Why I Stopped Watching Football Cartoons

North Korea threatens to stall denuclearization in warning to US

North Korea on Thursday threatened to stall the denuclearization of its missile program if the U.S. continues to abide by an "outdated acting script" amid Washington's calls to enforce sanctions against the regime.
A statement from the nation's Foreign Ministry said that following President Trump's June summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the North has worked to improve relations between the two countries and "make active contributions to peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and over the world."
The foreign ministry said that despite their efforts to work with the U.S. — by stopping their missile launches and nuclear tests — America continues to insist on "denuclearization first," and continues to encourage international sanctions against the North.
U.S. officials, according to North Korea, "are making baseless allegations against us and making desperate attempts at intensifying the international sanctions," against what they believe to be Trump's intentions to better relations between the two countries.
"As long as the U.S. denies even the basic decorum for its dialogue partner and clings to the outdated acting script which the previous administrations have all tried and failed, one cannot expect any progress in the implementation of the DPRK-U.S. joint statement including the denuclearization," the statement read.
The North noted that they returned remains of U.S. soldiers who fought in the Korean War to the U.S. last week.
The foreign ministry said actions taken by the U.S. equate to "throwing cold water" over their efforts, calling it an "indeed foolish act that amounts to waiting to see a boiled egg hatch out."
At Trump and Kim's historic summit, the two signed a document stating that Pyongyang would work toward "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
But, following the meeting, U.S. intelligence officials said they believed North Korea was "deceiving" the U.S., saying the regime was bolstering production for nuclear weapons at "multiple secret sites" in recent months.

Ben Shapiro, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spar after he offers $10,000 to debate her democratic socialist beliefs

Ben Shapiro wants to have a discussion with Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro challenged democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to a debate, offering to donate $10,000 to her campaign if she accepted -- but it triggered a sparring match online.
Shapiro initially tweeted a video on Wednesday in which he mocked Democratic National Committee chairperson Tom Perez for calling Ocasio-Cortez, a New York congressional candidate, the “future of the Democratic Party,” before issuing his challenge.
“Miss Ocasio-Cortez, I’m really excited that you’ve been elevated to that position and I would love to have a real conversation with you about the issues. You’ve noted that you think Republicans are afraid to debate you or talk to you or discuss the issues with you,” Shapiro said.
“Not only am I eager to discuss the issues with you, I’m willing to offer $10,000 to your campaign, today, for you to come on our Sunday special,” he continued. “We can have an hour long conversation about all the topics under the sun, really probe your belief system.”
Shapiro said he would also debate Ocasio-Cortez for charity.
“However you want to do it, I am more than willing to talk to you,” Shapiro said. “Let’s make this happen.”
Shapiro, Daily Wire editor-in-chief, said that he wants to make “America a more civil and interesting place,” and feels a conversation with Ocasio-Cortez could do just that.
Thursday night, Ocasio-Cortez compared Shapiro's offer to "catcalling" on Twitter.
"Just like catcalling, I don’t owe a response to unsolicited requests from men with bad intentions," she wrote. "And also like catcalling, for some reason they feel entitled to one."
Shapiro responded: "Discussion and debate are not 'bad intentions.' Slandering someone as a sexist catcaller without reason or evidence does demonstrate cowardice and bad intent, however."
Ocasio-Cortez’s unanticipated victory over veteran Rep. Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary over Crowley's New York seat put her in a national spotlight earlier this year.
Ocasio-Cortez lit up social media on Wednesday night when she appeared on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time” and stumbled when discussing Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the House minority leader. 
“This is painful. It’s Miss South Carolina on maps bad,” Shapiro tweeted in response to her interview.
Donald Trump Jr. captioned video of her interview with, “OMG this is insane and yet the liberal campaign to make her the rockstar face of the left will continue ... let’s face it, I guess they don’t have much else.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s talk with Cuomo isn’t her first media appearance to whip up criticism since her upset victory over Crowley. She has struggled to explain how many of her platforms -- such as Medicare for all and a federal jobs guarantee -- would be funded.
Still, she has emerged as a liberal darling since bursting onto the scene – though not everyone is a fan.
Comedian Lewis Black, who also considers himself a socialist, told The Daily Beast in a recent interview that Ocasio-Cortez isn't the answer. 
“The one thing I’ve learned in my lifetime is that we’ve got to get to the middle before we start pushing things in other directions. We’ve gotta get to the middle, and they have to sit down and decide how to do things,” Black said when asked if Ocasio-Cortez provides a “glimmer of hope.”

Elizabeth Warren shares in blame for suspect's alleged $500 bounty on ICE agents, Republican says

Just hours after a Massachusetts man was arrested for allegedly offering $500 bounties for killing ICE agents, a Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in the state said his Democratic opponent shared in the blame.
GOP candidate Geoff Diehl demanded Thursday that incumbent U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren “both retract and apologize” for the criticism that he said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel have taken from her and other Democrats in recent months, the Boston Herald reported.
“We now have a man putting a bounty on the heads of ICE agents,” Diehl said in a statement. “Senator Warren’s irresponsible statements are partially to blame. She has a responsibility to support our law enforcement officials. Her call to abolish ICE and painting the entire criminal justice system racists are reckless and dangerous.”

"Senator Warren ... has a responsibility to support our law enforcement officials. Her call to abolish ICE and painting the entire criminal justice system racists are reckless and dangerous.”
- Geoff Diehl, Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Massachusetts

The suspect, identified as Brandon Ziobrowski, 33, of Cambridge, Mass., was arrested Thursday in New York, charged with one count of use of interstate and foreign commerce to transmit a threat and injure another person.
MASSACHUSETTS MAN SOLICITED KILLING ICE AGENTS FOR $500, TWEETED DESIRE TO SLIT THROAT OF McCAIN, FEDS SAY
On July 2, Ziobrowski allegedly tweeted: “I am broke but will scrounge and literally give $500 to anyone who kills ICE agent. @me seriously who else can pledge get in on this lets make this work.”
Federal officials also said Ziabrowski had tweeted a desire to slit the throat of U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
“He appears to be very much against ICE and its mission. He appears to have a violent dislike for at least one Republican senator and law enforcement," U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said at a news conference announcing Ziabrowski’s arrest.
Diehl, meanwhile, suggested that Warren, too, seemed opposed to ICE and its mission.
“We need a Senator who will support our police and not throw (ICE) under the bus to score political points,” Diehl’s statement continued. “Warren should be putting public safety first. Instead she is prioritizing her White House political ambitions to the detriment of law enforcement.”
Speaking at a rally in Boston on June 30, Warren slammed President Trump’s immigration policies, saying “we need to rebuild our immigration system from top to bottom, starting by replacing ICE with something that reflects our morality and that works.”
Other top Democrats who’ve called for ICE to be abolished include U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of Vermont and congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
DEMOCRATS CALLING FOR ICE TO BE ABOLISHED INCLUDE KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, ELIZABETH WARREN, OTHERS
But in a response to Diehl’s comments, Warren’s office told the Herald that the senator opposes any form of violence against law enforcement officers.
“We can have respectful discussions and civil discourse on policy while working together to improve lives,” the senator’s office said in a statement.
Diehl, 49, currently serves in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 7^th Plymouth District.
Warren, 69, has served in the U.S. Senate since 2013.

Why I stopped watching football.

NFL preseason sees kneeling, raised fists, during national anthem

Miami Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn (94) raises his right fist during the singing of the national anthem, before the team's NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in Miami Gardens, Fla.  (Associated Press)

NFL players continued to protest during the national anthem on Thursday night as the league began the first full week of its 2018 preseason.
Some players held their fists in the air, while others decided to kneel, despite the controversy surrounding the action.
Wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson, both of the Miami Dolphins, knelt during "The Star-Spangled Banner," ahead of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Miami Herald reported.
Robert Quinn, a defensive end for the Dolphins, raised his fist. Philadelphia Eagles Malcolm Jenkins, who plays safety, and De'Vante Bausby, a cornerback, also raised their fists prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Defensive end Michael Bennett walked out of the tunnel as the anthem played and "spent the anthem walking toward the bench," the news outlet reported. Teammate Chris Long reportedly "placed his arm around Jenkins' shoulder" during the song.
The NFL released a statement on the preseason protests.
“The NFL has been engaged in constructive discussions with the NFL Players Association regarding the anthem and issues of equality and social justice that are of concern to many Americans,” the statement said. “While those discussions continue, the NFL has agreed to delay implementing or enforcing any club work rules that could result in players being disciplined for their conduct during the performance of the anthem.”
The statement went on to say that the league's national anthem policy remained unchanged: it will continue to be played before each game, and all players and team staff on the field are expected to stand for the flag and the anthem. Those who choose not to stand must remain in the locker rooms.
“We remain committed to working with the players to identify solutions and to continue making progress on important social issues affecting our communities,” the statement concluded.

Wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson, both of the Miami Dolphins, kneeled during The Star-Spangled Banner, ahead of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.  (Associated Press)

Across the NFL, players followed former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in kneeling during the national anthem last season in protest of social injustice and racial inequality.
It sparked a national discussion about patriotism, and drew sharp vitriol from President Trump, who condemned those who knelt as disrespectful to America.
Trump in June uninvited the Eagles from visiting the White House in honor of their Super Bowl win months earlier. He said the team didn't agree with his belief that NFL players should stand during the anthem.
The NFL modified its national anthem protocol in May, prohibiting any sort of demonstrations for the 2018 season, but allowing players to remain in the locker room during the anthem if they chose to. Individual teams would be responsible for disciplining any demonstrators.
The players' union filed a grievance about the policy change, and late last month, the new policy was put on hold while the NFL and NFL Players Association work on a resolution.
Following Stills and Wilson's reported protests Thursday, Kaepernick tweeted: "My brother @kstills continued his protest of systemic oppression tonight by taking a knee. Albert Wilson @iThinkIsee12 joined him in protest. Stay strong brothers!"

 

Kamala Harris Cartoons

Tammy Bruce: The left's 'identity politics' hypocrisy

Sen. Kamala Harris

Courtesy of California Sen. Kamala Harris, we now have a bit of a hint of the new approach we can expect by the progressives who now control the Democratic Party — focus on identity politics but don’t call it that.
In other words, they will recycle the age-old leftist approach of lying to voters about who they are while vowing to punish those who dare to expose them.
All of this became clear at last week’s “Netroots Nation” political activism conference, which CNN described as “The three-day gathering of thousands of progressive activists amounted to a rejection of warnings from the Democratic establishment that their calls for single-payer health care, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and other progressive priorities would alienate moderate and Republican voters who are otherwise inclined to vote against Trump — both in November’s midterm elections and in the 2020 presidential primary.”
When you’ve lost CNN …
Ms. Harris, widely believed to be eyeing a presidential run, is doing what good progressives do — she engaged in promoting identity politics at the conference, and then told everyone that the phrase “identity politics” was a pejorative.
“Now, I am aware that some people would say that what I just said is plain ‘identity politics.’ But, I have a problem, guys, with that phrase, ‘identity politics.’ ‘Cause let’s be clear, when people say that, it’s a pejorative. That phrase is used to divide and it is used to distract …,” Breitbart reported.
As a friend of mine noted, Ms. Harris‘ new approach is to insist that identity politics doesn’t divide us, but calling it identity politics does.
Ms. Harris‘ rhetoric is important as it reveals that she and her likely mentor, former President Barack Obama, have realized the American people have rejected the disaster of liberalism, which relies on dividing and conquering. They, however, remain committed to the disaster their philosophy delivers, but they don’t care; their work remains to obfuscate and punish those who challenge them.
Rising Democratic party star, democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, most famous for not understanding economics, the southern border, or the Israeli-Palestinian issue, was even more blunt about the truth of the new Democratic agenda. About the importance of identity politics she told the Netroots crowd: “We can say that a Muslim man can be the first governor … the first Muslim governor, in this country, in the Midwest. And we don’t have to be afraid of some other that won’t vote for us, because we know that 10 years ago they voted for Barack Hussein Obama.”
No doubt some progressives like Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, believe they’re standing up for people to no longer be consigned to the margins, to finally be recognized as whole people and worthy of recognition. Yet their rhetoric relies on subjecting their perceived opponents to the very “otherness” they say they’re fighting.
There were also no actual policy prescriptions at the conference. Promising “free” stuff to everyone — free health care, free education — abolishing ICE and immigration laws, aren’t policies. They’re empty prescriptions for disaster and chaos.
We can look to the 20th century for the result of so-called leaders who promise absurd things for votes, but it’s best to just look south to Venezuela for today’s example of the cancer of so-called progressive governance.
Oh sure, there’s complete equality in medical care — no one has any. And there’s food for all, but Venezuelans have also found that you can eat your neighbor’s dog only once, and the zoo eventually runs out of animals.
For Hillary Clinton, relying on identity politics didn’t. It also reminds us that “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me” remains relevant. After eight years of Mr. Obama’s economic and foreign policy disasters, being fooled twice was rejected by the American people.
In fact, a new survey from Independent Women’s Voice found when asked if someone will support a candidate because of their sex, 83 percent say gender makes no difference, and only 10 percent will support a female because she is a woman.
That’s good news. While much has been written about the need for more women in government, something worth applauding, it is encouraging that the American voter is rejecting identity politics. This further explains Ms. Harris‘ (and watch Mr. Obama to echo this) effort to ban the phrase but not the action.
As Americans we love underdogs, disruption, and breaking new ground. If the Obama years reminded us of anything, it’s that policy matters, for the country and for our families. Democrats are going to find that out, again, in the midterms, as Americans vote for real policies that improve peoples lives, not for a return to identity politics, contrived divisions and perpetual outrage.
This column originally appeared in The Washington Times.
Tammy Bruce, president of Independent Women’s Voice, is a radio talk-show host, New York Times best-selling author and Fox News political contributor.

ICE employee continued posting pro-Clinton messages despite warnings, Office of Special Counsel says

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrest foreign nationals during a targeted enforcement operation, Feb. 7, 2017.  (Associated Press)

An employee of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agreed to resign this week after admitting she posted more than 100 social media messages during work hours or on agency property in 2016, urging people to vote for Hillary Clinton.
The disclosure came in a news release from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
The agreement between the employee and the OSC includes a five-year ban from working in the federal government, the statement said.
The posts were considered a violation of the federal Hatch Act, which prohibits most government employees from engaging in most political activities while on duty, the release said.
The woman continued the behavior despite being approached by ethics watchdogs, the OSC said.
“When a federal employee emphatically and repeatedly engages in political activity while on duty or in the workplace, OSC takes that very seriously,” Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner said. “This employee thumbed her nose at the law and engaged in vocal partisan politics both with her colleagues and on social media.

“This employee thumbed her nose at the law and engaged in vocal partisan politics both with her colleagues and on social media."
- Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner

“Considering her knowledge of the Hatch Act and continuing disregard for the law, this employee’s resignation and debarment from federal service are proportionate disciplinary actions. This case serves as an important reminder that federal employees must be mindful of the Hatch Act’s prohibitions, especially given the upcoming midterm elections.”
Most federal employees are allowed to engage in political activities during their personal time.