In This Issue• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• Daily Jot (Part One)
• Daily Jot (Part Two)
• Another Union Bailout
• Obamacare: No More Waivers
• The GOP's Balancing Act
• HOUSE VOTE ON LIBYA?
• The Good News Corner
• Worship with Us Today!
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The Daily Brief - Wednesday, June 22, 2011
"Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon." (Neh. 4:17)
The Daily Brief
1. Missouri River flood closes 100 miles of bridges - Reuters
Drivers trying to cross from southeast Nebraska into Missouri and Iowa on Monday found bridges closed for more than 100 miles for safety reasons due to flooding and heavier water flows on the Missouri River. With those closings, flooding has shut down all road bridges over the Missouri River for about 112 miles from just south of Omaha, Nebraska, to St. Joseph, Missouri. More bridges and railroad lines may have to close as the water continues to rise, officials said.
The bridge closures coincided with stepped-up releases of water from swollen reservoirs from Montana to South Dakota by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is managing record flood waters this season in the Plains. The Corps boosted water releases over the weekend from two dams -- Oahe above Pierre, South Dakota's capital, and Big Bend Dam just downstream from that -- to make room for more flows expected with potentially heavy rains. Read more.
- Father, we intercede for all these areas that are experiencing flooding and rising waters. We pray you cause these waters to recede. Give wisdom to the Corps of Engineers managing the flood waters. Father, call the people to repentance and salvation of their souls, with humility of heart. There is no place to turn but to the Lord God who is the answer to all prayer. God makes a way where there seems to be no way. In Jesus Name.
- But God remembered Noah and all the animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. (Genesis 8:1)
2. Mandatory Evacuations Ordered for Minot, ND - KX News
Mandatory evacuations for Minot and surrounding communities began late this morning. The National Guard were going house to house to make sure all have evacuated. Watch the 24-hour Minot Weather Channel with its live streaming of news by going here.
The Souris River is set to overtop levees in Minot, displacing about a quarter of the North Dakota city's population (11,000) for a second time this spring and promising to swamp thousands of structures under the worst flooding in four decades. "We could have a really catastrophic type of event here," Mayor Curt Zimbelman said during a late Monday news conference, calling it "a sad day for Minot." The Minot Daily News reported that his comments were met by stunned silence. (AJC News) Read more
- Father in heaven, in Noah's day the people mocked and ridiculed him for building an ark when there had been no rain on the earth up to that time. But Noah obeyed God. When the rains came, Noah and all his family and animals were safe in the ark. Jesus is that ark. God, may those in distress obey God and call out with repentant hearts to Jesus to save their souls and forgive them of sin. Move by your Holy Spirit upon all the people in Minot. In Jesus Name.
- "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us , not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9)
3. Obama to announce withdrawal of 33,000 troops - UK Telegraph
Obama is to announce sufficient progress has been made against the Taliban in Afghanistan to bring home all of the 33,000 US troops dispatched over the past 18 months by the end of next year.
- God, move by Your Holy Spirit over all those making decisions in this matter. Declare that truthfulness and honesty be the basis of these decisions. Cover all our military with the protective power of Jesus blood. Hold the destiny of their lives in Your hands. In Jesus Name.
- "The Lord will not permit the soul of the righteous to famish: but He casts away the substance of the wicked. He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent makes rich."(Proverbs 10:3-4)
4. Radioactive tritium leaks found at 48 US nuke sites - MSNBC
Radioactive tritium has leaked from three-quarters of U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping, an Associated Press investigation shows.
- Father, we ask that a radical plan be stepped up to stop this leakage of radioactive tritium that has leaked into groundwater. These circumstances demand immediate remedial work to be done. Protect the people who could be in harm's way by drinking contaminated water. Pour healing salt into the water to make it clean. Lord, stop up the leaks in these pipes until they can be properly repaired. In Jesus Name.
- "And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, but the water is naught, and the ground barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus says the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake." (II Kings 2:19-22)
5. Iraq violence intensifies as talks continue on U.S. troop presence - Washington Post
Terrorist attacks, including a bombing Tuesday that killed two dozen people, are intensifying across Iraq as the country's political blocs step up discussions about whether the coalition government will ask the United States to keep some troops here past the end of the year.
- God, constrain terrorist attacks in Iraq by the power of Your hand. We ask that You dispatch warring angels to walk the land of Iraq and push back the angels of darkness. God, intervene in the decisions regarding U.S. troops remaining or leaving Iraq. Your wisdom and knowledge is needed. Let no unseen evil power be in control. We ask for a change in government so that godly men will lead Iraq and all terrorism will be gone. In Jesus Name.
- "The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirs up strife: but love covers all sins." (Proverbs 10:11-12)
6. Poll: Most Pakistanis disapprove killing bin Laden - USA Today
Pakistanis largely disapprove of the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden, with a majority believing the al-Qaida chief's death is a bad thing and relations between Washington and Islamabad will suffer as a result, new polling data show.
- God, close the mouths of those who stir up strife. Save the Pakistanis from following lies. Take blindness from their eyes that they see only the truth. Lord, send angels to minister to them and their lives be transformed. In Jesus Name.
- "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their God? But our God is in the heavens. He has done whatever He has pleased." (Psalm 115:1-3)
1. Sirens to go off around Israel as security drill goes national - Ha'aretz
Sirens are set to go off twice on Wednesday throughout the country, at 11 a.m. and at 7 p.m. as part of a national emergency drill that began Sunday and is to last through Thursday.
2. IAF strikes Gaza tunnel - Ynet News
IAF fighter jets struck a Gaza smuggling tunnel overnight, following the rocket fire on southern Israel, Tuesday evening.
Daily Jot (Part One)
The parallel politics of presidents and terrorists
Obama is in full campaign swing--everything is political these days. Well almost everything. Its a political decision to announce bringing home the troops in Afghanistan against his general's wise council. I, for one, want our troops home. If we are not going to fight terrorism, but rather assist in building a nation for terrorist groups to rule, our troops should be home. But this is where things are not so "election" oriented, or are actually a different type of politics. White House policies in the Middle East are undoubtedly pro-Islamic in the guise of pro-democracy, and there are parallel tracks of politics being played--the American people, our troops, and Israel are caught in the president's political snare.
On the home front, there is a campaign promise to be fulfilled--that the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will be brought home. This promise has nothing to do with victory or national security. It has everything to do with gaining votes. Its been ten long years of war. 'Seems as though with America's superior firepower, those places could have been subdued and terrorists rooted out in short order, but then the whole unconstitutional aspect of nation building crept in. The guise, however, is extended into the dark shadows of Islamic deceit where this White House is promoting democracy through its partner the Muslim Brotherhood--documented to be behind terrorist groups such as Hamas, al Qaeda and the Taliban.
There is a 2006 film called "The Brotherhood" where producer PBS states: "Award winning Newsweek journalists Mark Hosenball and Michael Isikoff investigate a movement that preaches peaceful co-existence but also supports suicide bombings in Israel and offers inspiration for many violent jihadi groups." The Muslim Brotherhood was also part of the Holyland Foundation trial where prosecutors submitted a Brotherhood plan to takeover the United States through a "Civilization Jihad." These investigations and court transcripts point to the Brotherhood as a deceitful organization that puts on a non-violent, moderate front, while supporting worldwide jihad to establish an Islamic Caliphate under Sharia Law.
At a June 20 reelection fundraiser with Democratic Friends of Israel, the president said of the US-Israel relationship: "There are going to be moments over the course of the next six months or the next 12 months or the next 24 months in which there may be tactical disagreements in terms of how we approach these difficult problems." The tactical disagreements are actually related to the White House strategy of working with the Muslim Brotherhood to overthrow Middle Eastern rulers and creating states even more hostile to Israel and the United States. This does not bode well for America. The Lord said to Abram of Israel in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee." Promoting Islam is not a blessing.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Daily Jot (Part Two)
Top Ten Issues Contributing to the Demise of America
The top ten issues contributing to the demise of this country are not as obvious as one might think. Of course, we can all agree that government spending, homosexuality, taking God out of the public square, marriage under attack, political correctness, one world foreign policy, abortion, limiting freedom of religion, taxes, unemployment, and inflation may be issues that are tearing apart our nation. But I believe, and you may disagree or agree, that the way to solve all these issues is not by focusing on the issues themselves, but rather on the cause of the issues. In reality, there are another set of top ten issues that if they were solved, there would be no problem whatsoever in this nation. Here's my take on them (early apologies to those who like the short "Jots", please bear with me):
[To view the ten issues cited, please go here.]
These ten items are starting points. They are just my opinion. I believe that we need to change hearts in order to change the nation. If people were truly living the Christian life, the issues mentioned in the first paragraph would not even exist. Building up people is a lot harder than sitting back and complaining about the world around us. But that is what we are called to do. Blessings to you and your house. Be encouraged, even inspired.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
www.dailyjot.com
Another Union Bailout
The Associated Press reports that the National Labor Relations Board is likely to issue a new ruling that dramatically strengthens the hand of labor bosses seeking to unionize companies.
Under existing law, once a union gathers enough signatures to force a vote on unionization, an election must take place within 45 to 60 days. The new rule would reportedly speed up the election to just 10 or 20 days.
The reason for rushing the vote is obvious -- Big Labor is hoping to catch businesses off-guard, leaving them with little or no time to educate employees about the downsides of unionization. This is just one more example of how the Obama Administration is using the power of big government to reward its political supporters, while creating more obstacles for businesses in an already uncertain economic environment. (Gary Bauer)
Obamacare: No More Waivers
The Obama Administration is no longer issuing waivers for ObamaCare. But don't be quick to celebrate. I don't think it is a coincidence that the waiver program is being terminated now.
As we have reported, the administration has granted nearly 1,400 waivers, with many going to labor unions and other left-wing groups. Chic businesses in Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco-based congressional district got their share of special favors -- I mean waivers -- too.
Members of Congress and outside groups have been demanding to know on what basis these waivers were granted. Despite assurances that the process is completely transparent, the administration has yet to produce a set of objective standards or even basic information such as how many waivers were requested and how many were denied.
It was recently reported that the healthcare "reform" law contained no language whatsoever authorizing the administration to issue waivers. Moreover, conservative groups were starting to request waivers, and there was growing grassroots pressure to have governors request waivers for entire states.
But seeing as how the left got the bulk of the waivers, and given all the negative attention the program was creating, it seems someone in the Obama Administration decided that it was best to stop issuing the waivers now rather than defend the indefensible and unpopular waivers next year.
More Problems With ObamaCare
If the waivers weren't enough evidence of just how poorly written the mammoth law is, there is news today that a "glitch" may allow millions of people, including some with incomes up to $64,000, to qualify for Medicaid! That's right -- $64,000 may make you eligible for a government program to help the poor.
Medicare's chief actuary, Richard Foster, said, "I don't generally comment on the pros or cons of policy, but that just doesn't make sense." Believe it or not, the Associated Press reports that "administration officials and senior Democratic lawmakers say it's not a loophole but the result of a well-meaning effort." A well-meaning effort to socialize America and bankrupt us even faster, perhaps!
The GOP's Balancing Act
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) wanted a deal on the debt ceiling by July 4th--but there are bound to be fireworks before then. The Vice President's working group is still meeting, sometimes for hours on end, but the two sides are having a tough time agreeing on the big-ticket items like entitlement cuts and taxes. While around-the-clock meetings are scheduled for next week, the House is chipping away at a plan to keep America from falling back into the bad spending habits that got us here. Of course, this isn't a new problem. Congress has been using the country's credit cards like an irresponsible teenager for decades. Even Ronald Reagan realized that the only way to get Washington under control isn't "pay-as-you-go-rules" or the Budget Enforcement Act. "Only a constitutional amendment will do the job," the 40th President once said. "We've tried the carrot, and it failed. With the stick of the Balanced Budget Amendment, we can stop government squandering, overtaxing ways, and save our economy."
House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) has done his part. By a 20-12 vote, the Committee pushed through its version of an amendment, H.J. Res. 1. "If we want to make permanent cuts to federal spending--cuts that cannot be undone by future Congresses--a constitutional amendment is the only answer," the Chairman insisted. "It is our last line of defense against Congress's constant desire to overspend and overtax." Unlike other measures, an amendment would hold Congress's feet to the fire and force members to act like adults. Without it, Americans will be right back where we started--only this time, we'll owe even more money. The Republicans' best shot at passing the Balanced Budget Amendment is for the GOP to make it part of the debt ceiling deal. If a vote on the BBA is rushed without full Republican leadership support, it will fail. Conservatives need to insist that congressional approval of a Balanced Budget Amendment is a condition of raising the debt limit. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) knows the window of opportunity is coming. "I would actually say we need to bring it to the floor when we have the best chance to win. For me that's the key. My gut tells me that might be closer to whenever we get some kind of ultimate vote [on the debt limit deal]." Leaders need to put their full weight behind the Walsh-Lee balanced budget amendment and then schedule a vote on it.
Right now, the U.S. is the only country with a triple-A credit rating without a serious plan to reverse the debt, says Steven Hess of Moody's Investors Service. Cut, Cap, Balance, and Bury is such a plan--and with Republicans in the driver's seat, it's time to get Washington on board. Cut the deficit, cap spending, balance the budget, and bury ObamaCare. That's the message FRC Action will be sending at next Thursday's webcast. Together with Hill leaders, coalition partners, and some of our own experts, we'll explain what's at stake in the negotiations and how you can become part of the solution. Stay tuned for details. (Family Research Council)
HOUSE VOTE ON LIBYA?
Momentum is building fast for a House vote this week in favor of ending U.S. participation in the bombardment of Libya.
A solid majority of Democrats have an anti-war default setting and so would have no hesitation about cutting off money for the operation - even though that would amount to an enormous international slap at a president of their own party. And the number of Republicans who would do likewise has surged over the weekend. Many in the GOP were already furious that the president declared the situation in Libya doesn't meet the threshold of "hostilities" requiring him to obtain congressional authorization under the War Powers Act. (The final deadline for doing so was yesterday.) And more Republicans got mad when it came out that the president rejected the view of several top administration lawyers, who told him the opposite conclusion was correct.
The issue will come to a head Thursday or Friday, when the House will be debating the annual Pentagon funding bill - unless Boehner wields a heavy parliamentary hand and blocks a showdown vote (which doesn't look likely), or unless Obama's imminent decision to order an accelerated Afghanistan troop withdrawal buys him a big scoop of congressional goodwill and a postponement of the Libya debate (a bit more likely).
Democrat Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Republican Joe Heck of Nevada both have written proposals to block money for the U.S. operation, which at this point is mostly logistical support for the NATO bombing runs. (Heck's would give the president a little more time and wiggle room to get out.) Neither of the proposals is an assertion of War Powers Act authority, per se - although if the House rejects the amendments, that would be widely interpreted as a tacit endorsement of the mission. (Source: Congressional Quarterly)
The Good News Corner:
U.S. House Votes to Prevent Telemedicine Grants from Covering Abortion Pill
Summary: "American taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize abortions."
The U.S. House of Representatives passed an agriculture spending bill Thursday, and included an amendment to prevent the telemedicine funds in the measure from covering telemed abortions.
Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa were the first in the country to sell so-called telemed abortions, in which an abortionist in another location consults with a woman over a webcam and then uses a remote control to open a drawer containing RU-486 for her to take. The woman and the abortionist never meet in person.
"I applaud the House of Representatives for passing my important pro-life amendment," said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. "American taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize abortions, and federal telemedicine grants should not be used to enable abortion providers like Planned Parenthood to dispense the RU-486 abortion drug.
"My amendment ensures that no telemedicine grant money in the Agriculture Appropriations bill will be spent for any purpose that enables abortionists to perform 'telemed abortions.' Cutting off this source of funding for this procedure will save the lives of women and unborn babies."
At least six women have died in the U.S. in connection with RU-486, and at least 950 cases of serious side effects have been reported. (CitizenLink)
Worship with Us Today!
"My Lord Is Near Me All The Time"
"When the thunder shakes the mighty hills and trembles every tree, then I know a God so great and strong can surely harbor me."
Worship Him now . . .
