Saturday, May 31, 2014
The Greatest Murder Machine in History
◼ When one thinks of mass murder, Hitler comes to mind. If not Hitler, then Tojo, Stalin, or Mao. Credit is given to the 20th-century totalitarians as the worst species of tyranny to have ever arisen. - Mike Konrad/American Thinker
However, the alarming truth is that Islam has killed more than any of these, and may surpass all of them combined in numbers and cruelty.
The enormity of the slaughters of the "religion of peace" are so far beyond comprehension that even honest historians overlook the scale. When one looks beyond our myopic focus, Islam is the greatest killing machine in the history of mankind, bar none....
Add this all up. The African victims. The Indian victims. The European victims. Add in the Armenian genocide. Then add in the lesser known, but no doubt quite large number of victims of Eastern Asia. Add in the jihad committed by Muslims against China, which was invaded in 651 AD. Add in the Crimean Khanate predations on the Slavs, especially their women.
Though the numbers are not clear, what is obvious is that Islam is the greatest murder machine in history bar none, possibly exceeding 250 million dead. Possibly one-third to one-half or more of all those killed by war or slavery in history can be traced to Islam; and this is just a cursory examination.... Read the whole article at the link.
However, the alarming truth is that Islam has killed more than any of these, and may surpass all of them combined in numbers and cruelty.
The enormity of the slaughters of the "religion of peace" are so far beyond comprehension that even honest historians overlook the scale. When one looks beyond our myopic focus, Islam is the greatest killing machine in the history of mankind, bar none....
Add this all up. The African victims. The Indian victims. The European victims. Add in the Armenian genocide. Then add in the lesser known, but no doubt quite large number of victims of Eastern Asia. Add in the jihad committed by Muslims against China, which was invaded in 651 AD. Add in the Crimean Khanate predations on the Slavs, especially their women.
Though the numbers are not clear, what is obvious is that Islam is the greatest murder machine in history bar none, possibly exceeding 250 million dead. Possibly one-third to one-half or more of all those killed by war or slavery in history can be traced to Islam; and this is just a cursory examination.... Read the whole article at the link.
Charlie Rose's contemptible interview with Susan Rice
◼ Charlie Rose of PBS (and CBS News) enjoys an elevated reputation among a wide swath of the educated public, and not just limited to the left leaning portion of that demographic slice. But an hour-long interview he conducted Thursday night with National Security Adviser Susan Rice on PBS should damage that reputation. - Thomas Lifson/American Thinker
Somehow or other, he managed to completely avoid the subject of the attack on the Benghazi diplomatic facility on 9/11/2012, and Ms. Rice’s role a disinformation officer spreadfing the outright lie that the attack was sparked by an obscure video that no one in Libya had even heard of.
Paul Bremmer of Newsbusters documents what ought to be career-killer for Rose, demonstrating how at multiple moments, the topic was talked around and avoided by Rose.
◼ Charlie Rose's Hourlong PBS Interview of Susan Rice Never Mentions Benghazi - Paul Bremmer/Newsbusters
...At one point, Rice mentioned Libya and Rose remarked conversationally, “That's not a very good place today, is it?” To which Rice responded, “No, Libya is having a very difficult time today.” Rose asked, “So what's our role to influence Libya?”
Rice went on to talk about U.S. efforts to stabilize Libya since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted from power in 2011. She even spoke of the desire to help Libya “build their security apparatus.” No mention of America’s own diplomatic security apparatus and why it failed on that fateful night in Benghazi. And Rose, despite the proximity of the topic, once again chose not to ask a follow-up about Benghazi.
You have to wonder if Rose had agreed not to mention the B-word before the interview began. If he did, that was a troubling concession to make for the interview. If not, what's troubling is Rose's journalistic malpractice in completely omitting Benghazi altogether....
Somehow or other, he managed to completely avoid the subject of the attack on the Benghazi diplomatic facility on 9/11/2012, and Ms. Rice’s role a disinformation officer spreadfing the outright lie that the attack was sparked by an obscure video that no one in Libya had even heard of.
Paul Bremmer of Newsbusters documents what ought to be career-killer for Rose, demonstrating how at multiple moments, the topic was talked around and avoided by Rose.
◼ Charlie Rose's Hourlong PBS Interview of Susan Rice Never Mentions Benghazi - Paul Bremmer/Newsbusters
...At one point, Rice mentioned Libya and Rose remarked conversationally, “That's not a very good place today, is it?” To which Rice responded, “No, Libya is having a very difficult time today.” Rose asked, “So what's our role to influence Libya?”
Rice went on to talk about U.S. efforts to stabilize Libya since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted from power in 2011. She even spoke of the desire to help Libya “build their security apparatus.” No mention of America’s own diplomatic security apparatus and why it failed on that fateful night in Benghazi. And Rose, despite the proximity of the topic, once again chose not to ask a follow-up about Benghazi.
You have to wonder if Rose had agreed not to mention the B-word before the interview began. If he did, that was a troubling concession to make for the interview. If not, what's troubling is Rose's journalistic malpractice in completely omitting Benghazi altogether....
Ibrahim was also sentenced to 100 lashes for what it deemed her adultery for marrying a Christian. Last week she gave birth in prison to a daughter, her second child by her American husband Daniel Wani.
◼ She is to be freed soon: government official says - Reuters
A Sudanese woman sentenced to death for converting to Christianity is expected to be released soon, a government official said on Saturday, after Khartoum came under diplomatic pressure to halt her execution.
"The related authorities in the country are working to release Mariam (Yahya Ibrahim), who was sentenced to death for apostasy, through legal measures," Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdelah Al-Azrak told Reuters.
"I expect her to be released soon," he added.
A Sudanese court this month imposed the death sentence on the pregnant 27-year-old woman, who is married to a Christian American, and ordered her to return to Islam.
◼ Sudan ´to free´ Meriam Ibrahim - BBC
Khartoum has been facing international condemnation over the death sentence.
In an interview with The Times newspaper, British Prime Minister David Cameron described the ruling as "barbaric" and out of step with today's world.
The UK Foreign Office this week said that it would push for Ms Ibrahim to be released on humanitarian grounds.
◼ US 'fully engaged' in case of Sudanese woman sentenced to die for Christian faith - FOX
Ibrahim, who is married to a Christian man with U.S. citizenship, has been sentenced to hang for apostasy and is now allowed to breast-feed her daughter, Maya, for two years before the punishment is carried out. She also faces 100 lashes for adultery – for being intimate with her husband, Daniel Wani, who fled to the United States as a child to escape the civil war in southern Sudan, but later returned....
“Through the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, the White House and the State Department, we have communicated our strong concern at high levels of the Sudanese government about this case,” State Department spokeswoman Nicole Thompson wrote FoxNews.com in an email. “We have heard from many, many Americans that they are deeply alarmed by [Ibrahim’s] plight. We have conveyed these views to the Government of Sudan.”
International outrage against Ibrahim’s sentence has grown significantly in recent weeks, as more than a million people signed online petitions protesting the sentence. One such effort on Change.org has garnered more than 630,000 signatures as of Friday, and Amnesty International officials have characterized the punishment doled out by a judge to be a “flagrant breach” of international human rights law. It’s also a violation of Sudan’s own Constitution, according to the State Department.
Friday, May 30, 2014
YOUR VOTE, YOUR POWER, YOUR FUTURE
◼ VOTER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION - Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
◼ HJTA's and HJTA-PAC's ballot and candidate recommendations for the June 3, 2014 election.
HJTA recommends:
Prop. 41 Veterans Housing Bonds VOTE NO!
PLEASE NOTE: HJTA has changed its position on these bonds after additional information was brought to our attention by several alert HJTA Members.
Usually veterans bonds provide low interest mortgage loans to those who served our country. These bonds are repaid by the veterans themselves and Howard Jarvis always supported these bonds. However, a more detailed review shows that Prop. 41 bonds will be used to construct low income housing and the costs will be paid by state taxpayers.
Prop. 42: Requires local governments to comply with Brown Act and Public Records Act regardless of whether or not they are reimbursed by the state.
Very important to guarantee that local taxpayers have access to public records. VOTE YES!
Constitutional Offices:
Lt. Gov. Ron Nehring
Sec. of State Pete Peterson
Insurance Commissioner Ted Gaines
BOE Dist. 1 George Runner
BOE Dist. 4 Diane Harkey
Attorney General Phil Wyman
◼ HJTA's and HJTA-PAC's ballot and candidate recommendations for the June 3, 2014 election.
HJTA recommends:
Prop. 41 Veterans Housing Bonds VOTE NO!
PLEASE NOTE: HJTA has changed its position on these bonds after additional information was brought to our attention by several alert HJTA Members.
Usually veterans bonds provide low interest mortgage loans to those who served our country. These bonds are repaid by the veterans themselves and Howard Jarvis always supported these bonds. However, a more detailed review shows that Prop. 41 bonds will be used to construct low income housing and the costs will be paid by state taxpayers.
Prop. 42: Requires local governments to comply with Brown Act and Public Records Act regardless of whether or not they are reimbursed by the state.
Very important to guarantee that local taxpayers have access to public records. VOTE YES!
Constitutional Offices:
Lt. Gov. Ron Nehring
Sec. of State Pete Peterson
Insurance Commissioner Ted Gaines
BOE Dist. 1 George Runner
BOE Dist. 4 Diane Harkey
Attorney General Phil Wyman
CFRW Capitol Update:
72 hours before the Primary election
◼ link
President’s Message
The next 72 hours before the Primary election on June 3 is crucial for the success of our Republican candidates. We need as many volunteers as possible to walk precincts, make phone calls and many other tasks. There are still many voters who have not made up their minds and we need to educate those voters about why they should vote for our Republican candidates over the Democrats. Contact your candidate’s campaign office, call your county party and /or county victory office to see how you can best help our candidates.
If you are walking precincts or making phone calls be sure to bring you club membership brochures. You might be meeting some new volunteers so be prepared to educate them about the Federation and why membership is so important! Your membership brochures also come in handy when you are walking precincts to educate the voters about our candidates. We are Federated Republican and we can multi task!
The Tustin Area RWF in Orange County put together a great program and called it the good neighbor program. They bring their club brochures with them when they walk and after talking with the voter, especially if the voter is a woman, they ask the voter if they would like to help make a difference. They stress that even if someone doesn’t have time to attend meetings membership is so important because we become more informed, educated and empowered about the issues. We can then talk to our neighbors about these issues and our candidates. Knowledge is Power!
So many more volunteers are needed on Election Day itself, there is so much to do right up to the closing of the polls on June 3. Precinct Captains and just volunteers who want to help are needed to visit the polls to check the list of voters who have not yet voted at their polling place and then call these missing voters to remind them how important their vote is. Maybe someone needs a ride to and from the polling place?
If every one of our members volunteered just 2 hours over the next 72 hours or on Election Day we would have an army of Federated woman across the state. We need to be reminded that one person does make a difference because we are all working together to make a difference! Two hours out of 4 days is not difficult and it can help ensure victory on June 3 and in November. We can change the political climate in California and in Washington DC if we work hard. Isn’t 2 hours worth the time to help turn California into the Golden State once again and ensure that we leave future generations not just a strong America but also that Shining City on the Hill?
God Bless You & God Bless America
Thank you for all you do,
Roseann
Working together To Make A Difference
__________________
End of Session Scramble
Today is the deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin and onto the next house in order to “stay alive” and continue on their bill journey. All bills that are not passed out of their original house will fail passage and be “killed.” Unfortunately many of the bills the CFRW opposes have already passed out of their house of origin and are already in the next house. But the good news is that now we have a new opportunity to try to crush these bad bills in their next committees once the Legislature returns from their summer recess. Here are some of the bills we will be working on defeating:
AB 1522 (Gonzales, D): Would require all California employers to provide paid sick leave for all employees that work more than 7 calendar days in a year. They would accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Status: Held in Senate Rules for Committee assignment
SB 837 (Steinberg, D): After amendments, would provide transitional kindergarten for low-income 4 year olds across the state to the tune of $387 million a year. Original bill would have mandated pre-Kindergarten for all Californians. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
SB 935 (Leno, D): Would adjust required minimum wage to $11 an hour in 2015 and would increase by one dollar every year until 2017, when the minimum wage would be adjusted to reflect inflation and the consumer price index. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
SB 1000 (Monning, D): Would require drinks containing sugar to have a “safety warning label” and all sugary drinks manufactured, sold, and/or distributed in California would be required to have the label. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
SB 1077 (DeSaulnier, D): Would establish a pilot program for vehicle “mileage based fees”, or in other words, taxing Californians for every mile they drive. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
__________________
The Primary is Here!
Next Tuesday is our state’s Primary Election! Many of our members will be working hard to get out the vote these last few days and especially on “Super Saturday” tomorrow. While you are engaging voters for your primary candidates, remind them that there are two propositions on the ballot that they should be informed about. The CFRW is recommending NO on Prop 41 and YES on Prop 42. Click HERE for proposition Talking Points and read further for more information on the ballot measures.
After extensive research and analysis, the CFRW has come out against Prop 41. Prop 41 is titled the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act. Taken at face value, this would seem like a proposition we should support. But upon further review and analysis, Prop 41 does little to fix the homeless veteran problem and actually does more harm to veterans looking to purchase homes. Prop 41 would take $600 million away from the CalVet program, a $900 million bond program passed by voters in 2008, and instead uses that money to build multifamily, low income housing for homeless vets. The original CalVet program helped vets secure loans for purchasing property, homes, and farms. This new prop is leaving only $300 million for those vets and instead using $600 million in bond money to support approximately 19,000 homeless vets in the state of California. California has almost 2 million vets living here, yet we are shifting 2/3rds of already approved bond money to help 1% of vets in the state. We believe that the homeless vets should be helped- with a hand up, not a hand out. Prop 41 would build all new multifamily, low income housing, which is why labor unions are big supporters of the bill. But Prop 41 would also create a new tax liability for Californians, averaging in at least $50 million annually in new costs over the next 15 years. Prop 41 would also create new bureaucracies for its implementation, many of these overlapping with already established state and federal programs for our homeless vets. This creates more waste and unnecessary spending when this bond money could be better spent to help our vets. We believe that our vets deserve creative solutions. A robust economy and affordable, competitive college programs would help Californian veterans. How about tax credits for businesses that employ vets? Or reworking the CalVet program for better loan options for vets to purchase property themselves. Prop 41 is the easy answer, not the right answer. Click ◼ HERE for talking points in opposition to Prop 41. We OPPOSE Prop 41!
By contrast, Prop 42 is a straightforward bill. The CFRW Voting Body voted to SUPPORT Prop 42. Prop 42 is called the California Compliance of Local Agencies with Public Records Act. It would require that all local agencies comply with the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and the Brown Act. A good question would be: why weren’t localities already complying with these important transparency acts? Prop 42 would guarantee a private citizen’s right to open, public records and to attend public meetings. This could save the state millions of dollars by eliminating the requirement that the state reimburse local agencies for compliance with these laws. Now the local agencies must comply with these transparency laws and will be incentivized to keep costs down since the state will no longer reimburse costs. In an increasingly paperless world, most local agencies should make their records available online to keep costs low and transparency high. We SUPPORT Prop 42!
President’s Message
The next 72 hours before the Primary election on June 3 is crucial for the success of our Republican candidates. We need as many volunteers as possible to walk precincts, make phone calls and many other tasks. There are still many voters who have not made up their minds and we need to educate those voters about why they should vote for our Republican candidates over the Democrats. Contact your candidate’s campaign office, call your county party and /or county victory office to see how you can best help our candidates.
If you are walking precincts or making phone calls be sure to bring you club membership brochures. You might be meeting some new volunteers so be prepared to educate them about the Federation and why membership is so important! Your membership brochures also come in handy when you are walking precincts to educate the voters about our candidates. We are Federated Republican and we can multi task!
The Tustin Area RWF in Orange County put together a great program and called it the good neighbor program. They bring their club brochures with them when they walk and after talking with the voter, especially if the voter is a woman, they ask the voter if they would like to help make a difference. They stress that even if someone doesn’t have time to attend meetings membership is so important because we become more informed, educated and empowered about the issues. We can then talk to our neighbors about these issues and our candidates. Knowledge is Power!
So many more volunteers are needed on Election Day itself, there is so much to do right up to the closing of the polls on June 3. Precinct Captains and just volunteers who want to help are needed to visit the polls to check the list of voters who have not yet voted at their polling place and then call these missing voters to remind them how important their vote is. Maybe someone needs a ride to and from the polling place?
If every one of our members volunteered just 2 hours over the next 72 hours or on Election Day we would have an army of Federated woman across the state. We need to be reminded that one person does make a difference because we are all working together to make a difference! Two hours out of 4 days is not difficult and it can help ensure victory on June 3 and in November. We can change the political climate in California and in Washington DC if we work hard. Isn’t 2 hours worth the time to help turn California into the Golden State once again and ensure that we leave future generations not just a strong America but also that Shining City on the Hill?
Thank you for all you do,
Roseann
Working together To Make A Difference
End of Session Scramble
Today is the deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin and onto the next house in order to “stay alive” and continue on their bill journey. All bills that are not passed out of their original house will fail passage and be “killed.” Unfortunately many of the bills the CFRW opposes have already passed out of their house of origin and are already in the next house. But the good news is that now we have a new opportunity to try to crush these bad bills in their next committees once the Legislature returns from their summer recess. Here are some of the bills we will be working on defeating:
AB 1522 (Gonzales, D): Would require all California employers to provide paid sick leave for all employees that work more than 7 calendar days in a year. They would accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Status: Held in Senate Rules for Committee assignment
SB 837 (Steinberg, D): After amendments, would provide transitional kindergarten for low-income 4 year olds across the state to the tune of $387 million a year. Original bill would have mandated pre-Kindergarten for all Californians. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
SB 935 (Leno, D): Would adjust required minimum wage to $11 an hour in 2015 and would increase by one dollar every year until 2017, when the minimum wage would be adjusted to reflect inflation and the consumer price index. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
SB 1000 (Monning, D): Would require drinks containing sugar to have a “safety warning label” and all sugary drinks manufactured, sold, and/or distributed in California would be required to have the label. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
SB 1077 (DeSaulnier, D): Would establish a pilot program for vehicle “mileage based fees”, or in other words, taxing Californians for every mile they drive. Status: Read in Assembly, held at desk
The Primary is Here!
Next Tuesday is our state’s Primary Election! Many of our members will be working hard to get out the vote these last few days and especially on “Super Saturday” tomorrow. While you are engaging voters for your primary candidates, remind them that there are two propositions on the ballot that they should be informed about. The CFRW is recommending NO on Prop 41 and YES on Prop 42. Click HERE for proposition Talking Points and read further for more information on the ballot measures.
After extensive research and analysis, the CFRW has come out against Prop 41. Prop 41 is titled the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act. Taken at face value, this would seem like a proposition we should support. But upon further review and analysis, Prop 41 does little to fix the homeless veteran problem and actually does more harm to veterans looking to purchase homes. Prop 41 would take $600 million away from the CalVet program, a $900 million bond program passed by voters in 2008, and instead uses that money to build multifamily, low income housing for homeless vets. The original CalVet program helped vets secure loans for purchasing property, homes, and farms. This new prop is leaving only $300 million for those vets and instead using $600 million in bond money to support approximately 19,000 homeless vets in the state of California. California has almost 2 million vets living here, yet we are shifting 2/3rds of already approved bond money to help 1% of vets in the state. We believe that the homeless vets should be helped- with a hand up, not a hand out. Prop 41 would build all new multifamily, low income housing, which is why labor unions are big supporters of the bill. But Prop 41 would also create a new tax liability for Californians, averaging in at least $50 million annually in new costs over the next 15 years. Prop 41 would also create new bureaucracies for its implementation, many of these overlapping with already established state and federal programs for our homeless vets. This creates more waste and unnecessary spending when this bond money could be better spent to help our vets. We believe that our vets deserve creative solutions. A robust economy and affordable, competitive college programs would help Californian veterans. How about tax credits for businesses that employ vets? Or reworking the CalVet program for better loan options for vets to purchase property themselves. Prop 41 is the easy answer, not the right answer. Click ◼ HERE for talking points in opposition to Prop 41. We OPPOSE Prop 41!
By contrast, Prop 42 is a straightforward bill. The CFRW Voting Body voted to SUPPORT Prop 42. Prop 42 is called the California Compliance of Local Agencies with Public Records Act. It would require that all local agencies comply with the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and the Brown Act. A good question would be: why weren’t localities already complying with these important transparency acts? Prop 42 would guarantee a private citizen’s right to open, public records and to attend public meetings. This could save the state millions of dollars by eliminating the requirement that the state reimburse local agencies for compliance with these laws. Now the local agencies must comply with these transparency laws and will be incentivized to keep costs down since the state will no longer reimburse costs. In an increasingly paperless world, most local agencies should make their records available online to keep costs low and transparency high. We SUPPORT Prop 42!
Resignation Friday: Jay Carney resigns
◼ Two down, if Obama would give instead of accept a resignation, the day would be perfect. - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion
◼ Jay Carney suddenly quits as White House press secretary over 'strain on family life' – but was it timed to 'deflect attention' from resignation of scandal-hit VA chief? - Daily Mail UK
◼ ‘Whoa!’: White House Press Corps Reacts to Jay Carney’s Departure - Mediaite
◼ Jay Carney resigns, deputy Josh Earnest named replacement - Politico
"Jay Carney is such a habitual liar that I'm not gonna believe he has stepped down until he says he hasn't"
— Big Mike (@ThaRealRevis) May 30, 2014
◼ Sharyl Attkisson Wastes No Time Linking Jay Carney's Successor To Benghazi - TPM
◼ Who is Josh Earnest? - Katie Zezima/Washington Post
◼ Discussion at Lucianne
Sharyl Attkisson, the investigative reporter who left CBS News earlier this year reportedly because of her frustrations with the network's perceived liberal bias, said Friday that the new face of the White House's press team stifled her efforts to get more information about the 2012 attack in Benghazi.
Almost immediately after President Obama announced that Josh Earnest would replace Jay Carney as White House press secretary, Attkisson reacted to the news on Twitter.
White House spokesman Jay Carney steps down.Then Attkisson, the author of a forthcoming book on her frustrations with the Obama administration, said that Earnest prevented her from receiving photos of the Benghazi attack.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) May 30, 2014
Josh Earnest takes over Carney's job.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) May 30, 2014
Josh is apparently the White House official who has told the White House press office not to release Benghazi night White House photos to me◼ Henceforth, the Administration's efforts to provide the public with exactly zero information will be led by the ironically named Josh Earnest. - Ace Of Spades
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) May 30, 2014
And has ignored a year and a half of our calls and emails to obtain the photos.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) May 30, 2014
◼ ‘Flip Newscycle’: Iowahawk names possible replacements for Jay Carney - Twitchy, Who Said What on Twitter
#JoshEarnest Verb Adjective
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) May 30, 2014
Palin: Illegal Aliens Receiving Better Healthcare Than Our Veterans
◼ Palin spoke with Fox News host Sean Hannity Thursday night about President Obama’s priorities and where the U.S. military fits in. - Brendan Bordelon/DAILY CALLER
“Isn’t it ironic,” she said, “that those who are willing to sacrifice all, to put their life on the line, to allow the freedom of choices in healthcare and economic decisions and everything else, our soldiers, airmen, marines — they are the ones getting screwed by the VA! And our commander-in-chief is in charge of this, ultimately.”
“Think about this,” Hannity agreed. “Our prisoners at Gitmo, there is one doctor for every 1.5 prisoners. We have one doctor for every 35 vets! What’s wrong with that.”
“Well, and in many respects, illegal aliens in our country today are receiving better health care, more benefits than some of our troops,” Palin asserted.
OFF THE WAITING LIST: Shinseki resigns
◼ President Obama said Friday he accepted the resignation of embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion
◼ Eric Shinseki resigns as Veterans Affairs Secretary - Susan Crabtree/Washington Examiner
◼ Shinseki resigns after VA scandal - Washington Post
Eric K. Shinseki resigned Friday as secretary of veterans affairs, taking responsibility for a scandal in the VA health-care system over excessive waiting times and coverups of what he called “systemic” problems.◼ link - Neoneocon
◼ Figures. Obama Blames Bush for VA Scandal: “This Predates My Presidency” (Video) - Jim Hoft/Gateway Pundit
◼ Shinseki resigns after VA scandal - Althouse
◼ VA Secretary Eric Shinseki Resigns Over Waitlist Scandal - The Blaze
◼ BREAKING: The Obama Administration Found a Different Way to Scratch Somebody Off the List at the VA - IJ Review
Back in 2008, President Obama was warned about problems with the VA and after saying he was “mad as hell” about it, did basically nothing. Then he nominated Shinseseki to head the VA in December 2008, boasting there is no one “more qualified” to run it.◼ VA FALLOUT: BOSTON GLOBE, LA TIMES DECLARE OBAMA INCOMPETENT - Breitbart
Let’s not forget where the real problem lies: At the very top. But to hear the mainstream press tell it, Obama read about how bad the VA scandal was in the newspapers last night. And that’s as far as their reportage will go.
In fact, a lack of "competence" is exactly how columnist for the Boston Globe Jeff Jacoby put it May 25.
"There are times that what is right is not the same thing as what is legal,” Snowden said. “Sometimes to do what’s right you have to break the law.”
◼ Edward J. Snowden, in an hour-long television interview broadcast Wednesday night, portrayed himself as a “patriot” who broke the law in an act of “civil disobedience” directed at “massive” constitutional violations by the U.S. government. - Washington Post
◼ Michael Kinsley was right about government secrets - Charles Lane/Washington Post
He called his disclosure of the documents an act of patriotism. “Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to government above all else,” Snowden told Williams. “Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country and knowing when to protect the Constitution against the encroachment of adversaries. Adversaries don’t have to be foreign countries. They can be bad policies.”◼ "Nobody is saying 'that news organizations should simply defer to the government when it comes to deciding what the public has a right to know about its secret activities'... which is how [NYT Public Editor Margaret] Sullivan mischaracterized [Michael] Kinsley’s argument [against Glenn Greewald]." - Althouse
Asked about his relationship with the Russian government, which Snowden criticized for its “deeply unfair” crackdown on press, the fugitive said he has none. “I’ve never met the Russian president. I’m not supported by the Russian government. I’m not taking money from the Russian government. I’m not a spy [For Russia], which is the real question.”
The moment he decided to fork over the documents to journalists was “intimidating,” he said. But he doesn’t regret it, he said, even though he potentially faces a long prison sentence. “I may have lost my ability to travel,” he said. “But I’ve gained the ability to go to sleep at night.”
◼ Michael Kinsley was right about government secrets - Charles Lane/Washington Post
Thursday, May 29, 2014
The Outlines of the Monster
◼ Eli Lake warns that al-Qaeda is setting up for the potential kill in Afghanistan. “As President Obama outlines what he promises to be the end of the war in Afghanistan, new U.S. intelligence assessments are warning that al Qaeda is beginning to re-establish itself there.”
A look at the map shows what this implies. If you imagine a triangle with Kandahar, Kabul and Peshawar across the border as vertices, then al-Qaeda is positioning astride the Kandahar-Kabul and Kabul-Peshawar edges. If it cuts these links, the game is over. Eli Lake can also read a map and sees the obvious.
Still, there are forebodings that some kind of ‘Tet offensive’ will happen in Afghanistan as soon as American forces become too small to make a difference. The 10,000 troops Obama will leave in Afghanistan will buy him time, but not much else. When they go it may be the Last Helicopter Out of Saigon again....
How long before the crisis breaks? How long before something comes along he can’t run away from or fob off with a speech? No one can say. The calm may last indefinitely or it may shatter tomorrow. Events are no longer in the hands of Obama, but drifting on the winds of chance. The ball is rattling round the roulette wheel of history. Round and round it goes. Where it stops nobody knows. We’ve glimpsed the face of the monster in the woods. All we have to do now is hope he doesn’t come our way.
◼ As Obama Draws Down, Al Qaeda Grows in Afghanistan - Eli Lake/The Daily Beast
A look at the map shows what this implies. If you imagine a triangle with Kandahar, Kabul and Peshawar across the border as vertices, then al-Qaeda is positioning astride the Kandahar-Kabul and Kabul-Peshawar edges. If it cuts these links, the game is over. Eli Lake can also read a map and sees the obvious.
If Thornberry’s warnings prove correct, then Obama is faced with two bad choices. He either breaks his promise to end America’s longest war or he ends up losing that war by withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan too soon, allowing al Qaeda to re-establish a base of operations in the country from which it launched 9/11.But Rep. Adam Schiff, “a Democrat who serves on the House Intelligence Committee” says that is the least Obama’s worries: “he said today the threat from al Qaeda was far more worrisome in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.” Somehow, without the press noticing, al-Qaeda has metastized.
Still, there are forebodings that some kind of ‘Tet offensive’ will happen in Afghanistan as soon as American forces become too small to make a difference. The 10,000 troops Obama will leave in Afghanistan will buy him time, but not much else. When they go it may be the Last Helicopter Out of Saigon again....
How long before the crisis breaks? How long before something comes along he can’t run away from or fob off with a speech? No one can say. The calm may last indefinitely or it may shatter tomorrow. Events are no longer in the hands of Obama, but drifting on the winds of chance. The ball is rattling round the roulette wheel of history. Round and round it goes. Where it stops nobody knows. We’ve glimpsed the face of the monster in the woods. All we have to do now is hope he doesn’t come our way.
◼ As Obama Draws Down, Al Qaeda Grows in Afghanistan - Eli Lake/The Daily Beast
Michael Bloomberg Blasts Ivy League For Liberal ´Censorship´
◼ Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg accused the entire Ivy League of liberal political bias during a particularly fiery commencement address at Harvard University Thursday. "It is just a modern form of McCarthyism," Bloomberg said of university "censorship" of conservatives. - Colin Campbell/Business Insider
◼ With all the yapping at people to "man up"....someone finally has. - Discussion at Lucianne
◼ With all the yapping at people to "man up"....someone finally has. - Discussion at Lucianne
When Bushies blew a CIA cover, it was 'treason'; now, it's a mistake... Nothing to see here
◼ Valerie Plame doesn't deny that blowing the cover of the CIA station chief in Afghanistan is a serious matter. It's just that, discussing the issue at a Wednesday evening forum sponsored by The Atlantic, Plame seemed to view the outing of the CIA's top spy on the front lines in the Afghan war as more of an embarrassment than an outrage. - Byron York/Washington Examiner @ByronYork
"My understanding is … it was a military aide who compiled this list of those that were greeting the president when he came," Plame said. "Colossally stupid, but I think it was inadvertent. It was an error … really stupid. The White House apparently has said that they're going to do an investigation, and they'll find someone who's really embarrassed at the end of it."
...There's been no reaction, at least not yet, from the now-former chief of station in Afghanistan.
"My understanding is … it was a military aide who compiled this list of those that were greeting the president when he came," Plame said. "Colossally stupid, but I think it was inadvertent. It was an error … really stupid. The White House apparently has said that they're going to do an investigation, and they'll find someone who's really embarrassed at the end of it."
...There's been no reaction, at least not yet, from the now-former chief of station in Afghanistan.
WaPo, NYT, WSJ agree: Obama speech “ludicrous … uninspiring … disturbing”
◼ Actually, all of those adjectives come from the New York Times — and that’s the most sympathetic take on Barack Obama’s big pivot/comeback speech on foreign policy. - HotAir
◼ 9 Media Publications Slam Obama’s Speech at West Point: ‘Icy,’ Ludicrous,’ ‘Uninspiring’ & ‘Disturbing’ - IJ Review
◼ Emptiness at West Point - Charles Krauthammer/Washington Post
It is fitting that on the day before President Obama was to give his grand West Point address defending the wisdom and prudence of his foreign policy, his government should be urging Americans to evacuate Libya.
Libya, of course, was once the model Obama intervention — the exquisitely calibrated military engagement wrapped in the rhetorical extravagance of a nationally televised address proclaiming his newest foreign policy doctrine (they change to fit the latest ad hoc decision): the responsibility to protect.
You don’t hear R2P bandied about much anymore. Not with more than 50,000 civilians having been slaughtered in Syria’s civil war, unprotected in any way by the United States. Nor for that matter do you hear much about Libya, now so dangerously chaotic and jihadi-infested that the State Department is telling Americans to get out.
And you didn’t hear much of anything in the West Point speech. It was a somber parade of straw men...
Is this how a great nation decides matters of war and peace — to help one party and polish the reputation of one man? As with the West Point speech itself, as with the president’s entire foreign policy of retreat, one can only marvel at the smallness of it all.
◼ 9 Media Publications Slam Obama’s Speech at West Point: ‘Icy,’ Ludicrous,’ ‘Uninspiring’ & ‘Disturbing’ - IJ Review
◼ Emptiness at West Point - Charles Krauthammer/Washington Post
It is fitting that on the day before President Obama was to give his grand West Point address defending the wisdom and prudence of his foreign policy, his government should be urging Americans to evacuate Libya.
Libya, of course, was once the model Obama intervention — the exquisitely calibrated military engagement wrapped in the rhetorical extravagance of a nationally televised address proclaiming his newest foreign policy doctrine (they change to fit the latest ad hoc decision): the responsibility to protect.
You don’t hear R2P bandied about much anymore. Not with more than 50,000 civilians having been slaughtered in Syria’s civil war, unprotected in any way by the United States. Nor for that matter do you hear much about Libya, now so dangerously chaotic and jihadi-infested that the State Department is telling Americans to get out.
And you didn’t hear much of anything in the West Point speech. It was a somber parade of straw men...
Is this how a great nation decides matters of war and peace — to help one party and polish the reputation of one man? As with the West Point speech itself, as with the president’s entire foreign policy of retreat, one can only marvel at the smallness of it all.
RON NEHRING ENDORSED BY HUMBOLDT REPUBLICAN PARTY
At its May 6 meeting, the Humboldt County Republican Central Committee unanimously endorsed Ron Nehring for Lieutenant Governor in the June 3 primary election.
In his campaign Nehring has been endorsed by 24 Republican county central committees, the California Republican Assembly, the California Young Republican Federation, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Republican Assembly Leader Connie Conway and several other legislators.
About his vision for the Lieutenant Governor’s office, Nehring says, “It is what the holder makes of it. Gavin Newsom uses it as a taxpayer-funded gubernatorial exploratory committee for 2018. I believe it should be a platform to develop and advocate for the bold reforms California needs to restore the state’s competitiveness: in taxes, pensions and education.”
Nehring was twice elected chairman of the California Republican Party (2007-11), served on the board of trustees of San Diego County’s Grossmont Union High School District, one of the largest in the state, and was appointed by Governor Schwarzengegger to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
◼ http://www.ronnehring.com/ ◼ NEWS ◼ CONTACT ◼ DONATE
California Republican Party and Endorsements Policy
◼ 2014 Endorsements - CAGOP
The CRP endorsement process is triggered by our county parties, and the CRP is prohibited from endorsing for statewide office. Generally speaking, we encourage candidates to seek endorsements at the local and district level during the primary. Our work is focused on building the strongest state party volunteer infrastructure and voter turnout operation we can, to help all Republican candidates up and down the ballot in the general election. If the Board of Directors and the County Central Committees represented in a contested district race all agree, we will entertain an endorsement discussion in certain circumstances.
The CRP's mission is to provide support to our Republican candidates on the ballot in November, and we're dedicated to allowing the Party's grassroots base to determine which candidates are best equipped to run strong campaigns and win.
Below please find a list of candidates endorsed by the California Republican Party, as well as candidates deemed to be nominees (due to their status as the only qualified Republican on the ballot.) Often Republican county committees have endorsed non-partisan candidates, candidates for local elections, or additional candidates for office where the CRP has not; please contact your county party for more information.
◼ CA GOP's complete bylaws, including those governing our endorsement policy, can be found
__________________
The Humboldt County Republican Central Committee has endorsed Matt Heath for California Assembly, and Ron Nehring for Lieutenant Governor.
The CRP endorsement process is triggered by our county parties, and the CRP is prohibited from endorsing for statewide office. Generally speaking, we encourage candidates to seek endorsements at the local and district level during the primary. Our work is focused on building the strongest state party volunteer infrastructure and voter turnout operation we can, to help all Republican candidates up and down the ballot in the general election. If the Board of Directors and the County Central Committees represented in a contested district race all agree, we will entertain an endorsement discussion in certain circumstances.
The CRP's mission is to provide support to our Republican candidates on the ballot in November, and we're dedicated to allowing the Party's grassroots base to determine which candidates are best equipped to run strong campaigns and win.
Below please find a list of candidates endorsed by the California Republican Party, as well as candidates deemed to be nominees (due to their status as the only qualified Republican on the ballot.) Often Republican county committees have endorsed non-partisan candidates, candidates for local elections, or additional candidates for office where the CRP has not; please contact your county party for more information.
◼ CA GOP's complete bylaws, including those governing our endorsement policy, can be found
The Humboldt County Republican Central Committee has endorsed Matt Heath for California Assembly, and Ron Nehring for Lieutenant Governor.
PROP 41: VETERANS HOUSING AND HOMELESS PREVENTION BOND ACT OF 2014.
◼ SUMMARY
Put on the Ballot by the Legislature
Authorizes $600 million in general obligation bonds for affordable multifamily supportive housing to relieve homelessness, affordable transitional housing, affordable rental housing, or related facilities for veterans and their families. Fiscal Impact: Increased state bond costs averaging about $50 million annually over 15 years.
WHAT YOUR VOTE MEANS
YES: A YES vote on this measure means: The state would sell $600 million in general obligation bonds to fund affordable multifamily housing for low-income and homeless veterans.
NO: A NO vote on this measure means: The state would not sell $600 million in general obligation bonds to fund affordable multifamily housing for low-income and homeless veterans.
ARGUMENTS:
PRO: Prop. 41, the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Act of 2014, redirects $600 million of previously approved, unspent bond funds to construct and rehabilitate housing for California’s large population of homeless veterans. This Act will construct affordable, supportive, and transitional housing for homeless and near homeless veterans without raising taxes.
CON: Proposition 41 would authorize the State to borrow (by selling bonds) $600 million out of $900 million in bonds previously approved by voters in 2008 for use by the CalVet Home and Farm Loan Program. The issue is whether such a diversion of funds is wise.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR: Coalition for Veterans Housing
777 S. Figueroa St., Suite 4050
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 346-0400
info@yesonprop41forvets.org
www.yesonprop41forvets.org
AGAINST: Gary Wesley
gary.wesley@yahoo.com
__________________
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN POSITION:
There are two measures for the upcoming primary election in June, Props 41 and 42. Both propositions were placed on the ballot by the Legislature. The CFRW Voting Body has voted to OPPOSE Prop 41 and SUPPORT Prop 42.
After extensive research and analysis, the CFRW has come out against Prop 41. Prop 41 is titled the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act. Taken at face value, this would seem like a proposition we should support. But upon further review and analysis, Prop 41 does little to fix the homeless veteran problem and actually does more harm to veterans looking to purchase homes.
Prop 41 would take $600 million away from the CalVet program, a $900 million bond program passed by voters in 2008, and instead uses that money to build multifamily, low income housing for homeless vets.
The original CalVet program helped vets secure loans for purchasing property, homes, and farms. This new prop is leaving only $300 million for those vets and instead using $600 million in bond money to support approximately 19,000 homeless vets in the state of California. California has almost 2 million vets living here, yet we are shifting 2/3rds of already approved bond money to help 1% of vets in the state. We believe that the homeless vets should be helped- with a hand up, not a hand out.
Prop 41 would build all new multifamily, low income housing, which is why labor unions are big supporters of the bill. But Prop 41 would also create a new tax liability for Californians, averaging in at least $50 million annually in new costs over the next 15 years.
Prop 41 would also create new bureaucracies for its implementation, many of these overlapping with already established state and federal programs for our homeless vets. This creates more waste and unnecessary spending when this bond money could be better spent to help our vets.
We believe that our vets deserve creative solutions. A robust economy and affordable, competitive college programs would help Californian veterans. How about tax credits for businesses that employ vets? Or reworking the CalVet program for better loan options for vets to purchase property themselves.
Prop 41 is the easy answer, not the right answer. We OPPOSE Prop 41!
Put on the Ballot by the Legislature
Authorizes $600 million in general obligation bonds for affordable multifamily supportive housing to relieve homelessness, affordable transitional housing, affordable rental housing, or related facilities for veterans and their families. Fiscal Impact: Increased state bond costs averaging about $50 million annually over 15 years.
WHAT YOUR VOTE MEANS
YES: A YES vote on this measure means: The state would sell $600 million in general obligation bonds to fund affordable multifamily housing for low-income and homeless veterans.
NO: A NO vote on this measure means: The state would not sell $600 million in general obligation bonds to fund affordable multifamily housing for low-income and homeless veterans.
ARGUMENTS:
PRO: Prop. 41, the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Act of 2014, redirects $600 million of previously approved, unspent bond funds to construct and rehabilitate housing for California’s large population of homeless veterans. This Act will construct affordable, supportive, and transitional housing for homeless and near homeless veterans without raising taxes.
CON: Proposition 41 would authorize the State to borrow (by selling bonds) $600 million out of $900 million in bonds previously approved by voters in 2008 for use by the CalVet Home and Farm Loan Program. The issue is whether such a diversion of funds is wise.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR: Coalition for Veterans Housing
777 S. Figueroa St., Suite 4050
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 346-0400
info@yesonprop41forvets.org
www.yesonprop41forvets.org
AGAINST: Gary Wesley
gary.wesley@yahoo.com
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN POSITION:
There are two measures for the upcoming primary election in June, Props 41 and 42. Both propositions were placed on the ballot by the Legislature. The CFRW Voting Body has voted to OPPOSE Prop 41 and SUPPORT Prop 42.
After extensive research and analysis, the CFRW has come out against Prop 41. Prop 41 is titled the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Bond Act. Taken at face value, this would seem like a proposition we should support. But upon further review and analysis, Prop 41 does little to fix the homeless veteran problem and actually does more harm to veterans looking to purchase homes.
Prop 41 would take $600 million away from the CalVet program, a $900 million bond program passed by voters in 2008, and instead uses that money to build multifamily, low income housing for homeless vets.
The original CalVet program helped vets secure loans for purchasing property, homes, and farms. This new prop is leaving only $300 million for those vets and instead using $600 million in bond money to support approximately 19,000 homeless vets in the state of California. California has almost 2 million vets living here, yet we are shifting 2/3rds of already approved bond money to help 1% of vets in the state. We believe that the homeless vets should be helped- with a hand up, not a hand out.
Prop 41 would build all new multifamily, low income housing, which is why labor unions are big supporters of the bill. But Prop 41 would also create a new tax liability for Californians, averaging in at least $50 million annually in new costs over the next 15 years.
Prop 41 would also create new bureaucracies for its implementation, many of these overlapping with already established state and federal programs for our homeless vets. This creates more waste and unnecessary spending when this bond money could be better spent to help our vets.
We believe that our vets deserve creative solutions. A robust economy and affordable, competitive college programs would help Californian veterans. How about tax credits for businesses that employ vets? Or reworking the CalVet program for better loan options for vets to purchase property themselves.
Prop 41 is the easy answer, not the right answer. We OPPOSE Prop 41!
PROP 42: PUBLIC RECORDS. OPEN MEETINGS. STATE REIMBURSEMENT TO LOCAL AGENCIES. LEGISLATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
◼ SUMMARY
Put on the Ballot by the Legislature
Requires local government compliance with laws providing for public access to local government body meetings and records of government officials. Eliminates reimbursement for costs of compliance. Fiscal Impact: Reductions in state payments to local governments in the tens of millions of dollars annually. Potential future costs on local governments in the tens of millions of dollars annually.
WHAT YOUR VOTE MEANS
YES: A YES vote on this measure means: The state would not be required to pay local governments for costs to follow state laws that give the public access to local government information.
NO: A NO vote on this measure means: The state would still be required to pay local governments for certain costs of providing public access to local government information.
ARGUMENTS
PRO: Proposition 42 will cement in the Constitution the public’s right to know what the government is doing and how it is doing it. Local agencies shouldn’t be allowed to deny a request for public information or slam a meeting door shut based on cost. Vote YES on Proposition 42.
CON: Proposition 42 would amend the California Constitution to impose the cost of complying with the California Public Records Act and local open meeting laws upon the local governments involved. An alternative, not offered by this proposition, would be to impose the cost upon the state government.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
FOR: Peter Scheer
First Amendment Coalition
534 Fourth St. #B
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 460-5060
pscheer@firstamendmentcoalition.org
www.cnpa.com/prop42
AGAINST: Gary Wesley
gary.wesley@yahoo.com
__________________
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN POSITION:
There are two measures for the upcoming primary election in June, Props 41 and 42. Both propositions were placed on the ballot by the Legislature. The CFRW Voting Body has voted to OPPOSE Prop 41 and SUPPORT Prop 42.
Prop 41 is the easy answer, not the right answer. We OPPOSE Prop 41!
By contrast, Prop 42 is a straightforward bill. The CFRW Voting Body voted to SUPPORT Prop 42. Prop 42 is called the California Compliance of Local Agencies with Public Records Act. It would require that all local agencies comply with the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and the Brown Act. A good question would be: why weren’t localities already complying with these important transparency acts? Prop 42 would guarantee a private citizen’s right to open, public records and to attend public meetings. This could save the state millions of dollars by eliminating the requirement that the state reimburse local agencies for compliance with these laws. Now the local agencies must comply with these transparency laws and will be incentivized to keep costs down since the state will no longer reimburse costs. In an increasingly paperless world, most local agencies should make their records available online to keep costs low and transparency high. We SUPPORT Prop 42!
Put on the Ballot by the Legislature
Requires local government compliance with laws providing for public access to local government body meetings and records of government officials. Eliminates reimbursement for costs of compliance. Fiscal Impact: Reductions in state payments to local governments in the tens of millions of dollars annually. Potential future costs on local governments in the tens of millions of dollars annually.
WHAT YOUR VOTE MEANS
YES: A YES vote on this measure means: The state would not be required to pay local governments for costs to follow state laws that give the public access to local government information.
NO: A NO vote on this measure means: The state would still be required to pay local governments for certain costs of providing public access to local government information.
ARGUMENTS
PRO: Proposition 42 will cement in the Constitution the public’s right to know what the government is doing and how it is doing it. Local agencies shouldn’t be allowed to deny a request for public information or slam a meeting door shut based on cost. Vote YES on Proposition 42.
CON: Proposition 42 would amend the California Constitution to impose the cost of complying with the California Public Records Act and local open meeting laws upon the local governments involved. An alternative, not offered by this proposition, would be to impose the cost upon the state government.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
FOR: Peter Scheer
First Amendment Coalition
534 Fourth St. #B
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 460-5060
pscheer@firstamendmentcoalition.org
www.cnpa.com/prop42
AGAINST: Gary Wesley
gary.wesley@yahoo.com
CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN POSITION:
There are two measures for the upcoming primary election in June, Props 41 and 42. Both propositions were placed on the ballot by the Legislature. The CFRW Voting Body has voted to OPPOSE Prop 41 and SUPPORT Prop 42.
Prop 41 is the easy answer, not the right answer. We OPPOSE Prop 41!
By contrast, Prop 42 is a straightforward bill. The CFRW Voting Body voted to SUPPORT Prop 42. Prop 42 is called the California Compliance of Local Agencies with Public Records Act. It would require that all local agencies comply with the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and the Brown Act. A good question would be: why weren’t localities already complying with these important transparency acts? Prop 42 would guarantee a private citizen’s right to open, public records and to attend public meetings. This could save the state millions of dollars by eliminating the requirement that the state reimburse local agencies for compliance with these laws. Now the local agencies must comply with these transparency laws and will be incentivized to keep costs down since the state will no longer reimburse costs. In an increasingly paperless world, most local agencies should make their records available online to keep costs low and transparency high. We SUPPORT Prop 42!
Examiner Editorial: Government-run health care always puts system first, patients second
◼ Over the past several months, there has been a growing focus on the horrific neglect of patients within the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, especially reports of veterans dying while on “secret” treatment waiting lists. Tragically, such stories are inevitable when government is running health care. - Washington Examiner Editorial
Of all the world's health care systems, the VA's regime most closely resembles Britain's National Health Service, the subject of an October cover story in the Washington Examiner. Like the NHS, the VA medical system is a centralized bureaucracy with a network of government-run hospitals overseen by public officials and employing doctors who are paid by the government.
The scandal facing Veterans Affairs involves evidence that officials manipulated performance metrics to create a false appearance of efficiency. In February, the Examiner's Mark Flatten reported backlogged orders for medical care were being mass-purged at hospitals in Los Angeles and Dallas to make wait times seem less than they really were. In early April, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs reported that 40 veterans died waiting for treatment at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs medical system, and that many were put on a secret waiting list to mask the fact that 1,400 to 1,600 veterans had to wait months for doctors.
Of all the world's health care systems, the VA's regime most closely resembles Britain's National Health Service, the subject of an October cover story in the Washington Examiner. Like the NHS, the VA medical system is a centralized bureaucracy with a network of government-run hospitals overseen by public officials and employing doctors who are paid by the government.
The scandal facing Veterans Affairs involves evidence that officials manipulated performance metrics to create a false appearance of efficiency. In February, the Examiner's Mark Flatten reported backlogged orders for medical care were being mass-purged at hospitals in Los Angeles and Dallas to make wait times seem less than they really were. In early April, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs reported that 40 veterans died waiting for treatment at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs medical system, and that many were put on a secret waiting list to mask the fact that 1,400 to 1,600 veterans had to wait months for doctors.
No Potatoes for You
◼ Michelle Obama Defends Her Lunch Program - Michelle Obama/New York Times
...unfortunately, we’re now seeing attempts in Congress to undo so much of what we’ve accomplished on behalf of our children.... Right now, the House of Representatives is considering a bill to override science by mandating that white potatoes be included on the list of foods that women can purchase using WIC dollars....
◼ Potato Council Debunks First Lady's 'Science' Claims - CNS News
"Opponents of adding fresh potatoes to the WIC package are picking and choosing the science. Instead of relying on a 2005 report that looks at data from the mid-1990s, we argue that important federal nutrition programs should be based on the latest available science - in this case, ◼ USDA's own 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans."
The white potato is the only fresh fruit or vegetable excluded from the WIC program. Even such nutritionally-dubious items as sugar cane are allowed.
◼ School Lunch Under Oligarchical Collectivism - What Michelle's kids get for lunch nothing like her mandates - Moonbattery
Good thing CNN has granted Michelle Obama the power to sign legislation into law. Otherwise she would have a hard time imposing her school lunch initiative, given that the food involved is so horrid it makes small children cry:
By contrast, the prestigious Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where many politicians have sent their children to school, serves school lunches designed by chefs. This week, for example, they might enjoy meatball subs, BBQ wings and ice cream, in addition to chicken curry, deviled egg salad and the “Chef’s Choice.”
Other options on the Sidwell menu include crusted tilapia, herb roasted chicken, BBQ sliders, beef nachos, and pepperoni flatbread pizza. It pays to be born into the oligarchy.
__________________
◼ GOP TAKES ON MICHELLE O'S LUNCH RULES ^ - AP ◼ Via Drudge
◼ Students Fed Up With Michelle Obama’s School Lunch Overhaul — Menu-Item Snapshots Spell Out Why - The Blaze
◼ New York school drops Michelle Obama lunch standards: Kids too hungry - Washington Times
...unfortunately, we’re now seeing attempts in Congress to undo so much of what we’ve accomplished on behalf of our children.... Right now, the House of Representatives is considering a bill to override science by mandating that white potatoes be included on the list of foods that women can purchase using WIC dollars....
◼ Potato Council Debunks First Lady's 'Science' Claims - CNS News
"Opponents of adding fresh potatoes to the WIC package are picking and choosing the science. Instead of relying on a 2005 report that looks at data from the mid-1990s, we argue that important federal nutrition programs should be based on the latest available science - in this case, ◼ USDA's own 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans."
The white potato is the only fresh fruit or vegetable excluded from the WIC program. Even such nutritionally-dubious items as sugar cane are allowed.
◼ School Lunch Under Oligarchical Collectivism - What Michelle's kids get for lunch nothing like her mandates - Moonbattery
Good thing CNN has granted Michelle Obama the power to sign legislation into law. Otherwise she would have a hard time imposing her school lunch initiative, given that the food involved is so horrid it makes small children cry:
FOX 4′s Katie Ferrell reported Tuesday morning on the reaction from Kansas City-area parents to the [supposedly] more nutritious school lunches.If the examples shown were ever presented as meals to the vacationing terrorists at Club Gitmo, the UN would declare America to be worse than Nazi Germany.
“The food provided as school lunch is not even edible. My 5-year old isn’t picky and she cries if we accidentally forget to pack her lunch,” said Jaye Anne Isom-Moloski on our facebook page.
By contrast, the prestigious Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where many politicians have sent their children to school, serves school lunches designed by chefs. This week, for example, they might enjoy meatball subs, BBQ wings and ice cream, in addition to chicken curry, deviled egg salad and the “Chef’s Choice.”
Other options on the Sidwell menu include crusted tilapia, herb roasted chicken, BBQ sliders, beef nachos, and pepperoni flatbread pizza. It pays to be born into the oligarchy.
◼ GOP TAKES ON MICHELLE O'S LUNCH RULES ^ - AP ◼ Via Drudge
The GOP spending bill for agriculture and food programs was released Monday and would allow schools to apply for waivers to opt out of the standards if they had a net loss on school food programs for a six month period. A House Appropriations subcommittee approved the bill Tuesday.◼ Schools reject new government lunch rules - WTOP
◼ Students Fed Up With Michelle Obama’s School Lunch Overhaul — Menu-Item Snapshots Spell Out Why - The Blaze
First, about one million public school students said “no way” to their cafeteria menus after Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign led to anger and frustration over food that apparently many American kids didn’t want to stomach.◼ Texas School Opting Out Of Federal Lunch Program - CBS Dallas/ForthWorth
Carroll Independent School District has dropped out for a year. Nutrition Services Director Mary Brunig says the requirements are too restrictive. “You have to follow exactly what is in this meal pattern, if you are the national school lunch program.”◼ Schools dump federal lunch program - Breitbart
Brunig says as a result, a lot of food wound up in the trash.
“With the new program in place, the new meal pattern, our participation started to drop. And the other thing was there was food waste. Children were not eating the food,” she said. “If the children aren’t eating the food, there’s no nutrition.”
Brunig says the district plans to create its own healthy meals without federal restrictions.
◼ New York school drops Michelle Obama lunch standards: Kids too hungry - Washington Times
The district lost about $100,000 trying out the federal menu, which offered such meals as “part” of a chicken patty on a minicroissant, EAGNews.org reported.◼ Public School Kids Rebel Against Michelle Obama's Healthy School Lunches As First Daughters Get Meatball Subs, Ice Cream - Leah Barkoukis/Townhall
“Students felt they weren’t getting good value for their money,” Ms. Boehm said in EAGNews.org. “The high schoolers especially complained the portion sizes were too small and many more students brought in lunch from home.”
This isn’t the first school to drop the federal lunch menu plan. Catlin, Ill., schools did the same, calling the guidelines too “restrictive,” EAGNews.org reported.
With public school students using #ThanksMichelleto tweet photos of their skimpy, stomach-turning school lunches, I decided to look at what Michelle Obama's daughters are served at Sidwell Friends school, and it turns out the girls dine on lunches from menus designed by chefs.House Republicans have a new bill that addresses the concerns schools have about the lunch program, such as its cost and restrictiveness. Naturally, the first lady attacked the effort on Tuesday, calling it “unacceptable.” The nation is facing a “health crisis,” she insisted, and “the last thing we can afford to do right now is play politics with kids’ health.”
While the Obama daughters have enjoyed dishes like chicken coconut soup, local butternut squash soup, crusted tilapia,they also get their fill of what Mrs. Obama might consider junk food.
This week, for example, they'll enjoy meatball subs, BBQ wings, and ice cream, in addition to chicken curry, deviled egg salad and the intriguing "Chef's Choice."
Sidwell Friends has even been rated the #1 School Lunch program in America.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Nevada Gives Up on $91 Million Obamacare Exchange
◼ Nevada became the third state-based exchange to make such a decision, joining Massachusetts, which is joining the federal exchange temporarily while it works to fix its state-based exchange, and Oregon, which has ditched its exchange entirely—making a total of 39 states dependent on the federal exchange for, at a minimum, enrollment in 2015. - Heritage
Federal taxpayers already have sent about $4.9 billion total in grants to the states to establish exchanges, with almost $4.2 billion going to just the 16 states and the District of Colombia that had planned to operate their own exchanges in 2014.
Nevada received $91 million in grants and, as of April 19, had enrolled 45,390 people, for a federal taxpayer cost of $2,005 per enrollee. Cover Oregon, the exchange that was never able to successfully enroll one person online from start to finish, got $305 million in federal grants and had 68,308 enrollees, so its cost was about $4,465 per enrollee. Massachusetts’s per-enrollee cost was $5,648. Hawaii received $205 million in grant money and enrolled only 8,592 people, for an astonishing per-enrollee cost of $23,859.
Worse yet, in Nevada, the federal government is now spending even more money to transition their exchange to the federal exchange.
Federal taxpayers already have sent about $4.9 billion total in grants to the states to establish exchanges, with almost $4.2 billion going to just the 16 states and the District of Colombia that had planned to operate their own exchanges in 2014.
Nevada received $91 million in grants and, as of April 19, had enrolled 45,390 people, for a federal taxpayer cost of $2,005 per enrollee. Cover Oregon, the exchange that was never able to successfully enroll one person online from start to finish, got $305 million in federal grants and had 68,308 enrollees, so its cost was about $4,465 per enrollee. Massachusetts’s per-enrollee cost was $5,648. Hawaii received $205 million in grant money and enrolled only 8,592 people, for an astonishing per-enrollee cost of $23,859.
Worse yet, in Nevada, the federal government is now spending even more money to transition their exchange to the federal exchange.
Bet you can’t wait until Obamacare is fully implemented.
◼ Not a smidgen of problems at VA - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion
Literally true. A huge freakin’ boatload of problems:
SUIT: Vet died after being stomped, beaten by VA cops...
IG: Delayed care, record manipulation 'systemic'...
1,700 vets not on official wait list at Phoenix facility...
Average: 115 days...
Literally true. A huge freakin’ boatload of problems:
Delaying medical care to veterans and manipulating records to hide those delays is “systemic throughout” the Department of Veterans Affairs health system, the VA’s Office of Inspector General said in a preliminary report Wednesday....◼ VA investigators: Delayed care is everywhere - USA Today
The probe found that 1,700 veterans who are patients at the Phoenix hospital are not on any official list awaiting appointments, even though they need to see doctors. Some 1,138 veterans in Phoenix had been waiting longer than six months just to get an appointment to see their primary doctors, investigators found.WHISTLEBLOWER: Texas VA Run Like 'Crime Syndicate'...
"These veterans were and continue to be at risk of being forgotten or lost in the (Phoenix hospital's) convoluted scheduling process. As a result, these veterans may never obtain a requested or required clinical appointment," the report said.
SUIT: Vet died after being stomped, beaten by VA cops...
IG: Delayed care, record manipulation 'systemic'...
1,700 vets not on official wait list at Phoenix facility...
Average: 115 days...
CNN: West Point Gave Obama ‘Icy’ Reception
◼ CNN’s international correspondent Jim Clancy called the West Point response to President Obama’s meandering foreign policy address “pretty icy” Wednesday. - Washington Free Beacon
Clancy said it was “not really a great speech to give at the U.S. Military Academy,” and the address has drawn bipartisan criticism.
“It was a philosophical speech,” he said. “It was not a Commander-in-Chief speaking to his troops. And you heard the reception. I mean, it was pretty icy.”
◼ Obama’s Speech at West Point: Lies, Deceptions and Delusions - RedState
Today Barack Obama gave the commencement address at the United States Military Academy at West Point. While the address was billed as his “foreign policy vision” it was vintage Obama: banal, deceptive, self-serving, and partisan to the very core. Sort of a metaphor for them man himself.
He led off by proclaiming success. He trotted out Osama bin Laden’s putrescent corpse for effect. He claims, rightfully, that al Qaeda’s leadership in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region has been “decimated.” He failed to acknowledge that the policies undertaken by his administration have given al Qaeda two new safe havens, Libya and Syria, and enabled al Qaeda to become resurgent in Iraq.
Not content to articulate his vision of the future, he has to malign those who differ with him....
◼ Oh man, did I miss Obama’s Peak Straw Man? - William A. Jacobson/Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion
...imagine my consternation to read the comment in the Tip Line from commenter Ragspierre, linking to a National Review post, about Obama’s West Point speech today:
Have we reached peak strawman…???I have been an Obama straw man afficionado for years....(As his tears fall on the keyboard) Yeah, looks like I missed peak straw man.
'Guerrilla' Campaign Boosting Tea Party's Donnelly, defies historical trends
◼ The campaign of firebrand tea party politician Tim Donnelly, seeking to become California’s next governor, is gaining steam despite controversial remarks about his opponent and a dearth of campaign funds, according to the Los Angeles Times. - Newsmax
...His slogan: "Patriot not Politician" and his message – "a gun in every Californian’s gun safe … the government out of our businesses and our bedrooms" – has resonated with many in The Golden State as Donnelly has rocketed in the polls to become the GOP’s front-runner to unseat Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat. The California primary is June 3.
It’s a political conundrum to many Republicans, including Rep. Darrell Issa and former Gov. Pete Wilson, both of whom have denounced him....
Even GOP bulwark Karl Rove warns that a Donnelly victory could hurt the party. Rove told the Times that Republicans will "be forced to disavow" Donnelly if he’s the candidate to face Brown in the general election.
Despite all the negatives, Donnelly continues to soar. Claremont McKenna College government professor Jack Pitney, who is a former GOP national operative, characterized the campaign as a "guerrilla operation" that defies historical trends.
Donnelly, Pitney explained, is "communicating with people by social media, talking to groups, campaigning on the grapevine."
Donnelly agrees, telling the Times that he’s excited to see if the little guy without deep pockets can prevail over the well-financed party favorite.
"I think on June 3 we're going to find out if grass roots is something more than just a little bit of cream frosting on top of a wonderful carrot cake, and if it can be a serious part — even the backbone — of a campaign," he said....
◼ Jerry Brown, Tim Donnelly lead California governor's race, poll finds - LA Times
...Donnelly leads GOP rival Neel Kashkari, a former banker and U.S. Treasury official with a more centrist agenda, by a 2-to-1 margin, according to the poll....
The Intellectual Dishonesty of Obama and Other False Purists
◼ Yes, the GOP is obstinate. We get it. But assigning the White House some blame is no false equivalence. - Ron Fournier/National Journal
To voters angry at Washington, President Obama has an explanation for the deepening of gridlock, incompetence, and zero-sum gain thinking during his five-plus years in office: It's not his fault.
Not that finger-pointing solves anything, but Obama wants you to know that it was Republicans and the media who put his presidency on ice....
In politics and in everyday life, rarely are both sides equally wrong, which is why journalists shouldn't draw false equivalence. Balz is an example of how to measure blame fairly, not necessarily equally.
Rarer still is one side 100 percent right, which is why Obama is guilty of false purity. Obama's intellectual dishonesty has prevented him from learning on the job, which is what's required of great presidents—the kind who overcome obstacles that others whine about.
To voters angry at Washington, President Obama has an explanation for the deepening of gridlock, incompetence, and zero-sum gain thinking during his five-plus years in office: It's not his fault.
Not that finger-pointing solves anything, but Obama wants you to know that it was Republicans and the media who put his presidency on ice....
In politics and in everyday life, rarely are both sides equally wrong, which is why journalists shouldn't draw false equivalence. Balz is an example of how to measure blame fairly, not necessarily equally.
Rarer still is one side 100 percent right, which is why Obama is guilty of false purity. Obama's intellectual dishonesty has prevented him from learning on the job, which is what's required of great presidents—the kind who overcome obstacles that others whine about.
Are conservatives going to allow liberals to rewrite history?
◼ The Economic History Lessons We Never Learned - Stephen Moore/Heritage
Are conservatives going to allow liberals to rewrite the history of the Great Recession, just as they so successfully did in writing the fictitious account of the Great Depression, which now appears in almost every American history text?
The central message of former Obama Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in his new book “Stress Test,” is that the bank bailouts and the Obama stimulus plan saved us from a second Great Depression. President Obama recites that same line in nearly every speech he delivers.
This is what we call a counterfactual – what might have happened if we hadn’t done what we did. The left loves counterfactuals, because - like “climate change” – they are impossible to refute. No one can say for certain what would have happened in some parallel universe.
But getting the story right on this episode of history is a critical issue for American economic policy going forward. We let the left write the history books on the Great Depression and it was an Aesops Fable....
Are conservatives going to allow liberals to rewrite the history of the Great Recession, just as they so successfully did in writing the fictitious account of the Great Depression, which now appears in almost every American history text?
The central message of former Obama Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in his new book “Stress Test,” is that the bank bailouts and the Obama stimulus plan saved us from a second Great Depression. President Obama recites that same line in nearly every speech he delivers.
This is what we call a counterfactual – what might have happened if we hadn’t done what we did. The left loves counterfactuals, because - like “climate change” – they are impossible to refute. No one can say for certain what would have happened in some parallel universe.
But getting the story right on this episode of history is a critical issue for American economic policy going forward. We let the left write the history books on the Great Depression and it was an Aesops Fable....
The Founding Fathers Would Have Protected Your Smartphone
◼ Privacy is a core American value. For 235 years, the Fourth Amendment has protected us from unwarranted searches of our personal belongings... - Rand Paul/Politico
All the while, technology has been changing where and how we keep those belongings. On April 29, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in two cases, Riley v. California and United States v. Wurie. At question is whether the police can search the contents of a phone without a warrant during an arrest. At stake is whether technological advancements have rendered one of our most treasured civil liberties obsolete.
Today, many Americans keep their entire lives on their phones: family photos, emails, calendar appointments, Internet searches and even location history. Considered separately, each of these categories can reveal very private information. Taken together, they can present a pretty good picture of who you are, what you do, where you go, what you read and what you write. What protection does the Constitution offer them from suspicionless search by the government?
The Fourth Amendment grants to the people the right to be “secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” It did not find its way into the Constitution by accident. It was, rather, a specific response to a principal grievance of colonial Americans under British rule — namely, the use of the “general warrant” whereby the crown gave officials almost unfettered authority to search colonial homes, rifle through papers and scour personal belongings.... more at the link
All the while, technology has been changing where and how we keep those belongings. On April 29, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in two cases, Riley v. California and United States v. Wurie. At question is whether the police can search the contents of a phone without a warrant during an arrest. At stake is whether technological advancements have rendered one of our most treasured civil liberties obsolete.
Today, many Americans keep their entire lives on their phones: family photos, emails, calendar appointments, Internet searches and even location history. Considered separately, each of these categories can reveal very private information. Taken together, they can present a pretty good picture of who you are, what you do, where you go, what you read and what you write. What protection does the Constitution offer them from suspicionless search by the government?
The Fourth Amendment grants to the people the right to be “secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” It did not find its way into the Constitution by accident. It was, rather, a specific response to a principal grievance of colonial Americans under British rule — namely, the use of the “general warrant” whereby the crown gave officials almost unfettered authority to search colonial homes, rifle through papers and scour personal belongings.... more at the link
RIP Maya Angelou
Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.
— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou) May 23, 2014
◼ The news that Maya Angelou has died at the age of 86 reminds me of how deeply impressed I was when I read her book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings when it first came out in 1969. - Neoneocon
Those who read it now probably can’t quite imagine how fresh and powerful it was at that time. In the interim, coming-of-age memoirs by women—including by black or other minority women—have become far more commonplace, as have descriptions of childhood sexual abuse. Those things were part of Angelou’s book back in a time when they were unusual to read about, and that was arresting. But a lot of other things about her book remain extraordinary, and they are the reason I read it and found it memorable.
The first is the power of her unique and lyric voice, which was (and remains) utterly arresting and utterly engaging....
State Department warns ALL American citizens to
GET OUT OF LIBYA IMMEDIATELY
◼ ...it looks like Libya is about to undergo another coup attempt in order to wipe out the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists groups, especially in Benghazi... - The Right Scoop
◼ State Department calls for all US citizens to leave Libya due to security concerns. - FOX
◼ Libya, is falling apart. - Ace Of Spades
◼ As Libya deteriorates, U.S. prepares for possible evacuation - CBS
◼ Americans Urged to Leave Libya After Group Linked to Benghazi Attack Threatens U.S. - CNS
◼ State Department calls for all US citizens to leave Libya due to security concerns. - FOX
The evacuation warning came shortly after the USS Bataan, with about 1,000 Marines aboard, sailed into the Mediterranean Sea to assist Americans in leaving if necessary, according to U.S. military officials. The officials made clear the ship has received no formal orders to conduct new missions....◼ US warns all Americans to get out of Libya — and expands evac force - HotAir
The State Department issued a statement Tuesday night saying,"The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to Libya and recommends that U.S. citizens currently in Libya depart immediately. The security situation in Libya remains unpredictable and unstable. The Libyan government has not been able to adequately build its military and police forces and improve security following the 2011 revolution."
The unrest has caused the State Department to limit staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, and it is "only able to offer very limited emergency services to U.S. citizens in Libya," according to the release.
This development is probably not the best publicity for Barack Obama’s pivot on foreign policy today, but perhaps shows why a pivot is needed. Three years after a remote-control intervention to depose Moammar Qaddafi and nineteen months after the sacking of the American consulate in Benghazi, the US has now warned all American citizens to flee Libya — and has quintupled the size of the evacuation force to get them out.◼ Breaking News On Libya Tensions
...Democrats don’t want an effective probe into the policy decisions that led to four American deaths in a terrorist attack on our consulate, and necessitated a military evacuation of Americans in the country that Obama supposedly liberated in a military adventure he refused to submit to Congress for approval? Good luck with that approach as news reports of the evacuation start appearing on American televisions.
◼ Libya, is falling apart. - Ace Of Spades
◼ As Libya deteriorates, U.S. prepares for possible evacuation - CBS
◼ Americans Urged to Leave Libya After Group Linked to Benghazi Attack Threatens U.S. - CNS
The U.S. administration is urging dialogue and an end to violence. In a joint statement with several European governments on Saturday it called “on all sides to refrain from the use of force and to address differences by political means.”
The statement, which warned that Libya risked “chaos, fragmentation, violence and terrorism,” backed plans to hold parliamentary elections “as soon as possible,” and voiced support for the long-delayed drafting of a new constitution.
“I just started saying, ‘focus on your family, take care of your kids,’” Carolla explained. “And then all of a sudden, I become Ted Nugent like overnight.”
◼ Adam Carolla: ‘Weird’ How Taking Care Of Your Kids Has Become A ‘Conservative, Right-Wing Issue' - Jamie Weinstein/Daily Caller
...“I never define myself as a conservative, but I’m becoming defined as a conservative,” he told TheDC. “I’m now conservative because I wouldn’t want to be what the alternative is, which is scary to me.”
“I always thought of myself as just a liberal guy,” Carolla said. But after working with and observing Dr. Drew Pinsky, Carolla says he started spreading what he thought was a simple, apolitical message....
“It’s a weird thing that this has become a conservative, right-wing issue,” he continued. “Take care of your G-d damn kids? Feed your kids? Educate your kids? These are radical right-wing ideas?”
...“I believe that we could fix this country and all that ails it in one second if everyone just literally internalized,” he said. “Don’t expect anybody, especially the government, to do anything for you.”
...“I never define myself as a conservative, but I’m becoming defined as a conservative,” he told TheDC. “I’m now conservative because I wouldn’t want to be what the alternative is, which is scary to me.”
“I always thought of myself as just a liberal guy,” Carolla said. But after working with and observing Dr. Drew Pinsky, Carolla says he started spreading what he thought was a simple, apolitical message....
“It’s a weird thing that this has become a conservative, right-wing issue,” he continued. “Take care of your G-d damn kids? Feed your kids? Educate your kids? These are radical right-wing ideas?”
...“I believe that we could fix this country and all that ails it in one second if everyone just literally internalized,” he said. “Don’t expect anybody, especially the government, to do anything for you.”
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
HONOR KILLING: 25-year-old woman stoned to death in Pakistan for marrying the man she loved, Pregnant Christian Mom Held in Prison With Her Children & Sentenced To Death By Hanging In Sudan
◼ Disobeying an arranged marriage and marrying ‘for love’ is viewed as a sin in Pakistan. But that didn’t stop Farzana Parveen, 25, from marrying Mohammad Iqbal, a man she had been engaged to for years, according to the Belfast Telegraph. - The Right Scoop
◼ ANOTHER ONE: Pregnant Christian Mom Held in Prison With Her Children & Sentenced To Death By Hanging In Sudan Because She Won’t Convert To Islam. - Right Wing News
◼ US Government Forces Oklahoma To Overturn Anti-Sharia Bill, And To Pay $303,333 To Muslims - Shoebat
The US government has forced the state of Oklahoma to overturn its anti-Sharia bill, after a Muslim man named Muneer Awad sued the state for supposed violations against “freedom of religion.”
CAIR also played a role in subverting the bill. Adam Soltani of CAIR said:
According to Jordan Sekulow, the bill never infringed on the Islamic religion, but was placed to prevent international codes of law from entering the government:
At its core, the amendment has nothing to do with infringing on a Muslim’s right to practice Islam or religious freedom generally. This amendment is about “judicial authority,” and is not a “demonization” of Islam.
When she resisted her father, brothers, and other family members stoned and beat her to death with bricks from a nearby construction site.◼ Farzana’s father surrendered himself to police after the stoning; the police have quoted him saying: “I killed my daughter as she had insulted all of our family by marrying a man without our consent, and I have no regret over it.” - rtlec.co.uk
◼ ANOTHER ONE: Pregnant Christian Mom Held in Prison With Her Children & Sentenced To Death By Hanging In Sudan Because She Won’t Convert To Islam. - Right Wing News
I keep looking online for the Michelle Obama Hashtag sign to free this pregnant woman who will suffer death by hanging after the baby she is carrying is born and is imprisoned with her now 20 month-old child because she won’t denounce Christianity.... Tell me when you find Michelle’s social media push to stop the inhumane and unjust treatment of this pregnant mother in Sudan. I’m guessing this issue isn’t ‘Movie Star’ popular enough.◼ Mark Steyn Thinks Obama Could Use Pen, Phone to Free Sudan Mom - Heritage
More specifically, Steyn advises Obama: By executive order, declare Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag an American citizen. Then, call Sudan’s president and demand the immediate release of Ishag, her 20-month-old son and newborn baby girl from a prison in North Khartoum, Sudan.◼ Mark Steyn Thinks Obama Could Use Pen, Phone to Free Sudan Mom
“The president could pick up the phone, [call] the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and order them to confer U.S .citizenship on Daniel Wani’s wife,” Steyn writes.
◼ US Government Forces Oklahoma To Overturn Anti-Sharia Bill, And To Pay $303,333 To Muslims - Shoebat
The US government has forced the state of Oklahoma to overturn its anti-Sharia bill, after a Muslim man named Muneer Awad sued the state for supposed violations against “freedom of religion.”
CAIR also played a role in subverting the bill. Adam Soltani of CAIR said:
Sharia is the moral code of conduct for Muslims, and that includes certain aspects of laws, like marital laws, divorce, inheritance, wills…it encompasses part of that, but it’s also the moral code of conductThe state of Oklahoma must now pay $303,333 to Awad for legal fees, costs and nontaxable expenses. The money is going into the hands of Muslims because the lawsuit was done by CAIR, a Muslim jihadist organization of Islamic lawyers. Awad himself is a lawyer and the executive director for CAIR. The state of Oklahoma is paying money right into the pockets of Muslims. The Muslim heretic Awad boasted the victory...
According to Jordan Sekulow, the bill never infringed on the Islamic religion, but was placed to prevent international codes of law from entering the government:
At its core, the amendment has nothing to do with infringing on a Muslim’s right to practice Islam or religious freedom generally. This amendment is about “judicial authority,” and is not a “demonization” of Islam.
Feds paid $4.9 MILLION to create a hypothetical utopian with plans of a United Nations ‘youth movement’ to help usher in a ‘new world order’ by 2070
◼ Feds Paid $4.9 Million to Create Hypothetical Utopian Climate Change Future - Washington Free Beacon
The National Science Foundation (NSF) gave nearly $5 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to create scenarios based on America’s actions on climate change, including a utopian future where everyone rides a bike and courts forcibly take property from the wealthy.
The government has awarded $4,911,961 for the project, which is slated to run until March 2016 and for which the school has created a website suggesting different possibilities of what Yahara, a Wisconsin watershed, will be like in 2070.
In the scenario where Americans “shift our values,” people live in hippie-like communes after “youth culture” convinces the world to give up their cars and eat vegetarian....
Rosa celebrates a court decision that forcibly took property from wealthy individuals as a required step to place the community above the individual.
“Even though most Yaharans had become more willing to undertake serious conservation measures, the willingness was not universal, especially when certain sacrifices were required,” she tells her granddaughter in the story. “To create the preserve, Grandpa had to convince several wealthy residents to give up either some of their property or their control of it.”
When some individuals refused, a coalition took them to court, which unanimously ruled in favor of building a community beach.
“It was a glorious victory!” Rosa says. “Oh, how we celebrated! It symbolized how far we’d come in putting the good of our communities and our environment before the desires of the individual. The triumph was proof the Great Transition had arrived.”
...The University of Wisconsin-Madison project is similar to the $5.6 million the NSF awarded to Columbia University to record “voicemails from the future” that paint a picture of an earth destroyed due to climate change.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) gave nearly $5 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to create scenarios based on America’s actions on climate change, including a utopian future where everyone rides a bike and courts forcibly take property from the wealthy.
The government has awarded $4,911,961 for the project, which is slated to run until March 2016 and for which the school has created a website suggesting different possibilities of what Yahara, a Wisconsin watershed, will be like in 2070.
In the scenario where Americans “shift our values,” people live in hippie-like communes after “youth culture” convinces the world to give up their cars and eat vegetarian....
Rosa celebrates a court decision that forcibly took property from wealthy individuals as a required step to place the community above the individual.
“Even though most Yaharans had become more willing to undertake serious conservation measures, the willingness was not universal, especially when certain sacrifices were required,” she tells her granddaughter in the story. “To create the preserve, Grandpa had to convince several wealthy residents to give up either some of their property or their control of it.”
When some individuals refused, a coalition took them to court, which unanimously ruled in favor of building a community beach.
“It was a glorious victory!” Rosa says. “Oh, how we celebrated! It symbolized how far we’d come in putting the good of our communities and our environment before the desires of the individual. The triumph was proof the Great Transition had arrived.”
...The University of Wisconsin-Madison project is similar to the $5.6 million the NSF awarded to Columbia University to record “voicemails from the future” that paint a picture of an earth destroyed due to climate change.
BBC goes PC: The word 'girl' too offensive to broadcast...
◼ BBC mauled for ruling 'girl' is offensive word: MP leads growing outcry at politically correct censorship - Daily Mail
BBC cut the 'G-word' from repeat of a Commonwealth Games documentary
Critics attack the move, saying it is 'finding offence where none is taken'
Corporation spokesman says the word was cut 'just in case'
...Feminist novelist Kathy Lette also joined the storm of critcicism, saying: ‘If the athlete didn’t find it upsetting, why should the BBC mount their politically correct high horse and gallop off into the sanctimonious sunset?’
And viewers expressed their anger at the move. Andrew Ramsbottom wrote on Twitter: ‘Ha, now the BBC has really lost the plot. We now have the G-word that is not PC! Girl is now deemed sexist and can’t be used. Just wrong!’
Garry Sawyer added: ‘The BBC has gone PC mad, deleting the word “girl” from a doco for being sexist, what is this world coming to?’
Stephen Williams highlighted the corporation’s poor record of featuring women presenters aged over 50. He said: ‘BBC edit out word “girl” as though it might be construed as sexist! Dumping older women broadcasters alright though.’
BBC cut the 'G-word' from repeat of a Commonwealth Games documentary
Critics attack the move, saying it is 'finding offence where none is taken'
Corporation spokesman says the word was cut 'just in case'
...Feminist novelist Kathy Lette also joined the storm of critcicism, saying: ‘If the athlete didn’t find it upsetting, why should the BBC mount their politically correct high horse and gallop off into the sanctimonious sunset?’
And viewers expressed their anger at the move. Andrew Ramsbottom wrote on Twitter: ‘Ha, now the BBC has really lost the plot. We now have the G-word that is not PC! Girl is now deemed sexist and can’t be used. Just wrong!’
Garry Sawyer added: ‘The BBC has gone PC mad, deleting the word “girl” from a doco for being sexist, what is this world coming to?’
Stephen Williams highlighted the corporation’s poor record of featuring women presenters aged over 50. He said: ‘BBC edit out word “girl” as though it might be construed as sexist! Dumping older women broadcasters alright though.’
Iran: Men Have The Right To Rape Unveiled Women…
◼ link - Weasel Zippers
...(Hadi) Sharifi (a “media activist” (I.e. Regime propaganda activist) said that if women feel it is their right to show off their beauty, or appear any which way they desire in society, or reveal their beauty to men, then they should also consider the right of men to enjoy women. He attempted to explain that because it is natural and instinctual for a man to be drawn to the beauty of a woman and seek sex with her, it is a man’s right to benefit from what he loves. Sharifi said that when a man forces himself onto a woman because she is “showing off her beauty”, this [should not] be considered rape....
◼ Iran's dictatorship is reacting to a new social media campaign calling on women in Iran to submit photos of themselves displaying stealthy acts of freedom. - Mohabat News
...(Hadi) Sharifi (a “media activist” (I.e. Regime propaganda activist) said that if women feel it is their right to show off their beauty, or appear any which way they desire in society, or reveal their beauty to men, then they should also consider the right of men to enjoy women. He attempted to explain that because it is natural and instinctual for a man to be drawn to the beauty of a woman and seek sex with her, it is a man’s right to benefit from what he loves. Sharifi said that when a man forces himself onto a woman because she is “showing off her beauty”, this [should not] be considered rape....
◼ Iran's dictatorship is reacting to a new social media campaign calling on women in Iran to submit photos of themselves displaying stealthy acts of freedom. - Mohabat News
Irony of the Week: Bernie Sanders Says We Need To See What’s in the VA Bill Before Voting On It
◼ Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a Senate bill this week that would make it easier to fire those responsible for the awful delays at the Veterans Administration. But Sen. Bernie Sanders (Socialist – VT) wants a hearing to further discuss the specifics of the bill. - IJ Review
But the specific wording Sanders used is pretty funny for anyone who remembers Nancy Pelosi’s “We have to pass this bill to find out what is in it!” on Obamacare. Sanders, incidentally, did vote for that bill…
◼ Slap in the face to veterans: Senate Dems block bill to hold VA accountable - examiner
On Thursday, Senate Democrats led by socialist Bernie Sanders of Vermont, blocked a bill that would make it possible for the scandal-plagued VA to fire employees based on poor performance, the Washington Free Beacon said. The move, Twitchy added, was described by one Twitter user as a "slap in the face" to veterans.
The bill passed the House with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 390 to 33 on Wednesday. All of the "no" votes came from Democrats.
I happen to think that the bill that was passed in the House yesterday has many important provisions, which I happen to agree with, but as the senator from Florida knows, we have not held a hearing on this legislation.Of course the details of any bill should be known, discussed, and even posted on the internet before any final vote is taken.
And some of us are old-fashioned enough to know that maybe folks in the Senate might want to know what is in the bill before we voted on it.
But the specific wording Sanders used is pretty funny for anyone who remembers Nancy Pelosi’s “We have to pass this bill to find out what is in it!” on Obamacare. Sanders, incidentally, did vote for that bill…
◼ Slap in the face to veterans: Senate Dems block bill to hold VA accountable - examiner
On Thursday, Senate Democrats led by socialist Bernie Sanders of Vermont, blocked a bill that would make it possible for the scandal-plagued VA to fire employees based on poor performance, the Washington Free Beacon said. The move, Twitchy added, was described by one Twitter user as a "slap in the face" to veterans.
The bill passed the House with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 390 to 33 on Wednesday. All of the "no" votes came from Democrats.
Trouble abroad: Obama accused of timidity overseas...
◼ Fear and anger among allies...
When President Barack Obama ran for re-election in 2012, he pulled off what for Democrats was a remarkable feat – he took foreign policy off the table as a campaign issue.9724; Chinese Ship Attacks, Sinks Vietnam Fishing Boat - Bloomberg
Ever since Harry Truman was accused of “losing China”, Republicans have sought to cast their Democratic opponents as weak in the face of foreign challenges. Yet fresh from his risky but successful military operation to kill Osama bin Laden, Mr Obama side-stepped the usual assault during his re-election campaign. His challenger Mitt Romney hardly brought up foreign policy.
Eighteen months later, the political ground is shifting rapidly beneath Mr Obama’s feet. As he prepares to give an important address on foreign policy at West Point on Wednesday, the president finds himself under attack over what critics charge is a record of indecisive leadership.... Much more at the link
Monday, May 26, 2014
Why You Should Never Wish Anyone a 'Happy Memorial Day'
◼ Memorial Day is not supposed to be a day of celebration (that's Veterans Day) but one of mourning the fallen.
"It is not a happy day," he adds. As an example of what Memorial Day is all about, he says we should all "search for the video of the Marine that stood at attention and saluted for something like 6 hours during the Rolling Thunder parade in D.C."
A solitary Marine holds vigil at full attention during the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally in tribute to fallen comrades.
"It is not a happy day," he adds. As an example of what Memorial Day is all about, he says we should all "search for the video of the Marine that stood at attention and saluted for something like 6 hours during the Rolling Thunder parade in D.C."
A solitary Marine holds vigil at full attention during the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally in tribute to fallen comrades.
It was proof that government-run health care was superior to privately run delivery systems. They used headlines like "The Triumph of Soclalized Medicine."
◼ Ouch! Leftists Like Krugman Touted 'Reality' of Excellent VA System As 'Highly Corrective to Anti-Government Ideology' - Tim Graham/Newsbusters
James Taranto at The Wall Street Journal wrote on Thursday to remind his readers that "Not long ago, the Left raved about the VA." It was proof that government-run health care was superior to privately run delivery systems. They used headlines like "The Triumph of Soclalized Medicine."
Taranto carefully quoted from The New York Times in January 2006, where leftist economist and columnist Paul Krugman wrote that the success of the VA health system showed a (socialist) "reality" that trumped capitalist ideology...
In November 2011 Krugman inveighed against Republican proposals to allow veterans to use their benefits to receive private care: "What lies behind the Republican obsession with privatization and voucherization? Ideology, of course. It's literally [sic] a fundamental article of faith in the G.O.P. that the private sector is always better than the government, and no amount of evidence can shake that credo."
That was the last time he mentioned the VA--which is to say that he hasn't addressed the scandal....
James Taranto at The Wall Street Journal wrote on Thursday to remind his readers that "Not long ago, the Left raved about the VA." It was proof that government-run health care was superior to privately run delivery systems. They used headlines like "The Triumph of Soclalized Medicine."
Taranto carefully quoted from The New York Times in January 2006, where leftist economist and columnist Paul Krugman wrote that the success of the VA health system showed a (socialist) "reality" that trumped capitalist ideology...
In November 2011 Krugman inveighed against Republican proposals to allow veterans to use their benefits to receive private care: "What lies behind the Republican obsession with privatization and voucherization? Ideology, of course. It's literally [sic] a fundamental article of faith in the G.O.P. that the private sector is always better than the government, and no amount of evidence can shake that credo."
That was the last time he mentioned the VA--which is to say that he hasn't addressed the scandal....
Rolling Thunder bikers rolling into DC for annual “Ride for Freedom" on Memorial Day weekend.
Rolling Thunder bikers rolling into DC for annual “Ride for Freedom" on Memorial Day weekend. http://t.co/G92Zvg3Rek pic.twitter.com/InkUJWj115
— 99.1 WNEW (@WNEW) May 23, 2014
ROLLING THUNDER.... Washington DC.... pic.twitter.com/4JMm6uVrzB
— BOSSY MONICA (@LeMarquand) May 25, 2014
@jackyljesse in Myrtle Beach last weekend #RollingThunder 2014 this weekend. Half a million bikes in DC pic.twitter.com/zwWdBbRMkS
— Jason Higgins (@Th3W0rm) May 25, 2014
◼ Check out the breathtaking photos of #RollingThunder taking DC - Twitchy, Who Said What on Twitter
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