Why the Near-GOP Massacre? Look at Bernie Volunteer’s Facebook Postings, History of Democratic Party

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Yesterday, a left-wing Democrat decided to take the Left’s vicious narrative to the next level, opening fire at a group of Republican representatives and senators practicing for a charity baseball game they hold annually with Capitol Hill Democrats. Four congressmen, staff, and security personnel were injured in the shootout at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia, across the river from Washington, D.C.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), the third-highest ranking member of the leadership in the House of Representatives, was shot, but fortunately he had two U.S. Capitol Police officers accompanying him – the only armed presence in the ballpark. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who was at the baseball practice, said that if Scalise’s security detail hadn’t been there, “it would have been a massacre.”

As of 5 p.m. Eastern time, Scalise was listed in critical condition at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. The lawmaker underwent surgery. According to updated reports, the bullet caused extensive internal damage and more surgeries will be necessary. Lobbyist Matthew Mika, who was participating in the practice, was listed in critical condition at George Washington University Hospital.

During a presser a half hour later, FBI agent Tim Slater acknowledged five people were shot, including the alleged shooter. A congressman and a Capitol Police officer suffered “secondary injuries” and were transferred to local hospitals and treated, he added.

The shooter, now identified as James T. Hodgkinson, of Belleville, Illinois, died of injuries sustained during his shootout with police. He was an ardent Democrat and Bernie Sanders supporter, who championed socialism. He volunteered on the Sanders presidential campaign last year.

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) told reporters he encountered the man who turned out to be the shooter when he attended the practice. Hodgkinson asked him if the team there was Republicans or Democrats, Duncan said. The lawmaker says he told him they were Republicans and the man thanked him. Duncan then drove away and did not witness the shooting incident.

His wife says he had moved to Alexandria two months ago, but she did not explain why. Hodgkinson had apparently been living out of his car and reconnoitering the field since his arrival in the Virginia city. When his photo was published after the attack, Alexandria resident Stephen Brennwald recognized him as someone who regularly appeared mornings at the YMCA adjacent to the field where the attack occurred. Brennwald became suspicious of Hodgkinson, saying: “He never worked out. He never talked to anybody. He never did anything. He’d just sit there and stare at his laptop.” Brennwald said, adding that he often stared out the window, with “this kind of faraway stare.”

Shortly prior to moving, Hodgkinson’s Illinois neighbors also report that he had practiced shooting on his property but was told to stop by local police after the neighbors complained. Media reports state that Hodgkinson had been living in his personal vehicle in Alexandria.

A Facebook page in Hodgkinson’s name contained multiple posts demonizing President Donald Trump. The pages have now been removed from Facebook, but I was able to get numerous screen shots before that happened. Following is a sampling:

Earlier posts show his adamant support for Bernie Sanders and his hatred of the GOP generally and Donald Trump in particular. His most recent Facebook posts, from two days ago, suggest his mindset:

Hodgkinson’s twitter account is apparently @JTHInspections. Another one, @jimhodgkinson, may be a fake as the background photo has changed. Earlier it featured a picture of a younger Trump with Vladimir Putin photoshopped in next to him. Now it simply says “Trump is a pig.”

Are we really surprised by this attack? We shouldn’t be. The Democrats have been agitating relentlessly for just such a thing. There has been a constant, relentless drum roll of hatred toward the GOP, Trump family members, Trump cabinet members, and Trump supporters. Consider a tiny sampling of the outrageous remarks and behavior:

· Shakespeare in the Park: Donald Trump as Julius Caesar knifed in the back

· Kathy Griffin gaining notoriety with a fake beheaded Donald Trump

· Antifa communists physically attacking Trump supporters in the streets

· Leftist radicals torching UC Berkeley campus to protest Breitbart speaker, Milo Yiannopoulos

· Virginia GOP Rep. Tom Garrett and his family received repeated death threats · Arizona GOP Rep. Martha McSally, who was told “Your days are numbered,” by 58-year-old Democrat Steve Martan. “Martha, our sights are set on you”, he said, “Right between your f****** eyes.”

Former Secret Service agent and GOP candidate Dan Bongino says, “The Left has gone mad with rage… If it’s normalizing violence against him, if it’s using outrageous, outlandish language, if it’s making up false crimes against him like the Trump/Russia fairy tale, the conspiracy theory; they don’t care. They’ve lost any moral bedrock.”

Hodgkinson’s Facebook page contains one photo of himself. Interestingly, the one comment the photo received was from Lindy Lee, a former candidate for Congress, who gave the photo a thumbs-up.

Lee’s Facebook pages display a who’s who of the Democratic Party:

While there is no indication that Lee had any inkling of Hodgkinson’s intentions, and none is implied here, there is nothing new about mainstream Democrats aligning themselves with violent extremists. Indeed, as James O’Keefe proved in a series of undercover videos last year, violence and subversion is part and parcel of the Democrats’ game plan. Jamie Glazov of the Glazov Gang has produced a documentary about this propensity for violence entitled, ” United in Hate: The Left’s Romance With Tyranny and Terror.”

The most notorious case involves Jim Jones, an avowed communist and cult leader in the jungles of Guyana who in 1978 murdered his 909 followers (including 303 children), a U.S. congressman and four others before committing suicide himself. Prior to taking his “People’s Temple” into the jungle, he was endorsed by Democrat heavyweights. This included first lady Rosalynn Carter, Vice President Walter Mondale, HEW Secretary Joseph Califano, California Gov. Jerry Brown and his lieutenant governor Mervyn Dymally, five members of the U.S. Senate, 11 members of the House of Representatives, the mayor of San Francisco and one of the city’s former mayors, and the mayor of Gary, Indiana.

The fake news was at it even then, describing Jones as a religious extremist. In an article titled “When Religious Beliefs Become Evil: 4 Signs,” CNN characterized Jones as “a gifted speaker who built an interracial church in San Francisco that did much good in the community.” CNN never mentioned his avowed communism, atheism, and his close connection to the Democratic Party. Until his behavior became politically inconvenient, however, Jones was a leftist hero.

Forget introspection. True to form, the Democrats wasted no time in turning today’s shooting into a political issue. Terry McAuliffe, the serially corrupt governor of Virginia, offered a pitch for gun control, throwing in some massively dumb whoppers along the way. A mere two hours after the shooting CNN recorded him saying:

“There are too many guns on the street…”

and, are you ready for this?

“We lose 93 million Americans a day to gun violence…”

93 million!

Then he goes on to mention the need for “background checks” [Editor: we already have them], “shutting down gun show loopholes” [Editor: there is no such thing]… And he repeats the 93 million people a day claim again before ending. A reporter helps him by suggesting 93 million is a big number. McAuliffe corrects himself, saying it’s actually 93 a day.

If we want an explanation for today’s violence, look no further than the Democratic Party and its leftist agitators, attempting as we speak, to, in their own words, “make America ungovernable.” Their constant provocations and vilification create a justification in the minds of the many unstable among them who are already inclined to take matters into their own hands.

While Democrats have rapidly disassociated themselves from today’s events, their daily barrage of hatred virtually guarantees this kind of thing will happen again. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which specializes in fomenting hatred for conservatives, acknowledged today that the shooter “liked” their Facebook page. SPLC hyped a fake news story about Scalise and the KKK. This recalls Floyd Corkins, the homosexual activist that used SPLC “hate” rhetoric against the Family Research Council as an excuse for his attempted shooting rampage. FRC is still on SPLC’s Hatewatch list and SPLC has not apologized for its smear of Scalise. So much for Democrat contrition.

(The above article is exclusive to Restoring Liberty but a version of this report first appeared at Bombthrowers.com)

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HuffPo Pulls Article Calling for ‘Ultimate Punishment’ of Trump

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The Huffington Post pulled a piece calling for the “execution” of President Donald Trump published Saturday by contributor Jason Fuller.

Fuller’s piece contained rhetoric and imagery that seems tasteless, particularly after Wednesday’s events. Fuller boldly declares in the title that “Trump must be prosecuted — if convicted in a court of law — executed.” Fuller doesn’t stop there, however, as he insists that “impeachment isn’t enough” to “drain the swamp,” and to do so means doling out the “ultimate punishment [execution]” in order to fully restore the moral compass of the U.S.

Fuller’s “ultimate punishment” is not only reserved for the president, but also for “everyone assisting in his agenda,” including Republican Reps. Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan and White House strategist Steve Bannon. Fuller claims that “all must face justice” by being tried, convicted and ultimately executed for treason. (Read more from “HuffPo Pulls Article Calling for ‘Ultimate Punishment’ of Trump” HERE)

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Reversal: Trump Sells Fighter Jets to Terror-Supporting Qatar

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After taking credit for a Mideast-wide initiative to shine a light on the terror-supporting activities of the government of Qatar, President Donald Trump has done a dramatic reversal and will sell Doha up to 36 U.S. military jets.

Bloomberg reported Wednesday afternoon that the Qatari defense minister will meet with Defense Secretary James Mattis at some point later that day to officially sign the agreement.

On June 6, the president tweeted about Qatar’s support for terrorism:

Now, just over one week later, as evidenced by the fighter jet sales, he appears to have little concern with the country labeled by some as the foremost supporter of the Islamic State and other jihadist groups like al-Qaida and Hamas.

Over the past couple weeks, several Middle Eastern countries have imposed boycotts on Qatar, citing its support for terrorist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. The Arab states also remain gravely concerned about its diplomatic endeavors with the regime in Iran, which views most Sunni states as enemy nations.

The Trump administration has sent mixed messages about its policy toward Qatar, with some White House officials calling for an end to hostilities, and others calling for Doha to do more to stop support for terror. While the State Department has pushed for conflict resolution, White House officials often point to Qatar’s long-suspected terror financing.

The Qatari government has long solicited favor in Washington, D.C., by dumping millions of dollars into lobbying governments, past state officials, and prominent think tanks and universities. Doha recently signed a $15 million deal with the Brookings Institution, arguably the most prominent left-of-center think tank in the U.S. The Gulf state also donated $1 million to the Clinton Foundation while Hillary Clinton was serving as secretary of state.

In addition to the White House deal with Qatar, the administration has signed $100-plus billion mega-deal with Saudi Arabia to sell American military equipment to the Gulf monarchy. Like Qatar, Saudi Arabia has been accused of financing and arming terrorist networks in the Middle East. An effort led by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to block the arms sale failed in the Senate Tuesday by a vote of 47-53. (For more from the author of “Why Yesterday’s Near-Massacre? Look at Bernie Volunteer’s Facebook Postings, History of Democratic Party” please click HERE)

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REALLY MSM!? Special Edition: Scalise DESERVED It?

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RUSH TO LINK SCALISE TO “WHITE SUPREMACY” …

After Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., was shot this morning by a man who reportedly loved Bernie and hated the GOP, many in the media wasted little time in trying to link Scalise to white supremacists like David Duke. Ashley Rae Goldenberg noticed the disturbing trend and pegged the number of stories at “almost 1,000 recent results” on .

Here are some of the stories:

NY Post: Steve Scalise once defended himself against links to David Duke

Esquire: Some Background on Steve Scalise, the Republican Congressman Who Was Shot This Morning (Bonus points for calling Scalise a “hard-line conservative.”)

CNN: Who is Steve Scalise?

Washington Post: Who is Steve Scalise, the congressman shot at a baseball practice?

That’s just a small, but disturbing sample.

As Scalise remains in critical condition, news organizations see fit to highlight something Scalise apologized for doing, as if it had anything to do with why he was shot.

How about we take a step back – and not try to push a narrative – when someone is in the hospital?

MORE FROM THE MEDIA IN REACTION …

On the whole, media reaction to this shooting has been surprisingly mild in its overall tone. But, of course, there have been some absurd moments.

It’s the AR-15’s fault ­­… The U.K. Telegraph is quickly focused on a gun, not the person using the gun. They offered an explainer on the AR-15’s “long and bloody history in America.” Here’s more coverage from CR on the Left focusing on the gun.

Humanizing the alleged shooter … Much like after a terrorist attack, the media rushed to humanize the attacker. Multiple cable networks used this bizarre statement from an acquaintance of the shooter to do so.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?

Let me know if you’ve seen something outrageous in the coverage by emailing me at [email protected].

(For more from the author of “REALLY MSM!? Special Edition: Scalise DESERVED It?” please click HERE)

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Michigan Vietnam Vet Is Trump’s 1st Medal of Honor Recipient

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Members of Army medic James McCloughan’s unit in Vietnam called him “Doc.”

Now, those soldiers, several of whom McCloughan saved during the ferocious, dayslong Battle of Nui Yon Hill in 1969, will have a new name for him: Medal of Honor recipient.

Army spokeswoman Valerie L. Mongello said Tuesday that the 71-year-old from South Haven, Michigan, will become the first person to be awarded the nation’s highest military honor by President Donald Trump. (Read more from “Michigan Vietnam Vet Is Trump’s 1st Medal of Honor Recipient” HERE)

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Trump Will Be Impeached If Republicans Lose the House

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The 1998 midterm election was a debacle for Republicans, particularly then-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Since Reconstruction, no president had seen his party gain seats in the House in a midterm election six years into his presidency. Gingrich, who made the election a referendum on impeaching President Bill Clinton, resigned after the loss. Clearly, voters had sent the signal, “Don’t do it” . . .

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has cautioned against making the midterms a referendum on impeachment. But that is an electoral strategy, not a plan for when she gets the speaker’s gavel. And even if she declines to go straight to impeachment hearings on Day 1, a Democratic-controlled House would still be a nightmare for the White House. Any hope of passing a conservative agenda would die instantaneously. Worse, once Democrats gained the power to subpoena documents and compel testimony from members of the administration, the Hobbesian internal politics of today’s White House would look like a company picnic by comparison.

In short, the only hope for the Trump presidency is for the GOP to maintain control of the House.

According to various reports, the GOP thinks it can hold on by running “against the media” in 2018. As pathetic as that would be, it might work. Though I doubt it. A better strategy would be to actually get things done.

And the only way for that to happen is for both houses of Congress to get their act together. Voting bills out of the House may be enough to justify a Rose Garden party, but it will do little to sway voters who’ve been told for years that the GOP needs control of all three branches to do big things. Trump won’t be on the ballot in 2018, but his presidency will hang in the balance. (Read more from “Trump Will Be Impeached If Republicans Lose the House” HERE)

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Pro-Choicer Appointed to Key Vatican Pro-Life Think Tank

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Imagine how we would feel if Planned Parenthood appointed to its board of directors someone who:

Opposed late term abortion.

Affirmed that unborn children are full human persons at some point during pregnancy.

Used her credibility as a pro-choice feminist to discredit the central pro-abortion arguments.

How would we feel about that? I think we’d be excited. We’d see that as progress. We’d think that public pressure was moving the needle a bit in our direction. Even more encouraging if Planned Parenthood had fired the rest of its board. Purged it of purists. If empty spots on that board looked like they might go to other “moderates.”

Unexplained Purge at the Vatican’s Pro-Life Thinktank

Now flip that situation around, to see what is really happening. Pope Francis has purged the entire faculty of the Pontifical Council for Life. It was founded by Pope John Paul II as a thinktank and action center to combat what he called the “Culture of Death.” One of its first appointees (and its leader) was the great Dr. Jerome Lejeune. That pioneering researcher had discovered the genetic basis of Downs Syndrome. But Lejeune had been purged from mainstream academia and starved of research funds. Why? Because he opposed what he called the “genocide” aimed at unborn handicapped children. The Council for Life offered him a haven, a place full of allies, a nerve center where the fight for human life could be mapped out throughout the world.

Pro-Choice Philosopher Appointed

All wiped out. Gone. For reasons that are not public, the pope made a clean sweep of the Council for Life. Now he’s filling its positions again from scratch. So far he has reappointed a few of the solid people who were (for unknown reasons) dismissed. But he has made one pick so far that deeply troubles prolifers. As LifeSiteMews reported:

Among the 45 new members Pope Francis has appointed to the Pontifical Academy for Life is an Anglican minister who has argued that abortion should be legal until “18 weeks after conception.”

University of Oxford Professor Nigel Biggar, who was appointed to the Academy for a five-year term, stated in a 2011 dialogue with pro-infanticide ethicist Peter Singer that a preborn baby is “not … the same kind of thing as an adult or a mature human being” and therefore does not deserve “quite the same treatment.”

“I would be inclined to draw the line for abortion at 18 weeks after conception, which is roughly about the earliest time when there is some evidence of brain activity, and therefore of consciousness,” he said as reported by Standpoint magazine.

Then, one year later, when he was the keynote speaker for an event at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, he said that “it is not true that all abortion is equivalent to murder.”

…

Pope Francis began his overhaul of the Academy last year by creating new statutes, that among other things, no longer required that members sign a declaration to uphold the Church’s pro-life teachings. The Pope’s next move was to then remove all of the academy members while promising to make new appointments himself.

Former academy member Judie Brown wrote in an article earlier this year that she was shocked by what she called Francis’ move to “deconstruct” the Academy that was once considered a bastion of orthodoxy.

“The Pontifical Academy for Life is undergoing an overhaul by Pope Francis and his political operatives within the Vatican’s hierarchy, and it is one of the most heartbreaking events I have seen in my lifetime. But given the politics of the Vatican, it is not surprising,” she wrote at that time.

A Moderate on Abortion

Now, Biggar is not an extremist. (Unlike Paul Ehrlich, the population crank invited to a recent Vatican conference on biodiversity.) Biggar doesn’t favor abortion for all nine months, or forced sterilization. Biggar is well-known for opposing assisted suicide. That’s good to hear.

On abortion, he dates the beginning of life by the presence of brainwaves. That’s the same criterion we use for the end of life. If we protected all babies with brainwaves, many thousands would be saved. Many women do not even realize that they are pregnant by 18 weeks. For a secular intellectual unconvinced that man is made in the image of God, there is a certain internal logic here: Make brainwaves the “bookends” that mark off what’s fully human and alive from what is not yet or not any longer. Yes, it’s wrong. But it’s a long way from the Democratic Party’s support for abortion for all nine months for any reason.

So if Biggar got appointed to the Planned Parenthood board, that would be progress. It would mean that those leaders in the fight for untrammeled “reproductive rights” were losing confidence. They were responding to public pressure. Maybe they were ready to offer some compromise. Prolifers would rightly see it as blood in the water.

Of course, those pro-abortion groups are making no such appointments. Planned Parenthood, instead, is shoveling money to politicians like Kamala Harris. Before she was a U.S. senator, Harris prosecuted journalists. Why? For documenting Planned Parenthood’s crass trade in unborn baby parts.

A Loss of Nerve or Change of Direction?

No, it is the Vatican that is purging its ranks and appointing “moderates.” This institution under previous popes stood prophetically (and almost alone) against the destruction of unborn children for our sexual convenience. Catholic laymen led the fight against abortion. We were thrilled when millions of evangelicals discovered the issue and joined the fight. Even now, public opinion seems to be swinging in our direction.

But the Vatican under Francis wants to strike a different note of prophecy. Instead of resisting the culture of death, with his actions with the Pontifical Academy of Life the pope has struck a note of compromise. But not on all issues. He also boldly stepped forward … and condemned the very same things that secular progressives like to condemn:

An “unrestricted capitalism” that doesn’t even exist.

A future apocalypse caused by Westerners using our air conditioners.

A wave of “xenophobia” among nations already overwhelmed by immigrants and led by multiculturalists.

Without invoking (or imperiling) the infallible authority that Catholics believe a pope has, he can still make policy decisions that are very damaging indeed. (For more from the author of “Pro-Choicer Appointed to Key Vatican Pro-Life Think Tank” please click HERE)

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Manhunt Sparked by Slaying of Prison Guards, Inmates’ Escape

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Two Georgia inmates serving long prison sentences and “dangerous beyond description” overpowered and killed two guards on a prison bus before fleeing in a stolen car, authorities said.

The deadly escape happened about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday as the guards drove 33 inmates between prisons, and it set off a massive manhunt involving local, state and federal officers, Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said . . .

Donnie Russell Rowe, serving life without parole, and Ricky Dubose, who has prominent tattoos on his face and neck, overpowered, disarmed and killed Sgt. Christopher Monica and Sgt. Curtis Billue and then carjacked a driver who happened to pull up behind the bus on a rural highway, Sills said. (Read more from “Manhunt Sparked by Slaying of Prison Guards, Inmates’ Escape” HERE)

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Trump, Ryan Emphasize Importance of Unity After Shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise

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President Donald Trump called for unity after House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., was shot and wounded Wednesday morning when a man opened fire at Republican lawmakers and staff during a practice for a congressional baseball game.

“Congressman Scalise is a friend, and a very good friend. He’s a patriot and he’s a fighter,” Trump said, adding:

He will recover from this assault. And, Steve, I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation and, frankly, the entire world. America is praying for you and America is praying for all of the victims of this terrible shooting.

Later, House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi both made statements of common cause as Americans on the floor of the House.

At least four others, including two Capitol Police officers, were wounded in the shooting that began about 7:10 a.m. at the ball field in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington.

The members of Congress were preparing for the annual congressional baseball game between Republicans and Democrats, scheduled for Thursday at Nationals Park in Washington.

In his remarks, Trump did not speculate or comment on the motive of the shooter, first reported by The Washington Post to be James T. Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Illinois.

Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., said the shooter’s action was deliberate.

Trump, who delivered his remarks in the Diplomatic Room of the White House, said the incident reinforces the unity of the nation’s political parties, despite differences.

“We may have our differences, but we do well, in times like these, to remember that everyone who serves in our nation’s capital is here because, above all, they love our country,” Trump said.

Ryan, R-Wis., encouraged members to pursue unity and thanked his Democrat colleagues for their support.

“My colleagues, there are so many memories from this day that we will want to forget and there are so many images that we will not want to see again,” Ryan said. “But there is one image in particular that this House should keep. And that is a photo I saw this morning of our Democratic colleagues gathered in prayer this morning after hearing the news.”

The shooting, Ryan said, is a reminder for members to focus on what is important, despite differences.

“You know, every day we come here to test and challenge each other,” Ryan said.

Ryan challenged fellow lawmakers to remember the reason they serve.

We feel so deeply about the things that we fight for and the things that we believe in. At times, our emotions can clearly get the best of us. We are all imperfect. But we do not shed our humanity when we enter this chamber. For all the noise and all the fury, we are one family.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., issued a statement after news outlets reported that the shooter had volunteered for Sanders’ presidential campaign.

Pelosi, D-Calif., voiced concern for her colleagues caught in the incident and thanked Capitol Police for their response.

Democrat Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, called for increased gun control at a press conference in response to the shooting.

“Let me say this, I think we need to do more to protect all of our citizens,” McAuliffe said. “I have long advocated—this is not what today is about, but there are too many guns on the street. We lose 93 million Americans a day to gun violence.”

After a reporter questioned McAuliffe’s statistic, the Virginia governor corrected it.

“Ninety-three individuals a day,” McAuliffe said.

Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., who was present at the shooting, said it hadn’t altered his view on the Second Amendment.

“The Second Amendment right to bear arms is to ensure that we always have a republic,” Brooks said, according to the Washington Examiner.

“And as with any other constitutional provision in the Bill of Rights, there are adverse aspects to each of those rights that we enjoy as people,” he said. “And what we just saw here is one of the bad side effects of someone not exercising those rights properly.”

In his remarks, Trump asked Americans to work together.

“We can all agree that we are blessed to be Americans, that our children deserve to grow up in a nation of safety and peace, and that we are strongest when we are unified and when we work together for the common good,” the president said. (For more from the author of “Trump, Ryan Emphasize Importance of Unity After Shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise” please click HERE)

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Mattis Is Punting the Military Buildup to 2019

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Secretary of Defense James Mattis has news for Congress and for the nation: The military buildup will have to wait until next year.

Mattis delivered that message in a back-to-back series of appearances before Congress, one of them taking place in a rare prime-time hearing on Monday night.

During both testimonies—which were delivered before the House and Senate armed services committees, respectively—Mattis told the Congress that the military buildup promised by President Donald Trump will have to wait until next year. He stressed that while rebuilding the size and capabilities of the military is important, the 2018 defense budget request will focus primarily on addressing near-term readiness problems.

Mattis’ message to both the House and Senate contained two themes: that the 2018 budget is simply intended to fill holes in readiness, and that the promised rebuilding of the military will not take place until 2019.

Responding to multiple questions from lawmakers, Mattis stated that the proposed budget for 2018 will start to “fill the holes and achieve program balance before beginning to significantly grow capacity in future years.”

Testifying alongside Mattis, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford explained that there are severe readiness shortfalls in every single branch of the military.

Due to limited resources in recent years’ defense budgets, the services have been forced to prioritize short-term readiness while decreasing the long-term preparedness and modernization of America’s armed forces.

Dunford pointed out, for instance, that the Marine Corps has delayed planned investments in multiple elements, from infrastructure to aircrafts, all to preserve the immediate proficiency of that service’s currently deployed forces.

Mattis pointed out that the readiness crisis is a result of high operational tempo—over 16 years of war—but also of consistent failure by Congress to support the military. That failure is reflected in nine years of continuing resolutions and four years of funding under the budget caps adopted in the Budget Control Act of 2011.

In a dramatic moment in one of the hearings, Mattis stated, “We did not get into this situation in one year, and we won’t get out of it in a year either.”

It will take many years of sustained budgetary growth to rebuild the military—an assessment that is shared by The Heritage Foundation.

Mattis stated multiple times that the next five budgets will have to show considerable increases—he mentioned growth rates of at least 5 percent—in order to rebuild the military to the degree Trump has said is necessary.

Mattis, speaking of the future budget request, made a clear projection:

The fiscal year 2019 budget, informed by the National Defense Strategy, will grow the all-volunteer force. The department will work with President Trump, Congress, and this committee to ensure the budget request we present for fiscal years 2019-2023 is sustainable and that it provides the commander-in-chief with viable military options in support of America’s security.

Mattis indicated he expects the defense budget to grow by 3 to 5 percent over the next five years in order to accommodate necessary increases in personnel and procurement.

Nonetheless, these projections for 2019 and beyond were not part of the president’s budget request for this coming year. In fact, the five-year projection typically included in defense budget requests, referred to as the “Future Years Defense Plan,” was absent.

Instead, Department of Defense officials have stated that future projections included in the 2018 request are not representative of their planning, but rather are just projected growth in light of inflation.

>>> Defense Leaders Agree: US Military Readiness Is at a Dangerous Low

The Heritage Foundation has outlined in multiple documents that there is a need to start rebuilding our military immediately. Heritage’s Index of U.S. Military Strength has highlighted for three years the need for Congress to make the defense budget a priority.

Congress should heed the warnings being issued by both Mattis and Dunford to prioritize our national defense.

Now that the president’s budget request is public, it is Congress’ responsibility to address how to increase defense spending. There is widespread agreement that the military needs resources to rebuild both immediate readiness and the long-term health and capacity of the military.

Mattis starkly highlighted the legislative branch’s role in funding the military, stating, “Congress as a whole has met the present challenge with lassitude, not leadership.”

Congress now has a chance to show the leadership that the secretary called for and that the country needs. It can do so by increasing spending for defense this year and into the future.

The lists of unfunded requirements that the military services by law were required to submit are excellent places to start. (For more from the author of “Mattis Is Punting the Military Buildup to 2019” please click HERE)

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