Why Did Hillary Announce?

By Dick Morris on dickmorris.com

Hillary’s announcement seems aimed at attracting no publicity and providing no bump in her sagging poll numbers. No hoopla. No crowds. No women talking about the history being made. Just a stealth car trip to Iowa with tweets from gas stations.

All this would seem defensive in the extreme. It would appear that she is so eager to avoid being roasted in the media and so adverse to answering questions that she is hiding in plain sight as she is running.

So why bother announcing?

The answer is unbelievable and sickening. It is a lawyer’s announcement. Under the campaign finance laws, she cannot pay her staff except out of campaign money and she can’t raise that until she becomes an official candidate. So to start the paychecks flowing to her image, hair, makeup, issue, speech, conduct and acting coaches, she has to announce.

She is announcing to comply with the small print of the law while ignoring the big print of public relations. Why? The public be damned. She is unopposed in the Democratic primary and has the party so locked up tightly that she is confident of getting a pass no matter how low her poll numbers go.

That she would think it would be OK to announce in a tweet — 140 characters, no questions, and no elaborations — is incredible.

It is of a piece with a private email server. Take the hit now. Don’t worry about how it looks. Just play defense until the election comes around. A solution only a lawyer could love.

GOP Squandered Its Best Opportunity To Hold Hillary Accountable

Bob Barr / Townhall Columnist

 

In her Sunday video announcing her presidential candidacy, Hillary Clinton touched as many hot buttons as could be crammed into a two-minute spot – women, working families, single moms, gays, Hispanics, retirees, even dog owners made the cut. Not surprisingly, what failed to make the cut was the most serious scandal (among many) which will dog Hillary throughout the primary and general campaign season – the fact that she violated numerous federal laws and regulations regarding official e-mails during and after her tenure as Secretary of State, and has thumbed her nose at the Congress seeking answers.

It made perfect sense, of course, for the presumptive Democratic nominee to stay as far from this scandal as possible.

For one thing, Clinton undoubtedly appreciates the fact that congressional Republicans rarely exhibit any instinct or stomach for pressing an attack against a Democrat adversary, regardless of how strong the merits. Already, for example, the Republican leadership in the House has let slip by what probably was its strongest and most potent weapon with which to attack Hillary.

That golden opportunity was not the Select Committee on Benghazi, chaired by South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy. To be sure, the Benghazi Committee’s investigation is an important one, and may yet uncover important evidence that Hillary and other Obama Administration officials were derelict in their duties before, during and after the fatal 2012 attack on the American consulate in that Libyan city. But already the Select Committee is bogged down in negotiations with Clinton’s attorneys, who are gleefully parsing every word in a committee “request” to the former Secretary of State to kindly turn over her e-mail server to a “neutral” entity for review.

Based on my background as a United States Attorney, and especially as an impeachment manager in the trial of former President Bill Clinton, once you start down that path of playing “Mother May I” with an adversary as adept at delaying and obfuscating as are both Clintons, you have pretty well lost whatever advantage you might have had.

Moreover, while the Benghazi Select Committee is clothed with essentially the same powers as a standing committee of the House, including the power to subpoena witnesses and materials relevant to its jurisdiction, the fact is, its jurisdiction is limited. While the Resolution establishing the Select Committee does sweep broadly, at some point every witness it might call and every document it might subpoena, will be subject to wrangling over whether or not it falls within the scope of the “Benghazi” incident. This inherent limitation will prove a source of continuing irritation, controversy and delay for the work of the Select Committee, no matter how aggressive a Chairman Gowdy turns out to be; and he is a good one.

Which brings us to the golden opportunity the GOP had to obtain answers and hold Hillary accountable to the law and to the American People, but for some reason rejected -- the Government Reform and Oversight Committee, chaired by Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

Friendly Reminder: It’s Already Against Federal Law to Pay Women Less Than Men

Matt Vespa / Townhall Tipsheet
  

It’s the feminist left’s favorite issue: equal pay. The inaccurate 77¢ statistic gets replayed over the airwaves, and the false war on women narratives get rehashed. Of course, no one is for wage discrimination. Well, at least sentient beings are not for justifying pay discrepancies based on gender. There are two federal laws on the books that prohibit pay discrimination based on gender. Also, American women are killing it, but it appears those leading the feminist charge are more content with Perpetual War theory than acknowledging that the pay gap has an expiration date–and that young women today have virtually wiped it out.

Let’s discuss the laws that prohibit pay discrimination. Before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, he signed the Equal Pay Act into law:

Prohibition of sex discrimination (1) No employer having employees subject to any provisions of this section shall discriminate, within any establishment in which such employees are employed, between employees on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees in such establishment at a rate less than the rate at which he pays wages to employees of the opposite sex in such establishment for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions, except where such payment is made pursuant to (i) a seniority system; (ii) a merit system; (iii) a system which measures earnings by quantity or quality of production; or (iv) a differential based on any other factor other than sex: Provided, That an employer who is paying a wage rate differential in violation of this subsection shall not, in order to comply with the provisions of this subsection, reduce the wage rate of any employee.

(2) No labor organization, or its agents, representing employees of an employer having employees subject to any provisions of this section shall cause or attempt to cause such an employer to discriminate against an employee in violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(3) For purposes of administration and enforcement, any amounts owing to any employee which have been withheld in violation of this subsection shall be deemed to be unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation under this chapter.

(4) As used in this subsection, the term “labor organization” means any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representation committee or plan, in which employees participate and which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work.

Pentagon says Islamic State has lost 25% of its territory
 

By Robert Spencer / Jihad Watch

 

This is welcome news, but we have heard this song before, as the Pentagon wants to play up the success of the Obama airstrikes, and the media wants to prop up Obama. So this is what we have been hearing: Has ISIS peaked? Terror group suffers setbacks in Iraq, CNN, November 14, 2014 ISIS Is […]

Read in browser »

 

ISIS Terror Camp a Few Miles from Texas

Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs

And Obama says, amnesty for all — by executive order!

The number of OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) — Pakistanis, Afghanis, Iraqis — Muslims from jihad nations) illegally crossing the border has been escalating for years. Read this piece I wrote for the Washington Times back in 2010: Borderline Obama.

Mexican Army and federal law enforcement officials discovered documents in Arabic and Urdu, as well as “plans” of Fort Bliss – the sprawling military installation that houses the US Army’s 1^st Armored Division. Muslim prayer rugs were recovered with the documents during the operation.

Jihad groups like Hezb’Allah have used the narco terror transit routes throughout Mexico for years. The hard work was already...

Read the whole entry »

     

• Email to a friend • Article Search •

Former Florida AG Bill McCollum Calling Around About 2016 Senate Seat

by: Javier Manjarres (@thesharktank1)
 

The Republican Senate primary race to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Marco Rubio continues heat up, as more former and present elected Republican officials begin to dream about walking the halls of the U.S. Senate, and taking that little choo choo train ride between the Senate office buildings and the U.S. Capitol.

Rep. Ron DeSantis is expected to announce any day now, and Rep. Tom Rooney has inched closer to throwing his hat into the ring. Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera is also said to be meeting with key Florida and D.C. folks to discuss what appears to be an imminent run for his friend Marco Rubio’s Senate seat.

Yes, Rubio and Lopez-Cantera are close. Lopez-Cantera was standing next to Rubio’s immediate family during his much anticpated presidential announcement this past Monday at the Freedom Tower in Miami

Even former Speaker of the Florida House Will Weatherford is considering a possible Senate run in 2016.

So with all these newer faces looking to replace Rubio in the U.S. Senate, could there be room for a not-so-new, but very capable former 5-term Florida Congressman and Attorney General Republican to jump into this soon-to-be contentious Senate race?

Bill McCollum is making calls. 

From what several sources have told the Shark Tank, Bill McCollum is not calling around and  telling his statewide  supporters and donors that he is considering a third run for the U.S. Senate, rather asking them what their thoughts would be about him possibly getting in the 2016 Senate race.

RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE

Today, Wednesday, April 15th, on RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on CPR Worldwide Media from 2 to 4pm EST, Craig and Diane will discuss Hillary and Marco Rubio's entrance into the presidential race, Obama's taking Cuba off the terrorist list, and Putin's selling a missile defense system to Iran NOT quite being what it seems.

Hope you can tune in:
http://cprworldwidemedia.net/radio
And chat with us live at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cprworldwidemedia/

Op-ed:
Don't Be Fooled By A Deal That Might NOT Be What It Seems
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on CPR Worldwide Media  cprworldwidemedia.net

As we all know by now Iran is expecting a special delivery package from Russia by the end of this year...a very special package in the guise of the Russian-built S-300 surface to air defense missile system. Coming on the heels of Vladimir Putin lifting a now five-year ban on delivery of this system...a system that would up Iran's military capability by giving them a strong deterrent against any air attack...this means a deterrent from an attack by Israel of course as we know Obama would dare NOT have America attack his own islamic brethren.

And we all know that Israel believes that Putin’s decision...especially considering the timing...allowing him to sell this air defense missile system to Iran is based solely upon Obama's sell-out 'framework deal' that helped to legitimize the Iranian regime in the eyes of the world. And with Israel...and Netanyahu in specific...continuing to criticize and warn the world of the dangers of a nuclear armed Iran...the truth hiding in plain site is that with Obama's leaving Iran's nuclear program largely intact...giving Iran exactly what they demanded...actually puts them on the fast-track to a bomb... that is if they do NOT already have one. Netanyahu knows this, Obama knows this, and know that Vladimir Putin knows this as well.

So, now the question is why would Putin do this and especially do it now for his dislike of muslims and their corresponding nonsense is well known. And let's NOT forget that whatever Vladimir Putin is the one thing he is NOT is a stupid man, and that means there is more...much more...to this upcoming selling of a defense system to Israel's and America's enemy than meets the eye.

Now what I'm going to propose might shock some, but if one takes the time to look at all the puzzle pieces individually before rushing to try and force the pieces to fit together, one will find that Vladimir Putin just lit the fuse to give Benjamin Netanyahu the so-called 'green light'...or at least a time-frame...to go in and take Iran out.

Let me explain...simply stated...Vladimir Putin just 'bitch-slapped' Barack HUSSEIN Obama for allowing negotiations to go forward with Iran in the first place. A payback to Obama that allows Putin to now negate the lawsuit placed on Russia by Iran in the International Court of Arbitration in Geneva...a lawsuit that allowed Iran to sue Russia for breech of the $800-million contract signed by both parties that would have allowed Russia to sell Iran the S-300 surface to air defense missile system back in 2007. And with Russian talking heads saying this is Putin's attempt to turn Iran into a major new market for Russian arms exports, the thing most forget is that first, Russia is the world's second-largest arms exporter raking in $13 billion last year alone, and second, Russia and Iran are already partners of sorts in the weapons business and have been for many years.

Already partners in the weapons business is critical, and remember also this anything but minor little detail...Russia and Iran are both aligned with and supporters of Bashir al-Assad's government in Syria. Routinely supplying al-Assad's forces with weapons, supplies, and much needed monetary aid, Russia gets to keep in return their much needed and coveted naval base in Tartus. And with Tartus being the Russian Navy's only Mediterranean repair and so-called 'replenishment spot', this becomes logistically very important for Russia as it spares their warships from having to waste time going through the Turkish Straights to get back to their Black Sea bases. And Russia cannot afford to lose this base from both a military and an economic perspective, because with Iran being al-Assad's greatest supporter and asset it is Iran who is holding the key as to whether al-Assad allows the Russian naval base to stay or NOT stay.

Translation: Russia and Iran must continue with their partnership of sorts even though Vladimir Putin is NO fan of nor has any use for the islamic sorts that currently are in control of Iran.

But...in my opinion...this is the most critical but NOT wildly known aspect of why Putin did what he did and why he did it at this particular time. While Netanyahu spoke to Putin by phone yesterday to convey his 'displeasure' over the decision to sell the S-300 surface to air defense missile system to Iran, Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu have been meeting with each other in Moscow over the past few years to discuss the Middle East in general and Iran in specific. They have a cordial, if you will, relationship because "The Israelis almost tacitly supported Putin in Ukraine and he won't sacrifice [the relationship] for a handful of dollars," according to Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Center for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), a Moscow-based defense industry think tank.

And their relationship is so very unlike the always Obama initiated volatile goings-on between Netanyahu and himself...a relationship that is deteriorating by the day thanks to Obama's oh-so outwardly siding with Israel's enemies and his obvious hatred of Jews in general. And with Putin also being NO fan of Obama...to put it mildly...this single commonality leads me to believe that in NO way did Putin NOT forewarn Netanyahu of what he was going to do, especially in light of now hearing Netanyahu's somewhat guarded and low-key response.

Remember, while Israel has much to fear from a nuclear armed Iran so does the rest of the world and that world includes Russia. And Vladimir Putin is smart enough to know that NO matter the deal he makes with Iran, Iran still cannot be trusted as long as the radical mullahs are calling the shots...as long as their goal is the establishment of a worldwide caliphate with Iran sitting at the head of the table. And, remember too, Putin's goal is the rebuilding of the once-great Russian Empire for above all else Vladimir Putin is a statist who wants 'Mother Russia' returned to her former glory...her former glory alone NOT having her sharing the 'spotlight' with those he too knows are savages out to kill us all.

So knowing all this it is NOT really that far-fetched to assume that for Putin to get what he wants for Russia the caliphate must NOT be allowed to reach fruition. So what better way to assure that than to have Israel...and most specifically Benjamin Netanyahu...be given the 'green light' to take Iran out and giving them the time frame for which to do so. And do NOT forget, this Russian deal will NOT take place for six months or longer as the missile system must still be built, delivered, and set-up. And with this deal being announced for all the world to hear, BiBi knows what needs to be done as well as the amount of time he has to get it done.

And know Israel will get the job done for if NO other reason than these two-words... 'NEVER AGAIN'...and Putin is capitalizing on these words for Russia too knows what it's like to face extermination of sorts for the days of both Joseph Stalin and Adolph Hitler killing millions of Russians are NOT all that long ago. 

Just something to think about...just something to consider.

*********************************************************

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15th, on RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on CPR Worldwide Media from 2 to 4pm EST, Craig and Diane will discuss Hillary and Marco Rubio's entrance into the presidential race, Obama's taking Cuba off the terrorist list, and Putin's selling a missile defense system to Iran NOT quite being what it seems.

Hope you can tune in:
http://cprworldwidemedia.net/radio
And chat with us live at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cprworldwidemedia/