Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Thursday January 16, 2020.
THE DAILY SIGNAL
| Jan 16, 2020 Good morning from Washington, where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi finally sent over two articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate, which had waited nearly a month. Fred Lucas has details on Pelosi’s seven managers for the coming trial. The nation’s top homeland security official touts a multipronged strategy to fight human trafficking, Rachel del Guidice reports. Plus: understanding the new trade deal with China, cherishing our religious liberty every day, and the problematic decline of the vaunted Women’s March. On this date in 1979, a revolution forces Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, leader of Iran since 1941, to flee the country. NEWSMeet House Democrats’ 7 Impeachment ManagersBy Fred Lucas One of the new impeachment managers said in 2017: “Why were so many people who worship at the altar of white supremacy drawn to Donald Trump’s campaign? What was it about this individual that so many folks dripping in hatred flocked to his candidacy?”MoreCOMMENTARYThanks to Supreme Court, Christian Bakers Have New Day in Court to Fight $135K FineBy Keisha Russell This case will decide whether government officials in Oregon have the legal authority to effectively force faithful business owners to close shop if they decline to participate in a same-sex wedding.MoreNEWSDHS Strategy on Human Trafficking Aims to Put Issue Front and CenterBy Rachel del Guidice Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf outlines in a speech at The Heritage Foundation the department’s strategy to eradicate human trafficking.MoreANALYSISWhat You Need to Know About New US-China Trade DealBy Katrina Trinko Will the new deal boost the American economy? Will it curb China’s theft of intellectual property from U.S. companies? The Heritage Foundation’s Riley Walters has answers.MoreCOMMENTARYProblematic Women: The Demise of the Women’s MarchBy Lauren Evans The 2020 Women’s March is on Jan. 18. But will anyone show up? “Problematic Women” covers the downfall of a key #resistance protest.MoreCOMMENTARYWhy America Must Recommit to Religious FreedomBy Thomas Jipping We celebrate Jan. 16 as Religious Freedom Day, the anniversary of the passage in 1786 of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.More The Daily Signal is brought to you by more than half a million members of The Heritage Foundation. Donate to The Daily Signal Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter How are we doing? We welcome your comments, suggestions, and story tips. Please reply to this email or send us a note at comments@dailysignal.com.The Daily Signal 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (800) 546-2843 Add morningbell@heritage.org to your address book to ensure that you receive emails from us.You are subscribed to this newsletter as rickbulow1974@gmail.com. If you want to receive other Heritage Foundation newsletters, or opt out of this newsletter, please click here to update your subscription. |
DAYBREAK INSIDER
| Your First Look at Today’s Top Stories – Daybreak InsiderHaving trouble viewing this email? View the web version.SPONSORED BYDaybreakInsider.com @DaybreakInsiderTHURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 20201.Pelosi Gleefully Signs Articles of Impeachment And she gave out souvenir pens like she was a Disney princess (Washington Times). From the Wall Street Journal: She demands what she calls a “fair trial” after preventing a fair impeachment probe in the House. This is an abuse of the impeachment power (WSJ). From another story: Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley laid out a sweeping indictment of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., arguing that her impeachment strategy backfired and gave Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the upper hand. “The delay now seems largely driven by a desire to preserve the image of Pelosi as a master strategist despite a blunder of the first order,” Turley wrote in a column titled, “Pelosi’s Blunder: How the House Destroyed its Own Case for Impeachment’ (Fox News). 2.Warren to Sanders: “You Called Me a Liar on National T.V.” CNN released the audio of that exchange after the debate (Twitter). David Harsanyi looks at studies of who lies more – men or women (National Review). It appears Warren gained the most ground post-debate (FiveThirtyEight) though few actually watched it (Washington Examiner). Advertisement3.Senator Harris Wants Judicial Votes to Stop During Impeachment She said in a statement “The president is charged with high crimes and misdemeanors, and the Senate must take seriously its constitutional role in this process. During the time when articles of impeachment are before the Senate, it would be wholly inappropriate to advance the president’s nominees to the federal judiciary” (The Hill). To which Ted Cruz simply tweeted “No” (Twitter). 4.Study: Shacking Up Before Marriage is Bad for a Couple’s Sex LifeAnd this isn’t the first study to discover this fact. From the story: The study … found that lovebirds who lived together before marriage were less sexually satisfied than those couples who didn’t live together before marriage. They also have a higher rate of divorce. NY Post 5.Trump Signs Partial Trade Deal with China “Phase one,” he called it, in de-escalating the trade battle (ABC News). Meanwhile, from Adam Wollner: Trump’s overall job approval in WI stands at 48/49, but approval of his handling of the economy is at 55/42, per new @MULawPoll (Twitter). Advertisement6.Speaker on Chastity Cancelled Due to Biblical Views on HomosexualityThis time, several talks were cancelled in Dublin due to Jason Evert’s faith. The Tablet 7.Larry Elder: Democrats Embrace of Ilhan Omar a Troubling Sign Revealing the entire party has a deep-seeded problem. Creators 8.Percentage of Children Raised in Two-Parent Homes IncreasingAlthough nowhere near what it once was, there is improvement of late. From the story: … since 2014, the share of children living with two married parents has risen ever-so-slightly, from 61.8% to 62.3% in 2018, and data from early 2019 in the Current Population Survey suggest that 2019 will show further improvement. The period from 2011 to 2019 is the longest period of stability or improvement in children’s living situations since the 1950s. Institute for Family Studies AdvertisementCopyright © 2020 DaybreakInsider.comSUBSCRIPTION INFO This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It is only sent to people who signed up from one of the Salem Media Group network of websites OR a friend might have forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. Unsubscribe from The Daybreak Insider OR Send postal mail to: The Daybreak Insider Unsubscribe 6400 N. Belt Line Rd., Suite 200, Irving, TX 75063 Were you forwarded this edition of The Daybreak Insider? Get your own free subscription Copyright © 2020 Salem Media Group and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. |
POLITICO PLAYBOOK
POLITICO Playbook: Parnas drops an 11th-hour bombshell, plus Pelosi’s cash haul
By JAKE SHERMAN and ANNA PALMER
01/16/2020 05:54 AM EST
Presented by
DRIVING THE DAY
NEW … SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI, the Democratic Party’s most prolific fundraiser, raised more than $75 million directly for the DCCC last year, and more than $87 million for Democrats in 2019, she will announce today. PELOSI held 181 fundraisers in 54 cities — continuing a breakneck pace for Democrats.
— STEVE SCALISE (R-La.), the House minority whip, raised $5.85 million last quarter, rounding out a $21 million year. He raised $4.45 million online in the last three months of the year.
— THE NRSC pulled in “$70 million last year — including $7 million in December — easily surpassing the previous record for the committee’s fundraising in an off year and nearly doubling the amount they raised in the off year six years ago en route to winning control of the Senate.” via James Arkin, for Pro subscribers
BOMBSHELL … LEV PARNAS, the former Rudy Giuliani associate, gave an explosive interview to RACHEL MADDOW on MSNBC on Wednesday night. It’s hard to know if everything he said was true — he is under indictment — but his claims will certainly help Democrats make their case that the upcoming Senate trial of the president requires witnesses and the admission of, and focus on, fresh evidence.
“President Trump knew exactly what was going on,” Parnas said. “He was aware of all my movements. I wouldn’t do anything without the consent of Rudy Giuliani, or the president. I have no intent, I have no reason to speak to any of these officials.”
— OTHER EXPLOSIVE DETAILS: PARNAS said VP MIKE PENCE did not go to Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY’S inauguration because they had not announced a Joe Biden investigation. … He said that President DONALD TRUMP was interested only in dragging BIDEN down, not corruption. He said former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch was booted from her post because she tried to block the investigation. … PARNAS said Rep. DEVIN NUNES (R-Calif.) and his aide Derek Harvey “were involved in getting all this stuff on Biden.” Matthew Choi, Kyle Cheney and Darren Samuelsohn with more
— PARNAS also gave an interview to the NYT in which he said, “My biggest regret is trusting so much … I thought I was being a patriot and helping the president,” and that he “thought by listening to the president and his attorney that I couldn’t possibly get in trouble or do anything wrong.”
— NEW WAPO STORY: “How Giuliani’s outreach to Ukrainian gas tycoon wanted in U.S. shows lengths he took in his hunt for material to bolster Trump,” by Roz Helderman, Tom Hamburger, Paul Sonne and Josh Dawsey
WHAT TODAY IN IMPEACHMENT WILL LOOK LIKE … Noon: The House managers will go to the Senate to read the articles of impeachment. 2 p.m.: Chief Justice JOHN ROBERTS will come to the Capitol and be sworn in by Senate President Pro Tempore CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-Iowa). Then ROBERTS will swear in the Senate.
AS SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL SAID, the trial will begin “in earnest” Tuesday — after MLK Jr. Day.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: REPORTERS need special credentials to access the Senate side of the Capitol while impeachment is going on.
PELOSI will brief the press at 10:45 a.m.
TODAY IN TEAM TRUMP STRATEGY … WAPO: “Eyeing swift impeachment trial, Trump’s legal team aims to block witnesses and cast doubt on charges,” by Toluse Olorunnipa and Josh Dawsey: “White House lawyers are trying to engineer the fastest impeachment trial in American history, aiming to have President Trump acquitted by the Senate without witnesses and after just a few days of proceedings, according to senior administration officials.
“Trump’s desire for a short trial has solidified over the past few weeks, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) delayed transmitting two articles of impeachment to the Senate because of concerns about how the trial would be structured. The White House, which previously supported a more expansive trial in the GOP-led Senate, has now accepted the idea that senators should make quick work of acquitting Trump.
“‘I think it’s extraordinarily unlikely that we’d be going beyond two weeks,’ said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters Wednesday on the condition of anonymity. ‘We think that this case is overwhelming for the president, and the Senate’s not going to be having any need to be taking that amount of time on this.’” WaPo
… BUT, this might not really be the president’s choice. If senators vote to allow witnesses, this could easily stretch beyond two weeks.
— CASE IN POINT: “Rand Paul threatens fellow Republicans with explosive witness votes,” by Burgess Everett: “Paul says if four or more of his GOP colleagues join with Democrats to entertain new witness testimony, he will make the Senate vote on subpoenaing the president’s preferred witnesses, including Hunter Biden and the whistleblower behind the Ukraine scandal — polarizing picks who moderate Republicans aren’t eager to debate. So he has a simple message for his party: End the trial before witnesses are called.
“‘If you vote against Hunter Biden, you’re voting to lose your election, basically. Seriously. That’s what it is,’ Paul said during an interview in his office on Wednesday. ‘If you don’t want to vote and you think you’re going to have to vote against Hunter Biden, you should just vote against witnesses, period.’”
BY THE WAY … IF YOU’RE A SENATOR on the fence about witnesses, wouldn’t Parnas become of interest now that he’s gone on a highly rated cable show and said all of this?
A message from the National Retail Federation:
As lawmakers consider legislation and regulations around data privacy, it’s important that all businesses are held responsible for their own conduct, not the privacy violations of others like contractors or franchises. Learn more about the key tenets of effective privacy legislation at
NEW AD CAMPAIGN … DEFENDING DEMOCRACY TOGETHER — a group of Republicans led by Bill Kristol — is dropping $1 million on TV and digital ads and billboards urging witnesses in the Senate trial. Both 30-second spots urge Senate Republicans to allow JOHN BOLTON to testify. The two spots
— THE SPENDING PLAN is quite tailored to target vulnerable Republicans and those who have said they might want witnesses. They’re planning to spend $75,000 in Alaska, $100,000 in Utah, $150,000 in Arizona, $175,000 in Maine and Colorado each and $225,000 in Tennessee.
Good Thursday morning.
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NEW … HAPPENING TODAY … MIKE BLOOMBERG WILL BE ON THE HILL for separate meetings with the CHC PAC, ASPIRE PAC New Dems and Blue Dog co-chairs. (h/t Sarah Ferris)
HOT MIC ALERT! … CNN: “Exclusive: Warren accused Sanders in tense post-debate exchange of calling her a ‘liar’ on national TV,” by Kyle Blaine, Jeff Zeleny and Marshall Cohen: “‘I think you called me a liar on national TV,’ Warren can be heard saying. ‘What?’ Sanders responded. ‘I think you called me a liar on national TV,’ she repeated. ‘You know, let’s not do it right now. If you want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion,’ Sanders said, to which Warren replied, ‘Anytime.’”
— SPEAKING OF SEXISM … “‘It’s so bad’: How Warren and Klobuchar are navigating sexism,” by Elena Schneider and Alex Thompson in Perry, Iowa: “Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar are running against more than just their opponents. The pair are speaking more openly, in different ways, about what their campaigns see as an obstacle they alone face: sexism on the campaign trail.
“Three years after the Women’s March and one year after a wave of female politicians rode into Congress — backed, largely, by female voters — the Democratic Party could exit Iowa and New Hampshire without a woman in the top three slots, according to early-state polling.
“Warren and Klobuchar, the final remaining women with formidable support in a primary that saw a historic six female candidates run, are entering the run-up to Iowa with persistent questions of ‘electability’ growing louder. Meanwhile, a firestorm consumed the primary this week over whether a woman can beat Donald Trump.
“‘We have to grapple with the fact that some people think a woman can’t win … I have heard about it from our own people [and] I’ve noticed it,’ Klobuchar told POLITICO in an interview. The Minnesota Democrat called it ‘a real barrier’ that’s only grown more obvious as the primary has ground on. It has prompted her to speak more openly about sexism, she said, ‘especially because I’ve seen my very qualified sisters have to leave the race — that was really, for me, a turning point.’” POLITICO
A message from the National Retail Federation:
How can policymakers balance concerns around data privacy with the needs of businesses that use data to better serve their customers? Learn how at
UH OH … NYT’S SHANE GOLDMACHER and SYDNEY EMBER, with a Mason City, Iowa, dateline: “Elizabeth Warren Confronts the Issue Dragging Her Down”: “[T]he fear, reflecting doubts held by many moderate Democrats, is that the cost and scale of her swelling list of policy plans will scare off voters in the general election, according to interviews with dozens of Democrats in the state. Then there are the worries about her ability to defeat President Trump as a liberal Democrat and to overcome the challenges presented by sexism.
“Ms. Warren was once the Democratic candidate to beat in Iowa, lifted by the kinetic energy of her crowds and a sprawling campaign infrastructure that far exceeded those of her rivals. She is now trying to allay second thoughts about her sweeping agenda — especially ‘Medicare for all’ — and how well it would sell against Mr. Trump. …
“In December, Ms. Warren scored the coveted endorsement of Art Cullen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of The Storm Lake Times, which is based in the northwestern part of the state. When she called to thank him for the endorsement, Mr. Cullen said, he gave her an earful on why she needed to show up more often. ‘I’ve not understood why she’s not been present in Iowa as much as she should be,’ Mr. Cullen said in an interview. ‘Specifically, I mean western Iowa.’”
WMUR: “U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster endorses Pete Buttigieg in 2020 Democratic primary”
TRUMP’S THURSDAY — The president will receive his intel briefing at 11:45 a.m. in the Oval Office. He will participate in an announcement on prayer in public schools in the Oval Office at 2 p.m.
PLAYBOOK READS
RELAX … L.A. TIMES: “L.A. City Council to vote on asking MLB to award Dodgers championship trophies,” by Bill Shakin
UNDERSTANDING VLADIMIR — “How Putin plans to stay on,” by Alec Luhn: “If one thing was clear about the resignation of Russia’s prime minister on Wednesday, it was that a step had been taken toward President Vladimir Putin remaining in power after his term ends in 2024. ….
“The proposed constitutional changes would weaken the presidency while giving greater power and independence to the parliament and state council, both of which have been seen even before now as possible landing spots for Putin. He could head a revamped state council comprised of regional governors, most of whom were appointed by Putin. Or else the Kremlin-loyal parties in parliament, which is chaired by a former Putin aide, could name him prime minister.” POLITICO Europe
MEET THE NEW GUY — “‘Technocratic placeholder’? Putin picks low-profile tax chief as Russian PM,” by Reuters’ Polina Ivanova and Katya Golubkova in Moscow: “Mikhail Mishustin, President Vladimir Putin’s surprise choice to become Russia’s prime minister, is a tax chief with almost no political profile who analysts say could be a “technocratic placeholder.” …
“Like Putin, Mishustin enjoys ice hockey and is on the boards of CSKA Moscow ice hockey club and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.
“An engineer by training, Mishustin joined the government tax service in 1998 and spent five years as a deputy tax minister from 1999 to 2004.” Reuters
… BUT DOES HE know how to meddle in elections?
A message from the National Retail Federation:
Federal privacy legislation should hold businesses responsible for their own conduct, not expose them to liability for others’ privacy violations.
THE CHINA DEAL — “U.S., China Sign Deal Easing Trade Tensions,” by WSJ’s Bob Davis, Lingling Wei and William Mauldin: “The U.S. and China signed a trade deal that officials say will lead to a sharp increase in sales of U.S. goods and services to China, further open Chinese markets to foreign firms—especially in financial services—and provide strong new protections for trade secrets and intellectual property.
“The eight-part agreement acts as a cease-fire in a two-year trade war that has roiled markets world-wide and cut into global growth. But it leaves in place U.S. tariffs on about $370 billion in Chinese goods, or about three-quarters of Chinese imports to the U.S.
“Possible tariff reductions will be left to later negotiations, which will cover a host of difficult issues at the heart of the trade battle, including Chinese subsidies to domestic companies and Beijing’s oversight of Chinese state-owned firms. Those talks are expected to begin fairly soon but not conclude until after the U.S. presidential election in November.” WSJ … The text
— BUT, BUT, BUT … ANITA KUMAR: “Some Trump confidants privately admit that the president is hyping a modest deal as he faces intense pressure de-escalate with China ahead of a campaign in which Trump will face Democratic criticism that the China tariffs have harmed blue-collar Americans.
“These allies also fear the tariffs could put a dent in the economy — which they see as Trump’s strongest selling point — though they note several important economic indicators, like the stock market, have stayed relatively strong despite the trade war.
“‘I think it’s a near-term detente to calm nerves and win re-election,’ said one outside Trump adviser who speaks to the president.” POLITICO
MEDIAWATCH — Michele Tasoff is now a segment producer for HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” She most recently was an editorial producer and guest booker at CNN, and was a longtime co-producer at “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
PLAYBOOKERS
Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com.
SPOTTED at a Meridian International Center reception Wednesday night welcoming the newly credentialed ambassadors from Angola, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, East Timor, the European Union, Honduras, Iceland, Latvia, Panama, Somalia, Switzerland and Ukraine (pic): Reps. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, Adrienne Arsht …
… Ed Royce, Bart Gordon, James and Janet Blanchard, John Negroponte, Clarke Cooper, Stuart and Gwen Holliday, Patrick Steel and Lee Satterfield, Ed Moy, Laurie Fulton, Howard Gutman, James Jones, Javier Rupérez, Loretta Greene, Loran Aiken, Holidae Hayes, Rafat and Shaista Mahmood, Pilar O’Leary, Kimberly Dozier, Sasha Johnson, Steve Morrissey, Tom Higgins, Didi Cutler and Gerardo Diaz Bartolome.
SPOTTED at a Consumer Brands Association reception Wednesday at the Rayburn foyer: House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), Don Young (R-Alaska), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Geoff Freeman, Al Williams, Jeff Harmening, Robb MacKie, Katherine Lugar, Alison Bodor, Bill Miller, Mike Sommers, Leslie Sarasin, Chris Swonger, James McCarthy, Jim McGreevy and Peter Larkin. Pic
2020 MOVES — “Trump Campaign Names Kimberly Guilfoyle National Finance Chair of Trump Victory Finance Committee,” by Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle
— Francisco Garcia is now heading Northeast mayors engagement for Michael Bloomberg’s campaign. He previously was director of business development for the city of Philadelphia.
TRANSITIONS — The Human Rights Campaign has made several new hires: Elizabeth Bibi as senior adviser for New York communications, Tori Cooper as director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, Michael Vazquez as director of the HRC Foundation’s Religion and Faith Program and Jason Starr as litigation director. …
… Sue Santa is now VP of public policy and advocacy at Girl Scouts of the USA. She previously worked at the Council on Foundations and the Philanthropy Roundtable.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Brian Greer, a principal at the Klein/Johnson Group and a House Armed Services and Chuck Schumer alum, and Natalie Greer, an attorney-adviser in the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel, welcomed Titus Maddox Greer on Saturday. Pic
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Luke Knittig, senior director of communications at the McCain Institute. How he thinks the Trump presidency is going: “Should I channel my inner John McCain? … Probably not. It’s going and I’m not oblivious to its appeal, and results. But more than anything it’s going to continue to challenge those who foremost value character, courage and integrity.” Playbook Q&A
BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) is 58 … Maria Hatzikonstantinou, SVP at CRC Public Relations … Rob Goad … Vincent Frillici, managing director at Kivvit (h/t Jon Haber) … former Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta is 51 … Bracewell’s Frank Maisano, also a GWU professor … Clay Dumas of Lowercase Capital … former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen is 71 … Iulia Gheorghiu … Dan Hill … Cassie Menn of FleishmanHillard … Andrew Mountain … Kelly Allen … Greg Polk is 44 … former Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) is 69 … Maureen McGrath … Sally Ericsson … Doug Haynes … Cameron Poursoltan … Andrew Straky, advance associate for Pete Buttigieg’s campaign (h/t Alec Camhi) …
… Matt Herrick, SVP of executive and strategic communications at the International Dairy Foods Association, is 44 … Rob Goodman … Bruce Collins … POLITICO’s Jerry Gray … Dana Mishoe Black … NYT’s Sheera Frenkel… Anne Fauvre-Willis, head of marketing at Oasis Labs … Daily Beast reporter Kelly Weill … Dontai Smalls, VP for global public affairs at UPS (h/t Paul Brathwaite) … Kelley Williams … Microsoft’s Sirin “Teddy” Bulakul … Stephen Szypulski … Alicia Preston … Yun Kim … Paolo Liebl von Schirach … Jackie Huelbig … Linda Semans … Edward Cafiero, SVP of public affairs at Edelman … Cathryn Donaldson … Debbie Berger Fox … Mitch Dworkin is 53 … Norman Podhoretz is 9-0 … Elaine Baxter (h/t Teresa Vilmain) … John Krainis … Eric Dick
A message from the National Retail Federation:
Why is a comprehensive federal privacy law important to enact now? As businesses leverage new technologies to meet consumers’ growing expectations for personalization and a seamless experience between online and in-store shopping, consumers are sharing an increasing amount of data. But states are crafting and enacting privacy laws that don’t require all businesses – such as third-party businesses which consumers don’t even know exist – to protect consumers’ personal information. If this trend continues, it’s American consumers who stand to lose the most. It’s time for federal data privacy legislation that will provide a uniform and fair framework for consumers and businesses alike, across all industry sectors. Learn more at
- Anna Palmer @apalmerdc
- Jake Sherman @JakeSherman
THE FLIP SIDE
| View this email in your browser Thursday, January 16, 2020Impeachment“The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to send two formal charges against President Donald Trump to the Senate, clearing the way for only the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president to begin in earnest next week… The vote, which also approved a team of seven Democratic lawmakers named by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve as prosecutors in the trial, was largely along party lines.” Reuters On Tuesday, “House Democrats… released a trove of documents they obtained from Lev Parnas, a close associate of President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.” AP NewsFrom the LeftThe left argues that the Senate should call additional witnesses so they can base their verdict on all the available evidence.“Mr. Trump and Mr. McConnell are advancing the cynical argument that it was up to the House to gather evidence, and the Senate should not be tasked with filling gaps. But the gaps exist because of Mr. Trump’s obstruction, a stonewall that the House probably could not have overcome without months of court proceedings that, during an election year, could have made impeachment a practical impossibility. Mr. Trump has said he will invoke executive privilege to curtail testimony by Mr. Bolton and others. That should only incentivize senators: If the president had nothing to fear from truthful testimony, he would not go to such lengths… “Mr. Bolton has said he would testify if the Senate calls him, and he has a book forthcoming. Could it be that the Senate will refuse to hear a firsthand account that could soon be in the public domain?” Editorial Board, Washington Post “Mr. Trump has never asserted any particularized reasons for preventing administration officials from cooperating with the impeachment investigation (beyond deeming it a ‘sham’ and a ‘hoax’ impeachment, which is not a legal argument but a political one). So, his claims are the epitome of ‘generalized assertions’ — which are not sufficient to trigger the application of executive privilege… “Chief Justice Warren Burger, in United States v. Nixon, a major precedent decided in 1974 during the height of the Watergate investigation, found that the president does enjoy a constitutional privilege to protect confidences within the executive branch. At the same time, however, he emphatically rejected President Richard Nixon’s claims then, like President Trump’s claims now, that executive privilege is self-defined and potentially unlimited in scope. Chief Justice Burger explained that when the president’s assertion of executive privilege ‘is based only on the generalized interest in confidentiality, it cannot prevail over the fundamental demands of due process of law in the fair administration of criminal justice.’” Ronald J. Krotoszynski Jr., New York Times “The choice of House managers underscores the Democrats’ effort to press Senate Republicans to treat this is a real trial, as mandated by the Constitution. The group includes six attorneys and one former police chief; all are people familiar with court proceedings and criminal activities… “Despite Trump’s determined effort to block the release of any of the documents requested by investigators, Americans were slapped with a new batch of material showing Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas and another Trump supporter at work on the Ukraine scheme… As the Senate trial prepares to start, Americans of all parties should ponder, is this what they want from their president? Pressuring a foreign leader to investigate a political rival; having US diplomats tracked and intimidated? Allowing oligarchs with ties to the Kremlin to fund operations aimed at boosting his reelection chances?” Frida Ghitis, CNN “Giuliani’s letter states that he was explicitly working in his capacity as Trump’s personal attorney, undercutting the president’s claim that the effort was in the country’s interest because it was aimed at rooting out corruption. It also contradicts Trump’s claim that Giuliani may have been working for other clients or for himself in Ukraine… The letter came one day after Giuliani told The New York Times that he planned to travel to Ukraine to find damaging information on Biden, which could help Trump’s re-election campaign.” Igor Derysh, Salon “Tuesday’s new evidence won’t fundamentally change either side’s approach in the upcoming trial. Parnas did not directly communicate with the president himself, making its relevance to his impeachment somewhat limited. What the revelations do underscore is how little Americans actually know about one of the worst political scandals in the nation’s history—and the fierce urgency of shedding light on it… “One need not be a conspiracy theorist to know that there’s more to uncover here. Top aides like Giuliani, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton haven’t testified. The White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon haven’t turned over any records about the plot to pressure Zelenskiy or hold up congressionally allocated military aid for Ukraine. Trump’s impeachment trial may not hinge on this information. But it’s still vital to uncover it so Americans can definitively answer the most important question about the Ukraine scandal: What happened?” Matt Ford, New RepublicFrom the RightThe right is critical of the impeachment managers and skeptical of calling additional witnesses.“One of the two lead prosecutors would be kicked out of any normal court for repeated lies. Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff has been lying to the world for years in his nonstop campaign to smear President Trump. Back in March 2017, he insisted that he’d seen ‘more than circumstantial evidence’ that Trump had colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election — a claim exposed as false by the Mueller report. Months later, he insisted that Rep. Duncan Nunes was flat-out wrong to say that the FBI’s Russia investigation relied heavily on the absurd Steele Dossier to get warrants to surveil Carter Page; the recent inspector-general report shows that Nunes was right — and Schiff had to know it.” Editorial Board, New York Post “Pelosi should have appointed independent Michigan Rep. Justin Amash instead [of Schiff]. Amash used to be a Republican, so he would at least have the appearance of moderation. Because he is now an independent, the accusation of deliberate partisanship simply would not apply. Amash is also in favor of impeaching Trump, but for constitutional reasons, not political ones… “I might disagree with Amash’s conclusions on impeachment, but I respect the way in which he reached those conclusions. He thought through the allegations, listened to the testimonies, read the evidence, and then made up his mind. Can Schiff say the same?” Kaylee McGhee, Washington Examiner “House Democrats rushed through the investigation, forgoing salient witnesses and evidence, because of the political calendar. The charges are weak and the inquiry was needlessly short-circuited, so Democrats have continued investigating the premature allegations. Now they are publicly disclosing newly acquired evidence, with the promise of more to come. Transparently, their goal is to pressure the Senate not merely to conduct a trial but to complete the investigation that the House failed to complete… “No trial court would allow itself to be whipsawed this way. A federal judge would tell prosecutors to go back to the grand jury, finish the investigation, and come back to the trial court when they have a case ready to be tried, not investigated… Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans should hold the two pending articles in abeyance, or vote to dismiss them without prejudice to the House’s revoting them when its impeachment inquiry is finally concluded.” Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) writes, “The Senate’s role is not to undertake a new inquiry, but rather to conduct a trial based on the articles of impeachment passed by the House and decide whether removing a president from office is warranted. It’s also a historical precedent that the initial arguments in a Senate trial be limited to the testimony and evidence gathered by the House… “During initial presentations, the Senate will only hear arguments from the record – the record the House built. After that initial phase, we can call in additional witnesses as needed. The argument that the Senate should be expanding investigations before initial arguments are even presented is a tacit acknowledgment on the part of some Democrats of what we all know to be true: the House rushed and failed to complete its duty thoroughly, making a mockery of the impeachment process.” Marco Rubio, Fox News “Mrs. Pelosi said on the House floor Wednesday that her month delay allowed new ‘evidence’ to emerge. But if that’s true, why did the House rush its votes before the holiday? In any case the new evidence she cites is merely more detail about what we already know… Mr. Trump exhibited poor judgment in unleashing Rudy Giuliani to ask Ukraine to investigate Joe and Hunter Biden… [but he] broke no law, and other Presidents have tried to use foreign policy to serve domestic political ends. Voters may conclude these are grounds for denying Mr. Trump re-election. But if they are enough to short-circuit a presidential term, then many more Presidents will be impeached… “At this stage we don’t see what good would be done by calling Senate witnesses. If Mr. Bolton is called, then Republicans may call Hunter or Joe Biden or both. This would be a circus, and it would pay too much homage to the flimsy House evidence and rigged process. The Senate may not even need to hear from the President’s defense team. Let the House managers make their case. If a majority of Senators believe the evidence is as inadequate as we do, then repudiate this impeachment with votes to acquit on both articles.” Editorial Board, Wall Street JournalOn the bright side… Stolen Northland therapy goat found, reunited with depressed cow. NewshubThe Flip Side team spends hours each night scanning the news, fact-checking, and debating one another, so your 5 minutes each morning can be well spent. If you’ve found value in our work, we welcome you to help sustain our efforts and expand our reach. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated!Were you forwarded this by a friend? Sign up hereOur ArchivesShareTweetForwardCopyright © 2020 The Flip Side, All rights reserved. You can unsubscribe from this list here. |
THE SUNBURN
| DNA can reveal a lot about a person, from their ethnic background to health risks they might face in the future.But like any information, it can be as damaging as it is illuminating — if it falls into the wrong hands.In the 2020 Legislative Session, lawmakers are looking to protect consumers from at least some pitfalls they could face if their genetic information is entered into the record, and they’ve got an ally backing them with a new ad campaign.A minute-long video produced by “Protecting Our DNA” outlines the privacy concerns many lawmakers have expressed — that genetic data collected through off-the-shelf kits could be used by insurers to jack up insurance premiums.“Jane thinks her DNA is private, but it’s not,” the video narrator says. “Insurance companies want to invade Jane’s privacy and get a look at her genetic code. Why? The more they know about Jane, the more they can profit off her DNA. Raising her rates, reducing their risk, padding their profits.”But the ad presents a solution to the problem: Legislation filed by Rep. Chris Sprowls and Sen. Kelli Stargel.HB 1189 and SB 1564 would block life insurers from using any genetic testing results in any decisions, actuarial or otherwise.The safeguard was a stated priority of Sprowls, a future House Speaker, heading into the 2020 Legislative Session. And, if successful, it would put the Sunshine State at the forefront of the genetic privacy movement as no other state has put such a law on the books.“I believe there is nothing greater for our privacy than our genetic code,” Sprowls said last week. “Handing that over to large insurance companies is bad public policy.”The new ad underscores Sprowls’ intent: “This protects your DNA, your privacy, and your affordable insurance plan.”The spot then calls on viewers to sign a petition in support of the bills. The initiative and more information on the 2020 bills can be found on ProtectingOurDNA.com, a website launched in concert with the ad.To view the ad, click on the image below:___‘He Said, She Said’ Season 2 kickoff — On the first “He Said, She Said” of 2020, Michelle and I launch our second season by capping off the “100 Days of Schorsch” with our eighth wedding anniversary.Michelle and I welcome our first guest of the new season, legendary Florida political operative John McKager “Mac” Stipanovich, who joins the pod to talk Florida, President Donald Trump and the 2020 Democratic primary.On the opening day of the 2020 Session, Stipanovich and I discuss a well-acknowledged (yet unspoken) theme in Florida politics: It is ruled by a sort of oral history and a very small group of intertwined people. One notable example: former Congresswoman Gwen Graham is Mac’s dog’s “dog-mother.”Stipanovich recalls the moment that changed the course of his life: Having grilled cheese sandwiches and french fries at nine years old with former Gov. LeRoy Collins. He also discusses why he left the Republican Party in 2018. In 2020, Stipanovich plans to vote in the Democratic primary for the candidate closest to the center — the person with the best chance of winning the nomination. He believes that is Joe Biden.When asked: “What’s going on in America today?” Stipanovich posits that the current political situation is the result of a combination of events, including 9/11 and the 2008 recession.Also responsible for our current political climate, according to Stipanovich: Globalization, roiling the status quo with social issues like civil rights and LGBTQ+, as well as the “browning of America.”Pivoting to pop culture: Michelle and I dish on the Royal Family, talk why Frozen 2 should receive an Oscar nod, and share our thoughts on the best television of 2020 (so far).Please take a few minutes to check out the new “He Said, She Said” on Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher. |
| Today’s Sunrise State Sen. Stargel’s controversial bill requiring parental consent for minors to obtain an abortion clears another Senate committee … just barely.Also, on today’s Sunrise:— A bill to legalize the sale of fireworks on national holidays — but not Memorial Day — clears the Senate Rules Committee.— Good news if you like to slather on sunscreen without reading the label first. A bill preempting the right of local governments to ban certain types of sunscreen is ready for the Senate floor.— Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a deal to buy a 20,000-acre piece of land described as the “heart” of the Everglades so to prevent the current owners from drilling for oil.— Democratic Minority House leader Kionne McGhee of Cutler Bay talks about leading the charge for bills that would allow college athletes to make money off their images and likeness without losing their athletic scholarships.— Today’s Florida Man story features a guy accused of stealing merch from more than 1,000 Walmart stores nationwide.To listen, click on the image below: |
| Days until Sundance Film Festival begins — 7; “Star Trek: Picard” premiers — 7; Annual Red Dog Blue Dog Celebrity Bartender Benefit — 10; New Brexit deadline — 15; Super Bowl LIV in Miami — 17; Great American Realtors Day — 18; Iowa Caucuses — 18; Eighth Democratic presidential debate in Manchester — 23; Capitol Press Corps press skits — 26; New Hampshire Primaries — 26; Pitchers and catchers begin reporting for MLB Spring Training — 26; Ninth Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas — 34; Roger Stone’s sentencing — 35; Nevada caucuses — 37; “Better Call Saul” Season 5 premiers — 38; 10th Democratic presidential debate in Charleston — 40; South Carolina Primaries — 44; Super Tuesday — 47; Last day of 2020 Session (maybe) — 57; Florida’s presidential primary — 61; “No Time to Die” premiers — 85; Florida Chamber Summit on Prosperity and Economic Opportunity — 124; “Top Gun: Maverick” premiers — 162; Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee begins — 179; Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” premiers — 183; 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo start — 190; Florida primaries for 2020 state legislative/congressional races — 215; Republican National Convention begins in Charlotte — 221; First Vice Presidential debate at the University of Utah — 265; First Presidential Debate scheduled at the University of Michigan — 273; Second presidential debate at Belmont — 280; 2020 General Election — 292. |
| Dateline: Tally “Mural with Confederate flag is out; huge Florida-shaped piece wood is in at state Capitol” via The Associated Press — The Florida Senate unveiled a gleaming new piece of art at one of its most-visited corridors in the state Capitol, after removing an old mural that included the Confederate flag. The new artwork — a massive piece of wood in the shape of the state — represents the latest effort by lawmakers to strip away the divisive symbol from its official emblems amid scrutiny in recent years over public monuments to the Confederacy. The 10-by-16- foot mural is now on display about an hour’s drive from the capital city, at a bank in downtown Perry, Florida, where Senate officials said: “It continues to serve as an educational tool, depicting various scenes and figures in our Florida history for patrons and visitors.”Senate President Bill Galvano unveils new artwork by artist Barry Miller — sans Confederate flag.“DeSantis nominee calls sexual harassment allegations ‘personal attacks’ against him” via Samantha J. Gross and Elizabeth Koh of the Tampa Bay Times — After a confirmation hearing in which defensive Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees called allegations of sexual harassment and improper financial disclosures “mischaracterizations,” the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services recommended approval of Rivkees by an 8-2 vote. The committee pressed the University of Florida department chair and physician about his sexual harassment investigation in 2014, a financial disclosure audit, and his current financial arrangement with the state. The university report, spurred by a February 2014 complaint, said Rivkees allegedly made inappropriate comments repeatedly. He said that the allegations were “personal attacks” made by faculty who didn’t like his approach to leading the Department of Pediatrics.“Senate panel recommends Scott Rivkees for Surgeon General” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services voted to advance Rivkees’ nomination. Rivkees outlined some of the state Department of Health’s accomplishments since he was installed as Surgeon General last year. Among the highlights: new hepatitis A cases are following his public health emergency declaration; new HIV cases are on the decline, and major initiatives are in place to combat the opioid epidemic. The first issue, however, was his continued employment at the University of Florida. “You work for the state university system and people are concerned that you haven’t resigned … is that going to be an issue or problem?” asked Sen. Aaron Bean, who chairs the committee.“Senate panel confirms James Eifert as Adjutant General of Florida” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Eifert was confirmed by the Florida Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs and Space. DeSantis appointed Eifert in April to be the commander of the Florida National Guard, succeeding Adjutant General Michael Calhoun. The Senate committee recommended confirmation of Eifert’s appointment unanimously. Eifert assured the committee that his command since last spring had valued objective feedback for improving the guard along with his leadership philosophy of maintaining a force that is “right, ready and relevant.” He told the committee that it is vital that the Florida National Guard modernize, innovate and recapitalize infrastructure, facilities and equipment.“Lawmakers tout tort reform benefits” via Florida Politics — Republican lawmakers were among those hailing a study promoting the benefits of tort reform. The National Federation of Independent Businesses has consistently lamented the “poor legal climate” in Florida and other states, and tort reform would help by capping what the group deems to be unreasonable damages that could wreck small businesses. On Wednesday, the NFIB-allied Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse rolled out its “2019 lawsuit climate survey,” which found each household took a $4,442 hit yearly from inflated torts. The $33.65 billion cost is 3.6% of Florida’s GDP. Sen. Doug Broxson, who chairs Banking and Insurance, noted a “run of withdrawals” from insurance companies that “raid the bank” and “take money from other constituents in the state.”“State revenue forecast sees uptick” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida — With an expected slowdown still on the horizon, a revenue projection that state economists updated remained below some earlier forecasts. “We’ve closed the gap today, but not enough to wipe it out,” said Amy Baker, head of the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, “Overall, we’ll still come in less than we were last year, but we’re $306 million better than where we were this morning.” An August forecast trimmed earlier estimates of revenue by $451.6 million for the current fiscal year and by $416.1 million for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year. Along with adding $306 million to this year’s estimate, economists bumped up the 2020-2021 forecast by $86 million.“Proposed Medicaid changes could hurt those with disabilities, advocates say” via Elizabeth Koh of the Tampa Bay Times — Florida lawmakers are proposing changes to a Medicaid program for people with disabilities this year that would contract out some of its functions and support services. Advocates for people in the program say they fear the move could hurt the care they receive and add bureaucratic red-tape to an already convoluted process. A bill to make those changes cleared its first committee stop in the Senate Wednesday, though it is likely to become entangled in the calculus surrounding the state’s massive health care budget. The fight is one of the central conundrums facing state lawmakers this Legislative Session: what to do for the nearly 35,000 Floridians currently being served by the state Agency for Persons with Disabilities and the 21,900 more on a waiting list for its services.“Activist files lawsuit accusing Spencer Roach of abridging speech on Facebook” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Randy Scott, who runs the Facebook Group People of SWFL, said the lawmaker trampled his free speech rights by deleting comments posted on an official page. The legal action notably comes shortly after the lawmaker called deputies to Scott’s home to investigate a Facebook message perceived as a violent threat. Deputies interviewed Scott but did not detain him or charge him with any crime. But Scott said this lawsuit focuses on Roach’s online actions. “It’s more about maintaining the First Amendment and doing the right thing in response to it,” Scott said.Spencer Roach is facing a lawsuit accusing him of stifling free speech.Happening today — The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Industrial Hemp Advisory Council holds a teleconference meeting, 2 p.m. Call-in: 1-877-568-4106. Code: 123136285.Happening today — Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Hemp Advisory Council holds a teleconference meeting, 4 p.m. Call-in: 1-877-309-2073. Code: 547229781. |
| Legislation “Fireworks change on fast track in Florida Senate” via News Service of Florida — A plan to revamp Florida’s fireworks law is headed to the Senate floor. The Rules Committee approved a proposal (SB 140) that would allow people 18 and older to avoid pretenses when buying fireworks to detonate on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and Independence Day. Sen. Jeff Brandes called the state’s current fireworks rules “one of the craziest laws we have on the books.” Relatively innocuous devices such as sparklers are legal to buy. But devices such as firecrackers, torpedoes and roman candles are off-limits. People, however, can buy the explosive devices if they sign a waiver saying they will use the fireworks for specific agricultural purposes, specifically for “frightening birds from agricultural work” and fish hatcheries. “We literally require you to commit fraud in order to purchase fireworks,” Brandes said.“Senate committee advances legislation preempting local bans on sunscreen” via Sarah Mueller of Florida Politics — State Sen. Rob Bradley’s bill (SB 172) gives the state the ultimate authority to regulate over-the-counter drugs and cosmetics, including sunscreen. It was prompted by the City of Key West’s decision to ban sunscreen containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. Environmental groups believe they contribute to the bleaching of coral reefs. Bradley calls it “junk science.” Holly Parker Curry, Florida regional manager for the Surfrider Foundation, said coral reefs are valuable not only to the economy but also to the Keys and Key West. She said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates the asset value of the coral reefs at $8.5 billion, and they support about 70,000 full and part-time jobs.Rob Bradley calls the sunscreen kerfuffle ‘junk science.’“Kelli Stargel’s parental consent for abortions bill headed to last Senate committee” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — A Senate panel advanced a bill that would require minors to get parental consent before obtaining an abortion. Senate Judiciary Committee members voted 3-2 to move Sen. Stargel’s bill (SB 404) to the Senate Rules Committee. Current law states a minor’s parents must be notified 48 hours before she obtains an abortion, with some exceptions. But Stargel says that doesn’t do enough to strengthen communication within Florida families. Under the proposal, unemancipated minors seeking abortions must get consent from one of their parents. Victims of abuse or girls believing they are mature enough to make an independent decision can seek court waivers.“Bill reforming Florida’s troubled guardianship program approved by committee” via Monivette Cordeiro of the Orlando Sentinel — A bill meant to fix flaws in the state’s troubled guardianship program that were exposed by the scandal surrounding former Orlando guardian Rebecca Fierle was approved unanimously by a Florida Senate committee. The legislation (SB 994) pushed by Senate Majority Leader Kathleen Passidomo would require guardians to get a judge’s approval before signing “do not resuscitate” orders on behalf of incapacitated clients, prohibit them seeking their own appointment to specific cases and revise provisions related to conflicts of interest. Chairwoman Lauren Book praised Passidomo’s proposal as a “very good bill” before the 7-0 vote in the first of three committee stops before the legislation goes to the full chamber.“Lawmakers, victims target statute of limitations for child sex crimes” via Ana Ceballos of the News Service of Florida — After hearing the harrowing details of a high-school gang rape, a House panel on unanimously approved a bill that would eliminate the time limit for child sex-abuse victims to initiate a criminal case against their abuser. Katrina Duesterhaus urged the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee to pass the proposal (HB 199), which would remove the statute of limitations in sexual battery cases when the victim is younger than 18 years old at the time of the crime. “Nothing says you’re willing to believe survivors more than amending laws like the statute of limitations, which sets an arbitrary deadline on survivors of sexual assault,” Duesterhaus told the panel.Flu testing, treatment bill advances in House — State Rep. Tyler Sirois’ HB 389 passed the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee “HB 389 would not only allow for faster diagnosis and treatment of these contagious illnesses, it would reduce the number of patients, some uninsured, who are having to go to emergency rooms and urgent care centers to be seen,” Sirois said. As written, HB 389 would authorize a licensed pharmacist to enter into a written protocol agreement with a supervising physician for the testing for and treatment of influenza and streptococcus. It also requires a pharmacist to use an FDA approved testing device as well as have eight additional hours of continuing education and maintain $200,000 of liability insurance.“Bill banning sale of shark fins progresses to final House committee” via Sarah Mueller of Florida Politics — House lawmakers on the Business and Professions Subcommittee heard strong public opinions on legislation that would ban the sale, import, and export of shark fins Wednesday. The bill (HB 401), sponsored by Coconut Creek Democratic Rep. Kristin Jacobs, passed its second committee 13-2. Shark fining is the process of catching a shark, removing its fins and discarding the shark. Jacobs said shark finners usually drop the body back into the ocean, where it bleeds to death or drowns because it can no longer swim properly. State law prohibits the mass capturing of sharks and only keeping the fins, but the trade of shark fins is legal, and the fins are being imported through Florida ports by countries that don’t have bans in place.“Nurses praise House advance of independent practice bill” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — The House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee advanced HB 607. The measure is a longtime priority for nurses as well as bill sponsor and Republican Rep. Cary Pigman. Pigman, a medical doctor, says allowing nurses to open independent practices will increase access to affordable health care, especially in rural areas. The legislation is also a top priority for House Speaker José Oliva, who reiterated his support for the change earlier this week, and many major business groups. Following the vote, Floridians Unite for Health Care praised lawmakers for advancing the bill to the House Health & Human Services Committee, its final stop before the chamber floor.“First House panel OKs drone control of invasive species” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Drones may provide eyes in the skies, but people won’t be affected, if a bill OKd by a House panel Wednesday becomes law. HB 659 would allow state agencies, such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, to use the uncrewed aircraft over swamps and other people-free places where invasive species (like pythons) and other nuisances have proved problematic. These would be only public lands, and law enforcement agencies could not use drones for this bill. The Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee was the measure’s first of three committees of reference. Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee and the State Affairs Committee will follow. |
| Today in Capitol The House Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee meets, 8:30 a.m., Room 12, House Office Building.The House Civil Justice Subcommittee meets, 8:30 a.m., Room 404, House Office Building.The House Higher Education & Career Readiness Subcommittee meets, 9 a.m., Room 306, House Office Building.The House Local Administration Subcommittee meets, 9 a.m., Room 212, Knott Building.The House Oversight, Transparency & Public Management Subcommittee meets, 9 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.The House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee meets, 9 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building.The Senate Appropriations Committee meets, 10 a.m., Room 412, Knott Building.The Senate Special Order Calendar Group meets 15 minutes after the Senate Appropriations Committee meeting, Room 401, Senate Office Building.The House Education Committee meets, noon, Reed Hall, House Office Building.The House Health & Human Services Committee meets, noon, Morris Hall, House Office Building.The House Judiciary Committee meets, noon, Room 404, House Office Building.The House Commerce Committee meets, 2:30 p.m., Room 212 of the Knott Building.The House Public Integrity & Ethics Committee meets, 2:30 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building.The House State Affairs Committee meets, 2:30 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.The House Rules Committee meets, 5 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building. |
| Gov. club buffett Cream of broccoli and cheddar soup; mixed garden salad with dressings; antipasto salad; marinated mushrooms; deli board with lettuce, tomatoes, cheeses and breads; beef bourguignon; chicken piccata; grilled salmon with Mediterranean relish; grilled zucchini fries (sticks) roasted red pepper coulis; Italian style green beans; rice with prosciutto, peas and Parmesan; and tiramisu for dessert. |
| Statewide “Obamacare demand remains high in Florida as enrollment nears 2 million” via Justine Griffin of the Tampa Bay Times — With more than 1.9 million consumers signed up for 2020, Florida once again leads the nation in health insurance enrollment under the Affordable Care Act. “We’ve always outpaced enrollment in other states, and I think it really shows that the marketplace coverage is extremely popular in Florida,” said Anne Swerlick with the Florida Policy Institute in Tallahassee. But the Sunshine State has consistently outperformed all states, even those that run their own health insurance marketplaces and other insurance programs. “Florida is a state that chose not to expand Medicaid and is second in the nation for its uninsured rate,” said Rachel Fehr, a research assistant with the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health care policy organization.“The autonomous vehicle industry in the sunshine economy” via Tom Hudson of WLRN — Testing what may be the future of personal transportation, Ford Fusions have been rolling around the streets in and around downtown Miami with cameras and LIDAR sensors mounted outside and trunks full of computing gear so they can operate without drivers. While Florida has given the green light for the autonomous vehicle industry to test its technology, a lot is at stake for the state’s workforce. Florida ranks third among states in the number of truck drivers calling it home. In 2018, more than 88,000 Floridians were making a living driving semi-trucks, earning an average of $42,000 a year — a little less than the statewide average. |
| Peachy “Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas says Donald Trump ‘knew exactly what was going on’” via Phil Helsel of NBC news — “He was aware of all my movements. I wouldn’t do anything without the consent of Rudy Giuliani or the president. I have no intent, I have no reason to speak to any of these officials,” Parnas, who faces campaign finance charges, told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow in an interview. “I mean, they have no reason to speak to me. Why would President (Volodymyr) Zelenskiy‘s inner circle or (Ukranian Internal Affairs) Minister (Arsen) Avakov or all these people or President (Petro) Poroshenko meet with me? Who am I? They were told to meet with me. And that’s the secret that they’re trying to keep. I was on the ground doing their work,” Parnas said.Lev Parnas tells Rachel Maddow that Donald Trump knew exactly what was going on.“How Giuliani’s outreach to Ukrainian gas tycoon wanted in U.S. shows lengths he took in his hunt for material to bolster Trump” via Rosalind Helderman, Tom Hamburger, Paul Sonne and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — The executive who met with Giuliani in Paris was an aspiring Ukrainian politician named Dmitry Torner, later accused by Ukrainian authorities of escaping incarceration in Moldova and living under a new name. The following month, Giuliani sat down in London with other representatives of Dmytro Firtash, a Ukrainian gas tycoon, according to Otto Dietrich, an attorney for Firtash. Later that summer, Firtash’s attorneys filed a court document that Giuliani touted publicly as support for his claims about Biden. In a statement, Giuliani said he did not remember meeting Torner or details of his meetings in Paris and London and had limited interest in Firtash. “I never met him. I never did business with him,” he said of Firtash.“House votes to send articles of impeachment to Senate” via Alayna Treene of Axios — The vote triggers the start of the long-anticipated Senate trial, which has been delayed for nearly a month after the House approved two articles of impeachment against Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. After the vote, they will travel through the Capitol to present the articles of impeachment to the secretary of the Senate. Once the articles successfully landed in the Senate, there will be a few days of housekeeping and procedural work. The resolution gives managers the authority to submit additional evidence to the Senate. Last night, impeachment investigators sent the House Judiciary committee new evidence obtained from Parnas, a Giuliani associate indicted by the Southern District of New York.“Nancy Pelosi taps Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler among House impeachment managers” via Alayna Treene and Jacob Knutson of Axios — The managers will present the House’s case for impeachment to convince Senators to convict the president for abusing his power and obstructing Congress, and ultimately remove him from office. Pelosi waited four weeks to name impeachment managers and deliver the articles to the Senate as part of her attempt to pressure Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to preemptively show her a Senate resolution laying out the terms for the trial, as well as an agreement on witnesses and document production at the outset of the trial. She’s now ending the weekslong standoff with neither. The list of impeachment managers: Schiff, Nadler and Reps. Val Demings, Hakeem Jeffries, Zoe Lofgren, Jason Crow and Sylvia Garcia. |
| D.C. matters “’I am all in for killing Soleimani’: Rick Scott on Iran, impeachment and Boeing CEO’s golden parachute” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — Is there anything that Trump has done related to Ukraine that makes you uncomfortable? “He put it out. The only thing they have is had this call. I read it. I read the transcript. There’s nothing in that transcript.” So nothing related to Ukraine — “It’s all hearsay. Why would I ever focus on anything that’s just somebody that was there? Zelenskiy said he didn’t have a concern. Trump released the money.” The CEO of Boeing is going to get $60 million in his exit. I’m curious what your thoughts are on that. — “I don’t know what his contract was.” Is that okay? — “This is a private company. They make their contracts.”Rick Scott is all-in for Donald Trump, calling the impeachment a ‘hoax.’“Matt Gaetz is behind Orlando airport audit, lawmaker says” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel — State Sen. Brandes, a Republican from St. Petersburg who represents a district 100 miles from Orlando, did not mention U.S. Rep. Gaetz in December, when he persuaded the Florida Legislature’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee to order a probe of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s contracting practices. But in response to questions from the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday, Brandes said the idea for the audit came from the Panhandle Republican. “I talked to Matt Gaetz, and he expressed his concerns,” Brandes said in Tallahassee, where the Legislature had just opened its annual 60-day Session. “And you know what? When members of Congress want an audit of some area of importance, I give them great deference.”“USTR promises to investigate Mexico’s produce trade after USMCA leaves out stronger protections for Southern farmers” via Catherine Boudreau of POLITICO Florida — U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in a letter to Florida lawmakers, said that within two months after USMCA takes effect, the administration will start collecting information on policies that may cause unfair pricing of produce in the U.S. market. USTR and the Commerce and Agriculture departments will also hold hearings in Florida, where tomato, pepper, blueberry, and other growers have long argued that they are losing business to a flood of Mexican produce imports priced below the cost of production. The Commerce Department will, “in the appropriate circumstances,” self-initiate anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases, Lighthizer said.“’OK, Boomer’ makes a Supreme Court appearance in age case” via Mark Sherman of The Associated Press — “OK, Boomer” made its first appearance in the Supreme Court, invoked by baby boomer Chief Justice John Roberts. “The hiring person, who’s younger, says, ‘OK, Boomer,’ once to the applicant,” Roberts said as he conjured a hypothetical exchange to try to figure out when an older federal employee might be able to win a lawsuit under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. It was the first time the somewhat pejorative phrase used by younger people to criticize the less flexible, tolerant and tech-savvy ways of their elders has been uttered in the Supreme Court, where the nine justices range in age from 52 (Neil Gorsuch) to 86 (Ruth Bader Ginsburg).John Roberts — just shy of 65 years old — uses “OK, Boomer’ for the first time in a Supreme Court case. |
| 2020 Who won the January Democratic debate?” via Aaron Bycoffe, Sarah Frostenson and Julia Wolfe of FiveThirtyEight — To better understand which candidates did well or poorly Tuesday night, we plotted how favorably respondents rated the candidates before the debate vs. how debate-watchers rated candidates’ performances afterward — and Warren, in particular, seemed to have a breakout evening according to this metric. She not only received the highest marks for her debate performance, but her scores were high even relative to her pre-debate favorability rating. That said, Sanders, Buttigieg and Biden also received medium-to-high marks for their performances. Still, because of their relatively high pre-debate favorability ratings, we expected a lot of voters to be already predisposed to viewing their debate performances in a positive light. Klobuchar and Tom Steyer, on the other hand, tied for the lowest overall debate grades.So, who won the Democratic debate in Iowa, the first in 2020?“Elizabeth Warren-Bernie Sanders rift fuels a Democratic split and worries party leaders” via Annie Linskey, Sean Sullivan and Isaac Stanley-Becker of The Washington Post — An angry split among liberal Democrats broke further into the open Wednesday, raising fears among party leaders of a repeat of the internecine bitterness that many Democrats say contributed to Trump’s victory in 2016. As a dispute continued to simmer between Sens. Sanders and Warren over whether he told her a woman could not win the presidency, social media users positioning themselves as Sanders supporters used snake icons to symbolize Warren’s ostensible duplicity, played up her Republican roots and circulated a #NeverWarren hashtag. Warren’s backers, while taking a less aggressive tone, nonetheless revived questions of whether many of Sanders’s supporters are sexist and whether he contributed to the party’s disastrous 2016 loss with a display of self-centered petulance.“GOP senator: 2020 candidates must recuse themselves from impeachment trial” via Jordain Carney of The Hill — U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said that Democratic senators running for the party’s 2020 nomination should recuse themselves from taking part in Trump’s impeachment trial. “Tomorrow, one hundred United States Senators will be sworn in to serve in the impeachment trial of Trump. Four of those Senators must recuse themselves for their unparalleled political interest in seeing this President removed from office,” Blackburn said in a statement. She added that U.S. Sens. Sanders, Klobuchar, Michael Bennet, and Warren “cannot sit in judgment of the very President they seek to replace.” Senators are expected to be sworn in by Chief Justice Roberts on Thursday afternoon; no one is expected to recuse themselves from the trial.“Swing Left targets 20 Florida legislative seats for 2020” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The progressive group Swing Left also wants Democrats retaking statehouse governments nationwide. With that goal in mind, the group announced 18 Florida House districts and two Florida Senate seats it would target this year. The group will defend four House Districts — 59, 69, 72 and 84 — now represented by Democrats. As for offense, Swing Left aims to flip Districts 15, 21, 26, 28, 29, 42, 60, 89, 93, 105, 115, 118, 119 and 120. It will also target open seats vacated by Longwood Republican David Simmons and Miami Republican Anitere Flores. |
| The trail “Seminole Sheriff Dennis Lemma: I won’t enforce assault weapons registry if amendment passes” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel — Seminole Sheriff Lemma told gun activists he wouldn’t enforce a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would require owners of automatic weapons to register them with the state. Lemma, a Republican, was speaking Jan. 8 at a town hall event in Sanford organized by the Republican Liberty Caucus in conjunction with Florida Gun Rights, according to a report in Gunpowder Magazine. In a video posted by the group “FL 2A,” Lemma was asked by Bob White, chair of the Florida Republican Liberty Caucus, about the “Ban Assault Weapons Now” petition seeking to get on the 2020 ballot. Lemma responded, “It’s not only that I wouldn’t [enforce it], the majority of sheriffs across the state would not do it.”“Thad Altman gets primary challenger” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Indialantic Republican Rep. Altman is no longer unopposed in his House District 52 reelection bid. Melbourne Republican Matt Nye entered the race Tuesday, setting up a potential primary election for the Brevard County-based seat. So far, Altman and Nye are the only candidates in the race. Nye is no stranger to the HD 52 ballot — he challenged Altman in 2018, earning 44% of the vote in a two-way nominating contest. Heading into 2020, Altman had raised $14,500 for his campaign and had nearly all of it in the bank. That advantage could erode, however, as Nye’s entry comes at the start of the 2020 Legislative Session, during which sitting lawmakers are barred from raising campaign funds.Thad Altman gets primaried.“Jennifer Webb rolls out massive list of support for reelection” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Webb rolled out a list of endorsements that includes nearly 50 elected officials representing almost all of Pinellas County’s 24 municipalities. Included in her latest push is St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice. Webb is seeking reelection to HD 69. She is so far running unopposed, but her 2018 opponent, Republican Ray Blacklidge, has indicated he intends to run. Also joining the list of endorsers are North Redington Beach Mayor Bill Queen, Treasure Island Mayor Larry Lunn and Pinellas County School Board member Rene Flowers.“Is Wengay Newton misleading voters with fundraising pitch for a campaign he’s not running?” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Newton was raising funds for his reelection right up until the last minute — even though he’s not actually seeking reelection. Lawmakers cannot fundraise during Session. Newton sent an email to supporters Sunday asking for their continued support with a link to donate to his House District 70 campaign by midnight Monday. However, Newton announced earlier this month he would not seek reelection to his current House district and instead run for Pinellas County Commission. He’s already filed for the race with the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office. As such, he’s allowed to raise money for the commission race. So why raise funds for HD 70 if that’s not the race he plans to wage?“Corey Grenfell to challenge George Lindsey for Polk County Commission District 1” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Republican Grenfell has entered the race for the District 1 seat on the Polk County Commission. The lifelong Polk resident announced his candidacy in a Wednesday news release touting his conservative credentials — he’s a supporter of lower taxes, small businesses and Trump, and he’s no fan of incumbent Republican Commissioner George Lindsey, whom he castigated as a rubber stamp for unfettered growth and development. Grenfell is currently Lindsay’s only challenger, and he enters the race on even footing as far as fundraising, as Lindsay has yet to report any contributions since submitting his paperwork to run for reelection. The District 1 Commission seat covers the western portion of central Polk County, including much of Lakeland. |
| Local “Miami’s messy politics slowed down city business. This downtown agency is fed up” via Joey Flechas of the Miami Herald — In reaction to the abrupt end to a public meeting where commissioners quarreled instead of doing the work of the city, the Downtown Development Authority’s board of directors voted to use an independent counsel to review the board’s power to name the agency’s executive director. Members said they were frustrated with the inaction at the commission level, and they do not want to see the directorship become a political appointment subject to jockeying among elected officials. “I think what we are trying to say here is that we are businesspeople doing the business of this organization, and we will not be politicized,” said board member Gary Ressler. “We’ve made a decision, and we’re moving forward.”“School Board maneuvering with developers to transform downtown HQ … and add housing” via Colleen Wright of the Miami Herald — The Miami-Dade County School Board wants to downsize from its 10 acres of prime, development-ready land in downtown Miami. District officials are turning to a private developer and a community redevelopment agency to leverage its downtown headquarters for office space next door. It’s a move they say will finance the rebuild of two nearby schools, includes affordable housing for teachers and the elderly, and eventually direct more dollars that could be used for teacher salaries and educational programs. The conversation started in 2017, but the School Board will hold a vote on whether to continue those negotiations and set into motion a “21-acre vision” that keeps the School Board in the arts and entertainment district.“UCF mistakenly sent incorrect data to NCAA, spokesman says” via Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — UCF employees miscalculated numbers regarding its student-athletes’ academic performance to NCAA for four years, a university spokesman said Wednesday after an anonymous Twitter user posted allegations the school had falsified this data. The university mistakenly used the wrong methodology to determine the Graduation Success Rate, a key measure of students’ academic progress, the University of Central Florida spokesman Mark Schlueb said. As a result, the rates reported to the National Collegiate Athletic Association between 2014 and 2017 likely were inflated. “There was no advantage to anyone by reporting it incorrectly — it was just a mistake,” Schlueb said.“Orlando International Airport discovered nearly 100 guns last year, ninth-most in nation” via Katie Rice of the Orlando Sentinel — The Orlando International Airport made the TSA’s list of 10 airports with the highest number of guns discovered in carry-on baggage or on passengers, the TSA said Wednesday. TSA agents at OIA found 96 guns at checkpoints in 2019, placing the airport in ninth place in the agency’s ranking. Two other Florida airports made the TSA’s list, tying the state with Texas for the highest numbers of overall firearm discoveries. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport ranked seventh with 100 guns discovered, and Tampa International Airport ranked 10th with 87. |
| Opinions “We can’t let voter suppression when in 2020” via Andrew Gillum for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — As we round the corner into 2020, it’s time to raise the alarm for those states and those voters most at risk in our elections. One of those states is, of course, Florida, where a range of tactics have been used by right-wing legislators and elections authorities to suppress the votes of specific demographics. These include the re-disenfranchisement of people who had served their sentences after having been convicted of committing a felony. It’s important to realize, also, that protecting the vote doesn’t just happen at the moment of casting a ballot but extends all the way back to the registration process. And across the country, voter rolls are being purged at a ferocious pace.“A Capital Curmudgeon’s predictions for the 2020 Florida Legislative Session” via Bill Cotterell of the Tallahassee Democrat — Teachers. Legislators will come up with serious money and probably extend raises to non-classroom professionals. Guns. SB7028 would not require background checks in person-to-person sales — about 20% of transactions — but would require sellers to check a buyer’s identification and ask questions about past felonies or other disqualification for gun ownership. One committee is a long way from becoming law, though, and if anything passes, the National Rifle Association will take it to court. Abortion. The long game, in several states, is to get abortion back before the U.S. Supreme Court, where opponents hope new Trump appointees will someday recede from the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the procedure.“Michael Franzese: new risks require risk solutions” via Florida Politics — Beyond the traditional home, auto or life insurance needs, there are risks that require “special” insurance: flood insurance being one of the better-known needs. But who covers those risks that are even more nontraditional? Or further, risks that have only become realities in the past few years? The answer: surplus lines. One of the specific, emerging and changing industries covered by surplus lines includes cybersecurity. Recent years have brought about new realities: a world where autonomous vehicles exist. A world with blockchain, bitcoin, drones, 3D and 4D printing, social networking, nanotechnology … Each impacts businesses and their exposure to risks. And we will do our best to be an effective safety net. |
| Movements “Guardianship agency gets new director after prior leader’s ouster amid Rebecca Fierle scandal” via Kate Santich of the Orlando Sentinel — Six months after its previous leader was ousted, the Florida agency charged with oversight of professional guardians has a new director, officials announced. Chanté Jones, a former corporate marketing analyst for Verizon Communications, was appointed by state Secretary of Elder Affairs Richard Prudom to run the Office of Public and Professional Guardians. Prudom said he is confident the office “will earn back the trust of Florida families.” In July 2018, Prudom asked Jones’ predecessor, Carol Berkowitz, to resign following a “significant backlog” of complaints against guardians, including those involving Fierle of Orlando, whose role in the death of a ward and use of “do not resuscitate” orders had sparked a scandal that embroiled the state’s guardianship system.Secretary of Elder Affairs Richard Prudom selected Chanté Jones to head the Office of Public and Professional Guardians. |
| Aloe “On its 45th birthday, Space Mountain remains an untouchable Disney theme park classic” via Josh Spiegel of Slash Film — There are two dominant structures in the Disney theme parks, whether you’re in Florida, Tokyo, or Paris: castles and mountains. Each castle has its own story, and the same is true of each mountain. You can enjoy the novelty of, in Florida, eating inside a castle, but there’s no ride experience. The mountains are different. Just as actual mountains are challenges to climb up or down, the Disney mountains are exhilarating experiences intended as thrill rides. Space Mountain turns 45 today, with the inaugural attraction opening on January 15, 1975, at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. The current linchpin of Tomorrowland, Space Mountain is, in fact, one of the most novel and clever examples of Imagineering at the Disney theme parks.Happy 45th birthday, Space Mountain.“Universal’s Super Nintendo World promises to put you ‘inside’ video games” via Chelsea Tatham of 10News — Racing through the Mushroom Kingdom with Mario and hitting Question Blocks for coins will soon be things you can do in real life. Details of the land have been kept under wraps for a while, but Universal and Nintendo executives made some exciting announcements. Not only will the land be themed after popular Nintendo games, but the park also promises interactive elements that turn guests into players. Guests will use a Power-Up Band paired with the Universal app to venture “inside” the game. The pair “will allow them to have interactive experiences, making use of their arms, hands and entire bodies as they explore the new area.” So, yes, you’ll get to play as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Daisy, Toad and Yoshi as you collect coins and battle other guests around the park. |
| Happy birthday Happy birthday to José Felix Diaz. |
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THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING HEADLINES
| Sign up for this newsletterRead onlineThe morning’s most important stories, curated by Post editors. (Melina Mara/The Post)Trump impeachment case heads to SenateThe procession set in motion the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history and came as Senate Republicans rallied behind the idea of parity between the two parties in possibly calling witnesses.By Elise Viebeck, Rachael Bade and Seung Min Kim ● Read more » Eyeing swift trial, Trump’s legal team aims to block witnesses and cast doubt on chargesThe White House has accepted the idea that senators should make quick work of acquitting President Trump.By Toluse Olorunnipa and Josh Dawsey ● Read more » Parnas used access to Trump’s world to help push shadow Ukraine effort, documents showThe new materials show how Lev Parnas, the former associate of Rudolph W. Giuliani, used the extensive entree he had to President Trump’s world to help put in motion Giuliani’s shadow Ukraine campaign.By Colby Itkowitz, Paul Sonne and Tom Hamburger ● Read more » 4 takeaways from the Lev Parnas TV interview and revelationsWhat we learned from the latest document dump and Parnas’s TV interview as the impeachment trial officially begins.Analysis ● By Aaron Blake ● Read more » Warren accused Sanders of calling her ‘a liar on national TV’ in a tense confrontation after Tuesday’s debateThe two have been feuding for days over what was said during a private December 2018 dinner at Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Washington apartment.Campaign 2020 ● By Annie Linskey ● Read more » Warren-Sanders rift fuels a Democratic split and worries party leadersA dispute between Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders prompted hostility by their supporters, sparking Democratic fears that the internal warfare of 2016 could recur.By Annie Linskey, Sean Sullivan and Isaac Stanley-Becker ● Read more » U.S. officials have routinely lied to the public about Afghanistan, inspector general tells Congress“We have created an incentive to almost require people to lie,” John F. Sopko said as he testified that officials exaggerated progress reports and inflated statistics to create a false appearance of success.By Craig Whitlock ● Read more » How Megxit put Queen Elizabeth II in the role of crisis manager once againAt 93, an age when many matriarchs would be among the dearly or nearly departed, or elbowed aside to allow an ambitious younger generation to run the show, the queen remains firmly in charge — of both a sprawling, often problematic family and the monarchy.By William Booth ● Read more » OpinionsThere’s still time to hear out Deval PatrickThe Post’s View ● By Editorial Board ● Read more » Impeachment descends into darknessImpeachment Diary ● By Dana Milbank ● Read more » Debating in the shadow of impeachmentBy E.J. Dionne ● Read more » Iran’s protesters reflect the Middle East’s abiding anger against injusticeBy David Ignatius ● Read more » It’s up to John Roberts to make sure senators stay true to their oathBy Caroline Fredrickson ● Read more » Bernie Sanders’s agenda makes him the definition of unelectableBy Jon Cowan and Jon Cowan ● Read more » More NewsTrump threatened tariffs if Europeans didn’t warn Iran on nuclear deal violationsEuropeans called the threat of a 25 percent tariff on autos “extortion.”By John Hudson and Souad Mekhennet ● Read more » Murdoch family discord plays out publicly amid Australian wildfiresJames Murdoch and his wife, Kathryn, voiced their frustration this week with what they see as the role the Murdoch family’s media empire plays in climate change denial.By Sarah Ellison ● Read more » Dangling disaster relief funds, White House to require Puerto Rico to implement reformsThe Trump administration will tell Puerto Rico to stop paying contractors on disaster projects $15 an hour, even after it was hit by recurring earthquakes this month, officials said.By Arelis Hernández and Jeff Stein ● Read more » The chief justice wanted to know: Is ‘OK boomer’ ageist? (He may have been asking for a friend.)It was the first time the meme was uttered in the hallowed chambers of the nation’s highest court.By Reis Thebault ● Read more » The eight most striking details from the Aaron Hernandez series on Netflix“Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez” detailed factors that led the former Patriots tight end to commit suicide while in prison on a murder conviction.By Desmond Bieler ● Read more » Ken Jennings on ‘feud’ with James Holzhauer, Brad Rutter’s losses and that brutal Bloomberg tweetThe “Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time” champion said he almost turned down the opportunity to participate in the tournament.By Emily Yahr ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletterCheck out The Trailer for news and insight on political campaigns around the country, from David Weigel. 435 districts. 50 states. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. Sign up » |
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LARRY J. SABATO’S CRYSTAL BALL
| IN THIS ISSUE: – Ratings Changes: Senate, House, and Governor– Is Trump Really a Shoo-in for a Second Term?Join Us Wednesday for the American Democracy Conference in Charlottesville By UVA Center for Politics |
The University of Virginia Center for Politics is holding its 21st annual American Democracy Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 22 featuring experts from across the political spectrum.The event is free and open to the public with advance registration and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Newcomb Hall Ballroom on the Grounds of the University of Virginia.Former Rep. Mia Love (R, UT-4) and former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D-MD) will give keynote remarks, and the conference will also feature a panel moderated by CNN’s Erica Hill and including election forecaster Rachel Bitecofer of Christopher Newport University; former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R, VA-10); progressive political commentator Wendy Osefo of Johns Hopkins University; and Republican strategist and CBS News political analyst Leslie Sanchez.In addition to looking ahead to the 2020 election, the speakers and panelists will assess the state of women in politics as the nation recognizes the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage.If you’re not in Charlottesville or cannot attend the event, there will be a livestream on Wednesday morning at https://livestream.com/tavco/ADC2020. |
| Ratings Changes: Senate, House, and Governor |
| By Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman Sabato’s Crystal Ball |
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE– The Kansas Senate race is getting a lot of national buzz, but we still see the GOP as clearly favored to hold the seat.– The chances of Republicans springing Senate upsets in New Hampshire and Virginia appear to be growing dimmer.– Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) decision not to hold a special election for CA-50 makes it likelier for Republicans to hold the seat.– Vermont is a sleeper Democratic gubernatorial target.Table 1: Senate ratings changesSenatorOld RatingNew RatingJeanne Shaheen (D-NH)Leans DemocraticLikely DemocraticMark Warner (D-VA)Likely DemocraticSafe DemocraticTable 2: Governor ratings changeGovernorOld RatingNew RatingPhil Scott (R-VT)Likely RepublicanLeans RepublicanTable 3: House ratings changeMember/DistrictOld RatingNew RatingCA-50 Vacant (Hunter, R)Likely RepublicanSafe RepublicanSenate: A word of caution on KansasWe have two ratings changes this week, upgrading the odds of Democratic incumbents in New Hampshire and Virginia. But perhaps the more interesting item to discuss is a rating that we’re not changing, in Kansas.Despite the threat to Republican fortunes there presented by 2018 gubernatorial nominee Kris Kobach (R), we’re sticking with a Likely Republican rating in Kansas for now.Observers have focused on Kansas in light of recent news that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a former U.S. House representative, appears to be passing on running for the seat after flirting with a bid for months. Leading Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), have been recruiting Pompeo behind the scenes because of worries that Kobach, a far-right candidate who kicked away the Kansas governorship in 2018, would do the same to the valuable Senate seat this year.Assuming Pompeo doesn’t parachute into the race later on — the filing deadline is not until June — national Republicans may have to actively work on behalf of other possible candidates, most likely Rep. Roger Marshall (R, KS-1) of the state’s sprawling, western House district. Marshall won the endorsement of Kansas political legend and 1996 presidential nominee Bob Dole, leaving little doubt as to who the party establishment sees as the candidate best-positioned to beat Kobach. Other candidates include state Senate President Susan Wagle (R) and former NFL player and businessman Dave Lindstrom (R).Downgrading the GOP edge in Kansas from Likely Republican to Leans Republican is the kind of move we might make if Kobach actually wins the nomination, but it’s not obvious that he will be the nominee. He only very narrowly beat out then-Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) in the 2018 gubernatorial primary (Colyer ascended to the job after Republican Gov. Sam Brownback resigned to take a diplomatic post).While Kobach might be favored as of today to be the Senate nominee, there is a long campaign to go. Even if Kobach were to be nominated, he probably would still start as a favorite against the likeliest Democratic nominee, party-switching state Sen. Barbara Bollier, who has impressed national Democrats and is raising good money. The reason is that even if Bollier is a superior candidate to Kobach, the state is still significantly more Republican than the nation. While there are some positive Democratic trends in parts of the state — namely, the Kansas City suburbs, which comfortably elected Sharice Davids (D, KS-3) to the House in 2018 — the state still voted for Donald Trump by about 20 points in 2016, which was only down about a point from Mitt Romney’s 2012 margin in the reliably Republican state.Democrats point to Kobach’s five percentage point loss to now-Gov. Laura Kelly (D-KS) in the 2018 gubernatorial race as the strongest evidence of his toxicity in a general election scenario. Indeed, in comparing the 2016 presidential result to the 2018 gubernatorial outcome in Kansas, Kobach underperformed Trump in every county — in some, running more than 40 percentage points behind Trump — and in all four of the state’s congressional districts (Map 1).Map 1: Swing between 2016 and 2018 in KansasNotably, Kobach’s most severe underperformance came in the expansive 1st Congressional District. This ruby-red district went to Trump by a nearly three-to-one margin; two years later, Kelly held Kobach to just a bare majority there, as he carried it by a 51%-37% spread. Kelly’s overperformance was certainly impressive, but it highlights the challenge Democrats face in the Sunflower State: with the presidential race at the top of the ticket, a Democratic win would be predicated on Trump voters abandoning Kobach in bulk. This wouldn’t be impossible, but in federal races across the county, voters have proved less willing to make such distinctions.Gubernatorial races, by contrast, are easier to decouple from the national voting than Senate races, as their focus is often more localized. Aside from the drawing a controversial opponent, a principal factor in Kelly’s 2018 win was the unpopularity of the outgoing leadership in Topeka. Though he departed office a year early, then-Gov. Brownback routinely sported job approval ratings in the 25% range. Brownback’s rocky tenure left voters in a mood for change, which ultimately gave Kelly an assist in overcoming her state’s partisanship.The difference between federal and local races is borne out through Kansas’ last century of electoral history. The state has elected plenty of Democratic governors over the decades, but it has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. In fact, the Senate seat held by the now-retiring Pat Roberts (R-KS) is the only seat in the entire chamber that has elected only Republicans since the 17th Amendment established the direct election of senators, in 1913 (a Democrat last won the seat in 1912).Roberts’ final race, in 2014, presented Democrats with a rare offensive opportunity in a year where they were largely defending incumbents. His contest against independent businessman Greg Orman seemed close the whole way, but Roberts — who was accused of running an underwhelming campaign effort — ended up winning by a little more than 10 points (though Orman was nominally independent, Democrats coalesced behind him). Even when faced with a weak Republican nominee and a decent non-Republican one, Kansas was, and likely still is, too Republican to veer markedly away from national partisanship in a Senate race.So we need to see more before looking as Kansas as a top Democratic Senate opportunity. The same is true for Kentucky, where McConnell has poor approval but benefits from federal partisanship (that race, like Kansas, is rated Likely Republican). And West Virginia remains Safe Republican as Sen. Shelley Moore Capito seeks a second term despite the entry of a flashy challenger, former state Sen. Richard Ojeda (D), who briefly ran for president this cycle and attracted national attention for his U.S. House race in 2018, which he ultimately ended up losing to now-Rep. Carol Miller (R, WV-3) by about a dozen points.There’s a common thread here: We just think these states (Kansas, Kentucky, and West Virginia) are too Republican to elect Democratic senators in an era of waning ticket-splitting.In other races, we’re upgrading the ratings for Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA), two well-regarded incumbents who seem well-positioned for reelection. The former moves from Leans Democratic to Likely Democratic, and the latter from Likely Democratic to Safe Democratic. It does not appear that Republicans will produce a top-tier challenger to either incumbent; for instance, the most prominent Republican seeking to challenge Warner, former Rep. Scott Taylor (R, VA-2), switched to run for his old House seat. Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (R) also took a pass on running against Shaheen; while establishment Republicans had little interest in Lewandowski running, they don’t necessarily have a clear fallback option among the other contenders. Complicating matters for the GOP is New Hampshire’s late down-ballot primary; while the state boasts the first primary of the presidential nominating season, voters there won’t pick down-ballot nominees until Sept. 8, making it one of the latest primaries. A short general election calendar may make it harder for the eventual nominee to make the case against Shaheen.As multiple elections since 2016 have shown, it’s rarely wise to bet against nationalization in politics in the Trump era. While we consider Shaheen a clear favorite for reelection, she’d likely win a third term with a coalition different from her previous victory, in 2014. That year, she drew an unusual challenge from former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA). Brown moved to the state after losing his Massachusetts Senate seat to now-presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Shaheen ultimately held on by three percentage points — becoming the first Democratic senator from the Granite State to win reelection since 1972 — but Brown’s candidacy produced an interesting electoral dynamic: Shaheen tended to overperform most in the towns farthest away from the Massachusetts border.Shaheen’s best county, Coos, is the northernmost county in the state and gave her a wide 62%-38% vote. More rural and blue collar than the state, Trump’s rhetoric played well there two years later. Down the ballot, in the 2016 Senate race, then-Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) lost the county by 199 votes, or about 1.5 percentage points, in her successful challenge to then-Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). The nearly 26 percentage point swing here between the elections was the largest of any county.Conversely, Hassan owed much of her razor-thin 1,017 statewide margin to her improvement in the southern part of the state (as the last image in Map 2 shows). Rockingham County — the only county where Hassan outran Shaheen — is relatively wealthy and is increasingly influenced by the transients from Greater Boston (Granite Staters and other New Englanders have an eight-letter epithet for some of these folks that we will not repeat here).Map 2: New Hampshire Senate races, 2014-2016This year, Shaheen will likely post a more comfortable result than either of the state’s last two Senate contests, but we’d expect her to expand on the coalition that Hassan won with, as opposed to repeating her 2014 map. To a large extent, something similar can be said about Warner: despite his frequent overtures to the rural quarters of his state, he was nearly defeated in 2014, but finds himself in a better position now because of national currents. The GOP’s strength in Virginia’s metros has eroded palpably since then.After the state’s local elections a few months ago, we discussed Warner’s prospects and singled out the blue movement in Northern Virginia’s Loudoun County as representative of the state’s suburban communities. Historically favorable turf for Republicans, Warner was the most recent Democrat to lose it — and by just 458 votes out of the over 92,000 it cast that year. Statewide Democratic candidates since then have routinely earned close to 60% of the vote in Loudoun County. It’s hard to envision any Republican candidate getting within single digits, or much less fighting Warner to parity again, there.Our ratings for Senate in both New Hampshire and Virginia are now more bullish than those states’ respective ratings for president. In the Granite State, the Senate race is Likely Democratic, while the presidential race is Leans Democratic; in the Old Dominion, the Senate race is Safe Democratic, while the presidential rating is Likely Democratic. This is a nod to what we see as the likely abilities of Shaheen and Warner to run at least slightly ahead of the Democratic presidential nominee in their states, owing both to the power of incumbency and the considerable resource edge they likely will hold over their eventual, respective opponents.These ratings changes also narrow the focus of offensive Senate targets for the Republicans. Realistically, there are only two, unless the Democrats as a party go haywire across the board in November. Alabama remains the likeliest seat to flip on either side, as Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) will be hard-pressed to create the distance required between him and the Democratic presidential nominee to prevail in a dark red state. The second legitimate Republican target is Michigan, where our ratings continue to favor Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) as he seeks a second term. However, Republicans are enthusiastic about the campaign of 2018 nominee John James (R), who outraised Peters in 2019’s fourth quarter (though in all likelihood neither will be hurting for resources). Peters has no obvious problems but he’s also something of a generic Democrat; it may be that the Senate race tracks closely with the presidential race. We’re somewhat bullish on Democrats clawing back Michigan from Donald Trump, which also helps inform our Senate rating (we have Michigan rated as Leans Democratic for both Senate and president). However, if the presidential race slides back into true Toss-up territory, the Senate race might too. Republicans have not won a Senate race in Michigan since 1994, but the state is also changing in ways that are making it more competitive than in the past at the federal level, as Trump’s surprising 2016 victory made clear.Democrats have paths to a Senate majority without Alabama. They probably do not without Michigan. So one can see the appeal for Republicans in strongly challenging Peters.Vermont Governor: GOP Edge Tested by PartisanshipThe 2019 gubernatorial races showed that federal partisanship is not always determinative in state-level races. Democrats won Kentucky and Louisiana and came relatively close in Mississippi despite the strong Republican lean of those states at the federal level.Along the same lines, Republicans hold the governorships of some of the most Democratic states in the country: Maryland, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The last state on that list, Vermont, is one of two states — New Hampshire is the other — that elects governors to two-year terms, instead of four.Gov. Phil Scott (R-VT), a moderate, well-liked incumbent, appears set to seek reelection. He won by about nine points in 2016 and 15 in 2018, but he may face a stronger opponent this time. The state’s lieutenant governor, David Zuckerman, announced earlier this week that he would run for governor. Zuckerman is a member of the state’s Progressive Party, although he also ran in the state’s Democratic primary when first nominated for his current job in 2016 and again in 2018, when he won reelection. Scott was Zuckerman’s predecessor as lieutenant governor.Scott may very well be fine, but he once again will need to attract a ton of crossover support this November, as the Democratic presidential nominee will win Vermont in a landslide (that will be particularly true if home-state Sen. Bernie Sanders is the Democratic standard-bearer). Given his past statewide success, Zuckerman may be better-situated to convert Democratic presidential voters into votes for himself. So we’re moving this race from Likely Republican to Leans Republican.CA-50 to Safe RepublicanAfter pleading guilty to a corruption charge, Duncan Hunter (R, CA-50) finally resigned from the House of Representatives earlier this week. The delay allowed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) to forgo a special election for the district, which is one of the few remaining Republican redoubts in California.In 2018, Ammar Campa-Najjar came within about 3.5 points of unseating Hunter, but of course Hunter had considerable baggage that hurt his campaign. With Hunter out of the picture, a number of prominent Republicans are seeking the seat: former Rep. Darrell Issa (R, CA-49), who retired from a Democratic-trending seat in 2018; former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio (R), who lost very competitive races for mayor and Congress in recent years; and state Sen. Brian Jones (R). In all likelihood, Campa-Najjar and one of the Republicans will advance to the November top-two general election.Once that happens, the Democratic challenge becomes apparent. Donald Trump carried the district by about 15 points in 2016, and Campa-Najjar is going to have a hard time attracting the crossover support he won last time against a non-toxic GOP opponent. A San Diego Union-Tribune/10News poll conducted by SurveyUSA released earlier this week showed Campa-Najjar leading the all-party primary with 26%, with Issa (21%), DeMaio (20%), and Jones (12%) as the top Republicans. But looking at the combined Republican versus Democratic vote showed a lopsided 54%-29% Republican edge.The possibility that a special election could coincide with the March 3 presidential primary gave Democrats some hope of scoring an upset in the seat because of the likelihood of much higher Democratic than Republican turnout thanks to the contested Democratic presidential race. But now that it appears there will not be a special election, we’re moving the race from Likely Republican to Safe Republican.(For more on the district, see this Crystal Ball piece from J. Miles Coleman from October.) |
| Don’t Believe the Washington CW: Trump is no Shoo-In for Reelection |
| By Alan I. Abramowitz Senior Columnist, Sabato’s Crystal Ball |
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE– Some commentators are beginning to look at Donald Trump as a strong favorite for a second term.– These projections are generally based on the power of incumbency and the strength of the economy.– However, it may be that the president won’t benefit from these advantages as much as previous incumbents, particularly as his approval rating remains weak.Is Trump a favorite?In less than 10 months, Americans will be heading to the polls to decide whether Donald Trump deserves a second term in the White House — assuming that he survives an impeachment trial in the Senate, as appears likely to be the case. Despite his chronically low approval ratings and his status as only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached by the House of Representatives, Trump is being touted as a solid favorite to win a second term in the White House by commentators ranging from Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker to economic forecaster Mark Zandi.The reasons basically boil down to two factors — the advantage of incumbency and a strong economy. But will these be enough to overcome the president’s other liabilities?There are reasons to be skeptical. Since the end of World War II, three incumbent presidents have lost their bids for reelection — Gerald Ford in 1976, Jimmy Carter in 1980, and George H.W. Bush in 1992. Carter and Bush suffered from approval ratings that were well under water and Ford, while personally popular, was damaged by his association with his disgraced predecessor, Richard Nixon. All eight successful incumbents had net approval ratings that were either positive or, in the cases of Harry Truman (-4) and George W. Bush (-1), only slightly negative, in the months preceding their elections. In contrast, Donald Trump’s approval rating has remained mired in negative territory from the beginning of his presidency. As of Wednesday, his net approval rating stood at -10.8% (approval 42.2%, disapproval 53.0%), according to the FiveThirtyEight weighted average of recent polls. Moreover, polls measuring the intensity of these opinions have consistently found that those strongly disapproving of Trump’s performance outnumber those strongly approving by a fairly wide margin. In a Jan. 7-9 YouGov poll, for example, 45% of Americans strongly disapproved of Trump’s job performance compared with 26% who strongly approved.What about that advantage of incumbency? Since World War II, only one incumbent, Jimmy Carter in 1980, has lost his bid for a second term when his party had reclaimed the White House four years earlier. According to my own “Time for Change” forecasting model, first-term incumbents like Trump enjoy a significant advantage beyond what their approval ratings and economic conditions would predict. However, there are strong reasons to suspect that Donald Trump may not benefit from the same incumbency advantage that previous first-term presidents have enjoyed.According to recent research on congressional elections, the advantage of incumbency has declined sharply in recent years as a result of growing partisan polarization. Gary Jacobson of the University of California, San Diego has shown that voters have become increasingly reluctant to cross party lines to support incumbents based on their voting records or constituency service. The same logic may well apply at the presidential level, especially with an incumbent like Trump whose electoral strategy is based on reinforcing partisan divisions among the public. Indeed, Trump’s presidency has produced the sharpest partisan divisions in job approval ratings in the history of public opinion polling. In a December Quinnipiac poll, for example, 91% of Republican identifiers approved of Trump’s performance with 79% strongly approving. In contrast, 94% of Democratic identifiers disapproved of Trump’s performance with 89% strongly disapproving.Rather than trying to expand his electoral coalition by appealing to Democrats and independents, Trump’s strategy for 2020 appears to be based almost entirely on energizing and mobilizing the Republican base. The problem with this approach, however, is that efforts to energize and mobilize the Republican base also energize and mobilize the Democratic base. Thus, the 2018 election produced the highest turnout for any midterm election in over a century and big gains for Democrats, and recent polls have found that voter interest in the 2020 election is very high among Democrats as well as Republicans.The other key advantage that President Trump enjoys, according to some election forecasters, is the strong U.S. economy. The first three years of Trump’s presidency have produced solid job growth, declining unemployment, and a booming stock market.Despite the solid economic numbers, however, there are good reasons to believe that the economy may not be as big an advantage for Trump as some analysts, and the president himself, believe. For one thing, the rate of economic growth under Trump has actually been fairly modest and consistent with that under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Economic forecasts generally have the U.S. economy expanding a rate of about 2% during the first half of 2020. The average growth rate of GDP for incumbent presidents since World War II is 3.9%. And while unemployment is near record low levels, gains from the growing economy have been concentrated heavily among the wealthiest Americans.Another reason why the president may not receive much political benefit from a growing economy is partisan polarization. John Sides of George Washington University has recently shown that public opinion about the state of the U.S. economy is now far more divided along party lines than in the past. Republicans generally have very favorable opinions about economic conditions and credit the president for producing those results. Democrats, on the other hand, are far less sanguine about the economy and give the president far less credit for any positive results. As a result, Sides argues, Trump may receive less benefit from positive economic trends than earlier presidents who presided over growing economies.Table 1: A simple forecasting model for U.S. presidential elections with running incumbentsSource: Data compiled by authorTable 1 shows the results of a simple two-factor forecasting model based on 11 elections since World War II with an incumbent running for a second term. The dependent variable in this model is the number of electoral votes won by the incumbent. I am forecasting the electoral vote here because, in the aftermath of the 2000 and 2016 elections, we cannot assume that the winner of the popular vote will also win the electoral vote. However, in these 11 elections there were no Electoral College “misfires,” and the correlation between the incumbent’s popular vote share and electoral vote was an extremely strong .975. The two predictors in this model are the incumbent president’s net approval rating (approval-disapproval) in late June or early July of the election year and the growth rate of real GDP in the second quarter of the election year. The second quarter results generally have the strongest effect on election results of those for any other time period.The model is based on elections with a running incumbent because both presidential approval and real GDP growth have much stronger effects on the outcomes of these elections than on open seat elections. (This is a different model than one I wrote about last year.)The results in Table 1 show that this simple model works quite well. Both predictors have strong and statistically significant effects with mid-year presidential approval having a somewhat larger effect than second quarter GDP growth. According to these estimates, for every one-point increase in real GDP growth, the incumbent can expect to gain an average of 15.4 electoral votes. Likewise, for every one-point increase in net approval, the incumbent can expect to gain an average of 3.6 electoral votes.So where does this leave President Trump in 2020? Based on his current net approval rating of approximately -10 and the expected growth rate of real GDP during the second quarter of 2020, Trump would be expected to win approximately 237 electoral votes — well short of the 270 needed to win. Given the fairly large standard error of this estimate, a reflection of the small number of elections it is based on, the prediction of a Trump defeat is far from certain — he would still have about a 30% chance of winning. But these results suggest that Trump begins 2020 as a clear underdog.Of course, Trump’s chances of winning a second term would improve considerably if the economy grows more rapidly than expected and, especially, if he can raise his net approval rating into positive territory. Sides, mentioned earlier, also recently observed that the approval rating for incumbent presidents often improves as they seek reelection. If that happens, it would bolster Trump’s odds in this model. For example, the model predicts that Trump would win 272 electoral votes — just over the 270 minimum needed for victory — if he can raise his net approval rating to zero, meaning equal approval and disapproval. However, this is something he has not accomplished at any time since his first few weeks in office based on the FiveThirtyEight average.ConclusionsClaims that President Trump should be viewed as a clear favorite to win a second term in the White House based on the normal advantage of incumbency and a growing economy in 2020 may be overstating his advantages. The advantage of incumbency in all U.S. elections has been diminishing due to growing partisan polarization and the modest expected growth rate of the economy may not be enough to overcome Trump’s persistently low job ratings.This doesn’t mean that Trump can’t win the election, of course. For one thing, the Trump campaign and its political allies will probably be able to outspend the opposition by a wide margin. Nor can we rule out the possibility that Russia will again conduct a stealth social media campaign to discredit the Democratic nominee — just this week, news emerged that Russian operatives hacked Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company where Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, served as a board member. It seems possible that they were hunting for dirt that could be used against Biden.The biggest unknown about the upcoming election is the identity of President Trump’s Democratic opponent. While a presidential election with a running incumbent is largely a referendum on the incumbent’s performance, the political appeal and campaign ability of the challenger also matters. The more the campaign and the election revolve around the president’s record and performance, the better the chance that he will be defeated. And while Trump and his allies will undoubtedly try to portray any Democratic challenger as a radical socialist whose extreme policies would destroy the economy and embolden America’s adversaries, some potential Democratic candidates might make that task easier than others.Alan I. Abramowitz is the Alben W. Barkley Professor of Political Science at Emory University and a senior columnist with Sabato’s Crystal Ball. His latest book, The Great Alignment: Race, Party Transformation, and the Rise of Donald Trump, was released in 2018 by Yale University Press.Read the fine printLearn more about the Crystal Ball and find out how to contact us here.Sign up to receive Crystal Ball e-mails like this one delivered straight to your inbox.Use caution with Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and remember: “He who lives by the Crystal Ball ends up eating ground glass!” |
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AXIOS
Axios AMSubscribe
By Mike Allen
Happy Thursday!
- Today’s Smart Brevity™ count: 1,183 words … 4½ minutes.
1 big thing: Leaders for life
Russian President Vladimir Putin named Tax Service chief Mikhail Mishustin (right) as the new prime minister yesterday. Photo: Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool via AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin, 67, has given the clearest signal yet of how he plans to navigate term limits and join China’s Xi Jinping, 66, as a possible leader for life.
- Why it matters: Several of the world’s most powerful leaders have recently shifted the rules in order to keep power past normal transitions, Axios World editor Dave Lawler writes.
That includes Xi, who ended presidential term limits in 2018.
- Putin is expected to step down as president in 2024, but showed with a surprise shakeup yesterday that he has no intention of fading quietly away.
- It’s not yet clear whether Putin intends to become prime minister again or carve out another powerful position. But it is clear that even after leaving the presidency, he doesn’t want any rivals for power.
- “This is not about a succession plan,” Brookings’ Alina Polyakova said. “This is about consolidating power.”
Putin didn’t opt for the most straightforward choice: simply removing term limits.
- That move is popular among leaders in Africa, where at least 17 heads of state have attempted to tweak their constitutions to stay in power since 2000, per the CFR.
- Of the 11 non-royal leaders who have been in office longer than Putin’s 20 years, seven are African.
Zoom out: Several leaders who aren’t quite “president for life” have prolonged their tenures through controversial means.
- Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro rigged an election in 2018 and has defied calls to step aside amid political and economic crises. His predecessor, Hugo Chavez, eliminated term limits.
- Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking both re-election and parliamentary immunity from three corruption indictments. Now Israel’s longest-serving leader, he’s positioning himself as the indispensable man.
Even Putin has lessons to learn from Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev. He left the presidency last March but continues to wield authority as chairman of the country’s security council.
- He got a nice parting gift: the capital was renamed in his honor.
Worth noting: Nearly all “leaders for life,” and in fact all 20 of the world’s longest-serving non-royal leaders, are men.
- The longest-serving woman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is expected to step aside by 2021.
2. Living history: House marches impeachment articles to Senate
Photo: Susan Walsh/AP
At an engrossment ceremony, Speaker Pelosi gives souvenir pens to top House Democrats after she signed the resolution to transmit two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump — for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — to the Senate for trial.
Photo: Susan Walsh/AP
Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters
House Clerk Cheryl Johnson and House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving, followed by the seven House impeachment managers, carry the articles of impeachment through the Capitol Rotunda in a procession to the Senate.
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
3. Rudy associate claims Trump blessing
In this letter given to Congress by Lev Parnas, Rudy Giuliani requests a meeting with then-incoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “as personal counsel to President Trump.” Image: Axios Visuals from House Intelligence Committee
Lev Parnas, a close Rudy Giuliani associate and central figure in the pressure campaign on Ukraine, told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow last night: “President Trump knew exactly what was going on. He was aware of all my movements. … I wouldn’t do anything without the consent of Rudy Giuliani or the president.”
- Why it matters: If true, the claim presents detailed connective tissue between Parnas’ activities in Ukraine and Trump.
The most important new claim Parnas made, Axios’ Jonathan Swan writes, was that he had Trump’s explicit imprimatur for his outreach to Ukrainian officials regarding the Bidens.
- Parnas said he knew of the president’s involvement because of Giuliani’s conversations “on speakerphone, where he would like start the conversation on speakerphone and then take it off, and then go somewhere else to talk to” Trump.
- “I was with Rudy when he would speak to the president, plenty of times,” Parnas said, including when Rudy and Parnas were on the golf course.
- Parnas said Trump speaks “very loudly” on speakerphone.
Between the lines: Parnas is not a particularly reliable narrator; he’s been indicted on federal campaign-finance charges (and maintains his innocence).
- This is all about credibility. Parnas has shared numerous eye-popping documents with congressional investigators. But is that reason enough for Americans to take him at his word? Will Ukrainian officials confirm Parnas claims that aren’t supported by documentary evidence? Or will people have to decide for themselves whether or not to take them at face value?
What’s next, from Axios’ Margaret Talev: Parnas seems to want to testify at the Senate trial. But lawmakers may not have the chance to call him, or may choose not to.
- So speaking out now functions as both a preview of — or substitute for — his participation in the impeachment trial.
A Parnas lawyer told Axios’ Alayna Treene that he hoped providing documents and offering to testify would help Parnas in negotiations over his court case.
4. Hot mic catches Warren vs. Sanders
Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP
CNN microphones captured this nasty post-debate exchange between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders:
- Warren: “I think you called me a liar on national TV.”
- Sanders: “What?”
- Warren: “I think you called me a liar on national TV.”
- Sanders: “You know, let’s not do it right now. You want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion.
- Warren: “Any time.”
- Sanders: “You called me a liar. You told me — all right, let’s not do it now.”
Tom Steyer to Sanders as he walks away: “I don’t want to get in the middle of it. I just want to say hi, Bernie.”
- Sanders: “Yeah — good. OK.”
5. “An increasingly confident operator”
Photo: Stefan Ruiz for TIME
Jared Kushner to TIME’s Brian Bennett:
One thing you have to remember when you work for President Trump is that you don’t make the waves. He makes the waves.
Your job is to surf the wave as best as you can every day. And you have to always smile and have a sense of humor with it, because he’s the one who’s got the instinct.
Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale: “Nobody has more influence in the White House than Jared. Nobody has more influence outside the White House than Jared. He’s No. 2 after Trump.”
6. Trump’s twin trade wins
President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He hold the signed trade deal in the East Room yesterday. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP
The day after signing a new trade deal with China, President Trump is expected to get more good news on his trade agenda as the Senate considers a new North American pact, AP’s Kevin Freking writes.
- The House has overwhelmingly approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Before turning to the impeachment trial, the Senate is expected to do the same today and send the measure to Trump’s desk for his signature.
7. Opportunity zones probed
The Treasury Department’s inspector general is investigating opportunity zones, a provision in President Trump’s tax cut “meant to help poor communities that became a windfall for wealthy investors,” the N.Y. Times reports.
- “The inquiry is being conducted at the request of three Democratic lawmakers, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, Representative Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri and Representative Ron Kind of Wisconsin.”
8. BlackBerry is still here
John Chen is CEO of BlackBerry, but even he has to sometimes remind people the company is still in business, Ina Fried will report in today’s Axios Login.
- Why it matters: BlackBerry no longer manufactures phones. But it makes more than $1 billion in revenue per year selling things like security software, an operating system widely used in cars, and patent licenses.
The company is generating positive cash flow and eking out a small profit, but Chen said in an interview: “We could definitely do better.”
9. NFL’s lack of non-white coaches
Data: Pro Football Reference. Photos: Getty Images. Chart: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios
👋 Sign up for Kendall “The Ocho” Baker’s popular daily newsletter, Axios Sports.
10. 1 beast thing
Photo from video by Chris Bruetsch, via AP
In what wildlife biologists call a rare gathering, five California mountain lions — notoriously solitary cats — are seen together Monday on home surveillance video at Chris Breutsch’s rural home in Pioneer, Calif., east of Sacramento. (AP)
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THE WASHINGTON TIMES
| Thursday, January 16, 2020 |
| Trump signs landmark trade deal with China to fix ‘wrongs of the past’President Trump and Chinese negotiators signed a hard-fought trade agreement on Wednesday that provides big wins for U.S. farmers and … more |
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| FDA botches rollout of 21 tobacco age The ‘lunatic left’ sides with Iranian regime rather than protesters Even with impeachment nonsense, Trump found a foreign policy win against Iran |
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| Pelosi formally signs, delivers impeachment charges White House rips Pelosi over impeachment ‘souvenir pens’ Senators to practice rules of decorum during impeachment proceedings |
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THE DISPATCH
| The Morning Dispatch: Meet the Impeachment ManagersPlus, Mike Bloomberg leads Trump by seven points in Michigan. Wait, what?The Dispatch StaffJan 16Happy Thursday! We were going to come up with a joke here, but there is nothing funnier this morning than Tom Steyer interrupting Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren after the debate Tuesday night to say “I don’t want to get in the middle of this, I just want to say hi Bernie,” only for Sanders to walk away saying “yeah, good, okay.”Quick Hits: What You Need to KnowRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev unexpectedly resigned on Wednesday to “give President Vladimir Putin room to carry out the changes he wants to make to the constitution.” The move is seen as an attempt by Putin to consolidate his hold on power past the end of his term in 2024. Meanwhile, Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of Chechnya, announced he would be handing power to the region’s prime minister while he deals with a “temporary incapacitation.”President Trump signed “Phase One” of his trade deal with China, lowering tariffs on some Chinese imports in exchange for additional intellectual property protections and increased American agricultural purchasing by the Chinese. “It’s not everything,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told Fox News. “There will be a ‘Phase 2.’ But this is the first time we’ve had a comprehensive agreement with China.”The House released another set of texts and voicemails from Lev Parnas, the Giuliani associate who was arrested in October for campaign finance charges. The evidence, which details efforts to oust Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, had to be added to the investigative record to be included in the Senate trial, Politico reported.On to the Senate!After nearly a month of helicopter-parenting the articles of impeachment against President Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has finally allowed them to leave the nest. On Wednesday afternoon, the House voted to send the articles to the Senate, where Mitch McConnell plans to begin Trump’s trial on Tuesday. In a press conference, Pelosi pushed back on the notion that, with Trump’s eventual acquittal in the GOP-led Senate practically a foregone conclusion, the impeachment inquiry was a waste of time and effort: “We are here today to cross a very important threshold in American history,” she said. “When someone is impeached, they are always impeached. It cannot be erased.” Pelosi also announced her selections to serve as impeachment managers—the lawmakers who will serve as prosecutors before the Senate, making the case for why senators should vote to convict. The managers selected were a who’s who of the Democrats involved with the impeachment effort, plus a few members with particular legal expertise or experience with past impeachments. In the former camp, there’s Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler, the respective chairs of the two committees most heavily involved with the impeachment: Intelligence and Judiciary. Rounding out the cast: Hakeem Jeffries, a former litigator who serves on the Judiciary Committee. As the Democrats’ Caucus Chairman, Jeffries is the highest-ranking member of the House among the impeachment managers.Zoe Lofgren, a member of Pelosi’s California delegation with a whole pile of impeachment experience: she was a Judiciary staffer for during Nixon’s impeachment and a judiciary member during Clinton’s. Sylvia Garcia, a freshman Democrat from Texas who formerly served as a judge.Val Demings, a member of both relevant committees who was formerly the police chief of Orlando, Florida. Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who in September co-authored an op-ed with other newly elected Democratic veterans calling for the impeachment inquiry to go forward. One name notably absent from the list is Michigan Representative Justin Amash, the Republican-turned-independent who has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s Ukraine dealings. Amash would have given the proceedings a more bipartisan gloss but Pelosi apparently had other priorities. With impeachment managers locked and loaded, the cast of characters for next week’s trial is almost done taking shape. But there’s still one more major decision left to come, one from the other side of the aisle: The White House has yet to decide whether to bring prominent House Republicans on board to aid their defense. It’s a question GOP lawmakers have been squabbling about behind the scenes for more than a week. House leaders want Trump to invite some of his standout defenders from the impeachment inquiry—Reps. Jim Jordan, John Ratcliffe, and Doug Collins among them—to assist White House counsel Pat Cipollone in orchestrating and running Trump’s rebuttal to the charges. Reportedly, Trump himself loves the idea, but he has met with stiff resistance from Senate leadership, who would rather the trial be a dry and formulaic affair—one less likely to scare off fence-sitters like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski—than descend into another bare-knuckle brawl.For their part, House Republicans insist they’re in a position to help out with far more than optics, given the months of impeachment experience they’ve already got under their belts—experience that Cipollone’s team, which was frozen out of the first half of the impeachment inquiry and opted not to participate in the second, currently lacks. “In prior impeachments, the president has had counsel in the room throughout the whole process,” a House source familiar with the process told The Dispatch. “That obviously wasn’t true in this case. So some of it would be the familiarity with the case itself, potentially to include a speaking role.” But with the trial’s start date looming, the White House has yet to make a decision on the matter, leaving the House Republicans in question twisting in the wind. We asked that source how soon they expected to hear for sure: “Presumably by next Tuesday, right?” What Is Mike Bloomberg Doing?After sending out a meatball-related tweet and other, well, interesting content during Tuesday’s debate, Mike Bloomberg awoke to an even more surprising headline: Mike Bloomberg holds seven-point lead on Trump in Michigan.Here at The Dispatch, we are quick to caution our readers on the value of outlier polling. But nationally Bloomberg has been polling within a point of Mayor Buttigieg and well ahead of Andrew Yang and Amy Klobuchar. So it’s time to dive in.First, the money. Bloomberg has spent more than$200 million already but he’s concentrating it in swing states. For example, Bloomberg aired television ads in Michigan over Thanksgiving and spent $1 million just in the first week. He’s spending another $10 million to buy 60 seconds during the Super Bowl. And then there’s the $100 million he’s pledged to spend on digital advertising in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. For those keeping score at home: By the time Michigan primary voters head to the polls on March 10, Michael Bloomgerg is expected to have spent about $400 million across all of these media markets with the heaviest spends in Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Mama mia, that’s a spicy meatball!Second, the delegates. Since 1992, the DNC has instituted a 15 percent threshold for delegates. According to our friends at FiveThirtyEight, “there has never been a primary or caucus in which four candidates have earned more than 15 percent of the vote state- or territory-wide.” Bloomberg is currently sitting at fifth nationally and in fifth or sixth even in states where he has already spent significant sums of money like California and Texas. That means he is on track potentially to win zero delegates. (Yes, the delegates are also allocated by congressional district so he could outperform his statewide polling in specific media markets and pick up a few delegates that way.)So what’s he doing? Hard to say. At first, there was a good case that he was planning to use the FCC’s “lowest unit rate” rule, which requires television providers to offer steep discounts for advertising to federal candidates in the run-up to a primary or general election, to run tons of ads against Donald Trump at a cheaper rate and win the undying affection of the Democratic Party. But if you’ve seen any of Bloomberg’s ads, they are almost entirely about … Bloomberg! So if he’s intentionally skipping the debates, not campaigning in the early states, not on track to win any delegates, and not targeting Trump (and let’s not forget his refusal to release any of the women who have accused him of fostering a hostile work environment from their NDAs), why is he up seven points against Trump in Michigan? It’s hard to say, but maybe polls like this speak more to the general electorate’s dissatisfaction with the current Democratic options than they do to Mike Bloomberg. Team Bloomberg@Mike2020Test your political knowledge:
SPOT THE MEATBALL THAT LOOKS LIKE MIKE. January 15th 20201,173 Retweets5,444 LikesWorth Your TimeJonathan Mahler profiled Rudy Giuliani for the New York Times, and it’s as wild as you might expect. “The ability to move through the world like Giuliani does—without concern for consequences—is a gift; one that endows those who possess it with a power that others will invariably want to tap. Trump must have known exactly what to expect when he hired Giuliani as his personal lawyer, and it’s exactly what he got.”Legendary ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott passed away five years ago this month. The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis put together an oral history, featuring many of Scott’s colleagues, to memorialize him. You’re going to want to give it a read.Despite what you may think looking at our newsletter and website design, we Morning Dispatchers do not subscribe to Marie Kondo’s minimalist aesthetic. In fact, one of us has a shoebox full of ticket stubs, birthday cards, and other detritus dating back more than a decade. This Guardian piece from Kyle Chayka dissects the minimalist craze, and helps to explain why it took off in the first place. “My gut reaction to Kondo and the minimalists was that it all seemed a little too convenient: just sort through your house or listen to a podcast, and happiness, satisfaction and peace of mind could all be yours.”For those of you with an Athletic subscription—and especially those of you with an Athletic subscription who are Cubs fans—we highly recommend this piece from Marc Carig. After seeing Carig defend his case for the Hall of Fame on TV, infamous slugger Sammy Sosa decided to give the reporter a call, unannounced, and thank him. “Today, I saw the show,” Sosa said. “And I see you pretty much fighting, fighting, fighting. It really caught my attention. It touched my heart. And I just wanted to say I really appreciate it, buddy.”Presented Without CommentIn light of Michael Avenatti being jailed yesterday:Esoteric Jeff@EsotericCDA reminder to the world: someone drew this cartoon unironically. January 15th 2020244 Retweets1,670 LikesSomething FunThere are 10 types of movies—and only 10.𝕃𝔼𝔼@leesteffenThere are only 10 types of movies. (A short thread)
1. Orange and blue action January 14th 202031,815 Retweets84,998 LikesToeing the Company LineAs we mentioned here Wednesday, Thomas Joscelyn has officially launched his weekly Vital Interests newsletter focusing on foreign policy and national security. His first edition covers America’s “Great Power Competition” with China. Be sure to subscribe here to get it in your inbox! Also, once Tom gets started, he doesn’t stop. So today we have a piece on the home page in which he critiques the administration’s desire to have a deal with the Taliban.Another new Remnant podcast is available for your listening pleasure, this one a conversation between Jonah and New York Times columnist Ross Douthat about religion (and a little bit of Star Wars). Give it a listen here!Also, David French and Sarah Isgur have a new Advisory Opinions podcast in which they look at the new impeachment evidence, the continuing legal objections to the strike that killed Qassem Suleimani, and what Mike Bloomberg is up to.Let Us KnowAmid all this impeachment mess, someone appears to have spotted former National Security Adviser John Bolton walking the streets of Doha, Qatar, by himself.Will Tooke of the Huffington Post took the liberty of adding music to the clip.Will Tooke@willtooketvHere’s that video of John Bolton in Doha with the audio, uh, enhanced … cc. @hayabntalwaleed8January 15th 202036 Retweets80 Likes“A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton was an excellent choice. But there are others. What song should John strut to? (Declan will edit some of your submissions together for tomorrow.)Reporting by Declan Garvey (@declanpgarvey), Andrew Egger (@EggerDC), Sarah Isgur (@whignewtons), and Steve Hayes (@stephenfhayes).You’re on the free list for The Morning Dispatch. For the full experience, become a paying subscriber.Subscribe© 2020 Steve Hayes Unsubscribe PO Box 720263, San Francisco, CA 94172 |
THE HILL
| © Getty Images Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. It’s Thursday! Our newsletter gets you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the daily co-creators, so find us @asimendinger and @alweaver22 on Twitter and recommend the Morning Report to your friends. CLICK HERE to subscribe! Two articles of impeachment against President Trump were officially transmitted to the Senate on Wednesday as Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the seven lawmakers who will serve as prosecutors during a trial that begins in earnest on Tuesday. The historic process of prosecuting and defending Trump’s actions nine months before voters choose the next president will impact every branch of government and American politics for years to come. The articles alleging abuse of power were physically delivered to the Senate on Wednesday evening in a rare ceremonial procession led by Cheryl Johnson, the House clerk, and Paul Irving, the House sergeant-at-arms, shortly after the House voted to advance them nearly along party lines. The only Democrat to vote against the transmission was Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) (The Hill). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate GOP leaders are scheduled to officially accept the articles today at noon. The processional came hours after Pelosi announced the group of managers, headlined by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), whom she named lead manager, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). Both committee chairmen played integral roles in the impeachment process since it was launched in late September (The Hill). As Olivia Beavers and Mike Lillis write, most of the others selected for the high-profile role were also widely considered to be leading candidates, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus; Val Demings (D-Fla.), a member of both the Judiciary and Intelligence panels; and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Judiciary panel and the only member of Congress to have participated in both the Nixon and Clinton impeachments. Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), and Jason Crow (D-Colo.) were the final two picks for the team and were surprise selections. Garcia, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, and Crow are both freshmen. Crow, an ex-Army Ranger, does not sit on any of the six committees with jurisdiction over impeachment and did not support Pelosi for Speaker. The Democratic team of managers is nearly half the size and more diverse that the all-white-male House GOP team of managers during the impeachment trial of former President Clinton in 1999 (The Washington Post). The Hill: Chief Justice John Roberts, senators to be sworn in today for impeachment trial. The looming trial is a major test for McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), shaping up to be the most defining battle on Capitol Hill ahead of the general election, according to The Hill’s Alexander Bolton. During Trump’s term, each senator has notched a major endeavor. McConnell prevailed to secure the Senate confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, while Schumer won a legislative battle to retain the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. The GOP leader is appealing to Kentucky voters to be reelected in November while also keeping the GOP conference in unison. Schumer is hunting for Republicans willing to buck their party to remove Trump, a highly unlikely prospect. Pelosi was unable to swing a single Republican vote last month. The Hill: Seven things to know about the Trump trial. Bloomberg News: Trump’s Senate trial kicks off with GOP moderates under pressure. The Hill: Trump accuses Democrats of a “con job” as impeachment managers are announced. Up in the air is how the Senate treats newly released Ukraine-related documents disclosed on Tuesday by House Democrats and initially turned over to House investigators by Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani. Parnas gave his first national television interview on Wednesday night, telling MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that he warned a top aide of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States would block millions of dollars in aid if it didn’t announce investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Parnas said he delivered the warning at the direction of Giuliani (The Hill). “Rudy told me after meeting the president at the White House — he called me — the message was, it wasn’t just military aid, it was all aid,” Parnas said. “Basically, the relationship would be sour. We would stop giving them any kind of aid.” Parnas also told the Ukranians that no U.S. officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, would attend Zelensky’s inauguration. While Pence was not in attendance, other U.S. officials were (The Wall Street Journal). As Laura Kelly and others write, the documents, which included text messages, hand written notes and official correspondence, suggest a more intense campaign in Ukraine allegedly sanctioned by the president and targeting former Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. The documents may not be the only new evidence in the wings. Nadler said that “there may very well be” more information relevant to the Trump trial tied to Giuliani and his associates. The Hill: Parnas: U.S. ambassador to Ukraine removed to clear path for investigations into Bidens. The Associated Press: Giuliani associate: Trump had knowledge of Ukraine pressure. The Washington Post: 4 takeaways from the Lev Parnas interview and revelations. © Getty Images LEADING THE DAYADMINISTRATION & WHITE HOUSE: In an agreement signed on Wednesday by the United States and China, Beijing committed to buy an additional $200 billion worth of American goods and services by 2021. The deal is also expected to ease some tariffs China slapped on U.S. products. The additional purchases are to include as much as $50 billion in U.S. agricultural products over two years, an important selling point in rural states Trump hopes to win in November. China also committed in the agreement to buy airplanes, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas. But what happens at the end of two years remains gauzy. Reuters: China trade deal gives Trump a campaign win. READ text of the 96-page agreement HERE (MarketWatch). The New York Times: What’s in (and not in) the agreement. The accord, described by the administration as the first of two phases of trade and intellectual property negotiations between the two largest economies in the world, keeps in place at least through the election most of the tariffs Trump placed on $360 billion in Chinese products. The president — during a White House signing ceremony that included Chinese Vice Premier Liu He (pictured) — called the continuation of U.S. tariffs “leverage” to ensure that China lives up to its word (The Hill). “I will agree to take those tariffs off if we agree on phase two,” Trump said, adding that the next round of negotiations will resume “very shortly” with China. “We don’t expect to have a phase three.” While the president boasted the pact is “the biggest deal in the world so far,” trade experts described “phase one” as a step toward managed trade with China, but one that paused more than resolved a tariff war that has cost American consumers and hurt the U.S. farming and manufacturing sectors (The Washington Post). The Associated Press: Senate expected to give Trump back-to-back trade victories. © Getty Images IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKESCAMPAIGNS & POLITICS: The emerging feud between Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), two of the highest-profile liberal Democrats, is sending shockwaves through the progressive stratosphere as concerns emerge that neither candidate could win the Democratic nomination unless they knock it off. A day after the seventh Democratic debate, audio emerged of the two trading accusations of lying during a confrontation immediately following the confab. The dispute centered on the pair’s December 2018 meeting, during which Sanders allegedly told Warren that a woman cannot be elected president, a charge Sanders has refuted vehemently. “I think you called me a liar on national TV,” Warren told Sanders, repeating the line once more. “Let’s not do it right now. If you want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion,” Sanders said, adding, “You called me a liar” (The Hill). As Jonathan Easley and Amie Parnes report, the debate incidents have made progressives incredibly uneasy as they had hoped that the gathering would give the two an opportunity to put their differences behind them. The opposite has happened though, and the timing couldn’t be worse as less than three weeks remain until the Iowa caucuses. Sanders supporters said they were upset with Warren for what they consider betrayal and a low blow over a misunderstanding. “I felt a knife in the heart,” said Michael Moore, a filmmaker and Sanders backer. They’re also angry at Warren’s effort to frame herself as the most electable candidate when she boasted that she and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the two women on the debate stage, won contests against Republican candidates over a span of 30 years. The remark led to an awkward back-and-forth between Warren and Sanders when he tried to correct her. “Thirty years ago, she was a Republican,” said Nina Turner, a co-chairwoman for Sanders’s campaign. The New York Times: Warren told Sanders after debate, “I think you called me a liar on national TV.” The Washington Post: How a Sanders debate-watch party reacted to Warren’s attacks. While progressives worry about an escalation of tensions, those supporting Biden and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg watch from a distance with glee. “I’ve never been happier about where Biden stands in this,” said one top Biden supporter before weighing in on the Sanders-Warren kerfuffle. “The longer that happens, the better for Joe.” The Washington Post: Warren-Sanders rift fuels a Democratic split and worries party leaders. The Hill: Iowa Democrats view flawed front-runners with anxiety. The Associated Press: New Iowa caucus rules could spark clashing claims of victory. The Hill: Progressives raise red flags over health insurer donations. © Getty Images OPINIONElizabeth Warren moves bigly to out-Trump Trump, by Jonathan Turley, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2RxYMgr Is America on the wrong side in the Middle East? by Marik von Rennenkampff, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2QUWKb0 WHERE AND WHEN📺 Hill.TV’s “Rising” program features The Hill’s staff writer Rafael Bernal, reporting on Democrats’ ground game in Nevada to win over Latino voters; Wendell Potter, president of Medicare for All (NOW!), on health care, health insurance and policy options; and Hanna Trudo, Daily Beast reporter, on the 2020 presidential race and divisions among Democrats about Sanders’s place in the top tier of candidates. Coverage starts at 9 a.m. ET at http://thehill.com/hilltv or on YouTube at 10 a.m. at Rising on YouTube. The House meets at 9 a.m. The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. The Senate impeachment trial of Trump begins with the reading of the impeachment articles and swearing-in of Chief Justice Roberts and senators. Debate on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement also is expected. The president receives his intelligence briefing at 11:45 a.m. and discusses prayer in public schools at 1:45 p.m. Vice President Pence travels to Tampa for a GOP reelection event at 1:30 p.m. and to Kissimmee, Fla., to headline a “Latinos for Trump” event at 6 p.m. accompanied by second lady Karen Pence. Economic indicator: The Census Bureau releases data at 8:30 a.m. about U.S. retail and food sales in November. Analysts previously described slowing consumer spending at the end of 2019. The Hill hosts an event, “Mayors Matter: Deepening the Generational Compact in Communities,” on Tuesday in Washington from 2 to 4 p.m. with influential mayors from Michigan, Kansas and Florida and community leaders who describe contributions of older adults and the societal benefits of intergenerational bonds. Find information HERE. ELSEWHERE➔ Russia: Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s prime minister under President Vladimir Putin (pictured), announced on Wednesday that he and the entire Russian government would resign. In a televised statement on Russian state TV, Putin, 67, proposed a surprise constitutional overhaul that is expected to eventually boost the powers of the prime minister, a shake-up that signaled Putin’s intention to carve out a new position for himself after his current term as president ends in four years. The Kremlin said he named Mikhail Mishustin, the government’s tax chief, as Russia’s new prime minister (The Associated Press). Putin, who has been either president or prime minister continuously since 1999, could retain power and influence beyond 2024 (Reuters). The Washington Post: What’s behind the surprise Russian government shake-up? © Getty Images ➔ Courts: A federal judge in Maryland on Wednesday blocked a Trump executive order that would allow state and local governments to refuse to settle refugees (The Hill). ➔ Crossword puzzles: We’re living in the “golden age” of passion for the brain teasers. “Crosswords are more up to date, they’re livelier, they feel more modern. I think they’re attracting a wider audience than ever,” says Will Shortz, editor of the crosswords at The New York Times, which boasts 600,000 separate subscribers for its storied puzzles (USA Today’s NorthJersey.com). Journalist Dan Avery described the addictive attraction in a Wednesday essay (The New York Times). THE CLOSER And finally … It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for this week’s Morning Report Quiz! ⚾ Inspired by recent suspensions handed down by Major League Baseball against the Houston Astros over stealing signs, we’re eager for some smart guesses about the history of high-profile MLB suspensions. Email your responses to asimendinger@thehill.com and/or aweaver@thehill.com, and please add “Quiz” to subject lines. Winners who submit correct answers will enjoy some richly deserved newsletter fame on Friday. In 1990, which MLB owner was permanently banned (though eventually reinstated) after hiring a gambler to dig up dirt on future Hall of Famer Dave Winfield? Marge SchottGeorge SteinbrennerTed TurnerPeter Angelos In the summer of 1989, which MLB commissioner permanently banned Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose for betting on baseball?Fay VincentBud SeligPeter UeberrothBart Giamatti In 1921, eight members of the Chicago White Sox — dubbed the “Black Sox” — were banned from baseball for life for allegedly throwing the 1919 World Series. Decades later, the suspended players were the subjects of two movies: “Eight Men Out” and _____? “The Natural”“Field of Dreams”“Major League”“For Love of the Game” Less than five months after he appeared before Congress in March 2005 to declare, “I have never used steroids, period,” which ballplayer tested positive for an anabolic steroid and was suspended for 10 days? Roger ClemensBarry BondsRafael PalmeiroJose Canseco © Getty Images The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@thehill.com and aweaver@thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE! TO VIEW PAST EDITIONS OF THE HILL’S MORNING REPORT CLICK HERETO RECEIVE THE HILL’S MORNING REPORT IN YOUR INBOX SIGN UP HEREMORNING REPORT SIGN UPFORWARD MORNING REPORTPrivacy Policy | Manage Subscriptions | UnsubscribeEmail to a friend | Sign Up for Other NewslettersThe Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006©2020 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc. |
CAFFEINATED THOUGHTS
| Connect: Facebook Twitter YouTubeView this email in your browser“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!” (Psalms 143:10, ESV).Iowan Reaction to Phase One China Trade DealBy Shane Vander Hart on Jan 15, 2020 05:04 pm President Donald Trump signed the first phase of a new trade deal with China, cautious optimism marked most of the reaction from Iowa’s elected officials. Read in browser » Feenstra Raises Over $190,000 in Q4 of 2019 in Iowa 4th Congressional District RaceBy Caffeinated Thoughts on Jan 15, 2020 10:44 am Randy Feenstra raised $190,077 in the final quarter of 2019 in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District race bringing the total raised his campaign to $721,272. Read in browser » New Year’s Thoughts from a ‘Boomer’ DocBy Dr. Jane Orient on Jan 15, 2020 10:23 am Dr. Jane Orient: To this Boomer, it appears that the younger generation is blaming us for all the Evil in the world, from their perch of “woke” moral superiority. Read in browser » Miller-Meeks Raises Over $259,000 in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District RaceBy Caffeinated Thoughts on Jan 15, 2020 10:08 am Mariannette Miller-Meeks raised nearly $260,000 in her first quarter of fundraising in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District race. Read in browser » Recent Articles: Reynolds Addresses Tax Cuts, Life Amendment in 3rd Condition of State Address WATCH: Shane Vander Hart on CBN News This is why Democrats are joining the Republican Party in 2020 Iowa Senate Republican Leadership 2020 Opening Remarks Iowa House Republican Leadership 2020 Opening RemarksLaunched in 2006, Caffeinated Thoughts reports news and shares commentary about culture, current events, faith and state and national politics from a Christian and conservative point of view. Caffeinated Thoughts P.O. Box 57184 Des Moines, IA 50317 (515) 321-5077 Editor, Shane Vander Hart Connect: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.ShareTweetShareForwardCopyright © 2020 Caffeinated Thoughts, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. |
ROLL CALL
Morning Headlines
Senate access limits for impeachment trial elicit pushback
Senators and their staffs will be subject to new access restrictions and decorum practices in and around the Senate chamber starting Thursday morning, thanks to the imminent impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Access to the Senate wing will be more limited than usual as of 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Read More…
Super PACs after 10 years: Often maligned but heavily used
Democrats have a tricky relationship with super PACs: They say they want to do away with them, but the party relies heavily on them too. A decade in, it’s clear super PACs will play a significant role in 2020, from the presidential contests to Senate and House races — and in both parties. Read More…
Pelosi picks reserved team of impeachment managers who didn’t seek the role
Speaker Nancy Pelosi picked impeachment managers who mostly didn’t seek out the job, opting for a reserved team over more boisterous members who wanted to be involved. Pelosi’s choices also reflected the diversity of her caucus. Read More…Click here to subscribe to Fintech Beat for the latest market and regulatory developments in finance and financial technology.
Pelosi signs articles of impeachment
Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening. The articles were then taken across the Capitol to the Senate. Watch the video here…
Cory Booker bows out, Ben Carson backs off fair housing and issues of race recede in America
OPINION — It doesn’t take a candidate of color on a debate stage to raise issues of justice and inequality, although that has been the way it has worked out, mostly. So with the field of Democratic presidential candidates growing less diverse, Tuesday’s debate was notable for what was not mentioned. Read More…
An agonizing dispute among terror victims
A fund created in 2015 for the Iran hostages and other victims of state-sponsored terrorism has become a new source of cash for relatives of 9/11 victims, which has exacerbated tensions between the two groups and appears unlikely to fully satisfy anyone. Read More…
Courtroom experience a commodity as Trump impeachment trial begins
The impending impeachment trial of President Donald Trump has boosted the profile of senators who have specific experience in their background: spending time in front of a judge. Read More…
In the middle of impeachment pomp, Steve Gleason gets his medal
Impeachment mania is about to consume the Capitol again, and Wednesday was proof. But first, former NFL player Steve Gleason collected his Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor awarded to civilians in the United States, for his contributions to ALS advocacy. Read More…
New Hampshire’s Kuster backs Buttigieg
New Hampshire Rep. Ann McLane Kuster backed former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg for president Wednesday night, less than a month before the Democratic presidential primary in the Granite State. Read More…
Impeachment clouds hang over home stretch of Iowa caucuses
This week’s Democratic presidential debate in Iowa was the last chance for the significantly winnowed field to make a big impression — not just before the Feb. 3 caucuses there but also before the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump begins. Listen here…
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| Thursday, January 16, 2020 Nancy Pelosi’s Golden Pens️️️ Twenty-eight days after the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump, Speaker Nancy Pelosi continued the urgent, very solemn process of impeaching the president by appointing House managers and signing the articles of impeachment with smiles and golden pens (which didn’t even have “United” spelled correctly) she gave away as souvenirs. What her slow-walking the impeachment process accomplished is not clear. “If the purpose was to force [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell to bow to her will and to agree to call witnesses and get more documents then it was a total failure, there’s no question about it,” Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace noted. However, Wallace pointed out there are a few (of the typical squishy) Republican senators who are now willing to “at least consider whether to vote for witnesses.” “So I think the bottom line may be if you’re talking about who won, there’s no question that Mitch McConnell won,” Wallace continued. “But if you’re saying is it more or less likely now that there is going to be a vote to call witnesses? I think it’s more likely because of her delay.” Now that the House voted to send the articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate, the door is open for a trial over the president’s dealings with Ukraine (or whatever they’re impeaching him for) to begin. What’s next: The Senate will accept the articles tomorrow at noon. Chief Justice John Roberts will then be sworn in today at 2 p.m., and he in turn will swear in the senators. McConnell said trial will not begin “in earnest” until next Tuesday. At this point, the question remains not “if” the president will be acquitted, but “when.” A senior White House administration official told reporters they are hopeful Trump will be cleared by Feb. 4, when he is due to give his State of the Union address. Meanwhile President Trump signed “Phase 1” of a trade deal with China, putting a halt to the trade war playing out between the two countries. “The preliminary pact boosts Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural, manufacturing and other goods, and includes enforcement mechanisms. China has pledged to increase its purchases of U.S. goods and services by $200 billion over two years,” reported MarketWatch, adding: “Though the deal cuts U.S. tariffs to 7.5% on around $120 billion in Chinese products, it keeps in place levies on some $360 billion of Chinese imports. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC the U.S. will take ‘proportionate actions’ if China doesn’t live up to its commitments, and defended Trump’s use of import duties to spur Beijing to negotiate.” Also on the trade front: The Senate will vote on the president’s new North American trade deal today, prior to beginning the impeachment charades. It’s expected to pass with bipartisan support. ERA Another update on the Equal Rights Amendment: As predicted, Virginia lawmakers approved a resolution ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment yesterday. NPR foolishly proclaimed Virginia was “the 38th state of 38 required to do so,” however, that idea is easily debunked. As Tom Jipping, a legal expert at The Heritage Foundation correctly points out, “the 1972 ERA formally died when its ratification deadline passed on June 30, 1982.” “The ERA can become part of the Constitution only if it is again proposed and is ratified by three-fourths of the states while it is properly pending.” ICYMI, Inez had a great piece she shared in BRIGHT explaining why the ERA would actually set women back, and has more updates at Independent Women’s Forum. Book Recs! When I took off for maternity leave, I had big dreams of getting through my very long book list that I was too busy to read with work. But with a baby needing me every 20 minutes, I realized those dreams were completely unrealistic. That is, until I switched from reading physical books to listening to audio books! #MomHack Since making the change, I’ve finally been able to make a dent in my reading list, and I thought it’d be fun to share two of my recent favorites – one political, one not. “With All Due Respect: Defending America With Grit and Grace” by Nikki Haley. As I shared with the former South Carolina Government and UN Ambassador on Twitter yesterday, I look forward to telling Scarlett one day that Nikki Haley was the first strong, fiercely independent female leader that she learned about and heard from as a young girl. When my daughter is old enough, I plan on re-listening to Haley’s book with her to discuss it. (Lord knows where our politics will be by then!) Books by political figures can often feel calculated and dry, but Haley’s book is refreshingly honest and real. I also lovedhearing Haley tell it in her own words via the audiobook—it offers an extra level of intimacy with a high-profile figure. “To Love and Let Go: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Gratitude,” by Rachel Brathen. Rachel, more commonly known as Yoga Girl, is an Instagram yogi I’ve been following for years. I already know what you’re thinking…no thanks! However, this book has nothing do with yoga. Instead, it’s a memoir about Rachel’s difficult childhood and a series of unspeakable losses she faced within a year of each other. As a new mom who still grapples with the loss of our dear friend Bre Payton, Rachel (who’s also a mom to a little girl) had me in tears multiple times throughout her journey of walking through grief with the practice of loving and letting go. Thursday Links BRIGHT guest editor Emily Jashinsky: Why Hollywood’s cozy – and deeply hypocritical – relationship with China could (and should) face an ugly reckoning in the 2020s, via The Federalist. Tim Carney: Liberal elites’ secret weapon is conservative family values, via The Washington Examiner. Noelle Mering: Why Michelle Williams had to justify sacrificing her child for fame, via The Federalist. (I’m glad I’m not the only person who isn’t over this remark.) And finally…this little boy blessing everyone’s breakfast is exactly what you need to start your morning. BLESS HIS SOUL!️ BRIGHT is brought to you by The Federalist. |
| Today’s BRIGHT Editor Kelsey Bolar is a wife, a mom, and a senior news reporter/producer at The Daily Signal, the multimedia news organization at The Heritage Foundation. She is also a Visiting Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum, a contributor to The Federalist, and the 2017-2018 Tony Blankley Fellow at The Steamboat Institute. She previously worked at Fox News in New York City, and now lives in Washington, D.C., where she balances her passion for politics with her affinity for yoga and her Australian Shepherd, Utah. Follow her on Twitter @kelseybolar and on Instagram @kelseybolar. Opinions expressed on this website are her own and not those of any other person or entity.Copyright © BRIGHT, All rights reserved. www.GetBRIGHTemail.com Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Note: By using some of the links above, Bright may be compensated through the Amazon Affiliate program and Magic Links. However, none of this content is sponsored and all opinions are our own. |
CONSERVATIVE DAILY NEWS
| CDN’s Daily News Blast delivers the day’s news first!View this email in your browserCDN Daily News Blast01/16/2020Excerpts:Actor, politician want-a-be, malignant narcissist, Alec Baldwin lectures on morality?By Bekahlyons -“Trump supporters are responsible for the near moral collapse of this country!” They are? Actor, and paragon of virtue, Alec Baldwin has proclaimed it so. Yes, Alec reached way down into his sweat pants hidden pocket to pull out his moral compass and started hash-tagging on twitter a series of reprimands …Actor, politician want-a-be, malignant narcissist, Alec Baldwin lectures on morality? is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Thursday, January 16, 2020By R. Mitchell -President Donald Trump will receive his daily briefing then announce new guidance on prayer in schools. Keep up with Trump on Our President’s Schedule Page. President Trump’s Itinerary for 1/16/20 – note: this page will be updated during the day if events warrant All Times EST 11:45 AM Receive intelligence …President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Thursday, January 16, 2020 is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » CNN Airs Audio Of Tense Exchange Between Elizabeth Warren And Bernie SandersBy Chuck Ross -CNN aired audio of a tense exchange between Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders that took place at the end of a Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday. “I think you called me a liar on national TV?” Warren said as she approached Sanders. “What?” Sanders replied. …CNN Airs Audio Of Tense Exchange Between Elizabeth Warren And Bernie Sanders is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Clinton-Appointed Judge Blocks Trump’s Executive Order On Refugee ResettlementBy Jason Hopkins -A federal judge in Maryland ruled on Wednesday to stop President Donald Trump’s executive order allowing states and localities to choose whether they wish to accept refugees. Peter Messitte, a judge on the Maryland District Court, issued a temporary injunction against the Trump administration’s order giving states and counties the …Clinton-Appointed Judge Blocks Trump’s Executive Order On Refugee Resettlement is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Dark Money Group Linked To Ocasio-Cortez To Spend $500,000 Attacking Joe Biden, Pete ButtigiegBy Andrew Kerr -A dark money group with ties to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced Tuesday it will spend over $500,000 on digital ads attacking former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Ocasio-Cortez has in the past called dark money the “enemy to democracy,” saying groups that use …Dark Money Group Linked To Ocasio-Cortez To Spend $500,000 Attacking Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » ‘President Has Taken Them To School’: Former ICE Chief Says Why Immigration Wasn’t A Subject In Democratic DebateBy Jason Hopkins -Former Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan guessed as to why the topic of immigration was not brought up during the Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential debate. None of the six candidates on stage were asked or spoke about immigration throughout the two-hour debate in Iowa — despite …‘President Has Taken Them To School’: Former ICE Chief Says Why Immigration Wasn’t A Subject In Democratic Debate is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Supreme Court Turns To Internet Meme For Help In Age Bias CaseBy Kevin Daley -Though few institutions in public life are as removed from internet meme culture as the U.S. Supreme Court, a cutting rejoinder popular in social media made an appearance during a Wednesday case about an age discrimination statute. Chief Justice John Roberts wondered if the phrase “OK, boomer,” popular among young …Supreme Court Turns To Internet Meme For Help In Age Bias Case is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Sanders Campaign Goon with Long Rap Sheet, Threatens Violence if Bernie NOT ElectedBy Annie59Oakley -The Gateway Pundit – Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe taunted Democrats on Sunday and revealed he will be releasing the “first bombshell tape” of the 2020 election this week. An explosive new video from Project Veritas features disturbing comments from Kyle Jurek, a Sanders campaign staffer working out of the Iowa …Sanders Campaign Goon with Long Rap Sheet, Threatens Violence if Bernie NOT Elected is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Amazon Takes An Extraordinary Step To Stop Microsoft From Building Out Pentagon’s JEDI DealBy Chris White -Amazon filed a restraining order Monday to temporarily block Microsoft from building out a multi-billion dollar Pentagon project, a move that could potentially delay implementation of the program. The two tech behemoths crafted a proposed schedule to deal with the ongoing lawsuit, including Amazon’s court order, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Amazon …Amazon Takes An Extraordinary Step To Stop Microsoft From Building Out Pentagon’s JEDI Deal is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » WaPo, NYT Aiding China’s Global Propaganda Efforts, Watchdog WarnsBy Peter Hasson -America’s leading newspapers are aiding China’s communist regime by running the oppressive regime’s propaganda, respected watchdog organization Freedom House warns in a new report. The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and New York Times have all run paid supplements from China Daily, the Chinese government’s state media arm. The paid …WaPo, NYT Aiding China’s Global Propaganda Efforts, Watchdog Warns is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Virginia Is a Preview of What Gun–grabbers Would Do NationallyBy Michael R Shannon -A surprising development is occurring among staunch members of the left at the Washington Post and elsewhere. These woke scolds have come out strongly against sanctuary cities and counties. Before it was either silence or tacit approval for government sheltering a population that was “in the shadows,” which makes sense …Virginia Is a Preview of What Gun–grabbers Would Do Nationally is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Dangerous Communist Loud-Mouths – Grrr Graphics – Ben Garrison CartoonBy Ben Garrison -The Democrat Party is A Clear and Present Danger to our Nation I watched the latest Democratic debate with a bit of weariness. I knew what they were going to say in advance and they all said it. Each of them suffered from Trump Derangement Syndrome—even Amy Klobuchar, who is …Dangerous Communist Loud-Mouths – Grrr Graphics – Ben Garrison Cartoon is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » How Google’s New Weather AI Will Make Sure You Never Get Caught in the RainBy Vanessa Bates Ramirez -Among the many things we’ve become addicted to on our smartphones is checking the weather. If you’re anything like me, you open a weather app at least twice a day: in the morning to know what to expect for the day ahead, maybe before your commute home so you can …How Google’s New Weather AI Will Make Sure You Never Get Caught in the Rain is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Watch: President Trump Signs U.S.-China Trade AgreementBy R. Mitchell -President Donald Trump and the Vice Premier of China sign phase one of the U.S. – China trade agreement. Content created by Conservative Daily News and some content syndicated through CDN is available for re-publication without charge under the Creative Commons license. Visit our syndication page for details and requirements.Watch: President Trump Signs U.S.-China Trade Agreement is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Know Your Enemy – A.F. Branco CartoonBy A.F. Branco -Who is America’s real enemy Iranian people who are seeking freedom from tyranny or the Democrat party? Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2020. See more Branco toons HEREKnow Your Enemy – A.F. Branco Cartoon is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Final pre-primary season Democrat Debate Analysis and PredictionsBy Blue Agent007 -With 20 days to go to the February 3 Iowa caucus, the Democrats held their final pre-primary debate in Des Moines, Iowa. The debate was fairly benign. Since Joe Biden is the Democrat default candidate, with no major gaffs, I guess we will give the win to Joe for the …Final pre-primary season Democrat Debate Analysis and Predictions is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » ‘Media Malpractice’: CNN Faces Backlash For One-Sided Questioning On Sanders Vs. WarrenBy Peter Hasson -CNN faced backlash Tuesday night after debate moderator Abby Phillips took Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s side and stated as fact that Sen. Bernie Sanders told Warren in a private conversation that a woman couldn’t win the presidential election. Warren has accused Sanders of telling her in a private 2018 dinner that …‘Media Malpractice’: CNN Faces Backlash For One-Sided Questioning On Sanders Vs. Warren is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Pence Swears In First Chief of Space Operations at White House EventBy Charles Pope -Vice President Mike Pence swore in Air Force Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond as the highest-ranking military leader of the newly created U.S. Space Force in a ceremony that recognized the arrival of the nation’s newest military branch. Raymond was formally designated the first chief of space operations in a …Pence Swears In First Chief of Space Operations at White House Event is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Biden Says Obama’s Nuclear Deal With Iran Was ‘Working’ Before Trump Pulled US OutBy Chris White -Former Vice President Joe Biden said during Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential debate that the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran was working before voters elected President Donald Trump. “I was part of that deal to get the nuclear agreement with Iran, bringing together the rest of the world, including some …Biden Says Obama’s Nuclear Deal With Iran Was ‘Working’ Before Trump Pulled US Out is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Michael Flynn Seeks To Withdraw Guilty Plea, Accuses Prosecutors Of ‘Retaliation’By Chuck Ross -Former national security adviser Michael Flynn filed a court motion on Tuesday seeking to withdraw his guilty plea in a case that originated with the special counsel’s investigation. Flynn’s legal team accused prosecutors of acting in “bad faith” and out of “vindictiveness” when they recommended in a court filing on …Michael Flynn Seeks To Withdraw Guilty Plea, Accuses Prosecutors Of ‘Retaliation’ is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » See all breaking news, conservative commentary, political cartoons and more posted to CDN at our Home Page. Follow on TwitterFriend on FacebookAdd on Google PlusCopyright © 2020 Conservative Daily News, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? 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DESERET NEWS
THE EPOCH TIMES
“Obstacles cannot crush me; every obstacle yields to stern resolve.” LEONARDO DA VINCIFederal Judge Blocks Trump’s Order That Allows States to Reject Refugees Impeachment Case Against President Trump Handed Off to Senate Pentagon Is Prepared to Provide More Financial Support to Border Wall: Esper Jeffrey Epstein Abused Girls as Young as 11 on Island: Government Lawsuit Hundreds of Second Amendment advocates converged on Virginia’s state capital on Jan. 13 to oppose a slew of tighter gun control proposals being voted on by newly elected state lawmakers. Read moreThe United States and China signed a much anticipated “phase one” trade deal on Jan. 15, making an important breakthrough in the nearly 2-year-old trade war. Read moreFormer national security adviser Michael Flynn filed a motion on Jan. 14 to withdraw his guilty plea in the case brought by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Read moreRussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Jan. 15 that he’s submitted his resignation to President Vladimir Putin to give the president room to make changes to the constitution. Read moreGeorge Nader—a witness in then-special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and charged in a case involving foreign donations—pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 on charges of sex trafficking and possessing child pornography, and will now serve at least 10 years in prison. Read moreA Wisconsin appeals court ordered the state on Jan. 14 to temporarily halt the removal of more than 200,000 people from its voter registration rolls for failing to answer questions about their addresses. Read more See More Top StoriesTime to Cancel the ‘Cancel Culture’ By Roger L. Simon In case you missed it (ICYMI, as they say), “cancel culture” is the term used by the self-anointed “woke” for boycotting—essentially turning into non-persons and erasing from public life—people (usually celebrities, but plebes aren’t exempt) who have exhibited what they deem questionable behavior or written something untoward on social media. Read morePublic Reaction in Times of War By Ronald J. Rychlak While the ultimate outcome of the recent brush-up with Iran is not yet known, there are a few lessons to take away from it, especially regarding the public reaction to hostility and the threat of war. It seems important to get some issues on the table now. Read more See More OpinionsWhy a Nuclear Deal Makes Sense for Iran By Valentin Schmid (March 18, 2015) Another day, another low in the oil price. On Tuesday, WTI crude hit $42.63, a fresh cycle low, on the news a nuclear deal between the United States and Iran might be in the offing. If a deal goes through, it could result in 1 million barrels of oil per day that could flood the market within a couple of months. Read moreWhy does Diana West believe that communist ideology has infiltrated America’s intelligence agencies? After looking into key figures involved in the Spygate scandal, what information did Diana West uncover about their ideological beliefs? How is Donald Trump a “counter-revolutionary” president, in West’s view? How Communist Ideology Infiltrated America’s Security Agencies & Fueled Spygate—Diana WestCopyright © 2020 The Epoch Times, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list or remove my account. |
THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
| Washington Examiner’s Examiner Today NewsletterView this as website ADVERTISEMENT HIGHLIGHTSCNN debate draws just 7 million viewers as 2020 ratings slumpLev Parnas says ‘Trump knew’ about his Ukraine dealingsDevin Nunes recalls ‘odd’ phone call from Lev Parnas Trump talks up ‘surging’ Sanders in the primary with eye toward destroying him in the general President Trump and his aides are trying to boost Bernie Sanders ahead of the Iowa caucuses as they seek to secure a hard-line socialist opponent in November’s election, according to Republican sources. WATCH: Warren confronts Sanders after debate, accusing him of calling her ‘a liar on national TV’New audio has revealed a dramatic and bad-tempered exchange between 2020 liberal Democratic rivals Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders at the end of Tuesday night’s Iowa debate. ‘Enormous power grab’: Business groups bash Commerce Department supply-chain security proposal Businesses and conservative groups are aggressively pushing back against a Trump administration proposal that they fear would give the Commerce Department sweeping new powers to block any international transaction on national security grounds. ‘A delaying mechanism’: Another fight brewing over European sanctions on Iran Western European allies could hesitate to sanction Iran for violating the 2015 nuclear deal even after lodging a formal diplomatic complaint, analysts say. ADVERTISEMENT Editorial: Bernie Sanders’s healthcare deceptionsSen. Bernie Sanders has emerged as a legitimate threat to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Recent polling has shown him either leading or in second place in Iowa and New Hampshire, and, nationally, he trails only Joe Biden. As one of the three likeliest people to be the next president, Sanders should no longer be laughed off as a silly old socialist. His dangerous policies should be taken seriously. ‘100% false’: DOJ rejects Lev Parnas claim that Barr was part of Ukraine scheme The Justice Department flatly rejected allegations by Lev Parnas, an indicted associate of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, that Attorney General William Barr was “absolutely” involved in a Ukraine scheme now at the center of impeachment. ‘I’m a little landscaper from f—ing Connecticut’: GOP candidate denies he spied on US ambassador A Republican candidate for Congress is denying that he spied on a U.S. ambassador after he claimed to be doing so in texts made public Tuesday. ‘Sacramental quality’: MSNBC commentators reflect on ‘almost religious’ nature of Democratic-led impeachment proceedings Commentators on MSNBC reflected that the ritualistic Democratic-led impeachment proceedings in Congress had a sense of “something almost religious to it.” ‘Insufficient’: Obama official picked by FISA court says FBI ‘must restore’ a ‘culture of accuracy and completeness’The Obama Justice Department official appointed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to scrutinize the FBI’s FISA reforms determined the bureau’s reforms would be insufficient without a change in the FBI’s culture. Democrats seek to force Secret Service to divulge cost of protecting Trump and family during travel Democrats, intent on finding a way to obtain Secret Service costs for protecting President Trump and his family during their travels over the past three years, are demanding the agency itself divulge the cost. TSA found 4,432 guns at airport checkpoints last year, and 87% were loaded More than 4,400 guns were found in 2019 on passengers attempting to get through airport security checkpoints on the way to board U.S. flights, and a staggering seven out of every eight were loaded. Senate to pass USMCA trade deal Thursday, sending it to Trump’s desk The Senate is set to hold a final vote on President Trump’s United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade on Thursday, sending the deal to the president’s desk and giving the White House back-to-back wins on trade, following Wednesday’s signing of “phase one” of a trade deal with China. Virgin Islands DOJ sues Epstein estate The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein’s estate Wednesday to seize the late billionaire convicted sex offender’s two private islands and other assets and businesses he operated in the U.S. territory. THE ROUNDUP$500 million bailout proposed for taxi driversU.S. officials have routinely lied to the public about Afghanistan, inspector general tells CongressRand Paul threatens fellow Republicans with explosive witness votesADVERTISEMENT |
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THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING MIX
| Sign up for this newsletterRead onlineStories from all over. (Screengrab via YouTube)‘You don’t write the crime down, you dummy’: Late-night comics mock Giuliani pal Parnas“Only Donald Trump would hire henchmen who are also into scrapbooking,” Comedy Central host Trevor Noah said Wednesday. “They’re like a bunch of criminal Martha Stewarts.”By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » ‘Uintah sex?’: Utah-themed condom giveaway cancelled after governor objects to innuendoPublic health officials in Utah wanted to get people talking about safe sex with sexy branding. But Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) declared it an inappropriate use of taxpayer money.By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » ‘He knows who I am’: Lev Parnas says Devin Nunes was ‘involved in getting all this stuff on Biden’“I was in shock when I was watching the hearings and when I saw Devin Nunes sitting up there,” said Parnas.By Timothy Bella ● Read more » An orphaned boy moved into his grandparents’ home. The homeowners association wants to kick him out.The Gardens & Courtyards at Willow Creek, a 55-and-over housing community, bars residents younger than 19.By Katie Shepherd ● Read more » The ‘Father of Prohibition,’ Andrew Volstead, didn’t volunteer for the job. But he got years of hate mail for it.“When a man goes around advocating a ‘bone dry universe,’” one menacing critic wrote, “you can safely bet your boots that he has been a great tank in his day.”By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » The secret quest to save the last wild ‘dinosaur trees,’ once nearly extinct, from Australian firesMore than 100 million years ago, Wollemi pines covered Australia, scientists say. Today, there are less than 200 left in the wild.By Teo Armus ● Read more » A teenager went missing weeks ago. Then police looked inside a nearby chimney.Officials in Port Clinton, Ohio, say 14-year-old Harley Dilly died of “compressed asphyxia” after he became trapped in the chimney of a vacant house.By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » ‘A huge loss for lovers of romantic music’: Chamín Correa, legendary Mexican guitarist, dies at 90He was known as the “requinto de oro,” or “requinto of gold,” for his distinctive playing style on the smaller, higher-pitched guitar.By Teo Armus ● Read more » Capitol Hill reporters protest expected restrictions on media access during Senate impeachment trialA magnetometer in the Senate press gallery will require reporters to trickle into the chamber one at a time.By Derek Hawkins, Felicia Sonmez and Fred Barbash ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletterCheck out By The Way for tips and guides that will help you travel better and make you feel like a local wherever you go. Delivered every Thursday. Sign up » |
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TOWNHALL
REALCLEARPOLITICS
01/16/2020Share: Carl Cannon’s Morning NoteAmy’s Good Night; Low-Energy Debate; Dry Promises Good morning. It’s Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, and I’m writing to you from my native Northern California. One hundred years ago today, the streets of San Francisco were packed with residents eager to score one last drink — or take home a stash of beer, wine, or something stronger. In New York City, by contrast, people seemed more subdued: Liquor store owners put their wares in wicker baskets on the street at liquidation prices. Hotels draped their restaurant tables in black cloth.Prohibition had come to America.I’ve written about this failed social experiment before. It is perhaps the classic example of government overreach and yet it bubbled up from the grassroots. I’ll have a further word on the days when it first took effect in a moment. First, I’d point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters, columnists, and contributors, including the following:* * *Klobuchar’s Debate Showing Could Boost Her Iowa Chances. Tom Bevan assesses the Minnesota senator’s performance Tuesday night.What Impeachment? Dem Debate Sets Stage for Trump Reelection. Frank Miele spotlights post-debate commentary from two party activists who weren’t inspired by their candidates’ performances Tuesday night.Tuesday’s Stark Midwest Contrast of Trump and Democrats. Steve Cortes asserts that the energy displayed at the president’s rally in Wisconsin and the lack of it at the debate in Iowa foreshadow the outcome of the November election.No, the Conservative Woman’s Future Is Not Bleak. Ellen Troxclair writes that the number of female Republicans running for office this year counters predictions of a downward spiral.U.S. Will Not Tolerate the Israel-Gaza Model in Iraq. Jeremiah Rozman lays out the lessons learned from the killing of Qassem Soleimani.An Alliance to Save the Hemisphere. In RealClearWorld, Roger Noriega calls on Brazil and the United States to confront criminal networks and regimes that profit from disorder.Two Tsunamis Are About to Hit Higher-Ed. In RealClearEducation, Andrew Gillen hails a report tying colleges and majors to graduates’ earnings, which should result in better-informed choices by students and parents. How to Deal With a Corporate Bully. In RealClearPolicy, Jerry Rogers cites an array of lawsuits alleging a culture of abusive behavior at Google.* * *The decade ushered in a century ago would become known as “The Roaring Twenties.” But on Jan. 16, 1920, the main people roaring were those hoping to put a lid on things.In Norfolk, Va., the scene was positively jubilant at a revival meeting featuring fiery evangelist Billy Sunday. Some 10,000 “drys” came to hear the famous baseball-player-turned-preacher officiate at a mock funeral service for “John Barleycorn.” A peerless showman, the Rev. Sunday arranged for a 20-foot coffin to be brought to the doors of the church. The casket was conveyed by horses and trailed by a dejected-looking man in a devil costume.“Goodbye, John!” Billy Sunday shouted. “You were God’s worst enemy. You were hell’s best friend!”“The reign of tears is over,” he added. “The slums will soon be a memory. We will turn our prisons into factories and our jails into storehouses and corncribs. Men will walk upright now, women will smile, and the children will laugh.”Spurred by those high hopes, Prohibition became the law of the land.At the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C., a service took place on this date 100 years ago nearly as theatrical as Billy Sunday’s performance in Norfolk — one with its own wildly inaccurate predictions of the future.Congressman Andrew Volstead, the Minnesota Republican who authored the enabling legislation that produced Prohibition, was there — along with his comically bushy mustache. So was James Cannon Jr., a powerful Methodist bishop, as were Howard Hyde Russell, founder of the Anti-Saloon League, and Anna Gordon of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.Former Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan delivered a Scripture-quoting sermon comparing the passage of the 18th Amendment to deliverance of the baby Jesus and the death of King Herod.“They are dead that sought the young child’s life!” Bryan thundered.Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels also took the pulpit, vowing that Prohibition would be the law of the land forever. “No man living will ever see a Congress that will lessen the enforcement of that law,” he proclaimed. “The saloon is as dead as slavery.” Carl M. Cannon Washington Bureau Chief RealClearPolitics Twitter: @CarlCannon |
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AMERICAN THINKER
| View this email in your browserRecent ArticlesSharyl Attkisson Refiles Spying Suit, Exposes Big Deep State PlayersJan 16, 2020 01:00 am In her lawsuit refiled on January 10, Attkisson relied on a whistleblower who was actually involved in hacking her computers. He identified some of the other government officials complicit in the very disturbing spying on her. The refiled complaint quotes government forensics experts as being “quite shocked.” Read More… For Pelosi’s Impeachment Democrats, It’s All about the DisruptionJan 16, 2020 01:00 am Nancy Pelosi and her impeachment-obsessed Democrats look to the RINOs for reinforcements. Read More… Impeachment Is Not the Issue, It’s the 2020 ElectionJan 16, 2020 01:00 am Democrats drive the narrative because so many Republicans in Congress are gullible. Read More… Money and Debt without LimitsJan 16, 2020 01:00 am Since Congress raises the debit limit every time it hits it, we don’t really have any limit on sovereign debt in this country. Read More… Gun Violence Skyrocketed at Black Colleges during Obama AdministrationJan 16, 2020 01:00 am While change did occur during the Obama presidency, for Historically Black Ccolleges and Universities, it wasn’t hopeful change we can (or even should) believe in. Read More… Torquemada Reborn: The Swamp’s Dept. of Labor InquisitionsJan 16, 2020 01:00 am Inquisitions are afoot in the Department of Labor’s legal torture chambers. Read More… Recent Blog Posts Audio of Warren and Sanders after the debate reflects poorly on both Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am When Warren, a habitual liar, accused Bernie of calling her a liar, the man who wants to be president crumbled under her verbal challenge. Read more… The Democrats’ weird response to sending the impeachment articles to the Senate Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am From Nancy Pelosi on down, when the House sent the impeachment articles to the Senate, the Democrats behaved like lunatics. Read more… San Francisco continues to shine a light on what Leftism does to civilization Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Attendees at a JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco were shocked by what they found in this once beautiful city. Read more… Virginia Governor declares war on law-abiding gun owners with emergency order Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Invoking the specter of Charlottesville in a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Governor Ralph ‘Blackface’ Northam declared a temporary state of emergency ahead of Monday’s pro- Second Amendment Lobby Day rally in Richmond. Read more… Wife beater’s delight: Chesa Boudin to let hoodlums off if they have a kid nearby Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am No jailtime if you have a kid in the household, according to young Chesa’s new program for crooks. Read more… For the time being, at least, the dead can vote in Wisconsin Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am One day after a judge reiterated an order that non-viable names be purged from voter rolls, an appeals court blocked the order. Read more… The debates, USMCA, and climate change Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Dangerous emissions from the Democratic debates. Read more… Obnoxious liberal soccer champ Rapinoe determined to make Olympics about politics Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Not one for fine distinctions, Megan understands the world only in relation to herself. Read more… In California it’s better to be a thief Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am In California thieving is officially okay.No, no, they won’t say it is. But it is, nonetheless Read more… Bernie’s words about climate change are inspiring frightening people Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Kyle Jurek, a violently inclined Bernie supporter, is motivated by the same key issue that Bernie discussed in doomsday terms at Tuesday’s debate. Read more… Millionaires demand that California save others from their fate Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Millionaires, including Walt Disney’s great niece, beg the California State Senate to keep others from becoming millionaires too. Read more… Now we know how confused Democrats are about who is and who is not an imminent threat to America Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Democrats are wading knee-deep into hypocrite-ville. Read more… Joe Biden finally finds his victim identity within the Democrat Party Jan 16, 2020 01:00 am Biden’s come up with a fix for his handicap as an old white man in a political party obsessed with identity and victimhood. Read more… Question for Justice Roberts: Were President Trump’s procedural due process rights violated? Jan 15, 2020 01:00 am The public is apparently encouraged to write letters to the justices to present such questions. Read more… Five little noted doozies from last night’s Democratic debate Jan 15, 2020 01:00 am The evening’s most annoying trolls, hypocrisies, fantasies, and whoppers from the last of the Democrat clown car. Read more… View this email in your browserAmerican Thinker is a daily internet publication devoted to the thoughtful exploration of issues of importance to Americans. |
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THE FEDERALIST
| Your daily update of new content from The Federalist Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray January 16, 2020 The War For The Democratic Party Will Destroy Lives And Change Our CountryBy Christopher Bedford An important story lost below the din of the primaries, impeachment, and rallies, is the growing party rancor toward a vocal left flank the politicians have correctly identified as weakened. Full articleCovington Lawyers’ Conflict Of Interest May Land Michael Flynn In JailBy Leslie McAdoo Gordon If there is to be a just result in Flynn’s case, the court must address the question about Covington’s conflict of interest. Flynn shouldn’t be punished for mistakes that are attributable to his counsel rather than to him. Full articleHow America’s Looming Debt Crisis Could Spark The Next Great AwakeningBy Lewis M. Andrews To say America appears headed for a destabilizing debt crisis is not the same as saying every cultural consequence will be negative. It could well lead to a mass religious revival. Full articleGay Activist Dies By Suicide After LGBT Mob Hounds Him For Protesting Drag Queen Story HourBy Chad Felix Greene The LGBT mob and media simply cannot see that they are the source of hatred and bullying. Their movement has built a toxic culture of political dissent. Full articleIran Hostilities Threaten Trump’s Promises To Get Us Out Of Foreign WarsBy Timm Amundson The president should stop one day talking like a devoted noninterventionist, and the next day putting a great big smile on the faces of neoconservatives. Full articleThe Democratic Primary Might As Well Be A ‘Real Housewives’ SeasonBy Emily Jashinsky Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have turned the Democratic primary race into a ‘Real Housewives’ season. Full articleWhy The Supreme Court Needs To Let Families Use Tax Dollars For Private SchoolsBy Andrea Picotti-Bayer This term, the Supreme Court has the opportunity to bury anti-Catholic laws now used to discriminate against all religions, and secure a brighter future for kids like Raelyn Sukhbir. Full article2020 Democrats Tell Moms They Need To Sideline Their Kids To Be SuccessfulBy Libby Emmons There are more ways to find fulfillment and meaning in life than through pursuit of career or income, but you wouldn’t know that from any of the answers that came from the debate stage. Full articleIs Impeachment Delay How Democrats Are Rigging Iowa Against Bernie Again?By Tristan Justice Pelosi’s politically unwise decision to delay impeachment until this crucial moment provokes the question whether she is deliberately helping Joe Biden. Full articleBlackburn: Democrat Senators Running Against Trump Fail ‘Impartial’ Impeachment Requirement, Should RecuseBy Chrissy Clark Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said the Democratic senators who are also running for president in 2020 should recuse themselves from the Senate impeachment trial. Full article3 Kinds Of Women Democrats Refuse To Believe ExistBy Adam Mill Sometimes, the mere existence of a live human can be the best evidence that a widely held belief is based on a lie. Full articleDemocrats: White Reporters Can’t Inform Black People About Natural DisastersBy Tristan Justice The House Energy and Commerce committee held a hearing Wednesday to consider legislation aimed at promoting racism and sexism in the media industry. Full articleWarren Confronted Sanders Post-Debate: ‘You Called Me A Liar On National TV’By Tristan Justice CNN has isolated the audio to reveal the words of a tense exchange between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders on stage following Tuesday’s debate. Full articlePelosi Appoints Steele Dossier Truthers As Anti-Trump Impeachment ManagersBy Chrissy Clark With Pelosi’s selection of seven highly partisan figures, it is unlikely they will be able to persuade moderate Republican senators. Full articleDespite Disputes, European Allies Are Not Ready To Kill The Iran Nuclear DealBy Erielle Davidson Past behavior from the major European powers has shown that, unlike Washington, they are far more eager to appease Iran, and far more persistent. Full articleNancy Pelosi Is Doing Putin’s BiddingBy Ben Domenech When it comes to just dropping the idea that Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are working for a foreign power, that’s just politics for Nancy Pelosi. Full articleTuesday Night’s Democratic Debate Looked Great For Mike BloombergBy David Marcus While still a wild long shot, last night’s shambolic Democratic debate opened the window for Bloomberg just a bit wider. Full article No RSS items found. follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2020 The Federalist, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences |
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
| VIEW IN BROWSERJANUARY 16, 2020CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COMDAYWATCH1An alderman’s plan would ban foam packaging in Chicago restaurants and reduce the use of plastic utensils, straws and moreTHURSDAY, JAN 16Ald. Scott Waguespack, a City Council ally of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, is introducing a plan that would ban the use of the polystyrene foam packaging in which Chicagoans often find their hot dogs, beefs and fries nestled when they order at neighborhood restaurants. It would also reduce the use of plastic utensils, stirrers, straws and condiment containers in a bid to cut down on pollution. It would also the use of some products “only upon request of the customer or at self-serve stations” and the products must be compostable or recyclable, the ordinance reads. It’s likely to face pushback from the restaurant industry and undergo substantial changes as hearings take place.2WGN America plans to compete with cable news with a new national nightly newscastTHURSDAY, JAN 16Nexstar Media Group, which bought Tribune Media last year, will air a nightly three-hour newscast that will compete with established cable networks such as CNN and Fox News. It will be broadcast to more than 75 million homes from new facilities being built at WGN’s Chicago studios, employing journalists from Nexstar TV newsrooms across the country. The company said it is positioning the network as an “unbiased national news” alternative to the current offerings on cable, which feature entertainment or opinion shows in prime time.Maria Bartiromo will be in Chicago on Thursday to anchor her Fox Business show, calling the city “a mini New York.” 3Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasted aldermen over the tone of an LGBTQ business study debateTHURSDAY, JAN 16Mayor Lori Lightfoot chastised City Council on Wednesday for the tone of the debate over a study into possible contract set-asides for gay- and transgender-owned businesses, saying she bears the shame of staying silent earlier in her life when insults were hurled at black people and gay people. “I will be silent no more on any issue where people say and do things that are offensive and racist,” Lightfoot said. “I feel like I have an obligation to speak, and so I am.”4‘They should be scared’: Bernie Sanders’ supporters slam establishment warnings that he can’t beat Trump as their candidate rises in IowaTHURSDAY, JAN 16Bernie Sanders’ recent rise to the top of the field in Iowa polls has led to new attacks this week from President Donald Trump, establishment Democrats and a rare burst of feuding with fellow progressive Elizabeth Warren. A key Iowa poll had Sanders leading the field in the state and surveys show he has the most enthusiastic and committed supporters there. And since he’s running there for the second time, Sanders has a well-organized and experienced ground game and a growing financial advantage. But centrists, including former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, are sounding the alarm, warning that Sanders can’t win swing states. But Sanders and his supporters are pushing back on the electability question, arguing that the path to victory is driving new voters to the polls in record numbers, not trying to sway independents and moderates. The Tribune’s Bill Ruthhart has coverage from the campaign trial.Former Obama Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker endorsed Joe Biden for president.Get complete 2020 campaign coverage here. 5A court has ruled that the infamous Lincoln Towing can stay in businessTHURSDAY, JAN 16Lincoln Towing Service may be off the hook for years of alleged towing violations after a Cook County judge Wednesday reversed the state’s decision revoking its license. In his ruling, Cook County Circuit Judge Neil Cohen said the Illinois Commerce Commission “violated fundamental fairness and … due process rights” by failing to advise Lincoln Towing that it could lose its license as a result of the hearing process.6Viking cruise line is building two cutting-edge ships – and one is headed for the Great LakesTHURSDAY, JAN 16Viking, which built its name with its cruises on the rivers of Europe, is coming to North America. The Viking Octantis, one of two new ships being built, will make its first voyage in January 2022. It will be assigned to the Great Lakes and Antarctica. A sister ship, the Viking Polaris, will follow later that year and be assigned to the waters around Antarctica and the Arctic.Making travel plans? Here are the 10 best places to visit in the Midwest this year. 7A lion at Brookfield Zoo died from a mysterious fall into a moat not long after the death of her longtime mateTHURSDAY, JAN 16In the span of two weeks, Brookfield Zoo has lost both of its African lions, the longtime male-female pair Zenda and Isis. The second blow, the death of the female after she failed to recover from a fall into her moat, was unexpected, mysterious and especially difficult, zoo staff said.8What to see, what to avoid and how to get autographs at this weekend’s Cubs conventionTHURSDAY, JAN 16For the first time in five years, the Cubs convention follows a non-playoff season and precedes a season with lower expectations – especially since the team made no significant offseason moves. But maybe the Cubs have a few tricks up their sleeves and the convention returns to the Sheraton Grand in Chicago starting on Friday. With fans eager to get the best seats at panels and long lines for autographs as well as conflicting panels, you’ll need a guide to help you navigate. And we’re here to help.The Kris Bryant trade talks could accelerate after the Braves lost third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Twins.advertisement UNSUBSCRIBE | NEWSLETTERS | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF SERVICECopyright © 2020 | Chicago Tribune | 160 N. Stetson Ave., Third Floor, Chicago, IL 60601ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this email because you are following the Daywatch newsletter. |
NBC
| From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann. FIRST READ: Here are the eight most explosive accusations in the Lev Parnas interviewOn the very day that House Democrats walked the articles of impeachment against President Trump over to the U.S. Senate came maybe the most explosive testimony/evidence yet in the entire Ukraine scandal. In an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Wednesday night, Lev Parnas, the indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, pointed his finger at everyone from President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, to Devin Nunes and Attorney General William Barr.REUTERS/Brendan McDermidHere are the biggest bombshells from Parnas: “President Trump knew exactly what was going on. He was aware of all my movements. I wouldn’t do anything without the consent of Rudy Giuliani, or the president… Why would President Zelenskiy’s inner circle, or Minister Avakov, or all these people, or President Poroshenko meet with me? Who am I? They were told to meet with me.”… “[I]t was all about Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and also Rudy had a personal thing with the Manafort stuff. The black ledger. And that was another thing they were looking into, but it was never about corruption, it was strictly about Burisma, which included Hunter Biden and Joe Biden.”… PARNAS: Basically, the message that I was supposed to – that I gave [Ukrainian official] Sergei Sheyfir was a very harsh message. That was told to me to give it to him in a very harsh way. Not in a pleasant way… the message was, it wasn’t just military aid, it was all aid. Basically, their relationships would be sour. That we would stop giving them any kind of aid. MADDOW: Unless? PARNAS: Unless, well several things, there were several demands at that point. A, the most important one was the announcement of the Biden investigation.… MADDOW: So you believe that Mr. Pence’s trip to [Zelinskiy’s] inauguration was cancelled because they didn’t agree [to an investigation]? PARNAS: Oh, I know 100 percent. It was 100 percent. MADDOW: – to announce the investigations into Biden.… MADDOW: Let me make sure I understand what you’re saying. When Vice President Pence went over there [to Poland] on September 1st, again in President Trump’s stead, you believe, or you have reason to believe, that Vice President Pence was tasked at that meeting with getting President Zelenskiy to announce investigations of Joe Biden specifically? PARNAS: Yes.… MADDOW: Do you believe that part of the motivation to get rid of Ambassador Yovanovitch to get her out of post was because she was in the way of this effort to get the government of Ukraine to announce investigations of Joe Biden? LEV: That was the only motivation. MADDOW: That was the only motivation. LEV: There was no other motivation.… MADDOW: Do you know if Mr. Giuliani was ever in contact with [Attorney General] Barr, specifically, about the fact that he was trying to get Ukraine to announce these investigations into Joe Biden? PARNAS: Oh, absolutely. MADDOW: Mr. Barr knew about that? PARNAS: Mr. Barr had to have known everything. I mean it is impossible.… MADDOW: Given that interaction that you just described with Congressman Nunes and his aide, Mr. [Derek] Harvey, does it strike you as unusual or inappropriate that Devin Nunes would be one of the lead investigators into this scandal on the House Intelligence Committee? He is obviously the top Republican on that committee. LEV: I was in shock, when I was watching the hearings, and when I saw Devin Nunes sitting up there, and there was a picture where Derek Harvey was in back over there, sitting, I texted my attorney, I said I can’t believe this is happening.Trump and Pence representatives deny Parnas’ allegationsThis morning, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham released this statement in response to the Parnas interview, per NBC’s Kristen Welker: “These allegations are being made by a man who is currently out on bail for federal crimes and is desperate to reduce his exposure to prison. The facts haven’t changed – the President did nothing wrong and this impeachment, which was manufactured and carried out by the Democrats has been a sham from the start.” And Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, also responded “This is very simple: Lev Parnas is under a multi-count indictment and will say anything to anybody who will listen in hopes of staying out of prison. It’s no surprise that only the liberal media is listening to him.” Our question: If Parnas is such a problematic witness, why was Giuliani continually interacting with him? And why was Trump taking photos with Parnas?Impeachment trial update NBC’s Geoff Bennett has today’s activity for the impeachment trial into President Trump. At noon ET, House impeachment managers go to the Senate and read aloud the impeachment articles. At 2:00 pm ET, Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, who presides over the trial, is sworn in, and Roberts then swears in the senators.2020 VISION: “I think you called me a liar on national TV”Well, CNN released the audio of Elizabeth Warren’s pointed conversation with Bernie Sanders after Tuesday’s debate. And it means this story won’t be going away anytime soon – with the Iowa caucuses just 18 days away. Their exchange, per NBC’s Gary Grumbach: WARREN: I think you called me a liar on national TV. SANDERS: What? WARREN: I think you called me a liar on national TV. SANDERS: You know, let’s not do it right now. If you want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion. WARREN: Anytime. SANDERS: You called me a liar. You told me — all right, let’s not do it now. STEYER: I don’t want to get in the middle, I just want to say hi, Bernie. SANDERS: Yeah, good okay. Our question: Did Warren really intend for this to be her closing argument in Iowa, given that the impeachment trial will keep her out of the Hawkeye State for much of the next 18 days? Was it planned, especially knowing that CNN owns those microphones? Or was it spontaneous? And will it backfire in “Iowa Nice” Iowa? Or could it actually help Warren – similar to Hillary Clinton’s tearful moment in New Hampshire in 2008? As NBC’s Alex Seitz-Wald writes, progressives are worried that the Bernie-versus-Warren feud might only end up helping someone like Joe Biden. On the campaign trail today: Pete Buttigieg remains in Iowa, holding town halls in Algona, Emmetsburg, Arnolds Park, Orange City and Sioux City… Tom Steyer is out in Nevada… Tulsi Gabbard is in New Hampshire… And Vice President Mike Pence stumps for the president in Tampa, Fla. Dispatches from NBC’s campaign embeds: While campaigning in Iowa yesterday, Pete Buttigieg continued to be asked about his lack of support in the black community, per NBC’s Priscilla Thompson. “Many black voters I talked to are feeling frustrated and taken for granted by not only being kicked around by the Republican party, but often taken for granted by the Democratic Party,” Buttigieg said. “You have to earn a level of trust over some skepticism. And I recognize that challenge, again what’s worked best, especially in the places where we’ve campaign the most, is sustained dialogue, engagement, not just big events like this but small ones where we’re sitting at a table, talking with community leaders and pastors and business leaders and making sure that we are inviting participation to shape our campaign, not only to support it.”TWEET OF THE DAY: Hearing from the man in the middleDATA DOWNLOAD: And the number of the day is… 4 percentage points.Four percentage points. That’s Joe Biden’s margin over Donald Trump in a hypothetical general election matchup in Wisconsin, according to a new Marquette Law School poll. Biden gets 49 percent support compared to Trump’s 45 percent. For Bernie Sanders, it’s 47 percent to Trump’s 46 percent in a head-to-head matchup. For Elizabeth Warren, it’s 45 percent to Trump’s 48 percent. And for Pete Buttigieg, it’s 44 percent to Trump’s 46 percent.THE LID: Hot spotDon’t miss the pod from yesterday, when we did a deep dive into Americans’ views on Trump’s recent handling of Iran.ICYMI: News clips you shouldn’t miss The House has hand-delivered the articles of impeachment to the Senate. What’s next? The AP profiles the impeachment managers. There’s a new character in the Ukraine saga: a donor and congressional candidate named Robert Hyde. What did the trending #NeverWarren hashtag prove about progressive disunity? Probably not what you think. Pete Buttigieg is getting a big congressional endorsement in New Hampshire.Thanks for reading. If you’re a fan, please forward this to a friend. They can sign up here. We love hearing from our readers, so shoot us a line here with your comments and suggestions. Thanks, Chuck, Mark and Carrie. |
REDSTATE
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ARRA NEWS SERVICE
- The Unrest Is History
- A.G.’s From Out of State Ask Court to Block Arkansas’ Pro-Life Laws
- Do Democrats Sound Impartial?
- A Big Win, Ending America’s Decline, A Striking Contrast
- Tehran Could Turn Trump Into A Regime Changer
- Sanders Will Not Vote for a Trade Deal That Doesn’t Address Climate Change
- Sanders Campaign Aide Threatens Gulags and Violence
- Virginia Dems Betray Agreement, Move Ahead On Gun Control
- To Keep African Americans Safe, Target Criminals, Not Police
- Cancel Culture Strikes Again: Banned in Maine
- Licensed to Fail
- Illegal Immigrant Crossings Fall 78% & Once Overcrowded Cells Are Empty
- Best Decade?
- Know Your Enemy . . .
- Disemploying Des Moines
- Unsettled: The Refugee Question
- The New Post-Trump Constitution
- 100 Miles of New Border Wall, Illegal Crossings Down
| The Unrest Is HistoryPosted: 15 Jan 2020 10:05 PM PSTUkrainian plane shot down by Iranby Tony Perkins: Ten seconds. That’s all the time he had to make a decision: fire on the target or not. The officer on duty fired. And the entire world, as we know it, changed. When the Ukrainian plane fell out of the sky that day, killing 176 innocent men, women, and children, the wreckage didn’t end at the crash site. Iran itself was in ruins. Days later, people still march on Tehran’s streets — their fury, sources say, only growing. “It’s getting more and more intense,” Hormoz Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries says after constant contact with people on the ground. “The shooting down by mistake of this airplane… [people] are disgusted with the government.” The years of anger over the lies, the oppression, and violence, it’s all erupting now. “People want to change the government,” Hormoz explains, “but they don’t have the power. So… all they can do is come out on the streets and get killed.” In Azadi Square, bloodstains darken the pavement, marking the spots where protestors have been mowed down. Six thousand miles away on Capitol Hill, Democrats aren’t just ignoring the outcry — they’re siding with the Ayatollah! “The president is escalating things,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) claimed. No, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) fired back, “The president is responding to 40 years of dereliction of duty by policymakers… who’ve been in appeasement mode.” And it’s not just liberals, he points out, but Republicans too. Until Trump, he told me on “Washington Watch,” “We would do anything to placate Iran, hoping that they wouldn’t increase their [hostility].” Sometimes, we’d even outright disregard their activities, “even when it meant the deaths of literally hundreds and hundreds of Americans — and the maimings for life of literally thousands more than that.” Perry ought to know. As a brigadier general, he flew 44 missions in the Middle East and understands better than anyone the steep price of these policies on the battlefield. “The hard Left,” Scott shook his head, “[is] literally defending terrorists and quibbling over these little issues that are of no consequence.” And of course, he went on, these same politicians criticizing Trump for taking out General Qassem Soleimani “weren’t the people that were sent to war to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan, who were dealing with the malign activities of Iran and losing their lives, their legs, their arms, and their good night’s sleep… as a result of their time in combat [thanks to] these known combatants [like Soleimani] who were left on the battlefield.” It might help people to know, he pointed out, that even former Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson, a Democrat (and no fan of Donald Trump) agrees with the Justice Department and has defended the action as legal “in every context.” “It’s a combat zone,” Perry argued, “with a known designated terrorist who is not supposed to be traveling [there and] where we are congressionally authorized to conduct combat operations. I mean… any of these assertions that they’re making are absurd.”“… I know that [Democrats] are immune to hypocrisy, but your listeners need to know that [there were] about 526 drone strikes under the Obama administration. Most of them outside of the combat zone where they have no authorization whatsoever… None of the Democrats complaining now had a thing to say during 526 separate drone strikes — [where] literally thousands of people [were] killed by the Obama administration. And suddenly, they’re consulting the Constitution and crying foul when this president is keeping Americans safe? These are [politicians who] are willing to send your sons and daughters to war knowing that this [enemy] combatant, Soleimani, is out on the battlefield killing Americans — but [they are] unwilling to do anything about it. It’s disgusting.”If liberals want to cloak their attacks on Trump as “concern” for the Iranian people, good luck. Anyone with an internet connection can see that this country doesn’t hate America. In a sign of respect, they refused to even walk on our flag when it was painted on the street — but had no problem trampling the picture of their supreme leader. “Most people do not know [that] Iranians love Americans,” Hormoz told me. “America is for them is an ideal society. They want if they have freedom, they would have a democracy, American-style.” But to him, what makes this uprising so important, is that the Iranian people aren’t just rejecting the regime — they’re rejecting Islam. “One thing about Iran,” Hormoz explains, “is that Islam and government are one.” So the backlash against Iran is actually turning into an historic opportunity for Christianity. That’s why Iran has the fastest growing evangelical population in the world. That’s why millions of Iranian Muslims are open to the gospel — because they’re done with Islam.” That’s why believers around the world must pray, he urged. This is an open window. “Sometimes I feel the Christians that the West are missing the opportunity to impact the nation for Christ. Pray for Christians in Iran to be bold. I know there are political things and they need to pray for that. But on this spiritual side, this is the time for the gospel to go forth.” ————————– Tony Perkins (@tperkins) is President of the Family Research Council . This article was on Tony Perkin’s Washington Update and written with the aid of FRC senior writers. Tags: Tony Perkins, Family Research Center, FRC, Family Research Council, The Unrest, Is History To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| A.G.’s From Out of State Ask Court to Block Arkansas’ Pro-Life LawsPosted: 15 Jan 2020 09:36 PM PSTJerry Cox, Contributing Author: Last week a group of 20 attorneys general filed an amicus brief with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals as part of an effort to block three pro-life laws in Arkansas. Last June abortionists sued the State of Arkansas over three new pro-life laws passed in 2019: Act 493 of 2019, prohibiting abortion after the eighteenth week of pregnancy, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.Act 619 of 2019, prohibiting abortion of an unborn baby solely because the child has Down Syndrome.Act 700 of 2019, requiring abortion doctors to be board certified or board eligible OB/GYNs.A lower court in Little Rock initially blocked the laws. However, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has asked the federal Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to let Arkansas enforce these good laws. On January 7 a coalition of state attorneys general filed an amicus brief with the Eighth Circuit arguing that Act 493 and Act 619 are unconstitutional and should be struck down. The amicus brief includes the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia. It’s worth noting that with the exception of Minnesota, none of these states are actually from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2018 many of these same states tried to convince the federal courts to block other pro-life laws in Arkansas. The amicus brief filed last week claims the State of Arkansas does not have the authority to prohibit abortion after the eighteenth week of pregnancy and that lawmakers cannot protect an unborn child from being aborted simply because he or she might have Down Syndrome. Interestingly, the amicus brief does not say a word about Act 700 requiring abortionists to be board certified or board eligible OB/GYNs. Apparently even these attorneys couldn’t come up with a reason why anyone besides an OB/GYN should be able to perform abortions. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I don’t know of any attorney general in America who is doing more to fight for the right to life than Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. Her team has won some major victories in the Eighth Circuit in past years, and I believe there will be other pro-life victories in 2020 Perhaps that’s why abortion advocates are so desperate to block pro-life laws here in Arkansas. —————— Jerry Cox is the founder and president of Family Council and the Education Alliance and a contributing author to the ARRA News Service. Tags: A.G.’s From Out of State, Ask Court, to Block, Arkansas’ Pro-Life Laws To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Do Democrats Sound Impartial?Posted: 15 Jan 2020 09:19 PM PSTMultiple Democrat Senators, Including Some Who Are Running For President, Have Already Announced They ‘Will Vote To Convict’ The President In A Senate Impeachment Trial Despite Talk of Impartiality Today, Schumer Saw A Senate Impeachment Trial As Political in 1999 … NOW: SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “I hope all Senators will take seriously the oath to do impartial justice that we seem likely to take in the near future.” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.7127, 12/18/2019) SCHUMER: “Whatever your party affiliation, it is up to us in Congress—and particularly in the Senate–to examine the evidence, remain impartial, and treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves.” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S. 6831, 12/04/2019)THEN: CNN’S LARRY KING: “How can you judge a trial in which you have already stated an opinion or have an opinion? You wouldn’t be — you’d be thrown off a jury in any court in America, right?” SCHUMER: “Right.” KING: “You have a pre-opinion.” SCHUMER: “The three of us in the House, two Republicans — Crapo and Bunning — and myself have all decided we would continue to sit here and that’s precisely for the reasons I think that Joe Biden mentioned. This is not a criminal trial, but this is something the founding fathers decided to put in a body that was susceptible to the whims of politics. I felt that to have my state — have half the representation of every other state wouldn’t make sense.” (CNN’s “Larry King Live,” 1/6/1999) NBC’S TIM RUSSERT: “Congressman Schumer, the Republican National Committee put out a statement saying that you were a House member on the Judiciary Committee, you announced that you would not impeach the president of the United States.” SCHUMER: “Right.” RUSSERT: “That therefore, you are not an impartial juror in the Senate and should recuse yourself.” SCHUMER: “… [L]et’s remember this, Tim: The Founding Fathers, whose wisdom just knocks my socks off every day, it really does, set this process up to be in the Senate, not at the Supreme Court, not in some judicial body. Every day, for instance, hundreds of people call us up and lobby us on one side and the other. You can’t do that with a juror. The standard is different. It’s supposed to be a little bit judicial and a little bit legislative-political.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press, 1/10/1999) … And Continues To Act As If It’s Political Today “Schumer will force a series of votes designed to squeeze vulnerable Republicans and harm them on the campaign trail …” (Politico, 1/13/2020) “[T]he focus on what constitutes a fair trial, [Schumer] argued, will either succeed in unearthing new information about Mr. Trump, or at least help Democrats pick up seats in 2020. ‘It’s a win-win,’ he said, describing his strategy, though he quickly corrected himself, settling on ‘no lose’ as a better frame.” (“Schumer, Eyeing Senate’s Top Job, Navigates Tricky Impeachment Terrain,” The New York Times, 1/12/2020)SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): “It is unfortunate that Chuck Schumer — who voted against witnesses in the Clinton trial and prejudged its outcome — and his allies are seeking to politicize this process.” (Politico, 1/13/2020) Senate Dems: ‘I Will Vote To Convict Him,’ ‘The President’s Actions Deserve The Strongest Penalty Congress Can Provide — Removal From Office’ MSNBC’s HALLIE JACKSON: “So there is a possibility you’ll vote to acquit him? You could maybe vote to acquit him is what I hear you saying.” SEN. MAZIE HIRONO (D-HI): “No, that is not what I’m saying at all, Hallie. What we have on one side is all of the factual evidence on the House side that led to the articles of impeachment. We have that…. So we have all the factual evidence. What I want to hear from the president is, what are his defenses? Does he have an explanation that exonerates him? Short of that, I’m going to vote on the basis of the facts. And the facts are that he committed an impeachable act and I will vote to convict him.” (MSNBC’s “MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson,” 12/19/2019) HIRONO: “I would be prepared to vote to convict him.” (Politico, 1/03/2020)/li> SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): “Trump’s actions threaten our democracy. But the greater threat would be if America became a place where such misdeeds went unpunished. Fortunately, our Constitution tells us in no uncertain terms that the president’s actions deserve the strongest penalty Congress can provide — removal from office. If the rule of law means anything, we must follow its command.” (Sen. Blumenthal, Op-Ed, “Yes, Trump Is Guilty Of Bribery,” The Washington Post, 12/03/2019) Headline of Sen. Blumenthal’s December 3rd Op-Ed: “Yes, Trump is guilty of bribery” (Sen. Blumenthal, Op-Ed, “Yes, Trump Is Guilty Of Bribery,” The Washington Post, 12/03/2019)BLUMENTHAL: “After lengthy fact-finding & compelling public testimony, the case is clear: President Trump tried to trade away our national security for a personal political favor. Merely soliciting a bribe is bribery. Ineffective criminals are still criminals.” (Sen. Blumenthal, @SenBlumenthal, Twitter, 12/18/2019)MSNBC’s KATY TUR: “If the vote was put to you today, I know this is an ‘if,’ to convict the president in the Senate and remove him from office would you be voting yes?” SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): “Yes, based on everything I’ve seen. Yes…. The main subject of the impeachment, which is the issue of yet again, Donald Trump eliciting help from a foreign government to interfere in our election of our president of the United States. In this case we’ve basically got a confession. We’ve got a display of consciousness of guilt and attempt to cover up…. But based on everything we know, including an admission by this president, I don’t know that it leads in any other direction except to vote yes, which is what I believe I will do based on everything I know.” (MSNBC’s “MSNBC Live,” 10/07/2019) CNN’s ANDERSON COOPER: “Senator Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that members of Congress have to be, in her words, fair to the president and give him a chance to exonerate himself. You’ve already said that based on everything you’ve seen, you would vote to remove him from office. Is that being fair to the president?” HARRIS: “Well, it’s just being observant, because he has committed crimes in plain sight. I mean, it’s shocking, but he told us who he was…. And so Congress must act. But the reality of it is that I don’t really think this impeachment process is going to take very long, because as a former prosecutor, I know a confession when I see it. And he did it in plain sight. He has given us the evidence…. Donald Trump needs to be held accountable. He is, indeed, the most corrupt and unpatriotic president we have ever had.” (Democratic Presidential Debate, Westerville, OH, 10/15/2019)SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): “The president’s actions are impeachable and worthy of removal, and personally I think it would be kind of disingenuous to not share my opinion given how much information I have in front of me.” (Politico, 1/03/2020) Democrat Senators Running For President ‘Ready To Convict President Trump,’ As Far Back As October “Elizabeth Warren is ready to convict President Trump should the Senate hold a trial over his impeachment. When asked whether she’d seen enough evidence to vote in favor of removing the current occupant of the White House from office, Warren … provided a one-word answer. ‘Yes,’ she told reporters on the sidelines of the SEIU Unions for All Summit.” (“Elizabeth Warren Says She’s Seen Enough Evidence To Convict Trump In Senate Impeachment Trial,” Washington Examiner, 10/4/2019) SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), Presidential Candidate: “I think the evidence is clear. When Donald Trump released the transcript in which he solicited a foreign government to interfere in the 2020 elections, he broke the law and he did that in context of already having interfered with an investigation into the 2016 elections and Russia being invited to interfere in our elections… He’s made it clear that the law doesn’t apply to him and the point of the federal government is to put whatever resources at his disposal to protect himself politically and financially. That is not the case… What he has done is an impeachable offense, and he should be impeached.” (“Elizabeth Warren Says She’s Seen Enough Evidence To Convict Trump In Senate Impeachment Trial,” Washington Examiner, 10/4/2019)CNN’s DANA BASH: “From what you have seen, is there any chance that you would vote to acquit the president?” SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), Presidential Candidate: “At this point, I don’t see that. But I’m someone that wants to look at every single count. I have made very clear I think this is impeachable conduct.” (CNN’s “State of the Union,” 12/01/2019) SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), Presidential Candidate:“If there is no evidence that’s contrary to the evidence we’ve already heard in the House and the president continues to obstruct and continues to stonewall the legitimate questions that Congress has had, that I’m likely to vote to convict…. If the facts change from where they are today, I could change my mind about that.But that’s where I am today.” (“Sen. Michael Bennet: If The Evidence Heard In House Impeachment Hearings Isn’t Refuted, ‘I’m Likely To Vote To Convict,’” Colorado Public Radio, 12/18/2019) Tags: Do Democrats, Sound Impartial, bias, senate impeachment, trial To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| A Big Win, Ending America’s Decline, A Striking ContrastPosted: 15 Jan 2020 08:20 PM PSTby Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: A Big Win Today, the United States and China signed a new trade deal, resulting in a pause in the trade war. In spite of predictable negative press coverage, this is a huge win for the Trump Administration and the country. According to various reports, China has agreed to buy an additional $200 billion of U.S. products – from agricultural goods to energy products – all of which will be good for American farmers, businesses and manufacturers. In addition, China also agreed to end intellectual property theft and currency manipulation. It is understandable that many people might be skeptical of China’s promises. That’s why the deal is only “phase one” of ongoing negotiations and is fully enforceable based on China’s compliance. What did we give up in exchange for China’s new commitments? Very little. According to the Wall Street Journal, President Trump agreed to reduce “the existing 15% tariff rate on roughly $120 billion of Chinese goods. . . But tariffs will remain on roughly $360 billion of annual Chinese imports to the U.S.” In addition, other areas of conflict with China, from national security threats to human rights and religious liberty issues, will continue. Ending America’s Decline Former White House adviser Steve Bannon put it well when he told CNBC this morning that President Trump’s aggressive trade strategy has stopped “the managed decline of the United States.” For many years, under administrations of both parties, but especially on the left, there has been a growing sense of America being in inevitable decline. Sadly, a lot of people (again, mostly on the left) are okay with that because they think America is evil and the source of problems around the world. But it translated into real problems for many Americans as their jobs were sacrificed on the altar of free trade and globalism. When Donald Trump said he wanted to rebuild America’s manufacturing base, Barack Obama mocked him and said those jobs aren’t coming back. Well, Obama was wrong. Remember those on the right who laughed at Trump’s notion of a border wall? They said, “You can’t shut the border! And why would you want to?” Remember all the experts who predicted the death of the nation-state, suggesting that the ancient passions of patriotism were causing nothing but problems, while singing the praises of globalism? This is why Trump’s mantra of “Make America Great Again” so outraged the political establishments of both parties. And it is a good catchall phrase for his efforts to end “the managed decline of the United States.” I remember serving in the White House when President Ronald Reagan was constantly being told that America had to accommodate the Soviet Union. Thank God Reagan rejected that terrible advice. He had tremendous confidence in the American people, and he had a simple motto, “We win, they lose.” Today the Soviet Union is gone. For years we’ve been told that China is the rising power in the world today, that we can’t outcompete China and should just accept its theft of our technology and its expansionist designs in the Pacific. This president rejects that. He also has a simple motto, “Make America Great Again.” China is signing this deal because they need food and energy. And guess where they are going to get it? And Trump rightly is keeping most tariffs in place to ensure that China complies with the deal. Hopefully, Beijing understands that “business as usual” is over in Washington, that this administration won’t turn a blind eye to abusive trade practices. If it does, the “phase two” talks should go well. A Striking Contrast The president had a major rally in Wisconsin last night as the Democrats had a major debate in Iowa. The simultaneous events should have been aired on a split screen because you couldn’t come up with a more striking contrast between competing visions for America. It’s hard to believe they were talking about the same country! In Iowa, the Democrat candidates were bemoaning that we have no allies, suggesting that we are isolated against Iran. In Wisconsin, the president celebrated our successful strike against Iran’s terror general, and praised the courageous people of Iraq and Iran who are taking to the streets to protest the mullahs. In Iowa, the Democrat candidates were downplaying the economy. But come Wednesday, November 4th, just about the only unemployed Americans will be failed Democrat presidential candidates! (Granted, that’s a lot of people.) While the president was talking about the future of the country, Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats were arguing about the Iraq War and what transpired during a private conversation between Sanders and Warren. It was literally a “he said / she said” moment. But in the #MeToo era, we’re always supposed to believe the woman, and clearly the CNN moderator did! I could go on, but you get the point. Even many liberals noticed too. Progressive CNN commentator Van Jones described last night’s Democrat debate as “cold oatmeal,” saying, “There was nothing I saw tonight that would be able to take Donald Trump out.” One media outlet dedicated to covering Hollywood and the entertainment industry blasted the debate as the “Dull Night Of The Living Dead.” Ouch! Even MSNBC’s left-wing “Morning Joe” hosts panned the debate as “painful,” adding, “Nobody looked good on the debate stage.” Pelosi’s Prosecutors Speaker Nancy Pelosi today announced the members of her caucus who will serve as “managers,” or prosecutors, during the Senate impeachment trial. The lead manager is Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. The other managers are: Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), chairman of the House Judiciary CommitteeRep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), chairman of the House Administration CommitteeRep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), chairman of the House Democratic CaucusRep. Val Demings (D-FL), a member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence CommitteesRep. Jason Crow (D-CO), a member of the House Armed Services CommitteeRep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), a member of the House Judiciary Committee.Some preliminary measures are expected to take place tomorrow with the swearing in of Chief Justice John Roberts. The actual impeachment trial will most likely begin Tuesday, when all 100 senators will be required to sit at their desks without their iPhones or other electronic devices. The process has been a sham from the beginning, but it has not stopped the president from moving aggressively to fulfill the promises he made in 2016. ——————- Gary Bauer (@GaryLBauer) is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families, A Big Win, United States, China, new trade deal, Ending America’s Decline, A Striking Contrast To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Tehran Could Turn Trump Into A Regime ChangerPosted: 15 Jan 2020 07:57 PM PSTby Ilan Berman: The President of the United States isn’t interested in overthrowing the Iranian regime. That idea has been a virtual political constant since at least 2016, when candidate Donald J. Trump used the presidential campaign trail to rail against the 2015 nuclear deal concluded by Barack Obama, but pointedly didn’t advocate the idea of regime change in Tehran as a substitute strategy. In much the same way, the Iran policy pursued by Trump’s administration has concentrated on applying “maximum” economic and political pressure on the Iranian regime to cease its malign regional behavior, while holding out the prospect of a new diplomatic bargain with Tehran as a reward for good conduct. Perhaps the clearest indication of this approach was provided last week, when President Trump — in responding to the Iranian regime’s rocketing of military facilities in Iraq — emphasized that the pathway for Iran to return to the negotiating table remained open. In his televised address on Jan. 8, Trump stressed his desire to work toward “making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place,” and which “allows Iran to thrive and prosper and take advantage of its enormous untapped potential.” Yet, in recent days, the White House has slowly but surely gravitated toward greater support for opposition elements within Iran that are now seeking an end to the Islamic Republic. Over the weekend, the President put out a Tweet — in Farsi — that unequivocally sought to engage Iran’s protestors — and to do so at the expense of the Iranian government. “To the brave and suffering Iranian people,” the message said, “I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you. We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring.” Nearly simultaneously, he telegraphed a potentially significant shift in his administration’s Iran policy. Referring to National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien’s turn on the Sunday talk shows, Trump tweeted on Jan. 12 that: “[The] National Security Adviser suggested today that sanctions & protests have Iran ‘choked off’, [and] will force them to negotiate. Actually, I couldn’t care less if they negotiate. Will be totally up to them but, no nuclear weapons and ‘don’t kill your protesters.’” So, what lies behind this apparent about-face? The answer, quite simply, is the behavior of Iran’s clerical regime itself. Since the start of its “maximum pressure” campaign in May 2018, the central premise of the Trump administration’s Iran strategy has been to apply overwhelming pressure to the Iranian regime in order to change its behavior, both at home and abroad. That approach has been exceedingly successful in imposing significant economic costs on Iran’s already-ailing economy. More recently, with the Jan. 3 killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, it has also begun to impose real penalties on the regime for its regional meddling. Yet throughout, American pressure has been coupled with inducements — such as the possibility of significant financial relief from U.S. sanctions or the chance for meaningful new diplomatic engagement — intended to “sweeten the pot” for Iran’s leaders if they make the correct choice and alter their conduct. Embedded in this approach is the notion that the Iranian regime is capable of toning down its regional activism and curbing its domestic brutality, if it makes the strategic choice to do so. The President’s messages of recent days, however, provides a glimpse of what might happen if it doesn’t. Should that end up being the case, the White House could well consider throwing its weight in earnest behind the anti-regime protests now taking place throughout the Islamic Republic — with all that that implies. ——————– Ilan Berman @ilanberman is Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, a non-profit dedicated to supplying expert analysis to those who make or influence U.S. foreign policy and to assisting world leaders with building democracies and market economies. H/T The Hill. Tags: Ilan Berman, Tehran, Could Turn Trump Into, A Regime Changer To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Sanders Will Not Vote for a Trade Deal That Doesn’t Address Climate ChangePosted: 15 Jan 2020 07:28 PM PSTby Susan Jones: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he plans to vote against the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement because “we could do much better than a Trump-led trade deal.” “And given the fact that climate change is right now the greatest threat facing this planet, I will not vote for a trade agreement that does not incorporate very, very strong principles to significantly lower fossil fuel emissions in the world,” Sanders said at the CNN-hosted debate in Iowa. Sanders argued that the USMCA will continue outsourcing good-paying jobs: The heart and soul of our disastrous trade agreements — and I’m the guy who voted against NAFTA and against permanent normal trade relations with China — is that we have forced American workers to compete against people in Mexico, in China, elsewhere, who earn starvation wages, $1 or $2 an hour. Second of all, every major environmental organization has said no to this new trade agreement because it does not even have the phrase “climate change” in it. And given the fact that climate change is right now the greatest threat facing this planet, I will not vote for a trade agreement that does not incorporate very, very strong principles to significantly lower fossil fuel emissions in the world.The moderator told Sanders that the AFL-CIO supports the USMCA: “The AFL-CIO does,” Sanders agreed. “The Machinists Union does not. And every environmental organization in this country, including the Sunrise Organization, who are supporting my candidacy, opposes it. “So I happen to believe — and I hope we will talk about climate change in a moment — if we do not get our act together in terms of climate change, the planet that we’re going to be leaving our kids and our children — and our grandchildren will be increasingly unlivable and uninhabitable.” Sanders said the issues of climate change and trade are “the same.” In a follow-up response, Sanders said it’s “not so easy” to put together new trade legislation. He said to do it right, all stakeholders must come to the table, including “family farmers,” the “environmental community,” and workers — and he listed them in that order. “Bottom line here is, I am sick and tired of trade agreements negotiated by the CEOs of large corporations behind doors.” Vice President Joe Biden agreed with Sanders on one point: “There will be no trade agreements signed in my administration without environmentalists and labor at the table,” Biden said. Biden also agreed with Sanders on “corporate responsibility.” Sanders said he would use the power of the federal contracting system: “If a corporation in America wants to shut down in Iowa or Vermont or any place else, and then they think they’re going to get on line for our generous federal contract, they’ve got another thing going. “We need some corporate responsibility here and we need to protect good-paying jobs in America, not see them go to China, Mexico, Vietnam, and all these other countries.” Biden, asked for his response, said: “We need corporate responsibility, and I agree with that completely. But we also need to have enforcement mechanisms in the agreements we make. Enforceable agreements. That’s one of the things that has been improved with the trade agreement with Mexico. And that’s what we should be doing in any agreement we have.” ———————— Susan Jones (@SJonesCNS) writes for CNSNews a division of the Media Research Center, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. Tags: Susan Jones, CNSNews, Bernie Sanders, Will Not Vote for a Trade Deal, That Doesn’t Address, Climate Change To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Sanders Campaign Aide Threatens Gulags and ViolencePosted: 15 Jan 2020 07:16 PM PST. . . When socialism spawns its inevitable terror. by Joseph Klein: A paid Bernie Sanders campaign field organizer has been caught on video declaring “F***ing cities burn” if President Trump is re-elected. He also threatened violence if Sanders does not become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. Project Veritas captured the staffer, Kyle Jurek, on camera touting Sanders’ “free education” policies because it would “teach you how to not be a f**king nazi.” He also expressed admiration for Stalin-style gulags, which, Jurek said, “were actually meant for, like, reeducation.” Those people who don’t accept the revolution should be shot, Jurek warned. “You want to fight against the revolution, you’re going to die for it, motherf*cker,” he proclaimed. “Reign of Terror” appears to be one of his slogans of choice. Whatever the Sanders campaign ultimately decides to do with this fanatic is beside the point. Sanders attracts dangerous radicals with his repeated calls for political revolution. Some of Sanders’ followers do not draw any line between hyperbolic rhetoric and violence. That should not be surprising since Bernie Sanders himself has a history of supporting violent left-wing Latin American political movements. Sanders has praised Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Sanders remarked that people “forgot that [Castro] educated their kids, gave their kids healthcare, totally transformed the society.” Sanders forgot to mention the innocent lives lost as the cost of totally transforming society. Kyle Jurek’s praised what the Cuban revolutionaries did “to reactionaries.” He said cavalierly, “they shot them on the beach.” Sanders also admired Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega. Sanders witnessed the celebration of the “Seventh Anniversary of the Revolution” at Ortega’s invitation, where the crowd chanted, “Here, there, everywhere, the Yankee will die.” After he returned from Nicaragua, Sanders said that he was “impressed” with the “intelligence and sincerity” of the Sandinista leaders. He remarked that the Sandinistas had “very deep convictions.” They surely did. The Sandinista government leaders’ deep convictions led them to align closely with Communist Cuba and other Soviet-bloc countries. Also consider the radical left leanings of Sander’s top campaign officials. David Sirota was hired last year as a senior adviser and speechwriter for the Sanders campaign. Back in 2013, Sirorta wrote glowingly about the late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez’s socialist policies, which Sirota credited with fueling Venezuela’s spurt of economic growth. “When a country goes socialist and it craters, it is laughed off as a harmless and forgettable cautionary tale about the perils of command economics,” Sirota wrote back then. “When, by contrast, a country goes socialist and its economy does what Venezuela’s did, it is not perceived to be a laughing matter – and it is not so easy to write off or to ignore.” Venezuela’s economy has since cratered under the weight of the socialist policies pursued by Chavez’s successor, Nicholas Maduro. Venezuela’s economy today could be a foretaste of what may lie ahead for the United States under a socialist Bernie Sanders presidency with senior advisers like Sirora by Sanders’ side. Sanders’ campaign manager is the radical progressive Faiz Shakir. Radical Linda Sarsour was beside herself with joy. Shakir, along with Sanders’ foreign policy adviser Matt Duss, are Israel bashers. “In a climate of escalating Jew-hate, particularly coming from self-described progressives,” said Josh Block, a Democratic strategist and head of the Israel Project, “it is especially alarming that Bernie Sanders would put in charge of his presidential campaign and foreign policy portfolio two people so deeply at the heart of an anti-Semitism scandal and cancer that had to be cut-out from the Center for American Progress for engaging in vile Jew-baiting, including attacking pro-Israel Democratic members of Congress as ‘Likudniks’ and American Jews as ‘Israel Firsters.'” Endorsements of Bernie Sanders by Squad members Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar demonstrate Sanders’ appeal to the extreme left of the Democratic Party. Sanders after all backed Omar when she was criticized for making anti-Semitic remarks. “We will stand by our Muslim brothers and sisters,” Sanders said at the time. Far left progressive groups such as the Center for Popular Democracy Action, the Socialist Alternative Party, Democratic Socialists of America, Dream Defenders and Sunrise Movement have also endorsed the Sanders presidential campaign. Bernie Sanders proudly wears the mantle of socialism. He has at times tried to make case that there are good socialists and bad socialists. But in the worldview of Sanders and his supporters, it comes down in the end to whether you are on the side of the “oppressor” or the “oppressed.” Jacobin Magazine, which has written glowing articles about Sanders’ candidacy, co-authored a book back in 2016 entitled “The ABCs of Socialism.” According to the authors, “In a world filled with exploitation and oppression, one has to differentiate between the violence of those fighting to maintain injustice, and those fighting against injustice.” The authors added, “we think there’s a difference between the violence of the oppressed and that of the oppressors.” This is the same message that the Sanders campaign aide Kyle Jurek so crudely delivered in the video captured by Project Veritas. Bernie Sanders has surrounded himself with radicals willing to entertain violence in pursuit of his strident calls for revolution. ———————— Joseph Klein is a Harvard-trained lawyer and the author of Global Deception: The UN’s Stealth Assault on America’s Freedom and Lethal Engagement: Barack Hussein Obama, the United Nations & Radical Islam. His article was in FrontPage.Mag, a project of the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Tags: Joseph Klein, FrontPage Mag, Kyle Jurek, Sanders Campaign Aide, Threatens Gulags, Violence To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Virginia Dems Betray Agreement, Move Ahead On Gun ControlPosted: 15 Jan 2020 06:51 PM PSTby Free Press International News Service: Analysis by Scott D. Cosenza, Esq., LibertyNation.com. The downside of a democratic form of government was on prominent display Jan. 13 at a Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Committee Chairman John Edwards (D) started things off by breaking a promise to his fellow senators and then promoting confusion with innumerable missteps during the proceedings. Phillip Van Cleave, head of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), of which this writer has been a member, told Liberty Nation “[i]t’s all in disarray — it seems like a total chaotic mess.” The Democratic senators did manage to pass several gun-control bills out of committee for the full Senate to consider, all on 9-5 party-line votes. On Friday, Jan. 10, committee members agreed not to hear these gun bills on Monday, Jan. 13, because Senator Bill Stanley (R) could not be in attendance at the meeting. They were a late addition to the calendar because “decisions were made,” according to Edwards. That he decided to renege on his promise was left unstated, preferring the passive voice. Why? Because the Democrats in Richmond thought such a framing would benefit their agenda. The chairman was clear about that, stating, “[w]e had a meeting with my caucus, and there was a strong feeling we should go today.” If Democrat strategists thought passing the bills out of committee on Monday instead of Wednesday would mean less opposition, they were wrong. The place was packed with pro-gun proponents, while the anti-gunners struggled to fill their space. Van Cleave was shocked to see that the Senate hearing room audience was segregated by supporters vs. opponents of the legislation. He went on to criticize the meeting, calling it a “rubber stamp,” and reminded the legislators that “the state is green with sanctuaries.” More than 100 independent cities and counties in Virginia have passed pledges not to support state legislation that violates the Second Amendment. That support for gun control is broad and shallow while opposition narrower and much deeper was on display at the hearing. Van Cleave reported that empty seats on the anti-gun side had to be filled by draftees whisked in to avoid embarrassment. The Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee is so new they have yet to change the name on the committee website directory, which displays the former Courts of Justice name. Starting with a new majority, the committee with a new name undertook to address several gun bills. Otto von Bismarck said laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made. Boy, was he ever right. There was much confusion in the committee: Votes were cast on bills not even on the day’s calendar, and Senator Dick Saslaw’s (D) extreme gun ban was removed from consideration for the session, as a House bill with similar provisions is set to become the prime focus of anti-gun action. The bills passed on to the full Senate for consideration include a one-gun-per-month purchase limitation and a more onerous background-check bill. The latter creates a felony out of thin air, requiring that, for the first time in Virginia, with rare exception, all firearm transfers must include the government as a consenting party. That’s far from the worst, however, and will sadly be recognizable to many Virginians who have lived in other states. The really ugly legislation is the revocation of due process. Red flag laws or Extreme Risk Protection Orders allow a single civil court judge to order a person’s guns to be seized by police. SB 240 allows a judge to order a gun seizure for 180 days, provides no counsel for the citizen whose rights have been stripped, and has the legal consequence of a criminal conviction unless the order is rescinded. That “conviction” renders a license to carry void and forbids employment by a firearms dealer. Unlike some other states that have these laws, SB 240 allows only prosecutors and police to apply for such an order. That is cold comfort to the victim-survivors of state action should the proposal become law. That these gun bills would pass out of committee was not a question in the minds of any thoughtful observer of Virginia politics. The manner and form of the Democrats’ control, however, show intolerance to the minority and a desire to seek political advantage at the cost of sober lawmaking. The inelegance with which the assembled handled wholesale change of a precious and hard-won right was tragic. With such impassioned opposition to their stated plans, Democrats would do well to at least pretend to care about the widespread, deeply felt resistance to their attempt to remake Virginia from a permissive gun law state to one of the most restrictive. The VCDL plans to bring a massive crowd to rally at the Capitol on Jan. 20 to demonstrate that November’s election was not a true bellwether of where all the state’s people are on guns. —————————– Free Press International News Service, aka: Free Pressers (@FreePressers). Tags: Free Press International, News Service, Free Pressers, Analysis, Scott D. Cosenza, LibertyNation.com, Virginia Dems, Betray Agreement, Move Ahead On, Gun Control To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| To Keep African Americans Safe, Target Criminals, Not PolicePosted: 15 Jan 2020 06:31 PM PSTby Dr. Walter E. Williams: Criminal activity imposes huge costs on black residents in low-income neighborhoods of cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and many others. Thousands of black Americans were murdered in 2019. Over 90% of the time, the perpetrator was also black. Leftists and social justice warriors charge that what blacks have to fear most is being shot and killed by police, but the numbers don’t add up. For several years, The Washington Post has been documenting police shootings in America. Last year, 933 people were shot and killed by police. Twenty-three percent (212) of people shot and killed were black; 35% (331) were white; 16% (155) were Hispanic, and 201 were of other or unknown races. The high homicide rate within the black community doesn’t begin to tell the full tragedy. Crime imposes a hefty tax on people who can least afford it. They are the law-abiding residents of black neighborhoods. Residents must bear the time cost and other costs of having to shop outside of their neighborhoods. Supermarkets that are abundant in low-crime neighborhoods are absent or scarce in high-crime, low-income neighborhoods. Because of the paucity of supermarkets and other big-box stores in these neighborhoods, some “experts” and academicians have labeled them as “food deserts.” That’s the ridiculous suggestion that white supermarket merchants and big-box store owners don’t like green dollars coming out of black hands. The true villains of the piece are the criminals who make some businesses unprofitable. By the way, these are equal opportunity criminals. They will victimize a black-owned business just as they would victimize a white-owned business. The high crime rates in many black neighborhoods have the effect of outlawing economic growth and opportunities. In low-crime neighborhoods, FedEx, UPS, and other delivery companies routinely leave packages containing valuable merchandise on a doorstep if no one is home. That saves the expense of redelivery and saves recipients the expense of having to go pick up the packages. In high-crime neighborhoods, delivery companies leaving packages at the door or supermarkets leaving goods outside unattended would be equivalent to economic suicide. Fearing robberies, taxi drivers, including black drivers, often refuse to accept telephone calls for home pickups and frequently pass prospective black customers who hail them on the street. Plus, there’s the insult associated with not being able to receive pizzas or other deliveries on the same terms as people in other neighborhoods. Another often-overlooked impact of crime is lower property values. Homes that wouldn’t fetch $10,000, $20,000, or $40,000 suddenly fetch hundreds of thousands when large numbers of middle- and upper-income people purchase formerly run-down properties and fix them up. This is called gentrification, where wealthier, predominantly white, people bid higher rental prices, thus forcing out low-income residents. As a result of gentrification, there is greater police protection and other neighborhood amenities increase. Many make the erroneous assumption that black people don’t care about crime. But black people strongly disapprove of the day-to-day violence that’s all too common in their communities. What compounds that problem is a deep mistrust of police in poor black neighborhoods. This distrust, along with fear of reprisals by black criminals, causes an atmosphere of noncooperation with the police. It creates the “stop snitching” principle. This principle of snitches being worse than criminals themselves only exacerbates the crime problem in black communities by giving aid and comfort to the true enemies of the community—those who prey on the community and have little fear of being brought to justice. In some cities, less than 10% of murderers are ever charged. For decades, the problems of blacks could be laid at the feet of racial discrimination. Our ancestors started a civil rights struggle and won. Today, the most devastating problems of blacks are entirely self-inflicted such as high illegitimacy, family breakdown, and unsafe communities. These problems have little to do with civil rights. But as long as blacks buy into the notion that white racism is the source of their problems, the solutions will be elusive forever. —————- Dr. Walter Williams (@WE_Williams) is an American economist, social commentator, and author of over 150 publications. He has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the UCLA and B.A. in economics from California State University. He also holds a Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Union University and Grove City College, Doctor of Laws from Washington and Jefferson College. He has served on the faculty of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics, since 1980. Visit his website: WalterEWilliams.com and view a list of other articles and works. Tags: Walter Williams, commentary, To Keep African Americans Safe, Target Criminals, Not Police To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Cancel Culture Strikes Again: Banned in MainePosted: 15 Jan 2020 06:15 PM PSTby Michelle Malkin: In November, I was banned in Boston after speech-squelchers on the left and right forced the cancellation of my lecture at Bentley University, a small private institution. The grassroots activists who had invited me were rejected by every major event venue in the nation’s purported Cradle of Liberty. The tail-tuckers cited security concerns or jacked up their rental fees to make it prohibitively expensive to gather peacefully to discuss — gasp! — ideas. Lou Murray of Bostonians Against Sanctuary Cities and Jessica Vaughan of the Center for Immigration Studies heroically persisted, pulling together a great event at a private home attended by 100 patriots who risked their privacy, friendships and even their jobs to listen to — gasp! — ideas. Soon after, a group of conservative students at the University of Maine, a publicly funded school, invited me to bring my nationalist message about who’s funding the destruction of America to their campus. This prompted the College Republicans’ faculty adviser, political science professor Amy Fried, to resign in protest. That led to the de-chartering of the CR group. Why? Because I refused to disavow other young students who have asked trenchant, pesky questions at Young America’s Foundation and Turning Point USA lectures about the GOP elites’ support of wage-suppressing, job-outsourcing, Democrat voter-importing policies that put American students, workers and families last. Many of those students follow a 21-year-old nationalist named Nick Fuentes, who hosts a program (for now) on YouTube and DLive in his basement called “America First.” Because I refused to play the gatekeepers’ game of condemning every last joke or chatroom comment or tweet of someone followed by students whose questions I support, Fried believes that no students at her campus under her watch should be allowed to hear what I have to say about, well, anything. How strongly do University of Maine officials oppose the free association of college students who want to know more about my work? Yesterday, I learned from Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks general manager Ed Palmer and others that at least one University of Maine official — along with dozens of others cancel culture jihadists galvanized on social media by an anonymous Twitter account called “Support Maine’s Future” — had called to complain about the students and me after they posted an event notice last Friday. I reached out to top administrators, who did not respond by my filing deadline. I also wrote to Fried, who responded late Tuesday evening: “I never did that. Didn’t happen. Whoever told you I did is incorrect. Thank you for checking, as you received a false report regarding me.” I responded: “Too bad you didn’t pay me the same courtesy.” Adrienne Bennett, a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress (Maine, District 2), challenged the school’s bullying tactics: “Free speech is the cornerstone of a free democracy. We are hearing reports that administrators from the University of Maine pressured a private Maine hotel to cancel an appearance by conservative speaker Michelle Malkin. If true, this is a disturbing development from Maine’s public, land-grant university,” she blasted. “All universities — but especially those that receive public funds — have an obligation to foster free speech and free inquiry. I support President Trump’s recent executive order on campus free speech. … I am disturbed that academic elites would interfere to block this speech. For those who disagree with Malkin’s views, the answer is debate and discourse, not censorship.” My upcoming speaking schedule (for now) includes the New York Young Republican Club (Jan. 16); somewhere, hopefully, in Maine (Jan. 17); Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley (Feb. 11); Michigan Conservative Coalition’s Battle Cry 2020, Troy, Michigan (Feb. 14); Arizona State University (Feb. 26); and San Diego State University (April TBD). A total of six organizations have now deemed me such a public menace that I’ve been barred from speaking at their venues or events: Mar-a-Lago (canceled by the Trump Organization after complaints by the Southern Poverty Law Center spread by left-wingers at the Miami Herald); Bentley University; the University of Minnesota (canceled at the behest of national leaders of the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow); the New Jersey Right to Life Committee; an Indiana conservative group; and Young America’s Foundation. Why is this censorship campaign from both sides of the political spectrum happening? University of Maine College Republican Jeremiah Childs astutely observed: “They’re doing this to delegitimize us because we’re popular.” Popular, peacefully expressed ideas that threaten establishment empires in both parties must be stopped. The pretense of free inquiry and association must be propped up by the tolerance hypocrites on the left and the culture warrior poseurs on the right. The illusion of “free speech” must be maintained by the keepers of the gate. Lying is lucrative. Telling the truth, controlled by no one, only gets you grief. —————— Michelle Malkin is mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, and author. She shares many of her articles and thoughts at MichelleMalkin.com. Tags: Michelle Malkin, Cancel Culture, Strikes Again, Banned in Maine, video To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Licensed to FailPosted: 15 Jan 2020 05:50 PM PSTJohn Stosselby John Stossel: People who want to work should be allowed to work. That includes people who once went to jail. With President Donald Trump’s support, Congress spends your money giving ex-cons “employment assistance.” Why bother? State laws often make such employment impossible. Courtney Haveman had an alcohol problem. When she was 19, she got a DUI. Then she took a swing at a security guard. “I made dumb decisions,” she admits in my new video. “Served three days in jail.” Eight years later, and now sober, Courtney enrolled in beauty school. Such schools invite applicants to “turn your interest in beauty into a rewarding career.” The schools do provide good careers — to owners of cosmetology schools. In Pennsylvania, where Courtney applied, they typically charge $6,000 tuition and require 1,000 hours of courses. All that training is required by the state to work. Courtney had worked in a salon and wanted to do more. Unfortunately, “doing more” requires not just serving customers well, but getting permission from bureaucrats. Byzantine state laws demand you get a state-approved license before you may become a hairdresser, tour guide, travel agent, house painter and all sorts of other jobs where customer happiness should be the guide. So after taking hundreds of hours of cosmetology courses, Courtney paid more to apply for a Pennsylvania cosmetology license. Pennsylvania then told her she couldn’t do cosmetology there because she has a criminal record. The bureaucrats said she could appeal. She could prove she has good moral character. “I sent letters, and people in my 12-step program wrote letters on my behalf, character letters,” she says. The result? “They sent me a rejection letter that said, ‘Sorry. You lack the good moral character requirement’,” says Courtney. “One time in my life that I felt like a productive member of society, I was proud of myself… people were proud of me, and then it was just like, you’re not good enough still.” This is wrong. Courtney did her time — all three days of it. She should be allowed the “second chance” that politicians keep promising former prisoners. Her arrest was eight years ago. She then got sober. Now she sponsors other women in AA. She has a toddler to support. But Pennsylvania says, to protect “public health and safety,” she may not practice cosmetology. The rule doesn’t “protect” anyone. Barbers don’t have to prove they have “good moral character.” Courtney is allowed to work as an “assistant.” “I’m allowed to touch clients, just not allowed to do what I went to school to do!” says Courtney. She shampoos customers’ hair and has intimate contact with them. She’s just not allowed to do facials, makeup, waxing — the work she trained for. “Our government makes it extremely difficult for people like me,” she says. “People can’t just be kicked out of society,” says Institute for Justice lawyer Andrew Ward. He took Courtney’s case for free because he believes that the cosmetology law is unconstitutional. “Everyone has a right… to pursue their own happiness… a right to engage in any of the common occupations of life.” Who benefits from restrictive licensing laws? “It’s certainly convenient,” says Ward, “that established players have a law that gets to keep new people, that would compete with them, out.” Right. Cosmetology boards are dominated by people who run beauty schools. They benefit by making it hard for newcomers to compete for customers by offering better service. The established schools and salons lobby legislators, demanding stringent “safety” requirements. It’s “accidental” that they limit competition. Courtney says, “Years of my life have been wasted.” She paid to train for a job she is not allowed to do. State licensing rules like Pennsylvania’s cosmetology rule don’t protect public health. They don’t help customers. They crush the little guy and limit competition. Get rid of them. ———————- John Stossel is author of “No They Can’t! Why Government Fails — But Individuals Succeed.” Article shared by Rasmussen Reports Tags: John Stossel, Licensed to Fail, commentary, Rasmussen Reports To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Illegal Immigrant Crossings Fall 78% & Once Overcrowded Cells Are EmptyPosted: 15 Jan 2020 05:43 PM PSTPaul Bedardby Paul Bedard: There are a lot of statistics Mark A. Morgan, acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, uses to show how Trump policies have helped to cut illegal immigration into the United States. But there are two that he feels really make clear the victory his agency has had in the past year, and he highlighted them in a small meeting Tuesday. First is daily apprehensions, a number that hit 4,600 at the height of the latest crisis in May. That has now dropped to 1,300. What’s more, he said, the 21-daily average is below 1,000, a 78% cut. “That’s a dramatic reduction,” he said, in updating the numbers released last week. Then there are the numbers of illegal immigrants “in custody.” That was a horrific 20,000 in May for an agency that has just 4,000 beds. Now a quarter of those beds are unused. “We were having those conversations back then about how the system was overwhelmed, there was overcrowding. We’re just not experiencing that now,” Morgan said. “Currently, right now, what we’re seeing is our in-custody numbers right now are actually below 3,000, and it has been steady for the past few weeks,” he said. He added that some 731 Border Protection officers pulled off the border to handle the housing crisis last year have also been put back on the border. “They are all back,” he said. While he stressed that the crisis is far from over, especially as Mexican cartels turn to drugs to replace moving people across the border as their money source, he said that President Trump’s policies get the credit for the change. Noting that Congress has done little to change outdated immigration laws, he said that Trump took action and built relationships with Mexico and other Central American nations that now hold immigrants seeking to come into the U.S. until the government gives them the green light. “This is not a political statement, it’s because I believe it and because it is true: The success that I just outlined is absolutely a direct result of this president’s strategies,” said Morgan, a career government officer. He added, “We are succeeding in addressing this crisis.” ——————- Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) shares Washington Secrets on the Washington Examiner. Tags: Paul Bedard, Washington Secrets, Border Border Security Customs and Border Protection To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Best Decade?Posted: 15 Jan 2020 05:30 PM PSTby Kerby Anderson, Contributing Author: If you want to get a surprised reaction from people, tell them that we just had the best decade ever. I am fascinated by the reaction when I say it. Even people who are hardly environmental doomsayers have trouble believing it. Matt Ridley recently wrote, “We’ve just had the best decade in human history. Seriously.” Why would he say that? Let’s put a few facts on the table. “Extreme poverty has fallen below 10 percent of the world’s population for the first time.” He compares that to the fact that extreme poverty was 60 percent when he was born. Global inequality has been dropping because Africa and Asia are experiencing faster economic growth than Europe and North America. Here are a few other amazing statistics. Child mortality has fallen to record levels. Famine is becoming almost non-existent. Malaria, polio, and heart disease are all in decline. By now you might wonder why you haven’t heard some of this. That’s because, as he observes, good news is no news. What we do hear about is bad news, and there is certainly lots of it. Again, he has a rational answer. Bad things do happen when the world is getting better. He even takes on the environmental fears by pointing out that the ecological footprint of human activity seems to be shrinking. He quotes from the book, More from Less, that shows how some nations are beginning to use less stuff: less metal, less water, less land. And that’s not just less in proportion to productivity, but less stuff overall. Mobile phones have more computing power than the huge computer systems I used in graduate school in the 1970s. And your cell phone is also your computer, camera, radio, calendar, map, and watch. LED light bulbs today consume a quarter of the electricity of incandescent bulbs. I think these statistics along with many other statistics illustrate that we just lived through an incredible decade. —————- Kerby Anderson (@kerbyanderson) is a radio talk show host heard on numerous stations via the Point of View Network (@PointofViewRTS) and is endorsed by Dr. Bill Smith, Editor, ARRA News Service. Tags: Kerby Anderson, Viewpoints, Point of View, Best Decade? To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Know Your Enemy . . .Posted: 15 Jan 2020 03:33 PM PST. . . Who is America’s real enemy Iranian people who are seeking freedom from tyranny or the Democrat party? Editorial Cartoon by AF “Tony BrancoTags: Editorial Cartoon, AF Branco, Know Your Enemy, Who is America’s real enemy, Iranian people, seeking freedom, from tyranny, Democrat Party To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Disemploying Des MoinesPosted: 15 Jan 2020 03:26 PM PSTby Paul Jacob, Contributing Author: Remember during Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, when she promised “to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business”? She seemed surprisingly surprised that coal miners were so displeased. Have no fear, however — quickly she highlighted her $30 billion plan to provide sustenance and re-training to these soon-to-be displaced miners. Leading in the latest Iowa poll, Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind.-Vt.) opines his own deep commitment to enacting “Medicare for All” and, by the magic of Washington statecraft, summarily executing private health insurance in these United States. “The private health insurance business employs at least a half a million people, covers about 250 million Americans, and generates roughly a trillion dollars in revenues,” reports The New York Times. “Its companies’ stocks are a staple of the mutual funds that make up millions of Americans’ retirement savings.” In last night’s debate, CNN’s Abby Phillip read the Vermont senator a question from an Iowa Democratic voter: “Des Moines is an insurance town. What happens to all . . . the health insurance industry here if there is ‘Medicare for All’? What happens to all the jobs and the livelihoods of the people that live in insurance towns like Des Moines?” “We build in to our ‘Medicare for All’ program a transition fund of many, many billions of dollars,” Sanders explained, “that will provide for up to five years income and health care and job training for those people.” Come on, don’t get uptight about whether your job — or your whole industry — is terminated. Uncle Bernie will set you up with a new gig, and some cash to hold you over. Trust Washington to take good care of you. Or use Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob. —————— Paul Jacob (@Common_Sense_PJ ) is author of Common Sense which provides daily commentary about the issues impacting America and about the citizens who are doing something about them. He is also President of the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIFe) as well as Citizens in Charge Foundation. Jacob is a contributing author on the ARRA News Service. Tags: Paul Jacob, Common Sense, Disemploying, Des Moines To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| Unsettled: The Refugee QuestionPosted: 15 Jan 2020 03:15 PM PSTby Tony Perkins: “I had a small hope that maybe ISIS would not come,” Thabet says, remembering, as he and the reporter drove the long road toward Mosul. But within hours, everyone he loved and knew had fled. Thirteen thousand Christians vanished, scattered miles from the Nineveh Plain, in hiding. They slept in courtyards, unfinished apartment buildings, churches, camps — while waves of terrorists burned their way through their towns. In cities like his, the nights often went like this. Priests would climb the sanctuary steps to ring the bells, sounding the alarm that fighters were on their way. Moms and dads shook their kids awake, gathered what they could, and left. It was the last time most of them would ever see their homes again. Even now, after the region was recaptured and secured, the Christians brave enough to stay don’t have an easy life. There’s oppression, isolation, and violence. Families keep their daughters close, worried about rape and abuse. But leaving, for some, is just as difficult. In the United States, asylum can be hard to come by. After eight years of watching “refugees” stream across our borders unchecked, President Trump is processing these applications with an abundance of caution. Under the previous White House, too many foreigners were gaming the system, slipping into lines where they knew they couldn’t be scrutinized. This administration has been trying to clean up that mess, putting procedures and screenings in place to guarantee that anyone who steps foot on our soil doesn’t pose a threat to the American people. That new vigilance has paid off. There’s more balance in the faith groups entering the country, for one thing. Under Obama, 97 percent of the Syrian refugees coming to the U.S. were Muslim, while Christians would dribble through one or two at a time. President Trump is trying to give other believers, especially those targeted for persecution, the fair shake the last administration didn’t. Although there’s been a dramatic decrease in the number of refugees, Christians, as of last year, made up 82 percent of them. But the system isn’t perfect. And that’s one thing evangelicals have struggled with, especially as the global horrors keep growing and pool of victims gets larger. When the White House announced in September that it was cutting its refugee ceiling from 30,000 to almost zero, there were some conservatives who, fed up with Obama’s dangerous policy, thought this was a positive step. Others, like myself, were instantly concerned. As we speak, there’s an unprecedented number of believers — from all faiths — being kicked out of their homelands and displaced. Whether they’re being killed or driven out or put in concentration camps, the survival of entire populations is at stake. Now, there are some evangelicals who agree with liberals and think America should open its arms to everyone. Obviously, that’s created some friction inside the church and conservative circles — because on one hand, we want to be a place of last resort for the vulnerable. But on the other, we don’t want our country taken advantage of by those who are not interested in being a part of America, rather they want to pull America apart. Ideally, we insisted at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the administration would never let the number of refugees drop below 30,000 — which is already a historic low. “So long as refugee numbers are low,” Mark Krikorian pointed out on NRO, “and not drawing disproportionately from the Islamic world, even governors with pretty hawkish constituencies may well feel free to accommodate the… lobby for continued resettlement.” Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) agrees and even took some flak for defending his governor, who, like a lot of Republicans, is giving the green light to refugees resettling in his state. On “Washington Watch,” Lankford explained that it all goes back to the core values that created America. “Dating back to the 1700s, our framers decided that our nation was going to be founded on a different kind of principle: that we’re going to honor people of faith to be able to not only have a faith of their choosing — but to be able to live that faith out or to be able to have no faith at all. And many of the refugees that are fleeing from around the world are fleeing religious persecution, in particular, and running from places around the world where they cannot survive based on their faith, whether that be Kurds… Christians, Yazidis, or other faiths. And so America, as a beacon of peace where we honor religious liberty, we should continue to be able to practice that as well in receiving refugees, especially those fleeing religious persecution.” As he and I talked about, these people are looking for a safe haven. And while the Obama administration didn’t do a very good job screening these people, President Trump changed that. These aren’t unvetted terrorist wannabes who want to destroy America. They’re hurting survivors with no place to go. Our faith leads us to be a place of refuge. That doesn’t mean we blindly embrace anyone who shows up at our borders. But it does mean we’ve got to keep the door open for the victims who truly need it. —————– Tony Perkins (@tperkins) is President of the Family Research Council . This article was on Tony Perkin’s Washington Update and written with the aid of FRC senior writers. Tags: Tony Perkins, Family Research Center, FRC, Family Research Council, Unsettled, The Refugee Question To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| The New Post-Trump ConstitutionPosted: 15 Jan 2020 03:00 PM PSTVictor Davis Hansonby Dr. Victor Davis Hanson: The new normal: Impeachment as a routine partisan tool, endless investigations, lying under oath with impunity, surveillance of political enemies, zero accountability … The Left sees Donald Trump’s comportment, rallies, and tweets as a new low in presidential behavior that justifies extraordinary countermeasures. But Trump’s personal characteristics are idiosyncratic and may or may not become institutionalized by subsequent presidents. And it is not as if liberal icons such as FDR, LBJ, JFK, and Bill Clinton suddenly became saintly in office. What is far scarier is the reaction to Trump, in both the constitutional and political sense. What follows are likely the new norms for the next generation of presidents, and they will probably be equally applied to Democrats who implemented them in the Trump era. 1) Private presidential phone calls with foreign leaders will be leaked and printed in the major media. The point will be not so much to air breaking news as to embarrass the president or to use such disclosures to stymie his foreign policy. Those who leak such information will be canonized as part of a “resistance.” Prominent officials in government will publish anonymous op-eds in the New York Times bragging about how they are daily undermining a new president’s administration. 2) Impeachment is now a casual affair. It requires no report of illegal or unethical behavior by a special counsel or special prosecutor. It will not be bipartisan but solely the action of the opposition party in the House when it is in the majority. Public support will not matter. Much less will it be needed. Impeachment will be applied equally to a first- or second-term presidency. And it will become useful in a reelection year to help drive down an incumbent’s popularity. Even when there is no chance of conviction in the Senate — as when the impeachment indictment is weak and the president’s own party controls the upper House — impeachment will nonetheless proceed, because it is now seen as a banal, politicized vote of no confidence and thus an occasionally useful political tool. There will be no time limit on or shelf life of a successful impeachment. Once a president is impeached, the writ may simply sit until the House majority feels that the climate or polls are ripe to refer the articles to the Senate for trial, whether in days, weeks, months, or years. The writ’s clauses entailing supposed wrongdoing may post facto grow or shrink as news headlines and presidential popularity gyrate. Impeachment will begin not with a Judiciary Committee but with a House Intelligence Committee, whose chair will decide rules of cross-examination and witness appearances in secret in the basement of the House. Information will be selectively released to the media by the chair of the House Intelligence Committee alone to massage impeachment momentum. 3) There will be no need to specify “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” in any impeachment writ against a president. “Obstruction” and the “abuse of power” will do well enough. Either can be defined largely in terms of ongoing policy differences with the opposition party. Obstructing the opposition’s effort to impeach a president and abort his agenda is now an abuse of power. 4) Special counsels and special prosecutors are now irrelevant. Their appointment will be seen as patently political if not redundant. If such ossified appointees find no evidence of presidential wrongdoing, it will not matter, because their appointments were always designed foremost to embarrass and weaken a president and detract from his role as chief executive rather than find concrete evidence of wrongdoing. Whatever data they find can be used for political advantage, even if it is contradicted by the special counsels’ own eventual conclusions. The key for a special prosecutor will be to draw out the investigation — in terms of time, money, and resources — and serve, in the manner of the new definition of impeachment, as a sword of Damocles over the president’s head. 5) The Washington top echelon of the CIA, FBI, and NSA will be largely immune from oversight. If they wish to spy on a presidential candidate or curtail the options of a sitting president, they will easily use their powers of surveillance, leaking, and spying for political purposes — purposes mostly defined as protecting the status quo of the permanent government. Upon retirement, such intelligence heads will retain their security clearances and use this inside access to obtain lucrative analyst billets on cable news channels deemed hostile to the incumbent administration. No one will care much when an FBI or CIA director lies under oath to Congress. There will be no indictments when high intelligence officials deliberately mislead federal courts, lie to federal investigators and the public, and conspire to derail political campaigns. 6) Reverse targeting of political opponents will be the normal behavior of intelligence agencies working closely with an incumbent lame-duck administration. Political rivals and opponents can be surveilled by warrants that are aimed nominally at third-party targets. The names of surveilled political opponents then can be unmasked when presidential appointees request it — the more unmaskings, and the more extraneous they are, the better. And the ensuing information will be leaked to the popular press with impunity. 7) The media, like academia and Hollywood, are now an extension of the progressive party. The recalibrated education and entertainment industries are expected, as part of their job security, to aid liberal agendas, with no need to worry that they’ll lose their reputations as disinterested and unbiased institutions. There is no longer any such thing as being unbiased. The new mantra is that everyone and all outlets have points of view, so we might as well recognize that there is nothing wrong in expressing and promoting them for political and ideological advantage. 8) Presidential candidates can hire foreign nationals to aid their campaign by collecting embarrassing innuendo and rumor — almost always false — and then use both high government officials and members of the Washington and New York media to disseminate and publicize damaging rumors about a political rival. This gambit will work especially during the latter months of an election campaign, during a presidential transition, and in the early months of a nascent presidency when it is not fully adjusted to Washington protocol and therefore deemed especially vulnerable. The protocol will be to create three or four firewalls between the hit team and the candidate, feed the “research” to the DOJ, FBI, and CIA, and seed it in the media — in essence using foreign sources to smear a rival campaign while accusing one’s opponent of doing exactly that. 9) FISA courts will favor status quo government narratives, especially in matters of controversial candidates and political races. We should assume that the federal courts will believe almost anything the FBI and DOJ present as evidence in their bid to obtain permission from the court to spy on political candidates and presidents. Such surveillance will become commonplace, and the court will think there is nothing particularly wrong with filing incomplete, misleading, or untrue documents in support of surveillance requests, given the general consensus that unorthodox presidential candidates and presidents must be stymied. 10) Whistleblowers never need to be identified. They need not have any firsthand knowledge of any wrongdoing. They need not contact the relevant inspector general to first file their grievance. Rather, they will work with the opposition party in Congress to help craft complaints and forge strategies that might lead to impeachment inquiries. This is the new political climate. It is obvious that both George W. Bush and Barack Obama could easily have been impeached under such protocols after they lost their party’s majority in the House of Representative. From now on, their successors will likely enjoy no such exemptions. We are now on new anti-constitutional grounds, and the United States will probably never return to the constitutional customs and traditions of its first 233 years. The architects of this revolution were not arrayed in sunglasses and epaulets, or in business suits and wing tips, with briefcases. They were hip, cool, and progressive, and they boasted that they did all of this for us, the proverbial people, to cheers from cultural icons, media heavyweights, and those with advanced degrees. The United States, at least as we knew it, came to an end, not with a loud right-wing bang, but with an insidious progressive whimper. ———————— Victor Davis Hanson (@VDHanson) is a senior fellow, classicist and historian and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution where many of his articles are found; his focus is classics and military history. He has been a visiting professor at Hillsdale College since 2004. Hanson was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 by President George W. Bush. H/T National Review! Tags: Victor Davis Hanson, New Post-Trump, Constitution To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
| 100 Miles of New Border Wall, Illegal Crossings DownPosted: 15 Jan 2020 02:42 PM PST. . . Trump is seeing success in both wall construction and stemming the tide of illegal immigration. by Thomas Gallatin: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced last Friday that “a milestone” had been reached in President Donald Trump’s promise to secure the nation’s southern border. “I am proud to report that the Trump administration has now constructed 100 miles of new border-wall system on the southern border,” Wolf stated. “This is a milestone achievement for the president, the department, and more importantly for our country.” Wolf also pushed back against critics who have asserted that it’s not new wall going up but just replacements of old wall. “One thing I want to emphasize: Every inch of the 100 miles that we have constructed is new border-wall system. It’s not so-called ‘replacement’ wall as some of our critics claim.” He justified his declaration with the example that replacing a one-bed shack with a new five-bedroom house would be called a “new” house, not a “replacement” house. This milestone represents just the first step in the Trump administration’s plan to build an additional 900 miles of border wall. The Washington Post reports, “Pentagon funds would be extracted, for a second year in a row, from military construction projects and counternarcotics funding. According to the plans, the funding would give the government enough money to complete approximately 885 miles of new fencing by spring 2022, far more than the 509 miles the administration has slated for the U.S. border with Mexico.” Meanwhile, this past December, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol apprehended or turned away 40,620 individuals attempting to illegally enter the country. That total is down a whopping 70% from a high of 144,000 last May and marks the seventh consecutive month of declining illegal crossing. Much of this can be credited to Trump’s multi-faceted approach to addressing the border crisis, which includes deals with Mexico and Central American countries to actively engage and deter illegal immigration in their countries, the new “remain in Mexico” asylum policy, and miles of new border wall. In spite of all the Left’s opposition, Trump has clearly made significant headway on his signature campaign agenda. —————— Thomas Gallatin is a staff analyst at The Patriot Post. Tags: Thomas Gallatin, Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Chad Wolf, 100 Miles, New Border Wall, Illegal Crossings Down To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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NOQ REPORT
- Newt Gingrich warns Great Britain about Huawei, laments lack of alternative
- NY sanctuary policy protected Reeaz Khan so he could rape and murder a 92-year-old woman
- Elizabeth Warren’s self-serving actions cost her (and Bernie) a shot at the nomination
- Virginia GOP responds to Ralph Northam’s temporary gun ban
- Randy Adams announces candidacy for SBC President
- Ernst, colleagues recognize Iranian protests, condemn regime retaliation
- Iran: Pointed pellets, tear gas, and rubber bullets fired at anti-government protesters
- Warren to Sanders: ‘I think you called me a liar on national TV’
- Two theories about Putin’s move to rebuild Russia’s government
- Secretary Perdue: China Phase I deal is a bonanza for American agriculture
| Newt Gingrich warns Great Britain about Huawei, laments lack of alternativePosted: 16 Jan 2020 04:06 AM PST5G is coming. It’s coming to the United States. It’s coming to Great Britain. It will be in most of the developed world at some point in the near future. And most of it will have components produced by Huawei, the Chinese company some experts believe to be a proxy for China’s Community Party.This week, a delegation from the White House tried and failed to prevent Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government from considering Huawei. Their reason for brushing aside our security concerns: They already took all of it into consideration. But to be more blunt, they noted that there are no viable alternatives on the market today to achieve the ambitious goals set forth by the British government.“The British public deserve to have access to the best possible technology,” Johnson said on BBC Breakfast. “We want to put in gigabit broadband for everybody. Now if people oppose one brand or another then they have to tell us what’s the alternative.”Therein lies the problem. Currently, there is no alternative.Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich chimed in on Twitter, noting that Great Britain must not get in bed with the Chinese on this one but also acknowledging the United States has not produced a better solution.If Great Britain ends up accepting Huawei as a wireless carrier it will be a major victory for China and a major defeat for the United States. The absence of a coherent pro-growth, pro-competition initiative in the US has crippled us for a year in trying to cope with Huawei.— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) January 16, 2020It’s an odd Catch-22. If we fear Huawei is going to steal data and spy on people for China, they need an alternative. But if they want 5G, Huawei is currently the only gatekeeper. Meanwhile, China is the only 5G gig in town for now.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Newt Gingrich warns Great Britain about Huawei, laments lack of alternative appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| NY sanctuary policy protected Reeaz Khan so he could rape and murder a 92-year-old womanPosted: 16 Jan 2020 03:03 AM PSTAn illegal alien charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon was released by NYPD to shield him from deportation by ICE. Now, he’s in jail again for rape and murder less than two months after New York’s sanctuary policy allowed his freedom to supersede the safety of their legal residents.Maria Fuentes, 92, would be alive today if New York had considered her life to be more important than Reeaz Khan’s freedom. Law enforcement had him in custody. He was charged with a violent crime. But instead of abiding by a detainer issued by ICE, they rushed him back to the streets.What did he do with his freedom? He found an elderly lady to rape and strangle to death. After making up a strange story about going to help the woman only to find his pants and underwear miraculously slipped off as he tripped on top of her. When told his story was insanely stupid, he admitted to his crimes.“It is made clear that New York City’s stance against honoring detainers is dangerously flawed,” ICE official Thomas Decker said in a statement. “It was a deadly choice to release a man on an active ICE detainer back onto the streets after his first arrest included assault and weapon charges, and he now faces new charges, including murder.”Exclusive: Illegal Alien Charged with Murdering 92-Year-Old New York Woman Overstayed His VisaReeaz Khan, a 21-year-old illegal alien from Guyana, is set to face a grand jury after being arrested and charged last week with sexually assaulting and murdering 92-year-old Maria Fuertes by strangling her to death on a sidewalk in Richmond Hill, Queens.Fuertes, residents told the New York Post, was a beloved and “lovely lady” of the community who was known for feeding neighborhood cats and collecting cans.A law enforcement official exclusively confirmed to Breitbart News that Khan first came to the U.S. in May 2016 on a B-2 visa — the temporary nonimmigrant visa granted to foreign nationals who arrive as tourists for a short period of time.How can New York justify their policy? How can law enforcement willfully obey it when every data point regarding sanctuary jurisdictions indicate releasing criminal illegal immigrants back onto the streets is not protecting anyone? Why do Democrats continue to promote the concept, making American citizens less safe as a result? These aren’t opinions. It is a fact that if a violent criminal is released to the street instead of deported, they are exponentially more likely to harm American citizens.If anyone can vote for politicians who intentionally protect people like Reeaz Khan so they can rape and murder people like Maria Fuentes, then we deserve the rampant crime on our streets today. Democrats aren’t just wrong. They’ve become dangerous to Americans.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post NY sanctuary policy protected Reeaz Khan so he could rape and murder a 92-year-old woman appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Elizabeth Warren’s self-serving actions cost her (and Bernie) a shot at the nominationPosted: 16 Jan 2020 01:56 AM PSTNeither Bernie Sanders nor Elizabeth Warren will be the Democratic nominee for president. Until this week, both of them had a shot at it with Sanders’ chances being better than Warren’s. And therein lies the problem. Warren and her campaign simply couldn’t abide by the notion that Sanders would be the radical progressive still standing at the end, so in a desperate move to elevate herself above her “friend,” she tanked both of their chances.In an effort to turn leftist women against Sanders, the Warren campaign leaked information to CNN that Sanders told her in 2018 he didn’t believe a woman could defeat President Trump. Sanders claims his actual comments were that anyone who wasn’t a straight white male would receive bigoted attacks from the President, but Warren confirmed that Sanders specifically claimed a woman couldn’t win.This sparked outrage towards both candidates. Many attacked Sanders for saying such a thing while others attacked Warren for lying about it. The Washington Post found one eyewitness who refuted the claim while the NY Times found one who corroborated it. We were in a stalemate, though one with major repercussions.All of this was exacerbated by CNN’s Abby Phillips, one of the moderators at the Democratic debate Tuesday, dismissed Sanders’ denial and asked Warren how his unconfirmed statement made her feel. Warren was so appalled by Sanders’ denial that she refused to shake his hand after the debate. Later, it was revealed what she said in their exchange: “I think you called me a liar on national TV.”While most supporters for one will still support the other if their chosen candidate drops out first, there are those who will not. Will that be 5%? 10%? 20%? More? There’s no way to know now because we don’t know what sort or reconciliation, if any, will occur between now and then. We also don’t know if the dirt being flung back and forth now will continue or if it will be redirected at their more moderate fellow frontrunners.Warren’s campaign made a tough choice. This isn’t something they ever would have considered if their polling numbers were like they were two months ago. But they’re showing signs of desperation now as her numbers drop while Sanders’ numbers rise ahead of the beginning of caucus/primary season. Neither campaign can afford to be stifled in the first four contests ahead of March 3rd’s Super Tuesday, so the Warren campaign made a strategic move. They failed to pull over moderates the last couple of weeks by making her seem more electable, so they decided to try to grab some of Sanders’ radicals.What she likely didn’t expect to happen was for the rift they were creating to translate into a ton of negative press for her. Instead of being the woman on the far left worth migrating to, she further established that she has snake-like qualities. More importantly, she showed that her desire to win superseded her stated goal of playing fair. Whether Sanders said it or not in the privacy of his apartment, it should never have been leaked to the press. Warren demonstrated once again she’s the most politically conniving candidate of this election cycle, rivaling Hillary Clinton in how willing she is to allow her ambition to guide her decisions.Now, both have been harmed by the exchange. Some speculated that CNN picked a side on this to promote Warren. This is false. They picked a side, possibly at the behest of the DNC, but that side wasn’t either of the candidates involved. They’re helping Joe Biden win the nomination by pitting his two biggest rivals against one another.It’s absurdly ironic that the two holier-than-thou radical progressives will lose out on the nomination because one of them went low out of desperation and selfishness. Sanders can blame CNN and the DNC all he wants, but Warren is the real culprit.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Elizabeth Warren’s self-serving actions cost her (and Bernie) a shot at the nomination appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Virginia GOP responds to Ralph Northam’s temporary gun banPosted: 15 Jan 2020 11:13 PM PSTVirginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency, through which he temporarily banned all weapons from being on Capitol grounds. The state Capitol building is where Virginia Citizens Defense League, a pro-2nd Amendment group, will be holding its “Lobby Day” rally on Monday.Northam said the precaution was intended to stave off what he called credible threats from out-of-state militia groups who he believes intend to come to the rally to start trouble. There were even reports on the “dark web” that some groups intend to storm the Capitol building itself in an armed response to proposed gun control laws from the new Democratic majority in the legislature.“I believe them when they say this is a peaceful event — that’s what democracy is,” Northam said. “Unfortunately, they have unleashed something much larger, something they may not be able to control.”As many as 100,000 people are expected to attend the rally. The Virginia GOP responded:Governor Ralph Northam declared a temporary state of emergency today to ban all weapons (read: the right to keep and bear arms) from Capitol Square on Monday, January 20th. Northam’s directive stems from Virginia’s reaction to proposed gun-grabbing legislation and subsequent rally that will take place on Monday.Tens of thousands of law-abiding citizens will journey to Richmond on Monday with the intent of lobbying their representatives to refrain from passing radically liberal anti-Second Amendment legislation. These Virginians have a lot on the line this session. Some of these proposals would make felons overnight of law-abiding Virginia citizens with Ralph Northam’s signature. Virginians who have lived their entire lives supporting and thriving in our beautiful Commonwealth may soon be subjected to unconstitutional regulations imposed by legislators representing 432 square miles of Northern Virginia (Fairfax + Arlington).‘Governor Northam’s declaration is a direct infringement on the right of the People to keep and bear arms,’ said RPV Chairman Jack Wilson. ‘The Republican Party of Virginia condemns any and all legislation that takes aim at the Second Amendment. Northam and the rest of the Virginia Democrats have made their session goal crystal clear: a disarmed, vulnerable, and subservient citizenry.’While Northam’s fears are likely legitimate, it’s disingenuous for him to say “they unleashed something much larger.” The increasing angst among the people of Virginia who see the multiple gun laws proposed by Democrats is to be expected. The increased aggression towards government was not unleashed by pro-2nd Amendment groups. It was unleashed by Democratic leaders in the state who are attempting to subvert the Constitution.Virginia does not need a repeat of the events that happened in Charlottesville. But that doesn’t mean depriving people of their right to defend themselves should circumstances turn south. Prepared law enforcement would be enough to maintain the peace.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Virginia GOP responds to Ralph Northam’s temporary gun ban appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Randy Adams announces candidacy for SBC PresidentPosted: 15 Jan 2020 10:12 PM PSTUpon being nominated for President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Randy Adams accepted. Randy Adams is the Executive Director-Treasurer of the Northwest Baptist Convention. This covers the areas of Oregon, Washington, and northern Idaho. That’s a little background.He penned a post on his website, detailing the trouble of the Southern Baptist Convention, particularly with growth. He notes that despite the fact that the North American Mission Board has received more funding, fewer churches are being planted. This is in part due to corruption we’ve previously covered. He also speaks about establishing a trustworthy system in dealing with abuse. And on many of the issues on the Evangelical Dark Web’s mind, Adams advocates a return to the mission that is in danger of decline. Here are the seven planks of his campaign:Prioritize the Mission – The SBC was founded to advance the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Our primary mission must not be compromised by intra-convention politics or pet projects. Secondary issues are not unimportant, and must be addressed at times, but Southern Baptists were founded to advance the mission, not a political agenda.Determine to Cooperate – No single entity or group can accomplish the mission themselves. We must respect and recognize the value that every church, each association and state convention, the Woman’s Missionary Union, Baptist college ministries, and SBC entities bring to the table. People cooperate to the extent of their inclusion and we must start cooperating again. It is a matter of integrity that denominational leaders give strong evidence of cooperation. This includes an impeccable track record of Cooperative Program support which is the primary means by which Southern Baptists fund Great Commission work.Value Every Church – The local church is the body of Christ purchased with the blood of Christ. Whatever its size, the sphere of influence and potential impact of any church is broader than what we can see in a weekend gathering. As such, every cooperating SBC church should be valued, and strategies to increase the engagement of all churches in SBC life must be employed, including use of technology to enable remote access to voting at the Annual Meeting of the SBC. We should not be satisfied with how few of our churches participate in the Annual SBC Meeting. Cooperating SBC churches must not be disenfranchised from participation in the decision-making process because they cannot afford to travel to annual meeting locations.Listen to the Field – Local churches, followed by associations and then state conventions, are closest to the ministry field. Our national SBC agencies should support and work through local and state convention partners, who have local knowledge and for whom the work is most personal because it concerns the eternal destiny of their closest neighbors. There are regional differences within our nation, and within regions there are vast differences from one community to another. Knowing the particulars of a community, as discerned through prayer and local knowledge, is essential to making disciples for Christ and shepherding believers.Operate in the Light – The SBC should be the toughest place to hide corruption, abuse, and poor stewardship, operating at the highest level of integrity and accountability. We must eliminate organizational tools, structures and processes that help hide wrongdoing and abuse. The SBC and its entities should end the use of, and recall, all remaining Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). We must not hide corruption and we will not protect predators at the cost of harming victims. There must be transparency in how we make decisions and how we spend money. Records should be open. Property purchases and ownership should be disclosed and records made available. Annual audits of entities should be open and accessible to Southern Baptist constituents. If we choose to operate in the light, we will maximize the trust and goodwill that are essential to maximizing the Great Commission cooperation of Southern Baptists. Transparency and frank communication regarding challenges and opportunities will build trust and unity in the SBC.Speak Truth – We must love our neighbors and we must speak the truth. There are many lies that are told by the world, and these must be countered by the truth found in God’s Word. Just, righteous leadership engages culture with biblical truth and values, not social or political theories.Believe and Obey God’s Word – We must not compromise obedience to God’s Word in word or deed. The Baptist Faith and Message expresses the biblical beliefs and convictions of Southern Baptists, and it provides the theological parameters within which Southern Baptists work together.So, let’s go through these one by one. Number one, he wants to focus on the mission of the church, and that mission is the Great Commission. He does not want the SBC to get tangled in the weeds of a political agenda. And that is something the SBC needs. What this means for the ERLC is not specified. The second one places more emphasis on shifting participation down the chain of command through CPs so that more churches and organizations can get involved.Number three was where I start to get impressed. I’m excited to see what ideas he wants to implement in order to get more SBC churches participating in the convention. Similarly, plank four places a larger emphasis on the local church shifting influence away from the establishment of Big Eva.Plank five deals with corruption. But this is not merely confined to sexual abuse. This is also about financial transparency which has been lacking. We fully support this plank.Six and seven go together. They are about living and operating according to the truth which we have been called. Plank six could be taken as a thinly veiled condemnation of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. I am interested in learning more about his thoughts on that. Seven reaffirms the Baptist Faith and Message which may reference his support for complementarianism.This announcement is exciting news and can hopefully shake up the race where SBTS President Al Mohler is considered the frontrunner based on his extensive experience. Randy Adams shows signs of being the leader the church needs to restore confidence in the orthodoxy of the Southern Baptist Convention.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Randy Adams announces candidacy for SBC President appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Ernst, colleagues recognize Iranian protests, condemn regime retaliationPosted: 15 Jan 2020 09:50 PM PSTWASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Martha McSally (R-AZ), James Lankford (R-OK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) introduced a resolution making clear the United States Senate stands with the Iranian people. This resolution comes just days after thousands of Iranian protestors took to the streets in opposition to oppressive Iranian government policies and the downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet.‘The Iranian regime’s lies, corruption, and brutality-as the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism-have been met with a clear response from the Iranian people: they have had enough,’ said Senator Ernst, a combat veteran. ‘My colleagues and I are sending a clear signal that we stand in support of the peaceful Iranian citizens protesting the regime’s reckless actions, including the heartbreaking shooting down of a Ukrainian civilian airliner.’‘This resolution is designed to lend the Senate’s voice to the noble and just cause of the Iranian people who are demanding their freedom at the risk of life and limb,’ said Senator Graham. ‘I hope every Senator will join this effort and let the world know where we stand regarding the Iranian people’s desire to be free from the murderous regime of the Ayatollah.’‘Once again, the Iranian people are showing tremendous courage by protesting against their oppressive and terrorist-leading regime,’ said Senator McSally. ‘They and their families deserve the freedom God created them to have, just like every person in this world. The American people will continue to stand with the protesters as they risk everything for freedom from their brutal regime.’‘We seek to assure the courageous Iranians who are risking their safety and their futures to publicly protest the corrupt Iranian regime that the US stands with them in their fight against tyranny,’ said Senator Lankford. ‘We must continue to stand with oppressed people around the world and stand against restricting access to the internet, random imprisonment, and the other types of brutality the Iranian regime subjects its own people to. Our fight is with terrorists and those who wish to harm Americans, not innocent people in nations like Iran with governments that do not share our value of human dignity.’‘As the people of Iran bravely take to the streets to protest the corrupt, terror-sponsoring regime in Tehran, the U.S. must send a clear message of support,’ said Senator Rubio. ‘These protests demand international attention and media coverage. I will continue to stand with the fundamental rights of the Iranian people to peacefully protest and urge every freedom-loving nation to strongly condemn the Iranian regime for its malign activities and domestic repression.’‘As the brutal, oppressive, tyrannical Iranian regime finances and exports terror beyond its borders, the men and women of Iran are courageously standing up for freedom,’ said Senator Cruz.’One day there will be a free Iran, and America stands shoulder to shoulder with the Iranian people. I am committed to working with the administration to do everything possible to support these dissidents, and call on the freedom-loving nations everywhere to publicly express their support for the Iranian people.’‘The Iranian regime violates human rights, opposes the rule of law, and oppresses its people,’ said Senator Romney. ‘We stand with the Iranian people who are risking their lives to demonstrate for freedom.’The resolution states the United States Senate:stands with the people of Iran as they protest their corrupt and oppressive government,condemns the lethal crackdown by the Iranian regime on the peaceful protestors,calls on all peaceful and law abiding nations to support the legitimate protests by the Iranian people, anddemands that the Iranian leadership be held accountable for their murderous actions against their own citizens who want nothing less than to be represented by a fair and just government.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Ernst, colleagues recognize Iranian protests, condemn regime retaliation appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Iran: Pointed pellets, tear gas, and rubber bullets fired at anti-government protestersPosted: 15 Jan 2020 09:30 PM PSTScores arrested after protests at shooting down of Ukrainian passenger planeInjured being turned away from hospitals where doctors fear patients risk arrest‘The situation in Iran right now is even more painful than death. They are killing us slowly; they are torturing us to death’ – an eyewitness to protests in TehranVerified video footage, photographs and testimonies from victims and eyewitnesses obtained by Amnesty International show that Iranian security forces used unlawful force against peaceful protesters demonstrating after the authorities’ admission they had shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane last week.The evidence shows that during Saturday and Sunday (11-12 January) the security forces used rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters, as well as kicking and punching them, beating them with batons and carrying out arbitrary arrests.Testimonies and photographs obtained by Amnesty also indicate that the security forces fired pointed pellets from airguns at peaceful protesters, causing bleeding and painful injuries. Several people required surgical treatment to remove the pellets, as well as for injuries consistent with rubber bullet use. Such pellets are used for hunting and are completely inappropriate for use in any policing situation.Amnesty’s Digital Verification Corps also verified dozens of videos showing the security forces firing tear gas into crowds of peaceful protesters.One of the videos verified by Amnesty shows two women in Tehran lying injured and bleeding on the ground. In another video recorded nearby, a woman is seen lying in a pool of blood crying out in pain. People helping them in the videos are heard to say they have been shot. Another video shows a man with a bleeding head wound. Two x-rays obtained by Amnesty clearly show pellets lodged in the knee joint of one protester and the ankle of another. Amnesty has also verified images of security forces carrying shotguns.One man from the city of Shiraz, in Fars province, who said he went to light a candle in solidarity with the plane crash victims on 12 January, said the security forces outnumbered the crowd and created a ‘terrifying and intimidating atmosphere to frighten people away’. He said, ‘They were swearing at and beating everyone with batons all over their bodies, it didn’t matter if they were just passing by’.Another eyewitness, Mahsa from Tehran, described how the security forces fired tear gas into the entrance hall of a metro station to stop people leaving to join the protest:‘There was so much tear gas … I was so mentally stressed and anxious that I initially didn’t even realise that I had been shot … The special forces of the police were firing pointed pellets at people. My coat is now filled with holes and I have bruises on my body … The streets were filled with armed plain-clothed agents firing shots into the air and threating to shoot people … A member of the security forces chased me when they saw me filming the protest and that’s when I was shot in the leg with a pointed pellet … I’m in a lot of pain.’Mahsa said the authorities had threatened doctors and she was turned away by three medical centres and even a veterinary clinic after seeking treatment. Yesterday, she was told by a doctor in a hospital in Tehran that she had to leave immediately because if the hospital’s intelligence department discovered she had been among the protesters she would be arrested. Amnesty has received similar accounts of clinics and hospitals in Tehran turning away injured people.Mahsa added, ‘The situation in Iran right now is even more painful than death. They are killing us slowly; they are torturing us to death.’Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Middle East Research and Advocacy Director, said:‘Iran’s security forces have once again carried out a reprehensible attack on the rights of Iranian people to peaceful expression and assembly, and resorted to unlawful and brutal tactics.‘The Iranian authorities must end the repression as a matter of urgency and ensure the security forces exercise maximum restraint and respect protesters’ rights to peaceful expression and assembly.‘Detainees must be protected from torture and other ill-treatment, and all those who have been arbitrarily detained must be released.’Scores of arrests, with reports of at least one sexual assaultThere are reports that scores of people, including university students, have been arrested in cities where protests have taken place, including Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, Amol and Babol in Mazandaran province, Esfahan in Esfahan province, Shiraz in Fars province, Tabriz in East Azerbaijan province, and Tehran. Amnesty has received information that in at least two cities – Amol and Tehran – the authorities are denying detainees’ families information about their fate and whereabouts, amounting to enforced disappearance.Amnesty has also received shocking allegations of sexual violence against at least one woman arbitrarily arrested by plain-clothed security agents and detained for several hours in a police station. According to an informed source, while in detention the woman was taken to a room where she was questioned by a security official who forced her to perform oral sex on him and attempted to rape her.More than 300 killed in earlier wave of protestsThe protests began on Saturday after the Iranian authorities admitted unintentionally shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane following three days of denials. Protests expanded to include demands for a transformation of the country’s political system.These latest protests followed a bloody crackdown in November which saw more than 304 people killed and thousands arrested. Amnesty has called on member of the UN Human Rights Council to hold a special session on Iran to mandate an inquiry into the unlawful killings of protesters, and the wave of arrests, enforced disappearances and torture of detainees.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Iran: Pointed pellets, tear gas, and rubber bullets fired at anti-government protesters appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Warren to Sanders: ‘I think you called me a liar on national TV’Posted: 15 Jan 2020 08:39 PM PSTLast night’s Democratic debate was a spectacle, as always. But there were times that made it more disturbing than past debates, from moderators picking favorites to candidates refusing to shake each other’s hands. The latter has a new wrinkle to it: We know what was said between Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.CNN releases the audio from the post debate interaction between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth WarrenWarren: “I think you called me a liar on national TV”Sanders: “What?”Warren: “I think you called me a liar on national TV”Sanders: “No, let’s not do it right now …” pic.twitter.com/nhendvv5Jb— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 16, 2020Yes, he did. Sanders refuted Warren’s claim that he told her he didn’t believe a woman could beat President Trump in the general election. The claim, published by CNN, was the most recent and most aggressive attack in the brewing cold war between the two radical progressive icons. It has both sides accusing the other of trying to subvert their candidate.It’s a strange series of events that few expected so early on. It has been assumed they would have to go after each other lightly as the nomination race progressed with the prevailing side collecting the supporters from the other side. But now that seems to be in jeopardy as the rift widens. For progressives who are not adamant supporters of one or the other, it could come down to which candidate they believe the most.Though Warren is a demonstrable liar, her claim seems to have picked up traction heading into the Iowa caucus. Though no new polling data has been released yet, it seems on social media that Sanders’ base is strongly supporting him, but the tide seems to be turning towards Warren for those on the fence.Whether or not Sanders said what Warren claims, it was a smart move by Warren’s campaign to leak the claim and for her to stand by it so aggressively. She has been fading in the polls after seeming to be in command just two months ago. Sanders has been rising in her wake, polling second to former Vice President Joe Biden in Iowa.If this radical progressive cold war continues, it seems unlikely either side will be able to gather enough support to take out Biden or whoever emerges from the moderate lane. It will be another example of the radicals getting quashed by CNN… and the DNC.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Warren to Sanders: ‘I think you called me a liar on national TV’ appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Two theories about Putin’s move to rebuild Russia’s governmentPosted: 15 Jan 2020 12:10 PM PSTA few people saw it coming. In fact, there was oft-dismissed chatter that after the last presidential election in Russia, President Vladimir Putin would have a widespread shakeup in his government to prepare for a future with or without him. But nobody was expecting it to be this complete with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the rest of the government resigning following Putin’s annual state of the nation address.Now, the question everyone’s asking: “What does Putin have up his sleeve?” After all, he’s been in power for two decades, sidestepping the Russian Constitution by trading places with Medvedev between his two stints as President. Currently, their constitution prohibits more than two consecutive terms, so Putin served twice, took a term off to pretend to be Prime Minister, then returned for two more terms. Among the major constitutional changes he intends to make is a change in this loophole, and therein lies a hint about what he’s planning.While many in the west are seeing this as an opportunity for Putin to consolidate power, that’s a ludicrous notion. After two decades crafting the government to answer solely to him, saying that he’s trying to have more control over Russia is like saying Elon Musk needs more control over Tesla. Like Musk, Putin has full control over his domain. He’s not quite a dictator, but whatever he says is what ends up happening one way or another.Others see it as a way for him to circumvent the rules so he can retain power beyond 2024 when his final term is supposed to be completed. If that’s the case, then he’s doing a very poor job of making it happen. His proposed changes would not only prevent any future presidents from staying in power for longer than two terms, but would also mean he would be cutting himself off. One theory is that he’s just going to transfer most of the necessary power to the Prime Minister’s office, which he’ll take over after installing a puppet president with reduced control over affairs.It’s possible, but this theory seems far less likely than the obvious one. The most likely scenario is that Putin is in legacy-building mode. He has four years to build his legend and make sure history remembers him for more than just being a long-term leader. He wants to be appreciated. He wants to be loved. He wants to be remembered forever as the man who made Russia great again.This jibes with the constitutional changes he’s proposing. Not only does he want to make sure none of his successors can stay in office as long as he has, but he’s also talking about limiting presidential powers and putting more control in the hands of their legislative branch. This makes sense as far as a legacy-building strategy, giving more power to the people who have direct access to their government officials.Putin wants to do all of these sweeping changes through popular referendums. This is another indicator he’s trying to secure his place in history and his popularity in his final years in charge. By putting the power in the people’s hand to decide how the constitution is to be changed, he’s appealing to the newfound sense of freedom that the older generations of Russians are still trying to embrace. Those who lived behind the Iron Curtain are often still dubious about Putin’s motives and decisions. Setting it up like this should bring even some of his harshest critics to his side.Lest we forget, Vladimir Putin is one of the most narcissistic leaders in the world today. He thrives on a vibrant and glorious status quo, one that accepts he’s a beloved leader and never questions whether or not his decisions are right. But that image has been fading in recent years. His critics are multiplying. He’s less popular today than any time in the last two decades, which is why it’s important that he replaced the whole government. His hope is that things will be so unambiguously better, any doubt that it was the legislators’ fault for previous failures will be wiped away.The second theory is much, much darker. If he knows something is going to be happening soon and needs the people to be satisfied with him in order to do it, this move also makes sense. It is, admittedly, a very slight possibility, but if he’s going to be taking the country into future challenges such as war, this would be the precursory move to make. If he knows something is coming soon that’s out of his control, then the move also makes sense. There’s no telling what that might be (maybe aliens contacted him) but it would bode ill for his nation and possibly the world.Whatever Vladimir Putin is doing, the endgame isn’t going to play out for a while. Some will embrace the brave new world he’s establishing in Russia. Others will remain skeptical. Whatever he has planned, it’s going to be something huge.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Two theories about Putin’s move to rebuild Russia’s government appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes. |
| Secretary Perdue: China Phase I deal is a bonanza for American agriculturePosted: 15 Jan 2020 11:31 AM PST(Washington, D.C., January 15, 2020) – U.S. Secretary Perdue issued the following statement after President Donald J. Trump signed the historic Phase One Trade Agreement between the United States and China:“This agreement is proof President Trump’s negotiating strategy is working. While it took China a long time to realize President Trump was serious, this China Phase I Deal is a huge success for the entire economy. This agreement finally levels the playing field for U.S. agriculture and will be a bonanza for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers,” said Secretary Perdue. “China has not played by the rules for too long, and I thank President Trump for standing up to their unfair trading practices and for putting America first. We look forward to exporting to Chinese customers hungry for American products.”*NOTE: You may listen to the audio of Secretary Perdue’s statement.The United States and China have reached an historic and enforceable agreement on a Phase One trade deal that requires structural reforms and other changes to China’s economic and trade regime in the areas of intellectual property, technology transfer, agriculture, financial services, and currency and foreign exchange. The Phase One agreement also includes a commitment by China that it will make substantial additional purchases of U.S. goods and services in the coming years. Importantly, the agreement establishes a strong dispute resolution system that ensures prompt and effective implementation and enforcement. The United States has agreed to modify its Section 301 tariff actions in a significant way.Information on specific chapters of the Phase One agreement is provided below:Agriculture: The Agriculture Chapter addresses structural barriers to trade and will support a dramatic expansion of U.S. food, agriculture and seafood product exports, increasing American farm and fishery income, generating more rural economic activity, and promoting job growth. A multitude of non-tariff barriers to U.S. agriculture and seafood products are addressed, including for meat, poultry, seafood, rice, dairy, infant formula, horticultural products, animal feed and feed additives, pet food, and products of agriculture biotechnology.Intellectual Property: The Intellectual Property (IP) chapter addresses numerous longstanding concerns in the areas of trade secrets, pharmaceutical-related intellectual property, geographical indications, trademarks, and enforcement against pirated and counterfeit goods.Technology Transfer: The Technology Transfer chapter sets out binding and enforceable obligations to address several of the unfair technology transfer practices of China that were identified in USTR’s Section 301 investigation. For the first time in any trade agreement, China has agreed to end its long-standing practice of forcing or pressuring foreign companies to transfer their technology to Chinese companies as a condition for obtaining market access, administrative approvals, or receiving advantages from the government. China also commits to provide transparency, fairness, and due process in administrative proceedings and to have technology transfer and licensing take place on market terms. Separately, China further commits to refrain from directing or supporting outbound investments aimed at acquiring foreign technology pursuant to industrial plans that create distortion.Financial Services: The Financial Services chapter addresses a number of longstanding trade and investment barriers to U.S. providers of a wide range of financial services, including banking, insurance, securities, and credit rating services, among others. These barriers include foreign equity limitations and discriminatory regulatory requirements. Removal of these barriers should allow U.S. financial service providers to compete on a more level playing field and expand their services export offerings in the Chinese market.Currency: The chapter on Macroeconomic Policies and Exchange Rate Matters includes policy and transparency commitments related to currency issues. The chapter addresses unfair currency practices by requiring high-standard commitments to refrain from competitive devaluations and targeting of exchange rates, while promoting transparency and providing mechanisms for accountability and enforcement. This approach will help reinforce macroeconomic and exchange rate stability and help ensure that China cannot use currency practices to unfairly compete against U.S. exporters.Expanding Trade: The Expanding Trade chapter includes commitments from China to import various U.S. goods and services over the next two years in a total amount that exceeds China’s annual level of imports for those goods and services in 2017 by no less than $200 billion. China’s commitments cover a variety of U.S. manufactured goods, food, agricultural and seafood products, energy products, and services. China’s increased imports of U.S. goods and services are expected to continue on this same trajectory for several years after 2021 and should contribute significantly to the rebalancing of the U.S.-China trade relationship.Dispute Resolution: The Dispute Resolution chapter sets forth an arrangement to ensure the effective implementation of the agreement and to allow the parties to resolve disputes in a fair and expeditious manner. This arrangement creates regular bilateral consultations at both the principal level and the working level. It also establishes strong procedures for addressing disputes related to the agreement and allows each party to take proportionate responsive actions that it deems appropriate.#USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.American Conservative MovementAs we prepare for the 2020 election, we are joining with fellow patriots to form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We will focus on two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats from winning elections and promoting strong conservative candidates wherever they are viable. After the election, we will shift to focusing on educating America about the tenets of conservatism. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name Last Name Email Address Comments SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Secretary Perdue: China Phase I deal is a bonanza for American agriculture appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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NATIONAL REVIEW
| WITH JIM GERAGHTYJanuary 16 2020Post-Debate DramaticsA full menu today: the uncomfortable truths revealed by President Trump’s interactions with Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas, and Igor Fruman; Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren saved their drama for after the debate, while Tom Steyer is oblivious; an advertising slogan with an unfortunate implication that is populist catnip; and an underappreciated congressional candidate.What Kind of President Trusts Two Shady Ukrainians from South Florida?Could even the most ardent fans of President Trump concede that he is constantly hiring the wrong people and listening to the wrong people?As noted many times, there were proper and official channels for the U.S. government to investigate anything involving the Bidens and Ukraine. Trump didn’t use those proper and official channels. He used Rudy Giuliani, who apparently emphasized from the very beginning to the Ukrainians that he was acting as the president’s personal lawyer — not a representative of the administration or the U.S. government, and … READ MORE |
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