Monthly Archives: June 2012

Should the 10 Commandments be banned from public life?(Part 10, David Barton’s Affidavit in support on 10 Commandments)

June 13, 2012 – 1:48 am

I read back on Dec 8, 2011 that Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, a social conservative advocacy organization, said in 2011 that President Obama has been “hostile” and “disdainful” toward Christianity. Rick Perry actually said President Obama had a war on religion. One of the most basic things that our founding fathers did is base our laws on the ten commandments. At the Supreme Court there is one depiction showing Moses sitting, holding two blank stone tablets. There is one depiction showing Moses standing holding one stone tablet. There are two stone tablets depicted with Roman Numbers I-X carved in the oak doors.

David Barton has studied the history of the founding of our country for many years and I wanted to share a portion of adocument he wrote concerning the 10 Commandments:
David Barton – 01/03/2001
(View the footnoted version on Liberty Council’s website)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY

LONDON DIVISION

SARAH DOE and THOMAS DOE, on behalf

of themselves and their minor child, JAN DOE

Plaintiffs,

v Civil Action No. 99-508

HARLAN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT;

DON MUSSELMAN, in his official capacity

as Superintendent of the Harlan Country

School District,

Defendents.

______________________________________________

AFFIDAVIT OF DAVID BARTON IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANTS’ OPPOSITION TO PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR CONTEMPT, OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR SUPPLEMENTAL PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

STATE OF TEXAS

COUNTY OF PARKER

HOW THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE EXPRESSED

IN CIVIL LAW IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Do not murder.

56. The next several commands form much of the heart of our criminal laws, and, as noted by Noah Webster, one of the first founders to call for the Constitutional Convention, the divine law is the original source of several of those criminal laws:

The opinion that human reason left without the constant control of Divine laws and commands will . . . give duration to a popular government is as chimerical as the most extravagant ideas that enter the head of a maniac. . . . Where will you find any code of laws among civilized men in which the commands and prohibitions are not founded on Christian principles? I need not specify the prohibition of murder, robbery, theft, [and] trespass.

57. The early civil laws against murder substantiate the influence of the Decalogue and divine laws on American criminal laws. For example, a 1641 Massachusetts law declared:

4. Ex. 21.12, Numb. 35.13, 14, 30, 31. If any person commit any willful murder, which is manslaughter committed upon premeditated malice, hatred, or cruelty, not in a man’s necessary and just defense nor by mere casualty against his will, he shall be put to death.

5. Numb. 25.20, 21. Lev. 24.17. If any person slayeth another suddenly in his anger or cruelty of passion, he shall be put to death.

6. Ex. 21.14. If any person shall slay another through guile, either by poisoning or other such devilish practice, he shall be put to death.

58. Perhaps the point is too obvious to belabor, but similar provisions can be found in the Connecticut laws of 1642, the New Hampshire laws of 1680, etc.

59. Courts, too, have been very candid in tracing civil murder laws back to the Decalogue. For example, a 1932 Kentucky appeals court declared:

The rights of society as well as those of appellant are involved and are also to be protected, and to that end all forms of governments following the promulgation of Moses at Mt. Sinai has required of each and every one of its citizens that “Thou shalt not murder.” If that law is violated, the one guilty of it has no right to demand more than a fair trial, and if, as a result thereof, the severest punishment for the crime is visited upon him, he has no one to blame but himself.

60. Even the “severest punishment for the crime” is traced back to divine laws. As first Chief Justice John Jay explained:

There were several divine, positive ordinances . . . of universal obligation, as . . . the particular punishment for murder.

61. There certainly exist more than sufficient cases with declarations similar to that made by the Kentucky court above to demonstrate that the sixth commandment of the Decalogue exerted substantial force on American civil law and jurisprudence.
By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers | Comments (0)

We got to control spending or we will end up like Europe

June 13, 2012 – 12:41 am

Great article below:

Europe’s Disaster Is Headed Our Way

Nov 14, 2011 12:00 AM EST

 

 
 

As an author who has just published a book on the crisis of Western civilization, I couldn’t really have asked for more: simultaneous crises in Athens and Rome, the cradles of the West’s law, languages, politics, and philosophy.

So why should Americans care about any of this? The first reason is that, with American consumers still in the doldrums of deleveraging, the United States badly needs buoyant exports if its economy is to grow at anything other than a miserably low rate. And despite all the hype about trade with the Chinese, U.S. exports to the European Union are nearly three times larger than to China.

Until March, it seemed as if exports to Europe were on an upward trajectory. But the euro-zone crisis has stopped that. Governments that ran up excessive debts have seen their borrowing costs explode. Unable to devalue their currencies, they’ve been forced to adopt austerity measures—cutting spending or hiking taxes—in a vain effort to reduce their deficits. The result has been Depression economics: shrinking economies and unemployment rates approaching 20 percent.

As a result, according to the new president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, a “double dip” recession in Europe is now all but inevitable. And that’s lousy news for U.S. exporters targeting the EU market.

But there’s more. Europe’s problem is not just that governments are overborrowed. There are an unknown number of European banks that are effectively insolvent if their holdings of government bonds are “marked to market”—in other words, valued at their current rock-bottom market prices. In our interconnected financial world, it would be very odd indeed if no U.S. institutions were affected by this. Just as European institutions once loaded up on assets backed with subprime U.S. mortgages, so most big U.S. banks have at least some exposure to euro-zone bonds or banks. One institution—MF Global, run by former Goldman Sachs CEO Jon Corzine—just blew up because of its highly levered euro bets. Others are biting their fingernails because it is suddenly far from clear that the credit-default swaps they have bought as insurance against, say, a Greek default are worth the paper they are written on.

But the third reason Americans should care about Europe is more important even than the risk of a renewed financial crisis. It is the danger that what is happening in Europe today could ultimately happen here. Just a few months ago, almost nobody was worried about Italy’s vast debt, which amounts to 121 percent of GDP. Then suddenly panic set in, and Italy’s borrowing costs exploded from 3.5 percent to 7.5 percent.

Today the U.S. gross federal debt stands at around 100 percent of GDP. Four years ago it was 62 percent. By 2016 the International Monetary Fund forecasts it will be 115 percent. Economists who should know better insist that this is not a problem because, unlike Italy, the United States can print its own money at will. All that means is that the U.S. reserves the right to inflate or depreciate away its debt. If I were a foreign investor—and half the debt in public hands is held by foreigners—I would not find that terribly reassuring. At some point I might demand some compensation for that risk in the form of … higher rates.

Athens, Rome, Washington … The shortest route from imperial capital to tourist destination is precisely this death spiral of debt.

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Niall Ferguson is a professor of history at Harvard University and a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. He is also a senior research fellow at Jesus College, Oxford University, and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. His Latest book, Civilization: The West and the Rest, will be published in November.

For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, spending out of control, Taxes | Comments (0)

Woody Allen’s worldview as seen in his movies

June 13, 2012 – 12:02 am
 
I love the movie Crimes and Misdemeanors and have written on it many times in the past. This quote below sums up Woody Allen’s worldview which I disagree with. In fact, the person who said this actually could not live with its conclusions in the movie and committed suicide.
 
Because Allen continues to ask the big questions I am hopeful that he will someday take a close look at the claims of the Bible and come to Christ.
 
—“We are all faced throughout our lives with agonizing decisions, moral choices. Some are on a grand scale. Most of these choices are on a lesser scale. But we define ourselves by the choices we have made. We are in fact the sum total of our choices. Events unfold so unpredictably, so unfairly. Human happiness does not seem to have been included in the design of creation. It is only we with our capacity to love that give meaning to the indifferent universe. And yet most human beings seem to have the ability to keep trying, and even to find joy from simple things, like their family, their work, and from the hope that future generations might understand more.”
—Louis Levi in Woody Allen’s Crimes and Misdemeanors
Related posts:
 

“Woody Wednesday” Biography of Woody Allen

Here is a great link on Woody Allen. With at least four distinct phases throughout his long career, writer-director-actor Woody Allen was one of the few American filmmakers rightly labeled an auteur. From the irreverent absurdity of his early satires like “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleepers” (1973) to his chronicles of neurotic New Yorkers in “Annie […]

Atheists have no basis for saying that Hitler was wrong!!!!!

On April 30, 2012 (67 years after Hitler killed himself) I stated on the Arkansas Times Blog: Hitler’s last few moments of life were filled with anxiety as they should have been. He went on to face his maker and pay dearly for his many sins. When I look at the never before released pictures […]

Did Hitler go to hell?

My debating opponent, Elwood, on the Arkansas Times Blog is at it again. He claims that the place hell is fiction. He stated, “… your imaginary place called ‘Hell.’ ” However, I responded that this life does count and those like Hitler that have done evil deeds will be punished in the afterlife. Early on […]

Hitler’s last few hours before entering hell (never before released photos)

Below are several never released before pictures of Hitler’s bunker. These are the sights that Hitler took in last before entering hell. How do I know he entered hell? Read below and you will see why I can say that with confidence. LIFE: Hitler’s Bunker On Monday, April 30, on the anniversary of the day […]

Woody Allen’s career in pictures “Woody Wednesday”

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)  “I did have her in mind for it when I wrote it,” Allen said of casting Scarlett Johansson in the movie, (which also starred Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, who are now married). “She’s become a friend and I can think of her now and know that if I call her […]

Woody Allen’s career in pictures “Woody Wednesday”

September (1987) The director famously re-wrote, re-cast and re-shot this film after seeing his original finished product. The second go-round starred (from left) Jack Warden, Elaine Stritch and Mia Farrow (with Allen, second from right). “I usually reshoot tons of material,” he explained at the time. “The fact is, I’d like to shoot September a […]

“Woody Allen Wednesdays” can be seen on the www.thedailyhatch.org

 
By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Milton Friedman on school voucher system

June 12, 2012 – 8:40 am

Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times Blog reports today that Mitt Romney is for school vouchers. I am glad to hear that.

Over and over we hear that the reason private schools are better is because they don’t have to keep the troubling making kids. It reminds me of this short film that I saw many years ago.

Uploaded by  on Jun 14, 2010

Cleaned up (restored) version of the 1932 “Our Gang” short with just the scenes of Kendall McComas (Breezy), Bobby Hutchins (Wheezer) and Otto Fries (Blacksmith). Everyone wants this poor kid to grow up to be president, but all he wants to be is a streetcar conductor, ‘cuz boy, do they pick up the nickels!.

________________________________________

If you want to see how Milton Friedman’s school voucher system would work then check out these posts below:

Free to Choose by Milton Friedman: Episode “What is wrong with our schools?” (Part 1 of transcript and video)

Here is the video clip and transcript of the film series FREE TO CHOOSE episode “What is wrong with our schools?” Part 1 of 6.   Volume 6 – What’s Wrong with our Schools Transcript: Friedman: These youngsters are beginning another day at one of America’s public schools, Hyde Park High School in Boston. What happens when […]

Sweden’s Voucher Program Part 8

HALT:HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com Milton Friedman’s film series “Free to Choose” Episode on Education part 6. It was Friedman’s voucher plan that was put into practice in Sweden in 1993. I read an excellent article called “School Choice in Sweden: An Interview with Thomas Idergard of Timbro,” (March 8, 2010) by Dan Lips and I wanted to share […]

Sweden’s Voucher Program Part 7

HALT:HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com Milton Friedman’s film series “Free to Choose” Episode on Education part 5. It was Friedman’s voucher plan that was put into practice in Sweden in 1993. I read an excellent article called “School Choice in Sweden: An Interview with Thomas Idergard of Timbro,” (March 8, 2010) by Dan Lips and I wanted to share […]

Milton Friedman’s views on vouchers have not been tried?

On the Arkansas Times Blog the person using the username “Jake da Snake” noted, “Friedman also railed long and hard for school vouchers to be adopted, to little avail…” (June 11, 2011). Milton Friedman firmly believed, “competition is a way in which both public and private schools can be required to satisfy their customers.” Here […]


By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Milton Friedman, Vouchers | Comments (0)

The Berlin Wall Falls 1989 NBC Coverage

June 12, 2012 – 7:44 am

The Berlin Wall Falls 1989 NBC Coverage Pt1

Uploaded by on Nov 10, 2009

NBC News coverage of the fall of the Berlin Wall hosted by Tom Brokaw at the Brandenburg Gate, November 1989. Part 1 of 2. The exact date of this report is most likely November 10, 1989.

The Wall (1962) / Berlin Wall Documentary Film Video

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Uploaded by on Feb 28, 2009

The Wall (1962) / Berlin Wall Documentary Film Video. Creative Commons license: Public Domain. Government film about the erection of the Berlin Wall. From the holdings of the National Archives.Sponsor: United States Information Agency. The Berlin Wall (German: Berliner Mauer) was a physical barrier separating West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) (East Germany), including East Berlin. The longer inner German border demarcated the border between East and West Germany. Both borders came to symbolize the Iron Curtain between Western and Eastern Europe and, ultimately, between USA and the Soviet Union. The wall separated East Germany from West Germany for more than a quarter-century, from the day construction began on August 13, 1961 until the Wall was opened on November 9, 1989. During this period, at least 136 people were confirmed killed trying to cross the Wall into West Berlin, according to official figures. However, a prominent victims’ group claims that more than 200 people were killed trying to flee from East to West Berlin. The East German government issued shooting orders to border guards dealing with defectors; such orders are not the same as shoot to kill orders which GDR officials denied ever issuing. When the East German government announced on November 9, 1989, after several weeks of civil unrest, that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin, crowds of East Germans climbed onto and crossed the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. Over the next few weeks, parts of the wall were chipped away by a euphoric public and by souvenir hunters; industrial equipment was later used to remove almost all of the rest of it. The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification, which was formally concluded on October 3, 1990. On Saturday, 12 August 1961, the leaders of the GDR attended a garden party at a government guesthouse in Döllnsee, in a wooded area to the north of East Berlin, at which time Ulbricht signed the order to close the border and erect a wall. At midnight, the police and units of the East German army began to close the border and by Sunday morning, 13 August 1961, the border with West Berlin was closed. East German troops and workers had begun to tear up streets running alongside the border to make them impassable to most vehicles, and to install barbed wire entanglements and fences along the 156 km (97 miles) around the three western sectors and the 43 km (27 miles) which actually divided West and East Berlin. The Soviets were not directly involved. The barrier was built slightly inside East Berlin or East German territory to ensure that it did not encroach on West Berlin at any point, and was later built up into the Wall proper, the first concrete elements and large blocks being put in place on August 15. During the construction of the Wall, NVA and KdA soldiers stood in front of it with orders to shoot anyone who attempted to defect. Additionally, chain fences, walls, minefields, and other obstacles were installed along the length of the inner-German border between East and West Germany. Due to the closure of the East-West sector boundary in Berlin, the vast majority of East Germans could no longer travel or emigrate to West Germany. Many families were split, while East Berliners employed in the West were cut off from their jobs; West Berlin became an isolated enclave in a hostile land. West Berliners demonstrated against the wall, led by their Chancellor Willy Brandt, who strongly criticized the United States for failing to respond. Allied intelligence agencies had hypothesized about a wall to stop the flood of refugees, but the main candidate for its location was around the perimeter of the city.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Berlin Wall” Speech – President Reagan’s Address at the Brandenburg Gate – 6/12/87

June 12, 2012 – 7:14 am

Berlin Wall” Speech – President Reagan’s Address at the Brandenburg Gate – 6/12/87

Uploaded by on Apr 15, 2009

President Reagan’s remarks on East-West relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, Germany on June 12, 1987.

___________________

My favorite president Ronald Reagan made a great speech 25 years ago today.

Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall

Posted by David Boaz

Twenty-five years ago Tuesday, President Ronald Reagan made his famous speech at the Berlin Wall in which he declaimed:

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

On a trip to East Germany in 2006 I talked to a politician who had been involved in the 1989 Leipzig protests that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall. I asked him, “When Reagan said ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’ in 1987, did you know that?” He said, yes, not from East German TV but from West German TV, which they could watch. And what did you think, I asked. “We thought it was good, but we thought it was impossible.” And yet just two years later, “peace prayers” in Leipzig’s Nikolaikirche turned into protests for liberalization and open borders. The Leipzig politician told me, “As it says in the Bible, we walked seven times around the inner city, and the wall came down.”

Then I went to a museum exhibit in Leipzig on the history of the German Democratic Republic. It was very impressive, with a large collection of posters, letters, newspapers, video, and more. Alas, it was all in German, so I had only a dim understanding of what it all said. I did get the impression that it wasn’t a balanced presentation of communism such as might be found in a Western museum; these curators knew that communism had been a nightmare, and they were glad to be out of it. As it happened, the only English words in the entire exhibit came in the collection of audio excerpts that greeted visitors in the entry foyer. And they were a familiar voice proclaiming: “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!”

Related posts:

Berlin Wall” Speech – President Reagan’s Address at the Brandenburg Gate – 6/12/87

Berlin Wall” Speech – President Reagan’s Address at the Brandenburg Gate – 6/12/87 Uploaded by ReaganFoundation on Apr 15, 2009 President Reagan’s remarks on East-West relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, Germany on June 12, 1987. ___________________ My favorite president Ronald Reagan made a great speech 25 years ago today. Mr. Gorbachev, Tear […]

25 years ago on June 12, 1987 Reagan made his famous speech in Berlin

The Heritage Foundation ran a fine article on Ronald Reagan today. June 12 marks the 25th anniversary of President Reagan’s historic speech at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. Over the objections of advisors who thought the lines were too provocative, President Reagan made a dramatic demand: There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be […]

Ronald Wilson Reagan Part 11 (Cold War won by Reagan)

President Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday anniversary In his earliest movies, many of his roles emphasized Reagan’s physical prowess. This is a publicity photo of Ronald Reagan from Warner Brothers/First National Studios. HALT:HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com A :30 commercial for the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration. I remember walking in Austria in 1981 with an elderly man who did not know English but when […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Ronald Reagan | Comments (0)

“Tennis Tuesday” Top Ten paid tennis players in the world

June 12, 2012 – 7:05 am

Here are the top ten paid tennis players in the world:

Hey people, here we have this post about the top 10 highest paid tennis players of the world, for a little introduction let me tell you that a sum of $1.7 million is given to men’s and women’s US open champion for the title. And the US open pays equal prize money to all players for the past 38 years.
So let us take a look at them.

10. James Blake

James Blake Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
His annual earning is $7 million and career prize money is $6.6 million. His ranking was at 4th in 2006 and now he is at 23rd

9. Ana Ivanovic

ana ivanovic Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
She has been Grand Slam titled once in 2009 and has annual earnings of $8 million with career prize money of $ 7 million.

8. Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
This 22 year old man was Grand Slam titled in 2008 and has the annual earnings of $10.5 million and Career prize money of $12.9 million.

7. Andy Murray

Andy Murray Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
His annual earning is $12 million and career prize money is $8.5 million. He was an Open finalist in 2009 and was ranked at no. 2.

6 Venus Williams

venus williams Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
She was Grand Slam titled seven times and has annual earnings of $14.5 million and career prize money of $23.9 million. She was the one who fought for women to get equal pay at Wimbledon.

5. Andy Roddick

andy roddick Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
His annual earning is $16 million and career prize money is $16.8 million. He was grand Slam titled once. Interesting thing about him is that he made a slam final four times and was beaten each time by Federer.

4. Serena Williams

She has been Grand Slam titled 11 times and her annual earning is $18 million with Career prize money of $26 million which is highest for any female professional athlete.

3. Rafael Nadal

rafael nadal Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
He has been Grand Slam titled six times and his annual earnings are $20 million with Career prize money of $25.2 million.

2. Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
She has been Grand Slam titled three times and has annual earnings of $22.5 million with career prize money of $12.6 million. This sexy babe is a sponsor of Nike, Canon, Tiffany and land Rover.

1. Roger Federer

Roger Federer Top 10 Higest Paid Tennis Players – 2011
His annual earnings are $36 million with $50 million career prize money. He was Grand Slam titled 15 times!

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (1)

Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute:Unemployment check or a job

June 12, 2012 – 6:49 am

The private sector does such a better job than the public sector at everything. We need to seriously consider looking at every aspect of the philosophy of our government. It is my view that we can no longer have programs that give incentives to people not to work.

The continuing weakness in the job market, which I wrote about this morning, means that the debate over unemployment benefits will get more heated.

I’ve already noted that even left-wing academics like Paul Krugman and Larry Summers have admitted that you get more unemployment when you subsidize joblessness.

And I’ve cited some good research on the topic from the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, as well as other studies by academic economists.

But none of this evidence seems to matter, as I discovered in this debate with a former Obama Labor Department official.

Published on Jun 1, 2012 by

No description available.

To better understand the points I was making, here are two good anecdotes from Ohio and Michigan.

Last but not least, this cartoon does a very good who of teaching about the economics of unemployment insurance. And if you want to understand the absurdity of the left, this post shows Nancy Pelosi is a train wreck of economic illiteracy.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, President Obama, spending out of control | Comments (0)

Some Tea Party heroes (Part 6)

June 12, 2012 – 6:23 am

I feel so strongly about the evil practice of running up our national debt. I was so proud of Rep. Todd Rokita who voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011 on August 11, 2011. He made this comment: 

 For decades now, we have spent too much money on ourselves and have intentionally allowed our kids and grandkids to pay for it.  It is intergenerational theft—literally stealing from our best asset, our posterity.  The correct course of action, as I have said from the beginning, is to enact permanent and structural reform as the price for raising the debt ceiling.  Today’s bill does not do that.

Here he has called it for what it is: THEFT!!!

Ted DeHaven noted his his article, “Freshman Republicans switch from Tea to Kool-Aid,”  Cato Institute Blog, May 17, 2012:

This week the Club for Growth released a study of votes cast in 2011 by the 87 Republicans elected to the House in November 2010. The Club found that “In many cases, the rhetoric of the so-called “Tea Party” freshmen simply didn’t match their records.” Particularly disconcerting is the fact that so many GOP newcomers cast votes against spending cuts.

The study comes on the heels of three telling votes taken last week in the House that should have been slam-dunks for members who possess the slightest regard for limited government and free markets. Alas, only 26 of the 87 members of the “Tea Party class” voted to defund both the Economic Development Administration and the president’s new Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia program (see my previous discussion of these votes here) and against reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank (see my colleague Sallie James’s excoriation of that vote here).

One of those Tea Party heroes was Congressman Todd Rokita of Indiana. Last year I posted this below concerning his conservative views and his willingness to vote against the debt ceiling increase:

Rokita Votes Against Debt Ceiling Increase

Aug 1, 2011 Issues: Spending Cuts and Debt
 
 
 

Rep. Todd Rokita voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011 because it fails to implement the long-term permanent and structural reforms necessary to put the nation back on a fiscally sustainable trajectory:

“I have heard a couple different definitions of leadership today.  Let me add mine: leadership is effectively persuading others of the proper course of action.  It is also about standing up for those who have no voice. For decades now, we have spent too much money on ourselves and have intentionally allowed our kids and grandkids to pay for it.  It is intergenerational theft—literally stealing from our best asset, our posterity.  The correct course of action, as I have said from the beginning, is to enact permanent and structural reform as the price for raising the debt ceiling.  Today’s bill does not do that.

This legislation is a Washington deal, and it barely begins to address our long-term spending problem. Our debt crisis is driven by mandatory spending on entitlement programs and this plan fails to address such spending.  Also, this plan only reduces the future debt we will pile on the backs of our kids from $10 trillion to around $7 trillion over the next decade.  It does not begin to reduce our $14 trillion in current debt. 

However, this legislation could eventually lead to the best permanent solution, a balanced budget amendment.  This is certainly worth fighting for and I will lead on that front.  But a vote alone is not worth the $2.5 trillion price tag, again to be paid by future generations. For that price, we should have required passage of a balanced budget amendment for state ratification.

I will continue to fight for a balanced budget amendment, lead our nation to live within its means and tackle out-of-control entitlement spending. It will be a long fight, but the enactment of a balanced budget amendment is the only way to fix the broken system that created this mess, both addressing our long-term fiscal health and giving Americans long-term peace of mind.”  

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Social Security, Taxes | Comments (0)

Top football stadiums in the country (Part 11, BYU was most undeserving national champion of all time in football)

June 12, 2012 – 1:50 am

BYU won the national championship in 1984 but in a playoff they would have been defeated.

Of all the modern football teams that won a national championship none were more undeserving than BYU. In a playoff they would have lost for sure.

AP Final poll

  1. BYU
  2. Washington
  3. Florida
  4. Nebraska
  5. Boston College
  6. Oklahoma
  7. Oklahoma State
  8. SMU
  9. UCLA
  10. Southern California
  11. South Carolina
  12. Maryland
  13. Ohio State
  14. Auburn
  15. LSU
  16. Iowa
  17. Florida State
  18. Miami (FL)
  19. Kentucky
  20. Virginia

[edit] Coaches Final Poll

  1. BYU
  2. Washington
  3. Nebraska
  4. Boston College
  5. Oklahoma State
  6. Oklahoma
  7. Florida
  8. SMU
  9. University of Southern California
  10. UCLA
  11. Maryland
  12. Ohio State
  13. South Carolina
  14. Auburn
  15. Iowa
  16. LSU
  17. Virginia
  18. West Virginia
  19. Kentucky
  20. Florida St.

Here is a list of the top football stadiums in the country.

Power Ranking All 124 College Football Stadiums  

By Alex Callos

(Featured Columnist) on April 19, 2012 

When it comes to college football stadiums, for some teams, it is simply not fair. Home-field advantage is a big thing in college football, and some teams have it way more than others.

There are 124 FBS college football teams, and when it comes to the stadiums they play in, they are obviously not all created equal.

There is a monumental difference from the top teams on the list to the bottom teams on the list. Either way, here it is: a complete ranking of the college football stadiums 1-124.

_________________

49. LaVell Edwards Stadium: BYU Cougars

Lavell-edwards-stadium-53_display_image

Everything here is slightly above-average, but what helps this stadium stand out is the beautiful mountains surrounding LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Built in 1964, it seats 64,045, and the fans can be heard screaming throughout the game.

The tickets here are also priced relatively cheap compared to many other stadiums, giving fans a good bang for their buck.

 

48. Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium: Navy Midshipmen

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This tiny stadium offers visitors quite an experience at a college football game. There is so much tradition and history in the 34,000-seat stadium that anybody close must come to experience.

Built in 1959, this stadium is filled with memorials and plaques that are dedicated to those who have played and also fought.

There are also battle names located on the front of the seating sections. Not many stadiums in the country offer something as unique as Navy.

 

47. Amon Carter Stadium: TCU Horned Frogs

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This stadium originally opened up in 1930 and only seated about 22,000 people. It has undergone numerous renovations and is currently undergoing another.

When that is complete, the stadium should hold more than 50,000 and could be even higher on the list.

With the Horned Frogs now heading into the Big 12, this stadium is likely to get even louder, and the atmosphere even better on Saturdays.

 

46. Waldo Stadium: Western Michigan Broncos

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Far and away the best college football stadium in the MAC, Waldo Stadium only seats 30,200, but is an excellent place to take in a game.

Built in 1939, it consists of four different structures that make up the stands on all four sides.

The atmosphere inside the stadium can get loud, and the student section is rather rowdy for the big games. There is everything from lawn seating to luxury boxes here at Waldo Stadium.

 

45. Bobby Dodd Stadium: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

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Downtown Atlanta is easily visible from Bobby Dodd Stadium, and not many stadiums are older, as Bobby Dodd is entering its 100th season, having first been open since 1913.

The stadium seats 55,000 and has held up pretty good over the years.

When the Yellow Jackets are good, this place can get rather rowdy, and for big games, this is a great place to watch some college football.

 

44. Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium: East Carolina Pirates

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Originally opened in 1963, this 50,000-seat facility is home to the East Carolina Pirates.

There is excellent tailgating available here before the game, and once inside, expect the place to get loud, particularly for the Conference USA games.

There are a few added amenities here that make Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium stand out, such as a state-of-the-art video board.

 

43. Ross-Ade Stadium: Purdue Boilermakers

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West Lafayette is a great college town with one of the oldest stadiums in the Big Ten.

Built in 1924, this stadium seats 62,500 and is one of the smaller venues in the conference.

The best place to start the gameday experience is at the Slayter Center, listening to the marching band. Once inside, the plastic bleachers are very comfortable compared to the metal or wooden ones that most people are used to.

 

42. Jones At&T Stadium: Texas Tech Red Raiders

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When this stadium was originally built in 1927, it only held slightly more than 27,000 people, and since a few renovations have taken place, it has been raised to a capacity of 60,454.

Generally speaking, they need all of those seats, as the stadium fills up for Big 12 games.

There are few places in the country with fans who support their team like they do here in Lubbock.

 

41. MacKey Stadium: Nevada Wolfpack

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This tiny stadium opened in 1966 and only seats 29,993 visitors, but is located just a mile from many of the downtown casinos in the Reno area.

This stadium only seated 7,500 when it originally opened and has a wonderful atmosphere.

The place can get cold, but the mountains in the background make for quite a beautiful setting.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)