wnd--2020-01-30--10 worst colleges for free speech, and Harvard makes list

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education 's 2020 list of the 10 worst colleges for free speech includes one that fired a professor over an innocuous joke on social media and one that suspended a librarian for curating a historical display highlighting the university 's own photos of its racist past .
FIRE 's `` worst-of-the-worst '' list features both public and private colleges .
The organization notes public colleges and universities are bound by the First Amendment , while private institutions are not .
But they explicitly promise to respect student and faculty speech rights .
Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular order : Babson fired a professor over a private , satirical post on Facebook .
Asheen Phansey was responding to President Trump 's threat to bomb 52 Iranian sites , including cultural sites .
Phansey wrote : `` In retaliation , Ayatollah Khomeni should tweet a list of 52 sites of beloved American cultural heritage that he would bomb .
Um ...
Mall of America ?
... Kardashian residence ? ''
College administrators suspended Phansey pending an `` investigation , '' saying the college `` condemns any type of threatening words and/or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperating with local , state and federal authorities . ''
Less than a day later , Babson concluded its `` thorough investigation '' and fired him .
In a letter to Babson on Jan. 9 , FIRE argued Phansey ’ s post was clearly political hyperbole about an issue of public concern and did not constitute a `` true threat ” or `` incitement . ''
Last spring , administrators and campus police twice stopped student Mike Brown from exercising his free speech rights when he tried to recruit fellow students for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans for Liberty .
Brown was told he needed the college 's explicit permission to speak on campus .
In September , FIRE helped Brown file a First Amendment lawsuit that was joined by the Justice Department arguing that Jones College 's policies deny students their free speech rights .
The policies require administrative approval , at least three days in advance , for any `` meetings or gatherings '' on campus .
A Justice Department statement said : `` Such extreme preconditions to speech might not be out of place in Oceania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orwell 's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four . '
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution , however , ensures that preconditions like these have no place in the United States of America . ''
Harvard administrators removed a faculty dean for joining a criminal defense team , blacklisting its own students and more .
Professors Ronald Sullivan and Stephanie Robinson were removed as faculty deans of a residential house after students expressed outrage that Sullivan briefly joined Harvey Weinstein 's criminal defense team , making students feel `` unsafe . ''
The college also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join single-gender clubs , even off campus .
A few months ago , Harvard implemented a new speaker policy requiring that events deemed to involve `` high profile , controversial speakers , or VIP guests '' have a neutral moderator in place , supposedly to handle disruptions .
Students seeking to start a registered chapter of the conservative group Turning Point USA on campus almost immediately faced obstacles .
Before the students even presented their proposal , the student government president said on social media `` yikes , nope , denied '' because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ application ultimately was rejected .
The university was dismissive of FIRE 's complaint to the institution 's president of obvious viewpoint discrimination .
Hours before controversial Polish scholar and politician Ryszard Legutko was set to speak on campus last April , administrators canceled the event , citing unsubstantiated `` safety risks . ''
It was n't the first time .
In March 2017 , a campus appearance by scholar Charles Murray led to violent protests , an injured professor and a canceled lecture .
More recently , a student was notified he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s `` Demonstrations and Protests Policy '' and `` Respectful Behavior Policy '' after he engaged in heated questioning of CIA recruiters at an on-campus event .
FIRE said that , to the college 's credit , it quickly backed down and has since updated its demonstrations policy .
Last spring , just three days before graduation , senior Jake Gutowitz was investigated by administrators for allegedly distributing `` forbidden flyers '' on campus some five months earlier .
Labeled `` Common Sense '' à la Thomas Paine , they contained parodies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly President Kimberly Cline .
An administrator claimed an `` anonymous student '' reported seeing Gutowitz post the flyers on campus and reported him to campus safety officers .
At an investigatory meeting , Gutowitz denied any involvement but was told he could expect a letter resolving the investigation by the end of the semester .
He left the university and never received the letter , but FIRE said the probe of protected speech and failure to resolve the matter `` has a lasting chilling effect on student expression . ''
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which one says a taboo word and the other repeats it louder were recorded by a student .
When he listened closely to the recording , he realized the students had used the word `` nigger . ''
After the video went viral , campus police dug through surveillance video , analyzed Wi-Fi data and pulled up logs of the cards used to access campus buildings to identify the offending speakers .
The two were charged with a criminal offense under a century-old statute outlawing race-based `` ridicule '' in commercial advertisements .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ students is pending .
Syracuse began the year by denying recognition to Young Americans for Freedom , finding the group 's conservative ideology `` inflammatory . ''
The university demanded that the group abolish its requirement that prospective members believe in the group 's conservative values .
Syracuse closed the year by suspending all fraternity activities for the rest of the semester in response to an alleged racial incident , even though the university admitted that most , if not all , of the student groups had nothing to do with it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial slur by a non-fraternity member .
Last year , Syracuse suspended students of its Theta Tau engineering fraternity chapter for a private , satirical skit roasting their fellow members .
In April , the university investigated and suspended faculty librarian Melissa Gomis for curating a historical photo display called `` Parties of the Past , '' consisting of photos selected from the university ’ s own archival photo collection .
The display was intended to inspire discussion about the ongoing national debate surrounding offensive Halloween and party costumes , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of blackface in universities ' yearbooks .
After a student complained , Doane placed Gomis on leave and investigated her under a charge of `` discriminatory harassment . ''
FIRE intervened , and Gomis has since been reinstated .
But FIRE said Doane failed to meaningfully respond to the broader free-speech issues raised in the case .
After campus police canceled a socialist group ’ s meeting when an uninvited Patriot Prayer leader said he would show up , officers stood by while a single protester , armed with a cowbell , shut @ @ @ @ @ @

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's 2020 list of the 10 worst colleges for free speech includes one that fired a professor over an innocuous joke on social media and one that suspended a librarian for curating a historical display highlighting the university's own photos of its racist past.
FIRE's "worst-of-the-worst" list features both public and private colleges. The organization notes public colleges and universities are bound by the First Amendment, while private institutions are not. But they explicitly promise to respect student and faculty speech rights.
Here are the worst 10, presented in no particular order:
Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts
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Babson fired a professor over a private, satirical post on Facebook. Asheen Phansey was responding to President Trump's threat to bomb 52 Iranian sites, including cultural sites.
Phansey wrote: "In retaliation, Ayatollah Khomeni should tweet a list of 52 sites of beloved American cultural heritage that he would bomb. Um ... Mall of America? ... Kardashian residence?"
College administrators suspended Phansey pending an "investigation," saying the college "condemns any type of threatening words and/or actions condoning violence" and was "cooperating with local, state and federal authorities." Less than a day later, Babson concluded its "thorough investigation" and fired him.
In a letter to Babson on Jan. 9, FIRE argued Phansey’s post was clearly political hyperbole about an issue of public concern and did not constitute a "true threat” or "incitement."
Jones College, Ellisville, Mississippi:
Last spring, administrators and campus police twice stopped student Mike Brown from exercising his free speech rights when he tried to recruit fellow students for a campus chapter of the conservative group Young Americans for Liberty.
Brown was told he needed the college's explicit permission to speak on campus.
In September, FIRE helped Brown file a First Amendment lawsuit that was joined by the Justice Department arguing that Jones College's policies deny students their free speech rights. The policies require administrative approval, at least three days in advance, for any "meetings or gatherings" on campus.
A Justice Department statement said: "Such extreme preconditions to speech might not be out of place in Oceania, the fictional dystopian superstate in George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four.' The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, however, ensures that preconditions like these have no place in the United States of America."
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts:
Harvard administrators removed a faculty dean for joining a criminal defense team, blacklisting its own students and more.
Professors Ronald Sullivan and Stephanie Robinson were removed as faculty deans of a residential house after students expressed outrage that Sullivan briefly joined Harvey Weinstein's criminal defense team, making students feel "unsafe."
The college also brought back a blacklist for students who join single-gender clubs, even off campus.
A few months ago, Harvard implemented a new speaker policy requiring that events deemed to involve "high profile, controversial speakers, or VIP guests" have a neutral moderator in place, supposedly to handle disruptions.
University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania:
Students seeking to start a registered chapter of the conservative group Turning Point USA on campus almost immediately faced obstacles.
Before the students even presented their proposal, the student government president said on social media "yikes, nope, denied" because of the group's viewpoint. The application ultimately was rejected.
The university was dismissive of FIRE's complaint to the institution's president of obvious viewpoint discrimination.
Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont:
Hours before controversial Polish scholar and politician Ryszard Legutko was set to speak on campus last April, administrators canceled the event, citing unsubstantiated "safety risks."
It wasn't the first time. In March 2017, a campus appearance by scholar Charles Murray led to violent protests, an injured professor and a canceled lecture. More recently, a student was notified he was being investigated for violating the college’s "Demonstrations and Protests Policy" and "Respectful Behavior Policy" after he engaged in heated questioning of CIA recruiters at an on-campus event. FIRE said that, to the college's credit, it quickly backed down and has since updated its demonstrations policy.
Long Island University Post, Brookville, New York:
Last spring, just three days before graduation, senior Jake Gutowitz was investigated by administrators for allegedly distributing "forbidden flyers"on campus some five months earlier.
Labeled "Common Sense" à la Thomas Paine, they contained parodies and poems criticizing LIU Post and its administrators, particularly President Kimberly Cline.
An administrator claimed an "anonymous student" reported seeing Gutowitz post the flyers on campus and reported him to campus safety officers. At an investigatory meeting, Gutowitz denied any involvement but was told he could expect a letter resolving the investigation by the end of the semester. He left the university and never received the letter, but FIRE said the probe of protected speech and failure to resolve the matter "has a lasting chilling effect on student expression."
University of Connecticut, Mansfield, Connecticut:
Two students engaging in the common dare in which one says a taboo word and the other repeats it louder were recorded by a student. When he listened closely to the recording, he realized the students had used the word "nigger."
After the video went viral, campus police dug through surveillance video, analyzed Wi-Fi data and pulled up logs of the cards used to access campus buildings to identify the offending speakers. The two were charged with a criminal offense under a century-old statute outlawing race-based "ridicule" in commercial advertisements.
A First Amendment lawsuit brought by the students is pending.
Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York:
Syracuse began the year by denying recognition to Young Americans for Freedom, finding the group's conservative ideology "inflammatory." The university demanded that the group abolish its requirement that prospective members believe in the group's conservative values.
Syracuse closed the year by suspending all fraternity activities for the rest of the semester in response to an alleged racial incident, even though the university admitted that most, if not all, of the student groups had nothing to do with it. The allegation was the use of a racial slur by a non-fraternity member.
Last year, Syracuse suspended students of its Theta Tau engineering fraternity chapter for a private, satirical skit roasting their fellow members.
Doane University, Crete, Nebraska:
In April, the university investigated and suspended faculty librarian Melissa Gomis for curating a historical photo display called "Parties of the Past," consisting of photos selected from the university’s own archival photo collection. The display was intended to inspire discussion about the ongoing national debate surrounding offensive Halloween and party costumes, as well as a national effort to confront the history of blackface in universities' yearbooks.
After a student complained, Doane placed Gomis on leave and investigated her under a charge of "discriminatory harassment."
FIRE intervened, and Gomis has since been reinstated. But FIRE said Doane failed to meaningfully respond to the broader free-speech issues raised in the case.
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon:
After campus police canceled a socialist group’s meeting when an uninvited Patriot Prayer leader said he would show up, officers stood by while a single protester, armed with a cowbell, shut down a College Republicans meeting.


wnd--2020-01-30--Limbaugh reveals REAL source of coronavirus and every American needs to take notice

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh sounded the alarm on the origins of new diseases as well as older ones that were thought to be eradicated but are making a comeback .
All of these diseases are coming from leftist communities , both in the United States and abroad , Limbaugh noted .
Take the new coronavirus that has people in fear worldwide .
The disease has been reported to be coming from one particular community in Wuhan , China .
The virus is believed to have originated from the sale of illegal wildlife at one seafood market in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respiratory infection , which is closely related to SARS and MERS , has been spreading across China , and cases have been diagnosed in several other countries , including the United States , ” WebMD said of the disease .
The virus has now resulted in 132 deaths from the more than 6,000 cases that have been reported worldwide , with all of the deaths and the overwhelming majority of infections centered in China .
Of the handful of cases that have been reported in the United States , at least two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Symptoms include a fever , coughing , and shortness of breath .
They may appear 2 to 14 days after you ’ re exposed to the virus , ” WebMD said .
On his program Friday , Limbaugh talked about the coronavirus outbreak as well as other diseases that have been hitting the state of California hard .
Those include typhoid fever , typhus , hepatitis A , staph and tuberculosis .
“ Where are all of these deadly viruses coming from ? ''
the host asked , according to the transcript on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This latest virus that ’ s got everybody scared to death , where is it coming from ?
The ChiComs .
`` What ’ s happening in all of these homeless tent cities in California ?
Medieval diseases that had been eradicated are starting to crop up . ''
Limbaugh continued , `` Do not doubt me when I tell you that liberalism , left-wingism , socialism , communism , whatever , folks , it destroys .
“ It is not compassion .
It is not love .
It is not wanting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not equality .
It ’ s not sameness .
It ’ s not fairness .
“ It is the epitome of mean-spiritedness !
Liberalism looks at people and sees failure , inability .
Liberals look at people , average people in their eyes with contempt .
California cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco have been overwhelmed with legions of homeless Americans .
These people did not pick liberal cities at random .
It is the policies of these progressive “ Utopias ” that drive the increase in homelessness , including those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street poll of the San Francisco homeless in 2019 found 42 percent of those who participated admitted to dependence on drugs and alcohol , City Journal reported .
So , what is the liberal city ’ s response to that ?
It hands out 4.5 million syringes yearly , accompanied by vitamin C , which helps to dissolve the crack and heroin , and instructions on how to best inject drugs , City Journal reported .
This is not compassion ; it is lunacy .
It welcomes throngs of homeless people who , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go , defecate in the streets and waterways , which directly leads to horrible diseases .
And those cities ' welcoming policies toward illegal aliens are not helping matters , either .
“ Drug sellers are as shameless as drug users , '' City Journal said .
`` Hondurans have dominated the drug trade in the Tenderloin and around Civic Center Plaza and Union Square since the 1990s .
They congregate up to a dozen a corner , openly counting and recounting large wads of cash , completing transactions with no attempt at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are illegal aliens .
One might think that city leaders would be only too happy to hand them off to federal immigration authorities , but the political imperative to safeguard illegal aliens against deportation takes precedence over public order .
Local law enforcement greets any announced federal crackdown on criminal aliens with alarm . ''
It is mind-boggling that people who live in such cities and states continue to vote for the politicians who enact these policies .
If people want to get serious about fixing the homeless crisis and the diseases it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the root of the issue .
Leftism has to go .
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal .

Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh sounded the alarm on the origins of new diseases as well as older ones that were thought to be eradicated but are making a comeback.
All of these diseases are coming from leftist communities, both in the United States and abroad, Limbaugh noted.
Take the new coronavirus that has people in fear worldwide. The disease has been reported to be coming from one particular community in Wuhan, China.
The virus is believed to have originated from the sale of illegal wildlife at one seafood market in the city, the BBC reported.
“The respiratory infection, which is closely related to SARS and MERS, has been spreading across China, and cases have been diagnosed in several other countries, including the United States,” WebMD said of the disease.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
The virus has now resulted in 132 deaths from the more than 6,000 cases that have been reported worldwide, with all of the deaths and the overwhelming majority of infections centered in China.
Of the handful of cases that have been reported in the United States, at least two of the patients traveled to Wuhan.
“Symptoms include a fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. They may appear 2 to 14 days after you’re exposed to the virus,” WebMD said.
On his program Friday, Limbaugh talked about the coronavirus outbreak as well as other diseases that have been hitting the state of California hard. Those include typhoid fever, typhus, hepatitis A, staph and tuberculosis.
“Where are all of these deadly viruses coming from?" the host asked, according to the transcript on his official website. "Communist countries. This latest virus that’s got everybody scared to death, where is it coming from? The ChiComs.
"What’s happening in all of these homeless tent cities in California? Medieval diseases that had been eradicated are starting to crop up."
Limbaugh continued, "Do not doubt me when I tell you that liberalism, left-wingism, socialism, communism, whatever, folks, it destroys.
“It is not compassion. It is not love. It is not wanting the best for everybody. It is not equality. It’s not sameness. It’s not fairness.
“It is the epitome of mean-spiritedness! Liberalism looks at people and sees failure, inability. Liberals look at people, average people in their eyes with contempt.
California cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco have been overwhelmed with legions of homeless Americans.
These people did not pick liberal cities at random. It is the policies of these progressive “Utopias” that drive the increase in homelessness, including those on drug abuse and alcoholism.
A street poll of the San Francisco homeless in 2019 found 42 percent of those who participated admitted to dependence on drugs and alcohol, City Journal reported.
So, what is the liberal city’s response to that? It hands out 4.5 million syringes yearly, accompanied by vitamin C, which helps to dissolve the crack and heroin, and instructions on how to best inject drugs, City Journal reported.
This is not compassion; it is lunacy. It welcomes throngs of homeless people who, as they have no place else to go, defecate in the streets and waterways, which directly leads to horrible diseases.
And those cities' welcoming policies toward illegal aliens are not helping matters, either.
“Drug sellers are as shameless as drug users," City Journal said. "Hondurans have dominated the drug trade in the Tenderloin and around Civic Center Plaza and Union Square since the 1990s. They congregate up to a dozen a corner, openly counting and recounting large wads of cash, completing transactions with no attempt at concealment.
“Most of the dealers are illegal aliens. One might think that city leaders would be only too happy to hand them off to federal immigration authorities, but the political imperative to safeguard illegal aliens against deportation takes precedence over public order. Local law enforcement greets any announced federal crackdown on criminal aliens with alarm."
It is mind-boggling that people who live in such cities and states continue to vote for the politicians who enact these policies.
If people want to get serious about fixing the homeless crisis and the diseases it brings, they have to get to the root of the issue.
Leftism has to go.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.


wnd--2020-01-30--U.S. churches divided over members packing heat

Amid concern about high-profile shootings , most Protestant congregations have taken precautions to protect people who attend their services , but they are divided over members carrying weapons , according to a survey .
The survey by LifeWay Research found 80 % of Protestant pastors say their church has some type of security measure in place when they gather for worship , the Baptist standard reported .
The paper noted that since 2000 , 19 fatal shootings have taken place at churches .
Armed attacks also have taken lives at Jewish synagogues , a Sikh temple and an Amish school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most common gatherings in any community , and that makes them targets , '' said Scott McConnell , executive director of LifeWay Research .
`` Most churches understand this and have responded in some way . ''
While most churches have taken security precautions , there is debate over members carrying a weapon .
Nearly half of the pastors , 45 % , say part of their security measures include having armed church members .
Combined with the percentages who say they have uniformed police officers or armed security personnel on site , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have firearms at their worship services as part of their security measures .
The survey found 54 % of evangelical pastors says they have armed church members while 34 % of mainline pastors say the same .
Half of pastors in the South ( 51 percent ) and West ( 46 percent ) has armed church members .
But just 33 % in the Northeast say they do .
The survey found 62 % say their church has an intentional plan for an active shooter situation .
The larger the church , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans for a potential armed attacker .
And more than a quarter of churches have radio communication among security personnel .
Some churches focus on keeping all guns away from their worship services .
The survey found 27 % have a no-firearms policy and 3 % percent have metal detectors to screen for weapons .
`` While methods vary , most churches start with the resources they have to prepare for what they hope will never happen , '' McConnell said .
`` With planning , a church can be prepared without being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pastors are trying to balance two responsibilities — protect those on the inside , while being as welcoming as possible to those on the outside . ''
Researchers conducted a phone survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors from Aug. 30 to Sept. 24 , 2019 .

Amid concern about high-profile shootings, most Protestant congregations have taken precautions to protect people who attend their services, but they are divided over members carrying weapons, according to a survey.
The survey by LifeWay Research found 80% of Protestant pastors say their church has some type of security measure in place when they gather for worship, the Baptist standard reported.
The paper noted that since 2000, 19 fatal shootings have taken place at churches. Armed attacks also have taken lives at Jewish synagogues, a Sikh temple and an Amish school.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"Churches are some of the most common gatherings in any community, and that makes them targets," said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. "Most churches understand this and have responded in some way."
While most churches have taken security precautions, there is debate over members carrying a weapon.
Nearly half of the pastors, 45%, say part of their security measures include having armed church members.
Combined with the percentages who say they have uniformed police officers or armed security personnel on site, 51% of the pastors surveyed intentionally have firearms at their worship services as part of their security measures.
The survey found 54% of evangelical pastors says they have armed church members while 34% of mainline pastors say the same. Half of pastors in the South (51 percent) and West (46 percent) has armed church members. But just 33% in the Northeast say they do.
The survey found 62% say their church has an intentional plan for an active shooter situation. The larger the church, the more likely it is to have made plans for a potential armed attacker.
And more than a quarter of churches have radio communication among security personnel.
Some churches focus on keeping all guns away from their worship services. The survey found 27% have a no-firearms policy and 3% percent have metal detectors to screen for weapons.
"While methods vary, most churches start with the resources they have to prepare for what they hope will never happen," McConnell said. "With planning, a church can be prepared without being distracted or paralyzed by the threat. Pastors are trying to balance two responsibilities — protect those on the inside, while being as welcoming as possible to those on the outside."
Researchers conducted a phone survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors from Aug. 30 to Sept. 24, 2019.


wnd--2020-01-30--Senators charge Horowitz report 'misleading' because it conflicts with the facts

The Republican chairmen of two key committees have charged in a letter to Attorney General William Barr that Michael Horowitz 's inspector general report on FISA abuse by the Obama administration misled the public .
Sens .
Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa , and Ron Johnson , R-Wis. , want Barr to declassify four footnotes that contradict information in Horowitz 's December report .
`` Specifically , we are concerned that certain sections of the public version of the report are misleading because they are contradicted by relevant and probative classified information redacted in four footnotes , '' the senators state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ section of the report contradicts the footnotes .
`` This classified information is significant not only because it contradicts key statements in a section of the report , but also because it provides insight essential for an accurate evaluation of the entire investigation , '' they wrote .
`` The American people have a right to know what is contained within these four footnotes and , without that knowledge , they will not have a full picture as to what happened during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation . ''
The Federalist commented that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI or other U.S. intelligence or agencies deliberately classified certain evidence that could potentially show that the Comey-led investigation against the Trump campaign was based on false premises known to the FBI and was therefore legally invalid and not properly predicated . ''
Horowitz concluded the Obama administration was guilty of 17 `` significant errors or omissions '' in its use of a bogus anti-Trump `` dossier '' funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign to obtain warrants to spy on the Trump campaign .
But despite evidence in his report , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration 's actions were rooted in political bias .
Grassley and Johnson insinuate the contents of the four classified footnotes would provide further fuel to refute Horowitz 's conclusion of no bias .
`` The American people have a right to know what is contained within these four footnotes and , without that knowledge , they will not have a full picture as to what happened during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation , '' the senators wrote .

The Republican chairmen of two key committees have charged in a letter to Attorney General William Barr that Michael Horowitz's inspector general report on FISA abuse by the Obama administration misled the public.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., want Barr to declassify four footnotes that contradict information in Horowitz's December report.
"Specifically, we are concerned that certain sections of the public version of the report are misleading because they are contradicted by relevant and probative classified information redacted in four footnotes," the senators state.
The senators did not specify what section of the report contradicts the footnotes.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"This classified information is significant not only because it contradicts key statements in a section of the report, but also because it provides insight essential for an accurate evaluation of the entire investigation," they wrote. "The American people have a right to know what is contained within these four footnotes and, without that knowledge, they will not have a full picture as to what happened during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation."
The Federalist commented that the unprecedented letter "raises questions about whether the FBI or other U.S. intelligence or agencies deliberately classified certain evidence that could potentially show that the Comey-led investigation against the Trump campaign was based on false premises known to the FBI and was therefore legally invalid and not properly predicated."
Horowitz concluded the Obama administration was guilty of 17 "significant errors or omissions" in its use of a bogus anti-Trump "dossier" funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign to obtain warrants to spy on the Trump campaign.
But despite evidence in his report, he said he found no reason to believe the administration's actions were rooted in political bias.
Grassley and Johnson insinuate the contents of the four classified footnotes would provide further fuel to refute Horowitz's conclusion of no bias.
"The American people have a right to know what is contained within these four footnotes and, without that knowledge, they will not have a full picture as to what happened during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation," the senators wrote.


wnd--2020-02-05--Is America now 'the evil empire'?

Is America now 'the evil empire'?

Last week movie director Oliver Stone told the television program `` Russia Today '' that America is now `` the evil empire . ''
This is in reference to President Reagan 's famous remark in the mid-1980s that the Soviet Union was `` the evil empire . ''
Reagan got a lot of flak from the left for saying that .
But Reagan was right .
The USSR put to death tens of millions of human beings in order to force the country into communism .
Oliver Stone was bemoaning the `` economic censorship '' he claims to have experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who do n't care to see some of his movies bashing America and all it stands for .
One of Stone 's biggest beefs is that both major political parties sanction wars and more wars .
Although he did n't finish his thought , the Oscar-winning movie director essentially called for America 's demise : `` Empires fall .
Let 's pray that this empire , these evil things … because we are the evil empire .
What Reagan said about Russia is true about us . ''
TRENDING : Biden snaps as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter It is not a news flash that Oliver Stone is not a fan of America .
But to call America `` the evil empire '' is a new one .
I agree with Reagan , not Stone .
In the 20th century alone , the Communists killed some 100 million ( some say as high as 130 million ) human beings , many of them their own people .
In every country where they 've seized power , these atheistic regimes have declared war on the church of Jesus Christ .
Lenin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He wrote in his famous essay `` Socialism and Religion '' : `` We must combat religion – this is the ABC of all materialism and consequently Marxism . ''
In 1925 , the Soviets founded the League of Militant Godless ( LMG ) to eradicate all religion ; by 1941 it disbanded in failure .
Despite all the crushing , brutal attacks , they could not eradicate Christianity .
Ukraine is constantly in the news because of the impeachment trial winding down in the U.S. Senate as of this writing .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starvation on millions ( 3.5 to 8 million ) of Ukrainians in the 1930s , to force them into communism .
We do n't know ultimately how many Ukrainians he killed , even though he boasted to having killed 10 million of them , because he had the census workers shot .
The Communists killed Christians in Russia , China , Vietnam , Cambodia , Cuba and every other place where they have ascended to power .
In some cases ( though not all ) the church has survived these attacks and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solzhenitsyn , the great intellectual and Nobel-prize winning Russian author , said in his book `` The Mortal Danger '' ( 1980 ) : `` It is no accident that the Soviet Union has made no effort more concentrated and ferocious in 60 years than its attempt to eradicate Christianity , and yet they have proved incapable of destroying it . ''
No wonder Reagan called the Soviet Union , `` the evil empire . ''
Meanwhile , virtually every time America has gone to war , it was either to fight for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for others .
Even the Vietnam War , in which Oliver Stone served his country , was geared toward helping the southern portion of that country not fall into the Communists ' hands – which did happen after we pulled out .
And millions were killed consequently .
Ironically , the kind of atheistic politics extolled by the Communists Stone apparently admires are leading us down a dark road – though I doubt it 's the one Stone has in mind .
It 's a road of turning our back on God .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet gulag ( sentenced for an oblique criticism of Stalin , not even by name ) .
Years later , on June 8 , 1978 , he delivered the graduating speech at Harvard .
He was booed for saying that all our problems ( including communism ) get back to forgetting God and that we must turn back to Him .
Christian author and pastor Dr. Erwin Lutzer says that Solzhenitsyn confided in a friend that that negative response at Harvard `` hurt him more deeply than his suffering in the Russian gulag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` He understood more clearly than our self-styled intellectuals that when God is irrelevant anything is permissible . ''
To whatever extent America has gone to the dark side , it is because we have driven God out of the public square .
As a society , we are reaping the consequences of that .
In his Farewell Address ( 1796 ) , George Washington declared , `` Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity , religion and morality are indispensable supports .
In vain would that man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should labour to subvert these great pillars of human happiness , these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens . ''
America is far from perfect , and we do need to get back to God .
But at this point , we are far from being `` the evil empire . ''

Last week movie director Oliver Stone told the television program "Russia Today" that America is now "the evil empire."
This is in reference to President Reagan's famous remark in the mid-1980s that the Soviet Union was "the evil empire." Reagan got a lot of flak from the left for saying that. But Reagan was right. The USSR put to death tens of millions of human beings in order to force the country into communism.
Oliver Stone was bemoaning the "economic censorship" he claims to have experienced at the box office by ordinary Americans who don't care to see some of his movies bashing America and all it stands for.
One of Stone's biggest beefs is that both major political parties sanction wars and more wars.
Although he didn't finish his thought, the Oscar-winning movie director essentially called for America's demise: "Empires fall. Let's pray that this empire, these evil things … because we are the evil empire. What Reagan said about Russia is true about us."
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
It is not a news flash that Oliver Stone is not a fan of America. But to call America "the evil empire" is a new one. I agree with Reagan, not Stone.
In the 20th century alone, the Communists killed some 100 million (some say as high as 130 million) human beings, many of them their own people.
In every country where they've seized power, these atheistic regimes have declared war on the church of Jesus Christ. Lenin ordered 70,000 churches to be destroyed. He wrote in his famous essay "Socialism and Religion": "We must combat religion – this is the ABC of all materialism and consequently Marxism."
In 1925, the Soviets founded the League of Militant Godless (LMG) to eradicate all religion; by 1941 it disbanded in failure. Despite all the crushing, brutal attacks, they could not eradicate Christianity.
Ukraine is constantly in the news because of the impeachment trial winding down in the U.S. Senate as of this writing. Many people seem to forget that Stalin forced starvation on millions (3.5 to 8 million) of Ukrainians in the 1930s, to force them into communism. We don't know ultimately how many Ukrainians he killed, even though he boasted to having killed 10 million of them, because he had the census workers shot.
The Communists killed Christians in Russia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Cuba and every other place where they have ascended to power. In some cases (though not all) the church has survived these attacks and is the stronger for the persecution.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the great intellectual and Nobel-prize winning Russian author, said in his book "The Mortal Danger" (1980): "It is no accident that the Soviet Union has made no effort more concentrated and ferocious in 60 years than its attempt to eradicate Christianity, and yet they have proved incapable of destroying it."
No wonder Reagan called the Soviet Union, "the evil empire."
Meanwhile, virtually every time America has gone to war, it was either to fight for her own freedom or to win freedom for others. Even the Vietnam War, in which Oliver Stone served his country, was geared toward helping the southern portion of that country not fall into the Communists' hands – which did happen after we pulled out. And millions were killed consequently.
Ironically, the kind of atheistic politics extolled by the Communists Stone apparently admires are leading us down a dark road – though I doubt it's the one Stone has in mind. It's a road of turning our back on God.
Solzhenitsyn spent about a decade in the Soviet gulag (sentenced for an oblique criticism of Stalin, not even by name). Years later, on June 8, 1978, he delivered the graduating speech at Harvard.
He was booed for saying that all our problems (including communism) get back to forgetting God and that we must turn back to Him. Christian author and pastor Dr. Erwin Lutzer says that Solzhenitsyn confided in a friend that that negative response at Harvard "hurt him more deeply than his suffering in the Russian gulag."
Lutzer comments on the incident, "He understood more clearly than our self-styled intellectuals that when God is irrelevant anything is permissible."
To whatever extent America has gone to the dark side, it is because we have driven God out of the public square. As a society, we are reaping the consequences of that.
In his Farewell Address (1796), George Washington declared, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens."
America is far from perfect, and we do need to get back to God. But at this point, we are far from being "the evil empire."


wnd--2020-02-05--Dems' Iowa disaster bolsters Trump mythology

Could things have started any worse for the Democrats after their virtual face plant in Iowa ?
And could they have started any better for President Trump ?
As Damon Linker noted at The Week , `` Whatever the eventual outcome of the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses – and whether or not anyone in our conspiracy-addled country believes in the veracity of the officially certified result – there is one clear winner of the vote , and that is President Donald Trump . ''
On every level , this was a disaster for the Democrats and a victory for Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and further enhancing the Trump mythology .
A selection of headlines on Real Clear Politics says it all : TRENDING : Biden snaps as 'Today ' show host confronts him on Hunter Biden Flopped in Iowa .
So Did the Dems ' Reputation , Nathan Robinson , The Guardian Mess in Iowa Only the Beginning for 2020 Dems John Podhoretz , New York Post Welcome to the New Hampshire Primary , James Pindell , Boston Globe It 's almost as if the Democrats reaped what they have been sowing for the last three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In other words , after beating the drums of Trump 's alleged illegitimate victory since late 2016 – he lost in the overall vote to Hillary ; he colluded with Russia ; he asked Ukraine to help him stop Biden – their very first primary is deeply tainted .
And with fears already that there was a conspiracy to stop Bernie Sanders , will the general public take these results with total seriousness ?
Last night , as the fiasco was unfolding , I did a poll on Twitter , asking : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and partly serious , but here goes anyway .
What do you think is causing the long delays in releasing the results of the Democratic caucus in Iowa ? ''
The four choices were : Russian hacking ( this has received 6.6 % of the vote , as of this writing ) ; Chinese hacking ( 0.9 % ) ; Tech or human error ( 23.5 % ) ; Trying to stop Sanders ( 69 % ) .
Is this in any way indicative of the thinking of the populace at large ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gate , there is now suspicion and distrust in the system .
The `` system '' failed badly , and Trump can hardly be blamed for this .
Not only so , but as Linker pointed out , if the Democrats ca n't run a simple caucus , how are they going to run an ever-expanding government ?
`` The sad fact , '' he wrote , `` is that Monday night was stunning display of rank incompetence .
'You mean this is who you want to put in charge of taking over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sea ? '
'' Trump 's team jumped on this as well , with Brad Parscale , Trump 2020 campaign manager , stating , `` Democrats are stewing in a caucus mess of their own creation with the sloppiest train wreck in history , '' he said .
`` It would be natural for people to doubt the fairness of the process .
And these are the people who want to run our entire health care system ? ''
The graphics last night were also very telling , posted on numerous websites awaiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the blue side , there was a long list of candidates , all showing 0 % of the vote .
On the other side , the red side , was the name of Donald Trump , crushing the few Republican candidates who also ran .
What it said was this : A bunch of Democrats were still at the starting gate , fighting and tussling for space , while Trump had already lapped the field .
As The Guardian noted , `` With no results , political number crunchers on cable news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ columns of 0 % .
Candidates who had been expecting to make victory speeches , or consoling speeches , were left in limbo . ''
And this , in turn , plays into the Trump mythology .
He is always in your head .
He can not be defeated .
He has been raised up by God Himself .
He creates chaos and then thrives in it .
And so , last week , at a rally in Des Moines , Iowa , Trump told the crowd , `` They want to nullify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overthrow the entire system of government .
That 's not happening . ''
He was speaking , of course , of the attempt to remove him from office , thereby nullifying the results of the 2016 election and eliminating him from the 2020 race .
But his words almost seem prophetic now , as if he were pointing to the Democrats ' mishandling of the Iowa caucus .
For the moment – and it is a very big moment – Donald Trump has been left with the last word .
As he tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unmitigated disaster .
Nothing works , just like they ran the Country .
Remember the 5 Billion Dollar Obamacare Website , that should have cost 2 % of that .
The only person that can claim a very big victory in Iowa last night is 'Trump . '
'' Could this be a sign of things to come ?

Could things have started any worse for the Democrats after their virtual face plant in Iowa? And could they have started any better for President Trump? As Damon Linker noted at The Week, "Whatever the eventual outcome of the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses – and whether or not anyone in our conspiracy-addled country believes in the veracity of the officially certified result – there is one clear winner of the vote, and that is President Donald Trump."
On every level, this was a disaster for the Democrats and a victory for Trump, playing into our worst conspiratorial nightmares and further enhancing the Trump mythology.
A selection of headlines on Real Clear Politics says it all:
'Total Meltdown': Democrats Bungle Iowa Caucus Results, Korecki, et al, Politico
Bernie's Internal Results: Sanders 1st, Biden a Distant 4th, Ryan Grim, The Intercept
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Biden Flopped in Iowa. So Did the Dems' Reputation, Nathan Robinson, The Guardian
Last Night's Big Winner? Donald J. Trump, Damon Linker, The Week
The Iowa Caucuses Just Died Forever, Zachary Wolf, CNN
Mess in Iowa Only the Beginning for 2020 Dems John Podhoretz, New York Post
Welcome to the New Hampshire Primary, James Pindell, Boston Globe
Pulling the Plug on Democrats' Life Support, Conrad Black, American Greatness
It's almost as if the Democrats reaped what they have been sowing for the last three years, right out of the gate.
In other words, after beating the drums of Trump's alleged illegitimate victory since late 2016 – he lost in the overall vote to Hillary; he colluded with Russia; he asked Ukraine to help him stop Biden – their very first primary is deeply tainted. And with fears already that there was a conspiracy to stop Bernie Sanders, will the general public take these results with total seriousness?
Last night, as the fiasco was unfolding, I did a poll on Twitter, asking: "Well, this is partly half-hearted and partly serious, but here goes anyway. What do you think is causing the long delays in releasing the results of the Democratic caucus in Iowa?"
The four choices were: Russian hacking (this has received 6.6% of the vote, as of this writing); Chinese hacking (0.9%); Tech or human error (23.5%); Trying to stop Sanders (69%).
Is this in any way indicative of the thinking of the populace at large? Either way, right out of the gate, there is now suspicion and distrust in the system. The "system" failed badly, and Trump can hardly be blamed for this.
Not only so, but as Linker pointed out, if the Democrats can't run a simple caucus, how are they going to run an ever-expanding government? "The sad fact," he wrote, "is that Monday night was stunning display of rank incompetence. 'You mean this is who you want to put in charge of taking over health care delivery from sea to shining sea?'"
Trump's team jumped on this as well, with Brad Parscale, Trump 2020 campaign manager, stating, "Democrats are stewing in a caucus mess of their own creation with the sloppiest train wreck in history," he said. "It would be natural for people to doubt the fairness of the process. And these are the people who want to run our entire health care system?"
The graphics last night were also very telling, posted on numerous websites awaiting the results. On the one side, the blue side, there was a long list of candidates, all showing 0% of the vote. On the other side, the red side, was the name of Donald Trump, crushing the few Republican candidates who also ran.
What it said was this: A bunch of Democrats were still at the starting gate, fighting and tussling for space, while Trump had already lapped the field.
As The Guardian noted, "With no results, political number crunchers on cable news stared in horror at blank maps and columns of 0%. Candidates who had been expecting to make victory speeches, or consoling speeches, were left in limbo."
And this, in turn, plays into the Trump mythology.
He is always in your head.
He cannot be defeated.
He's playing 4-D chess.
He has been raised up by God Himself.
He creates chaos and then thrives in it.
And so, last week, at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Trump told the crowd, "They want to nullify your ballots, poison our democracy and overthrow the entire system of government. That's not happening."
He was speaking, of course, of the attempt to remove him from office, thereby nullifying the results of the 2016 election and eliminating him from the 2020 race. But his words almost seem prophetic now, as if he were pointing to the Democrats' mishandling of the Iowa caucus.
For the moment – and it is a very big moment – Donald Trump has been left with the last word. As he tweeted, "The Democrat Caucus is an unmitigated disaster. Nothing works, just like they ran the Country. Remember the 5 Billion Dollar Obamacare Website, that should have cost 2% of that. The only person that can claim a very big victory in Iowa last night is 'Trump.'"
Could this be a sign of things to come?


wnd--2020-02-05--It doesn't matter which Democrat wins

It doesn't matter which Democrat wins

There is poetic justice in the chaos we 've witnessed in Iowa .
First , the Des Moines Register pulled its definitive poll , to which everyone turns as the final word before the caucuses , because of `` irregularities . ''
Then results of the caucuses themselves were hung out to dry because of `` inconsistencies . ''
No one ever said that making political sausage is pretty .
It is for this very reason that we should want to minimize the extent to which political sausage-making impacts our lives .
But if those who are running for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , we can only expect more and more of it .
TRENDING : Biden snaps as 'Today ' show host confronts him on Hunter We too often make the mistake of thinking that democracy and freedom are the same thing .
This is a big mistake .
Democracy is about the process by which we elect government .
Freedom is about how big that government is and how much of our lives it controls .
Democrats will talk to us forever about the former but could care less about the latter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to how they claim they 're going to make our lives better by increasing government/political power over every decision we make .
More government power over health care , education , housing and business .
More power in the hands of politicians in general to determine what is fair and not fair .
In the end , private citizens will cower in the corner waiting for marching orders about what they 're allowed to do .
History tells us , as did the founders of our country , that the path to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's why they wrote in our Declaration of Independence that our freedom comes from God .
Government 's job , they wrote , is to protect it .
Those who think the main issue facing us is how we elect politicians , rather than the power that we give to politicians , need to look at what has happened in Iowa .
What divides America today are those who aspire to American ideals of individual freedom and those who want to crush it and turn our lives over to a governing political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last half-century has been about the growth in political power .
In 1970 , 35 % of the federal budget consisted of so-called transfer payments , that is , government taking money from taxpayers and recycling to others by way of government programs .
Today it 's 70 % .
And with all the talk about democracy , it 's done in a most undemocratic way .
Instead of raising taxes so voters know what 's happening , the government just borrows the money .
It 's like turning your credit card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got a federal government debt load the size of our whole economy .
Scholars from Stanford University 's Hoover Institution estimated recently that the national debt will soon amount to a quarter million dollars per every American family of four .
Unfortunately , after the civil rights movement , African Americans largely bought the lie that government would make their lives freer and fairer .
Government took over large portions of their lives – housing , education , health care , welfare .
The main thing that happened by turning government into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that free us were pushed aside .
Black marriage and families were decimated .
And today , black poverty , and the gap between black household income and wealth and the national averages , are not much different from half a century ago .
It 's why I called one of my books `` Uncle Sam 's Plantation . ''
The truth is it does n't matter which Democrat wins in Iowa or elsewhere .
They all have the same misguided answers for America .
Follow me onto the government plantation .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human success , is people free in body and spirit , taking responsibility for their lives .
All of American history is about fighting for freedom .
This is what the 2020 election is about .

There is poetic justice in the chaos we've witnessed in Iowa.
First, the Des Moines Register pulled its definitive poll, to which everyone turns as the final word before the caucuses, because of "irregularities."
Then results of the caucuses themselves were hung out to dry because of "inconsistencies."
No one ever said that making political sausage is pretty.
It is for this very reason that we should want to minimize the extent to which political sausage-making impacts our lives. But if those who are running for the presidency in the Democratic Party get their way, we can only expect more and more of it.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
We too often make the mistake of thinking that democracy and freedom are the same thing. This is a big mistake.
Democracy is about the process by which we elect government. Freedom is about how big that government is and how much of our lives it controls.
Democrats will talk to us forever about the former but could care less about the latter.
The rhetoric from all these Democrats boils down to how they claim they're going to make our lives better by increasing government/political power over every decision we make.
More government power over health care, education, housing and business. More power in the hands of politicians in general to determine what is fair and not fair.
In the end, private citizens will cower in the corner waiting for marching orders about what they're allowed to do.
History tells us, as did the founders of our country, that the path to corruption is giving politicians more power.
It's why they wrote in our Declaration of Independence that our freedom comes from God. Government's job, they wrote, is to protect it.
Those who think the main issue facing us is how we elect politicians, rather than the power that we give to politicians, need to look at what has happened in Iowa.
What divides America today are those who aspire to American ideals of individual freedom and those who want to crush it and turn our lives over to a governing political class.
The growth in government over the last half-century has been about the growth in political power. In 1970, 35% of the federal budget consisted of so-called transfer payments, that is, government taking money from taxpayers and recycling to others by way of government programs. Today it's 70%.
And with all the talk about democracy, it's done in a most undemocratic way. Instead of raising taxes so voters know what's happening, the government just borrows the money. It's like turning your credit card over to your neighbor.
Now we've got a federal government debt load the size of our whole economy. Scholars from Stanford University's Hoover Institution estimated recently that the national debt will soon amount to a quarter million dollars per every American family of four.
Unfortunately, after the civil rights movement, African Americans largely bought the lie that government would make their lives freer and fairer.
Government took over large portions of their lives – housing, education, health care, welfare. The main thing that happened by turning government into a deity is that the real values that free us were pushed aside. Black marriage and families were decimated.
And today, black poverty, and the gap between black household income and wealth and the national averages, are not much different from half a century ago.
It's why I called one of my books "Uncle Sam's Plantation."
The truth is it doesn't matter which Democrat wins in Iowa or elsewhere. They all have the same misguided answers for America. Follow me onto the government plantation.
The secret of American success, of all human success, is people free in body and spirit, taking responsibility for their lives.
All of American history is about fighting for freedom. This is what the 2020 election is about.


wnd--2020-02-05--Benefits of the Democrats' impeachment debacle

There are many silver linings in the crashing of the Democrats ' unsuccessful attempt to impeach and remove President Trump .
His approval rating surpasses Obama 's corresponding rating at this time , with Trump attaining a 49 % approval rating in the latest Gallup poll .
The impeachment failure has a long-term benefit too .
Impeachment should never again be a viable option for one political party merely to retaliate against the president of another political party .
The lack of bipartisan support in the House for the impeachment of Trump set off alarm bells Democrats failed to heed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president can be impeached and removed without significant support by members of his own political party , which the impeachment of Trump never had .
Instead , Democratic leaders with delusions of grandeur thought they could make this another Watergate , when President Nixon was forced to resign amid threats of impeachment .
Our society no longer takes as gospel truth the liberal television news and other media the way we did in the early 1970s .
Public approval of Congress has been abysmal in recent years , but it was not much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has dramatically changed between then and now is the lack of public confidence in the media , which spins the news during an impeachment proceeding .
TRENDING : Biden snaps as 'Today ' show host confronts him on Hunter Public confidence that the media will report `` the news fully , accurately , and fairly '' dropped to 41 % last September , prior to impeachment , and only 15 % among Republicans , according to the nonpartisan Gallup .
Two decades ago , a whopping 55 % of Americans had confidence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the media that drove President Nixon from office , using congressional Watergate hearings as fodder for accomplishing that goal .
Democrats were hoping for a repeat this time , but the liberal media 's high level of influence is gone now , thanks in large part to Trump himself .
The Brett Kavanaugh hearings generated far more public interest and protests than the impeachment of President Trump did .
Missing from impeachment were confrontations by protesters with senators in the elevator , like the one with then-Sen. Jeff Flake , which caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
Is the confirmation of one new justice for the nine-member U.S. Supreme Court really more important than an impeachment and attempted removal of the president of the United States ?
Many apparently think so , perhaps because the Supreme Court has wielded so much power over domestic issues like abortion , border security , LGBTQ and the Second Amendment .
The lack of interest in the impeachment of a president may be due to how there was never any chance of it making any difference .
Without bipartisan support there could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate to remove a president from office , and thus the impeachment is merely an exercise in futility .
Most working Americans have no interest in a parade of legal eggheads pontificating about whether an action by a president is an `` impeachable offense . ''
If anything , the tiresome rants against President Trump demonstrated how broken Washington , D.C. , is , and another election sweep by President Trump is necessary so he can complete the job he was sent there to do .
Some Republicans are suggesting that what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good for the gander .
Now that Democrats have lowered the standard of an impeachable offense to something as trivial as a delay in sending American taxpayer funds to a corrupt foreign country that had no entitlement to the money , Republicans could easily impeach a Democratic president at the next opportunity .
Sen. Joni Ernst , R-Iowa , up for reelection in Iowa , has already pointed out that a future President Joe Biden could be impeached using the new low standard adopted by Democrats who tried to get Trump .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the favor of routine impeachment in spades , if they wanted to stoop as low as the House Democrats have .
Sen. Ernst 's observation should cause Democrats to think twice before voting to remove President Trump .
While it is unlikely that future Republicans would ever start this kind of impeachment drivel against a Democratic president , if Democrats persist against Trump then it is comforting to know that it could boomerang on them .
The historical significance of this impeachment fiasco is its death as a purely political weapon .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , with television and with protesters .
Never again should an impeachment be based on secret hearings , refusals to charge a crime , or reliance on Deep State bureaucrats with gripes over policy differences .
When a presidential election is less than a year away , the people should be the ones who decide whether to reelect a president , not inside-the-Beltway career politicians who are too biased to be credible .

There are many silver linings in the crashing of the Democrats' unsuccessful attempt to impeach and remove President Trump. His approval rating surpasses Obama's corresponding rating at this time, with Trump attaining a 49% approval rating in the latest Gallup poll.
The impeachment failure has a long-term benefit too. Impeachment should never again be a viable option for one political party merely to retaliate against the president of another political party.
The lack of bipartisan support in the House for the impeachment of Trump set off alarm bells Democrats failed to heed. In our two-party system, no president can be impeached and removed without significant support by members of his own political party, which the impeachment of Trump never had.
Instead, Democratic leaders with delusions of grandeur thought they could make this another Watergate, when President Nixon was forced to resign amid threats of impeachment. Our society no longer takes as gospel truth the liberal television news and other media the way we did in the early 1970s.
Public approval of Congress has been abysmal in recent years, but it was not much higher during the Watergate era. What has dramatically changed between then and now is the lack of public confidence in the media, which spins the news during an impeachment proceeding.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Public confidence that the media will report "the news fully, accurately, and fairly" dropped to 41% last September, prior to impeachment, and only 15% among Republicans, according to the nonpartisan Gallup. Two decades ago, a whopping 55% of Americans had confidence in the fairness of the media.
It was the media that drove President Nixon from office, using congressional Watergate hearings as fodder for accomplishing that goal. Democrats were hoping for a repeat this time, but the liberal media's high level of influence is gone now, thanks in large part to Trump himself.
The Brett Kavanaugh hearings generated far more public interest and protests than the impeachment of President Trump did. Missing from impeachment were confrontations by protesters with senators in the elevator, like the one with then-Sen. Jeff Flake, which caused a one-week delay of the Kavanaugh confirmation vote.
Is the confirmation of one new justice for the nine-member U.S. Supreme Court really more important than an impeachment and attempted removal of the president of the United States? Many apparently think so, perhaps because the Supreme Court has wielded so much power over domestic issues like abortion, border security, LGBTQ and the Second Amendment.
The lack of interest in the impeachment of a president may be due to how there was never any chance of it making any difference. Without bipartisan support there could never be the 67 votes required in the Senate to remove a president from office, and thus the impeachment is merely an exercise in futility.
Most working Americans have no interest in a parade of legal eggheads pontificating about whether an action by a president is an "impeachable offense." If anything, the tiresome rants against President Trump demonstrated how broken Washington, D.C., is, and another election sweep by President Trump is necessary so he can complete the job he was sent there to do.
Some Republicans are suggesting that what is good for the goose will be good for the gander. Now that Democrats have lowered the standard of an impeachable offense to something as trivial as a delay in sending American taxpayer funds to a corrupt foreign country that had no entitlement to the money, Republicans could easily impeach a Democratic president at the next opportunity.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, up for reelection in Iowa, has already pointed out that a future President Joe Biden could be impeached using the new low standard adopted by Democrats who tried to get Trump. A future Republican House and Senate could return the favor of routine impeachment in spades, if they wanted to stoop as low as the House Democrats have.
Sen. Ernst's observation should cause Democrats to think twice before voting to remove President Trump. While it is unlikely that future Republicans would ever start this kind of impeachment drivel against a Democratic president, if Democrats persist against Trump then it is comforting to know that it could boomerang on them.
The historical significance of this impeachment fiasco is its death as a purely political weapon. The impeachment antics have struck out with the public, with television and with protesters.
Never again should an impeachment be based on secret hearings, refusals to charge a crime, or reliance on Deep State bureaucrats with gripes over policy differences. When a presidential election is less than a year away, the people should be the ones who decide whether to reelect a president, not inside-the-Beltway career politicians who are too biased to be credible.


wnd--2020-02-04--Myths and lies about economics

Myths and lies about economics

I have been teaching economics since 1967 – 40 years of it at George Mason University in Fairfax , Virginia .
During that interval , economic reality has not changed .
Just as Galileo 's law about the independent influence of gravity on falling objects has not changed , neither have the fundamental principles of economics .
Economics is fun and simple .
It 's made complicated by some economics professors – fortunately , not by my colleagues at George Mason University .
Let 's apply some simple tools of economics to reveal outright myths , lies and tricks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ goods ?
Let 's go through the steps .
The Canadian government imposes high tariffs on American dairy imports .
That forces Canadians to pay higher prices for dairy products and protects Canada 's dairy producers from American competition .
What should be the U.S. government 's response to Canada 's screwing its citizens ?
If you were in the Trump administration , you might retaliate by imposing stiff tariffs on softwood products built from pine , spruce and fir trees used by U.S. homebuilders .
In other words , the U.S. should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by forcing them to pay higher dairy product prices , by forcing Americans through tariffs to pay higher prices for wood and thereby raising the cost of building homes .
Many politicians , pundits and some economists would have us believe that corporations pay taxes , but do they ?
Economists distinguish between entities who ultimately bear the tax burden and those upon whom tax is initially levied .
Just because a tax is levied on a corporation does n't mean that the corporation bears its burden .
Faced with a tax , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by raising its product prices , lowering dividends or laying off workers .
The lesson here is that only people pay taxes , not legal fictions like corporations .
Corporations are simply tax collectors for the government .
Similarly , no one would fall for a politician telling a homeowner , `` I 'm not going to tax you ; I 'm going to tax your property . ''
I guarantee that it will be a person , not the property , writing out the check to the taxing authority .
Again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question : Are natural or man-made disasters good for the economy ?
Dr. Larry Summers , top economic adviser to President Obama , said about the Kobe , Japan , earthquake : `` ( The disaster ) may lead to some temporary increments ironically to GDP as a process of rebuilding takes place .
In the wake of the earlier Kobe earthquake Japan actually gained some economic strength . ''
After devastating Floridian hurricanes , it 's not uncommon to read newspaper headlines such as `` Storms create lucrative times , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outweigh costs , '' or `` It 's a perverse thing … there 's real pain , but from an economic point of view , it is a plus . ''
Then there 's Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman who wrote in his New York Times column `` After the Horror , '' after the 9/11 attack , `` Ghastly as it may seem to say this , the terror attack – like the original day of infamy , which brought an end to the Great Depression – could do some economic good .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuilding the destruction would stimulate the economy through business investment and job creation .
One would never hear my colleagues in George Mason University 's economics department spouting such insanities .
Just ask yourself whether the Japanese economy would have faced even greater opportunities for economic growth had the earthquake also struck Tokyo , Hiroshima , Yokohama and other major cities ?
Would the 9/11 terrorists have made a greater contribution to our economy had they also destroyed lives and buildings in Chicago , St. Louis , Los Angeles and Atlanta ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is sheer lunacy .
TRENDING : Biden snaps as 'Today ' show host confronts him on Hunter French economist Frederic Bastiat ( 1801-1850 ) explained it in his pamphlet `` What is Seen and What is Not Seen . ''
He said , `` There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one : the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect ; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen . ''
That 's why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economists .

I have been teaching economics since 1967 – 40 years of it at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. During that interval, economic reality has not changed. Just as Galileo's law about the independent influence of gravity on falling objects has not changed, neither have the fundamental principles of economics. Economics is fun and simple. It's made complicated by some economics professors – fortunately, not by my colleagues at George Mason University. Let's apply some simple tools of economics to reveal outright myths, lies and tricks.
Who is punished by tariffs on imported goods? Let's go through the steps. The Canadian government imposes high tariffs on American dairy imports. That forces Canadians to pay higher prices for dairy products and protects Canada's dairy producers from American competition. What should be the U.S. government's response to Canada's screwing its citizens? If you were in the Trump administration, you might retaliate by imposing stiff tariffs on softwood products built from pine, spruce and fir trees used by U.S. homebuilders. In other words, the U.S. should retaliate against Canada's harming its citizens by forcing them to pay higher dairy product prices, by forcing Americans through tariffs to pay higher prices for wood and thereby raising the cost of building homes.
Many politicians, pundits and some economists would have us believe that corporations pay taxes, but do they? Economists distinguish between entities who ultimately bear the tax burden and those upon whom tax is initially levied. Just because a tax is levied on a corporation doesn't mean that the corporation bears its burden. Faced with a tax, a corporation can shift the tax burden by raising its product prices, lowering dividends or laying off workers. The lesson here is that only people pay taxes, not legal fictions like corporations. Corporations are simply tax collectors for the government. Similarly, no one would fall for a politician telling a homeowner, "I'm not going to tax you; I'm going to tax your property." I guarantee that it will be a person, not the property, writing out the check to the taxing authority. Again, only people pay taxes.
Here's a question: Are natural or man-made disasters good for the economy? Dr. Larry Summers, top economic adviser to President Obama, said about the Kobe, Japan, earthquake: "(The disaster) may lead to some temporary increments ironically to GDP as a process of rebuilding takes place. In the wake of the earlier Kobe earthquake Japan actually gained some economic strength." After devastating Floridian hurricanes, it's not uncommon to read newspaper headlines such as "Storms create lucrative times," or "Economic growth from hurricanes could outweigh costs," or "It's a perverse thing … there's real pain, but from an economic point of view, it is a plus." Then there's Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman who wrote in his New York Times column "After the Horror," after the 9/11 attack, "Ghastly as it may seem to say this, the terror attack – like the original day of infamy, which brought an end to the Great Depression – could do some economic good." He went on to explain that rebuilding the destruction would stimulate the economy through business investment and job creation.
One would never hear my colleagues in George Mason University's economics department spouting such insanities. Just ask yourself whether the Japanese economy would have faced even greater opportunities for economic growth had the earthquake also struck Tokyo, Hiroshima, Yokohama and other major cities? Would the 9/11 terrorists have made a greater contribution to our economy had they also destroyed lives and buildings in Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Atlanta? The belief that a society benefits from destruction is sheer lunacy.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
French economist Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850) explained it in his pamphlet "What is Seen and What is Not Seen." He said, "There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen." That's why my George Mason University colleagues are good economists.


wnd--2020-02-04--Why the Democrats won't stop Bernie

Why the Democrats won't stop Bernie

There is no doubt that Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , is now the leading Democratic presidential candidate .
That 's not because his ideas are overwhelmingly popular – a majority of Americans approve of capitalism , while less than 1 in 5 like socialism ; few Americans are on board with total nationalization of health care , even if many like the idea of universal health care ; most Americans do not approve of Sanders ' anti-American ideology with regard to foreign policy .
But nobody in the Democratic Party can stop Bernie .
There 's a reason for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the energy of Sanders ' ideology hoping that , eventually , the voters would come to their senses .
Leading candidates have echoed Sanders ' talking points .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren adopted and then abandoned Medicare for All , and former Vice President Joe Biden mirrored Sanders ' Howard Zinn historical perspective .
Those who have attempted to siphon off Sanders ' base and approximate his authenticity have failed dramatically .
Instead , Sanders continues to resonate with the base .
After all , if you 're going to go with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , why water it down with insincerity ?
Sanders brags about the fact that his ideology has never changed .
He 's right .
Back in 1976 , he suggested that he favored `` the public ownership of utilities , banks and major industries . ''
He sounded off for decades on the glories of communist Cuba and the Soviet Union ; he basked in the joys of bread lines , saying : `` In other countries , people do n't line up for food .
The rich get the food , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders trots out campaign surrogates who openly claim that the United States is rooted in genocide and racism , and that the American system must be fundamentally remade .
This is radical stuff .
But radicals have passion .
And politicians of the Democratic Party are unwilling to quell that passion – not when they believe they can capture it and turn it against President Donald Trump .
This is the mirror image of the Republican problem with Trump in 2016 : Trump ran on a platform of bashing the Iraq War and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade , pledging to avoid entitlement program reforms and slamming the door on immigration .
Instead of fighting those elements , Republicans decided to tinge their own campaigns with those attitudes and then assume Trump would collapse under the weight of his own personality flaws .
That never happened .
TRENDING : Biden snaps as 'Today ' show host confronts him on Hunter Democrats seem to be waiting for another collapse that simply is n't coming .
Sanders is n't going anywhere .
His floor is high , and his ceiling remains low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are n't going to dissuade his supporters , who believe – correctly – that inauthenticity provides its own electoral issues .
There was another path .
Some Democrat could have completely and utterly rejected Sanders ' perspective on the world .
Some Democrat could have rejected Sanders ' view that America has been a nefarious force in the world ; some Democrat could have argued that America is n't perfect but that it has always been great ; some Democrat could have talked about the wonders of the free market while arguing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the majority of Democrats count themselves as patriots who do n't despise the free market .
But no Democrat was willing to stand up to the Sanders base .
They were too greedy for its energy and too optimistic that the energy was transferable .
It was n't .
And so the Democratic Party has been captured by an ideology foreign to it – the ideology of Noam Chomsky infused directly into the bloodstream of a party that once touted former President John F. Kennedy .
Partisanship is a hell of a @ @

There is no doubt that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is now the leading Democratic presidential candidate. That's not because his ideas are overwhelmingly popular – a majority of Americans approve of capitalism, while less than 1 in 5 like socialism; few Americans are on board with total nationalization of health care, even if many like the idea of universal health care; most Americans do not approve of Sanders' anti-American ideology with regard to foreign policy.
But nobody in the Democratic Party can stop Bernie.
There's a reason for this: The Democratic Party has fed off the energy of Sanders' ideology hoping that, eventually, the voters would come to their senses. Leading candidates have echoed Sanders' talking points. Sen. Elizabeth Warren adopted and then abandoned Medicare for All, and former Vice President Joe Biden mirrored Sanders' Howard Zinn historical perspective. Those who have attempted to siphon off Sanders' base and approximate his authenticity have failed dramatically.
Instead, Sanders continues to resonate with the base. After all, if you're going to go with an anti-Constitution, anti-free market, intersectionality-based perspective, why water it down with insincerity? Sanders brags about the fact that his ideology has never changed. He's right. Back in 1976, he suggested that he favored "the public ownership of utilities, banks and major industries." He sounded off for decades on the glories of communist Cuba and the Soviet Union; he basked in the joys of bread lines, saying: "In other countries, people don't line up for food. The rich get the food, and the poor starve to death." Sanders trots out campaign surrogates who openly claim that the United States is rooted in genocide and racism, and that the American system must be fundamentally remade.
This is radical stuff. But radicals have passion. And politicians of the Democratic Party are unwilling to quell that passion – not when they believe they can capture it and turn it against President Donald Trump. This is the mirror image of the Republican problem with Trump in 2016: Trump ran on a platform of bashing the Iraq War and America's intelligence agencies, blasting free trade, pledging to avoid entitlement program reforms and slamming the door on immigration. Instead of fighting those elements, Republicans decided to tinge their own campaigns with those attitudes and then assume Trump would collapse under the weight of his own personality flaws. That never happened.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
Democrats seem to be waiting for another collapse that simply isn't coming. Sanders isn't going anywhere. His floor is high, and his ceiling remains low – just like Trump. Electability problems aren't going to dissuade his supporters, who believe – correctly – that inauthenticity provides its own electoral issues.
There was another path. Some Democrat could have completely and utterly rejected Sanders' perspective on the world. Some Democrat could have rejected Sanders' view that America has been a nefarious force in the world; some Democrat could have argued that America isn't perfect but that it has always been great; some Democrat could have talked about the wonders of the free market while arguing for greater strictures on it. After all, the majority of Democrats count themselves as patriots who don't despise the free market.
But no Democrat was willing to stand up to the Sanders base. They were too greedy for its energy and too optimistic that the energy was transferable. It wasn't. And so the Democratic Party has been captured by an ideology foreign to it – the ideology of Noam Chomsky infused directly into the bloodstream of a party that once touted former President John F. Kennedy. Partisanship is a hell of a drug.


wnd--2020-02-04--There are too many laws! And most of them are bad

A law in South Carolina bans playing pinball if you 're under 18 .
That 's just one of America 's many ridiculous laws restricting freedom .
`` There is a role for the government in keeping people safe from actual criminals , people who commit murder , robbery , '' says Rafael Mangual , a `` tough-on-crime '' guy at the Manhattan Institute .
`` But a lot of laws do n't keep people safe , '' he says .
`` There 's a federal prohibition on walking a dog on a leash longer than six feet on federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Three-hundred thousand federal criminal offenses are on the books .
`` It 's way too big , '' says Mangual .
`` Part of that is because we do n't take any old or outmoded laws off the books . ''
In Michigan , prosecutors filed criminal charges against a 10-year-old who , during a dodgeball game , threw a ball at another kid 's face .
TRENDING : Biden snaps as 'Today ' show host confronts him on Hunter '' Anyone can be prosecuted for almost anything , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the phone about why you did n't come in .
That could constitute wire fraud . ''
Today 's laws punish activities unlikely to be performed with criminal intent .
`` Taking a rake from New York into New Jersey , that 's actually a federal crime , '' warns Mangual .
`` If you 've ever had a rake in the back of your pickup truck and crossed state lines , you probably committed a federal crime . ''
In my new video , I push back at Mangual , pointing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things like that .
`` That does n't mean that it 's not a problem , '' he responds .
`` Legal compliance is not free .
It takes time , money , effort .
It violates fundamental norms about fairness . ''
One woman was prosecuted for sheltering animals during a hurricane .
`` My goal was to make sure that they were not out there drowning , '' she said .
But North Carolina prosecutors filed criminal charges against her for practicing veterinary medicine without a license .
In Kentucky , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who could n't afford eye doctors .
Then state officials told him that was a crime .
What causes this excess ?
I was taught that the Constitution created checks and balances that make it difficult for any bill to become a law .
`` Everyone has this idea from 'Schoolhouse Rock , ' '' says Mangual , `` that a law gets made in a particular way , ( but ) that 's not how it works in practice .
At the federal level , 98 % of criminal laws are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created by unelected bureaucrats who do n't have to answer to anyone . ''
Established businesses manipulate those bureaucrats into passing rules that squash new competition .
`` They can afford the lobbyists .
They can afford to comply with the crazy webs of regulations , '' explains Mangual .
`` If you 've got an established cookie business , you do n't want a grandma from down the street who has a better recipe cutting into your business .
… You go to the legislature and ask them to pass arduous rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you that need in order to qualify to participate in this business . ''
One woman was prosecuted in a sting operation for selling ceviche on Facebook .
In Denver , a bartender mixed vodka with things like pickles and bacon and then put the mix back in the bottle .
Some customers liked that .
But authorities jailed the bartender for `` infusing vodka . ''
I wish I could jail that prosecutor .
Mangual warns : `` People commit crimes all the time without knowing it .
It 's impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal . ''
Law should stick to punishing assault , theft and fraud .
Otherwise , leave us all alone .
A recent Manhattan Institute report makes suggestions for getting closer to that ideal .
The absence of criminal intent should be taken more seriously by legislators .
With hundreds of thousands of criminal offenses on the books , the old adage that `` ignorance of the law is no excuse '' no longer makes sense .
Lawmakers should also consider listing crimes in one place instead of sprinkling them throughout the statutory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to read .
And government should regularly repeal laws we no longer need .

A law in South Carolina bans playing pinball if you're under 18. That's just one of America's many ridiculous laws restricting freedom.
"There is a role for the government in keeping people safe from actual criminals, people who commit murder, robbery," says Rafael Mangual, a "tough-on-crime" guy at the Manhattan Institute.
"But a lot of laws don't keep people safe," he says. "There's a federal prohibition on walking a dog on a leash longer than six feet on federal property. It is a jailable offense."
Three-hundred thousand federal criminal offenses are on the books. "It's way too big," says Mangual. "Part of that is because we don't take any old or outmoded laws off the books."
In Michigan, prosecutors filed criminal charges against a 10-year-old who, during a dodgeball game, threw a ball at another kid's face.
TRENDING: Is this the 'Final Battle'?
"Anyone can be prosecuted for almost anything," says Mangual. "Lying to your boss over the phone about why you didn't come in. That could constitute wire fraud."
Today's laws punish activities unlikely to be performed with criminal intent.
"Taking a rake from New York into New Jersey, that's actually a federal crime," warns Mangual. "If you've ever had a rake in the back of your pickup truck and crossed state lines, you probably committed a federal crime."
In my new video, I push back at Mangual, pointing out that nobody goes to jail for things like that.
"That doesn't mean that it's not a problem," he responds. "Legal compliance is not free. It takes time, money, effort. It violates fundamental norms about fairness."
One woman was prosecuted for sheltering animals during a hurricane. "My goal was to make sure that they were not out there drowning," she said. But North Carolina prosecutors filed criminal charges against her for practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
In Kentucky, Holland Kendall gave eyeglasses to needy people who couldn't afford eye doctors. Then state officials told him that was a crime.
What causes this excess? I was taught that the Constitution created checks and balances that make it difficult for any bill to become a law.
"Everyone has this idea from 'Schoolhouse Rock,'" says Mangual, "that a law gets made in a particular way, (but) that's not how it works in practice. At the federal level, 98% of criminal laws are not passed by elected representatives. They are created by unelected bureaucrats who don't have to answer to anyone."
Established businesses manipulate those bureaucrats into passing rules that squash new competition.
"They can afford the lobbyists. They can afford to comply with the crazy webs of regulations," explains Mangual. "If you've got an established cookie business, you don't want a grandma from down the street who has a better recipe cutting into your business. … You go to the legislature and ask them to pass arduous rules about an industrial kitchen and expensive equipment that you that need in order to qualify to participate in this business."
One woman was prosecuted in a sting operation for selling ceviche on Facebook.
In Denver, a bartender mixed vodka with things like pickles and bacon and then put the mix back in the bottle. Some customers liked that. But authorities jailed the bartender for "infusing vodka."
I wish I could jail that prosecutor.
Mangual warns: "People commit crimes all the time without knowing it. It's impossible to know what sort of behavior is criminal."
Law should stick to punishing assault, theft and fraud. Otherwise, leave us all alone.
A recent Manhattan Institute report makes suggestions for getting closer to that ideal.
The absence of criminal intent should be taken more seriously by legislators. With hundreds of thousands of criminal offenses on the books, the old adage that "ignorance of the law is no excuse" no longer makes sense.
Lawmakers should also consider listing crimes in one place instead of sprinkling them throughout the statutory codes, which would take a lifetime to read.
And government should regularly repeal laws we no longer need.


wnd--2020-02-04--Always groggy? Waking up to melodic alarm better for alertness than beeps, bells

( STUDY FINDS ) -- MELBOURNE , Australia — If you ’ re looking for some extra pep in your @ @ @ @ @ new study finds it may be as simple as waking up to some music .
@ @ @ @ @ Institute of Technology ( RMIT ) in Australia say that waking up to a more @ @ @ @ @ improves alertness , while harsh alarm tones cause more grogginess .
While most of us @ @ @ @ @ alertness in the morning , these findings are especially important for emergency medical technicians , @ @ @ @ @ else required to wake up at peak alertness at unusual times .
According to RMIT @ @ @ @ @ Stuart McFarlane , grogginess , or what he and his research team call sleep inertia @ @ @ @ @ for many who feel they have to be “ always on .
”

(STUDY FINDS) -- MELBOURNE, Australia — If you’re looking for some extra pep in your step each morning, a new study finds it may be as simple as waking up to some music. Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia say that waking up to a more melodic alarm in the morning improves alertness, while harsh alarm tones cause more grogginess.
While most of us can probably appreciate some extra alertness in the morning, these findings are especially important for emergency medical technicians, first responders, or anyone else required to wake up at peak alertness at unusual times.
According to RMIT doctoral researcher and lead author Stuart McFarlane, grogginess, or what he and his research team call sleep inertia, is a serious problem for many who feel they have to be “always on.”
Read the full story ›


wnd--2020-02-04--Born kind? Babies don't hesitate to share food and help others

( STUDY FINDS ) -- SEATTLE — Human nature is complicated , no doubt , but most of us would @ @ @ @ @ that people are fundamentally good .
If you ’ re a big believer in humanity @ @ @ @ @ a new study is backing up your beliefs in a major way .
It appears @ @ @ @ @ altruistic .
Researchers studied nearly 100 19-month old infants , and discovered that the babies @ @ @ @ @ food with researchers , even when they themselves were undoubtedly hungry .
The study ’ @ @ @ @ @ of researchers from the University of Washington ’ s Learning & Brain Sciences division ( @ @ @ @ @ findings effectively prove that altruistic behavior begins in infancy .
Furthermore , they believe their @ @ @ @ @ early in one ’ s life can shape their behavior towards others later on in @ @ @ @

(STUDY FINDS) -- SEATTLE — Human nature is complicated, no doubt, but most of us would at least like to think that people are fundamentally good. If you’re a big believer in humanity’s best qualities, a new study is backing up your beliefs in a major way. It appears that babies may be instinctively altruistic.
Researchers studied nearly 100 19-month old infants, and discovered that the babies were quick to share their food with researchers, even when they themselves were undoubtedly hungry.
The study’s authors, a group of researchers from the University of Washington’s Learning & Brain Sciences division (I-LABS), say their findings effectively prove that altruistic behavior begins in infancy. Furthermore, they believe their work suggests social experiences very early in one’s life can shape their behavior towards others later on in adolescence and adulthood.
Read the full story ›


Bernie's jobs program

When NBC reporter refuses to be quiet , GOP impeachment hero Elise Stefanik steps in and crushes her

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