In Alaska, Anxiety Grows as Debate over Health Care Rages

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Going without health insurance is a risk. Going without it in Alaska can be a gamble of a much higher order, for this is a place unlike anywhere else in the U.S., a land of pitiless cold, vast expanses and dangerous, back-breaking work such as pulling fishing nets from the water or hauling animal carcasses out of the woods.

And yet many people on the Last Frontier do not carry insurance. For them, the Affordable Care Act just isn’t working.

For reasons that have a lot to do with its sheer size, sparse population and harsh environment, Alaska has some of the highest health care costs in the nation; the most expensive insurance premiums, according to one key measure; and just one insurer in the whole state writing individual policies. (Read more from “In Alaska, Anxiety Grows as Debate over Health Care Rages” HERE)

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What ‘the Mother of All Bombs’ Means in Trump’s Foreign Policy

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Why did America just drop the mother of all bombs?

There is the glib answer: Because we can. Then there is the technical answer: Because it was right for the job.

The U.S. military on Thursday dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb, the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, on an Islamic State, also known as ISIS, target in eastern Afghanistan. The bomb, which weighs 21,600 pounds and extends 30 feet long, had never before been used in combat.

In military operations, one of the considerations is to be proportional—use coercive force commensurate with the task, while taking due diligence to protect innocents.

In this case, it appears the target was an underground complex—virtually a sanctuary, impossible to get at with conventional munitions. It was an important enemy target. This particular weapon creates a massive overpressure wave that collapses the tunnel underneath.

Operationally, this could well reflect a shift in how the U.S. fights. The last administration was risk-averse. The top goal was to figure out how to disengage. There was a tendency to pull decision-making to Washington.

This White House seems more inclined to let commanders do their jobs and exercise their military judgment.

Strategically, there appears to be a shift in this administration’s plans to fight the war in Afghanistan.

While continuing to shift responsibility to the Afghans to defend their own country and win their own future, President Donald Trump looks to be tossing out the timeline, effectively saying we’ll stay until the job is done and will do what we have to do to help, but it’s in our interest to see the Afghan state standing on its own.

Trump seems less enamored with taking credit for ending wars than winning peace and protecting U.S. interests, delivering Washington, D.C.’s equivalent of the mantra “Don’t mess with Texas.”

That the administration chose to speak publicly and plainly about the use of this weapon was clearly intended to send a message: Playtime is over.

Trump may not be interested in looking to go forth to find dragons to slay. On the other hand, he seems determined and persistent in seeing through the tasks required to protect America’s interests and warn America’s enemies to back off. (For more from the author of “What ‘the Mother of All Bombs’ Means in Trump’s Foreign Policy” please click HERE)

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The Possible Upsides of Korea Crisis

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Not only is the current showdown with North Korea unlikely to lead to a military conflict, it is likely that all the countries involved will walk away believing they have achieved something for their side. In fact, it could be the perfect storm of crisis diplomacy that’s a win-win for everybody—for now.

Pyongyang gets the world’s attention. Kim family diplomacy requires that the world see its regime as a dangerous, unpredictable menace. Otherwise, why would anybody care to deal with the world’s poorest nation at the far end of the planet?

Usually the annual military parade gets no more attention than a joke on the late-night shows. This time around, Kim Jong Un’s half-serious salute got worldwide coverage. The question for Kim is how to parlay fear-mongering into some kind of strategic advantage.

Seoul and Tokyo got a big reassurance of commitment from Washington, as the U.S. rushed to show both that we’d honor our obligations to mutual defense. Nothing says we care like an armada of ships and a fleet of nuclear-capable bombers.

Beijing used the crisis to establish a rapport with the new U.S. president. Rather than stiff-arm President Donald Trump or play rope-a-dope, President Xi Jinping adopted a let’s make-a-deal attitude.

Washington got to look strong, too. In a little over a week, Trump met with top foreign leaders, including Xi, dealt with the situation in Korea, and handled a crisis in Syria. For a fledgling administration led by a president with little foreign policy chops, that was a damn decent performance.

That Trump navigated through the crisis, so far, so well is a hopeful indicator that he will deliver a mature and responsible foreign policy. Indeed, signs point in that direction.

By giving all the players involved enough space to save face, Washington helped defuse rather than escalate the crisis.

The question is: Where do we go from here?

Getting through the day without starting World War III doesn’t solve the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea. The White House needs a sustained responsible policy. The Chinese are not going to solve the problem. Kim is never going to voluntarily give up his nukes.

Just talking will get us nowhere. What is needed is a serious long-term plan that might create future opportunities for de-escalation, something Heritage Foundation expert Bruce Klingner was pressing for even before the crisis started.

The good news is that Trump has weathered the challenge so far. The administration is following the right playbook: maximum pressure but not regime change.

But there is more to be done.

For sure, the U.S. needs to send clearer signals that it is not planning to ratchet up tensions.

While the announced part of the next-step policy seems good, the sanctions portion, including enforcing existing U.S. law, might well be put on hold pending action by China. It’s a problem that China always underperforms on its promises. Trump should not wait long for Beijing to deliver before really turning up the heat on sanctions. (For more from the author of “The Possible Upsides of Korea Crisis” please click HERE)

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The University of Virginia’s Fight to Protect Free Speech

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According to some observers, college campuses are facing a “free speech crisis.” From author Charles Murray, who faced violent protests at Middlebury College, to Manhattan Institute scholar Heather Mac Donald, who was shouted down by students at Claremont McKenna College, controversial free speech cases arise on college campuses almost weekly.

But amid the chaos, some college and university administrators are working harder than ever to protect the First Amendment. The Daily Signal traveled to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, which has faced its own campus protests in recent weeks, to find out how difficult—and costly—it is in today’s political environment to stand up for free speech.

(For more from the author of “The University of Virginia’s Fight to Protect Free Speech” please click HERE)

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Media Silent as Clinton/Obama-Connected Lobbying Group Registers as Foreign Agent for Pro-Russia Org

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The Podesta Group — which was co-founded by John Podesta, the former Hillary Clinton campaign chair, Obama White House senior adviser, and former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton — has filed as a foreign agent for a pro-Russian think tank.

The D.C. lobbying shop’s retroactive paperwork appeared Wednesday on the website of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) office. From 2012-2014, the Podesta Group lobbied for the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, which was created to support former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich. He has since fled to Russia after the Ukrainian people rose up against his autocratic rule. Yanukovych was essentially Putin’s puppet, pushing for policies that would alienate Ukraine from Europe and bring it under the umbrella of Russian influence.

The U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act, passed in 1938, requires individuals and organizations hired by non-U.S. organizations and foreign nations for the purpose of disseminating propaganda to publicly disclose their activities.

The Podesta Group is run by John Podesta’s brother, Anthony Podesta, who was a major Clinton campaign bundler. Because of his prominent political connections, Anthony Podesta is considered one of the most influential lobbyists in the world. The Podesta Group is consistently ranked as one of the top five most influential lobbying organizations. The firm reportedly earns close to $30 million a year for its efforts.

Disclosures in the foreign agent document reports reveal that the pro-Russia lobbying endeavor involved dozens of meetings with prominent reporters, congressional leaders, and government officials.

Over a three year time period, the Podesta Group was paid over $1 million dollars to lobby for the pro-Russian outfit, according to an accounting of the disclosures from 2012-2014.

The news comes as former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort also reportedly intends on retroactively registering as a foreign agent for work he did for Yanuokovych-tied entities. Manafort also worked as a lobbyist for the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, according to reports.

The mainstream media has largely ignored the lobbying efforts of the Podesta Group, even though its co-founder is intimately tied to the past two Democratic presidents as well as the most recent Democratic nominee for president. In its story on the disclosures, the Associated Press did not highlight the Podesta Group’s ties to top Democrats, instead focusing on allegations against Manafort. (For more from the author of “Media Silent as Clinton/Obama-Connected Lobbying Group Registers as Foreign Agent for Pro-Russia Org” please click HERE)

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Newly Released FBI Interview Claims FBI Contacted Boston Bombers before Attack

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On the 23rd day of April in 2011, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was interviewed by the FBI, at the request of the Russians who said they were concerned about the young man’s ties to Chechen Islamic Extremists.

Two years later, Tamerlan, who was around 24 at the time of the interview, would go on to become the infamous Boston bomber in the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings. Alongside his brother, Dzhokhar, they blew up two homemade pressure-cooker bombs near the finish line at the marathon.

The attack killed three and injured nearly 300 people. The subsequent manhunt led authorities to the Tsarnaev brothers, who went on the run after learning the authorities were on their trail. Tamerlan was killed by his brother after he panicked and ran him over with his car. Dzhokhar was later shot and captured while hiding inside a boat.

While the FBI admitted, at the time of the bombings, that it had interviewed Tamerlan, it was only this week that it released the details of the interview.The FBI then asked Tamerlan a series of questions related to his daily activities. He was asked about his Chechen heritage but said he had several Russian friends in the U.S., preferring to blame the leaders of Russia, Putin and Medvedev, rather than the Russian people.

He then described his boxing activities, saying he’d hoped to be able to box for the U.S. National Team someday. When asked if he’d ever consider joining the military he said he preferred to train to be a professional boxer.

Tsarnaev, a Muslim, was asked about his activities at the local Mosque. He said he attended the Mosque on Fridays for prayers, along with a few of his friends from high school, but admitted he knew few people at the mosque.

He said he knew of Islamic extremist information on the internet but said he never frequented such sites. The FBI asked Tamerlan about other religions and he responded by saying he had respect for all religions and that being a part of one makes one’s life better.

Nothing from the interview reportedly raised any red flags in the eyes of the FBI, but something interesting to note, and what might be fodder for conspiracy theorists, was the strangely peculiar encounter, not documented, with four men reportedly belonging to the FBI.

As we’ve learned from subsequent FBI investigations, one as recent as today’s announcement of the arrest of two Chicago ISIS sympathizers, the bureau has an extensive network of informants. Those individuals often infiltrate the lives of targeted individuals, in an effort to see if they’re capable of carrying out terrorist attacks. They’re then presented with an opportunity to do so, and it’s at that time they’re arrested.

The FBI then takes credit for preventing a terrorist attack, thereby validating their anti-terrorist budget and activities. Some critics of the FBI call those actions nothing less than entrapment. And without the help of the FBI, those individuals would arguably be going about their everyday activities, unconcerned with carrying out acts of terrorism. The FBI’s anti-terrorism activities, some have said, actually create terrorists out of regular citizens.

While it’s still unclear, from Tsarnaev’s interview, whether or not the Boston bombings was one such sting operation that went horribly wrong, the facts are now becoming clear. Tsarnaev was approached by people he thought were the FBI. He was then interviewed by the FBI. He and his brother then bombed the Boston Marathon. What happened between the time of the interview and the time of the bombing is still unknown. But we hope that activists using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) can uncover any government documents which might be able to answer those remaining unanswered questions.

One thing is now for certain. When Zubeidat Tsarnaev (mother) claimed the pair of brothers were being handled by the FBI, her accusations were met with much skepticism. She proclaimed her sons’ innocence and said the FBI knew what they were doing all along.

They used to come [to our] home, they used to talk to me…they were telling me that he [the older, 26-y/o Tamerlan] was really an extremist leader and that they were afraid of him. They told me whatever information he is getting, he gets from these extremist sites… they were controlling him, they were controlling his every step…and now they say that this is a terrorist act! Never ever is this true, my sons are innocent!

(For more from the author of “Newly Released FBI Interview Claims FBI Contacted Boston Bombers before Attack” please click HERE)

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No Refuge on Good Friday: Palestinian Stabs Young Christian Woman to Death in Israel

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A 23-year-old Christian tourist was stabbed to death by a Palestinian man as Christians gathered to celebrate Good Friday, ABC News reports. The attack comes as Christians around the world commemorate the day Jesus Christ was crucified and died, rising from the dead three days later on Easter — the highest Christian holy day.

The attack took place on a tram close to the Old City, where tourists from around the world have come to commemorate Easter and Passover. The woman died shortly after she was brought to a medical facility, despite efforts to save her. The 57-year old Palestinian attacker was apprehended by police.

Local media quoted witnesses as saying the man stabbed the woman multiple times. Reports said a pregnant woman was injured when the light rail came to a sudden stop. The attacker was apprehended by officers at the scene, police said.

Reports indicate two others were injured as well.

According to ABC News, Palestinians have killed 42 Israelis and two visiting Americans since September 2015. The Palestinian Authority regularly incites violence and acts of terror against Christians and Jews in Israel.

Governments around the world are taking steps to prevent attacks by radical Islamic terrorists over the Easter holiday. Authorities in Kosovo claim they have already intercepted plans for such an attack. (For more from the author of “No Refuge on Good Friday: Palestinian Stabs Young Christian Woman to Death in Israel” please click HERE)

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This Is What It Looks Like When a 21,000-Pound MOAB Takes out 36 ISIS Terrorists

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The Pentagon has released video footage of MOAB — i.e. the “Mother of All Bombs” — as it was dropped by the U.S. military’s C-130 aircraft Thursday, targeting ISIS fortifications in Afghanistan.

It is the world’s largest non-nuclear bomb, and reports indicate at least 36 ISIS fighters were killed in the blast. So far, no civilian casualties have been reported.

The 20-second night-vision video shows the bomb’s detonation in real time.

(For more from the author of “This Is What It Looks Like When a 21,000-Pound MOAB Takes out 36 ISIS Terrorists” please click HERE)

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Is President Trump Being Transparently Hypocritical?

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In a break from his predecessor, President Trump has decided he will not reveal the logs of visitors to the White House until leaving office, White House officials announced Friday.

The new policy, which was first reported at Time Magazine, is an about-face from the Obama administration, which — despite its infamous lack of transparency — regularly published White House visitor logs for public consumption.

“By instituting historic restrictions on lobbying to close the revolving door, expanding and elevating ethics within the White House Counsel’s office, and opening the White House press briefing room to media outlets that otherwise cannot gain access, the Trump administration has broken new ground in ensuring our government is both ethical and accessible to the American people,” reads a statement about the decision from White House Communications Director Michael Dubke.

“Given the grave national security risks and privacy concerns of the hundreds of thousands of visitors annually,” it continues, “the White House office will disclose Secret Service logs as outlined under the Freedom of Information Act, a position the Obama White House successfully defended in federal court.”

Under the new policy, logs of those entering the White House complex will be kept secret until at least five years after Trump leaves office — only then will they be made available to the public.

A WhiteHouse.gov page that previously held the public rolls of who had visited the executive mansion has been blank since the transition to a new administration.

The change is from the same president who, as a private citizen years ago, openly criticized Obama for not being transparent enough about his records on a number of issues.

Friday’s news come in the wake of reports that first daughter Ivanka Trump has been meeting privately with groups like Planned Parenthood in order to find “common ground.” Meanwhile, reports from inside the West Wing indicate that Ivanka’s husband Jared Kushner and Goldman Sachs CEO have been gaining more hold over the president’s ear.

As evidence for the Oval Office’s new ideological trajectory, some have cited the high number of flip-flops from the administration this week on key campaign promises, including declaring China a “currency manipulator” and avowing strong support for NATO – an organization he called “obsolete” during the campaign.

So the question remains, is this decision to defend the privacy of White House visitors or the meetings of ambassadors for a leftist agenda that appears to continually pushing President Trump leftward? (For more from the author of “Is President Trump Being Transparently Hypocritical?” please click HERE)

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That ‘Offensive’ Pepsi Ad? Turns out America Loved It

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Remember that “offensive” Pepsi ad featuring the young Kendall Jenner, sibling to the Kardashians? The one in which Jenner tries to bridge the gap between young protesters and the police through an ice cold Pepsi. Well, according to Morning Consult it looks like the American people overwhelmingly like that ad. Proving, just like the 2016 election, that the nation doesn’t hold the same views as a loud group of politically correct whiners.

First up here’s the “offensive ad.”

This is really just a different take on the old Coke, “I’d like to teach the world to sing” commercials. SJWs went nuts because it dared showed a young person being nice to a police officer. That apparently is the height of 2017 offensiveness.

The polling firm Morning Consult wanted to see how Americans reacted to the ad. Here are their results:

As Ms. Miranda of BuzzFeed says, “a lot of people” liked the ad. When you look further at the data it seems that 50 percent or higher of millennials and young Gen Xers had a more favorable view of Pepsi after watching the ad. Which is the exact opposite reaction the MSM and SJWs would have you think would have happened.

In addition, more people had a more favorable view of Pepsi after viewing the ad in all age groups. Though only younger folks were moved at 50 percent or higher.

Finally, the group the SJWs would tell you should be most offended by the ad — minorities — overwhelmingly had a more favorable view of Pepsi after viewing it. This includes 75 percent of Hispanics, 51 percent of blacks, and 65 percent of other non-whites. Whites were the least moved by the ad with only 41 percent, a plurality, liking Pepsi more after viewing watching the ad.

This is more proof SJWs still don’t get America. The American people are sick and tired of being told how to think and act by a group of whiners. The most hopeful part of this Morning Consult poll is that it seems even the younger generation see’s through the SJWs attempt at programming their minds.

The next time Pepsi or any other company gets hit by an internet SJW tsunami of haters, it may be best to just stay the course. (For more from the author of “That ‘Offensive’ Pepsi Ad? Turns out America Loved It” please click HERE)

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