Seventy-Four Years Later: D-Day Remembered by Those Who Were There

D day

  Seventy-four years ago today, the United States joined with Great Britain, the free French forces, and Canada to mount a bold invasion of the beachhead in Normandy, France as a last-ditch effort to gain a foothold in Europe against the conquering forces of Hitler’s Germany. The 160,000-soldier seaborne operation would mark a massive pivot in the Allies’ defense against the Nazis and the bloodthirsty Axis. A moving collection of photos, reports, and personal accounts by the men who were there – found at The National World War II Museum – share the harrowing history of D-Day: For over two and a half years the Allies planned and gathered their military strength to hurl into the decisive amphibious invasion of northern France and strike a mortal blow against the empire of Nazi Germany. In anticipation, Adolf Hitler stockpiled reserves across French coastlines into the Atlantic Wall defenses, determined to drive the Allied forces back into the sea. There will be no second chance for the Allies: the fate of their cause hangs upon this decisive day. After bad weather forces a delay, an expected break in the weather for Tuesday, June 6, is reported to General Dwight D. Eisenhower at rain-lashed Southwick…

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Trump Slaps Down Corker on Retiring Senator’s Proposed Tariff Legislation

Bob Corker and Donald Trump

Even as outgoing Tennessee Senator Bob Corker is leaking details of a phone call from President Trump in which Trump sought to back him off from his tariff opposition efforts we reported on yesterday, Corker’s also had to admit that any opposition to Trump by him is most likely DOA. Corker told reporters Wednesday that some Republicans are “fearful” of crossing Trump by signing onto the bill, making it more and more unlikely that the legislation gets through the Senate at all. At the same time, Corker is saying he will continue to pursue what he himself now describes as a pointless gesture, save for the fact it may get his name in the news, perhaps. “He’s obviously not pleased with this effort,” Corker told reporters in Washington. Corker, a Tennessee Republican and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he and the president had a lengthy, “heart-felt” conversation about the legislation. “It’s a difference of opinion,” Corker said. “He feels that this takes away his negotiating ability. And this in no way takes away his negotiating ability. It’s not any different than him meeting with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un and, if they reach a deal, him…

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Corker Pushing Bill to Target Trump on Tariff Powers

Corker Senate For Rel Committee Trump

Outgoing Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker is now pushing a measure to empower Congress to block President Trump’s tariffs, “opening a GOP rift over how and whether to push back on the White House’s trade policy,” according to a Politico report. Corker’s proposal would set up a fast-track process for Congress to sign off on tariffs linked to national security and is picking up steam as he attempts to attach it to the annual defense authorization bill that’s expected to come to the floor later this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday ruled out a stand-alone vote on the legislation but suggested that it could get consideration during the defense debate. The tariff effort remains a long shot, with McConnell describing it as “contentious,” but it still represents a critical test of the GOP’s willingness to take on the president. “There’s a lot of interest in it, for what it’s worth,” Corker told reporters. “But, you know, doing anything around here is like pushing a major boulder uphill, so we’ll see.” As The Tennessee Star reported on June 3rd, this isn’t the first time Corker has signaled his desire to take Trump on on trade and tariffs, even going so far…

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Plaintiff in Trump Twitter Lawsuit is Let Go by Vanderbilt UMC

Eugene-Gu-VUMC

As The College Fix reports, Eugene Gu, a plaintiff in the President Trump Twitter “block” lawsuit in which he prevailed has been let go by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for “performance issues” in the wake of the suit. Gu’s been on paid leave since originally Tweeting a picture of himself “kneeling with a raised fist — in protest against “white supremacy” — and the mother of a patient under his care had complained.” According to The (Duke) Chronicle, the VUMC cited “performance issues” in its decision not renew Gu’s contract. A letter to Gu from VUMC General Counsel Michael Regier cites his “lack of sufficient improvement in performance and conduct in key areas” and notes “the most ‘significant areas of concern were ‘patient care, communication, and medical knowledge.’” Gu alleges he dealt with a hostile work environment after VUMC “pinned” a tweet of its response to The Chronicle’s investigation into the kneeling incident. The Duke Chronicle reported on June 1 that Gu’s contract was not renewed. VUMC cited “performance issues” in reaching their decision. Less than a year after Vanderbilt University Medical Center placed Gu—School of Medicine ’15—on administrative leave, he no longer works there. He was placed on leave…

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An Interview With Newt Gingrich on Trump: ‘People Recognize How Effective He Is’

Newt Gingrich

by Ginny Montalbano   Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich spoke exclusively to The Daily Signal’s Ginny Montalbano on May 22 about his new book “Trump’s America: The Truth About Our Nation’s Great Comeback.” The transcript has been edited lightly for clarity and style. Ginny Montalbano: Speaker Gingrich, thank you for being with us. I want to start with your new book, “Trump’s America.” In it, you discuss the achievements of the Trump administration. What are the president’s biggest successes so far? Newt Gingrich: Well, I think his biggest success has been getting the economy started again, with job growth and the lowest African-American unemployment in history. Remarkable breakthroughs. And I think his second-biggest achievement has been getting conservative judges approved by the Senate in steps that are really going to change the judiciary for the next 20 or 30 or 40 years. It’s a great achievement. Montalbano: You have a personal relationship with President Trump. What is he like behind the scenes? [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] Gingrich: A lot like he’s like in front of the scenes. He’s very aggressive, very energetic. Has a…

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Sources: Wasserman Schultz Screamed At House Official About Imran Awan, Admitted Intervening In Pakistan For Him

Debbie Wasserman Schultz

by Luke Rosiak   Ex-Democratic National Committee head Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she intervened in a Pakistani land deal involving her then–IT aide Imran Awan, according to two House employees. The dispute came after Awan’s father was charged with fraud in relation to the deal, and the mysterious exertion of political influence resulted in Pakistani authorities instead targeting the elderly alleged victims, according to a local report. And when a House Office of Inspector General cybersecurity investigation found that Awan made “unauthorized access” to House servers, including the House Democratic Caucus’ shortly before the election, Wasserman Schultz became “frantic, not normal,” “making the rounds” to House officials in an attempt to kill the investigation, one House employee told The Daily Caller News Foundation. Awan told people Wasserman Schultz chose the name for his daughter, Leza — a Jewish name — and that the Florida congresswoman’s daughter regularly rode a horse that Awan kept at a boarding facility, sources with knowledge of the relationship told TheDCNF. Wasserman Schultz cornered House Chief Administrative Officer Phil Kiko and called him a “fucking Islamophobe,” saying “you will not so much as take away their parking spots,” the two House employees said Kiko told them. The congresswoman also told Kiko she had invited…

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Could Downtown Nashville Scrap Metal Recycling Site Move After Nearly 70 Years?

PSC Scrap Metal Yard pscmetals.com

PSC Metals is looking to move its scrap-metal recycling operations from its valuable downtown Nashville site on the riverfront and relocate its corporate headquarters to Music City as well, the Nashville Post reports. The company would move its recycling center near Nissan Stadium to somewhere else in Davidson County, the Post reports, citing emails it acquired in a public records request from Metro Nashville. PSC Metals, which used to lease some of the site, bought the rest of the property it did not own last October after a legal battle. Former mayors Karl Dean and Bill Purcell sought to relocate PSC Metals but failed. Former Mayor Megan Barry called the scrapyard an “eyesore.” Her administration released a plan envisioning the site as a park in the 2021-2013 period. The riverside property has been used for recycling since the 1950s after having served as a dump. PSC also may relocate its headquarters from Mayfield Heights, Ohio and has spoken to state and Metro real estate and economic development officials. Potential locations are a Ford Motors-owned site on Centennial Boulevard, a state-owned former prison and a Goodwill site owned by real estate official Bill Hawkins. Benchmark Realty broker Brian Taylor wrote in an…

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Commentary: President Trump and His Policy of Maximum Pressure Is Working

Trump Tax Victory

By Printus LeBlanc   President Donald Trump is giving a clinic to the former Obama administration and those in the State Department on how to negotiate. The President walked away from the horrendous Iranian nuclear deal, confronted the North Korean regime, and challenged NATO to live up to its commitments. The foreign policy establishment on both sides of the aisle frowned upon all this because they thought they knew better. After all, they’ve been doing this for decades, and nothing has changed, so clearly, they should be listened to. Instead, President Trump ignored the “experts” and applied maximum pressure to U.S. foreign policy issues and is seeing impressive results. While the mainstream media and former Obama officials were worried about Europe when negotiating the Iran deal, they ignored allies in the region. The U.S. allies in the Middle East were vehemently against the deal because they knew Iran would use the financial windfall to fund the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) actions within their borders. However, U.S. allies in the region were left with little recourse because the previous administration was unlikely to back any action against Iran, militarily or economically. When President Trump withdrew from the deal, it gave…

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Congress Can Cut Billions in Wasteful Spending by Following This Blueprint

Washington DC

by Romina Boccia   The Senate Budget Committee met May 23 to consider the Government Accountability Office’s annual report on Government Efficiency and Effectiveness, which identifies areas of unnecessary overlap, fragmentation, and duplication among federal programs. The Government Accountability Office supplements that identification of waste with recommendations of what to do about it, presenting specific proposals upon which Congress and executive agencies should act. This year, the report identified 68 new and 297 renewed cost-saving recommendations for members of Congress and leaders of federal agencies. Examples include a modification to low-activity radioactive-waste treatment by the Department of Energy that would save tens of billions of dollars; site neutrality in payments to hospitals under Medicare that would save $1 billion to $2 billion annually; and prevention of overpayments by the Social Security Administration that would save billions. The benefits are sitting right in front of policymakers and agency leaders, but Washington fails to act. Since 2011—the inception of the Government Accountability Office’s annual report—48 percent of recommendations remain only partially addressed or entirely unaddressed. [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more  ] Fully addressing these actions could save additional tens of…

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McConnell Cancels Most of Senate’s August Recess

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is canceling all but one week of the Senate’s traditional August recess, apparently to keep Democrats off the campaign trail. Blaming what he called “historic obstruction” by Democrats, McConnell said Tuesday that“senators should expect to remain in session in August to pass legislation, including appropriations bills, and to make additional progress on the president’s nominees.” The lawmakers will get a vacation for the first week of August and will be expected to work the rest of the month. Many of his fellow Republicans pressured McConnell to cancel the recess, accusing Democrats of dragging their feet on spending bills and votes on Trump judicial nominees. But by keeping senators working, the Kentucky senator will keep Democrats from campaigning this summer. August is prime time for political candidates and a chance to meet voters at outdoor rallies, picnics, barbecues and county fairs. Twenty-six Senate seats currently held by Democrats are on the ballot in November, with just nine for the Republicans. Despite what appears to be McConnell’s cynical ploy, some Democrats welcomed the chance to stay in Washington. “Working through August gives us the perfect opportunity to tackle this pressing issue of health care,” Minority Leader…

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Study: Plastic Packaging Bans Hurt The Environment More Than They Help

plastics

by Jason Hopkins   Outright bans on plastics have an overall negative effect on the environment, and recycling initiatives make for better solutions, according to an Independent Institute report. As climate change becomes a larger political issue, more consideration is being given to bans on plastic products. France became the first country in 2016 to ban plastic plates and cups. The entire European Union is currently working to ban single-use plastic products among its members. More than 100 U.S. cities and counties have enacted ordinances that ban or restrict the use of plastic foam containers, packaging materials and utensils. Bans are the most “effective” way to combat plastic pollution, a Tuesday report by the United Nations stated. However, a new report by the Independent Institute is calling into question the validity of this popular perception. The Oakland-based think tank recently published “Plastic Pollution: Bans vs Recycling Solutions,” an analysis on the effectiveness of plastic bans. The study determined the negative environmental consequences of such bans outweigh the benefits. For example, paper substitutes to polystyrene products typically produce more waste, causing greater water and air pollution. “Biodegradable plastics are not yet a feasible alternative to polystyrene. Nationwide, there are only 113 recycling plants for composting biodegradable plastics and only about 28 accept municipal food…

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Karl Dean and Former Maryland Gov. Who Endorsed Him Are Both Into ‘Big Chicken’ Industry

Martin O'Malley and Karl Dean

Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who also served two terms as mayor of Baltimore, has endorsed Karl Dean in the Democratic primary for Tennessee’s next governor, as The Tennessee Star reported on Monday. The possibility has been floated that O’Malley will campaign in Tennessee on behalf of Dean. O’Malley, like Dean, is into the “big chicken industry” which in Maryland is considered to anchor the state’s agri-business: The 300 million chickens produced in the state rank ninth nationally, and the nearly $1 billion in sales they account for makes up 41 percent of Maryland farm cash receipts. On top of that, much of the nearly $300 million in corn sold here is linked to chicken farming, as feed. The chicken business is credited with employing about 7,000 people in the state. Dean is the Democrat’s gubernatorial “big chicken” cheerleader in Tennessee, who spent time hobnobbing with Tyson Foods CEO Tom Hayes at the Tyson Foods ground-breaking ceremony in Humboldt last week. Anne Davis, Dean’s lawyer wife left her position as managing attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center which has opposed chicken slaughterhouses just in time to avoid potential conflicts of interest for Dean should he become governor. O’Malley like Dean, has focused on…

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