Truman's Take

Arab Festival 2009: Welcome to Sharia Law in the US

2009-07-14T07:32:00.002-05:00

This is a video of David Wood and Nabeel Qureshi asking questions at Arabfest, Dearborn. The date is June 21st, 2009. There was a booth at the festival which had a banner titled "Islam: Got Questions? Get Answers." From their table, we picked up a pamphlet claiming that Islam promotes peace. We noticed that it was full of poor logic and errors, so we decided to make a video refuting it. We went to the booth that gave us the pamphlet to give them the opportunity to defend their claims. Security, however, stepped in and forced us to turn off our camera.

We left the booth, received advice from police, and found out that the actions of the security guards were illegal. We went back to the booth to record a potential answer again. Realizing that the Muslims present had no answer, we left.

When we came outside, we were asked some questions by two young men, who had been sent by security to entrap us. While we responded to them, festival security started assaulting us, as you will see in this video. The conclusion of this video is a mob of festival security attacking our cameras, pushing us back, kicking our legs, and lying to the police.

We ask you, is it a coincidence that the city with the highest percentage of Muslims in the United States is the city where Christianity is not allowed to be represented (let alone preached) on a public sidewalk? Is it coincidence that in this city, people will say "No way!" when we say "This is the United States of America"?

Is this what will happen when Islam takes over the United States?

Were the Williamson and Brentwood Commisions too quick on WITHDRAWING the DRAW?

2009-07-14T06:15:00.007-05:00

I have been a tad bit ambivalent on this issue, hoping that our Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights would be protected. Restrictions indeed make sense for some venues and reasons.
What frustrates me, is how the media and along with some of our conservative brethren, have failed to present sustainable arguments regarding why law-abiding concealed carry permit holders are the individuals we need to be most concern.
Anyone that would commit a premeditated crime whether in a school, park or even city hall, will be in a free kill zone unless the crime breaking individual is unlucky enough to have an armed cop within their killing field.
We seem so willing to handcuff the good guys (fearing heated disputes will lead to deadly escalations) in order to make us feel safer by outlawing guns in certain areas will also inhibit the nefarious predator from carrying out his tragedies.

Who should have a gun in the park? A battered wife separated from her abusing husband. She has a concealed carry permit to protect herself from his numerous implied and expressed threats of harm.
With this legislation, the abuser has been enabled to more easily carry out his darkness in an public venue.

I understand and can appreciate the hard decisions that are required of our city and county commissioners, but I wish they had been just a tad bit slower and more deliberative in restricting one of our original founding rights.

No guns allowed in parks in Williamson County, Brentwood

Local governments vote to opt out of new state law

By Suzanne Normand Blackwood and Bonnie Burch
THE TENNESSEAN

Williamson County commissioners voted unanimously Monday morning to prohibit handguns in county parks, opting out of a state law passed recently that allows gun owners with permits to carry them into public parks.

Monday night, Brentwood city commissioners followed suit, also unanimously.

Calling the new legislation "ridiculous," Brentwood City Commissioner Regina Smithson said she was angry that the city had to go through the time, money and effort that went into researching and drafting the resolution.

"This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. It's a common sense issue," she said.

Williamson County, however, voted to reconsider the matter a year from now.

County Commissioner Mary Brockman, one of the resolution's sponsors, said the majority of constituents who have talked to commissioners about the issue wanted the county to opt out.

"I believe that opting out of the statute is really in the best interest of our citizens," she said.

Brockman said she doesn't believe many of the county's 6,000 or so gun permit holders would want to carry their guns to public parks anyway.

"I don't really see it as an unfair burden. Our students and our families" are a priority, she said.

Brentwood City Commissioner Paul Webb agreed adding that the entire time he'd been on the governing body nobody had complained to him that they weren't allowed to carry guns in Brentwood parks.

Schools affected, too

The County Commission voted 18-6 in favor of an amendment proposed by Commissioner Jason Para that would allow the law to expire May 31, 2010, or when the Williamson County Board of Education gets clarification from the state on whether schools can use parks where guns are allowed. Existing law makes it a felony to carry a firearm on property owned or used by schools.

Para said he's not a gun owner, but he supports the Second Amendment.

"We need a clear reason to take that right away," he said.

Brockman said passing an amendment based on the "unknown" just muddies the waters.

At least nine schools would be affected if they could no longer use athletic or other facilities in the county's parks due to the new state law, said Brenda Sanford, the athletic director at Grassland Middle School.

"This law makes it very hard for us," Sanford said before the county meeting started.

Brentwood city attorney Roger Horner listed several reasons why the city staff, parks department and police chief all suggested the city opt out of the new legislation. Chief among them was if weapons were allowed, school children might not be able to use the parks.

"People will still have the right to own guns. No one is taking them away. But common sense tells you that a lot of children and guns just don't mix," Brentwood Commissioner Anne Dunn said.

In a separate resolution Brentwood commissioners also ruled that weapons would be banned from meetings and in city-controlled buildings.

Residents speak

Two people stood to urge County Commissioners not to opt out of the state law.

Richard Wright said he's a husband, a father of two, a former scoutmaster, a businessman and a handgun carrying permit holder.

"We as citizens have had enough infringement of our rights," he said.

Jerry Bowen agreed.

"I see it as a freedoms issue. We do have a right to bear arms," he said.

Brentwood only had one resident, Neal McBrayer, make a public comment in the meeting. He agreed with the commission's stance on the resolution.

"I'm a life-long Republican and I support Republican causes. But this is one piece of legislation I just can't understand," he said.

The state law goes into effect Sept. 1, which is also the deadline for local governments to opt out.

"We just want to be sure the children are safe," County Commissioner Mary Mills said.

And not only children, but also "old folks," she added.

Bill Haslam ConserVOLiance Q&A

2009-07-13T10:13:00.020-05:00

I attended the Tennessee ConserVOLiance forum featuring Mayor Bill Haslam Saturday...

Our meeting in Nashville with Mayor Haslam was on Saturday afternoon. We had around 15 bloggers and activists that met with the Mayor for an hour and a half or so of on the record conversation. Topics discussed included the state's budget and where one might find $1.2 billion in savings, state sovereignty and 10th amendment issues, 2nd amendment issues as dealt with by last year's General Assembly and a very spirited debate on K-12 Education.

It was a very open, candid, and intimate Q & A session with the Knoxville Mayor.
Ken Marrero, as always, did an excellent job in both organizing the event and orchestrating it.

Toni, aka the Bear Creek Ledger, gives a very nice summary .......

Blogger Meet Up with Bill Haslam (GOP candidate for Tn Governor in 2010)

Overall, I took from the Haslam chat, a fairly comfortable and favorable take on his future gubernatorial run. I do believe that he continues to show discomfort and uneasiness on the conservative social issues regarding the 2nd Amendment and Judicial selection. This will continue to dog him throughout the GOP contest.

If the key issues of economic hardships and state budget woes continue to be front and center on voters' minds, this could play right into the hand of this business-friendly, executive-minded and experienced politician.

Kate Obenshain rails against the mainstream media's treatment of Sarah Palin

2009-07-11T12:01:00.002-05:00

Kate Obenshain rails against the mainstream media's treatment of Sarah Palin. July 10, 2009.

AFP's Phil Kerpen on Fox and Friends

2009-07-11T11:55:00.001-05:00

Phil Kerpen discusses the economic dangers of Cap-and-Trade and the political past of Obama's "green jobs czar" Van Jones .

Hands off My Health Care Petition

2009-07-10T11:01:00.003-05:00

An e-mail petition from Americans for Prosperity......

Dear Truman,
Sign the "Hands Off My Healthcare" Petition

President Obama and big-government politicians in Congress have said they want Americans to have health care as good as they have. So why aren't they jumping to join the new public health insurance plan they're trying to create?
I know you're shocked to hear this ... but members of Congress are planning to keep their gold-plated, taxpayer-funded benefits packages while putting the rest of us into a government health care plan. If this new plan is supposed to be so great, why aren't they going to join it?
What hypocrisy.

There's even more hypocrisy and outrageous political payoffs in this health care takeover. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus wants to tax our health insurance to help pay for the government takeover - but their scheme exempts the unions from the tax increases! I'm not making this up.
Along with members of Congress and federal employees, union members have the biggest, richest benefits packages in the nation, but they would be exempted from this new tax.

Let Congress know how you feel about a government takeover of health care by signing Americans for Prosperity's "Hands Off My Health Care" petition today.
Today, MoveOn.org is organizing protests at senators' district offices to demand a government-run health insurance plan with the provisions I just described to you.
Well, MoveOn.org isn't the only voice in this debate. Americans for Prosperity is joining with many of our Tea Party Patriot friends at our senators' district offices July 17 to protest a government health care grab. The Tea Parties have been a tremendous success because they are coming from you - hard-working men and women who care about what happens to your families and to our country.
Everyone will be hitting the senators' district offices at the same time on July 17. Visit your nearest district office at Noon EDT/11 a.m. CDT/10 a.m. MDT/9 a.m. PDT and demand that he or she protect the freedoms we enjoy - to choose our doctors and to keep the government out of our health decisions. Make sure to bring a copy of our Patients First petition, signed by you and your family!
We've made it easy for you - just click here to find your senators' district offices!
If you haven't yet signed the petition online, telling Congress to keep their Hands Off My Healthcare, sign now! You can start taking action before you even leave your computer.

We will win this battle to protect our health care - if we fight.
Sincerely,

Tim Phillips
President, Americans for Prosperity
P.S. If you haven't already seen it, check out our new ad on government-run health care.

The Public Plan Deception - It's Not About Choice

The Right Stuff by Jean Barwick: Cap and trade circus moves to the Senate

2009-07-09T06:33:00.001-05:00

A very well written piece by Jean....

The Right Stuff by Jean Barwick: Cap and trade circus moves to the Senate
By Jean Barwick

It is no small irony that to rescue the world's populations from the horrors of global warming, Congress is willing to risk massive job losses, business closures, allocation favoritism, a looming trade war, energy price volatility, profiteering and global economic strangulation. Add to those our history’s largest corporate welfare emissions trade allowance giveaways to electric utilities, oil refiners, environmental groups, heavy industry and low-income workers and you can thank Congress for rescuing the American middle class straight to the poor house.

The Waxman-Markey bill limped through the House by a vote of 219 to 212. Eight Republicans thumbed their noses at middle class America and voted for the legislation. Interestingly, 44 Democrats voted against the President and the House leadership. Blue dog Democrats were split on the vote at about 50-50. Conservative Democrats might want to take a closer look at some of their blue dogs when they appear on the next ballot. 44 voted against it; consider “conservative thinkers.”

Even though many of us made the effort to contact each of these 44 Democrats following the vote, we shouldn't kid ourselves that their no votes constitute a sea change in their attitudes toward taxation. A quick look at their voting records on a host of other income pirating legislation will quickly dispel that notion. Dennis Kucinich and others voted against the legislation saying they didn't think it went far enough. Perhaps he and the others would like to see an even bigger commitment to the United Nations' effort to impoverish America into third world nation status.

The cap and trade legislation now goes to the Senate. Sens. Alexander and Corker are withholding judgment until they see the bill. Here's what they already know before they see the Senate version:

The Waxman-Markey bill will, by 2035, reduce the aggregate domestic product (GDP) by an estimated $7.4 trillion. The current annual GDP is about $14 trillion. The bill is estimated to destroy 844,000 jobs on average with peak years seeing unemployment rise by over 1,900,000 jobs. It will raise electricity rates 90 percent for consumers and businesses after adjusting for inflation. Prices for gasoline and natural gas will rise by 74 percent and 55 percent respectively. The implementation of the bill is mind numbingly complex and the potential for fraud and profiteering is staggering.

Cap and trade is not a new concept; it’s been around since the 1960s. What is new is the bludgeoning an already gravely injured America will suffer under Waxman-Markey legislation to satisfy environmentalists’ demands for a potential .05˚C reduction in global temperature. And only last week the EPA was exposed hiding a key staff report showing that the earth had actually cooled over the last 10 years. Maybe we should wait before we shoot ourselves.

Faced with the numbers and government's longstanding failure in the business arena, it's hard to imagine that any senator could vote for this legislation. By entertaining Waxman-Markey at all, they have bought into the political correctness of global warming alarmism, despite growing arguments to the contrary among the scientific community.

Politicians are really not as interested in studying the sun's role in the cyclic warming and cooling of the Earth as they are in figuring out ways to separate American workers and businesses from the money they earn. Instead, they take as environmental gospel the studies from the handpicked I'll-see-it-when-I-believe-it climatologists who are driving a fatally flawed political agenda to a tragic economic and social outcome.

Mr. Obama may have hung the moon, but he and the United Nations do not control the sun. Really, they don't. Call, write, fax, and email every senator, in every state, every day, and tell them to stop this nonsense.

Jean Barwick is the executive director of the Williamson County Republican Party.

Sean Hannity Show...Ann Coulter on Palin going national

2009-07-08T06:36:00.002-05:00

Ann Coulter on Palin going national, the economy and Obama's Russia trip.

The New Democratic Party "Supermajority".."Men of Steal"

2009-07-08T06:25:00.001-05:00

Gays seeking "Special Protections" in Metro

2009-07-08T06:07:00.003-05:00

We can only assume that better organized means more FREE AND FREQUENT newsprint in The Tennessean.

New gay rights push targets Metro Nashville policies
This time proponents say they are better organized and will be more prepared to win the debate, and they say the city and country are in a different place than six years ago. They also believe the council elected in 2007 is more liberal than the one that voted down the earlier measure in a 19-18 vote.

The ordinance being discussed would be limited to protecting Metro employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. No bill has been filed, but proponents say they don't expect it to include private businesses.

"We think that is the target that makes sense," said Chris Sanders, chairman of the Tennessee Equality Project. "We believe everybody in Nashville deserves a nondiscrimination policy, but starting with Metro makes sense."

NewsBusted 7/7/09

2009-07-07T06:19:00.001-05:00

Topics in today's show:

--Sarah Palin resigns as Alaska's governor

--U.S. launches "surge" in Afghanistan

--Conspiracy theory allege Michael Jackson was killed by his own doctor

--Veep Joe Biden doesn't draw a crowd at a recent appearance

BRENTWOOD CADILLAC FIRECRACKER 5K

2009-07-04T15:12:00.003-05:00

Bryan "The Teenager" Bean and his uncle, Bubba Ingram, braved the early July 4th morning challenging each to a 5K duel.....

Obama's Stimulus Recovery Wash-out

2009-07-03T14:49:00.003-05:00

Williamson County Republican Party Meet, Greet & Eat...Tuesday 6 PM

2009-07-03T08:19:00.002-05:00

Williamson County Republican Party
MEET & GREET

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
6:00pm
Mickey Roos Texas Style BBQ
509 Hillsboro Road
Franklin
Dutch Treat

Join us for a causal evening of fun and relaxation. Connect with other Republicans and get plugged in to local Republican groups that are active in our community, the state and the nation. Get Tea Party updates. Bring your friends and neighbors!

Kids eat free on Tuesdays

Call 790-7642 for more information
or email jean@williamsontngop.org

For more information on the Williamson County Republican Party, please visit
http://williamsontngop.org/--

Imagine Law-breakers ACTUALLY feeling the need to keep a low profile

2009-07-02T06:07:00.005-05:00

Let me see if I understand the concept here, law-breakers feel the need of keeping the lowest profile because of the simple enforcement of the current laws on the books.

The Tennessean writes this theme in a negative light, implying that we should feel this is wrong or some how mean spirited.

What's next on the sympathy list, bank robbers may feel pressured to keep their anonymity during and after the heist?

What universe of logic are we living in?

Deportation policies steer illegal immigrants to shadows

Gathering comes with risks

By Janell Ross and Chris Echegaray
THE TENNESSEAN

When the Martinez family drives the half-hour from home into Nashville, wife Deanna is behind the wheel every time.

It's not because of some standing debate between husband and wife about who is the better driver. It's because Deanna Martinez's husband is one of the estimated 130,000 to 170,000 illegal immigrants living in Tennessee.

He can't renew his driver's license since Tennessee tightened the documentation requirements a few years ago. And Davidson County is the only place in the state where the sheriff's office participates in a federal program in which a traffic stop can lead to deportation.

"Imagine sitting at the breakfast table one day and your husband saying, 'I'm going to be deported because I forgot to use my blinker when I changed lanes the other day.' That's just not a risk we like to take," Martinez said.

Even so, Martinez didn't consider leaving Tennessee until recently, when her husband lost his landscaping job and she learned hers was headed overseas.

Supporters of the driver's license restriction, the sheriff's office 287g immigration program and a 2-year-old state law that allows increased reporting of employers who hire illegal immigrants, say those policies were aimed at forcing illegal immigrants out of the state.

Davidson County GOP Fundraiser Picnic....Saturday, July 11th

2009-07-01T11:52:00.005-05:00

I promised Kay Brooks at Monday's Tea Party, that I would post this upcoming event....

Meet the Republican Candidates for Governor

Bill Gibbons,Bill Haslam,Ron Ramsey,Zach Wamp

Davidson County GOP

Summer Barbecue Fundraiser Picnic

Saturday, July 11, 2009, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

RAIN OR SHINE

Centennial Park Pavilion

2600 West End Avenue,

Nashville, TN 37203

Straw Poll & Silent Auction

BBQ & all the fixin’s

Drawing for Marsha Blackburn’s book, “Life Equity”

Vox Eterna Music Recording Artist Diane di Stasio

$20/person or $50/family

$10/student with valid ID

RSVP: info@nashvillegop.org or (615) 320-9018 [voicemail]

Buy Tickets in Advance

The Obama Administrations Energy Czar, Carl Browner, has NOT read the heavily debated climate bill

2009-07-01T08:13:00.001-05:00

The Obama Administrations Energy Czar, Carl Browner, has NOT read the heavily debated climate bill

Heritage Foundation's This Week in Washington: 6/29/09

2009-07-01T06:21:00.002-05:00

The Heritage Foundation's This Week in Washington Video discusses the declining support for Congress and the Obama Administrations big-ticket legislative priorities as well as the rumored 4th of July missile launch by North Korea in the direction of Hawaii.

The GOP Gubernatorial Cash Harvest

2009-07-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Two top contenders for Tennessee's Republican gubernatorial nomination say they have raised a combined $5 million through the six-month fundraising period that ends at midnight.

Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam's campaign says he expects to raise $3.8 million, while U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga says he will come in at about $1.2 million.

Two other GOP candidates, Memphis prosecutor Bill Gibbons and state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville, have not yet released fundraising totals.

The deadline for submitting campaign finance reports is July 15.

Finance director Kim Kaegi says Haslam has made no contributions to his own campaign, while Wamp's campaign says his total doesn't include any rollovers from his congressional campaign account.

Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen can't run again in 2010 because of term limits.

Nashville Tea Party...A show of Common Concerns

2009-06-29T16:49:00.024-05:00

On a sunny day for tea brewing, protesters showed up to voice their opposition and sign up on cooperative efforts to slow Obama's socialistic tidal wave.

Estimates of 2,000 + attending.

Middle Tennessee Liberty Rally!

Bobbie Patry, Eagle Forum State President, was in her element.

Kay "Professor of Public Education" Brooks was holding court on the plaza.

The Conservative Women's Action Network were ready to take-on all RINO pretenders.

Ben Cunningham, the Adam of Tennessee Tax Protesting, cheered the gathering on throughout the event, introducing each speaker.

Like WLAC's Steve Gill....

Eric Odom, American Liberty Alliance, shared his disgust in how his residence of Chicago, has taken their dirty hard-ball machine politics to the White House.

Ralph Bristol added his morning radio voice to the out roar.

Ken Marrero, Tennessee ConserVOLiance / American Liberty Alliance, cheered the bloggers and grassroot organizations for their previous work and cheered them on to even harder efforts.

Some local state Reps and Senators show the crowd their commonn solidarity. (Representatives Joshua Evans, Glenn Casada, and Terri Lynn Weaver along with Senator Jack Johnson)

Drew Johnson, President of TCPR, decried Cap and Trade as Gore's hot air madness.

Phil Valentine continued his passionate dislike for big taxing government. With truck horns honking behind him, it was a deju vu moment of past successful Income Tax Protesting Days.

Ken Marrero working the crowd after the big talkers ceased.

Steve Gill greeting his conservative fan base.

A very energizing event that will hopefully propel those attending to further involvement and activism in the politics that directly effect their lives.

Tennessee Tea Party....June 29th @ 12 Noon...Legislative Plaza

2009-06-28T16:47:00.003-05:00

This is it folks! This is a call to action! This is the announcement you’ve been waiting for! Don’t sit by and complain any longer about the direction of this country. It’s time for you to do something about it!

Tennessee Tea Party is hosting the next big Nashville Tea Party!

June 29th @ 12 Noon

Legislative Plaza

Protecting our Liberty
with Citizen Power

(Click the flyer for a printable version!)

We’re extremely excited to announce that we’ll be joined at this rally by several great speakers…

◦Eric Odom - TaxDayTeaParty.com & American Liberty Alliance
◦Steve Gill - nationally syndicated radio talk show host
◦Phil Valentine - nationally syndicated radio talk show host
◦Ralph Bristol - local radio talk show host
◦Ken Marrero - local blogger and co-founder of American Liberty Alliance
◦Drew Johnson - President of The Tennessee Center for Policy Research
◦Ben Cunningham - Tennessee Tax Revolt
◦Bernadette Ash - Volunteer, Veteran, Mom
Bring your signs, bring your parents, bring your kids! This rally is crucial to continue sending our powerful message to Congress and the Tennessee General Assembly. It’s also a great opportunity to let your fellow citizens know that it’s time to stop yelling at the TV and get into action! You are NOT alone!

CAP & TRADE: Blackburn's Floor Statement Against Energy Tax

2009-06-27T13:25:00.001-05:00

Blackburn discusses how many Tennessee jobs the energy tax will cost.

Tell Your Congressman to Oppose the Energy Tax

2009-06-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

Newt talks about our petition drive to defeat the Waxman-Markey energy tax, which the House is voting on this Friday.

Please act now to stop Cap & Trade

2009-06-25T20:58:00.004-05:00

Jennifer passes along this e-mail call to action.....

From: J Lee Douglas
Date: Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 3:28 PM
Subject: [The-Brentwood-Glenn-Beck-Meetup-Group] Urgent----Please act now and have your friends act immediately
To: the-brentwood-glenn-beck-meetup-group-announce@meetup.com

In a phone call moments ago with Blackburn's staff I learned that unless something changes immediately, i.e. before noon tomorrow, the Democrats have one or two more votes than necessary to pass Cap and Trade/Tax.

Therefore your role is more important than ever.

In a surprise move, Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats have called for a floor vote on the dangerous, anti-growth "cap and tax" climate bill tomorrow.

As you've probably heard, this is one big, ugly proposal. It would require businesses to obtain government-issued ration coupons before they could emit greenhouse gases. If they emit above the level of their credits, they get taxed and pass the massive costs along to consumers.

It would create numerous regulations and spending programs and result in higher energy prices, gas prices, food prices, and unemployment. In our key vote alert to all House members, we cited a Heritage Foundation report that said the direct and indirect taxes created by this bill would approach almost $3,000 a year for a family of four. And real GDP losses would equal more than $9 trillion.

Please call your Tennessee congressman Lincoln Davis today and urge him to vote NO on the Waxman-Markey energy tax bill. He's wavering. Your call may push him to do the right thing.

You can reach him in Columbia at Phone: 931.490.8699 or DC at Phone: 202.225.6831.

One other undecided in our area (Mississippi) is Travis Childers (D-MS-01) Phone: 202-225-4306 Fax: 662-844-5437 and in Mississippi at Tupelo, MS 38804
p. (662) 841-8808
f. (662) 841-8845

If you have time, please consider calling these House members as well (especially if they are in your state). They are Republicans believed to be undecided and facing intense pressure from environmental activists to support the bill.
Top Ten Undecided Republicans:
Vern Buchanan (FL-13): 202-225-5015
Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05): 202-225-1002
Joseph Cao (LA-02): 202-225-6636
Vern Ehlers (MI-03): 202-225-3831
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11): 202-225-5034
Jim Gerlach (PA-06): 202-225-4315
Tim Johnson (IL-15): 202-225-2371
Mark Kirk (IL-10): 202-225-4835
Chris Smith (NJ-04): 202-225-3765
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01): 202-225-4806

If you'd like to reach out even further, below is a list of Democratic representatives believed to be undecided:
Jason Altmire (D-PA-04)
Bobby Bright (D-AL-02)
Frank Kratovil (D-MD-01)
Walt Minnick (D-ID-01)
Frank Kratovil (D-MD-01)
Chet Edwards (D-TX-17)
Brad Ellsworth (D-IN-08)
John Boccieri (D-OH-16)
Travis Childers (D-MS-01)
Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA-03)
Mark Schauer (D-MI-07)
Gary Peters (D-MI-09)
Larry Kissell (D-NC-08)
Lincoln Davis (D-TN-04)
Chris Carney (D-PA-10)
Steve Driehaus (D-OH-01)
Harry Teague (D-NM-02)
Joe Donnelly (D-IN-02)
Ciro Rodriquez (D-TX-23)
Harry Mitchell (D-AZ-05)
Betsy Markey (D-CO-04)
Alan Grayson (D-FL-08)

Lee

And this from Eric.....

Fellow Taxpayers,

In a bold last minute move, government thugs in congress are attempting to shove the largest tax increase in the History of America through while we aren't paying attention. Or, at least, they hope we aren't paying enough attention to stop them.

As many of you know, Speaker Pelosi has been pushing a "cap and trade" national energy tax. We thought we had a lot more time to confront this nasty piece of legislation, but learned yesterday that Pelosi has allied with enough thugs in congress to try and push it through before the weekend.

According to an email sent out by American Solutions, the energy tax would do the following:
*Destroy an average of 1-3 million jobs, every year
*Raise inflation-adjusted gasoline prices by 74 percent
*Raise residential natural gas prices by 55 percent
*Raise an average family's annual energy bill by $1,500 annually
*Increase the federal debt by 26 percent, which is $29,150 per person

This might be one of the most important things you've ever done. We need you to call your representative right now.

And even more importantly, these representatives are currently on the fence. Please call them as well.

Fighting alongside you,
-Eric Odom, American Liberty Alliance

Wondering why your seeing Scientology commercials lately?

2009-06-25T06:54:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, I viewed a Scientology commercial on FoxNews and now I know why....

Scientology leader David Miscavige is the focus of this special report from the St. Petersburg Times. Former executives of the Church of Scientology, including two of the former top lieutenants to Miscavige, have come forward to describe a culture of intimidation and violence under David Miscavige. These former Scientology leaders served for years with Miscavige.
Read our special report on Scientology (St. Petersburg Times)

St. Petersburg Video Report

The leader of the Church of Scientology strode into the room with a boom box and an announcement: Time for a game of musical chairs.

David Miscavige had kept more than 30 members of his church's executive staff cooped up for weeks in a small office building outside Los Angeles, not letting them leave except to grab a shower. They slept on the floor, their food carted in.

Their assignment was to develop strategic plans for the church. But the leader trashed their every idea and berated them as incompetents and enemies, of him and the church.

Prove your devotion, Miscavige told them, by winning at musical chairs. Everyone else — losers, all of you — will be banished to Scientology outposts around the world. If families are split up, too bad.

To the music of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody they played through the night, parading around a conference room in their Navy-style uniforms, grown men and women wrestling over chairs.

The next evening, early in 2004, Miscavige gathered the group and out of nowhere slapped a manager named Tom De Vocht, threw him to the ground and delivered more blows. De Vocht took the beating and the humiliation in silence — the way other executives always took the leader's attacks.

This account comes from executives who for decades were key figures in Scientology's powerful inner circle. Marty Rathbun and Mike Rinder, the highest-ranking executives to leave the church, are speaking out for the first time.

Two other former executives who defected also agreed to interviews with the St. Petersburg Times: De Vocht, who for years oversaw the church's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, and Amy Scobee, who helped create Scientology's celebrity network, which caters to the likes of John Travolta and Tom Cruise.

One by one, the four defectors walked away from the only life they knew. That Rathbun and Rinder are speaking out is a stunning reversal because they were among Miscavige's closest associates, Haldeman and Ehrlichman to his Nixon.

Now they provide an unprecedented look inside the upper reaches of the tightly controlled organization. They reveal:

• Physical violence permeated Scientology's international management team. Miscavige set the tone, routinely attacking his lieutenants. Rinder says the leader attacked him some 50 times.

Rathbun, Rinder and De Vocht admit that they, too, attacked their colleagues, to demonstrate loyalty to Miscavige and prove their mettle.

• Staffers are disciplined and controlled by a multilayered system of "ecclesiastical justice.'' It includes publicly confessing sins and crimes to a group of peers, being ordered to jump into a pool fully clothed, facing embarrassing "security checks'' or, worse, being isolated as a "suppressive person.''

At the pinnacle of the hierarchy, Miscavige commands such power that managers follow his orders, however bizarre, with lemming-like obedience.

• Church staffers covered up how they botched the care of Lisa McPherson, a Scientologist who died after they held her 17 days in isolation at Clearwater's Fort Harrison Hotel.

Rathbun, who Miscavige put in charge of dealing with the fallout from the case, admits that he ordered the destruction of incriminating evidence. He and others also reveal that Miscavige made an embarrassing miscalculation on McPherson's Scientology counseling.

• With Miscavige calling the shots and Rathbun among those at his side, the church muscled the IRS into granting Scientology tax-exempt status. Offering fresh perspective on one of the church's crowning moments, Rathbun details an extraordinary campaign of public pressure backed by thousands of lawsuits.

• To prop up revenues, Miscavige has turned to long-time parishioners, urging them to buy material that the church markets as must-have, improved sacred scripture.

Church officials deny the accusations. Miscavige never hit a single church staffer, not once, they said.