Many of us cannot reach the mission fields on our feet, but we can reach them on our knees. —T.J. Bach
Apr. 14, 2015
BLOOMBERG
Chris Christie is promoting his tell-it-like-it-is style of governing with town-hall meetings in New Hampshire before a possible White House run. Back home, attendees of such forums haven’t heard the whole story of the pension mess throwing New Jersey’s budget into disarray.
Wells Fargo & Co., the most valuable U.S. bank, said low interest rates pushed first-quarter lending margins below 3 percent for the first time since the 1990s.
The strengthening dollar is boosting growth in the euro area and Japan while taking some steam out of the U.S. recovery, the IMF said in its latest forecast.
JPMorgan Chase, the biggest U.S. bank, said profit climbed 12 percent, beating analysts’ estimates, as first-quarter revenue from trading stocks and bonds increased for the first time since 2010.
Young companies staked by big backers are challenging fossil fuels with new ways to hold sun and wind power in the $50 billion energy storage market.
Wholesale prices in the U.S. climbed in March for the first time in five months, reflecting higher costs for fuels and motor vehicles.
U.S. spending on prescription drugs saw the largest increase since 2001, with the nation’s pharmacy bill rising to $373.9 billion last year as new treatments came to market and manufacturers increased prices on old ones.
Sales at U.S. retailers rose less than forecast in March after being depressed by harsh winter weather, signaling consumers are intent on not overextending themselves.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, he’s willing to take an economic hit to expand his political influence. He’s taking the same approach with Iran. Lifting sanctions and allowing Iranian oil onto global markets would threaten to deepen the plunge in crude prices, curbing revenue from Russia’s biggest export. The cost: about $27 billion, based on estimates from the central bank in Moscow.
Here’s one way of measuring how troubled Europe’s economy is: Investors are betting Mario Draghi will complete his eight-year term as head of the European Central Bank in 2019 without ever raising interest rates. Money-market derivatives indicate the ECB won’t increase its key rate from 0.05 percent until December 2019 — two months after Draghi’s tenure is scheduled to end
The Syrian government used toxic chemicals in attacks on the northwestern city of Idlib during fighting with Islamist rebels in March, Human Rights Watch said, urging the United Nations Security Council to take action.
AP Top Stories
Nigeria’s president-elect Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday cautioned he could not make promises on the return of 219 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, as the country marked the first anniversary of their abduction. Since the start of last year they had seen at least 2,000 women taken by the militants.
Iran proposed a peace plan for Yemen on Tuesday and called for an end to Saudi-led air strikes against Houthi rebels allied to Tehran, but the move was likely to draw a cool response from Riyadh.
The 82nd Airborne Division launches large-scale military exercises with U.K. Paratroopers and U.S. Marines at Fort Bragg.
A Washington state school district pulled 143 students who lacked documentation proving they had received required immunizations from classrooms, in a first-in-the-state clamp-down triggered by a recent measles epidemic.
The shale oil boom that pushed U.S. crude production to the highest level in four decades is grinding to a halt. Output from the prolific tight-rock formations such as North Dakota’s Bakken shale will decline 57,000 barrels a day in May.
BBC
Islamic State (IS) has lost more than a quarter of its territory in Iraq since the US-led coalition air campaign began in August, a Pentagon spokesman says.
Iraq’s prime minister will seek a greater US contribution to fighting Islamic State (IS) in talks with Obama in Washington.
Al-Shabab militants have attacked a government complex in a busy area of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people.
The Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, has signed into law a bill recognizing civil unions between same-sex couples.
Australia will send another 330 soldiers to Iraq in a training mission set to last two years.
WND
Lesbians4Hillary, co-chaired by pioneering tennis great Billie Jean King, said: ‘Hillary Clinton is a proven leader and she has a strong track record when it comes to inclusion — specifically for women and the LGBTQ community.
Barack Obama – who often has boasted of his world travels and life in Indonesia as a child – understands what America looks like from the outside, and that’s why he’s engaged in nuclear negotiations with Iran. That’s according to Thomas L. Friedman, the internationally known author, reporter and columnist.
Critics of the Obama administration’s diplomatic clash with Israel and tilt toward Iran, resulting in a nuclear “framework agreement” to be finalized by the end of June, have pointed to the influence of top White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, who was born in Iran.
The Daily Caller reported an 18 percent drop in deportations of illegals found to have committed crimes between fiscal 2013 and 2014. Arrests of criminal illegals have fallen off by 35 percent in the past year, too.
Beijing shifts diplomatic focus from US to neighbors
China has shifted the focus of its diplomatic strategy from the United States to its regional neighbors, according to a commentary from the Tokyo-based online international affairs magazine the Diplomat.
Congress finally takes up ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’
Saying he and his constituents are tired of presidents violating the Constitution to achieve their political goals, a Florida congressman is bringing forth legislation to define “high crimes and misdemeanors” and what actions ought to trigger impeachment proceedings against a president.
In Direct Respone to Obama, Netanyahu Outlines Nuclear Deal Alternatives
“Let me reiterate again the two main components of the alternative to this bad deal: First, instead of allowing Iran to preserve and develop its nuclear capabilities, a better deal would significantly roll back these capabilities – for example, by shutting down the illicit underground facilities that Iran concealed for years from the international community,” Netanyahu said.
Defense Department: The Bible, Constitution And Declaration Of Independence All Perpetuate Sexism
According to a Defense Department approved “sexism course,” the Bible, the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence all contribute to modern sexism. Those three cherished texts all count as “historical influences that allow sexism to continue,” according to a presentation prepared by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, whose mission is to give a ”world-class human relations education.”
Kremlin confirms oil-for-goods swap with Iran under way
The Kremlin confirmed on Tuesday that an oil-for-goods barter deal between Russia and Iran was being implemented and said all legal barriers had been removed to Moscow supplying S-300 missile systems to Tehran.
INCREASING CHANCE OF FLARES
More sunspots are emerging over the sun’s eastern limb today. Two new active regions, circled below, are following behemoth sunspot group AR2321 as it turns toward Earth.
Fighting rages in eastern Ukraine despite new weapons pullback deal
Fighting raged overnight and in the early hours on Tuesday on the outskirts of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine despite an agreement reached by the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers a day earlier.
Obama, Iraq’s Abadi to discuss Islamic State fight in White House meeting
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and President Barack Obama will discuss the fight against Islamic State on Tuesday at a White House meeting likely to be dominated by Iraqi requests for U.S. arms and tension over Iran’s role on the battlefield.
Russia opens way to missile deliveries to Iran, starts oil-for-goods swap
Russia paved the way on Monday for missile system deliveries to Iran and started an oil-for-goods swap, signaling that Moscow may have a head-start in the race to benefit from an eventual lifting of sanctions on Tehran. The moves come after world powers, including Russia, reached an interim deal with Iran this month on curbing its nuclear program.
Chile recognises same-sex civil unions
The Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, has signed into law a bill recognising civil unions between same-sex couples. The law – which will come into effect in six months – gives same-sex and unmarried couples many of the rights enjoyed by married couples. Several Latin American countries already recognise civil unions.
Greece denies default accusations
Greece has denied reports it is preparing to default on its loans if it cannot reach agreement on its bailout terms with international creditors. A government spokesman said negotiations were proceeding swiftly towards a solution. Greece negotiated a three-month extension to its €240bn (£176bn; $272bn) bailout at the end of February.
Ukraine crisis: Fighting continues despite new push to enforce truce
Fighting continued overnight between government troops and pro-Russian rebels in east Ukraine, despite renewed diplomatic efforts to enforce a truce. Ukraine said six government soldiers were killed in the past 24 hours and army positions were fired on 26 times near the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. The rebels said one of their fighters was killed during attacks by the army.
Australia to send more troops to Iraq
Australia will send another 330 soldiers to Iraq on Wednesday in a training mission set to last two years. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the troops would be partnered with 100 New Zealand military personnel. The mission’s purpose is to help train the Iraqi army so that it can gain and hold ground against Islamic State (IS) militants, he said.
Settlers to rebuild rogue synagogue repeatedly razed by IDF
Settlers plan to rebuild the unauthorized Hazon David synagogue in the West Bank on the outskirts of Kiryat Arba, which the IDF destroyed in a pre-dawn raid on Tuesday. Settlers first placed a large tent there for prayer service in 2001, in memory of two terror victims David HaCohen, 28, of Beitar Illit and Yehezkel (Hezi) Mualem, 49, of Kiryat Arba. The site was never legalized.
Egyptian TV Personality Calls for Netanyahu to Bomb Iran
Amid the Iranian nuclear talks, Egyptian TV personality Tawfik Okasha, called on “our dear friend” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bomb Iran.
China’s strategy for establishing naval superiority in Asia is not going to make its neighbors happy
China is playing a careful yet potentially dangerous strategic game in its immediate region. On the one hand, Beijing wants to show that it’s arrived as Asia’s dominant superpower, and is putting its neighbors on notice by establishing military footholds in the South China Sea and even the Indian Ocean.
Pentagon: ISIL pushed out of 25% of its territory
Iraqi forces have pushed the Islamic State out of about 25% of the territory seized during the militants’ lightning advance last year, according to a Pentagon assessment released Monday. The area represents 5,000 to 6,500 square miles in northern and central Iraq, the assessment said.
Ex-Blackwater guards sentenced to prison in Baghdad killings
A former Blackwater security guard was sentenced to life in prison and three others got 30-year terms on Monday in the massacre of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2007, closing a case that had outraged Iraqis and inflamed anti-U.S. sentiment around the world.
Pentagon Concerned About North Korean Nukes Mounted on ICBMs
In the wake of a pressure campaign from Beijing, South Korea’s defense ministry on Monday dismissed comments by a U.S. military official who said North Korea is able to mount a nuclear weapon on a missile capable of threatening the U.S. mainland, The Wall Street Journal reported.
A 1,000 Mile Stretch Of The Pacific Ocean Has Heated Up Several Degrees And Scientists Don’t Know Why
According to two University of Washington scientific research papers that were recently released, a 1,000 mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean has warmed up by several degrees, and nobody seems to know why this is happening. This giant “blob” of warm water was first observed in late 2013, and it is playing havoc with our climate. And since this giant “blob” first showed up, fish and other sea creatures have been dying in absolutely massive numbers. So could there be a connection? And what is going to happen if the Pacific Ocean continues to warm up? Could we potentially be facing the greatest holocaust of sea life in the Pacific that anyone has ever observed? If so, what would that mean for the food chain and for our food supply? (Read More…)
The Six Too Big To Fail Banks In The U.S. Have 278 TRILLION Dollars Of Exposure To Derivatives
The very same people that caused the last economic crisis have created a 278 TRILLION dollar derivatives time bomb that could go off at any moment. When this absolutely colossal bubble does implode, we are going to be faced with the worst economic crash in the history of the United States. During the last financial crisis, our politicians promised us that they would make sure that “too big to fail” would never be a problem again. Instead, as you will see below, those banks have actually gotten far larger since then. So now we really can’t afford for them to fail. The six banks that I am talking about are JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. When you add up all of their exposure to derivatives, it comes to a grand total of more than 278 trillion dollars. But when you add up all of the assets of all six banks combined, it only comes to a grand total of about 9.8 trillion dollars. In other words, these “too big to fail” banks have exposure to derivatives that is more than 28 times greater than their total assets. This is complete and utter insanity, and yet nobody seems too alarmed about it. For the moment, those banks are still making lots of money and funding the campaigns of our most prominent politicians. Right now there is no incentive for them to stop their incredibly reckless gambling so they are just going to keep on doing it. (Read More….)
Birthday celebration: Thomas Jefferson!
Daily Digest
April 14, 2015
THE FOUNDATION
“Will it be sufficient to mark, with precision, the boundaries of these departments, in the constitution of the government, and to trust to these parchment barriers against the encroaching spirit of power? … [E]xperience assures us, that the efficacy of the provision has been greatly overrated; and that some more adequate defense is indispensably necessary for the more feeble, against the more powerful, members of the government.” —James Madison, Federalist No. 48, 1788
TOP 5 RIGHT HOOKS
Great. Russia Approves Delivery of Missile Defense to Iran
In a snub to Barack Obama’s precious United Nations and the remaining shreds of security in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the potential delivery of $800 million worth of surface-to-air missiles to Iran. If Iran kicked out the inspectors and ramped up its centrifuges, a robust missile defense system would compound the difficulty the U.S. or Israel would have in knocking Iran’s nuclear facilities offline. In 2007, Russia signed a contract with Iran to provide S-300-class missiles, but Russia decided it wouldn’t deliver after the UN Security Council passed a 2010 resolution that sought to limit the non-proliferation of nuclear arms in the country. It was part of Obama’s “reset” with Russia, according to a fact sheet published at the time. “UNSCR 1929 imposes restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities; its ballistic missile program; and, for the first time, its conventional military,” The White House wrote. “This was a particularly important step for Russia, which has confirmed that it will not deliver S-300 missiles to Iran, in accordance with the new resolution.” Admittedly, it’s a great business move for those with vodka-smashed scruples. If Obama decides to pursue the deal anyway, Russia will be one of the first to profit. More…
More Emails Show Widening Corruption at IRS
The new batch of emails Judicial Watch uncovered surrounding the Exempt Organizations Branch of the IRS isn’t pretty — for the agency or certain members of Congress. In emails, former IRS official Lois Lerner wrote she would get the axe if the matter of conservative nonprofits was ever investigated. In other emails, she warned her colleagues not to give Congress too much information. In February 2012, Lerner wrote to a fellow IRS official, “Our filed folks are not as sensitive as we are to the fact that anything we write can be public — or at least be seen by Congress. We talked with Nan [Downing — Director of EO Examinations] and she thought it would be great if R & A could put together some training points to help them understand the potential pitfalls, as well as how to think about referrals.” In other words, opacity training. Furthermore, the emails revealed the IRS had a quiet meeting with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) about the Exempt Organization Branch, possibly because he and Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) opposed SCOTUS’s just-decided Citizens United ruling and wanted the IRS to take matters into its own hands. The story about IRS impropriety broke, and McCain issued a statement of shock, shock! When the IRS doesn’t follow the law, it follows the agenda of whatever administration is in power. More…
IRS Head Calls This Tax Season a Success
In December, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen was preaching doom and gloom about the 2014 tax-filing season. The agency was going to start enforcing the ObamaCare fine for not buying health insurance. Koskinen said he needed billions more dollars to process tax returns on time. But that’s not what happened. “You could have made a lot of money betting last January, 15 months ago, on that result,” Koskinen said days before the April 15 deadline. “The system has worked flawlessly. It’s gone smoothly. And everyone seems to be comfortable, preparers and taxpayers, in preparing their returns.” All the filers who had to pay extra because either they didn’t bend to the will of the Obama administration or government paid them the wrong subsidies would beg to differ with his rosy view. More…
Who Woulda Thunk? ‘Obola’ Response Was a Midterm Charade
During last year’s Ebola scare, the Obama administration unveiled a so-called strategy to contain the deadly virus in African nations — a strategy that, as Republicans warned it would, proved futile. According to the latest available data from the CDC, the current outbreak took the lives of more than 10,500 victims, and by the time America responded most of the damage had been done. Over the weekend, The New York Times reported, “[A]fter spending hundreds of millions of dollars and deploying nearly 3,000 troops to build Ebola treatment centers, the United States ended up creating facilities that have largely sat empty: Only 28 Ebola patients have been treated at the 11 treatment units built by the United States military, American officials now say. Nine centers have never had a single Ebola patient.” So far, nearly $1.4 billion in taxpayer money has gone toward African Ebola relief — and for what? “The American response, it turns out, was outpaced by the fast-moving and unpredictable disease,” the Times claims. But as Mark Alexander noted in October, “Obama and his fellow Democrats thrive on manufactured crises, and the current endless loop of hyperbolic rhetoric about the ‘Ebola epidemic crisis’ from all corners of the 24-hour news recyclers has diverted voter attention from the real national security crisis — the re-emergent epidemic of terrorism in the Middle East.” Fast forward to today, and there’s nary a peep about Ebola. But at least the midterms are over.
Police Chief Decries America’s ‘Fascination With Handguns’
Over the weekend in Ohio, a three-year-old picked up a handgun and fatally shot a one-year-old boy. In a press conference about that tragic accident, Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams decided it was high time to take down America’s love of guns. “Everybody has to know [that] this fascination with handguns, not just in the city, but in the country, has to stop,” he lectured. “We need to take a long look at what we’re doing on the state, local and national level to keep these guns out of our communities.” As usual, those who hate guns blame the tool and, in this case, the entire pro-Second Amendment population of the U.S. That said, there’s no doubt the one who left an unsecured gun in the reach of a three-year-old was not following good safety practices, and all gun owners should be ever vigilant and diligent when it comes to exercising our rights responsibly.
Don’t Miss Patriot Humor
Check out Hillary’s New Campaign Headquarters.
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RIGHT ANALYSIS
Rubio’s Roots Make Him Ripe for a Run
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Sen. Marco Rubio formally announced his candidacy for president Monday, making him the third Republican to enter the 2016 presidential race. Against the backdrop of Miami’s Freedom Tower, a location symbolic to Cuban refugees fleeing an oppressive regime, Rubio laid down a challenge for America to reclaim its place in the world.
“Before us now is the opportunity to author the greatest chapter yet in the amazing story of America,” Rubio declared. “But we can’t do that by going back to the leaders and ideas of the past.” This was a not too subtle jab at Hillary Clinton, who Rubio later mentioned more directly as the wrong choice for America. “Just yesterday,” he said, “a leader from yesterday began a campaign for president by promising to take us back to yesterday. Yesterday is over, and we are never going back.”
Rubio has outlined some policy proposals in the past that include expanding the Child Tax Credit and giving states more say in their federally funded health care and poverty programs, but it is national security where Rubio seems to be staking his claim for the presidency.
In his four years in the Senate, Rubio has served on the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees. He has sought the advice of foreign policy experts from the administrations of George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. He has spoken often of the importance of Liberty in the world and for America to project its foreign policy decisions from a position of strength. His background as the son of Cuban immigrants — a bartender and a hotel maid who lived the American Dream — is widely considered to be a principal motivator in his concern for freedom.
“I am humbled by the realization that America doesn’t owe me anything,” Rubio said, “but I have a debt to America I must try to repay. This isn’t just the country where I was born; America is the place that changed my family’s history.”
Former Reagan senior diplomat Eliot Abrams said, “The whole question of the expansion of freedom of democracy is of greater interest to [Rubio] as a foreign policy theme than it is for many other people.”
Rubio openly questioned Barack Obama’s overtures to the Castro regime in Cuba, and he was among the first to point out that Obama was giving away the store to the Castros while getting essentially nothing in return. Of the recent gathering at the Summit of the Americas, Rubio wrote in National Review that the appearance of Raul Castro made a mockery of the gathering of leaders of the hemisphere’s democratic nations: “Allowing a brutal dictator to attend undermines the future of democracy in the region. Already we’ve seen more evidence of the summit’s being influenced by Cuba than of Cuba’s being influenced by the summit’s principles supporting democracy.”
Rubio has accomplished much in his young political career, but his road to the White House is a steep climb. His youth and energy are attractive and have given him name recognition, but many people are skeptical of giving the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to another freshman senator (a status shared by the other two announced candidates). Rubio’s age advantage is also blunted by the relative youth of the entire Republican field.
Rubio displays prodigious fundraising talent, but he will be competing against Jeb Bush’s massive operation. Even though Bush has yet to formally announce his candidacy, he has locked up key supporters and established a national fundraising operation that will be tough to beat.
Rubio’s laying it all on the line. Florida law demands he give up his Senate seat in order to run for president. Should he lose, he will have to fight his way back into politics, though a Rubio governorship isn’t out of the question — especially considering that would set him up for a stronger White House run in the future.
Rubio is also an attractive vice presidential candidate. He was on Mitt Romney’s short list in 2012, and we could see him matched up this time around with Scott Walker or Rick Perry. But a Bush win ends Rubio’s VP chances because the Constitution precludes the president and vice president from calling the same state home.
Whatever the outcome, Rubio’s entrance into the race furthers a broader debate with fresh perspectives about the direction of the country. That’s never a bad thing.
Obama’s EPA vs. the States
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Barack Obama must be ecstatic. With all of the media coverage of candidates entering the presidential race and the Leftmedia virtually giving the administration a pass on the bad Iran nuke deal, other important news gets pushed to the back of the list — like Obama’s EPA working to make the price of electricity skyrocket.
Part of Obama’s quest in “fundamentally transforming America” is to combat climate change, which according to this administration is a greater threat to our national security than terrorism, illegal immigration or a nuclear armed Iran. Obama has less than two years left in office, but there is more of his agenda to be completed. And he’s enlisting the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out his goals on energy policy.
The EPA is expected to finalize a new rule this summer that will require states to regulate the “production, distribution and use of electricity” in order to meet carbon-reduction targets. The Wall Street Journal says, “This is an unprecedented federal usurpation of what has been a state responsibility since the invention of the modern steam turbine in the 1880s.”
Under Obama’s Clean Power Plan that he issued last year, the EPA will set carbon-reduction mandates on every state, with the goal of reducing emissions by 30% by 2025. It fulfills Obama’s promises in 2008 that under his plan “energy prices would necessarily skyrocket” as coal plants are shutdown to meet this regulatory burden.
Regulations supposedly beneficial for the environment might seem harmless enough, but there is much more to this mandate that is quite concerning to those who love Liberty.
According to Chris Prandoni of Forbes, in order for states to reach the proposed carbon-reduction mandates, the EPA “told states there are four different tools each state can use to meet these mandates: improve the efficiency of coal plants, force fuel switching from coal to natural gas, bring more renewables online, and reduce consumer electricity consumption.”
We bet the EPA is hoping the last “tool” — to require states to “reduce consumer energy consumption” — is the one most states primarily employ. If implemented, this tool would be pure tyranny. Consider not being able to heat or cool your house to the temperature that you so desire. How about using what the EPA deems too much electricity?
The EPA doesn’t have the legal authority to force states to comply with the proposed Clean Power Plan, but, if states were to submit a State Implementation Plan, it would give the EPA the power to use the “tools” instead of the state. Why? Because if the EPA doesn’t like a State Implementation Plan, then the EPA would have the power to revise it or throw it out entirely. What happens if a state decides it doesn’t want to submit a State Implementation Plan? Then the EPA gets to issue a Federal Implementation Plan, therefore giving the EPA the “tools” to make that state meet the mandates. It’s a lose-lose situation for state sovereignty that sounds remarkably like ObamaCare exchanges.
Fortunately, several states are already saying no to the EPA. And, according to The Wall Street Journal, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is “urging Governors to wait before cooperating” with the hopes that the courts will intervene and rule the EPA can’t force the states to do something they can’t or don’t want to do.
Of course, Obama scolded McConnell for getting in the way of his climate agenda, which is ironic because Obama seems to have no qualms about interfering with congressional authority, state sovereignty or individual freedom.
Obama has also enlisted the help of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The Heartland Institute’s Paul Driessen reports the council has been tasked with “dramatically retooling the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act,” which “requires that federal agencies consider the impact of their significant decision-making actions on ‘the quality of the human environment’ any time they issue permits for projects, provide government funding or conduct the projects themselves.” This is politi-speak for shutting down fossil fuel production.
Obama and the EPA have been relentless in their quest for power, all in the name of saving the planet. The states, the courts, Congress and We the People must fight against the climate change lie. We have already sacrificed far too much Liberty on the religious altar of environmental protection.
TOP 5 RIGHT OPINION COLUMNS
- Dennis Prager: Why Hillary Clinton’s Candidacy Is Depressing
- Tony Perkins: Clinton Typo Reveals Hard Truth
- Arnold Ahlert: A Modern Golfer With Old School Class
- Ed Feulner: Achieving True Tax Reform
- Thomas Sowell: The New Inquisition
OPINION IN BRIEF
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013): “America, my friends, is the only country in the world actually founded on liberty — the only one. People went to America to be free.”
Columnist Dennis Prager: “There was a time when most Americans voted for president out of the belief that the person would be best for the country. Now, at least for the American left, it is primarily about being the ‘first’ — the first black, the first woman, the first gay, the first Jew, the first Native-American, the first transgender, the first atheist (so long, of course, as each is a Democrat). And once they are all elected, presumably it will be important to elect the first gay black female Jewish Native-American transgendered atheist (again, so long as s/he is a Democrat). And until we do, the left will continue to label America bigoted. … Compare Hillary Clinton to Carly Fiorina, a woman who went from small-town girl to CEO and Board Chair of Hewlett-Packard, one of the world’s largest companies. The comparison should be embarrassing. Yet how many liberals who are preoccupied with having a woman president would vote for Carly Fiorina? Zero. … Nevertheless, her mendacity and her lack of accomplishments count for nothing in the eyes of Democrats, feminists and others on the left. She is, after all, a woman (who’s liberal). What else matters?”
FRC president Tony Perkins: “For once … Hillary Clinton may be telling the truth — and on her campaign website, no less! In one of the most ironic blunders of the First Lady’s career, her new Hillary Clinton for President website stated, ‘She’s fought children and families all her career.’ Newsbusters caught the mistake — which conservatives would argue was anything but. Over her long career as a senator and America’s top diplomat, Hillary Clinton has been a global advocate for abortion-on-demand and the complete demolition of the natural family, making her anything but an ally of children or the family. … We need a leader who will not apologize for America’s exceptionalism, but embrace the source of it. And we need a leader who will contend with those in far away places trying to kill people because of their religion — while also contending with those here at home who want to kill the freedom of religion. In this year’s field, there is reason for optimism with candidates who have fought for children and families.”
Comedian Conan O’Brien: “In a recent interview, Michelle Obama said that the Secret Service taught Malia how to drive. In exchange, Malia taught the Secret Service how to throw a party when her parents are away.”
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis!
Managing Editor Nate Jackson
Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families.
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Putin Taunts Israel By Selling S-300 Surface To Air Missile System To Iran (VIDEO)
In a provocative move, Vladimir Putin lifted the ban on selling S-300 surface to air missiles to Iran.
“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14 (KJV)
The embargo, dating back to 2010, when the U.S. objected strongly to this, Putin backed off and banned the sale. This clearly shows that Obama is losing control of the international consensus on Iran.
Many believe that the turn around by Russia to sell the S-300 missiles, comes on the heals of the preliminary deal being worked out and finalized in late June with Iran. The S-300 is strictly a defensive weapon. Russia is in essence provoking Israel to attack Iran.
“It also sets Israel a deadline to attack Iran–since Israel has treated the S-300 system as a “red line,” and has attacked Syria several times recently to prevent advanced Russian air defense and anti-ship missile systems from becoming operational.
Some Israeli analysts have recently suggested that Israel will only attack Iran if the regime’s nuclear program poses a direct and imminent threat–if the “sword is at the throat.”
However, it is likely that Israeli strategists have another deadline in mind–namely, the point where a military attack against Iran is no longer feasible. Currently, Iran has weak air defenses and would not be able to do much to stop an airstrike. However, the Russian missiles will advance its defensive capabilities.”
Some Israeli analysts have recently suggested that Israel will only attack Iran if the regime’s nuclear program poses a direct and imminent threat–if the “sword is at the throat.”
However, it is likely that Israeli strategists have another deadline in mind–namely, the point where a military attack against Iran is no longer feasible. Currently, Iran has weak air defenses and would not be able to do much to stop an airstrike. However, the Russian missiles will advance its defensive capabilities.
Effectively, then, Putin is calling the world’s bluff. He is setting a deadline for Israel to make a fateful choice, and daring the Obama administration to intervene. More broadly, he is unraveling the P5+1 process that the U.S. has dominated recently–chiefly by leading the way in offering concessions to Iran. The “framework” of Lausanne is still murky, and a final deal is a long way from done, but Putin is already challenging the U.S. leverage that brought about the conditions for negotiations.
Putin knows full well that he is triggering an Israeli countdown–and he has been happy to do so in the past. From his point of view, it makes little difference whether Iran or Syria actually use the weapons he is selling them, so long as their money is good and the two regimes remain somewhat dependent on Russian protection.
For Israel, though, the question of war with Iran is no longer theoretical. It is something Israeli leaders–and the Obama administration–must face immediately.”[1] – source
This move will undoubtedly change the game plan for Israel. An attack may be imminent.
Pray for Bibi Netanyahu!! Pray for wisdom from God.
MARANATHA!
The post Putin Taunts Israel By Selling S-300 Surface To Air Missile System To Iran (VIDEO) appeared first on Now The End Begins.
Why Don’t Americans Trust Republicans on Foreign Policy? :: Goldman in PJ Media
by David P. Goldman
PJ Media
April 11, 2015
http://www.meforum.org/5172/republicans-foreign-policy-voters
IW News Brief: NYC Muslim Holidays, Corporate Speech Police
by David J. Rusin • Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 am
http://www.islamist-watch.org/blog/2015/04/iw-news-brief-nyc-muslim-holidays-corporate
The Middle East Turmoil and Israel’s Security :: Efraim Inbar at ISN
by Efraim Inbar
International Relations and Security Network (ISN)
April 13, 2015
http://www.meforum.org/5174/israel-middle-east-security
Obama Admits Communist “Schooled” him on White Racism
Author(s): Cliff Kincaid
In his 1995 book, Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama never discussed the identity of the mysterious “Frank” who had given him important advice on growing up black in what was described as a white racist world. We learned in 2008 that “Frank” was Frank Marshall Davis, a member of the Communist Party who was the subject of a 600-page FBI file. Still, the major media never asked Obama about this important relationship during his growing up years in Hawaii. Now, in an extraordinary development, video of Obama explicitly and openly identifying “Frank” as Frank Marshall Davis has suddenly surfaced…
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Sharpton Calls for “National Policing”
Author(s): Roger Aronoff
Al Sharpton, President Obama’s “go-to man on race” as described by Politico last year, is at it again. After riling up the nation over false narratives about Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, Sharpton has found a case he can get behind where there appears to be little doubt this time that a white policeman, Michael Slager, brutally and unnecessarily shot to death an unarmed black man in South Carolina. But in our justice system, even that cop deserves his day in court. After all, we were reminded of that right when on Wednesday, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found guilty on 30 counts for his role in…
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THE CLINTON’S MASSIVE WAR CHEST DISGUISED AS A CHARITY
Author(s): Tom DeWeese
[Author’s note: Much is now in the news concerning Hillary Clinton possibly using her position as Secretary of State to help fill the coffers of the Clinton Foundation. Some are charging her actions to be bribes disguised as charitable donations. And then of course, there is Hillary’s outrageous claim that the Clintons were near destitute when they left the White House. The lies of the Clintons seem to know no bounds of shame. As Secretary of State, Hillary got to personally approve very lucrative international speaking engagements for husband Bill. That seemed to help keep them off skid row…
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A new Jewish interfaith group says the Jewish temple can be built on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount without the destruction of the Islamic Dome of the Rock
Author(s): Jimmy DeYoung
Recently, a new Jewish interfaith group launched a project to diffuse religious strife by showing that the end of times vision of the Jewish people, a temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, could be fulfilled without destroying the Islamic Dome of the Rock. Yoav Frankel, director of the initiative, believes that the Jewish temple can be built alongside the Dome of the Rock and this would transform the Temple Mount from a place of contention to a place of worship shared by Jews, Moslems, and Christians. Islamic cleric Sheik Abdulla Darwish says that as long as there is one Moslem…
The Reality of Hell
Let’s begin by looking at what the world thinks and what a majority of churches teach about the reality of hell. Then we’ll look at what the word of God tells us about hell and how our view of hell shapes the way we live and interact with others. The world has many false notions regarding hell and here are just a few ranging from pop-cultures view right down to the average Joe on the street.
How Not to Be Deceived
Deceivers are now at an all-time high. This is the worst time for anyone to be relying on the so-called wisdom offered by the world. We’re not even at the point yet of seeing the prophesied demonically inspired “signs and wonders.” And yet the vast majority of the world is already deceived. To stay clear of deception, we need to place all our trust in the Bible.
Wake up! Israel has been Abandoned
Foretold by Zechariah 12:3 . . .
Israeli goods are boycotted in the stores, Israeli professors are banned in the universities, Jewish faithful are gunned down in the streets, anti-Semitic dramas are shown in the best theatres, anti-Israel resolutions are promulgated in parliaments, Jewish synagogues are protected like military outposts.
Russia-Iran defense deal could prompt Israeli airstrike
More staging for Gog-Magog?
Putin to deliver to mullahs system capable of downing jets
Amid nuclear negotiations, Russian President Vladimir Putin has lifted a self-imposed ban Monday on the delivery to Iran of an air-defense missile system capable of shooting down U.S. and Israeli jets, increasing the possibility the Jewish state will launch a military strike against Tehran’s nuclear program, according to a defense expert.
The End of Restraint
But I’m afraid we’ve reached the end of our rope so to speak. No nation has been given so much, for so long, without paying the ultimate price of national suicide once it has turned its back towards God. That really is the point, in that the great American experiment will come to its tragic and completely unnecessary end because of pride. But the end serves a purpose…in that it will pave the way for Satan’s grand scheme for a global system, ran by his man, the Antichrist.
Dr. Andy Wood’s systematically lays out the process for us to arrive at the very place Scriptures said we would be at so many thousands of years ago. In regards to control, there is a specific formula to arrive at the place where ‘free’ people, would come to accept a global government:
A Brief History of Eternity
Author(s): Clint Archer
This is a snippet from my book A Visitor’s Guide to Hell. The book is meant to help unbelievers understand (or believers explain) why Christians believe in Hell, and what the Bible teaches about it. Here’a snippet, followed by a link to a video clip promo of the book (comments about my mongrelised accent will be deleted!!) A History of Hell As far back as recorded history takes us, in any and every culture that bothered to write down their beliefs, Hell has haunted mankind. It is not my intention to give a history of how the doctrine developed in literature, art, and religious belief systems…
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Number of Americans Who Say They Have No Religion Hits Record High, Survey Finds
at Understand The Times, 3/26/15 Understanding The Times
New data analysis on the 2014 General Social Survey conducted by NORC and the University of Chicago has found that although Americans are abandoning specific religions at record high numbers, the rate of those who said they believe in God has remained steady. The Associated Press identified it as one of the major findings of the survey, which asked a number of wide-ranging questions of the American public. The data found that back in 1972, only 5 percent of respondents said that they have no religion, but by 2014, 21 percent said the same, which is a record high.
Click here to read this article!
Biblical Principles That Cut Through Ecumenical New Age Christianity
by Chris Lawson, 3/25/15 Spiritual Research Network
MP3 Sermon
Click here to listen to this sermon!
NAR prophet Chuck Pierce gives ‘mantle’ to Mormon Glenn Beck
by Spirit of Error, 3/25/15 Spirit of Error
On Sunday, Chuck Pierce-an influential prophet in the New Apostolic Reformation-presented a “new mantle for the future” to television and radio host Glenn Beck, a Mormon. The mantle was presented to Beck at Pierce’s Global Spheres Center in Corinth, Texas, during a church service Beck attended with his family.
Click here to read this article!
Global Survey Ranks Most And Least Religious Countries In The World
A global survey by WIN/Gallup International has ranked the most and least religious countries in the world, with the U.K. ranking among the least. In the United States, only 56 percent of the respondents said that they are religious …………. Click here for full story
Concern Over Massive Chinese Naval Buildup
China has deployed a new high-speed anti-ship cruise missile and is sharply expanding an armada of advanced guided-missile warships and submarines, according to a naval intelligence report made public Thursday………. Click here for full story
Israel Alarmed At News Russia To Supply Iran Advanced Air Defense System
President Vladimir Putin on Monday lifted a ban on supplying Iran with sophisticated S-300 air defense missile systems, the Kremlin said, after Tehran struck a deal with the West over its nuclear program ……….. Click here for full story
In A Cameras-Everywhere Culture, Science Fiction Becomes Reality
Science fiction writer David Brin calls it “a tsunami of lights” — a future where tiny cameras are everywhere, lighting up everything we do, and even predicting what we’ll do next ……….. Click here for full story
‘‘I Met Messiah’: New Website Shares Video Testimonies Of Jews Who Received Jesus
A new website has been launched that shares the video testimonials of Jews in professional business who have all received Jesus as the Messiah……… Click here for full story
Christian Top Headlines
Thousands Gather in Memphis for Counter-Event to Atheist Convention
Oklahoma Bans Dismemberment Abortions
Matt Maher Says that People Should Not Be Afraid of Tomorrow Because Jesus Lives
Si Robertson Stars in ‘Faith of Our Fathers’ to Honor US Military
5 Things Christians Should Know about Hillary Clinton’s Faith
Denver Bakers Cleared of Bias for Refusing to Make Bible Cakes
Lecrae’s Music Played in Strip Club, Inspires Dancers
Pakistan: Boy Set on Fire ‘Because He was a Christian’
Christian Opinion
Surrendering Neither Grace Nor Truth
Why You Need Witness Protection
Why We Can’t Bow to the New Established Religion
South Carolina Shooting: Is the Civil War Over?
Should Mom-and-Pops That Forego Gay Weddings Be Destroyed?
Pizzeria Forced to Close Following Threats Over Biblical Marriage Beliefs Re-Opens to Full House
by Marsha West
According to Christian News Network:
A pizzeria in Indiana that was forced to close after it faced arson and death threats by homosexual activists and advocates for expressing their biblical beliefs on marriage re-opened last week to a full house.
As previously reported, the matter began when reporter Alyssa Marino of ABC 57 News in South Bend set out to interview area business owners about their reaction to the controversy over the recently signed Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). Among the businesses that she visited was Memories Pizza in Walkerton, a place that is decorated with crosses and quotes from Scripture, and begins each morning with prayer.
New Museum to Present ‘Overwhelming Evidence for Creation’
by Marsha West
Christian News Network reports:
A Christian group in Idaho has unveiled plans for a new creation museum that would display scientific evidence for the Bible’s creation account and expose weaknesses in the evolutionary theory.
Northwest Science Museum is an organization headquartered in Boise that aspires to construct a large natural history museum with exhibits detailing the earth’s history according to the biblical worldview. If built, the museum would likely be located on Interstate 84, somewhere between Boise and Nampa.
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Iran says Russian missiles could arrive this year Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:38 AM PDT
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| Russian warships monitored in English Channel
Posted: 14 Apr 2015 08:27 AM PDT
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| IMF Cuts Forecast For US Economy, Upgrades Europe and Japan
Posted: 14 Apr 2015 07:36 AM PDT
The post IMF Cuts Forecast For US Economy, Upgrades Europe and Japan appeared first on End Time Headlines. |
| PENTAGON: Bible, Constitution, Declaration of Independence Cause ‘Sexism’
Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:48 AM PDT
The post PENTAGON: Bible, Constitution, Declaration of Independence Cause ‘Sexism’ appeared first on End Time Headlines. |
| Conspiracy between media and government to cover up severity of Fukushima’s meltdown and radiation validated by study
Posted: 14 Apr 2015 06:17 AM PDT
The post Conspiracy between media and government to cover up severity of Fukushima’s meltdown and radiation validated by study appeared first on End Time Headlines. |
| A Lesbian Rescued From the Dead End of Sexual Sin
Posted: 13 Apr 2015 07:46 PM PDT
The post A Lesbian Rescued From the Dead End of Sexual Sin appeared first on End Time Headlines. |
| An estimated 6,000 Europeans have joined ISIS
Posted: 13 Apr 2015 07:41 PM PDT
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| Russia and Iran just showed how ‘they can do whatever they like’ right now
Posted: 13 Apr 2015 07:21 PM PDT
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| Large sunspot turns towards Earth – chance of solar flares
Posted: 13 Apr 2015 07:13 PM PDT
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| Greece prepares debt default options
Posted: 13 Apr 2015 07:09 PM PDT
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On today’s Episode of The Briefing
1) Rubio announces candidacy for presidency, revealing importance of timing in politics
Ready to step into 2016 GOP race for president, Florida’s Marco Rubio sees his time as now, Associated Press (Julie Pace)
2) In pending political race, reality is many Americans hold to neither party’s ideology
It Takes a Party, New York Times (Paul Krugman)
3) Call for abolishing marriage as taxation category to conform to lifestyle of lesbian couples
Marriage tax hurts lesbian couples, USA Today (Lily Kahng)
4) Article makes clear reproductive freedom more sacred than human life to pro-choice agenda
How Not to Protect Pregnant Women, New York Times (Deborah Tuerkheimer)
In other news…
Medical marijuana dispensaries lull teens, parents into thinking it’s harmless, say specialists National Post (Erin Ellis)
Anger over Armenia The Economist
Pope Francis drops the ‘G-word’ and rekindles century-old genocide debate Washington Post (Michael E. Miller)
When Critics A Reporter Cites Are The Reporter, The Federalist (Matthew Schmitz)
The heart of Reformed Theology or Calvinism is the cross of Jesus Christ … that all redemptive blessings flow from Him alone (Eph 1:3). That His Person and work is sufficient. That salvation is all of grace because it is all of Christ. It is a sign of a corrupted doctrine which teaches anything in addition to Christ …i.e. that man must (at least partly) either attain or maintain his own just standing before God. Now you either believe one or the other.. If you believe that Jesus is not sufficient to save you to the uttermost, then you embrace a theology to a greater or lesser degree like Roman Catholicism (Gal 3:3).
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