Friday, April 15, 2016

The Republicans need a "Never Cruz" movement.

It is only fair to give him a reality check.

Europe did not have a poppy economy that impoverishes its people for worship of a faux deity.

I have heard a few references to this article this past couple of weeks. It reminds me of the fact Mullah Omar's death (click here) wasn't known for two years. The USA is suppose to have intelligence about such events. There is no excuse for that. 

How much do we know about Afghanistan is actually fact and not ancient and dusty news. We never hear from any Afghan leaders. We never hear from Iraq's leaders. The USA knows next to nothing, but, we are sending soldiers and money because Congress simply can't let go.

I heard today, the Republican majority wants to cut the USA budget by $400 billion. Will that FINALLY end the wasteful and pork spending in Afghanistan? 

July 13, 2016
By Carol J. Williams

The United States (click here) has now spent more on the reconstruction of Afghanistan than it did on the Marshall Plan that lifted Western Europe from the ruins of World War II. But it can expect far less return on its investment in the still-unstable Central Asian nation, a Pentagon auditor reports.
Afghanistan is mired in political crisis and will remain dependent on foreign donors, primarily the United States, for years to come, writes John F. Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, in his latest quarterly report to Congress.

U.S. spending on the Afghanistan nation-building project over the last dozen years now exceeds $104 billion, surpassing the $103.4 billion current-dollar value of Marshall Plan expenditures, which helped rebuild European nations after World War II. The spending helped a vanquished Germany emerge as the economic engine of Western Europe.

"SIGAR calculates that by the end of 2014, the United States will have committed more funds to reconstruct Afghanistan, in inflation-adjusted terms, than it spent on 16 European countries after World War II under the Marshall Plan," says the report.

The 259-page account features a photograph of a pile of metal frames from school furniture in Nangarhar province from which the wood was stripped and burned for heat....

Earth Day is April 22nd. Please celebrate it now by signing this letter. Thank you.

Last December, I was inspired as nearly every country in the world came together to be part of the Paris Agreement to stop climate change. With the agreement in place, it’s now up to leaders like you to turn that agreement into real action.
That’s why I’m urging you to follow through on your country’s commitment to climate action, and attend a public signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement this Earth Day....

The federal government has a right to move against Snyder and his mishandling of the state government unbeknownst to the people of the state!

CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1963 (click here)

§ 1 Political power.
Sec. 1.

All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their equal benefit, security and protection.

Please don't forget who is boss.

§ 22 Treason; definition, evidence.

Sec. 22.

Treason against the state shall consist only in levying war against it or in adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless upon the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or on confession in open court.

In the State of Michigan, treason is defined within war. The people might want to define war in the future.

§ 25 Marriage.

Sec. 25.

To secure and preserve the benefits of marriage for our society and for future generations of children, the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose.

This might actually be seen as a reason to elect a particular party of governor or otherwise. To avoid that make this a referendum with most every election.

§ 12 Habeas corpus.

Sec. 12.

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless in case of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

Is habeous corpus under attack in Flint, Michigan?

§ 8 Ineligibility of government officers and employees.
Sec. 8.

No person holding any office, employment or position under the United States or this state or a political subdivision thereof, except notaries public and members of the armed forces reserve, may be a member of either house of the legislature.

No conflict of interest is allowed. Let's add union leadership to that as well because they are not employed by the state. I would think rather scandalous the idea of a union leader being employed with the state UNLESS it was an unpaid position. That is why 'shops' can have union representatives that work there. They don't get paid.

§ 12 State officers compensation commission. (click here)
Sec. 12.

The state officers compensation commission is created which subject to this section shall determine the salaries and expense allowances of the members of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court...

It is not unusual to have government employees protected by a union. Yes, the word was protected. Employees of the state can be subject to unfair treatment because of politics. That said. I thought this statute about compensation was particularly interesting.

§ 15 Legislative council.
Sec. 15.

There shall be a bi-partisan legislative council consisting of legislators appointed in the manner prescribed by law. The legislature shall appropriate funds for the council's operations and provide for its staff which shall maintain bill drafting, research and other services for the members of the legislature. The council shall periodically examine and recommend to the legislature revision of the various laws of the state.

I hope the council is doing it's job. I am CONFIDENT the people of Flint, Michigan doesn't think so.

§ 11 Legislators privileged from civil arrest and civil process; limitation; questioning for speech in either house prohibited.
Sec. 11.
Except as provided by law, senators and representatives shall be privileged from civil arrest and civil process during sessions of the legislature and for five days next before the commencement and after the termination thereof. They shall not be questioned in any other place for any speech in either house.

Don't let anyone sell the public the idea the state legislature is immune from the law. It is just while in session they cannot be interrupted. See, the people are represented. It could be that one party would try to remove votes while the session was called. The people have a right to replace state representatives though.

§ 23 Style of laws.

Sec. 23.

The style of the laws shall be: The People of the State of Michigan enact.

Remember the first section addressed political power? This reinforces it. The people, not any other form of established institution be it government, political or business, can take precedent over the people.

THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE CORPORATION OF A CITY. A city is established through a Charter by the people. Incorporation is a legal standing, HOWEVER, it cannot exceed the status of the people. When Flint and other cities in Michigan are PROVIDED an emergency manager by the state it has to BENEFIT the people.

Article IV
§ 51 Public health and general welfare.

Sec. 51.
The public health and general welfare of the people of the state are hereby declared to be matters of primary public concern. The legislature shall pass suitable laws for the protection and promotion of the public health.

There is no question. The public health and general welfare should not be compromised in any way. The people come first, health and well being equates to habeous corpus. There is absolutely no doubt what is occurring in Flint, Michigan is unconstitutional.

Article IV 
§ 52 Natural resources; conservation, pollution, impairment, destruction.

Sec. 52.

The conservation and development of the natural resources of the state are hereby declared to be of paramount public concern in the interest of the health, safety and general welfare of the people. The legislature shall provide for the protection of the air, water and other natural resources of the state from pollution, impairment and destruction.

Fracking can be ended according to the Michigan state constitution. What else needs to be said.
The Michigan state constitution provides for every aspect of the protection of life.

Article V
§ 2 Principal departments.

Sec. 2.
All executive and administrative offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the executive branch of state government and their respective functions, powers and duties, except for the office of governor and lieutenant governor and the governing bodies of institutions of higher education provided for in this constitution, shall be allocated by law among and within not more than 20 principal departments. They shall be grouped as far as practicable according to major purposes.

Subsequent to the initial allocation, the governor may make changes in the organization of the executive branch or in the assignment of functions among its units which he considers necessary for efficient administration. Where these changes require the force of law, they shall be set forth in executive orders and submitted to the legislature. Thereafter the legislature shall have 60 calendar days of a regular session, or a full regular session if of shorter duration, to disapprove each executive order. Unless disapproved in both houses by a resolution concurred in by a majority of the members elected to and serving in each house, each order shall become effective at a date thereafter to be designated by the governor.

This is the article and section the governor cited in that executive order. I am wondering if any legislator challenges the executive orders after they have been signed. This is a really interesting constitutional law. It really does not give power to the governor to change aspects of constitutional provisions. The governor can write executive orders, but, they have to be submitted to the legislature. It is up to the legislature to disapprove of the executive order and vote it down. Snyder has a majority party in the legislature. I am sure not one executive order has come under scrutiny.

This is some of the executive order:

...conducive to business growth and job creation; and

WHEREAS, the core functions of regulatory reinvention, systematic process review, and strategic and performance excellence by state departments and agencies are inherently and inextricably linked; and

WHEREAS, the movement toward government excellence and transformation must be aligned with accountability and financial resources through a permanent linkage with the Office of Internal Audit and the State Budget Office;

He didn't include the definition of excellence, because, his performance and the leadership of his agencies are really lacking.

...C. OPT (Office Performance and Transformation) shall be responsible for continuous and systematic review and coordination of the state's regulatory, business, and customer service environments and processes as well as coordination and implementation of performance management metrics, service process optimization efforts, employee engagement programs and protocols, and change management and leadership education and training.

The OPT Executive Director is a hatchet man. Snyder can attach all the political superlatives he wants to the executive order, but, the guy is a hatchet man.

What bothers me is that the rainy day fund is within the Office of the Budget. This guy has carte blanc to effect it. He can write regulations. That level of organization is suppose to be exclusive to the Director and PROCESS including public comment. I don't know of a governing body that doesn't submit itself to public comment before writing regulations because changes in regulations effect the functioning of the state. This COT Executive Director can coordinate state regulations. I don't know of any other method to coordinate anything without writing new regulations.

In reading through this executive order, I don't know why the Office of Budget has a Director.

II. TRANSFER OF OFFICE OF REGULATORY REINVENTION

A. All authority, powers, duties, functions, responsibilities, and rulemaking authority vested in the Office of Regulatory Reinvention under Executive Order 2011-5 are transferred to OPT.

Snyder is reinventing the wheel when it comes to regulation in the State of Michigan. He has instilled a dictator.

B. ...The Executive Director of OPT is the Chief Regulatory Officer of the state of Michigan.

That nullifies the entire head of any agency in the State of Michigan and places OPT in charge of every aspect of governance of the State of Michigan.

C. All records, personnel, property, unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, or other funds used, held, employed, available, or to be made available to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for the activities, powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities transferred by Section II of this Order are transferred to OPT.

What the heck is going on in Lansing?

Does Snyder do anything, except, screw up every aspect of state government?

Does one hand know what the other one is doing? WHEN IS FLINT GOING TO RECEIVE RELIEF FROM IT'S POISONS!!!!!!!!!!

Every person in the federal government is looking at the rainy day fund and saying "spend it." Yeah? You spend it and see where you get with this disaster of an administration!!!!!

The federal government needs to step in and make something work, otherwise, this is going to go on FOREVER!

The remaining composition/text of the document simply dumps the entire state government into this new dreamscape of dictatorship by Snyder. The entire state administration is dysfunctional and I HAVE HEARD FROM A PERSON I KNOW IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT, documents are missing. 

There is plenty reasons for the federal government to SAVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF FLINT, MICHIGAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GET US EPA IN THERE!

People need to bath!

Indexes to the Michigan State Constitution. (click here)

I need a break. 

Sorry.

I'll be back.
Michigan's Rainy Day Fund (click here)

Kindly notice the date of September 30.

John S. Roberts (click here)
State Budget Director


While everything very outdated on the State Budget site, there is something interesting from April 4, 2016, entitled:

Chief Performance Officer Named for newly formed Office of Performance and Transformation (click here)

Chief Internal Auditor Jeff Bankowski to head new office

The change in the Office of the Budget was not legislated. It was by executive order. Nothing on the site is current because the personnel are all being juggled at the very least, but, most likely replaced. Does the state employees have a union?

There is a real reason why Michigan can't get out of it's own way. It is being downsized and made ineffective. Guarantee you, Snyder is not adding employees. 

EXECUTIVE ORDER (click here)
No. 2016-4 

CREATION OF OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE AND TRANSFORMATION STATE BUDGET OFFICE

OFFICE OF REGULATORY REINVENTION DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY, MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET 

EXECUTIVE REORGANIZATION 

WHEREAS, Section 1 of Article V (5) of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 vests the executive power in the Governor; and...

No document is sacred to Snyder.


A mother in Flint, Michigan.

Everyone knows the toxicity of the chemicals she is stating. We also know what happens to people, adults and children, exposed to them.

ENOUGH!!!!!

Michigan has an overflowing rainy day fund and the people of Flint, Michigan are being made to wait until the new fiscal year in October. It is time the majority in the Michigan House and Senate be removed. 

Locally, where I live, there are people of conscience entering the public forum as a candidate who have never entertained that idea before. Michigan has to mobilize their electorates and get out the vote for the new candidates that actually have a conscience.

Bernie Sander's speech at the Vatican. I think he did the right thing for his campaign.

Senator Sander's involvement today proves his campaign for the USA presidency is based in relevant and global concerns of even faith leaders. Pope Francis leads twenty percent of the world's population. Pope Francis is moved by the impoverishment of so many at the greed of so few. That impoverishment has impacted very many in the USA with a loss of significant numbers of the USA middle class.

By speaking today, Senator Bernie Sanders recognizes the permanency of the strife that exists if nothing is addressed by the USA and other governments.

I am honored to be with you today (click here) and was pleased to receive your invitation to speak to this conference of The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Today we celebrate the encyclical Centesimus Annus and reflect on its meaning for our world a quarter-century after it was presented by Pope John Paul II. With the fall of Communism, Pope John Paul II gave a clarion call for human freedom in its truest sense: freedom that defends the dignity of every person and that is always oriented towards the common good.
The Church’s social teachings, stretching back to the first modern encyclical about the industrial economy, Rerum Novarum in 1891, to Centesimus Annus, to Pope Francis’s inspiring encyclical Laudato Si’ this past year, have grappled with the challenges of the market economy. There are few places in modern thought that rival the depth and insight of the Church’s moral teachings on the market economy.
Over a century ago, Pope Leo XIII highlighted economic issues and challenges in Rerum Novarum that continue to haunt us today, such as what he called “the enormous wealth of a few as opposed to the poverty of the many.”...

I was crossing my fingers this would not occur.

Japan 7.1 

The increase in frequency (strength) of the quake is increasing because the subduction zone is on the move.

ZONES (there are a few types) vs. faults vs fissures; increase the likelihood it will continue. A ZONE is where the plates move against each other. In this case it is a subduction zone and  the land moving under the seafloor/continent/continental shelf/ is moving rock at the mantle of Earth. The more rock entering the mantle of Earth the more that will follow. The mantle will melt the rock and turn it liquid. 

Earth's crust is really very thin compared to the radius and diameter. Below Earth's crust is the mantle. The mantle is how even when very cold sea water enters the zone as with this subduction zone; heat results. When a ZONE moves there is always the possibility of escalation of earthquakes rather than SIMPLY aftershocks. There are many, many earthquakes that don't effect human activity even crossing the oceans. Earth's movement measured by scientists in places like USGS are the movements that effect human populations.


I stated HEAT RESULTS. It is not as though there is a specific depth to Earth's crust that defines Earth, but, when it comes to the mantle it is rock melting heat because of CHEMISTRY and/or physics. The heat is produced by the the PRESSURE of the rock above it as well as a cooling core. But, even if the core of Earth (nickel and iron and some other elements in small amounts) were to be completely cold (which won't happen) the mantle would still be rock melting heat because of the pressure of the crust where people live.

There is nothing anyone can do to change Earth's nature. There is no stopping plate movement. The plates sit on top of a liquid mantle with great forces at work all the time.

Earth is a planet and that is not an option.

M7.0 - 1 km WSW of Kumamoto-shi, Japan. (click here)


Time
2016-04-15 16:25:06 (UTC)
2016-04-15 12:25:06 (UTC-04:00) in your timezone

Nearby Places

1.0 km (0.6 mi) WSW of Kumamoto-shi, Japan
12.0 km (7.5 mi) NNE of Uto, Japan
13.0 km (8.1 mi) SSE of Ueki, Japan
15.0 km (9.3 mi) NNE of Matsubase, Japan
631.0 km (392.1 mi) SSE of Seoul, South Korea

And, of course, we worry about the people of North Korea, too. They have less exposure to rolling oceans than South Korea, hence, less chance of a tsunami.

I applaud the states, red or blue, for holding truly democratic primaries.

Truly democratic equates to the individual.

There are primaries where voters don't cast a vote directly for the candidate, but, to the INDIVIDUAL actually attending the party convention to the general election. It does the work for the candidates, lowers corruption and lowers the cost to the candidates.

It is the better method for primaries. The voters can get to know the delegates directly and determine the people that represent them when it is important. 

Participating in party politics is an investment.

The American people need to have an intelligent conversation about their party policies.

Currently, the primary SYSTEMS are favored for the establishment. A candidate such as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders has a handicap because they aren't mainstream politics. Don't over react, this is a conversation and it takes some time to bring the facts to the surface. It takes time for people to understand, think about and clarify the facts and any other truth that might lie in the path of clarity.

The Republican system is an open system and a novice such as Trump believes he can win the party nomination by winning the primaries. That isn't the way it is. The party assignment of delegates in many Republican primaries are based in districts and not in the popular vote. The one place most Americans believe their vote should matter the most is the primaries so they will agree with Donald Trump when he is concerned and very vocal about the unfair nature of this mess called primaries.

I think the people are correct, it should not take a REPUBLICAN PRIMARY MAP AND RULE BOOK to understand their power within the process. Having an extensive rule process is more about control than clarity.

But, currently, the process in the Republican primaries manifest in three ways. In Colorado the entire process has been removed from the people in a popular vote. That surprised me. The only reason such a system is exist is because the STATE party cannot afford a popular vote or a caucus. In assigning a nominee by party regulars it takes the cost away from the party and puts it on the participant in travel and hotel costs for the convention. There may be some monies for travel and hotel, but, it still whittles it down considerably. The real fault in this process is the high potential of corruption. It disenfranchises the voter and if a candidate decides to pay for travel and hotel there will be corruption by that act alone. It is up to Republican voters to investigate their party's corruption. 

Beyond the convention, there is the caucus. Here again the cost to the State party is at the heart of the organization for the primary decisions. It opens up corruption by direct payments if that is what the candidate campaigns can afford and realize will benefit them. Who is to say there isn't exchanges for caucus vote and cash. It could be as little as $5 or $10 dollars to help with gasoline, especially if the cost is near $4 a gallon. But, the caucus is more along the lines of democracy than a convention.

This primary season the caucuses saw record numbers in turnout of willing caucus goers. I think that is great and for the Republicans that is credited to Donald Trump. He is bringing new people to the primary and possibly the general election if he is nominated. The higher the turnout of voters, the more democracy comes to bear and the more likely the outsiders will find their greatest wins.

Then there is the direct count of voters decision when a PRIMARY includes voting machines. This is the most expense to the state party. The process has to work without a doubt. Everyone can guess to computer glitches and cheating by hackers, but, the direct individual vote is not at fault here. There is no guessing and people clearly decide on their balloting at the very least at that computer screen. I don't like computers, but, the old mechanical voting machines are now antiques. I think the mechanical vote is most reliable, free of error as a mechanism and easily tabulated. The only corruption exists surrounding this mechanism and lies with people and the corruption entered into the system. Bribery of any kind is illegal, it doesn't mean it is impossible to occur. 

Okay. Let's just say the people have cast their decisions in a primary. 

Isn't is finished? No. What Donald Trump came to realize he that his hard earned victory can be removed from him. First by the fact different districts have different numbers of delegates his win of the popular vote does not mean much. That is unfortunate. The states' popular vote should mean something and some of the states have a CAPSTONE/crowning achievement if you will above the assigned delegates. The candidate with the most popular OR delegates receives a group of delegates simply for winning.

That is a reality an establishment candidate would be aware of. The place where REAL WINS occur is somewhere in the  rules and/or map, but, unless a self styled candidate such as Donald Trump reads the entire bible of campaign rules he will fall between the cracks. 

The primary process for both parties is established to insure the establishment has control. No doubt in my mind. The higher the office, from board of education members to the presidency of the USA, the more control enters the process. 

What about this mess that exists with a candidate securing their delegates AFTER the primary? Like, this is corruption beyond corruption; it is systemic corruption. It is absolute control by the establishment.

So, a candidate wins a primary election and a prescribed number of delegates. Everything looks good and then what happens at the general election convention? Dah. Who knows?

The primaries for Republicans SETS the number of delegates A CANDIDATE CAN RECRUIT to the general election convention. That means a candidate has to leave behind a team to root out people within the party that are 'ON THEIR SIDE.' It reminds me of the good 'ole boy statement by "W's" folks, "God is on our side." This is such a huge mistake. Incredible mistake.

When a party is divided within itself into their own cloistered camps, it causes division. It brings in corruption from the very foundation of a democratic process. 

Parties are people. They have their own ideas about democracy and what their party should stand for, but, I don't think local parties should be so divided in their understanding of what exactly the party represents that it invites corruption. This model is horrible and creates corruption, heck it even invites it. People come together to elect candidates, try improving from there. Candidates need majorities. COMING together to decide about qualified candidates at the local party level is what democracy is all about. Corruption happens at the local level. My family was involved in local politics and they loved it. BUT. Those that were elected to local seats of decision making were approached by others that would corrupt the process with bribes. Those that never took the bribes were not silent either. It is how morality survives the process of democracy and democracy is set up to be moral. The USA Constitution was shy about giving one person in the presidency absolute power because of the colonists experience with their former king or queen. The founding fathers were moral men. I have no doubt about it. They marveled at life and freedom. 

When giving respect to our founders of our country there is no doubt for me that morality and not special interests and corruption that accompanies it win the day.

Priebus is in the media crying for his job that he is not responsible for the process he only oversees it as the rules are set up in the previous convention. 

EXACTLY. 

No one within the establishment, including Priebus, is taking the people into account. No one all these years have stated, "This is really lousy because the people are so naive to their own power." NEVER ONCE, until Donald Trump said, "I am running." I mean that completely.

The Democrats have not only undedicated delegates, they have Super Delegates. I can argue both sides, the most noble is that democracy is an investment for anyone. The Super Delegates in their most favorable light is about SECURING issues into the party and not corruption. If there is bribery then throw the lousy system out. As of today, everyone interested in knowing in this country has been educated about the Super Delegates. It's up to the people to embrace that for the right reasons or demand change in their primary process. HOWEVER, I will warn Democrats they cannot have a chronically changing MISSION where one issue is dropped and another picked up. The Democrats carry some of the most attacked entities in the country, namely minorities, unions, the middle class and humanitarian missions of the USA. That dynamic has been their priorities for a long time. Those issues cannot be abandoned and if Super Delegates is the best way of protecting the party's mission then that is the reality. There is every reason for rule makers and party leaders to question the method of assigning delegates. The people and their reality expressed in their vote has to come first.

The primary processes are coming into view because of controversy and the awakening of THE POPULOUS CANDIDATE. The establish is feeling the power slip their their fingers. I sincerely think the people know it, will process it and will bring about a truly participatory democracy. I am looking forward to another historical election in 2016.

The people need to speak and be heard.
$15.00 minimum wage in the USA will increase sales for Wall Street. It is counter intuitive for profiteers, but, real.

The $15.00 minimum wage is a real opportunity for smaller entrepreneurs, are they ready? See, once Wall Street sales start to increase they will raise their prices without changing the quality of the products. Increased product quality means new versions of the same product and higher costs to consumers. Small entrepreneurs have to be sensitive to that fact and act on it to gain more market share with better quality and/or better services.

Wall Street doesn't like to share! They aren't good play date buddies.

Wall Street CEOs are nothing to what works and what doesn't. 2008. Give me a break. CEOs will keep profits where they exist today and cut benefits to workers, cut hours and make part employees out of full time employees all to increase a margin of profit to INSURE THEIR BONUSES. 

Economic growth does not belong to Wall Street CEOs. Their answer to economic growth is to increase consumer numbers from birth to deaths ("Cradle to Grave") by increasing population density.

Americans need to believe in the middle class and upward economic movement. That is freedom and democracy. Don't ever give it up, remember "The South" is the best example of the failure of citizens devoted to Wall Street. Highest poverty rates, reliant on federal dollars because of failed income tax income from good wages and the highest teen pregnancies because of strict religious ideologies.

The South wants to control abortion, contraception and control women. It takes two. Why are teenage boys/men having sex to supplement their definition of themselves? It is only the women that 'want it' and the men accommodate them out of compassion, yes? The culture of The South is one that plays with identity because of the poverty. Young women can tap into welfare monies at an early age. 

Kindly think about the reason a vote is very important. American quality of life is on the line this year more than ever.

Palestine is rhetoric.

Palestine?

How much longer before Israel closes out that hope? The conflict between Israel and the Palestines for decades, not quite a century, is nothing more than Israel inching it's possession of land. It should not be all that much longer before Netanyahu has achieved a far different profile of Israel.

Oh, people don't like Hamas. The Palestinians in The West Bank have lost more land than Gaza ever did. Why is it the Palestinians are suppose to believe peace with Israel is the real answer?

The last days of Sharon are over. I am not radicalized, I am a realist.

Backing Hamas is political suicide in the USA. Israel is quite a propagandist in American politics. Europe sees things differently with the Palestine and Israeli conflict than the USA. Europe is our ally, what is the problem?

Israel has lost it's ability to have a conscience. Israel's best conscience advocates have a voice but it is fading fast.

This blog has backed Israel's stance for a long time. It's over, regardless of Israel's drive on the "Sunday Shows."

There are European leaders and countries in the middle east such as Jordan that have a favorable outcome for the Palestinians as part of their national priorities. Those leaders need to appear in American politics this season and speak the truth. 

"Clarity"

People decide their votes in a variety of ways. Some decide on a particular issue and others are 'on balance.' 

The Democrats are facing an electorate focused on domestic issues and that has been true since the beginning of the race. In the case of the Democrats loss of opportunity is the issue of many Americans and impoverishment since 2008. They are earning less per hour even though they have jobs. 2008 imploded the middle class. Americans, thankfully, have not changed their standards for ACCOMPLISHMENT. We have a long history that defines the American culture including the fact freedom and democracy equates to quality of life. It is that reason the electorate in the country is focusing on Senator Sander's message. It is a valid message.

Republicans are facing an electorate that wants fiscal relief as well. But, there are two different reasons for the same demand with the Republicans. The wealthy are recognizing the Wall Street average everyday to reach 18,000 and sustain and grow. The impoverished Republicans really do believe if taxes are cut there will be more jobs and better pay. The impoverished Republican has believed that is the case for decades and it has not relieved their financial burden anywhere along that paradigm. Grover Norquist is king, so supplementing their identity politics is God; the Bible Belt.

Terrorism bolster's the fear motivation, but, more Americans are coming to the reality what happens elsewhere doesn't necessarily happen in the USA. The USA has performed their security debate while many other countries have not. The middle east is an issue for the wrong reasons in the American political debate. The middle east is about their own reality vs oppression of dictators. "The extremist" has been viewed as the only method to remove oppressive regimes, hence the rise of an opportunist genocidal regime in Daesh. But, the young people of the middle east are finally realizing they can achieve more opportunity in their lives without the violence.

The 'fear' quotient in American politics may very well be redefined when Zika impacts the USA.

If there is one word I have to use to define the American political theater, it is "clarity." The issues are being defined in truth and less rhetoric by the people. They are interested in truth of their lives. They also believe that truth is important in defining their political choices.

The reason I follow the Real Clear Politics Poll it has no tilt to partisans.

Clinton vs Sanders

Hillary Clinton has remained at the top of the polls throughout, but, this is incredible. Bernie Sanders has pushed his message and climbed from near invisibility a major challenge in the Democratic nomination.

The Democratic Debate last night shows exactly the polls as it exists today. It is a very tight race. The reason? Bernie's message.

Trump vs Cruz vs Kasich

Today, something happened. Cruz is losing his foothold against Trump. Kasich at the same time has a small uptick.

The shake up at the Trump Campaign and the findings of the Florida State Prosecutor resolved issues for Trump. Cruz lost to both candidates. A smaller margin are establishment voters, hence Kasich.


Income Tax deadline is Monday, April 18th.

When Emancipation Day falls on a Saturday, the holiday is celebrated on Friday. All offices are closed today in Washington, DC.

April 13, 2016
By Rachel Kurzius

It'll be 154 years (click here) since legislation freed 3,185 District of Columbia slaves on April 16, 1862, more than eight months before President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Yet D.C. still doesn't have full representation.
"We honor the many champions who have fought for civil rights and equality," said Mayor Muriel Bowser on a sunny morning in Freedom Plaza, with the Capitol in view, "as we renew our push for full democracy and statehood."
Flanked by At-large Councilmember Vincent Orange, D.C. shadow Senators Paul Strauss and Michael Brown, senior advisor Beverly Perry, and D.C. Secretary of State Lauren Vaughan, Bowser announced the activities for upcoming Emancipation Day, which last decade became a legal public holiday in the District. And, in what has become one of the holiday's traditions, the mayor made the case for why statehood remains a priority....