Can I Deduct my Homeschool Expenses From my Taxes?

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I get asked this question a lot this time of year, "Can I deduct my homeschool expenses from my taxes?"  A tax-law change the last few years allowing teachers to deduct expenses has caused even more confusion.

The short answer to the questions is, "no."  Here's an explanation from the Homeschool CPA:

The IRS guidelines say to be an eligible educator:

"You work at least 900 hours a school year in a school that provides elementary or secondary education, as determined under state law."

To work means to get paid for your work as a teacher-employee. Homeschool parents are not employees of a school. We do not get paid; we do not get a W-2. The IRS will check for a W-2 from a school if a taxpayer takes the Educator Expense deduction. Homeschoolers would not have a W-2 from a school, even if your state classifies your homeschool as a private school.

Keep in mind that the tax-law changes from year to year.  Just because you are not able to deduct your homeschool expenses at this time doesn't mean that you won't be able to sometime in the future.

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Debunking the Homeschooling Naysayers

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I think that all homeschoolers have at least one friend or family member that gives them a hard time about homeschooling—at least in the beginning.  In most cases, those that question your decision to homeschool are genuinely concerned about the children.  Some may truly be seeking information.  My experience has been that those that are against homeschooling are those that don't know anything about it.

I recently found a website giving tips on how to defend yourself to your loved ones that are questioning your decision to homeschool.  It does have some good tips, but fails to say that you don't have to defend yourself if you don't want to.  If you like you could let everything go in one ear and out the other and then go on.  You will know best how to handle your friends/family.  If necessary, you may have to visit said friends/family less often.  It's unfortunate, but you have to do what's best for your children.

Be aware that you will be asked questions.  Taking the time to think some questions through and how you want to answer them will make you better prepared and more comfortable in answering these questions.  You may also want to talk with your children about the questions they might be asked and how they might answer them.

As you continue to homeschool successfully the naysayers will come around.  You may be surprised to one day find your biggest adversary complimenting you on a job well done.

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The Craigslist Congressman

When I see things like this, I'm amazed to think that people, especially those in the public eye, think that they can do something like this without anyone else finding out about it.  According to Gawker, Congressman Lee lied to the wrong person.  Once the woman Congressman Lee contacted on Craigslist realized that he lied about his age, occupation, and marital status, she forwarded their emails to Gawker.  This has put the brakes on this man's career, and I suspect has caused problems in his marriage even though the article claims that they are "happily married."

Below are some tips.

The Ways of the Internet:

1.  Anything you put in print, especially something risqué in nature, can and will be forwarded to lots and lots of people.  Some of those people you will know, some you will not.  No matter what efforts you put in to deleting this information, it will always be somewhere.

2.  If you are promiscuous, you will be found out.

3.  If you are in the public eye, news will travel twice the distance at twice the speed.

4.  There will be consequences.

5.  You are not the exception to all the rules.

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Claire McCaskill Throws Missouri under the Bus/Snowplow

Yesterday the NY Times reported that Charlotte, NC was selected for the 2012 National Democratic Convention.  Several cities, including St. Louis, were under consideration for this mega event.

The NY Times also reported that Senator McCaskill (D-MO) argued that having the DNC in St. Louis could complicate her re-election in 2012:

Ms. McCaskill, one of the president's closest friends in the Senate, took her concerns directly to the White House, according to party leaders familiar with the selection process. She argued that her re-election could be complicated if the convention was held in St. Louis, because the Democratic gathering will almost certainly attract protesters and compete for fund-raising.^*

The only comment I've been able to find from Claire is this Tweet:

I don't know what could make your re-election more complicated than ticking off your constituents.  To think that she may have lobbied against an event that would've brought thousands of jobs, even if only temporary, to the state is repulsive.  The last thing Missouri needs in D.C. is a career politician like Claire McCaskill that puts her wants/needs above the good of those she's supposed to be serving.  If you don't have a servant's heart, Claire, this job is not for you.

*via Democrats' 2012 Convention Will Be in Charlotte - NYTimes.com.

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Deep Reading a Thing of the Past?

With the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media; there is a concern that children are not learning to "deep read."  What is deep reading, you ask?

"Deep reading," or slow reading, is a sophisticated process in which people can critically think, reflect and understand the words they are looking at. With most, that means slowing down -- even stopping and rereading a page or paragraph if it doesn't sink in -- to really capture what the author is trying to say. Experts warn that without reading and really understanding what's being said, it is impossible to be an educated citizen of the world, a knowledgeable voter or even an imaginative thinker.

I had to pause to contemplate why deep reading might becoming a thing of the past.  Are we too involved in social media and texting 24/7 to take the time to pick up a book worth reading?  Do we think that because we're adults and not enrolled in school that learning stops or is no longer necessary?  Do the teens and adults of today think that they know it all or know all they need to know? Are we raising mindless zombies that are incapable of deep reading? Deep reading surely requires deep thinking.  More than just reading the words on the page in front of you, it is necessary to comprehend them.  Deep thinking requires contemplating and pondering what you've read and "digesting" it if you will. As a student, I did a lot of learning because it was required.  I enjoyed most subjects.  Now, as an adult, I am able to study and learn at my leisure and on those subjects that I choose.  Learning has become enjoyable, a hobby even.  I have even found that some subjects that I absolutely did not like (history) can be interesting and that I probably had a couple of teachers that didn't do a very good job teaching the subject. Most importantly, I study the Bible (what I consider the handbook of life) on a daily basis.  This requires reading the same passage more than once, thinking, contemplating, taking notes, asking what I can learn from this passage, how it applies to me, and considering any changes I may need to make in my life.  I'm saddened to think that we might have a society of people unable to do this. Deep reading, deep thinking, and learning are very important.  We will become a country of mindless zombies controlled by the government if our children are not taught to do this.  How will they understand our Constitution and be able to defend it and their God-given rights?  How will they understand the Bible, God's plan of salvation, and His plan for their lives? via Experts worry deep reading becoming a thing of the past | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment.

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Homeschooling: The Most Effective Educational Choice

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Go to Work, Go to School, Quit Complaining, and Praise the Lord!

We got dumped on about 10 days ago, and we have several more inches of snow today.  It is not uncommon here to be stuck inside for a few days during the winter.  I can certainly sympathize with this woman.

Evidently, Atlanta had the same controversy over Martin Luther King Day as this area did.  After missing several days of school, some schools wanted to open on MLK Day because they did not have any snow days built into their school calendar.

I certainly like this lady's sense of humor.

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Couple Stopped From Helping Homeless

Bobby and Amanda Herring spent more than a year providing food to homeless people in downtown Houston every day. They fed them, left behind no trash and doled out warm meals peacefully without a single crime being committed, Bobby Herring said.

That ended two weeks ago when the city shut down their "Feed a Friend" effort for lack of a permit. And city officials say the couple most likely will not be able to obtain one.

[. . .]

Anyone serving food for public consumption, whether for the homeless or for sale, must have a permit, said Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Department. To get that permit, the food must be prepared in a certified kitchen with a certified food manager.

The regulations are all the more essential in the case of the homeless, Barton said, because "poor people are the most vulnerable to foodborne illness and also are the least likely to have access to health care."

Yah, right.  The kitchens this food is being prepared in is probably cleaner than any restaurant or soup kitchen.

Bobby Herring said those rules would preclude them from continuing to feed the 60 to 120 people they assisted nightly for more than a year. The food had been donated from area businesses and prepared in various kitchens by volunteers or by his wife.

[. . .]

City Councilwoman Wanda Adams, who has been an advocate for the homeless during her tenure, said she planned to review the ordinance. She reiterated the importance of the city's rules but applauded the efforts of the Herrings.

"I'm very passionate about what they're doing," she said. "Somebody needs to make sure our homeless people are being taken care of. ... We have to look as a city to see if there are other ways we can partner with people like this who are trying to help."

No, the government is not the solution.  The Herrings were doing just fine handing out food to the homeless without the help of the government.  The government has now become the problem and has stopped the Herrings from doing so.  Partnering with "people like this" will only add more bureaucracy, more red tape, more expenses and in the end less people will be helped.  Or, as it as right now, no one will be helped.  As often is the case, Houston's homeless would be better off if the government would get out of the way.

Houston permit rule stops couple's effort to feed homeless | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle.

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Safe Holiday or Any Day Sweeteners

In her December 2010 newsletter, Dr. Janet Starr Hull gave a list of safe sweeteners and sweeteners to avoid.  Even though this may be something we might need to be more mindful of during the holiday season, it's good information for us to have all year.

Remember, these are the artificial sweeteners to avoid:

1. Sucralose (Splenda)
2. Aspartame (NutraSweet/Equal^®)
3. Acesulfame-K (Sunett^®)
4. Neotame^®

What are your safe natural sweetener choices?

1. Stevia*
2. Raw, unprocessed sugar (Sucanat^®)
3. Brown Rice Syrup
4. Barley Malt
5. Date Sugar
6. Honey
7. Maple Syrup
8. Molasses
9. Sorghum

*Safe for diabetics. Use Stevia sparingly or it is bitter - otherwise, it's naturally delicious and a much healthier choice! These are the secondary natural sweetener choices to use with discretion:

1. Fructose
2. Fruit Juice Concentrate
3. Juice Concentrate
4. Sugar alcohols (Polyols)
   • Isomalt
   • Lactitol
   • Malitol
   • Mannitol
   • Sorbitol
   • Xylitol
5. Turbinado Sugar
6. Tagatose

Safe Holiday Sweeteners.

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KCMO 2010 Top 20 Crash Sites

The Kansas City, Missouri police department has identified the top 20 crash sites for 2010.  If you live north of the river in Kansas City, you will be interested in this as there seems to be a high concentration of accidents in that area.

There is a simple solution:

A study conducted by Texas A & M University found that adding one second of yellow decreases crashes 35 to 40 percent and violations by 60 percent.

Image source:  http://kcpdchief.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-20-crash-locations-of-2010.html

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Nixon Urges Cooperation As Mo. Legislature Begins

You gotta love how the dems want to ram everything down your throat when they're in power.  But, now that they're not, we need to all learn "to get along."

The Missouri Legislature is convening with its largest Republican majority in decades and its largest freshmen class in several years. Lawmakers are to begin their 2011 session around noon Wednesday. And Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon says their first order of business should be simply learning to get along.

via Nixon Urges Cooperation As Mo. Legislature Begins - Kansas City News Story - KCTV Kansas City.

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Obamacare is Not About Healthcare

Dr. Susan Berry at Big Government does an excellent job explaining what Obamacare is really all about.

In reality, the Healthcare law is a liberal power grab that is gradually permitting the federal government to control more of our lives, making more people dependent upon the government and continuing the culture of dependency among minority groups who, up until now, have mostly voted liberals into power. The symbolism of the repeal will ring loud and clear.

[. . .]

For those who do not have adult children in the 21 to 26 age range, would it surprise you to know that these adult "children," who are now covered, are not required to even live with their parents to remain on their plans, and that they may even be married and still be covered under their parents' health plans? Through the new Healthcare law, liberal Democrats have gradually introduced the concept that adult children should remain dependent on their parents, and when their parents are not around, perhaps the government can take over in that parental role? Of course, this new rule comes at a time when the economic decline made it difficult for young adults to obtain jobs. This is how the gradual creep of dependency begins: introduce a law which creates dependency on the government at a time of crisis, so that uninformed Americans will see it as a caring and positive intervention to help them in their time of need. This is how every entitlement legislation begins, and why none has ever been totally eradicated thus far, mainly because people have come to expect these benefits.

[. . .]

In addition, as a result of the left's encouragement of this culture of dependency, those who are truly in need will no longer have to seek voluntary assistance from neighbors and communities. Conversely, neighbors and communities will not be encouraged to voluntarily reach out to others because the knowledge that the government will provide for their friends' needs may cause them to think twice. As such, dependency on the government creates more distance, and less connectivity, among members of a community.

» The Healthcare Law Is Not About Healthcare: It's About Making Us Dependent - Big Government.

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Rep. Giffords Fatally Shot at Public Event

Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was fatally shot in the head at close range by a gunman Saturday morning outside a grocery store in Tucson while holding a public event, Fox News has confirmed. via Rep. Giffords in Critical Condition After Being Shot in the Head at Public Event - FoxNews.com.

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41% of New York City pregnancies end in abortion

Eye-opening statistics about the rate of abortions in New York City have been released by the Health Department. [. . .] 41% of all New York City pregnancies end in abortion.

Ugh!  This is so discouraging and so disgraceful.  We're supposed to be civilized, moral, and the greatest nation on earth.  Yet, one of our largest cities is killing 41% of its babies. Another sad note is that the abortion rate is down from 46% in 1998. via 41% of New York City pregnancies end in abortion | 7online.com.

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NutraSweet: Pretty in Pink

We've all sat at the restaurant table with the container of various types of sweeteners:  white, sugar; pink, saccharin; yellow, Nutrasweet, blue, Equal.  We've all done it—reached for the packet we want based on color and poured it into our drink without even paying much attention to the label on the packet.

Artificial sweetener users beware!  Nutrasweet is now claiming to be the "new pink" and is now using a pink package!

Read more about this stunt from Dr. Janet Starr Hull.

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TSA: Helping America “FEEL” Safe

Tammy Banovac was not allowed to board her flight because of an "unusual contour in her buttocks area," yet was allowed to remain in the airport and says she plans to spend the night there.  If this lady is such a threat, why is she allowed to remain in the airport?   If she truly is a threat to others, shouldn't she be hauled off to jail where she would be strip searched and anything she might be hiding found?

Is it supposed to make us feel better when potential terrorists are not allowed to board a plane but are allowed to freely roam the world?  Aren't there more people in and around the airport itself than on a plane? 

Recently, a pilot named Chris Liu posted videos on YouTube to show what he thinks are holes in the security system at San Francisco International Airport.  Instead of looking into Mr. Liu's accusations, TSA reacted by sending four agents and two county sheriff deputies out to his house to confiscate his gun and suspend his Federal Flight Deck Officer credentials. 

Now, doesn't that make you feel safer?

 

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Who’s Poisoning Our Food Supply?

We now have confirmation of the concern that outsiders may try to poison U.S. citizens through our food supply.

The deadly terrorist group al-Qaeda may be plotting to poison U.S. food in the salad bars and buffets of hotels and restaurants, according to U.S. intelligence report obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police on Tuesday.

The plot entails the hiding of either ricin  or cyanide in the food at a number of locations in order to create panic and have an adverse effect on the U.S. food industry and economy.

The terrorists hope that Americans will eat the poisoned food and would become severely ill and eventually die. Sources at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who issued the warning, stated that it takes only tiny quantities of either ricin or cyanide to kill.¹

However, we've been slowly poisoning ourselves for decades with the myriad of artificial ingredients in our food.  As we continue to use food for fuel, our food prices will continue to increase, and manufacturers will seek ways to reduce their costs. Welcome to the world of artificial sweeteners!

Everyone wants to indulge a sweet tooth at this festive time of year, without suffering the inevitable consequences of weight gain. But, be aware of the hidden (not listed on ingredient labels) dangers of Neotame sweetener in almost everything consumed by humans, and now even in feed for livestock raised for human consumption.

In 1998, Monsanto applied for FDA approval for a monster molecule, "based on the aspartame formula" with one critical addition: 3-dimethylbutyl [listed on EPA's most hazardous chemical list]. Neotame is touted as being 13,000 times sweeter than sugar.

On July 5, 2002 - Monsanto's Neotame molecule was approved by the USFDA over formally registered objections of the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and others. (Long term effects on humans are unknown.) Read the full release on The Aspartame Consumer Safety Network.

The food labeling requirements required for aspartame have now been dropped for Neotame, and no one is clear why this was allowed to happen. Neotame has been ruled acceptable, and without being included on the list of ingredients, for:

1. USDA Certified Organic food items.
2. Certified Kosher products with the official letter k inside the circle on labels.

Ever ready to give the public what it craves - guilt-free, low calorie treats that taste as good as sugar, is the multi billion dollar sweetener industry. The sugar industry pales by comparison, in the profit generating arena. Fake sugars, in the form of Aspartame and now the Aspartame super clone, Neotame, give 'foodies' and fitness fanatics false hope and the empty promise that all can 'have our cake and eat it, too.' Not necessarily so.

Controversy has swirled around the artificial sweetener, Aspartame, now also known as AminoSweet, since its FDA approval in 1982. Virtually all corporate sponsored scientific studies show aspartame to be perfectly safe. Virtually all independently done studies show just the opposite. In the lab, Aspartame was shown to cause the following forms of cancers: brain tumors, pancreatic tumors, breast tumors and uterine tumors. Five deaths are registered with FDA. In more recent tests, leukemia, lymphoma and kidney cancers were discovered as well.²

This article goes on to explain how Neotame under the name of "Sweetos" is now being used to sweeten livestock feed.  Why?  Because it is cheaper than molasses which has skyrocketed in price due to it being used in the production of alcohol.  So, no matter how careful you are at reading labels, you may still be exposed to it through meats that you purchase.

Yes, we do need to be concerned about outside threats to poison our food supply.  We need to take those threats seriously and prevent them from being carried out.  However, we also need to scrutinize the ingredients of the foods we eat daily and realize that the manufacturers are willingly and legally poisoning our food supply while we happily buy and consume their tasty morsels.

¹Source:  Al-Qaeda plot to poison U.S. food supply uncovered by feds

²Source:  Neotame - Hidden Danger in Holiday Food Supply

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Mom Files Lawsuit Against McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys

I don't think that getting rid of the toy in the Happy Meals is going to keep this lady from feeding her kids fast food.  Obviously, she has a problem with saying 'no' to her kids.

Monet Parham needs help saying no to her two children and she's asking the courts for assistance, the Washington Post reports. Parham filed a lawsuit against McDonald's asking the fast-food chain to cease marketing toys to kids.

Mom Files Lawsuit Against McDonald's Happy Meal Toys.

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People are Worth Pursuing, Jesus Even More So

Image by Douglas Brown via Flickr

I was told today that people are worth pursuing.  In general, I agree.

How long do you pursue someone that left you?  How long do you pursue someone that has thwarted your efforts to communicate?  How long do you pursue someone that obviously doesn't want to be sought after?

It takes a lot of time and energy to pursue someone that doesn't want anything to do with you.  At what point do you leave someone to their own devices and hope they will someday return to you?

However, there is someone that very much wants to be sought after that we often ignore:

[1] Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. [2] Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. [3] Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. [4] Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. - Psalm 105:1-4 NASB

If only we put as much energy into pursuing the Lord, as we do pursuing people and things.

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If the house is pitch black, we probably didn’t order pizza!

Image via Wikipedia

 

Based on a true story:

 

'Twas a week before Christmas and all through the house

not a creature was stirring

not even a mouse.

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

Ma and Pa had taken all their meds!

 

The clock was about to strike 1:00 am

when at the front door there arose such a clatter

the whole family sprang up to see what was the matter.

 

Then what to my wandering eyes should appear

but a Northern Lights delivery man with a six pack of root beer.

 

Go away, go away, go away all.

We're not the ones that made the call!

 

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TSA Agents Just Doing Their Jobs?

(NaturalNews) Some apologists are now attempting to defend the lewd, obscene behavior of TSA agents by claiming "they're just doing their jobs." This is the exact same quote that was used by Nazi war criminals to justify their treatment of Jewish concentration camp prisoners; or by Japanese soldiers who raped and pillaged Chinese villages in World War II; or even by government hit men throughout history who have killed innocents because their bosses told them to.

"I'm just doing my job" is the excuse of the weak-minded. It is a desperate attempt to shift responsibility for one's actions to someone else and therefore take on the actions of a mindless, immoral automaton who is incapable of independent thought. Throughout history, countless atrocities and war crimes have been conducted under the excuse of "I'm just doing my job." To hear it now cited in the United States of America is a worrisome red flag that we are headed into an era where rational thought is being overrun by fear mongering idiots.

Individual human beings have a moral and ethical responsibility to protect their fellow countrymen (and women)

In the real world, the excuse of "just doing my job" doesn't cut it. U.S. government workers have a personal and patriotic responsibility to ensure that their actions do not deprive American citizens of their Constitutional rights. A U.S. government employee who engages in behavior that violates the rights of American citizens -- even if ordered to do so -- is himself guilty of those violations under civil law (and perhaps criminal law, depending on the violation).

Read the rest here: http://www.naturalnews.com/030537_TSA_Nazi_war_criminals.html#ixzz17TsCzmaX

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Federal Reserve Under Fire for Lending Big to Foreign Banks During Financial Crisis

Yes, job creation is the most important economic issue facing America today.  Unfortunately, there's not a thing the Federal Reserve Bank or any other bank can do about it.

Supporters of the dual mandate say it has worked to balance Fed actions. On Wednesday, Bernanke told business leaders in Ohio that job creation is "probably the most important economic issue facing America today."

via FoxNews.com - Federal Reserve Under Fire for Lending Big to Foreign Banks During Financial Crisis.

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McCaskill to Host “Kitchen Table Talk” in Liberty, Missouri

I got this email last week from one of Claire McCaskill's reps.  McCaskill's office is hosting a "Kitchen Table Talk" at the Mid Continent Public Library in Liberty, Missouri.  Funny now that the election has passed and the dems have lost their super majority McCaskill claims she's willing to "listen to your thoughts and ideas."  Why the change of heart now that she's rammed Obamacare down our throats?  This is an opportunity to let her office know in person how you feel about S 510.

My name is Greg Razer and I am a staff member for U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. On Wednesday, December 1st, on behalf of the Senator, I will be hosting a "Kitchen Table Talk" in Clay County at the Mid-Continent Public Library (1000 Kent Street) from 1:00PM- 2:00PM. The purpose of this meeting is to reach out to you, to listen to your thoughts and ideas about federal policies and legislation and to take them back to the Senator.

These "Kitchen Table Talks" also serve, in part, to inform you of the services that are available through Senator McCaskill's regional offices. The Senator's staff throughout the state are able to assist you on a range of federal government issues. If you are currently having an issue with a federal agency, I will be happy to discuss that with you and put you in touch with the member of the Senator's staff best suited to help with your issue.

Should you have any questions, please contact me at greg_razer@mccaskill.senate.gov or by calling 816-421-1639. I hope you will be able to join me in Liberty on 1:00PM - 2:00PM. 

Sincerely,

Greg Razer
Field Representative
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

Hey, Claire.  There's one thing most Missourians and Americans are concerned about right now and you don't have to have a "Kitchen Table Talk" to find out about it.  It's called jobs!  People need jobs, not government handouts.

Another thing people are concerned about is taxes.  We are being taxed to death and cannot afford to pay more taxes in a time that many don't even have a job.  Letting the Bush tax credits expire would not be a good move for you and your friends (or enemies) at Capitol Hill right now.

Claire:  more jobs, less taxes.

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Planned Parenthood sues over Alaska notification law

A few years ago, ds broke his ankle and had to have surgery on it--twice.  Parental consent was needed for anything and everything.  All the papers that we as adults normally sign when going to the doctor's office and being admitted to the hospital; we, as parents, had to sign and consent to.  None of the procedures would have been done without it.  Why is abortion any different?

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest is trying to block a new state law requiring that parents of teenage girls seeking abortions be notified. Several doctors joined the organization in suing the state Tuesday. Voters approved the measure in August and the law goes into effect Dec. 14. It requires Alaska doctors notify a parent before performing an abortion on girls younger than 18.

via Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Planned Parenthood sues over Alaska notification law.

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China and Russia Ditch the Dollar

St. Petersburg, Russia - China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced late on Tuesday. Chinese experts said the move reflected closer relations between Beijing and Moscow and is not aimed at challenging the dollar, but to protect their domestic economies. "About trade settlement, we have decided to use our own currencies," Putin said at a joint news conference with Wen in St. Petersburg.

China, Russia quit dollar.

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Obama's Grandma Praying for "Barack to Convert to Islam" - Atlas Shrugs

Obama's Grandma Praying for "Barack to Convert to Islam" - Atlas Shrugs.

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Another TSA Outrage | RedState

TSA is now taking nail clippers away from our soldiers returning home who are carrying assault rifles.  This is unreal. Another TSA Outrage | RedState.

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Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Thanksgiving Proclamation

[New York, 3 October 1789] Page Image. By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation. Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. Go: Washington

George Washington Papers: Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation.

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Gardening and Saving Seeds to be Outlawed

On November 17, the U.S. Senate voted for cloture on SB 510.  What this means is that the bill must be voted on within 60 days.  So, this bill is definitely coming up for a vote.  If you think Obamacare is bad for America, this bill is much worse. It's important to contact your Senators and keep tabs on this bill.  If you don't know how to contact your Senator, go to congress.org and put in your zip code.

Senate Bill 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, has been called "the most dangerous bill in the history of the United States of America." It would grant the U.S. government new authority over the public's right to grow, trade and transport any foods. This would give Big brother the power to regulate the tomato plants in your backyard. It would grant them the power to arrest and imprison people selling cucumbers at farmer's markets. It would criminalize the transporting of organic produce if you don't comply with the authoritarian rules of the federal government. "It will become the most offensive authority against the cultivation, trade and consumption of food and agricultural products of one's choice. It will be unconstitutional and contrary to natural law or, if you like, the will of God." - Dr. Shiv Chopra, Canada Health whistleblower (http://shivchopra.com/?page_id=2) This tyrannical law puts all food production (yes, even food produced in your own garden) under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security. Yep -- the very same people running the TSA and its naked body scanner / passenger groping programs. This law would also give the U.S. government the power to arrest any backyard food producer as a felon (a "smuggler") for merely growing lettuce and selling it at a local farmer's market. It also sells out U.S. sovereignty over our own food supply by ceding to the authority of both the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Codex Alimentarius. It would criminalize seed saving (http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/20...), turning backyard gardeners who save heirloom seeds into common criminals. This is obviously designed to give corporations like Monsanto a monopoly over seeds. It would create an unreasonable paperwork burden that would put small food producers out of business, resulting in more power over the food supply shifting to large multinational corporations.

Senate Bill S 510 Food Safety Modernization Act vote imminent: Would outlaw gardening and saving seeds. A couple of other articles about S 510 are here and here.

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Health panel brings out big guns - BostonHerald.com

There's one big problem with "affordable" insurance for everyone.  Who gets to define "affordable?"  Are the people making the rules going to agree with me as to what "affordable" is?  Massachusetts is finding out that what the State has deemed affordable, the people have not.

The state's health insurance connector — the highly touted agency that aims to bring cheap medical care to the masses — has turned into a legal pit bull by aggressively going after a growing number of Bay Staters who say they can't afford mandated insurance — or the penalties imposed for not having it. The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority is cracking down on more than 3,000 residents who are fighting state fines, and has even hired a private law firm to force the health insurance scofflaws to pay penalties of up to $2,000 a year. All told, more than 7,700 people have appealed state fines for not having health insurance, according to connector spokesman Richard Powers. The agency has hired several private attorneys at $50 an hour to hear many of the appeals, and some 3,150 of them have been denied — and the losers told to pay up.

The connector has also hired the Hub law firm Bowman & Penski — at $125 an hour — to defend itself against 13 lawsuits filed by fed-up taxpayers who insist they can't afford state required insurance premiums or the escalating fines.

. . .

"Every problem that Massachusetts is running into right now, the federal government will confront in 2014," said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the conservative Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. "Just as Massachusetts' residents are having to appeal the extra taxes they are being levied because they can't afford health insurance — and because Massachusetts residents are having to sue the state because it's an unfair and abusive law — citizens from every state in the nation will be doing the same thing in 2014, when Obamacare takes effect," he said.

Health panel brings out big guns - BostonHerald.com.

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If You Touch My Junk . . .

American Airlines passenger, John Tyner, has caused quite a stir by refusing first a scan in an Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machine, and second refusing an "enhanced pat down" as an alternative.  Mr. Tyner had the presence of mind to turn the camera on on his cell phone and record most of his interactions with various TSA and police officers at the airport. 

Not only is privacy a concern with the AIT machine, but there are also health concerns from the radiation.  The AIT machine takes pictures of your naked body.  We've been told that these machines cannot save or copy an image, yet there are images all over the internet.  Some are referring to AIT as nothing more than a "virtual strip search."

When a TSA agent described to John Tyner the enhanced pat down he would have to undergo, Mr. Tyner refused on the grounds that he should not have to be sexually assaulted to board a plane.  The TSA agent told Mr. Tyner that he gave up a lot of his rights when he purchased his airline ticket.

 

 

Now there are also reports of the TSA putting their hands down people's pants.

 

This brings up several questions?

1. Are Americans unknowingly giving up many of their civil rights when purchasing airline tickets?
2. Are the American people going to continue to allow our government to use the tragedy of 9/11 as a vehicle to take away many of our civil rights?
3. Whatever happened to reasonable search and seizure?
4. Are these searches effective?  How many would-be bombers/no gooders has the TSA thwarted using these searches?
5. Whatever happened to common sense?

Common sense:  Israel uses it.  It's called profiling!

This has led to a "National Opt-Out Day." 

It's the day ordinary citizens stand up for their rights, stand up for liberty, and protest the federal government's desire to virtually strip us naked or submit to an "enhanced pat down" that touches people's breasts and genitals in an aggressive manner.  You should never have to explain to your children, "Remember that no stranger can touch or see your private area, unless it's a government employee, then it's OK."  

The goal of National Opt Out Day is to send a message to our lawmakers that we demand change.  We have a right to privacy and buying a plane ticket should not mean that we're guilty until proven innocent.  This day is needed because many people do not understand what they consent to when choosing to fly.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will hold a Transportation Security Administration oversight hearing Wednesday, November 17.  This is your opportunity to speak up.  Contact your Congressman and/or committee member.

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Cell Phone Rash

Cell phones are getting a bad rap once again.  Now along with the concern of radiation, brain cancer, and setting your car on fire at the gas station; some users are also experiencing a mysterious rash.

If you're an incessant cell phone user and a mysterious rash appears along your jaw, cheek or ear, chances are you're allergic to nickel, a metal commonly used in cell phones.

I'm actually amazed that there is any metal on the outside of a cell phone.  I thought they were all plastic.

Symptoms of cell phone allergy include a red, bumpy, itchy rash in areas where the nickel-containing parts of a cell phone touch the face. It can even affect fingertips of those who text continuously on buttons containing nickel. In severe cases, blisters and itchy sores can develop. To treat cell phone rash, you can apply a mild over-the-counter corticosteroid, she said. (Ask your doctor about how long you can safely use it.) Then, keep the nickel-bearing parts of your phone off your face. "Buy a phone cover, opt for a hands-free device, use the speaker phone or switch to a phone that doesn't contain nickel on surfaces that touch your skin," she said. Consult an allergist if the rash lingers.

via Among Cell-Phone Junkies, Rash on the Rise.

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Boehner: Let Americans read bills before they are brought to a vote

In this opinion piece, John Boehner outlines what he believes the next Speaker of the House must do to regain the trust of the American people.

Accordingly, there are several steps I believe the next speaker should be prepared to take immediately. Among them:

• No earmarks.

• Let Americans read bills before they are brought to a vote. The speaker of the House should not allow any bill to come to a vote that has not been posted publicly online for at least three days. Members of Congress and the American people must have the opportunity to read it.

• No more "comprehensive" bills. The next speaker should put an end to so-called comprehensive bills with thousands of pages of legislative text that make it easy to hide spending projects and job-killing policies. President Obama's massive "stimulus" and health-care bills, written behind closed doors with minimal public scrutiny, were the last straw for many Americans. The American people are not well-served by "comprehensive," and they are rightly suspicious of the adjective.

• No more bills written behind closed doors in the speaker's office. Bills should be written by legislators in committee in plain public view.

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Ohio State Rep. Race Comes Down To 5 Votes

This is why it's important to vote.

CINCINNATI -- At least two races in the Ohio House will be recounted because of the thin margins between the competitors. In unofficial results, only five votes divide Cincinnati Tea Party founder Mike Wilson and Democratic Rep. Connie Pillich in the 28th District in Hamilton County.

via Ohio State Rep. Race Comes Down To 5 Votes - Politics News Story - WLWT Cincinnati.

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St. Louis Voter Fraud

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Atlas Shrugs reports on voter fraud in St. Louis, Missouri with a release from the St. Louis Tea Party:

(November 2, 2010) Three precincts in the city of St. Louis delivered 3,800 votes for Carnahan in the last hour of counting.  This is Brian Wahby's district.  The same Brian Wahby who admittedly funneled $10,000 back to himself via a Democratic Campaign Committee, as reported by the St Louis Post Dispatch.  Ironically, Wahby's wife also works for Mayor Francis Slay.  They waited until they knew how many votes they needed, then they manufactured them.

How many dead or non-existent people voted in Wahby's precincts? That question remains to be answered.  Secretary of State reacted in a very guarded manner when questioned by the St Louis Tea Party Coalition yesterday on the apparent crash of their Voter Verification System.  More so, Secretary of State, Robin Carnanhan continued to campaign amidst the epic fail, and failed to comply with 115.136. 1. of the Missouri Statute regarding National Voter Registration Act.

We have confirmed voter Fraud in the City of St Louis, the City of Arnold, a downed Voter Verification System, and the St Louis City Board of Elections manning polls with The St. Louis City Board of Elections is using a security service, Special Services, that has a long standing relationship with the Carnahan family. The Ed Martin for Congress campaign was alerted yesterday, from a fellow board member that, despite opposition, Democratic chairwoman, Eileen McCann, hired Special Services.

So, what does this all add up to? A major investigation.  The St Louis Tea Party Coalition, who endorsed Ed Martin, has already begun unraveling the corruption and has pledged to push forward until the truth is revealed.  One spokesperson for the organization stated at a Watch Party last night, "Novemeber [sic] 3rd, we begin".  Holding true to this statement, the organization has gone into watchdog mode.

Here's video of the St. Louis Tea Party protesting voter fraud on Wednesday, November 3:

 

Ed Martin's campaign issued a press release and asks for anyone that witnessed irregularities on Tuesday to contact his office:

The three glaring factors which stand out involve the Secretary of State's office, the sole decision of a newly appointed Democratic chair at the City Elections Board, and an unprecedented number of votes coming in late from the city.

The Secretary of State first of all is Congressman Carnahan's sister, Robin Carnahan. She reported having irregularities and computer glitches early in the day. We have heard from countless voters who want those problems scrutinized. Many point out that the Department of Justice pursued, for three years, a case against Missouri for failing to clean up the process. "When filed in 2005, one-third of Missouri counties had more registered voters than voting-age residents. What's more, Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan,… contended that her office had no obligation to ensure individual counties were complying with the federal law mandating a cleanup of their voter rolls." (Wall Street Journal, John Fund, July 8, 2010)

People also question the motive behind a newly appointed St. Louis City Board of Elections Democratic Chairwoman, Eileen McCann, hiring a security company with close ties to Congressman Carnahan. Special Services was called on by Congressman Carnahan to do security for him as recently as August 26^th. Carnahan paid the company $1400 at that time which can be seen in a quick review of his FEC filing.

Then just before midnight seven precincts within the city and county delivered an astounshing [sic] late night dump of votes. In such a hotly contested race and with so many voters concerned it only makes sense to make sure in fact every vote counts. Since Missouri's Secretary of State is in fact Congressman Carnahan's sister it is suggested she recuse herself from the investigation and appoint an independent investigator to look into these three main points of question.

"The people of this district want to make sure their voices were in fact heard and I pledged to them that I would fight to ensure it happens. We need to make sure the election process was in fact fair and that the numbers are correct. I saw several issues in my time at the St. Louis City Board of Elections and serious issues like this should and need to be addressed," said Ed Martin.

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ACORN filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy

While you were out voting and watching the returns, ACORN was filing for bankruptcy.  I'd like to think "good riddance," but I think Obama will see this as an opportunity for another bailout.

ACORN, a national organization whose mission included registering and turning out low-income and minority voters, announced on this election day that it was filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Founded in 1970, the Assn. of Community Organizations for Reform Now had in recent years become a target of conservatives who accused the group of engaging in widespread voter fraud. It was forced to scale back its efforts after a scandal erupted, centered around undercover video footage that purported to show ACORN staff helping young activists posing as a pimp and prostitute engage in illegal activity.

ACORN filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy - latimes.com.

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Missouri 2010 General Election Results

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To see more election results, including your local results, go to the Missouri Secretary of State website.

Roy Blunt defeated Robin Carnahan for Kit Bond's Senate seat.

Passed:  Constitutional Amendment No. 1.  If passed, this amendment will require the office of county assessor to be an elected position except for one exemption.  Vote YES.

Passed:  Constitutional Amendment No. 2.  If passed, this amendment will exempt disabled former prisoners of war from property taxes.  Vote YES.

Passed:  Constitutional Amendment No. 3.  If passed, this amendment will prohibit any new tax, including sales tax, on the sales of homes.  Vote YES

Passed:  Proposition A.  If passed, this proposition would prohibit any city from adding an earnings tax and require cities that currently have an earnings tax to put the matter to a vote.  Vote YES.

Passed:  Proposition B.  Proposition B is specifically aimed at eliminating legal and licensed professional dog breeders in Missouri. It targets commercial pet breeders who are already licensed and inspected by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and who are in compliance with state and federal laws. It will provide no additional resources to enhance existing inspection programs or target unlicensed dog breeders. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, not one of the state's 1,400 current licensed breeders can comply with the regulations put forth in Proposition B.  Vote NO.

Retained:  Judges:  Missouri Supreme Court Judge Zel Fischer.  Appointed by Matt Blunt.  Reported to be very conservative.  Vote YES.

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Get Out and Vote Today!

By now you should have your sample ballot printed out and marked.  Maybe you've already voted.  Nevertheless, vote early, and vote often!

If you still need guidance on Missouri's issues, you may visit MFN's website.

 

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Missouri 2010 General Election

On November 2, there will be several statewide issues on the ballot.  Some of the wording is tricky, so I encourage you to do a little research and know how you're going to vote before you go to the polls.  This will cut down on confusion.  Try going to your county election board's website and downloading a sample ballot.  You'll then know all the issues and judges on the ballot.  You can print this ballot out, do a little research, and have it marked for when you go to the polls on Tuesday.  With your sample ballot in hand and already marked, it will only take you a few minutes to vote.

Here are the state-wide issues:

Constitutional Amendment No. 1.  If passed, this amendment will require the office of county assessor to be an elected position except for one exemption.  Vote YES.

Constitutional Amendment No. 2.  If passed, this amendment will exempt disabled former prisoners of war from property taxes.  Vote YES.

Constitutional Amendment No. 3.  If passed, this amendment will prohibit any new tax, including sales tax, on the sales of homes.  Vote YES

Proposition A.  If passed, this proposition would prohibit any city from adding an earnings tax and require cities that currently have an earnings tax to put the matter to a vote.  Vote YES.

Proposition B.  Proposition B is specifically aimed at eliminating legal and licensed professional dog breeders in Missouri. It targets commercial pet breeders who are already licensed and inspected by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and who are in compliance with state and federal laws. It will provide no additional resources to enhance existing inspection programs or target unlicensed dog breeders. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, not one of the state's 1,400 current licensed breeders can comply with the regulations put forth in Proposition B.  Vote NO.

Judges:  Missouri Supreme Court Judge Zel Fischer.  Appointed by Matt Blunt.  Reported to be very conservative.  Vote YES.

For information on your  local judges, go to Missouri Family Network's website.

What you will see on the ballot:

Death of the English Language

This is something that has been gnawing on a raw nerve of mine for quite some time.  I understand that none of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes.  I don't expect novice writers like myself to have perfect pieces with perfect spelling and punctuation.  A mistake here and there is expected. However, it does appear that standards in the news industry have hit rock bottom.  It is difficult to read a piece without finding at least one glaring error.  How often have you noticed an error in the ticker across the bottom of the TV screen?  These writers are getting paid to do what they do, and they are representing a corporation.  They make the corporation look bad when they publish a piece with grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors.  There was a day and age that this was unheard of.  In today's fast-paced world, many have sacrificed quality in order to be the first one to get the story out.

The English language, which arose from humble Anglo-Saxon roots to become the lingua franca of 600 million people worldwide and the dominant lexicon of international discourse, is dead. It succumbed last month at the age of 1,617 after a long illness. It is survived by an ignominiously diminished form of itself. The end came quietly on Aug. 21 on the letters page of The Washington Post. A reader castigated the newspaper for having written that Sasha Obama was the "youngest" daughter of the president and first lady, rather than their "younger" daughter. In so doing, however, the letter writer called the first couple the "Obama's." This, too, was published, constituting an illiterate proofreading of an illiterate criticism of an illiteracy. Moments later, already severely weakened, English died of shame.

Gene Weingarten - Goodbye, cruel words: English. It's dead to me..

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Dispelling Ignorance About Missouri’s Prop B

Many are ignorant about the nature and objectives of HSUS-- the organization behind Prop B. A visit to www.humanewatch.org or www.activistcash.comwill help you assess whether their intentions have anything at all to do with the treatment of animals. While less than $500,000 went to animal shelters (less than 0.5% of HSUS's budget in the same year HSUS's own website lists 14 executives who, it is reported, received $2.5 million in 2008 in pension benefits alone; their salaries are not available.

However, most harmful is ignorance of the significance of property rights to basic American freedoms. There is no more important unalienable right that our constitution secures than that of property rights. Personal property - almost unheard of before the United States exceptional founding - is the right that guarantees all others. It is the only right that once lost will almost certainly not be restored short of armed conflict. Prop B directly assaults property rights and for that reason alone is completely unacceptable and should be ruled unconstitutional. But the courts aside, no issue is important enough to concede to government our last defense against its abuse of the people.

Dispelling ignorance about what is actually in Prop B will help defeat it at the ballot box. First of all, the use of the word "cruelty" is to invoke prejudice, not reason. For example, keeping 51 dogs is cruel but keeping 50 is not; keeping a dog in a 5' by 5' 11" enclosure is cruel while adding one inch to the length makes it kind; kennel temperature of 45 degrees F is kind while 44 degrees is cruel. "Cruelty" is not for the dog; it is for the emotional appeal. We're told Prop B is for "large-scale" breeders, but just 11 female dogs makes you a "large-scale" breeder, and your animal quarters will have to be heated and air conditioned. Finally, if Prop B is about animal cruelty then why are hunting dogs excluded from the regulations?

Proposition B is not about animals or about cruelty, it is an assault on property rights, small businesses, and the free market. It employs a proven strategy for stripping rights from the people and empowering the elitists: 1) find an innocent lovable party - puppy, 2) make them a victim with an emotion-stirring label - puppy mill, 3) make "more government" the solution - Prop B. If voters take a broader and thoughtful perspective and if they insist that freedoms be protected and that policies be logical rather than emotional, then American ideals will win, and Prop B will fail in November.

Source:  http://www.thealliancefortruth.com/#

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Missouri's Proposition B is Bad. Vote No.

The ads for Missouri's Proposition B are very deceptive.  Don't let them pull on your heart strings.  Laws are already in place for dog breeders.  Proposition B is intended to and will put dog breeders out of business.  Once that is accomplished, they will go after other animals, including livestock. B is bad.  Vote no!

Don't be fooled by the slick television ads or the Hollywood celebrities. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not your local pet shelter but an east coast fundraising organization. Very little (less that one-half of 1 percent) of the money it raises is used to rescue dogs and cats but rather to finance an extremist agenda that is targeting pet breeders, livestock producers and hunters.

[. . .]

On Nov. 2, Missourians will have a chance to vote on HSUS' latest pet project. Proposition B is specifically aimed at eliminating legal and licensed professional dog breeders in Missouri. It targets commercial pet breeders who are already licensed and inspected by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and who are in compliance with state and federal laws. It will provide no additional resources to enhance existing inspection programs or target unlicensed dog breeders. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, not one of the state's 1,400 current licensed breeders can comply with the regulations put forth in Proposition B. [. . .]  If Proposition B passes, it will only be a matter of time before HSUS is back in the state with both farmers and hunters in its sights. Enough is enough; we do not need new rules and regulations. Vote no on Proposition B.

via seMissourian.com: Op/Ed Column: Proposition B opposition (10/04/10).

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Snipers for Vipers

Get a .50 Caliber Barrett Sniper Riffle with the purchase of a new Dodge Viper from Max Motors, America's Car Dealer. Call Dealer for Details.

via MAX MOTORS in Nevada and Butler Missouri » Blog Archive » Snipers for Vipers.

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College Board Declares College Worth the Cost

College tuition is high. Student loans can be crushing. Is higher education really worth all that money? Yes, especially in a recession, says a new report from the College Board, a Princeton, N.J., not-for-profit group that administers the SAT and other college-readiness programs. College graduates not only make more money than a high school graduate who hasn't attended college, they're more likely to be employed.

I don't know.  Should I be skeptical that the Collage Board which administers the SAT and other college-readiness programs finds that the cost of college is worth it?  Wouldn't it cut into their bread and butter to tell the world otherwise? Still, something to consider:

Still, attending college usually means losing four years of earnings at a full-time job, and there are all those student loans to pay off.

"There are so many terrible stories of young people who graduate with six-figure debt, with a degree, in, say, social services, and their jobs will never be able to pay off that debt in any reasonable time period," says Robert Martin, economics professor at Centre College in Danville, Ky. "It's an important question to ask, if everyone should go to college."

via College is expensive, but new study says it's worth it - News 10 WTEN: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports.

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Big Brother is X-Raying You

We see them everywhere--those white commercial vans.  They're used for all sorts of business from construction to delivery.  Who would've thought of loading them up with x-ray equipment and driving them around the city?  The United States government, of course.

This particular technology allows a portable X-ray machine to drive around in what some critics say is "a seemingly normal delivery van," but be able to conduct X-ray imaging tests, as reported by the company website, on "suspect vehicles and objects while the ZBV van drives past."

Although literature about the machines says they aren't invasive, privacy advocates aren't buying that explanation. One reason is that the machines can also X-ray through clothing.

Electronic Privacy Information Center spokesman Marc Rotenberg says that no matter what claims are made about the vans, the machines in the vans are going to be used outside of their normal settings.

Obama is also wanting the authority to monitor all of your Internet activity, and some cities are even monitoring your trash.  What's next?

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Gloria is AllRed on the Mark Levin Show

Mark Levin interviewed Gloria Allred on his radio program regarding the Meg Whitman housekeeping case.  It didn't take Mark long to flush out this skunk.  Listen to the exchange using the link below. Mark Levin.

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Obama: Dems Should Have Patience of Slaves

Sister Toldjah hits the nail on the head with Obama's "patience of slaves" quote.

At another point, he told Democrats upset at a perceived lack of progress to think of the patience of onetime slaves. "You know, the slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs, they weren't sure when slavery would end, but they understood it was going to end," he said.

You know what offends me the most about that quote? Not so much that our nation's first black president would try to sell a political agenda in and of itself on the backs of what was a very pure human rights movement, but that he's using a movement that was based on demanding the equal right to be FREE to be in charge of your own destiny to sell an agenda where you will be, in effect, not be free if he and his allies in Congress have their say about it.

Nation's 1st black prez. invokes "patience of slaves" in selling liberal govt. enslavement agenda « Sister Toldjah.

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Fred Thompson on the Why of the Poor Job Market

Follow the link to a short audio file from Fred's radio program.

...It's not the individual tax rates as much as it is individual tax rates, plus corporate tax rates - second highest in the world - plus all the regulation. All that creates an environment that makes job creation an impossibility. They're trying to punish the people that are creating the jobs.  The government doesn't create anything except jobs around Washington D.C.

Fred Thompson: Fred Says - Fred on the Why of the Poor Job Market.

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Big Brother Obama wants unfettered access to your Internet activity

The same kind of authority the government has to wiretap into phone calls could be coming to Facebook, instant messaging, and every American's browser history, thanks to a push from the Obama administration. The White House plans to introduce a bill into Congress next year that would give Obama the ability to tap into literally every communication any citizen makes online.

Despite outrage over George Bush's limited ability to wiretap into American phone calls, Obama wants to take it a step further and be able to monitor every single form of communication any American citizen uses.

Obama wants unfettered access to your Internet activity | TG Daily.

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Will Somali pirates hijack the election?

Jack Cashill reports on election fraud in KC during the primary on August 3rd.

And if the allied interests of the Democratic Party are willing to do this to one of their own, imagine what they will do to Republicans this desperate November.

via Will Somali pirates hijack the election?.

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Missouri Proposition A

If passed, this law would prohibit cities from collecting earnings tax--hear that Kansas City!  Any earnings taxes currently being assessed will have to be approved by the people by a vote.

From Missouri Family Network:

Proposition A   -   Vote "YES" to limit local government income taxes!

Proposed by a citizens' Initiative Petition.  Go to http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2010petitions/2010-077.asp to read the full text of this proposed Missouri state statutory provision.

Official Ballot Title:  (The summary question you will see in the voting booth)

Shall Missouri law be amended to:

repeal the authority of certain cities to use earnings taxes to fund their budgets;

require voters in cities that currently have an earnings tax to approve continuation of such tax at the next general municipal election and at an election held every 5 years thereafter;

require any current earnings tax that is not approved by the voters to be phased out over a period of 10 years; and

prohibit any city from adding a new earnings tax to fund their budget?

Fair Ballot Language:  (Additional clarification required by law, provided by Secretary of State's office.)

A "yes" vote will amend Missouri law to repeal the authority of certain cities to use earnings taxes to fund their budgets.  The amendment further requires voters in cities that currently have an earnings tax, St. Louis and Kansas City, to approve continuation of such tax at the next general municipal election and at an election held every five years or to phase out the tax over a period of ten years.

A "no" vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding earnings taxes.

If passed, this measure will impact taxes by removing the ability of cities to fund their budgets through earnings taxes.  The only exception is that voters in cities that currently have an earnings tax may vote to continue such taxes.

Analysis: A recent trend in local government tax schemes is to more actively strive for the adoption of a local payroll or income tax.  (The public school lobby has been seeking authority to do the same at the local school district level.)  While this increases revenues for the local governing authorities, it also creates its own negative outcomes.

Local income taxes stifle job creation in much the same way as small business over taxation.  To avoid the tax businesses and employers establish their presence down the road outside the local taxing jurisdiction, or in a far away community.  Many established businesses close shop and relocate when these kind of new taxes become too oppressive.  Without effective job creation incentives most communities cannot grow or even hold their own.  When tax policies become too intrusive a community can begin to deteriorate further stressing the revenue base.

Just as businesses must compete to produce goods and services they must also strive to offer competitive jobs in order to maintain the ability to generate those products.  While employees feel the pinch of smaller paychecks due to local income taxes, employers struggling to maintain available jobs are also stressed by such taxes.  In the end, local income taxes are a regressive and harsh tool for raising revenue for any level of government.

An additional concern regarding income taxes is the rate.  As state and federal government income tax rates continue to climb, what can wage earners expect at the local level?  Prudence and experience grant no optimism regarding this concern.

God's Word speaks against governments that oppress their citizens.  Our forefathers not only fought against such outward tyranny but they memorialized civil disobedience (appropriately applied) as a future defense against internal tyranny also.  Remember that the War of Independence was the result of a great theological struggle as the Tories argued for a Biblical submission to the King (Romans 13:1-7) and the Patriots argued from the motivation of demonstrating love for one's neighbors whom the King was oppressing (Luke 10:25-29 & Acts 5:29).

Under Proposition A any existing income taxes imposed by a local government must be reapproved at the next municipal election.  If it is so reapproved it must continue to be reauthorized every five years.  If it fails to be supported by the voters within the local taxing jurisdiction, the tax would be phased out over a ten year period to avoid any harsh revenue crisis.  Those local governing authorities not currently enacting an income tax would be prohibited from ever imposing this particular type of taxation.  State and federal income taxes will not be impacted by Proposition A.

In order to promote equity in tax policy, help foster a healthy job market and economy, and to further protect your neighbor from burdensome and regressive taxation – please vote "YES" to limit local government income taxes!

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