Saturday, August 17, 2013

One Citizen Speaking...

UPDATE: CALIFORNIA SOCIALIST GUN-GRABBERS SEEKING MORE CONTROL (8-16-2013)
COVER-UP: WHY IS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS SEEKING JUDICIAL IMMUNITY FOR A PRIVATE CORPORATION EXECUTIVE, BEN BERNANKE?
ONE ANTIDOTE FOR AN AMERICA IN DECLINE -- MARK LEVIN'S LIBERTY AMENDMENTS
RADICAL UNIONS SEEK TO ORGANIZE SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST ENVIRONMENTALIST AND WEAPONIZE THEIR POWER AGAINST AMERICAN BUSINESS WITH GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT?

UPDATE: CALIFORNIA SOCIALIST GUN-GRABBERS SEEKING MORE CONTROL (8-16-2013)

Posted: 16 Aug 2013 05:57 PM PDT

Beware, the People’s Republic of California wants to disarm law abiding citizens to create a pool of victims while at the same time allowing illegal aliens to flood the country and minority gangs to prey on citizens unchecked …

Senate Bill 475 (Leno) allows San Francisco officials to effectively BAN gun shows and the sale of firearms in the Cow Palace at the Fairgrounds.  This anti-gun bill is on its final reading in the Assembly and could be considered at anytime. It is important to call AND e-mail your state Assemblyman urging him or her to OPPOSE SB 475.
Assembly Bill 180 (Bonta) repeals state firearms preemption in Oakland by allowing that city to enact ordinances that are more restrictive than state laws relating to registration or licensing of firearms.  This anti-gun bill is on its final reading in the state Senate and could be considered at anytime. It is important to call AND e-mail your state Senator urging him or her to OPPOSE AB 180.
Assembly Bill 231 (Ting) expands the law relating to the storage of firearms. This bill does nothing to reduce California’s violent crime problem and only turn law-abiding gun owners into criminals whether or not anything harmful actually happens, and regardless of whether there was any misconduct on the part of the gun owner. Ultimately, AB 231 is a misguided proposal that imposes unprecedented liability on those who choose to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms.  This onerous legislation passed in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. AB 231 is now on its final reading in the state Senate and could be considered at anytime. It is very important to call AND e-mailyour state Senator urging him or her to OPPOSE AB 231.
Assembly Bill 48 (Skinner) BANS the sale of magazine parts kits that can hold more than ten cartridges and requires mandatory reporting (REGISTRATION) of law-abiding citizens who purchase more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition within a five-day period.  AB 48 was placed in the state Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file and will be heard later this month.  In the meantime, please contact all members of the state Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to OPPOSE AB 48. Contact information for members of this committee can be found here.
Assembly Bill 711 (Rendon) would make California the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of all lead ammunition for hunting. The NR urges all hunters, recreational shooters and gun-owners to actively OPPOSE B 711. We will keep you posted on the hearing date for this legislation in the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file. In the meantime, please continue to contact the members of the state Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to OPPOSE this anti-gun legislation. Contact information for this committee can be found here.
Below are anti-gun Senate bills that have passed in the state Senate and are now awaiting consideration in an Assembly committee for which a meeting has not been scheduled to date:
Senate Bill 47 (Yee) bans the sale of popular “bullet button” semi-automatic rifles with certain physical characteristics. SB 47 would also require registration of currently owned bullet-button rifles, and would amend the definition of “fixed magazine” for purposes of California’s “assault weapons” laws to include a magazine that cannot be removed without “disassembly of the firearm action.”  SB 47 passed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a 4 to 2 vote on Tuesday and now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 108 (Yee) requires mandatory locked storage of firearms in a locked house regardless of whether anyone is present.  The hearing for SB 108 on Tuesday by the Assembly Public Safety Committee was cancelled at the request of author but is expected to be rescheduled soon.
Senate Bill 374 (Steinberg) would expand the definition of “assault weapons” to include ALL semi-automatic rifles that accept a detachable magazine. SB 374 would ban on the sale and possession of ALL semi-auto rifles and require registration to retain legal possession in the future.  SB 374 passed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a 4 to 2 vote on Tuesday and now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 396 (Hancock) bans the possession of all standard capacity magazines over ten rounds and would require confiscation of these magazines that are currently lawfully possessed.  SB 396 passed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a 4 to 2 vote. SB 396 will now move to the state Assembly Appropriations Committee. We will keep you posted on the next hearing date for this bill.
Senate Bill 567 (Jackson) redefines shotguns to include any firearm that may be fired through a rifled bore or a smooth bore, regardless of whether it is designed to be fired from the shoulder. SB 567 also bans the sale of shotguns that have a revolving cylinder and requires registration of these currently owned shotguns.  SB 567 passed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a 4 to 2 vote on Tuesday and now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Senate Bill 683 (Block) expands California’s handgun safety certificate requirement to apply to all firearms, and would prohibit anyone from purchasing or transferring any firearm without a firearm safety certificate.  SB 683 passed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee by a 4 to 2 vote on Tuesday and now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

These progressive socialist democrats do not want you to be able to defend yourself, your wife and your children against home invaders – demanding that all weapons are continuously locked in your house.

Bottom line …

Ban corrupt progressive socialist democrats and fight gang violence – not disarm citizens and create more victims.

-- steve

List courtesy of the National Rifle Association (I am a life member – endowment level)

COVER-UP: WHY IS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS SEEKING JUDICIAL IMMUNITY FOR A PRIVATE CORPORATION EXECUTIVE, BEN BERNANKE?

Posted: 16 Aug 2013 05:44 PM PDT

We should all be aware of the fact that the Federal Reserve is not a government entity, but a private corporation owned and operated for the benefits of its owners, ostensibly its member banks and financial institutions.

So why is the Department of Justice trying to block the testimony of Ben Bernanke?

Justice seeking to block Bernanke testimony -- Gov't says Bernanke should not have to testify in AIG case absent extraordinary circumstances
The government is trying to block questioning of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in a lawsuit by the former head of American International Group Inc. The Justice Department told a federal appeals court Friday that high-ranking officials should not have to testify except in extraordinary circumstances.

Ben Bernanke is not a high-ranking government official. He is an employee of the Federal Reserve, a private corporation.

Former AIG CEO Hank Greenberg sued the government over the $182 billion bailout of the insurance giant that has since been repaid. Greenberg claims the bailout terms were too onerous and is seeking at least $25 billion.
It is rare for a Fed chairman to be questioned in a lawsuit, but U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Thomas Wheeler ruled that Bernanke has firsthand knowledge of the bailout and should undergo questioning. Justice wants the appeals court to order Wheeler to block the questioning. Source: Justice seeking to block Bernanke testimony - Yahoo! Finance

What is the government afraid of?

Will Bernanke’s testimony incriminate him or his institution or merely embarrass? Could the government be afraid that Bernanke will reveal inappropriate contacts with the government or preferential treatment of some transactional parties?

By what authority does the Department of Justice interfere with a civil lawsuit?

Bottom line …

Is this another attempt by this lawless administration to criminally interfere in a civil lawsuit. There does not appear to be any statutory authority that provides the CEO of a private institution with judicial immunity when under subpoena. And there is no Fifth Amendment privilege in a civil trial.

-- steve

ONE ANTIDOTE FOR AN AMERICA IN DECLINE -- MARK LEVIN'S LIBERTY AMENDMENTS

Posted: 16 Aug 2013 04:01 PM PDT

America in decline …

There is little or no doubt that we are witnessing the failure of our fundamental institutions of government. Where political and financial corruption have taken precedence over liberty and freedom. Where the nation’s law enforcement agencies, at the local, state, and federal level, appear more concerned with civil insurrection than they do fighting an invasion of illegal aliens and criminal gangs. Where they have militarized their operations to the extent that innocent civilians are being killed by military-style raids to serve warrants or perform routine law enforcement activities.

The Pillars of Government – Checks & Balances

Executive Branch	Legislative Branch	Judicial Branch
We have never seen such a radical presidency where the President of the United States refuses to substantiate his eligibility, openly embraces those with an anti-America philosophy, and has absolutely no workable foreign or domestic policy that is not rooted in socialism, cronyism, or corruption.	There is no doubt that our legislative branch is rife with corruption, cronyism, and pandering to the special interests. Many in the legislature are guilty of criminal activities, but remain shielded by congressional rules. The deep divide along ideologies pits the right against the left – with many on the right crossing over to the left to obtain pork, power, and personal profits.	The Supreme Court has moved beyond their original function in determining the “constitutionality” of legislation into a narrowly-divided ideological fight between the right (conservatism and original constructionism) and the left (socialism). The Court can no longer be trusted to serve “We the People” and has promoted rulings which seemingly protect the court rather than the people.

The Press – The Unofficial Fourth Branch of Government

Never before have we seen the mainstream media compromise their journalistic ethics to promote and pander to a radical left agenda; suppressing or manipulating news that is unfavorable to their chosen party – the progressive socialist democrats.

Whether for purposed of advancing their corporate-owner’s business interests, we have seen an entire network serve as the propaganda arm of the United States government, in particular the Executive Branch.

There appears to be an appalling lack of truth and candor in the mainstream media, leading to their further decline and replacement with alternative sources of news such as cable-tv and talk radio.

The solution is not a reform, but a reset!

You do not attempt to repair a broken machine by purchasing a new set of tools, you need to replace the broken parts. Unfortunately, it appears that the parts of our government are beyond repair and are in need of a replacement and a reset in order to function as it was originally designed; with active checks and balances – protections against a self-serving tyrannical government.

To this end, Constitutional scholar, lawyer, and talk-show host, Mark Levin offers his instruction book on how to repair our rapidly failing government …

Mark Levin is a true American patriot, lawyer, author, and conservative commentator.

As many know, Levin is the host of the successful syndicated conservative talk radio show, The Mark Levin Show.

Levin served as an advisor to several members of the Regan Cabinet, Associate Director of Presidential Personnel, and Chief of Staff to Attorney General Meese. Levin also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, and Deputy Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

He is president of the Landmark Legal Foundation, authored four books dealing with politics and the constitutional system; one on his beloved dog.

The Framers adopted ten constitutional amendments, called the Bill of Rights, that would preserve individual rights and state authority. Levin lays forth eleven specific prescriptions for restoring our founding principles, ones that are consistent with the Framers’ design. His proposals—such as term limits for members of Congress and Supreme Court justices and limits on federal taxing and spending—are pure common sense, ideas shared by many. They draw on the wisdom of the Founding Fathers—including James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and numerous lesser-known but crucially important men—in their content and in the method for applying them to the current state of the nation.

Now is the time for the American people to take the first step toward reclaiming what belongs to them. The task is daunting, but it is imperative if we are to be truly free.

The Chapters …

CHAPTER ONE
Restoring the American Republic
CHAPTER TWO
An Amendment to Establish Term Limits for Members of Congress
CHAPTER THREE
An Amendment to Restore the Senate
CHAPTER FOUR
An Amendment to Establish Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices and Super-Majority Legislative Override
CHAPTER FIVE
Two Amendments to Limit Federal Spending and Taxing
CHAPTER SIX
An Amendment to Limit the Federal Bureaucracy
CHAPTER SEVEN
An Amendment to Promote Free Enterprise
CHAPTER EIGHT
An Amendment to Protect Private Property
CHAPTER NINE
An Amendment to Grant the States Authority to Directly Amend the Constitution
CHAPTER TEN
An Amendment to Grant the States Authority to Check Congress
CHAPTER ELEVEN
An Amendment to Protect the Vote
EPILOGUE
The Time for Action
APPENDIX
The Amendments

Listen to Mark explain …

Bottom line …

This is a must read book for anyone who values liberty and their personal freedom; and worried about an ever-expanding, corrupt and self-serving government. Especially for those who fear the consolidation and concentration of power in an out of control government.

In the words of Mark Levin: “How can you love your country and hate your constitution? Because it is slipping away. It’s slipping away. And if you think somebody in Washington D.C.-- some group, some party, some lobbyist, is going to change this, you’re wrong. Congress is not going to fix Congress. Congress is out of control. The President is not going to limit his power. The President is out of control. The Supreme Court is not going to limit its power. The Supreme Court is out of control.”

This might just be the book that ignites the sleeping conservatives in America, urging them to go beyond electing ersatz candidates who promise anything and everything, but are rarely held to account. Even voting out the majority of corrupt progressive socialist democrats and their Republican sycophants in the 2014 congressional election will not have the impact of this constitutional renewal.

I enthusiastically endorse reading this book, passing it along to your friends and colleagues – discussing the matter of resetting our government before we reach the tipping point of government tyranny and international socialism.

Reclaim your heritage. Take back our country. Stand up for what is ours. Time for “We the People to turn up the heat. It’s time to embrace your constitution. It’s time to take back your country. It’s time to draw a line in the sand.

~ Mark Levin

-- steve

RADICAL UNIONS SEEK TO ORGANIZE SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST ENVIRONMENTALIST AND WEAPONIZE THEIR POWER AGAINST AMERICAN BUSINESS WITH GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT?

Posted: 16 Aug 2013 02:06 PM PDT

Anti-Military, Anti-Capitalism, Anti-America Socialists in the Environmental Movement …

There is no doubt in my mind that America’s enemies, especially socialists and communists, have infiltrated the environmental movement to legitimize their activities, recruit members, obtain funding, and use our laws against us. What better way to stop or delay a military installation that demanding an environmental impact report? What better way to stop coastal detection and defense against enemy submarines that to demand the Navy delay, modify, or halt their use of sonar in “environmentally sensitive” areas to save the whales?

Navy raises sonar impact on dolphins, whales dramatically
New Navy estimates showing many more dolphins, whales and other marine mammals could be hurt by sonar off Hawaii and Southern California caused alarm among environmentalists on Friday. The Navy, for its part, emphasized those were worst-case estimates and that the numbers cover a much larger testing area than before.
The numbers are in the Navy's new draft environmental impact statement for exercises planned from 2014-2018. In it, the Navy says that, under its preferred alternative, sonar training and testing might unintentionally harm marine mammals 2.8 million times a year over five years. "The numbers are staggering and there is absolutely no corresponding mitigation to account for this harm," Zak Smith, an attorney for theNatural Resources Defense Council, told msnbc.com. Nov. 12, 2008: The Supreme Court ruled that the Navy can conduct military sonar training exercises. <Source>

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a New York City-based, non-profit, non-partisan international environmental advocacy group, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Beijing. Among the ultra-left funding sources are: The Tides Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, George Soros's Open Society Institute, and other organizations known to be supporting socialist and communist causes.

As a tax-free corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, NRDC is subject to limits on the amount of money it can disburse for the purposes of lobbying Congress. But it has found a way around such restrictions by establishing a separate lobbying arm, the NRDC Action Fund. Operating under a different section of the tax code, section 501(c)(4), the Action Fund is exempt from similar restrictions. Under the banner of "environmental action", NRDC lodges lawsuits to impede the construction of everything from highways and hydroelectric dams to nuclear power plants. The NRDC Action Fund complements this work, launching advertising campaigns to arouse grassroots support. <Source>

Socialism on display …

Young Democratic Socialists of America: Environmental Movement's "Ultimate Insider" Denounces Bankruptcy of U.S. Capitalism
One of the most respected political insiders in the U.S. environmental movement has declared the bankruptcy of “America’s ruthless brand of capitalism.”
Environmental attorney Augustus "Gus” Speth, a cofounder of the highly respected Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and founder of the World Resources Institute, as well as former dean of the prestigious Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, has been labeled the "ultimate environmental insider" by some commentators due to his past ties to elite circles, both within the green movement and within the halls of government. <Source: Young Democratic Socialists of America>

Radical money sources …

Very few Americans realize there exists a large network of far left philanthropists and foundations in America dedicated to destroying the American way of life, our Christian-based culture and our free enterprise system. They seek to remove America from its constitutional foundations and move it toward a European-style socialism. Much of this effort is coordinated by a little known group called the Tides Foundation and its related group, the Tides Center. You may wish to read “Who Funds The Radical Left In America?”

Now comes the radical socialist unions, planning to embrace and organize anti-America environmentalism?

AFL-CIO tries to regroup as American support for unions declines
It was an unexpected and blunt admission by one of the nation’s most powerful labor leaders: "We are in crisis, and we have to do things differently," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told USA Today last week.
His candid assessment heralds a change in strategy for the one-time labor giant. It is now seeking to partner with other left-leaning organizations such as the NAACP and the Sierra Club to bolster its influence, and its lagging membership. The idea would have been heretical in an earlier time when such partnerships meant solidarity under the union label and the obligation of union dues.
Under Trumka's plan, there is no expectation that new AFL-CIO partners would join the federation. "Hopefully, sometime," Trumka told the paper. "First they'll be partners at the local level. They'll actually be in the structure of the local labor movement in some places but it will vary." And as for paying union dues?"Well, some may, some may not," Trumka said. Source: AFL-CIO tries to regroup as American support for unions declines | Fox News

Power grab?

Can you imagine what might happen when the unions try to “organize” radical socialist environmental groups and then use these groups against American business as a weapon more costly and potent than a strike? Inflicting severe losses and using the power of government to enforce their thuggery? To re-purpose environmental funding initiatives into supporting failing union pension funds?

Bottom line …

Any union association and/or collaboration with environmental groups would only strengthen socialist and communist power in the United States – to the detriment of America and all Americans. And, all aided and abetted by their corrupt party of choice: the democrats. Time to clean house: vote the radical progressive socialist democrats and their special interest unions out of office in the 2014 congressional election cycle.

-- steve