Presumptuous Politics

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Poor Bill Cartoon

Md. governor lifts state of emergency for Baltimore

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he has rescinded a state of emergency for Baltimore and all National Guard and state police have been pulled out.
Hogan made the announcement Wednesday, more than a week after 2,000 National Guardsmen were called into the city when protesters overwhelmed police by throwing bricks and bottles at them.
Stores were looted, cars and businesses were burned and nearly 100 officers were injured during the riot April 27.
The Guard and state police helped local officers enforce a city-wide curfew for a week.
Hogan lifted the state of emergency as the mayor called on the Justice Department to investigate whether city police use excessive force and discriminatory practices.
Hogan says that request was "probably a step in the right direction."

Texas Tea Party takes on red light cameras, and $18-an-hour 'supporters'

The fight over traffic cameras in one Texas city has both sides seeing red - and hired protesters making $18 an hour.
Voters in Arlington, Texas, will head to the polls Saturday to decide whether red light cameras should stay or go, after a charter amendment was placed on the ballot that, if passed, would ban them. Tea Party leader Kelly Canon and another woman, Faith Bussey, spearheaded a petition drive last year to eliminate the cameras, claiming they are money-making machines that do little to deter drivers from running red lights.
Meanwhile, city officials, police officers and the camera company, American Traffic Solutions (ATS), argue the cameras are essential live-saving tools required at traffic spots.While the debate over red light cameras is an old one that spans several states, the situation in Arlington has taken a unusual twist.
A political action committee called, "Save Lives, Save the Cameras," hired a Cleveland, Ohio-based marketing firm to pay people $18 an hour to act as protesters against the amendment, according to Canon and others, including Arlington City Councilman Robert Rivera.
While the firm, Extreme Marketing and Promotions, declined to comment on their involvement, FoxNews.com obtained emails and archived Facebook posts from a firm employee, recruiting "sign holders" and "brand ambassadors" to get "a certain message across with holding signs, during the voting process."
The advertisement calls for candidates who are "outgoing and have high energy" and requires they wear khakis and a "solid nice white top."
"The marketing firm is trying to create an illusion of local support for the cameras," said Canon, who is vice president of the Arlington Tea Party. "You basically have a camera company trying to save their monetary hide. They are creating fake groups that they hide behind."
"This is a corporate money making enterprise trying to influence a campaign," added Rivera, who said he advocates more effective ways to ensure safety at intersections.
Canon, who said she received her first citation in January 2014 after making a right turn on red, claims the fines from the cameras do nothing to stop people from running red lights.
"We don't see it as a safety measure," said Canon. "The cameras can't prove who is driving and the cameras can’t stop an accident from happening."
During the midterm elections last year, Canon and Bussey set up their petition drive outside voting precincts and collected 11,405 signatures -- well over the 9,300 needed to get their charter amendment on the ballot.Canon said her initiative was given momentum by activists successful in banning the red light cameras in other Texas cities, like Conroe, Dayton, Houston, Baytown, League City and College Station. She and Bussey are now part of a PAC, "Citizens For a Better Arlington," that formed late last year.
Under the traffic camera system in Texas, drivers who run a red light are fined $75 for the initial infraction and then a $25 late fee if the money is not paid within 30 days.
"On the copy of the late notice it says, 'If you don’t pay it, we will turn it over to a collection agency,'" claimed Canon. "But we came to find out -- by looking at state law -- that a credit agency cannot touch your credit report for the failure of your payment for a civil penalty."
The address for the "Save Lives, Same the Cameras" PAC is a UPS storefront in north Arlington. Canon and others said the PAC missed the deadline to report its finances, making it difficult to confirm who is funding it.
ATS spokesman Charles Territo said in an e-mail the company supports the efforts of "Save Lives, Save the Cameras," but directed questions about the campaign and its activities to the PAC itself.
Jody Weiderman, spokesman for Save Lives, Save the Cameras, told FoxNews.com, "All too often in these debates those who get tickets for red-light running act like they are the victims. The real victims of red-light running are the families and loved ones of those injured or killed in red-light running related collisions.
"The fact of the matter is that there have been zero fatalities at any of the intersections with cameras in Arlington since red-light safety cameras have been deployed."
Police officers in Arlington say they are opposed to the removal of the red light cameras.
The cameras have reduced accidents up to 75 percent at some intersections and revenue from the cameras heavily funds the city's DWI unit, according to ABC affiliate WFAA.
If the cameras were removed, "It would be a huge impact on the Arlington police department," Arlington Police Sgt. Becki Brandenburg told the station. "We would no longer have a DWI unit."
"I think we'll have an increase in DWI's, DWI accidents, and DWI fatalities," said Brandenburg, who is president of the Arlington Police Association.
ATS states on its website that, "A crash caused by a driver who runs a red light is more likely to result in serious injury or death."
The site also posts testimonials from law enforcement officials around the country touting the effectiveness of red light cameras.
"When asked if we still need this program, the majority of people still said yes. And I notice when I am on the road that, even at the intersections where there are no cameras, more people are approaching those intersections more cautiously," the site quotes a Florida sheriff as saying.
Still, Canon claims the system is flawed and designed to rake in as much revenue as possible.
"I’m very confident this amendment is going to pass," she said.

Aide to California AG, 2 others accused of running 'masonic' police force

An aide to California Attorney General Kamala Harris has been arrested along with two others for allegedly operating an illegitimate "police department" that traces its origins to the Knights Templar.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced that the three suspects were taken into custody last week on suspicion of impersonating police officers through their roles in the so-called Masonic Fraternal Police Department.
Among them is Brandon Kiel, 36, who has worked as deputy director of community affairs at the California Department of Justice -- which is led by Harris, also a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. Kiel was arrested on suspicion of misusing his government ID.
A spokeswoman at the department told FoxNews.com on Wednesday that Kiel is now on administrative leave.
"We cannot comment on the ongoing personnel matter or criminal investigation," the spokeswoman said in an email.
The Masonic Fraternal Police Department, while not a recognized law enforcement arm, maintains it has existed for 3,000 years and claims jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico.
The Los Angeles Times reported that suspicions about the group's presence in California were aroused when local police chiefs got a letter in January announcing its new leadership. A man claiming to be Kiel reportedly called law enforcement agencies to schedule meetings.
According to the Times, investigators found badges, weapons and other law enforcement materials when they searched two sites. Also arrested were Tonette Hayes, 56, and David Henry, 46.
The group's website claims it is linked to the ancient Knights Templar.
The site says: "When asked what is the difference between The Masonic Fraternal Police Department and other Police Departments the answer is simple for us. We were here first!" It claims to be part of a special jurisdiction located with Santa Clarita, Calif. -- while stressing they are not part of the "sovereign citizens" movement.

At least 12 injured in Oklahoma City as tornadoes sweep through Plains

OKLAHOMA CITY – Authorities are set to survey the damage that was left behind after tornadoes swept through the southern plains, overturning cars and destroying dozens of homes near Oklahoma City Wednesday night.
At least 12 people were injured, but no deaths were immediately reported from the twisters that also whipped through rural parts of Texas, Kansas and Nebraska.
"We'll have much better picture of how widespread the damage is when the sun comes up tomorrow," meteorologist Forrest Mitchell with the National Weather Service in Norman said.
The Oklahoma City area seemed to be the hardest hit. A twister destroyed homes in Grady County and it appeared another tornado touched down in the area later Wednesday when a second storm came through.
"We do strongly think there was a tornado on the south side of Oklahoma City," meteorologist Michael Scotten said after the second storm that hit around 8:40 p.m.
The stormed flipped vehicles over vehicles on Interstate 35 and left power lines strewn across the roadway, Scrotten said.
Lara O’Leary, a spokeswoman for Emergency Medical Services Authority, said late Wednesday that the company transported 12 patients from a trailer park in south Oklahoma City to local hospitals. She did not give further details about the extent of the patients’ injuries.
Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said about 10 homes were destroyed in Amber and 25 were destroyed in Bridge Creek. As the storm moved to the east, forecasters declared a tornado emergency for Moore, where seven children were among 24 people killed in a tornado disaster two years ago. When the first storm hit Wednesday, school districts held their pupils in safe places.
At Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, people were twice evacuated into a tunnel outside the security zone. Flights were canceled for the rest of Wednesday evening shortly after 10 p.m. local time.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

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Clinton calls for path to 'full and equal citizenship' for illegal immigrants

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LAS VEGAS – Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that any immigration overhaul must include a path to "full and equal citizenship," drawing a sharp contrast with Republicans who have promoted providing a legal status or blocked efforts in Congress to address the nation's immigration system.
"This is where I differ with everybody on the Republican side. Make no mistake, not a single Republican ... is clearly and consistently supporting a path to citizenship. Not one," Clinton said, adding, "When they talk about legal status, that is code for second-class status."
Clinton's remarks during her first campaign stop in Nevada underscored Democrats' efforts to box-in Republican presidential candidates who have opposed a comprehensive bill including a pathway to citizenship. Congressional Republicans have said the changes must be made incrementally, beginning with stronger border security.
The issue of immigration resonates with many Hispanic Americans, who backed President Barack Obama by wide margins over Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 and helped the president's re-election campaign capture several hard-fought swing states, including Florida, Colorado and Nevada.
Clinton's pitch to Latino voters came as two of her potential Republican rivals, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, have courted Hispanics and talked about ways to overhaul the immigration system while opposing Obama's executive actions last year to shield millions of immigrants from deportation.
Obama's executive actions loom large in the immigration debate. The orders included the expansion of a program protecting young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Another provision extended deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for several years.
Twenty-six states, including Nevada, have sued to block the plan, and a New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel heard arguments on the challenges last month. A ruling is pending.
Clinton, the leading Democrat in the presidential race, said she supported Obama's executive actions and said she would "defend" them against Republican opposition while seeking ways to expand them if elected president. Her message was aimed at so-called Dreamers, young people who have been protected from deportation by Obama's executive actions.
"I don't understand how anyone can look at these young people and think that we should break up more families or turn away young people with talent," she said. "So I will fight for comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship."
Clinton also said she was worried about the use of family detention centers to hold women and children caught up in the immigration system, which activists have said is inhumane.
Her framing of the immigration debate has been closely watched by Latinos and immigration advocates as Obama has struggled to pass reform legislation through Congress.
For Clinton, "the $64 million question is will she continue the executive actions," said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center.
Clinton has been tripped up by immigration policy before. During the 2008 primaries, she initially vacillated on and then opposed allowing immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to obtain driver's licenses. Her campaign said last month she now supports state policies that allow driver's licenses under those circumstances. Last fall, some young Hispanics heckled her at a few campaign events, urging her to pressure Obama to issue the executive orders.
Preparing for a debate over immigration, Republicans have sought to portray Clinton as opportunistic on the issue.
"Obviously she's pretty good at pandering and flipping and flopping and doing and saying anything she needs to say," Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said during an event with Hispanic Republicans in Denver.
After campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire, Clinton made her first visit to Nevada since announcing her campaign last month. The state holds an early contest on the Democratic primary calendar and is expected to be a general election battleground with Republicans. Clinton won the 2008 Democratic caucuses there, but Obama came away with a slight edge in the number of delegates because of his strength in rural areas.
Later Tuesday, Clinton attended a suburban Las Vegas fundraiser hosted by Brian Greenspun, a college classmate of her husband, former President Bill Clinton. He also is the chairman of Greenspun Media, which publishes the Las Vegas Sun.
Clinton is scheduled to spend the rest of the week in California at fundraisers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley.

Huckabee announces 2016 White House bid, with focus on economy and security

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee announced Tuesday he is running for president, delivering an economy- and security-centered message that he hopes will appeal to everyday Americans and distinguish him from the already-crowded Republican field.
Huckabee, who is embarking on his second presidential run, made the announcement in his hometown of Hope, Ark. In a 30-minute speech that focused on his humble beginnings, Huckabee vowed to end “stagnant wages,” protect Medicare and defeat radical Islamic terrorism.
“Folks cannot seem to get ahead or even stay even,” he said.
Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, ran for president in 2008, winning eight states including the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses before running out of money and exiting the race.
“Folks, it’s a long way from a little brick rented house on Second Street in Hope, Arkansas, to the White House,” he said. "But here in this small town called Hope, I was raised to believe where a person started didn't mean that is where he had to stop. I always believed that kid could go from hope to higher ground."
The 59-year-old Huckabee has a strong following among the party’s evangelical Christian base but this time will face stiff competition for that vote from such primary candidates as Dr. Ben Carson and Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas.
He frequently repeated the phrase, “Hope to higher ground,” which appears to be a slogan of sorts for his 2016 campaign.
He also took a swipe at President Obama for declining to recognize the Islamic State group as radical Islamic terrorists and vowed to stop them.
"I wonder if he can watch a Western from the '50s and be able to figure out who the good guy and the bad guys really are," Huckabee said. "As president, I promise you, we will no longer try to contain Jihadism. We will conquer it.”
He also vowed to protect Medicare and give states more of a say in government and education.
Huckabee, who left his job as a Fox News host earlier this year in preparation for a potential 2016 run, was Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007, serving after Bill Clinton, who also is from Hope. And he was the state’s lieutenant governor from 1993 to 1996.
Even before the speech, Huckabee was trying to position himself as the GOP candidate best equipped to defeat Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner.
In a recent campaign video, Huckabee argued that in his more than 10 years as governor, he took on Democrats in "Bill Clinton's Arkansas" after then-candidate Bill Clinton won election to the White House in 1992.
"Every day in my life in politics was a fight," Huckabee says in the video, released as a preview of his Tuesday announcement. "But any drunken redneck can walk into a bar and start a fight. A leader only starts a fight he's prepared to finish."
The field of confirmed and potential GOP presidential candidates includes more than a dozen people.
A new NBC/ Wall Street Journal poll of GOP primary voters shows 23 percent picked former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as their first choice.
Bush is followed in the poll by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio with 18 percent, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with 14 percent, Cruz and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul with 11 percent, Carson with 7 percent, Huckabee and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 5 percent, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 2 percent and former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina at 1 percent.
Huckabee is the third Republican this week to announce a 2016 White House bid, following Fiorina and Carson, a retired neurosurgeon They join Cruz, Paul and Rubio.
Campaign aides say Huckabee’s path to winning the party nomination this time will be to appeal to working-class cultural conservatives, pitching their candidate as an economic populist and foreign affairs hawk who holds deeply conservative views on social issues such as abortion and gay marriage.
Huckabee advocates a national consumption tax, which is similar to a sales tax, to replace the existing federal taxes on personal income and payrolls. He rejects calls for a minimum wage hike, saying his proposals will yield a "maximum wage" for workers.
On immigration, he insists on a secure border and bemoans the presence of millions of people who are living in the country illegally, though he favors a creating a path to citizenship for children of immigrant parents who brought them to the U.S. illegally.
Like other Republican White House hopefuls, Huckabee is sharply critical of Obama's foreign policy. He has called for "bombing the daylights" out of Islamic State targets in the Middle East, though he says American troops should be deployed to the region only as part of an international coalition that includes nations such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
But whatever the issue, Huckabee, also an author, wraps his appeal as a pitch to everyday Americans who he says "don't feel like anybody understands or knows who they are, much less cares what's happening to them."
Evangelical Christian voters helped Huckabee win the Iowa caucuses in 2008 and finish a strong second in South Carolina, the largest of the early-voting states.
He would need to replicate that early success to create an opening to build a wider coalition and compete deep into the primary schedule.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015