(Washington DC) – Judicial Watch today announced that oral argument will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2016, in its appeal of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit seeking an Obama Defense Department memo regarding the exchange of five senior al Qaeda leaders held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Bergdahl walked off his post in Afghanistan, was held captive for five years, and is now facing a court-martial (Judicial Watch v Department of Defense (No. 1:14-cv-01935)).
Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016
Time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Courtroom 31
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
333 Constitution Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
A lower court found the document, known as the “Lumpkin Memorandum,” was exempt from production under FOIA Exemption B5’s “deliberative process privilege.”
Judicial Watch contends that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressly adopted the memo, making it a final agency decision. Final decisions are not protected from disclosure under the deliberative process privilege.
Bergdahl left his post and was held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Afghanistan from June 2009 until May 2014. The circumstances surrounding Bergdahl’s disappearance and subsequent capture have become the subject of intense controversy. He was released on May 31, 2014, as part of a prisoner exchange by the Obama administration that included the five Taliban leaders. The Government Accountability Office found that the Obama administration violated “clear and unambiguous” law in the prisoner swap. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 says that all prisoner transfers from Guantanamo Bay require 30 days’ notice to Congress. No such notice was provided in Bergdahl’s case.
“Tomorrow’s court hearing highlights how the Obama administration doesn’t want to the American people to know its reasons for its dangerous terrorist swap for Sgt. Bergdahl,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Source
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, November 21, 2016
Hamilton actor who lectured Pence probably wishes he NEVER tweeted this
Two days after Hamilton actor Brandon Victor Dixon delivered a message to Mike Pence following the conclusion of the show, all eyes have been on him.
The hypocrisy in the message he sent has already been pointed out. While he spoke as if he was assuming Pence was a racist, telling him “we, sir, we are the diverse America,” he and the cast don’t practice what they preach. In fact, they had generated controversy months ago when they were looking for actors, specifically stating that they preferred non-white actors.
Now, people have been looking into his past tweets before he was in the public eye, and one in particular stood out.
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Top Obama IRS Official Admitted Cincinnati Office Targeted Groups Based on ‘Guilt by Association’
WASHINGTON—Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained 1593 pages of new documents from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including notes from a 2011 interoffice meeting revealing a top IRS official admitted that Cincinnati office agents were targeting organizations requesting tax exempt status based on “guilt by association” and “party affiliation.” According to former IRS Director of the Office of Rulings and Agreements Holly Paz, “they think they know what the org is really doing, rather than looking at actual activities.”
The new documents came in response to a Judicial Watch October 2013 a Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Internal Revenue Service (No. 1:13-cv-01559)) against the IRS seeking the following:
All records related to the number of applications received or related to communications between the IRS and members of the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate regarding the review process for organizations applying for tax exempt status under 501(c)(4);
All records concerning communications between the IRS and the Executive Branch or any other government agency regarding the review process for organizations applying for tax exempt status under 501(c)(4);
Copies of any questionnaires and all records related to the preparation of questionnaires sent to organizations applying for 501(c)(4) tax exempt status.
All records related to Lois Lerner’s communication with other IRS employees, as well as government or private entity outside the IRS regarding the review and approval process for 501 (c)(4) applicant organizations.
The new documents came in response to a Judicial Watch October 2013 a Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Internal Revenue Service (No. 1:13-cv-01559)) against the IRS seeking the following:
All records related to the number of applications received or related to communications between the IRS and members of the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate regarding the review process for organizations applying for tax exempt status under 501(c)(4);
All records concerning communications between the IRS and the Executive Branch or any other government agency regarding the review process for organizations applying for tax exempt status under 501(c)(4);
Copies of any questionnaires and all records related to the preparation of questionnaires sent to organizations applying for 501(c)(4) tax exempt status.
All records related to Lois Lerner’s communication with other IRS employees, as well as government or private entity outside the IRS regarding the review and approval process for 501 (c)(4) applicant organizations.
One Million Residents To Travel In Maryland Over Thanksgiving: AAA
AAA is projecting the number of Thanksgiving holiday travelers, nationwide and in Maryland, will increase for the eighth consecutive year. Nationwide, 48.7 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving, a 1.9 percent increase over 2015, and the most Thanksgiving travelers since 2007.
The Maryland travel forecast is a 3 percent increase and the highest travel volume in over 10 years, since 2005, the agency says. AAA defines the Thanksgiving holiday travel period as Wednesday, Nov. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 27.
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Weekly Update: Clinton Accountability Continues
Obama IRS Official Admits Cincinnati Office Targeted Groups Based on ‘Guilt by Association’
We know now, right from the horse’s mouth, how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has targeted Tea Party and conservative groups during the Obama administration. In the notes of a top IRS official, written down during a 2011 interoffice meeting, we discovered that Cincinnati office agents were targeting organizations requesting tax-exempt status based on “guilt by association” and “party affiliation.” According to Holly Paz, former IRS director of the Office of Rulings and Agreements, “They think they know what the org is really doing, rather than looking at actual activities.” This revelation, among others, comes from1,593 pages of new documents obtained by Judicial Watch in late October from the IRS.
Your Judicial Watch obtained these new documents through a 2013 Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Internal Revenue Service(No. 1:13-cv-01559)) against the IRS. Included among these IRS documents are handwritten notes from an unidentified source taken during an interoffice meeting in the Washington headquarters, which apparently took place in or around August 2011. According to an IRS court filing provided to Judicial Watch by the agency, the notes reflected a conversation between “four Chief Counsel employees (Victoria Judson, Janine Cook, Susan Brown, and Don Spellmann), Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division employee Nalee Park, and former IRS employee Sarah Hall Ingram.” The notes reveal Holly Paz’s concerns about the Cincinnati office’s targeting of groups based upon ideology and party affiliation:
Holly – Cinci paralyzed by letting any issue go unaddressed. They think they know what the org is really doing, rather than looking at actual activities. Q’s were not activity based, but guilt by association questions – like q’s asking party affiliations …
They see approval of something that will turn out to be very bad org – terrified of that – that’s why they personally will need to have power to say yes. Agents felt if they could ask enough questions, they will find a problem. Agents were jumping to negative conclusions and assumptions – particularly where relationship with political groups or affiliations.
More
We know now, right from the horse’s mouth, how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has targeted Tea Party and conservative groups during the Obama administration. In the notes of a top IRS official, written down during a 2011 interoffice meeting, we discovered that Cincinnati office agents were targeting organizations requesting tax-exempt status based on “guilt by association” and “party affiliation.” According to Holly Paz, former IRS director of the Office of Rulings and Agreements, “They think they know what the org is really doing, rather than looking at actual activities.” This revelation, among others, comes from1,593 pages of new documents obtained by Judicial Watch in late October from the IRS.
Your Judicial Watch obtained these new documents through a 2013 Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Internal Revenue Service(No. 1:13-cv-01559)) against the IRS. Included among these IRS documents are handwritten notes from an unidentified source taken during an interoffice meeting in the Washington headquarters, which apparently took place in or around August 2011. According to an IRS court filing provided to Judicial Watch by the agency, the notes reflected a conversation between “four Chief Counsel employees (Victoria Judson, Janine Cook, Susan Brown, and Don Spellmann), Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division employee Nalee Park, and former IRS employee Sarah Hall Ingram.” The notes reveal Holly Paz’s concerns about the Cincinnati office’s targeting of groups based upon ideology and party affiliation:
Holly – Cinci paralyzed by letting any issue go unaddressed. They think they know what the org is really doing, rather than looking at actual activities. Q’s were not activity based, but guilt by association questions – like q’s asking party affiliations …
They see approval of something that will turn out to be very bad org – terrified of that – that’s why they personally will need to have power to say yes. Agents felt if they could ask enough questions, they will find a problem. Agents were jumping to negative conclusions and assumptions – particularly where relationship with political groups or affiliations.
More
Suspect arrested in killing of San Antonio police officer
The suspect in the murder of a San Antonio police detective was arrested Monday afternoon.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said that 31-year-old Otis Tyrone McKane was taken into custody without incident at around 4:30 p.m. local time.
McManus said authorities had pulled over a car McKane was a passenger in on Interstate 10, on the eastern edge of San Antonio. The car was being driven by a woman and a 2-year-old child was also in the vehicle. It was not immediately clear what connection McKane had to the woman and child.
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San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said that 31-year-old Otis Tyrone McKane was taken into custody without incident at around 4:30 p.m. local time.
McManus said authorities had pulled over a car McKane was a passenger in on Interstate 10, on the eastern edge of San Antonio. The car was being driven by a woman and a 2-year-old child was also in the vehicle. It was not immediately clear what connection McKane had to the woman and child.
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NEW TO TOWN: THE BERLIN BUTCHER SHOP
“For years, shoppers have been pushed further and further to chain stores because they didn’t have any options. Five years ago, people were really becoming more conscience of where their food came from and today, it is more so than ever,” Hall told us. “I didn’t have a butcher, but then I met Matt at the Food Lion here in Berlin. After meeting Matt, everything just started to fall into place.”
Matt DiPietro, Butcher for the Berlin Butcher Shop comes from a very long line of small business owners and butchers. Believe it or not, Matt is actually a 4th generation butcher. His great-grandparents owned a store in upper New York and the entrepreneur bug stayed in the family, carrying down to Matt’s grandfather and father. Featured in the Shop are photos of Matt as a teenage boy helping his own Dad in their family store, along with a newspaper clipping of his great-grandparent’s store from the early 20th century. Matt moved to the area about ten years ago to help a friend open a bar in town. After staying with that business for only a year, Matt ventured out into town and began bartending and meeting more locals. When the manager position at the Food Lion became available, Matt jumped at the opportunity that he already knew he could do well, thus meeting Lisa Hall in the process. And the rest, they say, is history.
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Prof. John Banzhaf: Trump’s Victory Can Help Wussified College Students Grow Up
SiriusXM host Alex Marlow ran through some of the more ridiculous methods people on the Left have employed to cope with their emotional devastation after the 2016 election, most of which involve treating grown men and women like small children, giving them toys and puppies to work out their anxiety.
“I’m not at all surprised that they’re getting so upset about political developments because they do this in other areas,” said Prof. Banzhaf. “I ran across one where a woman actually went for counseling because her roommate used the word ‘bitch’ with respect to her. Two other students ran in for counseling because they saw a mouse, and they needed counseling.”
“Others have talked about a national pantywaist crisis, political correctness run amok, a generation of young people that have never had the opportunity to solve their own problems,” he noted. “They don’t seem to have as much grit as previous generations. We have helicopter parents; kid gets anything less than an A, and not only is the kid upset, the parents are swooping in. So when it comes to something which, you know, can be a little bit more upsetting than a mouse – which is our national election and people who are being appointed – it is not at all surprising that they’re acting like that.”
“The point that I tried to make in my piece is, it’s bad enough when it happens at the undergraduate level. But when it happens in a law school, like the University of Michigan, where they had Play-Doh and bubbles and so on, it is much more serious because those kids are adults.
More here
Maryland Boy’s Inspirational Recovery From Double Hand Transplant
“When I was 2, I had to get my hands cut off because I was sick,” explains Zion Harvey, of Baltimore County.
The procedure, the first-ever bi-lateral hand transplant on a child, was done at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. It’s many miles away from his home, but it’s the place where his life changed forever.
“When I get these hands, I will be proud of what hands I get,” Zion said, pre-surgery.
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Repudiation: Democrats Hit New Low in State Legislative Seats
Reid Wilson reports in The Hill that after the Democratic Party hit a new low in state legislative seats “after suffering more losses in November’s elections, highlighting the devastation up and down the party across the nation.” This new low comes after eight years of declining Democratic state legislative seat during President Obama’s term in office.
From The Hill:
Republicans will control 4,170 state legislative seats after last week’s elections, while Democrats will control 3,129 seats in the nation’s 98 partisan legislative chambers. Republicans picked up a net gain of 46 seats in Tuesday’s elections, while Democrats lost 46 seats, according to the latest vote counts from The Associated Press.
Independents and members of minor parties hold 71 seats, including the entire Nebraska Senate, which is nonpartisan. Nearly two weeks after Election Day, about a dozen seats remain too close to call.
“Republicans have been working for this moment for years, to have a federal government with Republican majorities and now at the state level,” said David Avella, who heads GOPAC, a group that grooms young legislative candidates. “We have to deliver on breaking down barriers to job creation, we have to deliver on putting more money in people’s pockets through tax cuts and through higher wages.”
More here
From The Hill:
Republicans will control 4,170 state legislative seats after last week’s elections, while Democrats will control 3,129 seats in the nation’s 98 partisan legislative chambers. Republicans picked up a net gain of 46 seats in Tuesday’s elections, while Democrats lost 46 seats, according to the latest vote counts from The Associated Press.
Independents and members of minor parties hold 71 seats, including the entire Nebraska Senate, which is nonpartisan. Nearly two weeks after Election Day, about a dozen seats remain too close to call.
“Republicans have been working for this moment for years, to have a federal government with Republican majorities and now at the state level,” said David Avella, who heads GOPAC, a group that grooms young legislative candidates. “We have to deliver on breaking down barriers to job creation, we have to deliver on putting more money in people’s pockets through tax cuts and through higher wages.”
More here
How to differentiate deals from duds on Black Friday
(NEW YORK) — Black Friday is the famous time of year for finding great bargains — but are some of those deals really just duds?
Gadget review site, TheWireCutter.com, says deals on quality products aren’t always as plentiful as you’d think.
“We found that somewhere under 1 percent of the deals are worthwhile,” Adam Burakowski, the website’s associate deals editor, told ABC News.
The staff at TheWireCutter.com point out that top-rated items aren’t as likely to be discounted, and that price inflation can take place around the holidays to make discounts look bigger.
For instance, the Black Friday price of one Dyson vacuum that ABC News found was $299, but the the same vacuum was $80 less in August.
Televisions are a different story, though.
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Civil Rights Advocates Praise Jeff Sessions for Protecting Black American Workers
“Senator Sessions is a good man and a great man. He has done more to protect the jobs and enhance the wages of black workers than anyone in either house of Congress over the last 10 years,” Kirsanow told Breitbart.
Indeed, arguably no U.S. lawmaker has worked more tirelessly than Jeff Sessions to uphold the legacy of Civil Rights leader and late-Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Jordan–who, in arguing for immigration reductions, famously declared that immigration policy “ought to be a place where the national interest comes first, last, and always.”
“Of all the Senators and public officials that I’ve dealt with, I cannot think of anyone who has been more devoted to issues related to wages and employment levels of all Americans, but particularly black American workers,” Kirsanow said of Sessions.
"It’s a matter that we have discussed in several Congressional hearings— the most recent of which was in March of this year. He has chaired the [Senate] subcommittee dealing with the impact of… immigration on the employment levels of black Americans."
“He is a man of tremendous integrity. I think it was an inspired pick,” Kirsanow added. “He’s going to be a marvelous Attorney General.”
More here
OC emergency calls increased this summer
“We had exceptional availability this summer, arguably, the best one we’ve ever had,” said Fire Chief Chris Larmore said during the mayor council’s Tuesday work session. “When we had a call come in, a staff unit was able to respond all but one time. That one time, they split a crew and was able to answer both calls.”
Each year, Larmore gives the mayor and council his summary of the fire department performed from June 1 to Aug. 31. This year saw the call volume spike from 2,810 in 2015 to 3,218 this last summer.
The fact that the resort’s firefighters missed none of these calls is notable, he said, since full-time staff members dwindled from 43 in 2015 to 41 to this year. The number of part-time firefighters has slightly risen in the past year to 71.
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California’s Democrats Are Ready for Political War
“We’re going to do everything in our power to protect our people and our values.”
The Republicans are about to control Congress and the presidency for the first time in a decade, and they have an ambitious agenda. They’ve promised to undo Obamacare, deport undocumented immigrants, and roll back environmental regulations. The Democrats who run the state government in California aren’t happy. Immediately after the election, state Senate President Kevin de León and his Assembly counterpart, Anthony Rendon, both Latinos from Southern California, sent out a scathing statement in English and Spanish assuring all 39 million Californians that they were ready for political war. “Today, we woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land, because yesterday Americans expressed their views on a pluralistic and democratic society that are clearly inconsistent with the values of the people of California,” they wrote.
“We will lead the resistance to any effort that would shred our social fabric or our Constitution.”
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The Republicans are about to control Congress and the presidency for the first time in a decade, and they have an ambitious agenda. They’ve promised to undo Obamacare, deport undocumented immigrants, and roll back environmental regulations. The Democrats who run the state government in California aren’t happy. Immediately after the election, state Senate President Kevin de León and his Assembly counterpart, Anthony Rendon, both Latinos from Southern California, sent out a scathing statement in English and Spanish assuring all 39 million Californians that they were ready for political war. “Today, we woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land, because yesterday Americans expressed their views on a pluralistic and democratic society that are clearly inconsistent with the values of the people of California,” they wrote.
“We will lead the resistance to any effort that would shred our social fabric or our Constitution.”
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Girl, 5, Revived With Narcan After Methadone Overdose
Court documents show that the child’s mother, 31-year-old Jeanie White, and aunt, 35-year-old Tracy Bolinger, have been charged with child neglect, reckless endangerment and contributing to the condition of a child.
Neither woman has an attorney listed in court records. Bolinger did not immediately return a call to her home Thursday. Court records say White is homeless.
Methadone is prescribed as a substitute for other narcotics during addiction treatment.
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Retailers Expect Big Turnout This Holiday Season
Consumers are cashing in on the holiday deals — both online and in the stores.
“We did ten days of deals and we have been seeing the guest traffic slowly flowing in,” said Jasmine Monroe, Target team leader.
Special offers are rolling out early, giving customers a jump start.
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Reid Lied About Romney’s Taxes; Now Lies About Trump, Bannon
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took to the Senate floor this week to attack Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon as a “a champion of white supremacists,” recycling false accusations against him and demanding that President-elect Donald J. Trump rescind Bannon’s Sunday appointment as Chief Strategist and Special Counselor in the new administration.
(Bannon remains on a leave of absence from Breitbart after joining the Trump campaign as CEO in August.)
Reid has a long history of making false accusations from the floor of the Senate, using the parliamentary privilege he enjoys to slander political opponents. In 2012, then-Majority Leader Reid infamously attacked Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney from the floor of the Senate, claiming that he had paid no taxes for ten years, and citing an unnamed source. “So the word is out that he has not paid any taxes for 10 years. Let him prove he has paid taxes because he has not,” Reid claimed.
Reid never revealed his source or proved his allegation, which turned out to be false, outside of the Senate. When CNN’s Dana Bash interviewed Reid in 2015 to discuss his plans for his forthcoming retirement, he admitted having lied, but said he had no regrets. “So no regrets, not about Mitt Romney about the Koch brothers. Some people have even called it McCarthyite,” Bash said.
Reid responded: “Well, they can call it whatever they want. Um…Romney didn’t win, did he?”
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(Bannon remains on a leave of absence from Breitbart after joining the Trump campaign as CEO in August.)
Reid has a long history of making false accusations from the floor of the Senate, using the parliamentary privilege he enjoys to slander political opponents. In 2012, then-Majority Leader Reid infamously attacked Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney from the floor of the Senate, claiming that he had paid no taxes for ten years, and citing an unnamed source. “So the word is out that he has not paid any taxes for 10 years. Let him prove he has paid taxes because he has not,” Reid claimed.
Reid never revealed his source or proved his allegation, which turned out to be false, outside of the Senate. When CNN’s Dana Bash interviewed Reid in 2015 to discuss his plans for his forthcoming retirement, he admitted having lied, but said he had no regrets. “So no regrets, not about Mitt Romney about the Koch brothers. Some people have even called it McCarthyite,” Bash said.
Reid responded: “Well, they can call it whatever they want. Um…Romney didn’t win, did he?”
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It's Bad Enough The MSM Is Being Called Out For Lies & Gossip...
The next thing we knew we were getting calls stating the EBT Blogger copied the comment, changed a couple of the words and ran with it as if it was all true, what an Idiot. The EBT Blogger never once looked into the situation and spread nothing but lies and gossip.
So this Post is about cleaning up this load of crap.
It turns out a young, (18 or so) boyfriend and girlfriend got into an argument at the Civic Center. He shoved her and her girlfriend tried to defend her. The young man then clobbered the girl defending her and her date went after the guy who hit her and well, you can imagine the rest. NONE of them had wrist bands, (confirmed) so none of them had been served alcohol from the Civic Center.
As for the story of under age kids throwing up in the bathroom, again, that's a load of crap too. Something else had been said on social media about a young girl going to the hospital for alcohol poisoning, she was in her 40's, (not underage) and when she got to the hospital they allegedly found drugs in her purse, according to my source.
Look, someone is clearly trying to bash the County and are getting their jollies spreading rumors, gossip and lies and some Idiots are running with these lies. Keep in mind too, kids aren't stupid. They know they're not going to be able to buy alcohol and in some unfortunate cases they'll drink before they get there and get out of hand. Come on now, we were all kids once and we made similar moves.
Nevertheless, what's been spread out there is just not true. Shame on the former Sheriff's Deputy who participated with spreading those LIES without doing their own due diligence. Hence why that person is no longer with the Sheriff's Department.
So on behalf of Bloggers out there, I'm sorry someone so irresponsible chose to run with such a false story. I'm sure you'll agree with me however, the EBT Blogger is very unstable.
Shorebirds to Host Inaugural Cards for Troops Event
Guests will have the opportunity to create a card for a soldier that is serving in the Armed Forces for the United States of America overseas. Cards will be sent to soldiers through Jeff Merritt from Minuteman Press, with Operation We Care. A template for the cards to the troops will be provided. Families are encouraged to include contact info so the troops can write back to them. The purpose of the cards are to thank the troops that are serving the United States who aren't able to be home with their families for the holidays. Also, a Harley Davidson flag will be available for folks to share messages as well.
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to interact and take pictures with families. Complimentary cookies, coffee, tea, and other treats will be provided.
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Obama to anti-Trump protesters: March on
President Obama, speaking at a press conference in Germany, passed up the opportunity Thursday to tamp down the anti-Donald Trump protests back home -- urging those taking part not to remain "silent."
The president fielded a question on the protests during a joint news conference in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"I suspect that there’s not a president in our history that hasn’t been subject to these protests," he answered. "So, I would not advise people who feel strongly or who are concerned about some of the issues that have been raised during the course of the campaign, I wouldn’t advise them to be silent."
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The president fielded a question on the protests during a joint news conference in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"I suspect that there’s not a president in our history that hasn’t been subject to these protests," he answered. "So, I would not advise people who feel strongly or who are concerned about some of the issues that have been raised during the course of the campaign, I wouldn’t advise them to be silent."
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Trump supporter’s home vandalized with swastika
Thomas Roszkowski of Silver Spring said neither he nor police know who the vandals are, but he thinks it is connected to previous incidents.
“First they stole my yard sign, then I got a bigger sign,” said the Vietnam veteran, 72.
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NOI 11/20/16 Wicomico Pole Building Fire Sharps Point Road
Date: 11/20/16
Time: 12:44 a.m.
Location / Address: 5264 Sharps Point Road, Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: 16’ x 24’ pole building
Owner / Occupants: Gregory Zaczkiewicz
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $10,000 Contents: $10,000
Smoke Alarm Status: n/a
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Fruitland
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 20
Time to Control: 20 minutes
Discovered By: Owner
Area of Origin: Interior rear corner
Preliminary Cause: Accidental, malfunction of a propagation table
Additional Information:
Republican Group Endorses Pelosi for Minority Leader
'House Democrats have become completely irrelevant, and there is no better way to ensure that remains the case'
Struggling House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) won a key endorsement Thursday in her bid to beat back insurgent liberal rivals challenging her leadership position after winning the endorsement of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
The NRCC, a 527 campaign organization, issued a press release to announce its support for Pelosi, the veteran California congresswoman and former speaker of the House, against Democrats running from her left and right flanks.
“The NRCC would like to offer its full support to the embattled former speaker of the House,” the release said. “Under Nancy Pelosi’s leadership, House Democrats squandered their majority by forcing through unpopular legislation like Obamacare.”
Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan announced on Wednesday that he would challenge Pelosi, in order to appeal to more moderate voters. Meanwhile, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison is running to be head of the Democratic National Committee on a more liberal platform.
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Struggling House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) won a key endorsement Thursday in her bid to beat back insurgent liberal rivals challenging her leadership position after winning the endorsement of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
The NRCC, a 527 campaign organization, issued a press release to announce its support for Pelosi, the veteran California congresswoman and former speaker of the House, against Democrats running from her left and right flanks.
“The NRCC would like to offer its full support to the embattled former speaker of the House,” the release said. “Under Nancy Pelosi’s leadership, House Democrats squandered their majority by forcing through unpopular legislation like Obamacare.”
Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan announced on Wednesday that he would challenge Pelosi, in order to appeal to more moderate voters. Meanwhile, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison is running to be head of the Democratic National Committee on a more liberal platform.
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CAIR Unhappy With Trump’s Reported Pick for National Security Adviser
President-elect Donald Trump has offered the key post of national security adviser former Defense Intelligence Agency chief Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (ret.), the Associated Press reported Thursday, citing an unnamed senior Trump official.
Flynn, who served as head of the DIA from 2012 to 2014, has been advising the Trump campaign on national security issues.
He is also an outspoken critic of radical Islam and shari’a (Islamic law), and has attracted the ire of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Earlier Thursday, CAIR issued a statement urging Trump not to appoint him “because of his history of anti-Muslim comments and associations.”
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Flynn, who served as head of the DIA from 2012 to 2014, has been advising the Trump campaign on national security issues.
He is also an outspoken critic of radical Islam and shari’a (Islamic law), and has attracted the ire of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Earlier Thursday, CAIR issued a statement urging Trump not to appoint him “because of his history of anti-Muslim comments and associations.”
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Limbaugh: 'Deranged' Left is 'Imploding' Over Trump
The American left is "imploding" and becoming "deranged" over Donald Trump's win in the presidential election, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said on his show Friday.
Limbaugh provided an example in Texas, where two high school students acted out a skit in front of classmates that showed Trump being assassinated.
"I want you to imagine if this had happened eight years ago or four years ago and it was Barack Hussein Obama who had been portrayed as having been assassinated," Limbaugh said.
"Folks, I'm developing a theory, and I don't want to get too deep into it now. The left appears to me to be genuinely imploding, and I mean imploding to the point that low-information people are going to see how wacko they are. I think the nature of this implosion is going to be their marginalization."
Limbaugh added that many liberals have been "brainwashed" into believing that "conservatism equals a bunch of things it doesn't mean, but I don't know that they necessarily equate liberalism with greatness as a contrast."
"In the Obama years this kind of action against Republicans was mainstream, it was applauded, entertainers celebrated it, did this kind of thing, and everybody just accepted it," he continued.
"We now know that millions of people resented it and were offended by it and sent the Democrats and their sponsors packing. But now we're gonna have a different mind-set and a different makeup here attitudinally of the country."
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Limbaugh provided an example in Texas, where two high school students acted out a skit in front of classmates that showed Trump being assassinated.
"I want you to imagine if this had happened eight years ago or four years ago and it was Barack Hussein Obama who had been portrayed as having been assassinated," Limbaugh said.
"Folks, I'm developing a theory, and I don't want to get too deep into it now. The left appears to me to be genuinely imploding, and I mean imploding to the point that low-information people are going to see how wacko they are. I think the nature of this implosion is going to be their marginalization."
Limbaugh added that many liberals have been "brainwashed" into believing that "conservatism equals a bunch of things it doesn't mean, but I don't know that they necessarily equate liberalism with greatness as a contrast."
"In the Obama years this kind of action against Republicans was mainstream, it was applauded, entertainers celebrated it, did this kind of thing, and everybody just accepted it," he continued.
"We now know that millions of people resented it and were offended by it and sent the Democrats and their sponsors packing. But now we're gonna have a different mind-set and a different makeup here attitudinally of the country."
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National Public Radio Falsely Links Breitbart to White Separatists
National Public Radio (NPR) is continuing a campaign to defame Breitbart News as a white nationalist website. Even after being set straight on Wednesday, the taxpayer-funded outlet continues to defy the facts in its effort to smear the incoming Trump administration and crush a conservative media upstart.
This time, the lie comes via Kelly McEvers, who filed a slanderous story on Thursday’s edition of All Things Considered: “‘We’re Not Going Away’: Alt-Right Leader On Voice In Trump Administration.”
In it, McEvers suggests that because Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon once told Mother Jones that Breitbart had become “the platform for the alt-right,” Bannon and Breitbart therefore share to the racial separatist ideas of Richard Spencer, one of the people involved in the alt-right movement.
McEvers does not provide any actual evidence that Bannon or Breitbart share Spencer’s ideas. Moreover, she does not even show that Breitbart has ever published anything supportive of Spencer’s ideas. And — crucially — she does not inform listeners that there is no such evidence.
Instead, she suggests that Bannon, and Breitbart, share Spencer’s ideas, with passages such as the following:
This time, the lie comes via Kelly McEvers, who filed a slanderous story on Thursday’s edition of All Things Considered: “‘We’re Not Going Away’: Alt-Right Leader On Voice In Trump Administration.”
In it, McEvers suggests that because Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon once told Mother Jones that Breitbart had become “the platform for the alt-right,” Bannon and Breitbart therefore share to the racial separatist ideas of Richard Spencer, one of the people involved in the alt-right movement.
McEvers does not provide any actual evidence that Bannon or Breitbart share Spencer’s ideas. Moreover, she does not even show that Breitbart has ever published anything supportive of Spencer’s ideas. And — crucially — she does not inform listeners that there is no such evidence.
Instead, she suggests that Bannon, and Breitbart, share Spencer’s ideas, with passages such as the following:
Maryland gains 700 jobs in October
The state's preliminary unemployment held steady at 4.2 percent for the second straight month, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Bureau and Labor Statistics.
In October, professional and business services jobs rose 2,600, while education and health services positions increased by 2,500. Manufacturing jobs grew by 900.
During the month, government jobs decreased by 1,500 from September. Leisure and hospitality jobs dropped by 1,400. Construction jobs were down by 900
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Arab Nations: Iran’s Sponsorship Of Terrorism Has Worsened Since Nuclear Deal
Eleven Arab nations warned outgoing UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that “expansionist” and “sponsor of terrorism” Iran has only intensified its policy of “aggression in the region and the continuation of support for terrorist groups” since the nuclear deal.
“It is with a deep sense of frustration that we note that the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its expansionist regional policies, flagrant violations of the principle of sovereignty and constant interference in the internal affairs of Arab States, continues to play a negative role in causing tension and instability in our region,” a letter to Ban — signed by the UN envoys of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen — said.
The Arab ambassadors further expressed “concerted alarm” at “the export of its revolution to other countries.”
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“It is with a deep sense of frustration that we note that the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its expansionist regional policies, flagrant violations of the principle of sovereignty and constant interference in the internal affairs of Arab States, continues to play a negative role in causing tension and instability in our region,” a letter to Ban — signed by the UN envoys of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen — said.
The Arab ambassadors further expressed “concerted alarm” at “the export of its revolution to other countries.”
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CNN ‘Smearing’ Trump Supporters — ‘They Just Call Everybody a Racist’
Political analyst Pat Caddell told Breitbart News Daily on SiriusXM on Friday, “They just call everybody a racist,” referring to CNN. Caddell called the network “outrageous.”
Caddell said, “What they have not admitted is their complicity in Hillary Clinton’s campaign, or their unbelievable bias, and worse, their smearing of people, including Steve Bannon and others so that they could make some political points.”
He laid the blame on having someone from Hollywood like Jeff Zucker running the network. “I don’t think it will go very well if that continues,” said Caddell. “They need to start with, ‘Hey, we did some not very professional things during this campaign,'” he added.
It was CNN’s Donna Brazile who provided questions to Hillary Clinton’s campaign before a scheduled debate..
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Caddell said, “What they have not admitted is their complicity in Hillary Clinton’s campaign, or their unbelievable bias, and worse, their smearing of people, including Steve Bannon and others so that they could make some political points.”
He laid the blame on having someone from Hollywood like Jeff Zucker running the network. “I don’t think it will go very well if that continues,” said Caddell. “They need to start with, ‘Hey, we did some not very professional things during this campaign,'” he added.
It was CNN’s Donna Brazile who provided questions to Hillary Clinton’s campaign before a scheduled debate..
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Judge at Citizenship Ceremony: If You Can’t Accept Trump, Leave
A federal judge who was presiding over a U.S. citizenship ceremony in San Antonio, Texas, said referring to Donald Trump, “He will be your president and if you do not like that, you need to go to another country.”
Judge John Primomo also noted, “I can assure you that whether you voted for him or you did not vote for him, if you are a citizen of the United States, he IS your president,” reported the ABC affiliate in Dallas.
He also chastised protesters who are bearing signs, “He’s not my president.”
As he spoke at the citizenship ceremony, the judge also took the opportunity to criticize NFL players who protest during the playing of the National Anthem by taking a knee.
Black Lives Matter activists reacted with anger and fear and expressed defiance on social media, reported Breitbart News.
When questioned by KENS 5 in San Antonio, Judge Primomo said he intended to convey respect for the office of the president of the United States; he was not being political. In fact, the judge said, he did not vote for the Republican nominee.
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Judge John Primomo also noted, “I can assure you that whether you voted for him or you did not vote for him, if you are a citizen of the United States, he IS your president,” reported the ABC affiliate in Dallas.
He also chastised protesters who are bearing signs, “He’s not my president.”
As he spoke at the citizenship ceremony, the judge also took the opportunity to criticize NFL players who protest during the playing of the National Anthem by taking a knee.
Black Lives Matter activists reacted with anger and fear and expressed defiance on social media, reported Breitbart News.
When questioned by KENS 5 in San Antonio, Judge Primomo said he intended to convey respect for the office of the president of the United States; he was not being political. In fact, the judge said, he did not vote for the Republican nominee.
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Obama's 'Zero' Legacy
«Trump did more than any democrat to deflate the neocon/neoliberal agenda that liberals themselves screamed was fascist when Bush was president».
That was a brilliant and profoundly true reader-comment recently posted about Hillary Clinton supporters who are demonstrating against Trump’s winning the Presidency.
Clinton-Obama Democrats who remain loyal to the Democratic Party in the wake of Trump’s victory are world-champion hypocrites, even if they’re too oblivious to know it. The Clinton-Obama political tradition of pro-megacorporate government, actually repudiates, instead of embodies, that of the Democratic Party’s earlier quintessential exemplar: the 1932-1980 FDR-dominated (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) era, the most progressive period in all of U.S. history.
Though I voted both times for Barack Obama, he turned out to be one of the worst U.S. Presidents, if not the worst of them all — even if he was (as I thought each time) the best of the bad (in each election).
His only real legacy as President turns out to have been disasters, including things far worse than his failed Obamacare, which increased the healthcare inflation-rate in our country, where healthcare already costs twice as much — and twice as high a percentage of GDP — as the international OECD average, but delivers inferior healthcare results. America is becoming internationally even less competitive in our healthcare system than before — which was already at the international bottom.It’s sucking the lifesblood out of the U.S. economy.
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That was a brilliant and profoundly true reader-comment recently posted about Hillary Clinton supporters who are demonstrating against Trump’s winning the Presidency.
Clinton-Obama Democrats who remain loyal to the Democratic Party in the wake of Trump’s victory are world-champion hypocrites, even if they’re too oblivious to know it. The Clinton-Obama political tradition of pro-megacorporate government, actually repudiates, instead of embodies, that of the Democratic Party’s earlier quintessential exemplar: the 1932-1980 FDR-dominated (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) era, the most progressive period in all of U.S. history.
Though I voted both times for Barack Obama, he turned out to be one of the worst U.S. Presidents, if not the worst of them all — even if he was (as I thought each time) the best of the bad (in each election).
His only real legacy as President turns out to have been disasters, including things far worse than his failed Obamacare, which increased the healthcare inflation-rate in our country, where healthcare already costs twice as much — and twice as high a percentage of GDP — as the international OECD average, but delivers inferior healthcare results. America is becoming internationally even less competitive in our healthcare system than before — which was already at the international bottom.It’s sucking the lifesblood out of the U.S. economy.
More
Liberal Congresswoman Barbara Lee Is A Nut Job
Congresswoman Barbara Lee: “Trump’s must end his flirtation with xenophobia and racism”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement concerning President-elect Trump’s recent staff announcements:
“With each passing day, Congress and the American people get a clearer look into the Trump White House.
People of conscience are horrified by what we’ve seen.
The Justice Department is our nation’s best instrument for protecting our civil rights and voting rights. I am appalled by the decision to nominate Senator Jeff Sessions, a man rejected from serving on the federal bench for his racist comments, as Attorney General. His confirmation would put much of our progress as a nation at grave risk. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to reject his nomination.
Likewise, the decision to name Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor is another step in the wrong direction. Gen. Flynn was forced out of his role at the Defense Intelligence Agency for insubordination and has made a career out of denigrating Muslims. Time and time again, we’ve seen dangerous comments like his used to recruit terrorists abroad. The decision to hire Lt. Gen. Flynn to oversee our national security is worrisome and baffling.
Finally, President-elect Trump’s decision to name Steve Bannon, an alt-right nationalist, extremist and alleged domestic abuser, as chief White House strategist is simply unacceptable. As I said in The Hill, ‘we are better than this.’
President-elect Trump should be reminded that the majority of Americans, by more than a million-vote margin, rejected him and his dangerous flirtation with racism, xenophobia, sexism and hyper-nationalism.
Once again, I call on President-elect Trump to live up to his Election Night promise to be ‘a President for all Americans’ and rescind the nominations of these dangerous individuals.”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement concerning President-elect Trump’s recent staff announcements:
“With each passing day, Congress and the American people get a clearer look into the Trump White House.
People of conscience are horrified by what we’ve seen.
The Justice Department is our nation’s best instrument for protecting our civil rights and voting rights. I am appalled by the decision to nominate Senator Jeff Sessions, a man rejected from serving on the federal bench for his racist comments, as Attorney General. His confirmation would put much of our progress as a nation at grave risk. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to reject his nomination.
Likewise, the decision to name Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor is another step in the wrong direction. Gen. Flynn was forced out of his role at the Defense Intelligence Agency for insubordination and has made a career out of denigrating Muslims. Time and time again, we’ve seen dangerous comments like his used to recruit terrorists abroad. The decision to hire Lt. Gen. Flynn to oversee our national security is worrisome and baffling.
Finally, President-elect Trump’s decision to name Steve Bannon, an alt-right nationalist, extremist and alleged domestic abuser, as chief White House strategist is simply unacceptable. As I said in The Hill, ‘we are better than this.’
President-elect Trump should be reminded that the majority of Americans, by more than a million-vote margin, rejected him and his dangerous flirtation with racism, xenophobia, sexism and hyper-nationalism.
Once again, I call on President-elect Trump to live up to his Election Night promise to be ‘a President for all Americans’ and rescind the nominations of these dangerous individuals.”
State officials mistreat girl, 5, raped by Muslim migrants
Last summer, a 5-year-old girl was orally, anally and vaginally raped and urinated upon by three Muslim migrant boys in Twin Falls, Idaho. Since then, instead of getting justice, the victim’s family has been abused by law enforcement and governing authorities as if they were the criminals – because what happened to their little girl contradicts the politically correct narrative about Muslim migrants.
And it just keeps getting worse. The victim’s mother has now informed me that, despite the huge medical expenses for their daughter that this attack has necessitated, the state of Idaho has told her the maximum assistance that her family can get is $4,500.
Make sure you’re never raped in the state of Idaho: If you’re five years old and your attackers are from a politically protected class, you’re only worth $4,500.
There seems to be no willingness on the part of the state or the county to reimburse this long-suffering family for any of the other costs that they have incurred because of the crime. Because they felt threatened – with very good reason – in continuing to live next door to one of the attackers’ families, they have been living in a succession of hotels; they have spent in excess of $2,000 in hotels alone.
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And it just keeps getting worse. The victim’s mother has now informed me that, despite the huge medical expenses for their daughter that this attack has necessitated, the state of Idaho has told her the maximum assistance that her family can get is $4,500.
Make sure you’re never raped in the state of Idaho: If you’re five years old and your attackers are from a politically protected class, you’re only worth $4,500.
There seems to be no willingness on the part of the state or the county to reimburse this long-suffering family for any of the other costs that they have incurred because of the crime. Because they felt threatened – with very good reason – in continuing to live next door to one of the attackers’ families, they have been living in a succession of hotels; they have spent in excess of $2,000 in hotels alone.
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The Hill: Democrats Hit New Low in State Legislative Seats After Devastating November Election
From The Hill:
Republicans will control 4,170 state legislative seats after last week’s elections, while Democrats will control 3,129 seats in the nation’s 98 partisan legislative chambers. Republicans picked up a net gain of 46 seats in Tuesday’s elections, while Democrats lost 46 seats, according to the latest vote counts from The Associated Press.
Independents and members of minor parties hold 71 seats, including the entire Nebraska Senate, which is nonpartisan. Nearly two weeks after Election Day, about a dozen seats remain too close to call.
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Indiana Business Sign (0utrageous?)
This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in Whiting, Indiana.
WE WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA, HILLARY CLINTON, NANCY PELOSI, HARRY REID, ALL THE ELITES OF CONGRESS, THE MASS MEDIA AND ALL OF HOLLYWOOD THAN WITH ONE CONSERVATIVE AMERICAN!!!
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You are probably outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory statement.
However, we are a society which holds Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty; and after all it is just a sign.
You may ask, what kind of business would dare post such a sign?
Answer: Owen's Funeral Home
Donald Trump, America’s first independent president
Viewed through any conventional lens, President-elect Donald Trump’s candidacy was improbable from start to finish. Today, two things about his victory seem to be in sharper focus: one, that Trump’s victory might best be understood as the success of the country’s first independent president, and second, that the Trump coalition may be even more uniquely his than President Obama’s has turned out to be.
Think again about how he prevailed. There are a handful of major events during a general election that give the nominees a chance to showcase themselves, their judgment and their vision. One is the selection of a running mate. Another is the staging of the conventions. A third is performance in the debates. Hillary Clinton did better than Trump on all three tests, though Trump’s team believes the debates did not fall so decisively in her favor.
Then there are the other factors that go into producing a successful candidacy. These include resources, the operations and mechanics of campaigning, and the skill with which candidates avoid mistakes and deal with the unexpected setbacks.
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Think again about how he prevailed. There are a handful of major events during a general election that give the nominees a chance to showcase themselves, their judgment and their vision. One is the selection of a running mate. Another is the staging of the conventions. A third is performance in the debates. Hillary Clinton did better than Trump on all three tests, though Trump’s team believes the debates did not fall so decisively in her favor.
Then there are the other factors that go into producing a successful candidacy. These include resources, the operations and mechanics of campaigning, and the skill with which candidates avoid mistakes and deal with the unexpected setbacks.
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Hidden Ipsos Poll: Public Strongly Backs Donald Trump’s Plan To ‘Pause’ Legal Immigration
A just-released poll shows that Donald Trump’s campaign-trail immigration and labor policies have overwhelming public support, and receive strong opposition from just one-sixth of voters.
The Ipsos poll shows that only about one-in-six Americans strongly oppose Trump’s policies towards immigrant labor, repatriations, sanctuary cities, Islamic migrants, employer oversight and his ground-breaking proposal to reduce legal immigration.
Trump’s labor and immigration policies are “strongly” backed by an average 32 percent of the respondents, and are “somewhat” supported by another 25 percent. That is an average support of almost 60 percent, versus strong opposition of just 15 percent. Roughly 10 percent did not answer the questions.
Ipsos is a highly rated polling firm, but conducted the poll in September and hid the pro-Trump answers until Nov. 16, a week after the election.
The poll shows the “strong support” and “somewhat support” numbers for various policies. That is important because those details help explain Americans’ contradictory desire to help their kids and also help foreign migrants. The “strong” and “somewhat” numbers also show how many Americans might take action if a controversial policy is implemented or cancelled.
Trump’s promise to start “immediately deporting” illegals who have committed crimes gets 75 percent strong and somewhat support, and only 7 percent strong opposition. That’s 10-to-one support..
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The Ipsos poll shows that only about one-in-six Americans strongly oppose Trump’s policies towards immigrant labor, repatriations, sanctuary cities, Islamic migrants, employer oversight and his ground-breaking proposal to reduce legal immigration.
Trump’s labor and immigration policies are “strongly” backed by an average 32 percent of the respondents, and are “somewhat” supported by another 25 percent. That is an average support of almost 60 percent, versus strong opposition of just 15 percent. Roughly 10 percent did not answer the questions.
Ipsos is a highly rated polling firm, but conducted the poll in September and hid the pro-Trump answers until Nov. 16, a week after the election.
The poll shows the “strong support” and “somewhat support” numbers for various policies. That is important because those details help explain Americans’ contradictory desire to help their kids and also help foreign migrants. The “strong” and “somewhat” numbers also show how many Americans might take action if a controversial policy is implemented or cancelled.
Trump’s promise to start “immediately deporting” illegals who have committed crimes gets 75 percent strong and somewhat support, and only 7 percent strong opposition. That’s 10-to-one support..
More
What Happens When the Fake Stock Market Driven By Fake Data Finally Adjusts to Economic Realities?
While we’re on the topic of fake news… how about we assess the fake economy of the last eight years?
President Obama at one point claimed that those who questioned the strength of the recovery were “peddling fiction.”
It’s an interesting claim given the entire recovery, at least post 2010, has been built on fake economic data to perpetuate a fake narrative of growth.
A few key items…
There is no way on earth that the real unemployment rate is less than 5%. Over 45 million people are on food stamps and over 94 million people are out of the work force. Claiming unemployment is at 5% in the context of these two other data points is like claiming you’re in incredible shape provided you don’t count body fat or cardiovascular health.
FAKE.
Then there’s GDP growth…
The US has yet to achieve a single year of 3% GDP growth in the last eight years. Unfortunately even these weak growth numbers were fake. The US’s economic reality stripped of accounting gimmicks is in fact much worse.
The most obvious gimmick is that of using a low deflator measure for inflation.
Let me give you an example. According to the latest GDP numbers, the latest GDP deflator was 1.11%. This means that inflation was supposedly only 1.11% during the last quarter.
At the same time, the official inflation measure for inflation, the CPI, is 2.4%.
Put another way, inflation is supposedly at 2.4% until it comes time to calculate GDP growth at which time it magically falls to 1.11% so that GDP growth looks larger than it really is.
FAKE.
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President Obama at one point claimed that those who questioned the strength of the recovery were “peddling fiction.”
It’s an interesting claim given the entire recovery, at least post 2010, has been built on fake economic data to perpetuate a fake narrative of growth.
A few key items…
There is no way on earth that the real unemployment rate is less than 5%. Over 45 million people are on food stamps and over 94 million people are out of the work force. Claiming unemployment is at 5% in the context of these two other data points is like claiming you’re in incredible shape provided you don’t count body fat or cardiovascular health.
FAKE.
Then there’s GDP growth…
The US has yet to achieve a single year of 3% GDP growth in the last eight years. Unfortunately even these weak growth numbers were fake. The US’s economic reality stripped of accounting gimmicks is in fact much worse.
The most obvious gimmick is that of using a low deflator measure for inflation.
Let me give you an example. According to the latest GDP numbers, the latest GDP deflator was 1.11%. This means that inflation was supposedly only 1.11% during the last quarter.
At the same time, the official inflation measure for inflation, the CPI, is 2.4%.
Put another way, inflation is supposedly at 2.4% until it comes time to calculate GDP growth at which time it magically falls to 1.11% so that GDP growth looks larger than it really is.
FAKE.
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Bannon Unfazed by Criticism of Trump Appointment
Donald Trump's chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, is unfazed by the negative attention surrounding his White House appointment and feels no obligation to make peace with anyone in the Republican Party, according to two allies.
Bannon, the controversial former chairman of Breitbart News, has been holed up in an office at Trump Tower in recent days, taking a procession of meetings and phone calls as part of the transition effort.
All the while, he has been assailed by Democrats and civil rights groups who have called him everything from a white nationalist to a racist to an anti-Semite. Scores of Democrats in Congress have urged Trump to fire him.
Despite the criticism, sources close to Bannon say he’s not deviating an inch from the nationalist populist movement that propelled Trump to the presidency. If anything, he finds the negative attention motivating.
“He gets a kick out of that stuff,” said a source close to Bannon.
“He doesn’t care. He’s just doing what he has to do.”
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Bannon, the controversial former chairman of Breitbart News, has been holed up in an office at Trump Tower in recent days, taking a procession of meetings and phone calls as part of the transition effort.
All the while, he has been assailed by Democrats and civil rights groups who have called him everything from a white nationalist to a racist to an anti-Semite. Scores of Democrats in Congress have urged Trump to fire him.
Despite the criticism, sources close to Bannon say he’s not deviating an inch from the nationalist populist movement that propelled Trump to the presidency. If anything, he finds the negative attention motivating.
“He gets a kick out of that stuff,” said a source close to Bannon.
“He doesn’t care. He’s just doing what he has to do.”
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Obama: Establishment Media Were Shattered in 2016 Election
The American public has used the Internet to build a new mainstream media outside the establishment media’s control and power, President Barack Obama admitted to the top editor of the elite New Yorker magazine.
The editor, David Remnick, met with Obama for two hours on Nov. 10, just after Obama met the President Elect. Obama bemoaned the emergence of mainstream media outlets, such as Drudge and Breitbart and Facebook-shared conservations, that do not take their orders from establishment politicians, experts and institutions.
What frustrated Obama and his staff [in the 2016 campaign] was the knowledge that, in large measure, they were reaching their own people but no further. They spoke to the networks and the major cable outlets, the major papers and the mainstream Web sites, and, in an attempt to find people “where they are,” forums such as Bill Maher’s and Samantha Bee’s late-night cable shows, and Marc Maron’s podcast. But they would never reach the collective readerships of Breitbart News, the Drudge Report, WND, Newsmax, InfoWars, and lesser-knowns like Western Journalism—not to mention the closed loop of peer-to-peer right-wing rumor-mongering.
… That marked a decisive change from previous political eras, [Obama] maintained.
More here
The editor, David Remnick, met with Obama for two hours on Nov. 10, just after Obama met the President Elect. Obama bemoaned the emergence of mainstream media outlets, such as Drudge and Breitbart and Facebook-shared conservations, that do not take their orders from establishment politicians, experts and institutions.
What frustrated Obama and his staff [in the 2016 campaign] was the knowledge that, in large measure, they were reaching their own people but no further. They spoke to the networks and the major cable outlets, the major papers and the mainstream Web sites, and, in an attempt to find people “where they are,” forums such as Bill Maher’s and Samantha Bee’s late-night cable shows, and Marc Maron’s podcast. But they would never reach the collective readerships of Breitbart News, the Drudge Report, WND, Newsmax, InfoWars, and lesser-knowns like Western Journalism—not to mention the closed loop of peer-to-peer right-wing rumor-mongering.
… That marked a decisive change from previous political eras, [Obama] maintained.
More here
This wasn’t an election. It was a revolution.
Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New York writer focusing on radical Islam.
This wasn’t an election. It was a revolution. It’s midnight in America.
The day before fifty million Americans got up and stood in front of the great iron wheel that had been grinding them down.
They stood there even though the media told them it was useless.
They took their stand even while all the chattering classes laughed and taunted them.
They were fathers who couldn’t feed their families anymore. They were mothers who couldn’t afford health care.
They were workers whose jobs had been sold off to foreign countries. They were sons who didn’t see a future for themselves.
They were daughters afraid of being murdered by the “unaccompanied minors” flooding into their towns.
They took a deep breath and they stood.
They held up their hands and the great iron wheel stopped.
The Great Blue Wall crumbled. The impossible states fell one by one. Ohio. Wisconsin. Pennsylvania. Iowa.
The white working class that had been overlooked and trampled on for so long got to its feet.
It rose up against its oppressors and the rest of the nation, from coast to coast, rose up with it.
They fought back against their jobs being shipped overseas while their towns filled with migrants that got everything while they got nothing.
This wasn’t an election. It was a revolution. It’s midnight in America.
The day before fifty million Americans got up and stood in front of the great iron wheel that had been grinding them down.
They stood there even though the media told them it was useless.
They took their stand even while all the chattering classes laughed and taunted them.
They were fathers who couldn’t feed their families anymore. They were mothers who couldn’t afford health care.
They were workers whose jobs had been sold off to foreign countries. They were sons who didn’t see a future for themselves.
They were daughters afraid of being murdered by the “unaccompanied minors” flooding into their towns.
They took a deep breath and they stood.
They held up their hands and the great iron wheel stopped.
The Great Blue Wall crumbled. The impossible states fell one by one. Ohio. Wisconsin. Pennsylvania. Iowa.
The white working class that had been overlooked and trampled on for so long got to its feet.
It rose up against its oppressors and the rest of the nation, from coast to coast, rose up with it.
They fought back against their jobs being shipped overseas while their towns filled with migrants that got everything while they got nothing.
Steve Bannon’s Real Crime: Providing Deplorables with News Alternative
They can start with the half-million web hits defaming Stephen K. Bannon as anti-Semitic.
First, the obligatory disclaimer clearing a good man being defamed. I have known Steve Bannon for nearly two decades. During that time, we have enjoyed frank dinnertime conversations about public policy and political philosophy. He’s never uttered a single word that would suggest any racist or anti-Semitic views.
The mainstream media would know this if they bothered with some real reporting.
“I have worked with Stephen K. Bannon, President-elect Donald Trump’s new chief strategist and senior counselor, for nearly six years at Breitbart News,”attests Joel Pollak, Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. “I can say, without hesitation, that Steve is a friend of the Jewish people and a defender of Israel, as well as being a passionate American patriot and a great leader.”
Pollak’s defense of Bannon carries added significance. An Orthodox Jew, Pollak wrote his Master’s thesis in Jewish Studies on “the troubled status of Jews in an increasingly anti-Israel, and antisemitic, post-apartheid South Africa.”
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40 Gallon Chili Feast In Pittsville
This is no small deal Folks. There's 80 pounds of ground beef, a ton of beans and all sorts of ingredients to make this chili absolutely perfect. Six hours of constantly stirring the pot. You just can't get this kind of chili in any restaurant. Thanks again Rick & Pat.
#BoycottHamilton Trends After ‘Hamilton’ Cast Members Harass Mike Pence
The hashtag #BoycottHamilton became a top trend on social media Saturday after cast members from the popular Broadway show Hamilton lectured Vice President-elect Mike Pence from the stage on Friday night.
Pence was apparently booed as he took his seat. As the performance concluded and Pence exited the theater, actor Brandon Victor Dixon lectured him about how a “diverse America” is “alarmed and anxious” about the incoming Trump administration.
“We, sir — we — are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” Dixon said as Pence exited the building.
The fallout and backlash have been swift..
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Pence was apparently booed as he took his seat. As the performance concluded and Pence exited the theater, actor Brandon Victor Dixon lectured him about how a “diverse America” is “alarmed and anxious” about the incoming Trump administration.
“We, sir — we — are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” Dixon said as Pence exited the building.
The fallout and backlash have been swift..
More
New Jersey’s pension nightmare
New Jersey is in serious trouble: For the 10th time since Gov. Chris Christie took office, Standard & Poor’s last week downgraded the state’s credit rating.
This, after it had already changed its outlook for the state from “stable” to “negative.”
The moves will speed up Trenton’s fiscal death spiral by boosting borrowing costs, which will make it harder to make ends meet and address the state’s long-term “structural” budget gap.
This, after it had already changed its outlook for the state from “stable” to “negative.”
The moves will speed up Trenton’s fiscal death spiral by boosting borrowing costs, which will make it harder to make ends meet and address the state’s long-term “structural” budget gap.
The heart of the problem? Pensions owed to state workers.
“We base the downgrade on our expectation that state budget pressures will intensify,” says S&P analyst David Hitchcock. The agency foresees a worsening of the Garden State’s “sizable structural budget imbalance, driven primarily by pension underfunding.”
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“We base the downgrade on our expectation that state budget pressures will intensify,” says S&P analyst David Hitchcock. The agency foresees a worsening of the Garden State’s “sizable structural budget imbalance, driven primarily by pension underfunding.”
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Letter To The Editor 11-21-16
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"In early 2016 the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County entered into an agreement with TriData LLC to provide an expert, unbiased evaluation of the Fire Service in the City of Salisbury and Wicomico County. The contract stated that TriData would evaluate the level of current services and provide a financial analysis, to include:
Task 1- Collection and Review of Background Information
Task 2- Triage of Issues
Task 3- Analyze SFD coverage and Demand
Task 4- Cost Apportionment
Task 5- Draft and Final Report"
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First question. How much did this cost each of the City and the County? What did the study cost each of them?
Fist point of clarification. The main character involved in this "Study" is behind the scenes and no one knows just how biased this "Study" is for the City of Salisbury. Tri Data was chosen because of this main Character and Bob Culver was duped into this contract because of his ignorance. To say the least, Jim Ireton got over on Mr. Culver!
Main Character: Stephan Brezler of now Salisbury, Maryland. Former Fire Chief of the Salisbury Fire Department.
Look on Page (9) of this similar study done early in January 2016 for Forsyth County, North Carolina. I can't copy and paste the critical information here so I will post the link and direct to the "Qualifications" Page of the Project Manager and you can come up with your own conclusions.
https://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/Commissioners/Agendas/documents/131032331411271419.pdf
Go to page 19 of 27 pages on the actual PDF. On the "Resolution" the actual page is page 9 which continues into page 20 of 27 or Page 10 of the Resolution.
4. Key Project Team Members
Project Manager
Someone intentionally failed to disclose this key information to Bob Culver. This information is extremely biased and should not be accepted. This contract should be Null and Void and a refund should be due to Wicomico County.
Not only did Tri Data LLC and Jim Ireton Dupe the Wicomico County Executive, Tri Data LLC duped Jim Ireton and the City of Salisbury as well as Bob Culver. All they had to do was show up to a couple of "Interviews" in Salisbury and Wicomico, then take one of the similar "Studies" and change the names on the final version which is saved on a Hard Drive somewhere. Easy money! Studies are like elections, they are rigged!
This should be exposed before Wicomico County agrees to this fire service agreement.
Leader Of BGF Gang Sentenced To Life in Prison For Fed. Racketeering Conspiracy
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A U.S. District Judge has sentenced several members of the Black Guerilla Family gang, including its leader, on Monday for racketeering and drug conspiracies.
BGF leader Mark Bazemore, 31, also known a Uncle Mark, was handed a life sentence. Michael Smith Jr., 30, also known as Mikey or Lil Mike received a sentence of at least 17 years behind bars.
Prosecutors said both men, who are from Baltimore, were in charge of the gang’s drug operation. Bazemore was convicted of one murder and one attempted murder of former associates back in 2014.
Timothy Hurtt, 45 also known as Uncle Tim, was sentenced to 27 years in prison. According to prosecutors, the Baltimore County man was also heavily involved in the BGF’s drug dealing network.
A federal jury convicted the three men in June.
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BGF leader Mark Bazemore, 31, also known a Uncle Mark, was handed a life sentence. Michael Smith Jr., 30, also known as Mikey or Lil Mike received a sentence of at least 17 years behind bars.
Prosecutors said both men, who are from Baltimore, were in charge of the gang’s drug operation. Bazemore was convicted of one murder and one attempted murder of former associates back in 2014.
Timothy Hurtt, 45 also known as Uncle Tim, was sentenced to 27 years in prison. According to prosecutors, the Baltimore County man was also heavily involved in the BGF’s drug dealing network.
A federal jury convicted the three men in June.
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Caterpillar Retail Sales Decline For Record 47 Consecutive Months
While Caterpillar's CEO may have resigned recently, admitting that he misjudged the business strategy, the stock does not appear to be bothered, soaring by 15% since the Trump victory on hopes an infrastructure push would make excavators great again. For now, however, the woes at the heavy industrial manufacturer continue, with yet another month of declining global sales, the company's 47th in a row.
To be sure, there was a glimmer of hope for CAT coming out of Asia, where retail sales continued the rebound after posting positive gains in the August and September, rising 12% in October, the biggest annual gain since September 2012. This however was offset by continuing declines in North America, the EAME and Latin Ameica regions, which declined by 16%, 14% and 24% respectively.
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To be sure, there was a glimmer of hope for CAT coming out of Asia, where retail sales continued the rebound after posting positive gains in the August and September, rising 12% in October, the biggest annual gain since September 2012. This however was offset by continuing declines in North America, the EAME and Latin Ameica regions, which declined by 16%, 14% and 24% respectively.
More