Shut Up & Blog

Come to the Step Forward for Orphans March

2013-05-15T15:28:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Starting time will be 1 PM, on Friday, May 17, beginning at the Washington Monument (at the NE corner of 15th St. NW and Constitution Ave. NW) and finishing at Upper Senate Park. Special Guest Speaker: Laura Ingraham. Click here for more information.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Come-to-the-Step-Forward-for-Orphans-March/596531407230413509.html

Join the Anti-Amnesty Surge on Washington

2013-05-10T13:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Join the Anti-Amnesty Surge on Washington: Call the Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them to shut down this current flawed immigration reform bill!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Join-the-Anti-Amnesty-Surge-on-Washington/-955257582618003852.html

The Daily Fix for Thursday, May 2nd

2013-05-02T18:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Immigration Reform Update: Rubio back-tracking

Laura points to the contradictory stance Sen. Rubio took last night on Hannity when he revealed - to no one's surprise - that his bill has major problems with border enforcement. "Two weeks ago, it was the toughest border enforcement, but now it has some real problems when it comes to enforcement? Do you see why people following immigration reform take issue," Laura implores. Sen. Rubio sees his bill's passage slipping away because people have legitimate concerns that are not solved in the 844 page bill. "Is this bill going to strip out all discretion given to Janet Napolitano? I don't think so," Laura scoffs. "Napolitano can do away with requirements for admissibility for due cause if she thinks it's economically beneficial or too burdensome to keep someone out...she can do whatever she wants in this bill. That is a fact."

Vicki Toensing speaks on Benghazi Whistleblowers

Vicki Teonsing wants to speak for the Benghazi whistleblowers, and is representing a Benghazi witness at the upcoming Congressional Hearings. Toensing has served as Reagan's Deputy Assistant Attorney General and currently has a Top Secret Security clearance, which should remove any opposition to her representing her client. Toensing reveals just how irresponsible the Obama Administration's handling of the Benghazi whistleblowers has been: "whistleblowers are supposed to have legal protection but when the State Department is intervening and not allowing this... they are obstructing the witness." Toensing speculates on Obama's motivations for making testifying difficult for Benghazi survivors-he does not want a "Benghazi-gate" on his hands. Laura quips, "that wouldn't look good in his Presidential library... which I'm sure he is already planning."
(Listen Free)

Chris Stirewalt on Obamacare's Failure

Stirewalt thinks Obama has run out of gas and is already a lame-duck president. "In Obama's press conference Tuesday it seemed he believes that Obamacare is as good as it's ever going to get!" Obama acknowledged the "glitches" in Obamacare's roll out but he still appears to be oblivious to the havoc he has created in the medical field. Obama had the audacity to say "for the 85 to 90 percent of Americans who already have health insurance, they're already experiencing most of the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, even if they don't know it." "Benefits?" scoffs Laura. "If benefits are long lines and plan-B for 15-year-old girls then maybe he's correct." Stirewalt believes that the Democrats are "panicked" over Obamacare's affect on the 2014 midterm elections. He acknowledges the losses they suffered in the midterm elections after Obamacare's passage in 2010, and predicts Democrats will continue to distance themselves from Obamacare-even Sen. Baucus, who was a key player in crafting the bill, has already dubbed it a "train wreck!"
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Thursday,-May-2nd/462371006264575842.html

The Change 'Millennials' Don't Believe Anymore

2013-04-30T20:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The change you asked for isn’t getting you very far, is it? Millennials, one of the driving forces behind President Obama’s election in 2008, are becoming increasingly disenchanted with “Obama’s America.” They feel their degrees aren’t getting them anywhere, they are increasingly more cynical towards politicians in Washington, and generally they are “more discouraged” than before our current POTUS was elected. Is the rhetoric not enough anymore? Are the fun and games, the schmoozing with Hollywood celebrities, and the golf outings with Tiger Woods not providing them with the ‘change’ they were promised? The recent Rasmussen polls show that almost as many voters (46%) disapprove of Obama’s policies as approve (51%), and according to the New York Times “only 39 percent of young voters trust the president to do the right thing, as opposed to 44 percent in 2010.” The only change I see is President Bush’s approval ratings skyrocketing as our current president’s continue to tumble. But don't worry Mr. President, you can always quit your day job, you already shoot 2-22 from the foul line.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Change-Millennials-Dont-Believe-Anymore/-592468159109815136.html

The Daily Fix for Friday, April 26th

2013-04-26T17:36:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura is not impressed by the glorification of the "President's Club"

Laura is not impressed by the "President's Club" and sees it as elitist. Laura says, "our club is the US of A and they work for us." Similarly, the White House Correspondents Dinner is this weekend and it has been "celebritized," according to Laura. Originally the Dinner was intended to honor great reporting and now it is just another party with celebrities.

Speaker Gingrich wants a different kind of Washington

Speaker Gingrich says that this President's Club is not about ideas, it is about personality. He is equally unimpressed with the elitism it encourages and says, "there are moments where people with big ideas change many things, and then there are many periods where the insiders...lead to decay." Speaker Gingrich spoke out against the proposed immigration bill, warning Americans of the hidden dangers. He says, "I don't want to give any single bureaucrat the level of power that they routinely write into these bills."
(Listen Free)

Mark McKinnon says Bush's legacy will improve

McKinnon supports Bush and dismisses any errors he made; "you can look at any president and you can say that about any president." He says that Bush's presidency, in light of the Boston bombings, changed people's perspectives and their opinion of Bush. He says, "the recent events in Boston made us remember what it was like right after 9/11 and at the time we thought that that was what was going to be happening every week." Bush showed tremendous strength and leadership.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day: Fran from Long Island says Laura is a wonderful role model for young women. (Listen Here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday,-April-26th/532090301520507046.html

The Daily Fix for Tuesday, April 23rd

2013-04-23T19:38:00Z

Posted By: Staff

We could trust Sen. Rubio with securing the border but not the Democrats

"If Sen. Marco Rubio were securing the border himself I would have no problem with it," Laura says. "He would do a great job because he wants the border enforced. The problem is that we are unable to trust the people who are actually responsible for securing the border. It is not in their best interest to enforce anything besides a pathway to citizenship."

Sen. Paul: Congress requires more time to debate immigration reform

In the wake of the Boston terror attacks, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) thinks that a discussion of our national security needs to be at the forefront of the immigration debate. "I think our national security needs to be examined with regard to people coming in and out of the country." Paul also says that in order for an immigration bill to pass both chambers more debate is essential in order to provide conservatives with concrete answers on border enforcement. "I think we do need a full and open debate and I think there is a much better chance of actually passing something if we do because conservatives in the House are not going to let something through that does not secure the border," Sen. Paul explains.
(Listen Free)

Naomi Schaefer Riley: Interfaith marriages can be problematic

Naomi Schaefer Riley, author of 'Til Faith Do Us Part, says, "people in interfaith marriages are statistically not as happy as people married with the same faith." The reason, according to Riley, is that couples tend to marry in their late twenties and thirties when religion diminishes in importance. They then return to faith as they grow older, raise children, suffer the loss of a parent, or experience some other major life obstacle. In fact, "more than half of interfaith couples never discuss how they envision raising their children before they get married," says Riley. Riley concludes that for interfaith marriages to be strong, all religious and cultural aspects need to be discussed in depth before the wedding.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day: Greg says Sen. Rand Paul should have said no to immigration reform. (Listen Here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Tuesday,-April-23rd/418534602892455279.html

The Daily Fix for Monday, April 22nd

2013-04-22T19:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Gang of Eight proposal will fail to ensure enforcement of the border

"The burden shouldn't be on us, the public, to read through all of the democratic staffer written verbiage in this immigration bill," Laura blasts. "The burden should be on the drafters to prove that this bill would be different. I have not seen any indication that this proposal would do any more than the useless amnesty granting proposals of the past," says Laura.

Pat Buchanan: A blanket pardon for illegal immigrants is madness

Pat Buchanan does not favor granting illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, "The idea that we are considering a blanket pardon is an act of madness," he exclaims. Buchanan points to the recent Boston attacks as an example of why people should be more skeptical of immigration reform. "In the wake of what happened in Boston, let's hold back on the amnesty portion of this bill because it would make it easier for people like these bombers to be granted asylum," Buchanan points out.
(Listen Free)

Roger Cressey discusses the Boston bombers and immigration reform

Former Director for the Transnational Threats branch of the National Security Council, Roger Cressey, disagrees with Laura over limiting access to visas and asylum for Muslims hailing from countries that have strong fundamentalist tendencies. "Anybody that is using violence to further a particular agenda is by definition an extremist," says Cressey, indicating that Muslims alone should not be singled out.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Monday,-April-22nd/133591752785045813.html

The Daily Fix for Thursday, April 18th

2013-04-18T21:20:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura: Democrats doomed the Toomey-Manchin gun bill

"Obama could not get Democrats to vote along party lines. He could not keep Sen. Max Baucus in line. He could not keep Sen. Harry Reid in line. And yet Republicans are to blame for this? Maybe the Democrats are more divided than President Obama wants to acknowledge," Laura charges.

Sen. Vitter is not swayed by Sen. Rubio's immigration rhetoric

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) believes the Democrats did not shift to Sen. Rubio's (R-FL) position as Rubio suggested on the show yesterday. According to Sen. Vitter, there was never much disagreement between Rubio and Democrats on immigration in the first place. He asserts, "they started at more or less the same place, which is the same old combination of immediate amnesty with promises of enforcement!" Vitter suspects that more exposure and debate on the immigration reform bill will prevent its passage as a comprehensive bill. "The good news is that when the American people really start to pay attention I think the debate will change for the better," says Vitter.
(Listen Free)

Judy Miller: increased surveillance is inevitable after the Boston attacks

Judy Miller, a terrorism and national security expert at the Manhattan Institute, says that in the wake of the Boston Marathon attacks an increase in cameras in public places and other surveillance is inevitable. "This is the way of the future and this is coming whether people like it or not," says Miller. A major driver of this reliance on technology is budget concerns with law enforcement on the local levels. Miller explains that, "with pressures on local police to reduce costs and reduce manpower, they are going to rely more and more on surveillance."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
Wayne says we need ignorance control, not gun control. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Thursday,-April-18th/305711730767803335.html

Top 10 Errors In The Gang of Eight's Immigration Bill

2013-04-18T14:27:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The immigration reform bill landed yesterday and Sen. Rubio (R-FL) has been at the forefront defending the bill from any and all criticism. The comprehensive bill is a breezy 844 pages in length - for now - but no matter what myth-busting information is released by the Gang of 8, numerous failures have already become apparent in the bill. The enforcement triggers in the bill are ineffectual, the bill is rampant with special treatment for illegal immigrants, and "family members can piggyback" on those with their new R.P.I. status, just to name a few. Conservatives demonstrated yesterday, by not passing the Toomey-Manchin background check bill, that their voice is strong and effective. The immigration bill is DOA but now it is up to Conservatives to voice their displeasure and end this debate.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Top-10-Errors-In-The-Gang-of-Eights-Immigration-Bill/482053912660555715.html

The Daily Fix for Wednesday, April 17th

2013-04-17T20:00:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Top level White House Officials absent at Thatcher funeral

"The fact that this administration sent no one to this funeral is an insult considering all Margaret Thatcher did for the world and for this country," Laura affirms. "Considering all the time the Obamas hang out with people, go on vacation, and golf with Tiger Woods, it is absurd that not a single high profile administration official could go to the funeral," Laura exclaims.

Laura presses Sen. Rubio on deficiencies in the Immigration Bill

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) says that his immigration proposal shows liberals moving more to the right rather than him shifting to the left. "The fact of the matter is that this bill reflects principles that I laid out in January that are different from the President's principles," says Rubio. Laura expresses concern over the stipulation that immigrants had to be here by December 31, 2011 and that the burden of proof is on them. She presses, "will there be an affidavit written by them and two friends?" Rubio responds that it would have to be documentation such as utility bills, doctor records, or bank statements, but Laura remains skeptical.
(Listen Free)

Sen. Johnson: immigration reform should occur one issue at a time

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) is against a comprehensive immigration bill. "I hate the word comprehensive. We should take these components on a step-by-step basis and pass them in the House," he explains. The length of the proposal particularly worries Johnson. "I'm sick of these thousand page bills...these are not laws, they are frameworks to create more regulation."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
Mark says that the Democrats are fooling Rubio (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Wednesday,-April-17th/824300265204673620.html

The Daily Fix for Tuesday, April 16th

2013-04-16T19:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Outdated tracking of student visas could allow for a terrorist threat

"How do we stop attacks like this?" Laura questions. With the speculation of the Boston bomber being a student-visa holder, Laura suggests, "maybe we should watch who comes into the country and for how long." In response to a caller suggesting everyone randomly be inspected for their legal documents, Laura explains, "free legal Americans shouldn't have their freedoms eroded for illegals."

Rep. Mike McCaul warns against politicizing the Boston attacks

Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX) slams pundits who have politicized the Boston Marathon attacks. "To politicize this, that early on when we're cleaning blood off the streets is one of the most offensive things to do," says Rep. McCaul in response to commentary by Chris Matthews. "While this is clearly an act of terrorism, and it has all the hallmarks of that...I've been very clear to say it is important not to jump to conclusions, that we don't know the perpetrator and it could be foreign or domestic," declares McCaul. McCaul, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, says he was briefed earlier and there was no chatter in intelligence circles regarding this attack.
(Listen Free)

Mark Helprin on Boston, Benghazi, and the vulnerable state of America today

Mark Helprin, Senior Fellow at the Claremont Institute, says the US is in decline as evidenced by our inability to expediently intervene in the Benghazi attack on our embassy and our feeble quest for answers after the attack. Helprin goes on to relate the US's decline to the attacks in Boston, "We can't remove all the trash cans in the world and we can't inspect everybody, but we can do a better job than we've been doing. The key to stopping this kind of thing...if you want to actually shut down this kind of attack [is to demonstrate and utilize the power of the United States]". FDR, he says, never would have experienced this kind of behavior because the world knew the strength of the United States and that we would not tolerate attacks, "but we are not the strongest nation in the world anymore," he explains.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
John is angry that we can't track student visa holders, but that the left is attempting to track gun owners. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Tuesday,-April-16th/-240752119039397069.html

The Daily Fix for Friday, April 12th

2013-04-12T18:38:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura is unimpressed by the upcoming immigration reform bill

Laura is extremely critical of the Gang of Eight's desire to push immigration reform through in a lengthy 1,500-page bill reminiscent of Obamacare. "It's going to be a sour note for the middle class in this country. Anytime big business and big labor join together it means bad news for the majority of us," Laura affirms.

Gov. Rick Perry says freedom is the special sauce of Texas

Texas Governor Rick Perry unveils the primary factor for Texas' continuously strong economic growth; "One of the reasons we are outpacing every other state is because we believe in freedom," declares a proud Perry. The Texas governor also explains that arts and cultural projects have benefited in particular from the free environment in Texas. "Freedom from over-taxation and over-regulation has allowed for an explosion in cultural arts in Texas. Government would not have done any of that, in fact, it would have been a hurdle to private investment in the arts."
(Listen Free)

Chris Godfrey on Life Athletes

Former New York Giants right guard and Super Bowl Champion Chris Godfrey founded Life Athletes, an organization in which Professional and Olympic athletes teach youth to live a life of virtue. Godfrey says he was inspired to first talk to kids about sex and healthy relationships when he was invited to speak to youth groups. Godfrey explains, "I started to realize that a lot of young people were getting hurt by choices they made in relationships." Occasionally, Godfrey is barred from public schools because of his pro-life views. This happened at a Wisconsin school and Godfrey light-heartedly says that the "pro-life groups in the area said this was the greatest thing to happen to them because there was so much public outrage over how [he] was treated." Godfrey's shunning from the school ultimately raised more community awareness for the pro-life cause.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
John says women are born with an innate sense of modesty. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday,-April-12th/-577516031715265586.html

The Daily Fix for Wednesday, April 10th

2013-04-10T21:00:00Z

Posted By: Staff

American views on taxes show an opening for conservatives

"A clear majority of Americans have a negative view of the federal income tax system. This information is gold for the GOP! You need a strong spokesperson for the conservative movement to push this issue," says Laura.

Laura challenges Rubio on immigration stance

I hope Marco Rubio is as tough on the illegal immigrants as he is on Jay-Z and Beyonce for traveling to Cuba!

Ted Cruz defends his filibuster on gun control

Sen. Ted Cruz (R, TX) joined us on air today to blast back at critics of this week's filibuster that he and 13 other senators are waging. In response to John McCain and other critics who have argued that those filibustering are not allowing a debate, Sen. Cruz countered, "...the criticism has been silly...we are having a debate, and we are going to have a vote. We are going to have a vote on cloture tomorrow, and we are debating it." Senator Cruz says that he continues to oppose any form of universal background checks including the new "compromise" bill by Senators Pat Toomey (R, PA) and Joe Manchin (D, WV). "The biggest problem is that the Justice Department has explained the only way to enforce universal background checks is for the federal government to maintain a gun registry. In my view, maintaining a federal gun registry raises very serious constitutional concerns. It is not consistent with the 2nd Amendment, and it has historically been the predicate for gun taxation, gun regulation, and ultimately gun confiscation."
(Listen Free)

Mark Mazzetti explains how the CIA has shifted from spying to target killings

Mark Mazzetti, author of the book, The Way of the Knife, describes how the CIA has departed from its original mandate to collect foreign intelligence. "It has changed this spying and espionage service into more of a man-hunting and killing service," says Mazzetti. The CIA has become more active and aggressive in whom it pursues, even if innocent lives are caught in the crosshairs. "We also see the bar has been lowered in terms of who they are going after," states Mazzetti, referencing that drone use is no longer solely play for high-stake targets.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Wednesday,-April-10th/-272683968361915978.html

The Daily Fix for Tuesday, April 9th

2013-04-10T04:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Left wants to destroy American Society

"Those on the left today that seek the transformation of American society have worked tirelessly to get American society where it is today. They were stopped in their tracks by the likes of Reagan and Thatcher. Reagan came along and revealed the left's agenda."

Jim DeMint is skeptical of immigration reform

The new president of the Heritage Foundation, former Sen. Jim DeMint, believes there is no way that Democrats are serious about border enforcement. "Absolutely not. I have been in meetings with Ted Kennedy (and others) and the only thing they want is citizens and voters and union workers," says DeMint. DeMint recalls the last grand bargain proposal on immigration during the Bush administration, "What we found last time was that the enforcement was not there. There were loopholes everywhere in the system." (Listen Free)

Dr. Hallowell: ADHD is frequently over-diagnosed and over-medicated

ADHD expert Dr. Edward Hallowell says that ADHD is consistently diagnosed in error because of lack of knowledge about ADHD amongst doctors and because kids that don't actually have ADHD are overexposed to electronic technology. When overwhelmed by exposure to cell phones and other forms of media, kids often exhibit symptoms similar to those of ADHD. Dr. Hallowell says, "A lot of these kids are over connected electronically and under connected personally. We are deadening our kids' minds and allowing them to put themselves in an electronic trance."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
Helen, a legal immigrant, is disgusted with Marco Rubio's push for immigration reform. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Tuesday,-April-9th/-10772655954567154.html

The Daily Fix for Thursday, April 4th

2013-04-04T17:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Nina Shea aghast over the untold persecution of Christians

Nina Shea, author of the book Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians, discusses the largely untold story of Christian persecution throughout the world. "We are seeing religious cleansing going on right now in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. If Christians are caught with a bible, they are executed," says Shea. In North Korea it is even worse. Shea says, "Generations of people are sent to North Korean concentration camps if a single family member is caught praying. "
(Listen Here)

John Stossel on the tyranny of the EPA

John Stossel, Fox Business News Host and author of the new book, No, They Can't, says that the EPA is a serious threat to the American economy. "They spend so much to accomplish very little," says Stossel. He went on to criticize the EPA over its assurances to work with landowners on environmental projects (such as the protecting of a species) that the EPA deems essential, claiming the support is actually a 300 page manual! "Their idea of working with you is slowing you down until you can't build any more," concludes Stossel. (Listen Here)

Call of the Day:

Bill, a police officer, was embarrassed by Obama's use of police officers as props in his Denver, Colorado gun speech. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Thursday,-April-4th/58650003021621583.html

The Daily Fix for Wednesday, April 3rd

2013-04-03T22:40:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Conservatives need to make stronger arguments in line with their beliefs

Laura says, "You will get more votes when you make a cogent argument that appeals to the majority of people. You appear to be principled when you make that argument."

State Representative Cafero explains why he supports the Connecticut gun control legislation

Connecticut House Minority Leader Larry Cafero explains why he supports the stringent gun control legislation that is up for vote Wednesday. He says that the proposed bill is the lesser of evils. "[Connecticut House Democrats] have proposed retroactive banning and confiscation of any weapon you can imagine. That is how we started." Cafero points out that he had limited influence because Republicans are a minority in Connecticut, which ultimately convinced him to advocate for the less onerous restrictions when crafting the bipartisan legislation.
(Listen free)

Kirk Wiebe concerned about the government storing and tracking your private communications

Kirk Wiebe worked for the National Security Administration but left after discovering that the program he co-created to track potential foreign threats is being used on US citizens. Most concerning to Wiebe is the recording and monitoring of American citizens' communications under the guise of thwarting terrorist attacks. Safeguards that he had recommended to protect citizens' identities were not put in place, which he calls irresponsible and reckless; "If you need to connect dots between people you don't know and a criminal, you don't need to know detailed information on those people to connect the dot."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day: Jason is proud to be called a "Bible-Thumper!" (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Wednesday,-April-3rd/-786956586009245637.html

The Daily Fix for Tuesday, April 2nd

2013-04-02T19:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Obamacare is a bureaucratic nightmare

Previous attempts at making healthcare more affordable in Florida through bureaucratic government run initiatives failed miserably. "These big fat government bureaucracies never work. We have examples in the states where this has not worked. Obamacare is crumbling. It's raising premiums and making healthcare less affordable for low income workers. Republicans have to ride this to victory in 2016," Laura exclaims.

Tucker Carlson is resisting a pathway to citizenship

Tucker Carlson, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Caller, believes that immigration reform benefits democrats, "The democrats have every incentive to increase rather than curtail immigration," because it's 12 million new voters! Carlson argues that amnesty will harm the American taxpayer and create an enormous group of people dependent on entitlements. "We bring a ton of low skilled workers with no education into the country who become mired in welfare programs, and taxpayers pay the tab for it in the end. It is subsidized labor. Taxpayers pay for it in Social Security, Medicaid and food stamps."
(Listen free)

Nicholas Carr warns about overexposure to technology

Technology expert and author Nicholas Carr is concerned that constant exposure to social networks, news, and our smart phones is causing our brains to deteriorate. "When you enter this world of constant stimulus and instant information checking one's phone becomes a compulsion. You constantly have to know what is going on and who is contacting you. But what you lose is the ability to think deeply about anything or focus on tasks long enough to reach any substantive ideas or conclusions," Carr explains.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day: Kenneth says parents should be to blame for their children's addictions to technology. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Tuesday,-April-2nd/682286150143208081.html

The Daily Fix for Friday, March 29th

2013-03-29T18:19:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Should We Cut Military Funerals or Presidential Spring Breaks?

"Isn't everyone who serves critical to the mission? Should we not honor those who served in the military but did not partake in combat? It is outrageous to focus on cutting military funerals considering all the money that is wasted in Medicare fraud and green energy boondoggles. Why are we worried about bugler costs for veterans while the Obama daughters are flown from the Caribbean to Sun Valley, Idaho?"

Matthew Boyle on the Obamas' Vacation

Matthew Boyle, investigative reporter for Breitbart, has been catching some heat for publishing articles on the Obama daughter's spring break in the Bahamas. He points out that the expense of these trips, at a time when Obama is also telling Americans to cut back, "is a real look into the worldview of the Obama family." Boyle goes on to reference Malia Obama's trip to Mexico last year, "Malia's trip to Mexico cost $115,000 in tax payer money, that would be two to six weeks of White House tours for kids that President Obama jeopardized and cancelled so that his kids could go to the Bahamas."
(Listen free)

People of Faith Must Stand Together

Fr. Gerald Murray of the Holy Family Church of New York and Timothy George, Dean of the Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, discuss the need for Christians and other people of faith to stand up to government encroachment on religious freedom. Fr. Murray says, "This country is built on religious freedom, it is not built on the government telling us what is tolerable." Dr. George says, "This is an opportunity for people of all faiths to come together. If we don't do it, we place in jeopardy the freedom to worship."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday,-March-29th/85300958058711630.html

Obamacare's "Comprehensive" Sex-Ed: Sexualizing Our Youth

2013-03-28T18:33:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Strange how sequester did nothing to halt Planned Parenthood from getting 487.4 million in tax-payer money or the 75 million spent annually on Obama’s Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). The Obama administration views the “comprehensive” sex education provided by PREP as invaluable. Gone are the days of no sex or even safe sex! Obamacare’s “comprehensive” education includes puppet genitalia performances, genitalia cartoon comics, and sex-position diagrams for all sexualities. If anyone was to show a kid such “information” in public, he or she would be arrested! However, in a classroom, this pornography is passing for education. “Comprehensive” education is sexualizing our children with the intention of ensuring future Planned Parenthood customers for contraceptives, STD testing, and abortion.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamacares-Comprehensive-Sex-Ed:-Sexualizing-Our-Youth/-863074739894386052.html

The Daily Fix for Monday, March 25th

2013-03-25T19:30:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The left continues to demonize traditional marriage

"Liberals don't want to debate gay marriage because there is no social science supporting them on this issue. Instead, the left resorts to demonization tactics. If Americans actually want gay marriage, then the states will approve gay marriage on their own."

Dr. John Eastman to conservative Americans: stand tall on marriage

Dr. John Eastman, chairman of the National Organization for Marriage, explains that homosexual couples do not warrant equal marriage protection under the law because they cannot perform one of the primary functions of marriage - bearing children. "Homosexual and heterosexual couples are not similarly situated because homosexual couples cannot procreate." Eastman hopes conservatives continue fighting for the protection of traditional marriage; "This will be over if people stand by and watch, but if people demonstrate courage and stand up to the fact that kids are better off with a mom and a dad, then ultimately we'll be victorious on this issue."
(Listen free)

Dr. Ryan Neuhofel offers inexpensive medical care without insurance

Dr. Ryan Neuhofel operates a clinic in Lawrence, Kansas that works directly with patients. Neuhofel does not accept insurance and instead operates with a simple and inexpensive pay scheme that he outlines for patients before they start treatment. "I don't have to worry about all that complex coding and insuring," Neuhofel explains, making procedures dramatically cheaper. He is offering what Obamacare promises, affordable services for both insured and uninsured Americans, but he is doing it without government intrusion. "I'm doing it right now. I don't need Obamacare to help my patients and quite frankly, I wasn't willing to wait for things to get better."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Monday,-March-25th/-351480609897308442.html

The Daily Fix for Friday, March 22nd

2013-03-22T18:06:00Z

Posted By: Staff

We're all caught on candid camera every day

"I don't like the fact that people are constantly filming and recording us...I was filmed by fourteen cameras on my way to work today. This is Soviet style surveillance. I'm sorry but I don't like it." Laura explains.

Rep. Paul Broun: I don't support a pathway to citizenship

Representative Paul Broun (R-GA) believes that since illegal immigrants have broken the law they should be prosecuted or deported, "These illegal aliens are criminals and we need to treat them as such." Broun respectfully disagrees with Sen. Rand Paul's recently revealed views on immigration, "I've spoken with Rand Paul and I just disagree with him. If people break our laws they need to pay the penalty...these are not immigrants, they are aliens. They are lawbreakers and if they are caught they should be deported," Broun asserts.
(Listen free)

Jami Valentine opened her home to an injured Afghan girl

Jami Valentine and her sister Staci cared for Arefa, an Afghan girl who suffered severe burns on her scalp after her tent was burned from an IED. The two sisters took the girl in and helped her get the medical attention and surgery she needed. When it was clear that Arefa needed to stay much longer than previously thought, Jami turned down an offer to send Arefa to another family. "I felt she had already lost so much in her life and I did not want to be another source of pain, change, and adjustment in her life," Jami says. (Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
Saga says she is not offended by the word "Easter" (Listen Here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday,-March-22nd/-982568039578439054.html

The Daily Fix for Thursday, March 21st

2013-03-21T19:50:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Sen. David Vitter offers amendment to challenge birthright citizenship

Senator David Vitter (R-LA) believes that despite the criticisms and liberal assault on the GOP over birthright citizenship, the facts support reconsideration of the fourteenth amendment. "Even though Democrats resort to the same old name calling, when you get to the actual facts, what is so wrong with requiring that at least one parent be a U.S. Citizen?" Sen. Vitter questions. (Listen free)

Dr. Ben Carson has advice for Pres. Obama

When Laura inquires of Dr. Ben Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, what he would say to Obama if he had the opportunity to meet with him, Carson replies, "I would tell the President that he has the chance to engineer one of the best presidencies ever if he stops the war on America." When Laura asks whether the President understands economics and free market capitalism, Carson replies, "I don't think he believes it [capitalism]...I think he has more of an interest in redistributing wealth, but everyone who has tried to do that has failed."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day Jeff wonders how granting amnesty to illegal immigrants would help him or the GOP. (Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Thursday,-March-21st/787669285771357016.html

The Daily Fix for Wednesday, March 20th

2013-03-20T22:16:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Obama should work for ESPN

"If only he were this conversant in economic principles. The man is incredibly knowledgeable about basketball. In fact, I think Obama has found his calling. He is fantastic at discussing sports. What he is extremely poor at is running our economy," Laura explains.

Ryan: My plan reduces the deficit in less than ten years

Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) believes his budget plan will actually achieve a balanced budget before the date predicted by the Congressional Budget Office. "Since we are forced to use the numbers calculated by the Congressional Budget Office, we can't count the pro-growth policies of the plan. I am confident we will balance far sooner if we put our pro-growth policies in place." Ryan also trumpeted the fact that his plan will dramatically decrease relative government expenditures, "Our budget brings down the size of government below what it was during World War II," Ryan asserts.
(Listen Free)

Wayne LaPierre on the failure of background checks

Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Rifle Association, says that background checks will only serve to hassle law abiding gun owners "who simply want the government to leave them alone...The government should focus on its job of enforcing current gun laws and effectively prosecuting criminals." For LaPierre, the background check is a product of fantasy, "This whole thing is an imaginary reality. It has no impact in the real world when it comes to cutting crime," he explains.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Wednesday,-March-20th/-871491157360129153.html

The Daily Fix for Friday, March 15th

2013-03-15T18:34:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Is Marco Rubio establishment, or anti-establishment?

"Rubio seeks to cast himself as the anti-Romney. Some people think we have to change. He said America doesn't have to change. America works. Rubio wants to walk this line without being completely anti-establishment. The Republican Party needs conservatism but people are saying Marco is still a little too close to the establishment."

Steve Pearce's advice to GOP on Hispanics

Rep Steve Pearce (R-NM) is a conservative Republicans who does not support pathway to citizenship and yet has been successfully elected and reelected in a predominantly Latino district. He says, "I think if we as conservatives just pass immigration reform and expect them to like us we are mistaken. They want to hear what your values are. They won't like us until they know us."
(Listen Free)

Chip Flaherty on the importance of family friendly TV

Chip Flaherty, Vice President of Walden Media, discusses why his company is producing Walden Family Theater, a television program that will present family friendly movies on the Hallmark Channel. ""Its just a natural progression of what we have been trying to do. Give families the opportunity to watch a movie together. There are not a lot of family friendly shows out there," says Flaherty. The people at Walden are very sensitive to the importance of storytelling for people. Flaherty points out, "Story meets people where they are in life. And this shows the great responsibility and power that we have as storytellers."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
Carmen says she cut out cable 15 years ago

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday,-March-15th/983735504139363417.html

The Daily Fix for Thursday, March 14th

2013-03-14T18:33:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura celebrates the election of Pope Francis

Laura extols the virtues of the newly elected pontiff, Pope Francis. "This man spends his free time washing the feet of AIDS patients. We don't know what sort of example he will leave behind, but we do know the life he has led, and it is one of simplicity and humility that stands in sharp contrast to the life of frivolity and depravity that modern secular society has unfortunately given us."

Sen. Jim Inhofe: troops should be a higher priority than Pres. Obama's green energy initiatives

Senator Inhofe (R-OK) introduced an amendment Wednesday to restore the tuition assistance program for active military personnel. "Sixty percent of people that join the military do so to eventually pursue a degree," Inhofe says. He goes on to explain that the troops should be more important than the President's failing green energy initiatives. He objects to taking away a privilege that was promised to soldiers when they volunteered to serve their country. "It's not the money. The whole cost is only 250 million dollars...his [President Obama's] green programs far exceed the amount that all of these kids were taking advantage of in this program."
(Listen Free)

Joe Ashman discusses the high demand for guns and questions the suspicious shortage of ammo

Joe Ashman, owner of Pioneer Market Guns, comments on the increase in demand for guns. "It's unbelievable how many people are looking to buy guns and ammo," Ashman states. Ashman, however, does believe it is strange that consumers have encountered such a massive shortage of ammo. Very little attention has been paid to the 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition that Homeland Security is currently buying up. Ashman, like so many other storeowners, is also a federally licensed gun dealer who attends gun shows and thus must perform background checks at the show. "Ninety percent of the dealers at gun shows in the West are federally licensed so they have to do background checks," Ashman explains, contradicting the howling criticisms of many Democrats who cite gun shows as venues for criminals to acquire murder weapons.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Thursday,-March-14th/457602456620922690.html

The Daily Fix for Wednesday, March 13th

2013-03-13T20:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have undermined the GOP with voters

"The American people solidly believe the Iraq War was not worth it. We now have 2049 casualties from Afghanistan and the American people are scratching their heads," Laura says. "What has the effect of the party's neoconservative bent been on the party? In 2004, polled voters said they trusted Bush over Kerry to handle terrorism by 18 points. By 2007 this gap shrank with the GOP leading by 3 points and the Gallop poll showing them behind 47-42. The war has hurt the GOP and it's time to bring our soldiers home," Laura asserts.

Suzan Harjo believes the Redskins' name is offensive

Native American activist and President of the Morning Star Institute, Suzan Harjo, believes the Redskins' name is offensive to her Native American heritage. "The name of the Washington team is the worst thing we can be referred to in the English language. It harkens back to a time when our scalps and skin and body parts were commodified and used as proof of Indian kills. They should change the name to something that doesn't offend anyone," she explains.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Frank Morano is glad the New York Soda Ban was overturned

Owner of Prince Street Pizza in New York City, Frank Morano says Nanny Bloomberg's soda ban would have forced prices to climb, "If the law is mandated, Coca-Cola is not going to change its prices. They are going to charge the same amount for a 12 oz soda that we were charging for a 20 oz. How can I charge that?" Morano questions. For Morano, the ban also would not have achieved the goals set forward by liberals. "The solution is in the home. You cannot tell people, 'It's my way or the highway.' Ninety-five percent of the time a child is a product of their environment," Morano says.
(Listen Free)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Wednesday,-March-13th/-986100079469243775.html

The Daily Fix for Tuesday March 12th

2013-03-12T19:20:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Nanny Bloomberg's NYC soda ban is ridiculous

"I only occasionally drink soda. I don't like how soda makes me feel. But I also don't like the government telling us what we can drink," Laura explains. "We have to mitigate society's problems, but if we constantly talk about over-sexualization and teens having sex out of wedlock we shouldn't do that because we are judging people."

Larry Keane: Mark Kelly is a hypocrite for purchasing an AR-15

Senior Vice President of the National Shooting Sport Foundation, Larry Keane, reacts to news that Gabby Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, purchased an AR-15 to "find out how easy it was for a normal person to buy one." Keane emphasizes that "Mark Kelly has admitted to buying firearms before so he already knows the process. It doesn't even pass the laugh test." Even the sales clerk, who Keane talked to does not think Kelly's story is true. "The sales clerk believed that this was indeed a legitimate purchase for personal use" Keane asserts.
(Listen Free)

Fred Thompson: there are conditions to Obama reaching out to the GOP

Former senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) tells Laura that the President would come forward with a substantive deal on the budget, "only if Obama's numbers keep plummeting. Otherwise there is no way." Thompson believes that Democrats are not considering the country's future, "We've got a 17 trillion dollar debt and a couple years from now we are going to fall off a real cliff. Some people are more concerned with what they can get today," Thompson declares.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
David says he held firm when he disapproved of his daughter's admirer. (Listen Here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Tuesday-March-12th/193932847011731688.html

The Daily Fix for Monday March 11th

2013-03-11T23:52:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Pakistan receives billions in aid but veterans are denied tuition assistance

Laura vents on the cuts to veteran tuition assistance. "We continue to give billions of dollars in aid to countries that seem to hate us. We just sent 250 million dollars to Egypt as we cut tuition assistance to soldiers returning home. This is a country that puts people in prison or kills them if they say that Muhammad is not who the Muslims say he is, and we send them 250 million a year!"

Ted Cruz: we must defund Obamacare

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) explains the reasoning behind his proposed amendment to halt funding for Obamacare as part of the continuing resolution bill. "The purpose of this amendment is that we should not implement Obamacare while the economy is gasping for breath," Cruz explains. Sen. Cruz hopes to challenge Obama even if it risks bringing about a government shutdown. "You have to take the risk that the president will make the decision to shut down the government. I hope republicans will stand strong."
(Listen Free)

Andy McCarthy: terrorists should not be tried in civilian courts

Columnist for the National Review Andy McCarthy says, "There is something perverse in taking people who killed 3,000 Americans, putting them in a civilian court, and giving them the same rights as Americans." McCarthy goes on to say that because the left "demagogues Gitmo so much" that the administration is limited in how it can deal with terrorist targets. "We kill people when we could capture them" McCarthy asserts.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day:
Terry is upset that even as an army reservist the government is cutting veteran tuition assistance. (Listen Free)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Monday-March-11th/-566322309242514296.html

Watch Laura on the 'FOX News Sunday' panel

2013-03-10T20:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click here to watch.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Watch-Laura-on-the-FOX-News-Sunday-panel/-355503957092553999.html

'King of Pain' update: Military tuition assistance on chopping block

2013-03-08T20:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Pentagon has announced that both the Army and Marine Corps are 'suspending' their tuition assistance program, which serves 200,000 servicemen and -women. Lt. Col. Tom Alexander, spokesman for the Army’s personnel chief, explained that “Soldiers who are in courses now can complete those courses, but they will not be allowed to enroll in new courses.” We ask our military to sacrifice for little pay, put their lives on the line in multiple deployments and we repay them with this? Here are some programs that could be cut before we think about touching programs for our veterans: $250 million in aid to Egypt, $2.2 billion to provide Obama-phones to low-income Americans, $12.5 billion for a slush fund for jungle gyms, $500 million to Solyndra, $300 thousand for “Mapping Radioactive Rabbit Feces,” and $1.4 billion to fund the White House for a year. Many of these programs are ridiculous and they are allowed to exist at the expense of our nation’s bravest men and women. The Obama administration should use the sequester to cut REAL waste, not punish our men and women in uniform to try to make the Republicans look bad.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/King-of-Pain-update:-Military-tuition-assistance-on-chopping-block/320087474420068883.html

The Daily Fix for Friday March 8th

2013-03-08T19:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Cutting tuition assistance for our soldiers is disgraceful

"They are not curtailing Michelle Obama's tour but they are cutting assistance to the men and women who have sacrificed for us again and again and again," Laura declares. "200,000 soldiers are currently using tuition assistance. It's unfair and unjust."

Rand Paul reacts to detractors on the right

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) says that Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are "on the wrong side of history" as far as the United States drone program goes. Paul is concerned that expanding the battlefield and the rules of war to include U.S. citizens on U.S. soil will be detrimental to liberty, "They sort of miss that if you are named an enemy combatant you can be in America at a café and be attacked. Who gets to define 'enemy combatant?'" Sen. Paul questions.
(Listen Free)

Raymond Arroyo gives an update on the Conclave from Rome

Raymond explains what is happening with the upcoming election of the new pope. "The real work of the conclave, the building of coalitions and vetting candidates is happening now." Raymond believes the fact that the process is happening slowly is a positive sign particularly for those outside of Italy. "It means more voices will be heard. The less time, the more the Italians will be heard and that is not a good thing."gress funded you to detain."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday-March-8th/959968290089753034.html

The Daily Fix for Thursday March 7th

2013-03-08T01:44:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura applauds filibuster Randpage

Laura slams the Obama administration for failing to acknowledge Rand Paul's filibuster and condemn the use of drones on US soil. "You've abused the constitution by even entertaining the idea that American Citizens can be killed on American soil by the executive branch. How have we arrived at this place in our nation's history?" Laura questions. "Hugo Chavez would have been for the drone program. He took out people. He took out lots of people with no trial, no hearing, no cross-examination, nothing. He just took them out. So now we want to give that authority to the President of the United States on our soil? I don't think so. Stand with Rand!"

Sen. McConnell skeptical Obama will talk seriously with Republicans

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) doesn't think the President Obama's meetings with republicans will be very fruitful. "If he is willing to talk about the type of entitlement reform that is necessary we will be happy to listen to him. But put me down as skeptical that the President is willing to do the things that can save this country," McConnell explains. McConnell does not think Obama is reaching out to Republicans without an ulterior motive either. "The scare tactics didn't work and the best evidence of that is his declining approval rating. He has pretty much conceded that the sequester will happen."
(Listen Free)

Rep. Goodlatte: releasing illegal immigrants over sequester is outrageous

Representative John Goodlatte (R-VA), voices his outrage over the Obama administration releasing illegal immigrants because of the sequester. "It is clear this was a scare tactic... It is also clear that this is one of the most venal actions you can take...We found the documentation where they clearly set forth that not only were they going to do this but that they would do this in conjunction with the sequester," Goodlatte asserts. Goodlatte also mentions that the release was completely unnecessary, "We have shown that there are 3 or 4 different ways that they could meet the sequestration requirements without even doing this. You don't need to cut this program when you already have 10% less people detained than congress funded you to detain."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the day:
Chris from Kentucky says he loves Rand Paul and he did Kentucky proud. (Listen Free)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Thursday-March-7th/-918604744557014390.html

The Daily Fix for Wednesday March 6th

2013-03-06T21:15:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It's bizarre how liberals admire dictators like Chavez

Commenting on the numerous positive eulogies given on the eve of authoritarian President, Hugo Chavez's death, Laura says, "You don't really need to hear from the advisors of Chavez, you can just look at what Hollywood says about him. Why is it that liberals always have a soft spot for dictators?"

Gingrich cautious about another Bush presidential run

Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich says that if Jeb Bush runs, "it invites a re-litigation of the 8 years of his brother's presidency." While indicating that he respects Bush and believes he is a great politician, Gingrich thinks Bush will have a hard time living down his flip-flop on immigration reform. "You can't run around on a major issue, one that you have written about and talked about, and then zigzag in 23 hours," Gingrich explains.
(Listen Free)

John Yoo: "Obama is ruining the Federal Bench"

John Yoo, law professor at University of California at Berkley, believes that "Obama is ruining the federal bench." Yoo criticizes the President for seeming to make judicial appointments based on race and gender rather than their ability to interpret the Constitution. "He's filling the bench with people of certain races and genders...he's saying, 'I don't care about your views on the Constitution," Yoo asserts.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Wednesday-March-6th/-152275086777344186.html

The White House Closes Its Doors

2013-03-05T20:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

President Obama has just indefinitely cancelled all White House tours, effective Saturday, due to sequester cuts. This is just petty. He couldn’t have thought of anything else to cut? Perhaps a golf weekend with Tiger Woods that reportedly cost taxpayers over a million dollars? This is peculiar especially after 400 new jobs were posted by federal agencies on Monday—the first full day with sequestration in effect.

White House tours did not need to go. This is a cheap attempt to portray sequestration as drastic to the American public. In reality, sequestration promotes gradual cut back; just one-quarter of 1 percent of GDP reduction in the first fiscal year.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-White-House-Closes-Its-Doors/-102990124912539603.html

The Daily Fix for Tuesday March 5th

2013-03-05T20:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura slams Jeb Bush's flip-flop on immigration

"The fact that he flip-flops in a 23 hour period on immigration is stunning to me," Laura says. "How do you not have your position staked out when you have written a book and go on TV about it? I don't know what that says but it can't be good."

Byron York questions the impact Hispanics had on the election

Byron York, columnist for the Washington Examiner comments on the Hispanic vote for Romney, "In Wisconsin, Romney would have lost if he got 100% of the Hispanic vote. In Ohio, if he got 78% he would still not have won. In Virginia, if he got 65% of the Hispanic vote he still could not carry the state. Obviously the Hispanic vote is important in some parts of the country, but in other parts it simply is not important for the campaign."
(Listen Free)

Gary Burtless and Dan Mitchell debate on the minimum wage

Gary Burtless, senior fellow at Brookings, cites a poll of elite economists and says "62% of economists agreed that on the aggregate low skilled workers would see more earnings." He continues, "Yes there may be some employment losses but they will be small compared to the gains that people earning the minimum wage or near the minimum wage will receive as a result of the minimum wage going up." Dan Mitchell, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, replies, "I think that is a very strange form of utilitarianism. What they are saying is that we are going to throw some low skilled people off work, and their lives are going to be much worse off...but we are going to justify that because some teenagers in the suburbs working at McDonalds will get higher income," he retorts.
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

Call of the Day: Jorge says that while passion or lust may not go away for human beings, we can still make the decision to control and channel those feelings into our relationships.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Tuesday-March-5th/-233340262306948439.html

The Daily Fix for Monday March 4th

2013-03-04T20:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Schools won't let boys be boys

In response to news that a boy was suspended for unintentionally molding a pastry into what a teacher thought was the shape of a gun, Laura says, "They have a zero-tolerance policy on boys. They jump on these kids for anything. These schools make boys scared to do anything. Boys can't be boys in school anymore."

Tucker Carlson: The media is finally calling the President out

Carlson, editor-in-chief of the Daily Caller, says,"I think Obama for the first time in five years has overreached so much that he is getting some backlash from the press. Tucker repudiates the Obama administration's fear-mongering over sequestration. "The idea that every single federal employee is essential to the federal government and western civilization will fall if they let go is the stupidest thing."
(Listen Free)

New app lets women rate men like Yelp

The founders of the new app Lulu say they have taken steps to make sure their site is not used to get petty revenge on men. "We have checks and balances in place...If you see only one negative review on a guy you use your own judgment, If you see 10 reviews on a guy you use your own judgment." When asked about why guys would possibly think their site was a good thing, they reply, "They would rather be talked about then not talked about."
(Laura 365 Exclusive)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Monday-March-4th/138089489106450271.html

George Will: 'I will not take seriously' Mr. Jay Carney

2013-03-01T20:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, The Washington Post’s George Will slammed White House press secretary Jay Carney, claiming he would never take Carney seriously. Will also took President Barack Obama to task for his kneejerk demands for additional revenue.

Will came up with an interesting analogy to illustrate President Obama’s nonstop demand for tax increases. “If you went to the International House of Pancakes with the President, you both have in front of you a big stack of pancakes, and you say, ‘Mr. President, could you please pass the syrup?’ he’d say, ‘No, I think we ought to have a balanced approach to passing the syrup… you should pay me in revenues to get the syrup.’”

“This is an absolute verbal tic of his,” Will said, “a reflex, and it’s built-in, hardwired into his system.”

Laura went on to challenge Will on his insistence that concerns over sequestration were overwrought. Jay Carney yesterday said the effects of the sequester would be severe and it would go right to middle class families. ‘There are people working today who would lose their jobs.‘”

But Will dismissed Carney’s claim, saying, “I will do many things for my country and my profession. I will not take seriously Mr. [Jay] Carney.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/George-Will:-I-will-not-take-seriously-Mr.-Jay-Carney/587350752337107336.html

The Daily Fix for Friday March 1st

2013-03-01T18:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The White House should attend its own anti-bullying clinics

“For people who are so against bullying with their big plan to fund anti-bullying programs, the White House has no problem bullying reporters. Who is the real bully now? Maybe they need to enroll in their own workshops,” Laura declares.

George Will on Obama’s doomsday rants over the sequester

Syndicated columnist George Will believes the president has overdone his case on sequestration to the point where people really don’t care anymore. “Whatever size the government is at the moment, it’s the bare minimum standing between us and chaos and misery…Obama has gone so far over the top with his rhetoric here that he has even lost some of the media,” Will says. “I’ll do many things for my profession and my country, but I will not take Jay Carney seriously.”

(Listen free)

John Lott: statistics don’t line up in the crosshairs for gun control

Economist, commentator, and author John Lott asserts that the facts simply deny the arguments of gun control advocates. “You can’t find a place around the world where murder rates have gone down after gun control. In fact, they have gone up,” Lott explains. Lott argues that gun free zones are actually a contributing factor to gun violence. “I feel something has to be done too. You have to look at common factors that exist in all of these shootings. They keep taking place where guns are banned,” he says.

(Laura 365 Exclusive Audio)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Fix-for-Friday-March-1st/-157207611203145924.html

STUCK - The Documentary

2013-02-28T15:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click here to see what the documentary is all about and view the trailer.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/STUCK---The-Documentary/-75212833062951671.html

Sen. Mike Lee: WH drone policy unconstitutional

2013-02-19T16:16:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) had harsh words for President Barack Obama’s drone policy, saying that there was no legal justification for strikes on U.S. citizens and that the program had the potential for corruption.

Laura asked Lee: “Are you okay then with the US government executing Americans overseas in drone strikes…?”

“Well, I really don’t like the legal justification, because it’s not a legal justification at all.” Lee responded, “There’s no legal analysis. “

When asked whether the program was constitutional, Lee answered, “No, I think it’s fraught with constitutional problems.”

“You use the term execution,” Lee noted, “if what you’re doing is executing American citizen and you’re purporting to justify it just because the person is outside the United States, that’s a problem.”

Lee said it was problematic to allow the executive branch to order the death of citizens without oversight. “One can imagine all kinds of opportunities for corruption in a situation in which you give the President discretion to just say, ‘Take out so-and-so.’”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sen.-Mike-Lee:-WH-drone-policy-unconstitutional/-54058245072433381.html

McConnell: Obama speech "pedestrian," Rubio "best communicator since Ronald Reagan"

2013-02-13T16:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reacted to both President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address and Senator Marco Rubio’s Republican response.

McConnell panned Obama’s speech, saying, “It was a not a fun evening, I have to admit. I had to listen to a pedestrian, liberal President talk about gun control, cap and trade, tax increases, spending programs… he talked about energy and didn’t mention the Keystone pipeline… It was a straight liberal orthodoxy, one line after another.”

On the other hand, when Laura asked for his reaction to Rubio’s speech, McConnell gave him a glowing review. “I thought it was terrific. Upbeat, optimistic, reminding everyone what made America great. I think Marco is the best communicator we’ve had since Ronald Reagan.”

McConnell laughed off the amount of attention given to Rubio’s awkward grab for a bottle of water. “It was no big deal. Marco sips water! He did when he made his great speech down at the [Republican National] Convention.”

He accused liberals of trying to distract from the substantive points Rubio made in the speech. “If the left is making something out of it, it’s simply because they want to divert attention away from his core message, which was inspiring.”

McConnell admitted that he hadn’t managed to watch fellow Republican Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul’s Tea Party response, but promised to read the transcript later. “We’re proud of him in Kentucky, and I think he’s making a positive difference for our state and the nation.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/McConnell:-Obama-speech-pedestrian,-Rubio-best-communicator-since-Ronald-Reagan/-593179511415090987.html

Rick Perry to GOP: Embrace conservatism, moderation is 'a failure'

2013-02-08T16:38:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Republican Texas Governor Rick Perry came on the show and claimed that the pathway to Republican victory is social and fiscal conservatism instead of moderation, taking aim at Karl Rove's American Crossroads.

"Karl Rove started American Crossroads..." Laura pointed out, and "had a 1% return on investments for the people who gave money. Now they've started a new group, the Conservative Victory Project.”

“I think Americans are smart enough to figure out where to invest their money.” Perry responded, “[If] 1% return on your investment is what turns you on, then that will speak for itself.”

When asked whether the Tea Party was responsible for loses in 2012, Perry didn't think so. “I would suggest to you that people who try to moderate their views in order to win a particular vote are going to be weaker and weaker as time goes by... I think people want to see people they believe, people they trust, and people who that going to be consistent in their positions. Moderation in pursuit of electoral victory is a failure in my opinion.”

“It's easy to be popular.” Perry continued, “Being consistent is what Americans are really looking for. I think whether its the President of the United States or the governor of a state, consistency of philosophy will be carrying the day as we go forward.”

Laura asked whether the Republican Party should become more socially liberal, but Perry strongly disagreed. “I believe that fiscal conservatism is going to be one of the most powerful messages that we have. But also, standing up for traditional values that this country was based on, articulating them in a loving way... but in a way that is not compromising in the values.”

“I don't think we're going to see a lot of moderation on the part of Governor Perry,” Laura joked after the interview was over, “And yet somehow, his state keeps winning.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rick-Perry-to-GOP:-Embrace-conservatism,-moderation-is-a-failure/185603624642308820.html

Uncovering Planned Parenthood's Lies

2013-02-07T20:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Albany Rose was just 16-years-old when her father and stepmother forced her to get an abortion. Years later, after joining the pro-life cause, she decided to get her abortion records from Planned Parenthood to remember her lost child by. What she discovered was shocking: Planned Parenthood had lied about her age, unborn child’s age, and that she had undergone an ultrasound. Her records claim she had seen an ultrasound, but it wasn’t until she asked years later that she saw the ultrasound of her child for the first time.

Now Albany has set up a new website helping other women to reclaim their abortion records and uncover abortion clinics' rampant deceit. Visit it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Uncovering-Planned-Parenthoods-Lies/-37852387435697101.html

The battle for the soul of the GOP--Crossroads v. Tea Party?

2013-02-05T20:46:00Z

Posted By: Staff

After Republicans lost the presidency and eminently winnable seats in the Senate, donors and party loyalists have been calling for the heads of those whom they blame for the electoral disaster. On one side is Steve Law, the president & CEO of American Crossroads, the group founded by former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove. On the other is Brent Bozell, Founder of ForAmerica.org. Both appeared on the show Tuesday. Here are some highlights:

“We invested well north of $30 million in backing very conservative candidates. Some were successful… some were disasters… Our goal is to institutionalize the Buckley rule to find and support the most conservative candidates.” -Steve Law

“The first thing that comes to mind is how remarkable it is that these people are suddenly kindred spirits with Bill Buckley and Ronald Reagan…. Steve Law and Karl Rove should retire from politics if their goal is to establish the Buckley rule,” -Brent Bozell

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-battle-for-the-soul-of-the-GOP--Crossroads-v.-Tea-Party/153050931018245122.html

Santorum to Rubio: "Be very careful" of Durbin, Schumer

2013-02-04T17:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, former presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum advised Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) not to trust the Democratic members of the “Gang of Eight” when approaching immigration reform.

Laura asked Santorum if he had any advice for Rubio, “What message would you give Marco about working with [Democratic Senators] Durbin and Schumer, given what they've said in the past about Republicans on immigration…?”

“That’s a very dangerous group you’re playing with.” Santorum cautioned, “These are folks who do not have the interest of finding a bipartisan solution.”

“I’ve never, never, in twelve years of working with those guys found them to be interested in anything that smacks of anything but capitulation on our side, and if not, demonization if they don’t get their way. So be very careful.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Santorum-to-Rubio:-Be-very-careful-of-Durbin,-Schumer/-183311360699919054.html

Sen. Vitter on Rubio immigration plan: 'Amazingly naïve...'

2013-01-30T17:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) drove home his opposition to the “Gang of Eight’s” vision for immigration reform and specifically responded to Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who had appeared earlier in the hour.

“I love and respect Marco,” Vitter qualified, before saying, “I think he’s just amazingly naïve on this issue. This is the same formula we’ve seen before… Promises of enforcement never materialize, and the amnesty happens immediately.”

Vitter predicted that the legal status granted by the Gang of Eight proposal would soon become citizenship. “It’s going to happen… citizenship is guaranteed at that point as a practical matter.”

Laura noted that in their interview, Rubio claimed his plan did not offer a pathway to citizenship. But Vitter responded: “As soon as you give [illegal immigrants] legal status, they are here legally forever, and probably they’re citizens not that long after. If Marco thinks… that’s not going happen, I think he’s nuts.”

Vitter stressed that every previous deal that gave amnesty in exchange for tightened enforcement had never decreased illegal immigration. “Every single time, the illegal flow after has been greater than the illegal flow before… We’ve gone to this movie before; it has the same ending every time.“

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sen.-Vitter-on-Rubio-immigration-plan:-Amazingly-naïve.../-164507982382974362.html

Rep. Lamar Smith: Senators' immigration plan won't pass the House

2013-01-29T16:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Lamar Smith (R-TX), predicted that the bipartisan immigration reform championed by the “Gang of Eight” would fail to pass Congress, and that the House could act as a firewall.

“It is not inevitable,” Smith told Laura, “I don’t think it’s going to happen for lots of different reasons.”

He dismissed the notion that there was significant Republican movement towards amnesty. “The same individuals who have been for amnesty in the past are for amnesty today. I don’t see any surge in converts to the idea that we should legalize everyone in the country.”

Smith claimed that opposition to the plan would stem from the fact that “it’s going to cost taxpayers when they become eligible for government benefits, it’s going to cost Americans their jobs… I don’t see much good for Americans, for individuals in this country today….“

He projected that “The large majority of Republicans, and some Democrats as well, will oppose amnesty to virtually everybody in the country illegally.”

“I certainly don’t see a majority of the House voting for mass amnesty.” Smith stated firmly, “Maybe the House is going to be the firewall here.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rep.-Lamar-Smith:-Senators-immigration-plan-wont-pass-the-House/-148372288578997288.html

Defy the elites--send your own message to the House & Senate on their "bipartisan shuffle"

2013-01-29T14:28:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The fix is in on "comprehensive immigration reform," unless you act now and make your voices heard. Call your senators and congressmen--stand with the middle class who have seen their wages stagnate and their buying power diminished.

You can look up your House Representative here and your Senator here to give them a piece of your mind.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Defy-the-elites--send-your-own-message-to-the-House--Senate-on-their-bipartisan-shuffle/842417384000343901.html

Priebus Gives Postmortem on 2012 Election

2013-01-28T19:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today, on The Laura Ingraham Show, Reince Priebus, the Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), addressed the inability of the RNC to achieve an effective grassroots initiative because of limited time, inadequate resources, and poor ground support. “We didn’t even have a credit card that was functional in the building for ninety days because they were all suspended here when I walked in the door,” Priebus said.

When Laura pressed him on the RNC’s ineffectiveness, Priebus was adamant that in a presidential campaign pressure emanates from other areas. “You can be the quarterback but you don’t always get to call all the plays," Priebus asserted. "The presidential campaign has a lot of authority.”

Priebus went on to say that the Democrats’ massive grassroots campaigns were not spear-headed by the DNC but by “massive soft money organizations” like Moveon.org. Republican soft money groups have to be involved in communities throughout the nation year round, because “just buying network television [ads] for six months is not the best use of money.”

Laura also questioned Priebus on immigration and whether Republican support for a “path to citizenship and voting” would expand the GOP reach in 2016.

Priebus agreed that a policy of amnesty would fail to entice Hispanic voters saying,“I don’t agree that immigration is a top three issue among Hispanics.” The critical issue is the tone of the party towards immigrants and “how [Republicans] communicate” without being “offensive,” he stated.

(Listen here)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Priebus-Gives-Postmortem-on-2012-Election/786982969051863378.html

Boehner blasts Hillary for blaming Congress on Libya security, Inaugural speech

2013-01-23T19:06:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Speaker of the House John Boehner rebuffed Secretary of State Clinton’s repeated assertions during her Benghazi testimony that Congress was wrong in not fully funding the Administration's request for increased diplomatic security.

“We gave them all the money they asked for to make sure that our diplomats and our employees around the world were safe.” Again, he continued, this is an example of the White House "leading from behind," sitting back and responding only as necessary.

As for the overall tone of the President’s Inaugural address, the Speaker observed, “I’ve listened to my share of State of the Union addresses and my share of Inaugural addresses, but I don’t know that I’ve ever heard one in the last 30 years that was this liberal nor for that matter that was this partisan.” Rather, he noted, it “sounded more like what you’d see a President do in a state of the union than in a high-minded speech on the day of the inauguration.”

Listen to the audio here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Boehner-blasts-Hillary-for-blaming-Congress-on-Libya-security,-Inaugural-speech/808683726725626369.html

Rep. Ryan Reams Pres. Obama's "Strawman" Attack on GOP

2013-01-22T16:20:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The debate about how best to restore America's fiscal house began anew today on The Laura Ingraham Show, as Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) responded to the President's Inaugural Address. Obama employed a “convenient twist of terms," according to Ryan, that consisted of his "shadowbox(ing) a straw man” on the subject of entitlement programs. What Ryan was hoping to hear instead was the President eager to tackle the debt crisis “before it takes our economy off the rails." The former Mitt Romney running-mate noted that many Democrats agree on this issue.

During his speech, Obama argued that entitlements like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security “do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great." Many saw the remark as an indirect jab at Ryan, who during the 2012 election often spoke about the gap between “makers and takers” in America.

Ryan countered the perceived slight, telling guest host Raymond Arroyo that the President was twisting his words: “[N]o one is suggesting our earned entitlements are putting you in a taker category.”

Instead, Ryan said, he only used the term to refer to unearned entitlements, where recipients do not pay into the programs. “We do not want to encourage a dependency culture… ”

Ryan accused the President of using “a switcheroo… a convenient twist of terms to shadowbox a straw man…”

“I understand the President will continue to use straw man arguments, affix[ing] views to your political adversaries they do not have in order to try and win an argument by default.”

Ryan cited as an example Obama’s recent remarks that his Republicans have “suspicions” about programs for the poor and elderly. “We don’t have suspicions,” Ryan countered, “we actually have plans to save these programs so they actually work!”

On the contrary, Ryan argued that “when [President Obama] says he won’t save these programs, he’s…directly complicit in their bankruptcy.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rep.-Ryan-Reams-Pres.-Obamas-Strawman-Attack-on-GOP/-71527367950158716.html

Ingraham slams Obama's muddled handling of Algerian hostage crisis

2013-01-21T16:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The president spent much of the past year campaigning on the theme that under his leadership, Al Qaeda is dead and GM lives! Of course the truth about both is far more complex. Let's just focus on the growing al Qaeda threat that should have been obvious in the Benghazi attack on 9/11/12.

The Washington Post reports that violence in Algeria and Mali "has transformed al-Qaeda's North Africa branch into a cause celebre for militant Islamists around the globe, boosting recruitment and fundraising for the jihadists and spurring fears of further terrorist attacks in the region and beyond."

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI.) chairman of the House Intelligence Committee also responded to the attacks on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday:"They are growing more dangerous. They are growing in numbers."

Rogers was adamant that the Algerian attacks were on the heels of Benghazi, "this becomes a recruiting dream for them and a nightmare for us," Rogers stated, "it shows that they can strike Western targets and gives them a confidence level."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Ingraham-slams-Obamas-muddled-handling-of-Algerian-hostage-crisis/20691947388174170.html

Sen. Rand Paul: "I don't trust" Democrats or Republicans with money

2013-01-18T16:38:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) gave a wide-ranging interview, during which he took a firm stand against raising the debt ceiling and ruled out Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) plan for a short-term increase in the debt ceiling.

“I'll only support raising the debt ceiling if we pass a balanced budget amendment.” Paul stated bluntly, “I don't trust any of these people, Republican or Democrat, to do a good job with our money. There's no objective evidence that they are good with money.”

“It's just a blank check... we should not raise the debt ceiling... all you're doing is balancing the budget.”

Paul criticized President Obama for implying that failing to raise the debt ceiling would lead to default. “We're bringing in $200 billion a month in revenue. Our interest payment is $30 billion. We have plenty of money to pay for the interest on our debt.”

He said Republicans shouldn't back down on their threat to shut down the government. Doing so, Paul argued, would show “...Republicans don't have the spine and don't have the ability to really push forward to get anything changed.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sen.-Rand-Paul:-I-dont-trust-Democrats-or-Republicans-with-money/-563981548442177468.html

Sen. Rand Paul slams Christie for NRA comments, Sandy aid

2013-01-18T16:06:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) gave a wide-ranging interview, during which he attacked New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for his criticism of the NRA and his grandstanding on Sandy aid, saying that they would hurt his chances during the Republican primary.

Paul claimed that Christie had “backed down” on gun rights: “You have some Republicans backing down like Christie backing down and criticizing the NRA, and I think that doesn't do any good.”

When asked by Ingraham why Christie made the comments, he responded that they were politically calculated. “I think he may be solidifying his support with Democrats in New Jersey and maybe liberal Republicans.”

Paul warned Christie that his criticism of the NRA, as well as his criticism of fellow Republicans over the Sandy relief bill, would come back to haunt him if he made a presidential run in 2016. “I think criticizing the Second Amendment movement and the over-the-top 'give me my money' stuff, 'I want all sixty billion now or I'll throw a tantrum,' I don't think that's going to play well in the Republican primary.”

“I think people need to think through what their position on these things are.” Paul concluded.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sen.-Rand-Paul-slams-Christie-for-NRA-comments,-Sandy-aid/-227328133018571932.html

Sen. Rand Paul hits back at Democrat's "insulting" codeword attack

2013-01-18T15:36:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) gave a wide-ranging interview, during which he responded to the allegation by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) that he was using a “codeword” to attack President Obama's executive orders on gun control.

“Senator Kaine is confused about his history.” Paul responded, “He needs to read his Montesquieu, he needs to read Jefferson, he needs to read our Founding Fathers, who were very concerned about the separation of power.”

He continued, “This has nothing to do with President Obama or that he's a Democrat. In particular, it's insulting to say it has anything to do with the color of his skin.”

Paul noted that he had opposed past presidents who went beyond the power of their office. “I opposed George Bush on his executive orders... I opposed Clinton... this has been a longstanding tradition. It's insulting for anyone to say this has anything to do with race.”

Paul claimed that playing the race card only prevented important policy debates. “It dumbs down the debate. If we're going to... call people names and call them a racist, we can't have a debate.”

“These are big battles we need to fight, but they have nothing to do with race.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sen.-Rand-Paul-hits-back-at-Democrats-insulting-codeword-attack/472878356904714647.html

Sen. Ted Cruz predicts gun control backlash, Republican resurgence in 2014

2013-01-17T18:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, newly elected Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) predicted that President Obama's gun control efforts would backfire, leading to a conservative resurgence in the Senate.

Obama, Cruz argued, has "drunk the Kool-Aid. He is feeling, right now, high on his own power."

Cruz anticipated that Obama would pay “a serious political price... [that's] going to manifest in Senate races in 2014.”

“I'll make a prediction,” Cruz said, “I think 2014 is going to be a very, very strong year for conservatives. I think we have a real possibility of picking up a majority of the Senate”

“The next two years, the president is going to continue doing what he's doing now, which is overreaching and really believing that this country has become far left. And that is not this country.”

Cruz also denied the sentiment that the Tea Party was finished on a national stage. “A lot of folks in the media... have used [the 2012 election] to write an obituary on the Tea Party. That's a story that's been written more than once. As Mark Twain famously put it, I think rumors of the Tea Party’s death are greatly exaggerated.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sen.-Ted-Cruz-predicts-gun-control-backlash,-Republican-resurgence-in-2014/750653843230878835.html

Federal spending is limitless and lawless

2013-01-17T12:45:00Z

Posted By: Deroy Murdock

“We don’t have a spending problem.”

Those soothing words are apparently none other than Barack Obama’s. As the Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Moore reported, House Speaker John Boehner says that Obama insisted to him that America has a problem with healthcare, not federal expenditures.

Maybe the spendaholic-in-chief is missing something. America is being tortured by a free-spending federal government that acts irresponsibly on good days and illegally on bad ones.

In just the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2013, Washington dug Americans $293 billion deeper down the hole, the Congressional Budget Office announced January 8. That pace likely will make this the fifth consecutive year with a federal deficit exceeding $1 trillion. This was obscene enough when G.W. Bush botched the 2008 financial meltdown. Since then, Obama gleefully has frolicked in red ink.

Also, federal welfare spending is set to increase 80 percent through Fiscal Year 2022 and total $11 trillion. What fuels this explosion in the dole? According to a January 15 analysis by Senate Budget Committee Republicans, bureaucrats use “aggressive outreach to those who say they do not need financial assistance.” Also, “Recruitment workers are even instructed on how to ‘overcome the word “no”’ when individuals resist enrollment.”

This week, the Republican-led House approved $33 billion in Hurricane Sandy assistance. This sum, atop another $17 billion, includes such non-sequiturs as $10 million for FBI paychecks, $50 million to plant trees around America, $150 million for fisheries, and $2 billion for interstate highways.

Enough wobbly Republicans joined spend-happy Democrats to save these and other slabs of pork. Republicans should have used this legislation as a tutorial on limiting disaster relief to relieving disaster, not opening the vault to those with the stickiest fingers.

Meanwhile, Washington’s record-shattering profligacy may be less frightening than its burgeoning lawlessness. Legal, schmeagle. Washington does whatever it wants.

• Senate Budget Committee Republicans report that the Agriculture and Homeland Security departments “have promotions to increase the number of immigrants on welfare despite legal prohibitions on welfare use among those seeking admittance into the United States.”

• Congressman Tom McClintock (R – California) complains that Congress routinely spends tax dollars on programs whose legal authorization has expired. This is like using a company credit card — years after you were fired.

Last year, McClintock tried to cut about $250 million from the International Trade Administration. “The ITA’s authorization lapsed in 1996 – 16 years ago,” McClintock marveled. “It has not been reviewed or authorized by Congress since then, but we still keep shoveling money out the door.”

The 1985 Balanced Budget Act requires that authorizing legislation “be in place before the regular appropriation bills can be considered” by Congress. Nonetheless, the CBO confirmed last year that “Congress has appropriated about $261 billion for fiscal year 2012 for programs and activities whose authorizations of appropriations have expired.” These included $3 billion for Community Block Grants, $24 billion for No Child Left Behind, and $31 billion for the National Institutes of Health.

These and other initiatives may have merit. If so, Congress must reauthorize them, so that they are rooted in the law, rather than inertia.

• For its part, the Democratic-run Senate is a crime scene. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 compels senators and representatives to pass a budget by every April 15. Whatever. The Senate has not enacted a budget since April 29, 2009. (The GOP House did so in 2011 and 2012.) Too bad this law is toothless.

Rather than huddle with Republicans to rescue America from this mess, Obama is as petulant as ever. He refuses to bargain with Republicans, saying they simply should raise the debt ceiling without restraining spending. Obama said he would not “have that negotiation with a gun at the head of the American people,” presumably with GOP fingers on the firearm. What vulgar rhetoric, post-Newtown.

Finally, what about the $16,456,185,258,774 national debt? Like Old Man River, it just keeps rolling along.

New York commentator Deroy Murdock is a Fox News Contributor, a nationally syndicated columnist with the Scripps Howard News Service, and a media fellow with the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Federal-spending-is-limitless-and-lawless/212872866893464099.html

Rubio slams Obama and liberal media for 'demonization' and 'misinformation' on guns

2013-01-16T22:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) blasted President Obama and the mass media for their calculating and deceptive push for gun control.

Rubio claimed there was a great deal of media “misinformation” about guns, and chalked it up to a liberal bias. “[T]he mass media in this country, both entertainment and news media, leans lefts and would prefer that there not be Second Amendment.”

Rubio also slammed President Obama for planning to announce his new gun control measures surrounded by children. “[I]t implies that somehow those of us who do not agree with his public policy prescriptions don’t equally care about children. I have four children of my own… I was shocked and outraged and disgusted by what happened in Connecticut.”

Rubio continued: “There’s a long history in this administration of demonizing their political opponents… [I]t’s an effort to convince people that the other side are just not good people.”

He told Ingraham that the proposals Obama was considering “would not have prevented what happened in Connecticut, and it would not prevent it from happening in the future”

“Criminals don’t follow the law.” Rubio said definitively, “That’s what makes them criminals.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rubio-slams-Obama-and-liberal-media-for-demonization-and-misinformation-on-guns/-836969355458715370.html

List of GOPers who voted for pork

2013-01-16T16:45:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Here's a list of all the Republicans who voted for the pork-laden Sandy relief bill. Check to see if your Congressman is on the list, and if so, contact them to let them know how you feel!

1. Young, Todd IN 9

2. Whitfield, Ed KY

3. Rogers, Hal KY 5

4. Boustany, Charles LA 3

5. Alexander, Rodney LA 5

6. Harper, Gregg MS 3

7. Palazzo, Steven MS 4

8. Cramer, Kevin ND

9. LoBiondo, Frank NJ 2

10. Runyan, Jon NJ 3

11. Smith, Chris NJ 4

12. Garrett, Scott NJ 5

13. Lance, Leonard NJ 7

14. Frelinghuysen, Rodney NJ 11

15. King, Pete NY 2

16. Grimm, Michael NY 11

17. Gibson, Christopher NY 19

18. Hanna, Richard NY 22

19. Reed, Tom NY 23

20. Collins, Chris NY 27

21. Turner, Michael OH 10

22. Lucas, Frank OK 3

23. Cole, Tom OK 4

24. Gerlach, Jim PA 6

25. Meehan, Patrick PA 7

26. Fitzpatrick, Michael PA 8

27. Marino, Tom PA 10

28. Barletta, Lou PA 11

29. Dent, Charles PA 15

30. Culberson, John TX 7

31. Cantor, Eric VA 7

32. Wolf, Frank VA 10

33. Herrera Beutler, Jamie WA 3

34. Reichert, David WA 8

35. McKinley, David WV 1

36. Capito, Shelley WV 2

37. Davis, Rodney IL 13

38. Shimkus, John IL 15

39. Young, Don AK

40. Valadao, David CA 21

41. Denham, Jeff CA 10

42. McCarthy, Kevin CA 23

43. McKeon, Buck CA 25

44. Bonner, Jo AL 1^st

45. Bachus, Spencer AL 6^th

46. Crawford, Eric AR 1^st

47. Young, W. Bill FL 13^th

48. Diaz-Balart, Mario FL 25^th

^49.Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana FL 27^th

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/List-of-GOPers-who-voted-for-pork/-957703464912839415.html

Ohio Superintendent fires back at critics over guns in school

2013-01-15T22:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Laura spoke with the school superintendent of Montpelier, OH, who has taken steps to arm school staff in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting. Superintendent Jamie Grime stressed the need for safety at his school, and hit back at the media for its inaccurate coverage.

Grime claimed that after the Sandy Hook shooting, “I got to a point where I had two options: I could either wait for the government to save me and protect us or take matters into my own hands…”

Grime claimed much of the criticism he’s received was elitist concerns that janitors would be armed: “Oh my gosh, they could actually be arming the janitors, who primarily are the creepy people who clean the toilets.”

“These people are salt of the earth people,” he said, “…they maintain $60 million worth of facilities everyday. These are very intelligent people.”

Grime bemoaned the treatment he’s received at the hands of the media: “It’s been misportrayed to try to discredit me.”

“Half of the students at my school go home to a house where a firearm protects them.” Grime said, “but they come here and they have nothing… [A]ll I have to protect them is a buzzer and a quarter of an inch of glass.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Ohio-Superintendent-fires-back-at-critics-over-guns-in-school/-768288821341911916.html

Ingraham and Victor Davis Hanson Discuss the Obama-Powell Tirade Against Republicans

2013-01-15T21:44:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today, on The Laura Ingraham Show, Laura spoke with Victor Davis Hanson, columnist for The National Review, about the seemingly coordinated attacks waged against conservatives by Colin Powell and Barack Obama this week.

Hanson was adamant that Americans are more sensitized to race today than four years ago, not because “we have an African American president, but because people use that [race] as one of the various wars” to alienate Americans and provoke discord.

Laura slammed the Republican leadership’s inadequate response to President Obama’s and Powell’s apparent “tag team” initiative, citing the perpetual “frustration in conservative ranks.”

Mr. Hanson agreed, noting that “nobody fights back on any of these social, or racial, or polarizing issues… I think in 2014 it will be another replay of 2010. The tea party will have to come out of nowhere and say, ‘We warned you about Obamacare, here it is. We warned you about the debt, here are the consequences.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Ingraham-and-Victor-Davis-Hanson-Discuss-the-Obama-Powell-Tirade-Against-Republicans/-758834293257213759.html

Colin Powell & Obama 'tag-team' on GOP 'intolerance' comments

2013-01-15T20:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on the Laura Ingraham Show, Laura raised the question of whether former secretary of state Colin Powell’s comment that there was a “dark vein of intolerance” in the GOP and that Republicans “look down” on minorities was coordinated with the White House.

Laura began by stating that “it seems that Colin Powell’s appearance on the Meet the Press was well-coordinated with the White House, with his dear friend… Barack Obama.”

Ingraham noted that many questioned the timing of Obama’s Monday press conference: “What was so special about yesterday late morning? It was directly within the maelstrom of a news cycle driven by Colin Powell’s ‘dark vein of intolerance.’”

She noted the similarity between Powell’s comment and Obama’s comments during the press conference: “When I hear an African-American president make comments about ‘They don’t like to socialize,’ ‘They demonize me,’ I feel like we’re playing the victim card here, maybe playing the race card.”

“Obama and Colin Powell, that’s quite a tag team,” Laura quipped, “I say dump Biden and put Powell on the ticket. Those two work together hand in glove.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Colin-Powell--Obama-tag-team-on-GOP-intolerance-comments/682593004140888044.html

Freshman Congressman and Army veteran Tom Cotton (R-Ark): Women in combat

2013-01-08T20:48:00Z

Posted By: Staff

While President Obama’s Department of Defense has moved to allow more women to serve in combat roles, a new study suggests female soldiers typically don’t want to serve on the front lines. Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Laura asked Rep. Tom Cotton, a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, whether he supported allowing women to serve in combat roles in the military.

Rep. Cotton responded that allowing women to serve on the front lines could jeopardize the mission’s success, “To have women serving in infantry, could impair the mission’s central task in those units. That’s been proved in study after study just as a matter of nature… upper body strength and physical movement and speed and endurance and so forth.”

While praising the "brave contributions" of military women already serving "on the front lines in critical capacities," he stressed "to have them in the infantry, in either the Marine Corps or the Army, could impair the mission, the central task of those forces.”

Listen to it here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Freshman-Congressman-and-Army-veteran-Tom-Cotton-R-Ark:-Women-in-combat/713312818193954995.html

Ingraham v. Arroyo Returns with the Real versus Fake Christmas Tree Debate! (Listen here)

2012-12-20T18:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click here to listen.

After listening, please send us your thoughts on twitter.com/ingrahamangle or email us here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Ingraham-v.-Arroyo-Returns-with-the-Real-versus-Fake-Christmas-Tree-Debate!-Listen-here/-247173655210226684.html

Media sob story: Obama's vacation ruined

2012-12-19T03:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

With businesses, the stock market, and everyday Americans carefully watching the fiscal cliff, today's Washington Post decided to focus on the real tragedy: "'Fiscal cliff' could ruin Obama's vacation". Oh, please! When people run for public office, they choose to put the American people before themselves. Maybe The Washington Post could focus on the millions of Americans whose vacation plans were ruined by Obama's handling of the economy? Especially since the president< still found the time to go golfing 17 times this year.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Media-sob-story:-Obamas-vacation-ruined/229305518425824538.html

Rep. Tim Scott to replace DeMint

2012-12-17T23:50:00Z

Posted By: Staff

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley she will appoint Rep. Tim Scott to replace retiring Sen. Jim DeMint. Scott would be the first black senator from South Carolina, and Congress's black senator. During his speech today, Scott thanked God and his mother, a single parent who worked 16-hour days to provide for him. Stay tuned to hear how various liberal commentators dismiss the "historic" significance of this moment for the South. (It's only "historic" when the person making history is a Democrat. Sad.)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rep.-Tim-Scott-to-replace-DeMint/906839487798885688.html

In the tank for Dukakis?

2012-12-17T23:50:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Obama will likely appoint Senator John Kerry (D-MA) as his next Secretary of State, leaving it up to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to choose a replacement. Sources say Gov. Patrick is seriously considering former Governor Michael Dukakis for the job. No, you haven't stepped into a time machine and put the sucker into reverse.

Dukakis ran unsuccessfully for president against George H.W. Bush, but accomplished one important thing in his campaign: No candidate for the presidency will ever pop out of a tank with a dress-up helmet on.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/In-the-tank-for-Dukakis/-848330150724548092.html

Obama's politicized Newtown speech

2012-12-17T23:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

President Obama attended a vigil for the 28 victims of the Newtown shooting Sunday, where he pledged action to prevent further gun violence. Obama promised to use "whatever power this office holds" to stop more mass shootings. Obama was light on the details, but given the pressure he's under from the left to use this tragedy to fast-track gun control legislation, one senses this wasn't just the usual empty political rhetoric. At the tearful prayer service, the president unfortunately but predictably implied that gun rights activists are somehow not concerned about massacres: "Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?" This was one of many defamatory and unwarranted comments the anti-gun left has made against conservatives in recent days. They're back to their old demonizing, isolating, destroying game.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-politicized-Newtown-speech/-282056489129199126.html

The Island of Misfit Gender-Neutral Toys

2012-12-10T20:50:00Z

Posted By: Christina Hoff Sommers

When I learned about the new gender-neutral Swedish Christmas toy catalog, I wasn’t one bit surprised. In 2004, I gave a lecture at a Swedish research institute on my book The War Against Boys. I briefly summarized the literature on male/female differences and argued that we need to find ways to make our classrooms friendlier to boys. Mother Nature is not a feminist, I said. “Boys and girls are different.”

When I finished, there was a stunned silence in the room. Finally, a lanky, elderly gentleman stood up and said (with amusement): “Madame, you may not realize it, but you have been swearing in church. “ Acknowledging sex differences is apparently a national taboo. For the rest of the evening, my poor host sat in the corner with outraged journalists and tried to persuade them not to shame his institute by reporting on what I had said. There is a reason Sweden has been called “the Saudi Arabia of Feminism.”

Surely the United States is immune to the sort of ideological excess we find in Sweden. Don’t count on it. College students routinely learn from their professors that “gender is a social construction.” The ACLU is now waging war against single-sex schools and classrooms on the grounds that separating by sex is intrinsically sexist. Teachers visiting the website of the American Council for CoEducational Schooling ACCES are invited to take a quiz that measures their gender inclusiveness. The quiz asks how often they do the following:

A. I say “Good morning boys and girls”

B. I call students “boys” and “girls”;

C. I refer to my students as “ladies” and “gentlemen.”

Any teacher guilty of using such greetings gets low marks on “gender mixing.”The executive director of the ACCES, Rebecca Bigler, a psychology professor at the University of Texas, explained her organization’s logic in Education Week. “If you compare it to race, if you said to your 1st grade classrooms, ‘Good morning, whites and Latinos; let’s have the Latinos get your pencils,’ what would happen is you would go to federal prison … Labeling children routinely by race in your classroom is a violation of federal law, and, of course, you can do this routinely with gender.”^{^[i]}

For more on what is wrong with the ACLU’s logic, with ACCES and with Sweden’s gender-neutrality movement, read my analysis in The Atlantic:

Swedes can be remarkably thorough in their pursuit of gender parity. A few years ago, a feminist political party proposed a law requiring men to sit while urinating—less messy and more equal. In 2004, the leader of the Sweden's Left Party Feminist Council, Gudrun Schyman, proposed a "man tax"—a special tariff tobe levied on men to pay for all the violence and mayhem wrought by their sex.

Egalia, a new state-sponsored pre-school in Stockholm, is dedicated to the total obliteration of the male and female distinction. There are no boys and girls at Egalia—just "friends" and "buddies." Classic fairy tales like Cinderella and Snow White have been replaced by tales of two male giraffes who parent abandoned crocodile eggs. The Swedish Green Party would like Egalia to be the norm: It has suggested placing gender watchdogs in all of the nation's preschools. "Egalia gives [children] a fantastic opportunity to be whoever they want to be," says one excited teacher. (It is probably necessary to add that this is not an Orwellian satire or a right-wing fantasy: This school actually exists.)

http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/you-can-give-a-boy-a-doll-but-you-cant-make-him-play-with-it/265977/

[i] Sarah Sparks, “Scholars Say Pupils Gain Social Skills in Coed Classes,” Education Week May 7, 2012. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/07/30coed.h31.html?tkn=ZVTFyis8rJbJaOtgHu11xG33dXAowOwEiVZp&intc=es (accessed 12 July 2012).

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Island-of-Misfit-Gender-Neutral-Toys/671107063450717168.html

Grover Norquist slams top GOP lawmakers for caving on taxes

2012-11-26T21:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today, Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist came on the show to argue against raising taxes as part of a fiscal cliff deal. In doing so, he hit back at high profile Republicans who have discussed violating his group’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge, including Representative Peter King and Senators Lindsey Graham and Bob Corker.

Norquist countered Rep. King’s assertion that the pledge he signed not to raise taxes only counted for his first term, saying “People take the pledge for the duration of their being in the House or the Senate… [I don’t] think someone like Peter King who runs claiming to be pro-life would argue that he promised to be pro-life for 18 months.”

In regards to Sen. Corker, who released a proposal to increase revenues in return for entitlement reform, Norquist said “The interesting thing about these Republicans who come up with, ‘I’ll give you a trillion dollars of higher taxes on the American people…’ [is] they design a unicorn they want to trade it for, which is fundamental reform of entitlements. There’s one problem: All the Democrats who read that article say is 'Corker! We’ve got Corker! Corker will raise taxes.’ And they don’t read his ‘No! I have to have this other stuff too.’”

He told Laura that Democrats won’t bother listening to Republicans who already agreed to higher tax revenue, saying “What Corker just did was make himself irrelevant to the debate…”

Norquist summarized a conversation he had with Sen. Graham over his proposal for a 10-1 ratio in spending cuts and tax increases: “Senator, I think you’re discussing a unicorn that does not exist in the real world. Nobody’s offering you this, nobody will offer you this. All they’ll do is take the first half of your sentence, ‘I’m willing to raise some taxes…’ and say ‘Thank you very much. We’ve heard enough from you’”.

He argued that violating their pledge not to raise taxes would again mean electoral defeat for Republicans, telling Laura, “It is very important… that the Republicans don’t have their fingerprints all over the murder weapon… a lousy budget deal with tax increases and no real spending, just [what] happened to Republicans in 1990, which cost us the presidency in ‘92”

You can listen to the interview for free right here on Lauraingraham.com!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Grover-Norquist-slams-top-GOP-lawmakers-for-caving-on-taxes/-954865258892373988.html

The GOP on verge of playing cynical border game for votes

2012-11-24T18:58:00Z

Posted By: Laura

For all those "conservatives" in positions of power who are rushing to embrace a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, Byron York schools you on the real factors that lead to Romney's loss. York concludes after a detailed analysis of turnout: "even if Romney had made historic gains among Hispanic voters, he still would have lost the election." Romney's real problem was that he under performed among social conservatives. (Contrary to the left-wing talking points that Romney was "dragged to the right" in the primaries, the truth is the GOP nominee rarely discussed core issues that excite religious conservatives.) Knee-jerk reactions in some GOP quarters could mean that Barack Obama could finally make good on his promise to enact "immigration reform.". That will help his legacy, but unlikely to amount to much for Republicans. By abandoning the first principles of safeguarding our sovereignty and upholding our rule of law, the GOP will embark on a fool's errand that could actually end up ensuring that more of its base will stay home in 2016.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-GOP-on-verge-of-playing-cynical-border-game-for-votes/592732548084737327.html

Atheist, or Anti-Theist?

2012-11-21T18:12:00Z

Posted By: Teresa

Atheists claim not to believe in God, but they’re putting up a pretty aggressive attack about something they claim is pure fiction. In Santa Monica, a coalition of church groups that has erected Nativity scenes for more than 50 years has been banned from displaying the crèche. In Little Rock, an atheist group has complained about how the family values exhibited in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” might make children act too nicely.

It’s one thing not to believe, but why are atheists so viciously bent on raining on everyone else’s parade? Is it that the gentle image of a loving couple tenderly surrounding their newborn child is so repulsive to their depraved sensibilities? Or is it the message of peace, kindness, and “love your neighbor as yourself” that repulses them so and makes them squirm?

These atheists don’t believe in God, and they certainly don’t believe in freedom of speech, either. Doesn’t half the appeal of being atheist exist in the fact that one doesn’t have to concern oneself with the so-called childish interests of believers? Why not leave well enough alone, or turn the other cheek to the side of the street that doesn’t display a Nativity scene?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Atheist,-or-Anti-Theist/69638042600175480.html

Black Thursday? No Thanks!

2012-11-19T18:46:00Z

Posted By: Staff

When Thanksgiving was made an official US holiday by President Abraham Lincoln, he proclaimed: “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens… to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” In recent years, however, the hallowed tradition of giving thanks to God has been lost to rampant commercialism. The reverential holiday of Thanksgiving has spawned “Black Friday”, the biggest shopping day of the year.

Black Friday has been out of control for the past few years, with rioting shoppers and deal-seekers camping out for days ahead of time. But now retailers like Wal-Mart and Target are opening their doors for Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving itself, or “Black Thursday” as some have deemed it. This expansion of the shopaholic bug has officially crossed the line from ridiculous to alarming; what was once a holiday designated for gathering with loved ones and thanking God for blessings has become an epic days-long shop-‘til-you-drop extravaganza.

Black Friday epitomizes the over-commercialization of the holidays. As CNN’s Bob Greene puts it: “In the universe of holidays, it is the only one that exists solely to sell merchandise”. But if we as a society and we as consumers decide to shun Black Friday and Thursday and just stay home, rather than try to acquire the most stuff, we can appreciate and celebrate the friends, family, and God, and actually give thanks!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Black-Thursday-No-Thanks!/23468899482183347.html

We're all (unfortunately) in this together

2012-11-15T18:54:00Z

Posted By: Staff

“I told you so,” is normally a satisfying statement to make, with joy exuding from the sayer so pleased at the accuracy of his forewarning. But all the fun of “I told you so” is lost when the occasion of its being used means more jobless claims, climbing inflation, rising poverty, and recession.

The Obama administration’s policies haven’t worked so far, and nothing points to them suddenly improving over the next four years. The good news is that the 51% who reelected the president will suffer and feel the effects of their folly; the bad news is, so will the 48% who voted for Romney.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Were-all-unfortunately-in-this-together/149440765319981112.html

ABC's Jake Tapper on the 'hubris' of Petraeus: operating

2012-11-14T22:32:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on the show, Laura spoke with ABC News senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper. Tapper took a hard line against what he called the "celebrity general" culture where our commanding officers become so intoxicated by the trappings of power that they forget the men and women who are serving under them.

Tapper drew upon his interviews with the men of Outpost Keating to criticize Generals Petraeus and Allen: “For the men who served there, it was like serving in a weird planet where there no longer were women… they would go months without seeing women. So the idea that there are generals having this other life like it’s [Hugh Hefner's] Grotto sounds completely disconnected from what our brave troops go through on a day-by-day basis.”

Laura remarked on the absurdity of General Petraeus inviting biographer to follow him around while he was supposed to be doing his duties in the Afghanistan. “The fact that our commanding officer in Afghanistan has a biographer trailing him around for months and months, I find that to be just inappropriate. I don’t care if it’s a woman or man… you have to have the biographer with you for months? You’re burnishing your own historical record instead of focusing on the issues at hand and duties at hand.”

Tapper agreed, saying “It’s incredible that someone would bring a biographer there… and it’s not “Here, come with me; I want you to write the story of our fighting men who are serving on the front lines.” It’s, “Come with me. It’s a great idea, [that] you’ll write a book about me.”

“Just the hubris of that decision…” Tapper continued, “It boggles the mind.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/ABCs-Jake-Tapper-on-the-hubris-of-Petraeus:-operating/414848663112886399.html

No Vote for the Status Quo

2012-11-14T02:01:00Z

Posted By: Staff

A vote for Obama was a vote for the status quo, or so some very delusional, or very deceptive commentators have said. Almost as alarming as the thought that anyone would be in favor of continuing “America’s weak economy, high unemployment, and partisan rancour,” is the ignorance that has led people to believe that things are going to continue on as they were during the past four years.

In the past 90 days, the Obama administration has posted 6,125 new regulations and notices on its regulations.gov website- that's an average of 68 per day.

Obama’s first four years were the calm before the superstorm. Talk to any businessman in America involved with coal, oil, forestry, agriculture, transportation, etc., to know what to expect from Big Brother’s crippling mandates- coming soon to a private home near you!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/No-Vote-for-the-Status-Quo/-831725701374441990.html

Honoring Our Vets

2012-11-12T17:02:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In a special way on Veterans Day, we remember and honor the brave men and women of our military whose sacrifices can never be forgotten.

James L. Stone’s courageous and humble service to his country in Korea earned him the Medal of Honor. His recent passing provides us with inspiration and a reminder of the people to whom we are indebted for building our great nation.

From the Washington Post:

On the evening of Nov. 21, 1951, James L. Stone looked out from his hilltop outpost in Korea and sensed what was coming. He was an Army lieutenant whose eight months of combat experience were enough to alert him to the imminence of an enemy assault.

The attack began at 9 p.m. with artillery and mortar fire and raged through the night as hundreds of Chinese stormed the hill. By the next day, half the men in the platoon were dead and their 28-year-old lieutenant had been shot three times.

But the lieutenant survived to spend nearly 30 years in the Army, rising to the rank of colonel and receiving the nation’s highest military decoration for valor.

“I don’t deserve the medal,” he said, near tears. “It should go to the men of my platoon. They were all so brave. Nothing I could say could tell you how proud I was to be with those men on that hill that night.”

When a defensive flamethrower failed to function and the operator was killed, Collier wrote, Col. Stone rushed to the site and restored it to working order for another operator.

At another point, he retrieved the platoon’s last light machine gun and carried it from position to position, firing on Chinese troops. “Throughout,” the citation reads, “he continued to encourage and direct his depleted platoon in its hopeless defense.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Honoring-Our-Vets/-484439378895576853.html

Rallying the Republicans

2012-11-08T18:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In the aftermath of Obama’s victory, much speculation has been made about how the GOP can move forward after Mitt Romney's devastating loss. Some pundits have understandably despaired, declaring that our once-great nation is overrun with an entitlement mentality and is deluded into thinking there is such a thing as a free lunch. There's no going back, they say, and Romney's defeat is proof that all is lost.

The entitlement class can certainly take a lot of credit for Obama’s win, and so can the biased liberal media. It turns out that promising free stuff to a large group of people unconcerned with the logistics of the stuff’s origin is a reliable method for getting elected, and one which it doesn’t seem will lose traction any time soon. Trying to challenge such a campaign seems hopeless.

But, as Jonah Goldberg reminds us, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” The surest step toward defeat is to give up, and evil is triumphing because fewer good men are doing anything. Giving up never gets anything accomplished- really. Nothing will happen if one does nothing. It’s the easy and lazy way out, not to mention cowardly.

Some say it’s a losing battle, but that’s only certain if conservatives back down for good. We don’t know if fighting on will make a difference, but we do know that not fighting on will only make matters worse. Besides, making even a little bit of a good difference is better than making no good difference at all.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rallying-the-Republicans/683972354306121030.html

GOP Recovery- Trickle-Down Patriotism

2012-11-07T16:25:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Republicans lost the presidency, as well as a number of Senate seats, and our showing in the House wasn’t anything to write home about. Now come the questions: What went wrong? Why did Obama win? Who’s to blame? And what do we do next?

Are the defeats the fault of the GOP and its candidates, and do they now need to pander to minorities and update their platform to make it more appealing? What exactly is wrong with conservative principles? Anything? No. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. We don’t need to change to appeal to voters. We need voters and their mindsets to change. It is no easy task.

Bill O’Reilly pointed out the problem: “50 percent of the voting public [wants] stuff. And who’s going to give them things? President Obama.”

Alexis de Tocqueville called it 200 years ago. “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money,” he wrote. “A democracy...can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury.”

History, unfortunately, repeats itself- unless we learn from it. Consider more wisdom from the French thinker: “The majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”

Is our time up? Until the entitlement mentality is destroyed, the Democratic Party of Redistribution will always win. If voters put the good of the country ahead of their personal wants, they will see everyone benefiting, themselves included. Let’s implement some trickle-down patriotism before it’s too late.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/GOP-Recovery--Trickle-Down-Patriotism/-519080357307419111.html

"Melanie in Miami" - voters disenfranchised!

2012-11-06T18:54:00Z

Posted By: Randy

My friend in Miami Beach just voted and she was given a provisional ballot and right as she was inserting in to the machine- the "inspector" said "STOP!! Those are the wrong ballots your vote won't count!" Everyone had to get new ballots. My question: what about the people who voted before?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Melanie-in-Miami---voters-disenfranchised!/166207380336532675.html

Voter Intimidation Runs Rampant

2012-11-06T18:44:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Obama campaign, AKA Andrea Mitchell and the guests of her show, are currently touting their exuberant “confidence” concerning the prospects for today’s election. They are speaking smugly, lightly, and are giving the impression that they've already got this election in the bag.

Do they know something the Republicans don’t know? Final battleground tracking polls are showing a dead heat, and Rasmussen, the most accurate poll of 2008, shows Romney up by 1. So from where does the Left’s confidence stem?

Maybe they’ve got something up their sleeves. In Pennsylvania, The Black Panthers are back monitoring polling places, and Republican election officials have been physically ejected from doing their duties. In Detroit, a Republican poll watcher was threatened with a gun. In Florida and Philadelphia, Barack Obama adorns the walls of polling stations, and in Chicago an election judge is wearing an Obama cap while checking in voters.

Former DNC chair Howard Dean said the only way the liberals lose is through fraud, but really it’s the only way they win!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Voter-Intimidation-Runs-Rampant/97273939300339567.html

The Reality of the Jobs Report

2012-11-02T16:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

People can get used to almost anything if forced to endure it for long enough. They end up lowering their standards and expectations until they reach a level that before would have been considered completely unacceptable.

This phenomenon explains the decline of American economical morale. Unemployment is up from last month and is at a higher rate than when Obama took office, though he promised when he was elected that it would 5.2% by 2012. The Democrats are touting the modest 171,000 jobs created last month as proof that the economy under Obama is improving, but the truth is, it isn’t hard to improve from rock bottom. When expectations are so low, even the tiniest nudge of the needle is something worth celebrating.

Obama had four years to improve the economy, and what has he done? Rick Santelli of CNBC said today on our show that when added up, there have been a mere 194,000 jobs created in TOTAL in FOUR YEARS! Pathetic. Not to mention the continued decline in incomes.

Mitt Romney said it best when he described the report as “a sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill.” Keith Hall, former Labor Department commissioner, said at this rate, it will take “9 or 10 years” to get the economy back to normal, so it’s a good thing we have Mitt poised and ready to take the helm for the next 8.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Reality-of-the-Jobs-Report/-55367716724127791.html

General asks, 'Would I want [Obama] with me in combat?'

2012-11-01T16:30:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Joe Biden said today, “My guy…Barack Obama has character.” But Major General Patrick Brady, retired from the U.S. Army and recipient of the Medal of Honor, has a different view of the president.

“Would I want this man with me in combat?” Gen. Brady asks.

Gen. Brady writes that “economically, Obama, all by himself, is a target-rich environment.” His economic record should seal the election in Romney’s favor, the general says, but “economics pales in the face of Obama’s emasculation, socialization and feminization of our military.”

Gen. Brady believes that Obama’s weakening of our military is a greater threat to our future than economic miseries.

Consider this, for example:

“Under the leadership of the Obama/Gates/Mullen trinity, our military has suffered as never before. Gates supervised the waste and fiscal incompetence at the Pentagon (millions of dollars lost). He instituted an insane op tempo (60 out of 80 months deployed is not unusual), causing unprecedented suicide and PTSD rates among soldiers and depression and anxiety in their families. Military pay cuts are coming, and the administration actually lost graves and urns at Arlington. There is an effort to raise health insurance premiums for retirees. The number of stolen top-secret documents is unmatched in our history. On the silly side, Gates’ Pentagon actually considered giving medals to soldiers for not shooting!”

A strong economy is essential to a strong country, but how strong or safe can a country be if it isn’t able to protect and defend itself? Obama is notorious for exploiting the military, and not only does his indifference toward the military prove him to be a person who doesn’t care about what's best for America, it also shows his complete lack of character. Turns out an Army Major General who’s a recipient of America’s highest honor knows a bit more about character than Joe Biden.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/General-asks,-Would-I-want-Obama-with-me-in-combat/834833709773769324.html

Lib Critics Are Hypocrites

2012-10-31T16:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The liberals are accusing Mitt Romney of politicizing the Hurricane Sandy disaster, just as they accused him of trying to politicize the Libya tragedy. To “politicize” something means “to bring a political character or flavor” to it, so isn’t charging Romney and the Republicans with politicizing events of national importance the exact definition of what they’re criticizing? The Democratic critique of Romney for his responses is political.

Trying to make sense of the liberal cycle of hypocrisy is futile, but it’s still fun. And speaking of things hypocritical, we have the ever humorous Bill Clinton. While Obama suspended his campaigning in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Slick Willie came out on behalf of the president to explain to the American people just who is responsible for the disaster. It’s Mitt Romney, of course, because Mitt opposed tax credits for Obama’s failed green energy initiatives; this has led to global warming and massively destructive hurricanes.

An embarrassingly silly argument, Mr. Clinton? Perhaps. Politicizing disasters? HEAVEN FORBID!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Lib-Critics-Are-Hypocrites/564339243131737788.html

Disability claims soar under Obama

2012-10-26T17:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Is there something in the air? Is it in the water? Or is it simply an infectious nanny-state syndrome that has spread like an epidemic across the United States since Obama took office? Maybe this explains why the number of American workers collecting federal disability benefits to increase by 975 per day under our current president?

That’s right, the Social Security Administration reports the number of disabled workers collecting benefits hit an all-time high this month. A startling 8,803,335 disabled people now benefit from other tax-payers’ dollars, up from the previous record of 8,786,049 set in September.

Have more people really become disabled under Obama? Or is the malady which disables depression, because the future of our country has grown so dim? Some of these disabled people, we would guess, are content mooching off the hard-workers of society, and find the easy hand-outs which their benevolent benefactor makes it so easy for them to acquire a delight. Others, perhaps, resort to disability checks as a last resort because they are unemployed, have stopped looking for work, and are faced with a financial crisis, as our country faces the impending financial cliff.

Whatever the cause, it all points to one necessary end: Change.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Disability-claims-soar-under-Obama/-456290942048727282.html

Prez lies-- Planned Parenthood does NOT do mammograms

2012-10-25T19:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

A key part of Obama’s “War on Women” narrative is the fact that Republicans voted to defund Planned Parenthood. Of course, since most women couldn’t care less about Planned Parenthood, he has to lie to make them care. Several times, including during the second presidential debate, Obama has said, “millions of women rely on Planned Parenthood… for mammograms”. But according to Factcheck.org, this simply isn’t true. Planned Parenthood doesn’t provide mammograms at all! They do perform abortions though: over 300,000 a year. Perhaps Obama is lying because he realizes his advantage among women has completely disappeared. But if there’s one thing women hate, Barack, it’s a liar.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Prez-lies---Planned-Parenthood-does-NOT-do-mammograms/-677410728569267112.html

Keystone State Key for GOP

2012-10-19T16:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Pennsylvania has not backed a Republican president since 1988, but new polls show Romney leading in PA. Barack Obama’s last four years have been so bad that they are reversing the blue trend that has marked the Quaker State’s last quarter century.

PA elections are typically driven by voters in the urban, liberal poles of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but times are ‘a changin’! It appears that even non-small town folk have grown “bitter” and begun to “cling to guns or religion,” their incomes, jobs, personal liberties, and everything else the Obama administration will take away if given another four years of power.

Republican Senate candidate Tom Smith has also surged in the Pennsylvania polls recently over incumbent Democrat Bob Casey, Jr. Perhaps Obama and his green friends have forgotten that coal is king in Pennsylvania and other mid-Atlantic states, and that relying on a record of regulation won’t leave people feeling blue, but rather seeing red.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Keystone-State-Key-for-GOP/529487176904316399.html

Obama Is Not a Real Man

2012-10-17T16:55:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Mitt Romney’s likability in terms of electability has been continuously called into question. We are now beyond that, having entered into the more serious realm of facts, records, and Obama’s most elusive trait: responsibility. With fewer than 20 days left until the election, voters have begun to focus on the strengths of the presidential candidates that really matter. People want a president they can trust, someone who is a leader, competent, and honest, so it’s no wonder that Mitt Romney has recently strengthened his standing with women in the nation’s top battleground states.

The great French author and pioneer aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote, “To be a man is to be responsible.” Children are notorious for evading blame, and Barack Obama’s constant avoidance of fault for the terrible economy, the tragedy in Benghazi, and everything else is pathetically juvenile. It’s also weak and dangerous to our country.

Obama did try to gain some political virility as he claimed at the debate last night that, “I’m the president and I’m always responsible,” but let us remember that it was a woman and a subordinate who took the fall first.

On the subject of manhood, Saint-Exupéry further said it is, “to feel shame at the sight of what seems to be unmerited misery. It is to take pride in a victory won by one’s comrades. It is to feel, when setting one’s stone, that one is contributing to the building of the world.”

By this definition, Obama strikes out all around. He is not and never has been responsible. As far as shame goes, the president is under the delusion that the economy is improving, and with regard to the attacks in Libya, Obama benevolently granted that he is “interested in finding out what happened.” There is no victory won by his comrades in which Obama has cause to take pride, and “contributing to the building of the world” is right under “meet with Bibi Netanyahu” on his priorities list.

Romney has real world experience and the American people recognize it. A person doesn’t climb to the top of the business world by shirking responsibility and avoiding the tough issues. Leading America back to greatness requires a person of integrity and character, not a callow, under-qualified celebrity in the business for the perks.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-Is-Not-a-Real-Man/397863360186099654.html

Liar, Liar...who we really should fire!

2012-10-11T15:20:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Paul Ryan has a big job ahead of him tonight, not because Joe Biden is such a “skilled debater,” but because debating liberals is often a futile task.

Daniel Henninger from the Wall Street Journal points out how freely and liberally the Left uses the term “liar.” “Liar,” he writes, “is a potent and ugly word with a sleazy political pedigree.” He goes on to say that, “Explicitly calling someone a ‘liar’ is—or used to be—a serious and rare charge.”

Remember John's Gospel describes Satan as “a liar and the father of lies.” For the Democrats to equate every Republican who challenges them to the devil is about as serious as it gets.

And since when have the Dems cared about the truth? If they did they’d be Republicans. Sometimes they feign an interest in it, as demonstrated by David Plouffe’s sage statement about Mitt Romney: “Someone who would lie to 50 million Americans, you should have some questions about whether that person should sit in the Oval Office.”

Then there’s the Democrats’ poster boy, Bill Clinton. One would have assumed that after lying under oath to 300 million Americans as president, he would have retired in shame and done his best to keep a low profile. But why would he? His party is based on the zero principles policy, and is glad to parade the sleaziest of all hypocrites around the country as the gold standard of truth telling. The hypocrisy would be hilarious if it weren't so scary.

So Ryan’s task tonight to disprove Biden’s falsehoods seems to be not a difficult one since he has the truth on his side, but then we remember that truth is not the basis for a liberal argument.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Liar,-Liar...who-we-really-should-fire!/321237605318883085.html

The Left's Empty Nest Syndrome

2012-10-09T15:31:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Without truth or logic on their side, liberals have become accustomed to manipulating the facts to their own end, and their technique can be effective on the lazy thinker.

The Left has been showing its yellow side bright and bold since the presidential debate, trying with desperateness to make Sesame Street’s Big Bird the centre of attention, rather than Obama’s pathetic performance. The Christian Science Monitor reported that the government subsidy Romney said he wants to eliminate accounts for only 10-12 percent of PBS’s funding, and the rest comes from private donors. A new argument posits that since the $445 million provided to public television by way of taxpayers’ money “is peanuts,” and “less than 1/100^th of the national budget,” and since cutting the funding would result in “miniscule” budget benefits, then the PBS money should stay where it is.

So, we should only cut funds from programs which receive large amounts of money, such as the military? Is this like the liberal tax plan? Take the largest percentage of taxes from the people who earn the most, just on principle?

This “reasoning” is baffling. $450 million may not make a large dent in the national debt, but it’s reasons like PBS that make our debt so high in the first place- oh, and by the way, it’s still rising!

Not to mention, $450 million is still A LOT of money. How many guns and helmets, for instance, can $450 million buy to keep our brave men and women in uniform safe?

What’s more, if the other 90 percent of PBS’s funding comes from private donors, then, like all programs and organizations, if the American people deem Sesame Street and PBS as worthwhile, they will find a way to make up for that missing 10 percent. Imagine that! Besides, if PBS relies on the government for only ten percent of its funding, then Sesame Street and friends should do just fine when Romney cuts the cord.

In tackling the massive $16 trillion debt, the Republicans have to start somewhere. In choosing between cutting funding that would endanger our military or ruffle a few feathers, the argument is child’s play.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Lefts-Empty-Nest-Syndrome/248654228931805118.html

You Can't Reason with the Irrational

2012-10-04T15:36:00Z

Posted By: Staff

As America witnessed Mitt Romney’s besiegement of the Obama administration’s policies last night as the GOP candidate tenaciously issued smashing blows to the limp arguments of a visibly frustrated incumbent, the spirits of Republicans everywhere surged with hope and pride. The victory was awarded without doubt to Romney, with even liberals begrudgingly acknowledging their consensus. Yet, no one should have been surprised. It’s easy to win an argument when truth and facts are on your side. What was so satisfying was Romney’s delivery and artful use of ammunition (Obama’s own record) he and the Republican Party have on their side.

Still, of the 67 percent of debate watchers who said that Romney won the debate, nearly half of them said the showdown didn't make them more likely to vote for either candidate. Then there’s this gem, tweeted by The View’s own Sherri Shepherd: “Mitt’s got this #debate tonight… did he change my mind at all…. not a bit.”

Thanks for proving the point that allegiance to Obama is based completely on something other than his ability to lead or make policy that benefits our country. Luckily, though, Romney can assume the undecided voters out there are more reasonable and less close-minded than Ms. Shepherd, who doesn’t live up to her surname. She seems to have fallen “Forward” into an Animal Farm-esque herd of brainwashed “sheeple.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/You-Cant-Reason-with-the-Irrational/122683331266609795.html

Another Father of a Soldier Killed in Insider Attack Assails President Obama

2012-09-28T19:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, Laura spoke to another grieving father of a member of the U.S. military slain in a “green on blue” attack in Afghanistan. Dan Anders’ son, 21-year-old U.S. Army Specialist Mabry Anders, died on August 27 after being shot by a member of the Afghan militia who was able to pass through the American convoy posing as an ally.

Laura asked Anders, “What have you heard from President Obama?”

Anders told her, “I got a letter from the White House - just a letter. They just had his name in there, nothing personal.”

Laura asked Anders, “Do you think there is an effort to gloss over the circumstances of these insider killings and what could have perhaps been done differently to prevent them from happening in the first place?”

Anders answered, “Absolutely. It was definitely an insider attack and I had spoken to [Mabry] about that. And that was one of his fears, that it would be a known person.”

Anders said he has had received most of his information from news outlets, “I would just like to know the Army’s report of what really happened according to them and I don’t understand why the Obama administration is slower than the news agencies in finding out what happened.”

Anders revealed to Laura that the Army helicopter responsible for ultimately killing his son’s murderer had to ask for permission to do so first. When Laura asked him who had to give permission, Anders replied, “That’s a nice question of who makes those decisions. I don’t know that. I really don’t know that mechanism.”

Mabry Anders was Dan Anders’ only child, and shared his birthday, “He was my birthday present that year.”

Anders said overall, “I just don’t think that the whole government can be trusted over there. If we make a mistake with friendly fire or something like that, we’d have apologies from the administration and reparations to their families.”

Laura is joining Anders’ call for answers by urging her listeners to contact the White House and insist that the President provide real answers for these grieving families and all Americans whose hearts break for them.

Listen to the entire interview here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Another-Father-of-a-Soldier-Killed-in-Insider-Attack-Assails-President-Obama/-332503985130875094.html

More race-baiting on the Left as NAACP asks UN to step in

2012-09-27T12:36:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The NAACP seems to be in perfect messaging lock-step with the Obama campaign on the issue of race. Ever eager to stoke the fires of racial suspicion, the once-illustrious civil rights organization is growing increasingly tone-deaf and irrelevant to the real problems facing black America. It has now asked the UN to investigate America's "racially discriminatory" election laws. This is a curious venue from which to seek relief given the UN's own track record of inviting the world's worst human and civil rights abusers to sit on its own Human Rights commission. Nevertheless, the NAACP must have gotten the memo from AG Eric Holder, who has devoted an enormous amount of his time and our tax dollars to challenging states' reasonable efforts to ensure the integrity of their voting. Somehow it has become "racist" to require people to show IDs at polls. Michelle Obama upped the ante on this incendiary Democrat tactic during her recent speech to the Congressional Black Caucus. She invoked slavery, segregation and implied that Republicans wanted to bar black people from entering the voting booths. Disgusting. All of this is patronizing and demeaning to minorities--who the Obama Administration and NAACP must think aren't capable of holding basic forms of identification which are both readily available and required to see a doctor, enter many buildings, board trains and planes. Barack the "uniter" has, as I predicted in the summer of 2008, turned out to be the most racially polarizing figures in modern American politics.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/More-race-baiting-on-the-Left-as-NAACP-asks-UN-to-step-in/-11361621794759123.html

Father of 21-yr-old Marine killed in "insider attack" assails President Obama

2012-09-26T15:41:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Demands answers, justice, says obvious warning signs were present

Ingraham: "The president spent hours with Jay-Z, The View, but couldn't spend a few minutes with these families?"

Today on The Laura Ingraham Show, the grieving father of slain U.S. Marine shared his sorrow over this needless loss, and anger at the Obama Administration for failing to provide the families of "green-on-blue" victims either answers or comfort. Greg Buckley, Sr.'s son Greg, Jr., died on August 10, when an Afghan Police officer fired multiple AK-47 rounds into his chest as he worked out on an exercise bench at a Marine base in Afghanistan. A total of 51 killed in these "insider attacks" this year alone--among the dead are American, British and Australian forces. Buckley recounted that in one late May telephone call with his son, he expressed concern for his own safety due to the increasing hostility of Afghan troops and police toward Coalition forces. One shocking revelation: the Marine's father reported that his son had once been instructed by his Marine superiors to apologize to an Afghan soldier after the young Marine had defended America against the Afghan's verbal abuse. The Afghan police officer who killed his son was turned over to Afghan authorities, according to Buckley, Sr., which he found highly objectionable.

Regarding Obama’s recent passing comments on "insider attacks," Buckley responded, : “He can sit there and he can just go back and forth on this all day and make excuses, but …all I’m trying to get from this is justice, for not just my son, but for the other fifty soldiers who have lost their lives in [green-on-blue] attacks.”

Buckley believes these insider deaths were preventable because if his son knew about the threats of having these men carrying around loaded weapons, how could the government not know? “He wrote [his mom and me] basically a goodbye letter at the age of twenty. He knew in his heart and soul that he was not going to be able to come home. For a 20-year-old boy at the time to know this, how could our own government not know this?” Buckley continued,: “With all of these [green on blue] attacks, no one is being prosecuted over there. My son told me, that, ‘I am training guys that are going to turn around and execute me or kill me one way or the other.’”Buckley said his son had predicted his death since experiencing anti-American sentiment early on “An Afghani police officer started mumbling underneath his breath to my son that ‘we don’t need you here’…tormenting him. Then the superior soldier came over, an officer, one of Greg’s superiors, and told Greg to apologize.”

Buckley said his son was unarmed and in the gymnasium when he was shot repeatedly by an AK-47. Buckley said he was told his son’s murderer was 15-years-old, but he later discovered he was 25.

On August 10 at 9:30pm, his family was visited by U.S. Marines who delivered the bad news. Since then, he has received what appeared to be a form letter from President Obama, which contained no meaningful personal references to his son. Buckley said, “There was no warmth to it, there was no comfort to it… it’s just heart-wrenching that this man would drop the ball on my son, because my son should have been protected when he was there.” “They basically want to sweep it under the rug, the same way they did the other 51 soldiers who lost their lives over there.” Buckley has written President Obama a letter demanding answers regarding the murder of his son, urging him to bring our troops home immediately.

Laura noted that President Obama was in New York quite a bit recently, including for a large fundraiser hosted by Jay-Z and Beyonce. Laura asked Buckley,: “How far [was] that from your home?” Buckley answered, “Forty minutes....he could probably make it here in 20 minutes.”

When asked what Buckley wants from Obama, he said, “I want justice. I want justice for my son and for these other young men and for these boys and girls to come home immediately.”

Laura offered her condolences to Buckley, adding "Greg, I think my listeners across the country, their hearts break for you, and their absolute outrage over the apparent lack of seriousness in the government’s approach to this."

Laura is joining Buckley's calls for justice by urging her listeners to contact the White House, and insist that the President provide real answers for these grieving families and all Americans whose hearts break for them.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Father-of-21-yr-old-Marine-killed-in-insider-attack-assails-President-Obama/-924507669869330807.html

Two Northeast Republicans Who Need Your Support

2012-09-24T16:25:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Wayne Winsley (R-CT) for U.S. Congress

Wayne Winsley is challenging Democrat Rosa DeLauro in an important race for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District. Winsley is not a career politician. He is a citizen with courage and determination who is stepping forward to do what must be done to get his state and country moving in the right direction again.

Visit his website to offer your support.

Wendy Long (R-NY) for U.S. Senate

Wendy Long is challenging incumbent Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to become a New York Senator. Long is a New York mother, wife, attorney, and volunteer. She is also a member of Governor Mitt Romney's Justice Advisory Committee. Long believes New York needs a Senator who thinks for herself - not just someone who rubber-stamps the Obama agenda or checks with Chuck Schumer and says, “Me too!”

Visit her website to offer your support.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Two-Northeast-Republicans-Who-Need-Your-Support/365801629962701037.html

"Laura on the Fox & Friends"...the video idiocy designed to distract

2012-09-18T16:18:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click here to watch.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Laura-on-the-Fox--Friends...the-video-idiocy-designed-to-distract/-564053456952003910.html

Romney is Right

2012-09-12T16:58:00Z

Posted By: Bill Kristol

One can question the timing and tone of Mitt Romney’s statement last night. One can note he wasn't as fluent and clear as he might have been at his press conference this morning. Still, the fact remains that the events of September 11, 2012, represent a big moment for the country. Romney is right to sense this, and to seize on this moment as an occasion to explain the difference between his foreign policy and President Obama’s. He’s right to reject the counsel of the mainstream media, which is to keep quiet and give President Obama a pass.

Mark Halperin tweeted this morning, “Unless Mitt has gamed crisis out in some manner completely invisible to Gang of 500, doubling down=most craven + ill-advised move of ‘12.” Halperin couldn't be more wrong. Romney is right to bring home the weakness of the Obama administration, exemplified in the disgraceful statement issued yesterday, September 11, by the American embassy in Cairo—a statement, I believe, that would have to have been cleared by the State Department.

I'd add this: Romney deserves credit for emphasizing today that the events in Cairo and Benghazi remind us of the need for American leadership. He refused to cater to what must be a widespread (and understandable, if short-sighted) ‘let's just get out of that crazy part of the world’ sentiment among the public. He spoke in the tradition of conservative internationalism.

So, so far, I believe, pretty much so good. The question is, what comes next?

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Romney-is-Right/291587355991437052.html

Obama's Going to Las Vegas

2012-09-12T14:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On the day after the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed in Benghazi, the White House on Wednesday morning released a schedule showing that President Obama would continue with his planned campaign trip to Las Vegas.

Before he leaves, the schedule indicated, Obama will "deliver a statement" in the White House Rose Garden at 10:35 a.m., the White House said.

Obama on Wednesday morning confirmed the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens, the administration’s point man during the Libyan revolution, in a statement condemning the "outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans."

"While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants," Obama said.

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-Going-to-Las-Vegas/-741375281587722352.html

Please, No Moore Attacks on Truth

2012-08-31T16:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Democrats are criticizing Clint Eastwood for his speech at the RNC last night. No surprise there, but as far as anyone can tell, the Dems are hating Clint because either: a.) his words didn’t reflect their demonic agenda, or because b.) he is old. Probably both.

Truth is poison and foreign to Michael Moore’s mouth, and apparently to his ears as well, which is why he accused Eastwood of “rambling” and “mumbling.” The truth is such an unfamiliar concept to Moore and the truth-hating company he keeps that he can’t even process Clint’s fact-based zingers, or maybe he just chooses not to.

What all non-liberals heard with perfect clarity last night was that familiar, grizzled, gravely voice which has made Clint Eastwood everyone’s favorite American tough guy.

Moore went on to call Clint a “crazy old man.” Is he crazy because he is old? Lots of liberals are old…Jimmy Carter is no spring chicken. Not to mention Eastwood looks to be in much better shape than Moore, who is more than twenty years younger than the film star.

Or is Clint “crazy” because he said things which challenge Moore’s delusional reality? Maybe Eastwood’s “crazy” because the last four years of his life have been lived in a country “led” by a lying failure who has destroyed the America he knows and loves.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Please,-No-Moore-Attacks-on-Truth/33074935350824685.html

Learn to Speak Dog Whistle: 101

2012-08-30T19:50:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The principled and outstanding journalists at MSNBC continue to call attention to the important issue of “dog whistling”. They point out that many of the things Republicans say might sound like reasonable criticisms of Barack Obama’s policies, but are actually racist. Many listeners have complained that they aren’t picking up the hateful, racist tones of the Romney campaign, but luckily a few liberals have stepped up to fill us in.

Chris Matthews today pointed out that Republicans talk about Chicago a lot. The unenlightened among us might think this is because Chicago has a reputation for dirty politics and Obama was from Chicago. But as Matthews points out, there sure are a lot of black people in Chicago. Code cracked!

In fact, the White House has come out with its own list of offensive phrases you might not think are actually racist. The State Department’s Chief Diversity Officer John M. Robinson told employees to avoid using the term “holding down the fort”, for example. The “fort” apparently means the forts set up by American pioneers and “holding” it means slaughtering thousands of innocent Native-Americans. Other phrases to avoid include “handicap”, “going Dutch”, Black and Tan”, and “rule of thumb”. “Rule of thumb” should be avoided because many believe it refers to an old rule allowing men to beat their wives (Never mind that this belief is almost certainly incorrect).

Hopefully, you’ve now seen the error of your terribly, terribly bigoted ways. And if you’ve managed to avoid saying any of these phrases above, don’t think you’re scot-free. As long as people continue to criticize Obama, and as long as liberals can’t counter their arguments, the number of racist phrases is sure to grow!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Learn-to-Speak-Dog-Whistle:-101/321193489896763619.html

Newt schools a new generation of conservatives

2012-08-30T16:48:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich spoke on the show today about the debut of “Newt University,” his seminar series at the RNC. Newt U focuses on topics, which will be in the forefront of the minds of voters who take to the polls this fall to elect the next president of the United States.

And who better to instruct on the principles of conservatism than the former West Georgia College history professor whose résumé includes, among other accomplishments, taking back Republican control of Congress for the first time in 40 years and overseeing Congress’ passage of the first balanced budget in a generation?

Newt U covers subjects from health care to energy; issues which extend beyond the upcoming presidential election and will reverberate in our nation’s future.

Watch Newt Gingrich educate a new generation of conservatives (and others who want to learn more) on American energy independence. We have an enormous opportunity here to free ourselves of our reliance on energy from dictators and despots.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Newt-schools-a-new-generation-of-conservatives/714976888731967685.html

Ann Romney, Class(y) Act

2012-08-29T16:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Ann Romney’s speech at the RNC last night had been highly hyped. She was charged with making her husband more likeable, and by most accounts, her delivery hit the mark. What isn’t being publicized, however, is what Ann Romney accomplished in the way of making Ann Romney more likeable. She took to the stage wearing a flattering, feminine, stylish, just-right red dress. Her look was reminiscent of the Republican Party itself: traditional, yet updated to fit the times.

Juan Williams criticized Ann for looking like a “corporate wife.” Williams seems to think that only people who have actually been on welfare, used food stamps, and experienced poverty first-hand are fit to be the wives of men in positions of high elected office. Because Ann Romney has been “blessed,” she is not qualified to be the First Lady.

Don’t worry, Juan, we all know Michelle Obama suffered in her past life, having to pay off her college loans. But we think she’s more than made up for it by now. With Michelle donning a jacket with a price tag of $6,800 and chalking up 16 vacations in one year, is the current FLOTUS still in touch with ”the struggles of American women in general”?

Luckily Brit Hume was on hand to defend the lady’s honor. “I think a lot of women could look at her ... and find her utterly admirable and utterly credible,” he said of Ann.

Here’s to an inspiring, dignified, classy, and lovely lady. Can’t wait to see what outfit you wow us with at the Inaugural Ball!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Ann-Romney,-Classy-Act/-860691023637889534.html

Barack Me Like a Hurricane

2012-08-28T17:55:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Hurricane Isaac may be lingering just off the Gulf of Mexico coast, but Obama’s hightailing it in the opposite direction. The Campaigner-in-Chief is making campaign stops today in Iowa and Colorado. This alone is a major breach of election etiquette; candidates typically don’t campaign during the other party’s convention. But that Obama is out running for reelection while danger looms off the coast is also a major dereliction of duty. Maybe he hopes the damage caused by Hurricane Isaac will overshadow the four-year devastation of America wrought by Hurricane Barack.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Barack-Me-Like-a-Hurricane/-16691232255899302.html

Crist Former Elephant, Evolves to Rino, Now a Jack*ss

2012-08-27T17:46:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist wrote an editorial this weekend for the Tampa Bay Times endorsing Barack Obama and attacking the Republican Party. While the media treated it as an act of principle, they forgot to note that Crist has a long history of being a manipulative snake. Crist ran for Senate in 2010, only to lose the Republican primary to Marco Rubio by 20 points. Rather than allowing the GOP nominee to breeze into the Senate, Crist tried to sink Rubio with him by running as an Independent. As soon as Crist left the Republican Party, he abandoned so much of his previous positions that The National Review set up its own “Charlie Crist Flip-Flip Hall of Fame”. Perhaps his sleaziest move was refusing to return the campaign contributions of those who donated to Crist the Republican and not Crist the Independent, even after saying he would return them.

The fact is that Charlie Crist is just a sore loser and a political opportunist throwing a tantrum. Charlie Crist didn’t abandon the GOP, Republican voters rejected him as soon as they realized what kind of man he is.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Crist-Former-Elephant,-Evolves-to-Rino,-Now-a-Jack*ss/720352576838575656.html

Dems' Two-Faced Double Talk

2012-08-27T17:42:00Z

Posted By: Staff

One must give liberals credit, when it comes to one-upping on offensive insults, no one else comes close.

Mitt Romney recently made a “birther” joke, poking fun at a subject Obama himself and his campaign have acknowledged in a humorous light in the past. Romney makes a comment in reference to FACT- people have asked to see Obama’s birth certificate, along with his college records, Social Security card, etc.- and he is demonized as being "base" and a "bigot."

The Democrats overreacted to Romney’s comment, as is their custom. It’s understandable that a party which is based on principles of selfishness would lack a sense of humor, but more than that, the Dems have shown themselves to be completely hypocritical once again.

This morning, Chris Matthews denounced Romney’s remarks as racist. Can you imagine if any Republican ever even insinuated the possibility of a Democrat fostering racism? Not to mention calling them "base" and "bigoted." The nerve! There would be irrational outrage, apologizes covered in apologizes, excuses, explanations, and take-backs.

How did we get stuck in this rut? The Republicans walk on egg shells when talking about Democrats, careful not to offend any one of the “victim” party who would lash out relentlessly at the slightest criticism. Matthews accuses Romney of being a racist and no one bats an eye. Stephanie Cutter charges Romney with being a felon, and no one dares fight back.

The Republican Party is one of ladies and gentlemen, but it’s time to stop being so polite. The Dems get away with way too much. Without becoming undignified, it may be time to get on the libs’ level and hold them accountable for their words and then see what they have to say. Our guess would be nothing.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Dems-Two-Faced-Double-Talk/534772907182014961.html

Romney's birth certificate joke

2012-08-24T20:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Mitt Romney is being raked over the coals for making a joke about Obama’s birth certificate in a speech in Michigan. Speaking about his wife Ann, Romney said “There are few things in life that are harder to find and more important to keep than love. Well, love and Obama’s birth certificate”. MSNBC immediately denounced the comment, calling it "the basest and the most despicable bigotry we might be able to imagine." The Obama campaign said Romney made the decision to “enlist himself in the birther movement”.

Wait a minute! That birth certificate joke was made by Obama at the White House Correspondents' dinner. Romney made a different joke, saying in his hometown, “No one’s ever asked to see my birth certificate”. Apparently birth certificate jokes are only funny when Obama makes them. Even today, you can buy a novelty mug on the Obama for America website with Obama’s birth certificate and the words “Made in the USA”. But when Mitt Romney makes birth certificate jokes, it’s the most racist thing since Jim Crow.

Liberals need to grow up and laugh a little... or Romney will sit laughing in the Oval Office.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Romneys-birth-certificate-joke/-808584487821315379.html

A Golden Rule

2012-08-24T20:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The GOP is calling for an audit of Federal Reserve monetary policy and a commission to look at restoring the link between the dollar and gold. In Tampa next week, the Republicans will seek to adopt the gold standard policy as their party platform. Maintaining standards on fiscal and social issues is what makes the Grand Old Party grand, and it’s a standard 'as good as gold.'

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/A-Golden-Rule/774098115311606437.html

CBO report retells an old story: Liberal spending does not restart the economy

2012-08-23T16:52:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reported that American spending has been a trillion dollars above revenue for the fourth year in a row. Mitt Romney called it “unacceptable” and Barack Obama called it…“habit”? The Democrats, namely Jay Carney, blame Republicans for the impending doom for giving “massive new tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires – tax cuts we can't afford that would do nothing to strengthen the economy.” Yes, the Republicans’ unwillingness to punish the wealthy is why we’re in so much debt. Of course it has nothing to do with wasteful, inflated budgets for liberal agenda items such as Sandra Fluke’s “reproductive needs,” more than $500,000 to replace the windows at the Mt. St. Helens visitors center, and nearly $300,000 to study the use of yoga to reduce hot flashes for women in menopause.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/CBO-report-retells-an-old-story:-Liberal-spending-does-not-restart-the-economy/607472353681569556.html

Media coverage demonstrates bias

2012-08-22T19:52:00Z

Posted By: Staff

During Laura’s interview with NBC’s Senior Political Correspondent Chuck Todd today, Laura took Todd to task about the media’s bias and penchant for under-covering critical issues in favor of topics which correspond with their agendas.

What a media organization covers is a decision which reflects the values and ideology of its producers and editors. This fact is obvious to anyone who has ever read a newspaper or watched TV. How a story is covered and what the story contains are the most blatant ways media shows bias.

Chuck Todd attempts somehow to fool himself and you into believing otherwise.

Laura charged Todd and other coverage shows with obsessing over the words of one man in Missouri (Akin), while ignoring critical issues such as the economy and turmoil in the Middle East. Todd admitted that Laura’s accusation is accurate, and Jake Tapper backed her up; however, Todd excused the media, saying, “It’s not media bias…it’s what they’re covering.”

It is indeed, “what they’re covering” which supersedes what they’re not covering. Todd said media is “less political than people think it is.”

Todd also said it’s “a chicken and egg conversation,” and that “the real media bias is geographic.” Because “the media-industrial complex is located in New York City…that’s why there are cultural biases built into the media,” Todd said, but what came first, liberals in New York or biased liberal media which misinforms Americans?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Media-coverage-demonstrates-bias/886107250586539723.html

Documentary blows the lid off illegal immigration

2012-08-22T14:45:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Filmmaker takes on the problem of undocumented workers

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Documentary-blows-the-lid-off-illegal-immigration/-946267706830533670.html

Obama campaigns on YOUR tax dollars

2012-08-20T21:12:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Two months. Up until today, President Obama hadn’t held a press conference in nearly two months. And after two months of dodging the press, what did he give reporters hungry for information on important issues? Nothing but tired campaign rhetoric. Obama again pressed Mitt Romney to release more of his tax returns, while downplaying his campaign’s ties to an ad claiming Mitt Romney led to a steelworker’s death. Is this why the nation’s journalists converge to hear the President of the United States speak? To hear campaign attacks? And because the White House’s press conferences are funded with taxpayer dollars, you get to pay for it. At least when Obama was giving interviews for puff pieces in People and Entertainment Today, it wasn’t on our dime! Obama needs to stop using official apparatuses of the presidency to stump for his campaign, especially when there are real issues a competent president would be addressing. Every second Obama shamelessly promotes himself on our dime is another second our economy worsens, Iran gets closer to nuclear capability, and our federal deficit grows. As you watch Obama avoid the issues, ask yourself one question: Who’s really running this nation, President Obama or Candidate Obama?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-campaigns-on-YOUR-tax-dollars/-903498425384490384.html

To the Ryan critics--the "purity" demands are self-defeating

2012-08-13T16:16:00Z

Posted By: Nina May

The following is a point-by-point response from FreedomWorks, to those who contend that Paul Ryan "isn't conservative enough" to be on the ticket:

Paul Ryan was one of only 35 House Republicans who voted for Barney Frank's "gay rights" ENDA legislation:

"But he’s also had some more pointed dissents, including being one of relatively few House Republicans to vote for a bill that would have outlawed workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act." Roll call (2007): http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll1057.xml

------

And for Davis-Bacon preferences for union labor, which artificially inflates the wage rates paid for public construction projects, driving up government costs?

"On jobs and labor, he...was one of the relatively few Republicans to vote to preserve the Davis-Bacon labor rules in military construction spending earlier this year, which gives preference to unionized labor."

-----

And for the $850 billion Wall Street bailout and the $15 trillion unfunded liability created by the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit?

"But he also voted for some of the major parts of the Bush administration that have drawn fire, including...the 2003 Medicare prescription drug law that added a new entitlement to the government’s books without finding a way to pay for it.He also voted for the Wall Street bailout in 2008, which has become a a flashpoint for both ends of the political spectrum." http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/11/ryans-voting-record-shows-conservatism-tinged-mave/?page=all#pagebreak

Oh please people, get over it. You are on a sinking ship and you are complaining that the waiter forgot to put a lemon wedge in the water. The conservatives who squandered the Reagan legacy by always demanding 100% purity on every issue have helped steer the ship of state onto the treacherous rocks of socialism/Marxism. And still, we are eating our young after forming a circular firing squad loaded with impossible demands that can only be realized in a perfect world.

I have listened for over thirty years as conservative leaders wring their hands in despair hoping for the perfect leader. We have him, his name is Jesus. There are no perfect men alive on earth today and if we, once again, allow perfect to be the enemy of really great, then we will have no one to blame but ourselves for continued defeat, and the possible demise of the republic.

If conservatives are going to dabble in pettiness . . . Which this clearly is, then we will hold as much blame for the failure of this nation as any Marxist who holds a public office today. This is a time to rally the base, ensure voter fraud does not steal the election and pray for Gods mercy on us as a nation. Now is the time to extend grace and pray that God does likewise on us.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/To-the-Ryan-critics--the-purity-demands-are-self-defeating/-265872513251208384.html

Dirty Harry not getting any cleaner

2012-08-08T17:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Harry Reid will not be seeking reelection and so has nothing to lose. He no longer has to pretend, and is taking advantage of his final days by adopting a devil-may-care attitude toward the truth at what would be an unprecedented level, if the tendencies of his party were not taken into consideration. Accusing Mitt Romney of not paying taxes for 10 years is just the beginning of the end of Reid’s long history of memorably bogus accusations. His latest claim about Romney was enough even to make the Democratic party turn their heads, though they no doubt high-fived Reid behind closed doors. He is fulfilling the role of Democrat scapegoat just fine and loving it.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Dirty-Harry-not-getting-any-cleaner/361540648168294545.html

Tea Party derangement syndrome claims another victim

2012-08-08T17:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

If you have any delusions that media treats the Tea Party fairly, this recent editorial from Bloomberg should set you straight. Former TIME correspondent Margaret Carlson breathlessly describes the “Tea Party Plan to Cripple Congress”. To summarize her logic: When Tea Party congressmen have clashed with supporters of Big Government, nothing got done, and this is clearly the Tea Party’s fault. So when two forces in Congress disagree, it’s automatically the conservatives’ fault? It takes two to tango, Margaret! Why not blame liberals for refusing to capitulate to the Tea Party instead of vice versa? Of course, the argument also takes it for granted that government action is always better than inaction. Of course Democrats are livid that the Tea Party refuses to allow them to run up our debt even more than they have already! Tea Party’s only crime is disagreeing with liberals, and the media’s bias is so deep-seated they can’t even see it!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Tea-Party-derangement-syndrome-claims-another-victim/647506101145743637.html

Rev. Owen's Petition in support of traditional marriage

2012-08-02T13:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click to sign the petition

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rev.-Owens-Petition-in-support-of-traditional-marriage/-458174248434083686.html

Rahm Emanuel tough on Chik-Fil-La as murders soar

2012-07-27T18:40:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Former Chicago Public High School basketball star Michael Haynes was shot and killed on the Far South Side Thursday evening, one of five men gunned down in a 12-hour span in Chicago.

Haynes, 22, was shot dead while trying to break up a fight over a stolen necklace near his home, said his cousin Kandice Blouin, 25. He was just months before finally achieving his goal of playing Division I college basketball.

“In a couple more days, he would be fulfilling his dreams,” said his uncle, Martin Kimbrough, 52. “My family is devastated.”

After Haynes’ murder, two young men were found shot dead on the South Side before midnight.

Read more

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Rahm-Emanuel-tough-on-Chik-Fil-La-as-murders-soar/-268495096876342877.html

Support the victims of the Aurora shooting

2012-07-23T14:04:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click here to donate.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Support-the-victims-of-the-Aurora-shooting/-812885999937988967.html

TIME: Its ok to politicize Aurora

2012-07-20T16:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Liberal strategy: Don't let a crisis go to waste. Now we see how the liberal left is going to use the Colorado shootings. Is nothing off-limits to these people?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/TIME:-Its-ok-to-politicize-Aurora/-810260437799665598.html

Mitt's 'apology' mistake

2012-07-17T11:17:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Odd that a man who wrote a book titled “No Apology” would spend days and days demanding an apology from his rival. Yet that’s just what Mitt Romney has been doing, in a spectacularly wrongheaded approach to the attacks on his tenure at Bain Capital by President Obama and his campaign.

The problem with demanding an apology is that the most effective response is a pretty simple one, and Obama gave it: “No.”

Once the “no” is delivered, then what can Romney do? Keep demanding one?

It was pure rope-a-dope. Obama’s surrogates attacked unfairly and thereby drew an irate Romney demand for an apology. Then Obama threw him by refusing.

Read More

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Mitts-apology-mistake/-958122625682447174.html

Troubled New York hospitals forgo coverage for malpractice

2012-07-16T12:19:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Every hospital makes mistakes. But some New York City hospitals may not have enough money to pay for them.

Several of the city’s most troubled hospitals are partially or completely uninsured for malpractice, state records show, forgoing what is considered a standard safeguard across the country.

Some have saved money to cover their liabilities, but others have used up their malpractice reserves, meaning that any future awards or settlements could come at the expense of patients’ care, and one hospital has closed its obstetric practice, in part out of fear of lawsuits.

Read More

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Troubled-New-York-hospitals-forgo-coverage-for-malpractice/-71952229938756358.html

Geithner yawned at epic fraud

2012-07-16T11:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Tim Geithner had evidence of a financial crime of epic proportion — so he wrote a memo.

That’s about the only way you can sum up the then-New York Fed boss’ actions several years ago, when he was confronted with fairly compelling evidence that banks under his direct supervision were manipulating Libor — a key benchmark of global finance.

The Libor scandal has become pretty big news, with Barclays ousting its CEO and agreeing to pay a large fine even as it cooperates with civil and criminal law-enforcement authorities now investigating other big banks.

Read More

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Geithner-yawned-at-epic-fraud/66185372531920258.html

Watch Laura host The Factor tonight!

2012-07-06T11:32:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Tune in at 8/11p ET--watch live or DVR it on the Fox News Channel.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Watch-Laura-host-The-Factor-tonight!/-230806051149050110.html

Romney Campaign Declaring Cease Fire on Health Care

2012-07-03T14:28:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court health care ruling, the early conventional wisdom was that an unfavorable health care ruling at the court would be good for Republicans politically, even as it was a serious policy setback for conservatives. But that's not shaping up to be the case. Mitt Romney, after giving a brief statement decrying the decision, has been virtually silent on criticizing the health care law. He's been on vacation and his campaign has been giving off clear signals that it doesn't want to make health care a major part of the election.

His senior adviser, Eric Fehrnstrom, went on MSNBC Monday and ended up agreeing with the Obama campaign's spin that, even though the Supreme Court declared the individual mandate a tax, it really still is a penalty. Significantly, his campaign appears to want to take the most potent argument against the president on the health care subject off the table, likely out of fear the Romney himself is vulnerable when it comes to his health care record. He, after all, supported a mandate as governor of Massachusetts, and doesn't want that to be considered a tax, either.

Read more.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Romney-Campaign-Declaring-Cease-Fire-on-Health-Care/-6591547505269106.html

NYT insert: Russian Aviation Flying Blind

2012-06-13T20:45:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The United States has expressed concern that Russia, unsurprisingly, may be sending Syria helicopters and other arms. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Russia has lied in claiming that its arms transfers to Syria are unrelated to the conflict.

As Russia ascends to dominance on the world stage, President Obama continues jetting around the country fundraising for his reelection. Turning a blind eye to the woes in the Middle East, he’s flying to New York Thursday for a fundraiser with Sarah Jessica Parker and Anna Wintour.

When I looked at this headline in a pro-Russia New York Times insert, I thought it aptly described the Obama Administration’s foreign policy on Russia.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/NYT-insert:-Russian-Aviation-Flying-Blind/243913304906131982.html

Is Eric Holder incompetent or corrupt?

2012-06-13T20:16:00Z

Posted By: Staff

After asking Attorney General Eric Holder to resign yesterday, Senator John Cornyn of Texas stopped by the Laura Ingraham Show to chat about his announcement. Not only does Senator Cornyn wish for Holder's resignation, but sees Holder's corruption as a vehicle to rid President Obama from office.

Laura also asked Senator Cornyn whether Senator Dianne Feinstein should join efforts to remove Holder from office in the wake of the White House leaking scandal.

You will be surprised with what you’ll hear! Check out the highlights below and the full interview here: http://youtu.be/KkB6S40iXtw

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Is-Eric-Holder-incompetent-or-corrupt/-442232911929064671.html

On the issue of kindergarten graduation ceremonies...

2012-06-11T17:11:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

I was a long-time educator in the Rochester, New York public school system. Our school's (K-5) Flag Day was the kind of end of the year school event I cherished. The kindergarten students would walk in with their paper flags they had made. Each grade level had a relevant song or poem or mini-play. The school band played patriotic songs. Of course we had the pledge and a local speaker, the principal and student council president as well. At noon we had a hot dog roast with parents invited--as they were to the Flag Day ceremony--totally patriotic and American, so popular the other schools in the district adopted it.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/On-the-issue-of-kindergarten-graduation-ceremonies.../-352126103868382653.html

FHA puts hand out as losses mount

2012-06-08T19:22:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Faced with a rising number of severely delinquent loans, the Federal Housing Administration is taking a very small program to sell these loans to investors and ramping it way up.

The government's mortgage insurer came to the rescue of the mortgage market, when credit seized up at the start of the recent housing crash.

It's market share rose from barely 3 percent to upwards of 40 percent of new originations. Now it is saddled with over 700,000 bad loans, or 9 percent of the residential loans it insures.

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/FHA-puts-hand-out-as-losses-mount/465222126038136414.html

Obama: More Government Jobs Please!

2012-06-08T18:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In a press conference this morning, President Obama attempted to explain away the economic woes the country is facing. One of his most stunning submissions was his pronouncing that "the private sector is doing fine"!!

I guess President Obama forgot that 18.1% of the American workforce is currently underemployed, mostly because (private-sector) employers cannot afford to pay employees for full-time work. But Obama continued, "Where we're seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government. Oftentimes cuts initiated by, you know, Governors or mayors who are not getting the kind of help that they have in the past from the federal government and who don't have the same kind of flexibility as the federal government in dealing with fewer revenues coming in."

Yes, you read that correctly. Obama wants more and more government bureaucrats.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama:-More-Government-Jobs-Please!/43331830105617599.html

Fast & Furious: Holder testifies before Congress for 8th time

2012-06-07T19:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

One at a time, Rep. Darrell Issa held up a thick wiretap application form and slammed it on his dais in the elaborate House Judiciary Committee hearing room. Each time the Vista, Calif., Republican angrily read out loud the dates: May 15, 2010, April 19, 2010, May 7, 2010, May 17, 2010, June 2, 2010, and July 2, 2010. All of them, he said, “before Brian Terry was gunned down.”

The packages were proof, Issa contended, that the Department of Justice in Washington and perhaps the Obama White House were aware of the flawed tactics in the ATF’s Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation in Arizona that allowed more than 2,000 firearms to “walk” into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

Read More.

Attorney General Eric Holder claimed during congressional testimony today that internal Justice Department emails that use the phrase “Fast and Furious” do not refer to the controversial gun-walking operation Fast and Furious.

Under questioning from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who read excerpts of the emails at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Justice Department oversight, Holder claimed that the phrase “Fast and Furious” did not refer to Fast and Furious but instead referred to another gun-walking operation known as “Wide Receiver.”

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Fast--Furious:-Holder-testifies-before-Congress-for-8th-time/421324103658113389.html

Now Jeb's praising Obama!

2012-06-07T16:08:00Z

Posted By: Steve V.

We should just have the Bushes work for Obama, and have the Clintons work for Romney. That way everyone would be supporting the candidate that they really want to win.

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Now-Jebs-praising-Obama!/564297676494424297.html

May Fundraising Race: Romney $76.8m v. Obama $60m

2012-06-07T15:56:00Z

Posted By: Staff

(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Republican groups raised more than $76.8 million in May, his campaign said on Thursday, topping the $60 million President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies hauled in. The campaign and Republican National Committee have $107 million cash on hand, the campaign said.

President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have raised a combined $60 million in May for his re-election effort.

The totals helped the president exceed his fundraising haul in April, when his campaign and his party raised $43.6 million. That was slightly more than his presumed challenger in the November election, Mitt Romney, and the Republican Party, which raised about $40 million in April.

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/May-Fundraising-Race:-Romney-$76.8m-v.-Obama-$60m/365888788956023455.html

Wisconsin and the GOP ground game

2012-06-07T11:29:00Z

Posted By: Staff

We'll be talking about Tuesday's Wisconsin recall election for a long time to come.

The results were a historic setback for organized labor, which failed to oust Gov. Scott Walker in a citadel of modern progressivism. And how it must have stung that 38% of union households voted for Mr. Walker, up a point from 2010 when he was first elected.

The election has implications for November. The Badger State now looks more like it did in 2000 and 2004, when Democrats narrowly carried it by margins of 5,708 votes and 11,384 votes, respectively. President Obama's campaign now admits Wisconsin is a tossup. That isn't an encouraging trend in a state he won by 414,818 votes.

Read More.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Wisconsin-and-the-GOP-ground-game/-814591223360624312.html

Playing with God's Design: Fetal DNA Blueprints

2012-06-07T11:18:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

On Wednesday the journal Science Translational Medicine reported that a fetus's entire genome has been determined by researchers using a sample of a pregnant mother's blood and a saliva sample from the father.

The process is less invasive and risky than the amniocentesis, albeit much more expensive. However, given the anticipated demand for such procedures, it is predicted that the price tag will plummet quite quickly.

The same ethical issues that are attached to amniocentesis – increased abortions for fetuses with poor prenatal diagnoses for conditions such as Down syndrome as well as parental preferences for gender and other traits are obvious. But it doesn't take much imagination to envision "Brave New World" scenarios down the road where these blueprints are more widely used. For example, will it become requisite for a person to submit his/her blueprint for employment or admission to an educational institution? Will government or industrial databases of these blueprints be used to justify unfathomable actions? Will this lead eventually to the ground up construction of human species to serve human interests rather than God's design?

He gives us freedom of choice: what decisions will we make?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Playing-with-Gods-Design:-Fetal-DNA-Blueprints/180889273189722359.html

China & Russia: Masters of the new global political agenda

2012-06-06T11:27:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

While President Obama flits around the nation, frantically fundraising and bankrupting the treasury to buy votes from truculent interest groups, China and Russia are boldly setting the new global political agenda.

On Tuesday Russia's President Vladimir Putin and China's Hu Jintao stood together at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and vowed to “set the global political and economic order in a more fair and rational direction.” In an editorial in People's Daily, Putin purred, “This partnership is something needed in today’s world.”

As elite foreign policy wonks have slammed Mitt Romney for raising concerns over Russia and China, this duo have consistently undercut the United States in dealing with Iran, North Korea and Syria, clearly not cowed or deterred by the putative leader of the free world.

This is a critical moment for Mr. Romney to put forth his own strategic global vision to counter the new self-proclaimed masters of the global agenda before it is too late for all of US.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/China--Russia:-Masters-of-the-new-global-political-agenda/157122324819832714.html

RNC responds to Dems' Anna Wintour ad! Do you find it effective?

2012-06-05T12:21:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Republican National Committee released a new web video yesterday lampooning the Obama campaign’s latest fundraising effort, a web ad with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour that came out Friday, the same day as the dismal jobs report.

Check out how the RNC lampoons Wintour and the Dems.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/RNC-responds-to-Dems-Anna-Wintour-ad!-Do-you-find-it-effective/-156445881280212343.html

Team Obama...Lyin' in Wintour

2012-06-04T11:34:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

The Obama campaign has garnered disquieting headlines for its campaign stumbles. The tin ear hasn't healed.

On Friday two high profile Obama celebrity surrogates, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker, were featured in campaign ads -- the same day as horrible unemployment numbers were released.

Wintour tries to entice voters to enter yet another "Dinner with Barack" Obama contest in an ad called "Don't be late". She praises the wonderful women she gets to pal around with - such as Michelle Obama and Sarah Jessica Parker and states she wants to hear your reasons for supporting Obama.

Does anyone believe such nonsense from the inspiration for "The Devil Wears Prada"?

Sarah Jessica Parker's ad "That Guy" which was aired during the MTV Movie Awards details her reason for supporting Obama - his job creation, his coming out for same sex marriage and for ending the war in Iraq.

Again, given the dire economic news here and abroad and the US being snubbed by China and Russia in dealing with Syria and Iran, does anyone buy what Parker is selling? As another Sarah P. said four years ago, "It's lipstick on a pig".

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Team-Obama...Lyin-in-Wintour/-630187069352346968.html

Job growth was weak across the board. Meanwhile, Obama to attend SIX fundraisers!

2012-06-01T16:56:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Today’s employment report is very discouraging. Analysts had expected employers to create around 150,000 net jobs — a bit more than needed to keep up with population growth. We got fewer than half that many: just 69,000 net new jobs. Updates also showed we created almost 50,000 fewer jobs than originally reported in May and April.

Job growth was weak almost across the board. Most sectors showed little to no improvement, with the main exceptions being healthcare (+33,000), transportation and warehousing (+36,000). Manufacturing edged up slightly (+12,000), as did wholesale trade (+16,000). Government employment fell (-13,000), as did construction (-28,000). The latter may be the result of the warm winter moving the start of construction projects (and thus jobs) forward into December and January.

Read more.

Meanwhile...

With Republicans steamrollering ahead with a group of well-fed Super Pacs and an increasingly successful money effort by Mitt Romney, President Obama Friday will attend six fundraisers, a possible sign of budding desperation for a campaign that is lagging far behind its initial fundraising expectations.

Read more.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Job-growth-was-weak-across-the-board.-Meanwhile,-Obama-to-attend-SIX-fundraisers!/-24645253385945208.html

Must Read about Fracking

2012-05-30T15:56:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Faced with mounting criticism, the State University of New York at Buffalo is distancing itself from a Marcellus Shale gas-drilling study released earlier this month by the school’s own Shale Resources and Society Institute.

But the report’s lead author is defending the work by the fledgling institute, saying Monday that it’s being mischaracterized by environmental activists who oppose any additional domestic fossil-fuel production.

Read more.

Check out the study here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Must-Read-about-Fracking/731021094546233365.html

Shock poll: Obama is leading in California
Meanwhile, California foreclosures destroying neighborhoods

2012-05-29T14:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Shock poll: Obama is leading in California

The potent mix of voters that has powered Democratic presidential victories in California for a generation overwhelmingly supports President Obama's bid for reelection, forming a demographic wall blocking Republican Mitt Romney from the biggest pot of electoral votes available in November.

By huge margins, women, independents, moderates and Latinos are arrayed against the presumptive Republican nominee, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll of registered voters that found Obama leading overall 56% to 37%.

Read more.

Meanwhile, California foreclosures destroying neighborhoods.

William Perez has been waiting a long time to tell someone all the sad and crazy things he's seen.

Perez runs a crew that crisscrosses Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley doing the dirty but essential job of cleaning up homes that have been foreclosed and then trashed by humans and neglect.

"The good news about this place," he told me as we stood inside one such property on Wilmington Avenue in Watts, "is that there's no fleas."

Read more

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Shock-poll:-Obama-is-leading-in-CaliforniabrMeanwhile,-California-foreclosures-destroying-neighborhoods/66879298458956074.html

MSNBC Desecrates Our Fallen Heroes

2012-05-29T01:15:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

On Memorial Day weekend the nation was united in its commemoration of our fallen heroes with coverage on all networks focused on their sacrifices throughout the day. Not MSNBC.

It kicked off with Chris Hayes, editor of ultra liberal "The Nation" magazine and host of the weekend show "Up" putting down our heroes. Hayes mused on his Sunday show, "I'm uncomfortable calling our military fallen 'heroes'". Hayes babbled on about unjust wars, denigrating his country and the military.

Hayes immediately had to issue an apology for his heinous remarks that caused a firestorm, big news for a minor league show. No doubt the MSNBC suits were "uncomfortable" with such egregious comments tarnishing the corporate brand.

Monday's fare would reinforce Hayes' and the network's outlook. While MSNBC had news coverage in the morning, their afternoon and evening programming was reruns of their prison "doc block" series. Did NBC have no footage of heroic achievements of America's finest and bravest in their vaults to broadcast instead of tawdry stories about inmates who deserve not a second of airtime on this sacred day?

Obviously MSNBC is still in the radical liberal mindset of the Vietnam era in which our troops were treated with disrespect for their valor for too many years. Is it any wonder their niche audience is so small?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/MSNBC-Desecrates-Our-Fallen-Heroes/-12778245257093256.html

Tom Manion: Why They Serve-'If Not Me, Then Who?'

2012-05-25T14:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

I served in the military for 30 years. But it was impossible to fully understand the sacrifices of our troops and their families until April 29, 2007, the day my son, First Lt. Travis Manion, was killed in Iraq.

Travis was just 26 years old when an enemy sniper's bullet pierced his heart after he had just helped save two wounded comrades. Even though our family knew the risks of Travis fighting on the violent streets of Fallujah, being notified of his death on a warm Sunday afternoon in Doylestown, Pa., was the worst moment of our lives.

Read more.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Tom-Manion:-Why-They-Serve-If-Not-Me,-Then-Who/-327400181468439531.html

Romney scolded after reaching out to blacks in Philadelphia

2012-05-25T13:29:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Mitt Romney’s campaign team has been quietly laying plans for an outreach effort to President Obama’s most loyal supporters — black voters — not just to chip away at the huge Democratic margins but also as a way to reassure independent swing voters that Romney can be inclusive and tolerant in his thinking and approach.

Read more.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Romney-scolded-after-reaching-out-to-blacks-in-Philadelphia/-995429677152177393.html

Must-Read Memorial Day Stories

2012-05-25T11:33:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Obama’s Watch: 39 Months, 69 Percent of Afghan War Casualties

Lisle, VFW working to preserve meaning of Memorial Day

WWII veteran Andy Andrews recalls battles on Memorial Day

Rolling Thunder - Something Worth Fighting For

Preparing to remember: Soldiers plant more than 222,000 U.S. flags at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend brings skydive event to Suffolk

Group aims to restore sacredness to Memorial Day with annual trips to decorate war memorials in D.C.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Must-Read-Memorial-Day-Stories/204025797962240409.html

Muslim woman asked to remove head scarf in NJ mall

2012-05-24T14:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

A Muslim woman has accused a New Jersey shopping mall security guard of trying to force her to remove her head-covering garment.

“He came into my face and made a hand gesture like he was going to lift my veil off,’ ” Wakeelah Salaam, 30, told The Post of her ordeal at the Bridgewater Commons Mall last Saturday.

Read more.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Muslim-woman-asked-to-remove-head-scarf-in-NJ-mall/-972200762575733047.html

Advice from Brian Kilcommons, Dog Trainer to the Stars

2012-05-23T15:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Check out Brian’s great website: www.greatpets.com

You can also e-mail Brian for pet-training advice at Brian@GreatPets.com

Brian also suggests that your pets to get microchips! Also, make sure the microchips are active.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Advice-from-Brian-Kilcommons,-Dog-Trainer-to-the-Stars/757041888214229944.html

Stunning New Gallup poll: Pro-Choice Americans at Record Low!

2012-05-23T15:52:00Z

Posted By: Staff

According to a brand-new Gallup development, the number of Americans who identify as “pro-choice” is at an all time low. Gallup, since the controversial Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, has been tracking public opinion on abortion.

This just goes to show you that you shouldn’t give up on the causes you believe in. Hats off to grassroots pro-life activists!

Read the Gallup piece here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Stunning-New-Gallup-poll:-Pro-Choice-Americans-at-Record-Low!/-996991486337227618.html

Porter Goss is outraged over politicized intelligence

2012-05-22T17:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click here to listen to part of the interview.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Porter-Goss-is-outraged-over-politicized-intelligence/-216356176028515152.html

Treadmill diplomacy, treadmill economy

2012-05-21T12:35:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

The economy is on a treadmill at best--lots of motion, going nowhere.

President Obama unwittingly made this point over the weekend.

Obama and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, were reportedly engaged in bilateral scheming on the treadmills at Camp David over the weekend, cooking up ways to undermine Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel who continues to favor austerity as the main tool in dealing with the eurozone's debt problems. President Obama loudly signaled his opposition, bragging about the US's recovery due to printing money, stimulus and some cuts.

Never mind that the US's debt problems are frighteningly akin to those of Greece, masked by America's position as the world's reserve currency and last haven for investment - the least worst among a sorry lot. The term growth has replaced investment, spending, tax increases as code for politicians promising all sorts of benefits to retain power and get re-elected, postponing payment for whenever.

What will happen as the treadmill speeds up and the user is eventually thrown off? President Obama and his fellow idealogues are banking on making it through the next election, ginning up a list of scapegoats to point to should anything occur to thwart their vision or tarnish their legacies if the chips are suddenly called in.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Treadmill-diplomacy,-treadmill-economy/112376693810702757.html

Video: This Week Roundtable

2012-05-20T23:34:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Roundtable II: This Week in Politics

George Will, Donna Brazile, Matthew Dowd, Laura Ingraham, Gavin Newsom. Click here to watch.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Video:-This-Week-Roundtable/-8442724974707550.html

Test of Fire: Election 2012

2012-05-18T22:19:00Z

Posted By: Stephen V.

This ad urging Catholics to vote against Obama is just about the most hard-core ad I have ever seen.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Test-of-Fire:-Election-2012/-630735055030737621.html

Do Nice Guys Finish Last?

2012-05-17T18:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On the front page of The New York Times this morning, a piece called “G.O.P. ‘Super PAC’ Weighs Hard-Line Attack on Obama” described leaked strategies of a Pro-Romney Super PAC backed by billionaire Joe Ricketts. Principle among these strategies is not to make the mistake of the McCain campaign in 2008: be too nice.

Check out the first paragraphs of the piece.

A group of high-profile Republican strategists is working with a conservative billionaire on a proposal to mount one of the most provocative campaigns of the “super PAC” era and attack President Obama in ways that Republicans have so far shied away from.

Timed to upend the Democratic National Convention in September, the plan would “do exactly what John McCain would not let us do,” the strategists wrote.

The plan, which is awaiting approval, calls for running commercials linking Mr. Obama to incendiary comments by his former spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., whose race-related sermons made him a highly charged figure in the 2008 campaign.

Just hours after the article was published, the Romney campaign issued a response. The New York Times summarized below:

Mitt Romney condemned efforts to use President Obama’s former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, in ads attacking the president, as reportedly planned by a “super PAC” working toward electing Mr. Romney in November.

Senator McCain, while running against then-Senator Obama in 2008, refused to go after Obama’s former pastor Reverend Wright. And now, the Romney Camp won’t either. Are you tired of Republican candidates being too nice? Or do you have faith that the Romney Camp has other, more effective tricks up its sleeve?

To make matters more interesting, Ed Klein’s new book Amateur reveals that the 2008 Obama Camp tried to pay Reverend Wright to stay quiet. Some reports say Reverend Wright was offered as much as $150k to hush. This makes me wonder: what does Reverend Wright know about President Obama that could be so damaging? Should Governor Romney’s pursue the Reverend Wright issue?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Do-Nice-Guys-Finish-Last/-825818629501670710.html

Heroism, posthumously

2012-05-17T11:27:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

Army Specialist Leslie H. Sabo posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor on Wednesday at the White House from President Obama.

It almost didn't happen.

Sabo, a 22 year old member of the 101st Airborne's "Screaming Eagles" was in the middle of what later became known as the "Mother's Day Ambush" in Se San, Cambodia on May 10, 1970. His unit was ambushed by North Vietnamese soldiers. He grabbed an enemy grenade from the rear and tossed it away. Sustaining mortal injuries, he crawled toward the enemy bunker, took his own grenade and at the last minute pulled the pin as he flung the grenade at the bunker, losing his own life while saving those of his comrades.

Sabo's fellow soldiers filed paperwork detailing his amazing heroism, but it was lost. In 1999 fellow veteran Alton Mabb came across it at the National Archives and began lobbying for Sabo's heroism to be recognized which it was - 42 years after the event. It is hard to accept this delay of glory so valiantly earned.

But the Vietnam War occurred during turbulent times in a country that was heading for the exits, tired of being bogged down in an unpopular war.

We are again living through turbulent times, withdrawing from two unpopular conflicts, now focused on our domestic woes. Will acts of heroism by this generation become lost in cyberspace, drowned in the digital flotsam and jetsam of the moment?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Heroism,-posthumously/224792793949580114.html

Facebook...What's not to "like"?

2012-05-16T11:19:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

What's not to like?

Apparently that would be Facebook.

Despite the company's upcoming eye popping IPO figures, there is also evidence that consumers and investors have fallen out of love - or even like with Facebook.

Of course there have been the perennial concerns about Facebook's dodgy privacy policies. And consider GM who is withdrawing their advertising from Facebook, basically because they aren't getting the bang for their buck.

Then there are articles in various publications expressing concern about Facebook being overpriced and not the can't miss investmenrt it appears to be.

There was even a piece in MacWorld entitled, "Quit Facebook without losing the best Facebook features" which advises potential divorcees from the company on how to get the best settlement out of a long term marriage of convenience.

The final indictment comes from a poll this week in which half the respondents deemed Facebook a fad, even though it is has been in existence for almost a decade - hardly the stuff of hula hoops, Beanie Babies or the Kardashian-Humphies nuptials.

The bottom line is the bottom line: We want all the advantages of Facebook without any pain and they want lots of our money from site purchases. In the real world of true love and marriage, it just doesn't work that way.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Facebook...Whats-not-to-like/-474260231833391388.html

Michelle Loves VA Tech Food?

2012-05-14T14:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

At a commencement address to Virginia Tech’s class of 2012 on Saturday, Michelle Obama roused the crowd by praising Hokie Nation and encouraging them to tell others about the great features of their school, including, “the best campus food you’ll ever eat.” Given her devout dedication to nutrition, she surely meant “most healthy” rather than “most tasty,” but we decided to check. The dining services webpage proudly featured her comment front and center, along with the White House’s “Choose My Plate” instructional graphic. However, the only daily menu to be found anywhere on the site is from the “Vet Med Snack Bar,” where the offerings for Monday May 14 include BBQ Pork Sandwich, Breaded Chicken Strips, Double Cheeseburger, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Philly Cheese Steak, Pepperoni Pizza, French Fries, Onion Rings, Corn Dog Nuggets, and even a Rocky Road Brownie. I think we can all agree that does sound like the best campus food you’ll ever eat.

Michelle O’s comments

Choose My Plate Instructional Graphic

Check out a sample menu here!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Michelle-Loves-VA-Tech-Food/170462943752929114.html

Women in Jeopardy? Not So Fast

2012-05-14T01:59:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

The "War on Women" has become an overused political meme that has been undercut by various statistical rebuttals concerning women's rising academic and career achievements.

This was underscored during last week's Jeopardy! Teen Tournament. All three of the final round contestants were girls who responded to the clues with crispness and alacrity. They were cagey gamers, winding up with over $30,000 apiece.

The winner, Elyse Mancuso, a junior at Elkhorn South High School, bet all her winnings in Final Jeopardy!, scoring a cool $79,600. This was hardly the strategy a stereotypical female awash in fear and trepidation would have employed. Mancuso thanked her teachers for preparing her so well and said she didn't practice for the tournament.

The Democrats would do well to pay attention to President Obama's campaign slogan "Forward" instead of looking backward to 20th century issues. We voters should retire the codgers in Congress who promote these tired memes and replace them with the this generation's Elyse Mancusos.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Women-in-Jeopardy-Not-So-Fast/850098008883266026.html

Romney's Mormonism Mentioned in Washington Post Hit Piece

2012-05-11T23:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Not only does Jason Horowitz’s hit piece, “Mitt Romney’s prep school classmates recall pranks, but also troubling incidents” in today’s Washington Post recall Romney’s adolescent behavior during his prep school days, but Horowitz also mentions Romney’s Mormonism in a critical light.
Can we expect more critical opinion of Mormonism from the dinosaur media and other usual suspects in order to slight Romney? Below are some of the paragraphs from the piece. See if you find the following excerpt demeaning toward Mitt Romney’s religion.

During the winter of Romney’s sophomore year, the faculty assigned him and Maxwell to mop the floors of the academic halls, part of a World War II-era program meant to instill a work ethic in the students. During their six-week detail, the two old friends had long, rambling conversations about religion, and Maxwell pressed Romney on how he could believe in Mormonism.

As Maxwell later recalled their discussion, he asked Romney, “How can you believe that thing about the tablets?” referring to the divine gold tablets Mormons believe were discovered in New York and translated by Joseph Smith.

Romney, he said, responded, “What about the Virgin Birth and the Holy Trinity?” “I don’t believe that, either,” Maxwell responded. The discussions ultimately came down to a faith vs. reason equation.

“You simply have to have faith,” Romney concluded.

“That’s a cop-out,” Maxwell said.

(Source: The Washington Post, A9, 05-11-12)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Romneys-Mormonism-Mentioned-in-Washington-Post-Hit-Piece/-701305749130798394.html

Dems & GOP Hold Conventions in Top US Porn Capitals

2012-05-09T18:29:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

Men's Health Magazine came out with its list of the top porn cities in the US. Their criteria included the amount of X-rated DVDs purchased, rented or streamed; number of adult entertainment stores; porn searches on Google; and Cinemax-subscribing households.

On the top porn cities list, Charlotte, North Carolina was number 5, the site of the Democrats' convention. Number 8 Tampa, Florida is the site of the Republicans convention. Talk about swinger states!

Certainly both of these cities have many cultural, religious and family friendly attractions. But given some of the activities in our nation's capitol of late, it isn't too cynical to think that these weren't the top criteria for picking these two cities for the conventions. These are not called political PARTIES for nothing!

So while the red, white and blue balloons and confetti rain down at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and Tampa Bay Times Forum to the sounds of patriotic tunes and bombastic promises, don't be surprised if some sleaze-o-rama unfolds.

FYI:

Top Porny Cities:

1. Orlando, FL
2. Las Vegas, NV
3. Wilmington, DE
4. Raleigh, NC
5. Charlotte, NC
6. Minneapolis, MN
7. Atlanta, GA
8. Tampa, FL
9. Anchorage, AK
10. Austin, TX

The Least Porny Cities:

1. Jackson, MS
2. Baton Rouge, LA
3. Winston-Salem, NC
4. Charleston, WV
5. Lubbock, TX
6. Laredo, TX
7. Toledo, OH
8. Lincoln, NE
9. Fargo, ND
10. Norfolk, VA

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Dems--GOP-Hold-Conventions-in-Top-US-Porn-Capitals/-396530179841808094.html

Laura, Kathie Lee & Hoda Trade ZINGS!

2012-05-09T16:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click to Watch!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Laura,-Kathie-Lee--Hoda-Trade-ZINGS!/972367389336095997.html

Ingraham versus NBC, on NBC

2012-05-09T16:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click to watch

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Ingraham-versus-NBC,-on-NBC/-798966696531524876.html

Sign the petition to prevent HHS Sec. Sebelius from speaking at Georgetown!

2012-05-08T16:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click to sign the petition

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sign-the-petition-to-prevent-HHS-Sec.-Sebelius-from-speaking-at-Georgetown!/654813269723134408.html

Obama's new 'Go' ads

2012-05-08T03:31:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

President Obama's latest "positive" $25 million ad buy in reality is a remash from his 2008 campaign archives. It is replete with flashbacks to remind voters in case they have amnesia about how he ran against the record of President Bush, laying the blame for all the world's ills at his feet.

But President Obama has his own case of amnesia when selectively recounting his achievements, specifically ObamaCare and the stimulus. Add to that the woeful employment figures, massive debt and the decline in America's standing in the world. it is clear what our response should be in a single video frame:

"Go" Away!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-new-Go-ads/-91312385983087001.html

Laura hosts the O'Reilly Factor tonight! Watch at 8pET and 11pET on Fox News Channel.

2012-05-04T11:21:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura hosts the O'Reilly Factor tonight! Watch at 8pET and 11pET on Fox News Channel.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Laura-hosts-the-OReilly-Factor-tonight!--Watch-at-8pET-and-11pET-on-Fox-News-Channel./386434767915395398.html

Laura unloads on Obama's sell-out of blind Chinese dissident

2012-05-02T17:02:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Listen to the audio here

Read the latest disturbing news on the Obama "deal" to turn Chen back over to the Chinese.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Laura-unloads-on-Obamas-sell-out-of-blind-Chinese-dissident/830248599978239858.html

Laura's latest book,"Of Thee I Zing," is now available in paperback!

2012-05-02T15:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Click to order

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Lauras-latest-book,Of-Thee-I-Zing,-is-now-available-in-paperback!/-671767685424676952.html

A memo to the GOP moderates...

2012-05-01T13:34:00Z

Posted By: Stephen V.

Raise your hand if you're weary of the "wise men" in the media bemoaning the loss of the GOP moderates. Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein (both of whom have been invited on the show), penned a sorrowful piece over the weekend in the WashPo about how all the problems facing America are the result of the Republican Party's radicalization courtesy of the tea party (only a slight exaggeration).

The truth is that GOP moderates are not persuasive and are not popular. Outside of New England, Manhattan, and Montgomery County, Maryland, there is almost no popular support for moderate Republicanism. The GOP took control of the House only after moving to the right (both in 1994 and in 2010), and Reagan was far more popular than any more moderate GOP candidate. Even Romney -- whose nomination proves that the GOP's moderates have more power than Ornstein wants to admit -- had to move to the right because his moderate views on issues like health care were very unpopular. The article also ignores what has happened in the Democratic party on issues like gay marriage and abortion. Even 20 years ago, you could still be a conservative Christian and vote for the Democratic party. These days, that simply is not possible. The decision by liberals to adopt such a hostile attitude toward traditional Christianity is clearly a major cause of our current divide.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/A-memo-to-the-GOP-moderates.../-671301755678282198.html

The Daily Caller's one-on-one with Laura

2012-04-30T11:33:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Enjoy this extended sit-down with Laura did with feature's writer Ginni Thomas of the DC--the latest installment of the website's video-interview series. Tucker Carlsen has done a great job with DC--make sure to add to your "favorites"!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Daily-Callers-one-on-one-with-Laura/-943361263912837500.html

O'Reilly & Laura on NBC's Obama crush

2012-04-27T14:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Bill O’Reilly took on President Obama‘s re-election campaign on Thursday night, over an ad that featured MSNBC’s Ed Schultz espousing the president’s stance on student loans. They’re using the network’s personalities in their presentation, he said — a network that is “in the tank” for Obama.

O’Reilly started by noting the apology NBC issued, which noted that MSNBC did not grant permission for the use of the clip, and that they are asking the campaign to remove Schultz’s clip. Laura Ingraham joined O’Reilly to discuss the matter.

“For some of us who watch NBC and MSNBC,” Ingraham said, “It is sometimes hard to distinguish between the White House or campaign press operation and especially some of the cable news hosts on MSNBC. They pretty much agree on everything.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/OReilly--Laura-on-NBCs-Obama-crush/-537092916317939282.html

Shock: USA Today does positive story about Catholic Church

2012-04-26T11:23:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

The growing media and cultural bias against the Catholic Church is well-documented by activists such as Bill Donahue. But there are some bright spots out there. My church featured in USA Today for its excellent "Welcome Home" program that brings Catholics back into the fold. St. Bede's also does an excellent job with converts. How refreshing to hear some good Catholic news from the grassroots level.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Shock:-USA-Today-does-positive-story-about-Catholic-Church/-549826911002352333.html

Who foots bill when Obama travels?

2012-04-20T13:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Obama is great at sandwiching campaign stops between official trips. Who is paying for the travel expenses?

"White House and campaign spokesmen repeatedly told The Washington Times they were abiding by all campaign laws in their reimbursements for political travel by the president, vice president and other administration officials, but could not shed any light on how those reimbursement figures are determined and when and where the reimbursements are made."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Who-foots-bill-when-Obama-travels/33286173852142961.html

Tell Urban Outfitters what you think about their new "ad campaign"

2012-04-19T15:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Tell Urban Outfitters what you think about their new "ad campaign" - Please email Richard Hayne the president and CEO of Urban Outfitters--do so respectfully.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Tell-Urban-Outfitters-what-you-think-about-their-new-ad-campaign/115831623754617195.html

LA TIMES

2012-04-19T14:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Call the Los Angeles Times and express how you feel about their publishing of two photos of our troops in Afghanistan!

1-800-252-9141

1-213-237-5000

In case you missed it on the show, the Times decided to publish two of eighteen photos they received from a soldier who served in Afghanistan. These photos, taken in 2010, showed a number of soldiers standing around the bodies of deceased suicide bombers. This is how the editor of the paper defends this decision which, according to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, released the kinds of photos used to "incite violence" against our troops:

Times Editor Davan Maharaj said, "After careful consideration, we decided that publishing a small but representative selection of the photos would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan, including the allegation that the images reflect a breakdown in unit discipline that was endangering U.S. troops."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/LA-TIMES/185659560903484763.html

Turning crimson at Harvard

2012-04-17T13:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Inspired by the example of the illustrious Harvard University, colleges across America have started their own versions of "Sex Week" where students talk about all manner of sexual activity from the kinky to the stinky. This Douglas Quenquoa sets the scene in the New York Times:

"For a table set up by a campus student group, this one held some unusual items: a gynecologist’s speculum, diaphragms, condoms (his and hers) and several packets of lubricant. Nearby, two students batted an inflated condom back and forth like a balloon. "This is Implanon,” said Gabby Bryant, a 22-year-old senior who had helped set up the table, showing off a sample of the implantable birth control. “Here at Harvard, you get it for free.”

Finally, something to justify the University's $50k/year tuition cost! And Lord knows, students don't talk enough about sex or have enough sex in Cambridge. They need an additional platform--funded by Harvard--in order to complete their sexual self-actualization.

There is a little bit of good news here: conservative students have started groups to counter and even expose the underlying endorsement of rampant promiscuity sold during “Sex Week.” A group called "Undergraduates for a Better Yale College" operates to give students “the right information on how they should be pursuing relationships and sexual choices. It’s not a buffet.” Nevertheless, the sexual rip tide is still swamping such voices of reason.

The sad fact is, for all too many American undergraduates, romance has given way to culture of runaway hookups, and unfortunately, millions will be lured to what they think is a limitless sexual "buffet." Only after Generation Aimless has gorged themselves, become infected with STDs, pop hormone-altering contraceptive pills, will they realize they have a wicked case of food poisoning.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Turning-crimson-at-Harvard/250993806483894000.html

Video: Laura's TPM--why not a men's conference?

2012-04-10T11:17:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Watch Laura's Talking Points Memo

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Video:-Lauras-TPM--why-not-a-mens-conference/-570694954159190312.html

The myth of the myth of America in decline

2012-04-09T17:01:00Z

Posted By: Steve V.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Walter Russell Mead, waves off the growing consensus that America is in decline: "The United States isn't in decline, but it is in the midst of a major rebalancing. The alliances and coalitions America built in the Cold War no longer suffice for the tasks ahead....[E]ven in the emerging world order, the U.S. is likely to have much more success in advancing its global agenda than many think." Well, I realize that the elites don't want to admit that their policies have failed, and that we are headed into decline. But this article is stupid even on its own terms. If you go from a situation where you only need to work with Japan and Western Europe to a situation where you are dependent on a country like China, your position in the world has obviously gotten worse. That's the very definition of what it means to be in decline. In other words, his argument actually proves that our place in the world is less desirable than it used to be. This is the type of thought that passes for serious reasoning these days, and that explains why our elites are so incompetent. Instead of trying to spin everything in a desperate effort to convince the American people that things are not so bad, they ought to be trying to make America stronger. But that would require real work, and simply making up new talking points is so much easier.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-myth-of-the-myth-of-America-in-decline/-911342670655871615.html

Welcome to the recovery summer, part 3

2012-04-06T19:24:00Z

Posted By: Max

Today's jobs numbers were yet another indication that any recovery we may have been seeing is not as robust as the Obama administration would like us to believe it is. The gain in the non-farm payroll was expected to be over 200,000 jobs added. Instead, what actually happened was a gain in 120,000 jobs, or the amount of jobs we need to keep pace with population growth. The administration has been touting the fact that it is another month of private sector job growth and that the unemployment rate dropped from 8.3% to 8.2%. As is true with most things, the devil is in the details of this jobs report. Jim Pethokoukis explains:

1. If the size of the U.S. labor force as a share of the total population was the same as it was when Barack Obama took office—65.7% then vs. 63.8% today down from last month—the U-3 unemployment rate would be 10.9%.

2. But what if you take into the account the aging of the Baby Boomers, which means the labor force participation (LFP) rate should be trending lower. Indeed, it has been doing just that since 2000. Before the Great Recession, the Congressional Budget Office predicted what the LFP would be in 2012, assuming such demographic changes. Using that number, the real unemployment rate would be 10.5%.

3. Of course, the LFP rate usually falls during recessions. Yet even if you discount for that and the aging issue, the real unemployment rate would be 9.4%.

4. Then there’s the broader, U-6 measure of unemployment which includes the discouraged plus part-timers who wish they had full time work. That unemployment rate, perhaps the truest measure of the labor market’s health, is still a sky-high 14.5%.

5. The employment-population ratio dipped to 58.5% vs. 61% in December 2008. An historically low level of the U.S. population is actually working.

In short, this jobs report is like an iceberg. The part everyone sees doesn't look terrible, but when you go beneath you see the situation that you are facing is a whole lot larger and scarier.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Welcome-to-the-recovery-summer,-part-3/807717980248476763.html

AUDIO: The carefully constructed take down of ObamaCare's individual mandate

2012-03-28T13:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Did you miss yesterday's oral arguments over the constitutionality of the individual mandate? You can listen to the arguments right here. It it worth your time.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-The-carefully-constructed-take-down-of-ObamaCares-individual-mandate/49722826485542124.html

The sad truths about Obamacare

2012-03-26T11:23:00Z

Posted By: Laura

How is your two-year anniversary celebration of Obamacare going so far? The president marked the occasion by getting as far away from the US as possible. Now one of the key players in the president's health care push is speaking out, reminding us how obscene this "revolutionary" law really is. Don Berwick, the controversial former head of Medicare and Medicaid services, shared his memories and insights (being charitable here) on the lead-up to the bill's passage. A WashPo reporter asked him about some meaningful moments to sell the effort. Berwick answered:

"One of the most impressive visits was a rural road trip I did with the regional Medicare staff in Seattle. It was a bunch of us in a van, playing U2, and it really was quite fun. I visited western Oregon and was traveling down the coastline visiting these tiny hamlets that have critical access hospitals that were having a really tough time in this economy...."

Glad he had fun on the taxpayer's dime! He also didn't seem totally convinced that the health care "exchanges" would actually work because of their complexity.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-sad-truths-about-Obamacare/188541282651957120.html

Santorum to NYT reporter:

2012-03-26T11:16:00Z

Posted By: Laura

Rick pops off at Jeff Zeleny at the New York Times for distorting his words regarding whether Romney is better than Obama. "Stop distorting my words--it's bull----." May not be "presidential," but one can hardly blame him. Fact is, Santorum and not Romney has won every non-Florida Southern state except Florida and South Carolina (which Newt won). Santorum has said that Romney is the worst of all Republicans to run against Obama because, as David Plouffe said, he is the "godfather" of Obamacare. He did not say that Obama is a better choice than Romney or advocate that voters choose Obama over Romney.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Santorum-to-NYT-reporter:/784187932267110742.html

Campaign gift to Obama from

2012-03-26T11:11:00Z

Posted By: Laura

O.K., people, set your DVRs now for April 3, when the First Lady and "Let's Move (to Reelection)" will be seen on NBC's "The Biggest Loser." The popular weight-loss show filmed an episode of contestants working out in the East Room of the White House on February 16--with Michelle Obama, natch. Who asked whom to do this in the "people's house"? Given the First Couple's near-constant hobnobbing with celebs and their (smart) use of various entertainment platforms to amplify their own star status for maximum political results, I would bet the White House first planted the seed with NBC. What a coincidence that the program is aired on the most Obama-friendly network in America. The show's hosts are big Obama boosters: they picked veggies from the White House garden back in November 2009 and just recently appeared with Michelle Obama on her "Let's Move" Anniversary tour. As searingly demonstrated in The Obama Diaries, the goal here has less to do with healthy eating, and everything to do with helping her husband retain power. Theirs is one reality show that should be cancelled, lest our country's economy becomes the biggest loser of all.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Campaign-gift-to-Obama-from/-716632049968621232.html

NYT assists with "Obama as Everyman" razzle dazzle

2012-03-23T17:30:00Z

Posted By: Laura

We've been telling you all along that the White House will do anything to avoid talking about the president's economic record. The New York Times' Mark Leibovich writes about the "Obama-Just-Folks" offensive--his annual NCAA brackets, chomping on hot dogs with David Cameron, chugging beer on St. Patrick's Day. Clever consultants want the contrast to be between the "regular-guy" president and the "patrician, elite" Mitt Romney to be stark. The truth of course is that the First Couple live like hedge fund presidents, or rock stars. They drop the kind of cash that top-tier celebrities or business tycoons spend on vacations, clothes, and lavish parties. (Except when Beyonce or Richard Branson spend their money, it's all their money.) Remember when Michelle brought the pool photographer with her to capture her shopping trip to Target? Why not show us the photos of the First Lady reviewing couture selections from Jason Wu or Vera Wang? Because that wouldn't help one bit in November, that's why.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/NYT-assists-with-Obama-as-Everyman-razzle-dazzle/-291665481749456233.html

Stand Up For Religious Freedom! Sign The Petition!

2012-03-22T14:38:00Z

Posted By: Staff

One thing we must keep in mind during this battle over religious freedom which is why we must all stand together in this battle. Sign the petition at Stand Up For Religious Freedom and let the elites know that you are proud of your faith!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Stand-Up-For-Religious-Freedom!-Sign-The-Petition!/-767128303449782522.html

Foreign investors not so keen on America in 2011

2012-03-15T19:35:00Z

Posted By: Max

In a totally under reported story that is out today, a new report shows that foreign direct investment in America was down in 2011. Why is this important? FDI shows how attractive a country is to foreign investors. We want to attract more and more capital from all over the world each year. If we attract less and less it shows that America's private sector is losing its sex appeal. Less capital leads to fewer jobs:

U.S. Department of Commerce estimates released today show Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the United States declined in 2011 to $227.9 billion. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data shows last year’s total was a 4 percent decrease over the 2010 figure of $236.2 billion.

These numbers illustrate why we should continue to be concerned over our ability to attract leading global companies to the United States,” said Nancy McLernon, President & CEO of the Organization for International Investment. “The global competition to draw foreign investment to our borders has become intense. Now is the time for policy makers to push even harder to attract the world’s business to our shores–and the good paying jobs they create for Americans.

Just another example of how Obama's policies, and his obsession with regulations are not helping turn this economy around.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Foreign-investors-not-so-keen-on-America-in-2011/-327665732324812968.html

VIDEO: Sen. Rand Paul shows everyone how to question Steven Chu

2012-03-14T17:28:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Ever wanted to see a thorough dismantling of Energy Secretary Steven Chu (or any of the other disasters that occupy high level jobs in the Obama administration)? Look no further than this following video of Senator Rand Paul who took Chu to task yesterday over Solyndra and other Energy Department failure. This video is more than worth 5 minutes of your time.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Sen.-Rand-Paul-shows-everyone-how-to-question-Steven-Chu/431999626795449653.html

VIDEO: Laura's Talking Points Memo on "The War on Women"

2012-03-13T12:55:00Z

Posted By: Staff

You can watch here from last night's O'Reilly Factor, and read it here. Send the link to an unhinged liberal or a demoralized conservative.

Over the weekend, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waded into the culture wars over the weekend at the Women in the World Summit as part of the coordinate effort to reelect Barack Obama. Clinton said "Why extremists always focus on women remains a mystery to me. But they all seem to. It doesn't matter what country they're in or what religion they claim. They want to control women. They want to control how we dress, they want to control how we act, they even want to control the decisions we make about our own health and bodies."

Yes, Mrs. Clinton is not-so-subtly comparing the GOP to the Taliban. This is a new low. It is glaringly apparent that Team Obama is hell-bent on ignoring the primary issue facing our country-jobs. Instead the President and his surrogates have decided that scaring women, especially single women, is the key to victory in November.

Democrats know that today women face no restrictions getting contraception.

They know that republicans aren't going to stop women from getting contraception.

They know that most healthcare plans already cover contraception, most with minimal co-pays.

If you are a woman working for Georgetown University Hospital and you want to have multiple sexual partners every week, no one is going to stop you from buying whatever contraception you want to use. Community clinics and places like Planned Parenthood will cover virtually all costs.

This is a totally phony issue being pushed by leftists who have no strategy other than to go negative and divide Americans along racial, ethnic, and gender lines. Obama's boosters are misrepresenting what's going on and deceiving the American people just so he can retain power. This is cynical and dishonest.

And the Washington Post/ABC Poll today shows that this isn't working. A record percentage of Americans (50%) give Pres. Obama "intensely low marks" on the economy-a 9 percent increase from last month. Almost two-thirds say they disapprove of the way the president is handling the issue of gas prices. On his handling of the deficit Obama hit an all-time low, registering a 32 percent approval rating among adults nationwide. 70 percent of independents disapprove of the president's handing of the deficit. Obama, once up over Romney and Santorum, is now in a dead heat with both of them.

So much for the GOP primary hurting Republicans. So much for the spin that the economy is in a rebound. So much for the idea that Obama is sailing to reelection. Of course the Democrats want to change the subject to a wholly contrived "war on women" narrative--that is as fanciful as the notion that Mr. Obama's economic policies are working. If there IS a war on women-it's on women's pocketbooks, and its being waged by President Obama.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Lauras-Talking-Points-Memo-on-The-War-on-Women/-674833477131112514.html

ABC, GBC and phony outrage

2012-03-06T17:00:00Z

Posted By: S.V.

In all the furor over Rush, has anyone pointed out that ABC is celebrating a new show called GCB, and that GCB stands for Good Christian Bitches? The truth is, as you said yesterday, they don't mind insulting women at all, so long as they get to do the insulting. Note that at one point ABC considered calling the Good Christian Belles, but every article I've seen references the original title, which used the b-word, so I think it's fair to say that's what ABC wants people to think GCB means.

Also, ABC has another new show called "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23."

So the notion that the press cares about insults to women is just nonsense. They just want to attack us in any way they can. Soon, they'll be bashing Mormons.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/ABC,-GBC-and-phony-outrage/-245780986869594412.html

A story the mainstream media will not cover...

2012-02-27T21:20:00Z

Posted By: Max

Is it any shock that the mainstream media is completely ignoring this story? If it is, you need to listen to Laura more often. So far 65 babies have been saved during the 40 Days for Life campaign. In an age where positive stories tend to take a back seat to the more negative aspects of our culture, here are three stories that are sure to make you smile.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

One of the prayer volunteers noticed a man she recognized … sitting in a car in the Planned Parenthood parking lot. With him was his 18-month-old child. Naturally, the volunteer went over to talk.

It seems the man’s wife was inside — setting up an appointment for an abortion. She just didn’t want another baby.

“When he said he didn’t want the abortion,” said Libby in Memphis, “we said he needed to protect his baby right now. He called his wife, and few minutes later she came out and told us she was not going to seek an abortion.”

The volunteers hugged her, and gave her a list of Memphis-area pregnancy resources. One of these prayer volunteers in Memphis was taking part in 40 Days for Life for the first time ever.

“She just felt so strongly that she needed to participate,” Libby said. And what a wonderful thing she saw on that first day!

SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND

A young woman arrived at Planned Parenthood … and it was obvious her pregnancy was well advanced. She was frightened and didn’t know what else to do.

The director of a pro-life pregnancy center was able to speak to her and learn more about her situation, though there was a bit of a language barrier. It seems the woman is from Central America, and the baby’s father abandoned her when he found out she was pregnant.

“She was very happy after the director counseled her and explained that she would have support and better choices,” said Molly in Silver Spring.

“Planned Parenthood would have referred her to a late-term abortionist in the area,” she said. “In Maryland, abortions can happen throughout the entire pregnancy. We need to keep her in our prayers.”

BEAUMONT, TEXAS

A young woman who arrived for an appointment in Beaumont admitted to the people praying outside the abortion facility that she had tossed and turned all night over what she was about to do.

One of the volunteers was quick to hand her information from a pro-life pregnancy care center. About this time, the young woman’s friend, who had come to the appointment with her, spoke up. The friend said she’d had an abortion herself — and “didn’t feel it was a good idea.”

At that, the woman who had planned to abort her child broke down in tears.

After a lengthy discussion with the counselors on the sidewalk, the two young women were smiling — and heading towards the pro-life resource center.

“We have her phone number and will be in touch,” said Eileen in Beaumont. “She left with tears of joy, rather than sorrow. Your prayers and sacrifices are definitely at work!”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/A-story-the-mainstream-media-will-not-cover.../-662108513434445834.html

Call your senators and tell them to support the Respect for the Rights of Conscience Act!

2012-02-27T21:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The fight for religious liberty has become a battle over legislation and it is imperative that you let your Senators know that they need to support the Respect for the Rights of Conscience Act. Follow the guidelines below in order to let your elected representative know they must be vocal in their support for religious liberty, especially these Senators.

202-224-2043 – Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota
202-224-2523 – Sen. Susan Collins of Maine
202-224-5344 – Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine
202-224-5824 – Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana
202-224-4041 – Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut

202-224-6324 - Sen. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania
202-224-3954 – Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia
202-224-6154 – Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri
202-224-5274 – Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida
202-224-2353 – Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas
202-224-2644 – Sen. Jon Tester of Montana
.

On January 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reaffirmed a rule that virtually all private health care plans must cover sterilization, abortifacients, and contraception. The exemption provided for "religious employers" was so narrow that it failed to cover the vast majority of faith-based organizations—including Catholic hospitals, universities, and charities—that help millions every year. Ironically, not even Jesus and his disciples would have qualified for the exemption, because it excludes those who mainly serve people of another faith.

On February 10, the Obama Administration made this rule final "without change"; delayed enforcement for a year against religious nonprofits that were still not exempted (our charities, hospitals, and colleges); and promised to develop more regulations to "accommodate" them by the end of that additional year. But, as explained below, that promised "accommodation" still forces them to pay for "services" that violate their religious convictions.

The original rule that violated our religious liberty so severely has not been changed, but finalized.

After touting meaningful changes in the mandate, HHS instead finalized the original rule that was first issued in August 2011 "without change." So the offensive definition of "religious employer"—which excludes our charities, hospitals, and colleges because they serve people of other faiths—is still in place, and those institutions are still subject to the mandate.

HHS has promised some kind of "accommodation," but only after the election.

HHS said it would take an additional year to develop more regulations to "accommodate" religiously-affiliated charities, schools, and hospitals that still fall outside the "religious employer" exemption. The impact of these additional rules will not be felt until after the election, the only point of public accountability for the Executive Branch. This eliminates an important incentive for HHS to provide the best protection for religious liberty

The promised "accommodation"—even at its best—would still force our institutions to violate their beliefs.

Under the proposed "accommodation," if an employee of these religious institutions wants coverage of contraception or sterilization directly from the insurer, the objecting employer is still forced to pay for it as a part of the employer’s insurance plan. Since there is no other source, the funds to pay for that coverage must come from the premiums of the employer and fellow employees, even those who object in conscience

There is no exemption for objecting insurers, secular employers, for-profit religious employers, or individuals.

The U.S. bishops defend religious liberty for all, and so have repeatedly identified all the stakeholders in the process whose religious freedom is threatened by the mandate—all employers, insurers, and individuals, not just religious employers. Now, all insurers, including self-insurers, must provide the coverage to any employee who wants it. In turn, all individuals who pay premiums have no escape from subsidizing that coverage. And only employers that are both non-profit and religious may qualify for the limited "accommodation."

We urgently need legislation to correct the mandate’s threats to religious liberty and conscience rights. The Respect for Rights of Conscience Act has been introduced in Congress (H.R. 1179, S. 1467) to ensure that those who participate in the market for health insurance "retain the right to provide, purchase, or enroll in health coverage that is consistent with their religious beliefs and moral convictions."

ACTION

Contact your U.S. Representative by e-mail, phone, or FAX letter:

Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices.

Send your email to Congress through www.usccb.org/conscience.

Additional contact info can be found on Members’ web sites at: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

MESSAGE

"Please co-sponsor and support the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179, S. 1467). The Obama administration’s decision to mandate coverage of sterilization and contraceptives, including drugs that can cause an abortion, makes passage of this measure especially urgent. Please ensure that the religious liberty and conscience rights of all participants in our nation’s health care system are respected."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Call-your-senators-and-tell-them-to-support-the-Respect-for-the-Rights-of-Conscience-Act!/-347445224282953328.html

VIDEO: Peter Robinson interviews Newt Gingrich

2012-02-27T16:42:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Peter Robinson, speechwriter for President Reagan and Hoover Institution scholar interviewed presidential candidate Newt Gingrich last week. Here is one of the most in depth and informative interviews with Newt you will every see. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Peter-Robinson-interviews-Newt-Gingrich/650115086413828534.html

The ads of Michigan -- which is the best?

2012-02-15T14:27:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have turned to the air in order to wage war against each other in Michigan.

Here are 4 ads, one from Mitt Romney's campaign, one from a super PAC supporting Mitt Romney, and two from Rick Santorum's campaign. Which is the best and which is the worst?

Rick Santorum's "Rombo" ad:

Rick Santorum "Very, Very Best Chance":

Mitt Romney "Growing Up" ad:

Restore our Future (pro-Romney superPAC) "Votes" ad:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-ads-of-Michigan----which-is-the-best/-552021076417697132.html

VIDEO: Nicki Minaj's disgusting Grammy "performance"

2012-02-13T15:17:00Z

Posted By: Staff

This video says everything you need to know about our cultural decline and the times we are living in today.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Nicki-Minajs-disgusting-Grammy-performance/-243488909600074380.html

Sign the Becket Fund petition to defend religious liberty!

2012-02-13T14:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Obama administration wants people of all faiths to back down and give in to the Obama administration's mandate that, essentially says, there is not higher power than the government.

Please sign the Becket Fund pledge and let the president know that you are going to continue to defend religious liberty in America.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sign-the-Becket-Fund-petition-to-defend-religious-liberty!/590675672437459793.html

Video: Laura hosting the Factor

2012-02-12T22:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

This was a terrific show--catch all the Fox News videos of my Factor segments here! And watch the segment with Larry Sabato and Scott Rasmussen here.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Video:-Laura-hosting-the-Factor/621868569388897533.html

Watch Laura speak at CPAC on Friday at 2:25!

2012-02-09T16:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

If you are in the Washington DC area this weekend make sure to see Laura speak at CPAC on the afternoon of Friday, February 10th at 2:25pm ET.

If not, you can check out CSPAN's live stream of the event right here!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Watch-Laura-speak-at-CPAC-on-Friday-at-2:25!/-243759349059686720.html

America . . . in decline

2012-02-08T02:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Even Mika's dad has figured out that our decline presents big problems.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/America-.-.-.-in-decline/252336665677310372.html

VIDEO: Laura on ABC's This Week

2012-01-30T13:40:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Sunday morning Laura was on ABC's This Week to discuss the GOP primary and who will be the best candidate to defeat Obama in November. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-ABCs-This-Week/749322802590089214.html

WH & DOJ working w/ Acorn to reelect Obama

2012-01-25T16:29:00Z

Posted By: Staff

A great piece about how the Obama Administration will stop at nothing to win reelection. You think ACORN is gone? Think again. Its tentacles are still moving, and entangled with Team Obama. Read the shocking new details courtesy of Biggovernment and Judicial Watch!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/WH--DOJ-working-w/-Acorn-to-reelect-Obama/-246056535972025080.html

AUDIO: Newt Gingrich - Romney hasn't furthered the conservative cause

2012-01-24T18:12:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Tuesday's show, Newt Gingrich spoke with Laura about last night's debate, why he never took off the gloves against Mitt, and why you can expect a much different performance come Thursday night. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Newt-Gingrich---Romney-hasnt-furthered-the-conservative-cause/-169156709053214325.html

VIDEO: Laura on Fox and Friends Tuesday!

2012-01-24T17:01:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, here is Laura's appearance on Fox and Friends Tuesday morning. Laura breaks down the debate from the night before and whether another candidate will emerge with support from the establishment. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-Fox-and-Friends-Tuesday!/362631588436375530.html

It's been 1,000 days since the Senate passed a budget

2012-01-24T12:55:00Z

Posted By: Max

It was 1000 days ago that the Senate, under Majority Leader Harry Reid, passed their last budget. Could you imagine not doing your job for 1000 days and still be employed? Me neither, but somehow the Democrats in Congress, even with a Democrat in the White House are not capable of even the most basic of tasks. Last year Obama's budget, in a rare show of bipartisan agreement, was voted down 97-0. The House passed a budget in 2011, but the Dems in the Senate were never able to get their act together/care enough to do this, opting instead of a series of continuing resolutions that have become the norm for how we plan our nation's budget. The Heritage Foundation has a nice little primer on what exactly has happened since and what the consequences of Senate inaction mean for our economic wellbeing.

The last time the Senate passed a budget was on April 29, 2009.

Since that date, the federal government has spent $9.4 trillion, adding $4.1 trillion in debt.

As of January 20, the outstanding public debt stands at $15,240,174,635,409.

Interest payments on the debt are now more than $200 billion per year.
President Obama proposed a FY2012 budget last year, and the Senate voted it down 97–0. (And that budget was no prize—according to the Congressional Budget Office, that proposal never had an annual deficit of less than $748 billion, would double the national debt in 10 years and would see annual interest payments approach $1 trillion per year.)

The Senate rejected House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R–WI) budget by 57–40 in May 2011, with no Democrats voting for it.

In FY2011, Washington spent $3.6 trillion. Compare that to the last time the budget was balanced in 2001, when Washington spent $1.8 trillion ($2.1 trillion when you adjust for inflation).

Entitlement spending will more than double by 2050. That includes spending on Medicare, Medicaid and the Obamacare subsidy program, and Social Security.

Total spending on federal health care programs will triple. By 2050, the national debt is set to hit 344 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

I appreciate and agree with the sentiment that things are better when those in Washington don’t do anything, but with a budget there is more harm being done by just passing the buck rather than try to find solutions to our debt problem. We have a President who ignored his own debt-commission, a plan that had a striking amount of bipartisan support. Why not craft a budget around this plan?

The answer is because they simply don’t have to. If they can get away with continuing resolutions instead of having their name attached to a nearly $4 trillion budget then why not just continue down the path you are on? The Senate not passing a budget is a problem not because they didn’t send a bill to Obama, but because it shows the Senate is not serious when it comes to corralling the fiscal insanity in Washington.

The solution? Fix the budget process. Make it so you have to pass a budget. Also, write into the law that the budget must be balanced along with provisions that make it difficult to raise taxes. There is a bill, ironically in the Senate that proposes this exact idea along with a cap on spending.

It seems like such a simple idea; don’t spend more than you have. Clearly, over the past 1,000 days, this Senate and Harry Reid have shown don’t care enough about the fiscal health of this country to start taking a hard look at how we budget our funds. It is why winning the Senate is so important this year and why the Democrats once again cannot be trusted run this country efficiently or effectively.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Its-been-1,000-days-since-the-Senate-passed-a-budget/-823997126719750661.html

Florida: a whole new ballgame for the candidates

2012-01-23T14:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The non-Romney conservatives had a huge victory on Saturday, but there is a long battle for them ahead. A long primary process means that candidates now need to be running national campaigns. There is only one candidate who has their act together in each state, and his name is Mitt Romney.

In Florida, which votes in eight days, Romney and his SuperPAC have spent $7 million so far on advertising. This could be money well spent since over 200,000 absentee ballots, around 10% of the vote, have been sent in already. Gingrich has a good ground game operation in Florida, but with a state this big you cannot go around knocking on doors for votes. You need to get your message out over the airwaves. The one thing working in Newt's favor this coming week is that there are two more debates and up to this point each of the debates has turned out to be a de facto Gingrich campaign ad.

Gingrich has other problems as we move ahead in this nomination process. He is not on the ballot in Missouri and Virginia and he does not have the money that Romney's campaign has in their war chest. Florida will be a big test for Newt, who will be under fire until next Tuesday, to see if he can take a big state that he has spent little time and money in so far. The same can be said for Mitt Romney. If Mitt wants to win he will need to make up for a disastrous week leading up to South Carolina. It is one thing to win smaller states like Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina. It is a different thing to take a state with over 10 million people. Whoever wins Florida will be showing their message and campaign apparatus are connecting with voters on a scale we have not seen this nomination process yet.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Florida:-a-whole-new-ballgame-for-the-candidates/223388411185956940.html

Americans, iPhones, and the need for a smart manufacturing base

2012-01-23T13:47:00Z

Posted By: Max

The New York Times on Sunday had an interesting front-page piece. It was about Apple, a company now worth more than Greece, and their gradual move from manufacturing their products in the United States to making products in China. The bottom line of the article is that that China has not just the infrastructure, but also the workforce needed to assemble iPhones. The article highlights three major problems the America has when it comes to reinvigorating our blue-collar workforce. The first is that we simply do not have the plants needed to make these products en masse. The second is that our workforce does not have the technical expertise to make these products (this is not to say Americans are not capable, we are just not trained yet). The third is the most obvious. American workers are not going to work for $17 a day, six days a week to put together phones.

It was the British economist David Ricardo who came up with the idea of 'comparative advantage.' The theory works like this: countries have an advantage at producing certain goods that others do not. Even if it costs slightly more to produce a good in country A than it does in country B, the product will be produced in country A because it is more efficient for both countries if country A produces the good. Essentially, even though country B may be able to produce this good more efficiently than country A, country B would be taking too many resources away from other sectors of their economy for it to be more efficient for both countries if country B produced both goods. If this is not clear, which is probable, check out the Wikipedia page for comparative advantage.

The point of that somewhat convoluted explanation of economic theory is that because of globalization each country is finding what they are good at and are focusing on said skills. Developing countries, and I do count China in this category because it is still largely agrarian, have an advantage over America in manufacturing. We are not a country that will produce socks anymore. Cheap labor in poor countries provides them not with a comparative advantage over America, but an absolute advantage. It is more efficient to produce these cheap goods overseas than it is in America.

This is one of the great challenges for America in the 21st century. It no longer makes sense for America to produce many of the goods we once made, however we cannot be a country that produces nothing. A country that produces nothing is one that will soon find itself with little value to export around the world. We need to have some sort of a manufacturing base in this country not because of pride, but because we need to know how to make things in this country. For security reasons and for economic reasons it behooves the United States to have a strong manufacturing base. Being beholden to other countries for too many goods makes us vulnerable to instability abroad. We do not need to experience this phenomenon.

This brings me back to Mr. Ricardo. America needs to have a manufacturing base that produces goods that make sense for America to produce. For example, the semiconductors for iPhones that are produced in Austin, TX or the glass for the same phones produced by Corning in Kentucky. It’s possible that these products may be able to be produced cheaper overseas, but for now, the production of these goods in America fits into the global economy.

Which means this problem is not so much a manufacturing problem, but an education problem. In order to adapt to a global economy we need workers that are able to adapt to a global economy. This means a workforce that is creative, flexible, and above all well educated. This is one of the domestic challenges we face over the coming decades. When assessing who will be the next president this is one of the questions that should be part of your investigation.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Americans,-iPhones,-and-the-need-for-a-smart-manufacturing-base/-135716024162593527.html

AUDIO: Laura challenges Romney on taxes, messaging; he says Newt will win some states

2012-01-20T16:48:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura questioned Mitt Romney this morning about his failure to have a good answer about his tax returns at last night's debate. She also pressed him on his recent admissions on the campaign trail that the economy is improving. Plus: he says Newt will win some states. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Laura-challenges-Romney-on-taxes,-messaging;-he-says-Newt-will-win-some-states/370768195096336592.html

Despite difficult times, Americans increase their charitable donations

2012-01-20T14:20:00Z

Posted By: Max

It is easy to get depressed every time you look at a newspaper. We celebrate when unemployment is at 8.6% and we have elected official in Washington that seem content on surviving this year rather than making an attempt to get our debt and deficit under control. Median income has fallen, more during the “recovery” than during the recession, and despite the tough times Americans continue to display how generous we really are.

After a long slump, fundraising among nonprofit groups has finally returned to pre-recession levels, Charleston-based Blackbaud Inc. said in a report published Thursday.

Charitable giving in the first 11 months of 2011 was up 1.4 percent over the same period of 2007, right before the U.S. economy began to falter. It's also up 3.4 percent over 2010, the analysis of about 1,200 donor-driven organizations found.

But nonprofits aren't likely to be jumping up and down yet, said Chuck Longfield, creator of the Blackbaud Index. He cited two bits of "tempering" information: The estimated 8 percent inflation in the past four years, coupled with an increased demand for nonprofit services over that same period. "We still have a ways to go before nonprofits are whole in real terms," Longfield said Thursday.

Still, most indications are looking up.

With so much news that can brings us down it is nice to see that no matter how tough the times may be Americans are always looking to extend a hand to someone in need.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Despite-difficult-times,-Americans-increase-their-charitable-donations/825276113506154853.html

Takeaways from last night's debate

2012-01-20T12:26:00Z

Posted By: Max

This was actually a fairly substantive debate about domestic issues that the GOP electorate cares about...after the first 5 minutes.

Newt Gingrich took it to John King. There is no doubt the opening question of the debate and subsequent take down of the media from Newt was the highlight of the night. After this, Newt was mostly positive, responded when he was attacked, but didn't land many punches on Romney. It was a good performance because he stole the show with one line and solidified his spot as the “non-Romney” in South Carolina and probably the candidate that conservative activists will rally around going forward.

Mitt Romney started strong, by admonishing John King for starting the debate with the Gingrich marriage question. After than, Romney offered his strongest defense of Bain Capital yet and also had the best answer to the question about what he would have done differently during this campaign season, saying he would have refrained from attacking the other candidates on the stage and would have focused on Obama instead. However, his line that he might not follow in his father's footsteps and release over a decade's worth of tax returns will probably be the one Romney line from Thursday night that is most played by the media.

Ron Paul had a solid performance, even though he was ignored too much by John King. The fact that no question about foreign policy came up helps him, but not much. Paul is an enigma in this field, but there is no doubt that his stance on the Federal Reserve and having a strong and stable currency has had an impact on this election cycle.

This leave us with Rick Santorum, who needed to have a good night in order to prove to conservatives he should be the 'non-Romney.' The problem for Rick is that he does not have the flair Gingrich has and the differences between them are not vast. Substantively, Santorum made the best case of anyone for bringing back America's middle class and our country's manufacturing base. Blue collar workers and those in the middle class who feel shortchanged by our leaders heard what they have been waiting to hear from a GOP candidate. Unfortunately for Santorum, without any flashy moments, his message may go unheard in the media cycle.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Takeaways-from-last-nights-debate/819173114011481996.html

Why are people surprised Mitt Romney has money offshore?

2012-01-19T13:24:00Z

Posted By: Max

Frankly, I find this story to be completely uninteresting. Mitt Romney's wealth is not a secret that has been kept under lock and key. Rich people, not surprisingly, find ways to hide their wealth from the government in order to keep as much of it as possible. I don't think there are many people who find our tax code repulsive. Mitt Romney simply took advantage of what his tax lawyer found in the system. Not to mention, because his wealth is in the Cayman Islands he pays the same tax rate as he would otherwise.

Although it is not apparent on his financial disclosure form, Mitt Romney has millions of dollars of his personal wealth in investment funds set up in the Cayman Islands, a notorious Caribbean tax haven.

A spokesperson for the Romney campaign says Romney follows all tax laws and he would pay the same in taxes regardless of where the funds are based.

As one of the wealthiest candidates to run for president in recent times, Romney has used a variety of techniques to help minimize the taxes on his estimated $250 million fortune. In addition to paying the lower tax rate on his investment income, Romney has as much as $8 million invested in at least 12 funds listed on a Cayman Islands registry. Another investment, which Romney reports as being worth between $5 million and $25 million, shows up on securities records as having been domiciled in the Caymans.

Official documents reviewed by ABC News show that Bain Capital, the private equity partnership Romney once ran, has set up some 138 secretive offshore funds in the Caymans.

Romney campaign officials and those at Bain Capital tell ABC News that the purpose of setting up those accounts in the Cayman Islands is to help attract money from foreign investors, and that the accounts provide no tax advantage to American investors like Romney. Romney, the campaign said, has paid all U.S. taxes on income derived from those investments.

Bain officials called the decision to locate some funds offshore routine, and a benefit only to foreign investors who do not want to be subjected to U.S. taxes.

Tax experts agree that Romney remains subject to American taxes. But they say the offshore accounts have provided him -- and Bain -- with other potential financial benefits, such as higher management fees and greater foreign interest, all at the expense of the U.S. Treasury. Rebecca J. Wilkins, a tax policy expert with Citizens for Tax Justice, said the federal government loses an estimated $100 billion a year because of tax havens.

As far as I am concerned if Mitt Romney did not do this while he was at Bain and wasn't trying to legally avoid some of his and his investors tax burdens then I would question whether he was competent enough to be the GOP nominee.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Why-are-people-surprised-Mitt-Romney-has-money-offshore/-907361466282201105.html

The R&D exodus from America

2012-01-19T13:15:00Z

Posted By: Max

The decline of manufacturing in the United States has been well documented. America's trade policies combined with China's currency manipulation (mostly their currency manipulation) have lead to an estimated 2.8 million American jobs being lost over the past decade, 1.9 million of those in manufacturing. Over the past 24 hours there are two news stories that show this problem is a lot deeper than the loss of blue-collar jobs that served as the backbone of so many communities across the country. The first is that America is now shedding high-tech manufacturing jobs.

More than a quarter of the nation's high-tech manufacturing jobs were lost in the past decade, according to a new government study.

The United States shed 28 percent, or 687,000 jobs, in high-tech sectors since reaching its peak of 2.5 million in 2000, according to the study released Tuesday by the National Science Board, the policymaking body for the National Science Foundation.

Believe it or not, that is not the kicker. In my opinion, this story appearing the Chicago Tribune buried the lead:

The report also found that, for the first time, China is outpacing the U.S. in global exports.

There it is. America no longer is known for producing things, that's what China is for. What is worse, we may be turning into a country that is no longer known for producing the ideas that lead to the technology of the future.

U.S.-based companies such as 3M Co., Caterpillar Inc. and General Electric Co. have spent billions of dollars in recent years to expand their overseas research labs. Such global companies aim to tap into a broader pool of scientific talent, tailor products to overseas markets and win favor with foreign governments by doing more research abroad.

...

Since 2004, about 85% of the growth in R&D workers employed by U.S.-based multinational companies has been abroad, according to the National Science Board, a policy-making arm of the National Science Foundation, a U.S. agency. U.S. companies generally aren't closing labs at home but rather focusing their expansion abroad. The overseas portion of their R&D employment grew to about 27% in 2009 from 16% in 2004, the report said.

To a large extent, companies are setting up labs where engineering and scientific talent is becoming concentrated. About 56% of engineering degrees awarded globally in 2008 were in Asia, compared with 4% in the U.S., the report said. Moreover, in the U.S., a large portion of engineering students are foreigners; 57% of U.S. doctoral degrees in engineering in 2009 went to foreigners, mostly from East Asia or India.

As a result of such trends, the U.S. lead in science and technology is "rapidly shrinking," according to the report.

Not only do we no longer make things, but we no longer put enough of an emphasis on creating products of the future when educating our students. You can't blame these companies for wanting to develop products where they will be manufactured. This is exactly what America did for years.

We need to have a strategy that covers two problems, our loss in manufacturing capabilities and the loss of foreign students who come to America to learn and promptly leave to seek opportunity elsewhere (or because America has already handed out all of its H1-B visas). Attracting businesses and the world's best minds in one thing, keeping them here is another. If America wants to stop its slow decline, achieving both of those goals is a necessary, not a sufficient condition. Over the next decade we will see whether our leaders are prepared to put together a strategy for our country that will meet both of those requirements.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-RD-exodus-from-America/163286816577374935.html

Americans raid their savings in Obama's

2012-01-18T14:02:00Z

Posted By: Max

Did you wonder why the malls were packed this Christmas season despite the underemployment rate sitting above 15% and a labor force containing a few million less people than it did in 2009? Look no further than your savings account.

More than four years after the United States fell into recession, many Americans have resorted to raiding their savings to get them through the stop-start economic recovery.

In an ominous sign for America's economic growth prospects, workers are paring back contributions to college funds and growing numbers are borrowing from their retirement accounts.

Some policymakers worry that a recent spike in credit card usage could mean that people, many of whom are struggling on incomes that have lagged inflation, are taking out new debt just to meet the costs of day-to-day living.

American households "have been spending recently in a way that did not seem in line with income growth. So somehow they've been doing that through perhaps additional credit card usage," Chicago Federal Reserve President Charles Evans said on Friday.

Our savings are keeping our heads above the water for the time being? What an amazing economic achievement! Instead of lowering regulations and creating a more competitive tax structure for small businesses and large corporations so domestic employers can compete with companies overseas, this administration has added regulations, taxes, along with rejecting Bowles-Simpson which had a reasonable tax reform package as part of the deal.

The opening for the GOP is there for the taking. Obama has proven that he does not understand how the private sector works. Even one-time vocal Obama supporter Jamie Dimon, the CEO of J.P. Morgan, is complaining about all the regulations Obama has placed on the private sector.

America will not be in a true recovery until we see American's lowering their credit card debt and we see personal savings go back up. Until then, we are simply treading water while we wait for jobs.

The Economic Times reports:

After a few years of relative frugality, the amount of money that Americans are saving has fallen back to its lowest level since December 2007 when the recession began. The personal saving rate dipped in November to 3.5 percent, down from 5.1 percent a year earlier, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

...

Loans taken from retirement savings accounts jumped 20 percent last year across all demographics, according to a survey to be published in March. Among lower earners they leapt by as much as 60 percent, said Aon Hewitt's Hess. The vast majority of borrowers, she said, need the money for essential expenses like bills, car repairs and college tuition.

...

The amount of money Americans put aside for their children's college fees is taking a hit too. Assets in the popular state-managed college savings funds known as 529s dipped more than 10 percent in the third quarter of 2011.

So, Mr. President, what is your plan when Americans have finally tapped all of their savings?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Americans-raid-their-savings-in-Obamas/837983309621746616.html

Sorry Mitt, but $374,000 is a lot of money

2012-01-18T12:43:00Z

Posted By: Max

The easiest line of attack from the left on Mitt Romney is simple: he is a Wall Street fatcat who represents the 1% and he only cares about his wealth. It’s true; Mitt Romney was successful during his time in private-equity and amassed quite a bit of wealth. He has much of that money invested and pays most of his taxes at the capital gains tax rate of 15%.

Most people do not like this and believe that Mitt Romney should be paying a lot more because of his considerable wealth. The good news for Romney, and for the rest of us, is that all of our effective tax rates are much lower than the marginal tax rates on different levels of income which garner the most attention.

According to the Tax Foundation, the top 1% of taxpayers had an effective tax rate of 24.01% in 2009, the latest year available. The top 0.1% (those making $1.4 million or more) paid a rate of 24.28%. The rate falls as you move down the income ladder. The top 5% paid a rate of 20.46%. The top 10% paid 18.71%. Those in the 20% to 50% groups had a rate of 5.58% and the bottom 50% had a tax rate of 1.85%.

As the Wall Street Journal points out this morning, this is the perfect opportunity for Mitt Romney to take a perceived negative and turn it into a positive. The positive would be a plan for comprehensive tax reform which Mitt Romney has not released yet.

When he recently visited the Journal, Mr. Romney all but said he didn't think he could propose a tax reform with lower rates because he'd be attacked as a rich guy. Well, Governor, you are a rich guy, and with the 15% news, you're going to be attacked anyway. What matters is how you respond.

Newt Gingrich jumped on the news yesterday and called it "Mitt Romney's flat tax," in mock homage to the former speaker's proposal for a 15% voluntary flat tax. Team Obama won't be so witty or kind, and it will spend $1 billion assailing the Republican as a morally obtuse fat cat who doesn't understand the problems of average Americans. If Mr. Romney doesn't want to spend the campaign defending his 15% tax rate, he'll get out front and propose a serious tax reform.

Romney is rich, but the 15% line isn’t the major gaffe he made yesterday, it was this little gem.

"For the past 10 years, my income comes overwhelmingly from investments made in the past, rather than ordinary income or earned annual income. I got a little bit of income from my book, but I gave that all away. Then, I get speakers fees from time to time, but not very much."

Not very much? According to his personal financial disclosure, from February 2010 to February 2011, Romney earned $374,327.62 in speaking fees.

For a campaign that is basically running a general election campaign these are the sorts of answers that should have been rehearsed over and over again. Everyone knows Mitt Romney is rich, just like everyone knows our tax code is a mess. Romney’s tax rate is just not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things and is easy to turn into a positive. What is harder to turn into a positive is yet another Romney comment showing his is far removed from the struggles of the average American in Obama's economy.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sorry-Mitt,-but-$374,000-is-a-lot-of-money/338741291553557071.html

Takeaways from last night's debate

2012-01-17T13:06:00Z

Posted By: Max

The 16th debate. Yes, 16 of these monstrosities have happened and here at The Laura Ingraham Show we have watched and covered them all. So, why did this one matter, if it did?

First of all, Newt Gingrich clearly walked away the winner. Almost every sentence that came out of his mouth was interrupted by applause. His one weak-ish point was at the beginning when he was forced to defend his unpopular attacks on Mitt Romney's tenure as CEO of Bain Capital. Past that, it was Newt's night. I get the impression that Newt was never fully comfortable with the Bain attacks, but desperate times call for desperate measures (I suppose, but don't agree with). Newt reminded conservatives why he exploded in the polls in late November/early December and only helped himself further as the night went on. Newt will pick up votes after this debate and has a chance to gain more in Thursday's debate. A Thursday performance equal to tonight's and that will be enough to make Mitt sweat on Saturday night.

Rick Santorum also did not do himself a disservice during this debate. He was the first to get Romney truly flustered which ended what was a solid opening 15 minutes for the frontrunner. Overall Santorum was solid throughout the debate, though I must wonder how much felon voting rights and his stance on right-to-work legislation (I voted against it because my state was against it) will actually help him. Unfortunately for Santorum, Newt was on stage with him which means when it comes to the battle between the two “conservative alternatives” Santorum lost.

Ron Paul was Ron Paul. He made everyone jump up and down when he spoke about the economy and left some scratching their heads when it comes to his stances on foreign policy. I don't think he did anything to expand his base of voters, which seems to be somewhere between 18-23 percent of the GOP primary electorate, but he didn't do anything to diminish it. He's Ron Paul and he represents an underrepresented segment of the party. He said many things the Republican Party should listen to.

Rick Perry showed he is getting his sea legs, too bad he is 5 months late for this. He hit red meat lines, but the vast majority of conservatives have moved on from him. If Perry started out like this, he may have still been relevant.

All of that leaves us with the frontrunner, Mitt Romney. Romney started off somewhat, defending Bain and private equity, but not as convincingly as one would think given he knew this topic would be a major part of the debate. It was when Santorum started putting the screws to him over felon voting rights where the cracks began to show. “Stop it” is not something you really want to hear from a candidate (nor is “Anderson...Anderson.”). After that he existed simply as who he is, the generic Republican who was unable to break 25% in the polls until this week. Solid, scripted answers on a variety of subjects, from campaign finance reform to the debt crisis in Europe. He played it safe all night, but showed why grassroots conservatives have yet to fall in love with him. He simply lacks a certain je ne sais quois that the conservative base is yearning for during this process.

Mitt Romney is likely a staunch believer in conservative principles as he has moved further right over time. As someone who is inclined to trust reason and a solid, detailed analysis of a situation over emotional knee-jerk reactions I like how Romney composes himself on stage, but it is easy to see why the base does not see him as someone who is ready to destroy the enemies of conservatism.

Newt stepped in and offered the spirited defense of what Newt sees as conservatism. It was that emotion combined with Romney’s lack-of that won Newt the debate and maybe a third look from the voters.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Takeaways-from-last-nights-debate/-958353174442647596.html

Planned Parenthood's disgusting international abortion outreach

2012-01-17T13:04:00Z

Posted By: Max

There are plenty organizations that do a lot of good around the world, whether they are attempting to eradicate deadly diseases, solve hunger, or provide the tools for micro-financing operations so entrepreneurs in the third world can start businesses and create wealth. Then there are organizations like Planned Parenthood, whose goal is to kill off more of the unborn every year. No, that is not hyperbole.

In its strategic plan for Africa for the years 2010-215, the International Planned Parenthood Federation has set an organizational goal of increasing its "abortion services" in that part of the world by 82 percent.

The number is in Figure 2, the “performance framework” of the plan (page 7), under “performance milestones/benchmarks” and notes its expectation of an “82 percent increase in abortion services: 212,021 services by 2013, and 273,656 by 2015.”

A “performance milestone?” This group thinks a real achievement in the world is to kill more of the unborn. Twisted does begin to describe the people who run this group and set these policy goals.

Now, one would wonder if teaching abstinence would be part of this “performance framework” set by IPPF.

When asked by CNSNews.com why two other “As” were not included in the plan – abstinence and adoption -- Bell said the IPPF does not have a “mandate as an adoption agency” but that clinics operated by the organization “do provide counseling and referral for adoption services.”

That’s fine, they are not an adoption agency, but let’s look at the statistics when it comes to adoption referrals by Planned Parenthood in the United States.

The number of women receiving prenatal care dropped significantly from 2009 to 2010, as the abortion business helped 40,489 women in 2009 — meaning almost 10,000 fewer women received prenatal support from Planned Parenthood last year than the year prior, or a drop of almost 25 percent.

The number of women getting adoption referrals also declined — from a low 977 in 2009 to 841 last year, or a decline of 14 percent.

The trend at Planned Parenthood has been for its non-abortion services for pregnant women to decline while its number of abortions performed has increased. The 2009 annual report Planned Parenthood released earlier this year showed a 25 percent drop in prenatal care clients and a whopping 59 percent decline in adoption referrals from the 2,405 adoption referrals in 2008.

The fact is that the adoption referral comment is a ruse. It is akin to putting a bow on a steaming pile of cow dung. The bow looks nice, but the stench and sight of the mass overall more than overwhelms whatever aesthetic gain that the pile of dung may receive by have a bow placed on top.

Planned Parenthood is about abortion. It is not about preserving life or “planning your parenthood” but rather its goal is to snuff out as many of the unborn as possible. Planned Parenthood can claim whatever they want to claim about prenatal care and adoption referrals, but their own numbers show that goal number one is abortion.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Planned-Parenthoods-disgusting-international-abortion-outreach/-606005635540988615.html

Red China's gift from Obama

2012-01-16T13:39:00Z

Posted By: Max

I wrote about this topic a few weeks ago, but it is important to point out again since we are now in election year and the failures of this president need to be pointed out in every forum possible. This is why I do not mind giving a mini-rant about the Keystone XL pipeline again.

Since President Obama is caving to the green lobby and delaying any judgment on the pipeline until 2013 (you know, so people who thing that eco-friendly lightbulbs are more important jobs still like him) the Canadian Prime Minister, Steven Harper, is turning to other countries to soak up freshly tapped Canadian oil. I will give you one guess who is it.

Canada is now looking to Asian countries to market its abundance of oil, natural gas and minerals as plans to build the proposed Keystone XL pipeline have stalled with the U.S. administration.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will travel to China next month to discuss selling Canada's bounty to the rapidly growing nation.

The preferred initial plan was to build the $7 billion Keystone pipeline to deliver Alberta's oilsands crude to refineries in Texas on the Gulf of Mexico.

Harper reasoned that the U.S. government would prefer to deal with a friendly neighbor to help meet its energy needs while creating thousands of jobs.

With widespread opposition by U.S. environmentalists, the Obama administration has delayed its decision on whether to approve the project proposed by energy giant TransCanada Pipelines.

The new plan would market to China and Asian countries through the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline that would transport Alberta's oil and natural gas to British Columbia for shipment by tankers.

There we go. Why would we want to import oil from a close ally when we can still turn to OPEC? I mean, who doesn't want to be at the mercy of a cartel because someone's supporters want to protect the habitats of animals rather than the jobs of living, breathing human beings.

So thank you President Obama, you are not only preventing tens of thousands of Americans from gaining employment in tough economic times, your inaction on this project is also helping China. Good work.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Red-Chinas-gift-from-Obama/-988353591957976171.html

Conservatives cannot forget about the Congressional elections in 2012

2012-01-16T12:28:00Z

Posted By: Max

It was two years ago at this time when Scott Brown was rapidly climbing up the polls in Massachusetts where he would eventually beat Martha (who Rep. Patrick (Patches) Kennedy called 'Marcia') Coakley for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, prevent the Democrats from having a filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate. Brown won because he ran a campaign claiming he was a voice for the people while also making clear his intentions to vote against ObamaCare. It helped that ‘Marcia’ ran as if she was entitled to win the seat because of the D after her name, but nevertheless, the GOP saw an opportunity to win a seat and they took advantage. It began a year where the GOP would take back a full 7 Senate seats along with 63 seats in the House of Representatives.

In 2012, while most are focused on the race for the White House, the GOP has a chance to win control of the Senate and keep, if not expand, their majority it the House. Of the 33 Senate seats up for reelection, the Democrats have to defend 23 (in 7 of these seats the Dem incumbent is retiring) while the GOP has to defend only 10 (one of which is the Scott Brown seat). The GOP only needs to have a net gain of four seats and it is a real possibility the GOP can achieve this margin of victory.

The reason I bring this up now is because of new polling data showing that Democrats now leading Republicans in the generic Congressional ballot. Just a year after Speaker John Boehner took the gavel from Nancy Pelosi it is now Republicans who are now in the position of convincing the American people why they should stay in power in the House and given the tumultuous year that was 2011, it will take some work.

I do think that the GOP will maintain the House and that a Senate majority is a coin-flip, but it won’t happen unless Republicans realize there is more than just one race happening this year, there are 469 contests that will impact what the legislative and executive branches will look like beginning on January 20th, 2013.

For those conservative activists who are dismayed with the increasingly likely nomination of Mitt Romney, let your heart not be troubled. In addition to working to remove Obama from the White House, there are plenty of strong conservatives across the country running in local elections that need you support and energy as well. This year is about more than just the White House and we need to remember that as November approaches.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Conservatives-cannot-forget-about-the-Congressional-elections-in-2012/-935235553205285840.html

The elites, a housing bubble, and the same old (non)solutions

2012-01-13T17:39:00Z

Posted By: Max

Want to know why Ron Paul is picking up votes left and right? Stories like this one:

Running his first meeting as chairman of the central bank, Ben S. Bernanke, in his collegial style, solicited observations about the economy from colleagues. Some of the Fed's staff earlier had talked about the potential risks, but in that meeting and in subsequent ones that year, there was a glaring absence of alarm about the dangers of the housing bubble and what might lie ahead for the broader economy.

Instead, concerns about a housing bust were largely dismissed by most officials, according to meeting transcripts released Thursday.

"We believe that, absent some large, negative shock to perceptions about employment and earned income, the effects of the expected cooling in housing prices are going to be modest," said Timothy F. Geithner, the current Treasury secretary, who then was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

That took place in 2006, right before the housing bubble burst, prices collapsed, and our economy went right into a tailspin. Why was this bubble so large and its aftermath so vicious? If you guessed it was because of the people sitting around that very same table where Ben Bernanke held his first meeting as Federal Reserve president, you would be correct.

Federal Reserve staff and policy makers identified a housing bubble in 2005 and failed to alter a predictable path of interest-rate increases to slow down the expansion of mortgage credit, transcripts from Open Market Committee meetings that year show.

Led by then-Chairman Alan Greenspan, the FOMC raised the benchmark lending rate in quarter-point increments to 4.25 percent from 2.25 percent at the end of December 2004. The committee also removed uncertainty about the pace of rate increases by telegraphing that future moves would be “measured” in every statement.

The “measured” pace language helped fuel the housing boom by keeping longer-term interest rates low and was inappropriate at the time given the uncertainties about both inflation and asset prices, said Marvin Goodfriend, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

So not only did the elites cause this problem, they actually had some idea that a bubble was appearing right before their eyes but their own hubris blocked them from acting! 7 years after this Greenspan meeting we have a housing market that has yet to recover. In fact, we have a economy that is stalled under the weight of our debt, both at the government level and at the personal level.

So who wants to come to the rescue again?

Fed officials are likely to discuss such a move at their Jan. 24-25 meeting, when the central bank will issue its first quarterly forecast on interest rates under the new communication policy.

Two of the new voting members this year on the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets interest-rate policy, have recently suggested they would support more assets purchases.

San Francisco Fed President John Williams said that sustained high levels of unemployment, as forecast by many Fed members, "does make an argument that we should have more stimulus."

Great. At every point over the past 7 years of bubbles, recessions, and stagnation we have seen the elites come to the same conclusion at every turning point: “LET’S JUST THROW EVERY SINGLE PENNY WE CAN SCROUNGE UP AT THIS PROBLEM AND HOPE IT STICKS!” Needless to say, I am skeptical that the silver bullet to our employment woes is a third round of Quantitative Easing from the Fed. Then again, I am not an elite, so what do I know.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-elites,-a-housing-bubble,-and-the-same-old-nonsolutions/-612077084215221621.html

The GOP ads in South Carolina and Florida

2012-01-13T13:39:00Z

Posted By: Max

As usual, the ads during this campaign have taken on a life of their own. Here are a few from South Carolina and Florida. Which one do you think is most effective?

Newt Gingrich's "The French Connection:

Newt Gingrich's "For the Dogs" ad:

Mitt Romney "Free Enterprise" ad:

Rick Perry "Champion" ad:

Rick Santorum "Very Best Chance" ad:

And of course, here is the "King of Bain" ad which as the Washington Post pointed out is full or garbage.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-GOP-ads-in-South-Carolina-and-Florida/-969506861072441165.html

The only way the tea party can hurt the GOP

2012-01-12T17:16:00Z

Posted By: Max

There was an interesting poll that Rasmussen released yesterday showing that 46% of likely voters think the tea party will hurt the GOP in the 2012 election. Not surprisingly the Republicans polled think differently than the overall electorate with a majority saying the tea party is a good thing. Hot Air provides a nice breakdown of the results.

Of course Dems and many Independents don't like the tea party, but that will not stop many of them from voting against President Obama. The real damage the tea party could do is not if they are enthusiastic about the GOP nominee, it is if they simply don't care enough to show up to vote or vote third party as a protest (especially if the nominee is Mitt Romney). While the tea party is comprised mainly of grass roots conservatives who need to show up to the polls if the GOP has any hope of defeating Obama. A failure for tea partiers to come out and back a viable alternative to Obama would be a disaster for the GOP and this country.

So while this poll has a misleading headline, it is true that the tea party could hurt the GOP in general election, just not in the way most people think they will.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-only-way-the-tea-party-can-hurt-the-GOP/-813491244671799376.html

Newt's superPAC channels their inner Michael Moore

2012-01-12T14:04:00Z

Posted By: Max

There has been a lot (and I mean a lot) written about Mitt Romney's time as Bain Capital's CEO over the past few days. The consensus on the right seems to be that these attacks have no place in the GOP primary and the people making them sound like your standard leftist. There has also been some criticism over Romney characterizing himself as a “jobs creator” when jobs that were created were actually byproducts of his maximizing his investor's returns on their investments. Jonathan Last at The Weekly Standard sums it up nicely:

Romney’s work at Bain differs in some important ways from how he has characterized it thus far. When Romney says that his goal at Bain was to “create jobs,” that’s not entirely true. As a private equity firm, Bain’s goal was to maximize return on investment (ROI) for a small group of high net worth investors. Sometimes that meant giving seed money to a promising start-up. Sometimes it meant rescuing a company and turning it around. Sometimes it meant finding revenue streams a company hadn’t realized—including government bailouts. Sometimes it meant off-shoring a company’s jobs. And sometimes it meant finding a company whose component parts were worth more than the whole—and dismantling it.

...

When people think “job creation,” they typically think about an enterprise that builds something. Bernard Marcus’s Home Depot, for instance. Or Steve Jobs’s Apple. Romney’s Bain was nothing like those firms. It was a hybrid venture capital/consulting operation designed to find hidden value in other companies and take advantage of it on behalf of its investors.

Last makes the point that many have been glossing over. Mitt Romney's job was never to create jobs, it was TO MAKE MONEY FOR HIS INVESTORS. And guess what, Romney was really good at that. Romney's job was to find inefficiencies in companies or parts of their market that were unexploited or finding additional revenue streams for the company in order to boost said company's performance. Isn't this exactly what America is looking for? Why not come out and say it rather than steer the conversation about how many jobs you created?

The point is that a number on a piece of paper is never an convincing as the family ripped apart when “Mitt Romney Came To Town.” I put that in quotation marks because that is the title of the movie that the pro-Gingrich superPAC “Winning our Future” released yesterday. It is 28 minutes of purified leftist propaganda using the left's most adored rhetorical device: the personal anecdote.

The stories of the people who lost their jobs are just awful to watch. You sympathize with these people. You don't think about what positives Bain may have done, you see the families who were not able to have Christmas after Bain took over the company they worked for. Mitt Romney took toys away from children. Have fun making the “creative destruction” argument (no matter how right Mitt is) when your opponents get to put a picture of you waving around C-notes next to a picture of Oliver Twist's doppelganger.

The personal anecdote may be the favored rhetorical device of the left. What do you do when the facts do not support what you are claiming? You go to something that is statistically insignificant – a single data point in order to place a face on the tragedy. Instead of taking the right-wing approach of going after his record as Governor (which includes tax hikes and a pat on the back to Planned Parenthood) and pointing out the last time he had to chance to lead a state he was a moderate, Gingrich, Perry, and their friends decide not to attack capitalism as a whole, but to attack people who risk their own wealth in an effort to make others more wealthy. What Romney did was not dealing in shadowy credit default swaps – he bet that he could make companies more productive and profitable and when that happens, those companies will end up hiring people because they have the capital to expand.

On the whole what Bain Capital did was productive for the economy, whether he restructured companies or found the pieces of them that were profitable and got rid of the rest, or Bain ended up outsourcing jobs.

This movie is a cheap shot. It is a leftist hit piece fueled by leftist rhetorical devices. If you want to take on Romney over Bain, let's deal with the total numbers, not a one-sided movie that is designed only to smear.

Update: Bloomberg News takes the anti-Romney movie down piece by piece. Looks like not only is this movie a leftist smear job, it is a sloppy leftist smear job.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Newts-superPAC-channels-their-inner-Michael-Moore/-934901725612463636.html

Newt's superPAC channels their inner Michael Moore

2012-01-12T14:02:00Z

Romney’s work at Bain differs in some important ways from how he has characterized it thus far. When Romney says that his goal at Bain was to “create jobs,” that’s not entirely true. As a private equity firm, Bain’s goal was to maximize return on investment (ROI) for a small group of high net worth investors. Sometimes that meant giving seed money to a promising start-up. Sometimes it meant rescuing a company and turning it around. Sometimes it meant finding revenue streams a company hadn’t realized—including government bailouts. Sometimes it meant off-shoring a company’s jobs. And sometimes it meant finding a company whose component parts were worth more than the whole—and dismantling it.

...

When people think “job creation,” they typically think about an enterprise that builds something. Bernard Marcus’s Home Depot, for instance. Or Steve Jobs’s Apple. Romney’s Bain was nothing like those firms. It was a hybrid venture capital/consulting operation designed to find hidden value in other companies and take advantage of it on behalf of its investors.

Last makes the point that many have been glossing over. Mitt Romney's job was never to create jobs, it was TO MAKE MONEY FOR HIS INVESTORS. And guess what, Romney was really good at that. Romney's job was to find inefficiencies in companies or parts of their market that were unexploited or finding additional revenue streams for the company in order to boost said company's performance. Isn't this exactly what America is looking for? Why not come out and say it rather than steer the conversation about how many jobs you created?

The point is that a number on a piece of paper is never an convincing as the family ripped apart when “Mitt Romney Came To Town.” I put that in quotation marks because that is the title of the movie that the pro-Gingrich superPAC “Winning our Future” released yesterday. It is 28 minutes of purified leftist propaganda using the left's most adored rhetorical device: the personal anecdote.

The stories of the people who lost their jobs are just awful to watch. You sympathize with these people. You don't think about what positives Bain may have done, you see the families who were not able to have Christmas after Bain took over the company they worked for. Mitt Romney took toys away from children. Have fun making the “creative destruction” argument (no matter how right Mitt is) when your opponents get to put a picture of you waving around C-notes next to a picture of Oliver Twist's doppelganger.

The personal anecdote may be the favored rhetorical device of the left. What do you do when the facts do not support what you are claiming? You go to something that is statistically insignificant – a single data point in order to place a face on the tragedy. Instead of taking the right-wing approach of going after his record as Governor (which includes tax hikes and a pat on the back to Planned Parenthood) and pointing out the last time he had to chance to lead a state he was a moderate, Gingrich, Perry, and their friends decide not to attack capitalism as a whole, but to attack people who risk their own wealth in an effort to make others more wealthy. What Romney did was not dealing in shadowy credit default swaps – he bet that he could make companies more productive and profitable and when that happens, those companies will end up hiring people because they have the capital to expand.

On the whole what Bain Capital did was productive for the economy, whether he restructured companies or found the pieces of them that were profitable and got rid of the rest, or Bain ended up outsourcing jobs.

This movie is a cheap shot. It is a leftist hit piece fueled by leftist rhetorical devices. If you want to take on Romney over Bain, let's deal with the total numbers, not a one-sided movie that is designed only to smear.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Newts-superPAC-channels-their-inner-Michael-Moore/-761529735463429975.html

Romney wins New Hampshire the Bain way

2012-01-11T12:01:00Z

Posted By: Max

While some of his fellow candidates are attacking Mitt Romney for turning around companies and providing investors in Bain some hefty returns, Romney used the same tactics that were implemented at Bain Capital to handily win the New Hampshire primary. A few days ago Vanity Fair posted a profile titled "The Meaning of Mitt." Inside we learn about Mitt and his time at Bain Capital and how Romney learned how to approach and solve problems.

The Bain Way, as it became known, was intensely analytical and data-driven, a quality it shared with some other firms’ methods. But Bill Bain had come up with the idea of working for just one client per industry and devoting Bain & Company entirely to that company, with a strict vow of confidentiality. From the start Romney was perfectly adapted to the Bain Way and became a devoted disciple. Patient analysis and attention to nuance were what drove him. For six years, he delved into numerous unfamiliar companies, learned what made them work, scoped out the competition, and then presented his findings.

An attention to detail, details that other consulting firms may have passed over. Romney was trained to study every idiosyncrasy of the company he was consulting in excruciating detail. When Romney was made the CEO of Bain Capital, this approach was used in deciding which investments the company would make.

Romney was, by nature, deeply risk-averse in a business based on risk. He worried about losing the money of his partners and his outside investors—not to mention his own savings. “He was troubled when we didn’t invest fast enough; he was troubled when we made an investment,” said Bain partner Coleman Andrews. Sorting through possible investments, Romney met weekly with his young partners, pushing them for deeper analysis and more data and giving himself the final vote on whether to go forward.

It was this search for data and insights from the numbers that no one else would have that led to Staples.

A former supermarket executive, Thomas Stemberg, was trying to sell venture capitalists on what seemed like a modest idea: a cheaper way to sell paper clips, pens, and other office supplies. The enterprise that would become the superstore Staples at first met with skepticism. Small and midsize businesses at the time bought most of their supplies from local stationers, often at significant markups. Few people saw the profit-margin potential in selling such homely goods at discount and in massive volume. But Stemberg was convinced and hired an investment banker to help raise money. Romney eventually heard Stemberg’s pitch, and he and his partners dug into Stemberg’s projections. They called lawyers, accountants, and scores of business owners in the Boston area to query them on how much they spent on supplies and whether they’d be willing to shop at a large new store. The partners initially concluded that Stemberg was overestimating the market. “Look,” Stemberg told Romney, “your mistake is that the guys you called think they know what they spend, but they don’t.” Romney and Bain Capital went back to the businesses and tallied up invoices. Stemberg’s assessment that this was a hidden giant of a market seemed right after all.

This is how Romney beat his competition. It was by carefully assessing each target and coming up with a game plan. It should come as no surprise that this is precisely the way Mitt Romney plans on winning this nomination; by targeting voters who are likely to support Romney, getting them enthused, having those likely supporters get their friends enthused, and make sure all of them show up to the polls. Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times reports that this is what Team Romney did when it came to New Hampshire. Careful analysis of the every single data point they could find on the electorate and crafting a game plan that will result in a Romney win.

Flush with cash as other rivals limped through the summer and fall, the Romney team poured resources into data: Operatives mined reams of consumer information — from the number of purchases voters made at Williams-Sonoma to their range of financial investments — to build a model that would allow them to find and identify potential supporters.

The micro-targeting program helped Romney secure victories in New Hampshire and Iowa and will become increasingly crucial as it moves on to the battlegrounds of Florida and South Carolina.

…

In voter calls, live operators narrowed down the top interests of voters beyond jobs and the economy — following up with mail focused on those topics, including healthcare, illegal immigration and border security, or the power of labor.

Ultimately Romney operatives expanded a list of 5,000 solid supporters in New Hampshire from his 2008 campaign to more than 25,000 whom they believed they could rely on to vote in Tuesday's primary while also turning out friends, relatives and colleagues.

This operation has already moved on to South Carolina and Florida. While it seems wonky it is important because it shows just how tough it will be to knock Romney off his increasingly clear path to the nomination. This is a general election campaign that is flush with cash ready to take on the entire field. If conservatives who are in the “anyone but Romney” camp want to beat Mitt, this is what they are up against – and they will not win unless they form a united front and start pumping dollars into that organization.

However, it should be noted that Romney is a New Englander and that means inflated numbers in New Hampshire. As Nate Silver of the New York Times points out, if you are a candidate from New England you generally perform about 15 points better in New Hampshire than how you are performing nationally. This means we have to wait until South Carolina to see if Mitt can break the 25% threshold that has been his ceiling so far this campaign.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Romney-wins-New-Hampshire-the-Bain-way/814627003713479216.html

Obama's election year amnesty push

2012-01-11T11:35:00Z

Posted By: Max

Actually, it is not a push, Obama is openly giving 215,000 illegals from El Salvador 18 more months before their deportations take place because of earthquakes that disrupted the stability of the country...in 2001.The El Salvadorian foreign minister, Hugo Martinez, lobbied for this policy in part because remittances from El Salvadorians living illegally in America are keeping El Salvador's economy afloat. The Obama administration, of course, gave in to the demands.

On top of that Obama appointed Cecilia Munoz, former senior vice president of the National Council of La Raza and illegal alien amnesty advocate to head his Domestic Policy Council.

See, the Obama administration is already in full campaign mode. Obama's informal kick-off in Kansas last month served as the beginning of an 11-month slugfest between Obama and Republicans. With white, working class voters moving towards the GOP (favoring McCain by 18 points in 2008, and supporting GOP house candidates over Democrats by 30 points in 2010) the Obama campaign has no choice by to make every overture possible to minority communities. We know Obama doesn't care about securing the border, his Justice Department has made it clear that it will go after states (Arizona and Alabama specifically) that choose to enforce federal laws that the Obama administration doesn't feel like enforcing.

This is just another example of the Obama administration extending a hand to the Hispanic community (do not think for a second that the fact that Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in America has nothing to do with this) at the expense of enforcing laws and keeping American citizens safe.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-election-year-amnesty-push/-226353427010843120.html

Why New Hampshire matters

2012-01-10T16:45:00Z

Posted By: Max

I grew up in New Hampshire, so admittedly this is a biased post and mostly anecdotal. I know South Carolina has picked the GOP nominee every time since 1980 and I understand that New Hampshire doesn’t have that same track record in recent years. From 1952-1988 New Hampshire was the state that picked not just the nominee, but the president. That streak was broken in 1992 when Bill Clinton finished in second behind former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, but went on to win the nomination.

On the GOP side, Pat Buchanan won in 1996, but Dole won the nomination. In 2000 NH went with McCain, and in 2008 NH went with Hillary Clinton and John McCain, who both ended up losing to Obama.

That’s the bad. The good is that New Hampshire looks a lot like much of America. Southeast New Hampshire is basically one big suburb of Manchester and Boston and the vast majority of the state is rural. There is a deep distrust of politicians (we don’t have a sales tax or an income tax) but a level of patriotism that is unmatched anywhere else in the country.

Not to mention, with the flight of liberals from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, the state is one of the purplest in the nation. 40% of voters in New Hampshire are registered independents, and in a year when there is no Democratic primary (well, not one where is uncertainty in the outcome) independents are likely to show up in the GOP primary. This will let us see who independents and conservatives are being drawn towards. You do need to win independents in order to win the White House. While I would argue that doesn’t mean you reject conservatism in the name of votes, it does mean you have to be an effective communicator of ideas. New Hampshire is a good test of one’s ability to communicate.

For tonight, there are two numbers to look at: 32 and 10. 32 is the percent of the vote Mitt Romney received in 2008 in New Hampshire. If he can top this he can say he is showing his ability to reach out beyond people who supported him last time (something he couldn’t do in Iowa).

The other number is 10. Romney needs to win by 10 points or more in order for tonight to be a success. If this turns out to be a single digit win the narrative from the media will be Mitt is vulnerable and cannot reach out to people beyond his base.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Why-New-Hampshire-matters/-552528306613053275.html

Where is the media outrage over Jack Lew's Wall St. past?

2012-01-10T13:09:00Z

Posted By: Max

You may not know the name Jack Lew, in fact most people outside of Washington, D.C. probably have. Jack Lew, former head of the Office of Management and Budget, will be taking over as White House Chief of Staff for William Daley, who is choosing to leave the post early. While the internal squabbles that led to this event occurring (you can read about those stories here) what is interesting is the mainstream media, who jumped on Mitt Romney over his time at Bain Capital, are completely ignoring Jack Lew’s time spend at Citigroup in their alternative investments division.

From 2006-2008, Jack Lew was chief operating officer of Citibank's alternative investments division. And it was his division that made billions of dollars betting "U.S. homeowners would not be able to make their mortgage payments," as the Huffington Post reported.

The piece also reported: “Lew made millions at Citi, including a bonus of nearly $950,000 in 2009 just a few months after the bank received billions of dollars in a taxpayer rescue, according to disclosure forms filed with the federal government. The bank is still partly owned by taxpayers.”

The New York Observer breaks it down even further:

Prior to his appointment as a deputy secretary at the Department of State, Mr. Lew was Chief Operating Officer of CitiGroup’s Alternative Investments group.

Do you know what Alternative Investments are? They’re things like hedge funds, who buy things like credit default swaps! Credit default swaps are essentially the ability to buy insurance on someone else’s house in one hand as you hold anything else—the adjustable-rate mortgage you know they can’t pay off, or the capacity to sell that mortgage and therefore generate more mortgages like it, or a gasoline can—in the other hand. This is what Jacob Lew invested in!

In 2008 and the beginning of 2009, Mr. Lew took in $1.1M from CitiGroup.

This included a $900,000 bonus.

Not only did Jack Lew make money from betting against homeowners (a smart bet) he also took a bonus that was funded by the taxpayers. Isn’t this the revolving door between Wall Street and Washington that has so many upset? The left is beginning to pile on Mitt Romney for making money, why not Jack Lew? Isn’t just another Wall St. banker, a member of the 1% who doesn’t understand the plight of the middle class? Wasn’t he out to make money any way possible as an investment banker?

Personally I don’t care if Lew made money on Wall St. Good for him. What I am annoyed with is Obama replacing a guy who worked at J.P. Morgan (who replaced a guy for worked for Fannie Mae) with a guy who worked at Citigroup and the media is focusing on Mitt Romney whose career in leveraged buyouts was a far more productive form of capitalism.

Is it any wonder why people don’t flip on broadcast news or pick up most newspapers anymore? There is no balance in the coverage and with the internet people have access to different kinds of news sources. This Jack Lew story is just another case of the media’s bias hitting us right, smack in the face.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Where-is-the-media-outrage-over-Jack-Lews-Wall-St.-past/-771144680645851688.html

Newt's petty attacks on Bain Capital

2012-01-09T14:21:00Z

Posted By: Max

The Wall Street Journal today does a great job breaking down Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital – the good and the bad. The good is that Mitt Romney was very good at his job, which was to provide a return to people who invested in companies that Bain took over. The bad is that sometimes jobs were lost when companies were restructured. Over the Wall Street Journal points out that during Romney’s time in charge of Bain, it was one of the most successful buyout firms in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

In 1994, when Mitt Romney was running for U.S. Senate in an effort to unseat Ted Kennedy, one of the main attacks Kennedy’s team used against Romney was that sometimes in an effort to turn losses into profits people had to be let go. Kennedy’s team found people who lost jobs after Bain took over the company they worked for and made some effective attack ads. A picture of Romney waving around cash next to the picture of someone struggling after losing their job is the exact kind of class warfare that liberals thrive on – it is an attack based on emotion and the personal anecdote without any substantial criticisms. This is why it was shocking that this was the course of attack Newt Gingrich is choosing. In an interview this weekend, Gingrich made this comment.

"I don't think a Milton Friedman or a Hayek would say to you, rich guys have to go and rip off companies and leave a wreckage behind," Gingrich said in an interview after a town hall appearance here Sunday night. "I think that's plundering. I don't think that's capitalism."

What? The guy who started Staples, turned around Dominos and Sports Authority is just some financial pirate looking to screw middle class Americans out of jobs? This does not sound like a conservative, this sounds like what David Axelrod has prepared in case Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Newts-petty-attacks-on-Bain-Capital/-49420302947815485.html

Is anyone surprised about the Obama's 'Mad Hatter' ball?

2012-01-09T13:33:00Z

Posted By: Max

Do you remember the fall of 2009? The tea party was just finding it's legs, President Obama was going around the country selling his health care reform plan, and the economy was shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs. Chances were, if you are middle class, you were taking a hard look at your finances and were saving at a much higher rate than you did in previous years. Our president, who pretends to be in touch with the middle class, was doing something a little different in the fall of 2009.

I will admit. I am not one of those people who fault the president for inviting sports teams to the White House. Every President does this, it is no big deal. A one hour ceremony is not going to cause damage to this country and what red blooded American male wouldn't like to meet with winners of the Super Bowl? None, that is how many.

But this is entirely different. This is Obama having a Hollywood production at the White House so he can party. I wonder how many American families could not afford candy to put out for trick-or-treat in 2009? No one is saying the President should not have some benefits that are not afforded to the rest of us. He has the White House. He has Camp David. If he wanted to connect with regular people he had the chance, he could have had staycations like everyone else.

Instead he had a Hollywood produced 'Alice in Wonderland' themed party complete with Johnny Depp playing The Mad Hatter. It was so over the top the White House kept this from the press (the same press that pushed Obamamania on the country) for fear of public backlash during a time when unemployment was hovering around 10%.

Is it surprising that the Obama’s decided that this was a good idea? Not at all. The only thing that Barack and Michelle love almost as much as power is being in the company of celebrities. The entire administration has been one long party – whether it is multi-week vacations, weekly golf outings, or lavish parties produced by Tim Burton.

Obama said at the White House Hanukkah event last year, “We never need an excuse for a party.” Truer words may have never been spoken by this president.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Is-anyone-surprised-about-the-Obamas-Mad-Hatter-ball/128148627155114910.html

Watch John McCain go after Mitt Romney on earmarks...on Friday morning

2012-01-06T19:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Oh man this is great. McCain reverts back to 2008 McCain while stumping for Romney? Priceless.

Just look at Mitt's face. Gone is the fidgeting that was obvious during McCain's endorsement speech on Wednesday. Now it just Mitt, standing their, frozen, waiting his turn.

At least this dynamic is still giving us something to laugh about four years later.

(h/t Mediaite)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Watch-John-McCain-go-after-Mitt-Romney-on-earmarks...on-Friday-morning/200826446018125793.html

Obama's election year housing stimulus

2012-01-05T12:51:00Z

Posted By: Max

Yes, you read that correctly. The Federal Reserve is now suggesting that the government turn to mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help turn around the housing crisis that they helped create.

The Fed, in a paper sent to lawmakers on Wednesday, outlined an array of steps that could be taken to help the housing sector, including allowing Fannie and Freddie to provide cheaper mortgages to a broader pool of homeowners.

While legislative steps are likely off the table, the Fed's recommendations left plenty of scope for other approaches and could add to pressure on Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to take a broad view in helping housing markets recover rather than focusing narrowly on stemming losses at the firms.

The Fed's proposal to expand Fannie and Freddie's role in the government's main refinance program was among a number of measures the U.S. central bank recommended aimed at bringing down the inventory of unsold homes, making it easier for borrowers to get credit and containing an onslaught of foreclosures.

The same Freddie and Fannie who have required a taxpayer funded bailout of $169 billion (so far) because for decades they engaged in taking on risky mortgages in order to make everyone a home owner. The same giants that have taxpayers on the hook for trillions in loans, many of them bad because people bought houses they had no right buying (thanks to the federal government) are now being urged to…take on more mortgages of a wider variety. Is this a joke?

Don’t let the increased role of Freddie and Fannie in the housing market destroy your faith in this administration’s economic policy. Let this post from Jim Pethokoukis do that for you. When this happens, does this mean that Obama is really running a $2 Trillion campaign, half of it funded by you?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-election-year-housing-stimulus/-504953119608340252.html

Richard Cordray: Obama's new recruit in his war on jobs

2012-01-04T19:59:00Z

Posted By: Max

The glass half-full view? At least it isn’t Elizabeth Warren.

Congressional officials said President Obama used his recess appointment powers Wednesday to name a head for the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in a move Republican lawmakers said amounted to an unconstitutional power grab.

The president acted just a day after the Senate held a session — a move that breaks with at least three different precedents that said the Senate must be in recess for at least three days. Mr. Obama himself was part of two of those precedents, both during his own time in the Senate and again in 2010 when one of his administration’s top constitutional lawyers made the three-day argument to the Supreme Court.

The appointment in question is former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, whom Mr. Obama tapped to head the CFPB. The board was set up under the new Wall Street regulation bill Democrats powered through in 2010, just before losing their majority in the House.

Here are the two main problems. One is that the Senate is not in a recess, which means that Obama is simply ignoring other elected officials. The second problem is the position and the bureau itself. The bureau is nothing more than another way for this administration to wage war on the private sector. Some businesses have unscrupulous practices, which the market takes care of by flushing them out of business. We don’t need a bureau that will write even more regulations to protect us from ourselves. Life doesn’t always work out. Sometimes we enter into contracts we do not fully understand. It is not the government’s job to lord over ever single transaction in this economy.

A closing line from Speaker Boehner on the Cordray appointment:

President Obama today made an unprecedented “recess” appointment even though the Senate is not in recess – “a sharp departure from a long-standing precedent that has limited the President to recess appointments only when the Senate is in a recess of 10 days or longer,” according to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

It turns out that the action not only contradicts long-standing practice, but also the view of the administration itself. In 2010, Deputy Solicitor General Neal Katyal explained to the Supreme Court the Obama administration’s view that recess appointments are only permissible when Congress is in recess for more than three days.

Speaker Boehner called the appointment an “extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab,” and noted that the position “had not been filled for one reason: the agency it heads is bad for jobs and bad for the economy.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Richard-Cordray:-Obamas-new-recruit-in-his-war-on-jobs/353991848495183471.html

The immigration fraud story buried by the mainstream media

2012-01-04T19:32:00Z

Posted By: Max

Beyond the bitter battle that is taking place among the GOP candidates, the Obama administration has to be enjoying one other thing: seeing the consequences of their policy decisions pushed from the front page to buried in the papers. This time, it is their new immigration policy, which is forcing immigration officers to process visa application even if the officers have suspicions that not everything in the application is on the level.

Higher-ups within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are pressuring rank-and-file officers to rubber-stamp immigrants’ visa applications, sometimes against the officers’ will, according to a Homeland Security report and internal documents exclusively obtained by The Daily.

A 40-page report, drafted by the Office of Inspector General in September but not publicly released, details the immense pressure immigration service officers are under to approve visa applications quickly, sometimes while overlooking concerns about fraud, eligibility or security.

One-quarter of the 254 officers surveyed said they have been pressured to approve questionable cases, sometimes “against their will.”

…

But high-ranking USCIS officials said the pressure has heightened after the Obama administration appointed Alejandro Mayorkas as director in August 2009 during an effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform, bringing with him a mantra of “get to yes.”

Internal communications provided to The Daily indicate that the new leadership seemed to fundamentally clash with career agency employees over when to afford the benefit of the doubt, culminating in a whistle-blower investigation into a senior appointee and, ultimately, the agency-wide inspector general inquiry that produced the report.

“Get to yes?” There should be no agency in the Department of Homeland Security with the mantra of “get to yes.” When American’s lives could be at stake and the Obama administration is just letting anyone in (either by forcing through visas or not securing the southern border) this should be front page news! Apparently in the Obama administration, visa fraud and letting in criminals is just something we should be worried about. Luckily, the House GOP is not letting this report slide:

House investigators will hold a hearing this week on President Obama's immigrant visa application policy following an inspector general report that immigration enforcement bureaucrats pressure officers to approve potentially fraudulent immigrant visa applications.

"It’s outrageous that administration officials would compromise national security for their own political agenda and gain," said House Judiciary Committee chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas. "The Immigration Subcommittee plans to hold a hearing in February on visa fraud and will investigate these alleged abuses by the administration," he added.

This is just another episode of the Obama administration being involved in pushing an agenda despite what the law might say because it is good for Obama reelection chances. Remember in August when they said they will now be “prioritizing” deportations?

What about last fall when he said he was going to pass his “jobs plan” with or without Congressional approval?

The Obama administration would like to forget about a pattern of behavior when it comes to going around immigration law. Anyone who thinks that these shenanigans will not happen again as we approach November clearly doesn’t understand the mindset of this president; a man who believes that we should sit down and shut up about his policies because he knows what is best for this country more than we do.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-immigration-fraud-story-buried-by-the-mainstream-media/485081920499057287.html

AUDIO: NEWT GINGRICH FLOATS POSSIBILITY OF ANTI-ROMNEY ALLIANCE

2012-01-04T15:19:00Z

Posted By: Max

This morning Laura asked Newt Gingrich if he can envision a scenario where he and Rick Santorum could team up to defeat Mitt Romney. This is what he said.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-NEWT-GINGRICH-FLOATS-POSSIBILITY-OF-ANTI-ROMNEY-ALLIANCE/-2762512469306140.html

CBS and their cheap shot at Santorum

2012-01-03T14:35:00Z

Posted By: Max

One of the big problems with being a Republican politician is that the media is out to get you. You have no margin for error and if you slip up once the entire country will see it within 24 hours. No matter if it is a verbal gaffe, no matter if it was just a slip of the tongue, if you are a conservative you have to be perfect. You can’t run your mouth off about “typical white people” or sit in the pews of a church for twenty years while your pastor consistently made anti-American statements.

Enter CBS, which like every other news organization has a campaign reporter following Rick Santorum around Iowa. After covering a Santorum event this weekend, this is what they walked away with:

At a campaign stop in Sioux City, Iowa on Sunday, Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum singled out blacks as being recipients of assistance through federal benefit programs, telling a mostly-white audience he doesn't want to "make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money."

Answering a question about foreign influence on the U.S. economy, the former Pennsylvania senator went on to discuss the American entitlement system - which he argued is being used to politically exploit its beneficiaries.

"It just keeps expanding - I was in Indianola a few months ago and I was talking to someone who works in the department of public welfare here, and she told me that the state of Iowa is going to get fined if they don't sign up more people under the Medicaid program," Santorum said. "They're just pushing harder and harder to get more and more of you dependent upon them so they can get your vote. That's what the bottom line is."

First of all, when you watch the video which is posted below, it does not seem that Santorum actually said “black.” Don’t take my word for it, this is what card-carrying liberal Tommy Christopher had to say about the CBS report:

A review of a clearer version of the video, however, casts serious doubt on whether Santorum actually said “black people’s lives.”

CBS News has posted a cleaner version of Santorum’s remarks, and it seems as though Santorum did not actually say “black people’s lives,” but rather, that he stumbled in mid-sentence with a verbal tic that sounded like that.

“I don’t want to make…mmbligh…people’s lives better” is what it sounds like to me, although CBS News also transcribes it as “”make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.”

Given the preceding context, in which he talks about the government trying to get more Iowans enrolled in Medicaid, the former explanation makes much more sense than the latter.

Sometimes people hear what they want to hear and it looks like this reporter, looking for something salacious, reported what she wanted to hear. It was a cheap smear that should serve as a reminder to all GOP candidates that even if you didn’t say something, it might still be reported as a fact.

P.S. For the sake of argument, let’s just say she reported this accurately. Well, Santorum’s observation would be an accurate one. CBS points out that 84% of food stamp recipients are white and 9% are black. However, white folks consist of 91.3% of Iowa’s population while black people are 2.9% of the population according to the 2010 census. This means that black people are disproportionately on food stamps and that encouraging enrollment in these welfare programs will only perpetuate poverty in a community that is already struggling to make ends meet.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/CBS-and-their-cheap-shot-at-Santorum/-676618311619989159.html

The OWS college course, or why American education is in decline

2012-01-03T12:59:00Z

Posted By: Max

Want a little insight into why the quality of education we receive in America is now mediocre? Look no further than what passes as a “class” at what is supposedly one of the best schools in the country.

Columbia University will offer a new course for upperclassmen and grad students next semester. An Occupy Wall Street class will send students into the field and will be taught by Dr. Hannah Appel, a veteran of the Occupy movement.

The course begins next semester and will be divided between class work at Columbia’sMorningside Heights campus and fieldwork that will require students to become involved with the Occupy movement outside of the classroom.

The course will be called “Occupy the Field: Global Finance, Inequality, Social Movement” it will be run by the anthropology department.

Appel is a staunch defender of the Occupy movement, in her blog she said that, ““it is important to push back against the rhetoric of ‘disorganization’ or ‘a movement without a message’ coming from left, right and center.”

Appel told the New York Post that while her involvement with the movement will color the way she teaches it will not prevent her from being an objective teacher.

Get involved in the movement? According to various news reports getting involved generally means promiscuous drug use, public lewdness, not bathing, rioting, and getting sick from living in unhygienic conditions with lots of people.

Ok, so when I describe it like that it basically sounds like college with lots of tents. I guess this professor wants to emphasize the “high” in higher education.

All (bad) jokes aside, this is why America is in decline, because nonsense like this passes as a legitimate scholarly pursuit. I have visited a few Occupy camps and let me tell you, other than some interesting selections at the library, there is little for people to learn about. Holding a sign and yelling “mic check” while complaining that your 1%-er parents are screwing the guy who cleans your father's beach house has no place in a classroom.

If America wants to progress in the 21st century we need to be emphasizing math, science, and reading, not criminal behaviors. No wonder so many people are starting to question the assumption that the best path to success is getting a four year degree at an expensive college.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-OWS-college-course,-or-why-American-education-is-in-decline/-102562097047830841.html

AUDIO: Rick Santorum answers the question everyone wants him to answer

2012-01-02T16:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

He is surging in the polls in Iowa and some pundits are now saying that Rick Santorum will win the Iowa caucus taking place Tuesday night.

While policy positions will heavily impact the outcome of the vote, there is another factor that might influence the outcome and that is the Senator's attire. Laura gets to the bottom of the sweater vests with the Senator.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Rick-Santorum-answers-the-question-everyone-wants-him-to-answer/186628293735602720.html

Obama the beach bum

2012-01-02T12:08:00Z

Posted By: Max

Imagine you have a house, a massive house filled with people who are willing to cater to your every need. Now imagine you had a second compound, basically a vacation home, that was also staffed with people ready to get you what ever you want.

Would you be likely to leave both of these place behind to go on a trip? Probably not. I know I wouldn't dream of it considering it sounds like this life is pretty nice.

Well, if you are President Obama you just cannot wait to get away from both the White House and Camp David and you are willing to spend $4 million of the tax payers money to get away from it all.

I am sorry, is the White House not exclusive enough for you? Is Camp David just not able to meet your EVERY NEED. In a time when record numbers of Americans are living in poverty or near poverty, when the unemployment rate drops not because people are finding work, but because they are giving up looking for a job, this is the exact moment when our president decides to go on vacation to Hawaii. Why? Because the comforts of his lifestyle in Washington D.C. are just not enough for him.

President Obama truly is a man of the people. The people who can afford to lie around on a beach all day and not accomplish a single thing.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-the-beach-bum/-45972837107502774.html

Millennials to Obama: Get Lost!

2012-01-02T12:08:00Z

Posted By: Max

I have a much more optimistic outlook for my generation than most. Sure many members of my age group have been coddled, still live with their parents, and wouldn't know responsibility if it hit them in the face, but I want to believe that my generation will be the one that solves the major problems we face as a country. America is in debt up to its eyeballs and the outlook is worse than our present situation. From an education system than spends too much to a health care system that has seen its cost spiral out of control this is a challenge that we must be educated about and solve before it is too late, which is why these two stories, while containing depressing details, makes me think we are learning what it takes to succeed in the real world.

In 2012, the youth vote is moving on and throwing those omnipresent “Hope” bumper stickers and t-shirts in garbage bins. Not because of apathy. Not because another candidate generates more enthusiasm. Not because of his character. Not because they think voting is pointless. The 18-29 vote is up for grabs in 2012 because youth can’t afford cars to put bumper stickers on and those t-shirts are worn out from too many days sitting on the couch unemployed. The sobering reality: just 55.3 percent of Americans between 16 and 29 have jobs. And earlier this year, Americans’ student loan debt surpassed credit card debt for the first time ever.

Yes, 55% of people between the ages of 18-29 are employed, a stunning number that has evaded headlines. Why would my peers be enthusiastic about Obama? The answer is...they aren't.

Younger voters were the foot soldiers for Barack Obama in 2008. Now, the president’s campaign team says they will be his secret weapon for 2012.

But while 18-to-29 year-old Americans are reliable Democrats, their enthusiasm for Obama and presidential politics has waned, setting the stage for an uphill struggle to turn out the vote.

Forty-nine percent of millennial voters approve of Obama, according to the Pew Research Center, down 23 points from February 2009. They are also the least interested in or engaged with the current campaign, the study found.

Only 17 percent of millennials said they are following election news closely, while just 13 percent said they’ve given a lot of thought to the candidates, a 15 point drop from the same period four years ago.

See, amidst the sea of terrible news, we are seeing that my generation is waking up to what happens when the left is in control. No work, no money, and no hope. Even if you are one of the lucky few to be employed (and I am one of those) it is impossible not to look at some of your friends and wonder just what the hell is going on. Weren't we supposed to be seeing economic growth if Obama just came in and took everything over? Well, it hasn't worked out like that and the throngs of youth once intoxicated with Obama-mania are now finding out that liberalism may sound great when you are in the bubble of academia, but when the policies of the left are put into practice there is little to celebrate.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Millennials-to-Obama:-Get-Lost!/-341485164586625868.html

AUDIO: Gingrich says Romney is dishonest like Obama, "defending the right to lie"

2011-12-21T18:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, former Speaker of the House and GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich spoke with Laura today and responded to Mitt Romney's assertion that Newt just can't stand the heat of the campaign. Newt also continued to attack Mitt on the negative ads coming from a pro-Romney SuperPAC. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Gingrich-says-Romney-is-dishonest-like-Obama,-defending-the-right-to-lie/-233797960249887419.html

The 1% strikes back at OWS imbeciles

2011-12-21T13:47:00Z

Posted By: Max

Anytime an article has the phrase “If I hear a politician use the term ‘paying your fair share’ one more time, I’m going to vomit,” you know it is worth a read. Sure enough, after 3 years of being told by this administration and its surrogates that they are the evil swine responsible for all of our economic ills it was about time that they fought back

Jamie Dimon, the highest-paid chief executive officer among the heads of the six biggest U.S. banks, turned a question at an investors’ conference in New York this month into an occasion to defend wealth.

“Acting like everyone who’s been successful is bad and because you’re rich you’re bad, I don’t understand it,” the JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)CEO told an audience member who asked about hostility toward bankers. “Sometimes there’s a bad apple, yet we denigrate the whole.”

…

If successful businesspeople don’t go public to share their stories and talk about their troubles, “they deserve what they’re going to get,” said Marcus, 82, a founding member of Job Creators Alliance, a Dallas-based nonprofit that develops talking points and op-ed pieces aimed at “shaping the national agenda,” according to the group’s website. He said he isn’t worried that speaking out might make him a target of protesters.

“Who gives a crap about some imbecile?” Marcus said. “Are you kidding me?”

Tom Golisano, billionaire founder of payroll processer Paychex Inc. (PAYX) and a former New York gubernatorial candidate, said in an interview this month that while there are examples of excess, it’s “ridiculous” to blame everyone who is rich.

“If I hear a politician use the term ‘paying your fair share’ one more time, I’m going to vomit,” said Golisano, who turned 70 last month, celebrating the birthday with girlfriend Monica Seles, the former tennis star who won nine Grand Slam singles titles.

Ken Langone, 76, another Home Depot co-founder and chairman of the NYU Langone Medical Center, said he isn’t embarrassed by his success.

“I am a fat cat, I’m not ashamed,” he said last week in a telephone interview from a dressing room in his Upper East Side home. “If you mean by fat cat that I’ve succeeded, yeah, then I’m a fat cat. I stand guilty of being a fat cat.”

I would be curious to know how many jobs over the years that these men helped create. How many small or medium-sized businesses received a loan from J.P. Morgan? How many jobs has Home Depot create (not just the people they employed, but the jobs that extend out from having a large chain of retail stores)?

There is this sense that these men, these members of the 1% are someone in it for themselves. That may be true in a lot of cases, but the greed that may be exhibited by these men helps lift everyone else up. They may be driven by gains in personal wealth, but in order to do that their companies must expand, hire more people, branch out, and the cycle continues.

Of course this article highlights the real argument that should be happening in Washington. There will always be income inequality in a capitalist society. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn’t understand how capitalism works. Rather than focusing on income inequality we should be focused on income mobility. It is one thing to have rich people if no one else can obtain wealth, but if everyone is afforded the opportunity to become wealthy then you have no one to blame but yourself that you are not in the 1% (or even a taxpayer).

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-1-strikes-back-at-OWS-imbeciles/-654226090585795758.html

America: The most generous nation on Earth

2011-12-21T13:46:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Anti-Americanism is just one of those things that exists in the world. It takes different forms, from people making the most moronic of insults to the burning our flag to actual attacks on American citizens, there are people out there who just plain hate America. Never mind the fact that no country in history has been responsible for more prosperity and has freed more people than our evil little republic. Oh, did I mention we were the most generous nation on earth as well (and I am not just talking about our foreign aid and the check we send to the UN each year)?

Despite the gloomy economic situation, the United States has become the world's most generous nation, according to this year'sCharities Aid Foundation's World Giving Index.

Ireland is ranked second followed by Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. Charities Aid Foundation used Gallup's Worldview Poll to look at three behaviors: "giving money, volunteering time and helping a stranger."

The U.S. came out on top after being ranked fifth last year.

Yes, even in the worst of economic times Americans are still the most altruistic people on Earth largely in part because we are so thankful for everything we have. So this Christmas be grateful for all that you have and give what you can to your fellow man. It is because we live in a land of opportunity that we are able to use what we earn in order to help those when we are able.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/America:-The-most-generous-nation-on-Earth/-381185558100204520.html

Sister Dede Byrne's spiritual to-do list

2011-12-20T16:48:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Taken from a longer speech to the Georgetown Visitation School here is Sister Deirdre Byrne's spiritual to-do list:

1) Go to Church. God gives you 168 hours in a week. He asks for one back. The other hours are God’s gift to you. The one hour is your gift to God. He won’t force you to listen or to love him. Don’t be stingy.

2) Travel. The world is wonderful place. You learn more about yourself when you learn more about others. College is about making your world bigger not smaller.

3) Speaking of bigger not smaller. Don’t just hang out with just one group, just one guy all the time. You have plenty of time to find Mr. Right--work on becoming Ms. Right first. If you are a lacrosse star, join campus ministry and a Right to Life group. If you are an actress, try intramural volleyball. Everyone in the world has a story, not just the people that look like you. It’s up to you to find it out.

4) And, go to Church. Did I say that one already?

5) Since your moms will not be coming with you to college (and I know some of your moms are in heaven), invite the Blessed Mother to be with you daily. Carry a rosary in your pocket to remind you of your family roots. Catherine De Hueck Douherty reminds us that our Blessed Mother’s life was a fiat to God’s divine will and she will teach you like no one can, faith in her son, perseverance, and chastity which lead you to a pure heart.

6) Every college campus has a “Catholic Home” also called the Newman Center. Bring the gifts you gained here at Georgetown Visitation to those who were given less, so make the Catholic Newman Center your “home away from Home”. And finally,

7) Above all, make St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal proud that you are a woman of Visitation. Don’t just live, live God’s plan. Or as St. Jane once said, “May we so live that one day we will be in heaven praising and playing eternally before our Lord and Savior!”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sister-Dede-Byrnes-spiritual-to-do-list/441174975834578954.html

Yes, Mitt Romney did David Letterman's Top 10 list

2011-12-20T12:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Last night GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney did what pretty much ever candidate has done at one point or another...David Letterman's Top Ten list. It was an all around ok performance. It wasn't truly awful, Mitt's natural awkwardness was on display, and there were some genuinely funny lines that Mitt delivered well.

And then there was point number two, which I think everyone knew was coming:

The whole point of this, and why Mitt Romney has all of a sudden been on every single television channel over the past two weeks, is to try and convince voters that Romney can connect to them.

Is it working? Maybe. Does it matter? Not if he can create jobs.

And as a bonus for you, here is Mitt's Top Ten from earlier this year.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Yes,-Mitt-Romney-did-David-Lettermans-Top-10-list/-342501795264333397.html

Axelrod: The GOP wants the economy to fail

2011-12-20T12:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Axelrod: The GOP wants people to lose their jobs Is the reelection strategy for Obama based on the idea that Congress does not pass everything this president wants passed then we cannot blame Obama for the economy? No big ideas, no hope, just a straight up political blame game in the hopes that the American people forget that for two years Obama had a heavily Democratic Congress willing to pass pretty much anything he wanted to accomplish. The stimulus? Cash for clunkers? Dodd-Frank? ObamaCare? Nope, none of that matters to Obama strategist David Axelrod and none of that should matter to the American people because to Axelrod it is clear that these radical tea party people, who were elected not selected, are focused solely on making more of their constituents unemployed.

"You have to wonder whether some folks over there think somehow -- think screwing up the economy, throwing a wrench in the works is a good political strategy for them," Axelrod told Fox News. "Somehow if they can slow the recovery down, if they can cost a half million or delay a half million jobs, that that will hurt the president."

Call me idealistic, but I believe that those in the Republican Party, especially the freshman class, saw what Obama's policies were doing to small businesses and want to try something different than debt-fueled stimulus spending.

Axelrod, like his boss, is stunned that anyone could possibly believe in a different set of economic principles than the messiah who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. However, this is exactly what we are seeing play out in Congress. If I am a GOP candidate for the presidency I look at this statement from Axelrod and smile as long as I have a concrete plan that I can communicate to the American people about how you will create jobs because it is clear this White House is only going to offer what we have seen play out for the past three years.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Axelrod:-The-GOP-wants-the-economy-to-fail/-125303403426883771.html

Why Laura's Huntsman interview is a must-listen on China

2011-12-19T17:07:00Z

Posted By: S.V.

I thought that was probably the best interview on China I've heard. For the first time, I really feel like I understand the elites' view on this question. So here's where things stand:

1. Romney says that China is a rising power that threatens the United States and is hurting our economy. He argues that we need more leverage over China, and that the best way to get that leverage is by causing the Chinese to realize that we may retaliate against their exports -- which are very important to the Chinese economy.

2. Huntsman (and my guess is that here he is speaking for both the Bush Administration and Obama Administration) says that China is a falling power that has more and bigger problems than we do. On the other hand, he argues that we have no leverage over China, and that we can get no leverage over China so long as our own economy is having problems.

When you lay it out like that, I think Romney clearly has the better of this argument. While China certainly has problems, I don't think most experts would agree with Huntsman that the U.S. is obviously in a much stronger position than China. I also don't think Huntsman's views account for what we're supposed to do if China is causing big problems for our economy. His whole point is that we have to fix our "core," and then we can deal with China. But what if we can't fix our "core" until we deal with China? He doesn't have an answer for that.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Why-Lauras-Huntsman-interview-is-a-must-listen-on-China/-142399578656997365.html

Watch George Will destroy Robert Reich on 'This Week'

2011-12-19T15:36:00Z

Posted By: Max

On ABC's This Week they kicked off a series of debates they will be hosting between now and the election in November, 2012. This week featured George Will and Rep. Paul Ryan v. former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich and Rep. Barney Frank. The debate was about the topic "There's too much government in my life." It was an interesting hour and needless to say, Will and Ryan won handily.

Courtesy of Noel Sheppard at Newsbusters, here is a little clip that will give you a sense of how the debate went.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Watch-George-Will-destroy-Robert-Reich-on-This-Week/-687248884954829914.html

Not the quote of the year

2011-12-19T12:15:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Associated Press, with the aid of a liberal professor at Yale, has published their quote of the year. This was the, predictably, final list.

The growing scrutiny of the rich dominated this year's best quotes, according to a Yale University librarian who anointed the Occupy Wall Street protesters' slogan — "We are the 99 percent" — as the year's best.

Fred Shapiro, associate librarian at Yale Law School, has released his sixth annual list of the most notable quotations of the year.

Shapiro noted that the conservative tea party movement was prominent in last year's quotes.

"The tea party quotes are very strongly anti-government," Shapiro said. "The Occupy quotes and the other more liberal quotes that you see at the top of the list this year are directed more at Wall Street and the upper 1 percent economically of the country rather than focus squarely on government."

We are the 99%? A statement that is true every year—meaning that there are always going to be the bottom 99% of wage earners? The least creative line in American society is the best quote of the year? How about Obama letting the world know that bin Laden is dead? That is more memorable than the chants of filthy hippies who decided a prudent use of their time was to use drugs, sexually assault each other, and chant “We are the 99%,” while the rest of us either worked or looked for work?

So congratulations Associated Press...you picked a quote that not only displays your bias, but how out of touch you are with what actually happened this year in the world.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Not-the-quote-of-the-year/-187053913974640039.html

The GOP is right to block the 2-month extension

2011-12-19T12:12:00Z

Posted By: Staff

One of the many requests that businesses have of Washington is for Congress to not produce temporary tax policy. Uncertainty in Washington causes business owners to freeze in their tracks. How can you plan for one next year when regulations change on a month to month basis? This same train of thought is common in consumers. If you don't know how much money you will have to spend over the coming days you will err on the side of caution. In short, a temporary regulatory state is a great plan...if your plan is to stall economic growth.

Republican congressional leaders are squaring off for one last battle of the year against President Barack Obama and the Democrats, with both House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urging House-Senate negotiations on the payroll tax cut. But the White House and top Senate Democrats show no inclination for compromising on the two-month extension of the payroll tax cut and federal unemployment benefits passed by the Senate on Saturday. Democrats have, for now, taken on the GOP’s my-way-or-the-highway approach used during much of this first session of the 112th Congress.

So that is what part of our Congress wants to do. A two-month extension. This is one of the worst ideas this Congress has had since taking control! Granted this is not the GOP controlled House talking about this madness, this is the Senate which is controlled by Harry Reid. The only thing that this tax deal does is deepen our deficit. This will not spur growth, or hiring, or consumption. It will simply exist for 8 weeks as people and companies stash money away for when the tax break expires. Good job President Obama and Senator Reid. You managed to come up with a plan worse than letting the tax cut expire.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-GOP-is-right-to-block-the-2-month-extension/456417610411298959.html

China's blogger crack down displays a gap in key values

2011-12-16T16:00:00Z

Posted By: Staff

U.S.-China relations will most likely be the main international story of the 21st century and those who think there is not a large gap between the countries in terms of basic values well think again.

The Beijing city government published rules Friday requiring users of popular Twitter-like microblogging services in China to register their real names with service operators, according to state-run media, in the government's strongest official measure to control the fast-growing industry.

China's government is in the midst of a campaign to crack down on false and "harmful" information on the Internet, and officials are stepping up their oversight of the Internet sector, which is led by private-sector companies.

According to the Xinhua news agency, the rules will require new users of microblogging services to register their real names with website administrators before they can post, though they will be able to choose their own screen names.

So in order to blog you have to register with the government. A government that cracks down on free speech at every opportunity it gets wants people to resister their real identities so they can track who is saying what about the politburo in Beijing.

The chasm between what we value and what the leaders of China value is as wide as the Pacific Ocean itself, as Christian Bale found out the other day.

Hollywood actor Christian Bale was roughed up by Chinese security guards as he tried to visit a blind legal activist whose detention has sparked international outcry.

Bale, joined by a camera crew from CNN, was confronted by four men dressed in plain clothes as he tried to visit Chen Guangcheng who has been under house arrest in the Dongshigu village for 15 months.

The Oscar-winning actor, who plays superhero Batman, can be seen being pushed and shoved by the guards in the video released by CNN.

To be clear, these people are not our friend and their beliefs are not compatible with ours. Let us not forget that when people tell us it is time to get cozy with Beijing.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Chinas-blogger-crack-down-displays-a-gap-in-key-values/569516502095041412.html

Let the kids have a cookie!

2011-12-16T13:40:00Z

Posted By: Max

When I first read this headline I figured it would be some politically correct nonsense from some liberal school principal looking to push his secular, atheist agenda. Nope. This superintendent is just being a Grinch.

Westford school officials are getting tough on classroom holiday parties.

They’re banning sugary snacks and sweetened beverages from the celebrations this year.

Students are being told to leave the Christmas cookies, cakes, candy bars, and soda at home and to bring fruits, unsweetened juices, popcorn and raisins instead.

Superintendent Everett Olsen says the ban on holiday sweets has nothing to do with being politically correct, rather, his motive is simply promoting a healthy lifestyle.

The problem, as is the case with most people who profess to be soldiers in the fight against childhood obesity, is that this superintendent believes he knows better than the parents of these children. If parents wanted kids to eat healthy for this Christmas party then would send their child in with veggies and dip. Why not encourage healthy eating habits instead of handing down a decree from on high declaring sugar to be persona non grata? But no, this superintendent knows better than you and has taken it upon himself to enlighten the masses on the danger of excessively indulging in fat and sugar.

Besides, it’s Christmas for crying out loud. Let the kids have a darn cookie and let them wash it down with some hot chocolate.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Let-the-kids-have-a-cookie!/875243341084350556.html

Did Ben Bernanke get something right?

2011-12-15T11:19:00Z

Posted By: Max

There is absolutely no question that Ben Bernanke is in second place to President Obama when it comes to the person the GOP candidates slam the most during debates. The Fed has bailed out European banks, engaged in two rounds of Quantitative Easing that have hurt the dollar, and has done everything in its power to cause inflation. This is ignoring what took place during the housing bubble that they failed to see coming after keeping interest rates low during most of the 2000's.

All of what you read above is why this story catches the eye:

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Republican senators on Wednesday the Fed can't and won't provide bailout funds to support European banks or nations, lawmakers said.

"We're all concerned, is the American taxpayer going to be bailing out European nations and banks," Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters after a meeting with the Fed chairman.

"He said, no, he doesn't have the intention or authority to do that," Graham said.

Seriously? An entity the Fed will not bailout?! Praise be to all that is good!

Oh, and by the way, if you believe that the United States government will not bailout Europe (even more than we already has) in some way, I have some carbon credits I would like to sell you. They make great stocking stuffers.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Did-Ben-Bernanke-get-something-right/-165191149191952814.html

We are already in a trade war

2011-12-15T11:18:00Z

Posted By: Max

There has been a lot of talk about what would happen if American implemented a 25% tariff on goods coming from China like Donald Trump has suggested and Mitt Romney (the GOP candidate who is the most tough on China) has thrown about as a possibility. The response to this from many conservatives was “you are going to start a trade war with China.” Well, unfortunately for us, the trade war is already here.

China will impose retaliatory duties on US car imports in the latest sign of trade friction between the world’s two largest economies.

In a statement, China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday that it was taking action in response to damage to its car industry from US “dumping and subsidies”. The move will affect several larger vehicles popular in China, including sport utility vehicles made by Germany’s BMW and Mercedes-Benz brands at their US plants. Shares of BMW and Daimler, which owns Mercedes, fell 5 per cent and 3 per cent respectively on Wednesday.

Without going into the details of why China is doing this the point is that their domestic car manufacturers (in the worlds largest market for automobiles) are not selling as well as their American of European competitors. Part of this is because Chinese citizens are willing to pay a “prestige premium” to own a western manufactured car. It is one thing to own some Chinese car that normal folks can drive, but to show your status in a country that is becoming increasingly obsessed with status (10% economic growth will do that to you) it is far more flashy to cruise down the street in a brand new BMW SUV.

While tariffs on Chinese goods are not the long term solution to America's problems (economic growth is) it is worth pointing out that those who think that a trade war with China will only happen if we slap tariff on Chinese goods are woefully uninformed of what has been happening over the past decade. While a 25% tariff would do more harm to the American middle class than it would help, it certainly would not spark a catastrophic battle over trade practices.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/We-are-already-in-a-trade-war/429233175132776797.html

Former MF Global employee: Corzine knows what happened to the cash

2011-12-14T13:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

By now we are all familiar with the story. Former Goldman Sachs chief turned Senator, turned New Jersey Governor goes back to banking only to end of testifying before Congress and telling the world he has no idea what happened to $1.2 billion in customer funds that were supposed to be kept separate from the firm's own money. Yesterday, a former MF Global employee poked a hole in Corzine's story that he is totally clueless as to what was going on at his firm:

Terry Duffy, chief executive of CME Group, the futures exchange operator that supervised MF Global’s handling of customer money, said a CME auditor heard an MF Global employee say during a conference call involving senior MF Global employees that “Mr Corzine was aware of the loans being made from segregated accounts”.

A spokesman for Mr Corzine declined to comment. The former MF Global boss and previous New Jersey senator reiterated to the same Senate hearing that he did not intend to authorise the improper use of customer funds to plug a hole in MF Global’s liquidity in the days leading up to the bankruptcy.

CME is under scrutiny for its role as a supervisor to MF Global’s customer accounts, from which up to $1.2bn is estimated to have gone missing in the run-up to the company’s bankruptcy on October 31. Mr Duffy said he believed the conference call, which occurred the same morning as the bankruptcy filing, discussed a $175m transfer from MF Global to a European affiliate.

There you go. You know why people are fed up with Wall St and the banks? It is because of nonsense like this. People like Jon Corzine who believe that they are above the law. People like Jon Corzine who engage in crony capitalism, as Charlie Gasparino points out:

By playing the fool in two high-profile hearings, Jon Corzine so far has been able to deftly sidestep lawmakers’ questions about the now-infamous implosion of MF Global, including the disappearance of a whopping $1.2 billion in customer money that should have been kept safe in brokerage accounts. But new questions are about to arise.

Specifically: How did Corzine manage to convince regulators that a relatively small brokerage like MF Global was ready for big-time status, both as a risk-taking hedge fund and (even more startling) as a primary dealer of US government debt — a status that only a very few firms are allowed?

The likely explanation involves Corzine’s long experience at the nexus of politics and finance — as CEO of Goldman Sachs, then US senator and New Jersey governor, and of course as a leading Obama fund-raiser. In other words, crony capitalism.

This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. The cozy relationship between big banks and the people who are supposed to regulate them and prevent situations like MF Global from happening is one of the most repulsive relationships we see today. Let's hope that there is some good that comes out of the MF Global story in the form of cracking down on this sort of garbage.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Former-MF-Global-employee:-Corzine-knows-what-happened-to-the-cash/-348568137284943016.html

Eric Holder gets it wrong again

2011-12-14T12:04:00Z

Posted By: Staff

I have yet to come across a legitimate argument as to why people should not be forced to show a valid, government issued I.D. in order to vote. Everyone agrees that the only way elections have any validity is if there is no (or at least minimal) voter fraud. You can't stop all election shenangians, but why not try to make sure that the people voting are actually the people they claim to be? One person, Attorney General Eric Holder, thinks that having to show an I.D. Is just the worst idea ever.

Mr. Holder’s speech on Tuesday night could inflame a smoldering partisan dispute over race and ballot access just as the 2012 campaign cycle intensifies. It comes as the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is scrutinizing a series of new state voting laws that were enacted — largely by Republican officials — in the name of fighting fraud.

Mr. Holder spoke here at the presidential library of Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The act enables the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to object to election laws and practices on the grounds that they would disproportionately deter minority groups from voting, and to go to court to block states from implementing them.

In a draft of his speech, Mr. Holder declared that protecting ballot access for all eligible voters “must be viewed not only as a legal issue but as a moral imperative,” and urged Americans to “call on our political parties to resist the temptation to suppress certain votes in the hope of attaining electoral success and, instead, achieve success by appealing to more voters.”

...

This year, more than a dozen states enacted new voting restrictions. For example, eight — Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin — imposed new laws requiring voters to present state-issued photo identification cards. Previously voters were able to use other forms of identification, like bank statements, utility bills and Social Security cards.

In order to vote in federal elections you need to be a U.S. Citizen. In order to prove this you should have to show proof that you are a citizen. Liberals complain that it can cost money to get photo identification and proof of citizenship to which I say we should relax the obstacles to obtaining the pertinent materials needed to vote without turning our presidential elections into free-for-alls.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Eric-Holder-gets-it-wrong-again/591330498433757935.html

Harry Reid: Millionaire job creators are like unicorns!

2011-12-13T16:45:00Z

Posted By: Max

This may be the dumbest thing that has ever come out of Harry Reid's mouth:

"Millionaire job creators are like unicorns,” said Reid from the Senate floor. “They are impossible to find and don't exist."

Reid's frustration has grown in past weeks as Republicans have repeatedly and overwhelmingly blocked almost every fragment of President Obama's jobs package brought to the floor because Democrats have attempted to pay for them by raising taxes on millionaires. Republicans say they oppose that tax because it would hamper job creation.

But Reid said Monday morning that there was no evidence of a correlation between taxes on the wealthy and jobs.

You sure are right Harry. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Henry Ford, and Cornelius Vanderbilt (just to name a few) never created any jobs in their lives. Could you imagine how many more people would be employed today if Ray Kroc never turned McDonalds from a local restaurant to a national chain? In Harry Reid's world we would have a much lower unemployment rate had that evil Sam Walton never came around and started Wal-Mart.

Is it any wonder that with people like Harry Reid running things that our economy cannot turn around?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Harry-Reid:-Millionaire-job-creators-are-like-unicorns!/-14638483506618692.html

The dangers of the internet kill switch

2011-12-13T13:30:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Anytime someone uses China as a model to limit something you know something really, really bad is about to happen.

If you're wondering why lawyers and Hollywood folks would get behind legislation to censor the Internet, you only need to listen to former Senator Chris Dodd, now the head of the MPAA, who last week explained to Variety that the lobby is only asking for the same kind of power to censor the Internet as the government has in the People's Republic of China:

"When the Chinese told Google that they had to block sites or they couldn't do [business] in their country, they managed to figure out how to block sites."

That’s from Chris Dodd (yes, that Chris Dodd – the former Connecticut Senator most known for being the Dodd in Dodd-Frank, having a cushy relationship with former Countrywide CEO head Angelo Mozillo, and making waitress sandwiches with Ted Kennedy). So what is this all about? It is called the “Stop Online Privacy Act,” a bill that is intended to crack down on copyright infringements on the internet. If a website is simply accused of featuring copyrighted material the government can shut it down. It is, as Bill Wilson of Americans for Limited Government calls it, a “kill switch.”

What began as an attempt to restrain foreign piracy on the Internet has morphed into a domestic “kill switch” on First Amendment freedom in the fastest-growing corner of the marketplace of ideas…

Under the so-called “Stop Online Piracy Act” (SOPA) the federal government – which is prohibited constitutionally from abridging free speech or depriving its citizens of their property without due process – would engage in both practices on an unprecedented scale. And in establishing the precursor to a taxpayer-funded “thought police,” it would dramatically curtail technology investment and innovation – wreaking havoc on our economy….

Google’s public policy director Bob Boorstin takes it one step further, arguing that the bills “would put the U.S. government in the very position we criticize repressive regimes for doing – all in the name of copyright.”

The proliferation of free expression on the Internet has spawned a vibrant new marketplace of ideas – toppling the old legacy media construct and ushering in an era of enhanced accountability in which thousands of new voices provide heightened scrutiny of our elected officials.

The obvious abuses are clear. The government can shut down any site, at any time, because of an “accusation.” The interaction of people and ideas from all around the world would be dramatically impaired because the government wants to reign in the wild west of globalization.

Let’s hope for our own sake that this bill never comes close to becoming law. If it does, we will be moving closer to Mao than we will be to our founding fathers.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-dangers-of-the-internet-kill-switch/-679154019750249512.html

What Americans fear the most

2011-12-13T13:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Think about all the big government programs that are not law thanks to the Obama administration. First and foremost we have ObamaCare. We also have Dodd-Frank financial reform (which include a brand new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), the stimulus, increased unemployment benefits, and over 20 new taxes. Americans, however, are not thrilled with this trend.:

Americans' concerns about the threat of big government continue to dwarf those about big business and big labor, and by an even larger margin now than in March 2009. The 64% of Americans who say big government will be the biggest threat to the country is just one percentage point shy of the record high, while the 26% who say big business is down from the 32% recorded during the recession. Relatively few name big labor as the greatest threat.

Well this is not completely surprising. We are a center-right nation with 40% of the country regularly identifying themselves as conservative. Our republic was formed because of tyranny so it is not surprising we as a people are repulsed by the government becoming involved in every part of our lives.

Of course there is one party that must be happy with the expansion of the federal government over the past few years…

Almost half of Democrats now say big government is the biggest threat to the nation, more than say so about big business, and far more than were concerned about big government in March 2009. The 32% of Democrats concerned about big government at that time -- shortly after President Obama took office -- was down significantly from a reading in 2006, when George W. Bush was president.

Wait, what? Obama has managed to balloon the size of government to such a level that even Democrats are saying that big government is scary.

The case against Obama and for limited government is growing stronger by the day and more Americans are looking like they will be receptive to the idea than ever before. We just need the right messenger to take this and win.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/What-Americans-fear-the-most/28548754276251682.html

Pawn shops and dollar stores: welcome to Obama's America

2011-12-12T12:29:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Welcome to the Obama economy, where dollar stores outnumber drug stores, and where some of the most popular stores this Christmas season are...pawn shops.

Doing your holiday shopping at the pawn shop? WWJ’s Sandra McNeill reports that’s not so odd anymore.

Tom Blaine owns the Garden City Exchange and says his business though October is already up 49 percent over December of last year. The bad economy means he’s getting people selling new and high-end electronics like iPads and he says the popularity of reality shows mean people aren’t as embarrassed to shop there.

So this is what Obama's America looks like. This is not an attack on pawn shops. This is a look at how Americans are coping with a lack of jobs and a lack of hope. Being frugal is one thing, but having to be frugal because you do not have a paycheck is completely different. Families would rather be shopping at all sorts of locations, but a bargain is a bargain and this season the majority of Americans are hunting them down at every turn.

So this is Christmas is the Obama economy. Not some extra splurging after a year of hard work, but families who have not been working looking for any way to bring some cheer to an otherwise dreadful situation.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Pawn-shops-and-dollar-stores:-welcome-to-Obamas-America/-824378484666690128.html

Tebow and the Broncos. A true team

2011-12-12T11:54:00Z

Posted By: Staff

He has become must-see television every week. Families check their TV Guide, put the game time on their calendar, and settle in for...the Denver Broncos game.

Ok, so most are tuning in to see if Tim Tebow is going to lead the Broncos to another miraculous win, which he did yet against yesterday against the Chicago Bears. Down 10-0 with 2:08 to play the Broncos managed to win 13-10 in overtime. Tebow came into the 4th quarter having completed 3 of 16 passes. He completed 18 of 24 in the 4th quarter and overtime in his team's 6th straight win. This season Tebow has a 65.1 QB rating through the first 3 quarters of games. In the 4th quarter and overtime, Tebow's passer rating is 107.9. In short, when the game is on the line, Tebow comes to play.

To be sure, this post would not be written had Matt Prater not hit a 59-yard bomb of a field goal to tie the game with 3 seconds to go in regulation. That field goal may not have happened had Marion Barber not inexplicably run out of bounds on the Bears previous drive, stopping the clock which helped give the Broncos plenty of time to drive the field to set up Parter's game tying field goal. And Prater's 51-yard game winner would not have been possible had Wesley Woodyard not stripped Barber of the ball when the Bears were in field goal range. Yes, this was a team effort by the Broncos.

But it is largely because of their leader, Tebow, that they have the will to win these games. They can smell the playoffs and Tebow is the reason they have hope. He is the perfect example of how the game should be played. Never give up, always think positive, and as a leader infect those around you with your will to win and your positive energy. He is an athlete that any child who plays sports should look up to.

So it is on to next week, at 4pm Eastern Time when we get to watch Tebow next. Already television executives are salivating over the game. Why? It's not just because the Broncos will be going for their 7th straight win, it is who they will be playing. A team that features arguably the greatest quarterback of the past decade. One of the great comeback maestros of this era.

Put it on the calendar now.

And get ready for Tebow v. Brady.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Tebow-and-the-Broncos.-A-true-team/-691233374641607918.html

Obama's new jobs plan: increase unemployment benefits?

2011-12-09T12:00:00Z

Posted By: Max

I am not sure where the president learned that unemployment benefits, which eve some of his former advisers say create an incentive for people not to work, will create jobs, but it is less than surprising considering his track record in boosting employment in this country. From The Hill.

A pending legislative package to extend the payroll tax credit and unemployment insurance will create more jobs than the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, President Obama said Thursday.

“[H]ere’s what I know: However many jobs might be generated by a Keystone pipeline, they're going to be a lot fewer than the jobs that are created by extending the payroll tax cut and extending unemployment insurance,” Obama told reporters Thursday at the White House.

The Keystone XL pipeline would create 20,000 jobs and with the construction industry facing 20% unemployment over the past two years those are jobs that are badly needed.

Unfortunately our President doesn't believe that these jobs are more important than making more people dependent on the government. After all, once people learn that they do not need government money to survive, why would they vote for Democrats?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-new-jobs-plan:-increase-unemployment-benefits/-296925215599922381.html

What If Newt survives the fire?

2011-12-09T11:48:00Z

Posted By: Laura

As I predicted two weeks ago, the ghosts of Christmas past would be haunting Newt Gingrich this month, as the Romney campaign finally woke up and smelled the former Speaker's surge. Romney and his surrogates are busy playing negative campaign catch-up, branding Newt as the personal and political embodiment of an undisciplined and unreliable government.

Newt's list of enemies in Washington is long: his "elephant-in-a-china-shop" style of leadership left him the one trampled in the end when he was forced out as Speaker. His checkered personal life (for which he has repented) stands in stark contrast to Mitt Romney's family idyll. Some of his policy prescriptions look eerily similar to George W. Bush's compassionate conservatism, which of course was not conservative at all. Yet despite his impressive political and financial backing, Romney still finds himself struggling to win conservative hearts and minds. During his time in Massachusetts politics, he shrugged off the "Reagan conservative" label and declared himself an "independent" thinker. He has his own political ghosts trailing him--and the scariest of all for primary voters is Romneycare.

For many conservatives, what happened with Newt in the '90s isn't as relevant as what happened to America in the last decade. And since he wasn't in political office then, they may not see him as particularly blameworthy. They like it when Team Romney and virtually the entire media establishment attack him. Gingrich responds by lashing Obama's pathetic record and praising the Republican field. Voters may even like his story of redemption and the fact that he doesn't look like he belongs on the cover of a J.Crew catalogue.

Will this be enough for him to stave off the current onslaught of criticism? History says no. But history only repeats itself until it doesn't. One thing's for sure: if Gingrich does defy history with his unconventional and underfunded campaign, he will be a far stronger candidate against Obama than any of the pundits and "political experts" predicted.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/What-If-Newt-survives-the-fire/186297896113134507.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor

2011-12-09T11:44:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Last night Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor and talked about Trump's criticism of people slamming his debate. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor/163357923791337449.html

Disenchanted Dems flee the party in battleground states

2011-12-08T13:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

How has “Hope and Change” worked for the Democratic Party after almost three years of Barack Obama being president. It has worked marvelously…for Republicans looking to take back the White House.

President Obama and his re-election team have prided themselves on their well-oiled get-out-the-vote effort. But a new study from the centrist think tank Third Way suggests Democrats are losing ground organizationally in nearly all of the key battleground states in the general election.

The group's analysis found that, in the eight politically-pivotal states that register voters by party, a significant number have left the Democratic party since 2008, with many choosing to register as independents. Over 825,000 registered Democrats in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Pennsylvania have departed the party rolls since President Obama's election in 2008, a much more significant share than the number of Republicans (378,000) who have done the same. Meanwhile, the number of registered independents has ticked upwards by 254,000.

In every one of the eight battleground states, Democrats lost ground to Republicans. (In Colorado, Republicans saw a larger rate of growth in voter registration than Democrats, 1.8 to 0.9 percent.)

The report underscores how much different 2012 will be for Obama than 2008. Back then, it was commonplace to hear how many new voters the Obama campaign was registering. Now, it looks like some of those voters, newly disenchanted, are leaving the party rolls.

Wait, you mean that the excitement over Obama and his historic election is evaporating because of his failure to perform on the job? That all the people who registered to vote in 2008 are now looking at the state of the country and are going “You know, I am just not excited anymore.”

This, frankly, is great news. Voter enthusiasm played a major role in the GOP’s take back of the House last November, but another crucial part of that victory was winning over many independents that voted Bush, but decided to give Obama a chance. They are looking for a reason to give Obama the boot beyond his awful record in office. It is up to the GOP to not just provide an alternative, but one that will give people a reason to hand the White House back over to Republicans.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Disenchanted-Dems-flee-the-party-in-battleground-states/-157501042336891363.html

Operation Fast and Furious was used to promote gun control?

2011-12-08T11:41:00Z

Posted By: Staff

There are a lot of phrases that can be used to describe Operation Fast and Furious. Most of them cannot be printed on a family website. Feel free to fire up your creative engines after reading this story.

Documents obtained by CBS News show that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discussed using their covert operation "Fast and Furious" to argue for controversial new rules about gun sales.

n Fast and Furious, ATF secretly encouraged gun dealers to sell to suspected traffickers for Mexican drug cartels to go after the "big fish." But ATF whistleblowers told CBS News and Congress it was a dangerous practice called "gunwalking," and it put thousands of weapons on the street. Many were used in violent crimes in Mexico. Two were found at the murder scene of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

ATF officials didn't intend to publicly disclose their own role in letting Mexican cartels obtain the weapons, but emails show they discussed using the sales, including sales encouraged by ATF, to justify a new gun regulation called "Demand Letter 3". That would require some U.S. gun shops to report the sale of multiple rifles or "long guns." Demand Letter 3 was so named because it would be the third ATF program demanding gun dealers report tracing information.

On July 14, 2010 after ATF headquarters in Washington D.C. received an update on Fast and Furious, ATF Field Ops Assistant Director Mark Chait emailed Bill Newell, ATF's Phoenix Special Agent in Charge of Fast and Furious:

"Bill - can you see if these guns were all purchased from the same (licensed gun dealer) and at one time. We are looking at anecdotal cases to support a demand letter on long gun multiple sales. Thanks."

You read that correctly. The ATF knowingly allowed some of the world's most dangerous criminals to acquire guns in order to push a the political agenda of increased gun control. Or, as Senator Chuck Grassly said, “There's plenty of evidence showing that this administration planned to use the tragedies of Fast and Furious as rationale to further their goals of a long gun reporting requirement.”

That quote sums it all up right there. There is not much more to say about this other than it is a tragedy that so many members of the media continue to ignore this story. If it was not for Sharyl Attkisson at CBS, who knows where we would be in untangling one of the most outrageous scandals in years.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Operation-Fast-and-Furious-was-used-to-promote-gun-control/517077922827115897.html

70 years ago we remember...

2011-12-07T18:29:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It is important to put today's daily political battles in the proper perspective. With today being the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor we should listen to the men who fought 70 years ago in order to preserve our republic.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/70-years-ago-we-remember.../-851826248520585996.html

Letting kids be kids in youth sports

2011-12-07T13:41:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It is your senior year of high school, you are your team's quarterback and you are down two points in your division championship game. Your season, an undefeated season, is coming down to the final seconds. You break free of the defense and all of a sudden there is nothing between you and the end zone. As you sprint towards everything you and your teammates have worked for the entire season you raise your fist in the air. All the hard work, all the hours, and all the hits your have taken have paid off. Except not:

Cathedral quarterback Matt Owens sprinted past two Blue Hills defenders and was on his way to the end zone and a potential go-ahead score.

With less than 20 yards away from paydirt and nothing but open space in front of him, Owens clenched his left hand and raised it to the sky.

Unfortunately, that one act, seemingly harmless in the eyes of many in attendance at yesterday’s Division 4A Super Bowl at Bentley University, ran afoul of the new MIAA rule directed at sportsmanship.

Owens was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and the ball was spotted back to the 24. An interception one play later ended Cathedral’s final scoring threat in an eventual 16-14 loss, ending the most successful football season in school history.

A fist pump. He didn't spike the ball, he didn't do a dance, he didn't pull a sharpie out of his sock, sign the ball, and hand it to someone. No, this was an 18-year old kid who happened to display his joy on the field and some tightwad ref decided he took his celebration too far. It was "unsportsmanlike" for Matt Owens to celebrate.

What as going through the referee's mind? Was he afraid that the other team would feel bad about losing? Is it now not politically correct to keep score and celebrate at high school football games because some kids might feel bad?

This is just the latest outrage having to do with our politically correct society. In life there and winners and losers. To the victor goes the spoils, as the saying goes, and if you want to celebrate you need to win. In life there are winners and losers. This kid did nothing that was out of line. He did what any kid would do, raise his fist in celebration, give the ball to the ref, and go back to the bench to high five his teammates. Apparently this is now an offensive statement to make.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Letting-kids-be-kids-in-youth-sports/-370636160220351560.html

Obamanomics: helping Americans look overseas for opportunity

2011-12-07T13:32:00Z

Posted By: Max

It used to be that America was the place where people flocked to in order to find opportunity to make their dreams come true. Under President Obama the trend is reversing, especially among young entrepreneurs. From CNBC:

With unemployment hovering around 9 percent, the use of food stamps at record highs and the recession continuing to punish the budgets of so many families, the American economy is much less of a magnet.

To some young entrepreneurs, economic possibilities seem brighter in places like Brazil, Russia, China or Latin America. Indeed, the State Department now estimates that 6.3 million Americans are studying or working abroad, the highest number on record.

In fact, according to a survey by marketing consultants America Wave, the percentage of Americans aged 25 to 34 actively planning to relocate outside the U.S. has quintupled in just two years, from less than 1 percent to 5.1 percent.

"Those numbers have shot through the ceiling," said America Wave founder Bob Adams, who has run nine such surveys over the years. "They're very surprising, and not something I anticipated. They're looking for work because of the sluggish economy, and they've lost confidence that the U.S. is going anywhere."

Younger Americans seem even keener to look abroad, with 40 percent of those 18-24 expressing interest in foreign relocation, which is up from 15 percent two years ago.

This is stunning. Over the past two years we have seen the future leaders of America look at the economy, look at our leadership, and decide that there is greater opportunity elsewhere. The number of Americans working abroad is at its highest level in history. Instead of implementing the change out country needs and reviving our hope that America's best days are ahead of us, this president has done the exact opposite. The people who should be working and spending money inside our borders have decided that the American dream is really the Latin American dream.

Exit Question: I wonder how many of these young adults who have moved abroad over the past two years voted for Obama?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamanomics:-helping-Americans-look-overseas-for-opportunity/-652423643852287153.html

Just what we need...another tax!

2011-12-06T15:50:00Z

Posted By: Staff

You know what American businesses need? Less regulation? Lower taxes? Economic and regulatory policies from Washington that do not change year to year? These are the obvious answers to that question. Team Obama, however, is thinking outside the box.

President Obama's team of negotiators at the United Nations Climate Change Conference may agree to a tax on foreign currency transactions, designed to pay for a "Green Climate Fund," that would fall disproportionately on American travellers and businesses, according to a group attending the conference that is skeptical of the UN position on global warming.

Negotiators at the conference are considering "a new tax on every foreign currency transaction in the world," according to the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT). "Every time you travel abroad, you'll have to pay a climate tax," explains CFACT, the group that released the "Climategate" emails. "More importantly, every time we import goods, every time we export our fine products (think jobs) we will do so with a climate tax skimming off the top."

Oh good! Not just another tax, but one that the UN thinks is a good idea (after all, the UN has always had America’s best interests in its heart). If you travel abroad, get ready to pay a “climate tax.” Meanwhile, there is still no conclusive evidence that man is responsible for global climate change!

But in order to make himself look like a global citizen, President Obama is prepared to penalize American travelers and American businesses so he can get pats on the back from his fellow world leaders. So the next time you travel to Europe after this tax is put in place just remember what Obama keeps telling you this election cycle: he has cut your taxes.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Just-what-we-need...another-tax!/-47675103770297314.html

Obama promotes fan letter pushing abortion for environmental, economic reasons

2011-12-05T19:09:00Z

Posted By: Matt

This morning, @BarackObama tweeted:

Letter of the week: Jessica wrote to thank President Obama for standing up for a woman's right to choose. http://OFA.BO/YNeLCa

The link takes you to the Obama campaign website and a letter from 20-year-old Obamabot "Jessica H." Here are a few lines that really stand out:

It is so scary to see history repeat itself as Republicans and many anti-choice people try to shut down Planned Parenthood. They are putting their ideologies in the way for millions of women, and that is morally corrupt on so many grounds. I find it repulsive. They don’t realize their actions of wanting to eliminate abortion and restrict birth control would only further destroy our country economically and environmentally, not to mention the emotional pain it can cause a woman....Thank you for doing your best to keep the government out of women’s uteruses.

Without abortion our country will be destroyed "economically and environmentally"? Is Jessica worried about a rise in unemployment if those babies are allowed to live? Or perhaps she's referring to the costs associated with raising those children and thinks our country simply can't afford to support a larger population? How is this different than the Chinese approach? It sounds like a stretch, but in truth this kind of thinking really isn't outside of the Democratic mainstream.

Jessica thinks Planned Parenthood is saving the planet's ecosystem one abortion at a time. And Obama agrees. And while they may want to keep the government out of women's uteruses, they're more than happy to let taxpayer dollars in.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-promotes-fan-letter-pushing-abortion-for-environmental,-economic-reasons/443396753274820698.html

Paul Ryan jumps into the 2012 elections

2011-12-05T14:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In an interview with The Daily Caller, Congressman Paul Ryan says he's preparing to enter the election fray, although in the way some may have hoped:

Republican House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan says he’s on a mission to help elect “more conservatives in Congress to save the country” and plans to endorse in congressional races where there are “clear cut cases between reformers and career people.”

“We’re going to try to get behind people who are coming here to save the country and fight for limited government and economic freedom,” Ryan said in an interview with The Daily Caller about his political action committee, Prosperity PAC.

In a memo obtained by TheDC, the Wisconsin congressman plans to ask supporters to donate to his Prosperity PAC to help elect members of Congress “who aren’t afraid to make the tough, but necessary, decisions to secure our fiscal future, and, when necessary.”

“We need to replace timid Members of Congress with bold conservatives who know what needs to be done,” Paul writes in the memo.

Democrats need a 25-seat net gain in order to retake control of the House of Representatives, an unlikely prospect at this point. Republicans need to pick up four Senate seats to take control there, and that is starting to look like a real possibility.

Those are the numbers, but here's the big picture: it may be smart for conservatives to not think of the presidential nominating process as the only thing going. With Romney and Gingrich in the lead, we may not have a rock solid, strong conservative to get behind in 2012. Now, of course we will all continue to be focused on beating Obama, but there is an entire country out there with hundreds of districts ready to be won for conservatism. Let's not forget about them. Making sure that our local candidates share our conservative ideals is just as important as who is in the White House.

And who can forget the 11 gubernatorial elections next year? Here's a helpful breakdown of the most competitive races we have to look forward to.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Paul-Ryan-jumps-into-the-2012-elections/-743034757971324655.html

Obama's food stamp epidemic

2011-12-05T14:13:00Z

Posted By: Matt

I was strolling around the waterfront fish market in DC on Saturday, admiring the whole octopi, the squid, lobsters, jumbo crab legs and Maryland blue crabs for sale.

Imagine my surprise when I spotted this sign above a pile of crabs.

The food stamp epidemic in our country is getting worse thanks to President Obama.

WSJ: Food Stamp Use Rose in 2010

Food stamp use continued to rise in the U.S last year, with almost 12% of all households receiving some form of the assistance, the Census Bureau said. More recent data show that 15% of the population gets food-stamp assistance. In 2010, 13.6 million households reported receiving food stamps, a 16% increase over the previous year. The state with the highest percentage was Oregon at 17.9%.

WSJ: Some 15% of U.S. Uses Food Stamps

Nearly 15% of the U.S. population relied on food stamps in August, as the number of recipients hit 45.8 million.
Food stamp rolls have risen 8.1% in the past year, the Department of Agriculture reported, though the pace of growth has slowed from the depths of the recession.

The number of recipients in the food stamp program, formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), may continue to rise in coming months as families continue to struggle with high unemployment and September’s data will likely include disaster assistance tied to the destruction and flooding caused by Hurricane Irene.

Mississippi reported the largest share of its population relying on food stamps, more than 21%. One in five residents in New Mexico, Tennessee, Oregon and Louisiana also were food stamp recipients.

Food stamp rolls exploded during the downturn, which began in late 2007. Even after the recession came to its official end in June 2009, families continued to tap into food assistance as unemployment remained high and those lucky enough to find jobs were often met with lower wages.

States also made changes to make it easier for residents to tap into the program, such as waiving requirements that limited the value of assets food stamp recipients could own.

But this is all good news, according to this administration. Remember, food stamps stimulate the economy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-food-stamp-epidemic/572782412160261364.html

Some Democratic strategists worry about Gingrich's potential appeal

2011-12-05T12:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Washington Post reports:

Newt Gingrich would be such a weak challenger to President Obama, according to Rep. Barney Frank, that his nomination would be “the best thing to happen to Democrats since Barry Goldwater.”

Democratic strategist Jim Jordan says he and others in the party “passionately” want to face Gingrich. And from the right, conservative pundit Ann Coulter is warning fellow Republicans that the former House speaker’s past extramarital affairs and other baggage make him a far less formidable nominee than Mitt Romney.

But even as Gingrich’s sudden rise has filled many Obama supporters with cheer and some Republicans with dread, some Democratic strategists worry that the combative Gingrich presents some challenges for the Obama campaign that would not exist if Romney were the GOP candidate.

Where Romney, the former business executive and Massachusetts governor, poses a threat in his ability to win independents and conservative Democrats attracted to his image as an economic Mr. Fix-It, Gingrich could pursue a strategy that combines energizing the conservative base and chipping away Democratic support among Hispanics — an electoral formula that helped George W. Bush win in 2004.

Some Democrats believe that Gingrich, a hero of the conservative movement, would excite the party base more than a former liberal-state governor with a history of centrist views. And voters yearning for authenticity may be more open to the voluble and rumpled former House speaker, who frequently discusses his past mistakes and his recent conversion to Catholicism, than to a former equity-fund executive with perfect salt-and-pepper hair.

“He does not carry Wall Street baggage,” said one Democratic strategist working on the Obama reelection effort, speaking on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss his thinking. “He’s really smart. He’s definitely authentic.”

Perhaps most significantly, Gingrich has an extensive Hispanic outreach organization, which he has been building for years. Unlike anything in the Romney playbook, that network could give Gingrich a head start slicing into Obama’s base in key states in the Mountain West, where Hispanics are a fast-growing swing voting bloc. Polls show Hispanic voters, two-thirds of whom backed Obama in 2008, still favor the president — but GOP strategists believe that winning 40 percent of that vote could disrupt Obama’s electoral college strategy by putting Colorado, Arizona and Nevada in the Republican column.

Gingrich is distributing a weekly Spanish-language newsletter to Hispanic voters (the subject line is “Newt con nosotros,” or “Newt with us”), holding a monthly call with community leaders, even studying Spanish and using it in appearances on Univision, the Spanish-language network.

As Romney has run hard to the right on immigration, running the risk of alienating Hispanic voters, Gingrich has pursued a more centrist course. He has expressed support for legalizing some immigrants with deep ties to the United States, a position that Romney has derided as “amnesty.”

One of Gingrich’s top advisers, Lionel Sosa, was the architect of the strategy that helped Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush each win about 40 percent of the Hispanic vote. As a result, some Democrats worry, Gingrich could attract Hispanic swing voters disappointed in Obama’s immigration or economic policies.

“The possibility of a Gingrich nomination does scramble the deck, and it may mean that President Obama has to be more assertive on immigration issues,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a liberal immigrant advocacy group.

A Gingrich adviser, speaking anonymously, said the former speaker’s long interest in traditionally Democratic issues such as inner-city poverty is “an underestimated advantage” in a general election and could soften his image with independents. Gingrich plans to start talking this week about “conservative solutions” to urban problems, the adviser said.

Obama aides have taken note of Gingrich’s performances in the Republican debates. Gingrich has said he will challenge the president to a series of three-hour Lincoln-Douglas style debates — and Republican activists say they are thrilled by the prospect of the experienced and well-versed Gingrich going against Obama.

Still, many Democratic strategists fretting about Romney’s appeal among independents say they would welcome a Gingrich nomination. Polls show why: In Pennsylvania, a must-win state for Obama, one survey showed Romney in a statistical tie with the president, while Obama leads Gingrich by 10 points. That’s why the party’s attacks on the former Massachusetts governor are likely to continue — and why there are no plans to unfurl an anti-Gingrich effort that might hamper his ability to secure the nomination.

“All of us genuinely, legitimately and passionately want Gingrich as the nominee,” said Jordan, the Democratic strategist, who worked opposite the Gingrich team during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment in 1998-99. “He’s shown us for decades now how incredibly flawed he is.”

A spokeswoman for Romney, Andrea Saul, said the Democratic attacks prove that Obama is afraid of facing Romney in a campaign sure to focus on the economy. “It is clear the last thing the White House wants to do is face Mitt Romney and be forced to defend three years of high unemployment and runaway spending,” Saul said.

Part of Gingrich’s challenge is showing that he has grown since his more bombastic days in Congress, when he engineered the 1994 Republican takeover of the House but left office as a deeply unpopular figure.

There are signs that Gingrich, 68, may be having some success with his image makeover.

Democratic pollster Peter Hart was struck last week by the reactions of GOP primary voters who took part in a focus group Hart conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center. Asked what relative Gingrich reminded them of, several said a favorite uncle or a grandfather. Romney was a “missing father” or a second cousin, Hart said, indicating the voters felt more affinity for Gingrich.

Nevertheless, Hart added, two of the 12 GOP voters, citing moral concerns about Gingrich, said they would back Obama if Romney failed to win the nomination. One voter referred to Gingrich as “careless and combustible.”

“There is so much that can undo him,” Hart wrote in a memo after the focus group.

Gingrich seems undaunted — arguing that voters would be drawn to his record in contrast to the alternative. “I don’t claim to be the perfect candidate,” he told a South Carolina radio station. “I just claim to be a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney.”

Some Gingrich supporters believe the story of a rocky personal life turned smooth with age and experience could play well among voters in a general election.

“What some inside the Beltway see as baggage, the person in middle America looks at you and says, ‘I know a lot of people who have been married and divorced, who have had contentious divorces, and I think they are good, decent people nonetheless,’ ” said Javier Ortiz, a Republican strategist who has known Gingrich since 1992 and has informally advised the campaign.

GOP strategists acknowledge that Gingrich could well self-destruct before winning the nomination. But if he survives, they say, he may be more formidable than some predict.

“If he’s able to leverage his authenticity and unpredictability to be a real person in the eyes of the voters, he could be a good general-election candidate,” said Erik Smith, a prominent Democratic consultant. “But you also have to have some discipline. Anytime that Newt Gingrich has been under a long period of sustained scrutiny, he hasn’t held up, and certainly a general-election campaign is the most thorough scrutiny any candidate gets.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Some-Democratic-strategists-worry-about-Gingrichs-potential-appeal/607517675564832652.html

What Iowans are seeing on TV

2011-12-05T11:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

With the caucuses quickly approaching on January 3rd, the presidential candidates' TV ads are occupying the airwaves in Iowa. Here's how some of the candidates are trying to close the deal with voters in the Hawkeye State.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/What-Iowans-are-seeing-on-TV/-153362927917047296.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor

2011-12-02T11:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura on Gingrich vs Romney

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor/892343869984953958.html

Obama deceptively campaigning as tax cutter

2011-12-01T16:26:00Z

Posted By: Matt

Yesterday in Scranton, PA, Obama said:

"Now, I know you hear a lot of folks on cable TV claiming that I’m this big tax-and-spend liberal. Next time you hear that, you just remind the people who are saying it that since I’ve taken office, I’ve cut your taxes."

With his poll numbers sinking ever lower, it's no wonder he doesn't want to run on his record of big government, radical liberalism.

Americans for Tax Reform has a helpful comprehensive list of Obama tax hikes numbering 21 in total. Among them:

1. A 156 percent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco: On February 4, 2009, just sixteen days into his Administration, Obama signed into law a 156 percent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco, a hike of 61 cents per pack. The median income of smokers is just over $36,000 per year.

6. Obamacare Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax (Tax hike of $86.8 bil/takes effect Jan. 2013)

Look over the whole list and take note of how many of these tax increases already signed into law do not go into affect until 2013 -- just a couple months after voters will decide whether to give Obama another four years in office. Remember: everything this White House does is grounded in political strategy.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-deceptively-campaigning-as-tax-cutter/182549829329776328.html

Heat on Holder reaches boiling point as Obama Admin hides from media

2011-11-30T21:32:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Yesterday the Attorney General of the United States lashed out at a specific media outlet. The Daily Caller has been at the forefront of the reporting on the Fast and Furious gun running scandal that developed on Eric Holder's watch. The AG simply doesn't like the scrutiny or the growing list of Congressional members calling for his resignation.

Well, tough. Obama promised the most transparent administration in history. Instead, the American people got the worst cadre of imperious spoiled children as their rulers.

Exhibit A: today, the administration sealed the court records containing details of how Mexican drug smugglers murdered a U.S. Border Patrol agent with a gun connected to Project Gunrunner.

It's no surprise that Team Obama would attempt to cover up Holder's incompetence and gross negligence when it comes to Fast and Furious. If only the president held his employees to the same standard he demanded of George W. Bush's.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Heat-on-Holder-reaches-boiling-point-as-Obama-Admin-hides-from-media/251682323809902742.html

Death Panels Redux

2011-11-30T17:00:00Z

Posted By: C. A. Morrison

In 2009 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that women routinely get screening mammograms every other year starting at age 50. This caused an uproar among many women who disagreed with this "data driven, research based, best practices" decision.

Now, new evidence presented at the Radiological Society of North America this week shows a different conclusion according to a study led by highly reputable Elizabeth Wende Breast Care LLC of Rochester, New York.

The study, conducted among women ages 40-49, demonstrated that mammograms were just as likely to find invasive breast cancers in women with no family history of breast cancer as in women with a family history of the disease. Women with and without a family history were just as likely to have cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes.

Said study leader Stamatia Destounis: "You find small cancers that will never be a problem. But we found a considerable number that can't wait. IInvasive breast cancers can spread and kill."

Indeed. How many patients, trusting and heeding the advice of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, are facing a less-than-merry holiday season as too many of those small cancers turned out to pack a lethal punch, discovered too late?

How many other recommendations of the task force are just as flawed, issued without caution?

Yes, death panels do exist in America, where trusting taxpayers are dealt a death sentence without the benefit of defense lawyers, countless appeals and the gift of time. Is anybody listening? Does anyone care?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Death-Panels-Redux/-978066957423516133.html

Do as FLOTUS says, not as FLOTUS does

2011-11-30T16:42:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Monday, Michelle Obama...

...enjoyed a lovely evening at Co Co. Sala on F Street. She dined with seven friends for dinner and, of course, dessert -- which featured an edible chocolate sculpture and house-made artisanal chocolates by Chef Santosh Tiptur. We're told Obama's favorite savory was Chef Tiptur's Moroccan Swordfish Sliders with chermoula marinade, fennel salad, aged pecorino and hazelnut coffee dressing.

Today, Michelle is...

...delivering the keynote address at a conference sponsored by the foundation she helped launch in 2010 to combat childhood obesity, the Partnership for a Healthier America.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Do-as-FLOTUS-says,-not-as-FLOTUS-does/-803780743916551227.html

How much of Obama's rhetoric was "stolen" from Rev. Wright?

2011-11-29T15:48:00Z

Posted By: Matt

The Daily Caller has obtained video of Obama in 2006 admitting that he borrowed the title of one of his books, “The Audacity of Hope,” from a sermon by Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

It’s clear from Obama’s detailed description of the sermon that he was listening very intently to his former pastor while he attended Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. In the video, Obama explains Wright’s juxtaposition of “cynicism” and “hope” for change, which begs the question: just how much of Obama’s presidential campaign rhetoric was borrowed from the good pastor?

Judging from Obama’s most recent round of arrogant flourishes, it’s clear he took Wright’s extremely negative view of our country to heart. Just this September, Obama said we’d “gotten a little soft.” In October, he accused Americans of losing their ambition and imagination. By the time November rolled around, the president was demeaning the country as “lazy.”

For Republicans preparing to choose a presidential nominee, the video from 2006 is a reminder of just how important this election is—not only for our country’s economy, but also its collective psyche. Who is the candidate most capable of reminding voters of Obama’s truly radical past? Who is the Republican that can champion America’s greatness and restore our sense of exceptionalism?

Team Obama’s reelection strategy consists of abandoning white working class voters in favor of well-educated, socially liberal whites and less affluent minorities, especially Hispanics. This may not be surprising considering the president’s recent comments. If liberal college-educated whites are the only enlightened ones and illegal immigrants are the only hard workers in the president’s mind, why worry about getting the support of a demographic you despise?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/How-much-of-Obamas-rhetoric-was-stolen-from-Rev.-Wright/-343667600739369915.html

America's European job market

2011-11-27T22:04:00Z

Posted By: Staff

There have been scores of articles and columns written about how America is on its way to becoming Europe, complete with unstable levels of debt and chronically high unemployment. Well...maybe we already are Europe.

As the U.S. tries to dodge the fallout from Europe's debt crisis, some economists are reaching a troubling conclusion: The American labor market is looking more European than ever.

...

Research by Murat Tasci, an economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, shows that Americans have been changing jobs less frequently for at least the past decade. The lower the rate of job turnover, the longer it takes the economy to reallocate workers from companies and sectors in decline to those that are expanding—and ultimately the longer it takes for the unemployment rate to return to normal.

"Our model generates an unambiguous conclusion," Mr. Tasci wrote in a recent paper. "The low rate at which unemployed workers are finding jobs predicts a slower decline in the unemployment rate."

Similarly, Americans have been moving less frequently in recent decades, a trend reinforced by the housing bust that has made it difficult for people to sell their homes and move to places where jobs are easier to find. Just 11.6% of Americans moved between 2010 and 2011, according to the Census Bureau, down from 20.2% in 1985 and the lowest rate on record.

It is not impossible to reverse this pattern. We just need major reforms in Washington...which sadly is a larger undertaking than it should be. We need a president who does not just have ideas that will work, but the ability to implement those ideas. Obama has proven to be a bitter partisan only concerned with how much he can tax and how much he can spend. He has not tried anything new, he used a failed playbook from the early 20th century.

It hasn't worked, as this article clearly shows, and if we try it for another four years, the articles will stop saying "we are close to Europe," they will be saying "we are worse than Europe."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Americas-European-job-market/-919309678287995564.html

Obama's small business razzle dazzle

2011-11-27T20:21:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Saturday afternoon President Obama took his daughters to a bookstore in Washington, D.C. To show support for “Small Business Saturday,” a nationwide event started by Visa to help drive customers to small, local shops. Obama said “This is Small Business Saturday. So we're out here supporting small business.”

What a nice gesture, too bad the 8 books he bought will do little to reverse the policies he has advocated for, and passed, that have keep small businesses from expanding. Small business confidence is at roughly the same level it was when Obama took office. The National Federation for Independent Businesses states part of the problem:

U.S. fiscal policy is still in disarray. All that is proposed is higher spending, more regulations and increased taxes to support them. The President’s jobs bill is poorly constructed as the “incentives to hire” are ineffective. Giving owners a temporary tax cut which are funded by permanent tax increases doesn’t mean they will use the proceeds to hire workers that can’t add enough value to cover their salaries.

That does not even mention what has already passed, from tighter environmental laws to the grandaddy of them all, ObamaCare, which is chock full of taxes that are already impacting how companies plan for the future. Nor does it delve into increased taxes on the most successful of small businesses that would be a result of raising taxes on the top two tax brackets.

If the president wanted really help small businesses, he would start listening to what business owner's really need – tax and regulatory policy that doesn't change year to year. Or, the opposite of what this president has done over the past three years.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-small-business-razzle-dazzle/820941719719204698.html

President Obama: Tax cutter-in-chief?

2011-11-23T14:05:00Z

Posted By: Staff

President Obama, the tax cutter? No, that's not a joke, but it is what the president would like you to believe. In Manchester, NH yesterday this is what Obama said to the crowd:

You see, last year, both parties came together to cut payroll taxes for the typical household by $1,000 this year. That’s been showing up in your paychecks each week. You may not know it, but it’s been showing up because of the action that we took. Which reminds me, by the way, the next time you hear one of these folks from the other side coming in talking about raising your taxes, you just remind them that ever since I’ve gotten into office, I’ve lowered your taxes, haven’t raised them.

Huh?

Since taking office, President Barack Obama has signed into law twenty-one new or higher taxes: 156 percent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco: On February 4, 2009, just sixteen days into his Administration, Obama signed into law a 156 percent increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco, a hike of 61 cents per pack. The median income of smokers is just over $36,000 per year.

Obamacare Tax on Indoor Tanning Services (Tax hike of $2.7 billion/took effect July 2010): New 10 percent excise tax on Americans using indoor tanning salons.

Obamacare Individual Mandate Excise Tax (takes effect in Jan 2014.

Those are just 3 of the 21 tax hikes or new taxes Obama has signed into law. Some, like the famous tanning tax are already law, some don't begin for a few years, but the point remains the same. President Obama has increased your taxes, not lowered them.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/President-Obama:-Tax-cutter-in-chief/-916288272956655530.html

Obama pal Corzine's troubles continue to grow

2011-11-22T17:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The news has been dominated over the past week over the supercommittee that was doomed to fail from the start. Congress will find a way to change what gets cuts to relieve some of the pressure from the Pentagon, but in reality we are still light years away from a deal that will effectively deal with our debt. It is not surprising, when looking at this, that Americans are beyond disgusted when they look at Congress.

In fact, the only place in the country that may leave Americans with a worst taste in their mouth is Wall Street. While Americans don’t generally align themselves with the Occupy movement, it would be a stretch to say the average citizen is placing the Gordon Gekko’s of society on a pedestal.

The big reason is the greed these bankers exhibit. Most recently, Obama pal and once a possible Treasury Secretary pick, Jon Corzine, has been in the news. The investment firm he was running went bankrupt, but that is not the story:

After weeks of reconstructing MF Global’s books, forensic accountants from Deloitte and Ernst & Young working for the trustee concluded that the account shortfall was much greater than originally estimated. Regulators have yet to verify the new numbers. While they are expected to raise their estimate above $600 million, it is unlikely to reach the trustee’s $1.2 billion figure.

Kent Jarrell, a spokesman for the trustee’s office, stood by that figure, but he noted that it was preliminary.

It is unclear what was behind MF Global’s original lower estimates. Some authorities chalk up the inaccuracies to the firm’s sloppy bookkeeping, and only slowly discovered additional holes in customer funds over the last three weeks.

The search for MF Global’s missing money has consumed a growing number of authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and federal prosecutors in New York and Chicago.

These inquiries have increasingly homed in on the theory that much of the customer money had left the firm, the people briefed on the matter said.

That last line says it all. You see, Obama friend and Wall Street banker Jon Corzine used his customer’s funds to, and this is the kicker, make bets on EUROPEAN DEBT (yes, that Europe). When the bets went sour his customer’s fund went with down the drain. This is a problem because by law you have to keep the firm’s money separate from your customer’s funds. The firm can make bets with its own money, but it cannot take from its customer’s accounts to fund the firm’s own speculative bets. It looks like Corzine did this.

This story is not about Obama, this is about someone who got greedy and in doing so helped remove his clients from their money. His punishment should be unprecedented. The reason people are losing faith in Wall Street and capitalism is because people get away with crimes like this. Unfettered capitalism is great, but we do need laws and punishments in place that act as deterrents against this behavior. Dodd-Frank fails to do this (it actually makes the problem worse) and Occupying Wall Street will exacerbate the problem.

What we need are strong regulators, the end of “too big to fail,” and no more “Club Fed” prisons. Bankers play tough, it’s time for the rest of us to play tough too.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-pal-Corzines-troubles-continue-to-grow/352492474982913866.html

Leave the shopping out of Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T13:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

This Thanksgiving we are being introduced to what might be a new tradition in some households: shopping on Turkey Day. Spending time eating, laughing, and giving thanks with family is about to give way to stampedes and fights over iPods. The only sacks some folks will see this year will be full grown men getting their inner Ray Lewis on over the last laptop.

It’s important to note that these businesses have every right to do this. There shouldn’t be some government mandate about when stores should be able to open on Thanksgiving. This is just one of those cases where our rampant consumerism rubs many people the wrong way. As a society are we incapable of putting away the plastic for one day in order to cherish what is really important in life? Apparently, the answer is yes.

So this Thanksgiving weekend, let’s at least put aside one day to spend with family. At worst, spend it parked in front of your television, there are three great football games (for the first time in a while people are actually excited about the Lions playing on Thanksgiving) to keep you out of the stores. So eat, drink, and be merry…and the save the shopping for a later date.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Leave-the-shopping-out-of-Thanksgiving/717441772394165867.html

The 1% of the 99%

2011-11-21T13:27:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Occupy Wall Street is slowly being discredited as a movement focused more smoking dope and picking fights with cops than a movement that is focused on change. For every person dedicated to the cause there are 5 people who are just there to camp out. For every unemployed person fed up with what they perceive as growing income inequality in America there are a bunch of union members bussed in to the protests in order to make it look like a movement. Then there are the people who like to protest, but not really want to “protest.”

A key Occupy Wall Street leader and another protester who leads a double life as a businessman ditched fetid tents and church basements for rooms at a luxurious hotel that promises guests can “unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko,” The Post has learned.

The $700-per-night W Hotel Downtown last week hosted both Peter Dutro, one of a select few OWS members on the powerful finance committee, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst who not only secretly took part in protests during a week-long business trip but offered shelter to protesters in his swanky platinum-card room.

Wow, that is some dedication. How can you be an occupier when your bed of choice is not a sleeping bag, but a plush king-size bed? How can you show solidarity when your 37-inch flat screen television is turned up as you gently fall to sleep?

The bottom line is this movement should not be taken seriously anymore. Not that this story is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but rather it serves as a humorous anecdote to point out the selfishness of these protesters. Occupy Wall Street has never and will never be about helping everyone. It is about people who believe that the government owes them something and that they (the protesters) owe society nothing.

The protesters may not be going away soon, but the usefulness of these occupations diminishes every time the average American turns on the news and sees the mayhem these fools create every day. That is a good thing for the rest of us who want to solve our nation’s problems, not complain about them while smoking pot in drum circles.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-1-of-the-99/130916337717183459.html

"Mancession?" Young men hurt most in Obama economy

2011-11-21T13:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It seems that every day there is a new story about how much of a disaster Obama’s economic policy has been. Today it is how young men have been absolutely hammered by this economy – leaving them with few job prospects and forcing them back home to live with their parents.

A U.S. Census Bureau analysis earlier this month found that nearly one of every five young men in their mid-20s through mid-30s are either moving back home with their parents — or never left.

The report, America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2011, found 19 percent of American men age 25 to 34 living in their parents’ homes — the highest level since 1960.

Only 10 percent of women in that age group were living at home with parents.

There is a certain amount of sympathy you have to feel for some of these kids. No one wants to be the 20-something living with mom and dad. No matter how much you love your parents nothing beats having your own space and being out on your own. A lot of these kids want to do that, but businesses faced with more regulations and uncertainty when it comes to taxes are holding off on hiring new employees, especially young ones with little to no work experience.

We cannot ignore, however, that some of these kids are perfectly happy living at home. They don’t deserve much sympathy.

Fredrick Brown, 24, was attending Eastern Michigan University when money ran out his senior year and he was forced to move back home in suburban Detroit, where both parents had been laid off for a year.

Brown’s father found work in the Gary area, and the family moved to Gary in August. Brown landed a job at a publishing company only to be laid off two months later. He’s started his own Web business, 7Questions.tumblr.com, and fully anticipates living at home beyond his next birthday, in May.

“I’ve read 23 or 24 is the new 18, because of the way we’ve been raised. My generation isn’t willing to settle, which is probably why a lot of us are still unemployed,” he says, laughing.

“But living at home is just cost-efficient right now. And my support system is there.”

23 or 24 is the new 18? No it isn’t. 18 is still 18! And this nonsense about ‘settling?’ Sometimes you have to do what it takes in order to make ends meets. A prospective employer will see you are determined and a hard working if you’re had to take a few jobs to make ends meet, rather than run a tumblr site from your parent’s basement. It’s one thing to start your own company; it’s another to “blog” all day.

Even though some of these kids are content being at home, one has to assume that if given the choice between full-time employment and living away from home or not working and living with mom and dad, the vast majority of these young men would take the work. Unfortunately, with a president more concerned about his political future, the unstable tax and regulatory environment he has created for businesses small and large in America will keep these young workers on the sidelines for a few more years.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Mancession-Young-men-hurt-most-in-Obama-economy/104562731435445530.html

Laura Holiday Zing book signings!

2011-11-18T18:19:00Z

Posted By: Stafff

The first stop for Laura on her Holiday Zing book signing tour will be at The Villages in Florida on December 9th at 7pm. Put this on your calender!:

Location:

Barnes and Noble
1055 Old Camp Road
The Villages, FL 32162
352-430-3029

Laura will also be in Birmingham, Alabama on December 13th for a book signing that will be taking place at 6pm. Put this on your calendars now and get some signed copies of Zing to give out at Christmas!

Location:

Books-A-Million
757 Brookwood Village
Birmingham, AL 35209
205-870-0213

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Laura-Holiday-Zing-book-signings!/367735503107056608.html

Astroturf and wizards: Occupy Key Bridge

2011-11-18T16:11:00Z

Posted By: Staff

I will start by saying this...Occupy Key Bridge was peaceful. However, any attempt to say that OccupyDC was some grand grassroots movement is false. Yes, there were some people on the bridge (one below who was particularly fun to talk to) who were definitely part of the movement, but the majority were bused in (on coach buses...the 1% of the bus community) and were open about their affiliation with the SEIU, you know, Obama's favorite union.

Here is a friendly conversation with a "wizard":

And here is the SEIU organizing to get back on their buses:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Astroturf-and-wizards:-Occupy-Key-Bridge/-823249765841655732.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-11-18T11:40:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Thursday night Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor and talked about Newt's rise and his path to the nomination.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/-229728763775496058.html

Living at home in the Obama economy

2011-11-17T19:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The New York Times ran an interesting article today about young adults who are living at home. Instead of the usual articles about kids who cannot find jobs and have no choice, this was a profile of employed 20-somethings who choose to live at home and the impact this decision has on the economy.

Like most of her friends, Hollis Romanelli graduated from college last May and promptly moved back in with her parents.

As a result, she didn’t pay rent — or a broker’s fee or renters’ insurance, for that matter. She also didn’t buy a bed, desk, couch, doormat, mop or new crockery set. Nor did she pay the cable company to send a worker to set up her TV and Internet, or a handyman to hang a newly framed diploma. She didn’t even buy drinks and snacks for a housewarming party.

In other words, Ms. Romanelli, 22, saved a lot of money. But she deprived the economy of a lot of potential activity, too.

…

As of last month, just 74 percent of Americans ages 25 to 34 were working. It is perhaps no wonder then that 14.2 percent of young adults are living with their parents, up from 11.8 percent in 2007. Among young men, 19 percent are living with their parents.

But even some young people who can afford to move out have decided to wait until getting on more solid footing. Prudence, not necessity, has kept them at home.

The article goes on to explain that the decision made by these folks to save is taking money out of the pockets of landlords, furniture shops, and other businesses that benefit from people having their own residence. Bills add up very fast when you live on your own – but these bills help other people pay theirs!

The Times does a good job at pointing out that without these kids moving away from home they are one small part of the economy that is preventing more growth. What the article does not point out is that their search for economic stability resulting in moving back home has a lot to do with Washington. 22-29 year olds are not going to pull this economy out of a ditch, they simply do not have the wealth. However, people who are established in their jobs in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who live under the constant fear of cutbacks do have the ability to bring our economy back with their consumption.

The problem is that we are not creating any incentive for businesses to not just hire more people, but to move their operations to America. The effective tax rate our businesses pay is one of the highest in the world. We tax U.S. multinationals when they want to repatriate their profits. We punish success at every term in the name of “fairness.” What we do not do is welcome the wealthy or provide easy paths to wealth as America has done before.

Why would young people move out of their parent’s house only to possibly be out of a job in a month? Why would people in the middle-class start spending again when they see their neighbors being laid off? In short these groups will not do these things because right now it does not make sense. In order for consumers to have confidence, businesses need to have confidence and that begins with creating an environment that incubates growth, something this administration has failed to do.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Living-at-home-in-the-Obama-economy/513675174823946512.html

VIDEO: The Laura Ingraham Show visits OccupyDC

2011-11-16T21:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Some of the show's producers went down to visit the occupation and received a tour of the library. Most popular authors? Paul Krugman and Howard Zinn. We know this because the occupiers keep stealing books written by them.

For what the librarian thinks about capitalism, well, you are going to have to watch the video to find that out.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-The-Laura-Ingraham-Show-visits-OccupyDC/338272736798831059.html

VIDEO: The Laura Ingraham Show visits OccupyDC

2011-11-16T21:09:00Z

Obamanomics: retirement not what it used to be

2011-11-16T14:10:00Z

Posted By: Staff

For many Americans, retirement includes spending more time with family, friends, crossing off items on their bucket list, and moving to locations that are sunny and warm. According to the Census bureau, this is part of an overall trend of Americans staying put because of the poor economy.

The number of Americans ages 55 to 64 who moved toSun Belt states since the economy began to tank has declined dramatically, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Census data released Tuesday.

The slowdown is part of a continued drop in the mobility of all Americans. Only 11.6% — 35 million — changed residence from 2010 to 2011, the lowest rate since theCensus Bureau began collecting the statistics in 1948. In the mid-1980s, more than 20% were moving each year

The reason? Our terrible economy, which this data set shows is not getting any better. In good times, people move, especially people in or nearing retirement. Even young people, traditionally the most mobile group when looking for employment, are staying put (many are actually still living at home, never mind migrating to an apartment).

You see, in the Obama economy, people are not able to take risks that are associated with a healthy economy. Uprooting their lives in search of work (or moving because they were already hire for a new job) is no longer an option. People simply do not have the money to do anything that is not necessary. If you have a roof over your head, why move? If you have a job, why shake things up?

One way to tell the economy is picking up steam is when we see people moving again. Until then, any talk about a recovery is fraudulent.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamanomics:-retirement-not-what-it-used-to-be/-127456622402905176.html

Sandusky's disgusting, disturbing interview

2011-11-15T13:27:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Seriously. I will save you from the most graphic of details. If you truly want them just Google “Penn State Grand Jury Report,” but you will not read them here. Anyways, last night on NBC's “Rock Center” newsmagazine, disgraced former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky attempted to clear his name. This is what he said:

"I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact," Jerry Sandusky told NBC News' Bob Costas in an interview to air Monday night.

Horsed around in the showers with kids? As a 50+ year-old man? There is NOTHING remotely acceptable about this behavior. Touching young boys on the leg? These are the actions of a pervert who deserves to be locked away for life if he is guilty of these crimes

In related news, the Big Ten Twelve has decided to take Joe Paterno's name off their championship trophy. It is a smart move. While yes, we do not know what exactly JoePa knew, it seems like he knew enough to call the police. He didn't.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sanduskys-disgusting,-disturbing-interview/-665910874677700804.html

Stupid subsidies for celebrities

2011-11-15T13:15:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Alright, this is not meant to be some 99% love fest, but isn't it more that slightly offputting that millionaire celebrities can take advantage billions (with a B) dollars of tax exemptions. My personal favorite, a $25,000 grant to Quincy Jones, who does not exactly need the help.

The eye-popping findings in the 36-page report include some eye-catching names, like former NBA star Scottie Pippen and billionaire media mogul Ted Turner, both of whom received farm subsidies courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer. Singer Jon Bon Jovi paid property taxes of only $100 last year on a plot of land he used to raise bees. Iconic crooner Bruce Springsteen also got in on the farm subsidy action, for property he leases to an organic farmer. And Millionaire composer-producer Quincy Jones is even singled out for receiving a $25,000 award from the federally-funded National Endowment for the Arts.

So just in that group we have Jones, Pippen (an NBA Hall of Famer), Ted Turner (ever hear of him), and Jon Bon Jovi (his finances are not living on a prayer).

With all the micromanaging and regulatory nonsense that we see from the federal government, we can't get them to not send billions to rich people who do not need them? This is not some 99% crusade, this is a realization that there are a lot of tax subsidies and loopholes that rich people can find and exploit.

The best solution is to end every single deduction in our code and treat everyone equally.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Stupid-subsidies-for-celebrities/549355172119955661.html

Time to toss the hippies out

2011-11-14T14:06:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Populist movements can be a force for change and conversation and in its infancy Occupy Wall Street was just that. A protest movement meant to shed light on the plight of average Americans who have lost their jobs, houses, and savings since the Great Recession. Soon, once the movement was exposed for being smelly hippies, trust fund brats, and drug addicts, the conversation was no longer about what people though OWS stood for, but the actions of the occupiers. Their greed along with their penchant for violence became too much for even the most progressive members of society to handle. It soon became clear this was not a populist movement, these were just camps for people on the fringes of society to gather at and cause problems for the rest of us.

Now cities are fighting back, as well they should. From Portland to Philadelphia, Mayors are finally putting an end to this nonsense. The rapes, the murders, and the drug use are turning these cities into hellholes. What was once something fun to rip on has become a serious public health and safety issue. Finally cities are striking back against these greedy anarchists who are not interested in making America a better place, but are looking for a hand out so they can continue to leech off the system.

The biggest lie coming from these protests is that the protesters want to make this country better for everyone. They don't. They want to make it better only for themselves, no matter what the cost. Fortunately, people are now fed up and are ready to remove these encampments so the rest of us can go along with the business of making America competitive in the 21st century.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Time-to-toss-the-hippies-out/-504407647083539778.html

No, Mr. President, we are not lazy

2011-11-14T13:02:00Z

Posted By: Staff

President Obama, even though he has taken ownership for the economy, is now back to blaming America for our slow growth. You see, to him, it is our fault that people do not want to do business in America. It is not that he threatens small businesses with more taxes, talks about spreading the wealth around, or rails against wealth creators at every opportunity. It has nothing to do with the policies his administration has either put in place (ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank) or continues to advocate for, it is our fault because...we are lazy.

Lazy? Are the small business owners who are being destroyed by the Occupy movements that the president supports lazy? What about big business owners like Bill Gates? Is he lazy?

What our president continues to fail to understand is that businesses continue to thrive in America not because of his policies, but in spite of his policies. In fact, in order to survive as a business owner you cannot be lazy, you have to work extra hard in order to overcome the impediments to profit the Obama administration has put in place.

So no, President Obama, we are not lazy, we love this country and want it to succeed. It's a shame you do not understand this.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/No,-Mr.-President,-we-are-not-lazy/-809949954921607497.html

Penn State is 8-1. They should end the season 8-1

2011-11-11T11:43:00Z

Posted By: Staff

After this past week we have seen the severity of the corruption in major college sports. SMU set the standard in the 1980's by showering their recruits and star players with gifts. The University of Miami has had their own scandal this year, worse that SMU's, involving paying players with cash, gifts, and even prostitutes. The Ohio State University looked the other way during their own scandal this year. These were just the major cases. They also pale in comparison to what happened at Penn State.

What we learned with Penn State is that, above all, winning is everything. Yes, Joe Paterno and Penn State managed to have a sparkling reputation during the vast majority of his 46 years as head coach. However, when push came to shove, we saw that even this program was not immune to turning a blind eye in the name of keeping America's second most profitable college football program intact. This has to do with money, power, and keeping the status quo intact.

Don't be fooled. Football at Penn State is not an amateur operation with “student athletes.” This is a major program meant to feed kids into the NFL. The more pros they create the better recruits they get which means the better chance they have at filling their 106,000+ seat stadium and earning more money.

What Penn State shows us is that schools will do anything to preserve the system that is in place, even if that means protected a child rapist. If Penn State wants to begin to fix a problem their scandal brought to national attention, they will sit out the rest of the season. If not, they will simply reinforce what more and more sports fan are beginning to realize. That college sports are no longer about the kids or the education they are supposed to be at school getting while playing sports on the side.

It's time Penn State began to turn back to their original mission: education. Ending the football season today would be a welcomed first step.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Penn-State-is-8-1.-They-should-end-the-season-8-1/18860621023878516.html

VIDEO: Laura hosts The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-11-11T11:40:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights from last night's O'Reilly Factor that Laura hosted. Enjoy!

Laura interviews Newt Gingrich!

America's complicated foreign policy:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-hosts-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/304928929749650362.html

Another American life ICE'd

2011-11-11T11:39:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

Dr. Kathleen Byham, 45, was brutally murdered in Albion, New York on October 30th. Her death was totally preventable.

Dr. Byham was in a Wal-Mart parking lot when Luis Rodriguez-Flamenco, a Honduran Illegal alien accosted her, grabbed her car keys and stabbed her multiple times. He was arrested after a manhunt with two Mexican illegals, Jose Torrez-Gonzales and Marcos Gomez-Perez. Rodriguez-Flamenco pled not guilty of murder and his two companions were thought to have nothing to do with the crime.

Luis Rodriguez-Flamenco had two warrants against him previously for assault and weapon possession. He was appeared before Justice Dawn Keppler. His bail was set for $25,000. A public defender went to Judge Larry Sanderson who lowered his bail to $2,000 which Rodriguez-Flamenco posted. He was released to do whatever he wished.

On November 8th, Jose Torrez-Gonzales and Marcos Gomez-Perez who were in an ICE detention facility were charged with first degree attempted robbery and fourth degree conspiracy in the death of Dr. Byham.

According to her obituary, Dr. Byham was formerly a security guard for Pinkerton Security. She recently had resumed collegiate studies and just received her Ph.D. in Fine Arts. Dr. Byham enjoyed taking walks in Letchworth, drawing, listening to music, and spending time with her cat, Ember.

She is survived by her fiancé, brother, sister and father.

Dr. Byham had everything to live for.

Until her future was ICEd.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Another-American-life-ICEd/-44257334519364463.html

AUDIO: Laura tells Gov. Perry to appear on SNL

2011-11-10T18:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, Texas Governor Rick Perry called in to Laura's show today after last night's debate. Hopefully he takes the helpful advice Laura gave him about media appearances.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Laura-tells-Gov.-Perry-to-appear-on-SNL/939057585612200456.html

Lady Gaga and the emergency broadcast test

2011-11-10T11:42:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Yesterday was supposed to be the day where every radio and television station, at 2pm, would simultaneously broadcast an emergency test signal. This was being tested in the event that there would be a catastrophic incident in this country that would require the government to give everyone in America an alert about how to proceed safely in the coming hours or days. Instead, this is what happened during the test.

The test was supposed to break into all radio and television— broadcast and cable — networks. Though it does not seem to have worked on New York City cable networks, among others...

ome DirectTV customers reported hearing Lady Gaga's “Paparazzi” play during the test. Some Comcast subscribers saw their cable boxes turn to QVC before the alert, while Time Warner Cable customers in New York did not see any alert at all.

Understandably there is a concern about the feds being able to take control of television and radio signals, but lets put any conspiracy aside for a minute and go with the assumption that there are certain situations that would require this action (which is something most reasonable people would agree, in the most dire of circumstances, is fine.) For this test, which was promoted for weeks, to fail is a complete catastrophe. It has been ten years after 9/11 and we still do not have a way to alert the vast majority of Americans about a critical emergency. We saw what an earthquake can do to the east coast a few months ago. Cell phone usage clogged the system, effectively shutting down cell phone service.

It is funny to laugh at this stuff, especially the Lady Gaga part, but this does have serious implications. For there to be such a massive failure on the part of the government, during a test, is a worrisome. I cant imagine what would happen during a real emergency, and frankly, I don't want to.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Lady-Gaga-and-the-emergency-broadcast-test/-477141238713423304.html

VIDEO: Laura hosts The O'Reilly Factor

2011-11-10T11:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Last night Laura hosted The O'Reilly Factor, and just in case you missed it and watched the debate instead, here are some of the highlights!

Laura's Talking Points Memo:

Where does the GOP field stand?

Rick Santorum's uphill battle:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-hosts-The-OReilly-Factor/-173821129712442072.html

White House turns green over Solyndra emails

2011-11-09T20:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

George Kaiser, a billionaire investor in Solyndra, the failed solar panel manufacturer (and an Obama supporter) had stated previously that he never lobbied the White House for Energy Department loans for Solyndra. Not only that, he has stated that the topic never came up. Oops.

In a letter to the White House, House Energy and Commerce committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich, and oversight panel chair Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., disclosed the emails including one from March 5, 2010 between Kaiser and Steve Mitchell,Kaiser’s venture capital firm Argonaut.

"BTW, a couple of weeks ago, when Ken and I were visiting with a group of Administration folks in DC who are in charge of the stimulus process (White House, not DOE) and Solyndra came up, every one of them responded simultaneously about their thorough knowledge of the Solyndra story, suggesting it was one of their prime poster children."

The White House says this is no big deal, just like the Solyndra scandal itself. In reality, this shows that, most likely, Obama’s big donors can easily access the White House and ask for tax payer dollars to help various investments they have made. Great.

It’s hard to imagine the White House having enough Dramamine on hand to deal with the nausea this story is creating for the administration.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/White-House-turns-green-over-Solyndra-emails/397942847503697215.html

Obama's Grinch tax

2011-11-09T13:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Merry Christmas America. Get ready for another tax courtesy of our jobs Grinch, President Obama.

President Obama’s Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.

In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States”

This is not a joke. In fact it is so serious that the author of the piece linked above, David Addington of The Heritage Foundation, took the time to break down the legality of the law. He also points out that this is stupid not just because it is another tax, but because the Christmas tree does not need the Federal government launching an ad campaign to bolster its image.

What would be nice is if liberals would stop doing everything they can to undermine the meaning of Christmas. Calling a Christmas Tree a “Christmas Tree” is a swear word in some liberal circles. Remember NPR's Nina Totenberg last year apologizing for using the term “Christmas Party?” The war on Christmas and the reason why the Christmas Tree may be in need of rehab is because of the same people who would turn a blind eye to this tax!

Exit Question: As Obama goes around the country talking about jobs, shouldn't he let us know how this is going to help create jobs?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-Grinch-tax/773973102451140376.html

Eric Holder's embarrassing Fast and Furious testimony

2011-11-09T13:56:00Z

Posted By: Staff

When going through Eric Holder's testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee it is nearly impossible to conclude that he has a firm grasp on the scandal. Actually, it is hard to say he has more than a basic knowledge of the facts which anyone could obtain by a 5 minute Google search. In fact, that it what it looked like; Eric Holder read about the scandal on Wikipedia then went to testify.

Holder, in one of the most anticipated and underreported testimonies of the past few years, made bold statements such as “Any instance of so called “gun walking” is unacceptable,” and “This operation was flawed in its concept,” and “We are losing the battle to stop the flow of illegal guns to Mexico.” Congratulations Eric, you really hit that out of the park.

As for the more substantive questions thrown his way, Holder did not get off easy from the GOP Senators on the committee. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, after pressing Holder on the difference between Operation Wide Receiver and Operation Fast and Furious, had to ask “Are you winging this?” Even worse, Holder has not apologized to Border Agent Brian Terry's family for his death, even though guns found at the scene of the crime have been linked to Fast and Furious. Of course, he could not leave without giving us a completely befuddling statement: “The mistakes of Operation Fast and Furious, serious though they were, should not deter or distract us from our critical mission to disrupt the dangerous flow of firearms across our Southwest border.” Umm, ok, that's great Eric. Did you know that Fast and Furious allowed for this to happen and in order to prevent the flow of assault rifles and that this investigation is to find out why your Justice Department failed miserably at the mission of preventing guns from easily moving over the border?

Of course, almost none of this went reported by the mainstream media. Why not? Because Herman Cain may have done something, somewhere, over a decade ago. While there is no evidence available that Herman Cain is a serial sexual predator, there is evidence that Fast and Furious led to over 2,000 guns being shipped across our southern border and the deaths of two U.S. Agents. This is just one of the many stories the media wants us to ignore, but it happens to be the biggest scandal in years.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Eric-Holders-embarrassing-Fast-and-Furious-testimony/710780035431462491.html

Godless: Dems continue to remove church from their lives

2011-11-08T18:59:00Z

Posted By: Laura

A new Gallup poll about political party affiliation and religion is filled with interesting tidbits--chief among them is how secular and disconnected from God the Democrats have become. According to the poll, 52% of Democrats seldom or never go to church. This is up from 50% in previous polling done by Gallup.

This isn't surprising given how removed from core American values they have become. Whether it’s their embrace of the abortion industry, the demonization of those who favor traditional marriage, or the refusal to confront the pornification/entertainment industry, Democrats are on their way to being a fully secularist party.

Secularism is all the rage in Europe and Europe is imploding--declining population, declining marriage, declining economies. The Democrats will take us down the same path unless we remember that "we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Godless:-Dems-continue-to-remove-church-from-their-lives/793510978215347031.html

OccupySD continues trend of protesters attacking the 99%

2011-11-08T15:11:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Every day it seems a similar story comes out of one of the Occupy sites. Local businesses owners, at first not too bothered by the protests, are now speaking out about what is actually happening at these sites. Today's most outrageous story about the "peaceful" occupiers comes from Southern California. Apparently angry that the occupiers in NoCal have been getting attention for their anarchist antics, the SoCal occupiers are stepping up their game.

Coffee cart owner Linda Jenson and hot dog cart operators Letty and Pete Soto said they initially provided free food and drink to demonstrators, but when they stopped, the protesters became violent.

And according to one city councilman, bodily fluids were used in the attacks.

“Both carts have had items stolen, have had their covers vandalized with markings and graffiti, as well as one of the carts had urine and blood splattered on it,” said Councilman Carl DeMaio.

The damages will likely require at least a complete cleaning if not a replacement of the cart covers, DeMaio said.

In addition to the attacks, the vendors also said they recently received death threats.

This is just another example of the entitlement mentality of these protesters. The protesters have had everything in life handed to them, if they didn't they would not believe that their have the inherent right to free hot dogs from these greedy Wall Street hot dog types.

And if you think otherwise (or are trying to make a living) then get ready for a bucket full of urine you elitist hot dog cart owner.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/OccupySD-continues-trend-of-protesters-attacking-the-99/-812671826426397826.html

Obama's economy continues to stunt small business growth

2011-11-08T13:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Heritage Foundation's Mike Brownfield does a great job at showing us the amazing predictive ability of Team Obama's economic models. According to the original projections used to sell the stimulus we are supposed to have an unemployment rate of 6.5% right now. Oops. Today we sit at 9% unemployment and a labor force participation rate we have not seen since the early 1980's.

Traditionally it has been small businesses that are responsible for a large amount of job creation after recessions. Unfortunately, this time around small businesses are no where to be found.

"The Sage SMB Perspective on Economic Recovery survey found that 64 percent of business owners who participated in the survey believe that we are either already in a recession or are headed for one in the next six months," said Certusi. "Not surprisingly, 65 percent of respondents in the Sage SMB Perspective on Economic Recovery said that the negative economy has had an impact on their own business." And, "The most telling statistic," she added, "is that 48 percent of business owners would like to hire additional employees but cannot due to issues related to the bad economy."

So if small business owners are pessimistic and are hedging their bets, what about large U.S. Multinationals? Surly they will begin hiring soon.

America must cut taxes and reduce government spending in order to kick-start a recovery, McDonald’s chief executive Jim Skinner has told Sky News.

In a rare television interview, he told me: “The question is, how can we get the ox out of the ditch?

“In order to create jobs in America, you’re going to have to do something with the tax… You have to cut taxes… particularly in the business community.

Jim Pethokoukis goes on in that blog post to destroy the myth that effective tax rates for U.S. Multinationals are remarkably lower than the rates paid in other major developed countries, a claim commonly made by the left when they make their case against lowering our corporate tax rate.

So what is the bottom line of all of this? The stimulus failed, small businesses are scared about what else might happen to the economy, and U.S. Multinaitonals are hampered by tax rates that are higher than almost all of their international competitors. Obama has exacerbated our jobs problem over the past three years and the data is slowly trickling out to prove this fact.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-economy-continues-to-stunt-small-business-growth/-689107648811840170.html

Oakland's business owners might go out of business for good

2011-11-07T16:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Oakland is a progressive city and it is that "openness" which has led to Occupy Oakland being one of the more vocal and violent Occupy movements in the country. One group of citizens in Oakland and members of the 99% have finally reached their breaking point with the "protesters." Oakland's small business owners especially those around the Occupy site are not just worried about the violence, they are about to go out of business.

Kevin Best and Misty Rasche remember when they had waiting lists for a Friday reservation at their bistro in the historic Old Oakland business district.

That was in 2007, before the recession hit and a series of angry protests that would come to define downtown Oakland.

Most recently, business at their B Restaurant & Bar has been harmed further since Occupy Oakland tents went up at City Hall on Oct. 10. Best and Rasche worry that the collateral damage from the protest may be the final blow for their restaurant.

"If we go two more months like this," Best said, "it's a wrap."

Wow, what good work these protesters are doing. They are really helping out their fellow man. What happens when businesses go out of business? Do these protesters think that helps members of the 99% or hurts them?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Oaklands-business-owners-might-go-out-of-business-for-good/840624325581140229.html

Obamanomics and 'Generation Jobless'

2011-11-07T13:41:00Z

Posted By: Staff

This story says it all about how Obamanomics has failed the youth of America. Young men, particularly those without a college degree, are struggling to find work and live on their own. Slowly we are seeing an entire generation of men move back home, become disaffected, and end up being suspended in a state of perpetual adolescence. This is not a strong foundation for the future of this country to be build upon.

This president received 66% of the vote from voters aged 18-29, a group that has seen their economic situation deteriorate rapidly since January 2009. This age group, millennials, is the only group still supporting Obama. You have to wonder with all these stories about the malaise that millennials are facing, how much longer can ‘hope and change’ rally a group of citizens that are starting to see the effects of Obamanomics.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamanomics-and-Generation-Jobless/115777061633505251.html

Friday Zing! Men get to grips with eye grooming

2011-11-04T15:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Daily Mail:

We've had guyliner and manscara but now we have the guylashes - false eyelashes for men.
Stars such as Russell Brand, Brandon Flowers and Johnny Depp have encouraged men to dabble in the make-up box but many will be asking if eyelash extensions are a step too far.

Eylure - a brand endorsed by Girls Aloud and stocked in stores across the UK from Boots to Harrods - are selling fake eyelashes for men priced at £4.75 a pair.

Wearers can choose from thick or fine varieties,which are designed to be discreet with invisible clear plastic sticky strips and both styles promise to recreate that 'Hollywood gaze'.

Eyelash extensions have already been a hit on the Asian market, where eyelashes are shorter - according to the Japan Lash Association the Japanese lash is only about 5.8 mm in length, less than half that of a Westerner.

And The Japan Times reported that when Japanese cosmetics brand Shu Uemura hosted an Eyelash Night party in Tokyo in 2008 there were more men than women wearers.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Friday-Zing!-Men-get-to-grips-with-eye-grooming/679106893809480548.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor

2011-11-04T10:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura and Bill discuss Herman Cain:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor/592330302433964345.html

NY Post hits their OWS editorial out of the 'park'

2011-11-03T17:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Thursday's lead editorial in the New York Post led off with this:

Time's up: The Zuccotti Park vagabonds have had their say - and trashed lower Manhattan - for long enough.

They need to go.

Be it voluntarily - by packing their tents and heading off in an orderly fashion.

Or by having th NYPD step in - and evict them.

But go they must: Their lease on Zuccotti Park has expired.

And it's their own fault.

From there the editorial lays out the case for the removal of the occupiers. The piece added comments about the congestion downtown, the negative impact on local businesses, the drug use, and all the criminals who have now made Zuccotti Park their permanent home.

On a big two page spread with the headline "OTHER 99% FIRES BACK" the editorial is complimented by a story about local shop owners demanding that Bloomberg remove the fleabaggers and a story about a protester who was arrested for raping a woman in a tent.

With such wonderful stories coming out of OWS every it is no wonder that Americans are rejecting this movement more and more with each passing day.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/NY-Post-hits-their-OWS-editorial-out-of-the-park/-489547514392880313.html

Feinstein uses Obama scandal to push gun registration

2011-11-03T09:30:00Z

Posted By: Laura Ingraham

Democrats must have been looking for just the right case to hold up as the justification to chip away at the 2nd amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. I just didn't think they'd use one involving this Administration's incompetence to do it. "Fast & Furious" should have meant the end of Eric Holder as AG--not the end of gun ownership without government registration. Enter Sen. Dianne Feinstein who has the audacity to call for national gun registration, citing the gun-running scandal that left at least one U.S. agent dead and thousands of American-sold guns in the hands of the most vicious Mexican cartel operatives. Feinstein should focus on the budget disaster unfolding in her state, which is the result of moronic leftist policies that she generally supported.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Feinstein-uses-Obama-scandal-to-push-gun-registration/-79139238648011415.html

OWS ruining lives of the

2011-11-02T11:27:00Z

Posted By: Laura Ingraham

Not that they care. Twenty-one cafe workers were fired by a cafe near Occupy Wall Street. Casualties of the bratty, disorganized, sometimes criminally-involved, these innocent bystanders won't get big profiles in the evening news. But before being laid off, these folks were contributing to society, paying taxes, and taking care of themselves and their families. Do the OWS'ers think that the newly unemployed will now be so happy with their new state that they'll join the protest? Is the OWS goal to ensure that all of us become wards of the state and dependent on government assistance? That way there will be no "one percent" to do the evil, exploitative work of employing others.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/OWS-ruining-lives-of-the/-918398788581091644.html

AUDIO: Herman Cain tells Laura yesterday was one of his best fundraising days ever

2011-11-01T15:29:00Z

Posted By: Staff

From this morning's show:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Herman-Cain-tells-Laura-yesterday-was-one-of-his-best-fundraising-days-ever/-86583706162394774.html

Michelle Obama approval rating drops

2011-11-01T13:23:00Z

Posted By: Laura Ingraham

According to a new Marist poll, the public may be starting to see through the First Lady's "mom-in-chief" razzle dazzle. Her numbers have dropped off from her high, coinciding with her plunge into the campaign season as her husband's "secret weapon." Remember what happened to Oprah's ratings when she started her pro-Obama crusade? Michelle Obama has hidden behind her "gardener-in-chief," and "dietician-in-chief" figleaf long enough. She can't have it both ways--be off-limits to criticism and be her husband's 2012 political "wing-woman." (pun intended)

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Michelle-Obama-approval-rating-drops/-642460521161151060.html

Zing! App to track your trick or treater!

2011-10-31T13:30:00Z

Posted By: Laura Ingraham

Remember the good old days, when Halloween was one fun night--not a multi-week celebration of over-the-top parental preening and children's parties? Remember when your parents gave you some charcoal for your face, maybe a sheet for your ghost costume, maybe a pair of scissors to cut out the holes, and an old plastic bag for your candy? Today, things have gotten so absurd, parents not only spend hundreds of dollars on elaborate costumes and house decorations, but now they can monitor what houses their children are hitting.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Zing!-App-to-track-your-trick-or-treater!/110442264376226452.html

Cain tops in Iowa but...

2011-10-31T01:46:00Z

Posted By: Laura Ingraham

Herman Cain continued to defy elites' expectations in the new Des Moines Register poll, but he's up over Mitt Romney by only a few points. Romney can't be comfortable with this nugget from the widely respected poll: Romney has support of only 10 percent of those who are definitely going to vote in the caucuses. Cain has 27 percent of the same group. Whether the "new"/old story about alleged sexual harassment claims against Cain will change this is unclear, but regardless voters are still lukewarm at best for Romney. Could Newt Gingrich be the last conservative man standing? I speculated about this last week. On Sunday the Washington Post caught my drift and raised the question for readers.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Cain-tops-in-Iowa-but.../940583452740100333.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-10-28T11:00:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Last night on The O'Reilly Factor, Laura talked about Herman Cain's non-traditional campaign and his surprising rise to the top of the GOP field. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/758890671583203975.html

The Ingraham Show makes the White House briefing!

2011-10-28T10:58:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Yesterday Laura's interview with Speaker of the House John Boehner made news all over the place. Not only was it being discussed in media circles, but Jake Tapper, ABC's White House correspondent quoted the interview during one of his questions to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

To watch the video, head over to our friends at Real Clear Politics.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Ingraham-Show-makes-the-White-House-briefing!/665767831416363859.html

AUDIO: John Boehner strikes back at Obama over circumventing Congress

2011-10-27T17:14:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Laura's show Thursday, Speaker of the House John Boehner talked with Laura about President Obama circumventing Congress to pass his "jobs plan." Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-John-Boehner-strikes-back-at-Obama-over-circumventing-Congress/815676500865226146.html

Obama's nanny state outreach to students

2011-10-27T11:55:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Imagine that you were provided with a loan, but only had to pay back a little over 10% of what you borrowed. Sounds pretty good right? Well, under certain circumstances, this is exactly what Obama's new student loan bailout would allow to take place. If you are going to dedicate your life to being a social worker you get a break, if you are going to work in the dreaded private sector, be prepared to pay.

The world needs social workers, but it also needs businessmen, inventors, entrepreneurs, doctors, and software engineers. Some of these things require a degree (or a few) and some don't. The point is not the value of a college degree, which is under debate, but rather what are we doing as a country to provide an incentive for our nation's youth to be equipped for the jobs of the future. This student loan plan is a kick back to the youth OWS protesters who are mad that their degree in sociology did not lead to a well paid, stable job. Not to mention, no one has ever been held at gun point and forced to take out a student loan. I did, willingly, and now I have a monthly payment. That is life and life isn't always fair or what you want it to be.

The real reason behind this new bailout is not that Obama wants an army of social workers or community organizers. The real reason is that his base is abandoning him. 18-29 year olds are not responding to Obama in the same way they did 4 years ago. This has led to Obama doing the only thing he knows how to do, throw money at the problem (not his money, yours).

What Obama should be doing is looking for ways to get my peers employed, not a handout. But then again, if they are not dependent on the government for their livelihood, then what is the reason to support Obama in 2012?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-nanny-state-outreach-to-students/-985931425137846286.html

President decries America for not doing "big things"

2011-10-26T19:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Ronald Reagan won election in 1980, by invoking his message about "morning in America." Uplifting and inspiring. President Obama thinks the best path to reelection is to remind us all that we don't do big stuff anymore. Sounds like an MSNBC ad, doesn't it? Maybe next time President Obama can stand beside Rachel Maddow at the Hoover Dam and make the association offical. Here are some "big things" that President Obama might consider doing before he proposes to raid the taxpayers' piggy banks again (or borrow more from China).

1. Balance the U.S. federal budget

2. Stop illegal immigrants from entering the United States

3. Compete with China for influence and power

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/President-decries-America-for-not-doing-big-things/-118712508639278287.html

Lose your seat in Congress? Why not sue!

2011-10-26T10:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

What do you get when you combine an entitlement mentality and an out of work former politician? You get this seemingly fantastic story.

When voters in Ohio's 1st Congressional District threw Democrat Steve Driehaus out of office after only one term, he did not bow out gracefully. No, he decided to get even. So he did what anyone does in today's culture: he sued somebody.

Charging that its activities contributed to his defeat and thus to his "loss of livelihood," Driehaus is suing the Susan B. Anthony List, a group that supports pro-life candidates for Congress and which has been one of the leading and most effective organizations involved in the fight to cut off federal funding to Planned Parenthood.

Would it surprise you that Judge Timothy Black, an Obama appointee, allowed it to go forward? If it does you need to listen to Laura's show on a more regular basis. On a more substantial basis, “loss of livelihood?” Basically what Driehaus is saying is that the one skill he has is to be an elected member of the House of Representative. Because this is his one skill he should not be attacked by groups who disagree with him or attempt to influence public opinion because that would be an assault on his livelihood. Driehaus holding his job was reliant upon him maintaining the trust and support of his constituents. He failed at this and is now angry.

The cultural trends that allow this mentality to breed are more troubling than the act of the lawsuit itself. What makes this acceptable and not shameful? From schools afraid to fail kids to parents who never discipline their children, we are in an age where people believe they can do no wrong, and if something does not go their way, then it is lawsuit time.

Welcome to entitlement America, where everyone is entitled to a job, no matter their performance.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Lose-your-seat-in-Congress-Why-not-sue!/370922681432909997.html

Yes we can...keep 60% of our promises!

2011-10-25T13:06:00Z

Posted By: Laura Ingraham

At recent fundraisers the president has taken to crowing that he has fulfilled "60 percent" of his pledged agenda. First, even if true, it's not good news for America given how left-wing and unsound his ideas were (and are). Second, this is yet another example of America's decline. We now have a president who thinks a "D" grade is perfectly acceptable, indeed something to brag about. Talk about defining success down.

Reuters:

"A lot of the things that we promised we'd do, we've done," Obama said, citing healthcare reform and ending the "don't ask, don't tell" policy preventing gay men and women from serving openly in the U.S. military.
"I carry around a little checklist, and I think we've got about 60 percent of it done so far. And that's not bad for three years, because I need another five."

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Yes-we-can...keep-60-of-our-promises!/269554209822888195.html

NBC douses Titanic with water

2011-10-25T02:46:00Z

Posted By: Staff

So, the geniuses over at NBC (which is faltering in the ratings this season), are officially fresh out of ideas. Attempting to recreate the lustre of "The West Wing" by launching another show called "1600 Penn," the once proud Peacock is showing its frayed and faded feathers. And now--proof positive that the network has a death wish: it has hired a former Obama speech writer as a producer. Let's hope he does better for this series then his boss did with the economy. Will we soon hear him boasting of viewers "saved and created"?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/NBC-douses-Titanic-with-water/30627285937816987.html

RomneyCare's illegal alien problem

2011-10-24T21:45:00Z

Posted By: Staff

When you are the favorite of the elites and the establishment, this is the kind of story that is cringe worthy, especially with a heated GOP electorate.

The Massachusetts program, which cost more than $400 million last year, paid for 1.1 million hospital and clinic visits. It's unclear how many undocumented patients benefited because the state does not record that data.

The Romney campaign referred questions to Tim Murphy, who served as Romney's state health and human services secretary. Murphy said the governor never intended the Health Safety Net to serve undocumented immigrants.

"Our view when we signed the law was that all benefits would be for people in the commonwealth who were here legally," Murphy said, noting that the regulations implementing the program were written after Romney left office in 2007.

But Massachusetts officials involved in crafting the healthcare law said there was broad understanding when Romney signed it that at least some people who would benefit would be in the country illegally.

That's supported by language in the law. Although it explicitly bars undocumented immigrants from getting certain health benefits, it does not prohibit them from receiving aid through the Health Safety Net.

Romney’s camp is now saying that it is Governor Deval Patrick’s (the current Massachusetts governor) fault that illegals are gaining access to health care, but it was never written into the law in the first place that illegal immigrants would not be eligible for aid through the Health Safety Net.

For a candidate looking to bring the conservative base to his side, this story cannot be a welcomed development.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/RomneyCares-illegal-alien-problem/441419817705649943.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor

2011-10-21T10:19:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Last night Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor to talk about the Occupy Wall Street protests and Herman Cain's rise to the top of the GOP field. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor/998282130367211063.html

Team Obama to artists: we will pay you in autographs

2011-10-20T16:52:00Z

Posted By: Staff

President Obama spent the week traveling by RV selling his “jobs plan” to the people of Virginia and North Carolina. We kept hearing the same line, that he wants to do everything he can to get people back to work. In reality, Obama might be willing to do something, but one idea that he is not considering is paying artists for artwork his campaign is soliciting from them.

President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign is asking artists to design promotional posters that convey a message: “support American jobs.” The brutal irony for artists, however, is that they will receive no payment for their work.

The campaign, which has $61 million on hand, will reward only the three artists whose work is selected for use. The compensation? A copy of their artwork, signed by the president.

The Graphic Artists Guild isn’t pleased with the ask. On Saturday, the guild issued an open letter to the campaign voicing outrage over what it called a “shameful” competition.

“American artists should be outraged that our President does not recognize that we are entitled to be paid for our work, as are all Americans,” the guild wrote.

So Obama will sign their artwork, but not a paycheck for them? It is difficult to make it as an artist, but apparently President Obama thinks that their work is not worth a check. One of the biggest drags on this economy is a lack of consumer spending and consumer confidence. 70% of our economy comes from consumption and spurring consumption will help drive private sector job growth. The more people who have paychecks the better off our country will be.

Just don’t ask President Obama’s campaign to do their part in the ongoing struggle to create jobs in America.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Team-Obama-to-artists:-we-will-pay-you-in-autographs/323261594597419658.html

Biden breaks out the rapes and murders jobs plan scare again

2011-10-19T20:21:00Z

Posted By: Staff

No one in the White House told Vice President Biden that it makes him look like a complete fool when he says a failure to pass a jobs plan will result in more rapes and murders? First of all, if all it took was more police officers to end crime, lets just put cameras and cops on every street corners (maybe not cameras, they are in the same category of atms as a job killing machine of the future.) Anyways, yes, Biden used this scare tactic once again.

Oh Joe, stay out on the trail as long as you want. The more you talk the more the GOP nominee will have to use in campaign ads next year.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Biden-breaks-out-the-rapes-and-murders-jobs-plan-scare-again/817109471814387135.html

Our perfect president

2011-10-19T20:20:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In the past two and a half years, have you made a mistake? Ever done something in your professional life that you would change since January 2009? If you answered yes, you are not Barack Obama.

I guarantee it's going to be a close election because the economy is not where it wants to be and even though I believe all the choices we've made have been the right ones, we're still going through difficult circumstances. That means people who may be sympathetic to my point of view still kind of feel like, yeah, but it still hasn't gotten done yet. This is going to be a close election and a very important one for the American people. The thing I hope the most is that everyone is going to be paying close attention to the debate that takes place because it could determine not just what happens over the next four years, but what'll happen over the next 20 or 30 years.

So there we go. The president is perfect. That’s good to know heading into 2012.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Our-perfect-president/499146537673467580.html

Biden: "Are we campaigning? Yes!"

2011-10-18T19:19:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Oh Joe, we can always count on you to lighten up our day. As the White House keeps trying to tell the American people that Obama is not using taxpayer dollars to ride a Canadian bus around battleground states and campaign, Sheriff Joe rightly points out the obvious.

Vice President Joe Biden lashed out at critics today who have claimed that his and the President's efforts to get a job's bill passed is mere "campaigning."

"Are we campaigning?" he said. "Yes! We are campaigning to change this environment."

Biden was in York, Pa., visiting the Goode Elementary School to argue that the American Jobs Act would support 400,000 education jobs.

Alright, so it is not as explicit as Biden starting a “four more years” chant, but who are they fooling. Campaigning to “change the environment?” If that does not describe what Obama and Biden were doing through most of 2008, then I don’t know what would accurately describe their first campaign together.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Biden:-Are-we-campaigning-Yes!/-380193007297400864.html

Occupy the World Series?

2011-10-18T15:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Seriously? What would be the point of this? The protesters claim they may be doing this for the media attention, but I hardly think camping outside Busch Stadium in St. Louis will garner more attention that slowly taking over downtown Manhattan. Nevertheless, police in St. Louis are preparing for a group of anti-capitalist, anti-personal hygene, pro-dope smoking trust fund babies to camp out at the World Series.

acebook chatter from the protesters suggests they are casting their eyes on Busch Stadium, coveting the national media spotlight surrounding the series.

Among the ideas floated among group members online: A massive rally, pitching tents around Busch Stadium or sending a streaker onto the field during the game “to send a message.”

St. Louis Police Major Lawrence O’Toole says police will uphold the protesters’ Constitutional rights of assembly and free speech, but he’s concerned about a “lone wolf” causing trouble.

“There are times that we know that there are certain elements that can get drawn into large protests and other people who have other agendas,” O’Toole said. “

I can’t imagine that the 99% who work the bars, restaurants, sausage carts, and souvenir stands at Busch will be pleased to see this group descend on downtown St. Louis. As we already know, the small businesses around Zuccotti Park have been suffering for the past few weeks because of this Astroturf movement. Then again, this movement has never been about the 99%, it has been about a ragtag group of communists, socialists, anarchists, and trust fund babies whining and complaining about things that either they should blame their own selves for while they get stoned. A true populist movement indeed.

Bonus: Michelle Obama will be at Game 1 (not holding signs), but that news shouldn’t be shocking to even a newborn baby.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Occupy-the-World-Series/31524838288373251.html

AUDIO: Emilio Estevez says he is embarrassed by a lot of new Hollywood films

2011-10-14T19:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Friday's show, Laura had Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen on to talk about their new movie "The Way." It is a wholesome movie about faith, family, and community, a rarity in today's culture. Emilio also offered his thoughts on the messages Hollywood is presenting today. Take a listen.

“I go to so many films and I am embarrassed by what I see. And, you know, Hollywood is responsible for those themes and those messages that they’re projecting out there for not only Americans to see, but for the rest of the world. It’s one of our last great exports, is our popular culture, it’s just that there’s so much of it that is negative and anti, and this is a movie that is not anti anything, this is all inclusive.”

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Emilio-Estevez-says-he-is-embarrassed-by-a-lot-of-new-Hollywood-films/-546560253123093050.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-10-14T10:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday night to talk the rise of Herman Cain to the top of the polls and Rick Perry's slide. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/-717310468180322752.html

AUDIO: Gov. Haley Barbour says Cain could sweep the south

2011-10-13T18:18:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On the Laura Ingraham Show today, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour weighed in on the rise of Herman Cain in the polls, saying that Cain would sweep the south if he was the nominee and that if the vote was held today, Governor Barbour's wife would vote for Herman Cain. Governor Barbour also talked about Rick Perry's fall in the polls and the problem RomneyCare represents for Mitt Romney. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Gov.-Haley-Barbour-says-Cain-could-sweep-the-south/168292140731767869.html

The terminal to nowhere

2011-10-13T13:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Looks like Sheriff Joe missed this project during his round up of frivolous stimulus projects that were a complete waste of money.

Monroe Regional Airport officials learned Tuesday passenger loading and unloading bridges at the new $36 million terminal are not being able to connect to airplanes.

Airport director Cleve Norrell confirmed Tuesday afternoon that some of the loading and unloading bridges at the new terminal appear they will not be able to connect to some of the airplanes.

He said airport officials are working to determine what caused the problem, if the issue resulted from a design flaw during the construction process or if it was a result of an error on the city's part.

"We are checking them out to see what the problem is, but it looks like some of them will fit and some won't fit," Norrell said. "We're not sure what will fix it right now, but that's what we're working on. There are a lot of variables, but we'll know when we try to put them up to the plane. We're working to remedy the problem."

How does this happen? Isn't this the first thing someone would think of checking? Hey, we have a new terminal being built, lets make sure plans can connect to it so people can get on and off the planes. Apparently that was one step too much for those in control of the project.

The larger issue is this is what happens when hundreds of billions of dollars are thrown about with reckless abandon. Mistakes are made, details are ignored, and taxpayer dollars are effectively set ablaze with shocking regularity.

Would a private company make a $36 million mistake? Maybe, but it would probably be their last.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-terminal-to-nowhere/-59191470349909754.html

Occupy Boston's war on small business

2011-10-13T13:05:00Z

Posted By: Staff

They are supposed to be fighting for Main Street. You know, the small guy who is getting screwed by those evil big corporations and banks that are out to make everyone miserable. Surely the protesters would never do something that would stick it to the small guy, right?

The sprawling Occupy Boston encampment in downtown has forced the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy to call off a food fest long planned for this weekend.

The “Greenway Mobile Food Fest” set for Saturday has been canceled and won’t be held until the spring, the conservancy announced today.

“Saturday’s event was to include 12 mobile food vendors, many of them in large trucks. It was to take place on Dewey Square, the only parcel large enough to accommodate this type of gathering,” the conservancy said today in a release.

How many food trucks do you know of that are arms of some big conglomerate? None? That would be my answer. Now, instead of having a chance to market and sell their food, the flea party has decided that their urban camping expedition is more important than their fellow citizens being able to earn a living.

The selfishness and greed of the “fat cats” that the occupants are supposedly rallying against are the same traits that are driving the actions of this movement. These protests are hurting businesses, putting strains on police forces, and trashing public areas because the protesters believe they are entitled to whatever they believe is fair and just.

And that is why this has not turned into some massive populist movement, because most Americans know that if you want something you have to work for it and earn it, not sit in piles of trash with one arm clutching a bongo drum and the other extended, looking for a handout.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Occupy-Bostons-war-on-small-business/672757788084638740.html

Top Dem to Americans: the gridlock is your fault

2011-10-12T11:52:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Seriously? This is the number two man in the House Democratic Caucus and he is blaming you, the American voter, for...voting!

“The American people have every right to be angry [and] disappointed by the performance of the Congress,” Hoyer told reporters in the Capitol. “Of course, the American people have also elected people with hard stances, so that to some degree the American people are realizing the results of their votes.

“If elections have consequences — which I think they do — some of those consequences are getting what you vote for,” Hoyer added. “In this case, many people voted for people who thought compromise was not something that they ought to participate in.”

So...we are just not smart enough to know who to vote for? Is that what you are saying? There is no other reason to bring this issue up other than to call Americans too stupid to realize who they are voting for.

Note to Steney, this is exactly the type of attitude that led to the shellacking last November. Politicians who think they know better than the American people and that we should sit down, shut up, and take everything Washington does lying down.

Gridlock is Democracy in action. Gridlock does serve a purpose. Gridlock is better than passing anything Obama has proposed and by voting in Representatives who will stop the creeping intrusion of government into our daily lives.

We voted these people in not because we are too dumb to realize what they stood for, but because it would be the stupid thing not to elect them!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Top-Dem-to-Americans:-the-gridlock-is-your-fault/-201372416259662133.html

VIDEO: Highlights from the GOP debate

2011-10-12T11:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It was difficult to find on television and the online feed was not that great. In case you missed this debate, as many people did, here are some highlights so you know what happened last night>

Cain defends his 9-9-9 plan:

Newt goes after the Fed:

Romney defends RomneyCare:

Bachmann goes after the 9-9-9 plan:

And finally...Romney gets laughs at Charlie Rose's expense!

(h/t) Breitbart.tv and Mediaite.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Highlights-from-the-GOP-debate/-896210717067347102.html

Guess which GOP candidate is also against the China bill

2011-10-11T10:59:00Z

Posted By: Staff

We already know that Rick Perry is against the China bill (Romney supports it), but which other GOP contender is also a big fan of the bill, warning that if passed, it would spark a trade war with China. Here's a hint, he worked for Obama...

Jon Huntsman, the presidential candidate and former Utah governor, said Monday that he opposes placing tariffs on Chinese goods in order to combat perceived currency manipulation.

Congress is considering a bill that would penalize “nonmarket” economies believed to be manipulating their currencies for an advantage in world trade. The implied target is China.

“That in practice would be bad; it would result in a trade war,” said Mr. Huntsman, a former U.S. ambassador to China. “The last thing you need between the two top economies in the world is a trade war, particularly during a recession, for heaven’s sake.”

Yup, that would be Jon Huntsman Jr., or Governor 1%. Not shocking that the man who is moderate, and a former ambassador, would be all too friendly with a country that plays hardball in the trade game while we play tee ball.

Also: The Wall Street Journal doesn't ask why, if negotiations are the answer, he was unable to make progress on this issue when he was Ambassador to China.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Guess-which-GOP-candidate-is-also-against-the-China-bill/-96491723214710824.html

VIDEO: Laura hosts The O'Reilly Factor Monday

2011-10-11T10:30:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Monday night Laura hosted The O'Reilly Factor and it was an hour of must see TV. Here are the highlights. Enjoy!

Who is winning the Wall Street protests?

The politics of Mormonism:

Perry goes after Romney.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-hosts-The-OReilly-Factor-Monday/635799140866745705.html

VIDEO: Laura's Value Voters Speech

2011-10-10T14:10:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you were not watching C-Span 3 on Friday afternoon, here is the link to Laura's speech at the Value Voters Summit. Laura's speech starts 30 minutes in to the video.

Watch the speech here!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Lauras-Value-Voters-Speech/467145483824239089.html

Holder's DOJ: Obama's main weapon to threaten states

2011-10-10T11:12:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Rather than worrying about Fast and Furious and spending the bulk of his time helping Congress and anyone else get to the bottom of that scandal, Eric Holder has decided that a great use of his time and the Justice Department's time is to once again go after a state for their immigration laws.

The federal government asked an appeals court Friday to halt the Alabama immigration law considered by many the toughest in the U.S., saying it could have dire diplomatic consequences abroad, invites discrimination and merely forces illegal immigrants into neighboring states.

The motion, filed in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, claimed Alabama's new law is "highly likely to expose persons lawfully in the United States, including school children, to new difficulties in routine dealings."

A federal judge earlier upheld two key provisions in the law that allow authorities to question people suspected of being in the country illegally and hold them without bond, and let officials check the immigration status of students in public schools.

Once again, what is wrong with Alabama's law, especially when the Obama administration fails to enforce the laws already on the books? Plus, a federal judge has already upheald the Alabama law so what is the big problem? This is just another example of the Obama administration becoming angry with a state because they have policies that Obama disagrees with. This is why we have states and freedom of movement between them. It should be up to the people of each state to say which laws they want to govern them within their state's borders, not for the White House to continually challenge laws that have already been upheld in court.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Holders-DOJ:-Obamas-main-weapon-to-threaten-states/532564362276902049.html

"Astroturf" Wall St. protesters get paid to march

2011-10-10T11:06:00Z

Posted By: Staff

First there was the expose last week that the protest groups were paying Hispanics to hold signs that they could not read (thanks the the Daily Caller for that). Now, over the weekend, this”grassroots” movement has begun opening recruiting people to occupy Wall Street by promising they some steady wages.

On the New York City Craigs List, a group called the Working Families Party is hiring community organizers. Yes, you too can be paid $350-$650 a week you can also be a part of this true, grassroots movement to line the pockets of union leaders and far-left political groups.

Can we finally put an end to this notion that this is some populist up swell of concerned citizens, but rather a highly coordinated mob that is bring run by the fringe left? The tea party was working people who showed up to rallies at nights or on the weekends. This is about being a disruptive force with the ultimate goal of ending our capitalist system as we know it.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Astroturf-Wall-St.-protesters-get-paid-to-march/234076643073772.html

VIDEO: The faces of "Occupy Wall Street"

2011-10-07T13:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

You have seen the pictures. People who have not bathed in week in their stained hemp clothing holding signs advocating the downfall of capitalism. Now, it is time to hear them speak. They cannot be as nutty as they look, right?

Oh look, the Europeans are joining in!

And to cap it all off...Michael Moore and Russell Simmons.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-The-faces-of-Occupy-Wall-Street/-26491667423627961.html

Feds with benefits: government designing an essential health care package for you!

2011-10-07T12:20:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

As if the federal government didn't have enough to do, it is designing an essential benefits package for millions of privately insured Americans. A framework for the Obama administration was released Thursday.

Once the province of the health insurance industry, the new health care law is requiring insurers to provide federally approved package if they want to sell to small businesses, families and individuals through new state markets set to open in 2014. Employers and consumer advocates alike feel it will become the nation's benchmark for health insurance going forward.

And what are the required essential benefits? These would include outpatient, hospital, emergency, maternal, newborn and children's care, prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, rehabilitation, labs, prevention and wellness - quite a load for an Affordable Health Care Act. Already there's lots of devil in these details being lobbied for.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius promised,:"Before we put forward a proposal, it is critical that we hear from the American people."

Any hearings will be window dressing as the din from the electorate was ignored before the health care act was shoved through.

The panel of experts who should be in charge of constructing an essential benefits package for themselves is the 300 million Americans. These are the taxpaying lobbyists who should be heard.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Feds-with-benefits:-government-designing-an-essential-health-care-package-for-you!/637533592000839823.html

Obamanomics: bringing back the barter system

2011-10-07T10:38:00Z

Posted By: Staff

How bad has it become for people in America? People have maxed out credit cards and have no cash on hand. However, you cannot provide for you family if you have no money and in the Obama economy, a growing number of people are suffering under long-term financial strains. It shouldn't be surprise that President Obama has managed to take America back to the days of the barter system.

With the economy in troubled times car dealers are having to adjust their way of doing business, including trade-ins.

Park Auto Mall Preowned Car And TruckSuperstore in Pinellas Park is taking car trade-ins to the next level in today’s cash poor times.

When this used car dealership says “Whether it rolls, floats or flies we will take it on trade,” they can now can add anything that gallops to the phrase.

Recently a woman with no cash came to Park Auto Mall needing a used van for her large family. The only thing of value she had to trade was a horse. The woman and her family now have a van and the horse has new owners thanks to the unique and non-conventional way Park Auto Mall sells used cars.

That's not a joke, or from The Onion. A used car dealership in Florida, in order to survive (and employ workers) is telling people they will take whatever people can offer – from baseballs to horses. It seems we are in another edition of welcome to Barack Obama's America, where people no longer have cash or credit to purchase goods, but they are forced to barter in order to meet the needs of their families.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamanomics:-bringing-back-the-barter-system/430616502674367196.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-10-07T10:33:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor on Thursday night to talk about Obama's jobs plan. Make sure to set some time aside today for this must see television!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/-831081393490501977.html

The useless Wall Street protests

2011-10-06T14:05:00Z

Posted By: Staff

No one really knows that the Wall Street protests are actually about or what the protesters hope to accomplish. They don’t like rich people, they don’t like that investment banks were bailed out, a lot of them don’t like capitalism, and the majority of them are left of center politically.

In some respects you have to feel bad for them. After all, the economy is in the toilet and slowly being flushed down again. Even if you don’t have a heart, you have to have some pang of sympathy for the unemployed in this country.

However, this group of protesters is doing nothing to better themselves. There are not job training camps being set up at Occupy Wall Street nor are there classes going on to teach useful skill. If they wanted to learn something about succeeding in a world that is not fair they should pull out their iPhones and look up Steve Jobs, a true success story. Someone who didn’t complain, but had a dream, took action, and made the most of his life.

That’s why these protests are really about nothing. Their cause of these protesters is to make their lives better, but in reality if they wanted to make their lives better for themselves and their children they would be out doing everything they can to make themselves more marketable to companies, not complain about the government and the rich not giving them more money because they deserve it.

It would behoove these protesters to take a break from complaining about the top 1% and find out how they ended up in their high-rise offices.

Don't take my word for it, take Herman Cain's.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-useless-Wall-Street-protests/985647849755835583.html

Welcome to the United States of Dependency

2011-10-06T11:22:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Half. Almost one half of the households in the United States receive some sort of government benefit. Currently the number stands at 48.5% of all U.S. Households receive...food stamps, Medicare, Medicare, subsidized housing, Social Security, or cash welfare (sometimes a combination of those transfer payments). The percentage of households in this category during the peak of the recession was...44.4%. From the Wall Street Journal:

The share of people relying on government benefits has reached a historic high, in large part from the deep recession and meager recovery, but also because of the expansion of government programs over the years.

Means-tested programs, designed to help the needy, accounted for the largest share of recipients last year. Some 34.2% of Americans lived in a household that received benefits such as food stamps, subsidized housing, cash welfare or Medicaid (the federal-state health care program for the poor).

Another 14.5% lived in homes where someone was on Medicare (the health care program for the elderly). Nearly 16% lived in households receiving Social Security.

High unemployment and increased reliance on government programs has also shrunk the nation’s share of taxpayers. Some 46.4% of households will pay no federal income tax this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. That’s up from 39.9% in 2007, the year the recession began.

We are becoming a nation of people dependent on the government (did I say government, I meant fellow citizens who pay taxes) to cover our bills. Isn't this exactly what the left wants? How else can they effectively use class warfare? They can't, if there is not a class of citizens dependent on the government.

The Democratic Party will only survive if people are dependent on the government for everything in their lives. Their policies center on growing the state, not the private sector, creating dependency, not fostering independence and personal responsibility. It shouldn't be a surprise that Obama's policies have led to almost half the country being dependent on the government in order to survive.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Welcome-to-the-United-States-of-Dependency/-873789065304328958.html

The other green joke: hybrid cars

2011-10-05T15:42:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It seems that every month President is at some sort of plant touting one of his many green energy proposals. Whether it is solar panels (after Solyndra he might not visit one for a little while) or batteries for hybrid and electric cars, we are told that the future of green energy is now. Then we are able to look at the data and see this is far from the truth.

For September, Toyota Prius sales came in at 9,325 units, down a bit from the 9,491 units sold in August and a couple thousand units shy of the 11,394 Priuses sold in September a year ago. The Honda CR-Z edged out the Honda Insight, with 537 versus 512 units sold, respectively. Meanwhile, sales of the Honda Civic Hybrid continued to slump, coming in at 305 units, up from the 106 gas-electric Civics sold in August. Though not a hybrid, the hydrogen Honda FCX Clarity tallied one unit sold in September, down 50 percent compared to the pair of FCX Clarity sedans sold in September of 2010.

When are going to stop being told that these cars are another green jobs savior? Hopefully before too many jobs are lost producing cars that people don't want.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-other-green-joke:-hybrid-cars/-585839496687969715.html

Another temporary mistake

2011-10-05T11:04:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The one focus that every single policy debate centers on is this: how will this bill create jobs. The debates over tax cuts, tax increases, tariffs, spending cuts, and stimulus spending all revolve around that one question.

One of the proposals being tossed around is called a tax repatriation holiday. The idea is that in a globalized world, large U.S. Multinational companies hold a lot of overseas earnings, approximately $1 Trillion accord to Rep. Kevin Brady, and do not bring that money back because overseas earnings are taxed at 35% when it hits U.S. Shores. If this tax was dropped, or eliminated for a year, companies would take the money sitting overseas and invest it back in America. This was tried in 2004 and over $300 Billion was repatriated. The Heritage Foundation explains why the intended effects never took hold.

If companies that repatriate earnings do not invest those earnings in additional productive capacity or additional R&D in the United States, what happens to the money? There are many possibilities, and each company has its own story. In some cases, companies “round-trip” the money: Able to finance their capital needs adequately at home, they repatriate the funds to the United States, thereby reducing the deferred tax liability on the parent company balance sheet (the tax windfall), and then ship the cash overseas again to wherever it is needed...

Some repatriating companies may use the cash to declare a special dividend, paying out cash to shareholders. Others may buy back shares, which is effectively the same thing...

Another possibility is that the companies could use the extra cash from repatriating foreign earnings to buy other companies, as Oracle claims. Again, there is nothing wrong with corporate mergers. On the contrary, the buying and selling of companies in this way is an important source of flexibility and competitiveness as U.S. firms apply resources to greatest advantage. However, unless the company was capital-constrained and needed the repatriated earnings to finance the purchase, the repatriation was not necessary to allow the purchase to go forward. The options available to repatriating companies are many, but the one option few, if any, pursued last time, or would pursue today, is to increase domestic investment in new production facilities or R&D.

One of the major problems is, as the Heritage study points out later, that these holidays, just like the payroll tax cuts proposed by President Obama, are temporary. Businesses do not operate on a year to year basis, they have long term growth strategies. A one year reprieve cannot be counted on the next year meaning the business models and hiring plans do not change.

A real jobs plan would be based around permanent tax and regulatory reform so companies know what taxes they will be dealing with for the foreseeable future. This tax cut, along with what Obama is proposing, will give us a nice sugar high, followed by a nasty crash once it has left our system.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Another-temporary-mistake/-237751790005958486.html

AUDIO: Sharyl Attkisson, who broke ATF scandal, says WH official screamed, cussed at her

2011-10-04T16:53:00Z

Posted By: Staff

CBS News investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson spoke with Laura today about her latest bombshell report on the Obama administration's Operation Fast and Furious scandal. Judging from the White House's reaction to her investigation, it seems officials there know they are in deep, hot water.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Sharyl-Attkisson,-who-broke-ATF-scandal,-says-WH-official-screamed,-cussed-at-her/-504334490172948174.html

Call these GOP Congeressmen and tell them to support the China currency bill!

2011-10-04T13:09:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Monday, the Senate voted to move forward on legislation that would clamp down on China as a currency cheat. 79 Senators voted in favor of moving the bill forward, but 19 Senators voted against it, including 16 GOP Senators.

Now, Speaker of the House John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor have both voiced concerns about the bill and it doesn't look like they will bring it to the floor of the House.

Call Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, and the 16 GOP Senators who voted against the China bill and tell them to stand up against Red China and their currency manipulation in order to protect American jobs!

Speaker of the House John Boehner:
1-202-225-0600

Majority Leader Eric Cantor:
1-202-225-2815

Call your Representative, find their number here.

GOP Senators:

Blunt, Roy - (R - MO)
(202) 224-5721

Coats, Daniel - (R - IN)
(202) 224-5623

Coburn, Tom - (R - OK)
(202) 224-5754

Corker, Bob - (R - TN)
(202) 224-3344

DeMint, Jim - (R - SC)
(202) 224-6121

Heller, Dean - (R - NV)
(202) 224-6244

Inhofe, James M. - (R - OK)
(202) 224-4721

Johnson, Ron - (R - WI)
(202) 224-5323

Kirk, Mark - (R – IL)
(202) 224-2854

Kyl, Jon - (R - AZ)
(202) 224-4521

Lee, Mike - (R - UT)
(202) 224-5444

Lugar, Richard G. - (R - IN)
(202) 224-4814

Murkowski, Lisa - (R - AK)
(202) 224-6665

Paul, Rand - (R - KY)
(202) 224-4343

Rubio, Marco - (R-FL)
(202) 224-3041

Toomey, Patrick J. - (R - PA)
(202) 224-4254

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Call-these-GOP-Congeressmen-and-tell-them-to-support-the-China-currency-bill!/284327392974842972.html

The banning of a necklace...because it looks like rosary beads

2011-10-04T11:39:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Is this the stupidest story of political correctness of the week? It's only Tuesday, but I find it hard to believe that some other liberal will be able to top the banning of rosary beads.

School administrators in a Nebraska town of 26,000 told a middle school girl to take off her cross necklace because it looks too much like a rosary, which they say is being used by gang members.

Twelve-year-old Elizabeth Cary says her necklace is a reminder of her faith. And she vowed to stand up for what she believes in and fight the Fremont, Neb., school district, where she is a sixth grader.
The local Catholic archdioceses has condemned the decision to ban rosaries from schools and says administrators should be smart enough to tell which students are at risk for gang activity.

Fremont schools Superintendent Steve Sexton said the district banned rosaries after police told him local gang members were using the traditional Catholic prayer beads for gang identification.

So someone told you that gang members are wearing rosary beads and that is enough to force a 12-year old girl to take her necklace off? It would be one thing if she also had “thug life” tattooed on her knuckles, but this little girl does not. She isn't even old enough to know about gangs!

It is a shame this “educator” does not know the difference between a gang member and a 12-year old girl who prays. It would be a lie to say it was surprising, but that doesn’t change the fact this is the secular movement hiding behind, of all things, gang violence to suppress religion.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-banning-of-a-necklace...because-it-looks-like-rosary-beads/194766088461100498.html

New emails show Holder knew about Fast and Furious

2011-10-04T11:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Back in May of this year, Attorney General Eric Holder gave a statement to Congress about Operation Fast and Furious. The bottom line was this: Eric Holder had only heard about Fast and Furious a few weeks prior to speaking with Congress. He was learning about this at the same pace that many Americans were learning about it. Don't look at him, he's just the Attorney General and the ATF is just part of the Justice Department. Once again, CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson breaks the story.:

New documents obtained by CBS News show Attorney General Eric Holder was sent briefings on the controversial Fast and Furious operation as far back as July 2010. That directly contradicts his statement to Congress.

The new documents leave no doubt that high level Justice officials knew guns were being "walked."

Two Justice Department officials mulled it over in an email exchange Oct. 18, 2010. "It's a tricky case given the number of guns that have walked but is a significant set of prosecutions," says Jason Weinstein, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division. Deputy Chief of the National Gang Unit James Trusty replies "I'm not sure how much grief we get for 'guns walking.' It may be more like, "Finally they're going after people who sent guns down there."

The Justice Department told CBS News that the officials in those emails were talking about a different case started before Eric Holder became Attorney General. And tonight they tell CBS News, Holder misunderstood that question from the committee - he did know about Fast and Furious - just not the details.

So what is the story here? Did Holder know about Fast and Furious before he didn't know? We either have a situation on our hand where the Attorney General of the United State received memos that he did not read, or he knowingly let guns walk in the hands of Mexico’s drug gangs. Both are troubling and even the question of having to pick between the two demonstrates incompetence on a grand scale.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/New-emails-show-Holder-knew-about-Fast-and-Furious/839007575546204839.html

AUDIO: Sen. Jeff Sessions says Rick Perry's position on Chinese imports "a mistake"

2011-10-03T19:22:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura spoke with Sen. Jeff Sessions on Monday about Republican opposition to the bill he has cosponsored that would allow punitive tariffs to be imposed on Chinese imports. Romney favors it while Perry and the Club for Growth oppose it.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Sen.-Jeff-Sessions-says-Rick-Perrys-position-on-Chinese-imports-a-mistake/-725160239134662973.html

Social media allows candidates to wait to jump in the race

2011-10-03T14:49:00Z

Posted By: Staff

During all the Chris Christie chatter, a lot of talk has been made about it being too late to get in. It takes months to construct a campaign apparatus, especially for what will be a massive campaign like Christie's (no pun intended). However, being in the age of Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Foursquare, and every other social media platform, it doesn't take a lot of effort to get your message out to millions of people. In fact, it takes a computer, a key board, and building a network of supporters online.

This is not to say retail politics is dead. It isn't, and never will be. There is a big difference than seeing your question asked at a Twitter town hall and being able to shake a candidate's hand, look them in the eye, and see if they are looking at you, or the big donor in the back of the room. You only get that during the primaries, you don't get that on Facebook.

What social networking does is expedite fundraising and messaging, which is a large part of what the traditional campaign structure is used for. These days you can get by on tweets and Facebook posts for a few weeks while building an infrastructure.

If Christie gets in, it isn't the amount of time that is going to be the largest obstacle to the nomination; it will be overcoming his liberal tendencies on some issues that turn many conservative activists off.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Social-media-allows-candidates-to-wait-to-jump-in-the-race/-417127020742467143.html

Red China's bullet train not a model for the future

2011-10-03T13:01:00Z

Posted By: Staff

If there is one project going on in the world that the American left loves to talk about and glorify, it is China’s high speed rail. They ask why China is able to build high speed rail and not us over here in America. If China can do it, surly we can not only do it, but do it better. If you have never been to China, you would think that the entire country is this bustling industrial wonderland connected by bullet trains. After reading the Wall Street Journal this morning, people are probably going to think twice before stepping on one of them.

China celebrated its bullet trains as the home-grown pride of a nation: a rail system faster and more advanced than any other, showcasing superior Chinese technology.

However, China's high-speed rail network was in fact built with imported components—including signaling-system parts designed to prevent train collisions—that local engineers couldn't fully understand, according to a review of corporate documents and interviews with more than a dozen rail executives inside and outside China.

During a late July lightning storm, two of China's bullet trains collided in the eastern city of Wenzhou, killing 40 people and injuring nearly 200 in one of the world's worst high-speed passenger-rail accidents. China's government initially blamed flawed signaling and human error. It recently postponed public release of its crash findings.

The precise cause of the disaster remains uncertain, so there is no way to know what role, if any, the signaling assembly may have played.

An examination of China's use of foreign technology in its bullet-train signal systems highlights deep international distrust over China's industrial model, including weak intellectual-property protections, which can complicate efforts to acquire state-of-the-art technology.

Sounds like the pinnacle of human achievement. It’s terrible that 40 people had to die on trains that even the engineers did not fully understand.

It is starting to look like these trains were built in record time because there was no attention paid to the details. This was no grand achievement showing the power and might of modern China, it was a beautiful building on the outside and an empty structure on the inside, just like everything else that has to do with communism.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Red-Chinas-bullet-train-not-a-model-for-the-future/-859146391061113490.html

Thank Dick Durbin for your new debit card fee

2011-09-30T10:54:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Call Senator Dick Durbin's office: 1-202-224-2152 and let him know how happy you are that you will get to pay an extra $60 per year to use your debit card!

Here's why...

In an effort to legislate away temporary evils, the Democrats pushed through what is commonly known as Dodd-Frank, or financial reform. The law had the purpose of sticking it to those evil fat cats on Wall Street who are only out to screw the consumer. Shockingly, this piece of “consumer protection” legislation will result in higher costs for consumers to use their debit card.

Bank of America Corp. is laying plans to charge millions of customers a $5 monthly fee to use their debit cards, and other big banks are expected to follow suit. The industry says it needs the fees to recoup revenue it will lose because of new government regulations that cap what they can charge merchants for debit-card transactions.

Bank of America, the largest U.S. bank by assets, disclosed the plan on Thursday in a memo to its senior staff. It intends to begin collecting the fees nationwide early next year.

New federal limits on debit-card "swipe fees" are expected to cost U.S. banks an estimated $6.6 billion a year in lost revenue.

To offset that lost revenue, many banks have eliminated or scaled back debit-rewards programs, added monthly fees for checking accounts and raised minimum balance requirements for customers to avoid certain fees.

One thing the left has never understood is that when you impose regulations or taxes on a company, the additional costs will be passed right on through to the consumer. If the price of beef goes up, you will pay more for a hamburger, if a bank all of a sudden does not make as much from one part of its business, in this case debit card transactions, then it will find another way to make money. It is how businesses survive and it is how Bank of America and other banks will replace lost revenue due to Dodd-Frank.

Most people place a lot of blame on the banks for the financial crisis, and those people are not wrong, but those who argue that point must understand that these banks took risks that did not pay off largely because they knew the government would always bail them out. Dodd-Frank does nothing to deal with the problem of “too big to fail,” such as put an end or break up these large banks. Instead, the left wrote a 2000+ page bill that will increase the costs for doing business for banks, costs that are predictably being passed along to bank customers.

This is not a case of “good intentions” gone bad or even “no good deed goes unpunished.” This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the financial crisis and how businesses operate. So thank you, Chris Dodd and Barney Frank, your efforts to help your fellow man have ended up taking money out of their pockets at a time when most people desperately need every penny they earn, assuming they still have a job.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Thank-Dick-Durbin-for-your-new-debit-card-fee/-783492851160641796.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-09-30T10:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday night and the topic was Rick Perry, specifically why Perry won't go on Bill's show (he has come on Laura's show!) Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/511690943904981992.html

AUDIO: Rick Santorum slams Perry, Cain, and Romney

2011-09-29T17:34:00Z

Posted By: Staff

On Thursday's show, GOP hopeful Rick Santorum talked with Laura about Rick Perry's apology to GOP voters over his "you don't have a heart" comment directed at people who do not support in-state tuition for illegal aliens, why Rick thinks herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan is just another way for Washington to raise taxes, and why Rick thinks Mitt Romney is not the conservative voice the GOP needs right now. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Rick-Santorum-slams-Perry,-Cain,-and-Romney/372003216506023220.html

The green jobs scam keeps growing

2011-09-29T15:00:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Green jobs. They were supposed to be the cure for all of our economic ills. Instead we have Solyndra, which is the most egregious example of the misuse of taxpayer dollars that the Energy Department's loan program has produced to date. However, you can still say that Solyndra is an outlier and that the program is working in other places and creating jobs. If you claim that you would be right, but you wouldn't have a strong foundation to stand on:

The Energy Department on Wednesday approved federal loan guarantees for two green energy projects totaling more than $1 billion. It approved $337 million for a Mesquite Solar project in Arizona and $737 million for a Solar Reserve project in Nevada. The projects would create a total of 52-55 permanent jobs, according to earlier DOE figures and company statements. That's about $20 million per permanent job.

The Department of Energy is set this week to announce whether nine federal loan guarantees amounting to $6.5 billion for green energy projects will get final approval.

The number of full-time, permanent jobs they would create? According to the DOE's own figures, a grand total of 283. That is nearly $23 million per job.

So naturally, at the cost of $23 million per job (for a whopping 283 jobs), the Obama administration would start to shut this plan down, right?

The Energy Department on Wednesday approved two loan guarantees worth more than $1 billion for solar energy projects in Nevada and Arizona, two days before the expiration date of a program that has become a rallying cry for Republican critics of the Obama administration's green energy program.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the department has completed a $737 million loan guarantee to Tonopah Solar Energy for a 110 megawatt solar tower on federal land near Tonopah, Nev., and a $337 million guarantee for Mesquite Solar 1 to develop a 150 megawatt solar plant near Phoenix.

The loans were approved under the same program that paid for a $528 million loan to Solyndra Inc., a California solar panel maker that went bankrupt after receiving the money and laid off 1,100 workers. Solyndra is under investigation by the FBI and is the focal point of House hearings on the program.
Even the AP throws a jab at the administration for these green jobs scam! Surly this must be the end of the story about all these loans. It was just Obama trying to turn America into Spain. You know the country that spent $28 Billion on solar panels and wind farms which resulted in one green job per $774,000 spent...before the subsidies ran out. When the subsidies left, so did the jobs, 30,000 of them actually.

This can't get worse, right?
A Daily Caller investigation has found that in addition to the failed company Solyndra, at least four other solar panel manufacturing companies receiving in excess of $500 million in loan guarantees from the Obama administration employ executives or board members who have donated large sums of money to Democratic campaigns.

And as questions swirl around possible connections between political donations and these preferential financing arrangements, the Obama White House suddenly began deflecting The Daily Caller’s questions on Wednesday to the Democratic National Committee.

Asked Wednesday to comment on the connection between large Democratic donors and Obama administration loan guarantees to the companies they represent, the White House responded to TheDC with a single sentence: “We refer your question to the Democratic National Committee.”
And then this:
It’s as if Solyndra never happened. The Obama Administration is giving $737 million to a Tonopah Solar, a subsidiary of California-based SolarReserve. PCG is an investment partner with SolarReserve. Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law happens to be the number two man at PCG.
It doesn't take a genius to understand that this green jobs push has been a total scam and a perfect example of crony capitalism. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, then we can safely place this administration in the category of completely insane.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-green-jobs-scam-keeps-growing/254819633987502848.html

Those secured borders are not so secure

2011-09-29T13:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The Department of Justice has just released a report that should put an end to this amnesty nonsense. We have a lot of work to do in order to secure the border and that is a severe understatement. When our government openly admits that Mexico's narco-gangs control access to the U.S.-Mexico border, you know the situation is far worse than that.

Mexican drug-trafficking organizations “control access to the U.S.-Mexico border” and the “smuggling routes across” it, “resulting in unprecedented levels of violence in Mexico” and allowing those drug trafficking organizations and their associates to “dominate the supply and wholesale distribution of most illicit drugs in the United States,” according to the Justice Department's newly published 2011 National Drug Threat Assessment.

“Mexican-based trafficking organizations control access to the U.S.–Mexico border, the primary gateway for moving the bulk of illicit drugs into the United States,” says the assessment published by DOJ’s National Drug Intelligence Center.

“The organizations control, simultaneously use, or are competing for control of various smuggling corridors that they use to regulate drug flow across the border,” says the assessment. “The value they attach to controlling border access is demonstrated by the ferocity with which several rival TCOs [transnational criminal organizations] fighting over control of key corridors, or ‘plazas.’”

The assessment predicts that Mexican drug traffickers will maintain dominance of the U.S. illicit drug market for years to come in part because of their “control of the smuggling routes across” the border.

This report, on the same day that a gang left a bag of severed heads near a school in northern Mexico.

The report, however, does get worse:

“Mexican-based TCOs were operating in more than a thousand U.S. cities during 2009 and 2010,” says the assessment.

It's not just the border we have to be concerned about, but our own local communites around the country that these gangs have branched out into.

The vast majority of the people in this country are fine with immigration, as long as it is controlled. The problem is we do not know who is coming from Mexico and to where, which is a massive problem considering the reach of these gangs. This is no longer a problem people away from the border can ignore. It is coming to their towns, rapidly. How many of these gang members do you think enter the country legally? Few, if any, which means this argument about amnesty, the DREAM Act, and any other benefits for these criminal aliens needs to take a back seat to taking our border back.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Those-secured-borders-are-not-so-secure/163384308580760290.html

Germany to the Obama administration: shut up

2011-09-28T13:55:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The title says it all. America’s decline has picked up its pace over the past two years and now other countries, even allies, are no longer all ears when it comes to what American leaders have to say. As Europe’s sovereign debt crisis comes to another milestone, a default of Greece, the world’s financial leaders are trying to devise a way to cushion the blow. There is one person that these European leaders are not interested in listening to, and that person is Tim Geithner.

German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble said it would be a folly to boost the EU's bail-out machinery (EFSF) beyond its €440bn lending limit by deploying leverage to up to €2 trillion, perhaps by raising funds from the European Central Bank.

"I don't understand how anyone in the European Commission can have such a stupid idea. The result would be to endanger the AAA sovereign debt ratings of other member states. It makes no sense," he said.

Mr Schauble told Washington to mind its own businesss after President Barack Obama rebuked EU leaders for failing to recapitalise banks and allowing the debt crisis to escalate to the point where it is "scaring the world".

"It's always much easier to give advice to others than to decide for yourself. I am well prepared to give advice to the US government," he said.

The comments risk irritating the White House. US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has been a key driver of plans to give the EFSF enough firepower to shore up Italy and Spain, fearing a drift into "cascading default, bank runs and catastrophic risk" without dramatic action.

Oh don’t worry, it gets better.

On Wednesday, German media commentators slam Obama's criticism of Europe.

The mass-circulation Bild writes:

"Obama's lecture on the euro crisis … is overbearing, arrogant and absurd. … In a nutshell, he is claiming that Europe is to blame for the current financial crisis, which is 'scaring the world.' Excuse me?"

"The American president seems to have forgotten a few details. The most important trigger of the financial and economic crisis was US banks and their insane real-estate dealings. The US is still piling up debt … The American congress is crippled by a battle between the right and the left. The banks are gambling just as recklessly as they did before the crisis. The president's scolding is a pathetic attempt to distract attention from his own failures. How embarrassing."

Remember when Obama was in Berlin back during the campaign? The world, not just the United States, was ready to anoint him as the savior of the world. This was supposed to be the man who will set the example of how to lead to the free world in the 21st Century.

Now, Europe, like most Americans, are wondering why anyone listens to this man in the first place.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Germany-to-the-Obama-administration:-shut-up/-180187681267883619.html

The Obama economy summed up in a greeting card

2011-09-28T12:54:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Who doesn’t like getting a card in the mail? For some people they may be now dreading that day, thanks to Obama’s economy and a company looking to capitalize on the misery Hallmark recently rolled out a new line of layoff greeting cards.

Stores have a specific section for job loss and recession humor, offering words of support and encouragement.

With the unemployment rate at nine percent, the company says customers called-in the need.

One card reads "Don't think of it as losing your job. Think of it as a time out between stupid bosses."

Employees at Work One in Franklin, Indiana work with the unemployed every day. They say the layoff cards are a good idea.

"Getting a card like that and somebody caring is fabulous," said Michelle Crowthers-Lunczynski. "The crazy part to think about this is there's so many people laid off. At least someone's caring enough to you know, get a card and say, 'I'm thinking of you'."

Talk about a sign of the times. Usually you just cheered up your recently unemployed friend with a few beers and couple pats on the back. Now, people have so many friends who are unemployed they need a quick way to say “I care about you.”

Welcome to the Obama economy, where if you have any disposible income, you spend it on card to tell your unemployed friends you hope they find work soon

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-Obama-economy-summed-up-in-a-greeting-card/-415471670818248832.html

Tax dollars used to buy and sell guns to Mexican gangs

2011-09-27T10:30:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It's becoming a standing headline. “Fast and Furious scandal gets even worse.” Well, this time the news about Fast and Furious is just about as bad as it can get. Your hard earned dollars were used to help Mexican drug gang members.

In June 2010, however, the ATF dramatically upped the ante, making the U.S. government the actual "seller" of guns.

According to documents obtained by Fox News, Agent John Dodson was ordered to buy six semi-automatic Draco pistols -- two of those were purchased at the Lone Wolf gun store in Peoria, Ariz. An unusual sale, Dodson was sent to the store with a letter of approval from David Voth, an ATF group supervisor.

Dodson then sold the weapons to known illegal buyers, while fellow agents watched from their cars nearby.

This was not a "buy-bust" or a sting operation, where police sell to a buyer and then arrest them immediately afterward. In this case, agents were "ordered" to let the sale go through and follow the weapons to a stash house.

Needless to say, those guns were never seen again by the ATF. Agent Dodson, like anyone with common sense, blew his lid at his supervisors and was subsequently moved to a more “menial job.”

So there you have it, your tax dollars at work. Fast and Furious guns have showed up at the death of Border Agent Brian Terry last December (he was only armed with a bean bag gun), the death of ICE agent Jaime Zapata, were used as part of a kidnapping, and showed up in Arizona in the trunk of a Mexican national who slammed into two police cruisers. The sickening thing is that these are only the murders and crime scenes we know about. With 1,400 guns missing there are sure to be plenty more.

And now we know that U.S. tax payer dollars were used to buy and place some of these guns into the hands of blood thirsty criminals.

If Solyndra is a defining scandal for the Obama administration, then Fast and Furious is the Super Bowl of scandals under this president.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Tax-dollars-used-to-buy-and-sell-guns-to-Mexican-gangs/74616456867722497.html

Cheap trade with China not the benefit some thought it was

2011-09-27T10:30:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The economic rationale for not placing huge tariffs on goods coming from China is simple. Look at everything you buy throughout the day that comes from China and add 10-25% to that price (25% is a little high, but that is what President Trump would have called for). It adds up. Despite the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs in the United States, economists say that we more than make up for it in the low prices of goods we receive from China. A new report shows that economists are growing more skeptical of the benefits of the China-U.S. relationship.

New research suggests the damage to the U.S. has been deeper than these economists have supposed. The study, conducted by a team of three economists, doesn't challenge the traditional view that trade is ultimately good for the economy. Workers who lose jobs do eventually find new work or retire, while the benefits from trade, such as lower prices, remain. The problem is the speed at which China has surged as an exporter—overwhelming the normal process of adaptation.

The study rated every U.S. county for their manufacturers' exposure to competition from China, and found that regions most exposed to China tended not only to lose more manufacturing jobs, but also to see overall employment decline. Areas with higher exposure also had larger increases in workers receiving unemployment insurance, food stamps and disability payments.

The authors calculate that the cost to the economy from the increased government payments amounts to one- to two-thirds of the gains from trade with China. In other words, a big portion of the ways trade with China has helped the U.S.—such as by providing inexpensive Chinese goods to consumers—has been wiped out. And that estimate doesn't include any economic losses experienced by people who lost their jobs.

Look at the last two sentences. It does not take into effect economic losses experienced by people who lost their jobs and most of the gains are wiped out by increased government payments. Don't think it's all free trade's fault though (much of it is), because that philosophy has an accomplice, the regulatory state.

Coca-Cola now sees the US becoming a less friendly business environment than China, its chief executive has revealed, citing political gridlock and an antiquated tax structure as reasons its home market has become less competitive.

Muhtar Kent, Coke’s chief executive, said “in many respects” it was easier doing business in China, comparing the country with a well-managed company. “You have a one-stop shop in terms of the Chinese foreign investment agency and local governments are fighting for investment with each other,” he told the Financial Times.

Here is the problem. We don't do enough to protect jobs that Americans can do here and the jobs that companies do hire Americans to do are threatened because it is so difficult to do business in the United States.

We know what Obama thinks about this issue (hug China and kick our businessmen) which makes it even more important that future GOP debates tackle the rise of China and how they will make America more competitive in an increasingly global world.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Cheap-trade-with-China-not-the-benefit-some-thought-it-was/-729270401310505915.html

Obama's cynical linguistic class warfare: from complainin' to cripple

2011-09-26T17:37:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

The AP unwittingly called out President for nasty linguistic class warfare this weekend in two reports.

One headline said "Obama tells blacks to 'stop complainin' and fight". In which the president was speaking in front of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). He shouted at them to “Put on your marching shoes, Shake it off. Stop complainin'. Stop grumblin'. Stop cryin'. We are going to press on. We have work to do." He followed with, "It gets folks discouraged. I know. I listen to some of y'all".

The second story "Obama says GOP would 'cripple' America" tells of his visits to tony West Coast fundraising venues. There President Obama said the GOP had, "an approach to government that will fundamentally cripple America in meeting the challenges of the 21st century." and mocked Rick Perry as, "a governor, whose state is on fire, denying climate change." Would President Obama have ever told his elite audiences to "stop complainin'" or mockingly speak of a state on fire in front of wealthy Texas Democrats?

These outings reveal President Obama's arrogance, meanness and cynicism where he affects accents and cadences to appeal to his African-American audiences who have every right to complain about his policies to speaking cruelly about a state suffering from wildfires that he has been slow to respond to, instead evoking the gods of climate change.

It is obvious that President Obama is a low-class warrior, not a warrior with class. He is interested in job one: his own. We need hope for a nation in pain and a political climate change.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-cynical-linguistic-class-warfare:-from-complainin-to-cripple/-189566025669720338.html

Tell HHS and Congress to keep your medical record private!

2011-09-26T13:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Did you check out the America under ObamaCare story today? Once you do call up Health and Human Services and your Congressman and tell them you want your medical records kept private!

Health and Human Services: 1-202-205-5445

Congressional Switchboard: 1-202-224-3121

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Tell-HHS-and-Congress-to-keep-your-medical-record-private!/681507285294387181.html

Red China prepared to watch the west wilt

2011-09-26T11:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The world has been focused on Europe for the past few months. The riots across the continent, the numerous countries trying to reign in their debt before it is too late, and the coming Greek default. There has been some hope that China would bail out Europe, thereby saving the Western world of another serious financial crisis. Not surprisingly, China is willing to see Europe sink.

China to Europe: Don't expect a bailout from us.

That was the message delivered by a number of Chinese officials during meetings at the International Monetary Fund, where China was widely seen as an answer to the euro zone's problems, either as a purchaser of European debt or as a country that could further goose its economic growth rate.

"We can't just go save someone," said Gao Xiqing, president of China Investment Corp., China's huge sovereign wealth fund. "We're not saviors. We have to save ourselves," he said at a weekend panel discussion

If Europe decided to issue euro-zone bonds—debt guaranteed by all euro-zone members—CIC would consider becoming a purchaser, he said afterwards. "If it has a risk profile that fits into our allocation, we'll buy some," Mr. Gao said. "But don't expect us to buy more than our risk appetite would take."

Like most developments regarding China the common thought is "who can blame them?" Why would China knowingly take on more European debt than necessary. On the other hand, China's exports billions of dollars worth of goods to Europe and the United States meaning that a financial crisis in the eurozone won't exactely benefit them. Then again, the financial crisis of 2008 didn't hamper China's growth.

For the time being it looks like that China is prepared to see the west struggle for life. Maybe the rise of China to the top is not as far off as some think.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Red-China-prepared-to-watch-the-west-wilt/-195817485581834702.html

VIDEO: Your GOP debate highlights

2011-09-23T12:51:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed the 2 hour long GOP smackdown last night, here are some clips so you can get caught up to speed on what happened. Enjoy!

A compilation of the Romney-Perry fights:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Your-GOP-debate-highlights/-336565691071396460.html

No hope, no change, but we do get Da Bears

2011-09-23T11:32:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The market is tanking, again. Retailers are bracing for a holiday season with less cheer than usual. The young adults of America are falling deeper into poverty, a subsequently debt, because there are no job opportunities. African-American unemployment is almost double the national rate. In short, we are facing an economic crisis not seen in decades.

On Thursday, President Obama made a highly partisan campaign-style speech telling Speaker Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to help him fix the Brent Spence Bridge, which served as his backdrop.

In October, the president is going for a different kind of backdrop…a fridge.

The Super Bowl XX champions Chicago Bears -- regarded as one of the most colorful teams in NFL history with players nicknamed "The Fridge," "Da Coach," "Sweetness," and a punk quarterback -- has been invited to the White House next month to make up for a visit that was canceled 25 years ago, a White House official told CNN Thursday.

As it turns out, President Barack Obama, who is from Chicago's South Side, happens to be a big Bears fan.

The team will visit Washington on October 7, the official said.

The Bears' initial post-Super Bowl visit to the White House was canceled because the space shuttle Challenger exploded just two days after the January 1986 victory. The nation went into mourning over the seven-member crew's deaths.

The Bears posted a 15-1 record that season and are regarded as one of the most dominant teams to win the Super Bowl.

Does this man have political advisers? Shouldn’t someone tell him to do this after he is defeated next November, when it doesn’t matter what he does? Isn’t this the sort of goofing off everyone expects from a second term Obama presidency?

Maybe, Obama has seen the writing on wall. His magic has worn off. People hear “hope and change” and immediately start laughing.

On the bright side for our president, it looks like he has found what he will do after leaving office.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/No-hope,-no-change,-but-we-do-get-Da-Bears/120932251419007257.html

The most disturbing Fast and Furious facts yet

2011-09-22T15:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

For the past several months, CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson has been leading the investigation into Fast and Furious, the ATF program that allowed thousands of guns to be bought in the United States and transported over the border for use by Mexican drug gangs. What Sharyl broke yesterdaymay be the most distubing facts about the program yet.

n secretly recorded conversations between two individuals deeply entwined in the ATF's controversial "Fast and Furious" operation, the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is described as "collateral damage."

The recordings were obtained exclusively by CBS News. The man who made them - Arizona gun dealer Andre Howard - ran the Lone Wolf Trading Company and was speaking with Hope MacAllister, the ATF operation's case agent.

Two of the guns Howard sold while cooperating with the ATF that were later found at Terry's murder.

"It happened. It's terrible," Howard said. "That's life ok we move on."

Collateral damage? Doesn't that assume that there was some purpose behind Fast and Furious when in reality it was, hand down, one of the dumbest operations ever put into action?

However, one questions comes out of this release. Why did the DOJ make these tapes public? Is this an act of goodwill after handing Rep. Darrell Issa a stack of pages that had more redacted blocks of text than actual information. According to some in Congress, this is just a ploy to stall or end the investigation.

The inspector general of the Department of Justice undermined and obstructed a congressional investigation by releasing secret tape recordings that corroborate allegations of misconduct in "Operation Fast and Furious," according to a letter written by Rep. Darrell Issa and Sen. Charles Grassley.

The two lawmakers leading the probe into the Obama administration scandal claim Justice Inspector General Cynthia Schnedar compromised their investigators' ability to get to the truth and potentially prosecute those responsible for selling thousands of weapons to the Mexican drug cartels.

Only time will tell, but as each one of these Fast and Furious stories end: we still don't know how far up this goes and who knew what.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-most-disturbing-Fast-and-Furious-facts-yet/434914290453236802.html

Media scare mongering over falling satellite just too much

2011-09-22T15:33:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Every morning this week Americans have turned on their morning show of choice and have had the same story pop up in the first 15 minutes. An American satellite the size of a school bus is going to crash to Earth sometime over the next few days…and it might smash right into you during your commute. The chances of a person, a single person, getting hit by this defunct satellite are approximately 1 in 3200. Maybe not the chances you wanted to hear, but certainly not the Armageddon scenario the news anchors want you to believe.

The fact is that 29% of the Earth is land and 90% of the world’s population is concentrated on just 10% of that land. Also, right now the satellite is projected to…splash down in the ocean. All this fear being spread by the media is masking that this satellite is probably going to do one thing: cause an awesome fireworks show over ocean.

In case you are interested, here is some video of the satellite that is not going to hit you, tumbling through space, on its way to splash down in the ocean.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Media-scare-mongering-over-falling-satellite-just-too-much/211849361542752761.html

AUDIO: Senator John Thune: Romney should disavow RomneyCare

2011-09-21T18:22:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it today, here was Laura's interview South Dakota Senator John Thune. During the interview Sen. Thune talked about the messaging problems the GOP is coming up against, what Democrats would like to see America become, and his thoughts on Mitt Romney and the GOP field. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Senator-John-Thune:-Romney-should-disavow-RomneyCare/-568388261530847162.html

Retailers expecting a lump of coal this holiday season

2011-09-21T15:26:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Its the most recessionary time of the year?

It isn't even fall yet, but the first forecasts of the all-important year-end period are out, and they're pointing to more muted gains than last year. Shoppers are expected to make fewer trips to stores and, when they do show up, to head straight for bargains they've researched in advance.

Retailers, meanwhile, have been working down inventory where possible, hoping to avoid the markdowns that eat into their profit margins. The result is likely to be a tense standoff over prices at a time when persistently high unemployment and costly necessities like gasoline are sapping the enthusiasm of a broad swath of shoppers.

ShopperTrak, which counts foot traffic at malls and blends it with economic data to predict trends, says in a new forecast that national retail sales will rise by just 3% during November and December, less than last year's 4.1% gain, essentially just keeping up with inflation. The International Council of Shopping Centers is also forecasting a slower 3% increase in sales for November and December.

Last year we were seeing the unemployment rate tick down from highs of over 10% and teh economy was growing. This year we have grown at a 0.7% rate through the first two quarters and people continue to be afraid of spending money.

Last holiday season represented around 20% of retailers total sales last year and working in retailers are America's number one employer. With the housing market sputtering and now retailers feeling the pinch even more than they have been, it is clear that 3-years in to Obamanomics we are right back where we started.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Retailers-expecting-a-lump-of-coal-this-holiday-season/-161571626875768621.html

Would you pay $16 for a muffin?

2011-09-21T13:08:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Part of blogging is making sure you infuse the information you feel is important with a little bit of entertainment. After all, blogs are supposed to have some personal flair to them, not just cut and pasted portions of the day's news. Then all of a sudden along comes a story that really doesn't need any humor because as funny and predictable as it might be, the troubling circumstances that allow this story to exist rival the amount of laughter it causes.

DOJ spent about $490,000 (11 percent of costs) on food and beverages at the 10 conferences. All the conferences occurred at major hotels that applied service fees - usually around 20 percent - to the cost of already expensive menu items. Our assessment of food and beverage charges revealed that some DOJ components did not minimize conference costs as required by federal and DOJ guidelines. For example, one conference served $16 muffins while another served Beef Wellington hors d'oeuvres that cost $7.32 per serving. Coffee and tea at the events cost between $0.62 and $1.03 an ounce. At the $1.03 per-ounce price, an 8-ounce cup of coffee would have cost $8.24.

Hey, at least they aren't paying Starbucks prices!

Of course this is not our budget problem. I don't think the government rounds to the nearest million anymore, never mind the nearest hundred thousand so it is easy to see how this would go undetected for a while. This problem is more of an institutional philosophy problem, one that happens on small levels (see above) and big levels (Solyndra). The government is not good at spending money wisely. Unlike a private corporation that would go out of business if this happened repeatedly, these sorts of mistakes don't have big consequences.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Would-you-pay-$16-for-a-muffin/904854798646856876.html

Michelle Obama's fight against affordable school lunches

2011-09-20T14:45:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In the exact same edition of the New York Times where David Brooks officially begins his retreat from her husband, Michelle Obama's childhood nutrition bill it taken apart.

Under a little-noticed provision of the child nutrition bill signed by President Obama in December, which brought more fresh produce and less whole milk to cafeterias nationwide, school districts are required to start bringing their prices in line with what it costs to prepare the meals, eventually charging an average of $2.46 for the lunches they serve.

Though the law suggests that prices go up by a maximum of 10 cents a year, the town of Seymour, Conn., raised its prices by 25 cents, after years without increases; the new prices, $2.25 a day for elementary school pupils, $2.50 for middle-school students and $2.75 for high school students — are listed on the district’s Web site, just under the words, “Welcome Back to School!” In Suffolk County, on Long Island, the president of the Board of Education at the Riverhead Central School District — which also raised prices by a quarter a day, or 12.5 percent for most students — said that parents had cornered her and other officials at supermarkets, gas stations and before meetings, questioning the increase.

“All we could tell them was we really had no choice,” said the president, Ann Cotten-DeGrasse.

Surly the government has had their hand in this before, right?

The new pricing requirement, which comes amid school budget cuts and a lingering recession, is the first time the federal government has gotten into the business of cafeteria prices since its school lunch program was established in 1946. Under the roughly $10 billion program, families with incomes up to 130 percent of the poverty level— $28,665 a year for a family of four — are eligible for free meals. Those that earn 130 percent to 185 percent of poverty level, or $40,793 for a family of four, qualify for reduced-price meals...Then, there is the financial burden that higher meal prices would carry for families whose income lies just above the cutoff line for reduced-price lunches, for which schools can charge no more than 40 cents. (They cost 25 cents in New York City.)

“We could be shooting ourselves in the foot here if we’re not setting prices at a level that parents are able or willing to pay,” said Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokeswoman for the School Nutrition Association, which represents cafeteria administrators.

This is just an outrageous example of another right-wing smear attack on the Obama administration from the Times. How dare they!

In all seriousness, this is just another example of what happens when the federal government sticks their hands in something it should stay away from. How does it promote healthy eating to raise prices? Isn't eating better than not eating? Apparently only if the price is right.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Michelle-Obamas-fight-against-affordable-school-lunches/-656395677137783209.html

The SARFTing of China's Media

2011-09-20T12:46:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and Radio (SARFT) is waging a jihad against vulgar programming, starting with an "American Idol" style show "Super Girl" - call it the Sino version of the Fairness Doctrine.

Among Hunan Satellite Television's "Super Girl" sins were a democratic voting system to choose best competitors, running over the prescribed two hours and being screened during primetime - never mind that it garnered an eye popping 400 million viewers The station will now "voluntarily" feature "shows that promote moral ethics and public safety, and provide practical information for housework".

A Shijiazhuang Television movie channel has been suspended for programming that "magnified distorted ethics and moral values" and "caused extremely negative social effects". Its sins? It aired a talk show earlier this summer in which a "son treated his father disrespectfully, at one point berating him and threatening to take him to court over money".

Many Americans may have fleeting pangs of envy over the SARFTing of vulgar entertainment and talk shows that promote disrespectful and negative behaviors. However the key is who controls media content - the individual viewers who hold the remote or a remote centralized government bureaucracy.

SARFTing reminds us that with freedoms come responsibilities and ours are to actively lobby against media content we find objectionable. If we become too complacent, we will get our own SARFTing full of forced objectionable programming deemed important by our media elites and government leaders who don't share our cherished values.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-SARFTing-of-Chinas-Media/-94700187292867444.html

Team Obama is destroying America's global influence

2011-09-19T13:04:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Barack Obama was ushered into office by a media telling us that this man was going to repair America's image abroad. He's an intellectual, he spent many of his years growing up overseas, and he did not subscribe to the brash cowboy diplomacy they claimed George W. Bush exhibited over 8 years.

Three years into the Obama presidency it is easy to make the case that this man's domestic policies have accelerated the erosion of America's influence abroad.

Financial officials from the United States, once called “the committee to save the world” after the Asian crisis in the 1990s, now find themselves uttering apologies for the harm caused to the world by the 2008 financial crisis and coating their advice to European nations with the knowing nod of the battle-hardened.

The change in tone was on display here on Friday when Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner made an unusual appearance at a meeting of euro zone finance ministries. Mr. Geithner had been invited to offer some advice on fixing Europe’s sovereign debt and banking problems.

European leaders, who have been slow to react to the root causes of the problem, emerged from the meeting dismissive of Mr. Geithner’s ideas and, in some cases, even of the idea that the United States was in a position to give out such pointers.

“I found it peculiar that, even though the Americans have significantly worse fundamental data than the euro zone, that they tell us what we should do,” Maria Fekter, the finance minister of Austria, said after the meeting Friday morning. “I had expected that, when he tells us how he sees the world, that he would listen to what we have to say.”

Why should other countries take advice from people who cannot get their own fiscal house in order? No one would and it laughable to assume that Tim Geithner holds any sway in Europe in times such as these. It will not be until Obama reverses course and set America as an example for the rest of the world will other countries take us seriously.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Team-Obama-is-destroying-Americas-global-influence/616120354607042722.html

Professional lab rats

2011-09-16T13:27:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Just how bad is the economy? This frightening front page story in the Boston Herald says it all.

Down-and-out Bay Staters are turning themselves into human guinea pigs — making easy money in a tough economy by subjecting themselves to needles, electrodes and never-before-tested drugs — but possibly risking their health, experts say.

“It’s all I do,” said Morris, 50, a regular in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area who says he’s taken part in more than 100 clinical trials since 2002. “They pay well and I enjoy doing it. . . . This stuff isn’t going to test itself.”

Nationwide, the number of human test subjects registered by Acurian, a medical test recruiting firm with offices in Watertown, jumped 35 percent between 2007 and 2010, according to company spokesman Scott Connor. That’s the period when the country’s jobless rate soared from 4.6 percent to 9.4 percent.

This is unbelievable. People turning themselves into lab rats just to make ends meet? Of all the terrible stories about the economy, this one may take the cake right now.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Professional-lab-rats/390905089650419504.html

Are you ready for some pat downs?

2011-09-16T10:57:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Sunday in fall means one thing in America, football. No matter your race, religion, or political belief Americans grab their beverage and snack of choice, plop themselves on the couch, and watch football on Sunday. With only 8 home games a year for each team most fans never make it to the stadium to see their favorite team play. Those who are lucky enough to attend an NFL game this year will be treated to special greeting courtesy of the NFL.

Fresh off Sunday night’s taser-fueled fan violence at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, the NFL will conduct pat downs from the ankles up this season.

In the past, the pat downs went from the waist up.

“The enhanced security procedures recommended by our office before the start of the season will further increase the safety of fans but will require some additional time,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told USA T0day in a statement Thursday. “We encourage fans to come early, enjoy their tailgating tradition, and be patient as they enter the stadium.”

This is all part of the erosion of liberty that is taking place in this country. Things are great in America, so great that some people want to try and legislate away every single possible evil we may come across. One nutjob brings a taser to one game and the rest of us have to suffer? Thanks NFL.

How long do you think it will take before a “If you touch my junk I will have you arrested” video makes it online? I give it until Monday morning.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Are-you-ready-for-some-pat-downs/-987937523303092946.html

Project Gunrunner gets worse; 3 more murders linked to scandal

2011-09-15T12:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

First it was Agent Brian Terry, who was gunned down by Mexican gang members armed with AK-47's while Agent Terry had a bean bag gun. Next it was the Mexican national caught with an AK-47 and a Beretta 9mm linked to Gunrunner after smashing into two police cars. Now, Operation Fast and Furious can claim 3 more victims.

According to the Justice Department letter:

One AK-47 type assault rifle purchased by a Fast and Furious suspect was recovered Nov. 14, 2009 in Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexico after the Mexican military rescued a kidnap victim.

On July 1, 2010, two AK-47 type assault rifles purchased by Fast and Furious suspects were recovered in Sonora, Mexico after a shootout between cartels. Two murders were reported in the incident using the weapons.

On July 26, 2010, a giant .50 caliber Barrett rifle purchased by a Fast and Furious suspect was recovered in Durango, Mexico after apparently having been fired. No further details of the incident were given.

On Aug. 13, 2010, two AK-47 type assault rifles purchased by a Fast and Furious target were recovered in Durango, Mexico after a confrontation between the Mexican military and an "armed group."

On Nov. 14, 2010, two AK-47 type assault rifles purchased by Fast and Furious targets were recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico after "the kidnapping of two individuals and the murder of a family member of a Mexican public official." Sources tell CBS News they believe this is a reference to a case we previously reported on: the terrorist kidnapping, torture and murder of Mario Gonzalez Rodriguez. Rodriguez was the brother of then-attorney general Patricia Gonzalez Rodriguez. The terrorists released video of Rodriguez before his death, in handcuffs surrounded by hooded gunmen.

On May 27, 2011, three AK-47 type assault rifles purchased by Fast and Furious targets were recovered in Jalisco, Mexico after having been fired. No other details of the incident were provided, but the date and location match with another incident previously reported by CBS News. On May 27 near Jalisto, cartel members fired upon a Mexican government helicopter, forcing it to make an emergency landing. According to one law enforcement source, 29 suspected cartel members were killed in the attack.

So the DOJ is finally opening up a little more, 9 months after the Terry murder, but the White House is playing hard to get, even though it looks like people inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue had knowledge of what was going on at the ATF.

As the body count continues to grow, just how much longer will the White House ignore a scandal that Rep. Issa says might go all the way to some of the highest of our government.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Project-Gunrunner-gets-worse;-3-more-murders-linked-to-scandal/52663802206426879.html

CLASS-less Hoax On Seniors

2011-09-15T08:21:00Z

Posted By: C.A. Morrison

On Thursday the GOP is expected to shine a bright light on a little talked about portion of Obamacare, CLASS.

Investigations have revealed that the long term care program portion of Obamacare CLASS (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program), a pet project of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, was inserted into Obamacare, despite grave concerns about how to finance the effort.

"Seems like a recipe for disaster to me," William Marton, a senior aging policy official in the administration, wrote in an October 2009 email, among other emails expressing early internal concerns. He noted that as with all of Obamacare too many health individuals would be required to sign up for the voluntary program to make it viable.

But as Democrats such as Speaker Pelosi urged signing Obamacare before reading the bill and the administration and AARP presented rosy scenarios for CLASS, it looks like the first portion of Obamacare that will be repealed.

"There has been no decision made," Health and Human Services spokesman Richard Sorian said Wednesday. "We are continuing our analysis. But it's an open question. The question is whether we can develop a program that is fiscally solvent and self-sustaining into the future."

Now the new Congressional budget supercommittee has yet another albatross around its neck to cope with on top of finding cuts to support the new Americans Jobs Act. Once again, vulnerable Americans, whether the unemployed or senior citizens are being let down thanks to President Obama's penchant for overpromising to buy votes and increase the size of government without sufficient funding.

Senator John Thune has dubbed CLASS "a ticking time bomb".

At the very least it is a CLASS-less and cruel promise to seniors already on edge as such entitlements as Medicare and Social Security face retooling. All of us deserve better before the ticking time bombs blows up all of our economy.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/CLASS-less-Hoax-On-Seniors/-775810527123427637.html

WH waves off obvious re. NY-9 & polls

2011-09-15T08:01:00Z

Posted By: Staff

What ABC's Jake Tapper reports here isn't surprising, but it's still deeply concerning.
Team Obama's taking the head-in-sand approach to the Bob Turner tsunami that just swept through Queens, is yet another example of the president's arrogance and incompetence. He gets no job approval bump from his "jobs" plan, the country is tuning him out, and his own party is beginning to seriously question his overall "strategy", and they think they can make it go away by saying "pass this bill"?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/WH-waves-off-obvious-re.-NY-9--polls/60704062842254084.html

Good thing our president has thick skin

2011-09-14T14:19:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The President of the United States is, for now at least, the leader of the free world. He has to no easy problems to solve and everything he does and says sends waves all around the world. Constant criticism comes with this territory. How does President Obama respond to people being opposed to his ideas? Meet AttackWatch!

Yes, this is a website for Barack Obama supporters to alert the White House to “mistruths” that are out there. Basically, if you are not an MSNBC host, you are now a target. It would be funny to joke around this, but it signals a deeper problem with our president- that he doesn’t have the thick skin to be president. Who cares what people say about you! Universal acceptance is not some a president should be thinking about, never mind striving for like this narcissist does on an hourly basis.

It would be funny, if it didn’t have real consequences. If you think our enemies were laughing at Obama before this, just imagine the howling in Tehran that is going on right now.

Exit question: With all the things that Obama has fouled up, will Attack Watch's servers use more energy than Google's servers?

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Good-thing-our-president-has-thick-skin/-657568444889348597.html

David Cameron to migrants on welfare: learn English!

2011-09-14T13:32:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In an effort to target people who come to the England in order to take advantage of the country’s beneficence (h/t Mitt Romney) David Cameron has a message for you: learn English!

Benefits claimants who cannot speak and write English will be ordered to take language classes or have their handouts stopped for up to three years.

The measure, announced by the Prime Minister and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, is expected to apply to about 67,000 people on Jobseeker’s Allowance. It is designed to target a hardcore of claimants whose language skills are so poor they have little or no chance of ever being offered a job and are doing nothing to improve their skills themselves.

But despite David Cameron’s stance, cynics are likely to suggest the measures will join a raft of tough-talking announcements that lose their teeth in practice.

Learn English? What a bigot! Just because the road signs, government documents, and business trasactions in the UK take place in English doesn’t mean you have to learn English in order to hold be employable, right? I mean, if liberals tell me this then it must be true.

Except it isn’t. Cameron is dead on. How can you get hired when you cannot communicate with the rest of the population? You can’t.This takes away the incentive for people to just sit on their rear ends, collect checks, and do nothing to better themselves.

Over in the colonies, we seem to not only welcome this behavior, but reinforce it by bending over backwards for people who choose not to learn English.

The UK’s immigration problem has led to major problems (look at the riots) and this will help integrate people into society. We should take a place out of Cameron’s playbook before we have to learn these lessons the hard way.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/David-Cameron-to-migrants-on-welfare:-learn-English!/738532637891583543.html

The question of the night

2011-09-13T12:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It is usually the most simple of questions that cause candidates to trip up. Last night, this question easily stole the show.

No moderator will ever ask this question. You will also never hear it at a Democratic debate or a debate between party nominees. It is, however, the fundamental question of this election season.

It is such a simple question, yet no one could answer it. Platitudes ruled the roost in response.

However, does anyone believe that Obama would let you keep more than any of the eight people on the stage? In these times when Americans are resorting to credit for basic necessities, when businesses are being targeted for being successful, when earning enough to buy a corporate jet is looked down upon by our president, this is the type of question that should be asked.

My only question is what else does this kid want to know? He has already proven himself far more capable than the debate moderators this year.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-question-of-the-night/-400221516090594409.html

VIDEO: Highlights from the debate

2011-09-13T11:07:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Too busy watching Tom Brady put up 517 years on the Dolphins? Well here is your chance to get caught up on what everyone is talking about today, last night's GOP debate. Enjoy!

The Social Security battle:

Bachmann v. Perry on HPV vaccine:

Newt slams General Electric:

What happens if you don't have health insurance?

Paul booed after blaming terror attacks on US foreign policy:

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Highlights-from-the-debate/-858294347525676979.html

How Islamic radicals remembered 9/11

2011-09-12T14:37:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The religion of peace is at it again. One the 10th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil (and the world) what did Islamic radicals do on this anniversary? They burned the American flag outside of the American Embassy in London.

Protesters set fire to the U.S. flag outside the American embassy in London yesterday during a minute's silence to mark the moment the first hijacked airliner hit the World Trade Centre.

A group of 100 Muslim radicals, including members of Muslims Against Crusades, shouted 'USA terrorists' and brandished anti-American placards.

One protester in Grosvenor Square said: 'You will always face suffering, you will always face humiliation, unless you withdraw your troops from Muslim lands.'

Here is what it looked like…

Bottom line: no amount of outreach will make these people like us.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/How-Islamic-radicals-remembered-9/11/369439727599676052.html

Exclusive! Gov. Haley Barbour on September 11th...in his own words

2011-09-09T21:47:00Z

Posted By: Staff

It is a great honor that the Center for National Policy is recognizing Mississippi for our citizens’ response to the worst natural disaster in American history, Katrina.

I am accepting the award not for myself but for the strong, resilient, self-reliant people of our Gulf Coast and across the State. When Katrina devastated half our state, Mississippians didn’t whine or mope; they didn’t look for someone to blame or wait for somebody to bail them out.

Instead, our people got knocked down flat, but got right back up, hitched up their britches and went to work; went to work helping themselves and helping their neighbors.

So I’m greatly honored to accept this Resilience award on behalf of those incredible people.

As we talk about those courageous, compassionate people, I want to share with you a few of the lessons in crisis leadership that Katrina can teach us all.

A fundamental rule of leading, most especially in a great crisis, is to tell the truth. People need to know the truth, and they can deal with it.

Andrew Roberts in his great new history of World War II, The Storm of War, says “Truth is traditionally the first casualty of war;” and certainly there will be many times in war when secrecy is essential, for strategic, tactical or operational purposes.

In civil society, however, telling the truth is critical to maintaining “followship,” the confidence of both your team and the public.

In the crisis, especially the unprecedented megadisaster, it is essential the leader have credibility.

Your team, from top managers and staff down to local officials and first responders, must believe you, if they are to believe in you.

This trustworthiness is equally critical for the public to follow your leadership.

If people learn you don’t tell them the truth, that’s even more damaging to your leadership capacity than if they decide you don’t know what you’re doing, that you are wrong about your policies. More about that in a bit.

The best strategy for dealing with the megadisaster is preparation. Of course, this is a lot easier for natural disasters. They recur, and involving the public through self-preparation is so obviously effective that you get a lot of buy-in, if you work at it.

Our mantra is “Pray for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

More important, we preach a critical truth: In the unprecedented mega-disaster, no government will ever be big enough to meet every need of every person or family all of the time. That’s just a plain fact.

We plan and train for hurricanes and tornadoes at home because we have so many of them.

In fact, we had a solid plan before Katrina. The problem was the devastation was so gargantuan that we couldn’t implement our plan.

The best example was the Waveland Police Department. Waveland, the closest town on the Coast to the eye of the hurricane, had a 26-person police department. They were trained to gather on the second floor of the police station; let the storm pass by and then come out for search and rescue, security, traffic control, etc.

No one thought about the possibility that the storm surge, in this case 38 feet deep including the waves on top, would go over the roof of the building, washing them all out.

For hours a group of eight or so clung to each other and hung onto a tree in the next block. Others caught hold of various structures, while some were washed all the way out of the town.

Katrina left no habitable structure in Waveland, population 6500. Every officer’s home was gone, but at 8 p.m. that night, all 26 Waveland police officers were on duty.

Even though we couldn’t execute our response plan after Katrina, having one helped us enormously, because our first responders and local leaders knew the plan and its goals. So, they were far more able to adapt, to be agile and flexible in achieving those goals.

When FEMA’s logistical system failed, our MEMA team adjusted and brought in water and ice from in state. When the Red Cross encountered difficulties at first, other groups, from the Salvation Army to local churches, stepped up their levels of activity.

And let me say, the volunteers, who came to the Coast in droves … six hundred thousand the first year alone … will always be heroes to us; in the eyes of Mississippians hit by the storm, these volunteers, mostly from church groups, represent the very best in our country … why it is such a blessing to be an American.

As durable and persevering as our citizens were, they’d have had a far worse time were it not for all the volunteers; nearly a million in the first five years.

Yes, church-groups were the great majority; but Americorps and other groups of young people are still there. And the religious organizations included those teams of Mennonites who appear after every disaster and quietly, professionally clean-up downed trees and collapsed structures. There were Muslims and Jews and every flavor of Christian I ever heard of.

The most common comment to me by volunteers was one I heard hundreds of times. They would say, “Governor, I feel like I’m getting more out of this for myself than the good I’m doing for the folks I’m helping.”

Don’t ever forget that, as you deal with a disaster. A wonderful truth about America is our people want to help others, especially those who can’t help themselves. A leader must make sure these generous, courageous people get a chance to help. It’s a huge element of response and recovery. Because it’s about self worth.

Our sister states and the federal government were great to us. The federal government was widely criticized for its response to Katrina. And they had failures, such as their whole logistical arrangement, but they did a whole lot more right than wrong.

Sure, they made mistakes. Well, so did we. And so did every other organization. Anyone who thinks there will be a perfect response to an unprecedented mega-disaster doesn’t know what he is talking about.

The leader in a crisis, dealing with big things, must make decisions, and some will be wrong.

Failure to make decisions is a decision itself … almost always a bad decision.

Having led my state through the brunt of the worst natural disaster in American history, I was confronted with challenges I never imagined and they required decisions.

Remember, many critical decisions must be made before the disaster even hits, so

some crucial decisions were made in the days preceding landfall.

I’ll tell you, flying over the Sound in a helicopter the morning after Katrina, it looked as if the hand of God had wiped away the Coast; in some places for blocks, in others for miles. It was far worse than we had ever imagined, and went 240 miles inland.

So decisions had to be made: about search and rescue; security and policy for looters; provision for food, water and ice; soon afterward, about transportation and debris; then later for recovery, rebuilding and renewal.

It was not unusual for there to be no obvious decision. Because nobody had ever been through a natural disaster of this magnitude, we were making it up as we went along.

But I made decisions: life and death decisions; community survival decisions, that is, decisions that determined whether large numbers of people would return quickly and try to rebuild their towns and cities; debris removal and sequence of reconstruction decisions; or hugely importantly, the decision that the federal and state governments weren’t going to tell the people of the Coast how to build back their communities … the decision that it was their decision, not someone’s in Jackson or Washington.

As I said, I made some wrong decisions. By God’s grace, they were not the decisions that were the most critical, but I made some bad decisions about important programs that greatly affected people’s lives and families in the aftermath of the storm. And not just a couple.

On numerous occasions I had to change those decisions … do it a different way; change the rules in the face of reality; adjust time periods, deadlines or specific requirements.

And you know what, the public loves it when a politician has the courage to admit he has made a bad decision. They pat you on the back.

Leaders make decisions in the face of crisis, and they learn the lesson that you can, and must, change the bad decisions as they are discovered.

Six years after Katrina we are still facing issues and making decisions.

Unlike other places there is no conflict between the local authorities, whether Democrat or Republican, and the Governor. There hasn’t been since the storm slammed into the Coast on August 29 with its more than thirty-foot tall storm surge.

The local authorities were outstanding from day one, and the first responders on the ground were magnificent.

Our citizens were inspiring … courageous and compassionate people.

My wife Marsha was on the ground much more than I after the storm.

One thing she noticed once the FEMA supplies started coming was there was no baby food or diapers. So, from then on, every helicopter or airplane coming to the Coast from Jackson, we filled up any vacant space with “baby stuff.” Marsha carried it around in the ClubCab pickup she traveled in.

On Friday afternoon, after the storm, near Kiln, a tiny community in Hancock County, Marsha and two state troopers with her rounded the curve and there was a crushed double-wide mobile home with a man and two little kids in the front yard.

Marsha knew she’d hit the jackpot. As she talked to the man, the troopers got “baby stuff” and toys out of the pickup. The man was telling Marsha that he and his wife and their eight kids lived in the double-wide, which she said looked like a crushed beer can.

Then, he stopped the troopers, and said, “That’s enough for us. Save some for other people.”

One of the troopers said, “It’s OK, we have plenty.”

The man replied, “If you have plenty, please take it and help the little old lady across the road, who’s a shut in. She needs it worse.”

The trooper smiled and said, “We have got plenty for her and you, too.”

Then the man told the trooper, “If you still have plenty, down the highway a mile or so, there’s a gravel road that turns off real sharp back to the right. Five or six families live down that road, and I know nobody has gotten to them yet.”

The spirit of Mississippi was best captured in that conversation. Here was a family that had nothing before Katrina; lost what little they had; and then said give the help to the little old lady across the road who is a shut-in because she needs it worse.

I’ve often said the spirit and character of Mississippians as demonstrated in the days and weeks after suffering the devastation of Katrina have done more to improve the image of my state than anything that’s happened in my lifetime.

That’s why you are right; they are the perfect example of the resilience of strong, self-reliant Americans. We thank you for honoring us.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Exclusive!--Gov.-Haley-Barbour-on-September-11th...in-his-own-words/-384448929027223110.html

Pope John Paul II speaks after September 11th

2011-09-09T15:28:00Z

Posted By: Staff

The day after September 11th, Pope John Paul II spoke about the tragedy. It is worth reading again today.

I cannot begin this audience without expressing my profound sorrow at the terrorist attacks which yesterday brought death and destruction to America, causing thousands of victims and injuring countless people. To the President of the United States and to all American citizens I express my heartfelt sorrow. In the face of such unspeakable horror we cannot but be deeply disturbed. I add my voice to all the voices raised in these hours to express indignant condemnation, and I strongly reiterate that the ways of violence will never lead to genuine solutions to humanity’s problems.

Yesterday was a dark day in the history of humanity, a terrible affront to human dignity. After receiving the news, I followed with intense concern the developing situation, with heartfelt prayers to the Lord. How is it possible to commit acts of such savage cruelty? The human heart has depths from which schemes of unheard-of ferocity sometimes emerge, capable of destroying in a moment the normal daily life of a people. But faith comes to our aid at these times when words seem to fail. Christ’s word is the only one that can give a response to the questions which trouble our spirit. Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the final say. Christian hope is based on this truth; at this time our prayerful trust draws strength from it.

With deeply felt sympathy I address myself to the beloved people of the United States in this moment of distress and consternation, when the courage of so many men and women of good will is being sorely tested. In a special way I reach out to the families of the dead and the injured, and assure them of my spiritual closeness. I entrust to the mercy of the Most High the helpless victims of this tragedy, for whom I offered Mass this morning, invoking upon them eternal rest. May God give courage to the survivors; may he sustain the rescue-workers and the many volunteers who are presently making an enormous effort to cope with such an immense emergency. I ask you, dear brothers and sisters, to join me in prayer for them. Let us beg the Lord that the spiral of hatred and violence will not prevail. May the Blessed Virgin, Mother of Mercy, fill the hearts of all with wise thoughts and peaceful intentions.

Today, my heartfelt sympathy is with the American people, subjected yesterday to inhuman terrorist attacks which have taken the lives of thousands of innocent human beings and caused unspeakable sorrow in the hearts of all men and women of good will. Yesterday was indeed a dark day in our history, an appalling offence against peace, a terrible assault against human dignity.

I invite you all to join me in commending the victims of this shocking tragedy to Almighty God' s eternal love. Let us implore his comfort upon the injured, the families involved, all who are doing their utmost to rescue survivors and help those affected.

I ask God to grant the American people the strength and courage they need at this time of sorrow and trial.

I greet with special affection the Carmelite Family, gathered here with a large group of pilgrims from many nations on the occasion of the meeting that commemorates the 750th anniversary of the giving of the Scapular. Dearly beloved, this happy event involves not only those devoted to Our Lady of Mt Carmel, but the whole Church because the rich Marian heritage of Carmel has become in time, thanks to the spread of devotion connected with the Scapular, a treasure for the entire People of God. Draw constantly from this wonderful spiritual patrimony in order to be credible witnesses to Christ and to His Gospel in daily life.

With the Letter that I wrote last 25th March to the Superiors General of the Order of the Carmelites and of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites, I invited you to this special dedication. In it, among other items, I wrote that the Scapular is essentially a habit which evokes the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary in this life and in the passage to the fullness of eternal glory. The Scapular also reminds us that the devotion to her must become a "uniform", that is a Christian life-style, woven of prayer and interior life. I hope that this anniversary may be for each one of you an occasion for personal conversion, for community renewal, in which we will respond to the divine grace which fortifies us on the path to holiness.

At the end of the General Audience address, the Holy Father offered the following prayer of the faithful in Italian.

The Holy Father:

Brothers and Sisters, in great dismay, before the horror of destructive violence, but strong in the faith that has always guided our fathers, we turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, salvation of his people, and with the confidence of children, pray that He will come to our aid in these days of mourning and innocent suffering.

Cantor:

Dominum deprecemur: Te rogamus, audi nos.

1. For the Churches of the East and the West, and in particular for the Church in the United States of America so that, though humbled by loss and mourning, yet inspired by the Mother of the Lord, strong woman beside the cross of her Son, they may foster the will for reconciliation, peace, and the building of the civilization of love.

2. For all those who bear the name of Christian, so that, in the midst of many persons who are tempted to hatred and doubt, they will be witnesses to the presence of God in history and the victory of Christ over death.

3. For the leaders of nations, so that they will not allow themselves to be guided by hatred and the spirit of retaliation, but may do everything possible to prevent new hatred and death, by bringing forth works of peace.

4. For those who are weeping in sorrow over the loss of relatives and friends, that in this hour of suffering they will not be overcome by sadness, despair and vengeance, but continue to have faith in the victory of good over evil, of life over death.

5. For those suffering and wounded by the terrorist acts, that they may return to stability and health and, appreciating the gift of life, may generously foster the will to contribute to the well being of every human being.

6. For our brothers and sisters who met death in the folly of violence, that they find sure joy and life everlasting in the peace of the Lord, that their death may not be in vain but become a leaven bringing forth a season of brotherhood and collaboration among peoples.

The Holy Father:

O Lord Jesus, remember our deceased and suffering brothers before your Father. Remember us also, as we begin to pray with your words: Pater noster...

O Almighty and merciful God, you cannot be understood by one who sows discord, you cannot be accepted by one who loves violence: look upon our painful human condition tried by cruel acts of terror and death, comfort your children and open our hearts to hope, so that our time may again know days of serenity and peace.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Pope-John-Paul-II-speaks-after-September-11th/-932871353934336941.html

Then and now, a quick look at the past 10 years

2011-09-09T11:28:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Then and Now:

# of People Employed in August 2001: 132 million
# of People Employed in August 2011: 131.1 million

Unemployment rate, August 2001: 4.9% (the highest in 4-years at that time)
Unemployment rate, August 2011: 9.1%

Dow Jones Industrial Average, Sept. 10, 2001: 9605.01
DJIA Sept. 8th, 2011: 11295.81

Federal Spending % of GDP in 2001: appx 18%
Federal Spending % of GDP in 2011: appx 24%

Debt in 2001: around 32% of GDP
Debt in 2011: around 100% of GDP

The dollar has fallen 37 percent in the past decade

Gold has increased 500%

According to PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment):

From 2000-2009, The United States went from…
Rose from 15th to 14th in reading
fallen from 19th to 25th in math
fallen from 14th to 17th in Science

Gas Prices: week after 9/11: $1.53
Now: $3.65

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Then-and-now,-a-quick-look-at-the-past-10-years/-214155126600302521.html

Obama's lazy jobs proposal

2011-09-09T11:24:00Z

Posted By: Staff

What do you do if your first plan to spur growth fails? If you are a business owner, you analyze what went wrong and come up with a new game plan, one that is not the same as your first. If you are Barack Obama, who has existed in a world divorced from the private sector for his entire life, you double down on the ideas that are failing in the real world right now, but that professors in academia told you should “theoretically work.” Don't blame Obama's professors though, because anyone who has gone to college knows that if you really want to learn during your time in school, you have to go outside of the required reading. Last night was proof that Obama never bothered to put in the effort to go beyond the minimum requirements.

Instead of an $800+ Billion stimulus, he cut it in half and thinks this is a solution. Consumer spending and confidence is on the decline, so why not go after the only people in the economy who have money to spend, the wealthy (this is not about class warfare though). When not attacking the wealthy, Obama fell back on telling us that he wants to spend on infrastructure (a handout to his union thug cronies). $447 billion, laid out in 5 pages, with only one paragraph dedicated to how he will make this deficit neutral. What is his plan to pay for this? He doesn't have one; he is pushing the difficult work onto Congress. Our president is the lazy group project member you reluctantly put on the cover sheet of your “team” research paper.

Yes, big tax cuts are part of this package, more than most would think. What is the problem with these tax cuts and these spending programs? It is all temporary. If the goal was to boost economic output over the next 3 quarters then this plan might do the trick. The problem is the world is not going to end next summer, or next December if you choose to believe the Mayans. Businesses (the people who hire workers) don't think quarter to quarter or even year to year. Companies look long term. It costs a lot to hire an employee. Why would a company hire someone it can afford this year, but not next year? The answer is they won't if they want to stay in business. Obama doesn't care because for him every balance sheet ends October 31st, 2012, so why not see if he can throw a tax cut or two in to see if it works.

Which gets us back to where we began, Obama does the minimum required every time he has the chance. His eyes are locked on November 2012 and he cares not what happens to the economy after the election. Just like the lazy college student he surely was, he never looks long term, or even past his next class. He simply sees what is in front of him, what impediments are in his way to a four year paid vacation, and will do what it takes to BS his way to a passing grade. Unfortunately, we are the ones who have to live paycheck to paycheck, dealing with the D-minus country he is content governing and handing off to his successor.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obamas-lazy-jobs-proposal/423483422866358197.html

Drug testing for welfare recipients? Yes, please

2011-09-08T12:13:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Of course the ACLU is against this. Why wouldn't they support the right for welfare receipients to get high while on the public dole?

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida plans to challenge the state's law requiring new welfare recipients to pass a drug test.

An ACLU spokesman told The Associated Press Wednesday the lawsuit is being filed on behalf of a 35-year-old Orlando man, Luis Lebron.

The spokesman says Florida's drug testing law is unconstitutional, saying it violates the Fourth Amendment's search and seizure protections.

I would go a step further. Not only would I test for illegal drugs, I would test for nicotine and alcohol, two vices that are luxury items and do more damage than good. If my tax dollars are going to help you out, I don't want to be subsidizing your drug habit or other behaviors that adversely affect your health (which adds to the cost of your health care, which I am already paying for).

Living on welfare was never meant to be a lifestyle choice. It is meant to support people while they get their feet back under them during tough times. The ACLU believes that if you are on welfare you should be able to sit at home, get high, and live off the hard work of your fellow man. What a world.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Drug-testing-for-welfare-recipients-Yes,-please/-329264850277694736.html

VIDEO: GOP debate highlights

2011-09-08T11:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you had things to do last night, here is a round up of the highlights from last nights debate, from the opening round of Perry v. Romney to Newt's attack on the media. Enjoy this condensed version of a long night!

(h/t) Breitbart and Mediaite.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-GOP-debate-highlights/-250969784493922694.html

Sign of the times: restaurants target food stamp recipients

2011-09-07T13:21:00Z

Posted By: Staff

There was an outcry from the left when Newt Gingrich labeled Barack Obama the most successful food stamp president in history. The reasons arn't important because Newt was right, looking at the numbers Obama's economy has led to record numbers of Americans on food stamps. Need further proof than the hard data? Look no further than your local restaurant.

The number of businesses approved to accept food stamps grew by a third from 2005 to 2010, U.S. Department of Agriculture records show, as vendors from convenience and dollar discount stores to gas stations and pharmacies increasingly joined the growing entitlement program.

Now, restaurants, which typically have not participated in the program, are lobbying for a piece of the action.

Federal rules generally prohibit food stamp benefits, which are distributed under the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), from being exchanged for prepared foods. Yet a provision dating to the 1970s allows states to allow restaurants to serve disabled, elderly and homeless people, USDA spokeswoman Jean Daniel said.

Between 2005 and 2010, the number of businesses certified in the SNAP program went from about 156,000 to nearly 209,000, according to USDA data.

While most of the argument centers around the public health problems associated with fast food restaurants accepting food stamps, the more obvious story is that restaurants see that food stamp usage is not just growing, it is exploding and it doesn't look like it will decrease anytime soon. With 1/7 of our population on food stamps it doesn't make sense for businesses to lose a large percentage of the population.

Before, this was never a problem because food stamp usage was limited. Now, middle class families are forced to turn to the government to get by. In a market economy, businesses cater to their clientel, and in this case, restaurants know that in order to bring in revenue, they must accept food stamps.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Sign-of-the-times:-restaurants-target-food-stamp-recipients/-64254982769997180.html

VIDEO: Laura hosts The O'Reilly Factor Tuesday

2011-09-07T11:10:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, last night Laura hosted The O'Reilly Factor and it made news all over the place. Here are some of the highlights. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-hosts-The-OReilly-Factor-Tuesday/92341122246909732.html

Obama sets another debt record

2011-09-06T14:12:00Z

Posted By: Staff

No one on either side of the political spectrum could possibly deny that the Obama presidency is one of firsts. Like, the first president to preside over 3 trillion dollar deficits in a row, the first president to be in power when America had its credit rating downgraded, and now he is the president to see our public debt hit $10 Trillion.

At the close of business on Aug. 31--for the first time in the history of the country--the publicly held debt of the federal government topped $10 trillion, according to data releasedby the U.S. Treasury Departmentat 4:00 p.m. yesterday.

During Obama's presidency, debt held by the public has now increased by $3.71694 trillion--or almost 59 percent from the $6.3073 trillion in debt held by the public that the government owed to its creditors on Jan. 20, 2009, when Obama was inaugurated.

Don’t ever let anyone say this presidency is not historic.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/Obama-sets-another-debt-record/156517372480827892.html

The struggle to buy and build American

2011-09-06T11:35:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Over this past Labor Day weekend the New York Times ran an interesting article that highlights one of the major problems with America's economy, we no longer produce goods like we used to.

Anders Lewendal, a general contractor who managed to survive the housing collapse, has hit upon a plan that he thinks will revive the construction industry and help lead the nation out of the economic wilderness: build houses using only American-made materials.

He is trying to do just that with a new home here on a side street a few blocks from downtown. But it is not as easy as it sounds. Some things are simple enough. Wood literally grows on trees, of course, especially here in forested western Montana. And no one ships cement or concrete mix any farther than needed.

After that it can get tough. In a global economy, even American-assembled appliances probably have at least some foreign made or mined components, Mr. Lewendal said.

Tiny components like nails, screws and light bulbs, mundane but crucial, are significantly cheaper if bought from China or other developing nations. High-end frills — which tend to be imported, like Italian marble or mahogany — may be doomed to stay on the dock or in the showroom.

And all that does not even address the question of whether using illegal immigrant labor, a mainstay of the construction industry around the nation, counts as foreign.

How sad is it that it is this difficult to build a house in America made with American goods and labor? The labor fix is simple, we need to crack down on illegal immigration, something this administration should do considering it pretends it is all about supporting the America worker (in this economy, there are ZERO jobs that Americans will not do).The next part is the tough part, getting America to produce things again. Lower tax rates and fewer regulations will help, especially allowing American companies to repatriate profits.

The world is changing, and America isn’t going to produce the same basic goods as it used to, but there is no reason why it should be this difficult to build an American house out of American-made products.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-struggle-to-buy-and-build-American/862313022551628831.html

AUDIO: Dick Cheney attacks Sarah Palin

2011-09-02T15:46:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Laura interviewed former Vice President Dick Cheney and asked him what qualities are important for a Vice President to have. Cheney placed thick skin at the top of the list, which prompted Laura to ask about Sarah Palin. Cheney's answer at 23:00 into the clip may surprise you.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/AUDIO:-Dick-Cheney-attacks-Sarah-Palin/-608837684486902376.html

VIDEO: Laura on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday

2011-09-02T11:03:00Z

Posted By: Staff

In case you missed it, Laura was on The O'Reilly Factor last night and talked with Bill about the feud between Condoleeza Rice and Dick Cheney. Enjoy!

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/VIDEO:-Laura-on-The-OReilly-Factor-Thursday/560962825149416011.html

The pornification of tots

2011-09-02T11:02:00Z

Posted By: Staff

Do you remember what you were doing when you were four years old? Neither do I, but I'm sure it involved playgrounds, toys, and learning to read so my parents wouldn't be embarrassed that they birthed the stupid kid in preschool. One thing I know I never did was go to the tanning salon.

A MUM is giving her four-year-old daughter spray tans at a beauty parlour.

Jools Willis said of little Tate: "Beauty treatments help boost a child's confidence."

Tate said: "I like having a spray tan because it makes me look good. I like having the same as Mummy."

Appalled child welfare groups yesterday accused Tate's beautician mum Jools of sexualising her young daughter — and making her a potential target for paedophiles.

Outrageous, right? Not compared to this next story.

A MUM has sparked outrage by padding out her four-year-old daughter's chest and bottom in a bid to win beauty pageants.

Little Maddy Jackson is transformed into a miniature version of busty country and western singer Dolly Parton with fake C-cup boobs and a boosted bum for the competitions.

Her mother Lindsay Jackson has defended her decision to dress Maddy in a tight-fitting pink Lycra catsuit, complete with the suggestive hourglass silhouette.

These are the sorts of stories where there is no grey area. There is not right and wrong. If you put this story in front of our deeply divided Congress and asked the question “Is this acceptable parenting?” You would see bi-partisan support for “HELL NO!”

This isn't dress up. This is trying to turn your kid into a sex symbol at 4 years old on national television. So when your friends tell you the culture wars are over, just show them this story.

http://www.LauraIngraham.com/b/The-pornification-of-tots/675713008643540910.html