Month: May 2019

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Game of Thrones Reveals Political Blindness

It has been said that culture trumps politics.  In that vein, it has been fascinating to observe the bizarre reaction to the conclusion of the wildly popular television series, Game of Thrones.

The fantasy-medieval hit program featured what was portrayed as an idealistic young woman, Danearis Targaryen, who, though first portrayed as a victim, rose to become a powerful queen, a monarch that eventually conquers her world. 

She became a living example of how absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Upon securing victory in an ultimate battle, she goes on a wild killing spree, destroying without reason innocent civilians for no reason other than the fact that they once lived under different rulers who opposed her.

There was a widespread reaction among viewers, who so opposed this portrayal that they demanded the show be re-written.  But history has demonstrated time and again that giving anyone or any body overwhelming power leads to devastation. But that reality condemns political doctrines like Socialism, which has led to 100 million deaths over the past century.

But as Socialism has become popular in the Democratic Party and academia, the reality portrayed so vividly in a work of fiction, in a realm of popular culture normally dominated by the Left, came as a shock to its many  naïve and underinformed devotees.

The popularity of Senator Bernie Sanders’ economic policies, and the rise of anti-capitalist organizations such as Antifa, indicate the growing popularity of socialism in the U.S.

Bernie’s beliefs are misguided, but at least he has been honest about them.  Other Democrat primary contenders for the 2020 nomination share his socialist leanings but pretend to be pro-free market.  Their endorsement of concepts such as Universal Basic Income, nationalized health care, and a variety of other bring out the vote with unfillable promises schemes demonstrates that reality.

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A 2017 Bloomberg review noted that according to Asher Kaplan, who organized a well-attended event debating the merits and problems of capitalism, “These days, among young people, socialism is both a political identity and a culture…Young Americans have soured on capitalism. In a Harvard University poll conducted

,In 2016, 51 percent of 18-to-29 year-olds in the U.S. said they opposed capitalism; only 42 percent expressed support. Among Americans of all ages, by contrast, a Gallup survey last year found that 60 percent held positive views of capitalism. A poll released last month found American millennials closely split on the question of what type of society they would prefer to live in: 44 percent picked a socialist country, 42 percent a capitalist one. The poll, conducted by YouGov and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, found that [only] 59 percent of Americans across all age groups preferred to live under capitalism.”

A similar result was published in The Week that same year: “Things are looking up for the Democratic Socialists of America. With a membership of 25,000, it is now the largest socialist group in America since the Second World War… Membership has more than tripled in a year, gaining a large boost from the candidacy of Bernie Sanders…”

The increasing support comes also from cultural figures. Despite the dictatorial and despotic depredations of Venezuela’s late Hugo Chavez, who played the key role in destroying his nation’s economy, well-known U.S. citizens praised him. Throughout Chavez’s life Penn was an outspoken supporter of the dictator, and at his candlelight vigil in Bolivia Penn showed up wearing a Venezuelan flag jacket and told a group of mourners: He’s one of the most important forces we’ve had on this planet, and I’ll wish him nothing but that great strength he has shown over and over again. I do it in love, and I do it in gratitude. He was joined by Oliver Stone, who established a solid friendship with the Venezuelan strongman. Award-winning actor Danny Glover, in an interview with La Nacion stated: Glover told La Nación: “He was not only my friend, he was my brother… It’s difficult for a leader like him to exist in these times. His vision for humanity and the world can only be compared to that of leaders like Nelson Mandela. He was a great man and I cried when he died.”

The fact that a major popular event like Game of Thrones, in a medium normally dominated by the Left, exposed the reality of what Socialism’s centralized power leads to exposed shocked viewers to a reality they had ignored for far too long.

Illustration: Pixabay

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Universal Basic Income: A Bad Idea

Many Progressive politicians and Leftist academicians and pundits, both in the U.S. and abroad, have advocated for a “Universal Basic Income” (UBI). The concept involves providing regular, unconditional cash payments to everyone, regardless of need or status. Some see this as a way of alleviating poverty and the stress of earning a sufficient sum to survive. Others view it as backdoor approach to replace capitalism with a communist-style system.

As in most socialist ideas, there is, of course, a logic gap.  Someone has to pay the overwhelming costs UBI would entail.  Many individuals, freed from the need to actually earn a living, would be less inclined to work and pay taxes. Those that did work would be burdened with higher tax rates, providing a further disincentive to engage in employment or engage in business. Where, then, would the funds come from?

A British study on UBI was recently completed by Public Services International (PSI), a global trade union federation representing 20 million working women and men who deliver public services in 154 countries. It is important to note that the study was not the work of conservatives or business leaders—it was completed by a union federation of 669 public services, trade unions representing 20 million workers. PSI represents workers in social services, health care, municipal services, central government and public utilities.

The study examined fourteen examples, selected because they have been referred to as examples of UBI and/or cited as “evidence” of how UBI can work in practice. They include past, present and prospective trials in poorer, middle-income and richer countries:

• In poorer countries: completed trials in Madya Pradesh, India and Zomba, Malawi; current scheme in Kenya.

• In middle-income country: three current schemes in Brazil

• In richer countries: completed trials in in Manitoba, Canada and New Jersey USA; current schemes in Alaska, USA, Finland and the Netherlands; prospective trials in Switzerland, California USA and Scotland.

The study reports that UBI would not work. The costs are prohibitive, and would essentially wreck a national economy. The average Here, the PDE5 enzyme is responsible as it does to reality. cialis price regencygrandenursing.com Individuals online viagra prescription enduring this usually don’t recall the acts they carry out while sleeping. This way it eliminates stress cheap 25mg viagra from the life. Here, some world class drugs have been mentioned: viagra samples viagra was approved by the FDA on March 27, 1998. cost of UBI would be in the range of 20 to 30 percent of a nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Among the issues with UBI, PSI found, from a union perspective, that:

• UBI can entrench low pay and precarious work. It will not improve workers’ pay and conditions, or their bargaining power.

• The sums don’t add up: an affordable UBI is inadequate and an adequate UBI is unaffordable.

• The trade-offs are unacceptable: paying for it by abolishing other forms of social protection would exacerbate inequalities; it would make those without work poorer and would benefit the very rich.

• It is not a route to effective welfare reform: it would create a powerful new tax engine to pull along a tiny cart.

• It is a lazy utopian remedy that fails to address issues of class, economic ownership and the productive capacity of the economy.

The study concludes that “There is no evidence that any version of UBI can be affordable, inclusive, sufficient and sustainable at the same time. There is no evidence that UBI will help to increase the bargaining power of workers and trade unions or solve problems of low pay and precarious work…Rapidly changing labour markets, inadequate welfare systems, poverty, inequality and powerlessness are complex problems that call for complex changes on many levels: there is no ‘silver bullet’ of the kind that UBI is often claimed to be…The campaign for UBI threatens to divert political energies – as well as funds – from more important causes…the money needed to pay for an adequate UBI scheme would be better spent on reforming social protection systems, and building more and better quality public services.”

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Desperation of the Democrats

Like men overboard clinging to life preservers in rugged seas, Democrats and their media allies continue to desperately grasp at the self-created and totally disproven charges of Russian collusion by the Trump campaign.

Some believe that it would take a battery of psychiatrists to determine why they do so, particularly considering that the falsehoods and misdeeds committed to bring about the allegations in the first place will eventually place them in legal jeopardy.  

The clinical concept of “projection,” in which one paints others with one’s own faults, may well be at play, particularly in light of Hillary’s intimate financial relations with Russia and Bill’s with China during the 1990’s.

It’s not limited to presidential campaigns.

Democrats became galvanized during the campaign to falsely portray then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as sexist.  They ignored, however, the very real and rather extreme sexism of their own, from their major Hollywood mogul supporters to the creepy antics of Joe Biden. Not to mention, of course, their devotion to the memory of Ted Kennedy, whose offensive relations with females included leaving Mary Jo Kopechne to drown at the bottom of the water off Chappaquiddick Island. Most importantly, it is Democrats that continue to harbor and make excuses for those, like Woman’s March on Washington co-chair Linda Sarsour, who support the horrific anti-female Sharia Law.

A similar phenomenon exists with their rather astounding casting of Republicans as anti-Semitic. Democrats have embraced Islamic extremist congressional representatives who can barely conceal their hatred for Jews. The Obama Administration did everything it possibly could to alienate Israel from Washington, while simultaneously strengthening Iran. Democratic supporters on college campuses continue to vigorously attack Israel through the “BDS” movement.

The Democrats, who have Now as we discussed about mental and physical problems, when these two problems gets combined it affects our erectile capacity in a significant viagra cost india way. This generic tadalafil is actually fear, based on the fact that almost 67% of people who underwent penile surgery were completely dissatisfied with the results. tadalafil 20mg price It prevents us from being vulnerable. canadian pharmacy cialis Hip damage may occur because of any illness, injury, or gradual decay tissue in the joint. been key benefactors of wealthy donors, portray themselves as being for workers. They do so while bluntly attacking working families with high taxes, taking no action against China’s theft of manufacturing jobs, and supporting policies which destroy whole industries that provide good middle-income jobs. They turn a blind eye towards their allies in academia who have raised tuition so high that students become shackled for life with debt.

And, of course, there is the continual bid to portray the GOP as being authoritarian. It is Democrats, not Republicans, who threaten violence and actually riot in the streets when they lose elections. It is Democrats, not Republicans, who seek to censor free speech.  It is Democrats, not Republicans, who seek to warp the Supreme Court and the U.S. electoral system to insure partisan victory.  It is Democrats, not Republicans, who used the IRS and the Department of Justice to harass their political opponents.

The actual answer, however, is not psychiatric but political. The reality is that the Democrats do not have the upper hand on any key issues.  Consciously or not, they have substituted baseless personal attacks on their opponents and unseemly appeals to identity politics for honest policy debate.  

Outright falsehoods have also been employed, on occasion to an almost farcical extent. 100,000 illegals crossing the border monthly, bringing significant expense to U.S. taxpayers, as well as extensive gang violence? Not a crisis!  Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chinese expansionism throughout Asia, and massive arms buildups by both, no excuse to provide adequate funds for the U.S. military! The lowest unemployment rate in history for blacks, thanks to the GOP? Ignore that, Republicans are racist. Hillary Clinton taking millions from the Russians through her foundation in return for allowing the sale of the basic ingredient of nuclear weapons to Moscow? Move along, nothing to see here.

Because of the political partisanship of both the media and the entertainment industry, the obvious criticism the Democrats so richly deserve remains unaddressed. If Donald Trump is the symbol of the GOP, then Jessie Smollett is the living, breathing symbol of the Democrat Party of the 21st Century, complete with outright falsehoods, fake charges, and a politically biased and obviously corrupt justice system that insures there no repercussions.

Illustration: Pixabay

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Freedom, Endangered

Both within the United States and across the Atlantic, attempts to overturn the results of free and fair ballots have been turned back, and those who perpetuated the move now face severe repercussions. 

President Trump has instructed federal intelligence agencies to cooperate with the Department of Justice in the effort to uncover how false charges against his campaign, and the ensuing  investigation,came about.  There are deep-seated and well-founded concerns that the FBI and the CIA violated the law by engaging in highly partisan activities on behalf of the Clinton campaign. Substantial penalties may be incurred by those responsible.

Within the United Kingdom, a 2016 referendum which demonstrated the will of the British people to leave the European Union was essentially ignored by leading politicians, who concocted repeated schemes to ignore the practical results of the ballot. Prime Minister May will soon be forced to leave office as a result.

There is an important lesson to be learned from these two related incidents on opposite sides of the ocean within the two nations most closely associated with freedom. Constitutional safeguards and long-standing traditions do not guarantee that a government will abide by the will of the people, absent firm vigilance by the citizenry.

A counter-revolution against the legacy of personal freedom has dangerously arisen. It can be seen in as ascendancy of elitism within the European Union, and the rising prominence of socialism in the United States. It is evident in the disdain for free speech on university campuses, and the  abandonment by many key media outlets of their responsibility to serve as a conduit of objective information to a population that needs it to make electoral decisions.

While a few have pointed to the growing danger, far too many have remained apathetic, mistakenly convinced, despite the rising tide of authoritarianism, that the legacy of liberty is unassailable. 

The flood tide of influence against individual freedom is overwhelming. Increasingly, academia scrounges for every anachronistic character flaw in the founding fathers and uses that in its ongoing diatribe against the philosophy they instituted, which has provided more freedom for more humans than anything else in history. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic rely on every emotion of envy to attack capitalism and foster support for collectivist systems that never work but allow excuses for the reduction of individual rights.

And, looming over it all, is the hyper-partisanship of the left that willingly sacrifices bedrock principles if it results in any electoral gain. Senior Democratic Party officials have discussed abolishing keystone portions of America’s governing structure, including the electoral college and even the U.S. Senate because they believe they would gain an edge. They absurdly ignore the 100,000-plus illegal immigrants streaming across the border resulting in vast expense to the taxpayers as well as danger of crime, disease and terrorism because statistics indicate they would vote Democratic upon reaching citizenship. Those same party leaders vigorously oppose any safeguards against illegal voting so the illegals’ votes can be obtained even before that. The clear, obvious misdeeds of former Secretary of State Clinton, in Benghazi, email security, and the trading of the basic ingredient of nuclear weapons to the Russians in return for “contributions” to her foundation were blithely overlooked by the Justice Department under the belief that she would be the next president. In the same vein, during the Obama Administration, there was no punishment for Lois Lerner’s turning the IRS into a partisan attack machine, or Loretta Lynch’s discussion of criminally prosecuting organizations for merely disagreeing with Obama’s stance on climate change.

There are profound and escalating challenges facing the survival of freedom. They have been ignored for far too long.

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The Real Meaning of Memorial Day

This article was written by the distinguished retired U.S. Army Chaplain Don Zapsic.

The concept of Memorial Day more-often-than not centers upon the fact that Americans were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country and consequently did. The literal expression of this viewpoint culminates in countless parades, flags placed on the headstones of veterans, and inevitable speeches by public figures. I would like to believe that those who died in the line duty were motivated by something more than the willingness to stand and deliver in the face of harm’s way. The commonly-held belief that I refer to is simply a commitment to the ideal of freedom which we have exported to oppressed peoples throughout the world. This fact is nowhere more evident than in massive cemeteries scattered throughout the world that hold the remains of American servicemembers who died on foreign soil so that others could be free.

One of the cornerstone features of America is that we believe so deeply in freedom that we are willing to preserve our liberty so that it can be enjoyed by future generations of U.S. citizens. It is no accident that we enjoy the right to bear arms, possess religious liberty, exercise free speech or for that matter have safeguards in place to protect personal property against confiscatory taxation. It was bought and paid for over and over again by patriots who have passed on liberty’s torch to future generations. More to the point, every servicemember takes an oath to “defend the Constitution from all enemies whether within, or beyond our borders.” From the beaches of Normandy, to the jungles of Vietnam and onto the desert sands of Southwest Asia; every Soldier, Sailor, Airmen, and Marine swore to uphold the Constitution with their very lives if necessary.”

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It is not enough for this present generation to just pay lip service to the memory of servicemembers no matter how heartfelt or well-intended. It is also not enough for our government officials to make long speeches and flowery oratories about the virtues of those who have died in service to this country. Our nation’s heroes deserve to have an intact constitution properly and vigorously defended against domestic and foreign threats that would have us believe that big government trumps individual rights. I never met one patriot in all of my 30 years of military service that wanted to die for their country or have a section of road named after them as a result of being killed in action. The vast majority of them, as I do, simply want to protect our way of life and not be treated as mercenaries while doing so.

The most fitting tribute that can be afforded to our fallen heroes this Memorial Day is to get back to working together as a nation for the common good. To put aside partisan politics that sacrifices the practical for the pragmatic in the name of party solidarity. To once again affirm the principles, values, and virtues that has made America great in the past and sufficient to carry forward the expectation of a bright and promising future. And last but certainly not least, to continue improving the VA system so that those who have “borne the burden of battle” can live with the respect and dignity they deserve. A burden best characterized as living with the seen and unseen scars that often accompany military service.     

As far as all of the fanfare that culminates in the Memorial Day celebration, it is a good thing to behold if not designed to be a cheap substitute for the hard work associated with maintaining a constitutional republic. On a personal level, I am grateful for Memorial Day because it provides an opportunity to give pause to consider those that I have been privileged to serve with who  made the ultimate sacrifice. Especially a fine young man named Jeremy, who had great plans that were never realized due to a roadside bomb in Iraq some fourteen years ago. Perhaps you do not know anyone who has served in the military and would like to make a contribution through the gift of your presence. There are many local observances in communities throughout the country that would love to have you join them.   

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Foreign Policy Update

CHINA

There is real risk, according to Secretary of State Pompeo, to American security from China and Huawei. He said that for “too long – this is not partisan – presidents from both parties had ignored the challenges that were presented to American workers, to American technology, and to American national security that China presents.”

Pompeo pointed out that the decision that was made to list Huawei had an enormous national security component to it. “The company is deeply tied not only to China, but to the Chinese Communist Party, and that connectivity, the existence of those connections, puts American information that crosses those networks at risk.”

Pompeo has been traveling the world over the last few months talking to foreign partners about Huawei and why it is putting their citizens’ information, their citizens’ national security at risk by having that technology inside of their systems. The Secretary added that he expects to see more companies refusing to use Huawei equipment. The US wants to see a global 5G system with western values built into it, including rule of law, property rights protection, transparency, and openness not restrictive authoritarian regulations.

IRAN

The “threat from Iran, remains”, according to Pompeo. He noted Washington has had some luck in disrupting some of the tactical issues but he added that “we’re still on high alert, we’re still making sure we have the right resources in play.” The cost of a barrel of oil is now below the price it was when the US designated the IRGC a terrorist organization. Pompeo argued that he believes the US can keep the world well-supplied with oil and that the current lower price is an indication that this is happening. The Trump Administration remains adamant that it is not seeking war with Iran, but deterrence. At the same time, the US is not willing to stand by idly while US assets, and those of its partners, are attacked.

In response to a question concerning former Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent activity concerning the JCPOA (Iran deal) Pompeo said that he was not confident that others are not out there trying to conduct foreign policy deals that are against President Trump’s goals. He stated: “I’ve seen – I saw Secretary Kerry travel to Munich. There’s a security conference there every year. He was with Ernest Moniz, Wendy Sherman, and the whole gang that put in place the JCPOA, which fundamentally failed America, and it’s what we’re working to correct today.” Some in the Administration have gone as far as to label Kerry’s actions illegal under a US law called the Logan Act.

TROOPS TO MIDDLE EAST


On Thursday, May 23, President Trump announced he has approved additional forces for the Middle East after discussing the issue with acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford. The President said: “We want to have protection.”

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The Pentagon is extending the tours of approximately 600 US troops and adding just under 1,000 additional soldiers to the region. They will become a component of a Patriot antimissile battalion.

VENEZUELA

Morgan Ortagus, State Department Spokesperson, reaffirmed Washington’s position on the leadership situation in Venezuela on Thursday saying that the “Secretary has been clear that we do not support any kind of, quote/unquote, “democracy” under Maduro.  We know that’s false.  We know Maduro is not stronger today than he was one year ago, and I think our position remains the same.”

SYRIA

It appears the regime in Syria has once again illegally used a chemical weapon against its own people in an escalation of the situation in Idlib

The State Department reports that it is investigating the reports of chemical weapons use.  “This attack, of course, is being investigated by organizations on the ground… The location of the attack is at the frontlines, and so access – it does make access to that site limited,” according to the State Department Spokesperson. She added that there are a number of sources, including from those present during the attack that did report that a number of opposition fighters were taken to local hospitals and presented symptoms that were consistent with chemical exposure.   

DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government.  Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.

Illustration: Pixabay

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NATO’s Annual Report

US Marines wait for a fire mission during Exercise Dynamic Front 2019 at Adazi Training Grounds in Latvia. The exercise lets NATO Allies practice receiving and executing artillery fire missions in unison.

NATO turned 70 this year, and, after successfully preventing Soviet aggression and playing a key role in the eventual liberation of Eastern Europe, now faces renewed threats from Chinese and Russian aggression, as well as from terrorism. The New York Analysis of Policy and Government presents this summary of the Alliance’s latest annual report.

The Alliance is adapting and responding to the most complex and unpredictable security environment since the end of the Cold War – with a series of challenges and threats from state and non-state actors, including terrorist, cyber and hybrid attacks.

In the face of this new and challenging environment, all Allies have stepped up, further strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence posture on land, at sea, in the air and in cyberspace.

Key to NATO’s deterrence and defence on land has been the deployment of forces in the eastern part of the Alliance, through NATO’s forward presence – along with a greater focus on the Alliance’s southern flank, and a stronger presence in the Black Sea region.

Allies have continued to reinforce the Alliance’s maritime posture and improve maritime situational awareness. A robust programme of military exercises is helping Allies to bolster their ability to fight at sea – including when it comes to anti-submarine warfare and the protection of sea lines of communications. NATO is also working to ensure its ability to reinforce Allied territory by sea, including from across the Atlantic Ocean.

Allies have agreed a new Joint Air Power Strategy, which supports NATO’s peacetime Air Policing and Ballistic Missile Defence missions. This will strengthen NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence and improve Allies’ ability to operate together, faster and more effectively. Recognising that space is essential to deterrence and defence, in 2018, Allies also agreed to develop an overarching NATO Space Policy.

As NATO continues to adapt to evolving cyber threats, it needs to be able to operate as effectively in cyberspace as in the air, on land and at sea. In 2018, Allies agreed to continue investing in robust cyber defences, including by establishing a new Cyberspace Operations Centre in Mons, Belgium to coordinate NATO operations, planning and exercises.

In 2018, the Alliance further improved its responsiveness – both political and military. Particular efforts have been made to boost the readiness of Allied forces by ensuring troops and capabilities are appropriately trained, deployable and able to work closely together. An important tool for enhancing readiness has been more regular exercises, most notably the collective defence exercise Trident Juncture 18, NATO’s biggest exercise since the end of the Cold War.

At the Brussels Summit in July, Allied leaders took more than a hundred decisions to strengthen the Alliance. They welcomed the considerable progress made since 2014 to enhance the Alliance’s ability to respond to any threat, be it conventional or nonconventional. Allied leaders also recognised that a more uncertain security environment requires that all Allies continue to invest more in defence, develop the right military capabilities and make the necessary contributions to NATO’s military operations and missions.

A Stronger, Quicker Alliance

According to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, NATO is responsible for protecting and defending Allies’ territory and populations against armed attack. Credible deterrence and defence is essential to preventing conflict. NATO’s approach to deterrence and defence is based on a mix of nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities; it is defensive, proportionate and fully in compliance with international law.

NATO has a responsibility to respond to changes to the security environment. This is why, over the past years, the Alliance has continued to adapt its posture. Indeed, since 2014, NATO has undertaken the largest reinforcement of its collective defence in a generation, including by increasing its presence in the northeast and southeast of the Alliance.

NATO’s Forward Presence in the eastern part of the Alliance has four multinational, combatready battlegroups deployed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. These four battlegroups are led by the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the United States, respectively. They comprise more than 4,500 troops from across the Alliance, and are able to operate alongside national home defence forces. The new Multinational Division North-East Headquarters in Elbląg, Poland is now fully operational, able to provide divisional-level command and control in case of a crisis.

NATO’s deployments in the Baltic countries and Poland are defensive and measured. They are a clear demonstration that the Alliance stands united in the face of any possible aggression. At the same time, NATO has also been developing a forward presence in the Black Sea region. A multinational framework brigade for training Allies’ land forces is in place in Romania; and new measures at sea and in the air have led to a substantial increase in NATO’s activities in the region. These have included increased presence of the NATO Standing Naval Forces in the Black Sea and additional cooperation on air training and air policing. The NATO Standing Naval Forces train and exercise in the Black Sea to build interoperability and warfighting skills, including with the navies of NATO’s Black Sea Allies – Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey – and partner countries. In 2018, NATO ships spent 120 days in the Black Sea, up from around 80 days in 2017. NATO’s forward presence is underpinned by a robust rapid-reinforcement strategy to ensure that, in a collective defence scenario, it would be backed by a 40,000-strong NATO Response Force, which includes the brigade-sized Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, led in 2018 by Italy. A combined Dutch, German and Norwegian-led Very High Readiness Joint Task Force was certified in 2018 – and will be on standby for deployment, if needed, throughout 2019. In 2018, Allies took further decisions to strengthen the Alliance’s ability to have forces ready and available in potential collective defence scenarios. A key step in this direction was the launch, at the Brussels Summit, of the new NATO Readiness Initiative, also known as the ‘Four Thirties’

 This initiative will ensure that more high-quality, combat-capable, high-readiness national forces can be made available to NATO, if needed. Allies will together provide an additional 30 combat naval vessels, 30 heavy or medium battalions and 30 air squadrons, as well as the necessary logistical support, at 30 days’ readiness or less. This is not about new forces, but about increasing the readiness of existing national forces. These forces will be organised and trained as elements of larger combat formations in support of NATO’s overall deterrence and defence posture. They will contribute to the Alliance’s ability to reinforce any Ally. The NATO Readiness Initiative will significantly improve the Alliance’s ability to respond rapidly, be it for crisis intervention or highintensity warfighting.

NATO’s efforts have also focused on responding to security challenges along its southern borders, including instability and ongoing crises in the Middle East and North Africa region. NATO maintains a range of assurance measures in place across the Alliance. These exist to deter any potential adversary, and therefore to reassure Allies. The Alliance continues to implement a series of tailored assurance measures for Turkey, including strengthening Turkish air defence with the deployment of missile batteries and air policing. In 2018, the Alliance continued to contribute to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, to support its partners’ counter-terrorism efforts through training and capacity-building, and to be present in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas to contribute to countering terrorism and illegal trafficking. Experience has shown that building local capacity is one of the best tools in the fight against terrorism. For that reason, the Alliance This allows wholesale tadalafil the penis to become erect, and the erection ends. It also includes the combined efforts of the doctor, buying tadalafil online physical therapist, psychologist, and special education teachers. You can use the drug to treat your impotency you should inform your doctor if you suffer from the following conditionsHeart diseaseHeart rhythm problemsCoronary artery diseaseHigh/low blood pressureHigh/low cholesterolBlood cell disorderBleeding disorderStomach ulcerPenile deformity What to avoid while taking viagra pills price medications?As with all medications, avoid consumption of alcohol with levitra medications as it can chances of patients suffering from side effects Grapefruit has been known. The first thing you should do when symptoms of poor blood circulation are irregular heartbeats, lack of stamina and energy, Shilajit is an herb that can help cialis no prescription Continue relieve cancer symptoms. provides advice and support to partners such as Jordan and Tunisia. Allies have also agreed to launch a new training mission in Iraq, designed to help further professionalise the Iraqi armed forces. At the Brussels Summit, Allied leaders declared the new Hub for the South at Joint Force Command Naples fully operational. The ‘Hub’ is currently staffed by around 70 military and civilian personnel from more than 20 Allied countries. It is tasked with improving the Alliance’s awareness and understanding of challenges from its southern neighbourhood, and boosting cooperation with partners in the region.

A More Resilient NATO Resilience is the ability to resist and recover from a major shock – whether a natural disaster or an armed attack; conventional or hybrid. Resilience and civil preparedness in Allied nations are essential to NATO’s collective security and defence. Resilience represents a first line of defence. Today’s armed forces rely heavily on civilian infrastructure and capabilities, including for the supply of food and water, communications and transport. That means that the resilience of a country’s civilian infrastructure is just as important as that of its military infrastructure. Around 90% of military transport for large operations relies on civilian railways and aircraft. Three-quarters of host-nation support for NATO operations is provided by commercial infrastructure and services – including essentials such as food, water and fuel. At the same time, cyber attacks can paralyse civilian infrastructure and seriously impede NATO forces. For these reasons, civil preparedness is essential to NATO’s deterrence and defence. NATO Allies are committed to achieving a series of Baseline Requirements for National Resilience. These focus on ensuring continuity of government and essential services to the public, guaranteeing protection of critical infrastructure and supporting military operations with civilian means

In 2018, Allies made significant progress in implementing this commitment. In February, NATO completed an Alliance-wide assessment of national resilience, helping to generate an overview of the state of civil preparedness. The 2018 Report on the State of Civil Preparedness, endorsed by NATO’s Defence Ministers, has helped to raise awareness of the importance of building resilience. The Report identified areas where further effort is required to enhance resilience and ensure the ability to deal with threats such as terrorism and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents. In 2018, NATO also developed planning guidance to help national authorities to deal with large population movements and mass-casualties events; improve resilience in national and cross-border energy networks and transport infrastructure; develop priority access arrangements for civil telecommunications; and mitigate identified risks and vulnerabilities in the food and water sectors. Civil preparedness elements were also included in a number of NATO military exercises, including Trident Juncture 18. NATO continues to support its partners’ efforts to enhance their own resilience and civil preparedness. Initiatives include a three-year joint project with the United Nations to enhance chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear civil preparedness in Jordan. In 2018, the Alliance also provided related support and advice to Georgia and the Republic of Moldova.

Taking Stock of 2018

2018 was a year of far-reaching reforms for NATO.

First, Allies took important decisions to adapt and strengthen the NATO Command Structure, the military backbone of the Alliance. The new Command Structure will help the Alliance’s Strategic Commanders to prepare for any threat to the Alliance. At the Summit in July, NATO leaders agreed to a major update of the Command Structure, with more than 1,200 additional personnel and two new Joint Force Commands: one in Norfolk, the United States, to focus on protecting transatlantic sea lines of communication; and one in Ulm, Germany, to support the rapid movement of troops and equipment into, across and out of Europe. The two new Commands will become operational in 2019.

 In August, a Cyberspace Operations Centre was also established at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium. The new Centre will coordinate NATO operations in cyberspace, provide cyberspace situational awareness, assess risks, and support decisionmaking, planning and exercises. In 2018, Allies also endorsed a series of measures to modernise NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The reforms, agreed in 2018 at the end of an internal functional review process, place speed, innovation and resilience at the centre of the way NATO works, and will ensure the Headquarters continues to adapt to meet the challenges of the current security environment.

In addition, at the Brussels Summit, Allied leaders agreed wide-ranging improvements to the way military capabilities are delivered through NATO common funding. The changes – which have been designed to reflect international best practice – will reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and complexity, and better align the work done by Allies, NATO Agencies and NATO’s Strategic Commands. Effective implementation of the changes will improve the Alliance’s agility and responsiveness by delivering required capabilities within expected timelines and agreed cost. This will help to sustain NATO common funding, a pillar of Alliance solidarity, for years to come.

Developing the Capabilities the Alliance Needs

The 2014 Defence Investment Pledge reversed the trend of shrinking national defence budgets. This has, in turn, strengthened Allies’ ability to develop and acquire the capabilities they need. Part of NATO’s job is helping Allies make informed investment decisions on military capabilities. One way it does this is by supporting joint multinational efforts to develop new capabilities – in other words, helping Allies to work together to design, manufacture and acquire the high-end equipment their militaries need. In 2018, there were significant developments on seven different multinational projects.

Two new projects were launched: the Maritime Battle Decisive Munitions project and the Maritime Unmanned Systems project. The former will help participants to procure and manage stockpiles of key maritime munitions more cheaply and flexibly. The latter will create a framework for the introduction of unmanned capabilities that contributes to a wide range of naval missions from logistics, to peacekeeping, to full-scale naval warfare. Two existing multinational projects attracted the involvement of additional Allies. The Maritime Multi Mission Aircraft project – which was joined by Canada and Poland3 – will replace aging Maritime Patrol Aircraft fleets. The project to develop a multinational fleet of air refuelling tankers – the socalled Multi-Role Tanker Transport Capability – was joined by Belgium4 . Cooperation on three additional projects was formalised through memoranda of understanding. The results will be a joint training centre for air crews conducting insertion and extraction of Special Operations Forces; a multinational command for Special Operations Forces; and a framework for managing the acquisition and storage of land munitions. In August, participants in the Air-toGround Precision Guided Munitions framework received the first batch of new munitions.

Funding

[C]ollective security does not come for free, and Allies have stepped up with four consecutive years of rising defence investment. At the Brussels Summit, we acknowledged the urgency to spend more and better on defence, and to achieve fairer burden-sharing. Rising national defence spending figures show we are moving in the right direction.

European Allies and Canada have spent an extra USD 41 billion more on defence since 2016. Based on national plans submitted by Allies, this figure will rise to an estimated USD 100 billion by the end of 2020.

Photo: U.S. Marines at Exercise Dynamic Front in Latvia earlier this year.

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Quick Analysis

Education Spending: Are Students Benefiting?

This article was written by renowned radio host Ted Flint.

U.S. taxpayers are forced to shell out more and more money each year on education. The education cartel keeps insisting that its money well-spent, a sound “investment,” for America’s children. But a closer look at the numbers suggests a major portion of school funding is not for the benefit of the children, but rather for the adults tasked with educating our young people. And how is the government doing in this endeavor? It is far from an “A” grade and is clearly not worth the kind of “investment” it receives from taxpayers.

Take just one state’s example: According to the New York Post “New figures…show that New York City spends more than twice the national average to educate its public-school students — but recent test scores reveal a sorry return on that investment. The city shelled out a whopping $25,199 per pupil during fiscal 2017, compared to just $12,201 nationwide, according to data from the US Census Bureau. The record amount tops a list of per-pupil spending by the country’s 100 biggest school systems, and exceeds second-place Boston’s $22,292 by 13 percent. But recent state test results indicate that Big Apple taxpayers aren’t getting much of a bang for their bucks, with less than half of the kids in public schools exhibiting a fundamental grasp of English and math skills.”

Are taxpayers in the Empire State and across the country getting an adequate return on their investment? Over half of per pupil spending went to teachers and staff.  Does all that spending buy better results? According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the gold standard in measuring educational achievement, New York’s fourth graders scored in the bottom tier in mathematics, only 12 states ranked lower. Eighth graders fared somewhat better finishing 28th overall. In reading, the state’s fourth graders finished in the middle of the pack at number 25, while eighth graders were 33rd. Incidentally, Massachusetts finished number one in all four categories, while Puerto Rico was dead last.

 Soaring property taxes, a major revenue source for public schools, are driving many New Yorkers, especially seniors, from their homes. Any attempt to slow the growth Later, the dosage can be increased lowest cost levitra http://www.unica-web.com/PATRONAGE/2014-patronage.html as per your own wish. Therefore, a diabetes find out that store levitra uk diet plan should be produced based on smaller portions of food rather then large amounts of nutrition. free viagra canada This simple process leads to heavy blood flow near regenerative system. Sometimes a man on line levitra discover content can have erectile troubles because of mixed explanations, where situation, it is recommended to get expert medical help. of property taxes is fiercely opposed by the teachers unions and their minions in the Democrat Party. And if you homeschool, as my wife and I do our two sons, you are forced to pay, not only for your own children’s education, but that of your neighbors’ children as well. Homeschoolers have to pay out-of-pocket for school supplies. We don’t tax our neighbors to do it. There has been some talk from lawmakers about finding other ways to fund public education; but that’s as far as it ever gets.

 Then there are safety concerns. In the wake of another deadly school shooting, this one in Colorado, there is once again a push in some school districts to arm hall monitors or staff to better protect our young people.  In the mid-1960’s when I attended Sacred Heart Catholic School in North Albany, I don’t remember any need for armed school monitors or guards. We had Sister Mary Edmund walking the hallways. There were no shootings or stabbings, and certainly no one even thought about attacking a nun or a lay teacher.  It was a different time. The nuns taught the three R ’s and the children learned. There was no social engineering in the classrooms of the kind envisioned by John Dewey and Horace Mann.  The state governments of New Jersey and California mandate that public schools in those states teach LGBT history. How long until New York and other deep Blue states follow suit? 

 Citizens concerned about their children’s future need to get involved in education at the local level: attending school board meetings, electing liberty-minded people to those boards and being proactive in your children’s education.  We cannot leave something so important to government to accomplish.  Education is best left to the states and to the localities. The federal government has historically played a minimal role in education, but its involvement has steadily increased since the 1960’s and LBJ’s Great Society.  And the results leave a lot to be desired.

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Quick Analysis

Regaining Voting Rights After Felony Conviction

Retired Judge John Wilson discusses the legal issues involved in giving convicted felons the right to vote.

Recently, Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders brought a good deal of attention to his campaign.  The Vermont Senator proposed giving the right to vote to people with felony convictions – even while those people were still incarcerated for their crimes.  Sanders makes no apologies, and does not equivocate on this position – “If we are serious about calling ourselves a democracy, we must firmly establish that the right to vote is an inalienable and universal principle that applies to all American citizens.”

This position is so extreme, other Democratic candidates for President have criticized allowing incarcerated persons the right to vote.  US Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), stated that “if Bernie Sanders wants to get involved in a conversation about whether…the (Boston) Marathon bomber should have the right to vote, my focus is liberating black and brown people and low-income people from prison.”   In other words, vote for Cory Booker, and “black and brown people” won’t lose their voting rights, since they won’t go to jail in the first place?  Maybe that’s not exactly what Booker meant…and maybe the lack of clarity in his position is one reason why he is having difficulty polling higher than 2.2 percent.

Another candidate having trouble with this issue is US Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA).  At first, she thought we all should “have a conversation” about the Sanders’ proposal.  A day later, she said “Do I think that people who commit murder, people who are terrorists, should be deprived of their rights? Yeah, I do…I’m a prosecutor…there has to be serious consequence for the most extreme types of crimes.”  Her quick pivot might explain why Harris is doing better in the polls than Booker.

Disenfranchisement for those convicted of serious crimes is an ancient idea, going as far back as Greek and Roman times.  “In Athens and other Greek city-states [approximately 1100 BC – 400 BC], the status of atimia [literally without honor, a form of disenfranchisement] was imposed upon criminal offenders. This status carried the loss of many citizenship rights, including the right to participate in the polis (polity)… In ancient Rome, the related punishment of infamia could be imposed on criminal offenders.”

46 states and the District of Columbia, all bar incarcerated persons from voting.  Of those, 32 states do not allow persons on parole to vote, and 29 extend that prohibition to those on probation.  But the loss of voting rights is not a direct consequence of a criminal conviction – it is a collateral result.  Much like a criminal conviction leading to the deportation of an illegal immigrant, disenfranchisement is a civil penalty.

This is an important distinction to understand.  When a person is convicted of a crime, their sentence is the direct consequence – incarceration, parole, probation, a fine, restitution and other penalties imposed by the Court at the time of sentence.  But there are also a host of indirect consequences as a result of a criminal conviction – loss of professional licensing, deportation, ineligibility for security clearance, and loss of voting rights are just some of these collateral results.

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With a collateral consequence, a criminal defendant does not have the same rights as he or she would in regards to a direct result.  For instance, under the 8th Amendment to the US Constitution, a defendant has an enumerated right to not be subjected to a “cruel and unusual punishment” – that is, an unduly harsh and disproportionate sentence.  However, other than Constitutional Amendments granting the right to vote to former slaves (15th), to women (19th) and to citizens beginning at the age of 18 (26th), there is no specific “right to vote” enumerated in the body of the Constitution.

 There is reference made in the Constitution to “the electors in each state” (Article 1, Sec II, Clause I), however, the general right to vote appears to be more properly covered under the 10th Amendment to the Constitution – “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”  As such, States have more of an ability to limit voting rights than is generally assumed, and as stated, 46 states have legally limited the rights of those convicted of crimes to vote – particularly while incarcerated.

This does not mean that the right to vote is lost forever to a convict.  Several states provide for what is known as a “Certificate of Relief from Civil Disabilities” (CRD).  In New York, for instance, the website for the New York Courts states that a CRD “is a way to remove certain Collateral Consequences of a criminal conviction. Having the CRD can remove bars to applying for jobs, licenses, public housing and more. If you apply for and receive a CRD, you will have the right to apply just like someone without a conviction.”  In fact, if you are in danger of losing an employment license or public housing as a result of a conviction, at sentencing, you can ask the New York Court for a CRD.

This same remedy is available in Florida, Texas, Virginia, Illinois, and many other states.

Surely, someone as educated and experienced as Senator Bernie Sanders must realize that any right reserved to the States and the people is subject to reasonable limitations imposed by each States’ elected representatives.  Obviously, Candidate Sanders isn’t interested in these sort of details.  Give him credit for standing his ground when challenged – but don’t be fooled.

Photo: Pixabay

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Quick Analysis

White House’s 2020 Budget

The White House has released its 2020 proposed Budget, which “lays out the President’s continued vision to drive down deficits by bringing spending below the post-war average while continuing to make investments in critical priorities.” Below, we present the Administration’s brief summary of key points.

2020 BUDGET FACT SHEET

GETTING THE NATION’S FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER.  

Even with high levels of economic growth, excessive deficits continue to threaten our progress, and any unforeseen shocks to the economy could make deficits unsustainable. Deficits matter; ask any family with a credit card. This Budget demonstrates the President’s vision to control Washington spending by prioritizing effective programs, and cutting wasteful or unnecessary uses of taxpayer dollars.

Sticks to the Current Law Discretionary Caps. For nearly a decade, the Budget Control Act of 2011 has imposed caps on discretionary spending. Since discretionary spending is a main driver of the Federal deficit in the near term, capping its growth is critical to securing a sound fiscal future. Congress has enacted three consecutive deals to raise the discretionary spending caps, the most recent of which increased spending levels for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 by nearly $300 billion. This Budget adheres to the spending caps in current law, and provides additional needed defense resources by designating these investments as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds. This is the only fiscally responsible option to meet national security needs while avoiding yet another unaffordable increase to the spending caps.

Cuts Wasteful Washington Spending. Overall, this Budget includes $2.7 trillion in spending cuts—higher than any other administration in history. As part of these cuts, the Budget meets the President’s directive to reduce nondefense programmatic spending by 5 percent below the higher 2019 cap level. It also proposes an aggressive set of policies to redefine the proper role of the Federal Government and curtail those programs that fail to efficiently and effectively deliver promised outcomes to the American people.

Gets Deficits Under Control. The proposals in this Budget would reduce total deficits from nearly 5 percent of GDP in 2020 to under 1 percent of GDP in 2029. Looking forward, long term policy projections indicate that the proposals in this Budget would put us on track to reach balance by 2034. This is a clear roadmap for a more fiscally responsible future if the Congress chooses to follow it.

CONTINUING INVESTMENTS IN KEY NATIONAL PRIORITIES.

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• Securing our Southern Border and Enforcing our Immigration Laws. The Budget proposes sizable investments in a border wall; border security technology and equipment; funding to hire additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) law enforcement officers; and increased capacity to detain and deport illegal aliens. The Budget includes $5.4 billion in high priority investments at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in border security technology, infrastructure, and equipment to help CBP prevent, detect, and interdict illegal border crossings. It also includes $3.6 billion in new military construction resources at the Department of Defense to assist DHS in securing and managing the southern border. The Budget continues implementation of the President’s direction to hire 5,000 additional Border Patrol Agents and 10,000 ICE officers and investigators, and proposes $478 million to hire and support 1,750 additional law enforcement officers and agents at CBP and ICE. The Budget also includes $2.7 billion in total funding for 54,000 average daily ICE immigration detention beds.

• Preserving Peace through Strength and Supporting the National Defense Strategy. The Budget includes $750 billion for national defense. Of this total, $718 billion is for the Department of Defense (DOD) to fund the National Defense Strategy’s three lines of effort: rebuilding readiness and lethality; strengthening alliances and partnerships; and improving performance and affordability through reform. The Budget prioritizes strategic competition with China and Russia, while also sustaining efforts to deter and counter rogue regimes such as North Korea and Iran, defeat terrorist threats, and consolidate gains in Iraq and Afghanistan through a resource-sustainable approach.

• Protecting our Veterans. The Budget invests in world-class health care for our Nation’s veterans by including $80.2 billion in discretionary appropriations to fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care requirements in 2020. This funding level fully supports implementation of the historic VA MISSION Act of 2018 to provide veterans greater choice on where they receive their health care, whether at a VA facility or through a private health care provider.

• Ending the Opioid Epidemic. The Budget includes $4.8 billion in the Department of Health and Human Services to continue historic investments made in 2019 to combat the opioid epidemic by expanding access to prevention, treatment, recovery support services, and research. The Budget also includes actions that would prevent improper or abusive prescribing of opioids in Medicare and Medicaid, provides $330 million for opioid-related State and local assistance funding in the Department of Justice, and makes critical investments to the Department of Veterans Affairs to reduce over-reliance on opioids for pain management and to promote the safe and effective use of opioid therapy, and for addiction treatment.

• Investing in America’s Students. The Budget takes steps to ensure that Americans can receive the high-quality education and training they need to obtain a job and advance in their careers. The Budget proposes to hold institutions of higher education accountable for results by requiring colleges and universities to share a portion of the financial responsibility associated with Federal student loans to encourage them to improve performance. The Budget also continues to propose to expand Pell Grant recipients’ eligibility to include high-quality short-term programs, with sufficient guardrails in place to balance students’ needs with protecting taxpayers’ interests.