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media_bias | Townhall | https://townhall.com/tipsheet/elliebufkin/2020/04/13/mental-gymnastics-liberal-magazine-says-right-wing-stunt-to-blame-who-was-actually-correct-n2566792 | Mental Gymnastics: Liberal Magazine Says 'Right-Wing Stunt' Blaming WHO Was Actually Correct | 2020-04-13 | media_bias | A left-leaning technology magazine made waves on Sunday when a tweet from their account conceded that a `` right-wing stunt '' was actually a valid complaint about the World Health Organization .
`` A right-wing stunt to pin the blame for Covid-19 on the World Health Organization actually contains a useful notion , '' the message from WIRED read . `` There is at least some reason to suspect that WHO knowingly and consequentially misled us . ''
A right-wing stunt to pin the blame for Covid-19 on the World Health Organization actually contains a useful notion . There is at least some reason to suspect that WHO knowingly and consequentially misled us .
The tweet linked to an article written by a journalist equally as surprised that his self described affinity for `` global governance '' from organizations like the WHO was called into question . Citing a call from Sen. Rick Scott ( R-FL ) to investigate the WHO to determine if the United States should freeze their significant , taxpayer-funded contribution , the WIRED `` Ideas Contributor '' describes his unexpected alignment with conservatives .
This is a familiar right-wing move : subject international institutions to scrutiny that , if all goes according to plan , can be used to justify cutting their funding . Then , as the script typically unfolds , global governance fans like me spring to the defense of these institutions . In this case , though , I ’ m partly in sync with the right-wing move . I don ’ t agree with Scott that we should do the investigation ASAP ( since at the moment both we and the World Health Organization are kind of , um , busy ) . And I ’ m not in favor of cutting WHO funding . I ’ m also not nearly as sure as Scott that WHO is guilty as charged . But the organization could have performed better in the early stages of the contagion , and there ’ s at least some reason to suspect that people at WHO knowingly and consequentially misled us .
The article points out the now notorious WHO tweet from January that claimed there was no evidence from China that suggested human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 , despite ample evidence to the contrary .
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel # coronavirus ( 2019-nCoV ) identified in # Wuhan , # China ? ? ? ? . pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG — World Health Organization ( WHO ) ( @ WHO ) January 14 , 2020
One could stand to reason , based on the evidence presented by WIRED , that the `` right-wing stunt '' was actually an assessment of evidence and consequences that led to a lack of faith in the WHO . As the global Wuhan coronavirus pandemic rages on across the world , people of all political stripes have shifted significant blame to the Chinese Communist Party for concealing the nature of the disease . Blame has then naturally trickled down to the WHO who seemed to have , for whatever reason , a vested interest in protecting the CCP .
While the media has consistently criticized President Trump for his response to the outbreak of the Wuhan Coronavirus in the U.S. , particularly in the early days , it is difficult for even his most unflappable foes to ignore the errors and misguidance of the WHO .
So it ’ s a “ Right-Wing Plan ” but there ’ s also reason to believe it ’ s correct — ALX ? ? ? ? ( @ alx ) April 12 , 2020
That ’ s some mental gymnastics right there . So the right was trying to lie about WHO but the information accidentally was correct ? — Full Contact Drills ( @ FullContact29 ) April 12 , 2020
A right-wing stunt to prove water is wet actually contains a useful notion . There is at least some reason to suspect it is . https : //t.co/rXl3pwL7iC — Michael Brendan Dougherty ( @ michaelbd ) April 12 , 2020 | Ht3bKjDPRcSOG4aH | 2 | Coronavirus | -0.3 | WHO | -0.2 | Media Watch | 0 | Media Bias | 0 | null | null |
elections | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2015/11/05/the_meaning_of_matt_bevin_why_his_victory_undermines_a_major_democratic_party_theory/ | The meaning of Matt Bevin: Why his victory undermines a major Democratic Party theory | 2015-11-05 | Matt Bevin, Kentucky, Obamacare, Elections | As my colleague Simon Maloy deftly explained yesterday , Matt Bevin ’ s Tuesday victory in Kentucky ’ s gubernatorial race is yet another sign that the Democratic Party is in trouble .
Sure , Bevin is better on the campaign trail than he was during his failed attempt to oust Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2014 . But as a recent piece about the race in the Atlantic made clear , he still isn ’ t good . And while the voters of Kentucky are undoubtedly conservative , a look-over of Bevin ’ s political history reveals a man on the wrong side of the line separating “ hyper-conservative ” from “ radical fringe . ”
But he won , anyway . And despite what pre-election polls suggested , the outcome wasn ’ t even close .
This raises myriad questions for the Democratic Party , both in Kentucky and the nation as a whole . Most of those questions will center on the party ’ s get-out-the-vote apparatus , which increasingly seems to be useless for any election in which Barack Obama isn ’ t a candidate . In general , I chalk that up to the decline of organized labor . But Kentucky was never exactly Michigan . ( In fact , the state is something of an outlier recently when it comes to the nation ’ s larger de-unionization trend . )
Regardless of unions ’ strength , though , Democrats had hoped that policy successes would inspire their constituents to come out and vote . Specifically , they hoped that Bevin ’ s vow to dismantle the Affordable Care Act in Kentucky ( as much as he can , that is ) would inspire the hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians who ’ ve benefited to vote for its protection . By almost any metric , after all , Kynect — what they call the ACA in Kentucky — has been an inspirational success .
Democrats hoped voters would reward the party for successfully implementing such a major policy . But from today ’ s vantage , it ’ s painfully obvious that they didn ’ t . And that ’ s not just a problem in the Bluegrass State — it ’ s a problem for all Democrats . Because one of the foundational assumptions behind Kynect , the ACA , and much of the entire Democratic Party agenda is that good policy makes for good politics . In Kentucky , at least , it didn ’ t .
What does “ good policy = good politics ” mean ? It basically means that an effective program can survive , even if it ’ s unpopular at the outset . Those who benefit , the theory goes , will eventually become a constituency ( if they aren ’ t already ) and will organize to preserve it . Think of Social Security or Medicare : They weren ’ t necessarily super-popular when they were first implemented , but once people started relying on them , they became the so-called third rail of American politics .
But as left-wing critics of the Democratic consensus have long argued , there ’ s a problem with analogizing the ACA and Social Security . One of the programs is universal — everyone puts in ; everyone takes out — and the other isn ’ t . And this isn ’ t incidental . It ’ s the reason why so many Tea Party types will rail against “ handouts ” but cherish their Medicare . It ’ s because they believe they ’ re simply receiving what they ’ re owed ( they aren ’ t ) and that the benefits go to them instead of good-for-nothing moochers .
There are plenty of people in Kentucky right now who are better off because of the ACA . But many of them are beneficiaries of the law ’ s Medicaid expansion ( which Bevin has promised to change , if not revoke ) and thus lack political influence . And the rest ? As far as many of them know , it ’ s not the ACA or “ Obamacare ” that they now rely on . It ’ s Kynect . And Bevin didn ’ t campaign against Kynect . He campaigned against Obamacare . Kentucky Democrats got the policy right , in other words ; but it never paid political dividends .
In fairness , it ’ s too early to say the debate is over . If Bevin tries to make good on his promises and is greeted with a backlash , he may trim his sails or abandon the initiative . Still , it ’ s not like Democrats didn ’ t spend much of the campaign warning about Bevin ’ s plans for health care in Kentucky . They did — a lot . It didn ’ t make a difference . | 85760d46c45f9507 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Deseret News | https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2020/2/3/21120996/trump-impeachment-mike-lee-schiff-founding-fathers-faith-argument-donald-president-final-closing | Democrats appeal to senators’ faith in final argument to convict President Trump | 2020-02-04 | White House, Donald Trump, Adam Schiff, US Senate, Ken Starr, Impeachment, Politics | WASHINGTON — House impeachment managers, failing to get the Senate to subpoena witnesses in the trial of President Donald Trump, turned their sights Monday to the long-shot goal of removing a president from office for the first time in history. In impassioned speeches, several laced with religious language and messages, the prosecutors asked senators to be numbered among the “Davids who slew Goliath” by exercising faith in the Founding Fathers and to convict Trump, who is “guilty as sin.” “They gave you a remedy and they meant for you to use it. They gave you an oath and they meant for you to observe it,” lead House manager Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said forcefully. “We have proven Donald Trump guilty, now do impartial justice and convict him.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was momentarily at a loss for words to describe why he was so moved by Schiff’s final remarks. “I hope maybe it pierced the hardness ... of so many of our Republican colleagues. Let’s hope and pray,” Schumer said to reporters after the closing arguments. “If that didn’t do it, I don’t know what would.” But Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who will vote Wednesday to acquit the president, said Schiff wasn’t talking to his GOP colleagues. “One of my colleagues said as we were leaving, ‘I don’t think the House managers’ case today was designed to persuade any Republicans. It appears to be a sort of pep rally speech for Democrats,’” Lee said. “There may be some truth to that.” Closing arguments took place on the eve of Trump’s State of the Union speech, where he will speak in the chamber where lawmakers impeached him more than a month ago. Trump said Sunday that he will tout the strong economy and other accomplishments. Many Republicans agree he should take that approach, but they also said anything could happen, including talking about impeachment and his all but certain acquittal by the Senate. “I think there’s plenty to talk about, and it’s an opportunity to move on,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said, according to The New York Times. “But the other option is to address it head on — and he is often a head on kind of guy.” Trump became the third president in American history to be impeached when the House passed two articles of impeachment in December. The first charges him with abuse of power for allegedly pressuring Ukraine to conduct investigations that would benefit him politically. The second accuses Trump of obstructing Congress during the House investigation into his dealings with Ukraine. It would take a two-thirds vote of the 100-member Senate to convict Trump and that is unlikely with Republicans holding 53 seats in the chamber. Senators reconvene Wednesday at 4 p.m. to render a verdict. While Lee has said he will vote to acquit, Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney has not revealed his decision, if he has made one. Several Republican senators have said since Friday that while they don’t condone Trump’s dealings with Ukraine — some called it “wrong” — his actions did not rise to the level of impeachment with an election about nine months away. And Trump’s defense team stressed that point in their closing arguments. “You are being asked to do this when tonight citizens of Iowa are going to be caucusing,” attorney Jay Sekulow said, referring to Monday’s first presidential primary. “The answer is elections, not impeachment.” Sekulow showed video clips with pulsating background music of Democrats calling for impeachment dating back to before Trump took office to argue this was the “first totally partisan presidential impeachment in our nation’s history, and it should be our last.” Both sides gave contrasting explanations of the facts behind the impeachment, namely why Trump withheld $391 million in military aid to Ukraine while asking its newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate potential Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Trump’s legal team argued Biden’s involvement in Ukraine when he was vice president was an example of corruption Trump wanted rooted out of Ukraine before committing aid to the country, and once the president was satisfied Zelenskiy’s administration would address corruption the aid was released. House managers countered that the aid was only released after Trump “got caught” trying to enlist a foreign power to meddle in the upcoming election. But Schiff got personal in telling senators Trump can’t be trusted and poses a threat to national security and the integrity of the elections. “You will not change him. You cannot constrain him. He is who he is. Truth matters little to him. What’s right matters even less, and decency matters not at all,” Schiff said. House managers also appealed to the religious sensibilities of senators — and the viewing public — referencing biblical passages and calling on their personal faith to guide their decisions. Deploying the rhetorical tools of a skilled preacher, New York Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries called on senators to “walk by faith through the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows, the peaks and the valleys, the trials and the tribulations of this turbulent moment. Walk by faith; faith in the Constitution, faith in our democracy, faith in the rule of law, faith in government of the people, by the people and for the people. Faith in almighty God. Walk by faith.” But Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, explained in her floor remarks following the adjournment of the trial that she had no faith that a fair trial could be held in the Senate “when the foundation upon which it rested was rotted.” Murkowski and Romney were among a small group of senators who forced GOP leaders to allow for a vote to consider witnesses at the end of closing arguments. But she said the “rank partisanship” in the Senate leading up to the trial and the House’s rush to impeach doomed the chance of a trial before senators acting as impartial jurors. She blasted Trump for weakening the office of president by conduct that was “shameful and wrong.” But Murkowski sided with the White House that the response shouldn’t be to impose the “political death penalty” and remove him from the 2020 ballot. “The House could have pursued censure and not immediately jumped to the remedy of last resort,” she said. “I cannot vote to convict. The Constitution provides for impeachment but does not demand it in all instances.” InDepth A deeper dive into key issues in Utah and around the country, including investigations, profiles and solutions-based journalism. Thank you for letting us know. | b65e31fe07965ddc | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | NPR Online News | https://www.npr.org/2019/04/05/710276305/biden-jokes-about-his-physical-contact-says-he-will-change-his-campaign-style | Biden Jokes About Unwanted Touching, Says He Will Change His Campaign Style | 2019-04-05 | elections | Biden Jokes About Unwanted Touching , Says He Will Change His Campaign Style
Former Vice President Joe Biden joked about accusations that he made several women uncomfortable by touching them , as he hugged a labor union president Friday , saying , `` I just want you to know I had permission . ''
Later , during the same speech before the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers , Biden invited a group of children onstage , shaking their hands and putting his arm around one boy .
`` By the way , he gave me permission to touch him , '' Biden said to laughs from the crowd .
Biden 's conduct has come under a microscope in the past week as several women have said they were made uncomfortable by the hugs , shoulder grasps and other close physical contact he initiated during his career .
Answering questions from reporters after the speech , Biden said he was `` sorry that I did n't understand more . '' That was in response to a question of whether he would directly apologize to the women whom he made feel uncomfortable .
He added , `` I 'm not sorry for my intentions . '' And : `` I 'm not sorry for anything I 've ever done . ''
However , he noted that his intentions were n't what 's important . `` I literally think it is upon me , '' he said , `` and I think everybody else , to make sure if you embrace someone , if you touch someone , it 's with their consent , regardless of your intentions , regardless if you 're trying to bring solace . ''
And Biden conceded , `` I think it 's going to have to change how I campaign . ''
Biden said he is `` very close '' to announcing a 2020 presidential bid . He said he has been `` told by the lawyers I have to be careful with what I say , so I do n't start the clock ticking . ''
But : `` I 'm very close to making the decision to stand before you relatively soon . '' Asked what 's the holdup , he responded , `` The holdup ? Putting everything together , man . ''
Asked whether he could win this Democratic primary given that he has been tagged as a moderate by many activists in the party , Biden dismissed that label . He said he wished he had been labeled a moderate when he ran for the Senate seven times . And he contended , `` The vast majority of the members of the Democratic Party are still basically liberal-to-moderate Democrats in the traditional sense . ''
He disputed that the rank-and-file Democratic voters had lurched that far left . `` I 'm an Obama-Biden Democrat , man , '' he said , `` and I 'm proud of it . ''
Earlier this week , Biden released a video in which he said he will be `` more mindful '' of people 's personal space . President Trump , who has been accused by more than a dozen women of inappropriate sexual contact , defended his tweeting a parody video showing Biden being approached from behind by a second Biden who rubs his shoulders .
Asked by a reporter whether he was `` the right messenger '' for that , Trump responded , `` I think I am a very good messenger , '' adding that people `` got a kick out of it . ''
Trump also said that he did not view Biden `` as a threat , '' adding , `` I think he 's only a threat to himself . ''
After Biden 's speech to the union workers , Trump tweeted that they 'll be voting for him instead . | uiBYGmTu0NherBSv | 1 | Joe Biden | 0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
national_security | Guest Writer - Right | https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/09/peace-talks-taliban-terrorists-camp-david/ | Taliban Terrorists Have No Place at Camp David | 2019-09-10 | Taliban, Camp David, National Security, Defense And Security | A member of the Taliban and others stand at the site of the execution of three men in Ghazni Province , Afghanistan , in 2015 . ( Reuters )
They remain aggressive foes determined to strike at America . They must be killed or captured , not invited to negotiations .
‘ The Taliban , per se , is not our enemy. ” Thus spoke Joe Biden , Obama-administration vice president and resident foreign-affairs solon . It was 2011 and the administration was rationalizing its desperation to negotiate its way out of Afghanistan , where we then had about 30,000 troops ( more than three times the current deployment ) . It was nothing new . Hamid Karzai , president of the fledgling Afghan government propped up by the Bush administration after the Taliban ’ s ouster , had been seeking negotiations for years . . . only to be spurned by the Taliban .
Of course , the Taliban did not get to weigh in on Biden ’ s babble . If they had , they would surely have said bluntly what they have demonstrated blatantly for 20 years : They are absolutely our enemy , not just per se but in aeternum .
If , as he stated in a Saturday Twitter thread , President Trump actually was planning to host Taliban leaders at Camp David this past weekend for what he and the administration describe as “ peace talks , ” that boggles the mind .
The Taliban terrorists do not wish to hold “ peace talks ” with us . As shown by the humiliating negotiations that the Trump administration ’ s emissary has been conducting in Qatar , the Taliban wish , at best , to chat about the terms of our surrender — i.e. , about how willing they may be to let the president ’ s determination to withdraw our troops look like an honorable armistice rather than a case of our being chased out of their country . Allowing their leaders into our country — into Camp David for an audience with the president — would be every bit as outrageous as President Obama ’ s release of five Taliban commanders from Guantanamo Bay ( in exchange for deserter Bowe Bergdahl , no less ) . It would be every bit as outrageous as the Obama administration ’ s issuance of a visa to Hani Nour Eldin — a member of an Egyptian terrorist organization that , like the Taliban , conspires with al-Qaeda to kill Americans — so he could come to Washington for talks about post-Mubarak Cairo .
President Trump now says he has rolled back up the red carpet initially laid out for these jihadists . He withdrew the invitation , he says , because of an attack last week in which the Taliban killed a U.S. soldier , in addition to a member of our allied forces ( a Romanian soldier ) , and ten other people , while wounding scores of others . But why was yet another Taliban atrocity necessary to put the president on notice of what we ’ re dealing with ? It wasn ’ t even the Taliban ’ s first attack of that week .
As I noted over the weekend , two days from now we mark the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks , in which nearly 3,000 Americans were killed because the Taliban gave safe haven to al-Qaeda , fully aware of , and aiding and abetting in , al-Qaeda ’ s attacks against the United States . Bear in mind that 9/11 wasn ’ t a one-off . While in the Afghan sanctuary provided by the Taliban , Osama bin Laden ’ s network also executed bombings of our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 , killing more than 200 people , and of our naval destroyer , the U.S.S . Cole , in 2000 , killing 17 American sailors .
President Trump is antsy because he promised his base an end to “ endless wars. ” Alas , in the real world of hard choices , removed from rally-hall rhetoric , war does not come with an end date . The “ endless war ” trope betrays that , for all the president ’ s claims to a new realism regarding “ radical Islamic terrorism , ” he is missing the point . Afghanistan is not the war . The war is against the jihadist forces of sharia supremacism . We have to fight them wherever they work to stage attacks against the United States , our allies , and our interests .
For the foreseeable future , that will be an endless duty of American presidents . It is a modest commitment compared with past American wars . For example , if we just take Afghanistan-related operations , there have been approximately 2,400 military personnel killed since 2001 . Obviously , every life is precious , but this total over 18 years is a thin fraction of the more than 58,000 American military personnel killed in nearly 20 years of the Vietnam War , to say nothing of the more than 400,000 killed in World War II .
It is not President Trump ’ s fault that the Bush administration merged the national-security mission of protecting the United States from terrorist attacks with a utopian experiment in converting fundamentalist sharia societies to Western democracy . It has never been true that our safety hinges on how Islamic territories are governed and whether their subjects are free . We can try to be a good example of liberty ’ s virtues , we can wish the Muslim Middle East well . But whether or not Islam ’ s competing factions reconcile after 14 centuries of internecine bloodletting — this is not our problem , much less our military ’ s problem . Trump is right that it is not for us to be their police force or tell them how to live .
Our only vital interest is to defeat and disable our enemy aggressors . It is a remorseless fact that we need to commit forces for that purpose .
“ For that purpose ” does not mean nation-building . I couldn ’ t agree more that if our troops are in Afghanistan to play peacemaker in a civil war or to improve the Afghan quality of life , we should bring them home right now — and should have brought them home years ago . The American people supported sending our forces to Afghanistan because the attacks against us were orchestrated from there , and because we understood that if al-Qaeda was given time and space to plot , there would be more attacks on the scale of 9/11 — or worse , since the jihadists were known to be pursuing “ dirty bombs ” and other weapons of mass destruction . We dispatched our best and bravest young men and women to a hellhole for our security , not for the betterment of the culture that breeds the jihad .
The problem has not been 18 years of military presence . We ’ ve had much longer military presence in Western Europe and the Korean Peninsula . Virtually no one complains about it , despite the expense , because it is a coup for American national security . And no one , least of all us , expects the U.S. to transform a civilization . The problem in Afghanistan , to the contrary , has been the futile effort to remake its society on the backs of our troops .
This has included drafting a “ democratic ” constitution that actually perpetuates sharia as the law of the land . The Taliban wouldn ’ t need to change a comma of this constitution if they retook the country .
It has also included obdurately lying to ourselves about the Taliban . For 20 years , the State Department , under administrations of both parties , has refused to place the Taliban on the list of foreign terrorist organizations . This exercise is designed to maintain the fiction that they are not terrorists , a fiction so laughable that top government officials must stray from the script to avoid looking ridiculous . See , for instance , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussing efforts to “ negotiate with the Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan ” and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin complaining that Iran ’ s backing of the Taliban is “ yet another example of Tehran ’ s . . . support for terrorism. ” Besides the Treasury Department ’ s long-ago listing of the Taliban as a “ specially designated global terrorist , ” it also lists individual members of the Taliban — some of its most prominent members — as terrorists . And while the State Department stubbornly refuses to designate the Taliban a terrorist organization , it does designate the Pakistani Taliban ( a different but related entity ) , as well as such Taliban components and allies as the Haqqani network and , of course , al-Qaeda . Everyone knows the Taliban are terrorists .
So why does Washington pretend otherwise ? Why minimize them into mere “ insurgents , ” concerned only about local Afghan issues — as if they were indifferent to the global , anti-American jihad they so energetically aid and abet ? Why does administration after administration delude itself into the belief that the Taliban must be “ reconciled ” with other Afghans through “ peace negotiations ” — notwithstanding that they refuse to recognize the U.S.-backed government in Kabul , and that they regard such negotiations as setting the stage for American surrender , not Afghan reconciliation ?
Because our government seeks to negotiate with them , that ’ s why .
Our government , no matter who is running it , seeks to negotiate with the Taliban while insisting that it does not negotiate with terrorists . The Taliban continues killing Americans , and Washington continues imagining the Taliban — and some parchment arrangement with the Taliban — as the way out of the mess we got ourselves into by prioritizing the impossible task of fixing Afghanistan over quelling our enemies .
President Trump is right to intuit that Americans could not care less about how Afghanistan is governed , and that what incenses many of us is the sacrifice of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars poured into the democracy project . We didn ’ t go looking for war ; we were attacked . We have no more to do with the indigenous peoples ’ determination to cling to a culture of sharia fundamentalism frozen in tenth-century time than we do with their long-ago adoption of it . Our only care about Afghanistan is that it not be permitted to become , once again , a launching pad for jihadist attacks on the United States . But that requires being there — not as an occupier or savior , but as a strike force . Since there is no other capable force motivated to protect America , we need our own troops , Special Forces , and intelligence capabilities to do the job for as long as the job takes .
That job will no doubt continue to call for killing and capturing Taliban terrorists . It will never call for inviting them to Camp David . | ab0cf6c56cf8a2eb | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
free_speech | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/63057938a5b64d3592f800de19f443bc | Twitter bans political ads ahead of 2020 election | 2019-10-30 | Twitter, Election 2020, Campaigns, Jack Dorsey, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Social Media, Free Speech | SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter, reacting to growing concern about misinformation spread on social media, is banning all political advertising from its service. Its move strikes a sharp contrast with Facebook, which continues to defend running paid political ads, even false ones, as a free speech priority.“While internet advertising is incredibly powerful and very effective for commercial advertisers, that power brings significant risks to politics, where it can be used to influence votes to affect the lives of millions,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said Wednesday in a series of tweets announcing the new policy.Facebook has taken fire since it reiterated in September that it will not fact-check ads by politicians or their campaigns, which could allow them to lie freely. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Congress in October that politicians have the right to free speech on Facebook.Zuckerberg wasted no time responding to Twitter’s move. During Facebook’s conference call for earnings, which began less than an hour after Dorsey’s tweet, the Facebook chief offered an impassioned monologue about what he called his company’s deep belief “that political speech is important.”Zuckerberg stood by the company’s decision to run unchecked political ads and denied that the choice is financially motivated, saying such ads make up less than half of a percent of Facebook revenue.Facebook’s recent $5 billion fine from the Federal Trade Commission for privacy violations was more than 10 times what it makes from political ads, he said.“This is complex stuff. Anyone who says the answer is simple hasn’t thought about the nuances and downstream challenges,” he said. “I don’t think anyone can say that we are not doing what we believe or we haven’t thought hard about these issues.”Google did not have an immediate comment on Twitter’s policy change.Trump’s campaign manager called Twitter’s change a “very dumb decision” in a statement Wednesday.“This is yet another attempt to silence conservatives, since Twitter knows President Trump has the most sophisticated online program ever,” campaign manager Brad Parscale said.The presidential campaign for former Vice President Joe Biden said it was “unfortunate” that companies would think the only option was to completely ban political ads.“When faced with a choice between ad dollars and the integrity of our democracy, it is encouraging that, for once, revenue did not win out,” Bill Russo, the deputy communications director for Biden’s campaign said in a statement.Political advertising makes up a small sliver of Twitter’s overall revenue. The company does not break out specific figures each quarter, but said political ad spending for the 2018 midterm election was less than $3 million. It reported $824 million in third-quarter revenue.Candidates spend significantly more purchasing ads on Facebook than on Twitter, company records show.The issue suddenly arose in September when Twitter, along with Facebook and Google, refused to remove a misleading video ad from President Donald Trump’s campaign that targeted Biden.In response, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another presidential hopeful, ran her own ad on Facebook taking aim at Zuckerberg. The ad falsely claimed that Zuckerberg endorsed President Donald Trump for re-election, acknowledging the deliberate falsehood as necessary to make a point.Critics have called on Facebook to ban all political ads. These include CNN chief Jeff Zucker, who recently called the company’s policy of allowing lies “absolutely ludicrous” and advised the social media giant to sit out the 2020 election until it can figure out something better.Misleading political ads on social media played a major role in Russian disinformation efforts during the 2016 presidential election.Dorsey said the company is recognizing that advertising on social media offers an unfair level of targeting compared to other mediums. It is not about free expression, he asserted.“This is about paying for reach. And paying to increase the reach of political speech has significant ramifications that today’s democratic infrastructure may not be prepared to handle,” he tweeted. “It’s worth stepping back in order to address.”Twitter currently only allows certified campaigns and organizations to run political ads for candidates and issues. The latter tend to advocate on broader issues such as climate change, abortion rights and immigration.The company said it will make some exceptions, such as allowing ads that encourage voter turnout. It will describe those in a detailed policy it plans to release on Nov. 15.It will also still allow politicians to freely tweet their thoughts and opinions, which can then be shared and spread. Trump’s Twitter feed in particular is known for his often bombastic and controversial tweets that are shared widely.Matt Shupe, a Republican political strategist whose public relations firm has won awards for its use of ads on Facebook, called Twitter’s decision “incredibly dumb.” He said there’s no reason to eliminate all political advertising just to stop the relatively small number of bogus or misleading ads.“You can’t abolish television advertising because cigarette makers bought ads once,” he said.The decision will hurt political challengers the most, Shupe said, as they don’t have the name recognition or wide reach of incumbents and need ads to get their message out.“If you’re a challenger, advertising allows you to make up that difference,” he said. “It’s very hard to organically grow an audience for a state assemblyman campaign.”Ethan Porter, a professor of media and public affairs at George Washington University, echoed the concerns and called Twitter’s decision disappointing. He said it will deprive voters of one way to learn about those standing for election.“That loss of information about candidates in an election — I don’t think that should be taken lightly,” he said. “Voters should know who the candidates in an election are and twitter is an important platform.”Twitter said in June that political figures and world leaders who tweet abusive or threatening messages might get slapped with a warning label, but the tweets would remain on the site. Twitter has not yet used this warning label.Federal campaigns are expected to spend the majority of advertising dollars on broadcast and cable channels during the 2020 election, according to advertising research firm Kantar, and about 20% of the total $6 billion in spending on digital ads.Twitter’s policy will start on Nov. 22.___AP reporters David Klepper in Providence, Rhode Island, Amanda Seitz in Chicago, Will Weissert in Washington, Mae Anderson in Atlanta and Tali Arbel in New York contributed to this article. | 97053a5fd0beb399 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/18/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html | Romney tries to dislodge Obama from attack | 2012-07-18 | Presidential Elections, Elections | Story highlights Obama campaign hammers Romney on tax information , business record
New ads from the presidential campaigns encapsulate where the race stands , with President Barack Obama 's camp continuing its assault on his challenger over his business record and refusal to share tax records and Mitt Romney trying to make allegations of cronyism knock the incumbent off the assault .
A new Romney TV commercial advances the campaign 's latest attack strategy , accusing Obama 's administration of sending taxpayer dollars to failed energy companies whose owners contributed to his campaign .
`` Where did all the Obama stimulus money go ? '' the ad 's narrator asks against a backdrop of burning cash . `` Friends . Donors . Campaign supporters . Special interest groups . ''
The commercial specifically points to Solyndra , an energy company that went bankrupt after receiving a $ 535 million grant from the government under an Obama administration loan guarantee program for green technology manufacturers . It also highlights Fisker Automotive , another recipient of the loan program that announced major layoffs this year .
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JUST WATCHED Romney vs. Obama over business comments Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Romney vs. Obama over business comments 06:19
JUST WATCHED Campaigns turn to mud slinging Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Campaigns turn to mud slinging 02:38
The ad ends with 2010 footage of Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York announcing at a news conference that `` 79 % of the $ 2.1 billion in stimulus grants awarded through it went to overseas companies . ''
In a statement accompanying the ad , Romney 's campaign said Obama has `` showered his friends with stimulus funds '' and raised the question , `` If we ca n't trust him with our money , why should we trust him for another four years ? ''
Obama campaign spokesman Lis Smith said Romney has `` joined his surrogates and allies in launching over-the-top attacks that independent fact-checkers and news organizations have said are 'flat out false , ' 'wrong ' and use 'weasel words . ' The truth is that President Obama 's investments in clean energy -- along with the loan guarantee program established under the Bush administration that Romney now attacks -- have supported nearly 225,000 jobs in the clean energy sector and have helped bring our dependence on foreign oil to a 16-year low . ''
The Obama campaign says the new attacks are simply trying to distract voters from increased attention to Romney 's business record and financial portfolio .
And there 's no letup in Obama 's full assault on Romney over his tenure at Bain Capital , the private equity firm he co-founded , and over Romney 's commitment to release only two years of tax returns .
Democrats have seized upon reports that Romney remained CEO of Bain Capital after January 1999 , when he has repeatedly said he left to head the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics . At the heart of the debate are companies that were acquired by Bain after 1999 , which in some cases resulted in jobs being outsourced to countries with low labor costs . The Obama campaign and a pro-Obama super PAC have hammered Romney in ads for months , labeling him an outsourcer .
The Obama campaign put out a man-on-the-street-style Web video Wednesday that makes fun of Romney 's complex statements explaining that he did n't have any responsibility with Bain after January 1999 , even though he was listed as chairman and CEO in financial documents .
`` That sounds very suspicious , '' a woman says in the video . `` If you 're a person in charge of a business , then you should take full responsibility for your actions . ''
The Romney campaign touts that two nonpartisan fact-checkers have poked holes in the `` outsourcer '' claims . It also cites national and state polling to say that the attacks have not seriously hurt Romney . But the Obama campaign obviously sees a vulnerability there and continues its Bain and tax return attacks .
Romney continues to hear from some fellow Republicans that he should rethink his position on tax returns . Former Republican presidential candidate and Texas Gov . Rick Perry reaffirmed his position Tuesday that candidates should be forthcoming with their tax documentation , finding himself again at odds with Romney .
Perry first called on Romney to release his tax returns this year in the GOP primaries , and in late January , Romney released his records for 2010 and an estimate of his liability for tax year 2011 . He says he 'll release his 2011 returns when they are complete . He filed an extension with the Internal Revenue Service , meaning he may not submit his returns until the October filing deadline .
Perry becomes the latest high-profile Republican to call on Romney to be more transparent or to say he would be more transparent in Romney 's position . Others include GOP presidential candidate and congressman Ron Paul , former Mississippi Gov . Haley Barbour , The Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol , conservative writer George Will and Matthew Dowd , a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush . The conservative National Review also made the case Tuesday .
Romney has repeatedly said that he does not intend to release additional years of tax returns . He said Tuesday that Democrats would use the records to `` distort '' him
Romney holds a town hall in Bowling Green , Ohio , on Wednesday , two days after the president campaigned in Cincinnati . Ohio is a crucial swing state , and both campaigns are fighting furiously for its 18 electoral votes .
Joining Romney in Ohio on Wednesday are Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal , who 's thought to be on the running mate short list , and former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush , whose name has also come up as a possible vice presidential pick .
There 's speculation that Romney could announce his running mate Thursday . Sen . Rob Portman , whose name is often mentioned , is from Ohio . And since the state is so crucial to the outcome of the election , the conventional wisdom is that it 's smart to name a running mate there . Sen. John McCain of Arizona , the 2008 GOP presidential nominee , introduced Alaska Gov . Sarah Palin as his running mate at an event in Dayton , Ohio .
But while there 's some speculation an announcement will come this week ( Romney also holds an event Friday in New Hampshire , another battleground state ) , the conventional wisdom is that he 'll wait until after an overseas trip and after the Summer Olympic Games conclude on August 12 , just two weeks from the start of the Republican National Convention in Tampa , Florida .
Romney 's visit to Ohio comes one day before Vice President Joe Biden stumps there
CNN and most other news organizations consider the race for Ohio a tossup . Another sign of how important the state is : More than $ 22 million has been spent by the campaigns and independent groups to run TV commercials on broadcast TV in Ohio since the start of the general election campaign in mid-April . That 's according to data from Kantar Media/Campaign Media Analysis Group , which tracks political ad spending on broadcast and national cable TV . | ffedce308c29d4fe | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | New York Times - News | http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/05/wall-street-journal-strongly-criticizes-romney-campaign/ | Wall Street Journal Strongly Criticizes Romney Campaign | 2012-07-05 | elections | The Wall Street Journal opinion page on Thursday gave voice to conservative hand-wringing that Mitt Romney ’ s campaign against President Obama is not living up to expectations .
In a sharply worded editorial posted online Wednesday evening , The Journal wrote that Mr. Romney ’ s Boston-based campaign staff is “ slowly squandering an historic opportunity ” to defeat an incumbent president weakened by a slumping economy .
“ Mr . Obama is being hurt by an economic recovery that is weakening for the third time in three years , ” the paper wrote . “ But Mr. Romney hasn ’ t been able to take advantage , and if anything he is losing ground . ”
The paper expressed concerns about the campaign ’ s overall strategy , saying Mr. Romney , the presumptive Republican nominee , responded to attacks on his wealth by “ vacationing this week at his lake-side home with a jet-ski cameo. ” And it said that the campaign has failed to respond effectively to attacks on Mr. Romney ’ s time at Bain Capital .
“ Team Obama is now opening up a new assault on Mr. Romney as a job outsourcer with foreign bank accounts , and if the Boston boys let that one go unanswered , they ought to be fired for malpractice , ” the paper said .
The editorial follows several days of nervous commentary from conservatives — including the paper ’ s owner , Rupert Murdoch — suggesting that Mr. Romney ’ s team of campaign aides is not up to the task of challenging Mr. Obama ’ s campaign .
“ Met Romney last week , ” Mr. Murdoch wrote on Twitter last week . “ Tough O Chicago pros will be hard to beat unless he drops old friends from team and hires some real pros . Doubtful . ”
Eric Fehrnstrom , a senior adviser to Mr. Romney , said on Thursday that the campaign was “ very happy with the team that we have ” and that “ we like the way things are right now . ”
But The Journal ’ s editorial criticized Mr. Fehrnstrom ’ s comments earlier this week that Mr. Romney believes Mr. Obama ’ s health care mandate is a penalty , not a tax . The paper said those comments amounted to “ tax absolution ” for the president and “ has made it that much harder for Republicans to again turn ObamaCare into the winning issue it was in 2010 . ”
The paper said Mr. Romney ’ s decision on Wednesday to declare the mandate a tax did little to offer Republicans hope .
“ He offered no elaboration , and so the campaign looks confused in addition to being politically dumb , ” the paper said . | 4GQP4rftio0Ch0Pj | 0 | Presidential Elections | -0.8 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-says-he-wont-be-part-of-witness-deal-reportedly-being-eyed-by-some-dems | Biden says he won’t be part of witness deal some Democrats reportedly eyeing | impeachment | Joe Biden , the 2020 Democratic presidential frontrunner , said Wednesday he wants `` no part '' of a witness swap reportedly being discussed by some members of his own party .
Under the hypothetical deal , Democrats would reportedly offer up Biden or his son Hunter Biden to testify at President Trump 's Senate impeachment trial in return for testimony from a Republican figure , such as ex-national security adviser John Bolton .
The Washington Post quoted the former vice president admitting that it was `` not an irrational question '' but said Trump 's trial was a `` constitutional issue . '' He said he does not want to see the trial turn into a `` farce or some kind of political theater . ''
MOLLIE HEMINGWAY : BIDEN WANTS NO PART OF WITNESS SWAP BECAUSE HE 'S 'IMPLICATED '
Biden , while campaigning in Iowa , denied that talks of a witness swap were taking place . When told by a Post reporter that the topic was being discussed , he responded , `` No they 're not , '' the paper reported .
A witness swap that would result in Hunter Biden and Bolton testifying would be the most dramatic development in the trial thus far . At the heart of the impeachment trial is Trump 's July 25 , 2019 call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky . Trump said the call was focused on corruption in Kiev and raised Biden as an example .
Hunter 's position on the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma while his father was vice president has been a rallying point for Republicans as they try to defend Trump against impeachment charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Democrats see Bolton as a potential witness who could provide first-hand testimony linking Trump 's decision to withhold U.S. aid from Ukraine directly to the country 's willingness to investigate the Bidens .
Fiona Hill , a former top White House expert on Russia , testified in November that Bolton shared her concern about what she saw as a push to get Ukraine to conduct the investigations .
She testified in front of the House Intelligence Committee and recalled Bolton expressing his own concerns about the push and told her to tell National Security Council lawyer John Eisenberg that he does not want to be a part of this `` drug deal . ''
`` He was saying that sarcastically , of course , I mean , just to be clear . Actually , he was angry , but he was also sarcastic . I mean — he wasn ’ t inferring that they were cooking up an actual drug deal in the War Room , '' she said .
Trump and Zelensky have both denied any quid pro quo . Trump called the entire impeachment process a political witch hunt . There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son .
The Post reported that some of the Democrats taking part in the discussion about a potential witness swap believe Biden could actually benefit politically from testifying because it would give him a chance to deliver a statesmanlike performance .
Both Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have spoken out against the potential of a witness swap . | j79xdkGTXh4XVMGc | 2 | Impeachment | -0.3 | Joe Biden | -0.2 | Hunter Biden | -0.1 | John Bolton | 0 | Politics | 0 | |
elections | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/290655-clinton-building-tech-edge-on-trump | Clinton building tech edge on Trump AddThis Sharing Buttons402 | 2016-08-08 | elections | Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonGiuliani consulted with Manafort on Ukraine info : report California political donor indicted for 2 overdose deaths at his home Sanders heart procedures shines spotlight on age of top Democrats MORE 's campaign expects to have a significant technological advantage over Donald Trump Donald John TrumpSessions says he still supports Trump despite ouster as AG House Republicans voice concerns about White House 's impeachment messaging Giuliani consulted with Manafort on Ukraine info : report MORE in targeting voters and luring them to the polls .
It ’ s an edge the Clinton campaign hopes it can use to find and then win over centrists and Republican voters as the Democratic nominee looks to build an edge on Trump , her Republican counterpart .
Top Democrats familiar with Clinton ’ s campaign say her sophisticated voter mining operation will build upon President Obama 's operation .
“ It ’ s the nerve center of the campaign , ” said one Democrat with knowledge of the operation . “ And a key source in decision making . ”
Another former top Obama aide took it a step further , adding that Clinton ’ s analytics team “ will be the reason Clinton wins in November . There ’ s nothing like it out there . ”
Four years ago , the Obama operation nearly perfected a system of identifying Democratic voters on a district-by-district level .
Put simply , the Obama operation knew where the Democratic voters were in every city and town and knew how many it needed to deliver to get Obama over the top in swing states such as Virginia , Ohio and Florida .
The focus and fingerprints of the Clinton analytics team — led by Elan Kriegel , who served as the battleground states analytics director for Obama for America — is clear in just about every nook and cranny in Clinton ’ s Brooklyn headquarters .
The data mining collected by the analytics team is used for message development , fundraising , digital campaigning and decisions on which media markets to play in .
It also helps Team Clinton decide where and whether to put staffers on the ground .
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook and top aides are said to depend on it for nearly every move they make .
Trump at times has dismissed technology ’ s role in the presidential race . Nonetheless , his allies pushed back at the sense that their campaign will have a data disadvantage to Clinton ’ s .
“ The Trump campaign ’ s definitely using targeted universes and deploying those across ” different areas of his operation , a source familiar with the Trump campaign said
Trump ’ s digital team takes up an entire floor of a San Antonio office building , the source said , and it has a “ considerable ” targeting operation .
The San Antonio Business Journal reported earlier this year that the Texas agency working on Trump 's campaign was hiring a significant number of employees in anticipation of the general election . At the time , the outlet reported that the company would bring on data scientists as part of the push .
Each presidential cycle in recent history has provided major evolutionary leaps in campaign innovation , say those who follow the analytics trends .
In 2004 , the focus was on getting voters to host house parties and other more deliberate grassroots movement building .
In 2008 , the focus was social media engagement and email .
Democratic strategist Lynda Tran said data analytics will again shape the race in 2016 and that the Clinton campaign will be at its forefront .
She said improvements the Clinton team is building to its system include the use of better SMS-based tools like Hustle , which lets staffers manage a large volume of personalized text message conversations with supporters and was effectively deployed by organizers for Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders2020 Democrats push for gun control action at forum Sanders heart procedures shines spotlight on age of top Democrats Sanders uses health scare to promote 'Medicare for All ' MORE 's ( I-Vt. ) primary campaign against Clinton .
The Clinton campaign is using data mining efforts not only to seek out Democratic voters , but also to go after Republicans .
Several high-profile Republicans have already defected to Clinton , and her campaign and its Democratic allies believe they can win more centrist Republicans to their sides — if they can locate them and then communicate .
“ When you have strong Republicans like Hank Paulson and Meg Whitman not only declaring their opposition to the Republican nominee but making clear they consider him to be dangerous for America and committing to vote for Hillary Clinton , it certainly suggests that other Republican voters could be similarly inclined — and similarly convinced , ” said Tran , referring to the former Treasury secretary under President George W. Bush and a top GOP fundraiser , respectively .
“ And given how high Donald Trump 's unfavorables are with women voters , both Republican and Democrat , there is clearly an opportunity to make gains among those voters as well , ” she said .
Sasha Issenberg , the author of the book “ The Victory Lab : The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns , ” which details how analytics have changed the way political campaigns are run , said you can gleam what the Clinton tech side is up to based on their advertisements .
On Friday , the campaign began airing an add filled with Republican voices criticizing Trump . It is clearly aimed at convincing GOP voters to break ranks and vote for Clinton .
“ I find it hard to believe they would be orienting so much of their public communication towards the types of themes that should resonate with moderate Republicans and right-leaning independents if analytics were n't showing a significant slice of the electorate there that was persuadable , ” Issenberg said .
After losing to Obama in 2012 , officials at the Republican National Committee say they set up a similar in-house data apparatus with the intention of having it be used by their nominee .
“ No other campaign committee or organization has been doing this prior to the campaign , ” one RNC official said , adding that they ’ ve been working on it 1,000 days before the campaign actually started .
But even Republicans familiar with analytics and data mining acknowledge that Team Clinton , with its foundation starting from the Obama era , may have the edge here .
“ They 've been building this operation for over a year all throughout the primaries and presumably what that ’ s been able to do is attract top talent from Silicon Valley and other places , ” said Patrick Ruffini , the former RNC digital director and co-founder of GOP analytics firm Echelon Insights . | rrvsnakj9HYqlt59 | 1 | Hillary Clinton | 1.4 | Presidential Elections | -0.4 | Elections | -0.4 | null | null | null | null |
israel | Politico | http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/03/benjamin-netanyahu-winston-churchill-complex-115864.html?hp=t1_r#.VPyDt1PF_Zk | Netanyahu’s Churchill Complex | 2015-03-08 | israel | Ari Shavit is an Israeli columnist for Haaretz and the author of My Promised Land : The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel ( 2013 ) .
Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the most talented men I know . Even when I first met him—19 years ago—I was struck by the gap between his image ( a shallow , arrogant salesman with a penchant for the good life ) and his essence ( intelligent , profound , possessing an admirable historical understanding and an uncommon sense of purpose ) . Over the years , I learned more about Netanyahu ’ s human foibles ( deep-seated suspiciousness , emotional miserliness , vindictiveness ) and about his problematic behavioral patterns ( a tendency to buckle under pressure , a lack of consistency , disloyalty ) . Still , these flaws did not change my mind . Netanyahu is a serious statesman , with an extraordinary comprehension and uncanny foresight . He is neither cynical , nor corrupt , nor facile . And he is certainly not stupid . Even though Netanyahu is haunted by many demons , he has an ( unrealized ) potential for greatness .
The story that Netanyahu has been telling himself for three decades is a Churchillian story . Because he is very ambitious , he is not content with the formidable role of Israeli prime minister , and he has cast himself in a much more spectacular one , as savior of the West . According to his worldview , Iran is the Nazi Germany of the 21st century , Israel is the Great Britain of the 21st century , and he himself is the voice in the wilderness . Because Netanyahu ’ s brand of Zionism has always had at its center non-Jewish philo-Zionists—most of them British , most of them conservative , most of them imperialists—he feels a special kinship with the 19th-century-born leader who sensed the threat endangering the world in the 1930s and helped to save the world in the 1940s . During the second half of his adult life , Netanyahu has been acting like a Churchill wannabe . He thinks that Israel is too small a state for his world stature and Israelis are too small a people , and he has been engaged in a time-bending private dialogue with the man whose wisdom and courage and rhetorical prowess enabled him to vanquish the most dangerous antichrist of the modern era—Adolf Hitler .
People who know him well can attest to the fact that Netanyahu ’ s Churchill complex is deep , obsessive and multidimensional . As far back as 1993 , in an op-ed in the New York Times written in opposition to the Oslo Accords , Netanyahu compared the ambitions of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for peace with the Palestinians to Neville Chamberlain ’ s delusions of “ peace in our time ” with Hitler . Today , Netanyahu views a nuclear deal with Iran in the same light .
Because of this complex , Netanyahu scorns Democratic politicians and liberal intellectuals whom he sees as weaklings . Because of this complex , he is not really a civil leader who truly cares for the welfare of his citizens . He is unconcerned by social justice , human rights and the rule of law . As he sees it , his story and the story of his nation and the story of the West in the 21st century is the story of a mighty struggle between clashing cultures . Ayatollah Khomeini ’ s Iranians are evil , President Barack Obama ’ s Americans are weak , and he is the man entrusted with the historic mission of averting the most colossal catastrophe the world has seen since Auschwitz . That ’ s why when Netanyahu took office in April 2009 , he defined the Churchillian mission with which he was charged : Iran , Iran , Iran . To prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear arms , to prevent Iran from regional hegemony , to prevent Iran from annihilating the Jews .
Netanyahu is a very focused man . His military training in an elite unit of the Israeli Army made him into a warrior who does not waver , who marshals enormous forces to complete his mission . In 2009-10 , Netanyahu employed these unique capabilities to turn himself into the Churchill of the 21st century . He maneuvered the Iranian nuclear threat to the top of the international community ’ s agenda . He invested massive resources to build an Israeli military option against Iran . And he made sophisticated diplomatic use of this military option : In 2011-12 , largely because of the fear that Netanyahu would attack Iran , the United States adopted a tough policy vis-a-vis Tehran ( a resolute rhetoric , punitive sanctions , a military threat ) . To this day , it is unclear whether Netanyahu seriously considered attacking or was only playing audacious strategic poker . What is clear is that , up to a point , Netanyahu succeeded in doing what his hero had done : standing up to a totalitarian rival and enlisting the help of the American superpower . | xWubekySiRXQ0SUg | 0 | World | -0.3 | Israel | 0.2 | Benjamin Netanyahu | 0.2 | null | null | null | null |
world | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/world/mh370-plane-debris-what-next/index.html | MH370: If debris is part of missing plane, what's next? | 2015-07-31 | Australia, World | ( CNN ) If confirmed to be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 , could a small portion of plane wing discovered on an Indian Ocean island be the clue investigators need to unlock one of aviation 's biggest mysteries ?
On the surface , the discovery on a Reunion Island beach is just what investigators have been waiting for -- the first physical piece of evidence since the flight vanished en route to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people aboard .
According to a source close to the investigation , Boeing investigators are confident the debris comes from a 777 aircraft -- although no one is yet saying the part came from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 .
`` It 's only a very small part of the aircraft , but it could be a very important piece of evidence , '' Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said Friday
Because Reunion Island is a French territory , the debris has been flown to France , where aviation safety bureau the BEA has taken responsibility for its testing and analysis .
The flaperon arrived in Toulouse over the weekend , but the fact that so many different countries and groups are involved in the search for the missing flight has complicated and delayed the situation somewhat .
Aviation experts are not expected to begin examining the part until Wednesday , and it is unclear how long their analysis will take .
Teams from each of the nations taking part in the search are expected to attend . Malaysia Airlines is sending investigators to France and a second team to Reunion , an airline official said .
Mary Schiavo , a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation , said those involved would be careful to make sure all tests were carried out scientifically , and completely by the book .
She said that while `` everyone knows that it most likely is from MH370 , '' investigators do not want to jump to conclusions .
`` They 're going to do a lot of analysis on the part , everything from X-rays to sonograms , '' Schiavo said . `` Then when they finally cut it open ( looking for serial numbers and part numbers ) , it has to be filmed , all the parties to the investigation -- there are seven nations in this investigation -- they all need to be present . ''
David Gallo , of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution , agreed : `` That 's the way the BEA -- the French version of the NTSB -- works ; they will be very careful about what they say and do n't say .
`` It 's going to be scientific . It 's a piece of evidence in a criminal investigation at this point , so they 're going to take it apart bit by bit . ''
Planes are stamped with serial numbers to allow parts to be identified and matched to a specific model and aircraft .
A source close to the investigation said Boeing investigators feel confident the piece comes from a 777 , based on photos that have been analyzed , and a stenciled number that corresponds to a 777 component .
Another source told CNN 's Rene Marsh that Boeing engineers have seen a part number in photos . A parts supplier confirmed 10-60754-1133 is a part number on a seal associated with 777s .
Images of the debris also appear to match schematic drawings for the right-wing flaperon from a Boeing 777 . A flaperon helps the pilot control the aircraft .
`` If the part numbers that are stamped on the pieces of the plane still survive , it literally could be a phone call to Boeing or the parts indices to see if it belongs to a 777 . And if it belongs to a 777 , it is MH370 , '' said Schiavo .
Of the five accidents involving Boeing 777s , MH370 is the only one in which debris has n't been recovered , Schiavo said .
If the identifying numbers are missing , more tests will need to be conducted on the part to determine its origin .
A French laboratory that the BEA could use has the capacity to `` identify very quickly '' which plane the debris belongs to , and what happened to it , a source close to the French investigation said .
Australian investigators , heavily involved for some time in the search , said they are looking at the barnacles attached to the discovered part that could allow marine biologists to tell how long it has been floating .
Truss said that he understood `` the photographs that are available are of such detail that it may be possible to make an identification without further physical examination . ''
Through the French laboratory near Toulouse , `` engineers would be able to identify quickly whether the plane exploded in the air or whether it broke when hitting the water , '' the source close to the French investigation said .
Images of the component appear to show a small amount of damage to the front of the flaperon and a ragged horizontal tear across the back .
One group of independent observers has said that the damage to the flaperon should give authorities a good indication that the piece came off while the plane was still in the air .
The rear damage could have been caused if the airliner had its flaperon down as it went into the ocean , some members of the group , led by American Mobile Satellite Corp. co-founder Mike Exner , wrote in a preliminary assessment .
JUST WATCHED # MH370Qs : Experts answer your questions Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH # MH370Qs : Experts answer your questions 04:38
But the lack of damage to the front makes it more likely the plane was in a high-speed , steep , spiral descent and the part fluttered until it broke off , the group said .
If the flaperon were still on the wing when the plane hit water , the front would have been damaged by hitting the part of the wing to which it was attached , the group says .
`` It really is not going to tell us too much about the final moments of the aircraft , '' said Geoffrey Thomas from AirlineRatings.com
However , Tom Ballantyne of Orient Aviation magazine said the condition of debris could indicate if the plane met a catastrophic end . Charring , for example , could indicate an explosion , he said .
Sciavo said investigators would be on the look out for tell-tale signs of what caused the crash : `` It 's possible to find positive evidence of a criminal act , or , of course they could find the absence of that .
`` If they find characteristic pitting in the wing structure , in the metal or the composite , that indicates there was some sort of explosive device , or if they find residue , which is not likely ( after ) this long in he ocean , '' she said .
`` But they 'll probably not be able to tell why the plane went down -- only that it did , and the manner in which it did . ''
To learn more , the flight data recorders -- or so-called black boxes -- will be crucial .
If it is from MH370 , will the main search area move ?
Truss told a press conference Friday that the discovery of the debris in Reunion was `` consistent with some of the modeling we 've done . ''
`` We remain confident that we 're searching in the right place , '' he said .
He said authorities would `` continue to concentrate our efforts on seeking to locate the aircraft in the identified area . ''
The current search is focused deep in the ocean off Western Australia , along an arc considered by investigators to be the most likely area the plane went down if it turned back toward Malaysia , as indicated by data , and stayed in the air before running out of fuel .
The southern end of the search area was the main focus , Truss said , but during the winter months weather conditions at that latitude were poor .
Once that search was completed , he said , searchers would focus efforts on a second identified area of interest .
If it 's part of the plane , is it more likely the main section will be found ?
Truss said that if the flaperon is proven to be from MH370 , its discovery did not `` provide a great deal of help in specifically identifying where the aircraft is . ''
If confirmed , however , the find is likely to give investigators further belief that other pieces of the plane have been carried by currents to the same region .
Thomas said , if anything , the location of the potential debris confirms modeling from the University of Western Australia that showed material from the plane could wash up around Reunion between 12 to 24 months after the plane 's disappearance .
Despite the modeling , no one had been searching in that area , he said , because of the vast nature of the Indian Ocean and the multitude of factors that meant finding anything would be matter of luck and time .
`` It was a matter of waiting for something to wash up , '' he said .
However , Truss said , a positive identification with MH370 would rule out the some of the more left-field theories that the aircraft was `` secretly parked in some hidden place '' on land . | c552e4c8e107bbf6 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/30/house-passes-bill-cancel-diversity-visa-lottery/ | House passes bill to cancel diversity visa lottery | 2012-11-30 | immigration | The House voted Friday to cancel the annual diversity visa lottery and give those immigration visas to high-tech foreign-born who earn advanced degrees from American universities , as Republicans powered through their chamber the first major immigration bill since the election .
The 245-139 vote was a test of the GOP ’ s plan to tackle immigration piecemeal , and while the bill passed , the strong opposition from Democrats suggests that Republicans ’ strategy will face difficult hurdles .
And while the chief selling point of the bill was to boost green cards given to science , technology , engineering and technology students , the bigger fight came over Republicans ’ plans to cancel the diversity visa lottery , which the GOP argues is rife with fraud .
“ We want to put to the head of the line the people who , every single one of them that comes , net creates jobs , ” said Rep. Darrell Issa , California Republican , who managed the bill on the House floor .
Democrats , though , objected to making immigration a zero-sum equation , where any new visas would have to come at the expense of existing lines of immigration .
“ I can ’ t support a bill that pits immigrant communities against each other , ” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren , the ranking Democrat on the House immigration subcommittee .
She also said that it ’ s not a one-to-one exchange , and immigration would actually decrease under the GOP bill .
While all 55,000 diversity visas are used every year , she said statistics from the National Science Foundation show that there are only about 30,000 students a year who would even qualify .
After Hispanics were credited with helping boost President Obama in this year ’ s elections , both parties have been eager to find ways to tackle immigration .
Democrats say they want to pass a broad bill that legalizes most illegal immigrants and rewrites the legal immigration system , while House Speaker John A. Boehner has said his chamber will go piece-by-piece .
Both Republicans and Democrats agree more should be done to keep desirable would-be immigrants , such as those earning advanced degrees , here in the U.S . But they disagree over whether to do that as a stand-alone , or what should be coupled with it .
In the case of this week ’ s bill , it eliminates the diversity visa lottery — a long-time target of some Republicans , who say it invites fraud and could be a national security risk .
The lottery doles out immigration visas based on chance , with the goal of giving those in lesser-represented countries a chance to earn a spot . Every year , millions of would-be immigrants apply for the 55,000 slots .
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith , who wrote the legislation , said the visa lottery invites fraud .
In an effort to sweeten the bill for Democrats , he included a provision that would allow legal immigrants to let their family members , who are also seeking green cards , to wait in the U.S. with them , rather than have to wait in their home countries . | Ljk54CpJHwr3hEGG | 2 | Immigration | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
impeachment | The Daily Wire | https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-it-house-subpoenas-rudy-giuliani-heres-the-letter | READ IT: Democrats Subpoena Rudy Giuliani; Here’s The Letter | impeachment | On Monday , the Democrat-led House Intelligence Committee subpoenaed President Trump ’ s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani as part of the Democrats ’ impeachment inquiry into Trump ’ s alleged attempt to “ pressure ” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “ interfere ” in the 2020 election by investigating former Vice President and current Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden and his son , Hunter Biden .
In a letter signed by House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff ( D-CA ) , House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot Engel ( D-NY ) , and House Oversight Committee Chair Elijah Cummings ( D-MD ) , and posted on the House Oversight Committee ’ s official website Monday , Giuliani is ordered to produce information by Oct. 15 related the Democrats ’ Ukraine investigation .
“ Pursuant to the House of Representatives ’ impeachment inquiry , we are hereby transmitting a subpoena that compels you to produce the documents set fort in the in the accompanying schedule by October 15 , 2019 , ” the letter begins .
“ This subpoena is being issued by the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under the Rules of the House of Representatives in exercise of its oversight and legislative jurisdiction and after consultation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Oversight and Reform , ” it continues . “ The subpoenaed documents shall be collected as part of the House ’ s impeachment inquiry and shared among the Committees , as well as with the Committee on the Judiciary as appropriate . Your failure or refusal to comply with the subpoena , including at the direction or behest of the President or the White House , shall constitute evidence of obstruction of the House ’ s impeachment inquiry and may be used as an adverse inference against you and the President . ”
“ The Committees are investigating the extent to which President Trump jeopardized national security by pressing Ukraine to interfere with our 2020 election and by withholding security assistance provided by Congress to help Ukraine counter Russian aggression , as well as any efforts to cover up these matters , ” the letter continues , with increasingly loaded language .
“ Our inquiry includes an investigation of credible allegations that you acted as an agent of the President in a scheme to advance his personal political interests by abusing the power of the Office of the President . A growing public record , including your own statements , indicate that the President , you , and others appear to have pressed the Ukrainian government to pursue two politically -motivated investigations . The first is a prosecution of Ukrainians who provided evidence against Mr. Trump ’ s convicted campaign chairman , Paul Manafort . The second relates to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. , who is challenging President Trump for the presidency in 2020 .
“ For example , on September 19 , 2019 , you admitted on national television that you personally asked the government of Ukraine to target Vice President Biden . During an interview on CNN , Chris Cuomo asked you , ‘ Sir , you did ask Ukraine to look into Joe Biden ? ’ You responded , ‘ Of course I did. ’ In addition to this stark admission , you stated more recently that you are in possession of evidence—in the form of text messages , phone records , and other communications—indicating that you were not acting along and that other Trump Administration officials may have been involved in this scheme . The subpoena requires you to produce all of those communications , and other related documents , to the Commmittees in order to determine the full extent of this effort by the President and his Administration to press Ukraine to interfere in our 2020 presidential election . ”
The letter concludes by ordering Giuliani to contact staff for the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence “ to arrange for the production of documents . ”
Though Democrats are accusing Trump of trying to “ cover up ” his July 25 call to his Ukrainian counterpart , which Trump has repeatedly defended as a “ perfect ” call , Trump authorized release of the transcript of the call last week . In the call , Trump asked Zelensky to “ look into ” the alleged corruption scandal involving the Ukraine-based company Burisma Holdings that hired Hunter Biden just weeks after his father was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to oversee Ukraine-U.S. relations . Biden eventually used the threat of withholding $ 1 billion in aid to Ukraine to force the removal of the country ’ s top prosecutor , who had been investigating Burisma for alleged corruption .
“ I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good and he was shut down , and that ’ s really unfair , ” Trump told Zelensky , according to the transcript of the call . “ A lot of people are talking about that , the way they shut your very good prosecutor down and you had some very bad people involved . Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man . He was the mayor of New York City , a great mayor , and I would like him to call you . I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General . Rudy very much knows what ’ s happening and he is a very capable guy . If you could speak to him that would be great . The former ambassador from the United States , the woman , was bad news so I just want to let you know that . The other thing , There ’ s a lot of talk about Biden ’ s son , that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great . Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution , so if you can look into it … It sounds horrible to me . ”
Related : Ukraine Reportedly Had No Idea About Trump Withholding $ 391 Million Until Month After Call | aiBLjmAI9Xleigdn | 2 | Impeachment | -0.5 | White House | -0.5 | Democratic Party | -0.3 | Politics | 0 | Congress | 0 | |
gun_control_and_gun_rights | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/16/politics/guns-congress/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Obama-backed gun bills considered a long shot in Congress | 2013-01-16 | Gun Control And Gun Rights, Barack Obama, US Congress | Story highlights Obama 's proposed assault weapon ban is n't likely to survive the House , analyst says
Vulnerable Democrats may not support legislation in the Senate , either
But supporters say December 's killings in Connecticut changed the equation
Despite supporters ' hopes that this time it 's different , President Barack Obama 's new call for restricting some semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines will face deeply entrenched resistance in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and could be a long shot even in the Democratic-led Senate .
Any gun legislation sent to the House `` is going to have to pass with most Democrats and a few Republicans , '' said Nathan Gonzales , deputy editor of the Rothenberg Political Report . `` This would be an even more high-profile bill . ''
And Obama 's call for Congress to reinstate the federal ban on military-style rifles that expired in 2004 `` is a further reach than some of the other proposals that are being tossed around , '' Gonzales said .
`` There is no way that it is going to pass with a majority of Republican support , '' he said . `` That is just the reality of the situation . It is going to take virtually all the Democrats , and all the Democrats wo n't vote for that . ''
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Obama and Vice President Joe Biden laid out a package of measures aimed at reducing gun violence Wednesday , just over a month after the December massacre at a Connecticut elementary school . The killings of 26 people there followed a July rampage in a movie theater in Aurora , Colorado , that left 12 dead and the August attack on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin that killed another six .
`` The world has changed , and it 's demanding action , '' said Biden , who led a White House task force on gun violence after the Connecticut slayings .
But before the announcement , local officials in at least three states vowed to resist any new gun controls . And Second Amendment fans have poured out their vituperation online , some floridly warning of a power grab by the Obama administration .
Texas state Rep. Steve Toth told CNN on Wednesday that he 'll introduce legislation that would make it illegal to enforce a federal gun ban .
`` We 're going to do everything we can to call people back to the belief and the understanding that we 're a constitutional republic and that our rights do not come from Congress , '' he said . `` Our rights come from God and are enumerated in the Constitution . ''
And in a video that spread virally across the Internet , the head of a Tennessee gun training and accessory company warned `` all you patriots '' to `` get ready to fight '' if the Obama administration took steps to restrict firearms .
`` I am not letting my country be ruled by a dictator . I 'm not letting anybody take my guns . If it goes one inch further , I 'm gon na start killing people , '' Tactical Response CEO James Yeager vowed . In a later video , in which he 's accompanied by his attorney , Yeager apologized `` for letting my anger get the better of me '' and cautioned viewers , `` It 's not time for any type of violent action . ''
Obama on Wednesday signed 23 orders that do n't require congressional approval that he said would stiffen background checks on gun buyers and expand safety programs in schools . And he called on Congress to restrict ammunition magazines to no more than 10 rounds and to require a background check for anyone buying a gun , whether at a store or in a private sale or gun show .
The steps that require legislative action are likely to bump up against the often-visceral opposition of lawmakers from conservative districts -- and some of their more outspoken constituents
Most Republicans in the House of Representatives have top rankings from the National Rifle Association , the powerful gun-rights lobby , which quickly criticized the White House plans .
But it 's not just Republicans : Many Democrats , particularly in the conservative South and rural West , are vocal gun-rights supporters as well .
`` Guns have been one of the key issues that more moderate Democrats have used to express their independence from the Democratic Party , and this gun talk is putting a strain on that independence , '' Gonzales said . Though they might be willing to support proposals such as a ban on large-capacity magazines , they 're unlikely to vote to ban `` an actual gun , '' he said .
`` You can just see the ads -- 'They are taking guns away ' -- where with these other items it is different , '' Gonzales said .
Even in the Senate , where Democrats control the chamber , Democratic leadership sources told CNN that passing any new legislation will be extremely difficult . More than a dozen vulnerable Democrats from conservative states will likely resist much of what the president is pushing , the sources said .
Those sources say they have no intention of putting their members in politically vulnerable position on a gun measure unless they are sure it can reach the president 's desk . That means not only getting enough red-state Democrats on board , but getting enough Republicans to break a possible GOP filibuster .
But Rep. Carolyn McCarthy , D-New York , said the tide appears to have shifted in favor of gun control after the Connecticut killings .
CNN/Time magazine/ORC International poll released Wednesday found 55 % of Americans generally favor stricter gun control laws , with 56 % saying that it 's currently too easy to buy guns in this country -- but only 39 % say that stricter gun controls would reduce gun violence all by themselves .
McCarthy said Senate approval `` might even give some members of Congress the spine to do the right thing . ''
`` You know , the NRA is not in line with an awful lot of their members , and that is something we 're counting on to go forward , '' said McCarthy , whose husband was among the six killed when a deranged gunman opened fire on a Long Island commuter train in 1993
December 's killings have `` gone to the heart of every mother , father , grandparent thinking about their children , grandchildren . We have to do something , '' she added . | a46137f2380eb5f5 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/house-gop-reconsiders-email-probe-scope-215119 | Benghazi panel reconsiders scope of email probe | 2015-10-23 | politics | Amid growing Democratic accusations of overreaching , especially on the matter of Hillary Clinton ’ s emails , Republicans on the House Benghazi Committee are now reconsidering how aggressively to pursue the email scandal that ’ s been dogging the Democratic front-runner .
The committee is also undecided about whether to call ex-Clinton campaign staffer Heather Samuelson , who helped screen Clinton ’ s State Department emails , according to a GOP source . Just a few weeks ago , GOP members of the panel were eager to question Samuelson , because panel sources say she was the lawyer who initially chose which of Clinton ’ s emails were work-related — and thus should be turned over to the State Department — and which would ultimately get deleted .
Now , however , Republicans are debating whether to bring her in .
“ The question becomes : Is it worth the hassle and the drama ? ” the GOP source said .
The reevaluation follows a Thursday hearing which was widely seen as a success for Clinton , while Republicans failed to strike any decisive blows . Meanwhile , Democrats amped up their claims that the entire investigation was a partisan witch hunt .
The panel ’ s mandate was to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of four Americans outside the U.S. consulate in Benghazi , Libya , in 2012 , in the waning months of Clinton ’ s tenure as secretary of state . But after the revelation that Clinton used a private email server for her State Department correspondence , Republicans on the panel began probing further into whether she had turned over all relevant emails .
Still , GOP leaders maintained that they ’ ve never focused directly on Clinton 's email setup , which is currently being investigated by the FBI , although a fired GOP committee staffer said they zeroed in on the issue after the server was discovered .
Faced with a growing barrage of Democratic accusations that they ’ re targeting Clinton for political reasons , Republicans on the panel are downplaying the email question — at least for now . After their high-profile turn in the national spotlight with Clinton ’ s Thursday testimony , the panel is headed back behind closed-doors for purely Benghazi-related interviews with officials from the White House , the Department of Defense and CIA , sources said .
Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy ( R-S.C. ) has long maintained he ’ s only interested in the emails because he wants to assemble a complete record of Clinton ’ s communications when she ran the State Department . During their investigation , Benghazi Republicans found about 15 Clinton emails that she never turned over — raising GOP suspicions that more might be missing .
But the email issue only came up briefly at the tail end of her marathon Benghazi hearing . And Republicans spent the bulk of their time pressing Clinton over the security failures at the Libyan diplomatic mission , and attacked her leadership of the State Department .
Still , even Gowdy admitted Clinton ’ s 11-hour testimony failed to produce any major new revelations . “ I don ’ t know that she testified that much different today than she has previous times , ” he told reporters after the hearing Thursday .
Republicans say Clinton ’ s testimony wasn ’ t about scoring points or catching her in a “ gotcha ” moment over the Benghazi attacks — or the emails issue , for that matter . They said they were aiming to piece together a larger mosaic around the Sept. 11 , 2012 terrorist attack that left four Americans dead .
But after a lengthy day of tense , and sometimes confrontational testimony , Democrats aren ’ t buying it .
“ I think the American people are left wondering what prompted the select committee at all ; there is not a single new ray of light shed on the tragedy that took place years ago , ” said Sen. Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) on a telephone call with reporters Friday . “ The committee Republicans badgered Hillary Clinton at every turn , they interrupted her and threw the kitchen sink at her . But despite all of the attacks Hillary was rock solid . ”
Panel Republicans and Democrats took to the TV cameras Friday to try to spin the hearing , with the left repeating their calls for the panel to disband , and the right insisting Clinton had been evasive .
Rep. Jim Jordan ( R-Ohio ) during a CNN appearance touted a series of new emails he questioned Clinton about , which show that she told her daughter , Chelsea , and the Egyptian prime minister that the attacks were pre-meditated — a statement that contrasted with what U.S . Ambassador Susan Rice would say on TV shortly after the assault .
He also defended Gowdy ’ s comment that suggested Clinton had broken no new ground in her testimony .
“ Of course she gave the same answer ; she stuck to her story , ” he said . “ That … is not that surprising . ”
Jordan , a dogged Oversight panel member with a reputation for rapid-fire questions , was the only Republican who really took Clinton to task on the email issue Thursday . During the last round of questions , he pressed Clinton on why she would say she was being “ as transparent as possible ” when it took numerous lawsuits and demands from the committee before she turned over her documents .
Clinton did not offer a direct answer for many of Jordan 's questions , including why she had given different dates for when she started using her private email and why she suggested the Secret Server protected her server .
“ Secretary Clinton , seems like there 's a pattern , pattern of changing your story , ” Jordan said . “ [ Y ] ou say one thing , the truth comes out , weeks and months later , you say something else . ”
Clinton said the panel should talk to her attorneys about those specifics .
And that was that . The committee spent less than 20 minutes on the matter in the 11 hour hearing .
Committee spokesman Jamal Ware said the panel will spend the next few weeks interviewing “ two individuals whose identities must remain secret , ” adding to more than 50 of about 70 they ’ ve already completed .
In the meantime , the committee might not say much about Clinton for a while , at least until the panel ’ s final report .
“ She ’ s an important witness , you can ’ t investigate Benghazi without talking to the secretary of state at the relevant time , but as I said this morning , she is one important witness out of 50 , ” Gowdy said shortly after the hearing ended on Thursday night . “ In terms of conclusions drawn , I don ’ t draw conclusions until the end… . We ’ ll keep going on until we ’ re able to interview all the witnesses that we think have access to relevant information . ” | OsCbdsSyIlBaEEP2 | 0 | Politics | -0.3 | Benghazi | 0.2 | Hillary Clinton | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Guest Writer - Right | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/nov/3/matt-sissel-taking-a-stand-against-obamacare/ | OPINION: Taking a stand against Obamacare | 2015-11-03 | healthcare | President Obama wants us to believe that debate about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act is over . “ It ’ s the law of the land , ” he has said .
I strongly disagree . I still believe the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional , even if you accept the Supreme Court ’ s conclusion in 2012 that Obamacare ’ s individual mandate simply imposed a “ tax on going without health care . ”
My attorneys with Pacific Legal Foundation have just asked the Supreme Court to hear my constitutional lawsuit against Obamacare . It focuses on the fact that the Origination Clause ( Article 1 , Section 7 ) requires all “ bills for raising revenue ” to begin in the House of Representatives , the chamber closest to the people . Yet Obamacare began in the Senate . Sen. Harry Reid took an unrelated House bill , gutted it , and inserted the language that became the Affordable Care Act .
Who am I , you might ask , to harbor hope of bringing down a mammoth federal program that has withstood legal assaults by state governments , major businesses and other formidable plaintiffs ?
I ’ m a self-employed artist and small-business owner , living in Washington state . I have no political involvement or ambitions .
I am also a realist . The Supreme Court accepts very few of the cases that are petitioned to it .
But I am hopeful the justices will recognize the urgent issue at stake : Will the Origination Clause — a constitutional protection against reckless and arbitrary taxation — be repealed through the back door , by Congress ignoring it and courts failing to enforce it ?
Obamacare isn ’ t just an unprecedented federal intrusion into our private lives and our personal health care decisions . It is also a voracious revenue-raising machine . All told , its scores of new taxes and fines will siphon more than $ 800 billion out of the economy over the next 10 years , according to Congress ’ s Joint Committee on Taxation . The individual mandate alone will cost $ 55 billion over that period .
The Founders knew that the taxing authority can be “ the power to destroy , ” as Chief Justice John Marshall put it . The Origination Clause was meant to make that power accountable to the people , by requiring taxes to begin in the “ people ’ s House . ”
Unfortunately , in ruling against my case , the U.S . Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit severely undermined the Origination Clause as a reliable safeguard for taxpayers against abuse of the taxing power .
The court held that judges can exempt tax legislation from the Origination Clause if they consider its primary purpose to be something other than raising revenue .
“ This vague new test would allow lawmakers and judges to ignore the Origination Clause at will , ” said Timothy Sandefur , my attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation . “ That audacious proposition ought to cause the Supreme Court serious concern . ”
It ’ s been a five-year journey for me to get to this point .
Filing suit in 2010 , I originally challenged Obamacare on Commerce Clause grounds . When the individual mandate was designated a “ tax ” by the Supreme Court , my lawsuit was amended to target the Origination Clause violation .
I am battling for my freedom — and everyone ’ s freedom — to make health care choices without government coercion , and not be subject to micromanaging mandates and taxes that were imposed unconstitutionally .
As I have pointed out from the beginning , I served with the Army National Guard in Iraq as a combat medic , eventually receiving the Bronze Star . I mention that experience because it underscores an important point : While I was proud to volunteer for military service , I object to being conscripted , now , into a command-and-control federal health care regime .
As free individuals , Americans should not be compelled to buy expensive , one-size-fits-all insurance policies concocted by federal bureaucrats . Lawmakers who can ’ t balance the government ’ s books have no business dictating to the rest of us how to budget and allocate our own money for our own health care needs .
Moreover , Congress can ’ t be allowed to ignore the Founders ’ road map for enacting taxes , because those procedures are there to protect us .
One of the things that makes America great is that an average person can carry a fight for civil rights all the way to the highest court . It ’ s daunting to be knocking on the justices ’ door , but also a privilege to be able to take a stand for health care freedom and taxpayers ’ rights — and a core constitutional safeguard for everyone ’ s liberties .
• Matt Sissel is the plaintiff in Sissel v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . | UzrX0fwx8pt7pSrD | 2 | Healthcare | -1.8 | Obamacare | -1.7 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
campaign_finance | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/13/politics/too-many-hillary-clinton-pacs/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | How many pro-Clinton super PACs is too many? | 2014-05-13 | campaign_finance | Story highlights Some with no connection to Clinton have started their own super PACs
Anti-Clinton groups are also springing up around more established super PACs
A group of pro-Hillary Clinton super PACs had it all figured out a few months ago : One would handle the email list , another the rapid response and another would spearhead the big-dollar fundraising . Strategists touted their cohesion and efficiency , two attributes they admitted were not usually applied to Democratic groups .
But the excitement they created around a possible presidential bid had a somewhat unintended byproduct when a few eager and ambitious young politicos with no connection to Clinton or her aides realized that they , too , could get in on the early organizing game by starting their own super PACs .
And while these organizers feel they are just adding their voice to the chorus of pro-Clinton groups , representatives from those PACs with longstanding ties to the former first lady and secretary of state see the new entries as an uncontrollable variable .
And these organizers feel that could siphon attention from other efforts to get Clinton to run .
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Right now , there are at least eight pro-Clinton super PACs registered with the Federal Election Commission .
The highest-profile groups -- Ready for Hillary , American Bridge and Correct the Record -- have deep connections to the Clintons and are staffed by longtime confidants who regularly attend Clinton events and receptions .
But then there are the unaffiliated groups -- Hillary 2016 , Hillary Clinton Super PAC , Hillary FTW , Hillary PAC , Madam Hillary 2016 and more .
Not only are these unaffiliated groups created out of the excitement stirred by the larger PACs , but they are also , in some ways , copying the message that is working .
`` I entirely believe that with so much support from so many young politicos , this is really shining a light at the importance of young progressives , '' said Eric Williams , the co-founder of Hillary 2016 PAC , who has zero ties to Clinton-land . `` We like her and I feel like that is going to encourage her decision . ''
That grassroots mission statement is similar to what Ready for Hillary founders said when in 2013 , strategists talked about getting young progressives so excited that their enthusiasm would compel Clinton to run . And the similarities are n't lost on the more established groups .
`` A bottom-up effort like Ready for Hillary wo n't discourage any grassroots supporters from expressing their enthusiasm or organizing , '' said a person familiar with Ready for Hillary 's view of other super PACs . `` At the same time , it makes more sense strategically to have one vehicle and build one massive list of supporters , because that 's what will put Hillary in the strongest position possible should she decide to run . ''
The issue is n't that these groups are stepping on fundraising toes .
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Since organizing earlier this year , Hillary 2016 has gained fewer than 100 followers on Twitter and has raised a total of $ 0 , according to the group .
Despite that start , Williams says they will bank a decent amount after their first fundraiser in June and plan to have one each month after that . His attitude is that you have to start somewhere and his PAC is in the beginning of the building process .
By comparison , Ready for Hillary has raised nearly $ 6 million from more than 55,000 donors since organizing in early 2013 . While many of these donors come from small , grassroots events that cost $ 20.16 ( get it ? ) to attend , a number have been high-profile Clinton supporters and confidants .
The group has also begun moving into the endorsement game , securing Clinton support from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia in the past week .
'We kind of roll our eyes ' when another super PAC emerges
`` Legitimately , I can understand why it concerns people , '' said a source close to a pro-Clinton super PAC who asked not to be identified in order to speak more candidly . `` We do n't know who these people are . ... The good thing about Ready for Hillary is they channel all the excitement . It seems to me it would be more beneficial to have Ready for Hillary be the mother ship . ''
The source added , `` We kind of roll our eyes every time we see a new super PAC has filed . ''
Representatives from Ready for Hillary said they have not yet reached out to the founders of Hillary 2016 PAC . In the past , the group has reached out to other pro-Clinton super PACs to talk about possibly working together .
Williams said that he did n't start the group to get pulled into Ready for Hillary because he wants to lead his own organization .
`` We all have different political idea and idea for political success , '' Williams added in an apparent knock on Ready for Hillary .
`` To be honest with you , I do n't think I expect it , '' Williams added about meeting with Ready for Hillary . `` It was n't an expectation of mine . ''
The concern among the super PACs close to Clinton is twofold . One , they worry that these groups will make mistakes and muddy what they had hoped would be a clean and efficient effort . Even if these groups are small , they say , their impact on that front could be outsized .
`` Anyone can start one of these organizations and raise money and then eventually , if they are successful , start running ads , '' said Alan Abramowitz , an except on super PACs and campaign finance laws . `` Having these super PACs support you is a double edged sward . ... The problem is that you ca n't control their message , so someone could go out there and start running ads who thinks they are helping Hillary Clinton , even though she might not like the message . ''
Secondly , some representatives from organization 's closer to Clinton also question the motives of the smaller groups , especially the idea that starting a super PAC is a way to get possible get a job with a hypothetical presidential campaign .
Representatives for Hillary 2016 PAC played coy about whether they would want campaign jobs .
`` At this current moment , that is not an interest of ours , '' Williams said when the group launched in April , pausing before he added this caveat : `` But of course we are always open to anything . Times change and things change . ''
Not all agree that the proliferation of pro-Clinton groups is a bad thing , though . To some , including Burns Strider , a senior adviser to Correct the Record , the process is `` healthy and uniquely `` American . ''
`` As long as Americans are looking to support her and promote her and encourage her , that is a great thing , '' Strider said . He added , however , this caveat : `` When all of this filters out , the pretenders will be outed and they will be out of the way and those who are for real will be there to the bitter end . They will be right there at the end . ''
On the other side of the spectrum , anti-Clinton super PACs are both experiencing their own splintering and watching the pro-Clinton side with amusement .
Although America Rising PAC has become the top Republican super PAC against Clinton , there is also Stop Hillary PAC and a handful of other small groups .
Garrett Marquis , the spokesman for Stop Hillary PAC , said while his group is n't focusing on what the pro-Clinton groups are doing , he does find it comical that random efforts are beginning to sprout up .
`` It is interesting watching all these groups build up around Hillary , '' Marquis said . `` It is quite curious , if not comical . ''
He added that he hopes more Republicans will begin to organize anti-Clinton efforts and said it will make the overall campaign against her better .
`` Time will filter out those that are inferior , '' he said . `` This is the same with pro-Hillary groups . '' | LKEzHc0yThQjlhB0 | 0 | Hillary Clinton | 4.2163 | Campaign Finance | 0.8555 | Election 2016 | 0.6808 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 |
russia | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/07/16/vladimir-putin-denies-meddling-2016-presidential-election/788219002/ | President Trump: Don't 'see any reason why' Russia would have meddled in 2016 U.S. election | 2018-07-16 | russia | HELSINKI – President Donald Trump accepted denials by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow interfered with the 2016 U.S. election Monday , bringing swift condemnation from members of Congress from both parties .
After meeting privately with Putin for two hours in Helsinki , Trump said he held both the United States and Russia responsible for the deterioration in relations between the two countries . `` I think that the United States has been foolish . I think we 've all been foolish , '' he said .
Trump also declined to challenge Putin 's insistence that his country did not meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election , even though U.S. intelligence agencies under two administrations and the Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee concluded that Moscow sought to skew the election toward Trump .
`` I have great confidence in my intelligence people , but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today , '' Trump told a joint news conference with the Russian president .
`` I have President Putin ; he just said it 's not Russia , '' Trump said . `` I will say this : I do n't see any reason why it would be . ''
Trump 's embrace of Putin came on the last day of a weeklong European trip in which he berated NATO allies over their defense spending and undercut British Prime Minister Theresa May in the tabloids .
His handling of the Putin meeting drew scathing reactions from lawmakers .
Sen. Bob Corker , R-Tenn. , said Trump had made the United States look like `` a pushover '' and said the president 's remarks `` saddened '' him . Corker added that he thought Putin was likely celebrating the outcome of the meeting .
“ I would guess he ’ s having caviar right now , ” said Corker , chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee .
Sen. John McCain , R-Ariz. , described the meeting in Helsinki as a `` tragic mistake . ''
“ No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant , “ said McCain , the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee . “ President Trump proved not only unable , but unwilling to stand up to Putin . ''
More : Intelligence chief Dan Coats counters Trump : 'We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling '
More : European lawmakers : 'We 're not on our own , ' despite Trump 's siding with Putin
On Friday , the Justice Department laid out details of what it said was a far-reaching hacking scheme in an indictment of 12 Russian agents whom it accused of trying to undermine the U.S. election .
Putin told reporters through a translator that he was glad that Trump had defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election but said Moscow would `` never interfere in internal American affairs . ''
Trump 's refusal to challenge Putin 's denials of election meddling prompted an unusual response from the president 's own director of national intelligence , Dan Coats , who reasserted his belief that Moscow attempted to influence the outcome of the 2016 election .
`` We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling , '' Coats said in a statement .
Lawmakers had urged Trump to press for the extradition of the 12 Russian intelligence agents named in the indictment but Putin did not commit to doing so .
Putin also suggested that the two countries form a joint working group on cybersecurity that would look into the election issue .
Putin proposed that same plan after they met at a Group of Seven summit in Germany last year . Trump initially supported it , but then reversed himself . Monday , he reversed himself again , calling it an `` interesting idea . ''
Some lawmakers had also called on Trump to reiterate the U.S. position opposing Russia 's 2014 annexation of Crimea . Putin said that issue came up during their private meetings , but Trump did not discuss it during the press conference .
As he has done before , Trump attacked the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian election interference .
Trump said he ran a clean campaign and beat Clinton soundly in 2016 .
“ Zero collusion , '' Trump said . `` And it has had a negative impact upon the relationship of the two largest nuclear powers in the world . ... It ’ s ridiculous what ’ s going on with the probe . ”
More : Trump and Putin hold two-hour , closed-door meeting on trade , nuclear arms and China
More : Republicans blast Trump meeting with Putin as 'shameful ' and 'sign of weakness '
More : Analysis : Friends or foes ? Trump 's embrace of Putin prompts backlash
Contributing : Eliza Collins , Jessica Estepa , Nicole Gaudiano and Kevin Johnson in Washington | e7u780JZzcF6h5RO | 1 | Russia | 1.4192 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/23/last-month-nikki-haley-was-not-a-fan-of-donald-trump-now-shes-agreed-to-join-his-administration/ | Last month, Nikki Haley was ‘not a fan’ of Donald Trump. Now she has agreed to join his administration. | 2016-11-23 | Foreign Policy | clockThis article was published more than 8 years ago Since she became the first female minority governor of South Carolina six years ago, Nikki Haley has been on the shortlist of Republican state officials with possible national futures. But few of those GOP operatives could have expected Haley's ascension to work out this way: She will be joining the administration of a politician she once said is “everything a governor doesn't want in a president.” | dd5aa809659d8139 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
domestic_policy | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/13/republicans-accuse-hhs-gutting-welfare-reform-with-quiet-policy-change/ | Republicans accuse HHS of gutting welfare reform with quiet policy change | 2012-07-13 | domestic_policy | Republicans are accusing the Obama administration of unilaterally gutting welfare reform after the Department of Health and Human Services quietly notified states that they may seek a waiver for the program 's strict work requirements .
HHS made the announcement in a policy memo Thursday , news that slipped well below the radar amid a raucous day on the presidential campaign trail . But a few prominent GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill picked up on the change , and accused the administration of overhauling one of the most important bipartisan agreements of the past several decades .
`` President Obama just tore up a basic foundation of the welfare contract '' Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Jordan , R-Ohio , said in a statement . He also called the move a `` blatant violation of the law . ''
Mitt Romney on Friday spoke up on the change , saying : `` President Obama now wants to strip the established work requirements from welfare . '' He said `` the linkage of work and welfare is essential to prevent welfare from becoming a way of life . ''
How exactly the HHS change will play out is unclear . In Thursday 's policy directive , the department said the states may seek a waiver from the work component of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program , in order to `` test alternative and innovative strategies , policies and procedures that are designed to improve employment outcomes for needy families . ''
HHS stressed that any alternative should still aim to get welfare recipients into gainful employment . Any plan that `` appears substantially likely to reduce access to assistance or employment for needy families , '' will not be approved , the memo said .
But HHS is suddenly allowing for more flexibility in a program known -- and in many circles , lauded -- for its rigid framework . Currently , states have to have 50 percent of their caseload meet certain work participation requirements , though there are ways around that as many states fall short .
The latest department directive suggested alternative plans could `` combine learning and work '' to fulfill the work requirement , or let `` vocational educational training or job search /readiness programs '' count as well .
The administration defended the move in a blog on the HHS website . George Sheldon , acting assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families , said states will be held `` accountable '' for their alternative plans . He pitched the changes as a response to states burdened by current rules and guidelines .
`` The new steps we have taken will give states more flexibility in how they operate the Temporary Assistance to Need Families program . And the steps we have taken were specifically requested by states led by officials from both parties , '' he wrote . `` When the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families ( TANF ) program was established as part of welfare reform in the 1990s , it was intended to give states flexibility to design effective programs to help parents move from welfare to work . Today , however , Federal rules dictate mind-numbing details about how to run a welfare-to-work program . Most States and experts agree that these are n't helpful . ''
The hard-fought welfare reform agreement in 1996 was struck between the Bill Clinton administration and a Republican-led Congress . It is still considered a signature legislative achievement from that period .
The number of people on TANF has decreased dramatically since 1997 , but roughly 4 million people are still enrolled according to federal figures . The change comes in the middle of a competitive election fight between Obama and Romney .
Rep. Dave Camp , R-Mich. , chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee , and Sen. Orrin Hatch , R-Utah , ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee , have written to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking for a more detailed explanation of the change and her authority for making it . Both expressed concern that the change would strip the crux of the 1996 welfare reform deal .
`` This ends welfare reform as we know it , '' Camp said in a statement .
`` I 'm disappointed that after years of sitting on their hands and failing to propose any significant improvements to the TANF programs , the Obama Administration is once again over-stepping their authority and attempting to circumvent Congress through an unprecedented bypass of the legislative process , '' Hatch said . | 3bqUSlBXJutN8ZKa | 2 | Domestic Policy | -0.5 | General News | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
taxes | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/10/trump-administration-back-to-square-one-on-tax-reform.html | Trump administration back to square one on tax reform | 2017-04-10 | taxes | President Trump has gone back to the drawing board on tax reform as he looks for wide-ranging Republican support behind legislation to overhaul the tax system .
A White House official told Fox Business Network that all options are still on the table . However , a detailed tax plan is still weeks away .
A complete tax overhaul will likely miss the August deadline set by Treasury Secretary Mnuchin . The White House is trying to learn from the failure of enacting a new health care law to replace ObamaCare and take a more active role in getting legislation passed .
White House aides told The Associated Press Monday that the goal is to cut tax rates sharply enough to improve the economic picture in rural and industrial areas of the U.S . However , the administration so far has swatted down alternative ways for raising revenues , such as a carbon tax , to offset lower rates .
Trump has not said which trade-offs he might accept and had remained noncommittal on the leading blueprint for reform from Rep. Kevin Brady , R-Texas , the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee .
Brady has proposed a border adjustment system , which would eliminate corporate deductions on imports , to raise $ 1 trillion over 10 years that could fund lower corporate tax rates .
But that possibility has rankled retailers who say it would lead to higher prices and threaten millions of jobs , while some lawmakers have worried that the system would violate World Trade Organization rules .
Brady has said he intends to amend the blueprint but has not spelled out how he would do so .
Another option being floated around on Capitol Hill would change the House GOP plan to eliminate much of the payroll tax and cut corporate tax rates and possibly requiring a new dedicated funding source for Social Security .
The change , proposed by a GOP lobbyist with close ties to the Trump administration , would transform Brady 's plan on imports into something closer to a value-added tax by also eliminating the deduction of labor expenses . This would bring it in line with WTO rules and generate an additional $ 12 trillion over 10 years , according to budget estimates . Those additional revenues could then enable the end of the 12.4 percent payroll tax , split evenly between employers and employees , that funds Social Security , while keeping the health insurance payroll tax in place .
This approach would give a worker earning $ 60,000 a year an additional $ 3,720 in take-home pay , a possible win that lawmakers could highlight back in their districts even though it would involve changing the funding mechanism for Social Security , according to the lobbyist .
Sen . Rob Portman , R-Ohio , a member of the Senate Finance Committee , said that all of the trial balloons surfacing in public do n't represent the work that 's being done behind the scenes .
`` It 's not really what 's going on , '' Portman said . `` What 's going on is they 're working with on various ideas . ''
The White House has not officially commented on any plan , but said in a statement but said a value-added tax based on consumption is not under consideration `` as of now . ” | fB3KnfeMzfFmXvcB | 2 | White House | -0.2 | Tax Reform | 0.1 | Taxes | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/05/27/spotlight-on-libertarian-convention-amid-voter-unease-over-trump-clinton-race.html?intcmp=hpbt2 | Spotlight on Libertarian convention amid voter unease over Trump-Clinton race | 2016-05-27 | elections | In a confounding election season where voters hold deep reservations about the likely Republican and Democratic nominees , the third-party Libertarian ticket has a rare chance this year to be more than a footnote in the presidential race .
And that chance – to absorb disaffected voters who have little interest in picking ‘ Trump ’ or ‘ Clinton ’ this November – is raising the stakes for the national convention starting Friday where activists with the oft-sidelined movement will choose their nominee .
“ There is a huge opportunity in this election cycle , ” Libertarian Party Chairman Nicholas Sarwark told FoxNews.com .
Former New Mexico Gov . Gary Johnson , heavily favored to win the Libertarian nomination , has been enjoying the spotlight lately as at least two recent polls have put him in double digits in a three-way race against Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump . One ███ poll showed Johnson pulling 10 percent against the two titans – not exactly in contention , but nevertheless impressive for a party that ’ s never garnered more than 1 percent of the vote in a presidential election .
Whether Johnson ’ s numbers reflect growth among libertarians or simply a none-of-the-above choice , the candidate acknowledged in an interview with FoxNews.com , “ It ’ s a combination of both . ”
But , presuming he can snag the nod at the Memorial Day weekend convention , which starts Friday and wraps up Monday in Orlando , Johnson indicated he ’ ll happily fill the role of Trump/Clinton alternative at a time when some voters are seeking out a third-party option . Delegates will nominate a candidate Sunday .
“ The nominee for the Libertarian Party is going to be the only third party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states , ” he said . “ I jokingly say that if Mickey Mouse were [ the ] third name in any polls , the recognizable figure that he is , [ he ] would be at 30 percent . But Mickey is not on the ballot in all 50 states . ”
While prominent conservatives have floated the idea of a new third party , state ballot access will indeed be a challenge . As Johnson says , the Libertarian Party – already on 32 state ballots – will likely be on all 50 state ballots by November .
Upping his potential appeal to # NeverTrump Republicans , Johnson tapped another former GOP governor , William Weld of Massachusetts , to be his running mate , both fiscal conservatives and social liberals .
“ If conservative means smaller government , I think we are the proven commodity , ” Johnson said .
He is still short of the needed 15 percent to qualify for the presidential debates . But he believes if he ’ s in the debates , the ticket could collect electoral votes .
“ I would not be doing this if there wasn ’ t the opportunity to actually win , ” Johnson said . “ New Mexico , Utah , Wyoming , Alaska , there are some real opportunities . ”
The 15 percent debate threshold may be reachable . His standing in the ███ poll was consistent with a Monmouth University poll in March that showed him at 11 percent . If the numbers hold , Johnson would far exceed third-party candidate Ralph Nader ’ s 3 percent in 2000 , but still lag behind Ross Perot ’ s 19 percent in 1992 .
Johnson ’ s optimism about actually winning is tempered by reality and history . Not only does the party have a poor track record in general elections , but Johnson ’ s poll numbers haven ’ t always held up either . In the 2012 general election – when Johnson initially ran as a Republican and later as a Libertarian -- he polled at about 4 percent during the campaign but ended up getting less than 1 percent of the popular vote .
Still , the 1.2 million votes represented a record for a Libertarian , and if the party can build on that this year , it could be enough to at least influence the outcome in November – though whether the candidate draws votes away from the GOP or Democratic nominee remains to be seen .
“ A group of Republicans feel their party ’ s nomination was stolen from them by a reality TV star . A group of Democrats that supported Bernie Sanders don ’ t want to support a war hawk , who supports the racist war on drugs and has been a corporate shill , ” he said .
Last week , Weld made waves by comparing Trump ’ s deportation policy to Nazi tactics . But Johnson said they were not holding back on Clinton either , and are reaching out to disaffected Sanders supporters .
“ I don ’ t think there is any question that if Hillary is elected , government is going to expand . With regard to military and foreign policy , she has been an architect , ” Johnson said . “ Is anything going to change with regards to foreign policy ? No . ”
About 1,000 delegates are expected to gather in Orlando . The top contenders are Johnson , anti-virus software developer John McAfee and libertarian media publisher Austin Petersen , and 15 other candidates .
“ If Johnson does not win on the first round , it will be mine , ” McAfee told FoxNews.com in an email .
Johnson likely isn ’ t guaranteed a first ballot victory , said William Irwin , the chairman of the philosophy department at King ’ s College , who has written books on libertarianism , most recently “ Free Dakota . ”
“ Some predicted the libertarian moment has passed . I think the libertarian moment is now , ” Irwin told FoxNews.com . “ But just like there are Never-Trump and Never-Hillary voters , there are some libertarians who are Never-Johnson . He was sort of an accidental Libertarian who came to the party after he couldn ’ t get into the [ 2012 ] Republican primary debates . ”
Johnson , if nominated , could run into trouble with some conservatives – yet attract liberals – as a supporter of abortion rights and marijuana legalization . He also favors military cuts and a reserved foreign policy , while backing sweeping entitlement reforms , changes to the tax code and term limits for members of Congress .
Johnson and Weld , both two-term governors in the 1990s , were given A ’ s in the libertarian Cato Institute ’ s Fiscal Policy Report Card for cutting spending and taxes .
“ Two governors running against a candidate that has never held office and another who has not held executive office -- the Libertarians would be the most experienced ticket , ” Cato Institute Executive Vice President David Boaz told FoxNews.com .
He added , “ But this year , experience isn ’ t what people are looking for . ” | rAN2M7NPk7a1PXzE | 2 | Presidential Elections | -0.2 | Libertarian | 0.1 | Elections | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
politics | Vox | https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/11/16127570/trump-mcconnell-tweet | Donald Trump’s feud with Mitch McConnell, explained | 2017-08-11 | politics | Both publicly and privately , President Donald Trump is very unhappy with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell .
In public , Trump has focused his complaints on the Senate ’ s failure to pass his legislative agenda . Earlier this month , the president told reporters that he was “ very disappointed in Mitch , ” said that the Senate ’ s failure to pass a health bill by one vote was “ a disgrace , ” and intimated that if the health , tax , or infrastructure bills all failed , the majority leader should perhaps step down .
But according to a new report from the New York Times ’ Alex Burns and Jonathan Martin , Trump has expressed another complaint in private . In a tense August 9 phone call , Trump “ was even more animated about what he intimated was the Senate leader ’ s refusal to protect him from investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election , according to Republicans briefed on the conversation , ” they write .
However , it was McConnell who inadvertently kick-started this feud in early August . “ Our new president has of course not been in this line of work before , and I think had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process , ” McConnell said at a Kentucky event . And the Times piece claims that McConnell has privately expressed doubt about whether Trump can salvage his presidency .
Now , it ’ s not yet clear whether this recent sniping will devolve into full-on conflict between the president and his party ’ s leadership in one chamber of Congress . McConnell has , after all , perfected the art of studiously ignoring Trump ’ s tweets and controversial comments Trump could also realize that he has far more to lose than to gain from antagonizing McConnell and other Senate Republicans .
Still , Trump ’ s unhappiness here has a very real cause : As has happened with many prior presidents , his dreams of sweeping legislative wins and lockstep partisan support have run up against the cold reality of the United States Senate . And his choice about how to deal with this will have major implications for his administration ’ s future .
Why the Senate has been such a thorn in Trump ’ s side
Months ago , back before Donald Trump was sworn in as president , I argued that the US Senate would determine whether he ’ d succeed or fail , legislatively .
The Republican majority in the House of Representatives has passed conservative bill after conservative bill — from the repeal and replacement of Obamacare to the repeal of Dodd-Frank to a series of deregulatory and tort reform bills to immigration enforcement bills — only to see them go nowhere in the Senate .
The biggest reason for this is the infamous Senate filibuster , which effectively requires a 60-vote supermajority to get a new bill through the chamber . Since Republicans only have 52 seats , that means they need to win over eight Democrats — a tall order for anything controversial . As a result , McConnell hasn ’ t even bothered to take up most of those House-passed bills , since he knows they ’ re doomed to defeat and would only waste precious Senate floor time .
But it ’ s not only about the filibuster . For nominations and other procedures that require a simple majority , Republicans have to hold 50 of their 52 senators together , which is itself a difficult task . And senators ’ six-year terms make them less responsive to short-term political or presidential pressure .
For the health bill in particular , Republicans couldn ’ t even get that majority needed for the special budget reconciliation process . McConnell ’ s final Hail Mary — a “ skinny repeal ” bill he begged his members to pass to keep the process alive — fell short because of three Republican defections . All of the more fleshed-out Republican health bills , however , were several more votes short even than that .
Overall , Trump has now spent more than seven months in office with no major legislative accomplishments to show for it , and the Senate is the main reason why . So for months , he ’ s called on the chamber to change its rules to eliminate the legislative filibuster , to no apparent avail .
And beyond that , there ’ s the Russia scandal , which even many Republican senators seem to take very seriously . The Senate Intelligence Committee has been conducting what ’ s widely viewed as the most substantive and credible congressional investigation on the matter . Other GOP senators , meanwhile , criticized Trump for firing FBI director James Comey and are warning that he shouldn ’ t fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller .
Trump and McConnell have worked together so far , and still face incentives to do so
Yet as with any same-party president and Senate majority leader , Trump and McConnell have powerful incentives to work together rather than fight with each other — which , for much of the year , they ’ ve managed to do .
Trump needs McConnell to get his nominees confirmed and to help him achieve legislative victories . McConnell wants Trump to keep representing Republican Party priorities in his choice of nominees and his agenda generally , and knows the president remains extremely popular among GOP base voters and in the conservative media .
Perhaps most importantly , the two men have linked electoral fortunes and both want the Republican Party to do well in the 2018 midterms — McConnell so he can keep his Senate majority , and Trump so his administration won ’ t be dogged by Democrat-led investigations .
So McConnell has been extremely hesitant to criticize Trump this year — he often seems to be pretending he lives in a world in which Trump has no scandals and no Twitter account . Meanwhile , Trump has appointed McConnell ’ s wife , Elaine Chao , as secretary of transportation and has generally been happy to defer to McConnell ’ s seemingly superior wisdom on legislative matters . Life is easier for both of them if they ’ re getting along .
And for now , despite these recent presidential tweets and statements , they still do appear to be mostly getting along . For instance , earlier this month Trump did McConnell a solid by endorsing Luther Strange , the candidate McConnell strongly prefers in the Republican special election primary for Alabama ’ s Senate seat . And on the same day the feud was spilling into public view , the White House appointed a former McConnell aide as chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission .
But President Trump has , of course , proven willing to pick unwise political fights in the past , and may well do so here too by escalating this conflict further . Indeed , Politico ’ s Josh Dawsey reports that Trump seems increasingly willing to throw congressional Republicans under the bus in an attempt to preserve his “ outsider ” reputation — something that could prove disastrous as Congress struggles to deal with thorny issues like raising the debt ceiling and funding the government , and as the GOP tries to motivate its base in the 2018 midterms .
Now , longtime followers of Republican congressional dysfunction may be getting some déjà vu from all this , recalling how a small group of conservative critics in the House of Representatives forced Speaker John Boehner from office in 2015 .
Yet something like that is far tougher to pull off in the Senate , because there ’ s a difference in how party leaders in each chamber are chosen .
The speaker of the House is elected by the full House of Representatives . Therefore , to win the position on the first ballot , a candidate generally needs overwhelming support from his or her own party ( because the opposition party will vote against him or her ) . As a result , a small group of defectors from the speaker candidate ’ s own party could block him or her from winning a majority .
The Senate majority leader , by contrast , is chosen in a closed-door , partisan election . Only the majority party votes in it . That means that a handful of defectors can ’ t humiliate McConnell in a leadership election on the floor . Instead , more than half of his GOP senators would have to turn against him in private .
That ’ s very difficult to imagine . Any senators — who institutionally prize their independence and the separation of powers — would likely recoil from a presidential attempt to depose their leader . And for the most part , despite occasional gripes , Republican senators like and respect McConnell ’ s leadership , and view him as effectively representing their priorities . There are no rumblings of a potential challenge to him , and instead public declarations of support :
. @ SenateMajLdr does a tough job well . He has my support . — Jeff Flake ( @ JeffFlake ) August 10 , 2017
@ SenateMajLdr will continue to lead our caucus & bring us closer together to keep the promises we made to the American people . ( 3/4 ) — Senator Thom Tillis ( @ SenThomTillis ) August 11 , 2017
Beyond that , many Republican senators simply don ’ t like or respect Donald Trump very much . And given Trump ’ s own unpopularity , they could well calculate that the better long-term play is to stick with McConnell .
But Trump could do a lot of damage to McConnell ’ s image if he wants to
And yet if the majority leader does want to stay in the Senate a while longer , the president really could make that a lot more difficult .
McConnell has represented the deep red state of Kentucky for more than three decades . He ’ s essentially an institution there , and has often been thought to be politically bulletproof ( he easily batted away challenges in both the primary and general elections in 2014 ) .
But Donald Trump is also a very popular figure in Kentucky . And a sustained campaign of criticism from Trump is the type of thing that might be able to badly hurt McConnell ’ s popularity among his constituents .
If McConnell chooses to run for another term , he ’ ll be up in 2020 ( when he ’ ll be 78 years old ) . Trump could , theoretically , back a primary challenger to him that year . That would be the equivalent of nuclear warfare in politics , and would surely provoke retaliation from McConnell ( who , even if the challenge were successful , would still be in the Senate until the end of 2020 ) .
But even if Trump doesn ’ t formally endorse a primary challenge , if he continues to criticize McConnell , he would hurt McConnell ’ s image among the GOP base and foment criticism of the leader in media outlets like Fox News and Breitbart — which could well spur a more plausible primary challenge anyway .
McConnell has a keen sense of where the political winds are blowing , and he would surely very much prefer to keep his relations with the president positive .
But it ’ s unclear whether there ’ s more McConnell actually can do to get anything passed . He will surely argue that he tried his best on health reform , and that he simply can ’ t convince his senators to get rid of the filibuster . And he ’ ll try to get Trump to accept that he can ’ t get everything he wants . | MN4JimPwBKv0gD0T | 0 | Mitch McConnell | -0.1 | Politics | 0.1 | Donald Trump | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/07/02/hillary_unleashed_in_romney_ad_shame_on_you_barack_obama | Hillary Unleashed in New Romney Ad: "Shame on You, Barack Obama!" | 2012-07-02 | elections | I was wondering if and when Team Romney would dust off some of 2008 's oldies but goodies to use as a cudgel against The One , and now we have our answer :
Our first hints that Romney would target the Hillary vote arose during the firestorm over Hilary Rosen 's attacks against Ann Romney , but this spot takes the tactic to a much more overt and aggressive level . Will it work ? On one hand , last cycle 's PUMA ( `` party unity my a * * '' ) phenomenon among disaffected Clinton backers almost completely receded by election day . The overwhelming majority of Hillary 's supporters hopped aboard the Obama train , especially after the Clintons played starring and strongly supportive roles at his nominating convention . On the other hand , I 'd wager that blue collar , predominantly white 'Hillary Democrats ' and indies are the lowest hanging fruit for Republicans to reap this cycle . Reminding this group about the president 's profoundly underwhelming record and his lack of fealty to facts in his quest to attain and maintain political power could certainly do some damage . Back to the other hand for a moment : Are n't most voters smart enough to understand that rivals within any political party sometimes say harsh things about each other during contested primaries ? It 's not as though the Clintons are backing Mitt Romney for president , right ? Then again , now that I mention it ...
Incidentally , the Obama lie cited in Romney 's ad is the discredited outsourcing garbage Chicago has been peddling for a few weeks . We wrote about the Post 's destruction of Obama 's claims at the time -- they awarded his camp `` Four Pincocchios '' on two consecutive days last week -- and cited Jim Pethokoukis ' careful reporting on the same subject . ( Cliffs Notes version of the truth : The `` outsourcing '' attributed to Romney either occurred after he left Bain Capital , involved domestic outsourcing [ moving jobs among states , not overseas ] , entailed companies that already had existing overseas holdings and jobs when Bain invested in them , or addressed firms that expanded their international operations to include overseas call centers in order to service local populations in their native languages ) . The Obama campaign , unable to run on the president 's dismal record , has obstinately refused to correct the record . Now the nonpartisan FactCheck.org has examined these outsourcing allegations -- their verdict ? There 's `` no evidence '' to substantiate the mendacious anti-Romney narrative :
But after reviewing numerous corporate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission , contemporary news accounts , company histories and press releases , and the evidence offered by both the Obama and Romney campaigns , we found no evidence to support the claim that Romney — while he was still running Bain Capital — shipped American jobs overseas .
Couple this utterly false storyline with Team Obama 's ongoing ( ! ) and pathetic spin that the Obamacare mandate tax is n't a tax , and one has to wonder what , if anything , these guys are n't lying about . I 'll leave you with three items : ( 1 ) American Crossroads ' latest ad , slamming the Obamacare mandate tax :
( 2 ) Since Obama is endlessly shanking Romney with factually inaccurate accusations of `` outsourcing , '' might he care to offer the country an explanation for this ?
The Obama campaign spent nearly $ 4,700 on telemarketing services from a Canadian telemarketing company called Pacific East between March and June , a Washington Free Beacon study of federal election filings shows . Pacific East is not the only foreign telemarketing firm raking in cash from the president ’ s reelection campaign . Obama paid a call center in Manila , Philippines $ 78,314.10 for telemarketing services between the start of the campaign and March .
( 3 ) A delicious bonus question : Does anyone remember why Hillary held that `` shame on you , Barack Obama ! '' press conference in the first place ? Answer : She was upbraiding Captain Hopenchange for distributing campaign mailers that she said unfairly distorted her position on healthcare . What was her stance on that issue throughout the '08 campaign ? She supported ... wait for it ... an individual mandate , which Obama sharply criticized over and over again , calling it a tax on the uninsured . Today , his unpopular law revolves around that very same tax , even as he laughably insists that it 's not a tax , despite having hailed the Supreme Court 's decision upholding the legislation as a tax . Too rich . What do they say about karma , again ? | BPfhaFEmbwRo1Mb3 | 2 | Presidential Elections | -1.1 | Elections | -1.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
coronavirus | Christian Science Monitor | https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2020/0406/The-doctor-won-t-see-you-now.-Rethinking-health-care-delivery-in-a-crisis | ‘The doctor won’t see you now.’ Rethinking health care delivery in a crisis. | 2020-04-06 | coronavirus | “ If there is one positive aspect , this crisis is proving that reforming healthcare doesn ’ t necessarily take decades . It ’ s just a matter of will , ” says Nicola Draoli , an Italian nurse .
Hospitals and clinics are also ramping up telemedicine , out of necessity , amid a pandemic that requires social distancing and has put huge strain on health care resources . This pivot has drawn attention to telemedicine as a longer-term solution that could help overcome , at least in some aspects of medicine , the shortfalls in medical staff in rich aging societies like Italy and Germany .
Long before COVID-19 hit the headlines , health care systems across Europe and the U.S. had been struggling to plug recruitment gaps , particularly in their nursing ranks . Now that shortfall has become a crisis , leading to a call-up of recent retirees and new graduates to support front-line staff treating patients .
Veteran Seattle nurse Carolyn Grant had just finished kicking off her retirement with a trip to Hawaii when she got a text from her old boss : Would Ms. Grant come out of retirement to help the medical center ’ s COVID-19 testing program ? That night , she said yes .
In Germany , where “ not a single hospital has enough staff , ” says a Berlin ICU nurse , the government is calling medical students to action , and dissolving bureaucratic hurdles so hospitals can mobilize more medical workers .
In Italy , which has seen the world ’ s highest coronavirus death toll , the government has asked recently retired doctors to come back to work , and allocated funding to hire 20,000 more health professionals .
Chronic worker shortages can be patchworked during normal times , but as the COVID-19 pandemic slams medical systems around the globe , having the right personnel can mean the difference between life and death . Administrators are rehiring retired professionals , tapping medical students before they even graduate , and turning to the military and volunteers to supplement a stretched workforce that even before the current crisis was coming up short .
“ It is like we have a blanket that is too short and everyone is trying to pull it to his side , ” says Nicola Draoli , an Italian nurse .
From Berlin to Seattle , hospitals and clinics are also ramping up telehealth options , which in a few weeks have been overcoming medical , bureaucratic , and consumer resistance that had stymied advocates for years . As COVID-19 brings waves of patients through hospital and clinic doors , health care systems are turning to solutions that might become increasingly attractive going forward .
“ If there is one positive aspect , this crisis is proving that reforming health care doesn ’ t necessarily take decades . It ’ s just a matter of will , ” says Mr. Draoli , a member of the central committee of Italy ’ s national federation of nursing .
In Berlin , a nurse in an intensive care unit who prefers to be called Nico because he ’ s not authorized to speak to the news media loves working with patients , and the undersupply of nurses means ironclad job stability . “ I think I could work at any hospital or any ICU in Germany , ” he says .
But the shortage has downsides : The hospital had closed a quarter of its ICU beds over the last two years due to lack of staff . Nico was constantly on call to pick up extra shifts , and also needed to clean patient rooms and tidy pharmacies due to a shortage of assistants . Over the years , Nico has seen colleagues vote with their feet . “ The workload is so heavy , ” he says .
Today , Nico ’ s hospital is prepping for the COVID-19 crisis by adding ICU beds and training non-ICU staff . Administrators are also preparing to hire medical students , who now have government-mandated flexibility for education , training , and licensing requirements .
“ We ’ re waiting for the big wave of patients , expecting it to hit in late April , ” says Nico .
Germany is currently facing a shortage of 70,000 nurses in hospitals alone , according to Verdi , a German trade union . “ We ’ ve lost 300,000 health care workers each year to retirement , ” says Stefan Sell , a professor of economics and social policy at the University of Koblenz . “ And the younger generation is very small , and young people go into other jobs . ”
The situation is no better in other developed countries . Italy is currently short about 53,000 nurses , estimates Mr. Draoli of the nursing federation . The United Kingdom ’ s National Health Service is missing about 100,000 health care workers of all kinds , and the United States needs to recruit at least 200,000 more registered nurses each year . All have aging populations that need more elder and long-term care .
The main reasons are high turnover and not enough new nursing graduates entering the workforce in wealthy countries . Sociocultural factors also come into play ; most health care workers are women , who are more likely to take part-time shifts because of child care requirements , says Dr. Sell , meaning you need more hires to provide full-time coverage .
Put simply , the job isn ’ t attractive enough , as pay for nursing and medical assistant work hasn ’ t remained competitive . In Italy , for example , health care salaries have declined from roughly 40 % of the country ’ s annual public health budget two decades ago , to less than a third today .
“ In the U.K. , we have a lot of vacancies that remain unfilled , ” says Dr. Rocco Friebel , a London School of Economics health policy professor . “ Working conditions are poor . It ’ s a very high-pressure job . ”
Staffing projections worldwide are sobering . By 2030 , countries in North , Central and South America are expected to face a combined shortage of roughly 2.5 million doctors , nurses , and other workers , with Europe ’ s shortfall at around 1.4 million , according to a 2017 study by medical researchers .
Governments in the U.S. and Europe have attempted to tackle shortages by shifting workloads , digitizing services , providing funding to create elder care positions , and looking at worker wage increases , among other initiatives .
“ In the U.K. , we ’ ve seen a push to employ clinical assistants , who can do bookkeeping and a lot of the day-to-day tasks , which then frees up fully qualified nurses to take care of the most severe cases , ” says Dr. Friebel .
But the main strategy in wealthy nations is to fill their ranks with foreign nurses and health care workers . The German government is working with Kosovo , Mexico , and the Philippines to integrate workers into its health care system . In the U.K. , the National Health Service has long tapped European Union nationals , especially those from Poland and other Eastern European countries , to fill jobs .
That ’ s only a partial solution , says Dr. Sell , the German economist , in part because of the competition . “ A lot of other countries such as the Netherlands , France , and Switzerland are also trying to get people from Russia , Ukraine , and other countries , ” he says . Also , he points out , many potential migrants don ’ t speak the adopted country ’ s language .
“ Ultimately , we have to get additional staff from our [ home ] labor force , ” says Dr. Sell . “ That will require a multidimensional strategy such as improving working conditions and education ” for workers .
A shortage that will take decades to solve feels acute in the face of a pandemic .
In the U.S. , top officials are crying out for medical volunteers of all stripes . In New York , more than 50,000 health care workers have answered Gov . Andrew Cuomo ’ s pleas . In California , a newly created health corps to expand the workforce has garnered more than 70,000 registrations from “ underemployed ” medical professionals of all stripes .
In Washington state , Gov . Jay Inslee last week told recent medical retirees and qualified students , “ Like Uncle Sam , we want you ! ”
Another infusion of medical manpower is coming from the U.S. military . Three hundred soldiers from an Army unit in Fort Carson , Colorado , arrived in Seattle last week to set up a 250-bed hospital inside the Seattle Seahawks ’ football stadium , and a Navy hospital ship has docked in New York City . By caring for patients without COVID-19 , they can free up local hospital beds for those who have the virus .
Health care workers are also being asked to shift gears , as they ’ re redeployed to other units , such as from transplant ICUs to respiratory care .
Italy ’ s worst-hit regions like Lombardy are also tapping another strategy : emphasizing primary-care monitoring and home care rather than hospital admissions . “ Hospitals have always seen too many people that don ’ t belong in the hospital , ” says Dr. Friebel , the analyst .
As Italian doctors have discovered by necessity , initial screenings of suspected COVID-19 patients can be done without a physical visit .
“ It turns out that a lot of both screening and follow-up of [ COVID-19 ] patients – the mild cases – is about asking questions about symptoms , ” says Joseph Kvedar , a Harvard Medical School professor and incoming president of the American Telemedicine Association . “ It ’ s a perfect setup for [ telehealth ] technology . ”
Advocates of telemedicine say many health care needs can , in fact , be serviced without stepping foot into an office , clinic , or hospital .
Inquiries from U.S. clinicians about telehealth have skyrocketed , Dr. Kvedar says , at the same time that states and the federal government are loosening requirements for licensing across state borders and privacy issues around technology . They ’ re also reexamining what ’ s defined as a “ visit ” for insurance purposes .
“ There ’ s been a staggering amount of creativity and collaboration , ” says Dr. Charlotte Wu , a physician and founder of Harness Health Partners , a Boston-based consultancy . “ We ’ re seeing an increased acceptance of virtual medicine , leveraging the skills of diverse team members , and collaborating across institutions – who were traditionally competitors . ”
At Asian Counseling and Referral Service in Seattle , counselors are now offering mental health care by phone and video apps such as Zoom and Doxy.me . “ We can accept consent via telephone versus in writing ” in treating substance use disorders , says Michael Byun , who runs the nonprofit .
COVID-19 is spurring innovations that might eventually pave the way for routine remote-monitoring of chronic illnesses . The possibilities are legion . Seventy percent of U.S. health care costs go to treating health conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol that are attributed to or worsened by smoking , lack of exercise , or poor eating habits ; they can be followed by a virtual-care quick check-in , says Dr. Kvedar .
“ We don ’ t have enough people to deliver service one-to-one in a room at a time , ” says Dr. Kvedar . “ There ’ s a lot of inefficiency in the way we deliver care . When the dust settles , I hope we don ’ t go back to doing every single thing in the office . ”
New technologies are also helping tackle staffing shortages . Germany recently called on the public to suggest COVID-19 related innovations , and among the entries was a “ digital waiting room ” that vets a patient ’ s symptoms , and an app that rotates nurses more effectively . Practitioners and researchers are also using artificial intelligence to help forecast disease spread , implement rapid-testing technologies , and develop new approaches to contact tracing .
Back in Seattle , the veteran nurse Ms. Grant has bid her short-lived retirement goodbye ; she ’ s now working 10- to 12-hour days , six days a week , managing COVID-19 testing sites . Her day begins early to ensure adequate supplies for the testers , as she leads a team of nurses at the University of Washington Medical Center – Northwest who were displaced from outpatient surgery centers and clinics .
Ms. Grant was part of a wave of nurses who entered the workforce during a severe nursing shortage in the U.S. during the 1980s . “ Many people in that age bracket are exiting the workforce , ” she says , so it ’ s no surprise they ’ re being called back to fill the gaps they ’ ve left . Ms. Grant feels a “ loyalty ” and a call to duty . “ I am able to help this community at a difficult time . ”
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This story was reported by Monitor correspondent Lenora Chu in Berlin , staff writer Ann Scott Tyson in Seattle , contributor Daniela Sala in Rome , and contributor Austin Davis in Berlin . | sKrq8XNrO21Hsoux | 1 | Coronavirus | 0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
great_britain | Daily Mail | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4359418/PM-gathers-Cabinet-ahead-Article-50-triggered.html | Historic moment for Britain as Article 50 letter is FINALLY delivered to the EU headquarters | 2017-03-29 | great_britain | EU leaders have set up a titanic showdown with Theresa May after they rushed to dismiss key UK demands within hours of the historic Article 50 letter being delivered .
In a day of high political drama , the Prime Minister was cheered to the rafters by Tory MPs in the Commons as she declared that her envoy Sir Tim Barrow had handed the formal Brexit notification to European Council president Donald Tusk in the Belgian capital .
Giving an upbeat assessment of the country 's prospects once it regains control after 44 years tied to the EU , Mrs May stressed she wanted to forge a 'deep and special special ' bond with our old partners .
But the letter also included chilling threats about the 'fragile ' condition of the bloc , making clear that giving Britain a bad deal would be a 'costly mistake ' causing serious damage to the EU 's own prosperity and security .
The tensions between the two sides were underlined when German Chancellor Angela Merkel flatly rejected Mrs May 's call for the talks on a mooted £50billion divorce bill to happen at the same time as negotiations on a future trade deal .
Outgoing French president Francois Hollande upped the stakes with a warning Brexit would be 'economically painful ' .
The point of no return for Brexit was reached at 12.20pm today UK time , as the handover between Sir Tim and Mr Tusk happened at his HQ in Brussels .
Mrs May 's confirmation that the deed had been done , fully nine months after the referendum , was greeted with cheers of approval in the jam-packed Commons chamber . Meanwhile , outside parliament Europhile protesters were still vainly demanding a rethink .
European Council president Donald Tusk was handed the historic Article 50 letter by the UK 's representative Sir Tim Barrow in Brussels today
MPs roared their approval as Theresa May arrived at the Commons today for PMQs . She told the House that triggering Article 50 was a 'great turning point ' for the country
Sir Tim handed the letter bearing Mrs May 's signature to Mr Tusk at around 12.20pm UK time , taking us past the point of no return on Brexit
Mrs May told MPs there is now 'no turning back ' from the decision to leave the EU , and said it was an opportunity to forge a country that 'works for everyone not the privileged few ' .
Donald Tusk voiced sadness at the formal notification and urged people not to 'pretend it is a happy day ' . He insisted the EU would negotiate 'as one ' and act to 'preserve our interests ' .
The PM 's letter put the government on a collision course with Brussels by demanding that the divorce arrangements should be discussed at the same time as a future trade deal . The EU 's chief negotiator Michel Barnier is preparing to present the UK with a £50billion bill and is arguing that it should be settled before other issues are considered .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel flatly dismissed the prospect of the negotiations being carried out in parallel , insisting the first task was to 'disentangle our interlinked relationship ' .
Mrs May warned that the EU was 'fragile ' and could put its own survival at stake if it treated the UK badly , hinting that Britain could reduce cooperation over security and terrorism .
Downing Street risked infuriating Tory Eurosceptics by indicating that there will be no restrictions on EU migrants or welfare before we formally leave the bloc in 2019 .
The PM cautioned Brussels against forcing the introduction of a 'hard border ' between Northern Ireland and the Republic , pointing out that would put the peace agreement at risk .
Mrs May told the House of Commons that she was 'giving effect to the democratic will of the UK people ' .
'The Article 50 process is now underway ... In accordance with the wishes of the people , the United Kingdom is leaving the EU .
'This is a historic moment from which there can be no turning back . '
She added : 'At moments like this , a great turning point in our nation 's story , the choices we make will define the character of our nation .
'We can choose to say the task will be too great , we can choose to turn our face to the past and say it ca n't be done .
'Or we can look forward and in believe in the enduring power of the British spirit .
' I choose to believe in Britain and that our best days are to come . '
MAY REFUSES TO COMMIT TO SIGNIFICANT DROP IN IMMIGRATION TO UK POST-BREXIT Theresa May has admitted that immigration to Britain will not come down until after the UK has left the EU in 2019 - but refused to commit to a 'significant ' drop . Asked if net migration would come down considerably , the Prime Minister told the BBC 's Andrew Neil that there were 'so many variables ' that influenced the situation . However May did insist that the UK would 'see a difference in the number of people coming in ' after Britain finally leaves the bloc in March 2019 . She said : 'For a lot of people when they voted last year immigration was one of the issues . Now obviously we want to see net migration coming down . Theresa May has refused to commit to a significant reduction in immigration once Britain has left the European Union 'Now , when we leave [ the bloc ] we ’ ll be able to put rules in place decided here about the basis on which people can come from inside the European Union . ' Asked if this meant immigration would be significantly lower after Brexit , May said : Well , I think what we will see a difference in the number of people coming in . 'But I was Home Secretary for six years and when you look at immigration you constantly have to look at this issue because there are so many variables . 'What we will be able to do , as a result of leaving the EU , is to have control of our borders , is to set those rules for people coming from outside . 'We haven ’ t been able to do that so we ’ ll be able to have control on those numbers , set the rules for that , as we ’ ve been able to set the rules for others in the past . '
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has flatly rejected Mrs May 's call for divorce talks and trade negotiations to be held at the same time , saying the two sides must 'disentangle ' before forging a new relationship
Sir Tim delivering the letter to Mr Tusk at the council HQ in Brussels today confirmed that we are walking away from the EU
Downing Street released an image of the letter to Mr Tusk invoking the process for taking the UK out of the Brussels club
The historic six-page letter launching the break-up process was handed over more than nine months after the people delivered their verdict in the EU referendum .
It confirmed that Britain will be leaving the single market , but called for a broad free trade agreement , and urges an early deal to guarantee rights for EU nationals already here and Britons living on the continent .
The missive also included a chilling warning to Brussels against trying to take revenge on the UK for leaving .
KEY POINTS IN THE LETTER PAVING THE WAY FOR OUR POST-BREXIT FUTURE Theresa May has triggered Article 50 today , meaning Britain will leave the EU in two years ' time . This is what has happened so far : ON THE DIVORCE BILL : In her letter , the PM said she wanted the divorce settlement with the EU - which could include a hotly-disputed £50billion payment demand - negotiated in parallel with a future trade deal . This is a flashpoint with the EU as its leaders say the settlement must be sorted out first .
In her letter , the PM said she wanted the divorce settlement with the EU - which could include a hotly-disputed £50billion payment demand - negotiated in parallel with a future trade deal . This is a flashpoint with the EU as its leaders say the settlement must be sorted out first . ON SECURITY : Significantly , Mrs May linked Britain 's security contribution to Europe with a future trade deal . No 10 say this is a statement of fact but it will be seen in Europe as a threat .
Significantly , Mrs May linked Britain 's security contribution to Europe with a future trade deal . No 10 say this is a statement of fact but it will be seen in Europe as a threat . ON NORTHERN IRELAND : Mrs May warned Brussels against forcing the introduction of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic . Although that will now by the UK 's land border with the EU , such a move could undermine the peace agreement .
Mrs May warned Brussels against forcing the introduction of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic . Although that will now by the UK 's land border with the EU , such a move could undermine the peace agreement . ON EU NATIONALS ' RIGHTS AND IMMIGRATION : The PM made clear that one of her main priorities is getting an early deal on reciprocal rights for EU citizens in Britain and vice versa . She stopped short of setting a cut-off point for EU migrant , with signs that free movement will stay in place until we leave in 2019 .
'At a time when the growth of global trade is slowing and there are signs that protectionist instincts are on the rise in many parts of the world , Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free trade in the interest of all our citizens , ' the letter said .
'Likewise , Europe 's security is more fragile today than at any time since the end of the Cold War .
'Weakening our cooperation for the prosperity and protection of our citizens would be a costly mistake . '
In a clear threat about the consequences of trying to punish the UK for leaving , Mrs May wrote : 'If we leave the EU without an agreement the default position is that we would have to trade on World Trade Organisation terms .
'In security terms a failure to reach agreement would mean our cooperation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened .
'In this kind of scenario , both the United Kingdom and the European Union would of course cope with the change , but it is not the outcome that either side should seek . We must therefore work hard to avoid that outcome . '
Mrs May told MPs the UK was preparing for all outcomes from the talks . She has stressed that she will walk away from the table if the EU does not offer a good deal .
'Government will be working across all departments to ensure that we have preparations in place whatever the outcome will be , ' she told the House .
'But as I made clear in my letter to ( Donald ) Tusk , that while both the European Union and the UK could cope if there was no agreement , that would not be the ideal situation , it is not what we will be working for and we should be actively working to get the right and proper deal for both sides . '
In an interview with the BBC 's Andrew Neil tonight , Mrs May reiterated arguments tested in more than three hours in front of MPs .
She said the UK 's involvement in Europol would be 'part of the package ' up for negotiation with the EU .
And she refused to be drawn on whether the UK could agree to a huge divorce bill , although she did insist we would not pay huge sums year after year .
Mrs May also refused to promise that immigration will fall dramatically after Brexit , merely stating that levels are currently too high .
She admitted transitional periods would be needed - including potentially on free movement from Europe - after 2019 .
Asked if free movement would end within two years , Mrs May replied : 'We want to have the agreements done in two years . There may then be a period when we are implementing those arrangements . '
The Premier said : 'What voters wanted to know what was the UK Government was taking control of our borders . '
Mrs May dismissed the Vote Leave promise - famously painted on Boris Johnson 's campaign bus - to plough £350million into the NHS , telling Neil : 'Points were made on both sides of the argument .
'We are now at the point where we are putting things into practice . '
Mrs May added : ' I did campaign for Remain and I did vote to Remain but I also said I did n't think the sky would fall in if we left the European Union and it has n't . '
Mr Tusk was still wielding the Article 50 letter from Mrs May when he held a press conference in Brussels this afternoon
Having confirmed on Twitter that he had received the Article 50 letter , Donald Tusk voiced his sadness by adding : 'We already miss you . '
The European Union was swift in its response to Mrs May 's letter after it had arrived .
Council president Mr Tusk made an immediate jibe on Twitter about the nine months it had taken Mrs May to begin the process .
And in a hastily arranged press statement he urged people not to 'pretend this is a happy day in Brussels or London ' .
He insisted the EU will act 'constructively ' but 'as one ' and was determined to 'preserve our interests ' . Outgoing French president Francois Hollande warned that the outcome would be 'painful ' for Britain .
Heralding a potentially titanic clash over the timetabling of negotiations , German Chancellor Angela Merkel flatly rejected the PM 's call for talks on the divorce and future trade arrangements to be held in parallel .
'The negotiations must first clarify how we will disentangle our interlinked relationship ... and only when this question is dealt with , can we , hopefully soon after , begin talking about our future relationship , ' Mrs Merkel said in Berlin .
French President Francois Hollande struck a tough tone , warning that Brexit would be 'economically painful ' for Britain , the first country to leave the bloc .
The European Parliament 's chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt reiterated the order the negotiations must take and said MEPs were ready to veto any deal that was considered too generous to the UK .
'We will never accept that the UK is starting trade negotiations with other countries before the withdrawal . Until the withdrawal , the UK is a full member of the EU with all the right but also all the obligations , ' he said .
'The Parliament need to sign off the final agreement or agreements . Naturally , it will never outside the union be better than inside the union . That is not a question of revenge , that is a question of logic of the European Union , of the European Treaties , of the European project . '
The Commons chamber was packed to the rafters as Mrs May laid out her plan for pushing through the EU divorce
Sir Tim , the UK 's representative to the EU , passed on the letter at the European Council headquarters in Brussels at around 12.20 British time
Mrs May briefed the Cabinet on the task ahead this morning , having put her signature to the letter last night before it was transported to Belgium on the Eurostar by diplomats and guards .
The timeline set out in the Lisbon Treaty now means that the UK will officially leave the EU when Big Ben strikes midnight at the end of March 29 , 2019 .
In a bid to spike the guns of nationalists in Scotland , Mrs May told the Commons this afternoon that Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast would be stronger after Brexit .
She told MPs : 'No decisions currently taken by the devolved administrations will be removed from them .
' I expect the devolved administrations will see significant increases in their decision making powers as a result of this process . '
In a plea for unity , Mrs May said the UK should be 'no longer defined by the vote we cast , but by our determination to make a success of the result ' .
'We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future , ' she added .
'This great national moment needs a great national effort , ' she said .
Mrs May said Britain would continue to be willing allies and close friends with Europe . She said : 'With European security more fragile today than at any time since the cold war , weakening our cooperation and not standing up for European values would be a costly mistake .
'Our decision to leave the European Union was no rejection of European values . '
Mrs May 's letter to Mr Tusk made clear she was implementing the 'democratic decision ' of the referendum and setting out Britain 's objectives . The PM is pictured in an interview with Andrew Neil on the BBC tonight
The Prime Minister told the BBC she would not agree to a fresh Scottish independence referendum before Brexit is complete
Mrs May 's letter to Mr Tusk made clear she was implementing the 'democratic decision ' of the referendum and setting out Britain 's objectives .
'We believe that these objectives are in the interests not only of the United Kingdom but of the European Union and the wider world too , ' it said .
'It is in the best interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that we should use the forthcoming process to deliver these objectives in a fair and orderly manner , and with as little disruption as possible on each side .
'We want to make sure that Europe remains strong and prosperous and is capable of projecting its values , leading in the world , and defending itself from security threats .
Brexiteers David Davis and Boris Johnson were in the chamber for the PM 's statement hailing a bright future for the UK
The Commons was packed for PMQs today , which was followed by Mrs May 's historic statement on triggering Article 50
'We want the United Kingdom , through a new deep and special partnership with a strong European Union , to play its full part in achieving these goals . '
In the first sign of potential controversy , Mrs May said Britain believed it was 'necessary ' to negotiate the future trade deal alongside the divorce - something the EU does not agree with .
POUND HOLDS FIRM AS PM TRIGGERS BREXIT PROCESS The pound was virtually unchanged against the US dollar The pound held firm against the dollar and the euro as Theresa May triggered Brexit today and gave a rousing speech about the UK 's bright future . On the day Article 50 was invoked the pound was virtually unchanged against the US dollar at 1.24 and was up against the euro at 1.15 . The response came as the Prime Minister told the Commons : 'This is a historic moment from which there can be no turning back ' . The FTSE 100 index rose 30 points or 0.41 per cent to 7,373.72 .
She said : 'The Government wants to approach our discussions with ambition , giving citizens and businesses in the United Kingdom and the European Union – and indeed from third countries around the world – as much certainty as possible , as early as possible . '
The letter also urged the EU to avoid putting Britain in a situation where the fluid border between Northern Ireland and the Republic was at risk - pointing out that could imperil the peace process .
'The Republic of Ireland is the only EU member state with a land border with the United Kingdom , ' it said .
'We want to avoid a return to a hard border between our two countries , to be able to maintain the Common Travel Area between us , and to make sure that the UK 's withdrawal from the EU does not harm the Republic of Ireland . We also have an important responsibility to make sure that nothing is done to jeopardise the peace process in Northern Ireland , and to continue to uphold the Belfast Agreement . '
The Prime Minister 's official spokesman denied the Prime Minister was making an agreement on trade dependent on security , or that the inclusion of the two factors was a threat . He said : 'It is a simple statement of fact . '
The spokesman said any future security arrangement , or its collapse in the event of no deal , only related to EU institutions such as the European Arrest Warrant or Europol .
Nato and most intelligence sharing is not changed by EU membership , he said .
Mrs May 's spokesman said the Government remained eager to agree a deal on citizens ' rights as soon as possible .
But he risked infuriating Tory Eurosceptics by signalling that free movement could continue unfettered until March 2019 .
He said : 'We wish to get an early deal in relation to residency rights and all other matters in relation to that .
'The fact is we are going to honour our obligations while we are full members of the European Union . '
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage celebrated the formal notification that we are leaving the EU with a pint at a pub in Westminster this afternoon
Meanwhile jubilant Ukip MEPs staged a party in Brussels to mark the beginning of the end for our EU membership
Mrs May remains committed to negotiating the divorce deal and the future arrangements in parallel – within the two year time frame .
Her spokesman said this was set out within the terms of Article 50 , despite the EU 's insistence today the two things must be negotiated in sequence .
DO N'T PUT NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE IN JEOPARDY , WARNS PM Theresa May 's letter urged the EU not to put Britain in a position where the fluid border between Northern Ireland and the Republic is at risk . The missive to Donald Tusk pointed out that changing the arrangements could imperil the peace process . 'The Republic of Ireland is the only EU member state with a land border with the United Kingdom , ' it said . 'We want to avoid a return to a hard border between our two countries , to be able to maintain the Common Travel Area between us , and to make sure that the UK 's withdrawal from the EU does not harm the Republic of Ireland . 'We also have an important responsibility to make sure that nothing is done to jeopardise the peace process in Northern Ireland , and to continue to uphold the Belfast Agreement . '
He said : 'We wish to get a comprehensive agreement . We are negotiating for a full and comprehensive agreement . '
Sat in the cabinet office of Downing Street , May last night signed her name under the watchful eye of Sir Robert Walpole , the country 's first ever Prime Minister .
Afterwards she telephoned Mr Tusk , along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to inform them about her approach .
A Downing Street spokesman said : 'In separate calls , they agreed that a strong EU was in everyone 's interests and that the UK would remain a close and committed ally .
'They also agreed on the importance of entering into negotiations in a constructive and positive spirit , and of ensuring a smooth and orderly exit process . '
The exact location of the handover of the letter was kept a closely-guarded secret amid fears of disruption by Europhiles .
It has emerged that Britain will obey Brussels free movement rules for up to two more years .
Ministers had considered using the official notification as a 'cut-off point ' , denying new EU arrivals the automatic right to stay here . But sources last night confirmed that this idea had been dropped and the timing of the cut-off will form part of the Brexit negotiations .
The decision on free movement last night raised fears of a rush by EU migrants to beat the deadline .
A government source insisted the Prime Minister had not avoided an early confrontation with Brussels in order to ease the opening of negotiations .
'We have not ducked anything , ' the source said . 'The fact is that we have not got a reciprocal deal on the rights of citizens abroad so we can not set a date for the start of a new system . '
Another source said the Home Office was concerned about the practical difficulties of enforcing a cut-off date before the introduction of a new post-Brexit immigration regime .
Sir Tim Barrow arrived at the European Council building in Brussels at 8.51am British time , carrying a diplomatic bag that contained the letter
Sir Tim had a meeting with other EU ambassadors at the council 's HQ in Brussels this morning before delivering the formal notification to Mr Tusk
Leading Brexiteer Boris Johnson was in Downing Street for a Cabinet meeting this morning hours before the historic letter was delivered
Theresa May officially invoked Article 50 by signing a letter to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Downing Street last night , under the watchful eye of Britain 's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole
Sources last night said a date was unlikely to be set until a deal on reciprocal citizen rights has been agreed .
The European Parliament yesterday threatened to block a final Brexit deal if the UK tried to introduce a cut-off before its full departure from the EU .
A resolution setting out MEPs ' demands will be voted on next week and will include a provision for 'non-discrimination ' against EU citizens in the UK .
ARTICLE 50 : WHAT HAPPENS NEXT Theresa May finally triggered Article 50 today and started the process of Britain 's departure . The process is irreversible , and our membership will expire on March 29 , 2019 even if there is no deal . The EU will issue its first formal response on Friday and the 27 remaining members are set to meet in late April . The first major summit is likely to be later in the spring - but substantive talks could be delayed by elections in Germany in the Autumn . The final deal is expected to emerge by the end of next year in time for a series of votes on ratification Brussels , London and around Europe . If the talks collapse at any point in the two years , Britain could face leaving the EU without a deal at all . While a transitional period is thought likely , Britain will cease to be a full member of the EU at the end of March 29,2019 . That will be 1,009 days after polling day in the EU referendum .
A source who has seen the document said : 'The Parliament will demand that EU free movement law is applied until the day the UK leaves . '
The Article 50 process has never been used before . Ministers believe that , after today , the UK 's departure from the organisation it joined in 1973 will be irrevocable .
Mr Tusk will set out the EU 's 'draft negotiation guidelines ' by the end of the week before sending them to the 27 remaining states for consultation .
EU leaders will meet on April 29 at an extraordinary European Council summit to agree a mandate for chief negotiator Michel Barnier and clear the way for talks to begin in earnest in May .
Mr Hammond risked fuelling tensions with Cabinet colleagues today by giving a cautious assessment of what the government will be able to negotiate from Brussels .
'We 've already made it clear that we accept that , because of our requirements , because of the requirements the British people specified in the referendum result , we will not be members of the European single market , we will not be full members of the European customs union and not being members of those entities has some consequences , it carries some significance and the European Union understands that , ' he said .
' I think the fact that we set that out very clearly has sent a clear signal to our European partners that we understand that we ca n't cherry pick , we ca n't have our cake and eat it , that by deciding to leave the European Union and negotiate a future relationship with the EU as an independent nation , there will be certain consequences of that and we accept those . '
But Mr Hammond voiced confidence that the UK would create a new 'special relationship ' with the EU encompassing trade , security and education .
' I am very confident that we will not get an outcome which would be a worst-case outcome for everybody . That would be ridiculous , ' he said .
'We are going to get a deal . The question is about the shape and nature of that deal . '
Jeremy Corbyn ramped up the pressure on the PM by saying it will be a 'failure of historic proportions ' if she does not manage to protect jobs and living standards in the negotiation .
'The British people made the decision to leave the European Union and Labour respects that decision , ' the Labour leader said .
'Britain is going to change as a result . The question is how . The Conservatives want to use Brexit to turn our country into a low wage tax haven . Labour is determined to ensure we can rebuild and transform Britain , so no one and no community is left behind .
'It will be a national failure of historic proportions if the Prime Minister comes back from Brussels without having secured protection for jobs and living standards . '
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg was flanked by Tory MP Nicky Morgan and Labour 's Chris Leslie at the protest today
Prime Minister Theresa May left Downing Street for the House of Commons just after 11am today , carrying her folder of briefing notes
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme the government was making 'preposterous ' claims about what it could achieve .
He said today the 'phony war ' would end and the public would start to see what Brexit really means .
Mr Clegg lambasted Labour for refusing to vote against legislation authorising Article 50 .
MORE THAN 50,000 EU LAWS TO BE PUT ON UK STATUTE BOOKS The government is set to enshrine more than 50,000 EU laws into the domestic statute books , research has revealed . Figures from Thomson Reuters , show some 52,741 pieces of Brussels legislation have been passed since 1990 alone . They are set to be transposed into UK law as part of the Great Repeal Bill , which is being unveiled tomorrow .
'You can only hold the government to account if you are prepared to vote against the government , ' he said .
French presidential favourite Emmanuel Macron said he did not want to 'punish ' Britain .
'The question is not to punish the UK for a vote made by British people , ' he said at a meeting with London Mayor Sadiq Khan in Paris .
'My priority will be to protect the European Union , the interests of the European Union , and the interests of European citizens .
'And my deep wish is to have Great Britain with the European Union in another relationship .
' I think especially on defence matters it 's important to work together . '
The EU 's chief negotiator Michel Barnier , on a visit to Valetta , said today was the start of a 'very long and difficult road ' .
But far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has warned that the EU 'undeniably ' intends to punish Britain over Brexit and the bloc wants the split to be 'as painful as possible ' .
The National Front leader , who is standing on a fiercely anti-Brussels ticket , said European leaders could 'feel ' other members want to break away and want to avoid a 'domino effect ' .
The landmark document ( pictured ) will be handed over by Britain 's EU ambassador Sir Tim Barrow and represents the first act of an irreversible Brexit process
However , speaking to BBC 's Newsnight , Ms Le Pen said she expected Britain to ultimately secure a good deal during negotiations to leave the EU , which formally begin on Wednesday .
Asked if the UK will be punished for triggering Article 50 , she said : 'That 's undeniably the intention of the EU . The EU wants the divorce to be as painful as possible . That 's simply because they can feel that other nations of Europe want to leave this political structure .
'They do n't want a domino effect . Blackmail did n't work , project fear did n't work either . So they have to try to make the separation as painful as possible . Will they succeed ? I do n't think so . '
Ms Le Pen said Britain 's position will be favourable after leaving the EU as it will be able to protect itself from 'uncontrolled globalisation ' .
AS THE BREXIT TALKS BEGIN , MEET THE KEY PLAYERS ON BOTH SIDES TEAM UK David Davis The Brexit Secretary is a veteran of EU battles . He was Europe Minister under John Major before a long spell in the wilderness on the back benches . His EU shadow in the 1990s was Michel Barnier and the pair will now face off again in the talks to come . Oliver Robbins Oliver Robbins is Britain 's most senior un-elected diplomat . He is Mr Davis 's permanent secretary and will be the Brexit Secretary 's right hand man . A civil service high flyer , he works as Mrs May 's 'sherpa ' at summits and is tipped for the top . Sir Tim Barrow Britain 's EU ambassador was dropped into the job at short notice earlier this year after his predecessor resigned . A veteran of diplomacy in Russia , Sir Tim has been a high flyer during a long career . He will be one of Mrs May 's closest advisers in the talks . TEAM EUROPE Michel Barnier The European Commission 's chief negotiator will be the public face of the EU 's talks . He has struck a tough position from the outset . Mr Barnier knows David Davis well from their time sparring in the 1990s during Maastricht battles . Sabine Weyand A little known German official , Sabine Weyand is a senior trade deal negotiator for the EU . She has experience Britain lacks . Ms Weyand will be across detail and the UK delegation will have to take care not to be left behind . Guy Verhofstadt The chief negotiator for the European Parliament may appear a fringe player at the start but he will be a loud presence in the media . Later , the European Parliament holds a veto on the final deal - meaning Verhofstadt must be squared .
Remoaners warn the 'phony war ' will be over once Article 50 is triggered as rebels led by Nick Clegg step up resistance to Brexit
Nick Clegg warned the 'phony war ' against Brexit was over with the triggering of Article 50 as remoaners stepped up their campaign .
Opponents of quitting the EU are camped out around the Palace of Westminster today to demand Theresa May secure the softest Brexit possible .
Protests were held to mark the historic day ahead of the crucial moment at around 12.30pm .
Former Deputy PM Nick Clegg warned the 'phony war ' against Brexit was over with the triggering of Article 50 as remoaners stepped up their campaign
Former deputy prime minister Mr Clegg told Talk Radio : 'The phony war now ends and the reality bites , because we have to negotiate with 27 other governments and parliaments , all with their own needs and priorities .
'From now on in , people like Boris Johnson , Michael Gove , and Nigel Farage , making all these promises and expectations of a utopia – they 'll have to deliver it . '
He added : 'My job regarding the British people is the expectations which have been raised , £350 million for the NHS , a cornucopia of new trade deals , the same benefits outside the single market than in – my job is to hold them to account . '
Gloomy Donald Tusk responds to Britain 's Article 50 letter with a warning that Brexit is little more than a test of 'damage control '
Donald Tusk has insisted this is not a 'happy day ' in London or Brussels in a gloomy response to Britain 's Article 50 letter .
The EU council president said the Brexit process would be about 'damage control ' for both sides .
In his initial response to the letter from Theresa May , Mr Tusk warned of 'difficult negotiations ' in the months ahead .
He vowed to protect the interests of the remaining 27 EU members but insisted there was nothing to 'win ' for either side .
And he said : 'What can I add to this ? We already miss you . '
Donald Tusk has insisted this is not a 'happy day ' in London or Brussels in a gloomy response to Britain 's Article 50 letter
In a brief statement in Brussels , Mr Tusk said : 'There is no reason to pretend this is a happy day , neither in Brussels nor in London .
After all , most Europeans including almost half the British voters wished we would stay together not drift apart . As for me , I will not pretend that I am happy today .
'But paradoxically , there is also something positive in Brexit . Brexit has made us , the community of 27 , more determined and more united than before .
' I am fully confident of this , especially after the Rome declaration . We will remain determined and united during the difficult negotiations ahead .
Theresa May 's Article 50 letter vows to bring home the nation 's 'self determination ' to make sure we 'put our citizens first '
This is Britain 's divorce letter to Brussels that today triggered Article 50 and promised to seize back 'self-determination ' from the EU so the UK can 'put our citizens first ' .
The six-page document reveals that Theresa May will withdraw full cooperation on cross-border crime , security and terrorism unless Europe does a trade deal that suits Britain .
The historic letter was handed to European Council president Donald Tusk in Brussels by Theresa May 's envoy Sir Tim Barrow at 12.30pm today after crossing the Channel by train under armed guard .
In it Mrs May told Mr Tusk he must not to punish the UK for choosing to leave the EU and also confirms that the government will pay Brussels a multi-billion pound bill to leave .
Theresa May 's Article 50 letter was handed over personally by Britain 's EU ambassador Sir Tim Barrow to EU Council President Donald Tusk
The Prime Minister also sets out six key areas for negotiation over the next two years - and repeatedly warns that the EU needs to do a trade deal - telling Mr Tusk it would be a 'costly mistake ' not to .
And in an attempt to save the Union she said more powers should be given to devolved powers in Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast and any Brexit deal must not 'harm ' the Republic of Ireland .
Minutes after the letter was handed over Mrs May told the Commons : 'In accordance with the wishes of the people , the United Kingdom is leaving the EU . This is a historic moment from which there can be no turning back . '
At the same time a sombre Donald Tusk held up the letter during a short press conference and said : 'There is no reason to pretend this is a happy day . We already miss you . Thank you and goodbye ' .
History : This is the letter that triggered Brexit and sets out Britain 's key priorities for negotiations over the next two years | fbQCpX9MCBBPH29W | 2 | Great Britain | -0.1 | World | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
inequality | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/0d32cb3d9d1c4d83976d7b167f38dd72 | Disabled California seniors in complex left behind in outage | 2019-10-31 | California, Wildfires, Inequality | Pamela Zuzak , 70 , reflects on her experiences of being stranded in the dark during the power blackouts at the Villas at Hamilton housing complex for low income seniors Wednesday , Oct. 30 , 2019 , in Novato , Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric officials said they understood the hardships caused by the blackouts but insisted they were necessary . ( AP Photo/Eric Risberg )
Pamela Zuzak , 70 , reflects on her experiences of being stranded in the dark during the power blackouts at the Villas at Hamilton housing complex for low income seniors Wednesday , Oct. 30 , 2019 , in Novato , Calif. Pacific Gas & Electric officials said they understood the hardships caused by the blackouts but insisted they were necessary . ( AP Photo/Eric Risberg )
NOVATO , Calif. ( AP ) — One woman in her 80s tripped over another resident who had fallen on the landing in a steep stairwell . Others got disoriented , even in their own apartments , and cried out for help .
At least 20 seniors with wheelchairs and walkers were essentially trapped , in the dark , in a low-income apartment complex in Northern California during a two-day power shut-off aimed at warding off wildfires .
Residents of the Villas at Hamilton in Novato , north of San Francisco , say they were without guidance from their property management company or the utility behind the blackout as they faced pitch-black stairwells and hallways and elevators that shut down .
“ We were surprised by how dark it was , ” said Pamela Zuzak , 70 , who uses a walker to get around . “ There was nothing , nothing lit . It was like going into a darkroom closet , pitch black , you couldn ’ t see in front of you . ”
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. shut off power to more than 2 million people over the weekend to prevent its equipment from sparking fires amid hot , dry gusts . It was just one of four pre-emptive rounds of shut-offs imposed by the utility this month .
By PG & E ’ s estimate , more than 900,000 people were without power Wednesday , some of them since Saturday , while crews battled fires in Northern and Southern California .
The outages turned urban highways dark and blackened shopping malls once glittering with light . People stocked up on batteries , water and gas and lamented the spoiled food in refrigerators .
But the backouts are more challenging for older and disabled residents who lack the transportation and money to rush out for ice and groceries , said John Geoghegan , head of the Hamilton Tenant Association .
He said about a third of the Villas ’ 140 residents are too old , sick or cognitively impaired to care for themselves during an extended outage . He alleges the property management company VPM “ abandoned ” its tenants .
Geoghegan came home Saturday night to find residents milling in the parking lots , some near panic . “ Some expected they would be communicated with , but they weren ’ t hearing from anybody , ” he said .
VPM Management of Irvine , landlord Affordable Housing Access of Newport Beach , and the on-site manager did not respond to requests for comment from The ███ .
Elected officials and PG & E customers have complained bitterly over the utility ’ s lack of communication and inability to provide real-time estimates of when power would be back on .
Marie Hoch , president of the Hamilton Field of Marin Owners Association , which does not include the Villas , got a call Monday . She visited the three buildings that make up the complex and found apartments without heat and electric stoves that did not work .
“ I thought it was particularly upsetting that they knew the power outage was coming , ” she said of management .
Zuzak didn ’ t leave her floor until after Monday night , when power was restored . She spent the two days ping ponging from one end to the other , checking on neighbors .
Her friend Patti Zahnow , 77 , who also uses a walker , says she was too frightened to leave her apartment .
“ It was really dark . They put a flood light up that wasn ’ t working , ” she said . “ They should have a flood light that works . ”
Residents said emergency lighting came on in the windowless hallways but lasted for about 12 hours , not nearly long enough for an extended outage . Battery-operated front doors to the buildings that are usually locked became unlocked during the outage .
“ It ’ s pretty disconcerting for the seniors who were fairly unprepared or have difficulty orienting at nighttime , ” said Maureen Wagner , 64 , who serves as a caregiver for her sister , who lives at the Villas .
Resident Helen Wagar , who is in her 80s , was returning to her third-floor apartment from walking her dog , Pixie . She was climbing the stairs , in the dark , when she tripped over another woman who had fallen on a landing .
Wagar ’ s knee is swollen . She never found out the identity of the woman .
“ It was black as pitch in that stairwell , ” she said . “ I never did see the girl at all . ” | a2b3b0735a8350e1 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/this-time-hillary-embraces-gender-card-120441.html?hp=t1_r | This time, Hillary Clinton embraces 'gender card' | 2015-07-21 | politics | When Hillary Clinton received a flood of 4,360 questions on Facebook during a live Q & A Monday afternoon , she knew exactly which one she wanted to answer . It was a moment her campaign was waiting for .
“ Senator Mitch McConnell said about you today : ‘ The gender card alone isn ’ t enough , ’ ” posted Huffington Post reporter Laura Bassett . “ How do you respond to an attack like that ? ”
Clinton ’ s response — a riposte that the gender card is being played “ every time Republicans vote against giving women equal pay , deny families access to affordable child care or family leave , refuse to let women make decisions about their health or have access to free contraception ” — was a forthright appeal for women ’ s votes — and the latest signal that , yes , Clinton ’ s gender will be front and center in her campaign this time around .
Eight years ago , her first presidential campaign downplayed any focus on running as a woman . But Democrats say gender is not only a plus this time , but also crucial to Clinton ’ s strategy for winning a general election where she will need to boost the turnout of female voters , who are more likely to vote Democratic .
The campaign followed up on on the Facebook chat Tuesday , releasing a slick video replaying McConnell ’ s remark and then featuring the records of some of the GOP candidates when it comes to issues that affect women : Sens . Marco Rubio , Rand Paul and Ted Cruz voted against paid sick leave ; Gov . Scott Walker repealed an equal pay law in his state ; and Jeb Bush made a comment offensive to poor women back in 1994 , saying , “ women on welfare should get their life together and find a husband . ”
“ There she goes again with the women ’ s issues , ” Clinton says in a clip featured in the video , pulled from an appearance in Iowa last week . “ Well , I ’ m not going to stop , so get ready for a long campaign . ”
The stance — and the air of assurance that accompanied it — played well with her supporters , even as Republicans accused her of doing precisely what McConnell warned against : campaigning on her gender rather than her record .
“ Hillary Clinton has a habit of contradicting pro-women words with anti-women actions . Not only did Clinton pay women less in her own Senate office , but her foundation gladly accepts money from foreign countries that don ’ t respect women ’ s rights , ” said Allison Moore , Republican National Committee spokeswoman . ( BuzzFeed reported earlier this year that , according to internal data , men and women from Clinton ’ s Senate office and three political committees were paid equally . )
But Jess McIntosh , a spokeswoman for the pro-Clinton PAC EMILY ’ s List , insisted that Republicans ’ criticisms of the “ gender card ” will only remind voters of their own record on women ’ s issues .
“ The Republicans have given her a huge opening , ” she said . “ They have been so tone-deaf on women ’ s issues that they ’ ve changed the game on people realizing how far we have to go to get women to equal economic opportunity. ” She noted that the 2012 election had a historic 20-point gender gap in President Barack Obama ’ s favor .
Tracy Sefl , a consultant close to the campaign , added : “ Women ’ s issues aren ’ t add-ons . They ’ re central . The potential first woman president is well aware of this . The more the GOP talks their talk , the more it helps her . Bring it on . ”
Clinton ’ s focus on economic issues that resonate with women also marks a shift from 2008 , when the campaign was more concerned with proving a junior senator from New York and former first lady was tough enough to be president .
“ I am not running as a woman , ” she said on the trail eight years ago . “ I am running because I believe I am the best-qualified and -experienced person. ” By the time she successfully acknowledged her gender — in a rousing speech thanking her supporters for helping to put “ 18 million cracks ” in the “ highest , hardest glass ceiling ” — she was already conceding to Obama .
Both Clinton and the country have changed since then . A recent New York Times/CBS poll showed that nearly 80 percent of voters said they believe the country is ready to elect a woman president . Clinton served four years as secretary of state , and her campaign is not focused on establishing her as someone capable of serving as commander in chief — in fact , Clinton rarely talks about foreign policy at all .
Instead , she is concentrating on an economic pitch with a strong appeal to women : that equal pay , paid family leave , affordable child care and universal pre-K help grow the economy and that when women are held back , America is held back .
“ Fair pay and fair scheduling , paid family leave and earned sick days , child care are essential to our competitiveness and growth , ” she said at her first major economic speech in New York earlier this month . “ It ’ s time to recognize that quality , affordable child care is not a luxury — it ’ s a growth strategy . ”
And : “ We should be making it easier for Americans to be both good workers and good parents and caregivers . Women who want to work should be able to do so without worrying every day about how they ’ re going to take care of their children or what will happen if a family member gets sick . ”
“ She understands that what she did on gender eight years ago was too little , too late , ” said Kenneth Sherrill , a political science professor emeritus at Hunter College . “ In retrospect , whenever she talked about gender it helped her . For the Democrats to win next year , there has to be elevated turnout among women , and to mobilize women properly is [ to ] run on things like health care , family leave and things like good schools . ”
Clinton is also embracing her own role as a female politician this time around , not just in pushing for women-friendly policies .
In Iowa , she ’ s talked about her healthy “ grandmother glow. ” In New Hampshire , she ’ s tried showing off a more personal side , recalling her first visit to Hanover as a college student going on a blind date . “ Ohhhh , I have memories , ” she joked with a July 4 crowd at Amherst College .
Another question she zoomed in on in during her Facebook Q & A : “ how you manage getting ready each morning ” while trying to stay focused on her work .
“ Amen , sister — you ’ re preaching to the choir , ” Clinton responded . “ It ’ s a daily challenge . I do the best I can — and as you may have noticed , some days are better than others ! ”
In her campaign kickoff speech last month , she earned one of her biggest applause lines acknowledging that she could make history : “ I may not be the youngest candidate in this race , but I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States , ” she said , a line campaign aides were quick to point out she ad-libbed on the spot . And part of her stump speech is telling the story of what she learned from her own mother , who suffered a childhood that included abandonment and abuse .
But supporters say more important than her own acknowledgement of running while female is pushing policies that will generate enthusiasm for her campaign among women .
“ Women know it ’ s beyond time for a woman in the White House , ” McIntosh said . “ When [ Clinton ] makes clever comments about not going gray in the White House , that reminds people we haven ’ t had that perspective before . But couching her candidacy in what she wants to do for women and families is more true to her résumé and resonates more with voters . ” | 7PqAT2gy3riBcUNP | 0 | Hillary Clinton | 0.7 | Politics | -0.6 | Gender | 0 | null | null | null | null |
environment | Media Research Center | https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/business/julia-seymour/2019/02/28/green-new-deal-could-cost-93-trillion-networks-ignore | Green New Deal Could Cost $93 Trillion, But Networks Ignore Massive Cost | 2019-02-28 | environment | How much would a Green New Deal cost ? That ’ s the $ 93 trillion question some media outlets won ’ t ask .
New estimates suggest the price tag of the climate and economic ideas contained in the Green New Deal promoted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could cost $ 93 trillion , Bloomberg.com reported . That ’ s a very green deal , indeed . However , the evening newscasts ignored the new information about the Green New Deal the day the American Action Forum released its cost estimate as well as the day after ( Feb. 25 and 26 ) .
Bloomberg reported the AAF estimate on Feb. 25 , but ABC World News Tonight , CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News all ignored the bad news for Green New Deal proponents .
Two of the three , World News and Evening News , said nothing about the Green New Deal or Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. that night . Nightly News aired a story about a public argument related to the Green New Deal ideas . However , NBC still failed to bring up the costs of such a plan at all in its Feb. 26 , report . That dispute was between first daughter Ivanka Trump and Ocasio-Cortez about a jobs guarantee .
The AAF is run by former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin . Eakin and his AAF team announced on Feb. 25 , that they analyzed some concrete projects promoted in the Green New Deal ’ s “ sweeping policy plan. ” Their astronomical estimates of $ 51 trillion to $ 93 trillion over a decade included included the proposals for a low-carbon electricity grid , net zero emissions transportation , guaranteed jobs , universal health care , guaranteed green housing and food security .
The evening news shows also avoided the Green New Deal entirely the day Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Edward Markey , D-Mass. , first announced the proposal ( Feb. 7 ) .
As if the price tag wasn ’ t bad enough , AAF warned “ Its social impact , however , would likely exceed its enormous price tag because of its expansive re-engineering of social norms , policy processes and key institutions . ” | i58aQAVfvyBBj5V4 | 2 | Green New Deal | 0.4 | Environment | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice_department | Breitbart News | https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/02/18/hollywood-demands-ag-bill-barr-resign-to-restore-public-confidence-in-doj/ | Hollywood Demands AG Bill Barr Resign to ‘Restore Public Confidence’ in DOJ | 2020-02-18 | William Barr, Donald Trump, Attorney General, Justice, Criminal Justice, Justice Department | The Hollywood left have taken out their pitchforks for Attorney General William Barr , demanding his immediate resignation in order to restore public confidence in the Department of Justice .
Stars including Alyssa Milano , Mark Ruffalo , Rosie O ’ Donnell , and John Leguizamo are encouraging their social media followers to sign a petition that accuses Barr of misleading the public about the contents of the Mueller report and making false statements to Congress .
Their demands echo those of Democratic presidential candidates , including Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren , who are also seeking Barr ’ s resignation from office . Republicans are calling the coordinated attack a political hit job designed to weaken President Donald Trump and to prevent Barr from investigating the origins of the Russia collusion hoax .
The Obama-aligned group Protect Democracy has also launched a media offensive against Barr , telling news outlets that more than 2,000 former Department of Justice officials are calling for Barr to step down .
Alyssa Milano led the Hollywood charge , saying that Barr must resign “ to restore public confidence in the integrity of the Department of Justice . ”
Barr must resign as Attorney General immediately to restore public confidence in the integrity of the Department of Justice . Please add your name to this petition and pass it on . # BarrMustResign https : //t.co/IYmezWvUpL — Alyssa Milano ( @ Alyssa_Milano ) February 18 , 2020
Actress Piper Perabo also fanned the flames by recycling the claims made by Protect Democracy .
If you watched the news tonight 📺 ( I saw it on @ AC360 + @ maddow also reporting from @ TheAtlantic @ abcnews & @ TIME ) 2000+ former DOJ officials are calling on AG # Barr to resign . What can citizens do to call for the fair administration of justice ? I just found out and signed ⬇️ https : //t.co/EI2kIAmdGz — Piper Perabo ( @ PiperPerabo ) February 18 , 2020
Rosie O ’ Donnell also demanded Barr ’ s resignation , citing Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe , who has pushed for impeachment since before Donald Trump took office in 2016 .
Actor Mark Ruffalo echoed the push for Barr ’ s resignation , quoting an editorial written by Donald Ayer , former U.S. Deputy Attorney General under President George H. W. Bush .
“ The attorney general is working to destroy the integrity and independence of the Justice Department , in order to make Donald Trump a president who can operate above the law. ” https : //t.co/x32nli5LhW — Mark Ruffalo ( @ MarkRuffalo ) February 18 , 2020
Filmmaker Judd Apatow let loose a wild string of allegations against Barr , claiming that the attorney general is “ part of a cult ” and that he is being unduly influenced by religion .
People need to always discuss the religious aspect to his legal choices . He is part of a cult . His speech about religion is reason enough to impeach him . He sees all Democrats as enemies . https : //t.co/xRMCEwu8WT — Judd Apatow ( @ JuddApatow ) February 17 , 2020
Actor John Leguizamo simply tweeted the hashtags # ResignBarr and # BarrResign six times .
Alec Baldwin tweeted a cryptic list of prominent conservatives and Trump supporters , adding Barr ’ s name to the top of the list .
Lindsay Graham . Do you know what this is a list of ? — HABFoundation ( @ ABFalecbaldwin ) February 18 , 2020 | 4dbd453b5ae6d0e0 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
russia | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/article/russia-arrested-reporter-gershkovich-prison-appeal-f05b14699a2a05c0991f623517663dd4 | US reporter held by Russia on spying charges to stay in jail | 2023-04-18 | Russia, Evan Gershkovich | A Russian judge ruled Tuesday that American journalist Evan Gershkovich must remain behind bars on espionage charges in a case that is part of a crackdown the Kremlin has intensified on dissent and press freedom since invading Ukraine.Appearing in public for the first time in weeks, the 31-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter stood in a defendant’s glass cage in Moscow City Court, wearing blue jeans and a navy blue gingham checked shirt. He paced at times with his arms folded, talking through an opening with his lawyers and occasionally smiling as he acknowledged the other journalists crammed into the courtroom for photos before the hearing was closed because Russian authorities have declared the case secret.Gershkovich is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained in Russia on spying charges, and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and drew outrage in the West. Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. government deny he was involved in spying and have demanded his release.“Evan is a member of the free press who right up until he was arrested was engaged in newsgathering. Any suggestions otherwise are false,” the Journal has said. Last week, the U.S. officially declared that Gershkovich was “wrongfully detained.”Russia’s Federal Security Service arrested Gershkovich in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg on March 29 and accused him of trying to obtain classified information about a Russian arms factory.In rejecting Gershkovich’s appeal to be released from pretrial detention, the judge ruled he must remain in jail until at least May 29. The journalist’s lawyers said they petitioned for house arrest or for his release on bail of 50 million rubles (about $610,000), but were rejected. The lawyers said they plan to appeal the ruling, which the Journal and its publisher, Dow Jones, called “disappointing.”Russian journalist Vasily Polonsky posted a video in which he shouts, “Evan, hang in there. Everyone says hello!” Gershkovich then nods.Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Russian lawyers have said past espionage investigations took a year to 18 months, during which time he could have little contact with the outside world.He is held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, which dates from the czarist era and has been a terrifying symbol of repression since Soviet times, especially under Josef Stalin.“It’s not a very nice place in general, but conditions are OK. He doesn’t complain,” his lawyer, Tatyana Nozhkina, said after Tuesday’s hearing.Gershkovich had no medical complaints and was getting exercise by walking, she said, adding that he also was watching a cooking show on TV and reading, including Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”“He said that in the morning he eats porridge, and he wrote to his mother that it looks like his childhood,” Nozhkina said, a reference to his Russian heritage. His parents moved to the United States from the Soviet Union.“He’s in good fighting spirit. He’s ready to prove his innocence and defend media freedom,” she said.She added that Gershkovich has received letters from his parents and supporters, but hasn’t been allowed any phone calls. He also told his lawyers he was thinking about writing a book about the ordeal when he’s free.The case has exacerbated tensions between Moscow and the West over the invasion of Ukraine and is another sign of the Kremlin’s crackdown on opposition activists, independent journalists and civil society groups. The sweeping campaign of repression is unprecedented since the Soviet era. Activists say it often means the very profession of journalism is criminalized, along with the activities of ordinary Russians who oppose the war.On Monday, in the same courthouse where Gershkovich’s hearing was held, top opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr. was convicted of treason for publicly denouncing the war and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Last month, a court convicted a father over social media posts critical of the war after his daughter drew antiwar sketches in school and sentenced him to two years in prison.Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S., U.K. and Canadian ambassadors over “crude interference in Russia’s internal affairs” after they attended the Kara-Murza hearing Monday.After pressing authorities for days to grant consular access to Gershkovich, U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy, who attended the hearing, said Monday she had visited him in prison. She tweeted that “he is in good health and remains strong,” reiterating a U.S. call for his immediate release.U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to Gershkovich’s parents last week and again condemned his detention.“We’re making it real clear that it’s totally illegal what’s happening, and we declared it so,” he said.The last American reporter to be arrested on espionage charges by Moscow was Nicholas Daniloff in 1986. A correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, Daniloff spent 20 days in custody before being swapped for an employee of the Soviet Union’s U.N. mission who was arrested by the FBI, also on spying charges.A top Russian diplomat said last week that Russia might be willing to discuss a potential prisoner swap with the U.S. involving Gershkovich — but after his trial. That means any exchange is unlikely soon.In December, WNBA star Brittney Griner was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout following her trial and conviction on drug possession charges. She had been sentenced to nine years in prison and ended up spending 10 months behind bars.Another American, Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, has been imprisoned in Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges, which his family and the U.S. government have called baseless.___Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine-war | 4e12c68e366e69ac | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
general_news | Guest Writer | http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/03/opinions/kayyem-oregon-building-takeover-terrorism/index.html | OPINION: Face it, Oregon building takeover is terrorism | 2016-01-03 | general_news | CNN National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem is a professor at Harvard 's Kennedy School of Government , a former assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and founder of Kayyem Solutions , a security consulting firm . She is the host of the `` Security Mom `` podcast and author of a forthcoming book , `` Security Mom : An Unclassified Guide to Protecting Our Homeland and Your Home . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are hers .
Let 's begin with what to call the Oregon anti-government protesters who have taken over a federal building . The men , heavily armed , urging others to come support their cause , and claiming somehow that , while peaceful , they will `` defend '' themselves whatever it takes , are -- by any definition -- domestic terrorists .
It does not matter that they insist they are peaceful or some sort of lawful militia ; I can claim I 'm 26 years old and a size 2 and that still does n't make it true . This group of men is wielding terror , and the threat of violence , as if it were their constitutional right .
So , let 's stop with the wrenching discussions of who they are .
They are dangerous , they are unforgiving , they are flouting federal law , they have a political purpose and they clearly are willing to use violence to get their way . Simply because they are not Muslim jihadists does not mean they are authorized to threaten or use violence to support their political cause .
To decipher their cause is difficult , but it appears they do not like the fact that one of their rancher kin is going to jail for arson because he did n't want to sell his land . Only the most ardent backers of their causes or those with an anti-federal government paranoia ( or an anti-Obama one ) are trying to slice and dice what the group is doing to make it seem somehow benign . It is not .
JUST WATCHED Armed protesters occupy federal land Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Armed protesters occupy federal land 01:46
Do n't take my word for it . Ammon Bundy , the 40-year-old son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy , who is well-known for anti-government action , exposed his own sense that they were in an armed conflict when , after refusing to answer a CNN reporter 's question about how many people were with bunkered down with him , he said he did not want to risk exposing `` operational security . '' Operational security ? We are not in Iraq .
Given that their aim amounts to domestic terrorism , any strategy to get them out of the building must , then , take into account a number of federal concerns and priorities .
Violence should be avoided at all costs . Do not turn these men into martyrs or heroes by excessive force or unnecessary violence . And , in the process of resolving the standoff , teach them ( and others ) a lesson or two .
First , time is on their side . No question about that . In the absence of an imminent threat to children , bystanders or captives , the federal response should be akin to , `` We got all day . And night . And another day . And are you getting hungry ? Possibly thirsty ? Bored ? Are you wondering why you are here in the first place ? We got all day . And another one after that . ''
Immediate action is unwarranted and unnecessary ; Bundy 's call to brethren to join him will be met with a fierce resistance by public safety officials who will not allow anyone else in and will arrest any of them for conspiracy to support a federal crime .
The situation is wholly different from the Waco siege in 1993 , when a 51-day standoff at the Branch Davidian compound in Texas ended in tragedy after the FBI mounted an assault , fires set by the Branch Davidians broke out and 75 people perished . Much is still in dispute in that case , but federal authorities believed that children and captive civilians were in immediate risk of death .
Second , divide and conquer . With time , the opportunity to separate the group , offer carrots and sticks to some so they disarm and surrender , becomes available . Federal authorities can offer reduced sentences , even misdemeanor charges , against anyone barricaded who may not want to go to jail for a lot of years based on the call to arms of Bundy .
If a federal agent or public safety official is harmed or killed during any siege , the federal authorities should remind those inside that they will all be accomplices to first-degree murder . Over time , Bundy may find it difficult to keep his troops unified . Again , time is on the federal authorities ' side .
Finally , while the presence of federal troops might make the situation more tense than it already is , the Obama administration needs to make a statement with this organization and future domestic terrorists .
Various federal authorities are now in charge , but the administration should be ready to mobilize federal military support should they need it , if only for the long haul . And to make an important point that the rule of law is paramount in a civil , democratic society .
Local law enforcement officials , in such an isolated area of Oregon , are likely to know some of these men and could let their perspective be colored by their relationships , either to be too lenient or to want to vigorously uphold the law against such flagrant actions . There are risks if too much emotion is allowed to seep into the decision-making process .
A show of federal force -- even if just for show -- treats these men as they should be treated : domestic terrorists who are putting the whole community at risk .
Again , time is on the responders ' side . Use it . Indeed , if Waco serves as a `` what not to do '' in such a situation , it is a reminder of how too aggressive a response can turn Bundy and his crew into martyrs .
It was the Waco siege that radicalized a different round of domestic terrorists , mainly those who planned the Oklahoma federal building bombing in 1995 , two years to the day that Waco burned .
The Oregon men are domestic terrorists . But , let 's not panic . We 've got all the time in the world . | AeW8zr5CI6OwncuR | 1 | Oregon | -0.1 | General News | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-a-life-remembered-ed6ddf20f696d84ffe0680e1ef0bab0f?utm_source=apnews&utm_medium=featuredcard&utm_campaign=leadstory | Benedict XVI, reluctant pope who chose to retire, dies at 95 | 2022-12-31 | Religion And Faith, Catholic Church, Vatican, Pope Francis, Europe | VATICAN CITY (AP) — He was the reluctant pope, a shy bookworm who preferred solitary walks in the Alps and Mozart piano concertos to the public glare and majesty of Vatican pageantry. When Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI and was thrust into the footsteps of his beloved and charismatic predecessor, he said he felt a guillotine had come down on him.So it should have come as little surprise that with a few words uttered in Latin on a Vatican holiday in 2013, Benedict ended it all, announcing that he would become the first pope in 600 years to resign.His dramatic exit paved the way for Pope Francis’ election and created the unprecedented arrangement of two popes, living side-by-side in the Vatican gardens. And it likely won’t be a one-off, given that Francis has said Benedict “opened the door” for other popes to follow suit.Francis praised Benedict in comments on Saturday during a New Year’s Eve service held at St. Peter’s Basilica.“Only God knows the value and the strength of his intercession, of his sacrifices offered for the good of the Church,” Francis said.The Vatican announced that Benedict died Saturday at his home in the Vatican at age 95. Francis himself will celebrate Benedict’s funeral Mass on Thursday, to which only Italy and Germany were asked to send official delegations, closing out an unprecedented chapter in the history of the papacy with a reigning pope eulogizing a retired one.The intellectual German theologian, whose mission was to reawaken Christianity in a secularized and indifferent Europe, was forced to shoulder the brunt of the sex abuse scandal that festered unattended under St. John Paul II. Then, as he planned to make a quiet exit from the papacy, another scandal erupted when his own butler stole his personal papers and gave them to a journalist — leading to revelations that laid bare the need for a reformer pope to clean up the Vatican’s act.In between crises, Benedict pursued his single-minded vision to rekindle faith in a world that he frequently lamented seemed to think it could do without God.“In vast areas of the world today, there is a strange forgetfulness of God,” he told 1 million young people gathered on a vast field for his first foreign trip as pope, World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in 2005. “It seems as if everything would be just the same even without Him.”He echoed that theme in his final will released by the Vatican on Saturday night, urging the faithful especially in his homeland to “stand firm in the faith!” Two pages in length and dated 2006, the will also touched on a theme dear to his heart of the beneficial dialogue between faith and reason.With some decisive, often controversial moves, he tried to remind Europe of its Christian heritage. And he set the Catholic Church on a conservative, tradition-minded path that often alienated progressives. He relaxed restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass and launched a crackdown on American nuns, insisting that the church stay true to its doctrine and traditions in the face of a changing world.It was a path that in many ways was reversed by his successor, Francis, whose mercy-over-morals priorities alienated the traditionalists who had been so indulged by Benedict.Those conservatives spent much of Francis’ reform-minded papacy — and Benedict’s waning years in retirement — nostalgic for the good old days of the German pope, when doctrine and law seemed paramount and the church’s moral teachings clear. They were never more outraged than when Francis reversed Benedict’s edict to allow greater celebration of the old Latin Mass.Benedict’s style couldn’t have been more different from that of John Paul or Francis. No globe-trotting media darling or populist, Benedict was a teacher and theologian to the core: quiet and pensive with a fierce mind. He spoke in paragraphs, not soundbites. He had a weakness for orange Fanta, cats as well as his beloved library; when he was elected pope, he had his entire study moved — as is — from his apartment just outside the Vatican walls into the Apostolic Palace. The books followed him to his retirement home.“In them are all my advisers,” he said in the 2010 book-length interview, “Light of the World.” “I know every nook and cranny, and everything has its history.”Like his predecessor, Benedict made reaching out to Jews a hallmark of his papacy. His first official act as pope was a letter to Rome’s Jewish community and he became the second pope in history, after John Paul, to enter a synagogue.In his 2011 book, “Jesus of Nazareth,” Benedict made a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Christ, explaining biblically and theologically why there was no basis in Scripture for the argument that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for Jesus’ death.“It’s very clear Benedict is a true friend of the Jewish people,” said Rabbi David Rosen, who heads the interreligious relations office for the American Jewish Committee, at the time of Benedict’s retirement.Yet Benedict also offended some Jews who were incensed at his constant defense of and promotion toward sainthood of Pope Pius XII, the World War II-era pope accused by some of having failed to sufficiently denounce the Holocaust. And they harshly criticized Benedict when he removed the excommunication of a traditionalist British bishop who had denied the Holocaust.Benedict’s relations with the Muslim world were also a mixed bag. He riled Muslims with a speech in September 2006 — five years after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States — in which he quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as “evil and inhuman,” particularly his command to spread the faith “by the sword.”A subsequent comment after the massacre of Christians in Egypt led the Al Azhar center in Cairo, the seat of Sunni Muslim learning, to suspend ties with the Vatican that were only restored under Pope Francis.The Vatican under Benedict suffered notorious PR gaffes, and sometimes Benedict himself was to blame. He enraged the United Nations and several European governments in 2009 when, en route to Africa, he told reporters that the AIDS problem couldn’t be resolved by distributing condoms.“On the contrary, it increases the problem,” Benedict said. A year later, he issued a revision saying that if a male prostitute were to use a condom to avoid passing HIV to his partner, he might be taking a first step toward a more responsible sexuality.As soon as he was elected, Benedict moved decisively on a few select fronts: He made clear early on that he wanted to re-establish diplomatic relations with China that were severed in 1951. He wrote a landmark letter to the 12 million Chinese faithful in 2007, urging them to unite under Rome’s wing. That letter helped pave the way for Francis to seal a controversial deal with Beijing over bishop appointments in 2018.Within his first year, Benedict also signed off on a long-awaited document barring most gay men from the priesthood in a move that riled many progressives in the American church. But in a document welcomed by liberal Catholics, he also essentially abolished “limbo,” saying there was hope that babies who died without being baptized would go to heaven.And in one of his most popular acts at the time, he beatified his predecessor in record time, drawing 1.5 million people to Rome in 2011 to witness John Paul move a step closer to sainthood. Francis finished the job in 2014 when he canonized John Paul along with St. John XXIII. Benedict attended the ceremony, creating a never-before-seen moment of two living popes honoring two dead ones.But Benedict’s legacy was irreversibly colored by the global eruption in 2010 of the sex abuse scandal, even though as a cardinal he had been responsible for turning the Vatican around on the issue.At the time, it was the greatest crisis in the Catholic Church in decades, though its re-eruption in 2018 seemed to have eclipsed even that, given Francis’ own failures and missteps.Over the course of just a few months in 2010, thousands of people in Europe, Australia, South America and beyond came forward with reports of priests who raped and molested them as children, and bishops who covered up the crimes.Documents revealed that the Vatican knew very well of the problem yet turned a blind eye for decades, at times rebuffing bishops who tried to do the right thing.Benedict had firsthand knowledge of the scope of the problem, since his old office — the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which he had headed since 1982 — was responsible for dealing with abuse cases.In fact, it was the then-Cardinal Ratzinger who took the revolutionary decision in 2001 to assume responsibility for processing those cases after he realized bishops around the world weren’t punishing abusers but were just moving them from parish to parish where they could rape again.And from 2004 to 2014, the Vatican defrocked 848 priests and sanctioned another 2,572 to lesser penalties, a get-tough approach to remove predators outright that went unmatched by Francis.Benedict met with victims across the globe, wept with them and prayed with them. Under his leadership, the Vatican updated its legal code to extend the statute of limitations for cases and told bishops’ conferences around the world to come up with guidelines to prevent abuse.And most significantly, Benedict reversed his beloved predecessor by taking action against the 20th century’s most notorious pedophile priest, the Rev. Marcial Maciel. Benedict took over Maciel’s Legionaries of Christ, a conservative religious order held up as a model of orthodoxy by John Paul, after it was revealed that Maciel sexually abused seminarians and fathered at least three children.But Benedict never admitted to any Vatican failure on abuse, and much to the dismay of victims, he never took action against bishops who ignored or covered up the abuse of their priests and moved known pedophiles around to abuse again.As soon as the abuse scandal calmed down for Benedict, another one erupted. In October 2012, Benedict’s former butler, Paolo Gabriele, was convicted of aggravated theft after Vatican police found a huge stash of papal documents in his apartment.Gabriele told Vatican investigators he gave the documents to Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, who went on to publish a blockbuster book, because he thought the pope wasn’t being informed of the “evil and corruption” in the Vatican and that exposing it publicly would put the church back on the right track.It was a painful and embarrassing chapter for the Vatican that exposed power struggles, intrigue and allegations of corruption and homosexual liaisons in the highest levels of the Catholic Church. It was also a personal betrayal for Benedict, although he eventually pardoned Gabriele.Once the “Vatileaks” scandal was resolved, Benedict felt free to make the decision he had hinted at previously but that was extraordinary all the same: On Feb. 11, 2013, he announced that he would resign rather than die in office as all his predecessors had done for almost six centuries.“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited” to the demands of being pope, he told cardinals.As one of John Paul’s close aides, he had watched from up close as the Polish pope suffered publicly with Parkinson’s disease in the final years of his papacy. When he became pope, Benedict clearly wanted to avoid the same fate.It later became clear that his retirement had been planned for months. Renovation on a four-story building on the northern edge of the Vatican gardens had begun the previous fall, but only a handful of people knew it would one day be Benedict’s retirement home.He made his last public appearances as pope in February 2013 and then, on the last day of the month, boarded a helicopter for the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, to sit out the conclave that elected Francis, in private. He only returned to the Vatican months later, after Francis was fully installed.Benedict then largely kept to his word that he would live a life of prayer in retirement, emerging only occasionally from his converted monastery for special events and writing occasional book prefaces and messages.Despite his very different style and priorities, Francis treated Benedict with the utmost respect and love: The Argentine Jesuit frequently said that having Benedict in the Vatican was like having a “wise grandfather” living at home.The decision to leave may have been Benedict’s personal choice, but it’s likely to have a long-term impact on the papal job description going forward.“For the century to come, I think that none of Benedict’s successors will feel morally obliged to remain until their death,” said Paris Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois on the day the resignation was announced.Benedict was often misunderstood. Nicknamed “God’s Rottweiler” by the unsympathetic media, he was actually a sweet and fiercely smart academic who devoted his life to serving the church he loved.“Thank you for having given us the luminous example of the simple and humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord,” Benedict’s longtime deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, told him in one of his final public events as pope.Ratzinger inherited the seemingly impossible task of following in the footsteps of John Paul when he was elected the 265th leader of the Church on April 19, 2005. He was the oldest pope elected in 275 years and the first German in nearly 1,000 years.As John Paul’s right-hand man, he had been a favorite going into the vote and was selected in the fastest conclave in a century: Just about 24 hours after the voting began, white smoke curled from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 5:50 p.m. to announce “Habemus Papam!”Benedict wrote three encyclicals, “God is Love” in 2006, “Saved by Hope” in 2007 and “Charity in Truth” in 2009. The last was perhaps his best known as it called for a new world financial order guided by ethics that was published in the throes of the global financial meltdown.He penned a fourth, “The Light of Faith,” that was eventually published in July 2013 under a joint byline with his successor, Francis, who finished it off after Benedict retired.Benedict’s call for financial ethics was more than just an exhortation: He amended the Vatican city state’s legal code to comply with international norms to fight money laundering and terror financing, putting the Vatican on the path to financial transparency in a bid to shed its image as a scandal-marred tax haven.Born April 16, 1927, in Marktl Am Inn, in Bavaria, Benedict wrote in his memoirs of being enlisted in the Nazi youth movement against his will in 1941, when he was 14 and membership was compulsory. He deserted the German army in April 1945, the waning days of the war.Benedict was ordained, along with his brother, Georg, in 1951. After spending several years teaching theology in Germany, he was appointed bishop of Munich in 1977 and elevated to cardinal three months later by Pope Paul VI.If there were any doubts about Benedict’s priority to reinvigorate Christianity in Europe, his choice of a papal name was as good an indication as any.Benedict told cardinals soon after he was elected that he hoped to be a pope of peace, like Pope Benedict XV, who reigned during World War I. But the first Benedict — St. Benedict of Norcia — was also an inspiration.The 5th- and 6th-century monk is a patron saint of Europe and inspired the creation of the Benedictine order, the main guardian of learning and literature in Western Europe during the dark centuries that followed the fall of the Roman Empire.Until his 2020 death, his brother Georg was a frequent visitor, even after Benedict retired. His sister died years earlier. His “papal family” consisted of Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, his longtime private secretary who was always by his side, another secretary and consecrated women who tended to the papal apartment.They were with him when he received the sacrament of the anointing of the sick on Wednesday, three days before he died.___Follow AP’s coverage of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi | 51f13cb60e400e52 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/27/dick-cheney-military-action-against-iran-may-be-in/ | Dick Cheney: Military action against Iran may be inevitable | 2013-10-27 | Middle East | The Obama administration is optimistic that Iran’s new leadership could offer an opportunity to repair diplomatic relations with the United States and to permanently halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But former Vice President Dick Cheney believes that, eventually, America may have to resort to military force. In an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Mr. Cheney was asked whether a strike on Iran is “inevitable.” “I have trouble seeing how we’re going to achieve our objective short of that,” he said. “And I doubt very much that the diplomacy will be effective if there’s not the prospect that, if diplomacy fails, that we will, in fact, resort to military force.” Since new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani came to power, the White House has begun an all-out effort to cool tensions between the nations. Administration officials, for example, recently suggested it may be time to ease economic sanctions on Iran with the ultimate goal of a diplomatic solution to end that nation’s nuclear program. Mr. Cheney, however, isn’t holding his breath. “I don’t have a lot of confidence in the administration to be able to negotiate an agreement,” he said. “I’ve talked to my friends in that part of the region. I still know them, a lot of them, and they’re very fearful that the whole Iranian exercise is going to go the same way as the Syrian exercise. That is, that there will be bold talk from the administration. But in the final analysis, nothing effective will be done about the Iranian [nuclear] program.” • Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com. Copyright © 2025 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. SEE MORE VIDEOS Stopping the illegal alien invasion ‘X’ marks the danger spot in the battle against hostile cyber threats Carville says Trump playing 4D chess while Democrats still looking for board | a5fc6aca09d8ff15 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | International Business Times | http://www.ibtimes.com/losing-steam-americans-dont-think-immigration-reform-absolute-priority-1549655 | Losing Steam? Americans Don’t Think Immigration Reform Is Absolute Priority | 2014-01-28 | immigration | Americans are feeling rather ambivalent about comprehensive immigration reform being the absolute priority issue for President Barack Obama and the U.S Congress this year . Instead , 91 percent of those surveyed in a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll believe job creation should take that spot .
If the president plans to hit replay on his 2013 State of the Union ( SOTU ) address in which the economy and job creation to help bolster the middle class were his main focus -- Obama called that the “ North Star ” guiding policymaking -- then his speech before Congress tonight should resonate with the public .
Only 39 percent believe passing immigration reform legislation should be of absolute priority . 42 percent say the issues can be delayed until next year . By comparison , only 4 percent believe creating jobs should be delayed a year , according to the poll . The poll comes as Obama is set to deliver the 2014 SOTU address to the nation Tuesday .
That should be good news to House Republicans , who have only passed a handful of immigration bills ( out of committee ) and are in no rush to get comprehensive immigration reform done . Republicans have opted for a piecemeal approach and are soon to release a set of broad principles on how to go about reforming the nation ’ s immigration system . Crucial to the debate though is what to do about the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S. A bipartisan bill left the Senate last July , offering them a 13-year pathway to citizenship . When the GOP releases its principles , reports are that it could provide legal status rather than citizenship to those living here without legal papers .
The researchers surveyed 800 adults between Jan. 25 and Jan. 28 .
Here are some other pressing issues that respondents believe should come before immigration : | BOWSX1cPVrl0kEiK | 1 | Immigration | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | New York Times - News | http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/rubio-offers-full-throated-support-for-immigration-bill/ | Rubio Offers Full-Throated Support for Immigration Bill | 2013-04-14 | immigration | Senator Marco Rubio offered an extraordinary endorsement of legislation to overhaul the nation ’ s badly strained immigration system on Sunday when , after holding back for weeks , he appeared on no fewer than seven television talk shows to explain and defend a plan that he said would be “ a net positive for the country , now and in the future . ”
As Mr. Rubio , a Florida Republican who is a member of a bipartisan group of eight senators preparing to unveil their immigration legislation on Tuesday , pressed his case again and again on the airwaves , new details of the bill emerged . Prominent among them was a proposed fee of roughly $ 2,000 that illegal immigrants would have to pay before they could earn legal status .
As part of that plan , which was still being completed on Sunday , these immigrants would have to pay $ 500 when they apply for a temporary work permit , and would have the next 10 years to pay the remaining $ 1,500 or so , a person familiar with the negotiations said .
Republicans in particular have insisted that the 11 million illegal immigrants already in the country should face a tough path — including paying a fee , getting in line behind those seeking citizenship but who have not lived in the country illegally , and learning English — before they could apply for citizenship .
A Senate aide described the $ 2,000 figure as “ significant but not impossible , punitive but not unreasonable. ” Democrats and immigration advocates had originally pushed for a lower amount .
Mr. Rubio ’ s one-man media blitz on Sunday was a striking show of confidence for a lawmaker who only weeks ago had been a voice of caution , a counterweight to the optimism being expressed by others in the group .
On Sunday , by discussing the plan on the five major network talk shows and on the Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision , he was clearly signaling that the plan was ready for scrutiny by the public and by Congress , and that he was prepared to throw his full weight behind it — perhaps , at the same time , risking his own prospects for a widely expected presidential run in 2016 .
In each appearance he spoke with a sense of urgency , arguing that the plan did not constitute amnesty for illegal immigrants . He said that they would receive no federal benefits during the 13 or so years it would take them to qualify for full citizenship and that the plan depended on tougher border security and better systems for verifying the employment and legal standing of people already in the country .
The new plan would also include a path to citizenship for an additional 500,000 or more people who are currently in “ limbo ” status — including refugees ; people who face persecution in their home countries ; and people with visas specifically designated for trading and investing with countries with which the United States has signed treaties of commerce and navigation , another person familiar with the bill said .
Mr. Rubio ’ s status as a Tea Party member , a prominent young Latino and a rising star in the Republican Party means his imprimatur on the legislation will carry weight . One leading Republican , Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , praised Mr. Rubio last week as “ indispensable ” and “ a game changer . ”
The timing of the plan ’ s formal introduction remained unclear , though the group was hoping to go public with its bill on Tuesday . Mr. Rubio would say only that it would come “ as early as this week. ” But a Democrat in the bipartisan group , Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York , said that all remaining hurdles had been removed .
“ I see nothing in the way , ” Mr. Schumer said on the ABC News program “ This Week , ” “ and I think you ’ ll see a major agreement that ’ s balanced , that ’ s fair , that will have the widespread support of the American people on Tuesday . ”
Ultimate passage is far from guaranteed . But Republicans are deeply concerned about attracting Latino voters — Mr. Obama won 70 percent of their votes last year — and the measure is seen as the major element of the president ’ s second-term agenda that has the best prospects .
The Senate group ’ s push for an immigration overhaul was also being greeted on Sunday as an example of the sort of productive bipartisan cooperation that has become exceedingly rare in Washington .
“ The eight of us have met in the middle , and I think that ’ s where the American people are , ” Mr. Schumer said . He had only praise for Mr. Rubio , whom he called “ a tremendous asset here . ”
Even Karl Rove , the former political adviser to President George W. Bush who is known as a hard-nosed partisan strategist , welcomed the cooperation on immigration .
“ The Democrats and Republicans here have tried to cobble together a bill that is thoughtful , sensitive , tough , and with an eye toward getting something done , ” Mr. Rove said on “ Fox News Sunday . ”
Whatever the outcome , he said , it showed leadership on Mr. Rubio ’ s part . Concerning the presidential race in 2016 , he added , “ I think it helps him . ” | 9W1so6O8wSZIzXot | 0 | Immigration | 0.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
technology | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/news/white-house-executive-order-big-tech-alleged-anti-conservative-bias/ | White House Circulates Executive Order to Combat Big Tech’s Alleged Anti-Conservative Bias | 2019-08-07 | technology | The White House is drafting an executive order intended to address allegations of anti-conservative bias at major social-media companies .
The specifics of the executive order , such as how it would define bias at what penalties it would impose , remain unclear since the document has not yet been finalized , three White House officials told Politico .
“ If the internet is going to be presented as this egalitarian platform and most of Twitter is liberal cesspools of venom , then at least the president wants some fairness in the system , ” one White House official told Politico . “ But look , we also think that social media plays a vital role . They have a vital role and an increasing responsibility to the culture that has helped make them so profitable and so prominent . ”
News of the nascent executive order comes one month after President Trump vowed , during a gathering of right-wing social-media personalities , to study “ all regulatory and legislative solutions ” to combat the anti-conservative bias that he argues runs rampant on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook .
The pair of mass shootings that claimed 31 lives over the weekend also may impact the contents of the executive order . Calls for tech platforms to censor violent content have escalated in the wake of shootings carried out by young men who share their violent ideologies with others on sites such as 8chan .
“ They have a role , if not a responsibility , to monitor the content on their sites to ensure that people aren ’ t threatened with violence or worse , and at the same time to provide a platform that protects and cherishes freedom and free speech , but at the same time does not allow it to descend into a platform for hate , ” the White House official said .
In a largely symbolic gesture , Trump signed an executive order earlier this year requiring that universities agree to promote free speech on campus before they become eligible to receive federal funds . | c2H0xwzkxTDPIAJ3 | 2 | Big Tech | -0.1 | Google | -0.1 | Media Bias | 0 | Executive Orders | 0 | Facebook | 0 |
politics | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/21/mitt-romney-pierre-delecto-reports/4050901002/ | 'C'est moi': Mitt Romney has been tweeting under the secret account, Pierre Delecto, reports say | 2019-10-21 | politics | You may know him as Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah , the 2012 Republican presidential nominee with a fastidious approach to blowing out birthday candles , but according to news media reports , the mild-mannered Mormon also has an alter-ego who likes to live ( slightly more ) dangerously on social media .
Mitt Romney , you see , is also the mysterious Twitter user Pierre Delecto . And Pierre Delecto is Mitt Romney .
`` C'est moi , '' Romney confessed in French when confronted about the secret online identity by Atlantic reporter McKay Coppins on Sunday .
Earlier that day , Coppins published a profile on Romney in which the senator shared the existence of the profile he uses to follow the political discussion on Twitter .
Though he did not divulge the name of the Twitter handle , he let slip that he followed 688 people .
Slate reporter Ashley Feinberg then used that limited data to infer that the Pierre Delecto account was , in fact , Romney .
The account has since been made private , but according to screenshots of his posts taken by reporters , Romney appears to have primarily used the Twitter profile to anonymously defend himself from posts or comments on the social media platform that he felt were unfair .
For example , when Soledad O'Brien shared a story from The Hill about Romney 's questioning whether he would endorse Trump in 2020 , O'Brien wrote , `` Utter lack of a moral compass . ''
`` Only Republican to hit Trump on Mueller report , only one to hit Trump on character time and again , so Soledad , you think he 's the one without the moral compass ? '' tweeted Delecto in response .
Brit Hume , from Fox News , shared a Daily Caller story about Romney 's statement that President Donald Trump 's withdrawal from Syria made the U.S. an `` unreliable ally , '' along with the comment , `` Some might say Romney is too . ''
`` Loyal to principle trumps loyalty to party or person , right Brit ? '' Delecto replied .
When conservative Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin tweeted that Romney 's way of dealing with Trump was `` nonconfrontation verging on spinelessness , '' Delecto replied , `` Jennifer , you need to take a breath . Maybe you can then acknowledge the people who agree with you in large measure even if not in every measure . ''
And when one Twitter user said , `` Congrats GOP Senate . Well done , '' regarding the fallout from Trump 's Syria withdrawal , Romney tweeted in his Delecto guise , `` John , agree on Trump 's awful decision , but what could the Senate do to stop it ? ''
Slate also shared some of the posts liked by Romney via the Delecto account . Many of them were posts that were positive about himself .
For example , he liked one post from Washington Post reporter Matt Viser , in which Viser asked , `` Who is having the better Saturday ? '' with a photo of Romney at a pumpkin patch with his family beside a Trump Twitter rant in which he called Romney `` pompous . ''
He also liked a post from ███ opinion contributor Christian Schneider that shot down Trump 's claim that Utah voters were regretting their support for Romney .
`` The people of Utah were so disgusted by Romney 's criticisms of Trump they elected him to the Senate in 2018 by a 62 % -30 % margin , '' Schneider wrote , to Delecto 's delight .
Using the Delecto cover , Romney also liked a number of tweets that were critical of Trump , such as posts from conservative lawyer and fierce Trump critic George Conway , the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway . Slate said Conway `` appears to be a particular favorite '' of Delecto 's , including tweets questioning Trump 's fitness for office .
He also liked a tweet from political analyst Jeff Greenfield , who said he was `` reassessing '' his position on using the 25th Amendment to declare the president unfit for office .
And he was one of more than 19,000 people who liked a tweet from the infamous Devin Nunes ' Cow account that slammed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for hypocrisy in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton .
Romney 's office did not respond to ███ 's request for comment on the Pierre Delecto account . | BIpJmwr1yQMmsuCc | 1 | Politics | -0.3 | Mitt Romney | 0.2 | Social Media | 0 | Twitter | 0 | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/22/politics/ervin-south-carolina-governor/index.html | A new player steps into South Carolina governor's race | 2014-04-22 | Elections | Story highlights Tom Ervin was running as a Republican but withdrew and entered as an independent
Incumbent Nikki Haley is one of the Republican Party 's brightest stars
Some Republicans think Democrats are behind Ervin 's campagin to split GOP vote
Some Democrats think Ervin could split the anti-Haley vote and assure her victory
South Carolina Gov . Nikki Haley is one of the GOP 's brightest stars , a 42-year-old Indian-American , a dynamo fundraiser and a favorite of national Republicans eager to showcase diversity in their ranks .
Haley 's road to re-election this November has looked smooth of late , thanks to Obamacare 's unpopularity in South Carolina , a shrinking unemployment rate and the cautious approach of her Democratic challenger , state Sen. Vincent Sheheen .
But Haley 's path to victory might have just become more complicated .
That 's because a little-known attorney and former judge named Tom Ervin has joined the race for governor as an independent -- and his campaign is threatening to raise at least $ 6 million in the process .
`` We 're going to spend whatever it takes , '' Ervin told CNN . `` I am going to tell the truth to the people of South Carolina . ''
Ervin entered the race clumsily . In March , he filed to run against Haley in the Republican primary , loaning his campaign $ 420,000 as seed money . He promptly unleashed $ 65,000 worth of robocalls attacking the governor . But he soon dropped out of the primary and announced his independent bid , saying there was n't enough to time to mount a credible GOP campaign before the June 10 primary .
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Haley 's campaign was quick to diminish Ervin as a `` liberal trial lawyer . ''
`` We appreciate Mr. Ervin 's desire for public service , but a trial lawyer and former Democratic lawmaker who wants to raise taxes and embrace Obamacare should probably be running as a Democrat , '' said Haley spokesman Rob Godfrey . `` Governor Haley is focused on the legislative session , passing historic education and ethics reforms and keeping the fantastic economic and jobs momentum going . And we look forward to running against two liberal trial lawyers who support Obamacare instead of just one . ''
Ervin 's audacious , last-minute entry into the race has been met with eye-rolls by Republicans . A popular rumor in Columbia is that his candidacy is little more than a shadow campaign aided by trial attorneys who have long clashed with the pro-business governor and want a spoiler in the race . Haley defeated Sheheen by just four points when they first squared off in the 2010 race .
Some Democrats are hopeful that Ervin , and his money , will help them open up a two-front war against Haley on the campaign trail , while siphoning Republican-leaning voters away from the incumbent . A libertarian candidate , Charleston businessman Steve French , could do the same .
Others , though , are concerned that Ervin will hurt rather than help their cause by divvying up the existing anti-Haley vote , thereby hurting Sheheen , who needs to grow his support in a GOP-dominated state .
`` I think it could hurt , '' said Dick Harpootlian , a former Democratic Party chairman in the state . `` There are a lot of moderate Democrats , a lot of people who would have voted for Vincent who may gravitate to Tom Ervin now if he throws a punch . It may Balkanize the anti-Haley vote . That may be in play now . ''
Adding intrigue to Ervin 's candidacy is the behind-the-curtain presence of Republican consultant John Weaver , the mercurial former John McCain and Jon Huntsman strategist who is consulting on the campaign .
Weaver , a screwdriver-sipping Texan who tweets prolifically about the San Antonio Spurs , has never been shy about sticking his finger in the eye of his fellow Republicans .
After McCain lost his bid for the presidency in 2000 , Weaver briefly dabbled in Democratic politics and feuded with Karl Rove during the Bush years . During the Huntsman campaign , he called Republicans `` a bunch of cranks '' in the pages of Esquire . Ervin 's campaign is not the first time he 's worked against the GOP on a governor 's race : In 2010 , he advised the ill-fated candidacy of Tim Cahill , a Democrat-turned-independent candidate for Massachusetts governor .
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`` I was honored when Tom called me three weeks ago about being a member of his team , '' Weaver said in an email . `` We tried to recruit him twice for Sen. McCain in our two primaries in South Carolina -- and failed . I know Tom to be a social and economic conservative and also extremely straight forward and bold in his vision for the state . He 'll be a breath of fresh air for sure as the next Republican governor . ''
Ervin revealed his first ad on Monday , calling himself `` an independent Republican '' and criticizing Haley on a number of issues , including the massive 2012 data breach at the South Carolina Department of Revenue that exposed nearly 4 million Social Security numbers .
Ervin 's chances of winning the race are slim . There 's no modern precedent for a candidate without party support winning statewide in South Carolina . He first has to qualify to get on the November ballot by collecting at least 10,000 signatures needed to run as a `` petition '' candidate .
Meanwhile , Haley 's campaign has raised nearly $ 6 million for her campaign , a hefty sum in a state where television ad time is relatively affordable , and she has been aided by a series of commercials paid for by the Republican Governors Association . In one hard-edged ad that began airing this week , the RGA blasts Sheheen , an attorney and state senator , for legal work defending a sex offender and domestic abusers . The South Carolina Democratic Party called the ad `` desperate . ''
Ervin sees an opening . Sitting for an interview inside the wood-paneled lobby of WRIX , an Anderson radio station he purchased out of bankruptcy last year , the soft-spoken Ervin said his decision to drop out of the Republican primary will give him time to raise money and get his message out . Had he remained in the GOP race , it would have allowed Haley to line her war chest by going back to her donors and soliciting even more money for the primary campaign .
Ervin served one term in the South Carolina legislature 30 years ago as a Democrat , and ran for a seat again in 2005 as a Republican , but lost . A practicing attorney involved with charitable work in the Greenville area , he said he has been active in local politics for years . He said he did not vote in the last gubernatorial election .
`` We have no leadership in Columbia right now , '' Ervin said . `` Governor Haley has been a disaster . Every agency she has touched is in crisis mode . She is clearly focused on her own selfish political ambitions . If she is re-elected , I seriously doubt she will finish out her term . She has got her eyes on Washington . All she can talk about is federal issues , when our state is languishing . ''
Ervin pointed to the state 's `` crumbling '' roads and bridges , education policy and government transparency as issues he plans to highlight . He said a gas tax is `` on the table , '' and he 'd likely sign a budget increasing fees if it passed the state legislature , but his positions hew closer to conservative orthodoxy . Ervin wants to eliminate the personal income tax and says he opposes the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act , although he previously told The State newspaper he would not veto Medicaid expansion if the state balanced the budget . As a born-again Christian , he 's against same-sex marriage and abortion .
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But mainly , he said he wants to make the race a referendum on Haley 's first term . Ervin applied a lighter touch to Sheheen , calling him a `` career politician '' and `` far to the left . '' But he also described the Democrat as a `` policy wonk '' with `` a good understanding of the issues . '' Sheheen 's campaign had no comment on Ervin .
Ervin 's sudden appearance on the political scene , his blistering criticisms of Haley and his ties to the state 's legal community -- his wife is a prominent worker 's compensation attorney -- have fueled talk in the state capital that he was recruited into the race by Republican fundraiser John Rainey , a longtime Haley nemesis .
Rainey fiercely opposed Haley during her first gubernatorial campaign in 2010 . After she won , he memorably filed a lawsuit and then an ethics complaint against the governor , claiming she profited from her office while serving in the state legislature . That complaint was dismissed , but not before Haley defended herself before the state 's ethics panel and , in a remarkable moment , called Rainey `` a racist , sexist bigot who has tried everything in his power to hurt me and my family . ''
Ervin acknowledged being friendly with Rainey 's brother , but denied that he is a stalking horse for the legal community . `` Since I was a circuit court judge for 14 years , I do know a number of attorneys , '' he said . `` And there will be some of my friends that will contribute to my campaign . But I do n't expect to get the endorsement of the trial lawyers . ''
`` I do n't know John well enough to approach him , '' Ervin said of Rainey . `` I may , because he wants some change in state government as well . He may be motivated to give . But John has not contributed to my campaign . ''
Rainey , too , denied any connection to Ervin 's campaign . `` No , '' he said flatly when asked if he recruited Ervin to run . `` There is nothing else to say . ''
Still , Rainey had harsh words for Haley , calling her `` corrupt to the core of her being . '' In the next breath , he gamed out a scenario in which Ervin could open the door to a Sheheen victory .
`` I think he appeals to centrist Republicans , some of whom do n't want to vote for somebody with a D by their name , but who would vote for someone with Republican credentials , '' Rainey said . `` If you can get somebody who can carve off 5 % of the vote , Vincent can win . There is no question he can win . ''
Katon Dawson , a former South Carolina GOP chairman , said Ervin and his wife `` have been very successful in the legal business . '' But , he added , `` I do n't take it very seriously . ''
`` They are not going to shake a lot of votes loose from Republicans , '' Dawson said . `` If they are going to spend a couple million , that 's their choice . He can do what he wants with his money . If I was Tom and I was looking for some excitement , I would n't run as an independent for governor in a Republican state . He 'd be better off if he bought a new sports car and got a girlfriend and got it out of his system . '' | 224d4f33df1efae7 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
science | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2014/10/22/never_before_published_isaac_asimov_essay_reveals_the_secret_to_true_creativity/ | Never-before-published Isaac Asimov essay reveals the secret to true creativity | 2014-10-22 | Science | In 1959 the prolific author and professor of biochemistry Isaac Asimov wrote an essay about the formation of ideas and how to spur creativity . Fifty-five years later , the essay was found by Asimov 's friend , the scientist Arthur Obermayer , and published by MIT Technology Review .
The essay was the author 's sole formal contribution to a research group funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency `` to elicit the most creative approaches possible for a ballistic missile defense system . ''
Asimov eventually left the group as he did not want to be privy to classified or secret information , according to Obermayer . This essay on creativity , however , remains , and in the face of surmounting obstacles it remains as relevant as ever .
`` How do people get new ideas ? '' Asimov muses . Asimov himself wrote and edited more than 500 works and was famed for his science fiction novels . One can surmise that he was not short on ideas -- or a method of cultivating creativity .
Asimov instead looks at how Darwin and Alfred Wallace came up with the theory of evolution via natural selection , and breaks down the essentials of creativity . Just as important as Darwin and Wallace 's background and travels was their ability to make connections between granules otherwise detached :
`` Obviously , then , what is needed is not only people with a good background in a particular field , but also people capable of making a connection between item 1 and item 2 which might not ordinarily seem connected . ''
The `` cross-connection '' Asimov explains is specially cultivated from certain personality and societal factors .
`` Making the cross-connection requires a certain daring . It must , for any cross-connection that does not require daring is performed at once by many and develops not as a 'new idea , ' but as a mere 'corollary of an old idea . ' '' `` It is only afterward that a new idea seems reasonable . To begin with , it usually seems unreasonable . It seems the height of unreason to suppose the earth was round instead of flat , or that it moved instead of the sun , or that objects required a force to stop them when in motion , instead of a force to keep them moving , and so on . '' `` A person willing to fly in the face of reason , authority , and common sense must be a person of considerable self-assurance . Since he occurs only rarely , he must seem eccentric ( in at least that respect ) to the rest of us . A person eccentric in one respect is often eccentric in others . ''
Despite writing `` that as far as creativity is concerned , isolation is required , '' Asimov does write at length for the rest of the essay on how best to foster creativity in groups -- five is a good number , he suggests . To cultivate group creativity he believes the perfect human petri dish is one of ease and relaxation :
`` But how to persuade creative people to do so ? First and foremost , there must be ease , relaxation , and a general sense of permissiveness . The world in general disapproves of creativity , and to be creative in public is particularly bad . Even to speculate in public is rather worrisome . The individuals must , therefore , have the feeling that the others won ’ t object . ''
Asimov wrote this before radical changes were made to office structures , before Steve Jobs and Pixar , before Silicon Valley and the culture of start-ups were perverted and mass marketed . His ideas seem far before his time .
Yet his essay was published at the exact right moment -- a moment when our society may need to be reminded of this simple prescription . We need to shed some of the manic hype for the `` next thing '' and take a moment to make true , daring new connections . To be informed and eccentric .
This line stands out : `` It must , for any cross-connection that does not require daring is performed at once by many and develops not as a 'new idea , ' but as a mere 'corollary of an old idea . ' '' | 1febbbfc8c8cd79d | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/opinion/friedman-obamas-1-2-punch.html?ref=politics | Friedman: Obama’s 1-2 Punch? | 2013-01-16 | white_house | What would that look like ? If the Republican Party had a brain it would give up on its debt-ceiling gambit and announce instead that it wants to open negotiations immediately with President Obama on the basis of his own deficit commission , the Simpson-Bowles plan . That would at least make the G.O.P . a serious opposition party again — with a platform that might actually appeal outside its base and challenge the president in a healthy way . But the G.O.P . would have to embrace the tax reforms and spending cuts in Simpson-Bowles first . Fat chance . And that ’ s a pity .
Image Thomas L. Friedman Credit ... Josh Haner/The New York Times
As for Obama , if he really wants to lead , he will have to finally trust the American people with the truth . I ’ d love to see him use his Jan. 21 Inaugural Address and his Feb. 12 State of the Union Message as a one-two punch to do just that — offer a detailed , honest diagnosis and then a detailed , honest prescription .
On the diagnosis side , Obama needs to explain to Americans the world in which they ’ re now living . It ’ s a world in which the increasing velocity of globalization and the Information Technology revolution are reshaping every job , workplace and industry . As a result , the mantra that if you “ just work hard and play by the rules ” you should expect a middle-class lifestyle is no longer operable . Today you need to work harder and smarter , learn and re-learn faster and longer to be in the middle class . The high-wage , middle-skilled job is a thing of the past . Today ’ s high-wage or decent-wage jobs all require higher skills , passion or curiosity . Government ’ s job is to help provide citizens with as many lifelong learning opportunities as possible to hone such skills .
In the State of the Union , I ’ d love to see Obama lay out a detailed plan for tax reform , spending cuts and investments — to meet the real scale of our problem and spur economic growth . We ’ ll get much more bang for our buck by deciding now what we ’ re going to do in all three areas , and signaling markets that we are putting in place a truly balanced approach , but gradually phasing it in . If you tell investors and savers that we ’ re going to put our fiscal house in order with a credible plan , but one that is gradually phased in , all the money now sitting on the sidelines paralyzed by uncertainty will get off the sidelines and we ’ ll have a real stimulus .
As for investment , I ’ d love to see the president launch us on an aspirational journey . My choice would be to connect every home and business in America to the Internet at one gigabit per second , or about 200 times faster than our current national household average , in five years . In an age when mining big data will be a huge industry , when online lifelong learning will be a vital necessity , and when we can ’ t stimulate our way to prosperity but have to invent our way there , no project would be more relevant . | Zu29eENywpy5qcsV | 0 | Politics | -1.1 | White House | 0.7 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/opinion-fact-checkers-obamacare-aca-brendan-nyhan-jason-reifler-97943.html | Opinion: Fact checkers can help keep ACA debate honest | 2013-10-07 | healthcare | The public continues to be ill-informed about the health reform law , the authors say . | REUTERS Keeping Obamacare debate honest
Although the federal government is currently shut down as a result of Republican efforts to defund the Affordable Care Act , many important debates over health policy going forward will take place at the state level . Unfortunately , continuing public confusion over the law is likely to be exploited by opportunistic politicians if they aren ’ t fact-checked aggressively by the press .
The federal government is running most of the state health care exchanges , but the political battle over Obamacare is increasingly playing out in the states , whose governments must decide how to implement the law and whether to allow residents expanded coverage under Medicaid . Politicians across the spectrum spun a range of narratives about last week ’ s launch of the exchanges , which saw high traffic and embarrassing technical glitches . These are only the first steps in a long rollout process that is sure to be politicized even further .
Unfortunately , the public continues to be confused and ill-informed about the health reform law . In particular , a number of misperceptions about the ACA linger , including the false claim that it would create “ death panels. ” As insurance plans offered through the exchanges take effect next year , even more myths and falsehoods about Obamacare are likely to emerge as elected officials make bogus claims about the risks or benefits to the public .
Research shows that it is difficult to correct misperceptions when people are motivated to believe in them . However , we can still improve the debate over Obamacare by reducing the incentives for elected officials to make false or misleading statements about the law . Ideological stalwarts might not change their beliefs about the proper role of government in health care , but they are capable of changing the claims they make publicly about the law and its implementation . The question is how to get them to do so .
Our research suggests that politicians are generally sensitive to the possibility that statements they make will be publicly fact-checked . Currently , the claims politicians make about Obamacare receive too little scrutiny from the media , especially at the state and local levels . Even if a dubious statement is covered in the press or recorded and disseminated online , news outlets ranging from ABC to The Associated Press have proved susceptible to reporting such events in a neutral “ he said , she said ” manner rather than attempting to set the record straight . As a result , political figures have little reason not to make misleading assertions .
More aggressive fact-checking could help change those incentives . During the final months of the 2012 election , we conducted a field experiment among nearly 1,200 legislators from nine states in which affiliates of the nonpartisan fact-checking website PolitiFact were in operation . Starting in August 2012 , we sent letters to approximately 400 of those lawmakers describing how negative fact-checking ratings could threaten their reputations and electoral prospects .
In our study , 2.7 percent of legislators who were not sent reminders about fact checking received a negative PolitiFact rating or had the accuracy of their statements questioned publicly . Among legislators who were sent warning letters about fact checking , this likelihood declined to just 1 percent — a 63 percent decrease in relative risk . These results , which we describe further in a New America Foundation report and academic working paper , suggest that fact checking can help to change politicians ’ behavior , which in turn could have major implications for how well the public understands important policy issues .
The problem is not only the lack of fact checking in the media but also the targets that fact checkers select . Most of their efforts during the 2012 election were devoted to the presidential campaigns , which are relatively insensitive to negative coverage and wield vast advertising budgets that allow them to overshadow the press . State officials typically receive far less coverage , including very few fact checks . As a result , we should expect them to be more sensitive to the added scrutiny of fact checking .
Politics is inevitably messy . But fact checking can improve the odds that at least one of the news options in the health care debate contains the truth .
Brendan Nyhan is assistant professor of government at Dartmouth College and a media critic for Columbia Journalism Review . Jason Reifler is senior lecturer in politics at the University of Exeter . | y5SwyXQIb70ticCn | 0 | Obamacare | 0.1 | Healthcare | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | The Intercept | https://theintercept.com/2019/10/23/coca-cola-plastic-waste-pollution/ | Coca-Cola Named Most Polluting Brand In Global Audit Of Plastic Waste | 2019-10-23 | environment | Coca-Cola was found for the second year in a row to be the most polluting brand in a global audit of plastic trash conducted by the Break Free From Plastic global movement . The giant soda company was responsible for more plastic litter than the next top three polluters combined .
More than 72,000 volunteers fanned out onto beaches , paddled along waterways , and walked along streets near their offices and homes picking up plastic bottles , cups , wrappers , bags , and scraps for the one-day cleanup in September that was the basis for the audit . Sorting through the mounds of garbage , they found that the plastic represented 50 different types and could be traced back to almost 8,000 brands . Coke was responsible for 11,732 pieces of plastic litter found in 37 countries on four continents . After Coca-Cola , the next biggest contributors to the plastic pollution in the audit were Nestle , PepsiCo , Mondelez International — purveyor of snack brands like Oreo , Ritz , Nabisco , and Nutter Butter — and Unilever . More than half of the plastic had eroded to the point where it was impossible to discern who had produced it .
Coke was the top source of plastic in Africa and Europe and the second largest source in Asia and South America . In North America , the company responsible for the most plastic found in the cleanups was Nestle , followed by the Solo Cup Company , owned by the Dart Container corporation , and Starbucks . Coca-Cola ranked fifth among the companies responsible for plastic waste in North America .
Coca-Cola responded to questions about the brand audit with an emailed statement : “ Any time our packaging ends up in our oceans — or anywhere that it doesn ’ t belong — is unacceptable to us . In partnership with others , we are working to address this critical global issue , both to help turn off the tap in terms of plastic waste entering our oceans and to help clean up the existing pollution . ”
Coke ’ s statement also said , “ We are investing locally in every market to increase recovery of our bottles and cans and recently announced the launch in Vietnam of an industry-backed packaging recovery organization , as well as a bottler-led investment of $ 19 million in the Philippines in a new food-grade recycling facility . We are also investing to accelerate key innovations that will help to reduce waste , including new enhanced recycling technologies that allow us to recycle poor quality PET plastic , often destined for incineration or landfill , back to high quality food packaging material . ”
Coca-Cola ’ s dubious distinction of being the top global contributor of plastic waste for two consecutive years runs counter to the company ’ s carefully curated public image as an environmental leader . Earlier this month , Coke introduced a plastic bottle made from recycled marine plastic , and last year the company pledged to collect and recycle “ the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells globally . ” | pH64tc5k0NAXi4CV | 0 | Coca-Cola | -0.3 | Environment | -0.2 | Pollution | -0.2 | Climate Change | -0.2 | World | -0.1 |
middle_east | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/06/state-department-urges-american-citizens-to-leave-yemen-urges-non-essential/ | US military evacuates embassy staff from Yemen over terror threat, Americans urged to leave | 2013-08-06 | middle_east | The State Department on Tuesday ordered most embassy personnel out of Yemen and urged all U.S. citizens currently in that country to leave over the Al Qaeda threat that triggered the shutdown of 19 American diplomatic posts this week .
The U.S. Air Force already has flown State Department personnel out of the capital of Sanaa as part of the broad evacuation effort . According to a senior U.S. official , fewer than 90 embassy personnel were flown out on a military aircraft .
`` The U.S. Department of Defense continues to have personnel on the ground in Yemen to support the U.S. State Department and monitor the security situation , '' Pentagon spokesman George Little said .
The rapid-fire developments on Tuesday came as two drone strikes killed four suspected Al Qaeda militants in the Yemeni province of Mareb , an Al Qaeda stronghold . The sources said that one strike hit a car with four militants inside , while the other hit a militant hideout . There have been six drone strikes in Yemen in the past six days , ███ has learned .
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The Obama administration has offered few specifics on the nature of the threat , but repeatedly has said it appears to originate in -- and possibly be directed toward -- the Arabian Peninsula , which is where Yemen is located and which houses Al Qaeda 's most notorious affiliate .
The department said in a travel warning that it had ordered the staff departures `` due to the continued potential for terrorist attacks '' and added that all Americans in Yemen should leave immediately because of an `` extremely high '' security threat level .
`` As staff levels at the Embassy are restricted , our ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency and provide routine consular services remains limited and may be further constrained by the fluid security situation , '' the State Department travel warning said in part .
Less than two hours after the State Department issued their warning , the British government said it had `` temporarily withdrawn '' all staff from its embassy in Yemen due to the terror threat .
Sources tell ███ that Al Qaeda could be planning attacks on other foreign offices , infrastructure , and organizations in Yemen in addition to the American embassy . A Yemeni government official had said Monday that the embassy itself was `` heavily fortified , '' adding : `` You would need a small army to penetrate the post . '' In an official statement , the Yemeni government said it was taking `` all necessary precautions to secure diplomatic facilities , vital installations and strategic assets . ''
The Associated Press reported that Yemeni officials were also focusing on the strategic Bab al-Mandeb straits at the entrance to the Red Sea as a possible target of an attack . Officials cited intelligence that Al Qaeda could be targeting foreign or Yemeni interests at the vital Red Sea corridor , which is a main thoroughfare for international shipping but also a crossing point of for smuggled weapons and illegal immigrants between east Africa and Yemen .
The government of Yemen has released a list of 25 terrorists it deems most likely to carry out `` operations '' in Saana . At the top of the list is Ibrahim al-Rubaish , a Saudi who is described as a spiritual and strategic leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula . Al-Rubaish was at one point held at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba , but was released in 2006 .
The number-two person on the official list is Ibrahim al-Asiri , described as the group 's master bomb maker . He has been described as the explosives expert behind the botched Christmas Day 2009 bombing of an airliner bound for Detroit and the explosives-laden parcels intercepted aboard cargo flights a year later .
The Yemeni statement said security forces will pay $ 23,000 to anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the arrests of any of the wanted men .
███ has also confirmed that a Yemeni intelligence official was fatally shot just south of Saana on Sunday . The official 's death is believed to be related to the latest terror scare .
On Monday , a U.S. intelligence source told ███ that the terror threat that led to the closure of nearly two dozen U.S. embassies and consulates resulted from intercepted communications between the head of Al Qaeda and the leader of its Arabian Peninsula affiliate .
The confirmation shows just how high the alleged threat goes in the terror network and is the most specific detail to emerge over the nature and origin of the threat . The source said the communications were intercepted between Ayman al-Zawahiri -- who is Usama bin Laden 's successor -- and Nasir al-Wuhayshi , head of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula .
Asked about the claim , officials with the CIA and Office of the Director of National Intelligence would not confirm the details of any such intercepted communications .
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been widely considered Al Qaeda 's most dangerous affiliate for several years .
Earlier Monday , officials with the White House and State Department declined to provide further specifics about the nature of the threat . White House Press Secretary Jay Carney would say only that the threat potentially goes `` beyond '' the Arabian Peninsula .
Some analysts pointed to the lack of specificity in questioning whether the threat was being blown out of proportion .
Anthony Shaffer , a former military intelligence officer who now works with the Center for Advanced Defense Studies , said this might just be `` Al Qaeda pushing our buttons '' to see how the U.S. responds .
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf pushed back when asked at Monday 's press briefing about the possibility that the intelligence was a ruse .
`` Without speaking to the specific stream of reporting , without getting into the intelligence on this threat , our folks that look at these things and analyze them always take a very hard look at them to make sure that they 're credible ... to look at them to see if they 're ... possibly something to throw us off , '' Harf said . | BZxVGnbBxn7CtcXC | 2 | Yemen | -1.6 | Middle East | -0.9 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
republican_party | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/news/400357-top-koch-official-we-are-not-an-appendage-of-the-gop | Top Koch official fires back at critics: We are not an 'appendage' of the GOP | 2018-08-03 | republican_party | A senior official from the political network affiliated with billionaire conservative businessman Charles Koch sent a letter to donors on Friday saying the network stands by its decision not to support Republicans that break from their free market ideology on issues like spending and trade .
The letter , from Koch Industries general counsel Mark Holden , says the network “ has never been an appendage of the Republican Party ” and is proud to hold elected officials accountable when they fall out of line , regardless of party identity .
Holden also accused the Republican National Committee ( RNC ) of “ woefully ” mischaracterizing Koch ’ s political activities after the network announced it would be more selective in choosing the GOP candidates it will support .
“ What we have always been — and will continue being — is a network of business and philanthropic leaders that is focused on solving society ’ s biggest problems , ” Holden writes in the letter , obtained by ███ . “ That includes issues where only long-term solutions will do , like getting our country ’ s spending and entitlement crisis under control , fixing our broken criminal justice system that is making communities more dangerous , reforming regulations that are crushing innovation , and more . ”
The letter comes after several days of brewing tension between President Trump Donald John TrumpGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial Warren goes local in race to build 2020 movement 2020 Democrats make play for veterans ' votes MORE and the Koch network , an influential group of predominantly conservative and libertarian activists who are expected to spend $ 400 million on politics and policy this election cycle .
Most of that money will go toward electing Republican candidates or promoting conservative causes .
But the group sent a ripple through the GOP at the network ’ s biannual seminar in Colorado Springs , Colo. , last weekend , when Koch and his top deputies expressed frustration with Trump ’ s trade policies and rhetoric , which they described as divisive .
The Koch network is also furious with the Republican Congress for passing a $ 1.3 trillion spending bill earlier this year .
In a presentation to about 500 donors gathered at a five-star resort in the Rocky Mountains , Tim Phillips , the network ’ s top political strategist , told donors that they ’ d no longer offer blanket support for Republicans .
If GOP candidates break from the network on spending or trade , they won ’ t get financial or grass-roots backing going forward , Phillips said . He made an example out of Rep. Kevin Cramer Kevin John CramerGOP senators balk at lengthy impeachment trial GOP senators plan to tune out impeachment week Trump encounters GOP resistance to investigating Hunter Biden MORE ( R-N.D. ) , who is challenging Sen. Heidi Heitkamp Mary ( Heidi ) Kathryn HeitkampThe Hill 's Morning Report — Biden steadies in third debate as top tier remains the same Trump wins 60 percent approval in rural areas of key states Pence to push new NAFTA deal in visit to Iowa MORE ( D-N.D. ) in a state Trump carried easily in 2016 .
Phillips cited Cramer ’ s support for the spending bill , the farm bill and the Export-Import Bank as reasons why the network would not back his candidacy against one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection this year .
“ We have raised our bar , both for policy makers who seek our support and for ourselves , ” Holden wrote in the letter to donors on Friday .
Those moves have infuriated the president and his allies at the RNC just three months out from midterm elections in which Republicans are at risk of losing control of the House .
Over Twitter , Trump lashed out at “ the globalist Koch brothers , ” calling them “ a total joke ” and claiming that he does not need their money or support .
The RNC , which is closely tied to the Trump administration , sent a letter to major GOP donors calling the network ’ s remarks “ unacceptable . ”
“ Some groups who claim to support conservatives forgo their commitment when they decide their business interests are more important than those of the country or Party , ” RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel wrote in a letter obtained by Politico .
McDaniel went on to warn donors not to use the Koch network ’ s data program for GOP candidates , essentially accusing them of gathering data to use against Republicans .
“ From the beginning , the RNC had concerns about any outside entity building a data operation to compete with ours because we knew they could potentially weaponize that data against Republicans if their business interests conflicted with electing Republicans , ” McDaniel wrote . “ Sadly , our concerns were recently proven true . ”
“ RNC donors that know Charles Koch are taken aback that they RNC would question his integrity or that of the network , ” said one adviser to Republican donors . “ They may not always agree with strategy but they know Charles is in this for the country . ”
In his letter to donors on Friday , Holden said the RNC email “ woefully misstates our strategy . ”
“ We ’ ve been very happy to work alongside the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to advance comprehensive tax and regulatory reform , confirm Justice [ Neil ] Gorsuch , and overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs , ” he said . “ And we ’ re working alongside them now on major prison reform legislation , and to ensure Judge [ Brett ] Kavanaugh is confirmed to the Supreme Court . We are bringing to the table a grassroots capability no others can and have already far surpassed our efforts to help confirm Justice Gorsuch . ''
“ That said , we won ’ t back down when this Network ’ s principles are under attack —especially when doing so would be to the detriment of the future of the country , ” he continued . “ The $ 1.3 trillion omnibus was among the most irresponsible pieces of legislation ever enacted — especially by a Republican-controlled Congress . We absolutely will hold accountable those who voted for it , and we ’ ll take that vote into consideration when deciding whom to support electorally this year . The same goes for tariffs and other forms of protectionism that are already harming consumers and businesses in the short-term and which are dangerous for our economy over the long-term . ”
At the seminar last weekend , Koch grabbed headlines for saying that he ’ s hopeful the network can work with Democrats , a line that the RNC has used against him .
“ The Koch Network announced they will no longer support only Republicans running for office , and that moving forward they will support candidates that fit their agenda - even if they are Democrats , ” McDaniel wrote this week .
Many Koch network donors are conservatives or libertarians and they generally support GOP candidates .
The Koch network is not backing any Democratic candidates this cycle , although individual donors generally prioritize ideology over party identity .
In his letter , Holden noted that the Koch network has spent millions of dollars this election cycle backing GOP Senate candidates in Missouri , Wisconsin and Florida . They intend to spend big to elect Rep. Marsha Blackburn Marsha BlackburnTrump circuit court nominee in jeopardy amid GOP opposition Progressive freshmen jump into leadership PAC fundraising On The Money : US paid record .1B in tariffs in September | Dems ramp up oversight of 'opportunity zones ' | Judge hints at letting House lawsuit over Trump tax returns proceed MORE ( R-Tenn. ) , who is running to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker Robert ( Bob ) Phillips CorkerLindsey Graham basks in the impeachment spotlight ███ 's 12:30 Report — Presented by Nareit — White House cheers Republicans for storming impeachment hearing GOP senators frustrated with Romney jabs at Trump MORE ( R-Tenn. ) .
The network has also spent heavily in support of Republican gubernatorial candidates in Nevada , Florida and Michigan . Their network of grass-roots activists will be making phone calls and knocking on doors to get out the vote for scores of GOP House candidates in the fall .
“ We ’ ll be announcing additional activity in the days to come , but rest assured—any candidate in a competitive race who is , on balance , with this Network on the issues and will be a leader on them as well will have our full backing leading up to November , ” Holden writes .
But the Koch network also gone after 10 House Republicans and two GOP senators for supporting the spending package or voting against spending clawbacks . They 've run ads on wasteful spending that targeted Rep. Lou Barletta Louis ( Lou ) James BarlettaEx-GOP congressman to lead group to protect Italian products from tariffs Head of Pennsylvania GOP resigns over alleged explicit texts Trump 's most memorable insults and nicknames of 2018 MORE ( R-Pa. ) , a top Trump ally who is challenging Sen. Bob Casey Robert ( Bob ) Patrick CaseyNew ObamaCare enrollment period faces Trump headwinds Scrap House defense authorization provision benefitting Russia Here are the Senate Democrats backing a Trump impeachment inquiry over Ukraine call MORE Jr. ( D-Pa. ) in another state the president won in 2016 .
And the network is eager to find Democratic partners to push forward some of their top agenda items , like a pathway to citizenship for `` Dreamers '' and criminal justice reform .
On the latter issue , the network has worked closely with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner Jared Corey KushnerTrump administration plans livestreaming border wall construction : report Overnight Defense : Families sue over safety hazards at Army base | Lawmakers , NBA 's Enes Kanter speak out ahead of Erdoğan visit | Washington braces for public impeachment hearings Bolton suggests Trump 's Turkey policy motivated by personal , financial interest : NBC MORE . Trump this week signaled an eagerness to revive that issue , which stalled in the Senate after passing the House with overwhelming support earlier this year .
“ We have a long-term commitment to unite around issues that will help people improve their lives , ” said James Davis , spokesman for the Koch network . “ Just as we have in the past , we will work together with the president , elected officials and others where we agree . And where we disagree , we will do so in a civil way . ” | VACrVJouV1V3PIwu | 1 | Koch Brothers | -0.4 | Politics | -0.3 | Republican Party | 0 | null | null | null | null |
politics | Business Insider | https://www.businessinsider.com/tammy-duckworth-blasts-tucker-carlson-patriotism-2020-7 | 'Walk a mile in my legs': Sen. Tammy Duckworth fires back after Fox News' Tucker Carlson questions her patriotism | 2020-07-07 | politics | Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois sent a one-sentence tweet countering the Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Monday evening .
Carlson made flippant remarks about Duckworth 's military service and said she had an `` unimpressive '' demeanor .
`` Does @ TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America ? '' the double-amputee Army National Guard veteran said on Twitter .
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois in a one-sentence tweet countering the Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Monday evening , hours after the TV personality made flippant remarks about her military service and her demeanor .
`` Does @ TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America ? '' the double-amputee Army National Guard veteran said on Twitter .
Duckworth deployed to Iraq as a pilot in 2004 , where she lost both her legs after her helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade . She went on to win a House seat in 2012 and was elected to the US Senate in 2016 .
During his segment , Carlson replayed her previous comments about the possibility of removing historical monuments . On Sunday , CNN asked Duckworth for her thoughts on removing monuments dedicated to notable slave-owning American leaders including President George Washington . Duckworth replied by saying the US needed a `` national dialogue '' on the matter .
The Fox News host Tucker Carlson . Richard Drew , File via AP
`` You 're not supposed to criticize Tammy Duckworth in any way because she once served in the military , '' Carlson said on his Monday show . `` Most people just ignore her . But when Duckworth does speak in public , you 're reminded what a deeply silly and unimpressive person she is . ''
He added : `` Well , it 's long been considered out of bounds to question a person 's patriotism . It 's a very strong charge and we try not ever to make it . But in the face of all of this , the conclusion ca n't be avoided : These people actually hate America , there 's no longer a question about that . ''
Duckworth is said to be a top contender to become former Vice President Joe Biden 's running mate in the 2020 presidential election . She has previously been critical of Republican lawmakers who have questioned the patriotism of their Democratic colleagues .
Following the US drone strike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January , Republican Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia claimed Democrats were `` in love with terrorists '' after they questioned President Donald Trump 's plans on what appeared to be an escalating conflict .
Duckworth responded at the time : `` I left parts of my body in Iraq fighting terrorists . I do n't need to justify myself to anyone . '' | qPsnLDLurGpKWtyr | 1 | Politics | -0.2 | Tucker Carlson | -0.2 | Tammy Duckworth | -0.1 | Media Industry | -0.1 | Polarization | 0 |
elections | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/31/politics/elizabeth-warren-exploratory-committee-2020/index.html | Elizabeth Warren launches exploratory committee ahead of likely 2020 presidential run | 2018-12-31 | elections | ( CNN ) Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren took a major step toward a presidential run on Monday , announcing in a video message and email to supporters that she is forming an exploratory committee ahead of an expected campaign for the Democratic nomination in 2020 .
With her announcement 13 months before the Iowa caucuses , Warren , who became a progressive star by taking on Wall Street after the 2007 financial crisis and , more recently , President Donald Trump , is the first Democrat with a national profile to take formal action ahead of an anticipated presidential campaign .
`` Corruption is poisoning our democracy , '' Warren says in the video as images of Republican leaders flash across the screen . `` Politicians look the other way while big insurance companies deny patients life-saving coverage , while big banks rip off consumers and while big oil companies destroy this planet . ''
The clip begins with the senator recalling a hardscrabble childhood in Oklahoma -- her mother got a minimum-wage job after her father suffered a heart attack . He would eventually work as a janitor .
`` He raised a daughter who got to be a public school teacher , a law professor and a senator . We got a real opportunity to build something , '' Warren says . `` Working families today face a lot tougher path than my family did . ''
In one of multiple nods in the video to racial inequality , she adds that `` families of color face a path that is steeper and rockier , a path made even harder by the impact of generations of discrimination '' -- an early acknowledgment of the political importance of appealing to and winning the support of minority voters .
As she warns of a deepening crisis faced by the American middle class , Warren points a finger squarely at the Republican Party , using images of former presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush , along with grinning cameos from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , departing House Speaker Paul Ryan , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Trump .
Warren is a searing critic of the President , and Trump has responded by openly mocking her Native American heritage and referring to her as `` Pocahontas . '' Her decision in October to respond to Trump and other critics by releasing the results of a DNA test aimed at proving her ancestry fell flat with many Democrats and overshadowed her midterm message .
In an interview with Fox News on Monday , Trump skewered Warren over the test and said he would `` love to run against her . ''
Asked whether he thought Warren believed she could defeat him in 2020 , Trump said , `` I do n't know . You would have to ask her psychiatrist . ''
Warren 's announcement also comes in the midst of a prolonged partial government shutdown over Trump 's insistence on funding for a border wall , which has caused political chaos that has spooked investors and sparked turmoil in the stock market . This backdrop could prove to be a boon for Warren , who is widely expected to build a campaign centered around her signature economic populist message and anti-corruption platform .
By launching an exploratory committee , Warren can begin raising money for the coming campaign . Despite swearing off corporate PAC money , she enters the 2020 cycle with $ 12.5 million left over from her 2018 Senate campaign , according to Federal Election Commission records . Warren can transfer that money into her presidential coffers .
Speaking to reporters on Monday , Warren suggested she was unlikely to seek the assistance of a big-money outside group .
`` I do n't think we ought to be running campaigns that are funded by billionaires , whether it goes through super PACS or their own money that they 're spending , '' she said . `` Democrats are the party of the people , and the way we make that clear is we join together and we fund our campaigns , we make our campaigns work through the people . ''
Warren added , `` I 've already received donations from all 50 states , the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico . That 's how you build a grassroots campaign , that 's what I believe . ''
A source close to Warren has said the timing of Monday 's announcement -- on New Year 's Eve , when most people are n't plugged into the news -- had more to do with a need to `` build an apparatus '' by `` identifying and hiring staff '' than influencing other contenders ' plans .
But some Democratic operatives are skeptical , and one fundraiser suggested the Warren team might be hoping that a hefty day-one haul , made public in early 2019 , could cause potential rivals to reconsider their options .
`` It 's a gamble that folks will give a ton of small money today , '' the Democrat said .
Rufus Gifford , former President Barack Obama 's 2012 campaign finance director , made the same point in a tweet .
`` Elizabeth Warren must think she can put up huge $ $ numbers on her January report - scaring others out of the race , '' he wrote . `` Only reason I can figure you 'd launch a Presidential Campaign on New Year 's Eve . ''
Even before Monday 's notifications went out , the work of building the infrastructure to support a presidential bid had been well underway .
Since her re-election to the Senate in November , Warren has made hundreds of calls to political grassroots leaders in the early states of Iowa , New Hampshire , South Carolina and Nevada , the source said . She is expected to hit the campaign trail later this week if no votes are scheduled to end the government shutdown .
Warren 's staff members are also having discussions with operatives in those states and are in the process of searching for campaign office space in the Boston area , the expected location of her presidential campaign headquarters .
Dan Geldon , Warren 's longtime aide who served as her chief of staff in the Senate and was once the senator 's student at Harvard Law School , is likely to serve a senior role in the eventual Warren campaign , the source said .
More than a year out from the first round of voting and with months to go until the first debate , the coming Democratic primary is already shaping up to be one of the most fierce and feisty nominating contests in a generation .
Warren 's work to establish and defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , or CFPB , made her a star among progressives who first pushed for what would be a successful 2012 Senate run and then , with less luck , a presidential bid she ultimately passed up four years later .
This time around , the large Democratic field is expected to include multiple candidates touting progressive platforms -- a reality that underscores her influence within the party but could also complicate her path to its nomination .
Some two dozen candidates are said to have shown interest in a 2020 bid . Warren 's national profile , which traces back to her work as a watchdog following the 2008 bank bailouts , immediately places her among the favorites , alongside former Vice President Joe Biden , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and rising star Beto O'Rourke , the departing Texas congressman who just lost a bid for the US Senate .
A CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom survey earlier this month of likely Iowa caucusgoers found Warren with 8 % support , trailing Biden ( 32 % ) , Sanders ( 19 % ) and O'Rourke ( 11 % ) -- numbers broadly consistent with other early national polling .
Warren welcomed the coming fight during her remarks on Monday , and in particular , the potential for a crowded field of progressive hopefuls .
`` I think it 's great that we have a strong and growing group of Democrats who are making these arguments , who are fighting these fights , '' she said . `` That 's how we build a movement -- we do it together . ''
Warren 's decision to more formally begin the process comes less than a month after the editorial board for her hometown newspaper , the Boston Globe , ruffled progressive feathers by suggesting she consider abandoning a potential run .
`` Warren missed her moment in 2016 , and there 's reason to be skeptical of her prospective candidacy in 2020 , '' the board wrote in early December , citing a poll from September 2018 that put former Massachusetts Gov . Deval Patrick , a Democrat who has since ruled out a presidential run this cycle , ahead of Warren .
It also suggested she had become too much of a `` divisive figure , '' an apparent reference to the heavily publicized DNA test . It confirmed Warren had distant Native American ancestry , but was met with backlash from some tribal leaders , activists and outspoken Democrats who fretted over whether Warren had played into Trump 's hands .
In a statement Monday , Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel gave a preview of the attacks to come , dismissing Warren as `` another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud . '' McDaniel also took a swipe at what she described as Warren 's `` phony claim to minority status . ''
Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. was among the most outspoken critics and said in October that Warren had undermined `` tribal interests . ''
`` Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation , even vaguely , is inappropriate and wrong , '' Hoskin said in a statement .
But any early missteps -- or even disappointing polling -- are unlikely to dampen excitement among the party 's increasingly influential progressive bloc .
`` Elizabeth Warren , on a visceral level , is fighting for everyday people and against powerful interests , '' Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder Adam Green said , `` and that comes through with an authenticity this moment demands . ''
Green , whose group has supported Warren for years while talking up `` the Warren wing '' of the Democratic party , also gave a hint of how his group and potentially others might seek to distinguish the Massachusetts senator from other leading contenders .
`` There are different theories on being effective , but she believes in picking issues that are super popular and forging coalitions to win on those issues , '' he said . `` Others can be more of a loner , or willing to charge into battle first before having a fully baked plan . '' | Kh0qKkNEiRFFvlKq | 0 | Presidential Elections | -0.8 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_congress | New York Post | https://nypost.com/2020/06/15/aoc-defends-decision-not-to-attend-wednesdays-debate-in-person/ | AOC defends decision not to attend Wednesday’s debate in person | 2020-06-15 | us_congress | Ezekiel Elliott is one of the more than 2 million ...
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insisted Monday she ’ s “ not skipping debates ” like her predecessor , Joe Crowley , did to disastrous effect two years ago — even though she is ducking one Wednesday citing social distancing rules despite having been out at a George Floyd protest and other group events this month .
“ The good thing is I ’ m not skipping debates . My predecessor , he had skipped debates until he was forced to show up , ” the first-term incumbent Queens-Bronx congresswoman told The Post while out campaigning in The Bronx Monday .
“ This one [ Wednesday ’ s ] is in-person , so we ’ ve had certain issues with that being done during phase one , if that would be violating the Phase One and Phase Two scheduled reopening by the governor . Which is why we ’ ve committed to virtual debates and are happy to participate in them , ” she said .
Gov . Andrew Cuomo has allowed spaced gatherings of up to 10 people since mid-May . And AOC has done two online virtual debates with her primary challengers , including one on May 18 .
The Parkchester Times-sponsored debate is the same one Crowley shirked in 2018 .
But AOC was handing out masks to Floyd protesters in Queens on June 2 and hosted a socially distanced graduation party in a church parking lot Sunday — complete with free burgers , balloon animals and a DJ .
The congresswoman ’ s well-funded challenger , former journalist Michelle Caruso-Cabrera , accused the freshman rep of violating election law by hosting the bash next to an early voting site over the weekend .
“ AOC directly violated the election law . She doesn ’ t pay her taxes . She said yes to a salary increase . Who wants this type of person in Congress when we ’ re all in trouble ? ” Caruso-Cabrera ’ s spokesman Hank Sheinkopf told The Post .
She later moved the party a block away . A rep for AOC did not return a request for comment on the alleged violation . | AFayYnfjKYs3jrdz | 2 | Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | -0.7 | US Congress | -0.7 | Decision2020 | -0.2 | Politics | -0.2 | Elections | 0 |
us_congress | Politico | https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/24/congress-freshmen-house-democrats-to-watch-1012444 | It’s not just Ocasio-Cortez: Here are 7 freshman Democrats to watch | 2018-11-24 | us_congress | Rep.-elect Ayanna Pressley ( D-Mass . ) | Michael Dwyer/AP Photo Congress It ’ s not just Ocasio-Cortez : Here are 7 freshman Democrats to watch The list includes the first black woman ever elected to Congress from Massachusetts and an openly gay Ivy League-educated lawyer from Kansas .
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez first rocked the political world by toppling Queens party boss Rep. Joe Crowley and the incoming freshman continues to shake up the way things are done on Capitol Hill .
But the 29-year-old democratic socialist isn ’ t the only newcomer looking to leave her mark on the 116th Congress .
More than three dozen freshman Democrats will join the House next Congress — the biggest Democratic class in four decades and the most diverse group ever elected .
The incoming class boasts a range of backgrounds and ideologies , from liberal insurgents like Ocasio-Cortez to candidates who scored unexpected victories in deep-red districts long claimed by Republicans .
Sign up here for ███ Huddle A daily play-by-play of congressional news in your inbox . Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from ███ . You can unsubscribe at any time . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply .
Here are seven other Democratic freshmen to watch , picked because they ’ re most representative of the incoming class — from the record number of women and candidates of color to the ambitious liberal upstarts and the majority-making moderates :
1 . Colin Allred : A former NFL linebacker and civil rights attorney , Allred knocked off GOP Rep. Pete Sessions , an entrenched North Texas incumbent . But Allred says there ’ s a lot more behind his congressional victory than just a flashy professional football résumé . “ The impression that people have gotten , I think , around the country is that I was elected because I was a football player . And that ’ s not it , ” he said . “ Football is an icebreaker… but the other things that I ’ ve done and the story that I have growing up in North Texas is really what resonated . ”
Allred told ███ his goal in Congress is to continue to be a moderate voice in the Democratic Caucus , even as he senses some liberal colleagues are trying to pull the group further to the left . “ All of us who come from the red-to-blue districts , we are the closest to where the American people are , ” he said . “ We ’ re trying to make sure that our new members coming from safer districts and the members that are already there understand why we have the majority . ”
2 . Chrissy Houlahan : As the first woman to ever represent Pennsylvania ’ s 6th District just outside of Philadelphia , Houlahan is wasting no time trying to move up the Democratic ranks . The incoming freshman is running for a position in House Democratic leadership , telling ███ her eclectic résumé makes her fit for a role on the committee that oversees Democrats ' messaging strategy .
Houlahan has worn many hats , including as a third-generation veteran , a chemistry teacher , a Stanford-and-MIT-educated engineer and an executive at a basketball apparel company . “ The through-line on that is one of service but also one of messaging and marketing , ” she said of her career path . Now she hopes to serve as one of three co-chairs of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee in the new Congress . “ I feel like I have something to offer and I feel like it ’ s OK to offer to put yourself forward and offer to be helpful . ”
3 . Sharice Davids : An Ivy League-educated lawyer and mixed martial arts fighter , Davids triumphed over GOP Rep. Kevin Yoder , scoring Democrats a key victory in deep-red Kansas . Davids is a history-maker in many respects : She ’ ll be the only Democrat in Kansas ’ six member delegation and is the first woman of color to represent the Sunflower State . She is also Kansas ’ first openly gay member and one of two Native American women elected to Congress for the first time . “ My story is one of hard work and opportunity , ” Davids said in her victory speech , noting she was raised by a single mom who served as a drill sergeant in the Army .
Davids will be part of a record number of women and a historic number of female candidates of color elected to Congress . “ The time for people to not be heard and not be seen and not be listened to or represented well changes now , ” she said on election night .
4 . Harley Rouda : California businessman Rouda defeated GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher , a 30-year incumbent who made headlines for his affinity for all things Russia , including its president , Vladimir Putin . Rouda ’ s victory helped secure a Democratic sweep of Orange County , once a Republican stronghold home to Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon . Now , Rouda hopes to land a spot on the Transportation or Energy committees so he can focus on his main goal : pushing an infrastructure bill that addresses climate change , he said in an interview .
Rouda told ███ he and other Democrats are still “ a little bit surprised ” about the clean sweep in the wealthy California county formerly referred to as the “ Orange curtain. ” “ A lot of people talk about the demographic changes and I think that is one of the key issues , ” Rouda said . “ [ Also ] , the Republican Party today is very different than the Republican Party under Ronald Reagan . ”
5 . Ayanna Pressley : Like Ocasio-Cortez , Pressley shocked the Democratic establishment by beating Massachusetts Rep. Mike Capuano , a 10-term incumbent , in a heated Democratic primary this year . But unlike Ocasio-Cortez , who affectionately refers to Pressley as part of her “ squad ” on Instagram , the Massachusetts freshman had a lengthy political résumé before being elected to Congress . Pressley worked for former Rep. Joe Kennedy II and then-Sen. John Kerry before being elected to the Boston City Council in 2009 .
6 . Ben McAdams : McAdams ' victory over GOP Rep. Mia Love in Utah is symbolic of the blue wave that washed over the House , delivering Democrats their largest freshman class since Watergate . McAdams , a mayor in Salt Lake County , surged ahead of Love earlier this week after trailing in votes , delivering Democrats their 234th House seat this cycle .
McAdams is one of four incoming House Democrats who joined a dozen current members on a letter promising to vote against Nancy Pelosi for speaker . It ’ s unclear if the wall of opposition will hold by the time Democrats cast their votes for speaker on Jan. 3 . Some previous opponents of Pelosi , including fellow signee Rep. Brian Higgins ( D-N.Y. ) , have announced their support after cutting a deal with the longtime Democratic leader . “ At this moment all of those folks have leverage and I think they should use it , ” Higgins said of fellow anti-Pelosi Democrats . “ Unless you have leverage you can ’ t use leverage . ”
7 . Lucy McBath : A former flight attendant turned activist , McBath was able to find triumph after tragedy through her congressional victory . McBath became a prominent gun control activist after her teenage son Jordan was killed in 2012 during a dispute at a gas station over loud music . Initially planning to run for a Georgia state House seat , McBath changed her mind and opted to take on freshman GOP Rep. Karen Handel after congressional inaction following the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland , Fla. , earlier this year .
McBath ’ s win is also a symbolic victory for House Democrats , who funneled millions into a 2017 special election in the district only to come up short . “ Never thought I would be here , ” McBath tweeted along with a photo of her sitting in her new congressional office . “ This is for you , Jordan . And for every single family impacted by gun violence in this country — let ’ s get to work . ” | 7Kjry9JnfNIdCvJo | 0 | US Congress | 0.2 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/01/03/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-obama-death-guns-terror/78228504/ | Donald Trump: Hillary Clinton has 'caused tremendous death' | 2016-01-03 | elections | Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has a new attack line against Hillary Clinton : `` She has caused death . ''
Trump raised the stakes against Clinton on CBS ' `` Face the Nation '' Sunday , insisting that as secretary of State in President Obama 's first term , Clinton 's decisions led to unnecessary deaths on both sides in the Middle East .
`` She has caused tremendous death with incompetent decisions , '' Trump said . `` She caused a lot of the problems that we have right now . You could say she caused the migration .
`` The entire world has been upset . The entire world , it 's a different place . During Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton 's term , she 's done a horrible job . ''
As he has said before , Trump argued that getting rid of Saddam Hussein in Iraq -- a policy of Obama 's predecessor , George W. Bush -- has led to the rise of the Islamic State . `` All of this has led to tremendous death and destruction , '' he said . `` And she , for the most part , was in charge of it , along with Obama . ''
Trump acknowledged that by calling for a ban on Muslim immigration to the United States , he was giving radical Islam a rallying cry . The terrorist group al-Shabaab is now using a clip of Trump in calling for Muslims to join jihad or leave the U.S .
`` What am I going to do ? I have to say what I have to say , '' Trump said . `` And you know what I have to say ? There 's a problem . We have to find out what is the problem . And we have to solve that problem . ''
During the interview , Trump also disagreed with Obama on the need for more gun control -- particularly if the president tries to move the issue by executive action rather than working with a recalcitrant Congress . `` All they want to do is blame the guns . And it 's not the gun that pulls the trigger , '' he said . `` So I do n't like it . I do n't like what he 's doing . ''
Rather than fiddle with the Second Amendment , Trump said mental health is the problem . `` We should build , like , institutions for people that are sickos , '' he said . `` We have sickos all over the place . And that 's the problem . ''
Despite his lead in national polls , Trump said he will spend about $ 2 million per week on advertising in the coming weeks leading to the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary . `` I think I 'm probably wasting the money , '' he said . `` But I 'm $ 35 million under budget .... I almost feel guilty . '' | m9PTiwJ9cKFQ19C7 | 1 | Hillary Clinton | -0.8 | Presidential Elections | -0.6 | Donald Trump | 0.2 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
foreign_policy | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/world/erdogan-threatens-kurds-syria-turkey-cease-fire | Erdogan vows to 'crush the heads' of Kurds if they don't withdraw; both sides trade blame for violating cease-fire | foreign_policy | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday promised to `` crush the heads '' of the Kurds in Syria if they do n't fall back from the border 's safe zone , according to reports .
The threat comes as both Turkey and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) claim the other is violating terms of a 120-hour cease-fire brokered by Turkey and the U.S. on Thursday .
Violence had continued in northeast Syria despite the five-day peace agreement , a source told Fox News .
Dave Eubank with Free Burma Rangers , a private military company that provides emergency medical assistance , was on the ground near the Syrian border town of Ras al-Ayn trying to help trapped and wounded Kurds .
Eubank told Fox News the fighting has n't stopped and movement in the area is severely limited , despite the cease-fire 's intention to `` pause '' fighting to allow Syrian Kurds time and space to retreat from the area . Thousands of Kurdish civilians live in the so-called buffer zone , a senior military source had told Fox News .
The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army ( FSA ) was `` still shooting all through the night , '' Eubank said . `` So far since [ the ] cease-fire , no airstrikes here , but artillery and ground attacks . ''
Erdogan threatened the Kurds on Saturday during a televised speech , saying they will be slaughtered if they do n't pull back from the 20-mile-wide safe zone along the Turkey-Syria border by Tuesday night .
`` We will start where we left off and continue to crush the terrorists ' heads , '' Erdogan said .
US JETS DESTROY ANTI-ISIS COALITION BASE IN SYRIA AFTER WITHDRAWAL , OFFICIAL SAYS
A senior SDF official later said his forces will pull back from the border area and evacuate Ras al-Ayn , per the temporary peace agreement , as long as there are no delays .
Redur Khalil said forces will move back 19 miles from the border , withdrawing from the 75-mile area between Ras al-Ayn and Tal-Aybad .
Kurdish forces said they coordinated the withdrawal with the Americans . This is the first time the Kurds have publicly acknowledged they will pull back .
Khalil said a partial evacuation from Ras al-Ayn started Saturday after delays and coordinating with the U.S .
Turkey claimed on Saturday it was living up to the terms of the cease-fire agreement and accused the Kurds of violating it .
The Turkish Defense Ministry said Kurdish forces carried out 14 `` provocative '' attacks in Ras al-Ayn in 36 hours , according to the BBC .
In a statement , the SDF said there has been `` no tangible progress '' in solving the issues at the northeast border .
TURKEY-SYRIA CEASE-FIRE : SENIOR US MILITARY SOURCE 'HIGHLY SKEPTICAL ' OF DEAL
As of Friday , 86 civilians had been killed since Turkey launched its military offensive into Syria on Oct. 9 , according to a war monitor , the BBC reported .
Erdogan claimed the move was to `` neutralize terror threats '' and establish a `` safe zone . '' After carrying out airstrikes , Turkish ground troops later invaded northeastern Syria .
Nearly all U.S. troops there have been removed and will be redeployed in the region in the coming weeks .
TRUMPS WARNS ERDOGAN IN LETTER : 'DO N'T BE A TOUGH GUY . DO N'T BE A FOOL ! '
The U.S. had teamed up with the Kurds to fight ISIS in the region . Some analysts and politicians criticized President Trump for removing America forces , saying it was a `` green light '' for Ankara to invade Syria and fight the Kurds .
Trump said the Turks have been `` warring for many years , '' and that the U.S. does not need to protect war-torn Syria because it 's `` 7,000 miles away . ''
The president on Friday claimed `` thousands and thousands '' of lives were being saved in Syria and Turkey due to the cease-fire .
Fox News ' Griff Jenkins and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report , as well as The Associated Press . | GQnBQ2eRDQRnSAmL | 2 | Recep Tayyip Erdogan | -1.4 | Turkey | -1.4 | Kurds | -1.2 | Donald Trump | -0.2 | Syria | 0 | |
us_congress | Guest Writer - Left | https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/18/politics/mitch-mcconnell-nancy-pelosi-legislation-standoff/index.html | OPINION: McConnell's blockade of House legislation is about to face its toughest test | 2019-06-18 | Mitch McConnell, US Congress, Politics | ( CNN ) In the struggle between Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Democratic-controlled House , the immovable object may finally have met an irresistible force .
McConnell has been the immovable object : He 's frustrated House Democrats by systematically blocking Senate votes so far on the lengthening list of bills they have passed , from gun control to additional protections for patients with preexisting health problems .
But McConnell 's blockade faces a new challenge as the House turns to a series of bills meant to fight foreign interference in the 2020 election . Those measures , aimed at defending fundamental American institutions from foreign subversion , may be tougher for the Kentucky Republican to portray as partisan overreach than the bills the House has passed so far . And that could make them an irresistible force that strains his overall strategy of preventing action on any House legislation .
`` It could be the thing that has the public home in on where the problem is , where the obstruction is , '' says Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland , a leading author of the House election security agenda . `` The public , and I understand that , they paint everything with a broad brush and they say Washington is dysfunctional . Here 's a case study that they are going to be very interested in , that shows ... the problem is not with Washington , the problem is not broadly with Congress , the problem is with Mitch McConnell , who will not bring any of these things to the Senate floor . ''
McConnell 's decision to methodically bar consideration of any of the House priorities already looms as a defining gamble in the GOP 's effort to maintain its Senate majority in next year 's election . He has leaned into his role as obstacle , portraying a Republican-controlled Senate as the last line of defense against a Democratic `` socialist agenda '' and calling himself the `` Grim Reaper '' for their legislative plans .
`` I am indeed the 'Grim Reaper ' when it comes to the socialist agenda that they have been ginning up over the House with overwhelming Democratic support , and sending it over to America , '' he declared in an interview on Fox News Channel last week . `` Things that would turn us into a country we have never been . '' McConnell 's campaign is even providing contributors with T-shirts featuring a tombstone for `` socialism '' on the front and a similar quote underscoring his determination to block the House agenda on the back .
The electoral impact of McConnell 's strategy will likely be determined by which side successfully defines the agenda he is obstructing .
`` He talks about that almost every opportunity he can , '' says Josh Holmes , McConnell 's former chief of staff . `` Being in opposition to health care plans that end private health insurance or environmental deals that basically shut down your electricity provider is something that he 's pretty comfortable with . ''
But neither single-payer health care nor the Green New Deal , which Republicans are confident they can paint as unprecedented government intrusion into the economy , is likely to reach a vote on the House floor , much less pass the chamber , before 2020 .
Instead , the legislation the House has passed this year -- and that McConnell is blocking -- has focused more on expressions of social values and bread-and-butter economic concerns , like buttressing the Affordable Care Act and confronting high prescription drug costs . Many of these measures enjoy preponderant support from the public in polls .
nearly three-fourths of Americans said they supported legal status for those young people . The House , for instance , in early June passed legislation that provides legal status for potentially millions of `` Dreamers , '' young people brought to the country illegally as children . In a Fox News poll released Sunday , nearly three-fourths of Americans said they supported legal status for those young people .
dilute the Affordable Care Act 's protections for patients with preexisting medical problems . In April Also in May , the House passed legislation to block regulatory actions by the Trump administration that woulddilute the Affordable Care Act 's protections for patients with preexisting medical problems . In April polling by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation , about two-thirds of Americans said it was important that health insurers be required to sell coverage to consumers with preexisting health conditions and be prevented from charging them more .
Other House-passed measures this year include the Violence Against Women Act , legislation promoting greater gender equity in pay and comprehensive legislation to expand voting rights and impose new ethics guidelines on Washington . Senior Democratic House aides are confident that by the 2020 election , they will also pass legislation creating a nationwide $ 15 minimum wage , expanding the subsidies for families to purchase health insurance through the ACA 's exchanges , updating the Voting Rights Act and combating the rising costs of prescription drugs .
The strong public support for most of these ideas has Democrats cautiously optimistic that their challengers next year can portray incumbent Republican senators as part of a `` do-nothing Senate '' blocking action on important concerns .
`` When your occupation is to vote every day down the line against things that matter to voters ... sure , we are going to make those a significant issue , '' says J.B. Poersch , president of Senate Majority PAC , a leading Democratic super PAC .
Democrats have been frustrated so far by their inability to create more pressure on McConnell to take up any of the House-passed bills ; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a news conference last week where she brandished a chart showing `` McConnell 's graveyard '' of bills that he had blocked , complete with miniature tombstones .
Holmes , now president of a Washington communications firm , says House Democrats today face the same unforgiving equation Republicans did in 2013-14 . During that congressional session , the GOP-controlled House passed a series of conservative priorities , only to see them systematically blocked by the Democratic majority led by then-Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada . Despite loud complaints , House Republicans could never generate enough pressure on Reid to force him to allow votes on the GOP plans .
McConnell feels politically secure bottling up the House priorities , Holmes says , `` for the same reason Harry Reid did n't feel particularly moved by the fact that ( then-Speaker ) John Boehner had moved every conservative bill dealing with the economy or social issues possible . The priorities of Nancy Pelosi are not the priorities of Mitch McConnell , period . And he 's very comfortable with that . ''
Election security , though , could be an issue that causes at least some GOP senators to question McConnell 's blockade . Sarbanes , who chaired the House Democrats ' Democracy Reform Task Force , says the party plans to pass by August `` a suite '' of bills to safeguard the 2020 election against foreign interference .
Those bills will include some measures already included in the House 's omnibus political overhaul legislation , HR 1 , that would provide states with more money to harden voting systems against possible foreign intrusion and mandate that the Department of Homeland Security develop a strategy for resisting such attacks .
The House also plans to pass new measures requiring campaigns to notify federal law enforcement officials if they are approached by foreign operatives with damaging information on their opponents , as well as provisions barring campaigns from sharing internal information with foreign officials , mandating more disclosure of foreign ad purchases on digital platforms and clarifying that it is illegal to work with foreigners to influence an American election .
`` We may not get every single piece of this package onto the floor and passed and directed to the Senate before August but we want to get a good critical mass of these important measures in place , '' Sarbanes says .
Polls have shown broad public support for further action to resist interference by Russia or other foreign actors in the 2020 election . A Monmouth University poll last month found that 60 % of Americans believe the government is not doing enough to guard against such interference ; a survey by Democratic pollster Geoff Garin for the bipartisan advocacy group Law Works Action found that more than 4 in 5 Americans support a requirement that political campaigns notify law enforcement officials of foreign offers of assistance .
McConnell , as noted above , has felt comfortable blocking debate on other House-passed legislation with comparably lopsided levels of public support . But House Democrats are hopeful that more Senate Republicans will demand that he allow action on these issues because the public is likely to see them as less partisan .
`` I think it 's going to be a very difficult place for him to be , opposing these things that are supposed to protect the fundamental principles of our democracy , '' Sarbanes says . `` This is about ... protecting ourselves from foreign interference , having confidence that our elections are being carried out in a free and fair and uninfluenced way . It 's baseline stuff ; it 's Founding Fathers kind of principles here . If you stand in the way of measures that are designed to safeguard these principles , I think you are standing in the way of American democracy or at least not respecting it . ''
McConnell has n't yet definitively closed the door on election security legislation . He 's committed to a full Senate briefing later this month from intelligence officials on the possible risks .
`` I would suspect that has a huge amount of influence about what ultimately the Senate does in this space , '' says Holmes .
But all signals from McConnell suggest he 's unlikely to accept almost any new federal initiatives on election security . Last week , Senate Republicans blocked an effort by Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia to force a vote on a `` duty to report '' bill , which many Republicans consider an effort to embarrass President Donald Trump . McConnell shrugged off Trump 's comments , which drew widespread condemnation in both parties , that `` you might want to listen '' to a foreign government offering dirt on a 2020 opponent . And Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri , a member of the GOP leadership , has publicly declared that McConnell is unlikely to allow any election security bill to reach the floor , whatever the House does next .
That opposition reflects both McConnell 's long-standing resistance to federal influence over any aspect of election activity ( he 's long been the leading opponent of campaign finance regulation ) and his reluctance to take actions that provoke Trump . But it risks allowing Democrats to make election security a powerful symbol for the wider wall McConnell has constructed against the legislation passing the House .
In a sign of what may be ahead , the Texas Democratic Party on Monday , for instance , chastised Republican Sen. John Cornyn , who 's up for reelection next year , for joining the Republican opposition to Warner 's legislation on disclosing foreign contacts . `` If Cornyn is unwilling to legislate , what exactly is he in Washington for ? '' Abhi Rahman , the party 's communications director , said in a statement .
The ordinarily taciturn McConnell has enthusiastically accepted the persona of the `` Grim Reaper '' for House priorities . The question is whether the Senate leader is embracing that identity to a point that helps Democrats entomb the GOP Senate majority in 2020 . | 60a0b60c5841ab77 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/14/many-dead-hurt-egyptian-forces-clear-pro-morsi-cam/ | 56 dead, more than 600 hurt as Egyptian forces clear pro-Morsi camps | 2013-08-14 | middle_east | Egyptian security forces used armored cars , bulldozers , tear gas and automatic weapons Wednesday to clear two protest camps in Cairo set up by Muslim Brotherhood supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi , causing hundreds of casualties and at least 149 deaths .
The government said at least 149 people had been killed and more than 1,400 injured . Sky News says cameraman Mick Deane was shot dead in the violence , The Associated Press reported .
The smaller of the two camps , at Nahda Square near Cairo University , was cleared within hours , The New York Times reported . But protesters at the larger camp around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the northeastern suburb of Nasr City were still battling mid-morning — under siege by far greater numbers of police .
Egypt ’ s interim government issued a statement expressing sorrow over the bloodshed . Speaking on state-run TV , a spokesman said the government blamed the Muslim Brotherhood “ for any blood spilled ” and urged protesters to refrain from using violence , the BBC reported .
Authorities will not stand for any attempts to attack state buildings and police stations in the wake of the long-anticipated crackdown , the spokesman warned .
Officials have long warned that they would move to break up the protest camps , and protesters have been bracing for the assault . The Times reported that some were throwing Molotov cocktails and broken paving stones , while military snipers targeted protesters .
SEE ALSO : Sky News says cameraman shot dead in Egypt
There were widely varying reports about casualties . Western reporters at several morgues and hospitals saw dozens of dead protesters with gunshot wounds to the head and chest — indications that authorities were shooting to kill .
Muslim Brotherhood leaders said hundreds had been killed by indiscriminate fire from soldiers and police ; the authorities said about a dozen were dead , including two police officers .
Wednesday ’ s events seemed likely to widen division between supporters of the Brotherhood and secularists and religious minorities who largely supported the military ’ s July 3 ouster of the Brotherhood-supported Mr. Morsi , following mass protests against his rule .
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights , a human rights groups , said the crackdown already had spurred attacks by Brotherhood supporters against Coptic Christian churches in southern Egypt , The Times reported . | g6JkJqWml05FBzJw | 2 | Middle East | -2.8 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | NBC News Digital | https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/epoch-times-begins-hiding-its-connection-huge-pro-trump-ad-n1045416 | Facebook bans ads from The Epoch Times after huge pro-Trump buy | 2019-08-24 | Media Bias, Facebook | Facebook has banned The Epoch Times, a conservative news outlet that spent more money on pro-Trump Facebook advertisements than any group other than the Trump campaign, from any future advertising on the platform.The decision follows an NBC News report that The Epoch Times had shifted its spending on Facebook in the last month, seemingly in an effort to obfuscate its connection to some $2 million worth of ads that promoted the president and conspiracy theories about his political enemies."Over the past year we removed accounts associated with the Epoch Times for violating our ad policies, including trying to get around our review systems," a Facebook spokesperson said. "We acted on additional accounts today and they are no longer able to advertise with us."Facebook's decision came as a result of a review prompted by questions from NBC News. The spokesperson explained that ads must include disclaimers that accurately represent the name of the ad's sponsors.The Epoch Times' new method of pushing the pro-Trump conspiracy ads on Facebook, which appeared under page names such as "Honest Paper" and "Pure American Journalism," allowed the organization to hide its multimillion-dollar spending on dark-money ads, in effect bypassing Facebook's political advertising transparency rules. Facebook's ban will affect only The Epoch Times' ability to buy ads; the sock-puppet pages created to host the new policy-violating ads were still live at the time of publication.Nicholas Fouriezos, a reporter for the website OZY, tweeted about the move Thursday. It was first spotted last week by Lachlan Markay of The Daily Beast.A recent NBC News investigation revealed how The Epoch Times had evolved from a nonprofit newspaper that carried a Chinese-American religious movement's anti-communism message into a conservative online news behemoth that embraced President Donald Trump and conspiracy content.The religious group that quietly operates the paper believes in a coming judgment day that will send communists to hell and says Trump is helping accelerate that timeline.Since 2016, The Epoch Times' revenue more than doubled, and the reach of its online content rocketed past that of every other news organization, attracting billions of views across its many platforms. It also became a player on the conservative media stage, securing interviews with Trump Cabinet members, loyalists and family members, as well as members of Congress and Republican media stars.Until mid-July, The Epoch Times had placed its ads through accounts that clearly labeled their affiliation to the wider organization. Through the umbrella account, Coverage of the Trump Presidency by The Epoch Times, the news organization spent $1.5 million on more than 11,000 Trump-friendly Facebook ads within the last year.In May, after a popular newsletter from the progressive nonprofit ACRONYM highlighted The Epoch Times' major Facebook spending, journalist Judd Legum noted in his newsletter how many of the ads were in violation of Facebook's policies. NBC News reporters reached out to The Epoch Times in June, prompting a defensive open letter from the site's publisher.By July, The Epoch Times' official accounts were no longer running any ads on Facebook, according to searches of Facebook's Ad Library, its transparency tool that is supposed to make it easy to find information behind ads "related to politics or issues of national importance."The ads are still running, just not under the official accounts. By mid-July, Epoch Times ads had shifted to multiple pages with opaque names such as Honest Paper, Patriots of America, Pure American Journalism and Best News. Other Epoch Times ads were sponsored by a now-defunct page called The News Express.The Epoch Times has spent more than $450,000 on thousands of ads from these five accounts in the last 30 days. It is unclear whether there are other accounts.Multiple anonymous patrons now appear on the "paid for" section of each ad. Where Epoch Times ads used to be clearly marked as being paid for by The Epoch Times, ads now claim to have been paid for by groups such as "Chronicle Media" or "MarketFuel Subscription Services."The new ads prompt potential customers to visit similarly generic websites, such as genuinenewspaper.com and truthandtradition.news, websites registered privately on July 24 and 25, respectively, according to a search on DomainTools, a domain-research company. Those sites both redirect to The Epoch Times' subscription page.The Epoch Times’ publisher, Stephen Gregory, did not respond to an emailed request for comment before the original publication of this article. Three days after publication, Gregory emailed a statement to NBC News which did not address its attempt to circumvent Facebook’s review systems by running its ads through non-branded pages, the reason behind Facebook’s ban, but which asserted the article "grossly misrepresents" the nature of the news organization's advertising.The statement from Gregory read: “The Epoch Times advertisements are print-subscription advertisements describing our paper’s reporting — a popular practice of many publishers — and every one of these ads was approved by Facebook before publishing.”The growth and legitimacy of The Epoch Times are due in large part to Facebook, where it placed $2 million in pro-Trump ads in the last year, more than any other organization outside Trump's re-election campaign and more than what most of the Democratic presidential candidates spent on their own campaigns in the same time.Brendan Steinhauser, a Republican strategist who advised The Epoch Times on how to break into the broader conservative movement, told NBC News that he arranged its introduction to CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, and arranged dozens of interviews with right-wing newsmakers.Although he doesn't manage their social media strategy — Steinhauser said The Epoch Times handles that internally — he said creating multiple pages and accounts without clearly labeling their connection to the wider organization was a common practice used by public relations or political campaigns to bring in subscribers and donors.UPDATE (Aug. 26, 2019, 1:20 p.m. ET): This article has been updated with a response from the publisher of the Epoch Times. | 0dbb8e02e98a7650 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/12/10/166860670/can-a-fiscal-cliff-deal-be-both-in-and-out-of-reach-yes | Can A 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal Be Both In And Out Of Reach? Yes | 2012-12-10 | fiscal_cliff | Can A 'Fiscal Cliff ' Deal Be Both In And Out Of Reach ? Yes
The face-to-face meeting at the White House Sunday between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner has led to analyses such as these this morning :
-- `` The contours of a deal to avert the year-end fiscal cliff are becoming increasingly clear . But progress has been slow , and time is running out for leaders to seal an agreement and sell it to restless lawmakers who so far have been given little information . '' ( The Washington Post )
-- `` The disclosure of the meeting indicated that private discussions continue in the face of Republican leaders ' public statements deploring the lack of progress and the president 's refusal so far to specify the sort of deep , long-term reductions in spending for social programs that they insist upon as a condition of their support for raising taxes on high earners . '' ( The New York Times )
-- `` The lines are clear : Obama says a deal will not get done unless tax rates increase on top earners . Boehner says he 's opposed to tax rate increases on anyone . But in recent days , the options seem to have narrowed for Republicans . Democrats have held firm on rate increases , while a few Republicans have slowly peeled away . For example , Sen. Bob Corker ( R-Tenn. ) on Sunday indicated he would let taxes rise on top earners . '' ( Politico )
-- `` For now , the bulk of attention is on the specifics of a deal . But speculation about details can obscure the bigger picture . An agreement hovers within reach . It could be expansive and historic , and would come at a time when Washington is accused of being small-minded and sclerotic . '' ( The Hill )
-- `` The meeting marks one of the first positive signs in days that negotiations may be moving forward in some degree . '' ( NPR 's Kirk Siegler , for our Newscast )
So what might a deal to avert going over the so-called fiscal cliff of expiring tax cuts and sharp spending reductions that kick in a year 's end look like ? The Associated Press reports that :
`` Obama has been pushing higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans as one way to reduce the deficit — a position Boehner and other House Republicans have been steadfastly against . Republicans are demanding steeper cuts in costly government entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security . `` One GOP senator said Sunday that Senate Republicans would probably agree to higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans if it meant getting a chance to overhaul entitlement programs . `` The comments by Bob Corker of Tennessee — a fiscal conservative who has been gaining stature in the Senate as a pragmatic deal broker — puts new pressure on Boehner and other Republican leaders to rethink their long-held assertion that even the very rich should n't see their rates go up next year . GOP leaders have argued that the revenue gained by hiking the top two tax rates would be trivial to the deficit , and that any tax hike hurts job creation . `` But Corker said insisting on that red line — especially since Obama won re-election after campaigning on raising tax rates on the wealthy — might not be wise . ''
As for the prospects of a deal being reached soon , The Wall Street Journal writes that `` White House officials suggested the Obama-Boehner meeting was a positive sign for the long-stalled negotiations . The president 's aides have left his schedule largely open this week so he has the flexibility to hold additional meetings and events . Mr. Obama plans to reiterate Monday at an event in Michigan his call for the House to pass an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for households making under $ 250,000 in annual income . | qOOeaH5mVGVbiIIf | 1 | Taxes | -0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | San Francisco Chronicle | https://www.sfchronicle.com/nation/article/Ninth-Circuit-denies-Trump-permission-to-use-14070735.php | Ninth Circuit denies Trump permission to use military funds to build border wall | 2019-07-04 | Donald Trump, Border Wall, Military, White House, Politics | A federal appeals court refused Wednesday to allow President Trump to start building his wall at the Mexican border using money set aside for the military , saying funding has been denied by Congress , which has constitutional authority over federal spending .
The 2-1 ruling by the Ninth U.S . Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco left intact a decision by U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam of Oakland barring the Trump administration from transferring $ 2.5 billion from Defense Department programs to build the first segments of the wall in Arizona , New Mexico and Texas , and near El Centro in Imperial County .
“ Congress denied this request , ” the court said , and the administration ’ s attempt to redirect other federal funds “ intrudes on Congress ’ exclusive power of the purse . ”
Trump , who had promised during his presidential campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall , sought $ 5.7 billion in funding from Congress last year . When lawmakers approved only $ 1.375 billion for limited barrier construction , the president vetoed an appropriations bill and closed down many government operations for 35 days , starting Dec .. 22 — the longest shutdown in U.S. history .
He then declared a national emergency over illegal immigration on Feb. 15 and said he would fund the wall with $ 8.1 billion already in the budget for other purposes , mostly military programs .
The administration cited the president ’ s broad emergency powers under federal law and argued that Congress , when it approved the Defense Department budget last year , had not expressly prohibited the use of those funds for wall construction . Justice Department lawyers asked the appeals court to suspend Gilliam ’ s ruling and allow construction to begin while they appeal his order .
Trump ’ s lengthy battle with Congress over wall funding in 2018 “ makes it implausible that this need was unforeseen , ” said Judges Richard Clifton and Michelle Friedland .
Clifton was appointed by President George W. Bush and Friedland by President Barack Obama . Dissenting Judge N. Randy Smith , a Bush appointee , said the administration ’ s argument that the wall is “ needed to protect national security ... is not the sort of determination that courts will ordinarily second-guess . ”
Smith said Trump was legally entitled to build the wall with funds from a Defense Department program to combat drug trafficking . Suspending Gilliam ’ s order and allowing construction to begin is consistent with the Defense Department ’ s determination that “ drug trafficking along our Southern border ... threatens the safety and security of our nation , ” Smith said .
The ruling came in a suit by the Sierra Club and the immigrant advocacy group Southern Border Communities Coalition . Their lawyer , Dror Ladin of the American Civil Liberties Union , said , “ For the sake of our democracy and border communities , it ’ s time the president comes to terms with the fact that America rejected his xenophobic wall . ”
Attorney General Xavier Becerra , who represented California in a separate lawsuit , said the ruling showed that Trump “ can ’ t ignore our country ’ s constitutional and democratic principles just to protect his own vanity . ” | 2877a1a325e80633 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2013/10/15/232046290/supreme-court-returns-to-affirmative-action-in-michigan-case | Supreme Court Returns To Affirmative Action In Michigan Case | 2013-10-15 | supreme_court | The U.S. Supreme Court takes up the issue of affirmative action again Tuesday , but this time the question is not whether race may be considered as a factor in college admissions . Instead , this case tests whether voters can ban affirmative action programs through a referendum .
In 2003 , the high court upheld the University of Michigan Law School 's affirmative action policy . The next day , opponents of affirmative action launched a referendum campaign to bar such programs , and in 2006 , voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative amending the state constitution to ban affirmative action programs in higher education .
Michigan 's state colleges and universities promptly abandoned any use of race or ethnicity to promote diversity , and minority enrollment plummeted . In 2012 , a federal appeals court ruled that the referendum itself was discriminatory , and the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in to decide the issue .
In recent years , the court 's conservative majority has become increasingly skeptical of race-based policies . As Chief Justice John Roberts put it in a 2007 opinion , `` The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race . '' ( Parents Involved v. Seattle School District )
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette contends that is exactly what the state 's voters did . `` What the Michigan citizens did and said in a vote , by 58 percent of the people , is that it 's wrong to treat people different on the basis of your race or color of your skin , '' he says . `` That 's what this case is about — equal treatment . ''
But opponents of the referendum claim that the ballot initiative rigged the system . They note that other state admissions policies are set by the popularly elected boards of regents of the three state universities . Indeed , affirmative action defenders observe that some regent elections have focused on the issue of affirmative action . If that process is n't working , they argue , the state Legislature could give the power to set all admissions policies to another body . Or the Legislature could enact a different system to promote diversity — for instance , guaranteeing admission to students graduating in the top 10 percent of their high school classes .
`` The one thing they ca n't do , '' says the American Civil Liberties Union 's Mark Rosenbaum , `` is to take our political process , to take the way that decisions are made with respect to higher education , and say , 'There will be one set of rules for race , which are particularly onerous , and another set of rules for all other admissions policies , including all other preferences . ' ``
Rosenbaum will tell the justices on Tuesday that passage of the referendum means that the only way for minority groups to reinstate affirmative action programs is to re-amend the state constitution . That task is extremely difficult — and , he asserts , doubly difficult and costly , given that the state is 79 percent white . In contrast , if other Michigan citizens want to change other preferences in university admissions — for example , the preference for the children of alumni — they can lobby the regents .
`` They have created a separate and unequal system when it comes to considering racial matters , '' he says .
At issue in Tuesday 's case is not just the Michigan affirmative action referendum , but a line of Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1969 . Those decisions established the `` political process doctrine '' and struck down state referenda that the court said targeted racial minorities . In one case , for example , the state referendum prohibited a local busing program that was used to desegregate schools .
Schuette , however , calls the political process doctrine `` somewhat antiquated '' and asserts that , in any event , his state 's referendum is different .
`` Those other cases , '' Schuette says , `` removed a provision with respect to equal treatment under the law . We adopted something that requires equal treatment . ''
The elephant in the room in this case , of course , is the whole question of affirmative action in higher education . When the Supreme Court upheld the Michigan program in 2003 , the vote was 5 to 4 . Justice Sandra Day O'Connor 's majority opinion stressed that affirmative action programs are supposed to be temporary , and that `` 25 years from now , the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary . ''
But O'Connor has retired , replaced by Justice Samuel Alito , who has made no secret of his hostility to affirmative action . With the issue back before the court last term in Fisher v. University of Texas , it was something of a surprise when the justices punted and sent the case back to the lower court for further examination .
Most observers expect there will be no such punt on the Michigan referendum . The clear odds are that the justices will sustain it . | xjoJEspKZ6YGeczv | 1 | Affirmative Action | 0.2 | Supreme Court | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
taxes | Reason | https://reason.com/blog/2017/12/18/sans-gimmicks-republican-tax-bill-might | To Cut Taxes Now, Republicans Promise to Raise Them Later | 2017-12-18 | Taxes | Votes are expected Tuesday in the House and Senate on the final version of the Republican-crafted tax reform bill . Unless there 's a truly shocking final twist , it appears that the bill will be headed to President Donald Trump 's desk within the next 24 hours or so .
As the world watches , we are days away from passing HISTORIC TAX CUTS for American families and businesses . It will be the BIGGEST TAX CUT and TAX REFORM in the HISTORY of our country ! pic.twitter.com/EvcAkjuf8w — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 18 , 2017
But the GOP tax bill comes with a big price tag . And after peeling back a few layers , that price tag gets even bigger .
Officially , the tax bill is expected to add about $ 1.5 trillion to the national debt over the next decade , though the `` cost '' of the tax reform effort is about $ 1 trillion once expected economic growth is factored into the equation .
There has not been a single estimate released by Congress , the White House , or any independent tax policy group that suggests the tax bill will `` pay for itself , '' as Republican leaders for so long promised it would .
One thing all those estimates have in common is that they say the tax bill will add to the national debt . Another thing they have in common is potentially under-estimating how much will be added to the debt by taking certain parts of the bill at face value .
The GOP tax plan attempts to game those projections in a few significant ways . The personal income tax cuts included in the bill , for example , are set to expire in 2025 , two years before the end of the 10-year window used for budget projections . There 's an important practical ███ for the $ 1.5 trillion threshold too , because the tax cuts must comply with the Senate 's Boyd Rule that prohibits passing bills with a simple majority if they add to the long-term deficit ( Republicans cleared about $ 1.5 trillion in budget space earlier this year , with tax reform intended to fill that gap ) .
But to meet that threshold now , the GOP has to promise to increase taxes later .
Getting a better sense of what the tax bill will actually cost requires gaming out what future congressional majorities and administrations might do when faced with the prospect of raising taxes on all Americans in 2025. Business friendly tax cuts for so-called `` bonus depreciation '' will begin expiring as soon as 2022 . Other future tax increases included in the bill include the end of tax breaks for craft brewers and for employers who offer paid leave .
Taken together , these gimmicks could add as much as $ 600 billion to the final cost of the tax plan , according to the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget . That brings the final price tag of the tax plan up to about $ 2.2 trillion , before factoring in potential economic growth .
Republicans are saying , essentially , is the tax bill costs only $ 1.5 trillion as long as future Congresses agree to follow through with the parts of the bill that would trigger big tax increases near the end of the next decade . There are good reasons to be skeptical that will happen . Congress is generally far more eager to cut taxes than to raise them .
The current tax reform bill is an exercise in avoiding fiscal accountability . Republicans like Speaker of the House Paul Ryan ( R-Wis. ) , who have talked for so long about the danger poised by our $ 20 trillion national debt and stressed the importance of cutting spending , are now essentially saying that they 'll get around to fixing the debt right after adding to it .
In its assessment of the tax plan , the Treasury Department waved away concerns about increasing the debt . The tax bill will be paid for by `` a combination of regulatory reform , infrastructure development , and welfare reform , '' the Trump administration says , as if passing any of those things will be an easy accomplishment . If you 're going to believe Congress is that close to a complete overhaul of the welfare system , then I suppose you might as well believe it will raise taxes in the mid-2020s , too .
There is still a very real ethical argument against increasing the debt . `` Borrowing now pushes costs to the future , '' Chiris Edwards , the Cato Institute 's director of tax policy , told ███ TV earlier this month . `` From a libertarian perspective , you can see the pain is moved to the future when the government borrows more now , and that 's unethical . ''
Letting people and businesses keep more of the money they earn is undeniably a positive outcome of the Republican tax plan , of course . The big picture , though , is far less sunny . | 951c0dfff3259acb | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice | The Hill | https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/410404-trump-says-he-has-no-plans-to-fire-rosenstein | Trump says he has no plans to fire Rosenstein | 2018-10-08 | justice | President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump faces high stakes in meeting with Erdoğan amid impeachment drama Democrats worry they do n't have right candidate to beat Trump Trump threatening to fire Mulvaney : report MORE on Monday said that he has no plans to fire Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDemocrats ask judge to force McGahn to comply with subpoena Democrats ask court to force DOJ 's hand on Mueller grand jury materials Washington celebrates diplomacy — and baseball — at Meridian Ball MORE , punctuating weeks of speculation about the deputy attorney general ’ s future .
Trump , who made the comments before boarding Air Force One to head to an event in Orlando , Fla. , also said he has a “ good relationship ” with Rosenstein .
Rosenstein traveled with the president to Orlando . A White House spokesperson said the two spoke for roughly 30 minutes during the flight .
“ I look forward to being with him , that ’ ll be very nice , ” Trump told reporters from the White House lawn before departing . “ We ’ re going to be talking . We ’ ll be talking on the plane . ”
“ I actually have a good relationship — other than there ’ s been no collusion folks , no collusion , ” Trump continued , using a phrase he often employs to describe the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election , which Rosenstein oversees at the Justice Department .
“ I have a very good relationship . We ’ ll see , ” Trump said .
When departing the plane in Orlando , Trump said the conversation with Rosenstein went `` great '' when asked by a reporter .
Rosenstein has been in the spotlight for several weeks after The New York Times reported that he discussed secretly taping the president and recruiting Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment in conversations last year .
Rosenstein has vigorously denied the report that prompted wide speculation that he could resign or be fired .
Trump has repeatedly delayed planned meetings with the deputy attorney general since the report , with the White House saying last week that Trump would push it until after the confirmation vote of his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh . Kavanaugh was confirmed to the court by a 50-48 vote on Saturday .
Trump has at times criticized Rosenstein and his boss , Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson ( Jeff ) Beauregard SessionsMedill dean 'deeply troubled by the vicious bullying and badgering ' of student journalists Trump has considered firing official who reported whistleblower complaint to Congress : report Northwestern student paper apologizes for coverage of 'traumatic ' Jeff Sessions event MORE , over the Russia investigation . It was Rosenstein who last year appointed Robert Mueller Robert ( Bob ) Swan MuellerSpeier says impeachment inquiry shows 'very strong case of bribery ' by Trump Gowdy : I '100 percent ' still believe public congressional hearings are ' a circus ' Comey : Mueller 'did n't succeed in his mission because there was inadequate transparency ' MORE as special counsel to investigate Russian election interference , including whether there was any collusion between Trump ’ s campaign and Moscow .
Trump said Monday that he gets along “ very well ” with Rosenstein .
“ I didn ’ t know Rod before but I ’ ve gotten to know him and I get along very well with him , ” Trump said .
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks at the annual convention of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Orlando . | 6nNyzlzvCUzIGrEG | 1 | Rod Rosenstein | -0.1 | Donald Trump | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/mitt-romney-2016-run-113518.html?hp=t1_r | Backers: Romney more open to 2016 run | 2014-12-11 | elections | For most of the past year , Mitt Romney supporters have publicly said he should consider running again . And for most of the past year , Romney has seemed uninterested .
While some people close to Romney insist he hasn ’ t moved from saying he has no plans to run , the 2012 Republican nominee has sounded at least open to the idea in recent conversations , according to more than a dozen people who ’ ve spoken with him in the past month .
In his private musings , Romney has sounded less than upbeat about most of the potential candidates in the 2016 Republican field , according to the people who ’ ve spoken with him , all of whom asked for anonymity in order to speak freely .
He has assessed various people ’ s strengths and weaknesses dispassionately , wearing what one ally called his “ consultant cap ” to measure the field . He has said , among other things , that Jeb Bush , the former Florida governor , would run into problems because of his business dealings , his work with the investment banks Lehman Brothers and Barclays , and his private equity investments .
“ You saw what they did to me with Bain [ Capital ] , ” he has said , referring to the devastating attacks that his Republican rivals and President Barack Obama ’ s team launched against him for his time in private equity , according to three sources familiar with the line . “ What do you think they ’ ll do to [ Bush ] over Barclays ? ”
Romney did not respond to a request for comment left with his son ’ s firm , Solemere Capital , where the former Massachusetts governor serves as an adviser . Spencer Zwick , finance chairman of Romney ’ s 2012 campaign chairman and now a senior executive at Solamere Capital , declined to comment on any discussions Romney may have had with investors or anyone else about 2016 .
“ I ’ d very much like him to run and think he would make a great president and a lot of people who supported him in 2012 and even those who did not support him want him to run , ” Zwick said . “ That doesn ’ t mean he will run . ”
For most of the past year , even Republicans who admire Romney have believed the chatter about him possibly running for president has been mostly sparked by his former staffers or people involved with Solemere , seeing it as a boon for business .
Romney ’ s new tone in discussions with people behind closed doors came as Bush has seemed to move closer toward a run . A number of donors and operatives who had assumed Bush would take a pass now believe he is likely to enter the race .
People close to Romney stressed that he has deep respect for Bush .
“ He thinks Gov . Bush was a good governor , ” said one source close to Romney , who added that the former Massachusetts governor has still maintained he has no plans to run . However , the source added , there is a “ growing chorus ” of people who would like to see him do it again .
“ There ’ s a core group of people around Mitt who think he should take another stab at it , ” said the source . That has grown to include some former donors , who have told other candidates that they are waiting to see what Romney does . With a crowded GOP field expected to take shape , the stance also buys donors time to decide on a candidate .
Those people say Romney has felt vindicated by many of the events of the past two years , such as Russia ’ s incursion into Ukraine .
Most Republicans still doubt that Romney would subject himself to a third grueling national run . They believe he is basking in the praise of his supporters , after the sharp disappoint of his 2012 loss , for which he was vilified by some Republicans at the time . He was widely seen as running a feckless campaign , marked by overcaution and the questionable strategy of making his business record a centerpiece of his bid .
But top Wall Street executives who met with Romney on his recent trip to New York said they came away from the sitdowns — which mostly focused on Solamere , his son Tagg ’ s investment firm — more convinced the 2012 nominee is thinking about another run .
“ I came away from the conversation with the distinct impression that he was running and that he did not think anyone in the field right now was particularly strong , ” said one top executive who met with Romney and requested not to be identified while speaking about a private conversation .
“ It sounded like he felt he could win , and that the country had turned in his direction and he looks at the field and does not see anyone who does not look very beatable , ” said the executive .
This executive and another who met with Romney said they were struck by the former Massachusetts governor ’ s comments about Bush , who is also strongly considering a run . These executives said Romney indicated that he would not defer to Bush as the standard-bearer of the establishment wing of the Republican Party .
They also said Romney indicated that Bush would run into even more issues about his business dealings than Romney did over his private equity fortune in 2012 . Bush ’ s latest investment funds , according to a Bloomberg Businessweek story published Thursday , include offshore tax havens and Chinese investors — an indication they would be an ongoing focus if the former Florida governor enters the race . ( A Bush aide said in an email that “ there are no offshore tax havens ” and called the story ’ s conclusion “ a huge and inappropriate leap . ” )
As for Romney , he “ tells people not to commit to a candidate that is not their first choice and that they aren ’ t excited about , ” said the second executive , who was involved in the meetings . “ He does not think much of the current field and does not think it is jelling . He still views himself as the leader of the establishment wing of the Republican Party . He does not feel he owes the Bushes anything and does not think Jeb is the de facto leader of the establishment GOP . ”
Among the people Romney has spoken with recently is casino magnate Sheldon Adelson , according to three people familiar with the encounter . Adelson single-handedly kept Newt Gingrich alive against Romney in the 2012 GOP primary through a super PAC , before giving $ 30 million to a pro-Romney group after he clinched the nomination .
Another person close to Romney said that the former governor ’ s “ body language ” is different now and he is “ certainly taking a harder look ” at getting in the 2016 race . Still , one Romney supporter cautioned that people who want him to run sometimes hear what they want to hear in the former governor ’ s comments .
Nonetheless , several people have noticed a change in tone , which comes after Romney previously indicated to people that he would only get into the race under an extreme circumstance in which party leaders drafted him during an inconclusive primary process .
“ In September he said to me that he ’ s run twice and now it ’ s other people ’ s turn , ” said Bobbie Kilberg , a GOP fundraiser in Virginia who is hoping Republicans can coalesce early around a single center-right establishment candidate .
People who believe Romney has shifted in his thinking said they are unclear about whether he would attempt to run regardless of the field , or whether he would wait to see how Bush and other candidates fare .
Another top Republican operative who is supportive of a Jeb Bush candidacy said that he did not believe Bush would have as much trouble with his financial dealings in a campaign as Romney did .
“ Jeb ’ s wealth and investments are nothing on the scale of Romney ’ s . He is not building car elevators , ” this person said , offering a hint of the bitterness that could ensue if both Romney and Bush run .
Indeed , Bush , for his part , has begun conducting opposition research on himself to identify any potential issues that could arise , a standard move for potential candidates but nonetheless one that indicates his level of seriousness about the process , two people familiar with his plans said .
He has also had discussions about how he would get out of his business ventures . Indeed , one Bush supporter said the former Florida governor would be far more proactive than Romney was in responding to attacks about his business record , which Romney made central to his run .
There will be “ no fetal position ” from Bush , said the source , a reference to Romney ’ s decision to wait until he had been defined by Democrats to start hitting back and defining himself . | Fvf2ZkricJtgHEwg | 0 | Mitt Romney | 0.1 | Election2016 | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
immigration | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/us/politics/trump-kelly-border-wall.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news | Trump Denies Changing His Position on Border Wall | 2018-01-18 | immigration | Asked whether he minded Mr. Kelly telling lawmakers he had not been fully informed about immigration , Mr. Trump said : “ No , he did not say that . He didn ’ t say it the way you would like him to say it . ”
But according to one person familiar with the president ’ s thinking , Mr. Trump was livid when he learned that Mr. Kelly had described him as “ evolving ” in his immigration position . Throughout the evening on Wednesday , Mr. Trump fielded calls from allies who described Mr. Kelly ’ s comments to Congress as undermining the president , stoking Mr. Trump ’ s fury .
The president — who never likes it when someone characterizes his thinking — vented his anger to Mr. Kelly and to allies , according to the person familiar with the president ’ s thinking . It was similar to a moment during the campaign in April of 2016 , when Paul Manafort — who had just been hired to the Trump campaign — was caught on tape at a meeting with Republican National Committee members saying of Mr. Trump , “ the part he ’ s been playing is evolving . ”
When a president ’ s chief of staff speaks to members of Congress , it should be a “ consistent message , ” Representative Henry Cuellar , a Democrat of Texas , said on Thursday in an interview with CNN . Mr. Cuellar , who attended Wednesday ’ s meeting with Mr. Kelly , said the inconsistency “ makes it hard ” to negotiate .
Lawmakers who attended the meeting on Wednesday described Mr. Kelly ’ s remarks . Representative Luis V. Gutiérrez , a Democrat of Illinois who was at the meeting , said Mr. Kelly told the group that “ a 50-foot wall from sea to shining sea isn ’ t what we ’ re going to build . ”
Mr. Gutiérrez told reporters that Mr. Kelly referenced Mr. Trump ’ s campaign promises to build a wall and said , “ There were statements made about the wall that were not informed statements . ”
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday night , Mr. Kelly defended his comments to the Democratic lawmakers and said , “ There ’ s been an evolutionary process that this president has gone through , as a campaign , and I pointed out to all of the members that were in the room that they all say things during the course of campaigns that may or may not be fully informed . ” | v14nHDOxbj2EO8gN | 0 | Border Wall | 0.2 | Immigration | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2014/9/8/6118515/number-deportations-obama-delay-immigration-reform-elections-million | The human cost of Obama’s delay on immigration action | 2014-09-08 | immigration | This week , President Obama was widely expected to announce new executive action to protect millions of unauthorized immigrants from deportation . But on Saturday , the White House said it would push any policy change back until after the November midterm elections .
millions of immigrants will face at least 60 more days under the threat of deportation
One big question is what this delay will mean for the immigrants who might have benefitted from the change in deportation policies . There are at least 60 days between now and whenever Obama plans to announce his new policy . So what do those 60 days mean for immigrants ' lives ?
There are two ways to look at this : One of them is to calculate the total number of immigrants who will likely be deported between now and Election Day — and try to figure out how many of those might have qualified for protection ( assuming Obama had stuck to his original schedule ) . The best estimate available comes to about 60,000 people — but it 's hard to know for sure , because the administration and its critics have very different ideas about who 's getting deported right now .
The other way to look at this is to think about how many immigrants will now be living under the threat of deportation for the next several weeks , instead of being able to apply for protection . Not every immigrant who worries about deportation is likely to get deported . But because the administration has never been fully transparent about which unauthorized immigrants it is and is n't deporting , not being a `` likely '' deportee is n't enough to make any immigrant feel fully safe . Only executive action will do that .
How many immigrants will be deported between now and Election Day ?
Immigration advocates have been saying that between September 5 ( when the delay was announced ) and Election Day on November 4 , 70,000 immigrants in total will get deported . That 's based on the pace of deportations during fiscal year 2012 — the highest rate in US history .
But it 's slightly misleading to use that figure , since deportations actually fell slightly during fiscal year 2013 — which is the most recent year for which data 's available . During FY 2013,1,010 immigrants were deported every day . So if deportations are continuing at the same pace this year , 60,600 immigrants will be deported in the 60 days between now and the election .
if deportations are on pace with last year , 60,600 immigrants will be deported from now to election day
The problem is that we have no way of knowing if the pace of deportations is faster or slower this year than it was a year ago . Fiscal year 2014 ends on September 30 , but the government does n't typically release deportation statistics until late December . ( Interestingly , the administration 's now saying it will announce executive action at the end of 2014 — meaning it will come out around the same time as the year 's deportation totals . )
To make matters even more complicated , the agencies responsible for deportation have had to divert billions of dollars to the child-migrant crisisat the border — and the administration 's claimed that they could run out of money this fall . That could mean they end up deporting fewer immigrants than expected , although that 's not clear . It 's also possible they could continue to apprehend immigrants at their usual pace and put them through proceedings to deport later .
How many of those immigrants would have qualified for protection ?
This is where things get even trickier — and it 's the crux of the dispute between the Obama administration and immigration groups .
No one thinks that the Obama administration was ever planning to protect all 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the US from deportation . At most , any executive action would protect a few million people — potentially including parents of US citizens ; parents of the young immigrants who 've already qualified for protection from deportation , via the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ; and/or spouses of US citizens or permanent residents .
What 's more , in all likelihood , immigrants would have to meet strict criteria to qualify for protection — such as having lived in the US for a certain number of years and having a clean criminal record . ( These were some of the criteria in the earlier Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , or DACA . )
So how much overlap is there between this group of people , and the group of immigrants who will likely be deported in the coming months ? That question is at the heart of the longstanding disagreement between the White House and immigration advocates that 's led to the current push for executive action .
According to the administration , the Department of Homeland Security is already using `` prosecutorial discretion '' so that resident , law-abiding unauthorized immigrants do n't get deported .
ADVOCATES DO N'T TRUST THE WHITE HOUSE TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHO 'S GETTING DEPORTED
Instead , the administration says , it 's mainly deporting `` high priority '' immigrants — those who have committed crimes , have recently entered the country , or were deported and then came back . The number of immigrants who end up getting deported each year , be it 350,000 or 400,000 , according to the administration , is just a reflection of how many immigrants deserved deportation .
Immigration advocates do n't put much stock in the administration 's priorities — or its ability to control who gets deported on the ground . They believe that the administration is setting targets for the number of deportations per year — and working backwards from there to determine which immigrants need to be deported . And they point out that it 's very easy for a long-resident , law-abiding immigrant to be cast as an immigration `` priority '' — say , an immigrant who 's convicted of driving without a license ( since unauthorized immigrants ca n't get drivers ' licenses ) .
If the administration is telling the truth about who they 're deporting , then most of the immigrants who will be deported between now and the election would n't have qualified for relief from deportation anyway .
If the critics are correct , it 's possible that the administration can just deport recent arrivals from Central America — rather than longtime residents — to meet its targets this fall . But critics feel that , if the administration 's record is any guide , many of the immigrants who get marked as `` priorities '' and deported between now and November will be immigrants who , if they 'd had the opportunity , could have applied for protection from deportation and gotten it .
It 's hard to tell — which is why so many immigration groups are pushing for executive action , to make it clear immigrants do n't need to fear deportation .
During Obama 's first term , the Department of Homeland Security and the White House ended up deporting a record number of immigrants in order to persuade America that they were being tough on immigration . They ended up deporting longtime residents , students , and hundreds of thousands of parents of US citizens — even as they tried to tell immigration advocates that , thanks to prosecutorial discretion , they were n't doing any of that .
In the past year or two , the administration has claimed that it 's now finally implementing the priorities it 's claimed to have had the whole time . The administration says that unauthorized immigrants living in the interior of the US today are safe from deportation , as long as they do n't commit a crime . It 's hard to tell how much of that is true , since they were saying the same things during Obama 's first term . Immigration advocates remember that , and no longer believe the administration 's reassurances . Latino voters as a whole are suspicious : a recent Latino Decisions poll shows that 71 percent believe Obama is still deporting immigrants without criminal records .
That 's the reason advocates have been pushing so hard for executive action : They do n't trust the administration not to deport immigrant family members , even if it says it wo n't .
Why this dispute has led to the push for executive action
The only immigration policy change that advocates believe has worked is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , which Obama announced in 2012 . What makes DACA different from the `` prosecutorial discretion '' policy , and the reason advocates trust it , is that it allows immigrants to apply for protection from deportation — rather than trusting the administration not to come after them .
In the two years since DACA was introduced , it 's become clear that taking away the threat of deportation has made a huge difference to some immigrants ' lives . ( Read my feature on DACA to learn more about this . ) And once immigrants and advocates saw the opportunities that DACA opened up , they 've been pushing for other immigrants to get those same opportunities — especially because the administration was already saying that those other immigrants would n't be deported anyway .
The reason that Obama 's delay of executive action is so devastating to the immigrant-rights advocates is n't that they know that 60,000 people will be deported instead of getting protected . They do n't know that .
But they do know that millions of immigrants are going through their lives knowing that , at any time , they could be apprehended and put into deportation proceedings — and there would be very little they could do . That constant threat has been extended for another several weeks , at least . That 's the real impact of the delay . | pN5TL0x82j1RjFQa | 0 | Immigration | -0.2 | Barack Obama | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Reason | http://reason.com/blog/2018/05/11/john-mccain-iraq-war-cant-be-judged-as-a | John McCain: Iraq War 'Can't Be Judged as Anything Other Than a Mistake' | 2018-05-11 | Middle East, Iraq War, John McCain | Sen. John McCain ( R-Ariz. ) , arguably the most influential post-Cold War hawk to never have worked inside the White House , makes a startling admission on page 107 of his soon-to-be-released book , The Restless Wave : Good Times , Just Causes , Great Fights , and Other Appreciations .
`` The principal ███ for invading Iraq , that Saddam had WMD , was wrong , '' McCain writes along with co-author Mark Salter . `` The war , with its cost in lives and treasure and security , ca n't be judged as anything other than a mistake , a very serious one , and I have to accept my share of the blame for it . ''
This marks a departure from McCain 's historical stances on whether the war was justified . In his speech after wrapping up the GOP presidential nomination in March 2008—long after the lack of weapons of mass destruction was well established—McCain insisted that `` I will defend the decision to destroy Saddam Hussein 's regime as I criticized the failed tactics that were employed for too long to establish the conditions that will allow us to leave that country with our country 's interests secure and our honor intact . ''
McCain spent most of the 2007-2008 election cycle focusing not on the original decision to go to war , but on President George W. Bush 's unpopular counter-insurgency `` surge '' of U.S. troops , which the senator had been advocating for years . `` The next president of the United States is not going to have to address the issue as to whether we went into Iraq or not , '' McCain said at his first debate with Barack Obama . `` The next president of the United States is going to have to decide how we leave , when we leave , and what we leave behind . '' ( Obama 's counter : `` John , you like to pretend like the war started in 2007… [ A ] t the time when the war started , you said it was going to be quick and easy . You said we knew where the weapons of mass destruction were . You were wrong . You said that we were going to be greeted as liberators . You were wrong . You said that there was no history of violence between Shiite and Sunni . And you were wrong . '' )
McCain 's 2007 book Hard Call : Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them , rather than address the hard call to overthrow Saddam Hussein , limited that discussion to a single passage that was concerned chiefly with the consequences of faulty intelligence : `` Leave aside the question of whether we would have invaded had we known the true state of his weapons programs : some have argued we should n't have ; others , myself included , argued that Saddam still posed a threat that was best to address sooner rather than later . ''
As of 2013 , the senator had moved to a more neutral position about the war 's origins , while maintaining his usual position that things would be going a lot better if the U.S. maintained a more robust military presence in the region . `` Was Saddam Hussein a long-term threat to the United States and his neighbors ? Of course , '' he told the Arizona Republic then . `` Was that justification to go to war ? It 's very difficult to assess that . But the tragedy of Iraq is that we had it won , thanks to the surge that began with David Petraeus in 2007 , but this administration willfully arranged it so that there was no residual force left behind , and we are now seeing the unraveling of Iraq . ''
McCain 's insistence that `` every public official involved '' in the decision to attack Iraq `` has to accept responsibility for it '' appears to be new , at least according to an initial search of public statements and my old files . But the maverick 's enthusiasm for military intervention in Iraq , Afghanistan , Libya , and Syria has remained remarkably undimmed .
`` All we can say for certain , '' he concludes in that section of the book , `` is that Iraq still has a difficult road to walk , but another opportunity to progress toward that hopeful vision of a democratic , independent nation that 's learned to accommodate its sectarian differences , which generations of Iraqis have suffered without and hundreds of thousands of Americans risked everything for . '' Such language could be cut-and-pasted from McCain speeches of more than a decade ago .
On Afghanistan , too , the senator 's policy and rhetoric are almost wearingly familiar , and seemingly unaltered by the disappointing results of previous applications . `` If you 're going to commit American lives to a conflict , you must give them a mission they can win and the support they need to do it , '' he writes , sidestepping the original road not taken of declaring `` mission accomplished '' after overthrowing the Taliban regime . Instead , there 's this update on his previous 50-100 years formulation :
The way to shorten a war is to make clear to the enemy you 're going to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to defeat them . The Afghanistan war has lasted more than sixteen years . It seems paradoxical to suggest that we can only win by committing to stay indefinitely , but that is the reality .
Thus McCain demonstrates one of the most fatal flaws of hawk-logic : It rarely takes into account the real-world constraints of American public opinion . Voter fatigue with never-ending war and perilous troop-deployment is part of the ███ John McCain never made it to the White House , while such initial longshots as Barack Obama and Donald Trump did .
Having presidents less eager to use the military might make for frustrated political ambitions and poor policy outcomes , but it also provides an ever-ready excuse for when the interventions McCain champion turn out disastrous , as in Libya . `` The U.S. and Europe , having intervened to change the regime , disengaged from the urgent , complex task of transforming a terrorized nation into a functioning civil society , of helping Libyans build national institutions where none existed , '' he complains . Yet despite all evidence that post-dictatorial , multi-sectarian , majority-Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa are not exactly promising candidates for America-led liberalism , McCain still believes : `` There are many who still have faith they are capable of building a modern democracy . I do , too . I have met them , and been inspired by them , and believe in them . They need other Libyans to believe in their future , too , and assistance from the West to help them build it . ''
Then , after having lamented the lawless chaos of post-intervention Libya , McCain on literally the next page of his book agitates for a vigorous bombing campaign against Syria . There are rarely unintended consequences in these considerations , just insufficient resolve .
For someone whose entire lifespan , and those of his father and grandfather ( and plenty of relatives besides , including two sons ) , has been marked by the fateful decisions of whether to go to war , McCain remains to his last days fascinatingly incurious about the implications of being wrong . As I wrote in a 2007 review of Hard Call :
Winston Churchill 's pre–World War I conversion of the British navy from coal-fueled engines to oil is lauded . But once World War I is under way and he establishes a disastrous record in the Dardanelles campaign and on the shores of Gallipoli , we get only this : `` I think Churchill was made a scapegoat for the mistakes and irresolution of others . But that is not a universal opinion and is perhaps best left for another book . '' As for the lasting geopolitical necessities brought on by the U.K. 's sudden and massive thirst for oil , which was at least partly responsible for the way Churchill drew the map of the modern Middle East , McCain is silent . [ … ] This pattern is repeated in McCain 's other books and public utterances . In his 1999 memoir Faith of My Fathers , he describes his grandfather 's time patrolling the Philippines during the long and bloody insurrection there as a Tom Sawyer–like adventure of swimming and fishing . He mentions that critics considered the 1965 invasion of the Dominican Republic , which his father commanded , `` an unlawful intervention '' ( and `` with good ███ '' ) , but there the inquiry ends . Nowhere is this historical incuriosity more evident than in McCain 's public discussion of the conflict that concerns him most : Vietnam . When National Public Radio interviewer Terry Gross asked the senator in 2000 whether he would have still wanted to go to Vietnam had he known what he 'd learned after coming home , McCain replied , improbably , `` That question has never been asked of me before . '' [ … ] The biggest hint of any sort of intellectual exploration regarding Vietnam came in McCain 's nine-month stint at what was then called the National War College in 1973–74 . There , McCain wrote in an introduction to a recent edition of David Halberstam 's history The Best and the Brightest , he `` arranged sort of a private tutorial on the war , choosing all the texts myself , in the hope that I might better understand how we came to be involved in the war and why , after paying such a terrible cost , we lost . '' The results of McCain 's Vietnam studies , therefore , have been of particular interest to those trying to pin down his evolution on questions of intervention , particularly during the time he was transitioning from orders-taking soldier to orders-giving civilian . But McCain 's April 1974 research paper , recently released after a Freedom of Information Act request , has absolutely nothing to do with how we got into Vietnam .
Having McCain call the Iraq War a `` mistake , '' and owning up to his responsibility for it , is certainly a welcome if belated tonic in our low age . The next step , for those who have shared the man 's hawkishness , is to ruthlessly self-examine the aggressive mindset that not only led to the original errors , but arguably compounded them afterward . There are , at long last , limits to the applications of American power . Some waves would be better off a little less restless . | 3daaec0a9b254c25 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-jfk-release/trump-releases-some-jfk-files-blocks-others-under-pressure-idUSKBN1CV3KL | Trump releases some JFK files, blocks others under pressure | 2017-10-27 | politics | WASHINGTON ( ███ ) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the unveiling of 2,800 documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy but yielded to pressure from the FBI and CIA to block the release of other records to be reviewed further .
Congress had ordered in 1992 that all remaining sealed files pertaining to the investigation into Kennedy ’ s death should be fully opened to the public through the National Archives in 25 years , by Oct. 26 , 2017 , except for those the president authorized for further withholding .
Trump had confirmed on Saturday that he would allow for the release of the final batch of once-classified records , amounting to tens of thousands of pages , “ subject to the receipt of further information . ”
But as the deadline neared , the administration decided at the last minute to stagger the final release over the next 180 days while government agencies studied whether any documents should stay sealed or redacted .
The law allows the president to keep material under wraps if it is determined that harm to intelligence operations , national defense , law enforcement or the conduct of foreign relations would outweigh the public ’ s interest in full disclosure .
More than 2,800 uncensored documents were posted immediately to the National Archives website on Thursday evening - a staggering , disparate cache that news outlets began poring through seeking new insights into a tragedy that has been endlessly dissected for decades by investigators , scholars and conspiracy theorists .
The rest will be released “ on a rolling basis , ” with “ redactions in only the rarest of circumstances , ” by the end of the review on April 26 , 2018 , the White House said in a statement .
In a memo to government agency heads , Trump said the American people deserved as much access as possible to the records .
“ Therefore , I am ordering today that the veil finally be lifted , ” he wrote , adding that he had no choice but to accept the requested redactions for now .
A Central Intelligence Agency spokesman told ███ that every single one of approximately 18,000 remaining CIA records in the collection would ultimately be released , with just 1 percent of the material left redacted .
CIA Director Mike Pompeo was a lead advocate in arguing to the White House for keeping some materials secret , one senior administration official said .
While Kennedy was killed over half a century ago , the document file included material from investigations during the 1970s through the 1990s . Intelligence and law enforcement officials argued their release could thus put at risk some more recent “ law enforcement equities ” and other materials that still have relevance , the official said .
Trump was resistant but “ acceded to it with deep insistence that this stuff is going to be reviewed and released in the next six months , ” the official added .
Academics who have studied Kennedy ’ s slaying on Nov. 22 , 1963 , said they expected nothing in the final batch of files would alter the official conclusion of investigators that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin who fired on the president ’ s open limousine that day in Dallas from an upper window of the Texas Book Depository building overlooking the motorcade route .
They likewise anticipated that the latest releases would do little to quell long-held conspiracy theories that the 46-year-old Democratic president ’ s killing was organized by the Mafia , by Cuba , or a cabal of rogue agents .
Of the roughly 5 million pages of JFK assassination-related records held by the National Archives , 88 percent have been available to the public without restriction since the late 1990s , and 11 percent more have been released with sensitive portions redacted . Only about 1 percent have remain withheld in full , according to the National Archives .
Thousands of books , articles , TV shows and films have explored the idea that Kennedy ’ s assassination was the result of an elaborate conspiracy . None have produced conclusive proof that Oswald , who was fatally shot by a nightclub owner two days after killing Kennedy , worked with anyone else , although they retain a powerful cultural currency .
“ My students are really skeptical that Oswald was the lone assassin , ” said Patrick Maney , a professor of history at Boston College . “ It ’ s hard to get our minds around this , that someone like a loner , a loser , could on his own have murdered Kennedy and changed the course of world history . But that ’ s where the evidence is . ”
Kennedy ’ s assassination was the first in a string of politically motivated killings , including those of his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. , that stunned the United States during the turbulent 1960s . He remains one of the most admired U.S. presidents . | cM3ksRE7ATBnJ6UM | 1 | Politics | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
sports | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/20/fifa-qatar-world-cup-corruption/ | Qatar is taking the heat for FIFA corruption | 2022-11-20 | Sports, World, World Cup, Qatar, Middle East, Soccer, Football, Corruption, Justice Department | clockThis article was published more than 2 years ago Investigations into FIFA’s actions reveal the global soccer organization has a long history of bribery and money-laundering. Will that change? The FIFA World Cup gets underway this week. Normally, the pretournament talk would have focused around which soccer players are set to catch the global imagination and which country’s team will earn the much coveted mantle of world champion. Not this time. Much of the discussion has centered instead on the host nation, Qatar, and whether it should have been selected for the privilege of putting on the most watched sporting event on earth. Qatar is by far the smallest country ever to host the World Cup — and many critics have denounced the country’s treatment of migrant workers, its attitude to same-sex relationships and what looks like a brazen attempt to launder its image via “the beautiful game.” | 1a57deba833cccc6 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | ABC News (Online) | https://abc7.com/politics/postal-workers-union-endorses-biden-after-trump-usps-comments/6370780/ | Postal workers' union endorses Biden; Obama criticizes Trump's USPS comments | 2020-08-14 | Elections, Endorsements, NYPD, USPS, Donald Trump, Joe Biden | Obama also took to Twitter Friday to criticized the Trump administration over the USPS changes. WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Postal Service workers' union endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden Friday after President Donald Trump frankly acknowledged that he's starving the USPS of money to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots. "Biden and Harris fully exhibit the experience, dedication, thoughtfulness and steady hands that will work to ensure that letter carriers and working families are put first ... The Postal Service must not be allowed to fail," said a letter from the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents the 300,000 active and retired USPS workers. In 2016, the union endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter Friday to criticized the Trump administration over the USPS changes. "Everyone depends on the USPS ... They can't be collateral damage for an administration more concerned with suppressing the vote than suppressing a virus," he said. In an interview on Fox Business Network, Trump explicitly noted two funding provisions that Democrats are seeking in a relief package that has stalled on Capitol Hill. Without the additional money, he said, the Postal Service won't have the resources to handle a flood of ballots from voters who are seeking to avoid polling places during the coronavirus pandemic. "If we don't make a deal, that means they don't get the money," Trump told host Maria Bartiromo on Thursday. "That means they can't have universal mail-in voting; they just can't have it." Trump's statements, including the false claim that Democrats are seeking universal mail-in voting, come as he is searching for a strategy to gain an advantage in his November matchup against Joe Biden. He's pairing the tough Postal Service stance in congressional negotiations with an increasingly robust mail-in-voting legal fight in states that could decide the election. The USPS approved price increases on its commercial domestic parcels "in response to increased expenses and heightened demand for online shopping package volume due to the coronavirus pandemic." Retail customers will not be affected. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has said that the agency is in a financially untenable position, but he maintains it can handle this year's election mail. A major donor to Trump and other Republicans, DeJoy is the first postmaster general in nearly two decades who is not a career postal employee. "Although there will likely be an unprecedented increase in election mail volume due to the pandemic, the Postal Service has ample capacity to deliver all election mail securely and on-time in accordance with our delivery standards, and we will do so," he told the Postal Service's governing board last week. Memos obtained by The Associated Press show that Postal Service leadership has pushed to eliminate overtime and halt late delivery trips that are sometimes needed to ensure mail arrives on time, measures that postal workers and union officials say are delaying service. Additional records detail cuts to hours at post offices, including reductions on Saturdays and during lunch hours. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | 838eabcf3f26b3df | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
fiscal_cliff | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/06/politics/fiscal-cliff/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Fiscal cliff deal down to wrangling over details | 2012-12-06 | fiscal_cliff | Story highlights A source says talks resume between staff members on both sides
Republicans seek to wring concessions from Democrats after their own
Both sides agree the wealthy will pay more , so now fiscal cliff talks come down to how much Republicans can wring out of the White House in return for giving in on taxes .
To President Barack Obama , it 's all about first locking in additional revenue from raising taxes on high-income owners , an outcome the GOP has long rejected .
Republicans led by House Speaker John Boehner want to secure commitments on entitlement reforms and spending cuts opposed by Democrats as part of a broader agreement to reduce the nation 's chronic federal deficits and debt .
A GOP source told CNN that talks between staff members on both sides resumed Thursday for the first time this week , after Obama and Boehner spoke by phone the day before .
Meanwhile , retiring Republican Rep. Steve LaTourette of Ohio told CNN that he sensed a shift in the House GOP approach during a conference meeting Wednesday .
`` The sense was that there 's a growing number of folks in our party that are saying , 'You know what , the president has won this round relative to the rates , but we need to you to sit down and get the second half of the deal and that 's the spending , ' '' LaTourette said .
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It remains unclear if a deal will happen before the end of the year -- less than four weeks away -- or if the negotiations will carry over into 2013 after the fiscal cliff of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts takes effect .
While economists warn that going over the fiscal cliff could lead to a recession , the administration has signaled it can delay some of the impacts to allow time to work out a deal .
All signs point toward a two-step approach sought by the newly re-elected Obama -- an initial agreement that would extend lower tax rates for income up to $ 250,000 for families , while letting rates return to higher levels from the Clinton era on income above that threshold .
Even conservatives such as Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn and Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal acknowledge the obvious -- taxes on the wealthy are going up despite opposition by Republicans .
`` Whatever deal is reached is going to contain elements that are detrimental to our economy , '' Jindal wrote Thursday in an opinion piece published by Politico . `` Elections have consequences , and the country is going to feel those consequences soon . ''
At the same time , Jindal wrote , `` Republicans certainly should fight to at least get something done that will matter . ''
`` At present , any reading of the headlines over the past week indicates that Republicans are fighting to protect the rich and cut benefits for seniors , '' he added . `` It may be possible to have worse political positioning than that , but I 'm not sure how . ''
Coburn , a notorious fiscal hawk , told MSNBC on Wednesday that he would support higher tax rates on wealthier Americans as part of a broader deal to avoid the fiscal cliff and broader deficit crisis .
`` I know we have to raise revenue , '' Coburn said . `` I do n't really care which way we do it . Actually , I would rather see rates go up than do it the other way , because it gives us a greater chance to reform the tax code and broaden the base in the future . ''
After meeting with his conference Wednesday , Boehner told reporters that the rich will be paying more , but he still hoped to limit any increase to ending tax deductions and loopholes rather than Obama 's demand for higher rates .
`` We have got to cut spending and I believe it is appropriate to put revenues on the table , '' Boehner said . `` Now , the revenues that we are putting on the table are going to come from guess who ? The rich . ''
He continued , `` There are ways to limit deductions , close loopholes and have the same people pay more of their money to the federal government without raising tax rates , which we believe will harm our economy . ''
Obama , however , continued to insist that Republicans must agree to higher tax rates for the wealthiest Americans before working out a broader agreement on tackling the nation 's chronic federal deficits and debt .
Under his plan , 98 % of the country would have current rates extended , with higher rates affecting only 2 % of top earners , the president and Democrats note .
`` I 'm not going to sign any package that somehow prevents the tax rate from going up for folks in the top 2 % , '' Obama said Thursday at a campaign-style visit with a Virginia family to discuss the tax issue .
The statements reflected how negotiations on the the fiscal cliff have evolved since last month 's election , when Obama won a second term and Democrats made gains in both chambers of Congress .
Republicans opposed to any new revenue in their quest to shrink government now realize Obama 's victory and public support for the president 's campaign theme of higher taxes on the wealthy leave them with little negotiating leverage .
A new poll Thursday was the third in recent days to indicate most Americans accepted raising taxes on incomes over $ 250,000 as part of a fiscal cliff deal .
The Quinnipiac University national survey showed 65 % of registered voters support higher taxes on the wealthy , though Republican respondents were opposed,53 % to 41 % .
Also , a Washington Post/Pew Research Center survey released Tuesday showed 53 % of respondents would blame Republicans for failure to reach a deal , compared with 27 % who would blame Obama . A CNN/ORC International poll released last week showed 45 % would blame congressional Republicans compared with 34 % who would hold Obama responsible .
Despite the public stance softening of some Republicans in each house , signs point to a continuing standoff for now .
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell warned Thursday that his party will continue to use the federal debt-ceiling issue as leverage to extract concessions on spending cuts from Democrats , a tactic that Obama opposes .
`` The only way we ever cut spending around here is by using the debate over the debt limit to do it , '' McConnell said in response to Obama 's call for removing the issue from political negotiation .
At the White House , spokesman Jay Carney said such brinksmanship over a matter involving a possible unprecedented government default was opposed by the business community and the American public .
`` I ca n't imagine they would want to do that , '' he said of Republicans .
The House is scheduled to adjourn for the year on December 14 , but Boehner 's number two , Majority Leader Eric Cantor , said Wednesday the chamber would remain in session until a fiscal cliff deal gets reached .
Boehner , meanwhile , challenged Obama to talk , saying , `` I 'll be here and I 'll be available at any moment to sit down with the president to get serious about solving this problem . ''
Obama demands that the House immediately pass a measure already approved by the Senate to extend tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 on income up to $ 250,000 for families .
He contends that both Democrats and Republicans agree that the 98 % of American families making less than $ 250,000 a year should avoid a tax hike when the lower rates from the Bush administration expire on December 31 . They call for the House to guarantee that outcome by passing the Senate measure now .
Once that happens , Obama and Democratic leaders promise , they will work out compromises on other spending cuts sought by Republicans to reduce the deficit , such as reforms to the Medicare and Medicaid entitlement programs .
The latest proposal from House Republicans could reduce federal deficits by $ 2.2 trillion over 10 years , GOP leaders say .
The GOP proposal includes $ 800 billion from tax reform , $ 600 billion from Medicare reforms and other health savings and $ 600 billion in other spending cuts , House Republican leadership aides said . It also pledges $ 200 billion in savings by revising the consumer price index , a measure of inflation .
While the Republicans gave ground by calling for more revenue through tax reform , the plan mentioned only unspecified elimination of some deductions and loopholes .
Obama 's broader deficit reduction plan calls for deficit reduction of about $ 500 billion over 10 years by limiting itemized tax deductions and other benefits for high-income earners . The 28 % limit on deductions would apply to families earning more than $ 250,000 and individuals making more than $ 200,000 , according to the White House .
Jason Furman , an assistant to Obama on economic policy , told reporters Wednesday that the president wants to ensure additional revenue from higher taxes on the wealthy now to help avoid the fiscal cliff .
`` What we 're seeking to do is to lock in revenue this year , not have some vague process that may or may not add up to something , you know , in the future , and so we 're trying to pass something this month , '' Furman said .
While the White House has made clear Obama will veto any measure that fails to increase tax rates on the wealthy , aides have signaled a possible willingness to negotiate the specific rate increase .
In an interview with Bloomberg TV this week , Obama said lower tax rates for the wealthy could be negotiated as part of broader tax reform in 2013 , but only after those rates increase now .
Obama 's deficit-reduction plan would increase taxes by almost $ 1 trillion over 10 years , a significant portion of a $ 4 trillion overall deficit-reduction goal .
It also would close loopholes , limit deductions , raise the estate tax rate to 2009 levels and increases tax rates on capital gains and dividends .
The Obama plan includes $ 50 billion in stimulus spending for programs intended to create jobs , such as repairing roads and bridges .
Experts have said failing to reach a fiscal cliff deal and devise a framework for a broader deficit reduction package to be negotiated when the new Congress is seated in January would cause economic turmoil .
The non-partisan Tax Policy Center estimates that middle-class families would pay about $ 2,000 a year more in taxes without action . | P9S7o5ifCNs3dIuw | 0 | Taxes | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
2024_presidential_election | NBC News Digital | https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/pork-tapeworms-brain-parasite-infection-rfk-jr-rcna151310 | How the parasite that RFK Jr. said he contracted infects the brain | 2024-05-09 | 2024 Presidential Election, Politics, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Health | A little-known parasitic infection in the brain received a jolt of attention Wednesday when presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he once suffered from it.The condition, known as neurocysticercosis, is a brain infection linked to larvae from pork tapeworms. It's rare: It hospitalizes roughly 1,000 to 2,000 people every year in the U.S.Neurocysticercosis causes seizures, headaches, blindness, blurred vision, dizziness, psychosis or memory loss. In some cases, it may even be fatal.The infection typically follows a sequence of events: People eat raw or undercooked pork that carries a tapeworm. They then shed tapeworm eggs in their stool and contaminate food or surfaces by not washing their hands. As a result, they or those around them who eat that food or touch those surfaces can accidentally swallow tapeworm eggs.Once they are swallowed, the eggs hatch into larvae, which can move from the intestine to the brain. The larvae form fluid-filled pockets, or cysts, resembling tiny, clear balloons about a centimeter in diameter.The eggs are “real sticky,” said Dr. Clinton White, an infectious disease professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. “They get on people’s hands and under their fingernails. Hand-to-mouth I think is an important route of transmission.”Overall, the condition is poorly understood by health care providers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which considers neurocysticercosis to be a “neglected parasitic infection.”“It’s an important disease and gets ignored a lot,” White said.On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Kennedy, who is running for president as an independent, once experienced a parasitic brain infection.Kennedy’s campaign press secretary, Stefanie Spear, said in a statement responding to the Times article: “Mr. Kennedy traveled extensively in Africa, South America, and Asia in his work as an environmental advocate, and in one of those locations contracted a parasite. The issue was resolved more than 10 years ago, and he is in robust physical and mental health.”According to the Times, Kennedy said in a 2012 deposition that, two years earlier, doctors had detected an abnormal spot on his brain amid symptoms of memory loss and mental fogginess. One doctor concluded it was caused by a worm that got into his brain and then died, Kennedy told the Times.NBC News was not able to immediately verify the details of the Times report.The Times also reported that Kennedy said he did not know what type of parasite it was. However, in an interview on the web radio show “Pushing the Limits” on Wednesday, Kennedy told host Brian Shapiro that the infection was neurocysticercosis and that the parasite "comes from eating undercooked pork."Among tapeworms, pork tapeworms are most commonly associated with brain infections.In March, doctors in Florida published a case study about a 52-year-old man who developed severe migraines from neurocysticercosis. The man had eaten undercooked bacon for most of his life, so doctors presumed he had acquired a pork tapeworm, shed the tapeworm’s eggs and then ingested them, leading to his brain infection.Larval cysts from neurocysticercosis often live in the brain for around five to 10 years. When they start to die, the body’s immune system attacks them, and the inflammation can lead to epileptic seizures or life-threatening brain swelling. Some cases of neurocysticercosis are asymptomatic.In countries where pork tapeworms are endemic, neurocysticercosis causes around 30% of all epilepsy cases, according to the World Health Organization.“It’s a major neurologic infection worldwide,” White said.“Most U.S. cases are imported,” he added. “They’re in people that acquire the infection in endemic areas — particularly in villages, say, in Mexico or Central or South America.”The infection is also endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and several parts of Asia.White said neurocysticercosis is starting to be diagnosed more in the U.S., most likely because doctors are becoming more aware of it.“It’s probably the parasitic disease that causes the most problems in this country,” he said.While symptoms may resolve on their own without any treatment, some patients may require seizure medications or a combination of steroids and anti-parasitic drugs. In severe cases, patients may need surgery to remove the cysts. | 4e308839a91491d2 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/a-toast-to-the-standard/ | A Toast to the Standard | 2018-12-14 | media_bias | Today brought the sad news that , as has been feared and rumored for months , The Weekly Standard is closing . The death of that other conservative magazine is a tragedy , pure and simple . And it ’ s compounded by the chilling , spiteful , and pernicious manner of its execution . John Podhoretz , who was among the Standard ’ s founders , recounts the details here , and what I have heard comports with his report .
The news is tragic not so much for the loss of a venue for conservative political opinion writing , or the loss of an outlet for clear-eyed political journalism . The Standard was both of those things , and its demise would have been bad news even if they were all it did . But it is tragic news because the magazine did so much more .
It was , simply put , a writer ’ s magazine , defined by the distinct intelligences of the extraordinary people in its orbit . From its earliest days , in the mid-1990s , it was home to a strange and wonderful blend of gloriously middlebrow cultural criticism , unabashed idealism about America , seasoned realism about politics , and a sharp yet always somehow sympathetic disdain for the ridiculous humanity of the men and women who populate the upper echelons of our political , cultural , professional and other elite institutions .
This blend of attitudes was practically embodied in the permanent sly half-smile of its longtime editor in chief , Bill Kristol . The Standard always had something of Bill ’ s personality—steeped in political philosophy and ready to quote the great romantic poets on a dime but deeply immersed in the minutia of the political moment , open to crazy ideas , always speaking precisely half in jest , and somehow friends with practically everyone .
But though it was broadly overarched by something of this personality , the Standard ’ s great strength was that it mixed the strong , distinct voices of its stable of in-house writers—that it brought in great people and let them be great . From the elitist anti-elitism of David Brooks ’ s brilliant cultural writing in its early days through the sharp young-fogey heterodoxy of Matt Continetti ’ s political writing in its middle age to the extraordinary wealth of analytic , literary , and reporting talent of its last several years ( Mark Hemingway , John McCormack , Michael Warren , Alice Lloyd , and on and on ) , the Standard has been an incredible incubator of great writing .
But it has been all the more incredible for the voices that have defined it most throughout that span . Christopher Caldwell has been an unmatched prophet of our post-cold-war woes . John Podhoretz is the answer you should offer to anyone who wonders just exactly what a critic does that ’ s worth a damn . Matt Labash knows that real comedy is deeper than tragedy . Jon Last can always spot the permanent in the ephemeral . Andy Ferguson is what would have happened if Mark Twain had time-traveled to the 21st century and become the nicest guy you know .
I could go on . I should , really , because there are lots of other extraordinary writers in that stable . The Standard was always a good venue for outside writers too . They were great spotters of talent ( though they let me on to their pages pretty frequently , so their judgment wasn ’ t perfect ) . But it was the in-house crew that really set the tone and made it something special .
It ’ s not a coincidence that a lot of the best and most enduring of their writing was in the back of the magazine , in that fantastic books and culture section . Long , discursive essays on old books and new ideas , on faith and philosophy , on culture and technology . Like NR , and like every great magazine , the Standard understood that politics is downstream of culture—for good and for bad . And that back of the book has grown even deeper than ever lately , which makes it even harder to see the Standard go .
Look , these are friends of mine . And they ’ re awfully decent people who have been treated far less well than they deserve . So I ’ m not objective . But I challenge you to immerse yourself in the archives of The Weekly Standard and come out objective—or anything other than sad to see it end and angry that it had to .
“ A magazine , when properly conducted , is the nursery of genius , ” Tom Paine said two and a half centuries ago . And the Standard offered proof . This grateful reader gives his thanks . | HWFpsKvuIDE2Erd1 | 2 | Culture | 1.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/opinion/what-does-steve-bannon-want.html | What Does Steve Bannon Want? | 2017-02-25 | white_house | When Mr. Bannon spoke on Thursday of “ deconstructing the administrative state , ” it may have sounded like gobbledygook outside the hall , but it was an electrifying profession of faith for the attendees . It is through Mr. Bannon that Trumpism can be converted from a set of nostalgic laments and complaints into a program for overhauling the government .
Mr. Bannon adds something personal and idiosyncratic to this Tea Party mix . He has a theory of historical cycles that can be considered elegantly simple or dangerously simplistic . It is a model laid out by William Strauss and Neil Howe in two books from the 1990s . Their argument assumes an 80- to 100-year cycle divided into roughly 20-year “ highs , ” “ awakenings , ” “ unravelings ” and “ crises. ” The American Revolution , the Civil War , the New Deal , World War II — Mr. Bannon has said for years that we ’ re due for another crisis about now . His documentary about the 2008 financial collapse , “ Generation Zero , ” released in 2010 , uses the Strauss-Howe model to explain what happened , and concludes with Mr. Howe himself saying , “ History is seasonal , and winter is coming . ”
Mr. Bannon ’ s views reflect a transformation of conservatism over the past decade or so . You can trace this transformation in the films he has made . His 2004 documentary , “ In the Face of Evil , ” is an orthodox tribute to the Republican Party hero Ronald Reagan . But “ Generation Zero , ” half a decade later , is a strange hybrid . The financial crash has intervened . Mr. Bannon ’ s film features predictable interviews with think-tank supply siders and free marketers fretting about big government . But new , less orthodox voices creep in , too , from the protectionist newscaster Lou Dobbs to the investment manager Barry Ritholtz . They question whether the free market is altogether free . Mr. Ritholtz says that the outcome of the financial crisis has been “ socialism for the wealthy but capitalism for everybody else . ”
By 2014 , Mr. Bannon ’ s own ideology had become centered on this distrust . He was saying such things about capitalism himself . “ Think about it , ” he said in a talk hosted by the Institute for Human Dignity . “ Not one criminal charge has ever been brought to any bank executive associated with 2008 crisis. ” He warned against “ the Ayn Rand or the Objectivist School of libertarian capitalism , ” by which he meant “ a capitalism that really looks to make people commodities , and to objectify people. ” Capitalism , he said , ought to rest on a “ Judeo-Christian ” foundation .
If so , this was bad news for the Republican Party . By the time Mr. Bannon spoke , Ayn Rand-style capitalism was all that remained of its Reagan-era agenda . Free-market thinking had swallowed the party whole , and its Judeo-Christian preoccupations — “ a nation with a culture ” and “ a reason for being ” — along with it . A business orientation was what donors wanted .
But voters never more than tolerated it . It was Pat Buchanan who in his 1992 run for president first called on Republicans to value jobs and communities over profits . An argument consumed the party over whether this was a better-rounded vision of society or just the grousing of a reactionary . After a generation , Mr. Buchanan has won that argument . By 2016 his views on trade and migration , once dismissed as crackpot , were spreading so fast that everyone in the party had embraced them — except its elected officials and its establishment presidential candidates .
Mr. Bannon does not often go into detail about what Judeo-Christian culture is , but he knows one thing it is not : Islam . Like most Americans , he believes that Islamism — the extremist political movement — is a dangerous adversary . More controversially he holds that , since this political movement is generated within the sphere of Islam , the growth of Islam — the religion — is itself a problem with which American authorities should occupy themselves . This is a view that was emphatically repudiated by Presidents Obama and George W. Bush . | I0d1UOwcFcOYzPvm | 0 | Politics | 0.2 | White House | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
general_news | CNN Digital | https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/19/europe/titanic-shipwreck-vessel-missing-intl/index.html | A search and rescue operation is underway for a submersible touring the wreckage of the Titanic | 2023-06-19 | General News, Business, Water And Oceans, Travel, Science | Editor’s Note: Find Tuesday’s story here.CNN —Officials are in a race against time to find a civilian submersible that had five people aboard after it went missing Sunday in the North Atlantic while voyaging to the wreckage of the Titanic.The 21-foot vessel has four days of emergency capability, the leader of search and rescue efforts said Monday afternoon, as crews with the US and Canadian coast guards continued scouring the ocean’s surface about 900 miles east of Cape Cod and used sonar to listen for sounds far below the water, which is up to 13,000 feet deep in the area.The five people on board the vessel, which was on an expedition to view the Titanic wreckage, comprised one pilot and four “mission specialists,” Rear Adm. John Mauger, commander of the US Coast Guard’s First District, said Monday in a news conference. He didn’t identify the five and said authorities still were in the process of contacting family members.He referred reporters to the group conducting the expedition, OceanGate Expeditions, for information about what the term “mission specialist” entails.See our live coverage here.Hamish Harding, confirmed to be aboard the submerible, posted an image of the vessel to his social media accounts on Saturday, June 17. From Hamish Harding/Facebook“We’re working very closely at this point to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can do to locate the submersible and rescue those on board,” Mauger said.The Canadian research ship Polar Prince on Sunday notified the military branch it had lost contact with the underwater vessel, according to Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Samantha Corcoran. In a tweet, the Coast Guard said the communication stopped approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes into the vessel’s dive.Time is a factor, officials said. “In terms of the hours, we understood that that was 96 hours of rescue or emergency capability from the operator,” Mauger told reporters. “And so we anticipate that there’s somewhere between 70 to the full 96 hours available at this point.”A British businessman based in the United Arab Emirates, Hamish Harding, is one of the people on the submersible, according to a social media post by the company he owns, Action Aviation.“The sub had a successful launch and Hamish is currently diving,” the company said in an Instagram post on Sunday.Hamish Harding attened an aviation awards ceremony on January 20, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. Victoria Sirakova/Getty ImagesHarding was one of the first people to travel the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean – the deepest known point on Earth. On Saturday he wrote of the Titanic mission: “I am proud to finally announce that I joined OceanGate Expeditions for their RMS TITANIC Mission as a mission specialist on the sub going down to the Titanic.”Search assets include civilian shipsC-130 aircraft were searching the surface and two P-8 planes that use sonar to find submarines were part of the search efforts, Mauger said Monday. Commercial ships are also involved and one has sonar, he added.“Oftentimes, we rely on commercial operators to be the first vessels on scene,” Mauger said. “And so we’ve been in touch with additional commercial vessels that are operating in the area as well as initiating the movement of additional Canadian Coast Guard assets and US Coast Guard surface assets into the area over the course of the next couple of days.”The US Coast Guard also has been in touch with the US Navy and the Canadian military to determine what underwater rescue capability is available, if needed, Mauger said.The Polar Prince, the vessel transported the missing submersible to the North Atlantic Ocean. From Hamish Harding/FacebookOceanGate is assisting in the search and said it is “exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely.”“Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families. We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible,” the group said. “We are working toward the safe return of the crewmembers.”Chief Mi’sel Joe of Miawpukek First Nation, which co-owns the Polar Prince, the support vessel on the expedition, said he received a call Sunday afternoon alerting him the sub was two hours overdue and still hadn’t surfaced, and they had lost communication with the sub. At that point, requests for search and rescue had gone out, he said.The US Coast Guard tweeted Monday night that its C-130’s had returned to North Carolina and the P-8’s would resume their searches in the morning.The Polar Prince and the Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing would continue surface searches through the evening, according to the Coast Guard.Sub has safety features, company saysOceanGate Expeditions operates a trip taking passengers to the Titanic’s wreckage at the bottom of the ocean for prices starting at $250,000, according to an archived version of its website, accessible via the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.“Follow in Jacques Cousteau’s footsteps and become an underwater explorer — beginning with a dive to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. This is your chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary,” the website said. “Become one of the few to see the Titanic with your own eyes.”The eight-day expedition is based out of St. John’s, Newfoundland and begins with a 400-nautical-mile journey to the wreck site. There, up to five people, including a pilot, a “content expert” and three paying passengers, board a submersible named “Titan” and descend over two hours to the bottom of the ocean to see the Titanic up close.OceanGate's submersible, named the Titan, can hold up to five people on a dive to the bottom of the ocean. From OceanGate/FileAccording to OceanGate, Titan is a 23,000-pound submersible made of carbon fiber and titanium. As a safety feature, the sub uses a “proprietary real-time hull health monitoring (RTM) system” that analyzes the pressure on the vessel and the integrity of the structure, the company states.The Titanic infamously hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage and sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in April 1912, killing more than 1,500 people. The wreckage of the Titanic, discovered in 1985, sits in two parts at the bottom of the ocean nearly 13,000 feet below the surface, southeast of Newfoundland.Unlike a submarine, a submersible has limited power reserves so it needs a mother ship that can launch and recover it, according to NOAA.‘Think positive’ expedition participant on Polar Prince postsAn expedition participant on board the Polar Prince, the ship that launched the now-missing sub, said they are all “focused on board here for our friends.”“We have a situation that is now the part of a major Search and Rescue effort, being undertaken by major agencies,” Rory Golden wrote on Facebook after being contacted by CNN. “That is where our focus is right now.”He asked people not to ask for or speculate on the names of those on the missing sub.“I have seen some comments already on social media that are highly inappropriate and insensitive,” he said. He added their online and internet options were being restricted “to keep bandwidth available for the coordinated effort that is taking place.”“The reaction and offers of help globally is truly astonishing, and only goes to show the real goodness in people at a time like this,” he said. He ended the post thanking everyone and saying, “… think positive. We are.” | 46c14d9451594df8 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Breitbart News | http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/04/28/donald-trump-proof-republicans-democrats-live-different-planets/ | Donald Trump and Barack Obama: Proof Republicans and Democrats Live on Different Planets | 2016-04-28 | Politics, Economy And Jobs | As of this morning GDP was announced as close to zero in the first quarter . Again .
Barack Obama has created a never-ending financial nightmare . GDP is zero…Obamacare costs are exploding…retail sales are awful…manufacturing numbers are awful…job gains are only for low-wage menial jobs for the uneducated or illegal aliens . The media won ’ t report it , but this is a economic Armageddon . The middle class is being destroyed . I call it “ The Obama Great Depression . ”
In a nutshell , this is what explains the popularity of Donald Trump . Republicans and Democrats live in different worlds . Some might say we live on different planets .
I live in the real world . I am a private sector businessman . I have “ boots on the ground. ” I understand that President Obama has wrecked the U.S. economy . It ’ s bad and it ’ s getting much worse . If Hillary or Bernie , or some other clueless liberal who wants to “ protect and expand Obama ’ s legacy ” is elected , America ’ s economy will smash to the ground like Humpty Dumpty- into a million pieces that we can never put back together again .
I know this because I ’ m a small businessman with 15 different and diverse businesses and careers . And all 15 are in trouble . All 15 are sucking wind . All 15 are hurting like never before in my lifetime ( I ’ m 54 years old ) . And I will admit it- I ’ m scared .
I ’ ve seen some really bad trends , up close and personal . Consumers don ’ t want to spend money any more . Investors don ’ t want to invest any more ( at least not in small business ) . No one wants to hire any more . No one wants to pay bills on time any more .
People that I know and trust for many years are using home equity loans to pay their employee payrolls . They are using credit cards to pay taxes . No one has any idea how to pay for dramatically higher health insurance premiums caused by Obamacare . That ’ s before the massive increases proceed for 2017 . My friends and business associates are in trouble . Deep trouble .
It ’ s all going bad under Barack Obama . Today ’ s GDP report validates everything I ’ ve been saying and predicting for years . The chickens are coming home to roost .
Then I saw the exit polls on Fox News on Tuesday night after five overwhelming , massive , YUUUUGE Republican primary landslides for Donald Trump . What was the number one issue for a large majority of Republican voters ? The economy and jobs .
There was no close second . Even Trump ’ s signature issue of immigration was at the bottom of their list . The voters are scared to death about this economy , jobs and the future of middle class America .
But not Democrat voters . It ’ s just Republican voters that are scared about this horrible economy .
Because like me , most Republican voters are in the private sector . We own our own small businesses . Or we work for private sector businesses . Or we ’ re independent contractors- real estate brokers , stockbrokers , car salesman , boat salesmen , insurance brokers , mortgage brokers , etc . In other words , we are “ boots on the ground. ” We are the first to know something is wrong with the economy . We are the ones who know when the politicians and media are lying through their teeth .
We know Obama , Hillary Clinton and the mainstream media are lying about “ economic recovery. ” There is no recovery . There never was one . We have been living in an 8-year-long Obama Great Depression . Yes , those living in New York ( Wall Street ) , San Francisco ( Silicon Valley ) and Washington D.C. ( government jobs and contracts ) are fat and happy . But everywhere else in-between , the people are in severe trouble . We are scared . We are hurting . We know this is getting worse . We know where this could end- with a complete economic collapse and the end of America and capitalism .
They don ’ t trust any politician to save us , or to change the situation . That includes even a pure conservative politician like Ted Cruz . Conservative , or not , Cruz has spent his entire life as a lawyer and government employee . For all intents and purposes , Ted Cruz- like 99 percent of politicians- might as well be Obama . They understand only a capitalist billionaire businessman can possibly turn this nightmare around . They know Trump has failed at a few businesses- and they don ’ t care . At least he failed with his own money , not the taxpayers ! What a refreshing change . And interestingly , maybe those failures make Trump the perfect guy to turnaround the U.S. economy . Sure Trump has failed- but he came back bigger and better than ever , each and every time . Failure doesn ’ t matter in business , it ’ s the art of the comeback that matters ! Maybe , just maybe , Trump can show America and the U.S. economy and the middle class how to recover , just like he did after almost losing it all .
Republican voters get all this . But Democrat voters haven ‘ t a freaking clue there ’ s a problem . Have you noticed ?
Every Democrat I speak to swears the economy is fine . You know why there is such a disconnect ? Because Democrats almost never work in the private sector . They sign the back of paychecks , not the front . Huge difference .
Republicans work for a living , sell for a living , own for a living . We do it all with our own money , talent and wits . I ’ ve never taken a government check in my life .
But the vast majority of Obama , Hillary and Bernie supporters belong to one of four categories :
# 1 ) They work for someone else . They collect a safe weekly paycheck , without ever having to worry where the money comes from .
# 2 ) They work for government , or collect a pension from government for NOT working .
# 3 ) They collect welfare , food stamps and free Obamacare from government .
# 4 ) They are in school , or college , or broke and jobless living in mommy and daddy ’ s basement . They ’ ve never earned a serious check in the real world , let alone signed the front of the check . They understand nothing about money or the economy .
So yes , Republicans and Democrats do live in different worlds . That accounts for most Republicans supporting Donald Trump with fervor and passion and enthusiasm . Meanwhile virtually all Democrats despise him and are repulsed by him . They can ’ t understand why anyone would like Trump .
What it comes down to is…we are indeed living in two different Americas . We are actually living on two different planets . It ’ s clear to me :
And they may not realize it yet , but this cratering , jobless economy will be the main reason Donald J. Trump is elected the next President of the United States . | 3ca955aa7e9ccf5c | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
terrorism | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/22/islamic-state-expands-beyond-syria-iraq-as-recruit/ | Islamic State expands beyond Syria, Iraq as recruits create global network of terror cells | 2015-02-22 | terrorism | The Islamic State terrorist army is collecting an increasing number of followers outside its home in Syria and Iraq in what is shaping up as a global enterprise to commit mass killings and destabilize governments .
In Libya alone , there are at least six Islamic State-aligned terrorist cells , according to a Feb. 18 report by the nonprofit Institute for the Study of War . On Egypt ’ s other flank , another Islamic State group showed it could carry out complex deadly attacks in the Sinai Peninsula .
Last month , the Islamic State , also known as ISIL and ISIS , announced it had set up its terrorism shop on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and recruited leaders from the Pakistan and Afghanistan Taliban .
Islamic State recruiting cells have sprung up in Morocco , Algeria and other North African states . Supporters are waving its black flag in a number of Muslim-majority countries .
“ The bottom line : Are we seeing those guys expanding their territorial hold or are they falling back ? ” said former CIA analyst Larry Johnson . “ It sure looks to me like they ’ re expanding . ”
The Islamic State seems to be following the franchise system started in the 2000s by al Qaeda — and then multiplying it .
Al Qaeda expanded from the Pakistani tribal belts as its operators were hunted down and killed .
Today , the Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( AQAP ) stands as the greatest threat to the U.S. homeland . A number of al Qaeda affiliates sprung up in North Africa and played a role in the deadly attacks on the American diplomatic post and CIA base in Benghazi , Libya , in 2012 .
The Islamic State also is expanding into North Africa and the Middle East as its army is being pummeled by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in its conquered lands in Syria and Iraq .
Its most successful expansion to date is Libya , where it claims its own province . Eastern Libya is a hotbed of violent Muslim groups , several of which have pledged to the Islamic State and its cleric leader , Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi .
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings of 21 Egyptian Christians working in Libya and for a deadly attack on a hotel in Tripoli .
The Islamic State also won allegiance from a Sinai-based terrorist group , Sinai Province of the Islamic State , which last month carried out a series of attacks that killed at least 27 Egyptian soldiers .
Retired Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik , who commanded troops in Iraq , said the 30,000-strong ISIL army is acting like a military force as it tries to “ dissipate ” pressure from months of coalition airstrikes .
“ It has several alternatives — direct dissipation or indirect . They ’ re doing both , ” said Mr. Dubik , an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington .
The direct dissipation came in recent weeks as the Islamic State took more territory in Anbar province in western Iraq and launched attacks against the Kurdish peshmerga militias in northern Iraq .
“ These have the added benefit of forcing the opponent — the Iraqi Security Forces and peshmerga — to divert attention , resources and time to responding to the ISIS attacks rather than preparing for their pending offensive , ” Mr. Dubik said .
The indirect actions , he said , are groups allied with the Islamic State mounting attacks against Egyptian soldiers and the beheadings of Egyptian Christian migrant workers in Libya .
“ They force opponents to use resources beyond one spot , ” Mr. Dubik said . “ They also have other potential ‘ benefits. ’ They reinforce ISIS ’ global reach , create other places where the ISIS ideology may be attractive , and they demonstrate that ISIS , not al Qaeda , is the leader of the jihad . ”
Mr. Johnson , the former CIA analyst , said the Obama administration still has not come to grips with the Islamic State ’ s power and objectives .
“ It ’ s not a terrorist group . This is beyond terror , ” he said . “ Terrorism is the act of small , weak organizations that can not confront other states militarily . These guys have become a de facto state . ”
The Islamic State also has created a far-flung funding network , involving oil , ransoms and secret donors , that draws in millions of dollars .
“ We ’ re fighting a full-up army , and we have yet to even wrap our minds around that , ” Mr. Johnson said .
Harleen Gambhir , an Islamic State analyst at the Institute for the Study of War , wrote in a Feb. 18 report that the Islamic State “ is executing a complex global strategy across three geographic rings . ”
The first ring is Syria , Iraq and the nearby states of Lebanon , Israel , Jordan and the Palestinian territories .
There , she said , it is “ goading enemies into an offensive posture that may polarize domestic populations and set conditions for intensified regional conflict . ”
The second ring involves the Islamic State ’ s outreach to Muslim groups in other Middle Eastern countries and in North Africa .
The third ring is Europe , where the Islamic State has recruited thousands of men to leave their Western homes to help commit mass murder in Syria and Iraq .
“ ISIS is competing with al Qaeda for dominance on the global jihadist stage while creating redundancy for its military campaign inside of Iraq as it prepares to absorb new counterattacks , ” Ms. Gambhir said . | 03jp4oTCccvv8kDH | 2 | ISIS | -1.7 | Terrorism | -1.6 | National Security | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/09/court-oks-voter-id-in-wisconsin-195398.html | Court OKs voter ID in Wisconsin | 2014-09-12 | elections | Under the Radar Blog Archives Select Date… September , 2019 August , 2019 July , 2019 June , 2019 May , 2019 April , 2019 March , 2019 February , 2019 January , 2019 December , 2018 November , 2018 October , 2018
The State of Wisconsin can enforce a new voter identification law in this November 's election , a federal appeals court said Friday .
After hearing arguments on the issue earlier in the day , a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals unanimously stayed a district court judge 's order blocking enforcement of the new Wisconsin law or any similar measure imposing new voter identification requirements .
`` Having read the briefs and heard oral argument , this court now stays the injunction issued by the district court . The State of Wisconsin may , if it wishes ( and if it is appropriate under rules of state law ) , enforce the photo ID requirement in this November ’ s elections , '' the appeals court wrote in a order released Friday afternoon ( and posted here ) . `` The district court held the state law invalid , and enjoined its implementation , even though it is materially identical to Indiana ’ s photo ID statute , which the Supreme Court held valid in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board '' in 2008 , the 7th Circuit added .
The state had asked the appeals court to lift the district judge 's order , arguing that it was overbroad . Civil rights groups challenging the measure could ask for relief from the full bench of the 7th Circuit or from the U.S. Supreme Court .
The appeals court said Friday that a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in July narrowed the new law in ways that made it less likely to have a negative impact on minorities . `` This reduces the likelihood of irreparable injury , and it also changes the balance of equities and thus the propriety of federal injunctive relief , '' the 7th Circuit wrote .
The move is also a rebuff to the the Obama Administration , which filed an amicus brief in July urging the appeals court to uphold the lower ' court 's ruling .
Technically , the appeals court panel did not decide the case Friday , but simply stayed the lower court 's order pending a full resolution of the appeal .
The appeal was heard by Judges Frank Easterbrook , Diane Sykes , and John Tinder . Easterbrook was appointed by President Ronald Reagan . Sykes and Tinder were appointed by President George W. Bush . | 2Wv2vkQU63LMsagv | 0 | Wisconsin | 0.2 | Voter ID | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/19/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | Romney seeks advantage from controversial comments | 2012-09-19 | Election 2012, Presidential Elections, Presidential Elections, Elections | Story highlights Mitt Romney says President Obama pushes government dependency
Obama tells David Letterman a president has to `` work for everyone ''
Romney 's leaked remarks get more attention on Facebook than his convention address
Paul Ryan calls Romney 's remarks `` inarticulate '' but insists they make a point
Fighting criticism of his controversial remarks on government dependency , Republican challenger Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he would better help poor and middle class Americans than President Barack Obama .
Romney and running mate Rep. Paul Ryan also sought to reshape the campaign narrative less than seven weeks before the November vote by accusing Obama of favoring wealth redistribution -- code for socialism among conservatives -- based on a 1998 video of the president as a state Senate candidate in Illinois .
America does not work by government making people dependent on government , Romney told a fundraising event in Atlanta , adding `` that will kill the American entrepreneurship that 's lifted our economy over the years . ''
`` The question of this campaign is not who cares about the poor and the middle class ? I do . He does , '' the former Massachusetts governor said to rising cheers . `` The question is who can help the poor and the middle class ? I can ! He ca n't ! ''
Romney spoke as fellow Republicans appeared divided over his secretly recorded comments from a May 17 fundraiser that were made public this week .
JUST WATCHED Obama responds to Romney 's 47 % comment Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Obama responds to Romney 's 47 % comment 01:03
JUST WATCHED Strickland on Romney leak : 'Deep chasm ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Strickland on Romney leak : 'Deep chasm ' 06:06
JUST WATCHED Who are the 47 % ? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Who are the 47 % ? 02:52
JUST WATCHED Romney camp responds to fundraiser video Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Romney camp responds to fundraiser video 03:20
`` There are 47 % of the people who will vote for the president no matter what , '' Romney said in a clip from the event first posted online on Monday . `` There are 47 % who are with him , who are dependent on government , who believe that , that they are victims , who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them . Who believe that they are entitled to health care , to food , to housing . ''
He also said he would `` never convince '' the 47 % of Americans who pay no federal income tax `` that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives . ''
In response , three GOP Senate candidates in tough races this fall have distanced themselves from Romney 's comments .
Sen. Dean Heller , R-Nevada , told CNN on Wednesday that he had a `` a very different view of the world '' than what Romney expressed .
`` As a United States senator , I think I represent everybody , and I think every vote is important , '' Heller said , adding : `` I do n't write off anybody . ''
A day earlier , Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and GOP candidate Linda McMahon of Connecticut released campaign statements denouncing Romney 's comments .
Some conservative commentators also criticized Romney , questioning whether he understood the conservative principles he championed to win the Republican nomination .
`` These appear to be the words of somebody who does n't understand American conservatism and its relationship to the American idea , '' wrote journalist John McCormack of the conservative Weekly Standard . `` Conservatives do n't believe in economic determinism . Conservatives know -- and explain why -- their economic policies will help the poor , as well as senior citizens , working families , and our troops who pay no income taxes . ''
Others on the political right defended Romney 's comments as an accurate assessment of growing societal dependence on government through entitlement and welfare programs that are major contributors to the mounting federal deficit and debt .
`` I think the basic point is correct . It 's what this election is about . Do we want a government-centered society ? '' said GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin . `` Do we want to continue to build government and grow our debt at an unsustainable level and bankrupt this nation ? Or do we want to start working toward a path of opportunity , success - things that actually make this country great . ''
A flurry of polls this week showed Romney unable to make up ground on Obama and slipping behind in some key battleground states , including Virginia . A new CNN/ORC International survey on Wednesday showed Obama also holding a 52 % -44 % lead in Romney 's birth state of Michigan .
Another new poll showed the secretly recorded Romney comments had a moderately negative impact on registered voters so far .
The Gallup survey taken Tuesday showed 36 % of registered voters indicated they would be less likely to vote for Romney after the videotapes were released , while 20 % said they were more likely to vote for Romney and 43 % said the comments made no difference .
Meanwhile , the Drudge Report on Tuesday posted a video clip of Obama reportedly recorded in 1998 at Loyola University in which he discussed ways to make government more effective .
`` I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution - because I actually believe in some redistribution , at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody 's got a shot , '' Obama says in the clip .
Both Ryan and Romney made sure to mention the redistribution reference on the campaign trail on Wednesday .
`` President Obama said that he believes in redistribution , '' Ryan told supporters in Danville , Virginia . `` Mitt Romney and I are not running to redistribute the wealth . Mitt Romney and I are running to help Americans create wealth . ''
At the White House , spokesman Jay Carney characterized the GOP attacks as an effort to divert attention from Romney 's controversial remarks .
Obama believed in 1998 and still believes that `` there are steps we can take to promote opportunity and ensure that all Americans have a fair shot , if they work hard , '' Carney said .
`` He certainly does n't believe -- as some apparently do -- that any student who looks for a government-backed loan is looking for a handout or that a senior citizen receiving Social Security is a freeloader or a combat veteran not paying taxes is a victim , '' Carney continued , adding : `` When a campaign is having a bad day or a bad week or some might say a bad month ... you sometimes witness an effort that seems desperate to change the subject . ''
Other Democrats were quick to pile on . Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Romney 's comments showed he only wants to be president of half the country .
`` We have a long line of people who are running from Romney as if the Olympics are still on , '' Reid quipped about GOP Senate candidates Heller , Brown and McMahon .
Obama told the `` Late Show With David Letterman '' on Tuesday night that `` one of the things I learned as president is you represent the entire country . If you want to be president , you have to work for everyone . ''
The Romney remarks , which sparked numerous fact checks , have gained more attention on Facebook than his speech at last month 's Republican National Convention .
Priorities USA , a pro-Obama super PAC , is using the Romney clips in a new television ad to characterize Romney as out of touch with Americans ' economic struggles . The group said Wednesday the commercial would air in Colorado , Florida , Iowa , Ohio , Virginia and Wisconsin , all battlegrounds that Obama won in 2008 and hopes to take again in November .
On Tuesday , Ryan said at a campaign stop in North Carolina that Romney 's comments were `` obviously inarticulate '' but made the correct point that people have become too dependent on government under Obama .
Romney presented the same argument Wednesday in a USA Today op-ed
`` Under President Obama , we have a stagnant economy that fosters government dependency . My policies will create a growing economy that fosters upward mobility , '' he wrote . `` Government has a role to play here . Right now , our nation 's citizens do need help from government . But it is a very different kind of help than what President Obama wants to provide . '' | 23ce99f7d0731848 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/30/opinion/opinion-roundup-ryan/index.html?hpt=op_t1 | Roundup: How did Paul Ryan do? | 2012-08-30 | Election 2012, Presidential Elections, Elections | Story highlights CNN analysts and contributors assess the speeches on the second night of the RNC
Maria Cardona : Ryan distorts facts on Medicare ; Rice hopes Americans forget past
Erick Erickson : Paul Ryan excels , makes it hard to be painted as dangerous
David Gergen : Ryan pushes debate to a higher plane to start discussion on tough choices
The second night of the Republican National Convention in Tampa featured speeches by Mitt Romney 's running mate , Rep. Paul Ryan , and by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , who served former President George W. Bush . CNN contributors and analysts offered these assessments of the evening :
Maria Cardona : Ryan distorts the truth ; Rice counts on short memories
Paul Ryan knocked it out of the park from a rhetorical standpoint and brought down the house as expected . Great line about what was on his iPod versus what was on Mitt Romney 's . Great play for the youth vote !
But it was disappointing to see him continue the tremendous distortion about President Barack Obama cutting Medicare , when his own plan calls for the same cuts that will actually reduce benefits for seniors . We heard continued criticisms but no real solutions . He said he would keep our spending to 20 % of GDP but did n't outline what programs he would cut to get us there . Perhaps we already know why .
We have his blueprint in the Ryan Budget , which does nothing for middle-class families except make them bear the brunt of the tax cuts he would give wealthy Americans .
Ryan talked about moral creed , but his budget slashes programs aimed at protecting those that he said we have an obligation to protect . If that is the Romney/Ryan American dream , then voters -- young , old , middle class , African-American , Latinos and women -- would do well to say thanks , but we 'll keep our hope and change even if it takes four more years to get there .
JUST WATCHED Paul Ryan takes center stage Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Paul Ryan takes center stage 37:11
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JUST WATCHED Father 's death 'catalyst ' for Ryan Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Father 's death 'catalyst ' for Ryan 01:19
Three things struck me about Condoleezza Rice 's speech . First she mentions the 9/11 terror attack , which is a big risk reminding voters it was actually Obama who ordered the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden . She also mentioned the nation 's debt , perhaps hoping voters would not remember it was actually her boss ' tax cuts , two wars and a Medicare prescription drug plan , all unpaid for , that added to that debt and plunged the country into deep deficits .
Then she mentioned immigration in the context of having to find a way to be more compassionate . This may have been an effort to erase for Latino voters the strident , offensive language on immigration and immigrants that Romney ( his `` self-deportation '' fix , for one thing ) and the GOP have adopted in recent years . It certainly wo n't be enough .
Maria Cardona is a Democratic strategist , a principal at the Dewey Square Group , a former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton and former communications director for the Democratic National Committee .
Erick Erickson : Ryan a 'hard guy to paint as spooky '
Here 's a fact about political campaigns : In close elections , parties often take the gamble that elections are base elections , i.e. , they win by turning out their base , which they conclude is larger than the other guy 's .
Right now , the Democrats have concluded that their base is larger than the Republicans , and they want a base election . The way to get the base out -- and not the independents , who most , if not all , polls show are going for the GOP -- is to go negative .
The Democrats have every incentive to make this election as nasty as possible . The Obama campaign website claims that Mitt Romney wants to send women back to the 1950s . A liberal group runs commercials showing a Paul Ryan lookalike shoving a grandmother in a wheelchair off a cliff .
Ryan 's job was to get independents comfortable with Romney-Ryan . His goal was to tell independents that it was OK for them to vote for Barack Obama in a historic election and it is OK to like him now but want a new man in the White House .
He excelled . His rhetoric was not as high as Condoleezza Rice 's speech , but he hit the high notes , related well and made it about the lessons he learned from his mom ( carefully pointing out she was on Medicare as he expected to be ) .
Ryan is a hard guy to paint as spooky . He is a good-looking , charming guy with a good-looking , charming family . He 's got youth but relates to older people . The Obama campaign has failed , over several weeks , to define him and will now regret that choice .
Ryan hit all the right notes and defined himself as a compassionate guy with a plan to fix problems . The one problem ? His existence on the campaign trail continues to make him more consequential than the actual presidential nominee . Right now though , the GOP does n't care .
Erick Erickson is the editor of the conservative blog RedState.com and a CNN political contributor .
Hilary Rosen : Ryan speech short on ideas and misleading on Obama
Rep. Paul Ryan was supposed to be the smart addition to the ticket -- the one full of great ideas and policy truths . Unfortunately , his speech to the Republican convention Wednesday night was short on policy ideas and anything but truthful .
-- He told a story he knows to be untrue about a GM plant closing after the president had promised to keep it open , yet the plant actually closed when George W. Bush was president .
-- He criticized the president for rejecting the conclusions of his budget commission , yet did n't say that Ryan himself was on the commission and voted against the recommendations .
-- He complained about the deficit but neglected to mention his multiple votes over the years in Congress for things such as unlimited and off-budget war appropriations and tax cuts for the wealthy that have produced record deficits .
-- He attacked Obama for cutting $ 700 billion out of Medicare ( though the Obama plan puts some of the savings from cutting fraud back into actual health care ) , yet he neglected to admit that his own plan does the same thing .
He obfuscated his own record and deliberately misled the country about Obama 's record . Tonight was his introduction to America -- a chance to showcase how Mitt Romney was creating a new guide to the future . This is the next generation Republican leader ? Judging from the reaction , I do n't think the country was impressed .
Hilary Rosen , a CNN contributor , is a Democratic political strategist and former chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America .
The delegates here in Tampa loved Ann Romney Tuesday night and loved Condi Rice Wednesday night . But Paul Ryan delivered the speech they have been longing for , and they exploded in enthusiasm . Conservatives will surely wonder whether they have found a young Reagan .
On the biggest stage of his life , Ryan spoke with the assurance , clarity and humor of a man of far more experience . He understood that the best way to make an effective indictment of President Barack Obama was to tell a story , and he did that well . As a CNN focus group said after , he seemed to do it as well without scaring people as an extremist .
Democrats will rightly take him on next week as they have sharply different views of how to create a fair and growing society . The press will rightly check his facts . Critics will rightly charge that he did n't spell out the Romney-Ryan economic plan . But Ryan accomplished something important : he pushed the debate onto a higher plane where we might get a more serious conversation about the tough , tough choices ahead .
David Gergen is a senior political analyst for CNN and has been an adviser to four presidents . A graduate of Harvard Law School , he is a professor of public service and director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University 's Kennedy School of Government . Follow him on Twitter
It is striking that the standouts of the Republican National Convention so far -- Condoleezza Rice , the African-American Stanford political scientist who served as secretary of state during George W. Bush 's second term ; and Susana Martinez , the first Latina governor of New Mexico -- represent what remains a very white , very Anglo party .
For Republicans looking to the future , this is very good news indeed . Though many GOP stalwarts lamented their weak 2012 presidential field , the last two days have demonstrated that the party has a very deep bench .
While Paul Ryan gave an extremely effective , politically savvy speech , it is Rice and Martinez who made the strongest impression , and who seemed to demonstrate that the Republican party is broad , inclusive , and forward-looking . Though it 's hard to tell if this year 's RNC will do anything to change hardened public perceptions , its selection of speakers has been almost unbelievably good .
Reihan Salam , a CNN contributor , is a writer for the National Review 's `` The Agenda '' blog ; a columnist for Reuters Opinion ; a policy advisor for e21 , a non-partisan economic research group ; and co-author of `` Grand New Party : How Conservatives Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream . ''
William Bennett : Ryan makes a strong case against Obama 's record
Last night , Paul Ryan introduced himself to the American people with a profound display of youthfulness , optimism , and authority -- authority that comes from an unquestionable knowledge of the economy and budget but also from having lived life and worked hard .
He delivered the convention 's first searing line-by-line indictment of the Obama record in a tough , powerful , yet appealing and sympathetic way . During his time in the House , Ryan relied heavily on statistics , charts , and wonky graphs , of which he had unparalleled expertise . But last night 's speech was something more . He made a philosophical case against the President 's record with emotional appeal and real life , relatable examples , like the following :
`` College graduates should not have to live out their 20s in their childhood bedrooms , staring up at fading Obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life . ''
I 've known Paul Ryan very well through the years , starting when he worked for me at Empower America . He has had a remarkable tenure in the House . When he was picked by Mitt Romney to be Vice President I thought he would be good , but I did n't know how good . Last night he was great , and chances are he will only get better .
William J. Bennett , a CNN contributor , is the author of `` The Book of Man : Readings on the Path to Manhood . '' He was U.S. secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George H.W . Bush .
Paul Ryan is Joe Biden -- without the gaffes and with a good head on his shoulders .
That was my takeaway as I watched Ryan 's powerful speech Wednesday night accepting the Republican nomination for vice president .
In 2008 , Barack Obama chose Biden as his running mate because the Harvard Law School graduate who seemed aloof and unable to relate to the concerns of everyday Americans felt he needed a running mate who understood the lunch bucket crowd .
This year , Mitt Romney -- another Harvard Law School graduate who is often accused of not being able to relate to everyday Americans -- chose Ryan for much the same reason .
Romney needed someone who could go before the American people and do something that Romney has -- in two presidential elections -- been unable to do for all his success in business : explain in plain language what 's broken and how his party 's values and his expertise can fix it and show everyday Americans that he understands their plight and knows how to keep government from making it worse .
That 's what the 42-year-old son of Janesville , Wisconsin , needed to do with this , the most important speech of his political career . Well , to borrow a phrase : Mission accomplished .
Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a CNN contributor and a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group . Follow him on Twitter : @ rubennavarrette | 5a70026e828feccc | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | Vox | http://www.vox.com/2014/8/5/5971399/why-the-president-becomes-more-powerful-when-congress-fails | Why the president becomes more powerful when Congress fails | 2014-08-05 | white_house | I 'm going to be a bad pundit for a second and confess uncertainty : I do n't know what I think of President Obama 's rumored executive action to lift the deportation threat against millions of unauthorized immigrants . It could be a perfectly sensible policy or a worryingly undemocratic one . But since there are literally no public details about what it is or even whether it will happen it 's hard to make a call . ( On a related note , I also do n't know what I think of the iPhone 9 . )
That said , I want to make a broader point about Ross Douthat 's column calling it `` lawless , reckless , a leap into the antidemocratic dark . ''
one way the system survives congressional action is that power flows to non-congressional branches
Douthat may , depending on the details of the policy , be right that Obama intends to push presidential authority beyond where it should properly go . But he skips too lightly over the role congressional dysfunction plays in empowering the executive branch . `` Incompetence and gridlock are significant problems , indeed severe ones , but they 're happening within the context of a constitutional system that allows for — and can survive — congressional inaction , '' he says .
That 's true , so far as it goes . But one way the system survives congressional action is that power flows to non-congressional branches . When Congress does less the executive branch , the courts , and the Federal Reserve do more . Presidential overreach is partly a response to congressional dysfunction .
We miss this basic fact of American politics in part because we 've chosen a poor metaphor to describe congressional dysfunction : gridlock . As anyone who has tried to drive the Beltway at rush hour knows , gridlock is what happens when nothing moves . You just sit on the highway cursing your fate . But that 's not what happens when Congress collapses into inaction . Instead , action takes the city streets .
That 's in part because a big chunk of Congress wants it to take the city streets . Just as Congress is too divided to do anything ; it 's also too divided to stop the other parts of government from doing something . Congress ca n't pass a law solving the immigration crisis but it also ca n't pass a law stopping Obama from trying to solve it . It ca n't pass a law regulating carbon emissions but it also ca n't pass a law stopping the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon emissions . And that 's because big portions of Congress want these actions to be taken ; they happen because they enough congressional support to survive .
When Congress falls into dysfunction the federal government 's actions become more convoluted
A point made by skeptics of Obama 's executive actions is that inaction is a congressional choice that needs to be respected . But if Congress is making a choice when it does n't pass a bill to do something , it 's also making a choice when it does n't pass a bill to stop another branch of government from doing something . Inaction cuts both ways as an expression of congressional will .
Which is not to say it 's good when power flows away from Congress . The legislative branch is more democratic , more accountable , and more powerful than the other branches of government . The Supreme Court can strike down laws but it typically ca n't fix them . The Federal Reserve can make money cheap but it ca n't use that cheap money to build roads . The EPA can regulate carbon emissions but it ca n't price them . The president can lift the threat of deportations — or even pardon unauthorized immigrants — but he ca n't create a real legal status . When Congress falls into dysfunction the federal government 's actions become more convoluted , more bureaucratic , and less efficient . There 's a reason people prefer highways to city streets .
And there are , of course , real dangers to the president repeatedly stretching his powers . Conservative critics go too far when they pretend that Obama 's actions are unprecedented . President Jimmy Carter , for instance , unilaterally pardoned hundreds of thousands of draft dodgers — an action more extreme than anything Obama is said to be considering . At the same time , there do need to be limits on the president 's ability to win policy fights by selectively enforcing laws . Liberals should consider Yuval Levin 's hypothetical :
Let 's imagine that a Republican wins the presidency in 2016 , and that Republicans have a majority in the House while Democrats have a majority in the Senate . And let 's say the president and House Republicans try to lower everyone 's personal income-tax rates by 10 percent . The House manages to pass a bill to enact such an across-the-board cut , but Senate Democrats kill it . And let 's imagine that the president then proceeds to announce that , given how helpful he believes his preferred course of action would be to the economy , he will just implement the rate cut himself : His administration will not enforce any legal penalties against people in the 35 percent bracket who only pay a 25 percent tax on their incomes , people in the 25 percent bracket who only pay 15 percent , and so on .
That 's far-fetched , but it 's easy to imagine more modest applications of the same idea .
Congressional dysfunction does n't justify any particular executive action . But it should worry both liberals and conservatives who fear the steady expansion of the president 's powers . Congress is going to be divided for a long time . Even as demographic changes make it easier for Democrats to win presidential elections , geography and redistricting make it nearly certain Republicans will hold the House well into the next decade . The result is that this kind of bitterly polarized , utterly ineffective , wildly unpopular Congress is likely to be the norm .
The less Congress is able to do , the more that other power centers in the government will feel they need to do . The system will survive congressional inaction , but it will survive it in part by leaping into the antidemocratic dark . | vtSUM7CyPfxxg3Md | 0 | US Congress | -0.7 | Barack Obama | 0.1 | White House | 0.1 | Executive Powers | 0 | Politics | 0 |
banking_and_finance | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/07/opinion/thoma-dow-rising/index.html?hpt=op_t1 | What does the rising Dow mean? | 2013-03-07 | Banking And Finance | Story highlights Mark Thoma : The latest Dow number is not really a record when adjusted for inflation
Thoma : It 's good that the stock market is doing well , but it 's not a reliable predictor of economy
He says Federal Reserve 's policy of quantitative easing has contributed to Dow 's rise
Thoma : General optimism has also helped push the stock market up
After reaching a record high of 14,253.77 on Tuesday , the Dow Jones industrial average rose an additional 0.3 % on Wednesday to reach a new record high of 14,296.39 .
First off , the latest Dow number is not really a record . If we adjust it for inflation , the Dow still has a way to go .
But is the rising number a sign that the economy , which has been improving sluggishly , is about to improve dramatically ?
For example , the previous peak in the Dow in 2007 was just before the onset of the Great Recession , and remember what happened then ? Right , the economy crashed . People got scared . Hell broke loose . No -- not really , but there was plenty of fear going around .
Flash to present day . Some people are surprised that the stock market is doing so well , particularly in light of such high levels of unemployment . But maybe we should welcome the optimism since it can push along the economy .
The steady rise of the Dow since early 2009 has been driven mainly by two factors : the slow improvement in economic conditions and optimism since the recession ended , and the Federal Reserve 's attempt to stimulate the economy using quantitative easing policies .
Under the policies , the Federal Reserve has purchased large volumes of financial assets , and the increase in demand for these assets from the Fed has lowered long-term interest rates and put upward pressure on the prices of stocks and bonds .
As asset prices increase , people feel wealthier and more secure because of increased value of retirement funds , education savings , and so on , and the increase in wealth and security makes it more likely that consumers will spend money on goods and services . This boosts GDP and employment , and the improved outlook for the economy can increase stock prices even further .
A case in point -- my parents . They are retired and did a lot of traveling . But when the 2007 recession hit and wiped out their retirement savings and equity in their home , they stopped traveling and instead began trying to rebuild what had been lost . They hunkered down , waiting for the storm to pass so to speak .
Gradually , they started to spend a bit more as stock prices and the economy improved , but they are not yet back to where they were before the recession .
My parents are more optimistic now , and that spurs them to spend more , which helps businesses and the economy . There are many Americans who went through similar experiences . If we add all of them together , we can see why things seem better than before . More people feel like we 're on the right track . The high stock market prices reflect this sentiment .
But the real question remains : What does the Dow tells us about the future of the economy ?
There is some evidence that the stock market can predict economic prospects , but the correlation is unreliable . The improvement in the Dow is a good sign , but let 's not treat it as reading the tea leaves .
Just as no one can predict the stock market , no one can really predict the economy , even if the Dow is doing great . | e2082987ba5f859c | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
banking_and_finance | CNBC | https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/23/stock-market-futures-open-to-close-news.html | Stocks mount stunning comeback on Monday with Dow closing in the green after earlier 1,000-point loss | 2022-01-24 | Banking And Finance, Stock Market, Business, Economy And Jobs, Wall Street, Dow Jones | watch nowStocks mounted a dramatic comeback on Monday as investors stepped in to buy beaten-up tech shares following a sharp sell-off earlier in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 99.13 points, or 0.3%, at 34,364.50, gaining for the first day in seven. The S&P 500 finished higher by 0.3% at 4,410.13. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.6% at 13,855.13. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap shares closed up as well. The Nasdaq Composite Index turned positive after being down as much as 4.9% earlier in the session. The Dow rallied after being down 1,115 points at one point. The S&P 500 closed in the green after briefly hitting a correction earlier in the session, falling more than 10% from its Jan. 3 record close. Monday marked one of the best market comebacks in a long time. The session was the first time since the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2008 that the Nasdaq Composite had been down more than 4% on the session and closed up. For the Dow, which was down 3.25% at its low, it was the biggest intraday comeback since the wild trading of March 2020.CNBCJPMorgan's top stock strategist Marko Kolanovic said in a note Monday that the sell-off in equity markets was overblown. "The recent pullback in risk assets appears overdone, and a combination of technical indicators approaching oversold territory and sentiment turning bearish suggest we could be in the final stages of this correction," Kolanovic said. "While the market struggles to digest the rotation forced on it by rising rates, we expect the earnings season to reassure, and in a worst case scenario could see a return of the 'Fed put.'" Investors began Monday's session dumping technology shares, as they have all month, on fears the Federal Reserve would soon aggressively tighten policy. However, those shares rebounded as the day went on with Facebook-parent Meta, Amazon and Microsoft closing higher. Despite Monday's rebound, the S&P 500 is still down 7.5% this month, on pace for its worst monthly performance since March 2020. The rout this year initially centered around the Nasdaq and technology stocks with investors rotating out of shares whose valuations look less attractive as rates rise. The market action Monday followed a brutal week on Wall Street in the face of mixed company earnings. Selling may have reached a capitulation point with the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), known on Wall Street as the market's "fear gauge," hitting its highest level since November 2020, surpassing the 38 level at its intraday highs. Once the fear gauge hits those extremes, the market has a tendency to snap back, even if only temporarily. Investors are eyeing the Fed's policy meeting, which begins on Tuesday and wraps up Wednesday. Market participants will be looking for any signals on how much the central bank will raise interest rates this year and when it will start. "The greatest fear is how the Fed reacts and keeps this balancing act," Ann Miletti, head of active equity at Allspring Global Investments, told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Monday. "There's going to be a lot of turbulence as we march through these next couple of months." | d3c1b049645749bb | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
federal_budget | ThinkProgress | https://thinkprogress.org/trump-promises-reduce-debt-treasury-report-increase-22-trillion-58cd816be744/ | Trump vowed to cut the national debt ‘very quickly.’ It just hit a record $22 trillion. | federal_budget | The Treasury Department released a report Tuesday evening confirming that the national debt had hit a record $ 22 trillion — nearly four years after then-candidate Donald Trump promised his supporters he would reduce the national debt from $ 18 trillion , if elected president .
In its fiscal statement , the department noted the total public debt had reached $ 22.012 trillion , the first time it has surpassed $ 21 trillion in history . On the day Trump took office , it was $ 19.947 trillion , meaning under his administration , the debt has actually risen $ 2.065 trillion .
Part of this is due to underlying trends in the growth of Medicare and Social Security costs , but the figure can also be attributed to the trillion-dollar deficit cost of the tax cuts Trump and congressional Republicans forced through in 2017 , which predominantly benefited corporations and the wealthy .
The ballooning debt stands in stark contrast with Trump ’ s earlier campaign promises .
At his official campaign launch address in 2015 , Trump told supporters he would apply his business acumen to federal fiscal policy , right from the get-go , saying he would “ reduce our $ 18 trillion in debt , because , believe me , we ’ re in a bubble . ”
“ Sadly , the American dream is dead , ” he said at the time . “ But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before , and we will make America great again . ”
In December that year , he also said he would “ freeze the budget , ” which has not happened .
Again , in March 2016 , Trump told The Washington Post that he could get rid of the debt “ fairly quickly. ” When pressed , he said , “ Well , I would say over a period of eight years . ”
Trump also asserted during the second presidential debate in October 2016 that he would bring back energy companies , which would make so much money that they could pay off the national debt , which has not yet happened .
Shortly before his inauguration , he told Sean Hannity that he would “ balance the budget very quickly … I think over a five-year period . And I don ’ t know , maybe I could even surprise you . ”
Hannity , whose show aired Tuesday night after the Treasury data was released , spent his time attacking Democrats over the wall , the Green New Deal , and the Senate Intelligence Committee ’ s work on the Russia investigation — and did not mention the federal debt at all .
Since his election , Trump has suggested he would be able to start paying down the then- $ 21 trillion in debt “ because of tariffs. ” The ongoing trade-war that resulted from those tariffs has instead hit American farmers hard , with the agricultural industry unsure whether negotiations with countries like China — previously a major buyer of U.S. soybeans — will do much to reverse the damage .
Unfortunately for Trump , it will be much harder to reduce the now- $ 22 trillion debt now , considering he can ’ t reduce the deficit .
In fact , there does not appear to be any sort of Trump administration plan to reduce the debt — the last budget proposal it released was instead projected to add $ 7.2 trillion more to the debt over the next 10 years .
As a candidate , Trump regularly attacked President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for increasing the debt , alleging their past policies had added $ 9 trillion . Since taking office , Trump has quieted on the debt , tweeting about it less than a handful of times , once in February 2017 , and again in November 2017 and August 2018 .
Trump , who took office during a period of economic growth , has instead tried to take credit for the reduction in national debt he saw one month into his term , and attempted to adversely compare it to the increase in debt Obama saw in his first month . Obama took office as the Great Recession was accelerating , and the government was spending billions to shore up the financial sector .
Trump ’ s first joint address to Congress and his subsequent two State of the Union addresses also failed to mention the debt , the budgetary deficit , or anything related to fiscal policy . Last year , Trump ’ s budget director and current chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney , dismissed his boss ’ budget promises as “ hyperbole . ” | XWBq42gZBWTxtKeK | 0 | National Debt | -0.7 | Federal Budget | -0.5 | Debt | -0.3 | Economy And Jobs | 0.1 | null | null | |
race_and_racism | Newsweek | https://www.newsweek.com/swimmer-racial-slur-no-longer-enrolled-gettysburg-college-1957638 | Swimmer Who Scratched Racial Slur on Teammate No Longer Enrolled: College | 2024-09-23 | Race And Racism, Hate Crimes, Education, Sports, Colleges And Universities | Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on abortion rights, race, education, sexual abuse and capital punishment. Khaleda joined Newsweek in 2019 and had previously worked at the MailOnline in London, New York and Sydney. She is a graduate of University College London. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Khaleda by emailing k.rahman@newsweek.com Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A student accused of scratching a racial slur into another student's chest is no longer enrolled at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, the college has said. On Sunday afternoon, Anne Ehrlich, vice president for college life, provided the update in a campuswide email to students at the private liberal arts school in Gettysburg, according to The Gettysburgian student newspaper. In the email, Ehrlich said the investigation into the incident "is nearing its conclusion, and we can report now that the individual who scratched the slur onto another person is no longer enrolled at the College." Ehrlich added that "this was a serious situation that required a thorough and thoughtful investigation, and we thank the community for their patience as we worked through our process. This will be our final communication concerning the student conduct process related to this matter." The school has been contacted for further comment via email. The college said on Wednesday that the students involved were not participating in swim team activities, pending the outcome of the student conduct process. Gettysburg College President Robert Iuliano said on Thursday that the incident had occurred during an "informal social gathering at an on-campus residence" and was first reported by upper-class students from the swim team. The victim's family released a statement on Friday, saying their son was the victim of a hate crime. They said the incident had occurred at a social gathering on September 6, and that someone their son "considered his friend" had used a box cutter to cut the slur across their son's chest. "It is important to note that he was the only person of color at this gathering," they said in a statement to the student newspaper on Friday. "The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student-athlete, someone he considered his friend, someone whom he trusted. This student used a box cutter to etch the N-word across his chest." In that statement, they said they support "a fair and thorough" investigation, but said they have filed complaints citing racial discrimination, harassment and lack of due process with the Harrisburg chapter of the NAACP and the NAACP Pennsylvania Conference, as well as the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations. The family said they were "well aware that [they] retain the right to pursue local, state and federal criminal charges in this matter." The college and victim's family released a joint statement on Sunday, which emphasized the college's commitment to work with the family on how "most constructively to move forward." "Those conversations have already begun and will continue," the joint statement said. "Both parties understand that this process will take time and are committed to working together. The College and the family both recognize the gravity and seriousness of this situation and hope it can serve as a transformative moment for our community and beyond." Are you a student or staff at Gettysburg College with information or thoughts about this incident? Get in touch at k.rahman@newsweek.com Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair. Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair. Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on abortion rights, race, education, sexual abuse and capital punishment. Khaleda joined Newsweek in 2019 and had previously worked at the MailOnline in London, New York and Sydney. She is a graduate of University College London. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Khaleda by emailing k.rahman@newsweek.com Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on abortion rights, race, education, sexual abuse and capital punishment. Khaleda joined Newsweek in 2019 and had previously worked at the MailOnline in London, New York and Sydney. She is a graduate of University College London. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Khaleda by emailing k.rahman@newsweek.com Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on abortion rights, race, education, sexual ... Read more Newsletters in your inbox See all Company Editions: Contact Terms of Use © 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC | e488cd9260cc80cc | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
republican_party | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/05/17/407385168/gop-presidential-hopefuls-serve-up-ice-cream-cheese-and-red-meat-to-iowans | GOP Presidential Hopefuls Serve Up Ice Cream, Cheese And Red Meat To Iowans | 2015-05-17 | republican_party | GOP Presidential Hopefuls Serve Up Ice Cream , Cheese And Red Meat To Iowans
GOP presidential hopefuls spent Saturday night serving up ice cream , cheese and political red meat to potential Iowa caucus voters .
At the Iowa Republican Party 's annual Lincoln Day Dinner fundraiser , the first part of the evening was rigid . Each of the 11 possible candidates present was given a strictly enforced 10 minutes to make their pitch before later wooing voters at their hospitality suites downstairs with home-state fare in a more relaxed environment .
Some candidates served up surprises to the crowd , too , which could make a critical lasting impression for underdog candidates .
Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , got the most laughs of the evening , declaring he was the `` halftime '' entertainment as he took the stage
`` The more you drink , the better I sound , so keep drinking , '' he joked . `` If you need to go to the bathroom , go ahead . Wo n't bother me a bit . ''
He jabbed at Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley 's famously frugal ways : `` The one thing I learned about this dinner is it was free for Chuck or he would n't have been here ! ''
He also ribbed freshman Sen. Joni Ernst 's memorable 2014 `` hog castration '' ad : `` When I saw that ad with the pigs , I made sure I 'd never offend Joni . ''
But the hawkish senator quickly turned serious , taking a jab at his frequent foe , Rand Paul , the libertarian-leaning Kentucky senator . Paul , who has already officially announced his candidacy , had used his own time to reiterate his opposition to the NSA 's controversial wiretaps , telling voters , `` I want to catch terrorists , but I also want to protect the Constitution . ''
Graham , who could announce his 2016 plans June 1 , promised that if someone under his watch as president was thinking of joining ISIS or planning a terrorist attack , `` I 'm not calling a judge '' to get a warrant , as Paul called for , `` I 'm calling a drone and we 're going to kill you . ''
Graham also gave cover to another potential 2016 rival — former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush , who fumbled questions this week on whether he would invaded Iraq .
The former U.S. Air Force JAG Corps lawyer blamed the deterioration in the Middle East on Obama 's withdrawal of troops in the region , not on former President George W. Bush .
`` If you fought in Iraq , '' Graham said , `` it 's not your fault it 's going to hell . It 's Obama 's fault . ''
But Paul did n't spare Bush that scrutiny . Without mentioning his likely rival by name , he said the question of whether the Iraq War was a good idea was a `` valid question . Not because we 're talking about history , but because we 're talking about the Middle East , where history repeats itself . ''
Paul said the same question should be asked of Hillary Clinton . `` If she ever takes any questions , '' he quipped . He then pivoted to an indictment of Clinton 's reaction to the 2012 consulate attacks in Benghazi , Libya , which he said should `` disqualify '' her as president .
When Bush took the stage , he began by acknowledging his family in a nod to the controversy of this week .
`` You all know me as George and Barbara 's boy , for which I 'm proud , '' he said . `` Some of you all may know that Dubya is my brother . I 'm proud of that , too . ''
Earlier on Saturday , Bush defended his answers this week when he was asked by Fox News ' Megyn Kelly , `` Knowing what we know now , would you have authorized the invasion '' in Iraq ? After saying he would , Bush tried to clarify the next day , saying he `` interpreted the question wrong '' before finally fully walking back the answer Thursday , saying he would not have gone into Iraq .
`` I misstepped , for sure . I answered a question that was n't asked , '' he told voters at a town hall at Loras College in Dubuque on Saturday morning .
Later that afternoon , when taking questions from reporters in Iowa City , he said all candidates were going to make mistakes .
`` If you 're looking for a perfect candidate , '' he said , `` he probably existed 2,000 years ago . ''
At the Lincoln Dinner , Bush took aim at Obama 's foreign policy , echoing part of his stump speech .
`` Name a country where the relationship is better than the day that Barack Obama came into office ? '' he asked . `` Iran . Cuba . I rest my case . ''
Foreign policy hits against both Obama and Clinton were familiar refrains from other speakers , too .
`` Iran , enemy . Israel , friend . It 's real simple , '' said former Sen. Rick Santorum , R-Pa. , who won Iowa in 2012 .
Gov . Bobby Jindal , R-La. , assailed Obama for what he saw as not standing up for religious liberty in the face of threats abroad . `` The United States of America did not create religious liberty , '' he said . `` Religious liberty created the United States . ''
Ben Carson , who has never held political office , but is a Tea Party favorite , saw his first lead in a poll of Republican primary voters . `` While our enemies are magnifying and metastasizing , we 're shrinking back , '' said Carson , a retired pediatric neurosurgeon .
Former Texas Gov . Rick Perry tried to offer a hopeful historical reminder : `` We made it through Jimmy Carter . We 'll make it through Barack Obama . ''
His speech ran long , and like a scene out of an Academy Awards ceremony , music began to play .
Another candidate , who got the proverbial hook , was Carly Fiorina , the former Hewlett-Packard CEO . Her microphone was cut off to the verbal frustration of the crowd . She briefly continued to speak while the audience could not hear her .
Her speech , though , was well received , including getting the loudest applause of the night with this jab , recalling how she was asked when she announced her official campaign last week if a woman 's hormones would affect her ability to do the job as president .
`` Can anyone think of a single instance where a man 's judgment was clouded by his hormones ? And in the Oval Office , '' she said , a not-so-subtle shot at former President Bill Clinton .
Fiorina also got applause as she contrasted her own previous meetings with foreign leaders to Clinton . Fiorina boasted how she would stand up to Russian and Iranian leaders . As she 's done in previous cattle calls , Fiorina drew notice as the only woman in the field and positioned herself as a natural foil to Clinton , the likely Democratic nominee .
When the formal speeches concluded , GOP faithful mingled downstairs , meandering from room to room that candidates had set up . Some of the longest lines to meet candidates were in the suites of Graham and Fiorina , who attracted renewed interest after strong performances . The lines for Bush , Carson and Walker were winding , too .
Several candidates turned to their home states for inspiration . Jindal 's was Mardi Gras-themed , passing out green , gold and purple beads and promising bandanas for supporters of local `` Duck Dynasty '' star Willie Robertson .
Clad in a red apron , Walker stood behind a table scooping ice cream and serving up Wisconsin cheese . A Harley-Davidson motorcycle was on display next to him — a nod to Ernst 's inaugural `` Roast and Ride '' in a few weeks — while autographed `` cheesehead '' hats were on his book table in the crowded room .
Perry also served ice cream , a nod to the favorite dessert he says he usually grabs at the end of a day spent campaigning . And as Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann noted , the event and likely caucus lineup offered something for everyone of all palates in the GOP .
`` It 's like going into Baskin-Robbins and not knowing which flavor to take , '' he said at the end of the dinner . `` I want a taste of every single one . '' | 86s04RZcsQfrSWce | 1 | Republican Party | 0.2 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
us_senate | Time Magazine | https://time.com/5755410/lisa-murkowski-mitch-mcconnell-impeachment/ | GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski 'Disturbed' by McConnell's 'Total Coordination' With White House on Impeachment | us_senate | ( ANCHORAGE , Alaska ) — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski , a Republican from Alaska , said she was disturbed to hear Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell say there would be “ total coordination ” between the White House and the Senate over the upcoming presidential impeachment trial .
“ And in fairness , when I heard that I was disturbed , ” Murkowski told KTUU Tuesday before saying there should be distance between the White House and the Senate in how the trial is conducted .
“ To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense , and so I heard what leader McConnell had said , I happened to think that that has further confused the process . ”
In a recent interview with Fox News ’ Sean Hannity , McConnell , a Kentucky Republican , described his planning with the White House .
“ We ’ ll be working through this process , hopefully in a fairly short period of time in total coordination with the White House counsel ’ s office and the people who are representing the president as well as the Senate , ” McConnell said .
Murkowski was critical of the impeachment process conducted in the House of Representatives , describing it as rushed .
Murkowski says the Senate is now being asked to cure deficiencies in evidence to be presented at the trial , particularly when it comes to whether key witnesses should be brought forward to testify , including White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton .
“ How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen , ” Murkowski said before saying the House should have gone to the courts if witnesses refused to appear before Congress .
Murkowski also spoke of her desire for a “ full and fair process , ” potentially using the impeachment hearings of President Clinton as a template .
Murkowski remained undecided about how she would vote when the trial takes place . “ For me to prejudge and say there ’ s nothing there or on the other hand , he should be impeached yesterday , that ’ s wrong , in my view , that ’ s wrong . ” | gn1QsNjO8gu61i9h | 0 | Politics | 0 | US Senate | 0 | Mitch McConnell | 0 | Lisa Murkowski | 0 | White House | 0 | |
politics | HuffPost | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-son-victim_us_5965f9c7e4b005b0fdc9c7f4?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009 | Donald Trump Says His Son Is An ‘Innocent’ Victim Of ‘Witch Hunt’ | 2017-07-12 | Politics | Senior Editor of Breaking News, HuffPost President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his son Donald Trump Jr. is “innocent” and news that he met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer is part of “the greatest Witch Hunt in political history.” The president had released a brief statement through White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders a day earlier, calling his son “a high-quality person.” He followed up on Wednesday in a tweet praising Trump Jr.’s interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity the night before. My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! The president also retweeted a Fox News tweet referring to Trump Jr. as “the victim.” After days of stories from The New York Times, Trump Jr. admitted on Tuesday to meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya to obtain negative information about Hillary Clinton, his father’s presidential election opponent. As seen in emails the president’s eldest son published to Twitter, the meeting was arranged by music publicist Rob Goldstone, who claimed the meeting was part of the Kremlin’s efforts to help his father get elected. Trump Jr. has defended the meeting as “political opposition research” and said “nothing” came out of it. He also told Hannity he did not share details of the conversation with his father. The latest revelations have reportedly caused turmoil in the White House, with Trump raging at the media and different factions within the administration blaming each other for the controversy. According to The Washington Post, Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner have been pushing the president to fire his chief of staff, Reince Priebus. Meanwhile, sources told The New York Times the president has been lashing out at his personal lawyer, Mark Kasowitz, over his handling of the case, while Kasowitz has blamed Kushner for the fallout. You have the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences. | e2395a061b8be1f7 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | Bloomberg | https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-02/democrats-blast-move-to-withhold-kavanaugh-white-house-records | Democrats Blast Move to Withhold Some Kavanaugh Records | 2018-09-02 | supreme_court | LISTEN TO ARTICLE 5:37 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email
Senate Democrats criticized the withholding of documents ahead of Tuesday ’ s start of confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh , even as a top Republican predicted he would be approved by a healthy margin .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a tweet that the decision to hold back more than 100,000 pages of documents from Kavanaugh ’ s work in President George W. Bush ’ s administration was unprecedented for nominees and “ has all the makings of a cover up. ” Dick Durbin of Illinois , the No . 2 Senate Democrat , said only 6 percent of material requested will be released “ if we are lucky . ”
“ If he ’ s so proud of his conservative credentials , show us the record , stand before us , trust the American people and they will trust you , ” Durbin said on “ Fox News Sunday . ”
The Senate Judiciary Committee said Saturday that the release of records is nearly complete . But William Burck , a lawyer representing Bush in the document production , said in a letter released by the committee that after conferring with the White House and the Justice Department , some records would be withheld on the grounds of executive privilege .
According to the letter , the bulk of the documents withheld cover “ deliberations and candid advice ” about potential nominees for federal courts , while the remainder include substantive communications between Bush and his staff regarding executive orders and legislation . Kavanaugh “ dealt with some of the most sensitive communications of any White House official , ” the letter said .
An assertion of executive privilege , used to block release of information to Congress , the courts or the public on grounds of national security or to protect private White House deliberations , can only be made by a sitting president . Trump ’ s White House is asserting the privilege to protect communications of the Bush White House .
While Republicans have emphasized that more than 440,500 pages of material from Kavanaugh has been released , Democrats have fought for greater access to documents from his time as a lawyer in the Bush administration before being confirmed as a federal judge in 2006 . Those documents , they say , would provide insights into his thinking on issues including abortion and presidential investigations .
“ It ’ s not normal , ” Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , who like Durbin is a Judiciary Committee member , said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press ” about the withholding of documents . She added that documents she ’ s seen raise “ very interesting questions ” about the nominee ’ s views that she ’ s unable to discuss .
Read More : Mueller Probe Shadows Kavanaugh as Democrats Press Questions
Republicans said Kavanaugh ’ s views can be better assessed by studying the more than 300 opinions he has written as a record as a judge on the federal appeals court in Washington .
“ The Democrats have more than enough information to understand that this is a highly qualified jurist that should be the next Supreme Court justice , ” Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” on Sunday . “ In an earlier time , 30 years ago , he would have passed unanimously . ”
Republicans in 2017 eliminated the 60-vote barrier to setting a vote for Supreme Court nominees , leaving Democrats without the tool of a filibuster to delay Trump ’ s pick .
Senator Lindsey Graham , a Republican from South Carolina and a member of the Judiciary Committee , said on “ Fox News Sunday ” that he believes Kavanaugh will be confirmed and may get as many as 55 votes .
Republicans hold 50 seats in the Senate but presumably will soon get another after Arizona Governor Doug Ducey , a Republican , nominates a successor to fill the vacancy left by the death of Senator John McCain . Some Democrats facing re-election in November in states won overwhelmingly by Trump in 2016 are also likely to side with Republicans on Kavanaugh ’ s nomination .
Kavanaugh ’ s nomination to fill the seat held by Justice Anthony Kennedy , who stepped down at the end of the Supreme Court ’ s term in June , has worried some senators concerned about his views on decisions such as Roe v. Wade in 1973 , which established a woman ’ s right to obtain an abortion .
Kennedy , viewed as a moderate and often a swing vote on the court , upheld abortion rights in a key 2016 decision that struck down a Texas law that could have forced many providers of the procedure in the state to shut down .
Graham said Kavanaugh “ will give great deference , I ’ m sure , to Roe v. Wade . But it can be overturned like every other decision , but that will be up to the facts on the record . ”
In a separate appearance on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , ” Graham said that “ precedent is important but it ’ s not inviolate . ”
Durbin also raised concerns about Kavanaugh ’ s views on presidential accountability , given the convictions of Trump associates stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential collusion by the Trump campaign .
“ There is a serious question whether this president , given the opportunity , will end the Mueller investigation , ” Durbin said . “ We ask , of course , Judge Kavanaugh , what do you think , and he says it ’ s hands off when it comes to a president during his term in office . ”
Asked whether Kavanaugh should recuse himself if confirmed from any cases that involve investigations of Trump , Johnson said it depends on the case but judges generally should be involved .
“ I ’ m sure Judge Kavanaugh will follow the , you know , the guidelines and recuse himself in cases where he should , ” Johnson said .
Durbin said Kavanaugh was zealous while working for Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr , who led the Whitewater investigation of President Bill Clinton , but changed his mind after working in the Bush administration .
In a 2009 article for the Minnesota Law Review , Kavanaugh argued that civil and criminal investigations were “ time-consuming and distracting ” for a sitting president , and that congressional action was needed to defer them .
( A previous version of this story corrected Chuck Schumer ’ s title . ) | SZ4e3meAcZWdbUXO | 1 | Supreme Court | 0.2 | Brett Kavanaugh | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
china | New York Times (News) | http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/business/international/china-devalues-its-currency-renminbi-for-a-third-consecutive-day.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0 | China Seeks to Calm Markets as It Devalues Currency for 3rd Consecutive Day | 2015-08-13 | China | Advertisement Supported by By Neil Gough HONG KONG — China on Thursday sought to calm fears that the country’s depreciating currency had set off, as authorities defended the devaluation decision. The country’s central bank has pushed the value of the currency lower for three consecutive days. Since Tuesday, the currency, the renminbi, has fallen 4.4 percent, the biggest drop in decades. While China said the move was aimed to make the currency more market-oriented, it has raised concerns that the already slowing economy was in deeper trouble. The sharp and sudden fall has also prompted questions about whether the country’s leadership can manage the slowdown. At an ad hoc news conference on Thursday, officials from the central bank defended the devaluation, saying that the currency had not entered a free fall. The central bank also said it would continue to intervene, as necessary. transcript NA Zhang Xiaohui, an assistant governor at the central bank who became a member of its monetary policy committee in June, added that there was “no basis for the continued depreciation of the renminbi.” These charts show the relative currency strength of East Asia’s three largest economies over the last 15 years. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe. Advertisement | 10849882635e8799 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Reuters | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-primaries-poll-idUSKCN0XO0ZR | Half of Americans think presidential nominating system 'rigged' | 2016-04-28 | Presidential Elections, Elections | NEW YORK ( ███ ) - More than half of American voters believe that the system U.S. political parties use to pick their candidates for the White House is “ rigged ” and more than two-thirds want to see the process changed , according to a ███/Ipsos poll .
A voter casts his ballot in the Pennsylvania primary at a polling place inside a firehouse in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , U.S. , April 26 , 2016 . ███/Charles Mostoller
The results echo complaints from Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders that the system is stacked against them in favor of candidates with close ties to their parties – a critique that has triggered a nationwide debate over whether the process is fair .
The United States is one of just a handful of countries that gives regular voters any say in who should make it onto the presidential ballot . But the state-by-state system of primaries , caucuses and conventions is complex . The contests historically were always party events , and while the popular vote has grown in influence since the mid-20th century , the parties still have considerable sway .
One quirk of the U.S. system - and the area where the parties get to flex their muscle - is the use of delegates , party members who are assigned to support contenders at their respective conventions , usually based on voting results . The parties decide how delegates are awarded in each state , with the Republicans and Democrats having different rules .
The delegates ’ personal opinions can come into play at the party conventions if the race is too close to call - an issue that has become a lightning rod in the current political season .
Another complication is that state governments have different rules about whether voters must be registered as party members to participate . In some states , parties further restrict delegate selection to small committees of party elites , as the Republican Party in Colorado did this year .
“ I ’ d prefer to see a one-man-one-vote system , ” said Royce Young , 76 , a resident of Society Hill , South Carolina , who supports Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton . “ The process is so flawed . ”
Trump has repeatedly railed against the rules , at times calling them undemocratic . After the Colorado Republican Party awarded all its delegates to Ted Cruz , for example , Trump lashed out in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece , charging “ the system is being rigged by party operatives with ‘ double-agent ’ delegates who reject the decision of voters . ”
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has dismissed Trump ’ s complaints as “ rhetoric ” and said the rules would not be changed before the Republican convention in July .
Trump swept the five Northeastern nominating contests on Tuesday in Pennsylvania , Maryland , Delaware , Connecticut and Rhode Island . The New York billionaire has 950 delegates to 560 for Cruz , a U.S. senator from Texas , and 153 for Kasich , the Ohio governor , according to the Associated Press . A total of 1,237 delegates are needed to secure the Republican nomination .
On the Democratic side , Sanders , a U.S. senator from Vermont , has taken issue with the party ’ s use of superdelegates , the hundreds of elite party members who can support whomever they like at the convention and who this year overwhelmingly back front-runner Hillary Clinton .
Clinton has repeatedly emphasized that she is beating Sanders in both total votes cast and in pledged delegates , those who are bound by the voting results - rendering his complaints about superdelegates moot .
On Tuesday , the former secretary of state won Pennsylvania , Maryland , Delaware and Connecticut , while Sanders won in Rhode Island . Clinton leads Sanders by 2,141 delegates to 1,321 , according to the AP , with 2,383 needed to win the nomination .
Sanders has also criticized party bosses for not holding enough prime-time television debates and said before a string of primaries open only to registered Democrats this month that “ independents have lost their right to vote , ” referring to a voter block that has tended to favor him .
A Democratic National Committee official was not immediately available to comment .
Larry Sabato , director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics , said the U.S. presidential nominating system could probably be improved in a number of areas , but noted that the control wielded by party leadership usually became an issue only during tight races .
“ The popular vote overwhelms the rules usually , but in these close elections , everyone pays attention to these arcane rules , ” he said .
Some 51 percent of likely voters who responded to the April 21-26 online survey said they believed the primary system was “ rigged ” against some candidates . Some 71 percent of respondents said they would prefer to pick their party ’ s nominee with a direct vote , cutting out the use of delegates as intermediaries .
The results also showed 27 percent of likely voters did not understand how the primary process works and 44 percent did not understand why delegates were involved in the first place . The responses were about the same for Republicans and Democrats .
Overall , nearly half said they would also prefer a single primary day in which all states held their nominating contests together - as opposed to the current system of spreading them out for months .
The poll included 1,582 Americans and had a credibility interval of 2.9 percentage points . | ac6097765415d252 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CBS News (Online) | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/irs-whistleblower-tax-probe-hunter-biden/ | IRS whistleblower speaks: DOJ "slow-walked" tax probe said to involve Hunter Biden | 2023-05-25 | Politics, Hunter Biden, IRS, Whistleblower, Justice Department, Justice, Corruption | A whistleblower from inside the Internal Revenue Service has spoken publicly for the first time about a highly sensitive political probe he has supervised, which CBS News has determined is the ongoing probe into the finances of President Biden's son Hunter Biden.He said he became so concerned about prosecutors' handling of "a high profile, controversial" investigation that he felt duty-bound to sound alarms."There were multiple steps that were slow-walked — were just completely not done — at the direction of the Department of Justice," said Gary Shapley, a 14-year veteran of the agency, who spoke exclusively to CBS News chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod on Tuesday. "When I took control of this particular investigation, I immediately saw deviations from the normal process. It was way outside the norm of what I've experienced in the past."EXCLUSIVE: In his first interview, CBS News sat down with the IRS agent who is blowing the whistle on what he says was preferential treatment during a federal investigation that CBS has learned is tied to the president’s son, Hunter Biden, for possible tax crimes. pic.twitter.com/CUVjVVNsh2 — CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) May 24, 2023The accusations come more than three years into an investigation into Hunter Biden that's being conducted in Delaware by a U.S. Attorney appointed by then-President Trump and held over by President Biden to avoid any appearance of political bias. The investigation focuses on potential crimes related to outstanding tax debts connected to income earned from a controversial stint as a board member for the Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was vice president, and a potential false statement related to a gun purchase. Last year CBS News reported that the past-due taxes were paid off with a loan from high-powered Hollywood attorney Kevin Morris, who provided Hunter Biden with financial backing.Six months ago, a leak from the FBI revealed that agents there believed they had provided prosecutors with enough evidence to support criminal tax charges. No such charges have been brought as of this publication.Shapley told CBS News he became increasingly concerned about measures being taken that he said appeared to shield the target of the investigation — which CBS News independently confirmed is Hunter Biden."Each and every time, it seemed to always benefit the subject," Shapley said. "It just got to that point where that switch was turned on. And I just couldn't silence my conscience anymore."Shapley is a supervisory special agent with the IRS's criminal investigations department, currently overseeing a team of 12 agents who specialize in international tax and financial crimes. Previously, he was an officer with the National Security Agency's Office of the Inspector General. He was assigned to a "sensitive" investigation in January 2020, and within months, he said he grew concerned about how the Justice Department was handling the investigation. CBS News has learned that was the Hunter Biden probe. Shapley says he began documenting his concerns around June 2020."For a couple years, we'd been noticing these deviations in the investigative process. And I just couldn't, you know, fathom that DOJ might be acting unethically on this," he said.Sounding alarmsThe existence of a whistleblower inside the Hunter Biden probe became known last month after one of Shapley's attorneys, Mark Lytle, wrote to Congress seeking legal protections for his client, who was maintaining his anonymity at the time. Without those protections, Shapley said he can't share anything about a taxpayer investigation—including the identity of the subject— without breaking tax secrecy laws.Shapley is scheduled to appear before members of the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday, but his testimony will not be open to the public.CBS News obtained a letter Shapley's attorneys sent last week to the Office of the Special Counsel, a federal agency dedicated to assisting government whistleblowers. The letter alleges "irregularities" in the Department of Justice's handling of the case,and cites a "charged meeting" Shapley's team had with Justice Department prosecutors last October. According to the letter, following that meeting, Shapley's team was effectively excluded from the investigation. Shapley would not say if he made prosecutors aware of his concerns but did acknowledge the incident prompted him to blow the whistle."It was my red-line meeting," Shapley said. "It just got to that point where that switch was turned on, and I just couldn't silence my conscience anymore."In his April letter to Congress, Lytle said Shapley previously made whistleblower disclosures to the IRS, the Treasury inspector general for Tax Administration, and the Justice Department's inspector general. He also wrote his client would contradict sworn testimony "by a senior political appointee." In his interview with CBS News, Shapley declined to identify the sworn testimony or name the political appointee.Whistleblowers in WashingtonIn recent months, House Republicans have brought forward federal officials who they said were blowing the whistle on perceived political interference from within the Department of Justice on other matters. The effort to highlight these concerns is the result of the recently created subcommittee on the "weaponization" of government by the House Judiciary Committee. Democrats have questioned the legitimacy of those claims, and Ranking Member Stacey Plaskett, a Democrat representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, has referred to the subcommittee as "a political stunt."Shapley told CBS News he has taken no money from anyone in deciding to step forward. His legal effort is being assisted by a nonprofit whistleblower advocacy group with staff who have previously worked with Republicans in Congress, and he is a registered Republican. But he said he has never been politically active. He says he hasn't made any political donations or been involved in political campaigns."I'm not involved with any of that stuff," he said. "It's not what I want to do. I'm just simply not a political person. This is a job, and my oath of office is to treat everybody fairly that we investigate."Shapley may already be paying a price for his decision to speak out. Last week, his attorneys informed Congress that he and his staff had been removed from the investigation "at the request of the Department of Justice." He claims he's faced retaliation from IRS leadership. In addition, Hunter Biden's legal team has already accused him of breaking the law.The White House declined to comment on the matter, but shared a statement it has previously released saying President Biden "has made clear that this matter would be handled independently by the Justice Department, under the leadership of a U.S. Attorney appointed by former President Trump, free from any political interference by the White House. He has upheld that commitment."In a Senate hearing in March, Attorney General Merrick Garland vowed not to interfere with the work of David Weiss, the U.S. Attorney in Delaware leading the Hunter Biden investigation."I promise to ensure that he's able to carry out his investigation and that he be able to run it," Garland said on March 1.Shapley would not say whether he was being investigated by the Justice Department in connection with the steps he's taken."If I were being investigated, it would be in retaliation for making a whistleblower complaint," he said.Spokespersons for both the Justice Department and the U.S Attorney's Office in Delaware declined to comment.The IRS also declined comment, saying, "Under federal law, the IRS can't comment on specific taxpayer matters." The agency's statement added that it remains "deeply committed to protecting the role of whistleblowers, and there are robust processes and procedures in place to protect them."Shapley said he finds this new role — as a whistleblower — to be well outside his comfort zone, and is not something he wants to do. But he said he felt an obligation to come forward and report what he views as a violation of his oath of office."When I saw the egregiousness of some of these things, it no longer became a choice for me," he said. "It's not something that I want to do. It's something I feel like I have to do."He said his ultimate motivation is what drove him to pursue the work of criminal tax investigations in the first place."When taxpayers are treated differently — and subjects of investigations are treated differently," he said, "I don't see how it doesn't affect the fairness of the system." | 710e58b4083b053b | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/05/19/nigerian-soldier-says-army-that-would-face-boko-haram-is-ill-equipped-underpaid/ | Nigerian soldier says army that would face Boko Haram is ill-equipped, underpaid | 2014-05-19 | world | A Nigerian soldier has said that the army that would bear the primary burden of hunting down the Islamist group Boko Haram is ill-equipped to do so , and lacks the will to take on the group accused of kidnapping 276 schoolgirls last month .
The soldier made his claims anonymously to Sky News over the weekend , saying `` If my superiors know I have spoken to you , I will be jailed and tortured . ''
He described how many soldiers are feeling frustrated with the conduct of the war against militants in the northeast of Nigeria , claiming that the terrorist 's guns are `` past the Nigerian army weapon . ''
`` They give us just AK47s to go into the bush to fight Boko Haram , '' the soldier said . `` Our equipment does n't work and they give us just two magazines to go into the bush . '' Two magazines contain approximately 60 bullets .
The soldier said that many in the Nigerian army have also been discontented by delays in receiving their salaries , sometimes waiting weeks or months to be paid .
`` We feel so bad because we ... are trying , the soldiers are trying our best , '' the soldier told Sky , `` but the civilians do n't realize what the Nigerian army is issued with , what they are given to go and fight the Boko Haram . ''
The soldier 's claims correspond with what other news outlets have reported . Other Nigerian soldiers have told The Associated Press that some in their ranks actually fight alongside Boko Haram . Last year , Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan said he suspected that Boko Haram members and sympathizers had infiltrated every level of his government and military , including the Cabinet .
That complicates attempts to share intelligence . The U.S. , France and Britain have all sent experts to help find the girls , but French and American officials have expressed concerns about how any information might be used .
Over the weekend , French President Francois Hollande shared the soldier 's assesment of Boko Haram , saying that the Islamists had ample funds , highly sophisticated weaponry and advanced training with some of the world 's most experienced terrorists .
Hollande hosted a summit with African leaders and intelligence officials from Africa , the U.S. , and Europe Saturday with the intention of determining a plan to find and free the girls .
Hollande said the weapons came from chaotic Libya , and the training took place in Mali before the ouster of its Al Qaeda-linked Islamist leaders . As for the money , Hollande said its origins were murky .
Hollande also emphasized that Boko Haram had clearly established ties with other terror groups in Africa , making it a concern throughout the continent and beyond .
That could provide an opening for U.N. sanctions against the group to freeze its assets and impose travel bans against members . Wendy Sherman , a U.S. diplomat who was at Saturday 's talks , said the sanctions could come as soon as next week .
`` I ca n't imagine any country which would not support this designation , '' she said .
Surveillance jets have joined the search and Hollande left open the possibility that French fighter jets could be deployed .
Boko Haram has offered to exchange the captive girls for jailed insurgents , while threatening otherwise to sell them into slavery .
Officials have said there will be no Western military operation . British officials say Jonathan has ruled out swapping prisoners for the girls .
`` There are many ways to bring this horrific situation to a close , but when and if we know where they are then the Nigerians will have to decide how to proceed , '' Sherman said .
The northeastern region where the girls were kidnapped has suffered five years of increasingly deadly assaults by Boko Haram . Thousands have been killed , including more than 1,500 civilians this year .
Hollande 's administration successfully negotiated the release of French citizens held by Boko Haram — most recently a family of seven and a priest — and officials in Paris said France 's experience dealing with the group as well as its good relations with the governments concerned were the impetus for the summit . | 103TMlmGeudGVXAd | 2 | Nigeria | -0.1 | World | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
supreme_court | Reuters | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh-clerks/comments-by-former-clerks-may-backfire-on-trumps-high-court-pick-idUSKBN1K614N | Comments by former clerks may backfire on Trump's high court pick | 2018-07-16 | Brett Kavanaugh, Supreme Court | WASHINGTON ( ███ ) - When it became clear that President Donald Trump was seriously considering nominating Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court , the conservative judge ’ s former law clerks swung into action as among his most energetic public cheerleaders .
But in making the case for him in the media on issues including his stance toward abortion , healthcare and an expansive view of religious liberty , they may have opened up lines of attack on Kavanaugh by Democrats and liberal advocacy groups seeking to derail his nomination in the U.S. Senate .
Trump named Kavanaugh , 53 , on July 9 to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy . Before he can assume the lifetime job on the nine-member court , the Senate must vote to confirm him . No date has yet been set for the customary Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings .
Kavanaugh has served for 12 years on an influential federal appeals court in Washington . Several of the 48 lawyers who served as his clerks - a year-long job working for a judge , usually straight out of law school - appeared on cable TV shows , wrote opinion articles and spoke to reporters , often trying to shore up support among conservatives .
Their comments may have helped Kavanaugh ’ s cause before Trump nominated him by pushing back on complaints by some conservatives that the judge would not lean far enough to the right on social issues like abortion as well as on a conservative legal challenge to the Obamacare healthcare law .
But the chief threat to Trump ’ s nominee now is the Democratic campaign to block Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation in a Senate in which the president ’ s fellow Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority .
Of the 48 clerks , 34 signed a letter calling for the Senate to confirm his appointment . Many secured prestigious Supreme Court clerkships after working for Kavanaugh and subsequently landed jobs at law firms , law schools and in government .
One clerk , Sarah Pitlyk , wrote a piece for the conservative National Review a week before the nomination was announced in which she touted Kavanaugh ’ s “ clear , consistent and rock solid record on the issues that matter most to social conservatives . ”
Pitlyk , who could not be reached for comment , said that “ no court of appeals judge in the nation has a stronger more consistent record ” than Kavanaugh on “ protecting religious liberty and enforcing restrictions on abortion . ”
Democrats have raised the possibility that the Supreme Court , with Trump ’ s appointment of a second justice in Kavanaugh , could overturn the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion nationwide . Conservatives had advocated a broad view of religious liberty and free speech , arguing for example that certain types of businesses can refuse to serve gay couples if they have a religious objection to same-sex marriage .
Another clerk , Justin Walker , wrote an article in another conservative publication , The Federalist , defending Kavanaugh against criticism from the right about a 2011 opinion he wrote concerning Democratic former President Barack Obama ’ s 2010 healthcare law .
Walker talked up Kavanaugh ’ s conservative credentials on Fox News ahead of the nomination . “ He is a warrior with a backbone of iron , ” Walker told Fox , also calling Kavanaugh “ a fighter for conservative legal principles ” who would not “ go wobbly ” if appointed to the Supreme Court .
“ I felt like his record was being misrepresented , ” Walker said in an interview , adding that he was speaking only about Kavanaugh ’ s approach to the law , not his politics .
Christopher Kang , who worked in the Obama White House and helped with the nominations of liberal Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan , said he was surprised by some of the comments by Kavanaugh ’ s clerks .
“ I think that is really striking . We would not have used clerks to talk about a judge ’ s judicial philosophy , ” said Kang , who now works for Demand Justice , a liberal group that opposes Kavanaugh ’ s nomination .
Supreme Court nominees routinely try to avoid being pinned down during confirmation hearings on how they would rule on given issues , especially controversial ones like abortion . But some of the comments made by clerks , Kang said , will “ make it harder ” for Kavanaugh to fend off questions about whether he will rule conservatively on social issues .
( This story corrects quote in 16th paragraph to say “ judicial philosophy ” instead of “ political philosophy ” ) | f286f6424969004c | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
homeland_security | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/21/fcc-proposal-to-route-911-locators-through-russia-/ | ‘911, what’s your emergency?’ Russian satellites may run U.S. safety system | 2015-01-21 | homeland_security | The Federal Communications Commission is considering a plan to route U.S. emergency 911 location calls through a Russian satellite system , raising national security alarms inside a Congress dubious of Moscow ’ s intentions .
In a proposal before the FCC , the 911 emergency system would rely on the Russian Federation ’ s GLONASS precision navigation and timing satellite system to locate people calling 911 from their mobile phones .
If the plan is enacted , Russia may have the ability to impair America ’ s 911 emergency capabilities and could use it as a tool to spy on the whereabouts of first responders among other things , legislators warn .
“ In view of the threat posed to the world by Russia ’ s Vladimir Putin , it can not be seriously considered that the U.S. would rely on a system in that dictator ’ s control for its wireless 911 location capability , ” Rep. Mike Rogers , Alabama Republican and chairman of the Armed Services subcommittee on strategic forces , wrote in a letter to the secretary of defense and director of national intelligence .
“ Our response to Russia ’ s hybrid warfare , arms control cheating , illegal invasions of sovereign nations , and energy-based extortion must be broad-based isolation and counter-leverage , ” Mr. Rogers said in the letter , which was obtained exclusively by The ███ .
Wireless carriers AT & T Mobility , Sprint , T-Mobile USA and Verizon crafted the plan along with the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and the National Emergency Number Association in hopes of improving the ability of police , firefighters and medics to locate people who use their mobile phones to call for help .
Use of multiple systems improves the ability to pinpoint a signal ’ s source exactly , said Trey Forgety , director of government affairs for the National Emergency Number Association , going on to note that the Russian satellite system is superior to the European and Chinese alternatives for various reasons .
“ If you have good use of the sky and both satellites , you have better accuracy , ” he said . “ Our view is that we ought to be leveraging anything that is available to find someone in an emergency . ”
Cellphone users who dial 911 from inside a building in urban areas are more difficult for first responders to find because the GPS technology on cellphones does not work as well indoors as it does outdoors , according to published reports .
In defense of the industry ’ s plans , Sprint said it would keep the use of the Russian satellites to a minimum , thus reducing the national security threat .
“ The roadmap does not envision that carriers will rely exclusively on the GLONASS system , ” Ray Rothermel , Sprint ’ s director of government affairs , said in a Dec. 24 letter to FCC officials . “ Rather , the roadmap advocates taking advantage of a tool that is available now to allow carriers to improve location information . ”
Army Col. Steve Warren , a Pentagon spokesman , declined to discuss concerns raised in the congressional letter but said the Defense Department would be sure to address them .
“ Secretary Hagel places a high priority on working closely with Congress and will answer as quickly as possible , ” he said . “ As a matter of policy , we do not release the secretary ’ s congressional correspondence . ”
Nikolay Liashenko , a counselor for the Russian Embassy in Washington , had no comment Wednesday evening .
Mr. Rogers asked the Department of Defense and DNI to detail the extent to which they would rely on the 911 system for communications and the effect on national security users and first responders if Russia provides the satellite communications .
The FCC , which regulates national and international electronic transmissions , is reviewing 911 location proposals and has not decided the best way forward , said retired Rear Adm. David Simpson , chief of the FCC ’ s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau .
“ We are committed to protecting both public safety and national security as we continue to examine the input and issues in the proceeding , and will coordinate with our colleagues across the government to ensure that national security needs are addressed , ” Mr. Simpson said .
This would not mark the first time that the FCC has tried to expand communications at the expense of national security , nor is this the first time the Pentagon has been caught off guard by those efforts .
A Department of Defense official urged his colleagues in 2010 to “ synch up ” with the GPS industry in order to defeat LightSquared ’ s plans to build the nation ’ s first wholesale broadband network , according to a document obtained by Politico at the time .
The concern was that LightSquared ’ s plan to build a wholesale broadband network would jam the military ’ s GPS receivers . LightSquared ’ s proposal was scrapped eventually , and the company filed for bankruptcy .
Two years ago , the Pentagon was blind-sided when the State Department contemplated giving Russian space agency Roscosmos permission to build a half-dozen buildings housed with antennas and electronics across the U.S .
Lawmakers were flabbergasted by the lack of communication by the two agencies and responded by inserting legislative language into the 2014 defense bill that blocks the Pentagon from entering into contracts for commercial satellite services with foreign entities .
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials has described Mr. Rogers ‘ national security concerns as baseless .
Fears over the use of Russian satellites have been fueled by “ plainly false statements that stretch the imagination to try to make a case that the roadmap ’ s inclusion of GLONASS for location determination presents a security threat , ” Jeffrey Cohen , the association ’ s government relations director , said in a Dec. 24 letter to the FCC .
The FCC will decide whether to approve of the proposal during a Jan. 29 public meeting . | V4veNIz9HsmXA75i | 2 | Russia | -2.4 | FCC | 0 | DHS | 0 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null |
elections | Washington Examiner | https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/corporations-suspend-donations-lawmakers-objected-certifying-electoral-college | Marriot, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Commerce Bank suspend donations to lawmakers who objected to certifying Electoral College vote | 2021-01-11 | Business, Campaign Finance, Technology, Politics, Facebook, Banking And Finance, Capitol Chaos, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Republican Party, Elections | In the wake of the violent attack on Capitol Hill last week, at least three corporations have announced that they would suspend contributions to the campaigns of lawmakers who objected to the certification of Electoral College votes. At least four protests were scheduled in Washington, D.C., for Wednesday, the day Congress was expected to count the votes of the Electoral College and certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Those protests descended into chaos as demonstrators breached the congressional building — smashing windows, breaking into offices, and looting rooms. Before the demonstrations turned violent, a number of lawmakers expressed support for the protests. After the Capitol was secured, 147 Republican lawmakers, 139 representatives and eight senators, cast their vote objecting to the certification of Electoral College votes that sent President-elect Joe Biden to the White House. Now, Marriott International, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Commerce Bancshares, who donated to at least one of the nearly 150 lawmakers who objected, all said they are suspending their donations “to those lawmakers who voted to undermine our democracy,” according to Popular Information, a political newsletter that polled more than 140 companies which made contributions in the 2020 election cycle. We won't sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously. Dismiss Opt out | 7950bb61bb4069b5 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
justice | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/06/13/sessions-to-face-tough-questions-at-public-senate-hearing-in-next-round-russia-probe.html | Sessions to face tough questions at public Senate hearing, in next round of Russia probe | 2017-06-13 | justice | The Senate ’ s Russia probe will hit a new level of intensity Tuesday when Attorney General Jeff Sessions becomes the highest-ranking official to testify – in what Senate Intelligence Committee leaders confirmed will be an open hearing , in the spirit of last week ’ s dramatic session with James Comey .
The circumstances are different for Sessions ’ appearance . While Comey was a witness scorned by President Trump and ready to dish on the leader who fired him , Sessions remains the top law enforcement official in the country , working for Trump 's administration .
But lawmakers – particularly Democrats – are preparing tough questions for Sessions both about Russia ’ s contact with Trump campaign associates and the circumstances of Comey ’ s firing .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , who had called for Sessions ’ testimony to be public , welcomed the open hearing as a “ positive step ” but said the attorney general should be “ forthcoming ” regarding “ unanswered and troubling questions . ”
He called for Sessions to clarify what involvement he had in the Russia probe before his recusal ; what “ safeguards ” are now in place ; and why he “ felt it was appropriate ” to recommend Comey ’ s firing when he was leading that investigation .
“ Recommending Director Comey ’ s firing would seem to be a violation of his recusal , and Attorney General Sessions needs to answer for that , ” Schumer said in a statement .
For the Trump team , Tuesday ’ s open hearing runs the risk of escalating the political drama surrounding the Russia probe and continuing to distract from the policy agenda the administration is trying to jump-start .
But Sessions apparently wanted to testify in public , to help clear the air .
“ He believes it is important for the American people to hear the truth directly from him and looks forward to answering the committee 's questions tomorrow , ” a Justice Department spokesperson said .
Sessions had been set to testify before a budget-related subcommittee on Tuesday but , in letters to key lawmakers , said the intelligence committee that heard from Comey would be the more appropriate venue considering the Russia-related questions .
It was initially unclear whether the hearing would be open , but committee leaders announced Monday it would be public .
The hearing is now set to begin at 2:30 p.m . ET on Tuesday in open session .
On “ Fox News Sunday , ” Sen. Jack Reed , D-R.I. , said he also has questions about Sessions ’ participation in Comey ’ s firing .
“ [ Sessions ] had already recused himself and then , suddenly , he 's the one apparently recommending to the president that Comey be fired and the president has … declared it was all about the Russian investigation , ” Reed said .
The Trump administration has given numerous reasons for Comey ’ s firing , including his handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe . But Comey testified last week that he thinks the Russia probe was the driving force .
Reed , further , said he has questions about Sessions ’ past meetings with Russian officials beyond those he ’ s already declared .
Sessions recused himself from the Russia probe after acknowledging he met twice last year with the Russian ambassador .
During his testimony last week , Comey suggested there might be more to Sessions ' recusal from the Russia probe , telling lawmakers he believed it was “ inevitable ” that Sessions would recuse himself and there were “ facts ” he could not discuss in an open hearing .
The Department of Justice , however , issued a statement standing by the original explanation that Sessions recused himself due to his participation in Trump ’ s campaign .
“ [ I ] t was for that reason , and that reason alone , ” spokesman Ian Prior said .
Republicans have moved to downplay the Russia controversy in the wake of Comey ’ s testimony , claiming the fired FBI director affirmed some of Trump ’ s key claims . On “ Fox News Sunday , ” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel appealed to lawmakers to drop their line of investigation regarding the question of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow .
“ This is a fishing expedition , ” she said . “ I ’ m calling for an end to the investigations about … President Trump ’ s campaign colluding with the Russians . There ’ s been no evidence of it . ” | n2CgsS13a2d4tWd0 | 2 | Jeff Sessions | 0.2 | Justice | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | BBC News | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63102220 | Russian troops forced out of eastern town Lyman | 2022-10-01 | World, Ukraine War, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Vladimir Putin, Nuclear Weapons | Russia has withdrawn its troops from the strategic Ukrainian town of Lyman, in a move seen as a significant setback for its campaign in the east. The retreat came amid fears thousands of soldiers would be encircled in the town, Russia's defence ministry said. Recapturing Lyman could let Ukrainian soldiers reach more contested territory in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenky said on Sunday the town had been "completely cleared" of Russian troops. Video footage shared online on Saturday - before the Russian retreat was announced - showed Ukrainian soldiers waving their national flag on the outskirts of the town. Lyman had been used as a logistics hub by Russia, making its recapture all the more significant to Ukrainian forces. The battlefield setback prompted the Chechen leader and hardline Moscow ally, Ramzan Kadyrov, to comment that Russia should consider using low-yield nuclear weapons in the face of such defeats. Lyman is in Donetsk - one of four partially-occupied Ukrainian regions which Russia declared it was annexing on Friday. Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the move as an illegal land-grab. An adviser to Ukraine's defence minister earlier told the BBC that recent gains around Lyman - following days of intense fighting - represented a "considerable success". Russian fighters had been given the chance to surrender, Yurik Sak said, and would face better treatment as prisoners of war than from the Russian military leadership. Shortly afterwards, the Kremlin said it was withdrawing its forces from the town, using its Soviet-era name of Krasnyi (Red) Lyman, acknowledging that the Ukrainians had "significant superiority in forces" in the area. Military analysts say that Kyiv currently has momentum in the war, and it has vowed to forge ahead with a counter-offensive to reclaim all territory under occupation. In a speech on Friday, Mr Zelensky said efforts to "liberate our entire land" would act as proof that international law could not be violated. Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. | 44baabfe9ba29324 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
isis | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/25/opinion/liepman-mudd-isis/index.html?hpt=op_t1 | OPINION: War with ISIS: What does victory look like? | 2014-09-25 | ISIS, Middle East | ( CNN ) -- Afghanistan , Pakistan , Somalia , Yemen , and now Syria and Iraq . The decade-plus duration of America 's confrontation with al Qaedism offers lessons not only on how we battle extremist ideology but also how we should calibrate our expectations .
The traditional goal in warfare is simple : Defeat the adversary by destroying its will and capability to pose a threat . Force the adversary to capitulate .
With a nontraditional foe , it 's not clear that we need to limit ourselves to traditional measures of victory . Containment could work .
We know by now that in no cases have the adversary 's radical ideology been defeated . The most striking successes , such as Indonesia 's evisceration of the Jemaah Islamiya organization and African forces ' push against Al-Shabaab in Somalia , have only limited the reach of al Qaedism but failed to fully stem the flow of recruits to al Qaeda affiliates or squelch the ideology that underpins its festering .
We have too many reminders of the resilience of this particularly violent ideology to think that it can be eliminated . Despite counterterrorism successes , Jemaah Islamiya in Indonesia still lies dormant and remains potentially dangerous , as recent Indonesian arrests show .
In Somalia , Al-Shabaab has been pushed out of large swaths of territory and its leader killed , but it is nowhere near finished in East Africa . French successes in Mali were stunning but have not come close to defeating al Qaedism in the Sahel .
Despite these lessons , commentators across the political spectrum speak today about the defeat of an even larger , more geographically diverse , and more brutal adversary , in Syria and Iraq , as if somehow the lessons of the durability of al Qaeda ideology has proven brittle in other , equally complex , battlefields . It has n't .
We need to manage not just our expectations . Our rhetoric , too , matters more than we think . When we declare that we will defeat ISIS , what do we mean ? What is a sufficient condition to declare victory ? Unless we define that condition , we risk involving ourselves in yet another unending conflict .
We can not aim to eliminate Salafi jihadism . Not in one year or two , and probably not in one generation or two . The events of the past years -- both our combat in Iraq and the instability ushered in by the Arab Spring -- have created new grievances and vast ungoverned ( or ungovernable ) spaces in a region that is better armed than any other place on Earth .
There is a more modest way forward , though , and one that has proven successful without overreaching . How about rolling back ISIS gains , confining it in and preventing the flow of fighters both into the battle area and back , as one goal ?
Yes , and that has already begun . Simply showing to its local adversaries that ISIS is n't invincible , that it folds under pressure , is an early win . And it is n't just American airpower that can accomplish this . Shia in Baghdad 's outskirts , Kurds in Syria , the Peshmerga in northern Iraq , have begun to push back and have had early successes . This will be a long , tough battle , but ISIS has made too many enemies and has too few friends to succeed in the long term .
Truly degrading the ISIS menace will involve eliminating the minds who manage the operation . The leaders , including not just ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , but also his so-called ministers , media advisers and field commanders , need to be killed or captured .
Most of their supporters , including European and American recruits to Syria and Iraq , will die on the battlefield , but al Qaeda 's ideological sympathizers typically also turn their attention to building cells that can attack Western targets , as we have witnessed in Indonesia , Yemen and the tribal areas of Pakistan .
For that reason , selective , carefully targeted strikes in Syria will help decrease the risk here at home . Elimination of every ISIS leader and commander is too all encompassing a goal , and it 's unnecessary .
We can take a page out of the Waziristan book by using the lessons of the standoff campaign against al Qaeda 's leadership remnants that has worked so successfully along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border . Were there American boots on the ground ? No . Were the selective strikes effective ? Absolutely .
Pakistan 's Waziristan region offers other important lessons . Gains against the entrenched al Qaeda network there did n't come overnight . Likewise , America 's years of engagement against key targets in Pakistan , Somalia and Yemen provide a blueprint .
This new fight against ISIS similarly will take patience , careful intelligence work , persistence and time . Commitment to disrupting the group over time will eliminate the leaders who have the vision and capability to sponsor this kind of plotting . If we can find ways to keep those terror leaders on the run , that will shift their focus from plotting to survival .
So , we should start the campaign with an achievable definition of victory and a reasonable expectation about what that will take . We want to degrade ISIS so its ability to attack us and our interests is minimized , and to aid allies -- particularly Iraqis and Middle Eastern governments who are willing to commit even limited forces . We have to ensure that this does n't become America 's war again .
Along with our allies , we want to free the people who now come under the cruel ISIS boot . Defeat of ISIS may come . In the meantime , a good dose of degrade will be more than sufficient . | 0da1e293c08c0e61 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
isis | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/09/04/obama-cameron-to-push-for-coalition-against-isis-at-nato-summit/ | Obama, Cameron to push for coalition against ISIS at NATO summit | 2014-09-04 | isis | President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron will use this week 's NATO summit to press for a multi-national coalition to carry out military action against the Islamic State militant group , formerly known as ISIS .
The summit began Thursday in Wales with a session on Afghanistan , with the Islamic State threat looming over the discussion .
The two leaders , ahead of the session , began laying the groundwork for their Middle East mission in a joint op-ed published in Thursday 's edition of The Times of London . In the piece , Obama and Cameron vowed that their leaders would `` not be cowed '' by the extremists who have beheaded two American journalists and threatened a British aid worker with the same fate in recent weeks .
`` We will be more forthright in the defense of our values , not least because a world of greater freedom is a fundamental part of how we keep our people safe , '' the op-ed states .
Meanwhile , the Associated Press reported that over the past day , Secretary of State John Kerry and other administration officials have reached out to leaders from Australia , the United Arab Emirates , Jordan , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Italy and Israel to discuss how to combat ISIS . State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the discussions focused on what each country might contribute -- including weapons , humanitarian aid and other resources -- and noted that some nations already have .
Obama `` wants to build an international coalition , '' Psaki said . `` That 's not going to be overnight . We need capabilities from many countries . ''
Obama has been under pressure from members of Congress to broaden the U.S. offensive against ISIS . That criticism increased last week when Obama admitted that `` we do n't have a strategy yet '' to address the militant group in Syria , and deepened when the president first said that his goal was to `` degrade and destroy '' ISIS Wednesday , before changing tone and saying that he thought the U.S. could make ISIS a `` manageable problem '' if American forces were part of an international coalition .
`` Are we going to contain ISIS or are we going to crush ISIS ? And the president has not answered that , '' Rep. Adam Kinzinger , R-Ill. , told Fox News , reacting to the president 's remarks .
Administration officials said Wednesday that that the U.S. will not launch a ground war against the Islamic State militants . But they stopped short of ruling out airstrikes against the group in its safe haven in Syria , as the U.S. has resisted for years .
Obama has `` been clear that we 're not going to be limited by geography , '' State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said . She described a range of actions being considered against the Islamic State , and noted that decisions and discussions were ongoing .
With the summit beginning in Wales Thursday , the Daily Mail reported that Cameron 's government was not only leaning toward joining U.S.-led strikes against ISIS in its northern Iraq stronghold , but was also ready to consider sending British forces to Iraq as part of a possible NATO force to train Iraqi and Kurdish soldiers . The Daily Mail reported added that such an action would be contingent on a request by Baghdad .
`` We need to show real resolve and determination , we need to use every power and everything in our armory with our allies -- with those on the ground -- to make sure we do everything we can to squeeze this dreadful organization out of existence , '' Cameron told the British network ITV Thursday .
In contrast to last year , when Cameron 's proposal to take part in planned airstrikes against Syria over President Bashar al-Assad 's use of chemical weapons suffered was defeated in the House of Commons , the Daily Mail reported that all three major British political parties are either at or on the brink of supporting U.K. involvement in airstrikes . | RA58XF9S6G27mqom | 2 | ISIS | -1.6 | NATO | 0.2 | Middle East | 0 | null | null | null | null |
the_americas | Voice of America (VOA) | https://www.voanews.com/a/daylight-saving-time-why-do-we-set-our-clocks-forward-in-spring-/7521038.html | Daylight Saving Time: Why Do We Set Our Clocks Forward in Spring? | 2024-03-10 | The Americas, Daylight Savings Time, Federal State And Tribal Powers, General News, Marco Rubio, Bipartisanship | Once again, most Americans will set their clocks forward by one hour this weekend, losing perhaps a bit of sleep but gaining more glorious sunlight in the evenings as the days warm into summer.Where did this all come from, though?How we came to move the clock forward in the spring, and then push it back in the fall, is a tale that spans over more than a century — one that's driven by two world wars, mass confusion at times and a human desire to bask in the sun for as long as possible.There's been plenty of debate over the practice, but about 70 countries — about 40% of those across the globe — currently use what Americans call daylight saving time.World warsGermany began using daylight saving time during World War I with the thought that it would save energy. Other countries, including the United States, soon followed. During World War II, the U.S. once again instituted what was dubbed "war time" nationwide, this time year-round.After World War II, a patchwork of timekeeping emerged across the United States, with some areas keeping daylight saving time and others ditching it.To stem the confusion, in 1966 the U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which says states can either implement daylight saving time or not, but it has to be statewide. The act also mandates the day that daylight saving time starts and ends across the country.In the United States today, every state except Hawaii and Arizona observes daylight saving time. Around the world, Europe, much of Canada and part of Australia also implement it, while Russia and Asia don't.Switching and grumblingChanging the clocks twice a year leads to a lot of grumbling, and pushes to either use standard time all year, or stick to daylight saving time all year often crop up.During the 1970s energy crisis, the U.S. started doing daylight saving time all year long, and Americans didn't like it.With the sun not rising in the winter in some areas until around 9 a.m. or later, people were waking up in the dark, going to work in the dark and sending their children to school in the dark, said David Prerau, author of the book “Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time.”"It became very unpopular very quickly," he added.He noted that using standard time all year would mean losing that extra hour of daylight for eight months in the evenings in the United States. | e0948f217708a32f | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | The Daily Wire | https://www.dailywire.com/news/king-charles-iii-diagnosed-with-cancer-royal-family-says | King Charles III Diagnosed With Cancer, Royal Family Says | 2024-02-05 | World, United Kingdom, Great Britain, King Charles, Cancer, Health, Royal Family | King Charles III, 75, has been diagnosed with cancer, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. CNN reported that the news comes after he spent three nights at the London Clinic, a private hospital near Regent’s Park, for a prostate procedure. “During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted,” the statement said. “Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties.” The statement did not specify what type of cancer was discovered or what stage the cancer was. CNN reported that sources indicated that the cancer was not prostate cancer. “Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” the statement continued. “The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The statement said that Charles decided to share his diagnosis “to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.” Charles ascended to the throne in September 2022 after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away. “In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service, and all she meant to so many of us,” Charles said last year. “I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all.” Already have an account? Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference. Stay up-to-date on the latestnews, podcasts, and more. California residents may click hereto view our California Privacy Notice. To submit a request to exercise any of your privacy rights Click Here. Under certain state laws, the use of cookies that collect information for advertising and other specified purposes may be considered to be a type of selling or sharing of personal information. You may opt out of this type of sale or sharing of your personal information by clicking this toggle to the left (gray) position. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our Site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the Site. Our Site uses cookies for targeted advertising. These cookies may be set through the Site by our advertising partners, and may be used by those companies to help show you more relevant advertisements on other websites. We won't sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously. Dismiss Opt out | 64107b1f31988444 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
lgbtq_issues | The Daily Wire | https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-is-of-course-completely-right-knowles-call-to-end-transgenderism-backed-by-conservatives | ‘He Is Of Course Completely Right’: Walsh, Wheeler, Others Back Knowles’ Call To End Transgenderism | 2023-03-07 | LGBTQ Issues, Transgender Issues, The Daily Wire, CPAC, Republican Party, Genocide, Prejudice, Gender, Women's Issues, Men's Issues, Culture | Michael Knowles touched off a firestorm with his call for an end to the ideology of transgenderism Saturday, but many people on social media agreed with him – especially after hearing what he actually said and not the erroneous claims by leftist media sites. Knowles told a crowd at the conservative event, formally known as the Conservative Political Action Conference, that men simply cannot become women, and women cannot become men, adding that society must help gender dysphoric people, not encourage them to seek sex changes. “For the good of society and especially for the good of the poor people who have fallen prey to this confusion, transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely, the whole preposterous ideology — at every level,” Knowles told the gathering in Maryland. By Saturday night, several outlets were falsely reporting that Knowles called for transgender people to be “eradicated,” even though he was clearly targeting an ideology, not a group of people. Some publications, including Rolling Stone and HuffPo, edited their headlines and stories to acknowledge that Knowles never called for “eradication” of any group of people. And when the dust began to settle, it turned out that Knowles had plenty of support for his argument. “Transgenderism isn’t an orientation or anything we historically recognize; it’s an overwhelmingly new mimetic ideology where confrontationally transgressing against norms is part of the kink,” tweeted journalist Mark Hemingway. “The trans community are the aggressors here.” Podcast star Liz Wheeler seconded Knowles’ call, saying the ideology he spoke out against is destructive toward children. “Good day to everyone especially michaeljknowles who was absolutely correct when he said we should eradicate transgenderism – the cultural practice of indulging psychiatric delusion to the point of mutilating children’s healthy bodies & erasing women,” tweeted Wheeler. Joel Berry, managing editor of The Babylon Bee, also echoed Knowles’ appeal. “Transgenderism has a horrific suicide rate,” Berry tweeted. “And radical gender ideology is inducing gender dysphoria in record numbers of autistic kids and kids who are actually gay. Transgender ideology is literally killing kids.” Knowles “didn’t call to ‘eradicate transgender people,’” wrote Jim Hanson, former Army special forces operator and author of “The Myth of White Fragility.” “Rolling Stone changed their headline to avoid a lawsuit. But Transgenderism, better known as Queer pedagogy Should be removed from public schools. It’s part of the destruction of normal.” 📱CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP The Daily Wire has taken a strong stance against what the Left dubs “gender-affirming care” for minors, in which teens are encouraged to change their identities, given puberty blockers and even cross-sex hormones after displaying confusion about their genders. Many experts say these treatments can cause irreversible harm. Girls have even been put through double mastectomies at several clinics around the country. Knowles’ fellow Daily Wire podcaster Matt Walsh, who has been a leading voice against the movement to help minors “transition,” said Knowles was on target with his comments at CPAC. “He is of course completely right about this,” wrote Walsh. “Trangenderism as a concept and an ideology is false, poisonous, and destructive to both the individual and society. It needs to be destroyed entirely. The fight to save children from this lunacy is but one phase in the overall war.” Already have an account? Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference. Stay up-to-date on the latestnews, podcasts, and more. We won't sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously. Dismiss Opt out California residents may click hereto view our California Privacy Notice. To submit a request to exercise any of your privacy rights Click Here. Under certain state laws, the use of cookies that collect information for advertising and other specified purposes may be considered to be a type of selling or sharing of personal information. You may opt out of this type of sale or sharing of your personal information by clicking this toggle to the left (gray) position. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our Site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the Site. Our Site uses cookies for targeted advertising. These cookies may be set through the Site by our advertising partners, and may be used by those companies to help show you more relevant advertisements on other websites. | 0b69aa29e6d26d62 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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