Another Disgrace

The (CR)Omnibus Process Has Been Another Congressional Disgrace - by Josh Withrow Congress, apparently in a race to more thoroughly deserve its abysmal approval ratings, has conducted a tremendous exercise in bad government this past week. The omnibus funding bill that is set to keep the government paid for through September 2015 has been crafted largely in secret, and once again left lawmakers with only a couple of days to sort through what had been changed in over a thousand pages of text. This is not a rational way to run a government. Read more here... Spending Deal Blocks the Obama Administration from Using Taxpayer Funds to Bail Out Health Insurers - by Jason Pye There are plenty of provisions in the newly released $1.014 trillion hybrid spending bill, dubbed the "CROmnibus," that are unwise, wasteful, and bad public policy. There are, however, some policy victories tucked away in the more than 1,600-page document, among them a provision that blocks the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from using taxpayer funds to bailout health insurance companies that participate in ObamaCare. Read more here... Watch Part 2 of Matt Kibbe's Interview with Judge Andrew Napolitano In Part 2 of his interview with FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe, Judge Andrew Napolitano talks public schools, national debt, perpetual war, executive overreach, and what liberty-minded activists can do to push back against big government. Watch here... Napolitano's "Suicide Pact" is an Important Book Everyone Should Read - by Logan Albright It’s easy to imagine, in this era of the 24-hour news cycle, that things are the worst they have ever been. One could easily conclude that our liberties are a hair’s breadth away from being altogether eliminated at the hands of a government on the brink of totalitarianism, and the hope of restoring the American vision to its halcyon days of milk and honey grows bleaker by the hour. The president has no regard for the rule of law, and his supporters will stop at nothing to persecute and marginalize anyone who disagrees with the goals and governing philosophies of Dear Leader. Read more here... Tea Party Angered by Fundraising Change in Spending Bill  - via the Wall Street Journal Matt Kibbe, president of the conservative FreedomWorks, called for contribution limits to be “raised or eliminated across the board, not selectively applied for political purposes.” He added: “All individuals deserve to have their voices heard in the political process, not just the country’s major parties.” Read more here... Obama Ignores Black Rising Unemployment Rate - by Deneen Borelli At the White House introduction of Ash Carter as the nominee for Defense Secretary, President Obama touted the November jobs report from the Labor Department. Missing from his remarks, however, was the bad news for black Americans. Read more here... ObamaCare and the "MediCrats" with Ralph Weber Ralph Weber, author of "MediCrats: Medical Bureaucrats that Rule your Health Care" and President of MediBid Inc., discusses the rising costs of medical care in the U.S. and how Obamcare is exacerbating the problem. Watch here... Jonathan Gruber's Arrogance and Hostility Completely Undermines His Already Insincere Apology - by Jason Pye Jonathan Gruber apologized for his "insulting and mean comments" about the intelligence of voters during his opening statement before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The manner in which he conducted himself throughout the hearing, however, brings into question his sincerity. Even his apology came across with a strong degree of arrogance and contempt for the general public. Read more here... Student Privacy Concerns Add to Common Core Resistance - by Logan Albright via Red State There are many things to hate about Common Core standards. From convoluted, unsolvable math problems, to an increased reliance on soulless standardized testing, to a lack of local control and adaptation to individual circumstances, just about everyone can find something to object to. One of the most concerning aspects of the program, however, is the invasive collection of personal data from students, an area that has received far too little attention in media discussions of education. Read more here... Why These Teachers Quit Their Jobs. Hint: Common Core - by Julie Borowski There’s a national discussion going on about Common Core educational standards. Polls continue to show that most Americans oppose Common Core. Support is also dropping among teachers. Some educators have actually resigned because of the problems associated with Common Core. Here are a few examples: Read more here... Sign up for the FreedomWorks Morning Update If you want an update like this newsletter twice a week, be sure to sign up for the Freedom Works Morning Update! The Morning Update is your tool to keep up-to-date with all the threats to your freedom. Sign up here. In Liberty, Adam Brandon Executive Vice President, FreedomWorks Forward To A Friend | Update Your Email Preferences 400 North Capitol Street, NW Suite 765 Washington, DC 20001