October 11 and 12, 2017


News and Views


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-exec-sheryl-sandberg-speaks-out-following-russia-ad-controversy/
By EMILY TILLETT CBS NEWS October 12, 2017, 9:40 AM
Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg discusses Russia ad controversy

In an interview with Axios' Mike Allen, Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said the social media site has an "enormous responsibility" to release all ads purchased by foreign entities on the site as it relates to Congress' investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"Things happened on our platform in this election that should not have happened, especially, very troubling, a foreign interference in a democratic election, we have a responsibility to do everything we can do to prevent this kind of abuse on this kind of platform," said Sandberg.

Sandberg's comments on Thursday are the first she's made publicly since revelations into Russian-backed groups purchasing ads on the social media platform came to light.

Facebook had agreed to disclose ads to Congress that were purchased by Russians on the social media platform in that country's effort to influence the 2016 election, the company announced last month.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg had said about the company's disclosure or the ads, "I care deeply about the democratic process and protecting its integrity," adding, "I don't want anyone to use our tools to undermine democracy -- that's not what we stand for."

Facebook also plans to hire 1,000 people for its global ad review team over the next year, according to TechCrunch.

CBS News confirmed, citing a source familiar with the Facebook investigation, that the company was still in the process of handing over all of the ads connected to Russian internet trolls. According to a source familiar with the process, the company is trying to be as diligent and careful as possible.

Sandberg also discussed her meetings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, where she met with members of the House Intelligence Committee, Reps. Mike Conaway, R-Texas and Adam Schiff, D-California, who are overseeing the committee's Russia investigation.

Conaway said that the Facebook ads would be released as "quickly as we can" but probably not before November 1st.

Schiff told reporters, "We've asked for Facebook's help to help scrub any personally identifiable information but it's our hope when they conclude we can release them publicly." He confirmed that the committee would be the entity releasing the ads.

Facebook promises greater cooperation in Russia investigation
Play VIDEO
Facebook promises greater cooperation in Russia investigation

When asked if all ads in question should be released, Sandberg said "absolutely."

"We've given them our piece but they can understand the whole picture because they have much more access to information," said Sandberg.

She added, "it's important they [Congress] get the whole picture and explain that transparently to the American public."

When pressed on if there was any connection between the Trump campaign and the ads themselves, Sandberg did not answer directly, saying, "when the ads get released, we'll be releasing the targeting for those ads as well."

Sandberg would also not confirm the exact date of when exactly the social media site first learned of the Russian ad buys, only saying that "as early as we heard any rumors we stared [sic] our investigation."

"We're following up aggressively on every lead we have, we think we've done a very thorough job on this," she added.

Meanwhile, Sandberg said Facebook is now cooperating with other tech companies to address and identify "bad actors" trying to cause similar harm, an effort she said "needs to be coordinated."

"This is a new threat but it's not a new challenge, unfortunately there have always been actors out there trying to undermine our society and values," added Sandberg.

Sandberg, a vocal Hillary Clinton supporter, also acknowledged that the campaign was "hugely important" for her, saying Facebook's role goes beyond "any one candidate or country."

"Any time there's abuse in our system or foreign interference in our system... we're angry, we're upset, but we are determined," said Sandberg, adding, "These are threats and challenges but we will do everything we can to defeat them."

CBS News' Catherine Reynolds contributed to this report.



VIDEO ONLY
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/parscale-tv-news-thought-i-was-a-joke/
60 minutes
Parscale: TV news "thought I was a joke"
What happened when Brad Parscale went to TV news organizations, including CBS News, to predict a Trump victory? More of Parscale's 60 Minutes interview




BLAMING THE VICTIM AGAIN. THESE MISOGYNISTIC MEASURES ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON. LAST YEAR OR SO A “CONSERVATIVE” PUBLIC OFFICIAL WHOSE NAME I CAN’T REMEMBER, MADE THE CLAIM THAT “TRUE RAPE” ALMOST NEVER RESULTS IN PREGNANCY. THIS RECENT WAVE OF “MEN’S RIGHTS” IS INVOLVED HERE, TOO.

NOW I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THE MALE IN SAID INTERACTION SHOULD BE ACCURATELY IDENTIFIED AND THAT CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BE SUCH THAT THEY DO PROVE IT TO BE AN ASSAULT AND NOT AN ACT OF LOVE-MAKING. IN MOST STATES, A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL ISN’T EVEN LEGALLY OF AGE TO “GIVE CONSENT,” ANYWAY, AND BARELY PUBESCENT. THEY DON’T HAVE THE PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL STRENGTH TO FIGHT OFF A GROWN MAN, AND EVEN IF THE GIRL IN THIS STORY DID HAVE AN INFATUATION WITH HIM, THE MAN MUST RESIST WHATEVER WILD DESIRE THAT HE MAY HAVE, AS THE OLDER, STRONGER AND THEREFORE RESPONSIBLE PARTY.

THESE LAWS ARE NOT AS LOGICAL OR FAIR IN CASES LIKE ONE THAT I SAW IN A STORY A FEW YEARS AGO. IN THAT ONE, THE UNDERAGE CHILD/WOMAN WAS JUST ONE YEAR YOUNGER THAN THE YOUNG MAN. IN A LOT OF THOSE CASES, AT LEAST IN THE SOUTH, THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL SIMPLY MARRY AND REAR THE CHILD, WHICH MAY VERY LIKELY PLEASE THEM BOTH. OF COURSE, THEY MAY NEED AID, FINANCIAL OR OTHERWISE, WITH HANDLING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A BABY.

SOME MEN PROBABLY WILL DISPUTE THAT ENTIRE CONCEPT OF MALE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT MOST DECENT GROWN MEN WILL AGREE WITH THE VIEWPOINT. WE NEED TO STOP SEEING THE SEXUAL INTERACTION WITH A VERY YOUNG GIRL OR BOY LIKE THAT AS “ACCEPTABLE.” AS FOR GIVING THIS PARTICULAR MAN SHARED CUSTODY, THAT IS JUST SILLY. NO LAW IN A RATIONAL SOCIETY SHOULD BE WRITTEN THAT WAY.

THIS ALL CAME UP BECAUSE SHE WAS GETTING FINANCIAL AID. IT SEEMS THAT ANY WOMAN WHO GETS AID MUST NAME THE FATHER TO GET THE MONEY. THAT IS OBSCENE. I HAVE SEEN CASES OF OTHER UNCONSCIONABLE AND BYZANTINE LEGAL HOOPS WHICH AN AID RECIPIENT MUST FACE IN ORDER TO GET HELP. IF WE ONLY HAD A SOCIALIST “GUARANTEED BASIC INCOME” PLAN FOR ALL, THESE OVERLY COMPLICATED AND IN THIS CASE, HIGHLY UNFAIR, RULES WOULDN’T EXIST.

THE GOOD NEWS THAT I SEE HERE IS THAT THE MOTHER WAS AWARDED CHILD SUPPORT FROM THE MAN, AND DOES NOT HAVE TO ALLOW VISITATION IF SHE FEELS DISINCLINED TO DO SO. MOST WOMEN IN THAT SITUATION, HOWEVER, WOULD LIKELY PREFER TO HAVE NOTHING MORE TO DO WITH THE MAN AT ALL. A FORCIBLE RAPE IS AN EXPERIENCE OF FEAR AND LOATHING – NOT GROUNDS FOR PARENTHOOD. THE MAN IN THIS CASE IS SIX YEARS OLDER, SO IT PROBABLY WASN’T A CASE OF CONSENT AT ALL. MOST 12-YEAR-OLD GIRLS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN A BOY ALMOST THEIR OWN AGE INSTEAD. I’D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING MUCH MORE ABOUT THE TWO OF THEM AND THEIR HISTORY TOGETHER.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michigan-judge-stays-order-granting-rapist-parental-rights-victim-s-n809621
NEWS OCT 10 2017, 6:11 PM ET
Michigan Judge Stays Order Granting Rapist Parental Rights for Victim’s Son
by ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Michigan judge on Tuesday stayed his order that had granted a convicted sex offender joint legal custody of a child born to a woman who says she was raped by the man when she was 12.

The woman's attorney raised an objection late last month after the judge signed an order granting sole physical custody of the boy to the 21-year-old mother and joint legal custody to Christopher Mirasolo, 27, who was ordered to pay child support.

Image: Christopher Mirasolo
Christopher Mirasolo. Michigan Dept. of Corrections
Sanilac County Probate Judge Gregory Ross set a hearing for next Tuesday.

County prosecutors said in a statement Tuesday that the paternity issue arose when the mother requested state assistance for her 8-year-old son. The statement said that while Mirasolo was granted joint legal custody after his paternity was confirmed, the mother was given veto power over any rights he had to see the child.

Noting that the order "awarded the mother sole physical custody of the minor child," prosecutors said: "The order is clear that, if the mother does not want the father to have visitation, she does not have to provide it."

It remained unclear Tuesday whether prosecutors knew of Mirasolo's criminal history during the assistance and paternity case.


THIS INFORMATION ON WHICH AMERICAN STATES DO ALLOW A RAPIST, OR IN THIS CASE THE SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TO FORCE THE MOTHER TO SHARE CUSTODY, AND OTHER VARIATIONS OF THAT MAY BE INTERESTING. IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE ARE 19 STATES PLUS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND READ IT TO FIND OUT MORE ON THE SUBJECT.

HTTPS://APPS.RAINN.ORG/POLICY/COMPARE/PARENTAL-RIGHTS-EXPORT.CFM
TERMINATION OF RAPISTS' PARENTAL RIGHTS LAWS


GO, DEMS! I AGREE WITH BILLIONAIRE DEMOCRAT TOM STEYER. THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR “PATIENCE.” THERE’S NO WAY TO KNOW WHAT TRUMP MAY GET US INTO IN THE NEXT YEAR OR MONTH OR DAY. THAT’S THE WAY THIS PRESIDENCY HAS BEEN, AND EVEN RICHARD NIXON WAS NOT LIKE THIS. I’VE NEVER FELT THIS LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY AT ANY TIME THAT I CAN REMEMBER. STEYER IS CALLING FOR IMPEACHMENT NOW, AND I’M BEHIND HIM IN THAT VIEW.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/billionaire-democratic-donor-calls-on-democrats-to-push-for-trumps-impeachment/
CBS NEWS October 11, 2017, 12:36 PM
Billionaire Democratic donor calls on Democrats to push for Trump's impeachment

FILE: Tom Steyer takes photos with students at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014. DAMIAN DOVARGANES / AP

One of the Democratic party's biggest donors, billionaire activist Tom Steyer, is calling on Democrats in Congress to fight for the impeachment of President Trump and to declare their position on impeachment.

In a letter obtained by CBS News, arguing that Mr. Trump should be impeached because he has "violated the public trust" and has "clearly already" exceeded the standards historically used by Congress for impeachment, Steyer argues that the views taken by Democrats on the issue should be disclosed to voters before the 2018 midterm elections.

"Given that it is clear for all to see that Trump is not fit for office, the question of impeachment becomes a very real issue when Democrats take back the House and Senate, which makes it imperative that the public deserves to know where every Democrat stands on the issue of the highest import to the lives of every single American now, before those elections happen," Steyer wrote to Democrats in the House and Senate.

"This is not," Steyer said, "a time for 'patience' -- Donald Trump is not fit for office. It is clear for all to see that there is zero reason to believe "he can be a good president." This was a slap at California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who in August called for "patience" with Mr. Trump's presidency, rather than impeachment, when she was asked about it at an event in San Francisco. At the time, she said that he was "going to be president most likely for the rest of this term," and added, "I just hope he has the ability to learn and change. If he does, he can be a good president."

There is little chance of removing the president from office by impeachment, given that Republicans control Congress, and ultimately, two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote for Mr. Trump's removal.

The New York Times first reported the letter. Read it here:[GO TO WEBSITE.]

Steyer is thought to be considering whether to challenge Feinstein in 2018 or run for California governor when Jerry Brown's term is up, also in 2018. He considered running for Barbara Boxer's seat in 2016 but ultimately decided against it.

CBS News' Steve Chaggaris contributed to this report.



DEAR HEAVENS, THANK YOU! THE AMERICAN MIND IS CHANGING!! OF COURSE, THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP DOESN’T AGREE. THEY CERTAINLY CAN’T HAVE CAMPING TRIPS TOGETHER, AND I DO BELIEVE THERE IS A CERTAIN COMPETITIVE ELEMENT BETWEEN BOYS AND GIRLS THAT MAY KEEP SOME OF THE GIRLS FROM TRYING THEIR VERY BEST AGAINST BOYS. I THINK IF WE CAN START THE GIRLS EARLY ENOUGH, WE CAN INSTILL INTO EACH OF THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT WHICH HOPEFULLY WON’T FADE AWAY WHEN SHE IS READY TO DATE AND MARRY. IF SOMEBODY TELLS HER “GIRLS SHOULDN’T OUTSHINE BOYS,” SHE WILL SAY INSIDE HERSELF “SAYS WHO?”

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/historic-change-boy-scouts-let-girls-programs-170540293.html?soc_trk=gcm&soc_src=ecd5e8af-dc90-3332-9efb-d522bf6b8dfa&.tsrc=notification-brknews
In historic change, Boy Scouts to let girls in some programs
Associated Press
David Crary, AP National Writer
Associated Press•October 11, 2017

Photograph -- FILE - In this Monday, May 29, 2017 file photo, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts salute during a Memorial Day ceremony in Linden, Mich. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, the Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors unanimously approved to welcome girls into its Cub Scout program and to deliver a Scouting program for older girls that will enable them to advance and earn the highest rank of Eagle Scout. (Jake May/The Flint Journal - MLive.com via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Embracing a historic change, the Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday plans to admit girls into the Cub Scouts starting next year and to establish a new program for older girls using the same curriculum as the Boy Scouts.

Under the plan, Cub Scout dens — the smallest unit — will be single-gender, either all-boys or all-girls. The larger Cub Scout packs will have the option to remain single gender or welcome both genders. The program for older girls is expected to start in 2019 and will enable girls to earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout.

The Boy Scouts board of directors, which approved the plan unanimously in a meeting at BSA headquarters in Texas, said the change was needed to provide more options for parents.

"We believe it is critical to evolve how our programs meet the needs of families interested in positive and lifelong experiences for their children," said Michael Surbaugh, the BSA's chief scout executive.

"The values of Scouting — trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, brave and reverent, for example — are important for both young men and women," Surbaugh added.

The announcement follows many months of outreach by the BSA, which distributed videos and held meetings with the Boy Scout community to discuss the possibility of expanding girls' participation beyond existing programs, such as Venturing and Sea Scouts.

The Girl Scouts of the USA criticized the initiative, saying it strained the century-old bond between the two organizations. Girl Scout officials have suggested the BSA's move was driven partly by financial problems and a need to boost revenue.

In August, the president of the Girl Scouts accused the Boy Scouts of seeking to covertly recruit girls into their programs while disparaging the Girl Scouts' operations.

"I formally request that your organization stay focused on serving the 90 percent of American boys not currently participating in Boy Scouts ... and not consider expanding to recruit girls," wrote GSUSA President Kathy Hopinkah Hannan in a letter to the BSA's president, AT&T Chairman Randall Stephenson.

The Girl Scouts, founded in 1912, and the BSA, founded in 1910, are among several major youth organizations in the U.S. experiencing sharp drops in membership in recent years. Reasons include competition from youth sports leagues, a perception by some families that they are old-fashioned and busy schedules that prompt some parents to despair of meeting all their children's obligations. For some families, scouting programs that welcome both boys and girls could be a welcome convenience.

As of March, GSUSA reported 1,566,671 youth members and 749,008 adult members, down from just over 2 million youth members and about 800,000 adult members in 2014. The Boy Scouts say current youth participation is about 2.35 million, down from 2.6 million in 2013 and more than 4 million in peak years of the past.



THE LATEST FROM LAS VEGAS -- THIS ARTICLE SPECULATES THAT POSSIBLY THE HOTEL MAY HAVE HAD A DELAY IN REPORTING TO THE POLICE, THAT JESUS CAMPOS MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SHOOTER AND BEEN WOUNDED SOONER THAN THE POLICE (OR HE?) SAID, AND THE HOTEL IS NOW BEING SCRUTINIZED FOR CULPABILITY IN SOME OTHER WAY. THE EXPERT WHO IS PROPOSING THE SUSPICIOUS TIME GAP IS A PROFESSOR FROM JOHN JAY NAMED JOSEPH GIACALONE.

THE CHANGE IN TIMELINE COMES FROM THE WORD A MAINTENANCE WORKER WHO ENTERED THE FLOOR SHORTLY AFTER CAMPOS WAS SHOT. CAMPOS WAS ALREADY WOUNDED AT THE TIME, AND HIDING IN A RECESSED AREA OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE. THE MAINTENANCE MAN WAS SENT UP BECAUSE OF THE BLOCKED HALLWAY DOOR, AND CAMPOS BECAUSE OF “AN OPEN DOOR” WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PADDOCK’S DOOR.

THEY BOTH TOOK SHELTER ON THE FLOOR UNTIL POLICE CAME. OTHER THAN THAT, IT’S STILL THE SAME TERRIFYING STORY THAT WAS PUBLISHED DURING THE ATTACK. WE DO NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY GETTING THEIR HANDS ON WHAT USED TO BE CALLED WHEN I WAS A KID, “A TOMMYGUN.” THAT’S WHAT THE FIRST AND WORST OF THE GANGSTERS OF THE 1920S AND 30S WERE USING. I THOUGHT I HAD LIVED BEYOND ALL THAT, BUT APPARENTLY NOT. JUST BECAUSE MEN, FOR THEIR MASCULINITY ISSUES, WANT TO OWN AND SHOOT SEMI-AUTOMATIC GUNS IS SIMPLY NOT REASON ENOUGH TO ALLOW THEM IN THE CIVILIAN POPULATION.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/worker-warned-hotel-before-las-vegas-shooter-opened-fire-on-crowd/
CBS/AP October 11, 2017, 1:50 PM
Worker warned hotel before Las Vegas shooter opened fire on crowd

LAS VEGAS -- A maintenance worker said Wednesday he told hotel dispatchers to call police and report a gunman had opened fire with a rifle inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino hotel before the shooter began firing from his high-rise suite into a crowd at a nearby musical performance.

The revised timeline has renewed questions about whether better communication might have allowed police to respond more quickly and take out the gunman before he committed the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Worker Stephen Schuck says he was checking out a report of a jammed fire door on the 32nd floor of Mandalay Bay when he heard gunshots and a hotel security guard, who had been shot in the leg, peeked out from an alcove and told him to take cover.

"As soon as I started to go to a door to my left the rounds started coming down the hallway," Schuck said. "I could feel them pass right behind my head.

"It was kind of relentless so I called over the radio what was going on," he said. "As soon as the shooting stopped we made our way down the hallway and took cover again and then the shooting started again."

Las Vegas shooting victims
59 PHOTOS
Las Vegas shooting victims

Police said Monday they believe gunman Stephen Paddock shot a hotel security guard through the door of his suite six minutes before he unleashed a barrage of bullets into the crowd of concert-goers, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds more.

The injured guard used his radio and possibly a hallway phone to also call hotel dispatchers for help.

That account differs dramatically from the one police gave last week when they said Paddock fired through the door of his room and injured the unarmed guard after shooting into the crowd.

The company that owns Mandalay Bay has questioned the new timeline.

"We cannot be certain about the most recent timeline," said Debra DeShong, a spokeswoman for MGM Resorts International. "We believe what is currently being expressed may not be accurate. This remains an ongoing investigation with a lot of moving parts."

Las Vegas police did not respond Tuesday night to questions about the hotel's statement.

"Our officers got there as fast as they possibly could and they did what they were trained to do," Las Vegas assistant sheriff Todd Fasulo said earlier Tuesday.

Gunshots can be heard in the background as Schuck reported the shooting on his radio, telling a dispatcher: "Call the police, someone's firing a gun up here. Someone's firing a rifle on the 32nd floor down the hallway."

Deposition opens new window into Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock's past
Play VIDEO
Deposition opens new window into Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock's past

It was unclear if the hotel relayed the information to Las Vegas police, who did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about whether hotel security or anyone else in the hotel called 911 to report the gunfire.

Joseph Giacalone, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York City police sergeant, said the new timeline "changes everything."

"There absolutely was an opportunity in that timeframe that some of this could've been mitigated," he said.

Nicole Rapp, whose mother was knocked to the ground and trampled at the country music concert said she's "having a hard time wrapping my head around" why police changed the timeline of the shooting.

"It's very confusing to me that they are just discovering this a week later," she said. "How did we not know this before? It's traumatic for the victims and their families not to be sure of what happened."

The six minutes that passed between the hallway shooting and the start of the shooting into the crowd wouldn't have been enough time for officers to stop the attack, said Ron Hosko, a former FBI assistant director who has worked on SWAT teams. Rather than rush in without a game plan, police would have been formulating the best response to the barricaded gunman, he said.

"Maybe that's enough time to get the first patrolman onto the floor but the first patrolman is not going to go knock on that customer's door and say 'What's going on with 200 holes in the door?'" Hosko said.

Undersheriff Kevin McMahill defended the hotel and said the encounter that night between Paddock and the security guard and maintenance man disrupted the gunman's plans. Paddock fired more than 1,000 bullets and had more than 1,000 rounds left in his room, the undersheriff said.

"I can tell you I'm confident that he was not able to fully execute his heinous plan and it certainly had everything to do with being disrupted," McMahill said. He added, "I don't think the hotel dropped the ball."

Law enforcement tells CBS News they're getting "a very good response" to billboards asking the public for help with information about Paddock and the shooting massacre.



MSNBC ON WEINSTEIN – VIDEO ONLY

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/harvey-weinstein-experts-weigh-in-on-sting-tape-1068461635608
MSNBC LIVE 10/10/17
Harvey Weinstein: Experts Weigh In on Sting Tape
Contributor Gabe Sherman, legal analyst Danny Cevallos and NPR’s David Folkenflik discuss recently released audio of what sounds like Harvey Weinstein preying on a woman. Duration: 7:08



I DON’T AGREE. I THINK THE DEMS SHOULD GIVE IT TO CHARITY, AS HILLARY DID. KEEPING MONEY ON THAT KIND OF DEAL LOOKS AS THOUGH THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT “CLEAN MONEY VS DIRTY MONEY.” PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN QUOTED IN ARTICLE AS SAYING THAT RAPE IS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL, NOT A REAL SEXUAL ATTRACTION. RAPE IS INTIMIDATION AND ASSAULT. THIS MAN IS VERY UNATTRACTIVE PHYSICALLY. MAYBE HE HAS BEEN TREATED BADLY BY SOME WOMEN AND HAS COME TO HATE US. THAT STILL DOESN’T MAKE THIS SORT OF VENGEANCE ACCEPTABLE. HE SHOULD GO TO A PSYCHOTHERAPIST, TALK IT OUT FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND TAKE A PROPER MEDICATION.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/10/09/harvey-weinsteins-money-is-still-good-even-if-hes-not-democrats-should-go-ahead-and-spend-it.html
DEMOCRATS October 9, 2017
Harvey Weinstein's money is still good, even if he's not -- Democrats should go ahead and spend it
Steve Kurtz By Steve Kurtz
Fox News

Photograph -- Harvey Weinstein's firing rocks Hollywood
Jonathan Hunt reports from Los Angeles on the fallout over the sexual harassment scandal.

Harvey Weinstein, one of Hollywood’s most important film producers and executives, has been brought low. In the wake of a New York Time” report that he sexually harassed actresses and former employees, he’s been fired from his own company.

For years he was feted by the Hollywood elite, but now they’re keeping their distance (though as I write this, late night comedians are still taking it fairly easy on Harvey—they may want to make sure he’s not coming back first).

Neither Weinstein, nor the politicians who take his money, are doing it to further the cause of sexual harassment, after all. He’s been donating over the years because, as imperfect as he may personally be, he believes in the ideas supported by the Democratic Party.

For that matter, his legal advisors, Lisa Bloom and Lanny Davis, have decided not to represent him. You’ve got to be really radioactive for your lawyers to quit.

In what might hurt the most, Democratic politicians are saying they don’t want his money. Over the years Weinstein has given hundreds of thousands to the Democratic Party, and they called him a hero. But since the story broke, politicians such as Senators Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker have refused his contributions, and are forwarding his money to women’s charities.

Which raises a question, in the midst of this scandal, worth looking into. Should politicians turn down money if they don’t like the source?

I think the answer is no.

It may seem like a tough call in a case like Harvey Weinstein. But neither Weinstein, nor the politicians who take his money, are doing it to further the cause of sexual harassment, after all. He’s been donating over the years because, as imperfect as he may personally be, he believes in the ideas supported by the Democratic Party.

George Bernard Shaw dealt with this question in his classic play “Major Barbara.”

Barbara is an upper class young woman who serves in the Salvation Army. Her father is Andrew Undershaft, a munitions maker who’s made millions, thanks to war.

Undershaft visits Barbara’s Salvation Army shelter, which needs money to stay open. He decides to make a huge donation — matching the amount made from a whisky distiller. Mrs. Baines, Barbara’s superior, is more than happy to take it.

Barbara--Mrs. Baines: are you really going to take this money? [...]

Mrs. Baines—Dear Barbara: [the whisky distiller] has a soul to be saved like any of us. If heaven has found the way to make a good use of his money, are we to set ourselves up against the answer to our prayers?

Barbara—I know he has a soul to be saved. Let him come down here; and I’ll do my best to help him to his salvation. But he wants to send his cheque down to buy us, and go on being as wicked as ever.

Personally, I’ve always thought Mrs. Baines has the better argument. Whether or not the donor is a good person – or even if he is cynically giving the money to help his own reputation -- if the cash ends up doing good, that should be enough.

The money’s origin is not pertinent. As long as the politicians make it clear to donors they’ll spend it as they see fit, it’s fine. Indeed, it’s probably a good thing if they disappoint their donors every now and then.

So I say to Schumer, Warren, Booker and others, take Weinstein’s money and spend it however you like.

Just don’t tell him you’ll save his soul. Maybe his Hollywood friends can try to help him with that. If they haven’t deserted him completely.

Steve Kurtz is a producer for the Fox News Channel, and author of "Steve’s America (the perfect gift for people named Steve)".



TRUMP HAS NO IDEA ABOUT THE PROPER LIMITS OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER. THAT MAKES ME MORE NERVOUS EVERY DAY.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41568978
Trump threat to NFL over 'massive' tax breaks
October 10, 2017 From the section Business

Photograph -- US President Donald Trump has called for the National Football League (NFL) to be stripped of tax advantages.

In a tweet he complained the league had received "massive" tax breaks, while some of its players had been "disrespecting" the national anthem.

The teams pay tax, but have often received public support to build stadiums.

The NFL league office, which oversees rules, referees and the college draft, gave up its tax-exempt status in 2015.

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Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and Country? Change tax law!
6:13 AM - Oct 10, 2017
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Dozens of players have been kneeling down during the pre-match national anthem, instead of standing, in anger at comments made by the president.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started the protest last year when he sat down as the Star-Spangled Banner was played during a pre-season game in 2016.

He explained his gesture, which later became known as "taking the knee", was meant to highlight racial injustice and police brutality against African Americans.

Mr Trump has criticised players sharply for the protests and pressed the NFL to ban them.

Mike Pence tweeted a photo of himself standing during the US national anthem at an NFL game on Sunday, 8 October 2017Image copyright@VP/TWITTER

Image caption
Mike Pence walked out of the Indianapolis Colts-San Francisco 49ers match

On Sunday, US Vice-President Mike Pence walked out of an NFL game between Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers after several players refused to stand.

Mr Pence said he could not be present at an event that "disrespects our soldiers, our flag" after abandoning the game in his home state of Indiana.

President Trump tweeted that he had asked Mr Pence to leave if players kneeled and said he was "proud of him".

What's really driving Trump in his NFL feud?

Decoding the NFL protests
The president has continued to stay involved in the issue - praising Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who threatened to leave out players who did not stand during the anthem.

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Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
A big salute to Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who will BENCH players who disrespect our Flag."Stand for Anthem or sit for game!"
9:51 PM - Oct 9, 2017
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ESPN commentator Jemele Hill called for advertisers to boycott the Cowboys as a result of Mr Jones comments and has been suspended by the network for two weeks for a "violation of social media guidelines".

Mr Trump passed comment on the decision, saying that ESPN's ratings were falling as a result of employing Ms Hill.

The protests have also been seen outside the US with some players at two NFL games staged at Wembley Stadium in successive weeks "taking the knee" when the Star-Spangled Banner was played.

Players who stand are actually breaching etiquette but not breaking the law.

The Flag Code, which was drawn up in 1923, covers all aspects of etiquette in relation to the Stars and Stripes, including how to behave when the anthem is played. The code is never enforced, however, and there is no punishment for breaching it.

The code states that people are expected to stand and face the flag, if there is one. Civilians should stand to attention with their right hand over their heart, while military personnel in uniform and veterans should salute throughout. A recent amendment to the code said that military personnel out of uniform could also salute.



I HAVEN’T BEEN READING ABOUT THIS SITUATION, SO IT HAS GOTTEN INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED ALREADY – EITHER THAT OR FOX AND FRIENDS ARE TURNING IT INTO THEIR KIND OF FAKE NEWS. I REALLY AM CURIOUS, THOUGH. WHAT I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE IS FOR 48 HOURS TO DIG INTO IT AND MAKE ONE OF THEIR LONG, DETAILED PRESENTATIONS. IS THIS A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION SCANDAL, A SCHULTZ AND AWAN SEX SCANDAL, JUST A PRIVATE CRIME, A TERRIBLY CARELESS ACT BY THE AWANS IN LEAVING A BRIEFCASE OUT IN A PUBLIC PLACE, A DROP TO BE PICKED UP LATER BY SOMEONE WHO DIDN’T SHOW, OR JUST ANOTHER OF THOSE RUSSIAN SPECIALS THAT WE SEE SO OFTEN LATELY. SEE THE FORBES ARTICLE ALSO FOR MORE INFORMATION.

FOX

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/10/10/democrats-it-scandal-just-got-even-more-bizarre.html
DEMOCRATS October 10, 2017 The Democrats' IT scandal just got even more bizarre
By Frank Miniter, Fox News

Case expands against Wasserman Schultz's ex-IT aide
Investigative reporter for the Daily Caller shares details

Perhaps you’ve lost track of the Democrats slowly exploding IT scandal, as much of the media is doing all it can to simply ignore it away.

I’m referring to the strange case of Imran Awan, the IT aide Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., kept on her congressional payroll even after it became known he and his wife, Hina Alvi Awan, were being investigated by the Capitol Police for possible theft, fraud, moving terabytes of data off Congress’s system and more.

Imran Awan was back in court last week. When pushed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Mirando revealed some telling things about this case.

First, I should note that it was standing room only in the packed courtroom at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Friday morning ... okay, just kidding, actually, only a few reporters sat in the mostly empty wooden benches in the back of the courtroom. Anyone who didn’t know this was the latest scene in a slowly exploding political scandal would have thought this was only a forgettable bank fraud case.

The deeper you dig the more it becomes clear this case is about much more than bank fraud.

Awan’s attorney, Chris Gowen, even told me: “This case is hardly newsworthy.”

But before the show started, Imran’s wife, Hina Alvi Awan, entered the courtroom. She had flown away to Pakistan with their children soon after the investigation became known.

Was she back as part of a plea deal?

While Hina Alvi was gone, on August 17, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted her and Awan on four counts, including conspiracy and conspiring to obtain home equity loans for $165,000 and $120,000 from the Wright Patman Congressional Federal Credit Union and then transferring the money to Pakistan. (Read the FBI’s criminal affidavit on the bank fraud here and you’ll see why the government thinks it has a strong case.)

Imran Awan is considered such a flight risk that his passport was taken, he was given a curfew and was fitted with a tracking device.

Meanwhile, Hina Alvi’s passport was also publicly taken during the court hearing, but she was officially listed as a “walk in,” a tracking device wasn’t attached to her ankle and the government had asked the court to quash an outstanding warrant for her arrest.

Now came the revelations. Gowen, Imran’s attorney, asked that Imran’s travel restrictions be removed.

This prompted Assistant U.S. Attorney Mirando to say that when Imran was arrested at Dulles International Airport a cellphone found on him “had been wiped clean just a few hours before.”

Gowen tried to counter this by saying, “Awan had recently bought the phone, so of course it didn’t have any data on it.”

But Mirando was ready. He said the FBI found that the phone had been wiped as clean as Hillary’s server. A time stamp on the iPhone indicated it had been wiped at 6:30 p.m. that evening. Also, Imran did have a laptop on him, but one of the few things on it was a resume. Mirando used this and other details—such as the Awans quickly selling many of their Virginia properties—to explain that Imran had no intention of returning.

In another twist, Gowen brought up a computer that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz wants back so badly she actually threatened the chief of the Capitol Police in a public hearing with “consequences” if she didn’t get it back.

Gowen argued that the computer and documents seized in a bag left in a public area of a congressional building around midnight on April 6, 2017, are “protected by attorney-client privilege.” Gowen hopes to remove this evidence from future court proceedings.

Gowen, however, didn’t answer what Imran was doing in the Longworth congressional building late at night and long after he’d been fired by every Democrat aside from Rep. Wasserman Schultz (Wasserman Schultz’s office isn’t in Longworth).

The deeper you dig the more it becomes clear this case is about much more than bank fraud. Capitol Police are investigating possible theft of congressional computer equipment, massive amounts of data moved off the congressional system, alleged fake computer data created to throw investigators off the trail, and data mined by the Awans that could include emails from many members of Congress and more.

Rep. Wasserman Schultz, who lost her post at the DNC when WikiLeaks published emails showing that under her leadership the DNC worked to sabotage Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, might be exposed to even more revelations.

Meanwhile, Congress has been asked to open an ethics investigation to answer why Rep. Wasserman Schultz kept Imran on her payroll even after the Capitol Police investigation became known.

So does this sound like a small bank fraud story to you or is it more likely that a lot more is going on here?

Frank Miniter is author of "The Future of the Gun" & "The Ultimate Man’s Survival Guide". His latest book is, is "Kill Big Brother", a cyber-thriller that shows how to balance freedom with security without diminishing the U.S. Bill of Rights.


FORBES

https://www.forbes.com/sites/frankminiter/2017/10/12/exclusive-the-democrats-it-scandal-started-with-this-big-oversight/#78326f914bbd
Opinion #CyberSecurity
OCT 12, 2017 @ 05:24 PM

None of the six officially vetted IT firms that do work for congressional offices employed Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s (D-FL) now indicted IT aide, Imran Awan. This is odd, as congressional offices are given a pre-approved list of tech firms to work with for IT support.

U.S. Senate offices typically have a fulltime employee on staff that handles IT, but most of the 435 congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives don’t require that much technical support. They typically hire IT professionals from an approved list of companies as they need them and often use them as “shared” employees with other congressional offices.

Imran Awan, nor or his family members and other associates who are now being investigated by Capitol Police, were employed as current or former employees by these vetted firms, say congressional sources.

Capitol Police so far haven’t responded to questions about how this vetting process for IT professional works; however, it has long been known that some have been slipping through with little scrutiny.

In 2008 the House Inspector General, James J. Cornell, testified that there was “inadequate oversight” over shared employees like Imran Awan and his associates.

There was reason for concern.

Cornell had said, “In most instances, they have all the freedom of a vendor and all the benefits of an employee without the accountability one would expect with an employee.” At the time he said IT specialists “present an additional risk in that they often have access to multiple office’s data outside of both the oversight of congressional office staff and the visibility of House security personnel.”

Imran Awan is from Pakistan. He became a U.S. citizen in 2004 after he got a green card through a lottery system. He would later earn a degree in information technology from Johns Hopkins.


BBC ON JAYDEN K SMITH

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-40560957
BBC Trending
Why you should ignore the Jayden K Smith Facebook hoax
By Rozina Sini
BBC News
10 July 2017

Hoax warnings about a friend request from a Facebook account which belongs to a hacker have begun spreading online.

Well-meaning users have been sharing a message which warns their friends not to accept a request from Jayden K Smith, but the message itself is the hoax.

The message asks users of the social network to pass on the information to everyone in their Facebook messenger contacts list. Some social media users have done so and inadvertently spread the lie.

One message reads: "Please tell all the contacts in your Messenger list, not to accept Jayden K Smith friendship request. He is a hacker and has the system connected to your Facebook account. If one of your contacts accepts it, you will also be hacked, so make sure that all your friends know it. Thanks. Forwarded as received."

'Stop with the hate'

It's not just Facebook where the warnings have appeared. On Twitter Jayden K Smith has been used more than 4,000 times since Friday.

One twitter user posted: "I have been warned today not to accept a friendship request on Facebook or forward tweets from Jayden K Smith as he is a hacker."

Accounts sharing the name of the supposed hacker have also taken to social media to share their unfortunate connection with the hoax.

I didnt message you first stop with the hateImage copyrightJAYDEN K SMITH/FACEBOOK

There is no evidence of any account with the name Jayden K Smith going on a mass friend-requesting mission, and requests to large amounts of unknown users is also against Facebook's terms and conditions. Any account doing so may be blocked from trying to add further friends, and accepting a Facebook friend request from a stranger will not provide hackers with access to your computer and online accounts.

You might also like:
Vladimir Putin: The president who wasn't there
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Jayden jokes

The Jayden K Smith hoax is the latest in a string of common warnings about hacker accounts which are spread online. Past hoaxes on Facebook include warnings of names including Anwar Jitou, Linda Smith, Jason Allen, and Christopher Butterfield.

As the warning about the Smith account circulates online so does the clarification that it is untrue. Social media users have been sharing jokes to spread the message that Jayden K Smith is no one to be feared.

#JaydenKSmithImage copyright@JWWASHBURN/TWITTER
Homeland Security reports they have identified hacker Jayden K SmithImage copyright@GODLESSINDIXIE/TWITTER

While this warning is being exposed as a fake, it is good practice to use caution when accepting friend requests from strangers.

Some may be out to scam you or trick you into sending personal details or by asking you to click on links that contain malware.

By the UGC and Social News team

You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, and find us on Facebook. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending.



I’M GLAD TO SEE THAT DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING HARDER NOW, OR AT LEAST THEY SPEAK WITH DETERMINATION. THEY HAVE SEEMED IN THE LAST TEN OR SO YEARS TO PUT UP A WEAK EFFORT AT BEST.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/10/democrats-senate-majority-2018-path-243533
ELECTIONS
Democrats see path to Senate majority in 2018
The odds remain long for a takeover, but Republicans are still growing concerned.
By SEUNG MIN KIM and BURGESS EVERETT 10/10/2017 05:01 AM EDT

“The map feels a little different today than it did a few weeks ago,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “We might be playing a little more offense.” | John Shinkle/POLITICO

Something remarkable is happening in the halls of the Capitol: talk of a serious fight for the Senate majority next year.

Senate Democrats, once all but resigned to staying in the minority until at least 2020, say the door to retaking the chamber in next year’s midterms has cracked — just barely — if everything breaks their way. And instead of boasting about how many more seats they’re about to pick up, Republicans are now pondering the once-unthinkable possibility of losing the Senate, and with it, the ability to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominees.

While Republicans have been locked in bruising internal battles all year, legislatively and in GOP primaries, Senate Democrats in recent days scored a prized recruit in Arizona, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, and saw a Republican titan in Tennessee, Bob Corker, retire. Public polls in the Alabama Senate race have shown Democrat Doug Jones within single digits of bomb-throwing Republican Roy Moore — forcing national Democrats to wrestle with whether to spend money in one of the most conservative states in the nation.

Democratic senators are loath to boast too publicly about their recent spate of political fortune. But they’re starting to see a path, however narrow, that hadn’t existed before.

“The map feels a little different today than it did a few weeks ago,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “We might be playing a little more offense. At the same time, we don’t have a lot of bandwidth for offense given the defense we have to play.”

The 2018 map nonetheless heavily favors Republicans, who are defending just eight seats next fall compared to 25 for Senate Democrats. For Democrats to take the majority, they would have to successfully defend all their incumbents in conservative territory while picking up Nevada, Arizona and then a deep-red state such as Alabama, Tennessee or Texas.

Still, the fact that there’s even a conversation about the Senate being in play is a shift from just a few weeks ago. Democrats are privately gleeful about what they see as Sen. Dean Heller’s (R-Nev.) mishandling of the ultimately fruitless push to repeal Obamacare. Republican Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake’s favorability numbers are underwater, and Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke is raising money at a healthy clip in Texas, even as he shuns PAC money in his long-shot bid to oust Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

Republicans are openly worried that a failure on tax reform would endanger their prospects of retaining the majority and open the floodgates of disgusted donors and voters, particularly on the heels of the health care debacle. Voters might also hold Republicans accountable for any steep premium increases under Obamacare, since they’ve yet to repeal it or successfully stabilize the markets.

If “we can’t get a win on tax reform, then we’re going to have a lot to answer for to the voters next fall,” said South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the third-ranking Senate Republican, who has been among the most vocal in publicly warning GOP senators to fall in line.

Senate Republicans are more blunt in private. “Folks are mad,” one said. “I’m talking about the people who voted for us to do something. That’s going to rev up if we can’t pass tax reform.”

The Senate GOP’s campaign arm is trying to settle the troops. Yes, the majority is up for grabs next year, acknowledged National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Cory Gardner of Colorado. But the difficulty of a Democratic comeback in the deep red South makes it improbable at best.

“We run knowing that the majority is on the line. There’s no doubt about it," Gardner said. "But the fact is, they have 10 seats in Donald Trump states that we look very good in right now.

“If I were them, I’d try to find optimism” too, he added.

Steve Bannon is pictured here. | AP Photo
CONGRESS
Democrats look to wreak havoc in GOP primaries
By GABRIEL DEBENEDETTI

Democrats want to capitalize on the GOP angst to their advantage next November, although they’re confronting their own set of challenges as they suddenly face a slightly more favorable map.

The foremost of those decisions comes in Alabama, where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is wary of expending significant party resources on behalf of Jones, according to two Democratic senators.

“I’d be shocked if Schumer wants to spend money there,” one said.

A person close to Schumer said he is studying the race closely.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen is pushing hard for the party to pitch in for Jones. Van Hollen said in an interview shortly after Moore’s primary win that he had just sent another check from his leadership PAC to Jones.

“We’re pretty clear-eyed about the political map. It’s a tough map,” Van Hollen said. “Obviously, the more these tougher states come into play, the more extraordinary things can happen.”

Public polls in the Alabama Senate race have shown Democrat Doug Jones within single digits of bomb-throwing Republican Roy Moore (pictured) — forcing national Democrats to wrestle with whether to spend money in one of the most conservative states in the nation.

Public polls in the Alabama Senate race have shown Democrat Doug Jones within single digits of bomb-throwing Republican Roy Moore (pictured) — forcing national Democrats to wrestle with whether to spend money in one of the most conservative states in the nation. | Scott Olson/Getty Images

The DSCC is waiting for polling results to come back from the state, but in the meantime has dispatched staff to Alabama to aid Jones. National Democrats are trying to craft the best strategy to sell voters on Jones, a former federal prosecutor and first-time candidate, while avoiding nationalizing the race.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who has known Jones for nearly 15 years, said the underdog candidate is urging Senate Democrats to donate to him. Kaine offered to campaign for Jones — but Jones did not yet signal that he wants the party's 2016 vice presidential nominee or any other senator to swoop into the state.

“The one way we know we can be helpful is with the fundraising. And beyond that, we wait to hear from him,” Kaine said. Asked whether Jones has a legitimate shot, Kaine responded: “He certainly has a dramatically better chance against Roy Moore than he would have had against Luther” Strange, the incumbent temporarily appointed to the seat whom Moore defeated in the primary runoff.

In Tennessee, Democrat James Mackler was already in the race before Corker bowed out. National Democrats aren’t behind him yet, however, waiting to see whether other candidates — perhaps one who already has a campaign infrastructure and who has already undergone public vetting — are interested.

On the GOP side, Gov. Bill Haslam is out of the race, denying establishment-oriented Republicans their preferred candidate. And when Rep. Marsha Blackburn made her formal entry into the race on Thursday, she eviscerated the Senate GOP, raising the possibility she will be an antagonist to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Still, national Republicans insist they aren’t concerned about the state.

Leah Vukmir is pictured. | AP Photo
ELECTIONS
GOP hopefuls' new must-have: Megadonors
By MAGGIE SEVERNS and KEVIN ROBILLARD

“There will be a primary because it’s an open state, but I’m confident that that's not the least bit in play, nor will it consume resources away from other states we’ll be targeting,” said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, the NRSC’s vice chairman.

As for the other campaigns, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) chuckled at the Democrats’ newfound optimism in 2018, noting that they still “have a horrible map.”

Trump’s “poll numbers are pretty good in the states that he carried last year,” said Cornyn, who twice chaired the Senate GOP’s campaign committee. “So it’s not the national numbers we ought to be looking at. It’s the state numbers.”

Talking about a path to the majority is good for Democratic fundraising and raises hopes of blocking Trump’s judicial agenda and stifling the conservative legislation passed by the House. But after blowing a clear shot at the majority in 2016, Democrats are wary about raising expectations too high.

“I don’t think trying to paint an overly rosy vision is helpful,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who has raised money for Jones. “Instead, I think it’s important to point out how serious this battle is.”


BERNIE SANDERS SPEECH ON HIGHER EDUCATION

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/10/bernie-sanders-we-need-to-make-college-free-to-make-america-great.html
MONEY
Bernie Sanders: One thing needs to change in order to make America ‘great’
Shawn M. Carter | @shawncarterm
October 10, 2017

Photograph -- Getty Images, Rep. James Clyburn (R) (D-SC) looks on as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks about health care on Capitol Hill, June 26, 2017 in Washington, DC.

In an opinion piece for Vice Impact, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) discusses what he believes America actually needs to become "great": High-quality higher education delivered to citizens for free.

What would help is "not spending tens of billions more on weapons systems or providing trillions in tax breaks for the rich," he writes. "It is having a well-educated population that can compete in the global economy, and making it possible that every American, regardless of income, has the opportunity to get the education they need to thrive."

However, he writes, "we are moving further and further away from that goal," thanks to the high cost of college.

More than 44 million Americans have taken out student loans to pay for school, with their debt totaling $1.4 billion. The average debt for 20-year-olds is $22,135. For 30-year-olds, it's $34,033.

And while wages aren't rising much, the cost of tuition is. That could explain why the number of loan defaults has reached a new high.

What happens when you don't pay off your debt? "Our system of higher education is in a state of crisis," Sanders writes. "As tuition and fees rise and states cut funding for colleges and universities, American families are finding it difficult to afford college.

"Millions of graduates have had to take on life-long debt for the 'crime' of getting the education they need," he says. "For most, this debt will take many years to repay, which not only impacts their career choices, but also their ability to get married, have kids or buy a home."

Nearly 60 percent of borrowers don't expect to finish paying their loans until their 40s, and less than 20 percent of Americans say they're living the American Dream because they can't afford a home.

What's more, a survey of 1,000 Americans found nearly half said high costs were a factor in their decision not to pursue an education after high school. Of those who started but didn't complete a post-secondary program, 59 percent said the price was a factor.

For these reasons, Sanders wants to make college free. "In the richest country in the history of the world," he writes, "everyone who has the desire and the ability should be able to get a college education regardless of their background and ability to pay."

"THIS IS NOT A RADICAL IDEA. MANY NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD INVEST IN AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE THAT ISN'T BURDENED WITH ENORMOUS STUDENT DEBT."

-Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator, I-Vt.
He adds, "This is not a radical idea. Many nations around the world invest in an educated workforce that isn't burdened with enormous student debt."

In Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, for instance, Sanders points out that public colleges and universities are free. In Germany, public colleges are free to both native and international students.

Some officials are working toward a similar system in the United States. This year, Sanders introduced the College for All Act, which aims to make colleges and universities tuition-free for families that earn $125,000 per year or less. That, he notes, covers 86 percent of the population.

The City College San Francisco has begun offering tuition-free college, and, in New York, students can now have the chance to attend school for free. Similar programs have been launched in Tennessee, Oregon, Detroit and Chicago.

Here's where students have the hardest and easiest time paying off loans
More jobs require advanced education, so, more than ever, a bachelor's degree needs to be in reach, he argues.

"While not all middle-class jobs in today's economy require post-secondary education, an increasing number do. By 2020," he writes, citing data from Georgetown University, "two-thirds of all jobs in the United States will require some education beyond high school."

Workers with an associate degree, over the course of their careers, will earn an average $360,000 more than those with a high school diploma, the data notes. Those with a bachelor's will earn nearly $1 million more.

But Sanders wants to change that dynamic. "It is time for every child to understand that if they study hard and take their school work seriously, they will be able to get a higher education, regardless of their family's income. It's time to reduce the outrageous burden of student debt that is weighing down the lives of millions of college graduates."

Though, while recent progress has been made on the issue, he writes, "we still have a long way to go."

Don't miss: Joe Biden opposes Mark Zuckerberg and other execs on giving Americans free cash handouts


ON THE DOLE – SHAMEFUL, OR NECESSARY?

AS THIS ARTICLE SAYS, THE GUARANTEED ANNUAL INCOME IS A CHANCE TO IMPROVE ONES’ POSITION BY FURTHER EDUCATION, AND HAVE THE VERY REAL FEAR OF HAVING NOWHERE TO LIVE REMOVED. THE $12,000 THAT WAS MENTIONED IS, EVEN NOW, WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT, HOWEVER. IT CERTAINLY WON’T BE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT EVERYONE NEEDS IN AN ECONOMY WITH NO PRICE CONTROLS.

WHAT IT REALLY IS, IS A “CUSHION.” WE’LL STILL WANT TO GET A JOB, START A SMALL BUSINESS, WRITE A BOOK OR INVENT SOMETHING THAT WILL SELL, MAKE A CRAFT ITEM, ETC. IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, MUCH LESS THRIVE. I’M SAYING IT IN THE SENSE OF THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE “TEN OR TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW,” WILL BE OVER IN THE BLINKING OF AN EYE. WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT OUR POPULATION, SHORT OF SOME KIND OF NAZI STATE NIGHTMARE, WILL BLOOM AND GROW, AND THE AMOUNT OF GENUINE OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKERS WILL DECREASE IN A DIRECT PROPORTION, VERY LIKELY.

I’VE SEEN MIRACLES, BUT THEY JUST DON’T HAPPEN EVERY DAY. THE RESULT WILL BE SEVERE PRIVATION UNLESS A SERIES OF PLANS ARE BROUGHT INTO WORK TOGETHER. BIDEN SPEAKS OF “PRESERVING JOBS,” BUT I REALLY DON’T SEE HOW THAT WILL BE DONE IF BUSINESS – THE TRUE SACRED COW – IS NOT RESTRICTED IN WHAT IT CAN AND CAN’T DO; AND WITHOUT PRICE CONTROLS, OUR LITTLE $12,000 WILL BE A FARCE.

SOME IDEAS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN PAST YEARS WHEN THE IMMEDIACY OF THE PROBLEM WASN’T AN ISSUE. IT WAS IDLE TALK AMONG ACADEMICS. ONE SUCH IDEA WAS “JOB SHARING,” IN WHICH EVERY WORKER IS ESSENTIALLY A PART-TIMER, AND THE WORK IS SPLIT AMONG THEM. IF THE MINIMUM WAGE WERE $15.00 AN HOUR, THAT ALONG WITH “THE DOLE” WOULD HELP IN MAKING ENDS MEET. BUSINESS, FOR THE MOST PART, WON’T WANT TO DO IT, BECAUSE IT TAKES REORGANIZATION.

ANOTHER IS THE GOVERNMENT RUN WORK OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS THE NEW DEAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND OTHER SOCIETAL IMPROVEMENTS. IT WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTING IF BUSINESSES WERE REQUIRED TO AID THE WORK PROJECTS RATHER THAN FIGHTING GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AND FIRING WORKERS RIGHT AND LEFT. I BELIEVE WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF MECHANIZED AND AUTOMATED PROCESSES THAT A BUSINESS IS ALLOWED TO EMPLOY.

WHATEVER WE DO, IT NEEDS TO BE STARTED SOON, BECAUSE OUR ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN HOW THE POPULATION WILL BE FED AND EMPLOYED ARE ALMOST UPON US. THAT’S WHAT THE CRUMBLING MIDDLE CLASS IS LEADING TO. THIS IS WHY WE NEED A TRULY FORWARD-LOOKING PRESIDENT AND LEGISLATURE WHO WILL TRY TO DO SOMETHING CONCRETE FOR THE LIVES OF PEOPLE, RATHER THAN JUST LETTING THE SITUATION DEGRADE WITHOUT PAUSE, TO THE POINT THAT WE WILL BE NOT “GREAT,” BUT A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WITH A SMALL GROUP OF THE UBER-RICH AND A HUGE ONE OF PEOPLE WITH MUCH LESS WEALTH. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT’S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. REPUBLICANS DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.


https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/20/joe-biden-opposes-mark-zuckerberg-on-giving-americans-free-cash.html
Joe Biden opposes Mark Zuckerberg and other execs on giving Americans free cash handouts
Shawn M. Carter | @shawncarterm 11:00 AM ET Wed, 20 Sept 2017

Getty Images
Former U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, left, speaks to members of the media as House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) looks on after an event on health care at the House East Front of the Capitol March 22, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Unlike Mark Zuckerberg and various other tech and business moguls, former Vice President Joe Biden rejects the idea of giving Americans free cash handouts, an idea also known as universal basic income.

"There is a better way forward," he argues in a blog post on the University of Delaware's website.

UBI would guarantee citizens regular payments from the government, regardless of employment status, wealth or age. That could help make up for the loss of jobs to robots, for example, since a study from Oxford University researchers predicts that 47 percent of U.S. jobs could be replaced by automated technology in the next 10 to 20 years.

That's also why Elon Musk, founder and chief executive officer of SolarCity, SpaceX and Tesla, believes that cash handouts may be inevitable. In an interview with CNBC, Musk said: "There is a pretty good chance we end up with a universal basic income, or something like that, due to automation. I am not sure what else one would do. I think that is what would happen."

Other proponents of UBI approach it as a way to bolster citizens and help them take more chances. In a May 25 commencement speech at Harvard University, Zuckerberg said societies should measure progress "not by economic metrics ... but by how many of us have a role we find meaningful. We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure everyone has a cushion to try new ideas."


Zuckerberg visited Alaska during his "Year of Travel Challenge," where residents already enjoy a program similar to UBI. They receive yearly cash handouts from the Permanent Fund Dividend, which was intended to share oil riches with residents as the Alaska pipeline construction approached completion.

Finland has rolled out a pilot to test UBI: 2,000 randomly selected, unemployed residents are receiving monthly cash payments of 560 euros, or $582, for two years.

Billionaire Richard Branson, Y Combinator President Sam Altman and Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield have shown interest in UBI as well, arguing that distributing money could boost the economy.

Indeed, a recent study from the Roosevelt Institute predicts $1,000 monthly cash handouts could grow the economy by $2.5 trillion by 2025, and another study says nearly half of Americans support the idea of giving monthly payments of $500 to $2,000 to those whose jobs are lost to tech.

Still, Biden, who might run for president in 2020, is not sold on the idea.

Joe Biden speaks with CNBC's John Harwood.
Sophie Bearman | CNBC
Joe Biden speaks with CNBC's John Harwood.

"I believe we can — we must — build a future that puts work first," he writes in the blog. "While I appreciate concerns from Silicon Valley executives about what their innovations may do to American incomes, I believe they're selling American workers short.

"The future will not change the enduring American values that got us here. Our children and grandchildren deserve the promise we've had: The skills to get ahead, the chance to earn a paycheck and a steady job that rewards hard work."

Others leaders echo that idea. Self-made millionaire Grant Cardone thinks that "giving away free money" might be un-American or unconstitutional. And Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says robots won't threaten jobs for "hundreds of years."

"I BELIEVE WE CAN — WE MUST — BUILD A FUTURE THAT PUTS WORK FIRST."
-Joe Biden

Biden, according to his blog post, thinks that America should instead work to preserve jobs. The Biden Institute at the University of Delaware is launching an effort to enhance economic growth strategies and developing methods for workers to co-exist with new technologies.

"In today's economy, given the pace of technological change," Biden writes, "there is a need for workers to retool or retrain to keep up with the jobs they already have. So, don't tell me what our people can't do.

"Let's instead figure out how we're going to train them for the jobs of the future — and retrain them," he writes. "All of us together can make choices to shape a better future. Our workers, our businesses, our communities and our nation deserves nothing less."

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If robots take your job, the government might have to pay you to live
Shawn M. Carter
Writer for CNBC Make It



THE FOLLOWING IS THE WHOLE ESSAY FROM JOE BIDEN’S BLOG

https://www.sppa.udel.edu/bideninstitute/research-policy/biden-institute-blog/Let%E2%80%99s-Choose-a-Future-That-Puts-Work-First
BIDEN INSTITUTE BLOG
LET'S CHOOSE A FUTURE THAT PUTS WORK FIRST

by Vice President Joe Biden
Vice President Joe Biden, Official White House photo by David Lienemann, 2013

Economic transformations due to rapid advances in technology have created not only significant anxiety but also a legitimate debate about whether there will be sufficient jobs to sustain a vibrant middle class.

Some argue that these changes won't lead to significant net job loss, so we need not worry. Others argue the risks are so great we should close up our borders to minimize the damage. One idea that has gained prominence, particularly among leaders in Silicon Valley, is universal basic income. The theory is that automation will result in so many lost jobs that the only plausible answer is some type of guaranteed government check with no strings attached.

I believe there is a better way forward. I believe we can – we must – build a future that puts work first. My father used to have an expression. He'd say, "Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about your dignity. It's about your self-respect. It's about your place in your community." And every coal worker in West Virginia or steelworker in Scranton who lost their job will tell you they didn't just lose a paycheck but much more.

Photograph -- Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx tour the port of Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 18, 2015.

While I appreciate concerns from Silicon Valley executives about what their innovations may do to American incomes, I believe they're selling American workers short. The future will not change the enduring American values that got us here. Our children and grandchildren deserve the promise we've had: the skills to get ahead, the chance to earn a paycheck, and a steady job that rewards hard work.

And here's one thing I know for sure: it is within our power to provide the future they deserve. When the steam engine came along or the Model T Ford hit the assembly line or the first computer, we didn't throw up our hands. We made choices to make it work for us. And now, too, our future is a choice, not a foregone conclusion.

All of us – corporate America, labor, nonprofits, and government – have a responsibility to get this right. I know some want to single out big corporations for all the blame. It is true that the balance has shifted too much in favor of corporations and against workers. But consumers, workers, and leaders have the power to hold every corporation to a higher standard, not simply cast business as the enemy or let industry off the hook. Last spring, I brought some leading executives to the University of Delaware to discuss these challenges and how CEOs can meet their responsibilities to their workers, their communities, and their country.

Now, I am launching a new effort at the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware to identify strategies for economic growth that put work first. Tomorrow morning, I am speaking in Washington to CEOs from around the country about our shared responsibility to solve this problem. Then, I am returning to Delaware to lead a panel discussion with national leaders in business, labor, non-profits, and government. Many are already doing great work on this issue. My goal is to learn from their successes and find common ground to help leverage and scale them.

Biden Institute building and signage at 44 Kent Way, UD Campus
Biden Institute, University of Delaware

Our effort will look at key policy changes needed for our workers to succeed. First, the Biden Institute will examine ways to transform our education system to be early, lifelong, affordable, and accessible. Cognitive capacity – as opposed to brawn – continues to become a surer path to climb that ladder into the middle class. Too often I hear people talking about how the jobs of the future require skills that our workers cannot attain. That's simply not the case. Today, workers in manufacturing plants already rely on complex computer systems. As I learned a long time ago, it is never a good idea to bet against the American people.

So, don't tell me what our people can't do. Let's instead figure out how we're going to train them for the jobs of the future. And retrain them. Because in today's economy, given the pace of technological change, there is a need for workers to retool or retrain even to keep up with the jobs they already have. At a minimum, that means recognizing that 12 years of school is no longer enough; two years of free community college should be available as well to meet the needs of today's jobs.

The Biden Institute will also look for strategies to help communities that disproportionately shoulder the burden of the transformations. And finally, it will explore how to make sure key workplace benefits and protections – access to health insurance, retirement security, and a work environment that is safe from discrimination – persist in an economy where the nature of work has changed.

All of us together can make choices to shape a better future. Our workers, our businesses, our communities, and our nation deserves nothing less.



BUSINESS IS BUSINESS, I GUESS....

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/us-tech-giants-oddly-unhelpful-on-russia-1067167299819
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 10/9/17
US tech giants oddly unhelpful on Russia
Elizabeth Dwoskin, Silicon Valley correspondent for the Washington Post, talks with Rachel Maddow about the slow pace of discovery of Russian ad buying and other online manipulations as U.S. tech giants like Twitter, Facebook, and Google have seemed reluctant to give up information. Duration: 23:15