Federal Judge Orders State to Issue Illegal Aliens Driver’s Licenses

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A federal judge granted a permanent injunction Thursday affirming the ability of young immigrants protected from deportation to obtain an Arizona driver’s license.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge David Campbell came exactly one month after the so-called DREAMers began getting driver’s licenses in Arizona for the first time.

Arizona was one of the last states where officials refused to issue driver’s licenses to young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children but allowed to remain under a 2012 Obama administration program.

Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, waged a lengthy legal battle over the program.

Courts ruled against Arizona on several occasions and cleared the way for licenses to be issued starting Dec. 22. (Read more from “Arizona Now Must Issue Illegal Aliens Driver’s Licenses” HERE)

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And Then There Were Three: Pro-Amnesty, Establishment Field Grows With Rubio Jumping In

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. . .Friday’s news turns up the dial on his effort and tells us a few things about the race in general, and Rubio’s 2016 perceptions in particular.

First, Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney aren’t clearing the field. Bush has moved aggressively, announcing an exploratory committee and forming super PACs, while Romney’s evinced surprising interest in a race. That hasn’t scared off other candidates who might compete with them for the establishment and business wings of the GOP, however. Rubio’s moving. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin has scheduled trips to the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Second, Rubio’s looking to President Obama for inspiration. Not in any ideological or policy sense, but in terms of baseline experience. Obama won the White House as a first-term Senate backbencher. If he could do it, why can’t Rubio? Many political strategists think voters might be looking for a governor with executive experience as their presidential choice in 2016, but political strategists say lots of stuff. Some of it is wrong.

Finally, the real divisions in the Republican primary field this time might be generational. Rubio isn’t a party outsider. He’s not a tea party favorite. He doesn’t have a support base among evangelicals, or Wall Street’s nod. But he hasn’t run for president twice before, like Mitt Romney. Or even once before, like Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. None of his relatives have been president, like Jeb Bush’s brother and Dad.

But if it turns out GOP primary voters are tired of the same-old, then Rubio can present himself as a fresh hat in the ring. (Read more about Rubio jumping in HERE)

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Establishment Conspiracy Brewing: Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush to Meet in Utah

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Photo Credit: NY Times
Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney are scheduled to meet privately this week in Utah, raising the possibility that the two former governors will find a way to avoid competing presidential campaigns that would split the Republican establishment next year, two prominent party members said Wednesday night.

The meeting was planned before Mr. Romney’s surprise announcement two weeks ago to donors in New York that he was considering a third run for the White House.

Mr. Bush proposed the meeting, according to one of the party members familiar with the planning, who did not want to be quoted by name in discussing a secret meeting.

The original idea was for Mr. Bush, who announced his presidential ambitions in December, to show his respect for Mr. Romney, the Republican Party’s 2012 nominee. The meeting stayed on both men’s calendars even as Mr. Romney took steps to test the presidential waters, moves that could make the meeting awkward. (Read more about Romney and Bush going to meet in Utah HERE)

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Yet Another SOTU Fraud Revealed: Obama’s State of the Union Guest

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Photo Credit: Free BeaconThe woman whose story of economic recovery was showcased by President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address is a former Democratic campaign staffer and has been used by Obama for political events in the past.

Rebekah Erler has been presented by the White House as a woman who was discovered by the president after she wrote to him last March about her economic hardships. She was showcased in the speech as proof that middle class Americans are coming forward to say that Obama’s policies are working.

Unmentioned in the White House bio of Erler is that she is a former Democratic campaign operative, working as a field organizer for Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.).

This also wasn’t the first time the White House used the former Democratic campaign staffer as a political prop. Obama spent a “day in the life” of Erler in June so that he could have “an opportunity to communicate directly with the people he’s working for every day” . . .

Obama used Erler as an example that the economy is getting better. (Read more about the State of the Union guest HERE)

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Federal Insanity: NIH Spent $432,000 Studying Gay Hook Up Apps Like Grindr

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has spent nearly a half a million dollars studying gay hookup apps such as Grindr.

The government awarded $432,000 to Columbia University to interview gay men who use GPS dating apps and determine whether it increases their likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior.

“Smartphone technologies have provided a new venue for sexual partnering among men who have sex with men (MSM),” the grant for the project states. “Indeed, there are a rapidly growing number of smartphone applications designed to facilitate sexual partnering among MSM.”

The project argues that dating apps that use the Global Positioning System, or GPS, has “accelerated” the rate that gay men can find sexual partners, compared to online.

“Furthermore, given the expediency with which men are able to arrange sexual encounters using these applications, there is cause to question if, when, and how sexual negotiation and serostatus disclosure occurs,” the grant said. “The overall study goal is to understand how sexual risk behaviors among MSM may be facilitated by the nature of GPS-enabled smartphone applications, the way they are used, and the process by which sexual partnering occurs via smartphone applications.” (Read more about the Fed’s waste of money on studying gay hook up apps HERE)

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President Vows to ‘Protect Abortion’

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By Charlie Spiering. In a statement recognizing the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, President Obama vowed to protect the right to abortion in America — even as thousands of pro-life activists marched in Washington D.C. to protest the Supreme Court’s decision.

“I am deeply committed to protecting this core constitutional right,” he said, criticizing Republicans for passing a bill earlier today in the House to block taxpayer funding for abortions.

Obama asserted that the bill would “intrude on women’s reproductive freedom and access to health care,” and his administration issued a veto threat of the bill. (Read more about the vow to protect abortion HERE)

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House Passes Bill to Block Abortions from Obamacare

By Sean Lengell and Paige Winfield Cunningham. The House on Thursday passed legislation along partisan lines that would block abortion coverage from plans offered by the federal government’s healthcare.gov, one day after Republican leaders pulled a stricter anti-abortion measure from the floor.

Republicans initially had planned to hold a vote on a measure that called for banning abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy on Thursday, the same day as the annual March for Life attended by thousands of anti-abortion activists. But leadership pulled it after a number of female Republican lawmakers incited a last-minute revolt against one part of the measure.

The “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” which passed 242-179, was identical to a bill that cleared the Republican-run House last year but died in the then-Democratic controlled Senate. Only three Democrats supported the measure, with Rep. Richard Hanna of Indiana the lone Republican to reject it. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Here’s What Clint Eastwood Said to Michael Moore, But Chris Kyle Himself Had the Best Retort to His Critics (+video)

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By Kevin Boyd. Back in 2005, both Clint Eastwood and Michael Moore were being honored for their films at the National Board of Review dinner. Michael Moore was being honored for the anti-gun documentary Bowling for Columbine and Clint Eastwood was being honored for Million Dollar Baby . . .

When Clint Eastwood got up to make a speech after accepting his award, he directed some comments to Michael Moore. According to the Washington Examiner, Heston said:

“Michael Moore and I actually have a lot in common – we both appreciate living in a country where there’s free expression,” he said.

Eastwood then added: “But, Michael, if you ever show up at my front door with a camera – I’ll kill you.”

The audience laughed and Eastwood grinned.

(Read more about what Clint Eastwood said HERE)

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Chris Kyle Himself Had the Best Comeback to ‘American Sniper’ Critics

By Victoria Taft. This exchange, three years ago, between comedian and talk show host Conan O’Brien and Chris Kyle shows why the retired Navy SEAL was so beloved. At the time of the interview, Kyle was touring to publicize his book, American Sniper.

In the nearly-five minute interview, Kyle admits that he wished he had tried out for SEAL Team 6. Considering Kyle was the best sniper in American military history, that comes as a surprise to many.

Conan gets the good-natured Kyle to laugh throughout, asking him about the more than mile-long kill shot Kyle touted in his book. Kyle, in his usual humble way, says he was just a ‘monkey on a gun,’ a suggestion at which O’Brien scoffs. (Read more from this story HERE)

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ESPN Host Mocks Joni Ernst for Growing up Poor

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By Kristinn Taylor. Liberal icon and current ESPN host Keith Olbermann took to Twitter Wednesday night to callously mock Sen. Joni Ernst for her growing up in a poor working family in Red Oak, Iowa.

Ernst spoke of her childhood when she gave the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address . . .

Olbermann fired off ten tweets in a row mocking Ersnt after her speech, some with the hashtag #SOTUresponse, cribbed from the Monty Python sketch The Four Yorkshiremen.

Of course, we had it tough. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning…

(Read more on how Olbermann mocks Joni Ernst HERE)

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Joni Ernst Being Called ‘New Star’ for GOP Response at State of the Union

By Joe Saunders. Newly sworn-in Republican Sen. Joni Ernst delivered the party’s response to President Obama’s State of the Union address in a soft voice, but with a sharp contrast between the parties’ approach to government — and some not-so-veiled criticism of the president’s performance since taking office.

And she won praise from both ends of the political spectrum.

“I do think tonight a semi-star was born,” conservative columnist George Will told Fox News anchor Bret Baier after Ernst’s speech. “I think Senator Ernst from Iowa passed a test that others have failed. And, in doing so, she helped put a fresh face on the Republican Party.”

Fox contributor, liberal commentator Juan Williams agreed, noting that the dueling speeches marked the themes of the 2016 presidential campaign. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Re-Elected Virginia Lawmaker Pressed with Even More Criminal Charges

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A Virginia lawmaker who was just re-elected despite being jailed for a sex scandal with a teenager has been indicted on new felony charges, according to a special prosecutor.

The forgery and perjury indictment of Del. Joseph D. Morrissey was returned and sealed the day before the election, and announced Wednesday by Spotsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney William Neely.

The lawmaker now stands accused of forging a document he vouched for in court, and persuading the girl’s mother to swear to its authenticity as well. That woman, Deidre Warren, also was indicted on perjury and forgery charges. Morrissey faces up to 10 years on each count if convicted, Neely said.

Morrissey says the charges are false and he will fight them in court.

“This is a very harmful and mean-spirited blow, but I’ll do what I’ve always done. I’ll prevail,” Morrissey told reporters after arriving at the Capitol Wednesday for the legislative session. (Read more about the re-elected Virginia lawmaker HERE)

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New Poll Has Very Bad News for Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush

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Photo Credit: Yahoo Potential 2016 candidates Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney have earned plenty of headlines after publicly acknowledging that they’re revving up likely presidential campaigns, but, so far, they haven’t gained positive marks from the public, according to the newest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

In fact, both candidates have lost ground since pollsters last measured Americans’ feelings towards them – including a dip in approval from members of their own party.

Just 27 percent of Americans now offer a positive rating for Romney, the Republican party’s nominee in 2012, compared to 40 percent who give him negative marks. And just over half of Republicans – 52 percent – give him a thumbs up, while 15 percent disagree.

In September of last year, when Romney was widely expected NOT to seek the presidency again, his ratings stood at 32 percent positive/ 39 percent negative. With Republicans, that split was 60 percent positive/ 13 percent negative.

While former Florida governor Jeb Bush is not quite as well-known as Romney, with 13 percent of respondents saying they don’t know the name, he’s also seen a drop in approval since announcing that he’s “actively exploring” a 2016 run. (Read more about the poll having bad news for Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush HERE)

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