States' Rights; National ID for the Internet; Detroit to Close Half It's Schools; "We Got To Pass This [Financial] Bill to Find Out What's in IT"; Economists Ask for Repeal of Obamacare

The Montgomery Adviser writes: Robert Bentley began his term as Alabama's governor Monday with a promise to the people to be a servant leader like Jesus and a warning to the federal government that he won't let it force policies on his state.
"We will work with the federal government when we can, but they will not dictate our every move," he said to loud applause. "As elected representatives we answer to you the people of Alabama, not to politicians and bureaucrats in Washington. I will defend our right to govern ourselves under our own laws and to make our own decisions without federal interference," he said to more loud applause. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20110117/NEWS/110117026/New+governor+warns+federal+government+
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American Thinker writes: The White House cybersecurity adviser joined Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to announce what amounts to a national ID card for the Internet.

Their plan is straightforward. Instead of logging onto Facebook or one's bank using separate passwords established with each individual company or website, the White House will take the lead in developing what it calls an "identity ecosystem" that will centralize personal information and credentials. This government-approved system would issue a smart card or similar device that would confirm an individual's identity when making online credit-card purchases, accessing electronic health care records, posting "anonymous" blog entries or even logging onto one's own home computer, according to administration documents.

Officials insist this would be a voluntary program and deliver significant benefits to the public. [Don't volunteer.  It will be voluntary only for a while, I presume.] http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/01/the_dangerous_internet_passpor.html

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When you hear that Detroit is coming back, consider this news from the Detroit News:  Detroit Public Schools would close nearly half of its schools in the next two years, and increase high school class sizes to 62 by the following year, under a deficit-reduction plan filed with the state.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110112/SCHOOLS/101120356/Without-aid--DPS-may-close-half-of-its-schools#ixzz1BPOSDk91

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The Daily Caller reports on Rush Limbaugh: “You know what my answer would be if I were John Boehner – and of course I’m not John Boehner,” Rush Limbaugh said. “If I were John Boehner and I was constantly being peppered by the press corps, ‘What are you going to cut, what are you going to?’ You know what I would say? ‘We got to pass the bill first to find out what’s in it.’”
According to Limbaugh, if the media was satisfied by that answer from Pelosi, it should be good enough for Boehner.  http://dailycaller.com/2011/01/19/limbaugh-offers-answer-for-boehner-on-spending-cut-question-we-got-to-pass-the-bill-first-to-find-out-whats-in-it/

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CNS News writes: As the House prepares debate on the future of the $1 trillion health care overhaul enacted last year, 200 economists have asked members of Congress to repeal the act. “To promote job growth and help to restore the federal government to fiscal balance, we, the undersigned, feel that it would be beneficial to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” the economists said in a letter to Congress.
The letter includes the signatures of Douglas Holtz-Eakin and June O’Neil, both former directors of the Congressional Budget Office; Arthur Laffer, the first chief economist for the Office of Management and Budget, Brian Wesbury, former chief economist of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress; and William Niskanan, former chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors and chairman emeritus of the libertarian CATO Institute
At a minimum, it will add $1 trillion to government spending over the next decade,” the letter stated. “Assertions that these costs are paid for are based on omitted costs, budgetary gimmicks, shifted premiums from other entitlements, and unsustainable spending cuts and revenue increases. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/200-economists-ask-lawmakers-repeal-obam
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