IRS to tap refunds for health insurance penalties
The Internal Revenue Service could tap individual tax returns to collect fines against people who fail to buy health insurance as required under recently enacted healthcare legislation, the U.S. tax commissioner said.
IRS Launches ‘High Wealth Individuals' Program
The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new global program to target what it calls “high wealth individuals,” IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman said Monday. “Through our new global high wealth operating unit we are taking a unified look at the entire web of business and economic entities controlled by high wealth individuals so we can better assess the risk such arrangements pose to tax compliance,” Shulman said.
Court: FCC has no power to regulate Net neutrality
The Federal Communications Commission does not have the legal authority to slap Net neutrality regulations on Internet providers, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. A three-judge panel in Washington, D.C. unanimously tossed out the FCC's August 2008 cease and desist order against Comcast, which had taken measures to slow BitTorrent transfers before voluntarily ending them earlier that year.
Illegals bilk taxpayers in $13 million fraud ring
Twelve illegal aliens have pleaded guilty to swindling taxpayers out of more than $13 million in a major, four-year scheme in which tax firms catering to Hispanics claimed more than $22 million in fraudulent tax credits or deductions.
The Road to a New Nuclear Arms Race
Unfortunately for Americans, President Obama’s new strategy will have the exact opposite result of its intended effect. Instead of incentivizing countries to give up nuclear ambitions, it creates new incentives for them to maintain or develop their own nuclear programs. First look at the Russians, who clearly still see their nuclear weapons as the cornerstone of their defense, no matter how much President Obama wishes it were otherwise. Moscow has no interest in diminishing its own nuclear arsenal, but it is perfectly happy to allow the Obama administration to weaken the U.S. deterrent until it is on equal footing with Russia’s currently mediocre might.
Clinton’s Abortion Push is “Outrageous”
Kansas Republican Todd Tiahrt is the Ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, through which all funding requests for healthcare spending must pass. He was the sponsor of the still-in-effect 1999 Tiahrt Amendment, which prevents American foreign aid from going to forced abortions, sterilizations or contraceptives. Tiahrt said that a strong majority of Americans oppose government funding of abortion. Therefore, he suggests that Clinton “is speaking contrary to American culture and American thought.”
Feds Approving Bogus Products as Energy-Efficient
The federal government has been slapping "energy-efficient" ratings on products that don't even exist -- including a bogus space heater with a duster stuck to it and an alarm clock supposedly powered by gasoline. These fake products were submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy for approval as part of an undercover investigation by the Government Accountability Office.
Congressman: I don’t worry about the Constitution
“I don’t worry about it because I’ve studied the Commerce Clause and I’m confident we’ll win in court.” When pressed, he flatly says he doesn’t know which part of the Constitution justifies the law, which is his way of saying he doesn’t care and hasn’t thought about it. In fact, the best he can do by way of legal authority is to cite life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which of course comes from the Declaration of Independence.
Jobs Report “Inflated”
While the government keeps on growing, where does that leave small businesses struggling to save, invest, and hire in this struggling economy? Private-sector job creation continues to remain weak as Washington Democrats pursue their job-killing agenda: Private-sector employers shed 23,000 jobs in March, surprising economists who expected job growth last month and raising doubts that Friday's government report on March unemployment will be as positive as hoped. Forecasters expected the private sector to add 40,000 jobs last month. Friday's government report will be inflated by as many as 100,000 new temporary jobs -- workers hired for this year's census.
Our Congress at Work
Just watch what this Admiral has to put up with while being subjected to questions from a liberal congressman. Incredible!
A Closer Look at the Capitol Steps Conspiracy
About a minute after the incident, Cleaver returns to the scene of the crime with a Capitol Police officer. The "assailant" is still standing there shouting, unaware that he has committed anything like a crime. Heck, until a year or so ago, he had been led to believe that dissent was patriotic, not racist. More embarrassingly, Cleaver fails to recognize the man even though he is standing right in front of him, and the man is making no effort to hide. There is no arrest, no detention as Cleaver's office would later claim, no noble decision to not press charges.
Inmates in Private Prisons Would Save Millions
Every inmate in a prison costs taxpayers over $47,000 a year. Because of the state’s astronomical prison costs, a new Reason Foundation-Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation study finds California could save $120 million a year for each 5,000 inmates it sends to private prisons in other states. The report details a five-year prison privatization plan that would save taxpayers $1.8 billion over that span by gradually transferring 25,000 inmates out of state.
80% of Americans: States Bound by 2nd Amendment
80% of Americans agree, that “State and local governments are bound by law to comply with the Second Amendment.” This broad-based support for the right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms, regardless of state politics, speaks volumes. With the Supreme Court of the United States set to rule on whether cities and states must honor the Second Amendment (McDonald v. City of Chicago), this survey demonstrates that 4 out of 5 Americans believe the Second Amendment is an individual freedom that cannot be infringed upon by state or local governments.
Texas Border Town on High Alert
Residents of a small Mexican border town under siege by at least one of the country’s most notorious drug cartels are fleeing into a tiny Texas community, which is on high alert and preparing for a surge of illegal immigrants should a street battle break out with another cartel – or if gunmen begin carrying out a threat to start killing the town’s children. Residents of El Porvenir, located about four miles from the Texas border town of Fort Hancock, have crossed into the U.S. and asked for political asylum.
Tea Party at the State Capitol
Hundreds of people gathered Friday outside the Kansas Capitol in the rain during a Tea Party rally. Signs at the rally, and comments from individuals, criticized federal spending, Democrats, the new health care law and President Barack Obama. Event speakers said the federal government was spending too much and not listening to the public.
Pittsburg State Upset Over Debate Declination
The Pittsburg State University College Republicans are disappointed to announce that Congressman Jerry Moran has declined multiple invitations to have a debate in Southeast Kansas. According to former campaign spokesman Dan Lara in February, Southeast Kansas is not a big enough venue for a high profile debate between Congressman Tiahrt and Congressman Moran. The Pittsburg State College Republicans plan to go forward with a debate with Congressman Tiahrt and a podium waiting for Congressman Moran.
RNC Chair playing race card
Kenneth Blackwell, a former Ohio secretary of state who ran against Michael Steele for RNC chairman, said Steele’s argument that he has a “smaller margin of error” beacuse he’s black is “ridiculous.” “This notion that this disturbing pattern of gaffes and missteps is now being criticized solely because he is black, and that Barack Obama is being criticized for his big-government power grab solely because he is black — that is nonsense,” Blackwell told Fox News’s Neil Cavuto. “And here’s a person who is leading Lincoln’s party, and now he’s falling back on this crutch of race. That’s disturbing,” Blackwell added.
Parents Reunited With Baby Pulled From Rubble
The parents of a Haitian baby rescued from the rubble after January's devastating earthquake said Tuesday it was "a miracle" that the girl survived, addressing reporters a day after their emotional reunion in the U.S.
Stuff Won’t Make You Happy, Experiences Will
A new study conducted at Cornell University and reported in the January 2010 issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that experiences bring greater happiness and satisfaction than buying and owning possessions.
Draft Journey: First-class education
Teach your kids to use their talents to the best of their ability and maybe they'll end up a Rhodes Scholar like Myron Rolle who is studying at the prestigious Oxford University and is also a NFL player. (Our nephew, Vincent Hofer, one of the Rhodes Scholars at Oxford University, appears at the social gathering near the end of the video).
Actor Refuses Sex Scenes on ABC's "Scoundrels"
McDonough's principles in Hollywood have cost him jobs, but the man is sticking to his values. Maybe he needs to take acting jobs in family friendly entertainment!
American Arrested in Britain for Street Preaching
An American street preacher has been arrested and fined £1000 in Glasgow for telling passersby, in answer to a direct question, that homosexual activity is a sin.
Billy Graham's Daughter: He'd Like to Preach Again
He misses his wife Ruth, who died in 2007, but says he's not ready to go join her yet so his family is praying that he'll have that opportunity to preach one more time.
Stopping Big Porn
Last month, with little or no fanfare, the American Psychiatric Association announced that it may add sex and pornography addiction to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) used by psychiatrists to recognize disease and treat patients.
NBC Edited Out Sign of the Cross
Kim Yu-Na, a recent convert to the Catholic faith and the eventual champion performed a flawless program in the Winter Olympics figure-skating competition. When she took to the ice for her long program, with the whole world watching, Kim Yu-Na made the Sign of the Cross but this was edited out for the American audience. She also wore a rosary ring that was never shown.
Husband of St. Gianna dies
Pietro spent much of his life as a widower after his wife died in 1962, having chosen to give birth to her daughter instead of having an abortion, despite the dangers it presented to her own life. Gianna, a physician herself, died a week after their baby was born. Her husband was left with four children to raise and never remarried.
New abortion plan: Doctor stays away
Abortions by long distance is a new money-maker for Planned Parenthood. The physician who prescribes the medication is on a computer screen. Will we know if there is even a licensed nurse to care for the women?
Komen Deepens Ties With Planned Parenthood
Figures show Komen affiliates have given Planned Parenthood $3 million between 2003 and 2008 and $805,000 in the 2008 fiscal year. Komen still refuses to show the abortion/breast cancer link.
Abortion Billboards Strike a Nerve
Black children are an endangered species" is the theme of a billboard campaign in Georgia meant to reduce abortions among African-American women. Many of the testimonies from hundreds of e-mails talk about a transformation of heart and mind.
Schindler Recalls Five Years Since Sister's Death
It is difficult to believe this much time has passed since that horrible event which will be forever seared into my memory. I wish I could say things have changed for the better since my sister’s death or that people with cognitive disabilities are now better protected in response to the horror she had to endure.
Orthodox and Catholic Easters Coincide
This year, like next year, Easter falls on the same day for both Orthodox and Western Christians. Following the schism between the Orthodox and the Catholic Churches, the Orthodox Church ended up retaining the Julian system, while the Catholic Church based their calculations on dates from the Gregorian calendar. Currently, the Julian calendar is behind by 13 days from the year 325 AD until now.
That is the exact formula that kept getting Dennis Moore re-elected. His Republican opponents were almost always perceived as far-right candidates.
It may seem right now that this is the year of the Republicans. But it would be very, very foolish to count out Stephene Moore. She has, among other things, a partner who knows how to win this district.
Gospel of St. John 20:11-18
11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping. Then, while she was weeping, she bowed down and gazed into the tomb. 12 And she saw two Angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been placed, one at the head, and one at the feet. 13 They say to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have placed him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking?” Considering that it was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have moved him, tell me where you have placed him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” And turning, she said to him, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her: “Do not touch me. For I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them: ‘I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and these are the things that he said to me.”
Urge Governor to Sign Late-Term Abortion Bill
By Michael Schuttloffel, Kansas Catholic Conference
The Kansas Legislature has sent legislation to the desk of Governor Mark Parkinson that would strengthen Kansas’ late-term abortion law and help prevent any of the nation’s few late-term abortionists from practicing in Kansas.
A “late-term” abortion is an abortion performed past the 22nd week of a pregnancy. A "post-viability" abortion is a late-term abortion in which the abortionist has determined that the unborn child is able to survive outside the womb. Under existing Kansas law, a post-viability abortion is only legal in circumstances where failure to have one would result in grave danger to the life or health of the mother.
Yet for years, Kansas has been the destination of choice for anyone seeking a post-viability abortion for any reason whatsoever. Abortionists in Kansas simply inform the state that the late-term abortion was medically necessary, without giving any further explanation.
Under HB 2115, an abortionist would have to declare to the appropriate state agency why the post-viability abortion was medically necessary. HB 2115 would require the abortionist to provide an actual medical diagnosis of the serious threat to the mother posed by the pregnancy.
In short, HB 2115 would require abortionists to follow the law as it was originally intended. The bill would also allow the mother or her family members to sue an abortionist if he violates the state’s abortion laws.
HB 2115 is actually legislation that was vetoed by Governor Sebelius last year. Nothing has been added, but the provisions she objected to in her veto message have been removed in the hopes of gaining either Governor Parkinson’s support or the support of enough legislators to override any veto.
Please contact Governor Parkinson as soon as possible and urge him to sign HB 2115
