08/6/15

The Progressive Cult of Victomology’s Tears for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio

Have you noticed that the passive voice — as in “Mistakes were made,” or “The YouTube video caused the attack,” — has become ubiquitous in American political discourse?

Leave aside instances in which its usage reflects an unwillingness or inability for individuals to take responsibility for failure. There is another set of circumstances in which it is used to pernicious effect.

Exhibit A comes to us courtesy of the New York Times, in an article written about the declining popularity of Warren Wilhelm, aka New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Now I will not hold the use of the passive voice in the Times’ headline “New Poll Shows Mayor de Blasio’s Support Has Eroded” against The Grey Lady, but I do take issue with her usage in explaining just why it is that de Blasio’s poll numbers have declined so precipitously.

The Times writes:

Mr. de Blasio has encountered a series of difficulties in recent months, including the tussle with Mr. Cuomo, also a Democrat, over a disappointing legislative session in Albany, and distressing headlines about a rising murder rate — even as city officials have noted that overall crime continues to fall.

The mayor was also recently the subject of negative ads from the car-hailing company Uber, which opposed a proposed cap on its growth that the mayor had promoted. (The city has, for now, backed away from the proposal.)

Administration officials were quick to connect the increase in disapproving voters — a four-point uptick since May — to the Uber campaign, noting that the mayor’s numbers also suffered for a time last year during a public dispute with advocates of charter schools.

You see, for the progressive Times, Mayor de Blasio is a hapless victim. He has “encountered difficulties” through no fault of his own.

Were it not for those damn “distressing headlines about a rising murder rate,” or “negative ads from the car-hailing company Uber” or “a public dispute with advocates of charter schools,” de Blasio would be held in the same esteem as Hizzoner Koch.

(Image Source: New York Post, July 11, 2015).

What the Times fails to note is that headlines about the murder rate — and “the bad old days” returning to New York more generally — are not being written in a vacuum. Mayor de Blasio has opposed his predecessors’ law enforcement policies (and attacked their enforcers), policies that coincided with plummeting crime rates and an infinitely more pleasant and livable city. Had Mayor de Blasio maintained the law enforcement status quo to the same effect of rising murder rates and savage attacks, cop killings and squeegee men, then perhaps the Times would be justified in making de Blasio a victim of sorts. In light of his own words and actions, we cannot.

As for Uber, the company’s highly effective anti-de Blasio ads came in direct response to a policy the mayor pushed that would have impaired Uber’s ability to grow. Again, these ads did not occur in a vacuum. And what made them particularly bruising was that they illustrated the hypocrisy inherent in a “progressive,” “inequality”-busting mayor siding with entrenched interests against an upstart competitor providing opportunity for thousands of New Yorkers and convenience for hundreds of thousands if not millions more.

On those “charter school disputes,” again disputes are not the proximate cause of de Blasio’s waining political support. In fact, the public loves a spat when a politician is perceived to be looking out for them. Rather, de Blasio’s opposition to school choice in favor of public schools and the politically powerful public teachers’ union — and apparent unwillingness to expend political capital in support of charter schools in the rare instance when he does champion one — reflects a controversial position. Rightly, many in progressive New York are able to set aside their ideology when it means a better education for their children. The “dispute” is not the issue for Mayor de Blasio. The issue is the issue for Mayor de Blasio.

Bill de Blasio has not “encountered difficulties.” He has created them through his own policies. He is not a victim of chance. He is merely paying a political price for the disastrous outcomes of his own progressive agenda.

The real victims are New Yorkers who must live with him. Next time they ought to choose their mayor more wisely.

Featured Image: YouTube screengrab/Uber.

07/25/15

Legacy National Security Advisory Group Launch – MG Vallely

The American Report

Original at Stand Up America.

Editor’s Note: Obama and his minions have tried their best, and largely succeeded, to purge the U.S. military of patriotic officers who love this country. As a result, under Obama, America’s best interests are always put last.

This group of retired and decorated officers and experts, led by MG Paul E. Vallely, offers all Presidential candidates advice on forging a national strategy that is in the best interests of America!

* * *

Last week, MG Vallely, along with several staff members of Stand Up America US visited Washington, D.C. to attend several events and to launch the Legacy Group, an SUA project.

The events included a full meeting with the entire Legacy Group, the Citizens Commission on Benghazi, an evening with friends hosted by MG Vallely, and a reception hosted by Congressman Ryan Zinke, R-MT. There were several other meetings and interviews.

The Legacy National Security Advisory Group (LNSAG) is set up to advise presidential and congressional members and candidates on national security and military strategy.

LNSAG was created by MG Paul E. Vallely, (US Army, retired) and is populated by former military command and flag staff, special operations leadership, seasoned intelligence community members, former law enforcement, cultural and diplomatic experts, and a network of HUMINT that spans the globe.

As a well-recognized leader with impeccable characteristics and talents, the best and the brightest have gravitated to his side and are unparalleled in their fields and endeavors.

To commemorate the trip, here are several photos capturing the events:

MG Vallely arriving at the Citizens Commission on Benghazi then off to be interviewed by Frank Gaffney, Founder and President of the Center for Security Policy. Also pictured are the General with his Senior Middle East Advisor, Mr. Nagi N. Najjar, and SUA Marketing Director, Kevin Moore at breakfast that morning.

The Legacy National Security Advisory Group meets on the 18th. From left to right seated are Admiral Ace Lyons, Jack Shaw, Roger Aronoff, Wayne Simmons and Nagi Najjar. Standing (L to R) are Kevin Moore, LtC Dennis Haney, Clare Lopez, MG Vallely, and LtG Tom McInerney.

MG Vallely hosted a reception and is pictured with Wayne Simmons (center), and LtG Tom McInerney (right)

A group picture at the reception includes from left to right, Clare Lopez (standing), and seated on the couch are Roger Aronoff of Accuracy in Media, and Ray Tanter of the Iran Policy Group.

Seated in the chair is Mary Clare Kendall. Standing in the middle are MG Vallely, Christine Wagner, LtC Tony Shaffer, a Senior Fellow with both the London Center for Policy Research and the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, Admiral Ace Lyons, Wayne Simmons, LtG Tom McInerney, Sara and Marty Carter, Tommy Sears, Managing Director of the Legacy Group, and Nagi N. Najjar.

MG Vallely speaks with Clare Lopez of the Center for Security Policy and the Citizens Commission on Benghazi.

MG Vallely shares a laugh with (L to R), Kevin Moore, Congressman Ryan Zinke, Admiral Ace Lyons. (Turned from the camera are Lola Zinke and Tom McInerney.)

Another moment of group conversation.

MG Vallely with Tony Shaffer

Reception hosted by Congressman Zinke seen on the left next to his wife Lola, and accompanied by Tony Shaffer, MG Vallely, Kevin Moore, Tommy Sears and Nagi N. Najjar

Congressman Zinke gives a thumbs up and shares a laugh with Tony Shaffer and MG Vallely

Tommy Sears with Kevin Moore and MG Vallely holding a Legacy Group flyer.

07/6/15

Lyle Rapacki: Text of Gettysburg Event Speech

By: Dr. Lyle Rapacki
Oath Keepers / Sentinel Intelligence Services

[Editor’s Note: Dr. Lyle Rapacki operates Sentinel Intelligence Services and is a personal friend, patriot, and member of Oath Keepers. I met him in 2011 when Oath Keepers marched at Quartzsite, Arizona. Lyle handled security for the Arizona legislators who drove out from Phoenix to join our march and rally at town hall in support of eight whistle-blower police officers. Lyle is a friend of Pastor Manning, chief pastor of the ATLAH World Missionary Church and organizer of the now-annual Gettysburg program, Racial Reconciliation of the Races, for uniting all races as Americans. Lyle has sent the text of his presentation for our reading pleasure. Thank you Lyle.

Salute!

Elias Alias, editor]

Presentation by Lyle Rapacki

The following is the text of the message I delivered on the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg, during the second consecutive yearly call for “Healing and Restoration between the Races” sponsored by Pastor James David Manning of the Atlah Ministries in Harlem, New York. Pastor Manning led this call for restoration and healing a year ago on July 4th, and I was privileged to have spoken at that time as well. Pastor Manning deserves recognition for organizing a mammoth undertaking these past two years, as he called out across the country developing the healing dialogue very much needed in our communities today. This second year of bringing people together on the grounds of Gettysburg, from across America, is no small task. Hundreds responded last year to Pastor Manning’s invitation, and found their way to these grounds where President Lincoln gave a most simple but eloquent speech that became known as the Gettysburg Address. This year’s event is even a larger undertaking and response.

Standing on a risen platform before hundreds of people from many states; overlooking the rolling hills and valleys of these sacred grounds is a rather daunting exercise, and I am most humbled to have been a small part these two years of extraordinary events hosted by Pastor James David Manning of Atlah Ministries. I sincerely pray my words reflect my heartfelt appreciation for being allowed to participate in a great move of ministry, as well as my deep longing to witness healing and restoration of hearts knowing that we are all part of one race established by God Himself!

The Lord God created only ONE HUMAN RACE, whether some may like that truth or not, or want to believe that truth or not, that a black person or yellow person, is a part of the exact “race” that the white person is; THE HUMAN RACE. Since the Lord God created mankind upon the earth, then no person or people is “inferior” or “superior” based on their skin color, their language, or their geographical location on earth. Therefore all men and nations “progress” or “regress” based on their knowledge of the truth of God and Christ, or their lack of such knowledge. While it is true there is a division by skin color, language, and geographical location, these divisions were set in place by the Lord Himself; and yet, God’s Word explicitly states; we are all “of one blood” (Acts 17:26). -LJR

One year ago today, Pastor James David Manning brought many of us to these hallowed grounds to begin a dialogue promoting healing and restoration between people of all color but of only one race – the Human Race! Pastor Manning asked us to come and start the process for reconciliation. Little did he know the riots of Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; New York City were waiting to ignite! Little did he know exploitation of race would be employed as a political means to excite disruption to this country already under the diabolical schemes of transformation and change into a country divorced from God and the principles written in His Word that helped shaped the foundation of this nation!

Today, others have come forward and joined in response to Pastor Manning’s call to service, and we welcome you!

My work of providing intelligence to elected and law enforcement officials, as well as to church leaders, affords me the perspective of looking into the hidden; to shed light on the works of darkness and deception; to uncover the plans of the enemies who detest this nation under God, and those of us who profess Jesus Christ as Lord.

Next week I have the privilege of coordinating an intelligence briefing before elected and law enforcement officials from seven states. Those attending acknowledge that events appear to be spiraling out-of-control in our country with no end in sight. These professionals are becoming quite worried. They share with me that conventional means and methods no longer seem to hold the answers they had hoped; that an evil looks to have been let loose across the land that hardly responds to traditional ways and means. These officials, and others like them, quietly are beginning to worry they may not have the answers to stem the rising tide of hatred and evil, the growing unrest, uncertainty, anger and fear popping up quickly and unexpectedly. In hushed tones, behind closed doors, some who have been chosen to lead and protect the citizens and institutions of this country wonder if there are answers to be found; methods that can be adopted and employed to stem the rising tide of confusion and chaos.

International and tragedies closer to home make our world seem a fearful place, overflowing with Evil and seemingly out of control. Riots and terrorism of all types and in unthinkable places, increased natural disasters, economic uncertainty cause people to think that God is absent or impotent. “Where is God?” many cry, as they silently become engulfed with fear and sorrow. Look around your neighborhood and see for yourself the growing fear and silent tears.

Twenty-five centuries ago, the prophet Daniel could have despaired and languished in fear and sorrow. He and thousands of his fellow countrymen had been uprooted and deported from their home land. Daniel faced an egocentric dictatorial ruler, was surrounded by thousands of people ensnared in idol worship to the max, and engaged in unspeakable sins and cruelty of various kinds. Forbidden to pray by Order of the Ego-manic King, threatened with death, and spied upon by many, the prophet Daniel could easily have surrendered to paralyzing fear.

Despite these circumstances, Daniel knew God was sovereign and was working out His plan for nations and individuals. The book of Daniel in the Old Testament of God’s Word centers on this profound truth – the sovereignty of God! God is sovereign. He still sits on His Throne, and nothing, but nothing escapes His attention. He was in control in Babylon, where Daniel was, and He is in America where you and I are. He is here now on these hallowed grass fields of endeavor, loss and valor.

Like in Daniel’s day, the Lord God is waiting for His people to walk close with Him, call out and press into Him; to Appeal to Heaven for forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and direction. The Lord is waiting for those whom He has called as His own to acknowledge the tasks before us are much too large, much too scary, much too complicated and without seeming answers. The Lord is waiting for us to sincerely Appeal to Heaven.

The first flag of our country was ordered by General George Washington. You may think it was the “Betsy Ross Flag;” the flag with the stars in a circle we all learned about as kids. But the first flag, the first standard carried into the War for our Revolution from tyranny was something General Washington knew was greatly needed if we were to have success in becoming a free people. He ordered this flag to be flown on our first navy – seven schooner ships he bought with his personal funds. He ordered this flag to be flown on all the forts up and down the Hudson River, and was carried into the first clashes with the British by our Continental Soldiers and Minutemen.

General Washington knew that without this country appealing to Heaven for guidance, for wisdom, for strength our mission to become a free people would be a sense in futility, and doomed to certain failure. On his knees before the King of kings and Lord of lords, Washington sought forgiveness and reconciliation for the colonies and the people of this land. On his knees before the Throne of God, General of the Continental Army, George Washington Appealed to Heaven, and as a sign of this covenant, Washington ordered the first flag of this young country to boldly.

The Appeal to Heaven Flag was shown to the audience:

Whether some like this truth or not, or want to believe or not, the Lord God created mankind upon the earth, and a black person or yellow person, is a part of the exact “race” that the white person is; THE HUMAN RACE. Since the Lord God created mankind, no person or people is “inferior” or “superior” based on their skin color, their language, or their geographical location on the earth. While it is true there is a division by skin color, language, and geographical location, these divisions were set into place by the Lord Himself. God’s Word explicitly states; we are all “of one blood” (Acts 17:26).

Therefore, I beseech you to earnestly begin to Appeal to Heaven for healing and reconciliation of man to God; this Nation of America to God; and if necessary, you to God.

As in the Days of the Prophet Daniel, God is still on His Throne; He is still sovereign, and He is waiting to bring you and His people through the storms now here and still to come.

Thank you!

( END )

05/31/15

Mark Levin: The consequences of left’s war on law enforcement in Baltimore

‘Ferguson Effect’: America’s New Crime Wave Is All Part of the Plan

05/30/15

Emergence of a National Police Force

By: Andrew Kopas – Guest Columnist
Stand Up America

With the recent shooting in Ferguson and deaths in New York City and Baltimore of residents there involved in criminal activity at the time of their arrests, there is an outcry from the likes of civil rights activist Al Sharpton and others for nullification of state’s rights and the takeover of local and state police forces nationwide by the Federal Government, specifically by the Executive Branch.

BESTPIX BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 27: Demonstrators climb on a destroyed Baltimore Police car in the street near the corner of Pennsylvania and North avenues during violent protests following the funeral of Freddie Gray April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. Gray, 25, who was arrested for possessing a switch blade knife April 12 outside the Gilmor Homes housing project on Baltimore's west side. According to his attorney, Gray died a week later in the hospital from a severe spinal cord injury he received while in police custody. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

BESTPIX BALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 27 (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In all of this, keep in mind that Obama has very successfully used “straw man” arguments to advance his objectives. In this particular case, the “straw man” argument being put forward is that all law enforcement agencies across America are inherently racist and that only his takeover of them will fix these racist organizations.

He has essentially painted a bull’s eye on the backs of our local and state law enforcement personnel and endorsed instead the criminal element in America that has responded by assassination style shootings of law enforcement personnel in NYC and most recently in Mississippi as well.

The nationalization of our local and state police forces is indeed a very bad idea and should be adamantly opposed by both the states and the general populace for several reasons.

First and foremost, it would bring ALL organized armed personnel, namely the American Military, Homeland Security, and all local and state police under the direct control of one man, namely Obama and any future Presidents of the United States.

That would in turn allow for tremendous abuses of that power that we have already seen in this Administration, such as use of the IRS and DHS against what he perceives to be his domestic enemies, namely anyone who opposes him and his policies.

Remember the National Police Force Obama Promised in 2008?

Secondly, if he decided to fully seize power and set aside the limitations of the Office of President imposed on him by the Constitution of the United States, which he has already done in a number of particulars such as with illegal immigration, failure to enforce DOMA, bypassing Congress unilaterally in matters of treaty negotiations, etc., there would be no armed force except the American people directly to stop him.

But without organization and leadership, the probability of that successfully happening on a national scale is remote.

In fact, he could use all of the organized armed forces at his disposal, including local and state police who would be under his direct control, to put down any such opposition that the people might undertake.

As reported in The Daily Bell on December 7, 2011, as early as 2009 Obama advocated “a civilian police force to match the size and power of our armed forces.” One has to ask the question “Why” such national control is required vs. local law enforcement properly trained and equipped to deal with any domestic terrorist threats?

His expansion of the Homeland Security Department has followed that pronouncement, as has his use of the NSA to go far beyond its mandate and monitor the communications of every man, woman and child in America.

And the fact that he is actively promoting and funding illegal immigration on a massive scale in America today without screening for terrorists crossing our borders begs the question of if he indeed wants to see an increase in domestic terrorist attacks like we have seen in many places across the USA such as at Ft. Hood, Oklahoma, Boston and most recently in Garland, Texas with the expressed purpose of forcing the need for such a national police force under his direct control to put down such attacks?

Obama has gone on record on more than one occasion to praise the Chinese Communist form of government and other authoritarian regimes that are essentially dictatorships based on central government control over all aspects of their citizens’ lives including how many children they can have, how they worship, how they communicate with each other over the Internet, and even how they assemble.

Do we want a man with the belief that an authoritarian form of government is preferable to a democratically elected government with clear separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches as set for in our Constitution to have the kind of unlimited power that nationalization of our local and state law enforcement agencies would give him?

God forbid!

02/1/15

Will New AG Support Civil Forfeiture Reform?

By: Alan Caruba
Warning Signs

The Wednesday hearings on the confirmation of a new Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, lasted hours because members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were often called away to vote. In the wake of the scandals surrounding the manner in which Eric Holder’s Department of Justice has functioned, the hearing, led now by Republicans, could have been harsh, but it was not. The Wall Street Journal characterized the mood in the hearing room as “cordial.” Watching it on CSPAN, I can confirm that.

In early November the Wall Street Journal, in an opinion titled “The Next Attorney General: One area to question Loretta Lynch is civil asset forfeiture”, it noted that “As a prosecutor Ms. Lynch had also been aggressive in pursuing civil asset forfeiture, which has become a form of politicking for profit.”

“She recently announced that her office had collected more than $904 million in criminal and civil actions in fiscal 2013, according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Liberals and conservatives have begun to question forfeiture as an abuse of due process that can punish the innocent.”

That caught my eye because the last thing America needs is an Attorney General who wants to use this abuse of the right to be judged innocent until proven guilty. Civil forfeiture puts no limits on the seizure of anyone’s private property and financial holdings. It is a law that permits this to occur even if based on little more than conjecture. It struck me then and now as a bizarre and distinctly un-American law.

Writing in the Huffington Post in late 2014, Bob Barr, a former Congressman and the principal in Liberty Strategies, told of the passage of the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA) in 2000 “as a milestone in the difficult—almost impossible—task of protecting individual rights against constant incursions by law-and-order officials.” The problem is that civil forfeiture was and is being used to seize millions.

“The staggering dollar amounts reflected in these statistics, however,” wrote Barr, “does not pinpoint the real problem of how law enforcement agencies at all levels of government employ the power of asset forfeiture as a means of harming, and in many instances, destroying the livelihood of individuals and small businesses.”

“In pursuing civil assets, the government need never charge the individuals with violations of criminal laws; therefore never having to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they are guilty of having committed any crimes.”

As noted above, as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ms. Lynch’s office had raked in millions from civil forfeiture. Forbes magazine reports that she has used it in more than 120 cases and, prior to the hearing to confirm her as the next Attorney General US News & World Report noted on January 26 that Ms. Lynch’s office had quietly dropped a $450,000 civil forfeiture case a week before the hearings. She clearly did not want to answer questions on this or any other comparable case.

Just one example tells you why there is legitimate concern regarding this issue and it appeared in a January 3^rd edition of Townhall.com. I recommend you read the account written by Amy Herrig, the vice president of Gas Pipe, Inc, a Texas company that an editor’s note reported as “faced with extinction of a civil asset forfeiture to the federal government of more than $16 million. Neither Herrig nor her father, Jerry Shults, have been charged with any criminal offense.”

Jerry Shults is a classic example of an American entrepreneur. After having served in the Air Force and serving in Vietnam where he earned a Bronze Star, Shults moved to Dallas where he began selling novelty items at pop festivals throughout Texas. Since the first store that he opened had gas pipes exposed in the ceiling, he dubbed it Gas Pipe, Inc. Suffice to say his hard work paid off for him. By the late 1990s, he had seven stores, a distribution company, a five-star lodge in Alaska, and was an American success story. By 2014 the company had grown to fourteen stores and other notable properties.

By then he had been in business for nearly 45 years and employed nearly two hundred people. And then someone in the northern district of Texas, Dallas division, initiated a civil forfeiture seizure against him. I was so appalled by his daughter’s description of events I secured a copy of the September 15 complaint that was filed. I am no attorney, but it looked to me as spurious as one could have imagined, except for the details of Gas Pipe’s assets. On 88 single-spaced pages, those were spelled out meticulously and all were subject to seizure despite the fact that not a single instance of criminality had been proven in a court of law. Imagine having 45 years of success erased by one’s own government in this fashion. It is appalling.

Assuming Ms. Lynch will be approved for confirmation as our next Attorney General, civil forfeiture is the largely hidden or unknown issue that could spell disaster for countless American businesses, large and small, in the remaining two years of the Obama administration. She has a record of pursuing it. The upside of this is that the current AG, Eric Holder, in early January announced that the DOJ would no longer acquire assets seized as part of a state law violation.

On the same day of Ms. Lynch’s hearing, January 28, writing in The Hill’s Congress Blog, former Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA) was joined by Bruce Mehlman, a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the George W. Bush administration, to raise a note of warning. “The topic of civil asset forfeiture should be an important part of the discussion with Lynch. As U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Lynch was the top official in a hotbed of civil asset forfeiture—helping to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars under the program in recent years.”

Ms. Lynch was not asked about civil forfeiture by either the Republican or Democrat members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. It was a lost opportunity and, if the new Attorney General applies her enthusiasm for it to the entire nation, it will be yet another Obama administration nightmare.