Women need options in supporting their families and girls need the information about sex, sexuality and ultimately the end of teenage pregnancy.

There is not a woman in this world that doesn't see pregnancy with reflection and options. When a girl becomes pregnant there is a crime either by men or the government for not protecting her from her own innocence.

November 17, 2018
By Katherine Hignett

Stormy Daniels blasted the state of America’s sex education (click here) Thursday in a speech to the Oxford Union debating society.

The adult film actress—real name Stephanie Clifford—blamed a lack of shame-free advice for young people as being the cause of problems including unwanted pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

People that oppose “open and well-rounded sex education,” she added, “are fueling the very social problems they say they are trying to prevent.”

Daniels was speaking to an audience made up mostly of Oxford University students during an event entitled “Sex, Guns and Other Fluff: How Porn Can Set You Free.”

“Don't want abortions? Then help prevent unwanted pregnancies by teaching young people about their bodies in an honest, open and shame-free way,” she told the crowd.

“As a matter of fact, open, factual discussion about sex is the best way to prevent a whole bunch of social problems: STDs, assault, sexual dysfunction,” she said. “Maybe [even] having Donald Trump as president.”...

...Who Supports Sex Education? (click here)

Sex Education is widely supported by the vast majority of people in the United States. In Planned Parenthood’s most recent poll on sex education, 93 percent of parents supported having sex education taught in middle school, and 96 percent of parents supported having sex education taught in high school. The vast majority of parents support sex education in middle school and high school that covers a wide range of topics, including STDs, puberty, healthy relationships, contraception, and sexual orientation. Other national, state and local polls on sex education have shown similarly high levels of support.

Sex education is supported by numerous prestigious health and medical organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Over 150 organizations are members of the National Coalition to Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education....

November 14, 2018
By Rekha Basu

...During a gubernatorial debate, (click here) Reynolds was asked what issue she would not compromise on. She answered, "Life.” Earlier this year Reynolds signed a law that makes most abortions illegal. The fetal heartbeat law, on hold pending a court ruling, bars abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. Now Maggie DeWitte,  the spokeswoman for the Coalition of Pro-Life Leaders, says of their legislative priorities, “Our goal is to eliminate abortion, period.”

Let's look to the Dominican Republic, where abortion is illegal, period: Women and girls can be sent to prison for up to two years for inducing their own abortions. Medical professionals who perform them can get up to 20 years. Though prison is rare, according to an upcoming report by Human Rights Watch, the threats are effective in a country where nearly half of pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted. Women and girls interviewed by the nonprofit organization described being depressed, terrified, desperate, or trapped when they learned they were pregnant. 

The worst affected are those from rural areas and of low income. The risks to life and health from illegal abortions are higher when the providers are underground. Abortion recipients told HRW of abuse, neglect and mistreatment by some providers. Some pregnant people use dangerous techniques to end their pregnancies such as denying themselves food or water. "One woman said she beat her belly with a concrete block," the report said. The country's public health ministry attributes 8 percent of maternal deaths to complications from illegal abortions or miscarriages. Twenty-five thousand women and girls seek medical attention for complications related to abortion or miscarriage each year....

The truth is the truth. There has been a reduction in teen pregnancy on a regular basis during the Obama years. There is no clear consensus as to the reason for the reductions, but, teens had access to information and contraception, including abstinence. Teens can make clear decisions to opt out of pregnancy when they have good and consistent information and not myths. This is the best path for women. Information and access to contraception. No one wants a woman or girl to face abortion, but, it has to be a part of the decisions women make. That is the facts.

CDC

Teen birth rates declined from 2014 to 2015 (click here) for all races and for Hispanics. Among 15- to 19-year-olds, teen birth rates decreased:

• 10% for Asian/Pacific Islanders
• 9% for non-Hispanic blacks
• 8% for Hispanics
• 8% for non-Hispanic whites
• 6% for American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN)

In 2015, the birth rate of Hispanic teens were still more than two times higher than the rate for non-Hispanic white teens. The birth rate of non-Hispanic black teens was almost twice as high as the rate among non-Hispanic white teens, and American Indian/Alaska Native teen birth rates remained more than one and a half times higher than the non-Hispanic white teen birth rate.  Geographic differences in teen birth rates persist, both within and across states.  Among some states with low overall teen birth rates, some counties have high teen birth rates.

Less favorable socioeconomic conditions, such as low education and low income levels of a teen’s family, may contribute to high teen birth rates. Teens in child welfare systems are at higher risk of teen pregnancy and birth than other groups. For example, young women living in foster care are more than twice as likely to become pregnant than those not in foster care....

Senator Chuck Grassley is leaving as chairman of the US Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senator Chuck Grassley is typical of the US Senate Republican majority that will be maintained after January 2019. Just because there is a change in leadership to Graham doesn't mean women will be considered an equal. The right wing does not recognize women as leaders. They don't believe women have a right to their own bodies. They don't believe there is a place for contraception, especially if it means postponing parenthood because a woman is successful in pursuing a career. That means discrimination due to gender should never be an issue.

Let me be clear when a woman's body is an issue in regard to contraception and abortion that IS GENDER DISCRIMINATION. Women have a right to define their futures and the future of their children to be comfortable achievers supported by wealthy women.

Women have made incredible strides in the most recent election. We have to continue to find success and demonstrate far better leadership than the leadership that continues to victimize women and victimized women in the past.

By Kevin Freking

Washington - Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa (click here) is giving up the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee after shepherding 84 of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees through the confirmation process over the past two years, including Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Grassley said he plans to become chairman of the Senate Finance Committee next year. To do that, he'll have to give up the gavel of the Judiciary Committee, which he has held since 2015. Democrats have accused Grassley of unfairly disregarding Senate protocols and courtesies to get Trump's nominees confirmed.

The move paves the way for Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. to become the next Judiciary chairman. Graham has become a close Trump ally and was a vocal supporter of Kavanaugh's confirmation, pushing back against sexual misconduct allegations, which Kavanaugh denied....

October 6, 2018
By John Bowden

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (click here) explained his comments about the lack of female senators serving on the Judiciary panel in a Fox News interview Saturday.

The Republican chairman was criticized on Friday after he told reporters that the committee's heavy workload was one reason why more female senators may choose not to serve on the committee.

“It’s a lot of work — maybe they don’t want to do it,” Grassley said Friday. “My chief of staff of 33 years tells me we’ve tried to recruit women and we couldn’t get the job done.”

“We have a hard time getting men on the committee. It’s just a lot of work whether you’re a man or a woman, it doesn’t matter,” he added later, clarifying his remarks....

September 22, 2018
By Grace Segers

Garrett Ventry, (click here) a communications adviser and spokesman for Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, has resigned. NBC News, which first reported the resignation, said the decision came after the outlet "raised questions about Ventry's employment history" and a sexual harassment allegation against him.

Ventry was helping with the GOP's response to an allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford 36 years ago at a party.

NBC reported Saturday that Ventry had worked as a social media adviser in 2017 in North Carolina House Majority Leader John Bell's office. It reported that "sources familiar with the situation" said Ventry was let go "after parts of his resume were found to have been embellished, and because he faced an accusation of sexual harassment from a female employee of the North Carolina General Assembly's Republican staff."

In a statement to CBS News Saturday, Ventry said, "I deny allegations of misconduct at the NC House." He said he submitted his resignation to the Senate Judiciary Committee "to not be a distraction to their work."

"Garrett was one of several temporary staff brought on to assist in the committee's consideration of the Supreme Court nomination, a team that has done outstanding work," a committee spokesman told CBS News. "While he strongly denies allegations of wrongdoing, he decided to resign to avoid causing any distraction from the work of the committee."...

September 27, 2018
By Progress Iowa

Daily Kos

Tax March

MoveOn

CREDO

One Wisconsin Now

Americans for Democratic Action Iowa

Iowa Citizen Action Network

Courage Campaign

Why Courts Matter Pennsylvania

Citizen Advocacy Center

Battle Born Progress

Joyce Moore Financial Services

TaxMarch MN

NCJW Southern Maine

Sisterhood of Iowa

Indivisible Chester County

Indivisible Berks

Progress Michigan

Progressive Turnout Project

Indivisible York

Why Courts Matter Iowa

ProgressNow Colorado

Indivisible Iowa

Pennsylvania Together

Youth Progressive Action Catalyst

Keystone Progress

Forward Montana Foundation

Progress Virginia

Cumberland Valley Rising

Indivisible Iowa SD 33/34/35

March for our Lives

End Citizens United

Susquehanna Valley Progress

Granite State Progress

Columbia County Indivisible

Tuesdays With Toomey Philadelphia

Philly Neighborhood Networks

Women's Medical Fund

Indivisible Clinton County PA

Indivisible KY

One Iowa Action

ProgressNow Arizona

Susquehanna Valley Progress

Torah Trumps Hate

Indivisible Iowa

Buchanan County Indivisible

Manchester Area Progressive Alliance (Indivisible)

Regina Russell, Elected Dem Cmte Women, Sunbury, Pa

Justice For All

412 Resistance

Central PA Action Agenda

Dear Senator Grassley:

We, the undersigned, (click here) are writing today to request your resignation as Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

We are organizations and leaders from across the country, and have watched with alarm as you have taken the bipartisan institution of the Judiciary Committee and injected partisan politics and misogynistic bullying into its leadership. There are many of us who have expressed public disagreement with your decisions in the past, but this goes beyond simply disagreeing with your stance on a nominee or a policy position. Your actions have threatened the independent nature of the judiciary, a bedrock institution that must provide a check on the executive and legislative branches in order for our democracy to thrive....

Mississippi is ranked 51st in median household income. Yes, 51st because the District of Columbia is 2nd behind Maryland. Doesn’t Mississippi want new leadership to deliver them out of misery that spans generations?

Ivanka Trump used personal email for White House business (click here for article - thank you)

Donald Trump creates distractions to maintain control over the politics. Now it is a demand for arrests by Whitaker of Hillary Clinton and James Comey. LOOK, immediately after Trump fired Comey over the media and not in person; he invited the Russians to provide classified information.

He is complaining James Comey has legal issues? Really? What is his legal issues that are going to lock him up, the fact he would not pledge loyalty to a president that provides extremely secret documents to the Russians?

Hillary Clinton used a personal server. (click here) for government business? Really? Ivanka doesn't even begin to cover that allegation as if a crime. Let's talk about the TRUMP COMPANY PRIVATE SERVER and it's repeated connections to Alpha Bank in Russia.

Was the information provided the Russians in PAYMENT for issues with Alpha Bank? Was putting a former Alpha Bank administrator in the US Justice Department part of the deal?

Trump's political rhetoric is based on old stereotypes like his statements about judges in the Ninth Circuit. The reason there are many divisions in the country whereby Circuits are set up is that the enormous size of the USA requires different judges to decide about state law and otherwise, including issues that are dictated by geography.

Now, I know that is too complicated for Trump to begin to sort it out, but, his rhetoric is based in old stereotypes that are full of hate that NO ONE besides him and is disillusioned base seems to care about. It is time Trump take an example from Alabama and it's movement currently to remove old corrupt paradigms that harm citizens.

Trump has NO ROOM TO TALK when it comes to criminal activity and the Republicans are the most shameful party that ever existed in this country. I don't know of another party as corrupt as this one. How could they allow a president to hand over highly classified material to the Russians?

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN !?!

May 16, 2017
By Matt Novak

President Trump in the Oval Office with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak and unnamed staff on Wednesday, May 10, 2017

On Monday, (click here) The Washington Post broke the story that President Trump told Russian officials highly classified information when he met with them in the Oval Office last week. The story has been verified by multiple news outlets, and even Trump himself seemed to verify the story in tweets from this morning. But what kind of information was it?

According to the Post, the information that Trump shared with the Russians is what’s called “Code Word” classified. That’s higher than the classification known as Top Secret.

The lowest level of classification is known as Confidential, followed by Secret and Top Secret. The next level is known as Code Word classified. It provides an extra level above Top Secret to compartmentalize information so that only the most high-level American officials who need to know it can see it. As Amy Zegart at The Atlantic put it, Code Word classification is so obscure that “even fake spies rarely refer to it in the movies.”...

 

Want more victims over Thanksgiving, Donald?

This amounts to the disparity in the mind of Trump that amuses him. He and the First Lady took the week off, except, for holiday activities at the White House and now they are in Maralago, Mara something.

The Mouth needs to be reined in. We know the consequence of the angry words by Trump, it needs to stop. Today, while he enjoys his power and status in creating a week-long holiday for himself, his boredom and obsessive-compulsive observance of any political tone are again ruining at least the holidays for some. I guarantee the judges under verbal attack by Trump are beefing up their security right now.

The Congress needs to get a restraining order against Trump. His political bias is a real problem when it rises to hatred and angry words. We don't want any more dead Americans, let alone judges. He does NOT know how to conduct himself within the restraints of the presidency and there has to be something the Congress can do with him.

April 25, 2005
By Matthew Segal

Recently, hatred against judges (click here) has even resulted in violence--from disgruntled defendants and convicts. On April 6, white supremacist Matthew Hale was sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment for soliciting the murder of federal judge Joan Lefkow--the same judge whose husband and mother were recently killed by someone else. And rape defendant Brian Nichols now stands accused of killing a Georgia Superior Court judge and three others in connection with his March escape from an Atlanta courthouse.

It may be a stretch to connect the criticism of controversial decisions with the violence that has occurred, or may occur in the future--but some Republicans have done so. For instance, Senator John Cornyn said recently that "raw political or ideological decisions" could help to explain this violence. He implied that Congressional intervention in judicial decisionmaking was necessary in order to forestall additional violence.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay ominously remarked, referring to the judges who declined to prohibit the removal of Terry Schiavo's feeding tube, "The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior." Senator Frank Lautenberg felt so strongly about this comment that he wrote DeLay a letter stating that DeLay's comments "may violate a Federal criminal statute" prohibiting threats against federal judges.

How can we protect our judges from violence? Answering this question is more difficult than it might seem--and simply hiring more U.S. Marshals, while a good idea, doesn't address why judges are threatened. Tragically, our system may preclude perfect--or near-perfect--protection of our judges....

Why are there 8235 federal employees on unemployment? Why is that total an increase of 533 from the week before? Why the purge of long time federal employees?

Who are they? What are their qualifications? What are their impressions about their dismissal? I am fairly certain there are exit interviews when they leave their government positions. 

My guess is many are inspectors and regulators. Yes? No? Someone needs to chase this down because it is highly unusual. It also appears to be leading up to a government shutdown to justify the purging. Staging. I have to wonder if there is unjustified staging to CYA. Additionally, where has the money from those salaries gone?

What is taking their place? Nothing? Trump is simply throwing people off their jobs?

Donald Trump’s rhetoric operates on old stereotypes. In other words government employees are just sitting around doing nothing but reducing the unemployment rate. That stereotype is frequently racist because many minorities find employment in government positions. I would also expect that reduction in federal employees to have an impact in the states’ government and the private sector. So, what gives? 

I might point out most if not all those jobs are Middle Class jobs. Most government jobs are stable jobs and that is what attracts people to them. In that reality is that federal employees become a part of the brick and mortar of the federal government. With a purging of federal jobs the performance of the government will change.

Are the child detention numbers increasing because their are few to no federal workers carrying out evaluations and reunification or internal placement of those children? Also, why are the children being told they are in jail? They did nothing wrong except love their parents and survive the violence of their country. So, why are the detained children treated as criminals?

The country is floundering.

Ever since Trump took the election, the country has been running aground. It isn't running like it did. That includes Wall Street. The glut of money and the lower tax rate is a waste, because if the customers aren't there to buy the merchandise what good does a low tax rate do any of them.

If the Middle Class isn't humming along, and it isn't, Washington can lower the tax rate all they want and it isn't going to make a darn bit of difference. Either the Middle Class has disposable income or it doesn't and it cannot support the country with their hard work while spending to purchase a higher quality of life.

The reality served up to the media today with the death of Jamal Khashoggi should have been expected. I mean we know this president fairly well by now. It should not have been a surprise. If it were me working for any American media service anywhere, I would expect a detailed report from the CIA in regard to the safety of countries where American media is dispatched by their main offices. Today, what is mandated is the cooperation of the intelligence agencies in securing the journalists stationed abroad.

Things aren't going well internationally. Trump continues to shine on Russia while the actual relationship is deteriorating at every turn. I don't know if the USA has many diplomats in Russia since the May 2018 expelling (click here). Other than the success of the South Korean President in moving toward with reunification, there isn't much optimism in the world. Even allies are disgusted with Trump, especially after the weekend WWI 100 year commemoration in France.

Since the death of Jamal Khashoggi and heinous handling of his body by Saudi Arabia, I am very worried about journalists globally, but, American journalists in particular. I hate the idea that some views of the world through the eyes of journalists that believe in freedom and love democracy, might close to the USA. I am afraid for the countries where leaders are mimicking the idea of "Fake News." Their interpretation of that is very dangerous and not just to the idea of democracy and freedom.

So, the leaders of the best news media of the USA need to decide about the importance of journalists abroad. 

The fact Trump is disinterested in putting Saudi Arabia on notice about this death is not a surprise to me. I think when the so called peace plan for Israel is revealed to the public and other countries involved in the so called peace plan the current status of Saudi Arabia will be clear. That is a dangerous precedent for freedom abroad and within the USA. How can a so called peace plan justify the death and heinous handling of Jamal Khashoggi, journalist at one of the most prestigious news media services in this country?

I strongly believe the President uses the Oval Office for his purposes and he will not accept the responsibility of the presidency based in reality. He speaks to people as an authority and it's laced with lies and false reality. Donald Trump decided today that the CIA was insignificant to his so called peace plan. Isn't the CIA supposed to be involved in securing a peace plan?

The USA is at a very precarious place. I think Trump is a self-serving traitor and lacks any sincere morality. Everyone in the USA has to measure their priorities, that is especially true in supporting freedom and democracy. There should be no doubt an intricate part of democracy is a strong press. Americans need to embrace the media that brings the truth to them and participate in the freedom that brings.

November 20, 2018
By Lauren Debter

The world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, (click here) is giving nearly $100 million to address homelessness in America in what amounts to his biggest publicly-announced charitable donation yet.

On Tuesday, the Amazon founder ands CEO outlined his plans to give $97.5 million to two dozen nonprofits around the country that are providing services to the homeless. This is the first round of giving that Bezos will conduct as part of his Day One Fund, announced in September, in which he pledged $2 billion to help homeless families and create Montessori-inspired preschools. (Bezos himself attended a Montessori school.)

The nonprofits that will receive funding are located in places like San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Omaha, where they operate emergency and short-term shelters and also help families move into permanent housing. Each organization will receive $2.5 million or $5 million from the Day 1 Families Fund. The money will be used to help the organizations “expand the scope and impact of their efforts,” according to a statement.

“Congrats to the recipients—we know you’ll spend the money wisely and with heart,” wrote Bezos in a tweet....

"...ordered..."

When President Obama wanted to order anything, he and Vice President Biden walked to the local hamburger joint.

Corruption in The West's intelligence agency.

I understand that President Trump does not accept the CIA's conclusion regarding the death of a Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. There are a lot of questions to ask about that, including, the fact Trump was instrumental in placing the Crowned Prince into his position of power. I want to know how much the Crowned Prince was mentored by the Trump family, including the President.

There is also another issue, Interpol. I don't see the USA cooperating with Interpol going forward. I don't see any funding heading the way of the agency Interpol going forward either.

This is outrageous. NATO will have to contain their information internally without sharing it with outside countries, including the obviously infiltrated Interpol. While on the subject, the USA has another lousy traitor from Alpha Bank in the justice department and I MIGHT ADD, he was placed there by Trump and his Republican puppet Senate.

Russia and China can have Interpol all to themselves. There needs to be a purging of the records ASAP.

November 18, 2018
By Adveith Nair

Maj. Gen. Alexander Prokopchuk

British officials expect Maj. Gen. Alexander Prokopchuk, (click here) a former major-general at the Russian Interior Ministry, to be elected as Interpol president as soon as Wednesday, The Times reported, without saying where it got the information.

The election would follow the resignation of former President Meng Hongwei, who is now being investigated by Chinese authorities under suspicion of accepting bribes and violating other state laws.

Meng’s election during a closed-door vote in 2016, seen as a coup for the Communist Party, was criticized by human rights groups who warned China might use the perch to facilitate the use of extrajudicial practice -- such as detention without charge....

Or, dissolving journalists in acid.

Recovery from PTSD has a path and it isn't accomplished alone.

Veterans with PTSD need their hotlines staffed with good listeners. BUT, they also need medication and therapy and not just group therapy to help them find their way out of the woods.

PTSD is at the very least debilitating and it is definitely deadly. PART of what is going on is a brain chemistry imbalance. Those deadly thoughts are all effected by brain chemistry. In order to diminish the deadly thoughts is to change the brain chemistry. The brain chemistry surrounding PTSD is NO ONE'S FAULT. It exists and it needs treatment and that treatment has no alternative.

Medication is frequently not enough. When brain chemistry shifts, the person may feel better, but, until their LIFE EXPERIENCE changes for the better their thoughts will be somewhat stuck. So, the person surviving PTSD needs to speak to a therapist one on one in order to move forward. Group therapy can be an added enhancement, however, identifying with the PTSD rather than the movement forward among group members is not where recovery lies. Recovery lies along the future and a better life.

Celebrations of birthdays, as well as religious holidays and traditional military holidays, are very important. Simple things that say "thank you" to veterans struggling with life can make a huge difference. Homelessness is not acceptable for any veteran. Homelessness is survival and locks them into their disorder. They need treatment and they need to be rescued from their past, especially if they are stuck in a thought pattern that doesn't SERVE THEM. That means removing drug addiction and alcoholism, which is a method of SELF-MEDICATING.

The recovery of veterans with PTSD is very complicated when one realizes what is going on with their mind. BUT, the American people are up to this and it is possible. Rescuing the men AND WOMEN suffering from PTSD is important and should not be shunned. Their lives are why the USA is and always has been the greatest country in the world. We have a debt to them and it doesn't stop at making sure they return to their families and lives at home. The debt to our military is a lifetime commitment and one the country needs to take seriously.

When a veteran is down on his luck there is usually a good reason and it simply is not acceptable.

Osama bin Laden and Pakistan

No one will ever convince me the Pakistan ISI never knew bin Laden was housed near the military academy. End of discussion.

This article is according to the Brookings Institute which relays the movements of Osama bin Laden after the USA entered Afghanistan.

...High value target number one, bin Laden, (click here) was surrounded by his family in the Abbottabad villa he was hiding in for six years. Three of his wives, eight of his children and five of his grandchildren were with him. According to the report, he fled Afghanistan’s Tora Bora in late 2001 and moved to the Pakistani city of Kohat, near Peshawar, where his family joined him. They had hidden in Karachi after 9/11, and then moved to the Swat Valley, where bin Laden met with Khalid Sheikh Muhammad (KSM), the tactical mastermind of the 9/11 plot, at least once. KSM was captured by CIA in Pakistan’s military capital Rawalpindi on March 1, 2003, inside a closed military zone, less than a mile from the Army General Headquarters. They had not told ISI they were looking for KSM when they staged the raid. The capture prompted bin Laden to move to Haripur for two years while a special hideout was built for him in Abbottabad. Other bin Laden family members joined him there over time....

No one in the ISI ever questioned the building of a brand new compound near a military institute?  Give me a break. The compound was destroyed by the Pakistani government after the bin Laden raid.

Now that I know Admiral McRaven organized the Seal mission, I apologize for the failure of an entire helicopter. The American people should provide foolproof equipment, especially when considering the lives on the line of some of the most valuable Americans in our military. As a country, our military hardware needs to do better and don't say "Oh, we manage just fine." There have been plenty of failures in the contracts with very wealthy CEOs of our military industrial complex.

Recognize this man?

His son favors him. When his son was younger he was called Bill. The American public knows the Colonel's son as William Henry McRaven.

This is a military family. William McRaven walked in the shadow of his father and become an officer in the USA military. Military families are the backbone of this country. The McRaven family don't put themselves first, they put the security of their country first.

It is so difficult to thank these families enough. We provide metals for their military members bravery. William McRaven received many metals including Defense Distinguished Service Medal three times, the Defense Superior Service Medal two times, Legion of Merit Medal two times and Bronze Star Medal two times.

William McRaven has been a great American. He never wavered and always loved the country he served. By every measure, the USA has a great man that protected this country. 

I appreciate him and his father and his mother and siblings and wife and children that shared him all these many years. The USA has a debt to these families and they are never to be defamed or blamed for the inadequacies of a pathetic president. 

When William McRaven comes forward to criticise the President of the USA about a flaw in the way he talks about the media of this country, that President needs to pay attention to a man that is a member of a family that guaranteed in the year 2016 there was a country Mr. Trump could run as a political candidate and win. The McRaven family has insured the status of this country. There are no words that can touch their love of this country.

President Trump will never apologize to Admiral McRaven, but, I will. I apologize to him for a President that does not appreciate the country or the military or the families dedicated to the defense of the country. President Trump doesn't have the character or dignity or bravery Admiral McRaven has born within his character.

I thank Admiral McRaven for his incredible service and finally bringing a dangerous terrorist leader to his end and a final justice to the people of the USA. This country will always be grateful and the act by Admiral McRaven to defend the USA media will never be forgotten. Unfortunately, the USA media has no medal to provide to Admiral McRaven at least that I know of. Someone had to set the record straight and his impression on this issue cannot be understated. I expect to hear from him anytime he feels compelled to further defend this country beyond the service he provided all those years.

Thank you.

Colonel Claude C. "Mac" McRaven (click here), 89, of San Antonio, Texas, passed away on Sunday, May 13, 2007. Mac, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Claude McRaven, was born in E. St. Louis, III and raised in Portageville, MO., along with his sister, Corrine and brother Al. In high school he lettered in track, baseball, basketball and football and became a hometown legend. Football, however, was his passion and it wasn't long before college scouts recognized his talent. Mac received a scholarship to Murray State Teachers College in Kentucky where he broke school records in running and receiving and was nicknamed "Sea Biscuit" after the famous race horse. After college Bullet Bill McRaven was signed to a "lucrative" deal with the Cleveland Rams. He made $100 a game. To supplement this whopping income, he did Wheaties commercials, taught tennis, and was known to win a hand or two of poker. When World War II broke out, Mac and five of his football buddies drove to California and signed up with the Army Air Corps. He was sent to flight training at Brooke Field, San Antonio where he graduated in Flying Class 42 A. Shortly after graduation Mac was assigned to the 31st Pursuit Group in England where he flew British Spitfires in support of cross channel bomber missions. He also saw combat in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. His decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 12 Oak Leaf Clusters, and four European Campaign medals. Following the war, Mac was stationed in Victoria, Texas where on a blind date he met and eventually married Anna Elizabeth Long, from Grapeland, Texas. They had three children; Marianna, Nan and Bill, Anna and Mac were married 40 years, traveled the world and lived a very exciting life. Mac served in Formosa, France, and several stateside assignment eventually retiring in 1967 from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, the city in which his career had begun 26 years earlier. Mac worked a brief time for the San Antonio's Model Cities Program and then became the City's Labor Relations Negotiator. A cool hand under pressure, Mac was known for his ability to negotiate firmly and fairly with the local Police and Firefighters. After a particularly contentious round of negotiations, a union official was heard to comment. "I wouldn't want to play cards with Mac. He's got too good a poker face."...

Published in Express-News from May 16 to May 17, 2007is 

God had forgotten Alabama, that changed today.

November 13, 2018
By Kyle Whitmire

...Charges include multiple violations of Alabama’s Ethics Act, (click here) including soliciting a thing of value from a principal, lobbyist or subordinate, and receiving money in addition that received in one’s official capacity, according to the Alabama Ethics Commission.

Before being appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as the Region 4 administrator of the EPA, Trey Glenn worked closely with the Birmingham-based law firm Balch & Bingham and one of its clients, Drummond Co., to fight EPA efforts to test and clean up neighborhoods in north Birmingham and Tarrant....

November 13, 2018
By John Archibald

Scott Phillips, a former member of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission, and EPA regional administrator Trey Glenn were indicted by an Alabama grand jury. 

This is an opinion column. (click here)

I’m feeling like Fred G. Sanford right now.

This is the big one. I’m coming Elizabeth.

Shocked. Toxic shocked, even.

Because a Jefferson County grand jury took up where the feds left off. Because the quest to hold the powerful to account continues one more time in the saga surrounding polluted north Birmingham. Because Trey Glenn, the head of the EPA for the Southeast region and a shill for polluters from way back, was just charged with crimes for his role in the toxic north Birmingham bribery scandal.

And Scott Phillips, a former member of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission who took a contract from Balch & Bingham to help discourage cleanup of north Birmingham and prevent EPA expansion into Tarrant, was charged on the same day for related crimes.

Great googly moogly!

Can this be happening? Really? Charges against powerful Alabamians who admittedly worked to protect the interests of powerful friends while demeaning low-income residents who must live and die with their choices?...

I don't know what saint decided to take the people of Alabama under his wing, but, this is the best news the people will embrace as a promise of a new form of real justice and change of their circumstances. I hope this saintly conduct continues and spreads through the entire southeast.

THANK YOU!

She can say good-bye to future political ambitions. This is not going away.

November 19, 2018
By Carol D. Leonnig and Josh Dawsey

Washington – Ivanka Trump (click here) sent hundreds of emails last year to White House aides, Cabinet officials and her assistants using a personal account, many of them in violation of federal records rules, according to people familiar with a White House examination of her correspondence.

White House ethics officials learned of Trump’s repeated use of personal email when reviewing emails gathered last fall by five Cabinet agencies to respond to a public records lawsuit. That review revealed that throughout much of 2017, she often discussed or relayed official White House business using a private email account with a domain that she shares with her husband, Jared Kushner....

Trump, Jr. may not be the only family member that assisted Donald Trump and his campaign with Russian meetings. Ivanka introduced Cohen who later declined the invitation to meet Putin.

6 June 2018
By Tucker Higgins

Ivanka Trump (click here) connected President Donald Trump's embattled lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to a Russian weightlifter in 2015 who said he could introduce Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a Buzzfeed News report that cites four sources.

Ivanka Trump is the president's elder daughter and an advisor in the White House.

Champion heavyweight weightlifter Dmitry Klokov reportedly offered to set up the meeting to help facilitate the construction of the 100-story Trump World Tower Moscow, according to the report. Cohen, who reportedly exchanged at least two emails and one phone call with the athlete, declined the assistance, according to Buzzfeed.

Cohen is currently being investigated by federal prosecutors in New York....

This isn't the first time Ivanka used emails for government business. Perhaps it was hidden from view because of all the hub-bub about tax reform. Both episodes need to be investigated.

November 2, 2017
By Nina Burleigh

As Republicans unveiled their tax reform plan Thursday, (click here) Newsweek learned that months after Ivanka Trump took an official White House position, she was still using a private email account to communicate with the U.S. Treasury Department, discussing national economic programs, her meetings with global leaders and the child care tax credit, one of her signature projects...

...On the invitee list, “Ivanka Kushner” again appears to not have a White House email address, while others do....

...The email tranche was obtained via Freedom of Information Act request by the nonprofit American Oversight. “After Ivanka Trump was exposed using a personal email account for government business, the White House assured the American people that the use was rare and limited to a short period of time before she officially started on staff," the organization's director, Austin Evers, said. "The facts, however, show us that the Trump administration has misled the public yet again. The hypocrisy of Ivanka Trump and her father’s administration should be surprising, but now sadly comes as no shock after months of evasive and shifting answers from the White House."...

...Ivanka Trump and Kushner’s use of private email accounts for White House business has been previously reported by Newsweek and others. They are believed to have used at least three private accounts. The White House in October announced it was launching an investigation into the use of private accounts for official business.

Representative Elijah  Cummings, minority chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, requested on Thursday a vote on whether to subpoena the White House over the private emails. The subpoena had been held pending the White House internal review of the private emails, but, Cumming said in a statement, “we have received no date certain and no commitment for all the information we are seeking.”

Republicans voted it down....

The facts of the matter is that the Republican majority in the House and Senate has been covering for the Trump White House. They have obstructed any investigation to ILLEGAL use of private emails.

Basically, Trump's attitude is, "Do as I say, not as I do."

September 25, 2018
By Matt Apuzzo and Maggie Haberman

"Six White House Advisors used private emails." (click here)

The disclosures came a day after news surfaced that Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser, used a private email account to send or receive about 100 work-related emails during the administration’s first seven months. But Mr. Kushner was not alone. Stephen K. Bannon, the former chief White House strategist, and Reince Priebus, the former chief of staff, also occasionally used private email addresses. Other advisers, including Gary D. Cohn and Stephen Miller, sent or received at least a few emails on personal accounts, officials said.

Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter, who is married to Mr. Kushner, used a private account when she acted as an unpaid adviser in the first months of the administration, Newsweek reported Monday....

This isn't just politics as the Republicans like to portray it. This is about criminal activity. There were and are sanctions against Russia, it was illegal to have ANY relationship with Russian banks and Russian business or government organizations due to the Russian invasion into Ukraine and the BREAKING OF A TREATY.

EITHER WE ARE A COUNTRY OF LAWS OR WE ARE A BANANA REPUBLIC and any oppositional party will never be able to govern in the USA again.

"...such a request for further investigation is unlikely to proceed as long as the Republicans hold the majority..."