Author: Frank V. Vernuccio, Jr.

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Quick Analysis

Undue Influence at the EPA

Among the most important stories not covered by the major media in 2014 was the scathing report by the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public works Minority Staff Report concerning undue influence within the Environmental Protection Agency. 

The executive summary of the report is reproduced here:

In his 2010 State of the Union Address, President Obama famously chided the Supreme

Court for its recent campaign finance decision by proclaiming, “With all due deference to the

separation of powers, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for

special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections.”

 

In another speech he further lamented, “There aren’t a lot of functioning democracies around the

world that work this way where you can basically have millionaires and billionaires bankrolling

whoever they want, however they want, in some cases undisclosed. What it means is ordinary

Americans are shut out of the process.”

 

These statements are remarkable for their blatant hypocrisy and obfuscation of the fact

that the President and his cadre of wealthy liberal allies and donors embrace the very tactics he

publically scorned. In reality, an elite group of left wing millionaires and billionaires, which this

report refers to as the “Billionaire’s Club,” who directs and controls the far-left environmental

movement, which in turn controls major policy decisions and lobbies on behalf of the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Even more unsettling, a dominant organization in this

movement is Sea Change Foundation, a private California foundation, which relies on funding

from a foreign company with undisclosed donors. In turn, Sea Change funnels tens of millions

of dollars to other large but discreet foundations and prominent environmental activists who

strive to control both policy and politics.

 

This report examines in detail the mechanisms and methods of a far-left environmental

machine that has been erected around a small group of powerful and active millionaires and

billionaires who exert tremendous sway over a colossal effort. Although startling in its findings,

the report covers only a small fraction of the amount of money that is being secreted and moved

around. It would be virtually impossible to examine this system completely given the enormity

of this carefully coordinated effort and the lack of transparency surrounding it.

 

The failure to openly acknowledge this force and the silence of the media with whom

they coordinate further emphasize the fact that until today, the Billionaire’s Club operated in

relative obscurity hidden under the guise of “philanthropy.” The scheme to keep their efforts

hidden and far removed from the political stage is deliberate, meticulous, and intended to

mislead the public. While it is uncertain why they operate in the shadows and what they are

hiding, what is clear is that these individuals and foundations go to tremendous lengths to avoid

public association with the far-left environmental movement they so generously fund.

The report attempts to decipher the patterns of “charitable giving.” Often the wealthiest

foundations donate large sums to intermediaries – sometimes a pass through and sometimes a

fiscal sponsor. The intermediary then funnels the money to other 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4)

organizations that the original foundation might also directly support. The report offers theories

that could explain this bizarre behavior, but at its core, the Billionaire’s Club is not, and

seemingly does not, want to be transparent about the groups they fund and how much they are

supporting them.

In advancing their cause, these wealthy liberals fully exploit the benefits of a generous

tax code meant to promote genuine philanthropy and charitable acts, amazingly with little

apparent Internal Revenue Service scrutiny. Instead of furthering a noble purpose, their tax

deductible contributions secretly flow to a select group of left wing activists who are complicit

and eager to participate in the fee-for-service arrangement to promote shared political goals.

Moreover, the financial arrangement provides significant insulation to these wealthy elite from

the incidental damage they do to the U.S. economy and average Americans.

Through these arrangements, the Billionaire’s Club gains access to a close knit network

of likeminded funders, environmental activists, and government bureaucrats who specialize in

manufacturing phony “grassroots” movements and in promoting bogus propaganda disguised as

science and news to spread an anti-fossil energy message to the unknowing public. Not only is

the system incredibly sophisticated, but the Club’s attorneys and accountants have mastered the

loopholes and gray areas in the tax code, which enable them to obtain a full tax benefit, even

when the recipient of the grant is not recognized as a public charity, and even if the money

indirectly and impermissibly funds political activities.

In order to understand how the Billionaire’s Club colludes with the far-left

environmental activists and government officials, the report articulates the fundamental

framework that governs these relationships. Essentially, the far-left environmental machine is

comprised of hundreds of nonprofit organizations. Each entity is set up according to its

designated purpose and is either a private foundation or a public charity, depending on where the

cog fits in this well-designed wheel.

The facilitators – both organizations and individuals who bring together the private

foundations and the activists – are a key component of the movement’s success. The report

identifies three organizations that serve prominent roles as facilitators: the Environmental

Grantmakers Association, the Democracy Alliance, and the Divest/Invest movement. There is

also a narrow set of individuals whose careers are part of the fabric of the far-left environmental

movement and who serve as coordinators and intermediaries between the Billionaire’s Club and

the activist groups.

The ultimate recipients of donations from the Billionaire’s Club work in tandem with

wealthy donors to maximize the value of their tax deductible donations and leverage their

combined resources to influence elections and policy outcomes. Often, they lobby on behalf of

the EPA and advance policy positions important to the agency, which is statutorily prohibited

from lobbying on its own behalf. But most importantly, they serve as the face of the

environmental movement and present themselves as non-partisan benevolent charities to a public

not aware of the secretive backroom deals and transfers.

The Billionaire’s Club achieves many of its successes through the “capture” of key

employees at EPA. These “successes” are often at the expense of farmers, miners, roughnecks,

small businesses, and families. This report proves that the Obama EPA has been deliberately

staffed at the highest levels with far-left environmental activists who have worked hand-in-glove

with their former colleagues. The green-revolving door at EPA has become a valuable asset for

the far-left and their wealthy donors. In addition to providing insider access to important policy

decisions, it appears activists now at EPA also funnel government money through grants to their

former employers and colleagues. The report tracks the amount of government aid doled out to

activist groups and details a troubling disregard for ethics by certain high powered officials.

The report further describes what the Billionaire’s Club is purchasing with their fortunes.

It reveals that activists are skilled at creating and pushing out propaganda disguised as science

and news. For example, both the Park Foundation and the Schmidt Family Foundation have

financed questionable scientists to produce anti-fracking research, which the Huffington Post,

Mother Jones, and Climate Desk – all grant recipients themselves – eagerly report on.

The Billionaire’s Club has also perfected the craft of assembling and funding fake

grassroots movements to assist in ballot measures and other state initiatives. The efforts in New

York and Colorado to ban fracking are prime examples. The report explains how these faux

grassroots efforts are actually funded by foundations outside the states they seek to influence.

All these groups are similarly utilizing their platform to attack jobs, economic development, and

infrastructure projects across the country.

The Energy Foundation is a quintessential example of a pass through frequently

employed by the Billionaire’s Club. Energy Foundation receives money from several key

foundations and redirects it to activists. In doing so, they are providing two services: distance

between the donor and the activist, and enhancing the clout of the donors as their individual

influence is maximized by pooling resources. One of the major funders of the Energy

Foundation is Sea Change, which has gone to great lengths to hide the source of its money. This

is especially concerning in light of recent revelations that environmental activists do not appear

to be morally conflicted over where their money comes from – so long as it supports their goals.

The Billionaire’s Club is also adept at converting charitable donations into political

outcomes by taking advantage of loopholes in the tax code. Numerous examples raise questions

as to whether the charitable donations are indirectly supporting political activity. For example,

in many cases they fund a 501(c)(3), like the Energy Foundation or the League of Conservation

Voters, which then transfers large sums to an affiliated 501(c)(4), which can engage in political

activity. The affiliated groups often share office space, staff, and even board members. In the

case of the 501(c)(4) Green Tech Action Fund, which received donations from the Energy

Foundation, and in turn, donated funds to 501(c)(4) far-left environmental activist organizations.

The evidence provided in this report highlights the lengths the far-left environmental

movement goes to hide sources of funding and to disguise their actions – bought and paid for by

millionaires and billionaires – as charitable acts in service of their fellow man. This report

outlines a sampling of the individuals, foundations, and practices that are active in our political

system today, shedding light on just a fraction of the activities of the far-left environmental

machine that undermines American free enterprise and resource security.

FINDINGS:

  • The “Billionaire’s Club,” an exclusive group of wealthy individuals, directs the far-left

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environmental movement. The members of this elite liberal club funnel their fortunes

through private foundations to execute their personal political agenda, which is centered

around restricting the use of fossil fuels in the United States.

  • The Billionaire’s Club has established a dozen prominent private foundations with huge

sums of money at their disposal to spend on environmental causes.

  • Members of the Billionaire’s Club also donate directly to 501(c)(3) public charities.

Generally, the public charity is considered the preferred status under the tax code, based

on the greater tax benefits and protections on donor disclosures.

  • Public charities attempt to provide the maximum amount of control to their donors

through fiscal sponsorships, which are a legally suspect innovation unique to the left,

whereby the charity actually sells its nonprofit status to a group for a fee.

  • Nearly all of the public charities discussed in this report have an affiliated 501(c)(4) that

engages in activities designed to influence elections and have no restrictions on their

lobbying efforts. The funding of a 501(c)(4) by a 501(c)(3) affiliates is provocative in

light of the legal restrictions on public charities from participating in political

campaigning, either directly or indirectly, while permitting a 501(c)(4) to significantly

engage in campaign activities.

  • Members of the Billionaire’s Club put a premium on access to the complex

environmental infrastructure that has evolved to leverage substantial assets towards

achieving defined policy outcomes.

  • Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) is a place where wealthy donors meet

and coordinate the distribution of grants to advance the environmental movement. EGA

encourages the use of prescriptive grantmaking. It is a secretive organization, refusing to

disclose their membership list to Congress.

  • Democracy Alliance (DA), a facilitator for wealthy donors seeking to advance a broader

far-left agenda, does not disclose the details of any transaction it facilitates, and its

members and donor-recipients cannot speak publically about the organization. (Pg. 18)

  • Environmental activist groups are well aligned with the greater far-left agenda. One of

DA’s acclaimed successes in the last year includes President Obama’s executive actions

on climate change. (Pg. 20)

  • Many far-left environmental foundations and groups have pledged to divest in fossil fuels

and invest in renewable projects as well as “philanthropy.” (Pg. 22)

iv• There is a narrow set of individuals whose careers are part of the fabric of the far-left

environmental movement. These individuals exercise outsized influence regarding the

distribution of funds. (Pg. 23)

  • Public charity activist groups propagate the false notion that they are independent,

citizen-funded groups working altruistically. In reality, they work in tandem with

wealthy donors to maximize the value of the donors’ tax deductible donations and

leverage their combined resources to influence elections and policy outcomes, with a

focus on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

  • Far-left environmental activists, while benefiting from nonprofit status, essentially sell a

product to wealthy foundations who are seeking to drive policy and political outcomes.

  • The Obama Administration has installed an audacious green-revolving door among

senior officials at EPA, which has become a valuable asset for the environmental

movement and its wealthy donors.

  • In one example, senior EPA officials planned to use Michelle DePass’s position on the

Board of Directors of EGA, her eminent employment at EPA, and her relationship with

former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, to enhance her influence with EGA.

  • Former far-left environmentalists working at EPA funnel government money through

grants to their former employers and colleagues, often contributing to the bottom line of

environmental activist groups.

  • Under President Obama, EPA has given more than $27 million in taxpayer-funded grants

to major environmental groups. Notably, the Natural Resources Defense Council and

Environmental Defense Fund – two key activists groups with significant ties to senior

EPA officials – have collected more than $1 million in funding each.

  • EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck appears to be inappropriately and personally

involved in the allocation of EPA grants to favored groups. Enck is also the subject of an

inquiry led by the EPA Office of Inspector General.

  • EPA also gives grants to lesser-known extreme groups. For example, the Louisiana

Bucket Brigade received hundreds of thousands of grants under former Administrator

Lisa Jackson despite challenges by state regulators over the use of such grants.

  • Some of the most valued services activists provide the Billionaire’s Club includes

promulgation of propaganda, which creates an artificial echo chamber; appearance of a

faux grassroots movement; access to nimble and transient groups under fiscal

sponsorship arrangements; distance/anonymity between donations made by well-known

donors and activities of risky activist groups; and above all – the ability to leverage tens

of millions of dollars in questionable foreign funding.

  • Foundations finance research to justify desired predetermined policy outcome. The

research is then reported on by a news outlet, oftentimes one that is also supported by the

same foundation, in an effort to increase visibility. In one example, a story reporting on a

Park Foundation-supported anti-fracking study was reproduced by a Park-funded news

organization through a Park-funded media collaboration where it was then further

disseminated on Twitter by the maker of Park-backed anti-fracking movies.

  • Another service provided to the Billionaire’s Club is the manufacturing of an artificial

grassroots movement where it is not the citizen’s interest that drives the movement;

rather, it is part of a well-funded national strategy.

  • In New York and Colorado, a pseudo grassroots effort to attack hydraulic fracturing has

germinated from massive amounts of funding by the NY-based Park Foundation, as well

as CA-based Schmidt Family Foundation and Tides Foundation

  • The same California and New York-based foundations behind the New York antifracking

efforts have shifted to Colorado through two coalitions – Local Control

Colorado and Frack Free Colorado.

  • Bold Nebraska is another example of faux grassroots where a purportedly local

organization is, in fact, an arm of the Billionaire’s Club. It is nothing more than a shield

for wealthy and distant non-Nebraskan interests who seek to advance a political agenda

without drawing attention to the fact that they, too, are outsiders with little connection to

the state.

  • The Energy Foundation is a pass through public charity utilized by the most powerful

EGA members to create the appearance of a more diversified base of support, to shield

them from accountability, and to leverage limited resources by hiring dedicated

energy/environment staff to handle strategic giving.

  • The Energy Foundation is the largest recipient of grants from the foreign-funded Sea

Change Foundation; yet, it appears the Energy Foundation attempts to hide donations

from Sea Change, as it is not listed as one of Energy Foundation’s partners.

  • The circumstances surrounding the flow of money from 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) groups,

and the likelihood of lax oversight, raises questions as to whether 501(c)(3) nonprofit

foundations and charities are indirectly funding political activities.

  • 501(c)(4) Green Tech Action Fund receives millions of dollars from green 501(c)(3)

organizations, then distributes the funds to other 501(c)(4) groups that donate to political

campaigns.

  • Many of the large environmental organizations form both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4)

nonprofits that are publically advertised as separate and independent entities. In reality,

they are closely associated groups that transfer money from the Billionaire’s Club to

nonprofits, and eventually into political campaigns.

vi• Between 2010 and 2012, Tides Foundation gave over $10 million to Tides Center, and

Tides Center gave over $39 million to Tides Foundation. It is unclear what purpose the

transfer of funds between these two organizations serves, other than obscuring the money

trail.

  • Tides Center is a fiscal sponsor to over 200 groups, which are subject to Tides Center’s

oversight and direction in important aspects that include forming a governing board,

managing payroll, and monitoring risk.

  • The New York-based Sustainable Markets Foundation is also a significant fiscal sponsor

and receives vast sums from the Billionaire’s Club. It only exists on paper and has zero

public presence – no website, no Facebook page, no Twitter account, nothing.

  • The Billionaire’s Club knowingly collaborates with questionable offshore funders to

maximize support for the far-left environmental movement.

  • The little information available on Sea Change is limited to a review of its IRS Form-990

for 2010 and 2011 as its 2012 form is not public, and a sparsely worded website – listing

solely the logo and a three-sentence mission statement.

  • Klein Ltd., an overseas company contributing tens of millions to organizations dedicated

to abolishing the use of affordable fossil fuels through a U.S. private foundation is highly

problematic. This is only compounded by the fact that it is deliberately and completely

lacking in transparency – having no website and withholding its funders.

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Quick Analysis

A Vision for National Defense


By Congressman Randy Forbes

It was March, 1968. That month alone, 156 U.S. planes fell from the skies of Southeast Asia.  Over 250 American airmen and even more soldiers lost their lives.  That year, men like newlywed James Crew of Windber, Pennsylvania, an honors graduate of the Air Force Academy; and Major William Cordero of Santa Barbara, California, who had just found out he was going to have an infant son, would lose their lives.

In those days, U.S. aircraft relied on sheer numbers of bombs dropped because each bomb was “dumb” – it couldn’t precisely target something on the ground. To drop such huge numbers of munitions, the U.S. military had to fly innumerable missions over heavily defended enemy territory, incurring many more casualties.

Vietnam showed the consequences of an America unable to control the skies and achieve air dominance. By the conclusion of the war, over 3,200 U.S. aircraft were downed.  Over 58,000 Americans lost their lives in that conflict.

Fast-forward 20 years.

In the hot summer of 1990, the Iraqi Army – then the world’s fourth largest army – launched an invasion of Kuwait with a bombing campaign of its capital city.  Within twelve hours, most Kuwaiti resistance ceased, and Iraq held control of the strategically valuable nation.  Alarmed, surrounding Arab powers called on the United Nations, the United States, and other Western nations to intervene. Months of sanctions and negotiations ensued, yet ultimately Iraq defied the demands of the world.

On January 17, 1991 the Persian Gulf War began with a massive U.S.-led air offensive known as Operation Desert Storm.  The risks were high and Americans knew it.  35,000 body bags had been ordered.

Yet, after only 42 days of relentless attacks by the allied coalition in the air and on the ground, Iraqi forces turned back. Only 23 aircraft fell. 147 Americans lost their lives. And 34,853 body bags would never be used.

What happened in those two decades between Vietnam and the Gulf that led to such drastically different outcomes? The answer gives us some clarity for today.

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These ideas weren’t without opposition. They were challenged, lamented, and discredited by loud voices at the Pentagon and elsewhere. Too much money, many scoffed. We don’t have the resources, nor do we know if we’ll need them, others argued. Still others fought, relentlessly, but Congress insisted on the reforms and innovations we needed. One of the major differences between establishing air dominance, and failing: 34,853 empty body bags.

Today, we face serious vacuums in our national defense: a lack of strategy, repeated budget cuts, sequestration, and miscalculated defense decisions. The National Defense Panel has warned that unless we change course from the failures of recent years, our military is at a high risk of not being able to fully guarantee our national security. The effects would be felt in sectors that touch Americans on a daily basis. Communication systems. Financial transactions. Energy supply, to name a few.

When we consider this reality in the context of other turbulence in the world today, one can imagine the scenario in which we might find ourselves in the future – whether a Gulf-level of preparedness or a Vietnam-level of preparedness.

We simply cannot afford the latter. Congress has an opportunity, an obligation, to reverse our current course.

It starts by reframing our approach. First, the question we must ask is not, “How much do we want to spend on national defense?” The question we must ask is, “What do we want to accomplish with our defense?” From there, our defense strategy should drive our defense budget.

Second, we need to look beyond the Pentagon for answers.  In the 1950s in the face of a strained budget and the threat of Soviet aggression, President Eisenhower made a bold move.  He launched a senior-level planning exercise named Project Solarium to devise a new strategy to deter the Soviets while sustaining America’s economic strength. The innovative project, which consisted of multiple teams competing against each other to develop the best strategy, succeeded. President Eisenhower called it the “New Look.” Over the next decade the strategy succeeded in keeping the Soviets at bay while keeping the growth of the defense budget in check.

We can achieve something similar again, with today’s threats and with today’s unique challenges in mind. Constitutionally, Congress is tasked with providing for the common defense. Elected representatives have an obligation to push and pursue new defense technologies and innovations to ensure military power today, the same way that we pursued stealth and munitions to ensure victory in the Gulf. Elected representatives also have an opportunity to look beyond traditional approaches and devise new strategies, like President Eisenhower did. We need the creative genius that comes with collaboration between private and public sectors and allied nations to create a future-focused defense structure. Congress has the power to create that framework. That said, Congress is not, and should not try to be, the Department of Defense. Instead, it should be a Department of Ideas – generating new ideas and strategies that will not only protect us in the future, but also protect the men and women risking their lives every day to defend our freedom.

My fight for a strong national defense is relentless. I won’t give up. Because a strong defense means a strong America.

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Quick Analysis

Why some are threatened by Christmas

The usual battles about public school Christmas pageants and town park nativity scenes took place as usual this holiday season, all part of the misinterpretation of the First Amendment, which does not prohibit such practices.  That key part of our Bill of Rights only forbids the favoring of one religion over another. Therefore, those wonderful childhood plays and manger displays are fine, as long as requests for, say, Chanukah lights or Buddhist celebrations are, if requested, given equal rights.

There is more at stake here than just holiday observances, however.  Those opposing, with such vehemence, innocent seasonal recognitions may have a wholly hidden agenda.

In his new book, “Inventing the Individual,” author Larry Siedentop describes how Christianity shaped the western world’s emphasis on the value of the individual. The Judeo-Christian ethic profoundly influences the west’s belief that each human being has rights not as part of a group, but as an independent person.  This, of course, is anathema to those who adhere to the collectivist mentality which dominates Marxist and socialist philosophies .

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There is a further issue, as well.  Proponents of the strong central governments required to implement Marxist or social progressive ideals cannot tolerate influences which rival government for the hearts and minds of the people, which religion does.

Merry Christmas!

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Much History Marks Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, it is pleasant to think that all the world is safely at rest.  In Act 1, Scene 1 of Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote:

“Some say that ever ‘gainst that season comes

Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated,

The bird of dawning singeth all night long.

And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad.

The nights are wholesome. Then no planets strike,

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So hallowed and so gracious is that time.”

Historically, though, this is a tumultuous time in American history. Consider: In 1776, the fledgling Continental Army under General George Washington was reeling from one defeat after another.  It desperately needed a victory.  On Christmas Eve, it began preparations for an assault on Hessian forces comfortably quartered there. Crossing the Delaware River, (and giving rise to Emanuel Leutze’s  iconic painting) the underfed, raggedly dressed and poorly supplied American force surprised and defeated the enemy on December 26th.

One hundred and sixty-eight years later, American forces were surrounded and facing defeat in the crucial town of Bastogne during the epic Battle of the Bulge.   Despite their desperate plight, they refused to surrender. Against all odds, General George S. Patton’s Third Army travelled a great distance, broke through the Nazi lines, and saved the day.

Twenty-four years after that, the first manned mission to orbit the Moon, Apollo 8,  reached its Lunar Goal on Christmas Eve and thrilled the world with a reading from Genesis.

I hope the only drama your family experiences this Christmas Eve is the wonderful excitement of sharing the night with family and friends.

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Quick Analysis

What North Korea’s Sony attack reveals

The news that North Korea attacked Sony Pictures in retaliation for a low brow comedy mocking its leader, Kim Jong-un, and that the corporation essentially gave in, is indicative of how far America’s international credibility has descended. The fact that the movie studio surrendered speaks volumes about the utter lack of integrity of those who set the cultural climate.

The reasons arise both from Washington’s actual reduction in military strength, as well as in the diminished will to use those forces that remain. It is not a coincidence that this incident occurred in a year which saw the withdrawal of American tanks in Europe, presidential interest in a unilateral reduction in the U.S. atomic arsenal, a weakening of sanctions on Iran, a lack of any significant response to Russia’s resumption of cold war nuclear patrols off the coasts of North America, various acts of intimidation against Europe by Moscow, and the rapid increase in the prowess of the Chinese navy.

North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons, is moving rapidly to perfect the technology to place them on ICBMs capable of striking the American mainland.

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The entire debate over the appropriate level of western military strength has an air of unreality to it. Those, like the President and other progressives, including (or especially) those in the entertainment industry (well known for its leftist leanings) appear to discount the need for a force sufficient to deter aggression, and they also appear to lack the fortitude to use military assets even if they were adequate.

To put in terms the White House might understand, it’s the same concept as rejecting the need for medical insurance because you don’t believe in the existence of disease.

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Quick Analysis

Garner, Brown incidents abused for political goals

Both the President of the United States and the Mayor of New York City have irresponsibly used the Michael Brown and Eric Garner incidents to gain political goals.

Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, who had 19 prior arrests, reportedly stated that he hated cops. The extraordinary publicity and inflammatory statements by elected officials, media elites, and others over the attempted arrests in Ferguson concerning Michael Brown and in NYC involving Eric Garner gave him the excuse to kill NYPD police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. This was the First assassination of NYC cops since 1988.

Many black American males state that they are stopped by police officers more than people of other racial groups. Police frequently respond that is because black males are statistically more likely to be both the victims and perpetrators of crimes than others. This argument, however, is irrelevant. In these two cases, both men had committed crimes, were physically imposing, and resisted arrest.

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In the case of Mr. Obama, his immigration policy has caused great distress among blacks. Turning the August Ferguson matter into a national debate was an unsuccessful ploy to both distract from that and was also an attempt to encourage supporters to participate in the 2014 election, a strategy which failed.  Mr. de Blasio has been strongly linked to rumors that he is seeking higher office, but needs greater recognition and support among the hard-left wing of the Democrat Party to move forward.

To disregard the harmony and safety of local communities and ignore the need for a more dispassionate, honest, and intelligent conversation about race relations in order to pursue political goals is an inexcusable breach of good faith by both the President and the Mayor.

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Quick Analysis

Will new EPA regs cost jobs?

How clean can America’s air get while still keeping energy affordable for consumers and not result in extensive job loss?

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy has proposed   amending national ozone pollution standards. Her plan would revise the current standard of 75 parts per billion (the concentration of ozone pollution in the air we breathe) to a standard in the range of 65-70 parts per billion, while taking public comment on a level as low as 60. Across the U.S. 558 counties would be in violation of the new rule. The EPA believes the measure will cost about $17 billion by 2025, leading manufacturers to state that this may be the most costly move ever taken. The concept was originally proposed in 2011 but delayed by the White house for political reasons until after the election cycle.

The concept has triggered substantial dissent. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for the Environment, Technology, and Regulatory Affairs Bill Kovacs noted that “The EPA’s proposal to lower the ozone standard will have potentially damaging economic consequences for this country. This stricter standard will lead to more nonattainment designations across the United States, which translates into restrictions on expansion, permitting delays, increased costs to industry, and an impact to transportation planning. This more stringent standard will also strike at the heart of those areas that are just beginning to appreciate the economic benefits of planning for and building new facilities, expanding existing ones, and developing their communities.”
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According to NERA Economic Consulting the stricter ozone regulation could reduce U.S. GDP by $270 billion per year and $3.4 trillion from 2017 to 2040, resulting in 2.9 million fewer jobs or job equivalents per year on average through 2040.

Ideally, of course, America’s air would be pristine, resembling what it was in when the U.S. was a sparsely settled nation before industrialization and the development of the power grid. The question is how close to that condition can the nation without turning off the lights and irreparably damaging the economy.

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Quick Analysis

China’s military aggressiveness cited in new report

The New York Analysis of Policy & Government continues its exploration of the 2014 report of the U.S.-China  Economic and Security Review Commission. http://www.uscc.gov/

“During 2014, China’s military modernization continued at a fast pace, creating additional challenges for the United States and its allies, and China’s neighbors. Most notably, China conducted its first test of a new hypersonic missile vehicle, which could enable China to conduct kinetic strikes anywhere in the world within minutes to hours, and performed its second flight test of a new road-mobile intercontinental missile that will be able to strike the entire continental United States and could carry up to 10 independently maneuverable warheads.

“Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) increased its inventory of modern submarines, surface ships, and combat aircraft while upgrading its legacy platforms with new weapon systems.

“In the maritime domain, the PLA Navy continued its transformation from a coastal force into a technologically advanced navy capable of projecting power throughout the Asia Pacific. Since the Commission’s 2013 Annual Report, the PLA Navy has expanded its presence in the East and South China Seas and for the first time begun combat patrols in the Indian Ocean. Additionally, China’s first aircraft carrier in January conducted its first long-distance training deployment.

“The nature of the deployment suggests China is experimenting with multiple types of carrier formations, including those resembling U.S. combined expeditionary groups.
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“China’s growing confidence in its military capabilities has emboldened Beijing to aggressively advance its territorial ambitions. Since approximately 2009, China has increasingly used coercive military and economic measures to assert control over its territorial claims in the East and South China Seas. Since late 2013, however, China has been more willing to advance its sovereignty claims without seeking to justify its actions as responses to perceived provocations by rival claimants. The three most significant manifestations of this new, even more assertive turn are China’s establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea; China’s relocation of an oil rig to waters disputed by Vietnam in the South China Sea; and China’s ongoing attempts to prevent the Philippines from resupplying its military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea…

“Perhaps of most concern is Beijing’s apparent willingness to provoke incidents at sea and in the air that could lead to a major conflict as China’s maritime and air forces expand their operations beyond China’s immediate periphery. China already has initiated dangerous encounters at sea on several occasions. In December 2013, a U.S. Navy ship was forced to maneuver to avoid a collision with a PLA Navy ship that had intentionally stopped in front of it. Both ships were operating in international waters. Later in 2014, a China Coast Guard ship rammed Vietnamese government ships following China’s placement of a state-owned deep-sea drilling platform inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, and a Chinese fighter flew within 30 feet of a U.S. Navy reconnaissance aircraft international airspace.

“This pattern of unilateral Chinese actions in sensitive and disputed areas is raising tensions in the Asia Pacific and alienating many of its neighbors. China’s deepening economic, diplomatic, and military influence on its geographic periphery has led its neighboring countries to reconsider their security strategies and relationships, particularly those involving the United States. As the United States seeks to reaffirm its alliances and boost its security links with associates in East Asia and Oceania, it must contend with China’s competing vision of a China-led regional security architecture.

“This uncertain environment is further complicated by China’s support for North Korea, which continues to pose the most serious threat to East Asia security.”

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Quick Analysis

China’s unfair Trade Policies

The  U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has released its 2014 Annual Report to Congress.  In two crucial areas—economic and military affairs, it paints a disturbing picture.  In today’s report, we present the Commission’s summary of the challenges represented by Beijing’s trade policies.

China’s unfair practices occur in a number of economic spheres.  Last March, The  World Trade Organization decided that China broke trade rules by limiting the export of rare-earth metals in an effort to give their domestic manufacturers a key advantage. The practice also has national security implications, since many of the resources in question are key elements in defense industry manufacturing.

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American manufacturers already operate under a number of handicaps imposed by Washington. China’s policies are delivering a further and potentially decisive blow.

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Announcements

Larry Allison, R.I.P.

SPECIAL NOTE: AS A RESULT OF LARRY ALLISON’S UNTIMELY PASSING, THE BRIEF BREAK IN TAPING THE VERNUCCIO/ALLISON REPORT, WHICH HAD BEEN SCHEDULED IN ORDER TO UPGRADE EQUIPMENT, WILL BE EXTENDED UNTIL JANUARY 14.

It is with the most profound sorrow that I must inform you of the passing of Larry L. Allison, co-host of the Vernuccio/Allison Report.

Larry had worked for NYC’s telecommunications agency, and spent a great deal of time at the 9/11 site in the aftermath of the attack.  As a result, he incurred massive health problems, including bladder cancer, pulmonary disorders, and leukemia. These disorders led to his demise on the morning of December 16 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he had been undergoing intensive treatment for breathing issues.

Larry had served in both Democrat and Republican administrations in local government,  eventually rising to the level of Deputy Director for Disabled Services. Indeed, serving the special camp for disabled children. He remained in contact with many from that period in his life, and took pride in their achievements.

Larry was one of the most brilliant and loving individuals around, and truly passionate about his devotion to America’s founding ideals. His convictions were the result of a life spent in public service, his unquenchable curiosity, his diligent research, and a fearless devotion to intellectual honesty.

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He became deeply troubled by the course government had taken on the city, state, and federal levels, and diligently sought to restore common sense, integrity and Constitutional adherence.

He became a fixture in New York’s politics, managing, advising and/or assisting in the campaigns of a number of candidates. Party was not an issue; whether the candidate was Republican or Democrat, if Larry felt they were sincere, had good ideas, and would follow the ideals that made the nation great, he would help.

Many across America first knew him as the co-host of the Vernuccio/Allison Report radio program, intially broadcast on WVOX Saturday mornings and eventually picked up by the amfm247.com network.  The shows are also broadcast on regular radio in Tampa, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Boulder, Colorado; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Lancaster, PA; and Macon, Georgia. He was noted for his well-informed, well-documented, and no-holds barred positions on the key issues of the day.

Larry is survived by his wife, Jocelyn, and daughters Amanda and Alynda. He remained close to his brothers Ron and Don throughout his life, as well as their spouses, and his many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by goddaughters Laureena and Amanda, and many step-children and step-grandchildren through Jocelyn. All deeply loved him. He had a long list of close friends across the nation from all walks of life.

 No better individual ever graced a microphone as thoughtfully and sincerely as did our beloved Larry Allison. He will be truly and greatly missed, but never forgotten.