#IAm1A: ‘Journalism is an act, not a members-only country club’ [video]

http://twitter.com/#!/FranklinCenter/status/395937068809195520

The Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity is taking action against an attempt to give the government power to decide who is and isn’t considered a “journalist”:

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee led by Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham have attached an amendment to Senate Bill 987, which would give the Department of Justice power to determine who qualifies for protection as a journalist under the First Amendment.

Here at the Franklin Center, we believe in the power of a free press. We already have a law to protect the press from government meddling in our newsgathering efforts and excluding Americans from the reporting process. It’s called the First Amendment.

Gee, what could possibly go wrong with the government deciding who is and isn’t a “journalist”? We thought the government worked for the people, not the other way around.

http://twitter.com/#!/912inMA/status/395961998254419969

Video from the Franklin Center:

For more information on how to take action against this latest attack on free speech, go to IAm1A.com.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2013/10/31/iam1a-journalism-is-an-act-not-a-members-only-country-club-video/

‘Some nerve’! Dem coddles IRS boss, says ‘dark money’ groups need more scrutiny

http://twitter.com/#!/Barry_O44/status/479993617994354689

Today, IRS commissioner John Koskinen is testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee. And Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra, for one, thinks that’s a damn shame:

http://twitter.com/#!/pbolyard/status/479991250599563265

Becerra felt so sorry for Koskinen that he gave him advice on how to cope with this trying ordeal:

Commissioner, thank you for being here, and let me add my regrets to you that this hearing has been conducted as less [of ] a hearing than it has been as an inquisition. And you deserve better. You certainly are obligated to give us truthful answers, and we appreciate that you’re trying to. Let me suggest to you one thing: You have right to try and respond to any question. If you find that you are being badgered, or not given an opportunity to respond, just take a breath, then try to get your answer out. If you are not given that opportunity, then recognize that again, it’s just maybe not a hearing, but an inquisition. But that you have a right to make sure the record reflects what you, under oath, would like to say.

He may as well have just testified on Koskinen’s behalf. Geez.

http://twitter.com/#!/MitchBehna/status/479991272057225216

You know who should be badgered, though, according to Becerra? Groups sowing the seeds of “dark money”:

Becerra: Some want to confuse the real issue that’s been raised by this investigation. Let me ask you a question: In this added scrutiny that IRS was giving to these so-called “social welfare organizations,” is there evidence that shows that any number of different types of organizations, other than just far-right or conservative organizations, were being scrutinized?

Koskinen: There is evidence that organizations across the spectrum were reviewed. The bulk of the applications were from conservative groups, so the bulk of the reviews were of conservative groups.

Becerra: But it wasn’t just of conservative groups.

Koskinen: That’s correct.

Becerra: OK, so some would like to portray this as just targeting, or an attack on, conservative groups. But the evidence that’s been revealed to everyone, including members in this committee, is otherwise. I think we’re watching how people are trying to confuse the issue here. This investigation should truly be about what’s really wrong with the system. And that is that today in America, these so-called “social welfare organizations,” these not-for-profit organizations that get special tax breaks that ordinary Americans don’t get, they pay less in taxes than an organization that doesn’t have that tax status as a 501(c)4, they spent in the last election cycle, 2012, more money as social welfare organizations than the two political parties combined. $256 million spent by so-called “social welfare organizations” to conduct political campaigns, while the two parties, which are there to conduct political campaigns, spent less than the $256 million [that] these social welfare organizations spent. I hope at some point, Commissioner, we’ll have a chance to get into that, because my understanding is that we’re seeing now the seeds of this “dark money” that’s being spent. [Emphasis ours]

Katie Pavlich is pretty sure Becerra isn’t terribly concerned about liberal groups:

http://twitter.com/#!/KatiePavlich/status/479991949165096961

Others are inclined to agree:

http://twitter.com/#!/_AngelaMorabito/status/479992269337296896 http://twitter.com/#!/sqwerin/status/479991707992203265

This hearing isn’t about Scott Walker, either. And yet, Becerra managed to work him in:

http://twitter.com/#!/FL_Chelle/status/479991905443647490 http://twitter.com/#!/joethepatriotic/status/479992675580407808

***

Related:

‘Wow’: As IRS boss refuses to apologize, US reps, Katie Pavlich give him well-deserved hell

‘BEASTMODE’: ‘Fired up’ Paul Ryan grills IRS chief; Blasts Dems’ apology to agency 

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2014/06/20/some-nerve-dem-rep-coddles-irs-boss-says-dark-money-groups-need-more-irs-scrutiny/

What This Family Found Located In Their Free Bedroom Provides You With Nightmares.

a boy visiting his mama the 2009 summertime obtained the shock of a very long time. When he went into an unused guest bed room, he found a giant, 3-foot wasp nest regarding the sleep.

The caretaker was not when you look at the space for all months, and anyone who was last-in the area left the window open. That evidently made an inviting target for huge number of wasps.

This is actually the nest. If the exterminator arrived, he estimated there have been at least 5,000 wasps when you look at the nest, alongside 700 queen wasps. He stated it was the greatest wasp nest he would ever before seen.

Following the initial shock wore down, the exterminator suited up, and reached work.

It absolutely was a tough fight, nevertheless they managed to get eliminate all the wasps. He even spared the blanket the nest ended up being built on.

Via: The Guardian

It is a living nightmare. Wasps tend to be last insect on Earth that I would need cohabit with. Yuck! I am hoping they setup new windows following this event.

Read more: http://viralnova.com/wasp-bedroom/

Feminist nonsense: Laura Bush has ‘never done anything for women’

http://twitter.com/#!/TeriChristoph/status/215110418945941507

In September, the board of Sewall-Belmont House plans to honor former first lady Laura Bush with the Alice award, a prize named after suffragette Alice Paul. Celebrating the accomplishments of a Republican woman is, of course, an almost unspeakable horror to the feminist Left.

Led by NOW co-founder Sonia Pressman Fuentes, 22 self-appointed arbiters of what’s Good for Women™ have their feminist panties twisted into bunches, and boy are they chafing.

“When I read that the award was going to be given to Laura Bush, I felt as if I’d had a sudden onset of Alzheimer’s,” she told Yeas & Nays. “I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

Hey, that’s how we felt when President Obama won the Nobel Prize. Only, y’know, he didn’t do anything to deserve it.

Fuentes told the Washington Examiner this is not a partisan issue.

I’m not complaining that she’s a Republican. I’m complaining that she’s never done anything for women to get this award.

Really? If it’s not a partisan complaint, why does the protest letter include this:

To give it to a non-feminist Republican figurehead, at a time when the Republican Party is doing its utmost to demolish women’s hard-fought rights, reflects a stunning lapse of judgment.

Ah, the Republican patriarchy’s ol’ War on Women. Will it never end?

You need more than a vagina to be a feminist. #LauraBush needs to do more for #WomensRightshttp://t.co/djPXxwNR

— One Million Vaginas (@OneMillionVjj) June 18, 2012

Award available. Victims only. Inquire within.

@irritatedwoman so completely liberal to put partisan politics ahead of true leadership and progress. It's disgusting. God bless Laura Bush.

— Unrepresented (@jwfrisch) June 19, 2012

Even the former first lady’s support for legally available abortion isn’t sufficient to admit her to the sisterhood. Why? As always, because Booooosh!

https://twitter.com/arabyialatina/status/214839967258648577

While femme-agogues raged in a collective tantrum and scrambled to offer “palatable” left-wing alternatives like Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Eleanor Smeal, the conservative Twitterverse easily reeled off the many reasons to honor Bush’s work on behalf of women.

She’s “never done anything for women”? Try again, lefties.

NOW doesn't think Laura Bush did anything for women http://t.co/Dn5huNCi she only brought attn to Afghani women suffering @ hands of taliban

— Mary Margaret (@marymhbamafan) June 19, 2012

So the NOW prez doesn't think helping those with breast cancer or heart disease is helping women? What does she mean? http://t.co/dEAe986V

— John Tackes (@MoJohnT) June 19, 2012

She PAC co-chair Teri Christoph launched the #StandWithLaura hashtag to push back against the Left’s insulting, demeaning attacks on the former first lady.

Laura Bush championed education and literacy issues for all children. I #StandWithLaura.

— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) June 19, 2012

In Afghanistan, too – where is #NOW on that? RT @TeriChristoph: Laura Bush championed edu & literacy issues for all kids I #StandWithLaura

— Michele Frost (@michelelfrost) June 19, 2012

Laura Bush raised 2 daughters, currently employed, not living off taxpayers. Adding to the fabric of community. #StandWithLaura

— Karen Martin (@karmartin) June 19, 2012

Laura Bush traveled to the Middle East to raise awareness about breast cancer. #StandWithLaura

— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) June 19, 2012

Laura Bush supported The Heart Truth, a campaign to raise awareness about the risks of heart disease in WOMEN. #StandWithLaura

— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) June 19, 2012

As First Lady, Laura Bush gave a radio address to raise awareness of the plight of Afghan women. #StandWithLaura

— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) June 19, 2012

The Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health promotes a multidisciplinary approach to, you guessed it, WOMEN'S health. #StandWithLaura

— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) June 19, 2012

Laura Bush has done way more for women than NOW ever has. #StandWithLaura

— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) June 19, 2012

Did you know Laura #Bush has traveled to war zones in #Afghanistan to promote #education for Afghan #girls? #StandWithLaura

— Prudence (@dennygirltwo) June 19, 2012

I #StandWithLaura who has fought for women who know what true oppression is, not some whiney 30 something that wants her pills paid for.

— littlepol (@littlepol) June 19, 2012

Laura Bush is a REAL feminist, who quietly works for a better life 4 women of ALL beliefs & walks of life #StandWithLaura

— The Real Feminist (@RealFeminists) June 19, 2012

By the way, lefties. The Sewall-Belmont board has no intention of caving to your bullying, so you might as well get to work untwisting those panties. It’ll take a while.

Officials at Sewall-Belmont are standing up for her, too, saying she “transcends cultural, political and geographic boundaries” in her advocacy for women.

“Through Mrs. Bush’s commitment to education, health care and human rights, she has made an impact on women’s lives both at home and abroad,” said the group’s executive director, Page Harrington.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/06/19/standwithlaura-conservatives-destroy-feminist-lie-that-laura-bush-has-never-done-anything-for-women/