Update
We got the snow, maybe 3-4 inches. Prairie du Chien, west of
us on the Mississippi ,
got almost a foot. Be gone in a couple of days.
This says that today I am 25,179 days old. Which is 3,597 weeks. Had a good time on most of them, even
at Parris Island and in Vietnam .
~Bob
General News and Comment
Here Comes Cruz . . .
How Long Until the Rivals Strike? By Jim Geraghty, Morning Jolt
Excerpt: Ted Cruz announces his presidential bid early this morning. I’m sure
some of you are cheering and some of you are scoffing. Here’s his English-language ad and his Spanish. For the scoffers,
Cruz could go toe-to-toe with overt social conservatives like Mike Huckabee and
Rick Santorum, he’s obviously competing with Rick Perry for the Texas donor
base, and he’s competing with Walker and Jindal for the
I’m-the-true-conservative-in-the-field slot. At some point he’ll draw the
contrast with Marco Rubio as the first-term Cuban-American senator who wasn't a
part of the Gang of Eight. You get the feeling he’s stylistically competing
with Rand Paul, too -- both young, bold, not waiting in the back-benches for a
few terms before attempting to shake up national policies. Both launched filibusters from the Senate floor. The big question will
be whether the nascent campaigns of Cruz’s rivals drop their opposition
research today or later in the week. Kneecapping a guy on his big debut day may
seem wildly premature and ludicrously hyper-competitive. But our current
political and media environment rewards those who don’t hold back. The Obama
campaign and its allies defined Mitt Romney in the early summer of 2012 when
the Romney campaign didn’t have the money to fight back. Bill Clinton did the
exact same thing in 1996. (It’s not just campaigns that attempt to define
candidates, of course. We’re already seeing the “what was Jeb Bush like in high school?” pieces.) This is
the strategy of our era: Define your opponent as quickly as possible, before he
can define himself. (Morning Jolt is
a free e-newsletter and worth your time to subscribe to. ~Bob)
Excerpt: Conservatives’ next disappointment will at least be
a validation. The coming reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank will confirm their
warnings about the difficulty of prying the government’s tentacles off what
should be society’s private sphere. The bank, which exists to allocate credit
by criteria other than the market’s preference for efficiency, mirrors the
market-distorting policies of foreign governments. These policies favor those
countries’ exports that compete with America ’s.
IG Report: Amtrak
Loses 'Only' $214 Million, So Employees Get Bonuses
http://www.newsmax.com/US/Amtrak-employees-bonuses/2015/03/20/id/631526/
http://www.newsmax.com/US/Amtrak-employees-bonuses/2015/03/20/id/631526/
Excerpt: Employees of Amtrak, the taxpayer-subsidized
railroad network, received bonuses because their agency lost $214 million last
year, The
Washington Examiner reported Friday. The company handed out millions
of dollars in bonuses to reward staffers for keeping operating losses below
$305 million during fiscal 2014, according
to a report by Amtrak's Office of Inspector General.
Brad Pitt Promised Indian Tribe 20 Houses In 2011, Has Delivered Exactly Zero Houses
Brad Pitt Promised Indian Tribe 20 Houses In 2011, Has Delivered Exactly Zero Houses
Excerpt: Problems with Pitt’s promise of free housing arouse
after Stony Annette, a former councilman, left in 2013. Around then was when
the concept of “free” disappeared, current tribal leaders maintain. Tribal
leaders ended up fronting $600,000 for the project, but problems continued to
arise — particularly infrastructure problems like sewage and land development.
Crazy Uncle Joe for President? Really? By John Fund
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/415793/crazy-uncle-joe-president-really-john-fund
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/415793/crazy-uncle-joe-president-really-john-fund
Excerpt: How worried are Democrats
that Hillary Clinton might be a problem as the Democratic nominee? Some are
even thinking of Joe Biden as an alternative. A draft-Biden movement has
started. Mark Hampering of Bloomberg News says the buzz is that “if Hillary
Clinton fails, he’s the man.” The vice president himself is said to be
scrambling for a way to somehow run for president a third time.
Are Liberal Policies Squeezing the Middle Class? By John C. Goodman
Excerpt: President Obama’s concern about “middle class
economics” is justified. But as I pointed out in a previous post, his
prescriptions would do almost nothing to solve the problems. According to a
private sector estimate, the benefit for families in the middle from all of the
Obama proposals would be a paltry $12 a year. According to the Treasury
Department, the benefit would be closer to $150. Either way, it’s small
potatoes. If you don’t understand the problem – or won’t acknowledge it even if
you do understand it – you are unlikely to find a solution that works. Here is
what is going on. All middle class families understand that for their children
to do well in life they need to be in good schools. But the opportunity to
attend a good public school these days is rationed through the housing market.
And those opportunities are far removed from what life was like for the parents
of today’s parents.
King Richard III,
killed in 1485, makes journey to final resting place
Excerpt: King Richard III may have been buried quickly and
without pomp the first time, but 530 years later, England is reveling in a final
farewell to its long-lost monarch. On a sun-kissed Sunday afternoon on the
battlefield where Richard III fell in 1485 — he was the last English king to
die in battle — throngs of well-wishers, some dressed in medieval
costume and blowing trumpets, gathered to honor England’s last Plantagenet
king. (did Richard kill the princes in the tower? I think it's at least as
likely that Henry did--he had more to fear from them. Shakespeare wrote to
please the ruling monarch. See Macbeth who
was a pretty good king for Scotland
for 17 years, with at least as much right to the throne as my ancestor, Malcolm
Can more. ~Bob)
Tweet from Kathleen McKinley @Kat McKinley
GOP contenders should shake things up. My idea? Show up
together in pairs (mixing pairs) & speak positive to America , not bash each other.
Tweet from Famous-Quote.net @famousquotenet
If the battle for civilization comes down to the wimps
versus the barbarians, the barbarians are going to win. - Thomas Sowell (Sowell
is a Marine. ~Bob)
Obama: ‘By Hook Or
Crook,’ I’ll Expand Government
Excerpt: Obama said his big-government push would “make sure
that when I leave this office, that the country is more prosperous, more people
have opportunity, kids have a better education, we’re more competitive, climate
change is being taken more seriously than it was, and we are actually trying to
do something about it.” In practice, Obama’s agenda includes more progressive
control over peoples’ salaries, education practices and the energy companies. Each
expansion means that state and local governments plus large and small companies
will cooperate with regulators to push progressives’ goals, instead of trying
to please Americans voters, taxpayers and free-market consumers.
Vote Fraud News
Wisconsin AG says
voter ID law won't be in effect for April election
http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-ag-says-voter-id-law-won-t-be-in/article_9e21dfa6-42c3-567d-8fd5-11da916a2286.html#ixzz3VF1RkdM3
http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-ag-says-voter-id-law-won-t-be-in/article_9e21dfa6-42c3-567d-8fd5-11da916a2286.html#ixzz3VF1RkdM3
Excerpt: The U.S.
Supreme Court on Monday turned away a challenge to Wisconsin
Gun News
Suspect Fatally Shot, Officer Wounded After Family Members
Attack Responding Police in Walmart Parking Lot
Brawl. By Dave Urbanski
Excerpt: An overnight family brawl in a Walmart parking lot
has left one person dead and two others wounded, including a police officer who
was shot in the leg.
Concealed Carrier
‘Saved A Lot Of People’ After Gunman Opened Fire In Philly Barbershop. By Chuck
Ross
Excerpt: A legal gun carrier likely saved several lives —
including those of children — after another man pulled a gun and began shooting
at a Philadelphia
barber on Sunday, police said. ... Police said a customer who had just walked
into the barbershop pulled out his own gun and shot Edwards several times,
hitting him in the chest. Edwards died on the way to the hospital.
Two Independence
http://www.kctv5.com/story/28579820/police-burglary-suspect-dead-homeowner-critically-injured-in-shooting
http://www.kctv5.com/story/28579820/police-burglary-suspect-dead-homeowner-critically-injured-in-shooting
Excerpt: Two men have been charged in connection with the
fatal shooting of a 16-year-old who was with them during the burglary of an Independence home late
Friday. ... According to court records, Donlan and Kisner were both
participating in the burglary of James Faseler's home when he came home and
shots were fired.
Investigation
Continues After Attempted Burglary Leads To Shooting In OKC
Excerpt: An attempted home burglary in far eastern Oklahoma City Friday
morning, led to a woman shot and the man with her in police custody. ... “Apparently
there was some sort of confrontation between our homeowner and our suspects.
One of the suspects apparently pulled out a knife threatened the homeowner,”
said SSgt. Jennifer Wardlow, Oklahoma City Police.
Police said the homeowner fired several shots at the
suspect's truck parked in his driveway.
Race Card News
Obamacare/Government Healthcare News
"You're Greener than Gore" News
Religion of Peace News
Bipartisan Treason? 367 House members warn Obama on Iran
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/policy-strategy/236591-367-house-members-sent-iran-letter-to-obama
Excerpt: A letter to President Obama signed by 367 members
of Congress warns that lawmakers must be satisfied that any Iranian nuclear
agreement must "foreclose any pathway to a bomb" before they lift
sanctions against Tehran .
The letter, which was drafted in early March but released on
Monday, warns Obama that "permanent sanctions relief from
congressionally-mandated sanctions would require new legislation" from
Congress.
Excerpt: First he comes for the banks and health care, uses
the IRS to go after critics, politicizes the Justice Department, spies on
journalists, tries to curb religious freedom, slashes the military, throws open
the borders, doubles the debt and nationalizes the Internet. He lies to the
public, ignores the Constitution, inflames race relations and urges Latinos to
punish Republican “enemies.” He abandons our allies, appeases tyrants, coddles
adversaries and uses the Crusades as an excuse for inaction as Islamist
terrorists slaughter their way across the Mideast .
Now he’s coming for Israel .
(So now Obama's antipathy towards Netanyahu and Israel has become too plain to
ignore. Interesting, will this finally get more American Jews to rethink their
attachment to Obama and the Democrats? --Del. Scratch a liberal. If you don't
find a Star of David, chances are you find an Anti-Semite. Israel is a
one-bomb country--one nuke and it's game over. We, on the other hand, could
survive NYC being nuked, though it would have fiscal, economic, political and
social collapse, and life would become harder than anyone now alive has
experienced, except some combat vets.. ~Bob)
Flashback 2008: Transcript: Obama's Speech at AIPAC
Excerpt: But if anyone has been confused by these e-mails, I
want you to know that today I'll be speaking from my heart, and as a true
friend of Israel .
And I know that when I visit with AIPAC, I am among friends. Good friends.
Friends who share my strong commitment to make sure that the bond between the United States and Israel is unbreakable today,
tomorrow and forever.
A Time for Clarity. By Star Parker
Excerpt: Freedom House, which publishes an annual report
measuring freedom around the world, rating nations based on political rights
and civil liberties, has recently issued its 2015 report. According to this
report, there is only one free nation in the Middle East
region. It so happens that it is the one nation that seems to trouble our
American president the most – Israel .
Freedom House rates on a scale of 1-7, “1” being the most free and “7” the
least. Israel
is rated 1.5, receiving a grade of 1 on political rights and 2 on civil
liberties. ... The West Bank , under the
Palestinian Authority, is rated “Unfree” by Freedom House, giving it a rating
of 5.5 on their 1-7 scale. The Gaza Strip, where Palestinian Arabs live under
control of Hamas, is also rated “Unfree” at 6.5.
Three sons of Turkish
professor join the Islamic State. By Robert Spencer, JihadWatch.org
Excerpt: Now wait a minute. Didn’t their professor father
explain to them about how the Islamic State was misunderstanding Islam? Didn’t
he provide his sons with enough education and economic opportunity to enable
them to stave off “radicalization”? Something has gone wrong! Marie Harf, call your
office!
Yemen: At time of
mosque bombing, worshippers were chanting “death to America
Excerpt: In full, they were screaming, “Death to America . Death
to Israel .
Curse upon the Jews. Victory to Islam. Allah Akbar. Death to America . Death
to Israel .
Curse upon the Jews. Victory to–” The last part got caught off by the bombing,
which, oddly enough, was not set off by an American or an Israeli.
South African writer
threatened, hit in face with brick for praising Rushdie. By Robert Spencer,
JihadWatch.org
Excerpt: The Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for
the murder of Rushdie for blaspheming Muhammad, and now, over twenty-five years
later, the Islamic war against the freedom of expression is confidently
advancing everywhere, with Western media outlets practicing self-censorship and
refusing to publish material that Muslims claim offends them. And if you get
out of line, you could get a brick to the face.
The Myth of
Netanyahu’s Racism. By Daniel Greenfield
Excerpt: Netanyahu’s conservative Likud Party got its best
numbers not in Jerusalem, where it only won a quarter of the vote, or Sderot,
the city under siege where it still got less than half, or Maaleh Adumim, a
city of some 40,000 known as a “settlement” because it is located in ’67 Israel
where it also took less than half. Its best numbers appear to
have come from Arab-al-Naim, a Bedouin settlement, where it scored three-quarters of
the vote.
Radicalization of Europe 's Muslims Hits a Crisis Point. By Abigail R. Esman
Excerpt: With every new atrocity, Western leaders and
political commentators collectively assure themselves and the public that the
Islamic State's power will suffer, that its PR machine is failing, and that the
flow of Western Muslims to the Caliphate will stop. It doesn't. European Muslim
radicals have shown no hint that they are reconsidering their hero worship of
IS (or ISIS ), not even in the aftermath of the
widely-condemned killing of Jordanian pilot Moath al-Kasasbeh, who was caged
and burned alive in February. While Muslim moderates around the world decried
the killing, teens from England ,
Germany , Holland ,
Belgium , France and even the United States continue to cross
into Syrian territory, eager to join the jihad.
Tweet from Guy Benson @guypbenson
Oh, well in that case... MT @HotlineJosh: CNN: WH says
Ayatollah's 'Death to America '
was "intended for domestic political audience"
*****
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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