Coulter Unloads: ‘A Joke Presidency’ That ‘Scammed The American People’ With Promises Of A Wall
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/19/ann-coulter-trump-joke-presidency-scam-border-wall-flynn-sentencing-podcast/
Marco Rubio Panics Over Trump's Syria Withdrawal: 'Turns Syria Over to Israel's Greatest Enemies'
Senator Marco Rubio is outraged that President Trump has decided to put America First and pull US troops out of the endless quagmire in Syria.
"Hasty withdrawal from #Syria will cause Kurds & SDF to end fight against ISIS & turns Syria over to Israel's greatest enemies," Rubio said. "This is a terrible mistake. It will have grave consequences for the U.S. & Israel & great benefit for ISIS, Iran & Hezbollah."
Rubio said on Facebook that Israel is going to "have to" step up attacks on Syria as a result of the US leaving. "They have to," Rubio said, "in order to defend themselves."
He said we're going to find ourselves in "another Israel-Hezbollah war."
Establishment politicos and journos are going crazy all over the place because Trump doesn't understand our troops are for "fighting in the Middle East" and not defending America.
http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=59582
The Strangest Loyalty Oath You Probably Never Heard Of
Bahia Amawi works as children’s speech pathologist for the Pflugerville Independent School District in Texas. Or, rather, she used to work as a children’s speech pathologist for the district. After nine years, Glenn Greenwald reports at The Intercept, the district’s administration declined to renew her contract because she refused to sign a loyalty oath.
Not a loyalty oath to the United States. Not a loyalty oath to the state of Texas. Not a loyalty oath to Pflugerville Independent School District, nor to its students.
A loyalty oath to Israel.
Texas is one of 26 states (with similar legislation pending in 13 others) which requires state contractors to certify that they “do not currently boycott Israel” and “will not boycott Israel” for the duration of the contract.
The definition of “boycott” includes “refusing to deal with” or “terminating business activities with” Israel or any “person or entity doing business in Israel or in an Israeli-controlled territory.”
The purpose of these requirements is to hinder the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. BDS participants call on Israel to meet its “obligations under international law” by withdrawing from occupied Arab territory and so forth, and back that call by refusing to purchase Israeli goods or do business with Israeli companies.
Agree with BDS or not, it’s entirely proper for people who oppose a government’s actions to adhere to their convictions peacefully, by refusing to trade with that government or with businesses operating in that government’s jurisdiction. One prominent example in living memory was the global boycott of South Africa over apartheid, a system many BDS proponents liken to Israel’s rule in the West Bank and Gaza.
The Texas law theoretically excludes actions “made for ordinary business purposes,” but it’s easy to see how the loyalty oath could be abused:
Two companies or contractors, one from Israel and one not, bid on a job. When the Israeli company doesn’t get the job, it complains that prejudice against Israel, rather than “ordinary business purposes,” motivated the decision. Contractors who do business with governments requiring such loyalty oaths are likely to bend over backward to avoid such complaints.
But such abuse, while worth noting, isn’t the essential evil of such loyalty oath requirements. It’s merely one negative side effect of a kind of law that’s bad in and of itself.
The state of Israel benefits to the tune of billions of dollars per year in US foreign aid. Instead of just gratefully accepting the annual welfare check, its lobbyists have also successfully demanded what amounts to veto power over US foreign policy.
Now those same welfare queen lobbyists want the power to order American businesses and workers – the people from whom that tribute is extracted – to buy from, sell to, and hire Israelis whether we like it or not.
You and I – and Bahia Amawi – should be free to do business, or not, with anyone we darn well please, for any reasons we consider relevant. And American politicians should stop trying to impose loyalty oaths of any kind.
https://original.antiwar.com/thomas-knapp/2018/12/18/the-strangest-loyalty-oath-you-probably-never-heard-of/
Calm in Yemeni Port of Hodeidah as Ceasefire Holds
UN seeks to convene meetings to keep truce intact
The ceasefire in Yemen’s vital aid port of Hodeidah has taken full effect on Tuesday, and while both sides have accused the other of violations, and locals have reported a bit of gunfire, calm has generally prevailed in and around the city.
The ceasefire was the last agreement reached at last week’s Sweden peace talks, and looks to have at least a bit of momentum, though the UN still isn’t decided on how they’ll go about monitoring the process, something they promised to do. In the meantime, the UN is trying to organize video talks with both sides to bolster support for the truce.
Under this truce, both sides are to withdraw all forces from Hodeidah and the surrounding area within 21 days. There is as yet no sign such redeployment is happening, which is likely a function of neither side trusting the other to honor the truce from the start.
The number of failed previous ceasefires is no doubt informing this process, as both sides are very familiar with a ceasefire ending with a decisive military offensive, and the lack of direct UN monitoring makes all of this agreement very theoretical.
Still, the longer the ceasefire holds, the more likely both sides will be to start taking chances on pulling some troops out of the area. This leaves hope that the full withdrawal from the vital city, and the end of combat in the densely populated area, will be realized.
https://news.antiwar.com/2018/12/18/calm-in-yemeni-port-of-hodeidah-as-ceasefire-talks-hold/
After Trump’s Cave, Freedom Caucus to Launch Last Stand for Border Wall in House
The House Freedom Caucus will lead a special order on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening, where its members will push for funding for President Donald Trump’s planned border wall.
The push from the Freedom Caucus, where members will give impassioned speeches and lay out a strategy they see as the last opportunity for the wall in Trump’s first term of his presidency, comes as Trump himself and the White House have backed down from a shutdown fight and Senate GOP leaders are planning to punt funding of the government into early 2019 with a stopgap spending bill.
The Freedom Caucus, sources with knowledge of the matter say, views this fight this week as the last opportunity in the Trump administration’s first term to get wall funding for President Trump’s planned border wall. Next year, the Democrats take over the House majority on January 3, and likely incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to block any attempts to build the wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. As such, if they are right by their logic, if Congress punts to February–as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pitching with a continuing resolution in a strategy the White House seems to be backing–there will be no border wall before Trump faces voters again in November 2020.
House Freedom Caucus chairman Mark Meadows bashed the Senate’s proposal as a Christmas and Valentine’s Day gift to the Democrats. Meadows is a North Carolina Republican and close ally of President Trump who was in consideration to replace now former Chief of Staff John Kelly at the White House before the president selected Mick Mulvaney as his acting chief of staff:
Sources with knowledge of the matter tell Breitbart News that the Freedom Caucus strategy is to amend any spending bill brought up in the House to fund Trump’s border wall and close various asylum loopholes that continue to propagate the crises along the border.
Members of the Freedom Caucus are also lending their voices to the battle via op-eds, including one by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) in Breitbart News, social media posts like Meadows’ above, and on the series of floor speeches in the House on Wednesday night.
It remains to be seen what will happen in the end, but government funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and about a quarter of the federal government runs out on Friday. An inability to get a deal in the end could derail the fight, but Democrats are likely to go for the short-term continuing resolution, which funds the government at current levels–and does not include border wall money or asylum reforms–in order to kick the fight to when they control at least one chamber of Congress. If Democrats in the House side with establishment Republicans, they could cobble together enough votes to bypass Freedom Caucus opposition to any clean funding measure–but Freedom Caucus members view this as the last chance, so they intend to fight for it anyway.
The White House, meanwhile, has suggested it has found other “pots of money” in different funds throughout the government that could be reprogrammed to build the wall–but it has not been specific about what those might be. Failure to build the wall along the border, Trump’s core campaign promise in 2016, could be devastating to his re-election bid. It remains to be seen exactly what political impact this could have on the president as he faces voters for the first time since taking the White House.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/19/after-trumps-cave-freedom-caucus-launch-last-stand-border-wall-house/
Waiting for the transcript it's supposed to be made public when they are done
Trump Looks to Military to Build Border Wall as Hopes in Congress Diminish
President Donald Trump has solidified his suggestion that the U.S. military will build the wall along the southern border as the chances of Congress passing funding for the project by the Dec. 21 deadline shrinks.
“Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!” Trump wrote in a Dec. 19 tweet.
The Pentagon has backed Trump, acknowledging there is a legal option to use military funds for border barriers, though also saying there’s no plan in place to do so.
“To date, there is no plan to build sections of the wall,” Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said in a Dec. 12 statement. “However, Congress has provided options under Title 10 U.S. Code that could permit the Department of Defense to fund border barrier projects, such as in support of counter drug operations or national emergencies.”
Trump has asked Congress for $5 billion for the wall, but has faced a unified opposition from the Democrats and even from some Republicans.
Trump has repeatedly said he would partially shut down the government over the wall money, meaning he would veto a homeland security budget bill that doesn’t include the funding.
A large part of the government is already funded through next September, including the military, public health care agencies, education, and veterans’ programs.
Yet Congress still has roughly $450 billion of funding left to approve before several agencies run out of money on Dec. 21.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-looks-to-military-to-build-border-wall-as-hopes-in-congress-diminish_2743526.html
Paul Ryan’s Farewell Address: ‘We Have Kept Our Promises’
House Speaker Paul Ryan said during his farewell address on Wednesday that over the last three years, with his time as speaker, “we have kept our promises.”
“Three years ago, when we last gathered in this hall, we began a great journey. To set our nation on a better path. To move our economy from stagnation to growth. To restore our military might,” Ryan said.
“And we have kept our promises,” Ryan added.
The Wisconsin Republican said that they have taken on some of the “biggest challenges of our time” and they made a “lasting difference” that changed the trajectory of America.
Ryan charged that America could solve any problem “by putting pen to paper on sound policy.”
The Wisconsin Republican then pivoted towards entitlement reform, which he long promised to reform, and yet, has remained unable to pass any substantial entitlement reform during his time in Congress, or as speaker.
Ryan admitted that he faced immense political tailwinds with his plan to reform America’s entitlement programs, saying, “I acknowledge plainly that my ambitions for entitlement reform have outpaced the political reality and I consider this our greatest unfinished business.”
“We all know what needs to be done,” Ryan continued. “Strong economic growth, which we have now, and entitlement reform, to address the long-term drivers of our debt.”
Ryan also stumbled on passing an Obamacare repeal package, which initially failed after conservatives chided the legislation, contending the bill did too little to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). An Obamacare repeal package only passed through the House after Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) teamed up with then-Tuesday Group co-chairman Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) to negotiate a revised Obamacare repeal package.
Speaker Ryan then spoke of immigration and said that despite Ryan’s inability to pass substantial immigration reform, “we came closer in this Congress than people realize.”
Rep. Ryan received considerable criticism from House conservatives and other grassroots activists for pushing his a weaker immigration and border security bill compared to the Trump-endorsed legislation sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).
The Goodlatte bill received far more votes than the Ryan bill in a series of votes in June.
Ryan said that America’s immigration system “will still be in need of serious reform” and that “our full potential as a nation is at stake.”
The outgoing speaker then said that the Supreme Court’s potential ruling on Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) illegal alien amnesty program will likely bring both parties “back to the table.”
“Getting this right is an economic and moral imperative. And it would go a long way toward taking some of the venom out of our discourse,” Ryan said.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/19/paul-ryans-farewell-address-we-have-kept-our-promises/
Who exactly did he keep his promises too?
I can feel it too
Q questioned and answered
Former Goldman Vice President Pleads Guilty To Insider Trading
A former Goldman Sachs Vice President pleaded guilty on Wednesday to insider trading, after prosecutors alleged that he made over $130,000 in illegal profits.
From 2015 through 2017, Woojae "Steve" Jung used his access to material non-public information on Goldman clients' potential parties to mergers, acquisitions and corproate restructurings to trade through an account established in the name of an associate living in South Korea.
Jung, a South Korean citizen who joined the Investment Bank in July 2012 after graduating from Wharton business school, opened a trading account with Goldman when he joined the firm per company policies. The next month, an account was opened for Jung's friend - described as a student residing in Los Angeles. Investigators traced the IP addresses used to make the trades to Jung's Manhattan residence and computers in Korea.
In 2015, Jung was promoted to Vice President and moved from New York to Goldman's San Francisco offices. He was put on leave following his indictment and left the firm in June, according to FINRA records. Jung was hit with seven counts; one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and six counts of securities fraud.
In one case, Jung made $57,266 on SanDisk shares and options surrounding a rumor that Western Digital might acquire the chipmaker. Jung also netted approximately $64,000 on the October 2015 acquisition of KLA-Tencor by Lam Research.
Not all of Jung's insider trading was spectacularly profitable; in March 2015 Jung bought 400 shares of Foresight Energy right before Murray Energy Corporation took a majority stake, resulting in a profit of just $362.00.
Magistrate Judge Deborah Freeman of the Southern District of New York recommended that Judge Lewis Kaplan accept Jung's guilty plea. The former banker faces 18 to 24 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-19/former-goldman-vice-president-pleads-guilty-insider-trading
State prosecutor hands indictment recommendations against PM to attorney general
Shai Nitzan reportedly concludes enough evidence to charge Netanyahu for bribery in 3 separate cases; AG Mandelblit to pore over 800-page report in preparation for final decision
The State Prosecution has completed its work on the three criminal cases against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the attorney general’s office will begin deliberations over the cases in the coming days, State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan said Wednesday, with his conclusions reportedly pointing to bribery charges in each.
The State Prosecution considers one of the probes, known as Case 4000, to constitute “a clear case of bribery,” while Cases 1000 and 2000 are seen as “bribery lite,” Hadashot TV news reported.
It said the attorney general’s office aims to reach a decision on whether to press charges in the next few months, and certainly “well before Passover” in mid-April.
It is up to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to decide whether to indict the premier.
The Hadashot TV report described Case 4000 as the gravest of the cases. Referring to what it said was a draft recommendation prepared by the State Prosecution, it said Case 4000 was regarded as a clear case of bribery, as well as fraud and other offenses.
“We have made and will continue to make every effort to finish the work as soon as possible,” Nitzan told the Globes financial conference in Tel Aviv.
“In recent weeks I have been provided a draft recommendation by the [State Prosecution’s] Tax and Finance Department, after careful study of the investigation material,” Nitzan said.
“In recent months I have held exhaustive meetings with the prosecution and clarified various judicial and evidence-related questions,” he said. “With the completion of the prosecution’s work, discussions will begin in the coming days with the attorney general.”
He said the full probe and recommendations portfolio stretched across over 800 pages.
Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu for bribery in Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000. Last month it was reported that Tax and Finance Department head Liat Ben Ari, after reviewing police evidence, had made the same recommendation on Cases 1000 and 2000, though there was no word on her position in Case 4000, the last investigation to have been completed by police.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/state-prosecutor-ag-will-begin-reviewing-pm-corruption-cases-in-coming-days/
Powell Breaks The Market
"Everything was awesome" and then Jay Powell said…
“The balance sheet is on auto pilot, we don't see balance sheet runoff as creating problems"
And everything broke…
Overnight futures show hopeful buying - "surely The Fed will deliver and capitulate… for goodness sake, someone has to rescue my FANG portfolio!!??" - But The Fed did not - cutting their rate outlook by a mere one hike, with plenty still seeing 3 hikes ahead in 2019…
This is the market's worst year since 2008, worst quarter since Q4 2008, and worst December since 1931!!
As Scott Minerd warned: "this market sell-off risks becoming a systemic problem."
More charts:
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-19/powell-breaks-market
I think this is the soft disclosure part, guy like this would spend that in an afternoon shopping
Labour MP Found Guilty of Perverting Course of Justice
Fiona Onasanya MP has been suspended from the Labour Party after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice, raising the possibility of a by-election.
Ms Onasanya was found guilty at an Old Bailey retrial on Wednesday of lying to police over who was behind the wheel of a speeding car, the BBC reports.
The Peterborough MP had lied about being behind the wheel when going 11 miles over the speed limit in a 30-mile-an-hour zone in July 2017.
She had been accused of colluding with her brother Festus Onasanya, 33, to avoid getting three points on her licence by concocting a story that a former lodger, who was out of the country at the time, had been driving her car.
Festus earlier pleaded guilty of three counts of perverting the course of justice.
Donna Rayner, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said after the sentencing, “Fiona Onasanya and her brother Festus both lied to the authorities in the hope they could avoid the consequences of their speeding offences.
“Fiona Onsanya denied perverting the course of justice but the CPS presented evidence that her phone was in the area when the speeding took place and the man she had nominated as the driver was, in fact, out of the country. Clearly the jury did not believe her explanation.”
Both the MP and her brother will be sentenced in January.
A Labour spokesman said that Ms Onasanya had been “administratively suspended” from the party, adding: “The Labour Party is deeply disappointed in Fiona Onasanya’s behaviour. It falls well below what is expected of politicians. She should now resign.”
The verdict raises the possibility of a by-election for the Peterborough constituency, which the 35-year-old won in the 2017 General Election, beating incumbent Conservative Party politician Stewart Jackson by just 607 votes.
She could still keep the seat as an independent if forced to resign from Labour — but if she is jailed for more than a year, that should lead to automatic disqualification from the House of Commons.
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2018/12/19/labour-mp-found-guilty-perverting-court-justice/
calm down stop shouting, got to break it first
Not sure interesting tho, needs a dig