Thorner: Illinois native leads effort to unveil hidden government spending

Adam Andrzejewski (l) with Ed Martin (r) of Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum

By Nancy Thorner – 

It is not only right, it is crucial that taxpayers know exactly how the money the government demands from them is spent.  It is also critical that those taxpayers interact with those making spending decisions.

That’s the underlying motive for what Adam Andrzejewski does with the non-profit group he founded in Illinois several years ago. It’s making a difference.

Andrzejewski of OpenTheBooks.com was featured at two venues I attended over a two-day period last week.  On Wednesday evening January 23, 2019, he spoke at The Heartland Institute headquarters in Arlington Heights, IL where he was introduced by Lennie Jarratt, project manager for Heartland’s Center for Transforming Education. Tim Huelscamp, PhD is Heartland’s president and CEO.

Two days later on Friday, January 25, 2019, Adam was the featured luncheon speaker at the annual Gathering of Eagles conference in St. Louis, MO with Eagle Leaders from across the country. Ed Martin is President of the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund.  Ed was nominated by Phyllis Schlafly on January 31, 2015 to succeed her as the President of both Eagle Forum organizations.

Adam Andrzejewski is an entrepreneur and the CEO/founder of OpenTheBooks. Its mission is to post “every dime, online, in real time.”  Before dedicating his life to public service, Adam co-founded HomePages directories, a $20 million publishing company (1997-2007).  His works have been featured on Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, FOX News, and many other prominent news platforms across America.

At both venues, Adam spoke about the Importance of transparency.  As Louis Brandeis wrote in 1914, “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.”  Today, the Freedom of Information Act and Internet make it possible for Adam Andrzejewski to post on-line spending at all levels of government.

(l to r) Ed Martin, John Schafly, Adam Andrzejewski, Bruce Schlafly, Andy Schlafly

Concept of transparency explained 

Adam explained how the concept of transparency stems from our Founders’ recognition that our rights come not from government, but from God.  Accordingly, citizens are sovereign. In noting how President Reagan’s success came from empowering the people, Adam referred to Reagan’s Farewell address to the Nation in 1989:

“We the People” tell the Government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. “We the people” are the driver – the Government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast. Almost all the world’s constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which “We the People” tell the Government what it is permitted to do. “We the people” are free.

Way before Reagan, the Founders recognized that power is knowledge and wrote transparency into our Constitution in Article 1, Section 9.

Adam believes there is a clear interpretation of what the Founders meant via Internet access; that is, to post “every dime on line in real time.” As to those that resist transparency, it must be assumed they have something to hide.

Adam went on to explain how in 2011 he was able to find out the pay and pensions of all public employees in Illinois at every level of government for the first time ever.  Mentioned was how the salary of a Lyon’s Township treasurer in one year increased from $163,000 to $296.000.  Because people raised their voices, the former Lyon’s Township treasurer is now serving eight years in a penitentiary.  Also cited was a 2014 incident at the College of DuPage in Illinois where over seven years $100 million was hidden in a special account.  Some of it was spent on an upscale French restaurant and a first-class wine cellar.

A revolution in public policy

According to Adam, OpenTheBooks is now revolutionizing U.S. public policy and politics, a concept that has been with us since America’s founding.   Referenced was what Ben Franklin said when questioned about what had been accomplished when leaving Constitutional Center in 1787:   “A Republic if you can keep it.”

As such, our American experiment is dependent on individuals, on citizens, and on you and I holding the political class accountable for tax and spend decisions.  OpenTheBooks.com has been successful in building the largest private data base of public sector expenditures with 5 billion individual government expenditures.  It includes nearly all federal spending since the year 2000; 48 out of 50 state checkbooks; and salary and/or pension records in 60,000 local units of government across the country.

The honorary chairman of OpenTheBooks.com is former U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn, who showed courage in 2004 when in the Senate as a freshman he took on the Republican leadership with expressed disgust for Alaska Senator Ted Stevens’ request for a $300 million earmark for a bridge to nowhere.  Coburn did win the fight and others joined his fight to end earmarks as we know them.  Because of this action, Coburn was stripped of his ability to practice medicine as retaliation by senate republicans.  OpenTheBooks.com is carrying forward this Coburn model.

First significant project at OpenTheBooks

Adam noted two projects that are going forward right now.  One is to gain access to every single public employee’s salary from every public body across the entire country.  So far at OpenTheBooks, 9 out of every 10 public employees at every level of government are accessible as to their name, position, who they work for, and how much they make.  This was accomplished through 60,000 Freedom of Information requests. Find out what is going on in your zip code by checking OpenTheBooks.com. ‘OpenTheBooks’ app is a free download from the Apple ‘App Store’ and the ‘Google Play’ store. It’s a downloadable app for your mobile phone, device or tablet. It allows you to see the government salaries at the local, state, and federal level on your mobile device.  Also displayed in the app is the federal checkbook and State of Illinois checkbook spending.

Here are some findings:

• In Illinois 94,000 public employees either earn six figures salaries (over $100.000) or will retire on a six-figure pension.
• All total 19 million public employees receive cash compensation that amounts to $1 trillion.
• 1.7 million make $100,000 or more.
• 30,000 out-earn every government of all 50 states at a threshold salary of $190,000.

There is a real disconnect between public employees and the level of pay and pension benefits received by those working in the private sector, but what about added bonuses?  Last year a million federal bureaucrats received bonuses that totaled over 1 billion.  How might that be?  99.7% of federal workers are rated highly successful, the basis for a bonus, which is more that the advertised purity of Ivory soap!

Besides salaries and bonuses for the average federal worker, there are other perks such as paid time off.  This amounts to 43 days of yearly paid time off.  The cost to government is more than $20 billion a year.

Andrzejewski at Heartland Institute (photo by Mark Weyermuller)

Second significant project at OpenTheBooks

Last fall letters were placed in the WSJ and USA Today addressed to the attention of President Trump as Commander and Chief to wage war against waste.  Listed were 100 examples of how taxpayer money is wasted.  Asked of the President:

• Open White House expenditures.  Trump has already cut 10% of his own budget by cutting 20% of his head count in White House payroll.
• Order cabinet secretaries to cut 5% of their budget through cutting waste, duplication, etc.  Twenty-nine days after the ad was run at the WSJ, President Trump called a news conference to issue an order for cabinet secretaries to reduce spending by 5%, although there were some in the White House who only wanted Trump to ask for a 1% cut.

Further examples of waste

Over a six-year period eight Ivy league schools took federal grants and direct payment of 22 billion from the federal government despite them having  a combined $120 billion in endowment funds.  There is no way they need the money.

Consider also how in the last week of the past fiscal year, $50 billion of federal contracting went out the door ($1 dollar out of every $9) because of “lose it or spend it.”  This was done to assure that their budgets will get the same appropriation, or even more, in the next year.

Scrutiny is also needed over federal grant making.  $600 billion goes out every year for grants which are really government subsidies and give-a ways. For example:

• $180,000 to create a mobile apt to teach Chinese children how to cross the street.
• $1.1 million spent by HHS on a study as to where it hurts most to get stung with a bee.

The federal government has admitted to $1.4 trillion paid out since 2003 in mistaken or improper payments. That’s two full years of Department of Defense expenditures:

• In the past two years 11 billion dollars of improper mistaken payments were made by the Department of Education.
• Nearly $5 billion of over payments in farm subsidies have flowed out the door to farmers.

In closing, Adam referenced back to Dr. Coburn when he was wrapping up his time in the U.S. Senate.  As one who delivered 3,000 babies, sometimes there is only 3 minutes for a doctor to make the decision whether to save the life of a baby and the life of a mother.

Said Adam, we are now facing a three-minute America.  On fiscal issues we must start driving the car and telling our leaders how fast to go and when to stop.  This can be done by going to OpenTheBooks.com and downloading its free app to view spending.  Then ask questions, demand answers, and hold politicians accountable for their tax and spend decisions.

Full video of event at Heartland Institute: https://youtu.be/UDhwhgiRgxE

Heartland Institute website https://www.heartland.org/

Eagle Forum website: https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at 11:21 AM | Permalink

Tags: Adam Andrzejewski, Eagle Forum, Ed Martin, Heartland Institute, Open the Books

Thorner/Ingold: Dawn ‘Bin Laden’ Style Raid Takes Roger Stone Into FBI Custody

By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold – 

On Friday, January 24th, the country saw news that Roger Stone, long-time Republican strategist and campaign consultant to Donald Trump had been indicted and arrested by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s witch hunt, but Trump says Roger Stone didn’t work for him ‘anywhere near election’. This is the latest in a long string of political “hits” against top Trump campaign officials. What was different today, however, is that video from Stone’s arrest looked more like the capture of a drug lord or known terrorist. In a ludicrous move, Stone’s home was swarmed by dozens of FBI agents and vehicles in full SWAT gear.

According to news reports, the FBI descended on Roger Stone’s house in Ft. Lauderdale with 27-armed SWAT members and 7 vehicles including two armored personnel carriers. Wow! That’s comparable to the raid on Bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, which  involved two helicopters and less than a two dozen men. The 6:00 am raid in Florida had one thing lacking in Pakistan – a 3-member news team from CNN. which filmed the entire event. It was on the news even as Stone was even led away from his home in chains!

Not only should The Department of Justice and the FBI be ashamed not only with what took place, but especially for colluding with CNN to allow cameras on a ride along.  Fake news media helped Mueller create a spectacle with all flash and — as we now know — absolutely no substance.  Acting Attorney General Whitaker and FBI Director Wray ought to be ashamed. They should either resign for allowing CNN to manufacture such sensational ‘reporting’ or do their job and stop the Mueller witch hunt.

On the same day of the raid, President Trump expressed extreme displeasure with the FBI’s dramatic arrest of Roger Stone.  After watching the CNN footage of the early morning FBI raid, Trump blasted the Justice Department’s over-the-top treatment of Stone through twitter:

“Greatest Witch Hunt in the History of our Country! NO COLLUSION! Border Coyotes, Drug Dealers and Human Traffickers are treated better. Who alerted CNN to be there?” Trump tweeted.

Famed attorney Alan Dershowitz likewise blasted Robert Mueller on January 25th over Stone’s indictment on an appearance on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.  Dershowitz essentially accused Mueller of creating crimes where none exist.  “This is typical of Mueller. He has found almost no crimes that occurred before he was appointed special counsel.”

Why all the theatrics? One can speculate that the lack of any evidence supporting “Russian Collusion” demanded proof that the Mueller team was doing  something. Notably, nothing in Stone’s indictment mentions “collusion,” rather that Stone lied in his testimony to Congress. “Lying” from Mueller’s point of view stems from any conflict between Stone’s testimony and that of another witness or any of the other witnesses.  Five have plead guilty to various charges and are likely desperate to save themselves long jail sentences.  Stone’s indictment also fails to mention the fact that Stone’s communications regarding the Wikileaks exposure of DNC emails were dated after those leaks became public knowledge.

The dramatic raids on Stone, Manafort and Cohen may serve another purpose — a warning to anyone who supported President Trump in his election campaign, or who might help in 2020, might have a target on their back. If Mueller’s intent is to intimidate witnesses, he seems to be doing a good job of it, along with rallying those too willing to believe anything negative about the President.

Conclusion

It can be speculated that the early morning raid on Stone’s house was to scare the living daylights out Americans. They woke up Stone and his wife using 9 government vehicles and a swat team with guns, because they knew they could get away with it.  It could also be done to you if expressing loyalty to Trump, but certainly not to those on the other side.

When will justice be dealt to those who were responsible for the raid and who think they are the 4th branch of government operating outside of the law, when Stone’s indictments were just process crimes for lying to Justice.

We are witnessing the complete upending and the weaponizing of our Justice Department. Steps must be taken for criminal justice reform.  As of now, prosecutors receive immunity of the sovereign, while police officers only receive qualified immunity.

It would take legislation to change this this travesty. Prosecutors should be named and shamed.  How often does it happen (as with Flynn) that individuals are forced to make a guilty plea because there is no alternative way out. Yet prosecutors (such as those in the Mueller investigation) are permitted to destroy the lives of those being investigated by using tactic initiated to squeeze the defendant into telling them what they wish to hear.  In Roger Stone’s case, as with others, Stone is being pressured to rat on Trump

Roger Stone vowed Friday afternoon (January 15^th, 2018) after his indictment to fight the charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller.  Stone said he would refuse to testify against President Donald Trump as set forth in the following statement:

“I will plead not guilty to these charges. I will defeat them in court,” the longtime Trump ally and Republican political operative told reporters gathered outside a federal courthouse in Florida after his arrest early Friday morning. “I believe this is a politically motivated investigation.”

“There is no circumstance whatsoever under which I will bear false witness against the President, nor will I make up lies to ease the pressure on myself,” he said, sometimes being drowned out by cheers from supporters and chants of “lock him up” from protesters outside the courthouse. “I look forward to being fully and completely vindicated.”

Monday, January 28, 2019 at 10:26 AM | Permalink

Tags: FBI , Roger Stone

Thorner: Pro-lifers challenge Chicago Planned Parenthood’s Roe vs. Wade celebration

Life supporters outside Planned Parenthood’s Roe vs Wade celebration – Mark Weyermuller photos

By Nancy Thorner – 

On the eve of the March for Life in Washington, D.C., four days after Chicago’s 2019 March for Life was held on Federal Plaza with a record number of 8,000 plus pro-lifers in attendance to celebrate life, Chicago’s Planned Parenthood held a fundraiser at Morgan Manufacturing. They celebrated the Supreme Court’s ruling of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion 46 years ago this week.

The event raised the question: Is a woman’s legal right to end the life of her unborn child reason to celebrate?

As Vice President Pence said at the Washington, D.C. March for Life on Friday, January 18:  “Forty-six years ago this month the majority on the Supreme Court turned its back on that right. But in that moment, a movement was born, a movement defined by compassion and love; a movement animated by faith and truth; and a movement that’s been winning hearts and minds every day since.”

The primary role of Planned Parenthood to promote abortion, although the organization vigorously proclaims the opposite.  As a 2015 report from the Heritage Foundation notes:

“Planned Parenthood Federation of America claims that the 665 clinics run by its affiliates provide a ‘wide range’ of health care as justification for taxpayers providing more than 40 percent of their funding, and that abortion is a small proportion of their services. Yet, data show that Planned Parenthood Federation of America is the country’s largest abortion provider with affiliates performing more than 300,000 abortions per year, which amounts to approximately one out of every three in the country.”

An invitation to last Thursday’s event publicized:

“Now more than ever, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action (PPIA) and Planned Parenthood Illinois Action PAC (PPILPAC) relies upon supporters like you to attend to defend the right of Planned Parenthood patients across Illinois. Join us to celebrate the anniversary of the critical supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade and our Commitment to Act. Vote. Win!”

Further down, the invitation noted key Chicago politicos that were heading up the event:

Event Co-chairs:

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Kelley Foxx

Elizabeth & Ross Posner

Richard J. Phelan Profile Award – U.S. Rep. Robyn Kelly of the 2nd District

Lastly, the invitation told of sponsor opportunities and tickets are available online at www.ppiaction.org/roeovwade/.

The listing of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx as co-chair of a Planned Parenthood event makes public the side Cook County would likely take in any legal dispute between pro-abortion and pro-life activists or activity – and Ms. Foxx did not choose to keep her personal views private with this public notice.

And as to U.S. Rep. Robyn Kelly (2nd CD), what profile of courage is needed to attend an event that promotes terminating a baby’s life?

Thirty or so pro-Lifers demonstrated outside the event for five hours. The protest started at two nearby corners and extended to the main entrance, which all Planned Parenthood event attendees used to enter the building. According to the protesters, an estimated 350 entered the building. While two television news crews covered the event, they refused to interview protesters and little attention made it to the airwaves.

After the fundraiser started the pro-life protesters moved around the block, and raised their signs via extension poles so their signs were clearly visible to the party goers inside on the second floor. Response signs were displayed from inside the building, and those inside attempted to block views of the pro-lifers’ signs.

All photos by Mark Weyermuller

Monday, January 21, 2019 at 10:10 AM | Permalink

Tags: abortion, Planned Parenthood

  

  

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Thorner: Leftist Bill Ayers calls for open borders at Pro Life counter demonstration

Leftist Bill Ayers demanded open borders among abortion advocates – Photos by Mark Weyermuller

By Nancy Thorner –

While thousands of Life advocates gathered to celebrate Life and science last Sunday, leftist radicals such as Chicago’s Bill Ayers used the impromptu sidewalk bully pulpit to call for abortion rights and open borders.

Standing in front of a sign declaring “Abortion Saves Lives,” the 74 year old Ayers blasted the Trump Administration’s call for a wall between Mexico and the U.S., and demanded open borders. This is the same Bill Ayers that was born in Oak Park, Illinois, to become an organizer of the 1960s anti-war radicals Weathermen (later known as the Weather Underground). A longtime friend of former President Barack Obama, Ayers is now retired from his teaching position at the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Education.

Abortion rights supporters dressed as actors in the popular TV series “Handmaid’s Tale” stood alongside Ayers, demanding unrestricted abortion. One young organizer made the claim to the Chicago Sun-Times that “neo-Nazis and white supremacists find cover among the pro-Life protesters, with their view being women should be incubators to perpetuate white supremacy.”

On hand as well was the Chicago branch of the Democratic Socialists – with signs saying “Abortion is Good,” and “Tax the Church 100%,” while participants banged drums and shouted at the ralliers. Chicago Police divided the two groups.

(Photos by Mark Weyermuller)

Pussyhats – made popular at the 2017 Women’s March at the D.C. National Mall – were donned by several abortion supporters.

The abortion protestors were – for the most part – ignored by the 6000 or so record-setting crowd of pro-life marchers.

“They know the importance of the life issue and unfortunately they’re on the wrong side of it,” pro-life protester Daniel Pribble told WGN of the counter-protest. “They might have a civic right to be here, but they don’t have the moral right to be here.”

Of note is who did not participate in the Chicago March for Life:

• None of the 15 candidates running for the city’s mayor.
• None except for one aldermanic candidate of the 200 or so running.
• None of Chicago’s activist black pastors.
• No Catholics in now in elected office such as House Speaker Mike Madigan or Alderman Ed Burke.
• No Illinois Republican Party state central committee members.

The US Supreme Court declared on January 22, 1973 the practice of abortion to be a “fundamental right” guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land, but abortion advocates are concerned that a pro-life majority in the court’s new makeup could make abortion illegal. The 1973 7-2 decision stated that the Constitution gives “a guarantee of certain areas or zones of privacy,” and that “This right of privacy… is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.”

Abortion proponents, marketing themselves in positive-sounding terms such as “pro-choice,” contend that choosing abortion is a woman’s right that should not be limited by governmental or religious authority – a right outweighs any right to life claimed for an unborn human.

Friday, January 18, 2019 at 11:27 AM | Permalink

 

  

Thorner: Chicago March for Life sets new record in 2018

By Nancy Thorner & Mark Weyermuller –

Chicago’s annual March for Life was held last Sunday, and despite a snowstorm blanketing the region hours before, organizers say this year’s gathering set a new record for participation – in excess of 8000 people.

The Chicago March for Life has become a full weekend of events. It started with the Rose Dinner on Saturday night, sponsored by Speak Out Chicago. It featured a roundtable discussion between three dynamic leaders in the pro-life movement: Jeanne Mancini, president of the National March for Life Education and Defense Fund, Eva Muntean, coordinator of the West Coast Walk for Life and Dawn Fitzpatrick, president of the March for Life Chicago.

Then early Sunday morning, about 500 young people gathered at 8am for a youth rally and mass at Holy Name Cathedral. Their keynote speaker was Steve Angrisano.

Others gathered at the Union League Club for a mass and brunch sponsored by Aid For Women. This group provides emotional, practical, and spiritual support the mother needs to choose life for their unborn baby and to provide a better future for her and her children. Their keynote speaker was Ryan Scott Bomberger.

The annual March for Life Chicago is one of many being held nationwide to protest the 46th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. The Chicago event drew groups from Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Missouri.  Chicago’s and other marches lead up to the largest and oldest protest, The March for Life in Washington D.C. on Jan. 18, 2019. The march begins with a featuring a rally on the National Mall followed by a march to the U.S. Supreme Court building.

“Unique from Day One,” was this year’s theme for both marches. As Dawn Fitzpatrick, who serves on the Chicago march’s board of directors, explained, “Being pro-life is not in opposition to science. It’s quite the opposite, in fact. Medical and technological advancements continue to reaffirm the science behind the pro-life cause — that life begins at fertilization, or Day One, when egg meets sperm and a new, unique human embryo is created.”

Cardinal Blase Cupich touched upon the same theme. “When a child’s life is taken, we are all touched by that loss,” Cupich told the crowd. “We are all robbed of the distinctive interest, the skills, the talents these little ones might have been able to contribute in a myriad of ways to our families, communities and the world.”

Two U.S. Congress members from Illinois – Republican Darin LaHood of IL’s 18th CD and Democrat Dan Lipinski of IL’s 3rd CD , appeared together on stage in a show of unity concerning abortion. LaHood stressed the importance of anti-abortion legislation, while Lipinski said, “I am a Democrat. We all have our differences, but we all agree science shows us life begins at conception. There is nothing more important than protecting Life.”

Vice President of the Chicago Bears Pat McCaskey shared a pro-life poem to the delight of those assembled. “On the Chicago streets, we think marching is quite neat,” he read. “March for Life. March for Life.”

A young parent Reyanna told her inspiring story about why she chose life while holding her young child. Calling her the “love of her life,” Reyna said, “I don’t think there’s a greater love than a mother who loves her child. When I see her, my whole world lights up.” Illinois’ pro-life pregnancy center Aid for Women encouraged Reyanna to choose life.

Speaker Ryan Bomberger of the Radiance Foundation told how his biological mother was raped, yet courageously gave him a chance to live via the beautiful gift of adoption. Bomberger said he was adopted at six weeks of age and grew up in a loving, multi-racial Christian family of 15. With siblings of varying ethnicities, he grew up with a great appreciation for diversity. Ten of the thirteen children were adopted in his remarkable family. His life, he said, defies the myth of the “unwanted” child – he was adopted, loved and has flourished.

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life in Washington, spoke of the history behind March for Life.  Hear what Mancini had to say three weeks prior to last year’s March for Life in Washington, D.C.

After an hour of listening to speakers, the assembled pro-lifers marched nine blocks through downtown Chicago with signs displaying their unity with 2019 theme.

Several parties after the march were held, including one sponsored by ICE-PAC, (Illinois Citizens for Ethics) a group that supports pro-life candidates.  The event featured speakers former State Rep. Jeanne Ives, as well as current State Reps. Tom Morrison, and Allen Skillicorn.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 10:06 AM | Permalink

 

  

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Thorner/O’Neil: Mainstream Media’s Self-Imposed Death Knell

By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O’Neil – 

Do most Americans trust our nation’s media sources? President Trump has repeatedly made it clear he does not trust most of them for either accuracy or fair reporting.  Evident is that the Trump White House and the mainstream media have not enjoyed the same cozy relationship as did the previous administration.  What makes this a particularly problematic situation is that some media sources use every opportunity possible to report unfavorable information that harms our President’s reputation.  While that may appeal to specific audiences, it has a detrimental impact in general on the United States, as the World watches, listens, and uses quotes from these media sources to discredit and damage our nation’s reputation and strength world-wide.

Trump’s media bias early on

The tenuous relationship between Trump and the media began during the 2016 campaign when specific powerful Democrats violated laws to target Donald Trump.  An example wasCNN’s Donna Brazile, who was caught giving Hillary Clinton the CNN debate questions prior to an important debate with candidate Trump. The type and degree of bias many media sources waged against candidate Donald Trump was significant and arguably unfair as the public was inundated with Trump’s negatives.  An argument can be made for the public’s right to know all of Trump’s faults before ballots are cast, but the same sources largely ignored mentioning major mistakes made by candidate Hillary when Secretary of State.

Anti-Trump media bias even took place on the day of Trump’s inauguration at his swearing in ceremony.  Media sources released pictures depicting Trump’s inauguration as the most poorly attended in our history.  The public later learned that some photos supposedly showing poor attendance were taken early in the day before most people had arrived.  What most media sources also failed to mention is the rainy weather on Inauguration Day. It is reasonable to assume many citizens decided to watch the inauguration on television from the cozy comfort of their homes.  USA Today and other sources confirmed that. What some mainstream media sources failed to mention is that to get a good crowd estimate requires a true overhead image, but an accurate image was unlikely because the FAA made certain areas no-fly zones during the inauguration

Unhinged media animosity

The current form of unhinged animosity between the White House and Leftist media sources is not new in our nation, but it has escalated to a dangerous degree. The media appears to be at war with our President, his staff, and even family members, with intensity unprecedented in modern times.  This is particularly obvious and disappointing because this same mainstream media, whenever possible, fiercely protected President Obama for eight years. Even during those times in when Obama’s mistakes were obvious and serious, most of the media avoided assigning blame to Obama for his missteps.

While it is not unusual in the World of Washington D.C. politics for the media to publish unfavorable information about Republican presidents, it is shocking how specific mainstream media sources quickly organized attacks on President Trump and aligned themselves with Congressional Democrats to embarrass President Trump, if not to destroy his presidency.  On August 10th of last year, the Boston Globe called for a nationwide effort to publish editorials pushing back against President Donald Trump’s ramped-up rhetoric against news media.  As Marjorie Pritchard, the Boston Globe’s editorial page deputy managing editor said in this statement obtained by ABC News:  “It calls for urgent action by those committed to free speech and the free press to stand against a White House and its allies who are bent on eroding a pillar of an informed democracy.” Per Pritchard’s request, more than 300 newspapers joined a nationwide effort to publish editorials that were unfavorable push-backs against President Trump.

How can the public trust media sources when they have proven themselves to be so actively biased against President Trump? While Trump is not the first President to experience a negative media, reporting by the mainstream media appears to be little more than a shill for the Democrat Party.  The war between specific media sources and our President has been embarrassing to our country’s worldwide reputation. The American public is left to decide what they believe best for our nation’s success on any given issue and reputation world-wide.  Some believe it fair to conclude that fair and balanced mainstream journalism is dead.  At least that is the perception of many Republicans and even some Democrats.

Existing double standard

Now that Democrats have control of the House, we are witnessing an uptake in negative rhetoric coming from newly elected Democrat House members whose voices are strong, but their awareness of facts is lacking. The future of these elected members is questionable when they have so little understanding of our nation’s historical values or how government works in D.C. Several new Democrat congressmen campaigned with rhetoric beyond just inflammatory, making them sound more like Socialists with Communist ideals and goals.  It is time for members of the media to wake-up and examine why they chose their profession.

It has been suggested, mostly by those on the Left, that putting pressure on the President and his administration and holding them accountable for their decisions is the responsibility of the media.  That is correct, but only if the media has been proven to be fair and balanced. Only the very naive of Obama supporters could ever believe that Obama’s scrutiny by the media equaled that given to Trump and his administration.  In the long run, history will be the judge whether the excessive scrutiny have proven to be profitable or problematic.

Although Obama and his administration made significant mistakes and some of his misdeeds were reported, his feet were never held to the fire. Few can seriously deny the media has treated Hillary, Obama, and his administration with the same scrutiny they have given the current administration.  Little fact checking has been made public about Obama’s claim that his administration was scandal-free or that he was responsible for Trump’s economy.

Obama’s media love-fest

History records there was a time when the media prided itself on full disclosure: to report the good and the bad, no matter what or who was involved.  Why were exceptions made during the Obama years?   Apparent was the love affair the media had with President Obama. His Leftist policies reflected the views held by many within the mainstream media, and, as our first Black President, he was spared and/or excused for many of his mistakes. The exact opposite has been their treatment of President Trump, where many in the media appear to be at war with him.  Actual hatred has bubbled to the surface and is now so intense it is dangerously close to harming our nation.  Rather than seek the truth and facts, many media sources are more interested in destroying Trump and his presidency.

What were some of the coverups by the media in the Obama administration?

• The slow and even lack of factual reporting about that led up to and what occurred in the Benghazi tragedy that resulted in the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and brave American patriots who tried to save the Ambassador. Many were saved. . . but Patriots Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods (two former Navy Seals) died.
• Obama’s “Fast and Furious” gun running on Mexican border that resulted in the death of an American border agent Brian Terry.
• The IRS scandal that targeted specific conservative organizations by rejecting and/or stalling IRS Republican applications for section 501 (C-4) and did so with highly questionable political excuses; in October 2017 the IRS apologized.

Examples are numerous of how media sources treated Obama very differently than how they are now treating President Trump, such as:

• He took office during a painful recession.  Historically, the deeper a recession the more robust the recovery that follows, but the economy’s rebound under Obama was the worst in seven decades.
• GDP growth since the recession ended has averaged a feeble 2.1 percent, by far the puniest economic performance of any president since World War II.
• He spent more public funds on “stimulus” than all previous stimulus programs combined, with horrendous. even counterproductive results.
• On his watch, millions of additional Americans fell below the poverty line.
• The number of food stamp recipients soared.
• The national debt doubled to an incredible $20 trillion.
• According to the Pew Research Center, the share of young adults (18- to 34-year-olds) living in their parents’ homes was the highest since the Great Depression.

You didn’t know these verifiable facts?  Perhaps that is because few major media sources reported them.

Internet as a tool of knowledge

The internet is a valuable and reliable tool for those among us who want to know the whole truth and are willing to check facts about any given issue.  Computers have become a type of weapon against liars.  The public can “fast check” almost any subject and receive information that is factually correct.  Consequently, it is becoming more and more difficult for politicians and/or biased media sources to fool the public, if the public is willing to question mainstream media’s spin via the Internet and facts from a variety of sources on most any subject.  The problem is that over half of Americans do not have the inclination or time to do such fact checking. Media sources are aware of that fact, which is likely why they often take great liberties in their reporting of political news.

We certainly live in an Information Age; most agree that is an enormous advantage to us and our nation.  However, this requires more work and effort to discern facts from a variety of media sources to avoid misinformation.  As few of us are inclined to use our discretionary time in that pursuit, “fabricators” in Congress, aided by biased media sources and a variety of various Internet sites, put forth their own interpretation of facts.  Regretfully most of the public believes whatever sources they access, but fortunately there are still enough patriots who do take the necessary time to determine facts and their accuracy.  When we find those sources that provide facts rather than opinionated versions of the issues, we need to share the information with others within our sphere of influence.

Our computers and smart phones make sharing easier than ever before.  It behooves us to take advantage of these amazing advantages to share what we discover with others.

Monday, January 14, 2019 at 09:24 AM | Permalink

Thorner: Foolish Illinois lawmakers boosted early efforts to eliminate Electoral College

As if Illinois’ array of “moderate” Republicans wasn’t embarrassing enough, the state’s conservatives may not be aware, or have maybe forgotten that Illinois Republicans were some of the first to support ending the nation’s Electoral College. (Left to Right: 2010 gubernatorial candidates Bill Brady, Dan Rutherford, Kirk Dillard and Bruce Rauner)

By Nancy Thorner – 

With House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the helm of the 116th Congress, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) on January 3rd, 2018,  a vocal critic of President Trump, introduced two constitutional amendment bills. One of them was aimed at eliminating the Electoral College to replace it with a popular vote for electing a president and vice president. The amendment is unlikely to pass since it would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress and then must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.  However, the recent Cohn amendment is just another away to achieve the same goal of eliminating the Electoral College, as does the National Popular Vote bill, which has already been introduced in most every state.

Illinois at the forefront

Illinois has already jumped on board the band wagon to eliminate the Electoral College, as the state where the National Popular Vote bill was first introduced (on January 19, 2006). In the Illinois Senate, the bill (SB 2724) was sponsored in 2006 by Senators Jacqueline Collins (D), Kirk W. Dillard (Du Page County Republican Party Chair), and James T. Meeks (I). In the Illinois House, the bill (HB 5777) was sponsored by Representatives Robert S. Molaro (D) and Jim Durkin (R). By the end of 2006, the Illinois bills had a total of 48 sponsors. (At the time there were 118 House members and 59 Senators in Illinois).  On April 7, 2008, Illinois became the third state to enact the National Popular Vote bill.

How stupid or corrupt it was for Illinois State Senator Kirk W. Dillard (then Du Page County Republican Party Chair), to have enthusiastically supported the bill and to say in 2006:

“This isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue to me. It’s important that people have faith that in the election of the most important office in the world that their vote will count. I’m proud to sponsor legislation that will hopefully result in presidential candidates showing up and working to meet voters in my state.”

Consider also that the late former US Senator from TN, Fred Thompson, was national spokesman for the NPV.

Effort to evade 12th Amendment to Constitution

The scheme for a National Popular Vote (NPV) is a destructive scheme. The proposal seeks to evade the 12^th Amendment to our Constitution, where the States elect the President, and substitutes a national popular vote where inhabitants of major metropolitan areas would end up electing the President.

The federal government created by our Constitution is a Federation of Sovereign States united under a federal government for those limited purposes itemized in the Constitution.  All other powers are reserved by the States or the People.

To ensure that the states, as Members of the Federation, could maintain their independence and sovereignty, our Framers wrote the following provisions into our Constitution:

• State Legislatures were to choose the U.S. Senators for their State and
• The States, as separate political entities, were to elect the President.

This resulted in State Legislatures choosing the U.S. Senators and controlling the election of the President through the selection of Electors, thus enabling States to be able to able to control the federal government.

Safeguard removed through 17th and 12th Amendments

One of these safeguards was thrown away when we foolishly ratified the 17^th Amendment, which called for the popular election of U.S. Senators.

The other safeguard was discarded when we foolishly ignored the procedures in the 12th Amendment by allowing Electors to become rubber stamps for the popular vote in their State for candidates most favored by powerful groups.  Additionally, per the 12^th Amendment, the electoral votes of each State were to be split according to how the Electors voted, thus making the “winner takes all” practice followed in most States unconstitutional!

Our Framers purposely didn’t want popular election of the President, because they recognized that people are easily manipulated by those who take advantage of their “hopes and fears” to steer them towards candidates favored by powerful groups.

How the National Popular Vote Scheme would work?

The National Popular Vote (NPV) plan guarantees election of the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The NPV plan is a state statute in the form of an interstate compact. It creates an agreement among states to award all their electoral votes collectively to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote. This agreement takes effect only once the participating states together hold a majority of electoral votes (270 of 538), guaranteeing that the winner of the national popular vote will win an Electoral College majority.

The bill has so far been enacted in 12 states with a total of 172 electoral votes (CA, CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, RI, VT, WA).  An additional 98 electoral votes are yet needed for the bill to take effect.  So, if the popular vote in Illinois were for Mickey Mouse, but the total national popular vote favored Adolf Hitler, then all of Illinois’ Electoral votes would be awarded to Adolf Hitler, as would the Electoral votes in every other state.  Do not think the winner will fail to claim a “Mandate” for whatever he wants to do.

Passing NPV would guarantee election of the national popular vote winner once the compact has been joined by enough states to make it decisive for determining the outcome of future elections.  As much of the population of the United States lives in a few major metropolitan areas, under the NPV scheme these areas would decide the elections for President.  The NPV is not about “making every vote count”. The NPV is about guaranteeing that every future presidential election is decided by inhabitants of major metropolitan areas, blue areas.

Lame arguments by the NPV lobby

What are some of the arguments used by NPV lobby?

• It complains that State winner-take-all statutes award all of a State’s electoral votes to the candidate who gets the most popular votes in the State, but their schemesubstitutes a national winner-take-all system!  Is that any better?
• It complains that four times in our history, candidates have been elected who didn’t win the most votes nationwide. Well, boo hoo! The purpose of the Electoral College is so smaller States will have a voice – our Framers rejected the idea of a national popular vote.
• They complain that presidential candidates spend money and have campaign events only in battleground States, but with a national popular vote there won’t be any battleground States, because it will be a foregone conclusion that every election will be won by the candidate who appeals to those in the large urban areas.

NPV opens up election stealing

As Joseph Stalin said, “The people who cast the votes don’t decide an election, the people who count the votes do.”

We are told that Clinton got 2.8 million more votes nationwide than did Trump. Whether she really did or didn’t isn’t the point because that’s what the vote counters said.

With the NPV scheme in place, the vote counters can fabricate enough votes to steal every presidential election.  Even if an election were honest in most States – a few large States where cheats control the machines – can throw a national election.

As the number of Electoral Votes is fixed at 538, cheaters can’t pick Electoral Votes out of thin air, but the number of popular votes said to have been cast in a presidential election is limited ONLY by the depth of the depravity of corrupt party officials, corrupt campaigns, and corrupt election officials.

In California, Clinton supposedly got 4.3 million more votes than Trump, but how many of these votes were cast by illegal aliens?  We’ll never know how many illegals made up the 8,753,788 votes Clinton supposedly received in California.  During 2015, California passed a Motor Voter Law, AB 1461. Illegal aliens who have driver’s licenses can vote in California, having been automatically registered to vote when they got their drivers’ licenses, as is the practice here in Illinois. If they’re caught, all they have to say is, “I thought I was entitled to vote since the State DMV registered me to vote.”  With NPV, this kind of shenanigans in just one large State can determine the outcome of an election.

Opposing the National Popular Vote scheme

Although it would be best to return to the 12th Amendment where we elect the President and the Vice President as originally established in our Constitution, even in its present perverted form, the “Electoral College” serves two important purposes: (1) It balances the influence of the heavily populated urban areas with the more sparsely populated rural areas; and (2) gives the smaller States a voice in the election of President.

In a September 22, 2018 commentary  by Tara Ross, author of The Indispensable Electoral College: How the Founders’ Plan Saves Our Country from Mob Rule, Ross had this to say:

“NPV is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  NPV pretends to be bipartisan, committed to serving the needs of the nation. In reality, NPV’s plan is funded by liberals and designed to strike at the heart of America’s unique presidential election process.”

Friday, January 11, 2019 at 09:25 AM | Permalink

Thorner: Religious education or Islamic Indoctrination in taxpayer-funded schools?

Florida parents express concern about religious education in public schools

By Nancy Thorner – 

While some have attributed the controversy of promoting Islam in the classroom to the Common Core standards, what is closer to the truth is that the same philosophy that has encouraged parents to leave educating their children to “the experts” has produced both Common Core and the teaching of Islamic beliefs in the classroom by allowing the progressive elites to take decision making about children away from parents and transferring it to government bureaucrats.

As for teaching history, for years an underlying premise embraced by many on the Left is that there is a moral equivalence between cultures, which means America can’t be considered better or greater than any other county.

The Wall Street Journal provided this overview of the situation in regard to Islam in the classroom:

“Language about Islamic history in school textbooks is spurring battles across the nation, with some parents’ groups and lawmakers objecting to what they see as an overly benign portrayal of the religion’s spread and its teachings.”

 Parents protest teaching of Islam

Many parents contend that the line has already been crossed in regard to Islam in the classroom.

Read here some of the most notable incidents of protests and challenges to educational materials about Islam from around the country from Dec. of 2013 to April 20 of 2017.

More recent instances of parental protests in 2018 include:

In May of 2018, a seventh-grade student brought home a packet of lessons and assignments from Mountain Ridge Middle School in West Virginia which included the following:

• Write the Shahada, the Islamic conversion creed, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” in Arabic as part of “calligraphy” practice.
• Fast for 24 hours and give lunch money and food to a food bank, to sympathize with Muslims going through Ramadan.
• Read chapters from the Koran.
• Learn the Five Pillars of Islam.

The daughter’s father, Mr. Penkoski, told her she was not going to do the assignment and he immediately complained to the principal.

In June of 2018, a parent sued the school system in Chatham, New Jersey for forcing 7th grade students to watch a set of videos in their World Cultures and Geography class that essentially proselytize for Islam. One five-minute video declares that:

• God gave Muhammed the noble Quran
• The Quran is a perfect guide for humanity
• Islam is a shining beacon against the darkness of repression, segregation, intolerance and racism
• The Beautiful Quran is guidance for the wise and sensible.

The video ends with an invitation of sorts: “May God help us all to find the true faith, Islam.”

The above cases are being represented by the Thomas More Law Center, which is hoping to set a precedent in the Supreme Court so other lawyers and parents can use it to stop the indoctrination of other children.  But a problem does exist. The court system itself is basically geared toward multi-culturalism, towards preventing the courts from being called bigoted or Islamophobic.

Violation of Establishment Clause of First Amendment

School districts all over the country are violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which requires that schools must maintain neutrality towards all religions.  The Supreme Court and ACLU have made it very clear that the Christian religion cannot be present in any way in public school systems, but not so with other religions.  Teaching Islam, over other religions in social studies, is happening under the guise of multi-culturalism and is further being advanced through the perception that Islam is the proper, peaceful religion in teaching social studies.  President George W. Bush entertained this idea when he declared Islam “a religion of peace” days after 9/11. 

When and if Christianity is taught, emphasized is the persecution of Christians by Christians without any historical context, when Christians, for the most part, were taking back land that had been taken by the sword of Islam.  In contrast teaching of Islam leaves out the violent history of Islam and that Islam was rejected by most of those to whom Muhammad preached until the sword to win converts.  Never mentioned is that Islam has been responsible for more deaths in the name of their religion than all despots like Hitler and Stalin.

It would be unthinkable to force a Muslim to invoke John 3:16, but forcing student to say the Shahada is quite acceptable (Shahada is the conversion creed for Islam: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.)  There would be a great outcry from the ACLU and other leftist groups if children were made to recite “There is no God but Jehovah, and Jesus is His Son.

 Availability of source material for teachers

Teachers have access to multiple sources on the internet for teaching Islam from K-12.  If promoting Islam is what’s in the brain of teachers — many of whom are products of liberal colleges and universities, versed in a revisionist view of history — students will experience a greater emphasis on it.  Thorner has listed the following two sites that merit attention:

1. ACCESS ISLAM comprises over 100 minutes of digital video from the award-winning PBS series RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY. The site also contains high quality, multi-media tools; downloadable lesson plans; and resources related to Islamic holidays, traditions and cultures. The video segments can be used alone, or in conjunction with any of 10 lesson plans which are aligned to national Common Core standards and vetted by an advisory committee of experts in education and Islamic cultures.  Funding for ACCESS ISLAM was provided by the U.S. Department of Education in 2005

View here the Access Islam Internet site and its Islamic Indoctrination 5-12 program.  Watching it sent chills up Thorner’s spine.

A petition was circulated without success, to have Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, dump Access Islam from the public schools and acknowledge that it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.  The Education Department offers no similar learning material for Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or any other major world religion.  Just Islam.

On March 29, 2017, Tucker Carlson had a segment on his Fox News show about the U.S. Government funding Islamic indoctrination.

2. Saudi-financed K-12 curricula began after 9/11, when Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states  stepped up their spending spree and targeted the U.S. education system with renewed vigor. It was, in part, an attempt to counter the backlash that the Saudis and others after the fallout and the exposure of their connections to radical Islam.

Through this nation’s America’s Middle-East studies curriculum, the Saudis have taken a surprising degree of control over America’s education.  The system of federal subsidies to university programs of Middle East Studies (under Title VI of the Higher Education Act) has been serving as a kind of Trojan horse for Saudi influence of American K -12 education.  Federally subsidized Middle East Studies centers are required to pursue public outreach, which entails designing lesson plans and seminars on the Middle East for American’s K-12 teachers.  These university-distributed teaching aids slip into the K-12 curriculum without being subject to the normal public process. Textbook curriculum is further provided by the Middle East National Resource Centers, which are federally funded by Title VI.

It seems that Saudi influence on the U.S. education system is working.  Young people view Muslims and their faith more favorable than do other age groups.

 Parents must remain vigilant

Parents have to know that they have to pay attention to what their children are learning in their public school system. It’s not enough to glance over textbooks because teachers are getting their lessons from the internet, “where there is no vetting” to ensure the information is accurate or that it meets educational standards.

Traditionally it was believed that the school’s job was to transmit not only knowledge, but also cultural heritage. In addition to learning the ABCs, school was also the place where you learned the story of your nation, your culture, and your civilization.  You learned that although there were shameful episodes in American history, there was much of which to be proud.  In turn, teachers felt a responsibility to tell the story of American history as objectively as possible

Today’s students can tell you about the sins of the West, but they lack the unifying ideals that hold the U.S. together as a society.

The clash of civilizations is underway between the West and Islam, and Muslims intend to win.  Educational institutions can no longer afford to take the relativist view that one system or society is as good as another. They need to learn to take their own side as they have a dog in the fight.

Part 1 by Nancy Thorner, published January 2, 2019 at Illinois Review:  Should Sharia Supremacism Concern This Nation?   https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/thorner-should-sharia-supremacism-concern-this-nation.html

Wednesday, January 09, 2019 at 11:32 AM | Permalink

Florida parents express concern about religious education in public schools

By Nancy Thorner – 

While some have attributed the controversy of promoting Islam in the classroom to the Common Core standards, what is closer to the truth is that the same philosophy that has encouraged parents to leave educating their children to “the experts” has produced both Common Core and the teaching of Islamic beliefs in the classroom by allowing the progressive elites to take decision making about children away from parents and transferring it to government bureaucrats.

As for teaching history, for years an underlying premise embraced by many on the Left is that there is a moral equivalence between cultures, which means America can’t be considered better or greater than any other county.

The Wall Street Journal provided this overview of the situation in regard to Islam in the classroom:

“Language about Islamic history in school textbooks is spurring battles across the nation, with some parents’ groups and lawmakers objecting to what they see as an overly benign portrayal of the religion’s spread and its teachings.”

 Parents protest teaching of Islam

Many parents contend that the line has already been crossed in regard to Islam in the classroom.

Read here some of the most notable incidents of protests and challenges to educational materials about Islam from around the country from Dec. of 2013 to April 20 of 2017.

More recent instances of parental protests in 2018 include:

In May of 2018, a seventh-grade student brought home a packet of lessons and assignments from Mountain Ridge Middle School in West Virginia which included the following:

• Write the Shahada, the Islamic conversion creed, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” in Arabic as part of “calligraphy” practice.
• Fast for 24 hours and give lunch money and food to a food bank, to sympathize with Muslims going through Ramadan.
• Read chapters from the Koran.
• Learn the Five Pillars of Islam.

The daughter’s father, Mr. Penkoski, told her she was not going to do the assignment and he immediately complained to the principal.

In June of 2018, a parent sued the school system in Chatham, New Jersey for forcing 7th grade students to watch a set of videos in their World Cultures and Geography class that essentially proselytize for Islam. One five-minute video declares that:

• God gave Muhammed the noble Quran
• The Quran is a perfect guide for humanity
• Islam is a shining beacon against the darkness of repression, segregation, intolerance and racism
• The Beautiful Quran is guidance for the wise and sensible.

The video ends with an invitation of sorts: “May God help us all to find the true faith, Islam.”

The above cases are being represented by the Thomas More Law Center, which is hoping to set a precedent in the Supreme Court so other lawyers and parents can use it to stop the indoctrination of other children.  But a problem does exist. The court system itself is basically geared toward multi-culturalism, towards preventing the courts from being called bigoted or Islamophobic.

Violation of Establishment Clause of First Amendment

School districts all over the country are violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which requires that schools must maintain neutrality towards all religions.  The Supreme Court and ACLU have made it very clear that the Christian religion cannot be present in any way in public school systems, but not so with other religions.  Teaching Islam, over other religions in social studies, is happening under the guise of multi-culturalism and is further being advanced through the perception that Islam is the proper, peaceful religion in teaching social studies.  President George W. Bush entertained this idea when he declared Islam “a religion of peace” days after 9/11. 

When and if Christianity is taught, emphasized is the persecution of Christians by Christians without any historical context, when Christians, for the most part, were taking back land that had been taken by the sword of Islam.  In contrast teaching of Islam leaves out the violent history of Islam and that Islam was rejected by most of those to whom Muhammad preached until the sword to win converts.  Never mentioned is that Islam has been responsible for more deaths in the name of their religion than all despots like Hitler and Stalin.

It would be unthinkable to force a Muslim to invoke John 3:16, but forcing student to say the Shahada is quite acceptable (Shahada is the conversion creed for Islam: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.)  There would be a great outcry from the ACLU and other leftist groups if children were made to recite “There is no God but Jehovah, and Jesus is His Son.

 Availability of source material for teachers

Teachers have access to multiple sources on the internet for teaching Islam from K-12.  If promoting Islam is what’s in the brain of teachers — many of whom are products of liberal colleges and universities, versed in a revisionist view of history — students will experience a greater emphasis on it.  Thorner has listed the following two sites that merit attention:

1. ACCESS ISLAM comprises over 100 minutes of digital video from the award-winning PBS series RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY. The site also contains high quality, multi-media tools; downloadable lesson plans; and resources related to Islamic holidays, traditions and cultures. The video segments can be used alone, or in conjunction with any of 10 lesson plans which are aligned to national Common Core standards and vetted by an advisory committee of experts in education and Islamic cultures.  Funding for ACCESS ISLAM was provided by the U.S. Department of Education in 2005

View here the Access Islam Internet site and its Islamic Indoctrination 5-12 program.  Watching it sent chills up Thorner’s spine.

A petition was circulated without success, to have Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, dump Access Islam from the public schools and acknowledge that it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.  The Education Department offers no similar learning material for Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or any other major world religion.  Just Islam.

On March 29, 2017, Tucker Carlson had a segment on his Fox News show about the U.S. Government funding Islamic indoctrination.

2. Saudi-financed K-12 curricula began after 9/11, when Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states  stepped up their spending spree and targeted the U.S. education system with renewed vigor. It was, in part, an attempt to counter the backlash that the Saudis and others after the fallout and the exposure of their connections to radical Islam.

Through this nation’s America’s Middle-East studies curriculum, the Saudis have taken a surprising degree of control over America’s education.  The system of federal subsidies to university programs of Middle East Studies (under Title VI of the Higher Education Act) has been serving as a kind of Trojan horse for Saudi influence of American K -12 education.  Federally subsidized Middle East Studies centers are required to pursue public outreach, which entails designing lesson plans and seminars on the Middle East for American’s K-12 teachers.  These university-distributed teaching aids slip into the K-12 curriculum without being subject to the normal public process. Textbook curriculum is further provided by the Middle East National Resource Centers, which are federally funded by Title VI.

It seems that Saudi influence on the U.S. education system is working.  Young people view Muslims and their faith more favorable than do other age groups.

 Parents must remain vigilant

Parents have to know that they have to pay attention to what their children are learning in their public school system. It’s not enough to glance over textbooks because teachers are getting their lessons from the internet, “where there is no vetting” to ensure the information is accurate or that it meets educational standards.

Traditionally it was believed that the school’s job was to transmit not only knowledge, but also cultural heritage. In addition to learning the ABCs, school was also the place where you learned the story of your nation, your culture, and your civilization.  You learned that although there were shameful episodes in American history, there was much of which to be proud.  In turn, teachers felt a responsibility to tell the story of American history as objectively as possible

Today’s students can tell you about the sins of the West, but they lack the unifying ideals that hold the U.S. together as a society.

The clash of civilizations is underway between the West and Islam, and Muslims intend to win.  Educational institutions can no longer afford to take the relativist view that one system or society is as good as another. They need to learn to take their own side as they have a dog in the fight.

Part 1 by Nancy Thorner, published January 2, 2019 at Illinois Review:  Should Sharia Supremacism Concern This Nation?   https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2019/01/thorner-should-sharia-supremacism-concern-this-nation.html

Wednesday, January 09, 2019 at 11:32 AM | Permalink

Thorner/O’Neil: Midterm Election Results Demand Questions and Scrutiny

Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema is U.S. Senate’s first bisexual member

By Nancy Thorner & Bonnie O’Neil – 

People around the World enjoy their established customs and traditions; Americans are certainly no exception. We enjoy decorating a Christmas tree, hiding Easter eggs, and/or shooting off fireworks on the 4th of July.  We have welcomed people from other parts of the world who want to make this nation their home. Unlike many countries, America welcomes foreigners and we provide avenues for them to become citizens.

However, for the protection of our millions of citizens there are specific requirements that must be followed, laws obeyed, and although not legally required, it is hoped those who desire to be American citizens will also want to accept and enjoy some of our most cherished customs.  Without question, shouldn’t those requirements apply to everyone who seeks to become a United States officer and/or public servant?

Arizona’s Senator Kyrsten Sinema

Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the newly elected Democrat from Arizona, recently proved she is unwilling to abide by our traditions. Sinema broke a century old American tradition when she refused to state her “oath for office” on a Bible or any other religious book.  Instead, Sinema used a law book to execute her ceremonial oath of office.  This newly-elected official shunned one of America’s longest and most treasured traditions, and whether she meant to or not, this woman insulted all Americans by refusing to do what so many other patriots had done before her.  Should Arizona residents now be wondering what other American customs and traditions this bold woman will ignore in her position as their representative?  Will her constituents remain silent and allow their state to be changed in ways that do not represent the values of most Arizonians.

Were Arizona voters even aware Sinema intended to make changes in their state … that she disagreed with many traditions the majority have enjoyed in the State?   She is the only member of the Senate who does not claim to be a member of any religion. She admits to being bisexual, and Sinema is proud of her reputation as a radical Code Pink activist.  If the before mentioned unusual traits do not bother some of her constituents, we can only hope that her latest and most shocking admission might be of concern when admitting to being a Taliban sympathizer.

Rejection of a Combat Veteran by Arizonians

Sinema’s opponent in the 2018 Arizona mid-term election was Martha McSally, a loyal American patriot, who had proudly served in our military as a decorated combat soldier.  McSally was the first American female to engage in a combat position, indicating she was highly respected by military authorities.  McSally chose to take her oath of office using a Bible recovered from the USS Arizona, the ship that sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. McSally was also known as a “workhorse” when a member of Congress and was well respected by her colleagues.

Speculation continues as to what Arizona voters were thinking.  Did media sources underplay McSally’s attributes and/or choose to hype those of her opponent?  Did McSally fail to sufficiently promote her accomplishments?  Perhaps McSally might have done a better job of promoting herself, but certainly Arizona residents had to be aware of her stellar qualifications.  Trying to understand what happened, some considered the possibility of voter fraud.  Arizona Republicans complained about some voting irregularities, including the unusually long period of time it took to count all the votes after the polls closed.

Because Arizonians rejected a decorated war veteran for a Taliban sympathizer, political observers are eager to know how that happened in a state that had just honored their deceased war hero, Senator McCain.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat

Another relatively new Democrat getting attention is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has no problem being called a “radical.”  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants higher taxes and believes every Democrat should agree with her.  Not unexpectedly, media sources fell in line with the radical rhetoric of Alexandria, promoted her, and helped her win the election.

Although Alexandria is the youngest member of Congress, her girl-like, immature behavior does not conform with her chronological age of 29 or with her educational background as a cum laude graduate of Boston University who grew up in a tiny Westchester County.  This image is far afield from the working-class image Ocasio-Cortez has created.  It is fair to question what other deceptions might she have in store for a media willing to promote her without any fact checking?

Ocasio-Cortez has little political experience to recommend her, unless criticizing her political opponents qualifies as such.  Inflammatory rhetoric and verbal assassinations of her critics has drawn media coverage.  This is in keeping with today’s challenge by many Democrat sources that seem to hinge on who can do the most damage to our duly elected president’s reputation and point out ways their opponents are associated with him.  One can only wonder what our forefathers would have stated about this new style of political rhetoric and drama that persuaded good citizens to vote for women like Kyrsten Sinema and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Criticism against our president may not be new, but it certainly is a very sharp contrast from the love affair the media had with Obama and his administration.  Many American patriots find this continuing harsh negative rhetoric not only harmful to Trump but to America as well, especially because the negativity appears to be founded as much on political party preference than anything else.  It seems apparent the media was far more willing to promote Ocasio-Cortez’s attributes and downplay or ignore her obvious political ignorance, which was easily proven when she time and again displayed her lack of knowledge of issues, which as a candidate, she should have known thoroughly.  It appears much of Alexandria’s victory was based largely on her messages filled with divisive rhetoric against President Trump, which her constituents obviously agreed with.

What are the Responsibilities of Citizens?

The American public can forget any hope for unity in Congress when Democrats like Kyrsten Sinema and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are elected.  Their goal is not one of uniting; instead, their rhetoric and platform are designed to divide us for personal purposes.  Former respected leaders have always urged this nation to remain united and warned that divisiveness is dangerous.  Upon leaving office as our first president, George Washington cautioned against three interrelated dangers that threatened to destroy the Union: regionalism, partisanship, and foreign entanglements. In his farewell address Washington warned his countrymen not to let regional loyalties overwhelm national attachments:

“The name of American…must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.”

It is the duty of American voters to discern which candidates best exemplify the description of a patriot as described by George Washington and support those candidates.  The priority of any candidate must first be a proven love for all our people and devoid of rhetoric intended to divide.  Wisely choose those who are willing to work for the stability of America, rather than those who are “self-serving,” single-focused,” or disrespect our Constitution and/or established laws that have benefited our people for centuries.   Prefer those candidates whose character and loyalty to our nation cannot be questioned, because past actions do reflect the direction they will take in the future.  Be wary of any who make promises they cannot possibly keep or who advocate for major changes based on an agenda that defies the character of our forefathers and the wise laws which allowed America to become one of the greatest nations in the world.

Although the duties outlined above seem an impossible task for our electorate to follow in our polarized nation, each of us must do our best to help resolve these important issues.  Conversations are necessary; heated rhetoric and partisan divide is unproductive.

What choice do we have but to continually remind all within our sphere of influence that when America operates in the way this nation was founded … as a Representative Republic …. and when the majority vote for patriots who consider the above their goal …. America will continue to prosper.

Wednesday, January 09, 2019 at 12:01 PM | Permalink

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Thorner: Should Sharia Supremacism Concern This Nation?

Might there be a growing jihadist foothold here in the U.S.? Consider the devastation in the European countries of France, Great Britain, Sweden, and Germany, that have increasingly been submitting to Sharia law because of the explosion of illegal and legal Muslim immigration in recent years, to see where we are headed if we don’t stop its adherents from doing the same in this country. Sharia law guides all aspects of Muslim life including daily routines, familial and religious obligations, and financial dealings.

Many Americans are not aware that adherents to Islam’s Sharia are not like the faithful of other religions, for Sharia requires its followers to engage in Jihad (holy war) to force the whole world to submit to their dictates. Even those we consider to be “good” Muslim, namely peaceful, law-abiding ones who are loyal to our Constitution, can be subjected to intense coercion by dangerous groups like the Muslim brotherhood to conform to Sharia and its supremacist dictates. The Muslim Brotherhood, a dangerous and insidious Islamist group, has been operating stealthily inside our nation for over five decades.

Such Islamists are cleverly using our own 1st Amendment rights to establish and proliferate so-called “Islamic Societies” and “Islamic Centers” here in our country, that in reality are Muslim Brotherhood-dominated, Sharia-adherent mosques that stealthily advance “Jihad” against America. Experts estimate that 80% of America’s mosques and Islamic cultural centers are under the direct influence of the radical Saudi (Wahabbist) Islamic wing that that advocates strict adherence to Shariah law. Keep in mind that under Shariah, religion and gender determine one’s “rights,” and an essential element of Shariah is violent jihad against all “non-believers.”

Here is the most comprehensive guide to mosques and Islamic school in Illinois. In Chicagoland alone, there are 94 mosques and 17 Islamic schools.

CAIR has likewise been pressuring local, state, and federal legislators to adopt some form of Shariah law. Nineteen lawsuits have already been filed in 12 states to assert Shariah law into our U.S. Court system. A group of Muslims in northern Texas has created what many be the first official Sharia law system in the United States, although the new Sharia tribunal in Irving, Texas, is trying to assure Americans they’re not planning to follow the type of Sharia law practiced in Muslim countries.

Europe provides a good example of where we could be headed. Great Britain now has 85 Shariah courts. In Germany, Shariah law has been used to defend a husband’s right to beat his wife and practice polygamy. Its Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH), Germany’s highest court of civil and criminal jurisdiction, has ruled that a new law that bans child marriage may be unconstitutional because all marriages, including Sharia-based child marriages, are protected by Germany’s Basic Law (Grundgesetz). France has revised its domestic tax laws to accommodate rules of Islamic finance.

Some warning signs

Following are some signs that the United States is increasingly succumbing to the stealthy, subversive campaign the Muslim Brotherhood calls its “civilization jihad”

Seek to prevent free speech, particularly the kind that might help Americans recognize and counteract effective their secretive assaults on our country and its institutions.
Many national food chains are selling unmarked Sharia-compliant “Halal” meat often not labeled as such (ritually the animal’s throat is split by a Muslim cleric who exclaims “ALLAH AKBAR!” as a sacrifice to Allah) unbeknownst to most Americans who are buying and consuming it. At a Tyson’s chicken processing plant in Tennessee, the Labor Day holiday was replaced with a religious Islamic holiday. Tyson reinstated Labor Day only after a public outcry.

Consider this partial list of some of the popular grocery and restaurants chains now selling or using compliant “Halal” meat.

Safeway
Costco
Whole Foods Market
Popeye’s’
Walmart
KFC
Trader Joe’s
Outback Steakhouse
Shop Rite
Stop and Shop

You may have read about a Muslim father who murdered his two daughters in Houston a few years ago in an act known as “honor killing” to punish them for dating American boys. This is not an isolated incident, although the secretive nature of this crime makes estimating its frequency here difficult.

Our own Treasury Department is hosting courses like “Islam Finance 101, and most of our major banks and financial institutions, including government-owned and taxpayer-funded AIG, offer “Shariah Compliant Funds” which are reviewed by Islamic clerics for compliance.
According to the Centers for Disease Control over a half-million girls and young women have either already had their genitals mutilated or they are at risk of being subjected to that barbaric practice. Many of them come here from Muslim nations where female genital mutilation is the norm. A historic ruling in Michigan in Nov. of 2018, declared unconstitutional a US law banning female genital mutilation (FGM) and dropped key charges against practitioners, which was an “outrageous” blow to the rights of tens of thousands of girls at risk of the abuse.

Obstacles that allow Islamic supremacists to flourish

Many Americans are unaware of the tremendous inroads being achieved by global Islamic supremacists to bring Sharia to towns and cities right here in American, often with our very own tax dollars, through liberal judges, and, in some cases with the help of the U.N.

Just as in Europe, illegal land legal Muslim immigration in America has exploded at record rates in recent years. As a result, Sharia-adherent populations here are increasingly challenging the Judeo-Christian foundation of our U.S. Constitution, our culture, and values.

These obstacles stand in the way of pushing back against the growing influence of Sharia in America:

Leftists collaborating with the Sharia-supremacists, who also hate Trump, will do whatever they can — including, but not limited to, the relentless use of their allies in the “mainstream” media — to fight President Trump “tooth and nail.”
Muslim Brotherhood-associated organizations like the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) are trying to suppress the sort of information that needs to be gotten out by calling those who attempt to get the truth out “Islamophobes,” racists’ and “bigots”.
Too many American are passive in the face of such threats. They choose to ignore the dangers posed by Sharia supremacism, even though by so doing they are putting at risk their country.

Unsettling events

Three days before this past Christmas, the New York Times ran a piece by Wajahat Ali, entitled “What a Muslim Could Teach Trump Supporters About Jesus.” What he could teach them is that Jesus was an open-borders globalist Socialist, and if they aren’t, either, then they just aren’t good Christians.

Wajahat Ali is a New York Times contributing Op-Ed writer. He helped launch the Al Jazeera America network as co-host of Al Jazeera America’s The Stream, a daily news show that extended the conversation to social media and beyond. He was also a National Correspondent, Political Reporter, and Social Media Expert for Al Jazeera America.

The following quote, dated September 24, 2015, is from Omar Ahma, founder of the Council for American Islamic Relations, the Hamas-affiliated Muslim Brotherhood front group named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the famous Holy Land foundation terror financing trial, and a precursor to CAIR.

Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran, the Muslim book of scripture, should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth.

Although Thorner is not in any way predicting the chaos that many countries in Europe are experiencing from the influx of unscreened Muslim refugees into their countries, there is reason for concern over the inroads Muslims are stealthy making into this nation.

Muslim leaders in the US are involved in a public relations drive to convince non-Muslims that sharia law is perfectly compatible with the US Constitution and US law. It is not. This article sets forth why this is so and why concern is merited.

Part 2: Islamic indoctrination of our public school

 

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Auroraresident said…

Come out to Aurora, there are a plethora of illegal alien muslims. Check out the gas station on the south-east corner of route 25 and north Avenue; it is not that they are muslim, it is that they are illegal aliens working under the table for cash and getting assistance at the same time.

Then we have the Syrian refugee scam also…butchering animals in the yard, beating women…etc.