Communications
Survey of Broadcasting: Assignment 2: Question 6. Describe and define one theory about media impact.
Three theories concerning the effects or impact of mass media have evolved over time:
- Hypodermic Needle Theory: an early theory that posits that mass communications messages would have a strong and predictable effect on an audience member. The theory held that all people would more or less have the same reaction to a mass communication message.
- Limited-Effects Theory: a latter theory that posits that media have few direct and meaningful effects on the audience because of a variety of intervening variables. A mass communication message would have little impact.
- Specific-Effects Theory: a recent theory that posits that there are certain circumstances under which some types of media will have a significant effect on some audience members.
The hypodermic needle theory was given much credence due to the apparent success of propaganda before and after World War I and the fact that many people believed the radio show War of the Worlds was in fact reality and the success of Dr. Brinkley’s radio show selling patent medicines and cures for various aliments.
However, by the mid-1940s the hypodermic needle theory’s assumptions were called into question by experimental and survey research.
The limited effects theory focused on persuasion and political campaigns. Mass communication messages first influenced people known as opinion leaders and then flowed on to the rest of the audience. Research posited that media’s influenced people known as opinion leaders and then flowed on to the rest of the audience.
Research posited that media’s influence or impact was first filtered through a strainer of intervening variables, such as a person’s knowledge and beliefs and the influence of family, friends and peer groups. According to the limited effects theory, mass communications are simply one of many determinants of how an individual behaves.
Joseph Klapper’s book The Effects of Mass Communication summarizes the existing research with the generalization that mass communications does not ordinarily cause audience effects but instead functions primarily to reinforce existing conditions.
Klapper also noted that there are occasions when mass communications could exert a direct effect and where mediating factors reinforce change or when mediating factors are absent.
The mediating factors include the following:
- The exercise of opinion leadership
- The norms of groups to which the audience members belong
- The nature of mass media in a free enterprise economy
- Interpersonal dissemination of the content of communication
- Predispositions and the related processes of selective exposure and selective perception and retention.
Klapper considered that the two main intervening or mediating factors were selective exposure or people’s tendency to expose themselves to those mass communications which are in agreement with their attitudes and interests and
selective perception and retention or people’s inclination to organize the meaning of mass communication messages in accordance with their already existing views.
Most recent research on the impact or effects of mass communications tends to support the specific effects theory. Mass-media communications must compete with many other sources of influence such as family, friends, teachers, ministers and many others.
However, there are circumstances where specific types of media content may have a significant effect on a portion of the audience.
Harold Lasswell described the formula as follows:
- “Who (says) What (to) Whom (in) What Channel (with) What Effect.?”
Bernard Berelson succinctly summarizes the specific-effects theory of communication:
“Some kinds of communication, on some kinds of issues, brought to the attention of some kinds of people, under some kinds of conditions, have some kinds of effects.”
Background Articles and Videos
Mass Communication : The Hypodermic Theory of Mass Communication
Mass Communication : Why Is Persuasion Important in Mass Communication?
Mass Communication : Effects of Technology on Mass Communication
Media Effects
Selective exposure theory
“…Selective exposure theory is a theory of communication, positing that individuals prefer exposure to arguments supporting their position over those supporting other positions. As media consumers have more choices to expose themselves to selected medium and media contents with which they agree, then tend to select content that confirms their own ideas and avoid information that argues against their opinion. People don’t want to be told that they are wrong and they do not want their ideas to be challenged either. Therefore, they select different media outlets that agree with their opinions so they do not come in contact with this form of dissonance. Furthermore, these people will select the media sources that agree with their opinions and attitudes on different subjects and then only follow those programs.
Foundation of theory
Propaganda study
The Evasion of Propaganda
When prejudiced people confront anti-prejudice propaganda involuntarily, even though they might avoid the message from the first time, the process of evasion would occur in their mind. Cooper and Jahoda (1947) studied how the anti-prejudice propaganda can be misunderstood by prejudiced people. When the prejudiced reader confronted the Mr. Biggott cartoon, which contained anti-minority propaganda, their effort to evade their feelings and understand Mr. Biggott’s identification with their own identity would bring about misunderstanding. This kind of evasion occurs because of what individuals often face to accomplish uniformity in everyday life. There is a fear to be isolated from what they belong and also threat for shivering their ego. Therefore, the concept of selective exposure was in the same thread with small effect studies in mass communication in 1940s.
Cognitive dissonance theory
Before the selective exposure theory was put forward, Festinger(1957) published a book, Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, and explained the cognitive dissonance theory, which assumes that all human beings pursue consistency in their mind.
- Basic Hypotheses
- It is a state of mental unease and discomfort which helps explain selective perception. It is produced when new information contradicts existing beliefs, attitudes, social norms, or behaviors.
- Many times people favor consonance because their ideas flow freely into one another and do not create an unbalance. [2]
- The existence of dissonance, being psychologically uncomfortable, will motivate the person to try to reduce the dissonance and achieve consonance.
- When dissonance is present, in addition to trying to reduce it, the person will actively avoid situations and information that would likely increase the dissonance. [3]
Festinger’s cognitive dissonance theory, which was one of the roots of selective exposure, explained people’s effort to reduce their dissonance of something against their existing beliefs. Nonetheless, his theory was broad enough to be elucidated in general social behavior, not just for selecting medium and media contents. Festinger suggested situations that increase dissonance. Firstly, logical inconsistency brings about dissonance. If a person who believes it is not possible to build a device to leave Earth’s atmosphere observes man reach the moon, their belief and experience are dissonant with each other. Secondly, cultural morals entail dissonance. A person picks up a chicken bone with their hands, and it is dissonant with what they believe is formal etiquette. At this point, culture defines what is consonant and what is dissonant. Thirdly, if specific opinion is included in a more general opinion, dissonance should be followed. A person, who has been Democrat, prefers Republican candidates for certain election. This situation creates dissonance, because “Being a Democrat” needs to be attributed to favoring Democratic candidates. Lastly, past experience causes dissonance. If a person is standing in the rain, but is not wet, these two cognitions would be dissonant, because they might know standing in the rain leads to getting wet through past experience. Festinger (1957) also suggests the ways of reducing dissonance. For reducing dissonance, one may change a behavioral cognitive element or change an environmental cognitive element. However, sometimes, behavior change and environmental change do not help reducing dissonance. Festinger, then, suggested adding new cognitive elements. If people cannot reduce dissonance, they might seek new information, which is consonant with their beliefs or attitude; therefore, people might actively seek new information that would decrease dissonance and avoid new information that would increase dissonance. This third explanation of reducing dissonance is similar with selective exposure, which mass communication reinforces the existing opinion.
-
- Another example of the Cognitive Dissonance Theory can be found in the article entitled, “Theories of Persuasion,” by Daniel J. O’Keefe. It describes the different theories of persuasion and how media outlets use them to their advantage to influence their audience. The author’s example is that people donate to the Red Cross because they believe in what it stands for which represents consonance. However, on the other hand, the author suggests that a person who smokes and also believes it causes cancer, would be an example of dissonance and hypocrisy. Many times people try to sway against dissonance because it puts them in an uncomfortable position. Therefore, these feelings of consonance and dissonance lead to the “Selective Exposure Theory” because some believe that people will select the media sources that agree with their opinions and attitudes on different subjects and then only follow those programs. [4]
Klapper’s selective exposure
Joseph Klapper (1960) considered mass communication do not directly influence people, but just reinforce people’s predisposition. Mass communications play a role as a mediator in persuasive communication.
- Klapper’s five mediating factors and conditions to affect people
- Predispositions and the related processes of selective exposure, selective perception, and selective retention.
- The groups, and the norms of groups, to which the audience members belong.
- Interpersonal dissemination of the content of communication
- The exercise of opinion leadership
- The nature of mass media in a free enterprise society. [5]
- Three basic concepts
- Selective exposure – people keep away from communication of opposite hue.
- Selective Perception – If people are confronting unsympathetic material, they do not perceive it, or make it fit for their existing opinion.
- Selective retention – Furthermore, they just simply forget the unsympathetic material.
Groups and group norms work as a mediator. For example, one can be strongly disinclined to change to the Democratic Party if their family has voted for Republican for a long time. In this case, the person’s predisposition to the political party is already set, so they don’t perceive information about Democratic Party or change voting behavior because of mass communication. Klapper’s third assumption is inter-personal dissemination of mass communication. If someone is already exposed by close friends, which creates predisposition toward something, it will lead increase of exposure to mass communication and eventually reinforce the existing opinion. Opinion leader is also a crucial factor to form predisposition of someone, lead someone to be exposed by mass communication, and after all, existing opinion would be reinforced. Nature of commercial mass media also leads people to select certain type of media contents. Klapper (1960) claimed that people are selecting entertainment, such as family comedy, variety shows, quizzes, and Westerns, because of nature of mass media in a free enterprise society.
Selective exposure in entertainment theory perspective
Selective exposure is an instinctive activity of human beings. Early human beings needed to be sensitive to the sounds of animals. This kind of exposure was closely related with their survival from an external threat. Survival is still a very crucial matter for human beings; however, selective exposure is also important for human beings for other purposes, such as entertainment.
“Selective exposure designates behavior that is deliberately performed to attain and sustain perceptual control of particular stimulus events.”
Affective-dependent theory of stimulus arrangement
Zillmann and Bryant (1985) developed affective-dependent theory of stimulus arrangement in the chapter of their edited book, Selective exposure to communication.
- Basic Assumptions
- people tend to minimize exposure to negative, aversive stimuli
- people tend to maximize exposure to pleasurable stimuli.
After all, people try to arrange the external stimuli to maintain their pleasure, which ultimately let people select certain affect-inducing program, such as music, movie, or other entertainment program. In other words, people manage their mood by selecting certain kind of entertainment to exposure themselves; mood management theory was also rooted by this affective-dependent theory.
Furthermore, people will select media based on their moods. An example of this is if a person is happy they would probably select a comedic movie. If they are bored they might choose action and if they are sad they might select tragedy or a depressing romance. These attitudes and moods also convince people to watch different news outlets based on how they feel. People with conservative beliefs tend to watch Fox news and Democrats usually watch MSNBC.
- Examples:
1**A person with liberal beliefs, who comes home from a hard day at work will probably turn on MSNBC. They would not be in the mood to fight with a news station that has conservative beliefs constantly being portrayed. 2**A woman who just broke up with her boyfriend would probably not be in the mood to watch a romantic movie and would therefore tend to pick a movie that falls into the genre of tragedy.
Selective exposure processes in mood management
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- Excitatory Homeostasis – Tendency of individuals to choose entertainment to achieve an optimal level of arousal.
- Intervention Potential – Ability of a message to engage or absorb an aroused individual’s attention or cognitive-processing resources.
- Message-Behavioral Affinity – Communication that has a high degree of similarity with affective state.
- Hedonic Valence – Positive or negative nature of a message. [7]
Critiques
- Possible influence by factors other than a person’s emotional state.
- Difficulty to measure long-term effect.
- Overlook the importance of cognitive processes.
- Not suit for information and education media.
- Possibility that negative stimuli provide enjoyment by overcoming it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_exposure_theory
Harold Lasswell
He is well known for his comment on communications:
- Who (says) What (to) Whom (in) What Channel (with) What Effect
and on politics:
- Politics is who gets what, when, and how.
and on aberrant psychological attributes of leaders in politics and business:
- Psychopathology and Politics
Lasswell studied at the University of Chicago in the 1920s, and was highly influenced by the pragmatism taught there, especially as propounded by John Dewey and George Herbert Mead. More influential, however, was Freudian philosophy, which informed much of his analysis of propaganda and communication in general. During World War II, Lasswell held the position of Chief of the Experimental Division for the Study of War Time Communications at the Library of Congress. He analyzed Nazi propaganda films to identify mechanisms of persuasion used to secure the acquiescence and support of the German populace for Hitler and his wartime atrocities. Always forward-looking, late in his life, Lasswell experimented with questions concerning astropolitics, the political consequences of colonization of other planets, and the “machinehood of humanity.”
Lasswell’s work was important in the post-World War II development of behavioralism.
Major works
- Propaganda Technique in the World War (1927; Reprinted with a new introduction, 1971)
- Psychopathology and Politics, (1930; reprinted, 1986)
- World Politics and Personal Insecurity (1935; Reprinted with a new introduction, 1965)
- Politics: Who Gets What, When, How (1935)
- “The Garrison State” (1941)
- Power and Personality (1948) …”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Lasswell
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Survey of Broadcasting: Assignment 2, Question 3. Discuss the differences between the catharsis theory and the stimulation theory. Which one do you consider to be more valid? Why?
The catharsis theory posits that watching media violence relieves the aggressive urges of those viewers in the audience.
The stimulation theory posits that watching media violence stimulates aggressive acts in real life by viewers in the audience.
Laboratory experiments designed to test both theories found little support for the catharsis theory.
The bulk of the laboratory research supports the stimulation theory.
However, these early laboratory experiments were criticized for being artificial and using violent TV segments that were not typical of what most viewers saw on TV.
When more realistic violent segments and more relevant aggression measures were used in subsequent experiments, they confirmed that watching violence stimulates subsequent real-life aggression.
More recent laboratory experiments have focused on the factors that might increase or decrease the amount of aggression performed in response to violent media segments.
The general consensus among social scientists is television violence is a cause of subsequent aggression in viewers.
However, it is not the cause since there are many other factors beside TV that determine whether an individual will behave aggressively.
The other factors include age, gender, family interaction, and how the violence is presented on the TV.
In relative terms the effect of TV violence on subsequent aggression is small.
Correlation survey studies show that viewing TV violence and antisocial behaviors are linked but tells us nothing definitive about cause and effect.
Longitudinal panel surveys that examine the same individual at different points in time.
These studies suggest that viewing TV violence causes viewers to become more aggressive.
However, the degree of relationship between the two factors is small and in a few cases too difficult to detect.
Watching TV encourages aggression, which in turn encourages the watching of more violent TV.
Meta-analysis of the results of many past studies indicates a positive link between media violence and aggressive behaviour. The greatest effect was found in laboratory experiments and the weakest in long-term panel surveys.
The effect of TV violence on an individual behaving aggressively is small and the precise effect will be impacted by many other factors.
Therefore I do not consider either the catharsis theory or the stimulation theory to be persuasive The stimulation theory relative to the catharsis theory is better supported and more valid.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Survey of Broadcasting: Assignment 2: Question 2. Strategize about what you would do if you were the weakest station in a market. How would you plan your media buys? What would you do to make your station more attractive to advertisers?
Question 2. Strategize about what you would do if you were the weakest station in a market.
How would you plan your media buys?
What would you do to make your station more attractive to advertisers?
If I were the weakest radio station in a market I would first do an analysis of the current format of the station.
Success in radio programming requires finding a unique niche in a market that would attract a large radio audience and in turn attract advertisers and revenues.
I would look for the format hole in a market or listening area by considering internal and external factors.
An internal analysis would consider such factors as the station’s dial location, power, technical facilities, management philosophy and station ownership.
An external analysis would begin with a competitive market study and consider such factors as existing competitor station’s current formats, ratings, financial performance, and technical properties.
Both the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor station should be examined.
By searching for a format hole I should be able to find a new or different format that is not currently available in a market.
If no format hole is found, then I should be able to find at least one or more competitors with a format that I could compete with head-to-head.
I would plan by media buys by first ascertaining my station’s target audience or the primary group of people the station seeks to reach with it programming.
The target audience should be clearly defined in terms of its demographics including age, gender, marital status, income, racial/ethnic background and other descriptors.
In addition to demographics I would try to define the target audience listeners in terms of their psychographics including listener attitudes, beliefs, hobbies, interests, lifestyles and motivations for listening to the station.
I would make the station more attractive to advertisers by first having very low if not the lowest rates for advertising commercials.
This should attract advertisers looking for bargains especially local small businesses.
I would provide advertisers with both the demographics and psychographics of the station’s target listening audience.
This should attract advertisers of products and services whose customers have the same or similar demographics and psychographics of the station’s target listening audience.
Background Articles and Videos
Advertising Techniques : How Do Media Buying Services Operate?
Media Buying 101
5 Sins of an Accomplished Media Buyer
Media Buying 101 (Everything BUT Google)
Meet Media Buying Expert Dan Zifkin
Media Buying Strategy in a Web 2.0 World
Media Buying and Planning Services – Eliminate a Costly Learning Curve
Media Buying Testing Strategies – Discovering New Winners
Media Buying
“…Media Buying is a sub function of Advertising management. Media Buying is the procurement of the best possible placement and price of a piece of media real-estate within any given media. The main task of Media Buying lies within the negotiation of price and placement to ensure the best possible value can be secured.
Buyers
Media Buyers are individuals responsible for purchasing time and advertising space for the purpose of advertising.[1] When planning what to buy, they must evaluate factors based on but not limited to station formats, pricing rates, demographics, geographic, and psychographics relating to the advertisers particular product or service objectives. The Media Buyer needs to optimize what is bought and that is dependent on budget, type of medium (radio, internet, TV, print), quality of the medium (target audience, time of day for broadcast, etc.), and how much time and space is wanted. Media Buyers can purchase spot, regionally, or nationally. National Media Buyers might have to factor in determinates based on a state by state basis. Rates, demand of leads, space, and time, and state licenses will vary from state to state. National Media Buyers will need National Media Planning to generate National Media Marketing strategies and National Media Advertising that can be adaptable from area to area but also work on a national level.
There is an apparent distinction between General Marketing Media Buyers and Direct Response Media Buyers. General Market Media Buyers enact or actualize media plans drawn up by media planners. They negotiate rates and create media schedules based on a media plan constructed by a Media Planner. Through the Media Planner, General Market Media Buyers rely on published cost per point guides which in actuality, are often based on hypothetical benchmarks, and rather outdated models[citation needed]. An experienced Direct Response Media Buyer knows what stations generate a specific quantity of response and knows within reason, the break even point of the expenditure versus the return. With that information, the Direct Response Media Buyer is efficient in negotiating a functional rate and in purchasing media from the appropriate stations[citation needed]. The Direct Response Buyer attaches unique phone numbers to each station they purchase media from and track the sales, and make adjustments to the media plan and schedule as necessary to optimize results. With these differing methodologies, Direct Response Marketing can be considered a specialized arena. Few advertising and marketing agencies are qualified to support clients in their Direct Response efforts[citation needed].
Media Research Planning can be done by Media Buyers as well as Media Specialists. Depending on product and service, Media Buyers and Media Specialists must do a fair amount of research to determine how best to spend the allotted budget[citation needed]. This includes research on the target audience and what type of medium will work best to reach the largest amount of consumers with the most effective method. Media Planners and Media Specialists have a vast array of media outlets at their disposal, both traditional media and new media. Traditional media would include radio, TV, magazines, newspapers, and out of home. New media might include Satellite TV, cable TV, Satellite radio, and internet. The internet offers a number of Online Media that has surfaced with the improvement of technology and the accessibility of the internet. Online Media can include emails, search engines and referral links, web portals, banners, interactive games, and video clips. Media Planners and Specialists can pick and choose what and/or which combination of media is most appropriate and effective to achieve their goal, whether it is to make a sale, and/or to deliver a message or idea. They can also strategize and make use of product placements and Positioning. Inserting advertisements as print ads in newspapers and magazines, buying impressions for advertisements on the internet, and airing commercials on the radio or TV, can be utilized by Direct Response Advertisers as well as Remnant Advertisers.
All the major marketing services holding companies own specialist media-buying operations.
Prior to the late 1990s, media buying was generally carried out by the media department of an advertising agency. The split between creative agencies and media agencies is often referred to as “unbundling”. In 1999, WPP Group created MindShare from the media departments of its two advertising networks, Ogilvy & Mather and J Walter Thompson, now JWT.
In 2003, after purchasing Young & Rubicam and Tempus, WPP further consolidated all of its media operations including media buying and media planning through the formation of GroupM, which is now the number one media investment management company in terms of billings.[2] The other major media holdings include Omnicom’s OMD, Publicis’s Vivaki and ZenithOptimedia, Interpublic’s Mediabrands, Aegis’s Aegis Media and Havas’s Havas Media. …”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_buying
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Survey of Broadcasting: Assignment 1, Question 1: Describe the five general steps of signal processing–Videos
1. Describe the five general steps of signal processing.
Roger Waters – Radio KAOS – Radio Waves
The five general steps in signal processing are as follows:
- Signal generation
- Signal amplification and processing
- Signal transmission
- Signal reception
- Signal storage.
Step 1 Signal Generation: Signal generation is the conversion or transduction of the sound or light waves from the source into electrical energy which corresponds to the frequency of the original source. The audio signal may be generated mechanically using a microphone or turntable to create an analog of the original sound signal such as a phonograph record or audio cassette. Microphones are used to transduce the physical energy of music and voice into electrical energy.The audio signal may be generated electromagnetically using tape recorders.The audio signal may also be generated digitally by using laser optics to create a binary or digital equivalent of the original sound. Television signal generation requires electronic line-by-line scanning of an image using an electron beam to scan each element of the picture. The image is subsequently retraced by the television receiver.
Step 2 Signal Amplification and Processing: Audio and video signals are amplified and mixed using audio consoles and video switchers. After the audio signal has been converted from a physical sound wave into an electrical or digital facsimile, the audio signal must be amplified to boost the signal and processed including the mixing, combining and routing for broadcast transmission and/or recording. Sound sources are combined at the mixing board. The amplified sound may be fine tuned using equalizers and special effects. The switcher is used to mix TV signals and put the desired picture on the air. A special effect generator is used to add transitions, split screen and keying. Digital video editing and effects can also be produced using computer software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.
Step 3 Signal Transmission: The electronic signal is superimposed by a modulation process on a carrier wave generated or propagated by the radio station on its assigned frequency. The generated sound wave may travel by ground, sky and direct waves. Radio waves occupy a segment of the electromagnetic spectrum. AM radio channel frequencies are divided into three main types: clear channels, regional channels and local channels. FM channel frequencies are classified by antenna height and power. Stereo broadcasting and other nonbroadcast services are accomplished with the wide bandwidth of the FM channel. Digital radio is satellite-based or in-band on channel. Television signal transmission includes over-the-air broadcasting using the electromagnetic radiation on the VHF and UHF portions of the spectrum or by wire through a cable system using coaxial cable that can carry programming on more than 100 channels.. New transmission technologies used for transmission and distribution include satellite and fiber optics for digital signals.
Step 4 Signal Reception: After the radio signal has been transduced, modulated and transmitted, the radio waves are picked up on a radio receiver where they are transduced or converted by the speaker system back into sound waves. The characteristics of the electromagnetic spectrum and modulation method used in transmission determine the type of radio receiver needed to convert the signal back into sound waves.There are several types of radio receivers including AM, AM stereo, FM, shortwave, and multiband. These receivers can be equipped with either analog tuners or a digital system. For moving images both large and small-screen TVs are now receiving high-definition television vision signals.
Step 5 Signal Storage: Both audio and video technology is used in the storage and retrieval of sounds and moving images. Audio or video signals are transduced or converted for storage and eventual playback or rebroadcast. The storage medium have included glass discs, wire, vinyl, magnetic type, compact disc, video tapes, digital storage media such as digital versatile discs (DVDs) and computer hard drives including high-capacity disc drives.
Roger Waters – Radio KAOS – Tide Is Turning
Background Articles and Videos
Amplitude modulation tutorial & AM radio transmitter circuit
The Professor – How does a radio work?
AM Modulation and Demodulation Part 1
Introduction to Radio Waves Training Course
High Definition Television (HDTV) : Difference Between High & Standard
Roger Waters – Radio KAOS – Intro
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )
News Journal: Number 35, December 1, 2010: The Audacity of Grope: A TSA Exposé–Progressive Pervert Petulent Prevaricating President–Must View Video!
Campaign for Liberty launches a public relations campaign against President Obama’s TSA government interventionism:
“…Got questions about the TSA? This video’s got answers. Jam-packed with all the information you need to get up to speed on the 2010 holiday airport security uproar. Get the inside scoop on full body scanners, radiation health risks, pat-downs, screw-ups, underwear bombers, cavity searches, special interests, government officials, the Constitution (specifically, the 4th Amendment), scanner storage capability, and hear from some of the most engaged minds in the debate; including Congressman Ron Paul…”
Campaign for Liberty Mission Statement
“Our mission is to promote and defend the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy, by means of educational and political activity.”
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/about.php
http://www.youtube.com/user/campaignforliberty
One point that the above video failed to address is the spread of disease as a direct result of the TSA not changing their blue gloves after each pat down.
Instead the TSA screeners use the same pair of blue gloves most of the day.
Imagine going to a doctor or dentist who wore the same blue gloves while examining many patients during the day.
An unintended consequence of the government grope will be the spread of the various influenza (flu) viruses.
The time has come to stop this security theater nonsense and start profiling passengers and targeting individuals that are more likely to be terrorist bombers.
Flawless Airline Security on Israeli Planes
TSA: Enemy of the American People?
Ron Paul: TSA Has Gone too Far
Enough is enough.
Terminate the TSA peepers and pat downs.
President Obama responds:
President Obama explains the new TSA Airport Security Screenings
News Journal: Number 34, November 12, 2010: TSA–Thousands Standing Around To Trained Sexual Assaulters To Tyrants Scanning Americans–Videos
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, housses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
~United States Constitution, Fourth Amendment
If you are planning to fly this Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday to visit family and friends, you might want to seriously consider driving or taking a bus instead of flying or just stay home.
The American people’s rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures…” is being challenged by the Transportation Security Administration of the United States Government.
When you go to through airport security you must first pass through a metal detector then a full body radiation scan.
If you elect not to have the full body radiation scan, you are called a opt outer and subject to a perverted pat down of your entire body including genitals, breast and buttocks by the government gropers of the TSA.
Woman, children, and the disabled in wheel chairs may have to go through both the full naked body radiation scan and the perverted pat down.
You choices are as follows when you opt out:
More and more Americans are electing to just stay home and save the time, money and invasion of their bodies and property and the legal molestation of their children by Federal Government Employees.
The American people should respond to the use of full naked body radiation scans and perverted pat downs by simply not travelling on commercial airlines.
The commercial airlines and not the Government should be responsible for security and safety on an airline flight.
When the airlines and the travel industry experience significant drops in their revenues and profits, they will insist the full naked body scans and pat downs not be used and current TSA employees become employees of the airline and not the government.
Time for Congress to revisit the whole subject of TSA, government unions, and unreasonable searches and seizures.
Metal detectors and thermal detectors are fine.
Airport Security and Screening on Fox News Channel profiling Thermal Matrix and the ACT System
End the full naked body radiation scans.
End the perverted pat downs.
End the Transportation Security Administration or TSA.
Stop unreasonable searches and seizures.
Start profiling passengers and target those who have the higher probability of being terrorists or suicide bombers.
Give the airlines the responsiblity for security and screening passengers.
Airline Attack Highlights Israel’s Security Success
Terminate Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano for approving these unreasonable searches.
Demand that your local airport opt out of TSA and select another company to perform security.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano
Pushes Perverted Pat Downs and
Full Naked Body Radiation Scans
TSA Posts Airport Screening Manual Online
TSA Manual Posted on the Internet
Senator Collins questions TSA officials on security procedure posting
TSA Fondles Women and Children Refusing Airport Naked Body Scanners
TSA airport full body scanner: a perverts dream come true.
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TSA Child Porn or Protection ?
Invasive TSA Airport Pat-Down
TSA Gropping People With New Pat Down Procedure-Getting Lawsuits
Air Travelers Not Happy With New TSA Security Measures
LIVE DEMONSTRATION OF NEW BODY AIRPORT SCANNER
TSA installs full-body scanners at Boston Logan International, other airports nationwide
TSA Body Scanners Deprive Americans of their Dignity
Scanners Too Revealing?
Woman Claims Security at DC Airport Beat Her Up
Airline Pilot to TSA: ‘No Groping Me and No Naked Photos!’ DNA Damage, Cancer Risk
Full-Body Scanners Damage Human DNA
Alex’s Encounter with TSA During Latest Trip to California
Paul Watson Discusses TSA Agents Gone Wild on The Alex Jones Show 1/2
Paul Watson Discusses TSA Agents Gone Wild on The Alex Jones Show 2/2
EPIC FOIA – Feds and TSA save and transmit Body Scan images
TSA pulls pants off 71 y/o man with knee implant
Full Body Scanner Images Stored
Paul Watson Feds Caught Storing Body Scan Images at Florida Courthouse Security Checkpoint
TSA not screening screeners
Nude Protest: Airport Body Scanners in Germany
Airport scanner – TheBikerSite
Funny Body Scanner
EXCLUSIVE: TSA Unveils New Genital Visualizers
Background Articles and Videos
Feds admit storing checkpoint body scan images
by Declan McCullagh
“…For the last few years, federal agencies have defended body scanning by insisting that all images will be discarded as soon as they’re viewed. The Transportation Security Administration claimed last summer, for instance, that “scanned images cannot be stored or recorded.” Now it turns out that some police agencies are storing the controversial images after all. The U.S. Marshals Service admitted this week that it had surreptitiously saved tens of thousands of images recorded with a millimeter wave system at the security checkpoint of a single Florida courthouse. This follows an earlier disclosure (PDF) by the TSA that it requires all airport body scanners it purchases to be able to store and transmit images for “testing, training, and evaluation purposes.” The agency says, however, that those capabilities are not normally activated when the devices are installed at airports. Body scanners penetrate clothing to provide a highly detailed image so accurate that critics have likened it to a virtual strip search. Technologies vary, with millimeter wave systems capturing fuzzier images, and backscatter X-ray machines able to show precise anatomical detail. The U.S. government likes the idea because body scanners can detect concealed weapons better than traditional magnetometers. This privacy debate, which has been simmering since the days of the Bush administration, came to a boil two weeks ago when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that scanners would soon appear at virtually every major airport. The updated list includes airports in New York City, Dallas, Washington, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and Philadelphia. …” Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html#ixzz14ztWIFHJ
Pilots and passengers rail at new airport patdowns
By Jeremy Pelofsky
“…Executives from the travel industry, including online travel sites, theme parks and hotels, were set to meet Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Pistole on Friday to discuss their concerns that security is crimping travel. “We have received hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from travelers vowing to stop flying,” said Geoff Freeman, an executive vice president of the U.S. Travel Association, which set up the meeting with the Obama administration officials. “You can’t talk on the one hand about creating jobs in this country and getting this economy back on track and on the other hand discourage millions of Americans from flying, which is the gateway to commerce,” he said. Privacy groups have challenged the new body scanners in court, saying they are a violation of privacy and illegal. Lawmakers plan to hold hearings on aviation security next week when they return to Washington. Some travelers are also livid about how children are being screened. During a trip last Sunday by a father and son through Orlando airport in Florida, the 8-year-old boy was selected for extra screening by TSA after going through the metal detector. The father said the officer described the procedure before conducting it. Then he patted down the boy in the open security area, using the backside of his hands to check his genital area, he said. “I didn’t think it was going to be as horrible as he was describing,” said the boy’s father, Bill, who works as a lobbyist in Washington and did not want his full name used. …” http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AA55S20101111?ref=nf
U.S. Marshals Service Storing Naked Body Scanner Images
Kurt Nimmo “…Now it turns out police agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, are storing naked body scanner images too. In response, the advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center has filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to grant an immediate injunction and putting a kibosh to the intrusive and unconstitutional snoop program. Fresh food that lasts from eFoods Direct Despite the revelation, the TSA steadfastly maintains that naked body scanners are delivered to airports with the image recording functions disabled. “We’re not recording them,” TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz told CNET on Wednesday. “I’m reiterating that to the public. We are not ever activating those capabilities at the airport.” Let’s get serious here. Naked body scanners are obviously being used to compliment existing dossiers on Americans. The NSA, FBI, CIA, and multitudinous government agencies have long profiled all aspects of the lives of American citizens. Images captured by naked body scanners, including images of genitals, are merely the next logical step in this process. …” http://www.infowars.com/u-s-marshals-service-storing-naked-body-scanner-images/
Transportation Security Administrion
PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR WHOLE BODY IMAGER DEVICES FOR CHECKPOINT OPERATIONS
“…3.1.1.1.2 Privacy TSA policy dictates that passenger privacy is maintained and protected during passenger screening. To ensure passenger privacy safeguards arc in place, WEI systems will prohibit the storage and exporting of passenger images during normal screening operations. When not being used for normal screening operations, the capability to capture images of non-passengers for training and evaluation purposes is needed. To ensure that image capturing maintains passenger privacy, the WEI will provide two distinct modes of operation: Screening Mode and Test Mode as defined in 3.1.1.3.1. During Screening Mode, the WEI shall (6) be prohibited from exporting passenger image data, including via STIP. During Test Mode, the WEI shall (7) not be capable of conducting passenger screening. The WBI shall (8) prohibit local storage of image data in all modes. The WEI shall (9) employ 256-bit encryption for image data in accordance with Fcderal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 197 Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Procurement_Specs.pdf
Are airport full body scanners a danger?
Jane Jamison
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) “Technology Review” reports the technology can harm human DNA:
The airport scanning technology creates a “picture” of the passenger’s body. Clothing is not really visible. Body parts, or any “additions” or augmentations to the body, such as an implanted plastic bag of explosives, are visible. …”
TSA Screeners Frequently Miss Fake Bombs!
How the airport body scanner is used
TSA – Three Simple Steps
TSA – Laptops and Electronics
TSA – Why ID?
TSA – Traveling with Children
AT X-ray and Advanced Belts: TSA Checkpoint Evolution
Composure Benches: TSA Checkpoint Evolution
“…The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. The TSA was originally organized in the U.S. Department of Transportation but was moved to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 25, 2003. The agency is responsible for security in all modes of transportation.[1] …”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Security_Administration
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )News Journal: Number 33, November 9, 2010: Tea Party Movement Expects Republican Party To Balance The Budget By Cutting Spending Now!
Debt Clock
Economics 101 – It’s Simple to Balance The Budget Without Higher Taxes!
Deficits are Bad, but the Real Problem is Spending
Meltzer Says U.S. Economic Programs Have Been `Foolish’
Ron Paul – Dr. Allan Meltzer
No Compromise: Issa, Ryan and Cantor Will Cut Runaway Federal Spending
Eric Cantor Discusses Tax Rates, Ending Earmarks & Cutting Spending On Fox News Sunday
Rand Paul: GOP must consider military spending cuts
Ron Paul on the Deficit, Government Spending, and Military Industrial Complex (1988)
The tea party movement is expecting the Republican Party to balance the Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012 budgets or face the consequences or fate in 2012 of the big spending Democrats in this past election.
Instead the Republican Party is talking about a Fiscal Year 2008 level of total outlays of about $3 trillion dollars.
This is definitely an improvement over President Obama’s estimated budget deficits exceeding over $1,000 billion in FY 2010 and FY 2011.
However, it still would not come close to balancing the budget in FY 2011 where tax revenues are expected to be about $2,567 billion.
Unfortunately the deficit would be about $400 billion for the total combined on-budget and off-budget.
Refer to the following receipts and outlay estimates at:
Table 1.1—SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS, OUTLAYS, AND SURPLUSES OR DEFICITS (−): 1789–2015
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals/
The total estimated tax revenues for FY 2011 and FY 2012 are $2,567 billion and $2,926 billion respectively for the combined on-budget and off-budget.
The total estimated outlays for FY 2011 and FY 2012 are $3,834 billion and $3,755 billion respectively for the combined on-budget and off-budget.
The total estimated deficits for FY 2011 and FY 2012 are $1,267 billion and $828 billion respectively for combined on-budget and off-budget.
To balance the combined on-budget and off-budget the FY 2011 outlays would need to about the level of Fiscal Year 2005 of $2,472 billion.
To balance the combined on-budget and off-budget the FY 2012 outlays would need to about the level of Fiscal Year 2008 of $2,983 billion.
Either balance the budget or face the consequences in 2012.
Stop dithering.
Start shutting down entire Federal Departments, agencies and programs.
Milton Friedman on Libertarianism (Part 4 of 4)
Pass the FairTax and limit future outlays or expenditures for the total on-budget and off-budget to 80% of previous year’s tax revenue from the FairTax.
The FairTax: It’s Time
The remaining 20% of FairTax revenues would go to pay down the debt.
Time for some real change and hope.
Stop spending our future and balance the budget.
Stop Spending Our Future – The Crisis
Background Articles and Videos
Keynesian Economics vs. Austrian Economics
Keynesian Predictions vs. American History | Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
Why You’ve Never Heard of the Great Depression of 1920 | Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
Warren Harding and the Forgotten Depression of 1920
by Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
“…The economic situation in 1920 was grim. By that year unemployment had jumped from 4 percent to nearly 12 percent, and GNP declined 17 percent. No wonder, then, that Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover – falsely characterized as a supporter of laissez-faire economics – urged President Harding to consider an array of interventions to turn the economy around. Hoover was ignored.
Instead of “fiscal stimulus,” Harding cut the government’s budget nearly in half between 1920 and 1922. The rest of Harding’s approach was equally laissez-faire. Tax rates were slashed for all income groups. The national debt was reduced by one-third. The Federal Reserve’s activity, moreover, was hardly noticeable. As one economic historian puts it, “Despite the severity of the contraction, the Fed did not move to use its powers to turn the money supply around and fight the contraction.”2 By the late summer of 1921, signs of recovery were already visible. The following year, unemployment was back down to 6.7 percent and was only 2.4 percent by 1923.
It is instructive to compare the American response in this period to that of Japan. In 1920, the Japanese government introduced the fundamentals of a planned economy, with the aim of keeping prices artificially high. According to economist Benjamin Anderson, “The great banks, the concentrated industries, and the government got together, destroyed the freedom of the markets, arrested the decline in commodity prices, and held the Japanese price level high above the receding world level for seven years. During these years Japan endured chronic industrial stagnation and at the end, in 1927, she had a banking crisis of such severity that many great branch bank systems went down, as well as many industries. It was a stupid policy. In the effort to avert losses on inventory representing one year’s production, Japan lost seven years.”3
The U.S., by contrast, allowed its economy to readjust. “In 1920–21,” writes Anderson, “we took our losses, we readjusted our financial structure, we endured our depression, and in August 1921 we started up again. . . . The rally in business production and employment that started in August 1921 was soundly based on a drastic cleaning up of credit weakness, a drastic reduction in the costs of production, and on the free play of private enterprise. It was not based on governmental policy designed to make business good.” The federal government did not do what Keynesian economists ever since have urged it to do: run unbalanced budgets and prime the pump through increased expenditures. Rather, there prevailed the old-fashioned view that government should keep spending and taxation low and reduce the public debt.4 …”
http://www.lewrockwell.com/woods/woods125.html
Historical Tables
Historical Tables provides data on budget receipts, outlays, surpluses or deficits, Federal debt, and Federal employment over an extended time period, generally from 1940 or earlier to 2011 or 2015.
Table 1.1—SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS, OUTLAYS, AND SURPLUSES OR DEFICITS (−): 1789–2015
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals/
High Taxes and High Budget Deficits
The Hoover–Roosevelt Tax Increases of the 1930s
by Veronique de Rugy, Fiscal Policy Analyst, Cato Institute
“…Conclusion
The tax increases of the 1930s coincided with large
deficits and economic stagnation. While the monetary and
trade policy mistakes of the 1930s are now widely
understood, the tax policy mistakes are less appreciated.
As Congress grapples with today’s budget deficit and
mediocre economic growth, it should look to the tax cuts
of the 1920s for inspiration rather than the failed “budget
balancing with high taxes” approach of the 1930s.”
http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbb/tbb-0303-14.pdf
Can GOP Shrink Government Spending?
Ron Paul in San Francisco – Amazing Speech!
Republicans roll out “Pledge to America”
Related Posts On Pronk Palisades
Heritage Foundation 2010 Budget Charts–Federal Spending
Heritage Foundation 2010 Budget Charts–Federal Revenue
Heritage Foundation 2010 Budget Charts–Federal Debt and Deficits
Heritage Foundation 2010 Budget Charts–Federal Entitlements
Economists
The Battle For The World Economy–Videos
Frederic Bastiat–The Law–Videos
Walter Block–Videos
Walter Block–Introduction To Libertarianism–Videos
Hunter Lewis–Where Keynes Went Wrong–Videos
Thomas DiLorenzo–The Economic Model of the Fascist State–Videos
Richard Ebeling–America’s New Road to Serfdom and the Continuing Relevance of Austrian Economics –Videos
Milton Friedman–Videos
Milton Friedman–Capitalism and Freedom–Videos
Milton Friedman On Business–Videos
Milton Friedman On Education–Videos
Milton Friedman On Monetary Policy–Videos
Milton Friedman–Debate In Iceland–Videos
Milton Friedman–Free To Choose–On Donahue –Videos
Milton Friedman–Economic Myths–Videos
Paul Edward Gottfried–Fascism, Anti-Fascism, and the Welfare State–Videos
David Gordon–Five Best Books on the Current Crisis–Video
David Gordon–The Confused Literature of Globalization–Videos
Friedrich Hayek–Videos
Henry Hazlitt–Economics In One Lesson–Videos
Robert Higgs–The Complex Path of Ideological Change–Videos
Robert Higgs–The Great Depression and the Current Recession–Videos
Robert Higgs–Why Are Politicians Always Trying to Scare Us?–Videos
Jörg Guido Hülsmann–The Ethics of Money Production–Videos
Jörg Guido Hülsmann–The Life and Work of Ludwig von Mises–Videos
Israel Kirzner–On Entrepreneurship–Vidoes
Paul Krugman–Videos
Hunter Lewis–Where Keynes Went Wrong–Videos
Liberal Fascism–Jonah Goldberg–Videos
Dan Mitchell–Videos
Ludwig von Mises–Videos
Robert P. Murphy–Videos
Robert P. Murphy–Government Stimulus: Repeating the mistakes of the Great Depression–Videos
Gary North–Keynes and His Influence–Take The North Challenge–Videos
The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged and The Ideas of Ayn Rand
George Gerald Reisman–Why Nazism Was Socialism and Why Socialism Is Totalitarian–Videos
Paul Craig Roberts–How The Economy Was Lost–The War Of The Worlds–Videos
Paul Craig Roberts–Peak Jobs–Videos
Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr–How Empires Bamboozle the Bourgeoisie–Videos
Murray Rothbard–Videos
Murray Rothbard–A History of Money and Banking in The United States–Videos
Murray Rothbard–The American Economy and the End of Laissez-Faire: 1870 to World War II–Videos
Murray Rothbard–The Case Against The Fed–Videos
Murray N. Rothbard–Introduction to Economics: A Private Seminar–Videos
Murray Rothbard–Libertarianism–Video
Rothbard On Keynes–Videos
Murray Rothbard– What Has Government Done to Our Money?–Videos
Peter Schiff–Videos
Schiff, Forbers and Bloomberg Nail The Financial Crisis and Recession–Mistakes Were Made–Greed, Arrogance, Stupidity–Three Chinese Curses!
Larry Sechrest–The Anticapitalists: Barbarians at the Gate–Videos
L. William Seidman on The Economic Crisis: Causes and Cures–Videos
Amity Shlaes–Videos
Julian Simon–Videos
Julian Simon–The Ultimate Resource II: People, Materials, and Environment–Videos
Thomas Sowell and Conflict of Visions–Videos
Thomas Sowell On The Housing Boom and Bust–Videos
Econ Talk With Thomas Sowell–Videos
Peter Thiel–Videos
Thomas E. Woods, Jr.–Videos
Thomas E. Woods–The Calamity of Anti-Capitalism: A Brief American History–Video
Thomas E. Woods–The Economic Crisis and The Federal Reserve–Videos
Tom Woods–Lectures On Liberty–Videos
Thomas E. Woods–The Market Economy–Videos
Tom Woods On Personal Rights and Property Ownership
Tom Woods–Smashing Myths and Restoring Sound Money–Videos
Tom Woods–Who Killed The Constitution
Tom Wright On The FairTax–Videos
Banking Cartel’s Public Relations Campaign Continues:Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke On The Record
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )News Journal: Number 30, November 2, 2010: Dump Democrats–Vote–Remember Tuesday Is Soylent Green Day–Trust But Verify–Videos
SOYLENT GREEN music – Fred Myrow (HQ + ending)
Trust but verify
I still stand by my wild ass guess (WAG) that the Republicans will win 77 seats in the House of Representatives for a total of 255 seats and 10 seats in the Senate for a total of 51 seats giving the Republican Party majority control of both the House and Senate.
There will also be 35 state Republican governors.
The Democratic Party led by President Obama have lost the independents, older voters, white voters, the unemployed and increasingly the young.
Since the core progressive/liberal base of the Democratic Party is between 20% and 25% even in the best of turnout election years, they simply cannot win in districts that have a high percentage of Republican and Independent voters.
The conservative and libertarian movement is more than energized–they want to throw the bums out of office.
The major issues were jobs, spending, taxes, deficits, debt, bailouts, illegal immigration and Obama care.
On all these issues the Democratic Party is simply on the minority side of the issue and their economic policies of a stimulus package, green jobs, and Obama care have been an abject failure in creating jobs and reducing spending and deficits.
The tea party patriots have become a political force to be reckoned with by the political establishments of the Democratic and Republican parties.
The real test for the Republican Party will be in the next two to four years.
At a bare minimum the Republican Party must cut back spending and balance the budget with no tax or debt increases.
If the Republican Party does not deliver on this, more and more tea party patriots will look to forming a new political party instead of taking over the Republican Party.
I am simply not optimistic that the current Republican Party establishment is up to the job.
The Republican establishment lacks both vision and courage to do what needs to be done.
What the Republican Party should be doing is closing down entire Federal Departments and passing the FairTax.
Very few Republicans and Republican talk radio and television show hosts mention either.
Instead it is business as usually with the same talking points that we need to cut spending by x% and tax rates by y%.
This approach has failed time and time again for the simple reason that it is quickly reversed by the progressives in both the Democratic and Republican parties when they win majorities in the House and Senate.
Only by passing the FairTax and eliminating ten Federal Departments will the cancer of out-of-control government intervention be permanently stopped.
The time for a new political party that replaces either the Republican or Democratic Party is fast approaching.
Tea parties or rallies are great but results count and that requires MOMMA–Money, Organization, Message, Momentum and Ambition.
MOMMA is what is required to win elections.
A new political party that favors limited constitutional government is required–American Citizens Alliance Party–ACAP on spending, deficits, debt, regulations, and taxes.
The American people are also waiting for its twenty-first century George Washington and Thomas Paine to emerge from the tea party patriots.
The election of 2016 is the one to watch out for.
By then I fully expect that both the Democratic and Republican parties will be so widely perceived as failures in delivering results that the American people will finally support candidates that want limited constitutional government and belong to another political party.
NRA Tribute to Charlton Heston
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )
News Journal: Number 29, October 26, 2010: American People’s No Confidence Voting Wave Wipes Out Democrats–It’s The Economy Stupid!–Videos
Republican Governors 35
Republican Senators 51
Republican Representatives 255
The Republicans will pickup a net total of 77 seats in House of Representatives for a total of 255.
The Republicans will also pickup a net total of 10 seats in the Senate for a total of 51 seats.
The American people want to stop the massive Government spending, deficits and bailouts and rising National debt of the Obama Administration.
Stop Spending Our Future – The Crisis
Issue number 1 is jobs and the economy with nearly thirty million Americans looking for a full-time job and continuing high rates of unemployment.
Issue number 2 is massive Federal Government spending, deficits, bailouts and a rising National debt.
The National Debt Road Trip
The Trillion $$$ Dollar U.S. Economic Deficit Caused By Our Government
U.S. Debt Clock
Issue number 3 is Obamacare– the American people want it repealed as soon as possible and no money bills or appropriations to fund Obamacare.
Fight Obamacare Texas
Issue number 4 is illegal immigration–the American people want it stopped by immigration law enforcement and a completed border fence that is heavily patrolled.
What Are True Costs And Benefits Of Illegal Immigration?
Stop Illegal Immigration
The American people expect the Republican Party to balance the Federal Budget by significantly reducing Government spending and permanently closing Federal Departments including Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, and Transportation.
The number of Federal employees should be cut from over 2,000,000 to less than 1,000,000.
3 Reasons Public Sector Employees are Killing the Economy
The American people expect the Republican Party to make the Bush tax cuts permanent for all taxpayers and pass the FairTax–it is time!
The FairTax: It’s Time
Should the Republican Party fail to balance the budget and cut the size and scope of the Federal Government by permanently shutting down the above departments, these Republicans will be wiped out by the 2012 wave of tea party patriots.
Background Articles and Videos
Editor in Chief Insights: Obama’s Job Approval Trajectory
President Obama Heads into Midterms at Lowest Approval Rating of Presidency
Two-thirds of Americans believe country going off on the wrong track
“…Currently, two-thirds of Americans (67%) have a negative opinion of the job President Obama is doing while just over one-third (37%) have a positive opinion. This continues the president’s downward trend and he is now at the lowest job approval rating of his presidency.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 3,084 adults surveyed online between October 11 and 18, 2010 by Harris Interactive.
It’s perhaps not surprising that nine in ten Republicans (90%) and Conservatives (89%) give the job the president is doing negative ratings. What may be surprising is that one-third of Democrats (34%) and Liberals (33%) also give him negative ratings, as do seven in ten Independents (70%) and six in ten Moderates (60%).
Americans who give the president the highest positive ratings are those with a post-graduate education (48%), a college education (47%), and those living in the West (42%). On the other end of the spectrum, almost three-quarters of those with a high school education or less (72%) and two-thirds of Midwesterners (66%) and Southerners (66%) give the President negative marks on his overall job.
While the president is at a low point, there is a political body with ratings much lower than his. Just one in ten Americans (11%) give Congress positive ratings on the job they are doing while nine in ten (89%) give them negative marks. While Congress may be under Democratic control, even four in five Democrats (81%) give them negative ratings.
Part of this negativity may have to do with the way Americans believe the country as a whole is going. Just one-third of U.S. adults (34%) say the country is going in the right direction while two-thirds (66%) say it is going off on the wrong track. While not close to the low it was before the 2008 election (11% said things were going in the right direction), this is one of the lower points of this year. …”
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/Hi_assets/TopHitPageNews.html
Rasmussen Reports
Trust on Issues
Voters Trust Republicans More on Eight of 10 Key Issues
“…Voters now trust Democrats over Republicans in only two areas – government ethics and corruption by a 41% to 36% margin and education where Democrats have a slight 42% to 40% edge.
The economy continues to be the most important issue on voters’ minds this election, and 49% place their trust in Republicans to handle this issue. Thirty-nine percent (39%) trust Democrats more. These findings show little change from early June 2009.
On the issue of health care, which voters place second on the list of important issues, Republicans hold a modest 47% to 40% advantage. Democrats were trusted more on this issue until the debate over a proposed national health care bill began to heat up in early September of last year.
Most voters continue to favor repeal of the national health care law, but the number of voters who expect the law to increase the deficit has fallen to the lowest point since its passage by Congress in March.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it’s in the news, it’s in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
Two surveys of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters each were conducted October 12-13 and October 14-15, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Government ethics and corruption rate number three in terms of overall importance, but voters have been narrowly divided for the past several months over which party to trust more on this issue. Democrats have held small leads since February.
As for education, both parties have held very modest leads on the issue at different times for months now.
Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters nationwide place their trust in the hands of Republicans when it comes to the issue of taxes. Thirty-nine percent (39%) would rather the Democrats handle this issue. The GOP has held a solid lead over Democrats on this issue since early July 2009.
But most voters believe that Democrats in Congress want to raise taxes and spending, while Republicans in Congress want to cut taxes and spending.
When it comes to immigration, 45% trust Republicans, while 33% trust the Democrats more. The gap between the two parties has widened since the beginning of January as the debate over the immigration law in Arizona intensified. At the beginning of the year, voters were essentially evenly divided on which party to trust.
Voters feel more strongly than ever that the federal government is encouraging illegal immigration and that states like Arizona have the answer to the problem, but the Obama administration is challenging the Arizona law in federal court.
Republicans continue to be trusted more on national security issues and the war on terror, with 49% of voters trusting the GOP versus 39% who trust the Democrats more. When it comes the war in Afghanistan, Republicans hold a six-point advantage, 42% to 36%.
Similarly, voters trust Republicans more than Democrats to handle the war in Iraq, 43% to 37%. …”
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/trust_on_issues
Historical Federal Workforce Tables
Executive Branch Civilian Employment Since 1940
(end-of-fiscal-year count, excluding Postal Service, in thousands)
| Fiscal Year | Total Executive Branch | Department of Defense | Civilian Agencies | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Agriculture | HHS, Education, Social Sec. 1 | Homeland Security | Interior | Justice | Transportation | Treasury | Veterans | Other | |||
| 1940 | 699 | 256 | 443 | 98 | 9 | 18 | 46 | 11 | … | 45 | 40 | 176 |
| 1941 | 1,081 | 556 | 525 | 91 | 10 | 20 | 50 | 15 | … | 52 | 43 | 244 |
| 1942 | 1,934 | 1,291 | 643 | 95 | 11 | 20 | 49 | 22 | … | 55 | 44 | 348 |
| 1943 | 2,935 | 2,200 | 735 | 109 | 11 | 21 | 43 | 23 | … | 69 | 53 | 406 |
| 1944 | 2,930 | 2,246 | 683 | 78 | 11 | 21 | 42 | 21 | … | 81 | 51 | 378 |
| 1945 | 3,370 | 2,635 | 736 | 82 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 19 | … | 84 | 65 | 409 |
| 1946 | 2,212 | 1,416 | 795 | 97 | 12 | 20 | 51 | 17 | … | 95 | 169 | 335 |
| 1947 | 1,637 | 859 | 777 | 88 | 12 | 20 | 53 | 17 | … | 82 | 217 | 288 |
| 1948 | 1,569 | 871 | 698 | 82 | 13 | 18 | 57 | 20 | … | 79 | 196 | 233 |
| 1949 | 1,573 | 880 | 694 | 87 | 12 | 19 | 59 | 19 | … | 77 | 195 | 226 |
| 1950 | 1,439 | 753 | 686 | 84 | 13 | 20 | 66 | 20 | … | 76 | 188 | 219 |
| 1951 | 1,974 | 1,235 | 738 | 81 | 16 | 21 | 65 | 25 | … | 79 | 183 | 269 |
| 1952 | 2,066 | 1,337 | 729 | 79 | 15 | 22 | 61 | 25 | … | 75 | 175 | 278 |
| 1953 | 2,026 | 1,332 | 694 | 78 | 35 | 22 | 59 | 23 | … | 71 | 178 | 226 |
| 1954 | 1,875 | 1,209 | 666 | 76 | 35 | 21 | 56 | 24 | … | 67 | 179 | 207 |
| 1955 | 1,860 | 1,187 | 673 | 86 | 40 | 21 | 54 | 24 | … | 65 | 178 | 206 |
| 1956 | 1,864 | 1,180 | 684 | 89 | 46 | 20 | 53 | 24 | … | 64 | 177 | 210 |
| 1957 | 1,869 | 1,161 | 708 | 96 | 53 | 20 | 55 | 24 | … | 65 | 174 | 222 |
| 1958 | 1,817 | 1,097 | 720 | 101 | 55 | 20 | 56 | 24 | … | 64 | 172 | 227 |
| 1959 | 1,805 | 1,078 | 727 | 97 | 59 | 20 | 55 | 23 | … | 63 | 171 | 238 |
| 1960 | 1,808 | 1,047 | 761 | 99 | 62 | 21 | 56 | 24 | … | 62 | 172 | 265 |
| 1961 | 1,825 | 1,042 | 782 | 103 | 70 | 20 | 59 | 25 | … | 67 | 175 | 265 |
| 1962 | 1,896 | 1,070 | 827 | 111 | 77 | 20 | 63 | 25 | … | 69 | 177 | 284 |
| 1963 | 1,911 | 1,050 | 861 | 116 | 81 | 21 | 73 | 25 | … | 73 | 173 | 300 |
| 1964 | 1,884 | 1,030 | 855 | 108 | 83 | 21 | 70 | 26 | … | 72 | 172 | 302 |
| 1965 | 1,901 | 1,034 | 867 | 113 | 87 | 21 | 71 | 27 | … | 74 | 167 | 307 |
| 1966 | 2,051 | 1,138 | 913 | 119 | 100 | 21 | 75 | 27 | … | 76 | 170 | 324 |
| 1967 | 2,251 | 1,303 | 949 | 122 | 106 | 24 | 77 | 27 | 52 | 79 | 173 | 289 |
| 1968 | 2,289 | 1,317 | 972 | 123 | 117 | 23 | 78 | 29 | 56 | 79 | 176 | 292 |
| 1969 | 2,301 | 1,342 | 960 | 125 | 113 | 21 | 75 | 30 | 58 | 79 | 175 | 283 |
| 1970 | 2,203 | 1,219 | 983 | 118 | 112 | 23 | 75 | 33 | 62 | 84 | 169 | 308 |
| 1971 | 2,144 | 1,154 | 989 | 120 | 115 | 25 | 72 | 38 | 66 | 86 | 180 | 288 |
| 1972 | 2,117 | 1,108 | 1,009 | 118 | 114 | 29 | 72 | 40 | 65 | 90 | 184 | 295 |
| 1973 | 2,083 | 1,053 | 1,030 | 113 | 128 | 29 | 74 | 43 | 66 | 90 | 198 | 289 |
| 1974 | 2,140 | 1,070 | 1,070 | 116 | 142 | 30 | 77 | 46 | 68 | 97 | 202 | 292 |
| 1975 | 2,149 | 1,042 | 1,107 | 121 | 147 | 31 | 80 | 47 | 69 | 101 | 213 | 297 |
| 1976 | 2,157 | 1,010 | 1,147 | 128 | 155 | 32 | 82 | 48 | 71 | 105 | 222 | 303 |
| 1977 | 2,182 | 1,009 | 1,173 | 132 | 159 | 32 | 87 | 48 | 70 | 107 | 224 | 313 |
| 1978 | 2,224 | 1,000 | 1,225 | 138 | 161 | 37 | 84 | 49 | 70 | 110 | 229 | 348 |
| 1979 | 2,161 | 960 | 1,201 | 128 | 161 | 40 | 78 | 48 | 67 | 102 | 226 | 352 |
| 1980 | 2,161 | 960 | 1,201 | 129 | 163 | 40 | 77 | 48 | 66 | 102 | 228 | 346 |
| 1981 | 2,143 | 984 | 1,159 | 129 | 162 | 38 | 76 | 47 | 54 | 100 | 232 | 321 |
| 1982 | 2,110 | 990 | 1,121 | 121 | 153 | 38 | 79 | 48 | 57 | 98 | 236 | 291 |
| 1983 | 2,157 | 1,026 | 1,131 | 124 | 152 | 39 | 80 | 50 | 57 | 104 | 239 | 286 |
| 1984 | 2,171 | 1,044 | 1,127 | 119 | 150 | 39 | 79 | 53 | 57 | 109 | 240 | 283 |
| 1985 | 2,252 | 1,107 | 1,145 | 122 | 147 | 40 | 80 | 55 | 56 | 110 | 247 | 286 |
| 1986 | 2,175 | 1,068 | 1,108 | 113 | 138 | 39 | 74 | 56 | 56 | 114 | 240 | 277 |
| 1987 | 2,232 | 1,090 | 1,142 | 117 | 132 | 44 | 74 | 60 | 57 | 125 | 250 | 284 |
| 1988 | 2,222 | 1,050 | 1,172 | 121 | 128 | 48 | 78 | 63 | 58 | 135 | 245 | 297 |
| 1989 | 2,238 | 1,075 | 1,162 | 122 | 127 | 49 | 78 | 66 | 60 | 126 | 246 | 289 |
| 1990 | 2,250 | 1,034 | 1,216 | 123 | 129 | 49 | 78 | 71 | 61 | 132 | 248 | 326 |
| 1991 | 2,243 | 1,013 | 1,230 | 126 | 135 | 50 | 82 | 77 | 64 | 139 | 256 | 302 |
| 1992 | 2,225 | 952 | 1,274 | 128 | 136 | 56 | 85 | 82 | 64 | 133 | 260 | 329 |
| 1993 | 2,157 | 891 | 1,266 | 124 | 135 | 56 | 85 | 82 | 63 | 127 | 268 | 326 |
| 1994 | 2,085 | 850 | 1,235 | 120 | 133 | 55 | 81 | 83 | 59 | 128 | 262 | 315 |
| 1995 | 2,012 | 802 | 1,210 | 113 | 132 | 56 | 76 | 87 | 58 | 128 | 264 | 297 |
| 1996 | 1,934 | 768 | 1,166 | 110 | 130 | 62 | 71 | 88 | 58 | 118 | 251 | 279 |
| 1997 | 1,872 | 723 | 1,149 | 107 | 131 | 64 | 71 | 93 | 59 | 112 | 243 | 270 |
| 1998 | 1,856 | 693 | 1,163 | 106 | 130 | 68 | 72 | 95 | 59 | 112 | 240 | 281 |
| 1999 | 1,820 | 666 | 1,155 | 105 | 130 | 69 | 73 | 97 | 58 | 113 | 219 | 290 |
| 2000 | 1,778 | 651 | 1,127 | 104 | 126 | 70 | 74 | 98 | 58 | 113 | 220 | 265 |
| 2001 | 1,792 | 647 | 1,145 | 109 | 129 | 73 | 76 | 99 | 59 | 117 | 226 | 258 |
| 2002 | 1,818 | 645 | 1,173 | 98 | 130 | 76 | 77 | 96 | 96 | 118 | 223 | 258 |
| 2003 | 1,867 | 636 | 1,231 | 100 | 131 | 153 | 72 | 102 | 58 | 132 | 226 | 257 |
| 2004 | 1,882 | 644 | 1,238 | 111 | 130 | 153 | 77 | 104 | 57 | 111 | 236 | 257 |
| 2005 | 1,872 | 649 | 1,224 | 108 | 131 | 147 | 76 | 105 | 56 | 108 | 235 | 258 |
| 2006 | 1,880 | 653 | 1,227 | 105 | 129 | 154 | 72 | 107 | 54 | 107 | 239 | 260 |
| 2007 | 1,888 | 651 | 1,237 | 103 | 129 | 159 | 72 | 107 | 54 | 104 | 254 | 254 |
| 2008 | 1,960 | 670 | 1,289 | 104 | 132 | 172 | 76 | 109 | 55 | 106 | 274 | 261 |
| 2009 | 2,094 | 737 | 1,357 | 104 | 139 | 180 | 75 | 113 | 57 | 109 | 297 | 283 |
http://www.opm.gov/feddata/HistoricalTables/ExecutiveBranchSince1940.asp
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