FREEDOMWORKS 11/13/2014

1. Rebutting the President on Net Neutrality - by Logan Albright Earlier this week, President Obama issued a statement encouraging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt stricter rules on Net Neutrality, a regulation that requires internet service providers (ISPs) to treat all web content equally. But the president, like most supporters of Net Neutrality, fails to understand how the internet actually works. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is resistant to Obama's ideas, preferring a more nuanced approach, but he still favors increased regulation of the internet. Below is an extract from the president’s statement, outlining the four principles he has singled out as being fundamental features of the new regulations. Read more here... 2. Clearing Up Net Neutrality FreedomWorks responds to President Obama and FCC Chair Tom Wheeler creating stricter rules on Net Neutrality. Watch more here... 3. The Symptons of Failure: Diagnosing Bad Policy - by Logan Albright via RedState Doctors have a hard job. They are expected to observe a diverse collection of physical symptoms, and, using their knowledge of medicine, correctly diagnose the patient. Government policies are a lot like the human body: they can be sound, or, far more often, they can be sick. And just like doctors, we can diagnose this sickness by examining the external features of the policy in order to deduce a conclusion. Read more here... 4. In Third Video, ObamaCare's Architect Brags About "Basic Exploitation" of American Voters - by Jason Pye Another video has surfaced in which Jonathan Gruber insults voters. This time, however, the MIT economist and ObamaCare architect refrained from calling Americans "stupid," though there isn't much of a difference from what he said in previous comments (covered here and here). Read more here... 5. Conservatives and Liberals Should Agree to End the Export-Import Bank It’s no secret that Washington desperately needs to cut spending. Nearly everyone agrees that national debt levels are unsustainable. The Congressional Budget Office has warned that the nation’s debt is set to jump to 106 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2039. Clearly, we cannot continue down this path. Both Republicans are Democrats are to blame for the $17.8 trillion national debt. Unfortunately, both parties have their sacred cows in the budget that they are unwilling to cut. Many Democrats say they are willing to cut military spending but won’t cut a dime of “social spending.” Many Republicans say that we need to slash the welfare state but won’t cut a dime of military spending. As a result, zero spending actually gets cut. Read more here... 6. Freedom Artist Sonja Harris: Documentary Photographer and Political Activist - by Frances Byrd  This month, we are featuring documentary photography by Sonja Heldt Harris. Because Sonja has a long career as an established fine artist, with more recent works tending toward ideological expression, I decided to let her describe her own work and evolution as an artist. Sonja is a native Texan and an established photographer of over 30 years. Her photographs have been exhibited in numerous juried shows throughout Texas including the Texas Photographic Society’s Members Only Show, the San Antonio Art League Invitational Members Photography exhibit and the Arts Alliance Center in Clear Lake, Texas. Her work has been shown in museums and various centers for contemporary art, including the Touchstone Gallery in Washington, DC. See more here... 7. Latest Employment Data Shows the Obama Economic Recovery Leaves Blacks Behind - by Deneen Borelli Given President Obama’s economic policy has left blacks behind, it’s not a surprise that black voters were not energized during the midterm elections. According to the employment data for the month of October from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), black unemployment has gotten worse. In contrast, the employment picture improved for other Americans. Read more here... 8. Students are Fleeing Common Core's Sinking Ship - by Logan Albright It is fairly common knowledge by now that most people aren’t happy with the Common Core education standards that state and federal governments are trying to ram down their throats. From needlesslyconvoluted math problems to anti-American history curricula, Common Core makes education a maddening chore for students, parents, and teachers alike. Read more here... 9. NYC Doctor Cured, But Is The CDC Ready to Handle the Ebola Crisis? - by Tom Borelli The doctor in New York City with Ebola has been cured, but the question of whether the CDC is prepared to handle the virus and stop it at our border remains. The agency allowed Thomas Eric Duncan to enter the country and spread his infection to two health care workers. Dr. Craig Spencer—a physician who was treating Ebola patients in Guinea, developed symptoms of the disease after returning and potentially exposing hundreds of New Yorkers to Ebola as he traveled throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Read more here... In Liberty, Jackie Bodnar Director of Communications, FreedomWorks