget, and managing the people while Obama makes the speeches.

If this is Obama’s best response on the experience question, the attacks on Palin’s experience will have to stop, unless the campaign wants Obama to keep embarrassing himself while making it.

Update: The McCain campaign has responded to Mark Halperin at Time:

“For Barack Obama to argue that he’s experienced enough to be president because he’s running for president is desperate circular logic and it’s laughable. It is a testament to Barack Obama’s inexperience and failing qualifications that he would stoop to passing off his candidacy as comparable to Governor Sarah Palin’s executive experience managing a budget of over 10 billion dollar dollars, and more than 24,000 employees.” —Tucker Bounds, spokesman John McCain 2008

By that standard, anyone who ever ran for any public office has executive experience — and that also kills their own experience argument against Palin anyway.

BTW, read the comments at the site listed below....interesting! I'm sending under separate cover, "Investing in Obama" PB

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Comments

READ HERE

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

HEY! BARRY!

Oh, sure, I believe you, Kenya boy, you renounce these vicious attacks on Bristol Palin.

Sarah Palin's husband was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol atbout the same time you admit to using cocaine and are accused of bisexuality.

Tell us about Larry Sinclair;


tell us about William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn;

tell us about the two indicted sons of Joe Biden;

tell us about your Communist "Uncle" Frank Marshall Davis;

tell us about your twenty-year mentor Jeremiah A. Wright and why his homosexual choir director was murdered--

Hey, come back, Barry, I'm just getting' star-ted, Bruthuh--