Opinion: IRS used to stop free speech
|
|
|
The unfolding IRS scandal is all about trying to control free speech. Democrats want conservatives to shut up. David Rivkin and Lee Casey, who served in the Justice Department during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations make that case in today’s Wall Street Journal. The pair write: The IRS crackdown on conservative organizations was a direct and inevitable consequence of political and policy messaging by the Obama administration, and by the campaign-finance reformers who share these views. Congressional Democrats are also to blame, since many of them have publicly or privately urged the IRS to go after conservative tax-exempt organizations. Campaign-finance reformers and their allies are now pressing to broaden the IRS crackdown to apply to all tax-exempt organizations. In their view, the problem is not only with express political advocacy, but with all tax-exempt activities that might have political overtones, or be related to political issues. Indeed, many argue that such organizations should be conspicuously apolitical. This is wrong as a matter of law and policy. Congress doesn't have to provide tax-exempt status to social-welfare organizations, but having done so it cannot discriminate by the kind of advocacy in which such groups engage. The fact that the IRS was able to target conservative donors—similar to the way donors to the NAACP were targeted at the height of the civil-rights battles—shows how disclosure can lead to speech-suppressing government actions.
|
| Wall Street Journal: David Rivkin and Lee Casey: The IRS and the Drive to Stop Free Speech
|
You choose Ralph's top story for the day. Tell Ralph what you want him to talk about by casting your vote for a story below.
|
|
Death toll will pass 51 in Moore, OK tornado
|
|
|
A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds up to 200 mph. At least 51 people were killed, including at least 20 children, and officials said the death toll was expected to rise. More than 120 people were being treated at hospitals, including about 50 children. Search-and-rescue efforts were to continue throughout the night. Amy Elliott, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office, told The Associated Press early Tuesday that officials could see as many as 40 more fatalities from the tornado. The storm laid waste to scores of buildings in Moore, a community of 41,000 people about 10 miles south of the city. Block after block lay in ruins. In video of the storm, the dark funnel cloud could be seen marching slowly across the green landscape. At Plaza Towers Elementary School, the storm tore off the roof, knocked down walls and turned the playground into a mass of twisted plastic and metal. Children from the school were among the dead, but several students were pulled alive from the rubble. The tornado also destroyed the community hospital and some retail stores. Monday's tornado loosely followed the path of a killer twister that slammed the region in May 1999. The weather service estimated that Monday's tornado was at least a half-mile wide. It was the fourth tornado to hit Moore since 1998.
|
| MyWay.com: Huge tornado hits Oklahoma City suburb, kills 51
|
|
|
|
|
Ten deadliest tornadoes include just one from last half-century
|
|
|
Of the 10 most deadly U.S. tornadoes on record, only one has occurred in the last half-century, probably due to better early warning systems. The deadliest tornado on record killed 695 people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana on March 18, 1925. The 10th worst killed 103 in Omaha, NE on March 23, 1913. The deadliest in the last half-century killed 158 in Joplin Missouri on May 22, 2011. The eventual death toll in yesterday’s tornado in Moore, OK. would have to more than double the current count if the tornado is to move into the infamous Top 10. Unfortunately, that’s not impossible. There is still a lot of searching to do.
|
| Politico: Deadliest U.S. tornadoes: A list
|
|
|
|
|
Tea Party groups protest IRS today
|
|
|
Tea party groups will be seen protesting at Internal Revenue Services nationwide Tuesday following revelations earlier this month that the tax agency had flagged organizations with the words "tea party" or "patriot" for additional scrutiny. The protests were originally scheduled only for Cincinnati, where the IRS has said employees responsible for the targeting were based. But Tea Party Patriots head Jenny Beth Martin says she received requests to protest across the country. So the group is "calling for anyone and everyone to protest the IRS' complete abuse of power" on Tuesday at noon. There will be a Nashville protest during the noon hour in front of the IRS office in the federal building at 8th and Broadway in Nashville. I will be speaking briefly, along with Nashville Tea Party founder Ben Cunningham and others.
|
| usnews.com: Tea Party Protests Planned At IRS Offices Nationwide Tuesday
|
|
|
|
|
Hill to grill former IRS commissioner
|
|
|
Lawmakers are getting their first chance to grill (or lecture to) the former head of the Internal Revenue Service, the man who ran the agency when agents were improperly targeting tea party groups. They want to know why former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman didn't tell Congress that agents had singled out conservative political groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status - even after he was briefed. Shulman, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, left the IRS in November when his five-year term ended. On Monday, the White House revealed that chief of staff Denis McDonough and other senior presidential advisers knew in late April that an upcoming inspector general's report was likely to find that IRS employees had inappropriately targeted conservative political groups. The White House says McDonough and the other advisers did not tell President Barack Obama about the impending report. White House press secretary Jay Carney said Obama was comfortable with the fact that "some matters are not appropriate to convey to him, and this is one of them."
|
| MyWay.com: Former IRS commissioner heads to Hill amid scandal
|
|
|
|
|
Opinion: IRS used to stop free speech
|
|
|
The unfolding IRS scandal is all about trying to control free speech. Democrats want conservatives to shut up. David Rivkin and Lee Casey, who served in the Justice Department during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations make that case in today’s Wall Street Journal. The pair write: The IRS crackdown on conservative organizations was a direct and inevitable consequence of political and policy messaging by the Obama administration, and by the campaign-finance reformers who share these views. Congressional Democrats are also to blame, since many of them have publicly or privately urged the IRS to go after conservative tax-exempt organizations. Campaign-finance reformers and their allies are now pressing to broaden the IRS crackdown to apply to all tax-exempt organizations. In their view, the problem is not only with express political advocacy, but with all tax-exempt activities that might have political overtones, or be related to political issues. Indeed, many argue that such organizations should be conspicuously apolitical. This is wrong as a matter of law and policy. Congress doesn't have to provide tax-exempt status to social-welfare organizations, but having done so it cannot discriminate by the kind of advocacy in which such groups engage. The fact that the IRS was able to target conservative donors—similar to the way donors to the NAACP were targeted at the height of the civil-rights battles—shows how disclosure can lead to speech-suppressing government actions.
|
| Wall Street Journal: David Rivkin and Lee Casey: The IRS and the Drive to Stop Free Speech
|
|
|
|
|
Fox news reporter tagged as criminal for reporting leak
|
|
|
A Justice Department affidavit accuses a Fox News correspondent of being a possible criminal "co-conspirator" for his alleged role in publishing sensitive security information -- in a leak case that takes the highly unusual step of claiming a journalist broke the law. According to court documents, the Justice Department obtained a portfolio of information about Fox News' James Rosen's conversations and visits to the State Department. This included a search warrant for his personal emails. The effort follows that by the department to secretly obtain two months of phone records from Associated Press journalists as part of a separate leak probe. The department in this case, though, went a step further -- as an FBI agent claimed there's evidence the Fox News correspondent broke the law, "at the very least, either as an aider, abettor and/or co-conspirator."
In the case involving Rosen, a government adviser was accused of leaking information after a 2009 story was published online which said North Korea planned to respond to looming U.N. sanctions with another nuclear test. An affidavit entered by FBI agent Reginald Reyes claimed there was "probable cause" to believe Rosen had violated a provision of U.S. law barring the unauthorized disclosure of defense information. This is where Reyes labeled Rosen as a possible "co-conspirator" -- an allegation used to gain access to two days' worth of emails. The search warrant for that request was ultimately approved, the records show. In a statement released Monday, Michael Clemente, Fox News' executive vice president of news, said "We are outraged to learn today that James Rosen was named a criminal co-conspirator for simply doing his job as a reporter," Clemente said. "In fact, it is downright chilling. We will unequivocally defend his right to operate as a member of what up until now has always been a free press."
|
| Fox News: Justice Department affidavit labels Fox News journalist as possible ‘co-conspirator’
|
|
|
|
|
Senate panel to finish work on Gang of 8 bill this week
|
|
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee will almost certainly pass the sprawling immigration overhaul bill by the end of the week, setting up a floor fight for early June. The two biggest wild cards in the final days of the markup are whether Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) wins enough concessions on high-skilled visas to persuade him to vote for the bill and whether Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) decides to offer an amendment allowing gay Americans to sponsor their foreign-born partners for green cards. The former could boost bipartisan support for the bill, but the latter could wash it away. The Gang of Eight has essentially turned back all but minor changes to the measure, maintaining unity as the committee has considered more than 140 amendments.
Despite offering the first extended debate on immigration reform in years, the legislation has competed for attention against a succession of higher-profile stories — first the Boston bombings during the bill’s release, then the spate of Obama administration scandals during the markup. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to put the bill on the floor when the Senate returns in June.
|
| Politico: Immigration bill nears finish line
|
|
|
|
|
Federal regulations cost nearly $15k per U.S. family
|
|
|
A new report by the Competitive Enterprise Institute highlights the extraordinary and growing costs of federal government regulations. Just the pages in the Code of Federal Regulations hit an all-time high of 174,545 pages in 2012, an increase of more than 21% during the last decade.
In 2012, the cost of federal rules exceeded $1.8 trillion, roughly equal to the GDP of Canada ($1.81 trillion) and India ($1.82 trillion). Regulatory burdens cost each US household $14,768, meaning that red tape is now the second largest item in the typical family budget after housing. When it comes to “economically significant” rules — those estimated to cost at least $100 million each — the current Administration is “in a class by itself,” according to the report. The bureaucracy finished up 57 such rules in 2012 and another 167 are in the pipeline.
|
| aei-ideas.org: Red tape facts: Regulatory costs are now the second largest item in a typical family’s budget
|
|
|
|
|
Vermont approves 'death with dignity' law
|
|
|
Vermont on Monday became the fourth state in the country to allow doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients. Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the measure in a state House ceremony in Montpelier, capping a decade-long effort on the issue in Vermont. Vermont is the first state to pass such a law through the legislative process. Oregon and Washington enacted their laws by referendum; in Montana, it was legalized by the courts. Under the bill, a qualifying patient must be at least 18 years old, a Vermont resident and suffering from an “incurable and irreversible disease,” with less than six months to live. Two physicians, including the prescribing doctor, must make that medical determination. The patient must also be told of other end-of-life services, “including palliative care, comfort care, hospice care, and pain control,” according to the bill.
|
| Los Angeles Times: Vermont governor signs 'death with dignity' measure
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ralph's Steeplechase experience - part one
|
|
|
May 13, 2013 - Here's the first of my two-part report on my first Steeplechase experience, and what may be the best steeplechase rase in the nation.
|
Ralph's Steeplechase experience - part two
|
|
|
May 13, 2013 - This report includes interviews with the track announcer, the veteranarian, a horse owner and the man in charge of logistics for the race.
|
Opponents rise against BRT
|
|
|
May 15, 2013 - In this premeditated Ralph Rant, I break the news of a new group that has formed to oppose Nashvill'e planned Bus Rapid Transit on West End Ave.
|
Rick Williams, BRT opponent, speaks out
|
|
|
May 15, 2013 - Rick Williams is a member of the steering committee for TNResponsibleTransit, the group opposing the planned Nashville Bus Rapid Transit on West End Avenue. You can reach him at TNResponsibleTransit@gmail.com. This is the group's debut media interview - in its new campaign to stop BRT.
|
Tennessee Tea Party leaders respond to IRS scandal
|
|
|
May 13, 2013 - Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party and Mark West, President of the Chattanooga Tea Party, respond to the IG report that busts the IRS for targeting Tea Party Groups for harassment in 2011, prior to the 2012 election.
|
Legislative Townhall Meeting in Franklin - part 1
|
|
|
April 27, 2013 - First half of the state legislative townhall meeting in Franklin with the Williamson County delegation - Sen. Jack Johnson, Rep. Charles Sargent, Rep. Glen Casada and Rep. Jeremy Durham.
|
Legislative townhall meeting in Franklin - part 2
|
|
|
April 27, 2013 - Second half of the legislative townhall meeting in Franklin, covering the 2013 legislative session with Sen. Jack Johnson, Rep. Charles Sargent, Rep. Glen Casada and Rep. Jeremy Durham.
|
Sen. Rand Paul on guns, immigration, taxes
|
|
|
April 18, 2013 - U.S. Sen. Rand Paul discusses the failed gun bill, the immigration reform bill ahead, and the right strategy on taxes.
|
Leahy launches 'The Real Conservative National Committee'
|
|
|
April 4, 2014 - Author, Breitbart correspondent and tea party activist Michal Patrick Leahy discusses a new organization formed to improve the ground game needed to help elect more conserative candidates to Congress, starting in 2014 with the GOP primary for U.S. Senate
|
Corker sees positive signs in Obama outreach
|
|
|
March 6, 2013 - Sen. Bob Corker discusses spending reforms on which Republicans and Obama might agree, and should, he says, be working on. Corker is one of a handful of Republicans to which the president has reached out with phone calls and dinner meetings to try to seek common ground on fiscal reforms.
|
Ralph Rant - Woodward v. Obama
|
|
|
March 4, 2013 - Anatomy of the sequester - the closing arguments in Woodward v. Obama.
|
WEB EXCLUSIVE: EEOC Commissioner slams new guideline on criminal BG checks
|
|
|
Feb. 23, 2012 - An EEOC commissioner levels damning charges against her fellow commissioners' action to issue updated guidelines that pose the threat of lawsuits against private businesses that conduct criminal background checks on employee prospects - even if state law demands it. This is a major challenge to the 10th Amendment by a seemingly rogue group of federal regulators.
|
Duet: Fudge and Obama
|
|
|
Jan. 22. 2013 - Enjoy (and share) this short montage featuring Rep. Marcia Fudge, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and President Barack Obama. Fudge was participating in a Washington University Panel discussion and Obama is delivering his 2nd inaugural address.
|
Analysis: Obama's 2nd inaurugal
|
|
|
Jan. 22, 2013 - Here's my analysis of President Obama's 2nd inaugural address. George Washington, he ain't. High marks for the poetry - the "music" if you will, but the message, the "lyrics" didn't match the music.
|
PARODY ALERT - The future of Day to Pray
|
|
|
Jan 17, 2013 - The inventor of the time machine offered me a ride to the future. I chose Jan. 17, 2060 to see what kind of world my grandchildren would be living in when they're my age. Please don't tell Mike Huckabee what I found.
|
Sen. Jack Johnson suggests local control of wine in grocery stores
|
|
|
Jan. 15, 2013 - Among other things, Sen. Jack Johnson of Franklin discusses a new wrinkle in the wine in grocery store debate. He also reacts to the news that a $125 million state investment in a solar company is in jeopardy.
|
Rep. Carr announces 10th amendment caucus
|
|
|
Jan. 15,2013 - Rep. Joe Carr discusses the 2nd amendment debate through a 10th amendment prism and announcec the formation of a 10th Amendment Caucus.
|
Age highlights economic freedom
|
|
|
Jan 12, 2013 - Things start happening to people in their late 50s and early 60s that are fairly remarkable. This premeditated Ralph Rant just might be the prologue to my (eventual) audio book.
|
Sen. Jack Johnson opposes open meetings move
|
|
|
Jan. 9, 2013 - State Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Williamson Co.) calls "foul" on a Democrat colleague over the question of the General Assembly exception to the Open Meetings law.
|
Rep. Joe Carr opposes bill sponsor limit
|
|
|
Jan. 9, 2013 - Rep. Joe Carr (R-Rutherford Co.) explains his opposition to the proposed 15-bill sponsor limit for House members.
|
Attorney Ross Booher argues case for Charter School "state authorizer"
|
|
|
Jan. 7, 2013 - Ross Booher, the attorney for a charter school who battled the Metro Nashville School Board, makes the case that the state would make a more objective judge of charter school applications.
|
Bonfire anyone?
|
|
|
Jan. 7, 2013 - In this premeditated Ralph Rant, I invite Tea Party groups to join me at a bonfire April 15th. Let's all pour some fuel on to the grassroots fire it will take to eliminate the corruption in the federal income tax system. Symbolically burn your own rewards to let Congress know we want them to eliminate deductions and credits - and lower rates accordingly.
|
School Security Roundbatle
|
|
|
Dec. 20, 2012 - This is the "raw" tape of the roundtable we broadcast in seven parts on Nashville's Morning News. (It's 38 minutes long, so it will take a while to load)
|
Tennessee to consider Texas 'armed teacher' plan
|
|
|
Dec. 18, 2012 - Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas says he will pursue a plan in the next session of the general assembly to allow local school district to train and arm teachers if they so choose. Texas already does this, and at least one Texas district is taking advantage of the local control.
|
New monster a 'committee' production
|
|
|
Dec. 18, 2012 - There is a growing population of a new menace walking among us, and he may be a unique product of the "village" it supposedly takes to raise our children.
|
Parents, wake up! Your children are killing your children
|
|
|
Dec. 17, 2012 - The Connecticut massacre of first-graders turned up the spotlight on a relatively new menace unleashed on society, and regardless of who or what created it, only parents can stop it.
|
Johson warns: Medicaid is going to expand
|
|
|
Dec. 13, 2013 - State Sen. Jack Johnson warns Medicaid is going to expand in Tennessee, through the "woodwork effect" when Obamacare chases reluctanct people (alaready qualified) into the program - regardless of whether Gov. Haslam accepts the expansion of Medicaid prescribed by Obamacare. I sneak in some analysis of the legislature's posture on the issue.
|
Sen. Jack Johnson opposes, but holds out final judgment on Medicaid expansion
|
|
|
Dec. 12, 2012 - State Sen. Jack Johnson has all the reasons - including one no one else has discussed before - to turn down President Obama's "offer" to expand Medicaid, but he's leaving his powder dry in respect for Gov. Haslam's perceived predicament on the issue.
|
Tennessee needs 10th Amendment Caucus
|
|
|
Dec. 5, 2012 - Ralph challenges State Rep. Joe Carr to instigate a 10th Amendment Caucus in the legislature.
|
Ralph Rant: Bipartisan gang attacks producers
|
|
|
Dec. 14th, 2012 - This fiscal cliff negotiation may be the second worst performance in modern Republican history.
|
Ralph Rant: Corker crowned King of means testing
|
|
|
Nov. 30, 2012 - The headline pretty much speaks for itself.
|
Medicaid expansion more than budget issue
|
|
|
Nov. 1, 2012 - I respectfully disagree with Gov. Bill Haslam that the decision whether Tennessee should accept the expansion of Medicaid prescribed in Obamacare is "largely a budget issue."
|
|
Alexander on coal regs - Round 2 |
|
|
June 14, 2012 - Sen. Alexander returns to respond to some of the reaction to his stand on new coal plant regulations.
|
|
Alexander defends coal regulations, says he will run again |
|
|
June 13, 2012 - Sen. Lamar Alexander defends his stand in favor of new coal plant regulations - explains why he belives Medicaid is to blame for higher college tuition - and says he intends to run for reelection in 2014.
|
|
Exclusive: The first hand account of "The Last Man to Die" |
|
|
May 11, 2012 - A 92-year-old Cookeville, TN WWII veteran solves a 67-year secret behind one of the most famous WWII photographs.
|
|
|
Click here to see view the albums in Ralph's photo gallery.
|
|
|
 Ralph Bristol is a 30-year veteran of radio and TV broadcasting. He is a US Air Force veteran and holds a BS degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Ralph was a radio and TV reporter, anchor and news director in Missouri and Illinois before joining WORD Radio in Greenville/Spartanburg, SC in 1995.
In the spring of 2007, Supertalk 99.7 WWTN beckoned Ralph to Nashville. Ralph defies political labels, and has no partisan loyalties, but can best be described as a libertarian/conservative. Ralph writes and speaks extensively on education, tax and economic issues. In his spare time, Ralph terrorizes golf courses, invents useful things with sharp tools and dead wood, and entertains audiences with irreverent humor and contrarian insight. Invite him to speak to your group at your own risk. |
|
|