What Democrats Want, Day 84, Countdown to Oblivion? Immigration

As of today, there are 84 days until the most consequential election in American history. This is what they say about many past elections, but this is really it. For if the Democrats seize power – control of the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate and the Presidency – and doing it by hook or by crook (the justifies the means, you know) America as we know it will be forever changed. America envisioned and created by the Founding Fathers will disappear into the shadows of history.

The ungodly secular-humanists/Marxists slow march through America’s institutions over the last 100 years or so will have reached a crescendo – fulfilling Mr. Obama’s fundamental transformation of America. Never again will the demonic Democratic Party relinquish its grip on political power and control of the masses.

Envision with me what a Socialist Democratic Party, takeover, a bloodless coup, a regime change, would look like. This is the first of a series of daily articles leading up to the 2020 General Election scheduled for November 3, 2020.

The Democrats Want to Eliminate Borders

The Democrats by their rhetoric and by their actions want open borders. The President and most Republicans want the borders secured. The people want the borders secured.  #BuildTheWall was a powerful and well-used hashtag during and after the 2016 campaign.  Mr. Trump has tried hard with and without Republicans in Congress to build more of the wall on the southern border. National security is one of the prime duties of the federal government. During the Obama years that duty was woefully shirked.

Last year we even had caravans of illegals surging toward our border with the full support of liberals and leftist “charities.” Most Americans, especially those living on the southern border want our borders secured. The problem with illegal immigration is there is no control of who enters the country. The are many deserving people who are part of the swarm, but embedded within are criminals, terrorists and other subversives from nations other than Central and South America. Drug smugglers, sex traffickers, Islamic and other terrorists slither in with the masses.

Fighting the Law

Few people oppose legal immigration. But what the communistic Democratic Party does is disguises illegal immigration and uses the same term “immigration” for both illegal and legal. There are Republicans and corporations who also want the cheap labor that illegals offer.

Democrats and other advocates for illegal aliens want to see I.C.E. (Immigration

Customs Enforcement) abolished. Big cities, some of which are sanctuary cities, are uncooperative with federal I.C.E. There have been several illegal alien criminals that have been released by cities and not turned over to I.C.E. those criminals have gone on to commit addition crimes including murdering American citizens.

Why Democrats Want Open Borders

The large corporations and business want illegal aliens because the are cheap labor, especially important since America has aborted much of its future workforce. The Democrats want illegal aliens because, like in the same way that they have treated and used minorities for years, they hope to add illegal aliens to their voting base and bind their loyalty with promises of welfare and other fare.

Amnesty is the End Game

Ya’ all come. We will feed, clothe, provide your education, tend to your medical needs etc. are the promises made to current and future illegal aliens.  Amnesty will grant the Democrats the margin of victory to win all future elections. America will be well on its way to becoming another one-party Marxist state if the Democrats win majorities in both houses of Congress and win the Presidency.

Countdown to the WORST Choice for President

Before we get to the list counting down to the worst candidate in this year's Presidential Election from the current crop of candidates, let's look at where the candidates can be found on a continuum of liberal to conservative.

Continuum of Current Presidential Candidates

from Liberal to Conservative

As you can see Senator Bernie Sanders occupies a position to the far left of all the other candidates. Not only is he a liberal but he is an admitted socialist, which is antithetical to capitalism and free enterprise which characterized America for most of her history.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are on the liberal or progressive side of the spectrum as well. Trump has a limited record and he has had some very liberal positions up until recently. I understand he "became a Republican" in 2008. He avoids being substantive on most issues in the debates. He plays the populist very well. His bullying tactics hide his insecurity as to any depth or concrete specific policies on the issues. He claims he can be anything he wants to be.

John Kasich is definitely a moderate with his positions on Common Core and Medicaid expansion in Ohio. He is neither conservative nor liberal. He's lost in the middle. Marco Rubio is to the right of Kasich. His position on Amnesty has alienated him from many true conservatives. Now that Governor Bush has dropped out of the race, Rubio has inherited the mantle of the moderate middle following in the unsure footsteps of GOP candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney. Rubio is now the darling and the hope of the GOP leadership and the entire Washington cabal.

Dr. Ben Carson and Ted Cruz are the most authentic conservatives in the race. They are the anti-Establishment candidates. They along with Trump are considered the "outsiders" in the race. They both have solid conservative positions on the issues. They are both forthright and sincere. America desperately needs new leadership and these two men embody the values and ethics needed most.

I used the following references in confirming the various candidates positions on the Continuum of Current Candidates above:

(1)  http://www.heritageactionscorecard.com/

(2) https://ballotpedia.org/2016_presidential_candidate_ratings_and_scorecards

(3) https://www.crowdpac.com/elections/2016-presidential-election

(4) http://www.rand.org/blog/2016/01/rand-kicks-off-2016-presidential-election-panel-survey.html  (1/27/2016)

(5) http://wtkr.com/2015/11/20/where-the-presidential-candidates-stand-on-the-issues-you-care-about/

Countdown to the Worst Choice For President in 2016

Here is my assessment as of February 21, 2016 of the current candidates running for President of the United States this year.

7. (Best Choice) Senator Ted Cruz

     Senator Ted Cruz is a credentialed, consistent, courageous, constitutional conservative. You can tell a lot about a person by the enemies he has. Senator Cruz has his share up and down the line. The media, the Democrats, the GOP establishment, the Washington Cartel made up of chrony capitalists, Chamber of Commerce and their lobbyists all prefer ANYONE but Senator Cruz. Why? Because they are dreadfully afraid of him. He will stick to his guns. He will do what he says on the campaign trail, unlike many of the other candidates, who will say anything to occupy the privileged position of power.

He means what he says, unlike too many conservatives-at-election-time Republican politicians who say one thing in their home districts or home states and do the opposite when they come to Washington. In contrast, the Democrats are more honest than many Republicans. You at least know where the Democrats stand, be it ever so wrong. The Republicans appear to have no principles, on which they will stand no matter what. They are too easily broken. There are few exception. Ted Cruz is one of those exceptions. That is why he generates so much antipathy.

6. Dr. Ben Carson

     Dr. Carson is living and walking proof of the American Dream. Anyone in America can succeed. He is the opposite of the nightmare put forth by the progressives who wish to keep the downtrodden in their place, or to abort them if they could. I'm glad that Dr. Carson is remaining in the race, despite his low numbers in the states in which he has campaigned so far. He is a constant reminder that the Republican Party is the diverse party. The Democrat Party offers a geriatric socialist and an "Abortion Granny" as their top candidates. How telling!

5. Senator Marco Rubio

PLEADING FOR AMNESTY

Now that Governor Bush has dropped out of the race, the GOP Establishment will pull out all stops to back the lone "electable moderate" left on the scene. The Main Stream Media including Fox News, the Washington Cartel, the Republican Party leaders the Political Action Committees who formerly backed Gov. Bush will put their full weight and scads of money behind their boy Marco. His pretty face, pleasing winsome personality will obscure his lack of conviction and courage to stand for what is right. He will be the newest John McCain, the newest Mitt Romney and like these two losers, he will give the Democrats their best chance at another win. The Democrats and their comrades in the main stream media, with the possible exception of Fox News will now pick Marco apart in the General Election season, which will make Gov. Chris Christie's debate taunts of Rubio look like child's play at recess. They will administer the full Alinsky tactics on poor Marco. They will expose his lack of experience, unproductivity in the Senate, and will unceasingly mock his rehearsed talking points over and over again.

4. John Kasich

  

     The ultimate Republican in Name Only (RINO) has no chance to win the Presidency despite his ceaseless claim that he brought Ohio from the brink of bankruptcy and single-handedly created 100s of millions of jobs in Ohio as he did in 1990s for America. He's in the race to secure a Vice Presidential spot if the GOP establishment candidate, Marco Rubio, makes it to the top of the ticket. 

3. Donald Trump

     Mr. Trump is a Phenom. He is the Teflon Don. He gets away with murder. What others in the past have been vilified and crucified for, he advances, and even flourishes. His ruthlessness, vulgarity, Trumper-Tantrums, personal attacks, bullying tactics which served him so well in the business world are working in the political area. Apparently his abrasiveness gives him the admiration of a flock of low-information voters who believe this showman and ultimate con-man when he says he'll make America great again.

Trump is a populist candidate who lacks any substance. Do you trust him that he will do something about the immigration problem? He used illegal alien construction workers on at one of his building projects. He's convinced many people that he will keep his promises. He is a deal maker and will do and say anything to seal the deal. He doesn't care who he hurts in the process. He doesn't care what law he skirts or who he takes advantage of. He doesn't care what kind of person he associates with, as long as he gets his way.

Mr. Trump is a liberal, a progressive. But, like Barack Obama before him, this narsacist does well at hiding who he really is and what he really believes. He is thoroughly untrustworthy. American voters will find out who he is and what he REALLY believes once he occupies the White House.

I place Mr. Trump on the liberal or progressive side of the continuum or spectrum because for one thing he uses the tactics of Saul Alinsky, the radical revolutionary who was a great influence on both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Trump uses Alinsky tactics on his "fellow Republicans" to destroy them. He succeeded to a large extent with Governor Jeb Bush, who dropped out of the race Saturday night. He hammered Bush over and over again, labelling him "Low Energy" and "Mama's Boy." Unfortunately these labels stuck in the minds of voters, maybe shaping the opinions and the eventual votes of some.

Trump is attempting to use these same tactics on Ted Cruz. He is repeatedly calling him such terms and descriptions as "Nasty," "Liar" and "Nobody Likes Him." He does this to deflect from whatever issue that is currently being dealt with. These are bullying tactics. The Left has perfected the use of this approach, tearing down the opposition to try to build itself up and to marginalize the opposition. Trump and the Left are not above using repetitious lies.

So how does one combat such tactics? Do you turn the tables on Trump and use the same tactics on him? Or do you try to relentlessly expose what he is doing? Whatever the answer, it is key to stoping the Trumpster.

2. Hillary Clinton (substitute if & when Hillary is indicted V.P. Joe Biden)

    Hillary Clinton should be preparing to defend herself in court for the her many felonies, but instead she is the leading contender for the Democrat nomination for President. That says a lot about the Democratic-Socialist Party doesn't it? She being the chameleon that she is has parroted Senator Sanders socialist pandering promises to the populace.

Any Trump, Clinton or a Sanders Presidency would be a continuation of the Barack Obama deconstruction of America. In fact, it will finish this once great nation once and for all.

1. (Worst Choice) Senator Bernie Sanders

     How far this leftist ideologue has come up to now in this election cycle shows clearly how far America has fallen. People believe that Sanders will continue and even provide more "free stuff "to the increasingly dependent welfare-force.

     The low information voters, the Black Lives Matter crowd, and the Millennials trained by our godless and corrupt government schools all have been brainwashed to reject the American values, exceptionalism and Constitution. No wonder they "feel the Bern." Hopefully, they'll wake up before they bring America to the edge of destruction, before they feel the burn.

Potential GOP Tickets

Having assessed the current crop of candidates, what follows is a conjecture as to what possible GOP tickets may come out of the GOP convention in Cleveland this summer.

CRUZ-CARSON (the Conservative/Constitutional choice)

RUBIO-KASICH (the GOP Elite/Establishment choice)

TRUMP-HUCKABEE (the Low-Information voter choice)

My personal choice, one which I would wholeheartedly endorse, is the Cruz-Carson ticket. As stated earlier, these men are authentic conservatives with outstanding backgrounds. They would compliment each other and make an effective team to help lead and guide to America in national renewal economically, militarily, morally and spiritually.

Ted Cruz, A Bigger Danger than Donald Trump, Really?

I saw an article today published by the radical leftist website, AlterNet. I was intrigued by the title, "5 Reasons Ted Cruz Is Even More Dangerous Than Donald Trump, Both men would be disasters for America, but Cruz would be the bigger disaster." I have disagreed with almost everything I have ready by the author, Robert Reich.

The following is an excerpt from the article,

1. He’s more fanatical. Trump is a bully and bigot but doesn’t hew to any sharp ideological line. Cruz is a fierce ideologue: He denies the existence of man-made climate change, rejects same-sex 'marriage', wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, believes the 2nd amendment guarantees everyone a right to guns, doesn’t believe in a constitutional divide between church and state, favors the death penalty, opposes international agreements, embraces a confrontational foreign policy, rejects immigration reform, demands the repeal of “every blessed word of Obamacare,” and takes a strict “originalist” view of the meaning of the Constitution. 

You can read the entire article for yourself by clicking here. Here are my comments which I made on AlterNet to the article:

Robert "You're Almost Never" Reich, here is what I think…

1. Surprisingly your description of Senator Ted Cruz in your first point is fairly accurate and exactly my position as well. However, you claim that Sen. Cruz "rejects immigration reform." More accurately, he rejects amnesty if that is what you call "immigration reform." Unlike the current occupier of the White House Sen. Cruz will enforce the current immigration laws, secure our borders, crackdown on illegals overstaying their visas , etc ... Reform comes later.

2. You state that Sen. Cruz "detests the federal government." No, he opposes the Washington Cartel, the amalgamation of politicians on both side of the aisle which are tied to crony capitalists joined at the hip to lobbyists, the Chamber of Commerce, all working in tandem for an ever-expanding federal government and bureaucracy. He opposes the federal government doing more than the constitution’s enumerated powers… He opposes the increasing deficit and national debt triggered in large part by the largesse of the federal government.

5. You make the crazy assertion that Sen. Cruz “is a loner who’s willing to destroy institutions.” On the contrary he is adamant about protecting and preserving the Constitution, Religious Liberty, the sanctity of the institution of marriage, Gun Rights, the Rule of Law, the intact natural family…

You seem to disparage Sen. Cruz saying, “Most of his Republican colleagues in the Senate detest him.” I mark this as a badge of courage. He has principles that he is unwilling to relinquish. The Democrats and the RINOs in the Senate perpetuate an entrenched status quo. Yes, Sen. Cruz bucks the system. The system needs a swift kick!

I do agree with you Mr. Reich that Trump would be a disaster. Like President Obama, Trump would be an unmitigated disaster. However, Senator Cruz, on the other hand, would be an instrument of renewal, resurgence of American exceptionalism and an antidote for the perversity governance both political parties have foisted upon us these past 8 to 10 years.

Republican Gratuitiveness to the Progressives, A Lump of Coal to Their Voter Base

I received this email greeting from the Speaker of the House, who seems to be oblivious to the fact that the only ones celebrating the detestable Omnibus spending bill this season are the Democrat Party and their supporters. Speaker Ryan bestowed on the Progressive Movement and the Democrat Party a very generous thoroughly undeserved Christmas gift. Below is an email I received this morning and the response I relayed back to the Speaker.

December 24, 2015  |  

On behalf of the whole House, I want to extend my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Christmas this year. We spend a lot of time this season asking for what we want. But perhaps it would be better to ask for what we need. We have been given so much in this country that it almost seems ungrateful to ask for more. But all of us—at all times—need more of what is good. And this year, I hope that all of us continue to live in what I consider the spirit of Christmas: a courageous humility.

It took courage for God to humble Himself. He came down from heaven and became a man—a child in a manger. He did this while knowing that one day He would have to lay down His life for us. He would have to give up His only Son. At first, this might seem like a sad story. But we are to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Christmas is a day of celebration. And it is only through grace and prayer that we come to realize: what a gift He’s given us—what a profound act of love.

And so we rejoice. This year, may we continue the spirit of Christmas by facing our flaws fearlessly and by giving back boldly. May we recognize that our way is not the only way—it is not even the right way. It is God’s way we seek. May we cherish all the gifts we have been given—especially the men and women of our armed forces, the people who keep us safe. And may we remember that it takes courage to put others first. It is courageous to do the right thing. May we remember, and be brave—and be glad.

Here is my humble reply to Speaker Ryan's Christmas greeting.

Merry Christmas Speaker Ryan.

This year has been a great disappointment. The Republican Party has veered far from Conservative and Party Platform principles. The GOP in Congress has completely failed to stand up to the Democrats' and the President poisonous progressive agenda, and for conservativism.  

Why is the abortion giant and aborted baby-parts peddler Planned Parenthood completely funded for the new year? Why is ObamaCare completely funded? Why have you allowed the President's Amnesty executive orders to move forward with full funding? Why have you allowed the Syrian refugee resettlement program to be completely funded?  

This Christmas the Democrats and Progressives are rejoicing over their great victory over the feckless cowardly Republicans. You and you colleagues have only preserved, moved forward and even strengthened the Democrat agenda. I'm ashamed of the Republican Party.

Sincerely,

-Greg

Disturbed, Disgusted, and Disappointed with Betrayal of Mitch McConnell and John Boehner on Executive Amnesty Funding!

Words cannot express the depth of disappointment and disgust I feel toward the most recent sellout by the GOP leadership to the Republican elites and Chamber of Commerce types and the perverse "progressive" agenda of President Obama and his comrades in Congress. I really can't say I am shocked. Boehner and McConnell mouth a good line, but when push comes to show they quit, give up, acquiesce... they lie, they betray both conservative and Republican principles and the voters who elected them to office. 

 

If the GOP will not stand against the blatant affront to the constitution and the separation of powers by this lame duck leftist President on this matter of executive overreach on amnesty, where and when will they stand?

 

The following news release says it all!

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Contact: Tom Zawistowski, 330-592-1848, TomZ@PortageCountyTEAParty.com

 

 

Consequences for Republican Betrayal

 

Far Exceed Consequences of any DHS "Shutdown"

 

Mogadore, Ohio - The Portage County TEA Party Executive Director, Tom Zawistowski, made clear today that the consequences for the Republican betrayal in the Senate will far exceed the consequences of any DHS "Shutdown".  Zawistowski explained, "Senator McConnell and his ilk in the Senate need to clearly understand that the betrayal of all of their campaign promises, the betrayal of the very Oath of Office he himself swore just weeks ago to defend the Constitution, and the betrayal of the base of the Republican Party by allowing 5.5 million illegal non-citizens to acquire social security numbers and drivers licenses so that they can vote Democrat in coming elections, will result in the loss of the Senate and the White House in 2016. Their refusal to fight and win on DHS only provides further proof that they lied to the voters in 2014. Millions of Republican's and conservatives will no longer be played for fools by voting for liars and hypocrites. Romney did not win Ohio because hundreds of thousands of Ohio conservatives stayed home in 2012. Senator Rob Portman and the Republican presidential nominee can expect an even larger shunning by conservative Ohio voters in 2016. The unprincipled and cowardly actions of liberal RINO's like John McCain are an insult to any voter that calls themselves a Republican."

 

Zawistowski concluded by saying, "Let's also stop insulting the intelligence of Republican voters. The result of the supposed "Government Shutdown" in 2013 was a LANDSLIDE victory by Republicans in 2014. Claims to the contrary are contrived inside the beltway fiction. The result of the Senate not having the courage of a Ted Cruz on the DHS bill will be exactly the opposite, a LANDSLIDE victory for the Democrats in 2016.  The only reason the RINO's in the Senate don't want a shutdown is because it will work and they don't want it to work. The don’t want to protect American jobs. They don't care about the black Americans and legal hispanic Americans who will lose work to these illegals. They don’t want to live up to their campaign promises to voters in their states. They want illegal immigration to placate their big monied Chamber of Commerce masters and their actions prove it. We get the message, you represent them and not us. We will be sure to vote accordingly in 2016, or more precisely not vote at all."

 

The TEA Party is not a political party but a grassroots cultural movement.  The movement is educating American citizens about the Constitution and the uniquely American form of self-governance that has made our country so successful.  Through this education, the movement is attempting to re-define what it means to be an American citizen, by encouraging individuals to vote, to run for office and to attend government meetings in their areas so that they can participate in their self-governance.  The acronym TEA stands for Totally Engaged Americans.

 

Pushing a Poisonous Progressive Agenda

Winning at all Costs with Lies, Deceit, and Lawlessness

Mr. Barack Obama in cahoots with his comrades in Congress, including their compromising RINO colleagues spearheaded by Mr. Speaker, and with the mid-term election behind them, is now free to move uninhibitedly on an extremist liberal action plan for America.

Following the hollowed “success” of the Affordable Care Act, here is what has happened just since the election, here’s what the President is doing on his own along with his progressive playmates in Congress.

·         Pressing forward with an unlawful, unconstitutional executive amnesty order

·         Warming up to the Cuban dictatorship [while increasingly freezing our relationship with our best friends in the Middle East, Israel)

·         Naming of an amnesty-approving head of the Department of Justice

·         Naming a soap opera star (and major Obama donor) appointed to  an important central European ambassadorship

·         Naming of a staunch pro-ObamaCare and gun-control advocate as Surgeon General

·         Nominating  Matthew “Benghazi was a Hoax” Butler for a seat on the four-person U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). For years, as CEO Mr. Butler led George Soros bankrolled Media Matters in their relentless quest to damage the pro-liberty movement by spreading false information about targeted organizations including True The Vote...

 I will be watching, tracking, and adding to this list that assures the continual and incremental destruction of our nation. With tepid opposition expected from the bashful traitor John Boehner and his kissing cousin Mitch McConnell “led” House and Senate, respectively, all we can do is work and pray for a change in leadership or a change in heart of the current leadership. Right now it’s Washington versus America, and Washington is winning…

 

Making the Best of the CRomnibus Spending Bill Fiasco, A Tea Party Perspective

The following commentary written by a leader of the Ohio Liberty Movement and the Portage County Tea Party was emailed to me over the weekend. Tom Zawistowski is a fervent patriot who wants the best for America. He has seen America decline under the current Administration and is actively involved in doing something about it. He also has a weekly radio show that is streamed on the Internet on Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. ET on WHLO 640 AM in Akron, Ohio and nationally on IHeart Radio at www.640WHLO.com or in the archives at www.TEAPartyTalkwithTomZ.com.

 

The following article was written by a leader of the Ohio Liberty Movement and the Portage County Tea Party. Tom Z. is a fervent patriot who wants the best for America. He has seen America decline under the current Administration and is actively involved in doing something about it. He also has a weekly radio show that is streamed on the Internet on Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. ET on WHLO 640 AM in Akron, Ohio and nationally on IHeart Radio at www.640WHLO.com or in the archives at www.TEAPartyTalkwithTomZ.com   While we are right to be frustrated, and even angry, about the votes people we elected cast in the House and the Senate on the Cromnibus bill, AND the National Defense Authorization Act, it is critical that we accept that this is NOT the new Congress we elected in November. This is essentially the Congress we elected in 2010 which is still a minority in the Senate.   That being said, did we really expected them to vote any differently? Have we not been saying for over a year that we will not get the governance we seek, until we have people in those chairs casting the vote who share our values and principles?  Well a lot more of the people who share our values and principles will be taking those seats come January. Which is precisely, in my opinion, why John Boehner and Mitch McConnell were so anxious to move this bill now. All of us in Ohio owe Congressman Jim Jordan and Senator Rob Portman a thank you for going against their leadership and voting NO on the bill. Please let them know you appreciate their vote.    Now, the rest of the Ohio Republican Congressional contingent voted for the bill. They are assuring us, that "this deal is the best deal we could get" and that if we waited until January when the new Congress came in that we would not be able to get as good a deal even with 57 Senators and 239 House Members. Which I assume has to do with President Obama using his veto pen. They also are assuring us that they will still be able to stop the illegal-immigrant amnesty because of the HSA Continuing Resolution that ends in February. They are telling us that they will get rid of the medical device tax and will remove the employer mandate in Obamacare and will not provide the bailouts for Insurance Companies provided in Obamacare. All of which will kill Obamacare. We will see and we hope they are right.   They, the Republican's in Congress, and we, the conservative movement, both understand that actions will speak louder than words over the next two years. If we do not see action to stop the Obama agenda on all fronts, then we will not win the Presidency in 2016 and we will lose the Senate back to the Democrats. That is what the November election was all about - total rejection of the Obama agenda. We have given them the tools to do the job, now do the job.   Yes, we understand that President Obama will use his veto power, but his Democratic base is abandoning him as their losses mount, and we can overcome some of those vetoes depending on the issue. Mostly we must show an alternative plan to the "Nanny State" implemented by Obama and his radical regressive leftist comrades. A plan that shows how individual freedom and liberty beats state control, and creates more jobs and more prosperity for all citizens. The ball is now in our court and the future of the nation is in the balance.   Now, let me end on a positive note. First, below I highlight some things that are in the CRomnibus bill that you might like and might surprises you. Did you know that it takes away all federal spending for Common Core!!  That it removes the ban on incandescent light bulbs!!! (God only knows what things are in the Cromnibus that we don't know about because NO ONE HAD TIME TO READ IT BEFORE VOTING ON IT! But I digress . . .) Second, on my radio show next week, www.TEAPartyTalkwithTomZ.com, I will remind all of us about the amazing accomplishments we have achieved in just five years that even our most active members may have forgotten. We always talk about what is going wrong, but it is time to get some perspective and focus on some of the positives! I will do that next Wednesday. Please tune in and get a well-deserved year end pick me up!   For Liberty, Tom Zawistowski

 

Things in the Cromnibus you might like!   ABORTION: The bill once again bans using federal funding to perform most abortions; blocks the use of local and federal funding for abortions in the District of Columbia; and blocks the use of federal dollars for abortions for federal prisoners. Republicans say that there's also new language directing the secretary of health and human services to ensure that consumers shopping for health-care coverage on the federal exchange can tell whether a plan covers abortion services. AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: The law is still funded, but there's no new money for it. There's also no new ACA-related funding for the Internal Revenue Service and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the two agencies most responsible for implementing the law. The bill also would cut the budget of the Independent Payment Advisory Board -- what Republicans have called "the death panel" -- by $10 million. AFGHANISTAN: Congress withholds funding for the Afghan government "until certain conditions are met," including implementing the bilateral security agreement reached with the United States.   CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL: The agency would get more than $6.9 billion, an increase of about $42.7 million. The nation's leading disease-fighters also get $30 million to help fight Ebola (see below).   CLEAN WATER ACT: In a win for Republicans, the spending bill blocks the Environmental Protection Agency from applying the law to certain farm ponds and irrigation ditches -- a move that GOP aides said would benefit farmers.   EBOLA: Roughly $5.4 billion is provided across several agencies to combat the spread of the disease in the United States and around the world. The amount is less than the $6 billion Obama requested.   ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: The agency gets $8.1 billion, down $60 million from the last fiscal year. The agency's budget has been slashed by $2.2 billion, or 21 percent, since fiscal 2010, according to GOP aides. The cuts mean that EPA will have to reduce its staffing to the lowest levels since 1989.   FEDERAL WORKER PAY (AND CONFERENCES): The bill allows a 1 percent pay raise ordered by Obama to take effect in January. And the legacy of embarrassing spending scandals at federal agencies persist as Congress once again banned or put limits on certain conferences, official travel and some employee awards. GUANTANAMO BAY: Once again the Obama administration is banned from transferring terrorism detainees to the United States from the U.S. military facility in Cuba. There's also a ban on building or buying any facility in the U.S. to house detainees. But the bill allows for the ongoing transfer of detainees to other countries. IMMIGRATION: The bill only funds the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees most immigration policy, until February. But negotiators gave new money for immigration programs at other federal agencies. There's $948 million for the Department of Health and Human Service's unaccompanied children program -- an $80 million increase. The program provides health and education services to the young migrants. The department also gets $14 million to help school districts absorbing new immigrant students. And the State Department would get $260 million to assist Central American countries from where of the immigrant children are coming.   INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE: One of the GOP's favorite targets will see its budget slashed by $345.6 million. The nation’s tax agency also would be banned from targeting organizations seeking tax-exempt status based on their ideological beliefs.   LIBYA: The troubled country cannot receive any U.S. aid until the secretary of state confirms the country is cooperating with ongoing investigations into the September 2012 attack at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.   LIGHT BULBS: The bill once again prohibits new standards that would ban the use of cheaper, less energy efficient incandescent bulbs. The proposal was first introduced and set in motion by the Bush administration, but the Obama White House allowed the change to continue, despite sustained consumer demand for older bulbs.   NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: The nation's premier medical research agency would receive $30.3 billion, a $150 million overall increase. Democrats noted that the new funding helps especially for ongoing Alzheimer's and brain research programs.   OFFICIAL PORTRAITS: You’re a government official and want an official portrait? You'll have to pay for it (or raise the funds). The bill bans taxpayer funding for official portraits of any Executive Branch employees, lawmakers and heads of legislative agencies.   PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY: The bill stops assistance to the Palestinian Authority if it becomes a member of the United Nations or UN agencies without an agreement with Israel. It also prohibits funds for Hamas.   PENSIONS: For the first time, the benefits of current retirees could be severely cut, part of an effort to save some of the nation’s most distressed pension plans. The change would alter 40 years of federal law and could affect millions of workers; many of them part of a shrinking corps of middle-income employees in businesses such as trucking, construction and supermarkets. Read more on this here.   RACE TO THE TOP: The bill cuts funding for Obama's signature education initiative -- a big blow to his education legacy, according to The Post's Valerie Strauss. Overall, the Education Department would take a slight hit in funding; at $70.5 billion, down $133 million below the fiscal year 2014, but special education grants to states would get $25 million more than last year, up to $11.5 billion. There is also no funding for the controversial Common Core State Standards in this legislation.   SAGE-GROUSE: In a victory for the GOP, the bill would ban the Fish and Wildlife Service from adding the rare bird found in several Western states to the Endangered Species List. Republicans argue that adding the bird to the list "would have severe economic consequences on Western states and the nation’s efforts to become energy independent." But there's also $15 million for the Bureau of Land Management to conserve sage-grouse habitats.   SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM: The school lunch nutritional changes sought by First Lady Michelle Obama take a hit. The bill allows more flexibility to school districts to implement new whole grain nutrition standards "if the school can demonstrate a hardship" when buying whole grain products, according to Republicans. The bill also relaxes new sodium standards until they are "supported by additional scientific studies."   UNITED NATIONS: The perennial ban on providing money for the ongoing renovation of U.N. Headquarters in New York remains intact.   VETERANS: After a year of embarrassing scandals at the sprawling Department of Veterans Affairs, lawmakers are making good on promises to provide more money and oversight. There's a total of $159.1 billion in discretionary and mandatory spending. Of that, $209 million was added to address new costs related to the bipartisan veterans' reform bill passed last summer. The legislation calls for adding medical staff and expanding dozens of facilities. In order to specifically addressing the "wait list" scandal, the VA's inspector general is getting a $5 million budget increase to continue investigating lapses in patient care.   WHISTLEBLOWERS: The bill includes language ensuring that government contractors are not barred from reporting allegations of waste, fraud or abuse if they sign a confidentiality agreement. And the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would receive a $500,000 increase for its enforcement of existing whistleblower laws.   READ MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/12/09/whatsin-the-spending-bill-we-skim-it-so-you-dont-have-to/

Tom tries to see some positive aspects of the overwhelmingly negative and hurtful spending bill. Gutless GOP leadership let down their conservative base once again. Will they ever stand up to the President and stand for the People, instead of themselves and their special interest lobbyists?