Is The American Dream Dead?

from: Big Government

On Wednesday, The Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal released the 17th edition of the Index of Economic Freedom which catalogues countries and ranks them based on their level of economic freedom.

Among the highlights of this year's report:

* Hong Kong maintained its position at the top of the rankings
* While the global economic freedom score increased, the United States dropped once again
* Countries with the highest rate of government spending saw their GDP grow 4.5% slower than countries where government spending is better contained
Here at home, the report raises important questions about how the government's reckless spending habit has harmed America's competitiveness in the world. As our video shows, while the American Dream may not be dead, it must be defended.

With so much at stake, it is up to each one of us to get government spending under control and ensure that we are able to leave a strong, prosperous America to future generations.

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http://www.buzzbox.com/preview/is-the-american-dream-dead/?id=22870188

found with BuzzBox News App on my Android phone
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Sent from my Galaxy Tab with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

From Homeless to Radio Announcer... to Arrested in Record Time

I am all for charity, and it's certainly sad to see this guy's life spinning out of control in record time... but with a spanking new arrest in California maybe, just maybe, it might not be inappropriate for me to point out that it seems Mr. Williams' problems may not be entirely attributable to the cold, hard, cruel, and unjust world out there. Maybe there was a reason he was found wandering on the streets with no access to a decent mirror.

There, now I've said it. I pray Mr. Williams is able to get his life back on track... and doesn't end up as an object lesson in self-destructiveness.

Ted Williams arrested is the next episode in the saga of an Ohio homeless man discovered then offered a job to be a broadcaster for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

According to reports, Williams was detained after getting into a heated argument with his 29-year-old daughter, Jamey, at the Los Angeles Renaissance Hotel. He reportedly had scratches on his face.

"When that was said out of my mouth, my daughter exploded -- fists got a flyin' -- none of which were mine," said Williams, who was in Southern California to appear on "Entertainment Tonight" and "Dr. Phi."

Williams daughter says that her father, a recovering alcoholic, has started drinking again since becoming an instant celebrity earlier this month.

"He's consumed at least a bottle of Grey Goose a night, at least," Janey said. "That's not including the Coronas he orders, that's not including the Budweisers he orders, that's not including the other alcohol, the wines. He drinks heavily

Ted Williams Arrested: Golden Voiced Announcer Detained In Los Angeles | Bleacher Report

Arizona shooting: Pima County Sheriff's Department, college won't release data on suspect

Why not? I suspect it's because the Sheriff is reluctant to release records that will make the Sheriff look like an incompetent boob. Of course, he's so incompetent that he doesn't realize that most of the free-thinking world realizes how incompetent and boob-ish he is already - a genuine halfwit, capable of ignoring a developing mass murderer in his own backyard, despite numerous reports and calls for help... while simultaneously maintaining a laser-like focus - even going so far as to blame - people who have nothing whatsoever to do with the tragic event. What a total meathead.

Sheriff's Department and community-college officials in Pima County are refusing to release a wide range of public documents about the man charged in Saturday's shooting rampage that left six dead and more than a dozen wounded.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department and Pima Community College have declined to release documents that could shed light on run-ins they had with 22-year-old Jared Loughner in the months prior to the shooting.

The Arizona Public Records Law requires that records be "open to inspection by any person at all times" unless officials can prove releasing the information would violate rights of privacy or confidentiality or otherwise harm the best interests of the state.

The Arizona Republic requested that records, including incident reports on campus and calls for dispatch of deputies to Loughner's home, be released under the law. Such reports are often released as a matter of course in criminal cases.

College officials have not indicated when or if they will release the information, saying they want prior approval from the FBI and are concerned about violating federal laws protecting the privacy of student information. The Republic did not request student academic records.

Pima Community College officials confirmed Saturday that they suspended Loughner after a series of outbursts in classrooms and the library, five of which involved campus police.

College Chancellor Roy Flores said Saturday the information would be released by Sunday. But by Tuesday, the information had not been released. College officials said the FBI wants to review any information first.

"The FBI has requested an opportunity to review information that may assist the bureau in its investigation of the incident prior to any media disclosure," said A. Rachelle Howell, assistant vice chancellor for marketing.

On Monday, The Republic requested copies of any reports from the Pima County Sheriff's Department involving contacts with Loughner or calls to his house. Pima County Deputy Rene Carlson said her office would not release the reports without a specific date, though this is not required by state statute.

Carlson said providing these documents would be tantamount to releasing criminal history.

Carlson said she could not speculate on the nature of any calls for service regarding Loughner. She also said no calls or incidents involved threats made by Loughner.

The Republic also requested the names of the people wounded in Saturday's shooting. The Sheriff's Department has not released any names, although names of several victims have emerged in media reports. The Sheriff's Department did not provide a reason for withholding the list.

Sean Holguin, a deputy county attorney representing the Sheriff's Office, said he "will respond substantively" to the request, possibly by Wednesday

Arizona shooting: Pima County Sheriff's Department, college won't release data on suspect

Dozens of Twitter users call for Palin’s death

ANYONE the left hates this much has to be alright. But Sarah Palin? I liked her alot to begin with. This may be love.

A video on YouTube showcases dozens of tweets, sent in the aftermath of Saturday’s Arizona massacre, that call for the death of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Some of the Tweeters wish Palin would die of cancer, while others advocate for her assassination.

“My hatred for Sarah Palin continues to grow. I think this woman should be assassinated,” said one person. “Sarah Palin should be shot for her encouragement of fanaticism against Democrats,” says another.

Numerous left-wing commentators have accused Palin of inspiring the attack on Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords that left 6 dead. The Daily Caller’s Jim Treacher reported that liberal blogger Matthew Yglesias, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas, actress Jane Fonda, film critic Roger Ebert, and filmmaker Michael Moore all took to Twitter within hours of the attack to accuse Palin of being in some way responsible.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

Dozens of Twitter users call for Palin’s death | The Daily Caller - Breaking News, Opinion, Research, and Entertainment

Elizabeth Hasselbeck: Sheriff Dupnik Is Dangerous

One of The View co-hosts, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, stopped by The Factor and told Bill O’Reilly she wasn’t happy about Sheriff Dupnik continuing toblame right-wing rhetoric for the Arizona shooting. She also revealed despite being the only conservative voice on The View, she doesn’t feel like she’s ganged up on.

Hasselbeck agreed with the Arizona sheriff that words do matter, but just disagreed as to which words are the problem. She believed Dupnik’s continued talk of “vitriolic rhetoric” is itself “creating a more dangerous country and situation for us by providing this justification that someone in the future could use, that ‘the right devil made me do it.’” And she found it “sad and unfortunate” that such a justification was coming from a law enforcement official.

O’Reilly agreed that he found the sheriff’s statements troubling, and was angry that the sheriff wouldn’t come on The Factor to talk, theorizing that since Megyn Kelly “disassembled” the sheriff, he was too scared to return to Fox News.

Watch the clip from Fox News below:

Elizabeth Hasselbeck | Sheriff Dupnik Is Dangerous | Fox | Mediaite

ACORN leader avoids prison for voter fraud conspiracy

A Las Vegas judge has spared senior ACORN executive Amy Adele Busefink jail time for her role in a notorious voter fraud conspiracy.

Judge Donald Mosley sentenced Busefink to two years imprisonment but suspended the jail time provided that she abides by the terms of her probation. She was also fined a total of $4,000 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. Prosecutors had argued for a fine of just $1,000. Voter fraud, sometimes called electoral fraud, is a blanket term encompassing a host of election-related improprieties.

This isn’t the first time Busefink was involved in shady electoral dealings. Even while under indictment in Nevada she ran the 2010 national voter drive for Project Vote, which was President Obama’s employer in 1992. Project Vote and ACORN have long been indistinguishable. Project Vote still operates out of ACORN’s offices in Washington, D.C.

Busefink also ran ACORN’s fraud-ridden 2008 voter registration drive. In that drive, officials chucked an astounding 400,000 bogus registrations.

The relatively stiff sentence handed down Monday comes as Nevada prosecutors prepare a similar criminal conspiracy case against the now-dissolving radical organization which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Election Day to escape its mounting debts.

If ACORN, that is, the shell corporation that until recently controlled a vast empire of taxpayer-subsidized left-wing activism, is convicted it would cause an earthquake in leftist organizing circles across America. More prosecutors might be emboldened to take on ACORN and similar groups. Until it was charged by Nevada in 2009, ACORN had frequently boasted about how it — as opposed to its employees — had been able to duck prosecution for election fraud-related offenses.

Busefink was found guilty after making a plea deal regarding two gross misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit the crime of compensation for registration of voters. A gross misdemeanor is a crime that is more serious than a misdemeanor but less serious than a felony.

In this case, Busefink entered an “Alford plea,” which is roughly equivalent to “no contest.” In other words, she did not admit the act, but admitted that the prosecution would likely be able to prove the charge at trial.

The case involved a conspiracy to provide illegal financial bonuses to voter registration canvassers for exceeding their daily quotas. Nevada law forbids the practice on the theory that such bonuses provide an incentive for canvassers to file bogus registrations.

The criminal complaint filed against Busefink by the Democratic attorney general of Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto, in May 2009 stated that as “ACORN Regional Director for Voter Registration” Busefink “did aid, abet, counsel, encourage, hire, command, induce or procure ACORN to commit the crime of Compensation for Registration of Voters” by approving a bonus program called “Blackjack” or “21.” Voter registration canvassers were given cash bonuses for exceeding a daily quota of 20 registrations.

Christopher Howell Edwards, who was ACORN’s Las Vegas field director, previously accepted a plea bargain for his role in the illegal scheme.

Edie S. Cartwright, spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office, said prosecutor David Rickert is preparing for the trial of ACORN which is currently scheduled for April 25. State officials said previously that bankruptcy would not prevent them from moving forward with the case.

Across the country state chapters of ACORN, which stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, have been incorporating themselves separately in order to carry on ACORN’s work. ACORN is reorganizing and will reemerge again soon under a new name, according to ACORN historian and housing activist John Atlas, who wrote “Seeds of Change,” and ACORN executive Nathan Henderson-James.

Matthew Vadum is a senior editor at Capital Research Center, a Washington, D.C. think tank that studies the politics of philanthropy. His book on ACORN and its infiltration of the Obama administration will be published in mid-2011.

ACORN leader avoids prison for voter fraud conspiracy « » Print The Daily Caller – Breaking News, Opinion, Research, and Entertainment

What’s Missing

Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)

Tuesday, January 11th at 2:28PM EST

102 Comments

“Whether you believe it or not, here is the reality:beyond us is a world we cannot see with our eyes — a world of veryreal angels and very real demons, of a very real God and a very real devil. ”

I am tired of talking about the Arizona shooting. The left has done its best to try to pin it on the right. We know now that not only was Loughner of the left before he went nuts, but that, in fact, Loughner was nuts.

His actions can be pinned on neither the left nor the right.

All of the media handwringing over the “tone” in the country and the “extremist rhetoric” distracts from and implies that the tone and rhetoric had something to do with Jared Loughner’s rampage.

It did not.

By continuing to discuss this topic, the media continues to imply that it did.

We also know Barack Obama’s advisors are urging him to seize the moment and join the left in blaming the right for this violence. Not only is that disgusting, but should he, the media wringing their hands about the tone better call him out on it — but I won’t hold my breath.

Through it all though, well meaning people on both sides of the ideological and partisan divide are not talking about the one thing that should be talked about — a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

I am no saint. And I am no preacher. This is not intended to be a sermon. But it needs to be said and is not being said. Thankfully God is the God of the imperfect and all of us are.

In all the discussions we’re having, let’s not forget that bad things have happened throughout history, but we are seeing more and more a pattern of violence from those who reject Christ and we are seeing the most extreme rhetoric from those who reject the only real truth while embracing every other historic fad and nonsense as variations of truth. The one true way has been shunned, ridiculed, bastardized, co-opted, and buried over in psycho-babble nonsense, “find your own spirtual self” crap, and haphazard soul damning assorted other garbage.

For a taste of what I’m talking about, look at Timothy McVeigh. Raised a Catholic, McVeigh self-admitted that there was a god of some sorts, but that he was agnostic, had no belief in hell, and had drifted far from anything having to do with Jesus Christ. But the left routinely tries to portray McVeigh as some sort of Christian terrorist. They know not of what they speak.

The topic of faith in Christ makes people cringe. But whether you believe it or not, here is the reality: beyond us is a world we cannot see with our eyes. It impacts us on a daily basis. It is a world of very real angels and very real demons. It is a world of a very real God and a very real Satan, a very real Heaven and a very real Hell.

The back and forth and accusations and lies surrounding Jared Loughner should be a constant reminder to us that there is more at play in our world than what we see. And, frankly, at times like this I am more and more mindful of the great chasm in this world between the saved and damned.

Political rhetoric did not make Jared Loughner do what he did. His embrace of evil led him down a road down which we should be in constant prayer no others dare travel.

What’s Missing | RedState