Liberal state lawmakers across the country are looking at raising and creating new "sin" taxes

Cash-strapped state lawmakers across the country are looking at raising "sin" taxes on everything from traditional vices, like smoking cigarettes and imbibing alcohol, to more recently vilified habits like drinking sugary sodas and hitting the tanning salon.

• In Mississippi, state Rep. John Mayo, citing the state's place at the top of national obesity ratings, is sponsoring a bill that would add about 25 cents in new taxes to a can of soda.

• In New York, state Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, Brooklyn Democrat, wants a new "fat tax," a surcharge on the purchase of sweets and snacks.

• In Maryland, dozens of state lawmakers are getting behind a plan to raise $200 million in revenue with new taxes on beer and wine, but in the face of strong opposition from the state's business community.

Other states and jurisdictions are looking at taxing the use of plastic shopping bags, raising fees for casinos — even in gambling meccas such as Nevada — and taxing tanning salons. In California, proponents of easing restrictions on marijuana cited the tax revenue legal pot could bring in. Some states have even considered new taxes on buyers of pornography and patrons of strip clubs.

Thank you to @bconsdr8 on twitter for this link to the Washington Times Story: http://ht.ly/3FenW

Muslim Radicalization a "Very Real Threat" by the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security

Congressman launching probe into local Muslim radicalization
http://ht.ly/3ERDs

The new chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security is preparing a controversial investigation next month into what he calls a "very real threat" — the radicalization of young Muslims by local religious leaders.

Many officials have praised cooperation from Muslim religious leaders in the United States and blamed the growing number of young American Muslims willing to contemplate terrorism on radicals overseas reaching out through the Internet.

But Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said he had heard an increasing number of stories from federal law enforcement officials that U.S. Islamic leaders have not cooperated with police or are fomenting young Muslims.

"There's a systematic effort to radicalize young Muslim men," King said. "It would be irresponsible of me not to have this investigation. If it was coming from some other demographic group, I would say the same thing."

Twenty-Three Christians Executed by Muslims in Nigeria

January 9th 2011
Four Christians helping orphans in Nigeria are beheaded, you identify what YOU want to call their attackers.
http://ht.ly/3ALV2

January 11th 2011
Nigerian Muslims armed with Machetes attack and kill 19 Christians
http://ht.ly/3Dl6c

Have Christians misunderstood this president as he's extolled Islam as a great religion? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCAffMSWSzY&feature=player_embedded