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Democrats Block Human Trafficking Bill, Complaining about Abortion Language

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An anti-human trafficking bill that just two weeks ago had broad, bipartisan support was filibustered and stalled Tuesday by Senate Democrats upset over anti-abortion language they claim was subtly inserted into the measure.

The Justice for Victims in Trafficking Act fell five votes short of garnering the 60 needed to advance in the chamber. The legislation would create a federal fund for victims’ services and law enforcement tools financed by fines levied on convicted traffickers.

Democrats objected to a section of the bill that nodded to the Hyde Amendment – a nearly four-decade-old legislative provision that bans taxpayer-funded abortions. Language in the trafficking bill prohibited funds raised by the fines to be used for abortions.

“The partisan provision embedded in the Senate version of this bill is not something the survivors of human trafficking are asking for,” Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said Tuesday.

[T]he bill’s author and the chamber’s majority whip, decried the Democrats’ opposition, saying Tuesday he feared the Senate was “losing its soul.” (Read more from “Democrats Block Human Trafficking Bill over Abortion Language” HERE)

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Democrats are Planning to Win Elections Using Illegal Aliens Votes

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The Obama Democrats have an audacious scheme for winning future elections. They just plan to import 5 million non-citizens and credential them as voters who will, in gratitude, vote Democratic.

The way this devious formula works is stunningly simple. Just get the new Republican Congress (under Speaker John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell) to pass a full-funding bill for Homeland Security without any exception for the funding of Obama’s illegal executive amnesty, which will allow Obama to give work permits, Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses to 5 million illegal aliens.

Once the 5 million so-called undocumented persons are given those valuable documents, there is no way to stop them from voting. That conclusion is drawn from the testimony of voting experts such as Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who told the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Feb. 12, “It’s a guarantee it will happen.”

Kobach’s warning was reinforced by testimony before the same committee by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, who noted that the 5 million non-citizens would receive the “same documents that federal law requires the states to recognize as valid forms of identification for voter registration.” And once an alien registers to vote, Kobach said, it is “virtually impossible” to remove him from the voter rolls.

A third witness, Hans von Spakovsky, suggested that Social Security numbers issued to the 5 million illegal aliens should contain a code (such as “N” for non-citizen) that would instantly reveal their ineligibility to vote. But that simple fix would happen only if the Obama administration sincerely wants to keep them from voting, which I doubt. (Read more about the Democrats using illegal aliens votes HERE)

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The Coming Liberal Civil War

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Screen Shot 2014-12-13 at 2.16.20 AM“Even as they publicly condemn Tea Party Republicans as hostage-taking legislative thugs, the truth is that some Democrats are quietly jealous of them,” wrote Bill Scher at Politico Magazine Monday. “Think of it,” he continued, “The Tea Party gang gets to intimidate party leaders, threaten legislation, block nominees, shut down the government and default on the debt if they don’t get their way. They cause major trouble.”

That was just a few days ago. Since then, Scher’s article has only proven more prescient as liberal Sen. Elizabeth Warren (as the Boston Herald writes) ”turned her guns on her own party — targeting even her top ally, President Obama.”

The Herald is, of course, referring to the populist revolt launched against a budget package supported by President Barack Obama and the Republican leadership — a rebellion which could trigger a government shutdown. (For what it’s worth, Warren may have some legitimate concerns about derivatives.)

The larger question is whether or not this is a harbinger of things to come. And most people I talk to tend to believe it is. On one hand, I’m surprised to see this development. Democrats have looked mature and disciplined these last few years, especially compared to the divided Republicans. Why mess with a winning formula?

Read more from this story HERE.

GOP Senate Candidate Called 'Uncle Tom' at Hillary/Hagan Rally in N.C.

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Photo Credit: REUTERSRepublican Senate candidate Thom Tillis was called “Uncle Tom” at a recent Senator Kay Hagan rally in North Carolina. Hillary Clinton was also on hand to help rally Democrats in support of Hagan–and the possible presidential candidate specifically praised the speaker who made the questionable comments.

The remarks were from Alma Adams, who is running for Congress from North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District. Here’s audio:

Read more from this story HERE.

Dem Congressman on Obamacare: The Worst Is Yet to Come (+video)

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Photo Credit: YouTube

Photo Credit: YouTube

Massachusetts representative Stephen Lynch isn’t just worried about the negative impact Obamacare will have on his party’s performance this fall — he also thinks its worst effects on our health-care system are still to come. Lynch, who voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2010, warned that the situation is “going to hit the fan” when the law’s delayed provisions go into effect down the road.

“There are parts of Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act, that were postponed because they are unpalatable,” he told the Boston Herald. The “Cadillac tax” that goes into effect in a few years and taxes employer health plans over a certain value, he said, will be “the first time in this country’s history that we have actually taxed health care.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Hoyer on Keystone: ‘I’m in Favor of Building It’

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Photo Credit: APDemocratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he supports building the Keystone XL Pipeline and that he agrees with the State Department’s report that not building the pipeline would increase greenhouse gas emissions.

At a pen-and-pad briefing at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, CNSNews.com asked Hoyer, “In the State Department’s report, it said that if the Keystone Pipeline is not built, the method of delivering oil would increase greenhouse gases from 28 to 42 percent, are you in favor of not building ….”

Hoyer said, “If it was not built? Sorry, I don’t understand the question.”

CNSNews.com rephrased the question saying, “The State Department’s report, it said that not building the Keystone pipeline, the method of [delivering the] oil would increase greenhouse gases. Are you in favor of not building the pipeline, even if it means greenhouse gases will increase?”

Hoyer then said, “In favor of not building it? I’m in favor of building it. I said about a year ago, I think in this group, that I was for Keystone.”

Read more this story HERE.

Guess Who’s Calling for Taxpayer-Financed Campaigns

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Photo Credit: AP/Susan WalshJonathan Soros, son of progressive billionaire investor George Soros, is among a group of 60 wealthy Democratic donors who signed a letter to members of Congress calling for taxpayer-financed political campaigns.

“We urge you to fix today’s broken campaign finance laws. Nothing less than our democracy is at stake,” the letter said. “We who sign this letter raise and give substantial sums for elections. The influence that people like us have will be curtailed by the changes we seek, but our democracy must return to the First Amendment principle that all Americans, not just the wealthy, must have their voices heard.”

Some of the other signatories include Craigslist founder Craig Newmark; Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen; Democratic mega-bundler Naomi Aberly, who raised $500,000 for President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign; tech executive David DesJardins, who gave about $1 million to Democratic campaigns in 2012; and businessman Arnold Hiatt, Politico reported.

The letter was coordinated by three pro-public financing groups: Public Campaign Action Fund, Voices for Progress and the Jonathan Soros-founded Friends of Democracy, and correlates with the introduction of the “Government by the People Act” in the House, sponsored by Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.).

Read more from this story HERE.

GOP Thwarts New Try to Restore Unemployment Benefits

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Photo Credit: Reuters Senate Republicans narrowly blocked the advance of legislation to restore benefits for the long-term unemployed on Thursday for the second time in less than a month, and Democrats said they intended to call yet another vote on the issue.

“We’re one Republican vote away from restoring unemployment benefits for 1.7 million Americans,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

The White House called the outcome disappointing.

The measure called for a three-month renewal of an expired program that provided up to 47 weeks of federal benefits when state-paid aid runs out, generally after 26 weeks. The cost was estimated at slightly more than $6 billion over a decade. It would have been offset by lowering pension obligations for some companies, a step that would have increased their taxable income.

The vote was 58-40, two shy of the 60 that backers of the measure needed to prevail. That understated the measure’s true support, because Reid sided with opponents at the last minute in a maneuver that will permit him to have the issue reconsidered under the Senate’s rules.

Read more from this story HERE.

Farewell to Henry Waxman, Maker of Bad Laws

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Photo Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott ApplewhiteAfter 40 years in Congress, California Democrat Henry Waxman is calling it quits. His legacy includes a toxic fuel additive (a boondoggle known as ethanol), a failed pork-fest of a climate bill and the devastation of small businesses — to name a few of his legislative accomplishments.

Washington Post correspondent Karen Tumulty praised Waxman, calling him “one of the last to whom the word ‘lawmaker’ still applied.”

But here’s the thing: If you spend four decades making laws, you’re going to make some bad laws. And Henry Waxman made a lot of bad laws.

Waxman deserves praise for many things. Together with Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, Waxman passed a reform that improved the prescription drug patent system. He also passed a postal reform.

Waxman kept his hands impressively clean of K Street’s tainting influence. Despite being in Congress longer than “Wheel of Fortune” has been on the air, Waxman has only six former staffers in the “Revolving Door” database at the Center for Responsive Politics. Since 1989, Waxman averaged less than $30,000 from lobbyists per election – a modest sum for a committee chairman.

Read more from this story HERE.

Hill Democrats, Republicans Set 2014 Agendas with Midterm Elections in Mind

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

Congressional Democrats and Republicans sharpened their political knives Sunday as lawmakers return to Washington this week to begin executing legislative agendas designed to help their respective parties in the November elections.

The first major battle will likely be over restoring long-term unemployment benefits, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scheduled to hold a preliminary vote Monday on the issue.

“The first thing we want to get done is extend unemployment benefits,” he told Fox News on Sunday.

The benefits were not included in a two-year budget deal Congress reached before adjourning for winter break, but not before House Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, made clear the money will not be restored unless offset but other spending cuts.

The White House is also applying pressure on congressional Republicans, issuing a statement on New Year’s Day that said President Obama supports the bipartisan Senate bill to reinstate benefits for the 1.3 million Americans who lost the insurance in the new budget deal.

Read more from this story HERE.