22 Nov 2011

Governor Pat Quinn Proclaims Lance Corporal Joshua Misiewicz Day in Illinois

By Katelyn Tye

Honors La Grange Military Hero

CHICAGO - November 19, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today proclaimed Lance Corporal Joshua Misiewicz Day in Illinois, in recognition of Lance Corporal Misiewicz's exemplary service in the United States Marine Corps.

Lance Corporal Misiewicz, a 23-year-old La Grange resident, deployed to Afghanistan as a member of the 1st Batallion, 5th Marine Regiment in March 2011. While on patrol in the Helmund Province on July 20, 2011, Lance Corporal Misiewicz stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and sustained extensive injuries. Lance Corporal Misiewicz was later awarded the Purple Heart by Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos for injuries sustained during battle.

A copy of Governor Quinn's proclamation is attached.

WHEREAS, all citizens owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who heroically serve to defend the freedom and safety of all Americans; and,

WHEREAS, by answering the call of duty during times of peace and war, these heroic service men and women have demonstrated a profound love for the people of this country and a steadfast commitment to the freedom that unites us; and,

WHEREAS, the United States and the State of Illinois are blessed by the 1.5 million men and women who have answered that call to serve our nation with courage and integrity; and,

WHEREAS, these members of our military are true heroes; and,

WHEREAS, since June 2011, more than 100,000 American heroes remain deployed in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom; and,

WHEREAS, one such hero was 23-year-old La Grange native and United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Joshua Misiewicz; and,

WHEREAS, prior to pursuing his dream of enlisting in the Marines, Lance Corporal Misiewicz spent a lifetime representing his community in the highest esteem?as a member of the St. Xavier Parish, as an all-state all-star hockey player, as a 2006 honors graduate of Lyons Township High School, as a student athlete and associates' degree recipient from St. Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona; and,

WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Misiewicz deployed to Afghanistan as a member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in March 2011; and,

WHEREAS, A Department of Defense photo of Lance Corporal Misiewicz giving high-five to an Afghan child in April 2011 became an image seen around the globe as a demonstration of the American goodwill toward the people of Afghanistan; and,

WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Misiewicz, while on patrol in the Helmund Province on July 20, 2011, stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and sustained extensive injuries; and,

WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Misiewicz has undergone more than two dozen surgeries and will continue to receive treatment at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD; and,

WHEREAS Lance Corporal Misiewicz has fought successfully against all odds; and,

WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Misiewicz, was awarded the Purple Heart by Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos for injuries sustained during battle; and,

WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Misiewicz has now accepted a new mission, spending much of his time with the support of his family and fellow Marines following the road to recovery en route to the future;

THEREFORE, I, Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim November 19, 2011 as LANCE CORPORAL JOSHUA MISIEWICZ DAY in Illinois, in recognition of Lance Corporal Misiewicz's service and sacrifice, and encourage all citizens to express their respect and gratitude for our nation's troops by supporting them in whatever way possible.

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22 Nov 2011

More news from the Ron Paul Campaign

By Gary Howard
In Case You Missed It:  Ron Paul Makes Statement on Super Committee 
"This shows how unserious politicians are about our very serious debt problems"
LAKE JACKSON, Texas - 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul released a statement today regarding the congressional Super Committee's failure to meet its goal with the deadline fast approaching. See below for statement.

"This week marks the deadline for the so-called congressional Super Committee to meet its goal of cutting a laughably small amount of federal spending over the next decade.  In fact the Committee merely needs to cut about $120 billion annually from the federal budget over the next 10 years to meet its modest goals, but even this paltry amount has produced hand-wringing and hysteria on Capitol Hill.  This is only cutting proposed increases.  It has nothing to do with actually cutting anything.  This shows how unserious politicians are about our very serious debt problems. 

"To be fair, however, in one sense members of the Super Committee face an impossible task.  They must, in effect, cut government spending without first addressing the role of government in our society.  They must continue to insist the federal government can provide Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits in the future as promised, while maintaining our wildly interventionist foreign policy.  Yet everyone knows this is a lie.

"Keep in mind that the 2011 federal deficit alone was about $1.3 trillion, which means the Super Committee needs to cut that much PER YEAR rather than over a 10 year period.  If Congress ever hopes to address its debt problem, it must first stop accumulating any new debt immediately, in 2012.

"Federal revenue likely will be about $2.3 trillion in fiscal 2012.  The 2004 federal budget was about $2.3 trillion.  So Congress simply needs to adopt the 2004 budget next year and the federal government will balance outlays and revenue.  That's all it would take to produce a balanced budget right now.  Was the federal government really too small just 7 years ago, in 2004?  Of course not.  Only Washington hysteria would have us believe otherwise.

"Yet our Republican and Democrat friends on the Super Committee want to take 10 years, or even 30 years, to produce a balanced budget.

"Government spending isn't just wasteful; it is often actively harmful to stated goals.  The Super Committee could simply apply 2004 spending levels across the board and a tremendous victory for fiscal sanity would be accomplished.

"What seems more likely, however, is a rearrangement of the tax code in an attempt to bring in more revenue.  Deductions and credits will be taken away, and the Bush tax cuts will be allowed to expire.  As a result, less money will remain in the private sector to create jobs and produce economic growth.  The Super Committee has an opportunity to take a small baby step in the right direction.  Instead, they no doubt will take this opportunity to raise taxes and make everything worse.  But increasing taxes will only diminish freedom and deepen the recession.  Instead of looking for ways to hike taxes under the guise of "raising revenue," the Super Committee should put forth a plan of real spending cuts to put America back on the path to liberty and prosperity."
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Ron Paul Endorsed by Cedar Rapids Tea Party Founder; Tim Pugh praises Paul at a 'Restore America Now' town hall meeting held in East Central Iowa
ANKENY, Iowa - 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul was endorsed today by Cedar Rapids Tea Party founder Tim Pugh on the first day of the Congressman's two-day visit to Iowa.

"Ron Paul has an unwavering stance in defense of the Constitution, a conviction to the cause of freedom and liberty, a firm belief in a balanced budget, and devotion to a strong free market economy and a sound monetary policy.  He believes in a strong national defense, and not as the policeman of the world," said Mr. Pugh. 

"Ron Paul is the father of the modern-day tea party movement.  As a small business owner, a true tea partier and conservative, and as the founder of the Cedar Rapids Tea Party I personally endorse Ron Paul for President of the United States," said Mr. Pugh.

The endorsement occurred in East Central Iowa before a crowd of 400 supporters during a Cedar Rapids "Restore America Now" town hall meeting held at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center.

Prior to the Cedar Rapids event large crowds of 85 and 125 supporters greeted Dr. Paul in Benton and Jones Counties, respectively, for today's two other town hall meetings.  Crowds of this size are uncharacteristic as Vinton and Anamosa, where the events occurred, are located in rural areas of the Hawkeye State.

Mr. Pugh said he made his endorsement as a private citizen and added that his views do not necessarily reflect those of the more than 900 Cedar Rapids Tea Party members.  He also has signed onto the national advisory board of the "Gun Owners for Ron Paul" nationwide coalition.

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Ron Paul Signs on to Letter Calling for Pay Cut in Congress; Advocates cutting compensation to reduce deficit
LAKE JACKSON, Texas - Yesterday, 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul joined a bipartisan group of legislators in a letter sent to the members of the Super Committee calling for a reduction in Congressional compensation as part of any proposal to reduce the deficit.

The letter advocates reducing Congressional pay to "send a powerful message to the American people that Congress should not be exempt from the sacrifices it will take to balance the budget." It also highlights the fact that members of Congress are paid salaries 3.4 times the average full-time American workers.

"Congressman Paul has always voted against congressional pay raises, and he not does participate in the lucrative pension program," said Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee Chairman Jesse Benton.

"Ron Paul understands that Washington has to tighten its belt just like the rest of America, which is why as President, he plans to take a salary of $39,336, which is approximately equal to the median personal income of the American worker."

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22 Nov 2011

News from the Herman Cain Campaign

By Friends of Herman Cain

AMERICA'S ROLE IN THE WORLD: PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH AND CLARITY.

A few days ago, after coming under criticism for my answer to a question about Libya in an interview, I made a lighthearted comment that reflected all this - that I'm not supposed to know everything (most of the media quoted me as saying "anything") about foreign policy.

Bizarre things happen when you run for president, one of which is that statements like this go viral, with people claiming I had somehow made the case that no knowledge of world affairs is required for the job.

I obviously don't think that, but I'm also quite willing be honest about my strengths. My background is in the business world, and my greatest strength concerns the economy. My motivation in running for president is to apply my leadership skills to all issues - foreign and domestic. But clearly, as I have met with foreign policy luminaries like John Bolton and Henry Kissinger, I have done a lot more listening than talking - because they know a lot more about it than I do, and it would be absurd for me to claim otherwise.

That said, a man taking the oath of office for the presidency must have a sense of America's place in the world, and must have a clear idea of the challenges, threats and opportunities that present themselves. Otherwise, success on the economic front likely goes for naught, as mistakes in the international arena tend to be costly both in the short term and in the long term.

My approach to foreign policy is to apply a general set of principles to each situation we face, and I have summarized these principles as peace through strength and clarity. This is a modernized version of the Reagan philosophy that helped bring down the Soviet Union and the communist regimes of Eastern Europe, and also won a series of victories - though not a complete and lasting victory - in South and Central America.

What does this mean?

In a broad sense, it means that I would not retreat on initiatives that strengthen America's strategic standing in order to buy some sort of accommodation with those who do not have an interest in our security. For example, I would not have welched on America's commitment to install a missile defense system in Eastern Europe because the Russians didn't like it. The security of the U.S. and our allies would take precedence over the concerns of a nation whose strategic interests are often contrary to ours.

That is one of the reasons I would not have signed the New START treaty, as President Obama did in 2010. Not only did that treaty commit America to arms reductions that the Russians would not necessarily have to match, but it permitted them to maintain a sizable advantage in tactical nuclear weapons, while ignoring programs and ambitions of other nations like Iran, North Korea, China and Pakistan. But more to the point, we simply don't need to be signing treaties like this with unfriendly countries. The United States can make its own decisions about the nature and the volume of strategic assets we want to deploy. We don't need to ask anyone's permission.

As president, I intend to be a strong supporter of America's strongest allies, and that absolutely includes Israel. I agree with the statement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that if Israel's enemies were to lay down their weapons today, there would be peace, whereas if Israel were to lay down its weapons, there would be no more Israel. Supporting Israel is crucial not only because it is an important strategic ally, but also because it is the most free and democratic nation in the region, and a threat to Israel's security is a threat to freedom everywhere.

Peace through strength and clarity means there is no doubt about where we stand, for what we stand and with whom we stand. We stand in support of free nations who respect the rights of their people and do not threaten their neighbors. And we treat our allies like allies. President Obama's lukewarm treatment of Great Britain has served to create tension within the most important strategic relationship we have ever had. Likewise, his friendly embrace of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez during a meeting of regional leaders sent exactly the wrong signal, as did his naïve statement during the 2008 campaign that he would sit down and talk to Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without conditions.

Peace through strength means recognizing that we are the United States, and we are the ones who approach these things from a position of strategic superiority. Clarity means we treat our allies like allies, and others have to earn the right to stand with us (and that especially applies to those who hope to receive aid from us - that isn't happening if you are hostile to us or to our allies).

I agree with former President George W. Bush that the United States should promote free democratic movements throughout the world, and that it is in our strategic interests to do so. That does not mean we try to "impose democracy at the barrel of a gun," as some of Bush's rather disingenuous critics claimed he was doing. It means we support these movements where the opportunity presents itself (as President Obama should have in Iran and Syria) or when strategic necessity compels us (as I believe President Bush correctly did in Iraq in 2003). And you don't always have to use force.

Peace through strength and clarity also recognizes the danger posed by nuclear proliferation, particularly when it involves regimes like Iran or North Korea, which give every reason to believe they may initiate the use of nuclear weapons against other nations. The U.S. must be willing to use its power to stop nuclear proliferation. If we regard such action as beyond the pale, then we essentially concede that all non-proliferation agreements are meaningless.

The most effective application of strength is that which is rarely used. Our troops are already overstretched and our financial resources are limited. An America that is capable and ready, and backs up what it says, won't have to take action all that often. The world's bad actors will know we are serious.

I think it's clear by now that I am not going to score the best of all the candidates on media pop quizzes about the details of current international events. Some have claimed that I take some sort of perverse satisfaction in not knowing all these details. That is not true. I want to know as much as I can. But a leader leads by gathering all the information available in a given situation, and making the best decision at the time based on that information, and in accordance with sound principles. As president, I would not be required to make decisions on the spur of the moment based on a question from a reporter. I would make them the way I made them as a CEO - based on careful consideration of all the facts and the best advice of the best people.

But it is crucial to understand that my foreign policy decisions will always be based on the principles I have laid out here. That will not change, because these are the principles that best represent America's heritage, and best advance our interests, as well as the interests of all freedom-loving nations and peoples.
Herman Cain Reacts to Obama's Super Committee Super Failure

"President Obama and his ultraliberal, anti-job creating comrades in the Democrat Party are apoplectic because Republicans are standing strong with the American people, refusing to hike their taxes during Obama's Great Recession. Obama, again, is failing Americans, providing no leadership, and exacerbating our national debt to more than $15 trillion - over $48,000 for every American man, woman and child.

"We must immediately cut spending - for real, not the Obama way - and dismantle the barriers to growth. We must simplify the tax code, which my '9-9-9 Plan' does. According to former Reagan Treasury official Gary Robbins, of Fiscal Associates, 9-9-9 will expand our GDP by $2 trillion, create 6 million new jobs, increase business investment by one-third, and increase wages by 10 percent.

New leadership in Washington after Nov. 6, 2012 will unleash the American spirit of prosperity once again and toss Obama's failed economic leadership into the history books."

 

 

Cain Campaign Announces 800th Precinct Captain in Iowa - People Ready to 'Put a CEO in the White House.

Steve Grubbs, the Iowa Chairman for the Herman Cain for President Campaign announced today that the organizational effort in Iowa had reached a significant milestone: 800 precinct captains across the state.

"Our entire grassroots team continues their sprint to the caucuses. On October 20th, the campaign started with 30 precinct captains and less than a month later, has successfully reached 800 precinct captains across the state," said Steve Grubbs, Iowa campaign chair. "I want to congratulate Larry Tuel and his Des Moines staff for their herculean effort. People have wondered if four paid staffers could get the job done of much larger staffs, but with our legion of passionate grassroots volunteers, we are seeing a true revolution in American politics."

There are roughly 1600 precincts in Iowa and each one will hold a Republican caucus on January 3rd. Some urban caucuses will be combined with other precincts making the job of organizing a little easier.

"The rapid growth of our organizational effort in Iowa shows that despite whatever challenges may present themselves, the Cain Campaign is charging ahead," said Mark Block, Chief Political Strategist and Chief of Staff for the campaign effort. "Our social media model delivered roughly 25 percent of our Iowa precinct captains which is a tribute to our people and the new model of campaigning in the United States."

With less than six weeks before the First-in-the-Nation Iowa Caucuses, the Iowa Cain team still has a big task in front of it. "We are filling our Des Moines phone bank with volunteers every day and using our Internet-based phone system as well to leverage our volunteers across the state," said Larry Tuel, State Director for the Iowa Cain campaign.

"As a point of comparison, when I worked with the Dole and Forbes campaigns, we spent six to eight months getting our precinct captains lined up. I believe the Cain campaign will accomplish the same thing in about eight weeks," said Grubbs. "People have doubted this campaign from the beginning, but people are ready to put a CEO in the White House and get this economy turned around."

Phone bank director, Steven Hensler, has headed up the phone calling in Iowa along with Lisa Lockwood and Zach Dalluge.

 

 

Herman Cain Picks Up Eight Endorsements from Key New Hampshire Legislators

Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain received eight additional endorsements today from key New Hampshire GOP political leaders, including a former U.S. Attorney and current and former New Hampshire State Representatives.

These latest endorsements came in advance of Mr. Cain's successful visit to the Granite State to personally file his delegate list.

Mr. Cain received additional endorsements from: Thomas Colantuono, former U.S. Attorney for NH; former Rep. Mark Carter (Hillsborough-19); Rep. Sam Cataldo (Strafford-03); Rep. William Condra (Hillsborough-04); former Rep. Robert Giuda (Grafton-02); former Rep. James A. Lawrence III (Hillsborough-18); Rep. Kevin Reichard (Rockingham-05); Rep. Joseph Thomas (Hillsborough-19).

Early last month, Mr. Cain received the endorsements from the following individuals: Rep. Steven Smith (Sullivan-05); Rep. J. Michael Ball (Hillsborough-09); Rep. William Panek (Strafford-0 3); Rep. Charles Brosseau (Grafton-0District 6); and Jack Kimball, former Chairman of the New Hampshire GOP Committee.

"I greatly appreciate the vote of confidence from these distinguished New Hampshire GOP leaders," said Herman Cain. "These gentlemen are fine public servants and with their help we will win the Republican nomination."

Lack of Obama Leadership Will Lead Super Committee to Super Failure

With T-minus 7 days until the Super Committee's deadline to find $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction, the countdown has begun and Republican Presidential candidate and businessman Herman Cain today asked, "Where is the presidential leadership?"

The President's lack of leadership and obvious failure to reduce the nation's debt in half, as promised, has exacerbated our debt crisis to $15 trillion - over $48,000 of debt for every American man, woman and child.

It's very unlikely the Super Committee will achieve anything meaningful with respect to budget discipline. While there are many reasons for this, the biggest is the lack of presidential leadership.

"President Obama hasn't demonstrated an understanding of how far beyond its means the federal government is living. Consider: The president touted $1.2 trillion in slowing the rate of government growth over 10 years as a major achievement but thought nothing of perpetrating an $862 billion 'stimulus' package just months after taking office. And when it didn't stimulate any economic growth, he asked Congress for another spending extravaganza worth more than $400 billion," said Cain.

While President Obama sits on the sidelines and career politicians fight over what programs to cut, the American people are suffering and demanding new leadership in the White House. Of course, all of this requires an understanding of the problem, and the political will to actually solve it. And that will require new leadership, because we already know the current leader has failed on both accounts.

"We must immediately cut spending - for real, not the Obama way - and remove the barriers to growth. We must simplify the tax code, which my '9-9-9 Plan' does. According to former Reagan Treasury official Gary Robbins, of Fiscal Associates, the '9-9-9 Plan' will expand our GDP by $2 trillion, create 6 million new jobs, increases business investment by one-third, and increase wages by 10 percent," Cain said.


Herman Cain Leads Among Female Independent and Republican Voters in Iowa

In the most recent Iowa State University/Gazette/KCRG survey, Republican frontrunner Herman Cain leads the Republican field in Iowa with 24.5 percent of likely Republican caucus voters.

In the same poll, Mr. Cain is also in first place among female voters with 27.8 percent - a 9.1 percent advantage.

"Iowa is the first stop for the Cain Train this primary season.  I truly appreciate the support of Iowa caucus-goers and their vote of confidence as we build upon our growing momentum," said Herman Cain.

Indepdendent & Republican Caucus Voters

Source: Iowa State University/Gazette KCRG
22 Nov 2011

Public Company Accounting Oversight Board transparency bill introduced

By Grassley Press

Reed and Grassley Seek to Increase Transparency at Accounting Watchdog

 

WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to protect the investing public and improve the oversight of corporate auditing, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are introducing the PCAOB Enforcement Transparency Act of 2011.

In the wake of a series of corporate accounting scandals, such as Enron, that cost investors billions of dollars and hurt the U.S. economy, Congress established the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) as a watchdog to oversee auditors of public companies.   The 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley law creating the Board also required PCAOB's disciplinary proceedings to be kept confidential through charging, hearings, initial decision, and appeal.  Unfortunately, the secretive nature of the process enables firms that engage in misconduct to drag out the proceedings for years while the investing public is kept in the dark.

The Reed-Grassley bill will make PCAOB disciplinary proceedings public to bring auditing deficiencies at the firms or the companies they audit to light in a timely manner and help to deter violations.

"The PCAOB is responsible for ensuring that auditors of public companies meet the highest standards of quality, independence, and ethics.  Reliable financial reporting is vital to the health of our economy and we must take the legislative steps necessary to enhance transparency in the PCAOB's enforcement process.  Currently, Congress, investors, and others are being denied critical information about an auditor's disciplinary process.  Investors and companies alike should be aware when the auditors and accountants they rely on have been charged or sanctioned for violating professional auditing standards," said Reed.

"Sunshine is the best disinfectant," Grassley said.  "This legislation levels the playing field between auditors reviewed by the SEC and auditors reviewed by the PCAOB.  Currently, PCAOB proceedings are secret while SEC proceedings are not.    The secrecy provides incentives to bad actors to extend the proceedings as long as possible so they can continue to do business without notice to businesses about potential problems with a particular auditor.   This bill ends the secrecy and brings the kind of transparency that adds accountability to agency proceedings."

The PCAOB sets auditing standards for auditors of public companies, examines the quality of audit performed by public company auditors, and where necessary, imposes disciplinary sanctions on registered auditors and auditing firms.  The PCAOB oversees more than 2,400 auditing firms registered with the Board, as well as the thousands of audit partners and staff who contribute to a firm's work on each audit.

The lack of transparency surrounding disciplinary proceedings under current law can provide unscrupulous firms with an incentive to litigate cases in order to continue to shield conduct from the public.

For example, an accounting firm that was subject to a disciplinary proceeding issued no fewer than 29 additional audit reports on public companies during the course of the proceedings.  Those public companies and their investors were completely unaware there was a potential auditing problem with this accounting firm.   Before the firm was expelled from public company auditing, it issued those audit reports, knowing all the while that it was subject to disciplinary proceedings.  But investors were denied this information.

PCAOB's closed proceedings run counter to the public enforcement proceedings of other regulators, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Department of Labor, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and others.  Nearly all administrative proceedings brought by the SEC against public companies, brokers, dealers, investment advisers, and others are open, public proceedings.

This Reed-Grassley bill will make PCAOB hearings and all related notices, orders, and motions, open and available to the public unless otherwise ordered by the Board.  The PCAOB procedure would then be similar to SEC Rules of Practice for similar matters, where hearings and related notices, orders, and motions are open and available to the public.

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22 Nov 2011

Ron Paul Steady in New Hampshire Top Three

By Gary Howard
New poll shows Paul's continued rise in GOP field
LAKE JACKSON, Texas - In the latest New Hampshire Journal poll, 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul remains a top three choice of likely New Hampshire primary voters with 16 percent.

"While others may rise and fall quickly, Congressman Paul's support is steady and rising," said Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton. "This is more proof that the American people are ready for real change, and Ron Paul is the only candidate who has the conviction to oppose the status quo of the elitist Washington establishment."

This latest New Hampshire poll comes on the heels of a Bloomberg News poll showing Paul in a statistical tie for first place in Iowa and a strong second place in New Hampshire, and a Public Policy Poll in which he was the only Republican candidate to best Obama among independent voters (48 to 39 percent). A late October CNN/Time poll also showed him in the top three in the key states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.
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22 Nov 2011

Lt. Governor Simon and staff to volunteer at food bank

By Kathryn Phillips
CHICAGO - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon and members of her staff will volunteer Monday at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Simon said this Thanksgiving season, demand for assistance at Illinois food pantries is up, the price of food is increasing and federal funding for food safety net programs is under threat. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is serving 59 percent more people this year than three years ago.

"Whether it is one dollar, one can of food, or one hour of volunteering, we want our donations to add up to no child going hungry this holiday season," Simon said. She and her staff will use voluntary furlough time for this service project.

TIME: 9 to 11 a.m.
DATE: Monday, November 21
PLACE: Greater Chicago Food Depository warehouse, 4100 West Ann Lurie Place, Chicago

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22 Nov 2011

Biltmore Who's Who Selects Donna Marie Beserra as an Honored Member of the Executive and Professional Registry

By Holli C.

Moline, IL -– Donna Marie Beserra, Publisher and Author for Artisitc Creations Book Publishing, has been selected as an Honored Member of the Biltmore Who's Who Executive and Professional Registry. The selection recognizes Donna Marie Beserra's commitment to excellence in Children's Books.

Beserra, who began working in book publishing in 2002, started her own business just five years later, writing, producing and publishing children's books.

Currently working on an autobiography that she hopes will help others interested in writing and publishing books on their own, Beserra studied creative writing at Black Hawk College and has taken numerous business, writing and self-publishing courses over the years.

In addition to her writings, Beserra is currently producing her own television show, Discover Your Talent, which is viewed on Mediacom's channel 19 on Monday evenings at 8pm central time. Her "Creative Creatures" interactive books are featured on the show, along with creative ideas and acts performed by various children.

"I hope to inspire kids around the world to discover their talents," Beserra said about her show.

Beserra is a member of the Midwest Writing Center and has taught numerous classes at Black Hawk College. She hopes to soon have her first book, Twirly Shirley In My Sister The Twister, made into a computer animated film or an onstage production.

Beserra will be offering some free ebooks on her website on how to write a children's book, please visithttps://sites.google.com/site/discoveryourtalentshow/. She also has a new Christmas site at http://sites.google.com/site/christmaswonderful/.

About Biltmore Who's Who:

Biltmore Who's Who specializes in providing members with pertinent biographical information of key Executives and Professionals that comprise its membership throughout North America. Biltmore Who's Who encourages all members to use the publication to contact and network with other members to enhance public relations or possibly develop mutual and beneficial business relationships.

Contact: Biltmore Who's Who, Hollywood, Fl.
Holli C., 954-893-0114

22 Nov 2011

Facts are STUBBORN Things...Hernandez and Wide Receiver

By Grassley Press

Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing with Attorney General Eric Holder, Nov. 8, 2011

Hernandez and Wide Receiver

Senator Feinstein: "My understanding is that the practice of letting guns walk first occurred in 2006 as part of Operation Wide Receiver, and again the next year as part of the Hernandez investigation."

FACT

Operation Wide Receiver ran from 2006 to 2007, and Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer has said that approximately 350 guns were walked in the case.  The Justice Department has produced very few documents from the time period when Wide Receiver was conducted, but what they have provided indicates that the case involved a cooperating gun dealer and real-time notice of suspect purchases, and yet multiple guns ended up in Mexico.  When the Justice Department revived the case for prosecution in 2009 to 2010, the prosecutors recognized these factors constituted gunwalking.

On the other hand, the Hernandez investigation took place in late 2007 and involved a controlled delivery, not gunwalking.  In a controlled delivery, law enforcement watches to see that their target goes through with the steps of a crime in order to see that they have the requisite intent, but then interdicts the guns afterwards.  Documents produced by the Justice Department make clear that in the Hernandez investigation, Mexican law enforcement waiting on the other side of the border failed to interdict the weapons.  The Hernandez investigation is different from Fast and Furious and apparently from Wide Receiver in that those cases involved no safeguards and the government of Mexico was never informed about them.

Documents supporting the FACTS.
22 Nov 2011

Increasing Penalties for Counterfeit Drugs-Bipartisan, Bicameral bill introduced

By Grassley Press

Leahy, Grassley, Bennet, Blumenthal, Meehan, Sánchez Propose Bipartisan, Bicameral
Bill To Increase Penalties For Counterfeit Drugs

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Michael Bennet (D-Co.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) and Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation Thursday to increase penalties for trafficking counterfeit drugs.  The legislation responds to recommendations made by the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and the administration's Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Inter-agency Working Group.

The Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act will increase penalties for the trafficking of counterfeit drugs to reflect the severity of the crime and the harm to the public.  While it is currently illegal to introduce counterfeit drugs into interstate commerce, the penalties are no different than those for the trafficking of other products, such as electronics or clothing.  The Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act will target violators that knowingly manufacture, sell or traffic counterfeit medicines to the United States.

"While the manufacture and sale of any counterfeit product is a serious crime, counterfeit medication poses a grave danger to public health that warrants a harsher punishment," said Leahy.  "This legislation will raise those penalties to a level that meets the severity of the offense.  Deterring this epidemic problem is a bipartisan effort."

"Counterfeit medicines are some of the most profitable commodities for criminal organizations.  Purchases of counterfeit drugs by unsuspecting customers are growing at alarming rates, especially over the internet," Grassley said.  "These drugs present a serious threat to the health and safety of people around the world.  It's important we address this threat by imposing harsher penalties on criminals who counterfeit these medicines."

"Counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs are putting Coloradans at risk. In some cases the medicine you take may not be effective, in other cases it may make you ill, or worse," Bennet said. "Right now, the penalties for producing a fake company logo on a bottle of counterfeit drugs are more severe than they are for actually making and selling a counterfeit drug. We can help prevent these drugs from reaching hospitals, pharmacies and consumers by giving law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on these crimes."

"Counterfeit drugs threaten the health of consumers and undermine American companies," said Blumenthal.  "This legislation will enhance the penalties for trafficking in these substances, helping us to crack down on the epidemic of illegal counterfeiting and ensure that our medicines remain safe and effective."

"These illegal, unregulated, uninspected drugs create a false sense of security among purchasers when in fact they can be extremely dangerous," Meehan said. "Not only are they a threat to public health and safety, but as a prosecutor, I saw the hand of sophisticated criminal enterprises behind the operations. Steeper penalties will help deter these criminals from continuing to break our laws and put people's lives at risk."

"As a mother, I want to know the medications my family is taking are authentic and, most importantly, safe.  The American people deserve to have peace of mind when they use medications," said Sánchez. "Unfortunately, massive counterfeit drug enterprises continue to exploit the Internet to jeopardize the public's safety and rob American businesses of millions of dollars in revenue.  This legislation not only holds criminals accountable, but it gives our law enforcement officers the ability to effectively go after counterfeit drug traffickers."

It has been reported that counterfeit drugs result in 100,000 fatalities globally each year, and account for an estimated $75 billion in annual revenue for criminal enterprises.

###
22 Nov 2011

In Iowa's Interest: Giving Thanks-And Giving a Hand to the Less Fortunate

By Rick Martin
by Senator Tom Harkin

As we gather this Thanksgiving to spend time with our families and to enjoy the bounty of the season, we must also remember the many Americans who struggle to put food on their tables.

It is hard to imagine any family, child or individual in a nation as fortunate as ours going without food, but sadly, that is the reality for too many in our country. According to the Iowa Food Bank Association, hunger affects one in eight Iowans. And according to Jordan Vernoy, who heads the organization, Iowans are also grappling with something he calls "hidden hunger" - those who earn enough to not qualify for federal assistance, but are still struggling to provide for their families. For them, food pantries and local aid groups are a lifeline.

But food banks and non-profit providers are struggling too, as they work to keep up with record demand stemming from some of our country's most protracted economic struggles since the great depression. Just as many families are hard hit by joblessness and reduced wages, so too are the organizations that help these folks straining to keep up with demand, even as contributions are falling.

As the holiday season begins, this is a great time to illustrate the strength and compassion of our community by volunteering time or donating food - a simple act that can make a difference to the less fortunate. There's an old saying: "we make a living by what we make, but we make a life by what we give." A number of Iowa resources are available. For a list of local Community Action Agencies, please visit http://www.iowacommunityaction.com/Agency/index.cfm.

Or, if you are interested in donating food or volunteering, please visit the Iowa Food Bank Association at http://iowafba.org/.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

A PDF version of the column is available by clicking here.

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