The Kingdom Come
Where Christ is King
NavigationUser login
Loading...
Archive by terms |
Feed aggregatorCongress wakes up to cataclysmic threatWASHINGTON – As the technologically sophisticated U.S. faces the increasing threat of an electromagnetic pulse attack from a man-made, high altitude nuclear explosion or an “inevitable” massive solar flare, Republicans in the U.S. House are trying to prepare a defense. They are proposing legislation to protect the vulnerable U.S. electrical grid from an attack so cataclysmic 90 percent of Americans could be affected, including many who would face starvation The legislation aims to get the federal government to ensure that vital hardware and other devices are installed in the national grid system to protect critical infrastructure such as systems that supply water, food, fuel, communications, transportation, financial transactions and emergency services. The protection would be employed by hardening the grid to ensure that it can be brought back should it be subjected to such an event. The alternative, said Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who will introduce the legislation called the SHIELD Act, could leave the nation without electricity for months and possibly years and affect some 90 percent of the American people, subjecting them to starvation and death. SHIELD stands for Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage Act. “This is a problem big enough to be seen but small enough to fix before an EMP happens,” Franks said at a news conference. He was accompanied by former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has been outspoken in recent years on the threat of an EMP attack.
Gingrich believes an EMP event is the greatest national security threat facing the United States today. Franks explained that the U.S. is not more vulnerable than before but has “become a victim of our technological sophistication and scientific advancement.” “Why does the U.S. need to be vulnerable to such a threat?” he asked. “EMP is the ultimate cyber security threat.” In terms of coping with external man-made threats, Franks pointed out that Congress has seen to it that the military’s triad of land, sea and air assets has been hardened against the prospect of an EMP attack. Yet, the military is 99 percent dependent on the national grid, making it difficult for it to respond in the event of such an attack. He pointed out that at the cost of two B-2 strategic bombers, the U.S. could fix the grid so that it could come back in short order should it be brought down.
“The SHIELD Act is a bill that goes in the right direction,” he said. The legislation passed the House in the last Congress but never made it through the Senate. Sources on Franks’ staff said that they are actively looking for a Senate version, possibly to be introduced by Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. The SHIELD Act would amend the Federal Power Act to encourage cooperation between industry and government in developing and implementing standards and processes needed to address the shortcomings and vulnerabilities of the grid to a major EMP event. It does not include provisions to deal with cyber-security threats which legislators decided to leave to a separate bill. However, Franks said that an EMP attack, whether natural or man-made, would be “the ultimate cyber-security threat.” The legislation also would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to develop standards but won’t preclude industry from developing its own. “This increased authority is necessary to protect the entire grid,” a congressional fact sheet on the SHIELD Act said. “Some industry stakeholders may develop these standards on their own, but unless the entire grid is uniformly resilient to EMP, cascading effects of blackouts resulting from stakeholders that did not protect their entities from EMP will most likely still cause rolling blackouts and massive outages. “Some industry stakeholders may not view EMP as a credible threat (e.g., Southern stakeholders may not feel threatened by solar storms because of their relative latitudinal protection,” the fact sheet said. “Therefore, we cannot rely on voluntary action by industry stakeholders to protect against this threat.” The legislation also offers “hardware-based solutions,” available at minimal cost. The hardware will automatically react to an EMP disturbance, removing the “guessing-game” operators currently face. “If we are going to be serious about avoiding such a catastrophic event” as an EMP, “a priority on this legislation is greater than defense spending,” Gingrich said. “We can literally see a civilization crash,” he said, referring to the U.S. dependency on the grid’s technology-based infrastructure. He pointed out that the people of the Netherlands have a particular problem with their dikes. If repair is neglected, he said that more than 40 percent of the country would be underwater. Consequently, he said, there is no question in their minds to maintain the dike system because of this alternative. The same should apply to the U.S. ensuring protection of the U.S. electrical grid system. “We could lose 90 percent of the population if an EMP only hit the U.S,” Gingrich asserted. The U.S. then would have “massive needs of foreign assistance” if no other country were affected. “That would mean we’d lose our sovereignty,” Gingrich declared. Peter Vincent Pry, staff director of the original EMP Commission that first revealed the threat of an EMP hit on the nation’s critical infrastructures, pointed out that Russia and China and even North Korea would be the only countries prepared for an EMP event. In effect, they would emerge as the new world leaders. If the U.S. became disabled from an EMP attack, “is that what we want?” “The problem,” Franks said, “is fixable.” Earlier this week, WND reported Maine became the first state in the nation to pass legislation ordering its grid to be hardened against an electromagnetic pulse event. The law not only requires preparation against a natural or man-made EMP, it encourages other states to take a similar initiative, since the federal government has refused to make the potential for an EMP event a priority. The Act to Secure the Safety of Electrical Transmission Lines was introduced by Maine Rep. Andrea Boland, D-Sanford.
Categories: Christian News
Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on AbortionRep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) on Tuesday refused to answer why she opposed legislation to ban late-term abortions after 20 weeks — even if it would “save one life.” The question related back to Democrats’ frequent argument for gun control.  Member of the US House of Representatives, Colorado, Diana DeGette speaks to the audience at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 5, 2012 on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). The DNC is expected to nominate US President Barack Obama to run for a second term as president on September 6th. Credit: AFP/Getty Images “Many Democrats, when they were arguing for gun control in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, said even if this saves one life, it will be worth doing,” a reporter apparently with CNSNews.com began. “Why not support this bill, if it undoubtedly will save lives of babies that have been carried throughout five months of pregnancy?” “Well, this is — this is…We already have laws in many states of this country. This bill is blatantly unconstitutional,” Degette replied. She went on: “And, and if you look at the perceived—if you look at the stated reason of doing this legislation the Kermit Gosnell case, that gentleman was convicted of murder and sentenced to life.” Degette then wanted to move on. “Any more questions,” she said. When the reporter tried to follow up on her evasive answer, the congresswoman cut her off. “No, excuse me,” she said sternly. “Any other questions?” Watch the exchange via Concerned Women for America below: The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a far-reaching bill that would restrict almost all abortions to the first 20 weeks after conception. Featured image via AP
– Other must read stories:Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Mother Allegedly Shocks Child With Stun Gun for Making Oatmeal WrongA Florida mother was arrested last week on charges of aggravated child abuse for allegedly shocking her child with a stun gun after he or she (gender is not identified) made oatmeal incorrectly for breakfast, the Orlando Sentinel reported.  Melissa Heale (Image via WKMG-TV screenshot) Melissa Heale of Orange County was arrested Thursday for the incident, which the arrest affidavit states happened Sunday, and was released Friday on $2,500 bail, according to WKMG-TV. It was an unidentified woman with whom Heale and her children were living that filed the report stating the mother used a stun gun on her child, causing burns on his or her knee. The police report also notes the woman finding a note in the child’s bedroom that read he or she ”didn’t want to live anymore.” The Orlando Sentinel reported other abuse by the 34-year-old mother in the report, including slapping, punching and pulling of hair. Heale told police the wounds on the child’s knee were from hitting him or her with a spoon, not from using a stun gun. The electrifying weapon was confiscated by police upon Heale’s arrest and her children were temporarily placed with family in the area. Watch WKMG’s report about the alleged incident: video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player – Other must read stories:Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
U.S. Consumer Prices Virtually Unchanged in MayWASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — U.S. consumer prices rose slightly last month, as higher energy costs partly offset cheaper food. The small increase is further evidence that inflation has been kept mostly under control. The consumer price index ticked up a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent in May from April, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Over the past 12 months, prices have risen just 1.4 percent. Excluding volatile food and gas costs, core prices rose 0.2 percent in May from April. Core prices are up just 1.7 percent over the past 12 months, in line with the Federal Reserve’s inflation target of 2 percent. Slow economic growth and high unemployment have kept wages from rising quickly. That’s made it harder for retailers and other firms to raise prices. Tame inflation has helped consumers increase spending this year, despite slow income growth and higher Social Security taxes. It also makes it easier for the Fed to continue its extraordinary efforts to boost the economy. The Fed is meeting Tuesday and Wednesday amid growing speculation that policymakers could soon scale back $85 billion a month in bond purchases. If inflation were to fall too low, the Fed might be inclined to avoid pulling back on its stimulus. But economists said the small gain in prices last month isn’t low enough to alarm Fed policymakers. In May, higher natural gas and electricity costs pushed up energy prices 0.4 percent. Gas prices were flat. Food costs fell 0.1 percent, as grocery prices dropped by the most in almost four years. The cost for prescription and nonprescription drugs fell 0.7 percent in May, the steepest decline on record. The cost for medical services was unchanged last month. Consumers have kept spending at a modest pace in recent months. Retail sales rose at a decent clip in May from April, the Commerce Department said last week. The Fed has said it will continue to buy bonds until the job market improves substantially. The Fed also says it plans to keep the short-term interest rate it controls at a record low near zero until the unemployment rate falls below 6.5 percent, provided inflation remains under control. The unemployment rate ticked up in May to 7.6 percent, though it is down 0.6 percentage points in the past year. Here’s the full report: – Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter Featured image AP photos. – Related Contributions: Follow Becket Adams on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Ed Butowsky on Wilkow!: ‘The CPI Is Bogus’Ed Butowsky has written extensively on the threat to our economy when politicians have deliberately and repeatedly miscalculated the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the government’s primary measure of inflation. Butowsky wrote during Budget season last April for TheBlaze:
Butowsky joined “Wilkow!” Tuesday to discuss health care costs and why “the CPI is bogus.” COMPLIMENTARY CLIP FROM THEBLAZE TV SUBSCRIPTION:The full episode of “Wilkow!” along with many other live streaming shows and thousands of hours of on-demand content is available on just about any digital device. Get it all with a FREE TRIAL. Follow Christopher Santarelli on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
‘Culture of Corruption’: Four Indiana Democrats Found Guilty of Petition FraudFour Democrats in South Bend, Ind., were sentenced Monday in a petition fraud case dating back to the 2008 primary election, ABC 57 reports. The four were found guilty of forging petition signatures to ensure that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made it onto the state’s primary ballot. The fraud wasn’t uncovered for nearly three years.  Clockwise: Owen “Butch” Morgan, Pam Burnette, Beverly D. Shelton, and Dustin Blythe. (St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Dept.) “Butch Morgan was sentenced to one year in prison and one year of community corrections for being the ringleader,” the report notes. “He’s the only one I asked for an executed sentence and he got an executed sentence,” Prosecutor Stan Levco said. The only other suspect to stand trial was Dustin Blythe. “He was sentenced to one year community corrections and 2 years probation,” the report adds. Beverly Shelton and Pamela Brunette, who were involved in voter registration, plead guilty so as to avoid jail-time. They were sentenced to two years probation. “In April, a jury convicted Morgan on 4 counts and Blythe on 10 counts. Shelton and Brunette testified during their trial. The four were accused of conspiring to forge signatures on petitions to get Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on Indiana’s 2008 primary ballot,” the South Bend Tribune reports. “In 2011, our news partners at the South Bend Tribune reported that without the suspected fake signatures, it’s likely Obama and possibly Clinton would not have had enough signatures to be on the state’s primary ballot,” the report adds. Each defendant must pay a $500 fine and court costs: Because the case didn’t actually involve cast votes, the judge said he could not classify it as a “voter fraud” scheme. The prosecution agreed. “What I thought he said and what I agree with is Obama still would have been elected president but in this situation the worst that would have happened is maybe Barack Obama wouldn’t have been on the ballot for the primary. But he lost the primary,” said Levco. The Saint Joseph County Republican Party weighed in on the matter. “The public trust was violated. Again I think justice was done in this case and hopefully this will send a message to anyone else who might think of doing something because they better think twice,” said Jake Teshka of the Saint Joseph County Republican Party. “This isn’t an isolated incident,” he added. “In Indiana, we are seeing many cases stemming from the 2008 election including a case in Jennings County where a former staffer for Democrat Senator Joe Donnelly was convicted after voting other people’s absentee ballots. “The problem is systemic and the case here in Saint Joseph County is merely a symptom of a broader culture of corruption that Democrats in Indiana have cultivated for decades,” he concluded. – Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter Featured image AP/Shepard Fairey/USA TODAY. – Related Contributions: Follow Becket Adams on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Did Obama’s Explanation to Charlie Rose for NSA Scandal Fall Short?On Sunday before leaving for the G8 summit, President Obama gave Charlie Rose an exceedingly rare interview which aired Monday. The President and Rose covered a range of topics, including the National Security Agency phone and internet surveillance scandal which the president insisted was transparent, subject to checks and balances, and effective. From the AP:
On “Real News” Tuesday the panel weighed what the President said with demonstrable reality based on FISA court rulings that suggest the checks and balances perhaps don’t have the teeth that Obama would like everyone to believe. S.E. Cupp asserted that the administration is confusing transparency with oversight. “We want answers,” Cupp said. “We want to know why a program this big is actually effective and why it’s actually necessarily. “It’s not enough for you to say it’s transparent, we got a court, stop asking questions.” COMPLIMENTARY CLIP FROM THEBLAZE TV SUBSCRIPTION:The full episode of “Real News” along with many other live streaming shows and thousands of hours of on-demand content is available on just about any digital device. Get it all with a FREE TRIAL. Follow Christopher Santarelli on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Evolving Syrian War Pushes World Leaders Towards Taking SidesThe Blaze’s National Security Editor Buck Sexton joined “Real News” live Tuesday via Skype from Amnon, Jordan to report the latest on the evolving situation in Syria, where the U.S. is now providing military support to opposition forces. The escalation in Syria comes as world leaders meet in Northern Ireland for the G8, where at the end of the summit heads of state called for peace talks to be held as soon as posible to resolve the Syrian civil war. Russia’s Vladimir Putin, however, stood out from the pack as he defended his nation’s support of the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, Reuters reports.
Beyond G8 leaders, delegating support may have also created strife between Hezbollah and Hamas. The Daily Star reports that the resistance movements have downplayed reports of a rift between the two after a round of apparent reconciliation talks that called for an end to sectarian rhetoric in the region. President Mohamed Morsi in nearby Egypt has cut ties with Syria and called for a a no-fly zone over the country, also urging Hezbollah to pull out. Watch the panel discuss how the evolving war in Syria is making the world pick sides below. COMPLIMENTARY CLIP FROM THEBLAZE TV SUBSCRIPTION: The full episode of “Real News” along with many other live streaming shows and thousands of hours of on-demand content is available on just about any digital device. Get it all with a FREE TRIAL.
Follow Christopher Santarelli on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
House Passes Bill to Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks; Six Dems Vote Yes (File) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House on Tuesday passed a far-reaching anti-abortion bill that conservatives saw as a milestone in their 40-year campaign against legalized abortion and Democrats condemned as yet another example of the GOP war on women. The legislation, sparked by the murder conviction of a Philadelphia late-term abortion provider, would restrict almost all abortions to the first 20 weeks after conception, defying laws in most states that allow abortions up to when the fetus becomes viable, usually considered to be around 24 weeks. It mirrors 20-week abortion ban laws passed by some states, and lays further groundwork for the ongoing legal battle that abortion foes hope will eventually result in forcing the Supreme Court to reconsider the 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, that made abortion legal. It passed 228-196, with 6 Democrats joining Republicans in voting for it. In the short term, the bill will go nowhere. The Democratic-controlled Senate will ignore it and the White House says the president would veto it if it ever reached his desk. The White House said the measure was “an assault on a woman’s right to choose” and “a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade.” But it was a banner day for social conservatives who have generally seen their priorities overshadowed by economic and budgetary issues since Republicans recaptured the House in 2010. Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, called it “the most important pro-life bill to be considered by the U.S. Congress in the last 10 years.” Marjorie Dannenfeiser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List – a group that seeks to eliminate abortion, said the legislation differed significantly from past abortion measures in that it restricts, rather than merely controls, the abortion procedure. Democrats chided Republicans for taking up a dead-end abortion bill when Congress is doing little to promote jobs and economic growth. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called it “yet another Republican attempt to endanger women. It is disrespectful to women. It is unsafe for families and it is unconstitutional.” Democrats also said the decision by GOP leaders to appease their restless base with the abortion vote could backfire on Republican efforts to improve their standing among women. “They are going down the same road that helped women elect Barack Obama president of the United States,” said Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s delegate to the House. The bill is so egregious to women, said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., that women are reminded that “the last possible thing they ever want to do is leave their health policy to these men in blue suits and red ties.” Democrats repeatedly pointed out that all 23 Republicans on the Judiciary Committee that approved the measure last week on a party-line vote are men. Republicans countered by assigning women to conspicuous roles in managing the bill on the House floor and presiding over the chamber. Republican women were prominent among those speaking in favor of the legislation. The bill, said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who was assigned to manage the bill despite not being on the Judiciary Committee, would “send the clearest possible message to the American people that we do not support more Gosnell-like abortions.” The Republican leadership gave the green light to the abortion bill after social conservatives coalesced around the case of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortion doctor who was recently sentenced to life in prison for what prosecutors said was the murder of three babies delivered alive. Abortion foes said it exemplified the inhumanity of late-term abortions. “After this Kermit Gosnell trial, (and) some of the horrific acts that were going on, the vast majority of the American people believe in the substance of this bill, and so do I,” said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Absent from the debate was the bill’s main sponsor, Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who last week sparked a controversy by saying that rape resulted in few pregnancies. After Franks’ remark, which he later modified, Republicans quietly altered the bill to include an exception to the 20-week ban for instances of rape and incest. Democrats still balked, saying the exception would require a woman to prove that she had reported the rape to authorities. The bill has an exception when a physical condition threatens the life of the mother, but Democratic efforts to include other health exceptions were rebuffed. The legislation would ban abortions that take place 20 weeks after conception, which is equivalent to 22 weeks of pregnancy. Some 10 states have passed laws similar to the House bill, and several are facing court challenges. Last month a federal court struck down as unconstitutional Arizona’s law, which differs slightly in banning abortion 20 weeks after pregnancy rather than conception. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a New York-based reproductive health research organization that supports abortion rights, in 2009, 1.3 percent of the 1.2 million abortions in the country, about 15,600, occurred 20 weeks after the fetus was conceived. Supporters of the legislation also contended that fetuses can feel pain after about 20 weeks, and the bill cites extensively from studies agreeing with that conclusion. Opponents say such findings are inconclusive. Pro-choice groups argued that the 20-week ban, in addition to being unconstitutional, would affect women just at the point of learning of a fetal anomaly or determining that the pregnancy could put the mother’s life in danger. Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
The Unbelievable Cause of Goalkeeper’s Horrible Headache Defies RealityA Bosnian goalkeeper was stunned when he learned that his horrible never-ending headache was actually caused by the 9mm bullet lodged in his head. The bullet is thought to have come from someone celebrating a local wedding by recklessly shooting bullets in the air blindly, according the Bleacher Report. According to the report from the Sarajevo newspaper Dnevni Avaz, Dusko Krtalica, 51, started complaining about his head hurting while playing goalkeeper for his suburban team recently. Here’s the kicker: He played the entire 90-minute game and allowed just one goal.  Children play on the field where an unlucky keeper was struck by a bullet (source: avaz.ba) Dirty Tackle’s Ryan Bailey, who also reported the amazing story, writes Krtalica soon “complained of a stiff arm and had difficulty speaking. He was driven to a local hospital, where doctors were shocked to see that a 9mm bullet was clearly lodged in his skull.” Somehow, the player didn’t immediately realize he had been shot in the head during the match. However, the report goes on to say that a 42-year-old local was later arrested and his pistol was confiscated. Police also reportedly found 12 more shells near the field where Krtalica and his team were playing. “In an odd twist, the goalkeeper was both the luckiest and most unfortunate player on the pitch. While he did get hit in the head with a bullet, the report states that he made it through the operation just fine and is in stable condition,” the Bleacher Report adds.
– Other must read stories:Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Company Digs for Atari 2600 E.T. Cartridges
A digital company in Los Angeles has secured the rights to dig at an Alamagordo, N.M., landfill to look for a legendary treasure of early videogaming -- the millions of E.T. game cartridges buried by Atari after the game was an enormous flop. "It's not a myth," said Mark Esquero, 69, who claims he scooped up an E.T. cartridge and more than a dozen others in 1983 from a deep hole in the landfill the night after Atari's trucks dumped them.
Categories: Conservative News
4 Americans Reportedly Killed in Rocket Attack at U.S. Base in AfghanistanWASHINGTON (AP) — Defense officials say four U.S. troops were killed Tuesday at or near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Officials say the four were killed by indirect fire, likely a mortar or rocket, but they had no other details. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to provide details on the deaths. The attack comes as U.S. and allied forces formally handed over control of the country’s security to the Afghan army and police in a ceremony in Kabul. The transition to Afghan-led security means U.S. and other foreign combat troops will not be directly carrying the fight to the insurgency, but will advise and back up the Afghan forces as needed with air support and medical evacuations.
– Other must read stories:
Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Google Challenges Obama Administration Over Spying Program Gag OrderWASHINGTON (AP) — Google on Tuesday sharply challenged the federal government’s gag order on its Internet surveillance program, citing what it described as a First Amendment right to divulge how many requests it receives from the government for data about its customers in the name of national security.  The ‘Google’ logo is seen on a tablet screen on December 4, 2012 in Paris. Credit: AFP/Getty Images The move came in a legal motion filed in the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and was aimed at mending Google’s reputation after it was identified this month as one of nine U.S. Internet companies that gave the National Security Agency access to data on its customers. Revelations about the program, known as PRISM, by a former NSA contractor has cracked open a broader debate about the privacy of American’s communications from government monitoring. The publication of such data requests would answer questions about the number of Google users or accounts affected by U.S. intelligence activities. But it wouldn’t answer more critical questions on how much data is being disclosed, including whether information belonging to Americans has been swept up into investigations on a foreign targets. “Google’s reputation and business has been harmed by the false or misleading reports in the media, and Google’s users are concerned by the allegations,” according to the company’s motion. “Google must respond to such claims with more than generalities.” Google has previously disclosed the number of data requests it receives from civilian law enforcement. A company statement Tuesday said that “lumping national security requests together with criminal requests – as some companies have been permitted to do – would be a backward step for our users.”
Featured image via AFP/Getty – Other must read stories:Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Has Boehner Agreed to Meet Key Demand of GOP House Members Revolting Over Immigration Push? WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 06: U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) speaks during his weekly news conference June 6, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Credit: Getty Images TheBlaze’s Jason Howerton contributed to this report. – Speaker of the House John Boehner reportedly has agreed to follow the Hastert rule regarding any immigration bill put forth by the House, a key capitulation in a standoff that has pitted the Speaker against members of his own caucus who are taking a stand against immigration reform they say has ulterior motives. Still, early reports signal he may have given himself a way out. The Hastert rule — which is more of a longstanding, unwritten policy — is the idea that no bill can be brought to the floor of the House without support from a majority of the party in power. The rule was being pushed for by a group of 70 Republicans led by Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Louis Gohmert (Texas), and Steve King (Iowa). As TheBlaze reported exclusively, the coalition said they were compiling signatures last week for a letter to send to Boehner asking him to honor the policy. “I don’t see any way of bringing an immigration bill to the floor that doesn’t have a majority support of Republicans,” Boehner told reporters after a closed-door meeting with colleagues on Monday. According to The Hill, “Boehner assured his colleagues that he would adhere to the rule,” a decision that would likely “complicate efforts to get an immigration bill to President Obama’s desk.” One member who attended the meeting told The Hill, however, that Boehner wasn’t initially supportive:
And the outlet added that Boehner may have offered himself a way out:
Such a “reconcile” approach appears to be what concerned Republicans have been fearing all along. Last week, Boehner responded to a specific question about adhering to the Hastert rule by saying, “My goal is always to bring bills to the floor that have a strong Republican majority,” and “I don’t intend to bring an immigration reform bill to the floor that violates what I and what members of my party — what our principles are.” TheBlaze reached out to Reps. King, Bachmann and Gohmert for comment on the morning’s developments but did not receive an immediate response. House Republican leadership had previously told TheBlaze that it would hold a special meeting with members on immigration on July 10. Bachmann, Gohmert, and King explained last week that the immigration push is part of a larger effort to introduce amnesty for illegal aliens and thus secure a voting block for progressives and Democrats. The GOP members will be holding a lengthy press conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to raise awareness regarding the immigration push. They will be joined by conservatives from across the country and the likes of Glenn Beck. TheBlaze will be attending and will bring you key updates.
Featured image via Getty – Related Contributions: – Other must read stories:Follow Jonathon M. Seidl on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Obama Announces “Peace” Talks With Taliban Savages
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-1371227759909-0"); });
The Obama Administration announced that it will meet with the Taliban in Doha for “peace talks.” The Taliban continue to orchestrate insider attacks, killing our soldiers. They continue to poison girls’ schools across Afghanistan, kidnap Red Cross workers, enforce the most brutal and extreme ideology on the face of the earth (the Sharia), and call for the defeat of American and coalition forces. These jihadists behead Afghan children, slaughter Afghans who dare to attend a party where dancing takes place, and mean to run Mullah Omar for President, despite the fact that there is still a $10-million-dollar reward on his head. Omar sheltered Osama bin Laden prior to the 9/11 attacks; he had a hand in the 9/11 attacks; and he has directed the Taliban’s ongoing war against U.S.-led NATO forces. On what basis could a peace conference move forward? It is, in fact, a surrender. The Taliban have done nothing to move towards peace. They are savages, and you cannot make peace with savages. A “political settlement” is Obama-speak for surrender to jihad. The Obama Administration may insist that the Taliban break ties with al-Qaeda and end the violence, but they have given absolutely no indication that they are prepared to do that. If anything, just the opposite.
Photo: Lance Cpl Greg Buckley, murdered by our Afghan “allies” The number of green-on-blue attacks has skyrocketed, now accounting for over fifteen percent of coalition deaths. Our troops are being sacrificed to the politically correct refusal to state the truth about Islam. These are senseless murders that are only possible because the Obama administration refuses to acknowledge the motive and ideology of jihadic doctrine. How are our soldiers supposed to distinguish the jihadists from people on our side? Worse still, the Department of Defense lies about these murders in order to prop up their failed policy. The number of green-on-blue attacks has skyrocketed, but US policy remains the same. Our boys and girls are sitting ducks. In 2012 they accounted for 15% of Coalition deaths. 2013 will dwarf that. In 2011, green-on-blue attacks accounted for 6%; in 2010, 2%; in 2009, 2%; and in 2008, less than 1%. And the Obama Administration is rewarding the Taliban with peace talks and prisoner exchanges? It borders on sedition. Obama loves these savages. The Taliban are on the vanguard of the tsunami of Islamic supremacist movements that Obama empowered, armed and supported. Their resurrection, after Bush decimated them, is due to Obama’s support and sanction. And now he is about to hand them final victory. The post Obama Announces “Peace” Talks With Taliban Savages appeared first on Freedom Outpost.
Categories: Conservative News
‘You People Are Disgusting’: This ‘NSA Agent’ Is Sick of Reading Your EmailsWith the news that the NSA has been collecting information on the phone calls and Internet communication of all Americans, TheBlaze TV’s comedy show “The B.S. of A.” aired a parody skit of a conversation with “NSA agent” Operative Ned Dossen. “Speaking of inviting you, I hadn’t even pressed ‘send’ on the email yet,” host Brian Sack told Dossen, played by TheBlaze’s Matt Fisher. “No need, no need,” Dossen replied dismissively. “Of all the Orwellian bureaucracies, I like to think we give taxpayers the best bang for their buck.” Dossen described his job as “reading the email,” saying he’s read every email anyone has sent or received since 2010. When host Brian Sack asked if people should be worried about their constitutional rights, Dossen said there’s no need. People should, however, be worried about how “disgusting” and “dumb” their compatriots are, many of whom are “incapable of spelling even the simplest of words,” he added. “And if I may just speak to your viewers for a second…America: please stop writing emails to your friends about the most recent episode of ‘Homeland,’” he continued. “Because first, it keeps setting off the terrorism alarms and second, the emails are just filled with spoilers, okay? Please be considerate of my needs once in a while.” Watch the entire skit via TheBlaze TV, below: Complimentary Clip from TheBlaze TV SubscriptionThe full episode of The B.S. of A., along with many other live streaming shows and thousands of hours of on-demand content, is available on just about any digital device. Get it all with a FREE TRIAL). – Related:
Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
U.S. Senate Rejects Border Fence Before Legalization PlanWASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) — Challenged by protesters chanting “shame, shame,” House Republicans advanced legislation Tuesday to crack down on immigrants living illegally in the United States as the Senate lurched ahead on a dramatically different approach offering citizenship to the same millions and rejecting a proposal to build a border fence before legalization. Conservatives have argued that the plan all along has been to first provide “amnesty’ to illegal immigrants and then allow border security to fall by the wayside. About 8 million immigrants living unlawfully in the United States would initially gain legal status under sweeping legislation moving toward a vote in the Senate, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday, adding the bill would push federal deficits lower in each of the next two decades. Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina said the bill moving through the House Judiciary Committee was part of a “step by step, increment by increment” approach to immigration, an issue that can pit Republican against Republican as much if not more than it divides the two political parties. California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren predicted there would be “millions of American citizens taking to the street” in protest if Republicans pressed ahead with the bill, which would permits state and local authorities to enforce federal immigration laws and require mandatory detention for anyone in the country illegally who is convicted of drunk driving. Despite the protests, approval by the committee was a foregone conclusion. The panel’s chairman, Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va., said future bills would require companies to make sure their employees are living in the United States legally, create a program for foreign farm workers who labor in the United States and enhance the ability of American firms to hire highly skilled workers from overseas. Those steps and more are already rolled into one sweeping measure in the Senate, a bipartisan bill that President Barack Obama supports and that appears on track for a final Senate vote as early as July 4. In a series of votes during the day, the Senate rejected a move by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., to require the installation of 350 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border before legalization can begin for anyone currently in the United States illegally. Similarly, the Senate rejected a proposal by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., to prevent legalization until a biometric system is in place to track people entering or leaving the country through air, sea or land points of departure. Those proposals were overshadowed by a larger debate over the types of border security requirements the legislation should contain. Republicans generally want to toughen the existing measure, particularly since the bill includes a 13-year path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally – a provision that sparks opposition from voters who could be influential in GOP primaries in next year’s mid-term elections. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters that he and others want the government to demonstrate an ability to apprehend the vast majority of those attempting to enter the country illegally before anyone already present can take the first step toward possible citizenship. Democrats have previously been unwilling to consider proposals along those lines, arguing they could postpone legalization for years if not longer. As drafted, the bill gives the government six months to develop a plan to achieve border security, but does not hold up legalization while it is being tested for effectiveness. It was unclear what, if any, compromise is possible on that point. Agreement would greatly increase the bill’s chances for passage with a large bipartisan vote. The measure was drafted by a bipartisan Gang of Eight and represents a series of political trade-offs among senators as well as outside groups like business and labor, growers and farm workers. In addition to border security and a path to citizenship, it includes an expanded number of visas for highly skilled workers prized by the technology industry and a new program for low-skilled workers. It also features a top-to-bottom overhaul of a decades-old system for parceling out visas to future legal immigrants, reducing the importance of family ties while emphasizing education, job skills and youth. Broad in its scope, the bill calls for new judges, prosecutors and other officials to handle cases involving immigration law. At the same time, it would require the government to pay for legal representation, if necessary, for unaccompanied children caught up in such cases, as well as for adults determined to be legally incompetent because of a serious mental disability. Any talk of compromise in the House appeared distant as Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, sought to reassure conservatives who have expressed fears he will allow legislation to come up this summer that they oppose and Democrats support. One official who attended the closed-door meeting quoted the Ohio Republican as saying he has no intention of allowing a bill to come up that would violate the principles of the GOP majority and split its ranks. The speaker also made clear that legislation must satisfy Republican concerns about border security, according to the official. At roughly the same time, Goodlatte gaveled the Judiciary Committee to order, and more than a dozen protesters who had been seated in the hearing room stood up and began clapping and chanting, “Shame, shame, shame! More of the same!” They were ushered out but their cries could still be heard in the hallway and committee proceedings were briefly interrupted. The bill was the first on immigration to move through the committee this year, but hardly the opening salvo from conservatives who hold sway in the House. Two weeks ago, the House voted to overturn Obama’s 2012 election year announcement that he was suspending deportation of many immigrants who came to the country illegally as children.
– Related Contributions: – Other must read stories:Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Homeowners Digging Fence Make Startling Discovery — and Get Stuck With $5,000 BillA Canadian couple digging a fence earlier this month dredged up more than just dirt and roots. They found the skeleton of a 400-year-old aboriginal woman. But that wasn’t their only surprise: she ended up coming with a $5,000 price tag as well. According to the Toronto Star, Ken Campbell dug up a few bones at first and at his wife’s prodding, they looked for more. “I said, ‘They’re not animal bones, Ken. Let’s dig some more and see what we can find,’” Nicole Sauve, told the Star.  The couple from Ontario are appealing a law that requires them to pay for excavation of their yard after a historic skeleton was discovered. (Photo: Nicole Sauve, via The Star) Upon discovering a full human skeleton, the coupled called in forensic anthropologist Michael Spence. Here’s more from the Star on what he concluded:
It was after this assessment though, which discovered no foul play, that the couple learned they would be responsible for a full archaeological investigation of their yard, per Ontario’s Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act. When all was said and done, it cost them $5,000. The couple is appealing the mayor to foot the bill, according to the Star. They could appeal to the Registrar of Cemeteries, which could decide if the excavation was an “undue financial burden.” A member of the province’s parliament told the paper he spoke with the minister of consumer services who said they will ensure the family doesn’t have to pay for the survey of their property. As for the skeleton, it was reburied at a Aamjiwnaang First Nation cemetery. – Related Contributions: – Other must read stories:Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
Man Accused of Threatening to Kidnap, Murder & Burn Sen. Ted Cruz and His Father US Senator Ted Cruz, R-TX. Credit: AFP/Getty Images Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reportedly received disturbing death threats from a man who threatened kidnap, murder and burn the GOP senator and his father unless he paid him $3 million. Police later arrested 37-year-old Nick Gates over the death threat, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Gates faces a felony charge for making a terroristic threat and was being held at the Harris County Jail in Houston under a $10,000 bail on Tuesday. The Houston Chronicle has more details on the bizarre incident:
Cruz’s staffers were reportedly given a photograph of Gates in case the man attempts to retaliate in some way. The man reportedly was convicted of a felony for threatening a police officer that arrested him for drunk driving.
(H/T: HuffPost) – Other must read stories:Follow Jason Howerton on Twitter Read more stories from TheBlaze Reporter Uses Logic of the Left’s Gun Control Argument to Stump Dem Rep. on Abortion Was Justice Roberts Intimidated Into Voting for ‘ObamaCare’? Senator Mike Lee Presents the Evidence Ted Cruz Set to Infuriate the Left With Immigration Bill Amendment
Categories: Conservative News
|
Cumulus Tag CloudDon't Worry, Be HappySearchTKC Optimal Search Poll |
