andrew briebart dead wow did commies get to him? biggovernment.com

Big Government Home Exclusives Categories Contributors In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012) by Larry Solov With a terrible feeling of pain and loss we announce the passing of Andrew Breitbart. Andrew passed away unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight this morning in Los Angeles. We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot and a happy warrior. Andrew lived boldly, so that we more timid souls would dare to live freely and fully, and fight for the fragile liberty he showed us how to love. Andrew recently wrote a new conclusion to his book, Righteous Indignation: I love my job. I love fighting for what I believe in. I love having fun while doing it. I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report. I love fighting back, I love finding allies, and—famously—I enjoy making enemies. Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I’ve lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I’ve gained hundreds, thousands—who knows?—of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night. Andrew is at rest, yet the happy warrior lives on, in each of us. *** Media inquiries: jpollak@breitbart.com Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Andrew Breitbart Posted Mar 1st 2012 at 5:55 am in Featured Story, News | Comments (733) Charles C. Johnson Michigan: A Tie in the Number of Delegates by Charles C. Johnson As usual, the game’s rules have been misreported by our media. So what if Mitt Romney won the popular vote? Like the Scrabble player who boasts about the quality of words he is making and yet loses the game, this is simply not how the game of our politics is played. While it is indeed the case that Mitt Romney won a plurality of the number of votes cast, and indeed, won more votes in 2012 than he did in 2008, he tied in the number of delegates awarded. It is that figure–the number of delegates awarded–that is the only figure that matters. Have a look at the map here: (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: delegate race, Michigan, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, white working class Posted Mar 1st 2012 at 5:31 am in 2012 Election, Economy, Politics, State Politics | Comments (15) Brett Healy Clueless Socialists Protest MacIver Institute by Brett Healy Well, it took them a year, but the perpetually offended crowd of ardent public sector union supporters, wayward students and other socialists finally discovered that the MacIver Institute offices are right across from the Wisconsin State Capitol. As soon as we heard a trombone playing outside our window we knew something was up. Drums are a matter of course. So are plastic vuvuzelas. But a brass section? Whoa, this was different. This was big. Eh. Not so much. This motley crew didn’t know diddly about the MacIver Institute, and were completely clueless about ALEC. But they absolutely knew we were both bad ‘for the people’ because someone told them so. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: ALEC, Capitol Chaos, Free Market Economy, MacIver Institute, socialism Posted Mar 1st 2012 at 5:03 am in Big Labor, Culture, News, Occupy Wall Street | Comments (69) Dan Mitchell OECD Pushes Crazy Assertion that Poverty Is Higher in the U.S. than in Greece, Hungary, Portugal, and Turkey by Dan Mitchell Supporters of individual liberty and national sovereignty have been skeptical of the United Nations, and with good reason. With the support of statists such as George Soros, the U.N. pushes for crazy ideas such as global taxation and global currency. But there’s another international bureaucracy, also funded by American tax dollars, that is even more pernicious. The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has the same leftist ideology as the U.N., but it actually has some ability to change policy. As you can imagine, this always means bigger government and more statism. Here are some examples. The OECD has an anti-tax competition project designed to prop up Europe’s bankrupt welfare states. The OECD is pushing a “Multilateral Convention” that is designed to become something akin to a World Tax Organization, with the power to persecute nations with free-market tax policy. The OECD has endorsed Obama’s class-warfare agenda, publishing documents endorsing “higher marginal tax rates” so that the so-called rich “contribute their fair share.” The OECD pulled off a hat trick of bad policy in a 2010 document, promoting a value-added tax, Obama’s global warming agenda, and failed Keynesian stimulus. The OECD endorsed Obamacare policies, as I explain in this video. The OECD even advocates higher taxes when nations are in the middle of economic crisis. The OECD also is pushing for higher taxes in Latin America, based on the odd notion that those nations should copy Europe’s failed welfare states. With this dismal track record, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the Paris-based bureaucracy has a new propaganda initiative that seeks to bolster a left-wing redistribution agenda. And as part of this new scheme, it has put together numbers that supposedly show that there is more poverty is the United States than there is in bankrupt and backwards nations such as Greece, Hungary, Portugal, and Turkey. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Class warfare, International Bureaucracy, Obama, OECD, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Posted Mar 1st 2012 at 4:31 am in 2012 Budget, Big Labor, Congress, Economics, Economy, Federal Spending, Healthcare, News, Obama, Politics, Regulation, Tax Reform, Uncategorized, entitlements, taxes, unemployment | Comments (35) Kyle Olson Anti-Bullying Teachers Unions Get Pushy for Better Pay and Benefits by Kyle Olson Bullying has always been a problem in American government schools. Statistics say there are over 2 million bullies lurking in the hallways and on playgrounds. The two national teachers unions have developed expansive programs to curb bullying. They’ve hosted entire conferences on the matter. The National Education Association has published several web pages to the matter, as has the American Federation of Teachers. As an aside, I am troubled by the recent focus on bullying. Bullying is a problem – yes. But the threshold of “bullying” has dropped significantly to the point where virtually any disagreement or conflict in personal or religious beliefs constitutes “bullying.” A classic case occurred in Michigan. A Howell High School teacher wore “a purple shirt in solidarity with bullies LGBT youth.” When a student objected to homosexuality on religious grounds – without ever intimidating or “bullying” anyone – the teacher argued with the student and ended up getting him suspended. But what happens when the anti-bullying activists become the bullies? Will they live by their own standards? Naturally, the answer is no. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: American Federation of Teachers, bullying, Chicago Teachers Union, Karen Lewis, National Education Association Posted Mar 1st 2012 at 4:01 am in Big Labor, Education, Featured Story | Comments (28) Publius Thursday Open Thread: Confederation Edition by Publius Today, 1781, the Continental Congress ratified the Articles of Confederation. It would eventually be replaced by the U.S. Constitution. Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Posted Mar 1st 2012 at 12:01 am in Open Threads | Comments (23) Reason TV Transplant Denied: How Medical Marijuana Policy Kills Patients by Reason TV Norman Smith seemed to be making progress in his liver cancer recovery at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, Calif. He had some of the best doctors in the world, he was on a transplant list and he had completed a successful clinical trial that had his doctors dubbing him a “miracle man.” Then, his cancer returned and two months before he was would have received a transplant, he was de-listed for smoking marijuana prescribed by his oncologist at Cedars-Sinai. Now, if he doesn’t receive a transplant, he will die. “It’s only my life that I’m fighting for,” says Smith. “What do I have to hide? I have nothing to hide.” (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: cancer treatment, medical marijuana, organ transplants Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 8:30 pm in Healthcare, News | Comments (76) Derek Hunter Advanced Biofuels: Bite the Bullet and Finish the Job by Derek Hunter Say you take the car to the transmission shop, and the man says the CV joint needs to be replaced. Then he discovers the timing chain also is about to go. What do you do? It would feel good to say, “You said the CV joint was broken. Fix that, and I’m not paying a dime more.” But 20 miles down the road, when your car is destroyed, you will realize it was a grave mistake. That is about where we are on biofuels. We never should’ve let government drive the energy supply car. All the warnings – that government can’t pick winners and losers, that subsidies distort the market, that artificially created demand is not the same as market demand – have come true with a vengeance. But now that we have let government establish these policies, we must finish the job. American petroleum refiners say they are facing fines of $6.8 million because in 2011 they failed to mix a certain percentage of cellulosic biofuels into their gasoline and diesel products as prescribed by law. The companies which produce these types of biofuels — derived from wood chips and inedible parts of crops, such as corn cobs – were not ready to sell their product commercially and fell short of the federal mandate. No one has paid these fines yet. The oil companies were allowed to defer their obligations or purchase waivers. Together, these waivers cost American producers less than $5 million. Exxon alone made $9.4 billion in profits in one quarter of 2011. We could repeal the law, but that seems unlikely. Americans don’t like subsidies, but they don’t like to be overly dependent on oil, either. We could waive the requirement – but it seems to be working in terms of encouraging innovation. Or we could plow ahead, complete the research and begin to produce the more and more of a domestic fuel source. That seems the best course for a variety of reasons. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: biofuel, biofuels, Congress, gas prices Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 8:01 pm in Environment, Federal Spending, agriculture, energy | Comments (31) AWR Hawkins What Do Democrats Have Against Guns and Gun Rights? by AWR Hawkins When news broke that Democrat legislators in Iowa had stormed out in protest over pro-Second Amendment bills which Republicans in the Republican-controlled legislature had brought up for a vote, I wasn’t too surprised. After all, since when do Democrats approve of guns or support gun rights? But as I read Iowa House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines) try to justify avoiding a vote for two bills that would have given Iowans a state-constitutional right to keep and bear arms and broadened their grounds for using deadly force to protect life and property, the whole event seemed to go beyond simple Democrat-politics-as-usual and approach instead an example of an ongoing problem with Democrats in general—they hate our guns. While some individual Democrats politicians and Democrat voters may cringe at that assertion (even Democrats in Iowa), it’s easily borne out by the facts. Just think back to the 1990s, and even the example of southern Democrats like Bill Clinton prove my point. For it was he who implemented the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994, and he too called for gun control in 1999 in response to the Columbine school shootings. And once the Assault Weapons Ban ended in 2004, who was it that kept begging President Bush to re-institute it if not the Democrats in congress and the senate? One of those Democrat was a previous Illinois state senator named Barack Obama. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Barack Obama, Carolyn Comitta, Gabby Giffords, kevin mccarthy, Nancy Pelosi Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 6:17 pm in 2nd amendment, Politics, State Government, State Politics | Comments (103) Heritage Videos Governor Luis Fortuño Predicts Puerto Rico Will Become 51st State by Heritage Videos This November, voters in Puerto Rico will have another opportunity to vote on becoming our 51st state. In an exclusive interview with The Heritage Foundation, Governor Luis Fortuño said the time is right. “We are already intertwined into the national fabric,” he explained, “And what needs to happen now is for us to fully partake into the decision making process here in Washington.” He made the case that Puerto Ricans have actively contributed to America’s defense and deserve to have a say in the way their country is operated. “We have been American citizens since 1917. We have served in every war since then with valor and courage,” said Fortuño. He noted that despite their size, more than 21,000 men and women from Puerto Rico have volunteered to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan—more than 45 other states. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: luis fortuno, puerto rico, statehood Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 5:33 pm in News, State Government | Comments (45) Tom Fitton Judicial Watch Files Brief with U.S. Supreme Court Challenging Constitutionality of Obamacare by Tom Fitton On February 13, 2012, Judicial Watch filed an amicus curiae brief with the High Court challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare, specifically the “individual mandate.” The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for the Obamacare case on March 26, 27, and 28, 2012. The brief maintains that the “individual mandate” provision of Obamacare, which requires every American citizen to purchase health care insurance or pay a penalty, is unconstitutional – whether considered under Congress’ commerce power or taxing power: Petitioners are trying to defend a provision in an act passed by Congress that exceeds its enumerated powers. Though Congress enacted this provision under the Commerce Clause, Congress’ power under the clause is not broad enough to compel Americans to engage in commerce by purchasing a particular product. Though Petitioners try to rescue the provision by arguing that it is valid under Congress’ taxing power even if it is invalid under Congress’ commerce power, a provision of an act that is not a tax may not be construed as a tax merely to save it from being declared unconstitutional. Judicial Watch lawyers point out that if the Supreme Court affirms the constitutionality of the individual mandate, “it must be willing to hold that Congress’ powers under the Commerce clause are plenary and unlimited, for there remains no principled way to limit Congress’ power if it is stretched as far as Petitioners [the Obama administration] ask.” (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Florida, health care, health care mandates, individual mandate, ObamaCare Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 4:50 pm in Healthcare, Supreme Court | Comments (33) Reason TV Why Is the Economy Growing So Slowly? Q&A with AEI’s James Pethokoukis by Reason TV “Considering that we had this big Tea Party movement in 2010, there has been very little talk about actually cutting spending,” says American Enterprise Institute’s James Pethokoukis, “except that Mitt Romney doesn’t want a lunar colony.” Pethokoukis is a former Reuters columnist and widely read blogger, who covers economics, politics, and fiscal policy. He sat down with Reason.tv’s Nick Gillespie to talk about tax reform, cutting spending, and why slow growth is the biggest problem facing the U.S. economy. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: economic growth, Economics, James Pethokoukis, libertarian, libertarianism Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 4:01 pm in Economics, Federal Spending, Tax Reform | Comments (24) Kerry Patton Obama Slashes Soldiers’ Benefits to Pay Back Healthcare Industry Donors by Kerry Patton The Tea Party hit its stride in the summer of 2009 when concerned citizens showed up to town halls across the United States to protest the healthcare takeover law being considered in Congress. The people rightly felt that the bill’s labyrinthine and onerous regulations were corrupt and designed to increase the power of the government, line the pockets of shortsighted insurance companies, and squeeze as much blood from the country’s taxpayer turnip as possible. Just when America believed the US government health scandal couldn’t get worse, President Obama’s handlers go one step further—increasing service members’ and veterans’ medical premiums. This move is designed to push service members and veterans to opt out of Tricare and find a new insurance provider. President Obama’s new medical proposal seeks to save $1.8 billion from the Tricare medical system in the fiscal 2013 budget and $12.9 billion by 2017, the latter amount adding up to 0.99% of the $1.3 trillion deficit for a single year built into Obama’s proposed budget. To accomplish this spending reduction, service members should expect a 30% to 78% increase in Tricare annual premiums for the first year. In five years, service members will expect an increase ranging from 94% to 345%. The average annual salary for a four year single enlistee is approximately $34k. If that service member were married with dependents, the salary increases to approximately $42k. Are those numbers enough to make any sane person want to enlist today, knowing they will likely ship off to some foreign land to fight a losing war like that in Afghanistan? Are those numbers enough to justify risking one’s life–enough to afford an increased medical premium that could be raised by 78% just this year or 345% by the time their initial enlistment is over? (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: donors, health benefits, Healthcare Bill, healthcare industry, higher premiums Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 3:11 pm in 2012 Budget, Defense, Healthcare, News, Obama, Politics, Tea Party, crony capitalism | Comments (42) Lee Stranahan At Occupy-Inhabited ‘Squat’: 15 Year-Old Prostitute and ‘Endless Fights’ by Lee Stranahan After Occupy Wall Street was evicted from Zuccotti Park, there was an effort on the part of many occupiers to keep the movement together by continuing its communal living conditions. One solution was to encourage the use of “squats”; abandoned, unoccupied or legally questionable residential spaces were a number occupiers could live together. As this Wikipedia article shows, squatting for political purposes him has a long tradition among anarchists around the world. One such squat that is affiliated with Occupy Wall Street is known as the “gay squat” and has contained mostly people from the Occupy movement. In these notes from a recent meeting about the ‘Descalation’ working group –effectively the official security arm of Occupy Wall Street—it’s obvious that even in these decentralized squats, the Occupiers are still having significant crime and security problems. The group is having to balance risk, helping fellow Occupiers and public relations concerns. ­ Conversation shifts to gay squat. A few people bring up the fact that deescalation has no jurisdiction to help them without permission from Ben, the owner, who is currently involved with a legal battle over the space. They have been dealing with drugs, a fifteen year old who has allegedly prostituted herself, and countless fights. Police and child services have both been there to check on the girl. This is not officially considered OWS housing, it is just Ben’s apartment. A few people question.. should we should step in/ask if they need help? Some feel that doing so would be overstepping boundaries, but a few residents of the space have come to ask for help. Ben doesn’t want to deal with it, and the group is afraid that if something bad happens and no one is there to deescalate the situation.. things might spiral. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: #OccupyWallSt, crime, Drugs, prostitution, squat Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 2:23 pm in Occupy Wall Street | Comments (27) Ben Shapiro Suspected Occupiers Shatter Portland Windows by Ben Shapiro Last night, vandals shattered windows around Portland ahead of the Occupy Portland march scheduled for this afternoon. They nailed a U.S. Bank banch with rocks; they hit a Key Bank branch; they hit a Starbucks, which must have shocked the tattooed barristas. As KATU News reports, police reported that a group called “Some Of Those Responsible” sent an email taking credit. The email stated: This was done in preparation for February 29th’s Shut Down The Corporations Day. We chose a bank because banks have upheld the sanctity of capitalism, making it possible for a few people to accrue copious amounts of wealth. This was also for the role the banks have played in the current financial crisis and the level of environmental destruction they have supported. These banks are responsible for throwing poor and oppressed people the world over under the bus of extreme poverty and destitution. They did this all to keep the pockets of a few rich CEOs lined with extravagant bonuses, and it’s time we started taking from those pockets. We also did this to remind #Occupy to keep its horizons open. Rather than resort to the gory analogy about cats, we prefer to say they’re more than one way to shut down a corporation. Parades through the city may be able to accomplish this task on occasion, but at the end of the day there’s really no replacement for a few dozen folks in masks with rocks. We don’t know whether this will be taken as solidarity or antagonism by the core of Occupy, but frankly that isn’t worth dwelling on for us. You said you wanted to help shut down corporations, and we helped to do that in our own way. Take it or leave it, we’re going to keep doing it. Good night, Occupy, and good luck tomorrow. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Ben Shapiro, Obama, occupy, Portland Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 1:37 pm in News, Occupy Wall Street, Politics | Comments (45) AWR Hawkins Ever Get the Feeling the American People Are Going One Way and Obama Is Going Another? by AWR Hawkins Have you ever noticed that when Obama talks, the America about which he speaks is far different from the America we grew accustomed to living in before 2009? It’s almost as if America the exceptional has been traded for America the mediocre, and the robust American dream has been replaced by government handouts, “free” contraceptives, and a government-endorsed fire hazard green car called the Chevy Volt (that they have to pay us to buy via tax refunds and other perks). But the American people don’t see things the way Obama does: they certainly don’t see proper governance of this country the way he does. Thus more and more polls show a significant and growing divide between those who support Obama’s agenda and those who are tired of it. For example, because all the “free” stuff Obama’s giving away has to be paid for by someone, the President is pushing for higher taxes on the wealthy whom he claims need “to pay their fair share.” But 75% of Americans think the wealthy are already paying too much. Think about that. Class-warfare is one of Obama’s most common tactics, yet three-quarters of the American people think it’s over the top. Or consider his rejection of the Keystone Pipeline in January. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Barack Obama, bitter clingers, Chevy Volt, HHS Mandate, Keystone Pipeline Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 1:01 pm in 2012 Election, Obama, Politics | Comments (68) Wynton Hall GAO Report: $400 Billion Wasted Annually On 1,500 Duplicative, Fragmented, Inefficient Government Programs by Wynton Hall On Tuesday, the Government Accountability Office released a report uncovering $400 billion of wasteful federal spending on 1,500 duplicative, fragmented, or inefficient government programs. From the GAO report: This year, GAO identified 32 new areas of duplication and 19 additional areas of waste and inefficiency. The report cites duplication in almost a thousand individual programs, costing taxpayers over $300 billion per year. This is on top of more than $100 billion identified in last year’s report. Examples include: · $3 billion spent on over 200 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education programs. GAO stated that since 2005, when it first looked at this issue, “the majority of [STEM] programs have not conducted comprehensive evaluations of how well their programs are working.” · 37 uncoordinated EPA laboratories and 94 “green building” programs for which costs cannot be determined because “information agencies provided was incomplete and unreliable.” · $736 million spent on 14 different diesel emissions programs and federal funding for 55 surface freight transportation programs. · 160 various housing assistance programs at a cost of $170 billion annually. The report also found that only eight percent of the items identified last year had been successfully addressed to avoid wasting taxpayers’ money: (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: debt, government accountability office, Sen. Jeff Sessions, spending, waste Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 12:21 pm in 2012 Budget, Congress, Earmarks, Federal Spending, News, Politics, entitlements, taxes | Comments (23) James M. Simpson True the Vote Projects Less Than Half of 1.5+ Million Walker Recall Petitions will be Eligible by James M. Simpson True the Vote issued a press release yesterday detailing preliminary results of their recall analysis. While the unions will likely get the approximately 540,000 petitions they needed to force a recall vote against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, hundreds of thousands of submitted petitions had problems. Following is the breakdown: Total Number of Pages Submitted 152,508 x 10 records/page (many left blank) 1,525,080 Actual Records 1,382,058 Blank Lines 557,469 Unique Records 819,233 Incomplete / Indecipherable Records 36,127 Sign Date Out of Range 14,763 Out of State 4718 Duplicate Signatures 5356 Total Ineligible Signatures 55,608 Total Signatures for Further Investigation* 228,940 Total Eligible Signatures based on data available 534,685 * Signatures that were partially marked through, illegible, possibly false, mismatched or otherwise compromised The organization responsible for the recall is United Wisconsin, a PAC backed by the usual suspects: the National Education Association’s Wisconsin affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, a “progressive” group named One Wisconsin Now, and the Wisconsin Democrat Party. Well funded, the group used Cloward-Piven swamping tactics to overwhelm the tiny Wisconsin Government Accountability Board – tasked with certifying the recall – with questionable petitions. Not surprisingly, GAB announced they would make only spot checks, claiming they didn’t have the manpower for a full review. But a full check was in order as many inconsistencies immediately appeared. The number of blank, incomplete, invalid and outright fraudulent petitions makes clear United Wisconsin’s intentions. One Democrat even appears to have entered his brother’s name four separate times. His brother was against the recall. He also signed up his mother, other family members and possibly even neighbors without their assent or knowledge. The entire effort recalls the familiar Democrat battle cry: “Win, even if you have to sell your mother.” (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Public Sector, recall, scott walker, Unions, United Wisconsin Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 11:41 am in 2012 Election, Big Labor, Justice/Legal, Local Government, News, Politics, State Government, State Politics | Comments (30) Charles C. Johnson Hypocrisy on Capitol Hill: Deconstructing a Dishonest Speech About Birth Control by Charles C. Johnson As a student at Cornell and treasurer of a a pro-choice organization at the school, Sandra Fluke, helped shut down a pro-life speech on Cornell’s campus by counter protesting. She argued that a pro-life organization at Cornell was about “manipulating [students'] emotions” with misleading statistics about abortion. But when it is her turn to speak on Capitol Hill, the third-year Georgetown Law Student demands she gets her say in a hearing that has nothing to do with birth control. Fluke, who was awarded a B.S. in Policy Analysis & Management, and a Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies degree from Cornell in 2003, has since become a cause celebre among the political left-wing because she wasn’t allowed to testify in a congressional hearing. The Washington Post has even called her an “expert witness.” But what is she an expert in? ”I’m an American woman who uses contraceptives,” Fluke said, when asked Thursday by Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., about her qualifications to speak at the hearing. Well, there you have it. We are told by congressmen that she speaks for “millions” of women, so let’s have a listen to her testimony before the Democrats on Capitol Hill: Though Fluke wouldn’t have you know it, most women don’t need birth control. Indeed, if the cost of keeping her ovary was a mere $3,000 a year, why couldn’t her gay friend–assuming she actually exists–take time off of law school to save up for her birth control? Why couldn’t we mandate coverage for women who have the disorder of polycystic ovary syndrome? And if her insurance won’t cover it, why can’t she go and pick up a pack of $9 a month pills from Target? What’s more who said she had to go law school at Georgetown, a Jesuit law school? If birth control were such a serious criteria in one’s life, wouldn’t you choose your law school accordingly? Fluke says that women should refuse to choose between their health and a quality education, but adult life is about making just such choices. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: birth control, catholic, Religious freedom, Sandra Fluke Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 10:59 am in Education, News, Politics, entitlements | Comments (88) Publius Iowa Dems Flee Capitol in Protest Against Gun Rights Legislation by Publius One bill would alter the state constitution to specifically include gun rights. Another would rewrite the law on “reasonable force” so that a person may use force — including deadly force — against someone who they believe threatens to kill or cause serious injury or who is committing a violent felony. “(Upmeyer) said they will debate those bills today whether we like it or not,” said McCarthy, D-Des Moines. “I told her that we’ve been double crossed, and we will not be debating those bills today.” In response, Democrats have moved to an undisclosed location. Republicans hold 60 of 100 seats and could debate the bill without Democrats since they have a quorum. The majority party sets the calendar for debate and guides the course of business on the House floor. (more…) Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | Bookmark and Share Tags: Constitution, Democrats, gun rights, guns, Iowa Posted Feb 29th 2012 at 10:14 am in 2nd amendment, Politics, State Politics | Comments (90) « Older Entries Advertisement Featured Story In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012) by Larry Solov With a terrible feeling of pain and loss we announce the passing of Andrew Breitbart. Andrew passed away unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight this morning in Los Angeles. We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot and a happy warrior.... Read more... More Featured Stories... Click Here For Complete PIGFORD Coverage Advertisement Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe via RSS Got a Tip? Contact us Larry Solov: In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012) Ben Shapiro: Obama Says His Apology “Calmed Things Down” in Afghanistan John J. Xenakis: 1-Mar-12 World View — ECB: ‘Euro Crisis Is Over’ After €1 Trillion Quantitative Easing Secure Freedom Radio: Christopher Cavas: Defense Cuts and the Coast Guard Kerry Patton: Obama Slashes Soldiers’ Benefits to Pay Back Healthcare Industry Donors Larry Solov: In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012) P.J. Salvatore: Thursday Crib Sheet: RIP Andrew Breitbart, Susan Sarandon and OWS Charles C. Johnson: Why the Left-Wing Hates Mormons and How to Respond Mary Chastain: ‘Tolerant’ Huffington Post Publishes Bigoted Attack on Catholics Evan Pokroy: It’s Not Just Republicans Receiving ‘Evil’ Koch Cash Larry Solov: In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012) Jeffrey Scott Shapiro: ‘Game Change’: Meet the Leftists Who Turned HBO Into a Pro-Obama SuperPAC – Part 2 Hollywoodland: Americans Give their Thanks to SEALs, ‘Act of Valor’ Kregg Janke: USA’s Quirky ‘Psych’ Returns Tonight to Bolster Cable TV’s Case Against Broadcast Fare Hunter Duesing: HomeVideodrome: ‘American Sleepover’ Evokes Best of Teen Movie Genre Advertisement Live Talk on Twitter Big Government derrickroach @DaveMaass from San Diego CityBeat reporting on my statement about the passing of @AndrewBreitbart http://t.co/GWSOj8L8 @biggovt #Breitbart 41 minutes ago topazian In Memoriam: Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012): With a terrible feeling of pain and loss we announce the passing of A... http://t.co/GfPOKItC 39 minutes ago KarmaticFlow Please show your respect to @AndrewBreitbart by going to http://t.co/mk732iHE. This is his creation. He will be dearly missed. 2 minutes ago rosiekszda8 @cclh22 http://t.co/QraNl4vg 51 seconds ago 2 new tweets frodisman @biggovt total shock. Taken way too soon in such a time when we need him the most. 38 minutes ago WTCommunities Conservative journalist, crusader @AndrewBreitbart dead at 43: http://t.co/BC3hpyAb @BigGovernment.com @DRUDGEREPORT @MattDrudge... 38 minutes ago WTCommunities Conservative journalist, crusader @AndrewBreitbart dead at 43: http://t.co/BC3hpyAb @BigGovernment.com @DRUDGEREPORT @MattDrudge #jour 37 minutes ago JenniferPelzer 7 Gas Facts Obama Cannot Escape: President Barack Obama cannot escape the following seven gas-related facts: http://t.co/BkQrwZLB #fb 35 minutes ago Join the conversation Categories 2012 Budget 2012 Election 2nd amendment AARP ACORN agriculture Big Labor campaign finance Census Cheat Sheet Coffee and Markets Congress crony capitalism Culture Defense Earmarks Economics Economy Education energy entitlements Environment Exclusives Fair Tax Featured Story Federal Spending Financial Services Flat Tax Healthcare History Immigration Journolist Justice/Legal Local Government Media Criticism Media Matters Midterm Elections News Obama Occupy Wall Street Open Threads pigford Political Humor Politics Pork Report race Regulation Special State Government State Politics Supreme Court Tax Reform taxes Tea Party Technology Throw Them All Out Trade Uncategorized unemployment Blogroll ABCNews Ace Of Spades HQ Against Crony Capitalism Agence France Press Althouse Amato for Liberty American Thinker Andrew Malcolm Andrew Sullivan Ann Coulter Associated Press Atlas Shrugs Ben Shapiro Big Hollywood Bill O’Reilly Black & Right Blackfive BlogsLucianneLoves.com Bloomberg Bob McCarty Boston Globe Breitbart.com Breitbart.tv C-SPAN Camille Paglia Charles Krauthammer Chicago Tribune Christian Science Monitor Christopher Hitchens Claremont Institute Commentary Daily Gut Dana Loesch Dennis Miller Radio Dennis Prager Der Spiegel Drudge Report Economist Ed Driscoll Financial Times Forbes Foreign Affairs Founding Bloggers Fox Nation Fox News Freakonomics Blog Free Republic Gateway Pundit GayPatriot George Will Glenn Beck Grand Old Partisan Hot Air Huffington Post Hugh Hewitt Human Events Instapundit Investors Business Daily Iowahawk James Hudnall Jawa Report Jerusalem Post John Gibson John Nolte John Tierney Judicial Watch Blog “Corruption Chronicles” Kyle Olson Labor Union Report Larry Elder Larry Kudlow Lars Larson Laura Ingraham Law Hawk Los Angeles Times Lucianne.com Mancow Manhattan Institute Marginal Revolution Mark Levin Mark Steyn Matt Patterson Media Research Center Mediaite Melanie Morgan Michael Barone Michael Savage Michael Yon Mickey Kaus Mike Flynn Move America Forward MSNBC National Review National Review’s The Corner Neal Boortz New Republic New York Magazine New York Post New York Times Newport Beach Now NewsBusters Newsweek Pajamas Media Parcbench Pat Dollard Patterico’s Pontifications PoliGazette Politico Power Line PR Newswire Pravda Protein Wisdom Quincy News Real Clear Markets Real Clear Politics Reason Reason Hit and Run Rebel Pundit RedState Rep. 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