With the recent death of Rep. John Murtha, fellow Democrat Charles Rangel has a clear path to the title of the most corrupt member of Congress.

Just days after Nancy Pelosi defended Rangel despite serious ethical violations, Rangel has resigned as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

It's a step in the right direction, but it also shows how corrupt Congress has become under the Pelosi regime.

From POLITICO:

Neither power nor popularity could save Charles Rangel from himself.

The affable, quotable and often jovial New York Democrat stepped down from his chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee Wednesday because his fellow Democrats feared that ethics investigations into Rangel's personal finances, travel, living arrangements and use of his office posed a grave threat to their chances in November's elections.

Rangel says he's stepping aside only temporarily, but he officially resigned the post in a letter submitted to the House Wednesday morning. Technically, he could be restored by a future House vote, but that's a political long shot given that he was forced aside by ethics troubles.

It was not immediately clear who would take the committee's reins in Rangel's absence, with some insiders predicting it would be the next man in line, California's Pete Stark, and others predicting it would be Sander Levin of Michigan. Under House rules, Stark is chairman unless Democrats act affirmatively to put someone else in his place, according to a House GOP aide familiar with House operations.

Read the full story at the link below:

Charles Rangel gives up gavel - Jonathan Allen and Jake Sherman - POLITICO.com

Barack Obama campaigned for Democrat Creigh Deeds in the Virginia governor's race ... and Deeds lost.

Barack Obama campaigned for Democrat Jon Corzine in the New Jersey governor's race ... and Corzine lost his bid for re-election.

Barack Obama campaigned for Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race ... and Coakley lost to underdog Scott Brown.

Today, Barack Obama campaigned for embattled Senate Leader Harry Reid, who is trying to win re-election in his native Nevada. Good luck with that.

The death of powerful Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha brought all sorts of reaction from political figures in Pennsylvania and across the nation. Here's a sampling:

"Jack was a devoted husband, a loving father and a steadfast advocate for the people of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years. His passion for service was born during his decorated career in the United States Marine Corps, and he went on to earn the distinction of being the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. Jack's tough-as-nails reputation carried over to Congress, where he became a respected voice on issues of national security. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife of nearly 55 years, Joyce, their three children, and the entire Murtha family." — President Barack Obama.

"He was a public servant in every sense of the word and his passing is a great loss to all of Pennsylvania," said Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa.

"He was a good friend to me and my family for years. He was one of the first people to say to my father (the late Gov. Robert P. Casey) after he'd lost three times that he'd support him the fourth time for governor, and believed in him when a lot of folks didn't." — Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.

"Jack Murtha didn't just worry about his district. He worried about all of Pennsylvania and in some ways he worried about the entire country. He was really the congressman for the entire state of Pennsylvania. Sort of a super, uber-congressman," said Gov. Ed Rendell, D-Pa.

"(Murtha) served his country as a Marine in Vietnam and in Congress for more than three decades. He worked hard for western Pennsylvania and he consistently guarded the interests of our men and women in uniform," — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

"Today, our nation has lost a decorated veteran and the House of Representatives has lost one of its own. I was saddened to hear of John Murtha's passing, and my thoughts and prayers are with his friends and loved ones," — Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio.

"He's bigger than life in so many ways. ... He's a strong and powerful political titan, yet he's very human and very soft-spoken. He wasn't a table-banger in any sense of the word," — Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney.

"While the congressman and I often differed when it came to politics, he always had my deepest respect. The thoughts and prayers of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania go out to Jack’s family," — Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason.

"Jack served his country in uniform and in Congress for many years, and his service will long be remembered and appreciated by the people of Pennsylvania." — U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey

"John Murtha may have represented Western Pennsylvania, but he was the voice of hard-working Democrats across the Commonwealth. Representative Murtha's service to his country and the strength of his convictions made him a powerful force to be reckoned with on Capitol Hill. His career took him from Parris Island to Vietnam, from Harrisburg to Washington, D.C. He was a leader until the end, fighting for American values and middle class ideals. He stood up for veterans and stood firm in his beliefs, not caring as much about political expediency as what he thought to be in the best interest of his constituents and his country. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Murtha and extend my deepest condolences to his family." — Pa. Sen. Democratic Leader Robert Mellow.

Time magazine is focusing national attention on the ongoing political corruption scandals in Harrisburg.

From an article by Sean Scully posted at Time.com:

Pennsylvania has long been known for shady politics, but this year promises to be particularly ugly as series of corruption trials unfold, all stemming from a sweeping probe known as "Bonusgate." Prosecutors charge that leaders of both parties in the state House of Representatives flagrantly ignored the law, using taxpayer money to wage political warfare and to lavish perks on aides and party loyalists. The price tag is likely in the tens of millions, and prosecutors warn there could be more indictments, possibly targeting leaders of the State Senate. "There was an unbelievable sense of entitlement in Harrisburg that they could do this with a high degree of immunity," said Chris Borick, political science professor at Muhlenberg College.

Read the full article at the link below:

Corruption Scandal Scrambles Pennsylvania Politics

From a press release issued by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR):

During a town hall meeting Tuesday on health care reform, Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) stated his opposition to legislation that would cover illegal aliens. Specter has been a long-time champion of amnesty for illegal aliens, he was the author of the 2006 amnesty bill (S. 2611) that was widely rejected by the American people. Specter's opposition to including illegal aliens under the proposed reforms is a clear indication of how strongly the public opposes the idea.

Facing constituents in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, yesterday, Specter said he "wouldn't support a bill that extends coverage to illegal immigrants." However, Specter went on to state erroneously that "none of the bills in Congress would provide health insurance to illegal immigrants."

Will Specter keep his word? I don't know. He's an opportunist and if Obama puts enough pressure on him, Specter would sell out his Pennsylvania constituents.

Read the full release at the link below:

Specter Promises to Oppose Health Care Reform That Covers Illegal Aliens

Less than a week after a district judge threw out the case citing a lack of evidence, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has refiled corruption charges against former state Rep. Mike Veon, the onetime No. 2 Democratic leader in the state House of Representatives.

This time, Corbett wants a real judge -- someone on the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas -- not a district justice -- to hear the case.

That makes a big difference. District judges are elected locally and do not have to have any legal background. (In two local races for district judge in the Pottstown area, a hairdresser and a landscaper were on the ballot.)

The attorney general's office also asked for the proceedings against former Beaver County Rep. Mike Veon and his district office supervisor, Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink, to be heard by a Dauphin County Common Pleas judge.

District judges often make bad decisions and the AG obviously believes Harrisburg District Judge Joseph Solomon was over his head in one of the biggest corruption cases brought against a powerful political figure.

Mike Veon and his district office supervisor, Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink are accused of illegally diverting taxpayer dollars through the Beaver Initiative for Growth, a nonprofit agency he controlled, to hire consultants, rent office space and handle various political and legislative chores, according to The Associated Press.

They are both charged with theft, misapplication of entrusted property, conflict of interest and conspiracy, the wire service reports.

From The Associated Press:

Judge Solomon prosecutors argued, improperly let defense lawyers delve into irrelevant issues and inadmissible evidence during an eight-hour preliminary hearing last week to determine if the case should advance to county court.

"It is clear from (his) comments that he expected the commonwealth to present 'conclusive' evidence or proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," wrote Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek. "This is contrary to the well-established standard applied to preliminary hearings."

Barack Obama has found the perfect Supreme Court nominee in Sonia Sotomayor.

Far-left radical. Check.

Judicial Activist. Check.

Female. Check.

Minority. Check.

Those appear to be Sotomayor's chief qualifications for serving on the Supreme Court.

This is a woman who has said publicly that "empathy" is as important as the law when considering cases. From The Washington Post: Sotomayor "has stirred controversy by saying that judges' legal findings are informed by their own life experiences as well as their legal research."

This is a woman has has stated publicly (it's on tape) that judges have a policy-making role. And I thought the Constitution reserved that right for the Legislative branch. Has Sotomayor ever read the Constitution?

This is a woman who believes in racial quotas and supports partial-birth abortion.

This is the country's worst nightmare in electing Barack Obama last November. The radicals will take over the Supreme Court and will change this country by decree.

It's clear that the Sotomayor nomination is payback to the far-left loons who helped Obama get elected. Obama did not pick the most qualified person for the job, just someone who fit the liberal stereotype of a judge.

From The New Republic:

The most consistent concern was that Sotomayor, although an able lawyer, was "not that smart and kind of a bully on the bench," as one former Second Circuit clerk for another judge put it. "She has an inflated opinion of herself, and is domineering during oral arguments, but her questions aren't penetrating and don't get to the heart of the issue."

Which carries more weight among Republican voters: The state GOP committee's endorsement or the backing of two of the state's biggest newspapers?

Three Republicans are running for the party's nomination to seek a vacant seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. All three are currently serving on the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

The state party is backing Judge Joan Orie Melvin. The other candidates are Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen and Judge Paul Panepinto.

All three candidates earned a "highly recommended" designation from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, but Allen has picked up key media endorsements

Allen is recommended by two of the state's leading liberal newspapers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Will the endorsements help or hurt Allen? We'll find out on May 19.

Allen has also been endorsed by LifePAC and Firearms Owners Against Crime.

Melvin has her own impressive list of endorsements including: PA Chamber of Business and Industry; PA State Troopers Association; PA State Corrections Officers Association and the NRA.

Panepinto is endorsed by LIFEPAC 2009 and the NRA.

The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Jack Panella, also a Superior Court judge, who is running unopposed.

For more on Allen, check out her campaign Web site.

For more on Melvin, check out her campaign Web site.

For more on Panepinto, visit his campaign Web site.

From The Associated Press: In this Sept. 12, 2008, file photo Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at the McConnell Center in Dover, N.H. "I can make a firm pledge," he said there. "Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." That pledge went up in smoke Wednesday, April 1, 2009, when the largest increase in tobacco taxes, took effect, a tax that disproportionately affects the poor.

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That's what 137 guilty verdicts looks like. A jury has found former state Sen. Vince Fumo, a Philadelphia Democrat and longtime political ally of Gov. Ed Rendell, guilty of all 137 counts in his five-month-long corruption trial.

The verdicts may not mean much to the average Philadelphia resident, but should send shock waves down the spines of Harrisburg politicians.

Taxpayers are fed up with self-serving professional politicians. Pennsylvania residents have had it with corruption. Vince Fumo, at age 65 and with a bad heart, probably will spend the rest of his life behind bars. And he'll going to have plenty of company.

Don't be surprised if the 12 "Bonusgate" defendants start looking for a plea bargain in return for testifying against the bigger fish up the food chain.

In today's climate, you don't want to take your chances with jurors who are looking to punish the people who have lined their own pockets at taxpayers' expense.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy says 8 out of 10 fathers don't ever marry the teen mother of their child.

Hello Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin.

"Marriage and birth patterns among teens have changed over time, shifting from a general trend of marrying before pregnancy, to marrying as a result of pregnancy, to becoming pregnant and not marrying," said Sarah Brown, CEO of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "Even though many unmarried teen mothers have high expectations for eventually marrying the father of their child, few ever do."

Read more at the link below:

Teens, Relationships, and Marriage

I was flipping through the TV channels Tuesday night when I came across Barack Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress. It took my brain a few seconds to process the image of Obama, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi at the podium. First I thought I was watching a skit on "Saturday Nigh Live" but that couldn't be the case because it wasn't Saturday. The reality is finally setting in. These are the people we put in charge of the country? These are now the No. 1-2-3 leaders of the United States? An inexperienced community organizer/lawyer five years removed from the Illinois state legislature? A gaffe-prone career politician from Delaware? A 69-year-old Valley Girl?

United States Mint Launches First Redesigned Lincoln One-Cent Coin in 50 Years at Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace

William Warren, writing at GetLiberty.org, says the Obama administration is attempting to pull off one of the most nefarious power grabs since the Watergate era.

Obama is moving the Census Bureau out of the Commerce Department and into control of the White House in a blatant attempt to politicize the counting of Americans.

Why should you be concerned? Because the Democrats, who helped carry out the biggest voter fraud campaign in U.S. history in the November 2008 election, will now attempt to redraw Congressional districts to ensure a permanent Democratic Party majority.

From Warren's column:

If controlling the executive branch and maintaining a majority in both houses of Congress was not already enough power, President Obama is now poised to expand his sphere of authority to engulf the Census Bureau as well.

According to a recent article in CQ Politics, President Obama’s administration will be keeping the as-yet-unnamed director of the Census Bureau on a tight leash and under a watchful eye. Adding an extra layer of significance to this is the fact that the next national head-counting—performed every 10 years—is scheduled for 2010.

As the article explains, a senior White House official stated last Thursday that the director will "work closely with" the Obama administration—rather than reporting solely to the Commerce Secretary.

This story comes on the heels of an even more troubling report the previous day that the Census Bureau director would "report directly to" the Obama administration and completely bypass the Commerce Secretary. Apparently, the White House officials toned down the rhetoric after Republicans "accused the White House of attempting to gain advantage in the politically delicate process of counting Americans and of violating the law by circumventing the Commerce secretary."

Warren cautions about allowing the Obama power-grab to succeed.

There is no question that the Census process should be firmly off-limits to politics. The firewall of separation that has guarded the delicate head-counting process from potential corruption must not be breached at this time.

Barack Obama has promised transparency time and time again. Allowing him and Rahm Emanuel to dictate the activities of the Census Bureau would equate to nothing less than a veiled totalitarian power-grab and be yet another step away from the "hope and change" the Obama campaign so misleadingly promised the American people.

Read the full column, "Resisting the Politicization of the National Census," at GetLiberty.org

While working on such front-page news as Obama complaining that his kids missed a day of school in Washington, D.C., because of a few inches of snow, the Obama Media missed out on reporting the first major crisis of the new administration.

And it's not the pattern of tax cheats Obama picked for his cabinet.

A natural disaster struck parts of the United States last week, leaving 55 dead and hundreds of thousands without power. The federal government's response was anemic. More could have been done to help the victims.

If you're wondering why the latest failing by FEMA was not reported by the mainstream media (know known as the Obama Media), you're not alone.

From Investor's Business Daily: "Katrina crashes into New Orleans, FEMA responds feebly and President Bush is blamed for the loss of life and limb. Winter smacks middle America, killing 55, FEMA's late again, but President Obama gets a pass."

The newspapers say it's no surprise that Obama's failings are being covered up by the mainstream media. After all, Obama could not have been elected president without the full cooperation and direct intervention of the liberal media.

But this is more than just another beef about liberal media bias. It's about life and death. It's about holding elected officials accountable.

From Investor's Business Daily, which finds remarkable similarities in the federal government's response to Katrina and the ice storms that hit several states last week:

Obama, whose administration on taking office vilified Bush on Katrina, has done no more for the victims of the winter storm. Yet no tirade has been forthcoming from either the media or the loopy orbit of Celebrity Planet.

The double standard is what we've come to expect, but it's not what we should continue to accept.

Read the full editorial at the newspaper's Web site.

"I screwed up," President Barack Obama said during a recent TV interview when asked about the Tom Daschle tax flap. "I take responsibility for this mistake."

How could The Chosen One have made a mistake?

His adoring supporters and the Obama media have told us repeatedly that Obama is the second coming. He is the messiah. He is The One. He is perfection. He is incapable of making a mistake.

Look at that photo. He's even got a halo around his head.

How many mistakes has he made in just two weeks in office?

I'm confused. This is a real crisis of faith for Obama-maniacs.

Sarah Palin is here to stay.

Much to the chagrin of the elite media that despises a strong female leader who espouses traditional America values, Gov. Palin has launched her own Political Action Committee.

The move could be a prelude to a presidential run in 2012 and it can also help the Alaska governor raise money for other conservative candidates.

Sarah Palin's Official PAC is dedicated to "to building America's future, supporting fresh ideas and candidates who share our vision for reform and innovation," according to the Web site.

More on the committee's mission:

SarahPAC believes America's best days are ahead. Our country, founded on conservative principles and the fight for freedom, must confront the challenges of the 21st century with integrity, innovation, and determination.

SarahPAC believes energy independence is a cornerstone of the economic security and progress that every American family wants and deserves.

SarahPAC believes the Republican Party is at the threshold of an historic renaissance that will build a better future for all. Health care, education, and reform of government are among our key goals.

Visitors can sign up for e-mail alerts, donate to the PAC or learn more about Palin.

The Web site is http://www.sarahpac.com/

Is this what your local newsstand will look like after the Obama coronation Tuesday? Any truth to the rumor Obama will set up a Ministry of Truth to review all publications in the United States?

350,000 Americans have already signed an online pledge to resist Obama's far-left agenda.

To find out more, follow the link below:

In a Sea of Obama Love, There's a Voice of Patriotic Resistance

The cult of personality surrounding Barack Obama has gone from the ridiculous to the absurd. Obama as superhero? Gimme a break!

Did you hear the news that Marvel is featuring 'The Chosen One' in a special edition of Spider-Man comics?

Your heard right. Obama and Spider-Man team up to save the world.

From an Associated Press account:

The comic starts with Spider-Man's alter-ego Peter Parker taking photographs at the inauguration, before spotting two identical Obamas.

Parker decides "the future president's gonna need Spider-Man," and springs into action, using basketball to determine the real Obama and punching out the impostor.
Obama thanks him with a fist-bump.

Obama has said that as a child, he collected Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comic books. His Senate Web site used to have a photo of him posing in front of a Superman statue.

Amazing Spider-Man Issue #583 goes on sale Jan. 14 for $3.99. Don't be surprised if the comic book sells out.

And keep an eye out for the Obama breakfast cereal coming soon to a store near you.

The 2009 Butter Sculpture, commissioned for the 93rd annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, was unveiled in Harrisburg this week. The sculpture, made up of 900 pounds of butter donated by Land O' Lakes Inc., is dedicated to the Pennsylvania National Guard. The scene depicts a Guardsman saluting his family as he prepares for deployment. The 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show, billed as the largest indoor agricultural event in America, runs from Jan. 10-17 at the the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, off Exit 67 of Interstate 81 in Harrisburg. Hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, with the exception of the last day ending at 5 p.m. Admission is free, but parking is $8. Shuttle buses will take you to the show from nearby parking lots. For more information, visit http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us

"Americans always say they don't like royalty and hereditary connections. On the other hand, they really like families like the Kennedys."

That statement by N.Y. state Rep. Peter King, a Republican would is considering a run for one of New York's U.S. Senate seats, sums up the disturbing trend of a handful of families holding political power in the United States.

While we have the Bush family on the Republican side, it's mostly a Democratic trend, with Clintons and Kennedys leading the way.

Politico, the online political Web site, examines what some find as a disturbing trend toward an aristocracy handing political power to offspring and relatives.

Hell, even Jesse Jackson managed to get his son elected to Congress.

From the article by Charles Mahtesian:

All told, it's entirely possible that the Senate will be comprised of nearly a dozen congressional offspring by the end of Obama's first term as president.

"It's a very interesting American phenomenon, even though there is a line in the Constitution that says no title of nobility may be granted by the United States," says Stephen Hess, a senior fellow emeritus at the Brookings Institution and the author of "America's Political Dynasties." "Given where we started, it's interesting that this has developed."

Almost everyone agrees that the high cost of elections is making the world's most exclusive club seem even more exclusive. According to some estimates, the cost of winning Clinton's New York Senate seat in the special election in 2010 and the general election in 2012 will be in the neighborhood of $70 million.

"There are three issues behind this trend," said Bob Edgar, the president of Common Cause and a former Pennsylvania congressman. "Money is issue number one, money is issue number two and money is issue number three."

"It's an enormously expensive process to run for the United States Senate," added Edgar, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 1986. "And once someone runs for a Senate seat, there is a sense of ownership."

Read "Nepotism Nation: Dems embrace dynasty politics" at the Politico Web site.

Do we have a democracy or a monarchy in this country?

What's so special about the Kennedys? Why do they feel entitled to another Senate seat?

Conservative icon Richard Viguerie makes the case against the appointment of Caroline Kennedy to the soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat held by Hillary Clinton.

Despite all the problems facing this country, "the political establishment is putting forth, as a U.S. Senator from New York, a person whose qualification is her last name," Viguerie said.

Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, said there are more qualified candidates to pick from.

"How about a successful business person, or someone else who has shown the ability to run a large, complex organization and bring projects in on time and under budget?" Viguerie asks. "How about someone who has challenged the political orthodoxy on important issues, and won? How about someone who has some significant qualifications for the job, other than being born into the right family?"

Read the full comments by Viguerie at the link below:

Richard Viguerie: In Dangerous Times, New York Needs a Real U.S. Senator

RNC Chairman Responds to President-Elect Obama's Comments Regarding Governor Blagojevich

The Rev. George M. Docherty, whose sermon inspired the campaign to add the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, died on Thanksgiving Day.

Rev. Docherty passed away after a lengthy illness at his home in central Pennsylvania at the age of 97, according to The Associated Press.

A native of Scotland, Rev. Docherty never heard the Pledge of Allegiance recited until he moved to the United States in 1950, where he became pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

From an Associated Press story about Rev. Docherty's efforts to amend the Pledge:

He was unfamiliar with the pledge until he heard it recited by his 7-year-old son, Garth.

"I didn't know that the Pledge of Allegiance was, and he recited it, 'one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,'" he recalled in an interview with The Associated Press in 2004. "I came from Scotland, where we said 'God save our gracious queen,' 'God save our gracious king.' Here was the Pledge of Allegiance, and God wasn't in it at all."

Docherty then wrote a sermon saying that the Pledge of Allegiance should acknowledge God.There was little effect after he first delivered the sermon to a group of clergy visiting Washington in 1952; a 1953 bill went nowhere.

But two years later, after learning that Eisenhower would be in the congregation, Docherty decided to deliver it again, hoping it would inspire the president.

From the pulpit that morning, he said the pledge was missing "the characteristic and definitive factor in the American way of life. Indeed, apart from the mention of the phrase 'the United States of America,' it could be the pledge of any Republic. In fact, I could hear little Muscovites repeat a similar pledge to their hammer and sickle flag in Moscow with equal solemnity."

The next day, Rep. Charles G. Oakman, R-Mich., introduced a bill to add the phrase "under God" to the pledge; a companion bill was then introduced in the Senate. Eisenhower signed the new law on Flag Day.

That's Rev. Docherty in the photo with his wife, Sue, in a 2004 file photo.

The following is the Thanksgiving Day proclamation by President Bush:

Thanksgiving is a time for families and friends to gather together and express gratitude for all that we have been given, the freedoms we enjoy, and the loved ones who enrich our lives. We recognize that all of these blessings, and life itself, come not from the hand of man but from Almighty God.

Every Thanksgiving, we remember the story of the Pilgrims who came to America in search of religious freedom and a better life. Having arrived in the New World, these early settlers gave thanks to the Author of Life for granting them safe passage to this abundant land and protecting them through a bitter winter. Our Nation's first President, George Washington, stated in the first Thanksgiving proclamation that "It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor." While in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln revived the tradition of proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, asking God to heal our wounds and restore our country.

Today, as we look back on the beginnings of our democracy, Americans recall that we live in a land of many blessings where every person has the right to live, work, and worship in freedom. Our Nation is especially thankful for the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who protect these rights while setting aside their own comfort and safety. Their courage keeps us free, their sacrifice makes us grateful, and their character makes us proud. Especially during the holidays, our whole country keeps them and their families in our thoughts and prayers.

Americans are also mindful of the need to share our gifts with others, and our Nation is moved to compassionate action. We pay tribute to all caring citizens who reach out a helping hand and serve a cause larger than themselves.

On this day, let us all give thanks to God who blessed our Nation's first days and who blesses us today. May He continue to guide and watch over our families and our country always.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 27, 2008, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to strengthen the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

SOURCE White House Press Office

Does anyone else find this image disturbing? The mural of President-elect Barack Obama is painted on the side of a restaurant in Chicago. Shades of Big Brother or Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez. The cult of personality surrounding Obama is getting out of hand.

Must be nice to be rich and famous. President-elect Barack Obama and his wife have a choice to make about where to send their daughters to school.

Will they choose an exclusive private school or the failed Washington, D.C., school system? What do you think?

Wealthy families like the Obamas have a choice of where to send their kids to school. Most Americans do not.

Funny how Obama catered to the teachers' unions during the campaign and would not support school choice, isn't it?

The Alliance for School Choice has launched a new campaign - Let Parents Choose - to help build support for school choice, something Sen. John McCain backed during the campaign. Perhaps the Obamas would now like to join the effort.

Read more about the School Choice campaign at POLICY BLOG or go directly to http://www.letparentschoose.org/

POLICY BLOG also has a companion site called SchoolChoiceSaves.org that worth a visit.

Sarah Palin has returned home to Alaska, where she still has two years left in her term as governor, but a lot of people are already trying to figure out a way to bring Palin to Washington.

Amanda Carpenter, writing at Townhall.com, sees two scenarios where Palin could end up being the next U.S. Senator from Alaska.

From Carpenter's blog post:

As we wait for the final results to come in about Ted Steven's Senate race many of you have been wondering about Sarah Palin's options for the slot.

I have all the relevant Alaskan state law statutes in front of me so let me run down the scenarios for you.

SCENARIO 1) If Ted Stevens loses, Democrat Mark Begich becomes Alaska's new senator. Palin can challenge Lisa Murkowski for her seat in 2010. (This would be fitting since Palin unseated Murkowski's father. It would be interesting to watch Palin go after the daughter, too.)

SCENARIO 2) Ted Stevens wins and then the Senate refuses to seat him. Or, Stevens does the right thing and resigns.

If this happens and Palin wanted to get his seat she would be best off temporarily appointing someone else and running for the seat straight up in a special election. This is because Alaskan law requires a special election and while Palin may be able to temporarily appoint herself the laws on this are too new and confusing to mess with.

This might be a great move for Palin. As we we've just learned with the election of Barack Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, experience is no longer required to be elected president. A couple of years in the Senate and you, too, can be president.

And imagine Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton on the same floor of the U.S. Senate. That alone is worth the price of admission.

In case you missed it (and you probably did since the liberal media can't be bothered with these types of stories), Palin was exonerated earlier this week in the "Troopergate" incident.

An independent investigator found no fault with Palin's firing an Alaska official. This was the official investigation by an independent counsel hired by the state personnel board.

The earlier "investigation" that got so much media coverage was done by a legislative panel controlled by Democrats. In other words, it was a political hatchet-job, the kind the liberal media likes to report on when Republicans are the target.

With "Troopergate" behind her, there's nothing hold Sarah Palin from coming to Washington ... and preparing for a possible presidential run in 2012.

Read Carpenter's full post at Townhall.com

The Empire State Building in New York is lit up in blue and red tonight, symbolizing the Democratic and Republican colors, but it appears it will be all blue tomorrow as Barack Obama appears to be headed toward the White House.

What is this obsession photographers have with Sarah Palin's legs? At almost every campaign stop, a photographer, typically from The Associated Press, will take a ground level shot of Palin from behind. Sexism? You bet. Until we start getting some photos of Joe Biden's legs, the only conclusion is that the wire service wants to remind voters that Palin is "just a girl" and can't be trusted to serve as vice president.

Joe Wurzelbacher, the plumber from Toledo, Ohio, who confronted Barack Obama about taxes, could end up swinging the election to John McCain.

Wurzelbacher asked Obama to explain how the liberal Democrat's plan to raise taxes for Americans earning $250,000 or more would not hurt small business owners.

Obama had no explanation other than to say that "When you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

Translation? Obama plans to take money away from small business owners through higher taxes and "spread" it around to people who don't pay taxes.

There's another word for Obama's scheme. It's called welfare.

That brief exchange between Wurzelbacher and Obama crystallized the basic choice in this year's presidential election.

Obama is pushing big government, higher taxes, protectionism, forced unionization and socialized medicine.

McCain says he will freeze government spending, eliminate pork and cut taxes for all Americans.

McCain made reference to Joe the plumber numerous times in Wednesday's presidential debate, saying he doesn't want to raise taxes on Joe or any other working American.

From The Associated Press:

Wurzelbacher watched Wednesday night's debate and said he still thinks Senator Obama's plan would keep him from buying the small business that employs him. About Senator McCain: "He's got it right as far as I go." Even so, Mr. Wurzelbacher declined to say who was getting his vote. He said he was surprised that he was called "Joe the Plumber" repeatedly during the debate. "It's pretty surreal, man, my name being mentioned in a presidential campaign."

If McCain pulls out this election, he may have to offer Wurzelbacher a job as White House plumber.

Has anyone else noticed that the bigger the lead Barack Obama takes in polls the more the stock market drops?

Investors have lost $2.5 trillion so far during the month of October. The same 10-day period corresponds with a widening lead for Obama over John McCain in most election polls.

It appears that Wall Street is signaling that an Obama presidency would spell disaster for the U.S. economy.

If you think things are bad now, wait until Obama imposes higher taxes, more government regulation, forced government-run health-care and restricts trade.

Does an Obama presidency remind anyone of the Jimmy Carter years? Double-digit inflation, interest rates at 20 percent and a malaise that hung over the U.S. economy for years.

This is what Obama is offering and investors are reacting by pulling out of the stock market in anticipation of an Obama presidency.

Check out this post at PAWaterCooler, "100 Economists Sign Letter Opposing Barack Obama’s Economic Policies"

An hour doesn't go by without a liberal newspaper, TV network or blog coming up with another smear of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. (And we're not even talking about the Obama campaign, which has sent an army of lawyers and investigators to Alaska to dig up dirt on Gov. Palin.)

Palin's popular appeal has discombobulated the Democratic Party and their media allies.

They don't know what to make of John McCain's vice presidential running mate, so they work round-the-clock to dig up dirt on Palin.

That's where Fight The Palin Smears.com comes in. The new Web site is dedicated to setting the record straight about far-left attacks on Gov. Palin.

Check out the site at http://www.fightthepalinsmears.com/

A Quinnipiac University poll released today shows Sen. John McCain in a statistical tie with Sen. Barack Obama in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Obama still leads in Pennsylvania, 48 percent to McCain's 45 percent, but that is withing the poll's statistical margin of error, so the race is essentially tied in the Keystone State, according to Quinnipiac.

The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute measured boosts for McCain in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida since the announcement of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate.

According to the poll, McCain leads Obama in Florida by a 50-43 percent margin. In Ohio, Obama leads by a 49-44 percent margin.

"Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin apparently is attracting white women likely voters to Arizona Sen. John McCain, helping him pull away from Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in Florida and narrow the gap with the Democrat in Pennsylvania, even as he is slipping slightly in Ohio," according to a press release issued by Quinnipiac University pollsters.

The release also notes that "No one has been elected President since 1960 without taking two of these three largest swing states in the Electoral College."

With Florida looking safe for the GOP, a win in Ohio or Pennsylvania by McCain could tip the election to the Republicans.

Since Aug. 26, McCain's support among white women is up four percentage points in Ohio and five points in Pennsylvania, and dropped two points in Florida, where it was high to start, the release says.

"White women, a key demographic group in any national election, appear to be in play, with some movement towards Sen. McCain in Pennsylvania and Ohio," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Obviously Gov. Sarah Palin is having the impact that Sen. McCain hoped when he selected her."

To read the full poll results, visit the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Web site.

Election Day is still more than 55 days away, but the The New York Post has made up its mind on which candidate should be elected the next president of the United States.

It's John McCain, according to the Post editorial board.

The Post is the first major U.S. newspaper to pick sides in the upcoming election, months before most newspapers typically publish endorsement editorials. In 2004, the left-leaning Philadelphia Inquirer published 17 consecutive endorsement editorials for John Kerry, but most newspapers usually wait until a few days before the election to endorse.

Here's why the Post believes McCain should be elected president:

McCain's lifelong record of service to America, his battle-tested courage, unshakeable devotion to principle and clear grasp of the dangers and opportunities now facing the nation stand in dramatic contrast to the tissue-paper-thin résumé of his Democratic opponent, freshman Sen. Barack Obama.

From the Post editorial:

McCain has been in Washington for many years now, but he is not of Washington. He knows where the levers of power are located - and how to manipulate them - but he is not controlled by them.

McCain's selection of the charming, but rock-solid, outsider Sarah Palin as his running mate underscores the point.

Neither plays well with others.

And this is an unalloyed asset at a time when special interests - lobbyists, lawyers and organized labor chief among them - wield enormous influence in the nation's capital.

McCain's Democratic opponents, Obama and Sen. Joseph Biden, lead a party constructed of special interests - public-employee unionists in particular.

The newspaper goes on to make the case that McCain is better than Obama on national security, taxes, trade and energy.

Read the full editorial at the newspaper's Web site.

Nielsen Media Research reports that 38.9 million people watched Sen. John McCain's Sept. 4 acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, outdrawing Sen. Barack Obama's Aug. 28 stadium speech by a half-million people.

Obama's speech in Denver was viewed by 38.4 million people, according to Nielsen, which tracks viewers on six commercial networks.

And this interesting nugget from The Associated Press:

With Sarah Palin's speech on Wednesday, more people watched the Republican convention this week than the Democrats the previous week.

The AP added audience estimates provided by the liberal-leaning Public Broadcasting System, claiming the audiences for each speech was a virtual tie.

PBS says 3.5 million people watched McCain's speech on PBS on Sept. 4, but the same network claims 4 million people watched Obama's speech on PBS on Aug. 28. Those numbers sound fishy.

If you add both the commercial networks and PBS numbers, each speech was viewed by an estimated 42.4 million.

Either way, it's a huge victory for the GOP. The liberal media left the Republican Party for dead during the primary races and has openly promoted an Obama presidency.

Despite the pro-Obama media, the American people will get the final say on the next president on Nov. 4.

I can't believe the Obama-lovers are actually going to use the experience factor to criticize Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The last thing any Democrat wants to bring up is how inexperienced Barack Obama is to be president. (What's next? A comparison of John McCain's military record to Barack Obama's military record?)

Look at this way. Palin is running for vice president. If she gets in with John McCain, she'll have plenty of time to earn more experience. What's Obama going to do if he's elected president? Name Joe Biden as "acting president" until Obama gets enough training for the job?

SAVE THE GOP has an excellent comparison of the political experience of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. The key numbers: Palin Executive Experience - 8 years; Obama Executive Experience - 0 days.

A map showing the I-80 Preliminary Toll Locations is on display during a news conference at the state Capitol in Harrisburg Wednesday. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has narrowed its list of potential locations for nine toll collection sites along Interstate 80. The 20 zones under consideration cover most of the 311-mile roadway across Pennsylvania. Final sites will be selected in the fall.