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February 2015

Posted by Amy Miller on February 18, 2015 39 Comments
We've had several posts up dealing with the Obama Administration's stunning inability to talk about ISIS without digging itself into a rhetorical trench---and a new op-ed by Obama just made things a whole lot worse. Right now, the Administration has a budding---nay, flowering---PR problem with their Middle East policy, so it makes sense that the man himself would take to the media to attempt to explain what they're thinking with this strategy. What doesn't make sense is that the finished product would clash so fundamentally with what the American people actually need to hear. From his op-ed:
More broadly, groups like al Qaeda and ISIL exploit the anger that festers when people feel that injustice and corruption leave them with no chance of improving their lives. The world has to offer today's youth something better. Governments that deny human rights play into the hands of extremists who claim that violence is the only way to achieve change. Efforts to counter violent extremism will only succeed if citizens can address legitimate grievances through the democratic process and express themselves through strong civil societies. Those efforts must be matched by economic, educational and entrepreneurial development so people have hope for a life of dignity. Finally — with al Qaeda and ISIL peddling the lie that the United States is at war with Islam — all of us have a role to play by upholding the pluralistic values that define us as Americans. This week, we'll be joined by people of many faiths, including Muslim Americans who make extraordinary contributions to our country every day. It's a reminder that America is successful because we welcome people of all faiths and backgrounds.
There's a reason why we shouldn't elect a foreign policy novice to the position of Commander in Chief, and this is it.

Posted by Amy Miller on February 18, 2015 16 Comments
President Obama's executive amnesty is now in the hands of the courts. Earlier this week we reported that a federal court had sided with a 26 state coalition against Obama's plans for sweeping immigration reform. The court issued a temporary injunctive order barring the President from implementing his immigration executive action---and almost immediately upon hearing the news, we set up a 5th Circuit watch, waiting for the Administration to file a stay on the ruling. It never happened. More from the AP:
"We're not going to disregard this federal court ruling," Obama said, but he added that administration officials would continue to prepare to roll out the program. "I think the law is on our side and history is on our side," he said. On Capitol Hill, the Homeland Security Department stood 10 days away from losing funding, but Hanen's ruling made a compromise on that dispute look more distant than ever. Republicans are blocking funding for the agency unless Democrats agree to cancel Obama's immigration orders, and they seized on the ruling as validation for their position. "Congress must reassert its waning power. We must re-establish the constitutional principle that the people's representatives control the purse," said Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, a leading immigration hardliner. Yet Senate Democrats, who have been blocking a House-passed bill that would fund the department but also undo Obama's actions, said the ruling from Hanen did nothing to budge them. "Democrats remain united in our belief that funding for the Department of Homeland Security should not be used as a ransom by Republicans, period," said Chuck Schumer of New York.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on February 18, 2015 42 Comments
On Monday, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf insisted that the only way we'll be able to defeat ISIS is by ensuring the terrorists have jobs and opportunities---a statement that would be hilarious if it were on SNL and not an actual thing that Administration officials believe in real life. Contrary to civilization upon civilization's worth of wisdom, Harf also said, "we cannot win this war by killing" ISIS. The internet, having seen the idiocy in action, responded accordingly. Ms. Harf responded by grabbing the biggest shovel she could find and dug with the fury of 1,000 waffling diplomats. She went so far as to quote... George W. Bush? First, she blasted a link that touts the UN sanctions against ISIL---and we all know how effective sanctions are... Right, Iran? Then, she tweeted where she lifted her talking points; a CNN article from 2008.

Posted by Amy Miller on February 18, 2015 62 Comments
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker never finished college. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is teetering on the edge of a presidential run. Do we have a problem here? Howard Dean thinks so:
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker didn't graduate from college, and Howard Dean says it would be a problem if the Republican ran for president. He's one of the few. “The issue is, how well educated is this guy?” said Dean, a former Vermont governor who ran for the Democratic nomination in 2004, on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Feb. 12, amid a surge in polls for Walker. “I worry about people being president of the United States not knowing much about the world and not knowing much about science.”
Dean's comments were met with almost instant backlash from both the left and the right. Snobbery. Elitism. Distance and disown! And yet... And yet. I'm not the only one wondering who will be the first to de-glove on the issue of academic gravitas vs. real life experience, and it's a real concern for Walker, who by all accounts has more than earned the right to throw his hat in the ring. Recently, a fan by the name of Kyle Smith asked "Dirty Jobs" star Mike Rowe about his thoughts on college as a prerequisite for higher office; Rowe's response was epic. He told the story of his first TV audition---he was tasked with creating an 8 minute cold pitch for a Ticonderoga #2 pencil. He had no experience as a professional actor, but 8 minutes of pressure mixed with raw talent got him a job on QVC and helped him launch his career. The tie-in? Don't "confuse qualifications with competency."

Posted by Leslie Eastman on February 18, 2015 17 Comments
In the wake of Egypt striking ISIS targets in Libya, Pope Francis issued a somber statement regarding the death of 21 fellow Christians. The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia, summarizes the Pope's remarks:
“They were murdered just for the fact they were Christians,” Pope Francis said. “The blood of our Christian brothers is a witness that cries out,” said the Pope. “If they are Catholic, Orthodox, Copts, Lutherans, it is not important: They are Christians. The blood is the same: It is the blood which confesses Christ.” Pope Francis said that in remembering “these brothers who have been killed simply for confessing Christ,” Christians should encourage one another in the ecumenical goal, noting the “ecumenism of blood.”
Scalia then lists the name of the 21 slaughtered Copts, and asks these new martyrs for their prayers. If ISIS has its way, Pope Francis will be joining those sacrificed: “And we will conquer Rome, by Allah’s permission, the promise of our Prophet, peace be upon him,” stated one of the butchers. This regional map shows the location in of Sirte (the ISIS stronghold where those Egyptians were held captive) and Rome (and Vatican City that is enclaved within its boundaries). The terror group is now knocking on the doors of Europe...and its stated target is due north and not terribly distant.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on February 17, 2015 33 Comments
I've said it before, and I stand by it: Elizabeth Warren would crush Hillary, and they both know it. If you doubted that Hillary knew it, read this NY Times account of their recent meeting, Hillary Clinton, Privately, Seeks the Favor of Elizabeth Warren:
Hillary Rodham Clinton held a private, one-on-one meeting with Senator Elizabeth Warren in December at Mrs. Clinton’s Washington home, a move by the Democrats’ leading contender in 2016 to cultivate the increasingly influential senator and leader of the party’s economic populist movement. The two met at Whitehaven, the Clintons’ Northwest Washington home, without aides and at Mrs. Clinton’s invitation. Mrs. Clinton solicited policy ideas and suggestions from Ms. Warren, according to a Democrat briefed on the meeting, who called it “cordial and productive.” Mrs. Clinton, who has been seeking advice from a range of scholars, advocates and officials, did not ask Ms. Warren to consider endorsing her likely presidential candidacy. Aides to Mrs. Clinton did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and aides to Ms. Warren could not be reached. The conversation occurred at a moment when Ms. Warren’s clout has become increasingly evident.
It's not quite Bill Maher territory, but Hillary at some point may need to get down on one knee and propose a high level cabinet post in order to keep Liz out of the race, or if she stays out, to get Warren to bless the Hillary campaign. https://youtu.be/uUiehszTswU Warren backers see this as an unequal relationship, as in Hillary is barely worthy of being in the presence of Liz, via Bloomberg:

Posted by Amy Miller on February 17, 2015 22 Comments
There are no words. From the BBC:
Jihadist militants from Islamic State (IS) have burned to death 45 people in the western Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi, the local police chief says. Exactly who these people were and why they were killed is not clear, but Col Qasim al-Obeidi said he believed some were members of the security forces. IS fighters captured much of the town, near Ain al-Asad air base, last week. Col Obeidi said a compound that houses the families of security personnel and local officials was now under attack. He pleaded for help from the government and the international community. The fighting and poor communications in the area make it difficult to confirm such reports.
This comes just two weeks after the world stood aghast at footage released by ISIS showing Jordanian pilot Moath al-Ksasbah locked in a cage and burned alive; and just days after another video showed the brutal beheading of 21 Coptic Christians in Iraq.

Posted by Amy Miller on February 17, 2015 36 Comments
One of the most interesting developments in the recent media spin cycle is the renewed fascination---on both the left and the right---with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ginsburg has been in the national spotlight since her appointment in 1993; her tenure on the Court has afforded her the opportunity to become one of the most influential figureheads in the fight for gender equality and expanded "reproductive rights." Influential, and polarizing. We can't stop talking about her, whether it be about her opinions, her tendency to snooze during the State of the Union, or---most importantly, in some circles---her eventual retirement. In a recent interview with MSNBC, Irin Camron wasted no time in coaxing Ginsburg into answering the one question liberals can't help but flogging every time they get near a member of the Court---how long does Ginsburg plan on sticking around? They're worried, of course, because timing is key when it comes to Supreme Court appointments. Right now the left's worst nightmare is that the next retirement will coincide with a Republican presidency. Ginsburg's history of health problems---colorectal cancer in 1999, and a tumor in her pancreas in 2009---has become a real hobgoblin for SCOTUS watchers, who understand the difference one seat can make when major issues such as gay marriage, abortion, or election law are on the line. Talking heads have picked up on the tension. Check out Maddow's heightened level of concern (via MRC):

Posted by Mike LaChance on February 17, 2015 6 Comments
By now, you've heard that ISIS released a video featuring the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya. The White House has released a statement but you might notice some missing words:
Statement by the Press Secretary on the Murder of Egyptian Citizens The United States condemns the despicable and cowardly murder of twenty-one Egyptian citizens in Libya by ISIL-affiliated terrorists. We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and our support to the Egyptian government and people as they grieve for their fellow citizens. ISIL’s barbarity knows no bounds. It is unconstrained by faith, sect, or ethnicity. This wanton killing of innocents is just the most recent of the many vicious acts perpetrated by ISIL-affiliated terrorists against the people of the region, including the murders of dozens of Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai, which only further galvanizes the international community to unite against ISIL. This heinous act once again underscores the urgent need for a political resolution to the conflict in Libya, the continuation of which only benefits terrorist groups, including ISIL. We call on all Libyans to strongly reject this and all acts of terrorism and to unite in the face of this shared and growing threat. We continue to strongly support the efforts of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bernardino Leon to facilitate formation of a national unity government and help foster a political solution in Libya.
It's astonishing how far the Obama administration will go to avoid saying those certain words: not only do they refuse to identify the attackers as Muslims, they won't identify the victims as Christians. Funny how he had no problem specifically mentioning Christians when he was talking about the crusades.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on February 17, 2015 25 Comments
Uncle Joe was spotted publicly creeping on women again wielding his charm earlier today. This time, the victim was the wife of newly appointed Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter. Carter was sworn in by Vice President Biden today.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on February 17, 2015 39 Comments
State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf is at it again. Last night, Harf sat down with Chris Matthews who had several straightforward questions about how the U.S. plans to deal with ISIS. It was one of those wonderful moments where Matthews was absolutely right. "How do we stop this? ... If I were ISIS, I wouldn't be afraid right now... nothing we're doing right now seems to be directed at stopping this [ISIS]." Matthews said. Harf: Well, I think there's a few stages here. Right now what we're is trying to take their leaders and their fighters off the battlefield in Iraq and in Syria; that's really where they flourish. Matthews: Are we killing enough of them? Harf: We're killing a lot of them and we're going to keep killing more of them. So are the Egyptians, so are the Jordanians. They're in this fight with us. But we cannot win this war by killing them. We cannot kill our way out of this war. 'So how do we defeat ISIS' you might be wondering? Don't worry, the State Department is like, totally on top of this: Harf: We need, in the medium and longer term, to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups. Fair enough. Cut out the root; kill the plant. But, somehow I don't think this is exactly the root we're looking for... Harf: Whether it's lack of opportunity for jobs... JOBS. WE'RE GOING TO DEFEAT ISIS BY ENSURING THEY HAVE JOBS, YOU GUYS. And to ensure ISIS remains occupied enough to forget their sacred past time of lopping off heads, we must provide unrestricted access to basic human rights like free heath care, and wifi. Probably, anyway. Because at this point, why not?

Posted by Andrew Branca on February 17, 2015 60 Comments
Wayne Davis, the jury foreman in the Michael Dunn re-trial that found Dunn guilty of the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis, was interviewed for the first time this past week by News4Jax. Remember Dunn? He's the one charged with 1st degree murder for the shooting death of 17-year-old Jordan Davis. The State believed Dunn shot Jordan out of anger over Jordan’s loud music, whereas Dunn claimed he shot in lawful self-defense. The State's argument won out, raising questions about lawful self-defense vs. premeditation standards in modern criminal law. You can read a transcript, and watch a video of the interview (also embedded at the bottom of this post), here. What particularly caught my eye from this interview was the considerable weight the jurors placed on the many physical steps Michael Dunn took in retrieving, preparing, and brandishing his handgun, and how the jury concluded as a result that Dunn acted with premeditation.  This finding of premeditation was necessary in order for the jury to unanimously find Dunn guilty of first-degree murder, as opposed to second-degree murder or manslaughter. As Wayne Davis, jury foreman, put it in the interview:

Posted by David Gerstman on February 17, 2015 7 Comments
Last week, Prof. Jacobson noted that The Washington Post published an editorial criticizing President Obama's handling of the nuclear negotiations with Iran. Prof. Jacobson's mentioned the editorial in the context of arguing that the likely deal is against "the best interests of the American people." But there's something else remarkable about the editorial. It was the fifth one since October in which the Post questioned the concessions being made by the P5+1 nations; and several of the central points of the editorial were buttressed by Sen. Tim Kaine (D - Va.), so they could hardly be called partisan. To quote from the editorial:
A related problem is whether Iran could be prevented from cheating on any arrangement and acquiring a bomb by stealth. Mr. Kaine (D) underlined that an attempt by the United States to negotiate the end of North Korea’s nuclear program failed after the regime covertly expanded its facilities. With Iran, said Mr. Kaine, “a nation that has proven to be very untrustworthy . . . the end result is more likely to be a North Korean situation” if existing infrastructure is not dismantled. The administration at one time portrayed the nuclear negotiations as distinct from the problem of Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism, its attempts to establish hegemony over the Arab Middle East and its declared goal of eliminating Israel. Yet while the talks have proceeded, Mr. Obama has offered assurances to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the two countries have shared interests in the region, and the White House has avoided actions Iran might perceive as hostile — such as supporting military action against the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on February 17, 2015 54 Comments
In a decision which is to have a profound impact on both the immigration debate and the currently stalled funding of the Department of Homeland Security, a federal court judge in Texas has issued a Temporary Restraining Injunctive Order preventing implementation of Obama's Immigration executive action. The Order and 123-page Opinion are embedded in full below. From a political perspective, if Obama is enjoined from enforcing his immigration executive action, how can Congress fund an illegal act? Or if it were funded, thereby relieving the current continuing resolution stalemate, Obama could not enforce it. Either way, this may provide Congress a way out of the jam just days before the funding deadline. What this allows Republicans to do, is pass a 30 day spending bill without any limitations on the argument that the immigration plan cannot be acted upon anyway, and wait and see how the courts rule. IF the courts refuse to put the injunction on hold, or if the courts uphold the injunction on the merits, then there is no need to worry about defunding the executive action. If an appeals court reverses, then the Republican leadership can say that it has already been upheld as lawful so there is no legal basis for the claim it is unconstitutional. This could be a victory at least to get over the current impasse, although it may not be a long term solution. The case involves 26 states (originally 17) led by Texas. Here is part of the TRO:
The United States of America, its departments, agencies, officers, agents and employees and Jeh Johnson, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security; R. Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection; Ronald D. Vitiello, Deputy Chief of United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection; Thomas S. Winkowski, Acting Director of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Leon Rodriguez, Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are hereby enjoined from implementing any and all aspects or phases of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents ("DAP A") program as set out in the Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson's memorandum dated November 20, 2014 ("DAPA memorandum"), pending a final resolution of the merits of this case or until a further order of this Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit or the United States Supreme Court.
The Court frames the issue in the case as follows:
The ultimate question before the Court is: Do the laws of the United States, including the Constitution, give the Secretary of Homeland Security the power to take the action at issue in this case? [Opinion, at 4]
It took the court over 100 pages to get to the answer: No.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on February 16, 2015 5 Comments
Lesley Sue Goldstein, better known as Lesley Gore, was featured for a week in our Video of the Day series in December. She's best known for "It's My Party" but that was just a part, and not even the best, of her music. Fox News reports:
Singer-songwriter Lesley Gore, who topped the charts in 1963 at age 16 with her epic song of teenage angst, "It's My Party," and followed it up with the hits "Judy's Turn to Cry," and the feminist anthem "You Don't Own Me," died Monday. She was 68. Gore died of lung cancer at New York University Langone Medical Center in Manhattan, according to her partner of 33 years, Lois Sasson. "She was a wonderful human being — caring, giving, a great feminist, great woman, great human being, great humanitarian," Sasson, a jewelry designer, told The Associated Press. Brooklyn-born and New Jersey-raised, Gore was discovered by Quincy Jones as a teenager and signed to Mercury Records. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in English/American literature. Gore's other hits include "She's A Fool," ''Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows," ''That's the Way Boys Are" and "Maybe I Know." She co-wrote with her brother, Michael, the Academy Award-nominated "Out Here On My Own" from the film "Fame."
Here are two of my favorites:

Posted by Amy Miller on February 16, 2015 35 Comments
Obama Administration officials are feeling the heat from the downward spiral of its figurehead health care legislation, and they're looking for allies in what is arguably the most unlikely place on Earth---the Church. Unlikely indeed, considering religious organizations (and organizations run by religiously-minded entrepreneurs) have been engaged in an all-out war over Obamacare's various mandates since before the thing was signed into law. Officials charged with making sure Americans enroll for coverage have always thought of religious organizations as outlets for promotion, but they've recently stepped up their game and started re-pushing pre-made educational materials to churches. The Weekly Standard explains:
These materials are part of the "Second Sunday & Faith Weekend of Action Toolkit," which is available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). From the beginning, HHS has sought to develop partnerships with faith-based organizations to promote the Obamacare. This "toolkit" has been available since 2013. However, the details of these partnerships have largely escaped the attention of the national media. The Second Sunday & Faith Weekend of Action program encourages churches to use the second Sunday of each month during open enrollment to hold informational meetings and sign-up events.
They've even provided a bulletin insert---how convenient! unnamed-8_3.preview
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