Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day / Week / Month ...

The Plain Dealer reported huge crowds yesterday at the Chick-Fil-A in Strongsville:

Cars were backed up onto Route 82 and lines were out the door much of the day Aug. 1 as opponents of same-sex marriage came out to support Chick-Fil-A after controversial statements by its president caused a national backlash.

"This is the busiest day we've ever had," said Chick-Fil-A Strongsville owner-operator Brian Wellman. "Busier than our grand opening."

Michelle Malkin posted Twitchy tweets and photos of huge crowds and long lines yesterday across America. Other Chick-Fil-A locations in greater Cleveland are

26300 Cedar Road #1105

Beachwood

20801 Center Ridge Road

Rocky River

4001 Richmond Road

Warrensville Heights

Map here.

Cut the red tape!

Rep. Kelly’s Rousing Floor Speech Receives Standing Ovation and Chants of “USA!”

Kelly's Speech on the floor of the House (via Canada Free Press)

The War on Prosperity

It's not just President Obama's infamous "You didn't build that" speech that reveals his hostility to entrepreneurship and old-fashioned American initiative. This chart from National Review Online illustrates just how much of a drag chain this Administration is on businesses, large and small - and on us, the consumers and taxpayers:

With devastating clarity, it illustrates the miles and miles of red tape that bind the hands of entrepreneurs and CEOs like those of hijacked jet passengers. Regulation is a major and mounting cost that consumes scare resources — namely growth capital, management time, and basic patience….

There has now been a 52 percent increase in major regulations or red tape in [Obama's] administration and more regulations on the books than in any time in the history of America.

These regulations are the tentacles that the Administration is using to strangle the economy, push through Agenda 21 policies, wage the "War on Coal," etc., all of which will hit you in the pocketbook. Get ready for your utility bills to skyrocket. And stay tuned for more local action alerts to fight the "War on Coal" in Ohio.

I Built That!

Bristol Palin's Little Red Truck video:

Americans respond to President Obama's "You Didn't Build That" speech

via Legal Insurrection

Sen. Portman: Oppose the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty

Yet another UN Treaty to oppose. This from Breitbart's Big Government [emphasis added]:

It's widely known that the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), being negotiated as I type, is simply gun control by another name. Although it is being sold as a treaty to lessen the number of guns moving across borders illegally, it will ultimately require a national gun registry to be enforceable: perhaps even an international gun registry.

. . . all of us should be contacting our Senators to demand they refuse to ratify this ridiculous treaty when it comes before them . . .

Senator Jerry Moran (Kansas) is on record:

The Arms Trade Treaty is expected to be finalized this month to create "common international standards for the import, export, and transfer of conventional arms," including tanks, helicopters and missiles. However, with regular calls to include civilian arms and ammunition within its scope, I am concerned this treaty could restrict the ownership of firearms that Americans use to hunt, target shoot, and defend themselves. Our opposition is strong enough to block the treaty from Senate passage.

It's another reason to call Sen. Portman to ask where he stands on the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty and the Disability Treaty previously blogged here .

Cleveland Office Ph#: (216) 522-7095
Cincinnati Office Ph#:(513) 684-3265
Toledo Office Ph#: (419) 259-3895
Columbus Office Ph#: (614) 469-6774
Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)

Another UN Treaty to oppose

U.N. Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities

It sounds compassionate, it sounds like good-deed doing, but it is another attempt to cede individual choice, and state and federal sovereignty to the UN: read global government. From The Hill late yesterday [emphasis added]:

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is delaying Senate consideration of the United Nations treaty on people with disabilities amid growing opposition from home-schooling advocates.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was scheduled to take up the U.N. Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities on Thursday, with the goal of getting it passed in time for the 22nd anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26. Instead, Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced that he will hold the markup next Thursday, July 26.

A spokesman for DeMint said several Republicans on the committee joined him in asking for the delay.

"Part of this treaty deals with abortion and the rights of children, issues that should be addressed by states, local governments and American parents, not international bureaucrats," DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton told The Hill in an email. "Sen. DeMint strongly opposes this treaty, as the United States is already the world leader in addressing the needs of the disabled and it’s foolish to think Americans need to sign away our sovereignty to exert our influence around the world." . . .

. . . “The [U.N. treaty] would usurp the rights and powers of parents here in the United States to do what is best for their special-needs child by placing the law of the U.N. above the rights of the parents,” Rick and Karen Santorum said in a statement. “It is the job of our elected representatives to preserve these rights, not hand them off to unaccountable international bureaucrats."

Sen. McCain and Sen. John Barrasso are supporting ratification. Where does Sen. Rob Portman stand? He finally came out in opposition to the Law of The Sea Treaty (LOST). He should come out against this one, too.

Cleveland Office Ph#: (216) 522-7095
Cincinnati Office Ph#:(513) 684-3265
Toledo Office Ph#: (419) 259-3895
Columbus Office Ph#:(614) 469-6774
Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)

Portman & Ayotte "Deep Six" LOST

Patriots - congratulations!  You just helped stop the oceans from being owned by the United Nations!

While some groups in Ohio are more concerned about getting a 'seat at the table' and the subsequent pat on the head for being good little GOP 'tools' and not messing up the place settings, some of you and the true grassroots Tea party groups are out there doing the hard work and kicking the table to get things done.

Because of your repeated phone calls, emails and faxes over the last two months to the office of Senator Portman (R-OH) voicing your opposition to the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST), Senator Portman and Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) have notified Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid they will be joining the 32 other Senators in opposition to LOST, which would effectively give ownership of the oceans to the United Nations.

We want to thank Senator Portman for coming out against LOST!  Please contact one of Senator Portman's offices to extend a thank you to Senator Portman and his ever pleasant and always helpful staff.


Cleveland Office Ph#: (216)522-7095 
Cincinnati Office Ph#:(513)684-3265
Toledo Office Ph#: (419)259-3895
Columbus Office Ph#: (614)469-6774 
Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)

From Senator Rob Portman --

Senators Portman and Ayotte Sink Law Of The Sea Treaty

Two Senate Armed Services Committee Members Announce Opposition In Letter To Majority Leader Harry Reid, Saying "No International Organization Owns The Seas"

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), ranking member on the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, sent a letter today to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in which they announced their opposition to Senate ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Citing significant concerns about the breadth and ambiguity of the treaty, and more importantly, the risks to U.S. sovereignty due to issues regarding enforcement and adjudication, the two members of the Senate Armed Services Committee stated, “After careful consideration, we have concluded that on balance this treaty is not in the national interest of the United States.   As a result, we would oppose the treaty if it were called up for a vote.”

Portman and Ayotte continued, “We simply are not persuaded that decisions by the International Seabed Authority and international tribunals empowered by this treaty will be more favorable to U.S. interests than bilateral negotiations, voluntary arbitration, and other traditional means of resolving maritime issues.  No international organization owns the seas, and we are confident that our country will continue to protect its navigational freedom, valid territorial claims, and other maritime rights.”

Because the Constitution requires 67 affirmative votes for the Senate to ratify a treaty, and 31 senators have previously signed a letter in opposition and a 32^nd senator announced his opposition, Portman and Ayotte’s announcement makes efforts to ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty dead in the water in this Congress.

Click here to read full text of the letter.