skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Terrorist Pen Pals
We now know that Fort Hood murderer Nidal Malik Hasan sent between 10 and 20 messages to Anwar al-Awlaki, an Islamofascist cleric known for his exhortations for Muslims to rise up and kill the infidels. Counterterrorism officials intercepted the communications but concluded (are you sitting down?) that the e-mails were probably part of a research project on post-traumatic stress disorder that the psychiatrist had been conducting at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Really? Anwar al-Awlaki is an expert on jihadist exhortation and incitement. He can wax eloquent about how to cut the throat of the non-believer and what an appropriate ritual beheading requires. He is not in any normal world a resource for research into post-traumatic stress.
No matter how “innocent” the e-mails seemed to our “intelligence” community, alarm bells should have gone off when an Army major sent messages to a murderous thug. Even a cursory examination would have turned up other information on Hasan’s rants, his increasing anti-Americanism and the evidence he was becoming a Muslim warrior.
After the Fort Hood rampage, al-Awlaki praised Nidal Hasan on his web page. He wrote, “Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people. This is a contradiction that many Muslims brush aside and just pretend that it doesn’t exist. Any decent Muslim cannot live, understanding properly his duties towards his Creator and his fellow Muslims, and yet serve as a U.S. soldier.”
Here’s a thought: Perhaps our homeland security people are so traumatized by the constant leftwing attack accusing them of violating constitutional rights that they have been rendered ineffective. CIA officers have been threatened with prosecutions, and phone companies may be sued out of business for cooperating with the Bush Administration on wiretaps in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Some of our counterterrorism officials may be so worried about ending up in jail if they are too aggressive that they have become paralyzed by political correctness.
How Much? Who Knows?!
The healthcare battle now heads to the Senate where there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen. But here’s one thing that we can say with certainty: With 2,000 pages of legislation to digest, we will be discovering more “time bombs” in the House bill for days and weeks to come.
Just consider the most basic question: How much will it cost? According to most press accounts, the socialized medicine scheme passed this weekend by the House of Representatives will cost taxpayers another $1.2 trillion over the next ten years. But those estimates are meaningless. To begin with, the government has a very poor track record of estimating the costs of federal programs. They frequently end up being much larger than originally thought.
But the bean counters’ best guesses are further frustrated by the word games that liberal politicians love to play. For example, today’s Washington Times reports that the just-passed House healthcare bill includes “two dozen programs whose funding is listed as ‘such sums as may be necessary.’” How much is that going to cost? Who knows? But here’s my translation of the text: “Such sums as we decide to take out of your paycheck.”
But don’t just take my word for it. Writing in The New Yorker last week, leftwing economics reporter John Cassidy laid bare the socialism of ObamaCare. Here are some excerpts of his column:
“The future cost savings that the Administration and its congressional allies are promising to deliver are based on wishful thinking and sleight of hand. Over time, the reform, as proposed, would almost certainly add substantially to the budget deficit, thereby worsening the long-term fiscal crisis that the country faces. …If health-care reform goes through, and the Bush tax cuts expire in 2011, top earners will face a marginal tax rate of forty-five per cent at the federal level. Add in state and local taxes, plus Social Security and Medicare payments, and wealthy people … would be facing tax rates of about sixty percent. …
“So what does it all add up to? The U.S. government is making a costly and open-ended commitment to help provide health coverage for the vast majority of its citizens. …But let’s not pretend that it isn’t a big deal, or that it will be self-financing, or that it will work out exactly as planned. It won’t. Many Democratic insiders know all this, or most of it. What is really unfolding, I suspect, is the scenario that many conservatives feared. The Obama Administration … is creating a new entitlement program, which, once established, will be virtually impossible to rescind.”
That’s why we must work even harder to defeat this bill now. Just consider for a moment what 60% tax rates will do to unemployment, now already at 10.2%. And equal to the amount of money that Big Government takes from you will be the amount of freedom you will lose as it dictates to your doctor what procedures you can and cannot get.
Monday, November 9, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
The Fort Hood Jihadist
The evidence is now overwhelming that the Fort Hood murderer, Nidal Malik Hasan, is an Islamist who was trying to please Allah when he gunned down our American heroes. ABC News reported this morning that the CIA has evidence that he had tried to contact Al Qaeda in recent months. For normal Americans the news that he shouted “Allahu Akbar,” the battle cry of jihadists, as he poured bullets into our sons and daughters was all we needed to know.
But that information wasn’t good enough for Dr. Phil, Larry King, major media outlets such as Newsweek, the president and, sadly, even our military elites. Many of them jumped to the conclusion that this was another example of a soldier “breaking” from battle stress. It didn’t seem puzzling to them that he had never been in combat! In fact, all of our elites wanted to lecture the rest of us and warn us that we’d better not jump to conclusions.
Now we know that for years Hasan was quite open about his Islamist views. In fact, HE HARRASSED his fellow soldiers – not the other way around, as has been suggested. Complaints about Hasan’s anti-American rantings were ignored. Some military people say they didn’t file complaints because they were afraid that doing so would hurt their careers in the increasingly “politically correct” Army bureaucracy.
Hasan made presentations that justified suicide bombings, and argued that the wars we have been fighting since 9/11 are really wars against Islam. He tried to convert his military patients to Islam and was put on probation. He attended a mosque in Northern Virginia that two 9/11 hijackers also attended. The list goes on and on.
As an obvious Islamist, Hasan did the predictable – he killed as many of us as he could. His actions should be no more mysterious than those of the hijackers who killed 3,000 of us on 9/11 or the Palestinian family who celebrates when they receive news that their teenage child has blown himself up while killing Jews.
What is harder to fathom is why so many elites are more interested in spreading politically correct lies than in confronting the strong likelihood that our jihadist enemy has infiltrated key American institutions. More of our soldiers will die, as will more of us, if the media and our government leaders don’t wake up. Nidal Hasan should not have been in the Army – he should have been in jail. He should not have been assigned to counseling returning American warriors. He should not have been promoted.
On Meet The Press Sunday, Army Chief of Staff General George Casey continued to urge people not to jump to conclusions about the overwhelming evidence in this case. He expressed deep concern about a possible backlash against Muslim members of our Armed Forces. He actually said this: “As horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse.” Does he really believe that? I think that 13 American families would argue that we could have had one person less of “diversity” at Fort Hood in exchange for 13 live American heroes.
And what about the White House? Since long before this attack, this president has refused to use the phrase “Islamic terrorism,” and has banned its use by others in the government. He began his administration by attempting to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where Hasan’s jihadist brothers are imprisoned. Day by day, America becomes less safe under his leadership.
This Battle Is Not Over
At 11:16 PM Saturday night, the House of Representatives passed Nancy Pelosi’s 2,000-page, $1.2 trillion socialized medicine scheme by just two votes. (Click here to see how your representative voted.) Republicans were virtually unanimous in their opposition (only one Republican – Anh Cao, who represents a Democrat majority-black district in New Orleans – voted for the bill), while 219 Democrats voted for it. More than three dozen Democrats voted against it, proving yet again that on major liberal initiatives the most bi-partisan aspect of these bills is the opposition to them.
Friends, do not despair – this battle is not over. The House version of the healthcare bill has been declared “dead on arrival” in the Senate, and Democrats remain divided over some big issues, including taxpayer-subsidies for abortion. During the House debate, 64 Democrats broke ranks to back the Stupak (D-MI)/Pitts (R-PA) amendment preventing taxpayer funding of abortion. After that vote, Planned Parenthood issued a statement noting, “Planned Parenthood Federation of America has no choice but to oppose HR 3962 [the entire healthcare ‘reform’ bill].” That’s the good news.
Here’s the bad news. Today House liberals are demanding that the Stupak/Pitts amendment be stripped from the bill in the House/Senate conference committee. The Hill quotes Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) as saying, “I am confident that when it comes back from the conference committee that that language won’t be there.” What do you think pro-abortion Nancy Pelosi will do? She will never allow an abortion restriction to become law!
This battle will continue, and there is a chance the Senate won’t be able to act at all until next year. We will keep on fighting, and you need to do so also. Plus, I can guarantee you that some of those who voted for this power-grabbing, anti-freedom bill will join the growing ranks of the unemployed!
The Hoffman Exception
Regular readers of this daily report know that I am not a fan of third parties. More often than not, they end up dividing the conservative vote and guaranteeing the election of liberal Democrats. How then could I justify endorsing Doug Hoffman in the recent special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District?
The dynamics of that race created an unfortunate situation in which the two major party candidates were dividing the liberal vote. As I argue in a column today posted at Politico, Hoffman’s candidacy provided a rare but clear exception to my no-third-party rule. For the sake of the country (and the Republican Party), I hope Doug Hoffman is the last third party candidate I endorse.
Friday, November 6, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Jihad at Fort Hood
Every American this morning should be outraged not only about the murderous rampage against U.S. soldiers in Ft. Hood, Texas, by Major Nidal M. Hasan, but also by the sickening effort of Big Media, and even some U.S. officials, to deceive us about what has taken place.
For eight years we have been fighting radical Islamists around the world, and we have been the victims of jihadist attacks by lone radical Muslims repeatedly here in the U.S. Yet as the story broke of the carnage yesterday, 13 dead and 30 wounded, virtually every major media outlet, along with our own government, seemed to have as their main goal convincing us that the event had nothing to do with terrorism or radical Islam.
But minute-by-minute, more information is coming to light that can’t be ignored. We have found out that six months ago Major Hasan may have defended Muslim suicide bombers on his web page, comparing such acts to the sacrifice a U.S. solider makes when he falls on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers. Col. Terry Lee, who worked with the killer, said Major Hasan had said, “Muslims shouldn’t be fighting Muslims.” Back in June, when a Muslim convert assassinated a U.S. soldier at a recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas, Col. Lee said that Major Hasan seemed happy about the event and that he was confronted by other officers. (You may recall that it took days for Obama to acknowledge that attack, yet the White House issued a rare Sunday statement when late-term abortionist George Tiller was killed.)
In recent weeks, while off the base, Major Hasan started wearing Arabic and religious clothing. He passed out Korans on the morning of the shooting. Survivors in the facility where Major Hasan went on the attack reported that he yelled, “Allahu Akbar,” (Allah is great) before he opened fire – the same words shouted by the jihadists on 9/11 and which have been repeated by our enemy in every attack since.
Nor is this an isolated incident. In June 2003, Sergeant Hasan K. Akbar attacked his fellow soldiers as they gathered in Kuwait to start the liberation of Iraq. He killed two officers and wounded many more. Numerous plots by American Muslims have been uncovered in recent years to attack Fort Dix, the Quantico Marine Corps base and other military facilities.
No one is suggesting that an Al Qaeda operative contacted Major Hasan and ordered yesterday’s attack. But the evidence certainly indicates that Major Hasan was becoming more and more committed to radical Islam and growing increasingly hostile to the American military that paid for his education and repeatedly promoted him. NPR reports, “Hasan was put on probation early in his postgraduate work… He was disciplined for proselytizing about his Muslim faith with patients and colleagues…”
I understand the media’s politically correct mindset. What is inexcusable is why the military and the FBI continue to be so reticent about acknowledging the nature of the enemy we are confronting. Instead of going into denial, our military, the FBI and other intelligence agencies need to admit the obvious. While thousands of loyal American Muslims have served in the military, and some have died with other Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are also “sleeper cells” or “sleeper individuals” who are jihadist ticking time bombs inside our own ranks. Similar attacks are inevitable the longer our leaders engage in self-deception. The brave men and women in uniform, who are on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq, should not have to worry about being killed at home by the same enemy they are fighting abroad.
Obama’s “Shout out”
As details of the Ft. Hood carnage poured in yesterday afternoon, the White House announced that President Obama would make a statement at a previously scheduled event. Close to 5:00 PM, cable stations switched to cover the president’s remarks as he was getting ready to speak at a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Interior Department. What happened next has callers to talk radio shows all over the country outraged.
Instead of bringing a somber demeanor into the room, the president seemed to many to be light-hearted and frivolous. He thanked various staffers, and then said he wanted to give a “shout out” to Dr. Joe Medicine Crow, who he incorrectly identified as a “Congressional Medal of Honor” winner. After several minutes of banter, the president read a somber, brief statement about the shootings. Increasingly, this White House seems “tone deaf.” How hard is it to realize that this was not a time for joking or “shout outs.” In fact, it would have been more appropriate to cancel the speech and make a reassuring statement from the White House on the events in Texas.
This morning, the president made another statement ordering flags to fly at half-staff until Veterans Day. But he also cautioned us not to “jump to conclusions” until we have all the facts. (The last time there was a pending law enforcement issue, the president was the first to jump to conclusions when he said the Cambridge Police Department “acted stupidly” for arresting his friend Professor Louis Gates.)
Iran’s “Olive Branch” of Peace
Thus far in his presidency Barack Obama has tried repeatedly to reach out to the mullah’s in Iran. Whether it’s demanding Israel stop building settlements, or issuing weak statements regarding protestors dying in the streets of Tehran in the name of democracy, Barack Obama will do anything to gain Iran’s favor, even at the expense of our greatest allies. This week, Iran responded to Obama’s diplomatic outreach, and it came in the form of 320 tons of weapons being sent to Syria for Hezbollah to attack Israel.
The Israeli Navy announced Wednesday that it seized 320 tons of Katyushas (rockets used to hit Israeli cities on the border), shells, and bullets aboard the Francop, a European cargo ship that left Iranian ports headed to Syria. Deputy Israeli Navy commander Roni Ben-Yahuda said the ship carried “ten times as many weapons as the Karine A,” a ship Israeli forces captured in the Red Sea in 2002.
The IDF believes the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is behind the shipment. Many of the crates contained rockets with markings similar to Iranian munitions and others resembling Chinese manufacturers. To get a better understanding of how large the shipment was, Hezbollah could effectively fight the IDF for over a month with the weapons aboard the Francop alone.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday: “Iran is sending these weapons to terror organizations to harm Israeli cities and kill its citizens. …The time has come for the international community to exert real pressure on Iran to stop this criminal activity and support Israel when it defends itself against these terrorists and their patrons.”
Barack Obama still doesn’t get it. As long as he continues to promote a utopian foreign policy the United States and our allies are in more danger with each passing day. Wake-up, Mr. President!
Lessons Learned?
Democrats weren’t the only ones taking notes Tuesday night. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, announced Wednesday, “We will not spend money in a contested primary. …The first lesson is that competitive primaries are generally a good thing. To me, that’s the overarching lesson to be learned out of the [the race for New York’s 23rd Congressional District]. When 11 people get behind closed doors and pick the nominee … the grassroots are going to find an alternative.” I’m glad to hear that the GOP won’t waste your money on candidates who can’t get passed the primaries!
But here’s what the NRSC’s “financial neutrality” really means: Your support for this political action committee is more important than ever. With the party sitting on the sidelines, CWF can have a big influence on the outcome of key primary battles – IF we can raise the necessary resources to put pro-family, pro-life conservatives over the top. Then the GOP will then spend its resources to help get our endorsed candidates elected in November 2010. That is how we can make the GOP a more conservative party and more responsive to our values.
In my weekly Human Events column, I offer some additional thoughts on the 2009 elections and other lessons I hope the GOP will take to heart if it hopes to retake the Congress.
* * * * *
Thursday, November 5, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
BREAKING NEWS
A terrible story is breaking from Ft. Hood, Texas, an Army base with 50,000 men and women in uniform. There has been a shooting on base and early reports indicate at least seven dead and 20 wounded. CNN has quickly assumed that this is a case of battle stress and a soldier dealing with psychological problems. But there are unconfirmed reports that there may be as many as three shooters. Multiple shooters would point to terrorism. The FBI has broken up several plots to attack military bases in the U.S. Whatever the facts end up being, let’s pray for the military personnel and their families at risk – there are new reports right now that the incident may be continuing.
Saturday Vote On Socialized Medicine
In spite of many press reports of nervous Democrats on Capitol Hill rattled by the results of Tuesday’s elections, Nancy Pelosi is determined to force a vote on ObamaCare while she still controls the House. According to Bloomberg, the House is expected to vote on a 2,000-page, trillion-dollar socialized healthcare scheme this Saturday.
Conservatives in Congress are doing everything they can to fight the socialist takeover of healthcare – an industry that makes up nearly 20% of our economy. Led by Minnesota’s Rep. Michele Bachmann, one of CWF’s endorsed candidates, conservatives have organized a rally on Capitol Hill today. After the rally, voters will make “emergency house calls” to the offices of their elected representatives in the House to express their opposition to socialized medicine.
Our staff members are on Capitol Hill today for the healthcare House calls. I just got a report that the crowd is big and that concerned citizens have come from all over the country. Our staff has met folks from California, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas and two large groups that came on several buses from Florida and New Jersey.
In addition at 1:00 PM today, Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) and other House conservatives launched a 12-hour webcast that exposes the many problems with the House bill. You can watch it here.
Abortion – It’s In There
One issue may derail the Democrats drive to socialize healthcare – taxpayer-funding of abortion. In his September 9th address to Congress and the nation, President Barack Obama promised, “Under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions.” The president and Democrats in Congress have not kept that promise. Every amendment to explicitly prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion was voted down by the liberal Democrats who control Congress.
If you do a Google news search of the words “health care reform abortion,” more than 3,500 reports appear. Here is a sampling from leading media outlets:
New York Times: Abortion Deal in Health Bill Sets Off Haggling in Congress
Reuters: Democrats Wrestle With Abortion On Health Bill
Washington Post: Democrats’ Concerns Over Abortion May Imperil Health Bill
Fox News: Democrats Running Out of Time to Address Abortion
Time Magazine: How Abortion Could Imperil Health-Care Reform
Associated Press: Gov’t Insurance Would Allow Coverage For Abortion
Virtually all House Republicans are fighting hard to hold Obama to his word. But the House is dominated by liberal Democrats. On a straight party-line vote, our values will lose every time. Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak (along with Pennsylvania Republican Joe Pitts) is leading the charge to prevent your tax dollars from funding abortions in the socialist healthcare bill. Democrats aren’t happy about it. If Stupak can keep a bloc of moderate Democrats together, in spite of “divide and conquer” tactics by the liberal leadership, maybe this bill will be stopped.
What’s Good For The Goose…
Yesterday, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) offered an amendment that would require every member of Congress to participate in the government-run public option if ObamaCare becomes law. Conservative stalwart Tom Coburn (R-OK) offered a similar amendment during committee hearings in the Senate. His amendment narrowly passed. But in an extreme act of hypocrisy, the majority of committee Democrats voted against it.
This is a great idea by Sen. Coburn and Rep. Wilson. If Democrats like socialized medicine so much, then they ought to be first to sign up. After all, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Take Action
My friends, the clock is ticking and time is against us. Congressional Democrats are working furiously to pass the biggest expansion of government since the Great Society. I want to remind you what it will mean for the quality of healthcare and the loss of freedom.
Watch this brief video by John Stossel and this new ad. Read these articles about government-run healthcare denying surgeries, pain medications and cancer treatments.
Call your elected representatives right now at (202) 224-3121 (the Capitol Hill switchboard) and demand that they vote against this healthcare “reform” bill. (If you can’t get through, look up your specific representative’s district office number here.)
Is Obama A Narcissist?
Obama’s narcissism has been a hot topic on the Internet. I’m not a psychologist, but it’s really hard to pass this up.
As you may recall, the White House insisted that the president didn’t bother to watch the election returns Tuesday night. That shocking claim piqued the interest of the national media, so they pressed White House spokesman Robert Gibbs about exactly what the president was watching on Tuesday night. Here’s a report from CBS News:
“By habit, Mr. Obama didn’t watch the election returns on TV last night. He never does, says Gibbs. Not even when he’s on the ballot. He might have watched an HBO documentary on his own triumphant two-year quest for the presidency, but Gibbs said Mr. Obama had already seen it on DVD.”
* * * * *
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
“It Ain’t ‘08 Anymore”
So says the Washington Post in an analysis of last night’s election results, which “serve as a warning to Democrats.” Indeed, there is a lot to celebrate about last night’s vote and what it may mean for the future. I just spent 45 minutes in a press conference with 30 reporters explaining yesterday’s results. Here’s what I told them.
* Virginia – For the past decade, Virginia has been trending blue. It has elected two Democrat governors, sent two Democrats to the U.S. Senate and last year Barack Obama became the first Democrat since 1964 to carry the commonwealth in a presidential contest. But last night the Democrat trend came to a screeching halt.
Former Attorney General Bob McDonnell, a solid pro-family, pro-life conservative and graduate of Pat Robertson’s Regent University, won a landslide victory, as did other conservative candidates. Repeated Obama visits did nothing to help Democrat Creigh Deeds.
Democrats are suggesting that low voter turnout is to blame. But low turnout is a sign of demoralization and disappointment among the base. Many young people who voted overwhelmingly for Obama have since graduated college and are finding jobs scarce. I hope they will think twice about job-killing socialist policies and anti-business rhetoric.
* New Jersey – This is the big story of the night. Obama staked his reputation on this race. Just consider this recent headline from the Associated Press: “Obama Says NJ Governor Is Key To His Own Agenda.” The article goes on to state, “A Corzine loss would be seen as a political embarrassment for the White House.”
Those were the stakes in Obama’s own words – Corzine was the key to Obama’s liberal agenda. Evidently, that agenda wasn’t the “hope and change” Garden State voters were looking for just one year ago when they voted for Obama by 15 points. Last night, they evicted Corzine from the governor’s mansion.
* Independent Voters – Independent voters were the key to both victories. In 2008, Independent voters in Virginia were narrowly divided between Obama and McCain. Last night they broke 66%-to-33% for Bob McDonnell. In New Jersey, they went 60%-to-30% for Chris Christie.
* NY-23 – Hoffman’s defeat was a heartbreaking loss, but all things considered, he did remarkably well. He was virtually unknown 60 days ago and with virtually no institutional support or party infrastructure, he put together a genuine grassroots movement and captured 46% of the vote.
We cannot forget that for most of the campaign, both party machines ran ads relentlessly attacking him. Finally, just days before the election, the liberal Republican dropped out and endorsed the Democrat. Only then did the national GOP start defending Hoffman. Just imagine how confusing that must have been for many voters in the district: First the GOP attacks Hoffman, the Republican endorses the Democrat and then the GOP says vote for the guy it just attacked.
Nevertheless, I think this battle was worth fighting. If conservatives had not stood up to the party establishment, it would have been a moral surrender on the core principles that are supposed to define the Republican Party. And by endorsing the Democrat as she did, the GOP’s original nominee, Dede Scozzafava, confirmed my worst fear – that she was not a loyal Republican, and that the GOP would have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars electing another Arlen Specter, Jim Jeffords or Lincoln Chafee, who would have switched parties in Congress at the first opportune moment.
* Maine – While some pundits are trying to spin Hoffman’s defeat as a rejection of conservative values, the results in Maine blow a big hole in that argument. Maine is not known as a hotbed of conservatism, yet normal marriage won again. The American people are very tolerant, and generally believe in “live and let live.” But when will liberal politicians learn to show some tolerance for the deeply held values of most Americans? When will they stop trying to legislate their morality, or force their values on the overwhelming majority? Believing that children deserve a mother and a father is not bigotry; it’s common sense.
There’s a final point that must be made about the New Jersey and Virginia races, and it is the warning that the Washington Post says Democrats must recognize: Obama’s coattails were cutoff last night. He failed miserably to transfer his popularity to other Democrat candidates. The base that turned out for him in 2008 was not there for Deeds or Corzine in 2009, and it may not be there in 2010 for many Democrats in Congress.
Upon securing the nomination of his party last year, Candidate Obama made this remarkable statement: “…generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when … the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal…” Seventeen months later, it is apparent that Obama has not only failed to regulate the depths of the oceans, he can’t even deliver New Jersey or Virginia to his endorsed candidates, in spite of his robo calls and numerous personal appearances and speeches.
If you’re a Democrat member of Congress representing a red state or conservative district, as many are today, based on yesterday’s results would you toe the liberal line and bet on Obama delivering for your reelection next year? By the way, there are rumors today – and I stress only rumors – that the healthcare juggernaut may have been slowed down by these results. I suspect many Democrats are thinking twice about embracing Obama’s socialist agenda.
My friends, we’ve been investing your money over the past year into these races -- sending regular emails, running radio ads, providing direct contributions to candidates and conducting media interviews defending our values. It’s your financial support that makes our work possible.
In the days ahead, I’ll be asking for your help – a lot – because the task ahead is even greater. We won’t have the luxury of focusing on just a handful of races. We will be fighting in closely contested congressional races coast-to-coast, and the stakes – control of Congress – will be even greater. I won’t promise that we will win every battle. But I promise we will do everything we can to advance our values and Stop Obama’s Socialism! (Click here to get the bumper sticker.)
* * * * *
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Election Night Special Alert
I want to give you a quick update on the initial voting trends in this first election since Barack Obama’s victory one year ago.
After Obama’s 2008 victory, Big Media said the country had shifted to the Left. Pundits declared the “death of conservatism.” But tonight, the country appears to be reasserting its conservative tendencies. One year ago, Barack Obama carried New Jersey and Virginia. After campaigning in New Jersey and Virginia this year, Obama’s endorsed Democrats appear to be heading for defeat.
In Virginia, conservative Republicans have swept all three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
In New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie is narrowly leading. Obama carried the state by 15 points just one year ago.
My conclusion: We can make massive gains in Congress next year and take back the White House in 2012, if we can build on this momentum at the grassroots, recruit solid candidates and raise the necessary funds. That is what we will be doing at CWF with your prayers and support!
* * * * *
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Well Done, Jim Dobson!
Many of you probably have already heard that Dr. James Dobson has officially resigned from the ministry he founded 32 years ago, Focus on the Family. His resignation is effective February 26, 2010.
Dr. Dobson has been slowly decreasing his involvement with Focus in recent years. The decision to complete the transition next February was reached after much prayer by Jim and his lovely wife Shirley, and after consultation with the Focus board.
As you can imagine, Jim and Shirley feel a sense of sadness in making a final separation from an organization that they have devoted so much of their lives to. I must confess that I share their sadness too.
I first met Jim when I was serving in the Reagan Administration. More than once, he helped me and put Focus’ weight behind me as I fought for our values in government. Over the years our friendship grew. We co-authored a book together, Children At Risk, that was a best-seller and led countless people to become more involved as good citizens.
I have been honored to be a frequent guest on his daily radio broadcast. Over the years on many occasions those shows resulted in hundreds of thousands of phone calls from all around the country pouring into Capitol Hill and the White House in support of faith, family and freedom. I shudder to think how much worse off the country would be if Jim had not been the “Paul Revere” of our time, warning unsuspecting families of what the Washington bureaucracy was planning.
Jim made sure in recent years that he was leaving behind a strong management team at Focus. Jim Daly was named president three years ago. I have the utmost confidence that under Jim Daly’s leadership, Focus will continue to be a resource for families in America and across the world. But Jim and Shirley are irreplaceable in many ways. They will be deeply missed at Focus and at dinner tables across the country.
I take comfort in knowing that Jim’s resignation from Focus does not mean he has resigned from the great battle for our country. I know God will continue to use him to defend the sanctity of life, promote normal marriage between a man and a woman and help America reclaim our religious heritage. God bless you, Jim and Shirley. Congratulations on a job well done!
Healthcare House Calls
If you live within driving distance of Washington, D.C., make plans to come to Capitol Hill this Thursday, November 5th. Conservatives in Congress, led by CWF-endorsed Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), are calling on concerned citizens to come to the nation’s capital to send a message to Obama, Pelosi and Reid.
Fearing that the results of today’s elections could sway many nervous Democrats in her caucus, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is reportedly planning to force a vote on her 2,000-page, $1.3 trillion socialized healthcare bill by Friday. Bachmann and other conservatives are organizing an 11th-hour effort to stop PelosiCare, but they need your help.
Come to Capitol Hill this Thursday at noon. Actor Jon Voigt, conservative talk show host Mark Levin and others will hold a rally to protest the Democrats’ planned government takeover of healthcare -- yet another major step toward socialism in America. After the rally, citizens can go to the Capitol Hill offices of members of Congress to defend freedom and personally let their elected representatives know that they are against socialized medicine.
If you cannot come to Washington, please make every effort to stop by or call your representative’s district office this Thursday. You can find district contact information for your elected officials here. (Be certain to select the “Contact” tab and look for your local district office.)
My friends, if you or others you know are still on the fence about this issue, please watch this shocking expose on socialized healthcare by John Stossel. Then make plans to come to Washington or visit your representative’s local office this Thursday, November 5th.
Fund Sees Fraud
John Fund of the Wall Street Journal wrote yesterday that Democrats may already be trying to steal the New Jersey election. According to Fund, Garden State Democrats are taking advantage of a new law on mail-in voting, while pressuring local election clerks to not scrutinize the signatures on the ballots too closely – “the only verification procedure allowed.”
But, according to Fund, “On some 3,000 forms the signature doesn’t match the one on file with county clerks.” Nevertheless, Democrat lawyers are demanding that the secretary of state “instruct County Clerks not to deny applications on the basis of signature comparison alone.”
How bad is the potential problem? According to one campaign worker in Camden “more than fifteen times the normal number of voters are casting absentee ballots in Camden this year.” Worse yet, Fund writes that ACORN workers were spotted going into a hospital near Newark with blank absentee ballots and leaving with completed ballots. While these so-called “messenger ballots” may be legal, the potential for fraud and abuse is obvious. I hope Republican Chris Christie has an army of poll watchers and lawyers on duty today to stop another election from being stolen.
If the election in New Jersey is close, these ballots may determine the outcome – and we know how that is likely to go. Every time I see Al Franken in the Senate I am reminded of just how important it is for every conservative to vote.
* * * * *
Monday, November 2, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Election Countdown – Looking Good For Conservatives
Off year election results are notoriously hard to predict, but we are feeling optimistic about potential gains in tomorrow’s races.
In Virginia, the GOP ticket appears to have a solid 10-point lead. A victory that large would be a stunning turnaround from one year ago when Barack Obama won the state by six points. Last November, minority voters turned out in record numbers and Independents swung to Obama. This year, the minority vote seems turned off and Independent voters have swung back to the GOP. (Campaign for Working Families has been active in Virginia for months and we are taking nothing for granted. We’ll be sending Get-Out-The-Vote messages today and tomorrow.)
In New Jersey, the race for governor is neck and neck in the usually liberal state. The liberal Democrat, Governor Jon Corzine, is deeply unpopular, but he has spent tens of millions of dollars smearing his Republican opponent, Chris Christie. The White House, worried about an embarrassing series of defeats, has committed Obama’s political capital to saving Corzine. The president held a big rally over the weekend and the Obama grassroots operation is targeting every liberal voter it can find. The polls show a toss-up with the Republican narrowly ahead. However, in a close election corrupt New Jersey Democrats are quite capable of stealing “victory.”
The third battleground is the 23rd Congressional District in New York, where I made an early endorsement and considerable financial commitment for Doug Hoffman running on the Conservative Party ticket. Initially, Hoffman was running against two liberals – Democrat Bill Owens and fake Republican Dede Scozzafava. As the campaign progressed, Scozzafava collapsed and on Saturday she suspended her efforts. Sunday, she endorsed the liberal Democrat, proving in my view that she was never a loyal Republican to begin with, which her voting record made perfectly clear.
At this point, the race is a toss-up, but several polls show Hoffman leading. I believe the Conservative Hoffman has a great chance to win.
Finally, on opposite coasts -- in Maine and Washington State -- there are voter-initiated referenda on marriage. In Maine, grassroots activists are trying to restore the normal definition of marriage, while in Washington voters are being asked to approve an expanded definition of marriage to include same-sex domestic partners. In both states, polling has been close.
In short, my friends, there is a chance for a great election night. If those with our values show up and vote tomorrow in Maine, New Jersey, New York and Virginia (Washington’s election is being conducted by mail), and if they bring others to the polls with them, we could sweep these elections, strike a blow against Obama’s socialism and send a signal to Big Media that conservatives are back!
Learning From Past Mistakes
I have a reading assignment for Barack Obama. In Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, historian Warren Kozak wrote a story titled “The Missiles of October,” which discussed the Cuban missile crisis in-depth. There are many parallels that can be drawn between then and now, the most glaring being that the president of the United States during the crisis, John F. Kennedy, was young, inexperienced and naïve, especially when dealing with foreign policy. Sound familiar?
Kozak explains how, at the time, U.S. intelligence had no idea that the Soviets were secretly transferring short-range missiles to Cuba. Khruschev had deceived Kennedy earlier that year by telling Kennedy that he would not place any Soviet weaponry outside of their territory. In fact, he was covertly sending an “army” of Soviet technicians, numbering 40,000, to Cuba to help setup 60 missiles.
Kennedy had no idea what was going on. John McCone, director of the CIA at the time, was a conservative industrialist appointed by Kennedy after the Bay of Pigs disaster. McCone implored President Kennedy to fly U-2 spy planes over Cuba because he believed the Soviets were up to something. A National Intelligence Estimate released in September 1962 completely rejected McCone’s concerns, but he continued to pressure Kennedy on the necessity of a U-2 fly-over.
Thankfully, Kennedy heeded McCone’s advice. Four weeks after the NIE was released declaring that everything in Cuba was under control, a U-2 conducted a 12-minute flight taking pictures of the island nation showing the missiles in place. Kennedy was furious with himself. As many of you know, the next 13 days were some of the most stressful in our nation’s history. World war was avoided, and the Soviets ended up removing the missiles from Cuba.
Kennedy and Khruschev were enemies, but they were both rational individuals who knew the costs that another world war would have on their countries. The enemies of the United States today, most notably Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the mullahs in Iran, are anything but rational. A very real and serious threat to our security would be Iranian missiles strategically placed in Venezuela. The two nations are cooperating already.
Barack Obama should heed Kozak’s conclusion. “Perhaps it’s that the most catastrophic consequences come when we talk ourselves into believing what we want to believe.” Kozak’s absolutely right. Obama has talked himself into believing that Iran’s leaders want a nuclear deal when what they really want is the destruction of the U.S. and Israel.
Obama’s Credibility Problem
You know the administration is on weak footing when even the liberal media start mocking its claims. That’s exactly what happened when President Obama tried to take credit for “creating and saving” 640,329 jobs with the first $160 billion paid out so far from the $800 billion stimulus program. Not even the liberal media was buying it.
Thursday night, CBS reporter Chip Reid said, “If the administration’s first effort at counting stimulus jobs is any guide, tomorrow’s numbers could be hard to believe.” And they were hard to believe. During Friday’s press conference administration officials couldn’t say how many jobs were created and how many jobs were “saved.”
Worse yet, the Associated Press disputes the 640,000 claim, writing, “…the new data appeared to include at least dozens of entries in which contractors listed the same number of jobs as created or saved on different projects, which suggested double- or triple-counting of the same workers used on all projects.” Undaunted by the facts, White House economic adviser Jared Bernstein said the stimulus has saved or created more than 1 million jobs.
According to the administration’s analysis, half of the 640,000 jobs – 325,000 – were educational jobs, good news if you’re a teacher. But the data suggests that much of the money was used to prop up government spending at the state and local level, rather than creating new jobs. The bureaucracy was spared, while the private sector got the shaft.
Reacting to all this, ABC’s Jake Tapper ran the numbers: “So, let’s see. Assuming their number is right – 160 billion divided by 1 million. Does that mean the stimulus costs taxpayers $160,000 per job?” And of all the educational jobs “saved or created,” Tapper notes that back in January President Obama promised that “90 percent of the stimulus jobs would be in the private sector.”
Bauer & Barack?!
Some of you may be startled today if you are reading reports of the White House visitors list. The White House has finally succumbed to pressure to honor its promise of increased transparency by publicizing the list of folks who have had access to the president and key White House staff. No one was surprised that the head of the SIEU, which is intimately connected with ACORN, was the most frequent visitor at the presidential mansion. Nor was anyone shocked to see George Soros on the guest list.
But quite a few reporters did a double take to see yours truly – Gary Bauer – listed. After running through a Hollywood A-list of celebrity visitors, MSNBC’s “investigative reporter” notes, “Conservative religious leader Gary Bauer visited, as did liberal civil rights leaders Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.” There’s just one problem – it wasn’t me. Similar name (Gary W. Bauer), different person. So much for MSNBC’s investigative journalism.
* * * * *
Monday, November 2, 2009
To: Friends & Supporters of Campaign for Working Families
From: Carol Bauer
As you know, my wife, Carol, prepares a prayer alert about once a month. We hope you will share Carol’s writing with your friends and fellow worshippers. Thank you for taking an interest in her monthly devotion. – Gary
Capital Prayer Alert
No doubt every person reading this has also read an appeal from Gary for contributions to sustain the fight here in Washington on a range of issues affecting each of us. When that call goes out many people send contributions (Thank you!) and there are also emails from folks who wish they had the resources to invest in the fight, but are currently in difficult financial straits. They encourage Gary to stay front and center fighting for our shared values and offer their prayers for him, the staff and their work. After Gary shared a number of these touching emails with me recently I decided to focus this month’s Prayer Alert on those folks who support Gary every day, but are unable to be financial supporters.
Please pray for homeowners who have seen the value of their homes decline to the point where they now owe more on their home than it is currently worth. Ask God to comfort them as they face a range of unsettling choices that will affect their family now and in the future.
Pray for the small business owner who dreams of growing his business, but is struggling to stay afloat and delaying big decisions because of the uncertain economic climate. As he looks at Washington politicians he sees folks who are intent on adding new tax burdens through mandated healthcare coverage, increased energy costs and an array of other legislative changes that loom on the horizon and translate into higher costs of doing business. Pray that a sense of helplessness would not set in.
The unemployment rate has increased dramatically in the last ten months and the new term of art is a “jobless recovery.” Ask God to sustain those who have been laid off, who are discouraged in their long job seeking efforts, who are underemployed or who are being retrained for jobs. Pray that they would adjust to new circumstances and be creative in the ways they are seeking employment. Ask God to hold them tightly in the palm of His hand as he comforts their weary souls.
Pray for those serving our nation in the military who look to Washington for leadership, direction and a clear statement of what it is they are fighting for. They deserve bipartisan support from elected officials who can articulate the mission at hand and explain that mission to the American people. Ask God to protect them and comfort their families while they wait.
In many cases, you who read this are among those for whom we will be collectively praying. Rest in the comfort of our love and prayers.
Tomorrow key elections are being held in New Jersey, Virginia and two congressional districts -- one in New York and one in California. These are being closely watched as this is the first time voters have gone to the polls since last November’s elections. Now is a good time to remember that every vote does indeed count. If you live in New Jersey or Virginia or one of those two congressional districts, no doubt you have been inundated with TV ads, political mailings, phone calls, yard signs in your neighborhood, etc. I think you know who you are!
But to really make a difference you must exercise your precious right to vote this coming Tuesday. No matter how many times you have expressed support for your candidate or responded affirmatively to someone seeking your vote, Tuesday’s commitment for the candidate of your choice is the only one that matters.
Thank God for the opportunity to exercise the precious right of American citizens. Take the time to exercise that right and encourage those in your circle of influence to do the same.
Thank you for your financial support and words of encouragement to Gary as he fights the fight for us here in Washington. And please know that your prayers for his work are deeply appreciated and equally needed!
* * * * *
Posts
