In two weeks (nothing happens fast in Washington DC) the US Senate will take up the massive $825 billion "stimulus" package, which is nothing more that wasteful pork-barrel spending. On Wednesday the House GOP held the line by unanimously voting against the bill. Eleven Democrats joined them thus there was actually bi-partisan support against the stimulus bill. Among other things too numerous to mention, this cross Godzillian disaster actually contains money for Illegal Aliens! UPDATE: The Senate version of the plan is actually approaching $900 billion and interest will add $300 billion to that ($1.2 TRILLION and counting). This plan is a disaster to put it mildly and should be stopped.
Al Gore was on Capitol Hill today testifying to the dangers of Global Warming. Gore said "We have arrived at a moment of decision. Our home – Earth – is in grave danger. What is at risk of being destroyed is not the planet itself, of course, but the conditions that have made it hospitable for human beings." We at COMMON CENTS completely agrees. Global Warming is a clear and present danger to our very existence and we soberly post these Global Warming Updates. Can anyone deny the dangers of Global Warming anymore? We bring you these sobering Global Warming updates but warn you - they are not for the faint of heart:Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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Over the past several years, studies have consistently shown that people on the political right outperform those on the left when it comes to charity. This pattern appears to have held -- increased, even -- in 2008. In May of last year, the Gallup polling organization asked 1,200 American adults about their giving patterns. People who called themselves "conservative" or "very conservative" made up 42% of the population surveyed, but gave 56% of the total charitable donations. In contrast, "liberal" or "very liberal" respondents were 29% of those polled but gave just 7% of donations. These disparities were not due to differences in income. People who said they were "very conservative" gave 4.5% of their income to charity, on average; "conservatives" gave 3.6%; "moderates" gave 3%; "liberals" gave 1.5%; and "very liberal" folks gave 1.2%. A common explanation for this pattern is that conservatives are more religious than liberals, and are simply giving to their churches. My own research in the past showed that religion was a major reason conservatives donated so much, and that secular conservatives gave even less than secular liberals.It appears this is no longer the case, however: The 2008 data tell us that secular conservatives are now outperforming their secular liberal counterparts. Compare two people who attend religious services less than once per year (or never) and who are also identical in terms of income, education, sex, age and family status -- but one is on the political right while the other is on the left. The secular liberal will give, on average, $1,100 less to charity per year than the secular conservative. The conservative charity edge cannot be explained away by gifts to churches. Economists measure the "income elasticity of giving" to predict how much people change their giving in response to a particular percentage change in their income. It turns out the response in 2008 was dramatically different for left and right. For instance, a 10% decrease in family income for a conservative was associated with a 10% decrease in giving. The same income decrease for a liberal family led to a 16% giving drop. In other words, if this relationship continues to hold, the recession will almost certainly exacerbate the giving differences between left and right. You can read the entire article here.
The editors at COMMON CENTS, in the interest of bi-partisanship, unity and the common good have taken upon themselves to write President-elect Obama's inaugural address. The speech tomorrow may vary slightly but then again - it may not.My fellow Americans - I come before you today with a message of hope. Without hope we are hopeless and lacking in hope. When we lack hope we are without hope up to and until that time when we transform to lacking in hope to having hope. Once we have hope we will no longer be without hope as the very act of obtaining hope will replace the hopelessness and we will no longer be lacking hope as our hopelessness is replaced with hope.
Now this administration is committed to the future. In this administration we will no longer be afraid of the future but will embrace the future as the future lies beyond the present. But as the future approaches it becomes the present and will eventually become the past. Thus the future will only remain the future until it becomes the present and the present will quickly turn into the past. Now we must be committed to embracing the future before it becomes the present and eventually the past. If we do not act quickly and with resolve the future will become the present and the past as I have already explained. So this administration will always be willing and able to embrace and not be afraid of the future as it will eventually be the present and then the past.
Now we more than anything we have ran on a message of change. If you only remember one thing remember this "Without change we remain unchanged and if we remain unchanged will will not change". If we are afraid to change we will not change and will remain unchanged as it is only changing that we change. If we do not change it is undeniable that we will remain unchanged and there will be no change. So I urge you my fellow Americans to embrace that change that we all feel less we remain unchanged. Once we have changed it will be undeniable to the naysayers and doubters that we have changed and have achieved the change that we all desire. So we will strive day and night to change and break free of the unchanged. Is it possible to be unchanged will striving for change? I say no - if one wants to change he / she will be by very definition be changed once they begin the long process of change.
So my fellow Americans in conclusion I have been very specific about the change we seek. We will not change for the sake of change but will implement this change to affect the future before it becomes the present or the past. We will have hope and use this hope to bring about the change that will change the present by implementing these polices in the present buy by looking to the future for guidance. I emplore you not to have false hope or change for the sake of change but to have hope that we will change the present which will affect the past but by looking for to the future for guidance and clairity. God bless America!
‘Something that takes somebody who's willing to strap a bomb on and yet freaks them out to the point where they'll tell you where the next bomb is by pouring water down their nose and they don't even die, I think, wow, this is heaven-sent.’
He also heaped praise on President Bush for ‘keeping this country safe in the interim seven years’ since the 9/11 attacks. Miller:
‘That's what I admire about him. He's willing to be hated for the rest of his life to do the right thing. And I just want to look in the camera. This is the last time I’ll be on this show when he's my President and my Commander-in-Chief and say, “Thank you, sir. I feel privileged that you were the President during this time in American history.”
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While the world focused on Hamas militants launching rockets from Gaza at southern Israel, the terrorist organization also voted quietly to implement Islamic law in the Gaza Strip, including crucifixion of Christians, according to reports in the Arabic press. The traditional Muslim criminal code, known as Sharia law, includes penalties such as amputation of limbs for stealing and the death penalty, including crucifixion, for actions Hamas deems detrimental to Palestinian interests, including collaborating with Israel. The new law was reported on the Al-Arabiya Web site and in the London-based Saudi-owned newspaper Al-Hayat, which wrote that the implementation of Sharia law has brought criticism and concern from human rights organizations in the Gaza Strip. But the media scarcely took notice when the decision was reported during the Christian holidays as fighting between Hamas and Israel escalated in late December. Hamas endorsement of nailing enemies of Islam to crosses came at the same time it renewed its jihad, Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick wrote on Dec. 26. Here, too, Hamas wanted to make sure that Christians didn't feel neglected as its fighters launched missiles at Jewish day care centers and schools. Christians are a minority in Gaza, numbering fewer than 2,000 residents among 1.6 million in the Strip. After Hamas came to power, the Islamic group began enforcing sharia law more strictly, though not officially. Christians were the first to feel the squeeze. Some Christian men felt compelled to grow beards and women donned head scarves to downplay their identities as non-Muslims. Read the entire article here.You can read more about Sharia Law in London here and in the United States here.
The editors at COMMON CENTS are dedicated to bringing you all of the latest information on Global Warming. As everyone knows Global Warming is possibly the greatest threat facing civilization at this time and no one doubts this fact. Global Warming can no longer be denied or debated and drastic measures must immediately be taken to mitigate the effects of Global Warming. We sincerely hope these Global Warming Updates do not leave you in a suicidal, or worse, state. Finally, be cautioned these Global Warming Updates are not for the faint of heart:You can read about the entire scandal here.Nov.4, Coleman Leads by 725 Votes – Unofficial tallies of election results statewide show Coleman the winner by 725 votes out of nearly 3 million votes cast. The narrow margin automatically triggers a recount.
Nov. 5, Coleman Leads by 475 Votes -- Ritchie’s office releases a news release stating, “In Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race, a slim margin of 475 votes favors Republican candidate and Republican senator Norn Coleman over Democratic challenger Al Franken.” The 250-vote difference? It stems from adjusted figures submitted by state and county officials around the state.
Nov.6, Coleman Leads by 438 Votes – Coleman’s margin continues to diminish as more adjusted figures come in. Why the adjustments consistently favor Franken goes largely unexplained. “What struck me as really outrageous was, in the beginning, how Coleman’s lead shrank,” comments Matthew Vadum, senior editor for Capital Research Center, a conservative watch dog of nonprofit groups. “The counties were allowed to correct their vote totals with barely a peep from Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. He just considered all this to be legitimate, and it was their prerogative to do that -- and it looks like he let them get away with murder.” Vadum tells Newsmax, “That basically laid the foundation for the slug fest now going on in the recount contest. He chopped off Coleman’s lead and got it within stealing distance.”
Nov.7, Coleman Leads by 239 Votes – Ritchie’s office announces the State Canvassing Board will convene to begin its supervision of the statewide recount on Nov. 18. “This week,” Ritchie adds, “county election officials have been busy proofing the unofficial results previously submitted to this office’s Web site. Corrections have resulted in a shifting margin which now stands at 239 votes with the advantage to incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.” Coleman attorney Fritz Knaak says the campaign is “profoundly suspicious,” adding, “We’re mystified at this apparent pattern of every time there seems to be a change, it happens after hours and it happens in the Franken [campaign’s] favor.”
Nov.8, Coleman Leads by 221 Votes – The New York Times reports that 32 absentee ballots were found after an election worker drove around with them in the back seat of his car for five days. An initial protest from Coleman is withdrawn, and the votes are counted. A document posted on the secretary of state’s Web site says shifting vote counts are “routine,” citing a 2006 election where 2,100 ballot changes occurred after Election Day.
Al Frankin himself said it best here:
Governor Sarah Palin. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin showed why she enjoys over 80% approval rates in her home state of Alaska. By being only the 2nd woman nominated for on a Presidential Ticket and the first in 24 years she made history this year. More importantly she endured near constant media attacks and weathered everything with style, grace and grit. She inspired women around the county with her common sense approach to life's issues and problems. As a mother of 5 somehow she finds time to govern our largest state Alaska. Congratulations Governor Palin on being the 2008 COMMON CENTS Woman of the year. Well deserved!!And check out the hero's welcome she gets after her debate vs. Joe Biden:
