Drew McKissick's blog

In a preview of what a stronger European Union government will look like when it comes to religious freedom, Italians were stunned to hear that the European Court of Human Rights ruled that they had been violating the "religious and educational rights" of their children for generations by forcing them to attend school in classrooms with crucifixes hanging on their walls.

The court's decision came about as a result of a 2002 complaint:

...a Finnish-born mother of two children in the Italian school system objected to the crucifixes in their classrooms. The school principal was unmoved. Italy's Constitutional Court dismissed her complaint. So she filed a case in Strasbourg, France, and now she's won.

The Euro court's ruling hasn't exactly had the intended effect.  In fact, quite the opposite.

The response? Outrage, a swelling popular rebellion, even, against the prospect that because of one woman's agitation, the entire country may have to rid its schools of a treasured symbol that as much bespeaks Italian cultural identity as it does Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

Mayors and town councils across Italy are not only refusing to remove crucifixes from their schools, but are buying new ones and putting them up in places where they don't already hang.  read more »

Super Boots

Just how many jobs has the "stimulus" created?  Today's Wall Street Joural points to an interesting claim by the Obama administration...

"...how many Americans does it take to make nine pairs of work boots? According to the White House's recovery.gov site, an $890 shoe order for the Army Corps of Engineers, courtesy of the stimulus package, created nine new jobs at Moore's Shoes & Services in Campbellsville, Kentucky. ..."

Yep.  Super Boots.  Able to create multiple jobs in a single laceup.

Guess who's not arresting illegal aliens...

Well, I'll give you three guesses, and the last two don't count.

(Via the WashTimes) It seems that arrests, indictments and/or convictions of illegal immigrants have fallen by over 50% since this time last year.  And we all know what happened about a year ago.

GOP Representative Lamar Smith points out that lax enforcement on illegal alien workers means less jobs for Americans - in a time when (ahem) jobs are getting harder to come by. 

CNN forced to admit the truth  read more »

Given all the attention paid to the election results in Virginia and New Jersey, it was easy to miss if you weren't paying attention, but voters in Maine comfortably passed a referendum overturning their state legislature's recent enactment of a gay marriage law in that state.

After the law legalizing gay marriage was passed and signed by their governor this past summer, conservatives got organized and initiated a petition to get what amounts to a "citizen's veto" put on the ballot, which allows the public to overrule laws passed by the legislature.  (Imagine have that option on things passed in DC!)

After being outspent almost two to one, to say nothing of having to fight against the mainstream media as well, traditional marriage supporters came out on top and passed the referendum by approximately 53% to 47%.

This was special for a few reasons.

First, it was the first time that voters have been able to overturn gay marriage in a state where it was put in place by a state legislature, (as opposed to the usual suspects of liberal judges).

Second, it continues the unbroken string of thirty-one victories in a row where traditional marriage has been on the ballot.  In fact, voters in no state whatsoever have ever approved gay marriage when they were given the option.

Which should give a little pause to the liberal Democrats in Washington with designs on overturning the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

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After almost a year of big, new spending proposals - to say nothing of the tab that will come along with government run health care - the White House is signaling that this year's one and a half trillion dollar deficit might be a political problem that needs to be dealt with after all. 

It's a good bet that what this really represents is their recognition of what's happening in elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York - and their trying to inoculate themselves against similar political damage in the future.

From the Washington Times... 

Anxiety about the deficit has fueled the anger of the conservative "tea party" activists, riled by government spending and debt, and it has seeded reservations about the long-term price tags of signature items on the president's agenda...

A speech last week by Christina D. Romer, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, looked at the reasons for the deficit and at how it relates to health care reform. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday to make clear that the administration recognizes the deficit is growing too large.

"Well, it's going to have to come down. Now it's too high, and I think everybody understands this," Mr. Geithner said. "The president's very committed to bring down these deficits."  read more »

Spending, schmending...

The Wall Street Journal has a great op-ed out today looking at government spending, as in how high it already is, and how much more the DC crowd wants to pile on top of it.

"The White House disclosed the other day that the fiscal 2009 budget deficit clocked in at $1.4 trillion, amid the usual promises to do something about it. Yet even as budget director Peter Orszag was speaking, House Democrats were moving on a dozen spending bills for fiscal 2010 that total 12.1% in more domestic discretionary increases. "

Yep, you read that right.  12.1%  And how much of that do you think is "one time only" spending, instead of "systemic"?  (hint: none)

They point out that from 2001-2008, the GOP raised spending at about double the rate of inflation...while the current crop of Democrats are besting inflation by six to one.

Quote of the Week:

The big spending ways of Congressional Democrats brings us to this quote of the week from New York's Church Schumer on Meet the Press.

He stated that:  "Barack Obama and we Democrats-this is counterintuitive but true-are really trying to get a handle on balancing the budget and we're making real efforts to do it."

No shame.

Poll: 33% Say U.S. Is Heading In The Right Direction (67% really paying attention...)  read more »

from 'round the sphere...

Democracy, shlemocracy...

Newt Gingrich points
out the undemocratic way the health care reform bill is being put
together...as in by just a few senators and their staff members.

Think about it: All of the power of the United States Senate to
transform one-sixth of our economy will be in the hands of three men
and their aides. It's government by staff, aided by lobbyists, for the
benefit of bureaucrats.

No wonder so many Democrats in Congress are so dead set against having
members read - and more importantly, allowing the American people to
read - bills before they vote on them. ...

Just 5 more days for that Specter refund  read more »

Cast your vote in our latest poll...then add your comments.

What are your main concerns about recently proposed health care reforms?

Your options:

• The costs
• Potential rationing of health care
• Public funding of abortion
• Loss of personal liberty
• The government run "public option" in general
• All of the above
• Other

 Click here to cast you vote and comment.

***

TAKE ACTION: contact your members of Congress and let them know how you feel.

This whole using kids as props / tools for Obama (and Obamacare) is really getting out of hand...  (By the way, I'm sure CNN "fact-checked" these kids song, just like they did the SNL skit that lampooned Obama).

The folks in Montana - Democrat Governor included - have struck a blow for states' rights and against the "enlarged" understanding of the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution (through which so much of big government has been driven).

From Volokh:    read more »

Early last month the Obama Administration moved to rescind a current regulation the protects the conscience rights of America's health care workers.  Meaning they would no longer be able to decline to perform health care related "services", (ie: abortion), on the grounds of their conscience and/or religious convictions.

So how do Americans feel about this issue?  Well, thanks to a survey conducted on behalf of the Christian Medical Association, we now have a poll which answers that question.

From the survey:

"A sizable 87% of American adults surveyed believe it is important to 'make sure that healthcare professionals in America are not forced to participate in procedures and practices to which they have moral objections.'"  read more »