CBO: We Can’t Estimate Cost of Intervening in Syria

Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

The Congressional Budget Office has published its official statement on how much American taxpayers would need to cover if the full Congress were to approve the authorization for the use of military force in Syria (S.J. Res. 21) that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved last week.

The CBO’s bottom line: There is no bottom line to the U.S. military intervention in Syria that was approved by the Senate committee in its resolution.

“The Administration has not detailed how it would use the authority that would be provided by this resolution; thus, CBO has no basis for estimating the costs of implementing S. J. Res. 21,” said the CBO’s four-paragraph statement on the matter.

“S. J. Res. 21 would authorize the President to use military force against the government of Syria, for up to 90 days, in response to its use of chemical weapons,” said CBO. “Prior to the use of force, the President would be required to provide a determination to the Congress addressing several criteria to show that such action is necessary and in the national interest. In addition, it would require the President to submit to the Congress a strategy for negotiating a political settlement to the Syrian conflict, a comprehensive review of U.S. policy towards Syria, and periodic reports on the progress of military operations.”

Last night, in a nationally televised address, President Barack Obama said that he had asked congressional leaders to postpone any final vote on whether to authorize him to use force in Syria.

Read more from this story HERE.

Subverting the Liberal Cultural Occupation? Bono, Kutcher et al.

Photo Credit: frontpagemag

Photo Credit: frontpagemag

In a recent National Review piece, Jim Geraghty pondered the alliterative question, “Can Conservative Comments from Celebrities Change the Culture?” He’s worried that by touting two celebrity quotes that espoused conservative values, the right is wading into the shallow waters of pop culture and degrading the serious business of politics. His concern couldn’t be more misdirected.

A few weeks ago, rock star/globetrotting activist Bono asserted that capitalism pulls more people out of poverty than aid does. As if this concept emanating from such a pop icon weren’t refreshing enough to conservative ears, hip actor Ashton Kutcher gave a Teen Choice Awards acceptance speech around the same time, in which he stated that opportunities for success arose from hard work and personal drive; it was an inspirational antidote to the left’s “you didn’t build that” message, delivered to a young, impressionable audience (this video of that speech has garnered over 3.6 million views).

The right, aware more than ever before of the importance of reclaiming the culture (although many simply pay lip service to that), pounced on these statements as hopeful signs that our ideas were beginning to breach the wall of the left-dominated cultural stronghold. This made Geraghty squirm:

I’m still chewing this over, and trying to decide whether this represents a necessary tactic in an era of celebrity-obsessed pop culture, or whether it’s just the latest version of the conservative tendency to instantly adopt and celebrate any celebrity who happens to echo some of our arguments.

After all, when we say it’s shallow and silly and superficial for Democrats to emphasize their Hollywood star supporters at their political conventions, and to hold campaign events with Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z and such . . . we’re not wrong.

Read more from this story HERE.

Robert Murray, a Top American CEO, Says Many Prominent Americans are Discussing the Need to Impeach President Obama

waging warThe direct speaking Robert Murray pulled no punches when he addressed the Bluefield Coal show in West Virginia today.

The CEO of Murray Energy, one of America’s largest coal producers, had a lot to say and the word impeachment was one of them during a hard hitting keynote speech to the coal mining industry, as well as to the rest of America.

Murray warned that Obama’s disastrous energy policies are leading America to a European model of energy poverty as evidenced by huge price spikes to consumers in Britain and Germany…

“They are destroying low cost electricity in America for everyone, including our citizens on fixed incomes and our manufacturers of products that compete in the global marketplace. European countries, particularly Germany went this route with disastrous consequences”

See: Germany says Solar is path to bankruptcy.

He backed up Germany’s energy plight with: “Germany spent 194 billion in the past 10 years on their “green” Obama experiment, including 10.2 billion in subsidies for solar alone. The result is German electric prices have jumped 61% and 15% of German families live in energy poverty.”……All of their predictions on the cost of solar and wind power were understated five-fold”

“To make up for German’s energy shortfall created by the loss of nuclear power and the inefficiency of “green” electricity, Germany is currently building 23 new coal-fired electricity generating plants.”

Great Britain is another canary in the “green” mineshaft as their citizens’ struggle with huge price increases in electricity: “Their electricity prices have risen more than than 70% since 2005. Further, electricity prices are expected to increase another 54% by 2020.”……..and other European countries are now faced with power black outs. Mr. Obama, his supporters and most democrats in Congress will not recognize this.”

See: Britain quietly tries to install its unpopular windmills in Ireland

Murray pointed the spotlight on the actual damage these Obama “green” policies will wreak on America: “Mr. Obama’s EPA alone will destroy much of America’s economy, resulting in the loss of 2.15 million jobs and nearly 200 billion in electricity rate increases by 2020, according to recent expert studies.”

If there is a keystone to modern society, it is the availability of relatively cheap and abundant energy and Murray spelled it out: “Low cost electricity is a staple of life. President Obama and his radical appointees are generating a huge crisis for America in what they are doing to the cost and reliability of electric power for our citizens.”

Murray put a personal tie into why he is so passionate about Obama’s disastrous energy policies:

Mr. Obama’s actions are a human issue to me, as I know the names of many Americans whose jobs and family livelihoods are being destroyed as he appeases his radical environmentalist, unionist, liberal elitist Hollywood character and other constituents. These folks are my employees.”

“These good Americans only want to work in honor and dignity. But when their jobs and those of their neighbors are eliminated in the coal mining areas of America, they have no one to sell their homes to, which is generally their only possession. Thus these people, who only want to work, are prohibited from doing so and fall to the negative side of the economic ledger for the rest of their lives. This is not the America that I have always cherished.”

See: Elite environmentalists tell coal miners to build amusement parks to take the place of their mining jobs.

Robert Murray ominously closed out his speech with a warning to the President and those who insist on taking America down a path that will eventually lead to disaster for the country:

“Many prominent Americans are now discussing the need to impeach President Obama…maybe you will want to be a part of this effort.”

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Ed Farnan is the conservative columnist at IrishCentral, where he has been writing on the need for energy independence, strong self defense, secure borders, 2nd amendment, smaller government and many other issues. His articles appear in many publications throughout the USA and world. He has been a guest on Fox News and a regular guest on radio stations in the US and Europe.

Krauthammer: ‘One of the Most Odd Presidential Speeches Ever Delivered’

Photo Credit: Daily Caller

Photo Credit: Daily Caller

By Jeff Poor.

Following President Barack Obama’s Tuesday night address to the nation, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer reacted by calling the president’s effort to get support for his Syria strategy “one of the most odd presidential speeches ever delivered.”

Krauthammer decried Obama’s message for giving Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal so much weight.

“That’s what makes this one of the most odd presidential speeches ever delivered,” Krauthammer said. “Here is a president who urgently addresses the nation on all channels to call for a pause in assuming that the nation does not want to do in the first place. This is, you know, almost unbelievable. And the fact that he puts so much weight on the Russian proposal, which is a farce.”

Read more from this story HERE.

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Photo Credit: Fox News

Photo Credit: Fox News

Syria Plan in Limbo, Obama Asks Congress to Postpone Strike Vote

By Fox News.

President Obama, in a national address originally intended to rally the country behind a strike on Syria, instead used the moment to announce he was hitting pause on military action in order to let negotiations over a Russia-backed plan run their course.

“This initiative has the potential to remove the threat of chemical weapons without the use of force,” Obama said Tuesday night.

The president said he has, therefore, “asked the leaders of Congress to postpone a vote to authorize the use of force while we pursue this diplomatic path.”

The address from the East Room of the White House marked a dramatic turnaround from Obama announcing, just over a week ago, that he’d decided to seek congressional support for a military strike. And it left open where the stand-off with Syria will go from here, with the White House neither fully embracing the diplomatic option nor taking military action off the table.

The president did use much of his address to defend his initial decision to pursue military force. He made an impassioned case Tuesday night for military action, should it become necessary — but also acknowledged that late-breaking international developments had him shelving that approach, for now.

Read more from this story HERE.

Benghazi Blackout: How the Big Three Networks Have Censored or Spun Obama’s Deadly Foreign Policy Failure

Photo Credit: Breitbart

Photo Credit: Breitbart

Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of the 2012 attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi that left Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead, and sent the Obama administration scrambling for a cover story that the Big Three broadcast networks initially bought and were slow to unravel.

A similar pattern has emerged in 2013. As new information about the administration’s actions before and after the attacks have been revealed through congressional testimony, whistleblowers, and eyewitnesses, the Big Three have responded by censoring, breezing past or spinning politically damaging bombshells.

The following are just some of the findings of this report:

■ Testifying before Congress on January 23 Hillary Clinton dodged questions about her State Department’s bungling of Benghazi. Network anchors toasted the outgoing Secretary of State anyway. ABC’s Diane Sawyer called it “a valedictory that showed her indignation,” while NBC’s Brian Williams took the occasion to congratulate the potential 2016 Democratic presidential candidate “as the most admired woman in the world in the Gallup poll, for the 11th year in a row.”

■ On February 7 former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta testified that Barack Obama was disengaged on the night of the Benghazi attack. Total Big Three Network stories on this stunning admission? Only two. (CBS 1 story, NBC 1 story, ABC 0)

Read more from this story HERE.

“Impeachment’ Cited By Growing Number In House Of Representatives (+video)

Photo Credit: Examiner

Photo Credit: Examiner

A 15th member of Congress has discussed the impeachment of Barack Obama, noting that he’s confident the U.S. House, if it came to a vote, “would probably impeach the president.”

The comments come from Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, who was speaking at a recent town hall meeting.

“I’ve looked at the president. I think he’s violated the Constitution. I think he’s violated the Bill of Rights,” he said.

He said at some point a decision must be made, and he said, “I think if the House had an impeachment vote it would probably impeach the president.”

But he noted the 46 members of the GOP in the U.S. Senate, where an impeached president would be put on trial.

Read more from this story HERE.

‘Artificial Egg’ Made from Plants Backed by Bill Gates Set to Revolutionize Cooking Goes on Sale at Whole Foods

Photo Credit: Cody Pickens

Photo Credit: Cody Pickens

A radical ‘artificial egg’ backed by Paypal billionaire Peter Thiel and Bill Gates goes on sale in US supermarkets for the first time today.

Made from plants, it can replace eggs in everything from cakes to mayonnaise – without a chicken ever coming close to the production process.

The team today started selling their ‘plant egg’, called Beyond Eggs, in Whole Foods in California – and say it could soon be available in supermarkets worldwide.

‘We want to take animals out of the equation,’ said Josh Tetrick, the firm’s founder. ‘The food industry is begging for innovation, especially where animals are involved – it is a broken industry.’

Tetrick’s idea was to find a mix of easy-to-grow plants that, when mixed together in the right way, replicate the taste, nutritional values and cooking properties of an egg.

Read more from this story HERE.

GOP REP: Obama Speech a ‘Display of Foreign Policy Incompetence’

Photo Credit: transplanted mountaineer

Photo Credit: transplanted mountaineer


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Rep. Ron DeSantis Tuesday characterized President Barack Obama’s speech on Syria to Newsmax as “a typical Obama performance.”

“He didn’t say anything new,” the Florida Republican told Newsmax. “This is just topping off a catastrophic display of foreign policy incompetence.”

“He basically repeats all the same arguments,” DeSantis added. “He still has not defined a clear military purpose for what he wants to do — certainly no Plan B: If you strike, what happens? — for him to categorically rule out boots on the ground.

“You cannot do that if you’re going to be honest with the American people, because you don’t know what [Syrian President Bashar Assad] would do once you strike,” he said. “All those problems are still there.

Read more from this story HERE.

Jonathan Alter: US Cannot Retreat to ‘Fortress America’

By David A. Patten.

Syndicated columnist and best-selling author Jonathan Alter served up sharp criticism of what he sees as a new isolationist shift in American politics, telling Newsmax that he has been “completely surprised” by the sharp anti-war, neo-isolationist fervor that has swept the country since President Obama announced his intention to attack Syrian strongman Bashar Assad’s regime.

Alter, a presidential historian as well as a journalist, has written two books on the Obama presidency, The Promise, and The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies.

Speaking immediately after the conclusion of President Obama’s national televised address on Tuesday night, the Bloomberg columnist conceded the administration’s response to the Syrian issue “has been not very skillfully handled up to now.”

But he gave the president strong marks Tuesday evening for presenting a compelling case for why the United States must respond to an apparent, blatant violation of international and humanitarian norms regarding Assad’s apparent use of chemical weapons on his own people.

Alter said he could never have predicted the wave of anti-war sentiment that has suddenly swept the United States.

Read more from this story HERE.

Middle School Teacher Disciplined After Showing Gay Rights Rap Video in Class

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

A North Carolina teacher was disciplined for showing a music video supporting gay rights to a middle school class last week.

The Taylorsville Times reported Alexander County Schools Associate Superintendent Dr. Jeff Peal said the teacher is back to work this week but showed “an inappropriate video…outside the bounds of the curriculum” that merited “disciplinary action.”

The rap video was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love,” which was written in collaboration with Seattle-based singer-songwriter Mary Lambert. It appeared on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ debut album “The Heist” in 2012.

Here’s the full music video (content warning — some strong language):

Read more from this story HERE.

Google, Facebook, Yahoo Step Up Pressure on FISA Requests

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Technology giants Facebook, Google and Yahoo presented a rare united front in filing separate motions asking to publicly disclose more details about secret national intelligence requests they receive under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

They made the motions Monday in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The companies are seeking permission to reveal the number and nature of the national intelligence requests to address growing public concern and regain the trust of users.

“We believe there is more information that the public deserves to know, and that would help foster an informed debate about whether government security programs adequately balance privacy interests when attempting to keep the public safe,” Facebook’s general counsel Colin Stretch said.

Steps taken so far to allow technology companies to release aggregate data does not address the concerns of users, Google said.

Read more from this story HERE.