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February 26th in American History

February 26, 1813

“The Chancellor” Dies

On this day in 1813, New York Patriot Robert R. Livingston dies.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=259

February 26, 1917

President Wilson learns of Zimmermann Telegram

In a crucial step toward U.S. entry into World War I, President Woodrow Wilson learns of the so-called Zimmermann Telegram, a message from German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann to the German ambassador to Mexico proposing a Mexican-German alliance in the event of a war between the U.S. and Germany.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=230


1951 - The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution was passed creating a 2-term limit for the Presidency.

February 26, 1984

Last U.S. Marines leave Beirut

The last U.S. Marines sent to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force leave Beirut, the war-torn Lebanese capital where some 250 of the original 800 Marines lost their lives during the problem-plagued 18-month mission.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=4791


February 26, 1993

World Trade Center bombed

At 12:18 p.m., a terrorist bomb explodes in a parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City, leaving a crater 60 feet wide and causing the collapse of several steel-reinforced concrete floors in the vicinity of the blast. Although the terrorist bomb failed to critically damage the main structure of the skyscrapers, six people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured. The World Trade Center itself suffered more than $500 million in damage. After the attack, authorities evacuated 50,000 people from the buildings, hundreds of whom were suffering from smoke inhalation. The evacuation lasted the whole afternoon.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=4792

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Voting Results to Ban the FCC from Reinstating the Fairness Doctrine

These Senators voted to ban the FCC from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine:

YEAs ---87
Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Burris (D-IL)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagan (D-NC)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Wyden (D-OR)

These Senators basically voted for the Fairness Doctrine:

NAYs ---11
Bingaman (D-NM)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Whitehouse (D-RI)

Senator Kennedy did not vote.

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Senate Voted to Prohibit the FCC From Reinstating the Fairness Doctrine

Senate tunes out Fairness Doctrine, 87-11
Posted: 02/26/09 02:55 PM [ET]

The Senate voted Thursday in favor of an amendment to the District of Columbia voting-rights bill that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from reinstating the so-called Fairness Doctrine, which critics say would decimate conservative talk radio.


http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/senate-tunes-out-fairness-doctrine-2009-02-26.html
Tags: radio   FCC  
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Why Do We Have to Do That?

Obama: 'We Must Add to Our Deficits in the Short-Term'

Up to $3.6 trillion budget includes $750B for more bank bailouts, and $634B as down payment on universal health care, ends Bush tax cuts
Tags: obama   budget  
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This Means Another Bailout is on the Way

GM Posts $9.6B 4th Quarter Loss

Thursday, February 26, 2009

DETROIT —  General Motors Corp. says it lost $9.6 billion in the fourth quarter and burned through $6.2 billion in cash as it sought government help to avoid running out of cash.

The nation's biggest domestic automaker lost $30.9 billion for all of 2008 as it struggled against a U.S. sales slump and a global recession.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,500624,00.html
Tags: GM   Bailout  
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16 Years Ago Today

It was only 16 years ago that the World Trade Center was first under attack by terrorists. For a retrospective on this, Andrew C. McCarthy who helped prosecute the "Blind Sheikh" wrote about this anniversary last year on its 15th anniversary.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZmI1ZTgyMzI3ODFlZTkyNGQwNTBiYjBlNmEyMmM5Zjg=

Tags: History  
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Can You Believe That It Hasn't Been 100 Days Yet of His Presidency

Obama Proposes $634 Billion Fund For Health Care
Aides Call Money a 'Down Payment' Toward Universal-Coverage Efforts

By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 26, 2009; A01

President Obama is proposing to begin a vast expansion of the U.S. health-care system by creating a $634 billion reserve fund over the next decade, launching an overhaul that most experts project will ultimately cost at least $1 trillion.

The "reserve fund" in the budget proposal being released today is Obama's attempt to demonstrate how the country could extend health insurance to millions more Americans and at the same time begin to control escalating medical bills that threaten the solvency of families, businesses and the government.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/25/AR2009022502587_pf.html

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Government Going to Have Bigger Stake in Citi

U.S. and Citi Near Deal to Boost Stake

Agreement to boost the federal government's stake in Citigroup to as much as 40 percent could come today
Tags: Bailout  
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Who Cares About the Deficit?

Obama's Budget Projects $1,750,000,000,000.00 Deficit

URGENT: President's first budget will call for nearly $4 trillion in spending this year and creates space for up to $750 billion in additional bailout funds
Tags: obama   budget  
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These Democrats are so Good I Didn't Even Realize They Were Voting On the Earmark Bill Today

House Approves $410 Billion Spending Bill

The legislation is designed to permit most federal agencies to continue operating until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. 

AP

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic-controlled House approved $410 billion legislation Wednesday that boosted domestic programs, bristled with earmarks and chipped away at policies left behind by the Bush administration. 

The vote was 245-178, largely along party lines. 

Republicans assailed the measure as too costly -- particularly on the heels of a $787 billion stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed last week. But Democrats jabbed back.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/25/house-approves-billion-spending/

I will post the votes when they become available.
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CPAC 2009

I will be attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington D.C. Thursday-Saturday. If some of you don't know what is CPAC I suggest you read up on it and try to attend another year or you still can this year. It's a place where conservatives come and meet and are able to have great discussions. Students, activists, politicians, pundits, and journalists all go. I'm excited to go because I really need to speak and hear real conservatives in a time where our country is going in the wrong direction and our Constitution is being destroyed. Also, this year's speakers are great. Just to name a few speakers: Senator Jim DeMint, Senator Tom Coburn, Rep. Tom Tancredo, Rep, Mike Pence, and Former Ambassador John Bolton. I'm writing this to inform my audience that there probably will be less posts from me, but I will try as best as I can to keep up with the day's stories.

Here you can watch the speeches given at CPAC:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/townhall-presents-cpac-2009

Tags: cpac  
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Well Done Indiana

Senate passes immigration reform bill

Posted: February 25, 2009
By Bill Ruthhart

Indiana businesses that repeatedly knowingly hire illegal immigrants would face one of the toughest penalties in the nation under legislation the Indiana Senate passed Tuesday night.

Senate Bill 580 would suspend state business licenses of employers who, on three separate occasions, knowingly hire undocumented workers. The legislation would require all Indiana employers to use E-Verify, a federal electronic system, to confirm their employees are, in fact, legal workers.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 37-13 to pass the bill.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090225/NEWS0501/902250349/1008/LOCAL19

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Amnesty it is for All Illegal Immigrants

A South Floridian is tapped to help shape immigration policy in D.C.

cmarbin@miamiherald.com

Florida immigrant advocates looking for possible clues to the direction President Barack Obama will take his new administration may need to look no further than the appointment this week of a woman whose name is familiar to virtually all immigration advocates and attorneys in Miami: Esther Olavarria.

The lawyer and policy wonk held jobs with the Florida Immigration Advocacy Center, the Haitian Refugee Center, and Legal Services of Greater Miami before moving to a bigger stage in Washington, D.C.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/919918.html
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Wonderful Victory for Government Speech

This was the issue:

Issue: Whether, under the First Amendment, privately donated monuments placed in a public park qualify as private or government speech.

Some background:

In September 2003, the mayor of Pleasant Grove, Utah, received an unusual letter from Summum “Corky” Ra, the leader of a little-known religious organization based in Salt Lake City. As he had done in other towns in Utah, Ra sought permission to erect a monument to the “Seven Aphorisms of Summum” in a city park, alongside a depiction of the Ten Commandments that had been donated to the city more than three decades prior.

After city officials denied his request, Ra filed a suit alleging a violation of the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit eventually agreed, finding the park to be a traditional public forum and the Ten Commandments monument to constitute the private speech of the original donor.

The ruling was 9-0 protecting government speech.

For more background information, you can go here:

http://www.scotuswiki.com/index.php?title=Pleasant_Grove_City%2C_UT_v._Summum

For the ruling and opinion, you can go here:

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/08pdf/07-665.pdf

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