Slouching Away From 9/11

By Matt Rooney, The Save Jersey Blog

I shared a quote with my Facebook friends last night from Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, on the eve of this 12th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks:

“The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic, and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.”

Pretty soul stirring, right?

Then I started to wonder if it was still true, Save Jerseyans.

Evidence to the contrary: (1) the NSA is intercepting our personal phone records and (2) Americans can’t board an airplane without invasive searches; (3) Government spending is now approaching 40% of the GDP, greater than any time in our history save for World War II; (4) Washington can compel you to buy anything that Congress wants you to consume provided that it’s accomplished under the guise of a “tax” or, in the case of real property, transfer yours to another private individual for the “public good”; (5) Government opposition groups suffer punitive tax audits and (6) major scandals are shamelessly covered up.

Shall I keep going?

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Obama tells senators he wants diplomatic solution to Syria

Obama tells senators he wants diplomatic solution to Syria (via AFP)

President Barack Obama urged US senators Tuesday to help him seek a diplomatic response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons but said he wants Congress to maintain the threat of force. The president spent more than two hours on Capitol Hill in closed…

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Syrian-Americans divided over U.S. military strike

Syrian-Americans divided over U.S. military strike (via NJ.com)

Drew Angerer/Getty Images TEANECK — Archbishop Cyril Aphrem Karim, regional leader of the Syrian Orthodox Church based in Teaneck, looks at his civil war-ravaged nation and sees Iraq. “What happened in Iraq will happen to Syria also,” Karim said…

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LITTLE SILVER: HOMESTEAD GETS FUNDING ARM

LITTLE SILVER: HOMESTEAD GETS FUNDING ARM (via redbankgreen)

A nonprofit organization will serve as the fundraising arm for the historic site, which dates back almost 350 years. (Click to enlarge) By ALEXIS ORLACCHIO A charitable corporation has been formed to help carry out plans to run Little Silver’s historic…

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Obama: Russia plan on Syria arms may be ‘breakthrough’

Obama: Russia plan on Syria arms may be ‘breakthrough’ (via AFP)

President Barack Obama said a Russian plan to head off threatened US strikes on Syria by securing a deal to destroy the regime’s chemical weapons could be a “significant breakthrough.” Obama warned Monday he had not taken military strikes off the table…

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Saving lives, saving herself: A mom’s quest to stop Monmouth County’s teen suicide cluster

Saving lives, saving herself: A mom’s quest to stop Monmouth County’s teen suicide cluster (via NJ.com)

Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger It began with a letter to a local newspaper. Lisa Schenke, devastated by the suicide of her 18-year-old son, wrote in unflinching detail about his struggles with depression and substance abuse. She appealed to teens to avoid…

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Sea Bright Takes Hurricane Sandy as an Opportunity to Reinvent Itself

Sea Bright Takes Hurricane Sandy as an Opportunity to Reinvent Itself (via NJSpotlight)

When Sandy came ashore last October, Sea Bright’s downtown was severely flooded, with more than a thousand homes and businesses damaged or destroyed and the streets filled with mountains of sand and debris. Ten months later, as the repairs continue…

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Obama, Assad go head-to-head in US interview duel

Obama, Assad go head-to-head in US interview duel (via AFP)

Presidents Barack Obama and Bashar Al-Assad will go head-to-head in dueling US television interviews Monday, as a crucial week dawns for the US leader’s push for air attacks on Syria. Assad will reportedly deny that he used chemical weapons on civilians…

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Tax returns reveal Booker earned nearly $4 million since 1998, paid $1 million in taxes

Tax returns reveal Booker earned nearly $4 million since 1998, paid $1 million in taxes (via NJ.com)

John Munson/The Star-Ledger NEWARK — Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s political stardom has paid off well. The Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful has earned nearly $4 million from various endeavors over the past 15 years, including an average income of $577…

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