RUTHFULLY YOURS

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/california-part-ii-of-iii-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand
California (Part II of III): 2014 Candidates for Congress – Where They Stand

To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).

District 15
Eric Swalwell (D) Incumbent

http://swalwell.house.gov/

http://www.swalwellforcongress.com/

http://swalwell.house.gov/issues/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Eric_Swalwell.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE

http://swalwell.house.gov/issues/health-care/

I support the goals of the Affordable Care Act and will work to strengthen and improve it. I cosponsored H.R. 728, the Access to Birth Control (ABC) Act, which would prevent pharmacists from refusing to fill a prescription for birth control and require pharmacies to help a woman obtain medication by her preferred method if the requested product is not in stock.

IMMIGRATION

http://swalwell.house.gov/issues/immigration/

Supports Dream Act, and “I cosponsored H.R. 15, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. This bill, very similar to bipartisan legislation which passed the Senate, would provide for comprehensive immigration reform, including providing a pathway to earned citizenship for undocumented workers in the U.S.

ENERGY

http://swalwell.house.gov/issues/energy-environment/

As Ranking Member on the Science, Space and Technology Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy, I am working to encourage innovation in the field of renewable energy. Globally, addressing climate change is imperative for our security, the ecosystems that feed us, our public health and safety, and our future economic well-being.
Hugh Bussell (R) Challenger
http://www.bussellforcongress.org/

District 16
Jim Costa (D) Incumbent

http://www.jimcosta.com/

http://costa.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Jim_Costa.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE

http://costa.house.gov/index.php/issues15/strengthening-healthcare

Support and Strengthen The Affordable Care Act- Provisions Listed

ENERGY

http://costa.house.gov/index.php/issues15/energy-independence

Our Valley is an energy rich region, supplying the state with power from oil, gas, and renewable sources like hydropower, biomass, wind, and solar. This vital sector of our economy is a job creator in our communities and a key player in reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.

For these reasons, I took the lead on this issue with a bipartisan group of legislators in the 112th Congress in introducing the Infrastructure Jobs and Energy Independence Act. Unlike the “cap and trade” bill which I opposed and voted against, this bill outlines a practical, responsible energy plan for America that would further develop domestic energy production of traditional oil and gas, provide a funding stream to clean up the environment and fully develop clean energy technologies.

Supports KeystoneXL without limiting amendments.
Johnny Tacherra (R) Challenger

http://tacherraforcongress.com/

Farmer, businessman, second attempt – candidate ran for this office in 2012

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://tacherraforcongress.com/issues/

HEALTHCARE

Jim Costa must be held responsible for the failure of ObamaCare as the Congressman who cast the deciding vote against the wishes of the Central Valley’s residents. Poor planning and implementation of ObamaCare is costing millions of Americans their health insurance, raising rates and costing jobs.

IMMIGRATION

I fully support policies that will keep families together and secure our border but amnesty for millions is not a solution and will cost trillions of dollars. There must be incremental reform that recognizes we are a beacon of freedom for people savaged by repression (Cambodia and Cuba come to mind), not just difficult economic circumstances. Blanket amnesty is a solution that will only create more problems on health care and social service costs, and punish those who have played by the rules and obeyed the law.

FARM BILL

Congressman Jim Costa failed on ObamaCare and now you can add the farm bill to that. By playing Pelosi-partisan politics, Costa didn’t get the job done yet again. I support reducing the SNAP program expenditures and reducing what has become a huge bureaucracy at the USDA to get it back to what its mission should be: ensuring the future of our food supply and expanding our farm economy throughout the world by opening doors to new markets around the globe.

District 17
No clear winner both Honda and Khanna will go to general elections on November 4, 2014
Mike Honda (D) Incumbent

http://mikehonda.com/

http://honda.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Mike_Honda.htm **

Rated +4 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY

Endorsed by the Sierra Club for opposition to Keystone Pipeline and fracking.

http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2013/12/sierra-club-endorses-rep-mike-honda-ca-17

PRIORITIES

http://honda.house.gov/priorities

Congressman Mike Honda Pledges to Work with President Obama and Congressional Colleagues on State of the Union Initiatives

Jan 29, 2014 – Washington, D.C. – Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA17) today said he would work closely with President Obama and his fellow House members on plans the President laid out in his State of the Union address.

“Tonight we heard a President, who understands the needs of hard-working Americans, outline an agenda to help them overcome the challenges our country faces,” Congressman Honda said. “I look forward to working with the President, and my colleagues in Congress, to enact legislation to get this done.”
Ro Khanna (D) Challenger

http://www.rokhanna.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE

http://www.rokhanna.com/healthcare

The Affordable Care Act – commonly known as Obamacare – must be properly implemented to improve the status of healthcare in our country. While the ACA is a good start for better healthcare in this country, it is in our hands to oversee its successful implementation and to continue strengthening American healthcare over time – especially as some members of Congress repeatedly attempt to repeal the law and others seek to strip its preventive measures and other core provisions.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

http://www.rokhanna.com/the_environment

The science is indisputable – climate change is happening at an alarming rate, threatening crops and coastlines and causing severe weather patterns that could fundamentally alter our way of life. The human induced global rise in temperatures is an existential threat that requires a proactive approach from both parties – we have come together on big issues before and I believe that we will do it again. While serving as deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Commerce, I led the Green Embassy Program to make foreign offices more energy efficient, and designed clean energy trade missions. As a member of Congress, I will be a strong advocate for green energy policies that combat climate change while spurring new industries and creating thousands of new jobs

IMMIGRATION

http://www.rokhanna.com/immigration

Champion Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Give DREAMers legal status right away. In 2012 President Obama implemented a deferred action program, which offered a two-year reprieve from the threat of deportation to young adults. That’s a band-aid measure on an issue that is affecting millions of hardworking and law biding residents of this country. Congress needs to give young adults the ability to quickly receive provisional legal status, allowing them to live and work freely in this country, and streamline the process of applying for a green card, permanent legal residency, and finally citizenship.

Implement a pathway to citizenship for adults. There are 11 million undocumented immigrants living in our country who work in a variety of industries that boost our economy. They pay sales taxes – many also pay income taxes, and other federal, state, and local taxes. Estimates show that undocumented immigrants pay about $7 billion into Social Security.

District 18
Anna Eshoo (D) Incumbent

http://eshoo.house.gov/

http://www.annaeshoo4congress.com/splash2014/Welcome 2.html

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Anna_Eshoo.htm **

Rated +3 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://eshoo.house.gov/issues/

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

http://eshoo.house.gov/environment/

Climate Change

Climate change is one of the most serious issues facing our nation and our planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the leading international body for the assessment of climate change, has stated with greater than 90 percent certainty that most of the observed increase in global temperatures since the mid-20th Century is due to increased concentrations of heat-trapping gases caused by human activities. Rep. Eshoo believes that our nation must take immediate action to address climate change, and she strongly believes that science should be the guide for making informed policy decisions. Rep. Eshoo supports capping or putting a price on carbon; increasing vehicle fuel efficiency; conserving energy in buildings; investing in clean public transportation; and expanding alternative forms of energy that do not emit greenhouse gases.

As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, Rep. Eshoo’s work and votes in Congress are directed toward advancing these policies

Voted against Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

IMMIGRATION

http://eshoo.house.gov/immigration/

Rep. Eshoo favors comprehensive reform legislation that will provide a timely pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in our country; modernize our visa programs for both high-skilled and agricultural workers; build on recent successes in securing our borders; and hold employers accountable for employing undocumented workers. She also supports efforts to improve technology at immigration service centers, decrease immigration application backlogs, and expedite visa processing at U.S. consulates around the world.

HEALTHCARE

Voted for Affordable Care Act in 2010, but criticized the website strongly:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/24/21116122-obamacare-site-builders-grilled-by-house-hearing?lite

“Rep. Anna Eshoo of California, a Democrat, took issue with assertions by the companies and the Obama administration that one reason for the problems was overwhelming traffic on the site from people trying to enroll for coverage.

“Amazon and eBay don’t crash the week before Christmas,” Eshoo said. “ProFlowers doesn’t crash on Valentine’s Day.”
Richard Fox, M.D. J.D (R) Challenger
http://www.drfox4congress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE
Replace Obamacare With Free-Market Health Plans Of Our Own Choice
Patients come to my office for urgent care because they lost their insurance or their doctors, or both, and have nowhere to turn. Others have seen their premiums double or more, often for worse coverage than they had before. Obama promised that you could keep your insurance and your doctor, and save twenty-five hundred dollars per year. Our current Representative, Ms. Eshoo, made the same false promise (video link). Instead, patients have had their insurance cancelled, their premiums skyrocket, and lost their doctors to boot. I am running to replace the Obamacare disaster with a free-market healthcare system where patients can pick the insurance that works best for them and their families and get care that is accessible and affordable.
ECONOMY
Grow the Economy By Cutting Taxes and Regulations That Kill Jobs By the Millions
Obama’s big-government economic program has been an abject failure, resulting in the worst economy in seventy five years and doubling our national debt. Obama has suffocated the economy, not stimulated it.
Unemployment and economic recovery are far better addressed by small-government policies that promote full employment through strong economic growth in the private sector by cutting the taxes and regulations that are holding it back.
Taxes and regulations kill jobs by the millions, far more jobs than the spending programs ever create. Every dollar spent by the government to stimulate jobs is a dollar that had to be taken out of the economy, a dollar that was supporting someone’s job and their family. In fact, due to government waste, it usually takes many dollars of taxes to produce one dollar of job creation.
WOMEN’S ISSUES
Women’s Reproductive Rights: Unfettered Choice
Women should have the unfettered right to control their reproductive functions, including the right to terminate their pregnancies if they and their doctors agree to do so, up to the point of fetal viability, and thereafter if continued pregnancy poses a substantial threat to the women’s life. All measures that are not medically necessary for the health and safety of the woman should be eliminated.
Some argue that since, in their view, life begins at conception, the unborn have a right to life. Even if, for the sake of argument, it were accepted that life begins at conception, such a right to life takes no account of whether a woman can be compelled by the government to serve involuntarily as the incubator for that life until it can exist independently. For the government to compel one person to serve as the life support system for another is a very troubling prospect for those who value liberty. It is also the sort of involuntary servitude prohibited under the Thirteenth Amendment.
UNCHECKED PRESIDENTIAL POWER
Congress Must Enforce Constitutional Limits On Presidential Power and Respect Constitutional Limits On Its Own Powers of Spending, Regulating, and War-Making
The American Revolution was fought to rid the colonies of the tyranny of George III. Understandably wary of tyranny, lawmaking was limited to the Congress and the President was limited to merely carrying out those laws.
Unfortunately, in modern times, the power of the presidency has steadily increased, often with the acquiescence of the Congress. The constitutional limits on the powers of the presidency are now threatened by President Obama, who claims the power to decide for himself which laws he will abide by, or he re-writes the law to his satisfaction, or he just ignores the laws he dislikes. This plainly violates the President’s duty, under the Constitution, to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”

Obamacare is the best, but hardly the only, current example of unchecked presidential powers. He waives or delays the law’s requirements at will.

District 19
Zoe Lofgren (D) Incumbent

http://lofgren.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Zoe_Lofgren.htm#Foreign_Policy **

Rated +4 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE

http://lofgren.house.gov/health-care/

She supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act because it was a step in the right direction, particularly for working Americans who could not previously afford health care. It is important to keep in mind that this historic healthcare reform legislation was only one step in an ongoing effort. Zoe continues to support the creation of a robust public option that would be open to all Americans.

IMMIGRATION

http://lofgren.house.gov/immigration/

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Opposed to Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments

http://lofgren.house.gov/energy-and-the-environment/

No Challengers to Zoe Lofgren (D) Incumbent – district 19

District 20
Sam Farr (D) Incumbent

http://www.farr.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Sam_Farr.htm **

Rated +3 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1993 by special election when the former Congressman Leon Panetta resigned to assume a position with the Clinton Administration. Sam was elected to a full term in Congress in 1994, and has continued to serve this district ever since. He is recognized as a leader in legislative efforts for educational excellence, environmental protection, and economic development.

Sam serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee which oversees the distribution of the federal budget. Sam is the Ranking Democrat and only Californian on the Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and Related Agencies Subcommittee. He also serves as the Second Ranking Democrat on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Ron Kabat (I) Challenger Tea Party
http://teapartycheer.com/bios/west/california/ron-kabat-ca-bio/

District 21
David Valadao (R) Incumbent

http://valadaoforcongress.com/

http://valadao.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/David_Valadao.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://valadao.house.gov/issuesandlegislation/

IMMIGRATION

However, my first priority is ensuring a path to earned legal status for those who are already here. It is important to create a fair process to give immigrants the opportunity to obtain earned legal status. This will allow millions of immigrants to come out of the shadows, get involved in their children’s education, find employment, and raise their families.

ENERGY

The United States must take an “all of the above” approach to securing energy independence. In the short term, this means reducing red tape and ending frivolous litigation that blocks the development of America’s energy resources. We can address the volatility of today’s energy prices by expanding access to North American energy resources, which is why I support projects such as the Keystone Pipeline –

HEALTHCARE

http://valadao.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=351728

SEP. 28-2014 – Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) voted in the United States House of Representatives in favor of two amendments to Senate-passed H. J. Res. 59, the Continuing Appropriation’s Resolution for Fiscal Year 2014, to fund the federal government past October 1, 2013, when the current government operating budget is set to expire.

The first amendment delays the president’s healthcare law from taking effect for one year, providing relief to Americans from the individual mandate, tax increases, and Medicare cuts among other things. The President has already delayed provisions in ObamaCare nearly a dozen times, with another delay of the Small Business “SHOP” exchanges just this week. Congressman Valadao stated, “Clearly, ObamaCare has many problems yet to be resolved. Implementation of a one year delay will allow these problems to be identified and corrected or for an alternative solution to be put in place.” The second amendment permanently repeals the medical device tax currently included in the President’s healthcare law. Congressman Valadao previously cosponsored H.R. 523, the Protecting Medical Innovation Act of 2013, which also aims to repeal this tax, responsible for shipping desperately needed American jobs overseas.
Amanda Renteria (D) Challenger

http://www.amandarenteria.com/

An Outstanding Student-Athlete at Stanford

Amanda was the first Mexican-American from her small town to be accepted at Stanford University. In Stanford’s challenging environment of high standards and high expectations, Amanda went on to earn a BA in Economics as well as a BA in Political Science, with honors.

Harvard Business School and Local Government Service

After teaching at her hometown high school, Amanda attended Harvard Business School, where she earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on public/non-profit management.

In 2005, Amanda had the honor of joining the office of California’s US Senator Dianne Feinstein, serving as the Senator’s advisor on economic issues. In this role, and throughout her time in the US Senate, Amanda applied her expertise in international business and investment to develop policies that promote and strengthen American innovation, global competitiveness, workforce development, and job creation.

Amanda moved to the office of US Senator Debbie Stabenow in 2006. Senator Stabenow is the Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and a member of the Budget, Finance, and Energy Committees. Joining Senator Stabenow’s staff as an advisor on economic issues, Amanda soon advanced to oversee the Senator’s team of policy advisors. A year later, the Senator promoted Amanda to lead the entire office, making her the first Latina Chief of Staff in the history of the US Senate.

District 22
Devin Nunes (R) Incumbent

http://nunes.house.gov/

http://www.devinnunes.net/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Devin_Nunes.htm **

https://nunes.house.gov/digest/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://nunes.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=35378

Letter To Speaker Boehner On Benghazi Investigation

http://nunes.house.gov/uploadedfiles/rep._nunes_letter_to_speaker_boehner.pdf

BENGHAZI WHITEWASH

http://nunes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=333470

HEALTHCARE

http://nunes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361678

There Is No Fixing Obamacare

The president cannot purport to remake one-sixth of the U.S. economy, throw people off their healthcare plans, drown businesses in a sea of impossible regulations, and then assume the authority to enforce, not enforce, or change the law at will. This does grievous harm to individual Americans, to the healthcare system, and to our tradition of governance based on the rule of law. We live in a constitutional republic, not an autocracy where the law is whatever the monarch says it is.

ENERGY

Supports Keystone XL Pipeline with no limiting amendments

Suzanna “Sam” Aguilera-Marrero (D) Challenger
https://www.facebook.com/sam4cd22

District 23
Kevin McCarthy (R) Incumbent

Current U.S. Congress House Majority Whip

http://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/

http://www.mccarthyforcongress.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Kevin_McCarthy.htm **

Rated -2 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

IMMIGRATION

http://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/issues/immigration

As a nation founded by immigrants, we should to continue embrace the individuals who wait in line and come to the United States legally to work hard and contribute to our society. However, we should not provide any amnesty that would benefit those who defy our laws and enter the United States illegally. In order to reduce the number of illegal immigrants in our country, we must enforce the laws that already exist. In order to do this, we must secure our border by using both physical as well as electronic barriers. We should also ensure that illegal immigrants are not receiving any of the benefits that are reserved for American Citizens.

But on January 21, backed a Pathway To Citizenship for illegal immigrants:

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/kevin-mccarthy-immigration-102473.html

The third-ranking House Republican is offering support for a path to legal status that would allow millions of undocumented immigrants in the country to work and pay their taxes.

HEALTHCARE

“Obamacare is a train wreck. I have been and continue to be opposed to Obamacare. I continue to work to repeal, defund, and replace this unworkable legislation.”

ENERGY

http://www.nationalreview.com/energy-week/350167/keystone-deserves-vote-kevin-mccarthy

Every American, whether Democrat or Republican, agrees that job creation and affordable energy will be crucial to our economic turnaround. Fortunately, there is a project that will create jobs, provide direct investment in our economy, and move us closer to our longstanding goal of becoming energy independent: the Keystone XL pipeline.

Keystone will deliver 830,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada, North Dakota, and Montana to Gulf Coast refineries. It will directly create 20,000 jobs and indirectly create tens of thousands more, at a time when more than 11 million Americans are out of work. Added reliable supply from Canada and North Dakota also will reduce the impact of oil-price spikes dictated by the OPEC cartel. And we know, based on a study by the State Department, that the project will have minimal impact on the environment.

No challengers to Kevin McCarthy (R) Incumbent, in district 23

District 24
Lois Capps (D) Incumbent

http://capps.house.gov/

http://www.cappsforcongress.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Lois_Capps.htm **

Rated +3 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

IMMIGRATION

http://capps.house.gov/issue/immigration

My Priorities

Ensure our border security agencies have the resources they need to maintain operational control of our borders and other ports of entry
Create an earned pathway to citizenship which allows hard working people to fully participate in society and helps keep families together
Enact the DREAM Act to provide young people who came to the United States as children access to a quality education and a path to citizenship

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

http://capps.house.gov/issue/energy

Upholding robust environmental laws to conserve our natural resources and to prevent future environmental degradation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxTBIkFMBlE

Strong opposition to Keystone Pipeline

HEALTHCARE

http://capps.house.gov/issue/health

Strong supporter of Affordable Care Act

Chris Mitchum (R) Challenger

http://www.chrismitchumforcongress.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://www.chrismitchumforcongress.com/issues.html

HEALTHCARE

Repeal Obamacare- Tort reform is first and foremost. The cost of malpractice insurance is astronomical. “Malpractice” must be redefined and limits set on lawsuits. If that is done, the battery of expensive and unnecessary tests and exams that are now done to shield a doctor or hospital from a malpractice suit will vanish. Only those things necessary will be done. The doctor’s insurance rates will tumble and the savings passed on to the patients.

IMMIGRATION

A secure boarder is needed, even if it means putting troops on the border until a beefed-up Boarder patrol is in place. What a great place to employ troops returning home and mustering out of the military. An unsecure border is a major security threat. It is an infected wound in which fester crime, drugs, death, threat and illegal occupation of our country and jobs. Once the border is secure, we can address those who are already here illegally. Not before.

District 25
Howard “Buck” McKeon (R) Is retiring in 2014

http://mckeon.house.gov/

http://mckeon.house.gov/issues/

I strongly believe that every one of my constituents deserves access to affordable, quality, and portable health insurance. I also believe individuals with pre-existing conditions should not be denied coverage. By repealing the President’s bill, we can begin from a clean slate to create new health care legislation that protects seniors, improves access of care, and does not bankrupt the country. Not only will these savings put more money back in the pockets of the American people, these savings will allow small business owners to create jobs instead of having to lay off their workforce.

Voted to Approve Keystone Pipeline

Vying for the seat that is being vacated by McKeon in district 25:
Republicans Tony Strickland and Steven Knight will go to the general election in November 2014
Tony Strickland (R) Challenger

Ex-State Sen., Ex-State Assemblyman, Businessman

http://www.tonystrickland.com/

“In Congress, I’ll be a champion for a balanced budget that reigns in out-of-control spending and protects our economy for future generations.” I didn’t back down from Gray Davis when he was running California into the ground and I won’t back down from President Obama and Nancy Pelosi and their Obamacare disaster.” I will continue to lead the fight for lower taxes, and for economic policies that create jobs and keep them here, while protecting the individual rights that have made our community great.”

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE

I’m dedicated to the repeal of the wrongly named Affordable Care Act and want to replace it with a market driven solution that preserves the relationship between the patient and their doctor and guarantees that insurance companies and the government can never get in its way.

ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST

It is not an understatement to say that the security of the entire world hinges upon our support for Israel, the perpetuation of a strong Israel, and Israel’s continued active democratic presence in the Middle East.

In 2010, I authored Senate Concurrent Resolution 117, which declared California’s support of Israel’s actions to defend its blockade of the Gaza Strip and authority to protect itself. Additionally, I endorsed Assembly Bill 221 also known as the California Public Divest from Iran Act, which prohibits investing public employee retirement funds in companies that have energy or defense related operations in Iran.

When I am elected to Congress, I intend to be one of Israel’s strongest and most vocal allies. But what are words without actions? What one has done in the past is a good indicator of what he will do in the future.

ENERGY

Supports construction of the keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments
Steven Knight (R) Challenger

State Sen., Ex-State Assemblyman, Ex-Police Officer & Army Veteran

http://steveknight.org/

http://steveknight.org/policy/

It is time to take a stand against politics as usual in Washington DC. I am running for Congress to make real, positive change in the way this country operates.

A native of the High Desert and a veteran of the United States Army, this is where I spent 18 years as a Police Officer with LAPD, and where my wife and I continue to raise our family. I know that the members of our community respect the sacrifices made by our soldiers, they want safe neighborhoods, and they demand a quality education for our children. These are the principles I grew up with and the ones I hold today.

As the recipient of a perfect score on the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association scorecard for the last two years, and a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I will stand up for the rights that we all value. We continue to see our lives, jobs, and rights threatened, this is not something that I am willing compromise.

District 26
Julia Brownley (D) Incumbent

http://juliabrownley.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Julia_Brownley.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY

Voted against (H.R. 2231), the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act, would allow for increased energy exploration and production on the Outer Continental Shelf and provide for equitable sharing of energy production revenue for all coastal states.

Voted against Keystone Pipeline

IMMIGRATION

Voted against Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 2217), Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) offered an amendment to “prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce” the Obama administration policies regarding illegal immigrants known as prosecutorial discretion, which “seek to implement an administrative amnesty policy.”

HEALTHCARE

I strongly believe that every American deserves access to affordable, high quality health care. The Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 made some much needed improvements to our health care system, such as eliminating the ability of insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and allowing children to stay on their parent’s insurance until age 26. But the law also has problems in areas such as reducing growth in future Medicare spending. While health insurance premiums soar, so do insurance company profits at the expense of hard working, middle class Americans. In Congress, I will continue to work to reduce the cost and improve the quality of health care, hold insurance companies accountable, and put individuals and their doctors back in control of their health care.

IMMIGRATION

Our country is a country of immigrants and there is no doubt that our immigration system is broken and needs a common sense approach to comprehensive reform. Immigration reform should reflect our values as a nation, which include consideration of the importance of families and communities, and does not unnecessarily damage our economic vitality and competiveness. I would advocate for the creation of an earned pathway to citizenship, coupled with increased border security measures and mechanisms to both hold employers who knowingly violate the law accountable and make sure that workers and businesses pay their fair share of taxes.

Jeff Gorell (R) Challenger

http://www.jeffgorell.org/

A Navy reservist and former county prosecutor, Gorell was deployed to Afghanistan just a few months after he took office in 2011. He won reelection despite his district being redrawn in a way that increased its Democratic registration. Gorrell, the chairman of his party’s outreach efforts, also worked in the administration of former Gov. Pete Wilson.

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/11/republican-jeff-gorell-taking-on-freshman-rep-julia-brownley.html#storylink=cpy

District 27
Judy Chu (D) Incumbent

http://chu.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Judy_Chu.htm **

Rated +4 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://chu.house.gov/issues

HEALTHCARE

Judy Chu is proud to have cast her vote in favor of the historic Affordable Care Act, the most sweeping reform to our nation’s health care system since the passage of Medicare in the 1960s.

The Congresswoman believes strongly that every American deserves access to affordable, quality health care. That is why she voted for health care reform. And now, because of this revolutionary law, Americans will have access to free preventive care services. Insurance companies will have to justify to the public why they are raising their rates. And no American will ever be denied coverage by their insurance company due to pre-existing conditions, a terribly unjust policy that could have affected up to 1.1 million children in California alone.

IMMIGRATION

Pathway to Earned Citizenship if residents complete background checks, pay taxes and learn English.
Ensure visa numbers align with labor market demands.
Increase penalties for companies who violate labor laws against immigrant workers.
Reduce the backlog for family-based visas to keep families together.
Provide temporary legal status and a path to citizenship for undocumented students who have grown up in the U.S. through the DREAM Act.

ENERGY

Voted against Keystone Pipeline

Protecting the San Gabriel Valley’s Natural Resources
Defending Clean Air and Water, and Public Lands
Supporting Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Creating Green Jobs
Opposing Reckless Exploitation of Our Natural Resources

Jack Orswell (R) Challenger

Private Investigator, Ex-FBI Agent and 2012 Candidate

http://jackorswell.com/

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://jackorswell.com/healthcare/

NATIONAL DEFENSE

I will be an advocate to maintain a strong national defense, to protect our country from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. This means we must maintain a superior military force, not only providing them with the training and equipment they need, but taking care of their families while they are gone. And when these brave warriors come home after serving their country, we are obligated to take care of them and their injuries, both physical and mental, for the rest of their lives. They answered the call to duty, and it is our duty as Americans to take care of our veterans.

I will also insure that the first responders in our communities, our law enforcement officers, firefighters and medical personnel, are provided with the training and equipment they need to detect, prevent and if necessary, respond to acts of domestic terrorism.

HEALTHCARE

We need is patient-based health care, not an intrusive national health program that is subsidized with taxpayer dollars. We need tort reform to eliminate malicious and frivolous lawsuits. We need to remove the restrictions that prevent insurance companies throughout the United States from competing in California. With a larger supply of available health insurance companies, we will all have the ability to choose the right health insurance and healthcare program for our families at an affordable price. We need a competitive health insurance market that is open and available to all Americans. Competition, not government, will lower costs and improve the quality and availability of healthcare services. To make healthcare that is truly affordable for all Americans, it will take leadership, not politics.

ENERGY

http://jackorswell.com/energy/

Until we are able to reach energy independence, we must meet our immediate and growing energy needs using a balanced approach, utilizing all available resources including oil, coal, natural gas, geo-thermal, nuclear power, wind, solar, biomass and hydrogen. With a National Energy Policy, we can develop mandates for each of these resources with the goal of energy independence and a sufficient supply of clean and affordable energy.

IMMIGRATION

http://jackorswell.com/immigration/

The biggest aspect of illegal immigration which Congress has failed to address is what to do with the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living inside the United States. As residents of southern California, we all have suffered the negative impacts that illegal immigration has made on our lives. We pay more for health insurance and automobile insurance, because we need to share the cost of the uninsured. Our crowded school classrooms, hospital emergency rooms, jails and prisons are a reflection of many years of a failed immigration policy.

If elected, I will form a coalition consisting of the members of Congress from California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. These four states alone represent more than 20% of the American population and certainly bear a greater share of illegal immigrants. The group will identify the circumstances under which an illegal immigrant will be issued a temporary permit to stay inside the United States, while he or she gets in line and applies for permanent legal status. The temporary permit may involve paying a fine or providing community service. Those who do not meet the required circumstances or fail to register after a certain time period will be subject to arrest and deportation.

District 28
Adam Schiff (D) Incumbent

http://schiff.house.gov/#pushedid_689

http://www.schiff4congress.com/main/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Adam_Schiff.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

ENERGY

http://schiff.house.gov/energy/

The American Clean Energy and Security Act was a ground-breaking effort to provide energy independence and fight global warming while keeping energy prices low. Unfortunately, it did not pass the Senate in the 111th Congress. Schiff continues to fight to keep the renewable energy industry growing in America, and particularly in California, by supporting tax credits and loan guarantees for renewable energy research and development at the Department of Energy that will provide new avenues to affordable and homegrown green energy. He has also opposed efforts to strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its authority to regulate air pollution, which would harm countless families across the country, and particularly those in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles that suffer from the terrible effects of air pollution.

Opposed to Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

HEALTHCARE

http://schiff.house.gov/health-care1/

After over a year of debate, the President signed the historic health care reform package into law on March 23, 2010. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers affordable health care to 95 percent of all Americans, including the millions of Americans who lack health insurance today. Rep. Schiff voted in favor of the legislation to reform the American health care system as the changes will substantially improve health insurance industry practices, extend quality coverage to millions of Americans, and hold down national, public, and private health care costs. The ACA will provide stable coverage that cannot be taken away, even when Americans change jobs, and will provide bolstered and additional insurance choices in an invigorated and competitive marketplace.

Steve Stokes (I) Challenger
http://www.stokes4congress.com/issues

District 29
Tony Cardenas (D) Incumbent

http://cardenas.house.gov/

http://www.congressmantonycardenas.com/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Tony_Cardenas.htm**

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

http://cardenas.house.gov/issues

1. Create Middle Class Jobs in the San Fernando Valley
2. Help Pass a Responsible Budget That Protects the American Dream
3. Reform Outdated Juvenile Justice System and Reduce Crime
4. Pass Fair, Balanced, Comprehensive Immigration Reform
5. Effectively Implement the Affordable Care Act, to Ensure Access to Healthcare

Will Leader (R) Challenger
http://www.leader4congress.com/issues

District 30
Brad Sherman (D) Incumbent

http://bradsherman.house.gov/

http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Brad_Sherman.htm **

HOT BUTTON ISSUES

HEALTHCARE

Top Republican leaders are proposing privatizing Social Security and Medicare, cutting benefits, and raising the retirement age to 70. Brad Sherman strongly opposes all efforts to replace Social Security with private accounts that will place retirees at the mercy of the Wall Street. Brad Sherman will fight to stop proposals to replace Medicare with a “voucher” system that would eliminate Medicare’s guaranteed health benefits. Congressman Sherman’s voting record is rated at 100% by AARP – See more at: http://bradsherman.com/issues/#sthash.lc83kyqs.dpuf

ENVIRONMENT

Opposed to Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments.

Brad Sherman has been a strong environmental leader, providing critical support for the protection and expansion of park lands in the Santa Monica Mountains. He has worked to improve the Sepulveda Basin recreation area, and to build more local playgrounds, sports fields and bike lanes. Congressman Sherman’s voting record is rated at 100% by the Sierra Club. – See more at: http://bradsherman.com/issues/#sthash.lc83kyqs.dpuf

FOREIGN POLICY- IRAN

http://bradsherman.house.gov/2013/11/an-unwarranted-and-unreported-concession-to-iran.shtml

“Temporary” Agreement Allows Repair of Iran’s So-Called “Civilian” Aircraft

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) released the following statement concerning aspects of the sanctions relief contained in the Geneva agreement between the P5+1 group of countries and Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

“The preliminary agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear program includes sanctions relief for Iran’s state airline, Iran Air, allowing the repair of its aging fleet of jets. This unwarranted concession goes unmentioned in most descriptions of the Agreement.
Mark Reed (R) Challenger

http://www.markreedforcongress.com/

I am running as a Republican for Congress in the Statewide Direct Primary Election on June 3rd, 2014 in California’s 30th District.

In 2008 the American people voted for change. After five years in office, Barack Obama has increased the debt to over 17 trillion dollars, increased welfare spending by 60% and 43 million people are now collecting food stamps. Over nine million jobs have vanished, millions have given up looking for work and the unemployment rate remains stubbornly high. Economic growth is stuck in the 2%-3% range. World respect for the United States is at an all-time low. Our Mid-East policy is in complete disarray and for the first time since 1947 Israel’s existence is truly in danger. Radical Islam, Russia, Iran and China are on the march. And the recent ObamaCare rollout has been an ongoing disaster with millions losing their healthcare insurance.
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ECONOMY

I’m a free enterprise advocate. I will push for legislation that will lower taxes and stimulate and encourage economic growth. I firmly believe that raising taxes stifles growth, weakens the economy, and will put more people out of work. Our economy works best when the government gets out of the way, businesses have money to invest and add jobs, and when individuals have more of their income to spend. My pledge to you is to fight bigger government, higher taxes and wasteful spending.

HEALTHCARE

I believe we urgently need health care reform and everyone should have access to quality healthcare. However, I’m opposed to the recent health care bill that was recently signed into law. I agree with many of the anticipated results of the legislation. But can we afford them as currently written? This law will raise taxes, increase government spending and lower the quality of care, especially for elders on Medicare. I support policies that will strengthen the existing private market system, drive down cost and make it easier for people to purchase affordable insurance.
IMMIGRATION

Our strength as a nation has been built on the immigrant experience in America. I welcome legal immigration to this country. However, we are a nation of laws. As such, government should not adopt policies that encourage illegal immigration, a violation of our laws. Providing driver’s licenses, citizenship to babies of illegal immigrants, sanctuary cities and in-state tuition to illegal immigrant families will continue to act as a magnet in drawing more people here in violation of the law and will impose unfair cost on taxpayers. I oppose amnesty, and believe we should strengthen our border enforcement and institute an employment verification system with stiffer penalties for companies that continue to hire illegal immigrants.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

I support common-sense environment policy that will help reduce pollution and preserve our precious open spaces. If we do not act now, future generations will have to clean up the mess we are creating. In order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we need to abolish the Department of Energy, and drill in this country where we can. We need to support reasonable and appropriate development of alternative energy sources such as: wind, solar, nuclear, geothermal and improve hydroelectric facilities. I oppose a national cap and trade program because of the higher cost that families and businesses would incur. It will also drive more companies out of this country, leaving more Americans unemployed.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Iran

I support the bi-partisan Iran’s sanctions bill and believe that until Ahmadinejad gives up his nuclear ambitions he should be isolated from the rest of the world. With his continued reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons, Iran represents the biggest threat to Israel, the Middle East and World peace. Ahmadinejad has denied the Holocaust and has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. Continuing to negotiate with him only raises his legitimacy in the world when he only deserves to be recognized as an outcast by the world. I strongly support any action that Israel chooses to take to protect herself.

Israel

I believe that America should always continue to support previous administrations policy towards Israel to assure consistency in our friendship. Israel has made enormous sacrifices in an attempt to secure peace – including unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East. She continues to live everyday under the threat of terror, yet she shares with America a dedication to democratic ideals, a respect for faith, and a commitment to peace in the region. Until a lasting peace is achieved, I support the security barrier erected by Israel, which has been proven successful in protecting Israeli civilians from terrorist attacks.

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/california-part-i-of-iii-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand
California (Part I of III): 2014 Candidates for Congress – Where They Stand by RUTH KING, 2014 CANDIDATES FOR CONGRESS

________________________________________
To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).
UNITED STATES SENATE

Dianne Feinstein (D) – Next Election 2018
Barbara Boxer (D) – Next election 2016
UNITED STATES CONGRESS

District 1

Doug LaMalfa (R) Incumbent
http://lamalfa.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Doug_LaMalfa.htm **
http://lamalfa.house.gov/issues/foreign-affairs

HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
Expand exploration of natural gas, oil, and coal by removing restrictions and opening new land.
Promote clean coal-to-liquid and remove outdated regulations restricting access to our vast oil shale reserves, which contain enough energy to power the nation for decades, if not longer.
Use new domestic production to reduce foreign imports (often from those unfriendly to America) and reduce the price at the pump. The Keystone pipeline should be a significant piece of our energy supply system.
HEALTHCARE
January 14, 2014: “The latest report released by the administration, which fails to disclose the number of individuals included who have actually enrolled in a plan, is especially upsetting when you take into account the 4.7 million Americans who lost coverage [1]. This means that over 2.5 million more Americans are left uninsured today due to Obamacare and its mandates. Even more alarming, the dismal numbers of healthy, young adults included in the report put the law on track to what the Kaiser Family Foundation described as the “worst-case scenario,” rate increases that result in fewer options for Americans to get coverage at an affordable rate. Already Washington Insiders are looking for a bailout of insurance companies with taxpayer money,” stated Representative LaMalfa. “Americans deserve access to affordable, quality health care that addresses their needs, not a law full of failed and broken promises. Today’s numbers make it even clearer that this law must at a minimum be delayed and taxpayer bailouts must be off the table.”
IMMIGRATION
http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140109/ARTICLE/140109863/1314 Red Bluff, Calif. – A conservative California congressman says he has made a “pivot” with regard to immigration reform and now believes it should be done soon.
Said he strongly disagreed with a California Supreme Court ruling allowing an illegal immigrant to practice law in the state. An immigrant from Mexico, Sergio Garcia has been living in the country for nearly two decades, according to CNN.
FOREIGN POLICY
http://lamalfa.house.gov/issues/foreign-affairs The Middle East is in a state of constant chaos and turmoil. Governments are falling and Iran’s dangerous pursuit of nuclear weapons is re-shaping the political landscape. American national security interests are at risk and our nation’s trusted ally, Israel, continues to be the target of hostile neighbors.
The United States must make it clear that a nuclear Iran is not an option. I fully support aggressive diplomacy and crippling sanctions in dealing with this dangerous regime that continues to make belligerent threats against Israel.
Israel is more than just the only stable democracy in the region, a nation that shares our values, and a source of critical intelligence. Israel is one of our closest allies and I will never waver in my commitment to providing them with American support and funding to protect their people and continue to be a beacon of peace and liberty in the most dangerous part of the world.
Heidi Hall (D) Challenger
http://heidihallforcongress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
IMMIGRATION
A Path to Citizenship in Congress, Heidi will work to enact a comprehensive program of immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship. Millions of undocumented residents have built lives, raised families, and fully integrated themselves into our society. But we have erected more barriers to block them from achieving the dream of citizenship than at any time in over a century. We need to allow these Americans-to-be to come forward, begin a fair process that will lead to eventual citizenship, and take the last steps to becoming full members of the American family.
The DREAM Act Heidi fully supports the DREAM Act, because she doesn’t believe that we should punish the child for the sins of the parent. The students seeking to attend college under the DREAM Act are ones who know no other home besides the United States. They pledge allegiance to our flag, play in our neighborhoods, speak English, and want to stay in the country that they think of as home. These young Americans-American in every regard except citizenship-deserve the chance at a quality education. – See more at: http://heidihallforcongress.com/issues/immigration/#sthash.gSMAWvGq.dpuf
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
Climate Change The greatest threat to our national security, public health and long-term economic growth is climate change. Our country has to take immediate steps to reduce its impact on our lives and land. In Congress, Heidi will support market-based solutions to reduce greenhouse emissions, tax benefits for companies that work to limit their emissions, and investing in a clean energy infrastructure, including new funding for alternative fuels and renewable power generation. – See more at: http://heidihallforcongress.com/issues/conservation/#sthash.btsQi2HT.dpuf
HEALTHCARE
Obamacare There is a large difference between doing something and doing the right thing. Obamacare works towards a goal that Heidi supports, but there are aspects of it that were very troubling. For example, the bill included a tax on medical devices that puts a new burden on the elderly and disabled. Heidi will proudly join the bipartisan effort to repeal that tax, and continue looking for ways to make the law work better for American families. – See more at:http://heidihallforcongress.com/issues/health-care/#sthash.qtPngiDM.dpuf

District 2
Jared Huffman (D) Incumbent
http://huffman.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Jared_Huffman.htm **
http://www.jaredhuffman.com/
http://huffman.house.gov/issues
HOT BUTTON ISSUE
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
Huffman: Climate Change Threatens Future Winter Olympics, Winter Sports Industry
Feb 11, 2014 Press Release – WASHINGTON¬-Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) spoke on the House floor today and noted that climate change threatens the future of the winter Olympics and the United States’ $66 billion winter sports industry.
Huffman Presents Sustainability Certificate to Mendocino Solar Service
Jan 23, 2014 Press Release – Fort Bragg, CA-Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) today presented Bruce Erickson and Maggie Watson, owners of Mendocino Solar Service, with his Sustainable North Coast Certificate in recognition of their ongoing commitment to reduce carbon emissions, increase renewable power, and fight climate change.

Dale Mensing (R) Challenger
http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/145981/dale-mensing#.UtxNarROmUk

District 3
John Garamendi (D) Incumbent
Garamendi was President Bill Clinton’s Deputy Interior Secretary. He is a conservationist and outdoorsman who supports preserving public lands, and works closely with hunters and fishermen.
http://garamendi.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/John_Garamendi.htm **
Rated +2 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUE
HEALTHCARE
http://garamendi.house.gov/issue/health-care Only two days after I was sworn into Congress, I was proud to vote for a comprehensive health care reform bill that would eventually become the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
http://garamendi.house.gov/issue/Foreign Policy/related-news
Dan Logue (R) Challenger
State Assemblyman & Ex-Yuba County Supervisor
http://www.danlogue.com/
http://www.danlogue.com/issues
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
Repeal and Replace Obamacare. Obamacare is a bureaucratic nightmare that will slow job creation, weaken Medicare, damage the doctor/patient relationship and cost middle class taxpayers way too much.
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
Make the U.S. Energy Independent. Make America energy independent – not reliant on countries that harbor terrorists to fuel our cars and our economy. Economic independence can only be realized through energy independence.
Reduce the Regulatory Burden. Strengthen our economy by reducing the regulatory burden that costs American employers around $1.75 trillion annually.

District 4
Tom McClintlock (R) Incumbent
http://mcclintock.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/Tom_McClintock.htm **
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
http://mcclintock.house.gov/issues/issues.shtml House Chamber – December 11, 2013: A great tragedy is now unfolding across America as we prepare for the New Year. Millions of Americans are losing their health plans; millions more are facing staggering price increases; millions more are having hours cut or seeing their salaries pared back at work because of Obamacare.
The New Year of Obamacare House Chamber Washington, D.C. December 11, 2013 Mr. Speaker: A great tragedy is now unfolding across America as we prepare …more.
The Toll of Obamacare The Toll of Obamacare November 19, 2013 Mr. Speaker: We are now seven weeks into the implementation of Obamacare. We know in the …more.
Obamacare and The Rule of Law Obamacare and The Rule of Law November 15, 2013 Mr. Speaker: Yesterday, we heard yet another empty promise from the President: that by …more.
ECONOMY/JOBS/ENVIRONMENT
Keystone Pipeline (H.R. 3) – May 21, 2013 9:30 AM
The House passed H.R. 3 on May 22, 2013 to approve the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Keystone XL pipeline. Congressman McClintock voted AYE, and spoke in support of the bill on the House floor:
Mr. Speaker: Since the Arab Oil Embargoes of the 1970’s that ravaged the American economy and produced mile-long lines around gas stations, an avowed goal of our nation has been to reduce our reliance on Middle East oil. In addition to the thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity, the Keystone pipeline will bring up to 830,000 barrels of Canadian crude oil A DAY into the American market – about HALF of what we currently import from the Middle East.
That bears repeating: the Keystone pipeline could cut our reliance on Middle East oil by half. The left makes much of the fact that markets are international and some of this oil may enter that market. Possibly. But it is far more likely that it will push Middle East oil out of the American market. And it comes to this: in the next international crisis, would you rather rely on Canada or Iraq for our petroleum needs?

Art Moore (R) Challenger
Will go as challenger to the general election.
http://www.artmooreforcongress.com/
After high school he attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a field of study in Environmental Engineering. Commissioned as an infantry officer, Art has a combined fourteen years of Active Duty and National Guard service, including thirty months deployed overseas. Art is currently a Major in the Army National Guard.

District 5
Mike Thompson (D) Incumbent
http://mikethompson.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Mike_Thompson.htm **
http://mikethompson.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=43394
Rated +2 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
Strong support for the Affordable Care Act
IMMIGRATION
We’re a nation of laws. And it’s important that we enforce those laws. Immigration reform must strengthen our borders and be fair to U.S. taxpayers.

Reforms should allow immigrants to earn the right to join us as fully participating taxpayers. We should establish a streamlined program for temporary workers, and address unauthorized immigrants who are currently in our country by creating an earned path to citizenship that requires steps like passing a background check, paying a reasonable fine and back taxes, and going to the back of the line behind those who are playing by the rules while continuing to live and work in the U.S.
DEFENSE
I support bringing our troops home from Afghanistan as quickly and safely as possible and changing our policy to a counterterrorism strategy that focuses on the threat posed by al Qaeda and its affiliates around the world, including here in the United States. Last Congress, I cosponsored a bill which would require the president to submit a plan to Congress for the safe, orderly, and expeditious redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan.
Iran continues to ignore the international community on the issue of nuclear proliferation and has pledged to build new nuclear facilities, which may indicate the desire to enrich uranium for potential weapons development.
In an effort to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions and strengthen security in the region, I have supported several efforts to enforce international sanctions against the Iranian government. Specifically, in the 112th Congress, I cosponsored and voted in favor of H.R. 1905, The Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act, which strengthened sanctions against Iran to prevent them from further developing any nuclear weapons programs. In the 113th Congress, I also coauthored H.R. 850, the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act, which will place the most restrictive sanctions on Iran to date, targeting individuals and companies that do business with Iranian financial institutions.
James Hinton (I) Challenger
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hinton-2014/1459810540901970

District 6
Doris Matsui (D) Incumbent
https://matsui.house.gov/#dialog
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Doris_Matsui.htm **
Rated +2 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY
https://matsui.house.gov/clean-energy/ Clean energy is a growing industry with both promise and potential. As a Congresswoman Matsui celebrates Sacramento’s clean tech industry at SARTA’s 2013 Tech Edge luncheon member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and vice chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), I have made it a top priority to bring clean energy technology to Sacramento and transform our district into a global leader
HEALTHCARE
https://matsui.house.gov/health-care1/ At its core, the Affordable Care Act is about securing affordable, quality and accessible health care for all Americans. While many of the key provisions of the Affordable Care Act have already taken effect, many more will be implemented as we head into 2014. I wanted to update you on what this will mean for Sacramento residents, and provide helpful resources to get you the answers you need as we continue in this much-needed transition to a more accessible and affordable health system.
Joseph McCray, SR. (R) Challenger
Retired Army Officer
Owner, JM & SONS Landscaping Company
President, McCray’s Family Foundation
Served, United States Army
http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/138266/joseph-mccray-sr#.UtxaP7ROmUk

District 7

Ami Bera, M.D. (D) Incumbent
http://www.beraforcongress.com/about Clinical Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Admissions and Outreach at UC Davis, where he taught the next generation of doctors to care for patients. He helped the student-run clinics find innovative ways to engage with the community and deliver care to those who needed it the most.
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Ami_Bera.htm **
http://www.beraforcongress.com/ideas/national-security
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY
Energy Independence: Central to national security and economic prosperity. High oil prices help fund al Qaeda and aid brutal regimes like Iran. By relying on foreign oil, we fund the same extremists our military is fighting. We do not have enough oil in the United States to drill our way out of our dependence on foreign oil. Transitioning to renewable energy will both create jobs and enhance our national security, and I will ensure that Sacramento County is a leader in this essential industry. If you’d like to learn more about this critical issue, please take a moment to read my Energy Plan, available here.
TERRORISM AND NATIONAL SECURITY
Terrorism: Secure America and destroy terrorist organizations. America leads the world in dismantling terrorist cells and training facilities, and stopping terrorism before it starts. Multilateral cooperation with our allies is a vital tool in disabling global terror infrastructure and financing networks. We will use the full force of our military and intelligence capabilities to defeat the terrorist threat.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation: The single greatest security threat to the United States is nuclear terrorism. The United States needs to use its intelligence and military capabilities to make sure al Qaeda does not get its hands on nuclear weapons. Our country must support efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons and technology to ensure that “loose nukes” don’t fall into the wrong hands. In the long run, American security is best served in a world free of nuclear weapons, a bipartisan goal supported by both Presidents Reagan and Obama. In the meantime, as long as nuclear weapons remain a reality, the United States will maintain a powerful nuclear deterrent to protect our allies and to discourage other countries from starting a nuclear arms race. While we need to keep all options on the table, the best strategy to deter and contain these threats is a full-scale diplomatic offensive, led by our President, and working in conjunction with our partners around the world.

Doug Ose (R) Challenger
http://www.dougose.com/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Doug_Ose.htm**

Doug Ose served in Congress before stepping down to honor a pledge to serve three consecutive terms? – See more at: http://www.dougose.com/issues#sthash.U0WXLUQ4.dpuf
Ex congressman Former Republican Rep. Doug Ose announced that he is entering the race for a Northern California congressional seat currently held by Democrat Ami Bera of Elk Grove.

District 8
Paul Cook (R) Incumbent
http://cook.house.gov/contact
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Paul_Cook.htm **
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY
http://cook.house.gov/issues/energy
Rep. Paul Cook Applauds Passage of Keystone XL Pipeline Legislation WASHINGTON – Rep. Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) issued the following statement in response to the House’s vote today to begin construction of the Keystone XL pipeline:
HEALTHCARE
Rep. Paul Cook Votes For Keep Your Health Care Act – Nov 15, 2013 – Washington – Rep. Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) today voted for H.R. 3550, the Keep Your Health Care Act of 2013. The act, which passed by a vote of 261-157, allows providers to continue to offer health insurance plans next year that were in effect in the individual market as of January 1, 2013.
Supports repeal of Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

Robert Conaway (D) Challenger
http://www.robertdconaway.com/

District 9
Jerry McNerney (D) Incumbent
http://mcnerney.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Jerry_McNerney.htm **
Rated -1 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY
Opposed to Keystone XL Pipeline
HEALTHCARE
Strong support for Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
Tony Amador (R) Challenger
Ex-US Marshall, Ex-Police Officer & ’10 Candidate
http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_15041321 Like his three GOP primary challengers, Amador touts his conservative credentials – most notably, his endorsement from longtime friend and conservative Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Granite Bay. His law enforcement background is an undeniable advantage in a GOP primary typically dominated by the party’s most conservative voters. Lags in fundraising.

District 10
Jeff Denham (R) Incumbent
http://denham.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Jeff_Denham.htm **
http://denham.house.gov/issues
Rated -2 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY
http://denham.house.gov/issue/energy I have voted for legislation to remove bureaucratic red tape and promote the development of alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, nuclear, geothermal and biomass, along with clean coal and American-made oil and natural gas. Additionally, I have voted several times to remove roadblocks to allow for the approval and construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline energy project.
The 104 nuclear reactors in America today provide the U.S. with 20% of its electricity and 73% of its carbon-free electricity, yet no new reactors have been ordered since 1978. I support expanding the use of this clean, reliable energy source and building new nuclear reactors.
IMMIGRATION
http://denham.house.gov/issue/immigration I co-sponsored The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (H.R. 15) on October 27, 2013. The bill includes a 13-year path to earned citizenship and the ENLIST Act, a bill I introduced to allow otherwise qualified undocumented immigrants to earn citizenship through service in our armed forces. H.R. 15 also includes the text of the House border security bill sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), which passed the Committee on Homeland Security with bipartisan, unanimous support. The new border plan in this House bill makes securing the border a requirement, not a goal. It tasks the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with creating a border security plan that must be at least 90 percent effective at apprehending those crossing the border illegally.

Michael Eggeman (D) Challenger
http://www.eggmanforcongress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
http://www.eggmanforcongress.com/issues
IMMIGRATION
http://www.eggmanforcongress.com/issues/detail/2013-11-immigration I support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for otherwise law-abiding residents, ensures that farmers and agri-business have the access to labor they need, increases Visas for highly-skilled workers to give American business access to skilled labor here at home, penalizes businesses and contractors that knowingly hire undocumented workers and better secures our border to eliminate illegal trafficking and keep dangerous criminals out of our country.
ENERGY
http://www.eggmanforcongress.com/issues/detail/energy I favor tax credits for renewable energy to keep America competitive with the rest of the world. Right here in the Central Valley, we can create jobs building wind and solar farms and exploring innovative new ways to power our homes and businesses.
We can further develop smart public policy that enhances conservation while increasing agricultural production. I support the EQIP program that helps farmers retrofit their current equipment and purchase new, energy efficient technology to keep our air clean and support local agriculture at the same time. I also support increasing the current research and development grants for “no-till” farming, which creates economic incentives to farmers who experiment with policies that reduce the depletion of soil resources – making the United States a world leader in moving farming in a smarter, more sustainable direction.

District 11
George Miller (D) Retiring in 2014
http://georgemiller.house.gov/
Mark De Saulnier (D) Challenger
Senator Mark DeSauliner represents the 7th State Senate District which in includes 70% of the 11th Congressional district. DeSaulnier has served at the local level on the Concord City Council, as Mayor of Concord and as a three term Contra Costa County Supervisor.
http://www.markdesaulnier.com/
Tue Phan (R) Challenger
Retired Judge, Attorney
http://judgephan.com/ Serving on the bench for 26 years, priding myself on the conscientious application of the individual cases however could not satisfy my aspiration to affect a greater good for society. So I decided to retire as an Immigration Judge to give voice to my constituents as their congressman.
39 years ago, I came to America with my family as refugees and 45 cents. Before April 1975, I practiced law in Saigon. In early May, I washed dishes, taught French in D.C , I repaired shoes and worked as a machinist, a corn husker, a telephone debt collector and a Yellow Pages deliverer.
In all my years aspiring to the can-do spirit and the higher tenets of Americanism, I’ve witnessed the 2-party system tearing each other apart, taking pride in gridlocks and filibusters where partisan politics is considered a badge of honor, trumping over the common good for the nation.
As a congressman, I will strive to improve our economy, restore fiscal discipline, secure Social Security and Medicare, reduce health care cost, simplify health care regulations, and lower crime. One of our greatest priority is to improve our public schools for the future of our children. It is imperative that we enhance our borders and address the immigration issue with a comprehensive long-term plan.

District 12
Nancy Pelosi (D) Incumbent
http://www.democraticleader.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/ca/nancy_pelosi.htm **
http://www.democraticleader.gov/issues
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY
House Democrats want to move America in a new direction for energy independence–working for consumers to lower gas prices, making America more secure, and launching a cleaner, smarter, more cost-effective energy future that creates hundreds of thousands of green jobs and reduces global warming. Opposes Keystone Pipeline.
HEALTHCARE
http://www.democraticleader.gov/issues/health-care-0 Major supporter of the Affordable Care Act
IMMIGRATION
http://www.democraticleader.gov/issues/immigration On December 8th, the House passed the DREAM Act by a vote of 216-198. The version the House passed is an updated version of the DREAM Act (HR 5281) that was introduced back in March 2009 (HR 1751). The DREAM Act is common-sense legislation to give students who grew up in the United States a chance to contribute to our country’s well-being by serving in the U.S. Armed Forces or pursuing a higher education. It is limited, targeted legislation that will allow only the best and brightest young people to earn their legal status after a rigorous and lengthy process, and applies only to young people who have lived here for at least five years before the date of enactment, and who were brought to the U.S. by their parents as minors, through no fault of their own. The DREAM Act is the right thing to do–both economically for our country and morally: this is for young people who mostly know no other home.

John Dennis(R) Challenger
Ron Paul Campaign Activist and 2010/2012 Nominee
http://www.johndennisforcongress.com/ 2012
• End the War in Afghanistan
• End foreign aid
• Close all foreign military bases. Earmark proceeds from asset sales on foreign soil for federal debt repayment
• End embargos and trade sanctions against all countries
• Develop new, real free trade agreements

District 13
Barbara Lee (D) Incumbent
http://lee.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Barbara_Lee.htm **
Rated +7 by AAI, indicating pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ELIMINATE POVERTY
IMMIGRATION
The overwhelming majority of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country are active contributors to our communities, and as a nation of immigrants, we need to respect these contributions. For example, Dream Act-eligible young people, who were brought here by no fault of their own, are everyday examples of the American Dream, and Congresswoman Lee believes it is long past time to fully incorporate them into our society.
Congresswoman strongly supports the Diversity Visa Program, which awards about half of its 50,000 annual visas to continental African immigrants, and is the vehicle for African lawyers, teachers, and other professionals to become legal permanent residents.
GLOBAL PEACE AND SECURITY
HEALTHCARE – Strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

Dakeen Sundeen (R) Challenger
http://dakin4congress.com/

District 14
Jackie Speier (D) Incumbent
http://speier.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/CA/Jackie_Speier.htm **
Rated +1 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE
Voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Strong support
WOMEN’S ISSUES http://speier.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=389&Itemid=72
ENERGY
http://speier.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=391&Itemid=40 Oil Drilling: Our State heritage, billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of Californian jobs rely on a beautiful and unspoiled Pacific environment, which is why Speier has repeatedly sponsored legislation to prohibit oil drilling off the coast of California.
Fighting Global Warming: Congresswoman Speier understands that the science on global warming is clearer and more urgent than ever. The impacts of global warming are being felt around the world in the here and now, with record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather approaching a fever pitch across the United States.
Robin Chew (R) Challenger
http://robinchew.nationbuilder.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
http://robinchew.nationbuilder.com/positions
REGULATIONS
Regulation is an appropriate role of government, but more and more, administrative agencies are supplanting Congress’ legislative role with aggressive, burdensome regulations that stifle economic growth. Congress needs to review these burdensome regulations with the goal of simplifying, streamlining and when necessary, eliminating them. Moreover, I support a proposal to ensure that all new regulations must undergo a cost/benefit analysis.
IMMIGRATION
Specifically, I support a guest worker program that recognizes the reality of the labor requirements of American agriculture. I also support fines for any employer that knowingly hires foreign nationals located in the United States illegally. People come to the United States for economic opportunities. Remove the opportunities and you will immediately reduce the number of foreign nationals attempting to enter the country illegally.

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/

The reemergence of Cosmos could not have come at a better time, not because it has something to teach us about science, but because are living in Sagan’s world where real science is harder than ever to come by.

Carl Sagan was the country’s leading practitioner of the mythologization of science, transforming a
process into a philosophy, substituting political agendas for inquiry and arrogance for research. Sagan was often wrong, but it didn’t matter because his errors were scientific, rather than ideological or theological. He could be wrong as many times as he wanted, as long as he wasn’t wrong politically..

Science has been thoroughly Saganized. The vast majority of research papers are wrong, their results cannot be replicated. The researchers writing them often don’t even understand what they’re doing wrong and don’t care. Research is increasingly indistinguishable from politics. Studies are framed in ways that prove a political premise, whether it’s that the world will end without a carbon tax or that racism causes obesity. If they prove the premise, the research is useful to the progressive non-profits and politicians who always claim to have science in their corner. If it doesn’t, then it isn’t funded.

“Science” has been reduced to an absolute form of authority that is always correct. The Saganists envision science as a battle between superstition and truth, but what distinguished science from superstition was the ability to throw out wrong conclusions based on testing. Without the scientific method, science is just another philosophy where anything can be proven if you manipulate the terminology so that the target is drawn around the arrow. Add statistical games and nothing means anything.

This form of science measures itself not against the universe, but against the intellectual bubble inhabited by those who share the same worldview or those who live under their control. It’s not a bold exploration of the cosmos, but a timid repetition of cliches. The debates are as microscopic as this miniature pocket universe. Discoveries are accidental and often misinterpreted to fit within dogma. Progress is not defined not by the transcendence of what is known, but by its blinkered reaffirmation.

This isn’t science or even scientism because it has little basis in the scientific method. Like all progressive authority, it now derives its credentials from membership in an expert class and advocacy on behalf of a victim class. Global Warming research covers both quotas. On the one hand everyone ought to shut up and listen to the scientists, as long as their message conforms politically, and on the other hand everyone ought to shut up and listen to the victims of Global Warming. Connect the two and you have the basis of progressive authority.

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In what was described as a major ramping up of sanctions, Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Tuesday that the United States had frozen Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Netflix account, effective immediately.

“Unless and until Mr. Putin calls off the annexation of Crimea, no more ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Orange Is the New Black’ for him,” Mr. Kerry said. “The United States will not stand by and reward the annexation of another sovereign nation with a policy of streaming as usual.”

While all of the sanctions Mr. Kerry announced on Tuesday were Netflix-related, he warned Mr. Putin that “nothing is off the table.”

“I’m sure I don’t need to remind the Russian President that ‘Game of Thrones’ is about to come back for another season,” he said. “As I have

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In what was described as a major ramping up of sanctions, Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Tuesday that the United States had frozen Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Netflix account, effective immediately.

“Unless and until Mr. Putin calls off the annexation of Crimea, no more ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Orange Is the New Black’ for him,” Mr. Kerry said. “The United States will not stand by and reward the annexation of another sovereign nation with a policy of streaming as usual.”

While all of the sanctions Mr. Kerry announced on Tuesday were Netflix-related, he warned Mr. Putin that “nothing is off the table.”

“I’m sure I don’t need to remind the Russian President that ‘Game of Thrones’ is about to come back for another season,” he said. “As I have said, this thing could get very ugly, very fast.”

http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/pre-and-postmodern-poseurs/?print=1

Vladimir Putin thinks he has a winning formula to restore the global clout of the old Soviet Union. Contemporary Russia is a chaotic, shrinking, and petrodollar-fed kleptocracy. It certainly lacks the population, the vast resources, and territory of its former communist incarnation. For Putin, restoring a lot of the latter without necessarily the former failed communist state makes sense — especially if he can do it on the cheap with passive-aggressive diplomacy and not getting into a shooting war with the far more powerful U.S. If there is a downside for Putin annexing the Crimea in the short term, no one has yet to explain it.

To pull his aggression off, he has adopted most of the repertoire of the proverbial dictator. Threats of a preventative war are leveled, mostly to “protect” Russian-speaking minorities in former Soviet republics. Plebiscites follow, with the usual 90%-plus results. Thugs and goons are sent in to remind the population that the Russian army may follow.

Then Munich-like, compromise is offered to appease the “international community” — before the finale of carving out and annexing territory outright, with the trailer promise of having no more territorial demands in Europe. Putin has given speeches almost identical to Hitler’s 1938 Berlin address promising no more thefts in Europe and a new Germany without the shame of 1918.

Note the bullying nature of Putin. He prefers scanning westward to slice off parts of Georgia, Ukraine, and perhaps next the Baltic states rather than eastward to pick a border fight with, say, his neighbor China. He bets big-time that affluent and leisured Americans in the post-Iraq and -Afghanistan Age [1] fear tough diplomacy as much as they do war, and thus skip the former in fear it might lead to the latter.

Putin provides the necessary premodern optics to match his muscle flexing. He is our modern Mussolini [2], with the bare chest, the hunting and fishing poses, the judo posturing, and all sorts of various helmets perched in planes and tanks. Putin believes his people would rather feel proud about increased international swagger than have access to universal health care or Head Start — in the manner that a cow-horned, long-ship raider kept power by reminding his otherwise impoverished Vikings that, beside greater stashes of loot, more people feared and honored them than ever before.

Putin, as the entire administration keeps reminding us [3], is premodern. He should be, but is not, shamed when John Kerry, Joe Biden, Susan Rice, and Barack Obama variously proclaim that he is a 19th century dinosaur, or has lost the good will of the enlightened West. Again, we are told Putin worries about this; but I think he is about as concerned as were Norsemen like Eric Bloodaxe [4], who lost all the respect of the monks along the English coast that he so freely raided.

While Putin was making a premodern fool out of himself, blustering and bullying, and lying on the global stage, Barack Obama confirmed most of the Russian stereotypes that he was a postmodern metrosexual [5]. Putin gets up every morning to annoy Barack Obama, piqued not just that he is weak, but that he is sanctimonious and weak. Obama tries to ignore Putin, who grates on him like some Russian version of the folks who tailgate with their Winnebagos at a NASCAR race.

Putin lives to break Western rules. But Obama’s Western rules — deadlines, red lines, step-over lines [6], leading but from behind — are hard to either break or follow because they are not really rules as much as rhetorical constructs that come and go.

Farewell to a Fighter: Meir Har-Zion, Larger-than-Life Israeli Legend, Dies at 80

http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2014/03/23/farewell-to-a-fighter-meir-har-zion-larger-than-life-israeli-legend-dies-at-80/?print=1

Meir Har-Zion, an iconic Israeli military figure, died at 80 on March 14. He never pursued a political career and you probably haven’t heard of him. Indeed, his military exploits were mostly confined to a three-year period in the 1950s. Yet his fame in Israel never wore off, and a 2005 poll ranked him 15th out of the 200 greatest Israelis of all time.

Moshe Dayan—another iconic Israeli figure who was a chief of staff, defense minister, and foreign minister—called Har-Zion “the finest of our commando soldiers, the greatest Jewish warrior since Bar Kochba,” referring to the leader of the 2nd-century-CE revolt against Rome. It was Dayan who had Har-Zion appointed an officer even though he had never undergone officers’ training.

In eulogizing Har-Zion, current defense minister Moshe Yaalon called him “one of the greatest warriors in the history of the IDF—an audacious, distinctive commander whose influence in molding generations of fighters and units was pivotal.”

He was born Meir Horowitz in 1934 in the coastal town of Netanya, fourteen years before the prestate Jewish community declared its independence as the state of Israel. His parents divorced—rare in those days—and he moved with his father to a kibbutz in northern Israel.

THE PRIMARY IN ILLINOIS IS OVER AND THERE WAS NO CHALLENGE TO SENATOR DURBIN WHO IS A STANDARD ISSUE GENERIC LIBERAL SHILL FOR OBAMA POLICIES. IN NOVEMBER HE IS BEING CHALLENGED BY REPUBLICAN JIM OBERWEIS. SEE ALL THE DETAILS OF THE ILLINOIS ELECTIONS AT FAMILY SECURITY MATTERS SERIES.

DURBIN RANKS A + 5 ON THE ARAB AMERICAN INSTITUTE’S SCORECARD FOR LEGISLATORS INDICATING A VERY PRO-ARAB VOTING RECORD. HE RECENTLY GRATIFIED HIS SUPPORTERS BY ATTENDING A CAIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY GALA.
CAIR has been designated by the FBI and several in Congress as a supporter of U.S.-designated terrorist groups.
1dick_durbin“For more than 10 years, CAIR-Chicago has enhanced the understanding of Islam within our communities by facilitating dialogue, protecting civil liberties, empowering American Muslims, and building coalitions which promote justice and mutual understanding. I applaud your commitment to guaranteeing that our country’s ideals are fully respected and realized for all.”

– Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator, State of Illinois

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303802104579451693060396308?mod=Opinion_newsreel_8

Our understanding of the Constitution lost its way when we embraced the idea that rights are created by a benevolent state.

Over the past three decades, Richard A. Epstein has repeatedly argued—with analytical rigor and astonishing erudition—that governments govern best when they limit their actions to protecting liberty and property. He is perhaps best known for “Takings,” his 1995 book on the losses that regulations impose on property owners. Of late, he has exposed the flaws of a government-administered health system.

In “The Classical Liberal Constitution,” Mr. Epstein takes up the political logic of our fundamental law. The Constitution, he says, reflects above all John Locke’s insistence on protecting natural rights—rights that we possess simply by virtue of our humanity. Their protection takes concrete form in the Constitution by restricting the federal government to specific, freedom-advancing and property-protecting tasks, such as establishing a procedurally fair justice system, minting money as a stable repository of value, preserving a national trade zone among the states, and, not least, guarding the rights listed in the Bill of Rights.

Mr. Epstein believes that constitutional law lost its way when it began to embrace a Progressive vision, according to which rights are created by a supposedly benevolent state. Starting especially with the New Deal legislation of the 1930s, the federal government has passed laws that redistribute wealth, water-down procedural protections for property, and dictate the relations between employers and employees. The premise of such laws is that government should establish a pattern of social justice. By such logic, the government may declare rights that are in no way natural (like the right to an old-age pension) and remove others that are fundamental (like freedom of association).

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303775504579395231042008894?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop&mg=reno64-wsj#

A defining feature of President Obama’s second term is his willfulness in defying limits on executive power to suit his political goals, and no more so than with the Affordable Care Act. The judiciary is the last check on those abuses, and this week it will have another opportunity to vindicate the rule of law.

On Tuesday the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear one of the more important legal challenges to ObamaCare’s lawless implementation. Unlike the challenge to the individual insurance mandate, Halbig v. Sebelius involves no great questions of constitutional interpretation. The plaintiffs are merely asking the judges to tell the Administration to faithfully execute the plain language of the statute that Congress passed and President Obama signed.
The Affordable Care Act—at least the version that passed in 2010—instructed the states to establish insurance exchanges, and if they didn’t the Health and Human Services Department was authorized to build federal exchanges. The law says that subsidies will be available only to people who enroll “through an Exchange established by the State.” The question in Halbig is whether these taxpayer subsidies can be distributed through the federal exchanges, as the Administration insists.

London Center for Policy Research March 21. 2014 London Center for Policy Research Weekly Commentary Constitutional Disobedience? By: Herb London It is customary for members of the Academy to display anti-American sentiment in the form of multi-culturalism. Rarely, however, does the critique involve the Constitution itself. There is the belief that Supreme Court Justices may […]