Common Core and privacy concerns

cartoon credit: cagle.com

Ohio may yet pass legislation to get rid of Common Core “standards” in our schools. And now Columnist/blogger Michelle Malkin reported on serious privacy issues - in addition to the quality-of-education problem:

. . .  Parents, teachers and administrators who object to the government education “standards” racket — which usurps local control, impedes academic achievement and undermines family privacy — have politicians on the defensive.  . . .

Common Core jerkitude is a bipartisan disease. Lair’s ridicule of grave parental concerns about Common Core data mining follows in the footsteps of Democratic U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan (who derided opponents as “white suburban moms”) and GOP former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (who derided opponents’ motives as “purely political”). It’s all a snitty, snotty smokescreen that will backfire as more families from all parts of the political spectrum discover the truth about Common Core’s invasive nature.

Assessing Common Core is inextricably tied to the big business of data collection and data mining. States that took the Race to the Top bribes in exchange for adopting Common Core must now comply with the edutech requirements of two private testing conglomerates, the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers or the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Common Core states also agreed to expand existing statewide longitudinal database systems that contain sensitive student data from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education.

Will Estrada and Katie Tipton of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association conclude that “it will become increasingly difficult to protect the personal information of homeschool and private school students as these databases grow.” In addition to stimulus and Race to the Top enticements, both the Education and Labor Departments have funded several other initiatives to build and make various interoperable student and teacher databases.

“Before our eyes,” Estrada and Tipton warn, “a ‘national database’ is being created in which every public school student’s personal information and academic history will be stored.” It’s no laughing matter.

Just this week, SafeGov.org, a computer privacy watchdog group, reported that Google has admitted in recent court filings that “it data mines student emails for ad-targeting purposes outside of school, even when ad serving in school is turned off.” The newly exposed documents explicitly “confirm in a sworn public court declaration that even when ad serving is turned off in Google Apps for Education (GAFE), the contents of users’ emails are still being scanned by Google in order to target ads at those same users when they use the web outside of Google Apps (for example, when watching a YouTube video, conducting a Google search, or viewing a web page that contains a Google+ or DoubleClick cookie).” Last month, I reported on how Google is building brand loyalty through a questionable GAFE certification program that essentially turns teachers into tax-subsidized lobbyists for the company.

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Read the rest here. 

Cleveland Tea Party Patriots report: Health Care Compact news & County Sin Tax survey

Art credit: uwp.edu

This is a recap on some of the highlights from Cleveland Tea Party Patriots' monthly meeting one week ago, 2/10/14. Below the meeting update you will find some information on the Sin Tax and an important survey we are asking you to fill out.

National

On the national level we reviewed the upcoming 5th Anniversary of the Tea Party movement and the Rally Tea Party Patriots will be having in D.C. to celebrate with Keynote speaker Mark Levin.  

And we are proud to say one of our own, Marianne Gasiecki, Founder of the Mansfield Tea Party and Tea Party Patriots State Co-Coordinator for Ohio, will  be in the line-up of All Star speakers at the event.

For ticket info and to see the line up of speakers for the event click here.

State

At the state level, we discussed the status of the Health Care Compact (HB 227) in Ohio which is scheduled for proponent testimony this week (tomorrow) in the OH House State & Local Government Committee.

About a week ago, Rep. James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the Health Care Compact (H.J. Res 110) in the U.S. Congress. 

Since the Health Care Compact is the only way to Constitutionally remove us from the chains of Obamacare, this is great news!

Local

Jesse Smith, N/E OH Coordinator for Americans for Prosperity, did an outstanding job presenting facts & figures on the proposed Sin Tax extension that will be on the ballot. Jesse's presentation was followed by some hard discussion and insightful questions for and against the proposed Sin Tax extension.

In the end, it was agreed upon that because of the wide ranging views and the different scenarios of the Sin Tax, that we would put together some information and take a poll to better gauge the feelings and sentiments of our members.

Below you will find a poll and information on the Sin Tax. We are asking that you please fill out the poll and share your feelings on the Sin Tax proposal that will be on the ballot this May 2014.

Sin Tax Info & Survey

Being pushed by the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cuyahoga County Council voted to put the extension of the Sin Tax on the ballot this May to pay for upgrades.

The troubling part of this is the Sin Tax extension DID NOT need to go on the ballot this soon.  Other funding avenues could have been explored & discussed and the Sin Tax extension could have been placed on the ballot in November 2014 or May 2015. Giving no thought or discussion on alternative avenues for funding, Cuyahoga County Council & the Greater Cleveland Partnership simply decided you the taxpayer should again be responsible to cover these costs.

From the sentiment at our meeting - be it for or against the Sin Tax - the general consensus was everyone wants to support our teams and see the City of Cleveland succeed. But the taxpayers should not have to continue bearing the brunt of this burden and other avenues of funding should be explored.

Defeating the Sin Tax this May would force Cuyahoga Council & the Greater Cleveland Partnership to come to the table with alternative funding options that can be presented to voters at a later date.

Some of the options for alternative funding include an increase in ticket prices for games and/or a facility fee on all events held at these venues.

So we can better gauge our actions and position on the Sin Tax extension, please fill out the attached survey by clicking here.

Click Here to Take Sin Tax Survey

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IRS regulations will prohibit free speech

Art credit: alvinteapartypatriots.org

Thunderclap sounded the alarm:

The Internal Revenue Service has quietly announced a new rule that strictly limits the ability of 501(c)(4), tax-exempt organizations from working on their core missions in the months leading up to federal, state, and local elections. The proposed regulations would prohibit these organizations from engaging in candidate-related political activity, which, by the proposed rule's definition, includes any mention of a candidate's name or political party even if presented in a non-political context. 

Further, organizations would have to ensure that any references to candidates in past communications are not publicly available, including online, during the pre-election window. These regulations would, in effect, prohibit organizations from providing the public with candidate comparisons and voting records, engaging in get-out-the-vote activities, or encouraging informed civic participation, among other activities. They would severely limit both the organizations' First Amendment free speech and the public's ability to hold elected officials accountable for their actions.

Cleveland Tea Party Patriots has been particularly active in organizing candidate forums, preparing report cards, and facilitating get-out-the-vote activities. All those are at risk. This update is from NumbersUSA, which

asked for your help in stopping a proposed IRS rule that would prohibit certain non-profit organizations, including NumbersUSA Action, from educating voters during the election season. If approved, the rule would have serious implications for our grade cards and free faxing. . .

There was a tremendous response. More than 27,000 comments have already been submitted to the Federal Regulations website - most in protest of the rule. This week, the Washington Post reported that the response has shattered “the Internal Revenue Service’s previous records” for public comments on a proposed rule.

A staff lawyer for Common Cause, a non-profit group that opposes the rule, said it’s being “pummeled.”

Organizations from both the political right and left have spoken out against the rule, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Conservation Voters, and Tea Party Patriots just to name a few. Last week, 41 Senators joined the fight by offering legislation that would prevent the rule from taking effect.

The momentum is clearly on our side, but we don’t want to take any chances. Will you submit a comment today? The website ProtectC4FreeSpeech.com has background information on the rule and sample comments. Plus, there’s a link that takes you directly to the submission form on Regulations.gov.

The deadline for comments is February 27, so there are only two weeks left. Please consider helping in this effort!

http://ProtectC4FreeSpeech.com

Take 30 second to register your views of this affront to First Amendment rights. The 27,000 comments is just a start. 

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Rep. Lankford (R-OK) Introduces Bill to Free States from Obamacare

Congressman James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the one bill that will give states the ability to free themselves from the chains of Obamacare - the Health Care Compact (H.J. Res. 110).  

To date, eight states have joined the Health Care Compact (Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah), and legislation has either passed the state legislature or is being considered in 12 additional states.

Interstate compacts are governing tools that have been used on more than 200 occasions to establish agreements between and among states. Mentioned in Article 1, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution, compacts are constitutional instruments that provide authority and flexibility to the states for administering government programs without federal interference. Congressional consent is required for states to enter into a legally binding compact.

Why is the Health Care Compact Important for Ohio?

In Ohio, many think or were led to believe the Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment (OHCFA) completely stopped the implementation of Obamacare in Ohio.  It does not and never did.  (Click here to read text of OHCFA)

Simply put, while a good first step, the Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment only stopped an Ohio resident from being forced into purchasing health insurance or from being forced into a health care system from the state or federal government. 

Due to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment passed in 2011, now only prohibits Ohio residents from being forced to purchase health insurance or from being forced into a health care program at the state level. 

Whereas any member state of the Health Care Compact, once approved by Congress, will be free from the chains of Obamacare and will be able to draft task specific health care laws that best suit their state -- without being bound by the federal constraints and mandates of ACA.

Continuing the fight against Obamacare in Ohio, Ohio Rep. Terry Boose & Rep. Wes Retherford introduced HB 227 and are hoping Ohio becomes the ninth state to pass the Health Care Compact.

From Breitbart -- 

Washington, DC—Representative James Lankford (R-OK), Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, today introduced the House Joint Resolution legislative proposal for the Health Care Compact, a breakthrough governance reform that allows states to clean up the health care mess created by the federal government.

“The Health Care Compact is a way for states to protect their residents from the top-down, one-size-fits-all health care ‘solutions’ that have been imposed from Washington DC, including Obamacare,” said Lankford.

“The compact transfers health care decision-making authority and responsibility from the federal level to member states. Those member states are then free to implement their own health care systems without interference from federal bureaucrats, using federal health care funds already collected and spent in their state.”

To date, eight states have joined the Health Care Compact (Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah), and legislation has either passed the state legislature or is being considered in 12 additional states.

Interstate compacts are governing tools that have been used on more than 200 occasions to establish agreements between and among states. Mentioned in Article 1, Section 10 of the Constitution, compacts are constitutional instruments that provide authority and flexibility to the states for administering government programs without federal interference. Congressional consent is required for states to enter into a legally binding compact.

The Health Care Compact does not conflict with efforts by state attorneys general, state legislators or Members of Congress to repeal or modify the President’s health care law.

“I still strongly support a full repeal of Obamacare. While we wait for this President and Senate Democrats to move beyond their intransigent support of this unworkable law, Congress can give interested states a way to solve their state’s health-care problems themselves. States that like their Obamacare can keep their Obamacare. The Health Care Compact simply gives a state like Oklahoma the option to create a customized system that better meets the needs of Oklahoma families.”

On average, more than 96 percent of health care is provided and consumed within a state by residents of that state. The Health Care Compact recognizes that with the lion’s share of health care being locally provided and locally consumed, regulating it at the state level makes more sense than the centralized, one-size-fits-all policies mandated from Washington. Centralized micromanagement of a complex industry serving more than 300 million people will not work.

“With $2.3 trillion spent annually and almost 3,000 pages of regulations for Medicare and Medicaid, federal management of our complex health care system has proved to be incompetent, inflexible and incomprehensible to the average American,” observed Lankford. “States already manage Medicaid, but they are burdened with thousands of pages of federal regulation, which makes the system inefficient and impersonal. The Health Care Compact moves decision-making closer to the people, freeing states to address health care innovation, increased options and affordability."

“I am proud to join the many state legislators, governors, businessmen and hard-working Americans who have worked to build support and momentum for the idea of the Health Care Compact, and I am proud to introduce the common-sense bill for this sensible solution,” concluded Lankford.

For a copy of the bill text, please click here.

Speaker John Boehner: Please resign

Photo credit: grumpyelder.com

From Tea Party Patriots:

Yesterday, Speaker of the House John Boehner allowed the House to pass a clean bill to raise the debt limit. Clearly, Boehner is no longer willing to stand up and fight for fiscal restraint and common sense. Three years ago, Boehner promised the debt limit would not be raised unless it was accompanied by significant spending cuts. Now, he's either given up, or he no longer cares about the budget deficit and the financial future of this country.

"A clean debt ceiling is a complete capitulation on the Speaker's part and demonstrates that he has lost the ability to lead the House of Representatives, let alone his own party," said Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Jenny Beth Martin. It's time to show Boehner that he's caved to Obama and the Democrats for the last time and we need your help to send him a message!

Please call Speaker Boehner's office NOW at (855) 248-1559 and tell him we can't afford his leadership anymore and he should resign as Speaker! Also, visit firethespeaker.com to sign our petition to fire the Speaker!  

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IRS Day of Action Wednesday, Feb. 12

Protect the First Amendment from the IRS Calling all Patriots!  In May of 2013, it became public knowledge that the Internal Revenue Service of the United States was targeting American citizens for their political and religious beliefs. This caused many Americans to spend time and resources to jump through hoops for the IRS to remain in compliance. Speculation is that this was done specifically to prevent conservatives from making their voices heard leading up to the 2012 election, effectively silencing a large segment of the population. The IRS is prepared to implement new regulations that would make their targeting legal. This is an assault on the 1st amendment and we cannot let them get away with this. Proposed IRS rules for non-profits - limiting free speech! Now is the time to make our voices heard like never before! The deadline for comments at the IRS is February 27th, so we must have a continuous effort between now and then to stop this assault on the first amendment.  We need to flood the IRS with comments, we need to contact our elected officials, and we need to pressure the Congressional committees that oversee the IRS.   A nationwide effort of Tea Party Patriot and liberty groups across the states has been ongoing making their voices heard by contacting their elected officials and submitting comments to the IRS. As part of this nationwide effort, on Wednesday 2/12/14 (tomorrow) the states of Ohio & Oklahoma will be contacting elected officials, submitting comments to the IRS, writing letters to the editor, tweeting and using social media to speak out against these abuses. Take Action Now Call, write, tweet Congress and tell them to stop this assault on the first amendment. Leave a comment with the IRS so we can flood them with comments. Write a letter to the editor to inform your community. Forward this email to everyone you know to tell them to take action. Please click the links below to find the contact information for the Ohio Congressional delegation, sample Letter to the Editor, submit comments to the IRS and then please click here & forward this email to a friend..  Plain Dealer - Letter to Editor (Click Here) Columbus Dispatch - Letter to Editor (Click Here) Akron Beacon Journal - vop@thebeaconjournal.com Washington Times - Letter to Editor (Click Here) New York Times - Letter to Editor (Click Here) USA Today - Letter to Editor (Click Here)

Defenders of Liberty in Ohio Continue Fight against Obamacare

For Immediate Release

Contact: Marianne Gasiecki    

mansfieldteaparty@gmail.com

February 9, 2014 

Defenders of Liberty in Ohio 

Continue Fight against Obamacare

Ohio - Recently named "Defenders of Liberty" in the latest American Conservative Union rankings for state legislators in Ohio, Rep. Wes Retherford and Rep. Terry Boose  are continuing the fight against Obamacare in Ohio. 

Leading by example, as sponsors of the Health Care Compact (HB 227), which would allow Ohio to be completely and constitutionally removed from the chains of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Retherford & Boose, along with an All Star cast of Ohio conservatives, are proving they are dedicated to stopping Obamacare in Ohio, as well as looking for common sense solutions in addressing health care issues.

Due to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment passed in 2011, now only prohibits Ohio residents from being forced to purchase health insurance or from being forced into a health care program at the state level.  Becoming a member state of the Health Care Compact will give Ohio the Constitutional freedom and liberty to make common sense and fiscally sound decisions on what is best for Ohio regarding health care - without being bound by the federal constraints and mandates of ACA.

"As our country deals with the devastating effects of the so-called Affordable Care Act, many have thrown in the towel believing it is now the law of the land," stated Tea Party Patriots State Co-Coordinator Marianne Gasiecki. "We are fortunate in Ohio to have a group of legislators willing to defend our liberty and fight for true health care freedom that we can only get through the Health Care Compact." 

"All too often we hear politicians talk tough but run away at the slightest challenge. It is nice to see elected officials in Ohio such as Retherford and Boose, and those supporting the Health Care Compact, walking the walk of true Defenders of Liberty as they push on with the only way to Constitutionally remove us from the freedom sapping shackles of Obamacare," said Ralph King Tea Party Patriots State Co-coordinator.

"Because of the determination and dedication being shown by these Defenders of Liberty in Ohio we look forward to joining the other 8 states that have passed the Health Care Compact and hope that Ohio will soon be the ninth state," stated King.

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