House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is becoming frustrated with centrist Democrats for casting votes that may suit their individual political considerations, but undermine the interest of the party as a whole. The difficulty she's running into is complicated by the legacy of Obamacare.
House Republicans have been wielding what little power they have in the minority to force Democrats to cast difficult votes that split their caucus. On Wednesday, Republicans employed a parliamentary tool known as a " motion to recommit," to get centrist Democrats to add an amendment to a gun control bill to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement if an illegal immigrant tries to purchase a gun. That meant the rest of the caucus had to vote for the ICE provision, which they hated, to secure passage of their gun control legislation.
As my colleague Susan Ferrechio reported, Pelosi has now been telling her caucus to, as a rule, just vote against all Republican motions to recommit. Meanwhile, she is working with other party leaders to come up with a way to limit the ability of the minority party to offer such votes. But even if she succeeds in weakening this particular tactic, it doesn't change the more fundamental problem facing Pelosi.
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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 06, 2019
Doug Casey On The Climate-Change Hoax, Part 2
Today, I continue my conversation with Doug Casey and Strategic Investoreditor E.B. Tucker on the great climate change hoax. If you missed part one, click here to catch up.
Below, the guys take a closer look at what’s really going on… and why all of the hysteria is actually a big threat…
Justin: Why peddle this idea that the Earth is warming rapidly? What’s the motive?
E.B.: Bigger government.
I mean, climate change has become a pop culture drumbeat. If you watch the Oscars, somebody is going to say, “We’ve got to do something about the climate.”
But no one, of course, knows what to do. All they know is that we should give the government more money to do something about this. And that money is obviously going to come from the developed world. I mean you’re not going to get any money if you implement a carbon tax in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
So it’s basically just a giant tax scheme. I mean carbon taxes brought in $82 billion last year. That’s a big number. And no one even knows where this money goes. You can’t question it because everybody has the best of intentions.
Justin: It’s just one big money grab?
E.B.: It’s about more than just money. Carbon taxes give government much more control over commerce. When you buy an airline ticket to fly over Kansas, you’ve got to pay a bunch of money to a U.N. organization to mitigate the effect you have on the lower atmosphere or whatever as you fly through it in an airplane.
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Below, the guys take a closer look at what’s really going on… and why all of the hysteria is actually a big threat…
Justin: Why peddle this idea that the Earth is warming rapidly? What’s the motive?
E.B.: Bigger government.
I mean, climate change has become a pop culture drumbeat. If you watch the Oscars, somebody is going to say, “We’ve got to do something about the climate.”
But no one, of course, knows what to do. All they know is that we should give the government more money to do something about this. And that money is obviously going to come from the developed world. I mean you’re not going to get any money if you implement a carbon tax in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
So it’s basically just a giant tax scheme. I mean carbon taxes brought in $82 billion last year. That’s a big number. And no one even knows where this money goes. You can’t question it because everybody has the best of intentions.
Justin: It’s just one big money grab?
E.B.: It’s about more than just money. Carbon taxes give government much more control over commerce. When you buy an airline ticket to fly over Kansas, you’ve got to pay a bunch of money to a U.N. organization to mitigate the effect you have on the lower atmosphere or whatever as you fly through it in an airplane.
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How the 2020 Democrats Learned To Love Ethanol
For a while, it looked like Iowa’s favorite corn subsidy might be in jeopardy. But even the newly green Democrats are lining up in favor.
Every four years, presidential candidates make pilgrimages to Iowa and preach the gospel of ethanol, the corn-based fuel that pours nearly $5 billion into the state’s economy every year.
This time, it looked like things might really be different.
In 2016, Ted Cruz won Iowa's Republican caucus as a heretic, arguing that the Renewable Fuels Standard—the federal policy that requires billions of gallons of ethanol to be mixed into American gasoline—was a boondoggle. Among Democrats, meanwhile, the incentive to kowtow to the rural Iowans who love ethanol has faded; the party has lost most of its support in farm country, and its new early state primary schedule could reduce Iowa’s importance in 2020. And heading into the 2020 primaries, as the candidates rush to declare climate change an emergency and embrace an aggressive “Green New Deal” to fight it, ethanol has lost its luster as a green fuel, as scientific evidence mounts that it’s intensifying the climate problem rather than helping to solve it.
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Every four years, presidential candidates make pilgrimages to Iowa and preach the gospel of ethanol, the corn-based fuel that pours nearly $5 billion into the state’s economy every year.
This time, it looked like things might really be different.
In 2016, Ted Cruz won Iowa's Republican caucus as a heretic, arguing that the Renewable Fuels Standard—the federal policy that requires billions of gallons of ethanol to be mixed into American gasoline—was a boondoggle. Among Democrats, meanwhile, the incentive to kowtow to the rural Iowans who love ethanol has faded; the party has lost most of its support in farm country, and its new early state primary schedule could reduce Iowa’s importance in 2020. And heading into the 2020 primaries, as the candidates rush to declare climate change an emergency and embrace an aggressive “Green New Deal” to fight it, ethanol has lost its luster as a green fuel, as scientific evidence mounts that it’s intensifying the climate problem rather than helping to solve it.
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Ocasio-Cortez, chief of staff illegally moved $885G in campaign contributions 'off the books,' FEC complaint alleges
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Saikat Chakrabarti, the progressive firebrand's multimillionaire chief of staff, apparently violated campaign finance law by funneling nearly $1 million in contributions from political action committees Chakrabarti established to private companies that he also controlled, according to an explosive complaint filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and obtained by Fox News.
Amid the allegations, a former FEC commissioner late Monday suggested in an interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation that Ocasio-Cortez and her team could separately be facing major fines and potentially even jail time if they were knowingly and willfully violating the law by hiding their control of the Justice Democrats political action committee (PAC). Such an arrangement could have allowed Ocasio-Cortez's campaign to receive donations in excess of the normal limit, by pooling contributions to both the PAC and the campaign itself.
The FEC complaint asserts that Chakrabarti established two PACs, the Brand New Congress PAC and Justice Democrats PAC, and then systematically transfered more than $885,000 in contributions received by those PACs to the Brand New Campaign LLC and the Brand New Congress LLC -- companies that, unlike PACs, are exempt from reporting all of their significant expenditures. The PACs claimed the payments were for "strategic consulting."
Although large financial transfers from PACs to LLCs are not necessarily improper, the complaint argues that the goal of the "extensive" scheme was seemingly to illegally dodge detailed legal reporting requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which are designed to track campaign expenditures.
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Amid the allegations, a former FEC commissioner late Monday suggested in an interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation that Ocasio-Cortez and her team could separately be facing major fines and potentially even jail time if they were knowingly and willfully violating the law by hiding their control of the Justice Democrats political action committee (PAC). Such an arrangement could have allowed Ocasio-Cortez's campaign to receive donations in excess of the normal limit, by pooling contributions to both the PAC and the campaign itself.
The FEC complaint asserts that Chakrabarti established two PACs, the Brand New Congress PAC and Justice Democrats PAC, and then systematically transfered more than $885,000 in contributions received by those PACs to the Brand New Campaign LLC and the Brand New Congress LLC -- companies that, unlike PACs, are exempt from reporting all of their significant expenditures. The PACs claimed the payments were for "strategic consulting."
Although large financial transfers from PACs to LLCs are not necessarily improper, the complaint argues that the goal of the "extensive" scheme was seemingly to illegally dodge detailed legal reporting requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which are designed to track campaign expenditures.
More
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ocasio-cortezs-millionaire-chief-of-staff-violated-fec-rules-to-hide-885g-fec-complaint-alleges
Over 100 House Dems Support Banning Private Health Insurance Plans
A radical new health care proposal that, if implemented, would ban private insurance coverage has garnered the endorsement of more than 100 members of the House Democratic conference—nearly half of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (Calif.) 235-seat majority.
Last week, Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), introduced the Medicare-for-All Act of 2019. Billed as a means to provide "freedom of choice" to health care consumers, the legislation would require everyone, regardless of existing insurance coverage, to enroll in Medicare within two years of passage. Under the proposal, "all primary care, hospital, and outpatient" services would be covered by Medicare without any co-pay or out-of-pocket costs. Encompassed among the list of covered procedures are abortion, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and transportation to and from "health care" appointments for low-income individuals and those with disabilities.
The proposal's most controversial aspect, however, entails the phasing out of private insurance plans. The bill would make it illegal for private insurance providers to sell health coverage that "duplicates the benefits" offered by the taxpayer-funded Medicare-for-All program. Likewise, the bill prohibits employers from offering coverage to their employees if it mirrors those offered by the federal government. Private health insurance plans could only be sold to individuals or offered by employers if they "provide supplemental coverage" on top of Medicare-for-All. Other provisions in the bill limit the federal government from subsidizing any private insurance plans.
Despite polling showing that more than 80 percent of voters oppose eliminating private insurance plans, Jayapal's bill garnered the backing of 105 other House Democrats upon introduction.
More here
Last week, Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), introduced the Medicare-for-All Act of 2019. Billed as a means to provide "freedom of choice" to health care consumers, the legislation would require everyone, regardless of existing insurance coverage, to enroll in Medicare within two years of passage. Under the proposal, "all primary care, hospital, and outpatient" services would be covered by Medicare without any co-pay or out-of-pocket costs. Encompassed among the list of covered procedures are abortion, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and transportation to and from "health care" appointments for low-income individuals and those with disabilities.
The proposal's most controversial aspect, however, entails the phasing out of private insurance plans. The bill would make it illegal for private insurance providers to sell health coverage that "duplicates the benefits" offered by the taxpayer-funded Medicare-for-All program. Likewise, the bill prohibits employers from offering coverage to their employees if it mirrors those offered by the federal government. Private health insurance plans could only be sold to individuals or offered by employers if they "provide supplemental coverage" on top of Medicare-for-All. Other provisions in the bill limit the federal government from subsidizing any private insurance plans.
Despite polling showing that more than 80 percent of voters oppose eliminating private insurance plans, Jayapal's bill garnered the backing of 105 other House Democrats upon introduction.
More here
Bill To End 'Forever War' In Afghanistan, Compensate Veterans, Introduced In Senate
A bipartisan bill introduced on Tuesday by Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Tom Udall (D-NM) would end US involvement in the nearly two-decade-long war in Afghanistan.
The 2019 American Forces Going Home After Noble Service (AFGHANS) Act calls for a declaration of victory in Afghanistan, along with a 45-day deadline for a comprehensive withdrawal plan to withdraw all US forces within a year, according to a statement from Paul's office.
The bill also calls for the establishment of a "framework for political reconciliation to be implemented by Afghans."
Additionally, the legislation would require the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to be repealed at the end of the withdrawal. Passed in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the AUMF has come under political scrutiny in recent years as it is still used to bypass Congress in justifying military operations against terrorist groups.
And the bill would have the federal government pay, within one year, a $2,500 bonus to the more than 3 million military service members who have served in the war — a one-time cost of about $7 billion.
That bonus would be “an immediate savings of over 83% when compared to the current yearly costs,” the statement says. -The Hill
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The 2019 American Forces Going Home After Noble Service (AFGHANS) Act calls for a declaration of victory in Afghanistan, along with a 45-day deadline for a comprehensive withdrawal plan to withdraw all US forces within a year, according to a statement from Paul's office.
The bill also calls for the establishment of a "framework for political reconciliation to be implemented by Afghans."
Additionally, the legislation would require the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to be repealed at the end of the withdrawal. Passed in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the AUMF has come under political scrutiny in recent years as it is still used to bypass Congress in justifying military operations against terrorist groups.
And the bill would have the federal government pay, within one year, a $2,500 bonus to the more than 3 million military service members who have served in the war — a one-time cost of about $7 billion.
That bonus would be “an immediate savings of over 83% when compared to the current yearly costs,” the statement says. -The Hill
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Black College Football Star Says He Raped White Woman As Payback for ‘400 Years of Slavery’
I will give you all the money in my pockets right now if this isn’t one of the most racist things you’ve ever read, also the most disgusting, vile, and evil things. A football player violently raped a woman (heinous enough as it is) and justified it thusly: “that’s for 400 years of slavery.”
If your eyes just popped out of your head and rolled across the floor, go pick them up. Dust them off. Put them back in your head. Because no, you didn’t read that wrong. This football player actually used that “justification” for his terrible act.
“Mr. Batey continued to abuse and degrade me, urinating on my face while uttering horrific racial hate speech that suggested I deserved what he was doing to me because of the color of my skin. He didn’t even know who I was.”
In prior court hearings, prosecutors have acknowledged a racial statement was made but it was never said publicly in court.
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If your eyes just popped out of your head and rolled across the floor, go pick them up. Dust them off. Put them back in your head. Because no, you didn’t read that wrong. This football player actually used that “justification” for his terrible act.
“Mr. Batey continued to abuse and degrade me, urinating on my face while uttering horrific racial hate speech that suggested I deserved what he was doing to me because of the color of my skin. He didn’t even know who I was.”
In prior court hearings, prosecutors have acknowledged a racial statement was made but it was never said publicly in court.
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Hillary Clinton Warns "I'm Not Going Anywhere" After Ruling Out 2020 Bid
As her still-loyal staffers exact their long-awaited revenge on the Sanders campaign, it's becoming increasingly clear that, though her political influence has diminished significantly since her historic defeat at the hands of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton isn't going away. Though some longtime Clinton loyalists haven't given up on the possibility of a third presidential bid, the former Secretary of State told a CNN affiliate in Wetschester on Monday that, though she has ruled out another run in 2020, she would like the world to know that "I'm not going anywhere."
"I'm not running, but I'm going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe,"the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee told CNN affiliate News 12 Westchester.
"I want to be sure that people understand I'm going to keep speaking out. I'm not going anywhere," Clinton said.
This comes after CNN reported in January, citing several sources close to the Clintons, that Hillary was making preliminary preparations for a possible run in 2020 - though they added that it would still be surprising if she entered the race (well, maybe for them).
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"I'm not running, but I'm going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe,"the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee told CNN affiliate News 12 Westchester.
"I want to be sure that people understand I'm going to keep speaking out. I'm not going anywhere," Clinton said.
This comes after CNN reported in January, citing several sources close to the Clintons, that Hillary was making preliminary preparations for a possible run in 2020 - though they added that it would still be surprising if she entered the race (well, maybe for them).
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Senate passes polystyrene food container ban in Maryland
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland is one step closer to becoming the first state to ban the use of foam food containers and cups.
Half of Maryland residents already live in areas where polystyrene foam is banned. This bill makes it statewide.
A bill receiving bipartisan support in the state Senate passed Tuesday after days of debate. The bill bans expanded polystyrene, or EPS, foam food containers, often confused with Styrofoam, from being used by restaurants, grocery stores and other food providers. The bill also bans the retail sale of these products. The bill passed 34-13, with bipartisan support.
Many Republicans expressed concern that banning polystyrene foam food containers and cups would hurt farmers and small businesses.
"It's an unnecessary burden that isn't going to do anything for the environment," said Sen. Justin Ready, R-Carroll County.
Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings said, based on his research, polystyrene can be recycled. He cited news articles saying the material is not necessarily bad for the environment. He fed mealworms polystyrene foam and water to prove his point.
"All these mealworms turned into this, the beetles. It's true, they eat Styrofoam. They do survive," Jennings said.
Sen. Cheryl Kagan, D-Montgomery County, the bill's sponsor, set the record straight.
"The Styrofoam retains toxic chemicals. It cannot be recycled. It does not break down. It does not biodegrade," Kagan said.
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Half of Maryland residents already live in areas where polystyrene foam is banned. This bill makes it statewide.
A bill receiving bipartisan support in the state Senate passed Tuesday after days of debate. The bill bans expanded polystyrene, or EPS, foam food containers, often confused with Styrofoam, from being used by restaurants, grocery stores and other food providers. The bill also bans the retail sale of these products. The bill passed 34-13, with bipartisan support.
Many Republicans expressed concern that banning polystyrene foam food containers and cups would hurt farmers and small businesses.
"It's an unnecessary burden that isn't going to do anything for the environment," said Sen. Justin Ready, R-Carroll County.
Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings said, based on his research, polystyrene can be recycled. He cited news articles saying the material is not necessarily bad for the environment. He fed mealworms polystyrene foam and water to prove his point.
"All these mealworms turned into this, the beetles. It's true, they eat Styrofoam. They do survive," Jennings said.
Sen. Cheryl Kagan, D-Montgomery County, the bill's sponsor, set the record straight.
"The Styrofoam retains toxic chemicals. It cannot be recycled. It does not break down. It does not biodegrade," Kagan said.
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Bloomberg Out: Will Not Run For President In 2020 Amid "Crowded Field"
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided against running for president in the 2020 election - and will instead use his political clout and immense personal fortune to try and prevent Donald Trump from winning another term, according to the New York Times.
In a Tuesday tweet, Bloomberg said: "While there would be no higher honor than serving as president, my highest obligation as a citizen is to help the country the best way I can, right now," adding that he will be launching a new effort called "Beyond Carbon."
While Bloomberg is aligned with Democrats on key issues such as climate change and gun violence, his pro-business moderate stance is unlikely to gel with a party rapidly gravitating towards socialist ideals. His support of the police along with a "generally favorable view of Wall Street," would have also proven to be impediments, notes the Times.
In a Bloomberg Opinion article announcing his decision, Bloomberg said that he thought he could have defeated Trump in a general election, but had become "clear-eyed about the difficulty of winning the Democratic nomination in such a crowded field."
"It’s essential that we nominate a Democrat who will be in the strongest position to defeat Donald Trump and bring our country back together," said Bloomberg. "We cannot allow the primary process to drag the party to an extreme that would diminish our chances in the general election and translate into ‘Four More Years.’"
The Trumps, as expected, are having a good time with the announcement:
In a Tuesday tweet, Bloomberg said: "While there would be no higher honor than serving as president, my highest obligation as a citizen is to help the country the best way I can, right now," adding that he will be launching a new effort called "Beyond Carbon."
While Bloomberg is aligned with Democrats on key issues such as climate change and gun violence, his pro-business moderate stance is unlikely to gel with a party rapidly gravitating towards socialist ideals. His support of the police along with a "generally favorable view of Wall Street," would have also proven to be impediments, notes the Times.
In a Bloomberg Opinion article announcing his decision, Bloomberg said that he thought he could have defeated Trump in a general election, but had become "clear-eyed about the difficulty of winning the Democratic nomination in such a crowded field."
"It’s essential that we nominate a Democrat who will be in the strongest position to defeat Donald Trump and bring our country back together," said Bloomberg. "We cannot allow the primary process to drag the party to an extreme that would diminish our chances in the general election and translate into ‘Four More Years.’"
The Trumps, as expected, are having a good time with the announcement:
Virginia bill blocks Bloomberg from embedding climate lawyers in attorney general's office
Virginia has become the first state to crack down on billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg’s effort to embed within the attorney general’s office privately funded lawyers dedicated to pursuing climate change litigation.
The Republican-controlled General Assembly inserted an amendment in the 2019 biennial budget requiring those working for the attorney general to be state or federal government employees — with certain exceptions — and paid solely with public funds.
Last week’s addition to the $100 billion budget bill, which goes to Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, for his signature, would appear to nix any effort by Attorney General Mark Herring to bring on climate lawyers paid for by the Bloomberg-funded State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at the New York University School of Law.
Cheering the amendment was Chris Horner, senior fellow at the free market Competitive Enterprise Institute who hailed Virginia as the first state to take action against what he has called “private mercenaries” engaged in “law enforcement for rent.”
“Sunday’s vote is a statement from Virginia’s elected representatives that Bloomberg’s money can’t buy a donor’s way into Virginia law enforcement,” Mr. Horner said in a social media post. “We applaud this vote while wondering what’s wrong with the rest of these legislatures.”
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The Republican-controlled General Assembly inserted an amendment in the 2019 biennial budget requiring those working for the attorney general to be state or federal government employees — with certain exceptions — and paid solely with public funds.
Last week’s addition to the $100 billion budget bill, which goes to Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, for his signature, would appear to nix any effort by Attorney General Mark Herring to bring on climate lawyers paid for by the Bloomberg-funded State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at the New York University School of Law.
Cheering the amendment was Chris Horner, senior fellow at the free market Competitive Enterprise Institute who hailed Virginia as the first state to take action against what he has called “private mercenaries” engaged in “law enforcement for rent.”
“Sunday’s vote is a statement from Virginia’s elected representatives that Bloomberg’s money can’t buy a donor’s way into Virginia law enforcement,” Mr. Horner said in a social media post. “We applaud this vote while wondering what’s wrong with the rest of these legislatures.”
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Ben Carson: Trump Is No Racist
An African-American member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet is insisting the nation's chief executive is not a racist, refuting what Michael Cohen said last week.
During an exclusive interview with Newsmax's John Gizzi, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said Cohen — who previously worked as Trump's personal attorney — was wrong when he called Trump a racist during a congressional hearing.
"I've never seen anything even remotely [from Trump] that would remind me of racist. And believe me, I recognize a racist when I see them."
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During an exclusive interview with Newsmax's John Gizzi, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said Cohen — who previously worked as Trump's personal attorney — was wrong when he called Trump a racist during a congressional hearing.
"I've never seen anything even remotely [from Trump] that would remind me of racist. And believe me, I recognize a racist when I see them."
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Black journalists' group places CNN on 'special monitoring list'
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) said Tuesday that it would place CNN on a "special media monitoring list," citing a lack of black representation among the network's leadership ranks.
NABJ said in a statement that its preliminary research showed that CNN has no black employees reporting to CNN President Jeff Zucker. It also showed that the news organization has no black executive producers as well as no black vice presidents or senior vice presidents on the news side.
CNN disputed the group's finding that there are no black vice presidents on the news side, according to NABJ. But the news network did not provide the name or position of the vice president or vice presidents, NABJ said.
The NABJ said a four-person delegation sought to meet with Zucker but that the CNN president refused to do so because of "a personal issue between CNN and NABJ’s Vice President-Digital Roland Martin" stemming from Martin's participation in a 2016 town hall with then-Democrat presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
More here
NABJ said in a statement that its preliminary research showed that CNN has no black employees reporting to CNN President Jeff Zucker. It also showed that the news organization has no black executive producers as well as no black vice presidents or senior vice presidents on the news side.
CNN disputed the group's finding that there are no black vice presidents on the news side, according to NABJ. But the news network did not provide the name or position of the vice president or vice presidents, NABJ said.
The NABJ said a four-person delegation sought to meet with Zucker but that the CNN president refused to do so because of "a personal issue between CNN and NABJ’s Vice President-Digital Roland Martin" stemming from Martin's participation in a 2016 town hall with then-Democrat presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
More here
Thirty-One Attorneys General Challenge New Title X Restrictions on Women’s Reproductive Health Care
BALTIMORE, MD (March 5, 2019) – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a coalition of 31 State Attorneys Generals in filing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a new Title X “Gag Rule” that will significantly restrict access to reproductive health services and information for women and families. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Eugene, Oregon and led by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Read more in the full press release:http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2019/030519.pdf
Read more in the full press release:http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2019/030519.pdf
Bibles Unharmed After Church Fire in West Virginia
A fire at the Freedom Ministries Church in Daniels, West Virginia burnt the walls of the building but left the Bibles and crosses unharmed, ABC News reports.
"On March 3 around 12:58am our department was dispatched to assist Beaver VFD with a structure fire at the Freedom Ministries Church, located in Grandview WV," the Coal City Fire Department wrote on Facebook. "Though odds were against us, God was not."
"Picture this, a building so hot that at one point in time, firefighters had to back out," the post continued. "In your mind, everything should be burned, ashes. Not a single bible was burned and not a single cross was harmed!! Not a single firefighter was hurt!"
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"On March 3 around 12:58am our department was dispatched to assist Beaver VFD with a structure fire at the Freedom Ministries Church, located in Grandview WV," the Coal City Fire Department wrote on Facebook. "Though odds were against us, God was not."
"Picture this, a building so hot that at one point in time, firefighters had to back out," the post continued. "In your mind, everything should be burned, ashes. Not a single bible was burned and not a single cross was harmed!! Not a single firefighter was hurt!"
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Pollak: Students Want College to Be ‘Political Utopia that Doesn’t Allow for Dissent’
Monday on MSNBC’s “Live,” Breitbart News’ senior editor-at-large Joel Pollak discussed President Donald Trump’s plan for an executive order “requiring colleges and universities to support free speech if they want federal research dollars.”
When asked if government intervention can change cultural problems on campuses, Pollack said, “I think the real answers are yes and no. So yes insofar as universities that have these speech codes, especially public universities, really shouldn’t have them—they’re arguably anti-constitutional. And as federal taxpayers, we should not want our money going to universities that do this kind of thing, especially if they are public universities. So you could increase tolerance, you could decrease the use of these speech codes by using federal grant money as leverage.”
He continued, “Broadly it requires a much bigger effort.
I think the problem is oddly generational.
When asked if government intervention can change cultural problems on campuses, Pollack said, “I think the real answers are yes and no. So yes insofar as universities that have these speech codes, especially public universities, really shouldn’t have them—they’re arguably anti-constitutional. And as federal taxpayers, we should not want our money going to universities that do this kind of thing, especially if they are public universities. So you could increase tolerance, you could decrease the use of these speech codes by using federal grant money as leverage.”
He continued, “Broadly it requires a much bigger effort.
I think the problem is oddly generational.
San Francisco's outrageous rent hits a new peak of $3,690, highest in the US
This article, San Francisco's outrageous rent hits a new peak of $3,690, highest in the US, originally appeared on CNET.com.
Get your Kleenex ready.
The median rent for a one bedroom apartment in San Francisco has reached a new peak of $3,690, according to survey data from Zumper, a home and apartment rental app. That's also a rise of nearly 9 percent from the same time last year, the survey found.
Not only are those figures high enough to make your bank account cringe, but they're also nearly 30 percent higher than New York City and more than double the prices in Miami. Seattle, home to Amazon and Microsoft, rang in at $1,970 and Washington, DC, hit $2,150.
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Get your Kleenex ready.
The median rent for a one bedroom apartment in San Francisco has reached a new peak of $3,690, according to survey data from Zumper, a home and apartment rental app. That's also a rise of nearly 9 percent from the same time last year, the survey found.
Not only are those figures high enough to make your bank account cringe, but they're also nearly 30 percent higher than New York City and more than double the prices in Miami. Seattle, home to Amazon and Microsoft, rang in at $1,970 and Washington, DC, hit $2,150.
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Colorado drops transgender cake case against Christian baker Jack Phillips
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission on Tuesday dropped its latest case against Christian cake shop owner Jack Phillips, handing him a second victory against state officials over his refusal to create cakes for certain LGBT events.
Mr. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cake shop in Lakewood, Colorado, agreed in exchange to drop his lawsuit against the state, which he filed last year after the commission took action against him for declining to make a blue-and-pink cake to celebrate a transgender transition.
Kristen Waggoner, who represents Mr. Phillips as Alliance Defending Freedom senior vice president, called the outcome “great news for everyone.”
“We’re pleased that the state has dismissed its case against Jack,” said Ms. Waggoner, senior vice president. “This is the second time the state has launched a failed effort to prosecute him..."
More here
Mr. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cake shop in Lakewood, Colorado, agreed in exchange to drop his lawsuit against the state, which he filed last year after the commission took action against him for declining to make a blue-and-pink cake to celebrate a transgender transition.
Kristen Waggoner, who represents Mr. Phillips as Alliance Defending Freedom senior vice president, called the outcome “great news for everyone.”
“We’re pleased that the state has dismissed its case against Jack,” said Ms. Waggoner, senior vice president. “This is the second time the state has launched a failed effort to prosecute him..."
More here
Illegal immigration at worst rate since 2007
Illegal immigration across the southwest border is at its highest levels in more than a decade, the government said Tuesday, contradicting claims of Democrats who say there is no border crisis and bolstering President Trump’s case for an emergency.
Border Patrol agents nabbed more than 66,000 illegal immigrants jumping the border in February alone, the worst such month since February 2008, and overall illegal immigration is up 97 percent compared to last year.
At that rate, the country is on track to arrest more than 780,000 illegal immigrants trying to sneak into the country this fiscal year. That would be the worst since 2007.
Officials said the current numbers are worse, though, in that a majority of them are children and families from Central America, under current U.S. policy they are much tougher to deport. That only invites more to make the journey, said Brian Hastings. chief of operations at the Border Patrol.
“The word of mouth and social media quickly gets back to those in northern triangle countries — if you bring a child, you’ll be successful,” Chief Hastings said.
More here
Border Patrol agents nabbed more than 66,000 illegal immigrants jumping the border in February alone, the worst such month since February 2008, and overall illegal immigration is up 97 percent compared to last year.
At that rate, the country is on track to arrest more than 780,000 illegal immigrants trying to sneak into the country this fiscal year. That would be the worst since 2007.
Officials said the current numbers are worse, though, in that a majority of them are children and families from Central America, under current U.S. policy they are much tougher to deport. That only invites more to make the journey, said Brian Hastings. chief of operations at the Border Patrol.
“The word of mouth and social media quickly gets back to those in northern triangle countries — if you bring a child, you’ll be successful,” Chief Hastings said.
More here
Tennessee GOP Says Intensity of Far-Left Protests Has Increased
Republican members of the Tennessee legislature say they are concerned about the increased willingness for physical confrontation exhibited by protesters, two of whom were charged with assault last week after cornering a group of lawmakers in the Capitol building.
The latest clash came on Thursday, when protesters demanding the removal of a bust of a Confederate general mobbed lawmakers and threw a cup of coffee into a group of them. The confrontation led to the arrest of activists Justin Jones and Jeneisha Harris, who were hit with assault and disorderly conduct charges.
The presence of Jones, who has been temporarily banned from the Capitol, has become commonplace in recent years, but the willingness to physically confront members has increased, Republicans say.
Jones was arrested last year for trespassing and resisting arrest after he disrupted a campaign event for Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), but the physical confrontation is new. Two weeks before this Thursday's assault arrest, Jones "bumped" Speaker Glen Casada in the halls of the Capitol while demanding a meeting on the Confederate bust.
Republican lawmaker Cameron Sexton told the Free Beacon his caucus fears what will come next.
The latest clash came on Thursday, when protesters demanding the removal of a bust of a Confederate general mobbed lawmakers and threw a cup of coffee into a group of them. The confrontation led to the arrest of activists Justin Jones and Jeneisha Harris, who were hit with assault and disorderly conduct charges.
The presence of Jones, who has been temporarily banned from the Capitol, has become commonplace in recent years, but the willingness to physically confront members has increased, Republicans say.
Jones was arrested last year for trespassing and resisting arrest after he disrupted a campaign event for Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), but the physical confrontation is new. Two weeks before this Thursday's assault arrest, Jones "bumped" Speaker Glen Casada in the halls of the Capitol while demanding a meeting on the Confederate bust.
Republican lawmaker Cameron Sexton told the Free Beacon his caucus fears what will come next.
Chinese Hackers Target Universities to Steal Naval Technology
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday quoted cybersecurity experts, including current and former U.S. officials, who saidChinese hackers have targeted almost 30 universities around the world since April 2017 in a bid to steal research associated with military naval technology.
The cyber attack was discovered when security experts discovered university networks were inexplicably attempting to communicate with a group of servers in China controlled by a well-known hacking group.
The mysterious network “pings” proved to be emanating from malware slipped into the university networks by tricking users into opening virus-laden email attachments, a technique known as “phishing.”
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The cyber attack was discovered when security experts discovered university networks were inexplicably attempting to communicate with a group of servers in China controlled by a well-known hacking group.
The mysterious network “pings” proved to be emanating from malware slipped into the university networks by tricking users into opening virus-laden email attachments, a technique known as “phishing.”
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Company offers to build 234 miles of border wall for $1.4 billion
A U.S. company is offering to build 234 miles of President Trump's border wall for just $1.4 billion, a fraction of the $8 billion the Trump administration is hoping to use for that project.
Fisher Sand and Gravel Company's President and CEO Tommy Fisher said the government is overpaying and that for $4.31 billion, he can build the wall and incorporate paved roads and border technology plus warranty.
"Our whole point is to break through the government bureaucracy," Fisher told the Washington Examiner. "If they do the small procurements as they are now … that’s not going to cut it."
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Fisher Sand and Gravel Company's President and CEO Tommy Fisher said the government is overpaying and that for $4.31 billion, he can build the wall and incorporate paved roads and border technology plus warranty.
"Our whole point is to break through the government bureaucracy," Fisher told the Washington Examiner. "If they do the small procurements as they are now … that’s not going to cut it."
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Limbaugh: Here’s How We Know Democrats Believe Trump Is Going To Win In 2020
Rush Limbaugh started his show Tuesday in medias res, launching right into the ongoing national discussion about the question that Democrats in particular are obsessing over night and day: Will Trump be re-elected in 2020? The answer in most Democrats' minds, Limbaugh insisted, is yes. And some of the big stories of the week are yet more evidence of that fact, he suggested.
"No, no," said Rush to kick off his three-hour radio program Tuesday. "I think it means the Democrats expect Trump to be reelected. And look, after that CPAC speech Saturday, everybody knows he’s gonna be reelected. A couple more of those, and it’s over."
How do we know that everybody, particularly Democrats, already knows Trump's going to be president for four more years? Because "Democrats are telling us they think that he’s gonna be reelected. That’s what [Jerry] Nadler’s doing. This witch hunt."
After teasing his big topic of the day, Limbaugh provided some of the key evidence for his claim. Citing a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll published Monday that shows Trump’s approval at 46%, Limbaugh exclaimed: "They’re dying on the left!"
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"No, no," said Rush to kick off his three-hour radio program Tuesday. "I think it means the Democrats expect Trump to be reelected. And look, after that CPAC speech Saturday, everybody knows he’s gonna be reelected. A couple more of those, and it’s over."
How do we know that everybody, particularly Democrats, already knows Trump's going to be president for four more years? Because "Democrats are telling us they think that he’s gonna be reelected. That’s what [Jerry] Nadler’s doing. This witch hunt."
After teasing his big topic of the day, Limbaugh provided some of the key evidence for his claim. Citing a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll published Monday that shows Trump’s approval at 46%, Limbaugh exclaimed: "They’re dying on the left!"
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Scalise: Pelosi ‘Has To Remove’ Omar From Foreign Affairs Committee
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Tuesday that Speaker Nancy Pelosi should strip Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar of her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in an interview with Fox News. Omar has been accused recently of pushing anti-Semitic tropes.
House Democratic leaders plan on bringing a resolution condemning anti-Semitism to the floor Wednesday presumably because of the backlash Omar has faced. The text of the resolution reportedly does not mention her by name.
Omar has received backlash for several comments related to Israel. She recently shared her sentiments regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict and the “dual loyalty” she feels like members of Congress have to Israel over the weekend. Many of her colleagues, including some on the Foreign Affairs Committee with her, have condemned her statements.
WATCH:
House Democratic leaders plan on bringing a resolution condemning anti-Semitism to the floor Wednesday presumably because of the backlash Omar has faced. The text of the resolution reportedly does not mention her by name.
Omar has received backlash for several comments related to Israel. She recently shared her sentiments regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict and the “dual loyalty” she feels like members of Congress have to Israel over the weekend. Many of her colleagues, including some on the Foreign Affairs Committee with her, have condemned her statements.
WATCH:
Legendary economist on biggest socialism myth
“I do have a great fear that in the long run we may not make it,” he told FOX Business’ David Asman.
Sowell is putting the onus on the education system and the media for encouraging people to “test ideas against facts.”
“Socialism is a wonderful sounding idea,” he said. “It’s only as a reality that it’s disastrous.”
At one time, Sowell described himself as a Marxist, but once he realized the truth, he changed his mind.
“Before I was a Marxist, I was an empiricist and I stayed an empiricist. And with the passing years simply as I looked into more and more things I saw the difference between reality and the rhetoric,” he said. “Unfortunately so many people today, including in the leading universities, don’t pay much attention to evidence.”
Sowell said that he hopes that the facts about socialism sink in before the policies are presented in the United States.
“When you see people starving in Venezuela and fleeing in the neighboring countries and realize that this a country that once had the world’s largest oil reserves, you realize that they have ruined a really good prospect with ideas that sounded good but didn’t turn out well,” he said.
More here
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/legendary-economist-on-biggest-socialism-myth
High-Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty, While High School Grads Line Up For University
Like most other American high school students, Garret Morgan had it drummed into him constantly: Go to college. Get a bachelor's degree.
"All through my life it was, 'if you don't go to college you're going to end up on the streets,' " Morgan said. "Everybody's so gung-ho about going to college."
So he tried it for a while. Then he quit and started training as an ironworker, which is what he is doing on a weekday morning in a nondescript high-ceilinged building with a concrete floor in an industrial park near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Morgan and several other men and women are dressed in work boots, hard hats and Carhartt's, clipped to safety harnesses with heavy wrenches hanging from their belts. They're being timed as they wrestle 600-pound I-beams into place.
Seattle is a forest of construction cranes, and employers are clamoring for skilled ironworkers. Morgan, who is 20, is already working on a job site when he isn't at the Pacific Northwest Ironworkers shop. He gets benefits, including a pension, from employers at the job sites where he is training. And he is earning $28.36 an hour, or more than $50,000 a year, which is almost certain to steadily increase.
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"All through my life it was, 'if you don't go to college you're going to end up on the streets,' " Morgan said. "Everybody's so gung-ho about going to college."
So he tried it for a while. Then he quit and started training as an ironworker, which is what he is doing on a weekday morning in a nondescript high-ceilinged building with a concrete floor in an industrial park near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Morgan and several other men and women are dressed in work boots, hard hats and Carhartt's, clipped to safety harnesses with heavy wrenches hanging from their belts. They're being timed as they wrestle 600-pound I-beams into place.
Seattle is a forest of construction cranes, and employers are clamoring for skilled ironworkers. Morgan, who is 20, is already working on a job site when he isn't at the Pacific Northwest Ironworkers shop. He gets benefits, including a pension, from employers at the job sites where he is training. And he is earning $28.36 an hour, or more than $50,000 a year, which is almost certain to steadily increase.
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Millennials believe calling yourself a socialist is sexy
Socialism has become "a new way to date" in Brooklyn, according to a New York Magazine writer. There's even an app for that.
Washington Times:
Things have gotten so social with socialism that the young and restless now can consult a dating app called Red Yenta to find the fellow socialist of their dreams. Creators Marissa Brostoff, 33, and Mindy Isser, 28, were concerned that socialist men were not dating socialist women, and described their new dating platform as a "communal service" to help filter through a potential date's political leanings.
Things have picked up considerably.
Indeed, when it becomes "hip" to dig on socialism, times are changing.
"Until very recently, it wasn't that socialism was toxic in a red-scare way. It was irrelevant, in a dustbin-of-history way. But then came Bernie Sanders's 2016 candidacy," writes Mr. Van Zuylen-Wood, citing the new popularity of the Democratic Socialists of America — which has 55,000 members in 250 local groups nationwide — and the "spectacular rise" of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat.
"Coolheaded Obaman technocracy is out; strident left-wing moral clarity is in. And while this atmospheric shift is felt most acutely among the left-literary crowd, it's also bled into the general discourse, such that Teen Vogue is constantly flacking against capitalism and one of the most devastating insults in certain corners of the internet is to call someone a neoliberal," Mr. van Zuylen-Wood said.
Teenage girls hating capitalism? Where do they think their smart phones come from? Try going to the mall in Cuba. What kind of shopping is available in North Korea?
That, in a nutshell, is the problem. Millennials may think socialism is sexy. But they haven't a clue what it is, or the brutal, oppressive history behind it.
More
Washington Times:
Things have gotten so social with socialism that the young and restless now can consult a dating app called Red Yenta to find the fellow socialist of their dreams. Creators Marissa Brostoff, 33, and Mindy Isser, 28, were concerned that socialist men were not dating socialist women, and described their new dating platform as a "communal service" to help filter through a potential date's political leanings.
Things have picked up considerably.
Indeed, when it becomes "hip" to dig on socialism, times are changing.
"Until very recently, it wasn't that socialism was toxic in a red-scare way. It was irrelevant, in a dustbin-of-history way. But then came Bernie Sanders's 2016 candidacy," writes Mr. Van Zuylen-Wood, citing the new popularity of the Democratic Socialists of America — which has 55,000 members in 250 local groups nationwide — and the "spectacular rise" of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat.
"Coolheaded Obaman technocracy is out; strident left-wing moral clarity is in. And while this atmospheric shift is felt most acutely among the left-literary crowd, it's also bled into the general discourse, such that Teen Vogue is constantly flacking against capitalism and one of the most devastating insults in certain corners of the internet is to call someone a neoliberal," Mr. van Zuylen-Wood said.
Teenage girls hating capitalism? Where do they think their smart phones come from? Try going to the mall in Cuba. What kind of shopping is available in North Korea?
That, in a nutshell, is the problem. Millennials may think socialism is sexy. But they haven't a clue what it is, or the brutal, oppressive history behind it.
More
U.S. Government Media Network Fires Journalists Over Report Critical of Soros
At the request of a scandal-plagued Democratic senator tried for bribery and corruption, the head of the government’s international media networks is abusing his office to punish employees behind a broadcast critical of leftwing billionaire George Soros. U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Chief John F. Lansing, an Obama appointee, is utilizing Stalinist techniques to retaliate against the journalists and producers involved in the Spanish-language segment which aired in May 2018 on Television Martí and was available for months online. Eight reporters and editors at the taxpayer-funded media outlet have been fired and Lansing has ordered a review of all content to address “patterns of unethical, unprofessional, biased, or sub-standard journalism.”
An employee at the Miami, Florida-based Martí headquarters said in a local newspaper report “the environment that has been created by the upper hierarchy of the Agency for Global Media is repressive. People write with fear. Adjectives are no longer used.”
Television Martí—and its radio counterpart—operate under the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) and comprise one of the USAGM’s five international multimedia networks. The others are Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting. The media outlets get about $685 million a year from American taxpayers and reportedly reach 345 million people worldwide in 59 languages. The global media agency was created to counter disinformation spread by oppressive regimes abroad. The USAGM website states that its mission is “to inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.” Television and Radio Martí were created to promote freedom and democracy by providing the people of Cuba with objective news and information programming.
The Soros broadcast focused on his efforts to cripple sovereign governments in Latin America. Judicial Watch was cited as a source because it investigated State Department funding of Soros groups in Colombia and published a report on Soros’ initiatives to advance a radical globalist agenda in Guatemala. Judicial Watch also released a special report documenting the financial and staffing nexus between Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) and the U.S. government.
More here
An employee at the Miami, Florida-based Martí headquarters said in a local newspaper report “the environment that has been created by the upper hierarchy of the Agency for Global Media is repressive. People write with fear. Adjectives are no longer used.”
Television Martí—and its radio counterpart—operate under the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) and comprise one of the USAGM’s five international multimedia networks. The others are Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting. The media outlets get about $685 million a year from American taxpayers and reportedly reach 345 million people worldwide in 59 languages. The global media agency was created to counter disinformation spread by oppressive regimes abroad. The USAGM website states that its mission is “to inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.” Television and Radio Martí were created to promote freedom and democracy by providing the people of Cuba with objective news and information programming.
The Soros broadcast focused on his efforts to cripple sovereign governments in Latin America. Judicial Watch was cited as a source because it investigated State Department funding of Soros groups in Colombia and published a report on Soros’ initiatives to advance a radical globalist agenda in Guatemala. Judicial Watch also released a special report documenting the financial and staffing nexus between Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) and the U.S. government.
More here
Public presentation of Pirate’s Wharf history tonight
SALISBURY, Md. – A public presentation of Pirate’s Wharf history will take place tonight at 6 p.m. in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Flanders Rooms.
Through a mini-grant from the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area Council, the County was able to hire Mike Hitch as a consultant to develop the story of Pirate’s Wharf. Hitch is a local genealogist and historian known for his research on Delmarva.
During the presentation, Hitch will detail his findings on the history of Pirate’s Wharf, dating from 1666 to current day. Hitch will also provide recommendations for how the County can incorporate the property’s history into the park’s master plan.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
Through a mini-grant from the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area Council, the County was able to hire Mike Hitch as a consultant to develop the story of Pirate’s Wharf. Hitch is a local genealogist and historian known for his research on Delmarva.
During the presentation, Hitch will detail his findings on the history of Pirate’s Wharf, dating from 1666 to current day. Hitch will also provide recommendations for how the County can incorporate the property’s history into the park’s master plan.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
Effort to Abandon Electoral College Gains Steam. Here’s What It Would Ruin for America.
Colorado is joining a list of states attempting to overturn the way Americans have selected their presidents for over two centuries.
The Colorado Legislature recently passed a bill to join an interstate effort called the “interstate compact,” to attempt to sidestep the Electoral College system defined by the Constitution. Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, called the Electoral College an “undemocratic relic” and vowed to sign the bill into law.
So far, 12 states representing 172 Electoral College votes have passed the initiative into law. With the addition of Colorado (which has nine votes), that number will rise to 181. They need 270 for the compact to go into effect. It would then undoubtedly be challenged in the courts.
Some major voices on the left were gleeful about the potential change.
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The Colorado Legislature recently passed a bill to join an interstate effort called the “interstate compact,” to attempt to sidestep the Electoral College system defined by the Constitution. Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, called the Electoral College an “undemocratic relic” and vowed to sign the bill into law.
So far, 12 states representing 172 Electoral College votes have passed the initiative into law. With the addition of Colorado (which has nine votes), that number will rise to 181. They need 270 for the compact to go into effect. It would then undoubtedly be challenged in the courts.
Some major voices on the left were gleeful about the potential change.
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New, awful data shows that the border invasion is worse than ever
If Trump had not signed the disastrous budget bill several weeks ago and we were still operating on a short-term CR with immigration remaining the top issue, today’s news could have strengthened Trump’s leverage. According to CBP’s preliminary figures obtained by the Washington Post, 76,325 illegal aliens were apprehended at the border in February, more than any other month in over a decade since the decline of migration from Mexico. A record 40,325 family units arrived, blowing out the previous records by almost 10,000. Sadly, Trump already signed away his leverage to force a national dialogue over this issue.
As a nation, we are left debating presidential power from an obscure statute that enables the president to obtain a mere $2.5 billion for partial fencing to deal with a policy-driven invasion. The joke is that even if Trump had full unity behind this approach, it would do little to stop this invasion, which is strategically directed toward soft parts of our border. Unless we force a national discussion over the courts and the illegal immigration magnets that are bringing immigrants in, this entire debate is a non-sequitur. Unfortunately, without a budget deadline for another seven months, no matter how bad things get at our border, there is no mechanism through which to pressure Democrats into submission.
A record 76,325 apprehensions for one month is truly staggering, not only because it’s the single worst month at the border since fiscal year 2008, but because almost all of these people get to stay on our dime.
Here is a quick report from Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies on what he’s hearing about the state of play at our border:
As a nation, we are left debating presidential power from an obscure statute that enables the president to obtain a mere $2.5 billion for partial fencing to deal with a policy-driven invasion. The joke is that even if Trump had full unity behind this approach, it would do little to stop this invasion, which is strategically directed toward soft parts of our border. Unless we force a national discussion over the courts and the illegal immigration magnets that are bringing immigrants in, this entire debate is a non-sequitur. Unfortunately, without a budget deadline for another seven months, no matter how bad things get at our border, there is no mechanism through which to pressure Democrats into submission.
A record 76,325 apprehensions for one month is truly staggering, not only because it’s the single worst month at the border since fiscal year 2008, but because almost all of these people get to stay on our dime.
Here is a quick report from Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies on what he’s hearing about the state of play at our border:
RECORD Immigration Surge at the Border
Arrests of families crossing into the U.S. illegally in the past five months hit a record, prompting the chief of Customs and Border Protection to say the system is at “the breaking point.”
From October through February, border agents arrested 136,150 people traveling in families for crossing the border illegally. The prior record for a 12-month period was 107,212, during the fiscal year that ended in September.
More than 66,400 people were arrested in February, making it the busiest month since President Trump took office and the busiest February since 2008.
The numbers were the sharpest evidence yet that, despite Mr. Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, the flow of migrants is only growing.
“This situation is not sustainable,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said while releasing the numbers Tuesday. “The system is well beyond capacity and remains at the breaking point.”
On Tuesday afternoon, the White House highlighted the new numbers, saying they “reflect an ever-worsening crisis on our southern border.”
More here
[Migrant Families Arrive In Busloads As Border Crossings Hit 10-Year High]
From October through February, border agents arrested 136,150 people traveling in families for crossing the border illegally. The prior record for a 12-month period was 107,212, during the fiscal year that ended in September.
More than 66,400 people were arrested in February, making it the busiest month since President Trump took office and the busiest February since 2008.
The numbers were the sharpest evidence yet that, despite Mr. Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, the flow of migrants is only growing.
“This situation is not sustainable,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said while releasing the numbers Tuesday. “The system is well beyond capacity and remains at the breaking point.”
On Tuesday afternoon, the White House highlighted the new numbers, saying they “reflect an ever-worsening crisis on our southern border.”
More here
[Migrant Families Arrive In Busloads As Border Crossings Hit 10-Year High]
Facing Historic Lawsuits, Purdue Pharma Considers Bankruptcy
Purdue Pharma, makers of the potent opioid painkiller OxyContin, is considering filing for bankruptcy as it faces nearly 2,000 lawsuits related to its role in the opioid crisis.
The pharmaceutical firm and its owners, the ultra-wealthy Sackler family, face a legal onslaught which could eclipse even the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, Reuters reports.
The company stands accused of using deceptive and misleading marketing practices to push opioid painkillers for long-term use on doctors and patients based on nearly non-existent scientific evidence. More than 1,600 states, cities, and other municipalities are suing, in a case consolidated in federal court in Northern Ohio.
At least one state, Massachusetts, is also suing members of the Sackler family in their individual capacity, as the once-celebrated name acquires increasing infamy in the worlds of philanthropy and public health.
Filing for bankruptcy would stop the litigation pressure and allow Purdue to negotiate a settlement out of federal court, under the supervision of a bankruptcy court judge. A company representative declined to comment to Reuters, saying only that "We are, however, committed to ensuring that our business remains strong and sustainable. We have ample liquidity and remain committed to meeting our obligations to the patients who benefit from our medicines, our suppliers and other business partners."
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The pharmaceutical firm and its owners, the ultra-wealthy Sackler family, face a legal onslaught which could eclipse even the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, Reuters reports.
The company stands accused of using deceptive and misleading marketing practices to push opioid painkillers for long-term use on doctors and patients based on nearly non-existent scientific evidence. More than 1,600 states, cities, and other municipalities are suing, in a case consolidated in federal court in Northern Ohio.
At least one state, Massachusetts, is also suing members of the Sackler family in their individual capacity, as the once-celebrated name acquires increasing infamy in the worlds of philanthropy and public health.
Filing for bankruptcy would stop the litigation pressure and allow Purdue to negotiate a settlement out of federal court, under the supervision of a bankruptcy court judge. A company representative declined to comment to Reuters, saying only that "We are, however, committed to ensuring that our business remains strong and sustainable. We have ample liquidity and remain committed to meeting our obligations to the patients who benefit from our medicines, our suppliers and other business partners."
More