Quick Take: Why Britain Voted to Leave the EU

Countries band together to promote trade, defend human rights, protect the environment and repel threats. They sign treaties and join international groups, and each time they do, they agree to give up a bit of independence. That happened in a big way with the creation of the European Union, a free-trade zone and global political force forged from the fractious states of Europe. The question always was, could this extraordinary experiment hold together? Faced with the choice in a June 23 in-or-out referendum, the U.K. voted to leave the bloc it joined in 1973. The way many Brits saw it, the trade-offs no longer serve their interests; they prefer the idea of living outside the EU, as Norway and Switzerland do. They brushed aside the uncertainty that a breakup would cause and voted for what's become known as Brexit.
Read more at Bloomberg Quick Takes Read More......

How did your Rep vote on the Omnibus?

Congress just passed a 2,009 page, $1.1 trillion spending bill. The bill spent $547 million per page.  How did your representative/senator vote?


Find out at Conservative Review and see Senate Roll Call Vote at The Right Scoop Read More......

Study: Most Convicts Vote Democrat

A scholarly study newly released in The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science has revealed that most convicts in jail register as Democrats.
The study stated, "Democrats would benefit from additional ex-felon participation."  The professors who authored the study came from the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.


Read more at Breitbart.com Read More......

House Votes to Delay Obamacare, Repeal Medical Device Tax

Shortly after midnight, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal Obamacare’s tax on medical devices and delay the unpopular law’s implementation by one year. ✧ The two amendments to the Senate-passed continuing resolution would fund the federal government through December 15. The measure returns to the Senate, with the fate of a government shutdown now resting with President Obama and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). In the event of a shutdown, the House approved a separate bill that would pay the U.S. military. Read more at Heritage/Foundry... Read More......

Senate votes to kill Obamacare medical device tax

The Senate on Thursday voted to repeal a sales tax on medical devices that is part of President Obama’s health-care law, a rare bipartisan attempt to strip away a section of the controversial reforms. ✧ Sens. Orrin Hatch, Utah Republican, and Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Democrat, led the amendment, which passed on a 79-20 vote during debate over the chamber’s budget plan for the coming fiscal year. Read more at the Washington Times... Read More......

U.N. Poll Watchers Baffled U.S. Doesn't Require I.D. to Vote

By Katie Pavlich - Those of us who thought U.N election observers would be completely worthless or unhelpful today [11/6], were wrong. U.N. observers are expressing their surprise at how much trust Americans put into the election system without verification and cannot believe Voter I.D. isn't a national requirement to vote. Read more at Townhall.com... Read More......

Obama: Thanks for your service, just don't vote

Times 24/7 (Hat tip: Stella): The administration thanks the troops for their service by failing to comply with a law requiring that it help soldiers deployed overseas cast ballots in their home states. ✧ The administration has taken various states to court to block voter ID laws on the grounds it will disenfranchise voters. But it has no qualms about the disenfranchisement of military voters overseas through its failure to comply with and enforce the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, passed by Congress in 2009 and signed into law by President Barack Obama. Read more at IBD Editorials...

Related:
Fox News: Military voter turnout looks 'bleak'
Human Events: Military vote expected to boost Romney
Washington Times: Special Ops PAC targets 'Obama's loose lips' Read More......

U.S. House vote on U.S. Military action in Libya

VOICE OF AMERICA, 6/3/2011, US House Criticizes Obama on Libya - The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has adopted a resolution [Boehner] criticizing President Barack Obama for dispatching U.S. military forces to the NATO mission in Libya without first getting congressional approval. A separate resolution [Kucinich] that would have required an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Libya mission was defeated. Read more at VOA...

How Oregon's U.S. Representatives voted:

• Kucinich resolution to remove US troops from Libya: Failed 148-265 (Blumenauer - no, Defazio - yes, Schrader - yes, Walden - no, Wu - no).
  
• Boehner resolution that Obama shall not deploy,maintain, etc., US troops on the ground in Libya (rebuke to Obama) [without congressional approval]: Passed: 268-145 (Blumenauer - no, DeFazio - yes, Schrader - yes, Walden - yes, Wu - yes). (Hat tip: D'Ann Matthews)

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House vote to REPEAL Obamacare passed

Today, the House of Representatives voted 245-189 to repeal President Obama's health care plan passed by Congress last year, with 3 Democrats joining the majority. This vote is seen as the first step in Republican efforts to repeal and defund the program. To fully repeal the program the Senate must pass the repeal legislation, followed by President Obama's approval. (Hat tip: Newsmax) Read More......

Senate votes on DREAM Act and DADT Repeal today

Preliminary votes today on the DREAM Act will probably fail but the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (DADT) is expected to pass. We'll see later today.

RESULTS:
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' PASSES - The final vote to end the Pentagon's 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" policy was 65-31, drawing support from eight Republicans. [Snip] The eight Republicans who joined Democrats in passing the repeal were: Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, George Voinovich of Ohio, Richard Burr of North Carolina, John Ensign of Nevada and Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine. [President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law next week.] Read more at Fox News. Also, see what question William Kristol at the Weekly Standard is asking now. Also, see what question William Kristol at the Weekly Standard is asking now.

DREAM Act FAILS - Democrats couldn't muster the 60 votes required to overcome a Republican filibuster on the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act, which the House of Representatives passed earlier this month. ∴ The Senate's 55-41 vote broke mostly along party lines, though three Republicans — Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Robert Bennett of Utah and Richard Lugar of Indiana — voted with the Democrats. ∴ Five Democratic senators — Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Jon Tester and Max Bacus of Montana — sided with Republicans. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced his opposition to the bill but missed the vote. Read more at the Idaho Statesman... Read More......

Congress Passes Sweeping Tax Bill

FOX NEWS, 12/17/2010 - Despite delays and a contentious floor debate, the tax compromise legislation developed by the White House and GOP leaders is headed to the president's desk after the House passed the bill 277 to 148.

WASHINGTON -- A massive bipartisan tax package preventing a big New Year's Day tax hike for millions of Americans is on its way to President Barack Obama for his signature. ∴ The measure would extend tax cuts for families at every income level, renew jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed and enact a new one-year cut in Social Security taxes that would benefit nearly every worker who earns a wage. ∴ In a remarkable show of bipartisanship, the House gave final approval to the measure just before midnight Thursday, overcoming an attempt by rebellious Democrats who wanted to impose a higher estate tax than the one Obama agreed to. Read more at Fox News...

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Vote!

(Hat tip: Stella Guenther) Read More......

Want to make a difference today?

Operation Homefront(fb) Via Soldiers' Angels (Official)fb: WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE today? Please go vote for a Ft. Hood hero. He's candidate number 2, a survivor of the Ft Hood tragedy, and in the running for a new vehicle from an Omaha dealership: VOTE HERE! Read More......

Youths Turn On Obama

Young voters who had been enthralled by Obama's "Yes, we can" message are now saying "Maybe not" -- and are backing away from the president in a worrisome new poll for the White House. Read more at NY Post... Read More......

Health Care Vote Today

Historic vote on health care today, Sunday, March 21, 2010. For the record:
- Final vote: 219-212 "Passed"
- See Republican Leader Boehner's impassioned "Hell No" statements on the House floor at Breitbart TV.
- FOX:House Votes to Pass Health Care Bill , Send 'Fixes' Back to Senate.
- Live Blogging at Real Clear Politics
- Pending - Executive Order on Health Care Bill
- NYT prescriptions/Live Blogging the House Vote.

Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, holding a huge gavel and, surrounded by Democrats supporting the health care bill, walked past Tea Party protesters to intimate they had the votes to pass the bill. This act was tantamount to saying, "Up yours!" She appears to have enjoyed the moment. There were other routes she could have taken.

This was a horrible day for America!

Looking back to the 2008 primary race, Obama promised not to force people to buy health insurance (Hat tip: The Greyfalcon's Blog). See video...

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ObamaCare Vote Scheduled for 1:00 AM Monday!

RightMarch.com (PAC)12/19/2009 (Hat tip: Jack) - Harry Reid has Scheduled the ObamaCare Vote for [Cloture] 1:00 AM [Eastern] MONDAY. Senate vote on the bill is scheduled for 7 PM on Christmas Eve. Click Link to Tell the Senate to VOTE NO: secure.conservativedonations.com/rm_obamacare

ALERT: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled the vote on the ObamaCare bill, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" - THIS WEEKEND. You read that right: the liberal Democrats are preparing to sneak through their socialist health care bill... IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! That means that TODAY, it's up to YOU AND ME to STOP the government takeover of health care in America! TELL THE SENATE TO REJECT SOCIALIZED HEALTH CARE BETTER KNOWN AS "OBAMACARE":

SEND YOUR FAXES NOW!

Thank you, RightMarch.com (PAC) Patriotism In Action
I sent my faxes! There is a charge but worth it if we can stop this bill. -- bc

Review FAX:

[Sen.] [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME]
Washington, DC

RE: Please REJECT Socialized Health Care!

Dear [Sen.] [LAST NAME]:

I'm writing to ask you to please REJECT H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," or any OTHER attempt to force socialized health care or government-mandated health insurance on Americans.

This plan would create rationing through government committees, force all Americans to buy over-priced, politically created health insurance, establish "end-of-life" panels, create an economically unsustainable government-run insurance plan, use taxpayer funds to insure illegal aliens, and impose economy-crushing taxes. More than 88 million Americans could LOSE their private, employer-based coverage. Yearly premiums for Americans with private coverage could jump as much as $460 per person as a result of more cost-shifting. Even doctors stand to lose thousands of dollars of income under the legislation. Annual physician net income is estimated to drop by 6.3 percent or $13.4 billion (coming in at an average $18,900 per physician) when compared with current trends.

This is OUTRAGEOUS, and YOU must stop it. Please, do the RIGHT thing -- REJECT H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," or any OTHER attempt to force socialized health care or government-mandated health insurance on Americans. Thank you.


Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

Read More......

Senate to debate health care overhaul

NATIONAL POST, 11/21/2009 - WASHINGTON: A broad healthcare overhaul was poised to clear its first U.S. Senate hurdle Saturday as the last wavering senators said they would vote to begin debate on the legislation, giving Democrats the 60 votes they need. ∴ Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu ended days of uncertainty and said they would support a procedural motion Saturday to open debate to reform the US$2.5-trillion healthcare system -- the Senate bill's first crucial test vote. Read more at the National Post... Read More......

Call your Senators on WEDNESDAY

AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION (Via email/hat tip: Pat Wills) - Call Sen. Ron Wyden (202) 224-5244 and Sen. Jeff Merkley (202) 224-3753 urge a 'NO' vote on the Motion to Proceed on Obamacare. ∴ Although Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has refused to allow you or even his fellow Senators to see his version of the health care bill, he has vowed to force the Senate to take it's first vote before the Thanksgiving recess. ∴ That vote will be on a Motion to Proceed on the bill. THIS MOTION REQUIRES 60 VOTES AND IF IT FAILS OBAMACARE IS DEAD IN THE SENATE. Under Senate rules, the earliest this vote can take place is Friday. Reid has even threatened to keep the Senate in over the weekend and into Thanksgiving week until he has the votes he needs. Now is the time to act. We are asking every opponent of government-run health care to call their Senators on WEDNESDAY and ask them to vote "NO" on the Motion to Proceed.

Call Sen. Ron Wyden (202) 224-5244 and Sen. Jeff Merkley (202) 224-3753 urge a 'NO' vote on the Motion to Proceed on Obamacare.

Here's the Liberal strategy to pass this bill: to get the 60 votes to move to the bill, Reid has instructed Democrats to say that this first vote is a procedural vote - but in reality its passage would give Reid the power to cut backroom deals - much more than just procedure.

If this Motion to Proceed on Obamacare passes then Reid will cut backroom deals and add amendments to the bill until he gets the votes to pass Obamacare completely through the Senate. Then when the bill is merged with the House-passed bill, they can change the bill yet again.

Just a few weeks ago, 13 Democrats revolted against a bill to add $250 billion to the deficit by eliminating a reduction in physician reimbursement in Medicare without paying for it. They defeated the bill by voting against the Motion to Proceed. For these same Senators to now say this is not the most important vote is the height of hypocrisy.

The time to act is now! You must contact your Senators and let them know a vote on the Motion to Proceed is a vote in favor of the government takeover of our health-care system.

Call Sen. Ron Wyden (202) 224-5244 and Sen. Jeff Merkley (202) 224-3753 urge a 'NO' vote on the Motion to Proceed on Obamacare.

Even though as of Tuesday afternoon, Reid has not released the text of the bill, we know it will include a government-run health plan, increased taxes, cuts in Medicare and nothing to reduce ever-increasing health care costs. In fact, the Center for Medicare Services run by the Obama administration now says the Midnight bill passed by the House on November 7 will indeed cut benefits and raise premiums. It's no wonder Reid is hiding his version of the bill until the last minute.

Even if Reid gets his way and gets every one of the 60 Democrats to vote for the Motion to Proceed, we will join the battle over amendments and against a second cloture vote to cut off debate. All this will be unnecessary if we can stop the bill now.

JOIN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OPPONENTS OF OBAMACARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WEDNESDAY AND CALL YOUR SENATORS TO ASK FOR A "NO" VOTE ON THE MOTION TO PROCEED TO THE HARRY REID HEALTH CARE BILL.

Call Sen. Ron Wyden (202) 224-5244 and Sen. Jeff Merkley (202) 224-3753 urge a 'NO' vote on the Motion to Proceed on Obamacare.

We at the American Conservative Union thank you for all you do to promote conservative, free-market principles. Visit us at http://www.conservative.org and stay informed.

Sincerely,
Larry Hart
Director of Government Relations
American Conservative Union Read More......

Thank you from an Iraqi

An Iraqi woman just voted and she has something to say in a video message. Read More......

JUST ONE

YOU may be thinking, "What difference can I make? Let me remind YOU what a difference JUST ONE made...

• In 1645 JUST ONE gave Oliver Cromwell control of England
  
• In 1649 JUST ONE caused Charles 1 of England to be executed
  
• In 1776 JUST ONE gave America the English language instead of German
  
• In 1839 JUST ONE gave Marcus Morton governorship of Massachusetts
  
• In 1845 JUST ONE brought Texas into the Union
  
• In 1868 JUST ONE saved Andrew Jackson from impeachment
  
• In 1875 JUST ONE changed France from a monarchy to a Republic
  
• In 1876 JUST ONE gave Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency
  
• In 1923 JUST ONE gave Adolf Hitler control of the Nazi Party
  
• In 1941 JUST ONE saved the Selective Service System just 12 weeks before Pearl Harbor
  
• And don't forget that the efforts of JUST ONE atheist removed prayer and Bible reading from our schools

Ethan Allen, a hero of the American Revolution said, "I am only one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do; what I ought to do, by God's grace, I shall do."

Hat tip: Lou Copes Read More......