Insider Report
Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
1. Trump Thinks Michele Bachmann Disloyal
2. Tax-Funded Planned Parenthood: 329,455 Abortions a Year
3. Muslim Brotherhood Deputy: We'll Cancel Israel Treaty
4. Chevy Volt Called 'Worst Product' of 2011
5. Canada Schools U.S. on Growing the Economy
1. Trump Thinks Michele Bachmann Disloyal
Billionaire mogul Donald Trump blames Michele Bachmann's campaign-ending loss in the Iowa caucuses on her "disloyalty."
Donald posted on Twitter on Wednesday: "Michele Bachmann just dropped out of prez race — when she didn't do the Newsmax debate it showed great disloyalty and people rejected her."
Bachmann finished a distant sixth in Tuesday's Iowa caucuses and ended her bid for the White House the next day.
"Last night the people of Iowa spoke with a very clear voice and so I have decided to stand aside," she said at a press conference.
Press reports suggest that Bachmann may retire from Congress too, opting not to seek a fourth term in the U.S. House from Minnesota.
The deadline to file for re-election isn't until June 5. But the likelihood is that she will have a tough road ahead, with her district being redistricted and a likely Republican primary challenger.
Bachmann, once a fundraising powerhouse, spent her funds on her ill-fated presidential bid.
And donors don't seem anxious to pony up again after her presidential campaign transformed her image from conservative leader to gadfly.
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2. Tax-Funded Planned Parenthood: 329,455 Abortions a Year
The latest annual report from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America reveals that the PPFA received more than $487 million in tax dollars over a 12-month period — and performed 329,455 abortions.
The report covers the period from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, the PPFA's fiscal year. It states that the organization received "government health services grants and reimbursements" totaling $487.4 million, accounting for 46 percent of its revenue.
Previous annual reports showed total funding from "government grants and contracts," while the 2010 report also includes payments from Medicaid managed care plans.
A comparison with earlier figures shows an almost steady increase in the number of abortions performed at its clinics, CNS News disclosed: In 2006, Planned Parenthood did 289,750 abortions; in 2007, it did 305,310; in 2008, 324,008 abortions; and in 2009, 331,796.
The PPFA therefore accounts for a major portion of the abortions reported annually to the Centers for Disease Control, which in 2008 — the most recent year for which figures are available — numbered 825,564
The latest annual report claims that abortion services make up 3 percent of "medical services." But the PPFA states it served 3 million people and performed 329,445 abortions — meaning that about 11 percent of women served received an abortion.
While abortions increase, adoption referrals made by the organization continue to decline. In fiscal year 2007, Planned Parenthood's "adoption referrals to other agencies" totaled 4,912. In fiscal year 2010 that number was 841, a decrease of 82.8 percent.
The new annual report also shows that the PPFA had net assets as of June 30, 2010, of $1,009,600,000.
"With over a billion in net assets and a business model centered on abortion and government subsidies, it is time for Planned Parenthood to end its reliance on taxpayer dollars," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List — a pro-life organization that lobbies Congress to defund Planned Parenthood.
"Despite an unprecedented effort by statewide and federal leaders to defund them, a wave of former employees willing to testify against them, and uniform agreement amongst Republican presidential candidates that they should be defunded, Planned Parenthood continues full-steam ahead."
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3. Muslim Brotherhood Deputy: We'll Cancel Israel Treaty
The deputy leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has called Israel a "criminal enemy" and threatened to cancel the Israel-Egypt peace treaty.
In an interview with the Arabic daily al-Hayat, Dr. Rashad Bayoumi was asked if the government of Egypt is required to recognize Israel. He responded: "This is not an option. Whatever the circumstances, we do not recognize Israel at all. It's an occupying criminal enemy."
He said no Muslim Brotherhood member will ever negotiate with Israelis: "I will not allow myself to sit down with criminals."
He also said the Brotherhood would take legal action toward canceling the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel that was signed in 1979.
"The Brotherhood respects international conventions, but we will take legal action against the peace treaty with the Zionist entity," he said in the interview.
The Muslim Brotherhood won 36.3 percent of the vote in the second round of Egyptian elections, while the ultra-conservative Salafi al-Nour Party received 28.8 percent, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Egyptians are voting for a parliament that will help draft a new constitution following the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year regime.
Bayoumi, a Cairo University professor, has served as the Brotherhood's Deputy General Guide.
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4. Chevy Volt Called 'Worst Product' of 2011
The Obama administration has touted the Chevrolet Volt as a major step toward the green future of electric vehicles, but the car has won the dubious distinction of being named one of the "Worst Product Flops of 2011" by Yahoo! Finance
Yahoo! observed on its 24/7 Wall St. site that General Motors "was originally so excited about the Volt that the company had announced in January it was speeding up its roll-out by six months. But by November the excitement had fizzled out."
"Larry Nitz, GM's executive director for vehicle electrification, told Reuters: 'It's naive to think that the world is going to switch tomorrow to EVs [electric vehicles].'
"Indeed, sales for the vehicle have been consistently low. Only 125 models were sold in July 2011. This was after GM spokeswoman Michelle Bunker was quoted as saying that the Volt was 'virtually sold out' due to its popularity — a statement later shown to be misguided. Adding insult to injury, Chevy Volts are under investigation for fires involving the cars' lithium-ion batteries. For concerned Volt owners, GM has offered free loaner cars."
Commenting on the Yahoo! report, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) stated: "The Obama administration's favorite car has had a rough time of late with sales goals not being met . . . [and] media exposure of the high cost to taxpayers regarding Chevy Volt subsidies.
"Considering all the money spent by GM to hype the vehicle, the Worst Flop award is well-deserved."
The Volt can travel 30 miles on an electric charge, and buyers receive a $7,500 subsidy from taxpayers.
The NLPC added: "The Chevy Volt continues to cost taxpayers huge amounts of money while offering little in return. Cronies that are politically connected at companies like Fisker, Tesla and GE benefit as well as wealthy purchasers of the vehicles who receive $7,500 supplied by taxpayers who are average Americans that cannot afford the car."
The NLPC also attacked the Volt from another angle — jobs.
"It seems the promise of job creation for taxpayer-funded green initiatives, such as the Chevy Volt development, is partially being kept. The only problem is that many of those jobs are going to China."
USA Today reported that GM and Chinese auto company SAIC will develop a new electric vehicle that would draw upon the Volt's technology, and that in the future Volts could be built in China to qualify for Chinese subsidies.
"Taxpayers have spent billions of dollars developing green technologies like those used in the Chevy Volt," the NLPC added.
"It is a shame that the 'investment' isn't reaping the American green jobs rewards promised by the Obama administration."
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5. Canada Schools U.S. on Growing the Economy
Washington doesn't have to look far to find a model for spurring America's struggling economy: Canada.
"The Obama administration and its economic czars have flailed about for years, baffled about how to get the U.S. economy growing," Investor's Business Daily (IBD) observes.
"In reality, the president need look no further than our neighbor, Canada, whose solid growth is the product of tax cuts, fiscal discipline, free trade, and energy development. That's made Canada a roaring puma nation, while its supposedly more powerful southern neighbor stands on the outside looking in."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently slashed corporate taxes again in the final stage of his Economic Action Plan, lowering the federal business tax burden to just 15 percent. The top U.S. corporate tax rate is 35 percent.
Considering new tax cuts in the provinces, total taxes for businesses in Canada will drop to 25 percent, one of the lowest in the G7 group of developed countries.
In the United States, "when additional state rates are added, the average tax rate for U.S. corporations rises to 39.2 percent, the second highest in the developed world, only slightly behind Japan's," according to the Tax Foundation.
Harper has also made signing free trade treaties a priority. Canada now has 11 free trade pacts in force, and 14 under active negotiation — including pacts with the European Union and India.
And unlike the U.S., Canada has encouraged domestic energy production by enacting market-friendly regulations. Canada is moving ahead with the Keystone Pipeline, and urging President Obama to move forward on it or risk Canada selling its oil to China.
For Canada, government policies have brought big benefits. Incomes are rising, unemployment is two percentage points below the U.S. rate, Canadian currency is strengthening, and the country boasts Triple-A or equivalent credit ratings across the board from the five top international ratings agencies.
"Is it too much to ask Washington to start paying attention to the Canadian success story?" IBD observes.
"These sound principles work every time they are tried, and they have led to a transformation in Canada. Imagine what they could do in the U.S."
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