Dupnik Faces Ouster, GOP Continue to Listen to the People

He NEEDS to leave.

Hey folks,

Welcome to the Big Sunday Edition of the OPNTalk Blog. Glad you stopped by. Yes. Baby Eli and Mom are home safe and sound, and I have been enjoying the past Week with my new Son. Well, all my family. But I'm also glad to be back in the Chair.

You all know the story. We have this Horrific Shooting in Arizona, and this Idiot, a half an hour after the shooting comes out and tries to link Sarah Palin, the Tea Party, Talk Radio, and Fox News, to this Murder and attempted Assassination on a Congresswoman. I said this about him.

Yes, our Idiot is NOT a true Law Enforcement Official. He is allowing his HATE and his Political views to cloud his Judgement. He is a Fame seeking Moron, that while he is playing Politician, he is IGNORING the REAL FACTS in this case. He needs to leave Office.

Looks like I'm not the only one that wants this guy out. According to The Washington Times - Outspoken Tucson sheriff faces recall bid By Valerie Richardson

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik has never lost an election, but that was before his remarks assigning blame for the deadly Tucson, Ariz., shooting to political "vitriol" and calling Arizona "a mecca for prejudice and bigotry."

Now it's Sheriff Dupnik who finds himself on the public-opinion hot seat. A group opposed to illegal immigration has begun an effort to recall the sheriff in a special election. Meanwhile, a Pima County tea party group is planning on holding a "Dump Dupnik" rally next week outside his office.

"I haven't been a fan of Dupnik's for a long time, but this really was the straw that broke the camel's back," said Tom Rompel, co-owner of Black Weapons Armory in Tucson. "He's law enforcement. We expect 'the facts, ma'am,' not his opinion. He leans far left, always has, and frankly, people have had enough."

I wish you all luck in getting this guy out. He is a joke that needs to leave. He obviously can't do his job.

Coming right up today?

ACLU Working With Obama For Amnesty, Feds NOT Doing Their Job
Nullification, States Strike Back.
EPA, States Strike Back 2
Labor Induced
DLA For Sunday 013011
IWA For Sunday 013011

All that coming right up in just a minute. First, is there any doubt in your mind that the GOP, the NEW GOP are still listening to the American People? Perhaps this will put your doubts to rest.

New Majority Keeps Pledge to Focus on Jobs & Ending the Job-Crushing D.C. Spending Binge Posted by Speaker Boehner Press Office on January 21, 2011

This week, the new House majority continued working to keep its Pledge to America to focus on removing barriers to job creation and ending Washington’s job-crushing spending binge. Here’s a look:

Removing Barriers to Job Growth & Ending the Job-Crushing Spending Binge

The House voted this week to repeal the job-destroying health care law and then took action to begin replacing it with common-sense reforms that will lower costs and protect jobs. More than half the states are now challenging ObamaCare in court. And job creators, economists, and state legislators representing millions of taxpayers have all spoken out in recent days in support of scrapping the law and starting over.

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) introduced the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act to rein in job-stifling red tape that’s causing uncertainty for job creators. The bill would require an up-or-down vote by Congress on major federal rules and regulations – written by unelected bureaucrats – that have an economic impact of at least $100 million.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has been selected to deliver the Republican address to the nation following President Obama's State of the Union speech on January 25. Chairman Ryan will lead a critical effort in the House this year to stop the job-crushing spending binge in DC and cut spending back to pre-“stimulus,” pre-bailout levels.

Every dollar counts, and the House has already begun replacing Congress’ culture of spending with a culture of saving – first by cutting its budget, and then by saving taxpayers millions of dollars by eliminating needless paper copies of legislation. These were just the first of many spending cuts to come.

The speaker also employed the “#hcrcostsjobs” hashtag on Twitter to draw emphasis to the health care law’s devastating impact on families and small businesses.

For more on what’s to come in the weeks ahead, take a look at the Pledge to America. As Speaker Boehner has vowed: “the Pledge is the plan.” Read more here.

As we’ve noted, our goal is to keep improving these emails in the weeks ahead so please contact us here if you have ideas on how we can make them more useful. Thank you again and have a great weekend.

- Speaker Boehner’s Press Office

So far, so good. Keep up the good work. The People spoke loudly and clearly. We WANT you to listen, we want you to follow through.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Twitter, Facebook, new photos of Eli on Facebook, find me over at Tom Sullivan Radio Listener's Club, and as always, if you want to be a part of the OPNTalk Blog, send Congrats, or just say hi, the Email is opntalk@gmail.com.

Going to fill my cup. Be right back.
Peter

Sources:
The Washington Times - Outspoken Tucson sheriff faces recall bid
The Patriot Action Network - New Majority Keeps Pledge to Focus on Jobs & Ending the Job-Crushing D.C. Spending Binge

ACLU Working With Obama For Amnesty, Feds NOT Doing Their Job

Is there any doubt?

Hey folks,

We're back. So, many were thinking that it was pretty amazing how the ACLU sounded an awful lot like Obama, and vice versa, when it came to Arizona's Anti Illegal Alien Law. Many thought it was funny that the Federal Government would actually SUE a State, in an attempt to FORCE them to VIOLATE Federal Law.

But just like the EPA, the FCC, ACORN, and many other Lib Groups out there, along with their friends in the Liberal Media, they just do the bidding of the Obama Administration. They say and do whatever they are directed to do. We see this all the time. Whenever Obama doesn't want his hands on it, he just puts others in place to do his dirty work. The ACLU is no different.

So why did they sound so similar to each other when it came to Arizona? Because they were working TOGETHER. According to this Press Release by Judicial Watch, it is indisputable.

ACLU Rep to DOJ Official: "Yes, a real pleasure to be on the same side."

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today announced that it has received documents from the Department of Justice (DOJ) that show DOJ worked hand-in-hand with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in mounting their respective legal challenges to SB 1070, Arizona's get-tough illegal immigration law. The documents, obtained by Judicial Watch pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on June 17, 2010, include email exchanges between DOJ officials and ACLU staff.

Included among the documents obtained by Judicial Watch is a July 27, 2010, email exchange between Lucas Guttentag, leader of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project and the DOJ's Edwin Kneedler, Deputy Solicitor General:

2:15 pm: Ed

I left a voicemail earlier today about checking in once the district court rules. Would you be available then?

[Redacted statement] And from all of us, thank you again for your argument on behalf of the United States.

Lucas

2:40 pm: Thanks Lucas. We should definitely check in once we hear. We'll be huddling here as soon as we can. What is your thinking at this point on if/how you will proceed in various possible scenarios?

It was good to see you, even if only briefly, and to be on the same side for once! [Redacted statement] I have a feeling we might be seeing each other again on this case.

Ed

6:14 pm: Thanks Ed. Yes, a real pleasure to be on the same side.

I think we will be strongly inclined to seek an immediate emergency injunction from the 9th Circuit…

Can you share your current thinking with regard to the various scenarios?

Best Lucas

The documents obtained by Judicial Watch also include email exchanges between ACLU staff and Joshua Wilkenfeld, the Assistant U.S. Attorney who signed the government's pleadings in the lawsuit, exchanged hearing transcripts and established opportunities to discuss the case. For example, the documents included this July 16, 2010, email from Guttentag to Wilkenfeld:

Josh

…Yes, look forward to talking. I'm getting a fuller briefing on yesterday's hearing later this morning (Calif. time) and then I am tied up for a short while. Would it work for you to talk at about 4.00 or 4.30p Eastern? If it's okay with you, I'd like to include two colleagues. By the way, we tried to order a transcript yesterday but understand the US Attorney's office already did. Can we get a copy directly from you when it's available?

All best,

Lucas

Wilkenfeld sent the transcript later that day.

On May 17, 2010, a coalition of "civil rights groups," including the ACLU, filed a class action lawsuit against Arizona over SB 1070. According to the ACLU's press release announcing the lawsuit, this coalition included: "…the ACLU, MALDEF, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), ACLU of Arizona, National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) – a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice."

On July 6, 2010, the Obama DOJ filed a lawsuit of its own, which has been described by Congressman Peter King (R-NY) as a "cut and paste" version of the ACLU lawsuit.

"It is one thing to share the ACLU's disrespect for the rule of law but it is quite another to collude with the organization on a prosecutorial strategy against the State of Arizona. Frankly, these new documents show it is hard to tell where the ACLU ends and the Justice Department begins," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "The Obama Justice Department is supposed to be an independent, nonpartisan law enforcement agency. Many Americans will be disturbed, though maybe not surprised, to find that Eric Holder's Justice Department is colluding with one of the most leftist organizations in the nation. We know whose 'side' this Justice Department is on when it comes to the enforcement of our immigration laws."

Judicial Watch represents Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce, author of SB 1070, in the Obama administration's lawsuit challenging the Arizona law.

Visit www.JudicialWatch.org to access Judicial Watch's FOIA lawsuit against the Obama Justice Department and all documents related to Judicial Watch's representation of Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce.

SOURCE Judicial Watch

So there you have it folks. Yes, this IS the same Justice Department that REFUSES to investigate ANY cases of Voter intimidation or Voter Fraud, "If the Defendants happen to be Black." and the SAME ACLU that constantly attacks any NON-Liberal organizations.

Now of course, the Federal Government's response to those in Arizona and other States that claim they have to enforce Federal Immigration Laws, because the Feds will not, is that they are making GREAT Progress in securing the Boarders, and cutting down on the flow of Illegals into the Country. REALLY? Not according to FAIR.

Statement from FAIR in Response to Sec. Napolitano's 'State of America's Homeland Security'

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), issued the following statement in response to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano claims relating to her department's record on immigration enforcement:

"Unfortunately, in 2010, the Department of Homeland Security's record in the area of immigration enforcement did not measure up to Secretary Napolitano's claims.

"In the area of border enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appears to be taking credit for outcomes that had nothing to do with the department's actions, and which occurred in spite of the Obama administration's policies. The decrease in illegal border crossings has more to do with the sad state of our economy than the department's efforts at border enforcement. The decrease is also attributable to state and local efforts to reduce employment opportunities for illegal aliens and enforce immigration laws – efforts this administration tried to impede in 2010, when it sued Arizona to block implementation of SB 1070.

"DHS's own efforts in the area of worksite enforcement continue to be limited to paperwork audits of company records which result in illegal aliens shifting from one employer to the next, rather than their removal from the country. Meanwhile, the penalties the department levies against scofflaw employers remain minimal.

"Sec. Napolitano also touted the department's record of removing criminal aliens from the U.S. Deporting criminal aliens from this country is admirable, but DHS is primarily acting on cases that were already in the pipeline when this administration took office. The department's own records indicate that the number of new criminal and noncriminal cases initiated by the current administration is down sharply. At the same time, DHS has acted unilaterally to dismiss cases for removal of illegal aliens who do not have criminal records in pursuit of the administration's political goal of granting them a broad amnesty.

"It is not by accident that the American public is losing patience with the government's failure to enforce our immigration laws, or that state and local governments all across the country are acting to fill the void left by federal inaction. Glowing self-appraisals by DHS will not change the basic reality that our nation's unsecured borders and lax immigration enforcement threaten our national and economic security."
SOURCE FAIR

So once again, we are seeing the PEOPLE take charge. The PEOPLE, States, and the Constitution are becoming more and more predominate, all throughout this Country. The more and more the PEOPLE find out just who and what these Liberal Progressives are, the more and more they reject them and their ideas. It really is just that simple. That is what you are seeing more and more of as time ticks by.
Peter

Nullification, States Strike Back.

This is a two parter.

Hey folks,

What is Nullification?

Back in 1799, Thomas Jefferson wrote in his "Kentucky Resolution," a response to federal laws passed amid an undeclared naval war against France, that "nullification, by those sovereignties, of all unauthorized acts... is the rightful remedy."

Three decades later, South Carolina Sen. John Calhoun pushed nullification of federal tariffs that many in the South deemed discriminatory toward agricultural slave states. President Andrew Jackson readied the military, before a compromise defused the situation.

In 1854, Wisconsin also sought to nullify the federal Fugitive Slave Act that forced non-slave states to return escapees.

And more recently, Arkansas defied the federal government's order to desegregate public schools after the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Basically the States are saying we will NOT adhere to the Federal Mandates when it comes to Obamacare, or anything else they feel is immoral or unjust. Anything that goes AGAINST their People's Will, they will simply refuse to acknowledge. Now of course when the Federal Government attempts to use the courts, they mostly win. They site the Supreme Courts assertion that the Constitution's Article VI mandating U.S. laws, when vetted by justices, "shall be the supreme law of the land." But that is not stopping OVER half the States from fighting what they see as an out of control, tyrannical Government.

According to AP - GOP invokes 1700s doctrine in health care fight By JOHN MILLER, Associated Press John Miller, Associated Press – Wed Jan 26, 2:56 pm ET

BOISE, Idaho – Republican lawmakers in nearly a dozen states are reaching into the dusty annals of American history to fight President Obama's health care overhaul.

They are introducing measures that hinge on "nullification," Thomas Jefferson's late 18th-century doctrine that purported to give states the ultimate say in constitutional matters.

GOP lawmakers introduced such a measure Wednesday in the Idaho House, and Alabama, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Nebraska, Texas and Wyoming are also talking about the idea.

Now again, many are fighting against this. Mostly those in FAVOR of Obamacare. But it should be interesting to see how this pans out.

Don't forget folks, the Federal Government IS the Topic of the Constitution. Not the States. The Constitution LIMITS the POWER of the Federal Government, and it HINDERS the Power of the Federal Government over the WILL of the People and the STATES. But as with so many other things, like "The Wall," there are some that want to say the Constitution says the exact OPPOSITE of what it actually says and attempt to USE it to further and to protect THEIR agendas.

Don't forget, over half the States are actively SUEING the Federal Government OVER Obamacare. But this Nullification is just ONE tool that they are using. But if you look around, you will see it's NOT the only one.

Be right back.
Peter

EPA, States Strike Back 2

EPA just don't get it.

Hey folks,

Remember this? OPNTalk - EPA, One of Many Things, Needs To Be Reeled In I said this.

We all know that Obama and this Administration is all about "Green." Which of course means nothing more than they are all about Power, Control, and of course, Money. Obama SAID he would bankrupt the Coal Industry and your Energy Costs would "Necessarily Skyrocket" under his Cap and Tax Plan. You all know all this.

However, HE knows that even with the total control of the House and Senate, he did not have enough Votes to get it through. Too many Sane Democrats that would not, and not enough RINOS to, Vote for it.

So what to do, what to do? Give the EPA, nearly unlimited power to do it for ya. This way when it hits the fan, you can say, "Hey, wasn't me, it was the EPA." If there is to be a GREAT back lash to it, then Obama and Crew could come in for the rescue, and attack the very TOOL that they are using to get Cap and Tax. Get the point?

So the EPA, through it's "Clean Air Act," is set to completely destroy Private Industries. The EPA proposed 42 significant regulations, with an annual Economic impact of $100 Million or more, during the Administration's first 18 months. One of the most damaging and outrageous, is the "New Ozone Standard." When this is implemented, the experts say it will cost ANOTHER 7.3 Million U.S. Jobs, and raise the cost of EVERYTHING in your daily life.

Now they use the same old scare tactics and in the face of REALITY, continuously LIE to the American People. I went on to say this.

They know this is all Bunk. All Political. Why else do you think that they came out on Tuesday, yes Election Day, when the Republicans TRAMPLED the Democrats all across the country, to say that it would postpone the release of the new Ozone Standard until the end of the year. My guess is that it will be shelved. They know that their new found Authority can be limited by the New House. They will not want to push it. My guess would be that they will attempt to lay low for the next two years in the hopes that the Democrats take over again in 2012.

We really can not afford to wait. We need to reign in their power and Authority NOW. Battles are already being fought in the Courts over the new GHG Emissions Regulations that go into effect on Jan. 2, 2011. This will effect the usual enemies of the Left, Industrial Facilities, and Power Plants. But it will effect much more than that. In total, over 6.1 million, including Hospitals, Big Box Stores and even Farms, among other Establishments. It will FORCE them to get NEW Permits to Operate or Expand. Whatever the EPA decides. Talk about a "Cash Cow."

This is CLEARLY a way for this Administration to get Cap and Tax, without having to go through Congress. Just like all those Obama 'Czars' that he appointed. They did not go through Congress. We have no idea what they are paid. They answer to NO ONE but Obama. That is what he is trying to do with Cap and Tax.

Make no mistake about this folks. Yes, WE WON. However, other than slowing down and minimizing the damage, I'm not so sure how much rebuilding and restoring we will be able to do. Obama still has the Veto Pen. However, we can not, NOT do anything. We need to MAKE HIM Veto Commonsense and Logic. MAKE him Veto Sanity. Over and Over again. Bring back Drill Here, Drill Now. MAKE him Veto it. Repeal Obamacare. MAKE him Veto it. Let's Show the World, who are getting it folks, who Obama really is. Lets guarantee that he is OUT in 2012, so that REAL healing can begin.

Well, the EPA just don't get it. Check out this Press Release from the EPA.

Bills to Block EPA Threaten Health of U.S. Kids, Adults
PR Newswire

Jan. 27

Asthma Rates in Co-Sponsors' States Highlight Risks of Efforts to Stop EPA's Clean Air Act Updates; Focus on 123 U.S. Reps in 35 States -- AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY.

Millions of Americans with asthma, including children, would be at further risk under proposals backed by 123 lawmakers to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from updating clean air standards, according to data compiled by the Natural Resources Defense Council and released with Health Care Without Harm.

Information on the risks to constituents posed by legislation to block EPA in 123 Congressional Districts in 35 states will be released at a phone-based news conference at 1:30 EST Thursday, January 27, 2011.

Today, polluters are allowed to dump unlimited amounts of life-threatening carbon pollution into the air. Carbon dioxide pollution increases the risk of heat stress, promotes the spread of infectious diseases and makes it more difficult to reduce smog pollution, which threatens the health of asthma sufferers and others with respiratory problems. The EPA has also adopted cleanup standards to reduce toxic, smog and soot pollution from cement plants, standards which are also being opposed. So far, 123 U.S. House members have cosponsored one or more pieces of legislation that would stop EPA's work in its tracks.

In addition to highlighting the number of existing asthma sufferers by Congressional District, NRDC will release data showing the tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions from major polluters to the 123 Members of Congress co-sponsoring anti-EPA bills: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

SOURCE Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, D.C.; Health Care Without Harm, Reston, VA

{Laughing} So JUST Lawmakers in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming, are rejecting this new found power of the EPA. That's all. No big deal. What a bunch of uncaring, intrusive, and most likely RACIST these 123 Members of Congress must be. How DARE they. Don't they know they are just suppose to lay down and take whatever the EPA, or ANY Federal Agency tells them. Especially if Obama backs the Idea. How DARE they fight this. How DARE the States fight back. 34 of the 50 States are telling the EPA, and Obama, "Forget YOU!"

Basically what you are seeing is the result of Obama and the Liberals in the Democrat Leadership, over reaching BIG TIME. They went Light Speed to the Left. They tried to accomplish their "Wish Lists" that they have had for over 50 years. They tried to do it all. The American People said stop, wait, think about this. They said, "Forget you! We have agendas and we are sticking to them. We do not care what you think. You are too stupid to know what is best for you. Just lay down and take it." They forgot it IS the American People they WORK for. They forgot the Constitution is in place to PREVENT this type of thing from happening here. They forgot History. Or ignored it. They are finding out now, the American People HAVEN'T forgotten History. We KNOW the Constitution. We WANT Freedom. We WANT Government small and less intrusive. We came here to flee a Tyrannical Government, and we will not allow one to materialize here.

So between the States standing up for Freedoms, fighting Amnesty, Obamacare, and completely Unconstitutional Powers by someone like the EPA, Obama and Crew are finding it more and more difficult to further their Agendas. NOW all of a sudden, they want unity. Bipartisanship. They want to appear to be working back toward the middle. They no longer have much of a choice in the matter.

Even with COMPLETE Control, the LWL {Left Wing Looneys} found out that even in their own Party, THEY, were and are, a VERY Small Minority. That is why they got nothing done. They did not even have the Votes in their own Party. Regardless of the MMD, and people like Bill Maher, they fooled NO ONE. Their KOOK Base is not that vast. It is NOT the Norm for Americans to want "Progressive" progress. They do not want Liberalism. They want America the way she was always meant to be. Not fundamentally changed to resemble a more Tyrannical, or Socialistic Country. But one that is FREE and one that celebrates Freedom and hard work. One that takes care of those less fortunate by charity and heart, rather than mandates, and Laws.

The EPA, Obama, and the LWL may not get it, but the American People DO. In the end, it is the American People that matter most.
Peter

Labor Induced

Laura was Induced, but what does that mean?

Hey folks,

OK. So this past week, I was talking about my new Son being born. His official Due Date was Friday 012111. Yet, at the time, she was only 3 centimeters dilated and only feeling sporadic pains here and there. So the Doctors told us that if she did not go into Labor over the Weekend, she would be Induced.

I shared with everyone how that actually went down. I shared it here. But I've had some honest questions about this. What IS Induction? What does that mean? Is it safe? So lets look into this a bit more in this Week's Health and Science Segment.

Why is labor induced?:

Labor can be induced for many reasons. Labor should only be induced for valid medical reasons because of the risks involved with induction of labor. Some of these reasons include:

•maternal illness (high blood pressure, diabetes, uterine infection, etc.)
•fetal illness
•42 completed weeks of gestation

Now in Laura's case, this is our Second Child, full gestation, and Mom and Baby were extremely healthy. So they did not want, for the concern of Mom, Eli was near 8 pounds already, they wanted to speed up the Process before he got too much bigger.

What are the risks of inducing labor?

The risks of inducing labor are numerous. They include:

•Increased risk of premature baby, even if you believe your baby is term
•Placental Abruption
•Fetal Distress
•Uterine Rupture
•Increased risk of cesarean section
•Increased use of interventions including pain relief, continuous fetal monitoring and other interventions

Now none of this is common. However, I did learn that SHORT Labor, in Laura's case 3 and a half hours, is MORE Painful than longer Labors. To Laura's credit, and the amazement of the Midwife and Nurses, Laura wanted NO Pain Relief. She claimed she was just fine.

Now there IS what is called Social Induction. I did not know this until I started looking into Induction.

What is a social induction of labor?:

A social induction is also known as an induction for convenience of either the doctor, the midwife or the family. It may be done to get the practitioner that you want, to aid in family scheduling or to try to pick a certain birth date. This is highly discouraged due to the added risks of induction of labor.

Yeah, I do not recommend that. In our case, we KNEW that the Gestation period was complete, and we knew that Laura's body was ready. Just needed a bit of a jump start. Then 3 1/2 hours later, Elijah.

Now for those of you out there that may be Pregnant and are thinking about Induction, there ARE natural methods.

Many women are turning towards natural methods of labor induction with some success. The most common home induction tricks can include:

•Nipple Stimulation
•Castor Oil
•Sex as Induction Method
•Stripping the Membranes
•Relaxation & Visual Imagery
•Natural Labor Induction

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE Nipple Stimulation, for VARIOUS reasons. Trust me on that one. But if you are seriously looking into Induction, and the Natural Methods do not seem to be working. What can you look forward to?

Labor can be induced a number of ways. Some of the more common methods include:

•Breaking the Bag of Water (Amniotomy)
•Pitocin (Synthetic hormone to start contractions)
•Prostaglandins
•Foley Catheter
•Stripping the Membranes

Now Laura got Misoprostol (Cytotec) which is a synthetic PGE1 Analogue. Because of its prostaglantin activity it is also very useful for Cervical Ripening and Induction of Labor. Basically, it speeds up the Dilation Process and jump starts the Labor. It is safe and just causes your body to do it's thing.

And do it's thing it did. Laura and Baby are both doing fine. She is glad it's over, but can't wait to sleep again. I know, I know, I'm doing my part. I can say, "Honey, Baby needs you." with the best of them. {Smile} Just kidding. As long as Laura pumps enough, Eli is by my side and she is off to sleep. He even likes the OPNTalk Blog Office. Been here twice already.

Anyway, I hope that answered some of your questions and set your mind at easy. I see no real draw backs to Induction of Labor, I'm not sure I would recommend Social Induction, but if all is well, and you go past your Due Date, I see nothing wrong with looking into Induction. Worked for us.
Peter

Sources:
Child Birth.org
OBGYN.net - Protocol: Misoprostol (Cytotec) for Cervical Ripening and Induction of Labor

DLA For Sunday 013011

The truth according to the VOTERS.

Hey folks,

So my Son, Elijah, just born 11:50am Monday, my attention was of course elsewhere. Tuesday comes and so does the State of The Union, according to Obama. Following that, was TWO rebuttals. The first, reported, was the Tea Party response by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota. Many News Outlets tried to pass this off as the actual GOP response. It wasn't. The ACTUAL GOP response came from REP. PAUL RYAN, R-Wis. Now these two DO have one thing in common. It was the TRUTH about the State of the Union, per the People.

Now I posted all three. No time to really talk about any of them at the time. So as I do from time to time, I posted them for YOU to read and decide for yourselves. But if you read Obama's you read nothing new. He just rehashed ANY Campaign speech. He just repeated his Liberal Talking points and attempted to bring back some of the old Magic that got him elected.

Paul Ryan said this.

Our debt is the product of acts by many presidents and many Congresses over many years. No one person or party is responsible for it.

There is no doubt the President came into office facing a severe fiscal and economic situation.

Unfortunately, instead of restoring the fundamentals of economic growth, he engaged in a stimulus spending spree that not only failed to deliver on its promise to create jobs, but also plunged us even deeper into debt.

The facts are clear: Since taking office, President Obama has signed into law spending increases of nearly 25% for domestic government agencies – an 84% increase when you include the failed stimulus.

All of this new government spending was sold as “investment.” Yet after two years, the unemployment rate remains above 9% and government has added over $3 trillion to our debt.

Then the President and his party made matters even worse, by creating a new open-ended health care entitlement.

What we already know about the President’s health care law is this: Costs are going up, premiums are rising, and millions of people will lose the coverage they currently have. Job creation is being stifled by all of its taxes, penalties, mandates and fees.

Businesses and unions from around the country are asking the Obama Administration for waivers from the mandates. Washington should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. The President mentioned the need for regulatory reform to ease the burden on American businesses. We agree – and we think his health care law would be a great place to start.

Last week, House Republicans voted for a full repeal of this law, as we pledged to do, and we will work to replace it with fiscally responsible, patient-centered reforms that actually reduce costs and expand coverage.

Health care spending is driving the explosive growth of our debt. And the President’s law is accelerating our country toward bankruptcy.

Our debt is out of control. What was a fiscal challenge is now a fiscal crisis.

We cannot deny it; instead we must, as Americans, confront it responsibly.

And that is exactly what Republicans pledge to do.

All this is TRUE. Nothing Paul Ryan said is false. These are the facts. What Paul was REALLY saying here, is WE HEARD YOU. WE AGREE WITH YOU. WE WILL FIX ALL THIS. He went on to say this.

We believe that the government has an important role to create the conditions that promote entrepreneurship, upward mobility, and individual responsibility.

We believe, as our founders did, that “the pursuit of happiness” depends upon individual liberty; and individual liberty requires limited government.

Limited government also means effective government. When government takes on too many tasks, it usually doesn’t do any of them very well. It’s no coincidence that trust in government is at an all-time low now that the size of government is at an all-time high.

SO how is this going to translate into a benefit for all Americans?

We believe a renewed commitment to limited government will unshackle our economy and create millions of new jobs and opportunities for all people, of every background, to succeed and prosper. Under this approach, the spirit of initiative – not political clout – determines who succeeds.

To sum it all up, Obama = Bigger Government, more control, more out of control spending. The People want = Less Government, less control, and LESS Spending. Basically, get out of the way and let the American People save America? Let the Free Market WORK. Those who work hard, get ahead. Those who do not, will have to find a way to change themselves. Let Big Business BE Big Business. Let them grow, produce more, hire more people. Let those who have the American Dream, SUCCEED without hindrances by the Government. Without being punished for all their hard work.

Congratulations Rep. Paul Ryan, for not only having the ability to recognize the TRUTH, hear what the People say, but for also having the courage to SAY it. You are the winner of the Display of Logic Award for this Week, Sunday 013011. Thank you for letting us all know that you heard us, and that you are willing to work FOR the People. Keep up the good work.
Peter

Sources:
OPNTalk - Official GOP Response to Obama State Of The Union 012511

IWA For Sunday 013011

To tell the truth, or not, that is the question.

Hey folks,

Time to wrap things up with the Idiot of the Week. This week, our idiot is not awarded for telling the Truth, but he is an Idiot for LYING about telling the Truth. He said this, which of course created a HUGE problem for Obama, the LWL, and the MMD.

"Yesterday, talking to Neil's office, Neil says that he searched everywhere using his powers as governor ..... there is no Barack Obama birth certificate in Hawaii. Absolutely no proof at all that he was born in Hawaii."

Now this is Mike Evans, "Celebrity Journalist" giving a Radio interview talking about Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Apparently, this guy has been friends with Neil Abercrombie for YEARS. They were having a causal conversation about Obama. Abercrombie wanted to get past this whole "Birther" argument. He wanted to put to bed the notion that Obama was not born in the US. SO when he became Governor, he was going to prove it once and for all. Problem is, he found NOTHING. So he, again, in a causal conversation, said this.

"Yesterday, talking to Neil's office, Neil says that he searched everywhere using his powers as governor ..... there is no Barack Obama birth certificate in Hawaii. Absolutely no proof at all that he was born in Hawaii."

Remember, these two have been friends since the 1980s. This seems pretty clear to me. It seems that he said what he said.

But you can imagine, the phone calls came. Emails,,no there would be a written record, but I bet someone showed up at his door. Something happen. Because all of a sudden?

“Only this I can you tell you is 100 percent fact: that Neil never told me there was no birth certificate,” Evans told Fox News. “I never talked to him.”

{Laughing} He went on to say this.

“I was on 34 radio stations that morning. That was the only station where I said, instead of saying ‘the hospital said there’s no birth certificate’ I misspoke and said Neil said that,” Evans said. “I misspoke and I apologize for that. I apologize to Neil.”

“I misspoke and I apologize for that. I apologize to Neil?" Again he said?

"Yesterday, talking to Neil's office, Neil says that he searched everywhere using his powers as governor ..... there is no Barack Obama birth certificate in Hawaii. Absolutely no proof at all that he was born in Hawaii."

Yeah I can see how that was a mis-speak. I can see how this could have been meant to be ‘the hospital said there’s no birth certificate.’ NOT. He did not mis-speak. He meant what he said. He was talking to his friend, his friend was disappointed that he could not produce a Birth Certificate to put all this "Nonsense" to rest. Abercrombie is a big Obamanite. He is a BIG supporter. He wanted to defend Obama and show these Idiots that Obama WAS born in Hawaii. But he, even with the full authority of Governorship behind him, could not produce it. He could find NOTHING. But now? They never even talked?

Congratulations Mike Evans, for allowing yourself to be intimidated into looking like a fool, you ARE the idiot of the Week. Not for speaking the truth, but for being SILENCED by fear and intimidation. How could ANYONE believe a single thing you say from this point forward?
Peter

Sources:
Fox News - Celebrity Journalist: I Never Spoke to Hawaii Gov About Obama Birth Certificate

President Obama's State of the Union Address, 012511

The text of President Obama's State of the Union address:

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Tonight I want to begin by congratulating the men and women of the 112th Congress, as well as your new Speaker, John Boehner.

(Applause.)

And as we mark this occasion, we're also mindful of the empty chair in this chamber, and we pray for the health of our colleague — and our friend — Gabby Giffords.

(Applause.)

It's no secret that those of us here tonight have had our differences over the last two years. The debates have been contentious; we have fought fiercely for our beliefs. And that's a good thing. That's what a robust democracy demands. That's what helps set us apart as a nation.

But there's a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passion and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater — something more consequential than party or political preference.

We are part of the American family. We believe that in a country where every race and faith and point of view can be found, we are still bound together as one people; that we share common hopes and a common creed; that the dreams of a little girl in Tucson are not so different than those of our own children, and that they all deserve the chance to be fulfilled.

That, too, is what sets us apart as a nation.

(Applause.)

Now, by itself, this simple recognition won't usher in a new era of cooperation. What comes of this moment is up to us. What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow.

(Applause.)

I believe we can. And I believe we must. That's what the people who sent us here expect of us. With their votes, they've determined that governing will now be a shared responsibility between parties. New laws will only pass with support from Democrats and Republicans. We will move forward together, or not at all — for the challenges we face are bigger than party, and bigger than politics.

At stake right now is not who wins the next election — after all, we just had an election. At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else. It's whether the hard work and industry of our people is rewarded. It's whether we sustain the leadership that has made America not just a place on a map, but the light to the world.

We are poised for progress. Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known, the stock market has come roaring back. Corporate profits are up. The economy is growing again.

But we have never measured progress by these yardsticks alone. We measure progress by the success of our people. By the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. By the prospects of a small business owner who dreams of turning a good idea into a thriving enterprise. By the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children.

That's the project the American people want us to work on. Together.

(Applause.)

We did that in December. Thanks to the tax cuts we passed, Americans' paychecks are a little bigger today. Every business can write off the full cost of new investments that they make this year. And these steps, taken by Democrats and Republicans, will grow the economy and add to the more than one million private sector jobs created last year.

But we have to do more. These steps we've taken over the last two years may have broken the back of this recession, but to win the future, we'll need to take on challenges that have been decades in the making.

Many people watching tonight can probably remember a time when finding a good job meant showing up at a nearby factory or a business downtown. You didn't always need a degree, and your competition was pretty much limited to your neighbors. If you worked hard, chances are you'd have a job for life, with a decent paycheck and good benefits and the occasional promotion. Maybe you'd even have the pride of seeing your kids work at the same company.

That world has changed. And for many, the change has been painful. I've seen it in the shuttered windows of once booming factories, and the vacant storefronts on once busy Main Streets. I've heard it in the frustrations of Americans who've seen their paychecks dwindle or their jobs disappear — proud men and women who feel like the rules have been changed in the middle of the game.

They're right. The rules have changed. In a single generation, revolutions in technology have transformed the way we live, work and do business. Steel mills that once needed 1,000 workers can now do the same work with 100. Today, just about any company can set up shop, hire workers, and sell their products wherever there's an Internet connection.

Meanwhile, nations like China and India realized that with some changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, with greater emphasis on math and science. They're investing in research and new technologies. Just recently, China became the home to the world's largest private solar research facility, and the world's fastest computer.

So, yes, the world has changed. The competition for jobs is real. But this shouldn't discourage us. It should challenge us. Remember — for all the hits we've taken these last few years, for all the naysayers predicting our decline, America still has the largest, most prosperous economy in the world.

(Applause.)

No workers — no workers are more productive than ours. No country has more successful companies, or grants more patents to inventors and entrepreneurs. We're the home to the world's best colleges and universities, where more students come to study than any place on Earth.

What's more, we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea — the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That's why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here. It's why our students don't just memorize equations, but answer questions like "What do you think of that idea? What would you change about the world? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

The future is ours to win. But to get there, we can't just stand still. As Robert Kennedy told us, "The future is not a gift. It is an achievement." Sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat. It has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age.

And now it's our turn. We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world.

(Applause.)

We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit and reform our government. That's how our people will prosper. That's how we'll win the future.

(Applause.)

And tonight, I'd like to talk about how we get there.

The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation. None of us can predict with certainty what the next big industry will be or where the new jobs will come from. Thirty years ago, we couldn't know that something called the Internet would lead to an economic revolution. What we can do — what America does better than anyone else — is spark the creativity and imagination of our people. We're the nation that put cars in driveways and computers in offices; the nation of Edison and the Wright brothers; of Google and Facebook. In America, innovation doesn't just change our lives. It is how we make our living.

(Applause.)

Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation. But because it's not always profitable for companies to invest in basic research, throughout our history, our government has provided cutting-edge scientists and inventors with the support that they need. That's what planted the seeds for the Internet. That's what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS. Just think of all the good jobs — from manufacturing to retail — that have come from these breakthroughs.

Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik, we had no idea how we would beat them to the moon. The science wasn't even there yet. NASA didn't exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn't just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.

This is our generation's Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven't seen since the height of the Space Race. And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We'll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology —

(Applause)

— an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.

Already, we're seeing the promise of renewable energy. Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small Michigan roofing company. After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers to help repair the Pentagon. But half of their factory went unused, and the recession hit them hard. Today, with the help of a government loan, that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles that are being sold all across the country. In Robert's words, "We reinvented ourselves."

That's what Americans have done for over 200 years: reinvented ourselves. And to spur on more success stories like the Allen Brothers, we've begun to reinvent our energy policy. We're not just handing out money. We're issuing a challenge. We're telling America's scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we'll fund the Apollo projects of our time.

At the California Institute of Technology, they're developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they're using supercomputers to get a lot more power out of our nuclear facilities. With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

(Applause.)

We need to get behind this innovation. And to help pay for it, I'm asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies.

(Applause.)

I don't know if — I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own.

(Laughter.)

So instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's.

Now, clean energy breakthroughs will only translate into clean energy jobs if businesses know there will be a market for what they're selling. So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: By 2035, 80 percent of America's electricity will come from clean energy sources.

(Applause.)

Some folks want wind and solar. Others want nuclear, clean coal and natural gas. To meet this goal, we will need them all — and I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen.

(Applause.)

Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America's success. But if we want to win the future — if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas — then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.

Think about it. Over the next 10 years, nearly half of all new jobs will require education that goes beyond a high school education. And yet, as many as a quarter of our students aren't even finishing high school. The quality of our math and science education lags behind many other nations. America has fallen to ninth in the proportion of young people with a college degree. And so the question is whether all of us — as citizens, and as parents — are willing to do what's necessary to give every child a chance to succeed.

That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It's family that first instills the love of learning in a child. Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done. We need to teach our kids that it's not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair.

(Applause.)

We need to teach them that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline.

Our schools share this responsibility. When a child walks into a classroom, it should be a place of high expectations and high performance. But too many schools don't meet this test. That's why instead of just pouring money into a system that's not working, we launched a competition called Race to the Top. To all 50 states, we said, "If you show us the most innovative plans to improve teacher quality and student achievement, we'll show you the money."

Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public schools in a generation. For less than 1 percent of what we spend on education each year, it has led over 40 states to raise their standards for teaching and learning. And these standards were developed, by the way, not by Washington, but by Republican and Democratic governors throughout the country. And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we replace No Child Left Behind with a law that's more flexible and focused on what's best for our kids.

(Applause.)

You see, we know what's possible from our children when reform isn't just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals, school boards and communities. Take a school like Bruce Randolph in Denver. Three years ago, it was rated one of the worst schools in Colorado — located on turf between two rival gangs. But last May, 97 percent of the seniors received their diploma. Most will be the first in their families to go to college. And after the first year of the school's transformation, the principal who made it possible wiped away tears when a student said, "Thank you, Ms. Waters, for showing that we are smart and we can make it."

(Applause.)

That's what good schools can do, and we want good schools all across the country.

Let's also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child's success comes from the man or woman at the front of the classroom. In South Korea, teachers are known as "nation builders." Here in America, it's time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect.

(Applause.)

We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones.

(Applause.)

And over the next 10 years, with so many baby boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science and technology and engineering and math.

(Applause.)

In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child — become a teacher. Your country needs you.

(Applause.)

Of course, the education race doesn't end with a high school diploma. To compete, higher education must be within the reach of every American. (

Applause.)

That's why we've ended the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that went to banks, and used the savings to make college affordable for millions of students.

(Applause.)

And this year, I ask Congress to go further, and make permanent our tuition tax credit — worth $10,000 for four years of college. It's the right thing to do.

(Applause.)

Because people need to be able to train for new jobs and careers in today's fast-changing economy, we're also revitalizing America's community colleges. Last month, I saw the promise of these schools at Forsyth Tech in North Carolina. Many of the students there used to work in the surrounding factories that have since left town. One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she's earning her degree in biotechnology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams, too. As Kathy said, "I hope it tells them to never give up."

If we take these steps — if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they are born until the last job they take — we will reach the goal that I set two years ago: By the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

(Applause.)

One last point about education. Today, there are hundreds of thousands of students excelling in our schools who are not American citizens. Some are the children of undocumented workers, who had nothing to do with the actions of their parents. They grew up as Americans and pledge allegiance to our flag, and yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.

Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. And I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows. I know that debate will be difficult. I know it will take time. But tonight, let's agree to make that effort. And let's stop expelling talented, responsible young people who could be staffing our research labs or starting a new business, who could be further enriching this nation.

(Applause.)

The third step in winning the future is rebuilding America. To attract new businesses to our shores, we need the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information — from high-speed rail to high-speed Internet.

(Applause.)

Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation's infrastructure, they gave us a "D."

We have to do better. America is the nation that built the transcontinental railroad, brought electricity to rural communities, constructed the Interstate Highway System. The jobs created by these projects didn't just come from laying down track or pavement. They came from businesses that opened near a town's new train station or the new off-ramp.

So over the last two years, we've begun rebuilding for the 21st century, a project that has meant thousands of good jobs for the hard-hit construction industry. And tonight, I'm proposing that we redouble those efforts.

(Applause.)

We'll put more Americans to work repairing crumbling roads and bridges. We'll make sure this is fully paid for, attract private investment, and pick projects based what's best for the economy, not politicians.

Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail.

(Applause.)

This could allow you to go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some trips, it will be faster than flying — without the pat-down.

(Laughter and applause.)

As we speak, routes in California and the Midwest are already underway.

Within the next five years, we'll make it possible for businesses to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98 percent of all Americans. This isn't just about —

(Applause)

— this isn't about faster Internet or fewer dropped calls. It's about connecting every part of America to the digital age. It's about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers and small business owners will be able to sell their products all over the world. It's about a firefighter who can download the design of a burning building onto a handheld device; a student who can take classes with a digital textbook; or a patient who can have face-to-face video chats with her doctor.

All these investments — in innovation, education, and infrastructure — will make America a better place to do business and create jobs. But to help our companies compete, we also have to knock down barriers that stand in the way of their success.

For example, over the years, a parade of lobbyists has rigged the tax code to benefit particular companies and industries. Those with accountants or lawyers to work the system can end up paying no taxes at all. But all the rest are hit with one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and it has to change.

(Applause.)

So tonight, I'm asking Democrats and Republicans to simplify the system. Get rid of the loopholes. Level the playing field. And use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years — without adding to our deficit. It can be done.

(Applause.)

To help businesses sell more products abroad, we set a goal of doubling our exports by 2014 — because the more we export, the more jobs we create here at home. Already, our exports are up. Recently, we signed agreements with India and China that will support more than 250,000 jobs here in the United States. And last month, we finalized a trade agreement with South Korea that will support at least 70,000 American jobs. This agreement has unprecedented support from business and labor, Democrats and Republicans — and I ask this Congress to pass it as soon as possible.

(Applause.)

Now, before I took office, I made it clear that we would enforce our trade agreements, and that I would only sign deals that keep faith with American workers and promote American jobs. That's what we did with Korea, and that's what I intend to do as we pursue agreements with Panama and Colombia and continue our Asia Pacific and global trade talks.

(Applause.)

To reduce barriers to growth and investment, I've ordered a review of government regulations. When we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them.

(Applause.)

But I will not hesitate to create or enforce common-sense safeguards to protect the American people.

(Applause.)

That's what we've done in this country for more than a century. It's why our food is safe to eat, our water is safe to drink, and our air is safe to breathe. It's why we have speed limits and child labor laws. It's why last year, we put in place consumer protections against hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies and new rules to prevent another financial crisis.

(Applause.)

And it's why we passed reform that finally prevents the health insurance industry from exploiting patients.

(Applause.)

Now, I have heard rumors that a few of you still have concerns about our new health care law.

(Laughter.)

So let me be the first to say that anything can be improved. If you have ideas about how to improve this law by making care better or more affordable, I am eager to work with you. We can start right now by correcting a flaw in the legislation that has placed an unnecessary bookkeeping burden on small businesses.

(Applause.)

What I'm not willing to do — what I'm not willing to do is go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a preexisting condition.

(Applause.)

I'm not willing to tell James Howard, a brain cancer patient from Texas, that his treatment might not be covered. I'm not willing to tell Jim Houser, a small business man from Oregon, that he has to go back to paying $5,000 more to cover his employees. As we speak, this law is making prescription drugs cheaper for seniors and giving uninsured students a chance to stay on their patients' — parents' coverage.

(Applause.)

So I say to this chamber tonight, instead of re-fighting the battles of the last two years, let's fix what needs fixing and let's move forward.

(Applause.)

Now, the final critical step in winning the future is to make sure we aren't buried under a mountain of debt.

We are living with a legacy of deficit spending that began almost a decade ago. And in the wake of the financial crisis, some of that was necessary to keep credit flowing, save jobs, and put money in people's pockets.

But now that the worst of the recession is over, we have to confront the fact that our government spends more than it takes in. That is not sustainable. Every day, families sacrifice to live within their means. They deserve a government that does the same.

So tonight, I am proposing that starting this year, we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years.

(Applause.)

Now, this would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and will bring discretionary spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was President.

This freeze will require painful cuts. Already, we've frozen the salaries of hardworking federal employees for the next two years. I've proposed cuts to things I care deeply about, like community action programs. The Secretary of Defense has also agreed to cut tens of billions of dollars in spending that he and his generals believe our military can do without.

(Applause.)

I recognize that some in this chamber have already proposed deeper cuts, and I'm willing to eliminate whatever we can honestly afford to do without. But let's make sure that we're not doing it on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. (Applause.) And let's make sure that what we're cutting is really excess weight. Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine. It may make you feel like you're flying high at first, but it won't take long before you feel the impact.

(Laughter.)

Now, most of the cuts and savings I've proposed only address annual domestic spending, which represents a little more than 12 percent of our budget. To make further progress, we have to stop pretending that cutting this kind of spending alone will be enough. It won't.

(Applause.)

The bipartisan fiscal commission I created last year made this crystal clear. I don't agree with all their proposals, but they made important progress. And their conclusion is that the only way to tackle our deficit is to cut excessive spending wherever we find it — in domestic spending, defense spending, health care spending, and spending through tax breaks and loopholes.

(Applause.)

This means further reducing health care costs, including programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which are the single biggest contributor to our long-term deficit. The health insurance law we passed last year will slow these rising costs, which is part of the reason that nonpartisan economists have said that repealing the health care law would add a quarter of a trillion dollars to our deficit. Still, I'm willing to look at other ideas to bring down costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year — medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits.

(Applause.)

To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations.

(Applause.)

We must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans' guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market.

(Applause.)

And if we truly care about our deficit, we simply can't afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

(Applause.)

Before we take money away from our schools or scholarships away from our students, we should ask millionaires to give up their tax break. It's not a matter of punishing their success. It's about promoting America's success.

(Applause.)

In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. (Applause.) This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed an interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.

(Applause.)

So now is the time to act. Now is the time for both sides and both houses of Congress — Democrats and Republicans — to forge a principled compromise that gets the job done. If we make the hard choices now to rein in our deficits, we can make the investments we need to win the future.

Let me take this one step further. We shouldn't just give our people a government that's more affordable. We should give them a government that's more competent and more efficient. We can't win the future with a government of the past.

(Applause.)

We live and do business in the Information Age, but the last major reorganization of the government happened in the age of black-and-white TV. There are 12 different agencies that deal with exports. There are at least five different agencies that deal with housing policy. Then there's my favorite example: The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they're in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they're in saltwater.

(Laughter.)

I hear it gets even more complicated once they're smoked.

(Laughter and applause.)

Now, we've made great strides over the last two years in using technology and getting rid of waste. Veterans can now download their electronic medical records with a click of the mouse. We're selling acres of federal office space that hasn't been used in years, and we'll cut through red tape to get rid of more. But we need to think bigger. In the coming months, my administration will develop a proposal to merge, consolidate, and reorganize the federal government in a way that best serves the goal of a more competitive America. I will submit that proposal to Congress for a vote — and we will push to get it passed.

(Applause.)

In the coming year, we'll also work to rebuild people's faith in the institution of government. Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you'll be able to go to a website and get that information for the very first time in history. Because you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists, I ask Congress to do what the White House has already done — put that information online. And because the American people deserve to know that special interests aren't larding up legislation with pet projects, both parties in Congress should know this: If a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, I will veto it. I will veto it.

(Applause.)

The 21st century government that's open and competent. A government that lives within its means. An economy that's driven by new skills and new ideas. Our success in this new and changing world will require reform, responsibility, and innovation. It will also require us to approach that world with a new level of engagement in our foreign affairs.

Just as jobs and businesses can now race across borders, so can new threats and new challenges. No single wall separates East and West. No one rival superpower is aligned against us.

And so we must defeat determined enemies, wherever they are, and build coalitions that cut across lines of region and race and religion. And America's moral example must always shine for all who yearn for freedom and justice and dignity. And because we've begun this work, tonight we can say that American leadership has been renewed and America's standing has been restored.

Look to Iraq, where nearly 100,000 of our brave men and women have left with their heads held high.

(Applause.)

American combat patrols have ended, violence is down, and a new government has been formed. This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq. America's commitment has been kept. The Iraq war is coming to an end.

(Applause.)

Of course, as we speak, al Qaeda and their affiliates continue to plan attacks against us. Thanks to our intelligence and law enforcement professionals, we're disrupting plots and securing our cities and skies. And as extremists try to inspire acts of violence within our borders, we are responding with the strength of our communities, with respect for the rule of law, and with the conviction that American Muslims are a part of our American family.

(Applause.)

We've also taken the fight to al Qaeda and their allies abroad. In Afghanistan, our troops have taken Taliban strongholds and trained Afghan security forces. Our purpose is clear: By preventing the Taliban from reestablishing a stranglehold over the Afghan people, we will deny al Qaeda the safe haven that served as a launching pad for 9/11.

Thanks to our heroic troops and civilians, fewer Afghans are under the control of the insurgency. There will be tough fighting ahead, and the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance. But we are strengthening the capacity of the Afghan people and building an enduring partnership with them. This year, we will work with nearly 50 countries to begin a transition to an Afghan lead. And this July, we will begin to bring our troops home.

(Applause.)

In Pakistan, al Qaeda's leadership is under more pressure than at any point since 2001. Their leaders and operatives are being removed from the battlefield. Their safe havens are shrinking. And we've sent a message from the Afghan border to the Arabian Peninsula to all parts of the globe: We will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you.

(Applause.)

American leadership can also be seen in the effort to secure the worst weapons of war. Because Republicans and Democrats approved the New START treaty, far fewer nuclear weapons and launchers will be deployed. Because we rallied the world, nuclear materials are being locked down on every continent so they never fall into the hands of terrorists.

(Applause.)

Because of a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations, the Iranian government now faces tougher sanctions, tighter sanctions than ever before. And on the Korean Peninsula, we stand with our ally South Korea, and insist that North Korea keeps its commitment to abandon nuclear weapons.

(Applause.)

This is just a part of how we're shaping a world that favors peace and prosperity. With our European allies, we revitalized NATO and increased our cooperation on everything from counterterrorism to missile defense. We've reset our relationship with Russia, strengthened Asian alliances, built new partnerships with nations like India.

This March, I will travel to Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador to forge new alliances across the Americas. Around the globe, we're standing with those who take responsibility — helping farmers grow more food, supporting doctors who care for the sick, and combating the corruption that can rot a society and rob people of opportunity.

Recent events have shown us that what sets us apart must not just be our power — it must also be the purpose behind it. In south Sudan — with our assistance — the people were finally able to vote for independence after years of war. (Applause.) Thousands lined up before dawn. People danced in the streets. One man who lost four of his brothers at war summed up the scene around him: "This was a battlefield for most of my life," he said. "Now we want to be free."

(Applause.)

And we saw that same desire to be free in Tunisia, where the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator. And tonight, let us be clear: The United States of America stands with the people of Tunisia, and supports the democratic aspirations of all people.

(Applause.)

We must never forget that the things we've struggled for, and fought for, live in the hearts of people everywhere. And we must always remember that the Americans who have borne the greatest burden in this struggle are the men and women who serve our country.

(Applause.)

Tonight, let us speak with one voice in reaffirming that our nation is united in support of our troops and their families. Let us serve them as well as they've served us — by giving them the equipment they need, by providing them with the care and benefits that they have earned, and by enlisting our veterans in the great task of building our own nation.

Our troops come from every corner of this country — they're black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American. They are Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. And, yes, we know that some of them are gay. Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love. (Applause.) And with that change, I call on all our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.

(Applause.)

We should have no illusions about the work ahead of us. Reforming our schools, changing the way we use energy, reducing our deficit — none of this will be easy. All of it will take time. And it will be harder because we will argue about everything. The costs. The details. The letter of every law.

Of course, some countries don't have this problem. If the central government wants a railroad, they build a railroad, no matter how many homes get bulldozed. If they don't want a bad story in the newspaper, it doesn't get written.

And yet, as contentious and frustrating and messy as our democracy can sometimes be, I know there isn't a person here who would trade places with any other nation on Earth.

(Applause.)

We may have differences in policy, but we all believe in the rights enshrined in our Constitution. We may have different opinions, but we believe in the same promise that says this is a place where you can make it if you try. We may have different backgrounds, but we believe in the same dream that says this is a country where anything is possible. No matter who you are. No matter where you come from.

That dream is why I can stand here before you tonight. That dream is why a working-class kid from Scranton can sit behind me.

(Laughter and applause.)

That dream is why someone who began by sweeping the floors of his father's Cincinnati bar can preside as Speaker of the House in the greatest nation on Earth.

(Applause.)

That dream — that American Dream — is what drove the Allen Brothers to reinvent their roofing company for a new era. It's what drove those students at Forsyth Tech to learn a new skill and work towards the future. And that dream is the story of a small business owner named Brandon Fisher.

Brandon started a company in Berlin, Pennsylvania, that specializes in a new kind of drilling technology. And one day last summer, he saw the news that halfway across the world, 33 men were trapped in a Chilean mine, and no one knew how to save them.

But Brandon thought his company could help. And so he designed a rescue that would come to be known as Plan B. His employees worked around the clock to manufacture the necessary drilling equipment. And Brandon left for Chile.

Along with others, he began drilling a 2,000-foot hole into the ground, working three- or four-hour — three or four days at a time without any sleep. Thirty-seven days later, Plan B succeeded, and the miners were rescued. (Applause.) But because he didn't want all of the attention, Brandon wasn't there when the miners emerged. He'd already gone back home, back to work on his next project.

And later, one of his employees said of the rescue, "We proved that Center Rock is a little company, but we do big things."

(Applause.)

We do big things.

From the earliest days of our founding, America has been the story of ordinary people who dare to dream. That's how we win the future.

We're a nation that says, "I might not have a lot of money, but I have this great idea for a new company." "I might not come from a family of college graduates, but I will be the first to get my degree." "I might not know those people in trouble, but I think I can help them, and I need to try." "I'm not sure how we'll reach that better place beyond the horizon, but I know we'll get there. I know we will."

We do big things.

(Applause.)

The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it's because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong.

Thank you. God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

(Applause.)