Nike insists it can’t help, but labor group says it’s a troubling sign.
A prominent labor rights group that monitors working conditions in overseas factories says apparel giant Nike refused to let it inspect a plant in Vietnam roiled by employee strikes.
Workers at the Hansae Vietnam factory who produce university-branded Nike clothes held a pair of walkouts over working conditions late last year. The Worker Rights Consortium, an independent monitor affiliated with nearly 200 U.S. colleges, says it wanted to inspect the factory on behalf of its member schools to find out what the problem was.
What Nike and the WRC can agree on is that Nike didn't help facilitate any access for the group. Nike says that it can't control who inspects a supplier's factory, and that it wouldn't normally assist an outside group like the WRC. "These are not our factories to control," Hannah Jones, Nike's chief sustainability officer, told The Huffington Post.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, March 09, 2016
Why Florida Is Not Marco Rubio Country
Marco Rubio's insistence that he will win the GOP in Florida on March 15 skips past bad facts with respect to GOP voters in the center of the state and on both Florida coasts. Massive releases of polluted water from Lake Okeechobee out to both Florida coasts are roiling voters who might otherwise be inclined to vote for Rubio.
The pollution coating Florida's coasts is due to water management practices that favor, first and foremost, the source of Rubio's main political support: Big Sugar. Simply put, 450,000 acres of sugarcane have stayed mostly dry under the pressure of historic rainfall while property owners and voters pay the price.
An online social media revolution is stirring up and linking constituencies -- from fishing guides, to realtors, and homeowners who depend, one way or another, on tourism-related jobs. The key point: these are conservative voters inclined in Florida to vote Republican.
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The pollution coating Florida's coasts is due to water management practices that favor, first and foremost, the source of Rubio's main political support: Big Sugar. Simply put, 450,000 acres of sugarcane have stayed mostly dry under the pressure of historic rainfall while property owners and voters pay the price.
An online social media revolution is stirring up and linking constituencies -- from fishing guides, to realtors, and homeowners who depend, one way or another, on tourism-related jobs. The key point: these are conservative voters inclined in Florida to vote Republican.
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Economists at global bank body warn of risks from negative interest rates
Economists at a key central bank organization are warning of potential risks from the negative interest rates in place in Europe and Japan.
Central banks in the eurozone, Denmark, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland have all taken rates below zero and into uncharted territory.
But nobody's quite sure what the long-term results will be from the new and unconventional policies, which involve the central banks charging commercial lenders to deposit funds with them. The aim is typically to encourage people and businesses to spend money rather than save it.
"There is great uncertainty about the behavior of individuals and institutions if rates were to decline further into negative territory or remain negative for a prolonged period," economists from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a group of 60 global central banks, wrote in a report published Sunday.
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Central banks in the eurozone, Denmark, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland have all taken rates below zero and into uncharted territory.
But nobody's quite sure what the long-term results will be from the new and unconventional policies, which involve the central banks charging commercial lenders to deposit funds with them. The aim is typically to encourage people and businesses to spend money rather than save it.
"There is great uncertainty about the behavior of individuals and institutions if rates were to decline further into negative territory or remain negative for a prolonged period," economists from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a group of 60 global central banks, wrote in a report published Sunday.
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Famed Economist Forecasts $20 Crude
The price of oil recently plunged to a 12-year low, triggering a panicked sell off for U.S. investors, the likes of which Wall Street hasn’t seen in years.
Now with Iran finally free of international sanctions and adding between 600,000 and one million barrels per day of production, the oil glut continues to put enormous downward pressure on the financial markets.
And renowned Harvard economist and bestselling author Harry Dent sees oil prices collapsing even further.
Dent is calling for oil to drop all the way down to $20 a barrel by 2017.
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Now with Iran finally free of international sanctions and adding between 600,000 and one million barrels per day of production, the oil glut continues to put enormous downward pressure on the financial markets.
And renowned Harvard economist and bestselling author Harry Dent sees oil prices collapsing even further.
Dent is calling for oil to drop all the way down to $20 a barrel by 2017.
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O.J. Simpson case: Questions, new twists after reports of knife discovery
(CNN)Nearly 22 years after the fatal stabbing of Nicole Brown Simpson, reports of a knife discovered on her ex-husband's property are sparking a frenzy of questions.
And authorities are wondering why a former police officer, who kept the knife for years, did not turn it in sooner.
O.J. Simpson was acquitted in the June 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman, outside her condominium in Los Angeles.
On Friday, the Los Angeles Police Department announced a knife was allegedly found on O.J. Simpson's former estate in Brentwood.
Former officer George Maycott got the knife from a construction worker in in 2002 or 2003, according to the ex-officer's attorney.
At the time, Maycott was working off duty near the estate, attorney Trent Copeland said.
The construction worker came up to him and gave him the knife, saying he found it "on or near" the old Simpson property.
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And authorities are wondering why a former police officer, who kept the knife for years, did not turn it in sooner.
O.J. Simpson was acquitted in the June 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend, Ronald Goldman, outside her condominium in Los Angeles.
On Friday, the Los Angeles Police Department announced a knife was allegedly found on O.J. Simpson's former estate in Brentwood.
Former officer George Maycott got the knife from a construction worker in in 2002 or 2003, according to the ex-officer's attorney.
At the time, Maycott was working off duty near the estate, attorney Trent Copeland said.
The construction worker came up to him and gave him the knife, saying he found it "on or near" the old Simpson property.
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Judge refuses to order Detroit teachers to halt sickouts
(CNN)Detroit public school teachers can keep staging sickouts -- at least for the time being, a judge ruled Thursday.
The judge refused Detroit Public Schools request to issue a temporary restraining order that would have stopped public school teachers from calling sickouts.
The teachers have closed dozens of the city's schools with the sickouts, called to protest working conditions and inadequate funding.
The judge scheduled a Monday hearing in the Court of Claims to discuss the request for a preliminary injunction in the case.
"The DFT (Detroit Federation of Teachers) is pleased that the court denied the district's request for an immediate restraining order," DFT President Ivy Bailey said. "We look forward to continuing the fight for our members, our community and the schools our kids deserve."
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The judge refused Detroit Public Schools request to issue a temporary restraining order that would have stopped public school teachers from calling sickouts.
The teachers have closed dozens of the city's schools with the sickouts, called to protest working conditions and inadequate funding.
The judge scheduled a Monday hearing in the Court of Claims to discuss the request for a preliminary injunction in the case.
"The DFT (Detroit Federation of Teachers) is pleased that the court denied the district's request for an immediate restraining order," DFT President Ivy Bailey said. "We look forward to continuing the fight for our members, our community and the schools our kids deserve."
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Catholic Leaders Speak Out Against Donald Trump
Writing in the pages of National Review on Monday, a group of influential Catholic leaders made an appeal to their fellow believers not to vote for Republican primary front-runner Donald Trump.
“We urge our fellow Catholics and all our fellow citizens to reject his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination by supporting a genuinely reformist candidate,” the letter pleads.
The primary authors of the missive, Princeton University professor Robert George and Ethics and Public Policy Center fellow George Weigel, said Mr. Trump is “manifestly unfit to be president of the United States” and does not represent Catholic values.
“His campaign has already driven our politics down to new levels of vulgarity,” the writers say. “His appeals to racial and ethnic fears and prejudice are offensive to any genuinely Catholic sensibility.”
“And there is nothing in his campaign or previous record that gives us grounds for confidence that he genuinely shares our commitments to the right to life, to religious freedom and the rights of conscience, to rebuilding the marriage culture, or to subsidiarity and the principle of limited constitutional government,” the letter continues.
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“We urge our fellow Catholics and all our fellow citizens to reject his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination by supporting a genuinely reformist candidate,” the letter pleads.
The primary authors of the missive, Princeton University professor Robert George and Ethics and Public Policy Center fellow George Weigel, said Mr. Trump is “manifestly unfit to be president of the United States” and does not represent Catholic values.
“His campaign has already driven our politics down to new levels of vulgarity,” the writers say. “His appeals to racial and ethnic fears and prejudice are offensive to any genuinely Catholic sensibility.”
“And there is nothing in his campaign or previous record that gives us grounds for confidence that he genuinely shares our commitments to the right to life, to religious freedom and the rights of conscience, to rebuilding the marriage culture, or to subsidiarity and the principle of limited constitutional government,” the letter continues.
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Subject: Ohio Lost 112,500 Jobs Due To Trade With TPP Countries
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio lost 112,500 jobs in 2015 resulting from the United States' trade deficit with countries that are part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.
That places Ohio sixth, in terms of the percentage of jobs lost to trade with TPP countries, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked in the report released Thursday by the liberal Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The lost jobs represent nearly 2.2 percent of employment in Ohio, according to the analysis.
The total number of lost jobs includes those directly and indirectly impacted by the trade deficit with TPP countries. It also includes the number of jobs EPI says would have been created through the multiplier or "re-spending" effect if trade with those countries had been more balanced.
The TPP is a free trade agreement between the United States and 11 partnership countries, including Canada, Mexico, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. While the countries have reached final agreement on the trade accord, it probably will not go into effect for several months. The agreement must clear several hurdles, including final ratification by Congress.
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That places Ohio sixth, in terms of the percentage of jobs lost to trade with TPP countries, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked in the report released Thursday by the liberal Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The lost jobs represent nearly 2.2 percent of employment in Ohio, according to the analysis.
The total number of lost jobs includes those directly and indirectly impacted by the trade deficit with TPP countries. It also includes the number of jobs EPI says would have been created through the multiplier or "re-spending" effect if trade with those countries had been more balanced.
The TPP is a free trade agreement between the United States and 11 partnership countries, including Canada, Mexico, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. While the countries have reached final agreement on the trade accord, it probably will not go into effect for several months. The agreement must clear several hurdles, including final ratification by Congress.
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Subject: Durbin Calls Abbott Labs' IT Layoffs 'Harsh and Insensitive’
Abbott Labs, a global healthcare company, is laying off about 180 IT employees after signing an agreement with Wipro, a major India-based IT services firm, to take over some IT services. The employees were told about the planned cuts on Feb. 22; their last day will be April 22.
The workers are expecting to train their replacements, possibly workers on H-1B and other temporary visas.
Abbott is based in Illinois, which is also the home of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat who has been a longtime advocate for H-1B reforms and a co-sponsor of legislation with another visa reformer, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
In a letter Monday to Abbott CEO Miles White, Durbin implored him "to reconsider this plan and retain these U.S. workers."
More here
The workers are expecting to train their replacements, possibly workers on H-1B and other temporary visas.
Abbott is based in Illinois, which is also the home of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat who has been a longtime advocate for H-1B reforms and a co-sponsor of legislation with another visa reformer, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
In a letter Monday to Abbott CEO Miles White, Durbin implored him "to reconsider this plan and retain these U.S. workers."
More here
Abortion Survivor: We’ve Forgotten ‘The Beauty of Adversity in This Culture’
Jessen survived a late-term saline abortion and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition she calls “a tremendous gift.”
Jessen said that she wanted to share her story at CPAC because “it’s important to talk about the value and beauty of the unborn and, having survived an abortion, I think I have just a little bit of a different perspective than some people on the issue.”
CNSNews.com asked Jessen, “During your testimony before the House [of Representatives on Sept. 9, 2015], you described your cerebral palsy as ‘a tremendous gift to you.’ Could you say more about that, why you describe it that way?”
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House Natural Resources Chairman: EPA’s Removal of Gold Mine Plug Was ‘Done On Purpose’
The chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources stated that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) removal of a natural plug sealing the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado last August was “done on purpose,” challenging Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to retract her previous testimony that the resulting blowout was “an accident.”
Jewell, whose agency conducted an independent review of the environmental disaster that affected three states, testified on Dec. 9, 2015: “We did not see any deliberate attempt to breach a mine. It was an accident.”
But committee chairman Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) pointed out at a congressional oversight hearing on Monday that according to a subpoenaed email from one of Jewell’s own employees, EPA workers had deliberately been removing parts of the Gold King Mine’s natural plug when the blowout occurred.
“There was nothing unintentional about EPA’s actions with regard to breaching the mine. They fully intended to dig out the plug and breach it.
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Jewell, whose agency conducted an independent review of the environmental disaster that affected three states, testified on Dec. 9, 2015: “We did not see any deliberate attempt to breach a mine. It was an accident.”
But committee chairman Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) pointed out at a congressional oversight hearing on Monday that according to a subpoenaed email from one of Jewell’s own employees, EPA workers had deliberately been removing parts of the Gold King Mine’s natural plug when the blowout occurred.
“There was nothing unintentional about EPA’s actions with regard to breaching the mine. They fully intended to dig out the plug and breach it.
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Subject: Poll: 61 Percent Say Immigration ‘Jeopardizes the United States’
A majority of Americans say immigration is putting the United States in jeopardy, according to a new poll obtained by Bloomberg Businessweek.
The poll, commissioned by A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm, found that 61 percent of Americans agreed with the statement, “continued immigration into the country jeopardizes the United States.”
A.T. Kearney’s poll of 2,590 Americans, according to Bloomberg, was conducted last October and November by research company NPD Group and is slated for release later this month.
As Bloomberg detailed, the view that immigration jeopardizes America was pervasive across age groups but highest among baby boomers, 65 percent of whom agreed with the statement. Millennials were the least likely age group to hold that view but still a majority, 55 percent, agreed “continued immigration into the country jeopardizes the United States.”
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The poll, commissioned by A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm, found that 61 percent of Americans agreed with the statement, “continued immigration into the country jeopardizes the United States.”
A.T. Kearney’s poll of 2,590 Americans, according to Bloomberg, was conducted last October and November by research company NPD Group and is slated for release later this month.
As Bloomberg detailed, the view that immigration jeopardizes America was pervasive across age groups but highest among baby boomers, 65 percent of whom agreed with the statement. Millennials were the least likely age group to hold that view but still a majority, 55 percent, agreed “continued immigration into the country jeopardizes the United States.”
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Trump doing better in 'open' primaries; Cruz sees success in GOP-only contests
A pattern is starting to emerge that holds both promise and peril for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump:
Trump does better in “open” primary contests where members of either party can vote, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tends to do better in "closed" contests limited only to registered Republicans.
The pattern could lend credence to Cruz’s claim that he’s the “consistent conservative” in the race, and continue to pose challenges for Trump as more closed contests – including the critical Florida primary – loom on the election calendar.
But if Trump indeed is being boosted by crossover voters, it suggests he’s a stronger general election candidate than Democrats give him credit for.
“Trump’s got crossover appeal,” said Christopher C. Hull, former chief of staff for Cruz backer and Iowa Rep. Steve King.
To date, Trump has won a dozen contests, seven of which were open to voters regardless of party affiliation – and two of which have a hybrid system. He has won only three contests that were limited to registered Republicans – Nevada, Kentucky and Louisiana. (His victories in the latter two states were relatively tight.)
By contrast, five of Cruz’s six victories came in closed or semi-closed contests. The only exception was Texas, his home state.
More here
Trump does better in “open” primary contests where members of either party can vote, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tends to do better in "closed" contests limited only to registered Republicans.
The pattern could lend credence to Cruz’s claim that he’s the “consistent conservative” in the race, and continue to pose challenges for Trump as more closed contests – including the critical Florida primary – loom on the election calendar.
But if Trump indeed is being boosted by crossover voters, it suggests he’s a stronger general election candidate than Democrats give him credit for.
“Trump’s got crossover appeal,” said Christopher C. Hull, former chief of staff for Cruz backer and Iowa Rep. Steve King.
To date, Trump has won a dozen contests, seven of which were open to voters regardless of party affiliation – and two of which have a hybrid system. He has won only three contests that were limited to registered Republicans – Nevada, Kentucky and Louisiana. (His victories in the latter two states were relatively tight.)
By contrast, five of Cruz’s six victories came in closed or semi-closed contests. The only exception was Texas, his home state.
More here
Why Dems are Terrified of Trump
Democrats are getting nervous a general election battle with Donald Trump] at the top of the GOP ticket won't be so easy – worried that his populist appeal could chip away support from the party's stalwart base of working-class voters.
"For us to take him lightly would be the worst mistake in the world," Connecticut Rep. John Larson, a former head of the House Democratic Caucus, tells The Hill.
"I've been saying for months that we should never take Trump lightly and that I do think he has appeal, to independents and blue-collar Democrats especially… He comes along and says, 'I'm a deal maker, I'm about getting the deal done.' And they're so fed up of seeing nothing getting done and want to see him [act] on the issues that strike to the core of their feelings."
It's a far different perspective than has was voiced just weeks ago by Democrats including Vice President Joe Biden, who said in January either Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on the November ballot would be "a gift from the Lord."
Democrats are right to be afraid. If Hillary Clinton is the nominee, working class voters will have to choose between Donald Trump, a candidate committed to bringing back American jobs, and Hillary Clinton, a candidate who gives six figure speeches at Goldman Sachs. As Bernie Sanders continues to highlight Hillary's high roller hypocrisy, this choice becomes easier and easier.
Source: AAN
Head of American Islamic Forum for Democracy: ‘We Need to Put a Pause on ALL Immigration’
The president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) said that all immigration to the United States should be put on “pause” due to the potential risk it poses to national security from Muslim terrorists and foreign intelligence agents.
AFID president Zuhdi Jasser’s comments were prompted by a question about potential security threats posed by Syrian refugees from an attendee at the 2016 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
“My response to that is that we need to put a pause on all immigration, but not just say against Muslim immigration,” Jasser said.
“And I say that with family waiting, trying to come here,” he added. "And I'm trying to figure out a way to get them here. It's impossible."
Jasser’s remarks were made during a question and answer session following an address he gave on Thursday entitled “Political Islam: How Patriotic American Muslims Defy the Radical Islamists” at the annual conservative gathering, which is being held in National Harbor, Md. this year.
More here
AFID president Zuhdi Jasser’s comments were prompted by a question about potential security threats posed by Syrian refugees from an attendee at the 2016 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
“My response to that is that we need to put a pause on all immigration, but not just say against Muslim immigration,” Jasser said.
“And I say that with family waiting, trying to come here,” he added. "And I'm trying to figure out a way to get them here. It's impossible."
Jasser’s remarks were made during a question and answer session following an address he gave on Thursday entitled “Political Islam: How Patriotic American Muslims Defy the Radical Islamists” at the annual conservative gathering, which is being held in National Harbor, Md. this year.
More here
Subject: Carson: Gay Marriage Is ‘Camel’s Nose Under Tent'
Liberals/progressives have infiltrated U.S. schools, the media, the courts, and other institutions over the years to “undermine the principles that made America great,” and to “change the thinking of our young people,” said Dr. Ben Carson, who added that the Supreme Court’s decision to make homosexual marriage legal “is the camel’s nose under the tent to undermine the Christian foundation of our nation.”
Speaking about the gay marriage decision at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention last week, neurosurgeon Ben Carson said, “We also need to recognize why this is such an important ruling for the advocates of gay marriage. The Bible, in both the Old and New Testament is pretty firm against their way of thinking.”
“But if you can negate that,” he said, “if you can negate that, then you can negate other portions of the Bible as well. This is the camel’s nose under the tent to undermine the Christian foundation of our nation.”
Moderator Eric Metaxas, a talk-radio host and author, said, “I don’t disagree with what you just said, but the implications of it are chilling. It seems to me that you are clearly saying that undermining Western values, Judeo-Christian values is not the result of liberal policies but it is the specific intention of liberal policies. Is that what you mean?”
“Yes, I believe there are a group of Progressives, individuals who have intentionally been trying to take over our school systems, been trying to take over the media in particular, and various areas where they, through their propaganda, can undermine the principles that made America great, and substitute them with their principles,” said Dr. Carson, the author of six best selling books.
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Speaking about the gay marriage decision at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention last week, neurosurgeon Ben Carson said, “We also need to recognize why this is such an important ruling for the advocates of gay marriage. The Bible, in both the Old and New Testament is pretty firm against their way of thinking.”
“But if you can negate that,” he said, “if you can negate that, then you can negate other portions of the Bible as well. This is the camel’s nose under the tent to undermine the Christian foundation of our nation.”
Moderator Eric Metaxas, a talk-radio host and author, said, “I don’t disagree with what you just said, but the implications of it are chilling. It seems to me that you are clearly saying that undermining Western values, Judeo-Christian values is not the result of liberal policies but it is the specific intention of liberal policies. Is that what you mean?”
“Yes, I believe there are a group of Progressives, individuals who have intentionally been trying to take over our school systems, been trying to take over the media in particular, and various areas where they, through their propaganda, can undermine the principles that made America great, and substitute them with their principles,” said Dr. Carson, the author of six best selling books.
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Mr. T pays tribute to ‘Just Say No’ partner Nancy Reagan
On Monday, Mr. T paid tribute to the former first lady.
In a series of tweets late Monday afternoon, the actor born Lawrence Tureaud called the White House meeting and his involvement with the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign one of the highlights of his life.
“I mourn the death of First Lady Nancy Reagan, who was Very Special to me. Not only did she invite me to the White House in December ‘83, after meeting with her and President Ronald Reagan, she then asked me to help her with her ‘Just Say No’ program which I gladly accepted with humility and honor,” Mr. T wrote over a series of tweets.
More here
Sanders: 'Disastrous Trade Policies...Have Cost This Country Millions of Decent Paying Jobs'
Twice on Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders blamed "disastrous trade policies" for job losses that have devastated cities like Detroit and Flint, Michigan.
"There is no doubt -- I don't think anyone debates this, that these disastrous trade policies -- NAFTA, permanent normal trade relations with China, have cost this country millions of decent paying jobs and resulted in a race to the bottom, where many of the new jobs being created pay significantly less than those jobs used to pay years ago. That is the result of a disastrous trade policy," Sanders told ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos.
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"There is no doubt -- I don't think anyone debates this, that these disastrous trade policies -- NAFTA, permanent normal trade relations with China, have cost this country millions of decent paying jobs and resulted in a race to the bottom, where many of the new jobs being created pay significantly less than those jobs used to pay years ago. That is the result of a disastrous trade policy," Sanders told ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos.
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Three New Reasons for the Rise of Trump
The political class is awash in self-serving theories to explain the rise of Donald Trump. Tim Carney blames differences of opinion between cosmopolitan elites and a nationalist base. Charles Murray sees answers in the disintegration of the white working class. Mark Krikorian and other nativists blame popular anger toward immigrants.
While some of these theories can explain portions of Trump’s appeal they are not the whole story. These are age-old grievances. Elites have always been indifferent to the rural poor. The working classes always wallow in self-pity and think they’re falling behind. And Americans claim to be a nation of immigrants, but we tend not to like the new-comers too much.
There are at least three under-explored factors that explain the rise of Trump in 2016 — and none of them are self-serving.
First, he’s a brilliant political entrepreneur. Trump created a political market based on his style much more than he exploited an existing one built on policy grievances. Sure, he tapped into latent populism that has always existed, but he grew it based on his personal brand — the same way he has managed his businesses.
Part of Trump’s brilliance was that he learned from Ross Perot, the last serious populist. Instead of creating a new political party, Trump opted for acquiring an existing one — something he might have learned during his brief attempt to get the Reform Party nomination in 2000.
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While some of these theories can explain portions of Trump’s appeal they are not the whole story. These are age-old grievances. Elites have always been indifferent to the rural poor. The working classes always wallow in self-pity and think they’re falling behind. And Americans claim to be a nation of immigrants, but we tend not to like the new-comers too much.
There are at least three under-explored factors that explain the rise of Trump in 2016 — and none of them are self-serving.
First, he’s a brilliant political entrepreneur. Trump created a political market based on his style much more than he exploited an existing one built on policy grievances. Sure, he tapped into latent populism that has always existed, but he grew it based on his personal brand — the same way he has managed his businesses.
Part of Trump’s brilliance was that he learned from Ross Perot, the last serious populist. Instead of creating a new political party, Trump opted for acquiring an existing one — something he might have learned during his brief attempt to get the Reform Party nomination in 2000.
More
Sheriff Clarke: ‘Black on Black Crime’ ‘Much Bigger Problem’ Than Community Policing
(CNSNews.com) – David Clarke Jr., the sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wis., said on Thursday that black on black violence is a much greater problem in the United States than the much rarer incidents of police using deadly force in the line of duty.
“You know when they talk about black lives matter, black lives really matter, they’d back off the police, and they’d focus their efforts on things like black on black crime, which is a much bigger problem in the black community than the few instances – fortunately – few instances of police having to use deadly force, you know, to save their life or somebody else’s,” Clarke told CNSNews.com at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland.
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“You know when they talk about black lives matter, black lives really matter, they’d back off the police, and they’d focus their efforts on things like black on black crime, which is a much bigger problem in the black community than the few instances – fortunately – few instances of police having to use deadly force, you know, to save their life or somebody else’s,” Clarke told CNSNews.com at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland.
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Great Orators of the Democratic Party
Great Orators of the Democratic Party.....in the PAST
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
"The buck stops here." ~ Harry S. Truman
"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." ~ John F. Kennedy
Great Orators of the Democratic Party – TODAY:
"It depends what your definition of 'is' is?'' ~ President William Jefferson Clinton
"Those rumors are false. I believe in the sanctity of marriage." ~ John Edwards
"What difference does it make?" (re: Benghazi) ~ Hillary Clinton
"I invented the Internet." ~ Al Gore
"America is, is no longer, uh, what it, uh, could be, uh, what it was once was, uh, and I say to myself, Uh, I don't want that future, uh, for my children." ~ Barack Obama
"I have campaigned in all 57 states." ~ Barack Obama (Quoted 2008)
"You have a business. You didn't build that. Someone else did!" ~ Barack Obama (Quoted 2012)
"Paying taxes is voluntary." ~ Sen. Harry Reid
"Bill is the greatest husband and father I know. No one is more faithful, true, and honest than he is.” ~ Hillary Rodham Clinton (Quoted 1998)
"You don't need God anymore; you have us Democrats." ~ Nancy Pelosi (Quoted 2006) (A really, really stupid remark.)
And the most ridiculous gem of wisdom, from the "Mother Superior Moron": "We just have to pass the Healthcare Bill to see what's in it." ~ Nancy Pelosi (Quoted March,2010)
HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE SUCH BRILLIANT MINDS IN CHARGE OF OUR ONCE- GREAT COUNTRY!!
Subject: Clinton: Limit Numbers and Kinds of People With Access to Guns
(CNSNews.com) - "I think we have to try everything that works to try to limit the numbers of people and the kinds of people who are given access to firearms," Hillary Clinton said at Sunday night's Democrat debate in Michigan.
"The Brady Bill, which has been in effect now for about 23 years, has kept more than two million purchases from going forward. So we do have to continue to try to work on that because not every killer will have the same profile."
Clinton endorsed "comprehensive background checks" for online purchases and those at guns shows. She also wants to make sure gun sales do not proceed if background checks are not completed in three days.
"I also believe, so strongly...that giving immunity to gun makers and sellers was a terrible mistake. Because it removed any accountability from the makers and the sellers.
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"The Brady Bill, which has been in effect now for about 23 years, has kept more than two million purchases from going forward. So we do have to continue to try to work on that because not every killer will have the same profile."
Clinton endorsed "comprehensive background checks" for online purchases and those at guns shows. She also wants to make sure gun sales do not proceed if background checks are not completed in three days.
"I also believe, so strongly...that giving immunity to gun makers and sellers was a terrible mistake. Because it removed any accountability from the makers and the sellers.
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Donald Trump Says Massive Legal Migration Is Eroding Middle Class
Donald Trump warned that both legal and illegal immigration are cutting Americans’ wages, following the release of a bombshell report from the Center for Immigration Studies which documents the nation’s record levels of immigration.
The report, which is based on 2015 U.S. Census data, found that 61 million immigrants and their U.S.-born children now reside within the United States, including 15.7 million of whom are illegal immigrants and their children.
“Almost one in five U.S. residents is now an immigrant or minor child of an immigrant parent,” the report states. “The numbers represent a complete break with recent history … as recently as 1970, there were only 13.5 million immigrants and their young children in the country, accounting for one in 15 U.S. residents.”
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The report, which is based on 2015 U.S. Census data, found that 61 million immigrants and their U.S.-born children now reside within the United States, including 15.7 million of whom are illegal immigrants and their children.
“Almost one in five U.S. residents is now an immigrant or minor child of an immigrant parent,” the report states. “The numbers represent a complete break with recent history … as recently as 1970, there were only 13.5 million immigrants and their young children in the country, accounting for one in 15 U.S. residents.”
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CNN: Some Marco Rubio Advisers Say Get out Before Florida
CNN reports that “most” of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)’s advisers admit that “he does not have a path to the nomination” and some are recommending he drop out of the race before Florida’s primary.
From CNN:
A battle is being waged within Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s campaign about whether he should even remain in the Republican presidential race ahead of his home state primary on March 15, sources say.
Rubio himself is “bullish” on his odds of winning the critical primary, despite some advisers who are less hopeful and believe a loss there would damage him politically in both the short- and long-term.
Publicly, the campaign is maintaining they are still a contender in this race, touting a Sunday win in Puerto Rico’s primary that delivered Rubio 23 delegates. But privately, the campaign is having a debate about whether or not he should remain in the mix — even for his home state of Florida’s primary.
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From CNN:
A battle is being waged within Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s campaign about whether he should even remain in the Republican presidential race ahead of his home state primary on March 15, sources say.
Rubio himself is “bullish” on his odds of winning the critical primary, despite some advisers who are less hopeful and believe a loss there would damage him politically in both the short- and long-term.
Publicly, the campaign is maintaining they are still a contender in this race, touting a Sunday win in Puerto Rico’s primary that delivered Rubio 23 delegates. But privately, the campaign is having a debate about whether or not he should remain in the mix — even for his home state of Florida’s primary.
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Justin Trudeau: Putin Doesn't Determine Who Owns North Pole
Science has the ultimate say in drawing national boundaries.
A country's geographic boundaries should be set by cartographers and scientists, not politicians, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.
Trudeau, answering a question from The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman as part of a Global Town Hall hosted by HuffPost, said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim of Russian territory in the Arctic Circle will be proved wrong.
"Vladimir Putin ... says that the North Pole and 500,000 square miles of the continental shelf under the Arctic Ocean are Russian territory," Fineman opened. "Is he right?"
“Well, everybody knows that the North Pole is in Canada,” Trudeau responded, prompting laughter, “But every country -- and I’m sure there are Americans who will point to Alaska as the closest port to the North Pole, and the Danes do the same through Greenland, and so forth -- this is the reason that this question is going to be settled not by politicians, but by scientists and international oceanographic [studies], and international bodies are weighing in to look at the various lines on a map."
However, it wouldn't be fair to dismiss Putin's territorial claim simply because of his personality, Trudeau said.
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A country's geographic boundaries should be set by cartographers and scientists, not politicians, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday.
Trudeau, answering a question from The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman as part of a Global Town Hall hosted by HuffPost, said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim of Russian territory in the Arctic Circle will be proved wrong.
"Vladimir Putin ... says that the North Pole and 500,000 square miles of the continental shelf under the Arctic Ocean are Russian territory," Fineman opened. "Is he right?"
“Well, everybody knows that the North Pole is in Canada,” Trudeau responded, prompting laughter, “But every country -- and I’m sure there are Americans who will point to Alaska as the closest port to the North Pole, and the Danes do the same through Greenland, and so forth -- this is the reason that this question is going to be settled not by politicians, but by scientists and international oceanographic [studies], and international bodies are weighing in to look at the various lines on a map."
However, it wouldn't be fair to dismiss Putin's territorial claim simply because of his personality, Trudeau said.
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Obama Counter-Terror Adviser: Terror Groups Planning ‘Sophisticated and Coordinated Attacks’
President Obama’s top counter-terrorism adviser disclosed on Monday that international terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al Qaeda affiliates, are “planning for sophisticated and coordinated terror attacks,” according to determinations made by the U.S. government.
Lisa Monaco, a top counter-terrorism adviser at the White House, warned that the risk of terrorism, both at home and abroad, has reached peak levels, with threat levels becoming “broader, more diffuse, and less predicable than at any time since” the 9/11 attacks.
“We continue to see planning for sophisticated and coordinated attacks, such as those in Paris,” Monaco said, referring to last year’s mass attack by ISIS in France. The United States also continues “to disrupt plots also from al Qaeda’s largest affiliate, the Nusra Front, operating in Syria.”
“What keeps me up at night is that this threat is unlike what we’ve seen before,” she added, referring in particular to ISIS.
The U.S. military and intelligence communities have faced difficulties in combatting the threat due in part to a rise in the number of small, undetectable terror cells and lone wolf radicals who are not formally affiliated with any particular group.
“Terrorism today is increasingly defined by small cells or lone actors, sometimes with little or no direct contact with terrorist organization,” Monaco said, referring to the recent terror attacks in San Bernardino, California.
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Lisa Monaco, a top counter-terrorism adviser at the White House, warned that the risk of terrorism, both at home and abroad, has reached peak levels, with threat levels becoming “broader, more diffuse, and less predicable than at any time since” the 9/11 attacks.
“We continue to see planning for sophisticated and coordinated attacks, such as those in Paris,” Monaco said, referring to last year’s mass attack by ISIS in France. The United States also continues “to disrupt plots also from al Qaeda’s largest affiliate, the Nusra Front, operating in Syria.”
“What keeps me up at night is that this threat is unlike what we’ve seen before,” she added, referring in particular to ISIS.
The U.S. military and intelligence communities have faced difficulties in combatting the threat due in part to a rise in the number of small, undetectable terror cells and lone wolf radicals who are not formally affiliated with any particular group.
“Terrorism today is increasingly defined by small cells or lone actors, sometimes with little or no direct contact with terrorist organization,” Monaco said, referring to the recent terror attacks in San Bernardino, California.
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Breitbart News Daily: 61 Million and Counting Immigration Bombshell and Michigan, Florida Primary
On Tuesday’s edition of Breitbart News Daily, broadcast live on Sirius XM Patriot channel 125 from 6AM to 9AM EST, host and Breitbart News executive chairman Stephen K. Bannon will discuss this a bombshell new immigration study as well as the contentious GOP primary race in Michigan this week and in Florida next week.
Steven A. Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, will discuss a bombshell new study revealing that 61 million immigrants and their American-born children under age 18 now live in the United States.
Breitbart reporters Caroline May and Julia Hahn will discuss the impact this study may have on the Florida primary in light of a recent poll showing that 61 percent of Americans agree with the statement that “continued immigration into the country jeopardizes the United States.”
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Steven A. Camarota, the director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, will discuss a bombshell new study revealing that 61 million immigrants and their American-born children under age 18 now live in the United States.
Breitbart reporters Caroline May and Julia Hahn will discuss the impact this study may have on the Florida primary in light of a recent poll showing that 61 percent of Americans agree with the statement that “continued immigration into the country jeopardizes the United States.”
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Republican Leaders Starting to See Ted Cruz as Best Anti-Trump Alternative
Republican leaders on Sunday grappled with the prospect that the best hope for stopping Donald Trump’s march to the nomination may be Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) – the only candidate who causes as much heartburn among party elites as the billionaire businessman, if not more.
The Texas senator split contests with Trump in Saturday’s voting, bolstering his argument that only he can defeat the real estate mogul. Trump and Cruz are now significantly outpacing Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the delegate count, further shrinking the Florida senator’s already narrow path to the nomination.
If Rubio’s slide continues, he would be the latest establishment candidate to fall victim to an angry, frustrated electorate that cares little about endorsements from party leaders or newspaper editorial boards. Rubio has rolled out both at warp speed in recent weeks, but his appeal with voters is not keeping pace.
Rubio did pick up a victory Sunday in Puerto Rico’s primary, his second win of the 2016 cycle. Democrats were holding a caucus Sunday in Maine.
The wary interest in Cruz from more mainstream Republicans is the latest unexpected twist in a GOP race where talk of a contested convention or third-party candidate is becoming commonplace.
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The Texas senator split contests with Trump in Saturday’s voting, bolstering his argument that only he can defeat the real estate mogul. Trump and Cruz are now significantly outpacing Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the delegate count, further shrinking the Florida senator’s already narrow path to the nomination.
If Rubio’s slide continues, he would be the latest establishment candidate to fall victim to an angry, frustrated electorate that cares little about endorsements from party leaders or newspaper editorial boards. Rubio has rolled out both at warp speed in recent weeks, but his appeal with voters is not keeping pace.
Rubio did pick up a victory Sunday in Puerto Rico’s primary, his second win of the 2016 cycle. Democrats were holding a caucus Sunday in Maine.
The wary interest in Cruz from more mainstream Republicans is the latest unexpected twist in a GOP race where talk of a contested convention or third-party candidate is becoming commonplace.
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Hoyer Says Constitution Does Not Compel Senate to Consider Nominee
(CNSNews.com) – At his weekly meeting with reporters last week at the nation’s Capitol, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said the Constitution does not require the U.S. Senate to give “advice and consent” on President Barack Obama’s nomination to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, but it is the body’s “responsibility” to move the process forward.
“It’s the responsibility – it’s not mandated by the Constitution – but it’s the responsibility of the United States [Senate] to deal with these issues that confront them,” Hoyer said.
[ Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution states, “He [the president] shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.” ]
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“It’s the responsibility – it’s not mandated by the Constitution – but it’s the responsibility of the United States [Senate] to deal with these issues that confront them,” Hoyer said.
[ Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution states, “He [the president] shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.” ]
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Ferguson City Council ‘may reconsider’ DOJ-ordered police reforms
One month after the city council of Ferguson, Missouri, balked at a series of Justice Department-ordered police reforms, council members will return to their chambers Tuesday to possibly reconsider — and contemplate the grim possibility of federal legal action.
The council has described the seven reforms — which include the use of body cameras and the recruitment of a more diverse police force — as too costly, and on Feb. 9, the council approved an amended version of the Justice Department’s consent decree.
The reforms came after the August 2014 killing of Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Though a subsequent federal investigation cleared Wilson, officials found widespread misconduct, abuse and discriminatory practices among Ferguson police officers and courts.
But Department of Justice officials criticized the city council’s move last month, saying its members were attempting to “unilaterally amend a negotiated agreement.”
“Their vote to do so creates an unnecessary delay in the essential work to bring constitutional policing to the city, and marks an unfortunate outcome for concerned community members and Ferguson police officers,” Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta said.
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The council has described the seven reforms — which include the use of body cameras and the recruitment of a more diverse police force — as too costly, and on Feb. 9, the council approved an amended version of the Justice Department’s consent decree.
The reforms came after the August 2014 killing of Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Though a subsequent federal investigation cleared Wilson, officials found widespread misconduct, abuse and discriminatory practices among Ferguson police officers and courts.
But Department of Justice officials criticized the city council’s move last month, saying its members were attempting to “unilaterally amend a negotiated agreement.”
“Their vote to do so creates an unnecessary delay in the essential work to bring constitutional policing to the city, and marks an unfortunate outcome for concerned community members and Ferguson police officers,” Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta said.
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Iranian Nukes: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You?
It is irony indeed when the agreement with Iran that was supposed to ensure more transparency and more security from nuclear arms leads to the exact opposite result. On Monday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, told reporters that the agency tasked with ensuring the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons was hamstrung from reporting Iran’s potential violations of the deal … by the deal itself.
In the past, the IAEA monitored Iran’s nuclear program under the direction of resolutions passed by the UN Security Council and Board of Governors, but the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration and other world leaders wrote over the IAEA’s mission.
More here
In the past, the IAEA monitored Iran’s nuclear program under the direction of resolutions passed by the UN Security Council and Board of Governors, but the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration and other world leaders wrote over the IAEA’s mission.
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Sir George Martin, the 'fifth Beatle' dies, aged 90
His family thanked "everyone for their thoughts, prayers and messages of support" after his death at home on Tuesday, his manager said.
Beatles drummer Ringo Starr broke the news on Twitter and led tributes, saying Sir George "will be missed".
Sir George signed The Beatles and produced more than 700 records.
He also worked with artists including Gerry and the Pacemakers, Dame Shirley Bassey and Cilla Black.
"I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever," said Sir Paul McCartney in a statement on his website.
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Jon Voight Endorses Donald Trump
In an interview with Breitbart News Tuesday evening, the Oscar-, Emmy-, and Golden Globe-winning actor said: “I’m not someone who’s saying he’s the best of this group. I’m saying I like this guy.”
“He’s an answer to our problems. We need to get behind him. The Republicans need to unite behind this man. We need somebody to go in and reconstruct us in a sort of way, get us back to where we were, who we need to be.”
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Mittens and the Media
Have you noticed that major media web sites like CNN no longer publish reader replies to their stories? Could it be that they realized the false consensus maintained by print media was being eroded by allowing people to openly disagree with and question the propaganda being peddled by them?
No question.
It wasn’t just that people disagreed. It was that thousands disagreed. Each MSM story typically had a tsunami of contrary reader responses so lopsided that it clearly indicated the public and the MSM are profoundly at loggerheads on major (and minor) issues. This public divergence encouraged individuals who, previously, felt very alone – that “everyone” agreed with the major media/party line about whatever the topic du jour happened to be.
Unlike the letters-to-the-editor page of a print newspaper, they had no control over what people wrote online in response to their dreck. And most of what the readers wrote radiated contempt for the “stories” published by the MSM, which typically left out critical facts and were (and still are) suffused with pro-state/pro-authority premises.
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No question.
It wasn’t just that people disagreed. It was that thousands disagreed. Each MSM story typically had a tsunami of contrary reader responses so lopsided that it clearly indicated the public and the MSM are profoundly at loggerheads on major (and minor) issues. This public divergence encouraged individuals who, previously, felt very alone – that “everyone” agreed with the major media/party line about whatever the topic du jour happened to be.
Unlike the letters-to-the-editor page of a print newspaper, they had no control over what people wrote online in response to their dreck. And most of what the readers wrote radiated contempt for the “stories” published by the MSM, which typically left out critical facts and were (and still are) suffused with pro-state/pro-authority premises.
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How to Control Cellular Data Usage on the iPhone
The majority of cell phone providers no longer offer unlimited data plans for the iPhone. The user must select a data plan that caps the amount of cellular data you can use in a billing cycle. Exceeding the limit of the data plan can get expensive.
When your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, any app that needs data from the Internet will use the Wi-Fi network instead of the cellular data network. The data usage is therefore not counted against your monthly cellular data limit. However, when not connected to a Wi-Fi network, any time an app needs data, it uses the cellular data network and is counted towards your monthly limit.
Starting in iOS 7, Apple provided features that allows you to see which apps are using the most data and to control which apps can use cellular data and which can not.
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When your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, any app that needs data from the Internet will use the Wi-Fi network instead of the cellular data network. The data usage is therefore not counted against your monthly cellular data limit. However, when not connected to a Wi-Fi network, any time an app needs data, it uses the cellular data network and is counted towards your monthly limit.
Starting in iOS 7, Apple provided features that allows you to see which apps are using the most data and to control which apps can use cellular data and which can not.
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The Lives of Americans, The Livelihoods of the Drug Companies: Donald Trump Points the Way to a New Social Contract—Like It or Not
Did you notice that Donald Trump, speaking in Florida on the night of March 5— fresh from victories in two of the four states that went to the polls on Saturday— cited “pharmaceuticals” as villains to be brought to political justice?
In fact, in recent weeks the populist mogul has attacked the drug industry repeatedly, in terms that might seem unfamiliar for a Republican—any Republican, that is, other than the consciously iconoclastic Trump.
A revealing headline atop a March 2 story in Stat News blares: “Trump’s health care plan takes (another) page from the Democrats.” In the words of health-beat journalist David Nather, Trump “has embraced an idea to bring down drug costs that’s associated more with Democrats like Hillary Clinton and
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) than with the party he’s trying to lead.
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Donald Trump Vows to ‘Get Immigration Numbers Under Control’
GOP frontrunner Donald Trump promised to “get immigration numbers under control, as the voters have demanded,” following the release of a new report from the Center for Immigration Studies revealing record levels of legal and illegal immigration.
“Record rates of immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for U.S. workers. Pew polling shows 83 percent of all voters — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — think immigration should be frozen or reduced,” Trump stated in a campaign press release on Monday evening.
The biggest beneficiaries of allowing fewer foreign workers into our country would be minority workers, including all immigrants now living here, who are competing for jobs, benefits and community resources against record waves of foreign workers. Limiting job competition would reopen pathways to middle-class stability and shrink welfare rolls. In addition, it would relieve overcrowding in our schools and hospitals that afflict our poorest communities. Yet, Senators Cruz and Rubio have led the charge for even higher immigration rates — a policy supported by only 7 percent of the Republican electorate. When I am President we will listen to the people — not the special interests — and get immigration numbers under control, as the voters have demanded.
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“Record rates of immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for U.S. workers. Pew polling shows 83 percent of all voters — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — think immigration should be frozen or reduced,” Trump stated in a campaign press release on Monday evening.
The biggest beneficiaries of allowing fewer foreign workers into our country would be minority workers, including all immigrants now living here, who are competing for jobs, benefits and community resources against record waves of foreign workers. Limiting job competition would reopen pathways to middle-class stability and shrink welfare rolls. In addition, it would relieve overcrowding in our schools and hospitals that afflict our poorest communities. Yet, Senators Cruz and Rubio have led the charge for even higher immigration rates — a policy supported by only 7 percent of the Republican electorate. When I am President we will listen to the people — not the special interests — and get immigration numbers under control, as the voters have demanded.
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U.S. Bombs Al-Shabaab Terror Camp Graduation
Based on Monday reports from the Pentagon, it looks like most of the “graduating class” at the terrorist camp was wiped out while they were “standing outdoors in formation” at a graduation ceremony, according to one U.S. official.
The New York Times reports over 150 terrorist casualties from the attack, with no indications of civilian collateral damage. The training facility was located in Rasa, about 120 miles north of Mogadishu. Pentagon officials said the trainees were preparing for a “large-scale attack” on African Union forces, and U.S. special operations forces in Somalia.
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Donald Trump Changes Silicon Valley
Disdain and outright fear of a Donald J. Trump presidency has changed Silicon Valley politics and, by some accounts, is pushing more donations towards the Hillary Clinton camp, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
“There is a deeper and deeper concern that he could actually be elected president,” Chris Kelly, an early top executive at Facebook and Clinton supporter, told the Chronicle.
However, a number of leading tech executives in communication with Breitbart News have quietly conveyed their admiration for Trump and his campaign, particularly his ability to use social media rather than traditional ad buys.
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“There is a deeper and deeper concern that he could actually be elected president,” Chris Kelly, an early top executive at Facebook and Clinton supporter, told the Chronicle.
However, a number of leading tech executives in communication with Breitbart News have quietly conveyed their admiration for Trump and his campaign, particularly his ability to use social media rather than traditional ad buys.
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Is Marco Rubio the Great GOP Hope, or Dope?
The Florida senator would be a great general election candidate and president. Or would he, since he’s such a bad primary candidate?
If the recent “Super Saturday” elections are a sign, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is in deep trouble.
To be sure, a victory in Florida on March 15 would give him momentum, but the Catch-22 is that it’s hard to win Florida without momentum (his Sunday win in Puerto Rico was fine but isn’t exactly a big mo-shifter). And if Rubio loses his home state, which is entirely possible, not only would it spell doom for his presidential chances, it would also serve as a major embarrassment.
Rubio’s chances seem increasingly slim. At best, a Rubio victory in Florida would prevent Donald Trump from garnering the 1,237 delegates needed to become the nominee. This might put Rubio in a position to be a player in a contested convention fight.
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If the recent “Super Saturday” elections are a sign, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is in deep trouble.
To be sure, a victory in Florida on March 15 would give him momentum, but the Catch-22 is that it’s hard to win Florida without momentum (his Sunday win in Puerto Rico was fine but isn’t exactly a big mo-shifter). And if Rubio loses his home state, which is entirely possible, not only would it spell doom for his presidential chances, it would also serve as a major embarrassment.
Rubio’s chances seem increasingly slim. At best, a Rubio victory in Florida would prevent Donald Trump from garnering the 1,237 delegates needed to become the nominee. This might put Rubio in a position to be a player in a contested convention fight.
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Delegate Anderton Presents Bill To Bring $1 Million To Wicomico County
Great Quotes
Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself,'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin..'
- Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)
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I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'
- Eleanor Roosevelt
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Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister and now wish to withdraw that statement..
- Mark Twain
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The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible
- George Burns
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Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.
- Victor Borge
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Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
- Mark Twain
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By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
- Socrates
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I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.
- Groucho Marx
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My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.
- Jimmy Durante
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I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
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Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
- Alex Levine
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My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying.
- Rodney Dangerfield
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Money can't buy you happiness .... But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
- Spike Milligan
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Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP .
- Joe Namath
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I don't feel old. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap.
- Bob Hope
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I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it..
- W. C. Fields
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We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress.
- Will Rogers
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Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
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Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty .. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out..
- Phyllis Diller
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By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.
- Billy Crystal
And the cardiologist's diet: - If it tastes good spit it out.
Illegal Arrested in Missouri After Two-state Killing Spree
Highway Patrol officials told the Kansas City Star that Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino was arrested in Montgomery County, Missouri. He was found lying on a hill just north of Interstate-70 and no shots were fired, according to The Star.
"He looked exhausted," Sgt. James Hedrick said.
The Star reported the area where Serrano-Vitorino was apprehended is near a McDonald's restaurant and several motels.
Serrano-Vitorino is accused of murdering four men late Monday night at his neighbor’s home in Kansas City, Kan. He was also wanted in connection with the shooting death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman in Montgomery County.
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A Shift In Earth’s Magnetic Poles May Hold The Secret To Climate Change
But that may be the wrong place to find them, says William Goodenough, author of “The Three Concepts of Climate Change: Is AGW Politics or Science?” (www.whyclimatechange.net).
Instead, the key could lie in the planet’s magnetic poles, which have been shifting from their traditional locations at the same time the Earth has experienced erratic weather behavior.
“It seems likely a magnetic-pole shift event is causing the unstable weather conditions we are experiencing, and could cause sustained changes to the Earth’s climate conditions,” Goodenough says.
If true, that would mean climate change is driven by natural forces and not humans spewing CO2 into the atmosphere, as many scientists and politicians claim, Goodenough says.
According to NASA, NOAA and the ESA, the magnetic North Pole has been creeping northward from Canada toward Russia since the early 19th century.
NASA says that’s nothing new. Throughout Earth’s 4.5-billion-year existence, the space agency says, the two magnetic poles have swapped positions about every 500,000 years.
Although the scientific community doesn’t link the shift to climate change, Goodenough says the connection is worth exploring.
“Climate science is a murky science,” he says. “When dealing with temperature variations and trends that might be influenced by humans, we don’t have an instrument that tells us how much change is due to humans and how much to Mother Nature.”
Goodenough’s background is as a technical analyst, not a climatologist, but it was while analyzing aerospace GPS capabilities that he began forming his thesis.
Fascinated by the fact the magnetic poles were relocating, he began a 12-year study that resulted in his analytical abilities converging with the climate-change arena.
Goodenough says magnetic pole relocation affects Earth two ways:
• It alters the direction of the enormous current flow through the Earth, theoretically causing magnetic chaos in the Earth’s core, which in turn weakens the magnetic shield that protects the planet from damaging solar particles.
• It changes the direction of the interaction between the geophysical and the magnetic North Poles by moving the coldest area of the Arctic, thereby altering the climate. Each set of poles (North and South) interact to determine the temperature profile relative to their respective pole.
Goodenough acknowledges his thesis needs more detailed study. He says there are several interested parties that would benefit from such research.
“The fossil-fuel industry is one,” he says. “If we can show it’s certain that global warming is from this natural shift and not CO2, then fossil fuels wouldn’t have the bad name they do in all this.”
Michael J. Defilippo Charged With Disorderly Conduct
Charges: Disorderly Conduct, trespassing - Arrested Michael J. Defilippo 53 yoa Ocean City , Maryland - New York
Narrative: On 03/08/2016 at approximately 1946 hours, Troopers for the Maryland State Police Berlin Barracks responded to the Hooters in West Ocean City for a trespass/ disorderly subject identified as Michael J. Defilippo 53 yoa.
Witnesses advised Defilippo would continue to return after several re-occurring incidents at Hooters. Defilippo would persistently threaten and harass the staff.
Defillipo again returned several times after given a no trespass order from a Trooper on the previous evening.
Ignoring the trespass order, Defillipo returned again on 03/08/2016 and was escorted off of the property by Hooters managerial staff.
Troopers subsequently located Defillipo and placed him under arrest.
Defillipo continued to act in a disorderly manner and subsequently made threats towards Law Enforcement personnel.
Disposition: Held 3,000 Bond
Narrative: On 03/08/2016 at approximately 1946 hours, Troopers for the Maryland State Police Berlin Barracks responded to the Hooters in West Ocean City for a trespass/ disorderly subject identified as Michael J. Defilippo 53 yoa.
Witnesses advised Defilippo would continue to return after several re-occurring incidents at Hooters. Defilippo would persistently threaten and harass the staff.
Defillipo again returned several times after given a no trespass order from a Trooper on the previous evening.
Ignoring the trespass order, Defillipo returned again on 03/08/2016 and was escorted off of the property by Hooters managerial staff.
Troopers subsequently located Defillipo and placed him under arrest.
Defillipo continued to act in a disorderly manner and subsequently made threats towards Law Enforcement personnel.
Disposition: Held 3,000 Bond