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Gates visits US forces in southern Afghanistan

As the last of 30,000 U.S. reinforcements arrive in Afghanistan, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday got a firsthand look at operations in the dangerous south where Afghan and international troops are ramping up security.

Bunning predicts Paul win in Ky.

Retiring Senator Jim Bunning calls the intensity on the Republican side of the election "unbelievable."

Megabanks Will Shrink, Bernanke Tells Financial Crisis Commission, Yet Doubts Over Too Big To Fail Remain

In one of his most definitive statements on the subject to date, the nation's central banker said Thursday that he expects some of the nation's megabanks to start getting smaller.

"The most important lesson of this crisis is we have to end Too Big To Fail," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. "My projection is that, even without direct intervention by the government, that over time we're going to see some breakups and some reduction in size and complexity of some of these firms as they respond to the incentives created by market pressures, and regulatory pressures as well."

Throughout the legislative slog toward financial reform, Bernanke -- like the Obama administration -- resisted congressional efforts to break up the handful of too-big-to-fail firms that dominate the financial system. In May, however, a third of the Senate voted to effectively bust up the biggest of those giant financial institutions.

Steven G. Brant: Did BP Just Blow up the Obama Presidency?

BP is attempting to leverage its promised $20 billion Gulf Restoration Fund to get the US government to let it keep drilling in the Gulf. This $20 billion is a penalty. BP does not deserve to be compensated for paying its debt to society.
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Georgianne Nienaber: New Photos and Flyover of Mariner Platform

David Wild: "The Immigrant Song": A Playlist For Arizona Governor Jan Brewer

My family and I vacationed in Arizona a few years back. We had a great time hanging around a beautiful resort in Scottsdale, hiking in some gorgeous mountains, attending a Phoenix Suns game, and even dining at my own spiritual home, Alice Cooperstown.

For the time being, however, we have absolutely no plans to go back to Arizona. Now after seeing some of Governor Jan Brewer's mind-blowing meltdown performance during her debate with Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, I'm now frankly a little frightened for the good people of Arizona -- and yes, there are lots of them there too.
Here's a playlist for a woman who lost her head, and a state that seems bent on doing the same.

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Four Year-Old Maddy Cerra Raises Awareness About Endangered Orangutans

When Maddy Cerra caught sight of an endangered species photo at school, she insisted that orangutans like the one in the picture needed her help.

The Diamond Valley Leader's Raelene Morey reports the Maddy, a four-year-old Australian native, is the region's youngest crusader for animal rights. Her mother, Danielle Cerra, says she explained the process of palm oil production and the resulting deforestation to her daughter. The burgeoning activist began to understand that this deforestation meant the destruction of orangutan habitats.

Maddy now carries laminated photos of orangutans with her everywhere, spreading the word about the problems created by the unregulated harvesting palm oil. In doing so, the miniature advocate joins the larger movement headed by groups like the Australian Orangutan Project, a nonprofit organization that supports habitat conservation efforts.

New Poll Has Van Tran In Dead Heat With Loretta Sanchez

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It might be time for the Washington prognosticators to move CD47 from "leans Democratic" to "toss up."

A new poll of 400 likely voters in CD47 by the American Action Forum has Assemblyman Van Tran with 43% to 45% for Rep.Loretta Sanchez -- well within the 4.9% margin of error.

It remains close even when you factor out the "leaners": Sanchez 42%, Van 40%.

There isn't a lot of good news for Sanchez in this poll.

For example, in response to the question, "Do you think Loretta Sanchez deserves reelection as congresswoman, or do you think it is time to give someone else a chance?", only 35% said Loretta deserves another term, while 57% think it is time for someone else.

62% of CD47 voters think the country is on the wrong track.

Sanchez' favorable/unfavorable stands at 46%/44% compared to Van's 26%/18% (although it should be noted Van is less well known in the district).

Sanchez's votes for the Obama agenda haven't endeared her to CD47 voters, according to a series of questions as to whether her votes for various elements of Obama's program make them more or less likely to vote for her.

Bailouts for the auto companies and housing industry: 63% much or somewhat less likely. Her pro-card check stance gets a 58% less likely rating, and her Ethics Committee investigation earns a 56% less likely.

Obviously, this poll doesn't mean Van Tran has it in the bag -- although I believe he is going to win. But it is vindication for those of us who have been saying that 2010 is going to be the toughest re-election fight of Sanchez' career because she is facing the first serious opponent she has had in more than ten years in the most anti-Democratic climate she's ever had to run in.

And just a reminder: the grand opening of Van Tran's Garden Grove headquarters is this Monday at 11:00 a.m.

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Gates visits US forces in southern Afghanistan (AP)

AP - As the last of 30,000 U.S. reinforcements arrive in Afghanistan, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday got a firsthand look at operations in the dangerous south where Afghan and international troops are ramping up security.

Rick Scott Wins Primary, Now What?

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The Florida governors GOP primary still has heads buzzing. Good patriots were torn between candidates and, for some, regrettable actions that hurt other patriots occurred.

From a personal perspective, I know how it is to feel passionate about issues and candidates. There are times when the “Fog of War” confuses us and we make poor decisions. We may say or do things to fellow patriots if we could redo them. Families and friends can be torn apart.

An example would be when I interrupted Rick Scott’s press conference (See Video Here) because I felt Rick Scott was using a tea party issue to falsely attack Bill McCollum. Looking back, I would have handled stuff different. Unfortunately, I had very little sleep the night before and reacted to an attack on Bill McCollum as attack on the tea party itself.

Please remember it was AG McCollum who was the first to fight against Obamacare and for Arizona’s State Rights. Bill McCollum has lived the life of a Patriot, from his service in the Navy, helping Ronald Reagan and the Contract With America to present day fights for freedom. Thus I took it very personal when Rick Scott attacked the Bill McCollum that Patriots ever questioned his integrity.

The primary comes and there are winners and losers. Chances are you have voted for candidates losing and winning candidates. What do you do next in a heated primary?

If you supported a candidate that won, it is best to be modest and even avoid the topic with friends and family who supported the candidate. Give them time to deal with their candidate's loss. No candidate is worth destroying relationships for. In addition, if you truly support your candidate, then you need to get him votes. Posting your candidate's victory speech on your best friend's Facebook page who like the other candidate may cost you a friend and a vote. Time is on your side.

Good winners in primaries are often win in the general. The reason is those candidates that are positive have one less barrier to overcome. It is important to remember that more and more people are not loyal to their party. Thus candidates need to win the votes of their opponent in the primary. Take one look at Obama and Clinton. Obama put Hillary on his staff!

If your beloved candidate lost, it is seldom the end of the world and not all is lost. Feel free to spend a couple of days throwing darts at pictures of the winners face or posting crazy comments under fake names such as "MadCowMaddow." You may also want to just "unplug" for a couple of days. In any case, time will be your friend. Avoid any thing that would cause you to say or do regrettable actions.

Afterwards, sit down and look at the existing candidates. Here comes the tough part. Putting aside all your emotional baggage, which candidate will most likely advance your issues? You may hate the way a candidate talks, dresses or looks. However, we, as conservatives, must remain focused on advancing issues not personalities. What our mission is to take back America. Candidates are only a tool. If we are to win the war, then we must learn to adapt to situations and move forward.

I have reached out to Rick Scott and congratulated him on winning the primary. Rick Scott is like me in that he is also new to politics. I am sure that he would have also done things different. He is known as a fighter and promised to keep Floridians free from Obamacare. I have also been told that Scott is taking a personal interest in getting conservatives elected. We can use all the help we can get.

Giving up, feeling apathetic, or holding on to personal feelings of hurt and disappointment, will cross everyone’s mind. However, this is the time more than ever that we must remain faithful “Semper Fidelis” to completing our mission.

Our mission is to take our country back. We need everyone’s help if we are going to do. You may have to work with people that you don’t like or that may dislike you. Our mission is not personal. When we take back our country, Nancy Pelosi’s grandkids will enjoy the same freedom as Dick Armey’s grandkids. This is America!

I humbly ask God for the strength and knowledge to continue the fight and complete our mission.

Everett Wilkinson

This is one of my favorite videos -

Ronald Reagan A Time For Choosing

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Texas lawmaker admits mistake in scholarship scandal

A veteran House representative from Texas said she made a mistake when she awarded charitable scholarships to her family members instead of students in her district.

The True Conservative Witch Hunt

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Hi folks, I got this article from Jess Honcoop. I found it an excellent article and wanted to run it as a guest post.

One sentence that struck me, both as true and as a great turn of words, is this: The problem with constantly sorting out who is “us” and who is “them” is that eventually there is only you.

Enjoy the article:

The True Conservative Witch Hunt by Jess Honcoop

There is an inquisition going on among conservatives these days. The rise of Barack Obama to the presidency, skyrocketing debt, and an ever more tyrannical government gave new life to the conservative cause, giving rise to the Tea Parties and energizing grassroots conservatives. This is all well and good. But are we going too far?

The tone of the conservative movement has become increasingly shrill and divisive, something I saw first-hand in my involvement in this year’s US Senate race in Washington. Although I, too, have become frustrated and disillusioned with the lack of principles and leadership in the Republican Party, I have been repeatedly surprised by the anger and animosity, even, directed by conservatives against conservatives.

I was deeply involved with the Akers campaign for US Senate, but even I was surprised at the frustration people felt toward that mainstay of Washington Republican politics, Dino Rossi. When did this happen? When did Dino Rossi, the Ronald Reagan of Washington, become Dino the RINO? Dino Rossi hasn’t changed. Dino Rossi hasn’t even done anything blatantly un-conservative.

Much of the anger toward Dino Rossi can be explained by the frustration of people already emotionally committed to another candidate’s cause. It is difficult to be working hard on a cause you believe in and then be easily dominated by another candidate’s cause. It hurts, but you can adjust and accept reality or you can retreat further into your emotional commitment and claim unfairness.

Every post-primary season usually brings some of both approaches, but the latter has been especially vigorous this year. Those committed to the Didier cause, beginning with Clint himself (or his consultants?), decided that the results were somehow unfair and not right and must be rejected. This is a disappointing backtrack from a man I considered committed to his word when he said repeatedly he will support whoever runs against Patty Murray in November.

In order to move beyond this impasse among conservatives, we have to understand the reasoning behind all this fear and division. On the surface, there are the minor issues of who was in the race first, who cares more, who speaks with more passion. But below that is the deeper theme that is driving the division among conservatives: fear created by loss of trust.

Our leaders failed us and we were scattered in the battering of 2008. Those who we stood by as conservatives and Republicans proved false or weak. And now we’re scared and angry.

That is fine. We should be hurt by those who betrayed us, we should be scared of what the tyrants might do to us, and we should be angry about it all. But how do we move forward?

One way that many conservatives have taken to deal with the betrayal is inquisition. Because some broke their trust, all must now prove themselves. Each leader, candidate, or public voice must be sifted for differences with “true conservatism.” Each must answer every question asked in any form and answer it in just the right way and with the right statements. Otherwise, they are a RINO, a “big government Republican,” a liberal, and one of “them.”

The problem with constantly sorting out who is “us” and who is “them” is that eventually there is only you. Once you parse down each person’s views enough, you will find that everyone has different views and there is no one “true conservative” doctrine. Listen to the platform proceedings at any county or state party convention and you will see that immediately. The whole point of politics is that everyone has different views on how power should be used. We are redeemed from this “state of nature” by entering into civil society, which is governed by trust.

Right now we are witnessing the atomization of conservatism, not only in Washington state, but across the country. New groups spring up every day, “true conservatives” seeking to promote “true conservatism.” The energy is amazing – but it is scattered. We are William Tell using a shotgun to shoot the apple off the son’s head. It is time to restore trust.

The beauty of conservatism, republicanism, and the free market is that it allows civil society to flourish on its own. It supports the foundation of limited, but resolute laws to maintain the trust that is the bond of civil society. Once that trust is broken, we are thrown back into a state of war. The only way to restore that trust is to trust again. Trust can only be restored with trust. Conservatives are in a state of war. It’s time to return to civil society again.

Restoring civil trust will begin by trusting people to do what is right. Our Founding Fathers trusted that people would be able to govern themselves -- and it worked. Our problem nationally is that our current leaders don’t have the same trust in people. And now, conservatives are losing trust in people as well.

The frustration among conservatives is not just against the political leaders, but also against an entire culture that they cannot control. They have seen the power and evil that resides in American culture, but they have forgotten that people and their daily work make up this culture. Yes, political and cultural leaders are gaining more power, but we don’t stop them by becoming one of them. We’ve adopted the class warfare mentality the Marxists use to justify their grabs at power and now we are bending it to our own cause.

We can rail against this culture that threatens us, this government that encroaches, this media that distorts us, this education that corrupts us – OR we can get to work creating a new and better culture. It’s time to beat our swords into plowshares and build a better future. So, our institutions failed us? We’ll build better ones.

This notion that disaster must drive us into “us versus them” bickering is dangerous, not just to political success in November, but also to the future of freedom in the world. We empower the power-hungry politicians by dividing against ourselves and by putting responsibility for all our problems on them. Are you upset about the direction of this country? Then let’s make it better from the bottom up.

We don’t need to wait for political change. Cultural change is as near as your son or daughter, your local school, or your own voice. Let’s end the inquisition. Let’s trust each other again. Let us be dedicated to the “unfinished work” of which Lincoln spoke and let us resolve that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.” America needs leaders now – not fighters.

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As employers struggle with rising healthcare costs and a sour economy, U.S. workers for the first time in at least a decade are being asked to shoulder the entire increase in the cost of health benefits on their own.

The average worker with a family plan was hit with 14% premium increase this year, pushing the bill to nearly $4,000 a year, according to a survey by the nonprofit Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust.

That is the largest annual increase since the survey began in 1999 and a marked change from previous years, when employers generally split the rise in the cost of premiums with their employees.

Wyatt Closs: 2010 Workers' Voice Awards: Worker Worthy Pop Culture Standouts

Wanna honor Labor Day but not work at it? Check out any of these pop culture expressions from the last year. Just in time for your nod to Labor Day, lets give props to those who have amplified workers' voices in one form or another this year.

THE LIST (* indicates best in category)

Television (Reality)

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