Thursday, April 30, 2015

Socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders launches 2016 presidential campaign

640px-Bernie_SandersOn Thursday, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Socialist-VT) announced he is launching his 2016 presidential bid. Although Sanders labels himself as an Independent, Sanders will challenge former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

“I am writing to inform you that I will be a candidate for president of the United States. I ask for your support.

"For many months I have been traveling from coast to coast across our country, and have had the opportunity to meet with thousands of good, hardworking, and remarkable people. Like you and me, they are deeply concerned about the future of our country.

"After a year of travel, discussion and dialogue, I have decided to be a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president.

"But let's be clear. This campaign is not about Bernie Sanders. It's about a grassroots movement of Americans standing up and saying: ‘Enough is enough. This country and our government belong to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires.’

"The people at the top are grabbing all the new wealth and income for themselves, and the rest of America is being squeezed and left behind. The middle class in America is at a tipping point. It will not last another generation if we don’t boldly change course now," Sanders said in statement.

Executive Director of MoveOn.org Civic Action, Anna Galland praised Sanders decision, but continues to call on U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (Socialist-Mass.) to run for president as well.

“MoveOn members have cheered on Sen. Sanders for years as he's stood up to the Wall Street banks and wealthy interests who have rigged the game in Washington and knee-capped our country’s middle-class and working families.

"That’s why we and our allies continue to call on Sen. Elizabeth Warren to also bring her tireless advocacy for middle-class and working Americans to the race. Our country will be stronger if she runs," Galland said.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Texas Governor Greg Abbott directs Texas State Guard to monitor Operation Jade Helm 15

050813_og_greg_abbott_2-300x200Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed Major General Gerald “Jake” Betty, Commander of the Texas State Guard, to monitor Operation Jade Helm 15 in order to make sure Texans are fully informed on the operation.

Abbott directed General Betty to provide regular updates to the Governor’s Office to ensure that Texans’ “safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed” during the eight-week training period from July 2015 – September 2015.

According to the U.S. Military: Operation Jade Helm 15 is a planned military exercise that will be led by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and will include personnel from the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Green Berets), U.S. Navy SEALS, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, USMC Marine Special Operations Command, USMC Marine Expeditionary Units, the 82nd Airborne Division and civilian interagency partners. This Operation will take place over an eight-week period beginning in July of 2015 in locations across the State of Texas and neighboring states New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado.

The White House was not too happy about Abbott's decision.

"I have no idea what he's thinking.

"The thing that I can say without having a lot of detailed knowledge about the particular exercise is that in no way will the constitutional rights or civil liberties of any American citizen be infringed upon while this exercise is being conducted," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

Read Governor Abbott’s full directive to General Betty below:

Screenshot 2015-04-29 20.35.08

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Baltimore riots and the black community: "Something needs to be said"

Screen-Shot-2015-04-29-at-2.00.27-PM-620x333These comments are not going to go over well with the radical left and professional race baiters. It will also be interesting to see if ESPN responds to Stephen A. Smith's remarks concerning the Baltimore riots and black community in general.

On Wednesday, the very outspoken and sometimes controversial Smith said that black America’s ancestors “would be ashamed of how we’re conducting ourselves” concerning the riots in Baltimore after the death of Freddy Gray.

Smith said the rioters in Baltimore need to be treated like “criminals” and since there are black people suffering from their actions.

“Something needs to be said. We talk about police brutality. We need to understand the difference between police brutality and a brutal act by a particular police officer.

"When you say ‘police brutality,’ what you’re doing is inciting a nation of individuals out there to go and act in a very belligerent and, dare I say, criminal fashion against law enforcement officials. And where does that get them?" Smith said.

Smith went on to say that it's disgusting” to see people supporting “those kinds of actions” in Baltimore. He also noted that a major problem in the black community is “that we’re not looking inward.”

“We’re busy looking outside at everybody else; what everyone else has done to us; what history has done to us; how it has affected us.

“I’m here to tell you something, our ancestors, considering our history and what they had to go through and the sacrifices that they had to make to get us to this point, our ancestors would be ashamed of how we’re conducting ourselves.

“And it needs to be said, and it needs to be addressed and it needs to be stopped. Because I see a whole bunch of young brothers and sisters out here right now. They’re here with us. They wouldn’t act that way," Smith said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mea56M2ts0E]

Father schools Principal on what it means to actually educate our children

281E753600000578-0-image-a-18_1430266917712Michael Rossi recently took his family on a trip to Boston. His two children missed 3 days of school because of the trip, which prompted a letter about unexcused absences from Rochelle S. Marbury, Principal of Rydal Elementary School.

"I understand that your family recently took a family vacation. I want you to be aware that the Abington School District does not recognize family trips as an excused absence, regardless of the activities involved in the trip. The school district is not in the position of overseeing family vacations or evaluating the educational nature of a family trip.

"The dates that the children were absent were recorded as unexcused. An accumulation of unexcused absences can result in referral to our attendance officer and a subsequent notice of a violation of the compulsory school attendance law," Marbury wrote.

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"This is the zero tolerance that everyone loves. They've taken common sense out of the equation.


"You've violated the rules and here's your letter.


"It definitely rubbed me the wrong way," Rossi said about the letter from Marbury.


Rossi responded to Marbury with a letter of his own about the purpose of the family trip to Boston and schooled the Rydal Elementary Principal on what it means to truly educate our nation's children:



Dear Madam Principal,

While I appreciate your concern for our children's education, I can promise you they learned as much in the five days we were in Boston as they would in an entire year in school.

Our children had a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one that can't be duplicated in a classroom or read in a book.

In the 3 days of school they missed (which consisted of standardized testing that they could take any time) they learned about dedication, commitment, love, perseverance, overcoming adversity, civic pride, patriotism, American history culinary arts and physical education.

They watched their father overcome, injury, bad weather, the death of a loved one and many other obstacles to achieve an important personal goal.

They also experienced first-hand the love and support of thousands of others cheering on people with a common goal.

At the marathon, they watched blind runners, runners with prosthetic limbs and debilitating diseases and people running to raise money for great causes run in the most prestigious and historic marathon in the world.

They also paid tribute to the victims of a senseless act of terrorism and learned that no matter what evil may occur, terrorists can not deter the American spirit.

These are things they won't ever truly learn in the classroom.

In addition our children walked the Freedom Trail, visited the site of the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre and the graves of several signers of the Declaration of Independence.

These are things they WILL learn in school a year or more from now. So in actuality our children are ahead of the game.

They also visited an aquarium, sampled great cuisine and spent many hours of physical activity walking and swimming.

We appreciate the efforts of the wonderful teachers and staff and cherish the education they are receiving at Rydal Elementary School. We truly love our school.

But I wouldn't hesitate to pull them out of school again for an experience like the one they had this past week.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Michael Rossi
Father

"These rules should be in place for parents who aren't involved and who, in some cases, don't even know their kids are absent.

"This is not for responsible parents trying to teach their kids the right things and teach them about the world outside the classroom.

"I wouldn’t hesitate to pull them out of school again for an experience like the one they had this past week," Rossi also said.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

CNN anchor blames military vets for Baltimore riots: "They are ready to do battle”

During an interview with U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD), CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin blamed returning military veterans for the Baltimore riots saying "they are ready to do battle.”

Cummings: “Another thing that has to be done here, is we’ve really got to look at our police department.”

Baldwin: “But in what sense? We talk about training, we talk about having officers — I was talking to the city councilman here last week. He said, ‘Brooke, these people have to live in the communities… or there’s a lack of emotional investment.’

“And a lot of these young people — I’ve been talking about this so much. A lot of young people — and I love our nation’s veterans, but some of them are coming back from war, they don’t know the communities, and they are ready to do battle.”

Cummings: “Yeah they definitely need training,better training, and they need better recruitment."

Baldwin has tried to clarify her remarks on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/BrookeBCNN/status/593156366170255360

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgT3l7nm8aQ]

President Obama: Baltimore riots one burning building being looped on TV

There are no words for this dumb ass comment.

On Tuesday, President Obama actually claimed the Baltimore riots were just "one burning building" looped on "television over and over and over again."

"Point number four, the violence that happened yesterday distracted from the fact that you had seen multiple days of peaceful protests that were focused on entirely legitimate concerns of these communities in Baltimore. Led by clergy and community leaders, and they were constructive and they were thoughtful, and frankly, didn’t get that much attention.

"And one burning building will be looped on television over and over and over again, and the thousands of demonstrators who did it the right way, I think, have been lost in the discussion. The overwhelming majority of the community in Baltimore, I think, handled this appropriately. Expressing real concern and outrage over the possibility that our laws were not applied evenly in the case of Mr. Gray. And that accountability needs to exist and I think we have to give them credit," President Obama said.

A first for MLB: Baltimore Orioles to play White Sox with no fans at Camden Yards

800px-Oriole_Park_BaltimoreAfter cancelling two straight games against the Chicago White Sox because of the Baltimore riots, Major League Baseball and the Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday that Wednesday's game with the Sox will be played with no fans present at Camden Yards.

“After consultation with Major League Baseball and city and local officials, tomorrow’s game between the Orioles and the Chicago White Sox will begin at 2:05 p.m. ET and will be closed to the public,” the Orioles announced in press release.

"After conversations with the Orioles and local officials, we believe that these decisions are in the best interests of fan safety and the deployment of city resources.

"Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by violence in Baltimore, and everyone in our game hopes for peace and the safety of a great American city," Commissioner Rob Manfred said.

A MLB source told Pundit Press that Wednesday’s game will be the first ever played in league history without fans present.

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VIDEO: President Obama's statement on Baltimore riots

At the White House on Tuesday, President Obama called the Baltimore riots "counterproductive."

"There's no excuse for the kind of violence that we saw yesterday. It is counterproductive.

"When individuals get crowbars and start prying open doors to loot, they're not protesting. They're not making a statement. They're stealing. When they burn down a building, they're committing arson.

"And they're destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities. That robs jobs and opportunity from people in that area," President Obama said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTYBtrE_eNw]

Vietnam vet Robert Valentine tells Baltimore kids to go home, study, and do something with their lives

72-year-old-vietnam-veteran-stands-in-front-of-police-baltimore-riots-valentine-0Saying he was "very pissed," Vietnam veteran Robert Valentine said on Monday night that the kids in Baltimore need get "their butts at home" and "do something with their life."

"I'm just a soldier. I did 30 years, okay? I came out a master sergeant.

"I’ve seen more than all of this. I’ve been through the riots already. This right here is not relevant.

"They need to have their butts at home. They need to be in their home units with their families studying and doing something with their life, not out here protesting about something that’s not really about nothing. They do not respect this young man’s death.

"Now, momma and daddy they've lost a child — that could be them. So I’m very pissed.

"I love my country. I love my charmed city. And I’m an American. I’m not black, white, red or yellow, nothing. I am an American," Valentine told CNN.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN1qSRgKoU0]

Monday, April 27, 2015

VIDEO AND PICTURES: Mother punishes son for taking part in Baltimore riots

A mother in Baltimore reportedly caught her son taking part in the riots on Monday and punished him on the spot.

mom-baltimore

A few moments later, the young man was seen following her away from the riots.

the-young-man-mom-slapped

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvu0qK8ykSg]

Baltimore Riots: Church senior citizen center set on fire

A massive fire has now broke out in Baltimore. Reports indicate that rioters set a brand new senior citizen center at a Baptist church on fire.

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SHOCKING VIDEO: Baltimore rioters and looters drag white man from store and brutally beat him

An unidentified white man was dragged out of a liquor store and brutally beaten by rioters and looters in Baltimore on Monday. The indentity and condition of the man is unknown at this time, but there are some reports he may have been the owner of the store.

Watch Livestream of Baltimore Riots

Watch the continuing violent riots in Baltimore live from a local CBS station:



Pictures on the ground in Baltimore.

Baltimore Police Department: There is a credible threat to take-out law enforcement officers

The Baltimore Police Department released a press release on Monday warning that there is a "credible threat" to "take-out" law enforcement officers.

"The Baltimore Police Department / Criminal Intelligence Unit has received credible information that members of various gangs including the Black Guerilla Family, Blood, and Crips have entered into a partnership to 'take-out' law enforcement officers.

"This is a credible threat. Law enforcement agencies should take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of their officers. Notification will be sent via NLETS. Further information will be sent through appropriate channels.

"Media is requested to distribute this information to the public and law enforcement nationwide," the Baltimore Police Department said.

Here's a copy of the press release:

Credible Threat


https://www.scribd.com/embeds/263262264/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&show_recommendations=true

We have President Obama and the Democrats to thank for the coming nuclear arms race in the Middle East

Obama-drinkingWith what President Obama has done to U.S. leadership in the world, best exemplified by the nuclear race about to start in the Middle East, I've become very concerned about the world my children and grandchildren will live in.

President Obama has turned the foreign policy of this nation since WWII on its head. We can only wish that the next president will be insightful enough to develop a new foreign policy that gives us at least some of the benefits of the Pax American of the last seventy years.

In a new book titled "When Globalization Fails: The Rise and Fall of Pax Americana," by James Macdonald, on its back there is review by Josef Joffe, Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University, that says:
Contrary to the liberal dream, globalization does not lead to One World, but to disruption. Globalization reached a peak in 1913; one year later, the world was at war. In his grand sweep through history, Macdonald makes a crucial point: The global commons does not organize itself; it needs a guardian and guarantor. When Britain shed that burden, the United States took over. Macdonald argues correctly that there is nobody else--neither Russia nor China, which are revisionist, not responsible powers. Only liberal empires take care of the whole. With global conflict rising, the United States has begun to grasp Macdonald's compelling logic: no protector, no peace. So the twenty-first century need not be a repeat of the twentieth. A smart book that skewers the conventional wisdom.

One wonders what Joffe means by "the United States has begun to grasp Macdonald's compelling logic" because I sure don't see Barack H. Obama grasping Macdonald's crucial observation that "The global commons does not organize itself; it needs a guardian and guarantor.

Obama has no sense of history and clearly doesn't understand how the world works. Yes, it has been expensive to be the leader, and there have been a few bumps along the way, but look at the peace and prosperity we have had the last 70 years compared to previous centuries.

Our next president will have to salvage as much as he possibly can of that visionary strategy our country led until Obama.

The next president will have to engineer a major change in our foreign policy to take account of and correct the mistakes that Obama has made in the Middle East. Let's start with a little background.

Iran and Arabia have been at each other’s throats for thousands of years. That conflict has now been aggravated exponentially by the Sunni-Shia religious divide. I suspect that Iran’s grander strategic play is to place a vise around Arabia, in the north running from Iran to the Mediterranean and including Israel, and on the South Yemen.

Relations in the Middle East are far too complex to make heads or tails out of them. Suffice it to say that Saudi Arabian Islam, Wahhabi, is as extremist as they come, and it is no surprise that 15 of the 19 9/11 terrorists were Saudi. Moreover, I suspect that ISIS is an instrument of Saudi Arabia to try to get back or at least counterbalance some of the gains that Iran has made in countries to the North of Saudi Arabia—Iraq, Syria, Lebanon. Hamas and Hezbollah play a similar role, only on Iran's side.

That said we have to keep our eyes on the ball.

So now what? Well, Obama has dropped the ball quite badly. Our influence used to keep the larger peace among the warring factions but Humpty Dumpty is now off the wall and broken. The only thing left for us to do is to launch a massive program of oil infrastructure and production development in the whole of North America, that is, including Canada and Mexico. That could help us become not just self-sufficient but also allow us to supply part of the needs of our strategic partners, particularly Europe.

As far as the Middle East is concerned, the Chinese and Russians are now in control and the best we can do is try to stay in good enough terms with them. China and other oil dependent countries will now have to worry about peace in the Middle East so their supply is not compromised.

The next president will need to launch a program to shift the West’s dependence on oil from the Middle East to North America. In this scenario Israel unfortunately is left to its own devices. Jews will have to reconsider their political alliances given that their Democrat "friends" have left them hanging. Their best bet seems to be to ally themselves with Arabia.

I’ve made the point before but I think it is worth repeating. The Democrats led by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid turned U.S. foreign policy of the previous century (first by Britain and France and after WWII by the U.S.) in the Middle East on its head starting with the 2006 mid-term elections campaign, and then Obama put the last nails on the coffin. Here is how it played.

The main reason we care about peace in that region is that we don't want to see the supply of oil to the world jeopardized. From our perspective, even if we become self-sufficient in oil, we still need the rest of the world supplied because our industry has become so interconnected with the world economy. To that end the U.S. had been playing the role of guardian of the peace with the main purpose of keeping any major conflicts in the Middle East from jeopardizing the oil supply to the West and now the world.

The biggest longer term threat had become Iran going nuclear and the Arabs following suit. I’ve hypothesized that among the more important reasons Bush went into both Afghanistan and Iraq was to place a protective shield around Iran, thereby be in a position of guaranteeing their security from the Arabs, who had already been making a lot of trouble for Iran on both flanks. With that guarantee Iran would then be coaxed to discontinue its nuclear program, which they did towards the end of 2003. Note that the nearly 250,000 troops providing that guarantee were not just the U.S. but NATO and even some Asian countries. Oil is too important to all of them.

Obviously such a display of force was not sustainable but the point had been made: NATO could mobilize on short notice sufficient troops to guarantee the security of Iran. In the meantime they had gotten rid of threats to Iran on both flanks, including Saudi incursions from Afghanistan.

Enter the Democrats in 2005 and particularly the 2006 electoral campaign. They attacked Bush quite viciously and made it clear that the strategy that he had put in place was not sustainable, that it was not the policy of the U.S. but just that of one Republican administration. Where before politics had ended at the water’s edge, this time Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid made it clear that was no longer the case. The consequence was that Iran quickly resumed its nuclear program. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Unfortunately what started as an oil play has now reached far beyond with the growth of Middle East terrorism. Now we won't just have conventional and asymmetric warfare to worry about, but also the use of nuclear weapons by rogue regimes and their proxies.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake: We 'Gave Those Who Wished to Destroy Space to Do That'

Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said that her city "gave those who wished to destroy space to do that" during the protests this past weekend..

"I made it very clear that I work with the police and instructed them to do everything that they could to make sure that the protesters were able to exercise their right to free speech.

"It's a very delicate balancing act. Because while we try to make sure that they were protected from the cars and other things that were going on, we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that as well.

"And we worked very hard to keep that balance and to put ourselves in the best position to de-escalate," Rawlings-Blake said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QESGx__zewU]

Here is video of some of the destruction Rawlings-Blake felt the protestors needed space for:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLrHTW-zVWk]

Friday, April 24, 2015

Mitt Romney on Clinton Foundation scandal: Looks like bribery to me

Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney told radio show host Hugh Hewitt that the current Clinton Foundation scandal "looks like bribery."

Hewitt: Governor Romney, I know you’ve had a chance to read, I assume you’ve had a chance to read the Jo Becker/Mike McIntire New York Times piece today about the cash flowing into the Clinton Foundation from the Russians as they got control of Uranium One. What’s your reaction to this story?

Romney: You know, I’ve got to tell you, I was stunned by it. I mean, it looks like bribery. I mean, there is every appearance that Hillary Clinton was bribed to grease the sale of, what, 20% of America’s uranium production to Russia, about a meeting at her home with the principles, and by erasing emails.

And you know, I presume we might know for sure whether there was or was not bribery if she hadn’t wiped out thousands of emails. But this is a very, very serious series of facts, and it looks like bribery.

Hewitt: I just asked Senator Lindsey Graham last hour if they would hold hearings into the donors to the Clinton Family Foundation, because if the Russians can give them that much money, is it possible the Iranians have as well, Governor Romney?

Romney: Well, we don’t know who gave money, and the IRS apparently is making it known that the filings of the Clinton Foundation did not include the fact that foreign governments were making contributions. And they had misstated their filings over the past several years. This is obviously a very troubling setting.

But even what we do know, based on what was written by the New York Times, and is being reported by Fox and others, it has every earmark of bribery. And this is from the office of Secretary of State. This is a very troubling set of facts, and clearly, there’s got to be some kind of investigation to find out what the truth is here, because around the world, people are going to look at Hillary Clinton, a potential candidate for president, a former Secretary of State, and say gosh, is this a person who could be trusted? And I think the American people are asking that question as well.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpex6IpRV0o]

Hillary Clinton: Religious beliefs have to be changed to protect reproductive health care

Speaking at the sixth annual Women in The World Summit on Thursday, former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said that "deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed” to protect women's access to "reproductive health care and safe childbirth.”

“Far too many women are denied access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth, and laws don’t count for much if they’re not enforced. Rights have to exist in practice — not just on paper.

“Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will. And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.

"As I have said and as I believe, the advancement of the full participation of women and girls in every aspect of their societies is the great unfinished business of the 21st century and not just for women but for everyone — and not just in far away countries but right here in the United States," Clinton said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVTiAJ1e9SM]

Thursday, April 23, 2015

David Petraeus sentenced to 2 years probation and fined $100,000 fine for sharing military secrets with mistress

Retired U.S. General and former CIA Director David Petraeus was sentenced to 2 years probation and fined $100,000 fine for sharing military secrets with his mistress biographer, Paula Broadwell.

Before being sentenced by Judge David Kessler , Petraeus apologized "for the pain my actions have caused."

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

New York Times Reporter Jo Becker: Clinton Foundation Lied About Meeting With Russians

New York Times reporter Jo Becker claims the Clinton Foundation lied to her about a meeting Bill Clinton had with Kazatomprom officials. The meeting between the former U.S. President and Kazatomprom officials was reportedly about the sale of uranium to Russia.

“Frank Giustra arranged for officials to go to Bill Clinton’s house in Chappaqua.

“When I first contacted the Clinton Foundation, they denied any such meeting ever took place. And when we told them we have already talked to the head, who not only told us all about the meeting but actually has a picture of him and Bill at the home, that he proudly displays on his office wall, they then acknowledge the meeting had taken place," Becker said during a Fox News preview of “The Tangled Clinton Web."

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cbOe90AUmU]

Hillary Clinton called to testify before Benghazi committee

Hillary-Clinton1-300x225This should be very interesting.

On Thursday, Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy sent a letter to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s personal counsel, David Kendall, setting a timeframe for Clinton to appear before the committee twice—the first to answer questions regarding the completeness of her public record and the second to answer questions on the substance of the Benghazi terrorist attacks.

“With her cooperation and that of the State Department and administration, Secretary Clinton could be done with the Benghazi Committee before the Fourth of July.

“It is necessary to call Secretary Clinton twice because the committee needs to ensure we have a complete and responsive record and all the facts before we then substantively question her on the Benghazi terrorist attacks.

“From there, as I have said countless times before, the committee investigation will go wherever the facts may lead. I have made no presumption of right or wrongdoing on anyone’s part with respects to the Benghazi terrorist attacks,” Gowdy said.

Gowdy noted that the House Resolution that established the Select Benghazi Committee gave the committee purview to examine all aspects of State Department’s compliance with previous Benghazi investigations, which now includes State’s failure for two years to notify any of the previous investigative committees it did not have possession or control of Clinton’s email public records.

“If the committee had called the former secretary when Mr. Cummings and Mr. Kendall first invited us to, the committee would not have had possession of the 300 emails we now have or known about her exclusive use of a personal server and email account to conduct official business.

“Unlike previous investigations, this committee uncovered Clinton’s use of personal email to conduct official business and is now in possession of thousands of pages of documents from the ARB review and other documents no other committee has had access to. The committee also is continuing to interview eyewitnesses to the Benghazi terrorist attacks no other committee has spoken to.

“This is evidence of the thoroughness and relentlessness of the committee to build a complete, comprehensive and responsive record of the before, during and after of the Benghazi terrorist attacks,” Gowdy said.

Gowdy also said, “we appreciate Secretary Clinton’s willingness to cooperate so the committee can move as expeditiously as possible to conclude the investigation.”

Chelsea Clinton dodges questions about New York Times report and Clinton Foundation

On Thursday, Chelsea Clinton dodged questions about a New York Times report concerning questionable payments made to the Clinton Foundation and the fact the organization also accepted contributions from countries with horrible women's rights records.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXY_8BdE-9w]

President Obama takes responsibility for hostage deaths: One American and Italian national killed during recent U.S. counterterrorism operation

HostagesOn Thursday, President Obama took responsibility for the deaths of an American and Italian held hostage by Al Qaeda who were accidentally killed earlier this year during a U.S. counterterrorism operation. American development expert Warren Weinstein and Italian national Giovanni Lo Porto were apparently killed by a drone strike during the operation that also killed two American terror operatives.

“As President and Commander-in-Chief, I take full responsibility for all our counterterrorism operations -- including the one that inadvertently took the lives of Warren and Giovanni.

"I profoundly regret what happened. On behalf of the United States government offer our deepest apologies to the families.

"As soon as we determined the cause of their deaths, I directed that the existence of this operation be declassified and disclosed publicly.  I did so because the Weinstein and Lo Porto families deserve to know the truth.  And I did so because even as certain aspects of our national security efforts have to remain secret in order to succeed, the United States is a democracy committed to openness in good times and in bad.

"Our initial assessment indicates that this operation was fully consistent with the guidelines under which we conduct counterterrorism efforts in the region, which has been our focus for years because it is the home of al Qaeda’s leadership.  And based on the intelligence that we had obtained at the time, including hundreds of hours of surveillance, we believed that this was an al Qaeda compound; that no civilians were present; and that capturing these terrorists was not possible.  And we do believe that the operation did take out dangerous members of al Qaeda.  What we did not know, tragically, is that al Qaeda was hiding the presence of Warren and Giovanni in this same compound," President Obama said.

Weinstein, 73, was an American contractor working in Lahore, Pakistan, when he was abducted outside his27E7795F00000578-3052330-Warren_Weinstein_was_killed_by_US_forces_during_a_counter_terror-m-20_1429797544176 home on Aug. 13, 2011, by Al Qaeda operatives. In a written statement, Weinstein’s wife, Elaine Weinstein, said “there are no words to do justice to the disappointment and heartbreak we are going through.”

“We do not yet fully understand all of the facts surrounding Warren's death, but we do understand that the U.S. government will be conducting an independent investigation of the circumstances. We look forward to the results of that investigation.

“But those who took Warren captive over three years ago bear ultimate responsibility. I can assure you that he would still be alive and well if they had allowed him to return home after his time abroad working to help the people of Pakistan," Elaine Weinstein said.

“Warren Weinstein did not have to die. His death is further evidence of the failures in communication and coordination between government agencies tasked with recovering Americans in captivity – and the fact that he’s dead, as a result, is absolutely tragic," Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) said.

The White House identified the two Americans working with Al Qaeda that were killed as Ahmed Farouq, an American Al Qaeda leader, and American-born Al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4gelTo7QIY]

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest also released the following statement:

"It is with tremendous sorrow that we recently concluded that a U.S. Government counterterrorism operation in January killed two innocent hostages held by al-Qa’ida. Our hearts go out to the families of Dr. Warren Weinstein, an American held by al-Qa’ida since 2011, and Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian national who had been an al-Qa’ida hostage since 2012. Analysis of all available information has led the Intelligence Community to judge with high confidence that the operation accidentally killed both hostages. The operation targeted an al-Qa’ida-associated compound, where we had no reason to believe either hostage was present, located in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. No words can fully express our regret over this terrible tragedy.

"We also believe two other Americans were recently killed in U.S. Government counterterrorism operations in the same region. We have concluded that Ahmed Farouq, an American who was an al-Qa’ida leader, was killed in the same operation that resulted in the deaths of Dr. Weinstein and Mr. Lo Porto. We have also concluded that Adam Gadahn, an American who became a prominent member of al-Qa’ida, was killed in January, likely in a separate U.S. Government counterterrorism operation. While both Farouq and Gadahn were al-Qa’ida members, neither was specifically targeted, and we did not have information indicating their presence at the sites of these operations.

"The President directed that the information being shared today, which was properly classified until now, be declassified and shared with the American people. He takes full responsibility for these operations and believes it is important to provide the American people with as much information as possible about our counterterrorism operations, particularly when they take the lives of fellow citizens. The uniquely tragic nature of the operation that resulted in the deaths of two innocent hostages is something we will do our utmost to ensure is not repeated. To this end, although the operation was lawful and conducted consistent with our counterterrorism policies, we are conducting a thorough independent review to understand fully what happened and how we can prevent this type of tragic incident in the future.

"Many within our government spent years attempting to locate and free Dr. Weinstein and Mr. Lo Porto. The pain of their deaths will remain with us as we rededicate ourselves to adhering to the most exacting standards in doing all we can to protect the American people."

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Michael Brown’s family to file wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Missouri

The family of Michael Brown has announced they plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Missouri on Thursday.

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Saul Alinsky is smiling from his grave

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Barack Obama has been slowly withdrawing from the rest of the world so that he can focus on running the United States the way he pleases. It reminds me of the Chinese Emperor who in the 15th century withdrew completely from any foreign involvements.

The point keeps being made that Obama acted on immigration because the Congress won't. Let's be clear that the Congress is the people's house and that if it doesn't want to approve it is because the people don't want it, or if it doesn't act it is because the people are also divided. That should be enough. When they can agree on something then they will act on that.

At this point the people want the laws enforced and the border shut tight. Where is the President on that?

When Obama acts on something the people have expressed through Congress that they don't want, he is squarely violating the liberties of the people.

The primary danger here is not immigration, but the abuse of power. President Obama's immigration action goes beyond this and puts us on the slippery slope to tyranny.

When Congress fails to act it is because it can't reach a sufficient consensus to protect the liberties of the majorities and the minorities. When that is the case the Executive can't and shouldn't act because doing so would violate the liberties of those whose representatives in Congress couldn't satisfy.

That's the essence of the reasons for the three branches and separation of powers. They protect our liberties. By acting alone the president violated the liberties of the many people who didn't want this action until the border is shut tight and current law enforced to its fullest.

That's how Obama violated the law.

Here is the legal impediment, and it is quite simple: Congress makes the law and because the people are divided and don't want the actions the president took, or any other actions until the border is completely secure and the laws as written are enforced, Obama defied the will of the people.

Let's be clear about something liberals confuse a lot. We are not a "Democracy," we are a "Representative Democracy" or "Representative Republic." The difference is subtle but important. The Greeks of Athens learned that lesson the hard way and the framers of the Constitution went to school on it.

Congress is meant to work that way too. If there are deep divisions and little gets done it is only because the people are also divided. As long as the people are divided Congress should only act only on those things where they can reconcile their differences and compromise. The process should then continue until another area of compromise is reached. Otherwise thin majorities would be imposing their will on large minorities.

So we do need to have compromise in order for there to be change. Ultimately the best if not only protection of our liberties are the checks-and-balances and separation of powers built into the Constitution. If these don't work our liberties are threatened, and there is no better example than the laws and regulations this Administration has been passing that favor some groups at the expense of others.

When the President takes on too much power the result is despotism and a loss of liberties.

Previous Presidents were keenly aware of protecting the office and their solemn duty to protect the constitution. President Obama does not seem to care.

Maybe it was more than a joke when Josh Earnest, Obama's spokesman, said that when Republicans called him an Emperor "Obama felt honored."

Sadly the slippery slope does exist and we've been on it for the last 100 years since the Progressive Era. What's worse, the advent of mass communications has allowed the Executive to use its ability to concentrate larger volumes of money and power to essentially castrate the Legislative and have it its way. Obama has shown us that, if nothing else.

It has gotten so bad that when the President at his last State of the Union said that he was going to rule by decree with his pen, half the Congress jumped to its feet and applauded, thus abdicating to their new Caesar.

This nation was founded on the premise "that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

That nation as so conceived was to have a government of limited powers with three equal branches. Those two premises are no longer functioning properly. The government has certainly taken on powers that were never envisioned under the Constitution; and for the last 100 years since the Progressive Era, the center of power has been slowly shifting from being balanced between the three branches, to, decidedly, the Executive branch. With today's move on immigration Obama acted as an absolute despot.

Discretion suggests a balancing not a wholesale capitulation and evisceration of the law. What we are now witnessing is just a natural and logical consequence of excess and not insight. "Prosecutorial discretion" ought to be the exception and not the rule.

One need only look at the game being played. By not enforcing immigration laws the problem of illegal immigration was exacerbated and amplified - this in contrast to the oath of office "to well and faithfully execute the duties of office."

Having neglected those duties, the President now adopts the pretense that he is coming to rescue all by executive order.

It should be noted that not all Hispanics are madly in favor of Obama's latest abuse of power.  Immigration is a complex issue that should be dealt with after lots of debate and then consent of the two parties and the American public.  When acts such as this and Obamacare are rammed through without debate, this results in great polarization and triggers nothing but retaliatory measures.

Ironic that those who wish to become citizens take a test on the US Constitution which provides for a system of checks and balances and which provides that the legislative branch has the power: To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization (Article I, section 8) and To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof (also Article I, section 8).

Perhaps everyone should send a copy of the Constitution to Obama as a Christmas present.

The oath of the President of the United States includes the affirmation to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States".

The Constitution makes no provision for the President to, in practical terms, unilaterally legislate the laws of the nation.

High crimes and misdemeanors covers allegations of misconduct peculiar to officials, such as perjury of oath, abuse of authority, bribery, intimidation, misuse of assets, failure to supervise, dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming, and refusal to obey a lawful order.

Perjury of oath of office is to make a "violation of one's oath".  That can be claimed when one knowingly and willingly acts contrary to their oath of office.

The balance is entirely a matter of the political will of Congress, to permit Obama's slide down the slippery slope of an imperial presidency, or to uphold the requirements of their own oaths of office and provide the checks and balances against tyranny the founders intended.

What of the next illegal crossing of the American border? Assuredly this action by Obama, as his early feint with Central American children, will motivate more poor souls to place life in peril for illegal crossings.

What of the next "do the right thing" (in the President's judgment) moment? Will it be an EPA regulation? An economic "fairness" tax move? Or perhaps an international treaty?

This President's failure as a leader are so spectacular as to give rise to the theory it has been intentional.

Sal Alinsky is smiling from his grave, as the transformation of the U.S. to a "state regime" has hand another brick laid on the backs of its poor, while telling those same workers the fairytale "we are building a staircase."

For Pete’s sake: Put Rose in the Hall of Fame

PeteRose-JSA-sBaseball_01Like it or not, Pete Rose was one of the best players to ever play the game. Rose never claimed to be an angel, just a ballplayer, no different from most other professional athletes–he just got caught.

And for all of you holier than though finger pointers, how would your life grade out if exposed to the same microscopic scrutiny? Don’t let Rose back to actively participate in baseball if you must, but keeping him out of the Hall Of Fame is a travesty.

Except for Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner no other player ever had such an impact without being a big home run threat.

Baseball is so full of hypocrisy! For more than a decade it looked the other way while guys juiced their stats with steroids and denied it the whole time. Charlie Hustle comes clean on something that never affected the outcome of a game and he’s still getting the shaft.

None of his gambling issues diminished his on field performance, the way steroids and other performance enhancing substances does for today’s players. Baseball is sticking its head in the sand to not acknowledge him as the Hit King in Cooperstown. He holds a record that will probably never be broken.

Rose broke the cardinal rule and bet on baseball. For that, it was correct to throw him out of the game.

But the HOF is another matter. It is a place to honor the greatest players and their accomplishments. Rose was clearly one of the game’s greatest players. There should be a statue of him in Cooperstown, listing all his incredible accomplishments as a player. If it also says he got thrown out of baseball for betting while a manager, that would be fine too.

The HOF is a place to take children to teach them the history of baseball. How can you do that without mentioning Pete Rose?

Rose has served decades in “prison” — barred from having any involvement in the sport he clearly loved. Of his own making, yes, but America has long championed the notion that we pay for our misdeeds and then moved on.

It took Pete years to come clean, but he did, and he’s served many more years afterwards in exile. He was banned from ever playing, managing, owning, or any other facet of involvement in baseball.

The HOF is supposed to recognize a passion and level of achievement that few others have ever come close to matching. You want to put an asterisk by Rose’s name — or even include both the good and bad of his career on his display? Good. Hey, that may be a great lesson for future generations to learn from.

Rose belongs in the HOF — period. If we allow multiple drunks, druggies and others we wouldn’t want living in our neighborhoods to be inducted into the HOF, they should make (lots of) room for Pete.

Character and morality have never been applied as criteria for admission into the HOF — except for Pete Rose. It’s time to change that.

I had the privilege of watching Rose play for most of his career. As he approached the hit record, baseball fans everywhere were captivated with watching his progress.

Rose is the all-time hits leader (4,200+) and played like a wild man for 20 years on two different championship teams, of which he was the leader on both teams. He tied the all-time NL hit streak at 44 games and "Charlie Hustle" drove opposing pitchers nuts and kept his own teams focused by his mere presence.

If Rose had bet against his own team, that would have been too much. But there's no evidence of it and we all know Rose would sever an appendage before throwing a game.

Rose didn't undermine the base-level credibility of the game by taking PEDs (taxes and gambling issues are forgivable, 'roids that help muddy 100 years of baseball history?  Not forgivable).  He was pure hustle, competitiveness and grit.

Unlike some MLB players who hold records and positions of stature, Rose's accomplishments were real and enduring. Did he make mistakes after his playing career ended? Yes. Does that negate the accomplishments he had during his career? I'm far more offended seeing Barry Bonds' "record" holding home run ball (with the asterisk) than I would be seeing any of Pete Rose's accomplishments.

While banning him from the Hall of Fame might, paradoxically, bring him more fame, he belongs in it. Great strengths are great weaknesses. Humans have failings. Vote him in.

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GOP Congressman Steve Knight to immigration protester: I’ll drop your a**

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During a heated exchange following his open house event in Simi Valley, California this past weekend, U.S. Rep. Steve Knight (R-CA) apparently had enough and threatened to get physical with an immigration protester.

Protester: "You told me you didn't vote for amnesty and you did. I looked it up on the Internet. You lied to me.

Knight: "Okay Mike, hey. If you touch me again, I'll drop your ass. Don't touch me.

Protester: "I shook your hand."

Knight: "One more time, Mike. Understand, I never voted for amnesty. Never."

In a statement to Pundit Press, Knight said that he lost his cool and regrets what he said to the man.

“I have dealt with this group on several occasions and every time they try to escalate our conversations to a level that is not constructive.

“Over this past weekend, I lost my cool and I regret responding the way I did," Knight said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYo7goLAG_4]

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

ABC News' Jon Karl grills Josh Earnest: Has small business creation stalled out in the United States?

On Tuesday, ABC News' Jon Karl pressed White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest concerning remarks made by former Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton that small business creation has “stalled out” in the U.S. under President Obama. Clinton made the remarks on Monday during a campaign event in New Hampshire.

Earnest: I didn’t see the entirety of her remarks, but I can tell you that the president certainly believes there is more that we can do here in Washington to put in place policies that will further strengthen job creation in our economy.

Karl: Do you agree with Hillary Clinton that under President Barack Obama small business creation has ‘stalled out?’

Earnest: I’m not sure that’s a direct quote. I suspect that it’s not.

Karl then quoted Clinton saying that small business creation has “stalled out.”

Earnest: The president himself has said many times that there are additional important steps that can be taken by Washington, D.C., where members of Congress no longer serve as impediment to forward economic momentum, but actually they can support it.

Karl: That’s not my question, though, I just asked: do you agree that small business creation has stalled out in the United States?

Earnest: Again, I didn’t see the entirety of her remarks.

Karl: Has small business creation stalled out in the United States?

Earnest: We’ll take a look at the statistics.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YZHRscpkmM]

State Department confirms its network was hacked

The inspector general of the State Department, Steve Linick, testified on Capital Hill Tuesday that the State Department network was hacked.

U.S. Senator David Perdue: Do you have evidence that the State Department’s network has been attacked, and does that affect you guys?

Linck: There is evidence it has been attacked, and it has affected us. I can’t really go into details because of the nature of the information.

“Georgians sent me to Washington to make the federal government more effective, transparent, and accountable. Today’s hearing is part of our Congressional oversight authority. It is my hope that this first hearing and the bipartisan work of this subcommittee will help uncover ways we can improve and streamline oversight at the State Department in order to support the men and women who serve our country here at home and around the world.

“The Office of the Inspector General was designed to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, and has laudably found ways to save taxpayers millions of dollars. However, they do not have autonomy or independence to conduct adequate oversight. Given the important mission of the State Department, it’s outrageous that Mr. Linick and his team are not given full authority to hold a department of 72,000 employees accountable. As chairman of this subcommittee, my goal is to improve the overall operational effectiveness of the State Department and provide greater transparency and accountability for the American people," Perdue said after the hearing.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMdmTkKHmQ]

Ted Cruz: Media tries to twist the question of marriage into a battle of emotions and personalities

ted_cruz_laughing_APSpeaking with radio show host Hugh Hewitt, U.S. Senator and GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz said the media "tries to twist the question of marriage" into "a battle of emotions and personalities.”

Hewitt: What matters more, knowing if a candidate for the presidency will attend a gay wedding, or whether he and she, he or she will destroy the Islamic State before it throws hundreds, if not thousands, of more gay men to their deaths from towers? What matters more?

Cruz: There’s no doubt the latter does. But look. That’s part of the ‘gotcha game’ the mainstream media plays, where they come after Republicans on every front, and it’s designed to caricature Republicans, to make them look stupid, or evil, or crazy, or extreme. And it’s because, sadly, most media players are not actual, objective journalists. They are active partisan players. Right now the mainstream media are the Praetorian Guard protecting the Obama presidency, and there is no group on this planet more ready … for Hillary than the mainstream media.

We need to focus on what matters. The American people care about jobs, growth and opportunity. The American people care about defending our constitutional rights. And the American people care, as you rightly noted, about restoring America’s leadership in the world and defending this nation. ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism poses an enormous threat to this nation, and we need clear-eyed, strong leadership to stand up and defeat radical Islamic terrorism, and to be willing to call it by its name, which, sadly, the current president is not willing to do.

Hewitt: Well, having put it into context, now I want to ask the question that was asked to Senator Rubio yesterday. If you had a loved one or a friend getting married in a same-sex wedding would you attend it?

Cruz: Well, I will tell you. I haven’t faced that circumstance. I have not had a loved one, have a gay wedding.

You know, at the end of the day, what the media tries to twist the question of marriage into is, they try to twist it into a battle of emotions and personalities. And they try to make it say, so for example, you know, they routinely say, ‘Well gosh, any conservative must hate people who are gay.’ As you know, that has nothing to do with the operative legal question.

And listen. I’m a Christian, the Scripture commands us to love everyone, and to love everyone, and all of us are sinners.

It has been a question for elected legislatures in each of the 50 states. What we’ve seen in recent years from the left is the federal government and unelected federal judges imposing their own policy preferences to tear down the marriage laws of the states. So, if someone is running for public office, it is perfectly legitimate to ask them their views on whether they’re willing to defend the Constitution, which leaves marriage to the states, or whether they want to impose their own extreme policy views, like so many on the left are doing. Like Barack Obama does. Like Hillary Clinton does.

Bill Clinton: ISIS the most interesting non-governmental organization today

Speaking at Georgetown University, former President Bill "Bubba" Clinton said that the Islamic State is the "most interesting non-governmental organization today."

"Arguably the most interesting non-governmental organization today, which proves the importance of inclusion by its short-comings but is formidable, is ISIS.

"ISIS is a terrorist organization, an NGO, trying to become a state. That is, they don't recognize any of the boundaries of the Middle Eastern countries as legitimate. They were all established, drawn largely by Westerners after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in World War I.

"And so when they go capture a place, they set up their own judicial system, they set up their own rule making, they set up whatever their social services are going to be. And the only thing is, you can't disagree with them, or they'll kill you," Clinton said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqLkfOL21dY]

White House refuses to confirm or deny Hillary used State Department to raise millions in foreign donor contributions for the Clinton Foundation

This could be a bigger problem for Hillary's presidential bid than Benghazi or her email fiasco.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest refused to confirm or deny if Hillary Clinton used her position as the Secretary of State to raise millions of dollars in foreign donor contributions for the Clinton Foundation. That seems like a problem.

ABC News White House correspondent Jon Karl: Can you assure us that there was absolutely no favorable treatment given to donors of the Clinton Foundation?

Earnest: I’m not going to be in a position here where every time someone raises a spurious claim that I’m going to be the one to sit down here and say it's not true.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDrhkW-ZLZg]

OUT OF TOUCH: Hillary Clinton surprised that small business owners are struggling

Hillary Clinton claims she wants to be the champion of the American people, but admits she does not have a clue what is going on in her own country. The former Secretary of State and presidential candidate said she was "surprised" to find out that small business owners are struggling under Obamanomics.

“I was very surprised to see that when I began to dig into it.

“Because people were telling me this as I traveled around the country the last two years, but I didn’t know what they were saying and it turns out that we are not producing as many small businesses as we use to," Clinton said.

”At every turn, Hillary Clinton has supported top-down Washington-driven policies that have stacked the deck against small businesses.

“Hillary Clinton can’t possibly be a champion for everyday Americans when she doesn’t understand their most basic economic concerns and was ‘surprised’ to learn that small businesses are struggling,” Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus told Pundit Press in a statement.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0eoWacRynU]

Marco Rubio defends states’ rights and traditional definition of marriage

This past Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation, U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) defended states' rights and the traditional definition of marriage.

"It's not that I'm against gay marriage. I believe the definition of the institution of marriage should be between one man and one woman.

"States have always regulated marriage. And if a state wants to have a different definition, you should petition the state legislature and have a political debate. I don't think courts should be making that decision. I don't believe same-sex marriage is a Constitutional right," Rubio said.

Rubio also said that he believes that "sexual preference is something that people are born with."

"I also don't believe that your sexual preferences are a choice for the vast and enormous majority of people," Rubio said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJzI_ocZuJQ&w=560&h=315]

Ted Cruz: If terrorists attacked a golf course, that might actually get the White House’s attention

U.S. Senator and GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz criticised President Obama this past weekend for not taking the threat of radical Islamic terrorism seriously.

"Twenty months from now, imagine a Commander-in-Chief who stands up with utter clarity and says 'we will destroy radical Islamic terrorism.' Imagine a President who stands with our allies whether it is the U.K. or France, and we all remember just a few months ago seeing over 40 world leaders walking arm in arm in solidarity with France against radical Islamic terrorism and where, oh where, oh where was the United States of America?

"You know, if only the terrorists attacked a golf course. That might actually get the White House’s attention. 'Holy cow! This is serious!'," Cruz said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sSy3Vm7-as]

Monday, April 20, 2015

Philadelphia Eagles Sign Tim Tebow

Sony Xperia Z4 Information

Sony's new Xperia Z4 phone appears to be taking the smartphone world by storm. The phone includes many features that the Z4 appears not to.

The Sony Xperia Z4 looks more like an incremental upgrade than a radical one compared to the Xperia Z3. The design seems to have remained mostly the same, while the base storage has doubled to 32 GB, and the device now has a 5.1MP camera in the front. The Xperia Z4 is slimmer than the Z3 (6.9 mm vs 7.3 mm), and the battery has also shrunk from 3100 mAh to 2930 mAh. It remains to be seen whether this will have an impact on battery life.

More information here at Tom's Hardware.

Slate: Sports Kisscams are Sexist, Homophobic, Must be Banned

An older article from Salon that perfectly encapsulates much of the vitriol that is spreading around the internet lately. If you've ever been to a professional sports game, you've likely seen or perhaps have been a part of the Kiss Cam. Basically, the camera will pan for couples in the crowd and put them on the big screen, compelling them to kiss.

Salon and internet 'progressives' have had enough. Salon ran an article in late 2013 calling the practice 'Heterosexist and Juvenile.' And that was just the headline.

Author Mark Joseph Stern has decided to launch an attack on the practice, which often elicits cheers from the crowd and kisses from happy couples.
At best, the kiss cam reinforces heterosexual norms and excludes gay people. At worst, it mocks same-sex affections and creates an atmosphere of homophobia.

Others on Twitter were quick to come up with the same conclusions:







The Canadian Globe and Mail comes to a similar conclusion, stating that despite the fact that "The ballpark has two nights designated specifically for gay fans and even had an openly lesbian U.S. Senator throw out the first pitch at a recent game." The act of having heterosexual couples kiss is still homophobic.

Their solution is not terribly practical, however:
But in regard to the kiss-cam conundrum, there’s a simple choice: Kill the tradition altogether or start featuring people of the same sex kissing. At this point, including gay couples in the fun is simply the sporting thing to do.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Bubba's dream come true: Hookers support Hillary Clinton for President

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This has to be Bill Clinton's dream come true.

The working ladies of the infamous Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Carson City, Nevada and owner Dennis Hof have officially endorsed Hillary Clinton for President. According to their “Hookers for Hillary” website,  the Bunnies are supporting Hillary due to her foreign policy experience, protecting health care reform, the need to prevent a return to supply side economics.

"Hillary Clinton, as part of her husband’s administration, envisioned health care reform in the 1990’s, long before President Obama was able to sign it into law.  The Affordable Health Care Act made health insurance available for the first time ever to the 500 independent contractors employed by Dennis Hof.  With any Republican nominee likely to work for its’ repeal, the Bunnies want to protect the quality health coverage that they now enjoy.

"Nevada’s mandatory testing of legal prostitutes for sexually transmitted diseases is a successful example of effective government regulation.  While Republican candidates have questioned the need for agencies like Health and Human Services (HHS) & the Food And Drug Administration (FDA), the Bunnies applaud Hillary’s recognition of the fact that responsible government oversight is a key to protecting the public’s health from widespread disease.

"As Secretary Of State, Hillary Clinton gained invaluable experience negotiating with foreign leaders, and the Bunnies can definitely relate to negotiating through a language barrier.  The Bunny Ranch entertains customers from all around the globe, and the girls have great respect for any woman who can take powerful men from oppressive cultures and make them bend to her will.  With her eye on the international landscape, the Bunnies are confident that President Hillary Clinton would also avoid a repeat of the Secret Service’s Colombian prostitution scandal by making sure that her detail buys American.

"Bill Clinton presided over the most prosperous time in Bunny Ranch history, which coincided with a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans such as brothel owner Dennis Hof. The Bunnies recognize that thriving economies are built from the bottom up, where the vast majority of their clients originate. A return to relying on the disproven theory of trickle-down economics would only serve to exclude the vast majority of hard-working Bunny Ranch clients from having the discretionary income to enjoy with their favorite Bunny," the Bunnies said on their website.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbD3jVIWoY0]

Friday, April 17, 2015

Fox Host: Obama Will Push for Slavery Reparations in 2016

Hunger Games Actress Declares Hair Styles Racist, Tied to Trayvon Martin

In the latest part of the outrage parade, a 16 year old Hunger Games star has declared the use of certain hair styles as racist. According to Amandla Stenberg, non-blacks wearing cornrows represent 'cultural appropriation' and slammed popular public figures for using the style in their fame.



Buzzfeed has a particularly bizarre article relating to the video. In it, it shows stills and gifs of Stenberg's rant. In part, Stenberg declared that the rise of white rappers Macklemore and Iggy Azalea have been tied to their 'appropriation' of black culture. She states that their increased popularity has been in part influenced by large scale protests regarding the killings of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner.

She finishes the video with what she sees as a poignant point: "What would America be like if it loved black people as much as it loves black culture?"

Thursday, April 16, 2015

School claims lunch looks bad due to poor lighting and presentation

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This is poor lighting and presentation? Looks like crappy food and fish bait to me.


The mother of a student at James Hurst Elementary in Portsmouth, Virginia had some serious concerns about a recent lunch her child received at school. The photo featuring a piece of fish topped with a bun, along with some corn has since gone viral.


On the day the photo was taken, the March 14 school menu for the Portsmouth Public Schools was supposed to include choices of spicy Cajun fish with brown rice, cold cut turkey sub, chef salad, steamed carrots and a side salad, fruit, and milk.


Portsmouth Public School’s Food Service Coordinator Jim Gehlhoff defended the food saying claiming the picture is misleading due to poor lighting and presentation.


“We appreciate this parent’s concern about the presentation of this school lunch. Poor lighting and food presentation make this lunch unappealing.


"The meal in this photo and other meals served by Portsmouth Public Schools meet nutritional and USDA requirements.


"The presentation of the meal pictured concerns us and we plan to address presentation of food items in a training session with all cafeteria managers. Our goal is to provide healthy food options that students will want to eat.


"We will take actions to ensure that presentation is addressed," Gehlhoff said.

Hillary Clinton's campaign confiscates cellphones and cameras before meetings in Iowa

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Before meeting with former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Iowans had their cellphones and cameras confiscated.

"On Thursday, Clinton's motorcade left the SpringHill Suites for Main Street Cafe, where she met privately with party leaders for about an hour and a half.

"Pottawattamie County Democratic Chairwoman Linda Nelson said the meeting was so private that everyone invited was asked to hand over their cellphones and cameras before taking part," KETV in Omaha reported.

It is very unusual for cellphones and cameras of possible voters to be confiscated during a campaign stop, however, the Hillary folks are attempting to control here events as much as possible. Before launching her presidential campaign this past Sunday, Hillary's team held an off the record private meeting with several hand-picked reporters.

"Hillary Clinton's campaign team held an off-the-record dinner Thursday night in Washington, D.C., for roughly two dozen journalists and staff members at John Podesta's house, according to sources familiar with the matter.

"The dinner signals that the Clinton team is trying to engage with top reporters in the days before the former secretary of state's expected announcement of a 2016 presidential run. It also suggests the new campaign team is looking to change course from the toxic relationship with the press that plagued the 2008 race.

"Podesta, the campaign chairman and a seasoned cook, made a pasta with walnut sauce for the dinner guests, which included reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and several major TV networks," Michael Calderone of the Huffington Post reported.

VIDEO: Hillary Clinton's "Scooby" van parks in handicap spot

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It looks like the new self-proclaimed champion of the American people does not see anything wrong with parking her "Scooby" van in a handicap spot so she can fake being an everyday normal person.

“This car was never parked here and you can see that from the fact that the video includes break lights.

“There was an agent driving the car – as there always is – and they were out front for entrance and exit. During the event, the van pulled forward to a parking spot,” a Clinton campaign aide said.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZNUDKes0VM]

Mexican Government: No truth to Judicial Watch report that ISIS operating camp in Mexico

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The Mexican government has responded to Pundit Press concerning a report by Judicial Watch claiming that the Islamic State is operating a training camp eight miles south of El Paso, Texas and the U.S. border. Ariel Moutsatsos-Morales, Mexico's minister for press and public affairs, said his government "dismisses and categorically denies" the Judicial Watch report.

"The government of Mexico dismisses and categorically denies each of the statements made today by the organization Judicial Watch on the alleged presence of ISIS's operating cells throughout the border region, particularly at Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua-El Paso, Texas.

"The relevant authorities operating in the region have also confirmed the inexistence of these activities with their US counterparts, with whom they will continue to work closely and to exchange information at our common border," Morales said.

U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke (D-TX), who represents the El Paso area, also said the Judicial Watch report is false.

"Today I reached out to the Mexican government, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Northern Command.


"None of them have found any evidence, credible or otherwise, that Isis is in Juárez.

"As a member of the House Homeland Security committee in the 113th Congress, I asked the director of the FBI, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center and the Secretary of Homeland Security if there was currently any terrorist threat on the Southern border. They answered that there was not, nor had there ever been, any terrorist, terrorist plot, or terrorist organization that was able to exploit our border with Mexico.

"Beyond hurting our image nationally, these kinds of false stories could lead us to take our eye off real threats to the homeland. While we should always remain vigilant at our borders -- and we currently spend $18 billion a year to do so -- the greatest proven homeland threats have been at our airports and with homegrown terrorists radicalized over the internet. Not in El Paso, the country's safest city 4 years in a row," O'Rourke said.

Islamic State Base Camp Located Just South Of U.S. / Mexican Border?

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Mexican authorities are claiming that the Islamic State is operating two training camps eight miles south of El Paso, Texas and the U.S. border.

Sources claim that one of the camps is located in an area just west of Ciudad Juarez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The other camp is supposedly located west of Ciudad Juarez, in Puerto Palomas.

From these camps, Mexican sources claim that ISIS is planning to attack targets in the United States, including Fort Bliss.

The Department of Defense, U.S. State Department, Department of Homeland Security, White House, and Texas Governor's office have not responded to Pundit Press concerning this report.

From Fox News:
Islamic State fighters are operating training bases near the U.S. southern border and are being aided by violent drug cartels to smuggle terrorists into states like Texas, a report published Tuesday by a watchdog group claims.

The Judicial Watch report, which cited an unnamed Mexican Army officer and a Mexican police inspector, raises new fears that the fight with ISIS is closer to the U.S. than previously thought.

The report identified the locations of the two bases, and said one is as close as 8 miles from Texas in a town west of Juarez. Mexican authorities found possible evidence -- plans written in Arabic and Urdu -- last week in the town of "Anapra," the sources said. These sources told the watchdog that "coyotes" who work for drug cartels assist in smuggling terrorists between Fort Hancock, Texas, and other undisclosed locations.

Read more....

Here is more from the original report from Judicial Watch:
Law enforcement and intelligence sources report the area around Anapra is dominated by the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Cartel (“Juárez Cartel”), La Línea (the enforcement arm of the cartel) and the Barrio Azteca (a gang originally formed in the jails of El Paso). Cartel control of the Anapra area make it an extremely dangerous and hostile operating environment for Mexican Army and Federal Police operations.

According to these same sources, “coyotes” engaged in human smuggling – and working for Juárez Cartel – help move ISIS terrorists through the desert and across the border between Santa Teresa and Sunland Park, New Mexico. To the east of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, cartel-backed “coyotes” are also smuggling ISIS terrorists through the porous border between Acala and Fort Hancock, Texas. These specific areas were targeted for exploitation by ISIS because of their understaffed municipal and county police forces, and the relative safe-havens the areas provide for the unchecked large-scale drug smuggling that was already ongoing.

Mexican intelligence sources report that ISIS intends to exploit the railways and airport facilities in the vicinity of Santa Teresa, NM (a US port-of-entry). The sources also say that ISIS has “spotters” located in the East Potrillo Mountains of New Mexico (largely managed by the Bureau of Land Management) to assist with terrorist border crossing operations. ISIS is conducting reconnaissance of regional universities; the White Sands Missile Range; government facilities in Alamogordo, NM; Ft. Bliss; and the electrical power facilities near Anapra and Chaparral, NM.

Read more....

Progressives and their push for multiculturalism played a major role in the rise of Islamic terrorism. From Carter to Obama, progressives have allowed radical Islam to grow and develop in America and abroad.

Carter’s impotence to prevent the takeover of Iran by the Ayatollah Khomeini gave rise to radical Islam. Iran became a theocracy that mixes politics and Islam. It has inspired Islamic terror groups such as al Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS, Boko Haram and many others.

President Obama, an inept progressive President, has provided cover to these groups by denying their existence at our own peril. He uses misinformation that they were decimated to fool the country and give protection to the terrorists. Obama even called some of his actions in Yemen a success.

In reality , the jihadists have been growing under Obama’s watch all over the world. Al Qaeda is based in Yemen. The French terrorists were trained in Yemen and most of the prisoners in Gitmo are from Yemen.

If our government doesn’t accept that radical Islam is a threat and a violent political movement, we will be in mortal danger and should expect more terrorist acts, here and abroad. It is time to play offense and not defense.

Sometimes it is in our interest to be the cop on the beat. Obama’s removal of troops from the Middle East has in effect been a removal of that cop and it has exposed the country to danger. At one point last summer Obama said disdainfully that playing Whac-A-Mole was not productive and that the US would no longer be doing it.

Yet that game was actually strategy to take the fight to the terrorists and keep them in their caves so they wouldn’t have a free run at us. It worked for George W. Bush but now look at what happened in Paris, look at the strength and freedom of action to mount attacks that ISIS and its franchised terrorists have gained.

How long before they come to the United States? President Obama, can you take this threat seriously for a change?

Let’s get real. ISIS, al Qeada, and other radical Islamic groups are warriors with dreams of empire, while Obama is a naive pacifist. Throughout history there have been wars. Indeed, war can be said to be the one constant in history and common to all of them have been the warriors and pacifists, those that led and those that followed with many who cowered.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Funniest video you will see all day: Desperate media chasing Hillary's "Scooby" van

As Hillary Clinton's "Scooby" van pulled into Monticello, Iowa on Tuesday, the media looked like a group of desperate paparazzi chasing the royal family in England.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuGprM5iqlk]

Kentucky Judge claims 3 year old victim too racist: Gives armed robber light sentence

Olu_StevensClaiming that a 3 year old victim was too racist, Kentucky Judge Olu Stevens gave an armed robbery and home invasion suspect a light sentence. Stevens justified the light sentence for the suspect because the judge felt the young girl was being racist for telling her mom she feared black people after the crime.

“Whenever we are running errands, if we come across a black male, she holds me tight and begs me to leave. It has affected her friendships at school and our relationships with African-American friends," the mother said in the victim statement.

Jordan and Tommy Gray's 3-year-old daughter was watching "SpongeBob" on March 21, 2013 when two armed men broke into the family's home robbed them at gunpoint.

"If holding a little girl at gunpoint gets you probation, then our system is flawed," Tommy Gray said in the victim statement.


Here is the full victim impact statement from the Grays:




VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT


(Jordan Gray, mother)


Has the crime had a psychological impact on you?


My husband works nights and there are many nights I still can't sleep. Even with a security system I don't feel safe in my own home. I'm nervous about when random people walk down the street and constantly have our doors locked.


Has this crime effected the lifestyle of you or your family?


Due to the impact it has had on my 5-year-old daughter we have to consider the area in which we go. While my daughter and I used to play outside, we are hesitant to do so now by ourselves.


If you have any additional information, please feel free to attach it to this form. (i.e, recommended sentence).


This incident has had the most impact on my daughter. She is in constant fear of black men. When we are running errands, if we come across a black male, she holds me tight and begs me to leave. If (she) is playing in a room and I walk into another, she freaks out. It has affected her friendships at school and our relationship with African American friends.


(Tommy Gray, father)


Has the crime had a psychological impact on you?


For months after this crime I couldn't sleep. I would relive this incident every night before bed. I would constantly see their faces every time I closed my eyes.


Has this crime effected the lifestyle of you or your family?


Since the crime occurred my daughter is terrified of black males. Where ever we go, we are constantly reminded of her fears. She brings up the crime and can't be left alone in our own home because she is afraid someone will bust in the door."


Has this crime resulted in any damages or loss of property?


My wife's cell phone and vacation fund of about $1000.


If you have any additional information, please feel free to attach it to this form. (i.e, recommended sentence).


I don't have a recommended sentence but I feel like probation is not enough. This crime will effect my daughter for the rest of her life and Mr. Wallace deserves to serve time. If holding a little girl at gunpoint gets you probation, then our system is flawed.



But when Gregory Wallace, 27, who had pleaded guilty to robbery. was brought before Stevens for sentencing on February 4, 2015, it was the parents who were scolded by the judge, not Wallace.

“There’s a victim impact statement here that bothers me, to be honest with you. I assume the victims in this case are white?" Stevens said to the prosecutor.

“I am offended. I am deeply offended that they would be victimized by an individual and express some kind of fear of all black men.

“This little girl certainly has been victimized, and she can’t help the way she feels. My exception is more with her parents and their accepting that kind of mentality and fostering those type of stereotypes,” Stevens said.

Judge Stevens then gave Wallace a light sentence claiming that the suspect could be redeemed through probation and not prison.

Wallace and his accomplice, Marquis McAfee, 27, were arrested three weeks after the robbery, and both men pleaded guilty to the crime. McAfee was already on probation for a prior crime and received a 10 year prison term for his role in the armed robbery and home invasion of the Grays.

Stevens is a circuit court judge for the 30th Judicial Circuit, which presides over Jefferson County of Kentucky. He was appointed to the court by the Kentucky Governor on July 1, 2009, and was elected in November 2010.

Stevens was re-elected in 2014, winning an eight-year term that expires on January 1, 2023.

"I wasn't criticizing the victims, I was criticizing a statement that I thought was a generalization against an entire race of people.

"I was cautioning the parents against allowing racial stereotypes to impact their behavior and that of their child," Stevens said about his comments and decision.

Stevens also took to Facebook to further explain himself:

"Court brought it front and center this week. The case involved a burglary and the victims were a young couple and their three year-old child. The written victim impact statement on behalf of the child read that as a result of the offense committed against her parents in her presence, the child is in "constant fear of black men." The statement, written by her mother, continues that the child clings to her parent when in the presence of any black man. The incident, the mother concluded, "has even affected our relationship with our African-American friends."


"I read this statement aloud in open court. For a reason. It was of little surprise to me that neither parent nor the child was present in court for the sentencing. After all, the defendant and the judge are amongst the individuals the three year old has fear of as a result of the crime. Do three year olds form such generalized, stereotyped and racist opinions of others? I think not. Perhaps the mother had attributed her own views to her child as a manner of sanitizing them.


"Let me be clear. The statement played absolutely no role in the sentencing decision and the commonwealth disavowed the statement. Needless to say, I was deeply offended, however, that this statement was put forth for the purpose of persuading me to impose a lengthy prison sentence. Had the perpetrator been white, I doubt it would have resulted in such gross generalizations. The race of a perpetrator of a crime is not a reason or an excuse to fear an entire race of people.


"We must stand against it in whatever form. As a judge I do my work without regard to race. It is incumbent on me to confront and dispose of language based on racism and stereotypes. We should all do our part to eradicate such nonsense. And let me be clear, silence does nothing to contribute. It simply sends a message that such views are acceptable and fear somehow excuses wrong."



"Judge Stevens blamed and shamed the victims. It is very disturbing to be called something you are not," the girl's paternal grandmother, Dawn Renee Bryant said.


Ronald Rotunda, a law professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and the author of a widely used course book on legal ethics, said Judge Stevens violated the Code of Judicial Conduct.


"The judge, acting like a pop psychologist, decides to attack the little girl and her parents.


"Then, after the judge has a chance to cool down, he goes on Facebook and does it all over again. The judge should be a little more judicious," Rotunda said.


"An observer disconnected from issues of race and racial politics might regard the victim statement as innocuous.


"For an observer sensitive to race, however, the implication that black defendants should be held accountable for traumatizing their victims because they are black is troubling," Indiana University law professor Charles Geyh said.


[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIOh4QYmS2c]