UN Moving Forward With Anti-Gun Treaty

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photo credit: R0NgMoving crews have packed up desks, lamps, chairs, office supplies and other personal items of numerous Democrat Senate and House offices now vacated after November’s election. But in a suite of offices located directly across from the Senate Floor, there were relics from the list of bills that passed the U.S. House and sat without action inside Harry Reid’s office. Somewhere in that stack likely sits an anti-gun treaty signed by Secretary of State John Kerry.

To his credit, outgoing-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid likely knew the United Nation’s Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) would never meet the two-thirds majority requirement for ratification. But as of Christmas Eve, the treaty has gone into effect internationally.

The UN General Assembly first approved the ATT in April 2013 and Kerry signed it on Sept. 24, 2013, amid criticism from the Republican side of the upper chamber’s aisle.

No action has been taken to move the treaty to a vote for U.S. Senate ratification, but 61 nations have ratified the treaty and 69 additional nations have signed without ratification by their own governments. The ATT is legally binding only to the 61 nations whose governments have procedurally embraced the global legislation.

Likely, Reid avoided the self-inflicted damage to Democrats in an election cycle that would result with a recorded vote on a UN arms control effort. Then again, Democrats didn’t fair all that well as it was. (Read more about the anti-gun treaty HERE)

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Jeb Bush Launches ‘Right to Rise’ PAC

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By Rebecca Berg. Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday will take another big step toward potentially running for president, filing the paperwork for a political action committee.

Bush announced the new leadership PAC, called “Right to Rise,” with a video posted to social media in English and in Spanish. In the video, Bush said the PAC will “support candidates that believe in conservative principles to allow all Americans to rise up.”

A website for the fledgling PAC promoted a similar mission statement.

“We believe passionately that the Right to Rise — to move up the income ladder based on merit, hard work and earned success — is the central moral promise of American economic life,” the website reads. “We are optimists who believe that America’s opportunities have never been greater than they are right now. But we know America is falling short of its promise.”

The idea of the “right to rise” has its roots with Abraham Lincoln, who popularized the political idea of rising from rags to riches. He did not use that exact language, although lauded Lincoln scholar Gabor Boritt later did. (Read more about what Jeb Bush launches HERE)

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Jeb Bush: I will not join the fight against homosexual marriage, respect the tyranny of the federal courts

By Nia-Malika Henderson. With 69 words, likely White House contender Jeb Bush staked out a position on same-sex marriage that boils down to this: I’m not my brother; I’m more like the pope.

Whereas George W. Bush carried the evangelical flag on same-sex marriage, energizing a cross-cultural section of voters in key swing states, Jeb Bush has essentially waved the white flag while also nodding to his Catholic faith. . .

We live in a democracy, and regardless of our disagreements, we have to respect the rule of law. I hope that we can also show respect for the good people on all sides of the gay and lesbian marriage issue — including couples making lifetime commitments to each other who are seeking greater legal protections and those of us who believe marriage is a sacrament and want to safeguard religious liberty. – Jeb Bush

. . . Holding together those evangelicals, who see the march toward legalizing same-sex marriage as an affront to their faith and a culture war worthy of a might fight, will be much trickier for Bush. He has said, quite simply, he won’t join that fight.

This will put him at odds with, especially, Mike Huckabee, who has deep ties to evangelicals and has threatened to leave the GOP if party leaders bow to more a more centrist stance on same-sex marriage. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Two Arrested for Selling Meth in Nome (KNOM)

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Photo Credit: AST

Editor’s Note: Our apologies, but KNOM (a Nome, Alaska “Catholic radio station”) has objected to our Fair Use re-posting of several paragraphs from this story. Importantly, Restoring Liberty sends tens of thousands of visitors every month to websites from which we aggregate excerpts. This drives viewers and revenue to the original publishers. Nevertheless, in line with our publishing standards, we respect the originating source’s request, although not required to do so under widely-accepted standards of Fair Use.

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Obama is Killing Young America’s Future

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Photo Credit: Personal Liberty President Barack Obama was able to sail into the Oval Office twice thanks largely to his campaign efforts to woe young, idealistic voters into believing that “hope,” “change” and, of course, massive student loan forgiveness and basically free insurance were on the horizon. Now, young people are paying for having been fooled twice as Young America’s Foundation reports that its Youth Misery Index numbers for 2014 reached a record high.

The YMI is calculated by compiling information on youth unemployment, average graduating student debt (in thousands), and national debt per capita (in thousands). For 2014, the foundation reports that the YMI hit 106.5, up from 98.6 in 2013.

The increase is attributed to youth unemployment hovering around 18.1 percent last year as nearly 6 million young Americans between 16 and 24 were unable to find jobs. Making the problem worse, college graduates shouldered an average student loan debt burden of $30,000 for 2014, according to the index.

National debt per capita, meanwhile, was the highest ever for 2014 at $58,400. (Read more on how Obama is killing young America’s future HERE)

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Congress Poised to Expand Obama’s Authority to Fight ISIS

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Photo Credit: International Business Times By Sean Lengell. New Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said he expects Congress will “get the ball rolling” on legislation this month to give the White House expanded authority to conduct military operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants.

“It’s got to be sooner rather than later,” the Arizona Republican told reporters Tuesday.

In December, the then-Democratic controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved along partisan lines a measure to give President Obama more leeway in using the military to fight foreign terrorists. The bill, which barred the use of ground forces, died after it failed to receive a vote in the full Senate.

But with Republicans now controlling both houses of Congress, McCain said the matter is a vital national security priority. The measure will be primarily handled by the foreign relations committee with input from the armed services panel, he said.

McCain said he is “begging” the Obama administration to produce a draft of the bill, known as an Authorization for the Use of Military Force, or AUMF, but that the Senate is ready to act regardless. (Read more about the possible expansion to fight ISIS HERE)

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Chief Executioner for ISIS Found Beheaded

By Gianluca Mezzofiore. In a grotesque twist of the saying “live by the sword, die by the sword”, an Islamic State executioner in Syria who carried out beheadings for the jihadist group has been found with his head cut off.

The body of the Egyptian man, known to be the deputy emir of the feared al-Hesbah (or Hisbah) force in the eastern province of Deir al-Zor, was recovered near a power plant in al-Mayadeen city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The corpse showed signs of torture and carried the message “This is evil, you Sheikh” written on it. The severed head also had a cigarette in its mouth. It is unclear who carried out the decapitation but the message was obvious. (Read more from this story HERE)

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“Unprecedented Levels”: New Record for Meth Seizures at Border in 2014

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Photo Credit: Utsandiego Methamphetamine seizures at U.S. ports of entry on the California-Mexico border reached unprecedented levels in fiscal 2014, as drug trafficking organizations strive to smuggle growing quantities of the low-cost Mexican-made product into the United States.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures show 14,732 pounds of meth seized by the San Diego field office during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, accounting for 63 percent of the synthetic drug seized at all land, air and sea ports of entry nationwide.

With the California border as their main smuggling route, “the Mexican cartels are flooding the U.S. marketplace with their cheap methamphetamine,” said Gary Hill, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s assistant special agent in charge in San Diego.

Undercover agents are purchasing meth in San Diego for $3,500 a pound, versus about $11,800 for a pound of cocaine, Hill said. “We have seen the trend of the price of meth decreasing tremendously since 2008.”

Methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic drug, once was primarily produced in the United States, and San Diego was infamous as its manufacturing capital. But with a U.S. law enforcement crackdown on the precursor chemicals used to make meth, the drug is now largely produced in Mexico. (Read more about the meth seizures at borders HERE)

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In Another Bloody Attack, Two More NYPD Officers Shot

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In another bloody attack on New York’s Finest, two cops were shot by robbers in The Bronx Monday night — and a massive manhunt was underway for at least one suspect early Tuesday.

Officers Andrew Dossi and Aliro Pellarano — who had just finished their shift but came back on to respond to the robbery — were among a group of officers who encountered the gunmen at a Chinese restaurant on Tiebout Avenue at about 10:30 p.m., according to law enforcement sources.

Two suspects were inside the restaurant when the plainclothes cops confronted them. One suspect opened fire as he walked out of the eatery and the other fired shots through the window, leaving Dossi and Pellarano wounded.

The suspects then fled the scene on foot and an exchanged gunfire wit other cops at 184th Street and Tiebout Avenue.

Witnesses said they heard a series of gunshots near the location. (Read more about the NYPD officers shot HERE)

Woman Shot for Not Taking Morning After Pill

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By Wesley Juhl. A woman who survived being shot in the head Saturday may have been ambushed for not taking the morning-after pill, according to arrest records obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday.

Metro officers called to an apartment complex at 5400 W. Cheyenne Ave., near Rancho Drive, found Breyana Lewis with a bullet fragment in her head. Lewis was shot at multiple times while in her car in the parking lot.

Daquesha Fowler, 20, and Gregory Myrick, 21, were taken into custody in connection with the shooting about two hours later. Arrest records detail a love triangle taking a violent turn.

Lewis told officers with Las Vegas police’s Violent Crimes Section that she had been having a sexual relationship with Myrick for two months, and Fowler, who was Myrick’s fiancee, fired at her with a type of green, long gun rifle, the report said.

Lewis told police that she was having an argument with Myrick, who was angry at her for not taking the morning-after pill and possibly being pregnant. During their exchange, Myrick was texting someone. (Read more about the young woman who was apparently shot for not taking morning after pill HERE)

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Abortion Number One Killer of Black Population

By Kathy Allen. As we begin the year 2015 here in Louisiana, we look forward with hope in the knowledge of last year’s successes and understanding the ongoing challenges for the pro-life community. As a Black woman and single mom, I am well aware of the issues that influence decisions about life for ourselves and our children.

Data for 2014 is not yet in, but we know that in 2013 6,000 Black women decided to end the lives of their unborn babies in abortion clinics across our state. That’s 6,000 boys and girls – potential educators, health care professionals, clergy, athletes, contributors to art and music – who never took a breath. The deaths from abortion in the Black community were more than the combined total of deaths from HIV, cancer and heart disease.

Black women had 60 percent of all abortions in Louisiana in 2013, although we are only 32 percent of the population. One in every five Black babies in our state died in an abortion clinic. The fact is, ABORTION IS THE NO. 1 KILLER OF BLACK PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA. (Read more about the number one killer of black population HERE)

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Louie Gohmert’s Run For Speaker Against Ethically-Challenged Boehner Facing “Real Intimidation”

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Photo Credit: The Blaze By Erica Ritz. Texas Republican Louie Gohmert said there is “real intimidation” happening in the fight to determine who will be the next speaker of the House of Representatives.

Gohmert announced Sunday that he is running for speaker to unseat John Boehner (R-Ohio). Glenn Beck warned him Monday that if he doesn’t win, his political future is over.

“If you don’t win, you’re toast,” Beck said. “And that’s exactly what they’re going to be saying [to those who don’t vote for Boehner]. That’s what Boehner is saying to everybody right now. ‘Listen, you don’t vote for me, you don’t play ball with me now, you’re not getting on any committee. You’re not going to be heard from again.’”

“Yes,” Gohmert said. “I tell you what, Glenn, there is some real intimidation going on. Apparently this morning there was a statement released by Boehner’s people saying David Brat was going to vote for him.” (Read more about “Ethically-Challenged Boehner” HERE)

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Boehner Profits from Obamacare Stocks

By WND. Since the passage of Obamacare, House Speaker John Boehner has been dogged by critics pointing out his investment portfolio has benefited from owning insurance and medical company stocks that have profited from the legislation.

An analysis of Boehner’s current investment holdings includes a number of stocks benefiting from Obamacare in a total portfolio estimated at between $3.5 and $5 million in current market value. . .

Peter Schweizer, in his 2011 book on Washington corruption, “Throw Them All Out: How Politicians and Their Friends Get Rich Off Insider Stock Tips, Land Deals, and Cronyism that Would Send the Rest of Us to Prison,” noted on Page 20: “Congressman John Boehner, who was leading the opposition to Obamacare in the House of Representatives, may have been fighting John Kerry on policy matters, but he was entirely allied with him when it came to investment decisions.”

Schweizer continued:

On December 10, 2008, Boehner bought numerous health insurance company stocks, including tens of thousands of dollars in Cardinal Health, Cigna, and Wellpoint. On the same day, Boehner purchased shares in the Big Pharm companies Amgen, Johnson & Johnson, Forest Labs, Covidien, and Pfizer. He also bought shares in CareFusion, which provides systems for countering infections. Just days later, on December 15, the Washington Post declared that the ‘public option’ was officially dead.

Schweitzer drew a causal link, noting that Boehner’s heavy investment in Obamacare stocks meant his political opposition to the legislation was undermined by his personal interest. (Read more from this story HERE)
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Gohmert Details Ethically-Challenged Boehner’s Broken Promises

By Sarah Rumpf. [A] major driving force behind [Gohmert’s] efforts to oust Boehner are the “broken promises” from the Speaker, and he elaborated more on these issues with Breitbart Texas. According to Gohmert, these broken promises include:

*Promising to “fight tooth and nail” against Obama’s executive amnesty orders, but then allowing the CRomnibus bill to proceed forward with it still being funded;
*Promising every debt ceiling increase would be paired with a spending cut, but that has not happened;
*Promising Members would have time to properly read bills, then allowing only a three day period, which in reality was actually only two days;
*Promising a regular order of bills through committees, but bills keep coming to the floor without having followed that process;
*Promising that sequestrations would not happen, but then later declaring that they were necessary;
*Promising he would only serve one term as Speaker when he first ran; and
*Promising to have more transparent and open Speakership than Pelosi, who would not allow amendments, but instead running what Gohmert dubbed “the most closed Speakership in the history of the country.”

(Read more from this story HERE)

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Al-Qaeda Warns US About New, “Undetectable” Weapon They’ve Created

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Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is warning Americans that they’ve been working long and hard on a new tool to attack the U.S.

In the latest issue of the terror group’s Inspire electronic magazine, an individual called the AQ Chef was quoted as saying they developed a bomb in 2009, but “the brothers in the external operation committee did not give us the green light until recently.”

Hinting at al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s dedication to building undetectable bombs, he said in the winter 2014 edition of Inspire, released in late December, “they have developed other bombs that are more effective.”

AQ Chef indicates that lessons learned from failures in past assassination attempts and plots to attack U.S. airplanes and buildings have fed the development of a new generation of what it calls “undetectable” bombs.

In “The Hidden Bomb,” a 20-page section of the magazine, the writer goes into painstaking detail about how to build and test such a bomb: “For several months, we conducted a number of experiments. As a result we came up with these simple materials that are readily available around the globe, even inside America. We spared no effort in simplifying the idea in such we made it ‘another meal prepared in the kitchen’ so that every determined Muslim can prepare.” (Read how Al-Qaeda warns US HERE)

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