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41 snatched by AQIM in Algeria gas plant attack
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Page 6: Politix
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5 12:24 DarthVader [2] 
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8 17:42 JohnQC [] 
4 11:08 Dino Shomomp7692 [] 
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Page 4: Opinion
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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Linn County Oregon Sheriff's letter regarding recent gun controversy
Posted by: Besoeker || 01/17/2013 10:12 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  More and more of this going on lately. Arizona wanted to enforce immigration laws but the federal government sued them not to. Now, the govmint wants sheriffs to enforce executive orders to enforce their gun-control EOs. Something is seriously wrong in the country.
Posted by: JohnQC || 01/17/2013 11:13 Comments || Top||

#2  We will need a lot more sheriffs like these guys if it all begins to go seriously south. What is the law like where you live?
Posted by: Past Master of the Obvious || 01/17/2013 11:55 Comments || Top||

#3  For good or bad, the elected County Sheriff is 'The Law' in their county wielding authority over even Federal Officers. Some will be Leftist, some won't. Some will do O's bidding, some won't.

In the coming conflict, when things get HOT, sure is going to be interesting. I wouldn't want to be a Federal LEO of any stripe in any of the Red States. You can almost hear the knives being sharpened.

Nastiness this way comes.
Posted by: Kojo Crosing3995 || 01/17/2013 13:30 Comments || Top||

#4  You can almost hear the knives being sharpened.

Not a wise thing to do.

For starters, you don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Especially if the fight is over the Second Amendment that says you have a right to owning a gun that you CAN bring to the gun fight.
Posted by: Ptah || 01/17/2013 14:39 Comments || Top||

#5  I'd say presently local law-enforcement (police and sheriffs) are professional and good people where I live. I was a private accident investigator before retirement and interacted with quite a few of them. The bad apples (very rarely this happens) tend to get sorted out. I couldn't say much about federal officers as I did not interact much with them.
Posted by: JohnQC || 01/17/2013 17:53 Comments || Top||

#6  Just FYI Ptah, the knives aren't for the fight, they're for after when you're nailing up the "Example and Warning to others."
Posted by: Silentbrick - Schlumberger Squishy Mud Division || 01/17/2013 19:30 Comments || Top||

#7  Well, since its for teh Common Sense

“Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.”
-Thomas Paine
Posted by: swksvolFF || 01/17/2013 20:43 Comments || Top||

#8  “Could the peaceable principle of the Quakers be universally established, arms and the art of war would be wholly extirpated: But we live not in a world of angels...I am thus far a Quaker, that I would gladly agree with all the world to lay aside the use of arms, and settle matters by negotiation: but unless the whole will, the matter ends, and I take up my musket and thank Heaven He has put it in my power.”
-Thomas Paine
Posted by: swksvolFF || 01/17/2013 20:45 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
House GOP release bill to reverse Obama's pay raise for federal employees
[WASHINGTONEXAMINER] House Republicans proposed a bill today that would cut the pay of Vice President Joe Foreign Policy Whiz Kid Biden
The former Senator-for-Life from Delaware, an example of the kind of top-notch Washington intellect to be found in the World's Greatest Deliberative Body...
and other federal officials, noting that the executive order that President B.O. signed to raise their pay costs $11 billion in new spending.

"The President has once again demonstrated his penchant for unrestrained spending by giving federal employees an across the board pay hike and sticking the rest of us with the $11 billion bill," Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., the lead sponsor on the bill, said in a statement today. "At a time when the average federal worker compensation is nearly double the median U.S. household income, and attrition from the federal workforce is already at an all-time low, we simply cannot afford this unnecessary and unilateral action by the President."

Obama's executive order raises Biden's salary $225,521 to $231,900. House Speaker John It is not pronounced 'Boner!' Boehner
... the occasionally weepy leader of House Republicans...
, R-Ohio, would see an $1,100 raise while the Senate majority and minority leaders would get paid an extra $1,000, according to Fox. "The House and Senate, however, voted down the congressional pay increase earlier this year," the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee notes.
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Please remember this EO does NOT extend to all gov't employees, only the SES.
regular GS/WG types need not apply.
Posted by: USN,Ret || 01/17/2013 8:40 Comments || Top||

#2  HAW, HAW, Give him the same cut we have, and make it stick.

About time the Veep "Paid His Share'.

He'll whine to Obama and (MAybe) Get it reversed.
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 01/17/2013 8:41 Comments || Top||

#3  USNRet

Executive Order 13635 seems to apply all the way down the GS scale (otherwise it wouldn't have cost $11B)
Posted by: lord garth || 01/17/2013 8:58 Comments || Top||

#4  LG: thanks for the update; earlier read made it sound like it did not. I stand corrected.
Posted by: Glung Snore9649 || 01/17/2013 10:02 Comments || Top||

#5  previous was me with Fred's auot-nyme maker up and running ( ina Tennesee Hotel)
Posted by: USN,Ret || 01/17/2013 10:03 Comments || Top||

#6  Will they do the same for BHO's EOs regarding immigration and the latest 23 gun-grab EOs?
Posted by: JohnQC || 01/17/2013 11:16 Comments || Top||

#7  Executive Order 13635 seems to apply all the way down the GS scale (otherwise it wouldn't have cost $11B)

Nope. Veep on down through Senior Executive Service. Don't forget that includes State, Justice and other agencies and departments with senior federal officials.
Posted by: Pappy || 01/17/2013 14:57 Comments || Top||

#8  The pay rates effective as of Jan 2012 are here

The pay schedule attached to the EO 13635 is here

A typical entry level position is GS 7.
The step 1 for 2012 is $33,979
The step 1 for post March 26 is $34,149
Posted by: lord garth || 01/17/2013 17:51 Comments || Top||


Fla. Senate Panel Votes To Ban Spying With Drones
[TAMPA.CBSLOCAL] A Florida Senate panel says police should be banned from using drones to spy on citizens.

A bill (SB 92) that would prohibit law enforcement agencies from gathering evidence or other information flew through the Criminal Justice Committee with a unanimous vote Tuesday.

It also would ban government agencies from using drones for code enforcement.
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Let the payoffs begin!"
Posted by: Skidmark || 01/17/2013 1:48 Comments || Top||


Nebraska governor is latest to propose ending state income tax
[REUTERS] Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman on Tuesday became the second Republican governor in the last week to propose ending his state's income tax, saying he wants to make Nebraska more competitive with its neighbors by eliminating the tax on both individuals and corporations.

Heineman said that if a complete elimination of the two taxes could not be passed, he would push to lower rates on both individuals and corporations. He promised to make up the lost revenue by reducing business exemptions to the sales tax.

Last week, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said he wanted to eliminate all personal and corporate income taxes in his state. Louisiana's personal income tax rate is 3.9 percent.

Nebraska's personal income tax rate is 6.84 percent, higher than every one of its neighbors -- Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming -- according to a table accompanying Heineman's remarks.
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  US States must be confident that Mexico + Canada + Greenland will willingly give mucho $$$ to the USA vee future NAU Member-State contributions + ultimately NAU-level Member-specific appropriations, as unlike the Cold War where many n the Internat Community = World Govts-Nations wanted the US-n-only-the-US to take the lead + be principal???

PRAY HARD + KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED, BECUZ AMERIKKA IS GONNA NEED IT.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 01/17/2013 0:56 Comments || Top||

#2  > He promised to make up the lost revenue by reducing business exemptions to the sales tax.

DOH. Incomes taxes and sales taxes ARE THE SAME THING!
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 01/17/2013 9:20 Comments || Top||

#3  Are they the same, income tax hits earnings while sales tax hits spending. Moving from one to the other has to have some effect (working harder but spending less or something like that).
Posted by: Rjschwarz || 01/17/2013 11:46 Comments || Top||

#4  The purpose of Earning IS spending. To have one without the other is pointless (and economically harmful).

Taxing Unearned income via rent-seeking is negative harm.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 01/17/2013 12:09 Comments || Top||


Patrick proposes gas tax, income tax hike, plus new taxes and fees
[BIZJOURNALS] Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on Monday laid tax and fee increases and new taxes on the table, including more than doubling the state's gas tax.
But that's alright. Y'all keep turning out 110 percent Democrat.
He's raising taxes to fund projects instead of maintenance on existing transit. Then he'll come back and raise taxes ... for maintenance on the new stuff. It never ends.
He's seeking more than $1 billion a year in new revenue to fund projects designed to fund public transit and highway operations, reduce MBTA debt and borrow money to double infrastructure spending. Beacon Hill leaders reportedly signaled agreement.
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  We're not called Taxachusetts for nothing...
Posted by: Raj || 01/17/2013 0:18 Comments || Top||

#2  Y'all could move here to Virginia. Our governor just proposed dropping the gas tax.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia || 01/17/2013 8:24 Comments || Top||

#3  Just remember the families backs in Europe who were unwilling to join those who were kicked out or left on their own accord back before 1914 and what they got to endure for the first half of the 20th Century.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 01/17/2013 8:36 Comments || Top||

#4  Yep, and the Soviets still use cloths around their feet,(Instead of socks) about forty years ago WE did too.

(Possibly More, Or backwarf Rubes.)
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 01/17/2013 8:46 Comments || Top||

#5  He will see the phenomena of raising taxes... and seeing revenue drop.
Posted by: DarthVader || 01/17/2013 12:24 Comments || Top||


Rubio: President Obama is abusing his executive powers
[WASHINGTONEXAMINER] Sen. Marco Rubio R-Fla. criticized President B.O. moments ago for his speech promoting gun control and abusing his executive powers. The president initiated 23 executive orders during his presser, vowing to "use whatever weight this office holds" to promote his agenda.

In a statement, Rubio warned that Obama's use of executive power was troubling.

"Making matters worse is that President B.O. is again abusing his power by imposing his policies via executive fiat instead of allowing them to be debated in Congress," he said. "President B.O.'s frustration with our republic and the way it works doesn't give him license to ignore the Constitution."

Rubio added that Obama's proposals would not have actually prevented the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and were threatening the Second Amendment rights of legal gun owners.

"President B.O. is targeting the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens instead of seriously addressing the real underlying causes of such violence," Rubio said.
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  'Master of the Obvious' Guy on vacation?
Posted by: Raj || 01/17/2013 0:21 Comments || Top||

#2  Seems to me that his executive orders were so much hot-air. A pantomime to make it look like he was doing something while telling folks to do their jobs better. That is an abuse of the executive powers but much less damaging than I'd suspected he was going to manage.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 01/17/2013 0:52 Comments || Top||

#3  BINGO, yeo he does/did.
So, what's new.
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 01/17/2013 8:48 Comments || Top||


23 Executive Actions in Gun Violence Reduction Measures
[FOXNEWSINSIDER]
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.

I'll go along with that. That'd sll I'll go with, the ONLY thing he's done to actually "Prevent" Gun nuts from shooting Kids.
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 01/17/2013 8:54 Comments || Top||

#2  Gun crimes already carry stiff penalties.
Posted by: bigjim-CA || 01/17/2013 13:29 Comments || Top||

#3  As Bigjim said, and criminals and crazies don't care and will still do violence despite what the law says.

Following liberal logic on gun control, we should outlaw meth and crack since it does so much harm and is easily found on the streets, right?
Posted by: DarthVader || 01/17/2013 13:56 Comments || Top||

#4  I had a close look at these executive orders, and I also believe that they are a whole lot of nothing. And they don't seem to exceed the exceed the president's authority for the most part. He has the right to name a head of the ATF. He has the right to instruct his departments to conduct studies. He has the right to tell them to (in essence) try to enforce the law harder. I might not *like* Obama, but I don't see that he's breaking any new ground here.
Posted by: Secret Master || 01/17/2013 16:56 Comments || Top||

#5  Tell us first about government's Fast and Furious gun-running to the drug cartels in Mexico and gun-running to our AQ enemies in Syria. Also come clean on Benghazi.
Posted by: JohnQC || 01/17/2013 17:09 Comments || Top||

#6  The devil is in the details. Would anyone really trust this President with the power these EOs would give him and and the bureaucracy of the government?
Posted by: JohnQC || 01/17/2013 17:18 Comments || Top||

#7  "The State must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endorse any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation".

Mein Kamph
Posted by: Besoeker || 01/17/2013 17:41 Comments || Top||

#8  Some of the EOs are fairly straight-forward and fairly clear. Many other EOs are couched in generalities and leave out specifics. Without details and specifics, the door is open to vast power and control over law-abiding citizens with no effect on reducing violence. The EOs only serve to disarm law-abiding citizens. No mention is made of Hollywood's role in promoting violence through movies and television. Nothing is said of violent lyrics in music (gangsta rap) which promote violence to woman, police, and others. Nothing is said in these EOs about controlling gang violence. Nothing is said about the role of the main stream media in hyping violence in the media and what role this might play in violence. Nothing is said about the government's role in weakening the laws of the country (immigration, gun-running, etc.) and the lack of respect for the government and the law that this creates. Like health care and TARP funds, these EOs have been created in a rushed manner in a knee-jerk reaction to tragic events.
Posted by: JohnQC || 01/17/2013 17:42 Comments || Top||


Statement by Gov. Perry on President Obama's Executive Actions
[GOVERNOR.STATE.TX.US] Gov. Rick Perry released the following statement regarding President Obama's executive actions:

"The Vice President's committee was appointed in response to the tragedy at Newtown, but very few of his recommendations have anything to do with what happened there.

"Guns require a finger to pull the trigger. The sad young man who did that in Newtown was clearly haunted by demons and no gun law could have saved the children in Sandy Hook Elementary from his terror.

"There is evil prowling in the world - it shows up in our movies, video games and online fascinations, and finds its way into vulnerable hearts and minds. As a free people, let us choose what kind of people we will be. Laws, the only redoubt of secularism, will not suffice. Let us all return to our places of worship and pray for help. Above all, let us pray for our children.

"In fact, the piling on by the political left, and their cohorts in the media, to use the massacre of little children to advance a pre-existing political agenda that would not have saved those children, disgusts me, personally. The second amendment to the Constitution is a basic right of free people and cannot be nor will it be abridged by the executive power of this or any other president."
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  God bless Texas!
Posted by: Bobby || 01/17/2013 6:11 Comments || Top||

#2  FINALY, some sense.
Posted by: Redneck Jim || 01/17/2013 8:49 Comments || Top||

#3  "As a free people, let us choose what kind of people we will be."

"The second amendment to the Constitution is a basic right of free people and cannot be nor will it be abridged by the executive power of this or any other president."


The above comments are word of wisdom, but I am even more struck by intelligent Rick's horse looks compared to our President.
Posted by: Dino Shomomp7692 || 01/17/2013 11:06 Comments || Top||

#4  Correction -> but I am even more struck by how intelligent Rick's horse looks compared to our President.
Posted by: Dino Shomomp7692 || 01/17/2013 11:08 Comments || Top||


Second GOP congressman suggests impeachment
[DAILYCALLER] A second Republican congressman is suggesting that impeachment should be an option as President Barack Obama
Republicans can come along for the ride, but they've got to sit in the back...
takes executive action to enact gun control measures.

In an interview with Florida's "The Shark Tank," Florida Republican Trey Radel addressed Texas Republican Rep. Steve Stockman's statement that he might seek impeachment if Obama goes forward with executive action to bring about gun control measures.

"All options should be on the table," Radel responded.

Obama announced 23 executive actions during his Wednesday presser. (READ: Obama's 23 executive orders

"It is one of those times in our history, we are at this breaking point," Radel added, going to to explain, "We have completely lost our checks and balances in this country, the Congress needs to hold the president accountable for the decisions that he's making right now, and that why again, I would say that all options should be on the table."
Posted by: Fred || 01/17/2013 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  IRONY > a POTUS at risk of impeachment for abuse of Executive/Prsidential Privelege vee Gun Control, BUT N-O-T FOR ANTI-SOVEREIGN, ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL OWG + OWG NAU???

Reminds me almost of POTUS Clinton's impeachment for lying under oath as per Monica, BUT NOT FOR SELF-ADMITTED/PROCLAIMED ELECTION FRAUD.

The establishment in Washington must be gluttons for making sure the wrong issues never get addressed - THE SOONER CHINA OPENS FIRE ON JAPAN IN NE ASIA + THREATENS NUCLEAR WAR ON THE UNITED STATES, THE BETTER FOR THE RETURN OF ETHICS OR MORALISM TO WASHINGTON + US POLITICS.

Histoire' + Perts say "It takes a major Incident or Event" - so be it!
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 01/17/2013 0:33 Comments || Top||

#2  This young black woman GETS it!
Posted by: Besoeker || 01/17/2013 2:43 Comments || Top||

#3  Time to remind yourself that the US Constitution is not about the government telling THE PEOPLE what it can do, but about WE THE PEOPLE telling the government what it can do.

And more importantly, what NOT.
Posted by: European Conservative || 01/17/2013 4:37 Comments || Top||

#4  Second GOP congressman suggests impeachment

It's a beginning... which (in my opinion) should end in deportation.
Posted by: Besoeker || 01/17/2013 18:39 Comments || Top||

#5  Ha ha, that's adorable, EC. American schools stopped teaching the concept of "limited government" many years ago. As if King George III will come charging in with his Stamp Act and his redcoats and muskets and bayonets to enforce it, or whatever happened? Ridiculous. It's all about fairness and self-esteem and identity politics now. It's the modern world, the 21st century! We're all enlightened now (well, those who agree with Obama, anyway.) How could anything possibly go wrong?
Posted by: RandomJD || 01/17/2013 20:49 Comments || Top||



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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

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Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
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Two weeks of WOT
Thu 2013-01-17
  41 snatched by AQIM in Algeria gas plant attack
Wed 2013-01-16
  France deploys armoured vehicles towards northern Mali
Tue 2013-01-15
  Pakistan paralysed after court demands PM arrest
Mon 2013-01-14
  Famed Tunisia Mausoleum Torched by Salafists
Sun 2013-01-13
  19 Killed in Failed French Raid to Free Somalia Hostage
Sat 2013-01-12
  French commandos attack al-Shabab base, explosions, gunfire heard
Fri 2013-01-11
  France confirms Mali intervention
Thu 2013-01-10
  Taliban suspects arrested over Karachi polio killings
Wed 2013-01-09
  Indonesia Foils Terror Plot on Tourist Spots
Tue 2013-01-08
  US drone attack kills four in North Waziristan
Mon 2013-01-07
  Syria Opposition Rejects Assad's Reconciliation Plan
Sun 2013-01-06
  Dronezap in South Wazoo send 18 TTP Jihadis to their rewards
Sat 2013-01-05
  Syria jets, troops wage offensive on rebels near capital
Fri 2013-01-04
  New U.S. Drone Strike Kills Three Qaida Suspects in Yemen
Thu 2013-01-03
  Iran to Citizens: Flee Isfahan

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