Happy Memorial Day

To all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, to those who served and came home, to those who served and didn't have to go anywhere, to those who are still serving.. Thank You.

From The RNC

Effect of Climate Change Legislation

The Senate's leading climate-change bill, while aiming to combat global warming by reducing carbon dioxide in the air, actually poses "extraordinary perils" for Americans and the economy, according to a new study from The Heritage Foundation.

The study, produced by Heritage's Center for Data Analysis (CDA), forecasts severe consequences—including crushing energy costs, millions of jobs lost and falling household income—if Congress enacts the so-called Lieberman-Warner bill.

What follows are 50 state-by-state breakouts of the impact the bill would have on jobs and the economy.

How Michigan Will Be Affected by the Lieberman-Warner Global Climate Change Legislation

Workers and families in the state of Michigan may be wondering how climate change legislation before Congress will affect their income, their jobs, and the cost of energy. Members of Congress are considering a number of bills designed to address climate change. Chief among them is S. 2191, America's Climate Security Act of 2007, introduced by Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA). 1

The Lieberman–Warner legislation promises extraordinary perils for the American economy, should it become law, all for very little change in global temperature…perhaps even smaller than the .07 of a degree Celsius drop in temperature that many scientists expected from worldwide compliance with the Kyoto climate change accords. S. 2191 imposes strict upper limits on the emission of six greenhouse gases (GHG) with the primary emphasis on carbon dioxide (CO2). The mechanism for capping these emissions requires emitters to acquire federally created permits (called allowances) for each ton emitted.

Arbitrary restrictions predicated on multiple untested and undeveloped technologies will lead to severe restrictions on energy use and large increases in energy costs. In addition to the direct impact on consumers' budgets, these higher energy costs will spread through the economy, injecting unnecessary inefficiencies at virtually every stage of production and consumption.

See tables listed here.

To see your state's breakdown, click here.

To learn more about the economic effects of the Lieberman-Warner legislation, see "The Economic Costs of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Change Legislation", CDA Report published on May 12, 2008. This Report is available at www.heritage.org. The authors gratefully acknowledge the work of Dr. Shanea Watkins in preparing the maps used in this briefing memo.

Edwards Endorses Obama in Grand Rapids

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards endorsed Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday at a campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan.


Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John Edwards in a CNN sponsored debate in South Carolina in January.

"The reason I'm here tonight is because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I," he told the boisterous crowd.

"There is one man who knows and understands that this is a time for bold leadership. There is one man that knows how to create the change, the lasting change, that you have to build from the ground up," Edwards said. "There is one man who knows in his heart there is time to create one America, not two ... and that man is Barack Obama."

Edwards also praised Sen. Hillary Clinton's candidacy.

"What she has shown ... is strength and character, and what drives her is something that every single one of us can and should appreciate," Edwards said. "She is a woman who, in my judgment, is made of steel, and she's a leader in this country not because of her husband but because of what she has done."

Edwards is such a phoney. He wants the Attorney General spot so badly, he waited until an obvious nominee and then this.

Update!
A couple pics from inside. The arena was filled to capacity, over 10k people attended.

More pictures here.

Iraqi Boy Recovering At DeVos

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) -- The Iraqi 7-year-old who came to Grand Rapids for heart surgery is doing well, according to a spokeswoman for DeVos Children's Hospital.

The boy, Hasan, had a hole in his heart closed and his blood flow enhanced in surgery on Tuesday. The hospital expects him to be well enough to be discharged Friday. He should need about six weeks to recover.

Here's the story, pics and video. Good job to all involved in this endeavor and may Hasan have a speedy recovery.

Obama To Come To VanAndel Arena

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) -- Sen. Barack Obama will be in Grand Rapids Wednesday for a public appearance beginning at 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena.

Doors open at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are NOT required, but an RSVP is encouraged. To RSVP, members of the public can do so at BarackObama.com.

Many Democrats see Obama's visit as a sign the drought is over, with Michigan returning to the national political stage.

The controversy over how to seat Michigan's delegates at the national convention after the state broke party rules by holding their primary early. Armand Robinson is a delegate - officially listed as "Uncommitted" - but is a staunch Obama supporter and eager for the visit.

"I'm willing to bet 99.9 percent I'm going to be there in Denver with a seat," he told 24 Hour News 8. "He needs to be part of us, he needs to be here. He needed to be here three months ago, but the way he saw it, playing by the rules, I think he wasn't able to."

Robinson is hoping Obama's visit will heal any rifts in the party, and convince the undecideds, adding momentum that will carry through November.

If anyone attends, please give us a report on the event.

Be Not Afraid

Former Green Beret Michael Yon is hands-down the best and most exciting battlefield reporter working today, internationally renowned for his dispatches and photos seen by millions around the world. Yon, who has spent more time embedded with U.S. combat forces in Iraq than any journalist in the world, is totally independent and has never been co-opted by Left or Right, Military or Media. Yon’s blunt reporting often angered the top brass. But our fighting soldiers and officers trust Michael Yon and point him to the hottest spots and biggest stories.

Townhall.com is pleased to offer an exclusive look at Chapter One of Yon’s new book, Moment of Truth in Iraq. Yon’s book is FREE for a limited time for Townhall readers with a subscription to Townhall Magazine! Subscribe today to receive 12 issues of Townhall Magazine and a FREE copy of Michael Yon’s Moment of Truth in Iraq.

click here >> Chapter One of Moment of Truth In Iraq: Be Not Afraid << click here

Update!
I received this book in the mail from
amazon.com today. Can't wait to dig in.

Michigan Will Sit Down

The beat goes on.

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan Democratic leaders on Wednesday settled on a plan to give presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton 69 delegates and Barack Obama 59 as a way to get the state's delegates seated at the national convention.

Clinton won the Jan. 15 Michigan primary and was to get 73 pledged delegates under state party rules, while Obama was to get 55. The state also has 29 superdelegates.

The state party's executive committee voted Wednesday to ask the national party's Rules and Bylaws Committee to approve the 69-59 delegate split when it meets May 31. The plan would allow the state's 157 delegates and superdelegates to be seated at the convention.

A separate plan submitted to the rules committee by Democratic National Committee members Joel Ferguson of Michigan and Jon Ausman of Florida, both superdelegates, apparently will be withdrawn now that the Michigan executive committee has settled on the 69-59 plan. Under their proposal, delegates would have been allocated based on the primary election results, but have had only half a vote each. The superdelegates would have had full voting rights.

The 69-59 split was proposed last week by four prominent Michigan Democrats who have been working for months to find a way to get Michigan's delegates seated at the Aug. 25-28 convention in Denver: Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger, Sen. Carl Levin and DNC member Debbie Dingell, wife of Rep. John Dingell.

Granholm made a fine mess of the primaries.

Are You Smarter Than A Sixth Grader?

For Monica Conyers, I'd have to answer "No".