NCLB and RTTT—a comparison

Confused about how the Department of Education spreads around your tax dollar? Here's a comparison of No Child Left Behind (Bush, 2001, regular budget funding, Title I) and Race to the Top (Obama, 2009, ARRA money through grants, on top of NCLB). Bush's is a mandate; Obama's is more money for improvement—competition. Sort of a flip flop of how the right and left say they do things.

Until Obama came on the scene, Bush was the biggest all time spender on social programs; but that didn't get him any points with Democrats.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/rpt/2010-R-0235.htm

Young Jewish woman questions Obama’s relationship with Israel

18-minute mini-documentary follows the journey of Irina, a 23-year-old liberal, Jewish New Yorker who voted for Obama in 2008. Yet as her connection to Israel has grown, and she has learned more about the President's policies across the Middle East and towards Israel in particular, Irina has come to realize that "when the chips are down," the President may not "have Israel's back" as he says.

And let’s not forget September when both God and Jerusalem were booed and voted down at the Democrat convention in Charlotte.

Why Obama clings to the internet video story

There is substantial evidence that foreign aid, directed by the Obama administration to support Libyan rebels and Syrian rebels, has been falling into the welcoming hands of Al Qaeda terrorists. U.S. intelligence confirms that the very same terrorists who premeditated the attack on our own Libyan Consulate, also played a key role in the killing of four Americans and may have used American taxpayer money to fund the effort.

From World Net Daily:

36 days and 15 reasons to not elect Barack Obama

Green Fail: Toyota bails on Obama's green car fantasy - the market and technology still not viable

Failed Leadership: The promisesthat the incompetent Obama did not deliver on and never will

Failed Leadership: Day after the worst terrorist attacks against U.S. since 9/11, Obama continues his massive fundraising efforts as if nothing happened

Polls & Surveys: Only 9% of people cooperate with pollsters - other 91% likely to be Republicans and independents that don't trust the partisan pollsters

Polls & Surveys: Early voting in Ohio shows that Romney has cut in half the Democrat advantage of 2008

Polls & Surveys: Actual historical vote counts show that polling firms have always significantly underestimated GOP vote

Biased Media: See how Washington Post's "balanced journalist" smears Paul Ryan - the liars of Obama's lapdog press are out of control

Biased Media: MSNBC caught using video wrongfully edited about Romney campaign event – the prima donna dumb ass, Democrat “Republican” Joe Scarborough, duped [video]

Obamanomics: U.S. taxpayers coughed up $1.4 billion to pamper Obama Family - the Brits only spend $59 million/year on the real 'Royals'

Obamanomics: Skyrocketing gas prices during Obama's jobless recovery especially harms lower and moderate-income families

Obamanomics: White House actually encourages defense contractors to mislead employees about looming mass layoffs in direct violation of federal laws

Obamanomics: U.S. states pursuing anti-Obama economic policies have economic growth 9 times higher - the Republican red state policies trounce Obama's blue states

National Security@Risk: Obama White House Military Office network hacked by Chinese - part of nuclear weapon command system

Smart diplomacy?: The Libyan-Benghazi cover up provides proof that the Obama foreign policy is collapsing, says expert - and al-Qaida is winning the war against Obama

Religion of Peace?: Muslims attack Buddhist templesand homes because a Facebook page upset them

http://www.c3headlines.com/2012/10/36-days-until-election-nov-6-2012-the-headlines.html

Obama’s man in Egypt

Monday Memories—Remembering Luther Strommen

It was announced in church Sunday that our former senior Pastor, Luther O. Strommen, died Saturday, September 29, 2012, in Minneapolis.  There was a collective gasp and whispering, although many probably already knew.  Our current pastor and a son of a member who had been in his youth group in the 70s  had visited him on Friday. 

Because we began attending UALC in 1974 and were confirmed on Palm Sunday 1976, I don’t know exactly the dates of his tenure, but he was the second pastor of Upper Arlington Lutheran Church and began his ministry in 1970. He retired in 1984.  Our current senior pastor, Paul Ulring ,was called in 1973 as an assistant and he is due to retire (he had a pastorate in Illinois from 1979-1987) . I don’t know how many members there were when we joined—maybe 1500—but Luther made two house calls while we were still visitors.  We had our new member class (adult confirmation) in his home.  I was still a stay-at-home mom in those days and remember attending a morning Bible study led by him in the church lounge.  He confirmed our daughter in 1984.  My husband used to kid him about his three point sermons, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord.

Pastor Strommen must have thousands of spiritual children, and a very large biological family.  His wife Helen survives as well as children and grandchildren. One of his 6 children still lives in Columbus, or did a few years ago when I last saw her. Today he is in that very happy place rejoicing with all the saints around Jesus.

                              

                  

The upper photo is from 1987, lower from 2001.

                

April 29, 1984 Confirmation Day Reception

Obituary: Strommen, Rev. Luther O. age 95, of Mpls. and Sun City AZ, died peacefully at home surrounded by his beloved wife and children. Luther was born in Rugby ND, on Feb. 15, 1917, to Rev. Peter & Nellie Strommen. He graduated from Augsburg College and Luther Seminary. Luther served the Lord all of his life. He was senior pastor at 3 congregations for over 42 years: First Lutheran Church in Ellensburg WA, Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rockford IL, and Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Columbus OH. Dad's love for his Lord and for family and friends continually inspired him. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Helen Louise (nee Larson); by his 6 children: Mary Ellen (Mel) Liebers, Christine Strommen, Jeanine (Mark) Nesvig, Todd Strommen, Paul (Jude) Strommen, and Lisa (David) Smith; 9 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild; brother, Merton (Irene) Strommen; sister-in-law, Gladys Strommen; many nieces and nephews. Preceding Luther in death were his parents and 2 brothers, Abner (Marge) and Clair. Visitation 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, Washburn- McReavy Edina Chapel, W. 50th St. & Vernon Ave. at Hwy. 100. Funeral service 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 7520 Golden Valley Rd., Golden Valley. Private interment Lakewood Cemetery. Memorials preferred to Augsburg College or Lutheran World Relief. www.Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996

You can stop the Obamataxes

Vote him out!

After a film maker was accused publicly and in the press for 1400 years of Muslim bad behavior . . .

he “was arrested for jeopardizing President Obama's reelection chances when Mr. Obama's story of the events in the Middle East unraveled.

An American diplomat was murdered and American embassies and consulates were burned. Americans were not interested in hearing about diversity and multi-culturalism. They wanted a head on a platter.

Rather than sacrifice the entire State Department, Mr. Obama decided that the film-maker made the perfect pawn.

The film-maker was arrested on a "probation violation," for a prior low level white collar crime. Usually this involves a low bail amount. Even Bernie Madoff received bail. Friends of Barack Obama such as Jon Corzine get a free pass, but the anti-Muslim film-maker had no right making President Obama's awful handling of the situation affect his polls.”

Read more at Washington Times

44th fund raiser–in California!

This past week—it will soon be surpassed.

And to think he whines about capitalism while going after the wealth of celebrities.

One note BO

There's a single theme in the Obama ads I see (before I hit mute)--they seem to be about Mitt Romney's wealth--not our wealth, not our investments, not our jobs, not our housing industry, not our borders, not our military deaths in Afghanistan, not black flags flying in the Middle East and in U.S. demonstrations. One note BO. Fail. Fail. Fail.

Obama has support from Chavez, a Communist

‘Obama is a good guy ... I think that if Obama was from Barlovento or some Caracas neighborhood, he'd vote for Chavez," the president told state TV, referring to a poor coastal town known for the African roots of its population.

Chavez is one of the world's most strident critics of Washington and his 14 years in office have been characterized by diplomatic spats and insults at the White House.

He called former U.S. President George W. Bush a "drunk" and the "devil." After an initial overture to Obama came to nothing, he said the new president had disappointed progressives the world over and was the "shame" of Africans.

But Chavez was back in a conciliatory mood in a TV interview with friend and former vice president Jose Vicente Rangel.

"After our triumph and the supposed, probable triumph of President Obama, with the extreme right defeated here and there, I hope we could start a new period of normal relations with the United States," he said.

"Obama recently said something very rational and fair ... that Venezuela is no threat to the interests of the United States," he added.

Since coming to office, Chavez has projected himself as the head of a global "anti-imperialist" movement inspired by his friend and ideological mentor Fidel Castro of Cuba.

Relations with Washington improved briefly after Obama took office in January 2009 and promised more engagement with Latin America. Chavez toned down his tirades against the "Yankee empire" and shook hands with the new U.S. leader at a summit.

But months later, he accused Obama of sticking to Bush's foreign policies and capitalist agenda, and the tirade against the United Sates began again.

Despite the ideological gulf between Washington and Caracas, both sides take a pragmatic approach when it comes to business, with OPEC member Venezuela remaining the United States' fourth biggest crude supplier.”

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/30/venezuela-election-obama-idUSL1E8KU37A20120930

             

Ann Coulter on the Tea Party

Why does the “caring” left discourage wealth?

The earthquake in Haiti was a magnitude of 7.0. According to Wikipedia, the 1989 Loma Prieta quake in San Francisco was either 7.0 or 6.9 depending on which scale is used. In other words, the intensities were fairly similar. Haiti is devastated. If the New York Times is correct, the death toll could be in the tens of thousands. The death toll in the 1989 quake was 63, if you include indirect deaths due the quake.

The difference is wealth. San Francisco is one of the wealthiest areas in our part of the world, while Haiti is the poorest. Poverty makes natural disasters worse. Wealth mitigates natural disasters. You would think that those who worry about the poor of the world would promote policies that increase wealth. Instead, they push policies that restrain wealth creation, and they do it intentionally and knowing it will restrain wealth creation.

http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/wealth-poverty-and-natural-disasters/

Why do these people need subsidized phone service?

The program in Ohio cost $26.9 million in the first quarter of 2012, the most recent data available, versus $15.6 million in the same timeframe in 2011. Compared to the first quarter of 2011, the number of people in the program nearly doubled to more than a million.

I lived for 71 years without a cell phone (I now have an old one on my son’s plan), and now I’m paying on my phone bill (land line) so cell phone companies get $10 for each low-income “customer?”  And the media ripped Romney for his 47% statistic that it’s hard to appeal to people on a lower taxes platform?

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/subsidized-cell-phone-program-nearly-doubles-in-oh/nRDqC/

Economic reading, a list

• Against Monopoly
• Cafe Hayek
• Coordination Problem
• Division of Labour
• EconoLog
• Foundation for Economic Education
• Free Banking
• Heroes of Capitalism
• Knowledge Problem
• Liberty and Power
• Marginal Revolution
• No Coercion
• Orgs and Markets
• The Beacon (Independent Inst.)
• The Economic Way of Thinking
• The Freeman Online
• ThinkMarkets

It’s always the economy, Stupid, II

For me it's abortion, I admit I'm a single issue voter, and Obama is the most anti-life at both ends president we’ve ever elected. But for most Americans, who don’t even seem that concerned about our safety and security also heading for the toilet, it's the economy. And on that Obama has been flat out awful--going after healthcare instead of the economy when Democrats had 2 of the 3 branches of government. While people lost jobs, homes and hope. Never waste a crisis, and he's had plenty to play with--like right now in the Middle East. And he will keep his promise to destroy coal, part of Ohio's economy. And what do Ohioans do? Act stupid and support him.

Under Obama’s watch, black unemployment has gone from bad to worse. It was 12 percent when Obama took office, and now it’s 14 percent. Average black unemployment in Ohio last year was 17.2 percent, compared to 7.6 percent for whites and 8.8 percent for Hispanics and Latinos, according to the most recent annualized figures available from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. But employed, middle class black Ohioans, secure in public service positions with tenure or unions, will vote him another 4 years.

"As the U.S. unemployment rate hit 9.5% in June 2009 and a shocked public was looking for a response, the new president introduced the Affordable Care Act. Whatever else one may say about ObamaCare, it has nothing directly to do with U.S. employment. For the next nine months, as unemployment ran between 9.5% and 10%, Congress at Mr. Obama's insistence worked on his health-care legislation. When Mr. Obama signed the bill into law in March 2010, the unemployment rate was 9.8%. If an opponent wanted to describe this in partisan terms, he might say that the president legislated an entitlement dream while the economy burned." Daniel Henninger, It's always the economy, Stupid. Sept. 27, WSJ

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/national-govt-politics/black-joblessness-redefining-presidential-race/nR8N8/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443328404578020413697528982.html

Noted in the news—the mess in Syria

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon called for an end to arms shipments to both sides in Syria’s brutal war between Western-backed rebels and the Bashir al-Assad dictatorship before the conflict spins out of control. President Obama, on the other hand, did not call for an end to the violence and bloodshed. Instead, he spoke out in favor of the rebels-many of whom are actually al-Qaeda affiliated foreign jihadists seeking to create an Islamist dictatorship- and vowed to continue supporting them in a bid to topple Assad’s dictatorship. Thousands of civilians have died, and Christians are being “ethnically cleansed.”

http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/12989-un-chief-calls-for-end-to-syria-war-obama-vows-more-aid-for-rebels

Check this: http://www.cfr.org/syria/al-qaedas-specter-syria/p28782

It’s always the economy, Stupid

"As the U.S. unemployment rate hit 9.5% in June 2009 and a shocked public was looking for a response, the new president introduced the Affordable Care Act. Whatever else one may say about ObamaCare, it has nothing directly to do with U.S. employment. For the next nine months, as unemployment ran between 9.5% and 10%, Congress at Mr. Obama's insistence worked on his health-care legislation. When Mr. Obama signed the bill into law in March 2010, the unemployment rate was 9.8%. If an opponent wanted to describe this in partisan terms, he might say that the president legislated an entitlement dream while the economy burned." Daniel Henninger, It's always the economy, Stupid. Sept. 27, 2012 Wall Street Journal

Never let a crisis go to waste as his advisors said.  He took over the health care industry while unemployment rose, people lost their jobs, their homes, and their hope and change.  They are probably too discouraged to vote, or think their government benefits depends on his good heart. His die-hard supporters who haven’t lost anything but maybe a raise or two, will blindly vote for 4 more years of this.

http://www.doughroller.net/news-analysis/health-care-reform-bill-facts-figures/  26 facts known about Obamacare at the time of its passage

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ir_6.htm  How Obamacare will increase unemployment

http://thecollegeconservative.com/2012/06/27/the-real-face-of-obamacare-suddenly-unemployed-young-people/  How Obamacare increases youth unemployment

Don’t blame First Nanny.

Michelle Obama is getting a lot of blame for the unpopular features in some school lunch programs, First Nanny, etc. and maybe that's a popular political stance for the anti-Obama crowd, but this type of government manipulation of food and nutrition goes waaaay back, first for farmers to pay for over production after WWII, then the low-come and poor, and the last two decades for the middle class purchasing processed and food-away-from home. Here's testimony from early in the GW Bush administration (2003). At that time it was thought "educating" people through labeling, media campaigns, health literacy and promotion would reduce obesity. And perhaps it did, because obesity in children slowed down about 10 years ago.

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/news/testimony/obesity07162003.html

Looking back 40 years to the 1960s, when many of us in this room were children, just over four percent of 6- to 17-year-olds were overweight. Since then, that rate has more than tripled, to over 15 percent. And the problem doesn’t go away when children grow up. Nearly three out of every four overweight teenagers may become overweight adults.

I’m not willing to stand by and let that happen. American children deserve much better than being condemned to a lifetime of serious, costly, and potentially fatal medical complications associated with excess weight.

Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
Surgeon General
U.S. Public Health Service
Acting Assistant Secretary for Health
Department of Health and Human Services

July 16, 2003

The Real History of Slavery by Thomas Sowell

The following is a partial review of Thomas Sowell’s book, “Black Rednecks and White Liberals,” and appeared in the October 2005 issue of Freeman, a libertarian publication. Review is by Richard M. Ebeling.  I don’t know how successful this book was—seems to be a compilation of his columns which appeared in newspapers—and I don’t know if there were revisions.  It would be good to review the history of slavery, especially since in modern times, we now know it is a larger enterprise in the 21st century than it was in the 18th century because of selling sex, and cheap labor.  And just as Arabs sold black Africans to the Europeans from raids in the interior of Africa, so Muslims today are capturing and selling slaves in Africa and Asia.  So his conclusion (the reviewer, I assume) that ending it in the British Empire closed that chapter isn’t accurate.

“A related theme that Sowell discusses in a chapter on “The Real History of Slavery” is that the institution of human bondage is far older than the experience of black enslavement in colonial and then independent America. Indeed, slavery has burdened the human race during all of recorded history and everywhere around the globe. Its origins and practice have had nothing to do with race or racism. Ancient Greeks enslaved other Greeks; Romans enslaved other Europeans; Asians enslaved Asians; and Africans enslaved Africans, just as the Aztecs enslaved other native groups in what we now call Mexico and Central America. Among the most prominent slave traders and slave owners up to our own time have been Arabs, who enslaved Europeans, black Africans, and Asians. In fact, while officially banned, it is an open secret that such slavery still exists in a number of Muslim countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Equally ignored, Sowell reminds us, is that it was only in the West that slavery was challenged on philosophical and political grounds, and that antislavery efforts became a mass movement in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Slavery was first ended in the European countries, and then Western pressure in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought about its demise in most of the rest of the world. But this fact has been downplayed because it does not fit into the politically correct fashions of our time. It is significant that in 1984, on the 150th anniversary of the ending of slavery in the British Empire, there was virtually no celebration of what was a historically profound turning point in bringing this terrible institution to a close around the world.’