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BEIRUT — Syrian
President Bashar Assad is seizing an opportunity presented by the US-led
coalition's war against the Islamic State group to pursue a withering
air and ground campaign against more mainstream rebels elsewhere in the
country, trying to recapture areas considered more crucial to the
survival of his government.
As US and allied jets swoop freely over towns and cities under
control of extremists in northern Syria, the Syrian army has scaled back
its air activity over areas of IS control, doing as little as possible
there to avoid confrontation. Instead, Assad's troops are now focusing
their energies on the country's two largest cities, Damascus and Aleppo.
"Whereas previously the Syrian regime had some interest or some level
of obligation to take direct action against ISIS, to the extent that
the American military is now doing this, the Syrians don't have to do
it," said Christopher Harmer, senior naval analyst at the
Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.
Smoke rises from a US strike on IS in the Syrian border town Kobani (Photo: AP)
While few people think the American and Syrian militaries are
actively cooperating or coordinating their operations, there appears to
be a tacit alliance, ensuring at the very least that Syrian military
operations would not come into conflict or friction with any American or
allied aircraft.
The overall strategic picture of the war has hardly changed since the
coalition strikes began in Syria and neighboring Iraq. Syrian rebels
have intensified their operations in some areas, particularly south of
Damascus, making noteworthy advances in Daraa and Quneitra provinces.
But at least for now, Assad is successfully hanging on to areas where it
counts for his survival, and rebels fighting to topple him are
increasingly demoralized and mistrustful of US pledges of support.
The US on Monday airdropped weapons and other assistance over the
Kurdish Syrian town of Kobani — something it hasn't done for other
Syrian rebels, some of whom are fighting Assad and IS at the same time.
Activists say the Syrian military has meanwhile escalated its attacks
against more mainstream rebels — a mix of moderate and more Islamic
factions.
On Tuesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
said it had documented more than 200 government airstrikes — including
deadly barrel bombings — in the past 36 hours, most of them targeting
rebel-held areas of Aleppo, the Damascus suburbs and southern Syria.
"Every day there is a massacre in eastern Ghouta," said activist
Hassan Taqieldeen, referring to the sprawling eastern suburb of Damascus
that includes Douma. "The regime carries out at least 20 air raids on
any given day," said Taqieldeen, who is based in the town of Douma.
Harmer said there is no doubt the Syrian government is trying to
exploit the international focus on the Islamic State group to energize
its fight elsewhere.
"If ever there was a time when the Syrian regime had everything lined
up for them to do so, this is it," he said. "It is in a very favorable
position and it's got the opportunity to execute major offensives around
Damascus and Aleppo. I just don't think they have the resources to do
it successfully."
On the ground, the army has made some progress, but its successes
have been incremental and are subject to the constant ebb and flow of
battle lines.
Last month, with all eyes on Kobani, Syrian government troops
victoriously entered the northeastern Damascus suburb of Adra, days
after they captured the nearby Adra industrial zone. Troops also broke
into part of the capital's district of Jobar on the edge of the city
after pummeling it to bits, but the rebels are so entrenched there that
entire neighborhoods are connected by underground tunnels reaching into
the heart of the capital.
Earlier this month, government forces advanced in northern Aleppo
province, laying claim to a cluster of villages, including the strategic
region of Handarat. The capture tightens government control of areas
linking the contested city of Aleppo with other parts of the province.
"The Assad regime has intensified its campaign of airstrikes on
mostly residential areas across Syria, and particularly in Aleppo," said
Hadi Bahra, head of the Western-backed main Syrian opposition group in
exile.
In a statement Tuesday, he said more than 300,000 people in
rebel-controlled areas in Aleppo could be subjected to a "protracted
starvation campaign" by Assad's forces, a tactic the Syrian government
has previously used to force rebels to surrender in the suburbs of
Damascus and Homs. More than 190,000 people have been killed in Syria's
conflict, which began in March 2011 with largely peaceful protests
against Assad and turned into civil war after a brutal military
crackdown.
US officials dismiss the premise that the American-led military
campaign may be helping Assad. They insist that while Assad has lost
legitimacy in Syria and should go, the administration's first priority
is to go after what poses a threat to Americans.
"Our present military action in Syria is focused on threats presented
by ISIL and other extremists," Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the
White House's National Security Council, told The Associated Press.
Last month, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said attacking
Assad's regime "is not the focus of our international coalition and not
the focus of our efforts."
Such statements are bound to be gratifying to Assad, who has long
contended that he is fighting terrorists and extremists in Syria.
In an interview with the AP on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly meetings in New York last month, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
Moallem insisted Syria was pleased with the US targeting of IS militants
in his country, even suggesting the air campaign should be widened to
include all extremists.
Taqieldeen, the activist, said he couldn't understand the
international fixation on Kobani when there are millions of other
Syrians threatened with death from the skies every day.
"The
joke around here is that we should change the town's name from Douma to
Doumani. Maybe if it rhymes with Kobani it will resonate with the
Americans and they will notice us, too," Taqieldeen said.
By Debbie Schlussel
Michael Joseph Hall a/k/a Michael Zehaf-Bibeau a/k/a Michael Abdul Zehaf Bibeau a/k/a Abdul Zehaf Bibeau a/k/a Abdul Zehalf Bibeau is the shooter behind today’s murderous attacks in Canada’s capital of Ottawa. Shocker: he’s a Muslim. And his picture was tweeted out today by an ISIS-connected account, “Islamic Media.” His story is just like that of Martin Couture-Rouleau a/k/a Ahmad Rouleau, the Manboob Jihadist–the Islamic terrorist who, on Monday, murdered a Canadian soldier as he ran over two Canadian soldiers in an act of jihad . . . or as HAMAS CAIR calls it, “#myjihad”. And it appears that their attacks were coordinated.
Just like Rouleau, he’s originally from Quebec and just like Rouleau,
he converted to Islam and is a suspected ISIS operative. It can’t be a
coincidence that both of them fomented their terrorist attacks this
week. It sounds coordinated. Both of them were interviewed by Canadian authorities and had their passports taken away as both had sought to go to the Middle East to fight for ISIS.
Bibeau has a long criminal rap sheet, too.
Hmmm, there must be some mistake here because Ben Affleck told me it’s “racist”
to link Muslims to terrorism and violence (despite the fact that Islam
ain’t a race). So maybe this is a hoax and Bibeau is really a Wiccan
using a Muslim name to trick us.
Yeah, that’s the ticket!
More about Abdul Zehaf Bibeau here.
Charles Krauthammer said these midterm elections will
continue to be a “total humiliation” for President Obama because of the
lack of support and allegiance his fellow Democrats are showing him
during the election.
“…He was a citizen of the world, the most interesting,
most sought after rock star, a political rock star on the planet. And
now he’s got to hide under his desk until November,” Krauthammer said.
“This is a total humiliation for him and every once in a while he can’t
take it, so it pops out.”
Krauthammer also compared the image of Obama from 2008 to now. He
can’t even be seen out with Democrats during their campaigns for fear of
pushing away voters.
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“This is a guy who six years ago had a worship service at
a Denver stadium, being cheered by people while he was behind Greek
columns. A few weeks earlier, he’d been the hero of 200,000 Germans in
Berlin,” Krauthammer said.
Now Obama cannot even be mentioned while speaking to Democratic candidates without them going silent.
Krauthammer joked that he “would extend a little bit of sympathy” to Obama because “he’s under stress.”
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/democrats-avoiding-obama-during-midterms-is-total-humiliation/#xIcPkTe6VeVYRPZJ.99
Jeff
Hulbert of Annapolis, Maryland, holds up a sign in front of the White
House on October 17, 2014 in Washington, D.C. Hulbert is protesting the
entry of Ebola into the country through air travel.
In
straightforward defiance against the White House position of
non-transparency, previous communication from the Center for Disease
Control discovered Tuesday acknowledged that 97 percent of the measles
found in United States this year could be attributed to “importations
from at least 18 countries.”
Barbara
Smith (R), a nurse with Mount Sinai Health System, and Bryan
Christensen, a doctor for the CDC Domestic Infection Control Team for
the Ebola Response, demonstrate to put on protection.
Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Soon, after school doors opened this semester, doctors and hospitals
across the country began tackling massive flare-ups of infectious
diseases and severe respiratory illness among children. Experts have
called these outbreak unprecedented.
“It’s worse in terms of scope of critically ill children who require
intensive care,” noted Children’s Mercy Hospital’s division director for
Infectious Diseases, Dr. Mary Anne Jackson. I've practiced for 30 years
in pediatrics, and I’ve never seen anything quite like this.”
While analyzing hundreds of documents, articles, and releases for
this article, this examiner discovered on Tuesday that the Center for
Disease Control (CDC) disclosed in a May 29, 2014 press release that
“nearly all cases of measles this year have been associated with
international travel by unvaccinated people.” As thousands of illegal
immigrants from South and Central America crossed over the U.S.-Mexico
border, the CDC recognized that this was “the largest number of measles
cases in the United States in the first five months of a year since
1994.”
By the end of May, CDC also declared that 97 percent of the measles
cases “were associated with importations from at least 18 countries.
More than one in seven cases has led to hospitalization.”
From Jan. 1 to Oct. 11, 2014, the CDC announced that 599 confirmed
cases of measles were reported with 18 outbreaks in 22 states. In 2013
and 2012 there were only 187 and 55 cases reported.
Measles, respiratory illness, tuberculosis and other communicable
diseases continue as a prime concern for the millions of Americans
conflicted about the perpetual arrivals of illegal immigrants pouring
into the country. While some diseases have emerged from the Philippines,
Africa, Asia and Europe, the unprecedented amount of undocumented
aliens is a major issue.
Even Hollywood is taking notice as actress Tori Spelling was
reportedly admitted and placed in quarantine at Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center in California Monday for respiratory concerns that some media say
could be Enterovirus related.
Hospitals throughout America are reporting record breaking numbers as
their emergency rooms are overwhelmed beyond capacity. Figures as of
October 20, 2014 show the largest reported cases of these mystery
illnesses included over 4,300 children at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
In just one day 540 children visited the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
and 340 cases were reported by a Mobile, Alabama children’s hospital.
Many hospitals have ceased admitting children temporarily as they
determine ways to deal with the outbreaks.
Medical labs testing confirm many of these cases are Enterovirus D68
(EV-D68). The Obama Administration has been working overtime to keep the
reporting and narrative away from blaming the ongoing illegal and
undocumented immigrant invasion into the country. Media reports show at
least eight known deaths from EV-D68 in the U.S. in 2014.
Perhaps the White House doesn’t want Americans to know that out of
over 70,000 illegal immigrant children who crossed into the U.S. almost
48,000 came from Honduras, Guatemala and Salvador. In these countries
measles and the EV-D68 virus are quite common. If we include these
children’s family and friends, not listed an “unaccompanied,” over a
quarter of a million people from Central and South America have entered
the U.S. illegally this year.
From 1970 to 2005 there were only 26 cases of EV-D68 ever reported in
America. The number in 2014 is approaching 1,000 cases, with about 10
percent of those cases known to be causing a polio-type virus that has
left children crippled.
Information from doctors, nurses, law enforcement and staff workers
at immigration housing and transition facilities exposed enormous fears
about the infectious diseases aliens were carrying as they process and
care for them. Thousands of these illegal children have been placed into
public schools, seen in hospitals, and are receiving medical care,
without meeting normal immunization requirements that American children
are expected to have.
In San Antonio, Texas, news regarding chicken pox, tuberculosis and
respiratory diseases flourished at the Lackland Air Force facility. The
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center facility in Artesia, New Mexico
was forced into “lock down” mode because disease was so prevalent this
summer. Providence Memorial Hospital located in El Paso, Texas, a major
port of entry for illegal aliens, recently revealed that more than 700
infants had been exposed to tuberculosis, the most dangerous infectious
disease in the world.
The CDC reports that the current case count for Whooping Cough, or
Pertussis, is 1874. There have been two deaths reported and the
percentage of cases hospitalized is 10.9 percent. From January 1 to the
week ending Oct. 4, 2014, mumps, conceivably carried in from children of
Central America regions, has spiraled to 1,024 cases across America.
Last year at this time it was 525 according to the CDC’s Weekly
Morbidity and Mortality Report.
While information from government agencies is sporadic and patchy, an
analysis of data and reports confirms and supports the link between the
illegal immigrant invasion and infectious disease outbreaks in the U.S.
this year. The CDC admitted it “does not know how many infections and
deaths from EV-D68 occur each year in the United States” because it is
considered an un-reportable disease.
During the week of October 5-11, 2014, the CDC reports that 282 specimens tested positive for influenza activity in the U.S.
State-by-state highlights of the link between the infectious diseases and the known immigrant activity are given: Alabama. The Department of Public Health says they
continue “investigating clusters of respiratory illnesses in children.”
About 50 children have been evaluated as part of the investigation with
five results testing back positive for EV-D68 so far. The department
indicates they are “not counting potential cases on an individual basis
so it is unknown how many people in Alabama have been infected with
D68.”
Two major clusters of respiratory illness in children are occurring
in Mobile and in north Alabama. Over 200 undocumented children were sent
to Jefferson and Marshall Counties. Arizona has reported over 11,800 cases of infectious
diseases in 2014, compared to a five year median average of 8,667. By
this time last year, Arizona had only once case of Mumps. As of
September 1, 2014 there have been nine cases reported.
Maricopa County, which received at least 205 of the immigrant
children this summer, the most of any county in the state, also reports
record breaking cases of infectious disease. This includes 840 cases of
hepatitis, 578 cases of invasive MRSA, over 400 cases of various Strep,
217 reports of Pertussis, 183 cases of viral aseptic meningitis, and at
least one infant death from influenza. While not transferred from person
to person, the state has been burdened with another disease. There were
3,298 cases of Coccidioidomycosis reported in the county, almost 4,800
have been found statewide. Arkansas. The Department of Health reported they
received confirmation through laboratory testing from CDC that EV-D68 is
in the state. Pulaski County received about 70 illegal immigrants out
of the almost 300 transported to Arkansas.
“While the Ebola virus carries a very low risk to the general public,
the timing of its arrival coincides with seasonal rise of another, far
better known and dangerous virus,” said Governor Mike Beebe this week.
“Flu season is beginning in Arkansas and across the U.S. and the flu
causes thousands of American deaths every year.”
Both senators from Arkansas, Democrat Mark Pryor and Republican John
Boozman, called on President Barack Obama to ban Ebola stricken
countries in West Africa from traveling to the U.S. All four members of
the State’s U.S. House delegation also called for a ban. California. Health officials revealed that at least
14 patients have tested for EV-D68 on October 3, 2014. Over 40 illegal
immigrants were quarantined in July because of an outbreak of scabies
and lice.
The number of cases of EV-D68 (first number) are broken down in by
the known number of illegal immigrants (second number) sent to these
counties: San Diego 8/98, Alameda 6/281, Solano 2/unknown, Long Beach
3/unknown, Los Angeles 6/2,313, Santa Clara 5/160, Orange 3/235,
Riverside 2/147, San Francisco 4/208, Santa Cruz 1/unknown, Ventura
1/52, Contra Costa 1/117, Berkley 1/unknown.
One of the children has suffered paralysis, although an October 1
report from neurologists say that up to 25 children in California may
have suffered from polio-like illness that has caused some degree of
paralysis. The first case of EV-D68 was reported on September 18, 2014. Colorado is one of the hardest hit locations in the
world for the EV-D68 virus. At least 10 children have been struck with
paralysis in the Denver area. Arapahoe and Denver Counties received at
least 67 and 64 undocumented immigrant children respectively.
Since the middle of August the Denver area has treated over 4,600
children at different hospitals and urgent care centers. Many of them
had to be admitted. Just this month alone, 692 children, with 54 being
hospitalized, have been treated. Connecticut. Influenza has been reported in New
Haven, Hartford, Fairfield, New London, Windham, Tolland, Middlesex and
Litchfield. EV-D68 has been confirmed. In the last month, 10 deaths in
New Haven and Bridgeport (each) were attributed to Pneumonia and
Influenza. There were 11 such deaths in Hartford. Among the over 500
undocumented children sent to that state, Fairfield (291), New Haven
(60) and Hartford (60) Counties received the majority. Delaware. For some unexplained reason, the states
weekly flu incident summaries have been pulled for weeks 21-39 are not
available. However, Wilmington health officials have reported deaths
from Pneumonia and Influenza in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been
confirmed. Of the almost 200 immigrant children received by the state,
at least 132 went to Sussex County. Florida. A confirmed case of EV-D68 in a 10-year-old
girl was reported in Polk County on Oct. 6 just two days after 28
counties reported increases in influenza activity. Some 35 counties
reported flu like activity was at a plateau for that week. These
counties have been hit the hardest (as of Oct. 8): Calhoun, Citrus,
Columbia, Dade, Desoto, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Glades,
Gulf, Hamilton, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Liberty,
Madison, Monroe, Santa Rosa, St. Johns, Taylor, Union, Walton and
Washington.
There have been 140 deaths due to influenza and pneumonia in 2014 from Jan. 1 through the end of September.
The following counties are known to have received undocumented children (known numbers provided): Miami-Dade
(1,248), Palm Beach (891), Lee (275), Orange (244), Hillsborough (161),
Martin (98), Manatee (63), St. Lucie (53), and Seminole (50) Counties.
This is just a partial list as Florida has received over 4,400 children.
Georgia. Atlanta has experienced 30 deaths in the
last 30 days attributed to pneumonia and influenza. EV-D68 has been
confirmed. Savannah has reported 13 cases. Out of over 1,600 children
sent to Georgia, the following counties received the given number of
children: DeKalb (386), Gwinnett (314), Cobb (164), Hall (101), Cherokee
(80) and Fulton (73). Idaho. Boise had 13 deaths related to Pneumonia and
Influenza in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Only 15
undocumented children are known to have been sent to Idaho. Illinois. The number of deaths for the last 30 days
in these cities are attributed to pneumonia and influenza: Chicago (38),
Rockford (15), and Peoria (15), EV-D68 has been confirmed. So far just
over 800 children were taken in by Illinois. Among those known, were
these counties: Cook (215), DuPage (80) and Lake (61). Cook County has
reported 11 cases of EV-D68.
Illinois has seen an increase to 116 cases of mumps so far in 2014
from 23 last year. The federal government, through a Health and Human
Services grant of $20,809,351 established a shelter for the immigrants
to locate in Chicago. Indiana. Fort Wayne has reported pneumonia and flu
related deaths in the last 30 days totaling 11. Indianapolis had 56 such
deaths. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Approximately 400 children were
sent to Indiana with 151 going to Marion and 50 to Elkhart Counties. Iowa. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Over 200 children were sent to Iowa to live with sponsors. Kansas. At least 262 cases of pertussis have been
confirmed Pottawatomie County, which also reported more than 100
confirmed cases of measles as of Oct. 20, 2014. Sedgwick and Johnson
Counties have reported 13 cases of measles. The state has experienced
1002 reports of Hepatitis so far this year. EV-D68 has been confirmed.
Wyandotte County, which received at least 60 undocumented immigrant
children has experienced 84 cases of Hepatitis as of Oct. 18, 2014. At
least 250 children were sent to sponsors in Kansas. Kentucky. Lexington had 12 deaths related to flu and
pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Jefferson
County received over 100 of the 350 known children sent to Kentucky. Louisiana. Shreveport reported 12 deaths related to
flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Among
the 1,500-plus children sent to the state, almost 600 were hosted by
Jefferson Parish. Other Parish counts known include Orleans (256), East
Baton Rouge (191), St. Tammany (58) and Lafayette (54). Maine. EV-D68 has been confirmed in York County. Maine has received less than 50 undocumented children as of Oct. 1. Maryland. Baltimore has had a high number of deaths,
40, this last 30 days due to flu and pneumonia reports. EV-D68 has been
confirmed. The state has received over 3,500 children including over
1,100 in Prince George’s County. Other county counts include Anne
Arundel (174), Baltimore City (300), Baltimore County (240), Frederick
(156), Howard (110) and Montgomery (919). Massachusetts. Boston reported 25 deaths related to
flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 and paralysis in some
children has been confirmed. Some of the county counts for children
include Suffolk (423), Essex (238), Middlesex (215), Worcester (79) and
Bristol (71). The state received over 1,200 children to live with
sponsors. Michigan. At least 35 cases of EV-D68 and some with
paralysis in children have been confirmed. A toddler was reported as the
latest victim on October 13, 2014. Washtenaw County has one confirmed
case of paralysis of a 7-month-old. Grand Rapids had 18 deaths related
to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. Kent, Michigan has reported 31
cases of EV-D68 virus with two leading to paralysis and one death.
Detroit has not reported their information for the past four weeks. Missouri. There are 13 reported cases of measles in
Kansas City Missouri. EV-D68 and paralysis in some children have been
confirmed. St. Louis reported 13 deaths related to flu and pneumonia in
the last 30 days. Less than 200 children have been known to have been
placed in Missouri, although various reports indicate the total could be
more. Montana. At least seven cases of EV-D68 have been confirmed. Counties effected include Yellowstone, Jefferson, Musselshell and Cascade. Nebraska. Omaha has reported 22 deaths related to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been confirmed. New Hampshire. Over 125 deaths related to flu and
pneumonia in the last 30 days have been reported in the New England
states. EV-D68 has been confirmed. New Jersey. EV-D68 has been confirmed in at least 18
cases. The counties are Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Mercer,
Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, and Sussex. A 4-year-old
preschool boy died on September 25 in Mercer County. These counties
are known to have received undocumented children: Atlantic (53), Bergen
(154), Camden (85), Essex (277), Hudson (271), Mercer (170), Middlesex
(171), Morris (200), Passaic (80), Somerset (75) and Union (468). New Mexico. Albuquerque has reported 36 deaths
related to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been
confirmed. Homeland Security Jeb Johnson visited an Artesia facility to
house the illegal immigrants in July. He cited the facility as a model.
Two weeks later the facility was placed on lock-down because of a
serious outbreak of chicken pox. New York. The number of “patients admitted to the
hospital with laboratory-confirmed influenza or hospitalized patients
newly diagnosed with laboratory-influenza” increased 60% on the week of
October 11 from the previous week according to Department of Health
data. EV-D68 has been confirmed.
New York is now home to at least 5,000 of the immigrant children.
Some of the counties housing the aliens include: Suffolk (1,400), Nassau
(1,207), Queens (686), Kings (409), Bronx (404), Westchester (300) and
Rockland (205).
The state has receiving centers for undocumented immigrant children
at locations in Irvington, Mahopac, Syosset, New York City, Valhalla,
Dobbs Ferry, Kingston and Poughkeepsie. New York has experienced 109
cases of mumps as compared to just 28 at this point in 2013. North Carolina. Charlotte has reported 20 deaths
related to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been
confirmed. Over 1,700 undocumented immigrant children were transferred
there. North Dakota. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Ohio. The Ohio Department of Health confirmed on
Oct. 20 that although there are no confirmed cases of Ebola in the
state, 142 people are being monitored for symptoms. 46 are in Cuyahoga
County, 40 in Summit County and 56 in other counties: Belmont, Erie,
Franklin, Geauga, Hamilton, Hardin, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Median,
Portage, Putnam, Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties. EV-D68 has been
confirmed.
Since March 22, there have been 377 cases of measles reported in
Ohio. This includes Ashland (46), Coshocton (44), Holmes (64), and Knox
(195) Counties. Other counties include Richland, Stark, and Crawford.
Cleveland has reported 62 deaths related to flu and pneumonia in the
last 30 days. Columbus reported 42, Dayton reported 26 and Toledo
reported 14 such deaths. There have been 536 reported occurrences of
mumps in Ohio in 2014 (vs. 11 last year). Hamilton County has received
at least 152 immigrant children so far this year. Oklahoma. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Tulsa has
reported 28 deaths related to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days.
Oklahoma has received about 500 immigrant children. Pennsylvania. EV-D68 has been confirmed. There has been several case of measles in Allegheny County and at least one case in Dauphin County. Rhode Island. At least one death, of a 10-year-old
girl last month, has been attributed EV-D68 and a Staph (aureus sepsis)
infection. In the past month 9 death have been attributed to Pneumonia
and Influenza in Providence. The state has received over 200 children. South Carolina. Over 2,000 hospitalizations, with
over 80 deaths associated with flu and pneumonia were reported this year
for the state. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Although the number of
illegal immigrants sent to the state is unclear, at least 500 were
transferred including Greenville (124), Beaufort (68) and Horry (50)
Counties. Tennessee. The total state reported 9,161 patients
with influenza like illness during the week of Oct. 5-Oct. 11, 2014.
Measles has been reported in Madison, Shelby, Gibson, Hardeman and
Hamilton Counties. The Volunteer State has received well over 1,000
immigrant children, including Davidson (282), Shelby (249), Hamilton
(138), Sevier (111), and Knox (78) Counties. Texas. Deaths related to flu and pneumonia in the
last 30 days: San Antonio 54 Houston 45, Dallas 34, Austin 23, Corpus
Christi 20, and El Paso 16. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Cases of H1N1 flu
virus were found at Brownsville and San Antonio detention facilities
for the illegal immigrants. Other diseases reported by law enforcement,
nurses and staff at the facilities include malaria, dengue fever,
scabies, tuberculosis, and other historically uncommon illnesses.
San Antonio has received the highest amounts of grants for housing the immigrant children. Utah. Salt Lake City has reported 42 deaths related
to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. Ogden has reported 11. EV-D68
has been confirmed. Virginia. Virginia is housing and caring for over
4,000 illegal immigrants with most going to Fairfax, Prince William and
Loudoun Counties. Richmond has reported 9 deaths related to flu and
pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Washington. Tacoma has reported 38 deaths related to
flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. Seattle has reported 10 deaths
and Spokane had 16. EV-D68 has been confirmed. There have been at least
27 cases of measles this year, including a man in Kitsap Country who
traveled to San Juan County. Whatcom County has seen an outbreak. Grant
County had at least one case. West Virginia. EV-D68 has been confirmed. Wisconsin. Milwaukee has reported 14 deaths related
to flu and pneumonia in the last 30 days. EV-D68 has been confirmed in
that state. Wisconsin’s mump cases was 2 in 2013 by this time. Now it
has risen to 61. Wyoming. EV-D68 has been confirmed.
Many doctors across the nation see the recent announcement of beefing
up airport security to prevent disease from entering the country as a
joke.
Dr. Mark Gendreau, vice chairman of emergency medicine at Lahey
Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Mass., calls the new
protocols at major airports “more political and trying to calm the crowd
than being effective.”
The hunting for temperatures at the airports are “a very expensive
means of trying to look for a needle in the haystack,” Dr. Gendreau
states.
Dr. Jane Orient, Executive Director of the Association of American
Physicians and Surgeons, is especially concerned about illegal
immigrants from Central American children bringing these viruses into
the U.S. Dr. Orient says a key measure to combat spread of these
diseases is to devote more resources to border security.
She admits that the upsurge in illegal immigrant children being
dispersed around to locations across the U.S. could very well be much of
the causes of these viruses. “We don’t know for sure the government is
being real tight-lipped about this, and it only takes one infected child
to infect the whole classroom,” Dr. Orient said.
It is becoming especially difficult for the Obama Administration to
designate truths are merely rumors when startling statistics go against
their political agendas. Each Wednesday, the Center for Disease Control
releases some updates, but the data is according to their authority to
determine the appropriate information to release.
The fact that the highest rates of TB in America are along the
Mexican Border States is hard to push as just coincidence, blame past
administrations or opposing political parties.
“There’s no sound in
space,” you cry. “Space is a vacuum, you dolt!” Yes. It’s true. But what
if, say someone like NASA, put up some special instruments to listen to
electromagnetic vibrations on the Voyager space probe, and translated
it into actual sound? Well, it could be the best music you’ll hear all
day.
These recording include the sounds of Saturn’s rings, Neptune,
Uranus, Jupiter, and even what Earth sounds like from millions of
kilometres away.
The sounds are interpretations of non-sound vibrations, and you’ll
hear that they’re complex and strange and fascinating all at once. And
some of them are downright spine-tingling; the rings of Uranus are
weirdly ambient, Earth itself is almost romantic, while Uranus sounds
like strong wind passing through a crack. We’re not even joking!
Earlier in the year, acts like Beach House, Porcelain Raft,
Spiritualized, The Antlers, and others put together a 14-track album
using actual recordings from the Voyager space probes to create music,
soundscapes and tracks.
This is one of our favourites, from Spiritualized Mississippi Space
Program, “Always Forgetting With You (The Bridge Song)” – a bare-bones
acoustic track that combines reverb, synth, chimes, and other
intergalactic sound effects to pleasing effect.
About the Author
Tristan Rayner is the Managing Editor of
Techly – and has a passion for tech, digital life, sport, and being told
he looks better in person.
See more from Tristan Rayner
By Theodore Shoebat
Muslims, all members of ISIS, took a poor man with down syndrome, and sawed his head off. According to one report:
The list of atrocities attributed to the Islamic State
continues to grow, with new reports that ISIS jihadis executed a
developmentally disabled man and have attacked other civilians with
white phosphorus.
The new accusations come by way of Russia Today, which interviewed
Bazran Halil, a Kurdish journalist who, with his wife, has been
documenting the atrocities of the Islamic State in the Syrian city of
Kobani.
ISIS militants have reportedly been wreaking havoc and terrorizing
the citizens of Kobani, according to the newest reports. Speaking with
Russia Today, Halil said ISIS’ actions in the region go beyond the pale.
“There was a man with Down’s Syndrome,” Halil recounted. “He could
not understand the situation to flee or to run away from the frontline.
When ISIS arrived, they beheaded him and take his photo and shared them
on social media and said, ‘We killed an atheist, a Kaffir.’”
Third Way, a progressive think tank with ties to the Democracy
Alliance, has removed newly appointed Ebola czar Ron Klain from its
website, following a Washington Free Beacon report.
The Free Beaconreported
Friday on Klain’s status as a trustee for Third Way, and his past
experience lobbying on behalf of a drug company that was accused of
denying life-saving drugs to dying cancer patients.
The choice of Klain to head the administration’s emergency response to Ebola was criticized
as a political move. Klain is a political operative with no medical
experience and a former advisor to former Vice President Al Gore, Vice
President Joe Biden, and President Barack Obama.
Third Way claims to be the voice for the “vital center,” though the group advocates for immigration reform, gun control, and a “credible alternative to neoconservative security policy.”
Third Way is also listed on the Democracy Alliance’s “Progressive Infrastructure Map,” which includes organizations that are “politically active and progressive,” and “strategically significant.”
Third Way received a special note of appreciation from the Democracy
Alliance for playing “instrumental roles in building a stronger, more
integrated progressive infrastructure.”
On Friday, Klain was listed as a member of Third Way’s Board of Trustees, with a biography that noted Kevin Spacey portrayed him in the HBO movie “Recount.”
“He gained national notice as General Counsel for the Gore Recount
Committee in 2000, in recognition of which he was selected as one of
National Law Journal’s ‘Lawyers of the Year,’ and portrayed by Academy
Award winner Kevin Spacey in HBO’s film ‘RECOUNT,’” a biography of Klain
had read on the group’s website.
Klain’s name and bio have since been removed from Third Way’s website.
Screen shot of Third Way website with Klain removed from Board of Trustees
Klain joined Third Way’s board in 2011, with co-founder and President Jonathan Cowan also praising Klain for being played by Spacey.
“And while we have a very distinguished Board, no one else has played
such a significant role in American politics that they have been
portrayed in a movie by an Oscar winner,” he said.
Klain said he was “delighted to be playing an active role with an organization that I believe in.”
Klain was still active in the organization as of June, when he produced a memo for Third Way on debate prep strategies for Democrats.
Requests for comment from Third Way were not returned by publication of this story.
The new Ebola czar has ties to a secret liberal dark money group
and once worked as a lobbyist for a prescription drug company that
denied experimental drugs to dying cancer patients.
Ron Klain, a former adviser to former Vice President Al Gore, Vice
President Joe Biden, and President Barack Obama, currently is president
of Case Holdings and is general counsel to the investment firm
Revolution LLC.
Klain is also a trustee for Third Way. Claiming to be the voice for the “vital center,” Third Way is a progressive think tank that advocates for immigration reform, gun control, and a “credible alternative to neoconservative security policy.”
Third Way is also listed on the Democracy Alliance’s “Progressive Infrastructure Map.”
The map, which is detailed in a report by Politico’s Kenneth
Vogel, includes organizations that are “politically active and
progressive” and “strategically significant.” Third Way is one of the
groups listed with a note of special appreciation for playing
“instrumental roles in building a stronger, more integrated progressive
infrastructure.”
The Democracy Alliance solicits contributions
from liberal millionaires and billionaires and serves as a “pass
through” between those donors and top liberal advocacy groups, including
the Center for American Progress, Media Matters for America, and
Democratic Super PAC Priorities USA.
Klain is also on the Board of Directors for the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
He will be in charge of the administration’s emergency response efforts to Ebola, despite having no medical or health care background.
Klain did lobby on behalf of a prescription drug company that was accused of withholding life-saving drugs from dying patients.
While working at O’Melveny & Myers after he left the Clinton
administration, Klain helped ImClone push back on a congressional
investigation into the company’s procedures for granting cancer patients
experimental drugs.
The company only granted 30 so-called “compassionate use” supplies out of more than 10,000 requests, according to Politico.
Klain and his team lobbied House members on the Oversight committee for
ImClone before a hearing that featured family members of cancer
patients who died while waiting for the company to grant them use of an
experimental drug.
Klain and his firm were paid $40,000 to lobby for ImClone for two weeks.
Congress is calling for an investigation into Voice of America’s
(VOA) Persian language news service as a result of what they say is the
station’s systemic pro-Iran bias and cozy ties to the anti-American
ruling regime, according to a letter sent recently to Secretary of State
John Kerry.
Lawmakers and Iranian dissidents have long accused VOA’s Persian News
Network (PNN) of producing sympathetic coverage of the Iranian regime
and blacklisting prominent Iranian opposition voices from appearing on
the air.
The call from Congress for an investigation into these alleged practices comes just a month after the Washington Free Beaconrevealed
that PNN had banned from the network a prominent Iranian opposition
member and placed him on a so-called “black list” after he attacked
Iran’s ruling regime for sponsoring terrorism.
Nine House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now demanding
that the State Department launch a formal investigation into potential
mismanagement at PNN, according to a letter sent to Kerry on Wednesday and obtained by the Free Beacon.
“We request that you [Kerry] look into this matter and investigate
any possible mismanagement and slanted coverage of news by VOA-PNN,
including the oversight of management, staffing, and content,” the
lawmakers wrote.
Those members concerned about PNN’s coverage include Reps. Steve
Cohen (D., Tenn.), Dana Rohrabacher (R., Calif.), Steve Stockman (R.,
Texas), Trent Franks (R., Ariz.), Howard Coble (R., N.C.), and several
others.
The lawmakers say that their Iranian-American constituents have been
complaining about PNN’s failure to cover Iran’s human rights abuses and
other matters that are potentially embarrassing to the ruling regime.
“We have received complaints from our Iranian-American constituents
that VOA-PNN programs have neglected to adequately cover the abysmal
situation of human rights violations in Iran, particularly the alarming
and dramatic rise in executions,” they write in the letter.
“During [Iranian] President Hassan Rouhani’s first term in office,
nearly 900 hangings have been ordered with very few of these executions
receiving VOA-PNN coverage,” they say. “In our efforts to protect and
give voice to vulnerable populations, we must ensure that VOA-PNN
upholds its mission to provide truthful news and does not suppress the
voices of those Iranians seeking human rights protections and Democratic
change in their country.”
In addition to a significant rise in executions, including one
scheduled for a female rape victim who spoke out against her attacker,
Iran has continued its pursuit of nuclear weapons and support for terrorism in the Middle East.
PNN critics, including former staffers and guests, have discussed
systematic corruption at the network that includes a policy of censoring
those who criticize the regime and those who may reveal information
damaging to the network’s senior officials, some of whom have had ties
to the Iranian regime.
“We are concerned that this network, which is meant to promote
freedom and democracy through objective news and information, may have
harmed instead of helped the plight of Iranians seeking to claim their
human rights,” the lawmakers state in their letter.
Iranian-American community leaders welcomed Congress’ call to investigate PNN.
Majid Sadeghpour, political director of the Organization of Iranian-American Communities-US (OIAC), said that U.S. taxpayers expect better of VOA.
“Regrettably, while VOA-PNN has given voice to the pro-Tehran crowd
inside the Beltway, it has censored the views of those who seek a
democratic, secular, and non-nuclear republic in Iran,” Sadeghpour said
in a statement provided to the Free Beacon.
Regime opponents who have been invited onto PNN say that their
comments have been censored, and in some cases they have been thrown off
the air. Nikahang Kowsar, an Iranian cartoonist, journalist, and regime critic, told the Free Beacon
that he was booted off PNN’s airwaves in March in the midst of an
interview for discussing corruption in Iran’s oil industry that could be
traced back to high-level officials.
Kowsar was being interviewed on VOA Persian’s Last Page program when the host was apparently ordered to cease the interview.
“I was waiting for the second round of questions” when a PNN host
claimed that “he was told and ordered not to ask any more questions to
me,” recalled Kowsar. “Then a gentleman from the studio came and
disconnected my microphone.”
Kowsar said he was shocked by the experience. He later petitioned the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees VOA and PNN, about the incident.
“When I was in Iran I went to prison for drawing a cartoon, I was cut
off from national TV … I was censored in Iran, so somebody who has been
censored inside the Islamic republic is not news. But being in the VOA
studios in the U.S., the land of the free, and then learning that I have
to be censored is … news.”
“If VOA is the channel that wants to talk about American values and
freedom of speech and is run by people who have the Islamic republic
mindset, that’s not nice,” Kowsar said. “In a way you see that the
Islamic republic has exported its values to the heart of Washington and I
can’t tolerate that.”
In September—a
few months after Kowsar was booted off air—Majid Mohammadi, an
Iranian-American academic and critic of Tehran’s hardline regime, was
purportedly placed on the station’s “black list” for comparing the
Islamic Republic to the terror group Islamic State (IS, ISIS, or ISIL).
“After the program, I was called and one of the staff members of PNN
(Mr. Homan Bakhtiar) told me that Mr. Mohammad Manzarpour, the editor,
has put me in the black list and PNN will no longer contact me for
providing my expertise on Middle East issues in VOA Persian programs,”
Mohammadi later wrote in a letter to the BBG.
PNN editor Manzarpour has been singled out for particular criticism
by several of the station’s critics and even former employees who have
worked with him.
Manzarpour, they allege, has had ties to the Iranian regime and uses
his platform at PNN to censor information he finds objectionable.
Manzarpour, his critics note, has previously worked for Iran’s Atieh Bahar Consulting
company, which helps foreign companies invest in Iran’s oil sector and
“acts as intermediary between them and the government,” according to the
Iranian American Forum.
Manzarpour’s previous ties to Atieh Bahar could influence his editorial decisions at PNN, Kowsar said.
“There is something wrong over there, a virus,” Kowsar explained.
“You feel there is a sort of conflict of interest over there. Why should
somebody coming from Atieh Bahar be in charge of the editorial staff
over there?”
“When he cuts me off from a program relating somehow to the oil [industry] … you feel something sketchy over there,” he said.
Setareh Derakhshesh, the director of the VOA-PNN, admitted to the Free Beacon last month that the network has had issues and that she is working to rectify the appearance of a pro-Iran bias.
“We are very well aware [of the issues] that VOA Persian had,” she
said at the time. “We have actually rebranded” in recent years and are
“aware of the bad press and infighting and the one sidedness.”
However, VOA Persian has “turned a corner and made changes,” she
said. “We still have a long way to go but we know we are improving.”
Ted Cruz: A GOP Led Congress Will Expose an Obstructionist Obama
(USA Today) - By all signs, Americans are preparing to send Washington a clear message in the 2014 elections.
The question is, will Washington listen?
Republicans — poised to take control of Congress — should set our
sights on three big goals to make Americans feel confident in their
futures once again: jumpstart the economy, safeguard constitutional
liberties, and strengthen our national security. SPECIAL: Join the Tea Party REVOLUTION! The Obama Regime must be dismantled!
Here are ten critical priorities for the 2015 Congress:
First, embrace a big pro-jobs, growth agenda. For six years, the
Obama economy has been trapped in stagnation, hurting millions. A
Republican Congress should immediately help Americans get more jobs by
embracing America’s energy renaissance. This means passing legislation
to make it easier to build energy infrastructure, such as the Keystone
pipeline. But, we need an energy policy that’s bigger than Keystone. An
effective energy plan would also protect innovative energy technology,
such as hydraulic fracturing, from being handcuffed by the federal
government. We can also open up land for exploration and ensure that
American companies can export liquefied natural gas around the world.
And, lastly, stop the EPA from implementing rules that will destroy coal
jobs and drive up our electricity bills.
Second, pursue all means possible to repeal Obamacare. There is a
reason Obamacare has miserable 37% approval ratings: it has caused
millions to lose their jobs, be forced into part-time work, lose their
health insurance, lose their doctors, and pay skyrocketing premiums. It
simply isn’t working. We should pass repeal legislation (forcing an
Obama veto), and then pass bill after bill to mitigate the harms of
Obamacare. Prevent people from having their healthcare plans cancelled,
prohibit insurance company bailouts, eliminate the provisions forcing
people into part-time work, and repeal the individual mandate.
Perhaps, President Obama vetoes every one. But each has powerful
appeal with the electorate who are hurting under this law, and
Democratic senators may not be quite so eager to join their 2014
colleagues in losing their jobs over Obama’s refusal to listen to the
people.
In 2017, I believe a Republican president will repeal Obamacare in
its entirety. In the interim, we should pass positive healthcare reform
to start over, allowing the purchase of insurance across state lines,
expanding health savings accounts, and making health insurance,
personal, portable, and affordable.
Third, secure the border and stop illegal amnesty.Today, we’re facing
a humanitarian crisis of 90,000 unaccompanied children at the border,
along with growing national security threats. We should welcome and
celebrate legal immigrants who follow the rules, and at the same time
honor the will of the people and prevent any more illegal amnesty.
Fourth, hold government accountable and rein in judicial activism.We
need real oversight of the administration’s lawlessness and abuse of
power. The IRS’s illegal targeting of citizen groups, the wanton
violation of religious liberty and privacy rights, the lawless
implementation of Obamacare, the EPA’s assault on manufacturing jobs and
war on coal, and the debacle of Benghazi — all should be the subject of
careful, sober Senate hearings.
And the Senate should stop confirming activist judges who will impose
their own policy preferences, such as striking down state marriage
laws. We must uphold the Constitution.
Fifth, stop the culture of corruption.Crony capitalists are standing
in the way of commonsense reforms, whether it’s abolishing the
Export-Import Bank or keeping theInternet tax-free forever and
unconstrained by job-killing regulations. We can stop the Washington
corruption, in part, by reining in corporate welfare, imposing a
lifetime ban on members of Congress becoming lobbyists, and fighting to
pass a constitutional amendment to require term limits for Congress.
Sixth, pass fundamental tax reform, making taxes flatter, simpler,
and fairer. Moving towards a simple flat tax would treat all Americans
more fairly and end the massive time and costs wasted in dealing with
the IRS; we should let taxes become so simple that they could be filled
out on a postcard. Ultimately, with a Republican president, we should
abolish the IRS and end its abuse of power and violation of Americans’
constitutional rights.
Seventh, audit the Federal Reserve. Americans are seeing near-zero
interest rateson their savings accounts while median incomes are
falling, and millions of people are facing higher gas prices, food
prices, electricity prices, health insurance prices. Enough is enough,
the Federal Reserve needs to open its books — Americans deserve a sound
and stable dollar.
Eighth, pass a strong balanced budget amendment. We should pass a
balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to stop out-of-control
spending by Congress and the president. More than $17 trillion in
national debt shows how badly we need structural reforms to stop
bankrupting our kids and grandkids.
Ninth, repeal Common Core, so that local curriculum is not mandated
by Washington bureaucrats. We should also do all we can to expand
educational choices for parents and children and allow every child
access to a quality education, regardless of race, class, or zip code.
Tenth, deal seriously with the twin threats of ISIL and a nuclear
Iran, including passing legislation that strips American citizens who
join ISIL of their U.S. passports so they cannot return home and wage
jihad against innocent men and women. We must rebuild our military,
protect our nation, and restore America’s leadership in the world.
We should lead boldly. No Washington games. We will either pass a
serious agenda to address the real priorities of the American people —
protecting our constitutional rights and pulling us back from the fiscal
and economic cliff — or the Democrats will filibuster or veto these
bills. And, if they do so, we will have transparency and accountability
for the very next election.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/10/19/ted-cruz-republicans-election-congress-priorities-jobs-obamacare-column/17267261/
- See more at:
http://www.teaparty.org/ted-cruz-a-gop-led-congress-will-expose-an-obstructionist-obama-62941/#sthash.E2oRbmGg.dpuf
Ted Cruz: A GOP Led Congress Will Expose an Obstructionist Obama
(USA Today) - By all signs, Americans are preparing to send Washington a clear message in the 2014 elections.
The question is, will Washington listen?
Republicans — poised to take control of Congress — should set our
sights on three big goals to make Americans feel confident in their
futures once again: jumpstart the economy, safeguard constitutional
liberties, and strengthen our national security. SPECIAL: Join the Tea Party REVOLUTION! The Obama Regime must be dismantled!
Here are ten critical priorities for the 2015 Congress:
First, embrace a big pro-jobs, growth agenda. For six years, the
Obama economy has been trapped in stagnation, hurting millions. A
Republican Congress should immediately help Americans get more jobs by
embracing America’s energy renaissance. This means passing legislation
to make it easier to build energy infrastructure, such as the Keystone
pipeline. But, we need an energy policy that’s bigger than Keystone. An
effective energy plan would also protect innovative energy technology,
such as hydraulic fracturing, from being handcuffed by the federal
government. We can also open up land for exploration and ensure that
American companies can export liquefied natural gas around the world.
And, lastly, stop the EPA from implementing rules that will destroy coal
jobs and drive up our electricity bills.
Second, pursue all means possible to repeal Obamacare. There is a
reason Obamacare has miserable 37% approval ratings: it has caused
millions to lose their jobs, be forced into part-time work, lose their
health insurance, lose their doctors, and pay skyrocketing premiums. It
simply isn’t working. We should pass repeal legislation (forcing an
Obama veto), and then pass bill after bill to mitigate the harms of
Obamacare. Prevent people from having their healthcare plans cancelled,
prohibit insurance company bailouts, eliminate the provisions forcing
people into part-time work, and repeal the individual mandate.
Perhaps, President Obama vetoes every one. But each has powerful
appeal with the electorate who are hurting under this law, and
Democratic senators may not be quite so eager to join their 2014
colleagues in losing their jobs over Obama’s refusal to listen to the
people.
In 2017, I believe a Republican president will repeal Obamacare in
its entirety. In the interim, we should pass positive healthcare reform
to start over, allowing the purchase of insurance across state lines,
expanding health savings accounts, and making health insurance,
personal, portable, and affordable.
Third, secure the border and stop illegal amnesty.Today, we’re facing
a humanitarian crisis of 90,000 unaccompanied children at the border,
along with growing national security threats. We should welcome and
celebrate legal immigrants who follow the rules, and at the same time
honor the will of the people and prevent any more illegal amnesty.
Fourth, hold government accountable and rein in judicial activism.We
need real oversight of the administration’s lawlessness and abuse of
power. The IRS’s illegal targeting of citizen groups, the wanton
violation of religious liberty and privacy rights, the lawless
implementation of Obamacare, the EPA’s assault on manufacturing jobs and
war on coal, and the debacle of Benghazi — all should be the subject of
careful, sober Senate hearings.
And the Senate should stop confirming activist judges who will impose
their own policy preferences, such as striking down state marriage
laws. We must uphold the Constitution.
Fifth, stop the culture of corruption.Crony capitalists are standing
in the way of commonsense reforms, whether it’s abolishing the
Export-Import Bank or keeping theInternet tax-free forever and
unconstrained by job-killing regulations. We can stop the Washington
corruption, in part, by reining in corporate welfare, imposing a
lifetime ban on members of Congress becoming lobbyists, and fighting to
pass a constitutional amendment to require term limits for Congress.
Sixth, pass fundamental tax reform, making taxes flatter, simpler,
and fairer. Moving towards a simple flat tax would treat all Americans
more fairly and end the massive time and costs wasted in dealing with
the IRS; we should let taxes become so simple that they could be filled
out on a postcard. Ultimately, with a Republican president, we should
abolish the IRS and end its abuse of power and violation of Americans’
constitutional rights.
Seventh, audit the Federal Reserve. Americans are seeing near-zero
interest rateson their savings accounts while median incomes are
falling, and millions of people are facing higher gas prices, food
prices, electricity prices, health insurance prices. Enough is enough,
the Federal Reserve needs to open its books — Americans deserve a sound
and stable dollar.
Eighth, pass a strong balanced budget amendment. We should pass a
balanced budget amendment to the Constitution to stop out-of-control
spending by Congress and the president. More than $17 trillion in
national debt shows how badly we need structural reforms to stop
bankrupting our kids and grandkids.
Ninth, repeal Common Core, so that local curriculum is not mandated
by Washington bureaucrats. We should also do all we can to expand
educational choices for parents and children and allow every child
access to a quality education, regardless of race, class, or zip code.
Tenth, deal seriously with the twin threats of ISIL and a nuclear
Iran, including passing legislation that strips American citizens who
join ISIL of their U.S. passports so they cannot return home and wage
jihad against innocent men and women. We must rebuild our military,
protect our nation, and restore America’s leadership in the world.
We should lead boldly. No Washington games. We will either pass a
serious agenda to address the real priorities of the American people —
protecting our constitutional rights and pulling us back from the fiscal
and economic cliff — or the Democrats will filibuster or veto these
bills. And, if they do so, we will have transparency and accountability
for the very next election.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/10/19/ted-cruz-republicans-election-congress-priorities-jobs-obamacare-column/17267261/
- See more at:
http://www.teaparty.org/ted-cruz-a-gop-led-congress-will-expose-an-obstructionist-obama-62941/#sthash.E2oRbmGg.dpuf
ISIS has reportedly struck the U.S. embassy in Baghdad in what could be the furthest incursion yet into Iraq’s capital.
On Tuesday the Islamist militant group took credit for a mortar attack against the embassy in Baghdad. The group bragged about the attack on social media, claiming that there were likely casualties.
“Four rockets strike Green Zone in #Baghdad; helicopters hovering
over the Green Zone; ambulances heading that way after strikes!!” one
ISIS militant noted on Twitter. Just one day before the alleged attack, retired Lt. Col. Oliver North claimed that sources in Iraq believed ISIS was planning a “major attack” against the embassy in Baghdad.
They know Baghdad. They’ve lived in Baghdad,” North said of the militants reportedly planning the attack.
“They are at the gates of Baghdad. They’re coming for us,” he added.
