American Republic Online

The demographic reality is that, in America, the Democratic party is the new “party of the rich”. More and more Democrats represent areas with a high concentration of wealthy households. Using Internal Revenue Service data, the Heritage Foundation identified two categories of taxpayers – single filers with incomes of more than $100,000 and married filers with incomes of more than $200,000 – and combined them to discern where the wealthiest Americans live and who represents them.

Democrats now control the majority of the nation’s wealthiest congressional jurisdictions. More than half of the wealthiest households are concentrated in the 18 states where Democrats control both Senate seats.

This new political demography holds true in the House of Representatives, where the leadership of each party hails from different worlds. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, represents one of America’s wealthiest regions. Her San Francisco district has more than 43,700 high-end households. Fewer than 7,000 households in the western Ohio district of House Republican leader John Boehner enjoy this level of affluence…

It should be noted that income and wealth are often confused. Due to the IRS, income data is much easier to come by, but not a reflection of “wealth” or net worth. For instance, you could make $120,000 in southern California and be financially unable to purchase a house. You could also have a net worth north $100 MILLION dollars, but show an IRS income of less than $100k. (Which is actually how we got saddled with the AMT).

Read the full article »

NBC Universal’s started a “Green is Universal” initiative Sunday including more than 150 hours of programming designed to raise awareness about environmental issues. The event was kicked off at a football game, where the sports casters turned off the lights in the studio to set a good example. (Not all the lights were cut lest the picture go dark.)

After their significant sacrifice, NBC cut to a satellite feed showing the country’s light pollution from space. Light pollution, the bane of amateur astronomers largely goes unnoticed in this country. Families routinely leave lights on willy-nilly, washing out the very stars people used to worship. But lights pose an even more serious threat than the oft-forgotten light pollution: global warming.

Lights use electricity, and electricity is often created along with sinister global warming gases. For this reason NBC urged Americans to stop the coming obliteration of our species through global warming. TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS. Unless, of course, you pay extra for the power company to route “green” power to your house. Then your lights are fine.

What NBC didn’t foresee in it’s noble cause, was the extent to which people would listen to them. Many people have now realized that their TV emits light (as well as runs on electricity) and turned it off as well. Ratings for the NBC this week have plummeted 23% and are trending downward. “We certainly didn’t expect such enthusiasm on the part of our viewers” said Sandra Mechum, PR Director for NBC Universal.

Read the full article »

The Democrats are having an increasingly hard time placating the vocal left fringe of their party and its getting quite frustrating. Activists are beginning to notice that the delivery is falling far short of the fiery rhetoric. Wes Allison had good piece on the struggle for power over the Democrats controlling Congress last week: When left isn’t left enough.

This week however the ARO has uncovered some rare video footage that lets us peek into the mind of a “MoveOn.org-er”…

There was a hubbub a while back at a Kerry rally. You may have seen the “don’t tase’ me bro” videos online. It starts “normally” enough with a passionate Democrat had some hard questions for Senator John Kerry. Questions like How could Kerry concede the 04 election when he had actually won it? (He’s got this book see) Why have we not impeached Bush yet? Is this all some elaborate Skull & Bones conspiracy?

We all laugh but 35% of democrats party are of this -uh- mind set. So let’s look further.

Read the full article »

Via the Instapundit:

A Google Earth map of where pork barrel spending goes:

Jonah Goldberg poses some possible questions to ask Senator Clinton in an upcoming debate.  Highlights:

You keep saying that Social Security has lost 14 years of solvency on President Bush’s watch. In 2000, your husband’s last year in office, the program’s trustees said it would be solvent until 2037. Now they say it will be solvent until 2041. As the most serious female candidate for president we’ve ever had, aren’t you setting a bad example by not being able to do math?

You’ve repeatedly denounced Halliburton’s “no-bid contracts.” Did you object when the Clinton administration awarded a similar non-competitive contract to Halliburton for reconstruction work in the former Yugoslavia? If not, why not? If so, why didn’t your husband listen?

Read the full article »