The last time I remitted a gigantic-blast e-mail, it was followed-up by a shorter one that recapitulated key-points by citing minimal hyperlinks; having learned a lot overnight (reading the articles), this should be viewed as a succinct summary of their salient featuresagain oriented toward major action-items. Again encompassed are these ongoing concerns: Israel & the Middle East (locally and overseas), Guzzardi vs. Corbett, Pennsylvania-Linked issues, Philly (news and sports), Levity, Culture Wars, Foreign Affairs, Politics *GOPs Civil-War and Dems], BHO [Imperialism and Scandal-Sheet+, ObamaDontCare, Illegal Immigration, Reverse Racism, 2 nd Amendment vs. Gun Control, and the Media. As usual, invited are questions/comments/thoughts/feelings/emotions and anything else felt worthy of dissemination. {Disclaimer: This started-out as a brief-piece, but it seems to have evolved a bit during the day.}
Israel & the Middle East (Overseas)
As Israel struggles to survive in a hostile neighborhood, it appears Israel is refusing release of the last batch of terror prisoners due to the statements made inter alia by Abbas that he would not recognize Israel as a Jewish State; one would think that even viewing Pollards potential release as a sweetener, Israel cannot keep making unilateral painful concessions that contrast with no movement from others.
The amazing factor here is that they probably would be able to get Israel to withdraw by promising because, citing a recent essay in the american thinker that focuces on islam and american justice, Muslims adopt a disingenuous approach whenever negotiating; specifically, it is common knowledge that, throughout the negotiations with Israel, despite Islam's ban on lying, the Palestinian Arabs consistently lied. {Surah Al-Haj (Surah 22, verse 30) and Surah Al-Ghafir (Surah 40, verse 28) of the Qur'an, plus many hadiths (the oral tradition attributed to Muhammad), strongly condemn lying for any reason.}
BHO/Kerry must now contend with the unraveling of their ideas, even as Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia lead the world in Executions and another cruel-death occurred in Syria when a SYRIAN TERRORIST GROUP BLINDFOLDED AND CRUCIFIED AN ACCUSED-THIEF. Also, the Knesset was told the Settlements in Judea/Samaria are Legal [not in 'occupied territory'] because, when Israel assumed control over the land in 1967, [1]Israel acquired it during a defensive war [recalling Gamal Abdel Nassers exhortations+, and [2]the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Trans-Jordan) never had formal legal jurisdiction over it [because Jordan had contravened international law, when it had annexed the area, ~17 years earlier].}
Today, I received a meaningful birthday present from BB, namely, word that Netanyahu had told Kerry that the 4 th planned Terrorist release would topple government and, thus, that it would not transpire. [Binyamin Netanyahu told US Secretary of State John Kerry that his governing coalition may fall apart if Israel goes ahead with the fourth planned tranche in the terrorist release that it agreed to as a goodwill gesture toward the Palestinian Authority.] Pamela Geller immediately wrote: Gd bless Netanyahu for having the courage to speak common sense and truth to Secretary of State Thurston
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Howell III and the O-bumbler in the White House. Obama is desperate to weaken Israel drastically before he leaves office; we can be grateful that Netanyahu is having none of it. She cited todays issue of Israel Matzav, and it will be instructive to determine if BHO blames Israel for the demise of this Fools Errand, this distraction from confronting Iran.
Essentially, we have the death of wishful-feeling emanating from BHO, corroborated by the just- received communication from arlene cushner; it is hoped that this will now accelerate the undoing of the rest of BHOs foreign policy *as perceived by the public+, allowing for the adults in the room to take him into receivership before more severe irreparable harm supervenes. Americas relationships are ALL worse than they were merely a half-decade ago [country-by-country], and it CAN get worse before it stabilizes. The Peace Process was always one-sided; its imminent [formal] demise is overdue.
Israel & the Middle East (Domestically)
Last night, I saw Noah *IMAX+ and generally appreciated its message of how humanityno matter how flawedis worthy of living-on. Quoting Abraham Heschel when noting that the Deity is responsible for the Creation, the Revelation, and the Redemption of Jewry [representing everyone, regardless of belief-system+, it is not surprising that reference was made to the Creator *because Moses had not yet received the 10 Commandments] and that, ultimately, Noah was Redeemed for not having precluded the propagation of his offspring. In fact, absent Revelation, the elements of the Noahite Moral Code were evident [applicable to everyone, as evidenced by recognition of how basic-rules-of-conduct had been broken by everyone except Noah and his clan. It has been claimed that this is "the least biblical film ever made" and indeed that this is brilliantly-sinister-anti-Christian-filmmaking; to the contrary, capturing a survivors torment *self-questioning and self-doubting every-step-of-the-way] was epochal. {Also, a Creationist claimed that it 'May be worst film I've ever seen' for reasons that are intuitive.}
Reviews in The Metro *Wait, this movie has rock monsters?+ and in the NY Times *Extended Forecast: Rain, Heavy at Times+ contained worthwhile insights; the former observed that Noah received messages in vivid, horrifying dreams *that+ play to *the directors+ strengths as a stylist who designs his movies in bold images, shot by shot and the latter similarly found that very little of it has the careful, by-the-numbers quality that characterizes big-studio action-fantasy entertainment. The author of the former review, Matt Prigge, is a Philadelphian who also wrote of Why it took so long for Hollywood to get God and the author of the latter chose to suggest that this flick had explored what the story of the flood might mean in the present age of environmental
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anxiety and apocalyptic religion. The former examines the untapped religious-audience and the latter correlates the movie with the Dems political agenda *shamelessly+.
'Noah' Opened Amidst Controversy, this Biblical Blockbuster Earned Its Outrage, it Showed Economic Clout of Faith-Based Features, and moviegoers-flocked-to see it; although some claim it was hated, better it should have been viewed as depicted by the NY Times ['Less an Epic Than a Horror Movie'] when its emotional impact threatened to overcome the viewer. Perhaps illustrating the temptation of hyperbole, 'Noah' Director Darren Aronosfky even said the Exxon Valdez Carried Echoes of Biblical Flood while, it may be recalled, beck called Noah the-babylonian-chainsaw-massacre as he expressed the Hope that this Dangerous film become a Massive Failure; thats why it matters not a whit that the Missing Word in Noah Film was God [for reasons aforementioned]. There may be nine Problems with Aronofsky's 'Noah' [although each can be refuted], and others can be conjured and then discarded *including the technicality of how many round-trip winged-excursions had transpired before awareness of the re-emergence of dry-land had occurred (the raven flight wasnt noted)+ The bottom-line was well-expressed in this Noah Review: Its not about a massive flood, or animals two-by-two, or a wrathful God (all of which are featured)....Its about how man reacts to the evil of the men around him. {Unexplained is the departure of Ham, for he is alone (and there aint no women anywhere on earth) despite the fact that he is supposedly the progenitor of the Canaanites, but perhaps his wife caught-up.}
This latter point is not insignificant, for it was cited by Ms. Kushner with regard to the current so-called Peace Process; this is how her most-recent letter ends:
Another attempt to squeeze us out was put forth recently by Saeb Erekat, who claimed that, I am the proud son of the Canaanites who were there 5,500 years before Joshua bin Nun burned down the town of Jericho. His intent was to establish that the Palestinian Arabs are the true indigenous people, here long before the Jews. Never mind that Joshua never burned down Jericho, but merely brought its walls down his claim is ludicrous.
Alan Baker, Director of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, effectively set the record straight:
Saeb Erekats family is Bedouin. According to Bedouin genealogy, the family is part of the Huweitat clan which originated in the Hejaz area of Saudi Arabia, arrived in Palestine from the south of Jordan, and settled in the village of Abu Dis in the early twentieth century...
Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, has already established an international reputation for stretching the truth. Many Israelis recall during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002 when Erekat went on CNN to assert that Israel had killed more than 500 people in Jenin in a real massacre, adding that 300 Palestinians were being buried in mass graves. It soon became clear that in combat operations at the time, the Palestinian death toll in Jenin was 52: 34 of whom (65 percent)
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were known military operatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or Fatah-Tanzim. Now Erekats wild assertions have moved into the field of history as part of a Palestinian battle over the narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Chief Palestinian negotiator: go negotiate with people like this.
It should also be noted that turmoil continues in Egypt [where a journalist was Killed as Police and Islamists Clashed, in Pakistan [where a Christian was Sentenced to Death for Insulting Mohammed], in TURKEY [where LOCAL ELECTIONS may have GLOBAL IMPACT and where Six Dead As Turkey Votes in Local Elections], and in the Central African Republic [where Christians are killed by Muslims and where Christians fight Muslims]; also, anti-Semites are out in-force [MAN CHARGED FOR ALLEGED ANTI-SEMITIC BOMB THREATS TO SYNAGOGUES and GALLOWAY: ZIONISTS SENT GUNMEN TO UKRAINE TO FORCE UKRAINIAN JEWS TO MOVE TO PALESTINE] and BHOs military leadership lacks basic knowledge regarding the total fiscal impact and the dead/wounded casualties sustained in afghanistan [where experts were stumped-by-simple-questions. {Note also that ABC show was cancelled under CAIR pressure was 'Pro-Arab, Pro-Tolerance' and that a Spelling-error led to overlooking Russian warnings about Boston Bomber.}
Israel & the Middle East (Statewide)
Regarding the statewide mandate to have instructed all high-school grads via a unit on the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Violations, I demonstrated that the current statute has an incomplete, skeletal, and fragmented set of topics, and I have no problem with the desire of the House Education Committee [and Majority Staff] to request that the PDE compose a curriculum c/w the Keystone Exams. Yet, this should be an option for the 501 local School Boards, for they may wish to use other programs; regardless of what is chosen, they all should ensure this is taught cohesively/repeatedly through age-18. Then, a survey of post-grad retention could become productive (rather than reinventing the wheel, namely showing that people who are instructed on a given topic are more apt to have learned that info). There are certain parallels between the Holocaust and Purim; it is a holiday about survival, preceded by a fast kept by the men going into battle and their loved ones, for it not about forgiving your enemies, progressive taxation or coming out of the closet. In both instances, the survival of Jewry was at-risk; nevertheless, the implications for all of Humanity is that Jews were prominent, but not solely the target.
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Israel & the Middle East (Regionally)
Regarding the Dershowitz presentation, I received an e-mail suggesting I might have asked him whether he concurred with BHO when he characterized Abbas as a partner in peace; while standing in queue, the conscious decision was made to be global becausefor exampleI could have asked him whether the demand that this be a final settlement of all pending issues (including recognition of Israel as a Jewish State) was a policy to which he adhered (per BB) or was a policy that was optional (per BHO). Instead, he was asked if he would repudiate BHO but, forcefully, perseverating, he refused to do so. Thus was the audience provided an opportunity to study the man for what he (unfortunately) truly is; after the program, he complained that the individual with his books had already departed, so that he couldnt sign books (for the few people who had brought them alone)but the lights episodically were turned-off soon thereafter, so he really would not have had much time to have accomplished this task. The depiction of this event as Jews boo Dershowitz is deeply flawed, because the audience *not just a few hecklers+ grew to appreciate the disconnect between his attacking J Street and his agreeing with it regarding the central issues related to Judea/Samaria. Others deepened the schism, but I broke ground.
In reaction to this essay, which others depicted as sloppy-reporting, I wrote this:
Stu, you missed the point.
The heart of your perception was this: "Dershowitz caught the most flak from the hard- line Zionists, who believe that since God gave that land to the Jews, no compromise should be permitted, it might even be sacrilege. When Dershowitz said Israeli settlements on that land impede peace, he was booed."
First, your segue was disingenuous, for the audience reaction was triggered when I asked him to repudiate Obama's flawed policies. In refusing to do so, he accused me of trying to impose my views, then morphed this into a generic attack on the GOP, then expanded his comments to praise the liberal social policies of the Dems, and finally claimed that he was performing yeoman's efforts...lest all Jews become ID'ed with the GOP.
In the process, he contradicted himself. On the one hand, he decried the prospect that all Israel supporters should flock to the GOP, lest bipartisanship be lost [risky, in his
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view]; on the other hand, he claimed the polling-public high-ground because 70% of Jews supported Obama [down from 8%].
He never directly confronted key-questions regarding Obama's postures, instead creating a patently-transparent "reductio at absurdum" argument, when he claimed those who move to Judea/Samaria wish to impose their biased political status in the process, "just like if you were to move to Canada and then claim it should become part of America."
We want no such thing, and he knows it; for now, however, the "Territories" [a.k.a. "The West Bank"] remain controlled by the Israelis for security reasons, and the best way to weigh the alternative is to note how well returning the Gaza Strip turned-out.
The ZOA [as per an authorized letter, by myself] predicted the disaster caused by the Gaza return [in the Jewish Exponent, written following the visit of an Israeli General who depicted the way people would be evicted from the homes the government had encouraged them to build].
That's right, the Zionist Organization of America has been consistently correct on all fronts, and all you can do is attempt to portray this forthright leaders as extremists. Perhaps, instead, you should mock your POTUS, for having attempted to sell-out Israel's potential survival...when he and Kerry have known all-along that the Palestinian Arabs would never accept the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish Homeland.
It's unfair for Jonathan Tobin to view people who fear appeasement as engaging in a "Dialogue of the Deaf" (A Matter of Opinion, June 2), when challenging the Israeli government's decision.
Even those who hope for a two-state solution are uneasy in the face of daily reports of increased terrorism.
As a member of the Board of the Zionist Organization of America, I was authorized to ask one question of Lt. Col. Lior Lifschitz when he visited Philadelphia last month.
It is inappropriate to characterize the other questioners as "ZOA tormenters" because, if they were ZOA members, they were querying solely as individuals. It was even necessary to correct the speaker when he used the phrase "occupied territory," instead of "Gaza, Judea and Samaria."
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Recalling how Israel was almost dismembered a half-decade ago, this adage is apt: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. Elkins Park
Guzzardi vs. Corbett & Other Issues Affecting Pennsylvania & Philly
It is unclear whether this decision will be applicable to Guzzardi, but it is most-definitely of-concern: Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge disqualified a candidate from appearing on the Republican primary election ballot because he violated state election law, having filed his financial disclosure forms with the State Ethics Commission after the March 11 deadline. [Guzzardi filed it a week-hence, too.]
I raised this issue during a chat with a lady @ the DoS, nine days ago, because I felt the lingo in the downloaded instruction-sheet was vague; under point 4.ii., it states that inter alia the Statement of Financial Interests must be submitted with the nomination papers and that it is required to be filed with the State Ethics Commission. I observed that it does NOT provide a deadline for said-submission, and I advised that this instruction-sheet be updated accordingly. Our conversation was being held immediately prior to an internal-DoS meeting she was attending, at which a post-mortem review of the overall petitioning process [with enhanced computerization] was to be scrutinized.
Meanwhile, illustrating again that the Sandusky-issue lives-on, even after Paternos departure, Sandusky's wife went on the offensive; also, the Race for lt gov is often overlooked and Production of Gosnell Movie was Launched Amid Controversy. Finally, AG-Kane granted her first interview since Sprague controversy, questioning the timing of criticisms against her; scrutiny was directed at the individual at the center of the sting [Tyron Ali], and it was said to be unlikely that legislators will adopt reform measures regarding acceptance of such cash-payments. {Also, Ex-Eagles linebacker Garry Cobb will announce his candidacy for a South Jersey Congressional seat; he is emulating Jon Runyan.}
Guzzardi notes that Rising gas prices and fees are taking toll; Gasoline taxes increased by 9.5 cents a gallon on Jan. 1, while Driving and eating will cost more this year as a direct result. Also, the gasoline tax hike will cause a jump in trash collection fees and the gasoline bill in Pennsylvania. He remains upset that Republicans who campaigned as fiscal conservatives have raised taxes to send another $500 million a year to the bottomless pit that is SEPTA. He decries dumping on citizens [via the gas tax] whose salaries are not keeping up with the taxes that keep coming out of Harrisburg.
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American future fund found that pa-voters overwhelmingly support- primary-opponents-obamacare-lack-liquor-privatization-angers-voters - The nationally known conservative group, American Future Fund (AFF), released their first Pennsylvania poll showing over 80% of Republican voters would support a primary opponent over their incumbent state senator, fueled by votes on Obamacare, the gas tax and lack of action on liquor privatization. Phase one polling demonstrates that our initial gut instinct was correct. People are angry and want action on conservative, free market principles, said AFF founder Nick Ryan. Our surprise was that the willingness to support a primary opponent was much greater than we initially anticipated.
Meanwhile, continuing to pend are Liquor Privatization and Pension Reform; not only has Corbett refused to confront the unions on pension reform [or much of anything else], but Corbett rewarded Wendell Young and his government liquor union with a long-term contract and increased compensation while failing to make any meaningful pension reform. [For whatever reason(s), he also is critical of the fact, that scarnati named drew crompton chief-of-staff and chief counsel.]
In sports-related items, the Phillies released Bobby Abreu and the SIXERS AVOIDED SETTING THE NBA RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE LOSSES IN SINGLE SEASON. Regarding football Chip Kelly is ruling the Eagles with an iron fist and Kelly simply didn't want DeSean anymore; more information has been forthcoming [the Inside story, LAPD: DeSean wasn't involved in gang-related slayings, Tied to recent home burglary?, Police: Jackson burglary yielded $20k, not $200k, Jeremy Maclin provides less than enthusiastic support, Replacing DeSean: Top WRs in upcoming draft, and DeSean is already Meeting with Redskins Monday. Eagles Management Owes The Fans An Explanation As To What Occurred [avoiding anything defaming].
Foreign Affairs
Turmoil/undertainty continue to plague BHOs groping towards an approach to Putin. Vitali Klitschko to Run for Kiev Mayor, Backs Petro Poroshenko for President of Ukraine Kerry, Lavrov to Meet in Paris for Another Round of Talks RON FOURNIER 'DISTURBED' BY OBAMA'S INDIFFERENCE TO 'BULLY' PUTIN EU, Not Russia, Provoked Ukraine Crisis Steven Seagal Backs Russia's Crimea Annexation, Considers Putin His 'Brother'
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HUNGARY OPPOSES MORE SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA White House: Obama Urges Putin to Pull Back Troops from Ukraine in Phone Call Ted Cruz: 'KGB Thug' Putin Won't Stop Attacking Neighbors Until There's 'Meaningful Resistance' IMF, US Approve Loans Worth Billions for Ukraine Obama Makes Two Major Foreign Policy Gaffes on Europe Trip - Obama made two major gaffes during his Europe trip; after he falsely claimed that Kosovo held a UN- assisted referendum on self-determination, he then wrongly said that Georgia was not being considered for NATO membership. Rogers: Troop movement, 'covert operation' suggests Putin not finished in Ukraine CRIMEAN TATARS VOTE FOR AUTONOMY
MORE EXECUTIONS IN CHINA THAN IN TOP 5 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT COUNTRIES COMBINED and U.N. Promises 'Response' to North Korea Firing Midrange Missiles and Hidalgo elected first female mayor of Paris, France Le Pen rises Front National claims biggest victory in its history
Culture Wars
Abortion continues to be somewhat controversial ['Pro-Life' West Virginia Gov. Tomblin Vetoes 20-Week Abortion Restriction], as PLANNED PARENTHOOD HYPOCRISY EXPOSED IN $5M URBAN CLINIC [built new clinic in San Antonio, where there's already a clinic].
Same-Sex Marriage Became Legal in England and Wales, as it was claimed that 'Gay Marriage Doesn't Advance Equality' [per a Gay Journalist]; this latter-point rings-true, as advocates for this procedure have a tendency to aggravate those whom they would actually wish to convince of their position.
It has been alleged that New Data Proves Plain Pack Cigarettes Doesn't Dissuade Young Smokers and Fuels the Black Market, but will ask Bill Godshall for corroboration; suspect this will also be refuted, recalling his spate of articles supporting e-cigs *despite a sudden claim they dont help people stop+.
Scientists Built Yeast Chromosome from Scratch; if true, this supports evolution, one would guess.
Teen: typeface change could save federal govt millions; I enjoy using Garamond in my reports.
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ObamaDontCare
Obamacare has been Deconstructed. The Myth Of Seven Million On eve of deadline, health law remains work in progress Senator ANGUS KING said There's No Such Thing as 'Obamacare' NYT: Unclear how aggressive govt will be enforcing insurance requirement, collecting op-out tax CLEVELAND CLINIC CEO: THREE-QUARTERS OF OBAMACARE SIGNUPS HAVE HIGHER PREMIUMS GOP SENATOR: WHITE HOUSE 'COOKING THE BOOKS' ON OBAMACARE ENROLLEE NUMBERS Ezekiel Emanuel on Employer-Based Insurance: Let the Dumping Begin Can Rep. Joe Wilson be Vindicated Now? 'SNL' MOCKS OBAMA'S DESPERATE PUSH TO PITCH FAILING HEALTH CARE REFORM Mike Lee's Tea Party State of the Union Response: Obamacare 'an Inequality Godzilla' It has been alleged that the_roberts_trap_is_sprung, in what I view as tortured [albeit upbeat] logic: One of the most overlooked aspects of the year just ended is the vindication of Chief Justice John Roberts -- a vindication that showed up as the national catastrophe known as ObamaCare got rolling. Roberts may have also doomed Hillary Clinton's chance to live in the White House again.
Common Core
In Philly, lest we forget, administrators of common-core were caught-cheating; also, At Phila high school, there is a daily struggle with budget cuts.
Common Core continues to vex the public: Common Core Developers Attacked National Homeschooling Group over Documentary Common Core Forces Autistic Student in Missouri into Class He Cannot Understand OHIO PARENT: SUPERINTENDENT TARGETED KIDS OVER COMMON CORE TEST OPT-OUT Grassroots Parents Groups Make Common Core Powerful Election Issue in 2014 common-core-leaving-students-unprepared-math-science The New School Review - American education as we know it may be headed for its last hurrah. Obama proposes education mandates his own education cant meet another-impossibly-stupid-common-core-math-worksheet
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south-carolina-gov-haley-says-she-would-sign-a-bill-to-dump-common-core-in-her-state end common-core David Axelrod: Obama Administration Initiated Common Core common-core-founder-david-coleman remains a strong advocate
In other education-related news, social-policy philosophy-conflicts continued to emerge. Teachers' Union Wins: Wisconsin Porn-Watching Teacher Reinstated competition-is-the-ultimate-performance-test-in-education Texas No Child Left Behind Problem State of Texas Keeps Home-Schooled Children from Parents New Jersey High School Senior Suspended for Flying Confederate Flag Colorado Girl Barred From School for Shaving Her Head to Support Friend With Cancer Common Core yields propagation of Propaganda, as Kids Learn Writing By Copying Sentences About Obeying Government And The President; eschewed are Founding Father quotes [like those that tell us to question power and that warn that a strong statist government is what destroys countries].
BHOs Imperialism
Regarding, Illegal Immigration, Condi Rice Pushed for Amnesty in Speech to GOP and Biden claimed 11 Million Illegal Immigrants Here Are 'Already American Citizens'; indeed, IMMIGRANTS HELPED PUSH L.A. COUNTY POPULATION PAST 10 MILLION. House Republicans introduced a bill to block ICANN handover, for relinquishing control over the Internet is opposed by Tim Scott plus bill-clinton, washington-post, and heritage-foundation]. Regarding the Fed, It too Flouts the Law [an issue that, when exposed, prompted Glenn to get Fired by Fox]. Regarding global-warming, a UN Author Severed Ties with 'Alarmist' Climate-Change Writing Team. Regarding the 2 nd Amendment vs. Gun Control dichotomy, Michigan Gov. Snyder Repealed a Ban on Short-Barreled Rifles, as The Atlantic claimed the NRA Wins by Countering Shame with Persuasion and the National Journal claimed the NRA SEIZED ON ONE TWEET TO
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'derail' SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE; also, a new twist has emerged, for Knife Control Based on Same 'Irrational Premise' as Gun Control.
Politics (Dems)
Hillary's 2016 Challenge will be to Distance Herself from Obama's Record, but some found her to be incoherent when she received an Award [which Stirred an Internal Rift] from the American Jewish Congress; Sarah Palin claims Hillary Must Answer for Benghazi Tragedy if She Runs for President. Meanwhile, Biden Tried to Sell Minimum Wage Hike [despite the fact that a Clear Majority of Swing Voters Prefer Conservative Solutions to Wealth Inequality] and claims Dems 'Could Lose' Congress to More Candidates Like Ted Cruz. This latter point is consistent with the views of Carville, who Would 'Probably Not' Advise Landrieu to Campaign with Obama for Reelection; perhaps to change the subject, SENATE DEMS WANT $65 BILLION IN BUSINESS TAX BREAKS. {In other news reflecting how reality intrudes on Dem/Liberal good intentions, New York Police Arrested 42 over $642K in Alleged Welfare Fraud, the CA BULLET TRAIN [if it is ever built] WON'T BE AS 'HIGH-SPEED' AS PROMISED, and COLLEGE GRADS ARE OVERBURDENED WITH DEBT. {Piling-on, perhaps, Bill Maher Criticized 'Wimp' Dems for Not Defending ObamaCare and Jimmy Carter.}
Reflecting an ongoing tug-of-war subcontext within the city-state of NY, Andrew Cuomo Killed De Blasio Universal Pre-K Tax with $300 Million Deal - NY Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state legislature passed a budget that delivered a double-blow to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio's agenda, providing funding that would eliminate the need for a tax increase de Blasio campaigned on and enforcing safeguards for charter schools.
Due to his prediction that the GOP is likely to achieve majority control of the Senate, the DNC is Bad- Mouthing Nate Silver [a predictable event that did Not Deter him, as he discussed Midterm Prediction Backlash during his 'Daily Show' Appearance]; after he was Spooked by Backlash from Global Warming Alarmists, decided to Capitulate by Throwing Staffer to the Green Activists. In another context, it seems the Krugman feud is a TURNING POINT IN LEFT'S REVOLT AGAINST NATE SILVER'S INCONVENIENT DATA.
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Politics (GOPs Civil-War)
Ted Cruz continues to articulate what needs to be said: Ted Cruz: Marxism, Leninism Reincarnated from Ash Heap of History in DNC Party Platform Sen. Cruz and Rep. Bridenstine File American Energy Renaissance Bills The schism is also increasingly well-defined, nationally: "Republicrats" are a greater threat to conservatism than RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). Sarah Palin Tops Poll of Women Americans Want to Run for President [This Week in History: Sewards Folly in Alaska Ends Russian-American Empire Ambitions] The moderates are unabashedly attempting to create a tidal-wave: GOP donors reportedly working to draft Jeb Bush for 2016 presidential run 'Vast Majority' of Romney Donors Want Jeb Bush Run in 2016 Christie remains a moderate-force: Chris Christie: Employees Involved in BridgeGate 'Inextricably Stupid' Bridgegate Report: Christie's Account 'Rings True,' No Evidence He Knew While courting GOP donors in Las Vegas, Chris Christie Took a Veiled Shot at Cruz [per Politico]: Its time for us as a party to stop killing each other.Im not in this business to have an academic conversation. I am not in this business to win the argument. Im in this business to win elections. And heres why because when we win elections, we get a chance to govern and we get to mold and shape the future of our state and country. When we lose, we dont.
Cruz often says to Republicans, "first you win the argument, then you win the vote," and Christie's words seem to be a direct reference to Cruz's argument that Republicans do not win national elections with watered down candidates and policies.
Though Christie said his more moderate brand of politics wins elections, that has never been the case on the national level for the GOP. Ronald Reagan won two terms running on bold conservative policies after moderate Gerald Ford lost in 1976. George H.W. Bush won in 1988 when he ran for Reagan's third term and lost in 1992 when he ran as a patrician moderate who broke his promise of "no new taxes." Bob Dole lost in 1996 as an establishment candidate while George. W. Bush won two terms with the strong support of the Evangelical base. In 2008 and 2012, Republicans nominated the candidates the mainstream press insisted had the best chance of winning the general election in John McCain and Mitt Romney, respectively, and they got smoked.
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Christie and Cruz would be potential competitors in 2016, with Christie in the pale- pastel establishment side of the bracket and Cruz on the bold conservative side.
I wrote a few comments regarding this weekend event:
Watching-the-Media-Target-GOP-Candidates-at-the-Republican-Jewish-Coalition Morton Klein, the newly-re-elected president of the Zionist Organization of America, wandered over to the gallery to express his irritation that Christie had used the term "occupied territories" in describing the "disputed territories" of the West Bank. "Chris Christie is hardly a friend of Israel," he told them, an attack duly noted by the New York Times in its write-up of the event.
Fascinating piece, but a few comments are necessary.
1. Mort Klein says-it-like-it-is; CC's defense of his appointment was dismissive, and he should know better [particularly with this audience] than to eschew the terms Judea/Samaria. 2. Jeb shouldn't be Sec. of Ed., noting his strident support for Common Core. 3. AIPAC isn't anti-American, but its efforts are dwarfed by the ZOA. 4. The GOP isn't playing a "victim card"; rather, this essay illustrates again how a biased media must be monitored/exposed/refuted regularly. 5. Attendees @ this event aren't oligarchs; they are worried about the futures of America and Israel, and function accordingly. 6. The allegation that "this Rapture based GOP/Israel marriage is creepy" arises from an anti-Semite; to the contrary, it reflects the common-strengths of the Judeo-Christian ethic against Islamism. 7. It is all-so-true that "The mystery is why the Jews back the libtard cult when they hate Israel so much"; yet, a 50% increase in the GOP-POTUS vote was achieved [from ~20% to ~30%], encouraging. 8. Sadly, it is not necessarily true that "You will not find an Orthodox Jew voting democrat"; for example, although most are stridently pro-Zionist, some of those who are concerned about support for day-schools have been convinced to support Dems.
I have not gratified the other comments [anti-Semitic, often] with the pixels necessary to compose a rejoinder.
Blue State Blues: Who's Missing the 'Sheldon Adelson Primary'? - Foreign policy may prove to be one of the most important issues of the 2016 primary, perhaps even more important than Obamacare. There are already efforts under way to develop a coherent Republican alternative on health care, but on foreign policy the party remains in disarray. Except, that is, at the RJC, whichlike it or nothas a coherent, hawkish philosophy. That's the real significance of the "Adelson primary."
I am provoked by numerous aspersions herein [some covert, too many overt] against Constitutional Conservatives who recognize the threat of worldwide Islamism and function accordingly [such as just about all the GOP-POTUS candidates except Rand Paul]; little definitive is known about Walker/Kasich, although their presence @ this event probably suggests they reject neo-isolationism. I read all comments from the first ones, and provide key-rejoinders herein:
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1. Sheldon tried to follow the Buckley-Rule, supporting the most conservative candidate who could win; his name should never appear in the same sentence as that of Soros.
2. Google: Sheldon Adelson and amnesty. This guy is a big supporter of the dream act, is prochoice and is in favor of "socialized-like" health care. Call him what his is, anti- American. Although he has been quoted as having described himself as a social-liberal, he has supported people who are not and, thus, he is a patriotic American who resides comfortably within the GOP. And, as someone else wrote, the candidate Adelson supported in the 2012 primaries was for sealing the border tight and no path to citizenship.
3. I supported Perry early-on, but he has been eclipsed by Cruz, statewide and nationally.
4. Jewish Republicans are, indeed, people of whom Americans can be proud (Eric Cantor, Warren Rudman, Jacob Javitz, Norm Coleman); Barry Goldwater was of Jewish descent but was a practicing Episcopalian.
Media
Its more-of-the-same self-congratulatory activity of those Media-types who keep propping-up BHO. Brent Bozell: ABC, CBS, NBC Nightly News Engage in Obamacare 'Cover-Up'
MSNBC LOSES 1/4 OF PRIMETIME AUDIENCE MSNBC's Matthews: Rumsfeld 'Has the Look of a Car Bomber' MSNBC's Matthews, Wagner, Mitchell Top List of Most-Hated Newscasters MSNBC's Chris Matthews the Least Likable News Anchor OSU Students Call Chris Matthews Pick as Commencement Speaker 'Irksome'
Piers Morgan Before Last Show: 'No Regrets' About Attacking 2 nd Amendment NEW ROUND OF LAYOFFS AT CNN'S ATLANTA HQ
HuffPo Editor Named Director of USC Annenberg Journalism School
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Ratings Battle Between Hannity and Savage Got Personal
Again, on this April Fools Day, Pennsylvania-related concerns serve as the starting-point, here, with my concern with Guzzardis status as the Commonwealth Court Hearing looms [tomorrow] leading this blast [noting it has been suggested that, as Guzzardi is gunning for Corbett, he may not last long]. Thus, topics encompassed here include Guzzardi, Corbett, allegedly-corrupt Dem-Philly politicians, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, Corporate Welfare, DeSean Jackson, Noah, Culture Wars, E-Cigarettes, the necessity for America to Recognize Kurdistan [our essay was published today], Pollard, Dershowitz, BHOs foreign policies, and global hot-spots; also, this blast is personalized by citing two specific interventions on key-topics I authored: America Must Recognize Kurdistan, and Testimony to the Philadelphia City Council Public Health and Human Services Committee Opposing Bans on E-Cigarettes.
Will Guzzardi Survive a Petition Challenge?
I had already done a bit of research along these lines ~10 days ago, but it is unclear whether this decision will be applicable to Guzzardi, but it is most- definitely a source of worriment:
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge disqualified a candidate from appearing on the Republican primary election ballot because he violated state election law, having filed his financial disclosure forms with the State Ethics Commission after the March 11 deadline.
One would THINK that this was cured via subsequent filingand testimony could be evoked from the Ethics Commission suggesting that they probably havent even started looking @ the submissions that had arrived on-time and, therefore, this glitch should be viewed as de-minimus [even if it would require another trip to the Supremes to suggest this problem be revisited].
I raised this issue during my chat with the lady @ the DoS, eleven days ago, because I felt the lingo in the downloaded instruction- sheet was vague; under point 4.ii., it states that inter alia the Statement of Financial Interests must be submitted with the nomination papers and that it is required to be filed with the State Ethics Commission. I observed that it does NOT provide a deadline for said-submission, and advised that this instruction- sheet be updated accordingly. [It may be recalled that my chat with her occurred immediately prior to a post-mortem-type meeting,
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to be held by the DoS to discuss how well they had handled the entire petitioning-process.]
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Without editorializing, the Judge requires a mid-course correction; Guzzardi is reticent to spend $ collected from othersat this pointand he has really not yet been tested regarding how much he would self-finance.
As he has written [on this site and elsewhere], he doesnt want to be vulnerable to the charge that the issues he raises are channeling the interests of donors; he even refused to countenance my purchasing an Exhibitor table @ this weekends Leadership Conference.
Despite the fact that, during the past 14 years, we havent always manifest lock- step unity when determining the optimal course-of-action, we have always been interacting in a way characterized by how we have occasionally signed e-mail blasts ["two minds but one voice, 'fighting the never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American Way' " ...with apologies to George Reeves].
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Two metaphors are apt: [1]He would rather return to the Union County Farmers Market ["populism"], than lecture an audience he feels may be dominated by RINOs. ["politicized"], and [2]He would rather update his blogs and engage reactions on Facebook ["retail"] than blanket the media with feel-good videos ["wholesale"].
He, in short, envisions running an unconventional campaign that focuses on representing The Forgotten Taxpayer in two key ways, both recalling 10 campaign-promises: [1]Corbett broke his no new taxes/fees pledge [an ethical concern], and [2]Corbett has failed to resolve core-policy dilemmas [State Store, Pension] by relating effectively with a legislature led by his own party [a philosophical concern].
The reader should not perceive this e-mail as an epitaph, for Guzzardi is, assuredly, girding for [legal] battle; also, the reader should not mistake his forthrightness as manifesting personal distaste for a universally-viewed nice guy incumbent [marred by Sandusky, for sure, but ultimately a Republican].
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He is a truth-teller, and candidly worries that Corbett and the Rs leading the legislature are being rented by labor unions [noting that the Dems are "owned" by these engrained entities].
In the process, Guzzardi is acting-out deeply-harbored emotional- angst, accumulated over the past decade, and he yearns for the opportunity [as reflected in multiple news-articles] to employ his candidacy as a soap-box to convey his constitutional conservative approach to tackling entrenched-lobbyists.
One would think [and hope, recalling how many people have labored so aggressively to allow him the opportunity to invade the public-square] that the Court would find a way to balance the equities accordinglyto benefit the commonweal of this Commonwealth.
Corbett continues to amble along as, again, right-on-cue, Sandusky's wife went on offensive against accusers; also noted is another spate of spin-off articles that keep the public reminded of this issue [Post-Sandusky scandal, more teachers punished for misconduct of all types, State lawmakers crack down on teacher misconduct, and Teacher indecency can get lost in state's system]. Also, Corbett has been accused of undermining-public-worker-unions, while others claim he provided generous salaries and didnt tackle either the pension-issue or paycheck protection; meanwhile, the Dem-candidates are targeting charter schools, with their FUNDING NO CLOSER TO RESOLUTION, as Terry Madonna framed the GOP primary (with/without Guzzardi) as The Other Race for Governor (namely, Corbett v. Corbett). {Also, critics claim PA Governors' hiring of outside counsel is evidence of an "insider's" game and, regarding the Dems, Schwartz seeks 'inadvertent' campaign contribution from McGinty spouse.}
In the sting AG-Kane deep-sixed, Frank Fina wanted to use controversial confidential informant Tyron Ali to troll Harrisburg "to see what would happen." [Guzzardi writes: CasablancaPA is essential reading. Here the Brett Cott-Mike Veon blog exposes Tom Corbett's top prosecutor's selective prosecutions. I have posted before that the Republican House Caucus owes Pennsylvania; Forgotten Taxpayers $20,000,000 of which $10,000,000 is related to Computergate for which John Perzel was sent to jail. CasablancaPA appears to be bipartisan exposing both Speaker McCall and Speaker Smith to its penetrating analysis. Republican Senate leadership's involvement in the Turnpike Corruption is noted.] Counterpointing this, the Inqy suggested it would be wise to drop the sting hit machine, as a PA lawmaker named in aborted sting pushed ahead with campaign reception and the Lead prosecutor in sting case appeared before ethics panel. {Dick Morris claims AG-Kane is threatening FF; hell nail him on Sandusky if he persists.}
The Philly GOPs parodic March Madness bracket featuring as contestants pictures of allegedly-corrupt Dem-Philadelphia politicians.
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Chelsea Clintons Mother-in-Law [former Rep. Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky (D-PA)] Benefited from her Own Taxpayer-Funded Charity; running for PA-13, she reportedly enriched herself from her taxpayer-funded charity, years after she left Congress.
It has been noted that Lawmakers work a variety of other jobs, as Feds charged ex-Philly License & Inspections official with extortion and Ex-PA House leader DeWeese was released after corruption sentence. {Also, regarding corporate welfare insider-deals that Guzzardi consistently decries (but others too often ignore), note that the Maryland House of Delegates voted to use threat of eminent domain to keep House of Cards from moving to another state; Guzzardi would slash such funding.}
Murder, Inc. Founder Irv Gotti Defended Fallen Eagle DeSean Jackson, even as the LAPD said he wasn't involved in gang-related slayings; some claimed his future in the NFL was murky [LIKE SO MANY GANG BANGERS, HE REMAINS UNEMPLOYED], but it seems that he agreed to terms with Redskins. {The annual prospect of facing him twice, unnerves.} Here is what is being printed in D.C.: Waiting on DeSean: Jackson, Redskins still in limbo and LOVERRO: DeSean Jacksons red flags dont seem to worry Redskins.
The movie Noah [which was superb] continues to spark controversy:
Hey, 'Noah' supporters, enough with the guilt trip already 'NOAH' CASHES IN ON FAITH-BASED TREND, MISSES BIG PICTURE NOAH'S HUGE INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE: MORE BIBLE STORIES HEADING OUR WAY? 'EXORCIST' DIRECTOR WILLIAM FRIEDKIN: LACK OF FAITH DOOMED FILM'S SEQUELS THEOLOGIAN BLASTS CHRISTIAN LEADERS FOOLED INTO ENDORSING KABBALAH, GNOSTIC VERSION OF 'NOAH' Will 'Noah' inspire viewers to read the source material? 'Noah' vs. 'God's Not Dead' Highlights Hollywood's Culture War Advantage 'Noah' Can't Match 'Passion of the Christ' for Box Office Supremacy 'Noah' Star Russell Crowe Flies Three Times in One Day to Promote Enviro- Bible Film Satan is a happy camper because, in the case of "Noah," throughout the world, millions have been told the dark lie that Christianity equals environmental extremism and has nothing to do with leading a moral and charitable life as defined by the Ten Commandments and Jesus' 11 th Commandment [Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.and love your neighbor as yourself]. Noah Rides Controversy to $44 Million Box-Office Triumph Noah and Its Critics
More evidence of the culture wars has emerged when CPAC's Music Infusion Gave Conservative Ammo for Future Culture Battles; when a Wealthy Child Rapist was Given
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Probation as Judge Felt He Would 'Not Do Well' in Jail; when Alec Baldwin said 'I've Had the Entire Internet Shoved up My *ss'; when Stephen Colbert Responded to #CancelColbert as Only He Can; when Production of Gosnell movie launched amid controversy, as CONSERVATIVES CROWD-FUNDED GOSNELL FILM; when National Science Foundation Spent $700K on Climate Change Musical [as Residents of Chinese city lined up to breathe fresh mountain air -- from a bag!]; and a flash-mob/orchestra/chorus provided Beethovens Ode to Joy.
Levity: Note 12-time-related astonishing-facts and how a Blonde put oil into a car.
As the DC mayor signed a bill to decriminalize pot and Legal weed sparked a 'High Times' surge, the Defense Secretary was said to be 'Looking' to Ban Tobacco Sales at Military Installations. An earlier blast provided New Data that allegedly Proved Plain Pack Cigarettes Don't Dissuade Young Smokers and Fuel the Black Market. The go-to guy in this regard for a quarter-century has been Bill Godshall, whose reaction to this assertion follows: Ever since the Australian anti-tobacco extremists first claimed plain packaged cigs would reduce adult smoking and prevent youth smoking, I've been challenging those totally unsubstantiated claims; also, available is a power-point presentation documenting how skyrocketing e-cigarette consumption and increasing smokeless tobacco consumption have been and will continue reducing cigarette consumption. Here are suggested hyperlinks regarding e-cigs:
Philly & PA PA bill (SB 1292) would impose $.036 tax on each cigar and $.36/ounce tax on smokeless tobacco and OTP After Smokefree Pennsylvania urged Philly City Council to reject vaping ban ordinance and to reject falsely labeling smokefree e-cigs as smoking devices [in a letter and via testimony], it approved vaping ban, rejecting data and embracing fear-mongering lies. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20140328_Council_passes_e- cig_ban_in_public_places.html http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/03/27/philadelphia-city-council- passes-restrictions-on-public-use-of-e-cigarettes/ http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/health/E-Cigarette-Ban-Philly- 252610201.html http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9481791 http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/heardinthehall/E-Cigarette- Restrictions-Pass-Council.html
Business IRI 2013 US convenience store sales data shows declining cigarette volume, increasing smokeless tobacco volume, skyrocketing e-cig volume (as more smokers switch to far less hazardous smokefree alternatives). E-cigarette sales set to surge in 2014 The E-Cig Market Grows Up E-cigarettes could surpass traditional brands
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Social One thousand vapers attend DC VAPEFEST 14 Vapefest: Where e-cig camaraderie is in the air along with haze E-cigarette users want acceptance from non-smokers (NJ)
Science and Health Safety evaluation and risk assessment of electronic cigarettes as tobacco cigarette substitutes: a systemic review New French representative: 1% of the population has quit smoking thanks to e- cigs Clinical Trial: E-cigarettes are satisfying cigarette substitutes http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2014/03/clinical-trial-e-cigarettes- are.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935206/
FDA Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) conference on April 23/34 in DC, Bill Godshall to present An Update on Tobacco Deeming Regulation (April 23 from 4-5 PM) CDC and Big Pharma funded ALA lobby to give even more federal and state funds to Big Pharma for ineffective nicotine gums/lozenges/patches/nasal sprays/inhalers (that have a 95% failure rate) and less than safe Chantix and Zyban
Taxation New Jersey Assembly budget chairman says no to tax on electronic cigarettes Many vapers, vendors and health advocates testify against Gov. Christies outrageous e-cig tax proposal at NJ Assembly Budget Committee hearings Bill Godshall testifies against taxing e-cigs at NJ Assembly Budget Committee hearing Press of Atlantic City editorial: Electronic cigarettes / Why tax quitting? E-cig entrepreneurs say no to proposed sin taxes NJ bill (S 1867) introduced to impose 75% tax on all e-cig products and components, referred to Senate Health Cmte NJ bill (A 2980) introduced to impose a 25% tax on tobacco and e-cig advertising and marketing expenditures in state NJ lawmaker seeks to legalize marijuana and tax it at 7%, as Gov. Christie wants to tax smokefree e-cigs at more than ten times that rate.
CASAA issues Call to Action opposing Ohio Gov. Kasichs proposal to tax e-cigs Tax smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes at lower rates (OH)
Vermont bill (HB 884) to impose 92% tax on e-cigarettes, increase smokeless tobacco tax introduced/approved by House Ways and Means Cmte on same day. CASAA issues Call to Action opposing Vermont bill (HB 884) to impose 92% e- cig tax
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Healthcare I nsurance CT Joint Cmte on Insurance and Real Estate substitutes and approves bill (S 478) to allow some healthcare plans to charge up to 50% higher policy rates on those who use any tobacco product more than four times per week. http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill &bill_num=SB478&which_year=2014&SUBMIT1.x=0&SUBMIT1.y=0 &SUBMIT1=Normal http://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/TOB/S/2014SB-00478-R00-SB.htm http://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/JFR/S/2014SB-00478-R00INS-JFR.htm E-cig Advertising/Promotion/Shipping Restrictions Regressive US House Democrats introduce bill (H 4325) to ban most e-cig advertising to adult smokers and vapers (claiming its needed to protect children) Illinois House amends bill (H 5689) to exempt prefilled and disposable cartridges, would ban (upon enactment) sales of ALL e-liquid products sold or marketed in IL that arent in special packaging that complies with standards that comply with rules to be adopted by the IL Health Dept (that has been hostile to all e- cigs, and knows nothing about e-liquid), which could take years. CASAA issues Call to Action opposing California bill (A 1500) to ban shipping of e-cigs to adults, which was referred to Assembly Cmte on Governmental Organization http://leginfo.ca.gov/cgi- bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1500&sess=CUR&house=B http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_1451- 1500/ab_1500_bill_20140113_introduced.htm http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_1451- 1500/ab_1500_bill_20140320_history.html http://agov.assembly.ca.gov/ http://agov.assembly.ca.gov/membersstaff RI House Judiciary Cmte holds (for further study) bill (H 7021) to ban e-cig sales to minors, excessively restrict online sales and shipping to adults
Bans of E-cig Sales to Minors South Dakota Governor signs bill (SB 181) banning sales of vapor products to minors Georgia Senate passes bill (HB 251) to ban sales of vapor products and alternative nicotine products to minors, sent to governor Kentucky House approves bill (SB 109) to ban sales of vapor products and alternative nicotine products to minors, sent to Senate for concurrance Louisiana Senate amends and passes bill (S 12) to ban the sale of vapor products and alternative nicotine products to minors CO House/Senate approve bill (S 18) to extend tobacco and e-cig sales ban to minors to nicotine products MO House General Laws Cmte approves bill (HB 1690) to ban sales of vapor products and alternative nicotine products to minors
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MI Governor Rick Snyder wants legislature to send him a bill to treat far less hazardous smokefree e-cigs same as lethal cigarettes ALA and ACS oppose Florida bill (HB 169) to ban e-cig sales to minors because it would pre-empt local governments from banning e-cig sales to adults IL House Cmte on Consumer Protection recommends passage of bill (H 5868) to require e-cigs to be sold by retailers from behind the counter, in age restricted area, or in locked display case
Vaping Bans Survey finds 63% of Americans dont mind being near harmless e-cig vapor Minnesota Senate refers vaping ban bill (SF 2027) to committee after Gov. Mark Dayton voiced his opposition http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/03/26/gov-splits-with-health- commissioner-on-e-cigarettes/ http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/252366351.html https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF2027&session=ls88 &version=latest&session_number=0&session_year=2014 https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=senate&f=SF2027&ssn=0&y =2014 E-cigarette activists sue New York City Council challenging Bloombergs vaping ban http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304179704579461 514072087696?mg=reno64- wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB1000142405 2702304179704579461514072087696.html http://gothamist.com/2014/03/25/e- cig_advocates_sue_city_council_to.php http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/smokers-sue-e-cigareete-ban- article-1.1734840 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/group-files-suit-nycs-cigarette- ban-23048790 http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/us-usa-new-york-ecigarettes- idUSBREA2O1JR20140325 http://nypost.com/2014/03/25/smokers-rights-group-sues-nyc-over-e- cigarette-ban/ http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/id=1202648308325/Smokers-Fight- City-Over-E-Cigarette-Ban?slreturn=20140228134743#ixzz2xAbFZJkg
San Francisco, Santa Clara County Moves Forward With E-Cigarette Restrictions (CA)
Santa Cruz (CA) City Council rejects scientific evidence, concern for health of smokers and vapers, bans vaping everywhere smoking is banned
Israeli Ministry of Health protected cigarettes by banning e-cig manufacturing and sales
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Rejected Maryland bill would have banned vaping in all workplaces.
CASAA issues Call to Action opposing Alaska bill (HB 360) to ban vaping and smoking in all workplaces http://blog.casaa.org/2014/03/call-to-action-alaska-hb- 360-would.html
NJ Assembly approves Cmte amended bill (A 1080) to ban vaping and smoking at state, county and municipal forests, parks & beaches; referred to Senate Cmte on Health http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2014/Bills/A1500/1080_T1.PDF http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/
CASAA issues Call to Action opposing proposed vaping ban in Ocala (FL)
Louisiana bill (SB 491) might ban vaping everywhere smoking is banned, referred to Senate Health Cmte CASAA issues Call to Action opposing potential vaping ban in Louisiana bill (SB 491)
CASAA issued Call to Action opposing draft vaping ban in Hancock County (WV); its Board of Health was to hold special meeting on April 1 at 12:30 PM to discuss draft of Clean Air Regulation that would ban use of smokefree e-cigs in ALL workplaces and ban smoking in several dozen workplaces. http://www.hancockcountyhealthdepartment.com/uploads/03-12- 14_sn_HancockCountyCleanAirDraft2014.pdf http://www.reviewonline.com/page/content.detail/id/572868/Proposed- smoking-ban-met-with-mi---.html http://www.hancockcountyhealthdepartment.com/ http://www.hancockcountyhealthdepartment.com/calendar.php?cid=115
Washington Township (NJ) proposes banning smokefree vaping and smoking at parks and other outdoor locations
University System of Georgia Regents ban use of smokefree e-cigs everywhere on campuses, ban smoking outdoors under guise of protecting people from 2 nd
hand smoke
J unk Science, Lies and Fear Mongering
Science Left Behind: Feel-Good Fallacies and the Rise of the Anti-Scientific Left By Alex B. Berezow and Hank Campbell, 2012 (An excellent book describing the growing bias against science and scientific evidence by Progressive Democrats, includes a page about Obamas FDA banning e-cigs in 2009.)
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The classic thought experiment (astutely identifies the now divided anti smoking movement as comprised of real health advocates, those who hate industry and old-fashioned puritans, but omits the fourth component: Big Pharma money) E-cig opponents oppose TN bill that would truthfully clarify that vaping isnt smoking
NY Times Despite no evidence that nicotine ingestion has ever killed any human, NY Times deceitfully claimed (on front page) nicotine e-liquid is poison to shock readers and to lobby FDA to impose deeming regulation that would ban e-cigs, protect cigarettes, and threaten lives of vapers and smokers ACSH: Tons of toxic nicotine out there care in handling is required. NY Times warns that drinking e-cigarette fluid could become a fatal fad among toddlers
Liquid Death from E-Cigarettes? Youve got a long way to go, baby? E-cig overdose: How much liquid nicotine would it take to kill you?
E-cig industry being unfairly targeted?
Clive Bates on toxic claims about e-cigs
ACSH: MN poison control exaggerates dangers to toddlers from e-cigarettes; it found that 60% of reported toxic exposures were for drugs, most others for common household items [Drug 1. Analgesics; 2. Sedatives; 3. Antidepressants; 4. Cardiovascular drugs; 5. Antihistamines; and Non-Drug 1. Cosmetics, personal care items; 2. Household cleaners; 3. Foreign bodies, toys, silica gel packets; 4. Alcohols; 5. Pesticides.] Claiming to debunk myths about e-cigs, NBCs Dr. Nancy Snyderman repeats false and misleading propaganda about e-cigs
Irresponsible news headlines, articles and editorials repeat false claims by NY Times that e-cigs are poisoning lots of children, ignore data finding e-cig poisoned no children, ignore data finding millions of children have been poisoned by drugs and hundreds of other household products (most of which arent regulated by FDA) http://www.ocregister.com/articles/nicotine-606815-cigarettes- percent.html http://www.today.com/health/alarm-raised-over-poisoning-risk-e- cigarettes-2D79431655 http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/leading-irish-consultant- compares-ecigs-to-methadone-30130845.html http://consumerist.com/2014/03/25/e-cigarettes-a-reliable-smoking- alternative-or-vials-of-toxic-poison/
Dick Durbin and other regressive Senate Democrats repeat false claims by NY Times that e-cigs poisoned many children in urging (for the nth time) FDA Commissioner Hamburg to impose deeming regulation, which would ban all e- cigs, protect cigarette markets, and threaten lives of vapers and smokers
UCSF
UCSF prohibitionists conduct, JAMA publishes, gullible and regressive news outlets tout more junk science falsely claiming e-cigs dont help people quit smoking. http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1846627 http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health- wellness/2014/03/24/evidence-that-cigarettes-help-smokers- quit/bZLVskIa6Ng8L0Tae6UldJ/story.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/youth-radio-youth-media-international/do- electronic-cigarettes_b_5036957.html
New study on electronic cigarettes by UCSF researchers is bogus science, and dishonest Rogue research group opens the slurry gusher again ACSH: JAMA headlines blare, and gullible press swallows the hype against e- cigs, again anti-THR junk science from UCSF, the new Karolinska
America Must Recognize Kurdistan, an intervention that BHO should finally entertain due to failure of his current policies, as the Death toll passed 150,000; Apocalyptic prophecies drive both sides of Syrian battle to end of time, as Kim Kardashian waded into Syria war debate. Again illustrating the worldwide impact of Islamism, Egyptian Islamists Murdered a Young Christian After Dragging Her From Car and Saudi Arabia declared all atheists to be terrorists. In other Israel-related events, FIFA Threatened to Expel Israel over Security Restrictions on Palestinian Players [illustrating the reach of the BDS-efforts]; an Israeli Court Convicted Ex- PM Olmert of Bribery; and the israeli-air-force-displayed-new-planes.
Regarding the peace-talks, what transpired today was sadly predicted by Daniel Pipes [USA could free Israeli spy Pollard in deal to save peace talks; USA and Israel Said to Be Near Agreement on Release of Spy; Sweeten the pot for Netanyahu; and Kerry Willing to Release Pollard in Prisoner Swap]; what may have transpired thereafter, I had proposed [comparable to when McCain refused to be released from the Hanoi Hilton] before reading this blast e-mail from the ZOA:
ZOA Opposes Obscene Concessions For Pollards Release
Pollard Told ZOAs Klein Israel Dare Not Make Any Concessions In Order To Free Me
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), which has fought long and hard to secure the release of long-jailed Jonathan Pollard by lobbying legislators, meeting government officials, writing articles, letters and press releases urging his release, nonetheless and with a heavy heart opposes the Obama Administrations proposal that he be freed in return for unjust, unwise and immoral Israel concessions.
In a deal believed to be in the pipeline, Israel would release the fourth batch of convicted and jailed Palestinian terrorists it agreed to release last year. This would include 14 Arab Israeli prisoners, something Israel has never previously done. Israel would also release a further 400 prisoners without blood on their hands meaning only that the terrorists in question failed to murder Jews in the course of the terrorist assaults which they either carried out, assisted or planned. Lastly, Israel would also freeze Jewish construction in Judea/Samaria. All Mahmoud Abbas Palestinian Authority (PA) would have to do is to agree to keep negotiating for another 12 months and desist from unilateral actions against Israel at the UN something it is already prohibited from doing under the terms of the Oslo Accords, which it has never implemented anyway.
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ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, Over the course of decades, I have personally spoken with Jonathan Pollard over fifty times, most recently, a few years ago. He also urged me several times thus Mort, make it clear to the Israeli officials not to make any concessions, not of any land, or of freezing construction of Jewish homes in Judea/Samaria, in order to obtain my release.
Looking back, remarkably, the bulk of my conversations with Jonathan Pollard consisted of how we can help Israel, not of how the ZOA could help Jonathan in his horrific personal situation. He also he thanked me strongly for the work the ZOA does for Israel.
Jonathan Pollards release should not be conditional on any Israeli concessions after he has served 25 years longer than any other American convicted of a similar crime. It is long past time that he should be freed.
As Senator John McCain said today, Its disgusting ... I favor his release, I think hes served long enough, but to be used in this fashion, it's disgraceful.
It may be recalled that I publicly admonished Dershowitz @ Penn last week for his duplicity, igniting the audience to react negatively to his pompous pronouncements; predictably, therefore, Dershowitz Hailed Pollard-for-Peace Deal as 'No-Brainer'; Dershowitz recognized Israel Had to Respond to Rocket Attacks (without jeopardizing the peace process] and, ultimately, he sees a pollard-release as promoting peace. After Jordan's King Repeats Warning He Makes During Every Round of Mid East Peace Talks ['Chance for Peace Won't Be Repeated'], John Kerry Canceled Trip to Meet with Israelis and Palestinians, but Secretary of State Kerry canceled meeting with Palestinian President Abbas amid new threats from the Palestinian leader to circumvent U.S.-backed peace talks with Israel; Kerry had planned to make an emergency trip to Abbas's West Bank headquarters in hopes of announcing a breakthrough. {It is quite possible the shuttle-talks will soon start twitching as they (finally) die..with uncertain implications.}
The story told by these hyperlinks simply reinforces the abject collapse of BHOs foreign policies:
Russia hiked gas price for Ukraine Russia Energy Company Gazprom Raises Gas Prices for Ukraine NATO Does Not See Russian Troops Leaving Ukraine's Border RUSSIAN TROOPS LOCKED IN AT UKRAINE BORDER Putin Tells Merkel He Will Pull Back Some Troops from Ukraine's Border Putin Briefs Merkel on Ukraine Border Troop Withdrawal Russian Ambassador Says 'Crimea is a Part' of Russia
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Kerry, Lavrov to Meet in Paris for Another Round of Talks Kerry, Lavrov Agree: Diplomatic Solution Needed No Resolution After Kerry, Lavrov Talk for Four Hours About Ukraine and Russia
Russia Demands a 'Federal Model' for Ukraine Ukraine to Russia: Practice What You Preach and 'Introduce Federalism'
Medvedev Travels to Crimea, Ukraine Condemns the Visit
Crimean Tatars Vote for Autonomy Crimea Breaks Promise to Tatars to Give 20% Representation in Parliament
POLL: BRITONS LUKEWARM ON UKRAINE, OPPOSE WESTERN MILITARY INTERVENTION
Inhofe Warns Georgia, Moldova Next for Russia; Attacks Obama for Eliminating Weapon Systems
Explosions in additional global hot-spots prompt reaching the conclusion that there is no country with which America is more friendly than was the case a half-decade ago; this applies to Afghanistan [British Sniper Kills Six Taliban Members With One Shot], Iran [Jeff Merkley Has Advocated Soft Line on Iran Since 1979], Turkey [Erdogan's Big Win in Turkey May Lead to Further Crackdowns Against Dissent], Venezuela [Venezuela issues ID cards to curtail food hoarding, armed-pro-government-militias-wreak-havoc-on-venezuela-protests, Venezuelan Police Have Arrested 1,900, One Protester Every Half Hour, and Latin America news], The Korean Peninsula [South Korea fired artillery shells into North Korean waters in response to a live-fire drill announced earlier by Pyongyang; KOREA TURNS HOT; North, South Korea Trade Fire Across Maritime Border: Military; As Tensions Flare Between North and South Korea, Russia Blames U.S.; and U.N. Promises 'Response' to North Korea Firing Midrange Missiles]; France [France's President Francois Hollande Suffers Election Debacle; France's Right-Wing National Front Party Trounces Socialists in Local Elections; Socialists hammered in French vote, FN wins key towns: exit polls; and HOLLANDE'S FAILURES MAY LEAD TO AN EMBOLDENED, EUROSCEPTIC GERMANY], and England [Cameron orders inquiry into activities of Muslim Brotherhood; CAMERON WARNS OF MUSLIM BROS ATTACK; and Hard Line Islamist Who Trained 7/7 Bomber Gets Taxpayer Money to Run Nursery].
Note this compilation of Israel-related pieces, which customarily arrives @ this hour:
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Reports: "Surprise move" by Palestinians to renew UN diplomatic warfare endangers peace process, U.S. interests
Iran increases efforts to court foreign investment, deepening concerns over anti-sanctions lobbies
Police turn water cannons on Turks protesting election irregularities
New figures estimate over 150,000 dead in Syria, as analysts warn Hezbollah involvement "could fan flames into a wider regional conflict"
The Associated Press reported late Tuesday on what the outlet described as a "surprise move" by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to go to a range of United Nations bodies requesting membership for the "State of Palestine." The AP noted that the declaration came "despite a promise to suspend such efforts during nine months of negotiations with Israel," and that it risked collapsing the delicate U.S.-backed effort to push forward a framework peace agreement. Israel had in recent days made an offer to extend talks, and had even reportedly teed up another prisoner release aimed at securing further negotiations. The Israelis had undertaken three previous rounds of releases to bring the Palestinians to the table and keep them there. The Israeli offer to extend talks was rejected, and the Palestinian announcement that they were turning to the UN came within days. Abbas said that he would like to continue pursuing negotiations with the Israelis despite the Palestinian gambit. The position is likely to come off as too clever by half. The entire basis of the nine month- long U.S.-backed peace initiative was that the Palestinians would abstain from seeking membership in UN institutions. Kerry almost immediately canceled a planned trip to Ramallah, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, in light of Abbas's decision. Any Palestinian success would immediately trigger black-letter U.S. laws that cut off funds to UN bodies that give the Palestinians membership. U.S. diplomats, hoping to avoid such confrontations, have long opposed unilateral moves by the Palestinians to gain membership in UN institutions. A Heritage Foundation report co- authored by Brett D. Schaefer and James Phillips a few years ago went even further, bluntly identifying past unilateral moves as "threaten[ing] United States and Israeli interests" and "undermin[ing]
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all internationally accepted frameworks for peace." Palestinian gambits at the UN have more pointedly been seen as corroding the basic framework of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The land- for-peace formula requires the Israelis to give up tangible, functionally irreversible concessions in exchange for Palestinian commitments. The fear has always been that the Palestinians will negotiate only as long as they can extract territory or prisoners, and that they will then pocket what they've gained and walk away. Abbass moves seem set to confirm those fears.
Iran's Fars News outlet reported on Tuesday that Tehran is aggressively courting foreign investors, conveying among other things statements made by Valiollah Afkhamirad, the head of Irans Trade Development Organization, declaring that the interim Joint Plan of Action (JPA) inked last November in Geneva had created "a suitable atmosphere... [for] investors in Iran and they have become highly interested in business" with the Islamic Republic. The article more specifically discussed a call made on Monday by Mahmoud Vaezi, Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, emphasizing that "Iran has invited world countries to invest and collaborate in projects to establish partnerships for ultra broadband corridors" across the country. The calls echo a February boast by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif announcing that the sanctions relief outlined by the JPA had transformed Iran into a place that was "open for business." They came alongside other reports describing a "steady flow of Western executives" into Iran. Meanwhile British financial reporter Matt Lynn assessed on MarketWatch that Iran seems primed to become "one of the hottest investment opportunities of the next two decades." The Iranian strategy seems primed to deepen a very particular worry regarding the possibility that the JPA's partial erosion of the international sanctions regime will prevent financial pressure from being reimposed on Iran: Foreign entities that become invested in Iranian markets are likely to mobilize political pressure to prevent any moves to close those markets back off. Brookings fellow Michael Doran had already in January speculated that the JPA "has created an influential economic lobby in the West dedicated to ensuring" that sanctions are not tightened again. Such concerns have become more pitched in recent months, as Iran has moved in to encourage foreign investment across a range of industries.
Turkish security officials on Tuesday turned water cannons on protestors marching in reaction to widespread allegations that this weekend's local elections - which saw the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan secure a plurality of the votes - were marked by fraud,
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intimidation, and mysterious power outages in opposition-heavy districts. Residents of the Turkeys Duzici district, where the AKP candidate beat his nearest opponent by 440 votes, reported finding discarded ballots marked for an opposition party in at least six area polling stations. Reports of power outages were brushed off by municipal authorities as mostly the result of bad weather or - in one case - a rogue feline. Ankara, where the AKP candidate defeated the next opponent by less than a percentage point, was one of several cities in which protestors demanded recounts. The election had already been marked by irregularities, most prominently a government ban against Twitter and YouTube that had generated global ridicule and international condemnation. The new controversies, to say nothing of the government's response to those controversies, are unlikely to dampen growing criticism that Turkey has more or less ceased to be a functioning liberal democracy. In late February over 80 top U.S. foreign policy figures called on President Barack Obama to take action to halt "Turkeys current path," and declared that "silence will only encourage Prime Minister Erdogan to diminish the rule of law in the country even further."
Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday conveyed recent figures from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) assessing that more than 150,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict, amid another string of prominently reported gains by forces fighting on behalf of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Exact figures have been notoriously difficult to come by - the United Nations has quite literally stopped trying to tally the deaths - but SOHR calculated that the numbers include over 7,900 children. On Monday Al Arabiya reported that pro-regime forces had "recaptured on Monday a key position in the coastal province of Latakia," a victory that came shortly after "government forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters... triumphed against the opposition along the border area with Lebanon." The victories were seen as critical to Hezbollah's effort to stop the transit of Sunni jihadists across the Lebanon-Syria border, and triggered what local media described as "an atmosphere of contentment" in areas of Lebanon controlled by the Iran-backed terror group. Washington Institute Senior Fellow Andrew Tabler on Tuesday nonetheless emphasized that Hezbollah's activities in Syria were hardening sectarian divisions in Lebanon, with the result being "increased suicide car bombings, Sunni-Shiite tension, and armed clashes." The resulting political instability, according to Tabler, "could fan the flames into a wider regional conflict that Hezbollah and Iran cannot put out and cannot afford."
Promptly on the tail of what was just remitted are articles that illustrate ongoing concerns with BHO, suggesting interventions that can now be more easily articulated; overt efforts must be made ASAP if he is to be effectively-shackled until 1/20/2017. As noted in the blast that was just disseminated, many matters are coming to a head, and it will be necessary to plan the most effective messaging possible; thus, the following articles [out-takes from the too-lengthy blast that focused on too-many urgencies, using too-much hyperboleperhaps] must be probed for ideas. Just like a rat, the more cornered BHO feels, the more dangerous hell be; deft efforts must be triggered in a few hours, for reasons that will be articulated. He has aptly demonstrated he is capable of creating a yawning-dichotomy with Israel and, thus, he must be encouraged urgently to revise many of his policies [including, in particular, while waiting (for Godot), waiting for disarmament while Iran nukes-up. Were all busy, but we must act. {Added to prior Blasts is the admission by Aronofsky that Noah had been an odd choice.} Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas announced Tuesday evening that the PA will seek further recognition at the United Nations and that he has already signed State of Palestine applications to 15 U.N. organizations, essentially turning his back on peace with Israel. Shortly after Abbas made his intent clear, Secretary of State John Kerry announced he would not be traveling to Ramallah on Wednesday for a scheduled meeting with Abbas {BHOs partner for peaceremember?}. {The Israel Project sent this.} In a few hours, Benghazi-Gate is likely to explode, as Michael Morell is outed as the composer of the infamous talking-point regarding the invidious-video; he will need to explain why he ignored input from the CIA officer who had confirmed no protests before misleading Benghazi account given, and when the Lawmakers hear from this top CIA official on Benghazi, questions will be posed about ex-directors role intended to clarify info on smoking-gun memos. Anyone wishing to be gently reminded of the brutality directed @ Ambassador Chris Stevens may scrutinize photos revealing the devastation of the attack and this FNC video when the First Criminal Charges were Filed, which includes an absolutely revolting visual of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens [real Death Footage] being dragged-through-streets. The key-question will be whether he will admit to having told anyone in the White House that he had been told that there had not been any video [by everyone on-the-ground, including the station-chief]; perhaps, then, BHO will be forced to release the tick-tock, the time-line of what occurred on 9/11/2012. {IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN VETS RATE OBAMA WORSE COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF THAN GEORGE W. BUSH.} Spy chiefs now admit the NSA performed warrantless searches on Americans' data and that the CIA misled on brutal interrogations; is there any surprise that Al Jazeera Staffer Nominated Greenwald for Journalism Award? Although I generally like Amb. Bolton, claiming that 'Anyone Who Thinks Edward Snowden Is a Hero Is Unfit to Serve' fails to take into account the need to know of these privacy-intrusions; Bolton claims the debate was unfair because the agency could not produce the evidence to exonerate itself without compromising national security. Bolton also insisted most Tea Party members are not
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isolationists, for they prefer a strong foreign policy; the audience applauded that statement, which is backed up by survey evidence, and which may also have been intended to distinguish between Sen. Paul and the Tea Party. Even MICHAEL MOORE [HUNT DOWN GM EXECS and Michael Moore: GM 'criminals' deserve death] is agitated by the fact that Chevy Cobalts Were Seen as Lemons From the Start [recalling also that Obama had touted them as a Success Story]; the Families placed a human face on the massive recall, while this GM Recall Scandal Goes Straight to the White House. It is grossly insufficient for a Dem Sen to advise Car Owners: Stop Driving Immediately, for the new-CEO wouldnt accept responsibility for not having repaired these cars expeditiously by using an auto-part that [allegedly] cost less than $1. {Also, other security news involves Ari Natter, renewables and energy efficiency reporter for Bloomberg BNA; he was detained by Capitol Hill police for, apparently, having tried to query the EPA-Director. Big Government is manifest, also, within the educational hierarchy (locally, statewide and nationally). The latest outrage regarding Common Core is when a second-grader exacted revenge against common-cores approach towards math; the latest trickery as to such examinations was manifest in an Awful 146-Word Essay That Earned an A- for a UNC Jock. Thus, its not surprising that some NY students opted-out on first day of Common Core testing; while New Hampshire Decided to Keep Common Core, Texans are being encouraged to Stand Up to Common Core. Again illustrating a partisan-divide, a NY GOP-GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE claimed 'MY CHILDREN WILL OPT- OUT OF COMMON CORE TESTS'; reflecting permeation of the collegiate/university by leftists, it has been revealed, while reviewing stats, that FOREIGN ENROLLMENT IN U.S. UNIVERSITIES hit an all-time high, thanks to China and Saudi Arabia. This quick-hit on Illegal Immigration shows the rationale for Amnesty continues to vex; these hyperlinks show the intensity of the conflict and how BHO has failed to behave forthrightly {e.g., Sheriff Joe Arpaio: 1 in 3 Illegal Immigrant Deportees End Up in US Jails}. CATHOLIC BISHOPS seek to prioritize AMNESTY over DEPORTATIONS, growing their outreach. Indeed, a Union Claimed Cesar Chavez Would Say 'Si Se Puede' to Amnesty; thus, a Resolution to Honor the late labor leader Cesar Chavez was Halted by the Senate Dems' Amnesty Agenda, failing to be adopted by the Senate because Dems did not want to acknowledge that Chavez was against illegal immigration and for stricter border security. A bit of candor must have prompted revelation that Low Threat Illegals dont Show for Hearings; when Laura Ingraham was Late for Radio Show Due to Speeding Ticket, she Lamented not having Used 'Illegal Alien' Defense.
Meanwhile, the Border Patrol Union VP Sayid Patrol Agents are Window Dressing. particularly because IMAGES REVEAL DANGERS FACING BORDER PATROL FROM ROCK-THROWERS; ultimately, although an Internal 'Homeland' Document Revealed that ICE released 6K convicted criminal aliens last year; unaddressed was the fact that, although 872,504 were ordered to be removed by immigration authorities, none had left.
Regarding [Reverse]-Racism, Politico Acknowledged GOP's Civil Rights Roleto Bash Today's GOP; noted also was the fact that Rep. Bill McCulloch rose above mere partisanship to give JFK/LBJ the power to pass the first comprehensive federal civil rights, the single most important law of the 20th century. Tolerance is out-the-window when race-hacks-defend-their- industry and when a Teacher says at a 'White Privilege Conference': Whites Are Never Cured of Racism; perhaps global-claims will become ameliorated after specifics are addressed [e.g., Black female troops say grooming rule 'racially biased']. In any case, an ESPN HOST BACKED
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KOBE ON TRAYVON, claiming 'WE CANT TAKE SOMEBODY'S SIDE JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN.' This could have a major electoral impact, for it is possible that the Black and Hispanic Fight for Affirmative Action in CA May Nudge Asian Americans Toward GOP.
Constant tension exists between enforcing the 2 nd Amendment and blocking excessive Gun- Control. Maryland to Target 110,000 Citizens With Gun Confiscation New York Police Stopped Enforcement of SAFE Act Requirement POLL: VOTER SUPPORT FOR GUN CONTROL LOWEST SINCE FEBRUARY 2012 Man Kicks in Door, Finds Armed Woman Waiting on Other Side EPA Raids Ammunition Component Factory in Montana Gun, Knife Control Advocates Say You Dont Need Weapons, Just Call 911
Constant tension is created by BHO and Dems regarding the Rich/Poor component of the economy. connecticut-passed-nations-highest-minimum-wage US GOVERNMENT IS WORLD'S 3RD LARGEST ECONOMY Harry Reid Struggles to Keep Minimum Wage Issue Alive Gap Between Super Rich 0.1% and Poor Grows
The GOPs Budget has been attacked by the TEA Party Movement: Tea Party: Paul Ryan's New Budget A Work of April Fool's Day Fiction SPENDS MORE NOW, BALANCES IN 10 YEARS Ryan Budget Asks San Francisco to Pay More for Hetch Hetchy Water
Domestic Terrorism continues to haunt anyone who monitors world politics:
FBI, Military in hunt for Army recruit planning 'Fort Hood-style jihad' Iran Forfeits $500 Million Manhattan Skyscraper in Terror Suit
Victim of Boston bombing attack sues Glenn Beck for defamation Lawyers for accused Boston bomber seek secret data on dead brother Marathon bombing suspect seeks records on brother Boston Marathon report details 'missed opportunities' among law enforcement FBI agent cleared in shooting tied to Boston bombings probe US stands by charges against Boston bomb suspect
U.S. Muslim population to double by 2030
The Media continue to demonstrate how potent the Dems/Libs have created themselves to be:
Sharyl Attkissons fate at CBS wasnt an illustration of opportunism but rather one that showed what happens to those who dissent from the liberal party line.
Q1 Ratings: CNN Crashes, MSNBC Dips, Fox Up
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CNN beat MSNBC in March for the first time since last summer and narrowed the gap with Fox News as it focused heavily on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370; CNN finished first in weekend primetime. In the key 25-to-54 demographic, CNN was No. 2 in weekday primetime and total day viewing; it was also second in total viewers and the key demo for total day measurement. Despite the primetime gains, it was down overall for the first three months of this year compared to the first quarter of 2013; in weekday primetime, it dipped 19 percent in total viewers and 10 percent in the demo.
Mika Brzezinski called out Joe Scarborough for his ratings-driven speculative theories about the Malaysian missing plane by putting the focus back onto *real* news and facts the public needs to hear.
RONAN FARROW FACES AX due to Ratings Failure, for his MSNBC-gig has been Beaten by reruns of 'GOLDEN GIRLS.'
BARTIROMO LAUNCHED FORWARD-THINKING FOX SUNDAY SHOW; the Debut was Strong
6-to-1 liberal bias in Hispanic TV news Why?
Regarding the rough-and-tumble of Politics, dems want to change definition of election day-in- colorado, efforts that would affect both major election-cycles [14 & 16]; the former focuses on the Senate, whereas the latter focuses on jockeying among those in the GOP for advantage in the race to be POTUS.
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The Demographics Behind the Democrats' 2014 Troubles - The party is losing support among whites, millennials and independents. Progressive Activist Sees 'Coming Divide for the Democratic Party' Dems Turn on Each Other as Midterms Loom Rep: Obama needs to do more to help us Dems fear November Elections
2016 Ted Cruz Rocks New 'Ink' in 'Fox & Friends' Appearance Touting His Alternative to ObamaCare
Clinton-vs-Bush-Again-Really
Rand Paul to GOP: Get 'Beyond Deportation' to Win Hispanic Voters rand-pauls-50-state-network Sen. Rand Paul: 'Worldwide War on Christianity' Ignored by Obama and Media
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neoconservatives-threaten-to-take-out-rand-paul because he isnt sufficiently pro- israel
Gaffe: Chris Christie Refers to Israel's 'Occupied Territories' at GOP Jewish Coalition Meeting Chris Christie Defends Obama Hug After Hurricane Sandy Krauthammer: Christie Gave Obama 'Lap Dance' After Sandy SARAH PALIN, MARK LEVIN BLAST MAINSTREAM MEDIA'S FOCUS ON CHRIS CHRISTIE
Matthews: GOP Governors' Appearances at Adelson Event Sign Prostitution Making Comeback in Vegas WHAT KEN VOGEL DIDN'T GET ABOUT ADELSON and RJC [missing from most of the media coverage of the conference as well] was strong emphasis at the conference on American security, not just Israel's.
This is an extensive summary of info accrued @ the PA Leadership Conference (amplified by personal observations); Guzzardis status (delimited solely from what is available publicly); updated efforts to help PA enact mandatory holocaust education (with more elaborative analysis on-tap, upon-request); Mandatory Holocaust Education; follow-up was inserted of Noah and Gun-Control [noting also DeSean Jackson ('No negativity' toward Chip Kelly) and Dershowitz @ Penn (passions ran high-at-the anti-j-street event, as Bash-J Street Audience Turned on Dershowitz immediately after I had attacked his duplicity for having continued to champion BHO)]; and myriad underreported items. This blast is so busy that national/international issues [except quick-hits] are deferred to an upcoming compilation; promptly remitting what just transpired in Camp Hill [along with related items] was pledged to be sent expeditiously. Also, a bunch of new e-mail addresses were acquired, and everyone should be reminded that requests to be dropped from these blasts are promptly honored; they should not be perceived as intruding upon personal-space, even as this approach has yet to be encountered elsewhere.
If the late-nite comics serve as a barometer of public-opinion, two videos of Jimmy Fallon demonstrate how BHO is dropping in the polls, and may continue to do so; first, Fallon Mocked ObamaCare Victory Lap ['Amazing What You Can Achieve When You Make Something Mandatory'] and, second, he collaborated with PALIN in a 5-minute skit that mocked how BHO has been flummoxed by VLADIMIR PUTIN [as she promoted her new cable-show, 'AMAZING AMERICA'], mandatory-viewing that has gone-viral. Meanwhile, David Letterman Announced Retirement From CBS's 'Late Show' after LETTERMAN COUNTERED FALLON and KIMMEL WITH APPEARANCE BY BILL MURRAY; noting that chelsea-handler (who?) is a possible replacement, I suggested Leno!
The action-packed agenda [note annotations on hyperlink] of the PA Leadership Conference attracted 700 people, and exhibitors were particularly interactive/informative regarding an array of issues; some were simply not controversial [Paycheck-Protection (for) and Common-Core (against)], while others were pleasant admixtures [the two Heritage Foundation entities (the C-3 and the C-4) and the pro-Live groups (conveying myriad levels of religiosity)]. Most importantly, the TEA [Taxed Enough Already] Party Movement was everpresent, with one session devoted to seeking a matured interaction between it and the GOP-Establishment; as noted in the instant-blogging provided on multiple websites, this task has most-assuredly not been resolved and, indeed, festers in multiple arenas. For example, although the always- stupendous Colin Hanna read my spicy queries without editing-them-down, Kevin Shivers (of the PA NFIB) laundered my question (and, presumably, everyone elses) to distribute the opportunity for everyone to speak (he said, when quietly confronted afterwards); illustrative of the effects of overt suppression of thought was the spontaneous emission of a collective groan
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after PA-GOPs Gleason averred (for the umpteenth time) that the GOP-Establishment is open to modification/improvement.
The Spirit of Reagan was Strong throughout, as Corbett beseeched conservative activists for re-election help by pitching his Economic Record to Republican Right; these essays conveyed views that were consistent with personal take-ways [as dutifully posted]:
Corbett phoned-in his speech; Jonah said afterwards that he eschews citing liberal fascism due to concern it requires too much explanation.
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Noting the spontaneous, loud groan when Gleason said his state- GOP is inclusive is applicable to the state establishment, particularly noting the frivolous suit against guzzardis candidacy that he had countenanced.
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I will support the GOP-nominee, not only because Ive been a committeeperson for two decades, but also because the superiority of Corbett vs. any of the four in the [presumed] Wolf-Pack is intuitive.
Aspersions [by someone else on that site] are entertaining, and they certainly provide support for efforts to promote Guzzardis initiative; ultimately, however, they provide insufficient support for any of the Demsalthough it is possible that your ideas [and mine] could find a home in the political agenda of a re-elected Corbett [an effort that I've been trying to advance, most recently during the past 24-hours @ PLC].
This articleand that of Robert Vickers [per the below-hyperlink] capture the mood of those-assembled700 activists who were not convinced of the sincerity of the establishment when it professed support for a kumbaya moment [particularly during the 8 a.m. panel, which included TEA Party Movement activists who...along with the moderator...allegedly blurred their privately-averred concerns, a bit].
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I provided one of the 28 votes for Guzzardi [and one for Ted Cruz], and I told Jim Cawley why he should have displaced
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Corbett; the chief of his campaign promised to send me an e-mail, via which Ill provide elaborative-comment.
What must be emphasized, here, is that there were many manifestations of discomfiture with Corbett, and he would do well to shore-up his base accordingly; at this point, the task-orders are obvious, and if Guzzardi is on the ballothe will be forced to confront them.
The straw-poll also yielded a tie for POTUS-16 preference [Cruz/Paul], but it is hoped that enhanced awareness of Pauls Foreign Policy [too similar to that of his father, noting Rand Paul trashed military option for Iran and blamed the US for WWII] will yield a tilt towards my preference; here were my responses [raw- data], recognizing that the author of the poll promised to interact next week [to refine the quality of the queries]: Who would you vote for as the 2016 Republican nominee for President? - Ted Cruz {he and Scott Walker could flip for the top- spot, noting how pundits such as Charlie Cook [Republican Bracket] note that, in the party's presidential-nomination tournament, logic would argue for a center-right pick, but it is clear the passion has been on the right}. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing? Disapprove. What is the most important issue facing the United States in 2014? - unilateral disarmament {write-in, because compromised national- security trumps all other concerns}. Do you favor or oppose the NSA's use of data collection? - Undecided {because the problem with process of collection must be distinguished from how data have been used}.
If the PA Governor election were held today who would you vote for? - Bob Guzzardi {prefer slashed-spending to broken-promises, noting that others have corroborated this concern (Will Corbett's broken promise on taxes cost him in November?)}. Generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove with the direction Pennsylvania is going? - Approve. {POLL: PA residents lack trust in state government.} Generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove of the job Tom Corbett is doing? Disapprove {broken-promises}. Generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove of the job Pennsylvania Legislators are doing? - Disapprove {vide supra}. Generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove of the job Republicans in the State House are doing? - Disapprove {went along with broken-promises}.
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Generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove of the job Republicans in the State Senate are doing? - Disapprove {vide supra}. Which current issue is most critical for Pennsylvania Legislators to address in 2014? - (spending) In Pennsylvania, Marijuana should be: - Legal for recreational/medical use and taxed. {Note that Pennsylvania voters support the legalization of medical marijuana use (85% 14%, with support at 78% or higher among every partisan, gender and age group, according to a Quinnipiac University poll), that Three- fourths of US says pot will be legal, that every demographic- thinks-alcohol-is-worse-than-weed-for-society, but that Black Market for Pot Still Thrives in CO, that a Student Fell to Death After Eating Legally-Purchased Pot Cookie, and that a Pot growers association was launched in Jamaica.}
How would you classify your political ideology? (choose all that apply) - Neoconservative, Libertarian, and Fiscal Conservative. What is your gender? Male. What is your age group? - 41-64. What state do you reside in? - Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If Pennsylvania, which County? Montgomery. How many times have you attended the PLC? - Two to Five (2-5). What is your registration type? Individual {as opposed to being a sponsor/exhibitor, for example, recalling Guzzardi vetoed prior plan to pay $400 to be the latter}. Toomey and Santorum were warmly-received, moreso than Corbett, to many observers.
Corbetts problems continued, as Sandusky-reminders continued to enter newscasts on a daily basis [AG-Kane seeks dismissal of Spanier complaint, BILLS have been proposed to CHANGE CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IN PA and Scranton priest charged with indecent assault of girl]. Even his presumably-positive perspective on state-corruption ['vigilance' & reform needed to crack down on Capitol's gift culture] has been drowned-out by events [Ex-Rep. DeWeese reveals What I learned from prison; Grand jury is investigating Harrisburg finances and Mayor has spoken to grand jury, despite the claim that he knew nothing of grand jury; PA lawmaker tells how he declined bizarre cash offer made in Rotunda; Nutter signs law limiting value of gifts to Philly workers at $99; State senator wants more oversight over ObamaDontCare navigators; and PA turnpike 'pay-to-play' costs ~$45M]. Meanwhile, Corbett [predictably] became frustrated over Medicaid talks and claimed he was Nearing the 'breaking point' with Obama admin despite his having dropped the work-requirement [playing foolishly to Dems].
His competitors have not been idle, although no policies emerged from the Dems that could be viewed as particularly erudite. Behind Wolf's business success, there
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is a more complicated picture; Wolf used a bank loan to help bankroll his Gubernatorial campaign. McCord explained his outsourcing record. Finally, 'Silent' Schwartz feels she can still win; some suggest she had 'frontrunneritis' [recall Allyson Schwartz nearly certain to face Corbett and Allyson Schwartz on speculation on Philly rep] and others suggest her political baggage worries some Dems. {In my view, she may have emulated Giulianis procrastination error; he didnt launch his efforts until the Florida primary loomed.}
In other statewide electoral news, it seems that COMING SOON will be STATE REP. RUSS DIAMOND, while Babette Joseph has been tossed-off the ballot; illustrating Guzzardis emphasis on knowing what is happening in these regards [rather than focusing solely upon ones own representative/senator], is the fact that, in PA-9, Factcheck.org Backed Halvorson over Shuster [e.g., shuster-wont-rule-out-raising-gasoline-tax-for-roads]. Regarding PA-13, Margolies lashed-back over pay from nonprofit, and I explored a perception of valerie-arkoosh [Although, as an R, I generally refrain from critiquing Dems who are engaged in a primary, it is desirable to note what her role-model has recently done, as per the lefties @ Politico: It was a bad day for Rep. Donna Edwards, when Washingtonians gathered at coffee pots and in lunch rooms across town and deemed her performance at the Washington Press Club Foundation annual dinner Wednesday night the most painful speech weve endured in a long time. ]; to me, Daylin has been self-marginalized, while Brendon [and his staff] has been interactive and resourceful with regard to the ongoing Holocaust Education Mandate initiative [vide infra].
In other statewide education-news, the Pro-Common Core Fordham Institute Attacked HSLDA's 'Building The Machine' Documentary, a Rebellion against standardized testing spread to Philly, and Legal trouble grew for York school board that shut down free speech [efforts recalling my experience years ago in Abington]. Also, higher natural gas prices boosted state's drilling fee revenue [recalling Corbetts no tax-/fee-hike pledge].
A conservative-campaign is apparently to-focus-on-pa-general-assembly, perhaps reflecting feelings on the national level that Dems and Rs Are Driving America off the Fiscal Cliff; indeed, the Republican leadership in Congress will hold a fundraising retreat the weekend of April 11 to benefit the George Soros-supported Republican Mainstreet Partnership PAC. As conservatives fume on the secret doc-fix voice-vote, Top Boehner Allies are Departing Congress [perhaps presaging his leaving the Speakership].
Politics fascinates, even as recent articles explore its tentacles. For example, it has been claimed that a Machine can tell whether person liberal or conservative; more afield, Research allegedly linked rise of internet to decline of religion, as Pat BUCHANAN has been driven to wonder if GOD is ON RUSSIA'S SIDE. Illustrating the tremendous task that faces conservatives and the GOP when organizing coalitions and communications is the fact that a conservative-calendar website is virtually devoid of content.
Guzzardis effort to remain on the ballot prompted a two-day hearing in Commonwealth Court [Allentown Morning Call noted how the GOP facilitated corbetts lawsuit to get Guzzardi off the
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ballot, Harrisburg Patriot News detailed why the state-GOP is challenging Guzzardis bid, and washington times reported that a commonwealth court judge is to weigh-ballot-challenge-to-gop- corbett-foe, Guzzardi].
Recall that, just after Corbett challenged his nominating-petitions, for the next 24- hours, I vetted its text. Predictably, one set of challenges [DelCo] has been tossed and, thus, mandated-requirements [100+ in at least 10 counties] will be satisfied when sufficient signatures can be validated on any one of three remaining counties [which I showed is likely to occur]; also, he must defend self-portrayal as a semi-retired lawyer [an attack that is trite beyond belief] and must show that he satisfied legislative-intent when he filed his Ethics Statement only with the Department of State [delaying providing the identical document, already uploaded by the DoS, to the Ethics Commission].
The Judge promised a quick ruling on Guzzardi challenge, noting that the central issue during in- court colloquy related to CHAPTER 11 of the PA-Code [ETHICS STANDARDS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE] which Guzzardis glitch hasnt undermined in two key ways, noting its legislative intent [promoting public confidence in government] and its powers and duties [inspecting statements of financial interests which have been filed in order to ascertain whether any reporting person has failed to file such a statement or has filed a deficient statement]; indeed, some of it is clearly outmoded, for this filing is now immediately uploaded on the DoS website [therefore mooting the Ethics Commissions charge to ensure such data are publicly-available]. In any case, prominently cited is this excerpt therefrom:
(1) Any candidate for a State-level public office shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the commission on or before the last day for filing a petition to appear on the ballot for election. A copy of the statement of financial interests shall also be appended to such petition.
(3) No petition to appear on the ballot for election shall be accepted by the respective State or local election officials unless the petition has appended thereto a statement of financial interests as set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2). Failure to file the statement in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall, in addition to any other penalties provided, be a fatal defect to a petition to appear on the ballot.
I commented regarding his candidacy twice [recently] on PoliticsPA. Regarding the ongoing observation that Corbett was Named Most Vulnerable Gov, I wrote [initially] that this article served to validate Guzzardis efforts, and I wrote [subsequently] in response to the comments of others, thusly:
@ Lariat:
Although I agree with your concern with AG-Kane, Guzzardi is withholding final judgment until all the facts have been elucidated; his posture has nothing to do with the social issues.
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@ Jim:
A decision will be rendered on Wednesday regarding his ballot position; as I have documented, he should prevailunless there is something you know that i dont know? http://www.scribd.com/doc/213498387/Action-Items-LXXIII-Yom-Knisa- Guzzardi
There was a mediated settlement-conference held last week and, unlike Paterno, Guzzardi felt no compulsion to withdraw thereafter.
I might add that the experience of Brendan Boyle may be instructive, for the notarizing process he employed was sustained, despite the fact that the notarizer was one of his employees; the individual functioned after-hours. In Guzzardis case, if memory serves [because I didn't scrutinize DelCo in-detail], the challenge is against the fact that the circulator wrote the county in which she lives instead of the county of the signers [on page 2]; the bulk of signatures [30 and 14] are therefore challenged [among the ~93 total], with Guzzardi only having to reverse 10.
So I really think you should divulge what guilty-knowledge you may have, unless youre just trying to be provocative.
@ Sean:
Guzzardi DID file the Ethics Statement; he was unaware [and the instructions to candidates failed to state a deadline-date] of the need to transport the identical document, also, to the Ethics Commission.
@ Silverliner:
Without parsing your posting line-by-line, lets just say that the polling undermines your glowing portrayal of Corbett; there is plenty they can nail on Corbett both regarding policy [not having tackled Pensions, and not having sold the State Stores] and procedure [Sandusky, and violating a pledge not to raise taxes/fees].
He may claim to be honest, has no skeletons in the closet, no secret affairs, no corruption. Hes one of the best governors Pennsylvania has ever had. But he hardly has acted as a leader and, remember, four years ago @ the PLC, he referred to the U.S. Constitution as a living document [a line libs employ when petitioning it to alter established-law].
The perennial claim that so-and-so inherited a giant mess from [the opposition party]; but yet, dove in there and worked ha[r]d to get the job done. is trite and
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not particularly meaningful; he must defend his record of increased taxation [even of gasoline, which the PA-Supremes disallowed, thereby having the potential to ameliorate], for these actions are tethered to increasing the overall costs.
You claim Corbett team is bringing jobs and corporations into Pennsylvania, our roads, bridges and transit is being improved, but he shouldnt place America in tax-receivership by emulating how BHO engages in corporate-welfare.
Absent data, it is difficult to concur that Corbett has been man enough to step up to the plate and negotiate with unions. He appears to be paying government employees generously. This set of circumstances may also explain why he hasnt sold the State Stores.
{I also have a personal issue with his having reversed the posture of his anti-Trust division when announcing approval of the creation of Highmark; when queried, he didnt remember the particulars.}
So, lets all recognize that Guzzardi should be admired for having done what few others envision: he puts his resources [time/money] into walking the talk. And lets all recognize that Corbett has not lived-up to baseline positions/promises.as he increasingly buys into the Dem-postures on many issues [such as Medicaid Expansion without the work-requirement, precisely what BHO advocates].
@ Sean & Silverliner
Either document your assertions, or consider rescinding them.
This same approach prompted a response to a comment about an article about the-other- race-for-governor, again replying to other public-input:
@ DD:
Your luke-warm reheat of Dem talking-points is astoudingly transparent; decry some existing plans if will [because no reader can vet your opinion], but dont try to impugn all of them via a broad-brush aloof dismissal of what millions claim they liked.
@ Marc
Read Guzzardis websites, for they are replete with action-items; by claiming hes tangential, you only reveal your own superficiality [both in not having done basic- research before posting a comment, and in having mirrored reflexly what you know to be the standard-GOP "line"].
@ DD & Marc
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Cant you PRETEND to harbor independent thoughts???
Once these issues have been rectified [assuming appeals dont transpire], the primary-election day will loom, now ~6 weeks distant; this will create a daunting task for Guzzardi, but one he will confront.
While near Harrisburg, I chatted with a few people regarding the Mandated Holocaust Education bill; amazingly, the necessary education still entails debunking the claims that this initiative constitutes an unfunded mandate and that existing statute covers these topics in a cursory fashion [for it is actually fragmented and incomplete]. In particular, Lt. Gov. Cawley appeared aware of the concept of the way bills can be caught between the legislative-houses, so [in a separate e-mail] he and others will be given a terse overview of talking-points gleaned from the past -year of e-mails.:
Illustrative of what is experienced when interacting publicly regarding this issue, is this just-received e-mail regarding what transpired this past Sunday [c/o Rhonda Fink-Whitman], for it demonstrates why people defending the optional status quo language would embarrass themselves were they called-out publicly to justify their positions:
I just wanted to update you on the very well attended event we had at Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid in Broomall, PA (Senator Pileggi's district) on March 23. It was a full house, about 200 people for my speaking engagement and about half as many stayed for the panel discussion after lunch with me, Senator Williams, and a couple of prominent local educators. The organizers of the event, including Rabbi Barry Blum and PR person Alicia Sheerin, told me they tried for months leading up to the event to include opponents of the mandate on the panel, but to no avail. They could not get one legislator, lobbyist, or other opponent to participate in publicly denouncing the mandate. FYI.
This is consistent with my previously-stated viewpoint [The lobbying-effort has been maximal on an issue that should not be divisive, at-first-blush, publicly by those supporting the Mandate and quietly by those opposing it.] because, to quote OReilly, it seems that the opponents to a Mandate are hiding under their desks.
Scanning name-tags didnt yield the names of lobbyists with whom chats have been held and, therefore, efforts to rectify House/Senate/Cawley will be continued on Monday; it is felt that, after the Mandate has been passed, the Holocaust Remembrance industry wont harbor further lobbying-tasks.
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Lest anyone suggest BHO has the capacity to tone-down his rhetoric, note that he has reverted to form [OBAMA CALLS GOP POLICIES 'STINKBURGER' AND 'MEANWICH'].
Gun Control continues to clash with assertion of 2 nd Amendment rights, as noted in myriad postings [both in these blasts and (often) on PoliticsPA]; excluding prior elucidation thereof, a major-overview has been supplemented [here, here, here and here]. Recent events have prompted their reassessment [then reinforcement]; until/unless the Bill of Rights is amended, it remains dominant], notwithstanding the fact that a Girl, 11, was fatally shot in a West Phila. house [with circumstances being investigated]. There were 4 DEAD IN another FORT HOOD RAMPAGE after the SHOOTER BROUGHT HANDGUN INTO GUN-FREE ZONE and was deigned to have an 'unstable' mental condition when he SNAPPED after he was Denied leave on day of attack. In reaction [again], a GOP REP said Troops should be armed on base while it was again recognized [as noted, also, in a prior blast] that an EPIDEMIC exists [because at Least 22 Veterans Commit Suicide Each Day]. While conservatives decried the Proliferation of armed units in fed agencies, OBAMA HIT TWO FUNDRAISERS AFTERWARD [rather than flying to Texas].
Recalling serial assessments of Noah, I concur it was a dark, engrossing human drama; yet, I disagreed that this Bloated Biblical Biopic Is as Overstuffed as Noahs Ark, I wrote:
Rex Reed, it's time for you to hang-it-up; it almost appears as if the existence of an actual movie threatens to obscure the message you wish to convey...regardless of the characteristics of the piece-of- art.
Your cynicism led you to err [e.g., Noah had three sons (you forgot Japheth) and threatened to kill twin-girls (vide infra)] and you failed to recognize the fact [as restated in the flick] that the Ark was built as per specifications [Genesis 6:15].
This flick was awesome in IMAX, although certain uncertainties abound [e.g., it remains unclear why Noah felt compelled to stop humanity from replenishing (as animals were to do) and how Ham was going to beget offspring (when he wandered-off alone)].
Actually, your review was all-too-typical of those of others, self- referential and deprecatory; the score was a bit repetitive, but the "brooding" of Noah would not be surprising if you were to place yourself into his position of watching what some would argue was a "holocaust" propagated against the world (remembering the psycho-problems of Nazi-Germany survivors, particularly Jews).
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The director may profess to be agnostic, but he portrayed admirably the Creator/Redeemer you may wish to [re-]read Scripture prior to reformulating your slash/burn of a creative masterpiece [on multiple levels].
To be assessed tonight is whether 'CAPTAIN AMERICA' is About Obama's Kill List [as per the Film's Directors], a flick that Smashed April Opening Record.
Quick-Hits:
BHOs Scandal-Sheet CIA denies cherry-picking Benghazi intel Michael Morell: No cover-up on Benghazi Ex-CIA boss Morell faced heavy questioning on Benghazi at Wednesday hearing Obama/Biden Montage: We "Decimated Al Qaeda"
Murphy wants answers on why GM approved ignition switch
DOE Officials Husband Bills Taxpayers for Opera Visit Veterans Affairs Rehires Official After Fatal Drunk Driving Accident
EPA CONDUCTED POLLUTION EXPERIMENTS ON CHILDREN wrong-al-gore-predicted-arctic-summer-ice-could-disappear-2013 will-the-warming-debate-cool-off-climate-change-ipcc Study funded by prominent Dem donor and environmentalist shows little methane released into the atmosphere during hydraulic fracturing
Watchdog Sues CPSC For FOIAd Buckyballs Docs
ObamaDontCare MEDIA CELEBRATES OBAMACARE Obama Declares 'There's No Good Reason to Go Back,' Claims WH Didn't Try Hard to Market Obamacare Ted Cruz: 'Funny Math' MARK LEVIN HAMMERS OBAMA'S 'CASTRO'-LIKE OBAMACARE PRESSER BRIT HUME TO THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ON ACA ENROLLMENT: NOT A TIME 'TO BE DANCING IN THE END ZONE' Hawaii Obamacare Spent More Per Enrollee Than a New BMW Olivia Wilde Spins Latest ObamaCare Site Crash American Action Network took aim today at President Obamas record of dishonest healthcare promises in a web-based ad Keep Your Doctor. 3 insurers sign up 180,000 Pennsylvanians for Obamacare through Healthcare.gov Not 'everybody' is covered by Obamacare
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Report: Premiums Increase $2,900 per Family per Year Top Obama insiders privately concede Obamacare isand will remainunpopular, despite the administration's enrollment tally claims. White House Misled: Private Health Insurance, Outside Obamacare Marketplaces, Still for Sale DEMS ON OBAMA SPEECH: HE WAS VENTING Judicial Watch Battles Obamacare Secrecy, Corruption in Court
AG-Holder Washington Post Gets the Numbers Wrong on Judicial Nominees eric-holder-defended-using-justice-department-airplane-for-27-personal-trips
No-Justice-Department-Charges-Against-Ohio-Woman-Who-Voted-Six-Times-for-Obama Casey presses state for transparency in effort to purge voter rolls KANSAS AND ARIZONA WIN CASE TO REQUIRE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO VOTE
SUPREMES: FREE SPEECH TRUMPS CAMPAIGN FINANCE LIMITS Dem Rep: SCOTUS Lurching Us Into a Plutocratic Oligarchy, Campaign Finance Law Comparable to Slavery
Illegal Immigration GOP Immigration backers see service path to status GOP Immigration backers see service path to status AMNESTY ADVOCATES FEAR HIGH-TECH LOBBY WILL ABANDON THEM Border Patrol bloodied in rash of rock attacks Immigration-Reform U.S. releases illegal immigrants who are sex offenders - Report says many are freed without supervision or speedy deportation obama-urges-hispanics-to-rally-for-amnesty
Economy Unemployment stuck at 6.7% 180K More Women Out of Job in March Where Have All the Workers Gone?
Culture University of Michigan Requires Course on Americas Racism Vet faces eviction over American flag on balcony PBS'S TAVIS SMILEY: AMERICA NOT EXCEPTIONAL Mozilla Corp. co-founder Brendan Eich has resigned as CEO after a week of public pressure stemming from a campaign contribution he made six years ago, supporting Californias Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The MOZILLA CEO's exit tests Silicon Valley's tolerance; even Maher said, 'There Is A Gay Mafia; If You Cross Them, You Get Whacked.'
GOP-POTUS 16
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Mark Levin railed against the so-called establishment Republican presidential hopefuls that convened upon Las Vegas over the weekend for the Republican Jewish Coalition conference in order to woo top donors, including casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. [Vegas or bust for Republican Convention] TED CRUZ INKS $1.5 MILLION BOOK DEAL CRUZ INTRODUCED BILL TO PREVENT KNOWN TERRORISTS FROM ENTERING US AS UN DIPLOMATS
Sarah Palin: Paul Ryan Budget 'a Joke' RUBIO ON HOUSE GOP BUDGET: 'I THINK PAUL RYAN HAS IT RIGHT' Rick Santorum, in movie exec mode, considers his 2016 options Joe Scarborough Stops Pretending He's Running for President Joe Scarborough to South Carolina After Declaring He's Not Running for President Romney's return to public life stokes 2016 speculation Christie aide testifies in bridge probe Polls: Voters cool on Christie Chris Christie got the best news of his life when the Star-Ledger slashed 167 jobs, including 40 in the papers newsroom; thats just the latest blow to a paper which had 350 journalists in 2008 and which now has an anemic 116. BridgeGate Investigation Clearing Christie Interviewed 'No Port Authority Employees' Feds form grand jury to probe Chris Christie's role in Bridgegate [NJ police giving tickets to drivers caught eating] [No GOP candidates filed to run in special election for Andrews' seat]
GOP-Senate Pro-Israel Group Drops Brutal Ad Against Walter Jones Top Political Forecaster Stuart Rothenberg: Thad Cochran in 'Deep Trouble' Tea Party Momentum Builds Around McDaniel in Mississippi GOP Senate Primary
Dems DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: 'THE LESS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OBAMACARE THE BETTER'
Hillary struggled to list accomplishments during tenure as Secretary of State Hillary: Partisanship taking US backwards $6 Billion Went Missing
Newark after Booker: City faces takeover threat
D.C.'s scandal-scarred mayor bounced in primary Democrat Turn-Out in D.C. Show Apathetic Voters
Insiders: Merkleys Iran Thesis a Political Liability
Ad: Democrat Michelle Nunn 'Last Thing Georgia Taxpayers Need' GREG ABBOTT TAKES WENDY DAVIS TO TASK ON EDUCATION REFORM
Feds Curtail Major Counterterror Exercise in Washington
Obama hates Israel [7-minute video] Peres-bestoweds-on-Obama-the-Medal-of-Distiniction MIDEAST MESS! Afghans line up for blocks to vote for new leader
Egypt's Terror Cells Get Training in Syria and Explosives from Libya Implications of a Sisi Presidency in Egypt - Field Marshal Sisi is part of a new generation of U.S.-educated Egyptian military leaders whose close relationship with various power centers - especially his military colleagues - enhances his prospects of enduring if he becomes president. Given his extremely good chances of winning the election, it would be shortsighted for Washington to jeopardize its three-decade investment in close relations with Egypt's armed forces by prolonging its military aid suspension. Moreover, Sisi's greater focus on counterterrorism compared to his predecessors creates an opportunity to better advance mutual strategic security interests. egyptian-security-forces-storm-village-in-which-islamists-waged-anti-christian-violence terror-tv-al-jazeeras-journalists-threaten-coptic-christians-in-egypt-to-withdraw-jizya-reports bbc-claimed-egyptian-yom-kippur-war-was-pre-emptive-arab-attack egyptian-army-saves-christians-from-muslim-terrorists Camelia Sadat, Daughter of Late Egyptian President: For Muslim Brotherhood, No Distinction between Koran and the Pistol
Muslim Youth in Nigeria Attack School, Burn Church tunisian-girls-go-to-syria-for-sexual-jihad-return-pregnant-after-sexual-abuse Could the Rape Jihad Come to America? sharia-in-action-in-yemen-robber-to-have-hand-foot-amputated-in-accord-with-quranic- command
Russia's Vladimir Putin Courts European Far Right, Ultranationals NATO Suspends Russia Co-Operation
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Putin Promises to Consider Rehabilitation of Crimean Tatars Russia Today President Facing Prison for Tax Fraud
Japan orders military to strike any new North Korea missile launches N. KOREA'S KIM JONG-UN WARNS OF 'VERY GRAVE' SITUATION
Caracas chaos: Venezuelan general on the run Food ID cards cause concern Ousted Venezuelan Legislator Attacked with Tear Gas
While awaiting Commonwealth Courts decision on Guzzardis candidacy *remember, hes atop Corbett+, a few items-of-interest are providedwith necessary commentary; the action-items to be pursued [personally, but support is always welcome] have become otherwise consolidated, focusing on the Mandatory Holocaust Education legislation [lengthy memos provided over the weekend to key-people, to be followed-up by phone calls to people-in-the-know in both chambers]; Kurdistan recognition [perhaps those with national-reach who receive these blast e-mails may wish to enhance efforts by Sherkoh Abbas (and others) to petition BHO to shift his Syria policy towards arming true-friends]; and the generic desire to help people use precise terminology [which should stimulate the ability to cite accurate references+ when debating issues on all three legs of public policy *domestic/foreign/social+.
ObamaDontCare
A leftie [Edward-Isaac Dovere, from Politico] wrote that Obama's challenge is not to blow it, despite his alleged history of watching his victories slip away before fully capitalizing on them. This is presumably based on his having met the 7.1 million threshold, despite the fact that simple arithmetic dictates an alternative viewpoint. A key-point has been lost on most pundits, in that they will occasionally note the offset is problematic *14 million dropped+ without noting the apple/orange difference. Specifically, whereas the former represents individuals more often than families, the latter represents far greater numbers of families; therefore, the total-tabulation of the number of people in each camp has been blunted [although no one appears to have discerned just how much]. Perhaps, at least for Pennsylvania, someone may wish to provide these basic-data, so as to amplify how flawed this effort actually is.
Other accrued-hyperlinks illustrate its ongoing, disastrous impact on Middle America: REPUBLICANS EXPANDED OBAMACARE Insurance cancelled for 1800 children in NJ HHS Started Obamcare Applications For Americans, Without Consent States Signing Up Prison Inmates for Obamacare Pelosi: Dems 'Very Proud' of ObamaCare, Those Running Against it Are 'the Exception' Bobby Jindal's let-the-states-experiment-with-their-own-solutions plan Democrats Join GOP Fight Against Medicare Advantage Cuts
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Lawmakers Who Voted for Obamacare are [somewhat] Proud Video: Senator Mark Pryor Doubled Down on ObamaCare - Says He'd Vote For It Again
Again, Ted Cruz nails it, by citing the 'Broken Window' Theory of ObamaCare When I was marveling at the spectacle of Barack Obama killing six million insurance policies, then celebrating the "achievement" of selling those people more expensive coverage at gunpoint, I compared it to Obama running a tire shop with a line of tire-puncturing spikes deployed on the road outside. "Wow, shame about how your wheels just blew off! Lucky for you we sell tires here! You'd best buy a set, before the cop up the road arrests you for driving on four flats!" Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made the same point with a reference to the classic "Broken Windows" fallacy outlined by Bastiat.
2 nd Amendment vs. Gun Control
Item #1/#2 remains the linkage between the five-freedoms in #1 and how the Founders/Framers vowed to protect them in #2 [referring to the Bill of Rights]; although some may claim these hyperlinks could be off-setting, others [including myself] see those that would undermine fundamental-rights as weak and those reinforcing them as strong. The right to bear arms has allowed people to protect themselves [Female Homeowner Shoots, Kills Intruder Entering House with Knife and Burglar Flees, Leaves Partner Behind When Confronted by Armed Man], dwarfing concern that lapses in home-security could yield an epidemic of shooting accidents [Woman stole dad's guns for drugs]; this is why, although the libs are invoking Camp Hood #2 to promote confiscation [Juan Williams reacted to Army Spc. Ivan Lopez's heinous crime at Fort Hood by saying he wants "America to be a gun-free zone" and Sen. Tim Kaine claimed the Push to Arm Soldiers on Military Bases is Motivated by Politics], conservatives are trying to tamp-down undue publicity [FOX NEWS'S MEGYN KELLY, SEAN HANNITY REFUSE TO USE FORT HOOD SHOOTER'S NAME], are opposing confiscation [Thousands of 2 nd Amendment Rights Supporters Attend Rally at CT State Capitol], and are focused on the nitty-gritty of how law-enforcement occurs [Stolfer: PA Instant Check System not fair, efficient, and constitutional].
Perhaps inadvertently, Bob Costas Challenged 'Angry,' 'Extreme' Second Amendment Protectors to a Bet in a fashion that reflects how hyperlinks are chosen for these
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blast e-mails [and Id take him up on this bet, based upon prior compilations]: Heres what I would say to anybody who any time they hear the word guns automatically goes off, like, Oh, theyre going to repeal the Second Amendment, Lets make a bet, you and me. Lets say over the next five years well do a Google search. Well have an independent party monitor it. You keep track of how many good and constructive things are associated with athletes having a gun, and Ill keep track of all the tragedies and criminality and folly. And lets see who comes out ahead or behind as the case may be.
As presaged supra, focus on #2 yields erosion of #1 [The Danger of the Left's Collective View of Rights], most recently manifest when NBC's David Gregory commented on McCutcheon v. FEC by claiming [targeting the GOP, not Soros]: 'Here's A New Reality -- American Democracy For Sale.'
Culture War
It may be noted that my view of marijuana laws is consistent with that of the majority of Americans; simply put, its not sufficiently dangerous to be restricted, particularly noting its potential medical use [although anecdotes are sometimes problematic], although Medical marijuana still scares most high profile PA politicians despite massive poll popularity. Although Corbett wouldn't legalize pot even if his toddler grandson needed it [and feels this issue should be handled on the Federal level], there appears to be a broad consensus that state-level experimentation [federalism] is preferable. Regarding the utilization of law-enforcement, it would seem that denying this access drug to smugglers would yield far fewer targets for more dangerous drugs. This posture doesnt deny the fact that it is mind-altering, but it elevates personal-responsibility as the driving-force when [for example] dealing with driving-cars; ultimately, however, it may be wise to delay a final position until elsewhere-experiences are gauged. {Also: Chris Christie Will 'Consider' Legalizing Edible Marijuana for Adults.}
Regarding what happened after the Mozilla CEO was Destroyed for Same Gay Marriage Views Expressed by Obama and Clintons [Hillary Clinton Worse On Marriage Equality Than Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich], George Will expressed a view of Gay Rights Activists ['No One Likes Sore Losers But Now We Have Sore Winners'] comparable to my reaction [as captured on these blast e-mails]. Others have also decried such
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fanaticism, and some have promulgated tit-for-tat reactions [CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE NOW BLOCKS FIREFOX TO PROTEST ANTI-CHRISTIAN DISCRIMINATION and GAY REMARKS PROMPT BACKLASH FOR OREGON BUSINESS OWNER]. As a result, Mozilla Clammed-Up As It Reaps a Whirlwind Of Disapproval. Indeed, it seems a perpetual victim psychology animates how BHO wants to perpetuate class- conflict ['Living wage,' unaffordable products and SEIU TO PLACE $15 MIN. WAGE ON SAN FRANCISCO BALLOT], pseudo-racism [Obama to Headline Al Sharpton Conference and, just posted @ Drudge: SHOCK CLAIM: SHARPTON WAS FBI MOB RAT!], and To Keep Focus On War On Women Rhetoric [despite the fact that Obama is still paying women less than men]. {Also, Conservative Artists Shouldn't Wield Left's Ideological Cudgel in Culture War.}
Yet, the media is increasingly divided; although MSNBC remains solidly-lib [Harry Reid: MSNBC Host Joy Reid 'Tells It Like It Is'] and SNL predictably Spoofs 'Fox & Friends' and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, SNL Mocked GM CEO Mary Barra's Congressional Testimony [although it couldnt get itself to cite the billions given to Government Motors by The Forgotten Taxpayer]. Also reflecting evolving moods is the fact that Letterman Finally Boosted his Ratings...By Quitting (Still Lost in Demo); the box- office reflects this, also, when 'CAPTAIN AMERICA' CAPTURED FIRST PLACE ['NOAH' SUFFERS BIG DROP] having generated positive reviews [Movie review: 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier']. In my view, when Redford is in a flick that attacks BHOs drone policy, the public is forcibly enlightened and can be prompted to see limits when security concerns are consistently cited by BHO; and when the major fault in Noah is that the protagonist wants to kill his grand- daughters [to fulfill what he claims to have been the Creators will], its viewable as a despicable [soap-opera-like] tangent rather than an overall indictment of Humanity. Ominous, albeit good for Philly, is the MERGER effort by COMCAST [based on how it allegedly BOUGHT THE DEM PARTY]; as Comcast GETS BIGGER, concern must be expressed regarding loss of competition. {Also, watch how Mickey Rooney Got Emotional while Reflecting on His Career in a Final Interview.}
Foreign Policy
It has been possible [via these blast e-mails] to have caught-up regarding key-issues affecting the Middle East, but it remains desirable to promote a recently-published piece [by
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Abbas, Sklaroff & Puder] elucidating why America Must Recognize the Kurds]; note that Syrian Civilians Rebelled Against Al Qaeda and Sunni Jihadists in Lebanon Prepare for War with Hezbollah. Yet, the baseline ego/intransigence within BHOs coterie apparently persists, manifest when Rahm Emanuel showed he has Learned Nothing About Foreign Policy; Emanuel is declaring Middle-East geography [specifically, surrounding Israel] irrelevant in the same arrogant, hubristic tone with which President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have dismissed Vladimir Putin's distinctly "19th century" interest in the Crimea. This has been characterized as Obama's attention-deficit diplomacy, and it simultaneously enrages/disgusts/unnerves. {Also, Liz Cheney Slammed 'Very Sad' Dianne Feinstein for Senate CIA Interrogation Report.}
Putin is increasingly provocative, as BHO remains 100% inert. Pro-Russia protesters storm government offices in eastern Ukraine UKRAINE ARRESTS FIFTEEN PRO-RUSSIANS IN LUHANSK PLANNING TO OVERTHROW LOCAL GOVERNMENT Putin on the move? Raiffeisen Banks Close in Crimea Russian Gas Giant Gazprom $910 Billion Short of Expectations Ukraine Will Take Russia to Arbitration Court if Gazprom Doubles Gas Price Pro-Russia Demonstrators in Donetsk, Luhansk Capture More Government Buildings Ukrainian Officer Killed by Russian Soldier in Crimea AMERICAN COUPLE BARELY ESCAPES WITH LAST ADOPTED CRIMEAN ORPHAN Bush: 'Putin Views US as an Enemy'
These problems persist worldwide, as anti-USA alliances displace Americas ability to protect sea-lanes: Study: China World's Most Powerful Nation CHINA SHOWS OFF NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIER Hagel warns China Christians form human shield around Chinese church to protect from bulldozers U.S. Fails to Reaffirm Its Mutual Defense Treaty with Japan USA sending 2 warships to patrol North Korea U.S. NAVY WARSHIP SENT TO RESCUE SICK BABY ABOARD STRANDED BOAT Navies of Iran and Pakistan to hold joint drill in Hormuz strait
Venezuelan President's Op-Ed in NYT Blames Violence on 'The 1%' Venezuelan General in Hiding: Maduro Completely Dependent on the Cubans
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PA-Politics
Again illustrating the problems the Establishment-GOP is having with conservative-reformers are Emails that provided a behind-the-scenes look at how Ex-Sen. Mike Waugh became head of the Farm Show; editorialists explored how-scott-wagner-can-be-productive, as the national civil-war within the GOP is manifest in myriad ways, such as when the American Conservative Union scorecard was caught skipping gas tax legislation vote. Noting that Major road improvements are headed for the suburbs due to the tax-hike, I have raised the possibility that selling the State Stores could offset this 28-cent tax hike enough to yield its being rescinded by the November Election, thereby [retroactively] allowing Corbett to claim he didnt violate his no-tax-hike pledge; most monies to be expended are now budgeted (memory suggests more than $2 billion is to be expended, while there are a few hundred-thousand dollars to arise from the gas-tax-hike). Nevertheless, as it now stands, Corbett has both broken this pledge and that related to not hiking fees [as higher car-registration costs were effective on 4/1/2014].
Many of these issues are fleshed-out in both articles and commentaries in myriad recently-uploaded publications, most of which stem from the weekends PLC- meeting [Toomey and Santorum give conservatives what they want at annual gathering and Micek: For Gov. Corbett, a sound conservative base is still a rocky shoal]; again noted is a reference to Sandusky and, whereas Conservatives-hoping-Corbett-can- turn-the-tide, Dems-hope-Corbetts-woes-boost-Congressional chances. Compounding the concerns of incumbents are troublesome data [PA residents lack trust in state government, 75% of Americans Believe Politicians are Corrupt, and PA tax burden ranks 10 th nationally] that can only be compounded by corruption-related pieces AG-Kane records release could unravel legislative 'naked corruption' scandal, Bumsted: post-sting, PA House's integrity is at stake, Heyl: $58M PA Turnpike contract was a steal, PA Senate President's chief counsel: total gift ban could be unwieldy and difficult to enforce, and Rampant overtime spiked city employees' pensions in Philly]. {Also, PA prescription pill abuse is 'epidemic.'}
Cook-political-report-examined-pa-house-races and noted, regarding PA-13, Margolies is the front- runner when it comes to name ID, but her low cash on hand totals and reliance on her Clinton family connection could backfire. In that case, Leach and Boyle each have constituencies that should turn out for them and may propel them to victory. Arkoosh is a dark horse who can end up surprising everyone thanks to her prodigious fundraising. {Meanwhile, on the Guv-level, SCHWARTZ HAS HIT THE AIR.}
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GOPs Civil-War
Peter Schweizer claimed that Conservatives, Libertarians, Millennials Uniting Against Crony Capitalism, but it is difficult to notice this as the battle-lines are increasingly vivid between the GOP- Establishment and the TEA Party Movement; as Moronic Meddling in Minnesota has been occurring [via D.C.] and Matt Bevin has been 'Called of God,' per Glenn Beck, Kentucky Tea Party Activists Use Left's Community Organizing Tools. Angering Conservatives further is the fact that Green Energy Subsidies Passed Senate Finance Committee by Voice Vote, undermining the Republicans claim that they are unable to roll-back anti-free market policies with their limited control of the federal government, for one would expect them to block renewals of bad policies once they have expired. Angering Conservatives still more is the fact that, although School Districts Began Exodus From Common Core, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Released a One-Sided Common Core 'Mini- Documentary.' It is, therefore, not surprising that efforts are being made to promote Jeb Bush for POTUS-16 [Jeb Bush to 'Make a Decision' at 'End of the Year'], even as he is both wrong on Common Core and Illegal immigration [termed an 'act of love' and then rationalized thusly: 'Yes, they broke the law, but it's not a felony']. Not to be ignored, although obviously in the penumbra of Ted Cruz, RICK PERRY noted JOB REPORT SHOWS TEXAS KEEPING AMERICA AFLOAT.
Meanwhile, Sarah Palin Endorsed Pete Ricketts for Nebraska Governor and Clobbered Bill Clinton in Late-Night Ratings; the clip of the skit has gone viral, having been viewed nearly 1.2 million times on YouTube in less than two days, while none of Clinton's three segments with Kimmel has even been viewed 150,000 times.
The rationale for noting BHOs Scandal-Sheet in this category is concern that Congress has not been investigating sufficiently expeditiously. Regarding the NSA, the SCOTUS Refused Speedy Review of its Phone Program; regarding the IRS, IRS agent testimony: No progressive groups were targeted, despite claims by Dems and media, as a Vote to Hold Lois Lerner in Contempt of Congress is Scheduled for Next Thursday [recalling that the DOJ Refused to Appoint Special Prosecutor]; and regarding Benghazi, there is More Obfuscation [Testimony by the former acting head of the CIA makes clear that Congress's current approach isn't sufficient; a select-committee is needed, per MICHAEL B. MUKASEY] as Lindsey Graham again concluded the Benghazi Talking Points Were Changed to Help Obama Reelection.