NBC Suggests Jill Stein Played A Part In A Russian Conspiracy To Beat Clinton

by Chris White   NBC News believes that failed presidential candidate Jill Stein might have inadvertently played a substantial role in what some media believe is a Russian conspiracy to defeat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A Russian troll farm called the Internet Research Agency worked diligently to bolster Stein’s campaign ahead of the 2016 presidential election, NBC reported Saturday. The outlet analyzed a Dec. 17 report commissioned by the Senate that detailed the extent of the IRA’s role in the election. An NBC analysis found that Russians working under the direction of the troll farm tweeted the phrase “Jill Stein” more than 1,000 times during the election. The report, which was conducted by the New Knowledge cybersecurity firm, found the campaign targeted mostly black Americans. Clint Watts, an NBC News analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told reporters that Russia’s decision to lean in toward Stein should not be that surprising. NBC reviewed archives of RT and Sputnik, which the CIA believes are Russian propaganda, and found more than 100 stories supporting Stein. “Is Stein a fellow traveler or a useful idiot?” he asked, rhetorically. “I don’t know, but even after the election she played into Russia disinformation by pursuing a…

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Steve Cohen Celebrates People on Welfare Not Having to Work

After a lot of debate, certain food stamp recipients won’t have to work for their benefits, as certain Republicans in Washington, D.C. wanted. And for U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, that’s a cause for celebration. “On Wednesday, I voted for and the House passed a five-year Farm Bill that protects food assistance, conservation and animal welfare policies that are priorities for residents of the 9th Congressional District,” Cohen said in a newsletter last week to his constituents back home. “We successfully blocked efforts by the Majority to impose punishing work requirements for food stamp recipients.” But were those work requirements really punishing, especially in exchange for taxpayer money? According to The Huffington Post, more than 38 million Americans receive monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits they can use only to buy food in grocery stores. “The program already has work requirements for the subset of recipients who are able-bodied adults without minor children,” according to the website. “The House bill would have applied the requirements to parents of children older than 6 and unemployed adults in their 50s, who had previously been exempt.” According to The Washington Post, the House and Senate deadlocked over multiple issues in the bill, including the work requirements. Those…

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Quantum Computing and Its Threat to Cybersecurity

by Dorothy Denning   Cybersecurity researchers and analysts are rightly worried that a new type of computer, based on quantum physics rather than more standard electronics, could break most modern cryptography. The effect would be to render communications as insecure as if they weren’t encoded at all. Fortunately, the threat so far is hypothetical. The quantum computers that exist today are not capable of breaking any commonly used encryption methods. Significant technical advances are required before they will be able to break the strong codes in widespread use around the internet, according to a new report from the National Academy of Sciences. Still, there is cause for concern. The cryptography underpinning modern internet communications and e-commerce could someday succumb to a quantum attack. To understand the risk and what can be done about it, it’s important to look more closely at digital cryptography and how it’s used – and broken. Cryptography basics Y At its most basic, encryption is the act of taking an original piece of information – a message, for instance – and following a series of steps to transform it into something that looks like gibberish. Today’s digital ciphers use complex mathematical formulas to transform clear data…

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Despite Years of Effort From Activists, Chick-Fil-A Poised to Become Third Largest Fast Food Chain

by Grace Carr   Despite ongoing criticism from activists, fast food chain Chick-fil-A is projected to become the third-largest restaurant chain in the U.S., according to an analysis from Kalinowski Equity Research. The fast food chicken chain will rise from its seventh-place spot to rank as the third-largest U.S. restaurant chain by 2018’s close, according to the group’s research, Business Insider reported. “We have long pointed out that Chick-fil-A is the restaurant competitor with which McDonald’s … should most concern itself — and by extension, investors should, too,” analyst Mark Kalinowski wrote in his report. “But this goes beyond McDonald’s,” Kalinowski noted. Kalinowski previously predicted the chain would assume the third-place spot in sales by 2020, but changed his forecast in April to 2019, Business Insider reported. Chick-fil-A’s sales will have risen between 12 and 15 percent by the end of 2018, amounting to an over $1 billion increase in sales, according to Business Insider. Chick-fil-A sales increased by 14.2 percent in 2017, Restaurant Business reported. McDonald’s and Starbucks claim the number one and two spots for restaurant chain sales in the U.S., respectively. Subway ranks third followed by Taco Bell, Burger King and Wendy’s, according to Business Insider. “If this plays out this way, Chick-fil-A’s 2018 U.S.…

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The Humble Origins of Silent Night

by Sarah Eyerly   One of the world’s most famous Christmas carols, “Silent Night,” celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. Over the centuries, hundreds of Christmas carols have been composed. Many fall quickly into obscurity. Not “Silent Night.” Translated into at least 300 languages, designated by UNESCO as a treasured item of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and arranged in dozens of different musical styles, from heavy metal to gospel, “Silent Night” has become a perennial part of the Christmas soundscape. Its origins – in a small Alpine town in the Austrian countryside – were far humbler. As a musicologist who studies historical traditions of song, the story of “Silent Night” and its meteoric rise to worldwide fame has always fascinated me. Fallout from war and famine The song’s lyrics were originally written in German just after the end of the Napoleonic Wars by a young Austrian priest named Joseph Mohr. In the fall of 1816, Mohr’s congregation in the town of Mariapfarr was reeling. Twelve years of war had decimated the country’s political and social infrastructure. Meanwhile, the previous year – one historians would later dub “The Year Without a Summer” – had been catastrophically cold. The eruption of Indonesia’s Mount…

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Transgender Woman Wins Legal Battle Against All-Female Minnesota Football Team

A transgender woman was awarded $20,000 in damages last week by a Dakota County jury who found that the Minnesota Vixen female football team had wrongfully discriminated against the plaintiff. Christina Ginther, who underwent gender-reassignment surgery to transition from a man to a woman, was prevented from playing on the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) team after teammates discovered that Ginther is transgender. According to MPR, an attorney representing the Minnesota Vixen argued that league rules state that “a player may not play in the IWFL, unless they are now, and always have been, legally and medically a female, as determined by their birth certificate and driver’s license.” Ginther first went public with the story in March 2017 after filing a discrimination lawsuit against the Minnesota Vixen, owner Laura Brown, and the IWFL. “She said, ‘Well, your numbers were good. But in the process of drawing up player contracts, we looked at your social media and found out that you’re transgender,” Ginther recalled Brown saying. “I hung up the phone and just felt violated,” Ginther said. “I mean, just the sense of, ‘I’m a freak. I’m a defective. I am not worthy to be with this team.’” Ginther later joined…

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Minnesota Lawmakers Respond Feverishly to Border Wall Shutdown

It was a wild week in Washington, which gave Minnesota’s politicians ample opportunity to attack President Donald Trump. In a Friday appearance on The Dan Obeidallah Show, Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) said Trump’s border wall “is deeply rooted in xenophobia.” “If Trump shuts down the government: 420,000 Americans will be forced to work without pay over the holidays. 380,000 will be furloughed. 30 million small businesses will lose access to loans,” she later wrote on Twitter. “All of this, over a wall that Americans don’t want. A wast of billions of dollars.” If Trump shuts down the government: 420,000 Americans will be forced to work without pay over the holidays. 380,000 will be furloughed. 30 million small businesses will lose access to loans. All of this, over a wall that Americans don’t want. A waste of billions of dollars. — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 21, 2018 “Hey GOP, your incompetency is mind numbing, three shutdowns in one year. For the sake of the American people, get it together or get out of the way,” Omar wrote on Saturday. Hey @GOP, your incompetency is mind numbing, three #shutdowns in one year. For the sake of the American people, get it together…

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Kasich Vetoes Bill Expanding Benefits for Families of Fallen First Responders

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) vetoed a bill Friday that would expand benefits for widows and children of deceased first responders because it also included legislative pay raises. According to The Dayton Daily News, Senate Bill 296 included a provision that would increase pay for lawmakers by 4 percent in 2020, 3 percent in 2021, and then 1.75 percent each subsequent year until 2028. That provision, however, was tacked on at the list minute, and provided Kasich with reason to veto the legislation. The main intention of the bill was to increase benefits for families of first responders killed while on duty, which could be passed again next session and signed into law by Gov.-elect Mike DeWine (R-OH). “I would have signed such a bill into law,” Kasich told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “Unfortunately, I cannot support or condone the last-minute rush to include a controversial pay raise for elected officials into what was an otherwise commendable bill.” State Sen. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) believes Kasich vetoed the bill out of frustration with the General Assembly for failing to pass a “red flag” law. “What I find ironic is there have been a heck of a lot of lawmakers doing work while…

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Ohio Gov. Kasich Signs a Bill Outlawing Abortion Method That Dismembers Unborn Babies

by Grace Carr   Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a bill Friday banning dilation and evacuation abortions, common second-trimester abortion methods. Senate Bill 145 prohibits doctors from performing dilation and evacuation abortions, an abortion method used when women are between 13 and 24 weeks pregnant. Dilation abortion involves tearing the fetus apart limb by limb so that the body parts can be extracted from the womb. The law makes exceptions for cases where the mother’s life is in danger. No exceptions for rape, incest or fetal abnormalities are included in the bill, Fox31 reported Saturday. “The method ban dangerously limits people’s options, undermines patients’ constitutional right to access safe, legal abortion, and compromises medical providers’ decision making,” Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio president Iris Harvey said in a statement, according to Fox31. Pro-life Ohioans applaud the new law. “Ohioans can sleep easier tonight, knowing that the horrendous practice of dismemberment abortions is behind us,” said Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis, Fox31 reported. Thank you Governor @JohnKasich for passing this law which will protect Ohio’s babies from being barbarically dismembered in the womb. #EndDismemberment — Ohio Right to Life (@ohiolife) December 21, 2018 The ban on dismemberment abortions comes after Kasich vetoed…

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President Trump Shut Down Government In ‘Contrived Fight’ Over Border Wall, Corker Says

Retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) set off a Twitter fight with President Donald Trump after saying he shut the government down to pick a fight “to look like he’s fighting” over the border wall. Corker made the remark Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Jake Tapper. The video is available to watch here. “This is a purposely contrived fight, over … at the end of the day, even no matter who wins, our borders are still going to be insecure,” Corker said. He mentioned that in 2013, he and U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) created a $46 billion border security bill that passed the Senate with 69 votes that called for more border security, including fencing, as well as create a path to grant green cards to illegal immigrants. (The International Business Times said the vote was 67-27.) Corker also said Trump could have received $25 billion for border security a few months ago and resolve the “Dreamer” issue. “Now, the government is shut down over what ultimately is going to be $2 billion.” Corker also mentioned he had promised to only serve two terms and criticized the administration’s decisions to pull troops from Syria and…

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Most Tennesseans Don’t Have Earthquake Coverage Despite Being Near New Madrid Fault Line

Most Volunteer State residents don’t have earthquake insurance, according to an official with the state’s Department of Commerce and Insurance. That matters because Tennessee lies along two fault lines — the New Madrid Fault Line in West Tennessee and the East Tennessee fault line. “Earthquakes can cause a great deal of damage that won’t be covered under your homeowners, renters or condominium insurance policy,” said Kevin Walters, spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance in an emailed statement to The Tennessee Star. “These policies don’t cover damage due to natural disasters such as earthquake, flood and landslide. Your home is insured for earthquake damage only if you’ve added an endorsement to your policy or bought a separate earthquake policy. A homeowners’ policy and earthquake insurance don’t overlap, but work together to give your home more insurance protection.” A minor earthquake centered in East Tennessee recently reverberated into four surrounding states. Media outlets have already predicted a massive earthquake will strike this area of the country at some point. Nashville insurance agent Scott Koon told The Star Wednesday that some, but not many, customers have called in recent days inquiring about earthquake coverage. “I would say we have gotten…

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President Trump Ousts Mattis Early, Names Patrick Shanahan Acting Secretary of Defense

by Chuck Ross   President Trump announced Sunday that Secretary of Defense James Mattis will leave office on Jan. 1, two months earlier than expected. Trump is appointing Mattis’ deputy, Patrick M. Shanahan, as acting defense secretary until a permanent replacement is found, he announced on Twitter. I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 Mattis tendered his resignation on Thursday after Trump decided to pull troops out of Syria. In a letter to Trump, Mattis subtly criticized Trump over the decision, as well as his treatment of U.S. allies. “My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues,” Mattis wrote. “Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me…

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Commentary: Trump is Smarter Than the Generals

by Christopher Roach   A bipartisan consensus among the foreign policy elite holds that America needs to maintain its de facto overseas empire. This includes both preserving stability, as well as fomenting deliberate instability, including regime change in places like Syria. This consensus among elected officials, defense contractors, general officers, talking heads, and various experts is not shared by the vast majority of Americans, who elected Barack Obama and Donald Trump on their promises to end “stupid wars” and put America first. The American people have good instincts on these matters. The Confused Syria Campaign Our Syria campaign has been a confused affair from the beginning. In the waning days of the Arab Spring, Obama supported various rebel factions seeking to oust Bashar al-Assad, as he had earlier in Libya and Egypt. Syrians soon found themselves in the midst of a brutal civil war, and in this vacuum—as in Iraq only a decade earlier—jihad tourists from all over the Middle East soon joined the fray. The various enemies of the Syrian regime included the so-called “moderate” rebels, Kurds, and Sunni extremists, the latter of which were divided between al Nusra and ISIS. There are no obvious good guys here, and…

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Darrell Scott Commentary: DNC Chair Reminds America of Dems’ Conflict With Faith

by Darrell Scott   Democrats couldn’t have picked a worse time than the Christmas season to remind Americans how much conflict they have with people of faith. During a recent speech at a far-left conference, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez suggested that the reason people vote for Republicans is that “their principle sources of information are Fox News, the NRA newsletter, and the pulpit on Sunday.” According to Perez, the only reason Republicans view the courts as an important issue is “because that person on the pulpit is saying ‘ignore everything else that this person has done and is doing, we have to focus on one issue of Roe vs. Wade.’ And people buy it. Because that’s their only source.” In other words, Perez believes that pro-life Christians are only pro-life because they haven’t been exposed to Democrat talking points, and therefore rely solely on religious leaders for moral guidance. This is obviously a matter of grave concern for Democrats, who see organized religion primarily as competition against their own deification of government. In the eyes of liberals like Tom Perez, those who believe the Word are dumb, while those who put their faith in government are smart.…

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Congress Considered to Have Lowest Ethics of All Professions

by Evie Fordham   Members of Congress are considered the least honest and ethical of professions including telemarketers and car salespeople, according to a Gallup survey released Thursday. Fifty-eight percent of people said they had low or very low faith in the honesty and ethics of members of Congress, according to the survey. Only 44 percent of people surveyed said the same about car salespeople, and 56 percent said the same about telemarketers. Nurses came out on top of the survey, with 84 percent of people saying they would rate the honesty and ethical standards of nurses as high or very high. Nurses’ high ratings were followed by physicians, pharmacists and high school teachers. Members’ of Congress poor honesty and ethics ratings have hovered around 60 percent disapproval since 2016. But that’s better than in 2013, when 66 percent of respondents gave them poor ratings. Only 8 percent of people said they would rate members of Congress as having high or very high honesty and ethical standards in 2018. Thirty-three percent of respondents ranked members of Congress as having “average” honesty and ethical standards. Several scandals may have contributed to the poor reputation of members of Congress in 2018. They…

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Trump Admin Works Around Congress to Raise Work Requirements on Food Stamps

Tennessee Star

by Tim Pearce   The Trump administration is proposing to limit states’ ability to exempt welfare recipients of abiding by the work requirements in the U.S. food stamp program, the Department of Agriculture announced Thursday. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is pushing the reform to cut down on abuse within the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With the U.S. unemployment rate at a near five-decade low, some exemptions and waivers are not longer needed. “Long-term reliance on government assistance has never been part of the American dream,” Perdue said in a statement. “As we make benefits available to those who truly need them, we must also encourage participants to take proactive steps toward self-sufficiency. Moving people to work is common-sense policy, particularly at a time when the unemployment rate is at a generational low.” SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, are an entitlement distributed by the Department of Agriculture. The program provides financial aid to low- and no-income Americans who meet income, work and other requirements. Perdue’s proposed change would limit states from waiving off some of the entitlement’s requirements for people living in areas of high unemployment, defined as either over 10 percent unemployment or the where there are…

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Commentary: Saying You’re Against Fascists Doesn’t Excuse Acting Like One

by Jon Miltimore and Tyler Brandt   Despite claims that Antifa fights fascism, the group’s tactics actually mirror those of Benito Mussolini’s regime. On March 23, 1919, Benito Mussolini, an Italian veteran of the Great War and a publisher of socialist newspapers, created the Fasci di Combattimento (commonly known as the Fascist Party) with the help of a few syndicalist friends. Nearly one hundred years later, the word fascism remains at the forefront of our political discourse even though fascism is all but dead as a political force, and the word has lost much of its meaning (if not its power). So why are we still talking about fascists? The Rise of Antifa On November 8, the late-night TV host Stephen Colbert took to Twitter to condemn a mob that had attacked the home of Fox News host Tucker Carlson. “Fighting Tucker Carlson’s ideas is an American right,” Colbert wrote. “Targeting his home and terrorizing his family is an act of monstrous cowardice. Obviously, don’t do this, but also, take no pleasure in it happening. Feeding monsters just makes more monsters.’ The attackers consisted of a group who called themselves Antifa. Few Americans had heard the word “Antifa” prior to…

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DOJ Says University of Iowa Violated First Amendment By De-Registering a Christian Group

by Neetu Chandak   The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday the University of Iowa violated First Amendment rights after deregistering a student Christian group. Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) stopped receiving recognition from the public university in November 2017 due to the organization’s statement of faith, which the university found “unwelcoming,” according to the Iowa City Press-Citizen Friday. BLinC was created by the students in the university’s Tippie College of Business. The purpose of the group was to provide a space for Christian students to network, hold group discussions and “keep Christ first in the fast-paced business world,” the DOJ’s statement of interest said. Leaders in the Christian group were required to sign and follow the statement of faith, which included a belief that sexual relations should only occur “between a man and a wife in the lifelong covenant of marriage,” and “every person should embrace, not reject, their God-given sex.” The university deregistered the group over the faith statement and it claimed it made LGBT people unwelcome and therefore was exclusive, a DOJ news release reported. BLinC filed a lawsuit against the university in December 2017. “The University of Iowa in this case de-registered Business Leaders in Christ because university…

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Government Shut Down Won’t Stop NORAD’s Santa Tracker

by Molly Prince   The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will continue its more than 60-year-old tradition of tracking Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole to deliver presents across the world. The twitter account for NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command announced Friday that Santa will be tracked on Christmas Eve regardless of whether or not a government shutdown has gone into effect. WATCH: We're ready for Dec. 24…are you? pic.twitter.com/OHhCfRgiHu — NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 19, 2018 “In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24,” NORAD and USNORTHCOM said. “Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year.” Accordingly, Congress failed to pass a spending measure before government funding expired Friday at midnight, triggering a government shutdown. The House passed a stopgap funding bill Thursday that included $5.7 billion for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. However, Senate Republicans were not able to get the necessary 60 votes needed to send the bill to the president’s desk. Prior to the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed that any legislation with additional funding…

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Democrats Spent Same Amount of Money Building Fake Russian Bots as Russia Did on Real Russian Bots

by Joe Simonson   While the debate rages on over how much Russia really influenced the results of the 2016 presidential elections, one detail put the entire controversy in perspective: Democratic operatives spent an identical amount of money on their project to create a Russian bot “false flag” campaign during the Alabama 2017 special election. Multiple reports detailed the Russian government-backed Internet Research Agency spent up to $100,000 on Facebook advertisements throughout their entire disinformation operation. As The Daily Caller News Foundation reported Wednesday, billionaire-backed Democrats “created more than a thousand Russian-language accounts that followed [Roy] Moore’s Twitter account overnight.” The group of Democrats behind the “elaborate ‘false flag’ operation,” as described in an internal report obtained by The New York Times, also created fake conservative Facebook accounts for the purpose of convincing voters not to support Republican candidate Roy Moore. The cost of the effort totaled $100,000 — the identical amount Facebook says the Russian IRA spent during the last presidential election. Much of Russia’s activity during the 2016 campaign, however, cost little-to-nothing. According to analyses of the IRA’s activity, many of the Facebook posts created by the organization were seen by millions of Americans without a single dollar spent. The $100,000 spent by the Russian…

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Enbridge Responds to Minnesota Gov’s ‘Erroneous’ Appeal of Pipeline

Mark Dayton

Minnesota’s Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved permits to replace Enbridge’s aging Line 3 Pipeline in November, but departing Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN) is now appealing the decision. The Public Utilities Commission’s November vote to approve the replacement project was protested and disrupted by environmentalist activists who have opposed the project every step of the way. In one instance, they shut down a performance at Minneapolis’ Theater of Public Policy in protest. Activists say Line 3, which crosses through northern Minnesota, could present the risk of an oil spill in the Mississippi River, and will contribute to climate change by producing carbon dioxide, according to The Associated Press. On Friday, Dayton’s Department of Commerce filed an appeal against a certificate of need and a pipeline routing permit granted to Enbridge. “Enbridge failed to provide a future demand forecast for its product, which is required by state law,” Dayton said in a press release. “Instead, the company presented its analysis of the future oil supply from Canadian tar sands extractions. It failed to demonstrate that Minnesota needs this pipeline to meet our future oil demand. In fact, most of the product would flow through our state to supply other states and countries.”…

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Former Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Uses Christmas to Attack Trump

Failed Minneapolis mayoral candidate Tom Hoch is back in the news for calling President Donald Trump a “traitor” in a Christmas-lights display adorning his ritzy Lake of the Isles home. “Trump is a traitor” spelled out in Christmas lights now radiates from the top of Hoch’s home, which apparently backs up to Minneapolis’ Lake of the Isles, according to The Star Tribune. “I think it’s hard to come to any other conclusion about someone who is willing to turn against this country for his own enrichment,” Hoch explained. “I don’t view this as a big judgment call; this is a true statement.” His holiday message is likely viewed by hundreds of passersby everyday who visit Lake of the Isles for a walk or bike ride, or pass through the downtown Minneapolis destination on their way to work. But Hoch claims that the response has been only positive, and said he’s even been asked to keep the display up year round. “I was walking my dog and some guy pulled over and said, ‘Bravo, Bravo!’” Hoch told The Star Tribune. “A lot of people have stopped. I’ve been quite surprised.” Fr. James Bretzke, Hoch’s cousin and a Catholic priest, celebrated the…

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Ohio Ranks 38th in Economic Freedom, New Report Finds

The Buckeye Institute’s annual Economic Freedom of North America report conducted in partnership with Canada’s Fraser Institute found that Ohio ranks number 38 among the 50 states in economic freedom. The report measured each state’s government spending, taxation, and labor market restrictions as indicators of economic freedom. “The measure of a state’s economic freedom is how well it allows its citizens to reach their fullest economic potential and how well the state creates an environment where families can experience true economic prosperity,” Buckeye Institute economist Dr. Andrew Kidd explains in the report. States that “limit economic freedom,” the report explains, are ones that “spend more taxpayer money than is needed, restrict people from pursuing their careers and dreams, discourage new business start-ups and businesses from coming to their state, and limit the ability of people to provide for their families.” States with “greater economic freedom,” on the other hand, “provide their citizens with the opportunity for greater prosperity.” Ohio was joined by other battleground states such as New Mexico and Minnesota in the “least free” category. States like Florida, Arizona, Colorado, and Virginia were ranked among the most economically free. To improve its ranking, the Buckeye Institute recommends that Ohio…

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Colorado Uses ‘Side-Door’ Tactic to Appoint Unelected Officials to State Legislature

Iman Jodeh is hoping to be selected to fill a Colorado Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Daniel Kagan, who resigned as an investigation was heating up about his repeated use of the women’s rest room in the State Capitol. Jodeh, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants who was born and raised in Colorado, is competing with two others for the seat. The appointee will be chosen in January by a Vacancy Committee, not by the governor. According to a recent analysis by The Colorado Sun, the “side-door entrance” to the Colorado Legislature has been used increasingly of late to choose lawmakers whom the voters themselves might not have wanted. The replacements won’t get picked by voters, but rather by a vacancy committee of activists from the party that holds the seat. Colorado is one of only five states to use this kind of partisan process, which gives appointment panels outsized influence in shaping the legislature and public policy. According to The Sun, one in four sitting legislators were given the seat by the Vacancy Committee. Jodeh, 36, wants the job of representing Senate District 26, which includes Littleton, Englewood, and parts of Aurora. She told Westword that her community includes…

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Tennessee Reportedly Takes in A Lot of Floridians

Tennessee has had a big influx of people coming in from Florida, according to numbers a Florida newspaper editor gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau. According to Bill Thompson, editorial page editor of the Lakeland, Fla.-based The Ledger, Tennessee is one of five states that “welcomed more newcomers than wished farewell to pilgrims.” As for the five other states, Texas took in people mostly from California. Alabama took in people from Georgia. Kentucky took in people from Ohio. And Oklahoma took in people from Texas, Thompson wrote. Thompson said he decided to gather this information after seeing so many out-of-state license plates and moving vans coming into Florida. He said he wondered why, for instance, someone he saw from California, which has great weather and is supposedly “a quasi-socialist paradise,” would want to relocate to his state. “In recent weeks President Trump has focused attention on the risk of the immigrant caravans coming from the south,” Thompson wrote. “But perhaps we in the South need to be mindful of caravans fleeing Bluetopia’s high taxes, excessive government intrusion, rising cost of living and social-justice warrioring. Let’s hope they, like immigrants of yore, seek assimilation rather than proselytization.” In 2017, Thompson said,…

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Atlanta Suburb Honors Hometown Hero, Injured Tennessee State Football Player Christion Abercrombie

SOUTH FULTON, Georgia – Cheerleaders, students and football players recently filled Westlake High School’s gymnasium for a pep rally, but there was no football game. School leaders welcomed back injured Tennessee State University football player Christion Abercrombie, a Westlake graduate. It’s the first time Abercrombie has made a public appearance since being injured during the TSU game against cross-town rival Vanderbilt University. He suffered a life-threatening head injury during his team’s 31-27 loss. He collapsed on the sideline. The team knew it was serious, but had no idea he would have emergency surgery on his skull that night and many more ahead. “He understands some days and some days he doesn’t. (It) depends on his mood,” said mom Staci Abercrombie. After several surgeries and lots of prayer, Abercrombie is moving quickly on the road to recovery. “Christion is an inspiration to all of us,” said South Fulton Mayor Bill Edwards. “He has persevered through his head injury. In football sometimes, the other team will recover a fumble. Christion has recovered his own fumble and is still on the road to recovery. Today, December 19, 2018 from now on will be known as Christion Abercrombie Day in the City of South…

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A Call For Ouster of Newly-Elected Sumner County Commissioner Guilty of Two Separate Criminal Offenses In Less Than Two Months

Franklin “Gene” Rhodes, Sumner County District 7 Commissioner, elected to his first term as a District 7 Sumner County Commissioner, is guilty of two misdemeanor crimes since November 13, 2018, and there has been a call for his ouster. The most recent charge, disposed of at a criminal hearing on December 19, was for domestic assault. The charge came from a confrontation with his ex-wife, Melissa French-Rhodes, on November 20. As reported by The Tennessean, Rhodes reportedly pushed his ex-wife while she was holding a child in the presence of a male friend, French-Rhodes’ mother and another unidentified woman. When the male friend attempted to intervene, Rhodes apparently then hit the friend. The report said that French-Rhodes was “very fearful of the defendant; especially since he had been drinking alcohol.” The charges were filed on November 28, the same day a $2,500 cash bond was posted, according to the Sumner County Online Court Records System. Court records show that in the case was disposed of with Rhodes “guilty as charged” of domestic assault under Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) 39-13-111, which is linked to the more general crime of assault under TCA 39-13-101. TCA defines assault as intentionally, knowingly or recklessly…

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Katrina Pierson Commentary: Reports of White House Discord are a Fairy Tale Concocted by the Media

by Katrina Pierson   President Trump’s continuing success at keeping his promises to the American people shows that media reports of discord and turmoil at the White House are just the wishful thinking of liberal activist-reporters. The media’s obsession with rumors of White House dissonance is unparalleled — time and again, the press eagerly publishes salacious stories about President Trump that can’t be verified or confirmed independently. The ongoing negative coverage surrounding the Chief of Staff vacancy offers an excellent example of this type of sleazy reporting. In his article for Vanity Fair, notorious Trump hater Gabe Sherman dramatically exaggerated the circumstances of John Kelly’s departure with details attributed to mysterious unnamed sources. Like flies attracted to manure, the reporter-activists in the mainstream media swarm over every smelly rumor they can find in Washington, unrestrained by even the pretense of objectivity or commitment to accuracy. If you write a poorly-sourced book that is critical of President Trump, you may just become a frequent guest on cable TV news programs. If you claim to be a White House official who disagrees with the administration, your anonymous letter may just end up in The New York Times. Part of the problem with…

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Antifa Accused of Attacking Marines in Philadelphia Has Ties With DC’s Radical Antifa Leader

by Andrew Kerr   One of the suspects charged with assault for allegedly attacking two Marines in Philadelphia in November has ties with Washington D.C.’s radical Antifa leader Joseph “Jose” Alcoff, who’s advocated for violence and for the overthrow of the government. Thomas Keenan, 33, was charged in November with aggravated assault after allegedly partaking in a mob attack against two Marines who were mistaken for being participants in a right-wing rally. Keenan has been called “leader” of the Antifa contingent in Philadelphia area, according to Philadelphia Magazine. In 2011, Keenan and Alcoff were arrested and charged with rioting in New Jersey after a street fight broke out between neo-Nazis and members of the Anti-Racist Action organization. The Marines, Alejandro Godinez and Luis Torres, testified in December that a group of 10 to 12 Antifa members called them “Nazis” and “white supremacists” and attacked them on the street despite their denials that they had no association with the right-wing group demonstrating nearby. During the attack, Godinez said he shouted “I’m Mexican” at the mob, which allegedly led the attackers to call him a “spic” and “wetback.” Alcoff, 36, has made significant efforts to separate his true identity from his fanatical personas, “Chepe” and “Jose Martin,” which…

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Nine States Back Environmentalists Trying to Shutdown Search for Oil in Atlantic

by Tim Pearce   Nine states are intervening in a lawsuit against the Trump administration for approving oil and gas companies to search for oil and gas deposits in the Atlantic Ocean. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh announced Thursday the states would join environmental groups in a lawsuit to prevent the Trump administration from allowing seismic testing off the coast of South Carolina. “The National Marine Fisheries Service has issued what are called incidental harassment authorizations. They would, by their own terms, result in harm to hundreds of thousands of whales and dolphins and porpoises,” Frosh said. “The permits eliminate a major obstacle to testing and we content that the authorizations are illegal.” Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Virginia accompanied Maryland in intervening in the lawsuit. The NMFS, an agency under the Commerce Department, issued “incidental take” permits Nov. 30 allowing oil and gas companies to conduct the tests. Environmental groups sued the federal government Nov. 11 to prevent the seismic testing, which involves air guns booming in the ocean seconds apart for days at a time. Environmentalists contend the permits violate the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Marine Mammals Protection Act and other regulations. The federal…

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Tennessee Star EXCLUSIVE Video: State Rep.-Elect Bruce Griffey Discusses His Planned Legislation to Address Illegal Aliens in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Freshman State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) sat down with The Tennessee Star to give an update on the open forum held Thursday about the Asian carp invasion of Tennessee waters that has significantly impacted his district covering Henry, Benton and Stewart counties. As previously reported, what might seem on its surface as a relatively benign issue, the invasive Asian carp not only causes damage to the aquatic ecosystem, but, due to their size, are capable of causing physical injuries to boaters.  Griffey shared that just this week, a friend caught three 70-pound Bighead carp. The presence of the Asian carp has had a significant financial impact as well. Said Griffey, “They’ve demolished the sport fishing industry to the extent that the bass fishing tournaments are leaving the Kentucky Lake area and actually Chattanooga has scored three of the big bass tournaments that were normally at Kentucky Lake. Each one of those bass tournaments represents about $1 million in tax revenue for local industry and businesses, and that’s $3 million that we’re going to lose this year in my district.” Expressing appreciation for leadership, Griffey said, “We are fortunate that Speaker Casada has decided to make this an…

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Outgoing MN Rep. Jason Lewis’ Juvenile Justice Reform Bill Signed Into Law

Rep. Jason Lewis’ (R-MN-02) Juvenile Justice Reform Act (JJRA) was signed into law Friday by President Donald Trump as part of Congress’ sweeping criminal justice reform measures. According to Lewis, the JJRA hadn’t been “reauthorized or modernized since 2002.” Lewis’ reforms respond to the need for alternatives to detaining juveniles for “so-called ‘status crimes’ like skipping school.” The bill, H.R. 6964, offers a “plan to provide alternatives to detention for status offenders, survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, and others.” The bill also seeks to “reduce the number of children housed in secure detention and corrections facilities who are awaiting placement in residential treatment programs.” His bill will also modernize the juvenile-justice system by promoting “evidence-based and trauma-informed programs and practices,” and emphasizing “community-based services to respond to the needs of at-risk youth.” The bill further eliminates the use of restraints on juveniles who are known to be pregnant, and prohibits detaining juveniles who are awaiting trial with adult inmates. “Some of the most rewarding experiences I had in Congress were working with colleagues from all over the country and from varying political backgrounds on criminal justice reform,” Lewis said in a press release. “Today, my Juvenile Justice Reform Act was…

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Justice Ginsburg Has Surgery to Remove Cancerous Growths

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had surgery Friday to remove two malignant growths in her left lung, the Supreme Court said. It is the 85-year-old Ginsburg’s third bout with cancer since joining the court in 1993. Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York found “no evidence of any remaining disease” and scans taken before the surgery showed no cancerous growths elsewhere in her body, the court said in a statement. No additional treatment is currently planned, the court said. Ginsburg, who leads the court’s liberal wing, is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days, the court said. The growths were found during tests Ginsburg had after she fractured ribs in a fall in her Supreme Court office on Nov. 7. The court’s oldest justice had surgery for colorectal cancer in 1999 and pancreatic cancer 10 years later. Among other health problems, she also broke two ribs in a fall in 2012 and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. She was hospitalized after a bad reaction to medicine in 2009. Ginsburg has never missed Supreme Court arguments in more than 25 years on the bench. The court won’t hear arguments again…

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Commentary: Pulling Young Americans Back From the Brink

by Daniel Davis   During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton often delivered the line: “America is great, because she is good.” It was a feel-good line, deployed then as code for “America is too good to elect Donald Trump.” Notwithstanding the thick irony of Clinton claiming to be the virtuous alternative, her statement on its own terms made sense: If a nation would be great, it must be morally upright—and America, despite all its flaws, is fundamentally good. This view puts Clinton increasingly on the fringes within her own movement. In 2018, the prophets of wokeness are calling progressives to “wake up” to the reality that America, at its core, is racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and economically unjust. The system, they say, is “rigged.” [The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more. ] And today’s young adults are heeding those voices and increasingly embracing their viewpoint. A recent study showed that 1 out of 5 Americans under the age of 37 do not think Americans should be proud of their history. One out of 5 millennial Americans see the flag as a sign of intolerance…

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Hamilton County Board of Education Passes Costly, Controversial Plan

Members of the Hamilton County Board of Education want to spend nearly half a million dollars of taxpayer money on consulting work that possibly isn’t necessary, according to The Chattanooga Times Free Press. The money, the newspaper went on to say, will “assess the condition of the district’s facilities,” and develop a plan for new projects and maintenance. Board members voted six to two in favor of the plan, despite what The Time Free Press said was “heated disapproval” from District One Board Member Rhonda Thurman. The money, $337,915, will pay MGT Consulting Group “to conduct a multi-layered audit of the district’s buildings and their maintenance needs” according to the paper. Exactly $149,930, meanwhile will go “to study and predict future growth and capacity,” The Times Free Press reported. The paper quoted Thurman as saying the school district “didn’t need external consultants to inform them about the state of the schools, because it has done that work before and those funds could be better used to actually fix problems.” “The price tag on this is staggering. … We’re spending $500,000 for someone from out of town to come in and tell us what we should already know,” Thurman said, according to The Times Free…

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More Than 2,000 People Fail North Carolina Math Exam to Become Licensed Teachers

by Neetu Chandak   An education standards commission in North Carolina unanimously voted to phase out a portion of a teaching licensing test as about 2,400 teachers failed the math exam. The commission voted to replace for-profit Pearson publishing company’s math test with a math exam from Praxis, created by nonprofit test provider Educational Testing Service (ETS). The standards commission consists of educators, administrators and those working in colleges, The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday. Those against the Pearson math test say the exam requires middle- and high school-level math skills, often not used when teaching younger kids. Pearson math test supporters, however, believe teachers need to understand higher-level math to prepare those in the lower grade levels, according to the Observer. The standards commission will share its recommendations with the North Carolina Board of Education (NCBOE) in January. The option to take the Praxis math test instead of Pearson’s could begin as early as February if the guidelines pass with the NCBOE, the Observer reported. “We’ve got teachers who are taking that same Pearson (math exam) over and over and over and are not passing, and the cost’s coming out of their pockets at $35,000 a year for a beginning teacher,” Glenda Jones, an assistant superintendent in Cabarrus County…

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Planned Parenthood Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees

by Grace Carr   A number of former and current Planned Parenthood employees claim the organization mistreats and discriminates against pregnant employees and new mothers. Former Planned Parenthood employee Ta’Lisa Hairston alleged the abortion organization didn’t allow her to take breaks during her pregnancy, which a nurse recommended because of her high blood pressure, The New York Times reported Thursday. Hairston says she sent a number of requests to human resources and included notes from her nurse at Full Circle Women’s Health, according to TheNYT. Hairston became sick after working a long shift in March and went to the hospital a few days later, where doctors performed an emergency C-section, she said. Hairston says she joined the organization because of its mission. “Planned Parenthood helped me give women a voice to do what they wanted with their bodies,” she said. She resigned in June following Planned Parenthood’s alleged mistreatment. “I didn’t get into the medical field to be treated like this.” Planned Parenthood’s regional chief executive Vincent Russell denies Hairston’s accusations. The former director of Planned Parenthood’s clinical services in White Plains, Tracy Webber, sued the organization in 2009 for discrimination, TheNYT reported. She was fired four weeks after giving birth. A Planned Parenthood employee at a clinic…

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Commentary: Trump is Right About the Shutdown

by Deion Kathawa   President Trump once again did something very few thought he would or should do. He hosted a meeting in a camera-filled Oval Office with Vice President Mike Pence, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), during which he brazenly and passionately said: If we don’t get what we want . . . I will shut down the government, absolutely; and I am proud to shut down the government for border security . . . I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. … I will take the mantle of shutting down, and I’m going to shut it down for border security. If the government does partially shut down on Friday, President Trump just handed the Democratic Party a ready-made, 30-second attack ad. Tactically, it seems foolish to have played into their hands the way Trump did. That may be the case. But, as is so often the case with Trump’s tactical “failures,” this one also could end up being a strategic victory. Regardless, as a nation we need to start thinking more rigorously about government shutdowns, events we have been scaremongered into believing are the end of the republic, if…

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Ohio Gov. Kasich Faces Potential Conservative Revolt After Vetoing Pro-Life ‘Heartbeat’ Bill

John Kasich

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) ignited a conservative firestorm Friday after vetoing one of the most comprehensive pro-life bills ever proposed since the passage of Roe v. Wade. House Bill 258 would ban any abortion after a child’s first heartbeat is detected. Since fetal heartbeats, in some cases, can be detected as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, this would limit abortions to well within the first trimester. This is the second time that Kasich has vetoed this bill. Additionally, Kasich passed Senate Bill 145, an act that restricts one of the most common methods in which second-trimester abortions are performed.  The Dismemberment Abortion Ban, as the bill is known, restricts doctors from performing procedures in which dismemberment of the fetus occurs. Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life, hailed the decision, stating: Ohioans can sleep easier tonight, knowing that the horrendous practice of dismemberment abortions is behind us…Pro-Life Ohio will not stop until the Abortion Report reads: Zero. Nothing to report In spite of this success, many Ohio conservatives are furious that Kasich has once again vetoed the fetal heartbeat bill. Conservative lawmakers are already looking at methods by which to override the governor’s veto as early as December 27.…

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More Than 2,000 People Fail North Carolina Math Exam to Become Licensed Teachers

by Neetu Chandak   An education standards commission in North Carolina unanimously voted to phase out a portion of a teaching licensing test as about 2,400 teachers failed the math exam. The commission voted to replace for-profit Pearson publishing company’s math test with a math exam from Praxis, created by nonprofit test provider Educational Testing Service (ETS). The standards commission consists of educators, administrators and those working in colleges, The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday. Those against the Pearson math test say the exam requires middle- and high school-level math skills, often not used when teaching younger kids. Pearson math test supporters, however, believe teachers need to understand higher-level math to prepare those in the lower grade levels, according to the Observer. The standards commission will share its recommendations with the North Carolina Board of Education (NCBOE) in January. The option to take the Praxis math test instead of Pearson’s could begin as early as February if the guidelines pass with the NCBOE, the Observer reported. “We’ve got teachers who are taking that same Pearson (math exam) over and over and over and are not passing, and the cost’s coming out of their pockets at $35,000 a year for a beginning teacher,” Glenda Jones, an assistant superintendent in Cabarrus County…

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Neil McCabe Tells The Tennessee Star Report That Secretary of Defense James Mattis ‘Was Really Trying to be That Third Term for President Barack Obama in the Pentagon’

On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Michael Patrick Leahy spoke with special guest and his former Breitbart colleague, Iraq war veteran and current Army Reserve Sergeant Neil McCabe. Now a Washington-based reporter for One America News Network,  McCabe spoke to Michael about his diverse career history, his take on James Mattis’s resignation, the ‘suicide pact’ between the Military Generals at the White House, and who he thinks is a front runner to fill Mattis’s shoes at the Pentagon. McCabe added the he believes retired Gen. Jack Keane is the front runner to replace Mattis as Secretary of Defense when he leaves on February 28. You can read a transcript of the conversation here: Leahy: Big news yesterday, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis resigns, his resignation letter, I’m sure you read it.  Basically said ‘I don’t agree with what you’re doing President Trump and therefor eyou deserve a Secretary of Defense who’s views are aligned with yours therefore I’m stepping down.’ McCabe: Well, I think the biggest secret that everyone knew in Washington was Mattis had to go. …

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Tennessee Republican Attorney General Herb Slatery Fights Obamacare, Democrat Predecessor Would Not

A federal judge in Texas recently ruled Obamacare is constitutionally flawed, and Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery, a Republican, played a role, however small, in challenging it. Unlike his predecessor, Democrat Bob Cooper, Slatery fought the law on behalf of the Tennessee residents who want it gone. Cooper wanted nothing to do with challenging Obamacare in court, even though Tennessee is overall a conservative state. As Town Hall reported in 2014, Obamacare’s harsh effects throughout all of Tennessee apparently failed to persuade Cooper to join 27 other state attorneys general in fighting the law. This was one of the early challenges officials in several states filed after former Democratic President Barack Obama signed it into law in 2010. News Channel 5 asked Cooper at the time why he refused to join the other state attorneys general. Cooper said he was trying to save taxpayer money and chose not to fight. “This office determined that Tennessee’s participation in the lawsuit would not have been an appropriate use of limited state resources because participation would have cost money during difficult economic times while providing no additional benefit to the state,” Cooper said at the time. In 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee’s Anti-Trump Chief of Staff Blake Harris Setting the Personnel Agenda

President Donald Trump carried 92 of Tennessee’s 95 counties against Hillary Clinton in 2016 with a 61 percent to 35 percent margin. He retains an extraordinarily high approval rating among Tennessee Republicans, polling consistently above 84 percent. Trump’s support for Marsha Blackburn was a critical factor in her 11 point victory gap over Democrat Phil Bredesen in the 2018 Senate race. During his primary campaign for Governor, Bill Lee embraced Donald Trump and even ran a television ad that pointed out that Trump has been “so effective” because he’s a “businessman, not a politician.” Trump’s endorsement of Lee in the general election, along with the endorsement of key in-state Trump supporters like former State Senator Mae Beavers, helped Lee to a 20 plus point margin over Karl Dean.  The 2018 Republican Primary for Governor ended up with Lee prevailing over Diane “Too Swamp” Black and Randy “Too Moderate” Boyd because — like Goldilocks selecting a bed — he was “just right” for Christian conservatives and Trump voters in the state. You might think that Governor-elect Lee would be setting the foundations for his policy agenda by appointing those who were ideologically aligned with Candidate Lee to top positions in his…

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Commentary: Democrat Oversteps on Trump Impeachment Will Stir Populist Uprising

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   While viewing news coverage of the recent protests in Paris over the French government’s tax hike on fuel it reminded me (a little) of our very own American citizen uprising over the government’s excessive and unpopular taxation policies of the 18th century. Seeing as this is the time of year Americans celebrate Christmas – and are therefore intensely aware of pressures on family budgets – it’s also appropriate to remember the anniversary of the “protest” that started a populist wave, the legendary “Boston Tea Party.” December 16 marked the 245-year anniversary of the “party,” where highly agitated (and probably inebriated) Bostonians disguised as Indians raided East India Company ships at anchor and enthusiastically tossed the tea into the harbor. Tea and salt water don’t mix, so essentially the act of vandalism cost the Mother Country’s merchants tens of thousands of pounds of product. And it got the British government very angry at the Americans. Lord North and parliament imposed martial law on the Bostonians, the colonies rode the slippery slope towards separation and independence and the rest is… history. Whereas the citizens (some might call them anarchists) in Paris were allegedly upset over President Emmanuel Macron’s…

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California Sanctuary Law Allowed Twice Deported Illegal Immigrant to Embark on Murderous ‘Reign of Terror’

by Grace Carr   A twice-deported illegal immigrant felon allegedly killed a man and injured numerous others Sunday, and authorities are blaming the criminal’s violent actions on California’s sanctuary state law for allowing the violence to occur. Gustavo Garcia, 36, shot a farm worker in Tulare County in California Sunday before stealing $2,000 from an AA Gas and Grub mini mart in Exeter, The Washington Post reported Thursday. Garcia went on to shoot a woman in the parking lot of a Motel 6 in Tulare, spray bullets into a Shell gas station, shoot and kill a man at a second gas station in Visalia, and finally attack his ex-girlfriend’s house, the Post reported. The farm worker and motel occupant are expected to survive, according to the Post. Authorities described Garcia’s 24-hour violent rampage as a “reign of terror,” according to the Post. Garcia stole a truck and drove at speeds exceeding 100 mph in an attempt to evade police following his shooting spree, according to Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux. Garcia collided with multiple vehicles before flying through the car’s windshield. Four people were taken to the hospital with injuries, and one remains in critical condition, according to the Post. Garcia was arrested on Dec.…

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Commentary: The Art of the Veto and How Trump Can Force a Vote on the Wall

by Robert Romano   There won’t be any vote on wall funding this year or any year at the rate we’re going — because nobody in Congressional leadership is apparently willing to stick it in a bill and simply vote on it. Even to defeat it. Until the end of the year, Republicans are in complete control of the House of Representatives. Under the leadership of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), however, the only vote on any wall funding that occurred did not happen until the March 2018 omnibus spending bill. And then, it was just the measly $1.6 billion supplement that President Donald Trump had requested — in Feb. 2017 — that was intended to be attached to the FY 2017 spending bill that was still being resolved in the early days of the Trump administration. Instead, it took more than a year to get done. Even now, to date, House Republicans have not even had a show-vote on a messaging bill that McCarthy promised to fully fund the wall — even though such a vote would be practically meaningless. The House has not even sent a spending bill with the wall…

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House Freedom Caucus Opposes Short-Term Spending Bill Over Border Wall

by Henry Rodgers   North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows and House Freedom Caucus members will vote “no” on a short-term funding bill that would fund the government until Feb. 8, as funding is set to expire Friday, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned. “The time to stand up for the American people and fight for wall funding is now. If the president vetoes a [continuing resolution (CR)] without wall funding, the American people and his allies in Congress will back him up. We’ll support him. The time to act is now. That’s why we were elected and it’s time we follow through,” Meadows, chairman of the congressional caucus, told the TheDCNF Thursday. Meadows called out House Speaker Paul Ryan on the House floor Wednesday and said he would not be giving up on the border wall or the American people. “The president many months ago said he wouldn’t sign another funding bill unless we gave him wall funding. So what did this House do? It passed a bill to fund the Department of Defense and passed a short-term CR and said, ‘You know what? We’re going to have that fight, but we’re going to have that fight after the…

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The House of Representatives Approves $5.7 Billion in Spending for ‘The Wall’

Late Thursday following weeks of political invective and shutdown threats, the House of Representatives passed – by a final vote of 217-185 – a measure that will fund the government through February 8 that included an allocation of over five billion dollars for the construction of a physical barrier along the United States’ southern border. Commonly referred to as “The Wall,” the massive construction project is a key campaign promise President Trump is one step closer in fulfilling. In remarks Thursday afternoon during the signing ceremony for the Farm Bill (the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018), President Trump reiterated his demand to Congress: At this moment, there is a debate over funding border security and the wall, also called — so that I give them a little bit of an out — “steel slats.”  We don’t use the word “wall” necessarily, but it has to be something special to do the job — steel slats. I’ve made my position very clear: Any measure that funds the government must include border security.  It has to.  Not for political purposes but for our country, for the safety of our community. Breitbart News reported: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) cheered the bill’s…

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