The left is scared to death that its favored 2016 candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, could be on the ropes. Hillary’s favorable ratings are down dramatically from when she left office — in April 2013, her favorability rating stood at 56 percent, but by the end of October, it had dropped to 46 percent. Among independents that number dropped to 35 percent; Hillary even saw a dip of 12 points among Democrats, from 88 percent to 76 percent. Young people in particular are not pleased with the former First Lady — just 38 percent view her favorably, while 53 percent view her unfavorably.
What happened?
Benghazi happened. Since Clinton left office, the media finally found it safe to begin covering what happened in the months surrounding the Sept. 11, 2012, Benghazi terror attacks that resulted in the murder of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Whistleblowers like State Department employee and lifelong Democrat Gregory Hicks stepped forward. New memos entered the press. And Clinton, who oversaw a department that left Americans to defend themselves in one of the most dangerous places on the planet undermanned and largely unarmed, paid the price in polling.
Hillary’s failures in Benghazi underscored her larger problem: Her tenure as Secretary of State was an enormous failure. Not one place on earth is now freer due to her tenure. Even her greatest proponents seem only to tout her frequent flyer mileage in her defense.
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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
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Failure Of Failures
Could Obamacare end up as America’s worst domestic-policy disaster ever?
Indulge me if you will, and join me in imagining that Obamacare has taken the calamitous path of the Hindenburg and ended up as little more than a smoldering warning against hubris. Imagine, that is, that enrollment rates have remained dangerously low; that the risk pools consist largely of the elderly and the sick; that the insurance companies, unable to operate on the magical thinking of which the White House is so fond, are being forced either to get out of the market completely or to raise premiums dramatically; and that skittish Democrats have started to run away — first calling weakly for fixes, then hinting at more, and then barely resisting the temptation to follow the trail of the pitchforks and nullify the president’s signature achievement. Imagine, in other words, that things are bad.
Now answer me this: If such a scenario were actually to come to pass — and, of course, it most certainly has not as of yet — how serious a failure will we judge it to be? Will we see it as a hiccup? Will we claim that it is typical for a second term? Or will we consider it to be a calamity of historical proportions? Personally, I would plump for the lattermost: In my view, if Obamacare were to fail hard, it could well come to be seen as the most catastrophic domestic-policy enterprise of the last century.
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Indulge me if you will, and join me in imagining that Obamacare has taken the calamitous path of the Hindenburg and ended up as little more than a smoldering warning against hubris. Imagine, that is, that enrollment rates have remained dangerously low; that the risk pools consist largely of the elderly and the sick; that the insurance companies, unable to operate on the magical thinking of which the White House is so fond, are being forced either to get out of the market completely or to raise premiums dramatically; and that skittish Democrats have started to run away — first calling weakly for fixes, then hinting at more, and then barely resisting the temptation to follow the trail of the pitchforks and nullify the president’s signature achievement. Imagine, in other words, that things are bad.
Now answer me this: If such a scenario were actually to come to pass — and, of course, it most certainly has not as of yet — how serious a failure will we judge it to be? Will we see it as a hiccup? Will we claim that it is typical for a second term? Or will we consider it to be a calamity of historical proportions? Personally, I would plump for the lattermost: In my view, if Obamacare were to fail hard, it could well come to be seen as the most catastrophic domestic-policy enterprise of the last century.
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The President’s New Lie
“Substandard” and “cut- rate” is what President Obama calls the health plans that millions of Americans have lost, even though they wanted to keep them. Backpedaling on his promise that “if you like your plan, you can keep your plan,” Obama is now telling Americans another whopper. The president claims the insurance Americans can get on Obamacare exchanges is a better deal.
Don’t believe him. On the exchanges, you may no longer be able to use the doctors and hospitals you prefer. Many exchange plans exclude the top drawer academic hospitals like Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles, the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and New York Presbyterian in New York City. Instead, the law says that exchange plans must cover care at “essential community providers … that serve predominantly low-income, medically underserved individuals.” (Sec. 1311c(1)C) That means clinics, public hospitals and hospitals largely serving the Medicaid community.
The law’s authors reasoned that exchange plan customers should be able to shift back and forth between their plans and Medicaid, as their earnings fluctuate, without changing doctors and hospitals. That’s reasonable, but it’s bad news for consumers who had access to esteemed hospitals and doctors under their old plans and then got pushed into the exchanges.
Medicaid level care is, sadly, “substandard” to use the president’s word. A review of the experiences of nearly 900,000 patients undergoing eight different surgical procedures found that Medicaid patients were 50 percent more likely to die in the hospital after surgery than patients with private coverage. This review, by researchers at the University of Virginia, is one of several studies proving that Medicaid patients get worse care than patients with private insurance.
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Don’t believe him. On the exchanges, you may no longer be able to use the doctors and hospitals you prefer. Many exchange plans exclude the top drawer academic hospitals like Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles, the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and New York Presbyterian in New York City. Instead, the law says that exchange plans must cover care at “essential community providers … that serve predominantly low-income, medically underserved individuals.” (Sec. 1311c(1)C) That means clinics, public hospitals and hospitals largely serving the Medicaid community.
The law’s authors reasoned that exchange plan customers should be able to shift back and forth between their plans and Medicaid, as their earnings fluctuate, without changing doctors and hospitals. That’s reasonable, but it’s bad news for consumers who had access to esteemed hospitals and doctors under their old plans and then got pushed into the exchanges.
Medicaid level care is, sadly, “substandard” to use the president’s word. A review of the experiences of nearly 900,000 patients undergoing eight different surgical procedures found that Medicaid patients were 50 percent more likely to die in the hospital after surgery than patients with private coverage. This review, by researchers at the University of Virginia, is one of several studies proving that Medicaid patients get worse care than patients with private insurance.
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All-Girls Charter School In Del. Closing
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Delaware education officials say a predominantly black, all-girls charter school with a history of financial and academic struggles will close at the end of the school year.
Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said Wednesday that he would not recommend renewal of the charter for Reach Academy for Girls in New Castle, citing the school as the worst-performing academically in Delaware.
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Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said Wednesday that he would not recommend renewal of the charter for Reach Academy for Girls in New Castle, citing the school as the worst-performing academically in Delaware.
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Radiation Level Update
According to RadCast.org, radiation levels calmed down a bit in our nation since yesterday. In Huntsville, Alabama, levels are sitting at 42 counts per minute, with spokes of 47, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is hovering at 45. Charleston, West Virginia is slightly higher, with levels of 63 counts per minute. In the Midwest, Frederic, Wisconsin is seeing levels of 61 counts per minute, and South Dakota is hitting 52. Closer to the West Coast, levels in Chino Valley, Arizona are being reported at 51 counts per minute, and Fresno, California is hitting 56. RadCast.org reminds us that the alert level is 100 counts per minute, and they're working hard to keep us informed.
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Many Americans oppose NAFTA and other trade deals, but they haven't even heard of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison describes the TPP as the "largest corporate power grab you've never heard of." Despite 19 rounds of negotiations that started all the way back in 2005, many of the details of the TPP still remain secret, even to members of Congress.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a massive trade agreement among 12 nations, including the US. And it's being negotiated by government trade officials and corporate lobbyists. Representative Alan Grayson said that the TPP is "a punch in the face to the middle class of America," and added, "but I'm not even allowed to tell you why."
The deal would give multinational corporations the right to challenge our laws and regulations if firms believe those laws limit their "expected future profits." Not only would this trade agreement threaten American jobs, but it could seriously harm our national sovereignty. Regulations that protect workers, set environmental standards, or limit risk for consumers could be challenged if corporate greed isn't allowed to reign supreme.
Despite all of these dangerous possibilities, Americans are being kept in the dark about the TPP, and trade negotiators don't even want Congress weighing in. They're demanding so-called "fast track" authority, which would block any changes to the law, and only allow our elected leaders an "up or down" vote.
Unions, consumer protection groups, environmental activists, and even members of Congress are calling for changes to the law, or a flat-out rejection of the entire deal. For the sake of our nation, these groups are working to inform more Americans, and fighting to stop the TPP while we still have a chance.
Cool Upgrades At The Smithsonian
The Smithsonian Institution is launching a 3D digital museum as a way to bring more of its collection into the limelight. It can only showcase so many of its 137 million artifacts in its museums. So a small team is scanning three-dimensional models of some of the key treasures. They include the Wright brothers' first airplane, Amelia Earhart's flight suit and casts of President Abraham Lincoln's face during the Civil War. The Institution says people can use its new 3D online viewer to download data, and even print it out if they have 3D printers.
Try, Try Again
Before it launched, HealthCare.gov had serious security holes. But the memo never got to Henry Chao, the deputy CIO at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. So he went ahead and signed off on the launch. NextGov reports, this all came out in secret congressional testimony Monday night. A redacted version has been made public. One of the flaws won't be patched until the end of May. Meanwhile, CMS says it plans to email 275,000 people who had trouble signing up for health care insurance. It will tell them to try again now that the site is working a little better.
Voters Oppose Corporate Tax Cuts But Favor Minimum Wage Hike, Poll Finds
A minimum wage hike and corporate tax cut are being discussed by General Assembly leaders ahead of the 2014 session.
The survey conducted by Gonzales Research and Marketing Strategies for Progressive Maryland, a coalition of liberal groups, found overwhelming support for increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10, with more than 82% favoring the move. Support was strong from all groups — Democrats, Independents and even Republicans, as well as whites, blacks, men and women.
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From The Geniuses Who Brought You Brosurance, Here Comes Obamacare... For Sluts?
The Truth About Navigators
James O’Keefe reveals corruption at the heart of the president’s signature program.
James O’Keefe, the guerrilla videographer who helped bring down ACORN (the “community organizing” group that Barack Obama worked for as a lawyer and trainer) and got NPR’s president fired, is back.
This time, his undercover investigators focused on Obamacare’s “navigators,” the nearly 50,000 people who, in the words of the Department of Health and Human Services, “will serve as an in-person resource for Americans who want additional assistance in shopping for and enrolling in plans” on the Obamacare exchanges (at least when they’re finally working). The total value of grants doled out for nonprofits and community organizations to hire navigators has topped $67 million nationwide, and some of the money is going to a group run by ACORN’s highly controversial founder.
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James O’Keefe, the guerrilla videographer who helped bring down ACORN (the “community organizing” group that Barack Obama worked for as a lawyer and trainer) and got NPR’s president fired, is back.
This time, his undercover investigators focused on Obamacare’s “navigators,” the nearly 50,000 people who, in the words of the Department of Health and Human Services, “will serve as an in-person resource for Americans who want additional assistance in shopping for and enrolling in plans” on the Obamacare exchanges (at least when they’re finally working). The total value of grants doled out for nonprofits and community organizations to hire navigators has topped $67 million nationwide, and some of the money is going to a group run by ACORN’s highly controversial founder.
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Al-Qaeda Twitters Decapitation Directions
“They don’t want to seem violent…”
In a truly bizarre case of the 21st century meeting the 7th, al-Qaeda is taking to Twitter to instruct fellow terror thugs how to properly behead the enemies of Islam but ensuring said head lopping is done so in a “kindly” fashion, as reported by the Islamo-centric news portal Al-Alam of Tehran, Iran on Nov. 7, 2013.
The al-Qaeda franchise owner in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and Shaam (ISIS), has taken to the internet to instruct all al-Qaeda allies, from Boko Haram in Nigeria; to Lashkar-e-Omar (The Army of Omar) in Kashmir; to The Rajah Sulaiman Movement in the Philippines that when it comes to waging Jihad on either Western infidels or wayward Muslims, there is still conduite déraisonnable that won’t be tolerated, even the most ardent of Mujaheddin.
Specifically using the micro-blogging site Twitter, ISIS is admonishing that when it comes to decapitation, the Jihadi honchos still expect the rules of manners and decorum be adhered to.
Namely, ISIS is instructing that those who do the actual beheadings ensure they “kindly cut human’s head” due to their fear of not appearing all-that-friendly to the general public.
Or as Al-Alam published, “they don’t want to seem violent.”
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In a truly bizarre case of the 21st century meeting the 7th, al-Qaeda is taking to Twitter to instruct fellow terror thugs how to properly behead the enemies of Islam but ensuring said head lopping is done so in a “kindly” fashion, as reported by the Islamo-centric news portal Al-Alam of Tehran, Iran on Nov. 7, 2013.
The al-Qaeda franchise owner in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and Shaam (ISIS), has taken to the internet to instruct all al-Qaeda allies, from Boko Haram in Nigeria; to Lashkar-e-Omar (The Army of Omar) in Kashmir; to The Rajah Sulaiman Movement in the Philippines that when it comes to waging Jihad on either Western infidels or wayward Muslims, there is still conduite déraisonnable that won’t be tolerated, even the most ardent of Mujaheddin.
Specifically using the micro-blogging site Twitter, ISIS is admonishing that when it comes to decapitation, the Jihadi honchos still expect the rules of manners and decorum be adhered to.
Namely, ISIS is instructing that those who do the actual beheadings ensure they “kindly cut human’s head” due to their fear of not appearing all-that-friendly to the general public.
Or as Al-Alam published, “they don’t want to seem violent.”
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The Poor: Reagan vs. Obama
I think the poor need another Reagan in the White House.
The income of black heads-of-households dropped by 10.9 percent from June 2009 to June 2013. This decline in black income is more than double the overall 4.4 percent drop nationally in real, adjusted for inflation, median household income during the same four years of alleged “recovery.”
Similarly, real incomes of those under age 25 fell by 9.6 percent over the same period — again, more than double the average drop in household income.
Income in households headed by single women, with or without children, declined by approximately 7 percent over the same four years, a significantly higher drop than the national average.
The income of Hispanic heads-of-households fell by 4.5 percent, slightly more than the national decline, while the income of workers with a high school diploma or less dropped by 6.9 percent.
In dollar terms, the median income per year (including cash government benefits such as earned income tax credits, disability payments and unemployment insurance) in female-headed households and black households has dropped, respectively, by $2,300 and over $4,000 since Obama's stimulus-led “recovery” began in June 2009.
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The income of black heads-of-households dropped by 10.9 percent from June 2009 to June 2013. This decline in black income is more than double the overall 4.4 percent drop nationally in real, adjusted for inflation, median household income during the same four years of alleged “recovery.”
Similarly, real incomes of those under age 25 fell by 9.6 percent over the same period — again, more than double the average drop in household income.
Income in households headed by single women, with or without children, declined by approximately 7 percent over the same four years, a significantly higher drop than the national average.
The income of Hispanic heads-of-households fell by 4.5 percent, slightly more than the national decline, while the income of workers with a high school diploma or less dropped by 6.9 percent.
In dollar terms, the median income per year (including cash government benefits such as earned income tax credits, disability payments and unemployment insurance) in female-headed households and black households has dropped, respectively, by $2,300 and over $4,000 since Obama's stimulus-led “recovery” began in June 2009.
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Adult Science Quiz
Do you know more about science and technology than the average American?
Take our 13-question quiz to test your knowledge of scientific concepts. Then see how you did in comparison with the 1,006 randomly sampled adults asked the same questions in a national poll conducted by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian magazine.
The analysis of the findings from the poll can be found in the full report. (No peeking! If you are going to take the quiz, do it first before reading the analysis.)
GO HERE to take test.
Take our 13-question quiz to test your knowledge of scientific concepts. Then see how you did in comparison with the 1,006 randomly sampled adults asked the same questions in a national poll conducted by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian magazine.
The analysis of the findings from the poll can be found in the full report. (No peeking! If you are going to take the quiz, do it first before reading the analysis.)
GO HERE to take test.
WCSO Press Release 11-14-13
Incident: Burglary Arrest
Date of Incident: 8 November 2013
Location: 700 block of Olivia Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Dominic Keith Chandler, 23, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 8 November 2013 at 7:25 PM, a deputy arrested Dominic Chandler in connection with an incident that had occurred at a residence in the 700 block of Olivia Street in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the deputy learned that Dominic Chandler had come to the residence to confront a female subject. When the female would not let Chandler in, he kicked in the door, destroying it in the process. An argument ensued between the pair that ended only when the female subject called the sheriff. Chandler was gone upon the arrival of the deputy who obtained a warrant for Chandler’s arrest. Upon arrest, Chandler was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Chandler in the Detention Center in lieu of $2,000.00 bond.
Charges: Burglary 4th Degree and Malicious Destruction of Property
Chandler, Dominic
Incident: Disorderly Conduct
Date of Incident: 9 November 2013
Location: 700 block of Lake Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Shanna Myhail Spencer, 28, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 9 November 2013 at 8:28 AM, a deputy arrested Shanna Spencer in connection with an incident that had occurred at Chipman Elementary School the previous day. Spencer came to the school and entered a classroom of first graders as they were beginning their school day. Spencer proceeded to verbally accost one of the first graders that she believed had been bothering her child. During the incident Spender allegedly began to yell for her daughter to hit this young girl that she was accosting. The teacher and another school employee took steps to protect this student while getting Spencer from the classroom, all while Spencer was making threats in front of the students to blow up the school. Once in the school office, Spencer continued her behavior knocking a laptop and papers from a desk before she finally left the school. The investigating deputy obtained a warrant for the arrest of Spencer. Upon arrest, the deputy transported Spencer to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Spencer in the Detention Center in lieu of $20,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree, Threat of Arson, Disorderly Conduct and Disturb School Operations
Spencer, Shanna
Incident: WCSO Activity
Narrative: On 8-9 November 2013 the following individuals were located and taken into custody on open warrants:
- Henry William Suchting, 36, Pittsville, MD; was located in the 34000 block of Heartland Drive in Pittsville and arrested on an open Circuit Court Bench Warrant. The warrant had been issued after Suchting violated the terms of his probation in a CDS Possession with the Intent to Distribute case. Suchting was detained in the Detention Center on a bond of $25,000.00.
Suchting, Henry
- Howard Brian Purnell Sr., 51, Salisbury, MD; was located in the 900 block of Mohawk Avenue in Salisbury and arrested on an open Circuit Court Bench Warrant. The warrant had been issued after Purnell violated the terms of his probation in a CDS Possession case. Purnell was detained in the Detention center without bond.
Purnell, Howard
- Kevin Lamont White, 37, Salisbury, MD; was located in the 600 block of S. Westover Drive in Salisbury and arrested on an open District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after White failed to pay a deferred payment in a Driving Revoked case. White was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $1,065.00 bond.
White, Kevin
- April Frances Gibson, 28, Salisbury, MD; was located in the 29000 block of Raven Court in Salisbury and arrested on an open District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant had been issued after Gibson failed to appear in the District Court for a Driving Suspended case. Gibson was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $1,000.00 bond.
Gibson, April
Incident: Trespassing / Vandalism
Date of Incident: 12 November 2013
Location: 900 block of Delaware Avenue, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Jack Marcelles Braboy, 21, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 12 November 2013 at 7:33 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported trespassing complaint in the 900 block of Delaware Avenue in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the deputy learned that the residents there had been awoken to Jack Braboy banging on their front door. Upon opened the door, they stated Braboy was standing there, demanding the keys to their vehicle. The residents stated they did not know Braboy. The deputy, along with the residents, made three requests for Braboy to leave the property which Braboy refused to even acknowledge. Braboy also declined to answer any other questions posed by the deputy. The deputy also observed damage to the resident’s vehicle that had been reportedly caused by Braboy. The deputy placed Braboy under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Braboy on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Trespassing and Malicious Destruction of Property
Brayboy, Jack
Incident: Driving Suspended / False name
Date of Incident: 13 November 2013
Location: Ocean Gateway at Old Railroad Road, Hebron MD
Suspect: Ayomide O. Akinto, 21, Glendale, MD
Narrative: On 13 November 2013 at 5:00 AM, a deputy stopped a vehicle operated by a driver later identified as Ayomide Akinto for speeding on Ocean Gateway in the Hebron area. Upon contacting Akinto, he provided false information regarding his middle name and date of birth. Upon repeating the information back to Akinto he verified that it was correct. Akinto did not have a driver’s license with him. The deputy was unable to verify Akinto’s identity and authorization to drive using the information provided. After about 20 minutes, the deputy discovered information that revealed Akinto’s true middle name and date of birth. Upon conducting an inquiry with that information, the deputy discovered that Akinto’s privilege to drive had been suspended by the State of Maryland. The deputy also discovered an open District Court Bench Warrant that had been issued after Akinto failed to appear for a driving suspended case in Talbot County. The deputy placed Akinto under arrest for Driving suspended and providing a false name. Upon presentation to the District Court Commissioner, Akinto was detained in the Wicomico County Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond.
Charges: Driving Suspended, False Statement and Obstruct and Hinder
Akinto, Ayomide
Incident: Warrant
Date of Incident: 12 November 2013
Location: Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Joshua Dale Shelton, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 12 November 2013 at 3:00 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office arrested Joshua Shelton on an outstanding Circuit Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Shelton failed to appear for a violation of probation hearing in a case where he had been previously convicted of 4th degree burglary. Upon arrest, Shelton was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $1,000.00 bond.
Charges: Failure to Appear
Shelton, Joshua
CRONY CAPITALISTS, OBAMA FUNDRAISERS LOVE OBAMACARE
Take a quick glance at ObamaCare’s busted multimillion-dollar website and the 3.5 million health insurance cancelation notices hitting American mailboxes and you might be tempted to dub the whole thing a disaster. But it’s not -- at least not for the politically-connected crony companies and big money Obama fundraisers poaching your tax dollars to fix the debacle they helped create.
As CNBC recently put it: “Thanks to ObamaCare, the health-care industry is going to get a big makeover during the coming years and venture capitalists have wasted no time looking for ways to cash in.” Put simply, ObamaCare’s complexity and catastrophic rollout create rivers of cash for Obama’s cronies.
So who are some of the winners in the ObamaCare crony capitalist giveaway?
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As CNBC recently put it: “Thanks to ObamaCare, the health-care industry is going to get a big makeover during the coming years and venture capitalists have wasted no time looking for ways to cash in.” Put simply, ObamaCare’s complexity and catastrophic rollout create rivers of cash for Obama’s cronies.
So who are some of the winners in the ObamaCare crony capitalist giveaway?
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Tea Party At The Crossroads
Third parties have had an unbroken record of failure in American presidential politics. So it was refreshing to see in the Tea Party an insurgent movement, mainly of people who were not professional politicians, but who nevertheless had the good sense to see that their only chance of getting their ideals enacted into public policies was within one of the two major parties.
More important, the Tea Party was an insurgent movement that was not trying to impose some untried utopia, but to restore the lost heritage of America that had been eroded, undermined, or just plain sold out by professional politicians.
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Wicomico High School To Lead Downtown Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting
Mayor Ireton invites the public to join him at the annual City Tree Lighting ceremony. This year’s ceremony will be held on Friday, November 15th at 5:30pm on the Salisbury Downtown Plaza, and in conjunction with the last 3rd Friday of the year.
The ceremony will feature the Wicomico High School Chorus performing at 5:30pm followed by the Wicomico High School Band bringing Santa down the Plaza to the tree site. Mayor Ireton and other officials will be speaking and then the tree will be lit at approximately 6:30pm. Santa will then be greeting children and professional pictures with him will be provided at First Shore Federal Bank on Division Street.
The ceremony will feature the Wicomico High School Chorus performing at 5:30pm followed by the Wicomico High School Band bringing Santa down the Plaza to the tree site. Mayor Ireton and other officials will be speaking and then the tree will be lit at approximately 6:30pm. Santa will then be greeting children and professional pictures with him will be provided at First Shore Federal Bank on Division Street.
Obama’s Fallout For The Left
He will not be harmed by his “misspeaking,” but his fellow liberals will.
Conservatives keep blaring, “Obama lied!” over the president’s serial untruths about the Affordable Care Act. Even liberal pundits now talk of the president’s “misspeaking,” or even of his “misleading” statements and only so-so corrections.
But so what?
Obama is an iconic figure who will survive even the latest scandal of flatly misleading the American people, just as he was not harmed much by being less than honest about Benghazi, the AP monitoring, and the IRS and NSA scandals.
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Conservatives keep blaring, “Obama lied!” over the president’s serial untruths about the Affordable Care Act. Even liberal pundits now talk of the president’s “misspeaking,” or even of his “misleading” statements and only so-so corrections.
But so what?
Obama is an iconic figure who will survive even the latest scandal of flatly misleading the American people, just as he was not harmed much by being less than honest about Benghazi, the AP monitoring, and the IRS and NSA scandals.
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SFD Calls For Service 11-13-13
- Wednesday November, 13 2013 @ 12:13:22Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
- Wednesday November, 13 2013 @ 11:37:11Nature: Syncopal EpisodeCity: Salisbury
- Wednesday November, 13 2013 @ 09:19:19Nature: Chest PainCity: Salisbury
Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center
The Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center, in Salisbury, was able to purchase an ultrasound machine this past summer with the help of a grant from the Knights of Columbus, St. Francis de Sales Council # 3489. This addition of an ultrasound machine has made it possible for The Pregnancy Center to operate as a limited medical facility, providing ultrasound services to clients in the greater Salisbury area since August.
Pictured left to right with the new ultrasound machine are Kort Dickson (ESPC Board of Directors), Jacquelyn Seldon (ESPC Executive Director), George Nichols (Past Grand Knight, St. Francis de Sales Council #3489), and Edgar Williams (ESPC Board Chairman).
Homebuilders' Cancellation Rate Surges To Highest Since December
Despite ongoing optimism that the housing recovery can withstand fire, brimstone, rising rates, and collapsing confidence (in spite of the fact that indications from most top-down data are to the contrary), investors in US homebuilders may need to adjust this morning. If DR Horton is any indication of a broad trend (and empirical comparisons with its peers show that it is) then the firm's huge miss in its cancellation rate (31.0% vs an expectation of 25.5%) in Q3 should be food for thought. The surge in cancellation was the largest MoM since mid-2008 and jumped to its highest since December 2008.
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Wednesday, November 13, 2013
‘NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS THOUGHT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THIS COUNTRY’: ‘FOR THE RECORD’ EXPOSES THE ATTEMPT TO SILENCE WHISTLEBLOWERS
On Wednesday’s season finale episode of TheBlaze TV’s For The Record (8:30 p.m. ET), we expose the government’s post-9/11 war on journalists in “The Silencer.”
TheBlaze visited Hudson’s home where she was still reeling from the events of Aug. 6, when officers stormed her home in Shady Side, Md., guns drawn. Her private notes — sacred to any reporter — with information about confidential sources and her thoughts and constructs of her investigations into failures at the Federal Air Marshal Service were confiscated by a Department of Homeland Security employee who accompanied police.
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Americans’ Participation In Labor Force Hits 35-Year Low
(CNSNews.com) The percentage of American civilians 16 or older who have a job or are actively seeking one dropped to a 35-year low in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In September, the labor force participation rate was 63.2 percent, but in October it dropped to 62.8 percent—the lowest it has been since February 1978, when Jimmy Carter was president.
The labor force, according to BLS, is that part of the civilian noninstitutional population that either has a job or has actively sought one in the last four weeks. The civilian noninstitutional population consists of people 16 or older, who are not on active-duty in the military or in an institution.
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In September, the labor force participation rate was 63.2 percent, but in October it dropped to 62.8 percent—the lowest it has been since February 1978, when Jimmy Carter was president.
The labor force, according to BLS, is that part of the civilian noninstitutional population that either has a job or has actively sought one in the last four weeks. The civilian noninstitutional population consists of people 16 or older, who are not on active-duty in the military or in an institution.
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‘HOW F***ING DARE YOU’: MARK WAHLBERG RANTS AGAINST HOLLYWOOD PRIVILEGE, GIVES EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO SOLDIERS’ SACRIFICE
In a highly emotional Q&A session for the premiere of “Lone Survivor,” Wahlberg, sitting with Marcus Luttrell, the celebrated former Navy SEAL whom the highly anticipated film is based on, laid out the stark differences between what actors and soldiers go through.
“For actors to sit there and talk about, ‘Oh I went to SEAL training,’ and I slept on the — I don’t give a f*** what you did. You don’t do what these guys did,” Wahlberg said after the “Lone Survivor” screening, according to The Wrap.
“For somebody to sit there and say my job was as difficult as somebody in the military’s. How f***ing dare you. While you sit in a makeup chair for two hours,” he continued.
African American Labor Force Participation Hits 31-Year Low
(CNSNews.com) - The labor force participation rate for African Americans hit a 31-year low in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
At the same time, the overall labor force participation rate in the United States hit a 35-year low (see related story).
In September, the African American labor force participation rate was 61.3 percent. In October, it dropped to 60.7 percent--the lowest it has been since June 1982.
The labor force, according to BLS, is that part of the civilian non-institutional population that either has a job or has actively sought one in the last four weeks. The civilian non-institutional population consists of people 16 or older, who are not in the military or an institution.
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At the same time, the overall labor force participation rate in the United States hit a 35-year low (see related story).
In September, the African American labor force participation rate was 61.3 percent. In October, it dropped to 60.7 percent--the lowest it has been since June 1982.
The labor force, according to BLS, is that part of the civilian non-institutional population that either has a job or has actively sought one in the last four weeks. The civilian non-institutional population consists of people 16 or older, who are not in the military or an institution.
More
MAN DIES WAITING FOR PARAMEDICS AFTER THEY WERE SENT TO WRONG LOCATION – BUT IT’S WHAT HAD A 911 DISPATCHER DISTRACTED THAT’S MAKING HEADLINES
Bob Hill, 58, died during that time period.
The 911 dispatcher, Shauna Justice, was reportedly training a new employee when the emergency call came through on Sept. 4. Hill suffered a heart attack while playing racquetball with his friends.
In surveillance video obtained by WKMG-TV, Justice can be clearly seen using her cellphone as the new employee she was training entered the wrong location when sending ambulances to the scene.
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Americans 34 Times More Interested In Buying Guns Than Obamacare
It would appear that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) website - required when purchasing a gun or explosive - is capable of handling large volumes of users...
The Logic of Abortion 'Rights'
Last week, a top-of-the-hour newscast on my radio featured Lindsay Graham, who was arguing for banning abortions after 20 weeks based on the findings that babies can feel pain in utero at that time.
Why 20 weeks? According to testimony Congress heard from experts, at eight weeks, a baby reacts to touch, and after 20, he reacts to pain.
That's just what they have agreement on. For instance, there are experts who say that once the child has developed spinal circuitry at eight weeks, he feels pain.
See more
Why 20 weeks? According to testimony Congress heard from experts, at eight weeks, a baby reacts to touch, and after 20, he reacts to pain.
That's just what they have agreement on. For instance, there are experts who say that once the child has developed spinal circuitry at eight weeks, he feels pain.
See more
Americans’ Participation In Labor Force Hits 35-Year Low
In September, the labor force participation rate was 63.2 percent, but in October it dropped to 62.8 percent—the lowest it has been since February 1978, when Jimmy Carter was president.
The labor force, according to BLS, is that part of the civilian noninstitutional population that either has a job or has actively sought one in the last four weeks. The civilian noninstitutional population consists of people 16 or older, who are not on active-duty in the military or in an institution.
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HUFFPO: AFL-CIO SEES ILLEGAL ALIENS AS 'RECRUITS'
Some may have wondered why Big Labor and unions like the AFL-CIO would support amnesty when it would drive unemployment numbers up and wages down, particularly for workers who are members of those unions. Now, according to the Huffington Post, the AFL-CIO's position is much clearer: it views illegal aliens as potential “recruits.”
“That's what some natives don't understand,” Tefere Gebre, an AFL-CIO vice president, said in an interview with the Huffington Post focusing on his new leadership role with the union.
Specifically, Gebre was referring to what the Huffington Post’s Dave Jamieson described as how “many Americans don't appreciate the ambitions harbored by the foreign-born who journey here.”
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“That's what some natives don't understand,” Tefere Gebre, an AFL-CIO vice president, said in an interview with the Huffington Post focusing on his new leadership role with the union.
Specifically, Gebre was referring to what the Huffington Post’s Dave Jamieson described as how “many Americans don't appreciate the ambitions harbored by the foreign-born who journey here.”
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Change Maryland On LG Brown's Veterans Tax Relief Plan: Where’s The Follow Through?
Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan blasted Brown's hypocrisy: "Four years ago, this Lieutenant Governor stood before all Marylanders at a press conference and criticized this very proposal," he said. "Not only did his administration not cut taxes for veterans for seven years, Brown and other tax and spend politicians raised taxes forty consecutive times, further burdening struggling veterans. Now, as he looks to succeed his political mentor, Anthony Brown is finally ready to talk cuts. Our veterans deserve better than a Governor who is only in their corner when it's politically convenient."
Touting tax relief in an election year is old-hat for Brown, who joined Governor O’Malley in promising no new taxes on the campaign trail in 2010. However when the duo won reelection, they pushed for the most regressive taxes we have seen in recent history, which have taken billions out of Maryland's economy.
"Yesterday's proposal from Anthony Brown is nothing new," Hogan continued. "It is a plan that has stalled in Annapolis for nearly eight years. At any point during his seven year tenure as lieutenant governor, Brown could have followed through and championed this issue. Instead, he did nothing - except raise more taxes."
"For over seven years the O'Malley-Brown Administration ignored the needs of Marylanders, including the men and women who serve our country," said Hogan. "Now, during an election year, we're supposed to believe that Brown and others like him view veterans as a priority. But if history is any indication of what Brown would do as governor, it's obvious that our veterans, and Maryland as a whole, can't afford another four years of broken promises and failed policies."
Balancing Growth And Nature In A Greenspring Valley Stream
Why must its citizens fight so hard and constantly and long to protect what the laws say we should protect?
Should governments finally admit they don’t know how to grow without taking it out of nature’s hide; haven’t found a balance?
Small streams are less than a quarter of 1 percent of Maryland’s land and water surface; yet streams invest any landscape with a personality disproportionate to their mere acreage. They are where the Bay begins, close to every resident, where so many are first ensorcelled by the greater Chesapeake aquatic.
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Meet One Of The Victims Of Obama’s “Economic Recovery”
Have you ever cried yourself to sleep because you had no idea how you were going to pay the bills even though you were working as hard as you possibly could? You are about to hear from a single mother that has been there. Her name is Yolanda Vestal and she is another victim of Obama’s “economic recovery”. Yes, things have never been better for the top 0.01 percent of ultra-wealthy Americans that have got millions of dollars invested in the stock market. But for most of the rest of the country, things are very hard right now.
At this point, more than 102 million working age Americans do not have a job, and 40 percent of those that are actually working earn less than $20,000 a year in wages. If we actually are experiencing an “economic recovery”, then why is the federal government spending nearly a trillion dollars a year on welfare? And that does not even include entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. We live in a nation where poverty is exploding and the middle class is shrinking with each passing day. But nothing is ever going to get fixed if we all stick our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is “just fine”.
What you are about to read is an open letter to Barack Obama that has gone absolutely viral on the Internet in recent days. It is a letter that a single mother named Yolanda Vestal posted on her Facebook page, and it has really struck a nerve because countless other young parents can clearly identify with what she is going through. The following is the text of her letter…
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At this point, more than 102 million working age Americans do not have a job, and 40 percent of those that are actually working earn less than $20,000 a year in wages. If we actually are experiencing an “economic recovery”, then why is the federal government spending nearly a trillion dollars a year on welfare? And that does not even include entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. We live in a nation where poverty is exploding and the middle class is shrinking with each passing day. But nothing is ever going to get fixed if we all stick our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is “just fine”.
What you are about to read is an open letter to Barack Obama that has gone absolutely viral on the Internet in recent days. It is a letter that a single mother named Yolanda Vestal posted on her Facebook page, and it has really struck a nerve because countless other young parents can clearly identify with what she is going through. The following is the text of her letter…
More
Cell Phone Taxes Rack Up In Certain Parts Of America
Every month, like clockwork, cell phone bills come, and without much thought, they get paid.
However, a closer look at those charges will likely reveal some charges that are confusing, and what's more, they differ greatly between Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. In fact, the amount of money you pay in cell phone taxes depends, in part, on where you live.
The disparity between them is notable. A study by the D.C.-based Tax Foundation finds that Maryland checks in with the 12th highest cell phone taxes in the nation.
Continue reading
However, a closer look at those charges will likely reveal some charges that are confusing, and what's more, they differ greatly between Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. In fact, the amount of money you pay in cell phone taxes depends, in part, on where you live.
The disparity between them is notable. A study by the D.C.-based Tax Foundation finds that Maryland checks in with the 12th highest cell phone taxes in the nation.
Continue reading
Rand Paul: Benghazi Decisions ‘Should Preclude Hillary Clinton’ From Presidency
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told cadets at The Citadel in South Carolina today that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be disqualified from being president because she did not provide “adequate security” to the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.
“Her failure to provide our ambassador and his mission with adequate security should preclude Hillary Clinton from ever holding high office again,” Paul said Tuesday during a speech for The Citadel’s Greater Issues Series.
Without naming names, Paul said he believes the decision not to send reinforcement troops into Benghazi on the night of the Sept. 11, 2012 attack was made by a “politician,” not a military commander, and suggested that politician should not be allowed to serve as commander-in-chief.
“There were still people alive and fighting for hours upon hours, and there were some people in Tripoli who could have gone. I don’t think that decision was made by a military person. I think it was made ultimately by a politician,” Paul said.
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“Her failure to provide our ambassador and his mission with adequate security should preclude Hillary Clinton from ever holding high office again,” Paul said Tuesday during a speech for The Citadel’s Greater Issues Series.
Without naming names, Paul said he believes the decision not to send reinforcement troops into Benghazi on the night of the Sept. 11, 2012 attack was made by a “politician,” not a military commander, and suggested that politician should not be allowed to serve as commander-in-chief.
“There were still people alive and fighting for hours upon hours, and there were some people in Tripoli who could have gone. I don’t think that decision was made by a military person. I think it was made ultimately by a politician,” Paul said.
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Economist Predicts Maryland’s Continued Recovery In Economic Outlook
Irani presented RESI’s findings during the 2013 Economic Outlook Conference, the organization’s premier event, held at Towson University last week.
Maryland reached a milestone in August, regaining 100 percent of the jobs lost during the recession—one of only 16 states to do so. Over the last year, statewide employment expanded 1.7 percent, the largest year-over-year growth rate since the start of the economic downturn five years ago. The professional and business services industry added 16,300 jobs to the economy over the last year, making it the state’s largest employment contributor, according to RESI.
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First Lady Kicks Off Education Advocacy Efforts
Obama’s appearance kicked off her new campaign to prod and inspire high schoolers around the country to graduate and enroll in college, trade school or some type of higher education. “We’re going to talk about the power that you have to fulfill your potential and unlock opportunities that you can’t even begin to imagine for yourselves right now,” she said.
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HELP WANTED: Cathy's Pet Salon, Spa & Doggie Daycare
Cathy's Pet Salon, Spa & Doggie Daycare is looking for a responsible person to work Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please apply at Salon, 1005 Mt. Hermon Road, Salisbury, MD 21804, Tuesdays - Fridays, 9am - 5pm
The Coming Pension Meltdown: The 10 Most Troubled City Systems
Voters in Cincinnati last week soundly defeated a ballot initiative which would have overhauled the pension system for public workers, leaving the city without a plan to deal with $872 million in unfunded liabilities.
Cincinnati is not alone.
Across the nation, cities and states are finding funding for basic services being crowded out of their budgets by the rising cost of retirees' pensions and healthcare.
The Cincinnati initiative would have turned the public pension system into a 401(k) style-plan and require the city to pay off its unfunded liabilities in 10 years.
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Cincinnati is not alone.
Across the nation, cities and states are finding funding for basic services being crowded out of their budgets by the rising cost of retirees' pensions and healthcare.
The Cincinnati initiative would have turned the public pension system into a 401(k) style-plan and require the city to pay off its unfunded liabilities in 10 years.
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Government Enron: Add Obamacare To Your Shopping Cart? Consider Yourself Enrolled
With the numbers of 'real' enrollees in Obamacare looking dismal relative to government expectations, and the deadline for the first official details of the health law's enrollment figures due later this week, the administration has decided - in an oh so US Government-esque move - to change the rules. An enrollee is now defined as people who have purchased a plan (normal health insurance plan protocol) as well as those who have a plan sitting in their online shopping cart but have not yet paid. As The Washington Post notes, the disparity in the numbers is likely to further inflame the political fight especially in light of the fact that - for context - theaverage e-commerce shopping cart abandonment rate is 67%.
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FAILURE: Report Says Obamacare Enrollment Numbers Under 50K
Initial reports suggest that fewer than 50,000 people successfully navigated the troubled federal health-care website to enroll in private health insurance plans as of last week, two people familiar with the matter said Monday.
The early tally falls far short of internal goals set by President Barack Obama’s administration in the months leading up to the opening of the HealthCare.gov site Oct. 1, and the low number has worried health insurers that are counting on higher turnout.
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Montgomery Schools: Absences On Muslim Holiday Higher, But Officials Say Not Overly So
Muslim leaders in Montgomery County may have hit a stumbling block in their efforts to persuade school district officials to declare one of the two major Islamic holy days of the year an official school holiday.
With Montgomery’s board of education expected to consider the school calendar at its Tuesday meeting, district officials have released figures they say do not show abnormally high rates of absenteeism for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
High rates of absence are considered a potential basis for adding a holiday to the school calendar. Officials say they cannot simply recognize a religious holiday with a day off.
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With Montgomery’s board of education expected to consider the school calendar at its Tuesday meeting, district officials have released figures they say do not show abnormally high rates of absenteeism for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
High rates of absence are considered a potential basis for adding a holiday to the school calendar. Officials say they cannot simply recognize a religious holiday with a day off.
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Georgia Targets Obamaphone Fraud
The Peach State’s reform attempt should earn national attention.
The telltale signs of fraud and abuse lurk unseen in many a spreadsheet, and it takes a skeptic to hunt them down and bring them to light. In Georgia, the numbers for the Lifeline subsidized-phone program weren’t adding up, so one state official decided to act.
“We had 125 percent more [subsidized] phones out there than we had people who could qualify. By my estimates, at least 300,000 to 400,000 of the phones [distributed in Georgia] were fraudulent,” says Georgia public-service commissioner Doug Everett. “Since the FCC was not doing anything about it, I figured maybe we could do something on the state level.”
In a 3–2 vote last month, Georgia’s Public Service Commission passed Everett’s proposed measure, so beginning in January, the state will require phone companies to charge Lifeline beneficiaries $5 a month. For a cell phone with 250 minutes and 250 texts a month, that’s still a pretty good deal — unless, of course, you’re accustomed to getting the same for nothing at all.
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The telltale signs of fraud and abuse lurk unseen in many a spreadsheet, and it takes a skeptic to hunt them down and bring them to light. In Georgia, the numbers for the Lifeline subsidized-phone program weren’t adding up, so one state official decided to act.
“We had 125 percent more [subsidized] phones out there than we had people who could qualify. By my estimates, at least 300,000 to 400,000 of the phones [distributed in Georgia] were fraudulent,” says Georgia public-service commissioner Doug Everett. “Since the FCC was not doing anything about it, I figured maybe we could do something on the state level.”
In a 3–2 vote last month, Georgia’s Public Service Commission passed Everett’s proposed measure, so beginning in January, the state will require phone companies to charge Lifeline beneficiaries $5 a month. For a cell phone with 250 minutes and 250 texts a month, that’s still a pretty good deal — unless, of course, you’re accustomed to getting the same for nothing at all.
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HealthCare.gov Is Getting Personal
The partisan spat over HealthCare.gov is getting personal. The House Oversight Committee, headed by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), is hauling over administration witnesses. He wants to find out what went wrong with the failed launch of the federal healthcare insurance exchange. But not everyone is showing up. Issa issued a subpoena to Todd Park, the chief technology officer. Park was held back by higher-ups in the administration, who said he was too busy working to fix the site. Park's staff say they tried to negotiate a different date for his appearance. Issa says Park represents an unfortunate pattern. Meanwhile Avalere, a health care think tank, estimates only 49,000 people have signed up for insurance using state-run exchanges. Federal figures come out this week.
10 Uncomfortable Truths About The Growing Unemployment Crisis In America
Did you know that there are more than 102 million working age Americans that do not have a job? Yes, I know that number sounds absolutely crazy, but it is true. Right now, there are more than 11 million Americans that are considered to be "officially unemployed", and there are more than 91 million Americans that are not employed and that are considered to be "not in the labor force". When you add those two numbers together, the total is more than 102 million. Overall, the number of working age Americans that do not have a job has increased by about 27 million since the year 2000.
But aren't things getting better? After all, the mainstream media is full of headlines about how "good" the jobs numbers for October were. Sadly, the truth is that the mainstream media is not being straight with the American people. As you will see below, we are in the midst of a long-term unemployment crisis in America, and things got even worse last month.
In this day and age, it is absolutely imperative that people start thinking for themselves. Just because the media tells you that something is true does not mean that it actually is. If unemployment was actually going down, the percentage of the working age population that has a job should actually be going up. As you are about to see, that is simply not the case. The following are 10 facts about the growing unemployment crisis in America that will blow your mind...
#1 The percentage of working age Americans with a job fell to 58.3 percent in October. The lowest that number has been at any point since the year 2000 is 58.2 percent. In other words, there has been absolutely no "jobs recovery". During the last recession, the civilian employment-population ratio dropped from about 63 percent to below 59 percent and it has stayed there for 50 months in a row. Will the percentage of working age Americans with a job soon drop below the 58 percent mark?...
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But aren't things getting better? After all, the mainstream media is full of headlines about how "good" the jobs numbers for October were. Sadly, the truth is that the mainstream media is not being straight with the American people. As you will see below, we are in the midst of a long-term unemployment crisis in America, and things got even worse last month.
In this day and age, it is absolutely imperative that people start thinking for themselves. Just because the media tells you that something is true does not mean that it actually is. If unemployment was actually going down, the percentage of the working age population that has a job should actually be going up. As you are about to see, that is simply not the case. The following are 10 facts about the growing unemployment crisis in America that will blow your mind...
#1 The percentage of working age Americans with a job fell to 58.3 percent in October. The lowest that number has been at any point since the year 2000 is 58.2 percent. In other words, there has been absolutely no "jobs recovery". During the last recession, the civilian employment-population ratio dropped from about 63 percent to below 59 percent and it has stayed there for 50 months in a row. Will the percentage of working age Americans with a job soon drop below the 58 percent mark?...
More
US DOJ Cancels School Board Meeting Amid Protests Over Common Core Book
Prentice Hall, World History textbook was discussed by Todd Sterns on Sean Hannity’s show. It includes 36 pages devoted to Islam and a major chapter, but no chapters on any other religion. Prentice Hall is owned by Pearson.
The book was selected by Volusia County schools because it was aligned to Florida’s Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS). These mandated standards are established by the Florida Department of Education and are phase III of the Common Core. The Next Generation Label is used by the Common Core Consortia for the Science and Social Studies standards the are intended to follow the adoption of Math and English language Common Core standards.
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Former Fed Quantitative Easer Confesses, Apologizes: "I Can Only Say: I'm Sorry, America"
Confessions of a Quantitative Easier
We went on a bond-buying spree that was supposed to help Main Street. Instead, it was a feast for Wall Street.
I can only say: I'm sorry, America. As a former Federal Reserve official, I was responsible for executing the centerpiece program of the Fed's first plunge into the bond-buying experiment known as quantitative easing. The central bank continues to spin QE as a tool for helping Main Street. But I've come to recognize the program for what it really is: the greatest backdoor Wall Street bailout of all time.
Five years ago this month, on Black Friday, the Fed launched an unprecedented shopping spree. By that point in the financial crisis, Congress had already passed legislation, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, to halt the U.S. banking system's free fall. Beyond Wall Street, though, the economic pain was still soaring. In the last three months of 2008 alone, almost two million Americans would lose their jobs.
The Fed said it wanted to help—through a new program of massive bond purchases. There were secondary goals, but Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear that the Fed's central motivation was to "affect credit conditions for households and businesses": to drive down the cost of credit so that more Americans hurting from the tanking economy could use it to weather the downturn. For this reason, he originally called the initiative "credit easing."
My part of the story began a few months later. Having been at the Fed for seven years, until early 2008, I was working on Wall Street in spring 2009 when I got an unexpected phone call. Would I come back to work on the Fed's trading floor? The job: managing what was at the heart of QE's bond-buying spree—a wild attempt to buy $1.25 trillion in mortgage bonds in 12 months. Incredibly, the Fed was calling to ask if I wanted to quarterback the largest economic stimulus in U.S. history.
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We went on a bond-buying spree that was supposed to help Main Street. Instead, it was a feast for Wall Street.
I can only say: I'm sorry, America. As a former Federal Reserve official, I was responsible for executing the centerpiece program of the Fed's first plunge into the bond-buying experiment known as quantitative easing. The central bank continues to spin QE as a tool for helping Main Street. But I've come to recognize the program for what it really is: the greatest backdoor Wall Street bailout of all time.
Five years ago this month, on Black Friday, the Fed launched an unprecedented shopping spree. By that point in the financial crisis, Congress had already passed legislation, the Troubled Asset Relief Program, to halt the U.S. banking system's free fall. Beyond Wall Street, though, the economic pain was still soaring. In the last three months of 2008 alone, almost two million Americans would lose their jobs.
The Fed said it wanted to help—through a new program of massive bond purchases. There were secondary goals, but Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear that the Fed's central motivation was to "affect credit conditions for households and businesses": to drive down the cost of credit so that more Americans hurting from the tanking economy could use it to weather the downturn. For this reason, he originally called the initiative "credit easing."
My part of the story began a few months later. Having been at the Fed for seven years, until early 2008, I was working on Wall Street in spring 2009 when I got an unexpected phone call. Would I come back to work on the Fed's trading floor? The job: managing what was at the heart of QE's bond-buying spree—a wild attempt to buy $1.25 trillion in mortgage bonds in 12 months. Incredibly, the Fed was calling to ask if I wanted to quarterback the largest economic stimulus in U.S. history.
More
47 Bodies Left In The Wake Of Hillary Clinton: Part 1
Hillary Clinton is circling the wagons and salivating over a presidential run in 2016: Hillary accrued power and her life-long dream of being POTUS is nearing.
But not so fast Hillary. Take a look at the bodies mysteriously left in Clinton’s wake!
Convicted Whitewater partner of the Clintons who died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr’s investigation.
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But not so fast Hillary. Take a look at the bodies mysteriously left in Clinton’s wake!
1 – James McDougal
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Annapolis Alderman Backs Of Statements About Curtailing Mayor's Power
"I am getting hate calls from all over the country on this. … I can't believe it. They're calling me a fascist," said Arnett, backing off statements that he wants to shift to a form of government that would reduce the mayor to little more than a ceremonial role.
Arnett said he has supported changing to a council-manager form of government in the past and has discussed it recently with fellow aldermen, but he said, "I'm not introducing any legislation. … There are no plans to file any legislation."
Read more
Public Officials Admit They Have Been Scamming Citizens At Red Light Cameras (VIDEO)
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VETERANS JOIN TEA PARTY TO DEFEND CONSTITUTION AT HOME
On Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot channel 125, veterans who are involved in the Tea Party movement joined Breitbart News Executive Chairman and host Stephen K. Bannon to discuss why they joined the movement to fight for the country at home after serving abroad.
Christian Stevens, an Army veteran, said he often sees the same people at VFW and Tea Party meetings, and he emphasized that he took an oath to "protect against all enemies foreign and domestic--and Tea party is doing the domestic side."
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Christian Stevens, an Army veteran, said he often sees the same people at VFW and Tea Party meetings, and he emphasized that he took an oath to "protect against all enemies foreign and domestic--and Tea party is doing the domestic side."
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Don't Forget This Important Meeting Tonight
Pollitt's Capital Improvement Budget is Wednesday night at the Civic Center at 6:00 PM.
Venezuela Sends In Troops To Force Electronics Chain To Charge 'Fair' Prices
CARACAS, Venezuela — In his fight against the economic "war" that he says the political opposition, in collusion with the United States, is waging against Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the military occupation of a chain of electronics stores over the weekend, forcing the company to charge "fair" prices.
The order against Daka, which is basically Venezuela's Best Buy, sparked chaos at the store's five outlets.
Thousands lined up outside the chain's stores hoping to buy cut-price plasma televisions or appliances such as fridges, washing machines and sewing machines.
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The order against Daka, which is basically Venezuela's Best Buy, sparked chaos at the store's five outlets.
Thousands lined up outside the chain's stores hoping to buy cut-price plasma televisions or appliances such as fridges, washing machines and sewing machines.
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Glen Avenue Water Renewal Service
As part of Salisbury Public Works’ ongoing effort to keep the public informed of improvements within the City of Salisbury, please be advised that on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, the City of Salisbury will be renewing a water service on Glen Avenue. Both lanes will be closed from Beaver Dam to Long Avenue, but will be passable for emergency vehicles only. This event will begin at 9:00 a.m. today and shall conclude by 2:00 p.m. today.
All locators, Central Alarm and Wicomico County Board of Education will be notified of this event. Contact Public Works Water & Sewer Branch at 410-548-3105.
All locators, Central Alarm and Wicomico County Board of Education will be notified of this event. Contact Public Works Water & Sewer Branch at 410-548-3105.
Publishers Notes: Sorry Folks. The City didn't put this up until this morning.
HOW MEDIA MATTERS MAY SAVE HILLARY FROM BENGHAZI
Last week, the media went apoplectic after a 60 Minutes report on the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012, turned out to be mistaken. Much of the report was based on the testimony of one Dylan Davies, a security contractor who said that he had climbed over the wall of the consulate in Benghazi and seen the body of Ambassador Chris Stevens. It turned out that Davies was lying, and 60 Minutes was fooled.
Media Matters, which uncovered the lie, promptly declared victory in its war on behalf of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with founder David Brock appearing on CNN’sReliable Sources to proclaim that he was right all along: Benghazi as a whole narrative was a “hoax.” Brock stated:
Everybody who's followed this story for the past thirteen months knows that the entire scandal is a hoax. The only reason the story exists is partisan politics. Republicans trying to sabotage health care and prevent Hillary Clinton from running for president.
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Media Matters, which uncovered the lie, promptly declared victory in its war on behalf of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with founder David Brock appearing on CNN’sReliable Sources to proclaim that he was right all along: Benghazi as a whole narrative was a “hoax.” Brock stated:
Everybody who's followed this story for the past thirteen months knows that the entire scandal is a hoax. The only reason the story exists is partisan politics. Republicans trying to sabotage health care and prevent Hillary Clinton from running for president.
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OBAMA ETHANOL POLICY ERODING CONSERVED LANDS
Vilsack wants to make sure all are in line: "We just want to have a consistent message on the topic.” Recently, he insisted to an audience of ethanol lobbyists on Capitol Hill that being for ethanol is a good thing. In contrast, environmentalists argue that the push for ethanol has increased prices for corn, incentivizing farmers to convert million of acres of erodible land for the planting of additional corn fields. This practice has ruined the lands, poisoned streams, and devastated fragile eco-systems.
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YOUR FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD
I love Christmas lights! They remind me of..."the people who voted for Obama..."
They all hang together; half of them don't work, and the ones that do, aren't all that bright!
They all hang together; half of them don't work, and the ones that do, aren't all that bright!
SFD Calls For Service 11-12-13
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 21:50:56Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 19:39:09Nature: Water RescueAddress: 212 Troopers Way Salisbury, MD 21801
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 17:49:27Nature: Unresponsive PatientCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 17:25:06Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 16:39:30Nature: InjuryCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 15:03:43Nature: Chest PainCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 13:13:28Nature: Industrial AccidentAddress: 1607 Northwood Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 13:13:22Nature: Industrial AccidentCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 12:10:09Nature: Unresponsive PatientCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 11:20:40Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
- Tuesday November, 12 2013 @ 07:22:01Nature: Appliance FireAddress: 214 Poplar St Fruitland, MD 21826
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ON INTERSTATE 68
(Grantsville, MD) – Maryland State Police continue to investigate a crash involving a pedestrian who was struck in the roadway late last night by a trooper travelling on Interstate 68 in Garrett County.
The pedestrian is identified as Lamont Scaife, 39, of the unit block of West Church Street in Orlando, Florida. Scaife was transported to Western Maryland Health System Hospital in Cumberland where he was later pronounced deceased.
The trooper is identified as Trooper First Class Scott Bell, assigned to the McHenry Barrack. TFC Bell is a 3 ½ year veteran of the Maryland State Police. He was uninjured in the crash.
The preliminary investigation indicates Scaife, identified as the driver of a disabled tractor trailer, was outside of his vehicle, on eastbound Interstate 68, attempting to unhook the trailer. Scaife had parked the tractor trailer at the crest of a hill at the Chestnut Ridge Road overpass on the slow shoulder in a very dimly lit stretch of highway where the posted speed limit is 65 miles per hour.
The passenger in the tractor trailer, who witnessed the incident, told police Scaife had walked back to the truck after attempting to unhook the trailer. He opened the driver’s side door when a piece of paper blew out on to the travel portion of the highway. He then chased the paper, running onto Interstate 68, through the merge lane, into lane number two, and consequently into the path of the oncoming patrol car.
Shortly after 11:00 p.m. last night, TFC Bell was traveling eastbound on I-68 in lane number one when he swerved to avoid what he recalled as a flash in front of his patrol car. Immediately following the crash, TFC Bell called for help and began CPR on Scaife, until emergency service providers arrived on the scene.
Due to the snowy weather, Scaife was transported by ambulance to Western Maryland Health System. He later succumbed to his injuries.
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department, Northern Garrett Rescue Squad, personnel from the State Highway Administration and troopers from the McHenry Barrack responded to assist at the scene. The Maryland State Police CRASH team is conducting a complete reconstruction of the incident as this investigation continues.
The pedestrian is identified as Lamont Scaife, 39, of the unit block of West Church Street in Orlando, Florida. Scaife was transported to Western Maryland Health System Hospital in Cumberland where he was later pronounced deceased.
The trooper is identified as Trooper First Class Scott Bell, assigned to the McHenry Barrack. TFC Bell is a 3 ½ year veteran of the Maryland State Police. He was uninjured in the crash.
The preliminary investigation indicates Scaife, identified as the driver of a disabled tractor trailer, was outside of his vehicle, on eastbound Interstate 68, attempting to unhook the trailer. Scaife had parked the tractor trailer at the crest of a hill at the Chestnut Ridge Road overpass on the slow shoulder in a very dimly lit stretch of highway where the posted speed limit is 65 miles per hour.
The passenger in the tractor trailer, who witnessed the incident, told police Scaife had walked back to the truck after attempting to unhook the trailer. He opened the driver’s side door when a piece of paper blew out on to the travel portion of the highway. He then chased the paper, running onto Interstate 68, through the merge lane, into lane number two, and consequently into the path of the oncoming patrol car.
Shortly after 11:00 p.m. last night, TFC Bell was traveling eastbound on I-68 in lane number one when he swerved to avoid what he recalled as a flash in front of his patrol car. Immediately following the crash, TFC Bell called for help and began CPR on Scaife, until emergency service providers arrived on the scene.
Due to the snowy weather, Scaife was transported by ambulance to Western Maryland Health System. He later succumbed to his injuries.
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department, Northern Garrett Rescue Squad, personnel from the State Highway Administration and troopers from the McHenry Barrack responded to assist at the scene. The Maryland State Police CRASH team is conducting a complete reconstruction of the incident as this investigation continues.
DHS To Hire “Top Secret” Domestic Security Force
Is the Department of Homeland Security building a mercenary unit?
The Department of Homeland Security is to spend $19 million dollars on a private security force in Wisconsin and Minnesota, an armed unit that must have a “Top Secret” security clearance according to an official solicitation.
According to a solicitation posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website, the Federal Protective Service, a sub-agency of the DHS, intends to hire “armed Protective Security Officer (PSO) services at various locations throughout the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.”
“The project will have a requirement for the contractor to have a Top Secret facility clearance by the start of performance,” states the FPS notice.
More
The Department of Homeland Security is to spend $19 million dollars on a private security force in Wisconsin and Minnesota, an armed unit that must have a “Top Secret” security clearance according to an official solicitation.
According to a solicitation posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website, the Federal Protective Service, a sub-agency of the DHS, intends to hire “armed Protective Security Officer (PSO) services at various locations throughout the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.”“The project will have a requirement for the contractor to have a Top Secret facility clearance by the start of performance,” states the FPS notice.
More
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