MinuteMom December 2011• Volume 1 Issue 4
Defending the Defense of Marriage Act Join Minute Mob Part 3 Obamacare Today
YYPresident’s Letter Welcome Dear Moms and Moms-at-Heart, I can’t believe it is my turn again. That means we have made it to our fourth issue. First of all, let me say Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas to all! I am grateful to Sharon Slater, President of Family Watch International, for writing an article on DOMA and what its repeal would mean for families. There are many who would like us to think that by supporting marriage we are not accepting of other lifestyles. It is like the joke about the cashier who asks, “Do you want paper or plastic?” If you choose ‘paper,’ she says, “Oh, so you don’t care about the environment...” and if you say ‘plastic,’ she says, “Ew, you are not energy conscious...” There is no way to win with such tactics, you just need to take a stand. Standing for the Family is not very popular. I applaud Sharon for her bravery, defending it not only nationally but internationally as well. Picture the world without families then choose where you stand. Standing for the Family means you are defending a vanishing way of life. I urge you to share her article to educate your friends and neighbors, and take a stand! The value of the month is Gratitude. I want to express my gratitude to all those who help on AsAMom.org in a multitude of ways. For the members of my board who put up with crazy ideas and volunteer so much unrecognized time, thank you! I would especially like to thank my family who stands by me and supports the time I volunteer to AAM. Not to mention the fact that they don’t complain too much when I burn the dinner because I was ranting about congress or fixing the web site. And I would like to thank each of you for coming to be with us and making AAM a wonderful place to be. Happy Reading-
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Lori Parker Co-Founder and President As a Mom… A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots® Inc.
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MinuteMom Magazine December 2012• Volume 1 Issue 4
8 Features 8 Defending the Defense of Marriage Act DOMA has come under increasing attack, both in the courts and in Congress.
Sharon Slater , president of Family Watch International
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14 We’re Not Poor...
We often hear talk that Christmas has become too commercial and materialistic. Maybe this is the year to stop a cycle of spending that has gotten out of control. Marlene Peterson, Home Makers for America VicePresident
16 Neighborhood Organizing 16
By peter H. Wolf, The Voices of America
28 Disabling the Electoral College
The state by state adoption of the NPVC, also known as the National Popular Vote, NPV, would change the founders’ design for our Constitutional Republic. Barbara Samuells, President 9-12 super Seniors
30 Obamacare: A Look Today 28
The entire health care system does not resemble anything in the free market system. By ken Toone
As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
December 2011
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2011 Fundraising Campaign All We Have Left is Change. For almost 2 years our all-volunteer board and team have been working with members “to empower Moms and Moms-at-Heart in preserving our Constitution, country and children’s future.” We would like to continue to expand the message and support Moms everywhere. But we need more than kind hearts to do so. The change you find this week can help fulfill our budget needs. Look around… under couch cushions, in the dryer, under the dresser… Lori’s kids would like to point out that children’s piggy banks are off limits… and donate your extra change! * Our budget has been very carefully thought out, and we have made every effort to economize where we can. These funds will cover needs such as software, bookkeeping services, state group and travel needs. There are also ongoing fees for the web domains, mail box and legal services. Your donations are very much appreciated, however they are not tax deductible.
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President’s Letter Welcome
7 Letters to the Editor 18 Country Social Security: The Real Story
20 Founding Mothers A Founder’s Wife: Dorothy Quincy Hancock
22 In Your State News State by State from AAM Groups
26 In Your State QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ELECTIONS?
28 Constitution 33 As Seen on AAM Congress to Vote Next Week on EXPLICITLY Creating a Police State More Hot Topics ...
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Values Gratitude... Joy In The Journey!
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38 As A Family
Publisher: As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots.® Inc. www.AsAMom.org Editor Diana Learn Coordinator Kami Watkins Contributing Writers: Sharon Slater Marlene Peterson Peter H. Wolf Alan R. Davis Carrie Christiansen Barbara Samuells Ken Toone Kami Watkins Carrie Petty MinuteMom Magazine is published 12 times a year by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc. MinuteMom Magazine is available free, on-line. Copyright © 2011 by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc. All rights reserved. MinuteMom Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on published work. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the official organization policy. As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots® is a registered trademark. Please send all article submissions to: editor@minutemom.org Advertising inquiries contact: sponsor@asamom.org
MinuteMom Magazine is looking for people to share their talents by producing articles, essays, opinion pieces and original poetry. Artists share your original artwork. Send us photos showing your adventures As a Mom...
Note that submissions are welcome but are not guaranteed inclusion in the magazine.
For more information contact editor@minutemom.org. As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
December 2011
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Moms, it is time to get together with a few of your friends and get ready for another Minute Mob of Kindness Event! From November 15th through December 5th, we would like you to organize a local flash mob of kindness in your city or town. The Holiday Season is coming up and the need in our communities is great. The possibilities are endless as to what you could do for those in need. http://www.asamom.org/events/minute-mob-holiday
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YYLetters to the Editor What Woman Can do Sometime in the not too distant future a woman will be elected as president of the greatest nation ever on the planet. This woman will have to deal with the likes of Mahomoud Ahmadinehjad and Hu Jintao. She will have to take on the Congress, the Senate and the media all in one day. I doubt very much if this woman would ever have run to her boss or lawyer to complain about someone behaving like a jerk. She would have given him the same look that made her children stop acting up in the grocery store and he would know she is not someone to “hit on.” Do women really want equal rights or do they want to be victims long after they reach their majority? It makes me sick to listen to the likes of Anita Hill and her ilk trying to blame a man for her unfulfilled desires. Helen Readdy said it best. “ I am woman, hear me roar”. She didn’t say whine or cry of complain, she said roar. Let’s hear it Moms. Donna C. Pallotta
www.thelastjump.com Moms Can! I truly love the new MinuteMom magazine and the format is wonderful. It is easy to navigate. I also found your article to be personally true. I have a family member in the hospital and had to make a choice whether to visit her again, or get my child to a church meeting. I chose to get her to the meeting. It is sometimes hard for Moms to make decisions when it involves your family. We are the ones who are holding everything together, sometimes at the expense of our own health, or our reputations. That’s why it’s crucial to support ourselves, and others when they need it. They help us to go on when we feel we can’t. It’s hardest, I find, to give permission to ourselves to say, “it’s alright, you’ve done your best. Believe it!” You need to lower your blood pressure for goodness sake. Don’t let others help you to convince yourself that you knew you couldn’t do it, or that they can never depend on you. Those are LIES. Write out your situation if you have to and defend your right to remind yourself... you’re a good person. (Do this for yourself, and others, if necessary!) You Moms have a wonderful support system here. We will always help support you. God Bless you. You are on the right track. Dee Brown
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Defending
the defense of Marriage Act By Sharon Slater President of Family Watch International www.familywatchinternational.org The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) enacted in 1996 has come under increasing attack, both in the courts and in Congress. To understand why preventing the repeal of DOMA is so important, we must first understand what DOMA does and why the institution of man/woman marriage is so vital to the health and wellbeing of our nation and our children. The natural family, composed of a father, mother, and their children, has always been the foundation of every healthy and successful society. Renowned British sociologist Charles Unwin, who studied the rise and fall of nations, found that when a nation became more promiscuous and no longer channeled sexual relations to monogamous unions between a man and a woman, such nations invariably lost their creative energy, became weak, and were eventually overtaken by stronger nations.
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This is likely because, as the preponderance of research shows, any deviation (and it doesn’t matter if that deviation is heterosexual, homosexual, premarital or extramarital) from sexual relations between a husband and wife, generally results in negative outcomes for individuals, but especially for children. Studies show time and again that men, women, and children living in a married heterosexual family are more likely to be healthier, have less poverty, less crime, less sexual and physical abuse, less drug abuse and attain higher levels of education. (See “Outcomes According to Family Structure” in the Family Policy Resource Center at www. familywatchinternational.org.) Too many people, however, either ignore these lessons of history and scientific research or are ignorant of them.
December 2011
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The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has intrusion into personal matters. And while the two main provisions. First, it defines marriage for goal of these well-intentioned individuals is laudall federal purposes as the union of one man and able (that is, to shrink our out-of-control governone woman. Second, it protects the 31 states that ment), if taken to the extreme, such over-zealoushave amended their constitutions to define mar- ness can lead to chaos and even anarchy. riage as the union between Ironically, because any a man and a woman from relations outside of marbeing forced to recognize riage are inherently less same-sex marriages that stable, people who live outmight be legally performed side man/woman marriage in other states. (Massachugenerally experience more setts, Vermont, Iowa, Congovernmental intervention necticut, New Hampshire, in their personal lives— New York and the District not less—when governof Columbia allow homoment has to step in to pick sexual marriage.) up the pieces or deal with Recent polls confirm that the children from broken at the federal level, DOMA families. reflects the view of marriage Indeed, since the cost to held by most of the AmeriU.S. taxpayers from famcan people. (See for examily breakdown, which is ple the May, 2011 POS poll conservatively estimated to showing 62 percent support be in excess of $112 billion for limiting marriage to only and is going up annually, a man and a woman with (See “The Taxpayer Costs only 35 percent opposed.) of Divorce and Unwed Disappointingly, President Childbearing” produced by One can believe in Obama, who has sworn an the Institute for American same-sex marriage. oath to defend our federal Values) governments, and laws, has directed the Justice thus “we the people,” have Department not to defend a vested interest in promotOne can believe that DOMA. This has forced the ing and protecting man/ every child deserves a House of Representatives to woman marriage. step in to defend DOMA in Some also claim that by mother and a father. court. Homosexual activofficially recognizing marists and their allies are also riages, government is forcOne cannot believe now pushing for repeal of ing “religion” on people. both. DOMA in Congress. In Even a little thought shows mid-November, the Senate how silly this is. Mar—David Blankenhorn, Judiciary Committee voted riage licenses are obtained Institute for American Values to send to the full Senate a directly from the governbill to repeal DOMA. This ment without any connecvote was along straight party tion to a religion unless the lines, with all 10 Democrats voting in favor and individuals involved choose such a connection. all eight Republicans voting against the bill. And, of course, no one is forced to get married. Thus, the fight to redefine marriage at the fedRecently, a number of commentators have begun eral level to include same-sex unions against the pointing to the increasing number of divorces or will of the majority of the American people is to the short-term or broken marriages of Hollynow in full swing. wood stars to argue that we have already destroyed Some claim that governments should get out of the institution of marriage, so it doesn’t matter the marriage business. They claim that govern- what happens to it. This is like arguing that we ment involvement in marriage is an unwarranted should throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The increase in broken marriages, which has brought untold suffering to individuals and especially children, is not an excuse to further destroy marriage by redefining it to be anything anyone wants it to be. Rather, it should be a wakeup call for us to strengthen marriage, reform divorce laws and prepare couples with pre-marriage education and counseling. Consider the following reasons why protecting man/woman marriage is so vital: Legalizing same-sex marriage severs children from their right to know and be raised by their biological parents. Same-sex marriages establish unions that always deny the child the right to be raised by either a mother or a father. However, research demonstrates conclusively that mothers and fathers each make unique contributions to the optimal development of their children. This positive influence cannot be replaced by two “parents” of the same sex. If society sanctions marriages that make it impossible for children to be raised by either a mother or a father, children suffer the consequences. Man/woman marriage legally binds a father to the mother of his children in a way that increases the chances that he will be involved in raising his children. A myriad of studies show that generally, children have more negative outcomes in their lives when their fathers are absent from the home. The single experience that most criminals who are in prison have in common is the absence of their father in their lives. Same-sex marriage sanctions families that leave many children without a father. Legalizing same-sex marriage encourages the creation of children through reproductive arrangements that are not in their best interest. Since same-sex couples cannot have chilAs a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
dren naturally, recognizing same-sex marriages encourages increasing use of sperm banks, surrogate mothers, and a number of other artificial reproductive technologies. The “products” of these technologies (i.e., children) too often find themselves at the center of court battles to determine the legally recognized parents. Troubling testimonies have emerged from children created through sperm donation. For example, a woman raised by two lesbian parents stated, “… I have still felt an empty space in my life, the lack of a father, and no matter the love that I have had from both of my mothers and the rarity of their compassion for me, there is a balance that comes from a mother and a father that can create the most stable and lasting family. I would not keep the blessings a father can give from any child.” Against their parents’ wishes and values, where same-sex marriage is legalized more children will be taught that homosexuality is healthy and normal. Where same-sex marriage is legalized, courts have ruled that parents have no legal basis to object to school curriculum promoting homosexuality. For example, in Massachusetts when parents objected to their 6-year-old child being subjected to prohomosexual “education,” a federal appeals court ruled against them stating that since “Massachusetts has recognized gay marriage under its state constitution,” the state’s schools have the right to “educate their students regarding that recognition.” When rights for same-sex couples are expanded, freedom of speech and religion are threatened as citizens are coerced to act against conscience and belief. We can already see numerous examples of this happening in the U.S. and abroad. For example, in Massachusetts, Catholic Charities, a major facilitator of adoptions, was forced to drop their adoption program because they could not agree to facilitate the adoption of children to same-sex couples. December 2011 11
A photographer in New Mexico was fined $6,500 because she politely declined to photograph a “commitment ceremony” of two lesbians, since this violated her religious belief. The largest adoption advertising company on the Internet had to stop advertising for any couples from California seeking to adopt children because they refused to accept homosexuals as potential adoptive parents. Doctors in California were sued for declining to artificially inseminate a lesbian woman because it was against their religious beliefs. The court ruled that the doctors discriminated against the lesbian and ordered them to pay damages. Sadly, there are other examples as well. Wherever same-sex marriage is legalized, promoting motherhood and fatherhood could legally be considered discriminatory. In some countries it is now considered discriminatory to honor mothers and fathers due to the fear of offending single parents, lesbian mothers or homosexual fathers. For this reason, a ban on making Father’s Day cards has been imposed in some schools in Scotland and elsewhere. In Massachusetts and Spain, parents can no longer be referred to as mother and father on birth certificates. They must be designated as “Party A and B” and “Progenitor A and B,” respectively. (The latter example totally ignores the biological fact that only one member of a same-sex couple can possibly be the “progenitor.”) Marriage is devalued where same-sex marriage has been legalized. Several years after the Netherlands legalized same-sex marriage in 2001, a group of Dutch 12 MinuteMom Magazine
professors warned in an open letter “about the wisdom of the efforts [in the Netherlands] to deconstruct marriage in its traditional form.” They stated that the Dutch people now “increasingly regard marriage as no longer relevant” because they have been persuaded that “marriage is not connected to parenthood and that marriage and cohabitation are equally valid ‘lifestyle choices. ...’” Legalizing same-sex marriage may not even be good for the very people it is intended to help. Homosexuals as a group experience a disproportionate amount of negative outcomes including higher rates of domestic violence and sexual coercion, suicidal tendencies, lower life expectancy, high AIDS rates, drug and alcohol problems, promiscuity and infidelity, involvement with pedophilia, mental and emotional disorders/illnesses, deliberate self-harm and other problems. These negative outcomes associated with the homosexual lifestyle are well recognized by the scientific community and are not in dispute. What is disputed, however, is how to best help homosexuals avoid these negative outcomes. Some claim these negative outcomes are the result of society’s refusal to accept homosexuality as healthy and normal, and these outcomes would largely disappear if we legalize same-sex marriage and otherwise mainstream homosexual relations. However, in European countries where same-sex relations have been more accepted than in the U.S., and in some places have been legalized, there is no measurable difference in these negative statistics. This indicates that societal attitudes toward same-sex relations are not likely www.AsAMom.org
Principle 1: America is good. Take control of your child’s future. Teach them our history.
The Exclusive 9/12 Project Youth Program ConstitutionalChampions.org a significant cause of these negative outcomes. Many people who have been subjected to misinformation campaigns sincerely believe that homosexuality is a genetic trait that cannot be changed. However, an extensive analysis of over 120 years of research and clinical experience on homosexuality concluded that same-sex attraction is not genetically determined and fixed like race and can sometimes be changed through therapy. (See “What the Research Shows” at NARTH.org). In fact, numerous studies show that thousands of people who have struggled with unwanted same-sex attraction have been able to leave the homosexual lifestyle and successfully reorient to heterosexuality. People who struggle with unwanted same-sex attraction and who may want to leave the homosexual lifestyle may be less likely to seek help if their sexual partnerships are officially sanctioned and incentivized by government through such actions as the legalization of same-sex marriage. Conclusion The As a Mom community is committed to empowering Moms to preserve their children’s future. To suggest that any child could possibly As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
be better off without a mother, and to cavalierly discount the hundreds of studies showing that children need both mothers and fathers, would be to discount the importance of our own role as mothers to our children. Either mothers and fathers matter or they don’t. And if they do, then the critical importance of defining marriage between a man and a woman cannot be overstated. Working to protect marriage is not mean-spirited. Doing so is the legitimate right of the overwhelming majority of people who want what is best for individuals (including homosexuals), children, and our society and therefore want to preserve the proven and essential institution of marriage. If we are to preserve man/woman marriage and protect the rights of states to define marriage as they see fit, we must prevent the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. Sharon Slater is the author of Stand for the Family: A Call to Responsible Citizens Everywhere. For the past ten years, Sharon has been leading pro-family advocacy teams at the United Nations. She is the president of Family Watch International www.familywatchinternational.org, an organization that works to protect the institution of the family. She is a wife and mother of seven. December 2011 13
We’re Not Poor... Many families are going to feel the crunch of our current economic downturn this Christmas. Not being able to provide the gifts we may want to give to our children adds to the stress of the holiday season. But as it is with most challenges, this one can be turned to great good. We often hear talk that Christmas has become too commercial and materialistic. Maybe this is the year to stop a cycle of spending that has gotten out of control. One year, our family met the challenge by coming up with an alternate plan. The children suggested that each family member draw one name and shop for that person. Each person was to shop for three gifts…all purchased at a thrift store. The traditional Christmas sweater was substituted with the ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater’. After finding the ugliest sweater possible, several ‘accessorized’ their sweater with additional features that suited the personality of the recipient. The second gift was a book bought from the same store, with a price limit of $2.00. And finally, each person carefully selected a gift of their choosing–maximum spending limit: $2.00. Presents were wrapped and placed under the tree and Christmas Eve was spent taking turns reading aloud from a heart-warming story about the “true” story of Santa Claus–downloaded for free from the internet http://tinyurl.com/6wqcgmu –about gifts and true giving. Christmas morning was filled with a lot of laughter and fun. The true joy of the day was spending time with family. Being poor is a state of mind. As one mother expressed it, “We’re not poor...we just don’t have any money.” By focusing on treasures of a different kind, we can feel rich even if our bank accounts say otherwise. A line from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess says it best: “The things that I prize, like the stars in the skies, are all free.” 14 MinuteMom Magazine
Maybe this is the year to start filling the hearts of our children with treasure that has nothing to do with money; treasure that stands independent from stock market trends and global dollar values. Of course, finding joy in the simple things of life like a walk in the rain or a beautiful sunset comes to mind. Or, as was said of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, he was the richest man in town because of the love of friends. Also, consider the great worth of a mind and heart stocked full of images of great art, the melodies of inspirational music and the beautiful words of great literature. Such a child enjoys the riches of the very elite. The humblest home of today has access to masterpieces of which even the kings and queens of yesterday would have been jealous. Today, our children can gaze upon works of great art that, in previous days, hung on walls of palaces of the world and were only viewed by royalty. They can listen to a steady stream of symphonies that, in former days, were reserved for aristocracy. All the money in the world couldn’t buy them the instant playback of favorite pieces like we enjoy. The noblest and greatest thoughts of the greatest minds and hearts that ever lived upon this world are available to us today–for free. Today’s children can literally rub shoulders with the giants of civilization. Even with no money in the bank account. And the world’s greatest treasure is already found in 98% of American homes. The most deeply moving music ever composed; the most inspiring art ever painted; and the most exquisite words ever written have found their inspiration in the Bible. As Lincoln exclaimed, the Bible is simply the greatest gift God has given to mankind. People of yesterday paid a dear price to read it. Readers of the Wycliffe Bible were burned with copies round their necks. Husbands were made to witness against their wives. Children were forced www.AsAMom.org
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By Marlene Peterson Home Makers for America Vice-President www. homemakersforamerica.org
Family Christmas Gift Idea Freedom Series
Patriotic Stories for Young Americans written before 1923
Share America’s story the way it used to be told.
Give the patriots in your life a Freedom Series subscription and they will receive a book-a-month for the coming year.
Order at gardenofliberty.org to light the death-fires of their parents. Possessors of The Treasure Of The Wise Man the banned book were hunted down as if they were wild Oh, the night was dark and the night was late, beasts. Considerable sums of money were paid for the When the robbers came to rob him; privilege of reading even a few sheets of manuscript. A And they picked the lock of his palace-gate, farmer might give up a load of hay for permission to The robbers who came to rob him– read it for a certain period one hour a day. Today, this They picked the lock of the palace-gate, great gift sits unopened in too many American homes. Seized his jewels and gems of State, A well-stocked mind and heart is equipped to find His coffers of gold and his priceless plate,-hope in the direst of circumstances. Marie Antoinette The robbers that came to rob him. expressed, “What a resource amid the casualties of life But loud laughed he in the morning red!-is a well-cultivated mind! One can then be one’s own For of what had the robbers robbed him? companion and find society in one’s own thoughts.” Ho! hidden safe, as he slept in bed, Victor Frankl observed a small group of prisoners in When the robbers came to rob him,-those horrible death camps of Nazi Germany who They robbed him not of a golden shred secretly gathered together to recite poetry, sing songs Of the childish dreams in his wise old head– and act in improvised plays even though such activities “And they’re welcome to all things else,” he said, were forbidden and punishable by death. Instinctively, When the robbers came to rob him. they understood that the soul’s weapon in the fight for James Whitcomb Riley self-preservation is art and beauty. As it has been said, maybe the richest man is not he Marlene Peterson is the mother of who has the most, but who needs the least. nine children and grandmother of No matter what the condition of your bank account, five. She serves as VP of Homemakers may this coming season and the year to come find us for America and is Founder of Libraries pouring lasting riches into the hearts of our children for of Hope. She and her husband, Brent, then it will be said of us that we truly are the richest reside in Appomattox, VA. nation in the world. As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
December 2011 15
Electorate Education
Neighborhood Organizing -What We Must Do in 2012 By peter H. Wolf The Voices of America to identify like-minded neighbors, encourage them to join the local Tea Party, 912, or As A Mom organization, encourage them to volunteer in the movement, and lastly to make sure they vote in elections. Anecdotal examples and statistical analyses indicate that the cumulative effect on policy and politics of these individual efforts at the local level cannot be matched by lobbying or money. The left has known about the power of this simple, but effective action at the local level and calls it Community Organizing. With a well-developed, but simple, work-process and access to “volunteers” from SEIU, private-sector unions, ACORN, and many other affiliated organizations, the left has leveraged Community Organizing for decades to affect policy and to get their candidates elected. The right lacked volunteers and thus, in essence, gave up on door-todoor Community Organizing or Precinct Organizing. That is why the GOP relies mostly on commercials, phone banking, and mailers. All of these cost much money and, based on statistical analyses, are far-far inferior to door-to-door engagement of neighbors in getting-out-the-vote. For example, statistical analyses show that it requires thirty-three phone calls to a given house relative to one door-to-door visit to have the same get-out-the-vote effect! The issue of the right not having volunteers changed with the emergence of the Tea Party. Throughout the country the movement has millions of well informed We created TheVoicesOfAmerica.org website when and passionate volunteers focused on attempting to we realized in mid-2009, based on much research, that take back our country from big government, career the only action that we individually can pursue to have politicians. What they lack is an understanding of what the greatest impact on politics and policy is Neigh- is the most effective and efficient use of their time, borhood/Precinct Organizing. Our research included energy, and money. Community Organizing, Precinct reading books, such as “Take Back Your Government,” Organizing, or, as we prefer to call it, Neighborhood by Robert Heinlein and “Get Out The Vote,” a statisti- Organizing is the clear answer! cal analyses of what works in politics written by two “Neighborhood/ Precinct Organizing,” as advoYale Professors. Neighborhood/ Precinct Organiz- cated by TheVoicesOfAmerica.org, is not the same as ing entails going door-to-door in our neighborhood getting-out-the-vote for individual candidates. With 16 MinuteMom Magazine
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As advocates of the Constitutional principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberties, all of us continue to be dismayed by the continued government assaults on all these principles. Unfortunately, history teaches us that this is to be expected, i.e. that politicians and government bureaucrats only want to grow government to gain increased power and control. To date, the United States has been an exception, thus the term “American Exceptionalism”, but this is rapidly changing. We receive many suggestions and requests from the various local and national Tea Party organizations to write letters, make calls, endorse candidates, attend meetings, attend rallies, educate yourself, and donate. The question thus becomes one of “what to do in 2012”?
“Neighborhood/ Precinct Organizing,” you engage neighbors in a non-partisan, principled way, focused on limiting government’s power and control over individuals and local businesses. National polling informs us that close to ninety percent of Independents and Republicans agree with this position, as well as substantial number of Democrats. You just need to engage these voters in your neighborhoods to inform them of local Tea Party events, educate them about how they can help by volunteering, and assure they vote in elections. It is that simple! Consequently, any individual can pursue Neighborhood/ Precinct Organizing, not just prior to elections, but instead throughout the year to create a precinct group, gain political clout, and win elections. In essence, you are building a “We the People” force in your neighborhood. Everything you need to know to get started and more is on our website, visit www.TheVoicesOfAmerica.org.
It is important that “We the People,” who believe in limited government, free markets, and individual liberties, pursue Neighborhood/Precinct Organizing outside of the party system. This will assure that we elect candidates in primaries, in opposition to endorseAs a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
ments from party elites, who are most closely aligned with these principles. It also assures that we leverage the most powerful political tool in our toolbox for the general election in 2012, because the GOP won’t. It has become abundantly clear that the GOP is still using the old playbook for elections and is ignoring the potential leverage of the Tea Party volunteers and its broadly accepted, principled, non-partisan message. The political landscape has changed dramatically, but the GOP campaign consultants continue to be in a business-as-usual mode. Consequently, “We the People” must do what the “Grand Old Party” won’t! The goal of TheVoicesOfAmerica.org website is to provide “Neighborhood/Precinct Organizing,” best practices and tools to like-minded individuals and organizations everywhere. In essence, we want to teach like-minded conservatives what progressives have known and perfected for decades. We want to broadly and freely share the best practices so that everyone is aware of Neighborhood/Precinct Organizing. As a result, they will not have to re-invent the wheel, or have to conduct the same kind of time-consuming research to learn these best-practices. We must assure that all like-minded liberty-oriented individuals and organizations know the best practices for “Neighborhood / Precinct Organizing.” Please share this article broadly with your relatives, friends, neighbors, and associates. To facilitate sharing, just click on the Facebook, Twitter, etc. icons on our home page. Peter Wolf,, in collaboration with Warren Edstrom, co-founded TheVoicesOfAmerica. org in July, 2009. He has traveled the country extensively and given Neighborhood/Precinct Organizing presentations to thousands of regional and state leaders. December 2011 17
YYCountry Social Security: The Real Story Social Security has been a major focus in the debates, but the focus has been on the wrong things. The primary focus has been on whether it’s appropriate to call Social Security a Ponzi scheme. A second focus has been the need to reform Social Security so that it will be there for our younger generations. All candidates seem to agree that seniors who are currently on Social Security and those about to go on it will not see changes. Is this what the Republican candidates really believe? If so, we’re all in big trouble! First, let’s deal with the Ponzi scheme claim once and for all times. The best way to do that is to Google “Ida May Fuller”. Look her up on Wikipedia. You’ll she’s is given credit as the first individual to have drawn retirement benefits from the Social Security program. She contributed $24.75 into the program (over 3 years) and received $22,888.92 in benefits from the program (over 35 years). That’s an average annual payment of $653 and a total payout of 92,480% on her contribution. I can assure you that fits the definition of a Ponzi scheme since her benefits were dependent on the contributions of other individuals not on the principle and earnings related to hers. A second way to look at it is to look at the receipts and payments made over the first 35 years. In 1982 the Social Security Trust funds had a balance of $12.5 billion dollars in them. Since 1937, there had been contributions of $1, 144 billion dollars. So the balance in 1982 represented 1.09% of the contributed funds. Those who joined the workforce when the program was initiated weren’t retired yet (20 years old + 35 years = 55 years old). What happened to their contributions? They had been paid out to retirees. This is what Democrats call “Pay as You Go”, but this is what knowledgeable people call a Ponzi scheme. 18 MinuteMom Magazine
To rectify this problem, the Federal Government’s solution was to dramatically raise Social Security taxes on workers. That meant those working since 1982 have not only been paying in amounts to keep current retirees benefits going, but also to build fund balances. Unfortunately the number of workers per retiree keeps dropping and the task at hand grows more impossible. A way to measure our progress is to determine the percentage of accrued liability (expected payouts) that has been funded. At the end of 2009 it was less than 15%. And worse yet, it’s been funded by I.O.U.s from the general fund.
Finally, let’s address the promise that seniors who are currently receiving, or are about to receive benefits will continue to be paid under the current program. Those telling you that (Democrats or Republicans) are either grossly misinformed or lying to you! The
Federal government has run deficits exceeding $1,250 billion dollars in each of the last three years. In 2010 receipts were just $2,163, but excluding Social Security receipts they were only $1,531 billion. We have a hidden increase in our deficit on the horizon when interest rates return to normal. They’ve been using a considerable amount of short term instruments to finance our national debt keeping net interest expense unrealistically low. How much will net interest expense go up on our current level of debt? Between $350 and $500 billion dollars. Addressing that level of deficit won’t be easy. Social Security and Medicare made up a third of $3,456 billion in expenditures in 2010. If those aren’t changed, it means we’d have to have saved $1,239 billion out of only $2,309 billion in outlays to have had a balanced budget in 2010. But we now pay out more in Social Security benefits than we receive in contributions. That means the Federal Government must now start paying back the trust fund I.O.U.s, rather than being able to borrow from them to help finance our deficits. Even with a rebounding economy, the task isn’t possible without “touching” Social Security and Medicare in a meaningful way. And if we don’t resolve our budget deficits soon, 100% of Social Security benefits are at jeopardy. This isn’t “scaring seniors”. This is facing facts. The sooner the American people realize this, the sooner we have a chance to find a party and a candidate that will deal with the real extent of our problem with real solutions! It doesn’t look like any of the current Presidential candidates are willing to step up and do it. — Alan R. Davis
www.AsAMom.org
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Founding Mot hers
YYFounding Mothers
By Carrie Christiansen
John Hancock, one of the most well known Founding Fathers of America, is famous for his stylish and conspicuous signature on the Declaration of Independence. Dorothy Quincy, who would become his wife, was perfectly suited to be his partner. Like Hancock, Dorothy was raised in a wealthy family of the highest social standing. Both families were extremely patriotic and ardent promoters of the Revolution; and willing to risk it all for America’s independence. Dorothy Quincy, born in May 1747, was the youngest of ten children from Judge Edmund Quincy and Elizabeth Wendell. The Boston, Massachusetts Quincy household was one of strong Christian faith and the traditional regulations of a wealthy New England home. Raised to be a well-cultured socialite, Dorothy was admired and pursued by many eligible suitors, but no man held her attention until John Hancock. She watched Hancock, the richest man in Boston, rise into popularity, position and power at the many meetings her father hosted for the Sons of Liberty. (Notable members included Samuel Adams, John Adams, James Otis, Patrick Henry, and Paul Revere.) He courted her and she eagerly accepted his attention. Before the start of their relationship, Hancock was heavily involved in protests against the British government. Speaking out against the Stamp and Townshend Acts, being associated with the Boston Tea Party and being a delegate to the First Continental Congress, next to Samuel Adams, he was the most wanted man by the British. Dorothy knew his reputation and aspirations were both grand and dangerous, but whether by naïveté or careful consideration, she chose to accept the risk and join her life to his. In April 1775, John requested Dorothy to stay with his Aunt Lydia in Lexington, Massachusetts. He had been in Concord for the Provincial Congress and could bear to be apart from his love no longer. Just one night of happy reunion was spent before the historic April 19 midnight ride of Paul Revere that preceded the first battle of the Revolution, the Battle of Lexington. The Hancock house was so close to the battle that wounded colonists were brought in for treatment. Shook-up, Dorothy wanted to return to her father’s home in Boston, but 20 MinuteMom Magazine
Hancock forbade it, fearing it would be far more dangerous. Several months passed before she would see her own family again. Dolly, as Hancock affectionately called her, traveled with Aunt Lydia to the Fairfield, Connecticut home of Thaddeus Burr, where she enjoyed fine accommodations and an exciting social life. She was very popular at all of Mr. Burr’s events and must have stayed quite occupied, for Hancock wrote her many affectionate letters and complained that she never wrote him back. Aunt Lydia, who was like a mother to John, kept a careful eye on Dolly and never left her unchaperoned around the eligible bachelors that visited the Burr residence. John, 38, and Dorothy, 28, were married in August 1775 and Hancock’s popularity caused all the papers to publish notices of the event. In May 1775, Hancock had been unanimously elected President of the Second Continental Congress, so after their wedding the two immediately moved to Philadelphia. As wife of the President of Congress, Dolly was often the only lady surrounded by other Congressional delegates. Her upbringing prepared her well for the role and John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail about Dorothy, saying she always acted as a lady should—modest, genteel, and silent. She devoted her time to helping her husband in any way she could and took on many clerical duties that in years later would be completed by hired aides. Principled leadership is not easy and our Founding Fathers were tested continually throughout the Revolution. At one point the British troops occupied most of Boston. George Washington stood before Congress and proposed an attack to drive them out of the city. In a perfect example of the selfless character that John Hancock is famous for, he said “nearly all of the property I have in the world is… in the town of Boston; but, if the expulsion of the British Army from it-and the liberties of our country require their being burnt to ashes-issue the order for that purpose immediately.” On December 22, General Washington was granted authority to attack Boston and Hancock wrote to the General, “may God crown your attempt with success. I most heartily wish it, though individually I may be the greatest sufferer.” In Hancock’s willingwww.AsAMom.org
Loc.gov
A Founder’s Wife: Dorothy Quincy Hancock
ness to sacrifice not just his excess, but everything he owns, we truly see his sincerity. Dolly, however, needed some time to accept John’s consent to the possibility of losing all he owned. In time, she realized this action spoke to everything she admired so much in her husband, and knowing her father and brothers would be willing to do the same, she resigned herself to accepting the risk. Fortunately, such violence was not necessary and the British army of 7000 men retreated from Boston and Charlestown. They left the place filthy, most of the homes were badly damaged, and smallpox raged throughout. While a considerable amount of their property was taken or destroyed, the Hancock house was in relatively good order. The summer of 1776 was exciting. Dorothy had her first child; Lydia Henchman Hancock was named after John’s recently deceased and beloved aunt. In July 1776, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously adopted, and as President of Congress, Hancock was the first to sign the document that was as likely to be his death warrant as his ticket to eternal fame. After these successes came challenge. At just 10 months old, little Lydia died and Hancock’s battle with gout was becoming so bothersome that he requested a leave of absence from Congress. Once home, he immediately began repairs and renovations, rebuilding and refurnishing to their extravagant taste. Hancock liked silver and fine cloths for his home and enjoyed providing the finest fashions for Dolly. His hospitable obligations were extensive and Dolly was ready to gracefully fill her role as head of one of the most elaborate estates in the commonwealth. In May 1778, she happily added caring for a son, whom they named John George Washington Hancock, to the list of her duties. Hancock was easily voted Governor of Massachusetts in October 1779. The Hancocks were loved by the people. Despite their lavish lifestyle, they were known for their endless generosity and incredible hospitality. There are accounts of Hancock stopping his carriage to help a laundry lady carry a heavy load, settling accounts for friends, and providing needed funding for completion of churches. In fact, Hancock was so generous with his money that Madame Hancock, as she was now known, was advised to have their “money trunk” removed from the house. Hancock was reelected Governor each year until 1785, when he resigned due to ill health. During this time, 9 year old George died from a fall while skating on a walk with his father. The loss of their only son and last child was soon followed by the death of Madame Hancock’s dear father. With slightly improved health, in 1787 Hancock reentered politics by returning to the Governorship, and in 1788 the US Constitution was adopted. Madame Hancock closely watched and cared for John’s health in his last years. He died of unspecified causes in 1793, about one month after resigning from the Governorship, at 56. Madame Hancock’s upbringing and role as she knew it, was to be her husband’s partner. Without John, she was lost. But, she continued to be as hospitable and charitable as ever and found support in Captain James Scott, a good friend of John’s. Eventually, Captain Scott convinced Madame Hancock to marry him As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
and they were wed in July 1796. Captain Scott was no equal to the legendary John Hancock. Many relatives and community members were startled when the engagement was announced. Dorothy was lonely, and Captain Scott showed his affection generously, and was a fine man. She upheld her reputation as a graceful hostess and was known for always being cheerful and sharp in conversing about the events in her past. After 12 years of marriage, Captain Scott died and Dorothy spent the remainder of her years in Boston. In 1830, at 83 years old, it is said “one of the most notable society women of the Revolution” passed away. The Hancocks were one of the lucky few couples to survive the Revolution with wealth and status. John was brave, bold, and completely unselfish in his service to America even before Dorothy Quincy was a part of his life. Her life seems charmed on the surface, but she knew the man she was attaching herself to and the risk she was taking in that decision was losing everything in the name of American independence. Despite instances of feeling fear and selfishness in the face of opportunities to do what was right for her country, she always ended on the side of American freedom and liberty. I know there will be times I will be faced with a situation that will leave me having to choose between comfort or self-preservation and doing the honest, selfless, noble thing for someone else or for my country. I hope I will have the perspective, maturity and selfless fortitude to make the right decision and to teach my family to do the same. Reprinted by permission of Liberty Ink Journal. Revised
Carrie Christiansen is a Seattle native, now residing in Loveland, CO. She earned a B.S. degree in Animal Science from Montana State University, which she now puts to good use as a wife and stay-athome mom of two young children. December 2011 21
YYIn Your State News State by State from AAM Groups Highlights from the AsAMom.org State groups on what is going on now. Join your state group to learn more and be a part of the action AK: Moms are organizing meet and greets again! The moms are discussing if it would be helpful or harmful to have the Federal Government involved in tourism. What do you think? AR: The moms are discussing taxes and Agenda 21! Join the conversation. AZ: Arizona has been talking about the Special Election, the Border Battle, the education system, vaccinations and pox parties, as well as honoring Veteran’s Day. We have many moms in Arizona who have had loved ones serve during war times. It was touching to read their stories and learn of their sacrifices. CA: The moms are discussing Agenda 21 spreading throughout the state. This is important information on the taking away of our rights and freedoms. They also are talking about creeping socialism, the OWS movement and anti-semitism throughout the state and the consequences of those theories on the welfare of the state and the nation. CO: If you want to participate in the CO GOP caucus, the last day to declare party affiliation is December 7th. CO continues to look for a chairmom. FL: Karena M is back working with our chair, Dr. Rafael. We welcome her and her expertise on growing communities! Florida is talking about the schools and the curriculum and evaluation standards which can be found online! Let’s take back our schools! 22 MinuteMom Magazine
GA: The moms are having a friendly discussion on the Presidential candidates. They also are keeping an eye on the Supreme Court to find what their interpretations of law mean to citizens’ lives. HI: Schools and the tourism takeover by the Federal Government are the topics of the day in HI. ID: The moms in Idaho are discussing the direction they would like their state to take in the future. IL: Local, state and federal elections are at the forefront of the discussions. What can we do to keep IL elections honest? Discussions continue about the background of our President and his administration team and about unions in our state. IN: The Minute Mob is always at the forefront of topics in the Hoosier state. Charity seems to live a healthy life in the midwest. The Indiana State House is about to go into session and the moms are gearing up to discuss their platform and proposals. Questions for the Democrats are being gathered. KS: Discussions about the Brownback Agenda, affording refugees in a tight economy and how the ACLU is blocking the will of the people are hot right now. What do you think of all these topics in Kansas? LA: How big is too big for Government? How much voter fraud can we endure? Should we have to pay sales tax when we sell our homes? The Louisiana moms debate.
MA: We continue with our Constitution Classes highlighting especially our own Catherine G.W. who has been giving classes at Brandeis University. MO: It’s all about the elections right now and the processes of choosing the right candidates for the various positions. Read and add what you know for your area! MS: Football and elections. Need to contact your elected officials? Where are your interests? Join the conversation! NC: Meet ups and Agenda 21 and how can we make a difference- all are under discussion on the North Carolina pages. ND: How does the oil boom hurt seniors? Where do the health care exchanges stand in North Dakota? Read about it on our North Dakota pages! NE: Public schools, Agenda 21 and of course the Keystone Pipeline dominate the pages for Nebraska. Do you know where the Governor stands on the Pipeline? Pros and cons on all issues. NH: Parental Rights, the EPA and the Electoral college discussions are must reads on the New Hampshire pages. NJ: Welcomes our new Assistant chair we all know-Terri from the Water Cooler gang! NJ is working on legislation coming up to keep track of who is voting and how their votes affect us. We also are discussing schooling and homeschooling issues - how can you help? www.AsAMom.org
NV: Nevada welcomes our new chair, Carol Collins. NY: State chair Kelly is running great conversations concerning fraud and corruption in New York State. She reports: Gillibrand’s seat - She has a 7 million dollar war chest. 2010 GOP field seem to be uninterested in taking her on. As of now, one official candidate - Nassau City, Comptroller George Maragos. There is talk of Westchester businessman Daniel Rubino considering a run. Interesting fact: Gillibrand receives more Wall St. campaign donations than any other candidate in Congress. YYNY doesn’t isn’t doing well in just released 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) report cards in math and reading. Generally, between 1992 and 2007, the trending showed improvements. However, while most schools have held the line nationally since 2007, NY has been falling off. YYCitizens Union, a good govt. group along with 3 dozen other groups are calling for an independent commission to draw district lines for the State Legislature and House of Representatives. A recent report revealed that incumbents in NY easily keep their seats and competition has decreased under the current system. YYNo primary dates for NY as of press time. YYA recent study released by the Citizen’s Budget Commission found that NY shed more than 130k jobs since 2000 while spending nearly 6.6 billion a year to lure business to the state. YYHydrofracking stalled; state’s environmental commissioner extending panels review of hydraulic fracturing of gas wells As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
in NY’s part of Marcellus Shale formation. It is predicted that there is enough natural gas in this area to supply the entire US for two years. YYGov. Cuomo gives grim forecast for NY after failed supercommittee. Predicted cost to NYers $5 billion. Due to the failure to cut $1.2 trillion from federal budgets, a series of drastic, automatic budget cuts will be made. Gov. Cuomo says these cuts will have huge ramifications for NYers. YYXing Wa Pan, a fund-raiser who has contributed to NY City Comptroller, John Liu was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy for evading campaign donation rules. This deals a blow to Comptroller’s mayoral hopes. OH: Ohio passed SB 5, a bill to end collective bargaining for state/ public employees. Almost immediately upon Governor Kasich signing the bill into law, on March 31, 2011, the unions began collecting signatures to get a referendum on the November 8, 2011 ballot. They did. This was Issue 2 on Ohio’s ballot. The referendum won and SB5 was repealed. YYWe also had another Issue on the November 8th ballot Issue
3, which passed overwhelmingly. This was an amendment to the Ohio constitution that allows Ohioans to opt out of the new Healthcare law. Now a new effort is being launched for a state constitutional amendment titled “Workplace Freedom Amendment”. This amendment will make Ohio a right-to-work state. People may join unions, but not be forced into them in right-to-work states. It is believed that Ohio would have a much better climate for job creation if it were to be a right-to work state. This should be on the November 2012 ballot, a Presidential election year. Please come and join our state group and discuss this and many other issues with other Ohio Moms OK: The Castel Doctrine, Conceal Carry and Chesapeake Oil, let’s talk more about our opinions on these issues! OR: Oregon is discussing Agenda 21 and Davy Crockett. It is quite interesting. There is also a great discussion going on about how to stop mail in voting because of the fraud generated. Get involved with Oregon!
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PA: Active membership is growing again. Schools, current candidates and salaries of the elected officials takes the forefront. What can you do for Pennsylvania in this next election? SC: One of our most active states, running meet ups for the moms. The state is very busy discussing candidates, Sharia law and the value of Christmas in the culture. SD: Another very active state, full of information due to our very politically active chairmom and assistant chairmom. Military, Agenda 21, the Supreme Court, everything about current cultural and political life in America is on the pages of this very active state. TN: After a long time without a chair, TN is delighted to be reinvigorated by Samantha, who moved here and immediately got on board with the state politics information. She needs lots of native moms to help. TX: Texas moms are a chatty group and prefer every comment on everything. Local, state, Federal, schools, you name it in Texas, it’s there. There is even a spot for Random comments and of course, the library. UT: Information on Agenda 21, schools and the local PTA’s and what the state reps think are currently on the Utah pages. Come and tell us what you know is going on in your area! VA: So close to DC, the Federal and state issues overlap. The budget is of course major here as so many families are affected by Federal guidelines. VA also is discussing hand gun laws and Jamie Ratke and George Allen. Step up and tell us what you think. Furthermore, In the November 8th statewide elections, conservative citizen-candidates won at least eight “down ballot” races (local contests for county boards, city councils, and school boards). One of them was AAM member Elizabeth Schultz, who captured a seat on the Fairfax County School Board in northern Virginia. Yay Elizabeth! WA: Washington state flipped and went to the caucus system for choosing each party’s candidates. WI: Wisconsin started the conversation. Much is not known about the benefits of what happened in the state concerning unions. Come find out more and add your comments and knowledge. Please notes some states do not have updates at this time.
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A wise woman once had the dream to change the lives of women for the better. Join me in sharing in the commitment of caring and community. That is Mary Kay Ash’s legacy. Let’s all make a difference - one woman at a time.
YYIn Your State QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ELECTIONS? All states are required by law to make information about voting and running for public office easily accessible to the public. The resource must contain all laws, a list of time frames and the requirements that must be met to become a candidate. Information on how to vote in any election is also detailed. As A Mom... has compiled the lists of information by state, so all can easily resource the information for running for office or for voting:
AK: http://doa.alaska.gov/apoc/ AL: http://www.sos.alabama.gov/ AZ: http://www.azsos.gov/election/ AR: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/Pages/default.aspx CA: http://www.sos.ca.gov/ CO: http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/main.htm CT: http://www.ct.gov/sots/site/default.asp DE: http://elections.delaware.gov/ FL: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/ GA: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ HI: http://hawaii.gov/elections/ ID: http://sos.idaho.gov/elect/eleindex.htm IL: http://www.elections.state.il.us/ IN: http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/index.htm IA: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/index.html KS: http://www.kssos.org/elections/elections.html KY: http://www.sos.ky.gov/elections/ LA: http://www.sos.la.gov/tabid/68/Default.aspx ME: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/ MD: http://www.electionsmaryland.com/ MA: http://www.mass.gov/ocpf/ MI: http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633---,00.html MN: http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=4 MS: http://www.sos.ms.gov/ MO: http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/Default.asp MT: http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/index.asp NE: http://www.sos.ne.gov/dyindex.html#boxingName NV: http://www.nvsos.gov/index.aspx?page=3 NH: http://www.sos.nh.gov/
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www.AsAMom.org
NJ: http://nj.gov/state/elections/index.html NY: http://www.elections.ny.gov/ NC: http://www.ncsbe.gov/ ND: http://www.nd.gov/sos/electvote/ OH: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections.aspx OK: http://www.ok.gov/elections/ OR: http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/ PA: http://tinyurl.com/bswxfbf RI: http://www.sos.ri.gov/elections/ SC: http://www.scvotes.org/ SD: http://sdsos.gov/Elections/Default.aspx TN: http://www.state.tn.us/sos/election/index.htm TX: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml UT: http://www.elections.utah.gov/ VA: http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Index.html VT: http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/election_info.html WA: http://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/ WI: http://gab.wi.gov/ WV: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/default.aspx WY: http://soswy.state.wy.us/Elections/Elections.aspx As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots速
December 2011 27
YYConstitution
Disabling the Electoral College before 2012 Election? National Public Vote Compact, NPVC, is the method. The Presidency is the prize. By Barbara Samuells, President 9-12 super Seniors What a challenging debate we’re having! The National Popular Vote Compact, NPVC, is the talk of state capitals from Columbus, OH, to Albany, NY, to Austin, TX. Our state legislators are casting critical votes to change our electoral process and, of course, we the people have an important voice in it all. No wonder we insist on being highly engaged in this decision. From American history we know our electoral system was designed by the Founding Fathers to ensure the most careful balance possible of votes and voices for America’s Presidential elections, and to protect minority rights while recognizing and empowering the majority. The state by state adoption of the NPVC, also known as the National Popular Vote (NPV) would change the founders’ design for our Constitutional Republic and could circumvent those minority protections creating what Alexander Hamilton called the “possibility of oppression by the majority.” Oh, the talking and debating... the discussions about Constitutional design... the weighing of the pros and cons... a discussion merited by the enormity of the proposed change. Whoa! Wait just a minute here! Did you say you haven’t heard these debates? Did you say the NPVC is just meaningless alphabet soup to you? The vigorous debate over a change to this so called “direct vote” or democratic vote” didn’t get your attention? You should know that your state has probably already adopted NPVC or is in the process of doing so. Of course you didn’t hear this important debate about NPVC only because there is none. The NPVC, or NPV, is sold as harmless and described as a more democratic electoral method to give each American a direct voice in the election of our president. However, in a legal memorandum, Oct 27, 2011, Heritage concludes that: 28 MinuteMom Magazine
Consequently, the NPV scheme proposes an interstate compact in which participating states agree in advance to automatically allocate their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, disregarding the popular vote results in their states or what the relevant legislatures might then desire. The NPV would “put the fate of every presidential election in the hands of the voters in as few as 11 states and thus...give a handful of populous states a controlling majority of the Electoral College,” undermining the protections of the Electoral College. Passage of this insidious compact is very close because 170 of the required 270 votes are from states that have already signed on. States where NPV is being considered or is close to passing are more than sufficient to implement the NPVC. Then it will apply to the 2012 election and every one after that so that a candidate can be elected by a few of the most populated regions in the country. Since this is likely to increase the number of third and even fourth party candidates, one could win as little as 30% or 40% of the popular vote and be awarded the necessary 270 electoral votes. We could see European type results with so many candidates that none has enough support to govern effectively. Who exactly would benefit from a change in the electoral college system that has worked effectively for so many elections? Who would want to circumvent our founders’ intentions for the most balanced and representative selection of the president? This has been in progress, on a state-by-state basis, with stealth and steely determination since 2006. Multiple websites push the “Direct Vote” and “NPV” and “Democratic Vote” to create the impression this is truly popular when, in fact, it is being funded and pushed by those with their own political agenda. www.AsAMom.org
The RNC recently voted to condemn this change to our electoral system, but too much damage has been done already. Some conservatives have voted for this— their lack of understanding of the issue is deplorable. NPVC will bring out the grizzly in many of us Moms who will not stand for deception and the manipulation of our constitutional safeguards. Our first task is to educate ourselves by checking some links here, and then we must alert others. Next, our state representatives must be informed, in no uncertain terms, that we strongly oppose this unconstitutional compact. Calls, handwritten letters and visits to our state legislators must make it clear that if in process, NPVC must be stopped. If already passed, NPVC must be repealed. If introduced, NPVC must be rejected at once. Any legislator who votes for this does not know the constitution and is not protecting our freedoms. Also, Moms, search on “National Popular Vote” and you will find countless sites advocating this “logical and fair” change to an outdated system. Watch this topic wherever it is posted because immediately someone will post comments insisting the NPVC is a good thing for America. Who is so closely tracking the issue and attacking every negative? Who is so determined NPVC must succeed? What do they have to gain? In the Federalist Papers, Hamilton explained the need
to protect the public good and the rights of the minority from the possible oppression by the majority in a “direct democracy” or “popular” vote: “When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens. To secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction, and at the same time to preserve the spirit and the form of popular government, is then the great object to which our inquiries are directed.” Alexander Hamilton; Federalist Papers # 68 For more information: heritage.org--http://tinyurl.com/3mexy7g independentsentinel--http://tinyurl.com/7v3h54d http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdox/fed_68.html washingtonpost--http://tinyurl.com/yxxkhq
Barbara Samuells is the founder and president of 9-12 Super Seniors. www.912SuperSeniors.org focuses on educating seniors, empowering them through recognition of their experiences, maturity and judgment, and helping them take action! An active member of AAM she often contibutes her talents.
Be a Mollytician moll•y•ti•cian |mäl i´ti sh en| noun
1. a mom* who is involved in politics, 2. a mom holder of or a candidate for an elected office. antonym – politician: a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organization.
Start by being registered to vote for your party if necessary to vote in your primary elections. Some states have deadlines as soon as December. For more information on primary elections in your state see the October issue of MinuteMom Magazine
* Mom: a member of Asamom.org may be a mom or mom-at heart.
Obamacare A Look at Today A client called me last week and told me that his employer would no longer offer health insurance and that he would have to purchase an individual plan to cover his needs. Why? The employer received a 36% rate increase and because of state law, they have to offer health insurance to all of their employees and not just management. My client is a triathlete and in great shape. I did not think about pre-screening or asking for a health history because I thought the process would be a breeze. We chose a plan that was competitive and proceeded to the application. In doing so, I discovered that he had a pretty serious child hood disease that had not been treated in 30 years. Also, his physician put him on a statin drug that costs $250 per month, not because he had high blood pressure, high cholesterol or any other type of heart condition, but merely as a preventative to avoid future health and family history issues. These two conditions combined are an automatic decline with every individual company in the state of Colorado. He doesn’t qualify for the federal health insurance plan because he has current health insurance. So, the only option remaining was a plan called, “Cover Colorado.” This plan is 30 MinuteMom Magazine
twice the premium of the chosen plan and equivalent to that of a group health insurance plan. After everything was completed, he asked me the question: “I thought that ObamaCare was supposed to fix all of this”? I responded to him: “The road to hell is paved with good intensions.” In my 23 years in this business, regulations have increased to the point that the entire health care system does not resemble anything in the free market system. State insurance commissioners have placed regulations on insurance companies that are forced to spend billions of dollars in order to comply. Now the federal government has gotten involved and the cost to insurance companies to comply with their regulations is an additional 58 billion dollars just this year, and only a small portion of the bill is in place! Why is this happening with our health care system? The White House doesn’t want to fix the current system, they want to destroy it so that it can reemerge as a single payer, socialized medicine system. We are running towards something, full steam ahead, while other countries with this system are running away from it. I remember a speech that Obama gave: he said www.AsAMom.org
Photo Courtesy of morguefile
By Ken Toone
that Medicare reimburses doctors 83 cents for every dollar billed. When I heard this, I was exasperated. Medicare reimburses physicians and medical facilities 23 cents for every dollar billed, not the generous 83 cents that Obama claimed. I have several clients that have shared their explanation of benefits with me. One of my clients had a hip replacement. The total bill was $45,000. Medicare paid $9,450. The surgeon was paid $1,500 for the 2 hour surgery. It seems like a lot of money when you think of it. There aren’t too many people that get paid $750 per hour. Due to the rising costs of conducting business, the surgeon hasn’t given himself a raise in 10 years and will not be accepting Medicare patients after this year. On average this year, my clients have seen a 38% rate increase on their health insurance premiums. I’ve had to implement more creative solutions to keep the premiums down, which means more paperwork for the HR department. In the city where I live, I have walked through the industrial section and asked companies about their health insurance program. Only 1 out of 20 companies offer health insurance to their employees. Of these companies that offer health insurance, they only contribute $125 towards the premium. About 50% of the employees waive the coverage. Of these employees waiving coverage, only 10% purchase an individual policy. I estimate that 15 out of 100 employees in this area have health insurance. This is down from 20% from last year. These are parts of the bill that have been implemented that have caused the increased premiums. The medical loss ratio addendum: The medical loss ratio (MLR) is the percentage of premiums (less federal and state taxes and licensing or regulatory fees) that insurers spend on medical care, including incurred claims and activities that improve health care quality. Under the health care reform law, health insurance issuers offering insured group or individual coverage must meet the following minimums: YY 85% in the large group market (51+ employees). YY 80% in the small group (1-50 employees) and individual market, except in states that have received a waiver for the individual market. YY This law automatically increased premiums by 7% because the most efficient health insurance company was only performing at a 73% MLR.
YY Insurance company liability limits have been removed. YY Guaranteed acceptance for children and increasing the eligibility that a child can be covered on a parent’s policy to age 26 whether they are married or not. YY Preventative care must be covered at 100%. In addition, there are 4 other factors that health insurance premiums have increased: YY Health care and Illegal Immigrants: Emergency Rooms cannot turn away patients because they don’t have health insurance. Illegal Immigrants go to the Emergency Room for common colds. The hospitals will never be able to collect for these treatments, so they have to pass expenses on to those who do pay. This will not change under ObamaCare. YY The price of technology: Have you noticed that even with significant inflation and technological advances, the price of electronic devices is decreasing? You can purchase a very sophisticated lap-top for under $1,000. If you buy a smart phone with a contract, you can purchase most of them for under $200. This is not the case with medical equipment. A new X-Ray machine costs 10% more than last year’s model. Because of government regulation, the price of medical equipment has increased at an inflation rate 3 times higher than the CPI. One additional addendum that has been discovered recently in the ObamaCare bill is an additional 2% surtax has been imposed on medical equipment manufactured in the US. Does this sound like policy that will create US jobs? Do you remember Nancy Pelosi saying: “We need to pass the bill in order to know what’s inside the bill.” YY The price of prescription drugs: There isn’t enough competition in the pharmaceutical industry. The cost to invent a new drug is astronomical; most of this cost is due to the government regulations that have been imposed on these companies. It is practically impossible for a new pharmaceutical company to emerge and be successful. Because of this, the drugs that you see advertised on TV can cost upwards of $2,000 per month. The pharmaceutical companies will explain it away as the cost of research and development. If that were the case, then why are
electronics coming down in price? YY The high price of law suits: This follows the old 80/20 rule: 20 percent of the doctors cause 80 percent of the lawsuits. When I was a pre-dental student, I dreamed of seeing the ear to ear smile of a child after I took their braces off. When I got my braces off, it was one of the most memorable days of my life. I couldn’t stop staring in the mirror at my new smile and I wanted to be able to provide this experience to other children. I was never able to go to dental school because of my grades. I don’t think that I would have been accepted into a dental school no matter how hard I studied. My teachers said that I didn’t apply myself. I think that I just sucked at school, especially tests. It is a shame that some students can coast through medical school to become doctors and think nothing of it. They run their practices like a chop shop and don’t concern themselves with the human element practicing medicine. They take risks that they shouldn’t, relying on pharmaceutical rep’s for the knowledge of dispensing prescriptions. Most people can tell of an experience that they have had with a doctor that doesn’t care. My fix for the high cost of lawsuits is to simply make it easier to get rid of the bad doctors.
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Ken Toone ist the father of five girls and is an active mem-
ber of AsAMom.org where he can be found as Daddy Dude. Ken received his Bachelor of Science degree in Family Financial Planning and Counseling from BYU, Provo. For the past 23 years, he has dedicated his career to employee and individual benefit planning, wealth accumulation and wealth retention.
YYAs Seen on AAM Congress to Vote Next Week on EXPLICITLY Creating a Police State The worldwide indefinite detention without charge or trial provision is in S. 1867, the National Defense Authorization Act bill, which will be on the Senate floor on Monday. I know it sounds incredible. New powers to use the military worldwide, even within the United States? Hasn’t anyone told the Senate that Osama bin Laden is dead, that the president is pulling all of the combat troops out of Iraq and trying to figure out how to get combat troops out of Afghanistan too? ...Does anyone think this is a good idea? And why now? In support of this harmful bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) explained that the bill will “basically say in law for the first time that the homeland is part of the battlefield” and people can be imprisoned without charge or trial “American citizen or not.” Another
supporter, Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) also declared that the bill is needed because “America is part of the battlefield.”... The Senate is set to vote on a bill next week that would define the whole of the United States as a “battlefield” and allow the U.S. Military to arrest American citizens in their own back yard without charge or trial. The bill was drafted in secret by Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), before being passed in a closed-door committee meeting without any kind of hearing. The language appears in sections 1031 and 1032 of the NDAA bill. “I would also point out that these provisions raise serious questions as to who we are as a society and what our Constitution seeks to protect,” Colorado Senator Mark Udall said in a
speech last week. One section of these provisions, section 1031, would be interpreted as allowing the military to capture and indefinitely detain American citizens on U.S. soil. Section 1031 essentially repeals the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 by authorizing the U.S. military to perform law enforcement functions on American soil. That alone should alarm my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, but there are other problems with these provisions that must be resolved.” Join in today! http://tinyurl.com/6thqy6r
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I have twins who are in the 3rd grade. They have been getting the Weekly Readers in their classrooms for years, which I have discovered is mandated either by the districts or by the state. As a result, it is compulsory to read these magazines in the class. I’ve been watching these because they’ve always flirted with ideology (Isn’t it sad that the polar bears are going to die because they won’t have any more ice?), but they’ve now crossed the line into indoctrination.
As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
The latest issue brought home to me has the cover story of “Got Jobs? Millions of Americans struggle to find work.” This issue crosses into blatant support of Pres. Obama and the American Jobs Act. ... More: http://tinyurl.com/6rt4qg4
Photo Dreamstime
Weekly Reader News political agenda
December 2011 33
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This wonderful time of year finds many approaching the season with renewed commitment to appreciate the simple things. Daily postings of gratitude on social networking sites replace the everyday blurbs of life. Time becomes sweeter, and traditions sink deeper in our hearts to carry us for another year. While Novemberamidst the cozy homes, pumpkin pie and family gathering’s-tends to be the month we focus on gratitude, the overt commercialization of Christmas time reminds us to redirect our thoughts on the things that matter most. This November I had the blessed experience to go to Georgia to see my son that recently joined the Army. We had both been anticipating this reunion for the past three months, so it was high on my list of most important things to do and I joyfully looked forward to the reunion. As a mother, I spent countless years struggling with this particular child, so much so, that we were often at opposite ends of the pendulum. Naturally, when I started to receive letters that said things like, “I never knew how much of a mamma’s boy I was till now, and I proudly proclaim it!” or “I miss you so much and can’t wait to spend time with you” my heart began to wonder what miraculous change had overcome my tough and larger-than-life son. As I sat on the bleachers trying to pick my son out of the crowd of young military soldiers, I was amazed at how time can be both good and bad to us all. Good in the sense that we each need to grow and go from one point of being to a greater point of existence. 34 MinuteMom Magazine
Bad in the sense that age is not my friend and that, as parents, the clock keeps ticking as we wish time would stand still to enjoy those profound moments of life. As I gazed out upon this sea of white and blue, I searched for my soldier, wondering where in the world he could be. And finally, I found him, albeit 15 pounds lighter. He was
not only changed physically, but there was a significant change from within. After all, he has undergone a lot of change over the past few months, separation from family and friends, intense training, sleepless nights, strict rules, even stricter time restraints from eating to shaving and a constant barrage of commands and directions. www.AsAMom.org
Photo Provided
Gratitude... Joy In The Journey!
He has learned the tools of the trade for the Infantry, from grenade launching to firing an assault weapon. The mental and physical training has been demanding but, among all the deprivation and change, the one thing these soldiers longed for was contact with family. The air was freezing cold and the wind chill factor seemed to play a huge part for the other family members, but not for me. As the ceremony finished, I shuffled through the crowd to find him. And with that sweet smile and dimpled cheek, he saw me. His grin was ear to ear and I knew it would be a visit well worth the wait. We both embraced and with a spark of excitement he introduced me to his military brothers. During the weekend that I got to spend time with my Army soldier, I came to realize that after all the years of wanting to be off on his own, he was just grateful to have family around. He had mentioned that he wanted time to go fast so this day would get here, but once here, he wanted it to slow down. And it did… thankfully! It was a time to take things slow and just enjoy being mother and son and reconnecting. In life, none of us know what the future may bring. If we can find joy in the journey we can do away with
the unnecessary stress that comes with worrying and find a way to appreciate the significant moments of life. As I look back over the years I am grateful for all of our experiences, good and bad. We truly cannot appreciate the one without the other. One day we may look around at the very things we now complain about, and wish they were there. So, appreciate the simple things. This November reminded me that there are three things that are a constant topic of conversation at our Thanksgiving table… God, Family and our free America! God. He is at the helm of the ship. He is master of the waters and knows every wave. We need not worry. Have faith in His strength, and in His wisdom. Stand up when you see efforts to remove Him from our lives. Defend His name by honoring it. Defend your right to worship as you see fit. Be courageous and do the right thing, showing that you are not just grateful one day of the year, but always. Family. How blessed we are to have family. While family circumstances are different for all of us, we can treat others like family and open our arms to love and support those within our reach. Strong family ties are the result of the sacrifice we are willing to make
for any one person. Happiness is the result of our gratitude for that sacrifice. And gratitude, true gratitude is the result of a happy heart, content with the simple joys of life. America. What an amazing gift it is, to live in a country where God himself, was involved in setting it apart as a free nation. Free! We are a blessed nation, and that will only change if we allow it to. We must not! We must stand for what’s right and true. We have been blessed with men and women willing to put their lives on the line in defense of freedom. Pray for our soldiers. Pray for our leaders. Pray for our America! With humility we can approach this precious month in a way that creates harmony in our hearts and eliminates the discontent we feel when our focus is on the wish lists of the year. Gratitude involves more than a verbal expression, it involves self-mediation. By controlling our ‘wish-lists,’ or wants we mediate our thoughts to the more important things of the season...our many blessings! And that’s really what it’s all about. May this season find you appreciating those moments that might otherwise slip by unnoticed. Slow down and take joy…in your journey! —Kami Watkins , CA
Only at www.asamomestore.com As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®
December 2011 35
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Thank You, Tree I was sitting outside today and looked up at a tall, tall tree just over the fence in the neighbors’ back yard. “Tree,” I said, looking all the way up to the very tiptop “aren’t you frustrated and lonely having to stand in that one spot your entire life?” The tree bent way, way down, leaning over the fence and looked me right in the face. And with a kind but booming voice said “Why no, Child. I am not. “Every day I spend with the sun and every night with the moon. I play in the raindrops and when the wind comes, I dance. The birds sing to me, squirrels stop by to chat and an occasional cat comes to scratch my trunk. Even the bugs that live on my branches tickle me and make me laugh everyday! I can reach and stretch as long and as high as I care to stretch and reach. So no, Child, I am not.” “Oh,” I said softly, looking at the ground in front of my feet “it must just be me...” The tree looked at me thoughtfully and came even closer to my face. Gently he whispered to me “Count the bugs in your branches, Child” and with one Enormous swoop, stood up as straight and even taller than he was before. After sitting for a moment thinking of what the tree had said, I started “Counting my bugs”.
Thank you, Tree. Thank you for making me realize that not everything is as it seems… …And to appreciate my bugs! -Carrie Petty
36 MinuteMom Magazine
www.AsAMom.org
Photo Courtesy of morguefile
And as it turns out, I have quite a lot!
So Where are We Now? Come join us on Asamom.org as we do a one year price check on those groceries moms buy most. Look for details on AsAMom.org soon!
Can an envelope save the Constitution? Molly says Yes! Coming January 2012 Mailable Molly!
YYAs A Family
Thanksgiving in December?
During the Revolutionary War, official days of thanksgiving were held one or more times a year. The very first National Proclamation of Thanksgiving was declared by the Continental Congress in 1777 and was held in December. This was what they said: “For as much as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God, to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore further blessings as they stand in Need of... “It is therefore recommended ...to set apart THURSDAY the 18th Day of December next for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE that at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor.” Do you think it’s time we held another national day of thanksgiving like this? —Marlene Peterson
Gratitude Advent Calendar What are you grateful for? 1. Print out the opposite page -- one for each participant. 2. Each day counting down to Christmas write something for which you feel gratitude. 3. Color the corresponding ordainment. Variation - Show your gratitude by passing on a blessing to someone else. Do a random act of kindness each day and color in the ornament. 1. __________________________
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Kids contribute to this page by sending your ideas to editor@minutemom.org 38 MinuteMom Magazine
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The Save the Constitution - Read It! Campaign is not a group or a program. It is an Attitude. The purpose of Save it! Read it! is to encourage patriots everywhere to do two things: 1. Commit to reading The Constitution and review it often. 2. Encourage others to read the Constitution. We have received challenges to read and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from various sources. All of us must commit to reading the Constitution of the United States of America and review it often. Only by understanding the principles upon which our government was founded can we recognize Constitutional abuses and be able to step up and stop that abuse. The Save the Constitution - Read It! Campaign started as an extension of the Patriot Pin Program developed by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots to encourage patriots everywhere to save the principles of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Classroom packs of 25 bookmarks are available from www.AsAMom.org Pins, Pendants and bumper stickers are at www.asamomestore.com
www.SaveItReadIt.org Š2010 As A Mom...A Sisterhood of Mommy PatriotsŽ www.asamom.org