Saturday, January 31, 2015

US considering giving Middle East and North Africans their own category in 2020 census due to huge growth of Arab population in US in last 25-30 years. Would yield greater political clout and access to free taxpayer dollars-AP

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1/20/15, "US mulls Middle East-North Africa category for 2020 census," AP, Jeff Karoub
The federal government is considering allowing those of Middle Eastern and North African descent to identify as such on the next 10-year census, which could give Arab-Americans and other affected groups greater political clout and access to public funding, among other things.

The U.S. Census Bureau will test the new Middle East-North Africa (MENA) classification for possible inclusion on the 2020 census if it gets enough positive feedback about the proposed change by Sunday, when the public comment period ends.
Arab-Americans, who make up the majority of those who would be covered by the MENA classification, have previously been classified by default as white on the census, which helps determine congressional district boundaries and how billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated, among other things.

Those pushing for the MENA classification say it would more fully and accurately count them, thus increasing their visibility and influence among policymakers.

The Census Bureau plans to test it later this year by holding focus group discussions with people who would be affected by the proposed change. Congress would still have to sign off on the proposal before the change could be added to the 2020 census.

"We know the challenges," says Hassan Jaber, who runs a Detroit-area social services group and serves on a census advisory board formed to evaluate Americans' changing racial and ethnic identities. "It really does take rethinking...who we are as a population and what our needs are, (but) there are specific needs for Arab-Americans that are not being recognized and not being met."

Jaber's group, ACCESS, and others that serve U.S. Middle Eastern communities have been pushing for the new census classification, which could also allow people to identify under sub-categories such as Assyrian or Kurdish.

"Frankly, being under MENA will also give us a chance for the first time for minorities within the Arab communities, such as Chaldeans, Berbers and Kurds, to self-identify," said Jaber, a Lebanese-American who serves on the U.S. Census' National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations.

Arabs have been coming to America in large numbers since the late 19th century and their ranks have grown in recent decades due to wars and political instability in the Middle East, with many settling in and around Detroit, New York and Los Angeles. The Census Bureau's 2013 American Community Survey, which had a sample size of about 3 million addresses, estimated that 1.5 million people were of Arab ancestry in 2006-10.

Although Jaber thinks the public comment and testing periods should go well, he said it could be difficult getting congressional approval. Some Republican lawmakers are generally critical of the expense and intrusion of the census and have sought to eliminate the community surveys, which, unlike the main decennial count, aren't constitutionally mandated.

There also isn't universal support for the proposed census change among those who could identify as Middle Eastern or North African.

Some have expressed concern about sharing such information with the government in a post-9/11 world. And some have said that keeping the status quo would let them feel more American.
"I'm not for it. ... I feel I'm a Mayflower American," said Eide Alawan, a 74-year-old son of a Syrian immigrant whose roots are mostly Arab.

Alawan, a diversity liaison at a Detroit hospital and interfaith outreach coordinator at the area's largest mosque, said he knows there are benefits to having the category, but that he thinks the change would be divisive.

"We're broken down into villages and countries (where we come from) - I don't like that."

Some older Middle Eastern immigrants or their descendants live with the legacy of U.S. laws in the early 20th century that excluded Asians from entry and at one point included Syrians and others from the eastern Mediterranean. Groups were formed to fight those decisions and eventually the Middle Eastern immigrants were deemed white and were allowed to become citizens.

Sally Howell, an associate professor at University of Michigan-Dearborn and author of several books on Arabs and Muslims in Detroit, said that argument is common among "people that were raised in an America that was more polarized along black and white lines." But she added younger people generally are "less eager to see the world in those binary terms," and the census should reflect that.

No matter what happens, identity would remain a choice, but she said an evolving population requires asking new questions.

"We need to kind of rethink who Arab-Americans are, really. The community has changed radically over the last 25-30 years," she said. "The only way we're going to have a good sense of the changes is if we have good data to work with."" via Pamela Geller

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“US mulls Middle East-North Africa category for 2020 census,” By J. Karoub, The Associated Press, an 30th 2015 - See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2015/01/us-proposes-muslim-race-category-for-2020-census.html/#sthash.md4tSsZ9.dpuf

1000 new crimes have been committed by 36,000 Illegal immigrant criminals released by Obama in 2013 including child sex abuse, hit and run, and child cruelty, per Obama DHS-Washington Times

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1/30/15, "Illegal immigrants released from custody committed 1,000 new crimes," Washington Times, Stephen Dinan

"One thousand of the 36,000 illegal immigrant criminals the government released in 2013 have gone on to commit other crimes, including child sex abuse, hit-and-run and child cruelty, according to new data released Friday evening by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley.

The information, which the Homeland Security Department provided to Mr. Grassley, details all 1,000 convictions including dozens of drunk-driving convictions, drug offenses and weapons convictions. But the more serious crimes include domestic abuse, carjacking and aggravated assault.

One of the illegal immigrants, identified as No. 960, was subsequently convicted of inflicting injury on a domestic partner; child cruelty, with the possibility of injury or death; probation violations; speeding; driving without a license; and failing to appear for court.

The Obama Administration claims that it is using ‘prosecutorial discretionto prioritize the removal of criminal aliens from this country. But this report shows the disturbing truth: 1,000 undocumented aliens previously convicted of crimes who the Administration released in 2013 have gone on to commit further crimes in our communities,” Mr. Grassley said.

The information comes just a month before Mr. Obama begins taking applications for the new amnesty he announced in November, which would allow up to 4 million illegal immigrants to apply for a stay of deportation and for work permits to be able to compete legally for jobs.

The 1,000 illegal immigrants in the data were part of a group of 36,000 convicted criminals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been holding but decided to release in 2013.

Those illegal immigrants had amassed nearly 88,000 convictions among them, including 193 homicide convictions, 426 sexual assault convictions, 303 kidnapping convictions and 16,070 drunk- or drugged-driving convictions.

At the time, ICE officials said some of the releases were required by a federal court decision that prevents them from holding illegal immigrants whose home countries won’t take them back. The government said three-quarters of those convicted of homicide had to be released under court guidelines.

Mr. Grassley this week introduced a bill to change the law and overturn the court decision."

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Comment: Thanks again to the Bush family for handing the country over to the radical left.

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Romney considers Jeb Bush least helpful to his 2012 campaign among national Republican figures-Halperin, Bloomberg

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1/30/15, "How Mitt Romney Made His Decision Not To Run," Bloomberg, Mark Halperin

"Romney also considers Bush the national Republican figure who was the least helpful to him during his last run for the White House, a position that has darkened Ann Romney’s view of Bush as well."...(parag. 10) 

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Jeb's brother George W. Bush also sabotaged Romney's campaign:

“He (George Bush) gets a regular drip feed of political news from Karl Rove and others--
he’s been critical of Romney’s campaign and skeptical of his chances.”...(p. 2)


10/14/12, “(Jeb) Bush in the Wilderness, NY Magazine, Joe Hagen

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"Sabotaging conservatives is built into the DNA of the GOP Establishment. Unable to win themselves a considerable bit of the time — and then continuing to move the country left when they do win...they have never ever changed."

1/8/13, “The Sabotage Republicans,by Jeffrey Lord, American Spectator


"When the 1964 convention was over, instead of uniting behind Goldwater as Goldwater had done with Nixon — and asked his supporters to do the same — the Establishment/Rockefeller wing of the GOP took a walk. They sat on their hands — or went out of their way to sabotage Goldwater.

Decades later, moderates were still at it. In 2010 Delaware, GOP moderate Congressman Mike Castle was filled with soothing calls for party unity — until he lost the GOP Senate nomination to the conservative Christine O’Donnell. And promptly sat on his hands along with the Delaware and Washington GOP Establishments. Which spent their time shorting her on funds and attacking her.

Now the same stunt has been pulled in Virginia with the GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli. The moderates, led by moderate Lieutenant Governor Bolling and Eric Cantor’s ex-chief of staff, lost in a convention to the conservative Cuccinelli. So Bolling spends his time, like Nelson Rockefeller and liberal Republicans all the way back in 1964, and does the minimal. With Cantor’s friend Marcus simply going over to the other side, period.

What, pray tell, was going on with Reince Priebus and the Republican National Committee? With the Chamber of Commerce? Here’s this from Politico:
 

"McAuliffe outraised Cuccinelli by almost $15 million, and he used the cash advantage to pummel him on the airwaves. A lack of resources forced the Republican to go dark in the D.C. media market during the final two weeks. 

The Republican National Committee spent about $3 million on Virginia this year, compared to $9 million in the 2009 governor’s race. 

The Chamber of Commerce spent $1 million boosting McDonnell in 2009 and none this time. 

“If the Republicans would have rallied around the nominee instead of refusing to support Cuccinelli, he would have won,” said a GOP source involved in the race. 

Then there is Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and the Republican Governors Association deciding to take their money and, instead of giving directly to Cuccinelli, going off on their own to do commercials talking about… China. That’s right…not Obamacare, but China.
Here’s Matt Lewis on this over at the Daily Caller: 

"“Bobby Jindal’s presidential campaign is over,” said the Cuccinelli advisor. “He screwed this up so bad. And I don’t know why. The campaign knew it was moving numbers over ObamaCare. And the RGA was not very far from that information, they could have obtained it themselves,” the advisor continued. “They should have given the money to the campaign to spend as opposed to running these stupid China ads. They just blew it.”"

About the only thing one can say for Jindal is that this was political incompetence as opposed to political sabotage.
And who will forget Chris Christie? Last year, as the key moment of the presidential campaign arrived along with Hurricane Sandy, Christie went out of his way to put his arm around Romney opponent President Obama. This year….cruising to a 60% percent victory and asked to spare a few hours for Cuccinelli, Christie refused. Once again, it was all about Christie.

And this is the guy who is supposed to be the new leader of the party? 

The fact here is that sabotaging conservatives is built into the DNA of the GOP Establishment. Unable to win themselves a considerable bit of the time — and then continuing to move the country left when they do win, just not as fast and so much better managed don’t you know — they have never ever changed.

Governor Christie is being touted as some sort of inevitable nominee in 2016. The next Tom Dewey, the next Gerald Ford, the next Bob Dole and John McCain and Mitt Romney.

And if by chance he flames out? With the conservative base in open rebellion in the 2016 primaries, awarding the nomination to, say, Texas Senator Ted Cruz? You can bet that America will be treated to yet another knee-jerk, reflexive response from the quarters of the GOP Establishment.

Sabotage. 

The GOP Establishment will find a way — quietly or not so quietly — to sabotage the conservative nominee if there is a conservative nominee in 2016. This is what they do.

They did it to Barry Goldwater in 1964, they tried to do it to Ronald Reagan in 1980 with liberal GOP Congressman John Anderson. Anderson who lost in the primaries to Reagan, running as a third party candidate in a deliberate attempt to sabotage Reagan. Anderson failed — but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. 

The Republican Party has two serious problems on its hands.

The first is with those like Eric Cantor’s ex-chief of staff who are invited into leadership positions in the party — when they in fact are not conservatives at all and quietly or openly seek to sabotage the party. 

The second is with those Establishment Republicans who do manage to win — and then see their job as merely managing the leftist status quo. 

This time around the target was Ken Cuccinelli.

But Ken Cuccinelli wasn’t the first — and he isn’t going to be the last.

That is the Republican Party’s real problem. And it’s a big one.”

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Added: In recent close races, a Libertarian candidate can become the spoiler. In 2013 Virginia Governor election, the conservative lost to the liberal democrat by 2%, but the Libertarian candidate walked away with 6.6%:

11/6/2013, "In a race where he was polling with a double-digit lead only last week, Democrat Terry McAuliffe won the Virginia governor’s race in a squeaker tonight, with a margin of victory of just over 2 percent, receiving 47.6 percent to Republican Ken Cuccinelli’s 45.42 percent. For libertarians the bigger news might be that Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis pulled 6.6 percent, or more than 142,000 votes."...Reason.com 


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Added: Hoping Republicans would lose ground in 2006 midterms, former GOP Senator from Missouri John Danforth said, "I'm counting on nausea." Maybe they all deserved to lose but that isn't the point in this case. The whole country loses by constant GOP insider sabotage. The US can't exist without two separate, healthy political parties representing opposing points of view. As it is now, we have only one functioning political party, the far left Democrats.

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Comment: The Bushes and Rupert Murdoch keep the left in charge. None of this would've happened if Ronald Reagan hadn't named George HW Bush his VP.


 
 



Muslim Brotherhood meeting at US State Dept. this week was 'organized and funded' by Georgetown University per US State Dept.

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1/30/15, "State Dept: Muslim Brotherhood US Trip ‘Organized and Funded’ by Georgetown University," Breitbart, Jordan Schachtel

Sharaby, 1/26/15
"This week, the State Department hosted several “former” members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. One of the members of the Brotherhood delegation, Waleed Sharaby, proudly displayed on Facebook a picture he took at the State Department, where he flashed the Brotherhood’s four-finger symbol.

Another Brotherhood leader within the delegation, Gamal Heshmat, claimed that he met with a “representative of the White House.” Heshmat has openly supported the Palestinian Hamas terror group that rules the Gaza Strip. Additionally, Heshmat has previously described Jews as “the descendants of pigs and monkeys.”

Georgetown University, which hosted the Brotherhood delegation, receives a vast amount of funding from foreign entities, some of which could potentially be sympathetic to the jihadist group.

Qatar, which remains a strong ideological ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, operates a Georgetown satellite school in Doha that some have alleged is funded entirely “by oil money and corrupt sheikhs,” according to The Hoya student newspaper. Dr. John Esposito, who serves as director of the Saudi-funded Prince Alaweed Bin Tala Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, “has at least a dozen past or present affiliations with global Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas organization,” according to Global MB Watch.

During the Muslim Brotherhood’s reign over Egypt, Cairo devolved into a state of total chaos. Coptic Christians were fearful for their lives. Their churches, schools, and businesses were routinely burned to the ground. Furthermore, al-Qaeda terrorists were offered safe haven into the country. One of MB President Morsi’s first acts as president was to release from prison the brother of al-Qaeda mastermind Ayman al-Zawahiri, who reportedly told Morsi at the time, “We will fight the [Egyptian] military and the police, and we will set the Sinai aflame.” On the Brotherhood’s watch, the Sinai peninsula became a breeding ground for terrorism, helping jihadist group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis become a radical enough force to eventually swear allegiance to the Islamic State. Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood president would often verbally assault Jews, describing them as “bloodsuckers” who are the “descendants of apes and pigs.”

The Muslim Brotherhood’s slogan states, “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Quran is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope. Allahu Akbar!”"     

Image above from Waleed's Facebook



1/24/15, Image from Waleed Sharaby Facebook
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State Dept. Press Briefing references Georgetown and "former members of Freedom and Justice Party" meeting at State Dept.:
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1/29/15, "Daily Press Briefing," state.gov  

"MS. PSAKI: You want to go to Egypt?

QUESTION: Egypt. Yes, please.

MS. PSAKI: Sure.

QUESTION: Members of Muslim Brothers were in town, and few days ago they met – had meetings in this building. Do you have any like – any details about the meeting, the nature of the meeting, the purpose of the meeting, and whom they met?

MS. PSAKI: Well, State Department officials meet – recently met with a group of visiting Egyptian former parliamentarians whose visit to the United States was organized and funded by Georgetown University. Such meetings are fairly routine at the State Department where we regularly meet with political party leaders from across the world. The Georgetown group included former members of the Freedom and Justice Party, among others. So this was a meeting – we meet on a regular basis with a range of groups, and obviously, as I mentioned, this was a group sponsored by Georgetown. The meeting was attended by a deputy assistant secretary for democracy, human rights, and labor, and other State Department officials.

QUESTION: The reason I’m asking: because you said Georgetown University, because they are in town and they were talking about – first, they are representing alternative parliament whatever, and beside that they were talking about political solution and being representative of an alternative government for Egypt. Do you have anything to say about that?

MS. PSAKI: I don’t. This was a diverse group of former parliamentarians. I don’t think I have much more than I just offered.

QUESTION: So let me complete this --

MS. PSAKI: Okay.

QUESTION: -- because the last 48 hours you were silent about these Georgetown visitors.

MS. PSAKI: I don’t think I was asked about it, so hence I was silent.

QUESTION: No, I mean, you were asked two days ago, I mean, and then we tried to ask you --

MS. PSAKI: And I think I said I need to look into more details.

QUESTION: Yes.

MS. PSAKI: Okay. That’s hardly silent, but go ahead.

QUESTION: So I’m trying to adjust to – explain myself anyway.

MS. PSAKI: Okay.

QUESTION: So in the last 48 hours, just for your information, the tweetosphere, whatever you can call it, was full of members of this Georgetown visitors, saying what they did and what they didn’t do in this town and in this building in particular, saying that it’s a kind of like a – we said our word and we achieved our goals. Are – your team are following what’s going on this town or it’s you don’t care about what they are saying about their meetings here?

MS. PSAKI: Well, I have to say there are dozens if not hundreds of meetings that take place in this building every single day. We don’t announce every meeting. That’s a part of our efforts and engagement as diplomats. So I don’t think it’s more complicated than that.

QUESTION: I’m – can I just – I understand completely what you are saying and --...

MS. PSAKI: Well, I just gave you all the details I have. Again, I think – and it takes a little bit of the mystery out of it. This was a group that was organized and funded by Georgetown. It was a diverse group. It had some former members of the Freedom and Justice Party – they’re former parliamentarians. I think we regularly meet with groups like this, so hopefully you can go back and report and defuse some of the confusion.

QUESTION: All right. Since I’m wearing a Georgetown scarf, are you suggesting that the criticism that has been lobbed at this building from frequent critics of the Administration should be directed at my alma mater?

MS. PSAKI: No, not at all, actually. I was suggesting that this was a group sponsored by a well-respected national university, Matt, and it was a diverse group and something --

QUESTION: Okay.

MS. PSAKI: -- I’m sure they do regularly, and we regularly meet with these groups.

QUESTION: And when they – in this meeting that they had, that a semi-senior official attended, did they discuss overthrowing the – President Morsy?

MS. PSAKI: No, that was not part of the discussion.

QUESTION: Okay. And then you also said that it was a diverse group, with former MPs and also, you said, former member of the Freedom and Justice Party. They are no long members of the Freedom and Justice Party?

MS. PSAKI: My understanding is they’re former members.

QUESTION: Because the party was outlawed, or – why just former members?

MS. PSAKI: I don’t have more details on the group than what I’ve offered.

QUESTION: And who else – who else was in it, then?

MS. PSAKI: I don’t have more of a description, Matt....

QUESTION: (Inaudible) can we move to --

MS. PSAKI: Go ahead. Why don’t we finish Egypt? Okay.

QUESTION: Yeah. I mean, just I’m trying to follow up --

MS. PSAKI: Sure.

QUESTION: -- because the question is: You said that they don’t discuss overthrowing it, or whatever. But they – this is what somehow their message was in this town or other places – I mean, in this town especially, in National Press Club, in other places.

MS. PSAKI: Well, I haven’t looked --

QUESTION: I know that you are not supposed to censor or whatever --

MS. PSAKI: Well, let me – then let me just answer your question. I’m sure they had a broad schedule while they were in Washington. I would refer you to them and others for what their schedule included. This was a regular meeting that we have with a range of groups. It wasn’t more complex; it wasn’t a discussion, a negotiation; it was a courtesy meeting, and I would leave it at that."...



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Friday, January 30, 2015

US 4Q 2014 GDP plunges unexpectedly to 2.6, economists expected 3.2

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1/30/15, "US Economic Growth Slows in Q4," istockanalyst.com, Capital Spectator

"US GDP growth fell short of expectations in last year's fourth quarter, the government reports. National output increased 2.6% in the final three months of 2014 vs. the previous quarter (seasonally adjusted annual rate). The consensus forecast was looking for something better—a 3.2% rise, according to Econoday.com's survey of economists.
 
The soft number for headline growth in Q4 is a bit surprising when you look at the statistical elephant in the room, namely, consumer spending, which accounts for nearly 70% of GDP. Personal consumption expenditures accelerated to a 4.3% pace in the fourth quarter, a handsome improvement over Q3's 3.2% rise. Meanwhile, disposable personal income growth accelerated to 3.8% in Q4 vs. 2.0% in Q3–a bullish sign for consumer spending in the near term.
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So, why the lesser pace of growth for headline GDP? Part of the explanation is due to the slide in government expenditures, which fell 2.2% in Q4. That's a fairly large reversal from Q3's 4.4% gain.

A faster growth rate for imports vs. exports—aka a bigger trade deficit–also weighed on headline GDP. Another corner of disappointment: business spending on equipment—a measure of corporate confidence in the economic outlook–slumped 1.9% in Q4, although it follows back-to-back gains of 11.0%-plus in each of the previous quarters and so some of this may be payback after a run of strength."... 












 




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Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Lee Zeldin seek investigation into US taxpayer funded org. working in Israel to influence upcoming election

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$233,500 free US taxpayer dollars were given to OneVoice "to support a two state solution" in Israel.

1/30/15, "EXCLUSIVE: Has President Obama Launched a Political Campaign Against Prime Minister Netanyahu?" Sen. Ted Cruz, Breitbart

"The Obama Administration’s actions towards Israel become more intolerable each day, carrying with their insults deeply damaging national security implications for our country.

Earlier this week, Americans opened the newspapers to discover that the Obama campaign team has deployed operatives, including 2012 Field Director Jeremy Bird, to Tel Aviv to try to unseat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through an organization that receives taxpayer grants from the U.S. Department of State.

This follows a long string of hostile behavior that has only escalated with time.

In The Atlantic, “unnamed senior administration officials” have called Mr. Netanyahu a “chicken****” and bragged that it was now “too late” for him to take action to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons capability.

Last week, more anonymous sources vented to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that “Netanyahu spat in our face,” and vowing there will be a pricefor the Prime Minister’s accepting House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to come address Congress on the subject of Iran’s nuclear program.

An Obama campaign foreign policy advisor, Daniel Kurtzer, suggested to the New York Times that the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, should be “reprimanded or removed” for passing along the speaking  invitation from Speaker Boehner.

And, let us not forget how eager the Obama Administration was to impose an unprecedented flight ban against Israel last year during its military operation against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

At the time, I asked the simple question whether the Obama Administration was using the Federal Aviation Authority to launch an economic boycott against Israel. After their actions were questioned, they quickly lifted the ban.

Now, it is time for another simple question:

Has President Obama launched a political campaign against Prime Minister Netanyahu and his allies?
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Prime Minister Netanyahu is a courageous leader, a symbol of Israel’s strength in the face of continued threats from Iran, and Americans who support Israel deserve to know whether their President is actively working to remove him from office.

And, even more troubling, whether U.S. tax dollars are being used to fund the campaign,.

Specifically, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that a U.S. taxpayer-funded non-profit organization called OneVoice is actively working with a campaign operation called Victory 2015 (V15)–working hand-in-hand with Obama field director Jeremy Bird–in an effort to influence the upcoming elections in Israel on March 17, 2015.

Today I, along with Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY), sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry to request an investigation into this funding and the propriety of U.S. taxpayer dollars being used to exert undue influence over a foreign election and to destabilize a long-standing ally.
 
In our letter we asked questions such as: “How much funding has the U.S. Government provided to OneVoice, PeaceWorks Network Foundation, and any connected initiatives, projects or subsidiaries?” and, “Who approved providing such funds?”

“What were the specific reasons and terms for providing funds, and how are these funds specifically being spent?” we asked.

And, “Can the Department of State guarantee that none of these funds have been or will be used in the endeavor detailed above, namely the partnership with V15, or any similar effort to exert undue influence over the Israeli political process?”

All of this is even more perilous given the imminent threat posed by Iran’s active effort to acquire nuclear weapons capability.

The Administration should be crystal clear that we support the nation of Israel, and we should do everything necessary to prevent a nuclear Iran.

If the nuclear negotiations continue on the path they are on, they could prove to be the worst negotiations in our nation’s history. As a result, the possibility of Iran using nuclear weapons against Israel, or us, is unacceptably high.

There can be little doubt that once Iran has, as they have vowed, targeted what they call the “Little Satan,” Israel, the mullahs will turn their sights on the “Great Satan,” or the United States. The United States and Israel thus have a shared stake in keeping devastating weapons out of Iran’s reach.
The Obama White House should focus its grievances on the very real enemies we face, and not on our staunch allies.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is pursuing the deadliest weapons on the planet–weapons that our most senior and highly respected statesmen believe will be aimed squarely at Israel. This is the real problem, not Netanyahu’s next election.

President Obama should heed the warnings from three former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, and Madeline Albright about the dire challenges the United States faces around the globe—first and foremost the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.

As Secretary Shultz noted on a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting on January 29th, Iran does not “want a nuclear weapon for deterrence, they want a nuclear weapon to use it on Israel.”
Given that threat, the last thing we should be doing is undermining Israel.

President Obama cannot claim to stand by our allies in Israel if his campaign operatives are actively campaigning against them."

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1/29/15, "Daily Press Briefing," state.gov

"MS. PSAKI: Okay.

QUESTION: -- that have to do with Israel from yesterday.

MS. PSAKI: Sure.

QUESTION: The first one is: Did you – were you able to get an answer to the question about the funding for OneVoice --

MS. PSAKI: Yes.

QUESTION: -- when the last payment of – for the grant that ended in November was made and how much it was for?

MS. PSAKI: Yes. The U.S. Government grant to OneVoice Israel was for $233,500. The duration of this grant, as I mentioned yesterday but just to reconfirm, was from September 23rd, 2013 through November 30th, 2014. No payment was made to OneVoice after November 2014.

QUESTION: And the project was, again, for what?

MS. PSAKI: Well, the project was to support efforts to support a two-state solution.

QUESTION: Despite the fact that you said that yesterday without the specific dollar amount and money, there was – another report emerged today that says that the State Department is funding an anti-Netanyahu lobbying campaign ahead of the Israeli election. Can you just say once and for all whether that – there is any shred of proof for that? Has your looking into it uncovered some kind of --

MS. PSAKI: It’s --

QUESTION: -- funding for this purpose?

MS. PSAKI: No. It’s an absolutely false report. The reports were stemming from inaccurate reporting – and a lack of reporting, perhaps I should say, on this grant that I’ve given you many details on."...


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Peter Wehner: 'In Praise of Ted Cruz: Not just skillful but superb' in his questioning of Obama AG nominee

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1/30/15, "In Praise of Ted Cruz," Commentary, Peter Wehner

"In the past I’ve been critical of Texas Senator Ted Cruz, but his questioning of President Obama’s choice for attorney general, Loretta Lynch–which occurred during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee–was not just skillful but superb.

Senator Cruz’s tone was respectful but firm. He stayed away from theatrics and polemics. He didn’t personalize the line of inquiry. In doing so, he kept the focus right where it needed to be.

But more than that, Senator Cruz exposed the lawlessness that is at the core of President Obama’s executive amnesty, and he did so in a logical, step-by-step manner. Senator Cruz started with the fact that Ms. Lynch supports what the president did, and then probed her thinking in order to find out what limits there are on the government’s power, if any at all. What he found is that there are none–at least none that are rooted in the Constitution and anything more than arbitrary parameters and presidential whim. If the president wants to provide amnesty to five million illegal immigrants, then why not 12 million? What’s to stop him? Senator Cruz wanted to know. Ms. Lynch had no answer.

What about the Obama administration printing millions of work authorizations in direct conflict with federal law? Is that a problem? Ms. Lynch was unwilling to say. And then Senator Cruz put forward a devastating hypothetical. Assume that in 2017 President John Cornyn instructs his secretary of the treasury not to collect any taxes in excess of 25 percent, based on “prosecutorial discretion.” Or that President Cornyn broadens his ambitions and decides, using the infinitely elastic Obama-era definition of prosecutorial discretion, he won’t enforce federal labor laws and environmental laws? Once again, Ms. Lynch had nothing to say, no defense to offer.

What Senator Cruz did was to reveal Mr. Obama’s utter disdain for the Constitution and what a fundamentally lawless and capricious president he is. He showed that Mr. Obama views himself in possession of kingly powers. And he demonstrated that there are simply no checks on government power, at least according to the legal theory that is guiding the Obama administration.

This is the progressive vision–radical, unmoored, dismissive of the Constitution, and indifferent to the rule of law–and it’s being realized in the Obama presidency. It’s to his credit that Ted Cruz exposed this in his short colloquy with the woman who wants to be America’s next attorney general." via Free Rep.



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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Mark Levin extends radio contract with Cumulus Media to 2020-Talkers

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1/29/15, "Westwood One Locks-In Levin," Talkers.com.

"A contract extension between Westwood One and Mark Levin will keep the talk show host with the Cumulus Media-owned syndicator through 2020. Cumulus executive vice president of content and programming John Dickey states, “Mark has established himself as a pillar in talk radio with his sharp and witty commentary. We look forward to expanding his program’s reach.” Levin comments, “I am delighted to continue working with Cumulus and Westwood One. I look forward to further developing the show over the next five years. I am passionate about challenging the mainstream media and educating the public on the most pressing political and legal issues of our time and maintain my commitment to doing so.” Flagship WABC, New York launched Levin’s 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm show in 2003; a third hour was added six years later (2009). Previously an advisor/administrator to several members of president Ronald Reagan‘s cabinet, Levin is president of the Landmark Legal Foundation, a non-profit Washington, DC-based advocacy group."






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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

W. James Antle III, for your information, your high regard for state by state organizations in presidential campaigns wasn't shared in 2012 by 'Establishment heavyweight' (your description) Romney

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1/29/15, "The big question for Cruz is whether he has the state-by-state organization to go the distance....To win the nomination, Cruz will not only have to battle establishment heavyweights like Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Mitt Romney (should they all run)."..."Ted Cruz 2016: Time to Channel Ronald Reagan?" National Interest, W. James Antle III.

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Total Romney staff in all states: 500
Total Obama staff in all states: 3000

Florida Romney staff: 200 (almost half his total US staff)
Florida Obama staff: 770 

Ohio Romney offices: 40
Ohio Obama offices: 123

Colorado Romney offices: 15
Colorado Obama offices: 59
 
"Building on its 2008 field organ­ization, Obama’s campaign had far more people on the ground, for longer periods, and backed by better data. In Florida, for example, the Romney campaign said it had fewer than 200 staff members on the ground, a huge commitment of its total of 500 nationwide. But the Obama campaign had 770 staff in Florida out of 3,000 or so nationwide.

“They had more staff in Florida than we had in the country, and for longer,” said Romney adviser Ron Kaufman. 

In swing state after swing state, the Obama field team was much bigger than the Romney troops. Obama had 123 offices in Ohio, compared with Romney’s 40. Obama had 59 offices in Colorado, compared with Romney’s 15, according to statistics compiled by the Obama campaign."...



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US taxpayers support global terror via US State Dept. which this week hosted Muslim Brotherhood delegation to plan ouster of Egypt Pres. al Sisi. MB guest flashed 4 finger Muslim Bro. salute. GOP Estab. loves Muslim Bro. too, so it's fine

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1/28/15, "Muslim Brotherhood-Aligned Leaders Hosted at State Department," Washington Free Beacon, Adam Kredo

4 fingers MB
"The State Department hosted a delegation of Muslim Brotherhood-aligned leaders this week for a meeting about their ongoing efforts to oppose the current government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, who rose to power following the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, an ally of the Brotherhood, in 2013.

One member of the delegation, a Brotherhood-aligned judge in Egypt, posed for a picture while at Foggy Bottom in which he held up the Islamic group’s notorious four-finger Rabia symbol, according to his Facebook page.

That delegation member, Waleed Sharaby, is a secretary-general of the Egyptian Revolutionary Council and a spokesman for Judges for Egypt, a group reported to have close ties to the Brotherhood.

 
MB 4 finger icon

The delegation also includes Gamal Heshmat, a leading member of the Brotherhood, and Abdel Mawgoud al-Dardery, a Brotherhood member who served as a parliamentarian from Luxor.

Sharaby, the Brotherhood-aligned judge, flashed the Islamist group’s popular symbol in his picture at the State Department and wrote in a caption: “Now in the U.S. State Department. Your steadfastness impresses everyone,” according to an independent translation of the Arabic.

Another member of the delegation, Maha Azzam, confirmed during an event hosted Tuesday by the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID)—another group accused of having close ties to the Brotherhood—that the delegation had “fruitful” talks with the State Department.

Maha Azzam confirms that ‘anti-coup’ delegation, which includes 2 top [Muslim Brothers], had ‘fruitful’ conversations at State Dept,” Egypt expert Eric Trager tweeted.

Assam also said that the department expressed openness to engagement, according to one person who attended the event.

Trager, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), told the Washington Free Beacon that the State Department is interested in maintaining a dialogue with the Brotherhood due to its continued role in the Egyptian political scene.

The State Department continues to speak with Muslim Brothers on the assumption that Egyptian politics are unpredictable, and the Brotherhood still has some support in Egypt,” he said. “But when pro-Brotherhood delegations then post photos of themselves making pro-Brotherhood gestures in front of the State Department logo, it creates an embarrassment for the State Department.”

When asked to comment on the meeting Tuesday evening, a State Department official said, “We meet with representatives from across the political spectrum in Egypt.”

The official declined to elaborate on who may have been hosted or on any details about the timing and substance of any talks.

Samuel Tadros, an Egypt expert and research fellow at the Hudson Institute who is familiar with the delegation, said that the visit is meant to rally support for the Muslim Brotherhood’s ongoing efforts against to oppose Sisi.

“I think the Muslim Brotherhood visit serves two goals,” Tadros said. “First, organizing the pro Muslim Brotherhood movement in the U.S. among the Egyptian and other Arab and Muslim communities.”

“Secondly, reaching out to administration and the policy community in D.C.,” Tadros said. “The delegation’s composition includes several non-official Muslim Brotherhood members to portray an image of a united Islamist and non-Islamist revolutionary camp against the regime.”

The delegation held several public events this week in Maryland and Virginia, according to invitations that were sent out.

Patrick Poole, a terrorism expert and national security reporter, said the powwow at the State Department could be a sign that the Obama administration still considers the Brotherhood politically viable, despite its ouster from power and a subsequent crackdown on its members by Egyptian authorities.

“What this shows is that the widespread rejection of the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East, particularly the largest protests in recorded human history in Egypt on June 30, 2013, that led to Morsi’s ouster, is not recognized by the State Department and the Obama administration,”
Poole said.

This is a direct insult to our Egyptian allies, who are in an existential struggle against the Muslim Brotherhood, all in the pursuit of the mythical ‘moderate Islamists’ who the D.C. foreign policy elite still believe will bring democracy to the Middle East,” Poole said."

Muslim Brotherhood 4 finger salute at US State Dept. and yellow icon via commenter, scroll down. Images from Facebook




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Great Lakes desperate for another icebreaker, deeply grateful to US and Canada Coast Guard assistance, but can't keep shipping lanes open with only one icebreaker, $700 million and 4000 jobs lost in 2014 due to lack of needed icebreaking. In 2009 congress declined request for second Great Lakes icebreaker, said not needed-Ohio Standard

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1/26/15, "Great Lakes carrier association asks US Congress for additional ice-breaker," ohiostandard.com, Great Lakes. Michigan

 












 
"A brutal winter that slowed the 2014 shipping season on the Great Lakes in Michigan has prompted one organisation to ask Congress for another heavy icebreaker.

The Lake Carriers' Association said a second vessel needs to be built to keep shipping lanes open on the lakes during harsh winter conditions
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The association has requested another ice breaker similar to the Marinette Marine Corp.-built US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw.

"I want to stress that Lake Carriers' Association and our members' customers deeply appreciate the efforts of the US and Canadian Coast Guards this past ice season," James H.I. Weakley, president of the association, said in a news release. 

However, he said that ice conditions made it clear that the abilities of both fleets needed to be re-assessed.

Thick ice that lasted into the late winter last year slowed commerce on the lakes and cost about US $700-million in lost business revenue and almost 4,000 jobs, according to the association. 

Another heavy icebreaker could help keep shipping lanes open, it says, but a Coast Guard spokesman said last year was an anomaly for ice on the lakes.

Lieutenant Davey Connor, a public affairs officer based in Cleveland, said that most winters the Coast Guard has what it needs to get the job done.

"With the combination of our fleet and the Canadian Coast Guard, who we work seamlessly with...we're confident we're resourced for 95% of winter-weather years," he told the media. "Last year was a 30-year exception, and we still kept the shipping lanes open as needed."

The US Coast Guard operates nine ice-capable ships on the lakes. Eight will operate this winter as one of the vessels is undergoing a refit as part of a mutliyear program to extend the service life of six 140-foot icebreaking tugs.

Mackinaw was delivered to the US Coast Guard in 2006, replacing a 1940s-vintage cutter that fulfilled the same duties and carried the same name.

Legislation seeking US $153-million for a second Great Lakes icebreaker was introduced in 2009, but didn't materialise due to concerns that the vessel would surplus to requirements." image above from Ohio Standard

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1/27/15, "Global Warming so Bad Great Lakes need another Icebreaker," IBD Analysis, Kerry Jackson

"We haven't forgotten that in the beginning it was all about excessive heat, melting ice and rising sea levels. That's why we can't pass up this story about carriers asking for an additional icebreaker in the Great Lakes. Seems they want "to keep shipping lanes open on the lakes during harsh winter conditions."

This wasn't how it was predicted. The National Wildlife Federation warned that "potential global warming impacts" on the Great Lakes "include reduced water levels (due in particular to decreased winter ice cover allowing more evaporation)," and two years ago Climate Progress fretted that "last year, only 5% of the lakes froze over — compared to 1979 when ice coverage was as much as 94%.""...


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Diane Farrell joins board of Indian solar company Azure after steering millions in taxpayer financing to them as an Export Import Bank Board member. Democrat Farrell was a 2007 George W. Bush appointee-Free Beacon

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1/27/15, "Ex-Im Official Secures Millions for Indian Solar Company, Then Joins Its Board," Washington Free Beacon, Lachlan Markay

"As U.S. preps more subsidies for Indian solar companies, one such company is beefing up ties to the Export-Import Bank."
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"As a controversial federal agency prepares extensive taxpayer support for green energy companies in India, one such company has hired a former top official at the agency who has helped it secure millions in taxpayer-backed financing.

Diane Farrell, who served on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Export-Import Bank and was a Democratic congressional candidate in Connecticut, will join the board of Indian solar company Azure Power, according to a Thursday press release.

The move came days before the Obama administration announced plans to expand U.S. support for India’s solar industry, which will include extensive U.S. taxpayer backing for companies such as Azure.

“Diane’s appointment will strengthen company’s policy making and advocacy expertise,” Azure said in its statement. Chief executive Inderpreet Wadhwa cited Farrell’s “illustrious career [in] strategic policy making.”

Farrell’s public sector experience, and her subsequent position at a division of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that seeks to increase business ties with India, could give Azure a leg up in securing some of the $1 billion in Ex-Im loans for Indian companies purchasing U.S.-made solar power technology.
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Farrell’s work has already benefitted the company. At Ex-Im, she steered nearly $16 million in taxpayer-backed financing to Azure for the purchase of solar panels manufactured by Arizona-based First Solar.

First Solar, a politically connected beneficiary of other Obama administration energy policies, is expected to be one of the main beneficiaries of Ex-Im loans to Indian solar companies.

Farrell, a Democrat, ran unsuccessfully for a House of Representatives seat in Connecticut in 2004 and 2006. President George W. Bush appointed her to Ex-Im’s Board of Directors in 2007.

In that capacity, agency records show, Farrell voted to approve a $15,776,702 loan to Azure for the purchase of photovoltaic solar panels from First Solar and a California-based subsidiary of German company SMA Solar.

At the same meeting, Ex-Im’s board voted to approve financing for a Singaporean company’s purchase of equipment from aerospace giant Boeing. Farrell, whose husband is a Boeing executive, recused herself, a frequent beneficiary of Ex-Im support. from that vote and others that benefitted the company.

Ex-Im’s charter forbids agency officials from “participat[ing] in the deliberation upon or the determination of any question affecting such individual’s personal interests.”

However, the “revolving door” between Ex-Im and the companies and trade associations that benefit from the goodies the agency provides remains a common practice that critics say raises ethical questions.

Only in Washington is it considered acceptable for someone to use their taxpayer-funded position to funnel more than $15 million to a corporation and then join that corporation’s board to seek even more taxpayer money,” said Dan Holler, a spokesman for Heritage Action for America and a frequent Ex-Im critic.

“This reeks of favoritism and is yet another reason why Congress must allow Ex-Im to expire this year,” Holler said in an email.

Heritage Action and other Ex-Im detractors are also frequent critics of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which they say promotes policies, including Ex-Im loans, that allow large corporations to extract favors from federal lawmakers and regulators.

Farrell’s move feeds that criticism. After four years at Ex-Im, she was appointed to the U.S.-India Business Council, an advocacy group linked to the Chamber that promotes greater business ties between the two countries.

Both groups are staunch supporters of the Ex-Im Bank, and represent numerous companies that benefit from its taxpayer-backed financing.

Ex-Im recently beefed up its ties to the green energy industry. It appointed an executive of a prominent solar firm to lead structured finance at the agency, and tapped the head of a wind energy trade association and a former senior Environmental Protection Agency official for positions on its advisory board.

Companies such as First Solar are expected to benefit from its increasing focus on green energy. 

Their ability to secure taxpayer-backed financing could revive complaints that the industry is too reliant on federal support.

According to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, First Solar has “gained a unique advantage relative to its peers by mastering its relationship with government.”"

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