Headline of the Day

Obama Likes First Amendment for Mosque, Why Not for Fox?

In light of President Barack Obama's recent attack on the Fox News Channel, the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto wonders: "why is the Ground Zero mosque the only case in which Obama has ever defended anyone's First Amendment rights without qualification?"

There are a number of possible answers, and at least some of them are reasonable and worthy of media attention. And indeed, a few journalists have noticed and raised objection to the White House's selective contempt for opinion media - Fox is "destructive," but MSNBC libtalkers Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann "provide an invaluable service."

Pics of the Day

Pelosi's negatives hit all-time high

I'm surprised a house hasn't fallen her by now.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's negative ratings have hit an all-time high in the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. A full 50 percent of those surveyed have a somewhat or very negative impression of Pelosi, while just 22 percent have a somewhat or very positive impression of her.

Pelosi's negative rating is precisely the same as oil giant BP, which has taken a public relations beating in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill. While 50 percent of those surveyed view BP negatively, just 12 percent view the company favorably -- a rating even lower than Pelosi's.

Consumer Confidence Down Again

More ominous news for Democrat chances in the midterms.

Consumer confidence in the economy remains "quite grim," with a monthly gauge falling to 48.5 in September, hitting the lowest level since February, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. "September's pull-back in confidence was due to less favorable business and labor market conditions, coupled with a more pessimistic short-term outlook," said Lynn Franco, director of Conference Board's consumer research center, in a statement. "With so few expecting conditions to improve in the near term, the pace of economic growth is not likely to pick up in the coming months."

Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a September level of 51.5. Confidence for August was downwardly revised to 53.2 from a prior reading of 53.5. A barometer on consumers' expectations dropped to 65.4 in September - also hitting the lowest level since February -- from 72 in August. Consumers' assessment of current conditions fell to 23.1 - also the lowest since February -- from 24.9.

West Virginia Senate Special Election

I'm extremely bullish on our chances in Novmember, but this one shocks even me.

Republican John Raese has edged ahead of West Virginia’s popular Democratic Governor Joe Manchin for the first time in the state’s special U.S. Senate race.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely West Virginia Voters finds Raese earning 48% support to Manchin’s 46% when leaners are included. Two percent (5%) prefer some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided.

These findings move the contest from Solid Democratic to a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Senate Balance of Power rankings.

This race has been closer than expected for weeks as Manchin, despite his popularity with voters in the state, faces an electorate that is even unhappier with the national Democratic agenda than voters in most other parts of the country.

Re-elect Obama Only 38%

So much can happen in 2 years, but, the effect this can have on the midterms is substantial.

A significant majority of voters are considering voting against President Barack Obama in the 2012 election, expressing sour views of his new health care law and deep skepticism about his ability to create jobs and grow the sluggish economy, according to the latest POLITICO / George Washington University Battleground Poll.

Only 38 percent of respondents said Obama deserves to be reelected, even though a majority of voters hold a favorable view of him on a personal level. Forty-four percent said they will vote to oust him, and 13 percent said they will consider voting for someone else.

Sunday Funny

A whistleblower at Justice

This "postracial" administration has caused more racial tension in this country in 2 years than any other in the past 20.

Christopher Coates, a veteran Justice Department attorney, yesterday de fied his bosses and publicly charged that his agency routinely ignores civil-rights cases involving white victims.

It's a troubling charge, made more so by the fact that too many on Capitol Hill and in the media have ignored it.

Coates, who has worked at Justice since 1997, says the nation's top law-enforcement agency maintains a "hostile atmosphere" and "deep-seated opposition" to "race-neutral enforcement" of the Voting Rights Act.

He cited the decision to dismiss charges against members of the notorious New Black Panther Party, who were videotaped at a Philadelphia polling place on Election Day 2008 in military-style uniforms -- one of them with a nightstick -- as they menaced white voters.

The dismissal, he said, was made under pressure from "special-interest groups."

Dems: We’ll run on our record

Huge helping of arrogance with a smidgen of insanity.

Congressional Democrats on Thursday declared they would run on their legislative record this fall, rejecting former President Clinton’s advice to counter a new Republican policy agenda with one of their own.

The Democrats’ decision to run on what they have accomplished over the last two years is politically tricky. Polls show that many Americans are skeptical of the two signature items of the 111th Congress: the new healthcare law and President Obama’s stimulus package.

House and Senate Democratic leaders on Thursday ridiculed the Republicans’ “Pledge to America,” a manifesto designed as a sequel to the “Contract With America” that helped the GOP win control of Congress in 1994. Democrats dubbed the document a “pledge to special interests” and said they have no plans to release their own governing white paper.

Weekly Unemployment Claims +12,000 to 465,000

Well, the good news lasted a whole 2 weeks.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 465,000, the Labor Department said, breaking two straight weeks of declines.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast claims unchanged at 450,000. The government revised the prior week's figure up to 453,000.

Last week's claims data covered the survey period for the government's closely watched employment report for September, scheduled for release early next month.

"Dream Act" Bites the Dust

Luckily this "turd sandwich" is history, at least for the moment...

An act that would have given U.S. residency to certain students and military hopefuls who are in the country illegally died today in the Senate.

Senators voted 56 to 43 for the bill, falling short of the 60 votes needed to bring it to the floor.

The vote comes after activists ratcheted up their lobbying Monday, generating thousands of calls and faxes to members of Congress in a last-minute push for the DREAM Act.

Democratic Senate leaders had wanted the DREAM Act – Development, Relief and Education for Minor Aliens – to be included as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill. The act would give students and military hopefuls who are in the country illegally a pathway to U.S. citizenship.

Rasmussen: Miller vs McAdams vs Murkowski

Tee hee, appears that RINO Murkowski is splitting the Democrat vote.

Republican Joe Miller attracts 42% of the vote in the first Rasmussen Reports poll of the Alaska Senate race since GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski announced her write-in campaign to try to keep her job.

The telephone survey of Likely Voters in Alaska shows Murkowski picking up 27% of the vote and Democrat Scott McAdams earning 25%. One percent (1%) say they’d prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

Quote of the Day

Jimmy Carter: "I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents,"

Word's escape me.

Alveda King Reaffirms Ties Between Blacks and Conservatives

Class act.

MLK, Glenn Beck, and racism: these themes are still echoing long after the conclusion of Beck's monumental rally on the anniversary of King's "I Have A Dream" speech last month.

Dr. Alveda King, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece, has been under fire for her participation in the event, with fault lines running not only from liberal critics but also from the black conservative Christian movement and in the conservative movement at large.

Alveda King is both defensive and realistic about her involvement.

“The principles of faith, hope, charity, love, honor – we are taught to honor God, to honor our families – and love our neighbors… and I believe the message that Glenn delivered helped us do that,” she said in an interview.

“The answer to all of the religious questions: it wasn’t about Glenn the person, or Glenn the man – it was Glenn the message. I’m not a naysayer, I’m a unifier,” she said.

Photoshop of the Day

Brandy's Corner

Does your church have a policy on Social Principles? You may want to look. If it does please pray for direction. Here's what my church, The United Methodist Church has to say:

Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion.

We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures

Providing the care needed to maintain health, prevent disease, and restore health after injury or illness is a responsibility each person owes others and government owes to all, a responsibility government ignores at its peril.

We believe it is a governmental responsibility to provide all citizens with health care.

Every person has the right to a job at a living wage. Where the private sector cannot or does not provide jobs for all who seek and need them, it is the responsibility of government to provide for the creation of such jobs.

We support the right of all public and private employees and employers to organize for collective bargaining into unions and other groups of their own choosing.

TR says: So they are staunchly supportive of collective bargaining but only "reluctantly" supportive of abortion. Wow, that's some courageous moral leadership.

Embryonic stem cells: Outmoded science

Washington (CNN) -- As you turn on your HDTV and watch the endless controversy over embryonic stem cell research, ask yourself: Should the government spend taxpayer dollars to develop that bulky old cathode-ray television you once owned?

As you install your $79 Blu-ray player, what if Uncle Sam was paying millions to develop Betamax videotapes?

This kind of government waste is what embryonic stem cell researchers are demanding even when science itself, according to scientists such as former NIH Director Bernadine Healy, has made embryonic stem cell research obsolete.

Yet the Obama Justice Department is appealing a recent federal court ruling that stopped funding of embryonic stem cell research because it was contrary to Congress' 1995 law that decided to spend tax dollars on projects that produce treatments instead of destroyed embryos. This is a far-from-baseless ethical concern, as it is tied to the fact that an embryo is a genetically distinct human being from the moment of conception.

Read the whole thing, it's surpising lucidity coming from CNN.

Friday Funny

L.A.: $111M in Stimulus Saved Just 55 Jobs

There's 10,000 stories just like this across America.

More than a year after Congress approved $800 billion in stimulus funds, the Los Angeles City Controller has released a 40-page report on how the city spent its share, and the results are not living up to expectations.

"I'm disappointed that we've only created or retained 55 jobs after receiving $111 million," said Wendy Greuel, the city's controller. "With our local unemployment rate over 12% we need to do a better job cutting red tape and putting Angelenos back to work."

According to the audit, the Los Angeles Department of Public Works spent $70 million in stimulus funds and created 7 private sector jobs and saved 7 workers from layoffs. Taxpayer cost per job: $1.5 million.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation created even fewer jobs per dollar, spending $40 million but netting just 9 jobs. Taxpayer cost per job: $4.4 million.

Philly Fed Index Significantly Below Concencus Prediction

More Obama "Recovery Summer"...

The survey’s broadest measure of manufacturing conditions, the diffusion index of current activity, increased from a reading of -7.7 in August to -0.7 in September. The index, which has been negative for two consecutive months, suggests that growth has stalled over the last two months (see Chart). Indexes for new orders and shipments continued to indicate weakness this month: The new orders index fell 1 point, remaining negative for the third consecutive month, and the shipments index decreased 3 points, remaining negative for the second consecutive month. Firms reported declines in inventories and unfilled orders and shorter delivery times.

And then there's this: US Poverty Rate Jumps To 14.3%.

Rasmussen: Delaware Coons (D) 53% O’Donnell (R) 42%

Closer than I thought and definately not insurmountable.

Democrat Chris Coons holds a double-digit lead over Republican hopeful Christine O’Donnell in the first Rasmussen Reports post-primary survey of the U.S. Senate race in Delaware.

Coons earns 53% of the vote to O’Donnell’s 42%, with leaners included. One percent (1%) prefer some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided.

US homes lost to foreclosure up 25 pct on year

The rate of people that are 3 or more months behind on their mortgage payments are also at an all time high.

LOS ANGELES – Lenders took back more homes in August than in any month since the start of the U.S. mortgage crisis.

The increase in home repossessions came even as the number of properties entering the foreclosure process slowed for the seventh month in a row, foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday.

In all, banks repossessed 95,364 properties last month, up 3 percent from July and an increase of 25 percent from August 2009, RealtyTrac said.

August makes the ninth month in a row that the pace of homes lost to foreclosure has increased on an annual basis. The previous high was in May.

Bill Clinton: New-look GOP makes Bush look liberal

Bubba, when you're right, you're right.

MINNEAPOLIS – Former President Bill Clinton said Tuesday that the Republican Party is embracing "ideology over evidence" and pushing out pragmatic voices that would make even his White House successor seem like a liberal.

Clinton, speaking at a Democratic fundraiser in Minneapolis, said there was no mistaking that Republicans have tacked hard right and questioned whether former President George W. Bush would fit in among the party's candidates this year.

I liked several things about George Bush, but his tendency to channel Lyndon Johnson was not one of them.

CHRISTINE O’DONNELL WINS!

Now things get really interesting.

Quote of the Day

Democrat Gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton:"Taxes, I believe, are the lubricant for the machinery of our democracy." The scary thing is he probably believes it.

Republicans Dominate in Fox News poll

Potential landslide...

Florida: Marco Rubio (R) leads Gov. Charlie Crist (I) in the U.S. Senate race, 43% to 27%, with Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) at 21%.

Nevada: Sharron Angle (R) slightly ahead of Sen. Harry Reid (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 45% to 44%.

Pennsylvania: Pat Toomey (R) leads Rep. Joe Sestak (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 47% to 41%.

Ohio: Rob Portman (R) leads Lee Fisher (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 48% to 41%.

John Kasich (R) is ahead of Gov. Ted Strickland (D) in the race for governor, 48% to 43%.

Meg Whitman (R) ahead of Jerry Brown (D) in the race for governor, 49% to 43%.

Revealed: Obama hired media expert to monitor 'negative' coverage of BP oil spill

The definition of malfeasance.

The U.S. government paid an expert $18,000 to assess whether news stories about the Gulf oil spill were positive or negative for the Obama administration, it was revealed today.

And it awarded a $216,625 no-bid contract for a survey of seabirds to an environmental group that has criticised what it calls the 'extreme anti-conservation record' of Sarah Palin.

The contracts were among hundreds revealed by The Associated Press as the government provided the first glimpse of federal spending since the disaster in April.

Sunday Funny

US Poverty on Track to Post Record Gain under Obama

Yet another dubious milestone for Zero.

WASHINGTON – The number of people in the U.S. who are in poverty is on track for a record increase on President Barack Obama's watch, with the ranks of working-age poor approaching 1960s levels that led to the national war on poverty.

Census figures for 2009 — the recession-ravaged first year of the Democrat's presidency — are to be released in the coming week, and demographers expect grim findings.

It's unfortunate timing for Obama and his party just seven weeks before important elections when control of Congress is at stake. The anticipated poverty rate increase — from 13.2 percent to about 15 percent — would be another blow to Democrats struggling to persuade voters to keep them in power.

NEVER FORGET

Photoshop of the Day

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Momentum builds for extending all of President Bush's tax cuts

Funny how "reasonable" Democrats become when it's only 8 weeks from facing the electorate.

Momentum built Thursday for extending all of the Bush-era tax cuts after President Obama avoided a veto threat and a key Senate Democrat voiced support for the extension.

Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), a centrist who has been a key vote on several Obama administration initiatives, said Thursday he supports extending all of the George W. Bush-era tax cuts until the economic recovery has taken root. Raising taxes on wealthier taxpayers could hurt the economy, he said.

"I support extending all of the expiring tax cuts until Nebraska’s and the nation’s economy is in better shape, and perhaps longer, because raising taxes in a weak economy could impair recovery," Nelson said in a statement Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Obama refrained from promising to veto legislation that extends tax cuts not only for the middle class, but also for individuals with incomes of more than $200,000 and families with incomes of more than $250,000.

Another New Low for O

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 23% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-seven percent (47%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -24 (see trends).

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.

Overall, 41% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's performance. Fifty-eight percent (58%) disapprove.

Today's Approval Index rating is the lowest yet recorded for this president. Overall Job Approval matches the lowest recorded number, and the number who Strongly Disapprove matches the highest yet recorded.

Study: Democratic turnout for primaries lowest in 80 years

Ruh Roh...

For the first time since 1930, more Republican voters showed up to vote in statewide primaries this year than Democrats -- another sign of the huge challenges facing President Obama's party in this year's elections.

The new figures come from a just-released report by voter turnout expert Curtis Gans of American University.

Gans looked at 35 primaries held before Sept. 1 and found that 4 million more Republicans voted than Democrats -- statistical proof of the "enthusiasm gap" that pollsters and pundits have been talking about.

That, combined with the fact that the percentage of voters who identify themselves as Democrats has been on a steady decline for decades, spells big trouble for the president's party, Gans said: "The Democrats are at an enormous disadvantage."

Feds probing claims of bias against Arizona's non-native English speaking teachers

Insisting on English proficiency for non-native English teachers. Talk about unfair!!!

Harry Reid says economy isn't his fault

Is there any doubt if the economy was cruising he'd be taking credit for it.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid insists that despite his powerful post he had "nothing to do" with the economic downturn.

Reid's home state of Nevada has been hit hard by falling home prices and foreclosures, but in an interview Tuesday on ABC's "Top Line" Reid said he's not to blame.

"You know that I had nothing to do with the massive foreclosures here," Reid said. "You know that I had nothing to do with these unemployment figures.

"In fact, I've worked hard to change them,” he added. "My job is to create jobs. My opponent says that is not her job to create jobs. And I think that is really wrong. I think it is my job to create jobs, and I've done my best. Is there more that needs to take place? Of course, there is."

Greenland ice loss rates 'one-third' of what was thought

Being wrong by 65% is embarrassing. Exact science my butt.

The rate at which ice is disappearing from Greenland and Western Antarctica has been seriously overestimated, according to new research.

Measuring a disappearing ice cap is actually quite difficult to do, as the areas in question are remote, hostile environments and the exact depth of ice is often unknown. This has caused a lot of argument among climate scientists regarding how much ice is melting and running into the sea, as this affects predictions of sea-level rise and other aspects of climate modelling. (Floating sea ice, like that which makes up most of the Arctic cap apart from Greenland, is less of an issue as its melting doesn't affect the sea level.)

RCP: Record Republican Lead on Congressional Generic Ballot

The Real Clear Politics Congressional Generic Ballot poll average shows Republicans enjoy the highest vote % and biggest lead/spread ever recorded.

RCP Average 8/23 - 9/5 -- 49.1 41.0 Republicans +8.1
Rasmussen Reports 8/30 - 9/5 3500 LV 48 36 Republicans +12
CNN/Opinion Research 9/1 - 9/2 936 RV 52 45 Republicans +7
ABC News/Wash Post 8/30 - 9/2 LV 53 40 Republicans +13
FOX News 9/1 - 9/2 900 RV 46 37 Republicans +9
USA Today/Gallup 8/27 - 8/30 928 RV 49 43 Republicans +6
Gallup 8/23 - 8/29 1540 RV 51 41 Republicans +10
Newsweek 8/25 - 8/26 856 RV 45 45 Tie

Obama: "Opponents Talk About Me Like a Dog"

Video HERE.

If the Doggie booty fits, wear it.

US Flag on Truck "Offensive"

"Campus security", where do they dig these imbeciles up?

A high school student in Northglenn is upset that campus security told him to remove the large American flags flying from his pickup truck because it might make others uncomfortable.

Jeremy Stoppel told 7NEWS he got a ticket at Northglenn High School last Thursday for squealing his tires. He said he deserved that ticket and deserved having his parking lot pass suspended for two weeks.

But he’s upset that campus security then told him he can’t fly his 3 feet by 5 feet flags in the bed of his pickup truck anymore.

“She said I should take my flags down. She said this is a school that focuses on diversity and she doesn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable,”

Rasmussen: Generic Cogressional Ballot

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely Voters would vote for their district's Republican congressional candidate, while 36% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent. The survey data was collected on the seven days ending Sunday, September 5, 2010.

This matches the largest advantage ever measured for the Republicans.

DOUBLE OUCH!

Obama Hits Yet Another New Low

Really stinkin up the place...

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 24% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-seven percent (47%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -23.

That’s the highest level of Strong Disapproval and the lowest Approval Index daily rating yet recorded for this president. However, while the daily ratings are sometime volatile, a Month-by-Month review of the president’s numbers continues to show a high degree of stability. On a full-month basis, the Presidential Approval Index has stayed between -14 and -17 for eight of the past nine months.

Overall, 42% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's performance. This matches the lowest approval rating yet measured for President Obama.

Sunday Funny

Prayer shushed on Supreme Court steps

From guest blogger Brandy:

After a group of students praying on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building was confronted by police and told what they were doing was illegal, the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) sent a letter to officials of the high court.

Wickenburg Christian Academy teacher Maureen Rigo of Arizona had taken a group of students to tour the complex, and ADF attorney Nate Kellum tells OneNewsNow they had just completed a May 5 visit to the Supreme Court and were on the steps outside.

"They decided to mark the occasion [and] that they would pray. They just simply circled...bowed their heads and quietly prayed," Kellum reports. "And yet what happened is they were abruptly stopped [by] a police officer for the Supreme Court building who told them that what they were doing was violating a federal statute and said that they had to take their prayer elsewhere." According to an ADF press release, the prayer was stopped base on a statute that bars parades and processions on Supreme Court grounds -- even though Rigo was speaking in a conversational tone as she prayed and did not draw a crowd.

To Restore Honor to our country we must be honorable. When we are honorable and hold true to the principles of the Bible, then we surround ourselves with honorable people. An honorable person would never ask someone praying on the Supreme Court steps or in front of our Nation's Capital to stop as "it may be offensive". People of Honor are proud of our rich Christian heritage and will do what it takes to keep our traditions alive. Honorable people voted into office wouldn't forget those rich traditions when it's time to vote on a bill, in campaigning, or in their campaign contributions. Social issues would mean more to an honorable person than those associated with money. I try to be a person of Honor and I believe the majority of people in this country do as well.

Latest Gallup poll: Barack Obama will need a miracle to avoid Jimmy Carter's fate

OUCH!

This week’s historic Gallup poll will have sent a shiver through the White House at the end of a summer of discontent, and is yet another key indicator that President Obama is likely to end up a lame duck president following the mid-term elections in November. The latest Gallup poll shows the Republicans in pole position to retake the House of Representatives, with other surveys suggesting the GOP will make big gains in the Senate as well, a scenario which would have been unthinkable at the start of the year.

The USA Today/Gallup survey shows Republicans leading the Democrats among registered voters by 51 percent to 41 percent, the largest lead for the GOP “in Gallup’s history of tracking the midterm generic ballot in Congress”, which dates back all the way to 1942, when FDR was president. According to Gallup, Republicans are now twice as likely as Democrats to be “very” enthusiastic about voting. While cautioning that “change is possible between now and election day”, Gallup sees strong potential for sweeping Republican gains and the retaking of the House:

The last Gallup weekly generic ballot average before Labor Day underscores the fast-evolving conventional wisdom that the GOP is poised to make significant gains in this fall’s midterm congressional elections. Gallup’s generic ballot has historically proven an excellent predictor of the national vote for Congress, and the national vote in turn is an excellent predictor of House seats won and lost. Republicans’ presumed turnout advantage, combined with their current 10-point registered-voter lead, suggests the potential for a major “wave” election in which the Republicans gain a large number of seats from the Democrats and in the process take back control of the House.

Graphic of the Day

Unemployment Up Again

Nonfarm payroll employment dropped another 54,000 in August, the unemployment rate rose to 9.6% percent the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

The U6,(real unemployment) increased from 16.5% to 16.7% rpresenting the highest level since April.

Unemployment Claims Remain High

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped for a second straight week, slipping 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000 in the week ended Aug. 28, the Labor Department said.">New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, government data showed Thursday, but were still too high to signal a change in fortunes for the troubled labor market.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped for a second straight week, slipping 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000 in the week ended Aug. 28, the Labor Department said.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast claims edging up to 475,000 from the previously reported 473,000 the prior week, which was revised up to 478,000 in Thursday's report.

Funny that the only thing "expected" is the consistent revising up up prior unemployment numbers. How the MSM can spin a reduction of 6000 from the prior weeks unemployment claims which were revised up by 5000 as good news is truly beyond comprehension.

Wonder how they'll spin this: Factory Order Growth Slides To 0.1% In July.

Graphic of the Day

Restoring Honor...A Deeply Personal Account From a Friend

I write to you today for if I don't a message could be lost. A message, a spirit, a feeling could just simply disappear to the mainstream media. A message of restoring your personal faith in your personal denomination, a spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a feeling of closeness of American's.

When we booked our plane to head to Restoring Honor I was thrilled. When I arrived to DC and explored the sites and the wonderful buildings I still wasn't "feeling it". When I arrived at the Smithsonean I started to feel it. When I walked into the room and saw the actual flag that inspired "The Star Spangled Banner" the feeling of excitement began to build. Then to see the actual top hat Abraham Lincoln wore, wow! Then the solemness to see a twisted piece of metal from the world trade center brought tears to my eyes instantly. I think at that moment my 912 feelings came.

I was ready to head back to the memorial just in time to see Glenn arrive for an unannounced visit. A visit that brought tears to his eyes to see the crowds already gathering for his rally. After he spoke to the crowd my husband and I realized we must go back to our hotels, grab our things, find a store to get a chair or blanket, and head back to rest at the side of the Reflecting Pool for the night.

Our night was a peaceful, serence experience. When we arrived "Palin Man" graciously offered us space next to him, so kind. We all began calling each other not by name but by state. No one would ever go thirsty or hungry as everyone constantly offered someone something. While my husband and I didn't sleep along with some others, we were all respectfull of those who were. You could hear a pin drop at times. There were people in wheelchairs, elderly, children, babies, handicapped who all stayed the night.

As dawn approached we (IL), Oregon (who just arrived back from Iraq) & his wife, Salt Lake, and Long Island and his father-in-law forged forward as the crowd began to wake up and clear their spots on the ground. Long Island lost his leg in a motorcycle accident and stayed all night with his flag draped crutch and a blanket on the ground. We talked about how we hoped that this would change our country. Long Island pulled his Rosary out of his pocket and prayed. The men found a spot right up along the rail, thanks to gracious people, for the woman who spent the night in her wheelchair. A woman I have now seen many times in pictures. We were close very close not only to the stage, but each other.

As the rally neared the chanting of USA and singing began. But one thing never stopped was the kindess! Everyone constantly was offering a seat in their chair, water, or some food from their backpacks. During the rally I began to overheat and Oregan insisted I sit in his chair. We were taking care of each other.

The rally did not disappoint. Tears were a common thing especially from this sap. Alveda King spoke of her dream and still to this moment the hair on my arms stands. She was so moving, so powerful! Glenn spoke of tithing to your church and how it is his joy and honor to do so, being a good spouse and having a good one by your side, restoring yourself and hold true to your principles.

Many because of Glenn being a Morman have just completely lost the message. The message I took was go to your church, he didn't say go to his, tithe, pray, read your bible, give, and be a good person. If we want our country to change we have to not fear saying "God says you can't vote for a candidate who doesn't completely support the principles I have laid out in the bible". We have to stop voting with our pocketbook, instead with our morals. Then and only then will we have a revival in our country. If the men in power don't have values how can they honestly lead our country?

Your kids need to see you pray and be a good person so they in turn will be. So maybe they have a shot not only to be the next congressman, but to live a life to be proud of! We as a country have not given them the best model to look at. Their cartoons have cussing, they are envious and look up to a show called Teen Mom, their favorite actress or singer may have a drug or drinking problem and unfortunately those are the things they see over and over again and to them "that's ok". It's not! We have to follow what our founders insisted our public education system teach in this particular order, the order laid out in the bible...Religion, Morals, Knowledge.

When the rally ended the hundreds and thousands of us sang along to Amazing Grace to a bagpipe and to be a part of that is a memory that will never leave my mind. I watched Long Island fold his flag and tell Oregon, "you are my hero". Those are heroes we need to teach our kids about, ones who risk their lives so they can live in freedom! The revival spirit was everywhere in DC. My husband was handed a sandwich out of the blue, we all sat, talked and cried. That spirit was in the subway, the bus, the airport, the plane, and even when I arrived home. The spirit of graciousneess surrounded the grounds. We didn't leave trash and if the trashcan was full it was left neatly next to it wrapped up in a bag.

When I said I would write this article I didn't know what I would say, but like my old favorite hymn I listened to Jesus. He was softly and tenderly calling. He's calling for you and for me. Don't let this revival spirit perish. We need to Restore Honor to this country! We need to be proud of America again! Spread the message without fear!

RINO BeGone!

Another incumbent Republican "moderate" bites the dust.

Anchorage, Alaska (CNN) - Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski conceded late Tuesday to Tea Party-backed candidate Joe Miller in Alaska's GOP Senate primary.

"We know that we still have outstanding votes to count in this primary, but based on where we are right now, I don't see a scenario where the primary will turn out in my favor," Murkowski told reporters in Anchorage. "I am now conceding the race for the Republican nomination."

She said she informed Miller of her decision.

Miller, a little-known attorney, was boosted by the support of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. He also was helped by the endorsement of the Tea Party Express. Arguably the country's most high-profile national Tea Party organization, the group spent nearly $600,000 assisting Miller's campaign.