The Senate Budget Committee is split along party lines, 12 - 10

Social Security is entering into the discussions. The last amendment states the monies paid into Social Security by the Undocumented will be paid into the general fund. There is a significant amount of monies in the Social Security Insurance Fund paid by Undocumented Workers. This is nothing more than plunder of the Social Security Fund.

Many of the amendments passing into the Budget has the words attached to them as "Deficit Neutral." There is an article that does not recommend Deficit Neutral verbiage in any bill. (click here) 

Senator Johnson's amendment stated the federal government would not bailout any city or state pensions where their is a deficit. Senator Sanders asked Johnson to join with him in adding an amendment stating the federal government would no bailout banks or any other Wall Street crooks and bad managers. I would think with bad managers would be the petroleum industry. Senator Johnson said he didn't know if he could back those words, his amendment was to prohibit any bailout of cities and states pensions.

Senator Sessions is a piece of work. Senator Wyden wanted to maintain long term Medicaid's integrity. Sessions objection is that this is about the poor and not the elderly. Sessions stated the wording of the amendment lacks. What bothers me is that Sessions discriminates between the elderly and poor. 

...In fact, (click here) Sessions isn't just against illegal immigration. He's against more legal immigration, too - even immigration supported by those he'd otherwise call "job creators."
 
Want to build an oil pipeline across the border? He's for it. Want to bring highly skilled foreigners to Silicon Valley? Why do we have borders at all?...

I don't know if Sessions hates anyone other white men or simply anyone outside his family. That may be the same thing.

Sessions has asked for a report of the USA's history with climate change. He thinks the droughts and storms may align with the country's history at some point, hence there is no problem with funding emergency monies. What Senator Sessions has to fund is the fact the history of the USA also includes a far small population. Therefore, his question about prior storms or droughts is MUTE. The storms and droughts today are effecting vastly more people and the sixth largest economy in the world, namely California. Senator Sessions attempts to dismiss the current climate crisis by the history of the USA is hideous and ridiculous. TODAY MATTERS. 

Senator Toomey seems to think voters can discern their choice during any election regardless of the dollars spent on advertising. That was in response to Senator Sanders who asked an end to Citizen's United. Given the passionate statement by Senator Toomey I would expect any of his donations for election to be passed on to charity other than his own.

This is the front page to the US Senate Budget Committee (click here)

I had to do a double take because I thought I was Enzi's Senator page. I have never witnessed such a divisive page to a Congressional committee before. The members are listed as either Democrat or Republican on separate e-pages. The worst it usually gets is a column on the same page with Democrats in one column and Republicans in another column, but this takes it to a new low. 

This year the Senator Budget Committee is first their party and secondly a functional person that cares about Americans. 

Sessions is all about ending any government emergency spending in the US Budget. Amazing. Those seeking these funds are radicals for believing there is such a thing as the climate crisis. Sessions needs to retire. He isn't even up to date with scientific information by the USA's own scientists. 

According to Senator Sanders, the Graham Amendment will provide for another unfunded war. Senator Sanders states the past two Bush cost $3 to $4 TRILLION and it was added directly to the national debt. The Graham Amendment would cost $38 million without even beginning another war.

Senator Wyden - sixty percent of all long term care patients in facilities receive Medicaid. He states the reduction in CHIP will result in danger to that population of senior citizens (elderly). Senator Wyden states with the cuts in the budget he does not know any other way to fund long term Medicaid. 

The amendment process is completely coming down on a partisan basis.

Senator Crappo is interested in defunding DOJ to pursue gun fraud purchases. It passed. 13-9. 

Cutting Fema monies by Senator Whitehouse. Sessions is stating all storms of any kind including tornadoes are down and there is no significant drought in the country. Someone want to tell California that? It was passed. Anything hostile to the well being of Americans will pass, but, where a single American is served by their federal government is cut in the budget. 

Senator Ayotte asked for a fund for heroine addiction. It passed. Republicans have to have at least one item in the budget to make them look good. The Democrats were already on board.

They are playing with Medicare. 

Senator Sanders - There is an $600 million on defense but the DOD has yet to submit an audit. $2.3 trillion was never accounted for under Rumsfield. This amendment is to realize the fraud and the necessity to contractor overruns. Fraud and misconduct has existed in the past ten years with the defense budget. Passes.

Senator Enzi states there is an ongoing audit currently. There are many Republicans signing on to the Sander's Amendment and it passed.

Senator Murray wants clean up of nuclear problems in the USA. The funding is going to be cut at nine of the sixteen sites in this budget. Nuclear waste clean up sites are important and should not have funding cuts. Passes on voice vote.

Sequester across the board cuts are bad policy and they have to be fixed. Bipartisan Budget Act is being offered by her this year. She stated this budget can be updated with current budget caps and revenue projects. The revenues are high enough to fund the higher budget caps this year. She believes another crisis has to be averted and the cuts due to Sequester has to end. Senator Murray states the new caps are all paid for in revenue. Her amendment replaces Sequestration. Enzi is resistant to the amendment insisting there are needed taxes to meet her plan. Graham states it all sounds good but is skeptical.

Senator Stabenow states there is no petroleum liability fund for TAR SANDS OIL. The spill in Michigan is stated to be tar sands oil. She wants an amendment that will bring a tax on tar sands oil that will provide a deficit neutral fund. It would eliminate the tax right offs to the industry. Senator Murray and Baldwin wants to be added in support of the amendment. 

Senator Baldwin for NIH passes with voice vote. She also wants to create a fund for work force training and research and development. Her amendment wants to create a fund for this purpose through established practices already at work in the country. Passes on a voice vote.

That is the basic understanding in what is occurring with the budget. 

HR 9 is crony capitalism.

In 1927, (click here) Philo Farnsworth was the first inventor to transmit a television image comprised of 60 horizontal lines. The image transmitted was a dollar sign. Farnsworth developed the dissector tube, the basis of all current electronic televisions. He filed for his first television patent in 1927 (pat#1,773,980.) Although he won an early patent for his image dissection tube, he lost later patent battles to RCA. Philo Farnsworth went on to invent over 165 different devices including equipment for converting an optical image into an electrical signal, amplifier, cathode-ray, vacuum tubes, electrical scanners, electron multipliers and photoelectric materials. 

H.R. 9: Innovation Act (click here)

Rep. Rohrabacher brought opposition to the House floor to stop HR 9 that will be introduced in the next week or so.

To amend title 35, (click here) United States Code, and the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act to make improvements and technical corrections, and for other purposes.

The bill is to follow this section. Section 281 is very simple. It proves civil action on infringement. The entire sections states:

35 U.S. Code § 281 - Remedy for infringement of patent

A patentee shall have remedy by civil action for infringement of his patent. 

Rep. Rohrabacher wants HR 9 defeated to protect the US patent process. Instead, he would like to see Senator Christopher Coons' Senate bill 632 passed.

March 2, 2015

By Jeff John Roberts

“Be careful about changing patent law (click here) — it could harm innovation,” is a favorite talking point for those who oppose plans to reform to America’s troubled patent system. But what if the opposite is true? What if it’s the status quo, in which patent trolls sock productive companies with abusive lawsuits, that is hurting innovation?

That’s the position of more than 50 law professors and economists, who submitted a letter to Congress, encouraging elected officials to do something about the current mess. In one striking passage, the academics suggest patent trolls (also known as PAE’s) are wreaking havoc on both R&D and venture capital investing:

“An econometric analysis finds that the more R&D a firm performs, the more likely it is to be hit with a patent lawsuit, all else equal. Another study associates lawsuits from PAEs with a decline of billions of dollars of venture capital investment; another found that extensive lawsuits caused small firms to sharply reduce R&D spending; and yet another found that costly lawsuits caused publicly listed defendant firms to substantially curtail R&D spending,” said the letter (the cited studies can be found in the letter below)....

S.632 - STRONG Patents Act of 2015 (click here)

132 Days

Thank you, Senator Paul.

That is really nice. We are all pulling for Harry and in this case we are all pulling in the right direction.

March 18, 2015
By Ashley Killough

As Rand Paul (click here) presided over the Senate floor Wednesday morning, Democratic Leader Harry Reid took a few moments to thank the Kentucky Republican and ophthalmologist for helping him with an eye injury.
 

Reid, who now wears special dark glasses, said Paul has "has been so kind and thoughtful and considerate and visiting with me, giving me encouragement and some expert advice as to what he's seen in the past and giving me hope for better sight out of my right eye."

Reid suffered a concussion and broke several ribs and bones in his face during an exercising accident on New Year's Day, resulting in severe limitation of sight out of his right eye....

Is there DNA on the letter?

 I seriously doubt there will be a conviction without precise evidence.

March 19, 2015
By Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Joel Rubin and Richard Winton

...About the time Berman was killed, (click here) Beverly Hills police had received a mysterious letter. On the envelope, the writer had misspelled "Beverly." The letter contained only Berman's Benedict Canyon address and the word "cadaver." As best as investigators could tell, the letter had been postmarked on the same day, or the day after, Berman was killed.
The hand that wrote the letter, they surmised, was probably the same hand that pulled the trigger.
A search warrant released Wednesday from Houston offers a detailed narrative of how police over the last 14 years tried to identify the author of the letter....

There will be incredmental changes in the gravity of Earth during this event.

19 March 2015 

Last updated at 10:58 GMT 

Parts of northern Europe (click here) will experience a rare solar eclipse on the morning of Friday 20 March.
The far north will experience a total eclipse of the Sun, as the Moon casts a shadow onto the surface of the Earth.
But a lot of places further south will also get a taste of the rare spectacle.
Here, BBC News explains this celestial event happens and how to observe it safely - in 90 seconds.
Video by John Galliver and Victoria Gill

Zionist Union party co-leaders Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni arrive to deliver a statement in the party's election headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 18, 2015.

March 19, 2015
VOA News 


Isaac Herzog, (click here) whose Zionist Union finished second in Israel's parliamentary elections, said Thursday the party will not join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's next coalition government.

Netanyahu's Likud party won 30 seats in the 120-member body, beating out the Zionist Union's 24 and putting the prime minister in position to cobble together a government and serve a fourth term.

Herzog told Israel's Army Radio that the Zionist Union will be an opposition force to "challenge a narrow right-wing government."...

The obstruction of nomination of Loretta Lynch is based in race.

In any lawsuit regarding a decision of racism with all circumstances being equal the only difference is race, that is the reason for the problem.

This is 2015 and there are other nominations that have sailed through the Senate within the past two weeks. The problem with Loretta Lynch's nomination is race. Just that simple.

The USA does not recognize the racial tones in life. Our minorities are ethnically different from the majority of our population. They have every right any American has under the law. When they are held in a different process status from any majority American and all else is equal, there is racism. This is not rocket science. 

The question is very simple, is there a racial difference between other nominations being passed into their employ and Loretta Lynch. The answer is, yes. Why her nomination as opposed to other nominations that have recently received a vote? The difference is her race. 

Politics doesn't enter the picture. Why? Because she is a minority and the reason why she is obstructed from a very important job is her race. The politics is an excuse. It is no different than poll taxes and voting obstruction, it is based in race. There are plenty of reasons to find to effect the lives of minorities in the USA. The Senate should be bending over backward to pass Ms. Lynch's nomination through. Why? Because we all should be proud of the presence of our minorities in this country in positions of power.

Just that simple. 

The Republicans are horrible in stating equal opportunity is over in the USA. That is not the case, there are still disparities and it has to end! There are tones in this country that are racist, ask any parent of a young black man. How does anyone think the tensions between the majority and other ethnicities are going to end? By playing politics with human beings? No, the differences will be dispelled when we realize how much exposure our minorities need and held in appreciation and esteem to every American in this country. When our minorities are above any obstruction and are highly regarded, then and only then will racism not be an issue.

Every day that Ms. Lynch's nomination is held in abeyance of normal process status it tells the USA there is a difference between the majority and the minority. It is translated as the privilege to do as one feels necessary where race enters the picture. 

March 19, 2015
43 minutes ago

State police (click here) have launched an investigation after footage showing the violent arrest of a University of Virginia student sparked protests and prompted concern among top officials.

Images of bloodied Martese Johnson being held down by an officer were shared widely online on Wednesday, along with footage of the black 20-year-old calling the cops handcuffing him "racists."

Johnson, a junior at the university, was arrested at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday near The Corner, a popular off-camp....

There is no intellectualizing any of this, it is very simple. 

Young black men are scared to death for their lives every day they live and breath. There is no racism in the USA, huh? 

Ms. Lynch's nomination has been held to a different standard from the beginning of her nomination. No racism, huh? 

Monsanto punishes Oregon State University for finding GMO wheat.

March 18, 2015
By Eric Mortenson 

The company (click here) will distribute money to agricultural colleges in seven states – but not in the state where the GE wheat was found.

Monsanto Company will pay $50,000 each to agricultural colleges in seven states as part of a settlement of class action lawsuits filed after the May 2013 discovery of genetically-engineered in Eastern Oregon.

The settlement contains no money for Oregon State University, however. It was OSU weed scientist Carol Mallory-Smith who confirmed the wheat found growing in the Eastern Oregon was “Roundup Ready,” meaning it could withstand Monsanto’s trademark herbicide. No GMO wheat has been approved for commercial use....

...Oregon, Washington and Idaho growers were not participants in the suit, and are not parties to the settlement. Their claims were covered in a previous $2.357 million settlement

Oregon State University, a land grant university, did not receive compensation.

I found the agility of the Tunisian police very impressive. They did a great job. Where did they learn that?

March 18, 2015
By Tarek Amara and Mohamed Argoubi

..."All Tunisians (click here) should be united after this attack which was aimed at destroying the Tunisian economy," Prime Minister Essid declared in a national address....

The Tunisian government is a newly minted government. The new constitution was recently passed and the Prime Minister only took office in February. The attack which was suppose to be carried on in a heavily guarded government building near the museum is more in reaction to the new government than anything else.

The new constitution and elected government took some time to bring it together. The party the Prime Minister represents is actually a consolidation of about six other pre-existing parties. By the coalition that formed there are many voices now heard as the result of that path forward. So, any analysis other than that is somewhat incorrect. 

The criminals that killed so many innocent people weren't really a part of an invading force so much as a disgruntled one.

The police that responded were more than likely not far away at the parliament building or the government building.

The response of solidarity within the populous after the attacks is proof of the confidence and benevolence they find in their new government. It was impressive as well.

Hate. I have never heard that much hate against any president before.

She did have one statement I would like FOX News explore. She stated, "What kind of games is the Congress playing with the citizens of this country?"

She is obviously a FOX News disciple and I thought that would be a really interesting topic for that media outlet.

Oh, just to get the conversation rolling, the US military, by law, is not allowed to fire on Americans. The best example I remember is when General Russel L. Honore arrived in New Orleans by helicopter after Hurricane Katrina and the first words he spoke was, "Put those guns away." He was speaking the soldiers standing near his helicopter.

The US House Budget "Trick-le Down"

They are getting ready for Jeb. It is the "Ready for Jeb" regressive movement. I don't think anyone is ready for Jeb.

There is every indication the Republicans will be looking to limit voting and rig the outcomes. What was it Christi said?

Contract talks and not softening of the USA economy. It is most likely why there was a drop in exports.

The Fed Chair Yellen states the USA economy is good to go, but, the strong dollar is causing a drop in exports.

March 18, 2015
By Shane Ferro

...The statement, (click here) which summarizes the Fed's outlook on the economy after this week's two-day FOMC meeting, dropped the language previous about interest rate policy — that the Fed can be "patient" in approaching interest rate hikes — with language that says current interest rate policy "remains appropriate."
 
During the press conference, Yellen said that "just because we removed the word 'patient' doesn't mean we're going to be impatient." 

"Participants are now seeing more slack in the economy than they previously did," she said....

She states the US unemployment rate is expected to be 5.0 to 5.2. 

... Yellen said that the Fed likely won't raise rates in April, but after that raising rates is on the table "depending on how the economy evolves." However, it's too soon to say when beyond that rates will rise. Yellen said that people shouldn't necessarily expect that rates will change at the June meeting, but no one should rule that out. It all depends on the data....

She points to the west coast port strike as a reason for some softening. The port strike could have been averted if the port was willing to negotiate. It was only the unwillingness to negotiate that caused a strike after waiting for over six months and more like nine when considering the union asked for talks three months previous to the end of the contract. 

The DC Crowd only recognizes intervention into any union issues when there is a strike, not beginning to end any belligerence by either side months before the end of the contract. If one looks into any history of union strikes it is nearly always because the employer is belligerent to begin contract talks. Preventive intervention should be a top priority. All parties should be at the contract table at least six months before the end of any labor contract, this way there will be a realization to the status of the contract to immediately strike after the end of the contract.

The softening of the USA economy during this time period should stand as a rational to enforce contract talks at least six months before the end of the contract.

The unions should consider writing into any contract the demand for contract talks beginning six months before the end of the contract. At that point it could become litigable to force contract talks to prevent a strike and any hardship for the strikers.

Considering the current House budget cuts Medicare and Social Security, it is time to support "The People's Budget."

March 18, 2015
By Campaign for America's Future Blog

The Congressional Progressive Caucus (click here) unveiled its fiscal 2016 “People’s Budget: A Raise For America” one day after House Republicans released their “A Balanced Budget for a Stronger America” proposal. The CPC touted a $1.9 trillion investment in America’s future and over 8 million new jobs. The House Republicans bragged about cutting $5 trillion over 10 years. The sharp contrast between the two reflect stark differences in values and ideology – and a basic choice of whether government will serve the many or the few....

Republicans believe they have political armor plating because of their cronies and the monies into their campaigns, so they going for broke. 

What does a "Partner Based US Military" look like? House Committee,

Defense Secretary Carter states the US does have the resources to carry out the current strategy in the Middle East.

In an open source Chief Dempsey states the statements about Russian navel aggression is still unfounded by intelligence services.

There is concern the INF (Treaty (click here) Between The United States Of America And The Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics On The Elimination Of Their Intermediate-Range And Shorter-Range Missiles) is being violated by Russia. The DOD is looking into it and re-engage Russia regarding the INF. This is standard brinkmanship by Russia. Russia is always playing brinkmanship with the USA to detect absence of resolve and readiness. I suggest the DOD prove the degree of readiness actually has to re-engage the treaty in short order. If there is no return to the treaty, then the USA needs to decide it's stance with NATO regarding this treaty. Russia seems to be in the mood for breaking treaties.

House Representative Rob Wittman interested in military acquisition. Secretary Carter states he is very interested in improving the acquisition process. The process has to work more with the (? American ?) companies providing the needs of the US Military. A representative to the companies would be part of the decision making process. 

That would actually streamline the needs of the military and the military would actually get what it asked for and needs. A representative from the USA military working directly with the companies would empower the military to a better and more effective military. I can't believe there are no representatives from the US military already sitting at the decision making table with contractors. No wonder there are many errors and extended timelines to the US military needs. 
  
There is a request that 2015 be the "Year of the military diver" by Rep. Gwen Graham. She is concerned about Federal Recovery Care of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. She is looking for reassurance none will fall between the cracks. 

Secretary Carter states the country has a long obligation to these people since they were injured at an early age of 20 some years. General Dempsey states there are two aspects to this issue; l - continuing the care of those already receiving benefits and 2. - finding any new veterans needing care and to that end they are working to refine the transfer of soldiers to a connection with the VA to that end.

Duncan Hunter wants to end reforms so much as initiate computer technology into testing. The idea is to free up the personnel that do testing to other responsibilities within the military. He wants Predator contractors to man them in Jordan. 

Secretary Carter states the Predator is assisting Jordan and his requests can be examined to implement including testing. General Dempsey states the State Department has to be a part of any transition of authority in Jordan.

Hostages in the world fall under the FBI. Rep. Hunter wants the bureau with the most resources and personnel to deal with hostages. Secretary Carter states these operations need a choreographer is needed with other agencies such as Homeland Security. 

Rep. Moulton wants to know if the new budget is realistic and what is the USA doing with partners in the world. General Dempsey states the USA is actively involved with partners around the world. I am curious how that partner based military in regard to security reflects anything in the new House Budget. 

General Dempsey states the budget they present to Congress is vital as stated and when funding is not provided it effects the functioning of the US military. 

Rep. Lamborn states there are two areas that seem understated in the AUMF. Scope and timeline. Secretary Carter states the scope is sufficient as stated and the timeline simply brings continuity into the next administration for a year. 

An AUMF that tells the US Troops there is support for their efforts. 

General Dempsey states a completely unrestrained AUMF existed was WWII. 

Rep. Aguilar worried about the three year campaign. Secretary Carter states the timeline is not about the campaign but recognition of our political system. General Dempsey states the war will no doubt extend past three years. Secretary Carter states the one year of the AUMF would require the next President to engage with this operation for at least a year.

Dr. Fleming is annoyed about 'No American Boots on the Ground.' He states there is no historical application to the AUMF requested by the President. Sec. Carter states he is not familiar with all the US operations to point to one that succeeded with substantial forces on the ground. 

Okay, that is enough. Rep. Fleming states he does not know of any war the USA fought and won without significant US boots on the ground. Fleming is not looking realistically at any US involvement in war. Vietnam had substantial US troops on the ground and the USA cannot claim a victory there. So, his problems are based in Republican rhetoric and not facts or figures. There is no reason to continue to engage his imagination.

General Dempsey states the USA was not the problem that lead to this civil war in Iraq. He stated the Iraqi government was directly responsible for the fail of the Iraqi forces. 

Mr. Ashford is ? concerned ? or simply making friends? He wants to know when he visits facilities there are obvious partnerships and he wants the Secretary to describe that partnership. Ex. Nebraska facility that accommodated Eboli patients.

Secretary Carter states the DOD doesn't build anything, they depend on contractors to supply facilities. What Rep. Bradford wants to build better facilities for outpatient care of Veterans coming for treatment in Nebraska. Now I got it, but, that was a long way around to finally ask the question.

Rep. Gibson wants accounting of land forces because allies don't anti-up for their costs and the agility of the global defense force capability. Concerned about deterrents in capability and will. Wants leadership in restoring a global response force.

Secretary - GRF (global response force) (click here) exists. The readiness is questionable. 
General Dempsey - forward station and funding sometimes has to be reached into in regard to other expenses. GRF is identified as 'the vision' of the future of American forces.

Rep. Courtney is concerned about the Triad Fleet (click here)- Ohio replacement program - Sea Based Ship Building Account. He states the ship building account is grossly underfunded when future planning is required to replace the ships we now have. Secretary Carter - The Sea Based leg of the Triad Fleet is nuclear and Ohio Class replacement is being looked at to reduce costs, but, we have to pay that bill. The lack of funding for 2020 - 2030 for the Ohio Class is obvious.  General Dempsey states the Ohio Class is an important deterrent.

Rep. Franks was surprised at this nomination but a good one. Secretary, "My wife and I were surprised, too." Franks is concerned about nuclear enrichment of Iran. Secretary Carter states he is not informed about the ongoing talks with Iran, but, he states he agrees, "No deal is better than a bad deal."  He states the activities of Iran currently is a concern.

Franks to General Dempsey states the best position for the USA in the Middle East is to work with coalition partners and the USA does play a unique roll within that coalition. 

Rep. Nugent is worried about the fact Iran is involved in Iraq. This is more of the denial of the USA's denial of the dynamics of the region. This is the attitude and denial of reality that constructs the "Forever War."

Secretary Carter states it is a complicated picture. The Iraq military are working with Sunni tribes to bring about a force against ISIS (Deash). There are other regions of Iraq different. Currently the USA stands with the existing government. In regard to Afghanistan, Secretary Carter we have a bilateral agreement with Afghanistan that is not sectarian in nature. Only a few years ago I did not think we would have gotten this far.

Rep. Wenstrup has many ideas of how we can form our coalition, but, holding POWs that are captured is a quandary to holding , 'If the coalition captures POW how to we hold them for intelligence purpose?"

Secretary Carter states there is no set disposition of any detainee. General Dempsey states "Host countries conducts a capture and hold operation, but, where there is a direct threat to the USA, the DOD has worked with DOJ to hold detainees for questioning and interrogation."

Wenstrup wants to know about extended engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Secretary Carter states there is no long term commitment or request for funding for an extended deployment.

Rep. Walorski - Secretary states there has to be a final disposition for Gitmo detainees. Bringing detainees into the USA is against the law. There has to be a lawful disposition to those people. It is desirable to close Gitmo to end the rallying point for jihadis. Walorski states the President has broken the law before (typical Republican racism) so that is not breaking news. Secretary states there has to be a lawful way to transfer current detainees to other facilities. 

Walorski - A huge leap in this budget and is the national debt a greater concern than cliamte change. She is annoyed the General and Secretary are defending the AUMF. There is no reason to continue to be concern about her rants. 

The Secreatry states all the threats that involve the USA are addressed by the DOD. We need to tend to all the defense problems for a health nation. 

Rep. Zinke - Generals are stating differently from anything the Secretary and General Dempsey is stating He states he is a former Commander of Seal Team Six. He is worried "American Armor" will become a prisoner that will burn in a cage. He wants far more involvement to insure that doesn't happen. He believes any spending of the AUMF should be flexible to win the war?

Secretary Carter - the AUMF has flexibility built into it. 

Rep. Knight  is worried about aircraft technology. Fifth generation fighters today and the acquisition process should be computerized.

Secretary Carter states the word that describes that concern is agility. The cost control best for the US military has to pay attention to sustainment costs because it will be the lion share of the costs to maintain the jet.

Knight wants to know how the pilots are going to keep up with the advancements of the new technology that is happening very quickly. 

Carter "We need to keep up and I am with you." (It's about the F35, but, Shh don't say F35.)

See, the cost of the F35 doesn't stop because it is totally computerized and hacked into by what might be called 'the enemy.' The F35 needs regular and quick updates to it's software so it doesn't fall out of the sky when it's software is hacked. This is all about the computerized military be it air or ground or sea operations. The entire direction into a Drone Military is ridiculous. Putin is carrying out sea operations today. They don't have drones. They have the READINESS and CONFIDENCE without the computerized component. 

Rep. McSally asked questions only possible to answer in classified session.Wants to know if A10 should be fully funded. Secretary states the A10 (click here) is an important aircraft but hit by budgetary issues.

Rep. Thornberry  wants to know about audit and how it is effecting the military personnel. Defense Undersecretary states there is a need for cooperation regarding the audit. DFAS (click here) is an entity of itself that passed an audit multiple times and are a service provider. DFAS is a capable partner.

To the Secretary, Rep. Thornberry states unless the representatives can speak to accoutability it is difficult to win any acceptance with the voter.

OCO (Overseas Contingency Operations - click here) Funds has an agreement with Dept. of Budget and Defense dating from 2010. Congress plays a role in OCO funding between itself and the President. F35s have been dispatched through OCO. So, therefore what is the appropriate use of OCO.

Ukraine military funding? That is principally a political and economic challenge because the Ukraine is in serious fiscal danger. The DOD is assisting material assistance in the way of vehicles and otherwise. The lethal assitant is a complicated decision and it in discussions. NATO partners and allies need to supply Ukraine as well to provide a stable country that is not pushed around by the Russians. 

Mr. Thronberry is worried the USA doesn't look like a good partner.

Examples please. "Partner" is going to become a political buzz word.

Secretary Carter was in Budapest in 1995 when the agreement was signed that Russia has violated. Ukraine is an important country, but, not a NATO ally and that raises all kinds of issues. Thornberry is planning a trip to the region. 

Hearing adjourned.

end.

continued...

Where is the budget?

Tom Price stated go to "http://budget.house.gov/" TO LEARN about the budget.

The site is a tutorial for rhetoric.

Where is the link to the actual budget?

So much for the truth and transparency from the hubris ridden man of Mr. Price who proudly stated, "So much for the plans of mice and men." The budget wherever it might be found intentionally seeks to remove any legacy of President Obama. 

"So much for the plans of mice and men" is a bigoted statement. The American people are not interested in hatred and racism, they want a budget for the country that returns function to the health care system found in the ACA and they want the stupid funding within the US Military to stop. The US Military can no longer be a place where crony interests exist. 

This budget needs to be withdrawn by the House to move it to a transparent joint committee with the US House Demorats and bipartisan representatives form the US Senate. This budget will not pass in the US Senate. 

The presentation of this budget at a news conference was absent of any House Democrats.

The Republicans call this a balanced budget, with TRILLIONS of dollars to balance. This is a travesty to this country and complete disregard of the US Taxpayer. I can balance the US budget too if given a steady stream of unlimited taxes to match the amount spent. 

With the end of spending on the ACA, the Democrats can start to whittle away at the budget by removing the taxes within the ACA.

Ukraine and Russia must enforce the ceasefire agreement.

March 18, 2015

KIEV, Ukraine: Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine (click here) threatened Wednesday to abandon a cease-fire following changes to a law granting their regions self-rule.
Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky said in a statement that legislation giving areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions special status has been weakened by the amendments.
"We agreed to a special status for the Donbass within a renewed Ukraine, although our people wanted total independence. We agreed to this to avoid the spilling of fraternal blood," the statement said.
But Ukraine did not renew itself," it continued. Rebels have pushed for revisions to the constitution to decentralize power, but argue that authority is still held by powerful businessmen....

These are the lies appearing in Russian owned media.

VTSIOM Director Valery Fyodorov (click here) said in press comments that the current attitude of an average Russian to the situation in Ukraine was caused by growing disappointment in the once-brotherly nation that unexpectedly started an aggressive campaign against its own citizens, accompanied by an immense wave of blatant propaganda. 

Was it not Russian backed rebels that moved into Crimea to begin a violent civil war? Was it not Russian backed rebels that denied Russia was involved and continued their violence while they killed 298 people on MH27?

“It’s very difficult to believe in their peaceful intentions, especially on the background of lies and propaganda coming from Kiev. It’s difficult to believe in their commitment to end the war and settle the conflict, this is the cause of the very strong skepticism,” RIA Novosti quoted Fyodorov as saying.... 

When the Russian backed rebels in Ukraine took over the Crimea, Ukraine were lucky to cross into mainland Ukraine with their lives. There was no reason for armed forces in Crimea yet they infiltrated into the country as a result of Yanukovych's disarming of the national military.

There is no way the leadership in Ukraine can be blamed for the civil war. The only defense the people had against the Yanukovych militia was a disarmed national military. 

The ceasefire needs to be enforced by both parties.  

As Russia's propaganda decides the length of the ceasefire, Putin ratchets up military tensions in the region. 

March 17, 2015
By Timothy Hertiage and Darya Korsunskaya

(Reuters) - Russia ruled out handing Crimea (click here) back to Ukraine on Tuesday and a Defense Ministry official said nuclear-capable long-range bombers were being sent to the Black Sea peninsula as part of war games. 

The huge military exercises, in which the Northern Fleet was put on full alert on Monday and will range from the Arctic to the Black Sea, appear to be a show of force and defiance on the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea....

No surprises with a Republican majority in the House and Senate. As President Obama reduces the national deficit, the Repubicans increase it.

This is proof the Republicans have no respect for the taxpayer or the credit rating of the USA.

No loophole was closed for the wealthy, there are more loopholes created in this budget for the wealthy. 

The Republicans are known as the frugal party that seeks to lower the national debt and deficit. They are the party stating, "We are taking the future away from our children." The only time the Republicans are frugal or concerned about the taxpayer is when Democrats are in any majority or in the White House.

There is only one reason Republicans are concerned about any national debt and it is to remove spending on the poor and reassign the monies to the real welfare in the USA namely Wall Street and the wealthy.

I hope the Democrats finally take the idea of ending the national debt and deficit as their own to end and lower. The only reason Republicans want a balanced budget amendment for the federal government is to take away any federal spending on the poor or those monies that support the Middle Class through educational funding or health care. 

This Republican budget does not end any ACA tax, it reassigns it to other spending. So, the idea the Republicans want to scuttle the entire ACA bill is a lie. They want to continue the taxes in the ACA and reassign them to Republican cronies.

"W" Bush used the country's credit card all too frequently and now the current Republican majority proves they do the same thing. It is not the Democrats that spend the country's way into a greater and greater national debt, it is the Republicans that spend on items like the F35. If that jet is not a welfare project don't ask me what is.

March 17, 2015

WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget (click here) plan for next year that effectively breaks tight budget limits on military spending while promising a familiar roster of big cuts to social programs such as food stamps and Medicaid.
The plan by Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Ga., pads Pentagon and State Department accounts for overseas operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere by $36 billion above President Barack Obama's $58 billion request for such spending, which is not bound by the return of automatic cuts next year.
To meet their promise to balance the budget within a decade, Republicans propose cutting $5.5 trillion from a federal budget that's on track to total $50 trillion over that period. They also swallow up almost $1 trillion in higher tax revenues over a decade by assuming the expiration of popular tax breaks like the research and development tax break that are known collectively in Washington-speak as tax "extenders."
In the immediate term, the measure would produce higher deficits as lawmakers block a looming cut in Medicare fees to doctors and increase Pentagon spending....

A letter to the President might be tainted with poison. Not really anything new.

March 18, 2015
By AP


...Initial biological testing (click here) came back negative, the Secret Service said, but another test conducted Tuesday returned a "presumptive positive" for cyanide.

A facility located away from the White House and its surrounding buildings had received the letter Monday for routine screening.

The Secret Service, which is responsible for the safety and security of President Barack Obama and his immediate family, said its investigation into the letter was continuing and it will have no additional comment on the matter.

Suspicious letters often are sent to some of the country's leading politicians, including the president. Some test positive for hazardous substances while others include threats of death or other physical harm.

In June 2013, a West Virginia man was indicted on charges of threatening to kill Obama and his family in a letter that included profanity and racial slurs. A federal judge later dismissed the charges after forensic handwriting analysis conducted by the Secret Service showed that 20-year-old Ryan Kirker of McMechen, West Virginia, didn't write the letter....

President Obama must continue to speak to a peace for the Palestinians.

An Israeli army bulldozer destroys a Palestinian house in the Arab neighborhood of Beit Hanina in occupied east Jerusalem on July 13, 2010. 
Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

This image is from 2010 at a website where astounding pictures are taken by a very talented photojournalist, Gharabli Ahmend (click here) 
The human rights abuses are real and now the idea of a single country has made it's way into Israeli politics. 

March 18, 2015

Celebrations (click here) at the Joint List's headquarters over becoming the third  largest political force in Israel after Tuesday's elections were muted by concern over the re-election of Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu and the prospect of business as usual.

By winning 14 seats in the new parliament, the Joint List alliance of three Arab-Israeli parties and Hadash (the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality), a Jewish-Arab leftist party, has nevertheless achieved its goal of becoming a significant political force in the country.

"It's the end of the dream for Netanyahu and [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman of an Israel without Arabs. With the results from this evening we are now clearly present on the political map of the country," Imad Abu Ahmad, an architect and a Hadash activist, told FRANCE 24 in the great hall of Abu Maher in Nazareth....

The statements by Prime Minister Netanyahu are not new, they extend back decades. There is no reason to speak to the radical political right wing that turned out to support the current Prime Minister. 

I think the current situation in the Middle East speaks to this election more than the resolve for a two state solution. I can remember statements by many Hebrews dating back to the late 1990s that Palestine has stayed viable within Israel's borders past 20 years, a generation, and should stop their demands for a homeland. This election is more of the same.

The USA continued to advocate for a Palestinian homeland past the radical right's influence for a long time. The relationship of Israel and the USA will sustain, but, the position of The West will not change. It is The West that Israel has to seek for solutions and the USA will never be alone regarding human rights abuses and the need for a Palestinian Homeland.

I might add, there are those that believe Hamas would take leadership in any Palestinian election. Quite possibly, but, look what the Palestinians are facing in Netanyahu. The more extreme Israel becomes the more Palestinians will be as well.

March 18, 2014
By Gulf News

...American commentator Peter Beinart (click here) wrote in the Israeli paper Haaretz recently, Barack Obama is “the face of 21st Century America” in which millennials and minorities that have distaste for Israel’s atrocities are becoming an influential part of the electorate. Obama, he warned, is “not an aberration; he is not a passing phase”. 

 On the other hand, leaders in western capitals who may have been hoping for Netanyahu’s defeat may be in for a rude awakening. Netanyahu, too, is not a passing phase in Israel. He is Israel. A third term may make him the longest serving Israeli prime minister; the Israeli people’s preferences could not be clearer....