The Ferguson Forum

Obama 'reinterprets' federal law to ban fracking on private land

While Barack Obama praises America's natural gas jobs boom on the campaign trail, within in the walls of the White House he's using a regulatory trick to kill off the affordable energy and good-paying jobs that safe, clean fracking provides.

"By suddenly reinterpreting a 50-year-old rule that limits truck drivers to 11 hours on the work site at a stretch, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has delivered an unexpected victory for environmental activists," The Washington Examiner's editorial board writes.
What does that have to do with fracking, and why are environmentalists suddenly obsessed with trucking laws?

"Truckers on drilling sites spend hours each day waiting around until one rig or another needs water or sand. This is why, ever since the 11-hour trucking safety rule was adopted in 1962, truckers who haul water and sand to drilling sites have been exempted. There is no issue of road fatigue, the focus of the 11-hour rule," The Examiner writes

"The Transportation Department's reinterpretation eliminates this exemption, disproportionately affecting sites where fracking is employed. Voila - environmental regulation without the hassles of justifying it scientifically, as would be required for an EPA action."

"This is clearly an indication that somewhere up in the top echelons of this administration, there is a constant battle -- a war going on -- to try to artificially level the playing field between the oil and gas industry and the renewable [energy] industry," Rep. Jeff Landry, R-La., told The Washington Examiner.

By changing the rules, with no public input or a vote by Congress, Obama has once again pledged his allegiance to the radical environmentalist fringe and not the American people.

Obama promises more bailouts if re-elected

"'[W]hat we did with the auto industry,' President Obama told a crowd in Colorado Springs, Colo., last week, "we can do it in manufacturing across America. Let's make sure advanced, high-tech manufacturing jobs take root here, not in China," The Washington Examiner's editorial board writes.

"For anyone who understands the nature of GM's 'success,' and of Obama's previous attempts to prop up American companies like Solyndra against Chinese competitors, this campaign rhetoric is somewhat dispiriting. It serves as a troubling confirmation that Obama has learned absolutely nothing from three and a half years of trying unsuccessfully to reshape and reinvigorate the American economy through bailouts and subsidies. Obama's industrial plan continues apace, oblivious to the losses and failures it has created so far."

What does this mean for you?

* "Within days of Obama's statement came the news that taxpayers are now expected to lose $25 billion on the automotive industry's $85 billion rescue. This represents an upward revision from the previous estimate of $22 billion, yet it nonetheless assumes that GM is valued at $22 per share as it was in late May. GM has since suffered a 40 percent decline in profits year-over-year, a 3 percentage point loss of U.S. market share year-over-year for the month of July and brutal press for its flailing attempts to expand in Europe. The current GM share price is just above $20, so the latest estimate is almost certainly too low already."

* "Obama failed also to learn this lesson in the case of Solyndra, the solar panel manufacturer whose bankruptcy cost taxpayers more than $500 million in stimulus cash. In the spring of 2010, shortly after Solyndra was approved for a federal loan guarantee, PricewaterhouseCoopers found the company had already burned through $558 million in private investors' cash without ever turning a profit. The loans were made despite this record of failure. Yet even with all of this government help, Solyndra could not keep up with its Chinese competitors."

The Examiner concludes: "It cost taxpayers half a billion dollars for Obama to save a relatively small company from the reaper for a few months. It has became a great political embarrassment for Obama already but, as his remarks from last week suggest, not a great enough embarrassment to teach him that propping up companies that cannot succeed on their own is always a losing proposition."

Thuggish Obama cancels pensions for non-union retirees

As if you needed any more proof of why it's a bad idea for government to run businesses, The Daily Caller reports after Obama took control of General Motors in 2009 the Obama administration canceled pensions for Delphi auto retirees, but only for the retirees who were not members of the union that funded Obama's election.

Emails obtained by The Daily Caller show that the U.S. Treasury Department, led by Timothy Geithner, was the driving force behind terminating the pensions of 20,000 salaried retirees at the Delphi auto parts manufacturing company.

The move, made in 2009 while the Obama administration implemented its auto bailout plan, appears to have been made solely because those retirees were not members of labor unions.

When the time came for the governemnt to cut costs, Obama made sure workers who didn't support his campaign paid the price - namely workers who didn't pay into the United Auto Workers union that helped fund his campaign.
In 2008 the UAW spent $5 million to elect Obama and have pledged to re-elect Obama by any means necessary.

Twenty thousand of its workers lost nearly their entire pensions when the government bailed out GM. At the same time, Delphi employees who were members of the United Auto Workers union saw their pensions topped off and made whole.

While non-union retirees saw their pensions slashed union members saw their pensions paid off. It's no coincidence the workers who will continue to receive full payments are also the same workers who are more likely to contribute to Obama's re-election.
And prosecutors may be interested in these facts.

The internal government emails contradict sworn testimony, in federal court and before Congress, given by several Obama administration figures. They also indicate that the administration misled lawmakers and the courts about the sequence of events surrounding the termination of those non-union pensions, and that administration figures violated federal law...

...The emails TheDC has obtained show that the Treasury Department, not the independent PBGC [Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation,] was running the show.
Under 29 U.S.C. §1342, the PBGC is the only government entity that is legally empowered to initiate termination of a pension or make any official movements toward doing so.

Instead of the "shared responsibility" Obama so often speaks of, Obama singled out non-union retirees for punishment while those whose union dues funded his election were rewarded with full pensions.

Federal court to Obama: Don't mess with Texas

Gov. Rick Perry today released the following statement on the decision by the 5th Circuit Court to vacate the EPA's disapproval of Texas' flexible permitting program:

"This decision is a big win for jobs and a big win for Texas. Our state has demonstrated you can cultivate jobs while cleaning the air, and this finding affirms that states have the right to develop permitting processes that balance the priorities of protecting the environment and allowing our industries to thrive. It's unfortunate we had to go to such extremes to fight back against this troubling trend of overreach and reckless political activism by the Obama Administration that shows no regard for the impact on jobs or our economy."

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Michael Orozco Fiscal's game winner in Mexico

Michael Orozco Fiscal enters the match and promptly taps in a backheel pass to put the United States up 1-0 in their first-ever win over Mexico in Mexico.

Prior to the match Mexico has lost only eight of 119 matches in Azteca.

Sumlin names freshman Manziel starting QB

Kevin Sumlin's going bold in his Texas A&M debut.

AggieAthletics.com reports Texas A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin announced today that redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel will be the Aggies' starting quarterback for the season opener against Louisiana Tech, Thursday, Aug. 30 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. central.

"Johnny has performed the best at this stage and we will proceed until the season opener with him getting the first-team reps," Sumlin said. "My policy is simple really; the best player plays. Competition is a great thing and we need more competition at all of our positions. All of our quarterbacks have competed well, and I expect them to continue to push Johnny."

Manziel (man-ZELL rhymes with yell) hails from Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, where he earned Parade All-America honors as well as being named the National High School Coach Association Football Player of the Year. He earned Texas Associated Press sports editors Player of the Year after a senior season that saw the righthander throw for 3,609 yards on 228-of-347 (65.7%) passing with 45 touchdowns and five interceptions. The 6-1, 200-pound quarterback also carried the ball 170 times for 1,674 yards and 30 touchdowns. He even had one touchdown reception and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

The quarterback competition is between Manziel, sophomore Jameill Showers from Shoemaker High School in Killeen, sophomore Matt Joeckel from Arlington High School and true freshman Matt Davis who enrolled at Texas A&M in January from Klein Forest High School.

FRC shot up less than 24 hours after liberals announce Ryan would be addressing the group

Just hours after the Human Rights Campaign announced Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan would be addressing the Family Research Council, which they called a "hate group," a volunteer at a gay and lesbian center shoots up FRC's offices.

According to their own anti-speech attack rules, why aren't liberals demanding the Human Rights Campaign be criminally prosecuted for inciting violence?

FRC shooter IDed as Herdon's Floyd Corkins

"NBC and ABC7 identified him as 28-year-old Floyd Corkins of Virginia. Fox News obtained photos of the man, apparently taken by a witness, that show the suspect in handcuffs and his bloody shirt fully unbuttoned," TPM reports.

His full name is Floyd Lee Corkins II.

Corkins was reportedly carrying a Chick-fil-A bag and screaming about the group's political positions. NBC reports Corkins "was carrying a backpack containing materials related to Chick-fil-A restaurants."

There is a Facebook page for a Floyd Corkins, in Northern Virginia, who attended George Mason University. Facebook appears to have blocked the page, presumably to frustrate Brian Ross.

Corkins shares a name with his father, confusing some who found a school teacher with that name, but older.

There is a MyLife page for a Floyd L Corkins of Herndon as well. According to the site that Floyd Corkins "currently lives in Herndon, Virginia. Before that, Floyd lived in Herndon, VA from 2003 to 2003. Before that, Floyd lived in Andrews Air Force Base, MD from 1999 to 2008.
Floyd L Corkins is related to Jacqueline Corkins, who is 52 years old and lives in Herndon, VA. Floyd L Corkins is also related to Floyd Corkins, who is 55 years old and lives in Oklahoma City, OK.

D.C.'s Fox 5 report:
DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

UPDATE: CBS reports Corkins "had been volunteering at a community center for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people."

"David Mariner is executive director of The DC Center for the LGBT Community. He says Corkins had been volunteering at the center for about the past 6 months. Mariner describes Corkins as 'kind, gentle and unassuming.'"

CBS also reports "a coalition of 25 gay rights groups released a statement through GLAAD condemning the shooting.

"'The motivation and circumstances behind today's tragedy are still unknown, but regardless of what emerges as the reason for this shooting, we utterly reject and condemn such violence. We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident,' the statement read."

Black Democrat former governor slams Biden/Obama rhetoric

Doug Wilder is an unabashed liberal, but he also speaks his mind and doesn't carry water for any group or party.

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Paul Ryan's awful anti-gun voting record

Ryan voted for 1999 HR 2122, the Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/

1999/roll244.xml

Ryan voted for H.AMDT.215 to H.R.2122 (Rep Dingell, John D.) Amendment defines what constitutes a sale at a gun show; requires background checks at gun shows to be completed within 24 hours; allows dealers to deal at gun shows face-to-face; and increases the penalty for those who use guns with a large-capacity magazine during the commission of crimes.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/

1999/roll234.xml

Ryan voted for H.AMDT.218 to H.R.2122 (Rep McCollum, Bill) Amendment prohibits juveniles from possessing semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition clips.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/

1999/roll238.xml

Ryan voted for H.AMDT.219 to H.R.2122 (Rep Davis, Thomas M.) Amendment mandates the transfer of a secure gun storage or safety device with the transfer of any handgun and establishes liability criteria for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a handgun by a third party.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/

1999/roll236.xml

Ryan voted for H.AMDT.221 to H.R.2122 (Rep Sessions, Pete) Amendment requires a background check on a person whose gun is returned to him by a pawnshop if that gun has been stored at the pawnshop for more than 1 year.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/

1999/roll239.xml

Ryan voted AGAINST H.AMDT.222 to H.R.2122 (Rep Goode, Virgil H., Jr.) Amendment sought to repeal a District of Columbia law that prohibits residents from possessing a firearm.
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/

1999/roll240.xml

Democrats cheer on Family Research Council shooter

As news broke of a shooting at the D.C. offices of the conservative group the Family Research Council, Democrats ran to their computers to make their glee public.

We will continue to publish posts as more come in.

Nuclear Unicorn This message was hidden by Jury decision. (Democratic Underground blocked this response from public view)

Zorra (16,358 posts)

23. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a minor flesh wound in the arm, and the guard took one for the

team in order to gain sympathy for FRC's hate agenda.

2pooped2pop (1,171 posts)

25. I'm hoping for some dirt to flush out with this.

Maybe someone was gonna expose something. I hope it's not just a marital fling thing. Maybe it was some good repub xtian accidental shooting his gun off as he....

lots of fun to speculate. Hope for real news on it soon. I know I am bad for hoping for scandal but these aholes are NOT about any kind of Family Values let alone any kind of Christian values.

pwb (1,251 posts)

46. What comes around goes around.

Daily Kos:

I'm guessing he thought FRC (1+ / 0-)

was too "soft" on gays/guns/women.

We do not forgive. We do not forget. The whole world is watching.

by Tracker on Wed Aug 15, 2012 at 11:19:59 AM PDT

Texas high school football 2012 preseason rankings

Below is Dave Campbell's Texas Football's and TexasFootball.com's 2012 preseason rankings for Texas high school football. Be the smartest football fan in Texas by going here.

Class 5A

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Dallas Skyline (3)	14-1/7-0	6/6
2.	Lake Travis (1-4A)	16-0/6-0	6/4
3.	Southlake Carroll (1)	16-0/7-0	4/2
4.	Katy (16)	12-1/7-0	4/4
5.	Euless Trinity (21)	12-1/8-0	3/3
6.	Allen (23)	11-1/7-0	2/3
7.	Cibolo Steele (5)	15-1/5-0	4/4
8.	DeSoto (18)	10-2/4-1	8/2
9.	Longview (17)	11-2/5-0	2/8
10.	Arlington Martin (6)	12-2/6-1	5/7
11.	Manvel (5-4A)	15-1/6-0	4/5
12.	The Woodlands (10)	12-2/5-1	5/6
13.	Hewitt Midway (4-4A)	12-3/4-1	5/3
14.	Abilene (13)	10-4/5-0	5/9
15.	Pearland (11)	11-3/6-1	7/5
16.	Spring Dekaney (2)	14-2/5-2	4/4
17.	SA Madison (8)	10-5/5-1	4/3
18.	Cedar Hill (N/A)	8-4/6-1	9/4
19.	Converse Judson (N/A)	8-3/3-2	6/5
20.	Mansfield (25)	11-2/6-1	6/6
21.	GP North Shore (N/A)	8-4/3-2	6/3
22.	SA Reagan (19)	12-2/6-0	4/8
23.	Lufkin (N/A)	9-2/6-0	5/5
24.	Denton Ryan (9-4A)	12-1/6-0	5/2
25.	Austin Westlake (N/A)	9-3/5-0	6/6

Class 4A

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Denton Guyer (N/A-5A)	8-4/5-2	7/4
2.	Cedar Park (3)	11-3/5-1	7/3
3.	Tyler John Tyler (6)	11-4/7-0	9/7
4.	Highland Park (22)	12-1/7-0	3/5
5.	Pearland Dawson (8)	12-3/4-2	8/3
6.	Leander (N/A-5A)	8-4/6-0	5/9
7.	Wichita Falls Rider (16)	10-4/4-2	8/5
8.	Aledo (2)	14-2/7-0	2/6
9.	CC Calallen (11)	13-2/6-0	6/6
10.	Angleton (13)	13-1/6-0	5/6
11.	Kerrville Tivy (12)	11-3/6-0	5/4
12.	Brenham (25)	11-1/7-0	3/3
13.	Rosenberg Terry (N/A)	9-2/5-1	4/5
14.	Corsicana (7)	13-2/7-1	4/3
15.	Dallas Kimball (N/A)	9-3/5-2	8/6
16.	Prosper (N/A-3A)	9-3/5-0	7/5
17.	Nederland (N/A)	11-2/7-0	9/7
18.	Dayton (N/A)	9-4/5-2	6/5
20.	Humble Summer Creek (N/A)	9-2/6-1	4/6
21.	Amarillo (N/A-5A)	8-4/4-1	7/5
22.	Wolfforth Frenship (N/A)	10-1/7-0	6/6
23.	Austin LBJ (N/A)	6-4/5-0	6/5
24.	Waxahachie (N/A)	9-3/7-1	6/5
25.	Fort Worth Southwest (N/A)	9-2/9-0	10/7

Class 3A

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Stephenville (10-4A)	11-3/4-1	5/6
2.	La Marque (15-4A)	11-3/5-1	3/7
3.	Carthage (9)	9-4/4-1	4/6
4.	Coldspring-Oakhurst (5)	14-1/6-0	8/7
5.	Navasota (10)	11-2/5-0	6/7
6.	Argyle (4)	14-2/5-0	4/3
7.	Wimberly (2)	15-0/5-0	4/7
8.	Henderson (6)	11-3/3-2	5/6
9.	Waco La Vega (17)	11-1/5-0	8/8
10.	Celina (11)	11-1/4-0	5/5
11.	Tyler Chapel Hill (1)	15-0/4-0	1/2
12.	Gilmer (7)	13-1/5-0	2/7
13.	Alvarado (3)	14-1/5-0	7/4
14.	Kilgore (18-4A)	9-5/5-2	3/6
15.	Melissa (1-2A-DI)	13-1/5-0	4/3
16.	El Campo (N/A)	7-4/4-2	5/5
17.	Monahans (12)	12-3/3-1	7/5
18.	Abiline Wylie (N/A)	7-5/3-1	4/4
19.	Sealy (24)	8-3/4-0	8/6
20.	Libery Hill (N/A)	8-4/4-1	6/6
21.	West Columbia (8)	13-1/4-0	4/5
22.	Lubbock Estacado (N/A)	8-4/4-1	5/2
23.	West Orange-Stark (13)	10-4/5-0	5/7
24.	Bellville (21)	10-2/3-1	6/4
25.	Houston Yates (N/A)	7-5/5-1	6/5

Class 2A-DI

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Cameron Yoe (N/A)	6-5/6-0	8/8
2.	Newton (N/A)	9-3/6-1	7/7
3.	Tatum (3)	12-3/4-1	3/3
4.	Daingerfield (7)	10-4/4-1	7/4
5.	Wall (9)	11-1/6-0	6/5
6.	Hempstead (2)	14-1/6-0	4/5
7.	Muleshoe (4)	10-2/6-1	7/7
8.	Crockett (6)	11-2/5-0	5/5
9.	Littlefield (N/A)	8-4/6-1	4/5
10.	Idalou (7-DII)	10-2/6-0	2/2

Class 2A-DII

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Refugio (1)	15-0/7-0	6/6
2.	Lexington (3)	11-3/5-1	5/7
3.	Cisco (2)	14-1/6-0	4/5
4.	Arp (6)	10-3/5-0	5/4
5.	Corsicana Mildred (4)	13-1/5-0	5/7
6.	East Bernard (10)	10-2/7-0	6/7
7.	Garrison (4-1A-DI)	12-2/5-0	4/6
8.	Rogers (N/A)	10-2/5-1	6/8
9.	Hughes Springs (N/A)	6-6/5-0	6-8
10.	Clarksville (9-1A-DI)	10-2/5-0	7/8

Class 1A-DI

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Mart (5)	11-3/5-0	8/8
2.	Stamford (2)	13-3/2-2	8/8
3.	San Augustine (N/A-2A-DII)	8-3/5-0	8/9
4.	Mason (1)	15-0/4-0	2/4
5.	Windthorst (3-DII)	11-2/4-0	2/3
6.	Shiner (10)	8-6/3-1	5/4
7.	Goldthwaite (N/A)	7-5/2-2	5/7
8.	Ganado (3)	11-1/4-0	4/4
9.	Lindsay (N/A)	8-5/3-2	7/8
10.	Alto (N/A)	8-4/4-1	6/6

Class 1A-DII

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Munday (2)	13-3/3-1	9/7
2.	Tenaha (1)	14-0/3-0	6/7
3.	Falls City (7)	10-3/6-0	7/9
4.	Burton (5)	12-3/3-2	7/7
5.	Hubbard (10)	9-3/5-0	7/8
6.	Wellington (4)	13-1/4-0	6/6
7.	Muenster (6-DI)	12-1/5-0	5/6
8.	Albany (7-DI)	11-1/4-0	5/5
9.	Mount Enterprise (6)	11-1/2-1	6/6
10.	Chilton (N/A)	8-5/4-1	6/6

6 Man-DI

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Throckmorton (1)	14-0/3-0	2/5
2.	Ira (3)	12-1/3-0	4/4
3.	Valley (4)	12-2/4-0	2/2
4.	Borden County (2)	13-2/4-0	4/3
5.	Zephyr (N/A)	10-1/3-0	5/5
6.	Rankin (5)	9-3/3-0	5/6
7.	Sterling City (4-DII)	11-3/3-0	4/4
8.	Oakwood (N/A)	11-1/4-0	5/6
9.	Gordon (N/A)	8-2/1-2	5/4
10.	Rotan (N/A)	4-6/2-3	4/4

6 Man-DII

Rank	School (2011 final)	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Richland Springs (1)	15-0/4-0	3/3
2.	Jonesboro (5)	11-1/3-0	5/5
3.	Follett (N/A)	7-4/3-1	3/3
4.	Motley County (2)	14-2/3-0	3/3
5.	Robert Lee (N/A)	6-5/2-1	6/6
6.	Calvert (6)	7-5/3-0	2/2
7.	Newcastle (3)	12-2/3-0	3/3
8.	Milford (N/A)	7-5/3-0	4/4
9.	Cherokee (N/A)	6-5/3-1	4/5
10.	Grandfalls-Royalty (7)	12-2/6-0	3/3

Private Schools (11 man)

Rank	School	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	FW Nolan Catholic	13-1/5-1	4/3
2.	Addison Trinity Christian	6-6/3-3	10/9
3.	Houston Northland	11-2/6-1	9/10
4.	Midland Christian	12-2/5-0	4/3
5.	Houston St. Pius X	5-7/3-3	7/8
6.	Plano Prestonwood	9-3/5-1	4/5

Private Schools (6 man)

Rank	School	2011 Overall/District Record	Starters back
1.	Abilene Christian	13-1/3-0	4/3
2.	Dallas Covenant	12-2/4-0	1/2
3.	Bulverde Bracken	11-1/6-0	3/2
4.	Austin Hill Country	9-3/3-0	1/2
5.	Wichita Falls Notre Dame	10-3/6-1	5/5
6.	Granbury Happy Hill	11-3/6-1	4/5

From Dave Campbell's Texas Football

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Biden: An Obama-run GM will lead us in the 20th century

Report: FRC shooter was screaming about conservatives

RT @DLoesch Fox News reporting that shooter was "shouting about FRC's politics."

If true, that's troubling. Earlier this week Secret Service agents and Iowa State Police had to cut short a Paul Ryan speech because shrieking Democrats were punching people in the crowd and rushing the stage.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also issued a report this month showing environmentalists are growing increasingly violent.

And earlier this week the Black Panthers, emboldened by Obama's decision not to prosecute them for occupying Pennsylvania voting locations and threatening white voters with weapons, promised to spread violence at the Republican National Convention, just four years after a cadre of liberals were prosecuted for planning to firebomb the meeting.

New poll shows voters reject Obama's anti-oil agenda

• 90 percent of U.S. voters agree that increased access to domestic oil and natural gas could lead to more American jobs; 95 percent of Republicans and 85 percent of Democrats agree.

• 75 percent of voters overall support the Keystone XL Pipeline; 89 percent of Republicans and 66 percent of Democrats agree.

• 71 percent voters overall support increased access to domestic oil and natural gas resources; 85 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of Democrats agree.

• 65 percent of voters overall say increased energy taxes could drive up energy costs; 73 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of Democrats agree.

• 63 percent of voters overall say Washington is on the wrong track regarding U.S. energy policy; 86 percent of Republicans and 46 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: An American Petroleum Institute/Harris Poll of 1,016 registered U.S. voters conducted Aug. 9-12 reported by The Washington Times' Jennifer Harper.

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New federal law calls for 'spy boxes' in cars

"New federal standards for 'black boxes' that record information leading up to auto accidents will will take effect Sept. 1, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ruled on Tuesday," The Hill reports.

"The federal standards will apply only to cars that are voluntarily outfitted with event data recorders (EDRs), also known as black boxes. But while the government does not yet require all cars to have black boxes installed, NHTSA is still thought to be considering a federal mandate as a next step, possibly this year."

The Hill goes on to report:

"NHTSA has been considering the next step — a requirement that all cars are built with black boxes — since 2011. In anticipation of this requirement, some in Congress have proposed legislating the mandate ahead of time.

"The initial version of the highway bill that the Senate approved in April included language that would have required the secretary of Transportation to evaluate event data recorders and ultimately require their installation on all cars within a few years."

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Detroit schools giving free Nikes to kids who show up for class

Detroit's failing government school system continues to illustrate the failures of central planning.

This time they're forced to bribe students to show up for school by offering them free black leather Nikes on the day students are counted to calculate the amount of government funding the school gets.

CBS 62 in Detroit reports a local shoe dealer "made an arrangement with the school district to give away a free pair of black leather Nikes to every student who comes to class on Oct. 3, the day when students are counted and their numbers used as the basis for per-pupil funding from the state and federal government."

"The school district will hand out vouchers to every child in every grade, which could add up to 14,000 to 17,000 pair of shoes."

Predictably, the charter and private schools who serve the same student population, but aren't tightly controlled by unions and bureaucrats don't have to offer free shoes to get student to show up for class. They also don't have the same plunging test scores or rising in-school crime rates.

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Slave-accented Biden predicts Virginia voters will deliver North Carolina

Vice President Joe Biden, speaking in Danville, Va., broke into a stereotypical 1860s black slave accent to warn Democrats that Republicans have a secret plan - "They gon’ put yall back in chains."

He then attempted to fire up the assembled Virginia Democrats by telling them they would win their state, North Carolina.

When asked if it was appropriate for an old white man to speak about black voters in a "Song of the South" accent, Obama spokesperson Stefanie Cutter confirmed Obama had no problem with it.

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Dems vow to push carbon tax if they still control Senate

Dear patriot:

According to Harry Reid -- Cap and Tax is back!

At a conference full of radical environmentalists last week in Las Vegas, Harry Reid vowed to bring Cap and Tax to the floor for a vote if Democrats maintain their majority in the Senate this November.

That’s why the four U.S. Senate races that could determine whether or not Harry Reid and his cronies maintain control of the Senate are so important.

And that’s why I’m counting on the generous support of folks like you to help ATP continue to mobilize public opposition against the radical environmentalists in the key states where U.S. Senate races are taking place.

You see, Harry Reid declaring to bring Cap and Tax to the floor for a vote only proves how beholden to the radical environmentalists the Big Government left really are.

Remember, in 2010, 53 Congressmen went down to defeat after voting for Cap and Tax.

But Senator Reid and his pals are only concerned with pleasing Al Gore’s corporate cronies who enrich themselves at the expense of hard-working Americans.

In fact, Harry Reid even ridiculed folks like you who don’t buy into to their phony “science” and “Global Warming” hysteria as being out of touch with reality.

“A large majority of people finally believe climate change is real, and that it is the cause of extreme weather. Yet despite having overwhelming evidence and public opinion on our side, deniers still exist, fueled and funded by dirty energy profits. These people aren't just on the other side of this debate. They're on the other side of reality.”

The good news is, ATP is preparing to give Senator Reid and the radical environmentalists a reality check.

The 2010 elections proved that the overwhelming majority of the American people are opposed to Cap and Tax and the radical environmentalists’ job-destroying agenda.

So if Harry Reid and his Big Government pals want to try to shove Cap and Tax down the throats of the American people -- there will be a severe political price to pay in November.

That’s why ATP is busy mobilizing public opposition to the radical environmentalists in many of the key states where critical U.S. Senate races are taking place.

Using direct mail, email, internet ads and hard-hitting radio, TV and newspaper ads, ATP will make sure voters know which politicians stand with them -- and which one’ stand with the radical environmentalists.

Not only that, but should Harry Reid and his cronies try to RAM through Cap and Tax during the “Lame Duck” session of Congress -- ATP will be prepared to fight back.

But such a massive grassroots mobilization isn’t cheap.

That’s why I hope you’ll agree to make a generous contribution of $250, $150, $100, $50 to help ATP’s massive grassroots mobilization efforts.

Even if you can only chip in $20, $15 or $10 bucks -- it’ll be a tremendous help in this fight.

Together, you and I can DEFEAT Cap and Tax and the rest of the radical environmentalists’ job-destroying agenda.

Sincerely,

Donny Ferguson
Executive Director

P.S. Harry Reid recently pledged to bring the dangerous Cap and Tax scheme to the Senate floor for a vote should Democrats maintain control of the U.S. Senate this November.

That’s why it’s vital ATP has the resources to launch a massive grassroots mobilization effort against Cap and Tax and the radical
environmentalists’ job-destroying agenda.

So please, make a generous contribution of $250, $150, $100, $50 to help with this crucial program.

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'Obama mobster' who rushed at Paul Ryan IDed as eight-time felon

One of the Obama supporters who tried to jump on an Iowa State fair stage as Ryan was speaking has been identified as Frank Cordaro.

Cordaro is a notorious left-wing "Occupier" with eight felony convictions.

Cordaro was disguised in a Romney t-shirt. Iowa State Police report a female Romney volunteer was savagely punched in the face by the Obama supporters.

Ryan was supposed to speak for 20 minutes, then take questions. Secret Service agents ended the speech after 12 minutes and rushed Ryan away as Obama supporters started fights in the crowd, punched out a female volunteer and began jumping on stage screaming.

Shrieking Dems swarm stage, shut down Ryan speech

After failing in attempts to criminalize political speech by employers, and in attempts to force conservatives to hand over "enemies lists" of political donors, increasingly desperate Democrats have adopted a new tactic to stop conservatives from speaking -- physical invasion and intimidation of the Republican presidential ticket.

What was supposed to be a 20-minute speech by Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan turned into a near-riot and had to stopped after 13 minutes when multiple Obama supporters tried screaming over Ryan before attempting to rush the stage.

After two women and one man screaming pro-Obama slogans tried to jump on the stage, one of them successfully, Secret Service agents and Iowa State Patrol officers rushed Ryan away.

One of the women punched a Romney volunteer, according to an Iowa State trooper. In all, five Obama supporters tried to attack the stage.

The tactic is hardly new, having long been proposed by violent Communist organizers before being adopted by Obama supporters.

Obama hails as his political mentor Saul Alinsky, author of "Rules for Radicals."

In the book, Alinksy encourages liberals to engage in physical confrontations at conservative events, with the intent of spreading "fear and confusion" and "terror."

One of Alinsky's "rules" for achieving that is to "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."

How?

"Well, they (liberal protesters) have physical bodies. How can they use them? Now a melange of ideas begins to appear...Emphasize tactics your people will enjoy. The threat is usually more terrifying than the tactic itself."

Crazed, screaming people rushing a stage, forcing the Secret Service to grab a candidate and rush away, it certainly "terrifying."

As Obama's poll numbers continue to stagnate, and slide backward, look for Obama supporters to become even more violent and threatening.

Obama flaunts Communist slogan of Tiananmen Square Butcher


Barack Obama is returning the love by adopting Deng Xiaopeng's Communist regime slogan as his own.

"Too many folks still don't have a sense that tomorrow will be better than today. And so, the question in this election is which way do we go? Do we go forward towards a new vision of an America in which prosperity is shared? Or do we go backward to the same policies that got us in the mess in the first place?"

That was Barack Obama last Saturday at a Chicago fundraiser, expanding on these comments made last year at a speech in Brazil.

"With each passing day, Brazil is a country with more solutions. In the global community, you’ve gone from relying on the help of other nations, to now helping fight poverty and disease wherever they exist. You play an important role in the global institutions that protect our common security and promote our common prosperity...Together we can advance our common prosperity."

Obama is pinning his re-election on his repeated calls for "common prosperity." If these calls for "common prosperity" sound familiar, you probably speak Mandarin.

"A long-forgotten socialist slogan, 'common prosperity,' coined by the late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, has returned to the limelight, becoming the latest catchphrase for mainland cadres ahead of next year's leadership reshuffle," the South China Morning Post reported in a story titled 'Common prosperity is back in fashion.'

"In a message to a gathering of Asian political parties in Nanning on Sunday, Vice-President Xi Jinping, President Hu Jintao's heir apparent, reiterated the central government's commitment to 'allowing people to share the fruits of development'.

"He said the Communist Party would stick to economic reforms, boost social services, speed up reforms to income distribution and 'unswervingly pursue the path of common prosperity', Xinhua said."

Deng Xiaopeng is known as the "Tiananmen Square Butcher" for his brutal repression of those who gathered in Beijing to protest his Communist dictatorship.

Predictably, the same media hyperventilating over the fact Paul Ryan reads the peaceful works of capitalist Ayn Rand are silent as Obama campaigns for re-election on a blood-soaked dictator's propaganda slogan.

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Yet another taxpayer-funded Obamamobile bursts into flames

"Fisker Automotive engineers have started to examine and test a Karma plug-in hybrid that burst into flames in a parking lot in Woodside, Calif., on Friday," Reuters reports this morning.

"This is the second time a Fisker Karma has caught on fire in four months. In early May, a Karma was destroyed in a garage fire in Sugar Land, Texas. That vehicle was not plugged in at the time, and the cause of the fire is still unknown, Fisker said. The Karma, which carries a price tag of more than $100,000, was not charging at the time, and there were no injuries. The fire began outside the engine compartment."

"In March, a Karma battery failed during a test conducted by Consumer Reports magazine. Fisker recalled 239 Karma cars in December to fix a battery defect that raised the risk of a fire," Reuters reports.

The exploding deathmobiles are being produced in Finland, financed by a $529 million "green energy" loan from Barack Obama. Though Obama claimed the loan would create American "green jobs," Fisker used the loan to shut down a General Motors plant in Delaware it had purchased and lay off the workers.

The Obama administration was warned Fisker was financially unstable and a poor investment, but plowed ahead on the half-billion dollar loan guarantee after Obama supporter Leonardo DiCaprio endorsed the company.

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Tyrann Mathieu now a McNeese Cowboy?

Photo credit: @ChrisDelrie15

Former LSU defensive back, Bednarik Award winner and Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu, kicked off the Tigers squad for undisclosed rules violations, may be playing for McNeese State this year.

The above photo, snapped by Twitter user @ChrisDelrie15, appears to be taken at McNeese State's Lake Charles, La. campus. According to the Lake Charles American Press' Alex Hickey "This is MSU's football building or a good clone."

If Mathieu were to transfer to the FCS school he could play immediately. NCAA rules requiring transfers to sit out a year only apply if the FBS player is transferring to another FBS school.

Job creators continue to have no confidence in Obama

“U.S. small business owners’ optimism declined in July, with the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index at 17,” the polling firm Gallup reports.

“The Future Expectations Dimension of the index, which consists of owners’ ratings of their businesses’ expectations for the next 12 months in several respects, declined to 18 in July from 24 in April and 21 in January. Small-business owners’ future expectations are now at their lowest level of 2012,” Gallup finds.

“The decline in small-business owners’ future expectations is responsible for the drop in the overall index. Small-business owners’ expectations for the next 12 months worsened significantly in several key areas:

The percentage of owners expecting their financial situation to be very or somewhat good over the next 12 months fell to 59% in July from 66% in April;
The percentage of owners expecting their revenues to increase fell to 43% in July from 49% in April; and
The percentage of owners expecting their company cash flows over the next year to be poor increased to 23% in July from 18% in April."

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