TECHERS KNOT LEARNING THE STOODENTS TOO GOOD IN WYSKONSIN; STYYL WANT BIG PAY AND BUNEFEFYTS; STUDENTS DUMB AS EVER

Thirds of Wisconsin Public-School 8th Graders Can’t Read Proficiently—Despite Highest Per Pupil Spending in Midwest

Students from Appleton West High School protest a proposal by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker that would make teachers pay a fraction of their own pension and health-insurance costs. They probably did not make their own signs since most can not READ!!!!

Two-thirds of the eighth graders in Wisconsin public schools cannot read proficiently according to the U.S. Department of Education, despite the fact that Wisconsin spends more per pupil in its public schools than any other state in the Midwest. Yet, their teachers not only want pay increases, they want cradle to grave health coverage and generous retirement pensions/benefits.

In the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests administered by the U.S. Department of Education in 2009—the latest year available—only 32 percent of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders earned a “proficient” rating while another 2 percent earned an “advanced” rating.

The other 66 percent of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders earned ratings below “proficient,” including 44 percent who earned a rating of “basic” and 22 percent who earned a rating of “below basic.”

The test also showed that the reading abilities of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders had not improved at all between 1998 and 2009 despite a significant inflation-adjusted increase in the amount of money Wisconsin public schools spent per pupil each year.

In 1998, according to the U.S. Department of Education, Wisconsin public school eighth graders scored an average of 266 out of 500 on the NAEP reading test. In 2009, Wisconsin public school eighth graders once again scored an average of 266 out of 500 on the NAEP reading test.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin public schools increased their per pupil expenditures from $4,956 per pupil in 1998 to 10,791 per pupil in 2008. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator the $4,956 Wisconsin spent per pupil in 1998 dollars equaled $6,546 in 2008 dollars. That means that from 1998 to 2008, Wisconsin public schools increased their per pupil spending by $4,245 in real terms yet did not add a single point to the reading scores of their eighth graders and still could lift only one-third of their eighth graders to at least a “proficient” level in reading.

The $10,791 that Wisconsin spent per pupil in its public elementary and secondary schools in fiscal year 2008 was more than any other state in the Midwest. EMPHASIS ADDED!!!!!

Neighboring Illinois spent $10,353 per student in 2008 ( ALSO ONE OF THE WORST RESULTS...Latvia beats our reading scores), Minnesota spent $10,048 per student; Iowa spent $9,520 per student. Among Midwest states, Nebraska was second to Wisconsin in per pupil spending in its public schools, spending $10,565 per student.

Of these nearby states, only Minnesota did slightly better teaching reading to its public school students. In 2009, 39 percent of eighth graders in Minnesota public schools earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average eighth grade reading score in the state was 270 out of 500.

In Illinois, only 32 percent of eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading ( maybe that is why they voted in narrowly a Democrat Governor who immediately raised the state income tax 66%), and the average eighth grade reading score was 265 out of 500. In Iowa, only 32 percent of eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average reading score was 265 out of 500. In Nebraska, only 35 percent of eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in their public schools, and the average reading score was 267 out of 500.

Nationwide, only 30 percent of public school eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average reading score on the NAEP test was 262 out of 500.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress explains its student rating system as follows: “Basic denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade. Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. Advanced represents superior performance.”

In other words, despite the $10,791 that taxpayers were paying ( compared to ZERO for catholic schools) to educate students in Wisconsin public schools, two-thirds of eighth graders in those schools showed at best only a “partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work” at that grade level.

In fiscal 2008, the federal government provided $669.6 million in subsidies to the public schools in Wisconsin.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE PAY/BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS IN WISCONSIN: $100,000....some more some less...

They also seem to have forgotten that they are not employed by their UNION, but by the taxpayers who for the most part earn an average of $32,000 annually!

Are our kids learning? Probably, but at least when it comes to reading they aren't learning any better than in the past. NAEP reading scores for 2009 have just been released and they're pretty uninspiring. Scores for 8th graders have been flat since 2002, and as the chart on the right shows, they've been flat at pretty much all achievement levels. Good readers are reading as well as they did in 2002 and poor readers are reading as poorly. Black-white and Hispanic-white gaps have narrowed ever so slightly, and the male-female gap has stayed about the same. Broken out by public, private, and Catholic schools, scores still remain flat across the board.

So is there any good news? Well, scores for the worst readers have improved at the 4th grade level, and it's possible that these improvements will eventually filter up to the higher grades as well. That hasn't happened in the past (in fact, gains in the lower grades tend to wash out at higher grades), but you never know. Maybe this time they will.

Of course, there is another bit of good news: American students may not be improving much in reading, but neither has there been a wholesale collapse, as news reports sometimes suggest. Reading scores are slightly up over the past two decades, and math scores are up considerably. But count me as skeptical of this, from the New York Times:

In seeking to explain the lagging reading scores, some experts point to declines in the amount of reading children do for pleasure as they devote more free time to surfing the Internet, texting on cellphones or watching television. Others blame undemanding curriculums ( I know my kid is bored as can be with boring teachers and boring subject curriculums).

Susan Pimentel, an expert on English and reading standards who is a member of the governing board that oversees the test, said that American schools were fairly efficient at teaching basic reading skills in the early grades, but that as students matured they need to be consistently challenged to broaden those skills by reading not only complex literature but also sophisticated nonfiction in subjects like history and science.

Reading scores haven't "lagged," they've been flat. And they've been flat for 20 years, which means that the internet and texting are pretty unlikely to be at fault. In fact, to the extent that the internet has replaced TV watching, it seems as if it's likely to be a net benefit, not a problem.

Stupid is, as stupid does!!!!!

MUSLIM REVOLUTION LIKELY TO CREATE MORE VOCAL ENEMIES FOR THE UNITED STATES, SINCE WE ARE SUPPORTING THE "THUGOCRACIES" AND NOT FREEDOM FOR THE PEOPLE

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims to "remove" the US from the Islamic world.

"The main problem in the Muslim world is the presence of the United States. It is the biggest problem. We need to address that," he told a gathering of Shiite and Sunni scholars in Tehran for an international conference on Islam.

"It is necessary to remove the US from the Islamic world," the all-powerful cleric and Islamic republic's commander-in-chief said, adding that the country's arch-foe was currently weak.

Khamenei urged Muslims worldwide to preserve the "people's movement in Egypt," saying it was the duty of both the people and dignitaries of Arab nations and the entire Islamic community.

He reiterated that the Arab revolts were "Islamic" and must be consolidated.

"The enemies try to say that the popular movements in Egypt, Tunisia and other nations are un-Islamic, but certainly these popular movements are Islamic and must be consolidated," he said.

Khamenei also urged that "the conspiracy of enemies to create differences between Sunnis and Shiites" be confronted.

On February 4, in his Friday prayer sermon, Khamenei called for an Islamic regime to be installed in Egypt, a week before that country's strongman Hosni Mubarak was ousted.

Iranian officials expressed support for the uprising in the Arab world's most populous nation.

Now let's see what all this means and how our feckless president is dealing with it.

We have seen how it all started....Joe Biden, first told the world that Mubarak (NOTE the BARAK in the name)is not a dictator...to which everyone in the world responded, YES HE IS. That shut up Biden, and MUBARAK was out within a week.

Next, the various other thugs that call themselves the government or the rulers of the various desert hell-holes we call the Mideast, now are finding themselves the brunt of the people's rebellion against their oppressive rule.

Where is our president??...he is "watching closely the events on CNN..." I guess just as we are watching at home. His other comment is calling for 'restraint"...not exactly sure by whom???

We looked the other way as these oppressive governments killed their people in the streets in the various hellholes like Libya, (CHINA???) Bahrain, IRAN, etc./...and provided no support to the people who outright were asking for help.

Our leaders are missing the entire revolution and will be on the "outs" with the new leadership as it emerges...whoever it is because we have never supported anyone there other than the thugs.!!!

Looking into the last 100 years, none of the ISLAMIC countries have provided any addition to any scientific discoveries, medicine, or any human rights ( especially to rights of women or minority religions). For the most part those countries led by various religious Islamic leaders have only fomented hate and jihad against all others....

Our leaders just do not understand that the Koran and its extremist believers live by a 7th century code of rules and they have nothing to do with our "modern" world beliefs. They will not be influenced to respect freedoms we have come to routinely expect.

The European leaders have just last week finally announced that the failure to assimilate by new immigrants from the Islamic regions have caused significant problems that are now out of control in the UK, France and Germany. These problem are a threat to the countries themselves as the followers of the militant clerics are being told to overthrow the secular leaders or not to follow any of their laws and rules!

In the meantime, our government is silent to the extremist views of the radical Islamists and allowing them to operate with open impunity in America spreading only ill will.

Maybe it is time for a Cairo rebellion but in Washington, and elsewhere?

OBAMA THE ACORN ORGANIZER/AGITATOR CONTINUES TO INTERFERE IN STATE'S FISCAL AFFAIRS..DIVIDER NOT A UNITER

Deciphering Obama becomes progressively easier with each controversy that he is confronted with.

His unwarranted and disruptive injection into the Wisconsin budget crisis that is being admirably and competently addressed by the sitting Governor of that State, again reveals Obama as the most despicably divisive individual who has ever occupied the WH.

One really should not be surprised at the conditioned response of our petulant adolescent, since the only skill that he had ever acquired was that of 'Community Agitator' for ACORN. With a Governor responsibly addressing a looming budget shortfall, Obama instinctively assumed the role of 'spoiler' by dispatching his Administration thugs to the scene; and, encouraging the Unions to defer any negotiation on the matter with his prompt that Gov. Walker's agenda was solely: "an assault on the Unions" -or- in his words "Union busting." Obama would contemptuously disregard the remaining five-million Wisconsin citizens who are footing the bill for public-sector wages and benefits that significantly exceed their own.

All to appease his vocal minority base of Union supporters. It's the reason that America will NEVER resolve our rapidly escalating federal debt crisis so long as Obama occupies the WH. Hopefully the Wisconsin tax-payers will etch in their memories thru Nov. 2012, Obama's attempt to scuttle their States fiscal well-being by his precocious intervention into their legislative process.

Observing Gov. Walker skillfully address a National audience on wide ranging details of the Wisconsin budget controversy, even without the aid of an Obama teleprompter crutch, makes one ponder why we settled on such a misguided buffoon to oversee even greater responsibilities at the Federal level?

by: Greg Neubeck

ARMY OF NEW IRS AGENTS TO START IMPLEMENTING OBAMACARE; NOBODY LISTENS TO THE COURTS, ADMINISTRATION FLAUNTS MANDATE TO STOP THE PLAN

In spite of recent court rulings that clearly state that the OBAMACARE legislation is unconstitutional, the government is charging full speed ahead with its implementation.

The administration took no heed to complying with the court's decision and is not stopping any of the wild rules that will be OBAMACARE, and the destruction of the free market system for health care in America.

It would have been so simple to devise a plan of health care for those that do not have it...would it not?

here is the premium if you want it, and here is the benefit...simple why force every person into it and then give exceptions and exemption to every large employer that has asked for it????

The Internal Revenue Service says it will need an battalion of 1,054 new auditors and staffers and new facilities at a cost to taxpayers of more than $359 million in fiscal 2012 just to watch over the initial implementation of President Obama's healthcare reforms. Among the new corps will be 81 workers assigned to make sure tanning salons pay a new 10 percent excise tax. Their cost: $11.5 million.

"The ACA [Affordable Care Act] will require additional resources to build new IT systems; modify existing tax processing systems; provide taxpayer outreach and assistance services; make enhancements to notices, collections, and case management systems to address and resolve taxpayer issues timely and accurately; and conduct focused examinations to encourage compliance," said the newly released IRS budget.

In its request, the IRS explained that the tax changes associated with health reform are huge. "Implementation of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 presents a major challenge to the IRS. ACA represents the largest set of tax law changes in more than 20 years, with more than 40 provisions that amend the tax laws."

Unsaid: The requests are just the beginning, since the new healthcare program is evolving and won't be fully implemented until about 2014.

The detailed IRS budget documents spell out exactly what most of the new workforce will be doing. For example, some 81 will be tasked just to handle the tax reporting of 25,000 tanning salons. They face a new 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services. Another 76 will be assigned to make sure businesses engaged in making and imported drugs pay their new fee which is expected to deliver $2.8 billion to the Treasury in 2012 and 2013. The new healthcare corps will also require new facilities and computers.

The document gives the GOP a bright target to hit if they plan to make good on promises to defund the president's healthcare plan.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who's become a point man in the budget battle, told Whispers, "The president's irresponsible budget empowers the IRS to begin to audit Americans' healthcare. As the IRS says, Obamacare represents the largest set of tax changes in more than 20 years. Adding hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars to the IRS isn't going to make care better or more available for anyone. I will continue to fight to repeal and replace Obamacare with patient centered reforms that help the private sector—not the IRS—create more jobs."

The Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS said: "The Affordable Care Act includes important tax credits that help small businesses provide health insurance for their employees and partially cover the cost of health insurance for Americans who do not have access to affordable coverage, and Treasury's Budget includes funding for the IRS to administer these tax provisions. The vast majority of this funding will be used to develop information technology systems and other support to implement the law and help taxpayers claim these important credits."

The IRS document also noted that other tax law changes related to the stimulus require more workers, estimated at about 215 new employees.

It's not all tough news for taxpayers. The IRS regularly pays for its enforcement team and more when they collect taxes that companies and individuals try to skip out on. According to the budget documents, the IRS plans to get a big return on investment worth about $279 million by fiscal 2014.

Yeah, soak the taxpayers for the money and then get a "return"...what a country.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES; ILLINOIS LEGISLATOR PROPOSES TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE TO RIDICULOUS AMOUNT, WILL STOP JOB GROWTH

Workers earning minimum wage in Illinois could see an increase in their paychecks under a proposal to raise the state's minimum wage from the current $8.25 per hour to $10.65 per hour by 2014.

Senate Bill 1565, sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, a Maywood Democrat, AND WHAT SHOULD BE DESCRIBED AS THE DUMBEST MEMBER OF THAT AUGUST BODY, would also raise minimum wage to $10.65 for tipped workers – individuals who provide services, such as waitresses, car wash workers and nail salon employees. They currently receive $4.95 per hour.

“As we go forward, I want to make sure that minimum wage workers are not ignored and not forgotten,” said Lightford. “Their issues and rights need to be a part of the discussion. The bill will help to keep this important issue on the table as members of the General Assembly work to keep Illinois competitive and fair for business and for workers.”

Under the bill, the minimum wage would increase to $8.90 this year, $9.50 in 2012, $10.15 in 2013 and $10.65 in 2014.

“People who have to work for a living ought to make a living wage,” said Madeline Talbott, lead coordinator of Action Now, a grassroots coalition of Illinois community and labor organizations that advocates the rights of working families ( and all uneducated and illegals too)

How about asking them to get an education first, or skills, more than just showing up for work, ready or not!

Talbot said 17 other states require employers to pay more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. She said that in a statewide poll conducted in January, 71 percent of Illinois voters in all regions of the state supported an increase to $10.50 by 2013. Kiley and Co., a Boston-based public polling and research firm, conducted the poll for Action Now.

In 2007, former Gov. Blagojevich signed into law a similar plan to increase wages for hourly workers over a period of three years, bringing the rate to $8.25 per hour last July. Darby Anderson, vice president of Addus Healthcare’s Home and Community Services, said since that increase in wages, the group has seen a 20 percent reduction in turnover of their employees – home aides who service elderly and disabled persons.

Members of the business community opposed to the increase said it would stop economic recovery in the state after the national recession. “Illinois policy makers must understand their actions, like significantly raising the minimum wage and imposing higher income taxes, do impact our economic viability,” Kim Clarke Maisch, Illinois state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said in a written statement.

However, Ron Baiman, director of budget and policy analysis for the Center on Tax and Budget Accountability, said a wage increase would not cause Illinois businesses to flee the state because those that would be impacted by the increase serve local markets in retail and health care and cannot “pick up and leave.” However they can employ less workers, and fire the really dumb ones who will not otherwise have a job, as they will not be needed.

Rob Karr, senior vice president of government and member relations for the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said an increase at this time would be a “recipe for disaster.” Karr said the proposed increase would be yet another blow to businesses, citing Illinois’ high workers’ compensation costs and the recent income tax increase.

Illinois being dominated by the Democrats is being destroyed from within though crippling taxes, unmanageable pensions and fleeing residents and employers. Now to add this stupid regulation, is like putting the final nail in the coffin.

Letting the market set rates is always best as employees figure out that they need better education to get a better wage.

OBAMA PUSHES MULTICULTURALISM WHICH HAS FAILED IN EUROPE-SEPERATE BUT EQUAL DOES NOT WORK AND WE PROVED IT

French President Nicolas Sarkozy declared that multiculturalism had failed, joining a growing number of world leaders or ex-leaders who have condemned it.

"My answer is clearly yes, it is a failure," he said in a television interview when asked about the policy which advocates that host societies welcome and foster distinct cultural and religious immigrant groups.

"Of course we must all respect differences, but we do not want... a society where communities coexist side by side.

"If you come to France, you accept to melt into a single community, which is the national community, and if you do not want to accept that, you cannot be welcome in France," the right-wing president said.

That was the declaration President Teddy Roosevelt in 1907 that the new arriving people BLEND IN and become Americans. Now the politically correct assume that Mexicans will remain in the communities and never blend in never learn English and the same for others arriving.

"The French national community cannot accept a change in its lifestyle, equality between men and women... freedom for little girls to go to school," he said.

"We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him," Sarkozy said in the TFI channel show.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Australia's ex-prime minister John Howard and Spanish ex-premier Jose Maria Aznar have also recently said multicultural policies have not successfully integrated immigrants.

Merkel in October said efforts towards multiculturalism in Germany had "failed, totally."

The comment followed weeks of anguished debate sparked by the huge popularity of a book by a central banker saying that immigrants, in particular Muslims, were making Germany "more stupid."

Britain's Cameron last week pronounced his country's long-standing policy of multiculturalism a failure, calling for better integration of young Muslims to combat home-grown extremism.

He urged a "more active, muscular liberalism" where equal rights, the rule of law, freedom of speech and democracy are actively promoted to create a stronger national identity.

The prime minister, who took power in May 2010, argued that "under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream".

He said this had resulted in a lack of national identity in Britain which had made some young Muslims turn to extremist ideology.

Sarkozy said in his television interview Thursday that "our Muslim compatriots must be able to practice their religion, as any citizen can," but he noted "we in France do not want people to pray in an ostentatious way in the street."

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen late last year came under fire for comparing Muslims praying in the streets outside overcrowded mosques in France to the Nazi occupation.

Marine Le Pen said there were "ten to fifteen" places in France where Muslims worshiped in the streets outside mosques when these were full.

The problem is that these people come to America from totalitarian states that abuse them, and then after coming here, they want to establish the same abusive society that they just left!

This is truly the beginning of the destruction of America.

JOE BIDEN PROPOSES $52 BILLION FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL; DOOMED TO FAILURE FROM THE VERY START, YET HE WANTS TO KEEP WASTING OUR MONEY

Joe Biden, our Vice President and well known rail expert ( "ha ha") proposed that the US government infuse $53 billion into a national high-speed rail network. The announcement was met immediately by deep skepticism from two House Republicans that could be crucial to the plan's success, raising questions about whether it can clear Capitol Hill.

To quote a famous movie character that more people can identify than identify who Joe Biden is, " STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES".

DID ANYBODY ON CAPITAL HILL WITH S ("D") AFTER THEIR NAME UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE IN THE LAST ELECTION? IS JOE BIDEN SOMEONE WHO READS THE PAPERS OR WATCHES THE NEWS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STOP SPENDING!

Now keep in mid for instance a proposed rail link between Orlando and Tampa would prove totally unworkable due to costs, for instance $12 in round trip gasoline expenses versus $126 in total rail costs or parking, waiting, TAKING TAXIS, taking the train, waiting etc....also time wise it would add at least 50% to travel time.

House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. John Mica (R) of Florida said previous administration grants to high-speed rail projects were a failure, producing "snail speed trains to nowhere." He called Amtrak a "Soviet-style train system" and said it "hijacked" nearly all the administration's rail projects.

Meanwhile, Railroads Subcommittee Chair Rep. Bill Shuster (R) of Pennsylvania said Mr. Biden's plan was "insanity," adding: "Rail projects that are not economically sound will not 'win the future' " – coopting the slogan President Obama coined in his State of the Union address.

IN PICTURES: Developments in robotics

With Republicans controlling the House and dedicating themselves to deep budget cuts, any new spending proposed by the White House will face stiff scrutiny. But Congressman Shuster offers some hope of compromise. On Jan. 28 in Hartford, Conn., he proclaimed his support for expanding high-speed rail in the Northeast, backing a network that could stretch from Montreal to Washington, D.C.

"This is the most congested region in the country. High-speed rail here could be profitable," he said.

Biden's plan According to the plan laid out Tuesday by Biden, the first step of the six-year plan would be to invest $8 billion to develop or improve three types of interconnected corridors:

Core express corridors would form the backbone of the national high-speed rail system, with electrified trains traveling on dedicated tracks at speeds of 125 to 250 m.p.h or higher.

Regional corridors would lay the foundation for future high-speed service, with trains traveling between 90 to 125 m.p.h.

Emerging corridors would provide travelers with access to the larger national high-speed network and travel at as much as 90 m.p.h.

To backers, the benefits of the plan are twofold. First, it would give a much-needed boost to America's spending on infrastructure ( HELLO SPENDING MONEY WE BORROW FROM CHINA???). And second, it would provide jobs for the economic recovery, ( BY TAKING FUNDS OUT OF TAXPAYER'S POCKETS?).

“If you look at the last 100 years, it has been large public-works projects which have pulled our nation out of every recession,” says Barry LePatner, author of “Too Big to Fall: America’s Failing Infrastructure and the Way Forward.” YES MY FIEND BUT THE COUNTRY WAS A BIT DIFFERENT 100 YEARS AGO...we did not have $14 TRILLION IN DEBT, for instance and there was no tax on income.

Mr. LePatner notes that the building of the Erie Canal opened the Northeast in 1819, the transcontinental railroad connected the populated East to the developing West, and the interstate highway system built under Eisenhower “all opened up vast reservoirs of trade and economic investment.†This guy is a total moron comparing nothing that is remotely comparable...when the country had NO infrastructure yet!

He suggests that studies show $1 billion spent on infrastructure remediation produces between 18,000 and 34,000 jobs. "Twenty-five to 35 percent of that then comes back in taxes, and the other multiplies in geometric ratios as spending on food, clothing, shelter, and other goods,â€

Big projects, big delaysBut building high-speed rail is no easy process, says Leslie McCarthy, a high-speed rail expert at Villanova University's College of Engineering. “Whether or not a bill would or should pass is the easiest part of all this,” she says. “The bigger part of the question is purchasing the land, getting right of ways, zoning issues, environmental impact assessments, laying dedicated tracks in a reasonable amount of time.”

She says the typical US highway project can be held up anywhere from three to five years at the low end to 12 to 20 years at the high end. “Legislators and the public aren’t aware of the number of federal, state, and local laws that agencies have to comply with that can’t be gotten around,” she adds.

In fact, the very thing that makes the Northeast so attractive for high-speed rail – its population density – could also make it the most difficult place to build. “There is so much population in the Northeast corridor that I don’t know if there is even enough room for the dedicated tracks needed for high-speed rail,” says Professor McCarthy. “And if the distances you are going are not sufficient to make efficient use of the high speeds, what’s the point?”

Wise investment or money pit?Critics agree. Only two rail corridors in the world – France's Paris to Lyon line and Japan's Tokyo to Osaka line – cover their costs, says Ken Button, director of the Center for Transportation Policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

“Both of these are the perfect distance for high-speed rail, connect cities over flat terrain with huge populations that have great public transportation to get riders to the railway,” he says, dismissing French claims that other lines make money. He says they calculate costs in ways which ignore capital costs.

To supporters of high-speed rail expansion, however, US transportation must move beyond its reliance on oil. High-speed rail is the only form of intercity transportation that has a 45-year record of moving people without oil, says Anthony Perl, professor of political science at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, and a fellow at the Post Carbon Institute.

Canada is pretty much been taken over by green zealots, and just like the USA, there are significant distances to be traveled thus making it unreasonable to be profitable in the USA and CANADA. It is quite different when the rail links two cities close together like Europe where you may cross a country in a 20 mile ride.

High speed rail in China for instance is NOT profitable. Do we need another AMTRAK subsidy again to compete with private transport and be an endless money pit?

“That’s why 30 countries around the world have done this and the US and Canada are just laggards," he says. This dummy actually believes this even though all statistics prove otherwise...there is no profit in the USA based rail systems. We are just too big a country!

For instance, they keep talking about a rail link between Chicago and St. Louis, MO., where nobody wants to go...there are $29 flights now...and they do not make any money, what will a rail link do other than cost taxpayers billions?

"If people want to get where they are going between cities they are going to need high-speed rail because flying and driving will only become more and more costly.” Oh and let's see, rail will just become cheaper and cheaper, right?

Idiots, save us from them.

" I DID NOT RAISE EVEN ONE TAX" SAYS OBAMA; REALITY A $600 BILLION TAX HIKE!!!! MORE LIES AND LIES.

President Obama’s assertion on Sunday that he “didn’t raise taxes once” is “blatantly false,” a taxpayer watchdog group says. Obama made the claim in his pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.

According to Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), President Obama has signed into law at least two dozen tax increases. The first one – a federal tobacco tax hike – came just 16 days into his presidency.

ATR says the $1 trillion health care overhaul alone added numerous taxes, including the individual mandate that requires most Americans to purchase health insurance or else pay a fine.

During the legislative debate, Obama and Democrats in Congress argued that a penalty for not carrying insurance is not a tax. But in recent attempts to defend Obamacare as constitutional, the Obama Justice Department has called the penalty a tax.

The health care law’s employer mandate provision also should be considered a tax, ATR said. That provision requires companies to report all business-to-business sales of goods and services exceeding $600 to the Internal Revenue Service. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate recently voted to repeal the so-called 1099 provision, and Obama says he supports the repeal.

The health care law also includes a tax on medical device manufacturers, as well as a higher tax on withdrawals from health savings accounts and a cap on flexible spending accounts.

Other taxes in the health care law cited by ATR include a surtax on investment income, an excise tax on comprehensive health insurance plans, a hike the in the Medicare payroll tax and a tax on indoor tanning services. (See complete list)

On Feb. 4, 2009, Obama signed a federal tobacco tax hike, raising the excise tax 62 cents per pack. Critics, including ATR, said that tax alone violated Obama’s campaign pledge not to raise taxes on couples earning less than $250,000 and on individuals earning less than $200,000.

During Sunday’s interview, Bill O’Reilly asked Obama if he is “a man who wants to redistribute wealth,” as The Wall Street Journal has described him.

The president denied it, again saying, “I didn't raise taxes once; I lowered taxes over the last two years.”

Responding on Monday, ATR said Obama’s claim of being a net-tax-cutter “rests on the temporary tax relief he has signed into law. “That tax increases Obama has signed into law have invariably been permanent. In fact, Obama signed into law $7 in permanent tax hikes for every $1 in permanent tax cuts,” ATR said.

“Over 90 percent of the dollar value of the tax cuts Obama signed into law are only temporary,” said ATR. “100 percent of the tax increases Obama signed into law are, however, permanent … Permanent changes to tax law signed by Obama amount to a net tax hike of $618.7 billion.”

HERE COMES SOCIALISM DIRECTLY FROM THE PRESIDENT DURING HIS SPEECH TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; WORKERS SHOULD SHARE IN THE PROFITS OF A BUSINESS!!

"If we're fighting to reform the tax code and increase exports, the benefits cannot just translate into greater profits and bonuses for those at the top. They have to be shared by American workers, who need to know that opening markets will lift their standard of living as well as your bottom line," President Obama told the Chamber of Commerce on Monday morning.

Now it can not be any clearer that the President's ideas are Socialist; right from his own mouth!

It may not be so bad if he also said that the workers should then also share in the risks of the business, if it loses money, they chip in. When there is a new factory to be put up, they will pitch in money to do so. They will share the liabilities associated with operating the business just like any owner or shareholder would.

Well we did not hear that part, oh no.

The president is pretty uninformed about how business operates and continues to not educate himself...that he is in America where the owner of the business takes all the risks, without any help from the workers or the government ( in fact the government will do all it can to make it difficult or impossible or very costly to start a new business).

Then the president wants the business owner, or owners to put up their capital, sign loan guarantees, build a building perhaps to house the business, and sign for a 30 year mortgage loan. Then in addition they need to put up some capital which will all be at risk if the business fails, but on the other hand if it succeeds, it is supposed to give the employees the profits of the business...beyond their salaries, wages, benefits, etc.!!!!

The employees do not have to do anything but show up for work, take no risks, but share in the business success if it occurs!

Then, after this nonsense from our leader, he is wondering why businesses are not hiring new workers!

This again is wisdom from a man who never owned a business, never met a payroll, was coddled though school due to his race, never worked for a for profit business, and never had direct dealings with the bureaucrats that stifle business every day.

My best recollection is that the owner/s of a business are the ones who get the profits ( if there are any) and they get all the losses ( without asking the employees to share the losses). That is the very definition of a capitalist society, Mr. President.

The reason that a business makes an investment is for the opportunity to make a profit from that investment, after taking the risk. Additionally, when a business is profitable Mr. President ( write this down) it tends to expand by hiring new employees, etc...!!!

As a final nail in the coffin of employers, the president has urged more than doubling the unemployment taxes payable by businesses.

President Barack Obama's new budget proposal is expected to give states a way to collect more payroll taxes from businesses, in an effort to replenish the unemployment-insurance program. The plan could cause controversy at a time when the administration is seeking to mend fences with corporate America.

The proposal would aim to restock strained state unemployment-insurance trust funds ( which Mr. Obama keeps depleting by the ever longer and longer eligibility for unemployment payments, by raising the amount of wages on which companies must pay unemployment taxes to $15,000, more than double the $7,000 in place since 1983.

The plan, which would take effect in 2014, could increase payroll taxes by as much as $100 billion over a decade, according to a person involved in its construction.

By proposing to enlarge the pool of wages subject to unemployment taxes, the White House appears to be offering states a more politically palatable way to raise revenues than to boost tax rates. States could keep the tax rates they have, or even lower them somewhat, and still raise considerably more revenue than they are raising now.

The unemployment insurance program is a joint federal-state program. The federal unemployment insurance tax rate of 6.2% on the new, larger base would be reduced, so that the U.S. would be taking in no more revenue than it does under the current system, a person familiar with the plan said.

To avoid hitting businesses with a tax increase during the economic recovery, the proposal would delay the new rules until 2014. The plan is expected to be included in Mr. Obama's budget proposal for fiscal 2012, to be released Monday.

Any proposal would need congressional approval.

State governments have had to borrow heavily from the federal government to cover the jobless benefits they provide. States are responsible for the first 26 weeks of benefits, and many have seen their reserve funds wiped out.

More than 40 states raised their unemployment-insurance payroll taxes last year to boost revenues.

The proposal comes as the White House is trying to improve relations with business groups while also pushing them for financial help to shore up the unemployment insurance system, drained by prolonged high joblessness.

Republican aides on Capitol Hill reacted warily. Increasing levies on businesses in the next few years could hit a wall of opposition among Republicans, said one senior G.O.P. tax aide in the Senate. Mr. Obama delivered a speech on Monday to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, trying to repair frayed relations with business and offering areas of possible cooperation.

Mr. Obama has promised business an effort to simplify the corporate tax code while lowering the corporate tax rate. Pushing for higher unemployment taxes could reignite tensions. No kidding, and stop any new hiring!

Don't you wish that time can be sped-up like a future time machine so it would be November 2012..oh, well wishful thinking.

HIGHLY TOUTED MISSLE DEFENSE SYSTEM IS WORTHLESS AGAINST NUCLEAR MISSLES; SO MUCH FOR OUR DEFENSE SYSTEM, DID WE EXPECT BETTER??? PROBABLY NOT!

WikiLeaks proved that overpaid and under-worked legions of federal workers all the way though the Army and Defense Department ) how many Generals work there?) are as incompetent as we always knew that they were.

When you look at it the revelations clearly show that not only is our State Department incompetent, but Hillary Clinton as its head is literally a dictator with powers that are constantly abused.

General Patrick O’Reilly, director of the US Missile Defense Agency, disclosed that the radar system would be unable to detect long-range missiles in the launch phase because it could only see in a straight line, not over the horizon.

By the time the radar "saw" the missile, it would be too late to launch an interceptor in time to stop it striking its target.

The Czech radar system was the lynch-pin of George Bush’s “son of star wars” missile defense plans, ostensibly intended to intercept missiles launched from North Korea and Iran. The more appropriate name should have been " son of stupid."

Russia reacted furiously to the proposed system, which it claimed could threaten its own defenses and be used to spy on its interests. They probably did that just for effect, while chuckling.

A leaked cable obtained by WikiLeaks detailing US talks with Moscow describes a briefing by General O’Reilly on the capabilities of the Czech radar.

It states: “He noted that it was an X-Band radar which could only see in a straight line, not over the horizon; its range was approximately 2000 kilometers, its beam size was point 155 degrees; and it could not search and locate by itself.

“The key was that the Czech radar could not bend radio waves; its minimum elevation was two degrees… Below two degrees, ground clutter would interfere.

“Thus, depending on the location of the launch, the first 245, 450 or 850 kilometers of flight could not be seen. Therefore, the radar was incapable of seeing a missile in the boost phase. By the time the radar saw the missile, it would be too late to launch an interceptor.

“Even with upgrades to the radar, Gen O'Reilly continued, an X-band radar in the Czech Republic would never give the US the capability to intercept Russia's ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles).”

Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State under President Bush, finalized the agreement to base the missile radar in the Czech Republic 8 July 2008.

But the plan was abandoned by President Barack Obama in September 2009, on the basis that the threat from Iran could now be countered by shorter-range systems.

Maybe we could have just called the fuzz-buster folks and for $300 could have gotten a couple of the units and put them in some cars near the border?

I know that my unit is always accurate. Finds the radar each time, any type of radar, probably good for Russian ones too.

In the alternative, the spotters used by the British population during the WAR could be the best as they could just telephone the nearest missile silo and tell them that the missiles were coming and it's time to launch countermeasures?

This would be about $100 billion cheaper, and I could volunteer to sell the government 5 or 6 of these special radar units for only, say $100 million each?

COMPARING PRESIDENT OBAMA TO FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH...WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN ANGRY WITH GEORGE BUSH IF HE DID WHAT OBAMA DID???

WHAT IF.......
If George W. Bush had doubled the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?

If George W.. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had criticized a state law that he admitted he never even read, would you think that he is just an ignorant hot head?

If George W. Bush joined the country of Mexico and sued a state in the United States to force that state to continue to allow illegal immigration, would you question his patriotism and wonder who's side he was on?

If George Bush had pronounced the Marine Corps like Marine Corpse would you think him an idiot?

If George W. Bush had put 87,000 workers out of work by arbitrarily placing a moratorium on offshore oil drilling on companies that have one of the best safety records of any industry because one company had an accident would you have agreed?

If George W. Bush had used a forged document as the basis of the moratorium that would render 87000 American workers unemployed would you support him?

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a TelePrompTer installed to be able to get through a press conference,would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90%and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?

If George W.. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the nonexistent
"Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had stated that there were 57 states in the United States , would you have said that he is clueless.

If George W. Bush would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in Texas , would you have thought he was a self important, conceited, egotistical jerk.

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had misspelled the word "advice" would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potatoes as proof of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush's administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?

If George W.. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America , would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in 21 months -- so you'll have two years to come up with an answer.

Every statement is factual and directly attributable to Barrack Hussein Obama. Every bumble is a matter of record and completely verifiable.

How would you compare?
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/02/obama-issues-global-warming-rules-january-gives-ge-exemption-febr#ixzz1Cvb2HaVa

EGYPTIAN POLITICS; EDUCATION OF JOE BIDEN WHETHER PRESIDENT MUBARAK IS A DICTATOR...LEARN SOMETHING JOE..HE IS A RUTHLESS DICTATOR!!

Egyptian Politics...some facts behind the headlines

Our country is constantly exposed to the opinions of the dumbest man ever to hold the title of Vice President, Joe "three letter word JOBS" Biden. Last week he stated that MUBARAK is not a dictator ( see the unlimited powers he wanted and got in the article below). And then decide if he is a dictator.

How is it possible that our great country is lead by such brainiacs like Joe Biden???

Buildings burned in Cairo and tanks deployed in the streets on January 28, 2011 as anti-government protesters defied a nighttime curfew Friday evening, capping the most violent and chaotic day in Egypt since mass demonstrations began Tuesday. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak extended the curfew nationwide but it appeared from media reports to do little to halt the violence.

In Washington, the White House urged "strong restraint" on the part of government and protesters. Demonstrators, believed to be in the tens of thousands, are demanding Mr. Mubarak's resignation.

The Egyptian ruler ordered his Cabinet to step down and promised to appoint a new Cabinet Saturday. He also said the days of protests this week were a plot to destabilize Egypt. In Washington, President Barack Obama, in an address from the White House Friday evening, asked the Egyptian government to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters and restore Internet and communication services that have been cut off.

On 25 January 2011 Egyptian police fired tear gas and beat anti-government protesters to clear thousands of people from a central Cairo square, after the largest demonstrations in years against President Hosni Mubarak's decades-old rule. Three people were reported to have died in the nationwide unrest inspired by Tunisia's uprising. Two protesters were killed during a demonstration in the port city of Suez while a police officer died from injuries sustained during the protests in Cairo.

Such a coordinated wave of anti-government protests has not been seen in Egypt since Mr. Mubarak took power in 1981 after former President Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Islamists. Egyptians called for political and economic reforms in rallies inspired by demonstrations in Tunisia that led to the ouster of that country's president earlier this month. The unrest took place despite government warnings that demonstrators could be arrested.

The greatest threat to domestic stability in Egypt results from popular frustration with the country’s economic performance and lack of economic opportunity. Approximately one-fifth of Egypt’s 80 million people live below the poverty line, despite a per capita GDP of almost $6,200 [2010 PPP estimate]. Officially, unemployment rates rose from 7.9 percent in 1999/2000 to 9.7 percent in 2010; independent estimates, however, place the real extent of unemployment at somewhere between twelve and twenty-five percent of the labor force.

In 2010, the government spent more on infrastructure and public projects, and exports drove GDP growth to more than 5%, but GDP growth in 2011 is unlikely to bounce back to pre-global financial recession levels, when it stood at 7%. Despite the relatively high levels of economic growth over the past few years, living conditions for the average Egyptian remain poor.

A declared state of emergency has been in place since 1981. The state of emergency allows internal security services to renew periods of "administrative detention" indefinitely. Egyptian human rights organizations estimated in 2007 that 4,000 to 5,000 people remained in prolonged detention without charge under the law, though Minister of Interior Habib Al Adly stated that the total number of political prisoners and detainees does not exceed 1,800.

There were varied and conflicting estimates of the number of "extraordinary detainees" (citizens held by the government, often without trial, for alleged political crimes). In 2006, credible domestic and international NGOs estimated that there were between 6,000 and 10,000 such detainees in addition to the prisoners in the ordinary criminal justice system. The government held detainees, including many MB activists, for several weeks to several months or longer, and did not permit international humanitarian organizations access to political prisoners.

The National Democratic Party has governed the Arab Republic of Egypt since 1978. In 2005 President Hosni Mubarak won a fifth consecutive six-year term with 88 percent of the vote in the country's first presidential election, which was marred by low voter turnout and charges of fraud. The government's respect for human rights remained poor, and serious abuses continued in many areas. Significant human rights problems included limitations on citizens' ability to change the government; a continued state of emergency, in place almost continuously since 1967; persistent and credible reports of abuse and torture at police stations and in prisons; and police violence against protestors.

The government's respect for freedoms of the press, association, and religion declined in 2008, and the government continued to restrict other civil liberties. Arbitrary arrests and detentions, poor prison conditions, pressure on the judiciary, a lack of transparency, and societal discrimination against women and religious minorities persisted.

Opposition party organizations make their views public and represent their followers at various levels in the political system, but power is concentrated in the hands of the President and the National Democratic Party majority in the People's Assembly and those institutions dominate the political system. In addition to the ruling National Democratic Party, there are 18 other legally recognized parties, whereas in 2004 there were only 16 other legally recognized parties.
November 2000 Elections

The November 2000 elections were generally considered to have been more transparent and better executed than past elections, because of universal judicial monitoring of polling stations. On the other hand, opposition parties continue to lodge credible complaints about electoral manipulation by the government. There are significant restrictions on the political process and freedom of expression for non-governmental organizations, including professional syndicates and organizations promoting respect for human rights.

The Egyptian Government ignored the consensus that existed outside its own constituency, concerning the three reforms needed to make Egypt's democratic transformation as a realistic project: (1) limiting the term of office as well as the powers vested in the President as head of the executive; (2) rescinding the state of emergency; and (3) changing the laws obstructing the establishment and functioning of political parties and NGOs. The major dilemma of Egypt's democratic transformation is the absence of viable opposition movements with broad constituencies. The four major opposition parties — Al Wafd, Unionist, Arab Nasserist, and Al Ghad Parties — are structurally weak and lack constituencies large enough to mobilize popular support.

Ten other small parties are active, but their numbers and basic relevance is inconsequential.

September 2005 Presidential Election

Progress was seen in the September 2005 presidential elections when parties were allowed to field candidates against President Mubarak and his National Democratic Party. In early 2005, President Mubarak proposed amending the constitution to allow, for the first time in Egypt's history, competitive, multi-candidate elections. An amendment was drafted by parliament and approved by public referendum in late May 2005. In the course of his re-election campaign speeches, Mubarak promised to reduce the powers of the presidency in favour of the cabinet and the parliament, which would be granted greater powers of oversight. He also promised a number of constitutional and legal reforms to enable wider opposition representation in parliament. In September 2005, President Mubarak was reelected, according to official results, with 88% of the vote.

His two principal challengers, Ayman Nour and No'man Gom'a, took 7% and 3% of the vote respectively. Runner-up in the 2005 presidential election and leader of the opposition Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party Ayman Nour was jailed for nearly four years on forgery charges said by his supporters to be fabricated. Nour remained in prison at the end of 2008, despite continued appeals for parole on health and humanitarian grounds. The New Cairo Felonies Court convicted Nour in 2005.

For the first time in Egyptian history, opposition candidate’s names appeared on the ballot, and some campaigning by candidates was permitted. Previously, the Egyptian Parliament would vote to permit only one name to go forward on the Presidential ballot, and then voters would be given the option only of voting “yes” or “no” to the chosen candidate, who was typically the incumbent President.
November-December 2005 Parliamentary Election

The promises of gradual political reform suffered setbacks in the three-round parliamentary election held from November to December 2005. While the elections resulted in massive gains for the opposition, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, they also witnessed widespread election violations. In the end, opposition representatives ended up winning almost 100 of the 444 elected seats in the People’s Assembly, up from only 40 in the outgoing assembly. Of these, 88 were won by candidates affiliated with the Brotherhood. The voter turnout turned out to be extremely low. According to official or govern-ment statements, 23 percent. Independent NGOs and monitoring groups, domestic moni-toring groups, put it somewhere between 15 and 18 percent.

Voting – especially in the third and final election round – was marred by reports of widespread intimidation and violent clashes between voters and security forces, with voters repeatedly prevented from gaining access to polling stations by security agents. In areas where opposition candidates were likely to win, polling areas were cordoned off from the public. In some voting districts, after would-be voters protested, police responded by firing tear gas canisters and rubber bullets into crowds, bringing the total number of election-related deaths to 12. In the end, the ruling NDP was left with some 315 seats, noticeably fewer than the 388 representatives it controlled in the outgoing assembly, but still above the two-thirds majority needed to control legislation. The weakness of the secular opposition parties was driven home when they won a total of only 14 seats between them. This included the neo-liberal Wafd Party, traditionally referred to as Egypt’s strongest opposition party.

“While the Egyptian elections did not meet internationally recognized standards of fairness, the mere fact that the regime allowed the opposition a place on the ballot has opened a doorway,” said U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). “The Egyptian elections were the first step on a long road to creating a true democracy, but it remains to be seen whether the regime will walk the rest of the path.”
April 2008 Local Election

In March 2007, Mubarak introduced several constitutional amendments that would increase presidential powers and, more significantly, ban any political parties based on religion, race, or ethnicity. The amendments were put to a popular referendum and, despite low voter turnout and boycotts by opposition groups, passed with 75.9% approval.

On 17 February 2008, President Mubarak announced that local council elections would take place 08 April 2008. Local councils are responsible for implementing legislation and monitoring daily local functions of the government municipalities. Many opposition candidates from registered political parties and the Muslim Brotherhood [MB] reported difficulties registering and alleged a government campaign to prevent opposition candidates from participating in the elections. More than 3,000 MB candidates prevented from registering sued the government. Although the courts ruled in favor of the MB candidates in 2,664 suits, the majority of the rulings were not implemented. On April 7, following weeks of arrests and official hurdles placed in the way of candidate registration, the MB called on citizens to join it in "boycotting this fraudulent process." On April 8, the local elections took place in 26 governorates where candidates contested approximately 52,000 total seats. There were 57,000 candidates in total, of whom 52,000 were NDP members. Independent observers estimated that the voter turnout was less than 3 percent. NDP candidates won 92 percent of the seats, and the rest went to the liberal Wafd party. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace described the elections as "a step backwards for Egyptian politics".
2008-2009 Parliamentary By-elections

In July 2008 the country held parliamentary by-elections for four vacant parliament seats in Kafr Al Sheikh and Alexandria. MB-affiliated candidates ran for three of the seats, but the NDP won all four. The MB subsequently accused the government of rigging the vote to favor the NDP. The four seats had been vacant since a legal challenge during the 2005 parliamentary election, which international monitors were not permitted to observe. The government also barred international observers from the 2005 presidential election, which was marred by low voter turnout and charges of fraud. In October 2008 the country held parliamentary by-elections for two seats in Fayoum (Utssa Constituency). The NDP won both contested seats, which had been vacant since a legal challenge during the 2005 parliamentary election.

In February 2009 the country held parliamentary by-elections for one seat in Minya (Samalout), which became vacant following the death of an NDP member of parliament. The NDP candidate won the seat. In March 2009 and May 2009, there were parliamentary by-elections for a seat in Cairo (Masr El Qadima Constituency) and another in Alexandria (Moharram Bek Constituency), which became vacant following the death of an NDP member of parliament. The NDP candidate won the seat. In August 2009 there were parliamentary by-elections for two vacant seats in Qaliuybia, and the NDP won both seats.
December 2010 Parliamentary Election

On 06 December 2010 election monitors in Egypt said widespread fraud marred the country's parliamentary election that produced a landslide victory for President Hosni Mubarak's party. The Independent Coalition for Elections' Observation said that voting violations, including forgery, raise serious questions about the legitimacy of the new parliament. But Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif described the process as "the best in Egypt's election history." The country's two major opposition groups, the Muslim Brotherhood and the liberal Wafd party, boycotted the second round run-off in protest of alleged fraud in last week's first round. The Muslim Brotherhood failed to win a single seat outright in the first round of balloting, although the group won about one-fifth of the seats in the 2005 elections. The group is outlawed in Egypt, but runs its candidates as independents. Mr. Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party [NDP] captured 209 seats outright in the first round of voting. That left 283 seats to be decided in the second round.

The NDP continued to dominate national politics by maintaining an overriding majority in the People's Assembly and the Shura Council. It also dominated local governments, mass media, labor, and the public sector and controlled licensing of new political parties, newspapers, and private organizations. The law prohibits political parties based on religion, and the MB remained an illegal organization; however, independent MB-affiliated members of parliament continued to participate in parliament. In previous years the government refused to grant official registration to at least 12 political parties that had filed applications. In August 2009 the political parties committee rejected the Al-Wasat Party's application for registration.

Now, Joe is MUBARAK a dictator????

INSTEAD OF PROTECTING OUR BORDERS, NOW HOMELAND AND BORDER PATROL ACTS BEFORE A CRIME IS COMITTED AND NOT AT BORDER!

The movie "MINORITY REPORT" was a glimpse into futuristic America, where a special police unit arrests people BEFORE they commit a crime, "pre-crime" thus claiming to thwart it.

Well, the future in NOW based on actions taken by the FEDS in shutting down web sites BEFORE they are alleged to be committing a "crime". But most startling is which of the hundreds of various FEDERAL agencies was orchestrating the "pre-crime" action.

The federal government has seized the Web addresses of 10 websites that allegedly (as in that they might stream) live stream sporting and pay-per-view events online, shutting them down just days before one of the biggest televised sporting events of the year: the Super Bowl.

The U. S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York, working in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seized the Web addresses Tuesday. The seizure affidavit was unsealed Wednesday.

The websites, which include channelsurfing.net and Spain-based rojadirecta.org, were said to illegally provide access to content from the major professional sports organizations, namely the National Football League, National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. The sites do not host the pirated sporting content themselves, but instead provide links to other websites where people can access it illegally.

Government officials argue that the sites are not only distributing pirated content illegally, but in the process, are also denting the revenues of the professional sports leagues and broadcasters as well as negatively impacting viewers.

“The illegal streaming of professional sporting events over the Internet deals a financial body blow to the leagues and broadcasters, who are forced to pass their losses off to fans by raising prices for tickets and pay-per-view events,” said Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney in Manhattan. “With the Super Bowl just days away, the seizures of these infringing websites reaffirm our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to protect copyrighted material and put the people who steal it out of business.”

Fans have increasingly abandoned watching sports games on their television sets, opting instead to watch them on their computers via the Web instead. The shift has jolted professional sports organizations, which are grappling with how to control the growing problem of the illegal streaming of sports games online in real time. The organizations copyright the content of their sports games — from the audio, video, text and images — and restrict others from distributing it without prior written approval.

But the government’s action didn’t provide a permanent solution to the problem. One of the sites that was shut down on Wednesday, ATDHE.net, has already reappeared at a new Web address, ATDHE.me.

The federal government launched a similar campaign last November that shut down 82 websites offering counterfeit goods and digital music and movie content. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and ICE Director John Morton had warned that the two agencies were committed to going after more websites that offer copyrighted content illegally.

Morton repeated that message during Wednesday’s operation.

Is that really what these agencies are in charge of????

Our border is OPEN for any illegals to cross, but they are doing this?
COMMENTS:

Feb. 2, 2011 - 1:12 PM EST

Welcome to police state oligarchical collectivist America.

#2
All hail Big Sis!

Incrementalism is becoming more rapid with O'Bambi.

#3

This is just the beginning people with Obozo at the helm. Soon he will be controlling everything, just like the dictator of Egypt WAS. He isn't anymore and if Obozo thinks we won't be in the streets if he tries to become a dictator, he better think again. We're not going to stand for some piece of garbage, marxist, commie taking over this country of OURS. We're not waiting 30 years. Wake up people.

#4

So we are using Homeland Security resources to protect private enterprise profits...and essentially the TV/Movie Industry.
Econ Guy

#5

Seems like guilty until proven innocent...

#6
WOW, prosecuted and sentenced before the crime even happens. Next I'll get a speeding ticket for starting my car.

#7

Apparently our government can be bought. How much do you think the NFL paid DHS to do this?

What should we expect when football owners are Class B members of the Federal Reserve?

#8

"The U. S. Attorney’s Office ... , working in conjunction with the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency, seized the Web addresses ..." I have watched my country invaded and colonized by the country of Mexico, until my state (California) is financially ruined. My country is occupied by 20,000,000 invaders, who procreate with abandon, so that my nation will be inherited by their descendants. And now I learn that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is spending its resources shutting down football sites on the Internet? No comprende!
signspeaker

#9

It has taken almost 250 years, but Britian seems to be on the road of regaining the colonies. At least we'll be using the same government template again......Jefferson is still correct 250 years later....
skint

#10

This is so important....... while our border is a sieve.

Does it seem that the administration is putting and naming EVERYTHING a Homeland security problem?

Everything BUT the border.

#11
Wow! Talk about SCARY!
Jiminredstate

#12

Thank the Lord the Dept of Homeland Security is ahead of this. The system works! Now, when you get naked body-image scanned and groped at the airport, you'll know you're safe! Did Roger Goodell fly to DC in a private jet, far away from the scanners and gropers, and have lunch on the taxpayer dime with Janet Incompetentano to discuss this urgent national security problem? Too bad the underwear bomber wasn't caught before he streamed an NFL game! We are so screwed.

#13

Thanks again to all the folks who scoffed when we were warned about the Obama administration's agenda before the 2008 election. It's working out nicely, isn't it?

#14

"Feds seize sports sites"

But. But. But. Isn't this what the left has been working for all this time? Don't we now have what the left has always wanted? Isn't this the culmination of every thing the left has worked so arduously for? Are you now complaining about getting what you wanted? JUST KIDDING! (How's that for humor)? Those sites don't sound like 'sports sites' to me! The point is "Illegal is illegal. What's to debate?"! Just remember, that quote applies to a great many 'other' things that the left does appear to advocate!

"OK. I'll prosecute THIS illegal activity, but I won't prosecute THAT illegal activity! I 'support' THAT illegal activity, so I don't believe it's justifiably illegal. That absolves me of blame."! For instance the FEDS are not complying currently with the judges finding that the health care debacle is UNCONSTITUTIONAL....SELECTIVE ADHERENCE AND ENFORCEMENT!

#15

The Department of Homeland Security, and ICE made this bust? UMMM....ICE should be on the border looking for illegals!!!!!!!! DHS I am not sure where to begin, it is a useless department, it needs to be done away with. We have some 16 security organizations in this country anyone ever think to maybe consolidate these monstrosities!!!I am sick of this Bull AND WASTED MONEY ON USELESS BUREAUCRATS!!!!

#16

No due process, no trial, no nothing.
Our government is too big and too out of control.

#17

From the article, "...mistakenly believe it’s worth the risk to take copyrighted programming and portray it as their own."

As their own? Channelsurfing and Rojadirecta claimed the NFL footage was their own? Somehow, I doubt it.

Welcome to the beginning of the Precrime Ministry, sans telepaths. These sites are being shut down prior to the crime.

Welcome to the Land of the Illegal, Home of the Tyrant. I wonder when the PEOPLE will reassert themselves as the true masters of this nation. Obama and his gang of corrupt cronies forget that they work for us, not the other way around.

#18

This is how crony capitalism works.

Let's see, did the sports broadcasters buy a license to broadcast that the Feds then felt obligated to protect? No, silly, then we taxpayers at least would have made some revenue from the license, that would have made too much sense.

They bought Congressmen who passed laws puting the Feds to work at the service of whatever private entity is large enough to command political attention.

Where are the lefties when you need them?

#19


The past few weeks of shutting down websites appears to be just a "test-run" to see what us Sheeple will let the Masters in Government get away with. I remember the media, civil rights groups and pundits whipping up sentiment that the GWB administration would be the one that started stomping on our "rights" when the Homeland Security Act was passed. Those same "actors" are pretty quiet now that it is the Obama administration doing the jack-booted stomping.

#20

The networks themselves are dinosaurs awaiting near term extinction. Cable too. Sorry about that Comcast. It is simply inevitable that the web will be the provider of all media content in the future, SO LETS FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SATISFY ALL.

#21

Wouldn't it be better if ICE and Homeland Security concentrated on border security and preventing terrorism instead of who's watching streaming TV?
I do not remember that being one of the important anti-terrorist positions for these departments????

#22

“This swift action by our Homeland Security Investigations New York special agents and analysts sends a clear message to website operators..."

Hey - good to know Homeland Security is protecting us from entertainment that nicks the wallets of billionaire team owners and millionaire team players! I feel SO MUCH MORE SECURE from marauding Al Queda threats now!
we-the-people

#23

Apparently we are just going to have to get the streaming address through word of mouth.

It's not like anyone is actually going to watch it on TV.

And eve if we did. Does anyone REALLY think that we are going to buy a product based on some stupid commercial.

The paradigm is failing. It will be dead soon, and then we can all get on with out lives.

It will cost much, much less to allow anyone who wishes to broadcast all game events. the "one and only one" protected broadcaster if a failing option.

Best bet is, at least for now, if you have to watch on T.V., skip the commercials.

#24

The Feds wouldn't stop WikiLeaks, but they're all over a site that provides LINKS to other sites.

This would be funny if it weren't so dangerous.
BrianAstby


#25

The Feds should seize our counterfit president. Now his bogus birth certificate is "lost". His aunt said she was in Kenya when he was born...???

#26

This is chilling on a number of levels. Money talks, justice walks! It's also good practice for shutting down certain websites while leaving others unaffected -- something that is likely to happen if the American people protest peacefully.

Incidentally, I've heard tornado warnings broadcast from speakers on telephone poles in southern states. I won't be surprised to see such speakers installed all over the country so that our government can communicate orders and warnings to the people. As Orwell wrote, "Slavery = Freedom and War = Peace". Al Gore would have us believe that "Cold = Warm". It's interesting to witness how easy it is to twist the average American's brain.

In the upper echelons of government, whether the bureaucrats call themselves liberal or conservative, they're basically all the same (and united) when it comes to gaining power and control over the population. So, sad to see the decline of the US on so many levels these days. Our Founding Fathers advocated very limited government. It appears that we're getting just the opposite.

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THE DUMBEST SENATOR ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING TO HELP BUSINESS OWNERS AND ANYONE BUYING $600 WORTH OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

The Senate voted to repeal a piece of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, rolling back a new tax reporting requirement that’s been universally panned by business owners.

The amendment to repeal the 1099 reporting requirement passed 81-17 with broad bipartisan support.

The provision was one that Obama identified in his State of the Union speech as something that Democrats were willing to change. WOW, now that they know that this dumbest of all possible provisions was in this bill, they decided to vote it out!

The Senate voted several times last year on repealing the requirement, but all the attempts failed amid partisan bickering over how to pay for it. Republicans made an attempt to repeal the provision by taking money from the health reform law’s prevention and wellness fund. Democrats tried to repeal it without paying for it.

The provision would have required business owners to file 1099 tax documents on all cumulative purchases from a single vendor that total more than $600 in a year.

It was included in the health law ( how does this apply to health care?)
because it would have raised about $17 billion in previously uncollected taxes. A bipartisan collection of business groups have opposed the provision, arguing that it would bury them in paperwork.

The amendment was proposed by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).
This is the absolutely brainless Senator, the lowest net worth Senator who last time reported a NEGATIVE net worth ( has no money or assets) and actually woke up out of her hibernation state and did something....congratulations!

“This amendment is a common-sense solution for business owners who need to be focused on creating jobs, not filling out paperwork for the IRS,” she said.

Democrats blocked a similar amendment from Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) last year.

He had offered the amendment this week, but Stabenow’s got the vote. Wow what a powerhouse from Michigan which she has had the effect of destroying all of its major industries.

It’s a victory for the business community, churches and charities and state and local governments.

The repeal would be paid for by requiring the Office of Management and Budget to find the funding in unspent but appropriated funds.

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) offered another amendment to repeal the provision but paid for it by issuing new taxes on oil companies. Now Mr. Levin, who is the second most dumb member of the Senate after his counterprat Ms. Stabenow, must have forgottenthat Michigan is the home to the auto industry which would be affected by his stupid and brainless proposed amendment.

Are you people in Michigan just brainless, how can you continue to elect these morons as your Senators?

“We cannot pass that buck and we should not,” Levin said. What is this idiot talking about?

His amendment failed, 44-54. And would it be nice if he could just go out with his amendment, and resign?

Save us all from the most destructive legislation that OBAMACARE is...now another 2699 pages to go!

NEW JOB CREATION THAT OBAMA TAKES CREDIT FOR CONSISTS OF MOSTLY LOW PAYING RETAIL, FOOD PREPARATION AND CASHIERS-NOTHING THAT WILL HELP THE ECONOMY!!

If you think that our job growth and increasing employment numbers These are jobs signal a rebound in the US economy, think again....the jobs a mostly jobs that bring about DOWNWARD MOBILITY.

The vast majority of the so called newly created jobs consist of low paying RETAIL, FOOD PREPARATION and CASHIER jobs!!!! These are jobs that are not sufficient to support a family or provide any so called upward mobility as they pay in a range of $7.50 to $10 an hour!!!!!

Is this all America is able to create thanks to the OBAMA miracle?

You bet that is all we got from this incompetent, business hater, with no end in sight.

EVENTS IN EGYPT-BIRTHPLACE OF CIVILIZATION -CAN THEY HAPPEN IN AMERICA? YOU BET,DISCONTENTMENT WITH ADMINISTRATION GROWING

We all are watching another world changing event occurring in the Middle East, and yet the biggest readership in the USA was about the upcoming Super Bowl and which team was the favorite. In Europe however, the top headline articles were about events in egypt and Tunisia and Jordan.

As usual Americans are isolated from true world events by the media which chooses what stories should be the headlines of the day. I am amazed at how many times the two minute radio newscasts led the headlines by Lidsay Lohan leaving or entering rehab, instead of important world events.

I have to watch BBC WORLD NEWS to find out more or go to the the Drudge Report, since Ms. Couric seemed to miss the real world stories, instead focusing on Sarah Palin's hair cut as the news we needed to know.

The world events now playing out in the Middle East are just simply the events that play out due to the seething frustration of the population.

We in America are somewhat removed and isolated due to the oceans in between, but the disenchantment of the "masses" the lower classes who feel increasingly frustrated by the administration is a shared world-wide phenomenon that should not be overlooked.

What would it take for Americans to take to the streets after their homes are repossessed, bank accounts seized by creditors, credit lines pulled by banks, credit cards denied???? It may not take much, as the people have similar grievances throughout the world; in our case we just live in better housing...that's it. Oh, and our poor people may have two cars and televisions, although both may be 20 years old, so there is somewhat of a relative difference.

Amazing at it is now playing out in Egypt and the rest of the Middle East, civilization started in Egypt, and long before it turned to Islam, and started to decline as a world power.

Our naive president made what he thought was moving speech in Cairo, thinking again that somehow Islam and its followers were going to somehow consider him the pied piper and follow him. he must have no idea that he committed the worst sin of Islam, he converted to Christianity, and that may be punishable by death!

Islam, does not allow for a democracy to thrive due to the Sharia Law which governs every aspect of life for a follower of Islam. there is no freedom of the type we cherish. But then again, we Americans are now being subjected to our own form of government intervention into our daily lives to a similar degree.

For instance, just try to open a factory or even a store and see how many licenses, and bureaucrats are going to tell you what to do and how to do it, never running their own business; a form if Sharia law.

Sharia can creep in, it already has done so in the United Kingdom, France and even Sweden, it can creep into our country too.

But in the meantime, we have seen slowly creeping similar freedom grabbing accomplished though foreclosures, the courts and government mandates.

In Egypt, the entrenched government elites are similar to the USA in that the old crusty never to leave politicians are the cause of problems, since they never leave and thus cause all the worst of everything to occur: cronyism, nepotism, entrenched positions and corruption.

It is good to see a new face in office every 4 years or so...

It is only a matter of time that the rest of the world will be reading about the protests in America, as people camp in the streets throughout the country and attempt to bring change that we so sorely need.

STOP SPENDING on needless wars, needless defense, etc., ans start spending on the people of America who need help in these trying times.