Saturday, November 10, 2012

FORTUNE MAG THINKS 1000S OF SMALL BANKS COULD CLOSE, EVEN MORE COMPANIES REPORTED TO BE LAYING OFF WORKERS OR CLOSING OUTLETS

On Friday, TheBlaze reported on a spate of post-election layoffs and company closing announcements. Sadly, that trend appears to be continuing. - The Blaze

Fortune Magazine says that in the wake of Obama’s re-election, thousands of banks are at risk, with small banks taking the biggest beating:
Now that President Obama has been re-elected, analysts, consultants and dealmakers have turned from whether Dodd-Frank will be repealed to what it means for banks now that it’s likely here to stay. The overwhelming conclusion: Thousands of small banks will soon disappear.

But the banks are not the only group at risk. Companies in all areas are still having a difficult time with the economy.

John Schnatter, the CEO of ◼ Papa John’s Pizza announced to the press that Obama’s second term and the full enforcement of Obamacare would likely force him to cut the hours of many workers and add costs to his operation. Those costs would be passed on to consumers.

Do elections have consequences? If you have been paying attention to the financial markets, you might think so. Wall Street has had two horrible days since President Obama won a second term. - Mike Opelka/The Blaze

However, stock prices are not the only thing taking a hit. It appears that the job market is also suffering. In the last 48 hours, the following major corporations have announced layoffs in America...

America has its own Nigerian Prince. I think you know his name by now. His campaign sent out nearly as many emails as his Nigerian colleagues do, promising fame and fortune to those suckers who would help him transfer some wealth from the 1 percent to the 99 percent. And now that his second term is here, the check is in the mail. And if the government check doesn't clear, well that's what happens when you put your faith in Nigerian Princes.

Carny Nation: Here lies become the truth and everything is full of sugar. And the highlight of the show with be Barack, the Exotic Prince from the Wilds of Indonesia and Kenya, with a special appearance by Oprah and a hologram of JFK. Here in the Carnival of Fools, the party never stops and no one ever has to pay the bill. - Sultan Knish

A scam like the Democratic Party needs suckers. It needs millions and millions of the dumbest people that can be found outside of specially supervised group homes. And then it needs to appoint people to watch over them, give them the occasional food and minor check, and drive them in vans to the polls after two or four years so that the con artists can keep their manicured paws on the local treasury.

These people have to be stupid, yes, but like all marks, they have to be greedy. They have to be the kind of people who relish taking someone else's money without working for it. The kind who grin at the idea of putting something over someone else. The kind who think that they are smart because they decided that the world owes them a living. They think that they're smart, but they're only the marks in a con. And when the con is done, like the guy depositing a check from Nigeria's Prince Uscamo, they are going to be the ones left holding the bag.

This stunted and tawdry vision of American life was best summed up in his campaign’s contemptible Life of Julia cartoon, which portrayed the American Dream as being impossible without heavy cradle-to-grave government, and in which the civic society that Tocqueville correctly saw as the hallmark of the republic was wholly ignored — if not disdained outright.

The central problem is that America, knowing Obama, gave him a second term. - Charles C. W. Cooke/National Review Online

Food Stamps Surge By Most In Year To New All Time Record; Delayed Release...

The number of course is that showing how many Americans are on foodstamps, and usually is released at the end of the month, or the first day or two of the next month. This time the USDA delayed its release nine days past the semi-official deadline, far past the election, and until Friday night to report August foodstamp data. One glance at the number reveals why: at 47.1 million, this was not only a new all time record, but the monthly increase of 420,947 from July was the biggest monthly increase in one year. One can see why a reported surge in foodstamps ahead of the elections is something the USDA, and the administration may not have been too keen on disclosing. = Zerohedge

FBI SOURCE: PETRAEUS CASE HELD UNTIL AFTER ELECTION TO NOT HURT OBAMA POLITICALLY

an FBI source told Ronald Kessler, the author and journalist who broke the Secret Service prostitution scandal, that rather than having Petraeus resign immediately, the decision was made to hold it until after the election for political purposes: - Madeleine Morgenstern/The Blaze
[T]he White House, with concurrence by the FBI and Justice Department, held off on asking for Petraeus’ resignation until after the election. His resignation occurred three days after the election, avoiding the possibility that Obama’s ill-fated appointment of Petraeus could become an issue in the election.

FBI agents on the case were aware that such a decision had been made to hold off on forcing him out until after the election and were outraged.

“The decision was made to delay the resignation apparently to avoid potential embarrassment to the president before the election,” an FBI source says. “To leave him in such a sensitive position where he was vulnerable to potential blackmail for months compromised our security and is inexcusable.”

Michael Kortan, the FBI’s assistant director for public affairs, said he had no comment.

"The two-party system has collapsed."

The most populous U.S. state — home to 1 in 8 Americans — has entered a period of Democratic political control so far-reaching that the dwindling number of Republicans in the Legislature are in danger of becoming mere spectators at the statehouse. - NECN

Democrats hold the governorship and every other statewide office. They gained even more ground in Tuesday's elections, picking up at least three congressional seats while votes continue to be counted in two other tight races — in one upset, Democrat Raul Ruiz, a Harvard-educated physician who mobilized a district's growing swath of Hispanic voters, pushed out longtime Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack.

The party also secured a supermajority in one, and possibly both, chambers in the state Legislature.

"Republican leaders should look at California and shudder," says Steve Schmidt, who managed John McCain's 2008 campaign and anchored former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election team in 2006. "The two-party system has collapsed."

Obama won. We have to keep fighting.



Heritage Action

PRESIDENTIAL RETREATS
A new book by Peter Hannaford

It is estimated that the combined attendance at the thirteen official presidential libraries, with visitors to Mount Vernon and the very active Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, adds up to approximately 5 million annually—and this does not include the myriad presidential homes and retreats, birthplaces, and other sites open to the public. Now, presidential biographer Peter Hannaford has channeled his knowledge of presidential vacation homes into ◼ PRESIDENTIAL RETREATS (Threshold Editions; October 30, 2012; $16.00)—the history lovers’ travel guide.

From George Washington to George W. Bush, every one of our presidents has felt the need for a place where he could get away from the demands of the office. The basic reason was the same for all: a release from pressure. As Ronald Reagan said of the time he spent at his ranch—cumulatively nearly one year out of his eight in office—“I do some of my best thinking there.” For our early presidents, their homes in the country were their retreats. Some conducted business while they relaxed; others used these havens mostly to rest, think, read, write, as well as to enjoy fresh air and spend quality time with family. Many of the places are not open to the public, yet they all have tales to tell: political plotting and planning; important policy decisions made; foreign leaders met (and lobbied), children raised, even some romantic dalliances. Featuring contact information and website addresses for each site, readers experience them all firsthand in PRESIDENTIAL RETREATS.

Peter Hannaford is president of Hannaford Enterprises, Inc., a public relations/public affairs consultancy he founded in 1998. He also is a senior counselor for APCO Worldwide, a large public affairs/strategic communications firm based in Washington. In Ronald Reagan’s 1976 presidential nomination campaign Hannaford was co-director of issues and research; in the 1980 campaign, senior communications adviser to Reagan. Hannaford is the author of numerous articles and eleven published books.

***

“There’s much more to learn about presidential retreats than the location of Camp David, as Hannaford shows in his book on the places where the chief executives recharge and rest…Hannaford brings everything up to date, including tour schedules, with a pleasing format and anecdotes catering to Americans’ taste for
history and tradition.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Breezily written and enjoyable, this book opens up a different perspective on the presidency.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This tome dwells where U.S. presidents dwelt whenever they escaped from the capital, at their getaway places. Hannaford describes the refuges of every chief executive and supplies information for touring them if they are open to the public; not all are…With summaries of each president’s incumbency, Hannaford’s work may most interest readers inclined to visit a presidential home or vacation place.” —Booklist

Available locally at Eureka Books

From the bottom of our hearts, Ann and I thank you for your support, prayers, efforts, and vote. We are forever grateful to every one of you.


The plea deal would end Jesse Jackson Jr’s 17-year career as a congressman representing Chicago’s South Side and suburbs.



A former U.S. attorney representing embattled Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. is negotiating a plea deal with the federal government, CBS 2 has learned. - CBS Chicago

Friday, November 9, 2012

Mark Levin, today


ArchivesToday's show

Wikileaks Assange: Reelected Obama a 'wolf in sheep's clothing'

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sees no reason to celebrate the reelection of US President Barack Obama. The US aggressively pursued and “persecuted” the whistleblower site under a Democratic administration, he explained. - RT

“Obama seems to be a nice man, and that is precisely the problem,” the 41-year-old told AFP, speaking from his room in London’s Ecuadorian embassy.

“It's better to have a sheep in wolf's clothing than a wolf in sheep's clothing,” he said. “All of the activities against WikiLeaks by the United States have occurred under an Obama administration.”

Assange was equally critical of the Republican, saying it “has not been an effective restraining force on government excesses over the last four years.”

"There is no reason to believe that will change – in fact, the Republicans will push the administration into ever greater excesses," he added....

Oliver Stone: ‘I find Obama scary’ - patrick Gavin/Politico

2 DAYS AFTER RE-ELECTION OBAMA SHUTS DOWN 1.6M ACRES TO OIL SHALE DEVELOPMENT

“By significantly reducing the acreage of wilderness potentially available for leasing, Secretary Salazar is laying out a creative, thoughtful and more responsible approach in managing some of our most precious resources,” said Bobby McEnaney, senior lands analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council. - Ben Shapiro/Breitbart's BIG Government

Obama Administration Shuts Down Oil Drilling Out West... - The Hill via Drudge

Michelle Malkin:"This Politically Correct/Jihadi Coddling Administration" Needs to be Exposed!

Marco Rubio challenges Obama:
‘Tax increases are not the answer’

Shortly after President Obama finished his post-election speech promising to raise taxes for the wealthy, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. issued a statement that directly contradicted the president. - Charlie Spiering/Washington Examiner @charlesspiering

Senator Rubio Addresses Looming Fiscal Cliff - Senator Rubio Press Release

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement regarding the looming fiscal cliff after President Obama insisted today that tax increases be part of the solution to avert it:

“I fundamentally reject the idea that the only way to avoid the fiscal cliff is to raise taxes and jeopardize job creation. Without a bold plan to bring spending under control and get our economy growing, we will be right back at the edge of this cliff in just a matter of years. I am not interested in short-term political deals. We need a long-term solution.

“The bottom line is that we can’t tax, or even cut, our way out of this. The only way to solve this is through economic growth. And tax increases are not going to grow an economy and encourage businesses to create jobs. Having the government redistribute even more money from job creators is not a recipe for job creation.

“Nothing that I’ve seen during the past two years has invalidated the free enterprise miracle I have seen throughout my life. Many years ago, my parents were able to earn a living and provide for our family because entrepreneurs in Miami and Las Vegas invested money to open and expand resorts and hotels. Having the government take that same money would not have helped people like my parents, and it won’t help people today.

“Tax increases are not the answer. We need fundamental tax reform, an overhaul of our regulatory structure, a cut to discretionary spending, a balanced budget amendment, and reforms to save Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

“This fiscal cliff is the result of decades of short-term Washington solutions and politicians willing to kick our problems down the road instead of solving them decisively. True leadership - the kind America needs now more than ever - requires us to summon the will and courage to solve our greatest challenges. Until we do that, we will continue to have an economy that isn’t growing, and a national debt that is.”

Get this: State budget mess? Blame the GOP

link - John Moore/for the Times-Standard

Ladies - this bit of insanity appears in our local paper - and if you are on Facebook, you can comment on it. Weigh in.

California's Liberal Supermajority

Taxpayers are going to get all the government they ever wanted.

For Republicans unhappy with Tuesday's election, we have good news—at least most of you don't live in California. Not only did Democrats there win voter approval to raise the top tax rate to 13.3%, but they also received a huge surprise—a legislative supermajority. Look out below.

The main check on Sacramento excess has been a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds majority of both houses to raise taxes. Although Republicans have been in the minority for four decades, they could impose a modicum of spending restraint by blocking tax increases. If Democratic leads stick in two races where ballots are still being counted, liberals will pick up enough seats to secure a supermajority. Governor Jerry Brown then will be the only chaperone for the Liberals Gone Wild video that is Sacramento.

So now Californians will experience the joys of one-party, union-run progressive governance....

The silver lining here is that Americans will be able to see the modern liberal-union state in all its raw ambition. The Sacramento political class thinks it can tax and regulate the private economy endlessly without consequence. As a political experiment it all should be instructive, and at least Californians can still escape to Nevada or Idaho.
__________________

Democrats’ congressional wins delay supermajority - John Hrabe/Cal Watchdog

A few contests remain close and could change with late absentee and provisional ballots. But, if the results remain as they currently stand, Democrats will hold 28 seats in the state Senate and 54 seats in the State Assembly. Democrats have the supermajority they’ve long-coveted.

Well, not quite.

As CalWatchDog.com predicted in June, two even-numbered Democratic state senators have gummed up the party’s plans for total domination by winning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. State Senators Gloria Negrete McLeod and Juan Vargas are both headed to Congress and will need to resign their state senate seats. The seats will remain vacant until filled by special elections. Consequently, the Democratic Senate caucus will be reduced by two members and consist of just 26 votes. That’s one short of the two-thirds threshold.

“The vacancies do not change the threshold for the two-thirds requirement, which is 27 seats in the Senate,” Bernadette McNulty, chief assistant secretary of the Senate, confirmed to CalWatchDog.com earlier this year. In other words, Democrats did too well on Tuesday. They won too many races.

Breaking news: David Petraeus has resigned from his post as director of the CIA

link - NBC NY

Paragraph 11 Explains Petraeus Departure - Smitty/The Other McCain

In case anybody wondered why David Petraeus ejected:
“I wanted him to continue,” she said. “He was good, he loved the work, and he had a command of intelligence issues second to none.” Feinstein added that Petraeus will no longer be required to testify at hearings next week related to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya Sept. 11.
CIA DIRECTOR PETRAEUS RESIGNS OVER 'AFFAIR' - Ben Shapiro/Breitbart BIG Peace



This is only the latest in a string of groundshaking events demonstrating that the Obama administration hid information vital to the American people during the last days of the 2012 election cycle. The fact that the most respected soldier of his generation, Petraeus, would be leaving the administration during an Obama second term, had to be known by the White House prior to the election. And they said nothing in order to run out the clock.

The fact that Attorney General Eric Holder was considering stepping down from the administration had to be known by the White House prior to the election. Meanwhile, during the election cycle, the Obama administration claimed executive privilege in order to shield Holder from questions about Fast and Furious.

The fact that an American drone was fired upon in international airspace by Iranian airplanes was hidden from the American public for a week in order to prevent the American public from recognizing the failure of the Obama Iranian foreign policy.

The facts in Benghazi were lied about by virtually every member of the Obama administration for weeks upon weeks.

The fact that the administration had been slow-walking reams of vital regulation to beyond the election in order to avoid scaring off voters was hidden from the public.

A few thoughts on the resignation of David Petraeus as CIA director - Stephen Hayes/Weekly Standard

Krauthammer on Petraeus: Now That There's a Sex Scandal Benghazi Will Become Hottest Story Around - Noel Sheppard/Newsbusters



When Did Obama Know About Petraeus' Affair? - Ace Of Spades
Drudge headines:
Petraeus Was Slated to Testify on Benghazi Next Week...
KING: 'Absolutely necessary witness'...
'Timing Is Just Too Perfect'...
Lawmakers Considered Calling For Resignation Last Month...
FBI SPIED ON CIA DIRECTOR, WOMAN; EMAILS?
Did Mistress's Husband Write to NYTIMES 'Ethicist' About Affair With Petraeus?

The media, General Petraeus and Benghazi - Gay Patriot

Video: Say, why would the FBI be investigating a CIA director, anyway? - Ed Morrissey/HotAir I find it very difficult to believe that the kind of background check necessary for becoming DCIA would have failed to uncover the affair. If the CIA didn’t learn of the affair in the first place, especially since it appears that Broadwell is hardly the model of discretion, doesn’t that call into question their ability to gather intel even in a fairly target-rich environment? Or if they did, why would the FBI’s discovery of it require a resignation now, rather than a disqualification then? More theories on the Petraeus resignation, From a former spook. - neoneocon ◼ The Sudden (and Curious) Departure of David Petraeus - In From The Cold

One final note: former Michigan Congressman Pete Hoekstra (who knows as much about intel as anyone in Washington) tweeted this evening that the Petraeus mess will "get much worse..more here than meets the eye."

We shall see.

CFRW Capitol Update

President’s Message

Dear CFRW Members,

We are a dedicated and committed group of women who stand tall in the face of challenges given us. We had a wonderful candidate who gave his heart and soul to the cause. We need to stand proud that we had two men committed to Godly Principles and dedication to their country and families. We have for too long allowed the Democrats and the media to define who and what we are. As we begin our new journey to face the voices of 2014 we as Republican Women will lead the way. We need to focus on why we do what we do, or to voice an old adage, "The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world." We see by the media they withheld the news about Iran shooting down one of our drones. Isn't it amazing that this was not reported until AFTER the election, when it happened almost five days before the election. We need to find solutions to those ideals that have been trampled on by the man living in the White House. We are the voice of hope, determination and answers.

The pity parties should be over. Analysis after analysis have been written, e-mailed, discussed and re-evaluated over and over again. Now the question to be answered is where do we go next?

I truly, truly believe in my heart that it is going to be up to us, CFRW, to change the tide of being a blue state. Changes will be made at the California Republican Party in 2013, not to mention what might take place on the National level. Currently our major concern needs to be California.

Never in the history of politics have women worked so hard on elections than this year. We won a few, but a majority went unanswered in the positive. We are still waiting to hear from the Divisions throughout the state on how our CFRW members did in their elections. We are so proud of the huge ding Elizabeth Emken did to our current US Senator armor. We know she thought Elizabeth would be lucky to get maybe 5% of the vote and not 43%. Our congratulations to Elizabeth for a job well done. Elizabeth showed what you can do with determination and a shoe string budget. We are so sad to report Mary Bono Mack lost.

We need to focus on want it is we stand for. We need to stop letting the Democrats and pundits identify who we are. Did we do enough to stop this so called "War on Women"? We need to start right away getting involved in our communities and when we do, make sure you identify yourself as a Republican Woman. Write letters to the editors praising the good work you do in your Clubs. Attend health forums and let your voices be heard. Call into talk radio shows and praise what we do. When our leaders voice stupid remarks about women, take them to task. We are not sheep just following along. We are strong capable leaders.

We have a strong leader at the National Level and in California we have strong leaders in each and every Club, Division and CFRW Executive Board. We can and will make a difference in 2013.

The only time in my life I ever agreed with a Democrat was when Jimmy Carter had "The Year of the Woman". We met in cities, counties and states throughout this great country and put all of our ideas together at a huge rally in Houston, Texas. Working together we can up with some great ideas.

Well we are better than Carter ever dreamed of being. In February when we meet in San Diego for our first Conference in 2013 we will be holding workshops to bring our ideas together to present to the CRP at their next State Convention. We will also be endorsing who our next leaders are. We need to take a strong look and encourage our own leaders to run for positions within the State Party. We can no longer just sit by and wait for them to come to us.

It is our time to stand up and be counted. We must acknowledge that we are not only the life blood of this party, but we are the strength, as we declare 2013 as the CFRW Year of the Woman.

ONE TEAM, ONE PURPOSE ONE GOAL.
God bless each and every one of you.
Carol Hadley
CFRW President

Republican Women Victories!

The CFRW is so happy to announce Republican Women victories all across California. We are proud of all our Republican Women Federated that ran for office. Whether they won or lost, it is incredibly brave to stand up for what you believe in. Hopefully next election cycle we have many more Republican Women running for office across the state! If you know of more Republican Women that won their race for office, please let us know at advocate@cfrw.org.

State Legislature Wins:

Mimi Walters- Senate
Jean Fuller- Senate
Connie Conway- Assembly Republican Leader
Shannon Grove- Assembly
Kristin Olsen- Assembly
Melissa Melendez- Assembly
Marie Waldron- Assembly

Local Office Wins:

Debbie Arnold- San Luis Obispo County Supervisor
Roberta Fonzi- Atascadero City Council
Corinne Kuhnle- Atascadero City Council
Roman Reyna- Santa Ana City Council
Cecilia Iglesias- Santa Ana City Council
JoAnne Mounce- Lodi City Council
Nancy Young - Tracy City Council Member
Jane Armstrong- Scotts Valley Fire District
Priscilla Schrieber- Grossmont Union
Cecilia Iglesias- Santa Ana Unified School District

Thank you, Veterans!

This Monday is Veterans Day. The CFRW is proud of all the veterans we have in our organization. This weekend, please be sure to thank a veteran for serving and protecting all the freedoms we have. Without veterans we wouldn’t have elections, we wouldn’t have the freedom to express our opinions, and we wouldn’t have the liberty to work hard to support candidates we believe in. Thank you, to all those serving or who have served in our courageous military. We are forever grateful for your sacrifices for our great nation.

"There is nowhere to sell our coal, and when we can, the market prices are far lower," the statement said. "Without markets, there can be no coal mines and no coal jobs."

Utah company blames Pres. Obama for 102 workers laid off - KSL.com

After Obama reelection coal company CEO reads prayer to staff, announces layoffs - Washington Post

For the chairman and chief executive of Murray Energy, an Ohio-based coal company, the reelection of President Obama was no cause for celebration. It was a time for prayer – and layoffs.

Robert E. Murray read a prayer to a group of company staff members on the day after the election, lamenting the direction of the country and asking: “Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build....”

Here is the full text of the prayer:

Dear Lord:

The American people have made their choice. They have decided that America must change its course, away from the principals of our Founders. And, away from the idea of individual freedom and individual responsibility. Away from capitalism, economic responsibility, and personal acceptance.

We are a Country in favor of redistribution, national weakness and reduced standard of living and lower and lower levels of personal freedom.

My regret, Lord, is that our young people, including those in my own family, never will know what America was like or might have been. They will pay the price in their reduced standard of living and, most especially, reduced freedom.

The takers outvoted the producers. In response to this, I have turned to my Bible and in II Peter, Chapter 1, verses 4-9 it says, “To faith we are to add goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self control; to self control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, kindness; to brotherly kindness, love.”

Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build. We ask for your guidance in this drastic time with the drastic decisions that will be made to have any hope of our survival as an American business enterprise.

Amen.

How the country can change in just four years!




How the country can change in just four years! - The Blaze

Open thread: Obama presser on “fiscal cliff”

We’ve been here at least twice during the Obama administration — once immediately after the 2010 midterms, and then again during the summer of 2011. We’re having this conversation today because we keep kicking the same can down the same road in order to avoid the political consequences of addressing the budgetary and fiscal crises that face the nation. - Ed Morrissey/HotAir

Will this be any different? Both sides now say they want to work together, but National Journal’s Major Garrett writes that it will take something for which Obama hasn’t displayed any capacity in four years — flexibility...

In 2016, GOP needs a candidate voters believe in

Now, because of Romney's loss, some are urging that the Republican Party completely remake itself. Some argue that GOP lawmakers must support comprehensive immigration reform and change positions on other issues. The answer, they say, is broad, across-the-board change. - Byron York/Washington Examiner

But listen to the Obama team. There is a less complicated lesson to this election. Voters want to believe in a candidate. If Republicans find that candidate, they will win.

NFRW: An Election Day Postmortem

As Republicans, we mourn the loss of the presidency and grieve with the many good Republicans who lost their races seeking office for the first time, or those who were incumbents and lost their races. The following is a quick state-by-state rundown of election day adapted from Ian Lovett's analysis in the New York Times:

Alabama: Romney won the state with just over 60% of the vote. Roy Moore, the former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, again become chief justice. He made headlines in 2003 by refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from the courthouse.
Alaska: Romney won the state with 55% of the vote. Republicans took over the state legislature.

Arizona: Romney won with 54.8% of the vote. Jeff Flake won retiring Senator Jon Kyl's seat. Flake defeated Richard Carmona, the former Bush administration surgeon general. Sheriff Joe Arpaio won a sixth term. Arizonans rejected a ballot measure for a one cent per dollar sales tax for education.

Arkansas: Romney carried the state with 60.5% of the vote. Republicans won a majority in the state legislature for the first time since 1874. Sen. Mark Pryor is the state's only Democratic representative in Washington. A far cry from the Bill Clinton era.

California: Barack Obama carried the state with 59.1% of the vote. Voters amended the three strike penalty law, and approved Proposition 30, which allows for temporary tax increases.

Colorado: Obama won this swing state with 51.2% of the vote. Voters legalized the possession and retail sale of marijuana in limited quantities.

Connecticut: Obama carried the state with by 58.6%. Republican Linda McMahon lost her race to the Senate for the second time.

Delaware: Obama won the state with 58.6% of the vote. Republicans did not fare well in this state on the whole.

Florida: In a very close race, it looks like Obama won Florida with 49.9% of the vote, just .6% more than Romney. Republican Representative Connie Mack lost to Democratic Senator Bill Nelson. Voters opposed ballot measures to amend the State Constitution to block parts of Obamacare and add restrictions to abortion.

Georgia: Romney won the state with 53.4% of the vote. Voters approved a measure to set up a commission made up of members appointed the governor and lieutenant governor to take charge of charter schools.

Hawaii: Obama carried this state with 70.6% of the vote. Former Governor Republican Linda Lingle lost the Senate race to Democrat Mazie Hirono, but Hawaii has not elected a Republican to the Senate in more than 40 years.

Idaho: Romney won the state with 54.5% of the vote. Voters opposed an initiative to provide every high school student with a laptop.

Illinois: No surprise, Obama won this state with 57.3% of the vote.

Indiana: While Obama won Indiana in 2008 that he lost in 2012. Romney won the state with 54.3% of the vote. Republican Jackie Walorski won a congressional seat, and Republican Mike Pence replaced Mitch Daniels as Governor, who has reached his term limit.

Iowa: Obama won the state with 52.1% of the vote. Republican Steve King was re-elected the the House by a large margin despite being redistricted.

Kansas: Romney carried the state with 60.5% of the vote. Republican Andy Barr beat Democrat incumbent Ben Chandler for a House seat.

Louisiana: Romney won the state with 57.8% of the vote. Republican House incumbents Jeff Landry and Charles Boustany will participate in a runoff in December to determine a winner. Louisiana lost a House seat in the latest census, forcing both Landry and Boustany to share the same district.

Maine: Obama carried the state with 56% of the vote. Independent Angus King won retiring Senator Olympia Snowe's seat. Despite being endorsed by New York City Mayor Bloomberg, a Democrat, it has not been confirmed whether he will caucus with the Democrats or Republicans. Maine also voted to legalize gay marriage for the second time.

Maryland: Obama won the state with 61.7% of the vote. Like Maine and Washington, Maryland voters legalized gay marriage.

Massachusetts: Obama carried the state with 60.8% of the vote, despite Romney having been Governor there. Democrat Joseph Kennedy III, Robert Kennedy's grandson, won Democrat Barney Frank's House seat. Voters approved measures to allow medicine to be prescribed to end a terminally ill patient's life, and to terminate criminal penalties for the medical use of marijuana.

Michigan: Obama won the state with 52.8% of the vote. Democrat Senator Stabenow won re-election, and Republican Kerry Bentivolio won the House seat recently vacated by Republican Thaddeus McCotter amid scandal alleging signature forgery on petitions.

Minnesota: Obama carried the state with 52.8% of the vote, no surprise since Minnesota has gone blue in that last 10 election cycles. Voters rejected a constitutional amendment to limit marriage between a man and a woman.

Mississippi: Romney won this state with 55.5% of the vote, no surprise since the state has gone red in every presidential election since 1976.

Missouri: Romney won the state with 53.9% of the vote. Democrat Senator Claire McCaskill defeated Republican Todd Akin in contentious race. Women outnumbered men at the polls there 55% to 45% and favored McCaskill.

Montana: Romney won the state with 55.3% of the vote. Democratic Senator Tester was re-elected against Republican Danny Rehberg. Voters approved a measure to require the parents of minors to be notified before an abortion is performed and a measure to deny certain state services to illegal aliens.

Nebraska: Romney carried the state with 60.5% of the vote. In a race to get excited about, Deb Fischer was the only Republican in the country to win a Senate seat previously held by a Democrat. Now no Democrats hold statewide office in Nebraska.
Nevada: Obama won the state with 52.3% of the vote.

New Hampshire: Obama won the state with 52.2% of the vote. New Hampshire has gone blue in 5 out of the last six presidential election cycles. However, the state now boasts the country's first all-female congressional delegation.

New Jersey: Obama carried the state with 57.9% of the vote. Democratic Senator Robert Menendez was re-elected, which was no surprise considering no Republican has won a Senate seat in New Jersey for 40 years. Voter turnout was lower than usual because of Hurricane Sandy, even though some people were allowed to vote by email and fax.

New Mexico: Obama won the state with 52.9% of the vote. Republican Heather Wilson lost her Senate race to Democrat Martin Heinrich.

New York: Obama won the state with 62.6% of the vote. Republican House incumbents Nan Hayworth and Ann Marie Buerkle lost their races.

North Carolina: Romney won the state with 50.6% of the vote. Republican Pat McCrory became Governor. Republicans picked up three House seats.

North Dakota: Romney carried the state with 58.7% of the vote. Democrat Heidi Heitkamp won a Senate race against Republican Rick Berg for retiring Democratic Senator Kent Conrad's seat.

South Dakota: Romney won the state with 57.9% of the vote. Voters defeated measures to institute a sales tax to boost funding for Medicaid and schools.

Tennessee: Romney carried the state with 59.5% of the vote. Republican Senator Corker was re-elected.

Texas: Romney won the state with 57.2% of the vote. Republican Ted Cruz was elected to the senate.

Utah: Romney won the state with 72.8% of the vote. Republican favorite Mia Love lost her congressional race to Jim Matheson, a Democrat. Had she won she would have been the first black female Republican in the House and the first black person to represent Utah in a national office. Senator Hatch was re-elected for a seventh term.

Vermont: Obama won the state with 67% of the vote. There were no ballot measures in Vermont this year.

Virginia: Obama carried the state again, with 50.8% of the vote. Democrat Tim Kaine was elected to the Senate over Republican George Allen.

Washington: Obama carried the state with 55.2% of the vote. Washington voters legalized marijuana for people over 21, for both recreational and medical uses. Voters also passed a measure to legalize gay marriage.

West Virginia: Romney won the state with 62.3% of the vote.

Wisconsin: Obama won the state with 62.8% of the vote. Paul Ryan was re-elected to his House seat.

Wyoming: Romney won the state with 69.3% of the vote. Republican Senator John Barrasso won as did Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis. Voters approved a constitutional amendment to block any government action to force state residents to purchase health insurance.
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To read a more thorough analysis of each state's election returns, click here. (It's the NYT article mentioned above)
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NFRW Fall Board Meeting To Be Held in Dallas This Month

On November 16 and 17, the NFRW Board will meet at the Grand Hyatt at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. The event will take place from Friday evening with the State President's meeting and the Executive Committee meeting with the Board of Directors meeting on Saturday morning. Click here to see the Official Call.
Deadline for Bylaw Amendments Approaching
__________________

The deadline for submitting proposed changes to the NFRW Bylaws for this term is November 15, 2012. NFRW state federations, clubs, and individual members may submit recommended changes to the Bylaws Committee using the official form available on the NFRW website. Click here to access the document.

Only those submissions received on the official form will be considered and each must be typed or clearly printed. Proposed changes will be evaluated by the NFRW Bylaws Committee, forwarded to the NFRW Executive Committee for review, and presented to the NFRW Board of Directors for a vote at the spring board meeting. Final adoption of any changes to the NFRW Bylaws will be determined by a vote of the delegates to the biennial convention in Louisville next fall.

Questions? Contact Suzanne Crow (LA), Bylaws Chair, at suzcrow@bellsouth.net

Congratulations, American Voting Public…Here Is What YOU Voted For

Four more years. That’s what the American voting public just handed Barack Obama. - RedState

You voters in Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Pennsylvania and beyond…TAKE A BOW…this is what you have just handed the rest of America:

1. Obamacare…now cemented into law, affirmed by that idiot John Roberts, will begin to creep into our lives like a stalker in the night. For working Americans, this reality means being forced to purchase health insurance or pay new taxes. It means the watering down and ultimate dismantling of the greatest health care system on Earth as the most inefficient manager of fiscal resources in the history of the planet takes it over.

2. Persistent (and inevitably growing) U6 unemployment. Does that 7.9% U3 unemployment give you warm and fuzzies, people? I sure hope it does…because with the requirements of Obamacare rapidly approaching, you can expect businesses to continue to hire and adjust positions as they have since Obamacare was signed into law. That is, hiring part-time workers and forcing the American public (the portion that isn’t too lazy to work, that is) to work 2-4 (or more) part-time jobs to put bread on the table. But what does it matter that you will be working tirelessly driving from job to job? At least you’ll have free overpriced, government-run healthcare…courtesy of your re-election of Barack Obama....

3. $4-5/gallon gasoline.... 4. The continued acquiescence to Islamic radicals and other tyrants across the globe.... 5. Massive debt. Nothing says “I could care less about the future of my children” than voting back into office a man who is picking their pockets…even before they have left elementary school.... More. At the link.

What to Expect in the Next Four Years - Matthew Vadum/Front Page Magazine

Americans have narrowly voted to reelect a president who will continue policies that will — not may — eventually lead to the downfall of the American republic....

For the time being I’ll leave it to others to hold forth on how best to take on the still-expanding Leviathan that President Obama is piloting but now that some of the initial pain and shock from Tuesday evening is beginning to wear off, let’s take a look at the grim future America faces if it fails to correct its course.

The economy is a shambles and thanks to the news-suppressing Obama-worshipping media, a huge chunk of the populace seems unaware of just how rotten things are. A quick recap: More than 23 million Americans are unemployed, underemployed, or have given up seeking work. The workforce participation rate is the lowest in 30 years. Annual household income is down $4,000. A record 47 million people are on food stamps. The national debt is now an astonishing $16.4 trillion and it’s probably going to shoot up even more.

This is just a smattering of the deeply depressing economic statistics that define the age of Obama....

Eventually strife and unrest will take over America. Federal, state, and local governments will suffer credit rating downgrades, lose their ability to borrow money, and be unable to meet their continuing obligations.

When members of the public, by this point accustomed to feeding at the public teat, stop receiving the government checks they rely on, there will be an explosion that will rock society to its core. Americans will panic. The same thing has happened all over the world again and again.

Secession, revolution, foreign invasion, all these things that look mysterious and crazy and impossible right now could happen in America. We are not immune just because traditionally we’ve thought we’re special. Our ideas at that point won’t matter as we are overtaken by events and outside influences.

Not one of these things has to happen. The future is not carved in stone.

In order for the America we know and love to survive, a belief in freedom, individual rights, and self-reliance will have to resurface throughout the land.

Another four years of Obama may do just that. Americans will have to fight for their country.

“We’ll Fight Again Tomorrow”

Election 2012: Obama gets his “revenge,” but conservatives must stand tall - Michelle Malkin

Chins up. Stand tall. We’ll fight again tomorrow.

Indeed, conservatives must stand tall, resist the siren songs of “moderation” and “compromise” and continue to present America with a choice, not an echo. We must take note of things that went wrong, but keep in mind that there were things that went well; these are both summed up well by Dana Loesch. So, to echo Lenin, what is to be done? - The Other McCain

It all starts with us, in our precincts and wards, building a political force of extraordinary magnitude, purging the Karl Roves and any other talking head who thinks they can control the party from a K Street office. It starts with you. It starts today.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Source: 7 Navy SEALs punished for secrecy breach

A senior defense official says seven members of the secretive Navy SEAL Team 6, including one involved in the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, have been punished for allegedly disclosing classified information. - ROBERT BURNS/AP

The official, who discussed the matter on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case, says the seven received what the military calls "nonjudicial" punishment on Wednesday. They are alleged to have provided the information to the maker of a video game.

The official says four other SEALs are under investigation for similar alleged disclosures.

The punishments were first reported by CBS News.

Did Jerry Brown really win with his tax plan in California? 13.3% in state income tax? Sales tax up too? Let the exodus begin

Michael Medved on Facebook

Hours after Obama win, U.S. backs new U.N. arms treaty talks

The National Rifle Association, the powerful U.S. interest group, strongly opposes the arms treaty and had endorsed Romney. - Reuters

The United States has denied it sought to delay negotiations for political reasons, saying it had genuine problems with the draft as written.

Just a coincidence he waited until after the election, right?

Miller: "I Don't Think It's Going To Be 'Blade Runner'"

CFRW: THOUGHTS ON THE ELECTION

Watching the election results on Tuesday night I was feeling very disappointed. As the returns continued to come in and the pundits reported, my disappointment turned to anger and then sadness and a deep concern for the future of our country, the greatest country the world has ever seen. Historians have written that a democracy does not last forever. It usually is destroyed from within; citizens become complacent and fall for lies and false promises.

The America of 2012 is no longer the country it was in 1980 when President Reagan was elected, and it is no longer the country it was in 2000 when George W. Bush was elected. What has happened to the mind set of so many Americans? In 2008 the voters of America elected an American idol, over an American hero. However, idols are often false Gods, they are not the messiah! The Obama Administration has completed the first phase of the dismantling of America with failed economic policies, costly entitlement programs and an unbelievable, unsustainable national debt. After the past 4 years we no longer have a free press. With just a few exceptions our media has turned into Pravda, the press of the old Soviet Union. Most journalists and media only report the lies that the current administration tells them and they point to the Republicans as the problem.

If Ronald Reagan ran for President today he might not be able to win the election because of the mind set of so many voters and today’s bias! Listening to Romney deliver his speeches at rallies with his positive plans and aspirations for the future of America, he really reminded me so much of President Reagan and his ideals and belief in America. However, too many voters did not listen to Romney’s message for the future; they listened instead to the lies of Obama reinforced by the media bias. Without a free and unbiased press it becomes much more difficult to get our Republican message out, so we must all become the voices for our message!

This was the election to decide the future of America! It is disheartening to see that the voters chose voting for Revenge rather than voting for Love of Country! They picked entitlement programs and big government over jobs, personal responsibility and the freedom to make their own choices in life. We will see many more changes to the America we love in the next 4 years, a weakened national defense with major defense cuts, even fewer jobs, more costly entitlement programs, an ever increasing national debt and a homeland security force to keep citizens in line but nothing to protect us against nations and terrorists who hate us.

The future right now may seem impossible but we are Americans and we do not cave in or give up! Yes, we no longer have a free press, we have Pravda. So today and in the future it will depend on us to get our message to voters. We have to make our voices heard! We have to make sure our legislators remember why we elected them and we must hold them accountable, but we also need to work with our legislators and support them. We must all come together as Republicans, concentrate on what is most important and work together for the common good. Yes, it will be much more difficult for America to recover in 2014 or 2016, but we MUST CONTINUE to fight! We do not have the luxury to drop out or bury our heads in the sand – there is too much at stake!

The future is still in our hands! It is our responsibility to make sure the greatest country the world has ever known does not disappear because WE did not fight to keep it the greatest country in the world. We owe this task to those who came before us, our Founding Fathers, the many immigrants who came to America with nothing but a dream to build a better life for their children, the millions of Americans since the birth of our nation who made incredible sacrifices, especially those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom; we owe this to our children and future generations to come so they can have a real future. Preserving our freedom, American Exceptionalism and the American Dream is worth fighting for!

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Roseann Slonsky-Breault, President
CFRW Northern Division

CFRW Northern Division 2012 Fall Conference
"Where Do We Go From Here/Our Next Step"

Saturday, November 17, 2012

A full one day schedule featuring Assemblywoman Connie Conway and Director Dan Schnur of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at University of Southern California on Saturday afternoon and an early 6PM banquet on Saturday evening with keynote speaker Congressman Tom McClintock, and including a special Christmas Bazaar Silent Auction! We also have 2 optional workshops on Friday afternoon, November 16!

Conferencce Chair Marlene Nelson & the Clubs of Northeast Region

Debbie, Rose, Annette and Jan will be attending. If you'd like to join us, contact President Debbie Walker 441-1126


CNBC Guest: Markets Collapsing Because Traders Thought Romney Would Win

In an interview with CNBC host Joe Kernen, Barclay Capital’s Barry Knapp said that the market’s response to the reelection of President Obama has been dismal. The only historical parallel he could draw was the reelection of President Truman in 1948, which preceded a significant decline in the American economy and a deep recession. - Mediaite

“Do you think people were still holding out hope that Romney was going to be elected, and there wouldn’t be Obamacare, there wouldn’t be tax increases,” Kernen asked Knapp.

Shocker: Iran Fired At A US Drone, And The Obama Administration Hid That Information Until After The Election



Iran fired on an unarmed U.S. drone last week as it was hovering in international airspace, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

Spokesman George Little said the incident occurred Nov. 1 at 4:50 a.m. ET. He said the unarmed, unmanned drone was conducting "routine surveillance" over the Persian Gulf when it was "intercepted" by Iran. He said the MQ1 Predator drone, which was not hit, was not in Iranian airspace.

Little said the U.S. government has protested to the Iranians.
- Ace Of Spades
Pentagon: Iran fired on U.S. drone in Persian Gulf — seven days ago - HotAir

Five More Obamacare Taxes Starting January 1, 2013

ATR lists the five Obamacare taxes that go into effect on January 1, 2013.

Five More Obamacare Taxes Hitting in 60 Days
Americans will be hit with five additional Obamacare taxes for the first time on Jan.1
- Americans for Tax Reform
◼ The Obamacare Medical Device Tax – a $20 billion tax increase
◼ The Obamacare “Special Needs Kids Tax” – a $13 billion tax increase
◼ The Obamacare Surtax on Investment Income – a $123 billion tax increase: This is a new, 3.8 percentage point surtax on investment income earned in households making at least $250,000 ($200,000 single).
◼ The Obamacare “Haircut” for Medical Itemized Deductions – a $15.2 billion tax increase
◼ The Obamacare Medicare Payroll Tax Hike -- an $86.8 billion tax increase
Onward, ObamaCare

ObamaCare is no longer merely looming — it’s happening, and with the certainty that the health care law is here to stay, the federal bureaucracy is readying to unleash the floodgates of regulation-writing and logistical planning and make it rain on the health-care industry, the states, and the economy at large.

Election Removes Cloud From Health Law's Future - WSJ

Jim Amos, CEO of frozen dessert franchiser Tasti D-Lite LLC, said employers who had been holding back on deciding how to respond to new requirements to provide insurance to full-time workers would now move ahead. “If you’re in a position where you want to move people from full-time to part-time jobs, you’re going to begin to do that,” he said, referring to a tactic some employers have tested to avoid the coming insurance requirements.

***

30 hours a week is now considered full-time.

FREE STUFF VERSUS FREEDOM

A widely-repeated one-sentence analysis of the 2012 election is that it represented the triumph of “free stuff over freedom.” I think that’s not quite accurate. Actual dependency on free stuff – the difficulty of “running against Santa Claus,” as Rush Limbaugh put it on the radio Wednesday – is a problem, but not the full scope of the problem. It’s really a battle of irresponsibility vs. freedom. - John Hayward/Human Events

...Middle-class dependency is based on two core assumptions:

1. I deserve this stuff, and
2. Nobody really has to suffer to pay for it....

As long as the middle class thinks government benefits magically appear from nowhere, they are receptive to the argument that only greed or callous insensitivity could lead anyone to propose spending cuts for popular programs – or even unpopular ones the public can be persuaded to view as a moral obligation, like ObamaCare. That’s the front line in the battle of “free stuff versus freedom”: the irresponsible belief, so indispensable to socialism, that freedom is scary, while all that comforting “stuff” is free.

Beware liberals peddling advice for conservatives.

Operation Demoralize Post-Election Edition - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion
Look how many groups moved toward the GOP. - Althouse
Data Points To A Powerful Romney Campaign – And Yet…He Lost. - Ulsterman

So, what have we learned from the most fractious Presidential election of my lifetime? We have learned that if you put $1 billion behind a campaign of cynicism, racial division, class warfare, and extreme pettiness an incumbent with one of the worst records in modern times can barely squeak into a second term. And with such a narrow and demeaning “win,” what exactly does Barack Obama think he has achieved?

No Time For Collaboration - Bill Wilson/Net Right Daily

....The answer, oddly enough, is not in his hands. Under normal circumstances, a re-elected President can direct the debate. He has set out an agenda or has done so well in the first term that the country simply wants “more of the same.” Nobody – and I mean nobody – wants four more years of the same inane, vapid socialism of Obama’s first term. But, if Obama cannot determine the course we take, who does?

That answer is yet to be decided. The reason the issue is in doubt is because we do not yet know what the Republicans in Congress will do. They have a very real choice. The Republicans can surrender to Obama, collaborate with his regime and institutionalize his radical, leftist agenda.

Or, they can fight; fight to the last man standing, refusing to concede an inch to an alien ideology that at its core is opposed to the founding principles and ethic of the nation.

What will the GOP in Congress be; Free and defiant, standing up for principle and fighting Obama and his cronies. Or, will they cower at the sight of Obama’s meager margin and do his dirty work for him?

There are plenty of those inside the GOP who will want to cut and run. Colin Powell, Ray LaHood, a host of northeast liberals, and more than a few in positions of power inside the House all embrace collaboration. Seeing nothing worth fighting for, they are all too ready to peddle themselves to the highest bidder.

And on the surface, for all too many GOP officials, such a course may appear the easier, softer way. After all, taking such a path will be sure to get rave reviews from the propaganda organs of the establishment-Left. They will be invited to all the right parties and be hailed as having “grown” and being a “good Republican.” Future employment opportunities will look very bright.

But there is another side to this. To millions of conservative, free-market advocates and the core of the Republican Party they will be reviled and hated. For these grassroots activists, such actions by their representatives in Congress or in Governors’ mansions will be viewed as outright treason. Knowing that all the House of Representatives has to do is refuse to fund Obama’s monster government and the whole thing stops will mean that anything less is sure to be met with intense anger and resistance.

How this existential debate inside the GOP plays out will decide the next four years. While it would have been better to have an adult partner in the White House instead of the childish, churlish Obama, it is of really little consequence. The real battle for the future of America is inside the Republican caucuses.

A Silver Lining and a Conundrum - John Hinderaker/Powerline

I can see only one good outcome from yesterday’s election: the fact that Barack Obama will be the president who inherits the mess left by Barack Obama. The economy is in awful shape; it won’t get much better given Obama’s policies, and may get worse. Many billions of dollars in capital that have been sitting on the sidelines, awaiting the outcome of this year’s election, will now give up on the United States and go elsewhere. Plants will be built in Korea and Brazil that would have been built here if the election had gone differently. The chronically unemployed–a group that is larger now than at any time since the Great Depression–aren’t going back to work. Nor are the millions who have signed up for permanent disability. Incomes will continue to stagnate. I don’t understand why anyone would vote for four more years of unemployment and poverty, but that is what the American people voted for, and that is what they are going to get.

But I digress: back to the silver lining. Obama will now have to reveal his agenda for a second term, heretofore a closely-guarded secret. In particular, what is he going to do about the nation’s $16 trillion debt? Obama’s answer during his first term was “nothing.” His budget, incorporating any number of optimistic assumptions, called for the debt to rise to $20 trillion. I don’t see how Obama can get through his second term without articulating some plan, however half-baked, for dealing with the debt. Ben Bernanke can’t keep interest rates at zero for another four years; at least, I don’t think he can. As soon as interest rates start to rise, the budget–no, wait, we don’t have a budget, but you know what I mean–is blown. It will be difficult for the press to conceal from the American people the fact that we are broke....

Fred Barnes: The Survivor in Chief. Billions of dollars were spent, and the politics of the nation dominated, by a presidential campaign that led to nowhere. - Fred Barnes/Wall St. Journal

What the editorial boards are saying about Obama's future

Now that the election is finally -- mercifully! -- over and Obama has won reelection, here’s a look at what many of those editorial boards were saying Wednesday. - LA Times

Barack Obama won a moderately close victory over Mitt Romney on Tuesday. But oddly, nothing much has changed. The country is still split nearly 50/50. There is still a Democratic president, and an almost identically Democratic Senate at war with an almost identically Republican House, in a Groundhog Day America.

Groundhog Day in America - Victor Davis Hanson/National Review

Obama’s win did not really reflect affirmation of his first term, given that the president made only halfhearted efforts to defend Obamacare, the stimulus, huge Keynesian deficits, and his attempts to implement cap-and-trade. So if there is a second-term agenda, even Obama supporters don’t quite know what it will be....

In textbook community-organizing fashion, Obama won the election by brilliantly cobbling together factions with shrill warnings of supposed enemies everywhere. Young women were threatened by sexist Neanderthal males. Minorities were oppressed by neo-Confederate tea partiers. Greens were in danger from greedy smokestack polluters. Gays were bullied by homophobic Evangelicals. Illegal aliens were demonized by xenophobic nativists. And the 47 percent were at the mercy of the grasping 1 percent. Almost any American could fall into the category of either an Obama-aligned victim or a Romney-aligned oppressor.

How, then, can a reelected President Obama put the fractured American Humpty Dumpty together again after it has been shattered by such a nasty campaign? Certainly, it will no longer work for the president merely to wax eloquent on the need for more civility. Instead, his congressional opponents will expect more hardball Chicago politics and will probably reply in kind.

Muslim Brotherhood: Obama Needs To ‘Accept The Will Of The Arab People’

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood wants to make Shariah Law the main source of the country’s new constitution. - CBS

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

"Watch what happens in the next six months. The Dow alone lost 314 points today. There’s a tsunami coming and if you didn’t think this election had consequences, just wait.”

Vegas Employer: Obama Won–So I Fired 22 Employees - CBS local

You were warned: Obama’s layoff bomb goes BOOM! - Michelle Malkin
This is just the beginning.

In case you missed it, Boeing announced massive layoffs and facilities closures yesterday. More: Small business owners are dropping the axe as they brace for the costs and burdens of Obamacare.
Obama’s Layoff Bomb - Michelle Malkin
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last Tuesday that employers issued 1,316 “mass layoff actions” (affecting 50 workers or more) in September; more than 122,000 workers were affected overall. USA Today financial reporter Matt Krantz wrote that “(m)uch of the recent layoff activity is connected to what’s been the slowest period of earnings growth since the third quarter of 2009.” Some necessary restructuring is underway in response to the stagnant European economy. But more and more U.S. businesses are putting the blame — bravely and squarely — right where it belongs: on the obstructionist policies and regulatory schemes of the blame-shifter-in-chief....

Truth suppression is a time-honored Obama tactic, of course. Remember: The administration and its Democratic allies on Capitol Hill attempted to punish Deere, Caterpillar, Verizon and ATT in 2010 for disclosing how the costs of Obamacare taxes were hitting their bottom lines — even though they were simply following SEC disclosure requirements. The White House also tried to silence insurers who dared to inform their customers about how Obamacare was driving up premiums.

Not this time. The administration’s bully boys don’t have enough whitewash and duct tape to cover up the past, present and future devastation of the president and his economic demolition team.

Dear NFRW Member,

This is a difficult day for each one of us. When you pour your heart, soul and mind – every ounce of your being – into something, only to have it return void, it is indescribable.

But one aspect of this election makes me extremely proud, and that is your level of participation. This year, Republican women stepped up to a degree that I have never before seen. Your efforts in the presidential election, as well as in your state and local elections, are unprecedented, and what you did matters.

So even though we are going through a sort of grieving process today, please know that I truly appreciate each and every one of you, and that I couldn't be prouder.

Now, a quick report on our Republican women candidates. A few of their races are still too close to call, but here is what we know so far:

New Republican women elected to federal or statewide office:
Deb Fischer of Nebraska, U.S. Senate
Jackie Walorski of Indiana, U.S. House
Ann Wagner of Missouri, U.S. House
Susan Bitter Smith of Arizona, Corporation Commissioner
Sue Ellspermann of Indiana, Lt. Governor
Kirsten Baesler of North Dakota, Superintendent of Public Instruction
Christi Craddick of Texas, Railroad Commissioner

Races too close to call:
Martha McSally of Arizona, U.S. House
Sandy Welch of Montana, Superintendent of Public Instruction
Kim Wyman of Washington, Secretary of State

Incumbents who lost their races:
Mary Bono Mack of California, U.S. House
Judy Biggert of Illinois, U.S. House
Ann Marie Buerkle of New York, U.S. House
Nan Hayworth of New York, U.S. House

Thank you again for your outstanding work on behalf of our Republican candidates.

God Bless You,
Rae Lynne Chornenky
President
National Federation of Republican Women

Among the objections to ObamaCare, one that has not gotten as much attention as it should is the president’s power to waive the law for any company, union or other enterprise he chooses.

Waiving Freedom - Thomas Sowell

The 14th Amendment to the Constitution provides for “equal protection of the laws” for all Americans. To have a law that can cost an organization millions of dollars a year either apply or not apply, depending on the whim or political interest of the President of the United States, is to make a mockery of the rule of law.

How secure is any freedom when there is this kind of arbitrary power in the hands of one man?

What does your right of freedom of speech mean if saying something that irritates the Obama administration means that you or your business has to pay huge amounts of money and get hit with all sorts of red tape under ObamaCare that your competitor is exempted from, because your competitor either kept quiet or praised the Obama administration or donated to its reelection campaign?...

There are other signs of Obama’s contempt for American Constitutional democracy, but these should be more than enough. Dare we risk how far he will go when he never has to face the voters again, and can appoint Supreme Court justices who can rubber stamp his power grabs? Will this still be America in 2016? More at the link...

***UPDATE: LAWSUIT FILED*** Allen West is demanding a full hand recount of all ballots in St. Lucie county

Allen West has officially filed a lawsuit to impound the voting machines so that a full recount can be done - the Right Scoop

Our race is far from decided and there is no rush to declare an outcome. Ensuring a fair and accurate counting off all ballots is of the utmost importance. There are still tens of thousands of absentee ballots to be counted in Palm Beach County and potential provisional ballots across the district.

Late last night Congressman West maintained a district wide lead of nearly 2000 votes until the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections “recounted” thousands of early ballots. Following that “recount” Congressman West trailed by 2,400 votes. In addition, there were numerous other disturbing irregularities reported at polls across St. Lucie County including the doors to polling places being locked when the polls closed in direct violation of Florida law, thereby preventing the public from witnessing the procedures used to tabulate results.

The St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections office clearly ignored proper rules and procedures, and the scene at the Supervisor’s office last night could only be described as complete chaos. Given the hostility and demonstrated incompetence of the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections, we believe it is critical that a full hand recount of the ballots take place in St. Lucie County. We will continue to fight to ensure every vote is counted properly and fairly, and accordingly we will pursue all legal means necessary.

Allen West Refuses to Concede, Files Lawsuit to Impound Voting Machines - Stephen Feller/Newsmax

Fiery congressman Allen West refused to concede defeat Wednesday and has filed a lawsuit demanding a full recount of votes in his Florida district
after his efforts to get re-elected to the House of Representatives appeared to fall some 2,500 votes short.

The Republican's lawsuit, filed in court in Palm Beach County, called for paper ballots to be counted and voting machines “impounded.”

A recount of early votes flipped the results from 2,000 in his favor to a win for Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy, West’s campaign manager Tim Edson alleged in a press release the day after the election.

“This race is far from decided and there is no rush to declare an outcome,” Edson said. “Ensuring a fair and accurate counting of all ballots is of the utmost importance.”

Obama's woman in Tehran

One of US president's senior advisors is secretly making efforts to establish line of communication with Iran - Alex Fishman/Ynet News

A Chicago lawyer is the key player behind the secret talks between the US and Iran. Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday. A close friend of Michelle Obama, Valerie Jarrett is assisting the US government communicate behind the scenes with the representatives of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Jarret, who was born in the Iranian city of Shiraz, is a senior advisor to US President Barack Obama.

Last month, The New York Times reported that the US government is engaged in secret talks with Iran aimed at establishing a direct line of communication once the US presidential elections are over.

The National Security Council's spokesperson denied there is any agreement between the US and Iran regarding direct talks, but the following day senior government officials confirmed that talks took place though no future meeting was scheduled.

The US has tried to keep the secret contacts under wraps since some of the countries involved in the public negotiations, such as Russia, were excluded from them.

Israel was originally surprised to learn of the talks, but state officials now reveal that they were going on for several months. The talks, they claim, were initiated and led by Jarret, and took place in Bahrain.

If it sounds as if I am depressed, I am. Extremely. We are indeed riding the whirlwind. The America we thought we knew was not there. The face of the globe just changed as well. The enemies of democracy are laughing.

The Whirlwind Is Here - Roger L. Simon/PJM

A country with 8 or who knows what percent real employment, headed for insolvency in a global meltdown, with a national debt reaching to Alpha Centauri, just voted for more of the same....

Mendacity and Malice Won - Mary Matalin.National Review

What happened? A political narcissistic sociopath leveraged fear and ignorance with a campaign marked by mendacity and malice rather than a mandate for resurgence and reform. Instead of using his high office to articulate a vision for our future, Obama used it as a vehicle for character assassination, replete with unrelenting and destructive distortion, derision, and division.

Mitt Romney distinguished himself and conservatism with a grounded, courageous, forward-thinking problem-solving reform agenda for a nation ready to renew and starved for leadership and maturity. He is a man of integrity and character, as is his whole family. And unlike in the 1996 and 2008 Republican campaigns, which — though led by men of great personal integrity — were marked by dead-end policy prescriptions, Romney/Ryan laid a durable philosophical and policy foundation for the next generation of conservative leadership....

Speaker John Boehner’s Remarks President Obama’s Re-election and Working with Congress



link - Gretawire

Jesse Jackson Jr. Won Reelection From The Mayo Clinic

...has been on medical leave since June - Andrew Greiner/NBC Chicago

Jesse Jackson Jr. won re-election to Illinois' 2nd Congressional district by a landslide Tuesday night, beating his two opponents, Marcus Lewis and Brian Woodwoorth.
As of 2 a.m. Wednesday, and with 99 percent of precincts reporting, Jackson had captured 63 percent of the vote....

Jackson Jr....suddenly disappeared from the public before the primary, in early June when he left for a treatment center in Arizona. He later moved on to Mayo where he was diagnosed with bipolar depression and gastrointestinal issues.

Between June and November, nary a constituent saw their Congressman -- not working, not campaigning, not fundraising -- because he avoided press and voter alike. Jackson, the junior, won.

If federal authorities make good on any number of not-so-veiled threats against Jackson Jr., he could suffer a much worse fate Stroger.

In October, Federal prosecutors and FBI agents in Washington launched a criminal investigation of Jackson, Jr. involving financial improprieties...

Sneed exclusive: Jesse Jackson Jr. in plea deal talks with feds: sources - MICHAEL SNEED/Sun Times msneed@suntimes.com

The Golden State's fastest-growing entity is government and its biggest product is red tape

Joel Kotkin: The Great California Exodus, A leading U.S. demographer and 'Truman Democrat' talks about what is driving the middle class out of the Golden State. - Allysia Finley/Wall St. Journal

Nearly four million more people have left the Golden State in the last two decades than have come from other states. This is a sharp reversal from the 1980s, when 100,000 more Americans were settling in California each year than were leaving. According to Mr. Kotkin, most of those leaving are between the ages of 5 and 14 or 34 to 45. In other words, young families....

And things will only get worse in the coming years as Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and his green cadre implement their "smart growth" plans to cram the proletariat into high-density housing. "What I find reprehensible beyond belief is that the people pushing [high-density housing] themselves live in single-family homes and often drive very fancy cars, but want everyone else to live like my grandmother did in Brownsville in Brooklyn in the 1920s," Mr. Kotkin declares.

"The new regime"—his name for progressive apparatchiks who run California's government—"wants to destroy the essential reason why people move to California in order to protect their own lifestyles."

Housing is merely one front of what he calls the "progressive war on the middle class." Another is the cap-and-trade law AB32, which will raise the cost of energy and drive out manufacturing jobs without making even a dent in global carbon emissions. Then there are the renewable portfolio standards, which mandate that a third of the state's energy come from renewable sources like wind and the sun by 2020. California's electricity prices are already 50% higher than the national average.... More, at the link.

State Of The Union


THE DIVIDED STATES OF AMERICA
Obama victory means four more years with no hope of change - John Hurt/Washington Times
All that for nothing. It was the billion-dollar election that did not decide one single damned thing.

Republicans control the House. Democrats control the Senate. And the White House remains in Democratic hands with absolutely no mandate whatsoever.
Another four years with no hope of change
Dow Skids 200 as 'Fiscal Cliff,' EU Fears Resurface - CNBC
Stocks tumbled across the board Wednesday in the wake of President Barack Obama's re-election, triggered by worries over the looming "fiscal cliff" and as fears over Europe's economy reemerged.
Dollar Falls as Obama Win Paves Way for Monetary Easing...
Treasury: 'Extraordinary Measures' Needed as Debt Limit Nears... - CNS News
On Aug. 2, 2011, President Obama signed a deal he had negotiated with congressional leaders to increase the debt limit of the federal government by $2.4 trillion. But, now, after only 15 months, almost all of that additional borrowing authority has been exhausted.
REUTERS: 'Victory puts Obama in position to expand government's reach'...
Both sides called it a generation-defining race for the White House: a choice between Democrat Barack Obama's brand of government activism and Republican Mitt Romney's commitment to reducing Washington's role in Americans' daily lives.

Obama's victory, however, did not settle that question.

Instead, the hard-fought battle for the White House exposed an electorate deeply divided by race, age and party.
MSNBC: Too Few 'Angry White Guys?'

Steve Forbes: US Heading for Recession With 2nd Obama Term - Bill Hoffmann and Kathleen Walter/Newsmax

5 Big Stories The Media Will 'Discover' After The Election

The election outcome was still unclear at press time. But no matter who wins, one thing is clear — the country will have to deal with several major problems that the mainstream media largely ignored to protect President Obama. - IBD

On issue after issue, in fact, the media haven't covered Obama as much as they've covered up for him, whether it's the dismal state of the economy, the failure of his policies or the increased troubles abroad.

The effort worked remarkably well, helping to shield Obama from responsibility, protecting his image and providing a solid floor under his approval ratings.

But whoever wins the White House, the fact remains that the country faces huge problems that must be addressed. And after the election, the press is sure to churn out what can charitably be called "now they tell us" stories about these matters, once any potential election impact has passed.

On Tuesday, Yahoo News posted a story by seasoned journalist Walter Shapiro, who finally got around to wondering whether "anyone outside (Obama's) family and the inner sanctum of the White House staff really know Obama — or have a clear handle on what he would do with a second term."

That's the sort of question you'd expect the press to pursue in the weeks leading up to the election, when it might have helped voters make up their minds. But it's of little value after they've left for the polls.

Among other stories the media are likely to "discover" after the election is over:

• The economy really does stink. The press studiously ignored the ongoing economic catastrophe under Obama, while parading any "green shoot" they could find that suggested growth was around the corner.

Don't be surprised if, after the election, they start to notice that three years of subpar growth have left the middle class further behind and more mired in poverty, and created a vast pool of long-term unemployed.

• Massive debt and entitlement crises loom. Despite four straight years of $1 trillion-plus deficits and a national debt that now exceeds total GDP, the media largely treated the debt crisis with a collective yawn.

Ditto the looming bankruptcy of Medicare and Social Security. These crises are nevertheless real and will have to be dealt with soon, a fact the press will almost certainly acknowledge after Nov. 6.

• The debt ceiling limit is fast approaching. Another story that went largely unremarked this campaign is the fact that the country is approaching the new debt ceiling limit. The Treasury Dept. warned last week that it expects the government to reach its borrowing limit before the end of the year....

• Questions about Benghazi still demand answers. After almost two full months spent burying the Benghazi story, expect the mainstream press to wake up and notice that, as the Washington Post admitted in an editorial last Friday, "a host of unanswered questions" remains.

So far, only Fox News has bothered to pursue this story, but we expect that other outlets will pick up on it after the elections.

We could go on. But you get the idea. More. At the link.

Five ways the mainstream media tipped the scales in favor of Obama

...4. The Benghazi Blackout: Right after the September 11 attack in Libya, the networks proclaimed that the events would bolster President Obama — “reminding voters of his power as commander-in-chief,” as NBC’s Peter Alexander stated on the September 14 edition of "Today." But as a cascade of leaked information erased the portrait of Obama as a heroic commander, the broadcast networks shunted the Benghazi story to the sidelines.

News broke online in late September, for example, that Team Obama knew within 24 hours that the attack was likely the result of terrorism. That starkly contradicted claims from White House press secretary Jay Carney, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, and President Obama himself that the attack was a “spontaneous” reaction to an anti-Muslim video posted on YouTube. Yet, ABC took nearly two days to bring this story to viewers, while CBS and NBC held off for three days.

This was, shamefully, the broadcast networks’ pattern in October: New developments exposing the administration’s failure to provide adequate security, or contradictions in their public statements, were either given stingy coverage or buried completely.

The puzzle pieces revealed a disturbing failure of Obama’s national security apparatus, but the networks flitted in and out of the story, never giving it any traction.

Instead of an “October Surprise,” the networks engineered an “October Suppression” — keeping a lid on the boiling Benghazi story until Election Day. Who knows how voters might have reacted if the media had covered this story as tenaciously as they did Romney’s “47% gaffe”?

5. Burying the Bad Economy: Pundits agreed that Obama’s weakness was the failure of the US economy to revive after his expensive stimulus and four years of $1 trillion deficits. But the major networks failed to offer the sustained, aggressive coverage of the economy that incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush faced in 1992, or even that George W. Bush faced in 2004 — both years when the national economy was in better shape than it is now.

According to a study conducted that year by the Center for Media and Public Affairs, from January through September of 1992, the networks ran a whopping 1,289 stories on the economy, 88% of which painted it in a dismal, negative light. That fall, the unemployment rate was 7.6%, lower than today’s 7.9%, and economic growth in the third quarter was 2.7%, better than today’s 2.0%. Yet the media coverage hammered the idea of a terrible economy, and Bush lost re-election.

In 2004, the economy under George W. Bush was far better than it is today — higher growth, lower unemployment, smaller deficits and cheaper gasoline — yet network coverage that year was twice as hostile to Bush than it was towards Obama this year, according to a study by the Media Research Center’s Business and Media Institute.

When Republican presidents have faced reelection, network reporters made sure to spotlight economic “victims” — the homeless man, the woman without health insurance, the unemployed worker, the senior citizen who had to choose between medicine and food. But this year, with an economy as bad as any since the Great Depression, those sympathetic anecdotes have vanished from the airwaves — a huge favor to Obama and the Democrats.

Given Obama’s record, the Romney campaign could have overcome much of this media favoritism and still prevailed — indeed, they almost did. But taken together, these five trends took the media’s historical bias to new levels this year, and saved Obama’s presidency in the process.
*****
Saved his presidency, and doomed the nation.