Eric Holder was informed of border agent’s death immediately

Every friday night for the past month the DOJ has been doing a “document dump” … responding to inquiries on Fast and Furious. Friday is the designated day because traditionally, Friday night news is “old news” by the time people begin turning back in on Monday morning. Thanks to social media that is no longer the case, and bloggers and online journalists are quick to dissect these document dumps each week. Here’s what was found this week, according to MRC TV at BigGovernment:

Late Friday night, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released documents that show Attorney General Eric Holder was alerted of border patrol agent Brian Terry’s death the day it occurred- contradicting Holder’s statements when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee on May 3, 2011. At the time, Holder said he was informed of Terry’s murder only “a few weeks” before the hearing.

Matthew Boyle at the Daily Caller has the story:

“An email from one official, whose name has been redacted from the document, to now-former Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke reads: “On December 14, 2010, a BORTAC agent working in the Nogales, AZ AOR was shot. The agent was conducting Border Patrol operations 18 miles north of the international boundary when he encountered [redacted word] unidentified subjects. Shots were exchanged resulting in the agent being shot. At this time, the agent is being transported to an area where he can be air lifted to an emergency medical center.”

That email was sent at 2:31 a.m. on the day Terry was shot. One hour later, a follow-up email read: “Our agent has passed away.”

Burke forwarded those two emails to Holder’s then-deputy chief of staff Monty Wilkinson later that morning, adding that the incident was “not good” because it happened “18 miles w/in” the border.

Wilkinson responded to Burke shortly thereafter and said the incident was “tragic.” “I’ve alerted the AG [Holder], the Acting DAG, Lisa, etc.”

Congress is not done with Holder; he is scheduled for more appearances to testify before Congress. Our Congressman Trey Gowdy has been doing an outstanding job during these hearings, look for more from those hearings soon.

January 29, 2012  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Jim DeMint on National School Choice Week

Here are some of Senator DeMint’s remarks at a Heritage Foundation event:

Yesterday, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) spoke at The Heritage Foundation as part of National School Choice Week and to mark the release of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) Report Card on American Education. The report ranks America’s K-12 schools in terms of performance and progress over the past year, as well as reforms and education policies.

Senator DeMint says that in seeking to improve education, policymakers could take some lessons from the free market — a system that has served America well:

“We were the only country that was a bottom-up country, very decentralized and individualistic, while most other countries were kings and dictators and top-down. We are millions of people making their own decisions about what they want to do and what they value.”

We only need to look at the impact of consumer technologies like the iPad or iPhone to see how the free market results in “dynamic change” and “continuous improvement” in the products we buy. Yet, in a market as “foundational to freedom” as education, individual choices are severely limited, DeMint explained. Rather than this top-down model, the Senator believes that education could be more efficient and produce better results if individuals were empowered:

“America doesn’t work unless it works at the individual level, and it can’t work at the individual level unless we have the best education system in the world. And we can if we use the models that work in America that make us exceptional. And that is a decentralized model with individuals making their own decision about what they value.”

States like Arizona are doing just that, working to drive education decision-making down to the family level. In Arizona, parents of students with special needs can have 90 percent of the money the public school would have spent on their child deposited into an education savings account if they choose to remove their child from the public system. Parents can then spend that money on a range of education-related expenses, private school tuition, online learning, special education services, and even college savings. Education savings accounts are empowering Arizona parents to craft a customized education for their children.

Today the school choice movement is stronger than ever. As Senator DeMint noted:

“If we don’t assume that public education means government education, if we assume that public education means the best that America can give to every student in the country, if that’s how we think about education, we will have the best education in the world.”

And that’s why Senator DeMint is a great spokesperson and advocate for this issue. He ably explains this is an issue of liberty and parental empowerment, the free market, and competition which leads to better education for all. And should not a territorial tug of war between elected officials, school districts with bloated admin salaries and budgets, and parents who want to choose the best education for their child.

January 29, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

North Area Precinct Meeting

Kathy Behlert has spearheaded a number of great grassroots efforts this year, she’s worked on school board and precinct issues, which are key to us bringing good governance to Spartanburg at all levels.

Kathy is facilitating precinct meetings, combined meetings in the “North Area” of Spartanburg, but anyone can attend. Please join your fellow concerned citizens Monday to discuss how to work on party issues, and listen to Sheriff Wright and Clerk of Court Blackley!

North Area Precinct Meeting
Monday – January 30th – 7pm
Sheriff Wright & Clerk of Court Hope Blackley
Gramling United Methodist Church
14941 Ashville Hwy – Inman

I would love to see these district precinct meet ups all over our county! If you would be interested in heading up a meeting of the precincts in your area, I bet Kathy would love to share her thoughts and methods with you! Connect with her at kbeh@windstream.net

January 29, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Our School Choice Rally at Cleveland Park Thursday!

So exciting to be able to participate (although a few days late) in School Choice Week right here in Spartanburg! Click here to RSVP for our event Thursday.

This week SC Congressman Jeff Duncan stood in the House to applaud school choice saying it was a “common sense movement … to give parents the power and freedom to choose what’s best for their children … injecting free market principles into the education system.”

Jeff was not talking about “school shuffling” .. a sly attempt to hop on the school choice bandwagon by telling parents they can provide transport to another public school with the same old secular human curriculum. He called out the need to empower parents to be able to choose “public, charter, private, or home school”. Bravo Congressman Duncan!

If you can help with our event Thursday by arriving early to help with food set up or handing out school choice literature/items please let me know! I can use your help beginning at 5:45 PM on Thursday 2/2. Our event kicks off with a dessert reception at 6:30, and our program begins at 7:00 PM with a special video appearance by Jim DeMint! call me at 864.384.7558 or email me at info@spartanburgteaparty.org if I can count on your help at 5:45. thanks!

January 29, 2012  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Gov Haley … will you defend South Carolina against John McCain’s smears?

Erin McPike at Real Clear Politics reports on recent comments from Romney endorser John McCain:

John McCain has become Mitt Romney’s biggest advocate in this critical early primary state, one that made his own GOP presidential nomination inevitable four years ago.

In an interview with RealClearPolitics after a town-hall meeting with about 100 seniors here, McCain often referred to Romney and his campaign as “we.” At the end of the interview, he asked intensely, “What’s [the RCP polling average] saying about us overnight after the debate?”

A reflection of this sense of ownership was evident in his take on last Saturday’s South Carolina primary, which Gingrich won.

“We haven’t had time to do a real analysis of the Romney race in South Carolina, but once we break that down, there was some element of anti-Mormonism in that vote,” McCain asserted. “I’m not saying all of it, but there were elements there. There was nothing that Mitt Romney could have done.”

South Carolina, our Governor has taken to the airwaves and print media and appeared many times on news and cable networks providing a strong defense for South Carolina against the DOJ, Obama, the NRLB. I look forward to seeing her in the next day or so speak out clearly against this smear by John McCain. I believe she has some influence in the Romney camp. This should be forthcoming quite quickly. I’ll watch for it.

January 28, 2012  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Stop Murtha Ship

I remember this.
Do you remember this?

Jim Hoft at GatewayPundit reports:

Earlier this week the 8th and final Haditha Marine was exonerated.
“Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich agreed to plead guilty Monday to one count of negligent dereliction of duty, ending his trial on manslaughter and related charges for his role in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005.”

SHAME ON JOHN MURTHA—
The former Democratic representive smeared innocent men serving their country.
There was no “murder in cold blood.”

Never forget…
Haditha Was Exploited To Increase Danger To The US, US Troops, And To Noncombatants

Now there is a movement to stop the US Navy from honoring this antiwar Democrat with a ship in his name.

No Murtha Ship! has been created by concerned Navy veterans and their supporters who believe that politicians like John Murtha should be indicted, not celebrated. We are led by Larry Bailey, a retired Navy Captain who spent 27 years as a Navy SEAL.

Larry announced the launch of No Murtha Ship this week after the 8th and final Haditha Marine was exonerated.

Folks, this is the official launch of our effort to convince the Secretary of the Navy that LPD-26, the ship that is to be launched next year, should be named after either a great American city (like her sister LPD, the USS San Antonio) or a true American hero.

Here is our brand-new website: http://www.nomurthaship.com Take a look. Scott Swett did a great job of putting it up, and Linda Eddy did a great job of designing our logo.

We intend to serve notice on Navy Secretary Ray Mabus that it is intolerable to name this fine vessel after John P. Murtha, arguably (and demonstrably) one of the most corrupt politicians ever to sit in Congress.

It should be made clear that we are not connected to any political party or movement; we just want our Navy’s ships to be named appropriately.

Pass the word, please, to your mailing lists. And tell recipients that any money raised over what our actual costs are (website management, advertisements, etc.) will be donated to a worthy military charity. Nobody is on salary, but contributions will be required to keep us up and running.

You will note that checks must be made out to “Larry Bailey/Sink Murtha.” That is because my bank (USAA Bank) would not allow me to open an account under an organizational name. We also have a PayPal account, as you’ll see on the website.

You have my permission to simply forward this e-mail. However you pass the word is all right with me; just get the message out there that we will not allow a corrupt congressman to be honored by the US Navy!

Many thanks to you all!

Larry Bailey

January 27, 2012  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Update on Budget and Control Board

HOW LONG SOUTH CAROLINA? HOW LONG MUST WE TOIL UNDER THIS BURDEN?
(that sounds poetic and familiar)

Erik K Ward reporting at The Nerve brings us this update:

On Tuesday, the Senate plans to resume debating a bill that would abolish the Budget and Control Board (BCB) and create an executive branch Department of Administration in its place.

The bill represents the most far-reaching attempt to make state government more efficient and accountable since the late former Gov. Carroll Campbell, a Republican, successfully pushed for restructuring while serving as the state’s chief executive from 1987 to 1995.

Arguably the biggest question about the bill though is not whether it will pass (it needs just one more affirmative vote from the Senate to do so), but how far it will go toward true change versus fig-leaf reform.

“I think that’s a good assessment,” says Sen. Tom Davis, a Republican from Beaufort County who is working closely on details of the bill, “and there’s going to be another episode in this drama – the empire strikes back.”

But there is pushback from the usual cast of characters. Take a look at Talbert Black’s report on the state of the B&CB at this link.

Ward’s article ends this way:

Regardless, don’t look for the Senate to dispense with the bill quickly.

“It’s going to take us awhile to make sure we get it right,” Massey says.

January 27, 2012  Tags:   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

About David Thomas …

You may remember that David Thomas is one of the legislators who are serving in Columbia while collecting a pension! Perhaps you joined Harry Kibler of RINO Hunt when he held a retirement party for David Thomas back in October.

You also may have taken a look at Thomas’ SC Club for Growth Scorecard, which came out in December. A “C”. Well HEY! He ranks above Larry Martin, Glenn McConnell, and Jake Knotts who all got an “F” … so there’s that. SC Club for Growth is counting on YOU and I to continue to explain to David Thomas that we’d like him to retire for real. Please take a look below at the latest from SC Club for Growth:

—————

Dear concerned South Carolinian,

Are you sick of career politicians saying one thing at home but doing the opposite in Columbia? Are you tired of politicians “watching out” for your money while really just padding their own pockets?

You deserve better.

As the primary draws nearer we need to hold elected officials accountable. As part of that, I would ask that you take 60 seconds to view the commercial below which details one of the most egregious examples of what upsets us about career politicians like Greenville State Senator David Thomas.

If you decide that you’ve had enough of this unethical behavior, please forward this video to other Greenville voters. If like us, you have really had enough, we would ask that you visit the website www.TwofacedThomas.com to learn a little more and perhaps make an online contribution to help put a version of this ad on TV.

We are a group of South Carolinians who are tired of watching politicians create a system they can take advantage of and sticking us, our children and grandchildren with the tab. Over the coming months, you will see us call out other state legislators for this and other issues. In order to get better representation in Columbia, we believe we must hold elected officials accountable for their action.
Let’s get to work.

Phillip Cease
Executive Director

January 26, 2012  Tags: ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

SC Senators want to end jobless benefits for fired workers

Gina Smith reporting at The State:

State senators said Wednesday that they want to make sure that workers who were fired cannot get state unemployment benefits in the future.

A Senate panel Wednesday advanced a bill that would prevent workers fired for misconduct from receiving any state unemployment benefits. Under current law, these workers can get jobless benefits for from five to 20 weeks, depending on the type and severity of their workplace infraction.

The fired workers still would be eligible for up to 58 weeks of federal unemployment benefits under the proposal.

Please note that last sentence. This bill applies only to state unemployment benefits.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg, now heads to the Senate’s full Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee for action.

January 26, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty

I get so psyched reading about what other tea parties in other states are doing! Please visit the website of the Wisconsin GrandSons of Liberty and check out where they are focusing their efforts.

And then scroll down … See how they have a tea party network in their state and individual tea parties are choosing different topics to become Subject Matter Experts on and then they probably share info and take action? BRILLIANT!!!

And before you “go there” … and by “there” I mean “OH we should do that here in SC!” … yes we should! And when you’ve assessed the battlefield and are committed to step up and lead an effort holler and we’ll get started! The tea party movement needs more leaders, not just leaders of organizations, but people who will make it their mission to pick a project and explore and expose and educate the rest of us so we can collectively get behind an effort. We’re making a great start this year, several of you have your own projects and I can’t wait to see how you rock them!

January 25, 2012  Tags: ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment