Month: November 2014

Categories
Quick Analysis

Divided Government

The United States has a divided government, split not only along party lines but across ideological ones as well. With so many crucial challenges facing the nation, is there any basis for the two sides to reasonably discuss means of reaching solutions?

Perhaps—but it will take a substantial level of will power, and a willingness to put honest representation and  the basic principles upon which America was founded above the petty politics and pandering all too prevalent currently. Here’s what must be done:

Elected officials should remember to put America first.  Yes, so much of the world’s economy, climate, and security are interconnected. But far too often, U.S. office holders act as though whatever is bad for the U.S. is good for the rest of the globe. Nonsense. The health of the planetary economy is largely dependent on the financial success and stability of the United States. That means that tax rates and regulations that hurt American businesses have negative international repercussions. Allowing Washington to act as though it was the welfare agency for the entire Earth will bankrupt the nation and detrimentally affect the entire world. Permitting unchecked, unlimited immigration will sink federal, state and local government budgets and limit job prospects for American workers.

It’s time to deal with reality. It may be comforting to pretend that threats don’t exist, but they do.  Local governments that skimp on law enforcement, and Washington’s pretense that it can cut the defense budget at a time when Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Islamic extremists have become increasingly aggressive and well-armed is suicidal.  Using funds culled from defense and law enforcement to increase entitlements as a thinly disguised bribe to win votes at the expense of local safety and national security is a growing but disgraceful practice throughout the nation.

Facts and reality, not emotion, should be used to make important decisions. In areas such as the environment, emotions and propaganda take the place of real scientific discourse. Far too often, elected officials and candidates seem incapable of looking past these clichés, catch phrases, and emotional appeals.
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Our elected officials—and the voters—must put country before party or race.  Far too often, inadequate candidates win elections based on their party or ethnic identification, not their abilities.  This is particularly true in areas where one party dominates substantially.  Far too often, candidates lacking the intelligence, character, or ability to adequately fulfill the duties of their office win campaigns simply because they belong to the party or race in the majority in a particular area.

America’s basic governing document—the Constitution— must be given the respect and authority it previously had.  Serious attempts to abridge or ignore key provisions, especially the First, Second, Fourth, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments, as well as the separation of powers have taken center stage over the past several years.  That’s a dangerous precedent, threatening the very foundation of the nation.

It is time it was remembered that sovereignty rests with the American people, not the government, and especially not the bureaucracy. There has been a rapid increase in power provided to agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and The Federal Election Commission. There have also been attempts to increase the power of others such as the Federal Communications Commission. These moves are antithetical to the principals America was founded on. They are unlawful and should be rapidly reversed.

Washington’s dramatic increase in power, based largely upon deficit spending, has not produced increased prosperity, safety, or freedom. Dealing with that reality should be a bipartisan effort.

Categories
Quick Analysis

U.S. nuclear deterrent problems

The recent revelations that there are substntial probems in the U.S. nuclear deterrent should not come as a surprise to anyone.

All of this attention to the basic line of U.S. defense is appropriate, even if it is so long overdue.  But what of the other aspects of the devastation caused to America’s national security after years of neglect and extraordinarily poor strategic decisions? Consider these astounding facts:

  • in the early part of this year, President Obama withdrew all American tanks from Europe, for no discernable reason.
  • Starting in January and for at least a quarter year thereafter, there will be no U.S. aircraft carrier on station in the eastern Pacific for the first time since World War II, at a time when tensions have mounted to a boiling point in that area.
  • As Russia, China, North Korea and Iran accelerate their nuclear programs, the White House continues to oppose even a marginally adequate anti-ballistic missile defense system.
  • Despite the growing threat from an EMP attack that could destroy the electronics in all American power plants, resevoirs, transportation assets (including planes, trains, trucks, and cars) and the relatively inexpensive cost to provide such protection, little has been done to address the looming crisis. The problem could also arise from natural causes, such as solar activity.  It happened in the 1850’s, destroying the few electronic devices existing at that time.
  • American facilities to manufacture weapons remains at an inadequate level.  There is, for example, just one plant in the entre USA that can build tanks, and President Obama has sought to close it.
  • If scheduled sequestration cuts to the military remain, the U.S. Army will be smaller than North Korea’s by the end of next year.
  • At a time when China’s espionage has become rampant, President Obama has agreed to steps that ould make it even easier for Beijing’s spies to remain in the U.S.
  • The U.S. Navy is at its smallest level since World War I, despite the fact that Russia and China have both dramatically increased the size and capabilities of their fleets.  Similarly drastic reductions have occurred in the other services, as well.

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In the wake of growing concern over the increasing obsolescence of America’s nuclear arsenal at a time when Russia and China are rapidly and substantially modernizing theirs, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel  announced a series of measures “to increase investment in America’s nuclear deterrent after reviews found evidence of systemic problems in the enterprise.”

The changes follow internal and external reviews after a series of Associated Press stories disclosed significant problems.

According to Hagel,  underfunding and a focus on two wars allowed the status of the nuclear deterrent to degrade. He noted that “The internal and external reviews I ordered show that a consistent lack of investment and support for our nuclear forces over far too many years has left us with too little margin to cope with mounting stresses…The root cause has been a lack of sustained focus, attention and resources, resulting in a pervasive sense that a career in the nuclear enterprise offers too few opportunities for growth and advancement.” The reviews found inadequate communication, follow-up and accountability.

To address the problem, the commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command will now be elevated to a four-sta general, and funding will be increased.The Air Force established a force improvement program for Global Strike Command and reallocated over $160 million in fiscal 2014 and $150 million in fiscal 2015. These will address some of the most urgent shortfalls.

The Navy will be hiring over 2,500 workers to overhaul aging infrastructure. The USAF is planning construction to improve weapons storage facilities, will replace its Vietnam-era helicopters for ballistic missile security forces and is revamping training, evaluations and management of the nuclear force.

“Both services are elevating and reinforcing the nuclear mission, including in the budget request they’re preparing for fiscal year 2016,” Hagel said. “We will need to make billions of dollars of additional investments in the nuclear enterprise over the next five years.” The secretary said the services are looking at a 10 percent increase in funding over five years. Today, the U.S. spends about $15 billion to $16 billion on the nuclear deterrent.

Only the U.S., among all the nuclear powers, has allowed its strategic deterrent to deteriorate. America’s national security is in a desperately poor condition, on land, sea, air and space. The time to address this crisis is short and grower shorter by the hour.

 

Categories
Quick Analysis

U.S. economy not adequately recovering

There are a number of key indicators revealing that the U.S. economy continues to languish, and will continue to do so in the new year, despite attempts to portray it as improving.

1.Employment remains in a crisis state.

The Century Fund  outlines three reasons why the job market is actually worse than federal statistics indicate:

“The ratio of workers to non-workers is nearing an all-time low. Part of the drop in headline unemployment numbers is explained by the fact that many have just given up on looking for work entirely…

“The share of long-term unemployed is up. People who are out of work for more than twenty-six weeks can sometimes end up permanently unemployable…

“Many who are working are underemployed. The unemployment rate is silent on those who have part-time jobs but would prefer full-time jobs…

According to Economic Outlook 2015,  “Wages remain stagnant. Even those who do have jobs are facing flat or even declining wages.” “For those who have jobs, they’re making less than they did before the Great Recession. Wages for workers at every pay level, save for the bottom 10%, declined from the second half of 2013 through to the second half of 2014. And there’s no indication wages will increase….For 70% of the workforce, inflation-adjusted hourly wages are still lower than they were in 2007. Over the same period, inflation (CPI) has risen 15%.”
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  1. The U.S. Balance of Trade remains weak.

America’s balance of trade picture is far from favorable. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the latest export numbers show that September exports of $195.6 billion and imports of $238.6 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $43.0 billion, up from $40.0 billion in August. September exports were $3.0 billion less than August exports of $198.6 billion. September imports were $0.1 billion more than August imports of $238.6 billion.

  1. There are too few First Time Home buyers

Another key component of economic recovery, first time home buyers, remains weak, accounting for  only 33% of purchases, down from last year’s 38%, according to the National Association of Realtors.   First time buyers spark the economy with an entire range of purchases, from electronics to furniture, various services, and more.

  1. The student loan bubble lurks.

As reported by USAtoday, “Total student loan debt was $240 billion in 2003, but has nearly quintupled to $1.2 trillion today. This affects students and non-students alike, as new graduates’ purchasing power is sapped by their student loan repayments.”

Categories
Quick Analysis

North Korea rejects dialogue on human rights, nuclear weapons

In an announcement first reported by Spacewar.com, the North Korean Foreign Ministry has ruled out any dialogue concerning either human rights or its nuclear program.

The pronouncement came in anticipation of the imminent presentation by the European Union and Japan to the United Nations General Assembly describing horrific abuses by the Pyongyang regime, including numerous accounts of “extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual enslavement.”

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The issue has become more urgent following reports that the regime has, according to a spacedaily.com report, constructed a test facility at the Sinpo South Shipyard, apparently intended to develop sea-based ballistic missiles.  The capability could facilitate either a surprise nuclear strike, an EMP attack, or provide the regime with a means to retaliate in the event a pre-emptive strike occurs to take out the country’s nuclear assets.

Categories
Quick Analysis

Key Leaders Protest Defective Iran Nuclear Deal

The Center for Security Policy  has released a letter signed by key national security personnel denouncing the Obama administration’s conduct of nuclear talks with Iran and what they describe as “the seriously defective deal likely to emerge from them.”

 The signatories emphasize that the United States and its Western allies have already surrendered too much to Iran. They express concern that the White House will provide even more concessions.  All of these give-aways have not deterred Iran from reaching its goal of becoming a nuclear weapons state.

Iran’s advanced space and rocketry programs provide that nation with the means to soon be able to launch weapons of mass destruction at any target on Earth.

Key problems with the potential agreement identified in the open letter include:

  • The deal will effectively concede to Iran the “right” to enrich uranium and allow Iran to continue uranium enrichment.
  • It will permit Iran to install new, still more advanced centrifuges and to retain its large stockpile of low-enriched uranium.
  •  It will not require Iran to disassemble existing centrifuges, its underground Fordow enrichment facility or its plutonium-producing Arak heavy water reactor now under construction.
  • A key constitutional issue has also been raised. President Obama’s has no  intention of allowing  the U.S. Congress any say in the potential deal, or his plan to unilaterally suspend mandated U.S. sanctions against Iran once a final accord is reached.

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Iran is already defying a key premise of this year’s nuclear talks and prerequisite for any future deal – namely, that the regime in Tehran would cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The signatories note estimates by three leading Washington think tanks that Iran will retain its presently assessed capability of producing weapons-grade nuclear fuel in as little as four-to-six weeks from a decision to do so.

Iran has failed to live up to its commitments, and there is no evidence that it will abide by any future obligations in the comprehensive agreement that the Obama administration is trying to finalize by November 24.  There is no reason to expect that the Tehran regime will abide by the potential accord or cooperate with efforts to monitor future compliance.

–TEXT OF LETTER–

November 14, 2014

United States Capitol

East Capitol St. NE & First St. SE

Washington, DC 20004

Dear Speaker Boehner, Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, and Representative Pelosi:

We are writing to urge that the United States Congress take immediate action to repudiate the current nuclear talks with Iran and any agreement they may produce.  We urge Congress to pass legislation to this effect that also prevents the Administration from waiving sanctions or moving forward with any executive agreements to conclude a nuclear agreement with Iran without full Congressional review.  We are calling on Congress to take this action because we believe the United States and its Western allies have already given away too much to Iran in these negotiations and that any agreement that emerges as a result will be a threat to our interests, allies and security.

Examples of the problems with the emerging deal abound:  We have effectively conceded to Iran the “right” to enrich uranium.  The United States has offered one-sided concessions allowing Iran to continue uranium enrichment, install new, more advanced centrifuges, and retain its large stockpile of low-enriched uranium.  The United States is not requiring Iran to disassemble centrifuges, its underground Fordow enrichment facility or its plutonium-producing Arak heavy water reactor now under construction U.S. diplomats recently offered new concessions which will allow Iran to operate up to 6,000 uranium centrifuges.

We believe these concessions put American and international security at risk because they will do virtually nothing to stop, or even to substantially delay, Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.  Estimates by the American Enterprise Institute, the Institute for Science and International Security, and the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center on how fast Iran could make enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear bomb using reactor-grade uranium currently range from four to six weeks.  According to Harvard University’s Belfer Center, Iran could make up to seven nuclear bombs from its current stockpile of low-enriched uranium (after further, possibly undetectable enrichment).

In exchange for the above concessions, the Obama administration has asked for very minor accommodations by Tehran. The end result will not reduce the number of nuclear bombs it can currently construct.  In fact, it would only delay the time for Iran to produce enough weapons-grade fuel for its first bomb by as little as two weeks.

In addition to our grave concerns about U.S. concessions to Iran during this year’s nuclear talks, we also are alarmed that Tehran has defied a central premise of the negotiations: full cooperation with the IAEA and answering all outstanding questions about whether its nuclear program is truly peaceful.

According to a September 5, 2014 IAEA report, Iran continues to refuse to resolve “outstanding issues over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program.”  We also note that an October 31, 2014 New York Times report which revealed that, “Iran had stopped answering the agency’s questions about suspected past efforts to design the components of a bomb.”

We believe that, since Iran has failed to cooperate fully with the IAEA either during the nuclear negotiations or, indeed, ever since its accession to the Nonproliferation Treaty there is negligible likelihood that its cooperation with the IAEA will improve after a final agreement is signed.

Iran’s strategy in the nuclear talks is crystal clear: offer minimal and inconsequential concessions and limited transparency on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of Western sanctions.  Iran’s negotiating strategy has included a refusal to dismantle nuclear facilities and demands for an increased uranium enrichment capacity.  As long as this is Iran’s purpose, we believe an agreement that will result in the actual and permanent termination of the Iranian nuclear weapons program is impossible.

Given Iran’s long record of covert nuclear activities with weapons applications and its continuing refusal to cooperate with the IAEA and answer outstanding questions about its nuclear program, we believe the responsibility rests with Tehran to resolve all outstanding issues before any final agreement eviscerates the only remaining leverage we have: the still-extant U.S. and international sanctions.  Further, we believe that the United States must demonstrate resolve in demanding the Iranian regime verifiably dismantle any facilities that could permit progress towards a deliverable nuclear weapons capability.

To make matters worse, recent press reports indicate that President Obama plans to deny the U.S. Congress any say in the forthcoming nuclear agreement with Iran, and that he intends unilaterally to suspend U.S. sanctions against Iran once a final accord is reached.

Surely, there will be wide, bipartisan agreement on both sides of Capitol Hill that it would be a grave mistake to go forward with any nuclear deal with Iran without the express support of the U.S. Congress. The legislative branch knows that, once the current sanctions regime against Iran by the United States and counterpart sanctions imposed by the Europeans disappear, it will be difficult – if not as a practical matter, impossible – to reestablish them, even if Iran does not live up to its obligations.

It is, therefore, time for Congress to act.  By making clear that the legislative branch does not support the agreement now being finalized, there is a chance of preventing a bad deal from being concluded with far-reaching and negative consequences.  The talks with Iran have drifted so far from reality, and our minimum requirements, that they are certain to produce a bad deal that cannot be salvaged.

America’s allies in the region, especially Israel and Saudi Arabia, are rightly alarmed at the prospect that Iran is being enabled to go nuclear by the U.S. and the rest of the P-5 plus 1.  Among other possible responses could be a decision by the Saudis to develop their own nuclear weapons program, or simply buy one or more nuclear weapons from another state, setting off a spiral of further proliferation likely to make the region even more unstable and dangerous.

We therefore respectfully call on Congress to adopt legislation to repudiate the nuclear agreement now taking shape.  We urge you and your colleagues to insist that a coherent, realistic and firm U.S. policy be adopted instead, one aimed at actually preventing the Iranian regime from realizing its nuclear weapons ambitions.  This should require, at a minimum, that there be no further easing of sanctions or further talks with Iran until Tehran complies with all UN Security Council resolutions related to  its nuclear program, fully cooperates with the IAEA, and provides truthful answers to all outstanding questions about its nuclear program.

Sincerely,

Hon. Peter Hoekstra

Former Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Lieutenant General William G. Boykin, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence

Admiral James A. Lyons, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Former Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet

Hon. Michelle Van Cleave

Former National Counterintelligence Executive

Hon. Paula DeSutter

Former Assistant Secretary of State for Verification and Compliance

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acting)

Jack David

Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

David Wurmser

Former Senior Adviser to Vice President Cheney and Founder, Delphi Global Analysis Group

Rich Lowry

Editor, National Review

Daniel Pipes

President, Middle East Forum

Lt. Col. Ralph Peters

U.S. Army (Ret)

Michael Rubin

Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Sarah Stern

Founder and President, Endowment for Middle East Truth

Daniel Pollak

Co-Director, Government Relations, Zionist Organization of America

Yleem Poblete

Former Staff Director, House Foreign Affairs Committee

Clare M. Lopez

Former CIA Officer

Frederick Fleitz

Former CIA Officer

Categories
Announcements

Immigrant use of Medicaid

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Quick Analysis

Immigrants account for 42% of Medicaid growth

While Americans continue to struggle with the high cost of medical care, the expensive but poor coverage provided by Obamacare, and high taxation, a huge portion of  the growth in Medicaid spending has been going to immigrants.

A startling report by the Center for Immigration Studies http://cis.org/immigrant-families-accounted-for-42-percent-of-medicaid-growth-since-2011 reveals that  “A new analysis of government data shows that immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under age 18) have been among the primary beneficiaries of Medicaid growth…The data show that immigrants and their children accounted for 42 percent of the growth in Medicaid enrollment from 2011 to 2013… It seems almost certain that immigrants and their children will continue to benefit disproportionately from Obamacare…

“Among the findings:

  • The number of immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) on Medicaid grew twice as fast as the number of natives and their children on Medicaid from 2011 to 2013 — 11 percent vs. 5 percent.
  • Immigrants and their children accounted for 42 percent of Medicaid enrollment growth from 2011 to 2013, even though they accounted for only 17 percent of the nation’s total population and 23 percent of overall U.S. population growth over this time period.
  • About two-thirds of the growth in Medicaid associated with immigrants was among immigrants themselves, rather than the U.S.-born children of immigrants.
  • The increase in Medicaid enrollment among immigrants and their children can be roughly estimated as costing $4.6 billion annually.
  • By 2013, 25 percent of immigrants and their children were on Medicaid, compared to 16 percent of natives and their children. “

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As the New York Analysis of Policy & Government has frequently pointed out, the United States cannot afford to be the welfare agency for the entire planet.  Immigration is, overall, a positive contribution to the United States, but only if those coming to America are contributing to, not taking from, those already in the nation.

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Quick Analysis

Unintended consequences of same sex marriage

John H. Wilson, Esq.,a former New York State judge

and the author of several books, submitted this article.

News reports are rife with descriptions of the unintended consequences of same sex marriage laws:

  • The Christian baker who is forced to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple in violation of his religious scruples.
  • The family farm in upstate New York forced to pay a large fine for refusing to host a gay wedding.
  • The pastor who runs a wedding chapel in Idaho required to pay thousands of dollars a day in fines if he continues to refuse to perform same sex weddings.

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What are the implications for religious liberty?  Doesn’t the First Amendment protect the free exercise of religious?  Isn’t there a separation between church and state?

With the advent of same sex marriage statues across the nation, there can be no doubt that the rights of religious persons to “opt out” of involvement in something that offends their moral standards has been severely constricted.  Many of the laws which authorize gay weddings also contain exemptions allowing religious institutions to invoke their time honored standards and opt out of participating in such ceremonies.  However, these same laws give no protection whatsoever to religious persons who follow the teachings of these same exempted churches.

Several recent cases will illustrate the difference.

In Coeur d’Alene Idaho, Donald and Evelyn Knapp own the Hitching Post, a wedding chapel, situated across the street from Town Hall, where marriage licenses are issued.  Both are ordained ministers, and have declined to perform same sex weddings based upon their religious beliefs.  The City Attorney brought a discrimination complaint against the Knapp’s, alleging that their chapel is actually a “for-profit” business, and as such, not entitled to protection from the City’s non-discrimination ordinance.

In a letter published on the website for the Alliance Defending Freedom, the City Attorney admits that “if (the Knapps) are truly operating a not-for-profit religious corporation they would be specifically exempted from the City’s anti-discrimination ordinance, Municipal Code 9.56.01 0 et seq.”  

Prior to the filing of the anti-discrimination complaint, the Knapps had been operating their business for profit, and not as a religious corporation.  Only after the complaint was brought did the Knapps file the necessary paperwork to be considered a church, exempt from the City’s ordinance.  This leaves the Knapps in a different legal position than someone who has operated a church all along.  But the point to be understood here is that Idaho’s law specifically exempts religious groups, such as churches, from the anti-discrimination law.

In fact, as the City Attorney for Coeur d’Alene states in his letter,  “in addition to specifically exempting religious corporations, associations, educational institutions, and societies, section 9.56.040 of the anti-discrimination ordinance states that the ordinance ‘shall be construed and applied in a manner consistent with first amendment jurisprudence regarding the freedom of speech and exercise of religion.'”

In New York, Domestic Relations Law Sec. 10-a (1) states that “a marriage…shall be valid regardless of whether the parties to the marriage are of the same or different sex.”  However, Section 10-b of the same law specifically states that religious entities, religious corporations, “benevolent orders,” and their employees “shall not be required to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges for the solemnization or celebration of a marriage.”

In fact, New York’s law goes on to state that “any such refusal to provide services, accommodations… facilities, goods, or privileges shall not create any civil claim or cause of action or result in any state or local government action to penalize…such religious corporation…”

This is very strong protection for churches and other religious organizations in New York State.  But this law, and the ones like it across the country, do absolutely nothing to protect persons of religious conviction who are members of these excluded churches.

The Liberty Ridge Farm in upstate New York, a family owned and operated farm, was contacted by a lesbian couple, who claimed they wanted to have their wedding at the farm.  The owners, Cynthia and Robert Gifford, have strong religious feelings, and declined to host the wedding.  Unknown to Mrs Gifford, the phone conversation between herself and the brides to be was recorded, clearly in anticipation of litigation against the farm.

The New York State Division of Human Rights ignored the fact that the “victims” had basically “set up” the Giffords, and fined them $13,000.00.  The Administrative Judge ruled that the farm “is a for-profit limited liability company that markets its services to the general public through its website and social media accounts, that Liberty Ridge Farm was a ‘place of public accommodation’ and could not rightfully turn away the couple on the basis that they were homosexual.”

The same “for-profit” status of the Hitching Post in Idaho led to the discrimination complaint filed by the City of  Coeur d’Alene against the Knapps.  But there, the Knapps, being ministers, could change the status of their business to a religious corporation and seek protection under the anti-discrimination law’s exemption for churches.  What are the Giffords to do?  Must they put aside their sincerely held religious scruples and host weddings their religion teaches them is sinful?

In fact, the Giffords will no longer host wedding ceremonies at Liberty Ridge Farm.  Instead, they will only host the reception, regardless of whether the couple is gay or straight, and regardless of the effect on their business.

To date, this is the only choice available to religious persons who wish to actually practice the principals of their faith.  In Colorado, baker Jack Phillips has vowed to stop making wedding cakes rather than violate his beliefs and make a cake for a gay couple.    In Oregon, Melissa and Aaron Klein closed their bakery and began running their business out of their home to avoid discrimination complaints.

This cannot be the result intended by those who promulgated the laws allowing for same sex marriage.  If the law was meant to provide gay people with the freedom to marry whom they chose, how could those same laws be the instrument for suppression of religious expression?

In general, all Americans can agree that discrimination in public accommodations should be discouraged.  But at the same time, there are many people who hold mainstream religious views, backed with thousands of years of practice and belief, and the free exercise of these religious beliefs is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution.  How could those same beliefs suddenly be unprotected and discriminatory, leading to these same persons retreating from public participation in their avowed trades?

Currently, there is no satisfactory answer to this question.  Many gay rights groups claim the right to battle all forms of discrimination against their right to marry and will recognize no exception.  More reasonable lawmakers have built protection for religious institutions into same sex marriage statutes.  However, to date, religious persons are not granted any exemption from the same law that protects the churches they attend.

Until this situation is addressed, same sex marriage laws will continue to have the unintended consequence of causing discrimination to be practiced against persons of sincerely held religious convictions.

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Quick Analysis

Net Neutrality as an excuse for government control

Freedom of speech, and particularly freedom on the internet, is again under attack, as the “net neutrality” issue once again flares up.  The White House now seeks to regulate the internet as though it were a public utility. Net neutrality is concept that all users of the internet should be treated equally.

The battle is between two forces, each seeking to exert control over how information is transmitted on the internet. One side seeks to provide faster access to more powerful users such as entertainment giants, (Smaller users may be forced to endure second class status and may not benefit from faster speeds in the future if the concept of “net neutrality” does not endure) and the government, which is seeking to use that attempt as a means of gaining ultimate control for Washington bureaucrats, posing a problems for the average user.

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In yet another assault on free speech, the Washington Free Beacon eported yesterday that a U.S. University conducted a study on how to delete conservative-oriented tweets from Twitter.

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Honor our veterans and support our troops

Today is Veterans Day.  It’s an appropriate time to remember that for at least the past one hundred years, the greatest force for good on this planet has been the United States military. The men and women of our armed forces have rescued more people from tyranny, liberated more captive nations, freed more women from oppression, and provided more assistance to victims of natural disaster than any other entity that has ever existed throughout humanity’s long history.  It is our veterans, not our politicians or pundits that offered up their lives for the cause of American freedom and safety.

The peace at any price crowd, the self-important academics, the pandering elected officials who try to buy votes by transferring funds out of military budgets and veterans programs and into give-away programs that are little more than thinly disguised bribes  for support in the next election should also remember that these heroes are human.  The dangerous and frankly idiotic cuts to our defense spending over the past several years have meant that our active, reserve, and national guard Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines must serve repeated tours facing danger and being away from their families.  These cuts have been so significant that by next year America may have a smaller army than North Korea.

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