Obama Nominates Hagel, Brennan 

President Barack Obama filled out his national security team today with the formal nominations of former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense and Counterterrorism Adviser John Brennan to be Director of the CIA. 

Normally a Cabinet secretary will fight for the best interests of his or her department. But Hagel will give Obama cover to gut the Defense budget. In addition, Hagel has a terrible record when it comes to confronting America's radical Islamic enemies, especially Iran. 

"Shining City" Or National Decline?

After the Newtown school shootings, an ABC/Washington Post poll found that 52% of the public felt the shooting reflected "broader problems in American society." The poll didn't ask what kind of problems, but I would submit that the breakdown of the family and reliable standards of right and wrong are at the top of the list. A new USA Today/Gallup poll confirms that Americans are feeling down about the future of our country.

End Of Year Update

Our staff here at American Values is busy going through the checks we received in the mail from the holiday weekend to see if we met our year-end fundraising goal. Most of our supporters give $10, $20 or $30, so it takes time to add it all up. I want to thank everyone who responded for your tremendous generosity. I hope American Values reached its goal. We will provide an update later in the week. Thank you, my friends!

Higher Taxes; More Debt?

Too Late To Avoid The Fiscal Cliff?

President Obama cut short his Hawaiian Christmas vacation and returned to Washington, D.C., this afternoon in order to jumpstart negotiations aimed at avoiding massive across-the-board tax increases on January 1st. While so much of the focus has been on Speaker John Boehner, Barack Obama is president and his party controls the Senate.