By Art Gallagher
Do you care?
The Asbury Park Press has made Neptune Township’s Reverend Cedric Miller famous.
First there was Wednesday’s story that Miller, the Pastor of Living Word Christian Fellowship Church, banned church leaders from having facebook pages because he determined the social networking site is a “portal to infidelity.” That made national news.
Today the APP’s lead story is that Miller and his wife Kim, who is also a pastor at the church had a sexual relationship with a church assistant and sometimes the assistant’s wife. The three way/four way arrangement, which happened some 10 years ago, came to a halt when word started spreading that the assistant was playing the field with other women in the congregation. Miller testified under oath about the affair during the assistant’s trial for charges that got dismissed.
Titillating, but front page news? The rest of the media is no better. The Associated Press picked up the story of the affair and now it’s national news.
How did the original story become news in the first place? Did Miller call the APP? Have a press conference? Issue a press release?
Miller could have chosen lots of websites to condemn as “portals of infidelity,” including the Asbury Park Press’s site.
Who has an ax to grind with Miller and why is the APP cooperating with that person? Why is the couple that the Millers fooled around with not named? The APP quoted Miller from the transcript of the former church assistant’s trial. Why are they protecting him and his wife?
Most importantly, why is the news of an affair that happened 10 years ago front page news and the news that four New Jersey federal legislators, Frank Pallone, Steve Rothman, Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg applied inappropriate political pressure on the FDA to approve an unsafe medical device in exchange for campaign contributions wasn’t on the front page?
Posted: November 20th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Asbury Park Press | Tags: Asbury Park Press, Cedric Miller | 1 Comment »
WHO:
Congressman and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, (R-VA)
Congressman and 10th Amendment Task Force Chairman, Rob Bishop (R-UT)
Randy Barnett, Professor of Constitutional Law at Georgetown Law, senior fellow of the CATO Institute
Bill Howell, Speaker of the House of Delegates in Virginia
David Clark, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Utah
Bobby Harrell, Speaker of the House of South Carolina
Mike Haridopolos, President of the Florida Senate
Brian Bosma, Speaker of the House of Indiana
Joe Straus, Speaker of the House of Representatives in Texas
Judson Hill, Senator from the George Senate
Brandon Creighton, State Representative from Texas
Amy Handlin, Deputy Minority Leader, New Jersey General Assembly
Steve Drazkowski, member, Minnesota House of Representatives
Bill Bolling, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and President of the Virginia Senate
Governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell
Attorney General of Virginia General, Ken Cuccinelli
WHAT:
State Speakers, Senate Presidents, and other state legislative leaders, in nine states across the country along with members of Congress are coalescing behind a movement to amend the U.S. Constitution to include The Repeal Amendment. The Repeal Amendment text is simple:
“Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed.”
WHEN:
Press conference with select Speakers, Senate Presidents, members of Congress, and other State legislators will be held November 30th, 2010 at 9 a.m. at the Grand Hyatt Washington. McPherson Square Room – ALEC Media Room. 1000 H Street NW Washington, DC 2001. Media advisory to follow.
WHY:
“Washington has grown far too large and has become far too intrusive, reaching into nearly every aspect of our lives. In just the past few years, Washington has assumed more control over our economy and the private sector through excessive regulations and unprecedented mandates. Our liberty and freedom has lessened as the size and scope of the federal government has exploded. Massive expenditures like the stimulus, unconstitutional mandates like the takeover of health care, and intrusions into the private sector like the auto-bailouts have threatened the very core of the American free market. It’s time to return America to the common sense conservative principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual responsibility. The Repeal Amendment would provide a check on the ever-expanding federal government, protect against Congressional overreach, and get the government working for the people again, not the other way around. In order to return America to opportunity, responsibility, and success, we must reverse course and the Repeal Amendment is a step in that direction.”
Congressman and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)
“An overzealous and bloated federal government is one of the greatest threats to individual liberty. Over time, the federal government has accumulated more and more power to feed its insatiable appetite for a bigger and more intrusive role in the lives of all Americans. When the federal government accumulates more power, states and individuals have less. The Repeal Amendment will reverse this trend by empowering states and the people with a powerful check against overreaching federal laws and regulations. This amendment will help restore balance essential to the preservation of all American liberties, which power-hungry Washington bureaucrats often attempt to undermine. I’m proud to sponsor the Repeal Amendment in Congress because it will provide a powerful tool to reduce the concentration of power in Washington and return power, money, and decision-making back to the states and the people respectively.”
Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-01), Chairman of the Congressional 10th Amendment Task Force
“This amendment reflects confidence in the collective wisdom of the men and women from diverse backgrounds, and elected by diverse constituencies, who comprise the modern legislatures of two-thirds of the states. Put another way, it allows thousands of democratically elected representatives outside the Beltway to check the will of 535 elected representatives in Washington, D.C.”
Randy Barnett, Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, senior fellow of the CATO Institute, and author of “Restoring the Lost Constitution.”
“I am enthusiastically supporting the repeal amendment in order to restore the balance of power between the citizens and the federal government. Over the past several decades, no matter which party is in charge, the federal government has been eroding the authority of the states and the liberty of citizens. The Repeal Amendment will act as an important check against the ever growing power of the federal government.”
Ken Cuccinelli, Attorney General for the State of Virginia
“It is clear that many in Washington, DC have lost sight of the Founding Fathers’ concept of a limited federal government, not to mention their apparent disregard for the 10th Amendment, which reserves for the states those powers not specifically given to the federal government. In recent years they have repeatedly passed legislation that is both harmful to the country and in direct violation of the will of the people. We need to find a way to restore a greater balance of power between states and the federal government, and the Repeal Amendment will do just that. It will give states the ability to overturn misguided, short sighted and overreaching federal policies that are not supported by the American people. I applaud those who have proposed and drafted the Repeal Amendment. I am proud to support it and encourage others to support it as well.”
Bill Bolling, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and President of the Virginia Senate
“The federal government has long ago usurped the power reserved to the states and the people via our Constitution. However, our Founders anticipated a time in our nation where the federal government’s power would become out of balance – and in their wisdom provided a way out via Article V. The Repeal Amendment restores the balance of power between the states and federal government. The time is now for the states to restore that power and that is why I am sponsoring an Article V application for the Repeal Amendment and encourage every state to do the same.”
William J. Howell, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
“What we have seen over the past few years is a consistent, growing power grab from the federal government. The idea behind the Repeal Amendment is federalism at its core – it gives power back to the states as the Founders intended. If we do not stand now and stand firm, we are undermining our Constitution, and the 10th Amendment becomes meaningless. The Repeal Amendment takes that stand and that is why I am happy to support it.”
Mike Haridopolos, President of the Florida Senate
“On every policy issue Washington, D.C. has faced they have had a choice between more freedom or more government. Time after time, on issue after issue, they have chosen the path of more government over more freedom. That is not the approach that made America prosper. The Repeal Amendment may be the only way to push back the federal government’s encroachment on sovereign states rights.”
David Clark, Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives
“I will proudly sponsor the Article V application for the Repeal Amendment in the South Carolina Legislature because our states must declare their independence from an overreaching federal government that has long-encroached upon the powers that the Founding Fathers reserved to the sovereign states. The Repeal Amendment restores that power – and in essence restores the Constitution,”
Bobby Harrell, Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives
“The Indiana House Republican team felt so strongly about the issue of federal encroachment on states’ rights that we included a specific “Stand up to D.C.” plank in our 2010 campaign platform. President Ronald Reagan first announced his “New Federalism” policy from the Speaker’s Rostrum in the Indiana House chamber in 1982, and as the current occupant of that same space, I am no less committed to pushing the federal government back to the position intended by the Constitution. The Repeal Amendment provides an effective means of properly limiting the role of the federal government,”
Brian C. Bosma, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives.
“We must push forward an agenda that puts more power back into the hands of states. The Repeal Amendment is the type of check on federal government envisioned by the framers of both our U.S. and Texas Constitutions.”
Joe Straus, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
“The Constitution grants certain powers to the people and limited powers to the national government. The Repeal Amendment only protects and restores the Founding Fathers belief that there should be a fair balance between the powers of Congress and the rights retained by the states.”
Judson Hill, Senator from the Georgia Senate
“At its core, the Repeal Amendment is simply the power of initiative and referendum, writ large. I have advocated initiative and referendum in New Jersey since the day I was elected, and I continue to believe that all citizens deserve a direct say in government at all levels. Under the Repeal Amendment, Americans would gain the power to fight back against bad laws as well as bad lawmakers.”
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, Ph.D., Deputy Minority Leader, New Jersey General Assembly
“Now, more than ever, we are seeing the federal government try to dictate even the most minute details of our lives. It is time to exercise our rights and put the power back into the hands of individuals and the states. That’s why I am proud to serve as the liaison between the Repeal Amendment Project and Texas, a state that prides itself on self-reliance and individuality.”
Brandon Creighton, Texas State Representative
“The federal government continues to squash the sovereignty rights of the states as guaranteed by the 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution unrelentingly and at an accelerating pace. From countless unaffordable federal mandates imposed upon Minnesota’s healthcare system, education programs, and even families, the overreach of Congress has gone unchecked. It’s time for the states to restore their Constitutionally-protected autonomy, and that’s why I am going to sponsor the Article V application for the Repeal Amendment.”
Steve Drazkowski, member, Minnesota House of Representatives
Posted: November 19th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Press Release | Tags: Amy Handlin, Repeal Amendment | 10 Comments »
The Legislators from Monmouth County would like to see further discussions take place before the latest recommendations on horseracing from the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Gaming, Sports and Entertainment are implemented.
Among the recommendations are calls for all racing that currently takes place at the Meadowlands Racetrack to be moved to Monmouth Park, the sale of Monmouth Park to a private entity, and drastically decreasing the number of live racing days for both standard- and thoroughbred tracks, below the current legal minimum.
The decrease of racing days, especially in the face of a lack of additional purse dollars, is a source of contention with this proposal, because racetracks earn their revenue through their live racing days. By cutting the number of days by 2/3 for both breeds, it limits the opportunity for the tracks to earn money.
“There is no disagreement that horseracing in New Jersey is in need of serious change at this time,” said Senator Jennifer Beck (District 12), “but what Mr. Hanson has recommended jeopardizes the future of the entire sport in the State. There is no feasible way that all of the racing that is currently taking place at the Meadowlands can be moved to Monmouth Park by 2011. The infrastructure does not exist at Monmouth Park to house harness racing, since it is, and always has been a thoroughbred park. Also, New Jersey State Law regulates the number of racing days at each of the racetracks, and any action to reduce the number of racing days will have to be done through legislative action. As far as I am concerned, after speaking with a number of experts in this area, the reduction called for in the report will severely damage the viability of maintaining any racing in the Garden State.”
“Horseracing in New Jersey was a sustainable, and even profitable, industry, right up until 2007 when competition began appearing on our borders,” said Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (District 12). “It can be sustainable again, if given the opportunity. The recommendations from Mr. Hanson’s panel do not afford this opportunity. By forcing a sudden and drastic change, instead of one that takes into consideration, not only the logistics of preparing a thoroughbred track for an entirely different kind of racing, but the implications a change of this sort will have on the rest of the equine and equine-related industries in New Jersey, the report is inherently flawed. Further discussion and negotiations are needed.”
“The report is correct in saying that ‘the horseracing industry is at a crossroads, and didn’t arrive there overnight,’” said Assemblyman O’Scanlon (District 12). “Likewise, the solution to the challenges facing the racing industry can also not be expected to take place overnight. Expecting the significant changes that the Commission’s report calls for to take place in 2011 is unrealistic. The problems facing the horseracing industry are going to take a more measured approach to resolve.”
The Commission states its purpose as “to propose an economically sustainable model for the horseracing industry, without state subsidies,” and “to propose a plan that preserves the possibility of live standardbred and thoroughbred racing in the State.” The Monmouth County Legislators are not convinced that the plan that has been presented will accomplish either of these objectives and will continue to reach out to the Governor with alternatives.
“The recommendations of the addendum to the Hanson Report,” said Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (District 30), “will require legislative approval, and it is very important that the legislature be partners in the process to ensure that we preserve and enhance the horseracing industry, thus protecting jobs and open space. Unfortunately, the report fails to meet its own goal of preserving the racing industry. I look forward to working with the administration to draft legislation that will meet that goal by providing a sustainable business model for one of New Jersey’s most important job creating and open space preserving industries.”
“I am absolutely disgusted with the supplemental Hanson Report,” said Assemblyman Joseph Malone (District 30). “It totally disrespects the horseracing industry in New Jersey. It turns its back on thousands of working men and women in the State, and we need to do better.”
“I agree with the stated conclusion of the Hanson report that ‘the status quo is simply unsustainable’,” said Assemblyman Samuel Thompson (District 13). “There are some recommendations within the report that I agree with. Others I find very troublesome. I do feel we must take actions that will both preserve the horseracing industry in New Jersey and simultaneously reduce the drain on the states’ taxpayers. The proposals submitted require further work and modification to achieve these twin objectives.”
“Before the Hanson report proposals are enacted, we need to have a debate on how it will impact thoroughbred and harness racing—including looking at job loss and the negative economic repercussions,” said Senator Sean T. Kean (District 11). “Part of this debate should include opportunities for interested parties to weigh in on the proposals. In addition, during these deliberations we have to be mindful of how the horse racing industry preserves open space in Monmouth County and statewide. I am confident that the Christie Administration will work to find sustainable options for the horse racing industry in New Jersey.”
“The entire issue needs more examination before any rush to judgment occurs,” said Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (District 13).
Posted: November 16th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Press Release | Tags: Press Release | 5 Comments »
