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British soldier drowns ISIS thug in puddle after being ambushed
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Page 6: Politix
8 13:22 AlanC [] 
15 17:51 lord garth [] 
14 18:39 Thing From Snowy Mountain [] 
3 11:03 ed in texas [] 
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Economy
Island Beach State Park closed... except for Gov. Christie
[NPR] What's worse that a government shutdown closing your state's beaches on a sweltering holiday weekend?

Now we know: Seeing photos of the governor -- a key player in the budget standoff that caused the shutdown -- enjoying one of those empty beaches on Sunday afternoon like it was his own private island.

On Sunday, the New Jersey Star-Ledger took aerial photos of Christie and his family on the pristine Island Beach State Park, where there's a governor's residence. The governor is lounging in a beach chair, sand between his toes. Around him, people play paddleboard and enjoy beverages.

That afternoon, at a press conference in Trenton about the shutdown, Christie was asked if he had gotten any sun that day, the newspaper reports. "I didn't," he reportedly said. "I didn't get any sun today."
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 09:34 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  You can stick a fork in this arrogant, fat bastid's political career, it is DONE !
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 9:44 Comments || Top||

#2  Bridgegate and now Beachgate. IMO his political career has been beached.
Posted by: JohnQC || 07/03/2017 9:56 Comments || Top||

#3  Harpooned his own career.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 07/03/2017 10:10 Comments || Top||

#4  He was not there at the State Park, he was there at the governor's residence.
Posted by: Glenmore || 07/03/2017 10:53 Comments || Top||

#5  Stupid move and equally stupid comments by an arrogant fat man. It won't matter that the residence was not on Park Property.

On Saturday, the governor had defended using a state park that is closed to the rest of the state's residents due to the budget impasse. Christie told the newspaper that his family doesn't use any state services while there, and emphasized that his residence is separate from the park.

With his trademark brusqueness, Christie told state residents how they could enjoy the beach.

"Run for governor, and you can have a residence there," he said.
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 12:15 Comments || Top||

#6  I'm so glad that after this fool clung to Trump's ankle throughout the campaign he has wound up with no role in the Trump administration
Posted by: M. Murcek || 07/03/2017 12:30 Comments || Top||

#7  "Run for governor, and you can have a residence there," he said.

That fat fuck should be bounced from office for having the arrogance to say that. I can't believe what we put up with from our alleged "leaders".
Posted by: Crusader || 07/03/2017 12:49 Comments || Top||

#8  I think NJ was run better when I lived there growing up 50+ years ago. But then the mafia always made the trains run on time.
Posted by: AlanC || 07/03/2017 13:22 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Kristol: US Repeating 'Decline and Fall of Rome' in Mere Months
[NEWSMAX] We're up to Commodus, just since last Thursday.
Posted by: Fred || 07/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  There is nothing that the Roman Empire and the U.S. has in common. Britain and the Soviet Union were more like Empires. Nitwit.
Posted by: Huporong Oppressor of the Weak3828 || 07/03/2017 2:07 Comments || Top||

#2  ...Wasn't this the same guy who was going to 'save' us from Donald Trump by pushing forward some nonentity for President last year?

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 07/03/2017 4:35 Comments || Top||

#3  "in mere months". Uh, yeah, sure. I can't wait for the Gibbon-like book on the "decline and fall".

Now, the decline and fall of the main-stream media? Now we're talking!
Posted by: Clurong Glinetle7483 || 07/03/2017 4:47 Comments || Top||

#4  There is nothing that the Roman Empire and the U.S. has in common.
Are you sure about that? I've seen some pretty long faces in the Senate.
Posted by: Classer || 07/03/2017 5:23 Comments || Top||

#5  We certainly have our own version of bread and circus's along with internal barbarians
Posted by: Cheaderhead || 07/03/2017 5:54 Comments || Top||

#6  The 'end state' may be a bit different from that of Rome. Nearly everyone in the U.S. owns or has access to a Gladius.
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 5:58 Comments || Top||

#7  More like Athenian empire, if you ask me.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 07/03/2017 5:59 Comments || Top||

#8  No doubt Kristol blames everyone else...
Posted by: Rob Crawford || 07/03/2017 7:10 Comments || Top||

#9  Centuries before the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was the Fall of the Roman Republic. I trace the fall to the success in its most major conflict, the Second Punic War. Much like our success in the Second World War, it presented the victor with dominance in a vast area of the civilized world for which the constitution of Rome was not designed to handle. Ruling, influencing, garrisoning these new regions, totally distorted the checks and balances that could be operated within a city state political system. There you'll find the decline you are looking for, but one you won't like given how you enjoyed for so long playing among the Oligarchy which had displaced the old American republic, I doubt you want to cast yourself as part of the problem, not the solution. When the people in Washington decided to engage the world in '48, it poisoned itself, destroyed the checks and balances, to centralize power and resources. Looking around, you haven't 'saved the world'. It's been decades in the making, not months.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 07/03/2017 7:15 Comments || Top||

#10  Another example of Kristol going off in his quest for relevance. He has been wrong most of the time.
Posted by: JohnQC || 07/03/2017 9:54 Comments || Top||

#11  I could care less about Kristol but it makes me
sad that P.J. O'Rourke cashed in decades of Libertarianism and sided with Hillary.

Did the NeverTrumps truly go off the rails because of Trump or did we just notice it now?
Posted by: rjschwarz || 07/03/2017 10:54 Comments || Top||

#12  Kristol's only upset because his own empire is getting shut down.
Posted by: charger || 07/03/2017 11:55 Comments || Top||

#13  During the first part of my recent illness and convalescence I found myself listening to the first half of the History of Rome podcast by Mike Duncan. I'd like to take the opportunity to second what P2K said about the fall of the Republic. I'd also suggest listening to Duncan's account of the assasination of Caesar and its aftermath.

This keyboard is broken and annoying, so I'm going to stop typing now.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 07/03/2017 13:36 Comments || Top||

#14  Ok, on my phone for a sec... I'll elaborate. After they killed Caesar, the Liberators left Pompey's theater and deckred their action to the city. They had killed Caesar and saved the Republic. Then everyone went home, locked their doors, and waited for the civil war to start back up.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain || 07/03/2017 18:39 Comments || Top||


Twitter: Trump's Tweets Don't Violate Rules
[NEWSMAX] President Donald Trump's tirade on Sunday where he posted a mock video that showed him wrestling someone to the ground with a block head that read "CNN" did not violate any rules of Twitter, CNN reported Sunday.

Company officials reviewed Trump's tweet and considered three primary items: "the political context of the conversation surrounding the tweet, the various ways it could be interpreted and the lack of details in the tweet itself," the article explained.

Twitter can suspend an account for several reasons, such as tweets with violent threats, those that discriminate based on factors including race, religion or gender, and tweets targeting "abuse or harassment of others."
Posted by: Fred || 07/03/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In any rumble there is always trash talk. And no one can out trash talk someone from New York City.
Posted by: Huporong Oppressor of the Weak3828 || 07/03/2017 2:00 Comments || Top||

#2  Trump is the only thing keep Twitter stock afloat.
Posted by: Chesney Prince of the Visigoths3595 || 07/03/2017 2:10 Comments || Top||

#3  Twitter would already turned into MySpace II except for Trump insulting people and people waiting around to be insulted.
Remember how long Obie used a Blackberry?
Posted by: ed in texas || 07/03/2017 11:03 Comments || Top||


Government
Flight from Illinois to Continue as House Approves Historic 32% Tax Increase
[Zero Hedge] With Illinois, which on Saturday morning entered its third fiscal year without a budget, facing a catastrophic downgrade, late on Sunday evening the Illinois House approved the most controversial element of a budget package, a tax hike which will increase the income tax rate by 32% from 3.75% to 4.95%, and the corporate income tax rate from 5.25% to 7%, to try and end a historic budget impasse. The bill passed 72-45. The House also approved a $36 billion spending plan minutes later on a 81-34 vote. According to the Sun Times, it cleared an initial hurdle on Friday with 23 Republicans voting "yes."

"While no one could say this was an easy decision, it was the right decision," House Speaker Mike Madigan said after the spending bill vote. "There is more work to be done." Dems said they would work with Republicans on other resolution of other issues on table.

The proposed tax increase will now head back to the Illinois Senate, which approved a revenue bill on May 23 with all Democratic votes as part of its "grand bargain" package. But Governor Bruce Rauner has said he’ll only support an income tax hike if it’s limited to four years and paired with a four-year property tax freeze. He’s also still seeking changes in workers’ compensation and pensions.

Commenting on the just passed House bill, Rauner said he’ll veto the revenue bill.

"I will veto Mike Madigan’s permanent 32% tax hike. Illinois families don’t deserve to have more of the hard-earned money taken from them when the legislature has done little to restore confidence in government or grow jobs," Rauner said.

"Illinois families deserve more jobs, property tax relief and term limits. But tonight they got more of the same." He also said in an emailed statement that "if the legislature is willing to pass the largest tax hike in state history with no reforms, then we must engage citizens and redouble our efforts to change the state."

Some commentators promptly countered that Rauner's veto will likely be overriden.

The tax bill passed with some essential Republican support: it needed 71 votes. But Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin questioned how it will address the state’s $14 billion backlog. Durkin is seeking to get Rauner the "balanced budget package," he wants, which includes spending reductions and "meaningful reforms."

CNBC and Reuters, same topic.
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 02:19 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ...A massive tax hike that will do nothing but insure people have to leave Illinois to look for work, because their employers will have been run out of the state.

Dear God, what is it with the Democrats? Even a flatworm knows to turn away from pain, but these people just seem intent on inflicting more and more upon themselves.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski || 07/03/2017 5:21 Comments || Top||

#2  Let's be honest. Illinios problems stem from primarily from being the host to that parrasite called Chicago
Posted by: Cheaderhead || 07/03/2017 5:50 Comments || Top||

#3  Business, industry, and wage earners have been leaving Illinois for more than 50 years. The corrupt Democratic machines and politicians in Chicago, Peoria, and a few of the other larger cities are responsible. Fiscal conservatism is the answer, not more taxes.

Illinois is a poster child for what ails the nation.
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 5:53 Comments || Top||

#4  Only if it holds hands with California on that poster, Besoeker.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 07/03/2017 6:01 Comments || Top||

#5  Highlighting downstate neglect:

The bridge over the Wabash connecting Illinois Route 14 and Indiana Route 66 at New Harmony was completed without federal funds in 1932. At it's opening, a bridge toll of $ .05 was charged due to 'bad times in the economy.' The toll was to be lifted when 'things got better.' The bridge was condemned and closed a few years ago. The toll at closure was $1.00. Evidently things....'never got better.'
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 6:18 Comments || Top||

#6  A little further upstream on the Wabash, take a ride on the Cannonball Bridge connecting St. Francisville, IL and Vincennes, IN. It was built in 1906 for the 'Big Four Railroad.' The center section rotated on big gears to allow the passage of steam boats. Closed in the late 1960's and bought by a local farmer, it was reopened with a toll of $1.00.
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 6:48 Comments || Top||

#7  No state constitutional amendment to cap pensions? When you go TU, it'll happen anyway. Just no courage to do it yourself. You don't deserve self rule if you are depending/expecting others to do your job. In the end its Unions vs the People. No way around it. In the end there can be only one.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 07/03/2017 7:22 Comments || Top||

#8  No state constitutional amendment to cap pensions?

Not even on a good day, P2k. The 'pensioners' (existing and potential) have had a firm grip on both sides of the aisle in Springfield for decades.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 07/03/2017 7:40 Comments || Top||

#9  Well to be honest, the only the demoncrats know how to do it raise taxes. They are the scorpion.
Posted by: DarthVader || 07/03/2017 8:29 Comments || Top||

#10  late on Sunday evening the Illinois House approved the most controversial element of a budget package, a tax hike which will increase the income tax rate by 32% from 3.75% to 4.95%, and the corporate income tax rate from 5.25% to 7%, to try and end a historic budget impasse.

Should this pass and become law, any guesses on how long it will take to return to the same financial state they are in now?
Posted by: JohnQC || 07/03/2017 9:45 Comments || Top||

#11  It will pass and become law. The governor's veto will be overriden. Any future recovery due to tax increases will likely be offset by business and private departures from the state. Raising taxes is never the answer. Wen the bond ratings and borrowing ability went south, so did and chance for their financial survival. It's been coming along for decades, this should be interesting to watch.
Posted by: Besoeker || 07/03/2017 10:18 Comments || Top||

#12  I have a lot of retiree friends (including from the Public Sector) that live in Illinois.

The private sector folks are kind of worried that one of the next steps might be asset forfeiture/nullification (as in anything held in local state or municipal bonds). I've been telling them for years that those were horrible investments, but there must be something in the water as the advice was mostly unheeded.

Private leases/usage agreements for public lands might bear review too, as these might be sold out from under the lessee.

The Public Sector retirees are worried that their pension disbursements will be delayed or withheld completely, having been seized as payment for Illinois' existing past-due debts. Since the state pension plans are woefully underfunded (in some cases at 20% or less), it's a possibility the plans will no longer exist.

The 32% rate increase on 'working' people wouldn't be enough to support the existing pension outlays with no real benefits beyond that. It's just Chicago/Springfield (D) kicking the can down the road again.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 07/03/2017 11:30 Comments || Top||

#13  Is the cited income tax rate of 4.95% an average, a top rate or is there just one? If it's the top rate it will still be lower than a lot of states.
Posted by: Glenmore || 07/03/2017 14:06 Comments || Top||

#14  State personal income tax is currently 3.75% Flat Rate, Glenmore.

Lower than some other states for sure, but the sales taxes (6.25% state + County + Local) and plenty of other delightful county and municipal 'fees' more than make up for the seemingly lower state rate.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 07/03/2017 15:43 Comments || Top||

#15  CA has state income tax of ~13% with sales tax (state plus local) 7-9%

NY has state income at ~9%, sales (S+L)~8-9%

IL has lots of fees on top of their income+sales, e.g., their vehicle registration fees are higher than either NY or CA
Posted by: lord garth || 07/03/2017 17:51 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Mon 2017-07-03
  British soldier drowns ISIS thug in puddle after being ambushed
Sun 2017-07-02
  Palestinian Forces Hand Over Most Wanted Fugitive in Ain Hilweh
Sat 2017-07-01
  ISIS abandons Aleppo
Fri 2017-06-30
  Raqqa fully encircled
Thu 2017-06-29
   ISIS Number 4 and human shield deaths west of Mosul
Wed 2017-06-28
  Ottoman Turkish artillery opens fire on Kurdish forces across entire frontier in northern Aleppo
Tue 2017-06-27
  IS suicide bomber’s belt explodes, kills 12 well-wishing comrades in Diyala
Mon 2017-06-26
  High Court reinstates Trump travel ban, will hear arguments
Sun 2017-06-25
  Evolution theory to be scrapped from Turkish schoolbooks
Sat 2017-06-24
  Jihadist who threw grenade in French kosher shop gets 28 years
Fri 2017-06-23
  Philippine military: Omar Maute likely dead
Thu 2017-06-22
  BIFF Bravely Takes Hostages at Philippine School
Wed 2017-06-21
  ISIS Lord High Holy Man, al-Baghdadi confidant, killed by US-led coalition forces
Tue 2017-06-20
  Afghan forces clear strategic Tora Bora of ISIS militants: Gen. Waziri
Mon 2017-06-19
  IRGC completely dismantles terrorist group in southeast Iran: Commander

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