US Slips To 12th In Economic Freedom

Art credit: canwebelieveit.info

Not good news from Breitbart:

US Slips To 12th In Economic Freedom

A new report of "economic freedom" around the world finds the US ranked 12th among 152 countries, tied with the United Kingdom, and lower than neighbor Canada or Australia. The index, published by the Cato Institute and Canada's Fraser Institute, has been published since 1996. As recently as 2000, the US ranked 2nd in the world, in terms of boasting a free economy. The US's declining ranking will lower future economic growth. 

The index, built on decades of research by Nobel laureates and dozens of leading scholars,measures 5 broad factors that impact the economy: 1. Size of government; 2. Legal structure and security of property rights; 3. Access to sound money; 4. Freedom to trade internationally and; 5. Regulation of Credit, Labor and Business. Countries where citizens are freer to engage in business and trade and property and legal rights are protected by the rule of law will score higher on the index. According to economic research, though, these countries will also do better economically and create and generate more wealth. 

The 10 freest economies in the world are: Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, Mauritius, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Australia, Jordan, and Chile and Finland tied for 10th. 

America's descent down the ladder of economic freedom is unsettling, in itself. More troubling, however, is the chief factor behind the US decline. The biggest drop in US economic freedom has been in the country's legal structure. The report notes that, "increased use of eminent domain to transfer property to powerful political interests, the ramifications of the wars on terrorism and drugs, and the violation of the property rights of bondholders in the auto-bailout case have weakened the tradition of strong adherence to the rule of law in United States." 

The rule of law has long been the foundation of America's economic prosperity and liberty. The US ranking in this area has plummeted to a terrible 36th place in the world. This, combined with increased regulation is stifling US economic growth. The report observes, "[t]o a large degree, the United States has experienced a significant move away from rule of law and toward a highly regulated, politicized, and heavily policed state."

Read the rest here.

Five Voter Fraud Myths & Truths

From PJ Media

PJ Media has put together this publication about voter fraud called Crimes Against the Republic. When it comes to voter fraud, there are several myths and several truths of note – enough to leave everyone unhappy.  Here are five:

1. Myth: President Obama won reelection because of voter fraud.  Nonsense.  The margins in key swing states such as Ohio and Virginia were too vast to be driven by voter fraud.  No voter fraud scheme can move tens of thousands of votes.  That’s impossible and would be detected.  The machinery of elections simply doesn’t allow for the possibility of organizing and procuring tens of thousands of votes.  If you are desperate for a singular explanation for Obama’s reelection, you should get to know Catalist.  This massive database and how the modern left uses it to drive turnout among the base is behind Obama’s releection, not voter fraud.  That Republicans and conservatives have absolutely no effective counterpart makes it even more so.

2. Fact: Voter fraud has altered the outcome of elections.  Senator Al Franken (D-Lino Lakes), the Saturday Night Live clown, is in the  United States Senate because of voter fraud.  Franken won his election because Minnesota has same day voter registration, where a person can register to vote and cast a ballot simultaneously.  Felons were ineligible to vote but did so anyhow – by the thousands – 1099 of them to be exact.  This means that Franken owes his Senate seats to graduates of Faribault andLino Lakes.  Remember, Franken won by only 312 votes.  News media in Minnesota contacted many of the felons and they admitted they were proud of their vote for Franken.  Not a one voted for Norm Coleman.  But it’s worse.  Al Franken was the 60th vote to pass Obamacare over a fillibuster.  Because of voter fraud, Obamacare passed.

3. Myth: Paper ballots are the safest.  Paper ballots actually facilitate voter fraud.  Electronic voting machines cannot be hacked from outer space.  The machines are not connected and manipulated by the Illuminati.  The worst form of elections are paper ballots because they are subject to human interpretation.  When paper ballots are counted, partisans on each side get to interpret stray marks the way the want to.  X’s stray from boxes, and magically votes move.  Electronic machine counting is the best way to eliminate voter fraud.  The single best election system is the optical scan ballot where you make selections inside ovals and the paper is fed through an electronic counting scanner.  People who waste time on electronic voting machines are overlooking the many other ways the system is manipulated.

4. Fact: Eric Holder’s Justice Department is Facilitating Voter Fraud.  It isn’t hard to find the ways Eric Holder’s radical version of law enforcement is facilitating voter fraud.  That’s the central story of Crimes Against the Republic.  For starters, multiple individuals have been caught voting more than once in a federal election.  This is a federal felony.  The response from the Justice Department? Crickets.  Take Wendy Rosen.  She was a Democrat running for Congress.  We have reached the Alice in Wonderland moment where a Democrat can pen an editorial admitting she violated federal election law and no federal charges ensue.

 Her excuse for committing a federal felony?  Because election integrity laws make it hard for the poor and blacks to vote.  She  actually says this.  Maybe Eric Holder isn’t prosecuting Wendy Rosen because 1) Rosen is a Democrat and 2) She  is mimicking Holder’s own talking points.   Such are the lawless ways of the Obama age – felons get a pass as long as they are allies of the President, sort of like the New Black Panthers in Philadelphia.  This is the stuff that makes American’s furious, and the Democrats best beware of the whirlwind they may reap.  Many more examples of Holder facilitating voter fraud are in Crimes Against the Republic.

5. Myth: Just Electing Republicans Will End Voter Fraud.  Voter fraud is a non-partisan issue.  Both Republicans and Democrats have been found guilty, though Democrats seem to outnumber Republicans by significant amounts.  Voter fraud is particularly common in Democrat primaries where Democrats use it against other Democrats.  That’s why the Democrat run Rhode Island legislature passed a voter ID law.  Moreover, Republicans sometimes lack a spine to address the institutional and structural issues which open the door to voter fraud.  No excuse absentee voting, one of the most fertile areas of voter fraud, is one example.  In other places, like Colorado, some Republicans are actually collaborators with the beneficiaries of fraud.  Colorado election clerks Pam Anderson and Shelia Reiner were but two.

Ohio Board of Education District 5 - Send a Message to Governor Kasich on Common Core!

The voters in the Ohio State School Board District 5 race have an opportunity to send a loud & clear message to Governor John Kasich regarding his support of Common Core.

Ohio Board of Education District 5 covers a swath of northeastern Ohio, but does not include the cities of Cleveland or Akron.

It includes the following counties: Ashland, Medina, Richland, Wayne plus Cuyahoga County outside of the city of Cleveland, Summit County outside of Akron, the northwestern corner of Holmes county and a small part of western Stark county. For map of State School Board Districts click here.

The voters in this race have the ability to be the voice for all Ohioans fighting against the forced implementation of Common Core across our state.

Currently the OBE District 5 seat is held by Brad Lamb. Mr. Lamb, former Executive Director of the Cuyahoga County GOP, was appointed to fill the empty District 5 OBE seat by Governor Kasich and supports Common Core...

Asked last year if he supported the Common Core, Lamb said: "The Common Core standards continue to be implemented in the state of Ohio. I support the need for consistent standards, however I am concerned with losing local control of the education of our students in an effort to teach to a test."

Pushed for clarification this evening, Lamb said he now supports the Common Core.

Of the four candidates in this race, Chris Sawicki is the only candidate that supports the repeal of Common Core in Ohio.

The candidates:

Chris Sawicki (Supports REPEAL of Common Core)

Website: Click Here

Brad Lamb (Kasich appointee / Supports Common Core)

Michael Grusenmeyer (Supports Common Core)
Website: Click Here

Roslyn Painter-Goffi (Supports Common Core)
Website: Click Here

For a profile of the candidates in State School Board District 5 race, please click here.

More Legislative Logrolling with the CR

log·roll·ing

noun

NORTH AMERICAN

1. 1.

   informal

   the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other's proposed legislation.
2. 
   

From the Mansfield Tea Party:

More Legislative Logrolling with the CR In case you didn't catch it, the Republican lead House voted to include the extension of the Ex-Im Bank in yet another Continuing Resolution Click Here to Read the Heritage Brief. By combining the Ex-Im extension and Syrian rebels' funding with the CR, they have the excuse of having to vote for it, so as not to shut down the government. Only six Republicans voted against this rule/procedure of "Logrolling" legislation, none of which were from Ohio.  Therefore, the few legislators from Ohio who then voted against the CR were covered.  They can now say they voted against it, even though they allowed it in the first place. This latest CR is set to expire during the Lame Duck session, the perfect storm for unaccountability in spending. Click Here to see how your legislator voted. # # #

Is Americans For Prosperity-Ohio Bought & Paid For by the Greater Cleveland Partnership?

A recent Politico article highlighted how in many states Americans For Prosperity is getting more involved at a local level, with Ohio supposedly being one of them.

In the article, Americans For Prosperity-OH State Coordinator Eli Miller throws down the gauntlet in sending a stern warning to elected officials in Ohio thinking about raising taxes...

Eli Miller, who runs AFP’s affiliate in Ohio, said that no election is too localized to send a message to political leaders up and down the ballot.

“At any level — the local, the state, the federal — you’re going to hear from us. If you don’t want to hear from Americans for Prosperity Ohio, don’t raise taxes,” Miller said. “We fight at all levels.” (Emphasis Added)

After drawing this line in the sand, AFP-OH set in motion to fight a 1% tax increase in the City of Gahanna, OH. Overwhelmingly rejected by voters in May 2013, and with city officials trying to pass it again in November 2013, Eli personally weighed in on this proposed tax increase... 

"Many families in Ohio have been forced to get by with less during these difficult economic times. They have managed to make difficult cuts. They should be able to expect the same of the people they elect to represent them and spend their hard-earned tax dollars."

And after being contacted by Franklin County residents to help fight a tax increase for the Columbus Zoo, in attracting national media attention, AFP-OH was again on the front lines battling this tax increase.

Again leading the charge, Eli Miller, like Tarzan swinging down & coming to the rescue in a "King of the Jungle" moment (sans the Tarzan yell & loin cloth) again restates AFP-OH's dedication to local level issues and fighting the proposed Zoo tax increase...

It's all part of the plan. Although AFP is a national organization, its Ohio state director, Eli Miller, told WOSU that his group will be "engaged in local issues, in state issues, on federal issues."

"There is no issue we won’t get involved in if you’re going to raise taxes." Which is exactly what AFP was designed to do. (Emphasis Added)

In continuing doing what "AFP was designed to do," upon hearing the calls from residents in Upper Arlington, AFP-OH & Eli immediately jumped in the fray to also battle this local income tax increase....

However, Eli Miller, state director for Americans for Prosperity Ohio, said in a press release that his organization has received "numerous phone calls and emails from Upper Arlington residents expressing great concern" about the proposal.

"We believe firmly that increasing the income tax can hurt economic prosperity and that taxpayer money should stay in the pocket of the taxpayer rather than the city as often as possible," Miller said. "We agree with so many local residents who seem to be saying that raising the income tax just does not make sense."

Continuing to back up his statement of, "if you don't want to hear from Americans For Prosperity Ohio, don't raise taxes," Eli & AFP-OH put on a full court press against the proposed Summit County permanent .25% sales tax increase. This increase would be for safety services and to fund a $74 million multi-purpose sports & entertainment arena for the University of Akron. 

“The taxpayers of the county have to come before bigger government and basketball arenas,” State Director Eli Miller said in a news release. “Taxpayer money should stay in the pocket of the taxpayer rather than the county as much as possible. We agree with so many local residents who seem to be saying that raising the sales tax at this time just does not add up.” (Emphasis Added)

Faced with growing opposition from two local grassroots groups started to fight this sports arena tax, along with AFP-OH's stated opposition, Summit County officials removed the sports arena funding from the ballot measure.

Giving credit where credit is due, in the above instances, AFP-OH under Eli Miller's direction backed up his gutsy statements of, "If you don’t want to hear from Americans for Prosperity Ohio, don’t raise taxes,” and "There is no issue we won’t get involved in if you’re going to raise taxes." 

Unfortunately Eli's tough macho talk about fighting taxes at all levels in Ohio fell silent when it came to facing the big daddy of boondoggle taxes some local voters were facing in 2014 - the Sin Tax Extension in Cuyahoga County.

The history of a Sin Tax on cigarettes & alcohol to fund new sports stadiums in Cleveland dates back the early 1980's. Being pushed hard by corporate leaders & elected officials, it was initially rejected by Cuyahoga County voters in 1984. Eventually a 15 year Sin Tax was passed (51%) by voters in 1990 and was renewed for another 10yrs in 2005.

The Sin Tax funding for the stadiums and arenas for the Browns and Indians and Cavaliers was set to expire in 2015. Seeing that this taxpayer trough for stadium financing was going to run dry, Cuyahoga County officials and corporate leaders put the wheels in motion to keep this river of public revenue (Corporate Welfare) flowing for another 20yrs.  

Raising over $350 million to date from its initial passage in 1990, the proposed 20 year Sin Tax extension is projected to raise another $260 - $300 million. At a total collective cost of close to $650 million -- the Sin Tax extension easily dwarfs the Summit County / University of Akron proposed $74 million publicly funded arena & Columbus Zoo tax that Eli & AFP-OH vigorously opposed.

In initially signaling their commitment to fighting the behemoth Sin Tax extension, AFP-OH fired a warning shot across the bow by issuing a statement concerning public input on the Sin Tax.... 

“If the Cuyahoga County Council truly wants input from the taxpayers of the county, as County Council President C. Ellen Connally has suggested they do, then these hearings should be held at times when taxpayers can attend,” said Eli Miller, Americans for Prosperity Ohio State Director.

“An issue this important deserves to be debated and discussed with as large an audience as possible,” continued Miller. “We urge the Cuyahoga County Council to demonstrate their commitment to hearing from the taxpayers and increasing government accountability by moving these hearing times.” (Emphasis Added)

Confirming their commitment to fighting the Cuyahoga County Sin Tax extension, AFP-OH had a Field Coordinator starting to organize opposition to the Sin Tax, was explicitly expressed by Eli to myself in a phone conversation and was reaffirmed by Matt Patten (AFP-OH Asst. State Coordinator) in a January 2014 meeting held at the AFP-OH HQ in Columbus attended by Marianne Gasiecki (Mansfield TPP) and myself, Ralph King (Cleveland TPP), as State Coordinators for Tea Party Patriots.

With Eli Miller & AFP-OH on board to fight the Sin Tax extension, this set the stage for the mother of all tax fights in Ohio!  Eli Miller & his AFP-OH to battle against Cuyahoga County's Kings of Corporate Welfare pushing the Sin Tax extension -- The Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP).

Using their money & influence as the largest Chamber of Commerce in Ohio and one of the largest metropolitan chambers of commerce in the nation, the GCP had the GOP controlled Ohio Legislature add in a last minute provision to Governor Kasich's budget bill (HB 59) that would give Cuyahoga County the option to extend the Sin Tax beyond the scheduled 2015 expiration....

"We are fortunate enough to have three professional sports facilities in our city," said Marty McGann, the partnership's vice president of state and local governmental affairs. "They are getting older and the goal of this organization was to ensure that they are maintained."

Without the budget amendment, the tax would have expired in 2015 and could not have been renewed under a state law that had been in place since 2008, McGann said.

McGann said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald were informed of the measure as the Greater Cleveland Partnership worked with lawmakers to add it to the budget. 

Seeing the Tea Party, Occupy, conservative & progressive grassroots activists teaming together with AFP-OH against the Sin Tax and the perfect storm of defeat heading their way, the cabal of corporate charlatan's at the Greater Cleveland Partnership played their wild card.

Then, almost like am unruly child being spanked, sent to their room & told to behave, AFP-OH under Eli Miller's direction pulled out of the Sin Tax fight with just a simple, "we cannot be involved with fighting the Sin Tax."

So why would Eli & AFP-OH take their marbles and sit out the largest tax fight in Ohio?  Could it possibly be his direct and familial ties to the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the corporate cabal of charlatan's pushing the Sin Tax?

The Greater Cleveland Partnership, which embodies the definition of corporate cronyism, was an idea spawned by Sam Miller & Albert Ratner of Forest City Enterprises in 2002 and started in 2004. Sam Miller & Albert Ratner are, respectively, the grandfather & uncle of Eli Miller.

Getting his start working for his grandfather & uncle at Forest City Enterprises in Cleveland. Eli moved up the ladder and went on to work for Speaker John Boehner in 2009 and the Romney campaign in 2012.  

Eli became the Ohio State Coordinator for Americans For Prosperity in May 2013 - the same month & time frame his grandfather & uncle made numerous donations to Boehner, the National Republican Congressional Committee along with other "establishment" Ohio Republicans historically supported by Americans For Prosperity in Ohio.

In May 2013 Sam Miller made donations to Speaker Boehner totaling $4,200 and a $5,800 donation to the Boehner controlled, National Republican Congressional Committee.  

While Eli's uncle Albert Ratner, during a 30 day period of Eli becoming AFP-OH State Coordinator, made a series of donations to Ohio's dream team of establishment RINO's totaling over $14,000 to Speaker John Boehner, Sen. Rob Portman, Rep. Jim Renacci and Rep. Dave Joyce. 

How's that for buying control and undermining any conservative grassroots opposition?

Not convinced yet? Stay tuned -  you will be! This is the first of a series and you can be sure - there is more to come!  Next up, the Common thread that is rotten to the Core!

Common Core: Opt Out of Fall Testing

Art credit: Dailycaller.com and Edvard Munch

This just in from the Mansfield Tea Party:

Opt Out of Fall Testing Now!

Take the Pledge to Protect Your Child

 
The first round of fall tests starts October 6th, but did you know that you, as the parent, can opt-out your child?

These tests are used to "benchmark" your child for "Value Added Measures", but are not state mandated. Common sense would tell you that any student is going to perform better in the spring than they do in the beginning of the school year, but now we have to prove it by administering more tests, leaving less time for learning.

The state mandates that the schools administer one test per year.  In the past it has been the spring OGT's and the OAA's.  Unless we pass HB 597, and Common Core gets repealed, the data gathering replacement testing - PARCC - will add six weeks of testing to the school year this spring.

Don't subject your child to this scrutiny.  Exercise your right as a parent and opt-out your child. Click Here to Download OPT-OUT form and  Click Here to learn more about the assessing of your child.

Please note all forms must be submitted by October 3rd, 2014 to ensure your child's protection. 

• Print out Opt Out Form
• Fill out Child's Name (must do separate form for each child)
• Read and check all three boxes on opt out form
• Complete bottom portion of the form 
• Be sure to leave Received by, Signature, and Date Received blank (this is for school officials to fill out)
• Take the completed form to the school office. Request signatures.
• Request two copies. One for your records and one to mail to your State Representative

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Ohio Democratic Party Chairman just threw Ed FitzGerald under the bus

Art credit: One Old Vet

From Cleveland.com:

By Henry J. Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The race for governor won't be decided for another 36 days.

But Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern is now publicly voicing his frustration with his nominee, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.

In story posted Sunday night, the New York Times was the latest national news organization to weigh in on the collapse of FitzGerald's campaign.

The piece traced the former FBI agent's troubles to the 2012 incident, unearthed last month by the Northeast Ohio Media Group, in which police found FitzGerald parked after hours with a woman who wasn't his wife. That revelation led to the discovery that FitzGerald hadn't had a driver's license for a decade.

"I've never met a former FBI agent who doesn't have a driver's license," Redfern told the Times' Trip Gabriel, who described the exchange as a figurative finger pointed at FitzGerald. "It's akin to saying, 'Damn, I should have my umbrella' after it rains."

Redfern went on to blast the outside firm that the campaign hired to probe FitzGerald's past, saying he wouldn't hire the company "to clean out my bird cage."

FitzGerald, also the former mayor of Lakewood, faces Republican incumbent John Kasich this fall. Polls show him trailing the governor by double digits.

. . . 

Read the rest here.

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