Month: October 2019

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AOC, Fracking, and lies

On September 21, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) committed yet another embarrassing blunder, this time on a Democrat fundraising visit to Colorado.  As reported by the Energy Depth site, she misinterpreted a heat readout from an infrared camera sensor as “toxic fumes.”  She tweeted that “What we’re seeing is appalling. Companies are building fracking sites on public lands, across the street from schools + homes. Their toxic emissions are invisible. This camera sees them.”

That wasn’t the extent of her error.  Fracking isn’t even being conducted on the site she examined.

Public debates on key issues are healthy affairs.  However, when blatantly incorrect or intentionally misleading information is employed, it is a major disservice to the nation.  That has been occurring with extraordinary frequency in the discussion over fracking.

Opponents to the energy extraction process known as hydrofracking have based their position on six objections this activity, which has extraordinarily enriched many states, created vast employment opportunities, helped the environment by providing a clean source of fuel, and given the United States a desperately needed boost towards energy independence.

First, they describe a threat to potable water, mostly based on potential spills and other possible accidents resulting from hurricanes and other problems. Independent research and experience indicates otherwise, fortunately. A far more realistic threat to our drinking water comes from leaked and spilled oil and antifreeze from vehicles on our roadways.  If we were to follow the extremist’s criteria, we would be forced to close down not only fracking in those states where it occurs but also a major portion of the roads throughout America.  The extremists describe myths about radioactivity that have been completely proven to be false.

Second, fracking is criticized because many of the jobs created are not long-range permanent.  That is quite true. But many states are desperately in need of employment, and local governments are in desperate need of revenue.  The employment opportunities, seen regionally, are not that short-term.  The major local revenue they produce will allow urgently required local needs to be addressed.  Look at it this way: If you were to win a million dollars in the lottery, the income would also be considered a one-shot, but it would certainly address your financial problems.

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Third, critics note that local schools would be forced to educate new students and local roads would have to bear the burden of heavy trucks. In one key area where fracking is prevented from taking place, New York, a  Census Bureau report several years ago indicated that a stunning 1.6 million people left the state over the past decade, a trend that is continuing.  For two decades, New York led the nation in the percentage of its people who are fleeing for greener pastures. The problem is especially acute in the region where the fracking would take place.  

Fourth, critics maintain if the process was done safely, it wouldn’t be profitable.  If every extremist, over-the-top concern of every industrial process were to be subjected to what the extremists considered “safe,” there wouldn’t be a single profitable venture in the nation.

Fifth, it’s pointed out that some earthquake readings have been detected in areas where fracking takes place.  There is some merit in a strictly technical sense.  But not only have the readings been well within the not-even noticeable range, they are fairly characteristic of many activities.  If there is a new water line being emplaced in your community, for example, the digging produces readings that could also be considered “earthquakes.”

Sixth, concern is expressed over the release of methane. Methane is a natural substance also produced by cows and other mammals when they release gas by farting.  Unless a law is successfully passed against farting, methane is here to stay.

There have been numerous falsehoods created by those with a political or financial interest in keeping the U.S. from being freed from reliance on foreign oil.  One story circulated about how several workers were killed working on a fracking job.  It turns out they were driving a truck on an icy road, skidded, and sadly lost their lives.  Another famous myth was that in a town near a fracking site fire came out of a local facet.  That turned out to be false, as well.

The problems presented by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, and those on the left who share her agenda, extend far beyond fracking. They are poisoning America’s public discourse, unnecessarily dividing the nation with false information, and creating division over crises that are either extensively exaggerated or not even existing at all.

Illustration: Pixabay

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San Francisco vs. First Amendment

The unanimous decision of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to brand the National Rifle Association (NRA) a “Domestic Terrorist Organization” has profound implications.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union “Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. No. 107-52) expanded the definition of terrorism to cover ‘domestic,’ as opposed to international, terrorism.   A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act “dangerous to human life” that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to:  (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.

It is clear that the NRA has not engaged in any of those specified activities. It is also factually true that the key charge in the San Francisco resolution, that the NRA “Incites gun owners to acts of violence,” is clearly and manifestly false. Indeed, just the opposite is true.  The NRA concentrates heavily on firearms safety.

It is evident that the city government advocates imposing severe criminal penalties against the NRA simply because it politically disagrees with the organization. The fact that the issue at stake concerns a right protected by the Constitution makes the move even more insidious.  The language of the Resolution overtly targets free speech rights, stating that the NRA “Musters its considerable wealth and organizational strength to promote gun ownership…[it] spreads propaganda that misinforms…”

In other words, the NRA utilizes First Amendment rights.

Even the Washington Post, a liberal outlet, has pointed out the falsehood, as noted in the complaint filed in federal court by the NRA on September 9:

“The NRA…does not advocate, fund or support violence, nor does it try to create a ‘climate of fear’ to advance its policies. It does support an expansive view of gun rights, but that is not a terrorist act, unless political disagreement is now a criminal offense…Congratulations, average NRA member: Your $30  one year membership makes you a terrorist.”

Further, San Francisco is not content with merely attacking the NRA itself.  The resolution states that “The City and County of San Francisco should take every reasonable step to assess the financial and contractual relationships our vendors and contractors have…and…limit those entities…”

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The target, then, is not just one organization that does nothing more than advocate continuing a Constitutional right, it includes everyone else that does business with it, and its approximately five million members.   In its lawsuit against the measure, the NRA correctly argues that a government cannot discriminate against citizens merely for expressing their viewpoint.  This is precisely what San Francisco has done.

As the lawsuit complaint notes, while it might not violate the First Amendment for a local government to make a general statement criticizing an organization, it “cannot apply its powers in a targeted, adverse manner against those with whom it disagrees, and the government certainly cannot do so to stifle or punish disfavored speech. Such conduct unambiguously violates the First Amendment, especially where, as here, it is not tied to any compelling, significant, or legitimate government interest.”

It is not gun ownership that is being targeted, it is the exercise of free speech.

 This must be seen in context.  It has become commonplace for individuals wearing red “MAGA” hats to be beaten in the streets. In what can only be seen as attempts to subject Trump supporters to discrimination or violence, there is a push to force disclosures of the names of people attending GOP fund raising dinners, the most recent being a demand by actress Debra Messing.

Leftist ANTIFA thugs openly engage in violence, sometimes with the cooperation of local governments that fail to protect the rights of innocent civilians, one case being the beating of reporter Andy Ngo in Portland, Oregon. Mayor Ted Wheeler discouraged the police from “interfering” with ANTIFA’s assaults.

The paradigm of American freedom and respect for the Bill of Rights is under intensive assault, from both partisan groups and individuals, and from leftist state and local governments. It is an unprecedented danger.

Illustration: Pixabay

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Foreign Policy Update

NORTH KOREA

Intelligence sources believe North Korea has once again fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) just days ahead of upcoming talks with the United States on denuclearization of the country.  The last known submarine launch by the North occurred in August 2016 when a ballistic missile flew about 310 miles. The maximum SLBM range is believed to be about 800 miles. It was the 11th in a series of launches this year. This most recent test was at a high angle and did not travel the missile’s maximum possible flight range.

ITALY

In response to the Pope’s call for “building bridges, not walls” Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said: “It’s a dangerous journey across Mexico into the United States.  A much better solution is to try and create the conditions on the ground in those countries where those people can thrive. We feel the same way about migration all across the world.  The best solution to these migration challenges is to create safety, security, and prosperity in the home countries of these people.  It’s where they, frankly, want to be themselves.” The US and the Holy See both agree that developing institutions and economies is a critical step in helping places thrive and grow. 

CHINA

While traveling in Italy Secretary Pompeo was asked about the danger of China’s 5G technology to the security of the Atlantic alliance. He responded that the Atlantic alliance is not at risk and that this danger is “overblown.” Pompeo explained that every piece of information traveling across a network is at risk and that if it is controlled by China it presents additional and unique challenges.

“We’ve seen military-civil cooperation inside of China.  We’ve seen the connectivity between Chinese state-owned enterprises and their government.  And what we’re asking each country to do, Italy included, is to make their own sovereign decision about the right approach, but do so with eyes wide open about the potential risks of an ordinary Italian citizen’s data being transmitted across the network that was accessible by the Chinese Communist Party.”

LIBYA

The situation in Libya is complicated and in need of a political solution according to Secretary Pompeo. He said the first step is to ensure those outside Libya providing arms, weapons systems, and munitions cease delivery to reduce the violence. Pompeo said it will require nearby countries to change their mindset from searching for a military victory to seeking a political solution. He added that “We need to get there as quickly as possible.”

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RUSSIA

On September 30 the State Department issued a statement notifying the public that the Administration is continuing to take action in response to “Russian attempts to influence U.S. democratic processes.” It imposed sanctions on four entities and seven individuals saying that it serves as a warning to “any actors who continue to engage with these individuals, companies, aircraft, or vessel may also be subject to future sanctions. The U.S. government will continue to work to ensure that Prigozhin and others like him find no refuge or comfort as long as they carry out destabilizing activities that threaten the interests of the United States and its allies and partners.”

The State Department is pushing back against Russian attempts to interfere in US election politics in an attempt to subvert the democratic process. A State Department official said that it will not hesitate to impose additional costs on Russia if it continues its malevolent activities. 

IRAN 

President Trump announced a Presidential Proclamation restricting entry into the United States for senior Iranian government officials and members of their families. Under this proclamation, designated senior regime officials and their families will no longer be allowed entry into the United States.  The document stated that “No longer will elites reap the benefits of a free society while the Iranian people suffer under the regime’s corruption and mismanagement.”

Iran’s belligerent behavior toward the United States and its neighboring countries has been cause for alarm as the regime continues to threaten peace and stability in the region. The President, in his recent talk at the United Nations, called for Iran’s leaders to stop stealing money from its citizens and then using it to fund protracted violence inside Iran and abroad. The impact of American sanctions is having an effect on Iran’s economy. The question that remains unanswered is will it be enough to change the regime’s behavior and in time to avoid a serious regional war.

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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International Conditions for Refugees

The U.S. State Department has issued its latest report on worldwide refugee conditions:

At the end of 2017 (the most recent figure available) the estimated refugee population worldwide stood at 25.4 million, with 17.2 million receiving protection or assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  The United States actively supported efforts to provide protection, assistance, and durable solutions for refugees because these measures meet both the humanitarian objectives and the national security interests of the United States.  The U.S. government worked with other governments, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations to provide protection and assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, victims of conflict, and other vulnerable migrants.

In seeking durable solutions for refugees, the United States and UNHCR recognized that, for most refugees, safe, voluntary return to their homelands was the preferred solution.  Where opportunities for return remained elusive, the United States and its partners pursued self-sufficiency and temporary, indefinite, or permanent local integration in countries of asylum.  The Department of State worked diplomatically to encourage host governments to protect refugees through local integration, and provided assistance to meet integration needs by promoting refugee self-sufficiency and community-based social services.

The United States and UNHCR also recognized resettlement in third countries was a vital tool for providing refugees protection and/or durable solutions, particularly those for whom other solutions were not feasible.  For some refugees, resettlement was the best, and perhaps only, alternative.  The United States has admitted more than three million refugees from 64 countries since 1975, including 22,491 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).  UNHCR or a U.S. embassy may refer nationals of any country to the U.S. program for reasons of religious persecution.  Over 75 percent of the refugees resettled in the United States in FY 2018 had fled five countries:  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burma, Ukraine, Bhutan, and Eritrea.  Protracted conflicts have driven millions from their homes in these countries.  Over 70 percent of resettled refugees generally are women and children.  Many are single mothers; survivors of torture; people who need urgent medical treatment; religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI) persons; or others imperiled by violence and persecution.

AFRICA

The USRAP continued to be available to a number of Sudanese, Eritrean, and other refugees who were victims of religious persecution, through Priority 1 individual referrals.  Refugees from Burundi, Central African Republic, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan with refugee or asylee family members in the United States also had access to the USRAP through the Priority 3 refugee family reunification program.  In FY 2018, 10,459 refugees from Africa were admitted to the United States, including some admitted based Several years ago at Nashville on practice and qualifying, will culminate with the NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Friday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m., as well as NASCAR Nationwide Series race on a buy cheap levitra tape-delayed basis beginning at 4 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15. It should be noted that such manufacturers are using generic viagra for woman the term “enlargement” in its proper context and in its honest context. Chiropractor physical therapy can apply cialis online shop therapeutic massages reduce the pain of arthritis. 28. This is also referred canada cialis from to as “insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus” (IDDM) or “juvenile diabetes”, or “early-onset diabetes”. on religious persecution.  Two countries of origin – DRC and Eritrea – still account for the vast majority of U.S. refugee admissions from Africa, followed by Ethiopia, Somalia, and Burundi.

EAST ASIA

Nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Vietnam, China, Laos, and Burma, including victims of religious persecution, had access to the USRAP through Priority 1 individual referrals.  More than 3,000 Burmese were processed in FY 2018 under a Priority 2 group designation for certain Burmese ethnic minorities in Thailand and Malaysia.  This number will continue to decrease in FY 2019 as the pool of eligible Priority 2 applicants in Thailand comes to an end.  In FY 2018, 3,668 refugees from East Asia were admitted to the United States.

EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

Certain religious minorities in Europe and Central Asia had access to USRAP processing.  A Priority 2 designation applied to Jews, evangelical Christians, and Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox religious adherents identified in the “Lautenberg Amendment” (Public Law Number. 101-167, § 599D, 103 Stat. 1261 (1989), as amended) with close family in the United States.  With annual renewal of the Lautenberg Amendment, these individuals are considered under a reduced evidentiary standard for establishing a well-founded fear of persecution.  In FY 2018, the United States admitted 3,612 refugees from Europe and Central Asia, including those under the Lautenberg Amendment in-country processing program.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

In Central America, the USRAP focused mainly on targeted refugee processing through the Protection Transfer Arrangement (PTA) with the Government of Costa Rica, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration.  The PTA offered the opportunity for permanent resettlement in the United States to individuals in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who were persecuted on a number of grounds, including their religious beliefs.  The in-country resettlement program in Cuba remains suspended.  In FY 2018, 955 refugees from Latin America and the Caribbean were resettled in the United States.

NEAR EAST AND SOUTH ASIA

The USRAP provided resettlement access to refugees in the Near East and South Asia, including those who suffered religious persecution, accepting UNHCR and embassy Priority 1 referrals of religious minorities of various nationalities in the region.  The Specter Amendment (Public Law Number 108-199, first enacted as sec. 213, Division E, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004) permits Iranian religious minorities designated as category members to benefit from a reduced evidentiary standard for establishing a well-founded fear of persecution.  Iranian refugees, as well as Afghan, Iraqi, and Syrian refugees, also had access to the program through Priority 3.  Nationals of Bhutan in Nepal were processed in FY 2018 under a Priority 2 group designation for Bhutanese refugees registered by UNHCR in camps in Nepal, with 2,228 individuals admitted in 2018.  In FY 2018, 3,797 refugees from the Near East/South Asia regions were admitted to the United States.

Photo: Pixabay

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Volcanoes Huge Impact on Climate

Lost in the tempestuous debate over man-made climate change is the far more immediate, intense and dramatic impact nature itself has on our planet.  From solar cycles to volcanic eruptions, the effect of these forces has altered Earth far longer than humans have inhabited the planet.

A NASA study  recently released reports that “Large-scale volcanic activity may last only a few days, but the massive outpouring of gases and ash can influence climate patterns for years. Sulfuric gases convert to sulfate aerosols, sub-micron droplets containing about 75 percent sulfuric acid. Following eruptions, these aerosol particles can linger as long as three to four years in the stratosphere… Major eruptions alter the Earth’s radiative balance because volcanic aerosol clouds absorb terrestrial radiation, and scatter a significant amount of the incoming solar radiation, an effect known as ‘radiative forcing’ that can last from two to three years following a volcanic eruption.”

An Oregon State University analysis noted that “[Volcanic eruptions] effects on the climate haven’t been completely figured out. It seems to depend on the size of the particles (again mostly droplets of sulfuric acid). If they are big then they let sunlight in but don’t let heat radiated from the Earth’s surface out, and the net result is a warmer Earth (the famous Greenhouse effect). If the particles are smaller than about 2 microns then they block some of the incoming energy from the Sun and the Earth cools off a little. That seems to have been the effect of the Pinatubo eruption where about a 1/2 degree of cooling was noticed around the world. Of course that doesn’t just mean that things are cooler, but there are all kinds of effects on the wind circulation and where storms occur. A… more controversial connection involves whether or not volcanic activity on the East Pacific Rise (a mid-ocean spreading center) can cause warmer water at the surface of the East Pacific, and in that way generate an El Nino. Dr. Dan Walker here at the University of Hawai’i has noticed a strong correlation between seismic activity on the East Pacific Rise (which he presumes indicates an eruption) and El Nino cycles over the past ~25 years.

“Volcanic eruptions can cause climate change if they release large amounts of sulfur dioxide high into the stratosphere. Sulfur dioxide oxidizes into sulfuric acid aerosols, which reflect incoming solar Lifestyle Issues similar obesity, excessive smoking, use of non-prescription drugs, excessive consumption of tadalafil 100mg alcohol and drugs addiction to painkillers. Tongkat Ali Extract cialis 10mg canada is used by men and not women. The actual easy-to-gulp medicine may be produced from Ajanta valsonindia.com order levitra pharmaceuticals. Only that people do not cialis 25mg understand or implement it. radiation. The troposphere, which is the atmospheric layer in which we live and in which our airplanes fly, experiences cooling, whereas the stratosphere, the layer above the troposphere, which starts at 18 km near the equator and around 9-13 km in the high latitudes, heats up. Other gases released from eruptions, such as carbon dioxide, are greenhouse gases and contribute to the warming of the planet. Yet overall, big eruptions that send sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere can cause profound, if relatively short-lived, cooling.”

A review in Historical Climatology.com indicates that “Volcanic eruptions can cause climate change if they release large amounts of sulfur dioxide high into the stratosphere. Sulfur dioxide oxidizes into sulfuric acid aerosols, which reflect incoming solar radiation. The troposphere, which is the atmospheric layer in which we live and in which our airplanes fly, experiences cooling, whereas the stratosphere, the layer above the troposphere, which starts at 18 km near the equator and around 9-13 km in the high latitudes, heats up. Other gases released from eruptions, such as carbon dioxide, are greenhouse gases and contribute to the warming of the planet. Yet overall, big eruptions that send sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere can cause profound, if relatively short-lived, cooling.” 

The UCAR Center for Science Education describes the massive and immediate effect the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora had on the world, resulting in what was known as “The Year Without a Summer.”

 “The summer of 1816 was not like any summer people could remember. Snow fell in New England. Gloomy, cold rains fell throughout Europe. It was cold and stormy and dark – not at all like typical summer weatherOn April 5, 1815, Mount Tambora, a volcano, started to rumble with activity. Over the following four months the volcano exploded – the largest volcanic explosion in recorded history. Many people close to the volcano lost their lives in the event. Mount Tambora ejected so much ash and aerosols into the atmosphere that the sky darkened and the Sun was blocked from view. The large particles spewed by the volcano fell to the ground nearby, covering towns with enough ash to collapse homes. There are reports that several feet of ash was floating on the ocean surface in the region. Ships had to plow through it to get from place to place…smaller particles spewed by the volcano were light enough to spread through the atmosphere over the following months and had a worldwide effect on climate. They made their way into the  stratosphere, where they could distribute around the world more easily. Earth’s average global temperature dropped three degrees Celsius.” 

Photo: Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii (Pixabay)

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Dangers of Electronic Voting

One of the most significant threats to the integrity of the 2020 election can be wholly avoided.

In July, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence stressed that there was an immediate need to secure America’s voting systems. Its key recommendations were that states replace outdated and vulnerable voting systems with a voter-verified paper trail and use statistically sound audits.  

In August, the Brennan Center reported that:

“The lifespan of electronic voting machines can vary, but experts agree that systems over a decade old are more likely to need to be replaced for security and reliability reasons. We estimate that in November 2018, 34 percent of all local election jurisdictions were using voting machines that were at least 10 years old as their primary polling place equipment (or as their primary tabulation equipment in all vote-by-mail jurisdictions). This number includes counties and towns in 41 states…11 states use paperless machines as their primary polling place equipment in at least some counties and towns… As both the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and National Academy of Sciences have noted, we should replace antiquated equipment, and paperless equipment in particular, as soon as possible.”

There is a salient question. American democracy did quite well before the advent of electronic voting machines.  Why was there a sudden rush to “fix” a system that wasn’t broken, indeed, was actually the envy of every free nation on Earth?

Steve Levy, writing for Fox News, offers one explanation why states rushed to electronic voting.  “A cottage industry of electronic voting machine manufacturers swooped in on every state capitol, with ample campaign contributions in tow. Before you knew it, it wasn’t a question of whether states would purchase these machines, but which bells-and-whistles version they would choose… Why would we jeopardize the integrity of our electoral process for no valid reason? Electronic machines were not enough for the tech set. Online voting would revolutionize the franchise, they said. Amazingly, 32 states to this day permit some form of online balloting, despite warnings the systems are not secure. An analysis by Silicon Valley executives warned that “potential criminal electronic attacks on computer software, such as destructive ‘viruses’ or ‘Trojan Horse’ software, create a serious threat to Internet voting.” In 2004, the Pentagon canceled a proposed Internet voting program for overseas military personnel due concerns about hacking. And in 2010, a University of Michigan professor answered a challenge made by the Board of Elections in Washington​, D.C., which was testing a new Internet voting device in a mock election. The professor hacked it within 36 hours.”

In a study, Election Defsense.org  explained that “The use of computers prevents observation and makes elections vulnerable to fraud in new and profound ways compared to older technologies… When technicians handle systems for non-technical staff, this opens the door to fraud… E[electronic] vote systems are easily corrupted.

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“Computerized elections are a political problem. The Resolution on Electronic Voting, endorsed by thousands of computer technologists, says ‘Computerized voting equipment is inherently subject to programming error, equipment malfunction, and malicious tampering.’ Every study of electronic voting has said that systems from the major vendors are insecure and of poor quality.

“In spite of all this, few government officials with responsibility for elections are heeding the constant stream of warnings about electronic voting, and the expressed distrust of voters. The major media and many officials are still urging us to convert to electronic voting. In 2004 Americans witnessed an overwhelming incidence of dirty tricks and failures of our election infrastructure, and the use of unverifiable and unverified computers is part of this failure.”

A Stanford University examination of the problem provides information that concurs with Election Defense.

“Opponents [of electronic voting] do not feel that the voting basics can be maintained in an electronic voting system. The arguments have been divided into 3 general categories of complaints: issues with the technology, vast possibilities of fraud, and protection of voters and their votes.

“As Bruce Schneier describes it, technology adds more steps to the process and thus increases the possibility of error with each additional step, all of which are largely unseen by the voter. Put Murphy’s Law of ‘whatever can go wrong, will go wrong’ into play, and one can surmise that technology will most likely falter. Not only does the technology create more errors in the electronic workings, but the voters can also commit mistakes due to confusion with the user interface. The terminology is confusing, different machines produce different interfaces, and even the audio guides to help the disabled may prove more confusing than helpful. With the advent of electronic machine voting also comes the higher possibilities of fraudulent machines and practices.”

Election Defense Suggests returning to lever machines with paper backups, paper ballots and precinct-count optical scanners.

Photo: A voting machine (Wikipedia)

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Ignoring National Security

The leading Democrat candidates currently running for president have failed to expressed any significant level of concern regarding national security issues.

Failing to do so is a denial of reality.  Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as well as terrorist forces present an extraordinary danger to the United States. Even as the Obama Administration cut military spending and failed to confront aggression, those nations moved vigorously ahead in expanding their military prowess. Russia now has the planet’s largest nuclear arsenal, and China has become a true military superpower.

Take both the United States and its allies in the Pacific and NATO out of the picture for a moment.  The outlook of one traditionally nonaligned nation indicates how serious an historically neutral nation takes the growing threat. 

Global Security reports that Sweden will increase its defense budget substantially, and will continue to do so until 2025. “The money will be used to equip the defense, especially when it comes to ground combat forces. The number of defense personnel will increase, from today’s 60,000 people to 90,000 including home defense and civilian employees. Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said at the press conference that the current upgrading of the defense is the ‘biggest reinforcement in decades’. He said ‘We have a better and stronger defense today than 2014, but much remains to be done.’

Sweden is not alone.  According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute  “Several countries in Central and Eastern Europe made large increases in their military expenditure in 2018. Spending by Poland rose by 8.9 per cent in 2018 to $11.6 billion, while Ukraine’s spending was up by 21 per cent to $4.8 billion. Spending by Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania also grew (ranging from 18 per cent to 24 per cent) in 2018. ‘The increases in Central and Eastern Europe are largely due to growing perceptions of a threat from Russia,’ said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with the SIPRI AMEX programme.”

In addition to its vast nuclear arsenal, portions of which have violated international accords, Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine and Georgia has produced legitimate concern.

Russia’s actions are mirrored by China in the Pacific.

The Brooking Institute’s Erin Baggott Carter notes that “China’s leader-for-life Xi Jinping will … initiate international conflicts in order to build the sort of public nationalism that makes it difficult for elites to challenge him. The result will be a more aggressive, destabilizing, and unpredictable foreign policy. China’s ‘rise’ is among the great challenges of the 21st century, in part because China’s domestic politics compel risky behavior on the international stage.”

Richard Heydarian, writing for the Nikkei Asian Review, reported the latest blatant act of Beijing’s aggression: “Between January and April, close to 300 suspected Chinese militia vessels swarmed and surrounded the parts of the Spratly Islands held by the Philippines. This went hand in hand with the growing harassment of Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal, which has been under the de facto occupation of Chinese paramilitary forces but is claimed by the Philippines. Things came to head in June when a suspected Chinese militia vessel rammed and sank a Filipino fishing boat in the Reed Bank, an energy-rich area that falls within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.”

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When the Chinese Navy infringed upon the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, Obama did nothing.  The White House didn’t even lodge a diplomatic protest.  Even after the World Tribunal at The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, the White House remained on the sidelines. Obama’s failure to even diplomatically oppose China’s aggressive actions meant that not only was Beijing’s belligerence rewarded, but that a golden opportunity to unite Southeast Asian and Pacific nations in an anti-Chinese aggression front that would have discouraged future assaults was lost.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the only Obama response was a weak set of sanctions.

 It is the mantra of the political left that America is in no military danger from abroad, freedom is not imperiled, and that whatever global challenges Washington must deal with are the products of its own prior actions. That was the guiding principle of the Obama Administration. Whatever inconvenient facts depart from that narrative are wholly disregarded because much of the media shares that viewpoint.

Photo: Russian tank. (Russian Federation Ministry of defense)