News of the Week for July 14th, 2013
- Obama Scandals
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Obama Scandals
Burglars Break Into Office of Law Firm Representing State Department Whistleblowers
We’re sure this is all a mere coincidence, so move along, nothing to see here.
Lois Lerner in 2011: Receiving a Thick Questionnaire from the IRS Is a “Behavior Changer”
A reader sends a very interesting tidbit buried in a November 17, 2011 Businessweek.com article about the IRS and not-for-profit universities. The article is about the IRS making inquiries into “whether schools improperly claimed tax-exempt status for taxable businesses.” At the end of the article is this fascinating quote:
Lois Lerner, the IRS’s director of tax-exempt organizations who is overseeing the investigation, says many schools are rethinking how and what they report to the government. Receiving a thick questionnaire from the IRS, she says, is a “behavior changer.”
Gun Rights
Illinois House Votes to Override Quinn’s Conceal Carry Veto
The Illinois House has voted to override Governor Pat Quinn’s amendatory veto to HB 183, a law passed by both houses in May, which would give Illinois residents their constitutional right to carry a concealed firearm. The override to Quinn’s more restrictive amendments to the bill, passed with six votes more than needed, by a margin of 77-31.
Hide the Decline
Environment &
“Green Energy”
EPA set to unveil host of new regs
The Obama administration is looking forward to a host of new environmental regulations that go far beyond the president’s plans to issue new standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing power plants.
The dirty secret of Britain’s power madness: Polluting diesel generators built in secret by foreign companies to kick in when there’s no wind for turbines – and other insane but true eco-scandals
Moving to wind power is expected to cost £1?billion a year by 2015
Official figures on the size of the green economy are extremely misleading
They exaggerate the worth of the sector by up to 700 per cent
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
House GOP leaders hammer president over Obamacare delay
House Republican leaders on Tuesday accused President Obama of selling out to corporate America over his decision to delay a key provision in his health care law, vowing to hold another vote aimed at stopping the controversial reforms.
Oregon’s epic #obamacare agitprop #fail.
Let us discuss precisely how badly the Oregon state government has messed up its ad campaign trying to get young people to sign up for Obamacare.
War & Terror
Osama Bin Laden documents released
Newly released papers from Osama Bin Laden’s hideout reveal a frustrated al-Qaeda leader struggling to control an unruly network, the US military says.
Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security chief, to head UC
Janet Napolitano, the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona, is being named as the next president of the University of California system, in an unusual choice that brings a national-level politician to a position usually held by an academic, The Times has learned. Her appointment also means the 10-campus system will be headed by a woman for the first time in its 145-year history.
National
Female inmates sterilized in California prisons without approval
Doctors under contract with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sterilized nearly 150 female inmates from 2006 to 2010 without required state approvals, the Center for Investigative Reporting has found.
‘You can’t make this up’: Eliot Spitzer to run for NYC comptroller against former madam
With Anthony Weiner already running for mayor of New York City, you might be thinking that Big Apple politics couldn’t possibly get any classier. But think again
Spokesman Denies Report That Virginia’s Corrupt Republican Governor Will Resign
Some headline, huh? The problem is that if Gov. Bob McDonnell is corrupt, he obviously wouldn’t employ an honest spokesman.
U.S. Embassy official in Guyana removed in alleged sex-for-visas scandal
A State Department officer has been accused of selling visas for sex and money in what may have been a massive human trafficking operation, The Daily Caller has learned.
Orson Scott Card: Gay Marriage Issue “Moot,” Pleads for Tolerance from Gays
Orson Scott Card, whose novel Ender’s Game will soon be released as a feature film, has issued a statement to mollify critics of his long-standing position against gay marriage and head off a planned boycott of the film by gays and their supporters.
California conservatives promise bloody primary for Leftist Republican
Doug Ose can expect active opposition in CA-07
Obama: “The government is us, and we’re doing things right”
In addendum to Allahpundit’s earlier post on the president’s new-fangled plan to use Google and his campaign’s 21st-century technological savvy and whatever else in what will surely be the glorious attempt to improve the efficiency, intelligence, and accuracy of our hugely metastasized federal government, here’s some video of the man himself delivering this most auspicious news at the White House this morning. We apparently need to stop taking “comfort in just being cynical,” everybody, and the president is here with an “aggressive management agenda that delivers a smarter, more innovative and more accountable government for its citizens.”
Mice with human chromosomes – the genetic breakthrough that could revolutionise medicine
Scientists have created genetically-engineered mice with artificial human chromosomes in every cell of their bodies, as part of a series of studies showing that it may be possible to treat genetic diseases with a radically new form of gene therapy.
Federal judge blocks new WI abortion limit law
On Saturday, I noted that Gov. Scott Walker quietly signed into law a new measure that required ultrasounds prior to abortions and abortionists to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles in case of emergency. Last night, a federal judge blocked the law on the basis of the latter
Saudi Princess Meshael Alayban Arrested for Keeping Slaves . . . in California
The only reason Alayban is facing slavery charges is that she’s in California instead of Saudi Arabia.
Apparent Gas Explosion Causes Partial Collapse Of Chinatown Building
At Least Eight People Have Been Injured
Pa. attorney general says she won’t defend state’s gay marriage ban
Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane announced Thursday afternoon she will not defend the state in a federal lawsuit filed this week challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, calling the prohibition “wholly unconstitutional.”
Reid prepares Senate to go ‘nuclear,’ end nomination filibusters
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid laid the groundwork Thursday morning for going “nuclear” and changing the Senate’s rules to end filibusters of executive branch nominees, saying that he’s changed his mind since the beginning of this year
Ex-Montana Governor Schweitzer rejects Senate bid
Popular former Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Saturday morning that he will not run for Montana’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2014.
Democrats Turn on San Diego Mayor Filner, Calls Increase for Resignation
Pressure for San Diego Mayor Bob Filner to resign is increasing, amidst recent allegations of sexual harassment. Filner was elected mayor of San Diego this past November after serving ten, yes ten terms, in the US Congress.
Georgetown Student: ‘All Republicans should be put to death’
Planned Parenthood Admits that It Uses Taxpayer Money to Fund Abortions
The abortion debate in Texas has been clarifying. On one side we’ve seen people behave peacefully and respectfully, abide by the laws and the rules and sing hymns like “Amazing Grace.” On the other side, we’ve seen threats, mob tactics and “Hail Satan!”
Federal Government Now Endorses Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations
According to Alabama’s new education standards, black students will not be expected to do as well as white ones in public schools.
University to Offer Class on Trayvon Martin
The Trayvon Martin case is already making its way into the classroom. This fall, George Mason University in Virginia will offer a sociology class called “Race and Politics, Trayvon Martin.”
BuzzFeed’s Race Baiting
BuzzFeed does what liberals often do, reduce serious arguments to race.
House Republicans crafting DREAM Act-like immigration bill
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) are drafting legislation to provide a path to citizenship for immigrant children who were brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents, their offices said Thursday.
Robert Zimmerman: Sharpton “Damaged the Fabric of Our Society”
On early Sunday morning, Breitbart News spoke with Robert Zimmerman, brother of George Zimmerman. In response to media coverage from media outlets like MSNBC and Huffington Post decrying the verdict, Robert Zimmerman stated, “The hallmark of our judicial system is a trial by jury of your peers. People called for George’s arrest and called for him to have his day in court, and both of those things have come to pass. The hallmark of our society is the rule of law. It should go without saying that respecting the rule of law and the outcome, this verdict, is our duty.”
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Zimmerman Verdict: “Goddamit”
MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes openly expressed his displeasure with the George Zimmerman verdict on Twitter on Saturday evening.
Huffington Post: Zimmerman “Not Innocent”
Economy
& Taxes
Many IRS Seizures Are Illegal, Government Report Concludes
For the beleaguered IRS, the hits just keep on coming. After the targeting scandal, a key IRS official claimed the Fifth Amendment. House Committee Votes IRS Official Must Testify Despite Fifth Amendtment. Then there were all the expense issues, including Star Trek, Gilligan’s Island and line dancing videos.
The Las Vegas Housing Market has Gone Full Chinese
Let’s face it, the Las Vegas real estate market has gone full Chinese. By full Chinese I mean a centrally planned bubble has been created that is just asking to blow up. I’ve covered the renewed insanity of the Las Vegas market before, but this article from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal provides even more detail. In a nutshell, as a result of Assembly Bill 284, which essentially made foreclosures impossible in Nevada, extremely delinquent homes are not coming for sale, and this phony market signal is leading to rampant overbuilding and price speculation.
Americans on food stamps
The number of people using food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increased by an average of 13 percent a year from 2008 to 2012.
International
Argentina Applies Law That Jails Hoarders as Bread Surges
Argentina plans to apply a law that forces holders of wheat and flour suitable for bread making to sell stock on the domestic market in a bid to contain inflation.
Placing a Massacre of Cuban Civilians Into Context
Cuba is being subjected to a totalitarian dictatorship that for over half a century has erased and rewritten inconvenient chapters of its history. As was the case with the Soviet Union under Stalin, the scale of the crimes cannot be accurately measured during the life of the dictator. Occasionally, however, state security and the propaganda machinery, unable to cover up a particular crime, offer an insight into the regime’s underlying nature. The events of July 13, 1994, are one such instance.
European Children Forced to Celebrate Muslim Butchery Festival and Sing Praises of Allah
week was Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice (Butchery). At a school in Vienna, children, including blonde-haired European children, were forced to celebrate this disgusting occasion and sing the praises of Allah.
Whole-life jail terms without review breach human rights – European court
Three murderers, including Jeremy Bamber, have right to review of sentence, but ECHR judgment doesn’t make release imminent
Britain: “Rape Jihad”
“The report, “Child Sexual Exploitation and the Response to Localized Grooming,” states: “Evidence presented to us suggests that there is a model of localized grooming of Pakistani-heritage men targeting young White girls. This must be acknowledged by official agencies, who we were concerned to hear in some areas of particular community tension, had reportedly been slow to draw attention to the issue for fear of affecting community cohesion. The condemnation from those communities of this vile crime should demonstrate that there is no excuse for tip-toeing around this issue. It is important that police, social workers and others be able to raise their concerns freely, without fear of being labelled racist.”
Child sexual exploitation and the response to localised grooming
Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 5 June 2013.
Oxford grooming gang: We will regret ignoring Asian thugs who target white girls
What a god-awful mess this country has got itself into over multiculturalism, and once again our fear of racism will lead to the betrayal of hundreds of young girls
Twitter agrees to hand over details of people who post racist or anti-Semitic comments after French legal battle
Millions use social media to express hatred without revealing identities
Prosecutor in Paris argued that Twitter had a duty to expose wrong-doers
Opinion
Revolutionary Tribunals
Our courts have too often become expressions of the popular will.
Uphold the Third Amendment: Column Glenn Harlan Reynolds
It’s our right as American citizens to have privacy in our own homes.
Cloward-Obama
By now it’s abundantly clear that there is not an honest bone in the Obama administration’s body; as Mary McCarthy said of fellow traveler Lillian Hellman, “every word she writes is a lie, including ‘a” and ‘the’.” Everything with these people is a bait-and-switch, and nothing more so than their “signature achievement,” the Patient Deflection and Unaffordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.
Could a Balkanized America Defend Itself Against China? Iran? Anybody?
Michael Barone is as smart a journalist–and as astute a political analyst, and as scholarly an historian–as any that we have on right.
Nemesis, After All
A Plodding Goddess
Like a broken record, for the last five years I have invoked the Greek concept of Nemesis, or divine retribution for unchecked hubris, to explain what was in store for the Obama administration.
Congratulations: You’re Having a Lesbian
The blitzkrieg campaign to ram home the liberal talking point that sexual behavior is an incontrovertible fate every human is born with has reached a new extreme of absurdity
Megan McArdle
Why I Think the GOP Will Have Control in 2017
Yes, the Missing Whites Matter
In my recent four-part series on demographic changes, the 2012 elections and immigration reform, I suggested that census data and exit polls reveal that some 6 million white voters opted to sit out last November’s election. The data show these non-voters were not primarily Southerners or evangelicals, but were located in Northeast, Midwest and Southwest. Mainly, they fit the profile of “Reagan Democrats” or, more recently, a Ross Perot supporter. For these no-shows, Mitt Romney was not a natural fit.
Blueprint for “Sustainable” Totalitarianism
To those who say Obama is just a bumbling punk who was placed in office on strictly racial grounds by politically correct establishment fools and who has nothing on his mind but to spread our money around and stroke his own preposterous ego, I say: if only. America can survive some of the corruption, profligacy, and incompetence that have been on such prominent display lately. What it may not survive is moonbattery on a massive scale — or as Obama calls it, Fundamental Transformation
What Impedes Conservative Efforts to Shape the Culture?
A conservative who has been quite successful in Hollywood writes in to dispute the notion that studio bias is the primary impediment to conservative cultural influence.
Obama’s Packing of NLRB Reminiscent of FDR
Way back in 1937, Democrat hero and Republican villain, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, proposed the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill. Essentially, Roosevelt was having trouble getting the Supreme Court to rule his New Deal as constitutional so, being the “reformer” he was, he decided to pack the court by expanding it to as many as 15 justices. Of course as president, Roosevelt would then have the duty to appoint 6 new justices to fill the roles and totally coincidentally, they’d all be friendly to his ideas.
Millennial Liberals Will Make You Care
Joe Therrien took out $35,000 in student loans to get a Masters of Fine Art in puppetry. Shockingly, carrying student loan debt and the claim of being an NYC Teaching Fellow, Therrien could not find a job sticking his hand up the rear end of a puppet to make its lips move. So he joined the Occupy crowd to fight the man for the market not bearing enough puppetry jobs.
