DECEMBER 15, 2018

NEWS AND VIEWS

SLAVE LAWS, THE “EVICTION” OF THE GEORGE SOROS BACKED UNIVERSITY, A PARALLEL “GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED COURT SYSTEM,” AND MORE, A NEW AXIS POWERS AND ONCOMING WAR, PERHAPS? READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH AND THINK OF THE LAST YEARS BEFORE WWII BROKE OUT, AS ONE NATION AFTER ANOTHER BECAME EMBROILED IN A SIMILAR WAY IN HOSTILITIES. THERE’S NO BILL OF RIGHTS IN HUNGARY, APPARENTLY, SO MAYBE THESE THINGS CANNOT BE CHALLENGED IN LAW. THAT MAKES IT CLEAR TO ME THAT VIGOROUS PROTESTS ARE IN ORDER. THE ARTICLE DOESN’T STATE WHETHER THESE 400 HOURS OF OVERTIME WOULD BE PAID, AND IF SO, AT WHAT RATE PER HOUR.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/14/europe/hungary-orban-slave-laws-protest-intl/
Budapest rocked by second night of protests over 'slave law'
By Sheena McKenzie and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN
Updated 11:03 AM ET, Fri December 14, 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- Demonstrators denounce recent legislative measures introduced by the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban outside Parliament on Thursday in Budapest.

(CNN)Thousands of demonstrators hit the streets of Budapest for a second night over the passing of a series of bills that critics argue will cement Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's grip on power.

Orban's right-wing party Fidesz pushed through legislation on Wednesday that allows employers to demand up to 400 hours' overtime annually and the creation of a new government-controlled court system, sparking protests and clashes with police.

Thousands returned to Hungarian capital's streets on Thursday night to intensify their objections to what has been dubbed the "slave law."

Angry protesters marched across Budapest's Széchenyi Chain Bridge with banners reading "Free Country, Free University" and "To prison with this gang of thieves" before the sea of angry people caused traffic chaos on nearby streets.

The protests follow two recent legislative initiatives by Orban: one that allows employers to force employees to work more overtime, the other the creation of a parallel courts system known as administrative courts to deal with cases related to corruption and free speech, among other issues.

[DUPLICATION: The protests follow two recent legislative initiatives by Orban: one that allows employers to force employees to work more overtime, the other the creation of a parallel courts system known as administrative courts to deal with cases related to corruption and free speech, among other issues.]

On the steps of parliament, scores of police officers in riot gear blocked the building's entrance as demonstrators assembled before them, waving flags and colored smoke flares while chanting "Orban go to hell" and "We have had enough," Reuters reported.

"One thing is the issue of the courts, which is the next phase of cementing their power, one phase towards building total power," protester Tamaz Szabo told the news agency.

"I've come to show a huge middle finger to the government and express that I am really, really fed up and I think most people are here for this," said another student protester, Adam, who declined to give Reuters his surname.

Riot police spray tear gas at demonstrators outside parliament on Thursday night.

Riot police spray tear gas at demonstrators outside parliament on Thursday night.

Hungarian law previously permitted businesses to demand up to 250 hours overtime annually. The government told CNN this week the changes to working hours are "in the interest of the workers" and would allow people to work and earn more.

Meanwhile, human rights workers have slammed the establishment of a parallel court system that will be tasked with government-related matters such as taxes and elections.

They argue that the courts -- which are set to begin operating next year and are expected to oversee the hiring of judges, will bring the country yet another step closer to authoritarianism.

Demonstrators hold position in front of policemen wearing gas masks.

"There is no real argument behind the law, this is simply a political decision that aims to extend the government's control over the judiciary," said Dávid Vig, director of Amnesty International Hungary, in a statement.

"It is no surprise though, it fits well into the series of measures taken by the Hungarian government to erode rule of law in Hungary," he added.

Orban's government has denied these claims, saying the courts will be independent and "in line with current European approaches and standards."

Since Orban's populist Fidesz Party rose to power in 2010, and most recently won a landslide victory in April this year, it has come under increasing fire from the European Union over its crackdowns on democratic institutions.

Earlier this year, the European Parliament took the unprecedented decision to trigger Article 7 -- a disciplinary process -- against Hungary over its erosion of democratic norms that spanned everything from the media to migrants.

George Soros-backed university 'forced out' of Hungary

The move came on the heels of Hungary's "Stop Soros" law -- named after the billionaire philanthropist and well-known Orban foe George Soros -- that banned nongovernmental organizations from assisting undocumented migrants.

On December 3, Central European University, which was founded by Soros, said it had been "forced out" of Hungary in "an arbitrary eviction."

Orban's anti-migrant policies, which have been blasted by the EU, have proved particularly popular in rural Hungary.

The PM [Orban, presumably] has also found allies in Poland, which is facing its own disciplinary process from the EU, and with Italy's similarly hardline interior minister, Matteo Salvini.


ABOUT THE GEORGE SOROS UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONALISM POPPING UP ACROSS EUROPE, COULD THAT BE PART OF AN EVEN GREATER “RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY,” THAN HILLARY’S I WONDER? ARE THESE PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLING THIS, OR IS IT A CHANCE OCCURRENCE? I WONDER IF IT IS A FLAME BEING FED ON THE INTERNET IN AN ORGANIZED WAY. I WONDER WHAT FACEBOOK KNOWS ABOUT IT.

TWO NATIONS ARE IN THE NEWS JUST NOW FOR REJECTING FAR RIGHT CANDIDATES. THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS. ALSO, SO FAR NO MILITARY ACTIVITY HAS BEGUN IN THE LIGHT OF THE TREND – EXCEPT IN UKRAINE. THE RUSSIANS ARE CONTINUING TO DISRUPT UKRAINIAN ORDER, SO WHAT PROOF IS THERE THAT THEY WON’T TRY TO CONTROL THE WHOLE COUNTRY SOON? THAT APPEARS TO ME TO BE THEIR GOAL.

THE RIGHTISTS ARE TRYING TO COME INTO OFFICE BY ELECTION RATHER THAN OVERT CONQUEST, BUT OF COURSE, SO DID HITLER, AND SO HAS TRUMP. HE TRIED CONTROL BY FIAT SEVERAL TIMES ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, AND IS STILL DOING IT. ELECTIONS DON’T MAGICALLY GUARANTEE FREEDOM FROM DESPOTISM. WE SEEM TO ME TO BE IN A KALEIDOSCOPE OF FORCES, AND IT’S VERY UNCERTAIN WHERE IT WILL COME TO A STOP.

THESE ARE THE POLITICAL PROTAGONISTS THESE DAYS: GILT WILDERS OF HOLLAND IS RIGHTIST, AND WEARS HIS HAIR IN THE CENTER COMEBACK THAT CERTAIN RIGHTIST GUESTS OF FOX NEWS USE – A SIGNAL OF A SORT, I THINK. RIGHTIST NORBERT HOFER OF AUSTRIA CLAIMS THAT HE IS NOT AN EXTREMIST, BUT HE LOST THE ELECTION ANYWAY; NIGEL FARAGE OF BRITAIN IS “POPULIST,” BUT CLAIMS THAT HE ISN’T “RACIST.” FORMER FRENCH PM LAURENCE FABIUS, MATTEO RENZI OF ITALY, ALSO MARINE LE PEN OF FRANCE; ITALY'S PAOLO GENTILI AND RENZI.

IMPORTANT NEW POLITICAL TERMS – POST TRUTH, NATIONALISM, POPULISM- NOW BEING INTERPRETED AS ANGER AT THE ELITE; ALT-RIGHT.

IS THERE AN ALT-RIGHT “LOOK?” THE COMB BACK, BLEACHED HAIR, HE LOOKS LIKE FOX NEWS' JUDGE NAPOLITANO, KIRK DOUGLAS AND SOME OTHERS. IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE APPEARANCE, WHICH IS THEIR GOAL, I'M SURE.


https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/03/europe/central-european-university-george-soros-intl/index.html
George Soros-backed university 'forced out' of Hungary
By Erin McLaughlin and Bianca Britton, CNN
Updated 11:32 AM ET, Mon December 3, 2018

WATCH VIDEO INTERVIEWS: With President Of University Michael Ignatieff Academic Freedom Under Threat; With Former French Pm On A Possible “End Of Europe.”

(CNN)A Budapest-based university founded by billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros said Monday that it has been "forced out" of Hungary in "an arbitrary eviction."

Central European University (CEU), which is a graduate institution accredited in the US and Hungary, has been forced to stop accepting new students after January 1, 2019, by Hungarian law.

As a result, it said in a statement, the institution will launch all US-accredited degree programs in the Austrian capital of Vienna as of next September.
It comes after the university has been subjected to verbal and thinly-veiled legislative attacks by Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.

The populist and anti-immigration leader has been openly critical of both Soros and CEU's academic agenda, which appears antithetical to his government's nationalist worldview.

CEU said that forcing the university out of Hungary violates academic freedom.

"This is unprecedented," CEU's president and rector, Michael Ignatieff said in the statement.

"A US institution has been driven out of a country that is a NATO ally. A European institution has been ousted from a member state of the EU."

Democracy is under assault in Hungary. America's voice is crucial

The statement said that over the past 20 months, the university had complied with Hungarian legislation and launched educational activities in the US that were certified by American authorities.

However, the Hungarian government has refused to sign an already agreed-upon document negotiated with the State of New York that would allow CEU to stay.

"The government has never even tried to pretend that there were academic grounds for their actions," the statement said, adding it was a "dark day for Europe and a dark day for Hungary."

Ignatieff said that "the government has done an injustice toward its own citizens -- the hundreds of Hungarians who work and study at CEU, and thousands of Hungarian alumni and their families."

In response, a spokesperson for the Hungarian government's international communications office told CNN that "this is nothing more than a Soros-style political bluff, which does not merit the attention of the government."

Soros' support for refugees fleeing Africa and the Middle East in recent years has made him a frequent target for Orbán's (pictured) right-wing coalition.
Soros' support for refugees fleeing Africa and the Middle East in recent years has made him a frequent target for Orbán's (pictured) right-wing coalition.
The emailed government statement added that, "it's common knowledge that a significant number of its courses will still be held in Budapest," referring to the fact that students currently enrolled will complete their studies in Budapest.

In June, Hungary's parliament passed legislation -- informally known as the "Stop Soros" law -- which criminalized helping undocumented immigrants, including asylum seekers.

Soros' support for refugees fleeing Africa and the Middle East in recent years has made him a frequent target for Orbán's right-wing coalition.

Hungary's 'Stop Soros' law makes it illegal to help migrants

As a result, in August CEU suspended programs for refugees and asylum seekers after a newly introduced "immigration surtax" threatened a 25% levy on any activities seen to assist immigration.

The US State Department said in a statement it was "disappointed" that CEU and the Hungarian government couldn't come to an agreement which would allow the university to remain in Budapest.

"The departure of these US-accredited programs from Hungary will be a loss for the CEU community, for the United States, and for Hungary," it said.

The relocation to Vienna forces the university to not only leave the country it has operated in since opening in 1991, but also its recently opened premises.
CEU's chairman of the board of trustees, Leon Botstein, said in the statement that "the City of Vienna and the federal government of Austria have welcomed up with open arms as part of their commitment to academic freedom and research."

In May, the Budapest branch of Open Society Foundations, also founded by Soros, announced it was leaving Hungary for Germany because of "increasingly repressive political and legal environment."

A spokesperson for Orbán accused the foundation at the time of wanting "to create an immigrant continent and an immigrant country."
CNN's Lindsay Isaac contributed to this story.


DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE I HAVE POSTED URLS FOR TWO VIDEOS OF O’ROURKE GIVING HIS VIEWS, AND I DO LIKE WHAT I SEE OF HIM. HE IS “GREEN” RATHER THAN SEASONED, THOUGH, IT SEEMS TO ME. BERNIE AT 76 IS STILL QUITE CAPABLE OF BEING THE ONE, AND FOR STARTING A REVOLUTION OF THOUGHT WHICH NEEDED TO BE CREATED AND NOW LED, HE DESERVES NOT ONLY PERSONAL CREDIT, BUT THE PRESIDENCY.

IF HE BECOMES ILL BETWEEN NOW AND 2020, I’LL HAVE TO CHANGE MY VOTE, AND I’LL GO TO THE NEXT BEST TRUE PROGRESSIVE – AS OPPOSED TO A GENERIC DEMOCRAT AS I HAVE IN THE PAST. I THINK O’CASIO MAY BE A GOOD CHOICE. I DON’T THINK WARREN IS. SHE HAS SHOWN HER POSITION, AND I DON’T LIKE IT.

ON THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF AMERICANS, I HAVEN’T SEEN ENOUGH OF WHAT O’ROURKE THINKS TO JUDGE, BUT I’LL MAKE THAT DECISION LATER WHEN THE ISSUE COMES UP. THE ECONOMIC ISSUE OF GROWING INEQUALITY, TO ME, IS ABOVE ETHNICITY, BECAUSE IT IS THE ROOT OF THE RACE/CLASS PROBLEM. POVERTY CAUSES LESSER EDUCATIONAL LEVELS, QUALITY OF CLOTHING, SELF-CONFIDENCE, “BEAUTY,” GOOD DICTION, OPEN AND FRIENDLY ATTITUDE, AND “PRIDE.” I’M MENTIONING THAT BECAUSE SOME WOMAN IN A TV INTERVIEW SAID THAT SHE MAKES HER DECISION ABOUT A PERSON BY LOOKING AT THEIR SHOES. THAT’S A WEALTH DECISION. WEALTHY BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T TREATED BADLY VERY OFTEN AT ALL, EXCEPT BY TRUMP VOTERS. IT’S THE POOR, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER POOR PEOPLE WHO CATCH THE FLACK.

I WILL SAY THAT I THINK CENK UYGUR’S COMMENT IN HIS VIDEO IS TRUE ON THE USELESSNESS OF POLLS AND PREDICTIONS – HE DOESN’T APPROVE OF THEM AND THINKS THEY DO POSITIVE HARM. I AGREE. THERE IS A CERTAIN KIND OF GROUP-THINK TYPE WHO WILL TURN AWAY FROM A GOOD CANDIDATE WHOM THEY KNOW WELL IF THEY SEEM TO BE SLIPPING IN THE POLLS. THEIR PROBLEM IS THAT THEY ARE AFRAID TO ADMIT THAT THEY MAY HAVE VOTED FOR A CANDIDATE WHO LOST, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS EMBARRASSING TO THEM, I SUPPOSE. ALSO, I HEAR THE PHRASE “I DON’T WANT TO WASTE MY VOTE.” PEOPLE OF THAT TYPE MAKE REALLY UNRELIABLE FRIENDS, SO I DON’T LIKE THEM FOR THAT REASON. I DON’T TRUST THEM. SO, WHY DID I INCLUDE THIS CNN ARTICLE ON POLLS HERE? BECAUSE I’M TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF ANY NEW “DARK HORSES” MOVING UP FROM THE REAR, AND I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT O’ROURKE. IN 2024 I MAY VOTE FOR HIM IF I’M STILL ALIVE THEN, AND I PROBABLY WILL BE.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/14/politics/bernie-sanders-beto-orourke-supporters-2020/index.html
Bernie Sanders supporters should worry about Beto O'Rourke
Analysis by Harry Enten, CNN
Updated 6:00 AM ET, Fri December 14, 2018

PHOTOGRAPH – Sanders smiling while speaking Ethan Miller Getty Images

(CNN)The Beto O'Rourke 2020 train seems to be gaining steam. Those backing other potential candidates want donors and pundits to slow their Beto roll, however.

Among the most prominent critics are supporters of Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders who believes the Texan isn't progressive enough.

Sanders fans have at least some reason to worry. O'Rourke or really any other candidate with outsider appeal could eat into Sanders' base of young, independent-leaning voters.

If Sanders is going to win in 2020, he'll need to hold onto his support from 2016. He won more than 40% of the national primary vote, though he lost by low double-digits to Clinton nationally.

To answer whether Sanders can keep his backers, we have to understand what drove voters to him. Was it the fact that he was the progressive alternative to the more mainstream Hillary Clinton? If that were the case, O'Rourke could be vulnerable to attacks about his voting record.

O'Rourke has voted with President Donald Trump 29% of the time, while Sanders has voted with him just 14% of the time. Put another way, O'Rourke has voted more often with Trump than 80% of House Democrats. Only three senators have voted with Trump less often than Sanders.

Sanders' appeal in 2016, however, was mostly not based on ideology. You can see this best by looking at the 27 states with an entrance or exit poll. Among the approximately 25% of the electorate who identified as "very liberal", Clinton and Sanders won about an equal share of voters. That means Sanders only did slightly better among very liberal voters than he did among all voters.

So what was driving most voters towards Sanders? Remember, Sanders was not just a liberal alternative, he was seen as outside the party establishment (i.e. independent).

Sanders won the approximately 25% of people who identified as independents (instead of Democrats) in the average caucus or primary state by about 29 points. That's nearly 30 points higher than Sanders won by among very liberal voters. He won independents in 24 of the 27 states, even though he lost overall in 20 of the 27 contests polled.

It was this ability to separate himself out from the usual Democratic brand that likely helped spur a very large age gap in the primary.

Among the approximately 30% of the Democratic primary electorate who were under 40, Sanders beat Clinton by an average of about 27 points. That's about 39 points better than he did overall in these states, which he lost by an average of 12 points.

You'll also notice that the margin Sanders won by among independents (29 points) was about equal to his win among those under 40 (27 points). That shouldn't be too surprising because, according to the Pew Research Center, millennials (who make up the vast majority of those voters under 40) are the most likely part of the Democratic electorate to identify as independents.

It's not difficult to imagine an under-50 former member of Congress who spent just three terms in the House like O'Rourke being able to sell himself to young independent voters.

We can get a little deeper into the weeds and look at multiple factors at a time to see what best accounted for support for Sanders during the 2016 primary season. An academic study known Cooperative Congressional Election Survey (CCES) allows us to do that well. It confirms what the entrance and exit polls suggest.

Among those under the age of 40, identifying as a Democrat or independent was nearly three times more important in explaining a person's 2016 primary vote choice than where they placed on the left-right spectrum. That is, young voter identifying as an independent was far more telling of their vote than how liberal they were.

Looking at all Democratic primary voters, I examined a person's age, race, ideology and whether they identified as a Democrat or independent in trying to explain vote choice. Ideology was the least important of these four variables in 2016. Age and party identification were by far the two most important.

In 2020, the question is whether Sanders can continue to appeal to independent-leaning young voters. With a load of young candidates with limited Washington experience likely to run, Sanders may find it more difficult to appeal to young voters the way he did in 2016.


WHO IS BETO O’ROARKE? VIEW THISE INTERVIEWS WITH HIM, ONE AT A TOWN HALL AND THE OTHER ON THE YOUNG TURKS.

FIRST, HE LOOKS TOO YOUNG TO ME TO BE PRESIDENT, SO IF HE IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING THAT NOW, I'M SURPRISED. I AGREE WITH HIS VIEWS AS SEEN ON THESE VIDEO APPEARANCES. I THINK HIS HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AS THE SAYING GOES, AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I WOULD RATHER SEE HIM AS A VICE PRESIDENT, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR THAN A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, THOUGH.

https://www.google.com/search?q=beto+o%27rourke+VIDEO&oq=b&aqs=chrome.1.69i59l3j69i60l3.2816j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
'I can think of nothing more American': Beto O'Rourke ... - YouTube
YouTube‎ · ‎Guardian News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzipRjUwQgo
Congressman Beto O'Rourke on The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur


I BELIEVE THIS RULING WILL BE APPEALED TO A HIGHER COURT. OUR GOOD DEMOCRATIC LAWYERS AND LEGISLATORS WILL PUT UP A FIGHT.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/federal-judge-accepts-gop-push-calls-obamacare-unconstitutional-1398644291893
Federal judge accepts GOP push, calls Obamacare unconstitutional
Jonathan Cohn, senior national correspondent for the Huffington Post, talks with Joy Reid about a federal judge in Texas ruling Obamacare unconstitutional.
Dec. 14, 2018


NPR AGREES WITH ME. THIS “TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE,” WHICH WILL STOP MANY AMERICANS FROM GETTING HEALTHCARE, A NAKED PIECE OF POLITICAL VENGEANCE IF I’VE EVER SEEN ONE, WILL BE APPEALED. THE PROBLEM WITH THE REPUBLICANS IS THAT THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/12/14/677002085/texas-judge-rules-affordable-care-act-unconstitutional-but-supporters-vow-to-app
POLICY-ISH
Texas Judge Rules Affordable Care Act Unconstitutional, But Supporters Vow To Appeal
December 14, 201811:31 PM ET
JULIE ROVNER

A federal district court judge in Texas has threatened the future of the Affordable Care Act.

Judge Reed C. O'Connor struck down the law, siding with a group of 18 Republican state attorneys general and two GOP governors who brought the case. O'Connor said the tax bill passed by Congress in December 2017 effectively rendered the entire health law unconstitutional.

RELATED:
SHOTS - HEALTH NEWS
What's At Stake In The Latest Affordable Care Act Court Battle

That tax measure eliminated the penalty for not having insurance. An earlier Supreme Court decision upheld the ACA based on the view that the penalty was a tax and thus the law was valid because it relied on appropriate power allowed Congress under the Constitution. O'Connor's decision said that without that penalty, the law no longer met that Constitutional test.

"In some ways, the question before the Court involves the intent of both the 2010 and 2017 Congresses," O'Connor wrote in his 55-page decision. "The former enacted the ACA. The latter sawed off the last leg it stood on."

The decision came just hours before the end of open enrollment for ACA plans in most states that use the federal HealthCare.gov insurance exchange. It is not expected that the ruling will affect the coverage for those people. The final decision isn't likely to be made until the case reaches the Supreme Court again.

The 16 Democratic state attorneys general who intervened in the case to defend the health law immediately vowed to appeal.

"The ACA has already survived more than 70 unsuccessful repeal attempts and withstood scrutiny in the Supreme Court," said a statement from Xavier Becerra of California. "Today's misguided ruling will not deter us: our coalition will continue to fight in court for the health and wellbeing of all Americans."

It is all but certain the case will become the third time the Supreme Court decides a constitutional question related to the ACA. In addition to upholding the law in 2012, the court rejected another challenge to the law in 2015.

It is hard to overstate what would happen to the nation's health care system if the decision is ultimately upheld. The Affordable Care Act touched almost every aspect of health care, including Medicare and Medicaid, generic biologic drugs, the Indian Health Service, and public health changes like calorie counts on menus.

The case, Texas v United States, was filed in February. The plaintiffs argued that because the Supreme Court upheld the ACA in 2012 as a constitutional use of its taxing power, the elimination of the tax makes the rest of the law unconstitutional.

In June, the Justice Department announced it would not fully defend the law in court. While the Trump administration said it did not agree with the plaintiffs that the tax law meant the entire ACA was unconstitutional, it said that the provisions of the law guaranteeing that people with preexisting health conditions could purchase coverage at the same price as everyone else were so inextricably linked to the tax penalty that they should be struck.

The administration urged the court to declare those provisions invalid beginning Jan. 1, 2019. That is the day the tax penalty for not having insurance disappears.

The protections for people with preexisting conditions was one of the top health issues in the midterm elections earlier in November. While the issue mostly played to the advantage of Democrats, one of the Republican plaintiffs, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, defeated Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill. Another plaintiff, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, lost to Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin.

President Donald Trump was quick to take a victory lap, and pressed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the presumed incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to fix the problem. The president tweeted Friday night: "As I predicted all along, Obamacare has been struck down as an UNCONSTITUTIONAL disaster! Now Congress must pass a STRONG law that provides GREAT healthcare and protects pre-existing conditions. Mitch and Nancy, get it done!"

But congressional leaders were quick to point out that the suit is far from over.

"The ruling seems to be based on faulty legal reasoning and hopefully it will be overturned," said a statement from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Many legal experts agreed with that assessment. "This is insanity in print, and it will not stand up on appeal," tweeted University of Michigan Law School Professor Nicholas Bagley, an expert in health law.

Even some conservatives were left scratching their heads. "Congress acted last year to repeal the mandate, but leave everything else in place and the courts should have deferred to that," tweeted former congressional GOP aide Chris Jacobs.

KaDEiser Health News, a nonprofit news service, is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, and not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


FROM THIS ARTICLE, IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN GERMANY’S POLICY TO BUY USED AIRCRAFT AND TANKS RATHER THAN NEW, AND PROBABLY NOT REPLACE THEM UNTIL THEY ARE IN A WORSE CONDITION THAN THEY SHOULD BE. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE. I HOPE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE THINGS THEY NEED TO FOR THEIR SECURITY WITHOUT STARVING THEIR PEOPLE TO SAVE MONEY. MAYBE THE WRITER IS OVERPLAYING THE MATTER, AND THAT THEIR ECONOMIC SITUATION IS NOT TOO VERY DIRE.

https://www.businessinsider.com/r-germany-weighing-new-government-jet-after-buenos-aires-debacle-2018-12?r=UK&IR=T
Germany weighing new government jet after Buenos Aires debacle
DECEMBER 15, 2018 Reuters 7h
PHOTOGRAPH -- FILE PHOTO: G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires Thomson Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) - It was a vivid illustration of the gap between Germany's foreign policy ambitions and its real means: Chancellor Angela Merkel arriving late, on a scheduled flight, to a crucial summit of world leaders because the government jet had broken down.

Stung by Merkel's failure to make the beginning of the Buenos Aires G20 summit on Nov 30, Defence Minister Ursula Von der Leyen announced plans to buy another jet and boost the staffing of the air force VIP transport wing.

In an interview with newspaper Bild am Sonntag (BamS), extracts of which were released on Saturday, Von der Leyen said the government would set aside up to 300 million euros to add another long-range aircraft to the existing Airbus fleet.

"That the Chancellor arrived late to the G20 summit was bitter," she said. "To stop that happening again, we are expanding crews and looking at buying one or two further long-range aircraft."

Merkel's flight to the summit of leaders of developed and emerging economy leaders was aborted an hour after take-off when communications systems failed aboard her A340 wide-bodied jet, forcing her to fly first class via Madrid the following day.

A switch to the air force's other long-range jet was impossible because the crew had already reached their maximum number of flying hours and no replacement shift was available.

Unlike many other major countries, Germany relies on a fleet of aging used jets to ferry its leaders around the world, reflecting a traditionally cautious approach to military procurement.

Across the armed forces, levels of deployability among military vehicles is low, with aircraft and tanks often out of service for repairs. Successive defence ministers have sought to change this, but have struggled in a country where the post-war culture of pacificism runs deep.

According to BamS, officers aim to buy at least one further long-range aircraft, probably a used A330 or, in a break with the tradition, a modern A350 fresh off the production line.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt, Editing by William Maclean)


SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER. DON’T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPH. THERE ARE CLEARLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THAT QUIET BUT DETERMINED CROWD OF PROTESTERS, AND IT’S HAPPENING IN A SNOW STORM. THEY REALLY CARE A GREAT DEAL TO STAND OUT IN THAT KIND OF WEATHER. BLOWING WHISTLES IS A NEW TRICK, LIKE THE CROWD WHO JANGLED THEIR KEYS IN UNISON SOME 20 YEARS AGO UNTIL THE LEADER STEPPED DOWN. THIS IS A REDO OF THE SAME CHEEKY AND ANNOYING ACTION, BUT IT’S NOT VIOLENT. THAT’S GOOD.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-12-15/thousands-brave-snow-to-rally-against-serbian-leader
Thousands Brave Snow to Rally Against Serbian Leader
Braving snow and cold weather, thousands have rallied in Serbia's capital in an outpouring of discontent with the autocratic rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his government.
Dec. 15, 2018, at 2:11 p.m.

Photograph -- Protesters are seen on a snowy street in central Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Braving snow and cold weather, thousands marched in Serbia's capital in an outpouring of discontent with the autocratic rule of president Aleksandar Vucic and his government. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELGRADE, SERBIA (AP) — Braving snow and cold weather, thousands have rallied in Serbia's capital of Belgrade to express discontent with the autocratic rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his government.

The whistle-blowing crowds marched Saturday through central Belgrade, some carrying umbrellas against the falling snow. The protesters stopped by the presidency building, urging Vucic to resign.

Thousands also rallied a week ago, protesting after thugs beat up an opposition party leader. Vucic's opponents have blamed the violence on what they describe as an atmosphere of intimidation and fear imposed by Vucic's populist ruling coalition.

Vucic is a former extreme nationalist who now says he wants Serbia to reform and join the European Union. But critics say Vucic has restricted democratic and media freedoms in the Balkan country.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandar_Vu%C4%8Di%C4%87
Aleksandar Vučić
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aleksandar Vučić (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар Вучић, pronounced [aleksǎːndar ʋǔtʃitɕ], born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician who has been the President of Serbia since 31 May 2017. He is also the president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

Before his tenure as his country's president Vučić served as the Prime Minister of Serbia in two terms from 2014-2016 and from 2016 until 2017, as well as the Deputy Prime Minister since 2012 until 2014. Furthermore, Vučić served as a member of the Serbian parliament, Minister of Information from 1998 to 2000 under the Slobodan Milošević regime[1][2] and later as Minister of Defence from 2012 to 2013.

In April 2017, Vučić was elected President of Serbia with over 55% of the vote in the first round, thus avoiding a second round. He formally assumed office on 31 May 2017, succeeding Tomislav Nikolić. His ceremonial inauguration ceremony was held on 23 June 2017. Observers have described his rule as authoritarian or autocratic.[3]

Early life and education
Aleksandar Vučić was born in Belgrade, to Anđelko and Angelina Vučić (née Milovanov). His paternal ancestors hailed from Čipuljić, near Bugojno, in central Bosnia. They were expelled by the Croatian fascist Ustaše during World War II and settled near Belgrade, where his father was born.[4] Vučić's paternal grandfather Anđelko, and tens of other close relatives were killed by the Ustaše.[5]

His mother was born in Bečej in Vojvodina.[4] Both of his parents were economics graduates. His father worked as an economist, his mother as a journalist.[4]

Vučić was brought up in New Belgrade,[4] and finished the Branko Radičević elementary school, and later a gymnasium in Zemun. He graduated from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law. He learned English in Brighton, England, and worked as a merchant in London for some time. After returning to Yugoslavia, he worked as a journalist in Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, he interviewed politician Radovan Karadžić and once played chess with general Ratko Mladić.[6] As a youngster, Vučić was a fan of the Red Star football club, often attending Red Star's matches,[6] including the one played between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star on 13 May 1990, which turned into a huge riot.[7] The homes of his relatives were destroyed in the Croatian War of Independence.[5]

Political career
Vučić joined the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) in 1993, far right party whose core ideology is based on Serbian nationalism and the goal of creating a Greater Serbia,[8][9] and was elected to the National Assembly following the 1993 parliamentary election. Two years later, at age 24, Vučić became secretary-general of the SRS. After his party won the local elections in Zemun in 1996, he became the director of Pinki Hall.[10] Which was his first employment.

President (2017–present)
The election result sparked protests around Serbia. Thousands of protesters accused Vučić of leading the country towards authoritarianism. Protesters organised the rallies through social networks and insist they are not linked to any party or politician, and demand a total overhaul of what they call "corrupt political, business and media systems that serve an elite led by Mr Vučić".[26] Vučić maintained that the protests were organized by his political opponents who expected “the dictator would bring the police into the streets.”[27]

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić with President of Israel Reuven Rivlin during his official visit to Serbia, July 26, 2018.

However, Vučić was sworn in as President of Serbia on 31 May, in front of Parliament.[28] He promised to continue with reforms and said Serbia will remain on European path. He also said Serbia will maintain military neutrality, but continue to build partnership with both NATO and Russia.[29]

After becoming President, Vučić disbanded the traditional police security service responsible for President's protection, and replaced it with members of the Cobras, military police unit which contrary to the law, protected him while he served as the Prime Minister from 2014 to 2017.[30]

On 3 September 2017, a Bentley luxury vehicle with three men inside of it, crashed into the presidential motorcade.[31] President Vučić and his staff were unharmed and the men were arrested on suspicion of jeopardizing the president's security.[31][32] Media close to Vučić reported it as yet another assassination attempt, while the opposition leaders claim that it is a "propaganda to portray the former ultra-nationalist as a victim and to turn attention away from Serbia's economic and social problems".[31][32]

In September 2018 in a speech to Kosovo Serbs he stated: "Milošević was a great Serbian leader, he had the best intentions, but our results were far worse."[33] Serbia and Kosovo have been attempting to negotiate a possible border partition, although the proposal remains extremely controversial. Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj exclaimed that any change of the Kosovo border with Serbia would lead to war.[34] John R. Bolton, national security advisor to the U.S. president, said that "the US policy is that if the two parties can work it out between themselves and reach agreement, we don’t exclude territorial adjustments. We would not stand in the way, and I don’t think anybody in Europe would stand in the way if the two parties to the dispute reached a mutually satisfactory settlement."[35]

. . . . Economy
After his election as Prime Minister in 2014, Vučić promoted austerity based economic policies, whose aim was to reduce Serbia's budget deficit. Vučić's policy of fiscal consolidation was primarily aimed at cuts in the public sector. One of the measures was the reduction of pensions and salaries in the public sector, as well as a ban on further employment in the public sector.[38] Vučić announced that his reform based policies have reduced country's deficit, and contributed to financial stability. However, criticism of Vučić's economic policy stated that his measures have not overall contributed to economic recovery, but have instead caused a further decline in living standard. On February 23, 2015, Vučić's government has concluded a three-year stand-by arrangement with the IMF worth €1.2 billion, as a precautionary measure to secure the country's long term fiscal stability.[39] The IMF has praised the reforms as has the EU[40][41] calling them one of the most successful programmes the IMF has ever had. The GDP of Serbia has surpassed the pre crisis of 2008 levels as have the salaries.[42] The economic prospects are good with GDP growth rising above 3% and the debt to GDP ratio falling below 68%[43][40]

EU and Immigration policy
During the 2015 - 2016 European migrant crisis, Vučić strongly aligned himself with the policies of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and publicly praised German migration policy.[citation needed] Vučić also stated that Serbia will cooperate with the EU in solving the migrant stream going from the Middle East to EU member countries through the Balkan route, and that Serbia will be ready to take some portion of the migrants. "Serbia will receive a certain number of migrants. This makes us more European than some member states. We don't build fences," Vučić wrote on Twitter, while criticizing the migrant policies of some EU member countries.[44]

READ THROUGH THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE. THERE ARE SOME HALF DOZEN PARAGRAPHS LEFT. IT CONTAINS MOVES ON HIS PART THAT TO ME ARE ERRATIC, UNWISE AND -- IN THE SREBRENICA MASSACRE – A CASE OF WAR CRIMES. THE GREATER SERBIA MOVEMENT WAS AN IRREDENTIST GROUP WHOSE GOAL WAS TO ENLARGE THE BOUNDARIES OF SERBIA AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER NEIGHBORS IF SERBS WERE LIVING THERE, SIMILARLY TO THE EXPANSION OF GERMAN TERRITORY UNDER HITLER AND THE MODERN USURPATION OF PARTS OF UKRAINE BY VLADIMIR PUTIN ON THE EXCUSE THAT THE POPULATION WAS PRIMARILY RUSSIAN.

US VP MIKE PENCE AND US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR JOHN BOLTON HAVE CONSULTED WITH VUČIĆ ON SERBIA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH KOSOVO CONCERNING A POSSIBLE “LAND SWAP” TO SETTLE BOUNDARY QUESTIONS. IN 2007, HE TOOK A POSITION IN FAVOR OF PROTECTING A CONVICTED WAR CRIMINAL RATKO MLADIĆ. HE ALSO MOVED FROM ONE PARTY AND POLITICAL POSITION TO ANOTHER EVEN THOUGH THE PHILOSOPHIES DIFFERED; AND HE HAS SHOWN CONSIDERABLE HOSTILITY TO THE PRESS INCLUDING CENSORSHIP AND MANIPULATION, PLUS A POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDER OF A WELL-CONSIDERED MEMBER OF THE PRESS, SLAVKO ĆURUVIJA, IN WHAT IS DESCRIBED AS “A STATE-SPONSORED ASSASSINATION.” IT SEEMS CLEAR TO ME THAT HE SHOULD STEP DOWN WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THESE PROTESTERS.


SOME 15 YEARS AGO I WORKED WITH A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG BLACK-HAIRED WOMAN FROM UKRAINE, AND I’VE HAD A POSITIVE FEELING TOWARD THEM EVER SINCE. I WANT THEM TO BE FREE, STRONG AND INDEPENDENT. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD STEP TO PULL LOOSE ANOTHER TENDRIL OF RUSSIAN OWNERSHIP.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46575548
Ukraine Orthodox priests to establish independent church
DECEMBER 15, 2018 2 hours ago

EPA Image caption -- Many Ukrainians welcomed Constantinople's ruling earlier this year, holding a prayer in Kiev

Ukrainian Orthodox priests arrived in Kiev on Saturday for a historic council to create a new national church - a move condemned as schism by Russia.

This comes after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodoxy, recognised the independence of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow.

In protest, the Russian Orthodox Church cut ties with Constantinople.

It also fears that its churches in Ukraine could be seized.

Orthodox Church split: Five reasons why it matters
Despite Russia banning priests from the branch of the Church loyal to Moscow from the event, two of its bishops were reportedly seen arriving for the council in Kiev.

President Petro Poroshenko also came as an honorary guest, reportedly asking crowds outside to "stand and pray for a Ukrainian church to be created today".

What about the council in Kiev?
It will be held in the ancient St Sophia's Cathedral - one of Kiev's best known landmarks.

Ukrainian clerics of different Orthodox denominations - including some bishops from the Moscow branch - will be electing a leader of a new church.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption -- Believers gathered outside the cathedral on Saturday

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption -- Orthodox clergymen conducted prayers ahead of the church council

Ahead of the meeting, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, called on religious and world leaders to protect believers and clergymen in Ukraine from what he called persecution.

What is the dispute all about?
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been under the Moscow Patriarchate for centuries.

But tensions within the church mounted after Ukraine became independent in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Today there are currently three Orthodox Church branches based in Kiev:

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate)
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)
The Ukrainian Autocephalous* Orthodox Church

The drive for Ukrainian Orthodox independence intensified in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and Russia-backed separatists seized a big swathe of territory in eastern Ukraine.

The Moscow branch of the Ukrainian Church has denied being a tool of the Kremlin, and says it has tried to bring about peace in eastern Ukraine.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption -- St Sophia's Cathedral, pictured behind its huge bell tower, is one of Kiev's best known landmarks

Earlier this year Constantinople - seen as the first among equals in the world's Orthodoxy - overruled its decision dating back to 1686 to transfer its jurisdiction over Kievan Orthodox churches (known as the Kievan Metropolis) to Moscow.

Now Moscow fears losing many of its 12,000 parishes in Ukraine.

Constantinople holds sway over more than 300 million Orthodox Christians across the world.

The Russian Orthodox Church is by far the biggest.

Read more on related topics:
Eastern Orthodox Church explained
Putin cast as national saviour ahead of Russia election
Church lends weight to Putin patriotism
Ukraine names Russia as 'aggressor' state


YELLOW VESTS UNITING AND MORPHING? THIS HAS THE FEELING OF SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT TO ME, BUT THE SEVERAL TIDES THAT ARE INVOLVED ARE MORE AGITATED THAN IS HEALTHY. TO ME, THAT MEANS THAT THE GOVERNMENTS NEED TO LOOSEN THEIR GRIP. I HATE TO SAY VERY NEGATIVE THINGS, BUT STRONG GOVERNMENTS TEND AS TIME PASSES TO BEHAVE LIKE A CONSTRICTING SNAKE. WHEN THE PREY BREATHES OUT, THE SNAKE'S COILS TIGHTEN AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL THE PREY IS DEAD. THEY AREN’T MERELY CRUSHED, THEY ARE SUFFOCATED. “ETERNAL VIGILANCE IS THE PRICE OF LIBERTY.” SO, WHILE I HATE TO SEE VIOLENCE AND HARD-EDGED HATRED, I SEE POLITICAL MOVEMENTS OF THE PEOPLE AS NOT ONLY GOOD, BUT ESSENTIAL.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46577598
France 'yellow vest' protesters defy government to gather
DECEMBER 15, 2018 1 hour ago

PHOTOGRAPH – AFP
Image caption -- The French capital is experiencing its fifth Saturday of tear gas and clashes

"Yellow vest" protesters have gathered in Paris and other cities for a fifth consecutive Saturday of demonstrations.

Protesters defied a government call to suspend the action following Tuesday's attack on Strasbourg's Christmas market where a gunman killed four people.

However, fewer people turned up - 66,000 altogether, officials said, compared to 125,000 last Saturday.

The movement, initially against a rise in fuel taxes, now addresses other issues, including education reforms.

RELATED:
The gilets jaunes
Macron promises divide protest leaders
Are the Yellow Vests spreading beyond France

Seven people have died in the "gilets jaunes" (yellow vest) protests so far, the latest in an accident resulting from a blockade by protesters on Friday.

How is this Saturday shaping up?

About 69,000 police have been mobilised across France to prevent a repeat of the violence of previous weeks.

In Paris, slightly more than 2,000 took to the streets on a cold and rainy day, compared to 10,000 last week.

VIDEO -- Media captionYellow vests: Is the symbol spreading across Europe?

Police stopped and questioned 168 people in the capital, detaining 115.

Scuffles broke out on the Champs-Elysées several times during the day, with police using tear gas and water cannon. However, as night fell, the iconic boulevard was reopened to traffic.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption -- Some women dressed as "Marianne", a symbol of the French Republic

Seven people were injured.

Some museums were closed, but both the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower remained open.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption -- In Nantes, there were scenes of tension
Image copyrightAFP
Image caption -- In Marseille, this protester holds a sign demanding a "citizens referendum"

In Bordeaux, more than 4,500 protesters took to the streets. Police had to use water cannon to disperse them. A similar number protested in Toulouse.

In Nantes, some 1,200 protesters saw rounds of tear gas fired at them.

Similar scenes occurred in Avignon and Besançon.

In Calais, a group of "yellow vests" blocked the access road to the port.

Thinning support?
Analysis by Hugh Schofield, BBC News, Paris

A few hundred desultory figures in day-glo vests wander up and down the Champs Elysées. Occasionally there are whoops and jeers, followed by a bang and a bit of gas. A group of protesters has got too close to a police cordon, and a show of force pushes them back. The mini-panic lasts about 15 seconds.

That is about the extent of the fifth yellow-vest demonstration, which confirms the downward trend of last Saturday. Maybe the troublemakers will enter the game like they did last week - but it can't be on the same scale, because today there simply aren't enough bona fide protesters around to give them cover.

The "gilets jaunes" who have turned out seem to be the hardline left-wing element. There is a lot of talk about the "RIC" - Citizens' Initiative Referendums. This is a demand of the far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon - and a long way from the yellow vests' original call, which was for a simple cut in fuel tax (long since conceded).

The movement - or at least the Saturday protest movement - is shrinking and hardening.

But has the government not made a U-turn?

The impact of the demonstrations has been keenly felt in France. The government has been forced to bow to pressure and adjust its economic course.

President Emmanuel Macron responded to the nationwide street protests by scrapping an unpopular fuel tax rise, and promising an extra €100 (£90; $114) a month for minimum wage earners and tax cuts for pensioners.

However, it is far from clear that he has done enough to defuse public anger.

What is the yellow-vest movement?
The protesters adopted the name after a social-media campaign urging people to take to the streets wearing the high-visibility yellow jackets that must be carried in every vehicle in France.

They were initially protesting against a rise in duties on diesel, which is widely used by French motorists and has long been less heavily taxed than other types of fuel.

Mr Macron had said higher taxes on fossil fuels were needed to fund renewable energy investments.

Will the environment be the true victim of France's riots?
Who supports the protesters?

But protests have also erupted over other issues, including calls for higher wages, lower taxes, better pensions and easier university entry requirements.

The movement's core aim, to highlight the economic frustration and political distrust of poorer working families, has widespread support.

Protest timeline
17 November: 282,000 protesters - one dead, 409 wounded - 73 in custody
24 November: 166,000 protesters - 84 wounded - 307 in custody
1 December: 136,000 protesters - one dead, 263 wounded - 630 in custody
8 December: 136,000 protesters - 118 wounded - 1,220 in custody

Related Topics
Emmanuel Macron Paris France economy France yellow vest protests


“... ONLY BY UNINTERMITTED AGITATION CAN A PEOPLE BE SUFFICIENTLY AWAKE TO PRINCIPLE NOT TO LET LIBERTY BE SMOTHERED IN MATERIAL PROSPERITY.” I HAVE QUOTED THIS PHRASE EXACTLY BECAUSE THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE USA, I BELIEVE. WE HAVE BECOME PEOPLE WHO ARE SO CONCERNED WITH OUR PROSPERITY THAT WE DON’T EVEN THINK MUCH ABOUT RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PRINCIPLES AT ALL ANYMORE.

WHEN I WAS YOUNG, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT HAVE HAD MUCH MONEY, WE HAD CONCERN OVER FAIRNESS, FEEDING AND HOUSING THE POOR, AND EDUCATION AS IDEALS. THAT MADE US, IN MY VIEW, AN HONORABLE NATION. OF COURSE, BLACK PEOPLE WERE NOT TREATED IN THE SAME WAY. THAT IS THE BLIND SPOT IN MOST AMERICANS’ EYES, AND WAS ESPECIALLY SO IN THE SOUTH.

THERE WERE WHITE PEOPLE WHO DID BELIEVE IN THE WHOLENESS OF BLACK HUMANS, AND TREATED THEM WITH DECENCY. FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT AND HIS WIFE ELEANOR DID WORK FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN A SPECIAL WAY, AND THE EDUCATED CLASSES OF AMERICA DID FOR THE MOST PART. THE PROBLEM WAS, AND IS NOW, THAT THERE AREN’T ENOUGH OF THE EDUCATED PEOPLE; AND BY THIS, I MEAN A “LIBERAL EDUCATION” OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO FOLLOW A PROFESSION.

SO, HAS THE SOUL OF AMERICA CHANGED? WHY ARE WE FIGHTING THIS RACE AND ETHNICITY WAR NOW? DID THE GREAT DEPRESSION START THIS DOWNHILL CHANGE? DID IT HAPPEN BECAUSE THE POOR WERE TOTALLY BROKEN OR BECAUSE THE RICH WERE TOO PROSPEROUS TO CARE ABOUT IT, AND RESENTED ALL THAT SHARING OF THEIR WEALTH? OR IS IT BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE AS THE DOMINANT FORM OF CHRISTIANITY A CREED THAT IS CALLED “THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL?” THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU HAVE MONEY, GOD LOVES YOU, AND IF YOU DON’T IT’S BECAUSE YOU SIMPLY HAVE BEEN LAZY OR TOO SLOW WITTED – NOT “DESERVING.” IS IT THAT WE DON’T WANT TO HELP THE HUNGRY MERELY BECAUSE THEY NEED IT, OR PERHAPS BECAUSE THEY ARE VIEWED AS “BEING PUNISHED BY GOD,” AND THEREFORE THEY DESERVE TO SUFFER? I TRULY DO HOPE NOT. WHATEVER THE CAUSE, THOUGH, AMERICA IS NOT SO MUCH UNDER EXTERNAL ATTACK BY FASCISM, AS DYING FROM IT IN THE FORM OF A CHRONIC DISEASE. TO KEEP AMERICA, WE MUST PULL OUT OF THIS CONDITION SO WE CAN BE THE SAVIORS OF THE WORLD AGAIN. WE NEED TO BECOME “GREAT” AGAIN, AND THAT MEANS OUR AMERICAN GROUP SOUL, RATHER THAN OUR POSITION OF POWER IN THE WORLD.

http://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2011/01/eternal-vigilance-is-price-of-liberty.html
January 28, 2018
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

The quote “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” is often mistakenly attributed to the Irish lawyer and politician John Philpot Curran and frequently to Thomas Jefferson.
In fact, Curran’s line was somewhat different. What he actually said, in a speech in Dublin on July 10, 1790, was: “The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance.”

And, according to Jefferson scholars there is “no evidence to confirm that Thomas Jefferson ever said or wrote, ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty’ or any of its variants.”

Traditionally, the most famous use of “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” that’s included in books of quotations is from a speech made by the American Abolitionist and liberal activist Wendell Phillips on January 28, 1852.

Speaking to members of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society that day, Phillips said:

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty; power is ever stealing from the many to the few. The manna of popular liberty must be gathered each day or it is rotten. The living sap of today outgrows the dead rind of yesterday. The hand entrusted with power becomes, either from human depravity or esprit de corps, the necessary enemy of the people. Only by continued oversight can the democrat in office be prevented from hardening into a despot; only by unintermitted agitation can a people be sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity.”

However, Anna Berkes, a research librarian at the Jefferson Library, has discovered uses that predate Phillips’ speech.

In a post on the Jefferson Library blog, Berkes wrote:

“Not to be mean to Mr. Wendell Phillips, but he’s about to get slightly less famous. After two days of ridiculously feverish searching, I’ve traced the purported Phillips version of this quote all the way back to 1809. (For the record, Mr. Phillips was -2 years old at that time.)”

Berkes noted that, in a biography of Major General James Jackson published in 1809, author Thomas Charlton used the same words, just in a different order. Charlton wrote that that one of the obligations of biographers of famous people is “fastening upon the minds of the American people the belief, that ‘the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.’”

Berkes also found several news articles that include the more familiar version of the line as later used by Phillips.

For example, an article in the May 2, 1833 edition of The Virginia Free Press and Farmers' Repository says:

“Some one has justly remarked, that ‘eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.’ Let the sentinels on the watch-tower sleep not, and slumber not.”

One of the news articles she found, in the January 4, 1838 edition of the Pennsylvania Inquirer and Daily Courier, uses the same quote and attributes it to Thomas Jefferson — one of the earliest sources to do so.

Berkes reiterated that the consensus of Jefferson scholars is that he never spoke or wrote the words “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

She also concluded that, although Wendell Phillips still gets credit for the most famous use of that phrase, it was already a well-known saying prior to his speech in 1852.

Many witty variations on this old saying have been created since then.

My personal favorite is by the novelist Aldous Huxley.

In his spoken introduction to the 1956 CBS Radio Workshop adaptation of his novel Brave New World, Huxley said: “The price of liberty, and even of common humanity, is eternal vigilance.”

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to reader Chris Cox for emailing me a correction on my original citation of the Huxley quote and for giving me the link to listen to the CBS Radio adaptation on the Internet Archive.

* * * * * * * * * *



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THIS IS AN EXCELLENT VIDEO AND A PICTURE OF A MAN WHO IS PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN THESE DAYS, BUT HE IS JUST LIKE ALL OF THE BELIEVERS IN TIGHT-FISTED ECONOMICS. "IF IT’S GOOD FOR GENERAL MOTORS, IT’S GOOD FOR THE USA."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbfM9KhVs-I
PBS Herbert Hoover