General News and Comment
Economic ignorance has consequences: Liberals
Surprised Beloved Bookstore Closes Due To Minimum Wage Hikes
Excerpt: Beatts explained on his website that the store has
withstood rent increases and even the onslaught of online competition like
Amazon.com. But the minimum wage increase was the straw that broke the camel‘s
back: "In November, San Francisco voters overwhelmingly passed a measure
that will increase the minimum wage within the city to $15 per hour by 2018.
Although all of us at Borderlands support the concept of a living wage in
principal and we believe that it’s possible that the new law will be good for San Francisco —
Borderlands Books as it exists is not a financially viable business if subject
to that minimum wage. Consequently we will be closing our doors no later than
March 31st." Borderlands, which profits only $3,000 per year, projects a
loss of $25,000 when the minimum wage crests in 2018.
Defining Economic Failure Down. By George Will
Excerpt: Two phrases that Daniel Patrick Moynihan put into America ’s
political lexicon two decades ago are increasingly pertinent. They explain the
insufficient dismay about recent economic numbers. Moynihan said that when
deviant behaviors – e.g., violent crime, or births to unmarried women – reach a
certain level, society soothes itself by “defining deviancy down.” It de-stigmatizes
the behaviors by declaring them normal. And sometimes, Moynihan said, social
problems are the result of “iatrogenic government.” In medicine, an iatrogenic
ailment is inadvertently induced by a physician or medicine; in social policy,
iatrogenic problems are caused by government. When the economy grew by just 2.6
percent in 2014’s fourth quarter, The New York Times headline cheerfully said
“Economy Pulls Ahead.” The story said the U.S. economy is “an island of
relative strength” in a world facing “renewed torpor and turmoil.” This was
defining failure down.
When Leftwing Economists Gruber and Krugman Practiced
Economics. By Larry Elder
Excerpt: But what does it say that perhaps the two most
high-profile leftwing economists once opposed the minimum wage and paid family
and medical leave? When Obamacare architect/economist Jonathan Gruber and The
New York Times economist Paul Krugman actually practiced economics, they both
opposed the minimum wage. In Gruber’s case, he also opposed government mandates
for paid family and medical leave. In 2011 – less than four years ago – Gruber
gave an MIT lecture called “Applying Supply and Demand.” About the minimum
wage, Gruber said: “Let’s say the government rolled in and set a minimum wage.
… Workers want to supply more hours than firms want to hire. … You end up with
excess supply. And we call that excess supply ‘unemployment.’” He also insisted
that a higher minimum wage pressures an employer to turn to automation:
Excerpt: Four months after Ukraine ’s
president traveled to Washington to plead for
lethal military aid in its fight against Russian-sponsored violence and
treachery, the US
government is finally taking his entreaty seriously. The New York Times reports
that “an array of administration and military officials” are leaning toward
providing defensive weapons to Kiev ’s
struggling armed forces, a step the White House has so far rejected.
Famous Author Absolutely Loses It on NBC Anchor Brian
Williams Over False Iraq
Excerpt: Williams has repeatedly claimed that after his
helicopter was forced down, he and his NBC News team were “rescued, surrounded
and kept alive by an armor mechanized platoon from the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry.”
He was forced to recant his story and apologize after soldiers who were
actually there called him out online. Thor argued Williams has no credibility
left, called for his firing and even called him a “total a**hole.” (Agreed.
Like I didn't know that already. ~Bob)
Hero Wannabe: NBC News’s Brian Williams recants story
about taking incoming fire during Iraq
Excerpt: Listen to what Williams told David Letterman in
this appearance on the “Late Show” upon the 10th anniversary of his
helicopter troubles: “We were in some helicopters. What we didn’t know was, we
were north of the invasion. We were the northernmost Americans in Iraq . We were
going to drop some bridge portions across the Euphrates
so the Third Infantry could cross on them. Two of the four helicopters were
hit, by ground fire, including the one I was in, RPG and AK-47.” What’s so
remarkable about this appearance, in light of today’s revelations, is just how
insistent Williams appears upon recounting this fictional event.
Brian Williams and
his infamous Iraq
(NBC: All the BS that makes a mint. ~Bob)
Worth Hearing the Interview: Can NBC News now have
any credibility with Brian Williams as its face?
Excerpt: If credibility means anything to NBC News, Brian
Williams will no longer be managing editor and anchor of the evening newscast
by the end of the day Friday. The admission from Williams Wednesday that he
lied about being in a Chinook helicopter that was hit by enemy fire during the
invasion of Iraq
in 2003 is astonishing. And he only admitted the lie after being confronted
with it by the military publication, "Stars and Stripes," which has a
well-documented report and timeline showing his shifting version of
events over the years. (Last
night, Twitter was afire with speculation about the consequences. But my guess
is that there won’t be serious consequences, any more than there was for Neil deGrasse Tyson making up quotes and
attributing them to George W. Bush. Here’s the thing: NBC News employed Chelsea Clinton
under that ridiculous contract, and MSNBC keeps Al Sharpton around (allegedly to keep him happy with
corporate parent ComCast), has a correspondent that accused American Sniper Chris Kyle of
going on “killing sprees,” had a
guest commentator who claimed Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is “trying to wash that brown off his
skin,” has a host wearing tampon earrings,
and gave a weekend show to Hillary
Clinton’s former deputy press secretary. How much more
credibility is there to lose? -- Jim Geraghty, Morning Jolt)
My fellow
bloggers: You will heartily enjoy this best Brian Williams flashback ever.
By Michelle Malkin
Excerpt: I am reminded of what this arrogant fabulist once
said about us lowly bloggers in 2007 during
a lecture at NYU’s journalism school: "After years of experience in the
news business, Williams said he has developed his own “strong BS
meter” — he can watch the local news in any city in this country and tell
you which anchors went out to dinner that night instead of staying and writing
between the 6 o’clock and 11 o’clock news. Williams also said he can tell which
anchors write their own copy and who’s just reading whatever pops up on the
teleprompter. ... “You’re going to be up against people who have an
opinion, a modem, and a bathrobe,” said Williams. “All of my life, developing
credentials to cover my field of work, and now I’m up against a guy named Vinny
in an efficiency apartment in the Bronx who
hasn’t left the efficiency apartment in two years.” He added that it’s often
difficult to judge the credibility of a blogger."
Jeb Bush Starts
His Pitch: Will he follow up new rhetoric with proposals that
might worry the establishment? By Eliana Johnson
Excerpt: Is Jeb Bush a risk taker? Will his all-but-certain
2016 candidacy offer new ideas, and will he, a son of the Republican political
establishment, take on some entrenched interests in order to implement them? In
remarks at the Detroit Economic Club on Wednesday, Bush, a top-tier candidate
in the early presidential going, offered an answer: Maybe.
Worth Reading
Excerpt: President Obama currently is convinced that his
singular charisma and rare insight into human nature will convince the Taliban
to peacefully participate in Afghan politics. Obama will supposedly also win
over the Iranian theocracy and show it how nonproliferation is really to
everyone’s advantage. “Reset” diplomacy with Putin was supposed to lessen
tensions — if, after the 2012 election, Putin just had more exposure to a
flexible statesman of Obama’s wisdom.
Throughout history, without the vanity of the conceder,
there would never have been appeasement. Appeasement also always subordinates
the interests of vulnerable third parties to the appeaser’s own inflated sense
of self.
How to Free the Government’s Grip on Freedom of Information.
By Sharyl Attkisson
Excerpt: There is something on which Democrats and
Republicans agree: the Freedom of Information Act is broken. ... Based on my
own experience, there are five specific actions that Congress could take to
improve government transparency. (You can read about them in detail below.)
Is your infant college-ready? By Alexandra Petri
Excerpt: The New
York Times reported Wednesday that some benighted schools and parents
are frantically trying to ready first-graders for college. Those amateurs. If
you don’t start in the cradle, you might as well throw in the Stanford-colored
towel. There’s no way your first-grader — let alone your middle-schooler, whom
the article reports are going on college tours and making diagrams of what
classes they want to take to ensure future college success — is going to be
college-ready if your toddler wasn’t. I’m sorry. It sounds harsh, but you need
to hear it. (Send your son or daughter into the Marines. The kid will get
self-discipline, tenacity, pride and values, with which he/she can do anything
in life. All these are in short supply on college campuses today. Leaving out
the Asian kids. ~Bob)
Roger Ailes Confronts the Evil While the Also Rans Cower in
Fear. By Erick Erickson
http://www.redstate.com/2015/02/04/roger-ailes-confronts-the-evil-while-the-also-rans-cower-in-fear/
Excerpt: It is not a coincidence that the very same networks
attacking Roger Ailes and Fox News are the same networks that got their panties
in a wad over showing the Charlie Hebdo cartoons. It’s not that the networks
are fearful of providing ISIS a propaganda
moment. It’s that they’re chicken and moral cowards. Fox News, to be sure,
initially did not run the Charlie Hebdo cartoons. But it ultimately did. It
showed the cartoons on Fox & Friends when the other networks were squealing
like a bunch of sissies at the thought of the cartoons airing. Later, on its
website and on air, Fox News showed the next cover of Charlie Hebdo.
SHAMEFUL: Obama On World Evil: ‘People Committed Terrible
Deeds In The Name Of Christ.’ By Jerome Hudson
http://dailysurge.com/2015/02/shameful-obama-world-evil-people-committed-terrible-deeds-name-christ/#
http://dailysurge.com/2015/02/shameful-obama-world-evil-people-committed-terrible-deeds-name-christ/#
Excerpt: “Lest we get on our high horse and think this is
unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the
Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ,” Obama
said. “In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was
justified in the name of Christ.”
(Yes, slavery and Jim Crow was justified by Democrats. And the Crusades were Europe 's reaction to Muslim invasion. Muslims attacked
first, over running Spain
and only being turned back at Tours in France
Gun News
Gun Control Group
Calls the Sister of a Murder Victim for Support But Is Surprised by the
Reaction
Excerpt: In 2013, twenty-seven-year-old
Jessie Doyle was shot and killed by her estranged husband, Josh Cavett.
Cavett, a convicted felon who by law could not own a firearm, was sentenced
to life in prison for the murder. The anti-gun organization
“Everytown for Gun Safety” reached out to Jessie’s sister Jennie Cochran, thinking
she would support their push for new gun control laws in Oregon . ... “I’m actually very against it.
I’m very pro-gun, as is Jessie, so I would really hope you guys don’t use her
story for anything. Because the only thing that would’ve saved her was a gun.
Obamacare/Government Healthcare News
Measles … and the
Need for Republicans to Man Up! By Bernard Goldberg
Excerpt: There was candidate Barack Obama in 2008 who said:
“We’ve seen just a skyrocketing autism rate. Some people are suspicious that
it’s connected to the vaccines.” He said the science was “inconclusive.” There
was also Hillary Clinton, who was also running for president in 2008, who
responded to a question from an autism activist group saying she was in favor
of “making investments to find the causes of autism, including possible
environment causes like vaccines.” By that point the science was
not inconclusive, but rather quite conclusive.
Certificate-of-Need
Laws Mean Fewer Services for Patients
Excerpt: Thirty-five states have certificate-of-need (CON)
laws, which limit the entry and expansion of new health care facilities. In a
new study from the Mercatus
Center Massachusetts .
It was used to prevent small hospitals in small communities from modernizing,
thus eventually putting them under and leaving the community without a health
facility. Thus we had lots of bills directing that a CON be issued for such and
such. ~Bob)
Health Care Spending
in the President's Budget
Excerpt: What's in the President Obama's $4 trillion budget
proposal for 2016? Billions in new health care spending. Christopher Holt,
Brittany La Couture and Tara O'Neill of the American Action Forum break down
the president's health care budget: Compared to last year's budget, the
proposal includes an additional $4.8 billion in discretionary funding for the
Department of Health and Human Services, totaling $83.8 billion. It calls for a
$77.8 billion increase in mandatory health spending in 2016. Over the next decade, Medicaid spending
would increase 62 percent, totaling $567 billion in 2025.
Undocumented Democrat News
Border Patrol agents
say gun sharing puts lives at risk. By Maxim Lott
Excerpt: Guns are in such short supply at the Border Patrol
that one agent told FoxNews.com 400 agents share just 100 rifles at his
station. The lack of weapons is more than just a nuisance, according to law
enforcement authorities, who say each agent should be able to calibrate his or
her gun to individual preferences, a process they call "zeroing." “We
are left to check out rifles that were unzeroed to us," a border patrol
agent told FoxNews.com. "This practice needs to be outlawed, as it could
cost someone their life." (I read this with total shock. Anyone who
doesn't understand that anyone trying to use a rifle for shots more than 50
feet away needs to zero in the sights for their own sight and body geometry
should have absolutely nothing to do with controlling how law enforcement
officers are equipped with weapons. This is just a great example of bureaucrats
at their ignorant worst. And with the hundreds of millions of dollars in
operating budgets for the border, we can't afford to buy a rifle for each
officer? Hell, just give them an allowance towards them buying their own which
then can keep when they retire. If they get to pick from a mass buy arranged
by Purchasing, you're not talking more than $2000 per officer for decent
weapons. That'll amount to a couple millions bucks at most, and then the
officers will have the comfort and advantage of a weapon they know well and
trust in. The funny thing is, I'd probably just bring my match grade M-1
Garand, there's a very dependable weapon with plenty of firepower, and plenty
of range. With a good scope on it and good ammo, it'd be good for shots out
past 500 yards. Or maybe what they should buy is one of the well made AK-47
models, reasonably accurate, and again a bullet that has ample power. Might
even be cheaper than the current glamorous M-16 variants that I would never
want anyhow because the 5.56mm round sucks and is barely good for 300 yards. In
any case, letting agents pick their own rifle from an approved list of models
and calibers would make good sense and promote a lot of confidence. Going into
a fight with a weapon you know well is a big booster for your frame of mind.
--Del. Come on, Del.
I seen on TV where the hero can pick up a bad guy's .32 cal. hand gun and make
a kill shot at a hundred meters. While wounded. In the fog. I'm sure our
leadership learns a lot from TV and Hollywood .
Huh. ~Bob)
Religion of Peace News
Get Some! Jordan
strikes back at ISIS after pilot's killing.
By Greg Botelho and
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN
Excerpt: Two days after news emerged that ISIS
had burned a captive Jordanian pilot to death, the Middle Eastern nation has
hit back. Jordanian fighter jets carried out airstrikes Thursday then returned
home to fly over the home of the slain 27-year-old pilot, Lt. Moath al-Kasasbeh, in the village of Ay Jordan was
responding with force, according to the executed pilot's father.
Islam: The Real War on Women. 'Watch Out For Satanic
Earrings!' IS Publishes Women's Manifesto
Excerpt: A manifesto for women published by the Islamic
State (IS) group has criticized Western attitudes to women, saying that this
so-called "Western model" has failed, that a woman's place is in the
home, and that Western women's fashions, like earrings, are the work of the
devil.
The manifesto, titled Women of the Islamic State, was
shared on the Internet on January 23 by the IS group's all-women unit, the
Al-Khanssa Brigade.
The Real Islam: Norway
Excerpt: Fahad Qureshi, who founded Islam Net and is considered an Islamic
leader in Norway ,
told a large group of Sunni Muslims that, contrary to media claims that it is
only “radicals” and “extremists” who support barbaric punishments for those who
violate sharia, regular Muslims support such things, including the “death
penalty for homosexuals” and “stoning for adultery.” (Apparently, this Islamic
leader is not part of the 99.9% of Muslims Obama says want what we want. ~Bob)
French soldiers
wounded in Nice Jewish centre attack
Excerpt: A man wielding a knife has attacked three soldiers
patrolling outside a Jewish community centre in Nice, in the south of France . The
soldiers were wounded and police said the assailant was captured. Nice Mayor
Christian Estrosi told French TV that a second man had been arrested in
connection with the stabbing. The attacker was expelled from Turkey last week and questioned
upon his return, French media reported.
Worth Reading : Worldview:
U.S. policy muddle aids ISIS . Trudy Rubin
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20150205_Worldview__U_S__policy_muddle_aids_ISIS.html#foxI7xf9bEMJRX88.03
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20150205_Worldview__U_S__policy_muddle_aids_ISIS.html#foxI7xf9bEMJRX88.03
Excerpt: So some pundits surmised that the video would rally
Arab leaders and publics to unite in battle against the jihadis. In theory,
this sounds plausible. But without a coherent U.S.
strategy to fight ISIS , this moment will be
lost. There are several reasons the death of Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh should
galvanize the region. For one thing, the handsome military pilot was a Muslim,
so his killing resonates there far more than beheadings of Western hostages.
Al Qaeda in
Excerpt: Three other al Qaeda fighters were also killed in
the strike, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said in statement posted
on Twitter. Sheikh Harith bin Ghazi al-Nathari was on AQAP's legal committee
and served as an adviser on legal and religious affairs, the statement said.
Moussaoui claims
Saudi royals 'funded 9/11 attacks'
Excerpt: Moussaoui, imprisoned in Colorado for his role in the attacks, gave
testimony in October to lawyers for 9/11 victims suing the country. His
statement came to light when it was filed in court this week in response to a
Saudi bid to drop the lawsuit. Saudi
Arabia has rejected the accusation from a
"deranged criminal" with no credibility.
Shock Testimony: This
Al-Qaeda Terrorist Just Revealed An Alleged Saudi Plot Against US President
http://www.westernjournalism.com/shock-testimony-al-qaeda-terrorist-just-revealed-alleged-saudi-plot-potus/?utm_source=MailChimp&utm_medium=email&utm_content=top-story&utm_campaign=DailyEmail02.04.15#oubKSqeUMV3ibj1m.97
http://www.westernjournalism.com/shock-testimony-al-qaeda-terrorist-just-revealed-alleged-saudi-plot-potus/?utm_source=MailChimp&utm_medium=email&utm_content=top-story&utm_campaign=DailyEmail02.04.15#oubKSqeUMV3ibj1m.97
Excerpt: Now serving a life
sentence for his role in the 9/11 terror attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui has
reportedly provided shocking testimony about Saudi Arabia’s royal family and
their alleged al-Qaeda connections, including discussions about shooting down
Air Force One. (Here is a test of your gullibility: US media and the political
class are saying that we must fight Assad and Putin, who have never threatened
anyone in the US .
They also tell us that Saudi
Arabia is a trusted ally. After reading
this, do you believe them? If so, you have passed the gullibility test. You
will believe anything. To remain safe, do not leave your house today, tomorrow
or any other day after that ever. --Don Hank. (I do not believe that Putin,
Assad or the Saudis are our friends. A reptile can be trained to come to you
for years to get fed--but it is not your friend and will still bite you given a
chance. Nor do I believe the testimony of an al Qaeda terrorist without a LOT of confirmation. ~Bob)
Boko Haram 'kill 70'
in Cameroon border town of Fotokol
Excerpt: Boko Haram militants have reportedly killed at
least 70 people in an attack on the Cameroonian town of Fotokol ,
on the border with Nigeria .
The Islamist militants attacked civilians in their homes and in the town's
mosque, local officials said, setting many buildings on fire. The attack comes
a day after a regional force said it had driven the militants from a Nigerian
town near Fotokol.
Muslim Doctor's
Statement on Islam
This is hard to say, but I honestly believe Islam MUST be
banned. If not, we are doomed. Next time a Muslim man tries to tell you Islam
is not evil, tell him it is easy for him as a MAN to defend Islam, but women are not free in that religion and you cannot
accept that. --Don Hank. We'd have to take that " Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof... " thing out of the
Constitution. If the US
can ban Islam, it could also ban evangelicals. ~Bob
Well, Duh: Defense
Intelligence: Freed Terrorists Likely to Return to Battle
Excerpt: Over the course of two minutes, the new director of
the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) said that recent recidivism statistics
suggest that at least one of the so-called 'Taliban Five' terrorists traded for
the release of charged deserter Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will return to jihad. Lt.
Gen. Vincent Stewart explained that nearly 20 percent detainees released from US custody over
the last few years have been confirmed as resuming their violent fight against
the West, with even more suspected of doing the same. (As long as
closing Gitmo pleases the base, what does Obama care about Islamic terrorists
killing more Americans. ~Bob)
Excerpt: What can coalition force do to “degrade
and ultimately destroy” ISIS ? “Not
much,” according to former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell -- unless, of
course, we send in 100,000 ground
troops:
Excerpt: Jordan ’s
King Abdullah ibn al-Hussein, who has trained as a pilot, may fly a bomber
himself on Thursday in the country’s retaliation against the ISIS .
Several Arabic-language
newspapers reported late Wednesday that the monarch would personally
participate in bombing raids on the terrorist group, citing his vow Tuesday to
“strike them in their strongholds.” (I think doubtful, but it would be very
cool. He's instantly be the GOP frontrunner for 2016! ~Bob)
Important: Hundreds More
Muslim Rape Gang Cases Discovered in UK
Excerpt: The Muslim rape gang scandal in Britain just
keeps getting worse. Last August, the BBC reported that “at least 1,400 children were
subjected to appalling sexual exploitation in Rotherham
between 1997 and 2013, a report has found. Children as young as 11 were raped
by multiple perpetrators, abducted, trafficked to other cities in England , beaten
and intimidated, it said.” Five months later, not only has little been done to
combat this scourge, but it has grown exponentially worse: hundreds of new
cases have been discovered, and one of the victims says that those who abused
her are “untouchable.” (Hope this doesn't produce "Islamophobia" or a
backlash against the "99.9% of Muslims who want what we want."
[Obama]. After all, the left assures us all cultures are equally valid. ~Bob)
Interesting: California Public School
Excerpt: The person who sent me the flier explained that
this all started with a student at NP3 High who is an intern for the
Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), now designated a
terror organization by the United
Arab Emirates . This student, I was informed,
gave a presentation about “Islamophobia” and Islam at what was a mandatory
staff meeting that also included an official CAIR representative. The school
then decided to sponsor an official “Hijab Day” in cooperation with CAIR. The
flier also showed that another Muslim Brotherhood-linked organization, the
Muslim Students Association, was also involved. My source also told me that
every female member of the faculty and staff, and students as well, was
encouraged to wear a hijab Thursday, and that NP3’s principal, Tom Rutten,
strongly encouraged everyone to participate and wear one.
Deported: Al-Arian Saves One Last Lie for the Road
Excerpt: Sami Al-Arian boarded a commercial flight
late Wednesday night from Washington Dulles International Airport to
Turkey, ending a 20-year con in which he posed as a mere academic and advocate
for Palestinian nationalism. In reality, he was a board member in a terrorist
organization who lied to his supporters about his true identity over and over
again. ... It's no wonder U.S. District Judge James Moody, who presided over
Al-Arian's 2005 criminal trial, called a "master manipulator"
during a 2006 sentencing hearing. "The evidence was clear in this case
that you were a leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. You were on the board
of directors and an officer, the secretary. Directors control the action of an
organization, even the PIJ; and you were an active leader."
Sorting Out the Saudi
Succession. By Irfan Al-Alawi and Stephen Schwartz
Excerpt: Saudi
Arabia is perhaps the most opaque country in
the world, particularly with regard to the politics of its monarchy. One thing
is certain: Abdullah's reputation as a cautious reformer was belied by the
flogging of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, after the king had entered a hospital at
the end of December. Badawi was subjected to the first 50 of a decreed 1,000
lashes—to be administered over 20 weeks—in Jidda , the Saudi commercial capital, on
January 9.
*****
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam Veteran who served five
terms in the Massachusetts State Senate. He is the author of The Coming Collapse of the American Republic.
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Collapse-American-Republic-prevent/dp/1461122538/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304815980&sr=1-5
For a free PDF of Collapse, e-mail him at tartanmarine(at)gmail.com. Hall’s
eleven books are listed here:
http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-book-published.html.
His blog of political news and conservative comment is www.tartanmarine.blogspot.com.
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