September 18, 2015


News Clips For The Day


RUSSIA AND SYRIA 2015 TWO ARTICLES


http://news.yahoo.com/russian-moves-syria-flummox-us-072357525--politics.html

Kerry: US weighs Russia offer of military talks on Syria
Associated Press By MATTHEW LEE
September 16, 2015

Photograph -- FILE - Sept. 15, 2015 file photo, Secretary of State John Kerry


WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is weighing an offer from Russia to have military-to-military talks and meetings on the situation in Syria amid increasing U.S. concern and uncertainty about Russia's military buildup there, Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday.

Kerry said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had proposed the consultation in a phone call on Tuesday and that the White House, Pentagon and State Department were considering it. Kerry suggested that he favored such an idea, noting that the United States wants a clear picture of what Russia's intentions are in Syria following a recent military buildup there.

Lavrov proposed a "military-to-military conversation and meeting in order to discuss the issue of precisely what will be done to deconflict with respect to any potential risks that might be run and have a complete and clear understanding as to the road ahead and what the intentions are," Kerry told reporters at a joint State Department news conference with South Africa's foreign minister.

"You have a conversation in order to do that," Kerry said. "It is vital to avoid misunderstandings, miscalculations (and) not to put ourselves in a predicament where we are supposing something and the supposition is wrong."

White House spokesman Josh Earnest, without commenting on specific consultations, said the Obama administration "would welcome constructive Russian support for the efforts of the anti-ISIL coalition in Iraq and in Syria."

Kerry said Lavrov had told him that Russia was only interested in confronting the threat posed by the Islamic State group in Syria. But Kerry stressed it remained unclear if that position would change and Russia would mount a defense of Syrian President Bashar Assad who the U.S. believes must leave power.

"Obviously, there a questions about that," he said. "I am not taking that at face value."

However, he added that if Russia is only focused on the Islamic State group then it remains a potential partner in pushing for a political transition in Syria. "If Russia is only focused only on ISIL and if there is a capacity for cooperation ... there still is a way to get a political negotiation and outcome," he said.

Kerry also said he had spoken on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who office announced earlier that he would visit Moscow next week to discuss Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

His comment come as Russia's military buildup in Syria has perplexed the Obama administration and left it in a quandary as to how to respond.

In his call with Lavrov on Tuesday, his third in 10 days, Kerry said he sought clarity about Moscow's moves and warned that Russian support for Assad "risks exacerbating and extending the conflict."

In the afterglow of the Iran nuclear deal, which was hailed by the Obama administration as the kind of diplomacy that can be achieved when Russia and the United States cooperate, U.S. officials had hoped for a change in Russia's position about Syria, potentially even enlisting its support to move Assad out.

Moscow's latest actions, however, have taken many by surprise and further muddied efforts to fight Islamic State militants while trying to promote political transition in Syria.

In recent days Russia has sent about a half-dozen battle tanks and other weaponry — along with military advisers, technicians, security guards and portable housing units — to Syria with the apparent goal of setting up an air base near the coastal town of Latakia, a stronghold of the Syrian president.

U.S. officials say Putin's intentions in Syria, particularly in the medium- to long-term, remain a mystery.

"The decision-making process in that country is rather opaque," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said of Russia, adding that Moscow has long used Syria as a "client state."





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-ash-carter-talks-russia-syria-war-assad-obama-policy-shifts/

U.S., Russia to work together for "deconfliction" in Syria
CBS/AP
September 18, 2015

Photograph -- Russian President Vladimir Putin GETTY
Play VIDEO -- Flash Points: What can the U.S. do in Syria?

LONDON -- The Pentagon said Friday that Secretary of Defense Ash Carter had a "constructive conversation" with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoygu on the situation in Syria, and that the two military chiefs had "agreed to further discuss mechanisms for deconfliction in Syria and the counter-ISIL campaign," referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by an alternate acronym.

The conversation was confirmed by a Department of Defense spokesman as Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in London that President Obama believes such discussions with the Russians -- the most important allies Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has -- are an important next step as the U.S. and its allies seek to resolve a worsening Syria crisis.

The Pentagon spokesman said Carter and Shoygu "talked about areas where the United States and Russia's perspectives overlap and areas of divergence," and added that Carter had "emphasized the importance of pursuing such consultations in parallel with diplomatic talks that would ensure a political transition in Syria. He noted that defeating ISIL and ensuring a political transition are objectives that need to be pursued at the same time."

Carter and Shoygu agreed to speak again on the issue of Syria, according to the brief written statement released by the Pentagon spokesman.

Kerry said in London that it would be the Pentagon taking the lead in the discussions, but the exact level, venue and timing had yet to be determined.

Most military talks with Russia were suspended after Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine.

Over American objections, Russia has stepped up its military support of Assad in recent weeks.




Yahoo -- White House spokesman Josh Earnest, without commenting on specific consultations, said the Obama administration "would welcome constructive Russian support for the efforts of the anti-ISIL coalition in Iraq and in Syria." Kerry said Lavrov had told him that Russia was only interested in confronting the threat posed by the Islamic State group in Syria. But Kerry stressed it remained unclear if that position would change and Russia would mount a defense of Syrian President Bashar Assad who the U.S. believes must leave power. "Obviously, there a questions about that," he said. "I am not taking that at face value." …. Kerry also said he had spoken on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who office announced earlier that he would visit Moscow next week to discuss Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin. …. Moscow's latest actions, however, have taken many by surprise and further muddied efforts to fight Islamic State militants while trying to promote political transition in Syria. In recent days Russia has sent about a half-dozen battle tanks and other weaponry — along with military advisers, technicians, security guards and portable housing units — to Syria with the apparent goal of setting up an air base near the coastal town of Latakia, a stronghold of the Syrian president.

CBS -- The conversation was confirmed by a Department of Defense spokesman as Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in London that President Obama believes such discussions with the Russians -- the most important allies Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has -- are an important next step as the U.S. and its allies seek to resolve a worsening Syria crisis. The Pentagon spokesman said Carter and Shoygu "talked about areas where the United States and Russia's perspectives overlap and areas of divergence," and added that Carter had "emphasized the importance of pursuing such consultations in parallel with diplomatic talks that would ensure a political transition in Syria. He noted that defeating ISIL and ensuring a political transition are objectives that need to be pursued at the same time." …. Kerry said in London that it would be the Pentagon taking the lead in the discussions, but the exact level, venue and timing had yet to be determined. Most military talks with Russia were suspended after Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine.’

Our two governments have collaborated on the International Space Station successfully for years now, and I think this war against ISIS/ISIL is another matter of similar scope and need. I hope we do form an alliance and send troops in there to tar and feather ISIS.





http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/18/441410767/in-further-thaw-with-cuba-u-s-relaxes-rules-on-visiting-money-and-business

In Further Thaw With Cuba, U.S. Relaxes Rules On Visiting, Money And Business
Bill Chappell
Reporter, Producer
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015

Photograph -- New rules issued by the U.S. on Friday will make it easier for cruise ships and airlines to service Cuba.
Desmond Boylan/AP


Next week, it will be easier for people, money, and goods to flow between Cuba and the U.S., which announced a new round of relaxed sanctions Friday. The changes also allow U.S. companies to provide Internet and communications services in Cuba.

The new rules by the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Commerce will take effect Monday.

"This qualifies as huge," John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, tells NPR's Michele Kelemen. "We'll see what the Cubans do with it, but from the U.S. side, this is just unprecedented."

Michele reports for our Newscast unit:

"Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew says a stronger more open U.S.-Cuba relationship has the potential to create economic opportunities for Americans and Cubans alike. The Commerce secretary says the goal is to support Cuba's emerging private sector.

"U.S. companies will be allowed to establish offices or warehouses in Cuba, as well as have joint ventures on the island. It will be easier for airlines and cruise ships to service Cuba, and regulations will be eased on software sales.

"John Kavulich says these moves could be difficult for Cuba to manage. Cuba would still have to ease its restrictions for U.S. businesses."

Here are some highlights of the new regulations, from the Treasury Department's statement issued Friday morning:

Academic exchanges and joint non-commercial academic research with universities or academic institutions in Cuba will also be authorized.

Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction will be allowed to establish a business presence in Cuba, including through joint ventures with Cuban entities, to provide certain telecommunications and internet-based services, as well as to enter into licensing agreements related to, and to market, such services.

The limits on donative remittances to Cuban nationals other than prohibited Cuban Government or Cuban Communist Party officials, currently set at $2,000 per quarter, will be removed entirely. The limits on authorized remittances that individuals may carry to Cuba, previously $10,000 for persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction and $3,000 for Cuban nationals, will also be removed entirely.

Banking institutions will be able to open and maintain accounts for Cuban individuals for use while the Cuban national is located outside of Cuba, and to close such accounts.

Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction engaging in the following categories of authorized activities will be allowed to establish and maintain a physical presence, such as an office, retail outlet, or warehouse, in Cuba: news bureaus; exporters of certain goods authorized for export or reexport to Cuba by Commerce and OFAC, such as agricultural products and materials for construction or renovation of privately-owned buildings; entities providing mail or parcel transmission services or certain cargo transportation services; providers of telecommunications or internet-based services; entities organizing or conducting educational activities; religious organizations; and providers of carrier and certain travel services. These individuals and entities will also be authorized to employ Cuban nationals, open and maintain bank accounts in Cuba, and employ persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction in Cuba.




“Next week, it will be easier for people, money, and goods to flow between Cuba and the U.S., which announced a new round of relaxed sanctions Friday. The changes also allow U.S. companies to provide Internet and communications services in Cuba. The new rules by the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Commerce will take effect Monday. …. . The Commerce secretary says the goal is to support Cuba's emerging private sector. "U.S. companies will be allowed to establish offices or warehouses in Cuba, as well as have joint ventures on the island. It will be easier for airlines and cruise ships to service Cuba, and regulations will be eased on software sales. "John Kavulich says these moves could be difficult for Cuba to manage. Cuba would still have to ease its restrictions for U.S. businesses."

There were a large number of matters mentioned above, so I left it for you to read them. It does sound as though we may have a new economic boost from this much freer trade setup, however, and I don’t think most Cubans have any hatred of Americans. A repetition of the Russian moves to put nuclear facilities in Cuba would be a “No-No” of course. I remember that incident well, and it was rather frightening. I look forward with hope for a new relationship with Cuba, and perhaps with Russia too, now that they have contacted Washington for cooperation in Syria.





http://finance.yahoo.com/news/obama-just-took-swipe-donald-164914420.html

Obama just took a swipe at Donald Trump
Business Insider
By Colin Campbell
September 16, 2015

President Barack Obama does not appear to be a fan of Donald Trump's presidential campaign slogan.

At a Wednesday roundtable among business leaders, Obama took a shot at the Republican front-runner by insisting America is already "great."

"Despite the perennial doom-and-gloom that I guess is inevitably part of a presidential campaign, America is winning right now. America is great right now," Obama said.

Trump has based much of his campaign around the slogan, "Make America Great Again."

The real-estate mogul frequently wears various baseball hats bearing those words. He also peppers almost every campaign speech with vows to make the country great again.

But Obama, speaking Wednesday, broadly panned the unnamed presidential candidates who lament about the state of the country.

"You wouldn't know any of this if you were listening to the folks who are seeking this office that I occupy," Obama said after praising the US' economic recovery since the 2008 stock market crash.

"In the echo chamber that is presidential politics, everything is dark and everything is terrible," he added. "They don't seem to offer many solutions for the disasters that they perceive. But they're quick to tell you who to blame. I'm here to say that there is nothing particularly patriotic or American about talking down America."

Obama did have some similarly vague praise for one aspect of Trump's campaign, however.

The president wants to end the so-called "carried-interest loophole" in the US tax code, which benefits private equity and hedge funds. He noted that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) recently proposed raising taxes on carried interest, while Trump has lamented that hedge fund managers are "getting away with murder."

"You've got two leading candidates on the Republican side who have said that we should eliminate the carried-interest loophole. Now, there's disagreement in this room around that," Obama told business leaders Wednesday.

"But I will tell you," he continued, "that keeping this tax loophole — which leads to folks who are doing very well paying lower rates than their secretaries — is not in any demonstrable way improving our economy."




“But Obama, speaking Wednesday, broadly panned the unnamed presidential candidates who lament about the state of the country. "You wouldn't know any of this if you were listening to the folks who are seeking this office that I occupy," Obama said after praising the US' economic recovery since the 2008 stock market crash. "In the echo chamber that is presidential politics, everything is dark and everything is terrible," he added. "They don't seem to offer many solutions for the disasters that they perceive. But they're quick to tell you who to blame. I'm here to say that there is nothing particularly patriotic or American about talking down America." …. "You've got two leading candidates on the Republican side who have said that we should eliminate the carried-interest loophole. Now, there's disagreement in this room around that," Obama told business leaders Wednesday. "But I will tell you," he continued, "that keeping this tax loophole — which leads to folks who are doing very well paying lower rates than their secretaries — is not in any demonstrable way improving our economy."

I was shocked recently when I learned that investment income is currently taxed a lower rate than wage income, so that the top 1% who usually have no wages, but only investments, keep getting richer daily. Wikipedia goes into a long discussion of carried interest and hedge funds which caused me to gasp at the number of ordinary English words the Investment community has coopted to mean something wildly divergent from their daily usage, so I only got a certain amount of sense out of the three articles I looked into. I did find that hedge funds are not available to anyone other than the wealthier and more “sophisticated” investors, who in turn make such a large tax break on them that at tax time they “pay lower rates than their secretaries.” Yes, we certainly should get rid of those entirely, rather than simply raising the tax rate on them, as a couple of Republicans recently suggested.

The article on hedge funds did specify farmers who truly must “hedge” their investments because they never really know how much money they will make at the sale of their harvest, due to the unreliable performance of Mother Nature. I would make a special case for them as they must invest a certain amount in order to have a large enough harvest to pay them back. Farmers are the backbone of our economy, I have always heard, and yet can end up losing money with a bad harvest or a low sale price. I remember in the news a number of years ago when a group of dairymen poured their milk out on the ground rather than selling it at the low market price of the time.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-sanders-defends-costs-of-social-programs-promises-budget-specifics/

Bernie Sanders defends costs of social programs, promises budget specifics
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
September 18, 2015

Play VIDEO -- Bernie Sanders: "It's an outrage" to question president's citizenship or religion
Play VIDEO -- Trump faces backlash for not disputing false comments about Obama



Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wants several guarantees for America's middle class, including free tuition at public universities and health care available to everyone. Those programs, according to an estimate by the Wall Street Journal, could cost the nation up to $18 trillion.

But in an interview on "CBS This Morning," Sanders defended his campaign goals and fired back at the Wall Street Journal, saying that paying for his plans will hinge on holding the wealthiest Americans accountable.

"We are going to ask the wealthiest people in this country who are doing phenomenally well, and many large corporations that are making billions of dollars of profits and not paying a nickel in taxes, to in fact start paying their fair share of taxes," Sanders said early Friday.

When pressed if that meant he would tax the highest income bracket at 90 percent to pay for his proposals, Sanders responded that he didn't believe that was necessary.


"I don't think you have to go up to 90 percent," the Vermont senator said. "We will come up with some very specific ideas." For those ideas, he suggested looking to "every other major country on earth" and asking how they pay for universal healthcare and tuition.

Sanders, who now leads Democratic polls in two key states ahead of Hillary Clinton, did propose a specific goal: He would like to raise the corporate tax rate.

"If you want tuition-free public colleges and universities -- which I believe we will have -- we will have a tax on Wall Street speculation which will more than pay for that," he said. Sanders also promised to "end the fact that profitable corporations in some cases in America today pay zero in federal taxes because they stash their money in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda."


And when it comes to the $18 trillion price tag put forth by the Wall Street Journal analysis, Sanders countered that the newspaper didn't take into account private health care plans.

"What the Wall Street Journal said was that included 15 billion dollars for national health care programs," the Democratic hopeful said. "What they forgot to say is that you would not be paying -- and businesses would not be paying -- for private health insurance."

He fired back at the newspaper with harsher words on a later appearance on CBSN, saying their prediction was "wrong. It was inaccurate. That's what the Wall Street Journal does."

Sanders also addressed the recent controversy surrounding Donald Trump's comments questioning President Obama's religion and birthplace.

"I think it's a disgrace to again question whether or not the president of the United States was born in this country or whether he's a Christian," Sanders said. "I thought we were beyond that. It's an outrage."

He added that American politics should not focus on "this mythology and this ugliness that suggests that the president of the United States was not born in America."

"We all remember Trump was one of the leaders of this effort a year ago," Sanders continued. "I thought maybe he had learned something from that."

Sanders added on CBSN that Trump's comments were "pathetic" and that "it's time we got beyond that, it's time we ended racism in this country."




“But in an interview on "CBS This Morning," Sanders defended his campaign goals and fired back at the Wall Street Journal, saying that paying for his plans will hinge on holding the wealthiest Americans accountable. "We are going to ask the wealthiest people in this country who are doing phenomenally well, and many large corporations that are making billions of dollars of profits and not paying a nickel in taxes, to in fact start paying their fair share of taxes," Sanders said early Friday. …. "I don't think you have to go up to 90 percent," the Vermont senator said. "We will come up with some very specific ideas." For those ideas, he suggested looking to "every other major country on earth" and asking how they pay for universal healthcare and tuition. …. "If you want tuition-free public colleges and universities -- which I believe we will have -- we will have a tax on Wall Street speculation which will more than pay for that," he said. Sanders also promised to "end the fact that profitable corporations in some cases in America today pay zero in federal taxes because they stash their money in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda." …. "What the Wall Street Journal said was that included 15 billion dollars for national health care programs," the Democratic hopeful said. "What they forgot to say is that you would not be paying -- and businesses would not be paying -- for private health insurance." …. "We all remember Trump was one of the leaders of this effort a year ago," Sanders continued. "I thought maybe he had learned something from that." Sanders added on CBSN that Trump's comments were "pathetic" and that "it's time we got beyond that, it's time we ended racism in this country."

We should reform the federal tax code thoroughly, stop the practice of offshoring wealth, go to a one-payer health system, and kick out the private health insurance companies. That’s what he recommends, and it sounds good to me. Health insurance companies rake in megabucks while paying out as little as they can get away with in so many cases. I would like to see the government system cover some things that Medicare currently does not, like home health care for the ill, elderly and disabled. There is a reason why so many people have Medicare Supplement plans.

In addition, if we were to go to a Democratic Socialistic form of government, as Sanders recently described himself, we could have the free college and other higher education tuition at state supported schools, as Obama and Sanders have advocated within the last year. That would mean that “po’ folks” like so many of us across this country would not have to forego that ladder for moving upward financially that all wealthy people have. Of course the wealthy would still go to the priciest and most prestigious colleges, meet socially important people to “help them up” in their adult life, and send their kids for an extended tour of Europe or the whole world between high school and college. That “grand tour” adds a noticeable amount to the “background” knowledge of wealthy kids, not to mention prep school in high school rather than a public institution. Don’t worry, Republicans! We will still have a noticeably stratified class structure here. You can always feel superior.