From our 33 Minutes blog: Earlier this week we mentioned Iran’s defiance and nuclear ambitions, President Barack Obama’s too-friendly request to enter into talks with Iran, the necessity to build agreed-upon missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Israel’s desire to take more aggressive action against Iran. Today’s post reaffirms why we blogged about these issues. My Way News reports that Iran test-fired an advanced missile today, with a range far enough to hit Israel, southeastern Europe, and our bases in the Middle East. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made …
The Center for American Progress recently released report titled New Progressive America claiming “20 Years of Demographic, Geographic, and Attitudinal Change Across the Country Herald a New Progressive Majority.” When analyzing different states, CAP specifically left out California explaining: This paper confines the state discussion to states that have been recently contested between progressives and conservatives, leaving out states such as Illinois and California that have moved so heavily progressive since 1988 that were not seriously contested in recent elections. CAP’s report goes on to make the case that the …
When Congress passed its last major energy legislation in 2005, a minor provision was added late in the legislative process that created a $1-per-gallon tax credit for “renewable diesel” fuel created through “thermal depolymerization.” The measure was included to benefit a single firm that produced boiler fuel from turkey waste, but in 2007 the Internal Revenue Service ruled that the tax credit also applied to other livestock waste. This led corporate giants ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods to form a joint venture that turned chicken, cow, and pig fat into diesel …
Yesterday, a British court ruled that the European Convention on Human Rights, which was written into British law by the Blair government’s 1998 Human Rights Act, applies to the British armed forces, no matter whether they are in Britain, on a British base overseas, or in combat. The Human Rights Act contains, among other provisions, the “right to life.” Therefore, the court found, the Ministry of Defence has a legal obligation to avoid or minimize risks to the forces, even if they are on patrol or actively engaged in combat.
When Vice-President Biden arrives in Pristina on Thursday, he is guaranteed a rapturous welcome. Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi and President, Fatmir Sejdiu have facilitated the warmest public welcome for the Vice President, including presenting him with ‘The Golden Medal of Freedom’, a state honor in recognition of his long-standing support for the country’s independence.
The Washington Post editorializes today: Unlike wages, health coverage is not subject to income or payroll taxes. This exclusion is the single largest subsidy in the tax code; it is projected to reduce federal tax revenue (both income and payroll taxes) by more than $200 billion next year. This arrangement is not only costly, it is also unfair. Because higher-paid workers are taxed at higher rates, they enjoy a larger benefit from not having to pay taxes on the health insurance they receive. Furthermore, the exclusion is counterproductive: tax-free health …
From ABCNews: President Obama will issue the toughest emission and mileage standards in history for new cars sold in the United States on Tuesday, in a move environmentalists hail as the first step ever by the U.S. government to curb global warming. President Obama will tomorrow announce a “historic” new policy involving new greenhouse gas emission standards and new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for vehicles sold in the US, sources tell ABC News. Sources familiar with the changes tell ABC News the new national Corporate Average Fuel Economy …
CBS News reports: President Obama’s call last year for “shared sacrifice” doesn’t extend to federal employees, at least based on the details of his administration’s 2010 budget released this week. At a time when the official unemployment rate is nearing double digits, and 6.35 million people are receiving unemployment benefits, the U.S. government is on a hiring binge.
Here’s a shocker. Among the cheerleaders for President Obama’s plan to increase federal fuel efficiency mandates were General Motors and Chrysler — two companies that are, at the moment, virtually run by the federal government itself. GM’s Fritz Henderson, who was made CEO when Rick Wagoner was effectively fired by the White House, was particularly effusive in his support. “GM is fully committed to this new approach,” Henderson said in a statement. “GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans.” It …
Media Matters has taken it upon itself to criticize our recent video highlighting the problems with the government-imposed contracts that the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) forces on workers and businesses. You can see the video here: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8kEwUDn7wo[/youtube] In the video Rian Wathen, formerly of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) local 700 in Indianapolis, explains how permitting the government to impose contracts would imbalance negotiations and give unions every incentive to send the contract to the government to write. He should know. After working as the local’s Organizing …
