News/Politics

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News/Politics 3-27-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

I guess we start with some good news from North Dakota. 🙂

From LifeNews

““Gov. Jack Dalrymple today signed HB 1305, HB 1456 and SB 2305 and provided the following statements to the Legislature:”

“I have signed HB 1305 which would ban abortions performed solely for the purpose of gender selection and genetic abnormalities.

I have signed HB 1456 which would ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. Although the likelihood of this measure surviving a court challenge remains in question, this bill is nevertheless a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade. Because the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed state restrictions on the performing of abortions and because the Supreme Court has never considered this precise restriction in HB 1456, the constitutionality of this measure is an open question. The Legislative Assembly before it adjourns should appropriate dollars for a litigation fund available to the Attorney General.

I have signed SB 2305 which requires admitting and staff privileges at a nearby hospital for any physician who performs abortions in North Dakota. The added requirement that the hospital privileges must include allowing abortions to take place in their facility greatly increases the chances that this measure will face a court challenge. Nevertheless, it is a legitimate and new question for the courts regarding a precise restriction on doctors who perform abortions.””

More here on the banning of abortion based on Down Syndrome, as well as gender preference based abortions. Also via LifeNews

“With the governor’s signature on the ban today, North Dakota has become the first state to ban abortions based on genetic “defects” like Down Syndrome. When diagnosed before birth, such genetic abnormalities prompt couples to have abortions 90 percent of the time.”

“The measure would also ban abortion based on gender selection, an issue of increasing concern in the United States has people from nations like China and India migrate to the United States and bring their cultural preference for boys with them.”

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Then some possibly good news. Or just wishful thinking. But the quicker we lame duck the current President, the better.

From Bloomberg

“U.S. Senator Tim Johnson’s announcement that he’ll retire after the 2014 election just made the Democrats’ job of holding their Senate majority a lot tougher.

Johnson, 66, the Senate banking committee chairman, is the second Democrat from a state won by Republican nominee Mitt Romney last year to say he won’t seek re-election in 2014. The announcement today means his party must defend two open seats and support five other Democratic incumbents running for re-election in Republican-leaning states.”

““The battle for the Senate will come down to Democrats’ability to hold seats in Republican-leaning states,” said Nathan Gonzales, deputy editor of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report, based in Washington. “A lot depends on how popular the president is” next year “because if people are dissatisfied, their option is to vote against the president’s party.””

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And then it starts to go downhill. 😦

It sounds like good news for a change due to ObamaCare, more jobs. But there’s a catch.

From HotAir

“Today, the Washington Post discovers that the Law of Unintended C0nsequences applies to ObamaCare, too.  Thanks to the massive costs added to hiring full-time workers, businesses now want to operate on cash-only relationships with labor:

The health-care law could prove to be a boon for temporary-staffing companies as employers outsource jobs to sidestep complex requirements for medical insurance.

But some experts say the Affordable Care Act’s exceptions for temporary employees could undercut the goal of expanding coverage to more American workers.

“That could lead to an increase in part-time workers” who lack insurance, said Susan N. Houseman, an economist at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research who studies staffing companies. “You regulate something and people will always try to find a way around the regulation.”

Gee, nobody saw that comin’ huh? 🙄

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Then we get a GRINCH ALERT!!! and it’s not even Christmas. 😦

From FoxNews

“Boys and girls at an Alabama elementary school will still get to hunt for eggs – but they can’t call them ‘Easter Eggs’ have the principal banished the word for the sake of religious diversity.”

““We had in the past a parent to question us about some of the things we do here at school,” said Heritage Elementary School principal Lydia Davenport. “So we’re just trying to make sure we respect and honor everybody’s differences.””

““Kids love the bunny and we just make sure we don’t say ‘the Easter Bunny’ so that we don’t infringe on the rights of others because people relate the Easter bunny to religion,” she told the television station. “ A bunny is a bunny and a rabbit is a rabbit.”

🙄 And you’re a weasel Ms. Davenport. They’d probably lock the school down if anybody dared mention Jesus’ name in connection with Easter.

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But I guess as annoying as that is, it’s nothing compared to the persecution other believers face. And this is who our govt. is supporting and funding.

From FoxNews

“Islamic hard-liners stormed a mosque in suburban Cairo, turning it into  torture chamber for Christians who had been demonstrating against the ruling  Muslim Brotherhood in the latest case of violent persecution that experts fear  will only get worse.

Such stories have become increasingly common as tensions between Egypt’s  Muslims and Copts mount, but in the latest case, mosque officials corroborated  much of the account and even filed a police report. Demonstrators, some of whom  were Muslim, say they were taken from the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in  suburban Cairo to a nearby mosque on Friday and tortured for hours by hard-line  militia members.

“They accompanied me to one of the mosques in the area and I discovered the  mosque was being used to imprison demonstrators and torture them,” Amir Ayad, a  Coptic who has been a vocal protester against the regime, told MidEast Christian News from a  hospital bed.”

““There is no longer anything to hold them back. The floodgates are  open.”

And in Libya more of the same, from CNSNews

“On Feb. 12, about two years after the U.S. government first militarily intervened in Libya to advance the cause of Libyan revolutionaries and five months after Libyan terrorists murdered Amb. Chris Stevens and three other Americans in that country, the  post-revolutionary Libyan government arrested a U.S. citizen for  allegedly “proselytizing” Christianity in Benghazi.

As of today, according to both a senior administration official and a State Department spokesperson, this U.S. citizen remains imprisoned in  post-Qaddafi Libya.

The Libyan government also arrested seven other Christians in Benghazi in connection with the same alleged case of Christian proselytizing. These include a South African woman, a South Korean man  and five Egyptian men.”

And again, this is who we’re propping up.

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by

News/Politics 3-26-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

There’s a lot going on.

Let’s start with ObamaVote, just another “free” service ObamaCare provides. They even have community organizers on hand to help out! They’ve thought of everything. What could possibly go wrong?

And now you know what happened to ACORN. They sold out to the man and went legit.

From TheWashingtonExaminer

“The 61-page online Obamacare draft application for health care includes asking if the applicant wants to register to vote, raising the specter that pro-Obama groups being tapped to help Americans sign up for the program will also steer them to register with the Democratic Party.

On page 59, after numerous questions about the applicant’s identity and qualification for Obamacare, comes the question: “Would you like to register to vote?” The placement of the question could lead some to believe they have to register to vote to get health care.”

“Boustany, a Louisiana Republican, said the application raises two alarming issues: What does HHS plan to do with all the information it collects on each applicant and will pro-Obama groups like AARP and Families USA that might be tapped as “navigators” to sign people up to Obamacare, steer them to register as Democrats. Others have indicated that groups like Planned Parenthood and ACORN could also act as a navigator.”

And the worst part is it’s not even shocking. This is exactly the kind of behavior you’d expect.

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More fun facts on ObamaCare here, from HotAir

“Remember when we were told that there was no way that Obamacare would result in driving up costs of healthcare, and in fact would lower it? Well, that ship has already sailed. But there was another popular “myth” which many of us were accused of falling for.  It was the prediction that government meddling in cost setting would drive health care professionals out of business resulting in less available services and a subsequent decline in quality of care. That was just a myth, right? Ah, good times… good times….

Unfortunately, the early projections show that precisely such a result is already kicking into gear.

“The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has recently triggered a debate within the medical community about both its potential impact on medical trainees and on practicing physicians. While the president of the American Medical Student Association has publicly supported the changes in a recent official memo, a recent survey indicates that 40 percent of medical students may not even be aware of the provisions of the act.

Institutional changes can often be double-edged swords, and this series of proposed changes is no different. There are both potential benefits and downsides to what is now widely seen as almost inevitable healthcare reform.”

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So what can we do about it? First, we need to hang this albatross where it belongs, around the necks of Dems. This is all their doing.

From TheNYPost

“Democrats hope to retake the House of Representatives in next year’s elections. They won’t — and they’ll have themselves to blame, because 2014 is when ObamaCare kicks in.

With a vengeance.

The authors of the Obama health law postponed the pain until after the 2012 election. Some popular provisions went into effect immediately, such as allowing children to stay on their parent’s plan until age 26. And the White House granted 1,472 waivers to various companies and unions, exempting them from insurance reforms so they wouldn’t drop coverage for employees and members before the presidential contest.

Yet a majority of voters on Election Day still opposed the health law (though, obviously, it wasn’t the deciding issue in the presidential race). And opinion will only sour more as the law takes full force starting in January.”

Plenty of low info voters are still under the impression that it’s all free. Reality will not be kind to them. Let’s make sure they are reminded of who is responsible for it.

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And on the gun issue we have this, from Politico

“Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are threatening to filibuster  gun-control legislation, according to a letter they plan to hand-deliver to  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office on Tuesday.

“We will oppose the motion to proceed to any legislation that will serve as a  vehicle for any additional gun restrictions,” the three conservatives wrote in a  copy of the signed letter obtained by POLITICO.”

“Reid plans to bring up a gun-control measure that focuses on broadening  background checks and cracking down on interstate gun-trafficking after the  current Senate recess.”

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And it’s been one misstep after another from liberals on this issue. NY didn’t think to exempt police in their rush to pass something. Then they didn’t think through the magazine capacity issue either. They don’t even make the magazines they said were the only ones now legal to possess. Now we have Bloomberg, the next clown who knows little about guns acting like he’s an expert. Oh well, at least the 12 million he’s blown on this was his money. If this commercial is any indication, maybe we should just ban liberals from possessing guns, for the safety of others.

From TheWashingtonTimes

“Mike Bloomberg is spending $12 million on  attack ads designed to force U.S. senators to vote for national gun control laws  that will supposedly save lives. However, the New York mayor’s commercials  running in 13 states over the next two weeks could cause injury or death by  showcasing irresponsible handling of a firearm.

Mr. Bloomberg’s organization, Mayors  Against Illegal Guns, produced two ads featuring a man holding a shotgun,  wearing plaid flannel with a camouflage cap and sitting on the tailgate of a  pickup truck. While a child swings on a tire in the background, the man says, “I  support comprehensive background checks so criminals and the dangerously  mentally ill can’t buy guns.”

“The ad does not specify if the man is an actor, but the text accompanying it  says he is a “gun owner.”  Either way, the man violates all three gun  safety rules taught by the National Rifle Association (NRA).”

It’s Amateur Hour in NY. 🙄

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Remember folks, we don’t have a spending problem. We have a revenue problem, as in not enough revenue for the elitists in charge. And sadly this isn’t new. Waste like this has been going on for years. But these people seem to have perfected it.

From CNN

“Official business took him last month to Europe, a trip that included a bill of $585,000 for his one-night stay in Paris.

Also on the receipt was $321,665 for a limousine company and $459,338.65 for a hotel stay in London.

And while Biden was only in each town for one night, the London hotel bill, for example, included 136 rooms for multiple nights for his advance team, according to the documents posted on the website for Federal Business Opportunities and unearthed by the conservative magazine, The Weekly Standard.

Whether or not the figures were posted online intentionally remain unclear, as similar reports for previous overseas trips could not be located on the same website.”

Oh I’d wager it was done intentionally. More than likely by someone who actually had to deal with Sequester cuts, unlike the VP and Vacationer in Chief and his family. No word yet on the cost for this year’s taxpayer funded Spring Break trip to Atlantis for the Obama girls, or if Mrs. O is joining them. And still no tours for the children of taxpayers. Priorities people!

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by

News/Politics 3-25-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

I guess we’ll start with a modern medical marvel. Or something. Cool, but a little scary too.

From TheWallStJournal

“Inside a warren of rooms buried in the basement of Gregorio Marañón hospital here, Dr. Aviles and his team are at the sharpest edge of the bioengineering revolution that has turned the science-fiction dream of building replacement parts for the human body into a reality.

Since a laboratory in North Carolina made a bladder in 1996, scientists have built increasingly more complex organs. There have been five windpipe replacements so far. A London researcher, Alex Seifalian, has transplanted lab-grown tear ducts and an artery into patients. He has made an artificial nose he expects to transplant later this year in a man who lost his nose to skin cancer.”

“In additional to the artificial nose, Dr. Seifalian is making cardiovascular body parts. He sees a time when scientists would grow the structures needed for artery bypass procedures instead of taking a vein from another part the body. As part of a clinical trial, Dr. Seifalian plans to transplant a bioengineered coronary artery into a person later this year. His employer, University College London, has designated a person to oversee any future commercialization of it and other man-made organs.”

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The attempts to place further restrictions on individual rights continues, with the usual suspects/useful idiots.

From TheHill

“Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has emerged as a key player if Senate Democrats are  to have any chance of passing legislation to expand background checks for  private sales of firearms.

McCain and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) are at the top  of a list of Republicans considered most likely to sign on to legislation  expanding background checks after talks with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) stalled  earlier this month.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has signaled he will likely support the  yet-to-be-finalized proposal he negotiated with Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)  and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to expand background checks to cover private gun  sales, according to Senate sources.”

Meanwhile the NRA asks the obvious questions, and points out the flaws in the leftist idea of gunless Utopias.

From NewsBusters

“National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre asked a marvelous question on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday.

“Why doesn’t the national press corps, when they’re sitting down there with  Jay Carney and the president and the vice president, why don’t they say, ‘Why is Chicago dead last in enforcement of the gun laws against gangs with guns, felons  with guns, drug dealers with guns?'”

“Do you know where Chicago ranks in terms of enforcement of the federal gun laws?  Out of 90 jurisdictions in the country, they ranked 90th. Why doesn’t NBC News  start with, “Shocking news on Chicago. Of all the jurisdictions in the country,  Chicago’s dead last on enforcement of the federal gun laws?” Why doesn’t the  national press corps, when they’re sitting down there with Jay Carney and the  president and the vice president, why don’t they say, “Why is Chicago dead last  in enforcement of the gun laws against gangs with guns, felons with guns, drug  dealers with guns?”

Because it would be racist to do so in the mind of the Democrats that control the city.

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This one, if true, is certainly disturbing. But let’s face it, it wouldn’t be shocking.

From ChristianNewsNet

“An Oregon high school teacher was escorted from the building by police this week over what is believed to be related to his continued opposition to Planned Parenthood’s presence in the classroom.

Bill Diss is a math and computer science teacher at Benson High School in Portland, and has taught at the school for 11 years. Diss has also become known in the school for his opposition to Planned Parenthood since 2007, when he first began organizing efforts during after-school hours to stop the furtherance of the abortion provider in the community.”

“According to reports, last year, Planned Parenthood of Columbia Williamette began promoting its Teen Outreach Program (TOP) at Benson High School where Diss is employed as a teacher. In September, two representatives from the organization showed up at Diss’ classroom as they were hoping to speak to students. However, he would not let the representatives enter and asked them to leave.”

“Following Diss’ refusal to allow the representatives into his classroom, the principal and vice principal of the school paid Diss a visit and temporarily removed him from the class. The next day, he was forced to sit in on a Planned Parenthood presentation.”

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Cyprus and the EU have reached a deal.

From ZeroHedge

“While we have little color on what kind of carnage the President of Cyprus had to accept to his fellow countrymen, the news is that :

i) Laiki to be wound down;

ii) Bank of Cyprus to survive but with deposit haircuts, and

iii) deal would see secured deposits in Laiki moved to Bank of Cyprus.

In other words, a deal far worse than the original one proposed by the Eurogroup last week – when the banks still existed. The key appears to be the ‘saving’ of the insured depositors (crucial to avoid a pan-European bank run) and the crushing of the ‘whale’ depositors.

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And we’ll end with some lowered expectations.

From HotAir

“Obamacare official on exchanges: “Let’s just make sure it’s not a third-world experience.””

“A quick reminder about what I’ve been saying about the challenges of Obamacare exchange implementation, here and here.

Now, Obamacare feds are conceding the same. Gary Cohen, head of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, is the one charged with getting this bird off the ground, and has faced grilling from even Democratic lawmakers worried it will crash on take-off.”

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by

News/Politics 3-23-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open Thread, as always.

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This is just sad. No consequences.

From FoxNews

“Free to do as he pleases, living out his days in the suburbs of northern New  Jersey, a Syrian national who is a known associate of the 9/11 hijackers never  has to worry about deportation by the U.S. government, according to an  investigation by Fox Files.

With nearly 400,000 people waiting for U.S. citizenship, Daoud Chehazeh last  November received political asylum for a third time after a series of  bureaucratic screw ups at the federal level, according to a review of court  documents and interviews with former federal and state investigators.”

“Bukowski and Bush say they still believe there was an unknown relationship  between al-Awlaki, Chehazeh and Rababah. At least five of the hijackers were  tied to these men. And it is striking that the 9/11 Commission report makes no  reference to Chehazeh.”

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I wonder if they want to GPS track him, like they do the general public? Probably not. That might be profiling or something. 🙄

But at least some on both sides are standing up for the public.

From CNetNews

“A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a new bill, known as the Geolocation Privacy and Surveillance Act, to force law enforcement to obtain a warrant to track suspects with GPS devices.

The bill, which was introduced to Congress yesterday, is sponsored by Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), as well as Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and House judiciary committee ranking member Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). If passed, it would provide a “legal framework” that provides clear guidelines on when and how GPS devices can be accessed and used.”

“The legislation was introduced a day after the government argued before a federal appeals court that warrantless GPS tracking is an important part of the law enforcement process. The government’s attorneys have argued that GPS devices can be used to “gather information to establish probable cause, which is often the most productive use of such devices.” Requiring a warrant means being forced to establish probable cause before that and ultimately limit the value of GPS devices.”

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The more we know, the worse it gets. The job killing/hours cutting by ObamaCare continues.

From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Over one-third of the 9.1 million full-time jobs among America’s diverse business franchises could be cut back or eliminated by Obamacare as small businesses struggle to maintain profitability while coughing up money to pay for Washington-mandated health care coverage, according to the International Franchise Association.

The threat of hitting 3.2 million full-time workers as the Affordable Care Act takes effect next year is prompting the owners of fast food restaurants, service companies and other franchises to urge Congress to make significant changes in Obamacare.

To help their cause, the association on Friday released a new state-by-state breakdown on the potential impact on jobs in the bull’s eye of Obamacare, which declares that a 30-hour week is full-time, not the industry accepted 40 hours. That 10-hour difference has thousands of franchise owners scrambling to either fund healthcare for those working 30 hours, or cut hours back to below 30 hours.”

But wait, there’s more.

From TheWallStJournal

“Health insurers are privately warning brokers that premiums for many individuals and small businesses could increase sharply next year because of the health-care overhaul law, with the nation’s biggest firm projecting that rates could more than double for some consumers buying their own plans.

The projections, made in sessions with brokers and agents, provide some of the most concrete evidence yet of how much insurance companies might increase prices when major provisions of the law kick in next year—a subject of rigorous debate.”

The projected increases are at odds with what the Obama Administration says consumers should be expecting overall in terms of cost. The Department of Health and Human Services says that the law will “make health-care coverage more affordable and accessible,” pointing to a 2009 analysis by the Congressional Budget Office that says average individual premiums, on an apples-to-apples basis, would be lower.”

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Meanwhile, the DHS refuses to answer questions about their massive ammo purchases. Meanwhile the shortage is hitting not only legal gun owners, but police as well.

From CNSNews

“The nationwide shortage of ammunition has left many police departments scrambling to get their hands on the necessary rounds – with some even bartering among each other.

Meanwhile, Rep. Timothy Huelskamp (R-Kansas) says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has failed to respond to multiple members of Congress asking why DHS bought more than 1.6 billion rounds in the past year.

Police Chief Cameron Arthur of Jenks, Oklahoma says, “Ammunition and assault weapons in general have skyrocketed…In addition to the fact, not only is it a lot more expensive, but the time to get it could be six months to a year, or in some cases even longer.”

And in NY, the lawsuits against the unconstitutional gun grab there have begun.

From FoxNews

“The National Rifle Association on Thursday joined the the New York State  Rifle and Pistol Association, other sportsmen’s groups, firearms businesses and  individual gun owners in a lawsuit challenging the state’s strict new gun  control law.

The federal suit, filed in Buffalo, said the law violates the constitutional  rights of “law-abiding citizens to keep commonly possessed firearms in the home  for defense of self and family and for other lawful purposes.”

“The challenge takes aim at two key provisions of the law: a lower limit on  magazine capacity and an expansion of the state’s assault weapons ban to include  some popular and formerly legal semi-automatic rifles.”

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Yesterday DrivesGuy/Joe B. linked to this story from CBS12.com

“A student at Florida Atlantic University’s campus in Davie says he couldn’t believe what he and his fellow students were asked to do  by their instructor three weeks ago.

Ryan Rotela, a junior from Coral Springs at FAU, said what happened was an insult to his intelligence.

He said the instructor in his Intercultural Communications class at FAU told everyone in the class to take out a piece of paper, write the word JESUS on it in bold letters, and then put the paper on the floor and stomp on it.”

Well now we have a little more info on the FAU professor in question, and some of his other associations and fellow comrades. And no, not surprising.

From BizPacReview

“A South Florida college professor’s bizarre classroom antics have made waves for their shocking display of religious intolerance. But they were even more instructive in educating the rest of us on the alarming thought process of yet another Palm Beach County Democratic leader.”

“While the incident has made the news, the media has failed to report a key component of Poole’s resume: He is vice-chairman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party. His recent actions add fire to an already-disturbing pattern of hate coming out of the local party.”

“Mark Siegel, the former chairman of the county Democratic Party, was forced to resign in September under a barrage of criticism over an anti-Christian tirade at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.”

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by

News/Politics 3-22-13

What’s interesting out there today?

We can start with Pres. Obama’s Mid East trip.

From Politico

“On his stops in the Holy Land Thursday, President Barack Obama turned again and again to a subject not obviously connected to the current troubles in the mideast: the struggles of African Americans in the United States.

One of the parallels the president drew—comparing the plight of Palestinians to that of blacks in the U.S.—has drawn criticism in the past when he raised it in this region.”

“Obama’s comments—which invoked life under Jim Crow in the U.S. or perhaps even under slavery—seemed to give support to Palestinian narratives that describe Arabs and Palestinians as second-class citizens in Israel. That line of criticism deeply angers many Israelis. Some critics of Israel go so far as to use the word apartheid, a word that angers Israelis further.

But at stops in Jerusalem later on Thursday, Obama invoked the history of African-Americans in the U.S. in ways far more pleasing to Israelis and Jews generally.”

The race card? How original. 🙄

Also note his habit of just saying whatever he thinks his audience wants to hear. Always in campaign mode.

While he fiddles, others point out the obvious. From USAToday

“President Obama’s first journey to Israel as president comes amid earth-shattering change in Middle East, much of it for the worse. The Arab Spring, which once raised hopes of freedom and dignity, has diverged onto the dark path of Islamist authoritarian rule. In Syria, tens of thousands of people have died in a bitter civil war that might have recently seen its first use of chemical weapons. And Iran continues its march toward nuclear weapons capability, heedless of international condemnation. Obama’s effort to seek peace between Palestinians and Israelis is in tatters.

That’s why the White House has been lowering expectations for Obama’s trip to Israel all this week. He will announce no new peace plan, grand design or major foreign policy initiative. His advisers are calling the trip a “listening tour.” That is what you call a state visit when you have little to say.

Despite downgrading the trip, many see Obama’s arrival as the sequel to his 2009 visit to Cairo, where he announced a “new beginning” with the Muslim world. Four years later, that doesn’t auger well for renewed efforts in Israel and the West Bank. According to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, confidence in Obama in Muslim countries dropped from 33% to 24% in his first term. Approval of Obama’s policies declined even further, from 34% to 15%. And support for the United States in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Pakistan is lower today than it was in 2008 in the closing year of George W. Bush’s administration. That collapse of support has not happened elsewhere.”

Ouch. Lower than Bush. That’s gotta sting his ego a bit. So much for soft-power huh? Doesn’t seem to be working real well. Then again, it’s probably Bush’s fault. Most things are.

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This bothers me. Sure it’s limited now, but you know it’s ever expanding.

From NBCNews

“The U.S. government is expanding a cybersecurity program that scans Internet traffic headed into and out of defense contractors to include far more of the country’s private, civilian-run infrastructure.

As a result, more private sector employees than ever before, including those at big banks, utilities and key transportation companies, will have their emails and Web surfing scanned as a precaution against cyber attacks.

Under last month’s White House executive order on cybersecurity , the scans will be driven by classified information provided by U.S. intelligence agencies — including data from the National Security Agency (NSA) — on new or especially serious espionage threats and other hacking attempts. U.S. spy chiefs said on March 12 that cyber attacks have supplanted terrorism as the top threat to the country.

The Department of Homeland Security will gather the secret data and pass it to a small group of telecommunication companies and cyber security providers that have employees holding security clearances, government and industry officials said. Those companies will then offer to process email and other Internet transmissions for critical infrastructure customers that choose to participate in the program.”

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Looks like some officials are standing up to the promotion of sex on a college campus in their state. I’ll skip the details, but yeah, I’d have to agree. IMHO I don’t see much of educational value in it.

CONTENT WARNING!

From TownHall

“A group of Tennessee lawmakers is preparing to issue an ultimatum to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville – either defund the first-ever “Sex Week” or they will defund the university.”

“This is truly an offense to the people of Tennessee,” State Rep. Susan Lynn said on the House floor. “I am offended for the people of my district at the University of Tennessee having sex week.”

A university spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that the nearly $20,000 event is being funded by student fees and university money.”

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Gee, do you think the promotion of stuff like the above in our learning centers has anything to do with this? I can’t help but think that promoting an “if it feels good do it” mentality leads to stuff like this, not to mention more abortions.

From CNSNews

“Calling it “The Great Crossover,” a report by academics and social activists shows that for the first time in history the median age of American women having babies is lower than the median age of marriage – 25.7 and 26.5, respectively.

These “dramatic changes in childbearing,” the report states, results in dramatic statistics about American children. Among them, 48 percent of first births are by unwed mothers, and by age 30 two-thirds of American women have had a child, typically out of wedlock.

Kay Hymowitz, an author of the report and a William E. Simon Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, said at an event to release the report on Wednesday at the Brookings Institution, that it reflects how the view of what marriage is about has changed.”

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by

News/Politics 3-21-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, you decide.

Here’s a few from me, and we have some doozies. 🙄

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We’ll start with this one. The light bulb 💡 finally goes on over at the WaPo. Now they get it….. 🙄

From TheWashingtonPost

” The evidence was incontrovertible, captured on video and posted on YouTube for all the world to see. During a demonstration against the Syrian regime, Wael Ibrahim, a veteran activist, had tossed aside a banner inscribed with the Muslim declaration of faith.

And that, decreed the officers of the newly established Sharia Authority set up to administer rebel-held Aleppo, constitutes a crime under Islamic law, punishable in this instance by 10 strokes of a metal pipe.

The beating administered last month offered a vivid illustration of the extent to which the Syrian revolution has strayed from its roots as a largely spontaneous uprising against four decades of Assad family rule. After mutating last year into a full-scale war, it is moving toward what appears to be an organized effort to institute Islamic law in areas that have fallen under rebel control.”

Strayed? No. This is what it’s always been, you just ignored that aspect until now.

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The Budget from Senate Dems has died in the House, as it should have.

From TheHill

“The House on Wednesday rejected the Senate Democratic budget in a 154-261  vote, with 35 Democrats voting against the blueprint from their upper chamber  colleagues.

The Senate Democratic budget was one of three budgets cast aside in a series  of votes Wednesday after a debate in which Republicans excoriated President  Obama for failing to offer his own budget plan in time for the votes.

House Democrats were instructed to vote for the Senate Democratic budget, but  35 of them defected.”

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Cuomo’s gun restrictions are off to a great start. First they had to re-write portions because they forgot to exempt police, now it’s got other issues. Not very well thought out, but then again, it was always emotion based with little to do with facts or common sense. But like ObamaCare, I guess they had to pass it to find out what was in it. 🙄

From TheUticaObserverDispatch

“Cuomo and legislative leaders in state budget talks plan to change the law that was passed in January before a provision kicks in banning the sale of 10-bullet magazines. The gun measure outlaws the purchase of any magazines that carry more than seven bullets, the nation’s most stringent limit. That would have put a severe limit on the sale of guns with industry standard 10-bullet magazines when the provision of the law went onto effect on April 15.

“There is no such thing as a seven-bullet magazine. That doesn’t exist, so you really have no practical option,” Cuomo said. He told reporters that any suggestion this will be a rollback of the law is “wholly without basis.”

“Cuomo said the state needs to allow the sale of handguns and rifles with 10-shot magazines, but New Yorkers will still be required to keep no more than seven bullets in them, except at shooting ranges and competitions. Violating the seven-bullet limit is a misdemeanor, but a violation if the magazine was in the owner’s home.”

I need a head shaking, face-palm smiley. Sure 7 rounds. Got it. 🙄

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And now it goes down hill. We have no money for tours for school kids, but we’ve got plenty to waste on garbage like this.

CONTENT WARNING!

I’m not sure if it’s for the duck anatomy references, or because it’s so offensive what they waste our money on. Maybe both.

From CNSNews

“The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $384,949 grant to Yale University for a study on “Sexual Conflict, Social Behavior and the Evolution of Waterfowl Genitalia”, according to the recovery.gov website.

The grant description says,“The project examines how reproductive morphology covaries with season, age, and social environment in a diverse sample of duck species that differ in ecology, territoriality and breeding system.”

The grant was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus package.”

🙄 I’m just speechless here, which is probably for the best.

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And PETA shows once again why many consider them to be frauds. It’s about the cash and the show, but not the animals.

CONTENT WARNING! because PETA likes to use scantily clad and naked people in their ads.

From TheDailyMail

“Animal rights charity PETA killed almost 90 per cent of dogs and cats placed in the care of the shelter at its Virginia  headquarters last year, it has been revealed today.

The charity, well-known for attention  grabbing publicity campaigns such as the ‘I’d rather go naked’ anti-fur  campaign, euthanized 1,647 cats and dogs last year and only placed 19 in new  homes according to the data submitted to the Virginia  Department for Agriculture and Consumer Services.

PETA told Mail Online that the animals they  take in at the center are ‘unadoptable’, however 89.4 per cent of pets is much  higher than their own approximation that half of animals taken to shelters end  up being euthanized.”

Maybe they should protest their own headquarters.

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News/Politics 3-20-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Here’s a few to start you off, then have at it. 🙂

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7 Marines were killed yesterday during a training exercise at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada.

From FoxNews

“A deadly explosion at a military ammunition storage facility in Nevada during  a training exercise Monday prompted the U.S. Marine Corps to issue a blanket  suspension of 60-millimeter mortars and associated tubes pending a review of the  accident.

Seven U.S. Marines were killed and several others were wounded Monday when a  mortar exploded prematurely inside is firing tube during mountain training  exercises at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. It’s unclear what caused the  malfunction.

The accident prompted the Marine Corps to immediately halt use of some mortar  shells until an investigation can determine its safety.”

That news was bad enough. But Harry Reid decided to politicize it, and add insult to injury. He implied from the floor of the Senate, where cowardly liars like himself are permitted to outright lie, that it was because of the Sequester.

From RealClearPolitics

“On the Senate floor this morning, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) implied the explosion that killed seven Marines at an ammunitions depot in Hawthorne, Nevada was due to the “cutting back in training and maintenance” in the sequester.”

Needless to say, Marine brass wasn’t happy and pointed out their feelings on such classless comments.

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Meanwhile, the number of Sheriff’s nationwide coming out against un-constitutional restrictions on 2nd Amendment rights is now up to 340.

From CNSNews

“Including Sheriff John Cooke of Weld County, Colorado, 340 sheriffs have publicly stated they will not enforce gun laws they believe are unconstitutional.

In response to the passage of two new gun control bills in Colorado last week, Sheriff John Cooke told the Greeley Tribune that he “won’t bother enforcing the laws.”

One bill requires gun buyers to pay for their own background checks, a service that was previously free and now estimated to cost the buyer $10-$12 per purchase.  The second bill puts a 15-round limit on magazines.

Cooke says of the new laws: “They’re feel-good, knee-jerk reactions that are unenforceable.”

And gun magazine maker Magpul has told Colorado officials they will leave the state if the Gov. signs into law new restrictions on magazine capacity.

Via Twitchy

“The full statement as posted to Facebook received more than 10,000 likes within the first two hours.”

“Apparently Gov Hickenlooper has announced that he will sign HB 1224 on Wednesday. We were asked for our reaction, and here is what we said:

We have said all along that based on the legal problems and uncertainties in the bill, as well as general principle, we will have no choice but to leave if the Governor signs this into law. We will start our transition out of the state almost immediately, and we will prioritize moving magazine manufacturing operations first. We expect the first PMAGs to be made outside CO within 30 days of the signing, with the rest to follow in phases. We will likely become a multi-state operation as a result of this move, and not all locations have been selected. We have made some initial contacts and evaluated a list of new potential locations for additional manufacturing and the new company headquarters, and we will begin talks with various state representatives in earnest if the Governor indeed signs this legislation. Although we are agile for a company of our size, it is still a significant footprint, and we will perform this move in a manner that is best for the company and our employees.

It is disappointing to us that money and a social agenda from outside the state have apparently penetrated the American West to control our legislature and Governor, but we feel confident that Colorado residents can still take the state back through recalls, ballot initiatives, and the 2014 election to undo these wrongs against responsible Citizens.”

Knee-jerk stupidity costing jobs.

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Philadelphia Magazine  is taking heat for a provocative piece on race relations in Philly.

“Later, driving up Broad Street as I head home to Mount Airy, I stop at a light just north of Lycoming and look over at some rowhouses. One has a padlocked front door. A torn sheet covering the window in that door looks like it might be stained with sewage. I imagine not a crackhouse, but a child, maybe several children, living on the other side of that stained sheet. Plenty of children in Philadelphia live in places like that. Plenty live on Diamond, where my son rents, where there always seem to be a lot of men milling around doing absolutely nothing, where it’s clearly not a safe place to be.

I’ve shared my view of North Broad Street with people—white friends and colleagues—who see something else there: New buildings. Progress. Gentrification. They’re sunny about the area around Temple. I think they’re blind, that they’ve stopped looking. Indeed, I’ve begun to think that most white people stopped looking around at large segments of our city, at our poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods, a long time ago. One of the reasons, plainly put, is queasiness over race. Many of those neighborhoods are predominantly African-American. And if you’re white, you don’t merely avoid them—you do your best to erase them from your thoughts.

At the same time, white Philadelphians think a great deal about race. Begin to talk to people, and it’s clear it’s a dominant motif in and around our city. Everyone seems to have a story, often an uncomfortable story, about how white and black people relate.”

So of course the Mayor is throwing a fit, and is threatening to turn the faux-govt Philadelphia Human Relations Commission on them. He thinks pointing out the obvious is the equivalent of yelling “fire” and will incite panic.

From FoxNews

“The Philadelphia Human Relations Commission has launched an investigation at the request of the mayor after a well-known magazine published an essay that explored perspectives of white citizens on the issue of race relations.”

“Mayor Michael Nutter called on the commission to consider rebuking both Philadelphia Magazine and writer Bob Huber noting that “the First Amendment, like other constitutional rights, is not an unfettered right.”

“Rue Landau, the Human Relations Committee’s executive director, agreed with the mayor’s concerns regarding what she called, “the racial insensitivity and perpetuation of harmful stereotypes portrayed in the Philadelphia Magazine piece.”

The VolokhConspiracy explains why the Mayor is earning his name. This is why I’m not a big fan of the PC Police, aka Human Relations Commissions either.

“The implication — which I think is very strong — that the “speech” is indeed unprotected by the First Amendment under the “incitement” exception is absolutely wrong: Under Brandenburg v. Ohio and Hess v. Indiana, the speech in the article is clearly protected. (It’s true that a narrow range of speech that is intended and likely to produce imminent illegal conduct, with imminent meaning within hours or at most a few days, rather than at some unspecified future time, is unprotected, but the magazine article definitely does not fit within that.) And it’s quite troubling, I think, when a mayor (who has power over, among others, the Police Department) suggests that the expression of opinions that he disapproves of about race is constitutionally unprotected.

The specific call in the mayor’s letter, which is for the Commission to “conduct an inquiry into the state of racial issues, biases, and attitudes within and among the many communities and neighborhoods in the City of Philadelphia,” and to “consider specifically whether Philadelphia Magazine and the writer, Bob Huber are appropriate for rebuke by the Commission,” is not as troubling — both the mayor and the Commission have the right to express their own views, and indeed it is commonly argued that the proper alternative to suppression of speech is counterspeech. But the Mayor’s rationale wasn’t just, “this speech is constitutionally protected but so is our response.” Rather, the Mayor expressly suggested that the speech in the article was unprotected, and therefore punishable outright and not just worthy of public disapproval.”

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News/Politics 3-19-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, so feel free to chime in. 🙂

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Officials in Florida are still piecing together a plot to attack an Orlando college campus.

From NBCNews

“A former student found dead in a University of Central Florida dorm room along with makeshift explosives and weapons was planning an attack on the school’s Orlando campus, the university police chief said on Monday.

The man’s body was found at about 1 a.m. at the Tower 1 residence hall, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.

A fire alarm had gone off less than an hour earlier, and as campus police responded, a 911 call came in reporting a man with a gun, police said. When police went to investigate, they discovered the man’s body as well as a .45 caliber handgun, a .22 caliber tactical weapon and four homemade explosive devices. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition were also found, police said.”

Other info on the planned attack was found in the dorm room.

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I have a feeling this is making several people in the Obama admin nervous, including Hillary.

From TheSmokingGun

“Armed with confidential memos to Hillary Clinton that were stolen from the e-mail account of a former White House aide, a hacker has distributed some of the documents to a wide array of congressional aides, political figures, and journalists worldwide.

In a series of weekend e-mail blasts, the hacker known as “Guccifer” disseminated four recent memos to Clinton from Sidney Blumenthal, a longtime confidant of the former Secretary of State.”

“Most of the e-mail recipients were sent four separate memos that were e-mailed to Clinton by Blumenthal during the past five months. Each memo dealt with assorted developments in Libya, including the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi. One memo marked “Confidential” was sent to Clinton on September 12.”

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Well, what are they waiting for? Let’s get to it.

From TheHill

“Republican lawmakers are threatening to subpoena U.S. survivors of the  terrorist attack in Benghazi.

Exasperated GOP members say unless they get more answers from the White  House, they will call on the survivors to testify before Congress, and might  hold up President Obama’s nomination to replace the U.S. ambassador who was  killed on Sept. 11, 2012 in Libya.

The recent revelation that U.S. survivors are recuperating at Walter Reed  Hospital has sparked GOP demands that the White House provide Congress with  access to them. It has also breathed new life into the controversy that was  highlighted repeatedly during the 2012 presidential campaign.”

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Oh for cryin’ out loud…….  🙄

Via TheDailyMail

“Sunday evening’s episode of the History Channel’s hit series ‘The Bible’ threw up an awkward coincidence when viewers noticed that Satan bore a remarkable resemblance to President Obama.

Twitter exploded into life during the airing of the latest edition of the Mark Burnett-produced series with most noting the striking similarities between the 44th President and the devil played by actor Mehdi Ouzaani.”

“The miniseries’ popularity is somewhat of a mystery. For one, the drama wasn’t a hit with television critics, receiving a mediocre score of 44 on the Metacritic site.”

A mystery? Really?  🙄

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And here’s an interesting read, although not really news to conservatives. It’s probably shocking to liberals though, since it refutes their pathetic “Uncle Tom” meme.

From Reason.com

“In Django Unchained, director Quentin Tarantino’s bloody ode to the spaghetti western set in the pre−Civil War American South, Samuel L. Jackson portrays the despicable character of Stephen, the head house slave on a hellish Mississippi plantation. Reviewing the film for The Boston Globe, critic Wesley Morris struggled to convey the villainy of Stephen’s character, turning to a present-day comparison for help. “The movie is too modern for what Jackson is doing to be limited to 1858,” Morris wrote. “He’s conjuring the house Negro, yes, but playing him as though he were Clarence Thomas.”

It was not the first time a liberal writer had taken a cheap shot at the conservative Supreme Court justice. New York Times reporter Linda Greenhouse once described Justice Antonin Scalia as Thomas’ “apparent mentor,” yet we now know that Thomas has been the one quietly influencing Scalia’s jurisprudence. But the comparison to the slave power system was particularly contemptible, especially because no Supreme Court justice since Thurgood Marshall has written more frequently or powerfully about American racism than Thomas.”

“Many of his critics may be too ignorant to know it, but Thomas’writings are steeped in African-American history and grapple repeatedly with the long shadow cast by slavery and Jim Crow. He may not be a modern liberal, but there is no question that Clarence Thomas is part of a civil rights tradition that started with Frederick Douglass.”

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by

News/Politics 3-18-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

Here’s some to start things off.

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A growing number of states (28) are telling the Senate and Obama admin “No thank you” on the idea of new federal gun laws.

From CNSNews

“On March 12 and 14, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed both Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-NY) “Fix Gun Checks Act,” which would criminalize all private firearm sales and Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) “Assault Weapons Ban.”

These bills have a long way to go before they become law – if they ever do – but states across the nation are introducing their own legislation to preemptively defeat any new federal gun laws.

In Ohio, two senators have introduced SB36, which would prohibit firearms seizures, registration and bans in their state.

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A riot at the University of Dayton?

From DaytonDailyNews

“University of Dayton administrators will meet this week to evaluate a riot involving more than 1,000 people causing police from 10 jurisdictions to respond to the student campus housing area also known as the UD ghetto early Sunday morning.

After more than two decades without a major St. Patrick’s Day incident, the university had a violent “disturbance” that left broken beer bottles and 11 damaged cars, including a police cruiser, on Kiefaber Street, according to a university official.

“We would describe what happened as a disturbance, said Andy Booher, a lieutenant with the Dayton Police Department. “It was quickly contained because of the response by University police and other jurisdictions.””

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And here’s a fun read on some Democrats who are starting to point out the obvious. Alternate title, “Obama is Bush II”

From ZeroHedge

“Even Democratic Party Loyalists Starting to Wake Up to the Fact that Obama Is As Bad As Bush … Or Worse”

It’s loaded with fun facts and lots of links, like these…..

“Glenn Greenwald notes that even Democratic party loyalists are getting fed up with Obama’s Bush-like actions:”

“Indeed, more and more Democrats are waking up the fact that Obama is doing a lot of the same stuff Bush did.”

“Income inequality has increased more under Obama than under Bush.”

“Obama has prosecuted fewer financial crimes than President Reagan, Clinton or either of the Bush presidents.”

“Obama has prosecuted more whistleblowers than all other presidents combined.”

And there’s lot’s more. They’re a little late to the party though.

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So in closing, an old one, yet still fitting………..   “Same As It Ever Was” From PolitiZoid

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by

News/Politics 3-16-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

There’s all kinds of stuff to choose from today.

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The Muslim Brotherhood is now cracking down on women’s rights.

From Reuters

“The Islamist movement that backs President Mohamed Mursi gave 10 reasons why Muslim countries should “reject and condemn” the declaration, which the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women is racing to negotiate a consensus deal on by Friday.”

“Egypt has joined Iran, Russia and the Vatican – dubbed an “unholy alliance” by some diplomats – in threatening to derail the women’s rights declaration by objecting to language on sexual, reproductive and gay rights.

The Muslim Brotherhood said the declaration would give “wives full rights to file legal complaints against husbands accusing them of rape or sexual harassment, obliging competent authorities to deal husbands punishments similar to those prescribed for raping or sexually harassing a stranger.”

Liberals are finally starting to wake up to what it is they backed under the guise of Democracy. Buyer’s remorse.

From TheNYTimes

““A woman needs to be confined within a framework that is controlled by the man of the house,” Osama Yehia Abu Salama, a Brotherhood family expert, said of the group’s general approach, speaking in a recent seminar for women training to become marriage counselors. Even if a wife were beaten by her husband, he advised, “Show her how she had a role in what happened to her.”

“If he is to blame,” Mr. Abu Salama added, “she shares 30 percent or 40 percent of the fault.”

Now, with a leader of the Brotherhood’s political arm in Egypt’s presidential palace and its members dominating Parliament, some deeply patriarchal views the organization has long taught its members are spilling into public view. The Brotherhood’s strident statements are reinforcing fears among many Egyptian liberals about the potential consequences of the group’s rise to power and creating new awkwardness for President Mohamed Morsi as he presents himself as a new kind of moderate, Western-friendly Islamist.”

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Meanwhile in Libya, Coptic Christians are being tortured into converting to Islam.

From AsiaNews.it

“Libyan Salafis are responsible for torture, attempts to forcibly convert and desecration of Christian imagery. This is according to  44 of the 48 Egyptian Coptic vendors on their return home. “They forced us to pronounce the al-shahaadatayn – said one of them – the proclamation of the Islamic faith and spit on images of Pope Shenouda III.” So far, the Egyptian government has not reacted to the episode that involved its citizens nor charges of religious discrimination. However, the relatives of the victims are demanding justice and accuse the Islamist government of protecting the Libyan Salafists.

Arrested in mid-February in the Benghazi market, accused of publicizing religious images and illegal immigration, the Coptic Orthodox were held for several days in a jail guarded by Salafi armed guards. They were released after several days of negotiations between the Egyptian and the Libyan governments accused on several occasions of failing to protect foreign nationals in its territory. Currently four Christians are still detained in Libya for further investigation.

The case has also sparked outrage among the population of Benghazi, which in October revolted against the Salafi militias accused of having organized the attack on the U.S. consulate in which the US Ambassador Christopher Stevens was killed.”

And the govt. we’re propping up ignores it. Just like those responsible for the Ambassador’s murder.

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Here’s an interesting read on the new Pope, and the liberal disappointment over the choice. Mild Content Warning! Liberals can be quite crass.

From NationalReview

“I may be a Reformed Protestant, but I still care a great deal about the new pope. He is, after all, only the world’s most prominent advocate for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Christians everywhere should be grateful that the new pope is by all credible accounts a humble, devout man with a heart for the “least of these.” In fact, for millions of our more secular citizens, the Catholic Church is essentially a stand-in for all (orthodox) Christendom, and critiques of Catholics are often critiques of all Christianity.

I was reminded of this fact when I read Frances Kissling’s recent piece in The Nation – highlighted again today in response to the selection of the new pope. Kissling, some may recall, is the past president of a group called “Catholics for Choice.” Kissling contends that the new pope (no matter who he is) will change nothing, and nothing will ever change until, well, Catholics stop being Christian. Feast your eyes on this critique:

“As long as Catholics are expected to accept rigid, sexist and blatantly illogical doctrine, there can be no real change in the church. From the Vatican down to the local parish priest, the early narratives—stories, really—that sought to explain who we are, why we are here, and the meaning of life are still taught, despite the fact that they are even less credible explanations of who we are than they ever were.”

And it goes downhill from there.

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Another piece on the intended, but unmentioned, costs in ObamaCare.

From TheWallStJournal

“Big government likes big providers. That’s why ObamaCare is gradually making the local doctor-owned medical practice a relic. In the not too distant future, most physicians will be hourly wage earners, likely employed by a hospital chain.

Why? Because when doctors practice in small offices, it is hard for Washington to regulate what they do. There are too many of them, and the government is too remote. It is far easier for federal agencies to regulate physicians if they work for big hospitals. So ObamaCare shifts money to favor the delivery of outpatient care through hospital-owned networks.

The irony is that in the name of lowering costs, ObamaCare will almost certainly make the practice of medicine more expensive. It turns out that when doctors become salaried hospital employees, their overall productivity falls.”

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Debt? What debt? Oh that. Sure it’s a big number, but it’s not a problem.

No really. Stop laughing, he’s serious. 😯

From CNSNews

“Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the ranking member of  the House Judiciary Committee,  said on Thursday that the nation’s  current debt of $16.7 trillion is “not endangering” the country,  adding that “some debt is not a bad idea”  and that he and other congressional Democrats “don’t think  there’s a problem.”

Conyers and other liberal Democrats spoke at a Capitol Hill press  conference about their initiative to compel Congress to cancel the  across-the-board budget cuts (sequester) of  $1.2 trillion over 10 years, which actually are reductions in the rate of increase in federal spending and amount to $44 billion for this year.”

“Conyers said, “Let me let you understand, first of all, that the debt  is not endangering us a bit — not at all. Our economists say we’re in  debt but it’s not endangering everything. As a matter of fact, there are  economists that say some debt is not a bad idea at all.”

“So all those ideas about the ceiling falling, the walls caving in  because of that, you can sleep more comfortably in your bed at night  when you realize that we don’t think there’s a problem,” he said.”

I don’t know about you, but I feel better already. 🙄

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But don’t worry, it’s not all bad today. 🙂

From DetroitCBSLocal

” A federal judge has blocked the Obama administration from requiring Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan to provide mandatory contraception coverage to his employees under the federal health care law.”

“On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff granted a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the law against Monaghan and Domino’s Farms.”

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