Republican-led House Rules Committee Bars Amendments That Would Remove Pork From Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill

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photo credit: vsellis

The Republican-led House Rules Committee late Monday approved a rule for a massive Hurricane Sandy relief package that shuts out most GOP proposals to pare back the size of the bill.

The main bill provides $17 billion in relief, and an amendment made in order would add another $33.7 billion, for a total of $50.7 billion.

Late last week, Republicans offered amendments that would trim the bill significantly, but few of those were made “in order” by the Rules Committee on Monday. For example, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) proposed amendments that would have slashed $22 billion from the total package, but none of them were accepted by the committee.

And Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) proposed several amendments that would have cut more than $300 million from the bill. House Rules made just one of these in order — to cut $13 million in funding to “accelerate the National Weather Service ground readiness project.”

All told, Republican amendments were made in order that would cut less than $200 million from the $50.7 billion package. One of these, from Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas), would cut $150 million for Regional Ocean Partnership grants.

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Washington Times: Political Power Struggle in Alaska is Fight For the GOP’s Future

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WASHINGTON, January 14, 2013 — Those who follow the emerging blood sport of Republican Party internal politics know that much goes that doesn’t get much coverage in the major media, but may have a profound effect on the political future of the nation.

Events in far off Alaska are significant in what they show about a struggle which may be coming to your state GOP in the next few months.

The latest battleground in this struggle is the harsh political tundra of Alaska, where we saw the fight between establishment and reformers played out in a very public struggle between Joe Miller and Lisa Murkowski for the Senate in 2010. Grassroots Republicans supported Miller in the GOP and he defeated incumbent Murkowski.

Unwilling to accept the loss, party insiders and leaders then supported Murkowski in a successful independent campaign against their own party’s nominee.

In that contest the establishment demonstrated a willingness to cast aside the desires of party members and even engage in blatant manipulation of the electoral process to get their way. Despite its physical size, Alaska’s political landscape is one of small towns, local powerbrokers, and more than its share of corruption.

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Incredible Video: Soldier’s ‘Deck of Cards’ Gets Millions of Hits This Week

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This video has received millions of hits over the last week.

It is an inspirational story that apparently dates back to 1778.

However, the producer of this video, Jason Flom, claims that he got the idea for this YouTube from a video he saw from the late 1950’s.

The touching video should pull at the heartstrings of all patriots.

Watch Mr. Flom as he demonstrates his exceptional talents as a card magician and, at the same time, tells an incredibly inspirational story:

The Tyranny of Solutions

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Sinclair Lewis was so 20th Century.

Progressives have effectively burnt the cross and the flag already. Thus, old-style patriotism and religiosity can’t even win elections in heartland states- just ask Senators Akin and Mourdoch.

No, that’s not where the threat festers. When tyranny comes to America, it will be advanced by earnest public officials, enforcing intrusive rules declared necessary to stamp out social problems and purify us of bad consumer choices. The oppression generally will be applauded by elites and educated people. Whether or not it prevails and becomes the new normal depends on the rest of us, our outrage, and the effectiveness and staying power of our response.

But, those folks who are anxiously monitoring Washington and a president who ill-conceals that, to him, the Constitution presents more of an obstacle than a genius bulwark for freedom, might be missing an important point. Yes, Washington is out of control. For liberty to prevail, it must be confronted, restrained, and redirected. But, so too, our local authorities and institutions can trample our liberties, our privacy, and our domestic tranquility.

Law students learn an aphorism about the development of law: Hard cases make bad law. An incident or two last year in my home state of Colorado illustrate the point: hard circumstances invite bad decisions and establish bad precedents. Citizens can be almost powerless to respond.

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Hero of COP Keating Battle to Receive Medal of Honor

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A former staff sergeant who helped repel one of the largest, most vicious battles against U.S. forces in Afghanistan will receive the Medal of Honor, the White House announced Friday.

Clinton L. Romesha, 31, will be the fourth living service member to receive the nation’s highest award for valor for actions in Afghanistan or Iraq. Seven other service members have posthumously been awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in those wars.

Romesha will be awarded the medal Feb. 11 at the White House.

Romesha was a section leader in B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division during the Oct. 3, 2009, attack on Combat Outpost Keating in eastern Afghanistan.

Eight American soldiers were killed and two dozen others wounded in the battle as the troop-sized element fought against an overwhelming enemy force that launched a brazen attack to overrun the COP.

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Video: Deaf Bulldog Dancing to the Vibrations of his Master’s Blues Guitar

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Just because you’re deaf doesn’t mean you can’t have soul.

Which is what Jamynne Bowle’s English bulldog demonstrates when the deaf pooch feels the blues in this adorable viral video.

Bowle’s footage shows her dog rocking back and forth in time to the twelve-bar blues a friend chugs out on their acoustic guitar.

See video below:

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Itchin’ for a Fight: Senators Express Disapproval of Obama Judicial Nominees

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President Barack Obama last week re-nominated 33 individuals to federal benches, several of whom faced stiff resistance when originally nominated.

The judicial nominations come as the president faces stiff confirmation battles for some of his cabinet nominations, including over secretary of defense nominee Chuck Hagel.

The judicial nominations have raised concerns among court-watchers of increased judicial activism and maneuvering for potential Supreme Court vacancies.

“He wants to appoint judges based on their empathy rather than based on their commitment to the law,” said Carrie Severino, chief counsel for the Judicial Crisis Network, a judicial watchdog group.

Severino highlighted Caitlin Halligan’s nomination to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals. Citing her stated positions on affirmative action, gun rights, gay rights, and environmental issues, Severino said Halligan “has staked out a position that is well left of the American people.”

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Section 8 Housing Voucher Distribution Canceled After Thousands Waiting in Line Get Out of Control (+video)

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photo credit: theeerin

TAYLOR, Mich. – A chaotic scene erupted at the Taylor Human Services Center when the crowd waiting for a Section 8 housing voucher distribution got out of control.

The center is located at Eureka and Lange Roads. That’s on Eureka, between Beech Daly and Inkster.

Police say thousands of people from all over the area were at the center. Many were homeless, single moms, or disabled. They were hoping to get help paying for their housing from the government.

“There was elderly, disabled people, pregnant single women. They were here for help, to get their Section 8 vouchers. It just shows you what a desperate need… some were here since yesterday,” said Rhianna Rodriguez.

7 Action News is being told there were 1,000 vouchers available and 5,000 people showed up trying to get one.

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David Gregory Gets Off Scot-Free

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photo credit: thebudman623

The attorney general for the District of Columbia, Irvin Nathan, announced Friday that he will not press charges against NBC News’ David Gregory nor any employee of the broadcast network for violating the city’s gun laws. Violation of the city’s firearms laws carry a maximum $1,000 fine and one year in jail.

Mr. Nathan wrote to an attorney representing Mr. Gregory and NBC News, Lee Levine of Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz, LLP, that, “OAG has made this determination, despite the clarity of the violation of this important law, because under all of the circumstances here a prosecution would not promote public safety in the District of Columbia nor serve the best interests of the people of the District to whom this office owes its trust.”

In the three-page letter, Mr. Nathan also wrote that “no specific intent is required for this violation, and ignorance of the law or even confusion about it is no defense.” He said, “We therefore did not rely in making our judgment on the feeble and unsatisfactory efforts that NBC made to determine whether or not it was lawful to possess, display and broadcast this large capacity magazine as a means of fostering the public policy debate.”

The full text of the letter is at the bottom of this story.

The “Meet the Press” anchor ignored police guidance and held up an illegal 30-round rifle magazine in his D.C. studio during an interview on Dec. 23 with the National Rifle Association’s Wayne LaPierre on gun-control laws.

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Separation of Church and State Isn’t Such a Good Idea After All; Biden Urges Religious Groups to Preach Gun Control

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photo credit: dcjohn

President Barack Obama is trying an end run around the NRA — rallying groups as varied as churches, medical organizations, retailers and the Rotary Club to build support for new gun regulations.

It’s an unusual strategy but one the Obama administration has used before: projecting strength on an issue by trying to create the perception that the White House is riding a wave of momentum from the American people. It was the theme of Obama’s two presidential campaigns and was central to his campaign-style road show to tout his fiscal cliff priorities in December.

Participants in Vice President Joe Biden’s meetings have said the White House is seeking to mount an aggressive effort to back the gun control push, which is likely to formally commence next week after Biden delivers his recommendations to the president.

During one session with a dozen religious leaders on Wednesday, Biden made a specific request to those gathered to preach to their congregations about the importance of enacting stronger gun control laws, said the Rev. Michael McBride, a participant in the meeting and a community organizer for the PICO Network, an alliance of faith-based organizations.

“The vice president shared how he felt this was one of the most important meetings of all the meetings, that the faith leaders, the faith community has a very unique role in engaging in the moral persuasion necessary to address the gun challenges in our country,” McBride said. “He called upon us to take that seriously and that the administration and everyone involved is going to be looking to us to help to make that argument across the different faith traditions.”

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