Read this! An example of theft through words!!!!!-------Pension Malpractice and Fund Raids

Pension Malpractice and Fund Raids [Michigan Capitol Confidential]: "
Everyone's doing it!
By JACK MCHUGH | July 16, 2014

A Wall Street Journal editorial bemoans gimmicks used to “pay for” a federal road funding bill without either raising taxes or cutting other spending, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday:

“Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp is paying for the additional spending with a combination of new custom fees, transfers from a fund to repair leaky underground fuel-storage tanks, and changes to pension taxes. This "pension-smoothing"—which will supply $6.4 billion of the revenue—is an especially ugly budget ruse, and thus increasingly a Congressional favorite.
“Under smoothing, employers are given permission to delay contributions to pension plans, thereby increasing corporate taxable income. That pushes immediate money to the Treasury, but at the cost of piling up pension liabilities in the longer-term, hurting employees and potentially the taxpayers who might have to bail them out. Congress used the same imaginary revenue-raiser to fund the 2012 highway bill, and the Members know most of the media won't report the boring pension details.”

Congressman Camp served one term in the Michigan House of Representatives back in 1988-1990, and as a Congressman perhaps he’s been looking to the gang at his old gig for bad ideas, because both the pension dodge and the raid on a fuel tank cleanup fund have both featured in the Michigan Legislature’s playbook over the past decade, as documented by MichiganVotes.org:
2004 House Bill 6074: Fuel tank cleanup tax "fund raid"
Public Act 390 of 2004
To extend the 7/8ths cent-per-gallon fuel sale "regulatory fee" (tax) levied for the cleanup of underground fuel tanks, and authorize a $43 million "fund raid" on the underground tank cleanup fund to avoid making spending cuts in the 2005 budget.
Passed 87 to 13 in the House on July 14, 2004 - Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on September 29, 2004 - Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on October 12, 2004.

2007 House Bill 4530: Balance budget with reduced school pension fund contribution
Public Act 15 of 2007
To allow a one-time revision in the formula used by the school employee pension fund to determine how large an annual state contribution is required. One of the elements in the formula is the value of equities (stocks) in the pension fund’s portfolio, and the usual practice in determining the required annual contribution is to use a five-year moving average of their value, to account for market fluctuations. The bill would allow a one-year average, which given a strong stock market in the past year, has the effect of reducing the state contribution by $190 million less than the true actuarially sound amount.
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on April 17, 2007 - Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2007 - Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on June 6, 2007.

This is not to beat up too much on Mr. Camp, who as much as anyone is a captive of a growing institutional breakdown in Washington under the current administration.
The Journal explains:
“Mr. Camp's hand was somewhat forced by a last-ditch Democratic effort to raise the 18.4-cents-a-gallon gas tax. With the failure of President Obama's $300 billion blowout, the House Democratic fallback was to pass a patch that would expire at the end of this year. Their betting was that they and the business community (which wants higher gas taxes) could then leverage a lame-duck session to jam Republicans into a tax hike. Mr. Camp's 10-month extension at least avoids that box canyon.”"

Imagine if we could leave the takers to take care of their own spending. Imagine!------Would Six Californias Be Better Than One?

Would Six Californias Be Better Than One? - Hit & Run : Reason.com
"Should Northern California Secede and Become the State of Jefferson?," produced by Alex Manning. Approximately 5:30 minutes.

Original release date was Jun 9, 2014 and the original writeup is below.  

Activists in Northern California, near the border with Oregon, are pushing to secede from the Golden State. They say they're fed up with taxes, regulation, and lack of representation. If they get their way, the country's 51st entrant would be called the State of Jefferson. 

"The three major urban areas dictate politics for the entire state," says Mark Baird of the Jefferson Declaration Committee. "Our children are leaving, our economy is crashing, we are taxed, every breath we take is regulated, and we feel that a free state will cure that."

To date, five county governments have signed on the plan and more may be joining up. 

"We can't afford to run a California style beauracracy, that is true," says Baird. "But as a small rural state, we don't want to. "

The idea of secession in California isn't new. During the Great Depression, folks started pushing a similar plan in the same part of the state, but threw in the towel after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Both California's state legislature and the U.S. Congress would have to approve the plan to make Jefferson more than a pipe dream. That's not going to happen any time soon, but Northern California's separatist movement is worth exploring as a way of pushing back against a distant and unresponsive government. 

Dominoes..... fallin' fast........First Detroit, Now Flint Warns Bankruptcy "Train Is Headed For The Cliff"

First Detroit, Now Flint Warns Bankruptcy "Train Is Headed For The Cliff" | Zero Hedge:

Flint may be Michigan’s second city to plunge into bankruptcy unless retirees accept cuts in health benefits that threaten to unravel a balanced budget. 
As Crain's Detroit reports, Emergency Manager Darnell Earley (Flint’s third emergency leader since it was placed under state control in 2011) warned "If we have no ability to mitigate the cost of retiree health care, that’s going to make it very difficult for the city to remain financially stable over the next few years." 
As Eric Scorsone notes, "Flint's at the forefront, but a lot of cities are on the same train, and that train is headed for the cliff."

As Crains Detroit reports,

As Detroit draws worldwide attention for its record $18 billion bankruptcy, Flint demonstrates the plight of U.S. cities where unfunded post-retirement costs rival or exceed pension liabilities. In Michigan alone in 2011, municipalities had nearly $13 billion in health-care liabilities for retirees, compared with about $3 billion for pensions. Flint is among 17 cities and school districts under some form of state control.

More than 80,000 Flint-area residents were employed by GM in 1978. Now, that number is about 7,500, according to a 2011 report by Michigan State University.In the past two years, the municipal workforce has been cut 20 percent and employees have taken a 20 percent pay cut.

Emergency Manager Earley warns...

Like Detroit, which a year ago this week filed the largest U.S. municipal bankruptcy, Flint has struggled with loss of population, jobs and revenue. The birthplace of General Motors Co. has only half its population of 1960.

“If we have no ability to mitigate the cost of retiree health care, that’s going to make it very difficult for the city to remain financially stable over the next few years,” Earley said in an interview at City Hall. Without changes, retiree pension and health expenses would consume 32 percent of the $55 million general fund.

“You can stabilize things by making sure that you’ve got the best systems in place for delivering services,” Earley said. “We haven’t had that in Flint for a number of years. We haven’t had that in Detroit for a number of years.”

The retirees are not happy...

The city’s accumulated deficit is $12.9 million, though its budget is balanced through June 30, 2016. Allowing higher insurance co-pays and deductibles for retirees will save $5 million this year, Earley said. That would make retirees’ coverage equal to that of active employees, he said.

Retirees already have made wage and pension concessions, and now will pay hundreds of dollars a month for prescriptions and co-pays, their attorney, Alec Gibbs, said in an email. He said retirees on fixed incomes will face life-threatening choices.

“Think of the position that they are putting these guys in: Pay for your health-care costs and starve, or use your fixed and paltry income to eke out a painful, shortened life,” Gibbs said.

Blaming retirees is unfair, said U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, a Flint-area Democrat who founded the Center for Community Progress, a Washington, D.C.-based advocate for urban revitalization. More culpable, he said, are shrinking local revenue and the state’s cumulative $54.9 million reduction in aid to the city since 2003, according to the Michigan Municipal League.

“It’s a conspiracy of bad news,” Kildee said. “The state balanced its budget by unbalancing city budgets.”

This is systemic...

“If Flint were to go to bankruptcy, that would highlight that this legacy-cost problem has to be addressed more globally,” said Eric Scorsone, a Michigan State University economist. “Flint’s at the forefront, but a lot of cities are on the same train, and that train is headed for the cliff.”

Into the mind of liberal madness------Al Gore is the single-issue candidate we need

Al Gore is the single-issue candidate we need - Salon.com:
With Republican pundits speculating on the possibility of a third Mitt Romney bid for the White House, I think it’s appropriate to mention another two-time presidential candidate whose moment has come in 2016 — Al Gore.

Allow me to explain.I have never met Gore, nor am I connected with anyone who has a professional interest in seeing a renaissance for Gore’s political career. 

Similarly, I am not writing this article in my capacities as a political columnist, graduate student or local Pennsylvania politician, but as a concerned citizen — not only of the United States, but of the world.
Like President Obama, who made news this week by pointing out that the climate change crisis threatens every aspect of America’s future, I want to make sure my children will grow up in a strong country, one that is safe and secure on a healthy planet.
And America needs Al Gore to make a bid for the White House because of his unique credibility on anthropogenic global warming.

Boom: Harry Reid Tried To Silence Ted Cruz And It Completely Backfired In His Face

Boom: Harry Reid Tried To Silence Ted Cruz And It Completely Backfired In His Face:
"While Obama’s unilateral move resulted in deferred action in the case of illegals under a certain age who crossed the border as a child and maintained certain requirements while living in the U.S., Cruz contended that this policy has attracted the tens of thousands of Central American minors currently flooding the Mexican border.
In his response, Reid suggested that the executive order automatically legitimized these illegals, making them impervious to deportation efforts."

Big government vs YOU!-----------Justin Amash's support for free enterprise earns enmity of Big Business

Justin Amash's support for free enterprise earns enmity of Big Business | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has jumped into a Republican congressional primary in Michigan, trying to defeat incumbent Rep. Justin Amash.
Amash's crime: being stubbornly consistent in opposing big government.
The Chamber's endorsement of Amash's opponent helps clarify some things that have long been true, but which have been muddled in the public eye and used against conservatives.
The first myth put to rest: Libertarianism and free enterprise are defenses of Big Business.
The second myth exposed: Challenging an incumbent in a primary is somehow impious or unsporting.
Amash is arguably the strongest defender of free enterprise in the House. 
His rating from the Club for Growth is 100 percent.
He comes in second out of 435 House members on the National Taxpayers Union scorecard.
This consistency earned him a primary from Grand Rapids businessman Brian Ellis.
Ellis explained that Amash is too beholden to principles and the Constitution: “He's got his explanations for why he's voted," Ellis said, "but I don't really care. 
I'm a businessman, I look at the bottom line.”"

Soooooo. The problem is guns? And the "fix" is.....?--------Sad list: Muskegon County's eight homicides -- six in Muskegon Heights -- since April 23

Sad list: Muskegon County's eight homicides -- six in Muskegon Heights -- since April 23 | MLive.com:
"MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI –
Muskegon County police agencies have reported eight homicides in 2014 as of July 16.
Six of those were in Muskegon Heights.
All eight happened within less than 12 weeks between April 23 and July 11.
All were caused by gunfire.
Five of the shooting deaths, including four in Muskegon Heights, happened in an 18-day period starting June 24."

Donkey suicide bomb stopped by Israeli troops in Gaza

Donkey suicide bomb stopped by Israeli troops in Gaza - Telegraph:
"They used this donkey as a human shield, or an animal shield, if you like," said Major Arye Shalicar, an army spokesman. 
"Anything, an animal or an international building, that can help make use of innocent people or international [citizens], they will use it. 
We see it time and again."

Who’d a-thunk it? Socialism is demoralizing, socially corrosive, and promotes individual dishonesty and cheating? | AEIdeas:

Who’d a-thunk it? Socialism is demoralizing, socially corrosive, and promotes individual dishonesty and cheating?

Mark J. Perry | July 19, 2014, 9:23 am

Here’s the abstract of the research paper “The (True) Legacy of Two Really Existing Economic Systems“:

By running an experiment among Germans collecting their passports or ID cards in the citizen centers of Berlin, we find that individuals with an East German family background cheat significantly more on an abstract task than those with a West German family background. The longer individuals were exposed to socialism, the more likely they were to cheat on our task. While it was recently argued that markets decay morals (Falk and Szech, 2013), we provide evidence that other political and economic regimes such as socialism might have an even more detrimental effect on individuals’ behavior.

And here’s part of the conclusion:

If socialism indeed promotes individual dishonesty, the specific features of this socio-political system that lead to this outcome remain to be determined. The East German socialist regime differed from the West German capitalist regime in several important ways. First, the system did not reward work based to merit, and made it difficult to accumulate wealth or pass anything on to one’s family. This may have resulted in a lack of meaning leading to demoralization (Ariely et al., 2008), and perhaps less concern for upholding standards of honesty.Furthermore, while the government claimed to exist in service of the people, it failed to provide functional public systems or economic security. Observing thismoral hypocrisy in government may have eroded the value citizens placed on honesty. Finally, and perhaps most straightforwardly, the political and economic system pressured people to work around official laws and cheat to game the system. Over time, individuals may come to normalize these types of behaviors. Given these distinct possible influences, further research will be needed to understand which aspects of socialism have the strongest or most lasting impacts on morality.

Watch: Oliver North Just Put A Target On Obama’s Back And Hit The Bullseye

Watch: Oliver North Just Put A Target On Obama’s Back And Hit The Bullseye:
"Lt. Col. Oliver North was on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom discussing the Obama Administration’s lack of foreign policy strategy.  North is asked about the growing list of foreign policy issues:"

Single Mother Facing 3 Years in NJ Prison for Being Honest about Legal Gun

Single Mother Facing 3 Years in NJ Prison for Being Honest about Legal Gun
A 27-year-old single mother from Philadelphia could face 3 years in a New Jersey prison for being honest about her legally owned gun.
Shaneen Allen had already been robbed twice last year and decided to get a firearm to keep herself and her children safe.  
She took a gun safety course, applied for a concealed carry permit and it was granted.
But going to New Jersey and not being aware of the reciprocity laws could put her in big trouble with the anti-gun state.
When Allen was stopped for a minor traffic offense in New Jersey she was completely honest about her legally owned gun and everything spiraled out of control from there.
Even the police officer said that the fact that she opened her mouth about her gun was what messed up her life.
But having a concealed handgun in NJ was not her only problem.
“The judge tried to tell me that telling the truth messed me up, my life up and the cop said the same thing. Me opening my mouth and speaking out he said I’m one out of ten people that spoke up and was honest and that got me in trouble,” she said.
Allen was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of hollow-point bullets which were in the gun. Under New Jersey gun laws, the illegal possession of a gun is a second-degree felony which holds a minimum sentence of three-years in prison.

Muskegon Bike Time - Patriot Ride

Muskegon Bike Time - Events:
PATRIOT RIDE
Sunday, July 20- 2014
Hot Rod Harley-Davidson Parking Lot
Registration Begins...........9:00 am (Hot Rod Harley)
Ride Leaves.....................10:30 am (Hot Rod Harley)
 Ride Returns...................NOON (Western Ave.- Steel Horse Alley)

Take a police escorted non-stop scenic ride of the area with 200+ of your closest friends.
Ride is approximately 1.5 hours and begins and ends at Hot Rod Harley-Davidson.
Suggested donation is $10 per person.
Ride donations go to Every Women’s Place and the Veterans Association.
Patriot Ride Route Map"

22 Vintage Ads That Would Be Banned Today

22 Vintage Ads That Would Be Banned Today

History for July 20

History for July 20 - On-This-Day.com

Moon Day: 45th anniversary of man’s first landing on the moon in 1969.

Birth anniversary of mountaineer, explorer and beekeeper Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008)

Happy Birthday! Kim Carnes,  Diana Rigg, Carlos Santana

1801 - A 1,235 pound cheese ball was pressed at the farm of Elisha Brown, Jr. The ball of cheese was later loaded on a horse-driven wagon and presented to U.S. President Thomas Jefferson at the White House. 


1868 - Legislation that ordered U.S. tax stamps to be placed on all cigarette packs was passed. 


1881 - Sioux Indian leader Sitting Bull, a fugitive since the Battle of the Little Big Horn, surrendered to federal troops. (Montana) 


1908 - In the United States, the Sullivan Ordinance bars women from smoking in public facilities. 


1942 - The first detachment of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, (WACS) began basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. 


1944 - An attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler failed. The bomb exploded at Hitler's Rastenburg headquarters. Hitler was only wounded. 


1969 - Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. became the first men to walk on the moon. 


1974 - Turkish forces invaded Cyprus. 


1982 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan pulled the U.S. out of comprehensive test ban negotiations indefinitely. 


1998 - Russia won a $11.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund to help avert the devaluation of its currency. 

EXCLUSIVE: Former Congressman Says ‘Arrest and Confine’ Lois Lerner Until She Talks!

EXCLUSIVE: Former Congressman Says ‘Arrest and Confine’ Lois Lerner Until She Talks!:
"Rep. Stockman explained that Obama’s Lerner, who was held in contempt of Congress, must be arrested or “everyone will come before Congress and lie,” because the law would be rendered useless if it’s never enforced.
“There’s no doubt that Congress has the power to arrest and confine Lois Lerner,” former Congressman Istook agreed.” “You cannot rely on the [Eric Holder-led] Justice Department to go after her,” Istook said.
“Lois Lerner should be arrested–should be confined until she testifies fully and truthfully” said Istook. "

How Differently the Obama Admin. and the Canadian Gov’t Are Responding to Israel’s Moves | TheBlaze.com

How Differently the Obama Admin. and the Canadian Gov’t Are Responding to Israel’s Moves | TheBlaze.com:
"While the Obama administration has urged Israel to limit the scope of its ground operation in Gaza to only striking tunnels used by terrorists, Canada’s Conservative Party-led government has expressed unbridled support for Israel as it faces Hamas’ threats.
The contrasting approaches over the past 10 days of the Israel-Hamas conflict have been seen in a series of statements, diplomatic exchanges and tweets."

Their lips move. The lies move faster------Delusional Democrats Who Lied About Border Security Called Out in a Video So Absurd It’s Hilarious

Delusional Democrats Who Lied About Border Security Called Out in a Video So Absurd It’s Hilarious:
"The Washington Free Beacon has put together a greatest hits compilation of the Democrats’ border security quotes.
Why would the Democrats continuously insist that the border is secure?
Perhaps because Republicans insist on having a secure border before discussing any type of immigration reform legislation.
Democrats don’t think people will catch up to this at some point?
The PR game that carried Obama – health care lies and all – to the White House is showing significant signs of incompetent wear and tear lately…"

Drugs AND dessert! This is gonna peeve off Moochelle------------Washington state says marijuana brownies OK, but no lollipops

Washington state says marijuana brownies OK, but no lollipops - chicagotribune.com
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Marijuana stores in Washington state can sell marijuana in cookies, brownies and other approved baked goods but cannot put the drug in candies, lollipops or food items that might appeal to children, according to newly released rules.
Washington became the second U.S. state to allow recreational sales of marijuana to adults on July 8 when its first retail stores opened under a heavily regulated and taxed system approved by voters in 2012.

Russia Today Correspondent Abruptly Quits Over Malaysian Crash Coverage and Levies Big Charge | TheBlaze.com

Russia Today Correspondent Abruptly Quits Over Malaysian Crash Coverage and Levies Big Charge | TheBlaze.com:
"Firth’s resignation came about two hours after she said on Twitter that RT anchors “do work for Putin” and spread “lies” in a conversation with RT London correspondent Polly Boiko, the Huffington Post noted. Firth alleged that the network asks its anchors to “obscure the truth.”

He's let all his cronies and contributors OUT of Obamacare. Why are the rest of us stuck in this disaster?!!!!!!--------What will remain of ObamaCare?

What will remain of ObamaCare?:
"The residents of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands just won the lottery, because the royal Obama court hath decreed that they shall be free from the seething morass of suck known as ObamaCare.
The Washington Post says the territories "have been warning for years" that ObamaCare would "destroy their insurance markets."
Well, the rest of us have been warning the same damn thing, so how did the territories get a waiver that the fifty states can only dream of?
It turns out His Majesty's Department of Health and Human Services originally told the territories they were stuck in the suck with the rest of us, but then after thorough examination of the actual written law...
I know, I know, you probably just got dizzy and needed to step away from your computer for a moment.  Take a few deep breaths.
... anyway, they actually read the Affordable Care Act and its regulatory appendages, and discovered that it specifically refers to "states" in the major regulatory controls - mandated benefits, compulsory coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, etc.
The territories are not "states," and they're already immune to the individual mandate requiring people to buy insurance, as well as the network of subsidies propping up ObamaCare purchases.  
There are a few ACA tentacles still wrapped around the territories, such as "the ban on lifetime and annual limits, a ban on rescission, and a coverage of preventative benefits (which includes contraception coverage)" but it looks like the rest of ObamaCare is kaput out there."

Top 10 Most Spoken Languages In The World

Top 10 Most Spoken Languages In The World - Listverse

10

French
Number of speakers: 129 million
Often called the most romantic language in the world, French is spoken in tons of countries, including Belgium, Canada, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Haiti. Oh, and France too. We’re actually very lucky that French is so popular, because without it, we might have been stuck with Dutch Toast, Dutch Fries, and Dutch kissing (ew!).To say “hello” in French, say “Bonjour” (bone-JOOR).

Holi crapoli! Must see!------The Mindblowing Doublespeak Of Politicians. This Is EPIC.

The Mindblowing Doublespeak Of Politicians. This Is EPIC. - Chicks on the Right:
"You know we're equal opportunity criticizers when it comes to calling out politicians for acting like idiots.  And that's why we have to show you Republican Governor Rick Scott's "answers" to reporter questions from the other day, because the way he speaks to people is indicative of just how manipulative and shallow so many politicians today are.
We can't tolerate this kind of nonsense from the people who are supposed to represent us, you guys. 
This is just patently unacceptable no matter what side of the aisle you're on.
And the look on his face is like something out of a horror movie.  
He might as well put on a clown suit, because clowns are terrifying and so is his wild-eyed, insane smile."

Soooo, "free" water is now a "right"?-------Judge Rhodes Boiling Over Water Shutoffs; Says It's Hurting Detroit's Rep

Judge Rhodes Boiling Over Water Shutoffs; Says It's Hurting Detroit's Rep –  Deadline Detroit:
"A visibly upset U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes expressed displeasure Tuesday with the city's aggressive push to cut off water to delinquent customers, saying it's hurting Detroit's reputation in the world community, the Detroit Free Press reported.
At a bankruptcy hearing in downtown Detroit, Rhodes told the told Darryl Latimer, deputy director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, that he wants the water executive next week to report back next week on ways to better address the daunting problem, Alisa Priddle of the Freep reported.
“It’s a problem that’s affecting this bankruptcy," Rhodes said.
“Your shutoff program has created a lot of anger in the city and a lot of hardship and bad publicity the city does not need,” Rhodes told Latimer, who stood before the judge.
The Freep wrote:
The city has cut off water to thousands of the city’s residents. Rhodes said he hesitated to bring up the issue because he wasn’t sure it was under his jurisdiction, but he was unconvinced that the city is doing enough to help residents –— or even let them know of assistance to work out a payment plan when they receive a shutoff notice."

Hypocrisy watch: Meet four pro-immigration-reform Democrats who don't want illegal immigrants in their states

Hypocrisy watch: Meet four pro-immigration-reform Democrats who don't want illegal immigrants in their states | WashingtonExaminer.com:
"As Congress and the White House mull a federal response to the surge of illegal immigration on the southwest border, here's a list of four Democratic governors who support letting illegal immigrants stay — as long as they stay somewhere else:*"

Obama=Carter-----------US lost 523,000 full-time jobs in June most in 20 years

US lost 523,000 full-time jobs in June most in 20 years « ArabianMoney:
"Behind the optimistic headline news on jobs is the far more sobering fact that the United States lost 523,000 full-time jobs in June, the most in 20 years.
This was offset by a gain of 799,000 part-time jobs.
No prizes for guessing why average wages have not risen much.
This is fully consistent with the 2.9 per cent slump in GDP in the first quarter as firms move to more flexible and less expensive labour.
The figures show full-time jobs tumbled by 523,000 to 118.2 million while part-time jobs rose by 799,000 to over 28 million.
It’s a question of the quality of employment rather than the quantity. 
This is a weakening and not strengthening jobs market."

Saying That You're Not Concerned Because The NSA Isn't Interested In You Is Obnoxious And Dangerous

Saying That You're Not Concerned Because The NSA Isn't Interested In You Is Obnoxious And Dangerous | Techdirt:
As Sanchez notes, it's not just whether or not any of us are direct targets, but the overall chilling effects of how the system is used. 
And, I should note, that while Wittes is confident that he's safe -- there are a growing number of folks who have good reason to believe that they are not immune from such surveillance. 
The recent revelation that Tor users are labeled as extremists who get extra-special scrutiny seems like a major concern. 

Similarly, the story from earlier this year that the NSA targeted the Pirate Bay and Wikileaks as part of some of its surveillance efforts is a major concern. 
In the process of doing journalism, I've communicated with folks associated with some of those and other similar organizations. 
In the past, I probably would have similarly noted that I doubted the NSA cared at all about what I was doing, but as each of these stories comes out, I am increasingly less sure. 
And, more importantly, even if the NSA is not at all concerned with what I happen to be doing, just the fact that I now have to think about what it means if they might be certainly creates a chilling effect, and makes me think twice over certain people I contact, and what I say to them. 

It's easy to claim that you're not worried when you're the one out there supporting those in power. It becomes a lot trickier when you're either criticizing those in power, or communicating with those who challenge the power structure. 
Suddenly, it's not so easy to sit on the sidelines and say "Meh, no one's going to care about me..." 
And that should be a major concern. 
The way we keep a strong democracy is by having people who are able and willing to challenge the status quo and those in power. 
And yes, the US is much more forgiving than many, many other countries to such people, but there are clear biases and clear cases where they are not at all accepting of such things. 
And the more of a chilling effect the government creates around those things, the more dangerous it becomes to stand up for what you believe in.

Your feel-good of the day. Amazingly, MSNBC is the libs TV koran-----------This Is Why MSNBC Is So Completely AWESOME

This Is Why MSNBC Is So Completely AWESOME - Chicks on the Right:
"With folks named things like Krystal Ball to do your news, you can't go wrong over there at MSNBC. 
I mean, it's not like anyone other than their seven viewers saw this prank call happen live on air, but still...
On a side note, how does this chick have a job? 
Anyone?"

Meet Executive Order 12333: The Reagan rule that lets the NSA spy on Americans

Meet Executive Order 12333: The Reagan rule that lets the NSA spy on Americans - The Washington Post:
"In March I received a call from the White House counsel’s office regarding a speech I had prepared for my boss at the State Department.
The speech was about the impact that the disclosure of National Security Agency surveillance practices would have on U.S. Internet freedom policies.
The draft stated that “if U.S. citizens disagree with congressional and executive branch determinations about the proper scope of signals intelligence activities, they have the opportunity to change the policy through our democratic process.”
But the White House counsel’s office told me that no, that wasn’t true.
I was instructed to amend the line, making a general reference to “our laws and policies,” rather than our intelligence practices.
I did.
Even after all the reforms President Obama has announced, some intelligence practices remain so secret, even from members of Congress, that there is no opportunity for our democracy to change them."

Tennessee, Louisiana Added To the List Of States Getting Double-Digit Obamacare Premium Hikes | The Daily Caller

Tennessee, Louisiana Added To the List Of States Getting Double-Digit Obamacare Premium Hikes | The Daily Caller:
"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee, the largest health insurer in the state, is upping its exchange premiums by an average of 19 percent, according to rate request filings. Humana is requesting an average 14.4 percent increase and Cigna is asking for a 7.5 percent rate increase, The Tennessean reports. (RELATED: Ohio Obamacare Premiums Up By Double Digits For 2015)"

How a Wisconsin Police Chief Used a Computer Allegedly During Work Hours to Retaliate Against a Tea Party Leader Is Downright Dirty | Video | TheBlaze.com

How a Wisconsin Police Chief Used a Computer Allegedly During Work Hours to Retaliate Against a Tea Party Leader Is Downright Dirty | Video | TheBlaze.com:
"But officials had tracked some online activity to a computer in the police chief’s home — not to mention the Campbell town hall — according to the Associated Press, citing an incident report."