Breaking News:
Commercial Building Fire with Explosions
Berlin, Maryland
At Ocean Downs Casino
Worcester County
Multiple explosions reported.
Maintenance building well involved.
Departments Responding:
Berlin
Ocean Pines
Ocean City
Showell
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, December 15, 2014
Breaking News: Commercial Building Fire with Explosions
Breaking News:
Commercial Building Fire with Explosions
Berlin, Maryland
At Ocean Downs Casino
Worcester County
Multiple explosions reported.
Maintenance building well involved.
Departments Responding:
Berlin
Ocean Pines
Ocean City
Showell
4 Christian teens beheaded by ISIS for refusing to convert. No outrage from UN? Feinstein? Obama?
Sen. Feinstein seemed to believe, for some odd reason, that we needed a “soul revealing” moment in America. And it came at the expense of our intelligence community with some false sense of ensuring a moral high ground over islamic terrorists.
Let me be clear, there is and never will be any moral equivalency between the actions of the barbaric savage jihadists and terrorists and the United States — water boarding, sleep deprivation, loud music, and even diaper-wearing provides no basis for comparison. And as we have reported today, even now the British military is forbidden from shouting, screaming, banging fists on a table, or using insulting language towards captured jihadists.
More
Ohio police say man painted gun red to resemble toy
Officers with Hamilton County's Sheriff's Office responding to a call about a man with a gun say they found 23-year-old Orlando Lowery with a red-painted .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun and 9 grams of crack cocaine.
The arrest took place just before 1.30am in the 9500 block of Wayne Avenue in Cincinnati.
More
Man can't challenge $280K tax bill he probably doesn't really owe, Pa. court says
In fact, city officials acknowledged in court that the tax bill they sent Nathan Lerner was a "jeopardy assessment" based on a fabrication.
The problem is that Lerner didn't follow the right procedural course in challenging it, a Commonwealth Court panel found in a ruling issued this week. And so, the state judges determined, he's stuck with that unfounded tax tab.
More
Bachmann to Obama at White House Christmas Party: Bomb Iran
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.) knew the White House Christmas party this week would be her last chance as a member of Congress to speak directly to President Obama. She didn’t waste the opportunity.
Despite the objections of her family members, who didn’t want to be embarrassed, Bachmann said she wanted to give some “substantive comments” to the president. She waited until pictures were taken and her family walked off the stage.
“I turned to the president and I said, something to the effect of, ‘Mr. President, you need to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities, because if you don’t, Iran will have a nuclear weapon on your watch and the course of world history will change,’” she told the Washington Free Beacon.
“And he got his condescending smile on his face and laughed at me and said, ‘Well Michele, it’s just not that easy.’
And I said to him, ‘No, Mr. President, you’re the president, it will happen on your watch, and you’ll have to answer to the world for this.’
And that was it and then I left. Merry Christmas,” she said with a laugh.
Read more here
Despite the objections of her family members, who didn’t want to be embarrassed, Bachmann said she wanted to give some “substantive comments” to the president. She waited until pictures were taken and her family walked off the stage.
“I turned to the president and I said, something to the effect of, ‘Mr. President, you need to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities, because if you don’t, Iran will have a nuclear weapon on your watch and the course of world history will change,’” she told the Washington Free Beacon.
“And he got his condescending smile on his face and laughed at me and said, ‘Well Michele, it’s just not that easy.’
And I said to him, ‘No, Mr. President, you’re the president, it will happen on your watch, and you’ll have to answer to the world for this.’
And that was it and then I left. Merry Christmas,” she said with a laugh.
Read more here
Supreme Court Justice Scalia backs torture of terror suspects saying it's 'facile' and 'absurd' to rule out brute force in interrogations
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has said it would be absurd and facile to ban interrogators from torturing terror suspects.
His controversial declaration comes amid outrage over a Senate report into CIA torture tactics, which found no life-saving information was extracted using brute force.
Speaking to a Swiss radio station, Scalia, 78, said American and European liberals who say such tactics may never be used are being self-righteous.
He said: 'Listen, I think it's very facile for people to say, "Oh, torture is terrible". You posit the situation where a person that you know for sure knows the location of a nuclear bomb that has been planted in Los Angeles and will kill millions of people.
More
His controversial declaration comes amid outrage over a Senate report into CIA torture tactics, which found no life-saving information was extracted using brute force.
Speaking to a Swiss radio station, Scalia, 78, said American and European liberals who say such tactics may never be used are being self-righteous.
He said: 'Listen, I think it's very facile for people to say, "Oh, torture is terrible". You posit the situation where a person that you know for sure knows the location of a nuclear bomb that has been planted in Los Angeles and will kill millions of people.
More
UPDATE: Gunman, two hostages dead in Sydney hostage taking
Iranian gunman facing assault and murder charges and two of his hostages are killed as police in Sydney, Australia, storm cafe to end hostage taking.
More
More
McAuliffe Begins Push For Fresh Wave Of Gun Control Regulations
The governor introduced a package of gun control measures in Arlington Monday that he said were necessary to keep Virginians safe. Among the legislation he will pursue during the 2015 legislation session is a bill that would limit handgun purchases to one a month. Another bill would prohibit people subject to protective orders from possessing firearms.
More
Cromnibus: a winter festival of unrestrained spending
As they had a habit of saying throughout the interstellar empire of “Dune,” the spice must flow. Money is once more flowing out of Congress to all manner of follies and outrages, thanks to an omnibus spending bill that funds everything except Homeland Security through September of 2015 – throwing away every scrap of leverage the incoming Republican majority could possibly exercise against Emperor Obama, ensuring that no one outside the authors of Democrat Party fundraising email spam will be talking about shutdowns, and effectively neutering freshly-elected conservatives. The GOP leadership can get through another year with its favorite wheezy excuse for not standing up and fighting for anything: Our hands are tied. Sure, the knots are a bit clumsy, but that’s to be expected when you tie your own hands. It’ll be good enough for the permanent Beltway culture, which can have a very merry Christmas, riding their one-horse open sleighs down streets coated with a fresh blizzard of taxpayer dollars, jingling all the way.
Americans with some vague memory of how the system is supposed to work might be wondering what happened to the sober deliberation of budgets, the careful spending of every dollar, and even the basic rules of accounting. Welcome to the new millennium, old-timers! We don’t do things that way any more. Government by perpetual crisis is so much more exciting, and lucrative for the Ruling Class. Now we wait until the hands of the fiscal doomsday clock stand at one minute to midnight, and the political class has to fund everything with “emergency spending bills,” scribbled in blind haste and posted on glitchy websites for public review in a half-hearted ritual of “transparency.” We live in the shadow of the cromnibus, an appropriately clunky word that combines “continuing resolution” emergency tactics with “omnibus spending” irresponsibility. The Cromnibus is a flabby beast a gaping maw and many tentacles to feed itself, but it lacks eyes, ears, and a frontal lobe.
More
Americans with some vague memory of how the system is supposed to work might be wondering what happened to the sober deliberation of budgets, the careful spending of every dollar, and even the basic rules of accounting. Welcome to the new millennium, old-timers! We don’t do things that way any more. Government by perpetual crisis is so much more exciting, and lucrative for the Ruling Class. Now we wait until the hands of the fiscal doomsday clock stand at one minute to midnight, and the political class has to fund everything with “emergency spending bills,” scribbled in blind haste and posted on glitchy websites for public review in a half-hearted ritual of “transparency.” We live in the shadow of the cromnibus, an appropriately clunky word that combines “continuing resolution” emergency tactics with “omnibus spending” irresponsibility. The Cromnibus is a flabby beast a gaping maw and many tentacles to feed itself, but it lacks eyes, ears, and a frontal lobe.
More
Kidnapping Defendant Receives Lengthy Sentence
GEORGETOWN — A Sussex County Superior Court judge on Friday sentenced Jackeline Perez, 17, to spend the next 16 years in prison for her role in the March 2013 carjacking and kidnapping of an 89-year-old Sussex County woman.
Perez, 17, pled guilty to first-degree carjacking, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy on Sept. 12. She was sentenced by Judge Richard F. Stokes. Deputy Attorneys General Melanie Withers and Casey Ewart prosecuted the case for the Department of Justice.
She and three others, who have all either pled guilty to or been convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and conspiracy charges, were involved in the carjacking and kidnapping of Margaret E. Smith on March 18, 2013. Perez and her friend, Junia McDonald, 16, first asked Smith for a ride from a Milford convenience store to a home in Lincoln. After arriving at the home, Smith was forced to turn over her car keys and then forced into the trunk of her car. Perez and McDonald then drove to pick up other friends – Philip Brewer and Rondaiges Harper – with Smith locked in the trunk of the car. Smith spent two days trapped in the trunk of her car before being released at a cemetery near Seaford.
Junia McDonald, 16, who was sentenced Sept. 12 to 16 years in prison followed by nine years of home confinement and probation. She had pled guilty to first-degree carjacking, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy.
Rondaiges Harper, 19, was convicted by a jury in June on first-degree kidnapping, first-degree carjacking and conspiracy charges. He was sentenced July 25 to 30 years in prison.
Philip Brewer, 18, pled guilty in September 2013 to second-degree carjacking, three counts of kidnapping and four counts of second-degree conspiracy. He will be sentenced Dec. 19.
Perez, 17, pled guilty to first-degree carjacking, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy on Sept. 12. She was sentenced by Judge Richard F. Stokes. Deputy Attorneys General Melanie Withers and Casey Ewart prosecuted the case for the Department of Justice.
She and three others, who have all either pled guilty to or been convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and conspiracy charges, were involved in the carjacking and kidnapping of Margaret E. Smith on March 18, 2013. Perez and her friend, Junia McDonald, 16, first asked Smith for a ride from a Milford convenience store to a home in Lincoln. After arriving at the home, Smith was forced to turn over her car keys and then forced into the trunk of her car. Perez and McDonald then drove to pick up other friends – Philip Brewer and Rondaiges Harper – with Smith locked in the trunk of the car. Smith spent two days trapped in the trunk of her car before being released at a cemetery near Seaford.
Junia McDonald, 16, who was sentenced Sept. 12 to 16 years in prison followed by nine years of home confinement and probation. She had pled guilty to first-degree carjacking, first-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy.
Rondaiges Harper, 19, was convicted by a jury in June on first-degree kidnapping, first-degree carjacking and conspiracy charges. He was sentenced July 25 to 30 years in prison.
Philip Brewer, 18, pled guilty in September 2013 to second-degree carjacking, three counts of kidnapping and four counts of second-degree conspiracy. He will be sentenced Dec. 19.
Too many drinks? New cellphone app may tell you so
A new federally funded cellphone app allows people who may have had one too many to get an idea just how drunk they are -- and hail a ride home.
Users enter their sex, height, weight, and number of drinks consumed to help figure out their blood-alcohol level. They also can play two interactive games to test reaction time and cognitive agility. And the app uses GPS technology to call cabs and pre-load phone numbers for potential designated drivers.
The app, called ENDUI -- pronounced "End DUI" -- was announced Thursday by government and police officials in Maryland. Funded by federal money reserved for drunken-driving education efforts, the app is among several in a handful of states to tackle drunken driving -- though Maryland's is one of the most elaborate.
More
Users enter their sex, height, weight, and number of drinks consumed to help figure out their blood-alcohol level. They also can play two interactive games to test reaction time and cognitive agility. And the app uses GPS technology to call cabs and pre-load phone numbers for potential designated drivers.
The app, called ENDUI -- pronounced "End DUI" -- was announced Thursday by government and police officials in Maryland. Funded by federal money reserved for drunken-driving education efforts, the app is among several in a handful of states to tackle drunken driving -- though Maryland's is one of the most elaborate.
More
The Devastation Of America's Working Class
After years of exposing, month after month, the truth about the US labor market - its conversion into a part-time (in 2010!), low-paying job market where Millennials refuse to work (as the job market reality is gruesome so instead they opt to load up on record amount of student loans) and where older Americans, instead of enjoying retirement are forced right back into the labor force leading to record numbers of workers over the age of 55 (thanks to ZIRP crushing the value of their savings and a refusing to participate in an HFT- and central-bank rigged stock market), the mainstream media, having grown tired of spinning the bullshit optimistic propaganda, has finally moved to the "tinfoil" side, and has done something it normally wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Tell the truth.
Enter the NYT with a shocking dose of truthfulness, one which goes to show just one thing: how over the past decade, notwithstanding the tripling of the S&P from its post-Lehman lows on the back of $11 trillion in central bank liquidity, America's working class has been not only skewed beyond recognition, but is now absolutely devastated. And all thanks to the Federal Reserve skewing the value of money so much that those who should be working aren't, and those who should be retiring, are serving you Starbucks.
Here are the facts, long overdue but facts nonetheless, from the NYT:
At every age, the chances of not working have changed in the last 15 years.
Teenagers are far more likely not to work.
Older people are retiring later and working more.
In the late 1960s, almost all men between the ages of 25 and 54 went to work. Only about 5 out of every 100 did not have a job in any given week. By 2000, this figure had more than doubled, to 11 out of every 100 men. This year, it’s 16.
About 13 percent of the increase in prime-age nonworkers, including a substantial fraction of the younger ones, comes among people who say they are in school.
Much of the school-related rise in nonwork, at least since 2007, appears to be less about staying in school than it is about not being able to find part-time jobs(don't tell that to the trillion+ in student loans though).
Some men in school say they would like to be working part time but they’ve given up looking for a job. Others may stop going to school entirely if they could find a job, or if the college wage premium were smaller.
About 20 percent of the new nonworkers say they are disabled, a category whose numbers have risen particularly for workers above age 50.
Enter the NYT with a shocking dose of truthfulness, one which goes to show just one thing: how over the past decade, notwithstanding the tripling of the S&P from its post-Lehman lows on the back of $11 trillion in central bank liquidity, America's working class has been not only skewed beyond recognition, but is now absolutely devastated. And all thanks to the Federal Reserve skewing the value of money so much that those who should be working aren't, and those who should be retiring, are serving you Starbucks.
Here are the facts, long overdue but facts nonetheless, from the NYT:
At every age, the chances of not working have changed in the last 15 years.
Teenagers are far more likely not to work.
Older people are retiring later and working more.
In the late 1960s, almost all men between the ages of 25 and 54 went to work. Only about 5 out of every 100 did not have a job in any given week. By 2000, this figure had more than doubled, to 11 out of every 100 men. This year, it’s 16.
About 13 percent of the increase in prime-age nonworkers, including a substantial fraction of the younger ones, comes among people who say they are in school.
Much of the school-related rise in nonwork, at least since 2007, appears to be less about staying in school than it is about not being able to find part-time jobs(don't tell that to the trillion+ in student loans though).
Some men in school say they would like to be working part time but they’ve given up looking for a job. Others may stop going to school entirely if they could find a job, or if the college wage premium were smaller.
About 20 percent of the new nonworkers say they are disabled, a category whose numbers have risen particularly for workers above age 50.
Bush-Clinton Dynasty Awards Itself Liberty Medal
Talk about keeping it all in the family.
Last week George W. Bush said Hillary Clinton is his “sister-in-law.” He made this remark, which he thinks is high comedy, during an interview with the floundering propaganda network, CNN.
Paul Joseph Watson wrote for Infowars.com on December 8:
Noting how Bush referred to Bill Clinton as his “brother from another mother,” Crowley asked the former President, “what does that make Hillary Clinton to the Bush family?”
“My sister in law,” responded Bush.
The close relationship between the two families “was perhaps best illustrated by last year’s Guccifer hack of the Bush family emails, which revealed that George W. Bush refers to Bill Clinton as ‘bubba’ or ‘brother.’”
The hack also unearthed how Jeb Bush credited his father George H.W. Bush with restoring Bill Clinton’s political reputation.
“He helped restore his sordid reputation. A very tough thing to do but with kindness, dad probably helped Bill Clinton than anything he himself has done,” said the former Florida Governor.
On Tuesday Jeb paid homage to his sister-in-law by awarding her the National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal, which another establishment propaganda network, CBS, said marks Clinton’s “lifelong career in public service.”
More
SFD Calls For Service 12-14-14
- Sunday December, 14 2014 @ 21:45Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday December, 14 2014 @ 21:30Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday December, 14 2014 @ 20:01Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday December, 14 2014 @ 18:47Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday December, 14 2014 @ 18:21Nature: Assist Fire DepartmentAddress: 706 Howard St Salisbury, MD 21801
Gas Savings Sucked Up By ... Obamacare!
There’s a great post up on Zero Hedge exposing the myth that lower gas prices will stimulate consumer spending (news flash: they haven’t). But if Americans aren’t spending the estimated $300 they will save at the pump next year on new get-ups and gadgets … where’s it going?
The answer? Obamacare. You know: The law that was passed because you’re stupid.
Years ago, we warned that U.S. president Barack Obama‘s socialized medicine monstrosity was going to be disastrous for the American economy – and we were right (see HERE, HERE and HERE). As a candidate in 2008, Obama projected annual savings of $2,500 per family by the end of his first term in office – only to close out his first four years with a $2,400 increase in insurance costs.
In other words, his campaign promise was about as accurate the oft-repeated “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it” promise.
The latest evidence of Obamacare’s harmful impact on our economy? A study released by The Commonwealth Fund … which found that “premiums for family coverage increased 73 percent over the past decade.” The study also found “employees’ contributions to their premiums climbed by 93 percent over that time frame.”
More
The answer? Obamacare. You know: The law that was passed because you’re stupid.
Years ago, we warned that U.S. president Barack Obama‘s socialized medicine monstrosity was going to be disastrous for the American economy – and we were right (see HERE, HERE and HERE). As a candidate in 2008, Obama projected annual savings of $2,500 per family by the end of his first term in office – only to close out his first four years with a $2,400 increase in insurance costs.
In other words, his campaign promise was about as accurate the oft-repeated “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it” promise.
The latest evidence of Obamacare’s harmful impact on our economy? A study released by The Commonwealth Fund … which found that “premiums for family coverage increased 73 percent over the past decade.” The study also found “employees’ contributions to their premiums climbed by 93 percent over that time frame.”
More
Feds recommend 10 years in prison for Bob McDonnell
The federal agency that will play a pivotal role in guiding the sentence of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has recommended that he spend at least 10 years and a month in prison and at most 12 years and 7 months, according to several people familiar with the matter.
The guidelines recommended by the U.S. probation office are preliminary, and even if they are made final, U.S. District Judge James Spencer is not required to follow them. But experts said Spencer typically heeds the probation office's advice, and judges in his district have imposed sentences within the recommended range more than 70 percent of the time in recent years.
"It's of critical importance," white-collar criminal defense attorney Scott Fredericksen said. "The fact is, the vast majority of times, courts follow those recommendations closely."
More
The guidelines recommended by the U.S. probation office are preliminary, and even if they are made final, U.S. District Judge James Spencer is not required to follow them. But experts said Spencer typically heeds the probation office's advice, and judges in his district have imposed sentences within the recommended range more than 70 percent of the time in recent years.
"It's of critical importance," white-collar criminal defense attorney Scott Fredericksen said. "The fact is, the vast majority of times, courts follow those recommendations closely."
More
VIDEO: Muslim Fast-Food Worker Has Shocking Reaction to Someone Ordering Bacon
Ah, the joys of tolerance.
Sydney, Australia has begun to learn them after opening several Muslim-friendly restaurants that serve only halal food that is permissible to be eaten under Shariah law.
One of those restaurants is featured in this video of a Muslim man who completely loses it when a customer, apparently unaware that he was in a halal-only KFC, asked for bacon on his sandwich.
The video shows the KFC employee yelling — screaming, really — about being recorded. He also threatens the customer.
Apparently he really, really doesn’t like the word “bacon.”
Great customer service at those halal-only KFCs, as you can see.
Eventually the unnamed man is led away by other employees while he continues to rant like a three year old, and he was reportedly suspended and offered counseling after the occurrence.
Here’s the short video, courtesy of Right Wing News:
Warning: Language not safe for work or children.
Sydney, Australia has begun to learn them after opening several Muslim-friendly restaurants that serve only halal food that is permissible to be eaten under Shariah law.
One of those restaurants is featured in this video of a Muslim man who completely loses it when a customer, apparently unaware that he was in a halal-only KFC, asked for bacon on his sandwich.
The video shows the KFC employee yelling — screaming, really — about being recorded. He also threatens the customer.
Apparently he really, really doesn’t like the word “bacon.”
Great customer service at those halal-only KFCs, as you can see.
Eventually the unnamed man is led away by other employees while he continues to rant like a three year old, and he was reportedly suspended and offered counseling after the occurrence.
Here’s the short video, courtesy of Right Wing News:
Warning: Language not safe for work or children.
Scott Stapp 'believes he is a CIA agent and wants to kill Obama'
Creed front man Scott Stapp believes he is an undercover CIA agent charged with assassinating President Obama, his worried family told a 911 dispatcher.
Recently back home after a 72-hour psychiatric hold in Florida last last month, 41-year-old Stapp took off on a bicycle and disappeared - which caused his panicked wife and sister-in-law to phone the police to try and get them to commit him again.
'He thinks he's part of the CIA,' said Jaclyn Strapp to the dispatcher. 'He thinks they're trying to kill him, and he has a bunch of paperwork in his backpack that he's a CIA agent and he is supposed to assassinate Obama', said her sister.
More
Recently back home after a 72-hour psychiatric hold in Florida last last month, 41-year-old Stapp took off on a bicycle and disappeared - which caused his panicked wife and sister-in-law to phone the police to try and get them to commit him again.
'He thinks he's part of the CIA,' said Jaclyn Strapp to the dispatcher. 'He thinks they're trying to kill him, and he has a bunch of paperwork in his backpack that he's a CIA agent and he is supposed to assassinate Obama', said her sister.
More
Al Sharpton Was WH Guest 61 Times Since '09
Not everyone gets to drop in at the presidential residence for a chat with President Barack Obama, but the White House welcome mat most definitely has been out for one frequent visitor — the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Since 2009, Sharpton has visited the White House no fewer than 61 times, reports the National Review, citing the White House visitor log, which "illustrates the extraordinary access Sharpton has had to the president and his top advisers."
Many of the visits were for official events, such as the Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement and the jobs bill signing in 2010.
More
Since 2009, Sharpton has visited the White House no fewer than 61 times, reports the National Review, citing the White House visitor log, which "illustrates the extraordinary access Sharpton has had to the president and his top advisers."
Many of the visits were for official events, such as the Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement and the jobs bill signing in 2010.
More
Congressman: Boehner Lied to Get My Vote
Representative Marlin Stutzman (R., Ind.) accused House Republican leadership of reneging on a deal made with him to get his support on a crucial procedural vote that almost killed the $1.1 trillion cromnibus funding bill.
“I was very surprised and even more disappointed to see the cromnibus back on the floor,” Stutzman said in a Thursday evening statement. “The American people deserve better.”
Stutzman was one of the last Republicans to cast his ballot in favor of a rule allowing the House to vote on the cromnibus. National Review Online reported that Stutzman backed the rule at the last minute after leadership told him that they would pull the bill, once the rule was passed, and replace it with a short-term continuing resolution favored by rank-and-file conservatives. With the last-minute help of Stutzman and outgoing representative Kerry Bentivolio (R., Mich.), leadership won the vote 214–212.
“I supported the rule because I was informed by leadership that the cromnibus was dead and a short term CR would take its place,” Stutzman said.
More here
“I was very surprised and even more disappointed to see the cromnibus back on the floor,” Stutzman said in a Thursday evening statement. “The American people deserve better.”
Stutzman was one of the last Republicans to cast his ballot in favor of a rule allowing the House to vote on the cromnibus. National Review Online reported that Stutzman backed the rule at the last minute after leadership told him that they would pull the bill, once the rule was passed, and replace it with a short-term continuing resolution favored by rank-and-file conservatives. With the last-minute help of Stutzman and outgoing representative Kerry Bentivolio (R., Mich.), leadership won the vote 214–212.
“I supported the rule because I was informed by leadership that the cromnibus was dead and a short term CR would take its place,” Stutzman said.
More here
The House votes 219-206 to pass a $1.1 trillion, nine-month government funding bill
UPDATE: Below is the Roll Call vote. I highlighted Republicans who voted NO.
| Aderholt Amodei Bachus Barber Barletta Barr Barrow (GA) Benishek Bera (CA) Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Bishop (UT) Black Boehner Boustany Brady (PA) Brady (TX) Brooks (IN) Brownley (CA) Buchanan Bucshon Bustos Byrne Calvert Camp Capito Carney Carter Cassidy Chabot Chaffetz Clay Clyburn Coble Coffman Cole Collins (GA) Collins (NY) Connolly Cook Costa Cramer Crenshaw Crowley Cuellar Culberson Daines Davis (CA) Davis, Rodney Delaney Denham Dent Diaz-Balart Dingell Duffy Ellmers Farr Fattah Fincher Fitzpatrick Fleischmann Forbes Fortenberry Foster Foxx Frelinghuysen Gallego Garamendi Gardner Gerlach Gibbs Gibson | Gingrey (GA) Goodlatte Granger Graves (GA) Graves (MO) Griffin (AR) Grimm Guthrie Hanna Harper Harris Hartzler Hastings (WA) Heck (NV) Herrera Beutler Himes Holding Horsford Hoyer Hudson Huizenga (MI) Hultgren Hunter Issa Jenkins Johnson (OH) Jolly Joyce Kaptur Kelly (PA) Kind King (NY) Kingston Kinzinger (IL) Kline Kuster Lance Latham Latta Lipinski LoBiondo Long Lowey Lucas Luetkemeyer Maffei Maloney, Sean Marino Matheson McCarthy (CA) McCarthy (NY) McCaul McHenry McKeon McMorris Rodgers Meehan Meeks Messer Mica Miller (MI) Miller, George Moran Mullin Murphy (FL) Murphy (PA) Noem Norcross Nugent Nunes Nunnelee Owens Palazzo Pastor (AZ) | Paulsen Pearce Perlmutter Peters (CA) Peters (MI) Petri Pittenger Pitts Price (GA) Price (NC) Quigley Reed Reichert Renacci Ribble Richmond Rigell Roby Roe (TN) Rogers (KY) Rogers (MI) Rokita Rooney Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Ross Rothfus Royce Ruiz Runyan Ruppersberger Ryan (WI) Scalise Schneider Schock Schwartz Scott, David Sessions Sewell (AL) Sherman Shimkus Shuster Simpson Sinema Smith (MO) Smith (NE) Southerland Stewart Stivers Terry Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiberi Tipton Turner Upton Valadao Wagner Walberg Walden Walorski Wasserman Schultz Wenstrup Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (SC) Wolf Womack Woodall Yoder Yoho Young (AK) Young (IN) |
New York police union tells Mayor Blasio he is BANNED from funerals of cops killed on duty
New York police union tells Mayor Blasio he is BANNED from funerals of cops killed on duty - after he told officers they had to change in the wake of Garner chokehold death
A New York police union has told Bill de Blasio to stay away from funerals of cops killed in the line of duty.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association posted a form on its website that members could download and sign, barring the mayor and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito from their service.
It simply reads: 'As a New York City police officer, (I) request that Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito refrain from attending my funeral services.'
More
A New York police union has told Bill de Blasio to stay away from funerals of cops killed in the line of duty.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association posted a form on its website that members could download and sign, barring the mayor and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito from their service.
It simply reads: 'As a New York City police officer, (I) request that Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito refrain from attending my funeral services.'
More
BREAKING NEWS: 5 shot dead, suspect barricades himself in home outside Philadelphia
Police outside Philadelphia have surrounded a home where they believe the suspect in the shooting deaths of five people has barricaded himself.
More
More
Why undercover cop really pulled his gun on anti-police protesters
Gang of 50 turned on officer, punched and knocked his partner to the ground, and threatened them
The undercover cop who pulled a gun on anti-police protesters in Oakland, California, was justified in doing so after a gang of 50 targeted his partner, a witness claims.
The officer, who has not been named, was marching with the demonstrators on Wednesday night when the mob is said to have turned on him and his colleague.
After pulling out a baton and identifying himself as police, his partner was hit on the head and tackled to the ground - prompting the officer to point a pistol at the crowd.
Despite a flurry of outrage from crowds and on Twitter, photographer Michael Short said the reaction was natural in the face of the 'threatening' crowds.
More
The undercover cop who pulled a gun on anti-police protesters in Oakland, California, was justified in doing so after a gang of 50 targeted his partner, a witness claims.
The officer, who has not been named, was marching with the demonstrators on Wednesday night when the mob is said to have turned on him and his colleague.
After pulling out a baton and identifying himself as police, his partner was hit on the head and tackled to the ground - prompting the officer to point a pistol at the crowd.
Despite a flurry of outrage from crowds and on Twitter, photographer Michael Short said the reaction was natural in the face of the 'threatening' crowds.
More
BREAKING NEWS: Sydney police storm cafe where Iranian jihadist was holding hostages
Explosion heard, several shots fired as police in Sydney, Australia, storm cafe where an Iranian gunman had been holding hostages. Ambulance crews have entered the building. No word on whether any hostages have been wounded or if the gunman is alive.
More
More
PART-TIME Posting-Fire Dept.
Town
of Ocean City
Ocean
City Fire Department
Career
Fire/EMS Division
PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
Firefighter/EMS
Provider Positions
We are looking for skilled Firefighter/EMS
providers to augment our full time staff for the 2015 season.
Individuals must be at least 18 years of age and meet the following
requirements at the time of application:
1.
High School Diploma or GED.
2. Valid
EMT, CRT/EMT-I, or Paramedic license or certificate. Successful
candidates must obtain Maryland license or certification within 30
days of employment.
3.
Maryland Firefighter 1 certification, National Pro-Board Firefighter
1 rating or equivalent.
4.
Valid driver’s license at the time of application with 2 years
driving experience and a satisfactory driving record.
5.
One year of validated experience in driving and operating an
emergency vehicle in the emergency mode is preferred.
- Current BLS Healthcare Provider or Professional Rescuer CPR certification.
- EMT-Paramedics are required to possess a current AHA ACLS Provider certification.
Successful
applicants are subject to a criminal background check and a
post-offer drug test.
To
request an application packet:
By
Email: CAREERFD@oceancitymd.gov
By
Phone or for questions:
Contact:
Christine Perry, Administrative Coordinator
Ocean City Fire Department
1409 Philadelphia Ave.
Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Phone: 410-289-4346 or Fax 410-289-8421
EOE
Veterans
are encouraged to apply
Deadline
for requesting an application is 1/16/2015.
The
deadline for submitting the application packet is 1/23/15, by 3:00
p.m.
Pay:
FF/EMT-Paramedic $21.5187/Hour (Temp
EMT-Paramedic/Step 1)
FF/EMT-Intermediate $19.6938/Hour (Temp
EMT-Intermediate/Step 1)
FF/EMT-Basic $18.0236/Hour (Temp
EMT-Basic/Step 1)
Assateague Considers Fee Hike
BERLIN – Visitors to Assateague Island National Seashore could face a variety of fee increases in 2015.
The National Park Service has proposed increasing the cost of an annual entrance pass from $30 to $40 at the national seashore. The per-vehicle fee is proposed to jump from $15 to $20.
“This is not just an Assateague-only proposal,” said Liz Davis, assistant chief of interpretation and education at Assateague. “It’s a proposal across the National Park Service.”
She explained that nationwide, entrance fees are charged at 131 of the 400 sites managed by the National Park Service. The sites where fees are charged have been divided into four groups, and each of those groups is expected to increase its fees to a designated level by 2017. Under that plan, Assateague, a Group 2 park, should charge $40 for an annual pass and $20 for vehicle entry.
More
The National Park Service has proposed increasing the cost of an annual entrance pass from $30 to $40 at the national seashore. The per-vehicle fee is proposed to jump from $15 to $20.
“This is not just an Assateague-only proposal,” said Liz Davis, assistant chief of interpretation and education at Assateague. “It’s a proposal across the National Park Service.”
She explained that nationwide, entrance fees are charged at 131 of the 400 sites managed by the National Park Service. The sites where fees are charged have been divided into four groups, and each of those groups is expected to increase its fees to a designated level by 2017. Under that plan, Assateague, a Group 2 park, should charge $40 for an annual pass and $20 for vehicle entry.
More
Maybe President Obama Should Visit The Main Street Gym In Salisbury Maryland
Perhaps too many of you aren't aware of just how special this non profit organization is? Owners Hal and Nancy Chernoff have been working very successfully with underprivileged children here on the Shore for decades.
I've personally watched them go from literally a shack to this new state of the art facility and guess what, not a single penny came from taxpayers! They survive through unconditional donations from people like Danny Burt, Sandy Fitzgerald, Donny Hall, Brian Lacomp, John Robinson and so many other people who recognize just how special this Gym is to the community.
While Fernando and Alex Guerrero are some of the big names and successes we've all witnessed, there are HUNDREDS of other young men and women who now have a better life because of the structured discipline Hal Chernoff delivers every single day.
Last week I asked who you thought should be the "Person of the Year" and my choice is Hal Chernoff. His countless hours, his creativity, his dedication and most importantly his unbelievable success with these children just cannot be matched.
This past weekend we witnessed yet another successful event held to not only support the Main Street Gym, Hal & Nancy made sure 2/3 of the money raised went to charities the Police and Firefighters chose.
Ladies & Gentlemen, it was standing room only in this huge building, as it should be. People traveled all the way from Philadelphia to watch and enjoy an extremely well planned out event. I can tell you there were women there who started out saying they just weren't into boxing. However, when all was said and done they had incredible smiles on their faces and they'd say, "you know, that wasn't too bad at all".
Yes, the evening was based around Boxing but for some of us, we know what Hal puts into ALL of these events. We know just how hard the children, young adults and adults put in to these events, including ALL of the Volunteers, (and there are a lot of them) to Pay It Forward to the Main Street Gym.
So the next time you hear Obama say he'd like you to donate to his causes, send a check to the Main Street Gym instead because one thing is for sure, they are giving back to this community like no one ever has. It's structured and it's successful.
If you'd like to make a donation contact Hal Chernoff at
410-430-6687 or send a check to:
Main Street Gym
c/o Mark Granger Treasurer CPA
101 Williamsport Circle
Salisbury, MD. 21801
School 'bribes' kids to make them eat Michelle O. lunches
At least that's what some Colorado schools are doing now that Michelle Obama's Healthy and Hunger Free Kids Act has scared students away from their school lunch programs, according to KUSA.
Jefferson County Public Schools now has a 'Hungry to Win' raffle program, EagNews reports. Each time a student buys a lunch, they are entered in the raffle for a chance to win prizes such as jump ropes, kites, iTunes gift cards, and even bicycles and iPods.
More
Now Depardieu admits eating LIONS at big cat 'banquet'
Hell-raising French actor Gerard Depardieu has admitted he shot two lions on a trip to Africa - then ate them.
The 65-year-old said he was forced to kill the animals after the creatures had blocked a vehicle in which he was a passenger.
'We broke down on a track in the bush, in Burkina Faso,' said Mr Depardieu. 'The two lions waited in front of us and wouldn't move.
'Hours passed, and we couldn't get out of the car, the African driver was very afraid.
'We had no choice; we had to shoot them,' said Mr Depardieu, referring to the lions. Asked directly if they were then eaten, he replied: 'Yes'.
Mr Depardieu first mentioned his hunting expedition in September, telling So Film magazine: 'I killed two lions once, and I understand why the lion is the king of the jungle. In legitimate self-defence.
More
The 65-year-old said he was forced to kill the animals after the creatures had blocked a vehicle in which he was a passenger.
'We broke down on a track in the bush, in Burkina Faso,' said Mr Depardieu. 'The two lions waited in front of us and wouldn't move.
'Hours passed, and we couldn't get out of the car, the African driver was very afraid.
'We had no choice; we had to shoot them,' said Mr Depardieu, referring to the lions. Asked directly if they were then eaten, he replied: 'Yes'.
Mr Depardieu first mentioned his hunting expedition in September, telling So Film magazine: 'I killed two lions once, and I understand why the lion is the king of the jungle. In legitimate self-defence.
More
RON PAUL: ABOLISH CIA & NSA, REMOVE ALL TROOPS STATIONED OVERSEAS
In the wake of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s CIA torture memo release, former Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) has suggested that America should get rid of its premier intelligence agencies and bring all of our troops back home.
Paul’s pacifistic world-view is articulated in his Voices of Liberty op-ed, where he states, “all of our wars--we would come home from the 150 countries where we have troops stationed,” in recommending a government shutdown that defunds overseas operations.
In Paul’s view, America should not be a world leader, but instead only focus on internal matters. The threats posed by actors such as ISIS and Al Qaeda exist simply due to grievances generated from America’s activities overseas, according to Dr. Paul. He has in the past blamed the 9/11 attacks on blowback from the United States presence overseas, and not the terrorists’ jihadist ideology.
More
Paul’s pacifistic world-view is articulated in his Voices of Liberty op-ed, where he states, “all of our wars--we would come home from the 150 countries where we have troops stationed,” in recommending a government shutdown that defunds overseas operations.
In Paul’s view, America should not be a world leader, but instead only focus on internal matters. The threats posed by actors such as ISIS and Al Qaeda exist simply due to grievances generated from America’s activities overseas, according to Dr. Paul. He has in the past blamed the 9/11 attacks on blowback from the United States presence overseas, and not the terrorists’ jihadist ideology.
More
Governor Markell Declares December 26, 2014, a State Holiday
Governor Jack Markell announced today that Friday, December 26, 2014, will be an additional holiday for state government.
“I know how challenging it has been to meet the increased demands placed on our government in the last several years, and to do so in many cases with fewer resources. State employees have continued to provide excellent service in spite of these challenges and deliver every day for the citizens of Delaware,” said Governor Markell. “I want to recognize them for their commitment by allowing them to spend an extra day with their families this holiday season.”
Employees at 24-hour facilities, such as state hospitals and correctional centers, will report to work. State offices will re-open on Monday, December 29, 2014, with normal business hours.
“I know how challenging it has been to meet the increased demands placed on our government in the last several years, and to do so in many cases with fewer resources. State employees have continued to provide excellent service in spite of these challenges and deliver every day for the citizens of Delaware,” said Governor Markell. “I want to recognize them for their commitment by allowing them to spend an extra day with their families this holiday season.”
Employees at 24-hour facilities, such as state hospitals and correctional centers, will report to work. State offices will re-open on Monday, December 29, 2014, with normal business hours.
Paying Down The Debt Is Now Almost Mathematically Impossible
Exactly 199 years ago, in 1815, a “temporary” committee was established in the US Senate called the Committee on Finance and Uniform National Currency.
It was set up to address economic issues and the debt accrued by the US government after the War of 1812.
Of course, because there’s nothing more permanent than a temporary government measure,the committee became a permanent one after just one year.
It soon expanded its role from raising tariffs to having influence over taxation, banking, currency, and appropriations.
In subsequent wars, notably the American Civil War, the Committee was quick to use its powers and introduced the union’s first income tax. They also detached the dollar from gold to help fund the war.
This was all an indication of things to come.
More
It was set up to address economic issues and the debt accrued by the US government after the War of 1812.
Of course, because there’s nothing more permanent than a temporary government measure,the committee became a permanent one after just one year.
It soon expanded its role from raising tariffs to having influence over taxation, banking, currency, and appropriations.
In subsequent wars, notably the American Civil War, the Committee was quick to use its powers and introduced the union’s first income tax. They also detached the dollar from gold to help fund the war.
This was all an indication of things to come.
More
Prosecutor releases more Ferguson documents
A prosecutor released hundreds of pages of additional documents Saturday from the investigation into the police shooting of Michael Brown, including an interview transcript of a friend who initially asserted that he had seen Brown get shot in the back.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said the newly released records were inadvertently excluded from the thousands of pages of other documents made public Nov. 24, when a grand jury decided not to charge Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for killing Brown.
The freshly publicized documents include a transcript of an interview of Brown's friend Dorian Johnson conducted by the FBI and county police just four days after the Aug. 9 confrontation in which the white officer shot the black 18-year-old.
Previously released forensic evidence showed that Brown was not shot in the back but was struck by bullets in the head, chest and arm.
More
St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said the newly released records were inadvertently excluded from the thousands of pages of other documents made public Nov. 24, when a grand jury decided not to charge Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for killing Brown.
The freshly publicized documents include a transcript of an interview of Brown's friend Dorian Johnson conducted by the FBI and county police just four days after the Aug. 9 confrontation in which the white officer shot the black 18-year-old.
Previously released forensic evidence showed that Brown was not shot in the back but was struck by bullets in the head, chest and arm.
More
Cosby says he only expects 'black media' to be fair
Bill Cosby says he only expects the 'black media' to stay 'neutral' and give him a fair hearing over mounting rape claims.
The 77-year-old said that African-American media should be impartial in reporting the allegations that he is a serial rapist.
'Let me say this. I only expect the black media to uphold the standards of excellence in journalism and when you do that you have to go in with a neutral mind,' Cosby told Page Six.
More
The 77-year-old said that African-American media should be impartial in reporting the allegations that he is a serial rapist.
'Let me say this. I only expect the black media to uphold the standards of excellence in journalism and when you do that you have to go in with a neutral mind,' Cosby told Page Six.
More
Virginians Go to War Over Car Tax
More than a dozen years after leading a drastic reduction in Virginia’s “car tax,” former Gov. Jim Gilmore is fighting to protect the cuts and kill the tax altogether while members of both parties seek to raise it again to fund an ever-expanding budget.
Despite Republicans narrowly controlling Virginia’s Senate and holding a commanding edge in the House of Delegates, tax increases are being discussed in the Old Dominion. Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe is currently governor. Gilmore expects this push for a tax increase to fail, but he says Republicans need to be much stronger than they have been to this point.
“We certainly believe the House of Delegates will stand fast,” Gilmore said. “We certainly hope that they do. … We’ve always had a problem that moderate to liberal senators in the Virginia state Senate want to continue to increase taxes, and they never really liked the car tax cut, even though many of them were elected on it. That’s a real problem.”
In fact, this debate is flaring up again because of pressure from a Republican member of the Senate.
“This issue has been raised because an outgoing Republican state senator has said we ought to reach back in and get this money,” Gilmore said.
More here
Despite Republicans narrowly controlling Virginia’s Senate and holding a commanding edge in the House of Delegates, tax increases are being discussed in the Old Dominion. Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe is currently governor. Gilmore expects this push for a tax increase to fail, but he says Republicans need to be much stronger than they have been to this point.
“We certainly believe the House of Delegates will stand fast,” Gilmore said. “We certainly hope that they do. … We’ve always had a problem that moderate to liberal senators in the Virginia state Senate want to continue to increase taxes, and they never really liked the car tax cut, even though many of them were elected on it. That’s a real problem.”
In fact, this debate is flaring up again because of pressure from a Republican member of the Senate.
“This issue has been raised because an outgoing Republican state senator has said we ought to reach back in and get this money,” Gilmore said.
More here
Maryland Nonprofits Investing In Offshore Accounts
When the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Johns Hopkins University and other Maryland nonprofits want to maximize the money they can spend in pursuit of their missions, they do what many wealthy individuals and businesses do.
They open investment accounts overseas.
Many of Maryland's wealthiest nonprofits — including the University of Maryland Foundation, the Baltimore Museum of Art, The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and two organizations that support the Naval Academy — maintain accounts in such tax havens as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Ireland.
Also on the list are several Baltimore-area private schools, including Gilman, McDonogh and the Calvert School, according to Internal Revenue Service filings.
More
They open investment accounts overseas.
Many of Maryland's wealthiest nonprofits — including the University of Maryland Foundation, the Baltimore Museum of Art, The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and two organizations that support the Naval Academy — maintain accounts in such tax havens as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Ireland.
Also on the list are several Baltimore-area private schools, including Gilman, McDonogh and the Calvert School, according to Internal Revenue Service filings.
More
Stolen ambulance crashes into 11 vehicles in Greenbelt, three people trapped, one dead
GREENBELT, Md. (AP) - Fire officials say three people were trapped and at least one person was seriously injured when a stolen ambulance crashed in Greenbelt.
Prince George's County fire department spokesman Mark Brady says the crash occurred Sunday evening at Greenbelt Road and 62nd Avenue.
Brady says two people in the ambulance and one in the second vehicle was injured. He says the person in the second vehicle suffered life-threatening injuries.
More
Getting Ready
Military pay cuts?
Dear Friends,
Since I’ve been in Congress, I’ve been frustrated at times. On occasion, I’ve been pretty well furious. This week, if I’m honest, it was a feeling of being deeply, deeply disappointed with this institution and the way it seems to work these days.
To make a very long story very short, the United States Congress has, for the last fifty-three years straight, passed a National Defense Authorization Act to fund each and every line item for our military. No matter how dysfunctional the Congress has gotten at times during those fifty-three years, we’ve always managed to recognize the solemn responsibility we have to fund the troops. For the last two years, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee have done the months-long work of digging through those line-items one by one and reaching a consensus on what our national priorities ought to be for the Defense Department. The FY ’15 House bill, for instance, passed out of our Armed Services Committee unanimously. That’s not uncommon. Such is the sense of our responsibility on this issue and our collective willingness to set politics aside and do what’s right.
You can probably imagine my sense of pride back in May when the committee finished its work. None of us agreed with everything, but the final work product was something we could all agree did right by our military and by our nation. The House passed the bill overwhelmingly. And then we waited. And waited. And waited.
We watched the Senate committee pass its version and then nothing else came of it. For the second time in two years, the full Senate never brought it up for consideration. It just sat there on the shelf. As the months ticked by, the rumblings about the fifty-three year streak started to get louder.
The calendar matters here because in order for the House and Senate to go to “conference” on their two versions and pass a single unified version that the President can sign, both chambers need to pass their versions first. That compromise process takes time. And once it’s complete, both chambers then have to bring up the compromise version and pass that identical language again. So as October became November and November became December, many of us really started to worry.
Last year, when this same thing happened, we were forced to skip the normal process. The two bills weren’t “conferenced” by delegates from each chamber. There was no public deliberation and no opportunity for input. The two bills were fused behind closed door and key decisions were made on the thousands of line items of funding – not by elected representatives of the people, but by unelected members of the staff. No one knew who was increasing this or cutting that. No one knew why or how those decisions were reached. And once reached, those decisions were un-amendable. It was a simple case of take-it-or-leave-it.
In the end, despite some serious reservations about certain decisions, both chambers passed the bill and the fifty-year streak continued. The troops were funded and the whole process could begin again.
This year, as that same unaccountable process took place again, I could feel a certain tightening in my gut. Despite being a member of the Armed Services Committee and despite the general insight that comes from spending months crafting the finer points of such an enormous bill, it is still impossibly difficult to go through the whole thing in just a few days and find out what on earth these closed negotiations have yielded.
One of my close colleagues who was nominally one of the “conferees” had no idea. He hadn’t heard a word. He’d been kept totally out of the process. He’d asked about a couple of provisions he’d worked on personally and no answer was returned.
The first thing I checked on when the text was released was the troops. Every year, we have to push back against those who want to cut the troops’ pay and health benefits. It’s astounding to me, given the almost guaranteed tendency of politicians to talk about “the debt we can never repay” and all of the “thank you’s for your service”, that there are so many who want to balance DOD’s budget on the backs of the troops and their families. They just prefer to do it anonymously.
When the House passed its bill back in May, troop pay was intact. When the surprise “conferenced” version popped up this week, it wasn’t. Both active duty pay and housing stipends had been reduced. And since I’m a member of the Armed Services Committee, I’m expected to sign off on the final bill and say these cuts are ok.
I didn’t.
Maybe more precisely, I couldn’t. I don’t know how these politicians look these kids in the eye and tell them how much we owe them and how much we thank them and then turn around and throw them under the bus without a moment’s hesitation. I really and truly don’t. By leaving it till the very last possible minute, the powers that be tried to jam us. If we don’t pass this bill, they say, the military’s budget will go un-authorized. Chaos will reign. Swallow the troop cuts… it just couldn’t be helped.
Well who is responsible? Who made the decision to cut active duty pay? Who is going to own up to it when they visit that local base back home? All you hear is crickets…
I didn’t come to Congress to play this game. I didn’t come up here with an attitude of “cooperate to graduate”. I take my responsibility on the Armed Services Committee very seriously. But the responsibility that comes first is to our warfighters. It’s to the men and women who volunteer to sacrifice themselves for this country. They don’t ask for much in return. They just ask us to keep the faith. And when we go behind their backs and take money out of their families’ pockets, we send a terrible message to the people serving. Just imagine the feeling these guys and gals are going to have when they hear what Congress just did to them. Imagine being laid up at Walter Reed with a missing leg with your friends hunkered down in Kandahar having lost another good friend last week. Imagine what these kids go through day in and day out. Imagine what their kids go through. Imagine all of that and then imagine that Congress just hid behind a curtain and quietly cut their pay.
I’m sorry to go on about this subject for so long, and I’m sorry to have had to vote no, but it ought to be unacceptable to each and every American who hears this. No matter how you may feel about the size of our military or the way it’s been used throughout our history, the last thing any American should ever want to see cut is the meager amount of money these soldiers get to take home to feed their kids. It’s not a glamorous life and they make unimaginable sacrifices while living it.
What Congress did this week is a disgrace and they are flat crazy if they think I’m going to keep it to myself.
Sincerely,
Rich Nugent
Member of Congress
Since I’ve been in Congress, I’ve been frustrated at times. On occasion, I’ve been pretty well furious. This week, if I’m honest, it was a feeling of being deeply, deeply disappointed with this institution and the way it seems to work these days.
To make a very long story very short, the United States Congress has, for the last fifty-three years straight, passed a National Defense Authorization Act to fund each and every line item for our military. No matter how dysfunctional the Congress has gotten at times during those fifty-three years, we’ve always managed to recognize the solemn responsibility we have to fund the troops. For the last two years, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee have done the months-long work of digging through those line-items one by one and reaching a consensus on what our national priorities ought to be for the Defense Department. The FY ’15 House bill, for instance, passed out of our Armed Services Committee unanimously. That’s not uncommon. Such is the sense of our responsibility on this issue and our collective willingness to set politics aside and do what’s right.
You can probably imagine my sense of pride back in May when the committee finished its work. None of us agreed with everything, but the final work product was something we could all agree did right by our military and by our nation. The House passed the bill overwhelmingly. And then we waited. And waited. And waited.
We watched the Senate committee pass its version and then nothing else came of it. For the second time in two years, the full Senate never brought it up for consideration. It just sat there on the shelf. As the months ticked by, the rumblings about the fifty-three year streak started to get louder.
The calendar matters here because in order for the House and Senate to go to “conference” on their two versions and pass a single unified version that the President can sign, both chambers need to pass their versions first. That compromise process takes time. And once it’s complete, both chambers then have to bring up the compromise version and pass that identical language again. So as October became November and November became December, many of us really started to worry.
Last year, when this same thing happened, we were forced to skip the normal process. The two bills weren’t “conferenced” by delegates from each chamber. There was no public deliberation and no opportunity for input. The two bills were fused behind closed door and key decisions were made on the thousands of line items of funding – not by elected representatives of the people, but by unelected members of the staff. No one knew who was increasing this or cutting that. No one knew why or how those decisions were reached. And once reached, those decisions were un-amendable. It was a simple case of take-it-or-leave-it.
In the end, despite some serious reservations about certain decisions, both chambers passed the bill and the fifty-year streak continued. The troops were funded and the whole process could begin again.
This year, as that same unaccountable process took place again, I could feel a certain tightening in my gut. Despite being a member of the Armed Services Committee and despite the general insight that comes from spending months crafting the finer points of such an enormous bill, it is still impossibly difficult to go through the whole thing in just a few days and find out what on earth these closed negotiations have yielded.
One of my close colleagues who was nominally one of the “conferees” had no idea. He hadn’t heard a word. He’d been kept totally out of the process. He’d asked about a couple of provisions he’d worked on personally and no answer was returned.
The first thing I checked on when the text was released was the troops. Every year, we have to push back against those who want to cut the troops’ pay and health benefits. It’s astounding to me, given the almost guaranteed tendency of politicians to talk about “the debt we can never repay” and all of the “thank you’s for your service”, that there are so many who want to balance DOD’s budget on the backs of the troops and their families. They just prefer to do it anonymously.
When the House passed its bill back in May, troop pay was intact. When the surprise “conferenced” version popped up this week, it wasn’t. Both active duty pay and housing stipends had been reduced. And since I’m a member of the Armed Services Committee, I’m expected to sign off on the final bill and say these cuts are ok.
I didn’t.
Maybe more precisely, I couldn’t. I don’t know how these politicians look these kids in the eye and tell them how much we owe them and how much we thank them and then turn around and throw them under the bus without a moment’s hesitation. I really and truly don’t. By leaving it till the very last possible minute, the powers that be tried to jam us. If we don’t pass this bill, they say, the military’s budget will go un-authorized. Chaos will reign. Swallow the troop cuts… it just couldn’t be helped.
Well who is responsible? Who made the decision to cut active duty pay? Who is going to own up to it when they visit that local base back home? All you hear is crickets…
I didn’t come to Congress to play this game. I didn’t come up here with an attitude of “cooperate to graduate”. I take my responsibility on the Armed Services Committee very seriously. But the responsibility that comes first is to our warfighters. It’s to the men and women who volunteer to sacrifice themselves for this country. They don’t ask for much in return. They just ask us to keep the faith. And when we go behind their backs and take money out of their families’ pockets, we send a terrible message to the people serving. Just imagine the feeling these guys and gals are going to have when they hear what Congress just did to them. Imagine being laid up at Walter Reed with a missing leg with your friends hunkered down in Kandahar having lost another good friend last week. Imagine what these kids go through day in and day out. Imagine what their kids go through. Imagine all of that and then imagine that Congress just hid behind a curtain and quietly cut their pay.
I’m sorry to go on about this subject for so long, and I’m sorry to have had to vote no, but it ought to be unacceptable to each and every American who hears this. No matter how you may feel about the size of our military or the way it’s been used throughout our history, the last thing any American should ever want to see cut is the meager amount of money these soldiers get to take home to feed their kids. It’s not a glamorous life and they make unimaginable sacrifices while living it.
What Congress did this week is a disgrace and they are flat crazy if they think I’m going to keep it to myself.
Sincerely,
Rich Nugent
Member of Congress
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)