Thursday, December 20, 2007
Mike Huckabee- Roaring Entrance in Ames- Iowa
A crowd of over 350 in Ames, Iowa wishes the Governor a Merry Christmas and chants "Huckabee!" upon his entrance.
EU Restrictions on Brazilian beef-unanswered questions
The EU's Food and Veterinary Office in its missions to Brazil has encountered chronic abuse of production standards as has an IFA delegation. The US, Australia, Japan and South Korea have banned all imports of beef from Brazil yet the EU has only introduced a partial ban. Why is the EU insisting on higher standards of traceability from its farmers than from Brazilian farmers?
The EU Commission appears to have an agenda to restrict production by indigenous farmers and to sell out on agriculture. The Commission is determined to increase access to the Brazilian market for manufacturing industry. As a quid pro quo it will allow access to Community markets for Brazilian beef.
The EU has lambasted the US on its emissions of Greenhouse Gases. Yet the EU Commission is prepared to accept imports of Brazilian Beef from ranches in Amazonia. These ranches have been created through the burning of the rain forests. This practice continues and is increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Why has the EU Commission chosen to ignore damage to the environment caused by ranchers in the Amazon Basin?
Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan had refused to support a full ban on beef imports from Brazil. Then 24 hours before the EU announcement of a partial ban she called for a full ban. Why the about-turn?
Michael Creed the FG Spokesman on Agriculture has stated that "Brazil should face a total ban until it is meeting the production standards that Irish and European producers are obliged to meet and EU consumers are entitled to expect." In this he has been totally consistent unlike the Minister.
The EU Commission appears to have an agenda to restrict production by indigenous farmers and to sell out on agriculture. The Commission is determined to increase access to the Brazilian market for manufacturing industry. As a quid pro quo it will allow access to Community markets for Brazilian beef.
The EU has lambasted the US on its emissions of Greenhouse Gases. Yet the EU Commission is prepared to accept imports of Brazilian Beef from ranches in Amazonia. These ranches have been created through the burning of the rain forests. This practice continues and is increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Why has the EU Commission chosen to ignore damage to the environment caused by ranchers in the Amazon Basin?
Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan had refused to support a full ban on beef imports from Brazil. Then 24 hours before the EU announcement of a partial ban she called for a full ban. Why the about-turn?
Michael Creed the FG Spokesman on Agriculture has stated that "Brazil should face a total ban until it is meeting the production standards that Irish and European producers are obliged to meet and EU consumers are entitled to expect." In this he has been totally consistent unlike the Minister.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Hillary Clinton's Christianity-The Contradiction
Increasingly Hillary Clinton has begun to use religion as a vehicle to enhance her election prospects. In The Christian Science Monitor Zac Wright, spokesman for Clinton's South Carolina campaign is quoted as saying that "The senator's faith is something that's very personal and dear to her, but it's reflected in all things she does and all aspects of life, so it's a natural part of the campaign." She states that she is a practicing Methodist.
She has begun to use a more sanitised approach to issues such as abortion. She is now attempting to muddy the waters. Speeches on the abortion issue are laced with compassionate expressions and phrases. Silken words cannot cloud the fact that Hillary Clinton supports abortion. NARAL Pro-Choice America gave her a 100% pro choice rating. Abortion is the destruction of the unborn child in the womb. This is the very antithesis of Christianity. The fifth commandment states that thou shalt not kill. Yet Clinton defends the barbaric destruction of the defenceless unborn child in the womb.
She speaks of prayer as battle against Satan, evil, and sin. Unfortunately Hillary's prayer does not extend to the evil of abortion. The pro abortion movement is an agent of Satan."No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt 6:19-24 RSV)
Hillary has chosen to oppose God's will on abortion. Therein lies the contradiction in her Christianity.
A vote for Clinton is a vote for abortion. She is unworthy of the Presidency. Just remember that 45 million unborn children have been slaughtered since Roe v. Wade. Consider the excruciating pain that many suffer when they are torn apart. Remember Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party support this. Shame on them. They are the enemies of Christianity.
She has begun to use a more sanitised approach to issues such as abortion. She is now attempting to muddy the waters. Speeches on the abortion issue are laced with compassionate expressions and phrases. Silken words cannot cloud the fact that Hillary Clinton supports abortion. NARAL Pro-Choice America gave her a 100% pro choice rating. Abortion is the destruction of the unborn child in the womb. This is the very antithesis of Christianity. The fifth commandment states that thou shalt not kill. Yet Clinton defends the barbaric destruction of the defenceless unborn child in the womb.
She speaks of prayer as battle against Satan, evil, and sin. Unfortunately Hillary's prayer does not extend to the evil of abortion. The pro abortion movement is an agent of Satan."No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt 6:19-24 RSV)
Hillary has chosen to oppose God's will on abortion. Therein lies the contradiction in her Christianity.
A vote for Clinton is a vote for abortion. She is unworthy of the Presidency. Just remember that 45 million unborn children have been slaughtered since Roe v. Wade. Consider the excruciating pain that many suffer when they are torn apart. Remember Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party support this. Shame on them. They are the enemies of Christianity.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Ireland- Embarassing u-turn by Government on schools water rates
Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD, has described as embarrassing the u-turn by Mary Hanafin on school water charges saying that he welcomes her belated recognition that schools shouldn't pay these charges until the crisis is sorted out. He said that the latest climb down is a fine example of Ballymagash politics.
Under the Government proposals primary schools were classed as "businesses" so they could be charged water rates.Yet schools neither manufacture nor sell goods or services for profit, nor register for VAT. The groundswell of opposition nation wide spearheaded by FG Labour and the INTO has finally shaken the Government out of its lethargy. It is probably safe to assume that Government proposals have been sufficiently neutered to ensure that the flat rate -now proposed by Bertie Ahern- will be of minor significance. It is estimated that under the original proposals up to €10 million would have been paid by a national school system which is already grossly underfunded.
This Government has become increasingly accident prone. The opposition has already scored direct hits on the cancer care crisis and now on the schools water rates issue and on the childcare subvention scheme which also saw a Government u-turn today. In times of economic boom the Government could increase public expenditure to smooth the sensibilities of the electorate. Public expenditure has increased in 2007 by 13%. This was sufficient to mollify a sizeable segment of the electorate.
Now however The FF/Green /PD Government is hoist by its own petard. The chickens are coming home to roost. Efforts to curb public expenditure and to impose stealth taxes will inevitably result in more serious political miscalculations.
Under the Government proposals primary schools were classed as "businesses" so they could be charged water rates.Yet schools neither manufacture nor sell goods or services for profit, nor register for VAT. The groundswell of opposition nation wide spearheaded by FG Labour and the INTO has finally shaken the Government out of its lethargy. It is probably safe to assume that Government proposals have been sufficiently neutered to ensure that the flat rate -now proposed by Bertie Ahern- will be of minor significance. It is estimated that under the original proposals up to €10 million would have been paid by a national school system which is already grossly underfunded.
This Government has become increasingly accident prone. The opposition has already scored direct hits on the cancer care crisis and now on the schools water rates issue and on the childcare subvention scheme which also saw a Government u-turn today. In times of economic boom the Government could increase public expenditure to smooth the sensibilities of the electorate. Public expenditure has increased in 2007 by 13%. This was sufficient to mollify a sizeable segment of the electorate.
Now however The FF/Green /PD Government is hoist by its own petard. The chickens are coming home to roost. Efforts to curb public expenditure and to impose stealth taxes will inevitably result in more serious political miscalculations.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Huckabee-Rock the Vote
This is a powerful video made by a Huckabee supporter. His charisma and substance shine through.
Green Party TD Paul Gogarty tries to have his cake and eat it on schools water rates issue
So Green Party TD Paul Gogarty is strongly opposed to the imposition of water rates on primary schools. Why then did he vote for the Programme for Government? He now seeks to distance himself from the inane decision by the FF/Green/PD Government to impose water rates on primary schools. The Green Minister John Gormley has remained strangely quiet whilst Mr Gogarty a supporter of the Government is adopting a stance which is close to the position adopted by FG and Labour. The Greens wish to deflect responsibility. Paul Gogarty seeks to act simultaneously as a Government TD and as an opposition TD. Unfortunately Mr Gogarty cannot have it both ways. He is either a supporter of the Government or he is not. He emphasized on RTE radio this morning that he had no intention of voting against the Government. By their votes in the Dail you shall know them.
Mr Gogarty endeavoured to criticise the opposition on Morning Ireland this morning. The opposition has come up with worthwhile proposals to resolve the issue unlike the Greens.
Joint Statement by FG Education Spokesperson Brian Hayes TD, and Labour Education Spokesperson, Ruairí Quinn TD.
Labour Deputy Ruairi Quinn and Fine Gael Deputy Brian Hayes have tabled a joint motion for tomorrow's emergency meeting of the Joint Committee on Education on and Science.
Government Party Chairperson, Paul Gogarty, TD has convened a emergency meeting of the Committee with representatives of the Departments of Education and Environment to explore ways out of this new budgetary fiasco.
The Taoiseach and Minister for Education and Science have attempted to blame the European Union for a new charge imposed by Minister John Gormley's Department, through the Local Authorities, on primary and secondary schools.
At an average cost of €5,000 per school this new stealth tax will gather €21,500,000 for Brian Cowen's tax raising budget.
Fine Gael and Labour are totally opposed to this dishonest and excessive tax charge. Our motion, if passed, will solve the problem in an environmentally responsible way.
The Government must act to solve this cash crisis for schools who have now been inundated with additional water charges.
Opposition deputies Brian Hayes and Ruairi Quinn will press their colleagues on the all-party Oireachtas Committee of Education and Science to move quickly to solve the surprise financial burden of new water rates which have fallen on schools across the country.
ENDS
Text of Motion:
That this Committee acknowledges the current financial crisis schools are facing with mounting bills for water charges and calls on the Government to;
1. Recognise that the Water pricing provisions of the Water Framework Directive do not fully come into effect until the end of 2009,
2. Immediately instruct local authorities to defer payment for outstanding and pending water charge bills to schools in anticipation of a resolution of this matter,
3. Introduce such a new scheme only when a Water Meter has been installed in all schools,
4. Introduce a fair and equitable solution to the problem whereby each school is given an generous and realistic water allowance based on a per capita basis, and all water usage over that allowance be paid.
5. Introduce a once off capital grant to schools to allow for water conservation measures in schools and to prepare schools, in a fair way, for the introduction of the Water Framework Directive.
- Deputy Brian Hayes and Deputy Ruairi Quinn.
Mr Gogarty endeavoured to criticise the opposition on Morning Ireland this morning. The opposition has come up with worthwhile proposals to resolve the issue unlike the Greens.
Joint Statement by FG Education Spokesperson Brian Hayes TD, and Labour Education Spokesperson, Ruairí Quinn TD.
Labour Deputy Ruairi Quinn and Fine Gael Deputy Brian Hayes have tabled a joint motion for tomorrow's emergency meeting of the Joint Committee on Education on and Science.
Government Party Chairperson, Paul Gogarty, TD has convened a emergency meeting of the Committee with representatives of the Departments of Education and Environment to explore ways out of this new budgetary fiasco.
The Taoiseach and Minister for Education and Science have attempted to blame the European Union for a new charge imposed by Minister John Gormley's Department, through the Local Authorities, on primary and secondary schools.
At an average cost of €5,000 per school this new stealth tax will gather €21,500,000 for Brian Cowen's tax raising budget.
Fine Gael and Labour are totally opposed to this dishonest and excessive tax charge. Our motion, if passed, will solve the problem in an environmentally responsible way.
The Government must act to solve this cash crisis for schools who have now been inundated with additional water charges.
Opposition deputies Brian Hayes and Ruairi Quinn will press their colleagues on the all-party Oireachtas Committee of Education and Science to move quickly to solve the surprise financial burden of new water rates which have fallen on schools across the country.
ENDS
Text of Motion:
That this Committee acknowledges the current financial crisis schools are facing with mounting bills for water charges and calls on the Government to;
1. Recognise that the Water pricing provisions of the Water Framework Directive do not fully come into effect until the end of 2009,
2. Immediately instruct local authorities to defer payment for outstanding and pending water charge bills to schools in anticipation of a resolution of this matter,
3. Introduce such a new scheme only when a Water Meter has been installed in all schools,
4. Introduce a fair and equitable solution to the problem whereby each school is given an generous and realistic water allowance based on a per capita basis, and all water usage over that allowance be paid.
5. Introduce a once off capital grant to schools to allow for water conservation measures in schools and to prepare schools, in a fair way, for the introduction of the Water Framework Directive.
- Deputy Brian Hayes and Deputy Ruairi Quinn.
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