01/16/10

Whither the Philippines – Update

A few days ago, I put up a post on gun confiscation and martial law in the Philippines and asked for information pertaining to what is going on there. This morning a received a really detailed email from James Triguero, who has information on this subject – with permission, here is what he sent me:

Terresa:

I really enjoy your blog and just signed up to follow it on Facebook. I may have some information for you regarding your post about the situation in the Philippines. I follow the politics pretty closely down there and am in touch with Filipino journalists via Facebook and Twitter.

The massacre that happened in December was carried out by the Ampatuan clan down in Maguindanao. They are a political dynasty that have a large private army. They were coddled by the current President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who they helped with massive voter fraud in 2004. She is an usurper who was caught on tape conspiring to cheat in those elections. A rival clan, the Mangadatus, were going to run against the Ampatuans in the election this year. The person running appealed to the police and the military for protection when he filed his papers to run but they refused to help him. Instead, he sent his wife, many women, and a lot of journalists. Normally Muslims will not target the women and the journalists serve as watchdogs. The Ampatuans didn’t care and they murdered everybody, shocking journalist groups around the world with the murder of 30+ media members.

Gloria Arroyo declared martial law in Maguindanao province using a state of rebellion as a justification. There was a huge outcry and the order was rescinded after a week or so. There is a prohibition of firearms during election periods and there are roadblocks being set up. Guns are generally illegal in the Philippines but the law is rarely enforced. Other than Maguindanao, where they were dismantling a private army, soldiers haven’t gone door to door confiscating weapons. Definitely, American soldiers have not participated in anything like that. It is a violation of the Filipino Constitution for foreign soldiers to act in such a manner and there would be a huge outcry. There was a lot of controversy a couple years ago when the outgoing Ambassador, Kristie Kenney, was visiting a humanitarian project in the dangerous Sulu area. She was surrounded by heavily-armed US soldiers. Many in the Filipino media were upset with that photo and said it should’ve been Filipino soldiers providing security and they felt it was an affront to their sovereignty and a possible violation of their constitution.

Gloria Arroyo is an evil woman and corrupt like Marcos. She may try to extend her stay past May of this year by declaring a failure of elections and a “state of emergency”. She is desperate to cling to power. If she does this, it would likely result in another People Power uprising.

English language websites that cover the news in the Philippines include:

www.philstar.com
www.inquirer.net
www.malaya.com.ph
www.tribune.net.ph

I hope this information is helpful and I look forward to reading more of your articles.

Regards,

James

On this blog, I try to always quickly correct something that I get wrong. While there may be martial law declared in the Philippines, American soldiers are not confiscating guns. This was the primary point that had me very concerned. James has put that issue to rest here.

I still believe that at the rate that Executive Orders and other Constitutional violations are taking place within our own government, we are on very rocky ground concerning what President Obama may or may not do in an emergency. Vigilance should be eternal… Watching what is occurring in other countries helps us prevent things like that occurring here. I fear what Obama will do to our gun rights. But I have faith in our military and our police. Should Obama ever try and use them against us, he is in for one hell of a surprise…

01/16/10

Financial News Update – 01/16/10

DEM THREAT: SENATE CAN PASS HEALTHCARE WITH 51 VOTES

UNIONS WILL DODGE OBAMA’S HEALTH TAX

Barney Frank: ‘If Scott Brown Wins, It’ll Kill The Health Bill’

Little European support for Obama bank tax

Dems Health Care Fallback

Geithner Faces Another Test in AIG Bailout Hearing

EXCLUSIVE: U.N. Body Eyeing Global Tax on Internet

SurvivalBlog:

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: A global fiasco is brewing in Japan

Fitch Warns US Must Cut Spending to Preserve AAA Rating

How Nation’s True Jobless Rate is Closer to 22%

Stocks Fall on JPMorgan Results, Sentiment Survey

Oil Drops on More Signs of a Struggling Consumer

Platinum to Beat Gold, Says Goldman Sachs

Warning of Further Economic Crises Ahead

01/16/10

Links to Visit – 01/16/10

Kim Priestap – Wizbang – Breaking: Scott Brown Filing Criminal Complaint Against Massachusetts Democratic Party

Gateway Pundit – Massachusetts Miracle– The Shot Heard Round the World

Gateway Pundit – BREAKING: Scott Brown Files Complaint Against Dem Party- CLAIMS DEFAMATION …Update: Penalty is $1,000 or Up to 6 Mos. in Jail

The 912 Project – Scott Brown for U.S. Senate campaign to file criminal complaint vs. MA Democrats

The Anchoress – From Ed, in Haiti

Mail Online – Revealed: Islamist preacher who lectures at top London university ‘groomed suicide bomber’ (Hat Tip: Bookworm Room)

Housing Watch – FEMA Drowns Millions of Homeowners in Flood Insurance Premiums (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Feed Your ADHD – The Book of You-Lie

The Blogmocracy – Haiti and the Logistics of Relief (Hat Tip: The Anchoress)

Bookworm Room – Does Obama trip to Massachusetts presage Coakley’s failure?

marinij.com – Santa Cruz court to hear former lesbian partners’ custody dispute over twins (Hat Tip: Bookworm Room)

Gateway Pundit – People Mag Claims Obama Is Lonely in Office… Forgets to Mention the 170 White House Parties- 1 Every 3 Days (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Bookworm Room – A perfect statement about the balance of power between government, citizens and business

The New Editor – Is it Satire?

The Anchoress – Haiti: “Nothing on the ground, yet”

The Anchoress – Relief Efforts for Haiti – UPDATED

Gateway Pundit – Brown Leads Coakley 58-42 in Absentee Ballots– Coakley Losing 1 in 5 Dems to Brown …BIG UPDATE: BROWN PRESS CONFERENCE- PRESSING CHARGES AGAINST DEM PARTY

Gateway Pundit – WOW! SEIU Purple People Beaters Rally For Scott Brown

Gateway Pundit – Curt Schilling to Martha Coakley: “I’ve Been Called a Lot of Things But Never a Yankee’s Fan.” Update: Yankee Video

Michelle Malkin – Martha Antoinette Coakley blunders again: Calls Red Sox great Curt Schilling “Yankees fan”

Michelle Malkin – Blundermania: Dems attack Scott Brown’s “greed” using World Trade Center; Update: It’s official. Obama to Mass. on Sunday

Bob McCarty Writes – ‘Barack Obama’s Seven Mystery States Coin Collection” Marks One-Year Anniversary

01/16/10

An Open Letter to All American Politicians and Bureaucrats – JPFO

Hat Tip: Nancy Jacques

Reposted in full with permission from Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership…

An Open Letter to All American Politicians and Bureaucrats

From Aaron Zelman – Founder and Director of
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.

Copyright JPFO 2009

————————

To: Members of Congress and Appointed Bureaucrats.

As Bill of Rights Day approaches, Americans’ personal freedoms are waning rapidly. Our nation has been invaded and infiltrated in front of our eyes, while, at the same time, actual American citizens have seen our own most fundamental unalienable rights denigrated and eroded. You have done absolutely nothing effective or meaningful to stop it. A preponderance of the blame can be laid directly at your feet. Why? Because many of you are, unequivocally, deceivers and liars.

How can I call you liars? It’s actually quite clear and simple. Upon your election or appointment here’s what you promised us:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me G-d.”*

(*Out of respect, Jews do not spell out the name of the Almighty in secular texts.)

Are you a “domestic” enemy as described in your oath? Your oath of office is a contract, both verbal and signed. If you are in breach of that contract you are now both a liar and a criminal.

If you are in breach of that contract you are now both a liar and a criminal.

Additionally, are you knowingly, or unwittingly a traitor? This is not simply a rhetorical or overblown question. It is fundamental to what is happening within our nation today.

A traitor commits treason. Here’s how the Constitution defines “treason”:

Article III Section 3

“Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The first thing to notice is that the Constitutional definition of treason is specific and limited. The word “only” means what it means. So, Constitutionally, there are only two types of people who can be traitors, those who physically levy war against the people of any of the States of the Union … and those who give “aid and comfort” to those who are levying war.

Also implicit within this definition would be the obvious fact that one must first be an American before one can commit treason. Foreign nationals waging terrorism on American soil are not traitors. They are, quite obviously “enemies, foreign” (see your oath of office). Are you aiding and abetting them intentionally?

Are you aiding and abetting them intentionally?

Have your lax, pandering stances on illegal aliens allowed our “enemies foreign” to burrow into our nation? Have your disgusting politically correct policies about “racism” and “hate speech” given virulent Muslim extremists, who hate and want to murder Christians and Jews, the very cloak and cover that no amount of planning and money could buy?

What immediate convenience or passing luxury could lure so many of you into your present and insane politically correct points of view? It must be asked: Are you taking bribes? Are you being blackmailed? What is the promise or price being offered for you to so transparently betray America?

If you’re not taking bribes, or under some secret duress, what perverse reasoning blinds you to your betrayal of those you have sworn to serve?

You were not elected or appointed to bow to the whims of foreign nationals. You were elected or appointed to serve Americans, and only Americans. If you want to serve foreign nationals go get a job with the U.N. or some global charity.

You need to be reminded that the victim of treason as defined in the Constitution is not some conglomerate entity known as “The United States” in the sense of a nation. In the definition of treason the words “them” and “their” distinctly refer to the individual States in their separateness and sovereignty, and, most importantly the People of those States. Please refresh your memory of this essential detail by reading the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution.

The Founders knew that your corrupting and dangerous species would rise up and fester within our nation. To counteract this inevitability, on top of the “checks and balances” of a three branched form of government, in their wisdom the designers of the American Experiment penned a Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights is a “No Trespassing” sign meant for you, not for those of us you have falsely sworn to serve.

The Bill of Rights is a “No Trespassing” sign meant for you, not for those of us you have falsely sworn to serve.

You should stand on this December 15th, Bill of Rights Day, right hand raised once again, and re-take your oath of office … and mean it.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have shed their blood and died to defend our nation from the very evils you have embraced. Your laws now destroy our rights instead of defending them.

Your actions, under the clear and simple “litmus test” of the Bill of Rights have been revealed as poison to our freedoms. You allow a literal invasion of thirty million illegal aliens (many of whom hate, and would destroy, American culture) while, at the same time take every effort to neutralize decent Americans with your victim disarmament “gun control” schemes.

You call those of us who would attempt to preserve the American Experiment “intolerant” or “xenophobic” (or even “domestic terrorists”) the moment we open our mouths in protest against your blatant sabotage of this nation. You would actually pass laws that prohibit our protests, and would jail us for speaking our minds. It appears you view the First Amendment as an exclusive vehicle to further your malevolent agenda.

You breed bureaucracies brimming with criminal intent against The People of the States. A perfect example: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

There is not one facet of the Constitution you have not ground down and defiled with either your stupidity, arrogance, or blatant dishonesty.

Show integrity and guts. Demonstrate just a fragment of the courage that founded and forged this nation, the greatest testament to individual liberty in the history of the human race. There is still time for you to defend the American way by embracing the Bill of Rights, and repeal any and all laws that desecrate the spirit of that document.

Because, if you don’t change course, how long do you think the American people are going to tolerate your charade of loyalty?

Sincerely, Aaron Zelman – Founder and Director of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.

01/16/10

Bankergate & Free Speech

Hat Tip: Jean Stoner, Nancy Jacques and Erica Belcher

Judge Andrew Napolitano on The Alex Jones Show 1/2: Geithner’s Bankergate & 3rd Party Rising

From Erica:

Geithner’s Bankstergate Judge Andrew Napolitano on The Alex Jones Show 2- 2 Geithner’s Bankergate

The Alex Jones Show 1/3: Bankstergate: Geithners Cover-up of the AIG Bailout!!

The Alex Jones Show 2/3: Bankstergate: Geithners Cover-up of the AIG Bailout!!

The Alex Jones Show 3/3: Bankstergate: Geithners Cover-up of the AIG Bailout!!

Why Treasury chief should be probed and fired

Introduction

Geithner should not only be fired, he should be investigated for criminal activity…….there’s a trail of documents that show cozy relationships between govt officials like Paulson and Geithner who were supposed to be looking out for the public’s best interest, and people at firms like Goldman Sachs for whom profit is everything.

Goldman Sachs Will Be Sitting Pretty With Emanuel in the Obama White House

By: Timothy P. Carney, Examiner Columnist, Nov 21, 2008

Goldman Sachs always has clout in Washington, as evidenced by the firm’s alumni serving as Treasury secretaries under both Presidents Bush and Clinton. Today, in these tumultuous times of bailouts and meltdowns when the investment banking leviathan needs Washington more than ever before, Goldman can leverage its most valuable asset yet—incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. Goldman Sachs is the giant of Wall Street, and more than any other investment bank, Goldman is surviving the current financial storm.

Traditionally a Democratic booster, and one of Barack Obama’s top sources of funds in this past election, Goldman has always had some particularly strong allies within government. Emanuel is one such ally. An interesting early chapter in the Goldman-Emanuel relationship took place in the setting of Bill Clinton’s campaign for the White House in 1992. Clinton hired Emanuel as his chief fundraiser.

At the same time, however, Emanuel was on the payroll of Goldman Sachs, receiving $3,000 per month from the firm to “introduce us to people,” in the words of one Goldman partner at the time. This is certainly a noteworthy relationship, but it’s one that has almost entirely escaped scrutiny. (snip)

In his four terms in Congress, Emanuel has raised $74,750 from Goldman, making the firm his number four source of funds. Goldman has helped Emanuel. How has Emanuel helped Goldman? The most obvious answer, as mentioned in this column two weeks ago, is in Emanuel’s lead role in shepherding the “$700 billion” bailout—first proposed by former a Goldman CEO, Bush Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson—through the skeptical House.

Of course, back in the Clinton days, Goldman benefited from NAFTA and the bailout of the Mexican currency, with Emanuel pushing NAFTA through Congress, and Rubin hammering out the peso bailout. Did Goldman improperly funnel money to the Clinton campaign by subsidizing Emanuel’s salary in 1992? Did Goldman’s help to Clinton spur the Democratic president to push NAFTA and the Mexican bailout?

The answers to these questions are opaque, and with Emanuel burrowed deep within the Obama White House, the continued relationship between Goldman Sachs and Obama’s right hand man won’t be easy to follow.

Watch which regulations of Wall Street Obama fights for. Watch where the bailout money goes. And don’t be surprised Goldman soon sitting pretty once again.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/TimothyCarney/

THINGS WE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT RAHM Did Wall Street Rahm reveal all of his ties to financial institutions involved in Obama’s trillion dollar federal bailout of financials… like Goldman Sachs, for instance?

Update:

And… the Goldman Sachs/Cap and Trade connection…

The Cap-And-Trade Corruption (O’Reilly on FOXNews) (July 14, 2009)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,532663,00.html

Excerpt:

But that’s not the con. Here it comes. Some big corporations will make billions off this cap-and-trade deal. Let’s take one vivid example.

Goldman Sachs is a goliath investment company that pays very little tax. In fact, last year in the teeth of the recession, Goldman made more than $2 billion in profit and, according to the Associated Press, paid its CEO Lloyd Blankfein about $43 million. Let me repeat: Old Lloyd made $43 million bucks in 2008. But Goldman Sachs paid zero in federal income tax. Let me repeat: Goldman made $2 billion and paid nothing in federal tax.

A quick aside: President Obama and the Democrats want to raise taxes on high-earning Americans to pay for health care. But Goldman-Sachs gets a pass.

SACK GOLDMAN SACHS CAP-AND-TRADE (Dec 7, 2009)
http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2009/20091207_SackGoldmanSachs.pdf

Excerpt:

The revolving door between Washington and Wall Street has produced a new scheme to fleece the public. “Cap-and-trade” is the heart of the Obama Administration’s plan to slow global warming and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Permits to emit a “capped” amount of carbon dioxide will be traded on Wall Street by big-time players like Goldman Sachs.

Goldman Sachs to be Carbon Regulator? (July 8. 2009)
http://greenhellblog.com/2009/07/08/goldman-sachs-to-be-carbon-regulator/

Excerpt:

Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Olympia Snow (R-ME) have introduced a bill to make the Commodity Futures Trading Commission the sole regulator of the carbon market created by cap-and-trade legislation.

So does this mean that freebooting Goldman Sachs could be the de facto regulator of the carbon market?

Consider that:

  • The current chairman of the CFTC is Gary Gensler, formerly of Goldman Sachs.
  • Goldman Sachs is a part owner of the exchanges where carbon allowances would be traded.
  • Goldman Sachs has spent millions of dollars lobbying for cap-and-trade legislation in anticipation of making billions of dollars at the expense taxpayers and consumers.
  • Goldman has a special exemption from the CFTC to exceed the trading limits normally placed on commodity speculators. Not only was this exemption secret for 17 years, the CFTC recently had to ask Goldman for permission to release the letter to Congress!
  • Goldman Sachs employees are heavy contributors to the Democratic Party giving it over $4.4. million in the last election. Barack Obama received more than $997,000, Feinstein received $24,250, and Snowe received $17,000 from Goldman. All-in-all, this could result in a pretty decent return-on-investment for Goldman.

As the global warming bubble inflates and then bursts, will Goldman Sachs self-regulate all the way to the bank… making record profits at the expense and misery of taxpayers and consumers?

GOVERNMENT SACHS – THE BUBBLE BLOWERS (June 30, 2009)
http://www.blog.populistamerica.com/2009/06/30/gangster-state-goldman-sachs-and-cap-and-trade/

Excerpt:

In a recent Rolling Stones piece entitled “The Great American Bubble Machine,” Max Tiabbi does us all a great service by – sarcastically but realistically – detailing the history and prior bubbles of this firm. Tiabbi’s next prediction for a bubble (mine, for the record, is still the U.S. Treasury and gold markets, where GS plays a vital role as well) is that of carbon credit trading. He details how GS has promoted this legislation and how they will profit from this market – which, bottom line, is a government-created tax market where the carbon credits issued to energy producers increase in scarcity year after year. (Photo courtesy Steve Ford Elliot License)

Who will deliver these ‘mandated profits’ to Goldman Sachs? That’s our job as the energy consumers!

01/16/10

NEW VIDEO: We Endorse Scott Brown for Senate

Here is the latest TV commercial from the Tea Party Express, endorsing Scott Brown for U.S. Senate. Forward this to your friends and help spread the word:

TV AD: “Scott Brown for U.S. Senate”

You can help us purchase ads in our Scott Brown for Senate TV ad campaign by making a contribution of any amount you can afford, from as little as $5 to the maximum allowed $5,000 — CLICK HERE to CONTRIBUTE

If you prefer you may also mail in a contribution to our finance headquarters:

Tea Party Express
ATTN: Scott Brown for Senate
770 L Street #1020
Sacramento, CA 95814