ARTUR DAVIS : A once proud Democrat becomes a Republican.

[siboneyes]

ARTUR DAVIS : A once proud Democrat becomes a Republican.

 'Democratic Label No Longer Matches What I Know About My Country'  

Michael Warren

May 30, 2012

On his personal website, former congressman Artur Davis confirmed at least some of the recent rumors surrounding him—that the lifelong Democrat, the man who endorsed Barack Obama for president early in 2007 and seconded his nomination at the Democratic party convention in 2008, now considers himself a Republican. Here's Davis on his switch:

While I’ve gone to great lengths to keep this website a forum for ideas, and not a personal forum, I should say something about the various stories regarding my political future in Virginia, the state that has been my primary home since late December 2010. The short of it is this: I don’t know and am nowhere near deciding.  If I were to run, it would be as a Republican. And I am in the process of changing my voter registration from Alabama to Virginia, a development which likely does represent a closing of one chapter and perhaps the opening of another….

On the specifics, I have regularly criticized an agenda that would punish businesses and job creators with more taxes just as they are trying to thrive again. I have taken issue with an administration that has lapsed into a bloc by bloc appeal to group grievances when the country is already too fractured: frankly, the symbolism of Barack Obama winning has not given us the substance of a united country. You have also seen me write that faith institutions should not be compelled to violate their teachings because faith is a freedom, too. You’ve read that in my view, the law can’t continue to favor one race over another in offering hard-earned slots in colleges: America has changed, and we are now diverse enough that we don’t need to accommodate a racial spoils system. And you know from these pages that I still think the way we have gone about mending the flaws in our healthcare system is the wrong way—it goes further than we need and costs more than we can bear.

Taken together, these are hardly the enthusiasms of a Democrat circa 2012, and they wouldn’t be defensible in a Democratic primary. But they are the thoughts and values of ten years of learning, and seeing things I once thought were true fall into disarray. So, if I were to leave the sidelines, it would be as a member of the Republican Party that is fighting the drift in this country in a way that comes closest to my way of thinking: wearing a Democratic label no longer matches what I know about my country and its possibilities.

Davis’s political evolution may not be that surprising. He was the only member of the Congressional Black Caucus to vote against Obamacare. He ran for the Democratic nomination for Alabama governor in 2010 as a conservative. After losing the nomination, Davis announced he was becoming a political independent. His political commentary began popping up at places like National Review Online, criticizing Democrats for the same reasons he does today—the reliance on identity politics, the lack of respect for faith institutions, support for affirmative action, and a hostile relationship with business and entrepreneurs.

It seems it was only a matter of time before Davis made the change official. Still, the facts are that a rising star, a black Democrat from the Deep South, and an early supporter of Barack Obama found himself on the outside of the modern Democratic party, looking in, and disliking what he saw.

Davis's shift differs greatly from that of his fellow former Democratic congressman from Alabama, Parker Griffith, who switched parties to the GOP in 2009 when it looked more likely that Griffith could win his primary as a Republican than as a Democrat. Griffith was rewarded for what appeared as, and most likely was, a political calculation with a resounding defeat in the 2010 Republican primary. Should Davis decide to run for Congress in Virginia, Republican voters may greet his apparently thoughtful and principled decision with more cheer.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, a state Democratic committeewoman named Jo Ann Nardelli has also switched to the GOP, citing her Catholic faith and President Obama’s recent announcement that he supports gay marriage. The Altoona Mirror reports:

One of Blair County's prominent Democrats, Jo Ann Nardelli, said Wednesday she has switched her voter registration to Republican because she can no longer support Democratic initiatives like same-SX marriage.

"As the Democratic Party has taken the stand for same-SX marriage, then I must make a stand on my faith that marriage is between a man and a woman. God's principles for life never change. His guidelines, given in Scripture, produce fruitful lives when you follow them," Nardelli said while making the announcement of her party switch in the Blair County Courthouse.

She said she was a member of the Democratic party for 40 years.

[sirjohn]

DA EL TIRO DE GRACIA BILL CLINTON A LA REELECION DE OBAMA

ENSALZA BILL CLINTON EL "STERLING" RECORD EMPRESARIAL DE ROMNEY

Video: Romney's Qualifications, Business Experience Lauded by...Bill Clinton

By Guy Benson 6/1/2012

Just when you thought yesterday couldn't have gotten any worse for the Obama campaign, a certain former president appeared on CNN and asserted that Mitt Romney is qualified to be president, thanks to his leadership as governor and "sterling" career in the private sector:



This could deliver something of a coup de grace to the Obama campaign's all-Bain-all-the-time attack strategy.  President Obama stated that this campaign will "be about" Romney's "vampire capitalism."  Bill Clinton, Deval Patrick, and at least a dozen other Democrats have dissented from that view. Publicly. And we're still awaiting an explanation for why a handful of companies failing after Romney left Bain = greedy and evil, whereas Solyndra and other taxpayer-financed benefactors of cronyism shutting down = honest mistakes.  Enlighten us, liberals.  Oh, and by the way, Romney has jumped ahead in Ohio, Virginia, Florida and North Carolina.

[sirjohn]

Will Holder argue the 10th Amendment is unconstitutional to help Obama’s voter fraud scheme?

coachisright.com ^ | June 4, 2012 | Kevin “Coach” Collins

The Department of Justice thinks it can “order” Florida to stop removing illegal non citizens from her voter registration rolls. The Sunshine State announced it will ignore the “order.” Let’s see Barack Obama and Eric Holder back it up.

The fight over States’ rights versus the strength of an all powerful central government has been set in motion: the fuse is lit.

Since Barack Obama and his Chicago thugs forced bribed and tricked Obamacare into “law” real America has been on a collision course with him.

This latest attack on our freedoms will likely only be settled by a courtroom showdown centering on whether the 10th Amendment to our Constitution has any meaning.

This powerful 28 word Amendment is the enduring gift James Madison left us to balance the voracious appetite for power he recognized central governments always have.

It says: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” It is a clear and potent weapon for justice against Obama’s fraudulent charge.

By bringing its attack on Florida the Department of Justice (DoJ) is virtually acknowledging the Democrat Party’s reliance on voter fraud to win close elections. DoJ statements on the matter acknowledge it centers on noncitizen “voting rights.”

So far Florida has removed 2700 noncitizens from her voter rolls, and reportedly has another 182,000 on her “must purge” list.

“Obama Administration using a section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (1965 VRA) to single out five counties in Florida for scrutiny over their voter registration procedures.

DoJ wants to scare unenthusiastic minorities into voting by erecting a straw man for their hero Barack Obama to “defeat.” … 10th Amendment challenge..

[siboneyes]

Dobson to prez: I won't bow to 'wicked' Obamacare

'So come and get me if you must'

WND 6/4/2012

by Chelsea Schilling

Chelsea Schilling is a commentary editor and staff writer for WND, an editor of Jerome Corsi's Red Alert, and a proud homeschooling mother. Schilling joined the Army at age 17, receiving the exceptional designation of expert marksman three times. In addition to WND, Schilling has worked as a news producer at USA Radio Network and as a news reporter for the Sacramento Union.

Dr. James Dobson is taking a defiant stand on Obamacare and issuing a loud and clear message to President Obama: “I WILL NOT pay the surcharge for abortion services. … So come and get me if you must, Mr. President. I will not bow before your wicked regulation.”

The evangelical Christian author and founder of Focus on the Family minced no words when he accused Obama of deceiving the American public in his exclusive WND column, “The president’s Obamacare lies.”

Dobson notes that the president issued the following statement on the night of Sept. 9, 2009, when he gave an address to a joint session of Congress in an effort push members of the House and Senate to pass his health-care bill:

“And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up – under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.”

However, he said, “The speech was filled with promises and assurances that have proved to be shockingly false, and the president’s premise was based on deception.”

In numerous speeches,  Obama assured his pro-choice constituency that coverage for abortion would be “job one” within his health-care plan, he noted.

“I knew from deep within my soul that the president was not being truthful about this matter of life and death,” Dobson recalled, noting that Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., was so outraged by what he was hearing that he blurted out, “You lie!”

By March 2010, the Obama administration had officially approved the first instance of taxpayer-funded abortions under Obamacare – giving Pennsylvania $160 million to set up a new “high-risk” insurance program under a provision of the legislation in preparation for a $5 billion national roll-out.

“The Big Promise of Sept. 9 had already been abandoned,” Dobson lamented.

He also observed that Obama fought language in the legislation that would prohibit federal subsidies for abortion: “This was his plan all along, and pro-life advocates were kept in the dark.”

Earlier this year, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sibelius announced an expansion of Section 1303 of the Obamacare law requiring millions of Americans to pay a minimum surcharge for abortion services. The amount to be remitted will be a minimum of $12 per year, but could be much more.

“When an insurance company provides coverage for abortion, it MUST charge all employees an amount sufficient to cover the costs of abortion services, even by those who are horrified at the thought,” Dobson explained. “No one can opt out of the provision. That is now written into the law.”

Furthermore, the Department of Health and Human Services has announced that businesses and non-profit organizations – including churches and Christian colleges and universities – must provide free contraceptives and abortion pills with health insurance.

“When Catholic and evangelical church leaders objected strenuously to this assault on religious liberty, the president simply announced an ‘accommodation,’ requiring insurance companies to pay for the contraceptives,” Dobson explained. “Of course, they will pass the expense along to their customers, and employees will all be in the abortion business.”

He said President Obama never intended to protect the conscience clause and even canceled President Bush’s executive order guaranteeing doctors, nurses and health professionals would not be forced to act against their beliefs.

“Abortion is an integral part of Obamacare, and babies will die because of it,” Dobson wrote in his column. “Citizens never had an opportunity to be heard on the matter. The abortion component of the health-care bill will go into effect in January 2013. After that date, you could be forced unwittingly to support the killing of babies.”

But Dobson vowed to take a stand against Obama’s “wicked” surcharge, come what may:

I want to be very careful regarding what I am about to write now. It will not be said flippantly or with malice, but it will reflect the passion of my heart.

I believe in the rule of law, and it has been my practice since I was in college to respect and honor those in authority over us. It is my desire to do so now. However, this assault on the sanctity of human life takes me where I cannot go. I WILL NOT pay the surcharge for abortion services. The amount of the surcharge is irrelevant. To pay one cent for the killing of babies is egregious to me, and I will do all I can to correct a government that lies to me about its intentions and then tries to coerce my acquiescence with extortion. It would be a violation of my most deeply held convictions to disobey what I consider to be the principles in Scripture.

The Creator will not hold us guiltless if we turn a deaf ear to the cries of His innocent babies. So come and get me if you must, Mr. President. I will not bow before your wicked regulation.

[siboneyes]

How did Scott Walker win so big and what's next?

By ANDREW MALCOLM

IBD 6/6/2012

AP

"Win" is too small a word for what Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker pulled off Tuesday. So, probably, is victory.

In a referendum on the first half of his first term, the Republican became the first governor in U.S. history to defeat an attempt to oust him from office. The other two recall efforts -- against California's Gray Davis in 2003 and North Dakota's Lynn Frazier in 1921 --were successful.

Exit polls discovered a significant number of Wisconsin voters bothered by the union-led recall bid for something short of improper conduct. While others were impressed by Walker's budget surplus and billion dollar in state savings already. And Walker's national party reputation wasn't hurt either.

With 99% of the votes counted, Walker received 53% (1,326,658) to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's 46% (1,150,233) and 1% for a third candidate.

But those numbers understate Walker's success. He took 60 of the state's 72 counties and beat Barrett by two more points than he did in 2010. Walker's lieutenant governor, Rebecca Kleefisch, also defeated a recall bid.

As might be expected, 94% of Republicans and 93% of Tea Party supporters went for Walker. Barrett took 91% of Democrats and 86% of liberals. Walker, however, captured 54% of the crucial independent vote to Barrett's 45%.

Surprisingly, less than three-of-four union members (71%) voted for Barrett and union household members went for the Democrat by only 62%.

Walker immediately called for a bipartisan picnic confab next week to begin healing the wounds over brats and beer. Democrats concurred.

The long-running heartland political struggle convulsed the nation's former capital of cheese for 16 months, as unions reacted to the joint effort by the budget-balancing Walker and the Republican legislature to curb members' pay and benefits that have state workers better remunerated than the p[people paying their salaries. They still are, though slightly less.

Until recent days the public unions, which poured millions of dollars and hundreds of volunteers into the state, had portrayed the contest as a must-win in order to halt the erosion of unions rights, such as government collection of dues, by other states, 29 of which are run by Republicans. Chances are Walker's success will embolden other state leaders to make similar tough decisions incrementally.

The GOP and related groups too poured in vast resources--millions of dollars and thousands of volunteers. But despite Tuesday's big victory, Wisconsin really is not in play come November. The state hasn't gone Republican since Ronald Reagan and Mitt Romney could better invest more effort in the far more important state of Ohio.

While making support clear, the individual presidential candidates, however, kept their distance for fear of alienating voters for their main event come Nov. 6. In a statement, Romney said, "Gov. Walker has demonstrated over the past year what sound fiscal policies can do to turn an economy around, and I believe that in November voters across the country will demonstrate that they want the same in Washington, D.C."

Sarah Palin chimed in with, "Congratulations to the people of Wisconsin for standing by strong leaders who made tough decisions in dire circumstances that have begun to turn their great state back to prosperity. Leadership is doing what is right, not what is popular."

The Democratic National Committee sent in about $1 million and ex-President Clinton. Pres. Obama's mind is focused on a different priority than trivial union causes like Wisconsin. He himself donated nothing to the recall effort save for a supportive last minute tweet. Gee, thanks, sir, for all 140 of those thumb moves.

Last Friday when Obama found time for six fundraisers in Minnesota and Illinois, he flew directly over Wisconsin but did not stop or even phone down words of support.

It was a careful move. His campaign stops have proven useless for a string of high-profile Democrats since 2009. (Can you say Jon Corzine, Arlen Specter and Martha Coakley?) And with his job approval hovering a few points below 50%, Obama doesn't need any more embarrassments. Not after his unbelievably awful seven days last week, detailed here.

Monday the president flew to New York City for three more fundraisers. Tuesday Michelle Obama made another withdrawal from New York.

Today Obama takes Air Force One back out to his favorite Western ATM, the state of California. He'll do two fundraisers in San Francisco, then two more in LA. Thursday, it's on to Las Vegas, of course, a city he so famously said taxpayer money should never be spent in.

Watch for many major media this morning to report optimistically for Obama on Wisconsin exit poll results showing a 54% to 42% lead for the Democrat over Romney at this moment, 154 days before the real polling.

These are the same respondents who lied to exit pollers Tuesday about supporting Barrett, making the race seem too close to call for hours. As a result, cautious networks delayed projecting Walker the winner until his growing lead in the actual statewide count could no longer be ignored.