The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 22% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-three percent (43%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21. That matches the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President (see trends).

Forty-two percent (42%) of Democrats Strongly Approve while 72% of Republicans Strongly Disapprove. Among those not affiliated with either major political party, 17% Strongly Approve and 45% Strongly Disapprove.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) believe that passage of the proposed health care legislation will hurt the economy. Just 25% believe it will help.

Sixty percent (60%) of parents believe that textbooks used by their students are more concerned about political correctness than accuracy.

Republicans hold a seven-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.

Overall, 43% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. That, too matches the lowest level yet recorded for this President. Fifty-six percent (56%) disapprove.

The newly selected Republican nominee starts the general election with a ten-point lead in the Illinois Governor’s race. In Massachusetts, an interesting three-way race is developing with incumbent Deval Patrick stuck in the mid-30s. Rasmussen Reports has also released polls on the 2010 governor’s races in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina Wisconsin, and Texas.

Scott Rasmussen and Doug Schoen have an article in today’s Wall Street Journal explaining “Why Obama Can’t Move the Health Care Numbers.” Scott’s new book, In Search of Self-Governance is available from Rasmussen Reports and at Amazon.com. If you’d like Scott to speak at your meeting, retreat, or conference, contact Premiere Speakers Bureau.

(More Below)

Forty-two percent (42%) favor the President’s health care plan while 53% are opposed. Most believe passage of the plan will increase the cost of health care. Fifty-five percent (55%) say that Congress should scrap the current health care legislation and start over.

See our 2010 Senate polling from Nevada, Colorado, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, California, Indiana, Wisconsin, Washington, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina and Iowa.

The latest polling data can always be found on the Rasmussen Reports home page, updated with new data at least six times daily.

The New York Times Magazine has a feature on Rahm Emanuel that begins by describing how the White House Chief of Staff reacted to a Rasmussen Reports poll on the Massachusetts Senate race.

Scott Rasmussen has recently had several columns published in the Wall Street Journal addressing how President Obama is losing independent voters , health care reform, the President’s approval ratings, and how Obama won the White House by campaigning like Ronald Reagan. You can also learn about his favorite place on earth or his time working with hockey legend Gordie Howe.

It is important to remember that the Rasmussen Reports job approval ratings are based upon a sample of likely voters. Some other firms base their approval ratings on samples of all adults. President Obama’s numbers are always several points higher in a poll of adults rather than likely voters. That’s because some of the President’s most enthusiastic supporters, such as young adults, are less likely to turn out to vote. It is also important to check the details of question wording when comparing approval ratings from different firms.

(More Below)

Rasmussen Reports has been a pioneer in the use of automated telephone polling techniques, but many other firms still utilize their own operator-assisted technology (see methodology). Pollsters for Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have cited our “unchallenged record for both integrity and accuracy.”

Data from the Washington Post confirms that Rasmussen Reports was well ahead of other media coverage on the Massachusetts Senate race.

In the 2009 New Jersey Governor’s race, automated polls tended to be more accurate than operator-assisted polling techniques. On reviewing the state polling results from 2009, Mickey Kaus offered this assessment, “If you have a choice between Rasmussen and, say, the prestigious N.Y. Times, go with Rasmussen!”

During Election 2008, liberal blogger Nate Silver said that the Rasmussen tracking poll “would probably be the one I’d want with me on a desert island.”

In 2008, Obama won 53%-46% and our final poll showed Obama winning 52% to 46%. While we were pleased with the final result, Rasmussen Reports was especially pleased with the stability of our results. On every single day for the last six weeks of the campaign, our daily tracking showed Obama with a stable and solid lead attracting more than 50% of the vote.

An analysis by Pollster.com partner Charles Franklin “found that despite identically sized three-day samples, the Rasmussen daily tracking poll is less variable than Gallup.” During Election 2008, the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll was the least volatile of all those tracking the race.

We also have provided a summary of our 2008 state-by-state Presidential results for your review.

In 2004 George W. Bush received 50.7% of the vote while John Kerry earned 48.3%. Rasmussen Reports was the only firm to project both candidates’ totals within half a percentage point by projecting that Bush would win 50.2% to 48.5%. (see our 2004 results).

See also our 2008 state results for Senate and governor. See 2006 results for and governor.

Pollster.com founder Mark Blumenthal noted that “independent analyses from the National Council on Public Polls, the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the Pew Research Center, the Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight.com have all shown that the horse-race numbers produced by automated telephone surveys did at least as well as those from conventional live-interviewer surveys in predicting election outcomes.”

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The margin of sampling error—for the full sample of 1,500 Likely Voters–is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Results are also compiled on a full-week basis and crosstabs for full-week results are available for Premium Members. Like all polling firms, Rasmussen Reports weights its data to reflect the population at large (see methodology).

Among other targets, Rasmussen Reports weights data by political party affiliation using a dynamic weighting process. While partisan affiliation is generally quite stable over time, there are a fair number of people who waver between allegiance to a particular party or independent status. Since the November 2008 election, the number of Democrats in the country has declined while the number of unaffiliated voters has grown.

Our baseline targets are established based upon separate survey interviews with a sample of adults nationwide completed during the preceding three months (a total of 45,000 interviews) and targets are updated monthly. Currently, the baseline targets for the adult population are 35.3% Democrats, 32.8% Republicans, and 31.9% unaffiliated. Likely voter samples typically show a slightly smaller advantage for the Democrats.

A review of last week’s key polls is posted each Saturday morning. Other stats on Obama are updated daily on the Rasmussen Reports Obama By the Numbers page. We also invite you to review other recent demographic highlights from the tracking polls. To get a sense of longer-term trends, check out our month-by-month review of the President’s numbers.

This is posted for Emily who took the time to search out the truth to the reference article that was posted here. Hat tip to you Emily great job.

RE: Should Christians Respect Obama? The statements were incorrectly linked to David Barton

I contacted David Barton’s organization to verify and find out those are words by others but spread in the name of David Barton. Here is the response I received:

Emily,

Thank you for contacting WallBuilders. The statements in the email you received were incorrectly linked to David Barton. While David did appear on the In Touch program on July 5, 2009, he did not and has never made the statements in the email you received. If we can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

Blessings,
WallBuilders Customer Service
1-800-873-2845
www.WallBuilders.com

On Today’s Program

Massa Exclusive TONIGHT

Tonight, Glenn has an exclusive one on one interview with Democratic Congressman Eric Massa, who claims he was basically pushed out of Congress because he voted against some big pieces of Democrat legislation. What’s the truth? Find out tonight at 5pm on the Fox News Channel.

Michelle Malkin has been following the Massa ordeal closely. Check out everything she has uncovered about this guy – should we believe him? Malkin knows corruption when she sees it – in her book, Culture of Corruption, she expertly lays out the problem Glenn believes is hurting America most.

Is Glenn recruiting Extremists?

No, this is not a headline from the New York Times – although it probably was at one time or another. Today marks the launch of the all new Insider Extreme – the next generation of the Glenn Beck Program. With amazing access and features, you’ll see Glenn like never before – exclusive documentaries, behind the scenes footage, the 4th hour hosted by Pat and Stu, a six camera TV style broadcast of the radio program and much more. Learn more about Insider Extreme HERE.

Don’t forget about Glenn’s special LIVE Insider Extreme event next Tuesday, March 16^th at 8pm from the Nokia Theater in Times Square called “The Future of History.” It will be available ONLY to Insider Extreme subscribers. Get all the details about the show and sign up now for Insider Extreme so you don’t miss out!

Already an Insider Extreme Subscriber? If you missed the show you can check it out in the archive HERE.

Unending unemployment benefits

The Washington Post has a story today about the ever expanding state of unemployment benefits. Most would say 99 weeks (nearly 2 years) is probably a little too much time to be dependent on government, but apparently Congress doesn’t think so! The statistics are astounding – $10 billion a month goes to keeping America’s unemployed afloat. Read the rest of the story HERE.

Glenn and the census

Government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to promote efforts to count all Americans, but does the government want more than just a head count? Glenn, Pat and Stu go over some of the questions on the census form and decide which questions they would and would not answer. Glenn calls his wife Tania to see how and if she would answer. Check out the segment from the program today. ( Transcript, Insider Audio)

Check out the 6 camera broadcast quality stream that Insider Extreme Subscribers are experiencing with this FREE clip!

Where Canadians go for healthcare

Canada’s healthcare system is touted by liberals everywhere, but when push comes to shove, where do Canadians go for healthcare? HINT: Not Canada. Even the elite politicians, who are responsible for sicking this government system on Canadians, don’t seem to stay in the country when they get sick. Glenn highlights one such prominent case in the latest Beck Talks video blog. WATCH

March 8, 2010

On Today’s Program

The Chicago way is now the American way
Congressman Eric Massa, a Democrat from New York, finds himself directly under the bus. He was kicked to the curb by Democrats because he didn’t support the healthcare bill or cap and trade. Democrats are using an ethics violation to toss him under the bus. Is this guy a dirtbag? Probably – it’s not exactly uncommon in Washington DC. But do his transgressions make what he’s saying about Washington untrue? Glenn reacts to the Massa controversy today and why this is the conversation America needs to have.  ( Transcript, Insider Audio)

He played on our fears!

The RNC did a PowerPoint presentation that just hacked Glenn off because the big strategy they came up with was to play on people’s fears. Does that mean the RNC doesn’t really think our country is sliding into socialism? Or going broke? Glenn talks with Marco Rubio from Florida, who is doing well in the polls precisely because he doesn’t listen to the RNC, about the latest nonsense from Republicans. ( Transcript, Insider Audio)

Insider Extreme launches tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big launch for the all new Insider Extreme! Glenn will celebrate the launch of this incredible new service with a LIVE event on Broadway – March 16th from the Nokia Theater. Glenn will be performing and he’ll also answer your questions, which you can submit HERE. Ask Glenn anything! This event will stream live for Insider Extreme subscribers only on GlennBeck.com. If you will be in the NYC area you can get your tickets to the show HERE.  Find out more about becoming an Insider Extreme subscriber HERE.

Plus, check out the new six camera broadcast quality stream of the radio program with this FREE Insider Extreme clip of the day.

Oscar buzz (zzz)

Glenn did not watch much, if any, of the Oscars last night. It’s always been quite difficult to stomach the self-congratulatory award show, but it’s getting even tougher because they are STILL hell bent on rewarding anti-war films that no one watches. Glenn, Pat and Stu go over the Oscars on today’s radio program.  ( Transcript, Insider Audio)

Surviving Canada’s Healthcare system…

It’s not exactly the easiest thing in the world, but there are a few lucky people in Canada who have managed to survive the death grip Canada’s healthcare system has on its people. How do they do it? Glenn highlights one lucky survivor and what it took to stay alive in Canada, in the latest Beck Talks video blog. WATCH

Dear Mr Krauthammer,

I usually agree with and highly respect your views and opinions on most matters but on the Islam issue you are DEAD WRONG. This is where I am very well informed and as a result, have obtained a certain level of expertise.

I run an organization that deals exclusively with former Muslims, all apostates from Islam. Some have become Christians while others are secular with beliefs now ranging from atheist to agnostic. Geographically they come from Pakistan, The Middle East and the United States.

Every single one of them – there are dozens – holds a view contrary to yours, maintaining that perverted or extreme interpretations of Islam are not the problem. Islamism and moderate Islam are one in the same; there is no difference.  While it is true that many Muslims do not commit violence in the USA, the information provided by the former Muslims I work with is that the vast majority of Muslims would sympathize with the terrorists’ goals. The simplest analogy is that most Americans support our troops with only a minority of Americans actually serving in the military.

This is the simplest way to compare the situation.  Yes, many Muslims condemn terror publicly. However, when speaking in their mother tongue of Arabic they sing a different tune; we can cite numerous examples.

Ask yourself why Fox News and all of the other networks rarely interview apostates from Islam or former Muslims. The reason is that no ex-Muslim will give the view that you gave on the Fox News panel yesterday when commenting on Geert Wilders. It is easy to label Mr. Wilders – who has a Judeo Christian background – a “demagogue”, as Bill Kristol did. It’s not so easy to do when the source of those claims is a former Muslim using similar debasing terms. Wilders is 100% correct about Islam and any former Muslim would hold a similar view. It would be difficult for a political commentator such as you to refute such a person while maintaining greater credibility than that kind of expert.

The politically correct view we got from you and the others on the panel is dangerous for America and more dangerous than any healthcare bill that would ever pass.

If you did not see the interview on Sean Hannity last week with the Son of Hamas, please check it out on our website as http://www.shoebat.com/videos/sonHamas.php This should also dispel the myth of “moderate Islam” which is a “Western media invention” (actually a direct quote from a Muslim on an interview on Irish TV that included Walid Shoebat). On our website we have placed evidence from Muslims, former Muslims and experts that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Islam is not a peaceful religion. Please check out especially this PJTV interview http://www.shoebat.com/videos/pjtv1.php It is with a former analyst from the Pentagon who was commissioned to do a report on “moderate Islam” by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is shocking and disturbing; I implore you to watch it (14 minutes long).

Islam has only had a secular mode and “non-violent” strain from 1920 (fall of the Ottoman Empire) until about 1979 (fall of the Shah). If you study Islam’s 1400 year history, it has always spread by the sword. You just happen to live in the period just after the Turkish Caliphate defeat, but you are witnessing the new rise of Islam which is also clearly described in the Bible. If you study the ideology of Islam closely, the evidence itself is based both on the writings of all recognized Islamic scholars in their religious jurisprudence; it is based on the testimonies of countless former Muslims who are, for the most part, excluded from the discourse in the media out of political correctness. These things prove that Islam itself is not peaceful and that Muslims who are peaceful are that way despite the religion and not because of it.

When Nazis took over Germany they were initially a small minority but it did not stop them from taking over because good people were silent, did little, or did nothing.

Even if “Islamism” – as you describe it Mr Krauthammer – is the problem, the dangerous minority can still take over the majority and it is irrelevant whether moderate Islam exists or not; if the Islamists take control, the moderates would be subjugated in a way not dissimilar to what happened in Germany before the war.

An American-born former Muslim once said to me, “When I was a Muslim I attended about 20 mosques here in America. I can say that every single one of them preached the hatred of Jews, Americans and Israel. Americans are being deceived by their media, their leaders and political commentators; political correctness is literally going to kill millions of you.”      – Zak Izzat a former Muslim born Detroit in the USA.

I rest my case. Please stop the political correctness. If you do not wish to speak the truth on Islam, please don’t lower yourself to the level of apologizing for it. Help give voice to people who can tell the truth while not being labeled as “bigots” or “demagogues”. They speak out at risk to their own lives so that you, Mr. Krauthammer can continue to speak in a free press, because all Islamic organizations in America are front groups for terrorists and their objective is to subjugate us all under Sharia law. If they are successful, they would not only silence you but kill you too because you are a Jew just as I am.

Yours respectfully

Keith Davies

Executive Director Walid Shoebat Foundation

http://www.gunsandammoenthusiastblog.com

March 9, 2010

Please check out this incredible list . . .

No matter which political party you are for this should make you stop and wonder about the powers that are in Washington!

This long list of Obama actions should frighten all of us, but the last 3 paragraphs are the important messages for the future.  SEND IT ON.

The Fundamental Transformation of America
BY MATT BRUCE
November 21, 2009

When Obama wrote a book and said he was mentored as a youth by Frank, (Frank Marshall Davis) an avowed Communist,

people said it didn’t matter.
When it was discovered that his grandparents, were strong socialists, sent Obama’s mother to a socialist school, introduced Frank Marshall Davis to young Obama,

People said it didn’t matter.

When people found out that he was enrolled as a Muslim child in school and his father and step father were both Muslims,

people said it didn’t matter

When he wrote in another book he authored, I will stand with them (Muslims) should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.

people said it didn’t matter.

When he admittedly, in his book,said he chose Marxist friends and professors in college,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he traveled to  Pakistan , after college on an unknown national passport,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he sought the endorsement of the Marxist party in 1996 as he ran for the Illinois Senate,

people said it doesn’t matter.

When he sat in a  Chicago Church for twenty years and listened to a preacher spew hatred for America and preach black liberation theology,

people said it didn’t matter.

When an independent  Washington organization, that tracks senate voting records, gave him the distinctive title as the “most liberal senator”,

people said it didn’t matter.

When the Palestinians in  Gaza , set up a fund raising telethon to raise money for his election campaign,

people said it didn’t matter.

When his voting record supported gun control,

people said it didn’t matter

When he refused to disclose who donated money to his election campaign, as other candidates had done,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he received endorsements from people like Louis Farrakhan and Muammar Kadaffi and Hugo Chavez,

people said it didn’t matter.

When it was pointed out that he was a total, newcomer and had absolutely no experience at anything except community organizing,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he chose friends and acquaintances such as Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn who were revolutionary radicals,

people said it didn’t matter.

When his voting record in the  Illinois senate and in the U.S. Senate came into question,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he refused to wear a flag, lapel pin and did so only after a public outcry,

people said it didn’t matter.

When people started treating him as a Messiah and children in schools were taught to sing his praises,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he stood with his hands over his groin area for the playing of the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he surrounded himself in the White house with advisors who were pro gun control, pro abortion, pro homosexual marriage and wanting to curtail freedom of speech to silence the opposition

people said it didn’t matter.

When he aired his views on abortion, homosexuality and a host of other issues,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he said he favors sex education in Kindergarten, including homosexual indoctrination,

people said it didn’t matter.

When his background was either scrubbed or hidden and nothing could be found about him,

people said it didn’t matter.

When the place of his birth was called into question, and he refused to produce a birth certificate,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he had an association in  Chicago with Tony Rezco, a man of questionable character,

who is now in prison and had helped Obama to a sweet deal on the purchase of his home,

people said it didn’t matter.

When it became known that George Soros, a multi-billionaire Marxist, spent a ton of money to get him elected,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he started appointing czars that were radicals, revolutionaries, and even avowed Marxist/Communist,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he stood before the nation and told us that his intentions were to “fundamentally transform this nation” into something else,

people said it didn’t matter.

When it became known that he had trained ACORN workers in  Chicago and served as an attorney for ACORN,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed cabinet members and several advisors who were tax cheats and socialist,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed a science czar, John Holdren, who believes in forced abortions, mass sterilizations and seizing babies from teen mothers,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Cass Sunstein as regulatory czar and he believes in “Explicit Consent”, harvesting human organs with out family consent, and to allow animals to be represented in court, while banning all hunting,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Kevin Jennings, a homosexual, and organizer of a group called gay, lesbian, straight, Education network, as safe school czar and it became known that he had a history of bad advice to teenagers,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Mark Lloyd as diversity czar and he believed in curtailing free speech, taking from one and giving to another to spread the wealth and admires Hugo Chavez,

people said it didn’t matter.

When Valerie Jarrett was selected as Obama’s senior White House advisor and she is an avowed Socialist,

people said it didn’t matter.

When Anita Dunn, White House Communications director said Mao Tse Tung was her favorite philosopher and the person she turned to most for inspiration,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he appointed Carol Browner as global warming czar, and she is a well known socialist working on Cap and trade as the nations largest tax,

people said it doesn’t matter.

When he appointed Van Jones, an ex-con and avowed Communist as green energy czar, who since had to resign when this was made known,

people said it didn’t matter.

When Tom Daschle, Obama’s pick for health and human services secretary could not be confirmed, because he was a tax cheat,

people said it didn’t matter.

When as president of the  United States, he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia ,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he traveled around the world criticizing  America and never once talking of her greatness,

people said it didn’t matter.

When his actions concerning the middle-east seemed to support the Palestinians over  Israel , our long time friend,

People said it doesn’t matter.

When he took American tax dollars to resettle thousands of Palestinians from  Gaza to the  United States ,

people said it doesn’t matter.

When he upset the Europeans by removing plans for a missile defense system against the Russians,

People said it doesn’t matter.

When he played politics in  Afghanistan by not sending troops the Field Commanders said we had to have to win,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he started spending us into a debt that was so big we could not pay it off,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he took a huge spending bill under the guise of stimulus and used it to pay off organizations, unions and individuals that got him elected,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he took over insurance companies, car companies, banks, etc.

people said it didn’t matter.

When he took away student loans from the banks and put it through the government,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he designed plans to take over the health care system and put it under government control,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he set into motion a plan to take over the control of all energy in the United States

through Cap and Trade,

people said it didn’t matter.

When he finally completed his transformation of  America into a  Socialist  State ,

people finally woke up…….. but it was too late.

Any one of these things, in and of themselves does not really matter.  But…. when you add them up one by one you get a phenomenal score that points to the fact that our Obama is determined to make America over into a Marxist/Socialist society.  All of the items in the preceding paragraphs have been put into place.  All can be documented very easily.  Before you disavow this, do an internet search.  The last paragraph alone is not yet cast in stone.  You and I will write
that paragraph.  Will it read as above or will it be a more happy ending for most of  America?  Personally, I like happy endings.

If you are an Obama Supporter, please do not be angry with me because I think your president is a socialist. There are too many facts supporting this.  If you seek the truth you will be richer for it.  Don’t just belittle the opposition.  Search for the truth.  I did.  Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Constitutionalist, Libertarians and what have you, we all need to pull together.  We all must pull together or watch the demise of a society that we all love and cherish.  If you are a religious person, pray for our nation.

Never before in the history of  America have we been confronted with problems so huge that the very existence of our country is in jeopardy.  Don’t rely on most television news and what you read in the newspapers for the truth.  Search the internet.  Yes, there is a lot of bad information, lies and distortions there too but you are smart enough to spot the fallacies.  Newspapers are a dying breed.  They are currently seeking a bailout from the government.  Do you really think they are about to print the truth?  Obama praises all the television news networks except Fox who he has waged war against.  There must be a reason.  He does not call them down on any specifics, just a general battle against them.  If they lie, he should call them out on it but he doesn’t.  Please, find the truth, it will set you free.

Our biggest enemy is not China, Russia, or Iran; no, our biggest enemy is a contingent of politicians in Washington D.C. led by the Progressive Left Liberals who support the previously mentioned things.

Wake Up America! There’s still time in 2010 to take back America and send a message LOUD and CLEAR to those who think ‘it doesn’t matter’…

God Bless America!

Matt Bruce
An American Independent Conservative Who Thinks ‘It Matters’…

THURSDAY IN ANNAPOLIS – 2 Senate Bills to support

Federal E-Verify for Maryland employers, SB 844 - Ensures that only US Citizens/Legal Immigrants  can get permission to work in MD.  Preserves needed jobs on citizens in a time of high unemployment.

Proof of Identity for Voters SB 711 – Requires voters to show an official ID when they go to vote.  What a novel concept for one of the most important responsibilities you have as a citizen…. voting.

IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO ANNAPOLIS TO TESTIFY, PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMEBERS LISTED TO TELL THEM YOU SUPPORT SB 844 and SB 711.  Always make sure your name and address is attached to the e-mail so members will know what county you are from.

Special Thanks to Joyce for the list!

The Senate Education, Health, & Environmental Affairs Committee is located at:

2 West Wing, Miller Senate Office Building

11 Bladen Street; Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

Phone:  410-841-3661; 301-858-3661 OR 1-800-491-7122, Ext. 3661 (toll free)

From Baltimore/Annapolis area:  dial 410-841 + Extension #

From Prince George’s & Montgomery County areas:  dial 301-858 + Extension #

From all other areas in Maryland, dial:  1-800-492-7122 + Extension #

Address correspondence as follows:

The Honorable (Name)

Room # plus Building Name

(i.e., James Senate Office Building or Miller Senate Office Building)

11 Bladen Street

Annapolis, MD 21401-1991

Salutation:  Dear Senator (Name)

To present testimony before the Senate Education, Health, & Environmental Affairs Committee, following are the Committee’s requirements: Anyone wishing to testify on any bill must sign the witness register by 12:40 p.m. If you have written testimony, please submit 20 copies to the committee staff by 12:00 Noon for distribution prior to the hearing; after 12:00 Noon, please submit at the time you testify. The order that bills are listed on the schedule is not necessarily the order in which they will be heard.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 22% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19 (see trends).

One year after reaching the lowest levels ever recorded by the Rasmussen Consumer Index, consumer confidence has bounced back and today is at the highest level recorded since September 2008. Nationally, 32% of adults say the U.S. economy is getting better but 42% say it’s getting worse. A year ago, just 12% felt the economy was improving, and 72% thought the economy was getting worse.

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.

Overall, 44% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) disapprove.

New polling shows Republicans with the early edge in the Governor’s races for both Colorado and Ohio. Rasmussen Reports has also released polls on the 2010 governor’s races in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina Wisconsin, and Texas.

The latest polling data can always be found on the Rasmussen Reports home page, updated with new data at least six times daily.

The New York Times Magazine has a feature on Rahm Emanuel that begins by describing how the White House Chief of Staff reacted to a Rasmussen Reports poll on the Massachusetts Senate race.

(More Below)

Forty-two percent (42%) favor the President’s health care plan while 53% are opposed. Most believe passage of the plan will increase the cost of health care. Fifty-five percent (55%) say that Congress should scrap the current health care legislation and start over.

In Ohio, Republican Rob Portman still holds a narrow lead in the Buckeye State’s Senate race. See other 2010 Senate polling from Nevada, Colorado, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, California, Indiana, Wisconsin, Washington, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina and Iowa.

Scott Rasmussen has recently had several columns published in the Wall Street Journal addressing how President Obama is losing independent voters , health care reform, the President’s approval ratings, and how Obama won the White House by campaigning like Ronald Reagan. You can also learn about his favorite place on earth or his time working with hockey legend Gordie Howe.

Also check out Scott Rasmussen’s new book, In Search of Self-Governance. Read the preface and reviews from Dick Morris, Larry Sabato, Bill Kristol and others.

In Search of Self-Governance is available from Rasmussen Reports and at Amazon.com.

If you’d like Scott to speak at your meeting, retreat, or conference, contact Premiere Speakers Bureau.

It is important to remember that the Rasmussen Reports job approval ratings are based upon a sample of likely voters. Some other firms base their approval ratings on samples of all adults. President Obama’s numbers are always several points higher in a poll of adults rather than likely voters. That’s because some of the President’s most enthusiastic supporters, such as young adults, are less likely to turn out to vote. It is also important to check the details of question wording when comparing approval ratings from different firms.

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Rasmussen Reports has been a pioneer in the use of automated telephone polling techniques, but many other firms still utilize their own operator-assisted technology (see methodology). Pollsters for Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have cited our “unchallenged record for both integrity and accuracy.”

Data from the Washington Post confirms that Rasmussen Reports was well ahead of other media coverage on the Massachusetts Senate race.

In the 2009 New Jersey Governor’s race, automated polls tended to be more accurate than operator-assisted polling techniques. On reviewing the state polling results from 2009, Mickey Kaus offered this assessment, “If you have a choice between Rasmussen and, say, the prestigious N.Y. Times, go with Rasmussen!”

During Election 2008, liberal blogger Nate Silver said that the Rasmussen tracking poll “would probably be the one I’d want with me on a desert island.”

In 2008, Obama won 53%-46% and our final poll showed Obama winning 52% to 46%. While we were pleased with the final result, Rasmussen Reports was especially pleased with the stability of our results. On every single day for the last six weeks of the campaign, our daily tracking showed Obama with a stable and solid lead attracting more than 50% of the vote.

An analysis by Pollster.com partner Charles Franklin “found that despite identically sized three-day samples, the Rasmussen daily tracking poll is less variable than Gallup.” During Election 2008, the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll was the least volatile of all those tracking the race.

We also have provided a summary of our 2008 state-by-state Presidential results for your review.

In 2004 George W. Bush received 50.7% of the vote while John Kerry earned 48.3%. Rasmussen Reports was the only firm to project both candidates’ totals within half a percentage point by projecting that Bush would win 50.2% to 48.5%. (see our 2004 results).

See also our 2008 state results for Senate and governor. See 2006 results for and governor.

Pollster.com founder Mark Blumenthal noted that “independent analyses from the National Council on Public Polls, the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the Pew Research Center, the Wall Street Journal and FiveThirtyEight.com have all shown that the horse-race numbers produced by automated telephone surveys did at least as well as those from conventional live-interviewer surveys in predicting election outcomes.”

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. The margin of sampling error—for the full sample of 1,500 Likely Voters–is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Results are also compiled on a full-week basis and crosstabs for full-week results are available for Premium Members. Like all polling firms, Rasmussen Reports weights its data to reflect the population at large (see methodology).

Among other targets, Rasmussen Reports weights data by political party affiliation using a dynamic weighting process. While partisan affiliation is generally quite stable over time, there are a fair number of people who waver between allegiance to a particular party or independent status. Since the November 2008 election, the number of Democrats in the country has declined while the number of unaffiliated voters has grown.

Our baseline targets are established based upon separate survey interviews with a sample of adults nationwide completed during the preceding three months (a total of 45,000 interviews) and targets are updated monthly. Currently, the baseline targets for the adult population are 35.3% Democrats, 32.8% Republicans, and 31.9% unaffiliated. Likely voter samples typically show a slightly smaller advantage for the Democrats.

A review of last week’s key polls is posted each Saturday morning. Other stats on Obama are updated daily on the Rasmussen Reports Obama By the Numbers page. We also invite you to review other recent demographic highlights from the tracking polls. To get a sense of longer-term trends, check out our month-by-month review of the President’s numbers.

Not quite sure how to get this into the heads of our politicians — People Want Health Care NOT More Health Insurance

Just really quick because I need to get to work and make some serious Bank.

Dear Politicians,

The 2700 + Page Health Care Reform Package is not what the people want. The people want Health Care — Universal Health Care.

Obama screached yesterday “If not now then when?” Simple — when you get the bill right. No American Citizen (regardless of political position) really wants to face extra taxes and possible imprisonment for not buying the right type and amount of Health Insurance — it is absurd that you think this is the correct course of action. Do you think we are stupid? What is the urgency of passing the bill now? Payday?

Then he screatched: “If not us then Who?” Again — very simple: leaders who have the courage to expand health care not grow and profit the Health Insurance Industry.

Mr. President, you are a bought and sold man — doing the field work of the Insurance Company. And don’t take this personally because you are just like every member of the senate and every member of the house — you just have better quarters. I hate to say it but I am not quite sure how to get the point accross quickly…

You see I have to get to work to earn some serious bank because once this bill passes I am going to have to come up with the cash to buy insurance (cash that I don’t have) or face price and tax penalties or get the hell out of dodge.

Yes, I would leave this country if my only choices become: 1. pay insurance premiums that I can’t afford in addition to increased taxes because I have to pay for more people who have less than I do — all the while not really getting more Health Care than I am getting now. 2. face jail time and tax penalties for not purchasing the type and amount of insurance this country’s politiaicans and insurance companies believe I need.

In any of these scenerios — I am going to need more cash — my burden is greater.

Thanks — it is just what I didn’t need…

Posted by: kadu

The FairTax Act (HR 25, S 296) is nonpartisan legislation

The FairTax Basics

The FairTax Basics The FairTax has been called the most thoroughly researched tax reform plan in recent history. This section offers a quick introduction to the FairTax and tax reform.

Scholarly research tells us that . . . The FairTax rate of 23 percent on a total taxable consumption base of $11.244 trillion will generate $2.586 trillion dollars $358 billion more than the taxes it replaces. [1] The FairTax has the broadest base and the lowest rate of any single-rate tax reform plan. [2] Real wages are 10.3 percent, 9.5 percent, and 9.2 percent higher in years 1, 10, and 25, respectively than would otherwise be the case. [3] Disposable personal income is higher than if the current tax system remains in place: 1.7 percent in year 1, 8.7 percent in year 5, and 11.8 percent in year 10. [4] The economy as measured by GDP is 2.4 percent higher in the first year and 11.3 percent higher by the 10th year than it would otherwise be. [4] Consumption increases by 2.4 percent more in the first year, which grows to 11.7 percent more by the tenth year than it would be if the current system were to remain in place. [4] The increase in consumption is fueled by the 1.7 percent increase in disposable (after-tax) personal income that accompanies the rise in incomes from capital and labor once the FairTax is enacted. [4] By the 10th year, consumption increases by 11.7 percent over what it would be if the current tax system remained in place, and disposable income is up by 11.8 percent. [4] Over time, the FairTax benefits all income groups. Of 42 household types (classified by income, marital status, age), all have lower average remaining lifetime tax rates under the FairTax than they would experience under the current tax system. [5] Implementing the FairTax at a 23 percent rate gives the poorest members of the generation born in 1990 a 13.5 percent improvement in economic well-being; their middle class and rich contemporaries experience a 5 percent and 2 percent improvement, respectively. [6] Based on standard measures of tax burden, the FairTax is more progressive than the individual income tax, payroll tax, and the corporate income tax. [7] Charitable giving increases by $2.1 billion (about 1 percent) in the first year over what it would be if the current system remained in place, by 2.4 percent in year 10, and by 5 percent in year 20. [8] On average, states could cut their sales tax rates by more than half, or 3.2 percentage points from 5.4 to 2.2 percent, if they conformed their state sales tax bases to the FairTax base. [9] The FairTax provides the equivalent of a supercharged mortgage interest deduction, reducing the true cost of buying a home by 19 percent. [10]

http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_basics_main

Recent Bills

March 8, 2010

“The Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported that the Muslim government in Turkey appears to be cracking down on non-Muslim minorities. The individual communities are not being permitted to have their own leaders; one person will be recognized by the government to represent all the minorities as one. As the Christian community outnumbers the Jewish one, it is expected that a Christian will serve as “Chief Rabbi.”

In addition, Christian and Jewish children are being placed in separate non-Muslim public school classes. In Jewish schools, only Turkish citizens are allowed to be registered – preventing the son of a Jewish United States consul worker from studying in a Jewish school.

Finally, Turkish authorities raided the Hemdat Yisrael synagogue in Istanbul one Sabbath morning, the most crowded day of the week, and demanded that worshipers produce identification and proof of residence. ”

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/03/turkey-muslim-police-storm-synagogue-demand-worshippers-ids.html

Turkey: Muslim Police Storm Synagogue, Demand Worshippers’ IDs

Genocidal maniacs have fantasies of the Islamic Ottoman empire dancing around in their insane heads. Still demanding the dhimmi world sanction their genocide of millions of Armenian Christians ….now this.

And Obama keeps prostrating himself in front of this pox on humanity.

Turkish Police Accost Sabbath Worshipers in Synagogue hat tip Kenny Solomon

(IsraelNN.com) A Turkish newspaper reports that police burst into an Istanbul synagogue during recent Sabbath services and demanded worshipers’ ID’s.

The Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported that the Muslim government in Turkey appears to be cracking down on non-Muslim minorities. The individual communities are not being permitted to have their own leaders; one person will be recognized by the government to represent all the minorities as one. As the Christian community outnumbers the Jewish one, it is expected that a Christian will serve as “Chief Rabbi.”

In addition, Christian and Jewish children are being placed in separate non-Muslim public school classes. In Jewish schools, only Turkish citizens are allowed to be registered – preventing the son of a Jewish United States consul worker from studying in a Jewish school.

Finally, Turkish authorities raided the Hemdat Yisrael synagogue in Istanbul one Sabbath morning, the most crowded day of the week, and demanded that worshipers produce identification and proof of residence. Most worshipers did not have the required papers because of Sabbath restrictions, but were allowed to produce them at the conclusion of the Sabbath.

Leaders of several minority religious communities convened for an emergency meeting last month to discuss the worsening situation.

Rabbi Yitzchak Haleva, Chief Rabbi of Turkey, says it’s “much ado about nothing.” Speaking with Israeli media sources last week, Rabbi Haleva said that all misunderstandings had been resolved and that he himself will be running for re-election for the position of Chief Rabbi about two months from now. Regarding the mid-services Sabbath check of ID’s, Rabbi Haleva told Makor Rishon’s Yitzchak Hildesheimer that it was only a matter having to do with internal security.

A real dhimmi rabbi. These schmucks sell us down the river every time, in a pathetic attempt to keep the peace.

A Turkish Jew quoted on Ynet did not sound confident, however: “Everyone here is apathetic, they are involved in their own business and their work – but we do feel that the situation has changed, even though it is being ignored. It is reminiscent of other periods in history…”

Turkey Recalls US Ambassador
Turkey recalled its ambassador to the U.S. last week after the House Foreign Relations Committee narrowly approved a resolution recognizing the Turkish slaughter of Armenians during World War I as genocide. The London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabiye editorialized that the “Jewish lobby” in Washington is to blame for the resolution.

Red State blog left this comment:

This is how it starts every time. First, there are the inconvenient raids for “papers” and then comes the arrests on trumped up charges.
Soon, you will see some political climber take advantage of the situation and begin his diatribe against the Jews. We have seen this movie so many times.
The death of political correctness came finally and only the most misinformed leftists felt a tinge of sorrow. The mainstream knew PC had gone too far and now it’s time for Muslims to choose a book other than the Quran. They can still be a religion of peace if they will reject the violent teachings and begin to accept that Earth is big enough for all Billion of them and the Twelve Million Jews they obsess over.
Let me repeat that: more than One Billion Muslims an only Twelve Million Jews.
One is bigger than all of China. One is just smaller than a busy day in Manhattan.

Anti – CAIR

News & Analysis
March 5, 2010

CAIR: Defending Kifah Mustapha, The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and the Holy Land Foundation

On Wednesday, March 3, Chicago’s WLS-TV I-Team reported that the Illinois State Police have reconsidered the appointment of Kifah Mustapha as a Muslim Chaplain.  Terrorism expert Steven Emerson of the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) is identified as the leading cause of Mustapha’s  reconsideration.

Apparently, Kifah Mustapha was slated to become the State Police’s first Muslim Chaplain after completing a course he paid for himself.  Completing the course, he was issued a state police ID card and bulletproof vest as part of his uniform package for use in the field and on ride-alongs.

According to Ahmed Rehab of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): “He was admitted to the post. He went through the training and the vetting and the selection process. Everything was hunky dory.”

Everything was “hunky dory” until Steve Emerson alerted the State Police:  “First I thought there was another Kifah Mustapha.  I could not believe that it could have been the same Kifah Mustapha who was associated with a terrorist organization and who was listed a year just a year and a half ago and was an unindicted co-conspirator in a terrorist case that the government won.”  “His appointment in Illinois is one of the most shocking developments and demonstrations of government ineptitude that I have ever seen.”

A state police statement followed: “in early January, the ISP became aware that Mr. Mustapha was potentially identified as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee. An immediate review of our background process began.”

It didn’t take long for CAIR’s Ahmed Rehab to gin up the smear machine and use standard CAIR stylebook verbiage to attack: “Our concern is that the Illinois State Police is kowtowing to articles online published by notorious anti-Muslims who have been in the business of smearing Muslim activists leaders and Imams for the longest time.”

Note what Ahmed Rehab does not say. He never once states that anything Emerson claims about Kifah Mustapha isn’t true.  He does not deny the accuracy of any of Emerson’s statements because Emerson’s statements are absolutely correct and Rehab knows it.

According to Emerson’s investigation, Kifah Mustapha is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee and is, according to federal prosecutors, a fund-raiser for Hamas.  While the federal prosecutors are right in that Hamas is “committed to the globalization of Islam and violent jihad”, much of the violence committed by the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas is unknown to the average American.

Kifah Mustapha is also an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case.  However, Christina Abraham, CAIR’s civil rights director, had this to say about the unindicted co-conspirator list: “The unindicted co-conspirator list-which by the way is not usually made public by the Dept. of Justice and in this case for some inexplicable reason was.  It is not a conviction.”

Abraham then describes Mustapha’s admission that he was a “registered agent for Holy Land Foundation in Illinois…soliciting money” until its closure by authorities: “It is essentially guilt by association.”

Christina Abraham is absolutely correct, it is guilt by association.  When you promote, work for, speak on behalf of, a suspect organization, you shouldn’t be surprised when you receive extra scrutiny.  When you associate with known terrorists, you shouldn’t be surprised if you are labeled one as well.

Abraham claims that the Illinois State Police have no “legal basis” to deny Mustapha the Chaplains position.

Really? The Illinois State Police do not have wide latitude on who may serve as a volunteer chaplain?  Would Abraham care to file a lawsuit on behalf of Kifah Mustapha?

The better question might be, “Can Kifah Mustapha stand up to discovery?”  The answer, if the history of political Islam in America is any guide, is “No, he can’t”.

CAIR and Kifah Mustapha won’t file a lawsuit because they can’t win.

Steve Emerson says it all: “The fact that a man who has been fully associated with an Islamic terrorist organization that specialized in suicide bombing is made chaplain of the state police in Illinois is absolutely horrifying.”

Indeed.

CAIR’s Ahmed Rehab see’s it another way: “It is very important to us that the relationship between law enforcement and the Muslim community be based on mutual trust where the accepted leaders of this community do not have to be second guessed as a result of some notorious, dubious individual on the Internet.”

“Accepted leader” Kifah Mustapha?  Keep in mind the countless victims of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas and one has to wonder, just what is Kifah Mustapha the leader of, and what is the mindset of the people who fill the “community” Rehab refers to?

There is no second-guessing involved. Kifah Mustapha is what he is; a supporter of Islamic supremacist terror groups who promote or engage in assassination and terrorist bombings to advance their perverted Islamist principles.  If CAIR can show otherwise, why not just take Steve Emerson to court and make him produce his facts?

Kifah Mustapha, a normally outspoken person, has asked CAIR to “speak for him” until this matter is resolved.  Anti-CAIR strongly supports Mustapha’s decision; we believe there is no better organization to speak on behalf of radical political Islamists in the United States than the Hamas supporting fascists of CAIR.

Kifah Mustapha’s decision to call in CAIR for support should skewer his chances of becoming a Chaplain for the Illinois State Police.

Andrew Whitehead
Director
Anti-CAIR
ajwhitehead@anti-cair-net.org
www.anti-cair-net.org

Story Links:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=7309866
http://www.investigativeproject.org/
http://www.investigativeproject.org/search.php?cx=007811315508120065319%3Avf7yhgtccei&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=hamas&sa=Search#922
http://www.investigativeproject.org/search.php?cx=007811315508120065319%3Avf7yhgtccei&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=muslim+brotherhood&sa=Search#985
http://www.danielpipes.org/search.php?cx=015692155655874064424%3Asmatd4mj-v4&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=hamas&sa=Search#905
http://www.danielpipes.org/search.php?cx=015692155655874064424%3Asmatd4mj-v4&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=muslim+brotherhood&sa=Search#933
http://www.danielpipes.org/77/the-danger-within-militant-islam-in-america
http://www.danielpipes.org/rr/blog_32.pdf
http://www.anti-cair-net.org/FBItiesCAIRHamas
http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=4734
http://www.anti-cair-net.org/CAIRMuslimsTruth.html
http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/01/radical-fundraiser-becomes-illinois-police
http://www.anti-cair-net.org/CAIRMuslimMafia.html