News/Politics 8-15-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

The fight for control of Egypt continues to be a bloody affair.

From TheWallStJournal  “Egypt’s military regime, aided by snipers and bulldozers, swept the streets of Islamist protesters—setting off a day of violence that left more than 278 people dead, the government fractured and ties with its international partners in tatters.

Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers stormed police stations, burned down churches and battled with government supporters in several neighborhoods, after police sweeps left scores of protesters dead at two Cairo squares. The raid ended more than a month of sit-ins by thousands of Brotherhood supporters—sometimes joined by families, and daring the government to disperse them—who demanded the reinstatement of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.”

“Egypt’s interim president declared a monthlong, national state of emergency—raising Egyptians’ fears of extended conflict, further crackdowns and the prospect that the military regime they struggled to overthrow in 2011 was reasserting control.

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Once again the Obama admin finds a way to repay campaign contributions from Planned Parenthood. And this is just in DC. There’ll be plenty more for the abortion leader in other cities and states. Which will of course enable the contributions to pro-abortion politicians to continue. A vicious cycle indeed. Just like they planned it.

From TheWashingtonExaminer  “Washington, D.C.’s health insurance exchange has awarded a $375,000 grant to abortion provider Planned Parenthood to help enroll participants in Obamacare, the exchange announced on Tuesday.

As part of its effort to boost enrollment in the exchange created by President Obama’s health care law, the D.C. Health Benefit Exchange doled out $6.4 million to 35 DC-based groups. Those groups include local churches as well as health care and community organizations.

One of the largest awards went to Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington D.C.”

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Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife have been sentenced. Seems light to me, and why on earth are they rewarding his criminal behavior by not making him repay the 3/4 of a million dollars he embezzled?

From WGNTV  “A federal judge sentenced former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. to 30  months, or 2-and-a-half years, in prison for misuse of campaign funds.

His wife, former Chicago alderman Sandi Jackson, was sentenced to 12 months  for tax fraud. Judge Amy Berman Jackson also ordered her to  pay $22,000 in restitution, which is the amount she spent from her campaign  as alderman.”

“The judge also ruled that Jackson does not have to pay restitution to his former  campaign because it is now defunct.”

“In February, the 48-year-old pleaded guilty to using $750,000 of his  campaign money for personal expenses—in many cases, on extravagant items such as  a Rolex watch and Michael Jackson memorabilia. He resigned from Congress in  November after 17 years in office.”

So 2 and a half years, out in half that for good behavior, and you make 3/4 of a mil on the deal. Who says crime doesn’t pay?

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The persecution of George Zimmerman and his family continues. This is completely politically motivated, and once again, the prosecution is caught lying. If you only look at one link today, check out this one, and how the prosecution misrepresents the facts.

From PJMedia  “The affidavit for the perjury charge, written and submitted by special prosecutor investigator T.C. O’Steen, is — like the affidavit submitted for the murder charge — devoid of probable cause.

In fact, it does not establish a single specific statement made by Shellie Zimmerman and explain why that specific statement was false, why it was material, how it was a matter of objective fact, or why Shellie believed it to be false as she uttered it.

Of all of the elements of the offense that must be established and proved, the state established only that Shellie was under oath and testified in a judicial proceeding.

Not only does the affidavit fail to fulfill the elements of the offense, by omission it actually lies to and misleads the court. In this case, there is no doubt that Judge Lester was biased against George, but it is most likely that the affidavit was approved because judges are generally not used to dealing with prosecutors willing to lie to them. Receiving an affidavit for a felony charge, they tend to rubber stamp it, not considering that a prosecutor, an officer of the court, would mislead them. In this case, that’s exactly what happened.”

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The pandering to homosexuals in the military by the Obama admin continues. The irony here is the claim that “they just want the same rights and treatment as everyone else” while they’re getting special rights others don’t have.

From CNSNews  “The U.S. Defense Department announced on Wednesday that  it will make “spousal and family benefits” available no later than Sept.  3, 2013, regardless of sexual orientation, for all service members who  can provide a valid marriage certificate.

And what about same-sex military couples who live in a state where same-sex marriage is not allowed? No problem.

“We  recognize that same-sex military couples who are not stationed in a  jurisdiction that permits same-sex marriage would have to travel to  another jurisdiction to marry. That is why the department will implement  policies to allow military personnel in such a relationship  non-chargeable leave for the purpose of travelling to a jurisdiction  where such a marriage may occur,” the DOD news release said.”

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And remember folks, there’s no evidence that shows workers hours are being cut because of ObamaCare. The White House said so.

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News/Politics 8-6-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First a story that shows how misguided this admins policies are, and how too often, he and the govt sides with the extremists. They get special treatment, his victims get denied benefits. It’s sickening.

From NBC/Dallas/Ft.Worth  “NBC 5 Investigates has learned the accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan receives extraordinary treatment in jail while victims of the attack argue they have been forgotten and mistreated by the U.S. Army.”

“Victims of the Fort Hood massacre told NBC 5 Investigates the Army’s efforts to provide for Hasan’s needs do not match the treatment they have received since the shooting.  They feel the Army has gone the extra mile for Hasan but not for them. “

“Howard Berry said his son was constantly bothered by what he saw as a lack of consideration such as the Army denying victims of the massacre Purple Heart medals and other combat-related benefits while insisting the shooting was not an act of terrorism – a classification Fort Hood shooting victim Logan Burnett strongly disputes.”

Watch the video at the link.

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Meanwhile the White House meets with an imprisoned Muslim Brotherhood leader in Egypt.

From YahooNews  “The second-most senior U.S. diplomat has met with the imprisoned deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to a senior official, a sign that the United States is ramping up its attempts to mediate Egypt’s political crisis.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns traveled late Sunday night to the notorious Tora Prison, a jail in the middle of Cairo that has housed some of Egypt’s most famous prisoners, to meet with Khairat el-Shater, the official said.”

“The United States is furiously mediating between the military and Brotherhood, trying to help Egypt stabilize after the military takeover a month ago. Egypt has long been the United States’ most important Arab ally, and U.S. officials are eager to see the military avoid any steps that could lead to civil war.”

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Again, we back the wrong horse. These arms came from us. We armed the extremists.

From FoxNews  “Jihadists in Egypt’s lawless Sinai Peninsula are using U.S. weapons to carry  out attacks against the temporary government in the wake of the military’s  ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, according to the embattled nation’s Interior  Ministry.

The government office posted an official statement on its Facebook page along with images of an exploded missile that hit the third floor of a building  in the city of el-Arish last week. The post said terrorist forces targeted the  North Sinai Security Directorate office with a ballistic missile that struck the  third floor facade of the building, leaving three soldiers injured. While  attacks in the Sinai, which borders Gaza and is a haven for terrorist activity,  have become commonplace, the prospect that militants have U.S. weapons typically  fired from helicopters at their disposal is especially alarming.”

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Meanwhile, others suffering the extremist’s wrath get a cold shoulder, and no help from this admin, even as they were/are murdered in large numbers.

From TheTelegraph  “Tens of thousands Syriac Christians – members of the oldest Christian community in the world – have fled their ancestral provinces of Deir al-Zour and Hasakah in northeastern Syria, residents have said.”

“Conflict in the area, desperate economic conditions, lawlessness, and persecution by rebel groups born from the perception that Christians support the regime, remain the main reasons for why Christian families are fleeing the area.

The growing presence of radical jihadist groups, including al-Qaeda, has also seen Christians targeted.”

As in Egypt, we arm and assist the radicals, but not their victims.

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OK, Boko Haram has been accused of heinous crimes by the International Criminal Court. Good. Now what do you plan to do about it?

From ABCNews  “The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says that after a preliminary investigation she believes that acts attributed to the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram are likely crimes against humanity.

“Information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that since July 2009 Boko Haram has launched a widespread and systematic attack that has resulted in the killing of more than 1,200 Christian and Muslim civilians in different locations throughout Nigeria,” Fatou Bensouda wrote in a report issued Monday.

She said the potential crimes against humanity include murder and persecution. But she said she will only move to a full-fledged investigation after further study and depending on whether Nigerian authorities themselves are willing and able to prosecute “those who appear to bear the greatest responsibility.”

So basically nothing, because the Nigerian authorities can’t stop them or bring them to justice. They can’t do it alone.

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And baseball has finally cracked down.

From FoxSports  “Defiant till the end, Alex Rodriguez is intent on evading baseball’s most sweeping punishment since the Black Sox scandal.”

“Rodriguez was suspended through 2014 and All-Stars Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta and Everth Cabrera were banned 50 games apiece Monday when Major League Baseball disciplined 13 players for their relationship to Biogenesis of America, a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.”

“Others agreeing to 50-game bans included Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli and outfielder Fernando Martinez; Philadelphia pitcher Antonio Bastardo; Seattle catcher Jesus Montero; New York Mets infielder Jordany Valdespin and outfielder Cesar Puello; Houston pitcher Sergio Escalona; and free agent pitchers Fautino De Los Santos and Jordan Norberto.”

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News/Politics 7-31-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up today, the fuzziest, wuzziest math you ever saw. 🙂

From ZeroHedge  “Don’t like how high debt-to-GDP figures are? Revise ’em. Unhappy at the post-‘recovery’ growth rates? Revise ’em. Disappointed at the pace of economic improvement in the last decade or two compared to the rest of the world? Revise ’em. This week “we are essentially rewriting economic history” as the BEA is set to revise GDP data from as far back as 1929. The ‘adjustments’ to account for intangibles (that best known of micro- accounting fudge factors) and as we noted previously in great detail, will increase GDP by around $500 billion. Of course, these changes are defended aggressively (just as the hedonic adjustments to inflation calculations ‘make perfect sense’) as GDP will now reflect spending on research, development, and copyrights as investment – and reflect pension deficits for the first time (think of all that potential future GDP from massive pension deficits now). With Q2 GDP growth estimates set for a dismal 1.1%, expectations are for the short-term economic data to be revised upwards (and with any luck the great recession never happened at all).”

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The election of 2016 has begun. So right off the bat, the press picks their candidate, and the like-minded will heap praise and awards on the new chosen one. Same script as last time.

From NationalReview  “I wasn’t surprised to learn that sometime before the 2016 election, NBC will be releasing a four-hour miniseries about Hillary Clinton starring Academy Award nominee Diane Lane. What did surprise me was that the series will cover none of her life before the Monica Lewinsky scandal, which took place five years into her husband’s second term as president and when Hillary was already 51 years old. It’s as if her first half-century will be airbrushed away, along with the many scandals that dogged her in those decades.”

Reports have 4 other networks planning their own pro-Clinton story lines. Meanwhile the praise from other areas is just as questionable.

From RedAlertPolitics  “Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is once again being honored with an award for her public service.

Clinton will receive the American Patriot Award from the National Defense University Foundation at a gala dinner on Nov. 14. The award is given to “leaders who have strengthened America’s strategic interests and advanced global security,” according to a press release.

Benghazi, Libya, and Egypt disprove their assertions about her foreign policy genius. How exactly did she do anything there that strengthened America’s strategic interests, or advanced global security? In Egypt the side they picked has already been overthrown. How is that a success story?

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And speaking of Benghazi…… The witnesses who have been hidden from Congress and the public will now tell their stories.

From CBSNews  “In recent weeks, members of the House and Senate and their staffers have held two classified hearings on the Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya; conducted more than 25 hours of formal, transcribed interviews with witnesses; and spoken informally with several dozen additional witnesses, including some who are being called “whistleblowers.”

Among those who have recently spoken to Congress is Marine Corps Col. George Bristol who was in the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) chain of command on Sept. 11. Earlier this month, CBS News reported that the Pentagon declined Republican congressional requests to produce Bristol for interviews. At the time, the Pentagon said Bristol had retired and that they “cannot compel retired members to testify before Congress.”

But that’s not all. Remember the claims from the President and Mrs. Clinton that those responsible would be held accountable? Yeah, about that….

From TheWeeklyStandard  “More than ten months after the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, Ansar al Sharia is even more entrenched in Libyan society. Members of Ansar al Sharia in Benghazi were reportedly part of the al Qaeda-linked jihadist coalition that killed four Americans, including a U.S. ambassador. But today, Ansar al Sharia is far from being on the run. The organization is expanding and is even tasked with providing security inside Benghazi. “

A success story worthy of praise and awards? No, it’s not.

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GUILTY! and not.

From FoxNews  “The U.S. Army soldier charged with providing troves of government documents to WikiLeaks was found  not guilty Tuesday of aiding the enemy, the top charge in his 21-count  indictment that could have carried a life sentence, however, he was convicted of  several lesser charges that can carry a 128-year prison sentence.”

“Prosecutors had to prove Army Pfc. Bradley Manning had “a general evil intent” and knew  the classified material would be seen by the terrorist group Al Qaeda. Legal  experts said an aiding-the- enemy conviction could set a precedent because  Manning did not directly give the classified material to Al Qaeda.”

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Sharpton, Obama, Holder, and other like-minded people have decided to go after states with, and those trying to enact, Voter ID. Gee, I wonder if Sharpton’s pals at NBC will play along too? 🙄

From Mediaite  “This week, MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton joined a number of civil rights leaders in the White House to discuss the future enforcement of the Voting Rights Act with President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder. Sharpton revealed that the Department of Justice and the White House intend to vigorously enforce the VRA, particularly against states instituting questionable voter ID laws. He added that Texas and North Carolina were two specific states in the DOJ’s crosshairs.

“It was one meeting – it was unprecedented – the attorney general and the president in the Roosevelt Room of the White House,” Sharpton began. “I talked to the attorney general for an hour and the president for 40 minutes.”

Unprecedented alright. Just not for the reasons he thinks.

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Still no White House tours, but the partying continues anyway.

From WhiteHouseDossier  “The White House continues to bar average Americans from touring “The People House” but nevertheless lavishes spending on all sorts of special invitees – from diners at last week’s Iftar dinner breaking the Muslim fast to sports teams and foreign diplomats.”

“Soon after the outcry over the cancellation of tours due to the sequester, the White House promised to see what could be done to allow some visits to resume. But nothing was done and no one can visit – unless President Obama finds you useful or amusing.”

“June’s events included a raucous celebration of LGBT Pride Month, a special movie screening in the White House theater, and visits by the WNBA Champion Indiana Fever and Super Bowl winning Baltimore Ravens and Division III Women’s Basketball Champion DePauw University Tigers.”

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And the President would like you to know that the best way to help the economy is…….

From CNSNews  “President Barack Obama – citing the job losses since he took office — said “the economy would be much better off,” unemployment would be 6.5 percent and the national deficit would be in decline if there were more federal, state and local government workers.

“If those layoffs had not happened, if public sector employees grew like they did in the past two recessions, the unemployment rate would be 6.5 instead of 7.5,” Obama said. “Our economy would be much better off, and the deficit would still be going down because we would be getting more tax revenue.”

Sure. That’ll do it. Right Detroit?

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News/Politics 7-26-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

We’ve got a bunch today.

First up, from TheWashingtonPost  “By a margin of 56 to 27 percent, more Americans say they’d prefer to impose limits on abortions after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy rather than the 24-week mark established under current law, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.”

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Next up, Holder begins his attempt to get around the recent Voting Rights decision from the Supreme Court. Why does he always speak to border-line racist groups about alleged racism from others?

From RedAlertPolitics  “In response to the Supreme Court’s recent decision that states are innocent of institutional racism until proven guilty, Attorney General Eric Holder is arguing that Texas’ “history of pervasive voting-related discrimination against racial minorities” should make its voting laws subject to the Department of Justice’s oversight indefinitely.

While speaking before the National Urban League in Philadelphia on Thursday, Holder said his agency would ask a federal judge to require Texas to submit all its voting laws to the DOJ for review before they can be legally enacted because the state has a supposed history of discrimination and racism.”

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Meanwhile the Obama admin plays dumb in order to keep the money flowing to Egypt. Coup? What coup? 🙄

From TheHuffingtonPost  “The Obama administration told lawmakers Thursday that it won’t declare Egypt’s government overthrow a coup, U.S. officials and lawmakers said, allowing the United States to continue providing $1.5 billion in annual military and economic aid to the Arab world’s most populous country.”

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Next we have another victim of ObamaCare.

From RedAlertPolitics  “For almost 20 years Bob Westbrook has been a Cici’s Pizza franchise owner, selling “fresh taste at a great price.” But thanks to Obamacare’s not-so-great-employer mandate, Westbrook is forced to sell his buffet-style restaurants instead of pizza.

Even though Westbrook says his Texas stores were the top three performing CiCi’s Pizza franchises, he wasn’t making enough dough… er, money to provide health insurance to all 96 of his full-time employees, much less afford the penalty — which would cost him $78,000 more than what he says he made at his restaurants in 2011.”

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Here’s a new development in the NSA snooping.

From Cnet  “The U.S. government has demanded that major Internet companies divulge users’ stored passwords, according to two industry sources familiar with these orders, which represent an escalation in surveillance techniques that has not previously been disclosed.”

“If the government is able to determine a person’s password, which is typically stored in encrypted form, the credential could be used to log in to an account to peruse confidential correspondence or even impersonate the user. Obtaining it also would aid in deciphering encrypted devices in situations where passwords are reused.”

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Meanwhile, we now know what it costs to buy an Ambassadorship. About a half a million.

From Bloomberg  “At least 26 of Obama’s current and nominated ambassadors were major Democratic campaign contributors, giving a total of at least $13.6 million to him, the Democratic Party, and congressional candidates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“When he talked about toughening up lobbying rules, the sense was that this is a president really committed to international engagement,” said Dan Kurtzer, a 29-year veteran of the foreign service and former ambassador to Egypt and Israel under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. “Instead, we so devalue diplomacy that we assume anyone can walk off the street and do it.”

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And last, we have The Black Death. 😯

From NBCLosAngelos  “A squirrel infected with plague bacteria prompted the closure of popular campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest on Wednesday, according to Los Angeles County health officials.”

That’s not cool.

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News/Politics 7-12-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

We start today off with some good news. It’s a good story, let’s hope it happens more often. 🙂

From HotAir

“In a world where the dominant culture divides children into the wanted and undesired for the convenience of others, it’s worth noting when a news story demonstrates the power of hope, love, and life:

A Virginia church says it has received hundreds of calls from people around the world offering to adopt an unborn child with Down syndrome who otherwise would have been aborted.

After the unborn child came to the attention of Rev. Thomas Vander Woude of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Gainesville, Va., an urgent plea was posted Monday on the church’s Facebook page. …

An adoption agency has narrowed down the hundreds of families to three, Drennan said, and is working with the birth parents to determine the best home for the child.”

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In other abortion news…. From TheHuffingtonPost

“Most Americans would favor sweeping new national restrictions on abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll. But the poll also shows many Americans remain conflicted in their views on abortion.

By a margin of 59 percent to 30 percent, respondents to the new poll said they would favor a federal law banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.”

Don’t worry though, it’s HuffPo, so they still do their best to try to spin it to the pro side.

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The head of Planned Parenthood is having trouble explaining why late-term abortions are different from what Gosnell did. The difficulty is because they aren’t really any different, and she knows it. From TheWeeklyStandard

“Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards held a small rally outside the U.S. Capitol Thursday joined by Minnesota senator Al Franken, Connecticut congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and a crowd of 200 Planned Parenthood activists. Richards warned that new state and federal bills–including measures establishing late-term abortion limits–pose threats to women’s rights.

The new legislation is being debated and voted on in the wake of the trial of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, who was convicted of murder in May for snipping the necks of babies after they were born. Following the rally, THE WEEKLY STANDARD asked Richards to explain the difference between the Gosnell killings and late-term abortions.

“I mean he was a criminal. And he’s now going to jail,” Richards replied. “It is very rare for a woman to need to terminate a pregnancy after 20 weeks. And quite often it’s stories like ones we heard today where” the fetus is diagnosed with a dire medical condition.

But asked about late-term abortion when there isn’t a medical problem (Texas’s proposed abortion limit has exceptions for the physical health of the mother and severe “fetal abnormalities”), Richards refused to answer. Nor did she reply when asked if she supports any legal limits on abortion.”

Like I said yesterday, it’s easy to spot who the real extremists are.

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In Egypt we have questions being asked about Morsi’s rise to power. From TheNYTimes

“Egypt’s new rulers gave new credence to a court case against the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, and members of the Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday over their escape from prison during the uprising that toppled his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.

The case was transferred from an appeals court to the State Security prosecutor for further investigation. No charges have yet been filed. Its acceptance by powerful prosecutors follows the arrest of many Muslim Brotherhood members and is a new blow to the group by the military-backed government.”

“His ouster and the subsequent suppression of the Brotherhood have enraged the group’s members and led to a spate of scapegoating attacks by Muslim extremists against Christians they accuse of supporting his fall, rights activists said.”

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Here’s more on the plight of Christians in Egypt. From WaPo

“With a mob of Muslim extremists on their tail, the Christian businessman and his nephew climbed up on the roof and ran for their lives, jumping from building to building in their southern Egyptian village. Finally they ran out of rooftops.

Forced back onto the street, they were overwhelmed by several dozen men. The attackers hacked them with axes and beat them with clubs and tree limbs, killing Emile Naseem, 41. The nephew survived with wounds to his shoulders and head and recounted the chase to The Associated Press.”

“The mob’s rampage through the village of Nagaa Hassan, burning dozens of Christian houses and stabbing to death three other Christians as well, came two days after the military ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi from power. It was no coincidence the attackers focused on Naseem and his family: He was the village’s most prominent campaigner calling for Morsi’s removal.

Some Christians are paying the price for their activism against Morsi and his Islamist allies in a backlash over his ouster last week.”

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Meanwhile the Obama admin is speaking out about Morsi’s ouster, and threatening to possibly cut off aid. I’m sure it has nothing at all to do with the Brotherhood’s influence in the Obama admin… 🙄

From TimesOfIsrael

“The Obama administration on Thursday sharpened its criticism of the Egyptian military and interim government’s arrests of supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, saying the continuing detentions are inconsistent with pledges of inclusivity made by authorities and may affect future US assistance.

While the administration has determined it is not in US national security interests to make any immediate changes to its aid program, officials said the continuing arrests of members of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood and political party are troubling. The criticism is some of the most severe of Egypt’s new leadership since Morsi was toppled last week and came a day after arrest warrants were issued for the Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader and nine other Islamists accused of inciting violence.”

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If Obama had a son………  Sure it sounded good at the time. Sure it fanned the flames. But now that the actual evidence is out……. 

From TheDailyCaller

“The White House refused to answer questions regarding President Barack  Obama’s stance on the George Zimmerman trial on Thursday in an unexpected move  to distance itself from Obama’s previous comments.

“[Obama’s] comments are what they were, but we’re not going to say anything  from here,” press secretary Jay Carney said.

When asked by reporters if the Justice Department will be watching the  outcome and reporting back to the President, Carney said, “I do not know the  answer to that question.””

Sure, now he keeps his comments to himself. 🙄

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News/Politics 7-9-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up, an American has been arrested in the UK for calling homosexuality a sin. From FoxNews

“An American evangelist said he was arrested and interrogated about his Christian faith after he was caught on a London sidewalk preaching that homosexuality is a sin.

Tony Miano, a retired deputy sheriff and former chaplain with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept., was charged with “using homophobic speech that could cause people anxiety, distress, alarm or insult.””

“I talked about women addicted to romance novels, men addicted to pornography, people with lustful thoughts, heterosexual fornication and homosexuality,” Miano told Fox News. “When I mentioned that the Bible was clear that homosexuality is a sin, a lady walked by and she glared at me and hurled the f-bomb.”

Miano said the woman came back a short time later and began to videotape his sidewalk sermon. Then, she called the police.”

Don’t think this isn’t coming here soon.

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Another scandalous development in the ongoing State Dept. sex scandals. From TheDailyCaller

“A State Department officer has been accused of selling visas for sex and  money in what may have been a massive human trafficking operation, The Daily  Caller has learned.

The State Department acknowledged last week that one of its officials is  the target of a probe over “allegations of improprieties relating to a Consular  Officer formerly assigned to Georgetown, Guyana” without providing further  details. Local media are also claiming the official, who was recently withdrawn  from normal duties pending completion of an official  investigation, associated with drug lords as part of his visa scam.

The scandal began when executives and tourists complained that their visa  applications were being held up, and local media began reporting that a visa  official was demanding bribes and sex in exchange for visas.”

This is in addition to another where an ambassador is alleged to have solicited underage prostitutes.

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This one isn’t shocking. Most of the media has been in the pro-abortion camp for a long time now. They certainly don’t want people seeing the truth about what a 20 week old baby in the womb looks like. Because it looks human, and exposes the lie that it isn’t yet. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act goes against everything they’d like you to believe. From LifeSiteNews

“A national pro-life organization is outraged after three major American newspapers rejected a pro-life ad as “too controversial.”

The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and the LA Times refused to run an advertisement created by Heroic Media.

The ad features a hand holding a 20- to 24-week-old baby with the quote, “This child has no voice, which is why it depends on yours. Speak Up.”

Heroic Media Executive Director Joe Young said he was shocked and angered that the media outlets were willing to talk about the issue but were unwilling to show the reality of life at 20 weeks.”

Here’s the ad in question. You can click it for a larger version, or visit their website https://www.heroicmedia.org/20weeks

Heroic-Media-628x550

So what’s so “controversial” about it?

Nothing, except the truth.

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The White House and their mouthpiece did lots of squirming yesterday. They just can’t admit it was a coup in Egypt. Why? Well because if they do, they’ll be forced to follow US law and pull all aid to the country. From Politico

“The White House is taking its time to determine whether the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was a coup because of the potential fallout from calling it one, press secretary Jay Carney said Monday.

“I’m being very clear with you … this is a complex and difficult issue with significant consequences,” Carney said during his daily briefing, the first since Egypt’s military ousted Morsi nearly a week ago. Calling the action a coup could cut off more than $1.5 billion in annual U.S. foreign aid for Egypt.

But the Obama administration is reluctant to cut off aid. “We think it would not be in the best interests of the United States” to change its aid program at this time, Carney said. Asked if that would mean the administration would be cutting off aid in the near-term, Carney repeated his response: “we think that would not be in our best interests.””

Oh please, since when are they ever concerned with following the law in this admin?

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Who’s up for a “Summer of Recovery II” update? From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Behind Wal-Mart, the second-largest employer in America is Kelly Services, a temporary work provider.

Friday’s disappointing jobs report showed that part-time jobs are at an all-time high, with 28 million Americans now working part-time. The report also showed another disturbing fact: There are now a record number of Americans with temporary jobs.

Approximately 2.7 million, in fact. And the trend has been growing.”

And from CNSNews

“The number of Americans receiving subsidized food  assistance from the federal government has risen to 101 million,  representing roughly a third of the U.S. population.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that a total of 101,000,000 people currently participate in at least  one of the 15 food programs offered by the agency, at a cost of $114  billion in fiscal year 2012.

That means the number of Americans receiving food assistance has surpassed the number of full-time private sector workers in the U.S.”

The Recovery is a myth.

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News/Politics 7-6-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, as always.

First, a story on the 28 people injured at a fireworks display. From APNews

“More than two dozen people were injured when a wood platform holding live fireworks tipped over, sending the pyrotechnics into a crowd at an annual 4th of July show northwest of Los Angeles, authorities said Friday.

Between 8,000 and 10,000 revelers were settling into their seats for the fireworks extravaganza at a Simi Valley park Thursday night when the spectacle of lights that were supposed to be launched in the sky never took off. A bright plume of red and white bursts spread across the ground, injuring 28 people and sending others fleeing for safety.”

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Things are escalating in Egypt as Morsi supporters attack those celebrating his ouster. From TheNYTimes

“Egypt’s bitter split over who should be ruling the country exploded into violent clashes in the streets of Cairo and elsewhere on Friday as masses of demonstrators celebrating the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi battled crowds of Islamists who wanted him reinstated.”

“The mayhem capped a day full of massive and defiant protests by Islamists demanding that Mr. Morsi be returned to power. At least four people were killed and many were wounded when security forces fired into a protest near the officers’ club of the powerful Republican Guard, where many believed Mr. Morsi was detained.

With clashes breaking out late into the night, it was impossible to estimate the full extent of casualties and damage. But early Saturday, security officials said at least 30 people had been killed nationwide and hundreds wounded, many of them in Cairo.”

Meanwhile the Obama admin is advocating for Morsi and his supporters to be included. He always sides with the Islamists. From Bloomberg

“The Obama administration’s call for an “inclusive” political process in Egypt with a role for the Muslim Brotherhood has been overshadowed by deadly clashes between security forces and supporters of the Islamist group.

Violent protests yesterday in Cairo and elsewhere over the military’s ouster of President Mohamed Mursi raised doubts about prospects for an eventual accommodation that would allow the Brotherhood that supports him to compete in new elections.

While President Barack Obama’s administration has stopped short of condemning the July 3 military takeover, it has called on Egyptian leaders to pursue “a transparent political process that is inclusive of all parties and groups,” including “avoiding any arbitrary arrests of Mursi and his supporters,” Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said July 4 in a statement.

The administration has urged the Egyptian military to stop using heavy-handed tactics, according to two U.S. officials who asked not to be identified commenting on private communications. They said the administration is concerned that some in the military may want to provoke the Islamists to violence and provide a rationale for crushing the movement once and for all.”

Oh no, we can’t have that, can we? 🙄

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And the next bunch are on the just released jobs report. Obama would like you to know that it proves the recovery act worked, or something. From TheWashingtonExaminer

“It’s to be expected. Every month the White House claims that the economy is improving despite evidence to the contrary. On Friday, Alan Kreuger, chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, said, “In the four years since the recession ended in June 2009, the economy has added 5.3 million jobs, thanks to the resilience of the American people and policies like the Recovery Act, which helped bring the recession to an end and put us on the path to recovery.”

That rosy outlook disregards the numbers behind the jobs report. While the media reports that 195,000 jobs were added in June and that is better than expected, they neglect to mention that if the economy added 195,000 jobs a month consistently, it would not return to pre-recession employment levels until 2021, according to a nifty interactive chart developed by the Brookings Institute.”

“Furthermore, the rest of the jobs report is even worse. The reported unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.6 percent despite the increase in jobs, but the real unemployment rate, the U-6 rate (which is the total unemployed, including all part-time workers) jumped from 13.8 percent in may to 14.3 percent in June. The unemployment rate looks worse when broken down into demographics:”

A closer look at the numbers only makes it look worse. From Breitbart

“The release of the June Jobs’ Report Friday was something of a relief for the markets. The Labor Department reported that the economy gained 195,000 jobs in June, which beat economists’ expectations. The Department also reported that the economy gained 70,000 more jobs in April and May than it originally estimated. The report, however, also provides clear evidence that the nation is splitting into two; only 47% of Americans have a full-time job and those who don’t are finding it increasingly out of reach.

Of the 144 million Americans employed last month, only 116 million were working full-time. Friday’s report showed that 58.7% of the civilian adult population of 245 million was working last month. Only 47% of Americans, however, had a full-time job.”

Even more details here, from ZeroHedge

“As a reminder: jobs have quantity and quality components. The quantity component was good enough to convince the 10 Year the taper is imminent (if not stocks, which continue to trade dislocated from any and all fundamentals). But how about the quality? In a word: not good. In June, the household survey reported that part-time jobs soared by 360,000 to 28,059,000 – an all time record high. Full time jobs? Down 240,000.  And looking back at the entire year, so far in 2013, just 130K Full-Time Jobs have been added, offset by a whopping 557K Part-Time jobs. And there is your jobs “quality” leading to today’s market euphoria (if only for now).”

Summer of Recovery II anyone?

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News/Politics 7-5-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, and here’s a few from me.

This first one I must caution you on. It is very hard to read, and comes with a strong CONTENT WARNING!! for adult subject matter. It’s a horrible story on just one of the many atrocities being committed by Syrian rebels against the Christian population. It involves 15 repeated forced marriages, rapes, and then repudiations, against an unwilling 15 year old Christian girl. And all of it sanctioned and authorized by the radical Sunni clerics in charge.

From Persecution.org

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Meanwhile in Egypt, Morsi has been replaced.

From TheTelegraph/UK

“Egypt coup: Interim president sworn-in as Morsi supporters protest

Adly Mansour, until now the head of the Egyptian supreme court, pledges to hold democratic elections, but Muslim Brotherhood supporters say “this is not freedom – we’re back to Mubarak.”

Meanwhile the military continues to crack down on the MB. The MB has responded by calling their supporters to the streets.

From FoxNews

“Egyptian military arrest top Muslim Brotherhood figures amid crackdown.”

“An Islamist coalition led by the Muslim Brotherhood is calling on their  supporters to peacefully protest the removal of former Egyptian President  Mohammed Morsi in a “Friday of Rejection,” after the Egyptian military arrested  top Brotherhood figures as part of a major crackdown against the group.”

More on the arrests here from Reuters

While all this goes on, the Sec. of State John Kerry, is all over the situation. Or not. Depends who you ask.

From Politico

“The White House’s photo of the Wednesday afternoon Situation Room meeting on Egypt shows several senior administration officials, but Secretary of State John Kerry is notably absent.”

“A CBS News producer tweeted a photo of Kerry’s yacht, Isabel, on Wednesday afternoon and said a colleague saw Kerry boarding it at the Nantucket Boat Basin. She shouted “Morsi,” but got no response from the secretary of state.

But the State Department said Kerry was not aboard a boat on Wednesday and has spent the day working the phones on Egypt. “Since his plane touched down in Washington at 4 a.m., Secretary Kerry was working all day and on the phone dealing with the crisis in Egypt,” spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “He participated in the White House meeting with the president by secure phone and was and is in non-stop contact with foreign leaders, and his senior team in Washington and Cairo. Any report or tweet that he was on a boat is completely inaccurate.”

UPDATE!

Despite the insistence by the Obama admin that Kerry wasn’t on a boat yesterday, and was hard at work on the Egypt story, we now have proof that he was vacationing instead. Has lying become so easy for them that they do it even when they know the truth will come out? Despite the admins claims that Kerry was all over the situation, reality has photos of him on a boat and strolling the streets of Nantucket. John Kerry, reporting for duty. Eventually, but not on a holiday.

From TheBostonHerald

“U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry — who spent the Fourth of July on sun-splashed Nantucket even as the chaos from a military takeover rocked Egypt — drew fire from Republican critics who said it’s a bad time for the nation’s top diplomat to be seen cavorting on an island getaway.

“It doesn’t look good, and I think it sends the wrong message” said Republican strategist Brad Marston. “If I were advising him, I’d already have him on a plane.”

As first reported on bostonherald.com, Kerry, who owns a house and a yacht on the ritzy retreat, was seen yesterday strolling down Federal Street away from July Fourth festivities on Main Street in jeans and a light-colored polo shirt.

Later in the afternoon, Kerry was seen offloading bags from a single-person kayak to a boat in Nantucket Sound after launching from the beach behind his home at 5 Hulbert Ave.”

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And I always thought July in New Mexico would have weather that’s drier. Who knew?  🙂

You should see the pics at the link, from TheWeatherChannel

“A lone thunderstorm dumped over a foot of hail in the town of Santa Rosa, N.M. Wednesday evening, leaving a surreal sight the day before the Fourth of July.

Photos from the Santa Rosa Fire Department showed snow plows clearing city streets clogged with accumulated hail drifts.”

That’s crazy. 😯

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News/Politics 7-3-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

UPDATE

BREAKING: Egyptian TV Says Morsi Under House Arrest – Update: Travel Ban Placed On Muslim Brotherhood Leaders – Update: Top Morsi Aide: “Call This By Its Real Name – A Military Coup”…

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First, an update on the continuing backlog of veterans claims. I would say this is ridiculous, but of course it is, this is our govt at work.

From FoxNews

“A new study released ahead of the Fourth of July holiday sheds more light on  the tangle of paperwork facing America’s veterans — showing they’re up against  as many as 613 forms across 18 agencies as they seek services.

The study by the American Action Forum also found the paperwork — in part the result of  roughly 31 million Veterans Affairs claims alone each year — takes federal  employees roughly 43.3 million hours to process.

“Navigating 18 agencies and more than 600 forms has produced absurd results  and unnecessary delays,” the self-described “center-right” leaning nonprofit  said.”

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And don’t think for a minute that ObamaCare will be any more efficient. The problems are already beginning in fact. So of course Democrats are trying to hide it, because they own it.

From WaPo

“I don’t know if Members of Congress will be hearing about it in town hall gatherings and other meetings back home over the Fourth of July recess, but the rolling thunder of the approaching ObamaCare train can be heard in the distance.  Smart Democrats are beginning to get frantic about the need to suppress the confusion and hide the cost of ObamaCare between now and the 2014 midterm elections.  We are just three months away from the October 1st enrollment start date and so far, nothing about the ObamaCare implementation process should be politically encouraging for Democrats.  In fact, the more people learn about ObamaCare, the more frightened they become.

Right now, small businesses across America are making the final determinations on how to reduce the working hours of their employees so fewer employees qualify for the mandated, employer-provided health insurance.  Employers are also deciding whether it makes more economic sense to pay a fine to the government or pay for healthcare benefits for their employees.  What this means is that hundreds of thousands – and perhaps even millions – of Americans will learn that they are being dismissed from their employer’s healthcare coverage.

The healthcare pink slips will start raining down in late summer and early fall.  This will push people into the healthcare exchanges, where, in some cases, people will be writing health insurance checks for the first time.  And in many cases, people will be facing increased health insurance costs, particularly if they are young and healthy.  The negative effects on personal income and the overall economy will be undeniable.  Sometime next year, before the elections, the penalties associated with not having or providing health insurance will begin to pour in.  Will the fines come in the mail?  Will you be able to appeal?  What happens if someone doesn’t pay?  No one knows.  Or, no one who knows is talking.  The consequences of ObamaCare are being hidden.”

They’re so frightened by it that they’ll now delay the employers mandate until after the 2014 mid-terms. Can’t have people finding out how bad it will be before the elections. Cowards.

From Bloomberg

“Businesses won’t be penalized next year if they fail to provide workers health insurance after the Obama administration decided to delay a key requirement under its signature 2010 health-care law.

The government will postpone enforcement of the so-called employer mandate until 2015, the administration said today. Under the provision, companies with 50 or more workers face a fine of as much as $3,000 per employee if they don’t offer affordable insurance.

The move addresses complaints from employer groups to President Barack Obama’s administration about the burden of the law’s reporting requirements. The decision pushes the issue past the 2014 midterm congressional elections, as Republicans have sought to make the health law a symbol of government overreach.”

More here from TheDailyMail

“But the Treasury source said the extra year  will give the White House an extra year to persuade health insurers to  participate in the exchanges that make up the backbone of the Affordable Care  Act.

The revised timetable, the source added, will  also push back the final implementation of Obamacare’s penalties past the 2014  midterm elections, providing Republicans fewer chances to highlight the law’s  potentially harmful effects on businesses’ bottom lines.”

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Next up, another “Green Scam” is exposed.

From UPI.com

“Electric cars, despite their supposed green credentials, are among the  environmentally dirtiest transportation options, a U.S. researcher suggests.

Writing in the journal IEEE Spectrum, researcher Ozzie Zehner says electric cars lead to hidden environmental and health damages and are likely more harmful than  gasoline cars and other transportation options.”

Shocked? 😯

No. 🙄

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Things are escalating in Egypt.

From Reuters

“Egypt’s high command said on Wednesday the army was ready to die to defend Egypt’s people against terrorists and fools, in a response to Islamist President Mohamed Mursi that was headlined “The Final Hours”.”

This piece is more specific on what the military leaders have in mind.

Also from Reuters/EI

“Egypt’s armed forces would suspend the constitution and dissolve an Islamist-dominated parliament under a draft political roadmap to be pursued if Islamist President Mohamed Morsy and the liberal opposition fail to agree by Wednesday, military sources said.

The sources told Reuters the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) was still discussing details and the plan, intended to resolve a political crisis that has brought millions of protesters into the streets, could be changed based on political developments and consultations.”

Islamists are rallying to Morsi.

From Reuters/EI

“Islamist demonstrators in Rabea al-Adaweya Square have increased on Tuesday in support of the legitimacy of President Mohamed Morsy, as several marches arrived to the square from various parts of Cairo and other governorates.”

Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamists are warning the Christian population to stay out of it or face the consequences for joining in the demonstrations.

From RaymondIbrahim

“Hours before the June 30 protests against Egyptian president Muhammad Morsi and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood, began, the nation’s Christians were, once again, singled out for behaving like citizens who have the right to participate in the protests.

In Minya, Upper Egypt, where millions of Christians live, letters addressed to the Copts threatened them not to join the protests, otherwise their “businesses, cars, homes, schools, and churches” might “catch fire.” The message concluded by saying “If you are not worried about any of these, then worry about your children and your homes.  This message is being delivered with tact.  But when the moment of truth comes, there will be no tact.”  It’s signed by “People zealous for the nation.”

Such threats are hardly limited to anonymous letters.  During a recent TV interview, Sheikh Essam Abdulamek, a member of parliament’s Shura Council, warned Egypt’s Christians against participating in the June 30 protests, threatening them by saying “Do not sacrifice your children” since “general Muslim opinion will not be silent about the ousting of the president [Morsi].”

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In other news, the FBI has yet to contact the victims of the IRS scandal, despite claims that they are “investigating” it.

From CNSNews

“More than a month and a half after it was announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would launch an investigation into the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) targeting of conservative groups, the groups and their legal representatives are still waiting to hear from the FBI.

Cleta Mitchell, an attorney representing nine tea party groups who were targeted by the IRS, told CNSNews.com that she has not heard from the FBI regarding the case and questions whether an investigation is actually underway.”

And in other Obama admin scandal news, the National Intelligence Director would like you to know he’s sorry for lying to Congress.

From USNews

“The director of National Intelligence apologized in June to the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee for lying during a hearing, according to a letter published on the DNI website on Tuesday.

Director James Clapper appeared before the committee in March, where Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked him specifically if NSA spies on millions of Americans. Clapper answered, “No.”

Since then, Edward Snowden reportedly leaked government documents that unveiled a secretive government program that did precisely what Wyden suggested in collecting meta data for cell phone and internet records of hundreds of millions of Americans.”

But Roger Clemens was tried for a far less important instance of lying. Why does this guy get a pass?

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This last one is encouraging. The more people know, and technology advances, the more who join the pro-life side. 20 years, and a 20 point swing in America’s opinion.

From TheWeeklyStandard

Gallup’s most recent polling on the issue, taken this spring, indicates that more Americans actually regard themselves as “pro-life” than “pro-choice.”  According to the poll, 48 percent of Americans say they are “pro-life,” while 45 percent say they are “pro-choice.”  What’s more, opposition to abortion is rather plainly on the rise, as those numbers were effectively flipped ten years ago — and as, in the mid-1990s, the number of people who considered themselves “pro-choice” outpaced the number who considered themselves “pro-life” by about 20 percentage points.

Another finding from Gallup’s polling, however, is perhaps even more illuminating.  Those who work in America’s newsrooms are overwhelmingly in favor of abortion’s legality, and they tend to report the issue as if anyone who opposes abortion is a fringe religious fanatic.  (Moreover, they rarely miss an opportunity to subtly editorialize by describing opponents of abortion as being against “abortion rights.”)  It’s telling, therefore, that while Gallup’s polling indicates that a plurality of Americans are pro-life, Gallup’s respondents guessed that only about a third of their fellow Americans share those pro-life sentiments.”

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News/Politics 7-2-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, so feel free to contribute. I’ve had a rough go of it the last day and a half, so I’m a little behind. I’ve been unable to sit for long so it’s been a bit hard to keep up, but I do have a few that caught my eye…..

First up, the propaganda machine kicks into high gear.

From NationalReview

“The American Library Association announced on Sunday that public libraries across the country will be partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services to help millions of uninsured Americans sign up for Obamacare.

With the emphasis on web-based enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, Americans without computers are at a disadvantage to register for the “reasonable health insurance” that will soon be available to them. And “that is where public libraries come in,” explained American Libraries magazine. In addition to providing computer and Internet access to patrons, librarians will receive training to help people navigate through the various healthcare plans and choose the plan that suits their needs. It has also been suggested that libraries host healthcare-awareness events and hand out information to foster “health care literacy” in the coming months.

The Washington Times reports that up to 17,000 U.S. libraries will be a part of the effort, and that “libraries will be particularly important in conservative states that are not making much effort to promote the health law’s opportunities.” (That’s quite an understatement.)”

Gee, maybe when they’re done with this job, they can help with this one, since the Obama admin also seems incapable of handling this on their own too.

Also from NationalReview

“The backlog of disability claims at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has catapulted the agency into an unwanted spotlight. Unlike other scandals besetting the Obama administration, there is nothing to indicate that the VA is targeting conservative vets with systematic delays or passing their telephone records along to the Justice Department. Simply put, the VA backlog has grown because of the technical burdens veterans face in navigating a complex process in a vast bureaucracy.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki promises to do his best to reduce the backlog. So far, his most visible step is a dictate that VA employees who review claims work mandatory overtime to tackle the problem, which is staggering. As of June 22, VA reported that 833,130 vets had pending compensation and pension (C&P) claims. That’s more people than reside in San Francisco. If these claimants represented a single city, it would be the 14th largest in America. Backlogged claims, defined as those pending more than 125 days, represent nearly two-thirds of that total.”

Most of the discussion of the claims backlog misses the mark. Secretary Shinseki and others at VA repeatedly tell us that the key to reducing the backlog is computerization. VA’s goal is to move from paper records to digital ones. It’s a good talking point, but it won’t get the job done any time soon.”

“navigating a complex process in a vast bureaucracy” Just like ObamaCare will be. That’s guaranteed, since the govt does nothing well, except grow ever larger and more controlling.

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Ruh-roh…..  Quick, somebody get John “Did you know he was in Vietnam?” Kerry on the phone. It’s time for some of that Obama/leftist “smart diplomacy”.

From WeaselZippers

Breaking: Military In Egypt Announces Will Stage Coup D’Etat In 48 Hours If People’s Demands Not Met…

Update: Statement From Military”

““The Armed Forces repeat its call for the people’s demands to be met and give everyone 48 hours as a last chance to shoulder the burden of a historic moment for a nation that will not forgive or tolerate any party that is lax in shouldering its responsibility,” it said.”

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This next one demonstrates nicely what happens when affirmative action is carried to it’s logical conclusion in a college environment. Is this the exception, or the rule? I fear it’s the latter.

From CampusReform

“School administrators at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) are systematically raising the final grades of African-American students, three ex-faculty members told Campus Reform last month.

Former Director of Academic Technology Shira Hedgepeth, along with two former professors who spoke to Campus Reform on the condition of anonymity, alleged administrators at the historically black college routinely increase the final grades of African-American students in order to raise the school’s standing.

“Some students had their final grades changed based on their race,” Hedgepeth told Campus Reform on June 6. “That was a common complaint of many of the faculty that I worked with.””

“According to Hedgepeth, and the two former professors who were granted anonymity because they feared speaking out may jeopardize their retirement, instructors would submit final grades to the school only to have them later revised upwards by administrators as a way to “take care of their African American students.””

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Next up, a not surprising, but still pathetic, new tactic for women to get men to support abortion. Sexual blackmail. With a CONTENT WARNING!!! for adult subject matter.

From HuffPo

“We’ve all been there, attracted to that man who does not mean well for us.  We sure would not want our daughters dating or married to these kinds of guys who think they should decide what is best for women.  How perfectly patriarchal, these Texas men trying to not hear what women want have shown themselves to be, but how incredibly out of touch with today’s reality.  Women of Texas, it’s going to be a long hot summer — make sure the men who do not deeply respect and support women feel it.

As a native Texan, and someone who has survived 100-plus-degree temperatures for many summers, I can tell you, this summer in Texas is surely going to be hotter than usual.  Sultry, sweaty summers can be made much nicer when good old-fashioned sex is part of the picture.  But women, take heed: Don’t give in if your man, boyfriend, husband, toyboy is not voting for your best interests, your reproductive health — do not sleep with that man!  I don’t care how cute or charming he is!  I don’t care if he is your husband of many years.  Resist! Go swimming!  Meditate!

Do not make him dinner, do not go fetch him a cold beer from the fridge, do not iron that shirt, hell, do not change that diaper… do not make his life a little nicer this summer if he does not “get it” and learn to respect women!  Instead, volunteer some time for senators like Wendy Davis, go with a group of women to Austin and make your voices heard.  Get on the computer and the social networks and organize.”

Sad.

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And so is this one. I know they think this is a great new ad campaign to push their product, but is ticking off half of your potential customers the way to increase sales? I’d think not. But I do know one thing, this pandering has cost them at least one customer already….. Me.

Also from HuffPo

“From all of the marriage equality celebrations to Facebook’s new Pride emoticon, everyone’s seeing the colors of the rainbow these past few days and now, to continue celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pride, you don’t have to look any further than your cereal bowl.

General Mills has come out in support of the gay community for Pride, and what better way to show their love than with the Lucky Charms marshmallow rainbow?

The “magically delicious” cereal is serving as the face of the new #LuckyToBe campaign which encourages people with Pride to tweet and post online their reasons for why they’re prideful using the hashtag #LuckyToBe.

“We’re celebrating Pride month with whimsical delight, magical charms, and two new rainbow marshmallows… If you’re lucky enough to be different, we’re celebrating you,” the #LuckyToBe campaign stated in a press release sent to GLAAD.

🙄 And someone remind me again, what comes before a fall?

Yeah, exactly.

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