June 23, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ash-carter-heavy-weapons-eastern-nato-russia-nuclear-provocations-ukraine/

U.S. sending arms to answer "Russia's provocations"
CBS NEWS
June 23, 2015

Play VIDEO -- Defense secretary slams Putin over nuclear missiles
Play VIDEO -- NATO asked to step in amid regional tensions with Russia
Play VIDEO -- Charlie Rose talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin

TALLINN, Estonia -- Secretary of Defense Ash Carter confirmed Tuesday that the U.S. is to station heavy military equipment, including tanks and other weapons, in new NATO member states for the first time since the end of the Cold War.

"These are responses to Russia's provocations," Carter told CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan in an exclusive interview in Estonia, one of the nations the American defense chief said could already "feel" the imminent threat posed by its massive neighbour to the east.

The increased American military presence -- some 250 tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment -- on Russia's doorstep is intended to reassure jittery allies like Estonia, which have been alarmed by Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for separatists leading the war in eastern Ukraine.

Carter's announcement of plans to permanently station the heavy weapons across seven eastern Europe nations, and a promise of a larger troop and aircraft presence, comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would add more than "40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of penetrating even the most technologically advanced missile defense systems" to Moscow's arsenal.

The newly positioned U.S. military hardware was to be located, at least for now, in Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.

Carter told Brennan it was that "aggressive rhetoric, aggressive behavior -- the kind of thing that doesn't belong in a Europe" of today, making America's NATO allies nervous.

"We continue to hope that Russia will change course," added the defense secretary. "I don't see any signs of that, but we continue to hold the door open."

Asked by Brennan whether Putin's words were seen as a genuine military threat or merely rhetoric, Carter said he took the Russian leader "at his word."

"What's odd about it is the level of rhetoric," added Carter. "That's what's so out of tune with the times and the way responsible world leaders have conducted themselves with respect to talking about what are very fearsome weapons."

The defense chief told Brennan the American weaponry being added to NATO's "eastern flank" was meant to bolster the alliance's deterrent power in the face recent Russian actions, but called it "heavy combat equipment for training purposes primarily."

He said it will be easier for U.S. forces training their European allies to "fall upon that equipment," rather than spending the added time and money necessary to move heavy weapons into place just for exercises.

President Putin has insisted repeatedly -- most recently during a question-and-answer session with "CBS This Morning" co-host Charlie Rose at an economic summit in St. Petersburg -- that his government is "not aggressive," but merely "persistent in pursuing our interests."

During that session, Putin did not explicitly deny long-standing U.S. claims that Russian troops and military hardware are directly supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Putin has said Russia's increasingly assertive military stance in the region is merely a response to NATO's spread into neighboring countries -- which he said has been, in places like eastern Ukraine, against the will of local populations.

Speaking to Rose, Putin accused Washington of "interfering with our internal political processes" by financing non-governmental organizations in Russia and practicing "interventionist" security measures on the world stage.

"We are in fact being told that the United States know better what we need. Let us define our own interests and our needs ourselves," Putin said.




“Secretary of Defense Ash Carter confirmed Tuesday that the U.S. is to station heavy military equipment, including tanks and other weapons, in new NATO member states for the first time since the end of the Cold War. "These are responses to Russia's provocations," Carter told CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan in an exclusive interview in Estonia, one of the nations the American defense chief said could already "feel" the imminent threat posed by its massive neighbour to the east. The increased American military presence -- some 250 tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment -- on Russia's doorstep is intended to reassure jittery allies like Estonia, which have been alarmed by Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for separatists leading the war in eastern Ukraine. …. The newly positioned U.S. military hardware was to be located, at least for now, in Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. Carter told Brennan it was that "aggressive rhetoric, aggressive behavior -- the kind of thing that doesn't belong in a Europe" of today, making America's NATO allies nervous. "We continue to hope that Russia will change course," added the defense secretary. "I don't see any signs of that, but we continue to hold the door open." …. The defense chief told Brennan the American weaponry being added to NATO's "eastern flank" was meant to bolster the alliance's deterrent power in the face recent Russian actions, but called it "heavy combat equipment for training purposes primarily." …. Putin has said Russia's increasingly assertive military stance in the region is merely a response to NATO's spread into neighboring countries -- which he said has been, in places like eastern Ukraine, against the will of local populations. Speaking to Rose, Putin accused Washington of "interfering with our internal political processes" by financing non-governmental organizations in Russia and practicing "interventionist" security measures on the world stage.”

I am relieved to see the US taking a step, even if it is a small one, in the direction of standing up to Putin’s newly resurrected empire. Just announcing yet another set of economic sanctions has the look of cowardice to me, though it is undoubtedly the “diplomatic” technique. It just didn’t seem to be working, and
Russia simply continued pushing. It would be a great pity if we failed to get our weapons and soldiers in the battlefield while Russia continued on from Ukraine into the other neighboring nations. I have been feeling ever since the takeover of
Crimea that we very likely may have to fight them in an outright war soon. Perhaps now, but I really don’t trust Putin at all.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-the-supreme-court-about-to-gut-obamacare/

Is the Supreme Court about to gut Obamacare?
By AIMEE PICCHI MONEYWATCH
June 23, 2015

Play Video == Attorneys On Obamacare: King v Burwell hinges on Tax Subsidies

As early as this week, the Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling that could radically change -- and perhaps even doom -- Obamacare.

The case the justices are mulling, King v. Burwell, poses a legal challenge to the tax credits offered to consumers in 34 states who bought health insurance through the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) federally run exchanges. About 6 million people in those states who used the government program to buy insurance could lose their subsidies if the High Court agrees that the law's wording -- "established by the state" -- limits federal assistance only to those states running their own exchanges.

For opponents to Obamacare, meanwhile, the ruling likely represents the final chance to challenge the 2010 law.

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the lead plaintiff, 64-year old Vietnam veteran David M. King, many of those 6 million Americans would likely drop their insurance plans, which would suddenly become unaffordable without the subsidies. There would likely be a shakeout period as consumers, states and the federal government try to deal with the fallout. Already, discussions are underway at the state level about legislative fixes, while President Obama has noted that Congress could make a "one-sentence provision" if the court upends the current system.

"If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, it will have a devastating impact in at least 34 states," predicted Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on affordable health care. "A vast majority of [those who will lose their subsidies] will join the ranks of the uninsured. The people who are most likely to drop out are younger, healthier people. The people least likely to drop out are older, sicker people. That means premiums will skyrocket for everybody."

The end result, he said, "will be what you would call a death spiral" for Obamacare.

Pollack, a former law school dean, said he believes the Supreme Court will uphold the subsidies in all the states, calling the plantiffs' case "weak."

"What's so strange about this situation is there isn't anything a consumer can do except wait and see," said Rick Lindquist, chief executive of Zane Benefits, an online provider of health insurance reimbursement for small businesses. "Congressmen and women are waiting to see what will happen before introducing legislation. Employers are waiting before modifying plans."

Below are five things to know about how a court decision in favor of King, and effectively against Obamacare, could impact millions of Americans.

Subsidies will be dropped, not insurance. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiff, subsidies will be dropped for people who receive them in the 34 states with federally run exchanges. Consumers will still have their health insurance under the ACA, so those who can afford a sharp spike in their premiums will be able to maintain their policies. States with their own insurance marketplaces, such as Vermont and New York, wouldn't be impacted.

The people would be affected are mostly white, middle-class and work full-time. Americans who would become uninsured if the court invalidates the subsidies are most likely to be white, working full-time, and earning middle-class to low-income pay, although they aren't poor, according to the Urban Institute. Almost six out of 10 live in the South. The surge in health-care premiums might be impossible for many to handle, with the Washington think tank finding that the costs for families making between 200 percent to 400 percent of the federal poverty level -- or $48,500 to $97,000 for a family of four-- would see their annual premiums under Obamacare more than triple to $15,563.

Some states are considering their own fixes. "States can absolutely fix this issue by taking on the burden of running their own exchanges," noted Zane Benefit's Lindquist. Some states are already taking preliminary steps toward this end, including Pennsylvania, Delaware and Arkansas. However, officials in some states, including Wisconsin and South Dakota, insist the fix needs to be at the congressional level.

Congress could take action and make a fix. While President Obama earlier this month said a ruling against the subsidies "would be hard to fix," he also noted that "Congress could fix this whole thing with a one-sentence provision." Families USA's Pollack added, "You could prepare a one-page bill that would fix this completely. It would restore subsidies and make sure no one is harmed." But given the complexity of politics, that's not a sure thing, or it could come with a catch, such as providing only a short-term fix through the 2016 election, he said.

Be prepared for the worst. For consumers who could be affected by the Supreme Court's ruling, it's important to have a handle on the financial impact and to start crafting a backup plan, Lindquist said. First, be aware of what your subsidy is and how much you'll need to pay to keep your insurance if the subsidies are dropped, he said. "Make sure you have at least three months of that additional cost in savings," Lindquist advised. Lastly, he said, "Have a backup plan to maybe go to a lower-grade insurance plan that costs less."




“First, be aware of what your subsidy is and how much you'll need to pay to keep your insurance if the subsidies are dropped, he said. "Make sure you have at least three months of that additional cost in savings," Lindquist advised. Lastly, he said, "Have a backup plan to maybe go to a lower-grade insurance plan that costs less." …. Americans who would become uninsured if the court invalidates the subsidies are most likely to be white, working full-time, and earning middle-class to low-income pay, although they aren't poor, according to the Urban Institute. Almost six out of 10 live in the South. …. Some states are considering their own fixes. "States can absolutely fix this issue by taking on the burden of running their own exchanges," noted Zane Benefit's Lindquist. Some states are already taking preliminary steps toward this end, including Pennsylvania, Delaware and Arkansas. However, officials in some states, including Wisconsin and South Dakota, insist the fix needs to be at the congressional level. …. "You could prepare a one-page bill that would fix this completely. It would restore subsidies and make sure no one is harmed." But given the complexity of politics, that's not a sure thing, or it could come with a catch, such as providing only a short-term fix through the 2016 election, he said. …. . About 6 million people in those states who used the government program to buy insurance could lose their subsidies if the High Court agrees that the law's wording -- "established by the state" -- limits federal assistance only to those states running their own exchanges. For opponents to Obamacare, meanwhile, the ruling likely represents the final chance to challenge the 2010 law. …. "A vast majority of [those who will lose their subsidies] will join the ranks of the uninsured. The people who are most likely to drop out are younger, healthier people. The people least likely to drop out are older, sicker people. That means premiums will skyrocket for everybody."

“Pollack, a former law school dean, said he believes the Supreme Court will uphold the subsidies in all the states, calling the plaintiffs' case "weak." To think that all this revolves around a Tea Party attempt to take advantage of an error in the wording of the law, which I assume should have been detected by a careful examination but wasn’t, makes me ill. I hope and pray that the Supreme Court rules in favor of federal subsidies even without the state marketplaces being set up in all states. The whole intention of the law is to provide these subsidies for a Middle Class whose economic position is already getting weaker and weaker due to low wages, too few jobs, and a cost of living that is already high. The federal and state governments need to protect the Middle Class as well as the poor, or there may soon be no Middle Class. That, of course, is what the 1% at the top want to avoid, so they can fully take over our economic system and even – who knows – the World? They want the government to serve them entirely, and they don’t care who else suffers. Why should they? They have their six homes and three yachts and furs and diamonds and businesses?





http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/24/us/supreme-court-ruling-on-health-law-will-shape-obamas-legacy.html?_r=0

Ruling Against Obama Would Damage, Not Negate, a Health Care Legacy
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
JUNE 23, 2015

Photograph -- President Obama defended the health care law at a conference of Catholic hospitals this month. Credit Zach Gibson/The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The night his administration’s Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, President Obama described the victory the way he hopes historians will: as a “stone firmly laid in the foundation of the American dream.”

But Mr. Obama’s prospects for a legacy of expanding health care coverage in the United States for generations have rarely seemed as uncertain as they do today. “Will that have, in the history books, an impact on the president?” said Kathleen Sebelius, who as secretary of health and human services led the fight in Congress to pass the health care law. “I’m sure. I know Republicans like to focus on how this would be a great blow to the president. But for heaven’s sake, they would have a mess on their hands.”




“Will that have, in the history books, an impact on the president?” said Kathleen Sebelius, who as secretary of health and human services led the fight in Congress to pass the health care law. “I’m sure. I know Republicans like to focus on how this would be a great blow to the president. But for heaven’s sake, they would have a mess on their hands.” As they say in an old song from my childhood, “We’re in the same boat, brother, and when you shake one end you’re gonna rock the other!” So sit down and stop causing trouble! It’s our nation, our government, our society and our economy. If we fail as a nation we will all fail together.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/charleston-shooting-naacp-president-we-must-go-after-hate-groups/

NAACP president: We must go after hate groups
By REBECCA KAPLAN FACE THE NATION
June 21, 2015

Play VIDEO -- South Carolina Senator: Legislative answer uncertain against that much hatred
Play VIDEO -- Searching for answers and peace after Charleston attack
Play VIDEO -- Charleston: Warning signs in atmosphere of hate

NAACP President Cornell William Brooks called for more vigorous investigation and prosecution of hate groups in the United States after a young man who displayed racist ideology allegedly shot and killed nine people at a historically black church.

"This crime may have occurred in moments. But it came into being over some time. This young man was indoctrinated, radicalized, if you will, with an ideology of white nationalism or racism. And so the point being here is we've got to look at not only this individual act of brutality. We also have to look at the atmosphere from which it emerged. And we have to address that," Brooks said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday.

A manifesto and photos apparently posted online by the shooting suspect, Dylann Roof, suggested the attack was racially motivated.

"I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country," he wrote. The more than 2,000-word manifesto bemoans the lack of groups like the Ku Klux Klan to take action.

Roof writes that he was "not raised in a racist home or environment," and that his attitude towards racism was "truly awakened" by the 2012 Trayvon Martin case, in which Florida man George Zimmerman shot and killed the 17-year-old black teen.

Brooks pointed to the fact that photos of Roof showed him wearing the flag of apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia, which became modern-day Zimbabwe. He also drove a car bearing the Confederate flag.

"Each of these symbols is illustrative of an underlying racism in this country, among a minority of Americans, but a level of racism and racial bigotry, and racist ideology that we cannot blink, we cannot ignore," Brooks said. "It is a moral ugliness in our midst, but we've got to address that."

In a separate interview, former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole said the ideology displayed by Roof "evolves over a long period of time."

"Frankly, it goes back to when he was a small child. You develop your coping behaviors. You develop your outlook on life. You develop an attitude towards violence. And all of that evolves to the point where the world is a bad place to live. The world is filled with enemies. You hate people," she said.

Brooks called for the country's "democratic and moral leaders" to talk about the racist ideologies and said there should be enough resources for vigorous prosecution and investigation of hate groups. The country must stamp out racism, Brooks said.

He also reiterated the reasons that the NAACP believes South Carolina must remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol. The NAACP has boycotted the state for years in an effort to bring the flag down.

"The fact of the matter is, that flag represents exclusion. It represents bigotry. It represents bias. There are white nationalist groups across the country who see that flag as representing their values," he said. "In 2015, it's a anachronistic emblem of a bygone era at best. And most likely, and most representative, a set of values that run contradictory, that run counter to who we are as Americans. It has to come down. It must come down."

Sherrilyn Ifill, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, said Americans have created a context in which white supremacy is considered more of a different viewpoint than something that should be condemned.

"This is dangerous, fatal for black people," she said. "I think we need leadership, leadership not only in Congress, leadership in law enforcement, to call this what it is, domestic terrorism. And we have to use all of our tools to get at that."




"I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country," he wrote. The more than 2,000-word manifesto bemoans the lack of groups like the Ku Klux Klan to take action. …. "This crime may have occurred in moments. But it came into being over some time. This young man was indoctrinated, radicalized, if you will, with an ideology of white nationalism or racism. And so the point being here is we've got to look at not only this individual act of brutality. We also have to look at the atmosphere from which it emerged. And we have to address that," Brooks said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. …. "Frankly, it goes back to when he was a small child. You develop your coping behaviors. You develop your outlook on life. You develop an attitude towards violence. And all of that evolves to the point where the world is a bad place to live. The world is filled with enemies. You hate people," she said. Brooks called for the country's "democratic and moral leaders" to talk about the racist ideologies and said there should be enough resources for vigorous prosecution and investigation of hate groups. The country must stamp out racism, Brooks said.”

There really is a lot of hardcore mental illness in our culture nowadays. For at least twenty years there have been groups promoting hatred and “race war,” as though that would be an acceptable way for our culture to exist. What possible advantage for people who need a home, a job, friends and a safe life would a race war bring? I personally believe all these types are mentally slow and/or disturbed. Perhaps we do, indeed, need to put them all in prisons?





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/walmart-to-remove-items-with-confederate-flag-from-shelves/

Walmart to remove items with Confederate flag from shelves
CBS NEWS
June 22, 2015

Play VIDEO -- S.C. pols call to remove Confederate flag

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Walmart said Monday that it has begun to take steps to remove all items that promote the Confederate flag from its stores and website.

In a statement from the company, spokesman Brian Nick said Walmart wants to take steps not to "offend anyone with the products that we offer," he said.

"We have a process in place to help lead us to the right decisions when it comes to the merchandise we sell. Still, at times, items make their way into our assortment improperly - this is one of those instances."

Earlier Monday, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley called for the removal of the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse. "This is a moment in which we can say that that flag, while an integral part of our past, does not represent the future of our great state."

Controversy surrounding the flag was renewed after the mass shooting of nine people in a Charleston, S.C., church last week. The accused gunman, Dylann Roof, was pictured with a license plate bearing the Confederate flag, which he embraced with racist ideology.




“… and that his attitude towards racism was "truly awakened" by the 2012 Trayvon Martin case, in which Florida man George Zimmerman shot and killed the 17-year-old black teen. …. In a separate interview, former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole said the ideology displayed by Roof "evolves over a long period of time." "Frankly, it goes back to when he was a small child. You develop your coping behaviors. You develop your outlook on life. You develop an attitude towards violence. And all of that evolves to the point where the world is a bad place to live. The world is filled with enemies. You hate people," she said. …. “Brooks called for the country's "democratic and moral leaders" to talk about the racist ideologies and said there should be enough resources for vigorous prosecution and investigation of hate groups. The country must stamp out racism, Brooks said. …. “Sherrilyn Ifill, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, said Americans have created a context in which white supremacy is considered more of a different viewpoint than something that should be condemned. "This is dangerous, fatal for black people," she said. "I think we need leadership, leadership not only in Congress, leadership in law enforcement, to call this what it is, domestic terrorism. And we have to use all of our tools to get at that."

“NAACP President Cornell William Brooks called for more vigorous investigation and prosecution of hate groups in the United States ….” I am personally delighted to see that a number of major businesses have voluntarily stopped selling any images of the “Dixie flag,” and many citizens across the country are demanding that the flag be removed from any South Carolina government areas. I believe there is a widespread recognition by a great many and perhaps most Americans since Ferguson exploded last autumn, of the pointless and truly vile emotions behind this “conservative” racist uprising of the last year or so – not that it wasn’t hanging around in the shadows of the public mind before now, but that it hadn’t been rampant since the 1960’s Civil Rights movement. That’s when SC put the Dixie flag up, one article said, to support “conservatives.” I know that’s when many Southern Democrats crossed the line and officially became Republicans. The modern day Republican Party is largely formed by racist ideology and rallies behind issues such as “anti-Communist” or the thought control of the religious right. It simply is no longer the Republican Party of General Eisenhower. He was a sensible and benign leader. I miss him very much.

The Trayvon Martin case was shocking to me because that young man did nothing but go to a local grocery store and walk back toward his aunt’s house. I gathered that it wasn’t even an all-white neighborhood, and Martin made every effort to avoid and ignore Zimmerman, who had made it his business to get a gun from his car and follow Martin down the street making aggressive comments to him. He finally got too close and Martin gave the second standard human fear reaction – rather than running he fought back. As he was then getting the better part in the fight, Zimmerman shot him at close range. The court allowed him to get by with a plea of self-defense when he was actually pointlessly harassing the black youth. Zimmerman claimed he was “in fear for his life” because Martin was wearing a “hoodie.”

As a neighborhood watch member Zimmerman was only supposed to call the police and then leave him alone. That is even what the police department told him to do when he called them. Zimmerman had only racist hatred as a reason for doing what he did, yet Dylann Roof was so inspired by this incident that he executed some dozen or so innocent church attendees after they were trusting and generous enough to allow him to sit in their midst and pray with them. What social and mental condition have some of these white people come to that they don’t recognize evil when they start to do it? Ethical decisions are supposed to be learned already by the time a young person reaches the age of 19 or 20. Some of these young folks are simply not mature enough to take an adult place in our society.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/confederate-flags-alabama-capitol/

Confederate flags taken down from Alabama Capitol
AP June 24, 2015

23 PHOTOS -- Places the Confederate flag still flies
Play VIDEO -- Virginia Gov. wants Confederate flag off license plates
Play VIDEO -- Tide turns against Confederate flag

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Four Confederate flags were taken down from the grounds of the Alabama Capitol on Wednesday at the order of Gov. Robert Bentley.

Bentley said he issued the order late Tuesday after ensuring he had the authority to have the flags removed. He said it was important to "honor history," but that could be done without flying the flag on the Capitol grounds.

"It has become a distraction all over the country right now," Bentley said. "Off and on, it has always been a distraction."

Four Confederate flags - the first three official flags of the Confederacy and the square-shaped Confederate battle flag - flew at each corner of an 88-foot-tall Alabama Confederate Monument beside the Alabama Capitol.

State workers take down a Confederate flag on the grounds of the state Capitol June 24, 2015, in Montgomery, Ala.
State workers take down a Confederate flag on the grounds of the state Capitol June 24, 2015, in Montgomery, Ala. AP PHOTO/MARTIN SWANT
An Associated Press reporter watched state employees remove three of the flags and fold them and take them inside the Capitol building before 10 a.m. The fourth already had been removed earlier Wednesday.

Two men who said they were members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization arrived shortly afterward to protest. When a group of black men, including the chief of staff for an Alabama Democrat who planned to introduce a resolution calling for the flags' removal, came to see that the flags had been removed, they spoke and shook hands with the flag supporters.

Calls to remove Confederate symbols that dot the Old South reignited after the massacre of nine people at a black church in South Carolina last week. The white suspect, Dylann Roof, posed in photos displaying Confederate flags and burning or desecrating U.S. flags.

The Confederate flag used to fly over the Alabama Capitol, following a 1963 order from former Gov. George C. Wallace during a fight with the federal government over ending school segregation.

Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, led a fight in the 1990s to remove the rebel banner from the dome. A judge ruled against the state, which appealed. Then-Gov. Jim Folsom in 1993 made a decision that the Confederate flag, which was taken down in 1992 during dome renovations, would not be put back atop the Capitol when those renovations were complete.

Holmes on Tuesday said that he would file a legislative resolution to remove the flags from the Capitol grounds.

"I think most people realize it's divisive," Holmes said on Tuesday. "It has no place on a public building."

Following the massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, a bipartisan mix of officials across the country is calling for the removal of Confederate flags and other symbols of the Confederacy from public places.

Here's a look at what's happening and what's being proposed:

Mississippi -- Leaders of the Republican-controlled state are divided on whether to alter the Mississippi flag, a corner of which is made up of the Confederate battle flag. U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker joined state House Speaker Philip Gunn on Wednesday in saying the emblem is offensive and must be removed. Mississippi voters voted 2-to-1 in 2001 to keep the flag. Gov. Phil Bryant has said he supports those election results. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said Tuesday that he thinks voters should decide on any changes.

The Commercial Dispatch newspaper in Columbus ran a front-page editorial Tuesday, saying that the state flag should change and that the Confederate symbol "represents a disgusting period of our history." It was accompanied by an image of the flag with a black X drawn over it.

Kentucky -- Republican U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that his state of Kentucky must remove a statue of Davis from the state Capitol's rotunda. The statue stands a few paces from that of another native Kentuckian, Abraham Lincoln. McConnell noted that Davis moved to Mississippi, and Kentucky never officially joined the Confederacy. McConnell suggested a better place for the statue would be the Kentucky History Museum.

Republican Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers said Tuesday that he now favors removing the statue, as does the Republican nominee for governor, Matt Bevin. Democratic nominee Jack Conway, the state attorney general, said Wednesday that the statute should be moved to a museum. Earlier, he had said he agreed with Haley's call to remove the battle flag but that he would have to think about whether to remove the Davis statue.

Maryland -- Gov. Larry Hogan's press secretary says the Republican leader opposes the use of the Confederate flag on the state's license plates.

Erin Montgomery said in an email Tuesday that Hogan's office is working with the department of motor vehicles and the attorney general "to address this issue."

North Carolina -- A spokesman for Gov. Pat McCrory says the Republican plans to ask the General Assembly to pass a law that would discontinue the use of the Confederate flag on specialty license plates for the Confederate Veterans. Like those in other states, the plate features the group's logo, which has the flag.

Tennessee -- Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers called for a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and an early leader in the Ku Klux Klan, to be removed from an alcove outside the Senate chambers at the Statehouse. The bust, inscribed with the words "Confederate States Army," has been at the Capitol for decades.

Also, at a Tuesday news conference, Gov. Bill Haslam was asked about the state's Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty license plate, with an image of the Confederate flag in the group's logo. Haslam said he was unaware of the plate but would be in favor of discontinuing it.

Texas -- The University of Texas president said Tuesday that the school will establish a panel of students, faculty and alumni to determine what to do with a statue of Confederacy President Jefferson Davis. Student leaders have asked to have it removed from campus. Earlier in the day, vandals sprayed graffiti on the pedestal to the century-old statue. An online petition recently was launched to have it removed and placed in a museum. But Davis' great-great grandson, Bertram Hayes-Davis, says his ancestor was a statesman with a broad list of accomplishments who's being unfairly demonized.

Also in Texas, the Supreme Court ruled last week that the state was within its rights to refuse to issue personalized license plates showing the Confederate flag. The court rejected a free-speech challenge. The Sons of Confederate Veterans had sought a Texas plate bearing its logo with the battle flag. Similar plates are issued by eight other states that were members of the Confederacy and by Maryland. In Virginia, McAuliffe cited this ruling in his call for banning the flag from plates in his state.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nyc-investigation-finds-whole-foods-is-overcharging-customers/

NYC regulator: Whole Foods routinely overcharges
AP June 24, 2015

Photographs -- New York City's consumer chief said Wednesday Whole Foods supermarkets have been routinely overcharging customers. JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES

NEW YORK - Whole Foods supermarkets have been routinely overcharging customers by overstating the weight of prepackaged meat, dairy and baked goods, New York City's consumer chief said Wednesday.

The price on a package of coconut shrimp at the upscale market was too high by $14.84, said Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin. A package of chicken tenders was overpriced by $4.85, and a vegetable platter by $6.15, the department said.

"These overcharges are incredibly troubling," Menin said, alleging that they continued even after Whole Foods was informed of the city investigation, which began in the fall. The investigation checked the eight Whole Foods markets then open in the city. A ninth has since opened. In all, the Austin, Texas-based chain has 422 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

"We have been meeting with Whole Foods for months," the commissioner said, "but we repeatedly found problems that were incredibly pervasive."

In emailed statements, Whole Foods said, "We disagree with the DCA's overreaching allegations." It said the department had made "grossly excessive monetary demands" to settle the dispute, but it would not disclose the amount.

Because the city's investigation of Whole Foods is ongoing, penalties have not yet been assessed, Menin said. Fines for falsely labeling a package can be as much as $950 for the first violation and up to $1,700 for subsequent violations. The department said Whole Foods had thousands of potential violations.

Last year, Whole Foods agreed to pay $800,000 in penalties - and improve pricing accuracy - after an investigation into alleged pricing irregularities in California.

Whole Foods has long battled a reputation for high prices - some derisively call the store "Whole Paycheck" - and it recently announced plans for a new chain of smaller stores with lower prices.

The Consumer Affairs Department said it tested 80 different types of pre-packaged products and found mislabeled weights for each, with overcharges ranging from 80 cents for a package of pecan panko to the $14.84 markup on the shrimp.

The department said the findings suggest that many individual packages may not be weighed at all. In some cases, all the packages of a product were labeled with exactly the same weight when that would be "practically impossible," the department said, as with vegetables and seafood. Vegetable platters, all priced at $20 per package, represented overcharges averaging $2.50, the department said.

"As a large chain grocery store, Whole Foods has the money and resources to ensure greater accuracy and to correct what appears to be a widespread problem," Menin said.

Some tips for consumers from the department:

Check your receipt for accuracy to ensure you were charged advertised prices, for the correct number of items and the correct taxes.
Store ads must be truthful.

Stores must honor their advertised prices and have reasonable quantities of the advertised goods available. If an item is out of stock, ask for a rain check.
Check the scales. Each must have an up-to-date sticker certifying that it has been inspected and judged to be accurate.




“The price on a package of coconut shrimp at the upscale market was too high by $14.84, said Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin. A package of chicken tenders was overpriced by $4.85, and a vegetable platter by $6.15, the department said. "These overcharges are incredibly troubling," Menin said, alleging that they continued even after Whole Foods was informed of the city investigation, which began in the fall. …. "We have been meeting with Whole Foods for months," the commissioner said, "but we repeatedly found problems that were incredibly pervasive." In emailed statements, Whole Foods said, "We disagree with the DCA's overreaching allegations." It said the department had made "grossly excessive monetary demands" to settle the dispute, but it would not disclose the amount. Because the city's investigation of Whole Foods is ongoing, penalties have not yet been assessed, Menin said. Fines for falsely labeling a package can be as much as $950 for the first violation and up to $1,700 for subsequent violations. The department said Whole Foods had thousands of potential violations. Last year, Whole Foods agreed to pay $800,000 in penalties - and improve pricing accuracy - after an investigation into alleged pricing irregularities in California. …. "As a large chain grocery store, Whole Foods has the money and resources to ensure greater accuracy and to correct what appears to be a widespread problem," Menin said. Some tips for consumers from the department: Check your receipt for accuracy to ensure you were charged advertised prices, for the correct number of items and the correct taxes. Store ads must be truthful. Stores must honor their advertised prices and have reasonable quantities of the advertised goods available. If an item is out of stock, ask for a rain check.”

To be fair to Whole Foods, however, our local grocer Publix was in the news along with some other good name brands for entering the Wrong Price for many products into their computer, so that when you go to check out, the price on your receipt may not match the price on the food package. It’s either very careless or just another form of cheating. I tried for a while to check them all before I left the store, but that really was too time-consuming and tedious and I rarely found a problem. I gave it up for the same reason that I gave up buying a Lotto ticket twice a week. My total lotto winnings over about ten years was a little over $20.00.

I have always been of the opinion that “businessmen” in general are dirty and crooked, not the upstanding and hardworking heroes that the Republican Party tends to portray them as being. My father always stressed checking prices and product quality when you go into a store to buy. A college friend of mine, whose father ran a women’s clothing store, told me once that there was a 100% markup on every item in the store, so when they mark the price way down for sales they are still making a profit. I don’t believe that was because her father was exceptionally unethical, but that business tends to be unethical. In 1993 I took a Business Law course at George Mason University and the professor said that the falsehoods told by businesses are called “puffery” in legal terminology rather than lies, and that the practice is not usually illegal. It’s considered just the way businessmen are allowed to operate. Meanwhile the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the law protects that process.

I have never bought at Whole Foods because it was clearly more expensive than any regular grocery chain, and also because in the 1970s and 80s the generally well-to-do “hippies” just had to have the finest groceries. My husband and I who were simply poor students couldn’t do that. It never occurred to me that the store was lying about the weight of the produce rather than simply charging high prices, though. This clearly goes beyond “puffery” and into the area of fraud.