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Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Attorney General Frosh Joins Coalition of Attorneys General Opposing Citizenship Question on 2020 Census

Citizenship Question Would Directly Threaten States’ Fair Representation in Congress and Electoral College and Billions in Critical Federal Funding

BALTIMORE, MD –
Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, part of a coalition of 19 Attorneys General and the State of Colorado, today urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to reject the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 decennial Census. The action would directly threaten states’ fair representation in Congress and the Electoral College, as well as billions of dollars in critical federal funds for programs like Medicaid.

Under the Constitution, the Census Bureau has an obligation to determine “the whole number of persons in each state.” Yet the addition of a citizenship question to the Census is expected to depress participation among immigrants, causing a population undercount that would disproportionately harm states and cities with large immigrant communities.

“This is an attempt by the Justice Department to intimidate immigrant communities,” said Attorney General Frosh. “Adding a citizenship question will have a chilling effect. US citizens and others may decline to respond, fearing government action against them or their families. The result will jeopardize funding and depress representation for Maryland.”

Read more in the full press release:http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2018/021218.pdf

Intelligence Director: National Debt 'Dire Threat to Our Economic and National Security'

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats warned the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday about the risk posed by the national debt.

“This situation is unsustainable, as I think we all know, and represents a dire threat to our economic and national security,” he said. He echoed an Obama-era warning by then-Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, who called the debt “most significant threat to our national security” in 2010.

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Nick Mulvaney admitted Monday, under questioning from Breitbart News’ Michelle Moons, that President Donald Trump’s new budget proposal does not balance the budget within ten years.

The best Mulvaney could offer is the prediction that the budget deficit would decline as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) several years from now as a result of faster economic growth.

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Stagflation: Retail Sales Tumble Just As Inflation Spikes

Lost in the chaos surrounding the blistering January inflation print, i.e. the market's worst case scenario which sent yields and the dollar soaring, and futures tumbling, was a just as troubling indication that the US consumer has officially tapped out, after January retail sales dropped by -0.2%, badly missing expectations of a 0.3% increase, and the biggest decline since February 2017.

In dollar terms, retail sales fell to $492.003BN in January vs $493.3BN in December.

Stripping away volatile auto sales did not improve the situation, with retail sales ex autos unchanged, far below the 0.5% expected.

Also unchanged were retail sales ex-auto dealers, building materials and gasoline stations, as well as the retail sales "control group" which excludes food services, automobile dealers, building materials and gasoline stations and which directly feeds into GDP, will send Q1 GDP forecasts lower relative to baseline expectations.

Looking at the breakdown of retail sales categories, 6 out of 13 categories rose vs 12 last January. Notably, non-store retailers, i.e. internet sellers, were unchanged in January: the first time this series has not grown M/M in years.

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New antibiotic has literally been unearthed

For the first time in 30 years, a new type of antibiotic has been unearthed, buried in dirt.

Experiments suggest the antibiotic family, known as malacidins, can kill several 'superbugs', including the notoriously difficult-to-treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The antibiotics' unique approach to killing pathogens targets bacteria's cell walls, which did not cause drug resistance in the laboratory, a US study found.

When tested on MRSA skin infections in rats, the rodents experienced no side effects, giving the researchers hope they may have discovered a non-toxic alternative to current antibiotics.

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Exclusive -- Rep. Mark Meadows on Schumer-McConnell Budget Deal: ‘The Stench of the Swamp Is Sucking in Everyone on Capitol Hill’

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) toldBreitbart News Daily host and Breitbart News Washington Political Editor Matthew Boyle on Thursday that the “stench of the swamp is sucking in everyone on Capitol Hill,” regarding the Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell deal.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) struck a deal to fund the government for two years and raise the debt limit for one year. Conservative lawmakers and free-market activist groups slammed the Schumer-McConnell deal for massively increasing government spending.

The budget deal between Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell will increase defense and domestic spending by roughly $400 billion over the next two years; the Defense Department’s budget will rise by $80 billion and domestic spending will increase by $63 billion in 2018 alone. The budget deal will also raise the debt ceiling for one year.

Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said, “This spending proposal is disgusting and reckless — the biggest spending increase since 2009. I urge every American to speak out against this fiscal insanity.”

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Mortgage Apps Tumble As Rates Spike To 4-Year Highs

A week ago we warned "this won't end well" as mortgage rates started to spike, and this week's mortgage application data suggests it is...

The average 30Y mortgage rate rose 7bps this week to 4.57% - the highest level since January 2014.

Will higher rates break housing market momentum?

It appears to be impacting the mortgage application pipeline as purchase applications plunged 5.9% MoM - the biggest drop since October and September (impacted by storms).

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Paul Craig Roberts Sums Up The Result Of Mueller's Investigation: "Nothing!"

Robert Mueller discredited himself and his orchestrated Russiagate investigation last week (Friday, February 16, 2018) with his charges that 13 Russians and 3 Russian companies plotted to use social media to influence the 2016 election. Their intent, Mueller says, was to “sow discord in the US political system.”

What pathetic results to come from a 9 month investigation!

Note that the hyped Russian hacking of Hillary’s emails that we have heard about every day is nowhere to be found in Mueller’s charges. In its place there is “use of social media to sow discord.” I mean, really! Even if the charge were correct, considering the massive discord present in the last presidential election, with the Democrats calling Trump voters racist, sexist, homophobic white trash deplorables, how much discord could a measly 13 Russians add via social media?

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Suspect arrested in brutal California grandmother attack, officials say

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE

A man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly punching a California grandmother so hard she was knocked to the ground, leaving the woman with serious facial and head injuries, officials said.

Richard Colomo, 41, was arrested after he was seen on surveillance video running around the same time 86-year-old Mi Reum Song was attacked, FOX11 Los Angeles reported. Colomo, who was seen wearing a backpack on Saturday, was booked on battery charges.

Song was walking in Los Angeles’ Koreatown neighborhood on Saturday when a man walked up to her and punched her once in the forehead, police said.

“She was struck in the forehead and fell backwards and her head struck the pavement. So [on] the back of her head there was a laceration and you can see some of the injuries to the front of her face,” LAPD Detective Heebae Cho said in a previous news conference.

Song was taken to the hospital and treated for her head injuries. She was later released.

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CEO: Millennials Need To Let Their Kids Be Bullied

If there’s one thing most bosses agree on … it’s that far too many Millennials entering the workforce are too soft.

I blame their parents, and I blame this movement to remove ALL bullying from life.

Let’s get a couple of things straight … because I’m sure that before many people finished reading the first sentence, they were already triggered.

Bullying sucks. And I’m not talking about:
Extreme bullying
Serious violence
Cyberstalking
Blah blah blah

Now as a parent, I NEVER want to see my kids bullied. It’s heart-wrenching to see your child cry, especially when it’s at the hands of someone else.

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Warren Doubles Down On Native American Ancestry Claim During Surprise Appearance

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren addressed claims of her Native American heritage Wednesday while delivering remarks at the National Congress of American Indians, and insisted that her mother’s Cherokee ancestry is not a fabrication.

“My mother’s family was part Native American,” Warren said. “And my daddy’s parents were bitterly opposed to their relationship.

“So, in 1932, when Mother was 19 and Daddy had just turned 20, they eloped.”

Warren’s remarks focused on the “Pocahontas” taunts frequently lobbed at her by President Donald Trump, with whom she has sparred with numerous times on social media. During her speech, Warren sought to debunk the “Pocahontas myth” — the “fairy tale” story about the purported Jamestown romance between the Indian chief’s daughter and the Englishman John Smith.

“In the fairy tale, Pocahontas and John Smith meet and fall in love,” Warren said. “Except Smith was nearly 30, and Pocahontas was about 10 years old, whatever happened between them, it was no love story.”

The Cambridge Democrat, who is up for re-election in November, criticized the story as “a fable used to bleach away the stain of genocide.”

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Elizabeth Warren Used To Play Indian; Now She Plays Charades

Elizabeth Warren is right about one thing: President Donald Trump should stop calling her Pocahontas.

The correct name is Fauxcahontas. That’s the nickname Boston Herald columnist and radio talk show host Howie Carr hung on her during the 2012 campaign. That’s “Faux” as in “false.” The point is that she’s a faker.

And she went right on faking during a speech to the National Congress of American Indians on Wednesday.

The speech is getting attention for “addressing” questions about her alleged indigenous identity. It indeed addressed them, but it didn’t answer them.

To state an observation a law professor might appreciate: Warren’s speech relies on assertion, and makes no argument. It’s not much of a leap to conclude that she has no argument.

In a 17-minute-plus speech of more than 2,000 words, only twice did she mention the nub of her problem:

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From The National Weather Service: Records Broken

Record highs have been reached at Richmond, Elizabeth City, and Salisbury thus far today.

Richmond has reached 80 degrees so far today, shattering the old record of 75 degrees set back in 1930. The temperature may still rise thus a record report will be issued later this evening. For reference, the all time February high temperature at RIC is 83 degrees. #vawx

Elizabeth City, NC has reached 79 degrees so far today, breaking the old record of 77 set back in 2014. The temperature will likely continue to rise and a record report will be issued later this evening. For reference, the all time high for February is 82 degrees. #ncwx

Salisbury, MD has reached 75 degrees so far today, tying the record of 75 set back in 1943. The temperature will likely continue to rise and a record report will be issued later this evening. For reference, the all time high for February is 80 degrees. #mdwx

Pro-Trump Black Pastor To Seek Fourth Congressional District

A black pastor from the South Carolina Upstate who made national news for his support of then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump is entering the race for the Palmetto State’s fourth congressional district.

Mark Burns – leader of the Harvest Praise and Worship Center in Easley, S.C. – will announce his candidacy for the seat being vacated by U.S. congressman Trey Gowdy sometime Friday, sources familiar with his thinking tell this news site.

Burns – who was mulling a 2020 challenge against liberal “Republican” U.S. senatorLindsey Graham – already has a nifty new campaign website up and running (one featuring a spiffy introductory video).

Take a look …

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Q Anon Latest Posts Decoded by Dr. Corsi

Police: Officer And Suspect Killed After Call For Domestic Incident In Pr. George’s Co.

BRANDYWINE, Md. (WJZ) — An off-duty Prince George’s County Police officer was shot and killed Wednesday morning while trying to protect a neighbor who came to him for help with a domestic situation in Brandywine, investigators say.

The suspect accused of shooting the officer, identified as 37 year old Glenn Tyndell, was also shot and killed. Police say Tyndell had three open warrants for assault.

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Texas Sheriff Who Allows Teachers To Carry Firearms Leaves MSNBC’s Jaw On The Floor

The debate over guns in America has surged again to the forefront of conversation in the wake of the horrific school shooting in Florida last week.

A deranged gunman went on a rampage through the Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17. Many are calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of the shooting. One of the students of Stoneman Douglas said this weekend that his coach, who died in the shooting, would have then able to confront the gunman had he been able to carry his firearm to school.

While the idea of arming teachers is a controversial one nationally, a school district in Texas has been arming their teachers for over 4 years. The Argyle School Independent School District decided in 2014 to allow highly trained members of staff to carry guns on campus to prevent mass shootings.

On MSNBC this weekend, Sheriff Paul Cairney of Argyle, Texas, described the process by which staff members can carry firearms in the school district. The Sheriff said that the staff at the school who choose to carry a firearm go through an intense round of interviews and training before they are allowed to carry on campus. The MSNBC host was flabbergasted at the practice and asked the Sheriff about concerns for the safety of the students in the school when there are firearms around.

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Flashback: CNN and MSNBC Helped Russia Sow Discord by Promoting Fake Anti-Trump Rally

One of the revelations in Friday’s indictment handed down by Special Counsel Robert Mueller was that alleged Russian attempts to sow disunity in 2016 included the organization of both pro- and anti-Trump rallies in New York City on the Saturday after Election Day.

A check of their November 12 coverage showed both CNN and MSNBC gave enthusiastic coverage to the Russian-organized anti-Trump rally that day, with live reports every hour. Correspondents celebrated the idea that it was “a love rally,” and repeated the marchers’ anti-Trump mantras, such as: “We reject the President-elect.”

While the two liberal anti-Trump networks offered heavy coverage of the anti-Trump rally throughout the day, a check of coverage between noon and 5:00 p.m. Eastern found that the Fox News Channel offered only a short re-cap (66 seconds) at the start of their 4:00 p.m. Eastern hour.

Of course, none of the networks were aware of who was allegedly behind the march, but CNN and MSNBC reveled in the inflammatory messages of the march. At one point, MSNBC anchor Alex Witt credulously responded to the ridiculously alarmist rhetoric: “That woman, when she’s saying she’s concerned that black people will be shot in the street....Is that a legitimate concern for her? Because, that’s scary.”

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Debt Cancer: More Than 80% Of American Adults Owe Somebody Else Money

How long can our debt levels keep growing much, much faster than the overall economy?

We haven’t had a year of 3 percent growth for the U.S. economy since the middle of the Bush administration, but we keep borrowing money as if there is no tomorrow. Much of the focus has been on the exploding debt of the federal government, and that is definitely something I plan to address once I get to Washington. But on an individual level, U.S. consumers have been extremely irresponsible as well. In fact, one new survey has found that more than 80 percent of all American adults are currently in debt…

It’s no secret that America is a nation that runs on debt, but it may surprise you to learn that the overwhelming majority of U.S. adults owe money in some way, shape, or form. According to new data from Comet, here’s how many Americans have debt at present:
80.9% of Baby Boomers
79.9% of Gen Xers
81.5% of Millennials

For most of us, it starts very early. We were told that going into debt to get a college education would not be a problem because we would be able to pay those loans off with the good jobs we would get after graduation.

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Well she totally made a fool out of herself

Flu shot only 36 percent effective, making bad year worse

NEW YORK — The flu vaccine is doing a poor job protecting older Americans and others against the bug that’s causing most illnesses.

Preliminary figures released Thursday suggest the vaccine is 36 percent effective overall in preventing flu illness severe enough to send a patient to the doctor’s office.

There’s only been one other time in the last decade when the flu vaccine did a worse job.

Most illnesses this winter have been caused by a nasty kind of flu called Type A H3N2. The vaccine was only 25 percent effective against that type.

This kind of virus tends to cause more suffering and has been responsible for the worst recent flu seasons. But experts have wondered whether low vaccine effectiveness is another reason for the surprisingly severe season hitting the United States this winter.

Based on these numbers, the answer is yes.

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