Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

With the only recourse of calling it a “failed system”, Newt Gingrich failed to make the VA ballot. This was announced by the GOP early Saturday morning. Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Jon Huntsman will be off the ballot also seeing they failed amass the required amount of signatures. As it stands the only nominees to make it are Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.

This could serve a significant blow to Gingrich as the Washington Post reports:

A poll released Wednesday showed Gingrich with a slight lead over Romney among Virginia Republicans in the race for president. The Quinnipiac University poll shows Gingrich at 30 percent and Romney at 25 percent among Republican voters.

The Virginia state election board requires candidates petitioning for inclusion in the primary to file 10,000 signatures from registered voters.This includes 400 from each of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/veterans-affairs-bans-mention-of-god-at-funerals-for-vets-124680358.html

So here we go again. The administration of the ultimate Control Freakazoid, The Usuper Obama, strikes again in the person of Arleen Ocasio, Director of the Houston National Cemetery.

…for we are no longer a Christian nation and, after all, I am The (Chosen) One. Like God, I do not have a verifiable COB (CertificateOfBirth). He who shall have doubted or opposed me shall suffer in the afterlife of 2012.

The mere mention of the word “God” has brought the full weight of the federal government down upon the mourning shoulders of no less than four American families grieving for their fallen heroes…, who fell in service to the demands of that very same government.

My review of available biography material(1) on Ms. Ocasio indicates that she was formerly affiliated and worked within the VA Medical Center in of all places…Chicago, IL. While there she was in the position of Hispanic Employment Program assistant manager which position most certainly have placed her in direct contact with various “community organizer” folks to further the interests of disadvantaged minorities. Interesting.

When the no mention of God issue shtf it provoked an investigation by Congressman Ted Poe of TX covered well here:

http://biggovernment.com/mlancaster/2011/07/23/texas-congressman-goes-undercover-at-houston-national-cemetery/

…which references the ongoing lawsuit on this very matter.

In May Federal District Judge Lynn N. Hughes granted a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio.

The order was issued to keep the VA and Ocasio from preventing Pastor Scott Rainey from praying in Jesus’ name during his invocation at a Memorial Day ceremony sponsored by the National Cemetery Council for Greater Houston (a private, non-profit association). The order was issued because the judge ruled that “such censorship and religious discrimination violates the free speech guarantees of the First Amendment.”

This is the applicable portion of that restraining order that lays down the interpretation of constitutional law:

Besides the prayer issue, Ms. Ocasio incurred the judge’s wrath for appearing to confirm that the cemetery’s former “chapel” was closed and turned into a meeting room by virtue of this exchange…

“Judge Hughes denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case, but not before upbraiding VA’s attorney, Fred Hinrichs, for being unable to answer his questions.

When Hughes asked whether the chapel was open, Hinrichs said he didn’t know.

“Why not?” the judge shot back. “A phone call to the cemetery could ascertain if that is true or not.”

“Yes, your honor,” the attorney said.

“So the VA has been investigating for a month and hasn’t come to any conclusions?” the judge pressed.

Hinrichs said some of the claims in the complaint aren’t factually correct, but he wasn’t prepared to give specifics.

“I don’t know that they’re true,” the judge said, “but an afternoon on Veterans Memorial Drive and you should be able to document most of this stuff.”   (2)

Ms. Ocasio can still be (as of this date) reached at 281-447-8686 (extension 206). IMPORTANT: (“Importante” en Espanol) Although NO PROMPT is given to enter an extension if you have one, it will be accepted IF you enter 2-0-6 IMMEDIATELY upon the completion of the entire recorded message you hear.

(1) http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/MedicalHealth/Medical/OCASIO_SELECTED_AS_NEW_DIRECTOR_OF_HOUSTON_VA_NATIONAL_CEMETERY/29112&order=desc

(2) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/topstory/7630537.html#ixzz1T2T0lIbk