Virginia's Victory...let's replicate it!

February 26, 2013

Victory in Virginia!

Virginia’s Parental Rights Act has been approved by both houses of the General Assembly and sent to Governor Bob McDonnell for his signature. This is a major victory in Virginia, and hopefully just a first step as these statutes take hold nationwide.

The Parental Rights Act, which in Virginia is both House Bill 1642 and Senate Bill 908, states: “A parent has a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.” The measures were adopted in both houses with bipartisan support.

There was opposition, apparently over fears that the bill would somehow impact existing laws, even though the standard it codifies is already the legal standard of the courts in the state. Virginia lawmakers got around that fear by adding a second section which specifies, “That it is the expressed intent of the General Assembly that this act codify the opinion of the Supreme Court of Virginia in L.F. v. Breit, issued on January 10, 2013, as it relates to parental rights.” The case cited recognizes parental rights as a fundamental right and requires strict scrutiny in their protection.

The Family Foundation, the Home Educators Association of Virginia, and the Home School Legal Defense Association provided vital support as Delegate Brenda Pogge and Senator Bryce Reeves led the way in passing these bills. ParentalRights.org is especially grateful to our state leader, Teri Beatley, and to HSLDA attorney Scott Woodruff who testified on behalf of our organization as well as his own. We are indebted to all of these and to you who called to bring this victory to pass.

Once Governor McDonnell signs the bill(s), the rights of parents in Virginia will be safe not only in the present, but even if federal court decisions continue to erode parental rights in the future.

Unfortunately, this will not be enough if the U.S. Senate ratifies a United Nations treaty – such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) or the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) – that would shift the responsibility for child welfare from fit parents to the federal government. Under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, a ratified treaty supersedes state laws.

So we continue to work toward passage of an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to prevent the abuse of this treaty power. The article would prohibit the President and Senate from adopting any treaty that would impact the rights of parents like those addressed in this new Virginia law.

And we continue to work in various states to see more victories like the one we are celebrating in Virginia today!

State Updates

Oklahoma’s HB 1384, for instance, passed the House Human Services Committee last Wednesday (Feb. 20) on a 6-3 vote. From there it goes to the full House for a passage vote. On the same day, Senator Griffin signed on as the principle Senate author to guide the bill through the second chamber.

Kansas and Missouri also have bills pending. Though there is no specific progress to report from Kansas, Missouri’s HB 513 is likely to be voted on in the House Children and Families Committee this afternoon.

Several other states are also working on resolutions this year. Pennsylvania’s HR71 calls on the U.S. Senate to reject ratification of the CRC because it poses a threat to parental rights. If it passes, Pennsylvania will join Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama in rejecting this dangerous treaty.

Nebraska’s LR 42 and Mississippi’s SC 530 both call on the U.S. Congress to propose to the states for ratification the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. If they pass, these states will join Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Louisiana, and Florida in calling for the Amendment.

Action Items

Even if there are no pending bills or resolutions in your state, ParentalRights.org is active there. Please continue to spread the word about the need to protect parental rights in your state and in the U.S. Constitution. And if you would like to volunteer in an even more active way, send an email to Deputy Grassroots Director David Scheurn at David@parentalrights.org. Tell him your city and state and ask him how you can be more involved in fighting for parental rights.

Finally, if you are able, please consider adding ParentalRights.org to your monthly budget. Even $5 per month adds up over time, and will help support our efforts continually until parental rights are preserved in our Constitution and parents in every state enjoy the protection that Virginia has just secured.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research

Obamacare Malady of the Week...

It is estimated 7 million Americans will lose their employer sponsored insurance coverage due to Obamacare.  This will mean employers will have to pay $130 billion in penalties.

http://blog.heritage.org/2013/02/05/five-health-care-takeaways-from-cbos-report/

2 Weeks to Kill Common Core ... GO!

If you'd like to go directly to this webpage, click here:  http://arizonafreedomalliance.ning.com/group/watching-schools/forum/topics/two-weeks-to-kill-common-core-curriculum?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Two Weeks to KILL Common Core Curriculum

Dear Friends of Liberty,

Attached are two items relating to the Common Core Curriculum, a federal takeover of Arizona’s K-12 Educational system.  The first is a summary handout, with legislator contact information.  The other is a more detailed history of this vile, dumbed down, government propaganda-ridden program, written by Laddie G Shane, Chairman of Arizona Conservative Educators.  Please send the senators identified below and in the handout this information, and ask them to vote NO.

Common Core must be stopped in Arizona! 

In the name of God, Family, and Civic Duty,

Anita Christy

www.GilbertWatch.com

RAPID RESPONSE - ALL HANDS ON DECK!!

Less Than 2 Weeks to STOP Common Core - the Federal Takeover of Arizona’s K-12 Education

Background:

What’s The Common Core Movement?

Essentially, it is the federal government’s plan to control the K-12 education system in the US by nationalizing education, state-by-state, including Arizona.

You haven’t heard about it?

Common Core is a requirement to participate in the Race To The Top federal grant program, 46 states signed on without knowing what Common Core was.

Standards were accepted by the Governor and the State Board of Education adopted it.

Implementation has begun under the radar.  All occurred with no public debate or parental input.

What’s Wrong With That?  The Common Core Movement is a Trojan Horse:

The Common Core Movement has 3 parts – The Standards, The PARCC Assessment (test replacing AIMS) & The Curriculum.

Each part is “aligned” or moves in relationship to the other.   The point of the Standards/Assessment is to drive Curriculum/content choices, this is by design.

Standards are Mediocre Quality – “Internationally Benchmarked”? Only Math and English are written, all subjects eventually will be included and the state can only add 15%. 

70% of all reading will be non-fiction, not classics.  Algebra 1 is delayed from 8th to 9th grade. Estimations say US students may be 2 years behind other countries.

PARCC (Partnership Assessment for College & Career Readiness) Not Completed - only exists in prototype form, no finished product, reliant on technology to fully implement,

tests given multiple times in a school year, but there is no final cost analysis. Scores are expected to go down (as has occurred in Kentucky and Georgia). 

Curriculum – They say “It’s Voluntary”?  The Standards/Assessment/Curriculum are a matrix, binding them together. Standards alone won't make a difference,

you need curriculum, instruction, professional development  and assessments that embody the standards. Most schools will eventually be convinced to use the curriculum

to align with Standards and testing, we do not have control.  Most classic literature will be replaced by “informational texts” such as technical manuals. The goal is less textbooks more technology.

Costs Open-Ended & Unfunded Mandates,

for implementation, administrative & teacher training, testing, text books, technology (online testing, hardware, software, digital curriculum and data tracking).  No cost analysis by Legislature.

Federal v. State Control – They say it is written by the states?

Primarily drafted by a DC based non-profit called Achieve Inc., working with the National Governors Association & the Council of Chief State School Officers,

without legislative authority and limited input from the states, gives the appearance of a state generated initiative.

Federal government grants support the groups writing the Common Core, the Department of Education promotes it and the Race To The Top grant program requires it.

Gains in AZ school choice options will be set back – Charter schools are required to adopt Common Core

State Sovereignty Issues –  The US Constitution does not refer to education, so education decisions defer to the states.  Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina said,

“Just as we should not relinquish control of education to the federal government, neither should we cede it to the consensus of other states.”

Collecting Student Data – States assist the larger federal goal of the long term tracking of a child from birth to workforce by tracking student performance and “other” data then providing

it to the Departments of Education, Homeland Security and Labor.

The Good News:  We Can STOP the Train (We’re Not Alone – Other States are Rejecting or Debating Common Core)

Our Challenge:  TIME, We Have Less than 2 Weeks and we need 16 Senators to Vote NO

What You Can Do: 

The general public doesn’t know about Common Core, so virtually no opposition has been expressed to the Governor or Legislature.

The PARCC Assessment portion, HB2047 – Pupil Assessments/AIMS Transition was passed in the House with a majority of Republicans voting YES,

only 9 voted against it, Steve Smith one of the most Conservative House members, voted NO. We have recourse:

STOP HB2047 from being passed in the AZ Senate

The Senate will vote on the Assessment within 2 weeks.  If passed, we essentially are giving state control to the federal government.  Most Republicans are expected to vote yes.

WE NEED 16 SENATORS to VOTE NO

WE NEED 100’s of emails/phone calls.  Call first and urge ALL the Senators to VOTE NO on HB2047, then email them. Please distribute to everyone you know.

(You'll have to cut and paste these email addresses into your address line, because they are not "hot" links.)

spierce@azleg.gov  kward@azleg.gov   ccrandell@azleg.gov  amelvin@azleg.gov   abiggs@azleg.gov  dshooter@azleg.gov  ggriffin@azleg.gov  nbarto@azleg.gov  rcrandall@azleg.gov

syarbrough@azleg.gov   jmccomish@azleg.gov   kyee@azleg.gov   rmurphy@azleg.gov   jburges@azleg.gov   bworsley@azleg.gov  adriggs@azleg.gov 

Steve Pierce             602.926.5584

Kelli Ward                  602.926.4138

Chester Crandell     602.926.5409            Vice Chair Education Committee

Al Melvin                   602.926.4326

Andy Biggs               602.926.4371            Senate President

Don Shooter             602.926.4139            Chairman Appropriations Committee

Gail Griffin                 602.926.5895

Nancy K Barto          602.926.5766

Rich Crandall           602.926.3020

Steve Yarbrough      602.926.5863

John McComish      602.926.5898

Kimberly Yee            602.926.3024            Chairman Education Committee

Rick Murphy             602.926.4444            Vice Chair Appropriations Committee

Judy Burges             602.926.5861

Bob Worsley             602.926.5760

Adam Driggs             602.926.3016

Children are often used as props in the education debate.  This time it really is about “the children” - my child, your child, your grandchild and the future of our country.

Thank you in advance for your participation.  (Originated by Patriots in LD17)

Update on Parental Rights Movement

February 20, 2013

What's Going On?

This has been an extremely busy year so far for parental rights, though very few of you probably knew that. That’s because most states are not yet seeing that action, and the ones that are generally are not aware of activity going on in other states or at the federal level.

So what is going on?

For starters, parental rights bills have been introduced this year in several states, including Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas – and several other states are preparing to introduce similar measures in the weeks ahead.

Virginia’s HB1642 and SB908 have both traveled convoluted paths toward a final bill that no doubt will merge the two into one good parental rights law. Each started from the same draft, underwent amendments in both the House and Senate committees, and looks to protect “a [parent’s] fundamental right [to direct] the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.” There have been ups and downs in both houses, but we are very excited about where the bills are right now. (If you live in Virginia, we are asking you to call your state senator. Please see the alert here.)

Missouri’s HB513 also codifies the “fundamental right” of parents “to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their child.” It has been read twice in the House, and the House Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing on it on February 19 (yesterday). They have not yet voted on it; that could come at any time.

Oklahoma’s HB1384 is also not far along in the process, but it passed the House Human Services Committee on Monday (February 18). From there it must go to the House floor, then on to the Senate. We will be sending out alerts asking for your calls at those important junctures.

In Kansas, a bill relating to the exercise of religion also includes strong protection for fundamental parental rights. In fact, HB2203 uses both the term “fundamental right” and a call for the “strict scrutiny” level of legal protection relative to parental rights. Although we cannot claim any credit for this bill, we fully support it for the sake of this provision. The bill had a hearing in the Committee on the Judiciary on Monday, February 18.

Meanwhile, in Indiana and Washington state, we are battling bills (SB171 and HB1506/HB1934, respectively) that would grant legal standing to persons outside the immediate family to sue parents for visitation rights of the parents’ children, against the wishes of the parent(s). (Washington: HB1934 is identical to HB1506, and we need your calls again. Please click here for the former alert and apply it to HB1506.)

Efforts are also under way to pass parental rights legislation in several other states. We will update you on those efforts as those bills are introduced.

Sadly, our effort to pass a parental rights bill in Mississippi was cut short. House Bill 496 was challenged on a technicality as being “improperly before the House,” because it did not reference laws on vaccination or child abuse. Under Mississippi law, a bill must specifically reference any existing laws that would be affected by passage of the bill. We contend that these laws would not be impacted, but opponents held otherwise, and the House lawyers sided with them. So the bill was struck without the benefit of a vote, over a difference of opinion in whether it would impact existing law.

What's Going on in Washington?

Meanwhile, we have been working on Capitol Hill to solidify our introduction strategy in both the U.S. House and Senate. The Senate is especially challenging with the departure of Sen. Jim DeMint, who understands our issue well and who has championed our efforts there for the last three sessions. His retirement has forced us to find a new cosponsor who, along with his or her staff, must be brought up to date on the latest developments in our quest to preserve parental rights through this Amendment.

Michael Farris had two encouraging meetings with potential champions last week. I hope to provide some very exciting details soon, so that we can all start to call our lawmakers and get them on board!

What About the CRPD?

While nothing is certain, we are preparing for the likelihood that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which would take away traditional parental rights from those who have disabilities or whose children have disabilities, will be brought up in the Senate again this year. It was narrowly defeated in December by a 61-38 vote (66 yea votes were needed for passage).

While our opponents are hoping it will be brought up again by early spring, we believe current issues before the Senate will delay it by a few more months. But we are not sitting idle. We are reworking our talking points and informative papers, and we are reaching out to groups who have been misled over the political nature of this treaty. There is no immediate threat, but there is an imminent threat – and we are busy working to defeat this danger once again.

Many of you have been waiting patiently for something to happen. Now you can see that a lot has already been happening. It may be that things will soon take off in your state, too. But please know that we appreciate your patience and your support alike.

What Can I Do?

While so much is going on behind the scenes, it is only a matter of time before parental rights becomes a highlighted issue again. In preparation for that, we are trying to double our petition list this year in order to double our voice. If you know anyone who has not yet signed our petition, please invite them to visit parentalrights.org/petition and sign up today. Or you can visit the same link and print out a paper petition, get your friends to sign, then mail it in.

Thank you for standing with us in the quiet times and when the fighting gets loud. I look forward to sharing many victories with you throughout this year!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research

* Because ParentalRights.org is a 501(c)(4) lobbying organization, we regret that donations cannot be deductible for income tax purposes.

Common Core...useful or dreadful?

Most individuals don't know what the Common Core standards in education are. Of course, many know what the core classes are--math, English, Science--but it's different than just those subjects being covered. There's a serious connection between common core standards and Agenda 21.

The following article was found on the "As a Mom" website and I felt it was appropriate to include so the general population can get an idea of what's going on it today's traditional school...the ones regulated by our governments--both nationally and locally.

I learned that most other parents didn’t know what the Common Core was either.
I learned that the standards were state accepted, but definitely not “state led.”
I learned that the international benchmark claim is a pretty shaky one and doesn’t mean they are better than or even equal to international standards that are considered high.
I learned that there was NO public input before the standards were adopted. State-level decision makers had very little time themselves and had to agree to them in principle as the actual standards were not yet complete.
I learned that the only content experts on the panel to review the standards had refused to sign off on them, and why they thought the standards were flawed.
I learned that much of the specific standards are not supported by research but are considered experimental.
I learned that in addition to national standards we agreed to new national tests that are funded and controlled by the federal government.
I learned that in my state, a portion of teacher pay is dependent on student test performance.
I learned that not only test scores, but additional personal information about my children and our family would be tracked in a state-wide data collection project for the express purpose of making decisions about their educational path and “aligning” them with the workforce.
I learned that there are fields for tracking home-schooled children in this database too.
I learned that the first step toward getting pre-school age children into this data project is currently underway with new legislation that would start a new state preschool program.
I learned that this data project was federally funded with a stipulation that it be compatible with other state’s data projects. Wouldn’t this feature create a de facto national database of children?
I learned that my parental rights to deny the collection of this data or restrict who has access to it have been changed at the federal level through executive regulation, not the legislative process.
I learned that these rights as protected under state law are currently under review and could also be changed.
I learned that the financing, writing, evaluation, and promotion of the standards had all been done by non-governmental special interest groups with a common agenda.
I learned that their agenda was in direct conflict with what I consider to be the best interests of my children, my family, and even my country.
Yes, I had concerns about the standards themselves, but suddenly that issue seemed small in comparison to the legal, financial, constitutional and representative issues hiding behind the standards and any good intentions to improve the educational experience of my children.
If it was really about the best standards, why did we adopt them before they were even written?
If they are so wonderful that all, or even a majority of parents would jump for joy to have them implemented, why wasn’t there any forum for parental input?
What about the part where I said I felt my children had been sold? I learned that the U.S. market for education is one of the most lucrative – bigger than energy or technology by one account – especially in light of these new national standards that not only create economy of scale for education vendors, but require schools to purchase all new materials, tests and related technology. Almost everything the schools had was suddenly outdated.
When I discovered that the vendors with the biggest market share and in the position to profit the most from this new regulation had actually helped write or finance the standards, the mama bear inside me ROARED!
Could it be that the new standards had more to do with profit than what was best for students? Good thing for their shareholders they were able to avoid a messy process involving parents or their legislative representatives.
As I kept note of the vast sums of money exchanging hands in connection with these standards with none of it going to address the critical needs of my local school – I felt cheated.
When I was told that the end would justify the means, that it was for the common good of our children and our society, and to sit back and trust that they had my children’s best interests at heart – they lost my trust.
As I listened to the Governor and education policy makers on a state and national level speak about my children and their education in terms of tracking, alignment, workforce, and human capital – I was offended.
When I was told that this is a done deal, and there was nothing as a parent or citizen that I could do about it – I was motivated.
Finally, I learned one more very important thing. I am not the only one who feels this way. Across the nation parents grandparents and other concerned citizens are educating themselves, sharing what they have learned and coming together. The problem is, it is not happening fast enough. Digging through all the evidence, as I have done, takes a lot of time – far more time than the most people are able to spend. In order to help, I summarized what I thought was some of the most important information into a flowchart so that others could see at a glance what I was talking about.

http://www.utahnsagainstcommoncore.com/children-for-sale/

President's Day Message

I'm fairly certain that our current President will likely never have his birthday celebrated. Sure, we'll acknowledge him on President's Day, but he'll never be a runner-up to those who were, and are, so highly deemed as leaders, such as: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and, even, Ronald Reagan. In honor of our wonderful national leaders, we salute you with this President's Day message!

Presidents Day: A Day to Honor Those Who Faithfully Served

While the argument can be made that all Presidents of the US should be honored, given the level of the office, we much prefer to focus on those who actually honor their oath of office.

 

No one did more to shape the office of the President than our first President, George Washington. He had such an influence with other founding fathers that Washington had the opportunity to mold the office into pretty much whatever he could make of it. In fact, others wanted to make him king. Fortunately for us, he turned them down.

 

Instead, President George Washington set the standard no other President has been able to live up to. He shunned power and personal gain to demonstrate how the fledgling Republic was supposed to be run, complete with the appropriate checks and balances. It's these checks and balances that are sorely lacking today.

 

To learn more about each of our Presidents, from George Washington to Barack Obama, FreedomProject Education offers a 60 second video on each of them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpRGZwqskXU&feature=share&list=PL986619BAA1C28437

We also must continue to press forward with diligence to recapture the presidency! After watching this video on Hannity this weekend, I think we may have just found the perfect person! Read the following article (just in case you missed the broadcast) and let us know what you think: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/hannity/2013/02/18/saving-america-dr-benjamin-carsons-fight-real-change

Attempting to Repeal...

Do you remember June 28, 2012?

I do. That was the day the Supreme Court incorrectly ruled that Obamacare could stand as law of the land.

That dark day is etched permanently into my memory having ignited a fire within me that'll burn until the day Obamacare is repealed.

In Washington, Democrats and Republicans both have accepted Obamacare and have moved on to other "issues of the day" as if they never really cared.

But I refuse to allow Obamacare to stand.

I'm still mad as hell, as if I just heard the decision this morning.

Just because the Supreme Court ruled on the issue, doesn't make it right.

Make no mistake, Obamacare was and still is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

I want to share with you my op-ed published in the USA Today discussing how badly Justice Roberts' decision on Obamacare trampled the boundaries of our Constitution.

Sign the petition by clicking the link below.

http://www.randpacusa.com/welcome_obamacare.aspx?pid=new6

What's in a name?!

February 12, 2013

What's In a Name?

You already know who in the government loves your child more than you do: no one.

And you know which judge in our country would be more diligent than you are to make the very best decision for your child: there isn’t one.

That is exactly why you support the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and why you oppose the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). By establishing the “best interest of the child” legal standard, the CRC would place government officials and judges in the role of second-guessing the decisions you make for your child.

And that’s just not going to work.

Consider “Girl” Bjarkardottir of Iceland, whose story was recently featured at NBCNews.com.

Her parents didn’t name her “Girl.” They named her “Blaer.” Unfortunately, no one involved at the time realized the name was not on the government-approved list of girls' names. When the error was discovered, she had to forego her own name and use the Icelandic word for “girl” instead.

“Blaer” is Icelandic for “breeze,” and according to the Icelandic Naming Committee, it is a perfectly acceptable name – but only for a male.

Under the CRC, Iceland has an obligation “to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being…and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures…. In all actions … the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” (CRC, Article 3) Apparently, the Icelandic government believes its Naming Committee is a part of fulfilling this responsibility.

And the Naming Committee believes girls need to be protected from bearing the name “Blaer.”

It is true that some parents make bad choices about what to name their child. The New Jersey couple who named their children Adolf Hitler and Aryan Nation come readily to mind. But as the U.S. Supreme Court once declared, “The statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” Parham v. J.R., 442 U.S. 584 (1979)

In other words, we don’t punish everyone because a small few do foolish things. To do so is destructive of liberty. Fit parents do not lose their decision-making rights simply because bad parents exist.

On January 31, a district court in Reykjavik finally determined that “Blaer” could be a girl’s name, too. “I’m very happy,” the girl told the Iceland Review Online. “Finally, I’ll have the name ‘Blaer’ in my passport.”

Finally. It’s a right her mother would have given her a lifetime ago. 

Action Items

1. Remember Facebook Fan February! We are on course to reach our goal of 30,000 fans on our fan page by March 1. Please visit the page and “like” it if you haven’t already; or post a link to it on your own Facebook timeline so your friends will find us and sign up. Liking our fan page is also a great way for you to keep up with parental rights activity in your own state legislature!

2. Help us pursue our goal of doubling our petition list in the next year. Invite your family and friends to sign the petition at http://parentalrights.org/index.asp?SEC={2CC263EB-DB6D-446B-9B0E-FC0A4C2778D3}&Type=B_BASIC.

Both of these will greatly increase our voice when it is time to halt dangerous treaties in the Senate and to push the Parental Rights Amendment in the U.S. Congress and in the States.

Together we can protect our children by preserving the rights of fit parents in our country.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research

Please--No Tax Hikes!

Have you noticed something suspicious about your paychecks this year?

Thanks to Obama and big-spending politicians from both parties, hardworking Americans like you will see a combined income loss of $125 billion.

They think they can spend YOUR money better than you can!

And it is going to get worse as the “fiscal cliff” is revisited this Spring.

If you listen to Washington insiders, the media elite, and the big spenders on Capitol Hill - the only solution will be massive tax hikes.

But the truth is we don't have a revenue problem in Washington. We have a spending problem.

Sadly, establishment Republicans are poised, yet again, to trade tax hikes for spending cuts that will never come.

Some of my Republican colleagues are even "warming up" to the idea of hiking taxes as a "solution" to our economic problems. 

http://www.randpacusa.com/welcome_taxes.aspx?pid=new4

 Like most conservatives, I understand further tax hikes would unquestionably make things worse.

The last message you and I should be sending Washington is that it needs more money.

I don't want the government to have more revenue.

I want YOU to have more money in your pockets. Money YOU earned.

When I was first elected in 2010, I made a pledge to the good folks of Kentucky that I would never vote to hike taxes.

And as a man of my word, a pledge is not something I'm going to go back on.

Instead, I'm going to lead the fight to cut spending and stop any new tax hikes the big spenders try to ram through Congress.

I'm sure you agree the solution to our economic problems isn't higher taxes on hard-working Americans.

The solution is for my fellow Republicans to stand up unashamedly in the fight against any attempt to raise our taxes. 

 As I'm sure you remember, last year we had a huge controversy over raising the debt ceiling.

Eventually, a "compromise" that automatic cuts that would take place if a special "Super Committee" failed to cut spending was reached.

Guess what? They failed.

Not only did the committee fail to find cuts - they now want to get rid of the automatic cuts, jack up our taxes and raise the debt ceiling again.

This is insanity!

Unfortunately, many of my Republican colleagues are giving in, unwilling to protect conservative values.

That's why it's never been more important constitutional conservatives like you stand up and demand Congress oppose any new tax increases.

Some appropriate wall hangings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obamacare Maladies of the Week by Rep. Gosar

127,602,371 Hours Per Year to Play By All The Obamacare Rules
The rules and regulations resulting from Obamacare will cost American businesses and families 127 million hours annually to comply. President Obama's Office of Management and Budget and Internal Revenue Service released a report detailing the most costly amount of federal red tape in years.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/obamacare-red-tape-burden-127602371-hours-yearly/article/2520712

7 Million to Lose Health Insurance Under Obamacare
7 million people will lose their job-based health insurance under Obamacare, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Nearly double the previous estimate of 4 million.

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/281213-cbo-says-obama-health-law-will-cost-13t#ixzz2K9k04alE

Not surprising, but definitely ridiculous!

On May 2, 2011, Seal Team 6 infiltrated a terrorist compound in Pakistan and killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

All across the country, Americans cheered the news that one of the world's largest mass murderers had been brought to justice.

Unfortunately, there's a tragedy hiding within this story - and it's being ignored by my colleagues in Congress.

You see, in the weeks leading up to Osama bin Laden's death, Pakistani Doctor Shakil Afridi risked his life to provide the U.S. with the information that directly helped Seal Team 6 find and kill bin Laden.

Dr. Afridi should be rewarded - or at the very least congratulated - for his efforts.

But instead he's been imprisoned, brutally tortured, and sentenced to life in prison for treason by Pakistan's intelligence agency.

It's a travesty that this hero is being tortured and his family threatened for the crime of helping America.

And it's an outrage the United States continues to send over $2 billion in taxpayer money to Pakistan each year!

And it gets worse - much worse.

http://www.randpacusa.com/welcome_faid.aspx?pid=new3

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi recently attempted to seize absolute power and impose Sharia Law on the Egyptian people.

As a result, massive protests and violence erupted throughout Egypt.

And how did the Obama Administration respond?

By agreeing to send 20 F-16 fighter jets to Egypt as part of the $1 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars that are sent to Egypt each year for so-called "foreign aid."

Yes, I will repeat that!

The Pentagon handed over $213 million dollars' worth of top-notch F-16 fighter jets to a Muslim Brotherhood-led government hell bent on imposing Sharia Law in Egypt.

The sad truth is that our policy of sending billions of taxpayer dollars overseas for so-called "foreign aid" to countries that hate us could end up becoming an international disaster.

Should the troubles in Egypt spiral into a regional conflict with Israel, we could find ourselves in the embarrassing position of supplying arms and billions of dollars to both sides of a shooting war.

You and I MUST end this madness.

I'm will continue to lead the fight to stop taxpayer dollars from flowing to anti-American regimes overseas.

And I'm counting on you to stand with me.

In Liberty,

Senator Rand Paul

P.S. The United States is sending billions of dollars overseas in so-called "foreign aid" to countries that are hell bent on undermining U.S. foreign policy.

We must stop this insanity!

Way to Go!!

BUTTE, MONTANA -
Shotgun preteen vs. Illegal alien Home Invaders...
Two illegal aliens, Ralphel Resindez, 23, and Enrico Garza, 26, 
probably believed they would easily overpower home-alone 11-year-old Patricia Harrington after her father had left their two-story home. It seems the two crooks never learned two things: they were in Montana and Patricia had been a clay-shooting champion since she was nine.
Patricia was in her upstairs room when the two men broke through the front door of the house. She quickly ran to her father's room and grabbed his 12-gauge Mossberg 500 shotgun.

 

Resindez was the first to get up to the second floor only to be the first to catch a near point blank blast of buckshot from the 11-year-old's knee-crouch aim. He suffered fatal wounds to his abdomen and genitals.

When Garza ran to the foot of the stairs, he took a blast to the left shoulder and staggered out into the street where he bled to death before medical help could arrive. It was found out later that Resindez was armed with a stolen 45-caliber handgun he took from another home invasion robbery. That victim, 50-year-old David 0'Burien, was not so lucky. He died from stab wounds to the chest.

Ever wonder why good stuff never makes NBC, CBS, PBS, MSNBC, CNN, or ABC news........? An 11 year old girl, properly trained, defended her home, and herself......against two murderous, illegal immigrants.......and she wins. She is still alive. Now THAT is Gun Control!

Thought for the day.... Calling an illegal alien an 'undocumented immigrant' is like calling a drug dealer an 'unlicensed pharmacist.' I like this kind of e-mail! American citizens defending themselves and their homes.

Behavioral Health Assessment Update

From ParentalRights.org:

February 5, 2013

Bill Would Require "Behavioral Health Assessment"

Imagine if state law required that every 12, 14, and 17-year-old undergo a behavioral health assessment – an invasive and comprehensive “review of physical and mental health, intelligence, school performance, employment, level of function in different domains including family situation, and behavior in the community.” Imagine if the law required the assessment for every child, even if there have never been any indications of behavioral issues.

That is exactly the situation Connecticut parents – those who home school their children and those who send their kids to public school - will be facing if Proposed Bill 374 is adopted this session. Although the bill states that the test results will only be disclosed to the parents, the health care provider must submit a form to the State Board of Education verifying that the assessment has been completed.

Before dismissing this as a localized issue, the reader is urged to consider two things: First, if their fundamental parental rights are not enough to protect their children from such an intrusion, what are your fundamental parental rights worth?

Second, courts have already weakened the role that parents play in deciding whether their children face similarly invasive evaluations in the public schools in other parts of the country. The Ninth Circuit held in Fields v. Palmdale that “a psychological survey is a reasonable state action pursuant to legitimate educational as well as health and welfare interest of the state.” This is a parental rights issue; it is a liberty issue for all of us.

Every year lawmakers introduce legislation that would trample the right of parents to make decisions for their children. The Supreme Court once held that “[t]he statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” Parham v. J.R., 442 U.S. 584 (1979) Instead, today’s lawmakers quip that “If just one child can be saved, we have to pass this law.”

But is that correct? Are we getting better or worse at understanding the role of good law? It was an even older Court that wrote, “A desirable end cannot be promoted by prohibited means.” Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390 (1923)

The problem is, in too many states the violation of fundamental parental rights is not immediately recognized as prohibited means.

That is why states like Virginia, Mississippi, and Missouri are taking up Parental Rights Acts that would preserve this fundamental liberty as a matter of state statutory law.

And it is why we are promoting the Parental Rights Amendment in the 113th Congress – to stop these intrusions all over the country.

As a matter of fact, it is not okay to violate the inalienable rights of countless Americans just because policy makers arrogantly believe that they, through government, can end all ills. We need to protect our children – but we need to do so in a manner that protects our (and their) liberties as well. Otherwise, we end up with a country safe, sterile, and enslaved.

In the days ahead, we will provide you with information on the Parental Rights Amendment in this Congress, and how you can contact your lawmakers to support it. Until then, though, we need your help in a couple of preparatory efforts.

Action Items

First, we are looking to double the size of our petition base this year. That means we need you to enlist friends and family members to sign on and become part of the solution. Click here to download a petition page or to sign up online.

Second, we have launched Facebook Fan February with a goal to reach 30,000 fans on our Facebook Fan page. That will help us to expand our online reach so that more and more people will see our efforts and hopefully want to participate when we call Congress.

So please take a moment today to “like” our fan page, and then to ask your friends and family to sign our petition as well. Or perhaps you could print out the petition and get even more of your neighbors to sign.

And if you live in Connecticut, you will no doubt want to call your lawmakers and share your thoughts on Proposed Bill 374, as well. Click here for the alert from our friends at HSLDA.

Together we can build an army of support to defeat these threats to parental rights, wherever they arise.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research

Term Limits

Imagine learning Barack Obama had just announced plans to seek a third term as President of the United States.

Left-wing radicals all over the country would cheer their chance to tax, spend and regulate our country into oblivion for four more years . . .

Thankfully, that nightmare won't come true. Our Constitution limits Presidents to two terms.

But if term limits are a good idea for Presidents, why not Members of Congress? 

I'll give you the link in just a moment. But first let me explain exactly why term limits are so important.

I can already tell you, my colleagues here in Washington, D.C. are going to FIGHT my Congressional Term Limits Amendment every step of the way.

For them, politics as usual is just fine.

But for virtually everyone else I talk to across our country, it's clear career politicians have FAILED.

After years of raiding the national treasury to buy more votes for their next elections, our federal government is saddled with over $16.2 TRILLION in debt.

Yet cutting spending is barely even mentioned in Washington, D.C.

Instead, my colleagues are falling all over themselves to find solutions to allow them to keep up the Big Government, big spending gravy train for just a little longer . . .

Well, the politicians' gravy train is about to cause an enormous economic train wreck for our entire country - and it's one we can all see coming.

The good news is, perhaps more than anything else, your support for term limits can completely change the poisoned political culture here in Washington, D.C. once and for all. 

 That poison is the corruption wrought by career politicians who care more about their next elections than doing what's right for our country.

Sadly, the longer politicians stay in Congress, the worse it becomes.

Of course, there are exceptions, but they're few and far between.

I was just elected in 2010, and I'm already tired of watching my colleagues trade what principles they have left for the special interests' support in their next reelection campaign!

That's why I believe we need more citizen legislators and fewer career politicians.

So I've introduced legislation to send them all home!

My Congressional Term Limits Amendment would limit House Members to three two-year terms.

For Senators, it would be two six-year terms.

Of course, as with any Constitutional Amendment, once passed by Congress it has to be sent to the states.

But realistically, the real fight is in Congress where my colleagues will do virtually anything to keep my amendment from passing.

But they'll do it behind the scenes and in the shadows where they know they won't get their hands dirty in front of American voters' watchful eyes.

If you want to take your country back from the iron grip of career politicians in BOTH parties, it's going to take action. 

The good news is, polls consistently show between 70%-80% of American citizens support term limits.

If you and I can force the issue to the forefront of the public debate, my colleagues won't dare oppose it.  

http://www.randpacusa.com/limits.aspx?pid=0203y