Chart of the Week: How Many Edu-crats Does Your State Have?

Federal laws and regulations such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) levy a mighty bureaucratic compliance burden on state departments of education.

A recent report conducted by The Heritage Foundation finds that state departments of education on average have 142 employees per million state residents.

To manage the decades of federal growth and the corresponding paperwork burden placed on states, state departments of education have staff to manage the hundreds of hoops and federal regulations requiring them to demonstrate compliance with federal programs and mandates.

Via: The Foundry

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The Editor's Blog: Scolds Attack Local Business for Treating Employees Fairly

Earlier this week I noted that a bunch of busybodies with too much time on their hands decided to wage a social media campaign against a local drinking establishment that had dared to point out that a massive increase in the minimum wage for tipped employees would hurt their business, hurt their workers, and hurt their customers. But the scolding scolds were not deterred from their scolding. Indeed, they’ve now penned an open letter to demonstrate just how much they love the restaurant and care about the plight of the working man.

Their letter kicks off by noting their bona fides:

First off, we want to thank you for being an anchor to the Bloomingdale community. Quite simply, we love what you guys are doing. As residents of Bloomingdale, Truxton Circle, Shaw, Logan Circle and other nearby neighborhoods, we have enjoyed being regular patrons of your establishment. We’ve never had a poor experience. Your food has always been tasty, your staff always friendly, your drinks always stiff. We have no reason to doubt your assertion that you pay your staff well, and yours is an example for other establishments to emulate.

Hm, they seem like big fans. Odd that they’d go after a business for pointing out that a new regulation would be hugely detrimental. Perhaps they have some sort of problem with the way Boundary Stone treats its staff?

We understand your employees are well taken care of.

Oh, guess not. Then what’s their beef?

Unfortunately, that isn’t the case at all establishments.

So … they are excoriating a business they love because other businesses are shady? That makes a ton of sense, boyos.

Via: WFB

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Gov. Jerry Brown's not saying whether he'll seek fourth term

Gov. Jerry Brown at a January news conference; though he stays out of the spotlight, his aggressive fundraising indicates he'll seek reelection in 2014. (Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times / January 8, 2013

SACRAMENTO — He has millions of dollars in his campaign account, solid approval ratings and a small number of potential challengers who are virtually unknown, but Gov. Jerry Brown still won't say whether he'll run for reelection next year.

As recently as Tuesday, the governor deflected the question at a public event. "I am aware that in November of next year there will be an election," he said, "and I will make some decisions regarding that."

Two days later, he joined deep-pocketed Hollywood luminaries in a campaign fundraiser at the Bel-Air home of Disney studio chief Alan Horn.

Although Brown stays mostly out of the spotlight, his aggressive fundraising — and his preference for biding his time — put the safe money on a run for an unprecedented fourth term as governor, a race he would enter as a strong front-runner. And experts say that despite an already respectable war chest, it behooves him to wait.

Brown had more than $13 million in campaign accounts as of July 1, according to reports on file with the state. Since then, he has raised more than $4.2 million from more than 120 donors, not including money he collected in Bel-Air, where more than 100 people gathered under a backyard tent for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

Expenditures since July 1 have not yet been reported, so it is unclear how much Brown has on hand now. But the notoriously tight-fisted governor spent relatively little in the first half of the year.

Unlike most statewide officeholders, Brown does not keep political consultants on his campaign payroll. He spent $31,526 from January to the end of June.

By comparison, Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, who is also expected to run for reelection next year with minimal opposition, spent more than $458,000 in that period. Polling, consultant fees and campaign workers soaked up $250,000 of that sum.

Via: LA Times

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Urban decay to be replaced with farmland in Detroit

Bankrupt and hemorrhaging population, the city of Detroit is banking on greener pastures to lead its rebirth.

A private company is snapping up 150 acres on the Motor City's East End -- property where more than 1,000 homes once formed a gritty neighborhood -- and turning it into what is being billed as the world's largest urban farm. Hantz Woodlands plans to start by planting trees, but hopes to raise crops and even livestock in the future, right in the midst of the once-proud city.

“We are interested with moving into different types of agriculture,” Mike Score, president of Hantz, told FoxNews.com.

“Your eyes would have a hard time absorbing the blight.”

- Mike Score, Hantz Woodlands

Hantz needed approval from Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to buy up the 1,500 parcels for approximately $450,000, or $300 per parcel. Many of the parcels held dilapidated and abandoned homes and buildings and were condemned by the city. Others were rubble-strewn or weed-choked lots. The company intends to spend $3 million to clean out the areas.

“Your eyes would have a hard time absorbing the blight,” Score said. “A third of every neighborhood in Detroit has been devalued by blight on public property.

Via: Fox News

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Stocks enter holiday season with a tailwind

As stocks sail into the holiday season at record highs, strategists are looking past any Santa rally to the volatility that could come with the new year.

In the week ahead, the focus will be very much on economic data, crammed into Tuesday and Wednesday, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. There are durable goods, jobless claims, home prices, income and spending, and consumer confidence readings—all of which will be followed carefully for what they might say about the economic outlook and how the Fed will react to it.

"I'd go with the idea inertia may help keep the bulls floating here," said Art Cashin, director of floor operations at UBS. "[The week] should be slow. It has a historical bias to the upside, and Friday's a half day and Thursday's a holiday. It's the ultimate family holiday so a lot of people will stretch it into Wednesday."

Via: CNBC

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The Presidential Degradation of the Medal of Freedom

At the 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony held in the East Room of the White House, 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama chose to honor more than just a few 'winners.' The colorful collection was a cacophony of politically correct Democrat darlings, with a journalist, a RINO, two deceased homosexuals, a few Latinos, and an occasional black sports figure thrown in for good measure.

In addition to the eclectic array of 13 relatively benign forgers of freedom, three controversial awards also went to a race-baiting billionaire, a misogynist former president, and an abortion-supporting, man-hating women's rights activist. 

It was three centuries ago that English Bible commentator and Presbyterian minister Matthew Henry wrote that "The wickedness of a people is great indeed when noted sinners are men renowned among them." Henry's words sum up why Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and Gloria Steinem ended up being commended by the president.

Via: American Thinker

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Iran nuclear deal fuels anger, jitters in Mideast

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's prime minister harshly condemned the international community's nuclear deal with Iran on Sunday while Western allies in the Persian Gulf were conspicuously quiet, reflecting the jitters felt throughout the Middle East over Iran's acceptance on the global stage.

Elsewhere, many welcomed the agreement as an important first step toward curbing Iran's suspect nuclear program.

Israel and Gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia have formed an unlikely alliance in their opposition to Sunday's deal, joined together by shared concerns about a nuclear-armed Iran.

While most Gulf countries remained silent in the first hours after the deal was reached in Geneva, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasted little time in criticizing it, calling it a "historic mistake" and saying he was not bound by the agreement.

Speaking to his Cabinet, Netanyahu said the world had become a "more dangerous place" as a result of the deal. He reiterated a long-standing threat to use military action against Iran if needed, declaring that Israel "has the right and the duty to defend itself by itself."

Via: Town Hall

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Senators, Must Be Impeached NOW Before Obama is Crowned Emperor with Supreme Power and Dictatorship

On Thursday, November 21, 2013 the United States Senate, led by the most controversial anti-American in Congress, Senator Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, cast aside the rule of laws of more than 200 years since the Senate was initially formed as stated by a Democratic pollster, Patrick Caddell on FoxNews.com.

Ironically, Caddell has done pollster work for President Jimmy Carter, wannabee presidents Gary Hart and Joe Biden,  as well as others of his Party. And also ironically, the votes on the removal of basic protections for issues’ deliberations as opposed to outright absence of democracy principles, contained three otherDemocrat senators who voted for the country’s people and not their party leaders, (Levin, MI; Manchin, WV; Prior, AR).

Republican Senators voted unanimously in favor of retaining the checks and balances of of judicial appointments that has been the rule since the Senate became the third element of the federal government along with the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch. 

The power grabbing tactics of Harry Reid in directing a vote to dismiss vote cloture which required a 60 percent favorable vote to stop debate, the main principle for which the Senate was created, are purely not in the general good interests of the people as a whole.

Via: Canada Free Press

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David, Goliath and Colorado's Next Gun-Rights Recall

COLORADO SPRINGS — Author Malcolm Gladwell has a new bestseller that turns conventional wisdom about the Biblical David vs. Goliath battle on its head: "David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants." In short, it's Goliath who really had the odds stacked against him from the get-go. The overconfident giant with poor eyesight, weighted down with heavy armor and multiple swords, never had a chance against lean, nimble, sharp-shooting expert David.

The new Colorado gun-rights recall campaign against arrogant state Sen. Evie Hudak and myopic Democrats may well be a perfect update to Gladwell's book.

Refresher: In September, grassroots Second Amendment activists ousted two top Democratic state senators for their promotion of radical, job-destroying gun-control measures backed by New York and D.C. special interests. Vice President Joe Biden himself personally lobbied state Democrats to adopt the new gun-rights restrictions. Billionaire gun-grabber Michael Bloomberg dumped gobs of cash and lobbying expertise into the state.

But bigger coffers and bully pulpits weren't enough. National pundits called the historic recalls of Democratic state Senate President John Morse of Colorado Springs and state Sen. Angela Giron of Pueblo "stunning," a "surprise" and a "shocker." Indeed, there was no such precedent in Colorado history. The gun-rights activists were outspent by at least a 7-to-1 margin. Giron's district went for Obama by 20 points; yet she lost by 12.

Via: CNS News

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EXCLUSIVE - ICE AGENTS TO ZUCKERBERG: 'SUSPEND' IMMIGRATION LOBBYING, MEET WITH US

While billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to appear on ABC News's "This Week" on Sunday morning, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) National Council president Chris Crane is calling on Zuckerberg to suspend his amnesty lobbying efforts until he meets with law enforcement.

Crane, who represents about 7,000 ICE agents and support staff, made the call in a statement provided to Breitbart News exclusively. Crane referred to a letter he sent to CEOs pushing for amnesty, including Zuckerberg, in which he requested meetings with each of them to discuss the facts about immigration reform. Crane believes that Zuckerberg and those other CEOs are unaware of the effects pushing a bill like the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” immigration bill–or something like it from House GOP leadership–would have on the country’s safety.

Crane said in the statement, provided to Breitbart News on Saturday evening:

Earlier this month, we sent a letter to the major CEOs pushing a comprehensive immigration plan asking that they meet with ICE officers. One of those on the letter was Mark Zuckerberg, who has invested considerable time and money to get proposed legislation like the Gang of Eight bill signed into law. Mr. Zuckerberg ignored the letter and meeting request from ICE law enforcement and instead met with illegal immigrants. We therefore renew our request to meet with Mr. Zuckerberg and share firsthand the knowledge and experience of ICE officers and agents who witness every day the negative impact to public safety that occurs because ICE officers are prohibited from enforcing the nation’s immigration laws. The first question I would ask Mr. Zuckerberg would be: why did you support a bill, S. 744, which legalizes aliens with extensive criminal records, including sex offenders, gang members and other violent and dangerous criminal aliens? Until Mr. Zuckerberg meets with officers and learns the truth about our immigration system, I would respectfully suggest he suspend his lobbying activities.

It is unclear if ABC News's "This Week" anchors will ask Zuckerberg about his failure to respond to the law enforcement officials’ requests for a meeting. According to ABC News's website, the interview will be about his organization, FWD.us, and "his new push for immigration reform."

Via: Breitbart

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Racist, Warns Portland School Official

HAVE WE GONE BEYOND STUPID????

Did you know that eating or even talking about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich could be considered racist?

That’s right.

Apparently, it’s because people in some cultures don’t eat sandwich bread. Verenice Gutierrez, principal of Harvey Scott K-8 School in Portland explained in and interview with the Portland Tribune:

    “Take the peanut butter sandwich, a seemingly innocent example a teacher used in a lesson last school year,” the Tribune said.

UPDATE: The Portland Public Schools released a statement regarding the story written by Nathan Harden

Your story concerning Portland Public Schools, ”Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich is Racist, Says Portland School Official,”  is absurd and is a simplistic, offensive and false depiction of the words and actions of our principal and the practices of our school district.  Portland Public Schools has never said at any time that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are racist. 

Writer Nathan Harden, did not at any time reach out us to verify the facts of the Portland Tribune story on which his piece is based.  Had he done any research, he would have discovered that other news reports show our schools in no way describe the peanut butter and jelly sandwich as racist.  Please click on this link to find what the reporter failed to uncover before posting:http://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2012/sep/18/education-action-group/portland-schools-spending-half-million-dollars-dec/.

Portland Public Schools, like all public schools across our country, are charged with educating all students to become successful and contributing members of our community. We all benefit when our public schools do this well. The point of Courageous Conversations About Race, our district-wide professional development, is to encourage educators to make lessons relevant and engaging to the students in the room, giving them the best opportunity to learn and to learn from each other. Our principal at Scott School, Verenice Gutierrez, was simply giving the Tribune reporter an example of how one might draw out students from other cultures about familiar foods. At no time did Principal Gutierrez say or imply that a peanut butter sandwich is racist.

Via: Fox News

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Here come more Obamacare lawsuits

The Obamacare rollout has been a debacle, with delays in the implementation of mandates, technical glitches in the exchanges, cancelled individual policies and more.

It's about to get worse. The federal judiciary is currently hearing four cases challenging decisions made by the Internal Revenue Service that could soon deliver more major blows to the Affordable Care Act.

One such decision extended subsidies provided by Obamacare for lower-income individuals and families (those making up to four times the povery level) to people in the 36 states served by the federally-operated exchange, HealthCare.gov.

But the law spells out clearly that such federal subsidies will be granted "through an exchange established by the state" - not that they can be granted by the federal government.

Fair enough. But why would anyone sue to prevent the federal government from giving them money?

Surprisingly, some folks will actually face higher healthcare expenses if they take the federal government's cash.

The first lawsuit - Halbig vs. Sebelius - shows how. One of the plaintiffs, David Klemencic, a West Virginia man who does flooring work, argues that under the Affordable Care Act, he is exempt from the individual mandate because of his low income.

But if the federally operated exchange is authorized to hand out subsidies in his state, he'll no longer be eligible for the exemption. He'll either have to buy an insurance plan on the exchange or pay the fine for refusing to comply with the mandate.

Via: Daily News
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Real stories: The pain of Obamacare

Fewer than 27,000 Americans have selected an insurance plan from the Obamacare website Healthcare.gov. But millions of Americans have lost their insurance plans thanks to Obamacare — and millions more are reeling from higher premiums, lost jobs, and lower wages.

The RNC created GOP.com/TellUs for these Americans to share their Obamacare stories. Day after day, the responses keep coming in.

Here’s more of what Americans are saying about Obamacare. This is the real impact of the law.

Sandy E. from Florida says, “I’m a single woman, a few years too young for Medicare, who’s bought my own health insurance for the majority of my life because my employers never offered this benefit. I lost my last full time job in late 2008. The only job I’ve been able to find is part time … [I'm] now working around 25 hours a week for 25 percent of what I earned in 2008. Three weeks ago I received a letter from AvMed stating they were terminating my policy due to the Affordable Care Act. My coverage ends December 31, 2013. Independent polices are quoting me prices starting at $830.00 per month. How can I afford this?”

Joe D. of Pennsylvania writes, “I am a small business owner … . Our Management Team spend[s] a lot of time every year trying to keep our employees’ cost of healthcare down by aggressive negotiation and creative plan design/redesign every year. Like most companies, we pass on roughly 25 percent of the plan['s] cost to our employees. During our current renewal process, our insurer (Capital Blue Cross) has informed us that our plan no longer ‘complies’ with the ACA. They cited limits on mental health coverage and chiropractor visits among the shortcomings. As such, they were canceling the plan we had purchased for the past 3 years and offered a new plan that was compliant and close to what we had, but the new premium was 48 percent higher! We of course can’t absorb nor can our employees absorb anything near that kind of increase.”

Jeffrey S. from Pennsylvania says, “Approximately 6 years ago I switched from a conventional medical insurance plan to a High Deductible Plan paired with a Health Savings Account. That move lowered my total health care cost by around 45 percent annually. I loved the plan, the tax incentives, and the fact that I could now pay for items like dental crowns, glasses and contacts using my HSA — things I had no coverage for under my previous plan. Last year, due entirely to Obamacare mandated changes to my policy, my premiums jumped 39 percent. I am now paying for things I will never use such as maternity care and dental care for my children through age 18. I am single and have no children. I just received another letter from my carrier telling me that my premiums are going to increase again and that my policy can no longer be written after December 2014. I am furious with this administration and its lies.”

Via: GOP.com

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