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Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on September 16, 2014 14 Comments
Our friends over at National Review pulled this little gem. We've officially entered foreign policy bizarro world when the Department of State is absolutely refusing to work with Syria, but is open to working with Iran to fight (however they're defining that) ISIS. Blitzer asked Department of State Spokesperson Marie Harf if Syria was receiving intelligence through a third party, to which she responded, "Not at all. I can categorically reject that. We will not work with the Assad regime, we will not share intelligence with them, we will not coordinate with them. Period. Full stop. I don't want to be any clearer than that."

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Posted by Leslie Eastman on September 16, 2014 13 Comments
We have been chronicling the journey of California's vaunted "high speed train" construction project, which has been anything but speedy. When we last checked, Sacramento judge Michael Kenney had wisely ruled that state officials cannot pursue a plan to tap billions of dollars in voter-approved bond funding for construction---a decision that could cause indefinite delays in the massive $68 billion project. It looked like the project was poised to be derailed. In July of this year, however, the Third Appellate District Court ruled that the "voters clearly intended to place the Authority in a financial straitjacket by establishing a mandatory multistep process to ensure the financial viability of the project." But then the panel decided to allow the plan to move forward. The Wall Street Journal editorial board took exception to this seemingly questionable ruling:
The court could require the authority to redo its plan, but the judges say that would be unnecessary since the Director of Finance must still approve a rigorous final plan before the authority can spend the bond revenue. In other words, the law's procedural requirements don't matter. Yet the bond referendum had ordered a preliminary plan for legislative review precisely so lawmakers could force the rail authority to address their concerns before appropriating the bonds. This added a modicum of political accountability. So here we have the spectacle of legislators ignoring the very taxpayer protections that they had used to gull voters into approving a ballot measure that might never have passed without those protections. The lesson is that politicians will grab any new power or spending authority voters give them. They'll blow through the caveats and dare voters to sue to stop them.

Posted by Mike LaChance on September 16, 2014 9 Comments
Do you know what keeps Nancy Pelosi up at night? It isn't ISIS. Three days ago, she insisted that if Republicans take control of the Senate it would bring about the end of civilization. Now, she's claiming that America isn't at war with the Islamic State. The Washington Free Beacon reported:
Nancy Pelosi: We Are Not At War With ISIL If you have been following the ISIL crisis, you know our government officials have not quite decided if we are “at war” with the Islamic extremists or not. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) affirmed today that the U.S. is not at war with ISIL, though she called the matter “deadly serious.” “We have initiated hostilities against ISIS, that’s for sure,” Pelosi told MSNBC’s Ronan Farrow. “[War] would require a declaration of war by the Congress of the United States.” Pelosi echoed the Obama administration’s assurance that no U.S. troops would fight the extremists in a combat mission. She instead expressed support for arming and training “responsible” Syrian rebels.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on September 15, 2014 31 Comments
If the FDA's overreach into cheese doesn't compel you to grab your pitchfork and take to the streets, nothing will. Last week, we wrote about the FDA's French cheese tyranny. Looks like the situation is only becoming more dire. According to The Gazette, a cheese factory that specializes in cheese curds is shutting down. They're not being shut down for a specific health violation or anything like that -- they make good cheese. They're closing up shot because compliance with new federal regulations will require more cash than they have to spend:

“From advanced food safety and quality assurance requirements to more stringent environmental regulations that would require substantial capital investment,” said Gary Weihs, president of Proliant Dairy Ingredients, in a news release. “As a result of the changing environment, we have decided to close the Kalona facility. This is a difficult decision and we will continue to explore other opportunities for the facility.”

The facility employed 50 people. Impacted employees will receive compensation, severance pay and job placement assistance, the release said.

John Roetlin wouldn’t comment on the factory’s fate.

“It is what it is,” Roetlin said when contacted Thursday. He added the Kalona Cheese House, the factory’s store, will remain open despite the factory’s closure.

A group of Amish and Mennonite farmers established the operation as co-op in 1946, according to the website. The farmers hired Swiss immigrant John Roetlin, Sr. to run the factory, which opened in 1947.

This isn't just about cheese, it's about a community who will now be forced to find other ways to make memories.

LEGAL INSURRECTION QUICK TAKES

Illinois Teacher Union Boss Gets Substantial Pay Raise Despite Low State Reading Scores

Faculty Senate at Northwestern Calls for Restrictions on ICE Access to Campus

Oregon State Instructor Reports Student for Arguing There are Only Two Sexes

University of San Francisco Ditching Mascot Over Student Complaints

Maine School Administrator Objects to Dogs in the Classroom, Citing Muslim Views

UT-San Antonio Student Apologizes for Gleefully Mocking Assassination of Charlie Kirk

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Posted by Amy Miller on September 15, 2014 10 Comments
Conservative advocacy organizations are using their resources to put muscle behind the growing anti-internet regulation movement. Those on the other side of the issue, who advocate for "Net Neutrality," want to use Title II of the Communications Act as a way of reclassifying broadband internet providers as "utilities." If this reclassification takes place, regulation advocates will be able to enact stricter rules regarding how providers allocate their resources. Conservatives at advocacy groups like American Commitment and Tech Freedom aren't ready to let go of a truly free internet without a fight, though. They've launched new landing pages for the cause, StopInternetRegulation.org and Don't Break the Net, respectively, providing a way for Americans to add their voices to the hundreds of thousands who have already responded to the FCC's comment period on Title II regulations. From American Commitment:
"Everyone needs to get this story right: on our side are the vast majority of the American people who love the Internet the way it is -- unregulated, supported by private investment in a free economy, competitive, and highly innovative. On the other side are radical left activists, who are seeking political control over the Internet," said Phil Kerpen, president of American Commitment. "This exceptional outpouring of support for true Internet freedom is proof positive that the American people firmly oppose any federal regulation of the Internet."
The wonks at Tech Freedom have provided a succinct debunking of advocates' arguments for Title II regulation:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on September 15, 2014 30 Comments
We've covered the recent push for Scottish independence here, here, and here. With the referendum vote coming up Thursday, the 'No' votes have abandoned polite dissuasion in favor of a more direct approach. The 'Yes' camp has also become a little less shy. First, John Oliver. If you're not familiar with the former Daily Show personality, know that he's a bit colorful. He did a fantastic job of hilariously summing up the relatively complicated independence situation in a segment on his HBO show (slightly NSFW):

Posted by Amy Miller on September 15, 2014 11 Comments
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new "ebola checklist" detailing the best practices for hospitals and health care professionals who are tasked with treating patients infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD.) From the checklist:
In order to enhance our collective preparedness and response efforts, this checklist highlights key areas for hospital staff -- especially hospital emergency management officers, infection control practitioners, and clinical practitioners -- to review in preparation for a person with EVD arriving at a hospital for medical care. The checklist provides practical and specific suggestions to ensure your hospital is able to detect possible EVD cases, protect your employees, and respond appropriately. While we are not aware of any domestic EVD cases (other than two American citizens who were medically evacuated to the United States), now is the time to prepare, as it is possible that individuals with EVD in West Africa may travel to the United States, exhibit signs and symptoms of EVD, and present to facilities.
The checklist's provisions appear to have the goal of holding hospitals accountable for following protocol, training their employees in EVD detection, and being prepared to isolate patients and protect staff. It also provides a "quick resources list" that administrators and providers can use to educate staff about the disease, help answer questions from the community, and follow the status of outbreaks.

Posted by Amy Miller on September 15, 2014 9 Comments
Gallup's new poll on Americans' level of trust in our three branches of government has revealed exactly what you would expect: they don't. We already know that likely voters, for the most part (but just barely,) have some idea of who controls the House and the Senate, but this new poll from Gallup offers a whole new perspective that could make that knowledge even more valuable to conservative campaigns as November looms ever closer. Via Gallup:
Americans have generally had the least trust in the legislative branch, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, but never lower than the 28% who do so now. The prior low was the 31% measured in 2011, shortly after Congress and the president engaged in contentious debt-ceiling negotiations. Trust in the legislative branch had recovered slightly during the previous two years, to 34%, but is down significantly this year. As recently as 2007, 50% of Americans trusted Congress, but that trust has eroded amid a struggling economy and an era of intense partisan gridlock. This has been particularly acute since Congress was divided between a Republican House and a Democratic Senate after the 2010 elections.
This isn't surprising; between the stalemate in the Senate, cannibalism in the House, and no clear consensus on the part of conservatives as to how we should go about actually getting an agenda passed, it's no wonder America has exactly zero faith in either party's ability to get it right. The situation with trust in the executive branch doesn't look much better:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 15, 2014 20 Comments
We've seen so many Benghazi bombshells to date that have been deep-sixed by the media or flopped (60 Minutes), that I'm skeptical that this new report will damage Hillary. There will be Clintonesque attacks on the whistleblower and spin of the story as part of a vast right wing conspiracy. But if it's true, the inevitability of Hillary is seriously in doubt. From Sharyl Attkinsson, at The Daily Signal, Benghazi Bombshell: Clinton State Department Official Reveals Details of Alleged Document Review:
As the House Select Committee on Benghazi prepares for its first hearing this week, a former State Department diplomat is coming forward with a startling allegation: Hillary Clinton confidants were part of an operation to “separate” damaging documents before they were turned over to the Accountability Review Board investigating security lapses surrounding the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attacks on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. According to former Deputy Assistant Secretary Raymond Maxwell, the after-hours session took place over a weekend in a basement operations-type center at State Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. This is the first time Maxwell has publicly come forward with the story.....

Posted by Amy Miller on September 15, 2014 17 Comments
On June 25, 2014, 19 year-old Brendan Tevlin hopped into his car to return home after spending the evening at a friend's house. Minutes later, Ali Muhammad Brown approached the vehicle as it was stopped at a red light and fired ten rounds into the car, killing Brendan. Originally, the teen's murder was labeled an attempted robbery, allowing the media to remain silent. Now, court documents have revealed that Brown's motivation for killing Tevlin had less to do with thievery, and more to do with America's pushback against Jihadist terrorism in the Middle East. Via the New York Daily News:
According to court documents, Ali Muhammad Brown described his June murder of 19-year-old Brendan Tevlin as a "just kill" and said it was an act of "vengeance" meant to compensate for U.S. military killings in the Middle East.
Brown is a devout Muslim, and has been extremely vocal about his opposition to U.S. intervention in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.
"All these lives are taken every single day by America, by this government. So a life for a life," he told investigators, according to the documents. Brown further justified killing Tevlin by claiming the shooting was a "just kill," meaning he targeted an adult man and did not put any women, children or elderly people in danger. In police interviews, Brown described the U.S.'s military campaign in the Middle East as evil and said if a "man sees evil, then he must take action against that evil," the court papers show.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on September 14, 2014 30 Comments
I only followed in passing the incident where Ted Cruz was booed off the stage at a gathering to support Christians in the Middle East after saying that Israel was the best friend Christians have in the Middle East. The Daily Caller reported:
Sen. Ted Cruz was booed offstage at a conference for Middle Eastern Christians Wednesday night after saying that “Christians have no greater ally than Israel.” Cruz, the keynote speaker at the sold-out D.C. dinner gala for the recently-founded non-profit In Defense of Christians, began by saying that “tonight, we are all united in defense of Christians. Tonight, we are all united in defense of Jews. Tonight, we are all united in defense of people of good faith, who are standing together against those who would persecute and murder those who dare disagree with their religious teachings.” Cruz was not reading from a teleprompter, nor did he appear to be reading from notes.

Posted by Mike LaChance on September 14, 2014 9 Comments
Just when you thought that the IRS scandal couldn't get any worse, the editors of Investor's Business Daily have a new bombshell to offer. It seems the Department of Justice has been working with Maryland Democrat Elijah Cummings, but not to uncover the truth:
DOJ Working With Elijah Cummings To Protect The IRS An aide to the attorney general accidentally calls the office of the House Oversight Committee chairman, asking for help in spinning the defense of the agency whose head just said they obey the law when they can. We have commented many times of the all-too-cozy relationship between the IRS and Democratic members of the House and Senate, with members writing to the agency demanding that specific conservative groups and political action committees they find particularly irritating be subject to the "special scrutiny" that the Tea Party and other conservative and religious groups were subjected to in the ongoing scandal. Of particular interest to us has been Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., ranking member on Rep. Darrell Issa's House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, who has made every effort to keep the committee from finding out the true extent of IRS corruption and abuse of power in its targeting of conservatives...
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