"Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer tore into the Obama administration Monday for their continued “reluctance and denial” to identify and label terrorist attacks as terrorism, despite the numerous “lone-wolf” style attacks that have happened during President Barack Obama’s tenure in the White House."
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Krauthammer: Obama Admin’s ‘Reluctance and Denial’ to ID Terrorism ‘Hovers Between the Inexplicable and the Delusional’ | Video | TheBlaze.com
"Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer tore into the Obama administration Monday for their continued “reluctance and denial” to identify and label terrorist attacks as terrorism, despite the numerous “lone-wolf” style attacks that have happened during President Barack Obama’s tenure in the White House."
Michigan in distress!-----Montcalm Co. cutting staff to slash $1.76M from budget
Montcalm Co. cutting staff to slash $1.76M from budget | WOODTV.com
STANTON, Mich. (WOOD) — The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners has OK’d sweeping staffing cuts, the largest concentration of which will be to public safety, as the county attempts to get its budget back in order.
Consultants Clark Hill and Rehmann Robson proposed the cuts that the commission approved during a Monday meeting. In all, the board agreed to eliminate 22.5 full-time equivalent positions (two part-time positions generally equal one full-time position):
...Montcalm County Sheriff William Barnwell told 24 Hour News 8 Monday...said the cuts will leave his department with a “skeleton crew.”
He’s being asked to strip $800,000 from his $2.1 million annual budget...
...Further, the consultants, said, leaders weren’t keeping a close enough eye on how the spending was affecting the general fund.
As a result, the county is now some $2 million in the hole.
But some commissioners told 24 Hour News 8 Monday night that they didn’t know about the budget problems until just this spring.
So the question that remains: How did the deficit issues go unresolved for so long?"
STANTON, Mich. (WOOD) — The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners has OK’d sweeping staffing cuts, the largest concentration of which will be to public safety, as the county attempts to get its budget back in order.
Consultants Clark Hill and Rehmann Robson proposed the cuts that the commission approved during a Monday meeting. In all, the board agreed to eliminate 22.5 full-time equivalent positions (two part-time positions generally equal one full-time position):
- Four in the in judicial branch to save $267,203
- 5.5 in general government to save $515,583
- 10.5 from public safety to $849,221
- Two from the Commission on Aging to save $100,000
- 0.5 from the Friend of the Court to save $30,964
...Montcalm County Sheriff William Barnwell told 24 Hour News 8 Monday...said the cuts will leave his department with a “skeleton crew.”
He’s being asked to strip $800,000 from his $2.1 million annual budget...
...Further, the consultants, said, leaders weren’t keeping a close enough eye on how the spending was affecting the general fund.
As a result, the county is now some $2 million in the hole.
But some commissioners told 24 Hour News 8 Monday night that they didn’t know about the budget problems until just this spring.
So the question that remains: How did the deficit issues go unresolved for so long?"
History for September 21
History for September 21 - On-This-Day.com
H.G. Wells 1866, Larry Hagman 1931 - Actor ("I Dream of Jeanie," "Dallas"), Stephen King 1947 - Author
Bill Murray 1950 - Actor, Mark Reed Levin 1957 - Lawyer, author, radio show host, Faith Hill 1967 - Country singer
1893 - Frank Duryea took what is believed to be the first gasoline- powered automobile for a test drive. The "horseless carriage" was designed by Frank and Charles Duryea.
1897 - The New York Sun ran the "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" editorial. It was in response to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon.
1931 - Japanese forces began occupying China's northeast territory of Manchuria.
1937 - J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was first published.
1949 - Communist leaders proclaimed The People's Republic of China.
1957 - "Perry Mason", the television series, made its debut on CBS-TV. The show was on for 9 years.
1970 - "NFL Monday Night Football" made its debut on ABC-TV. The game was between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets. The Browns won 31-21.
1981 - The U.S. Senate confirmed Sandra Day O'Connor to be the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
‘We Are a Nation of Laws, Not of Men’ | TheBlaze.com
"Adams added another axiom to the lexicon: “There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.”
There is danger from all men. When the men elected to enforce the law use that power to break the law the world’s most shining example of liberty … is free no more."
Dallas Cops Get Wise to Impending Public Pension Catastrophe, Start Yanking Their Money Out of the System
Dallas Cops Get Wise to Impending Public Pension Catastrophe, Start Yanking Their Money Out of the System - Hit & Run : Reason.com:
"With their pension fund teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Dallas police officers are grabbing what they can before the whole thing crashes down.
Panic has set in and dozens of officers are pulling their retirement money out of the system as quickly as possible, WFAA reported over the weekend.
One assistant police chief recently pulled $1 million out of the retirement fund and more than $300 million has been withdrawn in recent years, the Dallas ABC affiliate reported, citing unnamed sources.
Like most public pensions systems, the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System gives members the option to withdraw a lump sum when they retire or to collect an annual payment for the rest of their lives.
Think of it as the difference between taking the payout or the annuity in a lottery—the lump sum is probably less than what you'd get with the installment plan (depending on how long you live, of course) but at least you know how much money you're getting.
It seems that many newly retired officers believe that its better to get some money today instead of being promised more money tomorrow.
That's because tomorrow might not come for a pension system that has been badly managed for decades and is now $5 billion in the red.
According to Moody's, the system will be completely broke in about 20 years.
...Retirees will be eligible to start drawing a pension on October 1, but it looks like many new retirees are planning to pull all their cash out of the city's pension fund as quickly as possible, leaving officials scrambling to figure out how to deal with the loss of assets.
The city poured $29.3 million into the fund this year, but members of the pension board told the city council in May that an immediate infusion of $600 million—equal to 20 cents of every dollar the city spends this year—would be required to keep the fund solvent.
The pension fund expects to earn 7.5 percent annually—a figure that many experts say is too high a target in the current investment environment..."
"With their pension fund teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Dallas police officers are grabbing what they can before the whole thing crashes down.
Panic has set in and dozens of officers are pulling their retirement money out of the system as quickly as possible, WFAA reported over the weekend.
One assistant police chief recently pulled $1 million out of the retirement fund and more than $300 million has been withdrawn in recent years, the Dallas ABC affiliate reported, citing unnamed sources.
Like most public pensions systems, the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System gives members the option to withdraw a lump sum when they retire or to collect an annual payment for the rest of their lives. Think of it as the difference between taking the payout or the annuity in a lottery—the lump sum is probably less than what you'd get with the installment plan (depending on how long you live, of course) but at least you know how much money you're getting.
It seems that many newly retired officers believe that its better to get some money today instead of being promised more money tomorrow.
That's because tomorrow might not come for a pension system that has been badly managed for decades and is now $5 billion in the red.
According to Moody's, the system will be completely broke in about 20 years.
...Retirees will be eligible to start drawing a pension on October 1, but it looks like many new retirees are planning to pull all their cash out of the city's pension fund as quickly as possible, leaving officials scrambling to figure out how to deal with the loss of assets.
The city poured $29.3 million into the fund this year, but members of the pension board told the city council in May that an immediate infusion of $600 million—equal to 20 cents of every dollar the city spends this year—would be required to keep the fund solvent.
The pension fund expects to earn 7.5 percent annually—a figure that many experts say is too high a target in the current investment environment..."
The Bank For International Settlements Warns That A Major Debt Meltdown In China Is Imminent
The Bank For International Settlements Warns That A Major Debt Meltdown In China Is Imminent
"The pinnacle of the global financial system is warning that conditions are right for a “full-blown banking crisis” in China.
Since the last financial crisis, there has been a credit boom in China that is really unprecedented in world history.
At this point the total value of all outstanding loans in China has hit a grand total of more than 28 trillion dollars.
That is essentially equivalent to the commercial banking systems of the United States and Japan combined.
While it is true that government debt is under control in China, corporate debt is now 171 percent of GDP, and it is only a matter of time before that debt bubble horribly bursts.
The situation in China has already grown so dire that the Bank for International Settlements is sounding the alarm…
It wields enormous global power, and yet it is accountable to nobody.
The following is a summary of how the Bank for International Settlements works that comes from one of my previous articles entitled “Who Controls The Money? An Unelected, Unaccountable Central Bank Of The World Secretly Does“…
"The pinnacle of the global financial system is warning that conditions are right for a “full-blown banking crisis” in China.
Since the last financial crisis, there has been a credit boom in China that is really unprecedented in world history.
At this point the total value of all outstanding loans in China has hit a grand total of more than 28 trillion dollars.
That is essentially equivalent to the commercial banking systems of the United States and Japan combined. While it is true that government debt is under control in China, corporate debt is now 171 percent of GDP, and it is only a matter of time before that debt bubble horribly bursts.
The situation in China has already grown so dire that the Bank for International Settlements is sounding the alarm…
A key gauge of credit vulnerability is now three times over the danger threshold and has continued to deteriorate, despite pledges by Chinese premier Li Keqiang to wean the economy off debt-driven growth before it is too late.
The Bank for International Settlements warned in its quarterly report that China’s “credit to GDP gap” has reached 30.1, the highest to date and in a different league altogether from any other major country tracked by the institution.
It is also significantly higher than the scores in East Asia’s speculative boom on 1997 or in the US subprime bubble before the Lehman crisis.
If you are not familiar with the Bank for International Settlements, just think of it as the capstone of the worldwide financial pyramid. It wields enormous global power, and yet it is accountable to nobody.
The following is a summary of how the Bank for International Settlements works that comes from one of my previous articles entitled “Who Controls The Money? An Unelected, Unaccountable Central Bank Of The World Secretly Does“…
Read on!
Ted Cruz Renews Call to Ban Refugees From U.S.: ‘It Is Past Time to Take Off the Blinders’ | TheBlaze.com
Ted Cruz Renews Call to Ban Refugees From U.S.: ‘It Is Past Time to Take Off the Blinders’ | TheBlaze.com:
"Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) has renewed his call for a ban on refugees entering the U.S. in the wake of the bombings in New York City and New Jersey and the stabbing attack in Minnesota.
A former 2016 Republican presidential contender, Cruz was an ardent critic of the Obama administration’s refugee program while on the campaign trail and introduced the Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015 in the Senate. His measure would have prevented refugees from any country with an Islamic State, al-Qaeda or other foreign terrorist organization presence be denied entry into the U.S."
A former 2016 Republican presidential contender, Cruz was an ardent critic of the Obama administration’s refugee program while on the campaign trail and introduced the Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015 in the Senate. His measure would have prevented refugees from any country with an Islamic State, al-Qaeda or other foreign terrorist organization presence be denied entry into the U.S."
Why the United States keeps failing to stop terrorism
Why the United States keeps failing to stop terrorism | The Liberty Conservative:
"The threat of terrorism has been a growing problem.
Even though an attack of the magnitude of 9/11 has not been replicated, the idea that terrorism has diminished is ignorant.
Shootings connected to terrorist organizations have occurred both domestically and in foreign countries like France.
The shootings in San Bernardino, California, and Paris, France both included explosives, as well. Now this weekend, a series of explosions in New Jersey and New York have investigators concerned a terror cell is alive and well in the two states.
Despite the fact that we’ve deployed our military in foreign lands, have drones regularly hitting foreign targets, and are spying on people across the country, terrorist activity is continuing to occur and with a higher frequency.
Why?
It is actually largely due to our foreign policy – although our domestic policy plays a part in it, as well.
The common denominator across the board is ignorance among American leaders.
Military intervention abroad has actually destabilized the region further, resulting in the rise of ISIS and the increase in terrorist activity.
Terrorists use the invasion of those considered infidels as a recruitment tool. It also uses the images of their people slaughtered by foreign invaders as a recruitment tool.
Thus, Saddam Hussein’s removal might have stopped a tyrant, for example, but it arguably created a worse situation.
...It also doesn’t help that the United States government has continued to aid countries with known ties to terrorist activity.
While the government has armed militant extremists in the past, they continue to aid countries like Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has connections to the 9/11 hijackers and has funded terrorism for years.
Saudi Arabia is also currently bombing hospitals and medical facilities as part of its campaign against Yemen, killing many innocent men, women, and children.
...If the United States is to get serious about stopping terrorism, it needs to stop treating innocent Americans like terrorists and start treating terrorists like terrorists.
The government needs to stop aiding countries like Saudi Arabia that fund terrorism and engage in terrorist activity in other countries.
Until this happens, terrorism will continue."
"The threat of terrorism has been a growing problem.
Even though an attack of the magnitude of 9/11 has not been replicated, the idea that terrorism has diminished is ignorant.
Shootings connected to terrorist organizations have occurred both domestically and in foreign countries like France.
The shootings in San Bernardino, California, and Paris, France both included explosives, as well. Now this weekend, a series of explosions in New Jersey and New York have investigators concerned a terror cell is alive and well in the two states.
Despite the fact that we’ve deployed our military in foreign lands, have drones regularly hitting foreign targets, and are spying on people across the country, terrorist activity is continuing to occur and with a higher frequency. Why?
It is actually largely due to our foreign policy – although our domestic policy plays a part in it, as well.
The common denominator across the board is ignorance among American leaders.
Military intervention abroad has actually destabilized the region further, resulting in the rise of ISIS and the increase in terrorist activity.
Terrorists use the invasion of those considered infidels as a recruitment tool. It also uses the images of their people slaughtered by foreign invaders as a recruitment tool.
Thus, Saddam Hussein’s removal might have stopped a tyrant, for example, but it arguably created a worse situation.
...It also doesn’t help that the United States government has continued to aid countries with known ties to terrorist activity.
While the government has armed militant extremists in the past, they continue to aid countries like Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has connections to the 9/11 hijackers and has funded terrorism for years.
Saudi Arabia is also currently bombing hospitals and medical facilities as part of its campaign against Yemen, killing many innocent men, women, and children.
...If the United States is to get serious about stopping terrorism, it needs to stop treating innocent Americans like terrorists and start treating terrorists like terrorists.
The government needs to stop aiding countries like Saudi Arabia that fund terrorism and engage in terrorist activity in other countries.
Until this happens, terrorism will continue."
Crony capitalist/RINO alert!!-----Dock owners push back on plan to expand port authority in Muskegon
So much wrong here.
Worst may be this RINO proud of all her democrat support.
And no true republicans shouting out her treachery.
Dock owners push back on plan to expand port authority in Muskegon | Fox17
MUSKEGON, Mich. — It's a promise of jobs and economic prosperity along the lakeshore, but not everyone is convinced.
Rep. Holly Hughes, R-Muskegon, is among a group of legislators and business and community leaders pushing to establish a port authority in Muskegon to create more opportunities for shipping goods in and out of West Michigan.
With shipments of raw bulk materials like coal and rock dwindling in wake of the closure of B.C. Cobb Consumers Energy coal power plant and Sappi paper mill, Hughes says there is a need to make up the lost shipments.
“When we lost Consumers Power, we lost 660,000 tons of shipping (coal)," she said.
"We’re slowly making up that tonnage—some of the companies have been—but we want more economic growth, like it used to be before I was born, using our ports.”
Hughes' bill would amend the state's Port Authority Act to allow an authority to be established in communities where the ports are owned by private operators, which is the case in Muskegon.
Current law limits the creation of port authorities to communities where the ports are publicly owned. Detroit is the only publicly owned port in the state.
Hughes said the change would allow for the establishment of a private-public partnership, which would enable the state to compete with maritime commerce in other states.
“It’s basically a framework to concentrate on increasing what we ship into the port and increase jobs," Hughes said, adding her desire to see Muskegon compete with Chicago.
"I think Chicago has plenty of business to spare, so I wouldn’t mind tapping that a little bit.”
Hughes also argues Muskegon's port is at risk of losing federal funding for dredging by not being able to meet a one-million ton shipment threshold established by the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers. Dredging is the process of removing material underwater to keep the primary commercial channels clear for shipping freighters.
But according to a report from the Great Lakes Dredging Team, 13 harbors below the one-million ton threshold received funding for high priority dredging in 2016.
Max McKee, president of West Michigan Dock and Market Corporation, argues the establishment of a port authority would only create unfair competition and encourage the murky use of public funding, like grant money, for projects on privately owned facilities.
“I see this as a question of choosing winners and losers," McKee said.
“It’s about the possibility of another level of government also able to access funds, to then use those funds to compete with docks already in the business, that’s our concern.”
But Hughes contends the proposed amendment is meant to help, not hurt private port owners.
The proposal would provide protections for private port owners, including removing the ability of the authority to condemn property or authorize a millage request.
The bill would also require direct authorization of a port operator before any port authority could begin work on their property.
McKee says the 'build it and they will come' mantra is irresponsible, adding that the majority of shipments into the area now are bulk raw item materials which don't create dock jobs because the shipments are unloaded by automated machinery.
"People talk about ‘building up the port,’ but we have had roughly 11 foreign cargoes—commercial ships—come through here in the last 20 years carrying something other than bulk shipments,” he said.
“It’s not like there’s a whole lot of congestion out there on the lake."
McKee says any future business would be easily managed by the existing private commercial docking facilities and ample existing port capacity, with no need for involvement from an authority.
"It’s just bad policy, it’s bad for the taxpayers, it’s bad for our state," he said. “Make no mistake, that’s taxpayer money and they’ll be able to determine where that goes and it could go to your competitor."
Hughes disputes the arguments, pointing to the widespread backing her proposed legislation has received from the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Municipal League, Consumers Energy, Muskegon County Road Commission, Michigan Works!, and the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, among others.
"It’s great not only for Muskegon economic development, but regional economic development too," she said. “I think it will finally make a difference in our port and how it’s being utilized.”
The bill is expected to be approved out of a House committee in Lansing as soon as Sept. 20."
Worst may be this RINO proud of all her democrat support.
And no true republicans shouting out her treachery.
Dock owners push back on plan to expand port authority in Muskegon | Fox17
MUSKEGON, Mich. — It's a promise of jobs and economic prosperity along the lakeshore, but not everyone is convinced.
Rep. Holly Hughes, R-Muskegon, is among a group of legislators and business and community leaders pushing to establish a port authority in Muskegon to create more opportunities for shipping goods in and out of West Michigan.
With shipments of raw bulk materials like coal and rock dwindling in wake of the closure of B.C. Cobb Consumers Energy coal power plant and Sappi paper mill, Hughes says there is a need to make up the lost shipments.“When we lost Consumers Power, we lost 660,000 tons of shipping (coal)," she said.
"We’re slowly making up that tonnage—some of the companies have been—but we want more economic growth, like it used to be before I was born, using our ports.”
Hughes' bill would amend the state's Port Authority Act to allow an authority to be established in communities where the ports are owned by private operators, which is the case in Muskegon.
Current law limits the creation of port authorities to communities where the ports are publicly owned. Detroit is the only publicly owned port in the state.
Hughes said the change would allow for the establishment of a private-public partnership, which would enable the state to compete with maritime commerce in other states.
“It’s basically a framework to concentrate on increasing what we ship into the port and increase jobs," Hughes said, adding her desire to see Muskegon compete with Chicago.
"I think Chicago has plenty of business to spare, so I wouldn’t mind tapping that a little bit.”
Hughes also argues Muskegon's port is at risk of losing federal funding for dredging by not being able to meet a one-million ton shipment threshold established by the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers. Dredging is the process of removing material underwater to keep the primary commercial channels clear for shipping freighters.
But according to a report from the Great Lakes Dredging Team, 13 harbors below the one-million ton threshold received funding for high priority dredging in 2016.
Max McKee, president of West Michigan Dock and Market Corporation, argues the establishment of a port authority would only create unfair competition and encourage the murky use of public funding, like grant money, for projects on privately owned facilities.
“I see this as a question of choosing winners and losers," McKee said.
“It’s about the possibility of another level of government also able to access funds, to then use those funds to compete with docks already in the business, that’s our concern.”
But Hughes contends the proposed amendment is meant to help, not hurt private port owners.
The proposal would provide protections for private port owners, including removing the ability of the authority to condemn property or authorize a millage request.
The bill would also require direct authorization of a port operator before any port authority could begin work on their property.McKee says the 'build it and they will come' mantra is irresponsible, adding that the majority of shipments into the area now are bulk raw item materials which don't create dock jobs because the shipments are unloaded by automated machinery.
"People talk about ‘building up the port,’ but we have had roughly 11 foreign cargoes—commercial ships—come through here in the last 20 years carrying something other than bulk shipments,” he said.
“It’s not like there’s a whole lot of congestion out there on the lake."
McKee says any future business would be easily managed by the existing private commercial docking facilities and ample existing port capacity, with no need for involvement from an authority.
"It’s just bad policy, it’s bad for the taxpayers, it’s bad for our state," he said. “Make no mistake, that’s taxpayer money and they’ll be able to determine where that goes and it could go to your competitor."
Hughes disputes the arguments, pointing to the widespread backing her proposed legislation has received from the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Municipal League, Consumers Energy, Muskegon County Road Commission, Michigan Works!, and the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, among others.
"It’s great not only for Muskegon economic development, but regional economic development too," she said. “I think it will finally make a difference in our port and how it’s being utilized.”
The bill is expected to be approved out of a House committee in Lansing as soon as Sept. 20."
Obama Blames Conservative Media’s ‘Misinformation’ for Close Presidential Election | TheBlaze.com
Obama Blames Conservative Media’s ‘Misinformation’ for Close Presidential Election | TheBlaze.com:
"President Barack Obama says the campaign between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump wouldn’t even be close were it not for conservative media espousing “misinformation.”
Obama made the comment during a Democratic fundraiser attended by about 65 donors in New York City "
Obama made the comment during a Democratic fundraiser attended by about 65 donors in New York City "
To fight soda tax suit, Philadelphia budgets $1.6 million for lawyers
To fight soda tax suit, Philadelphia budgets $1.6 million for lawyers | City & State PA: "Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration has budgeted $1.6 million to fend off a legal challenge from the beverage industry to the city’s recently approved soda tax. Prominent lawyers Mark Aronchick and Ken Trujillo, both former city solicitors, were selected this week to represent the city in its defense.
“The contracts still aren’t final, but they’ve agreed on a rate,” said Kenney spokesperson Lauren Hitt, in an email.
“There is an $800,000 cap for both firms.
...Meanwhile, anti-tax opponents are grumbling that the selection of the two men constitutes a “no-bid” contract, and are alleging political influence is at play – even though no one would put their name next to the allegation.
...While acknowledging that the contract was not competitively bid out – professional services are exempt under city charter – the Kenney administration rebuffed questions about the lawyers’ selection..."
More than 800 immigrants mistakenly granted citizenship
More than 800 immigrants mistakenly granted citizenship:
"WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has mistakenly granted citizenship to at least 858 immigrants from countries of concern to national security or with high rates of immigration fraud who had pending deportation orders, according to an internal Homeland Security audit released Monday.
The Homeland Security Department's inspector general found that the immigrants used different names or birthdates to apply for citizenship with U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services and such discrepancies weren't caught because their fingerprints were missing from government databases.
...In an emailed statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the findings reflect what has long been a problem for immigration officials — old paper-based records containing fingerprint information that can't be searched electronically.
DHS says immigration officials are in the process of uploading these files and that officials will review "every file" identified as a case of possible fraud.
Roth's report said fingerprints are missing from federal databases for as many as 315,000 immigrants with final deportation orders or who are fugitive criminals.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not reviewed about 148,000 of those immigrants' files to add fingerprints to the digital record..."
"WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has mistakenly granted citizenship to at least 858 immigrants from countries of concern to national security or with high rates of immigration fraud who had pending deportation orders, according to an internal Homeland Security audit released Monday.
The Homeland Security Department's inspector general found that the immigrants used different names or birthdates to apply for citizenship with U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services and such discrepancies weren't caught because their fingerprints were missing from government databases.
...In an emailed statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the findings reflect what has long been a problem for immigration officials — old paper-based records containing fingerprint information that can't be searched electronically.DHS says immigration officials are in the process of uploading these files and that officials will review "every file" identified as a case of possible fraud.
Roth's report said fingerprints are missing from federal databases for as many as 315,000 immigrants with final deportation orders or who are fugitive criminals.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not reviewed about 148,000 of those immigrants' files to add fingerprints to the digital record..."
Grim news from a French poll: One in four Muslims there is in "revolt" against secular laws
Grim news from a French poll: One in four Muslims there is in "revolt" against secular laws - Zip Dialog:
"There is some positive news in the survey.
"There is some positive news in the survey.
It shows that most Muslims accept restrictions on the public expression of religion, something France adopted in the nineteenth century to limit the power of the Catholic Church.
They call it “laïcité” and it is a central feature of the French constitution, which proclaims France to be a secular republic (Article 1).
Comment: The university-sponsored poll shows France’s policies of immigration and multicultural integration have failed, and failed dramatically.
That’s not just a problem in France.
This failure is a serious social problem in its own right, but it becomes far more serious when it is combined with the appeal of Islamic terrorism.
It reverberates across Europe...
Why do so many French Muslims reject secular laws?
The conventional sociological explanation is that they are marginalized and often poor.
That’s surely part of the answer.
But so is another issue that is rarely discussed in polite society.
The Muslim world never went through the long, painful process of limiting religious institutions’ control over the state.
In the Christian West, that process began in the 11th century, with the Investiture Controversy between Pope Gregory VII and Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV.
It continued for centuries and gradually became a common feature of all constitutional governments in the West...
In the Islamic world, by contrast, religious authorities dominated the state from the Prophet onward. There is no textual warrant for their separation or for the dominate role of man-made law (what we in the West call “positive law.”)
That’s the whole point of ISIS saying it will restore the Caliphate, in which religious rulers dominate society and all law is Sharia..."
Suspected Bomber Charged With Five Counts of ‘Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer’ | TheBlaze.com
"Suspected New York, New Jersey bomber Ahmad Khan Rahami was charged Monday with five counts of “attempted murder of a law enforcement officer,” according to a statement from the Union County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s office."
Should Michigan Cities Be Allowed to Ban Pit Bulls?
Should Michigan Cities Be Allowed to Ban Pit Bulls? [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"The Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit local governments from banning people from owning pit bulls.
Senate Bill 239, sponsored by Sen. Dave Robertson, R-Grand Blanc Township, has passed the Senate and is being considered in the House.
According to the Detroit Free Press, 26 towns have enacted ordinances that restrict pit bulls and 14 outright ban them and other dog breeds.
It’s true that pit bulls harm more people than any other type of dog.
According to one report, they have killed a total of 233 people since 1982.
That makes them about 40 percent more likely to kill than Rottweilers — though, when the number of deaths is adjusted to reflect the number of each breed, huskies are actually far more dangerous.
Other studies have a slightly higher estimate, with approximately 19 people per year dying because of dogs.
But the question is whether pit bulls are dangerous enough that governments should ban them.
While the breed often makes the news, the number of injuries and deaths they cause is still very small.
Evidence suggests that pit bulls are not more inherently dangerous than some other types of dogs.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the federal Centers for Disease Control are both opposed to breed-specific legislation because studies show them to be ineffective and harmful.
Other research suggests that while pit bulls are aggressive, other breeds are even more hostile.
In other words, pit bulls are only more dangerous because they are bred that way by their owners, meaning local bans just encourage people to train other types of dogs to be violent.
Many cities have ordinances that restrict residents from having any dog that is dangerous or out of their control.
This policy is much better than a specific ban on pit bulls or other breeds."
"The Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit local governments from banning people from owning pit bulls.
Senate Bill 239, sponsored by Sen. Dave Robertson, R-Grand Blanc Township, has passed the Senate and is being considered in the House.According to the Detroit Free Press, 26 towns have enacted ordinances that restrict pit bulls and 14 outright ban them and other dog breeds.
It’s true that pit bulls harm more people than any other type of dog.
According to one report, they have killed a total of 233 people since 1982.
That makes them about 40 percent more likely to kill than Rottweilers — though, when the number of deaths is adjusted to reflect the number of each breed, huskies are actually far more dangerous.
Other studies have a slightly higher estimate, with approximately 19 people per year dying because of dogs.
But the question is whether pit bulls are dangerous enough that governments should ban them.
While the breed often makes the news, the number of injuries and deaths they cause is still very small.
Evidence suggests that pit bulls are not more inherently dangerous than some other types of dogs.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the federal Centers for Disease Control are both opposed to breed-specific legislation because studies show them to be ineffective and harmful.
Other research suggests that while pit bulls are aggressive, other breeds are even more hostile.
In other words, pit bulls are only more dangerous because they are bred that way by their owners, meaning local bans just encourage people to train other types of dogs to be violent.
Many cities have ordinances that restrict residents from having any dog that is dangerous or out of their control.
This policy is much better than a specific ban on pit bulls or other breeds."
History for September 20
History for September 20 - On-This-Day.com
Upton Sinclair 1878, Dr. Joyce Brothers 1928, Anne Meara 1929 - Actress, comdian
Sophia Loren 1934 - Actress, Gary Cole 1957 - Actor, Crispin Glover 1964
1881 - Chester A. Arthur became the 21st president of the U.S. President James A. Garfield had died the day before.
1953 - Jimmy Stewart debuted on the radio western "The Six Shooter" on NBC.
1955 - "You'll Never Be Rich" premiered on CBS-TV. The name was changed less than two months later to "The Phil Silvers Show."
1962 - James Meredith, a black student, was blocked from enrolling at the University of Mississippi by Governor Ross R. Barnett. Meredith was later admitted.
1967 - The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) was launched. It went out of service on November 27, 2008.
1984 - "The Cosby Show" premiered on NBC-TV.
1992 - French voters approved the Maastricht Treaty.
Monday, September 19, 2016
VA hospital may have infected 1,800 veterans with HIV - CNN.com
"(CNN) -- A Missouri VA hospital is under fire because it may have exposed more than 1,800 veterans to life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis and HIV."
The History of U.S. Government Spending, Revenue, and Debt (1790-2015)
The History of U.S. Government Spending, Revenue, and Debt (1790-2015) - Metrocosm:
"Through most of its history, the federal government did not have the power to tax incomes.
How was it funded before the income tax?
Today’s national debt is big by historical standards, but it has been bigger.
When was the country’s deepest debt, and how long did it take to pay back?
From the time it was founded until relatively recently, the U.S. government consistently spent about 3% of GDP each year.
Today, the government spends roughly 20% of GDP per year. Where is all that extra money going?
A look through the history of U.S. government finances reveals some surprising facts.
Scroll down to see how U.S. taxes, spending, and debt have evolved from 1790 to today."
Much more at link!
"Through most of its history, the federal government did not have the power to tax incomes.
How was it funded before the income tax?
Today’s national debt is big by historical standards, but it has been bigger.When was the country’s deepest debt, and how long did it take to pay back?
From the time it was founded until relatively recently, the U.S. government consistently spent about 3% of GDP each year.
Today, the government spends roughly 20% of GDP per year. Where is all that extra money going?
A look through the history of U.S. government finances reveals some surprising facts.
Scroll down to see how U.S. taxes, spending, and debt have evolved from 1790 to today."
Much more at link!
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