Author: Personal Liberty News Desk

The percentage of American workers who said they have minimal retirement savings grew for the third consecutive year, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s (EBRI) annual Retirement Confidence Survey released on Tuesday.

In 2010, a total of 43 percent of the workforce reported that they have less than $10,000 in their savings account, up from 39 percent in 2009, according to CNN Money. Respondents who said that they had less than $1,000 also rose, jumping from 20 percent last year to 27 percent in the current survey.

Furthermore, the percentage of workers who said that they were confident in their ability to save enough money to comfortably retire fell to 16 percent, the second lowest rating in the 20-year history of the reports.

"People just don’t want to think about [saving for retirement]," said Jack VanDerhei, EBRI’s research director and co-author of the survey. "Everybody thinks they’re too young to think about it, until suddenly they’re too old to do anything about it."

VanDerhei noted that the national decline of savings is attributable to mortgage problems, job losses and the suspension of many company-matched 401(k) programs in 2009.

Tuesday was the first day that same-sex couples were allowed to marry in Washington, D.C., and opponents of the new law are already vowing to fight to overturn it.

The measure known as the Marriage Equality Act was signed by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty last December after the city council passed it. It then went through a review period during which Congress declined to intervene and the Supreme Court, as well as lower courts, rejected attempts to block it.

Supporters of the law hailed it as a step towards winning an important freedom for gay people nationwide.

However, Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, pointed to recent setbacks of similar legislation in California and Maine, and said that "those of us impatient for the day when America no longer excludes committed couples from marriage have to redouble our efforts."

In fact, he is likely to face tough opposition as activists have vowed to force a ballot initiative to overturn the law, saying they believe city residents, and not just the council, should have a chance to vote on the issue.

Moreover, the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, which does not support same-sex marriages, has announced it will no longer extend job benefits to employee spouses not already enrolled, according to The Washington Post.

D.C. joins Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont in allowing same-sex couples to marry.

Two former voter registration employees of the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) were among five Wisconsin residents charged March 8 with fraud relating to the 2008 presidential election.

The criminal complaint accuses Maria Miles and Kevin Clancy of submitting several voter registration applications for the same individual on multiple occasions to meet a 20-signature-per-day quota imposed by the controversial anti-poverty group.

Clancy reportedly acknowledged to police that he had signed up his brother and his mother multiple times to fulfill his quota, according to TodaySTM4.com. The complaint also identified another worker who was allegedly fired for not reaching the requisite daily number of signatures and who said that she saw other ACORN employees "getting names out of the phonebook."

ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan said that the organization verified information on each voter registration card and flagged any duplicates.

"The small number of instances in which an employee has submitted duplicate or fraudulent voter registration cards are an example of workers attempting to defraud ACORN by passing off bad work as good work—and the organization supports their prosecution," Whelan said, quoted by the news source.

Meanwhile, a Wisconsin prosecutor was quoted on Monday by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, criticizing local police for ignoring voter fraud cases in the area.

In a potential reversal, advisors to President Obama are close to recommending that self-professed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other co-conspirators be prosecuted in a military tribunal rather than in a civilian court in New York City, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to transfer Mohammed and other terrorist suspects from Guantanamo Bay to New York City has come under heavy scrutiny from Republicans, who have stated that military tribunals are a more appropriate venue for those accused of attacking America.

Representative Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have each proposed legislation that would prohibit any terror suspect from being tried in federal courts or in reformed military commissions located in the United States, according to Fox News.

In addition to GOP opposition, local city officials have resisted Holder’s decision because of costs, security and logistical concerns, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

Meanwhile, many liberal groups have lashed out at the president for even considering a change of venue for the 9/11 trials.

"If this stunning reversal comes to pass, President Obama will deal a death blow to his own Justice Department, not to mention American values," said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), quoted by the news source.

"Even with recent improvements, the military commissions system is incapable of handling complicated terrorism cases and achieving reliable results," he added. "President Obama must not cave in to political pressure and fear-mongering."

Even though most media commentators claim that the economy is turning around, the National Inflation Association (NIA) has said growing imbalances make it impossible to achieve a sustained recovery.

In particular, although U.S. consumer spending was up 0.5 percent in January, the national savings rate fell to a 15-month low of 3.3 percent. However, in order to spur a lasting recovery, the NIA believes the savings rate should exceed 10 percent.

The organization also points to decisions being implemented in countries such as Canada, which is trying to cut its government spending and reduce budget deficit in order to achieve a balanced budget by 2016. Similarly, Australia’s central bank has raised its benchmark interest rate to 4 percent.

According to a NIA press release, "If the U.S. doesn’t follow in the footsteps of Canada and Australia, instead of Zimbabwe, we could see massive emigration out of this country [as a result of hyperinflation].

Moreover, the NIA says that as the U.S. dollar is declining, China will be building up their gold holdings in order to ensure the stability of its foreign currency reserves. This will drive gold prices up, and provide great investment opportunities for Americans who are concerned about shielding their wealth and assets from the ravages of inflation.

"It is only a matter of time before the world wakes up and realizes the U.S. economic recovery is phony and the only way our debts will be paid back is through monetization," the release concluded.

Representative Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said last week that he and 11 other Blue Dog Democrats in the House will not vote for the healthcare bill unless it includes language that clearly prohibits the use of federal money to fund abortion services.

"We’re not going to vote for this bill with that kind of language," said Stupak on Good Morning America, referring to the Senate version of the healthcare bill that President Obama is urging lawmakers to adopt. "I want to see healthcare," added the Michigan Representative, "but we’re not going to bypass some principles and beliefs that we feel strongly about."

If Stupak and the other Democrats follow through on their pledge, it will be very difficult for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to approve the bill, which only passed by a margin of 220-215 in November.

However, Senate Democrats may resist Stupak’s attempt to include the more restrictive abortion language in the final version of the bill, as it would almost certainly rule out the possibility of utilizing budget reconciliation. This parliamentary tactic would allow Democrats to pass healthcare legislation in the Senate with only 51 votes, rather than the 60 that are usually required to overcome a Republican filibuster.

As proponents of carrying unconcealed handguns in public are fighting for the right across the nation, Starbucks and other chain stores have found themselves caught in the middle of the firestorm, according to media reports.

Recently gun-control advocates have petitioned the Starbucks coffee chain—whose policy is to comply with state open carry weapons laws, although it has the final say on its property—to ban guns on its premises, Fox News reported.

In the last few days pickets have been held across the country, including in Seattle where the company is headquartered, but Starbucks has reiterated its commitment to the policy, saying that banning guns at its stores might put baristas, or coffee servers, in danger.

"The political, policy and legal debates around these issues belong in the legislatures and courts, not in our stores," states the company’s official position, quoted by the news provider.

The developments are taking place as the Supreme Court is hearing arguments in one of its biggest cases in recent years, where the plaintiff in McDonald v. Chicago is urging the court to reverse the city’s 28-year-old handgun ban.

As the Tea Party movement grows in strength and shows promise to affect the outcome of elections across the country, a new report from the Sam Adams Alliance has sought to understand its supporters’ political motivations.

The study entitled “The Early Adopters: Reading the Tea Leaves” found that activists are motivated by feelings of responsibility to future generations and belief in America’s founding principles. It also discovered evidence that they are a diverse group composed of individuals who—often for the first time in their lives—are becoming involved to change the political landscape and hold elected officials more accountable.

"A lot of surveys have focused on the Tea Party movement, but they’ve been about what others think of them," said Sam Adams Alliance chairman Eric O’Keefe.

"We decided to learn what the Tea Party leaders are up to [by asking them]," he added.

When queried about what issues are "very important" to them, a total of 92 percent of respondents said "budget," some 85 percent pointed to "economy," and 80 percent singled out "defense."

The poll’s authors also found that 86 percent oppose the formation of a third-party and that 62 percent identified themselves as Republicans. However, only a minority (36 percent) support Sarah Palin’s potential presidential bid in 2012.

Sam Adams Alliance is a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness of free market principles and policies.

On March 4, the House of Representatives approved the Keeping All Students Safe Act by a vote of 262 to 153. The legislation is aimed at protecting children from inappropriate uses of disciplinary practices in schools.

The law was inspired by a government investigation that found widespread allegations that children were being abused through misuses of restraint and seclusion in classrooms.

Prepared by the Government Accountability Office, the report stated that children as young as 3 and 4 were disciplined using ropes, duct tape and chairs with straps and bungee cords to restrain or isolate them. The experience was nearly universal, affecting students with disabilities and without disabilities, and those who attended both public and private schools.

"This critical piece of legislation confronts the unimaginable situation in schools across the country whereby some of our nation’s most vulnerable children are treated in an inhumane and degrading manner," said Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), original sponsor of the bill.

However, the organization American Principles in Action did not agree, saying it will limit freedoms enjoyed by private and religious schools.

Its executive director, Andresen Blom, said that 80 percent of Catholic schools and a large number of independent private schools accept federal government funding. "Americans do not pay their hard-earned money to private schools in order to subject them to burdensome and subjective regulations written by unelected federal and state bureaucrats," he stated.

Just weeks after Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass.) was sworn in on Capitol Hill, his committee assignments have been announced, and they are heavily focused on defense and security.

Brown will serve on the Armed Services, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs committees, pending Senate approval through a resolution.

The choices were inspired by the fact that the senator has served 30 years in the National Guard and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He also championed veterans’ legislation for many years as a state legislator, according to the Needham Times.

"We are currently involved in two wars, and these committees are critical in keeping our country safe, as well as protecting the men and women who defend us," Brown said.

"It is equally important that the men and women in uniform receive the care and benefits they have earned through their selfless service," he added.

However, a Boston Globe editorial has expressed disappointment with the assignments, saying Brown’s new work "tilts too far" towards defense, and "doesn’t touch on many of the most vital domestic issues facing the country," such as healthcare reform. The latter was famously championed by the late Senator Edward Kennedy, whom Brown replaced in the special election held last January.

According to a recent study, a high intake of potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, leafy green vegetables and soybeans, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and coronary artery disease.

Researchers from the University of Naples in Italy analyzed 10 studies that were published between 1966 and 2009 that included nearly 280,000 adults. They discovered that a diet high in potassium was associated with a 19 percent decreased risk of stroke and an 8 percent lower risk of coronary artery disease, according to Health Day News.

The study’s findings were presented on March 3 at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism conference in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, at the same conference, a study presented by researchers from the Wageningen University in the Netherlands found that a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables may also protect against stroke.

After monitoring more than 20,000 men and women, aged 20 to 65, over a 10-year period, the researchers found that people with a high intake of raw vegetables and fruits were 36 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those with a low intake of the foods.

United States researchers studying ovarian cancer have reportedly identified a strong relationship between healthy eating and an improved survival rate for those suffering from the disease.

Therese Dolecek, a research associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her colleagues studied 351 women diagnosed with incident epithelial ovarian cancer. The patients were asked to complete a food frequency questionnaire and report their usual dietary intake over the five years prior to their diagnosis.

The researchers found that high total fruit and vegetable consumption was linked to an increased survival advantage. Moreover, participants who had an elevated intake of healthy grains tended to live longer.

However, above average consumption of less-healthy meats and dairy was associated with a survival rate disadvantage.

"The study findings suggest that food patterns three to five years prior to a diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer have the potential to influence survival time," said Dolecek.

She added that "the pre-diagnosis food patterns observed to afford a survival advantage after an epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosis reflect characteristics commonly found in plant-based or low fat diets."

The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be reported this year.

Following a five-month investigation, employees from the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) who were caught on video reportedly offering advice on how to cheat on taxes and loan applications to a couple posing as a prostitute and a pimp have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said last week.

Republicans have long accused the controversial anti-poverty group of widespread corruption and voter registration fraud, and have suggested that the organization has close ties to the current administration.

Shortly after the investigation began, Congress voted by a wide margin to cut off federal funding to ACORN, although that decision is currently being disputed in court.

Meanwhile, several of the organization’s offices have disbanded and resumed operations under new names and with similar staffs, Fox News Reports.

Although the two employees have been cleared, ACORN is still under federal investigation for fraud and corruption.

Kurt Bardella, spokesman for Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), said that the federal inquiry "will expose the criminal nature of ACORN’s deliberate effort to abuse taxpayer dollars to advance a radical political agenda," according to the news source.

Family Research Council (FRC) president Tony Perkin’s invitation to speak at today’s National Prayer Luncheon at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., has been rescinded, causing the organization to question whether allowing gays in the military will not infringe on religious freedoms.

Perkins, who is a veteran of the Marine Corps, linked the retraction of the invitation to President Obama’s statement during the State of the Union address on Jan. 27, where he called on Congress to lift restrictions on service in the military by openly homosexual individuals. In the weeks since, the FRC has heavily criticized this proposal and urged Congress to uphold the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy that excludes gays from military service.

"As one who took the oath to defend and protect our freedoms, I am disappointed that I’ve been denied the opportunity to speak to members of the military solely because I exercised my free speech rights in a different forum," Perkins said.

He also expressed concern that this portends a "serious threat" to religious freedom.

"Such legislation would not merely open the military to homosexuals. It would result in a zero-tolerance policy toward those who disapprove of homosexual conduct," Perkins warned.

Meanwhile, the support to repeal the current policy appears to have gained momentum since the State of the Union speech. In recent weeks it has been endorsed by several top military officers, including General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East and General Ray Odierno, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. Retired General Colin Powell, who served as President George W. Bush’s secretary of state, also supports this position.

Texas Governor Rick Perry resoundingly won the Republican gubernatorial primary on March 2, beating Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in what has been described as a show of strength of the Tea Party movement.

Commentators have attributed Perry’s win to the anti-Washington sentiment among the state’s conservatives, which has been fueled by the activism of Tea Party supporters who are fighting for small government, oppose the federal deficit as well as tax increases.

On announcing his victory, Perry said the message to Washington was simple: "Quit spending all the money," and "stop trying to take over our lives and our businesses," according to media reports.

If he wins reelection in November, it will mark the latest in the string of high-profile losses suffered by Democrats in recent months, including the gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, and the Massachusetts special Senate election.

Perry’s opponent will be former Houston mayor Bill White who won the Democratic primary. In anticipation of the line Perry may take in the upcoming campaign, White said the governor will try to exploit the popular disillusionment with the Obama administration.

However, he told CNN that it would be for Perry’s "own political career."

"[The election] shouldn’t be about a party or who’s doing what to whom in Washington. I’m just running for the people of Texas," he added, quoted by the news provider.

According to a recent study, a daily dose of vitamin D may help people in northern climates better combat the long winter.

Researchers from Loyola University’s Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) found that the nutrient can help lift mood during the winter months when days are short and access to sunlight is at a premium.

"Vitamin D deficiency continues to be a problem despite the nutrient’s widely reported health benefits," said Sue Penckofer, professor at MNSON. "[Northern] winters compound this issue when more people spend time away from sunlight, which is a natural source of vitamin D."

Loyola researchers plan to take their vitamin D study a step further by assessing whether supplementation with the nutrient can improve blood sugar and mood in women suffering from diabetes. They state that there is evidence to suggest that vitamin D may decrease insulin resistance, which has been linked to depression in previous studies.

It has been proven that women tend to have poorer blood sugar control and greater rates of anxiety than men with diabetes.

Recent studies have also found that vitamin D may provide protection from high blood pressure and several autoimmune diseases.

Results of a newly released study have suggested that garlic consumed in large quantities may serve as a natural remedy to help ward off cancer.

United States researchers have developed a urine test capable of measuring the extent of a potential carcinogenic process, and found that a decreased risk of cancer development was directly proportionate to an increased intake of garlic.

In the study, researchers from Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center set out to measure garlic’s affect on the body’s level of cancer-causing agents known as nitrates. Groups of participants were treated with varying levels of garlic and then had their urine tested for toxins.

The results of the study showed that respondents who consumed garlic on a daily basis had lower concentrations of nitrate markers than did those who were given no garlic. Moreover, though the differences were slight, the highest consumption of the vegetable was associated with the lowest levels of toxins related to cancer development.

"The precise mechanism by which garlic and other compounds affect nitrosation is under extensive investigation, but is not clear at this time," said Earl Harrison, senior author of the study.

"What this research does suggest, however, is that garlic may play some role in inhibiting formation of these nitrogen-based toxic substances," he added.

The National Rifle Association (NRA), America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group, has announced that the 2010 Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C. in mid-May.

This year’s event is expected to attract some 70,000 attendees to approximately 400 exhibits, and will feature leading firearm manufacturers who will display the firearm industry’s latest products. Visitors will also have a chance to view various hunting and shooting accessories and an extensive private collection by NRA-affiliated gun collector clubs.

NRA’s Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum will take place again this year, followed by the Celebration of American Values Freedom Event. Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is expected to headline one of the meetings.

"Governor Palin is one of the most requested speakers in America today," Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s executive director, told CNN.

"She’s an outdoorsman, hunter and a steadfast supporter of our Second Amendment freedom," he added.

Among other noteworthy events during the three-day convention, there will be presentations on methods of concealed carry, hunting in Africa, firearms law, the grassroots workshop as well as Refuse to Be a Victim seminars.

Acupuncture may be an effective treatment option for breast cancer patients who are experiencing pain and stiffness due to side effects of commonly used hormone therapies, according to a new study.

Previous research indicated that nearly half of the women who undergo aromatase inhibitor therapy, which is a common treatment for early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, experience some joint pain and stiffness.

For this reason, researchers from the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital aimed to identify a non-drug option to manage the symptoms.

In the study, the researchers randomly assigned 43 early breast cancer patients who had reported musculoskeletal pain to receive either true acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice a week for six weeks. They found that the majority of women who were treated with true acupuncture experienced significant improvement in joint pain and stiffness over the course of the study.

Moreover, a total of 20 percent of patients who had reported taking pain medication no longer needed to do so. No significant improvements were reported by those in the control group.

"To our knowledge, this is the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial establishing that acupuncture may be an effective method to relieve joint problems caused by these medications," said lead author Katherine Crew.

"However, results still need to be confirmed in larger, multicenter studies," she added.

Two gun violence prevention organizations have announced they are joining forces in an effort to strengthen state-level advocacy efforts.

Freedom States Alliance (FSA) merged with States United to Prevent Gun Violence (SUPGV) and assumed its name on Feb. 23. The new organizations’ stated goal is to support existing state-based gun violence prevention organizations and expand the network of groups working to reduce gun violence in America.

"Despite the tragic and ongoing epidemic of gun violence in this country, policymakers remain unwilling to take any meaningful action to address this urgent public safety issue," said Sally Slovenski, executive director of SUPGV.

She added that the merger will increase opportunities for the sharing of resources and strategies for state groups with a view of influencing anti-gun agenda "in state houses across the country."

As a an example of grassroots success, SUPGV cited Ceasefire New Jersey whose advocacy helped pass a one-gun-a-month law in the state.

However, in one commentary after the announcement, a blogger writing for GunPoliticsNY.com, dismissed the move by stating that "fresh off their defeat with the new federal law allowing guns in national parks, [these]organizations are merging in an attempt to remain relevant."

The amendment to the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009, authored by Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), which permits national park visitors to possess firearms consistent with the laws of the state in which the park is located, went into effect on Feb. 22.