Search Results for: clements

by Jim Clements | Feb 20, 2013 | Citizen Report

2/19/13 – San Antonio: What an unexpected Honor!

This morning the Officers of the Wimberley VFW Post 6441 drove down to San Antonio to make a donation to the Returning Heroes Home Board of Directors.  It was a very pleasant surprise to find that Senator Cruz was to arrive shortly after our presentation to the Board of the Returning Heroes Home of a $3,000 donation.

https://www.facebook.com/jclements.tx/posts/492375774133702?notif_t=like

Our Wimberley VFW Post 6441 was tremendously humbled to participate with Texas Senator Ted Cruz in Chief Warrant Officer Jerry Hamilton’s Purple Heart ceremony at Brooke Army Medical Center. The ceremony was to honor the the service of CWO Hamilton. He is an American Hero and the officers of our Wimberley Post 6441, Commander Glen “Corky” Gibbs, Sr. Vice Commander Michael Harthcock and Judge Advocate James Clements were present at the Returning Heroes Home purely by coincidence to make a donation to the Returning Heroes Home Board of Directors.

What a great honor to be present at this very moving ceremony when Senator Cruz presented the Purple Heart to CWO Hamilton.The Returning Heroes Home is a Privately funded Veterans Center located adjacent to the Center for the Intrepid at the Brook Army Medical Center.

The Wimberley VFW Post 6441 is proud to be able to support the Returning Heroes Home. Today we presented a check for $3,000 to the Board representing the profits derived from out recent “Cowboy – Wounded Warrior Golf Tournament” at the Valor Creek Golf Club in Blanco, Texas.

When I first became aware yesterday afternoon that Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison hadn’t signed on with Jim DeMint, John Cornyn and the other senators to declare opposition to the (New World Order) Law of the Sea Treaty I was not surprised. As an observer for the past three years here in Texas I have seen her schtick a few times, which I will characterize thus:

“Maybe. I might (fill in the blank). We’ll see.”

It seems as if  the lady just wants attention and face time on a Sunday show. J.C. noticed, too, and he sends this.

KBH did not sign the Opposition to the LOST Treaty.  She has proven to be a disgrace to Texas and America.

OPEN LETTER

July 17, 2012
To: The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
Re: Opposition to LOST (Law of the Sea Treaty) Treaty.

It is reprehensible that you have not signed the letter to Harry Reid signifying you will not support the Law of the Sea Treaty.  As a Texan you are my Senator and I cannot cotton that you have not signed the letter, joining in with numerous conservative Senators who oppose the treaty including the Honorable Senator John Cornyn.

The treaty would be detrimental to the safety, security and sovereignty of the Texas and the United States.

The U.N.’s Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) would subjugate American sovereignty to the whims of an international tribunal.

It would act as a backdoor Kyoto Protocol, forcing us into cap and trade policies that would destroy jobs and harm our economy.

It would cost the U.S. trillions of dollars in international royalties to nations including state sponsors of terror like Sudan and “undemocratic, despotic or brutal governments in Belarus, Burma, China or Zimbabwe.”

Former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton warned it would embolden China, “constrain U.S. naval activities, and do nothing to resolve China’s expansive maritime territorial claims.”

As a Texican-American I call upon you as (still) a Texas Senator to defend Texas and America’s Sovereignty and stop the United Nations Agenda 21 assault on America.

James R. Clements
A Texas Patriot

You can take a moment to thank Sen. John Cornyn and tell Sen. Hutchison what you think.

http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Members.htm

Cornyn     202-224-2934                    fax 202-228-2856;
Hutchison 202-224-5922                   fax 202-224-0776.

via Jim Clements | February 15, 2012

This is unbelievable.  Will the Dems go down to the wire defending one single congressional district?  And it happens to be the one most likely to elect one of the worst representatives in the state:  Lloyd Doggett.  It has been pointed out that even national Democrats question whether Doggett has been anything but a mediocre seat warmer with no serious legislation under his belt.  And Austin is an anomaly in Texas.  A deep blue island in a sea of red.  But the lefty ideologues that are his core constituency love his extreme positions on issues.  A few years ago, the nonpartisan National Journal gave Doggett an 8% rating on selected conservative issues. That was five percentage points below Cynthia McKinney, for God’s sake!  If there were any Dems with any sense, they would dump the man.

AG: Doggett’s district could be sticking point in redistricting case

By Tim Eaton | Monday, February 13, 2012, 03:04 PM, American-Statesman

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott signaled in a court filing today that U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s district could be the sticking point that could prevent a compromise in the ongoing redistricting fight.

The congressional redistricting maps drawn by the Legislature last year — and defended by Abbott — divides Travis County into five congressional districts, up from three now.

From the perspective of the Austin Democrat, one of the casualties of the GOP-controlled Legislature’s map is his Congressional District 25. The Legislature’s map would make CD 25 a Republican district, one Doggett said he couldn’t win, and one that would push him to run in the proposed CD 35, which is based in Bexar County and stretches up Interstate 35 to Austin.

Lawyers representing Travis County and other attorneys working for a major Latino rights groups have said that District 25 deserves to be protected as a “coalition district” – one in which Latinos and African-Americans vote together to elect the candidate of their choice: Doggett.

Abbott, however, doesn’t see it that way at all.

The concept of coalition districts is complicated and hotly debated, and Abbott is taking the position that coalition districts are not protected under the law

In discussing the possibility of a compromise, Abbott said in today’s filing: “The difficulty lies in CD 25 which is not a protected district as the Department of Justice recognized, and to the extent it is even a coalition district, which in the State’s view it is not, it cannot be drawn based on the Supreme Court’s opinion.”

And to that end, Abbott concluded that he “cannot compromise on this district.”

He added that if the plaintiffs insist on pushing to protect Congressional District 25, they will “prevent a global compromise on the Congressional map.”

Get more Legislative coverage inside the Virtual Capitol

by Jim Clements | February 14, 2012 | Opinion

The new EPA environmental regulations will make coal-fired generating plants, which produce about half the nation’s electricity, more expensive to operate. That’s why half of the coal fired power plants in America are scheduled to shut down starting this year.

Coal-fired power plants historically have been the cheapest way to generate electricity, but the costs to operate coal-fired power plants are going to sky rocket because of the new EPA environmental regulations calling for new emissions control standards.

According to published data from industrial software company Ventyx, more than 8,000 megawatts of coal-fired generation capacity has been retired in the U.S. since 2005.  Utility generators have announced they plan to retire another 21,000 megawatts in the near future, and some industry consultant studies estimate 60,000 megawatts of power, enough for 60 million homes, will be taken offline by 2017.

Do you think anyone has any idea on how to replace this lost capacity?

In 2005, Texas ranked third in the nation in coal-fired power production.   Texas has also been blamed as the highest-emitting state or province in the world for CO₂ emissions,  producing 290 million tons of the greenhouse gas per year.  (no wonder our trees look so green)  Coal plants produce about 36.5 percent of the electricity generated in Texas, where the average retail cost of electricity is the 14th highest in the U.S. at 10.34 cents per kilowatt hour.

The Deely coal-fired power plant that has supplied electricity in San Antonio since the 1970s will be the first in Texas to shut down in 2018.   Dallas-based electricity generator Luminant is closing two coal-fired power plant units and eliminating about 500 jobs in Texas because of a new federal air pollution rule.

According to the EPA their new rule will prevent 13,000 premature deaths nationwide each year, in addition to 1.8 million missed work or school days, and other health benefits.  (Is this an offset credit for the 1.2 million abortions performed every year?)

Overall, the Obama EPA says the rule will produce at least $120 billion in annual health and environmental benefits.  (I bet Obama added this into his budget yesterday.)

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/09/12/dallas-electric-company-closing-2-power-plants-cutting-500-jobs/

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-power-provider-closing-units-over-epa-rule-140845289.html

All of this and Austin Energy just spent $220 Million in financing their contribution to the Fayette coal-fired plant (3 coal-fired generating units) which are  owned by Austin Energy and the LCRA. The LCRA manages the facility the total costs for the retrofit was $445 million, of  which Austin Energy customers covered about $220 million.

Austin Electric and the Socialist City of Austin

Don’t count on having retrofitted the Fayette plant to be of much help to the City of Austin.   With Obama’s EPA we are facing a 25% shortfall in electrical capacity across the country.  Historically the Electric utility companies have tried to have a 15 to 20% reserve capacity of peaking plants available to bring on line in the summer months when we see the peak demands.  There are no new nuclear plants coming on line.  All of the solar and wind projects are just federally stimulated boondoggles and don’t work most of the time.   America may be in for a long hot summer and with all of our, out of work OWS gangs already protesting in every major city, this may be our “American Summer of Discontent” it’s no Arab Spring.

In the Socialist Progressive City of Austin you are sooooooo fortunate to have “Power Smack” looking out for your environmental interest, …”Our research and perspective seek to inform energy policy discussions in Austin, Texas”…

They do Research?

Austin Ponders Electric Rate Increase by Robin Rather & Mike Sloan. Jan 12, 2012.

…”Powersmack recognizes the intense controversy around the proposed Austin Energy rate increase and has asked a diverse set of local contributors to comment on it. We have also linked to other bloggers and media outlet coverage for comprehensive perspective.”

Here are a few highlights of the opinions expressed.  Click on the contributors name to read the full post.

“AE has failed to justify a rate increase..” EUC member Barbara Day, voting against it.

“We can have an economically healthy utility or reach our energy conservation goals, but not both.” EUC Chair Phillip Schmandt, voting for it.”…

And just in case you don’t think the insane progressives are running the asylum:

…”There is extensive evidence that Austin does not need to own a coal plant to keep its lights on.  Neither Dallas nor Houston own coal plants, and their citizens have access to reliable electricity.  Coal plants are frequently removed from service in Texas for repairs and breakdowns, yet the lights keep going.”…  Powersmack

Check out www.powersmack.org.

I wonder if Mayor Luffingwell has considered letting AE keep the $150 million annual slush fund that they give to the City to use to fund the Cities special projects.  Maybe that will help AE survive.

__________________________________________

While Texas and the rest of America have been sleeping Obama is Winning His War on Coal and the destruction of America.

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Cowboy Byte

Time may already have run out for Americans to defeat President Barack Obama in his war against the coal industry. Many utility companies already have run up the white flag.

Before millions of people even knew about the war on coal, decisions were made that will send their utility bills skyrocketing. Some of those choices are irreversible.

A few weeks ago it was revealed at least 32 coal-fired power plants in 12 states, including West Virginia and Ohio, would be closed so utility companies could comply with the Obama administration’s air pollution regulations. On the list was the Kammer Plant near Moundsville.

__________________________________________

Power Station’s Closing Could Create Problems

February 12, 2012: In March, Dominion Resources is closing the coal-fired State Line Power Station in Hammond.

For years, environmental and health organizations have called for the closing of the 83-year-old coal-fired State Line Power Station, one of the Chicago area’s top polluters.

Now the plant, which is in Hammond, just across the Indiana border on Lake Michigan and adjacent to Calumet Park, is burning through its last stores of coal. It will stop generating electricity by March 31. Federal air quality regulations that take effect in coming years and — more immediately — competition from inexpensive natural gas make it uneconomical to run the plant, according to Dominion Resources, the Richmond, Va., company that bought it in 2002.

Read more.

_________________________________________

FirstEnergy closing 6 coal-fired power plants

Updated 05:17 p.m., Thursday, January 26, 2012 

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — FirstEnergy Corp. said Thursday that new environmental regulations led to a decision to shut down six older, coal-fired power plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland, affecting more than 500 employees.

The plants, which are in Cleveland, Ashtabula, Oregon and Eastlake in Ohio, Adrian, Pa. and Williamsport, Md., will be retired by Sept. 1. They have generated about 10 percent of the electricity produced by FirstEnergy over the last three years, the company said.
Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/FirstEnergy-closing-6-coal-fired-power-plants-2718603.php#ixzz1mINJTdbA

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/26/coal-power-plants-closing-firstenergy_n_1234611.html

http://d-a-barber.suite101.com/why-us-utilities-are-closing-coal-power-plants-a321349

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Three Coal Power Plants Closing

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Cowboy Byte

Ohio based FirstEnergy Corporation announces it will close three coal fired power plants in West Virginia by this fall. The closings come directly from the impact of new federal EPA regulations.

The plants to close are Albright Power Station, Willow Island Power Station, and the Rivesville Power Station. The company says 105 employees will be directly impacted.

The three plants produce 660 megawatts and about 3-percent of FirstEnergy’s total generation. In recent years, the plants served as “peaking facilities” and generated power during times of peak demand for power.

__________________________________________

From last year:

TVA board to shut down 18 boilers at coal-fired plants, OK’s 20-year strategic plan

TVA will shut down 18 boilers at three of its oldest coal plants and pay a $10 million penalty to settle lawsuits involving air pollution from its aging coal plants.

By a split 7-1 vote, the TVA board approved a settlement with regulators to shutter six oldest boilers at the Widows Creek fossil plant in Alabama, and the 10 units at the Johnsonville Fossil Plant and two units at John Sevier plant in Tennessee.

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/apr/14/tva-board-oks-20-year-plan-calling-more-nuclear-po/

__________________________________________

via Jim Clements | November 15, 2011

If Governor Rick Perry looked and talked like this in real life debates he might stand a chance.  His handlers are doing a pathetic job of preparing him for the debates and teaching him how to not sound like a Texas Hick with his aw shucks expressions.  He needs to quit trying to reiterate his platform and answer the questions.

I absolutely agree that all insider trading is illegal and Congress has exempted themselves from everything they try to cram down our throats.  Congress must be held accountable they have given away all of their controls to Obama and have made themselves irrelevant.

This is Good Rick!

Uploaded by RPerry2012 on Nov 14, 2011

Sibyl West: I have a slightly different take on the oops moments. The art of memorization by rote – recitation aloud to memorize important concepts – is a forgotten one here in America. Students in India and China study harder for exams than our presidential candidates apparently do for interviews or debates. Get with it guyz! That said, I’m with Jim.

by Jim Clements | October 3, 2011 | Kyle-Buda Republican Group

At the completion of the most recent Tour of Texas U.S. Senatorial Forums, close to 2,000 engaged citizens have attended and participated in the straw polls.  With more than 350 attendees over the weekend, this forum/debate was the most lively yet. Check out these straw poll results with our local Hays County Grass Roots candidate Lela Pittenger coming in second place with 31%!

Cruz – 40%
Pittenger – 31%
Addison – 17%
Leppert – 5%

We are pleased to have Lela Pittenger as our Guest Speaker for the Kyle-Buda Republican Group on:

October 8th at 6:00 PM 

Buda Fire Station  

206 FM 2770, Buda, TX

About Lela Pittenger

Lela Pittenger is a native Texan. She was born in Lubbock to an agriculture family and lived throughout the Panhandle and West Texas. Moving to Sherman, Texas to attend Austin College, she majored in English and put herself through college working multiple jobs and as an intern in the school’s Financial Aid office. This experience in Institutional Enrollment created the opportunity to work as an Admissions Counselor for her alma mater. Lela spent two years helping families across Texas and the Southwest make their best possible decisions concerning higher education and sharing with them how they might best finance their degrees. It was during this time that Lela met her husband Greg. They moved to Dallas where she began work at a luxury retailer and pursued her Master’s degree in Dispute Resolution from SMU. The growth in education and experience in the Executive Office of her employer taught her much about what it takes to bring together people with different ideas and abilities to help build a team that can achieve their goals.

While living in Dallas, Greg and Lela got the news that his grandmother had a stroke. After much prayer and consideration, they decided to move to the Texas Hill Country to live with her and help her age in her home. Commuting to Dallas on a weekly basis, Lela finished her Master’s Degree in 2007 and became a full-time caregiver. During this time she has been a weekly volunteer for The Friends Foundation, volunteered in her church and taught Bible studies for a year, became a Certified Ombudsman in the state of Texas and a volunteer tax preparer for her community.

In the last few years she has become active in politics in Hays County, attending all of the 2008 Republican conventions culminating in the rare experience at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Over the last 4 years she has moved from concerned to alarmed at the direction of the nation and is passionate about doing her part to return our nation to its roots of Judeo-Christian values and Constitutional government. It is with this passion that she has decided to run for United States Senate and give all she has to representing the values of Conservatives across Texas.

Always an out-of-the box thinker, Lela has a passion for finding new ways to solve complex issues that have so divided our nation, while maintaining a conservative approach. Some of the issues that are most important to her are protecting family values, the Economy, elections’ integrity, the takeover of Healthcare, issues with Immigration and the Border, states’ rights, U.S. sovereignty, Pro-life legislation, reform of the tax code and national disaster preparedness.

On ‘Freedomentalism’

Sibyl West: It seems SURGE is the right word when you are talking about Lela. The thing I’ve always noticed most about her is her tremendous energy – which I reckon is sufficient to electrify the entire city of Austin, at the very least. Have a look at this video flashback from September 2010 where I chatted with her just before a rally at the Texas capitol and you’ll see what I mean.

NEW BRAUNFELS, TX – Today Dr. Donna Campbell announced her intention to seek the Republican nomination for Texas Senate, District 25 in order to fill a void of conservative leadership. As a medical doctor, mother of four children, and devoted conservative activist, Donna Campbell brings a real-world perspective to the race.

In announcing her candidacy, Campbell stated, “Texas embodies the conservative dream in America. The voters of Senate District 25 deserve to have a Senator who accurately represents their conservative values. The call for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and unwavering family values cannot be ignored any longer.”

“Texans deserve better than lip service to conservatism,” Campbell continued.”  “As a State Senator I will fight to keep Texas from looking more like Washington. Protecting innocent life and tackling the fiscal hurdle that is facing our state this next biennium are some of my priorities during the next legislative session.”

Former Hays County precinct chair Jim Clements endorsed Campbell, saying “The principles Donna Campbell stands for are aligned with the conservative values of the voters of SD 25. I’m overjoyed by her candidacy and look forward to working on her campaign.”

Conservative activist Michelle Lockhoof also said of Campbell, “Donna Campbell is pro-life, and supports fiscal sanity—both of which are lacking in Austin today. We need to elect Donna to ensure conservative representation in the State Senate.”

Hays County precinct chair Brian Mcauliffe gave his full support to Campbell’s candidacy as well.  “Donna has proven to be resolute advocate for the conservative values of Texas voters. We need someone of her character in the State Senate.”

Donna is board certified in both ophthalmology and emergency medicine. Donna and her husband, Stan, have four beautiful daughters and live in the city of New Braunfels.

###

Please visit DonnaCampbell.com

by Jim Clements | July 29, 2011 | Kyle Buda Republicans

Good news for Hays County …. Michael Williams is running for Congress in CD25!   As you know, the legislators redrew the Congressional Districts in the last session.  Hays  County was split into three districts (CD25, CD21 and CD35).  The western half of Hays County  is in CD25 along with all or part of 12 other counties.  Michael Williams served in the state-wide position of Railroad Commissioner from 1998 until April of this year.   (The Railroad Commission is the state’s oldest regulatory agency that regulates the oil and gas industry.)  Michael Williams is a consistent conservative who has the courage to stand up to Washington .  I am proud to support Michael Williams and hope you will share in my excitement.

It’s official. Senator Mitch McConnell is a chicken hearted RINO who couldn’t bust a grape in a fruit fight. His latest proposal to hand Bammy the power to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling is a stunning stupidity that would be laughable if it didn’t impact the country so deleteriously.

J. Clements is a bit rougher in his estimate:

Don’t worry America, we’ve got a good Republican RINO TRAITOR at the helm in the Senate! 

The Eunuch is here to save you and your family. Not.

DEBT CEILING UPDATE: Senator Mitch “Pontius Pilate” McConnell ”The Traitor”Capitulates on Debt Ceiling Negotiations!

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell sold out Republicans and ”AMERICA” the political Right yesterday by offering a debt ceiling plan that gives nearly sole authority to President Obama. The plan allows the president to make his own spending cuts, increase the debt ceiling at his discretion, and provides for little congressional oversight.

This capitulation illustrates everything that is wrong about Washington politics today.

And Judson Phillips of Tea Party Nation is unabashedly calls him “the eunuch of the senate”:

Kentucky is the butt of many jokes from surrounding states about inbreeding.  Perhaps that explains Mitch McConnell.

DON’T MISS Mark Levin’s interview with Jim DeMint last night. And here is Senator DeMint’s morning newsletter:

Fellow Conservatives:

Determined and effective.

Yesterday, a new plan was unveiled in the U.S. Senate that would effectively give President Obama the ability to automatically raise the debt limit without congressional approval.

Under the plan, the President would simply notify Congress when he wanted to raise the debt limit and it would automatically go up. In order to stop an automatic increase, Congress would have to pass a resolution of disapproval, which would of course be vetoed by the President. Then, Congress would have override the veto with two-thirds support in the House and Senate.

Given that the President could always count of the support of at least one-third of the members in both houses, this new plan would effectively give the President the power to increase our nation’s debt at will.

I want you to know that I strongly oppose this plan and will do everything I can to defeat it.

I also want you to know that this is not the Republican plan. 

Conservatives in the Senate oppose it and will continue to fight for real spending cuts and true budget reforms in this debate.

The conservative leaders you helped elect last year — Senators Pat Toomey (PA), Marco Rubio (FL), Rand Paul (KY), Mike Lee (UT), and Ron Johnson (WI) — are working shoulder-to-shoulder with me in this battler for our nation’s future. And I can tell you, we’re not backing down.

True Budget Reform

We believe that the only acceptable trade-off for raising the debt limit is to (1) immediately CUT spending, (2) CAP spending out into the future, and (3) pass a constitutional amendment to force Congress to BALANCE the budget every year. This is the only way to ensure that this is the last time the debt limit will ever be raised again.

Absent the “Cut Cap Balance” reforms, we will do everything we can to stop the debt limit from going up.

And if the President and his allies in Congress refuse to accept our common sense reforms, then spending will have to be cut immediately to keep our nation’s debt from growing.

The President and his Administration have the authority to prioritize our government’s spending so our debts are paid, we avoid default, and all essentials functions like Social Security and national defense are uninterrupted.

If the President decides to play politics with the debt limit and cuts off essential government functions to place blame on Republicans, it will most certainly backfire.

Republicans need to stop worrying about their own political careers and demonstrate the courage our country needs in this critical time.

The Way Forward

We’re still a long way from victory in this fight, but I remain confident that we can win it.

First, we will need to unite Republicans around the “Cut Cap Balance” strategy. We’re making progress on this front, but more work needs to be done.

Once Republicans are united in acting like Republicans, then we can go to work convincing the President and his allies in Congress that we mean business. They must know that the only way forward is to cut, cap, and balance.

I want to thank each of you for your support and ask you to continue to contact your senators and to continue to pray for our nation.

The debate over our debt is one that we must win if we’re going to restore America’s greatness.

Respectfully,

Jim DeMint
United States Senator
Chairman, Senate Conservatives Fund

P.S. If you want to help elect true conservatives to the U.S. Senate who will fight to stop the debt, please support the Senate Conservatives Fund today. Change in Washington means changing the people we send there.

Liberty Institute responds on Fox and Friends.

A veteran responds.

The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki

Secretary Shinseki:

This issue pertaining the use of GOD’s name in VA funeral ceremonies in Houston has gone viral.

…”U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ruled May 26 that the government couldn’t stop Rainey from using the words “Jesus Christ” in his invocation. Hughes issued a temporary restraining order to prevent VA from censoring Rainey’s prayer”…

Read more…

This has been reported on Fox News [the video above]

I noticed Mr. Secretary that in your speech to: The American Legion Mid-Winter Conference on  March 22, 2011

You closed your speech with:

…”May God bless all who serve and have served in uniform. And may God continue to bless this wonderful country of ours”…

Mr. Secretary you must issue a statement regarding this outrageous insult to all American Veterans and active duty members of our Armed Forces.

God Bless you for your service to America.

James R. Clements
RA19856740
SP/5, 86th Combat Engineers
20th Engineer Brigade
Vietnam 1966,67,68

Pastors: Fire VA cemetery chief who banned ‘God bless’

Allegedly shut down chapel, censored prayers to Jesus at veterans’ ceremonies

Posted: June 30, 2011 | © 2011 WND

Houston National Cemetery

Houston pastors have planned a July 4 protest calling for removal of the head of the city’s veterans cemetery for censoring religious expression at ceremonies, including the use of “God bless you” at funerals and praying in Jesus’ name.

THE SAME???

Arleen Ocasio, director of the National Cemetery in Houston, has issued a general policy prohibiting religious expression at the cemetery.

The Houston Area Pastor Council, which says it represents a broad ethnic and denominational spectrum, says Ocasio’s actions are offensive “in every possible way” and should prompt the VA to fire her.

Speaking for the council, Pastor Willie Davis, an Army Special Forces veteran, said the pastors concur “wholeheartedly” with a call for dismissal by Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, “for these egregious attacks on the sacred right of expressing religious faith on the hallowed ground of our National Cemetery on behalf of those who died to protect that right.”

“There can be no better way to spend a few minutes on Independence Day than to stand together as a community at the National Cemetery and make our voices heard,” Davis said.

The protest begins at 10 a.m., local time, Monday.

A pastor already has responded to the policy with a lawsuit.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the Veterans Administration from censoring Pastor Scott Rainey’s prayer in Jesus’ name at a Memorial Day service in the cemetery.

Rainey’s representative in the lawsuit, the nonprofit Liberty Institute, filed an amended complaint this week after allegedly finding other examples of religious discrimination by cemetery officials.

Story continues, read more… Hat tip Colleen Vera.

J. Clements sends this in:

Our biggest concern for the future survival of America and our western way of life is not the Radical Islamic Jihadist in the Middle East but rather it is China and its global expansionist programs. There are many warning signals if you care to research them yourself.  You won’t find this information on any of the drive by media.

Uploaded by GreenCamelBell on Jul 24, 2010

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

Winston Churchill

Hat tip  J. Clements.

They only write the rules. They don’t follow them. Hat tip J. Clements.

Uploaded by umuhwhat on May 18, 2007

by James R. Clements | March 16, 2011 | Opinion

Americans have sat back for the past two years and watched in stunned amazement as President Obama has done everything in his power to destroy the infrastructure and moral fiber of our country.

For the most part we have been helpless to figure out how to stop his wanton destruction of our economy, our banking industry, our housing industry, our health care system and our energy Industry.  NOW……

Unfortunately Obama and his liberal/socialist minions are going to use the tragic meltdown of the nuclear power plants in Japan to further tighten the regulatory control on the construction of any new nuclear power plants in America.  They will say we can’t risk the chance that something like Japan will happen in America and we are going to see an immediate halt to any new construction of nuclear power plants here.  Obama will appoint another Blue Ribbon Commission to study the problem and come back in a year with another meaningless report which will never be put into place.

BERLIN — Germany’s government yesterday temporarily halted plans to extend the life of its nuclear power plants, as the three hydrogen explosions at the tsunami-stricken Japanese facility spread jitters about nuclear energy safety in Europe.

Even before the tsunami ravaged Japan presented the world with a potentially calamitous nuclear meltdown, the much-touted expansion of the U.S. nuclear energy industry was already becoming a tough sell with the American public, not to mention the lawmakers in charge of the national purse strings.

Nuclear reactors are enormously expensive. Unlike Japan, the United States has a trove of other energy resources to draw on — not the least of which are huge, newly-discovered reserves of natural gas — limiting the urgency to invest in alternative sources such as nuclear power.

But recent events seem to be placing the industry in a different light. A swelling U.S. trade deficit combined with fears that some oil-producing states nurture anti-American terrorist groups has fueled interest in alternatives to imported petroleum. Liberal BS about climate change (Al Gore’s Global Warming Theory) have intensified the pressure for clean “Green” energy.  In the past decade, those two forces have helped the nuclear industry transcend its association with past disasters, sowing hopes for a nuclear renaissance.

But the scenes from Japan now dominating the media have dealt a probable death blow to the nuclear power industry in the US.  There have been NO new nuclear power plants built in the US in over 30 Years. We were making progress however, there were 60 new nuclear power plants in various stages of planning and 3 under construction.  Even though Obama has made public comments that made it appear that he is in favor of it his socialist minions have demonstrated that they are actually opposed to nuclear power and we can expect to see a total shut down of the nuclear industry nationally.  The next Nuclear power plant scheduled to come on line began development in 1973 and now may now never come on line.

US OIL & GAS INDUSTRY

Last week Obama went on national TV to talk about all of the great things his administration has done to increase the domestic production of oil, clean coal and natural gas.  For the most part it was all a lie.

Obama said oil production has increased during his administration; however none of that is the result on anything the Obama administration has done.  In fact all of the increases were the result of drilling permits released prior to Obama being elected.  The Obama administration has only issued one (1) drilling permit in the last two years.

Obama said that our imports of foreign oil are below 50% for the first time under his administration.  That’s another lie. We import about 66% of our oil from OPEC.

With gasoline prices set to hit $4 a gallon it’s more important than ever for the United States to exploit its domestic energy supply but the Obama administration is failing to move in this direction.

Instead this administration is talking about begging Saudi Arabia to increase its output. And they’re talking about maybe opening up the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is supposed to be just for national security crises.  This is another Obama smoke screen and must not be allowed to be considered.

We should focus on domestic supply, starting with reopening the Gulf of Mexico to drilling, “That’s the supply we can most control. We have things in the Gulf that can be turned on immediately.”

Power Plant Air Pollution Kills 13,000 People Per Year, Coal-Fired Are Most Hazardous.

The Huffington Post used this picture (on the left) of two cooling towers at a nuclear power plant to illustrate their point on air pollution, but they are so stupid that they don’t realize that this is only steam rising from the cooling towers and it contains nothing but water vapor.

On March 16th, the EPA is required to issue a proposal on how to clean up these air pollutants. The proposal suggests that large production coal-fired plants install controls that have been shown to decrease air pollutants.

We have an administration being run by a fool leading a pack of fools and we are all looking like fools for letting them get away with it.

U.S. Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Natural Gas Liquids Proved Reserves, 2009

Domestic proved reserves¹ of oil and natural gas increased significantly in 2009. U.S. natural gas proved reserves² -estimated as “wet” gas which includes natural gas plant liquids-increased by 11 percent in 2009 to 284 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). This is their highest level since 1971, despite an approximate one-third decline in the prices used to assess economic viability for 2009 reserves as compared to the prices used in 2008. U.S. crude oil plus lease condensate proved reserves rose 9 percent to 22.3 billion barrels in 2009, regaining 1.8 billion barrels of the 2.3 billion barrel decline in 2008. These increases demonstrate the possibility of an expanding role for domestic natural gas and crude oil in meeting both current and projected U.S. energy demands.

Natural gas is the cheapest and most abundant resource we have in America.  Gas Turbine Combined Cycle power plants are the cleanest and most efficient power plants we can build.

UPDATE*** Scroll down

We shut our eyes to the beginnings of evil and therein lies the seed of our defeat.

Here is the most important thing I wanted to share this morning – an audio clip from last night in which Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Rep. Steve King (R-IA) explain to Mark Levin that the GOP leadership must remove the $105 Billion funding that was stuck into the ObamaCare law before the pending continuing resolution is passed. A reader sez:

This is a  great interview with the way our “crook in chief” and his “cultural communist” allies placed funding inside the health care bill. It’s scary folks, this is the same way that Lenin was able to corrupt the congress of Russia when the Communist revolution began.

I got my dreaded monthly electric bill from City of Austin along with the usual greenie weenie propaganda dutifully printed on biodegradable paper. Since enviro-paganism is not my religion (and I am opposed to government picking winners and losers through a taxpayer subsidized racket of crony capitalism) I find the inserts not merely annoying but actually obscene. It reminds me of the famous quote by Thomas Jefferson:

“To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. “

Shortly thereafter I received this note from Jim Clements, a very trusted activist friend, regarding newly “filed legislation that would end Austin Energy’s state-sanctioned monopoly”:

If you missed this article in the Statesman, a very important event occurred on Thursday, March 3.

We all need to get behind Senator Craig Estes R-Wichita Falls and make sure this new legislation gets pasted to deregulate the power supply to the resident and businesses in the city of Austin.  Call the Senator and tell him thanks from all Texans.

Call  Lt. Governor Dewhurst and let everyone know how important this is for Texas and the residents of the City of Austin and everybody being served by Austin Electric.  Lt. Gov. Dewhurst knows this issue better than most.

The State of Texas spends over $18million a year paying its electric bill to Austin Electric, It’s just another hidden tax for the city.

Here is an opinion he has written on the subject.

The Unjustifiable Cost of Living in the City of Austin, Texas

by James R. Clements | March 4, 2011 | Opinion

Living in the beautiful Hill Country City of Austin, Texas is almost worth any cost for most of us.   Traveling around the world, when I tell people I live in Austin you can see their faces light up with enthusiasm and unanimously they all say they love it -  such a beautiful city and a wonderful place to visit, the music capital of America.  Some of them say this even if they’ve never been here because they’ve heard of Austin. And of course Texas is bigger than life and we’re all cowboys.

What’s not so obvious when you’re living on the outside looking in is how corrupt and misguided many of the local Austinite liberal do-gooders are that have taken over our State Capital; they’re the government bureaucrats that all work for the federal, state, county and city government bureaus that manage and run our everyday lives in the City of Austin. They are convinced that they know better than we do what’s good for us, how we should live our lives and how important it is that they tax us to pay for them to run our lives.

Give a bureaucrat an office and a budget and he will figure out how to hire ten more bureaucrats to tax us to run his department.

Living in Austin may be a privilege but we shouldn’t be forced to pay higher utility bills than almost any other city in the State of Texas for that privilege.   Austin Electric is run by the liberal City Council as a hidden tax and Austin Electric is obsessed with its “Green Energy” program, “Damn the cost full steam ahead” seems like their slogan.  I imagine their philosophy goes something like:

“We are Green Energy, and that’s good! So let’s go out and buy Solar Energy and pay more for it. Let’s go out and buy Wind Energy and pay more for it and – what the heck – let’s buy some of that Waste Wood Energy over in East Texas and pay more for it.  It’s not our money. We’re a municipally-owned-state-sanctioned monopoly and we can just pass the cost on to the ratepayer.  They will never notice when we raise their rates by 25% to cover the cost of our stupidity. This is all part of the Global Sustainability UN Agenda 21 project, so we’re doing the right thing for the Peoples Socialist Republic of Austin, right?”

WRONG!

Mayor Leffingwell, is that commitment by the City Council a GUARANTEE that you will keep the Austin Electric rates to 2 percent a year after the 12% increase planned in 2012?  Or is that just something that you thought would sound good?

One thing we can agree on, Mayor Leffingwell, is we should be fair and deregulate all of the Municipal electric utilities in Texas.

Open competition is the only thing that has proven to keep the rates lower for everybody.  We must deregulate Austin Electric.

If you lived in Houston you would have 20 different electric service providers for your residential service to choose from.  Here in Austin you can choose from Green Energy or NOT, but in any case your rates are going to be higher.  There’s just no end to the Liberals’ ability to find new ways to tax the citizens for their liberal social programs.

Clean clean clean clean clean
Moving to 35% renewable generation by 2020

…”Austin Energy’s GreenChoice^® program is the nation’s most successful utility-sponsored and voluntary green-pricing energy program. It has been for eight years in a row!  GreenChoice customers support electric generation from clean, renewable sources. Current subscriptions number almost 800 million kilowatt-hours (kWh), and are increasing.

A subscription to GreenChoice means that the current fuel charge (currently at 3.105 cents per kWh) is replaced with the GreenChoice Batch 6 fuel charge of 5.7 cents per kWh. A residential customer using an average of 1,000 kWh per month will pay about $25.00 per month more by subscribing to GreenChoice”…

Now isn’t that special? My current “fuel charge” is 3.105 cents per kWh and if I sign up for this great, nifty “GreenChoice” Batch 6 my fuel Charge goes up to 5.7 cents per kWh.  That’s cool, I get to pay 45% more for my fuel charge for the honor of buying Green Energy.

Are the Liberals living in Austin really that stupid?

Good News Austin! I bet you didn’t know that Austin Electric and the City Council of Austin are more concerned about being compliant with the United Nations UNFCCC policies set by the CRS then keeping your utility rates lower. Check out this.

Green-e Energy certifies that Austin Energy’s GreenChoice Program meets the minimum environmental and consumer protection standards established by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions.

Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) is a national nonprofit that creates policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy.

Center for Resource Solutions Blog

Understanding the Limitations of the UNFCCC

…”Hey, guess what? “The beacon of hope has been reignited and faith in the multilateral climate change process has been restored?” I bet you didn’t know that. In fact, I bet that even if you had heard that the 16^th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations ended on December 10”…

Can someone tell me how a national nonprofit center creates policy that Austin Electric and the Austin City Council follows?  And Why is Karl Rábago from Austin Energy the Chairman?

Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) creates policy and market solutions to advance sustainable energy.

We’re a national nonprofit with global impact. CRS brings forth expert responses to climate change issues with the speed and effectiveness necessary to provide real-time solutions. Our leadership through collaboration and environmental innovation builds policies and consumer-protection mechanisms in renewable energy, greenhouse gas reductions, and energy efficiency that foster healthy and sustained growth in national and international markets.

It’s one city, two planets. But my question is: If they get to live on their own planet why do we have to pay for it?

To all Hays County Conservatives:

It’s time to ask our newly elected Representative for House District 45, Jason Isaac, to speak up for Hays County.

Hays County is by far the largest County by population within Dict. 45 and I believe I would be correct in stating that the majority of the conservative Republican constituents within Dist. 45 are opposed to Rep. Joe Straus serving again as our Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.  As this is perhaps the most important vote that Newly Elected Representative Jason Isaac will cast during his first term in the House, it’s important that Rep. Isaac listen to the wishes of his constituents.

I am attaching for all constituents in Hays County to see, the Resolution passed by the Hays County Republican Party Executive Committee at its December monthly meeting.

When we have National leaders like House Majority Leader Dick Armey and US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton calling for the replacement of Joe Straus, it becomes evident that the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is much more than a local issue.

With a Super Majority of 101 Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives we now have the solemn responsibility to make certain that our wishes and conservative agendas are moved forward and not blocked by the liberal appointees of Speaker Joe Straus.

Now “Newly Elected” Representative Jason Isaac, it’s time to go and do the right thing, it’s time to be a leader and move our conservative agenda forward.

James Clements,
President Kyle-Buda Republican Group
Hays County GOP Precinct 223 Chairman

Click to enlarge.

UPDATE*** Isaac Supports Republican Caucus Meeting for Speaker Vote

by Jim Clements | January 03, 2011 | Press Release

This next week will be very active and there are many important events that we encourage all to attend.

1. Hays combined meeting on the 9th
2. Texas Republican Caucus on the 10th
3. Swearing in ceremony for our new house on the 11th.

In lieu of our Kyle-Buda meeting for January, there will be a combined meeting of all Hays County Republican Groups featuring guest speaker Steve Munisteri, Texas Republican Party Chairman.  See the following information for details as to time and place.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Look forward to seeing you there!

Hays County Republicans

Kyle-Buda Republican Group/North Hays Republican Group/San Marcos Area Republican Texans Group/Wimberley Valley Republican Group

County-Wide January Meeting featuring

Steve Munisteri, Republican Party of Texas Chairman

Please join us!

Sunday, January 9th, 2011  6:00 pm
San Marcos Activity Center
501 Hopkins St.

(light refreshments will be served)