Day: May 28, 2019

Tennessee Native Al Gore to Lecture Australia About Climate Change, at Taxpayer Expense

Chris Butler
Tennessee Star

  Tennessee’s “favorite son” Al Gore is reportedly traveling to Australia to preach to the locals about climate change — at Australian taxpayers’ expense. The British Daily Mail this week reported Gore is scheduled to lead a three-day climate change lecture in Queensland June 5 through June 7 at the Minister’s Climate Change event in Brisbane. “The cost of the event has seen Queensland Government fork out about $142K,” according to The Daily Mail. “The event comes at a cost to taxpayers with the Brisbane Convention Centre hire and one project co-ordinator costing about $142,000 and being charged to the Queensland Government. State Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the Queensland Government was supporting the climate leadership training by providing funding for the venue and a Brisbane-based Climate Reality Project manager.” According to the publication, the Queensland government will not pay Gore. Gore at one time commanded a $100,000 speaking fee. The event will reportedly feature an appearance by Labor leader Bill Shorten. Gore, meanwhile, opposes the Adani coal mine, which is due to operate in Queensland. Gore reportedly told one publication “the Adani mine doesn’t have its financing, I hope it never gets its financing.” Gore went on to say “it’s not my…

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The History and Results of America’s Disastrous Public School System, Part I

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by Mike Margeson and Justin Spears   While it’s almost universally understood that the American school system is underperforming, “reform,” too, is almost universally prescribed as the solution. Yet in other walks of life, bad ideas are not reformed – they are eliminated and replaced with better ones. Our school system is rarely identified as a bad idea. The system is reflexively left alone while the methods are the bad ideas that get cycled in and out: open concept schools, multiple intelligences, project-based learning, universal design for learning, merit-based pay, vouchers, charters, and most recently, educational neuroscience. Every decade or so we are told by the pedagogic experts that they have found an answer to our school’s problems. The trouble is, they’re looking right past the problem. Schooling Monopoly The problem is the monopoly that schooling has gained over education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 97 percent of kids go through traditional schooling (as opposed to homeschooling or unschooling), and just over 90 percent of those attend government schools. That is to say, there is basically one accepted way to educate kids today: school them. Given the relatively poor performance of American students on international achievement tests, you would think schooling might…

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Commentary: Trump, Barr Fight Back Against the Judicial Overreach of ‘Nationwide Injunctions’ by Obama-Era Judges

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by Richard McCarty   Through the use of nationwide injunctions, a group of liberal federal district judges are fighting to maintain Obama-era policies until President Donald Trump leaves office. And now, President Donald Trump is fighting back as his administration seeks a case to be brought in federal court against the practice. These judges’ actions are an attack on our system of government undermining the value of voting and the public’s trust in the impartiality of the judicial branch. These injunctions must be halted, either by the Supreme Court or by legislation. Nationwide injunctions, which are also called universal or national injunctions, are issued by federal district judges and prohibit the federal government from enforcing laws or policies against anyone, not just the plaintiffs in the case. There have now been 37 nationwide injunctions issued against the Trump Administration, which is significantly more than were issued in the entire 2oth century. In contrast, there were only two nationwide injunctions during the first two years of the Obama Administration; and there were no nationwide injunctions issued during the first 175 years of our Republic. Recently, U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr gave a speech attacking nationwide injunctions, saying that the bar for getting one…

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Report Lists the Top 10 Tennessee Agencies That Took the Most Federal Taxpayer Money in 2018

Chris Butler

  Ten Tennessee government agencies accepted more than $13 billion in federal taxpayer money in 2018, according to a document Tennessee Comptrollers released last week. The report examined how state agencies handled the money that Washington, D.C. bureaucrats bestowed upon Tennessee. Some of those state agencies plan to take less federal money in the future — but some plan to take even more. As The Tennessee Star reported, the Tennessee Department of Health Care Finance and Administration took in more federal taxpayer money than any other state agency in 2018, a sum of $7.2 billion. The Tennessee Department of Human Services ranked second, taking in more than $2 billion of federal taxpayer money. Human Services spokesman Sky Arnold said in an emailed statement the agency took in slightly more federal taxpayer money the year prior. That amount was $2.1 billion. “Federal Assistance is largely dependent on the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program caseload, which is currently declining. For this reason, the Department of Human Services is likely to have an overall decrease in federal assistance for the foreseeable future,” Arnold said. “It’s important to recognize the real impact Tennessee’s improving economy is having on our programs like SNAP.  Nearly 914 thousand individuals were receiving benefits…

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Study: Cell-for-Cell, a Human Body is 57 Percent Microbes and Other Non-Human Organisms

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by Elizabeth Lee   New discoveries about what is inside the body are making scientists rethink what makes a person human and what makes people sick or healthy. Less than half of the cells in the body are human. The rest belong to microorganisms that affect the health, mood and whether certain people respond better to certain medications. “So to our 30 trillion human cells, we have on average about 39 trillion microbial cells. So by that measure, we’re only about 43% human,” said Rob Knight, director of the University of California San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation and professor of pediatrics and computer science and engineering. Microbes affecting health It is common knowledge that bacteria, or even viruses and fungi, exist in areas of our body, including the mouth, skin and gut. However, it is only in recent years that scientists have discovered that each person’s gut bacteria is unique, and the collection of microbes can greatly impact a person’s health — such as their weight and whether they will develop ailments such as heart disease. Microbes in the gut can even affect mood. Researchers are studying whether conditions such as autism, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease are linked to…

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Trump’s ATF Pick Chuck Canterbury: ‘I Take a Back Seat to No One in My Reverence for the 2nd Amendment’

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by Whitney Tipton   President Donald Trump announced Friday plans to nominate Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Canterbury has been Fraternity Order of Police (FOP) president for 16 years, having previously spent 26 years in the Horry County, South Carolina, Police Department’s patrol, criminal and training divisions, according to the White House statement. “Chuck is one of the most honorable people I’ve ever worked with and if he is selected, I can’t think of a finer person to take the position,” said Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association. Thompson made the remarks to POLITICO in Nov. 2018, when Canterbury’s name was first floated for the position. Fraternal Order of Police President, Chuck Canterbury, demands off-duty cops be allowed carry guns at NFL gameshttps://t.co/pwOHP7ZaNu — FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) December 2, 2015 Trump worked closely with Canterbury on sentencing reform legislation passed Nov. 2018. The measure, which granted leniency on minimum sentencing rules for some drug offenses and expanded rehabilitation programs, enjoyed rare bipartisan support and was backed by the ACLU, according to Politico. Canterbury has been vocal in his Second Amendment support, testifying July 2009 before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support…

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Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party Is ‘Clear Winner’ In UK European Parliament Elections

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by Evie Fordham   Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party snagged 29 of the United Kingdom’s European Parliament seats in Sunday’s election just days after Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation. The Brexit Party was the “clear winner” of the UK’s European elections according to BBC, especially when compared with May’s Tories, which earned only four seats. “With a big, simple message — which is we’ve been badly let down by two parties who have broken their promises — we have topped the poll in a fairly dramatic style,” Farage told BBC Radio 4 on the “Today” program. “The two party system now serves nothing but itself. I think they are an obstruction to the modernizing of politics… and we are going to take them on.” The Brexit Party will stun everybody again if the UK does not leave the EU by 31st October. pic.twitter.com/n5DnVxkkQ7 — Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 27, 2019 Members of the Brexit Party want to leave the European Union (EU), but the party with the next biggest chunk of votes, the Liberal Democrats, want to remain. The Lib Dems took 16 seats, according to BBC. Labour took 10, Greens seven, Tories four, the Scottish National Party three and…

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Analysis: Abortion Debate Shows How Media Deploys Language Gymnastics to Serve Left-Wing Goals

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by Jarrett Stepman   “Pregnancy Kills. Abortion Saves Lives.” That was the headline on an absurd opinion article in The New York Times, deploying Orwellian language to turn the abortion debate on pro-lifers and comfort those who support abortion on demand. While the conversation over Alabama’s new abortion law has drawn out some wild arguments from the left, it’s easy to miss the less obvious ways the media reinforce the pro-abortion side. The media, cleverly and often subtly, use rhetorical adjustments to reinforce left-wing ideas under the guise of objectivity. [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] It’s not just on the abortion issue that the media kowtow to the left in the terminology they use in charged public debates. For instance, The Guardian, a British outlet, recently updated its style guide to reinforce the idea that challenging prevailing left-wing ideas about man-made climate change is fundamentally illegitimate. The Guardian is updating our style guide to accurately reflect the nature of the environmental crisis. “Climate change” —> “climate emergency, crisis or breakdown” “Global warming” —> “global heating” “Climate skeptic” —> “climate science denier”https://t.co/ags5nyz3Pe — Julia Carrie…

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Fiat Chrysler Proposes Merger with France’s Renault

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  Fiat Chrysler proposed a 50-50 percent merger Monday with Renault, a union that would create the world’s third biggest automaker. The merger, if it happens, would vault the new company, with annual sales of 8.7 million vehicles, into a position ahead of General Motors and behind only Volkswagen and Toyota, both of which sell about 10.6 million. The merger could give the combined companies a better chance in the battle among auto manufacturers to build new electric and autonomous vehicles. Investors in both companies showed their initial approval of the announcement, with Renault’s shares jumping 15 percent in afternoon trading in Paris and Fiat Chrysler stock up more than 10 percent in Milan. The proposal calls for shareholders to split ownership of the new company. Fiat Chrysler said the deal would save the combined companies $5.6 billion annually with shared payments for research, purchasing and other expenses. The deal does not call for closure of any manufacturing plants but the companies did not say whether any employees would lose their jobs. The deal would give Fiat access to Renault’s electric car technologies, allowing it to meet the strict carbon dioxide emission standards the European Commission is enacting. For its…

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Senator Lindsey Graham: Obama Officials Worried About Being ‘Exposed’ by Declassification

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by Chuck Ross   Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham asserted Sunday that the former government officials opposing declassification of Russia probe documents “are worried about being exposed.” In an interview on “Fox News Sunday” with Chris Wallace, Graham also argued Democrats are unconcerned with whether the FBI misled the federal surveillance court in order to obtain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.   “I want all the documents around the FISA warrant application released. I want to find out exactly how the counterintelligence operation began,” Graham said. “I think transparency is good for the American people. Not one Democrat seems to care.” “I wish some Democrat would come forward to find out if the FISA court was defrauded by the FBI and the Department of Justice.” On Thursday, President Trump granted Attorney General William Barr the authority to declassify documents from the Russia probe. He also instructed the heads of several federal agencies, including the CIA and FBI, to provide documents to Barr as part of his review of the origins of the investigation. Barr is looking into the origins of the FBI’s Russia investigation, as well as the surveillance activities carried out by the FBI…

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Commentary: The Colluders, Obstructionists, and Leakers Project Onto ‘Trump World’ What They, Themselves Do

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by Victor Davis Hanson   Before the defeat of Hillary Clinton, the idea that the Russians or anyone else could warp or tamper with our elections in any serious manner was laughed off by President Obama. “There is no serious person out there who would suggest that you could even rig America’s elections,” Obama said in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election. Obama was anxious that the sure-to-be-sore-loser Trump would not blame his defeat on voting impropriety in a fashion that might call into question Clinton’s victory. After Clinton’s stunning defeat, Russian “collusion” – thanks initially to efforts by Obama holdover Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to go after Michael Flynn and the successful attempts of the CIA and FBI to seed the bogus Steele dossier among the government elite – became a club to destroy the incoming Trump Administration. Colluders, Inc. How ironic that Russian “collusion” was used as a preemptive charge from those who actually had colluded with Russians for all sorts for financial and careerist advantages. The entire so-called Uranium One caper had hinged on ex-President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and their Clinton Foundation uniting with Russian or Russian-affiliated oligarchs to ease…

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Michigan House, Senate Pass Auto Insurance Reform, Governor Whitmer Expected to Sign

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by Tyler Arnold   The Michigan House and Senate passed auto insurance reform Friday with substantial bipartisan support after the House Republicans, Senate Republicans and Democratic governor struck a deal. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign the bill into law. The legislation will eliminate a mandate that required all drivers to purchase unlimited, lifetime personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. The unlimited PIP coverage mandate is unique to Michigan and caused the state’s average rates to be nearly double the national average. Detroit drivers paid nearly four times the national average. The PIP coverage accounts for nearly half of a driver’s insurance bill. After Whitmer signs the legislation, drivers will be able to choose from five PIP rate options and insurance companies will be required to lower their rates accordingly. A driver could choose to get rid of all of their PIP coverage, but only if he or she has private health insurance that covers auto accident injuries for the entire family, or the driver is an older person on Medicaid. They would save 100 percent on their PIP rates. Drivers could also choose to opt into $50,000 worth of coverage, which will be accompanied by a 45 percent rate…

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State Senator Says Cutting Tax Breaks for Small Businesses Would Be ‘a Mistake’ for Ohio

Anthony Gockowski

  State Sen. Lou Terhar (R-Cincinnati) said it would be “a mistake” for the Ohio Senate to support a decrease to the tax breaks small businesses receive in the state. “There are a range of issues with the House budget that concern us in the Senate. The first would be the cut of the small business tax, which we believe is a mistake,” Terhar said. “Once we take a position on how small businesses should be treated, we should stick with that position,” he added. Terhar said that if “you’re going to encourage small businesses” by giving them a tax cut “and then take that away,” it will make business owners wonder if they “really want to invest in Ohio.” Under the House’s version of the budget bill, Ohio’s Business Investment Income Deduction would be lowered to $100,000. As of now, small businesses don’t pay taxes on the first $250,000 of income, but that figure would drop down to $100,000 under House Bill 166. Terhar’s comments came during a recent forum on the state budget hosted by Ohio’s Future Foundation and its chairman, former Congressman Jim Renacci. “One of the concerns is we still do not have a state that’s…

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Dean Phillips Agrees With Jake Tapper That Trump Is ‘Daring’ Dems to Impeach

Anthony Gockowski

  During an appearance on CNN last week, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) said President Trump’s impromptu Rose Garden speech showed a “woeful lack of leadership.” Trump apparently left a meeting with Democratic leadership after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said he was engaging in a “cover-up,” and instead went to the Rose Garden to speak with reporters. He said he would refuse work with Democrats on legislation until they “get these phony investigations over with.” “There’s no question whatsoever that the president is making it awfully difficult for us to do our jobs, which is to provide oversight over the executive branch,” Phillips said in response. “Whatever prompted his change of heart today in the Rose Garden, I’m not sure, but if that’s all it took, that’s a woeful lack of leadership.” “Do you think President Trump is daring House Democrats to impeach him?” host Jake Tapper then asked. “I got to tell you, Jake, it’s appearing increasingly evident that he may be doing just that,” Phillips replied. “It is our job to provide oversight. I think we’ve been methodical, we’ve been principled, and we’ve been awfully patient, but that patience has its limits. We surely are reaching that limit. If…

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Tim Ryan Leads the Pack in Missed Votes, Third Most Absent Member in the House

Anthony Gockowski

  Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) has missed 70 votes since the start of the 116th Congress, putting him near the top of the pack in this category among his fellow 2020 Democratic contenders. According to a project from ProPublica, Ryan missed 31.6 percent of all votes in the House as of last week, making him the third most absent member of the House. For comparison, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15) has missed 48 votes, or 22.1 percent, while Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02) has missed 18.9 percent at 41 votes skipped. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) leads the field among 2020 Democrats in the Senate. The New Jersey senator has missed 37 votes, which is 31.9 percent of all votes. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) has missed 27 votes, or 23.3 percent of all votes in the Senate. ProPublica points out that Ryan has cast zero votes against party lines during this Congress. Out of the 433 members of Congress, Ryan ranks at 373 in bipartisanship. “It’s no secret that Ryan has long been angling to leave his constituents behind with musings for higher office,” Mandi Merritt, Ohio spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, told The Ohio Star.…

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Michigan’s Rep. Tlaib Says House Democrats Will ‘Demand’ Move Towards Impeachment

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by Henry Rogers   Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib said Democrats are moving toward demanding President Donald Trump be impeached on Sunday. Tlaib appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and was asked about impeachment by host Chuck Todd and specifically why she could not get the majority of House Democrats to defend calls for impeachment. Tlaib responded by saying, “I think it is moving toward that. It’s going to demand that.” The Michigan Democrat came under fire just hours after being sworn into Congress in January for telling a group of left-wing supporters she would help Democrats “impeach the motherf****r,” referencing Trump. Tlaib also said “this is not about the 2020 election, it’s about doing what’s right now for our country. This is going to be a precedent that we set when we don’t hold this president accountable to the rule of the law and to the United States Constitution.” In early May, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump is “goading” Democrats to impeach him from office because he thinks it will help him fire up his base. “Don’t tell anybody I told you this: Trump is goading us to impeach him,” Pelosi said during an event hosted by Cornell University in New York City. “That’s what he’s doing. Every…

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We Build the Wall Builds First Half-Mile Section of Border Wall in New Mexico – in Four Days

Jason M. Reynolds

  The group We Build the Wall announced Monday it has completed construction of a large section of wall spanning between a half-mile and a mile along an open area of the Southern border previously believed to be unbuildable. According to a story by The Washington Times, the wall section is along the southern border in New Mexico, and the organization says that is a first in the history of the border. The wall is made of 18-foot steel bollard like what the Border Patrol uses, the Times said. Just late last week, a federal judge ordered a halt to part of President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration and shifting of money within the Pentagon to make up for Congress’s refusal to fund the wall, the Times said. The new section closes a gap that was between the end of the El Paso, Texas border wall and Mount Cristo Rey, across from the City of Juarez, The Gateway Pundit said. Kris Kobach (pictured with builder Tommy Fisher, right) of We Build the Wall spoke to the Pundit about the former gap. “The gap is a half mile wide corridor and it’s literally a parking lot on the Mexican side and then you…

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