Old Jarhead's Political SitRep for June 1, 2013

Old Jarhead's Political SitRep for June 1, 2013

Robert A. Hall

Your one-stop-shop for political news and opinion--who needs newspapers or TV? Please forward to friends who need to be informed. This SitRep (Military for “Situation Report”) is created by many readers who send me items for inclusion, which I would have likely missed or skipped. And I can only spend at most three hours a night pulling stuff, plus the healthcare or economic stuff that crosses my desk at work. As always, I—and you—owe them thanks and appreciation. I post articles because I think they are of interest and will stimulate thought and discussion. Doing so doesn’t mean that I necessarily agree (or disagree) with every—or any—opinion in the posted article, or that I was able to verify the information presented, which is the responsibility of the author. I try not to post things that are false, or too far a stretch, regardless of the view point, but I don’t always succeed. As always on the Net, or in the legacy media, you must read critically and with skepticism.

Book Recommendation: Gross National Happiness: Why Happiness Matters for America--and How We Can Get More of It. By Arthur C. Brooks

http://www.amazon.com/Gross-National-Happiness-Matters-America--/dp/B001L5T2GQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370017013&sr=1-1&keywords=Gross+National+Happiness

Excerpt: I heard the author speak at a conference a few years ago, was very impressed, and bought the book. But I proceeded to let it get buried in the reading pile under history, economic and political books. Thankfully, I finally read it—it’s a terrific book. Brooks is an economist and academic, and this book is data driven by population surveys, both in the US and around the world. He draws conclusions from the data, which you may not like. People wedded to a viewpoint that cannot be moved by data, left or right, are likely to hate it. There are many surprises here. Brooks looks at the data on what makes people happy or unhappy: religion, political views, marriage, jobs, incomes, charitable involvement, and so on, across demographic groups. This should be read especially by policy makers who might do well to understand what is likely to preserve and increase national happiness. My own take, which I put on my Old Jarhead Blog, has always been, “With all due respect to Tom Jefferson, ‘pursuing happiness’ doesn’t work. But if you commit yourself to things you care about more than yourself, such as family, job, non-profit cause, church or temple, community, or service to your country, happiness will find you.” Nothing here changed my mind on that point, though the data surprised me in some areas as they did Brooks. Arthur C. Brooks is Louis A. Bantle Professor of Business and Government Policy at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. ~Bob

Michigan woman, 33, killed in Syria fight

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/michigan-family-says-fbi-confirms-flint-woman-33-was-killed-in-fighting-in-syrias-civil-war/2013/05/30/84bd7f68-c996-11e2-9cd9-3b9a22a4000a_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

Excerpt: The family of a 33-year-old Michigan woman says the FBI confirmed Thursday that she was killed in fighting in Syria. She was identified as Nicole Lynn Mansfield of Flint. … Speelman’s mother, Monica Mansfield Speelman, told the Detroit Free Press that her niece was a convert to Islam who married an Arab immigrant several years ago but later divorced him.

The stubbornness of Barack Obama. Why it’s always worked for him, and why it might not now. By Chris Cillizza and Sean Sullivan

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/05/31/the-stubbornness-of-barack-obama-why-its-always-worked-for-him-and-why-it-might-not-now/?wpisrc=nl_politics

Excerpt: President Obama and his senior advisers are convinced that they are usually right and that Washington conventional wisdom — formed by Members of Congress, reporters and the various political professionals in both parties — is usually wrong.

Why Government Aid Programs Aren’t the Best Way to End Poverty. By Christopher Coyne

http://mercatus.org/expert_commentary/why-government-aid-programs-aren-t-best-way-end-poverty

Excerpt: There are two reasons why state-provided aid cannot create society-wide prosperity. First, policymakers do not have access to the knowledge needed to allocate scarce resources to their best uses. In his critique of socialism in the 1930s and 1940s, Nobel Laureate Friedrich Hayek made this exact point, noting that even the most qualified and benevolent planners lack the knowledge to produce even the most basic items in a cost-effective manner.

Father of shot man linked to Boston suspects wants FBI tried

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/30/us-usa-explosion-florida-russia-idUSBRE94T0P220130530

Excerpt: The father of a Chechen immigrant shot dead during FBI questioning over his links with the Boston bombing suspects said on Thursday that the U.S. agents responsible should face trial…. Abdulbaki Todashev questioned that account at a news conference in Moscow, saying his son was unarmed when he was shot seven times…. Todashev showed reporters photographs of his son's shirtless corpse on a medical table with several stitched-up wounds on his torso and arm and one on his head.

U.S. Corporate Tax Reform Could Revitalize the Economy

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23230&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Excerpt: The U.S. tax system has become more complicated and convoluted over the last 50 years, and the U.S. federal government is now paying the price. The U.S. tax code is over 60,000 pages long, and has thousands of deductions and exemptions ripe for the taking by high earning companies. To maintain satisfactory revenue for the government, Congress must reform the tax code, says Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute. Our tax system has three fundamental weaknesses: (1) marginal tax rates are too high; (2) the structure of both personal and corporate taxes is much too complicated; and (3) the incentives for political mischief at the IRS are high while the likelihood of detection is low. It turns out all three of these weaknesses are related, and they have one easy solution: tax simplification.

U.S. Multinational Corporations Pay More Taxes Than We Think

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23231&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Excerpt: In recent years, President Obama has argued that multinational companies are avoiding taxes so the United States should establish a minimum tax on business income. Unfortunately, such claims are either based upon a misunderstanding of how U.S. international tax rules work or are simply careless portrayals of the way in which U.S. companies pay taxes on their foreign profits, says Kyle Pomerleau, an economist for the Tax Foundation's Center for Federal Tax Policy. The United States has a complicated "worldwide" system of taxation that requires American businesses to pay the 35 percent federal corporate tax rate on their income no matter where it is earned -- domestically or abroad. When it comes to foreign profits, companies pay income taxes not once but twice.

TV Ratings: MSNBC Falls Below HLN in May, Rachel Maddow Hits Lows

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-msnbc-falls-below-559923

Excerpt: Averaging 539,000 viewers in primetime and 175,000 viewers in the adults 25-54 demographic, MSNBC suffered double-digit drops from last May -- down a respective 20 and 19 percent. Losses were less substantial in total day, down 10 percent to an average 346,000 viewers and down 7 percent to 115,000 adults 25-54, while all other nets pulled growth in multiple categories.

Liberal retreat (Liberal Blogger)

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/liberal-retreat.html

Excerpt: The online left has seen a steep decline in traffic since the election as well, which indicates to me that our audience in general is simply not interested in following politics at the moment. … Short of that (or something else catastrophic) my impression is that liberals are either bored or disillusioned right now for any number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that a liberal majority has been effectively obstructed and the president seems to be ineffectual.

Under Obamacare, Emergency Rooms May Get Even More Crowded. By Stephanie Armour

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-30/under-obamacare-emergency-rooms-may-get-even-more-crowded

Excerpt: Dunford anticipates that the Affordable Care Act will bring a surge of patients to his ER and those around the country—the opposite of what’s supposed to happen. 

Obama second-term campaign activity three times Bush’s. By Tim Cavanaugh

http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/30/obama-second-term-campaign-activity-three-times-bushs/

Excerpt: Since his second term began, Obama has headlined at least 15 fundraising events, according to an analysis of presidential events by The Daily Caller. That’s three times as many as President George W. Bush attended in the first six months of his second term, and a few more than President Bill Clinton — an inveterate campaigner who was widely condemned for spending too much time on politics during his presidency — attended in the same period of his second term.. (Between golfing, fundraising and reading the newspaper to see what his administration is doing, it's hard to believe the president has much time to rest. –Daily Caller)

Holder media backlash intensifies

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/302623-holder-media-backlash-intensifies#ixzz2UsTpiar7
Excerpt: Major news outlets lined up to reject Attorney General Eric Holder’s offer of an off-the-record meeting Thursday as his conflict with the press corps escalated. The New York Times, the Associated Press, The Huffington Post and CNN were the first major outlets to decline the offer, and Fox News, Reuters, CBS News, McClatchy and NBC News followed. The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News and Politico have said they plan on attending the meeting.

Defense lawmakers consider changing rules of terror war
http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-and-strategy/302655-defense-lawmakers-may-change-rules-of-terror-war#ixzz2UsT5DMtv 

Excerpt: House defense lawmakers are debating whether to change the rules of war for U.S. counter-terrorism operations as part of the Defense Authorization bill for 2014. According to draft language obtained by The Hill, the changes would require President Obama and the Pentagon to review all groups or individuals now characterized as “associated forces” under the current rules…. The debate coincides with President Obama's promise last Thursday to repeal the standing rules of war on terror.

McCain: ‘Regrettable’ if photo was taken with Syrian rebel kidnappers
http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/operations/302619-mccain-regrettable-if-photo-taken-with-syrian-rebel-kidnappers#ixzz2UsSMHDeI
Excerpt: A spokesman for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Thursday that it would be "regrettable" if the lawmaker had posed for a photograph with Syrian rebels involved in kidnapping Lebanese Shiite pilgrims. The spokesman cautioned, however, that no one had identified themselves by the alleged kidnappers' names during McCain's meetings with opposition forces in Syria over the weekend. The Lebanon Daily Star reported Thursday that McCain took a photo with Mohammad Nour and Abu Ibrahim, who were identified by a freed captive as Syrian rebels who took part in the kidnapping of 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgrims a year ago. )On Syria, I’m with Obama and “go slow,” rather than McCain wanting to arm people who will kill us. ~Bob.)

U.S. senator McCain pictured with Syrian rebel kidnapper: paper

http://news.yahoo.com/u-senator-mccain-pictured-syrian-rebel-kidnapper-paper-172141362.html

Excerpt: McCain, a Republican, has been an outspoken advocate for U.S. military aid to the rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad and made a short, highly publicised trip to meet rebel commanders in Syria three days ago. (This is one of the reasons I sometimes want to go screaming out the door and jump in front of a bus. McCain has insisted that the United States could locate the "right people" to help among rebel ranks infiltrated with radicalized Islamists. It's hard to pull the wool over the eyes of such an astute judge of character as John McCain, isn't it? "A spokesman for McCain said none of the people he met identified themselves as Nour and it had not been his intention to meet anyone of that name." So, that's it? That's his excuse? That the guy didn't identify himself as a bad guy? Wow! – LLW)

Ted Cruz Blasts Eric Holder, Calls For His Resignation Over His ‘Willingness To Disregard The Law’

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/30/ted-cruz-blasts-eric-holder-calls-for-his-resignation-over-his-willingness-to-disregard-the-law/

Excerpt: It’s time President Barack Obama asked Attorney General Eric Holder to resign over his unprecedented “willingness to disregard the law,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told Megyn Kelly on Thursday.

Armed Homeland Security agents monitor Tea Party at IRS protests

http://www.examiner.com/article/armed-homeland-security-agents-monitor-tea-party-at-irs-protests

Excerpt: Jason Howerton reported that it remains unclear why "federal officials felt the Tea Party presence required more than the attention of local law enforcement."

Belgian Muslims: “We Believe Sharia Will Dominate Worldwide”

http://conservativevideos.com/2013/05/belgian-muslims-we-believe-sharia-will-dominate-worldwide/

Excerpt: The graffiti on a building in Belgium says it all: “Welcome to ‘Belgistan.” In fact, some are now calling it the Muslim capital of Europe. A CBN correspondent interviews a representative from Shariah4Belgium. He argues that Muslims will take over country in a few years — we have many wives and have many children. He states that they fully intend to enforce Shariah law when they have a majority.

Liberals Rip Michelle Bachmann As She Decides Not To Seek Re-election

http://lastresistance.com/2193/liberals-rip-michelle-bachmann-as-she-decides-not-to-seek-re-election/

Excerpt: Michelle Bachmann, for all her faults, is a woman worth her salt. No matter the circumstances, she sticks to her guns. Her formation of the Tea Party Caucus and stern opposition to Obamacare has made her a constant stick in the President’s craw. Like stepping on a nail, Michelle Bachmann continually sent shocks up the spines of complacent Liberals. That is why it is truly unfortunate that she will not be seeking re-election next year.

A Vietnam-Era Marine on “Social Engineering” at the U.S. Naval Academy. By Mark Thompson

http://nation.time.com/2013/05/30/an-old-marine-on-social-engineering-at-the-u-s-naval-academy/#ixzz2UseQ8JED

Excerpt: Most of us who have actually fought “in the trenches” in wartime don’t really care what race, creed or color our comrades-in-arms are. When we call for support in a “danger close” situation we simply want the best qualified decision-makers in place to be dropping the bombs, firing the missiles or lobbing artillery our way. I don’t see how relaxed admissions and retention standards for minorities (or anyone else) at the premier officer training university in the country, does anything to foster confidence that we will have that first team in place when faced with life and death situations.

Sami Samir Hassoun Sentenced: Would-Be Wrigleyville Backpack Bomber Gets 23 Years

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/sami-samir-hassoun-senten_n_3359234.html

Excerpt: Everyone at Sami Samir Hassoun's sentencing in a crowded courtroom in Chicago could not help but think of the bombs that went off a month ago concealed in backpacks on the East Coast, killing three people and wounding hundreds more, U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman said. "Let's give the elephant in the room a name: It's called the Boston Marathon," he said. "What would have happened had (Hassoun's) bomb been real would have made Boston look like a minor incident." (Personally, I’d shoot him. But that’s just me. ~Bob.)

Italy: Muslim Attacks Sex Shop Then Shouts About the Glory of Islam

http://islamversuseurope.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/italy-muslim-attacks-sex-shop-then.html

Excerpt: He had had enough of the "decadence of western morals". So the "young North African" put an enormous paving stone into his rucksack. In mid-afternoon, he went to throw it through the window of the sex shop "Sex appeal" in Bolzano, in Trentino-Alto Adige. He then remained, calmly awaiting the arrival of the police "while shouting about the glory of Islam". Between shouts, he puffed on his cigarette. (attacking sex shops? Now they’ve gone to far. Even Liberals might get upset. ~Bob.)

Lawyer: UK envoys sought suspect release in Kenya

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/30/3423995/uk-influenced-adebolajo-release.html

Excerpt: British diplomats recommended that a British man detained in Kenya 2 1/2 years ago on suspicion of attempting to join Islamic fighters in Somalia be freed, the lawyer who represented him said Thursday. The man was let go and last week allegedly helped butcher a British soldier on the streets of London.

Was It Worth It? After 10 Years On Strike, Hotel Union Throws In The Towel: Strikers to return under the terms of their 2003 contract

http://www.redstate.com/2013/05/30/was-it-worth-it-after-10-years-on-strike-hotel-union-throws-in-the-towel/

Excerpt: After 10 years of picketing and rowdy rallies outside a downtown Chicago hotel, UNITE-HERE has decided to call off its decade-long strike.

Benghazi Terrorists: ‘Dr. Morsi Sent Us.’ By Cynthia Farahat 

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/cynthia-farahat/benghazi-terrorists-dr-morsi-sent-us/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a73584b1ca-Mailchimp_FrontPageMag&utm_term=0_57e32c1dad-a73584b1ca-156414477

Excerpt: The terrorist attack in Benghazi is far more disturbing than previously thought. Although it has not been reported in the U.S. media, the possibility exists that the Egyptian government may have played an operational role in the attack. YouTube videos of the terrorist strike raise a serious problem that only an Arabic speaker would detect: some of the terrorists are speaking in the Egyptian dialect of the Arabic language.

Message to “Moderate” Muslims

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/frontpagemag-com/message-to-moderate-muslims/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a73584b1ca-Mailchimp_FrontPageMag&utm_term=0_57e32c1dad-a73584b1ca-156414477

Pat Condell on the London Murder.

The View from Londonistan. By Mark Hendrickson 

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/mark-hendrickson/the-view-from-londonistan/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a73584b1ca-Mailchimp_FrontPageMag&utm_term=0_57e32c1dad-a73584b1ca-156414477

Excerpt: Today, the United Kingdom and its values and liberties are under attack again. While we were enjoying Scotland’s beauty, Drummer Lee Rigby was butchered in broad daylight on the streets of London by two fanatical Islamists. We had heard about it from a taxi driver in Edinburgh, but when it really hit home for me was after we got back to London and I saw his wedding photo in one of the newspapers. 

Illegal Alien With 7 Kids Got Food Stamps, Housing & Social Security – for 20 Years!

http://standwitharizona.com/blog/2013/05/30/outrage-illegal-alien-with-7-kids-got-food-stamps-housing-social-security-for-20-years/

Excerpt: Another day brings yet another exposé that which reminds us how illegal immigration is literally bankrupting this nation – and which will no doubt be totally ignored by the mainstream media in their coordinated effort to shove amnesty down our throats. Illegal alien and mother of seven, Florida resident Marita Nelson, receives $240 in food stamps, monthly medications, $700 in Social Security and a housing allowance.

Bin Laden’s bodyguard: SEALs didn’t do it! Osama blew himself up
http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/30/bin-ladens-bodyguard-seals-didnt-do-it-osama-blew-himself-up/#ixzz2UsHQOliE 

Excerpt: “US forces did not kill Osama bin Laden. He detonated himself to avoid being captured after American forces raided his hiding place in the Pakistan in 2011,” said Fattah. “The American president lied when he claimed that bin Laden was buried in the sea,” Fattah said. “Bin Laden’s body parts were cut into multiple pieces, which is similar to suicide attacks following the bombing, so as not to leave any clue to the U.S. forces to identify him.”

Kindergartener interrogated over cap gun until he pees his pants, then suspended 10 days
http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/31/kindergartener-interrogated-over-cap-gun-until-he-pees-his-pants-then-suspended-10-days/#ixzz2UsIMpCbB

Excerpt: School officials at Dowell Elementary School in the town of Lusby proceeded to question the five-year-old for over two hours before finally calling his mother, whom The Post also does not name. The principal eventually called the boy’s mother at 10:50 a.m. By that time, the five-year-old had wet his pants (which the mother called highly unusual).

Republican who ran against Durbin: Lois Lerner told me never to run for office again
http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/30/republican-who-ran-against-durbin-lois-lerner-told-me-never-to-run-for-office-again/#ixzz2UsJFG8QU

Former Illinois state representative Al Salvi, who ran as a Republican against Democrat Dick Durbin in his state’s 1996 U.S. Senate race, said that embattled IRS official Lois Lerner intimidated him in her then-capacity as a Federal Elections Commission (FEC) official and told him she would drop various complaints against him if he never ran for office again. (Impossible to prove, I’d think. ~Bob.)

Obamacare: Higher Premiums For Smoking, Fatness

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2013/05/30/Obamacare-doesnt-discriminate-against-pre-existing-conditions-unless-you-are-poor-or-fat

Excerpt: The Department of Health and Human Services has issued regulations for the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, which allow health insurance companies to raise premiums up to 50% for smokers and up to 30% for overweight individuals—unless they participate in "wellness programs" provided by HHS. Democratic lawmakers sold the controversial law to the public by claiming it would end discrimination by health insurers over pre-existing conditions and advanced age. The new regulations does (sic) allow for discrimination in these areas, including higher premiums for individuals with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

About Time? Smokers Face Tough New Rules Under Obamacare. By Dan Diamond

http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2013/01/25/about-time-smokers-face-tough-new-rules-under-obamacare/

Excerpt: But one provision that’s gotten much less attention — until recently — relates to smoking; specifically, the ACA allows payers to treat tobacco users very differently by opening the door to much higher premiums for this population.

Can My Company’s Wellness Program Really Ask Me To Do That?

http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/09/wellness-program-legal-limits

Excerpt: Under federal law, your employer can vary your health insurance premium by up to 20 percent based on a “health factor;” that goes up to 30% as of 2014 and the government could eventually raise it as high as 50%. Why should you foot the bill for all your Marlboro-packing, Miller-cracking, Big-Mac-chomping co-workers? Readers, what do you think? On the one hand, if you’re a fit, non-smoking, careful eater, why should you have to help foot the bill for all your Marlboro-packing, Miller-cracking, Big-Mac-chomping co-workers? An unhealthy lifestyle is known to be a major contributor to health care bills. and health costs have skyrocketed for years, sending premiums through the roof, hurting businesses and costing jobs.

Misguided Energy Policy: Alone, Enough to Cause American Failure: The responses of Barbara Boxer and Sheldon Whitehouse to the deadly tornado strike portend more disaster.

http://pjmedia.com/blog/misguided-energy-policy-alone-enough-to-cause-american-failure/

Excerpt: So it is not just for altruistic reasons that we were dismayed as we witnessed the U.S. in rapid decline — from being the world’s greatest creditor nation to the world’s greatest debtor. We are naturally frightened when we see America quickly retreat from being a strong, confident superpower to a nation so afraid of its own shadow that its government lets official representatives abroad be tortured and killed by your enemies, even when you have the military might to easily save them. Who will fill the vacuum as America, shackled by insecurity, weakness, and eventual poverty, is forced to withdraw from being the free world’s defender? I shudder to think.

PJTV’s Trifecta — Shock Poll for Liberals: People Want Less Government (Video)

http://pjmedia.com/blog/trifecta-shock-poll-for-liberals/

A recent Gallup poll shows that a majority of people think that the federal government is too big and too powerful. Only 8 percent think that the government needs more power. So why do President Obama and the Democrats keep pushing for more spending and increased government in your life? (Except, of course, when they want the government to do something for them. ~Bob.)

IRS Abuse Included Lois Lerner, Other Higher-Ups

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/05/29/irs-abuse-included-lois-lerner-other-higher-ups/

This story actually could have two headlines. One is the one I used, in which the IRS abuse went much higher up in the chain than the agency or administration has admitted. The other is the source: NBC reported this.

DOJ: Social Media Posts Trashing Muslims May Violate Civil Rights

http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2013/05/doj-social-media-posts-trashing-muslims-may-violate-civil-rights/

Excerpt: In its latest effort to protect followers of Islam in the U.S. the Obama Justice Department warns against using social media to spread information considered inflammatory against Muslims, threatening that it could constitute a violation of civil rights. The move comes a few years after the administration became the first in history to dispatch a U.S. Attorney General to personally reassure Muslims that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is dedicated to protecting them. In the unprecedented event, Attorney General Eric Holder assured a San Francisco-based organization (Muslim Advocates) that urges members not to cooperate in federal terrorism investigations that the “us versus them” environment created by the U.S. government, law enforcement agents and fellow citizens is unacceptable and inconsistent with what America is all about.

FBI Terrorism Task Force Targets Prolifers: Wants to question national crisis pregnancy center director

http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/fbi-terrorism-task-force-targets-prolifers/#GuTEIeSwSzdGkokE.99 Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/fbi-terrorism-task-force-targets-prolifers/#GuTEIeSwSzdGkokE.99 

Excerpt: The FBI office charged with investigating terrorism has said it intends to question the national director of a chain of crisis pregnancy centers. The development is the latest in what pro-life activists have charged is a pattern of intimidation on the part of the Obama administration against pro-life activists. Agents of the Joint Domestic Terrorism Task Force told Chris Slattery, national director of Expectant Mother Care (EMC) FrontLine Pregnancy Centers, only that they wanted to meet him “for a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Bloc Challenges Britain on Welfare Rules

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/world/europe/european-union-and-britain-wrangle-over-social-security-rules.html?ref=world&_r=1&

Excerpt: In a move certain to stoke British frustrations with the European Union, the 27-nation bloc’s executive arm is taking Britain to court over restrictions on who can receive social security benefits. The European Commission, announcing its decision on Thursday, took issue with Britain’s tight criteria for residency benefits, which differ from a Europe-wide standard meant to ensure support for any citizen of a European Union country who lives in another member country.

Flashback, 1962: Monty Says Churchill Against British Common Market Entry

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19620815&id=n2gUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MQEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6074,208540

Promising African Development Fund Collapses

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/business/southern-africa-development-fund-mired-in-debt.html?ref=world

Excerpt: Today that program, the Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund, is in its death throes, apparently victimized by mismanagement, insider dealings and a lack of oversight by federal officials. Current and former fund officials are fighting over money, and the eventual cost to American taxpayers of the fund’s missteps could run into the tens of millions of dollars, public filings indicate.

Nigeria arrests trio over 'Hezbollah cell'

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/05/201353175149437728.html

Excerpt: Nigerian authorities have arrested three Lebanese men in northern Nigeria on suspicion of being members of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah. Soldiers uncovered a hidden arms cache that authorities believe belonged to members of the Shia political party and armed group, the military and secret police said on Thursday. (From the picture, their weapons cleaning isn’t up to Marine standards. ~Bob.)

42% Think Holder Should Resign, 24% Disagree

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/may_2013/42_think_holder_should_resign_24_disagree

Excerpt: Most voters don’t approve of the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation of news reporters, and a plurality now thinks the department’s boss, Attorney General Eric Holder, should resign. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Holder, while 47% view him unfavorably. (And 35% think Holder is a judge on American Idol. ~Bob.)

IRS from The Patriot Post

www.patriotpost.us/subscribe/

Excerpt: As for how high up the ladder this scandal goes, former IRS commissioner Douglas Shulman visited the White House an astounding 157 times during his tenure -- which happens to coincide with the targeting in question. His successor, Steven Miller, visited numerous times as well. But Shulman's predecessor in the Bush administration, Mark Everson, visited the White House just one time. So what gives? Shulman's first answer was, "Um, the Easter Egg Roll with my kids." Cute, but that doesn't explain why he visited the White House more than any cabinet member. He says he has "no memory" of discussing it and contends "it would not have been appropriate to have a conversation with anyone at the White House" on political audits at the IRS. Shulman further denied ever being told to scrutinize conservative groups. Then again, this is the same man who denied in March 2012 that the IRS was even targeting these groups. Can he be trusted now?

Second Amendment: Gun Makers Leave States from The Patriot Post

www.patriotpost.us/subscribe/

Excerpt: Connecticut has long been home to a number of firearm manufactures, but that's quickly changing following state lawmakers' decision to exploit the Sandy Hook massacre to increase gun restrictions. In fact, the state ranks number seven in firearm production, providing nearly 3,000 direct jobs and thousands more through business channels. But Mark Malkowski, founder and owner of Stag Arms, is the latest in a string of companies announcing their intention to set up shop elsewhere. "[T]he state seems to want to be able to both have their cake and eat it, too," notes HotAir's Erika Johnsen. "The new gun-control laws did not restrict gun manufacturing in Connecticut, but merely the ability of those businesses to sell and distribute what they manufacture in the state -- but they sure would like for those jobs to stick around!" In other words, they're more than happy to reap the benefits of booming business -- as long as the product is sold elsewhere. It's a typical leftist double standard. Colorado is facing its own backlash. Magpul Industries joined nearly two dozen plaintiffs, including 54 county sheriffs, in suing the state. The lawsuit's focus is on two recently implemented gun control measures: universal background checks, and a ban on "high-capacity" magazines (a term arbitrarily defined as a magazine holding more than 15 rounds). While Magpul is joining the fight, they're moving forward with relocating. Duane Liptak, director of product management and marketing, explained that the legal action is a matter of devotion and principle: "[W]e will not turn our back on our native state." Simultaneously, several lawmakers face recall efforts. The message here is that Democrats were naive to believe they could trample the Constitution without a fight. We commend those who are standing to defend Rule of Law.

The Buck Stops Where?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-mnCo4zPGc&feature=youtu.be

Video

 ‘Rogue’ IRS agent who wrote threatening letters gets promotion

http://washingtonexaminer.com/rogue-irs-agent-who-wrote-threatening-letters-gets-promotion/article/2530811?utm_source=Washington%20Examiner:%20Opinion%20Digest%20-%2005/31/2013&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Washington%20Examiner:%20Opinion%20Digest

Excerpt: President Obama may have promised “to hold the responsible parties accountable” for the Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative non-profit groups, but one of the agents at the center of the scandal was recently promoted, an IRS source tells The Washington Examiner. (Probably got a signed photo of the President for his wall, inscribed, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” ~Bob.)

Large majority opposes U.S. action in Syria, poll finds

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/31/large-majority-opposes-u-s-action-in-syria-poll-finds/?wpisrc=nl_pmpol

Excerpt: Americans roundly reject U.S. military action to end Syria’s civil war, with opposition to an intervention unshaken by recent allegations that Syrian government forces have used chemical weapons. Two in three Americans (68 percent) say the U.S. military should not attempt to end conflict in Syria if diplomatic efforts fail, according to a Gallup poll released Friday, with opposition cresting over 60 percent among Republicans, Democrats and independents alike.

Chinese Hackers by Jonah Goldberg, The Goldberg File

http://www.nationalreview.com/newsletters

Excerpt: A new report says that the Chinese are hacking American computer networks at an alarming rate. This is hardly news. I've been including the phrase "早安，我抱歉有沒有在這封電子郵件中的商業秘密或加拿大色情。請停止殺害酷動物啄木鳥醫學。剛剛買了一些偉哥了" at the bottom of every e-mail for months (I put it just above where it says "Hello Mr. Holder!"). It means, according to Google translate: "Good Morning, I'm sorry there's no trade secrets or Canadian porn in this e-mail. Please stop killing cool animals for pecker medicine. Just buy some Viagra already."

Cyber Hackers Letters of Marque

http://media.hoover.org/sites/default/files/documents/EmergingThreats_Rabkin.pdf

Excerpt: Jeremy Rabkin wants the U.S. government to issues Letters of Marque to hackers and other cyber renegades: Comparisons between cyber warriors and pirates of old are not fanciful. Cyber crime is a pervasive aspect of today's Internet. Much like international drug dealers, cyber criminals have sought protective relations with sympathetic or accommodating governments. (I like it! ~Bob.)

Old Jarhead's Political SitRep for May 31, 2013

Old Jarhead's Political SitRep for May 31, 2013

Robert A. Hall

The Philosophy of the Old Jarhead Blog

The Old Jarhead SitRep is a blog of political news and conservative opinion, that has had over 900,000 page views since founded in 2008, is read in many counties (Iran? Indonesia? Russia? Go figure.) and was up to 37,000 page views a month recently. Plus I throw in some humor and human interest pieces that catch my attention for seasoning. I try to include foreign sources and info you won’t get in the MSM, but I often use links to pieces in the Washington Post, New York Times, Politico, Reuters and other liberal leaning sources. No one is required to read it, or any of the links. A majority of the pieces are sent to me by readers, for which I’m grateful, others come from newsfeeds I subscribe to. I get some from Twitter, but often don’t have time to look at my feeds there. I stop sending the link to people who become nasty or too angry. I used to forward political items, but was sending too many e-mails to my list, so a few years ago, I started collecting them on the blog to access in one place. I use maybe 50% of the conservative pieces sent me, probably less than 5% of the liberal opinion sent, usually to illustrate their views. Readers who don’t like that are welcome to start their own blogs. Blogs are free and so is speech in America right now, despite leftist efforts to outlaw “hate speech” they disagree with and Islamist efforts to outlaw criticism of Islam, while retaining the right to describe other religions in vile terms. I try to avoid items that will turn off thoughtful centrists and leftists or low-information independents, including “red meat” pieces with intemperate language or wild speculation, conspiracy theories with no supporting facts and silly distractions like the so-called “birther” issue (but I don’t always succeed). I predicted correctly four years ago the “birther” thing was going nowhere, was a huge waste of time and resources, and played into the hands of the left, much as the impeachment of Bill Clinton did in the 1990s. (I said so at the time.) I do sometimes include things I don’t agree with that I think readers might find of interest. Readers are requested to read all items critically and with skepticism—just like a newspaper! Readers who send formatted pieces (title, link, and a fair use excerpt of three sentences unless the piece is very short, than fewer) to tartanmarine(at)gmail.com have a higher chance of my using them than people who just send a link. I often include thoughtful comments from contributors. (Tell me if you want you full name used.) A piece without a link has a much lower chance of being used—it depends on how interesting it is and how much time I have right then to search for it. I understand if you don’t have the time to format or even to find a link—please understand my time is pretty limited too. There are no ads on my blog, no fees and I receive no income from it. When I retire, that might need to change, but for now, that’s how it is. I do promote my books, with the royalties going to charity. Thanks for reading and contributing. ~Bob.

Books by Robert A. Hall

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-book-published.html

Worth Reading: The Obama Administration Defines Integrity. By Andy Weddington

http://acoloneloftruth.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-obama-administration-defines.html

Excerpt: Keeping abreast of the Obama Administration scandals, and that's what they are scandals (and crimes), the trait integrity has crisscrossed my thinking more times than I can count.

You’re Being Hacked

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2013/05/29/hackers-are-spying-on-you-inside-the-world-of-digital-espionage.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=cheatsheet_afternoon&cid=newsletter%3Bemail%3Bcheatsheet_afternoon&utm_term=Cheat%20Sheet

Excerpt: Given his list of nasty targets—jihadists, Gaddafi, the fanatics of Westboro—it’s hard for me not to find the Jester’s work comforting as well. But the wider phenomenon that he typifies is disquieting. Around the world, independent hackers are increasingly engaged in work that looks a lot like espionage and cyberwarfare.

Egyptian jihadists call for attacks in Shiite countries. By Thomas Joscelyn

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/05/egyptian_jihadists_c.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LongWarJournalSiteWide+%28The+Long+War+Journal+%28Site-Wide%29%29

Excerpt: Twenty Egyptian jihadists have issued a statement calling upon Sunnis to launch attacks in Shiite-led countries in response to the Assad regime's offensive in Qusayr, a city in western Syria near Homs. The chief signatory on the statement is Mohammed al Zawahiri, the younger brother of al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri. (Turns out foreign policy isn't as easy as organizing victim groups to demand benefits from taxpayers. Who knew? ~Bob.

Doctor Stops Taking Insurance, Cuts Prices in Half
http://politicaloutcast.com/2013/05/doctor-stops-taking-insurance-cuts-prices-in-half/

Excerpt: I’m not sure how long this would be allowed to last since Obamacare will require everybody to have insurance, and there would be less incentive to go to someone like this who no longer wants to work for the government or insurance companies. Michael Ciampi is a family doctor in South Portland, Maine who left Mercy health system in 2003 to operate his own private practice. He didn’t like the hospital setting, because “you have a lot of administrators that [control] what you do.” He doesn’t like the idea of hospital consolidation, because like with anything else, “competition is good.” What he wanted was more autonomy and more flexibility. In short, freedom.

Teacher Faces Disciplinary Action For Telling His Students About Their Constitutional Rights

http://lastresistance.com/2187/teacher-faces-disciplinary-action-for-telling-his-students-about-their-constitutional-rights/

Excerpt: An Illinois Social Studies teacher faces disciplinary action for reminding his students of their Fifth Amendment rights when filling out a school survey on behavior…John Dryden was collecting the surveys before class when he noticed the students’ names were printed on them. He looked to see what was being asked and noticed questions about alcohol and drug use…Dryden told his students that they had a Constitutional right to not incriminate themselves by answering questions on the survey.

The Fed can't save the stock market again. By John H. Makin

http://www.aei.org/outlook/economics/monetary-policy/the-fed-cant-save-the-stock-market-again/

Excerpt: Three rounds of quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve have produced record-high stock prices, but real economic growth still remains below the levels expected in an economic recovery. An encouraging uptick in housing prices and the gradual decline of the unemployment rate have helped bolster household wealth and consumer spending, but with fiscal tightening weighing on economic growth, inflation falling, and corporate earnings flat, the current rise in stock prices is unsustainable. The US economy might be headed for another midyear “swoon,” and after three doses of easy money from the Fed, it is unclear whether another round of quantitative easing would help produce the sort of robust growth policymakers and consumers seek.

Will Unions Be the Death of ObamaCare?

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23224&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Excerpt: When the Obama administration pushed through the Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare"), it counted on labor unions to be the strongest supporters, but some unions leaders have grown frustrated and angry about what they say are unexpected consequences of the new law. These consequences create problems that could jeopardize the health benefits offered to millions of their members, says the Associated Press. The problem lies in the unique multiemployer health plans that cover unionized workers in retail, construction, transportation and other industries with seasonal or temporary employment. … The issue could create a political headache next year for Democrats facing reelection if disgruntled union members believe the Obama administration and Congress aren't working to fix the problem. Last month, the union representing roofers issued a statement calling for "repeal or complete reform" of the health care law. This could cause major problems for ObamaCare in the near future.

Sorry Global Warmists, But Extreme Weather Events Are Becoming Less Extreme. By James Taylor

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/05/08/sorry-global-warmists-but-extreme-weather-events-are-becoming-less-extreme/

Excerpt: Just about every type of extreme weather event is becoming less frequent and less severe in recent years as our planet continues its modest warming in the wake of the Little Ice Age. While global warming activists attempt to spin a narrative of ever-worsening weather, the objective facts tell a completely different story.

Obama: No ‘patience’ for climate skeptics

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/302537-obama-has-no-patience-for-climate-skeptics#ixzz2Un7fxPbs 

Excerpt: President Obama, echoing his new energy secretary’s recent comments, said late Wednesday that he’s open to new climate policy ideas but has no interest in battling over whether climate change is real. “If I’ve got somebody who has a different approach to dealing with climate change — I don’t have much patience for people who deny climate change, but if you’ve got creative approaches, market-based approaches, tell me about them,” Obama said at a Democratic fundraiser in Chicago. (Without Global warming, how would he reward green cronies at failing renewable energy companies like Solyndra? ~Bob.)

Islamic Riots Continue in Sweden 5th night in a row! Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97QrYsK4rZw&feature=youtu.be

There is a theory that Muslim immigrant hordes like these people, as well as terrorists, are only misbehaving because their host countries have invaded Muslim countries. That is a tempting theory and it is true that the majority of terror attacks occur in countries that have waged war against Muslim populations. Conversely, Canada and Japan, for example, have not suffered notable terror attacks. Sweden is a glaring exception. It has never waged war on a Muslim country. Yet, Muslim 'young people' keep wreaking havoc there. They are in their 5th day of car burning. So let's be careful about what theories we support. It could be that some countries vet their immigration applicants more carefully than others. Most European countries and the US have been woefully deficient in vetting theirs. –Don Hank

Two Joggers On Fridley Trail Punched By Group Of Men

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/05/28/two-joggers-on-fridley-trail-punched-by-group-of-men/

Excerpt: Authorities said the suspects are described as a group of six to seven Somali men that were traveling together — one wearing a hooded sweatshirt and another who was wearing a balaclava around his neck.

Worth Reading: The old order is dying. By Victor Davis Hanson

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0513/hanson053013.php3#.UadhIdK-o0E

Excerpt: Ideas of the 1960s have now grown reactionary in our world that is vastly different from a half-century ago. Take well-meaning subsidies for those over age 62. Why are there still senior discounts, vast expansions in Social Security and Medicare, and generous public pensions? Five decades ago all that made sense.

Worth Reading: Our Make No Mistake About It/Let Me Be Perfectly Clear President. By Victor Davis Hanson

http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/let-me-be-perfectly-clear/

Two today! ~Bob. Excerpt: Never has a president so mastered the teleprompter — no easy task in itself — with just the right pauses, followed with a timely ratcheting up of passion, punctuated with a half-smile, a grimace, a laugh. Never has a president mastered both the art of empty bluster and the art of bowing. 

Working women should be molested: Saudi writer

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/working-women-should-be-molested-saudi-writer-1.1189861

Excerpt: A Saudi writer has urged his Twitter followers to sexually molest women hired to work as cashiers in big grocery stores, the latest backlash from conservatives who want to roll back limited social and economic reforms launched in Saudi Arabia. (Now molesters have the “I was being multicultural” defense. ~Bob.)

Machete attack horror at Accrington barber's shop

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/hyndburn/accrington/10446384.Machete_attack_horror_at_Accrington_barber_s_shop/

Excerpt: Police said they were looking for a gang of Asian men in connection with the attack. (“Asian” is British press PC speak for “Muslim thugs who didn’t get the ‘Islam is a Religion of Peace’ memo. In France, Sweden and other European countries, they are called “youths” in press reports. Mustn’t offend the thugs, you know. ~Bob.)

In Obama’s America, some are more equal than others
http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/29/in-obamas-america-some-are-more-equal-than-others/#ixzz2Un06fcmE

Excerpt: The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees that the federal government will not classify or treat individuals in a discriminatory manner. That fundamental right derives from England’s Magna Carta, in which King John promised that “no free man shall be taken or imprisoned … or in any way destroyed, nor will we go upon him nor send upon him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.”….Extremes of discrimination and unequal treatment motivated by partisan politics are commonplace in his administration.

Who Really Gets Farm Bill Money (INFOGRAPHIC)

http://blog.heritage.org/2013/05/30/morning-bell-who-really-gets-farm-bill-money-infographic/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign&utm_content&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

Excerpt: Whenever Congress throws too much into one bill, special interests profit. The massive farm bill—which is already 80 percent food stamps—is no exception. So what about the rest of the bill—the farm-related part? Heritage’s Diane Katz reports that it includes subsidies for more than a few surprising recipients. 

Obama Approval Drops; 76% Want Special Prosecutor for IRS Scandal. By John Nolte

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/30/Obama-Approval-Drops-76-Want-IRS-Special-Prosecutor?utm_source=e_breitbart_com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Breitbart+News+Roundup%2C+May+30%2C+2013&utm_campaign=20130530_m116201284_Breitbart+News+Roundup%2C+May+30%2C+2013&utm_term=More

Excerpt: While President Obama's Attorney General, Eric Holder, faces a possible perjury charge and increased calls for his resignation over the Justice Department's outrageous spying on the media -- elsewhere, another scandal is taking another kind of toll. A new Quinnpiac poll shows that the public is far from satisfied that the IRS matter is settled. A full 76% want a special prosecutor named; that includes 63% of Democrats. Well, Obama did promise to bring us together.

American Voters 4-1 Want Special Prosecutor For IRS, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; But Fixing Economy Is More Important, Voters Say 3-1

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-and-centers/polling-institute/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=1899

Excerpt: American voters say 76 - 17 percent, including 63 - 30 percent among Democrats, that a special prosecutor should be appointed to investigate charges the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative groups, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. President Barack Obama gets a negative 45 - 49 percent job approval rating, compared to 48 - 45 percent positive in a May 1 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, conducted before the IRS allegations surfaced.

Emotion as a Substitute for Accountability. By John Sexton 

http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2013/05/28/Emotion-is-a-Substitute-for-Accountability

Excerpt: President Obama is outraged over the IRS scandal. Attorney General Holder is remorseful over the James Rosen subpoena. Former Secretary of State Clinton is exasperated by Benghazi. Lois Lerner is apologetic for the targeting of Tea Party groups. An unnamed White House adviser is chagrined by his own idiocy. All of these emotive responses to scandal have in common that they help insulate the person doing the emoting from any real responsibility. 

N.Y. Times will not attend DOJ session, citing opposition to off-the-record provision. By Dylan Byers

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/05/ny-times-will-not-attend-doj-session-citing-opposition-165005.html

Excerpt: New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson has announced that her paper will not attend an off-the-record session with Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss the Justice Department's monitoring of reporters, due to the fact that the meeting is to be conducted "off the record."

Fox News, other media outlets refuse off-record meeting with Holder
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/30/holder-runs-into-roadblocks-on-off-record-meetings-on-scandals/#ixzz2UnNRSvJg

Excerpt: Fox News joined several other major media outlets Thursday in refusing to send a representative to a meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder on the department's surveillance of reporters if Holder continues to insist that the session be off the record. … With the decision, the two news outlets known to have been targeted by the Justice Department for surveillance -- the other being the Associated Press -- are now declining to participate in the first phase of Holder's internal review over the controversy. Several other outlets are also refusing to attend. (NYT, Huffington, CNN, refusing as well. WaPo 1 of 2 accepting. –Barb)

Obama’s ‘Chicago Way.’ The administration’s political tactics are straight out of the Daley playbook. By John Fund

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/349610/obamas-chicago-way-john-fund

Excerpt: The scandals swirling around the Obama administration have many journalists scratching their heads as to how “hope and change” seem to have been supplanted by “arrogance and fear.” Perhaps it’s time they revisit one of their original premises about Barack Obama: that he wasn’t influenced by the Chicago Daley machine. You know: the machine that boosted his career and whose protégés — including Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, and his wife, Michelle — he brought to Washington with him.

ObamaCare to trigger health insurance cancellation notices

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/30/obamacare-to-usher-in-health-insurance-cancellation-notices/?test=latestnews#ixzz2UnN4GhaB

Excerpt: New health insurance rules under ObamaCare could lead to a host of personal insurance plans being canceled as early as this fall, a scenario expected to cause consumer confusion. Under the federal overhaul, those policies that cannot meet new insurance plan standards may be discontinued. …Yet it also seems to run afoul of one of the president's best-known promises on the law: "If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan." 

Dem wants to get Memorial Day to May 30, do away with three-day weekend
http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/302551-dem-wants-to-get-memorial-day-to-may-30-do-away-with-three-day-weekend#ixzz2Un88CSY8
Excerpt: Americans could be saying goodbye to Monday Memorial Day celebrations and “aloha” to observing the holiday on different days of the week each year, if Rep. Colleen Hanabusa has her way. The Hawaii Democrat is introducing a bill Thursday that would mark the tradition each year on May 30. (Hawaii time like Res time…Barb. Years ago, they moved Veterans day back to November 11, regardless of the day of the week. But having midweek holidays hurts businesses, thus hurts jobs for vets. ~Bob.)

Syria Claims it Killed American, Briton in Civil War Fighting

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/168471#.UaeJwtI3v0c

Excerpt: Syria said Thursday that its soldiers had killed three armed individuals – at least one from Britain, and one from the United States. According to the report, the three were killed on Wednesday in an ambush set by Syrian troops, as a battle raged near the city of Idlib, 59 kilometers west of Aleppo. … When a group of Syrian soldiers approached them, the three threw a hand grenade at them, and Syrian soldiers responded by shooting and killing them. (Okay with me. ~Bob.)

Great: IRS Uses Scandal As Excuse To Create Another Worthless Government Job

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/05/28/great-irs-uses-scandal-as-excuse-to-create-another-worthless-government-job/

Excerpt: Yeah, this is going to help… The new head of the IRS is moving quickly to reshape the scandal-plagued agency. Acting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel is creating a new position at the agency — chief risk officer — to improve internal controls. In a note to agency employees today, Werfel said he installed David Fisher in the role. Fisher will be responsible for making the changes “necessary for restoring the integrity of IRS operations.” (They’re bureaucrats and liberals. Growing government is what they do. ~Bob.)

What’s the real story with Obama and his drone war contrition?

http://floppingaces.net/2013/05/29/whats-the-real-story-with-obama-and-his-drone-war-contrition/

Excerpt: Barack Obama has never been one to readily accept the mantle of responsibility (Google IRS scandal). I suspect that his collar is feeling more and more snug with each death, anticipating an invitation to the Hague for a Court appearance. …Obama has set the precedent for killing Americans without due process. (I’m with Obama on killing American Jihadists in arms against us. Now if he starts on the Tea Party… ~Bob.)

Holder Lauds His Department’s IG for Protecting Americans’ ‘Sacred Rights’

http://pjmedia.com/blog/holder-lauds-his-departments-ig-for-protecting-americans-sacred-rights/

Excerpt: Attorney General Eric Holder praised the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General for strengthening his department’s “ability to protect the safety and the sacred rights” of Americans. Holder addressed an award ceremony for DOJ’s watchdog office as he prepares to face Washington bureau chiefs from national media outlets amid a scandal over the seizing of reporters’ records. “Together, you’ve strengthened our ability to protect the safety and the sacred rights of our fellow citizens. (Would “equal protection under the law” be one of those scared rights? ~Bob.)

Reid: Immigration Plan Will 'Easily' Pass.' I only need 8 Republicans, and I already have 4'

http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/reid-immigration-plan-will-easily-pass/#HDCpMQLoBxgWDkk6.99 (HUFFINGTON POST) Senate Majority Leader Excerpt: Harry Reid (D-Nev.) predicted on Tuesday a relatively easy path to passage for the bipartisan “gang of eight” immigration bill, saying he thinks he can get eight Republican votes and nearly all Democratic members. …Let’s say I wind up with 52 Democrats. I only need eight Republicans, and I already have four, so that should be pretty easy.”

Enemy Combatant Jihadists in Civilian Courts — The Lunatics Run the Asylum

http://pjmedia.com/andrewmccarthy/2013/05/29/lunatics-run-the-asylum/

Excerpt: Here we go again. Recall that the Obama administration chose to indict Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law in civilian federal court for the 9/11 attacks and the overarching al Qaeda conspiracy to kill Americans — thus undermining the military commission case at Gitmo against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other 9/11 attackers. Now we learn that the civilian court rules are being bent so that the accused terrorist, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, is permitted to retain a lawyer beset by serious conflicts of interest that will create significant appellate issues even if Abu Ghaith is convicted.

How Obama, Hillary Wrecked Libya: Islamic law, terrorist training camps, al-Qaida headquarters

http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/how-obama-hillary-wrecked-libya/#wHfWYkqUEGB8YeZ8.99 

Excerpt: A Library of Congress report that received almost no media attention detailed – one month before the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi – how al-Qaida established a major base of operations in Libya in the aftermath of the U.S.-NATO campaign that deposed Muammar Gadhafi and his secular regime. The report documented al-Qaida and affiliated organizations were establishing terrorist training camps and pushing Taliban-style Islamic law in Libya while the new, Western-backed Libyan government incorporated jihadists into its militias. The document named Benghazi as a new central headquarters for al-Qaida activities.

Obama to Blame for Benghazi?

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/05/29/Blame-the-President-for-Benghazi

Excerpt: When the American mission in Benghazi, Libya was attacked on September 11th, 2012, only one person had the positional authority, legal mandate, and communications apparatus to give the order to defend our personnel on the ground: the President of the United States.

Historian: Obama Helping Resurrect Ottoman Empire? Pattern seen in 'Arab Spring' interventions began in Balkans in 1990s

http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/historian-obama-helping-resurrect-ottoman-empire/#DS0syFuGTVTTV3KU.99 

Excerpt: Is Obama helping advance a grand plan by Turkey, with the support of Germany, to restore the Ottoman Empire, the Islamic caliphate that controlled much of southeast Europe, Western Asia and North Africa for more than six centuries? That is a question posed by historian Robert E. Kaplan in an article titled “The U.S. Helps Reconstruct the Ottoman Empire,” published this week by the international policy council and think tank Gatestone Institute.

CA Democrats Expand Background Checks, Gun Confiscations

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/30/CA-Democrats-Pass-Background-Checks-For-Ammo-Purchases-Make-It-Easier-To-Confiscate-Guns

Excerpt: California Democrats passed eight new firearm-related regulations this week, including background checks for ammunition purchases and broadening of justifications for seizing firearms from California citizens. …The basic justifications for firearm confiscation are contained within SB 140, which has already been signed into law by CA Gov. Jerry Brown. This law allows CA officials to confiscate guns from people "with criminal pasts" or who are "mentally ill." Democrats also passed SB 755, which broadens SB 140 by adding alcoholism, drug addiction, and similar problems to the list of justifications for forfeiture of 2nd Amendment rights.

Britain wants its guns back

http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3644/britain_wants_its_guns_back

Excerpt: While the poll continues, so far over 80 percent of the 11,000+ respondents have told the Telegraph that they want to see the handgun ban repealed. The news comes as America contemplates its own new laws on gun ownership, with British talk show host Piers Morgan claiming to back a UK-style ban for the United States.

Scathing Obama Is Nixon Video…

http://theulstermanreport.com/2013/05/29/scathing-obama-is-nixon-video/

Comment from site: There is a big difference between Nixon and Obama. Nixon was hated by the press. The Watergate scandal took quite a bit of time and the press stayed on it until the end. They still honor the two reporters who broke the story. Obama has a fawning and compliant press. They do not want to pursue the story of the multiple scandals. Those that are willing to do so are intimidated and threatened.

Krauthammer: Obama Idle in Hours After Benghazi Attack 'Biggest Scandal'
http://www.newsmax.com/newswidget/krauthammer-benghazi-attack-scandal/2013/05/29/id/506925?promo_code=11550-1&utm_source=11550Breitbart&utm_medium=nmwidget&utm_campaign=widgetphase1#ixzz2UnQS3kxW
Excerpt: The biggest scandal that President Obama has to face is the question of what he was doing at the time the attack on the Benghazi consulate in Libya was occurring, Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer says. For eight hours while four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, were dying, Obama apparently did nothing except make one call to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Krauthammer told Bill O'Reilly. And even that conversation did not appear to be about what help they could provide, but rather about what story to concoct about the assault.

Assad says Syria received Russian missile shipment: Lebanese media

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/30/us-syria-russia-missiles-idUSBRE94T05S20130530

Excerpt: Syria has received the first shipment of a sophisticated air defense system from Russia, President Bashar al-Assad was quoted as saying, sending a signal of military strength days before an EU arms embargo on the country lapses.

Bahrain police hurt in explosion near Manama

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22715265

Excerpt: Seven police officers were injured when a homemade device exploded in a town near the capital Manama, Bahrain's Ministry of Interior says. The explosion, which happened Wednesday night in the town of Bani Jamri, was a "terrorist act", it said. (Not “workplace violence” by a “lone wolf”? ~Bob.)

Bombings kill 27 in surging Iraqi violence

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/29/us-iraq-violence-idUSBRE94S19820130529

Excerpt: Car bombs and roadside explosions hit mainly Sunni Muslim districts of the Iraqi capital and a northern city on Wednesday, killing at least 27 people. (If anyone is going to be “Islamophobic,” it should be Muslims, as they are the most frequent victims, by far, of Allahmurder. ~Bob.)

Voter rolls in Ohio are bloated, experts say. By Darrel Rowland

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/09/16/voter-rolls-in-ohio-are-bloated-experts-say.html

Excerpt: More than one out of every five registered Ohio voters is probably ineligible to vote. In two counties, the number of registered voters actually exceeds the voting-age population: (So about 20% shouldn’t be voting, and Obama carried the state by 3%. No problem. ~Bob.)